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Ecclesiastes: The Fear of God Gives Joy Amid Frustration

September 18, 2020 By Peter Krol

Proverbs is all about getting us moving in the right direction, toward the Lord and away from ourselves. Job shows us how to keep moving in that direction when everything falls apart. Ecclesiastes completes the triptych of wisdom books, inspiring us to persevere in that journey, despite how frustrating it may be to do so.

Literary Markers

Ecclesiastes does not present its divisions nearly as obviously as Job and Proverbs do. The book could almost be considered a lab report, where the wise man presents his findings to a series of inquiries. So the chief markers to look for are the first-person signals, such as “I saw,” “I turned,” and “I considered.”

But with that said, the book’s sections appear to be tightly organized around topics. And within those topics, what appears at first to be linear and uncoordinated ramblings are actually carefully arranged to increase the rhetorical impact.

For example, after the thesis of Eccl 1:2-3, we get a series of four metaphors (Eccl 1:4-7) followed by four interpretations of the metaphors (Eccl 1:8-11). Then we get a narrative reflection (Eccl 1:12-14) with poetic conclusion (Eccl 1:15), followed by another narrative reflection (Eccl 1:16-17) with poetic conclusion (Eccl 1:18).

Working through the book to find those tightly structured units, organized around a single topic, yields the following divisions*:

1:1-3: Thesis
1:4-2:26: Repetition and gain
3:1-22: God’s sovereignty
4:1-5:7: Human community
5:8-6:12: Wealth
7:1-24: Suffering
7:25-9:12: Sin
9:13-10:20: Wisdom
11:1-12:8: Walking with God
12:9-14: Conclusion

Even if I’m not exactly right on the exact divisions, the most important thing in studying Ecclesiastes is to follow the argument. It is ultimately a book of truth and wisdom, which seeks to persuade you of truth and poke you into action (Eccl 12:11). So what is that argument?

Argument

The book states its chief conclusion (Eccl 1:2) and process (Eccl 1:3) up front. The process of looking for “gain,” or profit, under the sun yields the conclusion that everything is “vanity.” “Vanity” is a squishy concept, which we must grasp if we are to follow the argument. From here, I will use the plainer word “frustration,” which presumes the arguments I offered in this post.

So what are we able to get out of life? Frustration. An endless repetition of old things that will never satisfy. Such frustration is illustrated and explained vividly (Eccl 1:4-11), leading to the twin conclusions that we cannot fix anything (Eccl 1:15), and more knowledge produces more pain (Eccl 1:18). Inspiring, huh?

But look at what happens if we run from these hard truths (these sharp, pointy sticks – Eccl 12:11)? More pleasure won’t make the truth any easier (Eccl 2:1-11). Nor will more education (Eccl 2:12-17) or more honest work (Eccl 2:18-23). You cannot retreat from life’s frustration into your muscle cars, romance novels, academia, or entrepreneurship. None of these things will help.

The best we can hope for is a supernatural joy (Eccl 2:24-25), given as a free gift of grace (Eccl 2:26) by an all-powerful God (Eccl 3:1-22). God has made it so that the world would be a frustrating place, all so we would fear him (Eccl 3: 11, 14). Even the continuous presence of injustice where we would expect justice serves this purpose, of frustrating our wildest dreams and humbling our arrogant hearts before the Majesty of God on high (Eccl 3:16-22).

So what does this mean for life on earth for those who would fear God?

First, we can avoid the dangers of going it alone (Eccl 4:1-5:7). We don’t have to be lonely (Eccl 4:1-6), we can get help (Eccl 4:7-16), and we find such things as we listen to God more than we speak to him (Eccl 5:1-7).

Second, we can be content with what our sovereign God chooses to give us. We know love of money will never satisfy (Eccl 5:8-17)—because only God gives lasting contentment (Eccl 5:18-20)—and we can beware the pain of dissatisfaction (Eccl 6:1-7). We can ask ourselves some hard questions about how much control money really gives us over our future (Eccl 6:8-12).

Third, we can take a realistic and joy-inducing view of suffering. We learn wisdom about what is worth taking to heart (Eccl 7:1-13) and what is not worth taking to heart (Eccl 7:15-24). This equips us to consider the crooked works of our sovereign God so we might fear him (Eccl 7:14).

Fourth, we can stop being so surprised by how sinful humanity is. Our joy in fearing God enables to see that sin goes very wide (Eccl 7:25-29) and very high up (Eccl 8:1-17), but has a clear endpoint (Eccl 9:1-12). Death, the wage of sin, has a profound equalizing effect on all humanity (Eccl 9:1-6, 11-12), which in turn has a profound impact on the daily choices God-fearers will make (Eccl 9:7-10).

Fifth, we’ll be persuaded of the high value of wisdom relative to folly, when we live in God’s world, which always plays by God’s rules, even when the foolish try to make it otherwise (Eccl 9:13-10:20).

