The Hidden Books of the Bible - Part Deux

Summer is a busy time for me. It is the time of the year when I read books, articles, and other literature that may not fit my schedule during the academic year. This is one of the reasons I have not posted on a regular basis this summer. Summer is also a time to get away and relax for a few days.

Several days ago, when I took a few days off for vacation, I posted a puzzle that contained the names of several books of the Bible. The puzzle consisted of a long paragraph with the names of sixteen books of the Bible hidden in it.

Several people made an attempt at solving the puzzle and many succeeded by discovering the hidden names of all sixteen books of the Bible. Some of the people who found all sixteen books had to make more than one attempt at solving the puzzle.

A few days ago I received an email from my sister-in-law with another puzzle. This puzzle is larger than the previous one and contains several additional names of biblical books in it. Since I am going on vacation again, I decided to post the new puzzle and invite you to make an attempt at solving it.

After I return from vacation I will send you the answer, if you request it. If you want to make an effort to solve the puzzle or if you want to receive the answer with all the names of the books that appear in the puzzle, send me an email at claude@claudemariottini.com.

The paragraph below contains the names of several books of the Bible (more than sixteen). Can you find them?

This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane seat pocket on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours trying to solve the puzzle. He enjoyed it so much, he passed it on to some friends. My friend Robert Smith from Illinois worked on this puzzle while fishing with his friends Sam Ueller and Xiang Joh. No one caught anything. My friend Emilio Vasquez raced home to work on this puzzle. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by the puzzle she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving that she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that will be really easy to spot. That is a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam. Especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers I get, I am forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books of the Bible in this paragraph. During a recent fundraising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record for sales. A local paper, The San Francisco Chronicle, surveyed more than two hundred patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. While vacationing in Granada, Nielson Humana humbly said after finishing the puzzle, “The books are all right here in plain view but hidden from sight.” Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Thessalonians may occur in the puzzle without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; because there really are several books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph waiting to be found.

Have fun and tell me how many books of the Bible you found in the paragraph above and list them in the order they appear in the puzzle. Email your answer to claude@claudemariottini.com.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Puzzle, Bible

Bob Dylan and the God of the Old Testament

Bob Dylan, a singer that is considered to be one of the greatest musicians in the history of recorded music, is 65 years old. He has recorded forty-four albums and his songs have made an impact on the lives of millions of people.

Bob Dylan has recorded a new album, “Modern Times.” This new album will be released in the next few days, but it has already received mixed reviews. One reviewer said that the album is disappointing, while another said that it is powerful and the work of a master songwriter.

I have to confess that I am not a Bob Dylan fan, and if tortured to the point of death, I could not name the title of any of Dylan’s songs. The only thing I know about Bob Dylan is that he has an Old Testament rasp and I wrote about it here.

In his review of “Modern Times,” Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times wrote:

Any real Dylan fan knows better than to expect truth in advertising from this musical icon, perverse imp and arch-ironist nonpareil, and "Modern Times" is in fact one of the most retro albums he's ever made. The music is firmly rooted in his beloved country-blues and other sounds predating the rock 'n' roll explosion that began in the second half of the last century, while the lyrics -- with a few notable and jarring exceptions -- are steeped in Old Testament visions of a harsh and sometimes vindictive God, with the biggest hope of redemption coming not in the afterlife but in the arms of one's true love, here and now.

Read the review by clicking here.

I may know nothing about Bob Dylan, but I know a lot about the God of the Old Testament. The statement that the God of the Old Testament is “a harsh and sometimes vindictive God” is too one sided.

In the past several months I have read over and over again that the God of the Old Testament is a harsh, vindictive, violent, and an evil God, whose only purpose is to bring punishment upon innocent people, especially women and children.

This view of God is one sided for two reasons. First, it fails to realize the true nature of the God of the Old Testament. In the book of Jonah we read that the God of the Old Testament is “a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” The God of the Old Testament is also “eager to turn back from destroying people” (Jonah 4:2).

This is the true nature of the God of the Old Testament and the true nature of God never appears in secular newspapers, radio, or television. The true nature of God never appears in blogs that are written to discredit Christianity, the Bible, and God.

The second reason the view that the Gold of the Old Testament is “a harsh and sometimes vindictive God” is one sided is because it fails to look at the reality of sin, of rebellion, of disobedience. We live in a society where sin is a “no no” word and people are unwilling to face the fact that there is sin and sin brings consequences.

How nice it is to live in a world where a person can do anything and never be accountable for what one does. When people lose the reality that they are sinners, then there is no consequence to sin. When people fail to realize that there is a Creator, they also fail to realize that they are accountable to that Creator.

One of the greatest statements of freedom and liberty is found in the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The only reason we have these unalienable rights is because we have been endowed with them by the Creator. We are not creatures of change because those who are endowed with unalienable rights must receive these rights from someone who has rights to give.

It is sad that in Bob Dylan’s songs “the biggest hope of redemption” comes “not in the afterlife but in the arms of one's true love, here and now.” This view is far from the biblical teaching of the certainty of redemption that the resurrection of Christ brings. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “If our hope is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

In his review of Bob Dylan’s “Master Times,” David Bauder, the Associated Press entertainment writer wrote:

Dylan's songs are as inscrutable as ever, and listeners are best advised to find what they want in them.

However, if DeRogatis’ review is accurate, one thing listeners will not find in Bob Dylan’s songs is a true representation of the true nature of the God of the Old Testament.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Bob Dylan, Modern Times, God, DeRogatis

Why Can't Mormons Send Flowers?

Why Can't Mormons Send Flowers?

You don’t know?

Click here and find the answer.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Mormons, Flowers

Ancient Biblical Waterworks Found in Israel

Corinne Heller, in an article published in The Washington Post, reported that archaeologists have discovered the remains of an ancient water system at Ramat Rahel. Heller wrote:

Archaeologists in Israel have unearthed an ancient water system which was modified by the conquering Persians to turn the desert into a paradise. The network of reservoirs, drain pipes and underground tunnels served one of the grandest palaces in the biblical kingdom of Judea

Archaeologists first discovered the palace in 1954, a structure built on a six-acre (2.4 hectare) site where the communal Ramat Rachel farm now stands. Recent excavations unearthed nearly 70 square meters (750 square feet) of a unique water system.

"They had found a huge palace . . . even nicer than the palaces in Jerusalem, (dating) from the late Iron Age to the end of the biblical period in the 7th century," Oded Lipschits, a Tel Aviv University archaeologist, said. The infrastructure of the palace was remodeled throughout the centuries to fit the needs of the Babylonians, Persians, Romans and the Hasmoneans.

According to archaeologists, Ramat Rahel is probably to be identified with Beth-haccerem and it appears as Karem in the Septuagint text of Joshua 15:59. In his study of the land of the Bible, Yohanan Aharoni said that the site was erected during the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah.

