Hosea

January 26, 2019

Lord of the Sabbath (Lk 6:5-6:5)

“Then Jesus said to them.

‘The Son of Man is

Lord of the Sabbath.’”

 

καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς Κύριός ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus then said to them (καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς) that the Son of Man (ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) is Lord of the Sabbath (Κύριός ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου).  There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 12:8, and Mark, chapter 2:28, probably indicating that Mark was the source of this comment.  However, the other 2 gospels had more elaboration.  Mark had Jesus say to those around him that the Sabbath was made for man, humans, or mankind, not humans for the Sabbath.  Then he added the comment that is here in Luke that the Son of Man was the Lord of the Sabbath, which was picked up by the other two synoptic gospels.  Matthew had Jesus begin with a solemn proclamation that someone greater than the Temple was here, a clear reference to Jesus himself.  They did not know what the saying about mercy was all about.  Matthew then used the same citation of Hosea chapter 6:6, that he had earlier in chapter 9:13.  Jesus explained that he desired mercy, just as Yahweh wanted real faithful love, not mere sacrifices.  Hosea wanted the Israelites to have real knowledge of God, rather than worry about burnt offerings.  Thus, the Pharisees should not have condemned the innocent or guiltless ones, since Jesus and his disciples had done nothing wrong.  He then concluded with the saying that the Son of Man was the Lord of the Sabbath.  Jesus then could control the Sabbath, not the other way around.  Instead of the Sabbath as a gift to humans, Jesus would reinterpret the laws of the Sabbath as the Lord of the Sabbath.

January 24, 2019

Righteous and sinners (Lk 5:32-5:32)

“I have not come

To call

The righteous,

But sinners

To repentance.’”

 

οὐκ ἐλήλυθα καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that he had not come (οὐκ ἐλήλυθα) to call the righteous (καλέσαι δικαίους), but rather sinners to repentance (ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν).  This response of Jesus is almost the same as in Mark, chapter 2:17, and Matthew, chapter 9:13.  However, Matthew was more expansive.  There Jesus explained that they ought to learn what he means, because he desired mercy and not sacrifices, based on Hosea, chapter 6:6.  The essential message was that Yahweh wanted real faithful love, not mere sacrifices.  Hosea wanted the Israelites to have real knowledge of God, rather than worry about burnt offerings.  Jesus had come not to call the people who were righteous already, but to call the sinners to repentance, not the good righteous people.

August 11, 2018

Third narrative

This third narrative centered around a variety of miracles and various comments to his disciples.  Jesus cured the leper before great crowds, but then told him to keep it a secret.  Then he cured the centurion’s paralyzed servant at Capernaum.  This Roman soldier understood the role of authority since he had faith.  Jesus chastised the failure of the sons of Abraham but healed the Roman centurion’s servant.

Jesus also cured other sick and possessed people, including Peter’s mother-in-law.  He thus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah.  He had some scribe followers, even though Jesus was homeless.  Was the death of a father enough to disrupt a disciple?  During a stormy boat ride, they woke up Jesus.  Thus, he responded by showing them his power by calming the storm.

Jesus cured the two possessed demoniacs who were calling out to him as the Son of God.  These demons wanted to be pigs, so that they died in the sea, jumping off a cliff.  However, the herdsmen in the city were upset so that the people asked Jesus to leave.

Jesus then went home and cured a paralytic.  Did Jesus blaspheme?  What was the difference between sin and sickness?  The people were amazed at his powers.  Jesus then called Matthew, the tax collector.  Jesus hung out with these tax collectors and sinners, so that the Pharisees complained.  Jesus responded by asking if well people needed doctors?  Then there was a citation from Hosea about mercy.

The Pharisees wanted to know why his disciples were not fasting, but the disciples of John the Baptist were.  Jesus explained that there would be no fasting while he, the bridegroom, was present.  You did not use old cloth to mend clothes or put new wine in old wineskins.

Then Jesus cured the woman with hemorrhages, because she was a woman of faith.  Then he cured the dead girl who was only sleeping.  He cured the two blind men because they were believers also.  He cured the mute person so that he could speak again.  The Pharisees questioned the power of Jesus.  However, Jesus had compassion for the sheep because there would be a need for many laborers at the harvest time.

Then Jesus began his apostolic talk to his disciples, in particular about the authority of the twelve disciples, with four major apostles.  Matthew then listed the twelve apostles that would be sent to the Jews and what their work was.  Jesus told them what to bring with them and where to stay.  He told them how to enter a house.  Those unhospitable towns who did not accept them would be punished.  These apostles should be like wise simple sheep.  When they would be persecuted, the Holy Spirit would speak through them.  They would be involved in family disputes and hated.  Both the teacher and his disciples would suffer, but they should not be afraid.  They should proclaim the message.  They were to worry about their souls, since they had more value than sparrows.  They should acknowledge Jesus whether in peace or with the sword.  Who was worthy of Jesus?  You had to pick up your cross and lose your life to find it.  Receive Jesus and be a prophet as the righteous disciple of Jesus.

