This is the sixth in a series of biblical summaries from David Dorsey's book The Literary Structure of the Old Testament. This is the second in the sub-series of historical books, covering the book of Ruth:
a introduction: devastation of Naomi's family (1:1-5)
b two of Naomi's relatives deliberate whether to support her (1:6-19a)
c return to Bethlehem in emptiness and hopelessness (1:19b-22)
d TURNING POINT: meeting of Ruth and Boaz (2:1-23)
c' Ruth's appeal at the threshing floor and her return to
Bethlehem in fullness and hope (3:1-18)
b' two of Naomi's relatives deliberate whether to support Naomi (4:1-12)
a' conclusion: restoration of Naomi's family (4:13-21) (Dorsey 126)
The 'a' pattern shows the reversal of Naomi's fortune. Earlier, her family is lost. Later, it is restored. Ruth's marriage to Naomi's son ends tragically. Later, Ruth has a happy marriage to Naomi's relative. Naomi's two sons die earlier. Later, Ruth is proclaimed to be more to Naomi "than seven sons." All this suggests that what Naomi has lost has been restored.
The 'b' pattern shows the admirable quality of those determined to help - Ruth in the first case, Boaz in the second. In both events, two relatives initially agree to help. Then, in both, one relative turns back when marriage is mentioned. One then chooses to stay with an admirable speech. In both, a blessing is uttered for Ruth. Then, in the first story, Ruth's decision to support Naomi means that Ruth will probably not remarry, while in the second, a decision to support Naomi means that Ruth will be married. All this underscores Ruth's loyalty, and the blessings that are given to her.
The 'c' pattern contrasts two returns to Bethlehem. In the first, Naomi returns in despair. In the second, Ruth returns in hope. The first takes place at the barley harvest. The second, when the people were "winnowing barley." The first features a question of Naomi's identity. The second, a question of Ruth's identity. In the first, Naomi says she left full but came back empty. In the second, Ruth leaves empty, but returns with six measures of barley. In the first, Ruth and Naomi come into Bethlehem in despair. In the second, Ruth comes into Bethlehem with good news and hope. All this underscores the scale of the changes of fortune that take place.
Finally, the story turns on the meeting between Boaz and Ruth in which he offers her his full and enthusiastic support. The story turns on Ruth's need and Boaz's generosity.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Judges
This is the fifth in a series of biblical summaries derived from David Dorsey's book, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament. Having moved past the Book of the Law, we now look at historical books. This one covers the book of Judges:
a Israel's holy war against the Canaanites (1:1-2:5)
b Israel's cyclical, idolatrous decline, generation after generation,
during the period of the judges (2:6-3:6)
c Othniel (3:7-11; 1:11-15)
d Ehud (3:12-30)
e Deborah and Barak (4:1-5:31)
f TURNING POINT: Gideon (6:1-8:32)
e' Abimelech (8:33-9:57)
d' Jephthah (10:6-12:7)
c' Samson (13:1-16:31)
b' Israel's permanent idolatrous revolt at Dan, under Moses'
own grandson and descendants (17:1-18:31)
a' Israel's (unholy) civil war against wicked Benjamites (19:1-21:25)
The 'a' pattern suggests that Israel's disobedience leads to decline. Earlier, military activity, inquiring of God, weeping, and the offering of sacrifices are all part of the divinely ordered conquest of Canaan. (Dorsey 118-119) Dorsey continues: "In the former, the procuring of wives is a positive theme: Othniel wins his wife by a courageous victory over the Canaanites; in the latter, the procuring of women is a very negative theme, featuring rape, mass kidnapping, etc. In the former, the Benjamites fail to drive out the Jebusites from Jebus (1:21); in the latter, the Levite avoid pagan Jebus and seeks hospitality instead among fellow Israelites in Benjamin's tribe, ironically suffering an outrage far worse than he presumably would ever have experienced at Jebus. All this underscores how the Israelites, initially doing righteous battle against the wicked Canaanites, end by doing wicked battle against themselves.
The 'b' pattern shows that sporadic or cyclical idolatry later becomes a permanent institution. In the former, children reject the obedience of their parents and turn to idols. Later, parents encourage idolatry to their children. Before, God preserves some pagan tribes to test Israel's faithfulness, including the Sidonians. Later, idolatrous Israelites attack a town of peaceable Sidonians. Before, obedience to Moses' law is key. Later, Moses' own descendants are enlisted in encouraging idolatry. All this suggests that the Israelites have become worse than the Canaanites.
The 'c' pattern, like the 'd' and 'e' patterns, shows the decline of Israel from good judges to bad. Othniel marries well by obeying God. Samson disobeys by marrying Canaanite women. Othniel drives Canaanites from the land. Samson settles among them. Othniel's wife prepares him for good - particularly an extended territory. Samson's wives press him for bad things and betray him. Othniel unites Israel. Samson divides it.
The 'd' pattern continues with Ehud and Jephthah. In both cases, a transjordanian king oppresses Israel eighteen years. Ehud has a message from God for an enemy king. Jephthah sends two messages to enemy king. Ehud kills thousands of enemies with the Ephraimites help. Jephthah kills thousands of Ephraimites. Ehud's judgeship is marked by Israelite unity. Jephthah's is marked by fragmentation and civil war.
Finally, the 'e' pattern continues with Deborah/Barak and Abimelech. Earlier, an Israelite woman crushes the pagan Sisera's skull. Later, a pagan woman crushes the Israelite Abimelech's skull.