Read the full article by clicking here.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, Ramat Rahel, Water Works, Lipschits

Jeremiah 20:7: The Call to Prophetic Ministry

Recently, a reader from Switzerland asked me to explain the meaning of the word “deceived” in Jeremiah 20:7. Since the explanation of this verse requires more than just a few words, I decided to provide a longer explanation to this fascinating verse.

The words of Jeremiah 20:7 are taken from Jeremiah’s fifth personal lament. There are six laments or confessions of Jeremiah. They are listed as follows:

First Confession: Jeremiah 11:18-12:6
Second Confession: Jeremiah 15:10-21
Third Confession: Jeremiah 17:14-18
Fourth Confession: Jeremiah 18:18-23
Fifth Confession Jeremiah 20:7-13
Sixth Confession Jeremiah 20:14-18

The six prayers or confessions of Jeremiah provide an intimate insight into the personal and spiritual struggles Jeremiah experienced as a result of his call to the prophetic ministry and the predicament he faced in carrying out his work as God’s prophet.

The confessions of Jeremiah are directly related to his call to the prophetic ministry. The call of Jeremiah in chapter one comes in the context of a personal experience with YHWH in which God made several promises to him. However, in the course of his ministry, Jeremiah came to believe that these promises were not kept. What Jeremiah believed to be broken promises became the source of his pain and torment.

The fifth lament is preceded by Jeremiah’s encounter with Pashhur, the priest who was charged with maintaining security in the temple (Jeremiah 20:1-6). After Pashhur heard Jeremiah prophesying in the temple, he rejected Jeremiah’s message, whipped him, and then ordered Jeremiah to be placed in prison.

Because of his message of destruction and violence, Jeremiah became a laughingstock in Judah, a source of public ridicule. Scorned and mocked by the people, humiliated by the religious leaders of Judah, Jeremiah began the fifth lament with harsh words addressed to God. Jeremiah’s words reflect his struggle with God and express his feelings that he was betrayed by God and left alone to face humiliation and shame.

O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me (Jeremiah 20:7 ESV).

The Hebrew word pittitani, “you have deceived me,” literally means “to entice, to deceive, to persuade.” When the Hebrew verb is used with the idea of enticement, the word appears in the context of a man seducing or raping a woman (Exodus 22:15). The words also can be used to warn an immature person not to be enticed by sinners (Proverbs 1:10).

When YHWH called Jeremiah, he told the prophet to stand firm before the people and not to break, for he would be made a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall before the people of Judah. In addition, God told Jeremiah that the people would fight against him but they would not prevail:

But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land – against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you (Jeremiah 1:17-19).

Jeremiah began his prophetic ministry with the assurance of God’s promises of protection, but because of rejection and opposition, Jeremiah felt he was deceived by YHWH. The English word “deceive” carries the same meaning as the Hebrew word for rape used in Exodus 22:15. Thus, Jeremiah, feeling a deep sense of betrayal because of the people’s rejection of his ministry, complained that God had deceived him since his message was rejected and his ministry seemed so fruitless.

The words of Jeremiah in 20:7 express his frustration and disillusionment as he tried to minister to the people of Judah. Jeremiah believed that YHWH had deceived him into being a prophet with the promise of divine protection. If God had promised to be with him, why then was he rejected by the people?

In explaining the words of Jeremiah, James Crenshaw in his book A Whirlpool of Torment (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984), p. 39, wrote:

“In the quotation from Jer. 20:7 above, Jeremiah accuses God of rape. This is no trivial accusation, nor is it uttered in a flippant manner. The words are carefully chosen to cover the act of seduction and accompanying violence. The astonishing thing is that the very one who insisted that the young prophet adopt celibacy as a way of life has violated his obedient charge. Jeremiah feels entirely vulnerable to the smooth words of the Lord, just as an innocent young girl is no match for experienced lovers.”

Jeremiah’s feeling of seduction and betrayal stems from his feeling that he was forced into the prophetic ministry. Jack Lundbom, in his commentary Jeremiah 1-20 (New York: Doubleday, 1999), p. 858, wrote: “Jeremiah begins this confession by complaining directly to Yahweh about his call to prophesy, alleging that Yahweh took advantage of his youth by forcing him into submission.”

How should we evaluate Jeremiah’s call to the ministry?

Jeremiah struggled in his service for God, but he does not struggle alone. Every person who has been called into the ministry of God’s Word has sat alone with God. Those who are in the ministry can understand the broken heart of Jeremiah in his hour of loneliness.

The call to serve God in ministry is an indispensable aspect of the ministry. The ministry is a very rewarding and fulfilling vocation. However, the ministry is also a challenge that is beset with acceptance and rejection.

Jeremiah’s despair did not lead him to abandon his prophetic ministry. What sustained him throughout his ministry was the same sense of divine call that made him suffer. In remaining faithful to his call, Jeremiah exercised his persistent faith in God’s promise. Although Jeremiah complained to God concerning his rejection, his confidence in the Lord’s promises allowed him to remain faithful to his mission.

Through his confessions Jeremiah admits that he is weak and helpless, but by confessing his weakness and helplessness to God, he realizes that his power and strength come from his reliance on the very promises that YHWH had made at the time of the call.

Through his confessions Jeremiah realizes that he is unable to carry on his ministry without YHWH. Without God’s help Jeremiah cannot prevail against his enemies. Jeremiah knows that, as a prophet and as an individual, he is completely dependent upon YHWH. It is through the promises he received at the time of the call that Jeremiah is able to gain the confidence he needs to know he will overcome the threats made against him, and proclaim the message he received from YHWH.

Jeremiah’s personal laments evoke compelling emotions because they reflect the many struggles that are analogous to the struggles of those who are called by God to serve in the ministry. The deep sentiments of despair and hope expressed by the prayers of Jeremiah are, at times, intrinsic components of the prophetic office.

Jeremiah’s experience of loneliness and rejection, of ridicule and humiliation can become an illustration of the experience of God’s ministers today. His struggle with God can also become a reality in the life of one who has received a call from God.

It is this sense of rejection and this feeling of loneliness that often awakens in ministers the desire to leave the ministry, as Jeremiah tried to do but could not. Jeremiah’s experience with God and his personal laments can bring encouragement to those who are in ministry today. Those who have experienced God’s call must experience God afresh every day. Every day, those who are called by God must experience God as the one who gives them victory over their failures and doubts, victory against opposition and despair.

In the end, there is one thing we learn from Jeremiah’s experience with God: notwithstanding the fact that divine call may bring rejection and loneliness, the call must create a stubborn refusal to abandon God, even when this refusal to give up on God may be the source of our complaint.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Prophet Jeremiah, Prophetic Ministry, Jeremiah 20

The Exodus Decoded

The exodus of Israel from Egypt is described in detail in the Book of Exodus. The exodus event became the foundation of the faith of the people known as Israel. What the Lord had done in Egypt was the central theme in the worship of Israel and the focus of the traditions that gave birth to the Old Testament writings.

Over the years, many people have tried to understand what happened in Egypt at the time Israel was liberated from the house of bondage. Many books have been written and many movies produced in order to explain the events associated with the exodus from Egypt.

