Sunday, February 24, 2019

The Visions of Zechariah



Zech 1:1. The Book of Zechariah opens with a call to conversion which is dated to November, 520 BC (Zech 1:1); it thus comes two months after Haggai's exhortation to the returned exiles to resume the building of the temple (Hag 1:1). The prophet is to tell his audience that The LORD was angry indeed with your fathers, i.e., the previous generation that went into exile (Zech 1:2). This statement is followed by a call to the present generation to return to their God (Zech 1:3), lest they end up experiencing what befell their fathers (Zech 1:4-6). Prophetic preaching and its threats of judgement--the point of the preaching being that such judgements can be avoided by repenting--are the result of God's patience, compassion and mercy (2 Chron 36:15-20). The underlying idea here seems to be that it is better to repent in response to this patience, mercy and compassion, than to let the hammer fall and repent after the judgment has come.

Zech 1:7-6:8. This passage contains another prophetic experience consisting of eight visions (some with oracles) which came to Zechariah on the 15th of February, 519 BC, two months after the final prophecy of Haggai (Hag 2:20). In my opinion visions 2 through 8 build upon vision 1; this I will try to bring out in what follows. Many scholars are of the opinion that the visions are structured as a reverse parallel series (1 parallels 8; 2 parallels 7, etc.), I find this plausible but will not consider it in this post.

VISION ONE~Zech 1:7-17. In this vision we see that horses have been sent to patrol the earth and they report to the angel of the Lord that the earth is at peace. The angel of the Lord then speaks: O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?' The Lord makes clear that He is angry with these nations, for while He was angry a little at His people--punishing them with exile--these nations furthered the disaster that befell them (a similar charge was made against Assyria 200 year earlier in Isa 10:5-7). The Lord's presence has returned to Jerusalem (which He had abandoned in Ezek 10:4, 18-19; 11:22-23) and the Lord will oversee the rebuilding of the Temple and the cities in the land will enjoy prosperity. Zion will once again know comfort, and Jerusalem will once again be His chosen city. (Note: The earth at peace and ease may sound like a good thing, but the point here is that the nations have not as yet paid for their sins against God and his people when they "furthered the disaster." God's anger at the "ease" of the nations may recall Lamentations 1:5. [Note: the next two visions clearly build upon this one].

VISION TWO~Zech 1:18-21 (2:1-4 in the NABRE). [Vision one had mentioned God's anger at the nations; this vision indicates His response to them]. Animal horns were often a sign of divine power, might and protection (2 Sam 23:2-3; Ps 18:2; Lk 1:69), but they also signified human power bestowed by God (Ps 18:17); also human or demonic power manifesting hostility toward God or His people (Jer 48:25; Dan 7:7-25; Rev 12:3-9, 13:1-6, etc.). Horns were also found on the four corners of altars, thereby signifying the power of whatever deity the altar was dedicated to (Jer 17:1; Amos 3:14). Here they symbolize the power of the pagan nations that scattered God's people, but I suspect that the association with the altars and deities is implicit as well. The nations in question are, undoubtedly, the two great exiling powers, Assyria and Babylon, but also those nations that took advantage of the plight of God's people (Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Philistines. See 2 Kings 24:2; Ezek 25:1-17; Obad 1:2-21).

The "four smiths." The Hebrew word indicates anyone who works in wood, stone or metal (standard material for making altars). These "smiths" have been sent "to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."

VISION THREE~Zech 2:1-13 (2:5-17 in the NABRE). [Vision one had had indicated that God had returned to Jerusalem, which would be comforted, prosperity would return to the cities of the land. This vision builds upon that]. In this vision a man is prepared to survey Jerusalem so as to rebuild the walls that had been destroyed at the time of the exile. Lamentations had described the destruction of the walls as God's doing; He had stretched out His measuring line over it to destroy it (Lam 2:8). But now the wall rebuilder's task is halted, for the Lord Himself will be the protective wall. The city will no longer be confined by material walls but will be able to accommodate a multitude within the expansive wall of the Lord's protection. Those who plundered His people will now be plundered by them (recalls the promise of prosperity in vision one, but also Exodus 3:21-22; 12:35-36). Note the emphasis on the Lord's presence (Zech 2:5, 10-11) and His choice of Jerusalem (Zech 2:12), both picking up themes in vision one.

