Jeremiah 31:7 14

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Commentary Jeremiah 31:7-14

Jeremiah 31:7 Sing aloud – The prophet brings a word from the L ORD that asks the people to be happy for what God is doing. Jeremiah 31:8 I am going to bring them – The L ORD will assemble from the four corners of the earth a people. the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labour – The group includes those we would like to leave behind, the infirm and the weak. Jeremiah 31:9 With weeping they shall come, and with consolations – It is difficult to tell if the emotions are from being excited about God’s work of moving people or they are upset with what is happening. I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble – The emotional state of the people will not prevent the L ORD from making the trip easy. Water will be close at hand and the trip will be easy. Jeremiah 31:10 the word of the L ORD, O nations – What comes next is for the rest of the world, the Gentiles. He who scattered Israel will gather him – In no uncertain terms, the L ORD claims responsibility for what has happened. How do we read this line in light of the destruction that was wrought on the Jews during World War II? Jeremiah 31:11 For the L ORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. – The same issue on the persecution of the Jews applies here also. Jeremiah 31:12 They shall come and sing – The attitude of the gathered group changes. They are happy. This is because of all the “goods” given to them by the L ORD. Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. – This line reiterates the happiness that the people feel. Jeremiah 31:14 I will give the priests their fill of fatness – Even their religious leaders will be happy. 1

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Psalm 147:12-20

Psalm 147:12 Praise the L ORD – The psalmist tells the people of Israel to cry out because of all that the L ORD has done. Psalm 147:13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. It is amazing what the L ORD does. By hardening the iron in the doors, the enemy is kept at bay. The L ORD even knows the child in the womb. The six next verses have different ways that the L ORD helps Israel. Psalm 147:14 Psalm 147:15 Psalm 147:16 Psalm 147:17 Psalm 147:18 Psalm 147:19 Psalm 147:20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. – The psalmist asserts that the L ORD only helps Israel. Additionally, no other people know the Law. This second assertion stands in conflict with those traditions such as Lutheranism that say that the law of the L ORD is written on everyone’s hearts.

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Ephesians 1:3-14

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing – The author of this letter disagrees with the psalmist. The author of psalm 147 states in verse 20 that Israel is the one who the L ORD blesses. Ephesians 1:4 he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. – It seems as if God identifies select individuals before the start of time to be followers of Christ. These people are identified to be set aside for God and they also show us what humanity can become. One of the forces that holds this group together is love. 2

Ephesians 1:5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ – Like every other children, children who are adopted, do not choose their parents. One slight difference between “natural” and adopted children is that the parents might have a chance to see something about their adopted children before adoption. Ephesians 1:6 Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace – God gives these selected individuals a new start. This occurs because Jesus died a violent death. Ephesians 1:8 he lavished on us – God has given these specific individuals rich gifts. Ephesians 1:9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will – Without revealing everything, the people who God has identified know both what God wants to accomplish and that they will never know everything. Ephesians 1:10 a plan for the fullness of time – Once again, God knows what God is doing. Ephesians 1:11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance – In this family, the parents have selected the adopted children to receive the family’s possessions. Ephesians 1:12 might live for the praise of his glory – Christ’s life and actions reflect in a positive manner on those that follow Him. Ephesians 1:13 Ephesians 1:14 this is the pledge of our inheritance – Christ’s Word shows us what the future will be like for followers.

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John 1:1-18

Commentators have found the densely packed prologue of the Gospel according to St. John full of theological themes and images that are repeated and further illuminated throughout the rest of the Gospel. It might be that these verses are

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an early hymn or it could be a chiastic (See an illustration of Culpeppers idea in prologue.doc).1 John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – This sentence makes a positive reference to the first chapter of Genesis.2 The author of John intends that all of the book to be read with this sentence in mind because if Jesus is not God then what He does in this account is blasphemy.3 The use of λόγος parallels Jews use of sophia.4 Specific references to wisdom can be found in Proverbs 8 and the Deuterocanonical books of Sirach 24, Baruch 3-4, and Wisdom of Solomon 7. Moloney prefers to translate πρὸς τὸν θεόν (with God in the NRSV) as toward God since in Classical Greek the preposition πρὸς followed by an accusative indicates motion toward.5 John 1:2 John 1:3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. – Creation started in the past and continues in the future. This verse and the next are difficult to translate because of the complexity of the Greek.6 John 1:4 John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. – Despite death, the passage of time, and the hostility of the darkness, Jesus continues to shine light into the world.7 The NRSV translates John 1:5 (καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν ) as: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (NRSV). And the NIV uses: “The light shines in the 1

Francis J. Moloney, S.D.B.; Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., editor, The Gospel of John, Volume 4, Sacra Pagina Series, (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1998), p. 34. 2 Ibid., p. 41. 3 Ibid., p. 35. 4 Ibid., p. 42. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid., pp. 35-36, 42. 7 Ibid., p. 36.

