Week 11: Joseph and Benjamin, Samuel, the Ark of the Lord, Eliphaz the Temanite, Jesus Cures the Paralytic and Forgives His Sins

   Paul recommends unity to the Church in Corinth and the proceeds to give advice about sexual matters.  He criticizes the assembly for tolerating a member of their fellowship who has taken his father's wife as his own and in 1 Corinthians 5:15 advises "God judges those outside.  'Purge the evil person from among you.'"  Asimov notes that Paul believes that sexual abstinence is the most desirable situation, but marriage is not sinful and is indeed necessary if that is the only way to keep a man from being driven into irregular unions by desire (Asimov's Guide to the Bible, p. 1107).  In Chapter 6 Paul recommends that disagreements be settled by the Church in Corinth and not via lawsuits in public courts.  He also reminds the people that although we are free in Christ we should not use that freedom to behave badly: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body (1 Cor 6:19)."

     Joseph's story continues in Genesis 40-43.  In Chapter 40, while imprisoned with two of Pharaoh's officers, Joseph correctly interprets each of their dreams.  The Pharaoh's cup bearer remembers Joseph and recommends him when Pharaoh has some dreams and needs them interpreted.  Joseph predicts seven years of Egyptian prosperity followed by seven years of famine and recommends preparation for the famine.  Pharaoh is so impressed that he frees Joseph and puts him in charge of famine preparation.  Pharaoh also renames Joseph Zaphenathpaneah and gives him a wife (Asenath) who bears him two sons (Manessah and Ephraim).  Joseph's predictions are accurate and during the famine Egypt is the only land adequately prepared.  Many other nations come to Egypt for grain.  This ironically included a delegation from Jacob in Canaan which happened to be Joseph's brothers.  Joseph recognizes them and treats them harshly, accusing them of being spies, imprisoning them and then sending them packing back to Canaan to bring their youngest brother Benjamin back with them.  The brothers don't recognize Joseph as their long lost brother (whom they had sold into slavery years before) but the events in Egypt make them wonder if God is punishing them for their past misdeeds.  Karen Armstrong notes that the painful confrontation with the past and the stirrings of new sympathy had made the brothers aware of life's misery and pain (In the Beginning, p 110).   Jacob will not let them return to Egypt for fear of losing Benjamin like he lost his previous favored son Joseph.  The famine causes desperation, however, and Judah convinces Jacob to let the brothers return to Egypt for more grain.  Joseph is overcome with emotion when he meets Benjamin and greets all of his brothers with a feast.

Joseph and Benjamin

     This week we start the First Book of Samuel (1 Samuel).  It is the story of the transition in  Israel from the rule of occasional charismatic rulers to the relatively stable rule of kings.  This book takes place around 1050 B.C. and the first leader discussed here is Samuel, who led Israel for many years in the combined roles of prophet, priest, and judge.  Samuel appoints Saul as the first king to check the incursion of the Philistines.  His story is followed by the model of kingship in Israel, David.  This book shows the hand of God guiding history toward the Davidic monarchy by means of the leadership of David himself.  There is a repeat of the familiar four-fold cycle of 1) Israel's infidelity leading to 2) disaster, then 3) conversion to the Lord and 4) rescue from the enemy.  Chapter one tells the story of the birth of Samuel.  He is the son of Elkanah and one his wives, Hannah.  Hannah had been unable to conceive and suffered much ridicule, especially from Elkanah's other wife Peninnah (who was very fertile).  Hannah promises the Eli (the priest) that if the Lord allows her a son "then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his live, and no razor shall touch his head (1 Samuel 1:10-11)."  Hannah does have a son who she names Samuel and presents him to Eli.  Chapter 2 begins with Hannah's song of praise to the Lord for Samuel and then goes on to describe the two sons of Eli "who were worthless men.  They did not know the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12)."  They apparently skimmed the Lord's offerings and slept with prostitutes as well.  Eli rebukes his sons and then has a vision of the Lord who tells him his sons will both die on the same day and "I will raise up for myself a faithful priest (1 Samuel 2:35)."  In Chapter 3 the Lord calls Samuel who replies "Here I am! (1 Samuel 3:4)" and then "all of Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord (1 Samuel 3:20)."  Chapter 4 the Israelites battle the invading Philistines.  After an early setback, the Israelites bring the Ark of the Lord to the battlefield for strength, but the battle is lost, the Ark is captured and Hophini and Phinehas (Eli's two sons) are killed.  Eli, hearing all of this news from battle, falls over backward, breaks his neck and dies.  Phinehas' wife, on hearing of her husband and father-in-law's death, dies giving birth to her son Ichabod.  Chapter 5 tells of the Philistine's experiences while possessing the Ark.  Asimov notes in his book that the Philistines, who thoroughly accepted the Ark as representing the physical presence of and enemy God, were in awe of it, and quite ready to see in any misfortune that befell themselves the angry work of that God.  First the Ark is brought to the house of Dagon (their God) in Ashdod.  Dagon fell and was broken on the ground.  The "the hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he afflicted them with tumors.  The Ark was transferred to Gath and then to Ekron where similar things happened.  The people then agreed that the Ark should go back to the Israelites.