The book hinges on the judgeship of Gideon. Though he starts off as a faithful judge, his idolatry sets the stage for all that follows in the book of Judges. Gideon's story makes its own chiasm:
1) Gideon's stand against idolatry at Ophrah (6:1-32)
2) Gideon's battle against Midianites (6:33-7:25)
2') Gideon's battle against Israelites (8:1-21)
1') Gideon's lapse into idolatry at Ophrah (8:22-32)
All this suggests that the option given to the Israelites in Deuteronomy has been answered. They have chosen idolatry rather than to worship the one true God. This leads them to be more wicked than their enemies, and they conclude by going to war against themselves.
a Israel's holy war against the Canaanites (1:1-2:5)
b Israel's cyclical, idolatrous decline, generation after generation,
during the period of the judges (2:6-3:6)
c Othniel (3:7-11; 1:11-15)
d Ehud (3:12-30)
e Deborah and Barak (4:1-5:31)
f TURNING POINT: Gideon (6:1-8:32)
e' Abimelech (8:33-9:57)
d' Jephthah (10:6-12:7)
c' Samson (13:1-16:31)
b' Israel's permanent idolatrous revolt at Dan, under Moses'
own grandson and descendants (17:1-18:31)
a' Israel's (unholy) civil war against wicked Benjamites (19:1-21:25)
The 'a' pattern suggests that Israel's disobedience leads to decline. Earlier, military activity, inquiring of God, weeping, and the offering of sacrifices are all part of the divinely ordered conquest of Canaan. (Dorsey 118-119) Dorsey continues: "In the former, the procuring of wives is a positive theme: Othniel wins his wife by a courageous victory over the Canaanites; in the latter, the procuring of women is a very negative theme, featuring rape, mass kidnapping, etc. In the former, the Benjamites fail to drive out the Jebusites from Jebus (1:21); in the latter, the Levite avoid pagan Jebus and seeks hospitality instead among fellow Israelites in Benjamin's tribe, ironically suffering an outrage far worse than he presumably would ever have experienced at Jebus. All this underscores how the Israelites, initially doing righteous battle against the wicked Canaanites, end by doing wicked battle against themselves.
The 'b' pattern shows that sporadic or cyclical idolatry later becomes a permanent institution. In the former, children reject the obedience of their parents and turn to idols. Later, parents encourage idolatry to their children. Before, God preserves some pagan tribes to test Israel's faithfulness, including the Sidonians. Later, idolatrous Israelites attack a town of peaceable Sidonians. Before, obedience to Moses' law is key. Later, Moses' own descendants are enlisted in encouraging idolatry. All this suggests that the Israelites have become worse than the Canaanites.
The 'c' pattern, like the 'd' and 'e' patterns, shows the decline of Israel from good judges to bad. Othniel marries well by obeying God. Samson disobeys by marrying Canaanite women. Othniel drives Canaanites from the land. Samson settles among them. Othniel's wife prepares him for good - particularly an extended territory. Samson's wives press him for bad things and betray him. Othniel unites Israel. Samson divides it.
The 'd' pattern continues with Ehud and Jephthah. In both cases, a transjordanian king oppresses Israel eighteen years. Ehud has a message from God for an enemy king. Jephthah sends two messages to enemy king. Ehud kills thousands of enemies with the Ephraimites help. Jephthah kills thousands of Ephraimites. Ehud's judgeship is marked by Israelite unity. Jephthah's is marked by fragmentation and civil war.
Finally, the 'e' pattern continues with Deborah/Barak and Abimelech. Earlier, an Israelite woman crushes the pagan Sisera's skull. Later, a pagan woman crushes the Israelite Abimelech's skull.
The book hinges on the judgeship of Gideon. Though he starts off as a faithful judge, his idolatry sets the stage for all that follows in the book of Judges. Gideon's story makes its own chiasm:
1) Gideon's stand against idolatry at Ophrah (6:1-32)
2) Gideon's battle against Midianites (6:33-7:25)
2') Gideon's battle against Israelites (8:1-21)
1') Gideon's lapse into idolatry at Ophrah (8:22-32)
All this suggests that the option given to the Israelites in Deuteronomy has been answered. They have chosen idolatry rather than to worship the one true God. This leads them to be more wicked than their enemies, and they conclude by going to war against themselves.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Genesis 1-Joshua 24 (Summary of the Book of the Law)
This is the fourth in a series of biblical summaries derived from David Dorsey's book, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament:
a primeval history: the nations receive their allotted territories (Gen. 1-11)
b Abraham (Gen. 12:1-21:7)
c Isaac and death of Israel's founding father, Abraham (Gen. 21:8-28:4)
d Jacob: a story illustrating evils of social and family discord (Gen. 28:5-37:1)
e Joseph: a story of how God rewards faithful obedience (Gen. 37:2-50:26)
f exodus from Egypt (Exod. 1:1-13:16)
g failure and divine grace in the wilderness (Exod. 13:17-19:2)
CENTER: treaty at Sinai (Exod. 19:3-Num. 10:10)
g' failure and divine grace in the wilderness (Num. 10:11-21:20)
f' victory in Moab (Num. 21:21-Deut. 3:29)
e' call to obedience; based on lessons from history (Deut. 4-11)
d' laws for stability and justice in society and families (Deut. 12-26)
c' Moses' final words and death of Israel's other founding father, Moses (Deut. 27-34)
b' conquest of Canaan (Josh. 1-12)
a' allotment of land of Canaan to Israel (Josh. 13-24)
(Dorsey, 101)
The 'a' pattern illustrates the parallel qualities of Genesis and Joshua. In Genesis, nations' have territory according to their families. Later, Israel has territories according to their families. Earlier, we are introduced to Israel's ancestor's in Mesopotamia: Terah, Nahor, and Abraham. Later, we are reminded of these same three ancestors. This all suggests that while the nations have their respective lands, this story chronicles how the descendants of Abraham came to live in their respective land.
The 'b' pattern shows the promise to Abraham being fulfilled. In the first section, God promises to give Canaan to Abraham's descendants. In the second section, this is fulfilled. In the first section, Abraham builds altars in Shechem, between Bethel and Ai, and in Hebron. In the second section, Israel builds an altar in Shechem, and wins battles in Ai and Hebron. This suggests that Israel is seeing the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, and even walking in Abraham's footsteps as they see it.
The 'c' pattern focuses on death and life. In the first section, Sarah, Abraham, and Ishmael die. Isaac is near death when Abraham brings him to Mount Moriah for the sacrifice. In the second section, Moses dies, and also holds out life and death to the Israelites depending on whether they obey. In the first section, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and Esau all receive blessings. In the second section, Moses holds out blessings for obedient Israel. This suggests the significance of figures like Abraham and Moses in God's providential plan, as these sections contain their final words, deaths, and burials.
