“But the angel
Said to him.
‘Do not be afraid!
Zechariah!’”
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος Μὴ φοβοῦ, Ζαχαρία,
Luke then has this oracle of the angel of God, almost like a theophany. Zechariah got a direct message from God, via this angel. First, the angel told Zechariah (εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος) not to be afraid (Μὴ φοβοῦ, Ζαχαρία). That was easier said than done. This was an attempt to set Zechariah at ease.
“This is the one
Of whom
The prophet Isaiah
Spoke
When he said.
‘The voice of one crying out
In the wilderness.
Prepare
The way of the Lord!
Make his paths straight!’”
οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ.
Matthew followed Mark who introduced John as a fulfilment of a prophecy from the Book of Isaiah. However, the text from Mark, chapter 1:2, was a composite of texts from Isaiah, Malachi and Exodus. Matthew, as well as Luke, dropped the first part of these references. However, Luke, chaper 3:4-6, has a more extended citation from Isaiah. Matthew began with the modified quotation from Isaiah, chapter 40:3, while he moved the Malachi and Exodus material to later in the text, where Jesus quoted them. However, it was clear that John the Baptist was the one (οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς) that Isaiah the prophet was talking about (διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος). He was the messenger being sent ahead. He was a voice crying out in the wilderness (Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ). He was to prepare the way for the Lord (Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου,). He was going to make the paths straight (εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ). Deutero-Isaiah originally talked about a voice in the wilderness leading to a new path out of the Exile, in this oracle of Yahweh, just as there had been a path out of the Exodus. In this wilderness or desert, they were to make a straight path, like a highway for God or the Holy Way. However, this would also be a time of upheaval. The valleys would rise as the mountains and hills would fall, so that the uneven and rough places would become level and plain. All the people would then see the glory of God revealed. Clearly, there was a connection between John the Baptist and Isaiah the prophet.
“As for you also,
Because of the blood
Of my covenant
With you,
I will set your prisoners free
From the waterless pit.
Return to your stronghold!
O prisoners of hope!
Today I declare
That I will restore to you double.
I have bent Judah
As my bow.
I have made Ephraim
Its arrow.
I will arouse your sons!
O Zion!
Against your sons,
O Greece!
I will wield you
Like a warrior’s sword.”
In this oracle, Yahweh said that he was going to free the prisoners from their dungeons or waterless pits, because of the covenant or blood treaty that he had with Israel. Perhaps, this is an allusion to the Temple sacrifices. The former prisoners of hope or captives would return to their stronghold, since Yahweh was going to double what they had before. He was going to use Judah in the south and Ephraim in the north as a bow and arrow against other countries, such as Greece. Yahweh was going to wield them like a warrior’s sword.
“Says Yahweh.
‘Therefore,
Wait for me,
On the day
When I arise
As a witness!
M decision is
To gather nations,
To assemble kingdoms,
To pour out upon them
My indignation,
All the heat of my anger.
In the fire
Of my passion,
All the earth
Shall be consumed.”
Yahweh, in this oracle via Zephaniah, told them to wait for the day when he would gather all the countries and kingdoms together to pour out all his indignation and anger. He said that the fire of his passion would consume the whole earth on this final judgment day.
“In the eleventh year,
In the third month,
On the first day
Of the month,
The word of Yahweh
Came to me.
‘Son of man!
Say to Pharaoh,
King of Egypt,
With his hordes!
‘Who are you
Like
In your greatness?’”
Once again, there is specific date for this oracle of Yahweh to Ezekiel, the son of man, the 1st day of the 3rd month, of the 11th year of King Zedekiah, 587 BCE. Yahweh wanted Ezekiel to pose a question to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt as well as the many people of Egypt. Who would they compare themselves to? Who or what was like them in their greatness?
“In the eleventh year,
In the first month,
On the seventh day
Of the month,
The word of Yahweh
Came to me.
‘Son of man!
I have broken
The arm of Pharaoh,
King of Egypt.
It has not been
Bound up
For healing.
It has not been
Wrapped
with a bandage.
Thus it cannot
Become strong
To wield the sword.’”
Once again there is a precise date for this oracle of Yahweh to Ezekiel, the son of man, the 7th day of the 1st month of the 11th year of King Zedekiah, in 587 BCE. Yahweh said that he had broken the arm of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Once it was broken, it was not going to heal. His broken arm was not bound up, wrapped up, or bandaged. He was not going to become strong enough to wield a sword. In other words, the Pharaoh would be useless in the face of any battle.
“In the tenth year,
In the tenth month,
On the twelfth day
Of the month,
The word of Yahweh
Came to me.
‘Son of man!
Set your face
Against Pharaoh,
King of Egypt!
Prophesy
Against him!
Prophesy
Against all Egypt!’”
Once again there was a specific date for this oracle of Yahweh to Ezekiel, the son of man. It was the 10th year of King Zedekiah, the 12th day of the 10th month, probably early 587 BCE. Ezekiel continued to use the first-person singular, as he had throughout this work. This time Yahweh wanted him to look towards Egypt. He was to prophesize against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, probably Pharaoh Hophra, as well as all of Egypt.
“In the morning
The word of Yahweh
Came to me.
‘Son of man!
Has not the house of Israel,
The rebellious house,
Said to you?
‘What are you doing?’
Say to them.
‘Thus says Yahweh God!
This oracle concerns
The prince in Jerusalem
With all the house of Israel
In it.’
Say!
‘I am a sign for you.
As I have done,
So shall it be done
To them.
They shall go
Into exile.
They shall go
Into captivity.’”
The next morning, the word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel, the son of man. Yahweh wanted to know if the rebellious house of Israel had asked him what he was doing. When they did ask, he was to tell them that this oracle concerned the prince in Jerusalem with all the house of Israel. Ezekiel was to tell them that his actions were a sign of things to come. What he had done, all of them would do the same. They were going to go into exile and captivity.
“When anguish comes,
They will seek peace.
But there shall be none.
Disaster comes
Upon disaster.
Rumor follows
Rumor.
They shall keep
Seeking a vision
From the prophet.
Instruction shall perish
From the priest.
Counsel shall fail
From the elders.
The king mourns.
The prince shall be
Wrapped in despair.
The hands
Of the people
Of the land
Shall tremble.
According to their way,
I will deal with them.
According to their own judgments
I will judge them.
They shall know
That I am Yahweh.”
Yahweh concluded this oracle or vision to Ezekiel. In these times of trouble, they would seek peace, but there would be none. Disaster would come upon disaster. Rumor would follow rumor. They would keep looking for a vision from their prophets, but none would come. The priests would fail to instruct them. Counsel from the elders would fail. The king would mourn. The princes would be in despair. The hands of the land people would tremble. According to their ways, Yahweh would deal with them. According to their own judgments, Yahweh would judge them. They would know that Yahweh God was in charge. He was Yahweh.
“‘I will repay
Babylon
With all the inhabitants
Of Chaldea,
Before your very eyes,
For all the wrong
That they have done
In Zion.’
Says Yahweh.”
Yahweh was simple and direct in this oracle about Babylon. He was going to repay Babylon with the all the Chaldeans for the wrongs that they had done to Zion, Jerusalem. This was going to happen before their very eyes.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 