The Ark of the Covenant placed before the Philistines in the Temple of Dagon

     Psalm 30 is entitled "Joy Comes With the Morning" and is an individual song of thanksgiving for deliverance from some life-threatening danger: "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing" (Ps 30:11) and "That my glory may sing your praise and not be silent" (Ps 30:12).  Psalm 31 is a prayer for deliverance.  The psalmist repeats appeals to God's "steadfast love".  In verse 2 the psalmist implores "Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me."  Psalm 32 is a cry of joy at God's forgiveness: "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;  I said 'I will confess my transgressions to the lord' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Ps 32:5).  He concludes: "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" (Ps 32:11).

     There is a debate in Chapters 21 and 22 of Job between Job and one of his friends, Eliphaz the Temanite.  In Chapter 21 Job asks: "Why do the wicked live, reach old age, grow mighty and prosper (Job 21:7)?"  Job seems to feel that God does whatever he wants, allowing the wicked to prosper and the good and righteous to suffer.   Eliphaz replies in Chapter 22: "Is not your evil abundant?  Ther is no end to your iniquities (Job 22:5)."  Further he states: "Agree with God, and be at peace;  thereby good will come to you (Job 22:21)."  Eliphaz feels that God's punishment is evidence enough of Job's evil ways and that Job needs to repent and then God will forgive him and his health fortunes will be restored.

Eliphaz Rebuking Job

     The last 11 chapters of Isaiah were written even later than the previous two parts (around 450 B.C. according to Asimov) and are sometimes referred to as "Third Isaiah".  These chapters envision the situation after the return from the Exile, with the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and increasing welcome of foreigners into the covenant.  Chapter 57 notes that even the righteous suffer and die and that only God can help.  God will forgive and restore the wicked.  Chapter 58 states that religious ritual does not matter and that God prefers action to fasting: "if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday (Isaiah 58:10)."  The following three chapters elaborate on several themes.  First, God has the power of rescue but sins get in the way.  Second that the world will be attracted to Jerusalem and those who do not serve Jerusalem will perish.  Finally, God loves justice and will save his people.

      The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels and was written the earliest (probably shortly before or after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.  The writer of this Gospel is thought to be the John Mark referred to in the Book of Acts, and he may have been an associate of Peter.  This Gospel may have been a transcription of Peter's preaching in Rome.  It is recognized as the earliest attempt to reduce the apostolic tradition concerning Jesus to written form.  This Gospel starts simply enough: "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1;1)."  It starts right up with John the Baptist who declares "The one how is more powerful than I is coming after me (Mark 1:7)."  Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist and begins his activities in Galilee, including the healing of demoniacs and lepers.  In Chapter 2 Jesus is home in Capernaum and the story of the paralytic who is lowered through the hole in the roof of a home is told.  Jesus cures his paralysis and also forgives the man's sins.  The orthodox Jews start to accuse Jesus of blasphemy (forgiving sins) and, later, disregard for the Sabbath.  Asimov notes that this beginning of Mark places great emphasis on Jesus' ministry of healing and his miracles.  Asimov also notes the significance of the fact that Mark does not mention Bethlehem, the virgin birth or the direct lineage from David as was stressed in the Gospel of Matthew.

The Paralyzed Man Lowered Through the Roof to Jesus (Mark, Chapter 2)