The 'd' pattern links the stories of Jacob's family and laws concerning families. The first section, Jacob's section, is a story of social and family strife, murder, lying, theft, and in the case of Laban's abuse of Jacob, the mistreatment of aliens and the disadvantaged. In the second section, there are laws to counter each of these things. In the first section, we encounter a story of an unloved wife, hired man, younger and older siblings, and birthrights. In the second, we find laws covering each of these things. This suggests that the chaos and wrongdoing that Jacob's family experienced are also the subject of the Deuteronomy laws that will bring peace and order to society.
The 'e' pattern shows how in the same way Joseph's obedience is rewarded with faithfulness, Israel's obedience will as well. In the second section, Moses points out that when Israel was obedient to God, they were blessed, but when they disobeyed, they were punished. Joseph, the subject of the first section, is a great example of this. Despite all the sins committed against Joseph, he remains faithful to God, and he is rewarded for this. This underscores the importance of obeying God.
The 'f' pattern relates Israel's earlier experience in Egypt to their later experience in Moab. In both cases, God saves Israel in a foreign land. In both sections, a foreign king fears Israel is too numerous, calls magicians to oppose Israel, which fails. This reinforces the theme of God's great power.
The 'g' pattern relates Israel's wandering in the wilderness before Sinai to their wandering in the wilderness after Sinai. Both sections feature Israel in migrations. Both show meetings between Moses and his father-in-law Jethro. Finally, both evoke themes of Israel's complaining and God provides water from a rock, manna, and quail in both sections. All this suggests that God's covenant with Israel is not based on their righteous, since they complained and quarreled all the way to Sinai and from Sinai.
Finally, at the center is the Treaty of Sinai. The Treaty guards the very central, climactic event of the whole Book of the Law: the glory of God entering and filling the sanctuary. Dorsey writes: "Yahweh's remarkable act of tabernacling among his people, then, represents the climax of the climax. It is the central point, the bottom line, of the entire Book of the Law. Almighty God has taken up his abode among humankind, among the people of Israel. All else in the book and in Israel's history leads toward or derives from this central truth." (Dorsey, 102)
a primeval history: the nations receive their allotted territories (Gen. 1-11)
b Abraham (Gen. 12:1-21:7)
c Isaac and death of Israel's founding father, Abraham (Gen. 21:8-28:4)
d Jacob: a story illustrating evils of social and family discord (Gen. 28:5-37:1)
e Joseph: a story of how God rewards faithful obedience (Gen. 37:2-50:26)
f exodus from Egypt (Exod. 1:1-13:16)
g failure and divine grace in the wilderness (Exod. 13:17-19:2)
CENTER: treaty at Sinai (Exod. 19:3-Num. 10:10)
g' failure and divine grace in the wilderness (Num. 10:11-21:20)
f' victory in Moab (Num. 21:21-Deut. 3:29)
e' call to obedience; based on lessons from history (Deut. 4-11)
d' laws for stability and justice in society and families (Deut. 12-26)
c' Moses' final words and death of Israel's other founding father, Moses (Deut. 27-34)
b' conquest of Canaan (Josh. 1-12)
a' allotment of land of Canaan to Israel (Josh. 13-24)
(Dorsey, 101)
The 'a' pattern illustrates the parallel qualities of Genesis and Joshua. In Genesis, nations' have territory according to their families. Later, Israel has territories according to their families. Earlier, we are introduced to Israel's ancestor's in Mesopotamia: Terah, Nahor, and Abraham. Later, we are reminded of these same three ancestors. This all suggests that while the nations have their respective lands, this story chronicles how the descendants of Abraham came to live in their respective land.
The 'b' pattern shows the promise to Abraham being fulfilled. In the first section, God promises to give Canaan to Abraham's descendants. In the second section, this is fulfilled. In the first section, Abraham builds altars in Shechem, between Bethel and Ai, and in Hebron. In the second section, Israel builds an altar in Shechem, and wins battles in Ai and Hebron. This suggests that Israel is seeing the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, and even walking in Abraham's footsteps as they see it.
The 'c' pattern focuses on death and life. In the first section, Sarah, Abraham, and Ishmael die. Isaac is near death when Abraham brings him to Mount Moriah for the sacrifice. In the second section, Moses dies, and also holds out life and death to the Israelites depending on whether they obey. In the first section, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and Esau all receive blessings. In the second section, Moses holds out blessings for obedient Israel. This suggests the significance of figures like Abraham and Moses in God's providential plan, as these sections contain their final words, deaths, and burials.
The 'd' pattern links the stories of Jacob's family and laws concerning families. The first section, Jacob's section, is a story of social and family strife, murder, lying, theft, and in the case of Laban's abuse of Jacob, the mistreatment of aliens and the disadvantaged. In the second section, there are laws to counter each of these things. In the first section, we encounter a story of an unloved wife, hired man, younger and older siblings, and birthrights. In the second, we find laws covering each of these things. This suggests that the chaos and wrongdoing that Jacob's family experienced are also the subject of the Deuteronomy laws that will bring peace and order to society.
The 'e' pattern shows how in the same way Joseph's obedience is rewarded with faithfulness, Israel's obedience will as well. In the second section, Moses points out that when Israel was obedient to God, they were blessed, but when they disobeyed, they were punished. Joseph, the subject of the first section, is a great example of this. Despite all the sins committed against Joseph, he remains faithful to God, and he is rewarded for this. This underscores the importance of obeying God.
The 'f' pattern relates Israel's earlier experience in Egypt to their later experience in Moab. In both cases, God saves Israel in a foreign land. In both sections, a foreign king fears Israel is too numerous, calls magicians to oppose Israel, which fails. This reinforces the theme of God's great power.
The 'g' pattern relates Israel's wandering in the wilderness before Sinai to their wandering in the wilderness after Sinai. Both sections feature Israel in migrations. Both show meetings between Moses and his father-in-law Jethro. Finally, both evoke themes of Israel's complaining and God provides water from a rock, manna, and quail in both sections. All this suggests that God's covenant with Israel is not based on their righteous, since they complained and quarreled all the way to Sinai and from Sinai.