Finally, these truths about a frustrating world will inspire us to persevere in trying anything (Eccl 11:1-6)—it just might work!—and enduring to the end (Eccl 11:7-8). We can rejoice now (Eccl 11:9-10) if we remember what is on its way (Eccl 12:1-8).

Conclusion

So of course, the frustration of life ought to inspire us to fear God and keep his commandments (Eccl 12:13-14). But make no mistake, this frustration and this fear have a symbiotic relationship. Not only does the frustration produce fear, but the fear also increases the frustration, which in turn elevates the fear yet again.

The book of Ecclesiastes shows us there are no pat answers in matters pertaining to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He does whatever he pleases, which often will look to us like “time and chance” (Eccl 9:11). But his word never fails, his promises are sure, and his commandments are not burdensome. When he sets his affection on you, he gives you the gift of irrational joy in the face of such frustration. Don’t ever give that up or take it for granted, for Jesus died and rose so the pure life of the age to come could invade our present age of frustration.

Christians ought to respond to their world in a way unlike anyone else, and Ecclesiastes explains why.

Interpretive Outline

The frustration of life – 1:1-3
The fear of the Lord amid repetition – 1:4-2:26
The sovereignty of God – 3:1-22
The fear of the Lord in practice
- The fear of the Lord in community – 4:1-5:7
- The fear of the Lord and contentment – 5:8-6:12
- The fear of the Lord and suffering – 7:1-24
- The fear of the Lord and sin – 7:25-9:12
- The fear of the Lord and wisdom – 9:13-10:20
- Walking in the fear of God – 11:1-12:8
The fear of the Lord in conclusion – 12:9-14

*I’m grateful to Joel Miles for the insights that led to this map of divisions.

For more interpretive walkthroughs of books of the Bible, click here.

Context Matters: The Cattle on a Thousand Hills

September 11, 2020 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. And perhaps this truth has encouraged you through a season of anxiety or loss. Perhaps it reminds you of his all-sufficient care for you. Such sentiments may be generally true (Luke 12:32, John 10:14-15, etc.), but are they the sort of applications the poet responsible for Psalm 50 had in mind?

Context matters. We ignore it to our peril, increasing the risk of many dangerous consequences for both ourselves and others. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of one-liners and sound bites—we’ll find some of our habitual turns of phrase may have far more sinister import than we realized.

A Time for Judgment

Psalm 50 begins with the Mighty God summoning all the earth (Ps 50:1) to Zion (Ps 50:2) to judge his own people (Ps 50:3-4). The very heavens declare his righteousness (Ps 50:6), and he cannot exempt his covenant people from his fiery holiness and searing justice (Ps 50:5).

What does he judge his covenant people for?

In Psalm 50:7-15, he appears to judge them for their legalism. They offer him sacrifices and burnt offerings (Ps 50:8), but what he wants is hearts of thanksgiving and integrity (Ps 50:14). He wants them to need him (Ps 50:15).

In Psalm 50:16-21, he appears to judge them for their licentiousness. Though he speaks to “the wicked” (Ps 50:16), we must remember he came to “judge his people” (Ps 50:4), to gather his faithful ones who made a covenant with him by sacrifice (Ps 50:5). So the “wicked” are those within the covenant community—who take his covenant on their lips (Ps 50:16)—yet refuse discipline (Ps 50:17), subsidize theft and adultery (Ps 50:18), speak words of deceit (Ps 50:19), slander one another (Ps 50:20), and presume God to be as corrupt as they are (Ps 50:21).

A Solution Offered

Notice what he offers to his people. Away from legalism, he calls them to thanksgiving (Ps 50:23a). And away from licentiousness, he calls them to order their way rightly (Ps 50:23b). May they not forget there is always a way of escape from his terrible judgment (Ps 50:22).

A Thousand Hills of Cattle

So within the context of this poem’s argument, why does it say he owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50:10)?

That verse sits within the stanza condemning them for their legalistic practice of sacrificing animals without hearts of thankfulness and integrity. They think he needs them to pay him off with such animal sacrifice (Ps 50:9-13), when the truth is they need him in the day of trouble (Ps 50:15).

His condemnation resounds. “I do not need your stupid cattle, slaughtered at my altar in an attempt to buy me off. I own all the cattle; why would I have any need of yours? Just call me, and I’ll be there for you.”

Conclusion

The truth that “he owns the cattle on a thousand hills” was not penned to grant us assurance that our kind Father can take care of us. No, this assertion’s plain purpose is to shake up complacent religious people by reminding them they’ll never be able to bribe their God. He cannot be bought with their religious ritual.