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darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (NIV) that modernizes the KJV: “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (KJV). At issue is the verb καταλαμβάνω. In this context does this verb mean to intellectually understand something or does it mean to overthrow? Either of these forms are possible definitions. We will have to use something else to make the decision on what to use. I’m really nervous about even insinuating that faith requires understanding. From a Lutheran perspective, this definition requires a work. Only if I can mentally accept what Christianity is about, then I’m saved. From an ethical point of view, this makes Christianity a tradition that only promises the salvation to those that can understand it. This leaves out anyone that is born with any defects that prevent them from logically following arguments. It also rules out all those people who have degenerate diseases like Alzheimer. Even more importantly, the rest of the Gospel according to St. John rules out the idea that the darkness did not understand the faith.8 Look at John 3:11-21, 3:31-36, and 12:44-50. These verses do not seem to support the viewpoint that the darkness rejects the light based on some sort of reasoning. John 1:6 There was a man sent from God – According to the author of John, only John the Baptizer and Jesus are the only ones that are sent by by God.9 The leaders of the Jews, known in this Gospel as “the Jews”, do not have this information when they question Jesus about His calling.10 It appears that verses 6 through 8 were added by the author of John so that the community knows that Jesus is superior to John the Baptizer.11 This statement is not derogatory attitude toward John the Baptizer, it just ranks John behind Jesus.12 John 1:7 John 1:8 he came to testify to the light. – John the Baptizer’s only role in this account is the “witness to Jesus.”13 8

Moloney, The Gospel of John, p. 43. Ibid., pp. 37, 43. 10 Ibid., p. 52. 11 Ibid., pp. 37, 43. 12 Ibid., p. 43. 13 Ibid. 9

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John 1:9 John 1:10 He was in the world – Moloney sees three different interpretations of “the world.” First, is the “created reality” found in John 11:9; 17:5; 17:24; 21:25).14 Next is the location where salvation by God occurs (John 1:29; 3:16; 4:42; 6:51; 8:21; 9:5).15 Finally, this phrase could refer to the places where darkness rules (John 7:7; 12:31; 14:17; 14:22; 14:27; 14:30; 15:1819; 16:8; 16:11; 16:20; 16:33; 17:6; 17:9; 17:14-16.)16 the world did not know him. – The world actively rejects the Word. John 1:11 He came to what was his own – This phrase seems to be drawn from Gnostic sources but its meaning has dramatically changed.17 This is not some place that welcomes Jesus. Rather, it is a place that killed Him. John 1:12 But to all who received him – The correct way to receive the Word is to believe.18 This close relationship between receiving and believing continues throughout this book and is especially found in John 2:1 - 4:52.19 he gave power to become children of God – One “becomes” a child a God because God generates us.20 This is a realized fact in the here and now.21 God makes this happen. In the Gospel according to St. John, the phrase “sons of God” is never used rather the author uses the phrase “children of God.”22 John 1:13 not of blood – The Greek reads (ἐξ αἱμάτων (from bloods). This probably indicates the idea that conception comes from the mixing of male and female “bloods.”23 of the will of man – This translation reflects the understanding of the first century world where the male makes the decision if a child is to be born.24 14

Moloney, The Gospel of John, p. 44. Ibid. 16 Ibid. 17 Ibid., p. 37. 18 Ibid., p. 38. 19 Ibid., p. 44. 20 Ibid., p. 38. 21 Ibid. 22 Ibid., p. 44. 23 Ibid., p. 45. 24 Ibid. 15

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John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us – Moloney argues that it is difficult to see that this is the high point of the prologue.25 The announcement that the Word was coming has already been made. However against Moloney, there is something new and exciting about this phrase. The Word, which is some combination of speech and idea, now has skin and bones. And this frame is nothing special, it is just like every other body. The Word also made a decision where it would live: The the house of an everyday worker in the middle East some 2000 years ago. John 1:15 John 1:16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. – “Many Church Fathers and some modern scholars” think that John the Baptizer is still talking because of the ὅτι found at the beginning of the verse.26 The Gnostics were familiar with fullness in the heavenly sphere.27 The author of John takes this concept and applies it to Christianity. The fullness happens here in the earth. grace upon grace – The Greek reads, χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος. This phrase could be also translated as a gift in the place of a gift.28 For the Jews, this could be the gift of the law being perfected with the gift of truth.29 John 1:17 grace and truth came through Jesus Christ – The author now gives a name to this One. John 1:18 who is close to the Father’s heart – The Greek reads, εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς (is in the bosom of the Father). Moloney translates this phrase as “turned toward to the Father.”30 The NIV uses “who is at the Father’s side.” 25

Moloney, The Gospel of John, p. 38-39. Ibid., p. 45. 27 Ibid., p. 40. 28 Ibid. 29 Ibid., pp. 40, 46. 30 Ibid., p. 41. 26

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References Moloney, S.D.B., Francis J.; Harrington, S.J., Daniel J., editor, The Gospel of John, Volume 4, Sacra Pagina Series, (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1998).

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