Finally, at the center is the Treaty of Sinai. The Treaty guards the very central, climactic event of the whole Book of the Law: the glory of God entering and filling the sanctuary. Dorsey writes: "Yahweh's remarkable act of tabernacling among his people, then, represents the climax of the climax. It is the central point, the bottom line, of the entire Book of the Law. Almighty God has taken up his abode among humankind, among the people of Israel. All else in the book and in Israel's history leads toward or derives from this central truth." (Dorsey, 102)
Numbers 10:11-Joshua 24:33
This is the third in a series of biblical summaries derived from David Dorsey's book, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament:
a wilderness journey: only Caleb and Joshua are faithful (Num. 10:11-21:20)
a wilderness journey: only Caleb and Joshua are faithful (Num. 10:11-21:20)
b conquest of Transjordan under Moses (Num. 21:21-Deut. 3:29)
c Moses' exhortations to serve Yahweh, in light of lessons from Yahweh's past blessings
and punishments (Deut. 4-11)
d CENTER: laws for life in Canaan (Deut. 12-26)
c' Moses' exhortations to serve Yahweh, in light of the prospects of Yahweh's future
blessings or punishments (Deut. 27-34)
b' conquest of Canaan under Joshua (Josh. 1-12)
a' allotment of Canaan: only Caleb and Joshua are rewarded with their own allotments (Josh. 13-24) (Dorsey, 95)
The 'a' pattern has to do with spies of Israel going into Canaan. In the first instance, only Caleb and Joshua are faithful to God. Later, only Caleb and Joshua will enter into the land with a whole new generation of Israelites, while the former generation has died in the wilderness. In the first section, Caleb gives a good report at Kadesh, and follows God "wholeheartedly," and is promised he would inherit Hebron, the area he explored. In the second section, Caleb recalls his experience at Kadesh, his good report, and that he followed God "wholeheartedly." Both sections include brief historical notes about Hebron, that it is the home of the Anakites. Finally, both sections feature men being sent out to explore Canaan. All this suggests the theme of obedience and its rewards. Obedience is rendered by Caleb and Joshua in the first section, and rewarded in the second.
The 'b' pattern connects the military conquests of Moses to those of Joshua. The first section conveys the war spoils Israel achieves under Moses. The second section, those achieved under Joshua. The first section expresses that the Transjordanian tribes of Israel must enter the land against their wishes, and the second section shows them doing this. Both sections feature victories from their main camps. And both sections are almost entirely upbeat, in which Israelite victories are re-narrated, and both sections also feature an isolated disobedience which is quickly remedied (defeat at Baal-Peor in the first, Achan's sin in the second). All this suggests that Israel will have divine blessing (particularly in military conflicts) as a reward for obedience.
The 'c' pattern is all contained with Moses' farewell address to the Israelites in Deuteronomy. Both sections relate narrative about Moses transferring leadership to Joshua. The first section recounts blessings and curses that have come upon Israel related to obedience in the past. The second section holds out the blessings and curses that will come upon Israel related to obedience in the future. Finally, the first section relates that Moses will die before crossing over to Canaan, and the second section relates Moses' death on Mount Nebo before crossing over. All this suggests the importance of obeying God in Israel's past and in Israel's future.
At the center, 'd' conveys the law's central importance, as Moses gives a grand review of its contents. The law is central in this extended passage, and thus is central to Israel's future prosperity, and its hopes for peace in the land they've been promised.
The 'a' pattern has to do with spies of Israel going into Canaan. In the first instance, only Caleb and Joshua are faithful to God. Later, only Caleb and Joshua will enter into the land with a whole new generation of Israelites, while the former generation has died in the wilderness. In the first section, Caleb gives a good report at Kadesh, and follows God "wholeheartedly," and is promised he would inherit Hebron, the area he explored. In the second section, Caleb recalls his experience at Kadesh, his good report, and that he followed God "wholeheartedly." Both sections include brief historical notes about Hebron, that it is the home of the Anakites. Finally, both sections feature men being sent out to explore Canaan. All this suggests the theme of obedience and its rewards. Obedience is rendered by Caleb and Joshua in the first section, and rewarded in the second.
The 'b' pattern connects the military conquests of Moses to those of Joshua. The first section conveys the war spoils Israel achieves under Moses. The second section, those achieved under Joshua. The first section expresses that the Transjordanian tribes of Israel must enter the land against their wishes, and the second section shows them doing this. Both sections feature victories from their main camps. And both sections are almost entirely upbeat, in which Israelite victories are re-narrated, and both sections also feature an isolated disobedience which is quickly remedied (defeat at Baal-Peor in the first, Achan's sin in the second). All this suggests that Israel will have divine blessing (particularly in military conflicts) as a reward for obedience.
The 'c' pattern is all contained with Moses' farewell address to the Israelites in Deuteronomy. Both sections relate narrative about Moses transferring leadership to Joshua. The first section recounts blessings and curses that have come upon Israel related to obedience in the past. The second section holds out the blessings and curses that will come upon Israel related to obedience in the future. Finally, the first section relates that Moses will die before crossing over to Canaan, and the second section relates Moses' death on Mount Nebo before crossing over. All this suggests the importance of obeying God in Israel's past and in Israel's future.
