Reading from May 7th

 Read Acts 4.32-5.16. In 4.32-34: Luke's picture of common ownership expresses a vision of the practices of the community of the resurrection (see also 2.44-47; 24.15-16, 25). In verse 35: On the distribution as an had need, see 6.1-2. In verse 36: Barnaba's is identified as a Levite (they have no "allotment in the land," Deut 14.29) and will provide a link to Paul's mission to Cyprus (Acts 111.19-29; 13.2-4; 21.16). In verse 37: His gift, laid at the apostles' feet, acknowledges their authority without coercion. In 5.1-4: The consent and knowledge of Sapphira disclose the conspiracy to lie which they contrived. Satan is associated with the premeditated character of such collusion (see Lk 22.3-6). In verse 9: They are not merely challenging apostolic authority, but putting the Spirit of the Lord to the test, as in Israel in the Exodus (see Ex 17.2, 7; Deut 6.16; Lk 4.12; 11.16; Acts 15.10). In verse 11: The fear is characteristic awe of divine activity (2.43; 19.17; Lk 1.12, 65; 2.9; 7.16; 8.37). This is the first mention of the church (Gk., "ekklesia"), meaning the "assembly" or "assembly of believers" (4.32), as Israel was also called in Greek scriptures (Deut 4.10; 9.10; 18.16; 23.1-2). In verse 12: Solomon's Portico clearly puts them back in the Temple (3.11; 5.25), in the presence of danger (4.1). In verse 15: The expectation that even Peter's shadow could heal is remarkable testimony to the overshadowing power of the Most High (Lk 1.35; Acts 29.22-12). In verse 16: As in the early conflicts with Jesus over his healings, Luke emphasizes that they were all cured (Luke 6.19). Comments and Questions.

Reading for May 6th

Read Acts 4.23-31. In 4.23-5.16: The divine authority of the apostles. In verse 24: Their prayer to the Sovereign Lord invokes God's royal dominion (see also Lk 2. 28) over everything (Acts 14.15; 17.24). In verses 25-26: In the Psalms God spoke through King David (Lk 24.44; Acts 1.16; 2.25, 30-31). Psalm 2 is about God's protection of the messiah from those who have gathered to threaten his reign as ruler over the nations. In verse 27: A direct link is made to the dire roles al three groups played in Jesus' trial, especially Herod (Lk 9.7-9; 13.31; 23.6-12) and Pilate (Lk13.1; 23.1-25). Even the way they gathered together signaled the divine drama (see v. 26). As God's holy anointed or "made messiah" at his baptism (10.38). In verse 28: Luke's conviction about what is predestined or "necessary" is grounded in the way the scripture stated God's plan that had to be fulfilled (Lk 3.26) again illumines the images of stretching out your hand in signs and wonders (Ex 3.20; 4.4; Acts 7.36). In verse 31: The shaking of the place is another sign of divine presence (Acts 2.2). Comments or Questions 

Reading for May 5th

 Read Acts 4.1-22. In 4.1-22: Arrest and trial for the name. In verses 1-2: As the major Jewish institution which the Romans allowed, the Temple had its own officials and security force. Proclamation of the resurrection ... in Jesus is regarded as a threat to the Temple, perhaps especially by the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection (23.6-10). In verse 4: The five thousand believers indicates a substantial response (2.41; Lk 9.14). In verses 5-6: This list indicates the composition of the council or Sanhedrin of the Temple (4.15; see Lk 19.47; 22.66), reflecting the succession in the high priesthood from Annas (6-15 CE) to Caiaphas (18-36 CE). In verse 7: The question of power or name is a challenge of the legitimacy of their authority (Lk 20.2). In verse 8: Luke emphasizes that the rulers of the people and elders are now confronted with the authority of the Holy Spirit (see also 2.4; 4.31; 6.5; 7.55; 9.17; 11.24; 13.9). In verse 10: This public trial is again an occasion for testimony for the crucifixion of the  Messiah (2.23-24; 3.14-15; 5.30-31; 7.51-53). In verse 11: Ps 118.22 is again (see Lk 20.17) used as a charge against the authorities. In verse 12: This is one of the most exclusive statements about Jesus in the New Testament (see also Jn 14.6), again linking his roles as messiah and savior means physical, social and spiritual well-being in life and death. In verse 13: Like contemporary preaching philosophers, the apostles were known for their boldness in speech (4.49-31); 18.26; 28.31). In  verse 14: In Lk 21.15, Jesus promised "words and a wisdom" which opponents could not contradict. In verses 19-20: As in Socrates' classic defense of his teaching before the court in Athens (Apology 290), the apostles show deference to the court's judgment about what is right in God's sight, but take responsibility for what they must do in continuing to speak, no matter what the consequences (5.29). In verse 21: As with Jesus ( Lk 19.47-48;20.19; 22.2), the officials because of the people. In verse 22: This unusual healing was a sign of healing because it pointed to God's fulfillment of an ancient promise of restorations (3.8) Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 4th

