Introduction
The arrival at Mt. Sinai is the fulfillment of Yahweh’s promises. Given the challenges that Israel has faced, it is also a sign of God’s great grace and favor.
The Wedding
This scene portrays this covenant renewal scene as a wedding: Moses is the “minister” going between Yahweh and Israel, His bride (19:3, 8, 20). This covenant renewal is the renewal of the covenant made previously with Abraham (Gen. 15). The basis for the covenant relationship is the fact that Yahweh has destroyed Egypt and kept His promises (19:3-4). He has brought Israel to Himself on eagles’ wings (19:4, cf. Dt. 32:11). Though foreign armies will later be described as eagles (e.g. Dt. 28:49, Jer. 4:13, Ez. 17:3ff, Hos. 8:1), in this instance it refers to Yahweh’s host, His glory cloud army of men and angels (13:18-22, cf. Ez. 1:3-14). This Exodus-Salvation is the basis for the “Therefore if…” (19:5). This is the way real love works and is displayed in a wedding. No bride or groom suspects the other of legalism for taking vows. Nor does anyone think anyone is earning anything when they take or keep their vows. That’s just what love looks like.
Precious Treasure and Kingdom of Priests
If Israel obeys Yahweh and guards the covenant, Israel will be His “precious treasure” (19:5), and this is repeated when the covenant is renewed (Dt. 7:6, 14:2, 26:18, cf. Ps. 135:4, Mal. 3:17). This call to “guard” the covenant reminds us of Yahweh’s call for Adam to “guard” the garden. The covenant is not something earned; the covenant is the gift of God’s love, the gift of a holy fellowship, a marriage bed (Dt. 32:11). David and Solomon both refer to their “precious treasures of kings” (1 Chr. 29:3, Eccl. 2:8). Israel is Yahweh’s treasure, His royal plunder, His inheritance. In the Septuagint, this word is translated as “elect,” and the NT writers pick up this language: Christians are God’s elect, His chosen ones, “holy and beloved” of God (Col. 3:12). Our English translations get closest to this where Paul says that Christ gave Himself for us to “redeem” us and to “purify” us for Himself, His own “special people” (Tit. 2:14), and Peter does this as well (1 Pet. 1:2, 2:4, 2:6, 2:9). In the immediate context of the Old Testament, Melchizedek and Jethro form the most concrete examples of priests: both are foreigners who bring the blessing of God and share bread with God’s people. And a kingdom of priests is to be a “holy nation” (19:6, cf. 19:10, 14, 22), and this means to be in a safe place, in a secure relationship to their God, one another, and the nations around them: plenty of bread and blessing for all.
The Mountain
The scene itself seems so surreal and strange: a mountain covered in a thick cloud of smoke and fire (19:18), thunder and lightening (19:16), the threat of death to those who cross the boundaries (19:12-13), the long winding of a horn (19:13, 16, 19). It feels intense, overwhelming, even confusing (19:20-25). But this seems to be the point: Israel is not dealing with a distant deity in the far reaches of the universe; Yahweh is God Almighty, Creator, Redeemer, and therefore Lord of Israel. It is His great compassion and love and mercy that redeemed and saved His people, but it is a fierce mercy, a terrifying love, a deep, black darkness of compassion. This is not to imply that God is fickle or schizophrenic. It means that God is high and lifted up. But God is also putting Himself on the line, bestowing all that He is, and calling Israel into His love, into His glory, into His fellowship. And the only reasonable response is fear and love and glad obedience. To obey is to walk in that glory, in that love.
Conclusion
In the New Covenant all of this is heightened: But this time the fire of God has fallen not on a mountain that can be touched but on God’s people at Pentecost (Acts 2). We have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, and the warnings are just as fierce: see that you do not refuse Him who speaks for our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:18-29). But this is not a menacing threat from a distance. This isn’t a command to keep a bunch of impersonal rules. This is because our Kinsman-Redeemer has come for us and delivered us from Egypt and every Pharaoh; Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant has brought us to Himself on eagles’ wings: He has “loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father…” (Rev. 1:5-6). Which is proof once again that God keeps His promises (e.g. Is. 40).