At the center, 'd' conveys the law's central importance, as Moses gives a grand review of its contents. The law is central in this extended passage, and thus is central to Israel's future prosperity, and its hopes for peace in the land they've been promised.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Exodus 19:3-Numbers 10:10
This is the second in a series of biblical summaries derived from David Dorsey's book The Literary Structure of the Old Testament.
a Ten Commandments - and holiness on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:3-20:21)
b civil laws - moral, ethical purity (Exod. 20:22-24:11)
c tabernacle instructions - sacrificial altar (Exod. 24:12-34:28)
d CLIMAX: tabernacle built and filled with Yahweh's glory! (Exod. 34:29-40:38)
c' sacrificial instructions - for sacrificial altar (Lev. 1-10)
b' purity laws - ritual, moral purity (Lev. 11-18)
a' holiness laws - most of Ten Commandments repeated (Lev. 19:1-Num. 10:10)
The 'a' pattern corresponds with the Israelites arrival at, and departure from, Mount Sinai. The experience of Sinai seals itself on Israel's worship and manner of life. In the first section, Israel arrives at Sinai. In the last, they are departing from Sinai. God's glory appears on Mount Sinai like cloud and fire. Later, God's glory on the tabernacle is like cloud and fire. On the mountain, God's presence sounds like trumpets. At the end, silver trumpets sound orders from God's tabernacle. The Ten Commandments are introduced at the beginning. Most of them are reiterated at the end. All this suggests that the tabernacle bears many reminders of what it was to stand before God at Sinai. As Peter Leithart put it, they are taking the mountain with them.
The 'b' pattern is weak, consisting mostly in the common pattern of laws concerning moral and ethical purity. Still it is worth attending to, for despite the tenuous connections, the common link is the purity of the people entailed in the first section, and the purity of the house of God in the second section. Both sections focus on moral, ethical behavior. There is a shared condemnation of "following the practices" of Canaanites, and also of eating meat of animals torn by wild beasts. Both treat of the topic of the use of blood and fat in sacrifices, and the use of blood for ritual cleansing. All this suggests that the tabernacle is a picture of Israel: tending to the ethical purity of God's people entails tending to the ritual purity of God's house.
The 'c' pattern is linked by the tabernacle itself. The first section shows how to build it. The second section shows how to conduct sacrifices inside it. Both sections provide instructions for sacrifices to be offered on the altar. Priestly ordination is prescribed earlier, and described later. Both sections conclude with sins: the first concludes with Aaron's sin with the golden calf, and the second concludes with the sin of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu. All of this suggests that there is a strong link between the rooms and furniture of God's house, and the types of sacrifices that are offered there. Two quotes help: "So the house of Israel is like the house of the Lord, and the house of the Lord is a picture of the house of Israel. This is why the blood of the animal offerings is always sprinkled or thrown on some piece of furniture in the tabernacle and never on the people. This seems odd at first. How can blood make a sinner clean if the blood is never put on him? The answer is that the tabernacle is a picture of Israel, and so putting blood on the tabernacle is counted as putting blood on the sinner." (Leithart, A House for My Name, 84) And this one: "(God) doesn't need (sacrifices) to stay alive, but He eats Israel's food as a sign that He is their friend. He "eats" to make a covenant with Israel, to continue the "wedding" feast that started at Sinai. Of course, what God truly desires is not the flesh of animals but instead people who love and obey Him. God wants us to be thankful, humble, and sorry for our sins. That's the sacrifice that pleases Him (Psalm 51:14-17). God wants to eat you." (Leithart, 88) These quotes show the sense that the tabernacle itself, its architecture, its furniture and the sacrifices offered within both convey a wealth of symbolism that both represent the people Israel.
Finally, the 'd' pattern centers on God's own presence indwelling the tabernacle. This is important because this whole section highlights a treaty between God and his people. At its heart, at its climax, is God's own presence among his people. This makes everything go. As Dorsey writes, "Israel's life, its calendar, its camp, its order of march - everything - will now center around Yahweh's sanctuary. Yahweh's sacred presence is the reason for Israel's special status among the nations; and it is the focus of all its laws." (Dorsey, 82)
a Ten Commandments - and holiness on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:3-20:21)
b civil laws - moral, ethical purity (Exod. 20:22-24:11)
c tabernacle instructions - sacrificial altar (Exod. 24:12-34:28)
d CLIMAX: tabernacle built and filled with Yahweh's glory! (Exod. 34:29-40:38)
c' sacrificial instructions - for sacrificial altar (Lev. 1-10)
b' purity laws - ritual, moral purity (Lev. 11-18)
a' holiness laws - most of Ten Commandments repeated (Lev. 19:1-Num. 10:10)
The 'a' pattern corresponds with the Israelites arrival at, and departure from, Mount Sinai. The experience of Sinai seals itself on Israel's worship and manner of life. In the first section, Israel arrives at Sinai. In the last, they are departing from Sinai. God's glory appears on Mount Sinai like cloud and fire. Later, God's glory on the tabernacle is like cloud and fire. On the mountain, God's presence sounds like trumpets. At the end, silver trumpets sound orders from God's tabernacle. The Ten Commandments are introduced at the beginning. Most of them are reiterated at the end. All this suggests that the tabernacle bears many reminders of what it was to stand before God at Sinai. As Peter Leithart put it, they are taking the mountain with them.
The 'b' pattern is weak, consisting mostly in the common pattern of laws concerning moral and ethical purity. Still it is worth attending to, for despite the tenuous connections, the common link is the purity of the people entailed in the first section, and the purity of the house of God in the second section. Both sections focus on moral, ethical behavior. There is a shared condemnation of "following the practices" of Canaanites, and also of eating meat of animals torn by wild beasts. Both treat of the topic of the use of blood and fat in sacrifices, and the use of blood for ritual cleansing. All this suggests that the tabernacle is a picture of Israel: tending to the ethical purity of God's people entails tending to the ritual purity of God's house.
The 'c' pattern is linked by the tabernacle itself. The first section shows how to build it. The second section shows how to conduct sacrifices inside it. Both sections provide instructions for sacrifices to be offered on the altar. Priestly ordination is prescribed earlier, and described later. Both sections conclude with sins: the first concludes with Aaron's sin with the golden calf, and the second concludes with the sin of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu. All of this suggests that there is a strong link between the rooms and furniture of God's house, and the types of sacrifices that are offered there. Two quotes help: "So the house of Israel is like the house of the Lord, and the house of the Lord is a picture of the house of Israel. This is why the blood of the animal offerings is always sprinkled or thrown on some piece of furniture in the tabernacle and never on the people. This seems odd at first. How can blood make a sinner clean if the blood is never put on him? The answer is that the tabernacle is a picture of Israel, and so putting blood on the tabernacle is counted as putting blood on the sinner." (Leithart, A House for My Name, 84) And this one: "(God) doesn't need (sacrifices) to stay alive, but He eats Israel's food as a sign that He is their friend. He "eats" to make a covenant with Israel, to continue the "wedding" feast that started at Sinai. Of course, what God truly desires is not the flesh of animals but instead people who love and obey Him. God wants us to be thankful, humble, and sorry for our sins. That's the sacrifice that pleases Him (Psalm 51:14-17). God wants to eat you." (Leithart, 88) These quotes show the sense that the tabernacle itself, its architecture, its furniture and the sacrifices offered within both convey a wealth of symbolism that both represent the people Israel.