VISION FOUR~Zech 3:1-10. [Vision one had mentioned the rebuilding of God's house, i.e., Temple. In this vision we see Joshua being prepared to serve as high priest in that house, indicating that God had again chosen Jerusalem]. "Satan," without the definite article, is not to be understood here as the Devil; rather, the figure is probably representative of opposition to the temple (Ezra 4:1-24). The filthy garments removed from Joshua indicates the removal of his "iniquity." The word implies moral fault rather than ritual impurity. Joshua's letting the reconstruction of the temple cease for 16 years is probably the "iniquity" in view here. Joshua and his fellow priests are called "Men of good omen" because the of God's servant, "the Branch." This is a messianic term (Jer 23:5; 33:15). The re-establishment of the priesthood to serve at the soon to be rebuilt temple indicates that the promises to David are still intact. Recall that David had received a kingly dynasty from God because of his desire to build the temple (2 Sam 7).

VISION FIVE~Zech 4:1-14. [Vision one had spoken of the rebuilding of God's house/temple and that theme is evident here]. These verses are some of the most enigmatic in the bible. This is due in part to the fact that apparently significant elements of the vision are not explained (e.g., lampstand) and several verses are obscure or ambiguous (translations generally smooth over these). As a result of all of this, interpretations vary considerably. The Navarre Bible Commentary interprets the lampstand as the returned Jewish community, and the olive trees as symbols of the High Priest, Joshua, and the Davidic descendant, Zeubabbel, (he had been appoint as governor of the territory by the Persians). As olive oil supplies a lamp these two supply strength and impetus to the community and its actions. Zech 4:6, concerning Zerubabbel, indicates that the force behind him (and, by implication, behind Joshua), is God. The "great mountain" of verse 7 symbolizes the abundant obstacles Zerubabbel will overcome to see the completion of the temple. Verse 14 identifies the two men as "anointed" (literally, sons of new oil). The term is often taken as designating the priestly status of Joshua, and the kingly status of Zerubabbel. The problem with this is that the Hebrew term for "oil" used here is not used elsewhere to designate anointing oil. "New oil," like "new wine," often indicates an abundant harvest. The idea here seems to be that through the God-powered activity of these two men prosperity will return to the land, thus linking with a promise in vision one (Zech 1:17), and reversing the situation mentioned in Haggai 1:6, 10-11.

VISION SIX~Zech 5:1-4. [Vision one had spoken of God's renewed presence dwelling among His people, and of the rebuilding of His house/temple. In vision six evil doers in the land will have God's curse dwell in their homes, rotting them]. The presence of the Holy God demands holiness on the part of His people. It is no accident that the Ten Commandments and the rest of "The Covenant Code" precedes the command to build the Tabernacle wherein God would manifest His presence (Exodus 20-31). Also, it is no accident that immediately after God's takes possession of the Tabernacle (Ex 40:34-38) there follows the holiness codes of Leviticus.

VISION SEVEN~ Zech 5:5-11. [Vision one was about the return of God's presence to Jerusalem/the land and the rebuilding of His house/temple. In this vision iniquity will be driven from the land and deposited in Shinar (i.e., Babylon) the place where God's people had once been exiled for their iniquity. In Shinar a temple will be built for iniquity to dwell].

VISION EIGHT~Zech 6:1-8. [Vision one contained the symbol of four different colored horses patrolling the earth, gathering information. This vision refers to four chariots with teams of different colored horses]. In the first vision horses patrolled the earth for the purpose of gathering information; here in the last vision chariots--weapons of war in ancient times--are described as "the four winds of heaven" (the RSVCE mistranslates this), they thus represent God's power of worldwide judgement (Jer 49:36). The visions have come full circle. God, who was exceedingly jealous for His people, and very angry with the nations at ease because of the plight of His people, is now Himself at ease, having undertaken to aid His people and judge their oppressors. The question put to God in vision 1~"O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?" has been answered.

posted by who cares @ February 24, 2019   0 Comments

Summaries of Zephaniah and Haggai

HAGGAI

In 587 BC the Kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonian Empire. In 539 BC this Empire fell to the Persians. A year later Cyrus, King of Persia, issued a series of decrees allowing those exiled by Babylon to return to their homelands; this included the Jews who began their repatriation in 537 (Ezra 1:1-4; 2 Chron 36:22-23). Work quickly began on rebuilding the Temple; the altar of holocausts was erected and consecrated, and the foundations of the Temple were laid (Ezra 3:1-4:5). Unfortunately, various things conspired to stall the project for nearly a decade and a half (see Ezra 4:1-24). According to the superscription to the Book of Haggai (Hag 1:1) the word of the Lord came to that prophet on July 29, 520 BC, telling him to exhort the leaders and the people to get back to building the temple.