April 21, 2018

The Lord of the Sabbath (Mt 12:6-12:8)

“I tell you!

Something greater

Than the temple is here.

If you had known

What this means.

‘I desire mercy,

Not sacrifice!’

You would not have

Condemned

The guiltless.

The Son of Man is

Lord of the Sabbath.”

 

λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι τοῦ ἱεροῦ μεῖζόν ἐστιν ὧδε.

εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν, οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους.

κύριος γάρ ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

 

Mark, chapter 2:27-28, has a similar saying to this, so that he may be the source of this saying.  Matthew has Jesus begin with a solemn proclamation (λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν).  Something or someone greater than the Temple is here (ὅτι τοῦ ἱεροῦ μεῖζόν ἐστιν ὧδε), a clear reference to Jesus himself.  Too bad, that they did not know what the saying about mercy was all about (εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν).  Matthew then used the same citation of Hosea that he had earlier in chapter 9:13.  Jesus explained that he desired mercy (τί ἐστιν Ἔλεος θέλω), and not sacrifices (καὶ οὐ θυσίαν), based on Hosea, chapter 6:6, where the essential message was that Yahweh wanted real faithful love, not mere sacrifices.  Hosea wanted the Israelites to have real knowledge of God, rather than worry about burnt offerings.  Thus, the Pharisees would not have condemned the innocent or guiltless ones (οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους) since Jesus and his disciples had done nothing wrong.  The Son of Man was the Lord of the Sabbath (κύριος γάρ ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου).  Jesus then could control the Sabbath, not the other way around.  Instead of the Sabbath as a gift to humans, Jesus would reinterpret the laws of the Sabbath as the Lord of the Sabbath.

April 7, 2018

The citation from Hosea about mercy (Mt 9:13-9:13)

“Go!

Learn what this means!

‘I desire mercy,

Not sacrifice!

I have come

Not to call the righteous,

But sinners.’”

 

πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς.

 

This response of Jesus is almost the same as in Mark, chapter 2:17, and Luke, chapter 5;31.  Jesus explained that they ought to learn what he means (πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε), because he desired mercy (τί ἐστιν Ἔλεος θέλω), and not sacrifices (καὶ οὐ θυσίαν).  This was based on Hosea, chapter 6:6, where the essential message was that Yahweh wanted real faithful love, not mere sacrifices.  Hosea wanted the Israelites to have real knowledge of God, rather than worry about burnt offerings.  Jesus had come not to call the people who were righteous already (γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους), but to call the sinners (ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς).

March 8, 2018

The unique perspective of Joseph

The Gospel of Matthew presented the infancy story of Jesus from the perspective of Joseph, unlike the Gospel of Luke that presented the same story from the perspective of Mary. What do they have in common and what is unique. Mary and the child Jesus play a secondary role in this narration, since it was all about Joseph, the son of Jacob, the father of the child. There were certain things in common with the Luke story. Both Joseph and Mary were troubled by this pregnancy. Both had an angel come and explain that the child was from the Holy Spirit. Both were told that the name of the child would be Jesus. In both stories, the child is born in Bethlehem. Beyond that, there were some unique things to the story of Joseph in Matthew. He almost divorced Mary. He had a number of angelic dreams. He was told to go to Egypt, which he did. He then returned to Israel and settled in Nazareth in Galilee. In between, there was the strange story of King Herod and the magi. Matthew used 5 different Old Testament Hebrew prophecies to show that Jesus was truly within the Jewish prophetic tradition. Clearly, in these two opening chapters, Matthew was a Jewish scripture scholar with his use of 1 Chronicles in the genealogy and the various prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Micah, and Judges. Whatever sources he used for this unique perspective on the birth of Jesus, they were clearly Jewish based. Joseph was a righteous Jewish man. After this presentation, Joseph seemed to drift off the center stage in the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth.

March 7, 2018

Fulfillment of prophecy to come out of Egypt (Mt 2:15-2:15)

This was to fulfill

What had been spoken

By the Lord,

Through the prophet.

‘Out of Egypt,

I have called my son.’”

 

ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος

Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου.

 

Matthew explained that the reason for this trip to Egypt was to fulfill (ἵνα πληρωθῇ) a divine prophecy.  The word of the Lord (τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου) had spoken this prophecy though the prophet Hosea, chapter 11:1 (διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος), although Hosea was not explicitly mentioned here.  Just as Yahweh, the Lord, had originally called his child Israel from Egypt as in Hosea, so too, the Lord, the Father, would again call his son, this child, from Egypt (Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου).  In other words, Matthew makes it sound like this expediency to get away from Herod was set up to fulfill the Lord’s prophecy in Hosea.

February 3, 2018

The twelve Minor Prophets

The twelve minor writing prophets have shorter books than the major prophets.  These writing prophets range from the 8th to the 5th century BCE.  These include Hosea from the 8th century BCE, Joel from the 8th -5th century BCE, Amos from the 8th century BCE, Obadiah and Jonah from the 6th century BCE, Micah and Nahum from the 8th century BCE, Habakkuk and Zephaniah from the 7th century BCE, Haggai and Zechariah from the 6th century BCE, and Malachi from the 5th century BCE.  Some of these prophets had an influence on New Testament Christian writers.

November 29, 2017

Justice and sacrificial offerings (Mic 6:6-6:8)

“‘With what shall I come

Before Yahweh?

Shall I bow myself

Before God on high?

Shall I come before him

With burnt offerings?

Shall I come before him

With calves a year old?

Will Yahweh be pleased

With thousands of rams?

Will Yahweh be pleased

With ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I give

My first-born

For my transgression?

Shall I give

The fruit of my body

For the sin of my soul?’

O mortal!

He has showed you

What is good!

What does Yahweh

Require of you?

But you are

To do justice,

To love kindness,

To walk humbly

With your God!”

Yahweh, via Micah, once again showed the relationship between worship and justice.  Much like the written prophets, Amos, chapter 5, Hosea, chapter 2, and Isaiah, chapters 7 and 30, the emphasis was on justice over sacrificial gifts.  Micah asked what kind of gifts he should bring to Yahweh, the high God.  Would Yahweh be happy with burnt offerings of one-year old calves?  Would 1,000 rams please him?  Would 10,000 rivers of oil be enough for Yahweh?  Should he offer up his firstborn son to save his soul?  Micah pointed out what Yahweh required.  Yahweh wanted them to do justice and love kindness.  Very simply, they were to walk humbly with their God, Yahweh.

October 10, 2017

My Understanding of Hosea

The Book of Hosea is the first of the twelve Minor Prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Hosea, meaning salvation, was an 8th-century BCE prophet. He was one of the first prophets of Israel who left anything written. This biblical book was a severe warning to the northern kingdom of Israel against the growing idolatry being practiced there, with a dramatic call to repentance.

Hosea was the first prophet to use marriage as a metaphor of the covenant between God and Israel. Thus, he influenced the latter prophets, such as Jeremiah. The eventual reconciliation of Hosea and his wife Gomer was treated as a hopeful metaphor for the eventual reconciliation between Yahweh and Israel. Among the first writing prophets, the last chapter of Hosea has a format similar to wisdom literature.

Little is known about Hosea and his life or social status. Hosea appears to be from the northern kingdom of Israel or Samaria. He prophesied during the dark declining days of the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in the 8th century BCE. The capital of the northern Kingdom fell in 722 BCE. Many members of the upper classes and some ordinary people were taken captive and carried off to live as prisoners of war.

According to the Book of Hosea, he married the prostitute Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, at Yahweh’s command. Hosea used his own experience as a symbolic representation of Yahweh as the husband and Israel as the wife. Hosea’s family life reflected the adulterous relationship that Israel had had with the polytheistic gods. Just as Hosea’s wife left him to go with other men, Israel left Yahweh to go with false gods. Hosea searched for his wife, found her, and brought her back. Thus, Yahweh would not abandon Israel. He would bring them back, even though they had forsaken him.

Similarly, his children’s names were walking prophecies about the fall of the ruling dynasty. They had broken their covenant with Yahweh. The name of Hosea’s daughter, Lo-ruhamah, meat not pitied. The name of Hosea’s son, Lo-ammi meant not my people.

The Book of Hosea contains a number of prophecies and messages for both Judah and the northern Israelite kingdom. This prophetic book denounced the worship of other gods, other than Yahweh. Hosea elevated the religion of Israel to an ethical monotheism, as he emphasized the moral side of Yahweh’s nature. Israel was unfaithful. They had resisted all the warnings. Thus, they compelled Yahweh to punish them, because of his own holiness. The prophecy of Hosea centered around Yahweh’s unending love towards a sinful Israel. In this context, Yahweh’s agony was expressed over the betrayal of Israel.

This book is divided into two major parts, the marriage of Hosea in chapters 1-3 and the punishment of Israel in chapters 4-13. The last chapter 14 is a call for reconciliation with Israel.