 Read Acts 3.17-26. In verse 17: Ignorance is forgivable in Acts, at least until the opportunity  to repent is given (17.30), although it is unlikely that the rulers will find this offer attractive. In verse 18: Without citing a specific prophetic passage, Luke again affirms that God's plan that his Messiah would suffer had been foretold through all the prophets (Lk 24.25, 44-46; Acts 17.2-3; 3.24). In verse 20: The times of refreshing recalls the cessation of suffering when God was obeyed (Ex 8.15). In the language that echoes Moses' plea that someone else be sent (Ex 4.13), Jesus is identified as the  Messiah appointment for you. In verse 21: In Luke's narrative, Jesus must remain in heaven for the sake of the completion of the divine plan (Lk 24.7, 26, 44; Acts 1.16, 22). Its necessity is grounded in the scriptures (that God announced long ago through his holy prophets), and the goal remains the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel of universal restoration (1.6-8). In verse 22: In Deut 18.15-19, the prediction of the prophet like Moses is a test of true and false prophecy (see also Deut 34.10-12). Luke reads it as a direct testimony to the raising up of Jesus (Acts 7.37).  In verse 23: The warning that those who do not listen will be utterly rooted out comes from Lev 23.29, intensifying the call to repentance. In verse 25: Jewish tradition which called the people descendants of the prophets heightened the sense that they were able to decide these matters without professional interpreters.  Luke again emphasizes the common theme in Genesis that promises to Abraham are Israel's calling by which all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen 12.3; 18.18; 22.18; 26.4; Acts 1.6-8). In verse 26: Israel's repentance is meant for the blessing of the world (see also Gen 22.18; "because you obeyed my voice"). Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 3rd

 Read Acts 3.1-16. In 3.1-26: The power of the prophet like Moses. In verse 1: The hour of prayer was one of many daily daily observances, again reflecting Luke's attention to the practice of the Temple (Lk 1.8-10; 2.22-24, 37). In verse 2: The lame had a special place in Jesus' messianic priorities (Lk 7.22; 14.13, 21) in contrast to their exclusion in Lev 21.16-18. The beautiful gate could be any of the several entrances to Jerusalem. In verse 3: Giving alms is a traditional Jewish obligation (Lk 11.41; 12.33; Acts 9.36; 10.2, 4, 31; 24.17). In verses 4-5: Peter's looking intently at the lame man not only contrasts with the tendency to avert the eyes from a beggar, but emphasizes the riveted gaze of an intense interchange (Lk 4.20; 22.56; Acts. 1.10). In verse 6: Peter's command in the name of Jesus Christ (2.38) echoes Jesus' word to the paralyzed man in Lk 5.23. In verse 8: Jumping up, walking, and leaping and praising God into the Temple marks his healing as a fulfillment of Israel's promised restoration like leaping lame man in Isa 35.1-10. In verses 10-12: Wonder and amazement and being utterly astonished are still short of understanding or belief at what has happened (Lk 4.36; 5.26; Acts 2.12), but they provide the occasion for Peter's message. In verses 13-15: The thorough identification with Israel (the God of our ancestors) marks this as prophetic speech among Jews. The oracles are structured as in 2.23-24.36, highlighting the conflict between "you and God"; God has glorified his servant Jesus  whom we you handed over and rejected. As servant (Acts 3.26' 4.25, 27, 30), Holy (Lk 1.35), and Righteous (Lk 23.47; see comment on Acts 7.52), Jesus is fulfilling a host of scriptural roles. The title Author of life is unusual (see 5.31, translated "Leader"), but clearly contrasts Jesus, the source of life, with those who deal in death. The witnesses are again focused on Jesus' resurrection (1.22). In verse 16: Faith in his name becomes the very agency of divine power (see 2.38, and contrast the misuse of Jesus' name by those who are not witnesses in 19.11-16).  Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 2nd

 Read Acts 2.29-47. In verse 29-31: Luke reads the Psalms as Davidic prophecy (Lk 20.41-42; 24.44; Acts 1.16, 20; 4.25; 13.33-36). David was not speaking of himself, since he died and decayed, but spoke as a prophet of another appointed one or Messiah who would fulfill this promise. In verse 32: Witness is again focused on Jesus' resurrection (1.22), In verse 33: The dramatic displays of the Holy Spirit are signs that Jesus himself has  received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, and being exalted at the right hand of God, he has authority to inaugurate his reign. Along with Lk 10.21-22, this is a key passage is subsequent understandings of the Triune God. In verse 34: David is again cited as a prophet by quoting from Ps 110.1 (Lk 20.42-44). In verse 36: This verse is the rhetorical conclusion of Peter's speech. Jesus has ben attested from scripture as God's Lord and Messiah which is to indict all who where involved in his crucifixion. In verse 37: To be cut to the heart is a profoundly physical response of contrition. "What should we do?" was also the distraught response of those convicted by John's preaching (Lk 3.10-14; see 10.25;12.17; 16.3-4; 18.18). In verse 38: John also told people  to repent and be baptized as a warning against "the wrath to come," but now that the messiah reign has begun, forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit are promised (Lk 3.7-9, 15-17). the name of Jesus Christ is divine agency and authority for the apostles (3.6, 16; 4.10, 12, 17-18, 30; 5.28, 40-41; 8.12; 9.16, 21, 27, 28; 16.18; 19.13, 17; 21.13; 22.16; 26.9). In verse 39: The promise is the restoration of Israel and renewal of God's call (Isa 49.6; Acts 1.8; Isa 57.19). In verse 40: This corrupt generation is a biblical diagnosis (Deut 32.5; Ps 78.8; Lk 9.41; 11.29). In verse 41: On the three thousand persons, see also 2.47. In verses 44-46: Luke seems to depict holding all things in common as a voluntary practice (see also 5.4). The Temple remains the natural gathering place for prayer (see Acts 3-4, 5.20; 21.26). Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 1st