Hag 1:2-15. By the time Haggai came on the scene the people were dwelling in paneled houses and insisting that it was not yet time to build the Lord's house (Hag 1:2-4). The people were having trouble making ends meet. Basic material necessities were lacking, this in spite of the fact that they were working hard for them (Hag 1:5-6). No doubt this lack was part of their incentive to leave off the building of the Temple, but God asks them to consider what they have been doing (Hag 1:7). They were busying themselves with their homes while His was laying in ruins, therefore, what they have been working so hard to bring home, God has been blowing away in an attempt to get them back to the better part, the one thing necessary (Hag 1:8-11; see Lk 10:42). The leaders and the people obeyed the Lord who promised to be with them in the endeavor (Hag 1:12-15).

Hag 2:1-9. On October 17, 520 BC the word of the Lord again came to Haggai (Hag 2:1). Apparently, some of the returnees who were old enough to remember the glorious Temple built by Solomon (1 Kings 6:1-38; 7:13-51) were dismayed at the humble nature of the temple then under reconstruction (Hag 2:2-3). God bids them to have courage and He reminds them of the Sinai covenant and His promise to dwell with them (Hag 2:4-5. See Ex 29:43-46). He bids them to look forward to a future time when the wealth of nations shall come in and the splendor of the temple at that time will surpass its former glory of the Solomonic Temple (Hag 2:6-9).

Hag 2:10-19. On the 18th of December, 520 BC another oracle came to Haggai (Hag 2:10). Ritually holy things do not pass on that holiness to other things (Hag 2:12); ritually defiled things do pass on ritual defilement (Hag 2:13), "so it is with this people" (Hag 2:14). Like prophets before him Haggai is warning the people against presumptions based upon the temple and its sacrifices; such things do not automatically guarantee the people's holiness; repentance and living rightly are necessary. God wants them to consider what will take place "from this day onward' (Hag 2:15a). It will not be like the past, which they have broken with (Hag 2:15b-19a); rather, it will be a time of blessing because of that break (Hag 2:19b).

Hag 2:20-23. Here we have a messianic promise (see Heb 12:26-28). The promise here made to this descendant of David, Zerubabel, is the reverse of the curse that was placed upon his grandfather, King Jehoiachin (Coniah), see Jer 22:24-26. The messianic line and its promises would have its continuance through Zerubabel (Mt 1:12) and would culminate in a heavenly Zion; and heavenly Jerusalem, with heaven.

posted by who cares @ February 24, 2019   0 Comments

Nahum and Habakkuk

Photo: It is believed that this sentinel's tower is on the sight of the famous watchtower of Jezreel (see 2 Kings 9:17).

posted by who cares @ February 24, 2019   0 Comments

Notes on Micah 6:1-4, 6-8

 
The above photo shows some of the ruins of the City of Samaria, including part of King Omri's palace with expansions done by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. In fulfillment of Micah's prophecy the city was destroyed in 722 BC by Assyria, God's rod of anger and staff of wrath (Isa 10:5). The photo is under copyright and appears courtesy of BibleWalks.com. For more photos and info about Samaria see here.

Micah 6:1-4, 6-8 is the first reading for Monday of the 16th week in Ordinary Time, Year II. It is read in conjunction Ps 50:5-6, 8-9, 16-17, 21, 23, and with Matt 12:38-42.

Background:

At one time scholars thought that Micah 6:1-8 was not original to the Prophet Micah, their assumption being that "its literary qualities (were) somewhat above the attainments of what a rustic Judahite was supposed to be capable" (Bruce Vawter, C.M., AMOS, HOSEA, MICAH). This position has changed as it is clear that the passage makes use of "set formulas and traditional liturgical language that was as much at the disposal of Micah as it was any other alert Judahite of the time" (Vawter).

The passage is part of a broader unit (Mic 6:1-16) with Micah 6:1-5containing what ancient Semites called a rib (pronounced reeb), a "contention" or "covenant lawsuit." The people have broken covenant with their God. Micah 6:6-7 consists of a series of questions designed to act rhetorically and which serve to highlight the answer given to them in the very beautiful sentiments of Micah 6:8, one of my favorite passages. Mere formalism will not do. For a summary of the fuller context of this passage one can consult the Navarre Bible Commentary (this link is to an online text of the reading) and volume 2 of Marvin Sweeney's The Twelve Prophets.

Notes: I'm commenting on the text of the Douay Rheims Translation.See here for NAB; here for RSV.