The most recent attempt at explaining the events that happened in Egypt at the time of Moses has been made by the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici. He attempts to answer some of the mysteries associated with the exodus in The Exodus Decoded, a documentary which premieres on Sunday, August 20, 8-9:30 p.m. EST on the History Channel.

David DiCerto, in an article written for Catholic News Service, reviewed Jacobovici’s documentary. He wrote:

Did Moses really part the Red Sea like it says in the Old Testament? What about the Nile turning blood red or the plagues that finally compelled Pharaoh to free the Israelites from slavery? Did those things actually happen? These are among the questions Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici attempts to answer in "The Exodus Decoded" which premieres Sunday, Aug. 20, 8-9:30 p.m. EST on cable's History Channel.

Challenging opinions that dismiss those events as myth, the thought-provoking documentary uses investigative journalism aided by modern science to examine archaeological and geological evidence in separating historical fact from fiction.

Jacobovici believes that archaeology does support the Bible, though his arguments are based on a rethinking of the events and some chronological tinkering.

First, he sets the Exodus some 300 years earlier than the traditional timeline – to around 1500 B.C. – and identifies the ancient Israelites with the Hyksos, a Semitic people living in Egypt at that time who, according to the program, suddenly fled the country en masse.

The earlier date of the Exodus proves key to Jacobovici's thesis, as it places it at the time of the cataclysmic eruption of the volcano on the Greek island of Santorini, the linchpin to many of the theories proposed. Citing documented modern parallels such as the 1986 Lake Nyos disaster in Cameroon, he believes that much of what the Book of Exodus describes can be explained by a chain reaction of natural phenomena, triggered by the Santorini eruption and a related earthquake.

He even has a ready answer for the slaughter of the firstborn by the angel of death: It was a lethal cloud of poisonous carbon monoxide gas released by the geological upheaval.

The problem with Jacobovici’s theory is that the massive eruption of the volcano of Santorini, a the Greek volcanic island in the Mediterranean, occurred more than 100 years before the traditional date for the exodus in 1446 B.C.

The view that the eruption at Santorini caused the massive tidal wave or tsunami that triggered the ten plagues and caused the parting of the Red Sea (or Reed Sea) is pure speculation. To accept Jacobovici’s theory as the reason behind the events of the exodus, one would have to abandon a 13th century date for the exodus, a date that fits with the reign of Rameses II. In addition, one would have even to abandon the traditional date in the 15th century in favor of a date in the 16th century B.C.

Jacobovici‘s view about the Pharaoh of the exodus is interesting. He said:

Could it be that Ahmose's father remembered the Israelite prince with whom he grew up, and when giving his son the Egyptian name, “Ahmose,” “the moon is born,” chose the name because of a play on words? In Hebrew, “Ahmose” means the brother of Moses.

This information would be very relevant if the name Ahmose was a play on the Hebrew name, which it is not. To play with the significance of the Egyptian name using a Hebrew meaning does not prove who the Pharaoh of the exodus was.

In his documentary, Jacobovici also speculates on the parting of the Red Sea, the location of Mt. Sinai, and the location of the Ark of the Covenant. I am planning to view the documentary to see how Jacobovici comes to his conclusions. However, I can say that, based on DiCerto’s review of the documentary, I doubt that Jacobovici will change the minds of the majority of viewers, if any. Only the convinced will be convinced.

DiCerto concludes his review by saying:

In trying to find a "plausible scientific explanation" for Biblical events, the film misses a very important point: The Bible is a testament of faith, not a history or science book, written by authors who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, were trying to discern and understand God's hand in the drama of salvation.

You can read DiCerto’s article in its entirety by clicking here.

The History Channel used the following blurb to promote the documentary:

The story of the Exodus invokes an epic tale--Pharaohs and Israelites, plagues and miracles, splitting of the sea and drowning of an army, and Moses. It's at the heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After much research--working with archaeologists, Egyptologists, geologists, and theologians--filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici concluded that the Exodus took place hundreds of years earlier than thought. With a new timetable, Jacobovici reexamined artifacts and discovered that the traditional consensus on the date was reached without reference to Judaic texts that record the oral traditions. When Jacobovici consulted these texts, they revealed names of people and places unknown to researchers until recently when extensive excavations in the Nile Delta took place. Teaming up with special effects designers, he created a unique digital experience of the Exodus. Blending archaeological findings with eye-catching effects, Jacobovici creates a virtual museum to showcase his discoveries.

You can also visit The Exodus Decoded web page and explore the mystery of the biblical Exodus through the virtual museum. You can also take a guided tour in which the museum presents the evidence used to produce The Exodus Decoded. To enter the web page and visit the museum, click here.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, Exodus, Santorini, Jacobovici

The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumran Community: Are They Linked?

I an article titled Archaeologists Challenge Link Between Dead Sea Scrolls and Ancient Sect, written by John Noble Wilford and published August 15, 2006 in The New York Times, archaeologists are questioning again the relationship between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the people who lived and worked at Qumran.

The following is an excerpt from Wilford’s article:

New archaeological evidence is raising more questions about the conventional interpretation linking the desolate ruins of an ancient settlement known as Qumran with the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were found in nearby caves in one of the sensational discoveries of the last century.

After early excavations at the site, on a promontory above the western shore of the Dead Sea, scholars concluded that members of a strict Jewish sect, the Essenes, had lived there in a monastery and presumably wrote the scrolls in the first centuries B.C. and A.D.

Many of the texts describe religious practices and doctrine in ancient Israel.

But two Israeli archaeologists who have excavated the site on and off for more than 10 years now assert that Qumran had nothing to do with the Essenes or a monastery or the scrolls. It had been a pottery factory.

The archaeologists, Yizhak Magen and Yuval Peleg of the Israel Antiquities Authority, reported in a book and a related magazine article that their extensive excavations turned up pottery kilns, whole vessels, production rejects and thousands of clay fragments. Derelict water reservoirs held thick deposits of fine potters’ clay.

Dr. Magen and Dr. Peleg said that, indeed, the elaborate water system at Qumran appeared to be designed to bring the clay-laced water into the site for the purposes of the pottery industry. No other site in the region has been found to have such a water system.

By the time the Romans destroyed Qumran in A.D. 68 in the Jewish revolt, the archaeologists concluded, the settlement had been a center of the pottery industry for at least a century. Before that, the site apparently was an outpost in a chain of fortresses along the Israelites’ eastern frontier.

“The association between Qumran, the caves and the scrolls is, thus, a hypothesis lacking any factual archaeological basis,” Dr. Magen said in an article in the current issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.

He and Dr. Peleg wrote a more detailed report of their research in “The Site of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Archaeological Interpretations and Debates,” published this year. The book was edited by Katharina Galor of Brown, Jean-Baptiste Humbert of the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem, and Jürgen Zangenberg of the University of Wuppertal in Germany.