Finally, the 'd' pattern centers on God's own presence indwelling the tabernacle. This is important because this whole section highlights a treaty between God and his people. At its heart, at its climax, is God's own presence among his people. This makes everything go. As Dorsey writes, "Israel's life, its calendar, its camp, its order of march - everything - will now center around Yahweh's sanctuary. Yahweh's sacred presence is the reason for Israel's special status among the nations; and it is the focus of all its laws." (Dorsey, 82)
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Genesis 1:1-Exodus 19:2
Over the past few years, people from the church have written devotions on Scripture. I have wished to provide some kind of shared biblical overview. I've decided to focus my blog in the near future on the work of David Dorsey in his book The Literary Structure of the Old Testament and of Peter Leithart in his survey of the four gospels, titled The Four.
The blog posts will follow the organization of Dorsey's and Leithart's books. For instance, this post focuses on Genesis 1:1-Exodus 19:2 because that's what Dorsey does in this particular chapter. There is much more in Dorsey's book than I would get to here. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The only exception is with the minor prophets. I intend to treat the minor prophets two per post: for instance, Zechariah and Malachi will be the same post, whereas in Dorsey they each get their own chapter.
Why this type of biblical summary? I find the use of these chiasms really helpful. Ancient people really worked hard at their texts. Books were few and they were labored over really carefully. Books were written so that they could be studied. Texts were organized in such a way that, beyond the words, even the way they were organized represented something beautiful, something symmetrical. See the way the chiasm forms half the letter 'x'. 'Chi' is the Greek word for the letter 'x' This helps to understand how ancient people could remember the way that texts went even if they weren't in front of them. For in chiasms, hidden or overt themes alike often reoccur. And seeing the text organized this way can help us to remember that Exodus 13 may have a lot to do with Genesis 1. The best interpreter of the Bible is always the rest of the Bible. Not that this stuff should be in peoples' devotions! The way the text rubs up against your own life will be all the fodder you need! But we can benefit as readers from Dorsey's and Leithart's (and others') hard work and study. And the work of the Spirit? To borrow from a future post, it seems that the houses God built - such as tabernacle and temple - were built after the pattern of things above - of heaven, of what Moses saw on Mount Sinai, of Christ. In the same way, the Scripture is a dwelling place for God here where we can see the patterns of things above. The Holy Spirit dwells among us to show that this world, these lives, our words, our tables, our relationships can be used to point to the ultimate world, life, table, and relationship we have with Father, Son, and Spirit in heaven and in the eventual new heavens and earth. The Scripture shows us both: this world through God's eyes, so that we can see that other world with our own eyes.
If anyone would like more information on a text, write a comment or email me. I'm trying to keep this as short as possible. I haven't included additional text references in my summaries. These texts are often included in the Dorsey book.
a primeval history: Yahweh's power in creation and the flood (Gen. 1-11)
b Abraham: Yahweh promises numerous descendants and an exodus (Gen. 12:1-21:7)
c Isaac: strife between brothers; triumph of younger (Gen. 21:8-28:4)
d CENTER: Jacob and birth of twelve tribes of Israel (Gen. 28:5-37:1)
c' Joseph: strife between brothers; triumph of younger (Gen. 37:2-50:26)
b' exodus: Yahweh increases Israel and delivers them from Egypt (Exod. 1:1-13:16)
a' wilderness journey: Yahweh's power in the desert (Exod. 13:17-19:2)
Looking first at the 'a' pattern, we are encouraged to think of the crossing of the Red Sea as following a similar pattern to creation and the flood. God demonstrates mighty power over the sea and wind. He creates dry land in the midst of the sea at creation. He does the same when the Red Sea parts in the exodus from Egypt. The wicked are drowned in the flood and in the Red Sea. Finally, in the same way God provides food for his people in the garden and for Noah and his family after the flood, he does the same for Moses and his people in the wilderness, and in both cases, a Sabbath rest is mentioned: it is created in early Genesis; it is first implemented in the wilderness after the exodus. This all suggests that the exodus from Egypt is like a new creation, as though the world is being created again.
The 'b' pattern shows us Abraham experiencing himself much of what his descendants will eventually experience in Egypt. Just as Joseph's brothers are all driven to Joseph and his grain supply by the famine, Abraham is as well years earlier. Just as the Israelites are wrongfully retained by the Pharaoh who did not remember Joseph, Sarah is also wrongfully retained by Pharaoh in the earlier Genesis story. God speaks to Abraham of a 400 year sojourn, enslavement, punishment of the nation where they stay, and Israel's enrichment as they leave, all of which happens to Israel in Exodus. Abraham's descendants are promised to be numerous. In Exodus, they are shown to have grown from 70 people to 600,000 men. Abraham and his sons are circumcised. Moses and his son (maybe) are as well. And finally, just as Sodom and Gomorrah are punished earlier, Egypt is punished later. In both cases, the righteous are spared. This all suggests that not only did God do what he told Abraham he would; he also did it in a way that mirrored the events that occurred throughout Abraham's own life.
The 'c' pattern follows the motif of the triumph of the younger brother. The stories both follow younger sons - Isaac, Jacob, Joseph - who emerge from conflict with older siblings and are chosen by God. Though Ishmael's expulsion is part of Isaac's being chosen, Jacob and later Joseph are expelled and it is in this exile that they experience God's blessing and birthright unexpectedly. In both stories, the elder son (Esau, Judah) marries a Canaanite woman. In the first story, the cave of Machpelah is purchased and first used by Abraham for the burial of Sarah. In the later story, it is used for the last time as Joseph buries Jacob. This all suggests that the promise to Abraham is initially given in the triumph of a younger sons Isaac and then Jacob, and then the triumph of the younger son Joseph leads to a greater sign of the promise being fulfilled in Israel's multiplying in Egypt.