Mark this, then, you who are prone to forget God, lest he tear you apart, and there be none to deliver. May we offer not bulls—nor songs, nor daily devotions, nor acts of service, nor financial contributions—for the sake of heaven-bound bribery, but hearts overcome with thanksgiving for his amazing and utterly undeserved salvation.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Psalm 119 and the Search for Clarity

September 4, 2020 By Peter Krol

I have a love/hate relationship with the longest chapter of the Bible. I love it, in part, because I know I’m supposed to and, in part, because it speaks extensively of the the word of God, which I love. But funny thing: Loving the Bible and loving Psalm 119 are not always mutually indwelling sentiments.

The fact of the matter is that Psalm 119 has a lot of lines. And even more words. I can handle many lines and many words if there is a linear argument or a compelling plot. But Psalm 119 has neither, so it typically feels like floating amongst the stars—please suspend your disbelief while I pretend to know what that would feel like—or breaststroking my way through a lake of peanut butter.

The nice thing is that the mastermind responsible for this interminable poem had the courtesy to start every verse within a stanza with the same letter, and to move through the alphabet from stanza to stanza, perhaps to make it easier to memorize. So if you’re a native speaker of ancient Hebrew, you’ll have an easier go at it. The rest of us covenantal immigrants, however, receive no such assistance, beyond those funny Hebrew shapes and transliterated words at the heading for each stanza. Bring on the peanut butter; I have more laps to swim today.

I’ve tried counting the number of distinct terms used for the Scripture. I’ve tried counting how many times each term is used. I’ve tried labelling verses as either praise/encouragement or lament/suffering. I’ve tried many times to read it in one sitting, and I’ve tried reading it a stanza or three at a time.

None of those techniques have helped me to grasp the message of the poem, in such a way that I have any confidence to have understood it. The practice that has helped me the most has been to try identifying a single main idea for each stanza, so as to see how each stanza then contributes to the overall effect. In the last 15 years, I’ve made four attempts at writing down main points for each stanza. Each time, I adjust it further and gain more confidence that I’m closer to the true main idea than I was the last time.

I will now share with you the fruit of my labor in this poem from the last few weeks. (You can also find this on the second tab of my Psalms spreadsheet, which you can access any time through the blog’s Resources page.) I would not consider myself to have mastered this psalm yet, but I trust I’m getting closer. I can at least say the poem makes more sense to me now than it did a few months ago, so progress has been made.

This poem sheds much light on the person and work of Jesus Christ, when we recognize that he is the “I” of the psalm. And as we are conformed to his image, we ought to strive to similar trust in both the Bible and the God who delivered it to us.

I invite your feedback on anything I’ve written here. I am eager to improve my understanding of this glorious poem, to inflame greater love for it. “I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love” (Ps 119:47-48).

	SECTION	THEME/SITUATION
א	Aleph	Blessed are those who walk in Yahweh’s commands (Ps 119:1-8)
ב	Bet	Young people remain pure by storing up God’s word while they can (Ps 119:9-16)
ג	Gimel	God must deal bountifully for the word to take effect (Ps 119:17-24)
ד	Daleth	The struggle for strengthening in sorrow, from the scripture (Ps 119:25-32)
ה	He	I need divine help to persevere in God’s commandments (Ps 119:33-40)
ו	Vav	God’s love for me arouses my love for his commandments (Ps 119:41-48)
ז	Zayin	I can trust God’s words in a way I can’t trust anyone else’s words (Ps 119:49-56)
ח	Cheth	I turn to the word because through it, I inherit Yahweh (Ps 119:57-64)
ט	Teth	Your word is good, and I do it, because you are good (Ps 119:65-72)
י	Yod	He who made me will complete his work in me (Ps 119:73-80)
כ	Kaph	I persevere through persecution because I long for you to do what you have said (Ps 119:81-88)
ל	Lamed	God’s eternal word is fully consistent with how God made the world to work (Ps 119:89-96)
מ	Mem	The student who loves the law surpasses his teachers (Ps 119:97-104)
נ	Nun	Your word guides all of life (Ps 119:105-112)
ס	Samek	God’s word shapes my thinking toward evildoers to be like God’s (Ps 119:113-120)
ע	Ayin	God’s love and God’s word give me every expectation of vindication (Ps 119:121-128)
פ	Pe	I’m desperate for light from your word (Ps 119:129-136)
צ	Tsadhe	Your rules are righteous, and I do them, because you are righteous (Ps 119:137-144)
ק	Qoph	Your word occupies all of me all the time (Ps 119:145-152)
ר	Resh	Your law gives me hope for deliverance from adversaries (Ps 119:153-160)
ש	Sin/Shin	I rejoice in your words, even under fire, for you see all my ways (Ps 119:161-168)
ת	Tav	I pour forth praise for the God of this Bible (Ps 119:169-176)

The End of Exile is Praise for Yahweh’s Covenant Love: Book 5 of the Psalms

August 28, 2020 By Peter Krol

As I’ve worked through the book of Psalms, I’ve shared with you the fruit of my labors on Book 1 (Psalms 1-41) and Books 2-4 (Psalms 42-106). Now that I’m near the end of my study, I’m ready to share some reflections on Book 5 (Psalms 107-150).