This is by no means the first challenge to the Essene hypothesis originally advanced by Roland de Vaux, a French priest and archaeologist who was an early interpreter of the scrolls after their discovery almost 60 years ago. Other scholars have suggested that Qumran was a fortified manor house or a villa, possibly an agricultural community or a commercial entrepôt.

Norman Golb, a professor of Near Eastern languages and civilization at the University of Chicago who is a longtime critic of the Essene link, said he was impressed by the new findings and the pottery-factory interpretation.

“Magen’s a very seasoned archaeologist and scholar, and many of his views are cogent,” Dr. Golb said in a telephone interview. “A pottery factory? That could well be the case.”

Dr. Golb said that, of course, Qumran could have been both a monastery and a pottery factory. Yet, he added: “There is not an iota of evidence that it was a monastery. We have come to see it as a secular site, not one of pronounced religious orientation

For years archaeologists have debated whether the ancient texts found in 1947 in caves near the Dead Sea were part of the Essene community. There are several reasons for questioning the link between the scrolls and the Essenes.

One reason is that the written texts are much older than the community itself. Another reason is that among the texts found in the caves, there are no original documents that reveal particular aspects of communal life at Qumran.

The view that the texts found at Qumran belonged to the temple in Jerusalem and that they were hidden in the caves prior to the Roman destruction of the temple has been proposed, but many scholars continue to associate the texts with a religious community at Qumran, whether they were the Essenes or not.

It is clear that this debate will continue.

To read Wilford’s article in its entirety, click here.

For a video on the Dead Sea Scrolls, click here.

For an overview of the article published in the Biblical Archaeology Review, click here.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, Qumran, Essenes, Dead Sea Scrolls

The Fleecing of the Faithful

Rachel Zoll, a reporter for the Associated Press, wrote in an article published in the Chicago Tribune on August 14, 2006 that church members have lost billions of dollars in religion-related fraud. Zoll wrote:

Billions of dollars have been stolen in religion-related fraud in recent years, according to the North American Securities Administrators Association, a group of state officials who work to protect investors.

Between 1984 and 1989, about $450 million was stolen in religion-related scams, the association says. In its latest count--from 1998 to 2001--the toll had risen to $2 billion.

The reason for the fleecing of the faithful is that the scammers are getting smarter, and the investors don't ask enough questions because of the feeling that they can be safe in church.

Here are two examples:

Randall Harding sang in the choir at Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, Calif., and named his investment firm JTL, or "Just the Lord." Pastors and churchgoers alike entrusted their money to him. By the time Harding was unmasked as a fraud, he and his partners had stolen more than $50 million from their clients.

Leaders of Greater Ministries International, based in Tampa, defrauded thousands of people of half a billion dollars by promising to double money on investments that ministry officials said were blessed by God.

No wonder our society is turning against the church and Christianity. When ministers preach a gospel of prosperity, people believe that the church is only interested in money. When believers are enticed by easy money, wealth, and prosperity, they become easy targets for unscrupulous scammers.

The sad truth in the fleecing of the faithful is this: The "prosperity gospel"--which teaches that the truly faithful are rewarded with wealth in this life--is creeping into mainstream churches.

The scammers target pastors first. If pastors invest in these fraudulent programs, church members see that investment as an endorsement of the program and a declaration that the investment is safe.

It is truly sad that pastors and church members are enticed with the lure of easy money and riches beyond their dreams. What these pastors forget is that the Bible says that lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after (1 Timothy 6:10).

In the world in which we live, money has become the god of our time and those who preach a gospel of prosperity are the prophets of this god.


Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Prosperity Gospel, Christian Investment

Evangelical Reaction to Mel Gibson’s Anti-Semitic Remarks

Alan Cooperman has written a long article for The Washington Post, Evangelical Clergy on Mel Gibson: Judging Not, in which he surveys Evangelical reaction to Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic remarks.  Although Evangelical leaders reject as reprehensible and shameful the language used by Gibson, they refuse to relate Gibson’s actions with the movie “The Passion of the Christ.”

When asked whether Gibson’s intemperate speech had prompted Evangelical leaders to voice concern about the portrayal of Jews in “The Passion of the Christ,” James C. Dobson, Director of “Focus on the Family” said: “This incident is not relevant in any way to ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ which is one of the finest films of this era.”

Most Evangelical leaders believe that Mel Gibson’s apology was sincere.  I think this reaction is not surprising.  Most Evangelicals believe in the reality of forgiveness.  After all, when they pray, they are taught to say:   “Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us” (Matthew 6:12 NLT).

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

The Name of God - Two Rejoinders

Fencekicker has responded to my post “The Name of God in Bible Translations” with two rejoinders.  The first one, “More about Yahweh's name in Bible Translations,” is a response to my post.

Fencekicker’s second rejoinder, “Does it matter how God's name is translated?” is a response to the comment Blind Beggar wrote about my post.

Both posts by Fencekicker make a contribution to the discussion about the name of God in Bible translations.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary




     

The Name of God in Bible Translations

In response to my post God's Name in a Gender-Sensitive Jewish Translation, Fencekicker wrote:

Something I don't understand is the decision by nearly all american translators to continue the practice of using "LORD" to translate the tetragramaton. Most Bibles will include a very small explanation in their introductory pages stating that LORD is used in place of the name of Yahweh. Why is it that teaching the name to seminary students is quite simple, but teaching it to laity is viewed as "too difficult?" I think that if scholars and pastors and other spiritual leaders would tell people what the name is they would gladly use it.

I agree with Fencekicker, and that was the whole intent of what I wrote in my post. To hide the real name of God behind Hebrew letters in English Bibles is still an attempt at keeping the name of God a secret.

When Moses posed the question to God, If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them? (Exodus 3:13 ESV), the question came out of the people’s desire to know God’s real name.

God’s answer to Moses was the revelation of his name. Until then, the people only knew God by his title “El Shaddai”: I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name YHWH (Exodus 6:3 TNK). However, from that day on the God of Israel would be known by his name YHWH.

We may not know how the name of God was pronounced in antiquity but however it is pronounced, YHWH is his name and should remain so forever: This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations (Exodus 3:15 ESV).

Those of us who teach and preach should read what Fencekicker has to say. To read Fencekicker’s article, “The Name of Yahweh in Bible Translations,” click here.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Bible Seminary

Tags: Translation, God’s Name, YHWH

Common Sense from the Old Testament

Cheryl Wade, a writer for the Midland Daily News, tells about a personal experience in reading the Old Testament that changed her life. Here is her story:

I don’t often compare myself to old Moses in the Bible but, oh boy, have I learned some lessons from him!

Several years ago, I got really, really frustrated at work, so frustrated that I swore out loud, right in the middle of the newsroom. My editor was annoyed, and a female customer gave a funny smile before she left and went her way.

I just read something in an obscure Old Testament passage that stopped me cold and made me think of that long-ago experience.

Here’s the story . . .