And at the center of all this - the d section - is the birth narrative of Jacob's children, forming the twelve tribes of Israel. This is fitting because the ultimate sign of God's presence is not simply Abraham's, or Jacob's, or Joseph's individual success, but rather that God's promise is going forward - that Abraham's seed is multiplying. This is all book-ended by the stories of God's power over his foes - in creation, flood, and the parting of the sea. God thwarts his opponents. But the positive side of all this is what is in the center: God will achieve great things through his people Israel.
The blog posts will follow the organization of Dorsey's and Leithart's books. For instance, this post focuses on Genesis 1:1-Exodus 19:2 because that's what Dorsey does in this particular chapter. There is much more in Dorsey's book than I would get to here. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The only exception is with the minor prophets. I intend to treat the minor prophets two per post: for instance, Zechariah and Malachi will be the same post, whereas in Dorsey they each get their own chapter.
Why this type of biblical summary? I find the use of these chiasms really helpful. Ancient people really worked hard at their texts. Books were few and they were labored over really carefully. Books were written so that they could be studied. Texts were organized in such a way that, beyond the words, even the way they were organized represented something beautiful, something symmetrical. See the way the chiasm forms half the letter 'x'. 'Chi' is the Greek word for the letter 'x' This helps to understand how ancient people could remember the way that texts went even if they weren't in front of them. For in chiasms, hidden or overt themes alike often reoccur. And seeing the text organized this way can help us to remember that Exodus 13 may have a lot to do with Genesis 1. The best interpreter of the Bible is always the rest of the Bible. Not that this stuff should be in peoples' devotions! The way the text rubs up against your own life will be all the fodder you need! But we can benefit as readers from Dorsey's and Leithart's (and others') hard work and study. And the work of the Spirit? To borrow from a future post, it seems that the houses God built - such as tabernacle and temple - were built after the pattern of things above - of heaven, of what Moses saw on Mount Sinai, of Christ. In the same way, the Scripture is a dwelling place for God here where we can see the patterns of things above. The Holy Spirit dwells among us to show that this world, these lives, our words, our tables, our relationships can be used to point to the ultimate world, life, table, and relationship we have with Father, Son, and Spirit in heaven and in the eventual new heavens and earth. The Scripture shows us both: this world through God's eyes, so that we can see that other world with our own eyes.
If anyone would like more information on a text, write a comment or email me. I'm trying to keep this as short as possible. I haven't included additional text references in my summaries. These texts are often included in the Dorsey book.
a primeval history: Yahweh's power in creation and the flood (Gen. 1-11)
b Abraham: Yahweh promises numerous descendants and an exodus (Gen. 12:1-21:7)
c Isaac: strife between brothers; triumph of younger (Gen. 21:8-28:4)
d CENTER: Jacob and birth of twelve tribes of Israel (Gen. 28:5-37:1)
c' Joseph: strife between brothers; triumph of younger (Gen. 37:2-50:26)
b' exodus: Yahweh increases Israel and delivers them from Egypt (Exod. 1:1-13:16)
a' wilderness journey: Yahweh's power in the desert (Exod. 13:17-19:2)
Looking first at the 'a' pattern, we are encouraged to think of the crossing of the Red Sea as following a similar pattern to creation and the flood. God demonstrates mighty power over the sea and wind. He creates dry land in the midst of the sea at creation. He does the same when the Red Sea parts in the exodus from Egypt. The wicked are drowned in the flood and in the Red Sea. Finally, in the same way God provides food for his people in the garden and for Noah and his family after the flood, he does the same for Moses and his people in the wilderness, and in both cases, a Sabbath rest is mentioned: it is created in early Genesis; it is first implemented in the wilderness after the exodus. This all suggests that the exodus from Egypt is like a new creation, as though the world is being created again.
The 'b' pattern shows us Abraham experiencing himself much of what his descendants will eventually experience in Egypt. Just as Joseph's brothers are all driven to Joseph and his grain supply by the famine, Abraham is as well years earlier. Just as the Israelites are wrongfully retained by the Pharaoh who did not remember Joseph, Sarah is also wrongfully retained by Pharaoh in the earlier Genesis story. God speaks to Abraham of a 400 year sojourn, enslavement, punishment of the nation where they stay, and Israel's enrichment as they leave, all of which happens to Israel in Exodus. Abraham's descendants are promised to be numerous. In Exodus, they are shown to have grown from 70 people to 600,000 men. Abraham and his sons are circumcised. Moses and his son (maybe) are as well. And finally, just as Sodom and Gomorrah are punished earlier, Egypt is punished later. In both cases, the righteous are spared. This all suggests that not only did God do what he told Abraham he would; he also did it in a way that mirrored the events that occurred throughout Abraham's own life.
The 'c' pattern follows the motif of the triumph of the younger brother. The stories both follow younger sons - Isaac, Jacob, Joseph - who emerge from conflict with older siblings and are chosen by God. Though Ishmael's expulsion is part of Isaac's being chosen, Jacob and later Joseph are expelled and it is in this exile that they experience God's blessing and birthright unexpectedly. In both stories, the elder son (Esau, Judah) marries a Canaanite woman. In the first story, the cave of Machpelah is purchased and first used by Abraham for the burial of Sarah. In the later story, it is used for the last time as Joseph buries Jacob. This all suggests that the promise to Abraham is initially given in the triumph of a younger sons Isaac and then Jacob, and then the triumph of the younger son Joseph leads to a greater sign of the promise being fulfilled in Israel's multiplying in Egypt.