In chapter 1, God told Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman. Hosea then married Gomer, the prostitute. This marriage was a symbol of the covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel. However, Israel had been unfaithful to God by following other gods. They were breaking the commandments, like the prostitute who violated the obligations of marriage to her husband.

Hosea and his wife, Gomer, had a son. God commanded that the son be named Jezreel, meaning God sows. This was the name of a valley, where much blood was shed. The naming of this son was to stand as a prophecy against the reigning house of the northern kingdom of Israel.

Then Hosea had a daughter, whose name was Lo-ruhamah; the unloved, or not pitied one. Yahweh would no longer have pity on the northern kingdom of Israel. Its destruction was imminent. However, there would be pity for southern Judah.

Then Gomer had a second son called Lo-ammi, not my people, or not mine. The northern kingdom of Israel would be shamed. Its people would no longer be known as Yahweh’s people. Yahweh had rejected the northern kingdom of Israel. What will be the future of Israel and Judah?

In chapter 2, the names of the children were reversed. There was a breakup or divorce with Gomer. This divorce meant the end of the covenant between Yahweh and the northern kingdom of Israel. There was no pity for the children. Gomer would be lost without the necessities of life. The destruction of Gomer’s life was like the punishment for Israel.

In chapter 3, Yahweh would reconcile with Israel, if they fought against Baal. This new covenant would be an everlasting marriage, since Yahweh would have pity and love his people. Hosea looked for a prostitute to buy. Hosea sought Gomer once more. Either she had sold herself into slavery for debt, or she was with a lover who demanded money in order to get her back. He then took her home, but refrained from sexual intimacy with her for many days, to symbolize the fact that Israel would be without a king for many years. Thus, Yahweh would take back Israel, even if it was costly.

Chapters 4–10 contain a series of oracles, or prophetic sermons, showing exactly why God was rejecting the northern kingdom of Israel. This was all about the Israelite crimes and the punishments.

In chapters 4, Hosea said that Yahweh was going to indict Israel, because of the terrible situation in the land. Both the priests and the prophets had failed, due to lack knowledge. The sinfulness of Israel was clear in its prostitution ways. They worshiped on the mountain tops. Both men and women were guilty of adultery. However, Judah should watch out also. Israel was stubborn, but there was a real problem with Ephraim.

In chapter 5, Hosea pointed out that the false leaders of Israel had a prostitute spirit, like in Ephraim that had failed. There was an alarming situation in Benjamin. Ephraim was desolate. The princes of Judah would see the defeat of Ephraim, because of their false alliance with Assyria. Yahweh would return to heaven.

In chapter 6, Hosea said that Israel would return to Yahweh, like a fickle lover. However, Yahweh wanted a steadfast love. They had to make up for past crimes, since they had defiled themselves with prostitution. Judah, however, would still have a harvest.

In chapter 7, Hosea said that the wicked deeds of Ephraim and Samaria with their adulterous conspirators would not go unnoticed. There had been a number of assassinations of the Israelite kings. Ephraim was too open to foreigners, like a silly dove. Thus, there would be a curse against Ephraim, since they had turned against God.

In chapter 8, Hosea said that they had to sound the alarm trumpet because of the Israelite idolatry. They had lost their crop, as Israel would disappear. Yahweh was against the false exterior cult and their human fortresses.

In chapter 9, Hosea pointed out that there would be sorrow during the exile. Their sacrifices would be useless. There would be no more festivals, because the days of punishment had come. The prophets had their roles, but there has been infidelity in the past. There would be no children for Ephraim, because of the evil in Gilgal. Ephraim had refused to listen.

In chapter 10, Hosea pointed out that Israel grew rich with many altars, especially during the time of King Jeroboam II. Thus, Israel must bear its guilt, because it felt that they did not need a king or Yahweh. The shame of Samaria meant that it must be destroyed. There would be a punishment at Gibeah, with the defeat of Ephraim. War was coming to Israel.

In chapter 11, Hosea said that Israel was like an ungrateful child, since their punishment was coming. However, Yahweh had second thoughts. They would return from their exile, while Judah remained faithful.

In chapter 12, the emphasis was on Ephraim and its continual falsehoods. Ephraim had become a rich trader. The response of Yahweh to their worthless sacrifices was to remind them about Jacob. The prophets had led them, but still Ephraim was provocative.

In chapter 13, Hosea said that Ephraim would die as a punishment for its idolatry. Yahweh was their God, so that they would be punished for forgetting him. The destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel was at hand. Ephraim was like a bad child. Death and Sheol would be the punishment for Samaria.

Chapter 14 was about the conversion of Israel, as they would return to Yahweh. Assyria was not going to save Israel. They would return to life in the shadow of Yahweh. They had to get rid of their idols and learn the ways of Yahweh.