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" Says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the LORD's hand Double for all her sins. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken…
O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young…
To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
This coming week we begin Lent. During Lent we don’t pretend to be lost and unsaved or despair of our salvation. Lent is an annual reminder of what is always true of the Christian life. It is an annual reminder that we must press on. Because of the wonderful gift of Christmas and because of the first Easter in Christ, we must press on toward our own Easter. Because we have been born again by the Spirit in our own Christmas-covenant, our own Exodus-salvation, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. We must not doubt in the dark what was true in the light. Remember who you are, remember the glory of the Lord, remember God’s love and grace. Remember God’s promises. Because God has not forgotten.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Ninth Sunday after Epiphany: Exodus 19: A Mountain on Fire with Love
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Atonement Theories
"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed to Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." (Heb. 2:14-17)
Seems like this is a key atonement passage. Here, we have shades of substitution, Christus Victor, and the exemplary theories of the atonement.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sixth Sunday in Epiphany: Ex. 17:1-7: God With Us
Introduction
The wilderness is a training program for Israel, teaching them to grow up into maturity as a son. This means lots of testing (15:25, 16:4, Dt. 8:2). Although Israel is born out of Egypt, it is ultimately not until Israel is born again as a new generation that they are ready to enter the land.
The Text: This is the third in a series of complaints from the Israelites since they have left Egypt behind (15:24, 16:2-3, 17:2-3). We have gone from bitter water to no food to no water. In addition to the Exodus itself, the generous grace of God has responded in both previous cases with overwhelming provision: sweet waters, an oasis, magic bread, and a steady supply of meat for dinner. This episode sticks in the memory of Yahweh and Israel and becomes something of a short hand for the Israelite sojourn in the wilderness (e.g. Ps. 81:7, 95:8, 106:32). Part of this significance is that they return to this place later, and the people respond the same way again, and this time even Moses falls into sin (Num. 20:1-13).
The Lord has been leading this expedition from the beginning (13:17-18), and continues to do so here (17:1). They haven’t accidentally stumbled into the wilderness. One of the running patterns is the Israelites’ complaining directed at Moses (15:24) or Moses and Aaron (16:2), and here they are “contending” with Moses and complaining against him (17:2-3). This contention can refer to a physical fight or struggle (21:18) or a lawsuit (23:3). It should be recognized that this complaining and strife is as much between the Israelites as it is between God and the Israelites. The people once again object to the whole Exodus project (17:3), and apparently the complaints were verging on physical harm to Moses (17:4). The instructions of God highlight the rod which struck the waters, again explicitly insisting that the same God is still performing the same Exodus (17:5). This miracle occurs at Horeb, the mountain of the Lord, also known as Sinai (17:6, cf. 3:1, Dt. 5:2). It is the place of God’s holiness where living water flows. The place is named for the contention and testing of Israel because their actions and words denied God’s presence with them (17:7).
God With Us
The gospel of God with us in Jesus is the good news of renewed community and loving provision. God’s forty year training program was meant to teach Israel that man does not live by bread alone (Dt. 8:3), and this is because God is with us.
The Lord Tests His Sons
We are not our own fathers. This means that we are neither smart enough nor qualified to design our own curriculum. We have one Teacher, one Father, one Lord. He chastens those He loves (Heb. 12:3-11).
You Must be Born Again
Israel was born again in the wilderness, and Jesus says that unless we are born again, we will not see the Kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3). This is not merely an instantaneous, internal change; this is a total reformation of body and soul, habits and beliefs which usually occurs in fits and starts over a lifetime. Or you might say that we have been born again to a life of being born again. And this is because our faith is in the Son who was born again from the dead.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Ordination of Jesus
According to Hebrews, Jesus became our High Priest.
This means that Jesus was ordained to the priesthood.
When and how did this occur?
Hebrews says that Jesus did not take this honor to himself, but He was called by God when God said to Him: "You are my Son, today I have begotten You." (Heb. 5:4-5) Of course this is a quotation from Psalm 2, and elsewhere Paul applies this same verse to the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 13:33). And we might suspect that Hebrews is applying this verse the same way.
The writer cites Psalm 110 declaring: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." And he tells us when this ordination occurred: "in the days of His flesh, when he offered up prayers and supplicatiosn, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able save Him from death..." (Heb. 5:7) The writer explains that though Jesus was a Son, He too learned obedience through His sufferings (Heb. 5:8). Jesus was ordained in His sufferings and was perfected in order to become the author of eternal life to all who obey Him (Heb. 5:9). In other words, Jesus was declared to be the High Priest when He was perfected, ie. in His resurrection. Then He was called by God as High Priest, "according to the order of Melchizedek."