Her story is inspirational. I think all of us can learn a little common sense from her experience.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tag: Moses, Christian Character

The Tragedy of War - The Video

Every night the evening news show pictures of the struggles between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians. Night after night gruesome pictures show dozens of civilians being hurt, killed, or maimed by the violent attacks of Israeli soldiers against unarmed civilians.

Someone said that a picture is worth a thousand words. For you to understand fully what is happening in the struggle between the Israeli and the Palestinians, you have to watch this video.

Click here and you will see the tragedy of the war.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: War, Palestinians

The Coming of Armageddon

The war between Israel and Hezbollah is causing premillennial Christians to proclaim that the second coming of Christ is at hand. In an excellent article published in Salon.com, “Apocalyse Soon,” Jason Boyett describes how some evangelical Christians view the conflict in Lebanon.

Christians who accept a premillennial and dispensentional approach to interpreting biblical prophecies see the current conflict as the precursor of the Apocalypse. Boyett wrote:

That's why Israel's current conflict with Lebanon has set apocalyptic alarms buzzing across the United States. Newsweek, in its Aug. 7 “Beliefwatch” column, asks whether this could be “the end.” Chuck Raasch, writing in USA Today, worries about “glimpses of the apocalypse” in the headlines. On July 27, “Good Morning, America” even brought in “Left Behind” coauthors Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins to comment on the prophetic nature of the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict.

Readers who are interested in understanding how some Evangelicals view the conflict in Lebanon will greatly benefit from reading this article.

In his article, Boyett gives a brief history of dispensationalism. He wrote:

The history of dispensational premillennialism is nearly as complex as the book of Revelation itself, and that's saying something. A second and third century form of Christian eschatology designated “historical premillennialism” read Revelation as a message that Jesus would soon return to earth to save the early church from its Roman persecutors. It fell out of favor, though, when the persecution stopped in the fourth century, when Constantine established Christianity as the official religion of Rome. Premillennialism made a comeback in the 19th century, thanks to an Irish Anglican named John Nelson Darby. It was Darby, a tireless traveling preacher, who popularized a theory known as “dispensationalism.” He believed God's historical dealings with humankind fell into different epochs, or “dispensations,” within which God offered a different avenue to salvation. (God dealt differently with Adam and Eve than he did with humankind after the flood, and God's relationship with the church today is different from his Old Testament relationship with Israel.) Darby concluded that humankind will enter a new dispensation at the end of time, and that in those final days, Israel -- which fell out of God's favor upon rejecting Jesus as the messiah -- will regain its position as God's elect.

Darby didn't just introduce the primacy of Israel's role in the end times. He also called attention to an event known as the Rapture. The concept of the Rapture doesn't appear at all in the Revelation timeline. It originates in 1 Thessalonians, a New Testament book in which the apostle Paul describes those believers who are still alive at the time being “caught up together in the clouds” when trumpets sound. The true church, Darby believed, would be removed from the earth prior to a period of warfare and judgment called the tribulation. The most bizarre events of Revelation -- horsemen of the apocalypse, locust assassins, rivers turning to blood, stars falling from the sky -- are said to refer to this seven-year doomsday period, also referenced in the Old Testament book of Daniel

Boyett has written a very good article. I cannot comment on the many points he raises in his article. I encourage you to read his article by clicking here. However, I want to say two things about the article.

First, Christians cannot say with certainty whether the current crisis in Lebanon is the dawn of the Apocalypse. Since the days of Paul, the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, and the persecution of the church at the end of the first century, Christians have proclaimed the second coming of Christ. The truth is that no one knows the time for the second coming of Christ.

Second, one must be very careful with the dispensational interpretation of biblical prophecies. As I have shown in my two posts on Daniel 9:24-25, Darbyism is based on a wrong interpretation of the seventy weeks of Daniel.

It is true that events similar to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah may precede the second coming of Christ, but no one can say with certainty that the current crisis is the event that will precipitate the coming of the apocalypse.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Armageddon , Hezbollah, Dispensationalism

America and Great Britain in Biblical Prophecy

On Tuesday, August 08, 2006, The Trumpet.com republished an article by Ryan Malone and Stephen Hill titled “The End of the Free World,” an article in which the writers describe the role the United States and Great Britain will play in the events of the last days. They wrote:

One of the most astounding secrets of the Bible—that the United States and Britain are two of the most prominent nations mentioned in prophecy—may initially appear startling, or even preposterous, to some of our readers.

The reason “the United States and Britain are two of the most prominent nations mentioned in prophecy” is because Britain, the nations of the British Commonwealth, and the United States of America are the remnant of Ephraim and Manasseh, two of the lost ten tribes of Israel.

Malone and Hill wrote:

Before we can understand the prophecies pertaining to the United States and Britain, an understanding of the identity of these countries in the Bible is essential. The abundant material blessings eventually to be bestowed on the U.S. and the British Commonwealth of nations were initially conveyed to the biblical patriarch Abraham because of his obedience (Gen. 22:16-18). He then passed them on to his son Isaac, who later did the same with his son Jacob. In due time, Jacob conferred this birthright promise to his son Joseph’s sons—Manasseh and Ephraim.

This is the reason, according to the two writers, that Old Testament prophets like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Hosea provided specific detail about what is to happen to the United States and Britain.

The view advocated in this article is called “British-Israelism.” British-Israelism is the view that teaches that Great Britain and the United States are the remnant of the ten lost tribes of Israel. Thus, those who have adopted this view believe that the United States and Great Britain are God's Chosen People.

The advocates of British-Israelism believe that biblical prophecies about the future of Israel and Judah are in reality prophecies about the destiny of America and Great Britain.

The concept of the ten lost tribes of Israel came into existence after the exile of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria. In 722 B.C., after the death of Shalmanassar V, King of Assyria, Sargon II finished the conquest of Israel. The capital of the Northern Kingdom, Samaria was conquered and thousands of people were deported to other parts of the Assyrian Empire.

The advocates of British-Israelism believe that the people of Israel who went into exile eventually migrated from their places of exile into the British Isles. These refugees eventually dispersed to America and Canada, thus establishing an Israelite presence in the Anglo-Saxon world.

Among the evidence given by the advocates of this view is that the word “Saxons” is a corruption of the expression “Isaac’s sons.” The advocates of this view also say that the word “British” is formed by the Hebrew word brit which means “covenant” and the word ish which means “man.” Thus, the word “British” means “covenant man.”

According to British-Israelism, America and Great Britain are heirs of God’s promises to Israel and because of that, many biblical prophecies have been fulfilled in the lives of these two nations. America and Great Britain have been blessed with prosperity and material wealth and have become two great superpowers.

But because of disobedience to God’s law, America and Great Britain have begun experiencing God’s judgment:

Also prophesied for America and Britain was the gain of strategic sea gates (Gen. 22:17) only to be lost as these nations reaped curses for disobedience. This too has already largely occurred. The 20th century saw Britain’s and America’s loss of sea gates such as the Suez Canal, Malta, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Falkland Islands, the Cape of Good Hope and the Panama Canal. Gibraltar will undoubtedly be added to the list soon, as Britain is being bullied by the European Union to relinquish control of this strategic territory, under threat of horrendous fines.

