BIBLICAL Horizons, No. 4
May, 1989
Copyright 1989, Biblical Horizons
Mr. Paul Miller of Vancouver writes that he is not persuaded by my remarks on Luke 4 on "The Son of Joseph." He calls attention to Mark 6:1-6, where Jesus came "to His own part of the country," taught in the synagogue, and astonished many. The people said, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters with us?" In reply Jesus said that a prophet is not without honor except in his own part of the country, and He could do only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Compare Matthew 13:54-58.
This certainly seems to indicate that the crowd was only thinking of Joseph the carpenter, not of Joseph the patriarch. In reply to this objection, I have two points:
1. This is almost certainly a different incident. Luke 4 occurred right at the start of Jesus’ ministry, in the town of Nazareth. Mark 6 and Matthew 13 happened later, in "His own part of the country," not necessarily Nazareth. An examination of the chronology of the gospels will indicate that these are two separate occasions, as Calvin states in his Harmony of the Gospels. Scholarly opinion is split on this question, however.
2. Even if we grant that it is the same incident (dischronologized), or that this later incident nevertheless shows the mind of the crowd at the time of the Luke 4 incident, we still have to come to grips with Luke’s theological purpose. Luke does not mention Mary or Jesus’ brothers and sisters. He only mentions Joseph. What accounts for Luke’s selectivity, and the selectivity of Matthew and Mark? Why does Luke stress Joseph, while Matthew and Mark stress the rest of Jesus’ family? The difference can be accounted for by the differing theological purposes of the writers.
Matthew and Mark stress the unbelief of the Jews because they thought they knew who Jesus was. They had seen plenty of miracles already, but they wanted more. The focus is exclusively on Jewish unbelief. Both Matthew and Mark follow up this story with the story of Herod’s murder of John the Forerunner. It is interesting to note that Herod also wanted to see a miracle (Luke 23:8).
Luke stresses that Jesus is rejected by the Jews because He announces that the Gentiles will receive Him. This note is absent from the accounts in Matthew and Mark, but it is completely in line with Luke’s overall Gentile focus. I suggest that this is why Luke speaks of Joseph rather than of Mary and Jesus’ siblings. Whether the crowd suspected Jesus might be the "son of Joseph the patriarch" or not, I believe Luke intends to point us to that possibility.
It seems to me, though, that at least some in the crowd may have been thinking of Joseph the patriarch. All the same, we have no way of knowing the total psychological state of the crowd. We can, however, interpret Luke’s theological purpose, and in line with that I am still persuaded that Joseph the patriarch is partially in view in Luke 4:22.
(See also Biblical Horizons No. 3, The Son of Joseph.)
BIBLICAL Horizons, No. 4
May, 1989
Copyright 1989, Biblical Horizons
Mrs. Marguerite Lane of Grand Rapids writes to ask if I have ever noticed a correlation between the eight beatitudes of Matthew 5 and the eight woes of Matthew 23. I confess that I have not. A glance at various commentators reveals that such a correspondence does not seem to have occurred to any of them either.
We do find both blessings and curses in Luke 6, in a sermon that parallels the sermon on the mount of Matthew 5-7. This may or may not be the same occasion. If it is the same, we have to bear in mind that both Matthew and Luke are condensing what Jesus said, since He doubtless spoke at length. Matthew stresses some things, and Luke others. On the other hand, this might be basically the same sermon delivered on another occasion. At any rate, if the woes in Matthew 23 correspond to the blessings of Matthew 5, then we find Matthew making the same point as Luke, but doing so in a different way.
One problem with Matthew 23 is that the second woe (v. 14) does not appear in some texts. If the parallel between Matthew 5 and Matthew 23 stands up, this will also shed light on this textual problem.
The first woe of Matthew 23 (v. 13) condemns the Pharisees because they "shut off the kingdom of heaven from men." This agrees with the first beatitude, which blesses the poor in spirit, "for their is the kingdom of heaven."
The second (and textually disputed) woe of Matthew 23 (v. 14) condemns the Pharisees because they "devour widows’ houses." This agrees with the second beatitude, which blesses "those who mourn."
The third woe of Matthew 23 (v. 15) condemns the Pharisees because they "travel about on sea and land to make one convert," but then "make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves." This agrees with the third beatitude, which blesses the meek, "for they shall inherit the earth."
The fourth woe of Matthew 23 (vv. 16-22) condemns the Pharisees for their unrighteousness. They make the Temple and the Altar of less importance than the gold of the Temple and the sacrifice on the Altar. This seems to go with the fourth beatitude, which blesses "those who hunger and thirst for righteousness."