Mic 6:1 Hear ye what the Lord saith: Arise, contend thou in judgment against the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

The verse opens with a stock prophetic formula found throughout the Bible: Hear ye what the Lord saith. This is often referred to by modern scholars as "a call to attention formula" for it was designed to get people's attention. This and similar prophetic formulas often announce statements of judgment or condemnation; such is the case here: contend (rib) thou in judgment...

Arise, contend thou in judgment against the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. It is not certain who is speaking. Micah could be appealing to God, or God could be exhorting Micah. The former position makes better sense. God's voice is often associated with judgment (see Isaiah 30:30, Amos 1:2), as is the word arise (see Isaiah 2:19, 21 and my notes on those passages).

Mountains is sometimes (very rarely) taken as a symbolic reference to arrogant princes, rulers, people or nations (see Isaiah 2:9-17, especially verse 14). The mountains and hills were often used as places of false worship (the so-called "high places"), by asking God to bringing a contention and voice of judgment against them the prophet is, according to some interpreters, subtly asking for judgment against the people who worship there in defiance of the covenant (see the effect God's judgment has against mountains in Micah 1:2-7. Ominously, both Samaria and Jerusalem were built on mountains/hills). In light of this, the common interpretation that the mountains and hills are here being called upon as covenant witnesses-as the heavens and earth sometimes are (see Deut 32:1-5; Isaiah 1:2)-is, in my opinion, to be rejected. If they are witnesses against the covenant breakers why are they suffering judgment?

Mic 6:2 Let the mountains hear the judgment of the Lord, and the strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord will enter into judgment with his people, and he will plead against Israel.

Let the mountains hear the judgment of the Lord. As already indicated, the mountains do more than just hear the judgment of the Lord, they are affected by it. In THIS sense one could say that they act as witnesses. God affecting the landscape could be seen as a sign of his judgment (see Amos 1:2; see also Deut 32, especially verse 1 with verse 22).

Cornelius a Lapide sees irony here: "Insensate though ye (mountains) be, ye are more sensible than Israel, whom I endowed with sense; for ye feel the voice and command of God your Creator and obey Him; they do not."

The strong foundations of the earth. I see this as a reference to Jerusalem which was thought to be the center of the earth (Ezek 5:5). More exactly, the rock on which the temple was built was thought to be the first bit of dry land to appear at creation (see Gen 1:9). "As the navel is set in the center of the body of man, so too is the land of Israel the navel of the world...and the sanctuary in the center of Jerusalem, and the holy place in the center of the sanctuary, and the ark in the center of the holy place, and the foundation stonebefore the holy place, because from it was the world founded" (Midrash Tanchuma, Qedoshim).

For the Lord will enter into judgment with his people, and he will plead against Israel. If the people do not give up their idols and their sins against others, Jerusalem and the Temple will suffer judgment.

Mic 6:3 O my people, what have I done to thee, or in what have I molested thee? answer thou me.

Here begins the contention (rib).

These words are well known to Catholics from their use in the "Reproaches" of the Good Friday Liturgy. This liturgical usage has the same point as it does in the actual text, to call to mind our ingratitude to the Lord. In the context of the text the questions are that of a covenant plaintiff (God) demanding to know what legal, covenant right the people had in acting against him.

Answer thou me. The underlying Hebrew verb sometimes has legal connotations (see Num 35:30. The NAB translates it there as "evidence").

Mic 6:4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and delivered thee out of the house of slaves: and I sent before thy face Moses, and Aaron, and Mary (i.e., Miriam).
Mic 6:5 O my people, remember, I pray thee, what Balach, the king of Moab, purposed: and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him, from Setim to Galgal, that thou mightest know the justice of the Lord.

A reference to some of the saving deeds of the Exodus. This establishes God's bona fide as a trustworthy and merciful covenant partner.

Balach (i.e., Balak)...Balaam.. See Numbers 22-24

Setim (i.e., Shittim). See Joshua 2

Galgal (i.e., Gilgal). See Joshua 4-5.

Mic 6:6 What shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? wherewith shall I kneel before the high God? shall I offer holocausts unto him, and calves of a year old?
Mic 6:7 May the Lord be appeased with thousands of rams, or with many thousands of fat he goats? shall I give my firstborn for my wickedness, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

The people are here portrayed as responding and ready to offer sacrifice to appease the Lord. The reference to human sacrifice in the last part of vs 7 is jarring since such sacrifices were strictly forbidden (see Deut 12:31). It is probably mentioned to highlight how out of whack the people's understanding of the nature of true sacrifice is.

It should be recalled that after the death of Solomon the Davidic kingdom split in two. The ten northern tribes formed an independent nation and retained the name Israel; the two southern tribes of Benjamin and Judah remained under the Judahite kings of David's line and became known as Judah. In Micah's day human sacrifice seems to have been practiced in the north and the practice was being taken up in the south (see 2 Kings 16:3). However ready the people are to respond, the response must be on God's terms and not their own.

Mic 6:8 I will shew thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: Verily to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitous with thy God.

I love this verse! I pray that I could live it better. In this verse we have "one of those perfect summations of biblical religion that we frequently encounter in the prophets" (Vawter).

Verily, To do judgment. The Hebrew is (mishpat, pronounced: mish-pawt'). The word means a verdict, either favorable or unfavorable. In the abstract in means justice. The basic idea here is to judge and act rightly towards every person or thing as they deserve and God demands. In Mic 3:1 the leaders are told that their duty is to know right (mishpat) but, as the succeeding verse show, they did not (see esp. Mic 3:9). The Hebrew text of Micah 6:99 indicates that the prophet had this quality, and in Mic 7:9 it is God who establishes the mishpat of the repentant sinner.

Love mercy. Hebrew (chesed, pronounced kheh'-sed). The word has a wide range of meaning and, consequently, can be variously translated. Sweeney thinks it should be translated as "Loyalty" or "fidelity." He sees the word as conveying "a sense of moral obligation and responsibility." Such an understanding fits well with Micah's moral teaching. Man is called upon to practice what God does, though no one can equal him in this regard: "Who is a God like to thee, who takest away iniquity, and passest by the sin of the remnant of thy inheritance? he will send his fury in no more, because he delighteth in mercy" (Mic 7:18). His mercy is never ending (Mic 7:20).

Walk solicitous with thy God. I.e., with care and concern be attentive in your relationship with God which necessarily includes how you act towards others. "Humbly" is a common modern translation of the Hebrew.

Suggested Readings From Works Consulted:

The Jerome Biblical Commentary. There is a newer edition available but it is in my opinion less useful than the original.

A New Catholic Commentary On Holy Scripture. An older version is available but it is less detailed.

Amos, Hosea, Micah. A basic commentary by Father Bruce Vawter.

The Conscience Of Israel. By Father Bruce Vawter. Quite dated but gives a good introduction to major themes of the pre-exilic prophets.

The Twelve Prophets (Vol. 2). By Marvin Sweeney. Part of the Berit Olam series published by The Liturgical Press, St John's Abbey. The series is ecumenical and focuses upon narrative and structure. I cannot recommend a number of the works in the series but Sweeney's (who is Jewish) is very good.

Minor Prophets. Part of the famous Navarre Bible Commentary, the brainchild of St Jose Marie Escriva. Not a large or detailed volume but a good, basic introduction.

posted by who cares @ February 24, 2019   0 Comments

Notes on Jonah 1:1-17, 2:1-2, 11

The image "Jonah is Thrown Overboard" first appeared in The Coloured Picture Bible Fr Children, illustrated by Richard Andre. The work is in the Public Domain in the U.S.A.
 
Jonah 1:1-17, 2:1-2, 11 is the reading for Monday of the 27th week in Ordinary time, Year I. Notice that this reading skips over the prophet's prayer, jumping from Jon 2:2 to Jon 2:11. This is because the prayer is not part of the theme for the Mass of the day. The Jonah reading is coupled with the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37), wherein two leading members of Jewish religion compare poorly with the half-Pagan Samaritan, thus providing a parallel with how Jonah is presented.

Jon 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonas (Jonah)...

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah. Verse 1 employs a typical phrase often found in the prophetic literature to introduce a prophet's activity or mission (e.g., 1 Sam 15:10; 1 Kings 6:11); a quotation from a prophet (Jer 7:1, Jer 11:1); a prophet's claim to ministry (Jer 1:4, 11; Ezek 6:1). It can also serve as (or at least as a part of) the superscription to a prophetic book (Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1; Micah 1:1;Zephaniah 1:1). While many take the verse here as a superscription it is in fact akin to the usage of passages such as 1 Sam 15:10 and 1 Kings 6:11 previously mentioned. It introduces the action of the prophet. The work is very much concerned about Jonah, but not with the content of his message as such. In the entire book Jonah is never identified as a prophet, and the book itself contains only one very brief prophetic oracle (Jonah 3:4).

The name Jonah means "dove", a bird which sometimes was used to symbolize fickleness in the Old Testament (Hosea 7:11). Jonah is certainly presented in this work as silly and capricious. In Psalm 55:7the poet wishes he were a dove so that he might take flight, flee from a treacherous friend. Jonah will flee from the covenanted God of his people as if the Lord had betrayed him for offering the great enemy of the people, the Ninevites (i.e., the Assyrians) the opportunity to repent (Jonah 4:1-3). The sound of those who mourn a disaster is sometimes compared to the cooing of doves (Isaiah 38:14), but Jonah will complain because a disaster has been averted.

Jon 1:2 (the LORD said)  Arise and go to Ninive (Nineveh), the great city, and preach in it: For the wickedness thereof is come up before me.  (Literally, "before my face")
Jon 1:3 And Jonas rose up to flee into Tharsis (Tarshish) from the face of the Lord, and he went down to Joppe (Joppa), and found a ship going to Tharsis (Tarshish): and he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tharsis (Tarshish) from the face of the Lord,

The Lord's very first words introduce one of the major satirical elements of the book. The word and conceptual links and contrasts in these two verses are many, and I'll try to convey some of the significance with color coding. God says to the prophet arise, go to Nineveh...for the wickedness thereof has come up before my face. But Jonah's response is exactly the opposite! He rose up to flee to Tarshish from the face of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, from the face of the Lord.

Notice how the prophet completely reverses what the Lord's intentions were in commanding him to arise and go to Nineveh. He rose up only to flee, and words and phrase such as went down, from, going to, etc all relate to this flight. Twice the flight is represented as being from the presence (face) of the LORD, which forms a contrast with the statement that the Ninevites wickedness has come up before my face (God's face). If the wickedness of the Ninevites is before the face (in the presence) of God, how is it that the prophet, in an act of wickedness, thinks he can flee from that face? He can't; and that fact will be beneficial to the Ninevites. But we have to ask what benefit did Jonah get from it?

The reason for the prophet's response to God's directive is not given until chapter 3:10-4:2~And God saw their works, that they were turned from their evil way: and God had mercy with regard to the evil which he had said that he would do to them, and he did it not. And Jonas was exceedingly troubled, and was angry: And he prayed to the Lord, and said: I beseech thee, O Lord, is not this what I said, when I was yet in my own country? therefore I went before to flee into Tharsis: for I know that thou art a gracious and merciful God, patient, and of much compassion, and easy to forgive evil. When the Prophet learned that the Ninevites wickedness was before God (i.e., present to him), the prophet left the presence of God, knowing that these pagans were being marked out for His mercy and love. The book was written primarily as a critique of those who refused to believe that God can show mercy to whomever he chooses, even one's own most violent enemies: Shall I not spare Ninive, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons, that know how to distinguish between their right hand and their left, and many beasts? ? (Jonah 4:11).

Jon 1:4  But the Lord sent (literally, "hurled") a great wind to the sea: and a great tempest was raised in the sea, and the ship was in danger to be broken.

The words But the LORD indicate that God is responding to the prophet's flight. To stop his prophet's retreat and get him to do his bidding the Lord sent a great wind to the sea. Jonah should have known that the sea would offer him no escape from the Lord: there shall be no flight for them: they shall flee, and he that shall flee shall not be delivered. Though they go down even to hell, thence shall my hand bring them out: and though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down. And though they be hid in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them away from thence: and though they hide themselves from my eyes in the depth of the sea, there will I command the serpent and he shall bite them (Amos 9:1-3).

Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend to heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me (Psalm 139:7-10).

It is interesting to note that a storm at sea precedes our Blessed Lord's entrance into Pagan territory in the Gospels (see Matt 8:23-34;Mark 4:35-5:2; Luke 8:22-41).

5 And the mariners were afraid, and the men cried to their god: and they cast forth (literally, "hurled') the wares that were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them: and Jonas went down into the inner part of the ship, and fell into a deep sleep. .

And the men cried to their god. As the devout (but misguided) pagan mariners cry to their respective gods Jonah continues his flight from the Lord.

And they cast forth (literally, hurled") the wares that were in the ship, into the sea. As yet the sailors are unaware that it is the Lord God--whom they don't know--who has hurled a great wind at them and caused the tempest (see the word "hurled" in verse 4). As yet they are also unaware that it is NOT their wares that were in the ship that is a danger to them, rather, it is the fleeing prophet who has gone down into the inner part of the ship that is the problem.