The views proposed by British-Israelism find no support in the Bible even though its proponents use many biblical passages to prove their point. A careful study of the Old Testament will show that the lost tribes of the Northern Kingdom were never lost.

When Sargon II deported the population of the Northern Kingdom, he deported only a portion of the population. According to the Sargon Inscription, when Sargon captured Samaria he took captive 27,290 people, but many more were left behind.

During the reforms of Josiah in 622 B.C., Josiah made an attempt to extend his religious reforms to the remnant of the Northern Tribes. According to 2 Chronicles 34:8-9, Josiah contacted Israelite people who lived in Ephraim and Manasseh:

In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God. They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the doorkeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

The reference in Chronicles to the people of Manasseh, Ephraim, and the entire remnant of Israel may reflect the Chronicler’s view that all Israel was still a viable option. However, this reference clearly indicates that during the time of the Chronicler, the remnant of the tribes of Israel were not lost.

As for America and Great Britain, they are not found in the oracles of Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Hosea. Only through the process of eisegesis, reading one’s view into the biblical text, is America and Great Britain found in the Old Testament.

British-Israelism is not supported by the teachings of the Bible. The interpretation of biblical prophecies showing that America and Great Britain are the lost tribes of Israel is false.

Christians who are interested in prophecy and the events related to the last days must be careful not to be deceived by false teachings. Believers should always be aware of the words of Christ, that in the last days “there will be false prophets, and they will give signs and wonders in the hope of turning even the saints from the true way” (Mark 13:22).

If you want to read about the fallacy of British-Israelism online, read British-Israelism; A Mirage by R. P. Nettelhorst.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Prophecy, British-Israelism, America

God's Name in a Gender-Sensitive Jewish Translation

In an article titled, “God's Name in a Gender-Sensitive Jewish Translation,” published in the Society of Biblical Literature Forum, David E. S. Stein asked this question:

If you were preparing a gender-sensitive translation of biblical books, how would you represent God's name - that is, the Hebrew four-letter proper noun sometimes called the tetragrammaton?

In order to find an answer to this question, Stein polled several scholars, most of them Jewish, but the group also included a Catholic and a Protestant scholar.

After tabulating the results, the editors of the new translation concluded that the most popular view among the scholars polled was to render the name of God as “the Eternal.” However, this suggestion was rejected by the editors in favor of another rendering.

In the end, the editors of The Jewish Publication Society made a decision that will surprise many American readers.

To read the process that culminated with the selection of the name of God which will appear in the new translation, visit the SBL Forum and read the article.

In their final decision, the publishers “opted to employ Hebrew letters rather than YHWH.” I agree with the decision to leave the tetragrammaton untranslated, but the use of Hebrew letters to represent the name of God will confuse many American readers who are not familiar with Hebrew.

The use of Hebrew letters to represent the name of God may be acceptable in the Synagogue and in Jewish circles but it will not be popular with non-Jewish readers. I am sure the new translation will be aimed at a Jewish audience, but such a decision will deprive many non-Jews from using this new translation.

The unvocalized YHWH is familiar to many pastors, seminary students, and educated lay people. However, many of these same people will be reluctant to use a translation which employs Hebrew letters for the name of God. Take for instance Exodus 15:25:

He cried out to יהוה; and יהוה showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There יהוה made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he put them to the test.

When the average American reader reads this verse, the mention oיהוה f three times in Hebrew will create the fear of reading the text in public. Although many Jews today are reluctant to pronounce the name of God aloud, I seriously doubt that that was God’s original intent when he gave his name to Moses and to Israel.

Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13)

Moses had to say something to the people because God could not remain nameless. The name God gave to Israel was to be remembered by the people. As God told Moses: This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations (Exodus 3:15).

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Translation, God’s Name, YHWH

Republicans v. Democrats = Old Testament v. New Testament

Now I know why our country is politically divided. According to an article written by Dean Hartwell and published in the Political Gateway, Republicans derive their political philosophy from the Old Testament while Democrats are more influenced by the New Testament.

Hartwell wrote:

Though Republicans typically profess their faith in Jesus, remarkably, they look to the Old Testament for answers to political issues. Democrats don't, but instead interpret the teachings of Jesus rather loosely. Recent issues such as gay marriage, abortion and the war in Iraq demonstrate these tendencies.

Hartwell provides several examples. Take for instance, the issue of war. He wrote:

Republicans have rallied around President George W. Bush in supporting the War in Iraq. In the Old Testament, the Israelis, God's "chosen people," go to war with nations as God instructs them to. They had a God who communicated directly with them. This is interesting. When reporters asked Bush whether he relied upon his father, the former president, for guidance in going to war, he said, "I rely on a higher authority."

Democrats, drawn toward the New Testament's depiction of a compassionate, merciful God who does not intervene in world affairs, see things differently once again, especially the liberal wing of the party. Some, like former President Jimmy Carter, call Jesus the "Prince of Peace." To go to war requires a strong judgment of the other nation. Here, with Bush Administration lies about weapons of mass destruction and no threat by Iraq, the Democrats chose to "judge not, lest ye be judged."

The three issues discussed by Hartwell, gay marriage, abortion and the war in Iraq, have polarized our country. There are no easy solutions to this divide that exists in our society today. But, for us the most important question is whether the Bible provides unclear answers to the problems that divide us.

I believe the Bible has a message that addresses the needs of today’s society. If the message of the Bible is not relevant to today’s society then the church should close its doors and the voices coming from the pulpit should stop speaking on behalf of God.

But the Gospel of Jesus Christ still speaks to men and women today. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are still God’s Word for the generation that is entering the twenty-first century.

The words of Paul to Timothy clearly teach us the relevancy of the Bible to their generation and to ours: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16).

If the Bible has the power to teach us “to do what is right,” where have the Republicans and Democrats gone wrong? The answer is that people have a tendency to interpret the Bible in light of their experience. People read the Bible and see what they want to see. They read the Bible and always find a passage or two that prove the point they are trying to prove. We call this method of interpretation “eisegesis.”

Here is a good definition of eisegesis:

Eisegesis is the approach to Bible interpretation where the interpreter tries to “force” the Bible to mean something that fits their existing belief or understanding of a particular issue or doctrine. People who interpret the Bible this way are usually not willing to let the Bible speak for itself and let the chips fall where they may. They set off with the up-front goal of trying to prove a point they already believe in, and everything they read and interpret is filtered through that paradigm. Stated another way, they engage in what the Bible refers to as “private interpretation.”

Thus, a person, Republican or Democrat, can use private interpretation to prove a political point. One can use texts from the Old and New Testaments to reinforce their political and religious views and justify their actions by invoking the Bible to demonstrate they are right.

So, what is the difference between Republicans and Democrats? According to Hartwell, “ the GOP lives to punish. The Democrats punish to live.” Maybe the real difference is their approach to the Bible: If the Republicans take the Old Testament too literally, the Democrats take the teachings of Jesus “rather loosely.”