The fifth woe of Matthew 23 (vv. 23-24) condemns the Pharisees for ignoring "justice and mercy and faithfulness." This agrees with the fifth beatitude, which blesses "those who are merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
The sixth woe of Matthew 23 (vv. 25-26) condemns the Pharisees for being concerned with externals more than with the heart. They "clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence." This agrees with the sixth beatitude, which blesses "the pure in heart."
The seventh woe of Matthew 23 (vv. 27-28) condemns the Pharisees because, though they look honorable to men, inside they are dead, and "full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness." This seems to agree with the seventh beatitude, which blesses peacemakers as "sons of God."
Finally, the eighth and climactic woe of Matthew 23 (vv. 29-36) condemns the Pharisees because they persecuted and killed the prophets. This agrees with the eighth beatitude, which blesses "those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness," and which goes on to bless those who are reviled, persecuted, and lied about for the sake of the Kingdom.
The reward of the eighth beatitude (Matt. 5:10, 12) is to receive the Kingdom of heaven. Opposite this, the judgment on the Pharisees is the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 23:35–24:34).
This looks like a pretty good set of correlations to me. It indicates that Matthew 23:14 does indeed belong in the text where it is found in the King James Version.
BIBLICAL Horizons, No. 4
May, 1989
Copyright 1989, Biblical Horizons
The Hebrew word for dew (tal) refers both to morning dew and nighttime mist. Dew was important to Ancient Near Eastern agriculture. The climate was so hot and dry that often only the dew kept vegetation alive during drought and heat. According to the New Bible Dictionary, "Dew is beneficial to summer crops. This has been proved conclusively by agronomical field-studies since 1937."
It is thus not surprising that the Bible uses dew as a symbol of God’s blessings in general. It is among the blessings that Jacob received as the firstborn; Isaac promised Jacob that as the earth would produce its fatness of grain and new wine, so also the heavens would produce dew (Gen. 27:27-29). Hence, when Jacob’s faithful remnant is restored to God’s favor after the exile, they receive again the blessings of Jacob, including the promise of dew (Zech. 12:8). As a symbol of blessing in general, it is fitting that dew is depicted as coming out of heaven, since all blessings come down from the Father of lights.
Just as dew is a symbol of blessing, its absence is a symbol of cursing. Esau was to be "away from" (Heb., min) the dew of heaven (Gen. 27:39). Dew was withheld along with rain from Israel during the ministry of Elijah (1 Ki. 17:1). Because the restoration community left the temple in disrepair, God withheld the dew from them (Hag. 1:10).
This symbolism adds an additional dimension to the insanity of Nebuchadnezzar. Throughout Daniel 4-5, it is emphasized that the beastly king was "drenched with the dew of heaven" (Dan. 4:15, 23, 25, 33, 5:21). Nebuchadnezzar thus represents all rebellious men, who defy God like wild beasts, all the while literally drenched with blessings from heaven. As with Nebuchadnezzar, God continues to send down dew upon the just and unjust, so as to drive them to repentance and thanksgiving.
What specific kinds of blessings are associated with dew? First, as we have already noted, dew comes from above. It comes, according to the biblical worldview, out of heaven, from the clouds. This reminds us of the glory-cloud from which God sends His blessings. More generally, dew is a gift from a superior to his subjects. It is thus not only associated with God’s favor and love, but with the favor of a king (Pr. 19:2; cf. Ps. 72:6). Because it is a symbol of the favor of our King and Judge, dew is a reminder of the sovereignty of God’s grace.
Second, dew is a symbol of the resurrection in Is. 26:19. Just as the earth brings forth its dew, so also it shall bring forth the dead to new life. Dew thus is a symbol of the redeemed and resurrected people of God. God’s saints are those that are raised with Christ in baptism (Rom. 6:4), and thus become partakers of the first resurrection. Dew is a fitting reminder of our baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection, since it pictures by its renewal of the earth the "washing of regeneration."
The connection of dew with baptism is strengthened when we note that dew is associated with the anointing of the priest. In Psalm 133:2-3, a parallel is drawn between the oil that is poured over Aaron’s head and the dew that falls on Mount Zion. This passage links dew with baptism in two ways. First, the priest is like the mountain, and the dew that falls is parallel to the oil of ordination. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture. Thus, dew is connected with the outpouring of the Spirit, which in turn is symbolized by the pouring of water in baptism.
Moreover, the anointing of the head is the rite of induction into the priesthood — in the New Covenant, baptism. Baptism is also our induction into the Body of Christ. Psalm 133 stresses the unity of God’s people as they are ingrafted into the priesthood of the Greater Aaron, and share in the "one baptism" — the baptism of Christ. The fact that the Mountain can symbolize God’s people as a whole (Heb. 12:22-23) adds a collective dimension to the imagery of Psalm 133. The baptism of the Mountain-priest is by extension the baptism of the Mountain-people.
Third, dew is associated with manna, and thus with food (Ex. 16:13-21). It is also noteworthy that Moses prays that his inspired words would be like dew (Dt. 32:2). Manna too is compared to the Word of God (Dt. 8:3), and Jesus compares manna to His own Body that is offered for the life of the world (John 6:49-51). Dew daily refreshes the plants and the earth, and recalls the refreshment of God’s Word and Sacrament. Fittingly, dew is also associated with the strength of youth (cf. Ps. 110:3). It is through communication in Word and Sacrament that our strength is renewed like the eagles’, and we are equipped for our struggle with sin and Satan.
Fourth, dew is a symbol of the ministry of the people of God in the world. Micah compares the remnant of Israel to dew among the nations (Mic. 5:7). The heavenly people of God goes into the world to bring refreshment and new life to a sinful world. Throughout the Proverbs, a wise man is compared to a fountain and tree of life, whose words and deeds refresh and encourage. It is worth noting that the Micah 5 begins with a prophecy of a ruler coming from Bethlehem, who will deliver and shepherd Israel. We are therefore entirely warranted in seeing Micah 5:7 as a prophecy (at least secondarily) of the New Covenant Church.
This also takes us back to the blessing of Jacob: Jacob was not only promised the dew of heaven, but also that he would rule over nations. In this context, Micah 5:7 is associated with Proverbs 19:2, which compares the favor of the king with the dropping of dew. The parallel between these passages is strengthened by the fact that both also speak of the wrath of the lion (Mic. 5:8). Like the king of Proverbs 19:2, the remnant of Israel is like dew, but also like a lion: a blessing to those who bless, and a curse to those who curse. To say that Israel (and the Church) will be like dew, therefore, is also to say that the saints will reign on the earth (Rev. 5:10), through their kindness and service.
Hosea uses the symbolism of dew in a different manner. He compares the fair-weather loyalty of Ephraim and Judah to the dew that evaporates in the heat of affliction (Hos. 6:4). In 13:3, dew, chaff, smoke blowing away, and a morning cloud are all used as symbols of Israel’s unfaithfulness. The book ends, however, with a promise that God Himself will become the dew of Israel, causing Israel to blossom like a lily and take root (14:5-7).
Dew is a window on the whole of the Christian life. It symbolizes the unmerited favor of our heavenly King; our induction into the covenant through baptism; our continuing refreshment in Word and Sacrament; and our task of ruling the earth through works and words of mercy. Finally, the evanescence of dew is a sobering reminder of our sin, our faithlessness, and encourages us to perseverance.
BIBLICAL Horizons, No. 4
May, 1989
Copyright 1989, Biblical Horizons
1. The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, the burden. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2. Surely I am more stupid than any other man, And I do not have the understanding of a man.
3. And I have not learned wisdom, But I have knowledge of the Holy One.
4. Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know!
Proverbs 30 contains the words of Agur the son of Jakeh. Agur’s proverbs are longer than those in most of the rest of the book, and give us a bit more to chew on. Before we can start in, however, we need to try and find out who Agur was.
There are three contending views. The first is that Agur was one of Solomon’s wise men who had a hand in helping Solomon put the book of Proverbs together. This section of Proverbs, then, consists of the ones he collected.
The second view takes notice of the word "burden" in verse 1: "The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the burden." The word "burden" can also be read as Massa, the name of an Ishmaelite town (Gen. 25:14; 1 Chron. 1:30). The Ishmaelites were supposed to have a repository of wisdom, and it is assumed that Proverbs 30 comes from Agur of Massa. Those who take this view also translate "burden" in 31:1 as Massa, so that King Lemuel was King of Massa.
The most interesting, and I think most compelling, identification of Agur was put forth by P.W. Skehan, in his Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom (1971). He suggests that verse 4 is a riddle designed to point us to the identification of Agur. It is clear that verse 4 describes God, and then we are asked to give the name of the son of God, which we surely know. As Christians, we can apply this to Christ, but that is not the first meaning of this question in its context.