 Read Acts 2.14-28. In 2.14-47: Peter's sermon at Pentecost. In verses 14-16; Peter's speech directly answers the question, "What does this mean?" (v. 12) though an extended scriptural interpretation. In verses 17-21: These verses correspond very closely to the book of Joel (2.28-32) as it survives in the Greek version known as the Septuagint (LXX). in the last days (LXX: "afterward") could mean "at the end of time" or in the time before the restoration of the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem (Joel 3.1: Acts 1.6-8), The pouring out of God's spirit signifies the renewal of prophecy among men and women. Verses 22-39 will identify Jesus as the "Lord" in whose name salvation is given. In verse 22: Israelites (v. 29) includes all Jews who claim the promises God made to Israel. By means of the deeds of power, wonders and signs (Lk 24.19; Acts 10.38). Jesus is attested as the true prophet (Deut 18; Acts 3.22). In verse 23: Luke consistently attests that Jesus' death occurred through God's definite plan and foreknowledge, Israel's active complicity, and the direct agency of the gentiles or those outside the law (4.47-28). In verses 25-28: David is regarded as the author of Ps 16.8-11. Hades is the realm of the dead (Lk 10.15; 16.23). The Holy One was Israel's anointed king, "set apart" for God Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 30th

 Read Acts 2.1-13. In 2.1-8.1: The witness in Jerusalem. In 2.1-13: The promise of the Father given at Pentecost. In verse 1: Pentecost is the fiftieth day after Passover, the popular Feast of Weeks of early harvest (Ex 23.16; 34.22; Lev 23.15-21; Deut 16.9-12). In verse 2: The sound like the rush of a violent wind recalls the loud sounds of God's presence at Sinai (Ex 19.16-19, compare also 1 Kings 19.11-12). In verse 3: Divided tongues, distributed to each, anticipate the inspired speaking and hearing of vv. 4-13. Fire indicates divine presence (Gen 15.17; Ex 3.2; 13.21-22; 24.17), as promised (Lk 3.16). In verse 4: Luke often describes inspiration in terms of being filled with the Holy Spirit. (Lk 1.15, 41, 667; Acts 4.8; 9.17; 13.9), now directly fulfilling Jesus' promise (Lk 24.49; Acts 1.4-5, 8). In Greek, to speak in other languages is literally "to speak in other tongues." In verse 5: Devout Jews were observant of the law (Lk 2.25; Acts 8.2; 22.12). In verse 6: In Greek, they hear "each in our own dialect " (v. 8). In verses 9-11: All of these groups represent Jewish (v. 5) communities, including gentiles who had become Jew (proselytes) spread throughout the world, now gathered in Jerusalem. In verse 11: This is a miracle of both speech and hearing since now hear in our own languages (Gk., "tongues") the subject matter of inspired witness is God's deeds of power (Deut 11.3; Ps 70.19; Lk 1.46-55). In verses 12-13: "What does this mean?" is a faithful question in the midst of perplexity, prompting Peter's speech (see also LK 1.29, 34). "They are filled with new wine" is a judgment intended to discredit their prophetic speech. Comments or questions..

Reading for April 29th

 Read Acts 1.12-26. In 1.12-26: Restoring the twelve. In verse 13: On the named apostles, see also Lk 6.13-16. In verse 14: Luke again draws attention to the presence of the women at a critical occasion of God's action (Lk 8.1-3; 23.49; 23.5-10), specifically Jesus' mother Mary (Lk 1.35). In verses 15-20: Peter again affirms that the scripture had to be fulfilled (Lk 24.25-26, 44-47), and his first speech in Acts is a scriptural testimony interpreting what has happened on the basis of Ps 69.25 (68.26: LXX) and 109.8 (LXX 108). In verse 16-18: On Judas' active conspiracy, see Lk 22.3-6, 47-48. On his death, compare Mt 27.5. In verse 22: On the baptism of John as Jesus' anointing by God, see Lk 3.21-22; Acts 10.38). To be a witness to his resurrection (Gk., "martyr") will brings suffering and death even to those who were not "eyewitnesses" from the beginning (Lk 1.1; Acts 7; 24.14-21) In verse 23: Neither Joseph called Barabbas nor  Mathias is ever mentioned again in the Newer Testament. In verse 26: Casting lots was a traditional Jewish practice for discerning God's choice (Lev 16.8; Num 26.55; 33.54; Josh 19). The eleven must be restored to twelve because of Israel's twelve tribes (Lk 5.13; 9.1; 22.30; Acts 26.7) Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 28th

 Read Acts 1.1-11. I.1-26: Awaiting the promise. In 1-11: The exaltation of Jesus. In verses 1-5: These verses provide a resumption of the story as it ends in the first book of The Gospel according to Luke (see comments on Lk 1.1-4; 24.36-53) and anticipate the first episodes of Acts. In verse 2: The apostles whom he had chosen were specifically the twelve (Lk 6.13; 9.1; 22.30), now without Judas (1.16-17). In verse 3: Like 24 indicates that both physical signs and scriptural interpretation are combined in these convincing proofs, entailing appearances and persuasive witness to the kingdom of God with Jesus attested as messiah of this dominion straight through Acts (28.31). In verse 4: The promise of the Father was given at Pentecost (2.1-47; see v. 33). In verse 5: On the contrast between John's baptism with water and the baptism with the Holy Spirit, (see also Lk 3.16-17, 21-22; Acts 18.25; 19.2-6). In verse 6: Israel  hoped God would accomplish the restoration in accord with prophetic promises (Isa 49.6; Jer 29.14). In verse 7: The promised restoration is assumed, but the times or periods that the Father has set are not open knowledge, except that the kingdom is near (Mk 13.32; Lk 21.31). In verse 8: This power is a sign of divine authority (4.7),the agency of the Holy Spirit, not the apostles themselves,but their office is that of witnesses to Jesus' resurrection (1.22). Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, are the geographic locations of the  opening chapters.the ends of the earth are prophetic symbols of Israel's renewed divine calling (Isa 49.6). In verse 9: The cloud is a sign of divine presence (Lk 9.34). In verse 10: The two men are again heavenly witnesses (Lk 244). In verse 11: The two men are again heavenly witnesses (Lk 24.4). In verse 11: In being taken up (1.22), Jesus accomplishes his "departure" (Luke 9.31) and is exalted by God to heavenly rule ( Acts 7.56). Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 27th

Read Ezra 10.16-44. In 10.16-44: The Listing of men who had married foreign wives. Moving back to a third person narrative, the account now describes the process by which the community was examined, and the results of that examination are listed The emphasis on the actual persons who willingly sent away their foreign wives underscores the community's willingness to take on this level of separation, forming a distinct, "holy" community. In verse 17: By the first day of the first month: The process took three months. In verse 18: The list is ordered along three lines-the priests, the Levites, and Israel-considering the small enclave of Jerusalem and its surroundings as the totality of the community. In verse 44: The Hebrew text here is difficult and the translation follows the Greek of 1 Esdras. The Hebrew suggests the children stayed and only the foreign wives were sent away, the children being counted as legitimate members of the community. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 26th

 Read Ezra 10.6-15. In 10.6-15: Ezra's decree against intermarriage. Rather than issue a proclamation in his role as imperial representative, Ezra convenes an assembly off the community to deliver the regulations to separate themselves from the peoples of the lands. The narrative underscores the willingness of the community to reform itself, with few exceptions. In verse 6: Ezra withdrew: having interceded on behalf of the community, Ezra could now retire to another less public place to plan how the community would enact its reforms. His fasting is a traditional means of expressing sorrow for sin. In verse 7: A proclamation: The call to conconvene an assembly goes to the returned exiles, perhaps to differentiate the community from non-Israelites populations that may have moved into the region after the fall of Judean kingdom. In verse 8: Property ... forfeited: A penalty that presupposes community control over each individual's possessions. There is evidence that the Persian empire organized some districts into economic collectives in which the individual had wealth only as part of the collective. Being excluded from the collective would have dire economic consequences. Congregations: The same word in Hebrew as "assembly" in 10.1. In verse 9: The ninth month: Kislev, approximately December  of the modern calendar, a time of cold rains in Palestine. In a human touch, the author notes the people were trembling from the awareness of the matter at hand and the cold rains. In verse 10: Trespassed: the violation of separations has not only caused individual alienation from God, but has affected the community's relationship to God. In verse 11: Separate yourselves: it is not clear if the order to separate is a general one, for which sending away the foreign wives is the specific action, or if an additional issue is involved. In verse 14: The whole assembly agrees to Ezra's proposal but makes a series of practical suggestions for its implementation. the work of sorting through those marriages that needed to be dissolved would continue until intermarriage was no longer the guilt of the community. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 25th

 Read Ezra 10.1-5. In 10.1-5: The people's response. The narrative now returns briefly to a third-person form to describe the community's reaction to Ezra's sermon in prayer form. The function of this brief notice is to empower Ezra to act on behalf of the community's own request. In verse 1: A very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel: One of the keys to this section is the idea of an assembly. A large number of persons heard Ezra's prayer and wept bitterly, indicating their deep grief. In verse 3: Now let us make a covenant: Recognizing the gravity of the or situation, the assembly calls for action to remove the foreign wives from the community's midst as a sacred acts, to be done as dictated by Ezra and those who tremble at the commandment of God, the members of the community particularly concerned with obedience to the law. In verse 5: The leading priests, the Levities, and all Israel: reversing the order of the report from the "officials" in 9.1, the account ensures that the community as a whole observes the new covenant. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 24th

 Read Ezra 9.10-15. In verses 10-11: For we have forsaken your commandments, which you have commanded by your servants the prophets: The quotation comes from fragments of various texts pieced together, notably Deut 7.1-4; 11.8; 23.6; Isa 1.19; and Lev 18.24-30. In verse 13: After all that has come upon us relates to the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile of a number of leading citizens under the Babylonians. In verse 14: Shall we break your commandments again and intermarry: This phrasing equates the idolatry of the late Judean kingdom with the practice of intermarriage in Ezra's day, (Which would mean the community has survived, yet guilt has again come on the community from its intermarriage with surrounding peoples. The implication is that the community must remove the guilt (that is, intermarriage) or face certain destruction at the hands of a just and holy God. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 23rd

 Read Ezra 9.5-9.9. In 9.5-9.6: Our iniquities ... and our guilt are references to the practice of intermarriage; both terms are often used for severe transgressions of the law. In verse 7: To utter shame; as is now the case:Though Persian monarchs have generally been supportive, there is still the sense of a diminished community because of the need to rely on Persian support. In verse 8: Who has left us a remnant, and given us a stake in his holy place: God's recent gracious acts are reviewed, including allowing the community to survive at all and providing a point of security in Jerusalem. In verse 9: For we are are slaves: Despite the favor the monarchy has granted, the community is still is servitude to the empire. The expression will be echoed in Neh 9.36. To set up the house of our God serves as a general heading, the specific actions being to repair its ruins and to provide a wall in Judea and Jerusalem. The wall is a metaphor, standing for a boundary or separation from the surrounding region by staying away from intermarriage. To violate this wall becomes all the more serious, a rejection of God's gift intended to help establish the house of God. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 22nd

 Read Ezra 9.1-4. In 9.1-15: Acknowledgment of intermarriage and Ezra's response.  The narrative dealing with Ezra comes to a dramatic point in this chapter. Portions of the community reveal that intermarriage has taken place, and Ezra offers a long prayer of confession trusting God will not destroy the community because of this sin. The entire framework is expressed in graphic terms, in which intermarriage is colored by terms associated with the most severe violations of God's sanctity. The aura of holiness and purity which is now transferred to the community as a whole. The community becomes the house of God. In verse 1: After these things: Ezra has disposed of some of the formalities of his mission, and then is confronted by the issue of intermarriage. the list of peoples contains the seven stock enemies of Israel that appear in as number of places in the Hebrew BiBle. While marriage with foreigners was not prohibited, marriage with any of these enemies was considered unacceptable because of the danger of idolatry (for example, Deut 7.1-4). There is no evidence that such people would still have been identifiable in the time of Ezra. In verse 2: The holy seed has mixed itself extends language from the "holiness code" of Lev 9 to the populations. In Lev 19.19, mixing different seeds is prohibited as an a frront to God' s holiness. Such action is characterized as faithlessness in the this narrative, or acting without for God's holiness. The entire condemnation of intermarriage here is a process of creatively combing ideas and themselves into a new teachings. In verse 3: I tore my garment and my mantle, and pulled hair from my head and beard: These are traditional signs of deep felt grief. In verse 4: All who trembled at the words of the God of Israel is a reference to those who took seriously the commandments of God, reflecting the original awe of the people: When God first revealed his law upon the mountain (Ex 19.16-20). Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 21st

 Read Ezra 8.31-36. In 8.31-36: The return to Jerusalem. This section provides a clean closure to the basic duties of the party returning with Ezra: The delivery of the Temple treasures being donated by the Persian monarchy and the initiation of newly endowed sacrifices. In verse 31: The hand of our God was upon us: The same concept of divine empowerment is found in 7.28. In verse 33: On the fourth day: Possibly the party needed the time to rest before engaging in their business.The gifts were weighed out in order to ensure the qualities entrusted to Ezra and his group was fully delivered. In verse 35: Those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles; This enigmatic reference may mean just the group that has returned with Ezra or the entire Jerusalem community. Most likely, given the end of v. 36, the reference is intended to be the the group that has just returned. The sacrifices that are offered bear symbolic numbers representative of all Israel. Verses 35-36 are related in a third-person form, leading several to suggest that were the worked of a later editor. In verse 36: They supported the people and the house of God, the ultimate commendation of those who came with Ezra. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 20th

 Read Ezra 8.21--30. In 8.21-30: Preparations for the journey to Jerusalem. There are two distinct parts to this section: a concern about physical dangers (vv. 21-23) and some details on the precious metals being carried for the Temple (vv. 24-30). In the author's view, it may be that carrying so much gold and silver made the expedition a target for robbers, leading to the concerns for security. In verse 21: Then I proclaimed a fast there: Following the Exile, fasting seems to have become a more common practice to affirm to God and the community the seriousness with which appeals to God were being made. In this case, the fast underscores the community's desire for God to protect them. In verse 23: And he listened to our entreaty anticipates what the reader is told later, that the journey was made safely. In verse 24: The Nehemiah various  groupings of twelve appear frequently, possibly as a way of of retaining some sense of the twelve-tribe organization that traditionally made up the members of Israel, even though most of the persons in these groups are from the tribe of Judah. In verse 28: You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy summarizes several Pentateuchal rules regarding priests (Ex 29.1; Lev 21.6) and vessels used in worship (Ex 29.44; 30.29). Only Temple personnel decreed as holy could transport holy objects (Lev 3.13; 4.12-15). Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 19th

 Read Ezra 8.15-20. In 8.15-20: An aside concerning the Levites. The list above (vv.1-14), although there are priests, there are no Levites. yet Levites were necessary for the proper functioning of the Temple since certain duties were exclusively theirs. This section explains how Ezra was able to solve this problem. In verse 15: The river that runs to Ahava: An unknown place in Babylonia. In verse 17: The place called Casiphia: Another unknown place, though the presence of Temple servants there suggests some form of formal worship may have been conducted in this location. Comments or Questions...

Reading for April 18th

 Read Ezra 8.1-14.  In 8.1-14: Listing of those returning with Ezra. Presented in the form of a list, this section has very artificial structure, leading many to question its authenticity. In verse 2: Of the descendants of Phineas: The list begins with priests first, followed by the descendants of David. The list of David's descendants in 1 Chr 3 carries the list three or four generations after these generations. In verse 3: Of Parosh, Zechariah: What follows are twelve distinct family groups of persons with no specified occupations. Given the figures for the number of males in each family group, a total of 1,500 men, women, and children would have been part of this group. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 17th

 Read Ezra 7.21-28. In verse 22: Up to one hundred talents of silver: Instructions for the imperial treasurers to support Ezra within limits. The quantities for most of the commodities are not unreasonable, but the amount of silver is almost a third of the total annual taxation of the province Beyond the River. In verse 24: It shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll: The exemption of propose tribute, custom, or toll: The exemption of professionals involved in staffing temples from antaxation is attested in other parts of the Persian empire, so it would not be out of character for such an exemption to be extended to the Temple personnel in Jerusalem. In verse 25: Appoint magistrates and judges: Ezra is charged to reform the judiciary. God-given wisdom: Though it is unlikely that a Persian king would have credited Ezra's wisdom to God, this connection appears in several places in the book of Deuteronomy (Deut 4.6; 16.19-20). In verse 26: All who will not obey the law of your God refers not to all peoples of any cultural heritage living in the province, but to those who know the laws of God, that is, other Jews. In verse 27: To glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; Since Ezra's official mission has little to do with the physical Temple, it is likely that the "house of God" is not the Temple as such, but the community's adherence to the distinctive customs of Israel. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 16th

 Read Ezra 7.11-20. In 7.11-28: King Artaxerxes' commission to Ezra.  The letter that Artaxerxes purportedly gave to Ezra elevates Ezra from a religious teacher to an imperial official, undertaking an important mission at the request of the king.  While portions of the letter may well be genuine, there are serious questions about the authenticity of other sections, and the author seems to have taken some significant liberties in editing the document. In verse 12: Artaxerxes, king of kings: Persian kings did refer to themselves this way, suggesting part of an authentic Persian letter. In verse 14: You are sent by the king and his seven counselors: Persian monarchs had a high council of seven trusted advisers who were called upon to help with significant decisions. Ezra is instructed to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem, a vague task. According to the law of your God may suggest that Ezra is ensuring that the worship in the Temple is being properly conducted. Which is your hand has been variously interpreted. On its simplest level,  it means that Ezra is physically carrying a copy of the Pentateuch from Babylon to Jerusalem, although in Hebrew there are more direct ways the express this. The phrase in your hand is attested in several Persian period documents as meaning "in your power" or "in your sphere of authority" in this understanding, Artaxerxes is directing Ezra to conduct his inquiry in terms of the laws that are relevant to the inquiry, laws that apply to Ezra's task. In verse 19: The vessels that have been given you: Like the vessels Nebuchadnezzar had taken and Cyrus had returned to the Temple (17-11), these vessels are a royal gift bestowed on the Temple as a sign of gratitude for God's granting Artaxerxes' rule. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 15th

EZRA'S INQUIRY

Chs.7-10: With little in the way of transition, a first-person narrative recounts the conditions under which Ezra was authorized to undertake a trip to Jerusalem, and his initial concerns once there. The use of a first-person narrative maybe the result of the author's use of an authentic source (an "Ezra memoir") or may be a literary device intended to give immediacy and emotional power to the narrative. 

 Read Ezra 7.1-10. In 7.1-10: Introduction to the mission of Ezra. The purpose of this third person narration is to give the reader a sense of who Ezra was and what was significant about his role in relation to the community. In verse 5: Son of Eleazar, son of the chief priest Aaron: Ezra is given a distinguished lineage, concluding with the most important aspect of his family line, that he was a descendant of the primary line of priests in ancient Israel. In verse 6: A scribe skilled in the law: The ability to read and write led people to expect that scribes could also explain legal issues. Law of Moses: apparently the Pentateuch in some form. The king granted him all that he asked for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. There is no explanation of how a person who was a specialist in a religious tradition whose followers were a small minority with in the empire could get repeated to the king. Hand of the Lord ...  was upon him: A common expression of the presence of God in some sense guiding the person's career. In verse 7: Some people of israel: presumably only a small portion of the Jewish community in Babylon chose to return Jerusalem. Life in exile was more that likely not too difficult, and the prospect of returning to a land deastated by warfare and economic ruin not very attractive. The seventh year of King Artaxerxes would be 458 BCE if this was Artaxerxes I of Persia, Since Ezra's opposition to inter marriage receives no mention in the account o Nehemiah, and Nehemiah addresses the same issues as if they had never been raised before, some have argued Ezra really came under Artaxerxes II (the seventh year being 398 BCE). The confusion over Ezra's chronological relation to Nehemiah comes about from trying to read Ezra-Nehemiah as straight history rather than as an apologetic. The author intents the reader to believe that Ezra came first. In verse 10: Ezra set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it: Not only was Ezra a student of the law, but he sought to observe its requirements in his everyday life. Out of his study and experience, Ezra would teach the people. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for April 14th

 Read 6.19-22. In 6.19-22: The first Passover in the rebuilt Temple. The shift back to Hebrew from Aramaic draws attention to just as Israel was not a physical nation until they could worship God following their escape from Egypt, celebrated in the Passover, so the exilic community could not be considered a nation until the house of God was fully functioning. With the Temple in place, the Passover celebration had a renewed importance for the community as a sign of their coming into a new status. The author skillfully connects this with the physical separation of the community from the physical separation of the community from the surrounding peoples, a point that Ezra will hammer on as the center piece of his reforms. On verse 20: The priests and the Levites had purified themselves: Following the return from exile, there was a new emphasis on the purity regulations of the Pentateuch and on extending the areas of life they affected. Before undertaking the Passover, the ritual purity of the priests and Levites had to be assured. In verse 21: The people of Israel who had returned from exile, and ... all who had joined them and separated themselves from the pollutions of the nations: As a celebration of God's miraculous deliverance and the formation of the people into a nation,Passover was a powerful symbol of identity.Those who had been exiled and returned clearly would be recognized as part of Israel. The population that remained behind joined the exile community by separating from the surrounding peoples. Pollutions: a term normally reserved for severe violations of the sacral order. It was because of their pollutions, according to some parts of the hebrew Bible, that God removed the Canaanites from the land (Lev20.22-24). In verse 22: Had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them so that he aided them in the work: An echo of Ezra 1.1-4. The use of the title king of Assyria is unclear, though the Persian king did not adopt this title since the former Assyrian territory was under his rule. It may be a deliberate reference to King Esarhaddon of Assyria (Ezra 4.2); some of the peoples he transported to the territory north of Jerusalem had indeed "come over" to the side of the returning exiles in opposition to their fellow countryfolk, who opposed the Temple. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 13th

 Read Ezra 6.13-18. Artaxerxes of Persia: In a literal historial reading this makes no sense, since the physical Temple was completed in the reign of Darius, and Artaxerxes had nothing to do with it. However, the formation of the "house of God" involved not only rebuilding the Temple, but also rebuilding the city and separating the community from the surrounding peoples by prohibiting intermarriage. The later steps, under the reformers Ezra and Nehemiah, occurred in the time of Artaxerxes. In verse 15: The third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius: 515 BCE. Some believe the day was originally the twenty-third day of Adat, which would have put the completed rebuilding near the celebration of the completion of the original Temple (2 Chr 7.10) and approximately 70 years after the destruction of that Temple. In verse  17: As a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel: Without a functioning Temple, it was not possible for the priesthood to maintain regular purification offering for the nation. The offering may be indebted to the vision of a renewed Temple by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 43.22-27) in which the sin offing purifies the Temple from the pollutions of Israel's past. In verse 18: As it is written in the book of Moses: In 1 Chr 23-26 it is David who sets up the courses of the priests and Levites for the worship in the Temple. There is no prescription for these orders as described in the Pentateuch, normally what the author mean by the book of Moses, With the arrangements for the offerings and who would be responsible for them, the Temple is now fully functioning. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for April 12th

Reading for Ezra 6.1-12. In verse 2: Ecbatana, the capital of the province of Media: The search began in Babylon since important royal decrees would be archived there. Ecbatana, at a higher elevation than the main capital of Persepolis, was the location of  the Persian king's summer palace. In verse 4: Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury: Cyrus' detailed specifications of the size and form of construction, limit how much the rebuilding would cost, since imperial finds were paying for it. In verse 10: So they offer pleasing sacrifices ... and pray for the life of the king and his children: Persian imperial support for local religious centers is well attested. It was part of a larger policy of bringing local customs into the framework of loyalty to the empire. Darius probably did not worship Israel's God, but that did not prevent him from seeking to convince those who did that Israel's God was concerned with the king's well-being. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for April 11th

 Read Ezra 5.6-17. In verse 6: The copy of the letter: The author offers extracts from official memoranda to fill out the story line. While there can be no certainty, it appears the author was working from actual documents, which may have been modified slightly to fit the narrative. In verse 12; But because our ancestors had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand hand of King Nebuchadnezzar: The case for rebuilding the Temple depends in part on the assertion that the Temple was destroyed not because the southern kingdom rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, an imperial king, but because God was angry. In verse 13: King Cyrus ... made a decree: See 1.1-4. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 10th

 Read Ezra 5.1-5. In 5.1-6.18: Overcoming opposition and rebuilding the Temple. This section of the book highlights the continued commitment of the community to rebuilding the house of God, understood as both the physical Temple and the renewed city of Jerusalem. The section is in Aramaic and, as in the earlier sections, carries that narrative forward by extensive quotation from various official documents. In 5.1: Haggai and Zechariah: The section opens at the end of the sixth century, where ch. 4 ended, with mention of two prophets who, along with Zerubbabel the governor Joshua the high priest, directed a new effort to rebuild the Temple. There are probably the prophets behind the canonical books bearing their names. In verse 3: Who gave you a decree: the officials who are inquiring about imperial permission may not be opposing the rebuilding of the Temple as much as showing concern that all is being done in accord with imperial sanction Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 9th

Read Ezra  4.17-24. In verse 19: I made a decree, and someone searched: The command was to investigate the charge that Jerusalem had a history of rebellion. Brief accounts of major events were kept for Administrative purposes, such as the Babylonian Chronicles, which record the successive revolts of Jerusalem against Babylonian empire until the city's destruction. In verse 20: Jerusalem has had mighty kings who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River: This would seem to to refer to either David or Solomon, who exercised control over a large territory. This makes sense, however, either in the context or in the kinds of records available to the Persian monarch. The same wording could be translated, "Moreover, there have been powerful kings over Jerusalem who also ruled over the whole province ..., placing Artaxerxes in a series of imperial rulers who had successfully controlled Jerusalem and Beyond the River. In verse 21: This city not be rebuilt, until I make a decree : By stopping the rebuilding, Artaxerxes was not making a permanent decision. A future royal decree is exactly what the narrative concerning Nehemiah envisions. In verse 23: By force and power made them cease: The prompt response that may refer to infantry and cavalry units whos presence would have underscore the imperial concern over the rebuilding effort. In verse 24: At that time the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped: If read as a historical narrative, the phrase at that time makes little sense. Artaxerxes I makes the decision to have the work halted sometime after 465 BCE, but later the note until the second year of the reign of King Darius have to be 521 BCE. Either the author is hopelessly confused regarding chronology, or the purpose of the narrative is not historical by thematic. The notation here returns the narrative to the issue of rebuilding the Temple, bringing it back to v. 5. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 8th

 Read Ezra 4.7-16. In verse 7: And in the days of Artaxerxes: He came to the throne in 465 BCE and remained in power until 423 BCE. The names of the officials sending the memo are Aramaic and Persian. The letter was written in Aramaic: The normal language for conducting official business in the Persian empire was Aramaic. By making note of this detail, the author affirms the seriousness of this exchange. It was translated so that the Jerusalem community could understand it. The footnote points out that the Hebrew text goes on to read in Aramaic, indicating that the author is quoting from the Aramaic original as opposed to the translation. From this point until 6.18: the narrative is in Aramaic. In verse 8: Wrote a letter against Jerusalem identifies the city with the house of God. In verse 10; The rest of the nations ... deported and settled refers to vv. 1-2, where the deportees settled to the north of Jerusalem were the "adversaries" seeking to join in the rebuilding the Temple. Here, they oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. Osnapper is a variant name for the Assyrian king Asshurbanipal (669-633 BCE). Beyond the River was the official name of the administrative unit of Syria-Palestine (In Aramaic,"Abarnahara"). From the perspective of Mesopotamia and Persia, the territories of Syria-Palestine were across or "beyond" the river Jordan, terminating at the coast of the Mediterranean.In verse 12: They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city: The neighboring peoples charge that Jerusalem, with its history of rebellion against empires, should not be rebuilt. Persian imperial practice was to decentralize populations. Only where security or economic concerns were of central importance were cities rebuilt. In verse 13: if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute: A renewed and refortified Jerusalem will follow its earlier history and will revolt against the taxes and dues that provided the economic lifeblood of the empire. In verse 14: We share the salt of the place: An expression, exact meaning unclear, perhaps saying that the writers are paid in part directly by the palace in the form of salt, a more valued commodity in antiquity than now. In verse 16: You will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River: With Hyperbole (exaggeration to make the point) the opponents imply that Jerusalem's revolt would lead to the loss of the whole province. Comments or Questions..