Note the re-occurrence of the word down, already used a few times in verse 3 to relate to the prophet's flight: he went down to Joppa andwent on board (literally down into) the ship. Now he has gone down even further, into the inner part of the ship where he has lain down and gone fast asleep.

It may be that the prophet is here parodied as righteous, for he is presented as sleeping the sleep of the righteous who trust in God's power to save: I have slept and have taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me (Psalm 3:5. 3:6 in NAB). In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for thou alone, O LORD, makest me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8. 4:9 in the NAB). As he himself will come to admit, his sense of security is a false one (see Jonah 1:12).

Jon 1:6 And the ship master came to him and said to him: Why art thou fast asleep? rise up call upon thy God, if so be that God will think of us that we may not perish. 

Rise up call upon thy God recalls the command God had given to Jonah in verse 2: Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry (literally "call") against it; for their wickedness has come up before me. The prophet has not listened to the Lord, his God, will he listen to the pagan captain? Notice what the captain's motivation is in asking Jonah to pray to the Lord: Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we do not perish (RSVCE). But it is precisely the fact that Jonah knows the Lord God is willing to save even pagans which is behind the prophet's flight from Him (Jonah 4:2)! The captain is asking Jonah to do for the pagan sailors what God had asked him to do for the pagan Ninevites (act on their behalf). Nothing is said about Jonah responding to the captain and we can probably conclude that he did not. He would rather perish with them rather than be saved with them! (see Jon 4:2-3).It is a strange and perverse sort of martyrdom that seeks the damnation of others!

Jon 1:7 And they said every one to his fellow: Come and let us cast lots, that we may know why this evil is upon us. And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

Getting no help from Jonah the sailors decide to cast lots in order to determine who has caused their predicament. This practice was known in both Hebrew and Pagan cultures and is often mentioned in the Bible (e.g., Num 26:55; Joshua 14:2; 1 Sam 10:20-24; Matt 27:35and its parallels; Acts 1:26; etc.). The lot identifies Jonah as the culprit and leads the sailors to ask their questions in the next verse.

Jon 1:8 And they said to him: Tell us for what cause this evil is upon us, what is thy business? of what country art thou? and whither goest thou? or of what people art thou?
Jon 1:9 And he said to them: I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, and the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land.

The prophet's reply to their questions is ironic, and perhaps not altogether truthful. He applies to himself the term Hebrew, a word seldom used in the Old Testament to designate the Israelites once they had come into and secured the promised land. The term "Hebrew" was used to designate the chosen people as foreigners, without land, outside civilized centers, etc. Having left the Holy Land the prophet has reverted back to the state of his ancestors who were despised as foreigners and treated as slaves.

The prophet further declares that I fear the LORD, and the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land. His words are a confession of faith, but also full of irony. The faithful who fear the Lord are obedient (Deut 5:29) and stand in awe and reverence towards God (Psalm 33:8; Psalm 55:19; Lev 19:14; etc.); something Jonah has been loath to do. The confession that the Lord is the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land is also ironic, for the prophet fled to the sea in order to escape the God he knows is its master! Recall Amos 9:1-3 and Psalm 139:7-8 I quoted above, commenting on verse 4.

Jon 1:10 And the men were greatly afraid, and they said to him: Why hast thou done this? (For the men knew that he fled from the face of the Lord: because he had told them.)

The fear of the pagans is motivated by what Jonah has done in fleeing from the presence of the Lord. The fear Jonah claims to exhibit towards his God does not exist, and it is this that causes the pagans to fear, indeed, to fear the God they don't even know. Once again their devotion, however minimal and darkened it might be, is contrasted with Jonah's which is thoroughly hypocritical. Their question why hast thou done this? echoes God's question to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:13. It is the question a prophet might ask a sinner (1 Sam 13:10-14). No one can escape their disobedience, not even a prophet of God (Isa 6:5).
 
Jon 1:11  And they said to him: What shall we do with thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea flowed and swelled.
Jon 1:12  And he said to them: take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
Jon 1:13  And the men rowed hard to return the land, but they were not able: because the sea tossed and swelled upon them.

What shall we do with thee? In the Old Testament it is common to see people inquire of a prophet concerning what is the best course of action to take in a dangerous situation. The most dangerous situation is sin against God, and it is the case that sometimes people ask what they must do in this situation (Luke 3:10; Acts 2:37). But the situation the sailors find themselves in is not their doing, rather it is Jonah's, hence they ask: what shall we do with thee?

The prophet responds to their question by bidding them to Take me up and cast me into the sea. The word translated here as "cast" would be better translated as "hurl," for it recalls the word used to describe God's hurling the great wind at the ship (verse 4), and the mariners hurling their wares overboard to lighten the ship (verse 5).

Some scholars interpret the words of Jonah as noble, but in fact, he is still trying to escape God and the mission God gave him. His words take me up recall the very first word God spoke to him "arise." His words cast me into the sea reminds us that his descent into the ship (verse 3) and, latter, his descent into the inner parts of the ship were attempts to get away from God's presence and escape his mission. Having shown contempt for the lives of others--the Ninevites and the sailors--he now shows contempt for his own life (we touched upon this above).

The pagan sailors understand this, thus they row hard to bring the ship back to land.They are attempting to save both themselves and Jonah, in contrast to Jonah who would rather save neither them, himself, or the Ninevites. In spite of their hard rowing the sea \tossed and swelled upon them. 
 
Jon 1:13 And they cried to the Lord, and said: We beseech thee, O Lord let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, oh Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. 
 
Their own attempt at saving themselves and Jonah have failed, therefore they cried out to the LORD. Having begun to respond to their situation by calling on their own gods (verse 5), then by bidding Jonah to call on his (verse 6), then asking Jonah what they should do concerning him (verse 11) they themselves now call on the LORD, the God of Jonah, the God Jonah has not yet addressed!

It appears that they have come to the conclusion that God does indeed wish Jonah to be tossed overboard, but not for the reasons the prophet had in mind. This fact becomes evident in Jonah 2:3 (2:4 in the NAB)~For thou (God, not the sailors) didst cast me into the deep. Jonah wanted to escape from his mission by dying in the sea, but God wanted him there in order to bring him to repentance.

What Jonah wanted was evident to the sailors, hence their attempt to avoid it. What God wants is unknown to them and so they act according to the light given them. They have come to conclude that Jonah's God will act as he desires, not thwarted or checked by the contradictory desires and endeavors of men: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee. In a prayer they recognize that their fate and Jonah's is in God's hands. Here the sailors provide a contrast to Jonah who did not pray to God, and who continues to attempt to thwart God's doing what he pleases (saving the Ninevites).
 
Jon 1:15  And they took Jonas, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from raging.
Jon 1:16  And the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and sacrificed victims to the Lord, and made vows. 

Having originally avoided casting Jonah into the sea so that he might not fulfill his desire to avoid his mission (see note on verse 12 above), the sailors cast him into the sea in accord with God's desire and the sea ceased from its raging. The reverential fear of the Lord which the prophet had falsely claimed for himself in verse 9 is now attributed to the pagan sailors who feared the LORD exceedingly. They offered what was, apparently a thanksgiving sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. What these vows (promises) were we are not told. Jonah, who until now has experienced the same storm and dangers as the sailors, will have to nearly die before he is brought to the thought of offering sacrifices and vows (Jonah 2:9; 2:10 in the NAB). Once again the pagans come out looking better than the Prophet.

Jon 1:17 (2:1 in the NAB) Now the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights.
 
The LORD prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. The word prepared indicates God's mastery over all creation, men, beasts, plants. He can do with them what he will, and this is a major theological component of the book's overall message. An important caveat is, of course, that man has free will, thus necessitating the need for preachers of repentance, acts of repentance, punishment for sin, etc.

A great fish. Neither the Hebrew or Greek text identifies the beast as a whale though the words used in both translations can be so understood they are much more generic.

And Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights. This becomes the sign of Jonah in Jesus preaching (Matt 12:38-42). The sign Jesus speaks of is often associated solely with the resurrection but, as the context makes clear, much more is implied. The sign of Jonah is seen in the intransigence,unbelief and lack of repentance of the scribes, pharisees, and all who imitate them.

Jon 2:1 (2:2 in NAB). And Jonas prayed to the Lord, his God, out of the belly of the fish.
Jon 2:10 (2:11 in NAB). And the Lord spoke to the fish: and it vomited out Jonas upon the dry land.
 
In the reading, the actual prayer of Jonah is passed over since neither his prayer nor the necessity of prayer is the theme of today's readings. The Responsorial takes up Jonah's prayer with the response: "You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord." As is usually the case the response verse helps indicates the Mass theme: The God who rescues others from danger and death expects us to do the same as the sinner Jonah and the despised Samaritan (today's Gospel reading) do (see Lk 10:25-37).
 

posted by who cares @ February 24, 2019   0 Comments