As Skehan points out, this question in verse 4 points back to verse 1. That is because Jakeh is a contraction of Yhwh qadosh hu, which means "The Lord, blessed is He." Thus, the name of the God in verse 4 is Jakeh, and His son’s name is Agur.
Agur literally means "I am an sojourner." Both Moses and Jacob were famous sojourners (Gen. 47:9; Ex. 2:22). The phrase "who has ascended into heaven and descended" could refer to Jacob’s ladder (Gen. 28:12-13), or it could be a reference to Moses’ question in Deuteronomy 30:12. Skehan favors Jacob, because the phrase "ascending and descending" is closer to Genesis 28 than to Deuteronomy 30. Also, the proverbs in this chapter can more easily be seen to grow out of Jacob’s experience than Moses’.
Remember that Proverbs are often puzzles to be figured out. "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter" (25:2). Thus, we should not be surprised to find a riddle here in Proverbs 30.
The true son of God — or daughter of God — is a sojourner. That was true of Christ Jesus, and it is also true of us. For this reason, the proverbs of Agur the Sojourner are most relevant to us. These Sojourning Proverbs have a common theme, and that theme, announced in the opening paragraph, is humility. These are the proverbs of a man who learned wisdom by practising humility.
Most scholars agree that the second half of verse 1 does not contain two personal names, Ithiel and Ucal, but needs to be translated as a phrase. The commentary by Franz Delitzsch, in the Keil and Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary, can be consulted for a lengthy discussion of this. The most commonly agreed upon translation for verse 1b is this: "The man declares, `I have troubled myself, O God! I have troubled myself, O God, and I have come to an end.’" Derek Kidner (Proverbs, 1964) concurs.
There is one more translation mistake. The first word in verse 2 cannot be "surely" but has to be "for." The Hebrew word (ki) never opens a discourse, but always continues one.
Now we can pull it all together:
1. The words of the Sojourner (Jacob?) the son of Yahweh, blessed is He, the burden: The man declares, "I have wearied myself, O God! I have wearied myself, O God, and I have come to an end!
2. For I am more stupid than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man."
Compare this with what Jacob said to Pharaoh: "The days of the years of my sojourning are 130; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, nor have they reached the days of the years of the life of my fathers during the days of their sojourning" (Genesis 47:9).
I’m going to assume in these studies that these proverbs were written by Jacob. They were written at the end of his life, when he had "come to an end." It is possible that there is a better solution to the puzzle of the opening verses of Proverbs 30, and if that is indeed the case, it will not change very much of what we shall find in the rest of the chapter. Whether Jacob wrote this chapter or not, it is certainly the case that Jacob’s life illustrates what we find here. The applications to us today will be the same in any event.
Notice Jacob’s remarkable humility at the end of his life. Age and experience have not made him arrogant and proud. Rather, as Jacob considers things he says that he is stupider than anyone he knows. He does not have the understanding that we can expect of any ordinary person. He has not learned wisdom (v. 3).
Have you ever felt this way? I believe that "the more you know, the more you don’t know." The word "sophomore" means "wise fool," or "sophisticated moron." It is used of young people who think they have learned wisdom, but who obviously have not. In fact, the wiser we become, the more aware we are of how little we know. The more we learn about God, the greater is our awareness of the tremendous depth of His infinity. The older we grow in Christ, the more child-like we become — not childish in the sense of irresponsibility, but child-like in the sense of wonder and humility. Remember, the book of Proverbs is addressed to children (Prov. 1:8).
But Jacob the Sojourner knows one thing that changes everything: "But I have knowledge of the Holy One" (v. 3; compare the old man’s knowledge in 1 John 2:13, 14). Jacob may be worn out with living. He may feel defeated in his attempts to "exercise dominion." He may be overwhelmed by his lack of personal wisdom; but there is one thing he does know: He knows God. And he knows that knowing God is the beginning of true wisdom (Prov. 1:7).
Knowing God makes for humility. Job 38-42 expand on what we find in verse 4 here. The questions Agur asks, such as "Who has gathered the wind in His fist?" are just like the questions God asks Job. As God humbled Job by revealing Himself, so Agur expresses humility before the knowledge of the God who created and reigns in heaven and earth.
What Job realized and what Agur realized, and what we must realize, is that we don’t need to understand everything. We don’t need to understand everything because we have God as our Father and He understands everything. Moreover, we don’t have to do everything. If we are tired, and can’t go any farther, it’s all right, because God is our Father, and He can do everything. The tired Sojourner can rest in the comfort of God’s Omnipotence.