Surely part of this exegesis is bound up with the adverb "forever." Only a resurrected, perfect Son can be a priest forever.
Just before this passage, Hebrews has already stated that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God (Heb. 4:14). This suggests that the entire Passion-Resurrection-Ascension narrative should be viewed as a sort of ordination liturgy. Jesus is marked with blood and becomes the ordination sacrifice (cf. Lev. 8), but He is raised from the dead and ascends into heaven. Following the ordination rite of Aaron, Jesus too lifts his hands in blessing (Lev. 9:22), goes into the presence of God (Lev. 9:23), and then comes back to His people and the glory of the Lord appears to all people at Pentecost and fire comes out from the Lord to consume the (living) sacrifices and all the people are amazed (Lev. 9:23-24).
Monday, December 29, 2008
Continual Sacrifice, Eucharist, and Hebrews
"For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect... But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." (Heb. 10:1, 12-14)
The writer contrasts the sacrifices of the law which are offered continually but cannot make perfect (10:1) with the sacrifice of Christ which perfects forever those who are being sanctified (10:14).
What is striking is that the writer uses the same adjective to describe the continual offerings of the Law and the continual efficacy of Christ's sacrifice (translated 'forever'). In 10:1 the sacrifices are offered dianekes but can never bring to perfection. Likewise in 10:12, Christ has offered one sacrifice for sins dianekes and sat down at the right hand of God. And in 10:14, 'For by one offering he has perfected dianekes those being sanctified.'
The contrast then is most clearly on the number of the sacrifices which the the priests of the Law offered "frequently" (in 10:11 it's a different word than 10:1). Whereas the writer insists that Christ's offering was a single sacrifice (10:10, 12, 14). In 10:10, the offering of the "body of Jesus Christ" is described as ephapax which means once-for-all (cf. Rom. 6:10, Heb. 7:27, 9:12).
The word (dianekes) is used in one other place in Hebrews 7:3 where it describes Christs perpetual ministry as priest.
Of course all of this concerns issues which were significant in the Reformation. The Reformers all insisted that the Roman Mass had obscured the once-for-all character of the sacrifice of Christ. The concern was that the Mass had become a re-sacrifice of Christ which was both abhorrent to the glory of Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father and also because of the kind of meritorious theology that seems to naturally flow from such ideas. If the one offering of Christ on the cross must be re-exhibited, re-offered, re-presented for sins to be forgiven, how does that not undermine the once-for-all sense in which Christ suffered on the tree under Pontius Pilate? How is it not in some sense insufficient for our salvation? It seems to imply that something more must be done. And further, if the Eucharist continually offers Christ as a sacrifice for sin, how are we not back in the same position as the people under the Law?
And yet, it does seem that the common translation of this word in Heb. 10 (as 'forever') may create a more severe contrast than is actually meant by the writer. Whatever the priests' many sacrifices could not do which were offered dianekes is what Christ's one sacrifice now actually accomplishes dianekes.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Fly Over of Hebrews for the NSA Mens’ Bible Study 10.29.08
Introduction
I want to consider a broad overview of Hebrews through the title “Son” that opens the book (Heb. 1:2).