Themes

As far as the themes of Book 5, the following topics are constantly repeated:

Return from exile (such as Ps 107:1-3, 120:5-7, and 137:1-6)
Reinstatement of the king (such as Ps 110:1; 116; 118:10-13, 22;)
Remembrance of Yahweh’s eternal covenant love (such as Ps 107:1-3, 43; 118:1, 29; 136)
Request for others to join in worship (such as Ps 111:1, 112:1, 113:1, 117:1-2, 118:1-4, 145:21, 146-150)

Structure

The prominent calls to praise appear at key moments to signal climaxes in each section, or transitions to the next section.

Ps 111:1 opens a section of praise poems (Pss 111-118) that appear to respond to what God did in Pss 107-110.
Ps 118 describes a parade of worship moving from the battlefield into the temple.
The songs of ascent (Pss 120-134) describe pilgrimages toward the temple, culminating in Psalm 136, which celebrates Yahweh’s eternal covenant love in every verse.
Ps 145 concludes a group of poems where the king offers his own praise, and it invites the rest of creation to join that praise—which they do in Pss 146-150.

These patterns yield four primary sections within Book 5:

Pss 107-110: Yahweh’s mighty deeds to redeem his people and their king
- Pss 111-119: Outburst of praise on behalf of both king and people
Pss 120-137: Yahweh raises up the king and people from exile, specifically so they might worship him
- Pss 138-150: The king now leads the people in the worship of Yahweh

For Further Study

I commend this masterful book of poetry to you for further reflection and consideration. You may want to consider some of the following questions:

What role does Ps 119 play as both the conclusion to the praise of Pss 111-118 and the catalyst for the reflections in Pss 120-137?
Why role does Ps 110 play in the structure, and why is this role conducive to the apostles’ quoting of this poem more than any other psalm?
How do the psalms of ascent (Pss 120-134) fit together? And why might we think that Pss 135-137 are connected, as a conclusion, to them?
How does Ps 145 transition from the king’s praise to the people’s praise? How can we use this psalm to assist our own praise?

I have updated my Psalms spreadsheet with my thoughts on this last part of the book. I also added a second tab, where I try to capture the main idea of each stanza of Psalm 119. You can always find this spreadsheet on the blog’s resources page to assist your further study.

How the Parable of the Ten Minas is Different Than the Parable of the Talents

August 7, 2020 By Peter Krol

Last week I observed a few things and asked a few questions about whether the parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11-27) might have a different point than the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30). I’ve already discussed how Matthew’s parable fits into the context of the author’s larger argument. This week, I’ll walk through Luke’s train of thought to show how different his point is from Matthew’s.

I’ve already written on the main point of Luke’s gospel as a whole and on how to navigate its middle chapters (Luke 9:51-19:27). To save space here, I won’t repeat what I wrote there, but will assume you have caught up on that background.

By Andrey Mironov – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Placement

The first thing I’ll point out is that the parable of the ten minas is the very last thing in Luke’s travel narrative. The very next episode has Jesus going up into Jerusalem on the back of a colt. So this parable concludes not only the fourth sub-section, which focuses on the timing of the kingdom—when will these things regarding the kingdom take place? It also concludes the entire travelogue. This parable is the capstone and climax of Luke’s meandering description of life in Jesus’ new kingdom.

The Question on the Table

In this fourth division of the travel narrative, the presenting question is “When will the kingdom of God come?” (Luke 17:20). And Jesus clearly responded that it “is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:21). I understand that the translation of that last phrase is hotly debated, but regardless of the variety of options, all suggest that the kingdom is here and now. It is tangible and present. Jesus goes on to suggest that, if you can’t see it now, you will not be able to see it in the future either (Luke 17:22). Though there are signs and suggestions for then (Luke 17:23-24), make absolutely sure you don’t miss the significance of what is taking place now (Luke 17:25).

So Jesus tells them how to prepare for it (Luke 18:1-8). He executes the admission and dismissal of its citizens (Luke 18:9-17). He paints a picture of the current behaviors of those who look ahead to eternal life (Luke 18:18-30).

So in short, Jesus acknowledges that there is surely something yet to come. But in this section of Luke, he resists the impulse to direct people’s gaze to the horizon. He’s redrawing their attention to the here and now.

A View of What’s Happening Today

Then in Luke 18:31, Jesus claims, on the way to Jerusalem, that “everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” This includes being delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, treated shamefully, spit upon, flogged, killed, and resurrected. The disciples simply can’t see it, however (Luke 18:34).