Claude F. Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Republicans, Democrats, Bible

Youth Ministry Today

Not too long ago, I served as a volunteer Youth Minister in my church. Youth Ministry was a volunteer position designed to help young people study the Bible, have fellowship with each other, and stay out of trouble.

In her article, Ministering With New Maturity, published in The Washington Post, Michelle Boorstein describes the transformation that has occurred in Youth Ministry in the last few years. She wrote:

Increasingly, a position once relegated to a low rung on the pay and respect scales is getting bumped up. Spurred by a new seriousness about young people's spiritual development, youth ministers and directors today have more education, are staying in their positions longer and are being paid more than they were a decade ago, according to statistics and interviews with researchers and industry groups. University classes and majors in youth ministry are becoming more common as the field becomes more professional and establishes standards. Attendance at conferences for youth ministers is doubling as such sessions as the psychology of faith, managing a volunteer force and sexual behavior are offered.

Although this article is not related to the Old Testament, the article is highly educational and should be read by people who are interested or involved in Youth Ministry.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tag: Youth Ministry

Biblical Studies Carnival VIII.

Kevin P. Edgecomb at Biblicalia has posted the selection for Biblical Studies Carnival VIII.  The Biblical Studies Carnival is a selection of the best posts on biblical studies for specific month.  Kevin’s responsibility was to select the best pots for the month of July.

Kevin has made an outstanding selection of posts dealing with biblical studies. As he wrote in his evaluation of the posts:  “So we've been treated to a number of excellent posts, and I've had to keep my commentary to a minimum.”

Visit Kevin’s blog and look at his selection.  All of us who are bibliobloggers are indebted to Kevin for his excellent work.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

1-2 Kings: A Review

Below is my review of 1 & 2 Kings written by Volkmar Fritz. The review was published in Review and Expositor 103 (2006) 421-423.

1 & 2 Kings, by Volkmar Fritz. A Continental Commentary. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003. xiv + 448 pp. $48.00. ISBN 0-8006-9530-5.

The books of 1-2 Kings provide a theological interpretation of the monarchy and of the kings of Judah and Israel. These books also record the history of the kings, beginning with the united kingdom Solomon through the fall of Samaria.

Fritz’s commentary is a translation of the German commentary that appeared in the Zücher Bibelkommentar, first published in 1996. The translation was done by Anselm Hegedorn. The commentary follows the text of the NRSV but the biblical text is adapted and modified when the author’s translation differs from the NRSV.

In his commentary Fritz addresses some literary questions related to the composition of the book. The author uses his experiences as an archaeologist and offers many archeological perspectives on issues related to the narratives in Kings. His work as the Director of the German Evangelical Institute of the Holy Land has provided the insights that influenced his interpretation of the text. He seeks to place the events narrated in Kings into its historical context. Fritz makes an attempt at identifying biblical place with modern names of locations in the Ancient Near East.

The commentary is divided into sections, each of which contains the translation and a brief introduction to that section followed by a verse-by-verse commentary. A brief introduction of less than three pages introduces the book of Kings and its structure. Fritz says that one of the purposes of the Deuteronomic History was to explain the exile of the nation as a result of the disobedience against the book of the law (Deuteronomy) and its principal demand that Yahweh alone has to be worshiped as the place that he had chosen, the temple of Jerusalem. The book of Kings was written to demonstrate the exile of Israel was the result of the nation turning from Yahweh. The book shows that the kings were guilty of violating the demands of the covenant since they encouraged the people to worship other gods.

Fritz emphasizes that his book is not intended to solve the problem of the formation of the Deuteronomic History. His purpose is not a presentation of the results of the literary-critical study of the text, but rather the commentary “is an attempt to elucidate the often alien world of the Bible by explaining its presuppositions” (p. 3).

He treats the first two chapters, part of the so-called Succession Narrative, as a unit. He rejects the idea that the Succession Narrative had a long oral tradition. Rather, he believes it was written soon after the events and that the author” was able to draw on the detailed knowledge of the situation at the court” (p. 11). Fritz refers to the narrative as “a literary fiction of great artistic value” since it is impossible to verify the narrative historically (p. 11).

1 Kings 1-2 is actually the conclusion and climax of the so-called Narrative of the Succession to the Throne of David. Fritz believes 1 Kings 1-2 and 2 Samuel 9-20 formed a single narrative. This unity is assumed based on its composition, style, and intent. However, even within this composition there are several late additions. These additions were incorporated during the process of expanding the traditions about Solomon. He called the Succession Narrative “high-level historiography.”

The narratives about the enthronement of Solomon and the events that followed are not historical despite the fact that they pretend to give insights into the happenings at the court. These narratives represent a fictive form of the events related to the enthronement of Solomon. Fritz believes the characters in the struggle for the throne were historical figures and that the fate of Adonijah and his party was not a pure invention of the writer. However, the circumstances are pure fiction (p. 31).

Fritz believes that Solomon’s visit to Gibeon is legendary and that the whole narrative is fictitional. To Fritz, the list of the twelve governors and their provinces is one of the few original documents incorporated into the Deuteronomic History. This list was the work of the royal scribal school and it is of extraordinary historical value. The narrative dealing with the treaty between Solomon and Hiram of Tyre is also fictitious, even though the whole event is presented as historical.

As for Solomon’s extensive building projects, Fritz says that the concise character of the statement does not necessarily vouch for their historicity. As for the building at Hazor and Megiddo, and Gezer, Fritz believes that the claim of Solomonic involvement is disputable. Even though the construction cannot be attributed to Solomon, archaeological efforts can prove a certain density of population in the tenth century and can provide some information about the history of settlement on the sites. The conquest of Gezer is of no historical use because it cannot be verified.

The description of Solomon’s wealth and the splendor of his reign cannot be regarded as historically reliable because the narratives are of a general kind and cannot be verified. Even those statements that seem to reflect reality are backward projections from the later period of the monarchy

Fritz believes sources such as “The Book of the Acts of Solomon” and “The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel” are fictitious and never existed. They were mentioned “to fake extensive source material for the depiction of the period of the monarchy” (p. 157).

The books of 1-2 Kings end with an act of mercy by the king of Babylon that allows for a ray of hope for the continuation of the Davidic dynasty. The Deuteronomic History, however, focuses on the destruction of Jerusalem. The two epilogues at the end of the book, the appointment of Gedaliah as governor of Judah and the pardon of Jehoiachin by Evil-Merodach, do not change the fact that the history ends in judgment.

The commentary contains a selected bibliography on books and articles on Kings; most of the entries are in English. The book includes three indices: one on Ancient Sources, another on Divine Names, and the last one on Geographical Names.
The commentary demonstrates Fritz’s knowledge on the archaeology and history of ancient Israel. However, since Fritz does not accept the historicity of many of the events in Kings, pastors and seminary students will struggle with some of his conclusions.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, 1-2 Kings, Fritz

Was Zadok a Jebusite?