“Son of God” in Biblical-Theological Overview
Adam was the first son of God (Gen. 1:27-28, Lk. 3:38). Seth and his descendents were sons of God (Gen. 5:1-3ff, cf. Gen. 6:2). Being the son of God has to do with ruling and guarding God’s creation. After the Fall, the sons of God are the line of promise, the “seed” of the woman promised who would crush the “seed” of the dragon (Gen. 3:15). While Noah is a new Adam (Gen. 9), this theme picks up with the patriarchs and the need for Abraham to have a son. After Isaac, the theme of the “firstborn” comes to the fore with Esau and Jacob. The firstborn receives a double portion (the birth right) inheritance in order to care for his father’s family and take over the household when the father is gone. Israel is explicitly called the firstborn son of God (Ex. 4:22), and this “firstborn” theme picks up in the Passover narrative (13:1-2) and God later explains that in place of all the firstborn of Israel, the Levites have been chosen (Num. 8:14-18). Of course the Levites “have no inheritance,” because their inheritance is in the house of God (Num. 18:21ff). This gives us a picture of the calling of the “son of God” to be a ruler over the household of God, but this rule is displayed in the sacrificial ministry of the tabernacle where “sons of the herd” are offered (Lev. 1:5, 14, 4:3, 14, 5:7, et passim). The “son of God” is to rule the world from the house of God through the blood of self-sacrifice. This begins to get at the calling of Israel to be a “kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:5-6). The “son of God” theme picks up again in the Davidic covenant applied to Solomon (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and is also found in Ps. 89:20, 24-27 applied to David himself. There is finally an emerging angelic element to the title “son of God” particularly in Job (1:6, 2:1, 38:7) and perhaps also in Daniel (Dan. 3:25). This suggests an eschatological or glorified trajectory to mission of the son of God. This is perhaps the prophetic aspect of that title as well. A helpful summary of the calling of the son of God seems to be found in Ps. 110:1-4 where kingly and priestly duties are found in the same person just like they were found in Melchizedek. Yet, what remained for Melchizedek and all of those who approached this mission (e.g. Samuel, David, and Solomon), was the glorified, eschatological, and resurrection reality which is dimly pictured in the ministry of angels (Mt. 22:30). The problem with all the previous “sons of God” is that they don’t have the ability to be the self-sacrificing Priest-King and come back unscathed. They all fail and eventually die.
So What About Hebrews?
In the first few verses it seems obvious that the writer is working with all of this Old Testament theology in view. The Son is greater than the angels (1:5-14), and all things have been put in subjection under him (2:8). Furthermore, this Son has been made like all the other “sons” in order to bring those “sons to glory” (2:10-18). This Son of God is (not surprisingly) a High Priest who has been given his Father’s house (3:1-6). Sabbath and rest has everything to do with building the house of God and giving rest to the land (Dt. 25:19, Jos. 21:44, 2 Sam. 7:1, 1 Chr. 22:9), and it all reminds us of Noah who was a new Adam, the son of God. Jesus is the new Noah/Joshua/David/Solomon who has given rest to the people of God (Heb. 3:7-4:13). But High Priests do not simply appoint themselves; not just anyone can be the firstborn Son of God. He must be appointed (Heb. 5:4). So Christ was appointed High Priest through being a Son (5:8), but he was perfected and learned obedience through his suffering, death, and resurrection and became like Melchizedek (5:8-10). The Son without genealogy, without beginning or end is a superior Son to Abraham and the sons of Levi who paid him tithes (7:1ff). Of course Jesus is from Judah, and the only way a priest could come from a different tribe is if he were something better than any human priest has ever been, someone with the “power of an endless life,” someone who “always lives” (7:16-17, 20-25). This is a completely new kind of covenant because this High Priest serves in the “true tabernacle” in the heavens (8:1-2). And the writer recognizes that it is the Son’s duty to build the house of God and carry on its mission in the world (9:1-10) which is the redemption of the world, and Jesus has done this in that He is the true Son who offers Himself which is far greater than the “sons of the herd,” those bulls and goats which could not take away sins (10:4). He is the true King who rules by laying his own life down. The “sons of the herd” did not continue to intercede for sins, and their blood was shed continually proving that they were not sufficient (10:5-18). But we have a High Priest over the house of God whose blood is a new a living way into the Most Holy Place (10:19-23).
The Son who Makes Sons
Hebrews opens suggesting that the Sonship of Jesus is directly related to what God intends for humanity (2:11-12, 16-17, 3:1), and this is affected by the obedience and suffering and perfecting of the Son, who has become the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (5:9). To be a son with the Son is to be His brother and to be promised a Priestly-Kingly inheritance with Him. This means that we are called to imitate those brothers/sons that have gone before us in faith (Heb. 11), and we must expect to be treated as sons by our Father (12:5-11). We must not imitate the evil sons of the past like Esau who sold his birthright and inheritance (12:16). We are called to live in the reality of God’s fire-presence in our midst. We are the sons of God in the Son, and we have been brought to the new house of God, “the church of the firstborn,” the new tabernacle, and God’s Spirit-Fire presence is sanctifying us (12:18-29) and this means living like sons of the house of God and carrying on the order and mission of the house (Heb. 13:1-17).
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