But a blind man can see it. Though his eyes cannot yet see, the eyes of his heart can see the Son of David (heir to the throne) passing by right in front of him (Luke 18:35-43). And astonishingly, Jericho’s chief tax collector wants to see it (Luke 19:3).

The sight of Jesus changes Zacchaeus forever. One greeting, a meal at his home, and a modicum of reflection was all he needed to turn his life around (Luke 19:8). This demonstration of repentance (compare with Luke 3:12-13) provokes Jesus to make a shocking declaration: “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10).

Jesus spoke all about feasting with Abraham in the kingdom (Luke 13:28-30). Those who cannot recognize the master of the house of Israel will likewise go unrecognized by him (Luke 13:24-27). And here he is, in flesh and blood. He grants sight to the blind and calls Zacchaeus by name.

Here now is the “salvation” he’s been talking about through the entire book. That “salvation” is the fruit of the kingdom, which is currently present among them. The Son of Man seeks the lost, just like a shepherd with a lost sheep, a woman with a lost coin, and a father with a lost son (Luke 15:1-32). Now that salvation has come today on the unlikeliest of candidates. That fact is what spurs the people’s anticipation that the kingdom of God will appear when Jesus gets to Jerusalem (Luke 19:11).

The air is electric, and energy is at an all-time high. They wonder if this is it, if this is what they’ve been waiting for. If salvation is really present, right in front of them, embodied as a rabbi from Nazareth who has an awful lot to say about the way things ought to be.

The Prophets

And let’s not forget what the prophets had to say about this moment in history. Jesus said the prophets would be fulfilled as he came to Jerusalem (Luke 18:31).

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap…
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 3:1-5

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey…
“My anger is hot against the shepherds,
and I will punish the leaders;
for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
“I will strengthen the house of Judah,
and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,
and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.
Zechariah 9:9-10:12

So when Luke brings the travel narrative to an end by having Jesus tell a parable about a God, the divine King, returning to inspect his people and temple to bring judgment on the shepherds of Israel—the words are loaded with centuries of anticipation. Who can stand before him when he appears?

It is no coincidence that the first thing Jesus does in Jerusalem is inspect the temple (Luke 19:45-46).

Judgment Falls on This Generation

Luke has spared no expense to tell Theophilus that Jesus sat in judgment over his contemporary generation of Jewish leadership. He pronounces judgment on them time and again. This judgment is something in the future, yet to come. But it will not be long. It will take place within the current generation’s lifetime (Luke 11:49-51; 12:42-48; 13:3, 5, 9, 28, 34-35).

Subsequent to the parable of the minas, Jesus will continue presenting himself in the spirit and power of the prophets, proclaiming condemnation on the corrupt shepherds of Israel (Luke 19:41-44; 21:32). Like Jeremiah, he weeps over the fate of his generation. Like Isaiah, he describes political and social upheaval by means of apocalyptic language and cosmic metaphors.

Conclusion

So where does this data lead? I believe we have good reason to read the parable of the talents primarily as a description of the judgment that will take place at Jesus’ second coming (“That day”: Matt 24:36-25:46). The parable of the talents seems to direct our attention to “that day,” when humanity will be sorted for either eternal punishment or eternal life (Matt 25:46).

But the parable of the ten minas hits much closer. In context, it appears that Jesus speaks primarily of his first coming and what is about to happen to and through him at Jerusalem. The reckoning has come for the Jewish nation and its leaders. Those who have been serving faithfully, and who recognize their master, will be rewarded with cities (Luke 19:17-18). Those who have not, and who do not, will either have their deposit taken from them (Luke 19:24) or face the executioner’s sword (Luke 19:27).

For those reading this who are immigrants to the covenants of promise (Gentiles) and not natural-born citizens (Jews): Do not become proud. For if God was willing to wipe out a generation to make room for the Gentiles to enter, will he not do the same thing with another generation who presumes upon his kindness and drifts from loyalty to him (Rom 11:17-24)? Though the parable speaks primarily about something that’s already occurred (Jesus’ first coming), it still has serious and sobering ramifications for those who would serve the King in any generation.

The Reckoning of the Minas

July 31, 2020 By Peter Krol

Have you heard the parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11-27)? It’s sort of the creepy, leering uncle to the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). I say that because it seems sensible enough for the most part, but it has those quirky parts that would never make it into the children’s Bibles.

But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.
Luke 19:27

For the bulk of my Bible-reading life, I’ve assumed the parable of the minas was just a repetition of the parable of the talents that somehow lost a few things in transmission. It has ten servants instead of three. Each is given one coin, instead of differing amounts. And, of course, those citizens don’t want the guy to be their king, so he has them executed.

But for a number of years now, I’ve argued that we ought to understand such parallel passages on their own, within their own context. Perhaps these two parables really have different things to say to different audiences. So in my current study of Luke, I gave this one a fresh shot.

