ring

April 30, 2019

Dress him up! (Lk 15:22-15:22)

“But the father

Said to his slaves.

‘Quickly!

Bring out

The best robe!

Put it on him!

Put a ring

On his finger!

Put sandals

On his feet!’”

 

εἶπεν δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ Ταχὺ ἐξενέγκατε στολὴν τὴν πρώτην καὶ ἐνδύσατε αὐτόν, καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑποδήματα εἰς τοὺς πόδας,

 

This long parable story about the prodigal son can only be found in Luke, not in any of the other gospel stories.  Luke indicated that Jesus said that the father said to his slaves (εἶπεν δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ) that they were to quickly bring out the best robe (Ταχὺ ἐξενέγκατε στολὴν τὴν πρώτην).  They were to dress him with it (καὶ ἐνδύσατε αὐτόν).  Then they were to put a ring on his hand or finger (καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ) and sandals on his feet (καὶ ὑποδήματα εἰς τοὺς πόδας).  Apparently, there were some slaves (δούλους) on this farm, besides the hired hands.  The prodigal’s son father wanted him dressed up with a new robe, ring, and sandals.  He no longer would be the poor prodigal lost sinner.  Do you like to dress up?

September 28, 2017

The punishment for Israel (Hos 2:13-2:13)

“‘I will punish her

For the festival days

Of the Baals.

There she burned

Incense to them.

She decked herself

With her ring,

With jewelry.

She went after

Her lovers.

She forgot me.’

Says Yahweh.”

The “her” here is clearly Israel in this oracle of Yahweh. Israel had prostituted itself by running to the false idol Baal gods. Yahweh was going to punish the people of Israel, because they were burning incense to these gods on the festival days of Baal. Israel, like Gomer, decked herself out with a ring and jewelry. When she sought her idol lovers, she forgot Yahweh.

April 19, 2017

Gifts of jewelry (Ezek 16:11-16:13)

“I adorned you

With ornaments.

I put bracelets

On your arms.

I put a chain

On your neck.

I put a ring

On your nose,

I put earrings

In your ears.

I put a beautiful crown

Upon your head.

You were adorned

With gold.

You were adorned

With silver.”

Yahweh gave young Jerusalem all kinds of jewelry. He gave her bracelets for her arms. He put a chain on her neck. He also put a ring in her nose. See, rings in the nose are ornamental. He also put earrings in her ears with a beautiful crown on her head. She was all adorned with gold and silver. This young girl had all this fine jewelry to wear.

May 11, 2016

The divine judge (Sir 17:15-17:24)

“Their ways are always known to him.

They will not be hid from his eyes.

Their ways from youth tend towards evil.

They are unable

To make for themselves hearts of flesh

In place of their stony hearts.

In the division of nations of the whole earth

He appointed a ruler for every nation.

But Israel is the Lord’s own portion.

Being his firstborn,

He brings them up with discipline.

He allots to them

The light of his love.

He does not neglect them.

All their works are as clear

As the sun before him.

His eyes are continually upon their ways.

Their iniquities are not hidden from him.

All their sins are before the Lord.

The Lord is gracious.

He knows how they were formed.

He has not left them.

He has not abandoned them.

But he has spared them.

One’s almsgiving is

Like a signet ring with the Lord.

He will keep a person’s kindness

Like the apple of his eye.

Afterward he will rise up.

He will repay them.

He will bring their recompense on their heads.

Yet to those who repent,

He grants a return.

He encourages those who are losing hope.”

The Lord is a diving judge. He knows human ways. You cannot hide from him. He appointed rulers for the various countries, but he is the ruler of Israel. Since the time of the Exile in the 6th century BCE, there was no king of Israel. As Israel is the first born, the Lord has disciplined and loved Israel. He would not neglect them as he watches them continually. Their works are as clear as the sun. They cannot hide their sins, but he has not abandoned them. Almsgiving is like the Lord’s ring. Kindness is the apple of his eye. However, he will repay them for their sins. Nevertheless, those who repent can return. In fact, he tries to encourage those who are losing hope.

January 8, 2016

Crooked minds (Prov 11:20-11:23)

“Crooked minds are an abomination to Yahweh.

But those of blameless ways are his delight.

Be assured!

The wicked will not go unpunished.

But those who are righteous will escape.

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

Is a beautiful woman

Without good sense.

The desire of the righteous

Ends only in good.

The expectation of the wicked

Ends in wrath.”

Yahweh does not like crooked minds. He delights in the blameless ones. You should not worry because the wicked will not go unpunished. The righteous, however, will escape punishment. A beautiful woman without any sense is like a gold ring in a pig’s nose. This simile is doubly stark because of the distaste of pigs and pork in the Middle East culture. The righteous will have their desires fulfilled, but the expectations of the wicked will end in disaster.