And at the center of all this - the d section - is the birth narrative of Jacob's children, forming the twelve tribes of Israel. This is fitting because the ultimate sign of God's presence is not simply Abraham's, or Jacob's, or Joseph's individual success, but rather that God's promise is going forward - that Abraham's seed is multiplying. This is all book-ended by the stories of God's power over his foes - in creation, flood, and the parting of the sea. God thwarts his opponents. But the positive side of all this is what is in the center: God will achieve great things through his people Israel.
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Saturday, January 6 - Jesus' Baptism
In the Gospels' account of Jesus' baptism, the Father and Holy Spirit both appear. Malcolm Guite reflects that the Father, Spirit, and Son:
Reveal to us the single loving heart
That beats behind the being of all things
And calls and keeps and kindles us to light
The dove descends, the spirit soars and sings
'You are beloved, you are my delight!' (Malcolm Guite, "Jesus' Baptism," Sounding the Seasons)
In Jesus' baptism, we see who God really is: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Guite captures the tri-unity of God with the image of a "single loving heart that beats behind the being of all things." One life. One origin of all things. One rhythm which sets the order, pattern, and beauty of everything that is to come. And the Christian faith, and the church that proclaims it, burrows deeply into this oneness of God when we proclaim that Jesus, though a man, is also fully God. For otherwise, what sense could be made of the great unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which presents itself as the great given, the great foundation, of all other truths throughout the New Testament? There could be none, if Jesus was another type of creation, someone that God at some point decided to make. No, the authority that Jesus claims is that he is the very image of God. When people see him, they see the Father. And yet, Jesus' baptism doesn't show us God as some sort of static, functional dead image on a page. We see God precisely in this unveiling of the holy communion that God has shared for all eternity. Guite's sonnet has many active verbs, suggesting the power and love of God that was busy at creation was also showing itself in the baptism of Jesus. When we see the fellowship of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - their mutually abiding love for one another - this is when we see God.
And Guite reminds us of our place in Jesus' baptism:
He calls us too, to step into that river
To die and rise and live and love forever. (Guite, Sounding the Seasons)
As the evil of the world drowned in the great flood, as Pharaoh's horsemen and chariots drowned in the Red Sea, so our sinful selves die in our baptism. Yet, as Noah and his family had an ark, and Moses and the Israelites had the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, so we have what those images ultimately pointed to - Christ. The one who gives up his life and who has the power to take it up again. He rises from the grave. So our baptism is not only into his death on the cross, but also into his resurrection. We live and love forever, knowing that it is in Christ we live. I like how in Guite's sonnet, it is not quite clear we have left the river we've gotten into in the first place. I like this because, although we eventually dried ourselves off from our baptisms, we don't dry ourselves off from the Lord we've now entered into. We emerge from the water eventually, but we don't emerge from Christ. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Gal. 2:20) We've left whatever river Guite is referring to, be it the Mississippi, the St. Johns, the Euphrates, or the Jordan River. But we never leave this river, the river of Christ, the stream of living waters.
Life in him is so different that Jesus referred to it as a new birth. Thus, we resolve the story and season of Christmas - the day of Christ's birth - with Epiphany - the day of our birth. For this is what baptism means: the fulfillment of Christ's work, received as an effective and powerful symbol and sign showing us who we really are. God is a great rescuer. His word has gone out into the world and hasn't returned back empty-handed. His will is being accomplished - seen chiefly in women and men who find the riches and treasures of all things in their source and destiny - the one who all things come from, and who all things are for - Jesus Christ.
Reveal to us the single loving heart
That beats behind the being of all things
And calls and keeps and kindles us to light
The dove descends, the spirit soars and sings
'You are beloved, you are my delight!' (Malcolm Guite, "Jesus' Baptism," Sounding the Seasons)
In Jesus' baptism, we see who God really is: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Guite captures the tri-unity of God with the image of a "single loving heart that beats behind the being of all things." One life. One origin of all things. One rhythm which sets the order, pattern, and beauty of everything that is to come. And the Christian faith, and the church that proclaims it, burrows deeply into this oneness of God when we proclaim that Jesus, though a man, is also fully God. For otherwise, what sense could be made of the great unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which presents itself as the great given, the great foundation, of all other truths throughout the New Testament? There could be none, if Jesus was another type of creation, someone that God at some point decided to make. No, the authority that Jesus claims is that he is the very image of God. When people see him, they see the Father. And yet, Jesus' baptism doesn't show us God as some sort of static, functional dead image on a page. We see God precisely in this unveiling of the holy communion that God has shared for all eternity. Guite's sonnet has many active verbs, suggesting the power and love of God that was busy at creation was also showing itself in the baptism of Jesus. When we see the fellowship of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - their mutually abiding love for one another - this is when we see God.
And Guite reminds us of our place in Jesus' baptism:
He calls us too, to step into that river
To die and rise and live and love forever. (Guite, Sounding the Seasons)
As the evil of the world drowned in the great flood, as Pharaoh's horsemen and chariots drowned in the Red Sea, so our sinful selves die in our baptism. Yet, as Noah and his family had an ark, and Moses and the Israelites had the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, so we have what those images ultimately pointed to - Christ. The one who gives up his life and who has the power to take it up again. He rises from the grave. So our baptism is not only into his death on the cross, but also into his resurrection. We live and love forever, knowing that it is in Christ we live. I like how in Guite's sonnet, it is not quite clear we have left the river we've gotten into in the first place. I like this because, although we eventually dried ourselves off from our baptisms, we don't dry ourselves off from the Lord we've now entered into. We emerge from the water eventually, but we don't emerge from Christ. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Gal. 2:20) We've left whatever river Guite is referring to, be it the Mississippi, the St. Johns, the Euphrates, or the Jordan River. But we never leave this river, the river of Christ, the stream of living waters.
Life in him is so different that Jesus referred to it as a new birth. Thus, we resolve the story and season of Christmas - the day of Christ's birth - with Epiphany - the day of our birth. For this is what baptism means: the fulfillment of Christ's work, received as an effective and powerful symbol and sign showing us who we really are. God is a great rescuer. His word has gone out into the world and hasn't returned back empty-handed. His will is being accomplished - seen chiefly in women and men who find the riches and treasures of all things in their source and destiny - the one who all things come from, and who all things are for - Jesus Christ.
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