The Question of When

And now I arrive at my second assumption with respect to this parable. Because of my first assumption (that it’s basically the same as the parable of the talents), I’ve always assumed that it speaks of Jesus’ second coming and the future judgment of humanity.

A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
Luke 19:12

It seems so self-evident:

As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.
Luke 19:11

They supposed the kingdom of God was to appear immediately, and they were mistaken. So he tells them this parable to inform them of the great delay that must take place before his return. Easy peasy.

But hold on. Luke doesn’t say that they were mistaken. He doesn’t say, either, that Jesus aims to correct them. What if he told the parable not to correct their mistake, but to affirm the fact that they’ve finally started listening to him (see, for example, Luke 17:21)? Maybe it’s not the timing of the kingdom that they’re wrong about, but the nature of it. That, in other words, though it will appear immediately, it will not bring good news for most of them. The time has arrived for a reckoning.

Help from the Context

From the first phrase of Luke 19:11, we must ask: “What things did they hear, which prompted their enthusiasm for the kingdom’s appearance when he got to Jerusalem?” And we get much help in the immediate proximity. Check out Luke 19:9-10.

And we also ought to ask: When did Jesus, and the original audience to this parable, expect this severe reckoning to take place? What exactly is he describing by telling a story about a great king returning home to check on his appointed servants? We get much help in the succeeding vicinity. Check out Luke 19:41-44.

At this point in Luke’s gospel, Jesus has—yet again!—just reminded his disciples why he is going up to Jerusalem (and Luke has spent 10 chapters describing that single-minded journey):

See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.
Luke 18:31

So what did the prophets have to say about this arrival in Jerusalem? And how does the parable of the ten minas connect with what those prophets had to say? Help is available, especially in Malachi 3:1-5 and Zechariah 9:9-10:12.

Your Turn

I’ll leave it there for now, so you can examine the text yourself and consider these questions. Hopefully I’ll get to write more on it next week, after you’ve had time to ponder the matter.

Judges: We Need a King

July 24, 2020 By Peter Krol

The book of Judges contains some of our best-known Bible stories, such as Gideon and his water-lapping soldiers, and Samson and his hair. The book of Judges also contains some rarely-referenced weirdness, such as Shamgar’s oxgoad and Abimelech’s dictatorship. In addition, the book of Judges contains some horrific tales, typically considered inappropriate for polite company, such as Eglon’s feces spilling out, and a Levite’s despicable treatment of his concubine.

This book is heroic, confusing, and quite dark, sometimes all at the same time. How are we to understand its message?

Literary Markers

The book divides into sections according to the lives of its chief protagonists, the “judges,” or military and political leaders of the tribes of Israel. Some judges get complete stories assigned to them, while others get only a summary statement or two. These biographies yield the following list (I’ve indented the minor judges who appear only in summary statements):

Othniel – Jdg 3:7-11
Ehud – Jdg 3:12-30
- Shamgar – Jdg 3:31
Deborah – Jdg 4:1-5:31
Gideon – Jdg 6:1-8:35
Abimelech – Jdg 9:1-57
- Tola – Jdg 10:1-2
- Jair – Jdg 10:3-5
Jephthah – Jdg 10:6-12:7
- Ibzan – Jdg 12:8-10
- Elon – Jdg 12:11-12
- Abdon – Jdg 12:13-15
Samson – Jdg 13:1-16:31

Most of these stories end with either the death of the leader, or the land having rest from oppression, or both. So they are presented as a set of life-stories that fit together in a literary sequence.

That leaves us with a quite a bit of material at the beginning and end of the book that doesn’t fit within the sequence of life-cycles of the judges. But a closer look shows that this material is still carefully arranged.

Beginning and Ending

The book opens “after the death of Joshua” (Jdg 1:1), but then later describes what happens “when Joshua dismissed the people” (Jdg 2:6). So these scenes must be out of chronological order.

The first scene describes the results of each tribe’s conquest of the promised land, getting progressively less effective, and culminating in the condemnation of the angel of the Lord (Jdg 1:1-2:5). The second scene steps back and offers perspective on why those conquests tended to fail: The people stopped listening to Yahweh and chose instead to pursue false gods (Jdg 2:6-3:6). This second scene lays out a template of sorts, which each judge’s narrative will then follow: the people turn aside, are handed over to an oppressor, cry out to God, have a judge raised up, conquer the oppressor, find rest, and turn again to false gods.

So the opening two scenes describe what happened in the generation following Joshua’s death (scene 1), and why (scene 2).

Jumping to the end of the book, we also find two distinct units. In the first unit (Jdg 17-18), a man sets up a personal shrine with a private priest (who happens to be the grandson of Moses!), which is then robbed by the tribe that executed its conquest most poorly (Dan). In the second unit (Jdg 19-21), a Levite cannot be trusted with his own quasi-bride, civil war erupts, and everything falls to pieces.

So the closing two scenes grant us graphic portraits of why things have gotten so terrible (unit 1), and just what happens when things get so terrible (unit 2)—the same issues as the opening scenes, but in reverse order. By book’s end, we ought to feel utterly repulsed by the behavior and beliefs of the people of God. How did things ever get so out of hand, when God was so faithful to deliver them time and again?

The Refrain

The book’s final lines present a chilling assessment that ought to rattle any clear-thinking society:

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Judges 21:25

This statement appears as a refrain multiple times in the closing scenes (Jdg 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25). It parallels the opening statement of Joshua’s death, leaving the people leaderless (Jdg 1:1). So the book’s conclusion is driven by this piercing assessment.

The Body

So if the book’s introduction and conclusion both unpack what went wrong and why it went wrong, what does the cycle of judges in the book’s body suggest about the narrator’s agenda?

In one sense, we can see the sequence of judges as a linear sequence getting progressively worse.

Othniel makes quick work of his adversary, fighting in the strength of God’s Spirit.
Ehud turns to deception, which is not uncommon in military campaigns but stands out by contrast with Othniel.
Deborah steps up (along with another woman, Jael), when the male military officer refuses to go without her.
Gideon is full of questions and uncertainty, refusing to become king. But he sets up an unauthorized shrine and names his son “my father is king” (Abimelech).
Abimelech doesn’t even pretend to be a good guy, but claims kingship for himself, murdering all rivals and falling to a bloody and shameful end.
Jephthah is a mighty warrior, yet also a known scoundrel and thug. Though Gideon mostly made peace with tribes who complained against him, Jephthah, upon finishing off God’s enemies, makes open war on God’s people who won’t support him.
Samson performs mighty acts of faith in Yahweh’s name, yet he can’t stop living and grasping for whatever he sees in the moment. He is rewarded with blindness so he can finally, truly see.

In this linear sequence, the judges represent the people of Israel not only politically but spiritually. The life of the judge is a living parable of the spiritual state of the community, descending into chaotic, horrific self-centeredness.

But there is another sense in which the stories of the judges are presented. In addition to the linear descent into madness, we also see a concentric (or chiastic) sequence.

Othniel
- Ehud
  - Deborah
    - Gideon
  - Abimelech
- Jephthah
Samson

How are the judges placed in parallel?

Othniel and Samson both do their work in the strength of Yahweh’s Spirit, interacting largely with the tribe of Judah.
Ehud and Jephthah both have battles (with very different results) at the fords of the Jordan.
Deborah and Abimelech are both unusual leaders. One is suffering through the appointed leader’s abdication; the other suffers from his own self-aggrandizement. Also, in both stories, the antagonist perishes from a head wound and impalement.

Gideon stands at the book’s center, as the reluctant leader who accomplishes tremendous deeds for Yahweh. Yet even his greatest victory comes tinged with a hint of self-aggrandizement (“A sword for Yahweh and for Gideon!” – Jdg 7:18). His story culminates in a critical proposition from the men of Israel: “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also” (Jdg 8:22). While he refuses this offer of a dynasty (Jdg 8:23), he still has the chutzpah to name one of his sons “my father is king” (Jdg 8:31). His story ends with more than a hint of something sinister afoot.

Conclusion

The book’s key question is: Who will lead these people? And its key conclusion is: They need a king. But clearly, not just any king. Someone like Abimelech will never do.

First and foremost, they need Yahweh as their king. Everything goes haywire when then they rebel against him. But perhaps Yahweh will see fit to grant them a human king in his image, after his likeness, according to his own heart. Judges only raises the question, but you have to keep reading into Ruth and 1 & 2 Samuel for an answer.

Interpretive Outline

What happens without a leader – Jdg 1:1-2:5
- Why they need a king – Jdg 2:6-3:6
  - Three kingly heroes – Jdg 3:7-5:31
    - The man who would (or would not?) be king – Jdg 6:1-8:35
  - Three very unkingly heroes – Jdg 9:1-16:31
- Why they need a king – Jdg 17:1-18:31
What the worst looks like when there is no king – Jdg 19:1-21:25

This post is part of a series of interpretive overviews of the books of the Bible.

Context Matters: My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

July 10, 2020 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard Jesus’ cry of dereliction while hanging on the cross. “How great the pain of searing loss; the Father turns his face away” (Stuart Townend). Perhaps you knew that Jesus was alluding to David’s lament in Psalm 22. But what exactly was David’s concern, and why was it so devastating? And how did Jesus share that experience in his own crucifixion?

When we learn to read the Bible properly—not as an assortment of quotes and aphorisms—we find that some familiar phrases take on entirely new meanings.

David’s Crisis of Faith

In Psalm 22, David feels utterly abandoned by God (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). The reason is that, as he looks around, he sees no evidence of God’s presence or activity to save (“Why are you so far from saving me?”). David cries and cries, but receives no answer (Ps 22:1-2).

David understands how these things work, and he seeks to console himself with the perspective of history. In Israel’s covenant with her God, there is a direct connection between loyal trust and deliverance.

In you our fathers trusted (Ps 22:4a).
They trusted, and you delivered them (Ps 22:4b).
To you they cried and were rescued (Ps 22:5a).
In you they trusted and were not put to shame (Ps 22:5b).

Those who trusted in God were rescued, and those who proved disloyal were put to open shame. This strengthens David to persevere in trust and believing loyalty (Ps 22:3).

“But I am a worm and not a man” (Ps 22:6). The problem is, it’s not working the way it ought. David has trusted and remained loyal, but he is still put to shame! He is mocked and scorned. His trust in Yahweh is now the very thing for which he is mocked (Ps 22:8).

What’s at stake here is that the connection between trust and deliverance appears to be broken. For generations, the Israelites had a pattern of abandoning God when things didn’t go their way. Will David do the same? Now that he has hard evidence that trust in God will not pay off? Will he change his mind and go back to Egypt? Will he grumble and complain? Will he turn to other gods?

In the rest of the psalm, we see David mature from a questioner (Ps 22:1-10) to a beggar (Ps:11-21), then to a preacher (Ps 22:22-26), and finally to a missionary (Ps 22:27-31). He withstands the test and survives the crisis of faith. With all outward appearances to the contrary, he proclaims that Yahweh remains worthy of fear (Ps 22:23), praise (Ps 22:25), and service (Ps 22:30).

Jesus’ Crisis of Faith

Though David felt that God had abandoned him, we can confidently conclude that this was not truly the case (2 Sam 7:9, 12-15). Yet for Jesus, such abandonment by the Father was in fact a reality. He faced his darkest hour alone (Mark 15:33-34), accompanied only by the sin of the world that had now become his own (2 Cor 5:21).

Once again, we must ask the question of historical habits: Will Jesus survive the crisis of faith? Will he fall to pieces, just like generation upon generation of Jews had done before him? Since trust in the Father is not paying out in deliverance, is it worth it for him to continue trusting at all?

This tension is all the greater when we observe Mark’s attention to the question of perseverance. Those who deride him dare him to come down from the cross (Mark 15:29-30). They doubt his ability to attain salvation for himself (Mark 15:31). They claim they will believe what he has said, only if he will come down (Mark 15:32). If he can’t save himself, they wonder whether Elijah will come to take him down from the cross (Mark 15:36).

But Jesus perseveres. He stays on the cross until all is finished, and he can proclaim that “he has done it” (Ps 22:31; see John 19:30). He remains loyal, even when abandoned by his Father. Because the Father despised and abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and hid his face from him (Ps 22:24), all the families of the nations can now worship before him (Ps 22:27).

And though the answer was delayed three days, we know that he who cried out to his Father was eventually heard (Ps 22:24, Rom 1:4, Heb 5:7-9).

Conclusion

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When you hear or recite the question, don’t allow it’s familiarity to dull your senses to the visceral conflict it betrays. Delight in this hero, who succeeded in every way where Old Covenant Israel failed. Behold the crisis of faith, the disillusionment, and the unbelievable temptation to come down from the cross to prove his worth. And rest assured that you will never have to experience such complete abandonment, because he already went through it once for all.

Tell the coming generations of his righteousness, and that he has done it.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Psalms Book 2 Wrap-up—Someone Bigger Than David

July 4, 2020 By Peter Krol

Psalms Book 2 Review Devotional
Psalms Book 2 Review Devotional
Posted by Grace Fellowship Church on Saturday, June 27, 2020

Or watch it here.

Book 2 Review

Moving beyond David, new poets join the roster

Sons of Korah (Psalms 42-49)
- Life in and longing for Zion
Asaph (Psalm 50 – and more to come in Book 3)
- Can’t take money with you
Back to David (Psalms 51-70)
- Life in a fallen world
  - 51-59: Dealing with sin, from self to enemies to betrayal
  - 60-64: Fallen systems and structures
  - 65-70: A clear view of God
71: No known poet
- We need old saints to remind us of everything we’ve covered in these many diverse poems
Solomon (Psalm 72)
- Son of David, next king
- Book 2 ends with a poem from Solomon about the coming King who would rule the world in justice and righteousness
Book 2 is not completely leaving David behind
- But it is training us to start looking beyond David for something bigger
- SomeONE bigger
  - Who will spare us, even from the deserved judgment or undeserved consequences of sin
  - Who will lead us in song and service before God
    - Getting us back to Zion, even from pain of exile
  - Who will remind us of all that God has done for us
  - Who will rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth