I PETER 5:1-11

 From a purely literary view, it is first interesting to note the close thematic parallels between verses 2:11-3:17 and 4:12-5:11:

        General admonition to obey civil authorities (2:11-17; 4:12-19)

        Ethical lists (2:18-3:7; 5:1-5a)

        Blessings to the humble (3:8-17; 5:5b-11)

Then concerning how 5:1-11 itself is organized, we see the following repetition of themes:

A. sufferings of Christ (1a)

        B. elders (1b)

                C. glory to be revealed (1c)

                        D. do not lord it over the flock (2-3)

                C'. crown of glory (4)

        B'. elders (5a)

                        D'. humility, humble (5b-6a, 3x)

                                E. mighty hand of God (6b)

                                        F. will exalt you (6b)

                                                G. resist the devil (8-9a)

                                                G'. be steadfast in your faith (9a)

A'. your sufferinga (9b)

                C''. eternal glory (10a)

A''. having suffered himself (10b)

                                        F'. God will restore, establish and strengthen you (10c)

                                E'. His is the might (11)

Below are some selected thoughts on this chapter:

verse 1 “Elders (Gk. presbyteroi) were appointed from earliest times to take spiritual charge of the infant churches which came into being with the spread of the gospel (cf. Acts 14:23; 20:17). Acts 15:2 shows that even the Jerusalem church had this order of ministry at an early date, and it probably derived from Jewish precedent...Their task was primarily a pastoral one...” (Wheaton)

verse 2 Goppelt: “The image of 'shepherding the flock' is applied to congregational leadership in only two passages in the NT, here and in Acts 20:28f.), which agree terminologically almost completely, so that a common tradition must lie behind them.”

verse 3 Unfortunately, in the many churches I have attended over the years, I have run into a number of cases where the elders of the congregations did act like total dictators imposing their sometimes not very informed views on the rest of the flock. Apparently that particular temptation for church leaders is not a new phenomenon by any means.

verse 4 For comments on this verse, I turn to the anonymous articles found in The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery.

        “The image of a golden crown is another evocative NT image for immortality (2 Tim 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4).”

        “The crown is a symbol of royal authority in the Bible (e.g., Ps 89:19-20) or even an emblem of redemption (1 Pet 5:4, etc.).”

        “The actual pictures of the afterlife for believers stress six motifs. One is that the future blessed state of the redeemed is a state of triumph, usually pictured by the image of a crown (I Cor 9:25; 2 Tim 2:5; 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4; Rev 3:11; 6:2)...”

        “Even the trials that made the eyes of Job and the psalmist dim can bring forth benefit in heaven, for such trials are meant to test 'the genuinenness of your faith...may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed' and in a 'crown of glory that never fades away' (1 Pet 1:7; 5:4 NRSV). Thus the Christian has hope in Christ that he or she may escape the fading caused by death and sin.”

        “The imagery used to portray heavenly reward in the NT stresses the transcendent permanence of the reward...The preferred image comes from the monarchy, as we read about a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8), a crown of life (James 1:12) and a crown of glory (1 Pet 5:4; Rev 2:10).”

        “The prize of faith is imperishable (cf. 2 Tim 2:5; 4:8; 1 Pet 1:4; 5:4), not like the celery crown that was awarded to the winner of a race at the games!”

verse 5 Quanbeck points out that “humility is not natural to anyone; it must be put on like clothing. The quotation is from Pr.3.34.”

The annotation in the Jerusalem Bible notes: “the 'younger people' here are not adolescents as opposed to 'older people', cf. Tt 2:6, but the body of faithful as opposed to the 'presbyters' or elders, 5:1+.”

verses 6-7 “Humility, vs. 6, is not only to characterize the relationship of the Christians one to another (as was emphasized in vs. 5), but it is also to be the manner of the whole church in meeting God's dispensations. The reward will be exaltation when the time comes. Consequently there is no occasion for anxiety now, vs. 7, but all earthly worries may be placed upon him, who in his fatherly care sustains and guides his faithful ones toward the determined goal.” (Reicke)

verse 8-9 Goppelt notes, “In affliction it is not only God who is at work, but also 'your adversary, the devil.' This aspect of the situation, not yet mentioned up to this point, follows from its interpretation as peirasmos (1:6; 4:12). As viewed by both OT and NT tradition, peirasmos [trial] not only goes forth from God as examination, but also from Satan as temptation. Jesus himself developed the idea that the eschatological drawing near of God provokes, at the same time, the powers of evil and brings them into alliance under Satan for a unified counteraction (Mt. 12:25f., 28f.); evil thus also takes on an eschatological shape.”

verses 8-10 “In 1 Peter 5:8-9 the devil is portrayed as a 'roaring lion' who causes suffering in the lives of God's people. 1 Peter 5:10 then provides the readers assurance that their experience of suffering in the spiritual warfare will last only 'a little while' before God brings them to the point of spiritual completeness. Though this is not stated explicitly, it is possible to infer that martyrdom completes this process.” (Luter)

And Arnold comments, “In spite of his defeat at the cross, Satan continues to rage in powerful opposition to the people of God...The image of Satan as 'a roaring lion' (1 Peter 5:8) captures the fear he seeks to instill in people...Peter perceived the devil as behind the suffering which the believers in Asia Minor were experiencing when he wrote to them (1 Peter 5:8-9)...Satan's ability to prevent or sever a relationship with God comes through his power to incite sin and transgression. The death of Christ on the cross has effectively dealt with the problem...It is precisely the blood of Christ that redeems people from and bondage to sin and Satan (cf. Rev 5:9).”

verses 10-11 Boring says, “The body of the letter ends not in the imperative but in the indicative mood, not with a command but with a promise (5:10)...The concluding doxology (5:11) is not just a religious flourish with which to end. The power (kratos) attributed to God is cognate to the 'mighty hand' (krateia) of 5:6 with which the unit began, the two words forming an inclusio for the unit.”

ZECHARIAH 10

I generally steer away from any detailed analysis of Old Testament prophetic texts because so much of their interpretation depends on individual scholars' predisposition and theological stance. Thus, theological skeptics found in many mainstream Protestant denominations hold to the belief that there can be no such thing as true biblical prophecy. Therefore if an OT prophecy appears to have actually come true later on, that is good evidence that the passage was written after the fact. And on the other extreme are those fundamentalist scholars, especially of the dispensational persuasion, who will deny that many of the OT prophecies were fulfilled by the first coming of Christ even if the NT writers quote those prophecies in that context, unless there is a word-for-word literal fulfillment. If not, then they will simply state that many OT prophecies have partial fulfillment during Christ's life on earth, with more literal fulfillment yet to come in the last days.

In the middle of these two extreme viewpoints are a vast number of intellectually honest scholarly commentators from various denominations who attempt to make the best sense out of OT prophecies by (1) not demanding that the fulfillment rigidly adhere to a literal meaning, (2) being strongly guided in their judgment by what the NT texts have to say regarding the subject, and (3) denying the dispensational notion that God's main plan on earth is for the Jewish people only, with the Gentiles taking a purely supporting and minor role. The first presupposition makes good sense since one must remember that most OT prophetic passages are found in a poetic context where one would generally not expect literal language to be employed. And the second assumption appears to make the best sense out of the way the NT authors treat Christ's coming and death as having already fulfilled much of what the OT predicted. Lastly, there is much to be said for the view that the emphasis of some, but not all, dispensationalist scholars on the ethnic Jews to the subservience of the Gentile population borders on the heretical.

Complicating this whole issue is another factor brought up by Childs: “The inability to reach a consensus on the dating of the book has left unresolved the historical context for interpretation. As a result, few Old Testament books reflect such a chaos of conflicting interpretations.”

With all that background, it becomes obvious that it is almost impossible for me to present an impartial, complete, and systematic treatment of what all sides have to say regarding any large chunk of OT prophecy, but I will give it a try with the tenth chapter of Zechariah as an example. And to sort out the players somewhat, I have labelled each person's comment as best I could with their general prophetic stance as either liberal (L), scholarly evangelical/conservative (E), or dispensational/fundamentalist (F). The “E” category includes a hodgepodge of historical premillennialists, amillennialists and other scholars who have no particular prior theological axe to grind. But these divisions should not be taken too seriously since, as you may see below, there is a great deal of overlap between these three categories.

To start with, you will not find it uncommon in commentaries of a more liberal nature (such as that of Redditt) to spend the majority of their words reviewing all the generally contradictory theories propounded to explain OT prophecy books as works in progress to which a number of ancient writers contributed, continually update earlier predictions in order to bring them in line with the latest historical events. In other words, to change the predictions so that they better matched what really happened later on. Thus, Redditt feels he has identified four original sources pieced together by a later editor (called a redactor in scholarly terms) in order to produce chapters 9-14 of Zechariah as we have them today. If this view is correct then of course such “prophecy after the fact” is actually no meaningful prophecy at all, and we are totally wasting our time trying to look for any future fulfillment.

Chisholm (F) demonstrates graphically how Chapter 10 relates to the previous chapter in a reverse manner:

        1. The Lord delivers the exiles (9:11-12)

                2. The Lord energizes Judah and Ephraim for battle (9:13-15)

                        3. The Lord shepherds and blesses his people (9:16-17)

                                4. Blessing is offered in the present (10:1)

                        3'. The Lord shepherds and blesses his people (10:2-3b)

                2'. The Lord energizes Judah and Ephraim for battle (10:3c-7)

        1'. The Lord delivers the exiles (10:8-11:3)

It is of interest that Bullock, also coming from a dispensational background, endorses the slightly different symmetrical arrangement of Joyce Baldwin:

    1. Arrival of the king (9:9-10)

            2. Jubilation and prosperity (9:11-10:1)

                    3. Rebuke for sham leaders (10:2-3a)

            2'. Jubilation and prosperity (10:3b-11:3)

    1'. The fate of the good shepherd (11:4-17)

Despite the obvious differences between these two schemes, they do seem to go a long way toward showing that not all prophetic passages in the Bible are given in a strictly chronological order, a fact which some fundamentalists are still reluctant to accept.

Zechariah 10:1-5 “The form of this short pericope [i.e. vv. 1-2] is that of a Mahnwort (admonition). The writer returns from his look at the eschatological future salvation, to the present evil age...The prophet here admonishes his hearers to ask rain of Yahweh, who controls the clouds, and not from the terephim. A further warning is given in v. 2 against diviners and dreamers who speak falsely...The pericope ends with an observation that the people wander aimlessly because they have no shepherd to guide them in the right path...The setting may be a prophetic admonition during the New Year festival about 500 B.C.” (Smith) (E)

“After an initial exhortation to seek prosperity, not from deceitful diviners, but only from the Lord (Zech 10:1-2), the Lord himself speaks words of judgment against Israel's faithless leaders (shepherds), but words of promise to the people (flock) themselves. In an arresting image, he says that he will transform this flock into his magnificent warhorse and will lead them to victory over their enemies (Zech 10:3). He also makes the remarkable promise that he will bring back from foreign lands not only the exiles of Judah, but also those of the erstwhile northern kingdom...who had been deported by the Assyrians some two centuries earlier. In another enigmatic passage with messianic overtones (Zech 10:4), he states that out of Judah will come the cornerstone, the peg, the battle bow and 'every ruler together.'” (Wolter) (E)

“Dissatisfied with the incompetent leaders he appointed over his people, the Lord himself would assume the position of Judah's shepherd (10:3b). He would transform Judah into a mighty military force, compared here to a warhorse (3c). The Lord's power would give Judah stability and enable them to defeat their enemies (vv. 4-5).” (Chisholm) (F)

“Both OT [including Zechariah 10:2-3] and later Jewish literature are replete with references to leaders who fail to perform their God-given responsibilities and as a result render their charge vulnerable to attack.” (Kostenberger) (E)

The evangelical scholar Mark Boda expends roughly forty pages of his detailed commentary on Zechariah just on chapter 10. He sticks strictly to what Zechariah is presenting without additional speculations.

It is absolutely impossible to adequately summarize the almost 60 pages Meyers and Meyers (L) devote to this one chapter of Zechariah, so a few random comments by them will have to suffice. They feel that “the last verse of chapter 9 presents a condition that will be the result of what is described in verse 1 of chapter 10. In a sense, the two verses dovetail, because 10:1 sets forth the conditions – ample and appropriately timed rainfall – that produce the fertility described in 9:17 as well as at the end of 10:1. Not only does the first verse of this chapter provide a link with the previous one, but its first words – 'Ask of Yahweh' – also constitute an anticipation, by way of contrast with the next verse (10:2) of this chapter...This exhortation to ask Yahweh for the conditions of material well-being initiates a chapter containing literary and thematic forms that have aroused much scholarly discussion...At this point, we simply indicate their views, each of which have merit, are not necessarily antithetical; many elements of both perspectives help our understanding of this complex chapter.”

Although Meyers and Meyers were specifically talking of two particular Bible scholars when they made that last comment, it really holds true for all the somewhat competing interpretations one may encounter. In fact, most of the scholars I quote in this post tend to supplement one another to give us a fuller picture of what Zechariah has to say. The exceptions are those arch-liberal writers who concentrate only on the prior sources that supposedly make up our present text while the fundamentalists often care about nothing but when and exactly how the predictions will eventually take place. In my mind, this attention to the distant past or the uncertain future leaves the average reader in the dark concerning the actual importance of the verses for the here and now.

Zechariah 10:6-12 “Through the OT prophets.., God promised both before the exile and after the initial return from exile, that he would regather his exiled people and reconstruct the twelve tribes (Zech. 10:6-12, etc.) – promises that lived on in later Judaism...Jesus himself links his choice of twelve apostles to the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:38; cf. Luke 22:30), and the last book of the Bible pictures the people of God in the last days as the sum of twelve thousands drawn from each of the twelve tribes. These themes prove to be enormously evocative, and debates rage over (1) the extent to which these references to the twelve tribes refer to empirical, racial Israel or in typological fashion, to the eschatological Israel of the new covenant; (2) the extent to which the years of exile ended with Cyrus's decree or continued until the time of Jesus as the Davidic king introduced the long-promised kingdom, or continue yet until the consummation...” (Carson) (E)

Smith (E) summarizes the material in these verses as follows: The section [defined by him as vv. 3-12] consists of both the words of God (vv 3a, 6, and 8-10) and the words of the prophet (vv 3b-5, 7, 11-12). “The pericope opens with the words of Yahweh announcing this judgment against the shepherds (whoever they are). This seems to be eschatological language. Yahweh will judge the unjust rulers because he cares for his flock, the house of Judah. From Judah will come reliable leaders: a cornerstone, a tent-peg, a battle-bow, and a beneficent overseer (v 4).”

“Messiah will regather all Israel (10:6-10) The worldwide scope of this prophecy relating to both Israel and Judah and God's activity on behalf of His Chosen People indicate that the final regathering of Israel just before the Second Advent of the Messiah is in view.” (Lindsey) (F)

“God...defends Jerusalem, to which her king comes in triumph bringing peace among all nations (vv. 9-10), words later quoted in the New Testament and used of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1-9)...So much is obscure in these chapters that interpretation of them can be only tentative. The view that they came from a sharply eschatological party that found itself increasingly at odds with the official priesthood and Temple, and so looked for a more and more radical intervention of God, would account for much that is here.” (Mason) (L)

“Assyria and Egypt here represent oppressors in general. Gilead was the first territory to be conquered after the Exodus, cf. Is 40:3+” (Brown on v. 10) (E)

Zechariah 10:11-12 “In regathering Israel to the land, God will remove every obstacle to restoration, pictured in terms of the ancient deliverance when He brought Israel through the sea on dry land. Again Assyria and Egypt were mentioned to represent all Israel's enemies (cf. v. 10).” (Lindsey) (F)

“The lesser role of Gentiles in the millennium is the subject of many Old Testament Scriptures such as the following: (...Zechariah 10:11-12).” (Walvoord) (F)

“The OT prophesies that this judgment [of Babylon] would include the drying up of the Euphrates River (Isa. 11:15; 44:27; Jer. 50:38; 51:36; cf. Zech. 10:11). The prophecy was fulfilled by Cyrus's diversion of the river (cf. Isa. 44:27-28), which allowed his army to cross the river, enter Babylon unexpectedly and defeat it (Herodotus 1.190-91...)...The victory by Cyrus led to Israel's release from captivity (Isa. 44:26-28; 45:13).” (Beale) (E)

Carson (E) agrees with Beale concerning the fulfillment of this prophecy.

In conclusion, it is interesting to compare the above with the historical premillennial analysis of Zechariah 10 by Payne (F) as he attempts to parse out the various verses found in that chapter according to the most likely times of fulfillment, either during the Old Testament period (O), New Testament (N), or yet future (Ft). Below is a summary of his analyses:

        10:3, false leaders fall (O)

        10:8a, redemption won (N)

        10:8b, others gathered, increase (church?) (N)

        10:9, believers live, though scattered (N)

        10:10, the church will be raptured and brought with Christ to Palestine (Ft)

        10:11a, rivers dry up (Rev 16:12) (Ft)

        10:11b, world powers are brought down (Ft)

        10:12, the saints rule (Rev 2:26) (Ft)

As you can see, he appears to take Zechariah 10 as a more or less chronological presentation, a stance with which not all scholars would agree as can be seen in the more literary and topical arrangements shown above.

 

I PETER 1:13 THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND

This has got to be one of the strangest metaphors in the whole Bible. I have heard it said of some men that they think only with their sexual organs, but I somehow doubt that is what Peter was driving at.

Below is how a number of Bible scholars weigh in on this figure of speech:

Walls says, “Gird up the loins of your mind is a metaphor suited to men of the Middle East, who wore long gowns which were 'girded up' when energetic effort was contemplated. The equivalent in our world is obviously to 'roll up one's sleeves' or to 'take off one's coat to it'. We must begin to act as those who mean business. Note that it is in the realm of the mind that this serious new activity is demanded. Conversion to Christ and regeneration by the Spirit are meant to be accomplished by mental awakening, by a new exercise of powers of understanding now divinely released and renewed (cf. Rom xii.2; Eph. iv. 17, 18, 23).”

“One who 'girds the loins' is one who hems up the long garment which hinders one's stride; thus, dianoia, one's thinking and willing, should be 'rolled up' in preparation for departure. ...The closest parallel in content to I Peter 1:13 is Lk. 12:35: 'Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning' in expectation of the Lord. So too Eph. 6:14, though without a direct eschatological focus.” (Goppelt)

M.E. Boring feels that this phrase is 'reflecting the stance of the Israelites as they ate the first Passover '[with] their loins girded,' that is, ready to travel...The initial command is thus something like 'roll up your (mental) sleeves,' to prepare for disciplined intellectual work. The beginning of their historical pilgrimage is a matter of hard thinking, but not something they are to figure out for themselves; it is a response to the word of God that comes through preaching, that is, through the church's communication of the gospel.”

“According to an ancient tradition, the children of Israel were to celebrate the Passover in this fashion [with their loins girded] to show that they were ready for imminent departure (Exod xii 11). This tradition may have influenced First Peter. It is even possible that this figure of speech reflects the author's awareness of the custom of arranging baptismal services at Eastertime, the exodus and the passing through the Red Sea being prototypes of Christian baptism (I Cor x 2). The admonition to gird the loins would then rest in part on the assumed baptismal situation. Baptism was also celebrated in the early church by symbolically dressing in a certain costume (as probably reflected in Gal iii 27 where baptism is compared to the putting on of Christ, and in Eph vi 11, 13-17, with its description of the Christian's armor). However, even without the support of such rough associations it is evident from the illustration that the admonition relates to the preparedness of the Christians for the journey that faces them.” (Reicke)

Davids similarly explains, “In Israel an ordinary person wore as the basic garment a long, sleeveless shirt of linen or wool that reached to the knees or ankles. Over this a mantle something like a poncho might be worn, although the mantle was laid aside for work...but for active service, such as work or war, it was tucked up into a belt at the waist to leave the legs free (I Kings 18:46; Jer. 1:17; Luke 17:8; John 21:18; Acts 12:8). Thus Peter's allusion pictures a mind prepared for active work...Peter makes it clear that he is using the image as a metaphor by stating clearly 'mind,' which indicates not the intellectual processes in general, but a mental resolve and preparation.”

Keener adds, “ Its mention of the mind emphasizes cognitive readiness, thus keeping the Lord's coming in mind. Keeping in mind the Lord's coming includes the recognition that all must give account for their works. (1 Peter 4:5), and thus urges a perspective that evaluates the present in light of the eternal significance.”

As to the nature of the events for which Christian are to prepare, “The struggle is mental, and Christians are to get their minds ready for battle.” (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery).

“Obedience is a conscious act of the will. Christians in conflict need a tough-minded holiness that is ready for action.” (Raymer)

Polkinghorne: “Hope is more than a vague, amorphous aspiration. It requires that the loins of the mind be girded..., that is that the loose skirts of the flowing robe must be gathered into a belt for hard work or vigorous action...In using the metaphor, maybe Peter recalled his Lord's words to him recorded in Jn 21:18. Thus, abstaining from the enervating pleasure of the surrounding paganism in which they formerly indulged, they must direct their whole being to eternal matters.”

“In view of such a salvation and such good news, Christians are called to exercise mental diligence and moral discipline: this is to be done by looking joyfully and confidently forward to the grace that the revelation of Jesus Christ will bring.” (Wheaton)

 

 

"TRUST AND OBEY" IN THE BIBLE

The above was the title of a hymn I used to sing as a child in church. I didn't realize how ancient that song was until I just looked it up on Google. It was written by John H. Hammins in 1887 and was based primarily on James 1:22. In essence, it purports to summarize what it means to be a true follower of Christ. Other verses expressing the same basic idea are said to be Jeremiah 7:23 and I John 1:7. But if one consults various English translations of James 1:22, one will come up with the following variations in wording:

    hear and do (KJV)

    listen and act (NEB)

    listen and do (JB)

    listen and obey (Living Bible)

    listen and put into practice (TEV)

Then adding the other two Bible passages above which are said to convey the same idea, we get:

    pay attention and obey; hear and walk in the light (NIV)

    obey and walk; walk in the light (RSV)

    obey and do as I say; say and walk in the light (Living Bible)

However, a quick search through any good Bible concordance will come up with a host of additional verb pairs which similarly tend to summarize what it means to be a practicing believer. And when you come to think of it, the very phrase “practicing believer” also encapsulates both ideas of listening and doing. Without further ado, below is the result of a by no means exhaustive search of verb pairs, at least in English translation, which attempt to roughly convey that same totality of a Christian's life. And to impose some sort of consistency on what follows, I will try to stick to the NRSV wherever possible since it generally is better than most renderings in adhering throughout to the same English translation for the same original Greek or Hebrew word.

Genesis 2:15-16 “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man...”

“Subjugation of the earth (cf. 1:28) began with cultivation of the garden. Keep it is perhaps a cultic charge, i.e. to guard the sanctity of God's dwelling...” (Kline)

Deuteronomy 4:6-7 “I now teach you statutes and ordinances for you to observe...You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discerning to the people, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!”

“The incident of Peor (Num. 25:1-9) teaches that obedience to God's law is the condition for life in Canaan and a testimony to the wisdom which the LORD graciously gives his people.” (Anderson)

Joshua 1:8 “...you shall meditate on it [i.e. the book of the law], so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that it is written in it.”

“The idea of law observance as a condition for happiness is enlarged here...Joshua is to speak of this book and meditate on it, as later the blessed man of Ps. 1 will do. Daily meditation on the Book and a strict observance of its gracious provisions for a life in covenant fellowship with the Lord, will mean a happy achievement of life's goal and prosperity...The Hebrew word for 'prosper' at this point is salah. Pedersen defines it as 'the power, the ability to live...It designates the efficiency as an inner power to work in accordance with its nature, and at the same time success, prosperity and the carrying out of that for which one is disposed.” (Woudstra)

Job 36:11 “If they listen and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity.”

Hartley says, “The errant righteous respond to God's speaking in one of two ways: either they willingly obey his words or they stubbornly refuse to obey them. Some who are afflicted hear God speaking through their affliction. Welcoming the divine instructions, they humbly submit themselves to God. As they begin to serve (abad) God, a gracious change takes place in their lives.”

Jeremiah 7:23 “Obey my voice...and walk in all the ways that I command you...”

Bright: “The words 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people' are the formula of covenant (cf. Deut xxvi 16-19): God's essential demands (e.g. as found in the Decalogue) did not concern ritual matters, but the keeping of the Covenant stipulations.”

Thompson adds, “Jeremiah was really telling his contemporaries that God was indifferent in the way Israel brought their sacrifices, even if they committed the cultic enormity of eating the whole burnt offering as though it were a peace offering. Where the basic requisite of obedience was lacking, God refused to regard what went on in the temple as a true sacrifice. Here then is the divine demand obey my voice...God required of Israel deep personal commitment to his voice...All else was secondary.”

Matthew 23:3 “...do whatever they [the scribes and Pharisees] teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.”

Nixon says that it is “very hard to take this at its face value in view of 15:1-20. It is likely to refer to everything consistent with the law of Moses...this is not likely to be wholesale condemnation of all Pharisees, many of whom were well aware of the danger of inconsistency.”

Ephesians 3:19 “and to know the love of Christ...so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Martin comments that “so amazing is that love which God's purpose for His church in the world reveals that it eludes our full grasp. It surpasses knowledge, yet at the same time beckons us on to a progressive experience as we are more and more filled 'up to the measure of'... God's fullness.”

Philippians 2:12-13 “...just as you have always obeyed me..., work out your own salvation...for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

“The example of Jesus Christ is not only one of humility; it is also one of obedience...Christ is Example, but supremely He is the Giver of salvation. Yet that salvation is not to be accepted complacently, but worked out in life in a spirit of reverence and fear by men who know that they live in His holy sight and must give account to Him.” (Foulkes)

Colossians 3:22-24 “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything...in order to please them, fearing the Lord.Whatever your task, put yourself into it, as done for the Lord..”

Guthrie says, “Paul does not deal with the wrongs of the system. He is concerned with human attitudes...Singleness points to a consistency of action, and fearing the Lord to a religious approach even to secular work, an idea fully developed in 23, 24.”

James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”

As Ward says, “Note the three stages: they should be hearers of the word; they should receive it; and they should be doers of the word. This recalls the teaching of Jesus; cf., e.g., Mt 7:24-27; and of Paul; cf. e.g., Rom. 2:13. In full: consciousness is informed; belief and faith exercised; and the will moved. Without action the mere hearers are deceiving themselves, for they do not realize what piety really is,”

I John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Morris: “'Religion without morality is an illusion' (Stott)...This does not read as RSV we do not live according to the truth, but 'we do not do the truth'. ..Truth can be a quality of action as well as of speech.”

Finally, consider two of the most ubiquitous commands found in Jesus' many parables. 'He who has an ear, let him hear' or minor variations appears in Matthew 11:15; 13:9,43; Mark 4:9,23; 7:16; 8:18; and Luke 8:8; 9:44; 14:35.” And admonitions to 'go and do likewise' are found in Luke 3:11, 6:31; 10:37; and Luke 13:3.” Between these two commands we again see the elements of (1) listening carefully to God's words and (2) following through with appropriate actions.

We see the same two related themes in Paul's writings also, especially in the intriguing passage Romans 2:12-16. Paul talks about those Gentiles who have never known the teachings the Jews were given by God but nonetheless follow God's law naturally because it is written on their hearts and guides their actions in the right direction anyway. There have been a number of interpretations of these words, the most interesting of which is perhaps found at the end of one of C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles in which a single member of a pagan and war-like tribe is saved at the judgment because he was the only one who interpreted his nation's war god differently from the rest of his race. The others see only brutality when they confront Aslan, the type of Christ in the book, while this one man embraces him as the god he had always pictured. Whether Lewis' interpretation is really true to the whole teaching in the Bible is up to you to decide.

 

AMOS 8-9

                                            Amos (mixed media on canvas) 

Scope of the Unit

Those who do not believe that the whole of Amos 7-9 belongs together as a discrete unit are often influenced by a question regarding the authorship of the last verses. The positive tone of 7:8b-15 is not felt by some to be in keeping with the aura of doom pervading the rest of the book. (Childs) But the present literary analysis demonstrates that although there is a unity of sorts to the whole of Amos 7-9, we would have to agree with Moller, who relegates chs. 8 and 9 to a separate section, even though he recognizes that the opening words of these two chapters hark back to the similar openings of the visions in ch. 7.

Dorsey considers Amos 8:4-9:15 to constitute a separate unity. However, he admits, “The internal structure of this final unit is obscure, in part due to textual and exegetical uncertainties.”

Organization

Figure 1 shows one possible way to organize this material.

Figure 1: The Structure of Amos 8:1-9:15

A. Vision 4 (8:1-14)

1. Vision referring to the sanctuary (8:1-3)

                                    2. Reason for Judgment (8:4-8)

                                    3. Description of Judgment on “Jacob” (8:9-14)

a. “on that day” (8:9-10)

                                                        b. “Behold, the days are coming” (8:11-12)

                                                a'. “in that day” (8:13-14)

A'. Vision 5 (9:1-15)

1. Vision referring to the sanctuary (9:1)

                                    2. Inevitability of Judgment on “Jacob” (9:2-8)

                                    3. Reversal of Judgment (9:9-15)

        b. “Behold” (9:9-10)

                                                a. “in that day” (9:11-12)

                                                        b'. “Behold, the days are coming” (9:13-15)

An inclusio for the combined units A and A' is formed by repetition of the word “again” in 8:2 and 9:15 with the negative connotation in the first instance being reversed in the final case. Also, note that “Jacob” appears in the central units of A and A, and another pattern regarding judgment is found by considering the three subsections to A3 and A'3. The opening phrases to these six passages alternate between “in (on) that day” and “behold, the days are coming.” Finally, the themes of the six units of A3 and A'3 form a chiasm of sorts in which the second half reverses the curses of the first half:

Figure 2: Symmetry in Amos 8:9-14 and 9:9-15

a. a bitter day of mourning with omens in nature (8:9-10)

b. the people wander in search of Yahweh (8:11-12)

c. death to idolaters in Israel who say... (8:13-14)

-----------------------------------------------------------

                                    c'. death to sinners in Israel who say... (9:9-10)

b'. Israel reestablished in the land by Yahweh (9:11-12)

a'. days of miraculous fertility and prosperity (9:13-15)

Carroll rehearses these reversals in the following ways:

    (spiritual) hunger in 8:11 vs. abundant food in 9:13

    apostasy in 8:13-14 vs. nations called by God's name in 9:11-12

    rise / fall in 8:14 vs. fall / rise in 9:11

    In addition, he points to the reversed order in the introductory formulas:

        a. “the time is surely coming, says the LORD God” (8:11)

                b. “on that day” (8:13)

                b'. “on that day” (9:11)

        a'. “the time is surely coming, says the LORD God” (9:13)

Prophetic Stances

A. Payne interprets verses 11-15 from a premillennial view as being fulfilled as follows:

verse 11 “the revival of the line of David in the Person of Jesus Christ. The reference must be to His first coming; for Acts 15:16 emphasizes that it is this event which enables the Gentiles, from the apostolic period onward, to seek God.
verse 12 “the effect of the coming of Christ...in respect to 'all the nations that are called by My name.' .The statement that God's name is, lit.' called upon the Gentiles means that He possesses them...The prophecy, moreover, is quoted in Acts 15:17 to explain why Gentile Christians need not be circumcized, so it cannot refer to the times prior to the NT, when circumcision was still enforced.”

verses 13-14 “now will come unprecedented harvests and grape gatherings. Fulfillment... millennial prosperity.”

verse 15 “Israel to be so established as never again to be plucked up. Fulfillment:...the permanence of the New Jerusalem.”

B. And as expected from the Dispensational camp, it goes far beyond the above statements in an attempt to carve out special roles for the ethnic Jews in the end times. For example, Sunukjian states: “After all God's judgments are past, when the nation has received full punishment for her sins, the Lord will move in mercy to renew and refresh His people. God will restore David's kingdom over both the North and the South, and through it He will bless all nations of the earth. He will reverse the covenant curses and bring unprecedented prosperity to the land. Dispersed Israel will be returned to her land, there to dwell securely and enjoy its goodness.”

As Walvoord famously (or infamously) put it, “The present age [the church age] is a parenthesis or a time period not predicted by the Old Testament and therefore not fulfilling or advancing the program of events revealed in the Old Testament foreview.” This view arises from none of the promises seemingly made to the nation of Israel in Old Testament passages such as Amos 9:11-15 being yet literally fulfilled. Therefore it is assumed without further proof that they therefore must be fulfilled during Christ's millennial reign on earth for a 1,000-year period.

C. Then concerning the views of the amillennialists, Hoekema is typical in rightly pointing out that Dispensationalists continue to look for future fulfillments of a rigidly literal nature out of these verses (which appear in passages containing much obviously figurative language) despite the fact that the NT writers have already explained them as having already happened figuratively. As one prominent example, consider Acts 15:14-18 in which James explains to the Council of Jerusalem, that Amos 9:11-12 refers to the inclusion into the ranks of God's people a number of Jews after they had accepted the Gospel as taught to them by Peter and Paul.

The Dispensationals come back with the example of Amos 9:14-15 which, however, obviously refers to to an everlasting residence of God's people on their land, not just a millennial regathering of Israel. And complicating this whole debate is the insistence by the Dispensationalists that prophecies may have, and indeed should possess, multiple fulfillments so that even if a figurative meaning may be applied to a particular OT prophecy, that doesn't exclude later literal fulfillments.

Specific Comments

With these issues somewhat out of the way, below are some additional random comments regarding these two chapters gleaned from the scholarly literature:

Amos 8:1-14 Gary Smith first notes that there is a shift of setting beginning with these verses which “is not clearly defined. However, “The references to the temple songs (8:3), the sabbath and new moon (8:5), festivals (8:10), seeking the word of Yahweh (8:12), and swearing by a god at various temple locations (8:14) reveal a shift of these [earlier] themes toward a temple audience, probably in the Bethel area. Together they emphasize that the end is here, that God's day of forgiveness is past, that his coming day will be filled with mourning and bitterness because of their iniquity.”

Amos 8:1-3 “'A basket of summer fruit symbolizes the immediacy of Israel's end.” (Hicks)

Andersen and Freedman comment on the overall structure of the vision section in Amos as follows: “The first vision contains the word 'beginning'; the fourth [i.e. 8:1-3] contains the word 'end.' Both are references to seasons in the agricultural year. It is therefore conceivable that the entire development, and thus the entire public activity of Amos, took place in less than one calendar year; but we do not think that this frame allows time for all that happens. More time is needed for the series of plagues reviewed in 4:6-11, especially if Amos was personally involved in bringing his message of repentance to the people as disaster followed disaster.”

Amos 8:4-14 Stuart describes the contents of these verses topically as follows, although alternative understandings are certainly possible:

    Hypocrisy in financial practices (vv. 4-6)

    Certainty of punishment (v. 7)

    Varieties of punishment (vv. 8-10)

    Hunger and thirst (vv. 11-14)

Amos 8:4-8 “These verses present the last indictment of socioeconomic injustice in the book...In terms of the book's overall structure...the reiteration of 2:6-7 serves as an important closure to the prophetic denunciation of the exploitation of the poor. The divine oath and the vow never to forget these acts of cruelty add a sober note of finality to Yahweh's decision for judgment (v. 7), the impact of which will literally shake the land of Israel (v. 8).” (Carroll R.)

Hicks notes that in verses 5-6 we see: “The merchants are impatient for the holy days to pass so they can resume their fraudulent business (Is. 1.13-17; Lev. 19.35-36; Dt. 25.13-16).”

Amos 9:1-6 Carroll R. labels this section “A Vision of Divine Sovereignty in Judgment.” He states: “This section begins with the final vision of the five-vision sequence. The most obvious difference between this vision and the others is that there is no exchange between Yahweh and the prophet. Amos simply states that he saw the Lord ('adonay) standing by the altar and giving the order to strike the capitals of the temple (v. 1). The participation of the prophet in the vision accounts progressively decreases, from interceding in the first two to the question and answer format of the third and fourth to only the Lord appearing in this fifth vision with no involvement by the prophet except to record what he sees and hears. This receding in importance in order to foreground God and judgment is appropriate for this final, climactic vision.”

Amos 9:7-11 “The messianic promises of the prophets provide examples of problem-solution. The problem was that the righteous remnant of Israel would suffer alongside the apostates. For them God provided a solution: he promised that he would 'not totally destroy the house of Jacob' (Amos 9:8). While the sinners would die (9:10), God himself would 'raise up the fallen booth of David' (v. 11), using imagery drawn from the Feast of Tabernacles.” (Osborne)
Hicks: “Here Amos' universalism (chs. 1-2) complements the doctrine of election (3.2).”

Osborne adds that, “The infinitive absolute functions as an adverb. Frequently, it is used emphatically to repeat and stress the verbal idea ('killing he will kill,' meaning 'he will surely kill'; cf. Gen 2:17; Amos 9:8).”

Amos 9:11-15

“The 'messianic' promise of such passages as Amos 9:11-15 centers on prosperity (vv. 11-12), agricultural abundance (v. 14) and safety (v. 15).” (Osborne)

Carroll R. says, “This final section of the book of Amos has two parts, 9:11-12 and 9:13-15, which are introduced respectively by in that day and behold, days are coming. Both conclude with reference to Yahweh's speech (a saying of Yahweh, v. 12; says Yahweh your God, v. 15). These verses have connections to previous passages and are a fitting conclusion to the book. Two descriptors that capture the thrust of 9:11-15 are 'restoration' and 'reversal.' They are interrelated, as the restoration of the people of Israel involves the reversal of their current condition and of the impact of imminent judgment. The soon-to-arrive day and days of doom (2:16; 4:2; 5:18-20; 6:3; 8:3,9,11,13) will be replaced by a day and days of renewal The mercy extended earlier on two occasions (7:1-6) rematerializes with great force and permanence.”

 

THE PEACE OF JESUS (JOHN 14:27; 16:33)

 I previously analyzed the symmetrical literary arrangement of John 13-17 as in Figure 1 below:

                                                           Figure 1

        1. Betrayal and denial among the apostles (ch. 13)

                2. Christ will be physically gone but not absent (ch. 14)

                        3. Mutual love between Christ and the disciples (15:1-17)

                        3'. World’s hatred of the apostles (15:18-27)

                2'. Christ will be physically gone but not absent (ch. 16)

        1'. The apostles are preserved by the Father (ch. 17)

Partial confirmation of this structure is provided by the noted parallels between chapters 14 and 16.

    Six times in this section, Jesus instructs his followers to pray to God through Jesus' name (14:13,14; 15:16; 16:23,24,26).

    The coming of the Holy Spirit is announced in units 2 (14:16,26) and 2' (16:7-8). And His function is said to be the leading the community into the truth as revealed in Jesus (14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7,13-14). (R.H. Fuller)

In addition are the following verbal or thematic parallels between these two sections:

    Jesus going to the Father (14:1-11; 16:4b-7,28-30)

    “heart(s)” (14:1,27; 16:6,22)

    “Where are you going?” (14:5; 16:5)

    Unity of Jesus with the Father (14:7-11; 16:15)

    Asking anything in Jesus’ name (14:12-14; 16:15,23-27)

    Disciples see (14:15-31) or don’t see (16:16-22) Jesus

    The sending of the Counselor (14:16-17,25-26; 16:7-15)

    “The Spirit of truth” (14:17; 16:13)

    “A little while” (14:19; 7x in 16:16-19)

    “in that day” (14:20; 16:23,26)

    The Father loves those who love the Son (14:21,23; 16:27)

    “I have said this/these to you” (14:25; 16:6,25,33)

    Peace is given (14:27; 16:23)

    “Rejoice” (14:28; 16:20)

    “The ruler of the world” (14:30; 16:11)

In this post I would like to just concentrate on one of the above pairs of verses – 14:27 and 16:23. Jeske notes the similarities between these two, which I have extended somewhat as shown below:

        “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you; not as the world gives I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

        “I have said these things to you so that in me you might have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Enhancing the similarities between these two verses is the fact that both are located at or toward the end of their respective chapters.

Since Jeske has already written in Interpretation October 1984 at great length on these two verses, below I will be quite selective in quoting him, and supplement his comments with those of other Bible scholars.

In terms of an overview of this subject, let's begin with a remark by Beck and Brown: “Christ's farewell discourses in Jn. (chs. 14-16; also ch. 20) contain the word ['peace'] 5 times, in each case denoting Christ's gift to his disciples (14:27; 16:33; 20:19, 21, 26).”

John 14:27

The all-important concept of “peace” can, according to Vine, have at least seven different meanings in Scripture. Concerning its specific meaning in this verse, he states that it can be defined as “the sense of rest and contentment consequent on...the harmonized relationship between God and man, accomplished through the gospel.”

“While the Gospel of Jn. stresses Christ's gift of peace to his disciples (Jn 14:27), Christ's missionary discourses make the point that his commissioned followers are to pass it on to others.” (Beck and Brown)

“The Roman Empire achieved its pax Romana of Augustus and his successors by the sword, but here Jesus proclaims a peace far different from the way of the world...This peace was the gift of Jesus which would calm their troubled hearts and ease their fears of his departure. It is the peace that Christians would come to experience in the postresurrection era of the Spirit, when Paul could proclaim a peace of Christ Jesus that goes beyond all human understanding and guards believers 'hearts and minds' (Phil 4:7).” (Borchert)

And Jeske says that “with Jesus' departure his history is by no means at an end. His immediate absence from the world means his mediated presence in the world. The word which the Father has given Jesus to proclaim is now given to Jesus' own, who remain in the world, and Jesus presence is manifested in those who have the gift of this word for proclamation in this world (17:20-21).”

Morris writes, “There has been no talk of peace up till now. But in another way there is noting new, for the peace that Jesus gives men is the natural result of the presence within them of the Holy Spirit... Peace was commonly used at this period as a word of greeting...or farewell. It thus comes in aptly in this final discourse of our Lord's. But the expression used here is not the usual formula of farewell, Jesus is using the term in His own way for His own purpose...the peace of which He speaks is not dependent on any outward circumstances, as any peace the world can give must necessarily be.”

Jeske: “Of course, as we all know, the word 'peace' in the fourth Gospel does not refer simply to the cessation of warfare; it means that, but also much more than that. It also does not simply mean a feeling of inner well-being; it means that too, but also much more than that. It does not only mean an end to psychological tension; it includes that, but it means more than than that. Therefore the peace which Jesus gives stands in in contrast to the peace which the world can offer.”“

John 16:33

Beck and Brown state that “in Jn. 16:33 there is an antithesis between peace and tribulation (thlipsis)...The Gospel of Jn. Insists that this peace differs not only quantitatively but also qualitatively from that of the world (Jn 16:33) in that it is given by Christ himself.”

And concerning the world (kosmos), Guhrt explains that the noun “exhibits three nuances.” These include (1) the universe, (2) “the world as the sphere or place of human life” or (3) “the world of men...where especially in Paul and John, it designates the place and object of God's saving activity.” Zeroing in on that third meaning, Guhrt says, “Man belongs so much to the world that kosmos in Jn. almost always means the world of men...It is ruled by the prince of this cosmos ([John] 12:31; 16:11)...Nonetheless, the Son remains the victor over the world (16:33). This does not lead to the extinction of the cosmos but to the redeemer of the world creating men who are not born 'from out of the cosmos' (15:19; 17:14,16) but of God (1:12f.) and the Holy Spirit (3:5). They endure much anguish in the world, but are removed from its domination (16:33).”

Jeske notes that out of a total of 185 times the word kosmos appears in the New Testament, fully 78 of these are located in the Gospel of John. He concludes: “These statistics indicate a preoccupation of the author of the fourth Gospel with the concept 'the world' and a desire on his part to teach, to alert, to warrn his readers about the world with which the Christian proclamation has to deal. He wants his readers to think realistically about the world and to ask why their task in it has become so difficult.”

The section ends on a triumphant tone in vs. 33...The contrast between 'in me' and 'in the world' shows that the writer is thinking of post-resurrectional Christian existence. The suffering (thlipsis) is the persecution predicted in xv 18-xvi 4a...The theme of peace, which appeared at the end of Division One (xiv 27), appears here too; and once again we stress that it is a salvific gift. The fact that it exists alongside suffering shows that it is not peace in the ordinary sense of the word...Thus the command, “Have courage,” in 33 is very necessary. It reminds the Christian of the never-ending task of choosing between Jesus and the world.”

Jeske concludes his thoughts with the following exhortation to believers: “Be of good cheer. Have courage. Do not be afraid. What all this means is that there is another way than the world's way. An alternative to mutual terror and bilateral threat. The world and its way have been overcome and superseded. Those who believe are those who no longer forecast only doom and hopelessness, but who seek ways to invite others...We have been invited, and now can invite others, to engage in an act of emancipation, for example, to believe, and thereby to give up those things which really enslave. No more manipulating of God, or of others. No more egocentrism. No more nervous calculation. Christians are of good cheer and have courage, for what is left to us is to invite to a new world of hope. We invite, we do not threaten, for we know that there is more life in the inviting.”

EXODUS 33:12-23

                                           Figure 1: Key Phrases in Exodus 33:12-23

A. Moses said to the LORD (12a)

        B. bring up this people (12b)

                C. you have not let me know (12c)

                        D. whom you will send with me (12d)

                C'. I know you by name (12e)

                                E. You / if I have found favor in my sight (12d-13a)

                                        F. show me (13b)

                                                G.your ways (13c)

        B'. This nation is your people (13c)

                        D'. My presence will go with you; if your presence will not go (14-15)

                                E'. I have found favor in your sight (16a)

        B''. I and your people-4x (16b-d)

A'. The LORD said to Moses (17a)

                                E''. You have found favor in my sight (17a)

                C''. I know you by name (17b)

                                        F'. show me (18a)

                                                G'. your glory (18b)

                        D'. I will make all my goodness pass before you(19a)

                C''''. proclaim before you my name (19b)

                                        F''. You cannot see my face (20)

                                                G''. my glory (22a)

                        D'. passes by, I have passed by (22a-b)

                                        F'''. My face shall not be seen (23)

As you can see from Figure 1, this section can be roughly broken into two parts: first Moses speaks to God and then God replies. Most of the same phrases appear in both halves. As Childs says, “Traditionally v. 17 has been regarded as belonging to the passage which follows. However, in terms of both form and content v. 17 provides the natural conclusion to the dialogue without which the whole passage is left hanging (so also the NAB). Personally, I think that point is debatable and prefer to look at v. 17 as serving both functions.

33:12-16 As Knight says: “The verb 'to know' occurs six times in this passage. So 'seeing God face to face' evidently means coming to know him intuitively and thus to know his will. Moses, however, cannot attain to this yet even though God knows his 'name', that is, knows Moses through and through, and has elected him to service, and even though Moses has found grace in God's eyes, v. 12. For to be elect does not mean to have full knowledge. Moses longs to know just what his real task is.”

33:12 “Moses' reply to Yahweh is a response not to 32:34.., but to Yahweh's speech of command in 33:1-3. Yahweh had ordered Moses to 'ascend from this place,' along with the people (33:1). Moses now repeats that order, quoting Yahweh's verb 'ascend.' He then proceeds to raise with Yahweh the question 'How?' Yahweh has not revealed to Moses what only he...can reveal: who is to go with Moses to make possible the departure of such a people as Israel under the promise of Yahweh's absence from such a place as Sinai, the one place where Yahweh's Presence has been most real...As Terrien... correctly points out, Moses really wants (and needs) to know something about Yahweh himself, and Moses presses his question on the strength of the favor he has won with Yahweh.” (Durham)

33:13 A footnote in the Jerusalem Bible explains that the phrase “show me your ways” means “of what nature you are.” As an alternative understanding, B.W. Anderson feels it means a “form of historical action.” And Sanderson similarly defines it as God's “manner of action in the world.”

33:14 The 'rest' promised by God in this verse refers to “the undisturbed occupation of Canaan.” (JB) And concerning God's statement that His presence would go with the people, Anderson interprets it as a reference to the Ark of the Covenant leading the procession through the wilderness.

“Because God accompanies Israel on its journey (Ex. 33:14), there is a noted lack of attachment to permanent religious sites or structures [in the wilderness].” (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery)

33:15-16 God's response had continued to attach itself to Moses himself. Moses shakes it off and demands that the response include the people. The issue is whether God will again accompany his people in such a way as to make them again distinct from all other peoples. This was the essence of the original covenant promise.” (Childs)

33:16 Ramm says that this verse “expands our vision so that now the whole earth is within our perspective. Yahweh is not only the God of this little nation out on this little part of the earth, but the God of all nations!”

33:17 “Thus comes Yahweh's answer a second time, so anxiously anticipated, so carefully prepared for. The answer remains direct and simple, an eloquent affirmation of the clear either/or Moses has posed....This brilliant narrative presents Yahweh 'seeing the point',' and affirming without argument and without repetition (in itself a remarkable rhetorical surprise) that Moses is right, that he must not withdraw his Presence from Israel...It is a brilliantly arresting conclusion to a magnificent narrative sequence, dazzlingly effective in its brevity, masterfully bold in its presentation of a Yahweh who is so secure that he does not mind being upstaged by his own servant Moses.” (Durham)

33:18-23 Cole says regarding the second half of this passage, “God has just granted the petition for His continued presence with Israel. Now Moses' prayer is to see the kabod, the manifested glory (literally 'weight') of YHWH. This is a prayer to see God as He is: but, in these terms, it is impossible. Mortal man cannot endure to see God (verse 20). In vivid pictorial language, the passage says that man may see only where God has passed by (verses 22,23) and so know Him by His past doings and acts. For a full revelation of what God is like, man must wait until Jesus Christ (Jn. 14:9). There is no contradiction between this and Exodus 24:10, where the elders 'saw the God of Israel' (cf. Gn. 32:30). All they saw was the 'pavement of sapphire' that was 'under his feet': all that Isaiah saw was the skirt of the royal garments that filled the vast Temple courtyard (Is. 6:1).”

Thus, as Sanderson says, “This paragraph anticipates the theophany of 34:5-7, the fifth divine appearance of the book.”

33:18 Childs: “'glory of God' is a technical expression...and denotes that side of the divine nature which can be perceived by man through revelation.”

33:19 God granted this request to see His glory, but on certain terms. Moses was not to think that he had cornered God. God responded in his pure sovereign grace.” (Ramm)

33:21-23 Schnittjer: “The story of Elijah and the theophany on Mount Horeb features echoes of relation to Moses on the same mountain...The striking retrospective figural parallels establish a kind of continuity of divine presence.” He especially notes the close parallels between Exodus 33:21-22 and I Kings 19:11-13. Then concerning NT parallels to these verses in Exodus 33, he points to Mark 9:2-7 and Romans 11:2-3. In addition, he notes the similarities between Exodus 33:21-23 with Mark 9:2-3 and its Gospel parallels.

33:22 “The reference in [John 1:14] to Jesus taking up residence among God's people resulting in the revelation of God's glory...harks back to OT references to the manifestation of the presence and glory (kabod) of God, be it in the theopanies, the tabernacle, or the temple (c.f., e.g. Exod. 33:22...).” (Kostenberger)

33:23 The statement here that no one can see God's face and live appears to be a contradiction to v. 11 where it states that Moses spoke to God “face to face.”

Kaiser goes into considerably more detail regarding this vexing question: “'Now show me your glory,' was more than the Lord would grant for Moses' own good. Even so, God allowed his 'goodness' to pass in front of Moses and proclaimed his 'name' in Moses' presence. Thus, instead of showing Moses his person or describing his appearance, the Lord gave Moses a description of who he is. The 'name' of God included his nature, character (Ps 20:1; Lk 24:47; Jn 1:12), doctrine (Ps 22; Jn 17:6, 26) and standards for living righteously (Mic 4:5). Romans 9:15 quotes Exodus 33:19 and applies it to God's sovereignty.” Kaiser similarly explains away other references in the Bible in which someone apparently “sees” God. These passages include: Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:9-11; and Daniel 7:9.

As to the references to God's hand and backside in this passage, Kaiser explains them as obvious figures of speech since (a) it makes no sense to have God put His literal hand over Moses' eyes and keep it there after God had completely left the scene and (b) “back” similarly makes no sense since, as Isaiah 31:3 and John 4:24 explain, God is spirit not flesh. Kaiser therefore interprets that to mean 'aftereffect.' “Moses did not see the glory of God directly, but once it had gone past, God did allow him to view the results, the afterglow, that his presence had produced.”

And on that same subject, an anonymous article in DBI reads: “God's 'backside' is here a veiling image, distancing the full glory of God from human view, but paradoxically revealing a very full sense of God's glory even as it is partly concealed.”