A few days ago, Fencekicker at Journal of Heresies, in response to my post on the Religious Syncretism in Israel and Judah, asked the reason I believe Zadok was a Jebusite. Since it was difficult to respond to his question in a simple sentence, I decided to write this post giving the reasons I believe Zadok was a Jebusite and not an Israelite.

Scholars differ on whether Zadok, who served as the priest under David and Solomon, was an Israelite or a Jebusite. There are many issues related to Zadok and his genealogy.

Writing in the Anchor Bible Dictionary, George W. Ramsey wrote:

“Zadok’s genealogy constitutes a problem which has long puzzled scholars. If Zadok’s father Ahitub was the brother of Ichabod (1 Sam 14:3), this would incorporate Zadok into the family of Eli. This would make Zadok brother to Ahimelech and uncle of Abiathar (1 Sam 22:2. This genealogy, however, conflicts with the point of 1 Sam 2:27–36 and 1 Kgs 2:26–27, which seek to explain how it came about that Zadok’s family superseded the family of Eli in the priestly service.”

“Another tradition, traced in detail in 1 Chr 5:29–34; 6:35–38 (English: 6:3–8, 50–53), also posits Ahitub as Zadok’s father but derives both from a line which does not include Eli. In the Chronicler’s version Zadok derived from a line descended from Aaron’s son Eleazar, and 1 Chr 24:3 specifically contrasts his descent from Eleazar with the descent of his co-priest Abiathar from another son of Aaron, Ithamar” (ADB 6: 1034)

Another issue, one that has a direct relation to the question asked by Fencekicker, is the reason David appointed two priests and how Zadok attained a position of influence in the reign of David. Zadok association with David begins after David conquered Jerusalem.

When David subjugated the Canaanite population that has not been conquered in the days of Joshua and during the period of the Judges, he put them to forced labor (2 Samuel 20:24). Later on, the writer of Kings declared that the remnant of the Canaanite population was still under forced labor in the days of Solomon:

“All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel – their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to destroy utterly – these Solomon made a forced levy of slaves, and so they are to this day” (1 Kings 9:20-21).

The remnant of the Canaanite population did not become Israelites, worshiping the God of Israel. They kept their religion and maintained the worship of their God. When David conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites, the population of the city was not eliminated. To the contrary, the Jebusite population constituted the majority of those living in the new capital, the city of David.

According to the book of Genesis, Melchizedek king of Jerusalem, was also a priest of El Elyon, “God Most High” (Genesis 14:18). The meaning of the name Melchizedek is “My King is [the god] Zedek.” In the book of Hebrews, the name Melchizedek is interpreted to mean “King of Righteousness” (Hebrews 7:2).

Another king of Jerusalem is called Adonizedek (Joshua 10:1). The meaning of the name Adonizedek is “My Lord is [the god] Zedek.” Thus, the name Zedek and Zadok are associated with the Canaanite god Zedek.

When David conquered Jerusalem and made it the capital of the United Monarchy, he named the city after himself, “the City of David” (2 Samuel 5:7, 9). He became the king of Jerusalem and also assumed the duties of the priest of the cult there. This is the meaning of the expression in Psalm 110: 4: “You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

David and his descendants offered sacrifice in Jerusalem because they were priests. They were priests not because they were Levites, but because they were priests after the tradition established by Melchizedek, king of Jerusalem.

Thus, David appointed Abiathar to serve as the priest for the Israelite population and Zadok to be the priest for the Canaanite population who lived in Jerusalem. Zadok also served in the Tabernacle that was at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39). The Gibeonites were the Canaanite people who deceived Israel in the days of Joshua (Joshua 10:1).

After Abiathar was banished to Anathoth, Zadok became the sole priest for the nation. Eventually, Zadok is classified as a Levite since the Levites were people consecrated to religious duty. Samuel was an Ephraimite and also a Levite.

Several scholars have rejected the view that Zadok was a Jebusite on the grounds that David would not appoint a pagan priest to the service of Yahweh. However, it is possible that eventually Zadok became a Yahwist.

The fact is that, in early Israel, many people identified Yahweh with Baal. Saul’s son was named Eshbaal, “Man of Baal” (1 Chronicles 8:33) and one of David’s sons born in Jerusalem was called Beeliada, “Baal Knows” (1 Chronicles 14:7). In addition, the name of one of the soldiers who served in David’s army was Bealiah, “Baal is Yahweh.”

These are some of the reasons that point to the fact that Zadok was a Jebusite who later became a follower of Yahweh.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Zadok, David, Priest, Jebusite

Crying Unto the Lord

In his book Encounter with Spurgeon, Helmut Thielicke, the great theologian and famous preacher, said that Charles H. Spurgeon was effective as a preacher and as an interpreter because “he gave out only what flowed into him in never ceasing supply from the channels of Holy Scripture.”

Those who are familiar with Spurgeon’s writings agree with Thielicke that Spurgeon was a great interpreter of Scripture.  His sermons reveal the careful, painstaking study of the Bible that is behind Spurgeon’s proclamation of God’s Word.

In his Morning and Evening: Daily Readings,  Spurgeon brings Scriptures to life.  Many Christians are not familiar with this classic devotional work which explores the riches of the Bible and apply the truths of God’s Word to daily life.  Below is one example of Spurgeon’s work.  It is based on Psalm 28:1.

“Unto Thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if Thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.” — Psalm 28:1

“Unto Thee will I cry, O Lord my rock.”  A cry is the natural expression of sorrow, and a suitable utterance when all other modes of appeal fail us; but the cry must be alone directed to the Lord, for to cry to man is to waste our entreaties upon the air. When we consider the readiness of the Lord to hear, and His ability to aid, we shall see good reason for directing all our appeals at once to the God of our salvation. It will be in vain to call to the rocks in the day of judgment, but our Rock attends to our cries.

“Be not silent to me.” Mere formalists may be content without answers to their prayers, but genuine suppliants cannot; they are not satisfied with the results of prayer itself in calming the mind and subduing the will — they must go further, and obtain actual replies from heaven, or they cannot rest; and those replies they long to receive at once, they dread even a little of God’s silence. God’s voice is often so terrible that it shakes the wilderness; but His silence is equally full of awe to an eager suppliant. When God seems to close His ear, we must not therefore close our mouths, but rather cry with more earnestness; for when our note grows shrill with eagerness and grief, He will not long deny us a hearing. What a dreadful case should we be in if the Lord should become for ever silent to our prayers?

“Lest, if Thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.” Deprived of the God who answers prayer, we should be in a more pitiable plight than the dead in the grave, and should soon sink to the same level as the lost in hell. We must have answers to prayer: ours is an urgent case of dire necessity; surely the Lord will speak peace to our agitated minds, for He never can find it in His heart to permit His own elect to perish.

I just hope that this small sample of Spurgeon’s work will encourage you to become familiar with Morning and Evening.  I guarantee that you will be greatly blessed by this classical devotional work.
Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary