JEREMIAH 31:35-37

The Book of Consolation (chs. 30-33)

The uniquely hopeful tone of these chapters (which some such as Bullock and Guthrie would limit to chs. 30-31) marks them out in contrast to the lamentations found in the rest of the book. And others such as Cawley and Millard actually limit that section to Chapter 30 only.

Rosenberg: “The poetic material in Jeremiah is most concentrated at the beginning (chaps. 1-25), middle (chaps 30-31), and end (chaps 46-51).” And that statement certainly holds for Jeremiah 31:35-37 even though it is bounded both before and after by large chunks of prose.

The specific verses in question directly follow what is perhaps the most well-known pronouncement in the whole book, namely the prophecy of the New Covenant in 31:31-34. And Wiseman, for one, considers the whole of vv. 31-37 as a single literary unit.

Then there is Bright's piecemeal theory, followed by few evangelicals in its entirety: “All in all, the safest conclusion is that chapters xxx-xxxi contain genuine sayings of Jeremiah addressed to northern Israel and uttered relatively early in his career (xxxi 2-6, 15-22), together with other words of his uttered much later, and that the material has in certain cases subsequently been expanded and supplemented ...to apply Jeremiah's prophecies more directly to the exiles living in Babylon...The final poetic piece (vss. 35-37) may have originally formed the conclusion of the collection introduced in xxx 1-3...”

And we also have to take into account that the ancient Greek translation of Jeremiah, the Septuagint, actually places verse 37 before 35-36. Most scholars take the Hebrew order to be the original one.

General Comments on 31:35-37

Chisholm: “The Lord concludes this promise of a new covenant with an assuring word. He affirms that his commitment to Israel's descendants (both Israel and Judah are probably in view here; see v. 31) is as constant as the cycles of nature he has set in place (vv. 35-36). To emphasize the point, he states that it is impossible for him to reject his people as it is for a mere human being to measure the extent of the heavens or the subterranean regions (v. 37). Regeneration would indeed come, highlighted by the rebuilding of Jerusalem, which in its entirety would be set apart as a holy city (vv. 38-39).”

Thompson also summarizes verses 35-37 by stating: “Two sayings, semi-proverbial in character lie behind this brief passage, which declares the impossibility of Israel ever being forsaken again by Yahweh.”

And Wiseman similarly says, “The security of the covenant is the faithfulness of the Creator, whose mercies never fail (35-37; cf. 33:19-22). This is a classic passage for understanding the Lord's unchanging nature as the God of order (hosts) in heaven and earth. This is basic to His being as God of law and love. His covenant and His love are consistent.”

Matters of Timing

“The reference to rebuilding the city (31:38) seems to fix the date at the end of the Judean kingdom after Jerusalem had fallen. (Bullock) If this is true, then the same may certainly apply to the dating of vv. 35-37.

Then there is the question regarding the time period which is being referred to in this prophecy of the future as well as the nature of its intended fulfillment. Payne's opinion is that the time of fulfillment will be during the time of “the millennial establishment of God's people as a permanent, political entity.” But he does not define who “God's people” are.

Thus, speaking from a dispensational viewpoint which concentrates on the fate of the Jews to a much greater degree than other schools of evangelical theology, Ryrie states: “The [amillennial] interpretation stulifies any hope of Israel for a national future. Their only hope is spiritual, by entering into faith in Christ in the present interadvent age...The theme of regathering [in Jer. 31:8] is linked in this chapter with the new covenant with the house of Israel (Jer. 31:31-34) and the solemn pledge that Israel shall continue as a nation as long as the sun, moon, and stars continue (Jer. 31:35-37).”

However, many other scholars, such as Clowney, take a less literal view of this admittedly poetic prophecy: “The new covenant is spiritual, bringing the covenant principle to its actualization (Jer. 31:31-37; Ezek. 36:24-28)...The very fulness of the blessing, however, transcends the form of the covenant that is restored, so that the spiritual realities symbolized in its ceremonial types are actualized...The old covenant in its full restoration becomes the new covenant.”

Bruce also takes the far more defensible hermeneutical stance of evangelical interpretation which looks upon the New Testament pronouncements as the definitive, literal ones by which the more poetic statements in the Old Testament are to be understood, instead of vice versa. Thus he says, “Whether the expression 'the Israel of God' in its one appearance in the New Testament (Gal. vi. 16) denotes believing Jews only, or believing Jews and Gentiles without distinction, is disputed; the latter is more probable, especially if the expression is to be construed in apposition to 'all who walk by this rule'. But that the community of believers in Jesus, irrespective of their natural origin, is looked upon as the new Israel throughout the New Testament is clear. They are 'the twelve tribes in the dispersion' (Jas. i. 1), 'the exiles of the dispersion' (I Pet. i. 1), who are further designated, in language borrowed from Old Testament descriptions of Israel, as 'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people' (I Pet. ii. 9).”

D.R. Jones says of these verses, “This is the ground of confidence that he will restore his people and establish a covenant which shall not be broken...At the same time the contrast between the old covenant which was broken, and the new, which is based on an inner apprehension of the divine Torah, presupposes that the new covenant will not be broken and the guarantee again is to be found in God.”

This statement should remind us that even the traditional division of the Bible into two testaments (i.e. covenants) goes against the contention of the dispensationalists that the present time of the Gentiles is a “mere parenthesis” in God's overall plan for the Jewish people.

Literary Structure

There is a fairly obvious two-part division to verses 35-37 which can be diagrammed thusly based on the order of words in the original Hebrew:

        A. Yahweh says

                B. who created the heavenly bodies

                        C. who stirs up the seas

                                D. If this order departs

        A'. Yahweh says

                                        E. then shall Israel cease

        A''. Yahweh says

                                D'. If

                B'. the heavens be measured

                        C'. and the foundations of the earth explored

                                        E'. then I will cast off Israel

        A'''. Yahweh says

Jeremiah 31:35

“Verse 35 is in the form of a participial hymn of praise and ends with the refrain the LORD of hosts is his name that is so marked in Am. 4.13; 5.8-9; 9.5-6...Here the familiar form of the doxology is used, not as the solemn prelude to judgment, but as the equally solemn introduction to the divine announcement of the indestructibility of the kingdom of God. Thus v. 35 is in effect a particularly striking and even momentous way of introducing the divine assurance. The allusion to the fixed order of nature is of course particularly apt, since this is the sign of the unchanging purpose of God.” (D.R. Jones)

“The verse harks back to Gen. 1:16, where the verb natan, 'give,' is also used in reference to the sun, moon, and stars. The reference to the stirring up of the seas and the roaring of the waves is known elsewhere (cf. Isa. 17:12; 51:15; Ps. 46:3).” (Thompson)

Jeremiah 31:36

“But it all operates according to Yahweh's fixed order or 'decrees' (huggim). If these should ever cease, which they will not, then the descendants (zera') of Israel will cease (sabat) to exist. It is an argumentum ad adsurdum, and the saying would have given strong confidence to a people so beset by troubles as Israel.” (Thompson)

Beale and Carson state: “Almost all of Jer. 31 describes the future days of God's new covenant with his people...Verses 23-30...employ the form of future predictions, leading to the passage that explicitly anticipates a 'new covenant' (31:31-35), a passage quoted at length in Heb. 8:8-13 as having been fulfilled in Jesus (see also Heb. 10:16-17).”

“Two pledges are seen here that Israel shall endure, the world itself being an illustration. The perseverance of Israel rests on the persistence of Yahweh (cf. Heb 13:8).” (Cawley and Millard)

The famous words in Jeremiah 31:31-34 are widely quoted and alluded to in all four gospels, Romans, II Corinthians, and I Thessalonians.

Guthrie says, “The clause 'the days are surely coming' is an eschatological formula also used in 31:27-30, 38-40.”

Jeremiah 31:37

Regarding this verse, Thompson says, “The second figure is based on a different figure but amounts to the same thing. No one (in those days) could measure the heavens above or explore earth's foundations. No more could Yahweh cast off ('refuse, spurn,' ma'as) the whole people of Israel. He had done too much in past days for his people for all his work to be wasted.”

GENESIS 39

                                                       Literary Structure of Genesis 39

        A. Joseph in Potiphar's House (vv. 1-6a)

                B. Trouble with Potiphar's Wife (vv. 6b-18)

        A'. Joseph in Prison (vv. 19-23)

Not everyone sees these same divisions. For example, Ross divides the chapter into vv. 1-6, 7-20, and 21-23. But despite these differences with Figure 1, he does note, “The first and last sections are parallel and frame the account of the temptation. In the two framing sections the emphasis is on the Lord's presence with Joseph...”

Section A can be best characterized by the similar key wording shown in the two-part structure shown in Figure 2.

                                            Figure 2: Organization of Genesis 39:1-6b

                1. the LORD was with Joseph (v. 2a)

                        2. master (v. 2b)

                        2'. master (v. 3a)

                1'. the LORD was with him (v. 3b)

…........................

                        2''. He made him overseer in his house (v. 4a)

                                3. in charge of (v. 4b)

                                        4. all that he had (v. 4c)

                        2'''. He made him overseer in his house (v. 5a)

                                        4'. all that he had (vv. 5b,6a)

                                3'. in Joseph's charge (v. 6b)

The first half of these verses begins with Joseph being taken as a prisoner while the second half begins with him being made an overseer. And another way to see that change is illustrated by Joseph having a master in part 1 and being one himself in part 2. Further tying the two halves together are the repetition of the phrase “the Egyptian's house” in both v. 2 and v. 5.

Section B

Trouble begins with Joseph when his master's wife becomes sexually attracted to him. The action in this sub-section can also be divided into two halves, the first one between Joseph and his master's wife and the second one involving the whole household. The action in both of these sub-sections is carried along mainly through conversations.

                                        Figure 3: Organization of Genesis 39:6c-18

        1. Wife to Joseph: “Lie with me”

                2. Joseph to Wife: “How could I sin against God?”

                        3. He would not lie with her

        1'. Wife to Joseph: “Lie with me”

                2'. Joseph flees from the house, leaving his garment behind

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

        1''. Wife to household: “My husband has brought a Hebrew to insult me”

                        3'. “He wanted to lie with me”

                                4. “I cried out”

                2.'' “He left his garment behind and fled”

        1'''. Wife to husband: “The Hebrew you brought insulted me”

                        (3''. “He wanted to lie with me”)

                                4'. “I cried out”

                2.''' “He left his garment behind and fled”

The only flaw in this otherwise symmetrical arrangement is the absence in the final comments to Potiphar of the specific charge of attempted rape. One wonders if the wife had by this time realized that she had gone a bit too far in her accusations and began to back-pedal slightly. Confirming that view is Hamilton's observation that in vv. 16-18 “her words shade into ambivalence, making room for more than one interpretation.”

Hamilton notes at the same time that the early manuscript Codex Andrinus provides the missing words “I will sleep with you” as do most early copies of the Greek Septuagint at v. 17.

Similarly, Wenham observes the subtle differences in wording the wife utilized in her last account of events. He states that “the wife is cunning enough to word the accusation in such a way that he [her husband] will be left the choice of taking it as a direct rebuke or only an implicit and mild one.”

Section A'

The third major sub-section in Genesis 39 is shorter, but still has its own literary structure. Note first the back-and-forth alternation between the words “prisoners” in 20a, “prison (5x in 20b-22a), “prisoners” in 22b, and “prison” in 22c. Then there is the repetition of the specific phrase “the LORD was with Joseph” in verses 21 and 23.

And Hamilton notes the three-fold use of the verb meaning 'placed.' It appears in v. 20 where Joseph is placed in jail, v. 21 in which Yahweh places Joseph in the chief jailer's favor, and in v. 22 where Joseph is put in charge of the other prisoners.

Sections A and A'

Finally, Figure 1 indicates that there is a strong correspondence between the first and final sections of this text. Confirming that supposition are the following parallels in language between A and A':

        “his master” (vv. 3, 19,20);

        “put him in charge” (v. 4), “in Joseph's charge” (v. 6), “committed to Joseph's care” (v. 22), “in Joseph's care” (v. 23)

        “he had no concern for anything” (v. 6) // “paid no heed to anything” (v. 23)

        “Joseph found favor in in his sight” (v. 4) // “He gave him favor in the sight of” (v. 21)

Lastly there are the following symmetrical occurrences:

        “The LORD was with Joseph” (v. 2)

                “The LORD was with him (v. 3)

        “The LORD was with Joseph (v. 21)

                “The LORD was with him (v. 23)

Longacre additionally notes that in a general way, “The closure of this episode is remarkably parallel to the recounting of Joseph's rise to prominence in Potiphar's house; just as Joseph had gone to the top in Potiphar's estate, he now rises to the position of first trustee in the jail, and everything prospers under his management (Gen 39:20b-23).”

Parallels Elsewhere in Scripture

Next is the question of intertextuality, i.e. the similarities in wording and theme with other portions of Scripture. Beginning with the general theme of Genesis 39, we have the comment of Wenham: “Joseph's unfair dismissal and imprisonment may be seen as typical of the suffering the righteous often must endure. 'For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again (Prov 24:16).' Moses, Job, Jeremiah, and the suffering servant of Isa 53 are examples of this career pattern in the OT, while Jesus is the supreme model in the NT.” The more specific parallels are given below in their order of appearance in the Bible.

“39:2-6 shows particularly clearly the meaning of blessing in the OT...the narrator simply assumes that the blessing on the one whom the LORD is with can overflow to a foreign people and adherents of a foreign religion because of God's presence with that person” (Westerman). Wenham adds, “Thus in Joseph's experience here we begin to see how all the families of the earth are to find blessing (cf. 12:3) in Abraham's descendants.”

Hamilton echoes the above thought: “Yahweh prospers (salah) Joseph (vv. 2-3), but he blesses (barak) Potiphar and his household because of his good treatment of Joseph. This verse [v. 5] must be read as fulfillment of 12:3a, 'I will bless those who bless you.' Just as Yahweh blessed Laban because of Jacob (30:27,30), he now blesses Potiphar because of Joseph.”

“As at Sodom [Gen. 13], the worst crimes seem to be sexual. Such breaches subvert the family in a culture that defines itself entirely by bonds of kinship. A similar importance is assumed in Joseph's refusal of Potiphar's wife in urban Egypt (Gen 39:9).” (Fleming)

McKnight states that “ 'et ('with') evokes the regular presence of the Lord with the patriarchs (cf. Gen 21:20; 26:24; 39:2).”

In 39:6b we are informed that Joseph was handsome. “The description reminds the reader of the appearance of Sarai and Rebekah (12:11 and 26:7) that make them susceptible to the sexual advances of potentates, an Egyptian in the case of Sarai, and then Abimelech a Philistine.” (Ross)

Pratt says, “The story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38:1-30)...reports an event that took place in Canaan near the time Joseph was in Potiphar's house...These stories have been juxtaposed to develop the theme of patriarchal morality. Judah fell into sin and suffered severely. Joseph remained pure and God rewarded his righteousness. This topical connection is vital to understanding why these chapters appear together.”

Ciampa and Rosner also note that Gen. 39 forms a contrast to Tamar's prostitution in Gen. 38 while garments play key roles in both stories as forms of evidence. And Payne adds, “The attempted seduction of Joseph (6-12) contrasts with Tamar's successful seduction of Judah in ch. 38. Judah had voluntarily deposited with Tamar certain personal objects (38:18); involuntarily, Joseph left hs cloak with Potiphar's wife (12). Both women made the fullest use of these items.”

“Esther shares many thematic and structural similarities with the narratives of Joseph in the foreign court...Verbal similarities include: “'And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her' (Gen 39:10) and 'Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply' (Esth 3:4a). The most significant comparison between Joseph and Esther relates to divine providence. Genesis says things like 'Yahweh was with him' (Gen 39:3,21), but readers of Esther are left to imagine potential invisible divine causality in the face of striking 'coincidences.'” (Schnittjer)

Postell sees parallels between the affair of David and Uriah's wife and the events in this chapter. But as Schnittjer points out, this theory is based almost entirely on common phrases such as 'laid with her' (II Samuel 11:4 // Genesis 39:7) and 'house of your / his lord' (II Samuel 12:8; Genesis 39:2). He concludes: “The overlap seems more like similar type-scenes than an exegetical allusion.”

As commentators note, Psalm 105:16-22 is a brief retelling of Joseph's career, as Kselman says, “With significant variants.” You might want to compare those two passages for yourself some time.

Ross says, “As von Rad had pointed out, the passage [i.e. Gen. 39:7] recalls the warning of Proverbs about the seductress who casts her eyes on the young man and invites him to take his fill of love with her because her husband is away (Prov. 7:6-27).”

“The parable of the Faithful and Prudent Manager in [Luke] 12:42-46 possibly alludes to Gen. 39:4-5...The words of 12:42 are often quoted in Jewish writings about Joseph...Key words of 12:42 are prominent in the traditions about Joseph: ho kyrios, 'the master' (e.g. Gen. 39:3-4); phronimos, 'prudent' (cf. Gen 41:33,39...); doulos, 'servant' (cf. Gen. 39:17)...Biblically informed readers of Luke's Gospel would find in Joseph an example of a faithful servant who is eventually rewarded, the antithesis of the servant in the parable who reasons that since his master is delayed in coming, he can begin 'to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.” (Pao and Schnabel)

Stephen recites the story of Joseph to the hostile crowd in Acts 7:9-10. Hill comments that “the story of Joseph, betrayed by his jealous brothers, but raised to high distinction by the hand of God has always been seen by Christian writers as a foreshadowing of the experiences of Christ.”

Despite the suggestion that Paul in I Corinthians 6:18-20 may have been quoting directly from Genesis 39, Ciampa and Rosner feel instead that Paul may have been quoting from the apocryphal writing Testament of Reuben 5, which was itself based on Genesis 39.

Extra-biblical Parallels

Matthews: “The Egyptian Tale of Two Brothers, echoing the sentiments expressed by Joseph to Potiphar's wife (Gen 39:8-9), calls adultery a 'great crime,' which is not even to be considered by an honest man or woman. This was an attack on a man's household, stealing his rights to procreate and endangering the orderly transmission of the estate to his heirs (see Ex 20:14).”

Hamilton states in this regard, “These parallels...may be purely coincidental, or they may lend credence to the view that the Joseph story was in the process of formation as early as the 15^th century B.C.”

And Payne says, “The stories are by no means identical, however, and few recent writers are inclined to make one dependent on the other. Seduction, attempted seduction, and false accusations are age-old human misdeeds, and it would have been surprising if there were no parallels to Gen. 39.”

The Joseph story is later re-told in the apocalyptic book of Jubilees (ca. 175 B.C.). In it Potiphar's wife is said to have begged Joseph to lie with her for a whole year.

COMBATING BIBLICAL ILLITERACY IN THE CHURCH

 

                "A Weariness of the Flesh" (2010, collage) 

A recent article by Jen Wilkin in Christianity Today magazine was titled “Go and Make Learners: How the church ended up in a Bible literacy crisis and what we need to do to recover.”

There are probably many reasons behind the general lack of Bible knowledge in the church today including our often crammed schedules, lack of space in many church buildings in which to hold classes for adults, pressures of work, and a dearth of qualified teachers. In a related article in that same CT issue, Russell Moore quotes Wendell Berry as saying, “Short-term practicality is long-term idiocy.”

And in some churches, learning more about the Bible is actually discouraged. We probably all know of congregations where the pastor or priest feels that he or she must project an image of absolute omniscience in order to discourage parishioners from asking embarrassing questions which they cannot adequately handle. And such discouragement can even come from fellow congregants. An acquaintance of mine who attended a mainstream denominational church told me that each Sunday when he entered church with his Bible in hand, he had to face a gauntlet of men making fun of him by calling him “holier than thou.”

The statistics from carefully conducted polls are evidence of the widespread problem the church faces today. One such recent poll actually revealed that just 28% of evangelicals agreed with the statement: “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.”

So what is the solution to this crisis? Wilkin offers five basic suggestions, which I have summarized below with added comments based on my own experiences after 80+ years of church attendance and approximately 60 years of Bible teaching. 

Focus on Your Church

She starts with the admonition: “Recognize that the problem is in your congregation, not just someone else's.” And to do that she suggests that those in the church be given a simple Bible literacy test to gauge where they stand. I have done that in the opening lesson of almost every Sunday school series I have taught. It accomplishes several things right off the bat. First, it shows the teacher exactly how high or low he or she much pitch the intellectual and knowledge level of the whole class semester. Secondly, by going over the the correct answers that week or the following one, class members (1) begin to realize their own lack of understanding and need for further instruction, (2) may become more excited about the attending the coming series of lessons where they could begin to learn more, (3) and a give-and-take atmosphere is established in which those in the class can interact freely with each other and the teacher without fear of being looked down upon.

Clarify Terms

Wilkin suggests that the teacher clearly explain the different types of Bible studies (i.e. devotional, topical, book study) in order to clarify expectations.

For years in the Sunday school class I led, I would rotate regularly between an Old Testament study, a New Testament study, and a topical study. And each lesson would attempt to conclude with some sort of call to action or devotional thought.

Ask a Different Question

Wilkin says, “Instead of asking 'What do our people want?' ask, 'How are disciples formed?'”

Actually, when I was in charge of a teaching team at one church, we were very successful in both attracting people to our class and providing them a well-rounded Christian foundation by using one very simple technique. As one semester was coming to a close, we would describe two to four potential subjects for the coming semester and then hand out ballots on which we asked them to rank these according their interest level. Using that input, we chose our next subject based on both which subject was of most interest to them and which one was their least. That way we could find out immediately “What our people wanted.” And since the original slate of choices was based on the teachers' view of what they most needed (i.e., to best form disciples), we were able to satisfy both of Wilkin's requirements at the same time without having to make the difficult choice between the two.

Bring Back Active Learning Environments

Concerning this parameter, Wilkin says, “Create classroom opportunities where students are actively invested in the learning process through pre-work, thought-level group discussion, and dialogic teaching.”

The only problem with requiring pre-work is that 90% of students won't do any, other than possibly reading the Scripture passage in advance (It is imperative that they at least be told a week ahead of time the subject and Bible verses which will be discussed). And if they think that they may be called on in class to discuss that pre-work, some people won't even show up on Sunday rather than take the chance that they might be embarrassed in front of others.

On the other hand, there should definitely be a time during the class period in which a thought-provoking question or two be thrown open for discussion. I have found that many Sunday school teachers simply do not have the knack of doing this. All too often I have run into teachers who will read one verse of Scripture such as “God is love,” and then ask a class of adults, “What is God?” Of course, only the class teacher's pet will pipe up with the right answer. The others will just keep their mouths shut.

We had one man on our teaching team who once asked such an obvious question and no one bothered to answer him. His response was to tell us, “It looks like I am teaching over your heads. In the future I will try to simplify my words so you can comprehend them.” Actually, the reverse was true since he was already treating a class of rather knowledgeable Christian adults as if we were all grade school children.

As far as dialogic teaching goes, there is a definite knack to reducing that advice to practice. I have found that the only way I can get a dialogue really going, is to devise a question to ask that is truly open-ended even if I may feel that I already know the correct answer. The teacher at that point must at least appear to show a little humbleness in front of the class by admitting that he is not exactly sure of the answer himself. It is amazing when you do that how open and sharing the class becomes at that point because they no longer feel that you already know the answer and are just waiting to pounce on anyone who doesn't guess what that answer is (or what the teacher thinks it is).

In my years of teaching I utilized a number of different, somewhat off-the-wall techniques to better engage the attention of the class. These included several types of role plays, dramatic readings, dividing the class into two or more groups to discuss a question and then present their findings to the class as a whole, guest devotional messages before the main speaker, tag-team presentations by more than one teacher, etc. The main problem most Sunday school teachers have with such techniques is their fear of what might result if they loosen up their control over the class.

Raise the Bar

Wilkin says regarding this subject that we need to “Ask more of people, believe they are capable, and call them to a beautiful vision.”

I would have to agree with her on this point. However, the time limitations and mixed class make-up of most adult Sunday school classes make it very hard to accomplish this goal in a one-hour time slot. That is why I have found the most successful churches by far in really making knowledgeable and motivated disciples is by supplementing what happens on Sunday morning with more in-depth teaching during other time periods during the week. These can take many forms from small sharing-caring home groups to almost university-level classes attended by up to 100 students at a time to scheduled debates between trained apologists and atheists in the community.

Final Caution

There is much more which could be said in relation to ways in which meaningful learning can take place in the church other than on a Sunday morning. However, all of them involve a certain giving over of total control by the pastors. And we all have to admit that there are some pastors who feel that the local church is theirs and theirs alone. Such leaders get quite threatened to give up their monopoly on all content taught in “their” church. And they aren't completely wrong in feeling that way. I have personally witnessed and been told more than one horror story regarding renegade Sunday school teachers basically starting what amounted to deviant cults which attracted certain members of a congregation and ended up almost splitting the church. Therefore I would take to heart my experiences years ago at two congregations in which I was a new member. The church leadership at both churches made it a regular practice to test out new adult teachers before giving them free rein over a class. One church accomplished this by first having me team-teach with a long-time respected member of that congregation. That way the more trusted teacher could gauge both my effectiveness and orthodoxy. And in another church where I had volunteered to teach a series of special classes in the evening, the head pastor personally attended the whole series before trusting me to teach further subjects later on without being so closely monitored for content.

Conclusion

As Wilkin summarizes: “Two thousand years of faithful instruction and transmission are the reason anyone reading this is a Christian today.” And regarding those, “It is their heritage to receive with joy, and it is their heritage to transmit with diligence.”

AMOS 1:2-12

 Allen labels verses 2-12 “Calls to Lamentation” and divides it into four sub-sections:

    a. general appeal and introduction (1:2-4)

    b. to drinkers (1:5-7)

    c. to Zion (1:8-10)

    d. to farmers (1:11-12)

Scholars Chisholm, Bullock and Stuart chose to conclude the overall passage at v. 20. Other commentators, such as Dorsey and Mobley prefer to end the section with verse 14, a decision which has strong support from the close relationship between the wording in verses 2 and 14:

    “Here this, O elders; give ear, all      inhabitants of the land.” (v. 2, NRSV)

    “Gather the elders            and all the inhabitants of the land.” (v. 14, NRSV)

As to the most appropriate title best describing this passage, there appear to be two types suggested. Allen highlights appropriate proper response of the people to conditions in Israel at the time by using the word “Lamentation,” as do the editors of the Jerusalem Bible and the NRSV. However, commentators such as Terry, Bourke, and Garrett chose to zero in on the conditions which gave rise to this lament, labeling the section with descriptions such as “Plague of locust,” “Agricultural curse,” and “Disruption of crops.”

Parallels between various sub-sections in terms of theme and specific vocabulary prompts one to propose the overall literary structure of this passage as shown in Figure 1 below:

                                           Figure 1: Organization of Joel 1:2-14

    A. Introductory Appeal (vv. 2-4)

            B. To Drinkers (vv. 5-7)

                    C. To Zion (vv. 8-10)

            B'.To Farmers (vv. 11-12)

    A'. Concluding Appeal (vv. 13-14)
We have already given adequate reasons above for A and A' to be paired up as in Figure 1.

Concerning B and B', one could say that thematically speaking B' addresses the producers while B deals with the consumers of agricultural products. In addition, both sub-sections specifically mention vines and fig trees. Schnittjer adds that “The combination of the vine and the fig tree of themselves reflects a commonplace figure of speech.”

That leaves section C, which is again, as in A and A', a more or less general call for the nation to mourn. Confirming its central position within this passage are its verbal parallels with the sub-sections directly flanking it: “wine” at vv. 5 and 10 and “dries up” at v. 10 and 12. Even more telling are the exact parallels between the center and the concluding general appeals. Thus, both priests and ministers appear in C and A' as well as the long passage reading “grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off / withheld from the house of the LORD” (vv. 9 and 13). And the phrase “house of the LORD” is repeated in v. 14.

As to the exact time frame to which the events in this passage occurs, Payne says that “while some scholars think of Joel as the oldest of the writing prophets and place him in the 9^th century B.C...others speak of Joel as the latest prophet to be named in the OT and date his book to the 4^th century...”

Schnittjer points out, “Joel's several references to the temple suggest he writes before the destruction of Solomon's temple or during the Second Temple period (see Joel 1:9,14,16; 2:17; 3:18). But this hardly narrows things down.” Leonard concludes, “There is no easy solution to the problem...the timelessness of the prophecy itself renders the need for a decision relatively unimportant.”

Joel 1:2-4

McKeown: “The book of Joel is written in the context of a cataclysmic plague of locusts which have ravaged the Judean countryside (1:2-4). The message of the book deals with the immediate circumstances but also looks beyond them to the eschatological 'Day of the Lord' when God will judge the nations.”

Mobley points out that in v. 2 “The elders appear to be the chief leaders, as was the case in the postexilic era (Ezra 5:9; 6.8,14; 10.8,14). No king is mentioned.”

Leonard says, “Because such infestations are not uncommon in the near-east, the special significance of this one related not only to its severity but also to the fact that it is seen as a prelude to the divine devastation the prophet envisions for the disobedient people of God and those nations which have oppressed her.”

“Four different words are used for locust.., but there is no need to assume four separate plagues. There are at least nine possible words for 'locust' in Hebrew; these four are doubtless chosen for poetic variety, and perhaps because they describe various stages of the locust's growth, and thus stages of the plague's onset...Hebrew often heaps up words in order to stress the total nature of an event (e.g. Is 3:1-3), and here means, so to say, a 'plague par excellence.' It well represents the completeness of the judgment of God; absolutely nothing can escape.” (Cole)

Interestingly, the order of these four words differs in Joel 2:25, possibly working against the theory that different stages of development are in mind.

“The portrayal in [Rev.] 9:7-9 is based on Joel 1-2...This judgment in Joel is modeled on the plague of locusts in Exodus 10 (note the clear allusions in Joel 1:2; 2:2 [=Exod. 10:6,14]; 1:3 [= Exod. 10:2]...” (Beale and McDonough)

Joel 1:5-7

“Here begins the call for response,the description of the tragedy having been concluded for the moment at v 4...It is drunks and 'drinkers of wine' who represent a heedless, incautious attitude; they are people capable of being unaware of what is happening around them. This sort of complacency is what Joel is attacking.” (Stuart) Douglas adds: “The first to be mentioned, perhaps in derision, is the loss to the drunkard of his solace.”

“Either the contentment resulting from drinking sweet wine under one's own fig tree or lethargy induced by constant consumption of intoxicating drink (cf. Hos 4:11) furnished an effective symbol for the national oblivion to divine action concealed in the locust hordes.” (Crenshaw)

Chisholm comments on v. 5 by staying, “With lion-like capacity to rip and tear, the innumerable swarms had devoured the vines and stripped even the bark from the fig trees, leaving the branches white (vv. 6-7).”

Mobley notes that Revelation 9:7-8 “draws on the imagery of Joel.” for the description of locust like lion's teeth.

Joel 1:8-10

Stuart says, “Betrothals in ancient Israel long preceded marriage. They might take place even before persons were born...here the wailing is to resemble the sort of bitter disappointment experienced by a woman who had long expected marriage to the one she now mourns.”

Wenham expresses another possible interpretation of verse 8 based on the fact “that betula alone never means virgin but refers to a young woman without specifying whether or not she has had any sexual experience...The wife of one's youth could also refer to the period between betrothal and wedding, but it more naturally recalls the early years of marriage.” (Crenshaw)

For grain and drink offerings utilized during sacrifices, see Numbers 29:12-16. “Without grain and drink, a vital mediation, the daily offering, is imperiled.” (Mobley)

The same combination of grain, new wine and oil appears in Haggai 1:11.

“The alliteration in suddad sadeh, 'abela 'adama, and vocalic inversion in hobis tiros cannot be reproduced in English. Joel's dirge-like language imitates the heavy blows being reported, falling with hammer-like force.” (Crenshaw on v. 10)

Joel 1:11-12

Chisholm: “Eight items are specified [in vv. 8-11a], suggesting that the locusts were more than thorough. A sevenfold list would have indicated completeness, but by adding an eighth item to the list, the prophet stressed utter and total destruction caused by the locust.” He explains that 'harvest of the field” in v. 11b refers to the wheat and barley previously mentioned and therefore should not be counted as a separate item.

Joel 1:13-14

Cole states that these verses “go further than v. 9. The priests are now summoning the people to solemn fast and prayer in the Temple, as was customary in days of national calamity.”

As Leonard says, “It is not enough that the leaders repent. They must gather the elders and all the people to the house of the Lord and beseech him for mercy. At this juncture the prophet warns that the present sadness is merely a prelude to an even more disastrous possibility.”

“Fasting was...frequently the response of sinners in their acts of confession (1 Sam. 7:6; Joel 1:14; 2:12-15).” (Pao and Schnabel)

II THESSALONIANS 1:3-12

In the overall organization of II Thessalonians, the title verses are parallel to 2:13-15, as indicated by exact repetition of the phrase in bold shown in Figure 1.

                                 Figure 1: Literary Structure of II Thessalonians 1:3-2:15

A. Thanksgiving (1:3-12) “We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren.”

B. Satan in Action (2:1-2:12)

A'. Thanksgiving (2:13-15) “We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren.”

There are a number of reasons for drawing the boundaries of Section A as pictured above:

    a. This letter contains exactly seven addresses to “brothers,” some of which mark the beginning of a new section (as in. 1:3; 2:1; 2:13; and 3:1). Section A begins with one of these addresses just as Section B begins with the next one.

    b. The word “faith” at 1:3 and 1:11 serves as an inclusio [i.e. a set of bookends] for the section under our consideration.

    c. Section A contains exactly seven (the biblical number symbolic of completeness or perfection) mentions of “God,” beginning in v. 3 and ending with v. 12.

    d. There are similarly exactly seven times in Section A that words denoting various kinds of suffering appear, a tip-off as to the main theme of these verses.

Next, zeroing in on our particular verses of interest, we again see a form of symmetry:

                                     Figure II. Literary Structure of II Thessalonians 1:3-12

    1. We give thanks for you (3)

        2. Your love and faith are increasing (4)

            3. “make you worthy of the kingdom of God” (5)

                4. God's Judgment (6-11)

                    a. on persecutors (6)

                        b. relief for believers (7)

                    a'. on the wicked (8-9)

                        b'. believers marvel (10)

    1'. We pray for you (11a)

            3'. “make you worthy of his call” (11b)

        2'. Fulfill every work of faith and glorify Jesus (12)

In this case, both the center section 4 and the passage as a whole end with the same Greek root for “glory/glorify.”

There is so much that could be, and has been, said regarding the individual verses in this passage that I am going to limit myself to only citations from the anonymous contributors to Dictionary of Biblical Imagery to again demonstrate the value of that resource in Bible study.

“Faith is frequently measured in quantitative terms...Though the faith of some may be weak (e.g. Rom 14:1), there is always room for it to grow (Lk 17:5; 2 Cor 10:15; 2 Thess 1:3).”

“God provides the resources for the harvest of righteousness to increase (2 Cor 9:10) and in which faith and love increase (Phil 4:17; 1 Thess 3:12; 2 Thess 1:3).”

“Justice is one of the most outstanding attributes of God in Scripture...'a faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he' (Deut 32:4 NIV; see also Neh 9:13,33; Is 58:2; Jn 5:30; 2 Thess 1:6).”

“We find approximately thirty reference to God's vengeance in the OT prophets, buttressed by similar references in the eschatological passages of the NT (Mt 16:27; Lk 21;22; 2 Thess 1:8; Rev 18:6).”

“Hell is ...pictured by the image of darkness..This image appears to indicate consignment to chaos, being shut out of God's favorable presence and his good creation, since creation began with God calling light and darkness (Gen 1:1-3; see also 2 Thess 1:9; 1 Jn 1:5).”

“The Thessalonians have 'turned to God from idols...to wait for his Son from heaven' (1 Thess 1:9-10 NRSV), an event associated with the climactic movement when he will 'descend from heaven' (1 Thess 4:16 NRSV).”

When Paul speaks of the Day of the Lord (e.g. 1 Cor 5:5; 1 Thess 5:2,4; 2 Thess 1:10; 22) he quite naturally uses the image of the divine warrior's day of triumph. The parousia, or arrival, of Christ is a christological interpretation of the coming of the divine warrior.”

“The context [ of 2 Thess 1:10] sets the scene for us to picture Christ's coming from a place off the world stage.”

I will close with a citation from Abraham Smith regarding 2 Thessalonians 1:12 concerning which he notes that it “draws on Isaiah (66:5), but avers that Jesus (not God, as in Isaiah) will be glorified.”

TWO BIBLICAL EVENTS AT DOTHAN

This ancient town appears is the site of two important Old Testament passages, one in Genesis 37 and another at II Kings 6:13. If you have trouble locating it on a map (most study Bibles contain several maps of the Holy Land during different time periods), below is how several commentators attempt to describe its location.

    Pfeiffer: “City near the Plain of Esdraelon, in central Palestine, N of Samaria.”

    Carr: “Dothan is a few miles north of Shechem and lay along a trade route from Syria to Egypt.”

    Provan locates it 11 miles north of Samaria.

    Young: “A city of Manasseh, W. of the Jordan, near Mount Gilboa, N.E. Samaria, and still called Dothan.”

    Millard: “The fertile plain of Dothan separates the hills of Samaria from the Carmel range. It provides an easy pass for travellers from Bethshan and Gilead on their way to Egypt.”

    Payne: “an ancient city lying on the caravan routes.”

    Cogan and Tadmor: “The identification of the ancient city with Tell Dothan, 22 km north of Nablus, was known to Eusebius...Dothan sat astride the western branch of the N-S mountain road, which entered the Jezreel Plain south of Taanach.”

    Wenham: “Dothan lies close to the main trade route through Palestine; the Via Maris, which cuts across the plain of Jezreel from the Sea of Galilee to pass along the coastal plain to Egypt.”

    LaSor states that Dothan had a “very strategic position with a view of the roads N-S and E-W.”

Genesis 37

Hamilton provides us with an excellent summary of the events in this chapter. “As the text stands, Jacob's sons must be removed some distance from their father. Otherwise, Jacob sending Joseph to inquire about the welfare of the sons and flocks would make no sense. If the sons are close enough to home to return nightly or regularly, Joseph's mission would have been unnecessary. Archaeology has confirmed that both of these Canaanite towns – Schechem and Dothan – were occupied at the time of Joseph (i.e., the Middle Bronze Age). This evidence lends plausibility to the geographical events of the Joseph story...An unidentified man discovers the wandering Joseph and redirects him from Schechen to Dothan (vv. 15-17)...The chance encounter with this anonymous man provides a transition from Joseph's association with his father to Joseph's association with his brothers, from an environment of love, acceptance, and maybe even doting, to one of hostility and rejection. Joseph has this man to thank, or curse, for pointing him toward Dothan.”

Millard points to an interesting archaeological find which also helps confirm the plausibility of the events involving Joseph at this point in his history. “Near the town (now Tell dota) are rectangular cisterns about 10 feet deep similar to the pit into which Joseph was put (Gn. xxxvii. 17ff)...Areas of the Iron Age town which have been cleared show the narrow streets and small houses with storage-pits and bread-ovens of Elisha's day.”

II Kings 6

On the surface, this is an entirely different type of story, which House ably summarizes as follows: “For some unstated reason, Syria once again makes war with Israel, this time by sending a series of raiding parties across the border. Unfortunately for the Syrians, Elisha discerns where their armies will strike and tells Israel's king...Elisha is Israel's best line of defense. Syria's king draws the logical conclusion that he has a traitor in his court...His officers explain that Elisha is the culprit, however, so he dispatches soldiers to Dothan, where the prophet is living...When Elisha and his servant awake, they discover the city surrounded by Syrians...After Elisha prays that his servant may see these 'soldiers,' the man indeed views 'the hills full of horses and chariots of fire...Not content with protection for himself, Elisha provides safety for all Israel.”

To relate the end of the story, God strikes the Syrian army blind and Elisha leads them to Israel's king, urging that they be well fed and allowed to return to Syria safely instead of punishing them. The king agrees.

Martin says, “This incident, including both Elisha's divine protection and humanity, cannot be definitely dated. Syria's ability to reach Dothan (about 12 miles from Samaria) shows a time when Israel's fortunes were at a low ebb – perhaps early in Jehu's reign after he had paid tribute to Assyria, or later when Jehoahaz was suffering under Hazael's unrelieved pressure. Assyria had other preoccupations from 840-810 and left Syria as Israel's main adversary.”

Cogan and Tadmor dispute Martin's interpretation of events, as witnessed by the following comments: “The fact that the Aramaean bands reached as far as Dothan need not mean that Israel was at its nadir, unable to prevent such deep penetrations of its territory because of weakened military position...Raids and ambushes across the border are likely to have characterized relations between Damascus and Samaria all through the ninth century.”

Intertextuality

That is a fancy word designating the fact that similar narratives and same specific language throughout the Old and New Testaments are quite often found in more than one location, helping to confirm the unity of what is recorded in the Bible.

In the case of the two Dothan narratives discussed above, there would appear to be little in common between them. But in terms of general themes, one could say that both incidents had the effect of saving Israel; both involved the help of angels (assuming that the anonymous man who “fortuitously” directed Joseph to his brothers was in fact an angelic being in disguise); both incidents began with a specific revelation to the main character from God; and what initially appeared to be a helpless situation turned out to be for the best in the long run with reconciliation between the opposing parties in the end rather than revenge being sought by the victor.

Moving further afield from those two passages, we can also see a close parallel between the reactions of Jews (1) confronted by overwhelming enemy forces in the experiences of Elisha and his servant and (2) confronted by the army of the Philistines under Goliath (I Samuel 17). In both cases, the Jews are “dismayed and greatly afraid” but end up the conquerors through supernatural help.

That same I Samuel event even has its close parallel with Joseph's experiences at Dothan in that both events begin with the main characters (Joseph and David) being directed by their respective fathers to go visit their older brothers who are located at another town. When that happens, both Joseph and David are criticized by those brothers for their presumption.

There are even parallels between the two OT texts involving Dothan with the early life of Jesus. When His family visits Jerusalem, Jesus becomes separated from them and he stays behind to discuss theological issues with the elders at the Temple. His parents and older step- (or half-) brothers need to return to search him out in a sort of reversal of Joseph searching for his older brothers. And Jesus' reply that he had to be about “his father's business” turns out in a spiritual sense to be the literal reason for Joseph's visit to his brothers in more than one sense.

Also, it is hard to miss the similar animosity shown on the part of Joseph's brothers toward him and the attitude that Jesus' brothers demonstrated toward Him when He continued to be about “his father's business” in his early preaching. But in each case, the whole family was eventually reunited.

Joseph's total forgiveness of his brothers' treatment of him is also paralleled in the way Elisha ensured that the captured Syrian troops were treated kindly.

I am sure that you could find other examples of intertextuality between the passages cited above.

 

"PONDERING" IN THE BIBLE

This theme appears sporadically in both the Old Testament and New Testament, but I would just like to concentrate on a limited number of its occurrences, one in Genesis and a similar series of references in the Gospel of Luke.

Genesis 37:11

This is the well-known story of Jacob's favorite son Joseph telling his brothers and father the content of two dreams he had just had, both of which contained the obvious underlying meaning that one day his whole family would bow down to him.

Ross elaborates on this passage: “The first dream had an agricultural symbolism, possibly anticipating the manner by which Joseph would come to power in Egypt. The second dream involved celestial images – the sun, moon, and stars being easily recognized for their significance for rulership. These dreams symbolically represented the exaltation of Joseph over his whole family who incidentally, would also have positions of authority, as the symbol of stars signified – but they missed that point when they saw only the supremacy of Joseph.”

As Dictionary of Biblical Imagery puts it, “Joseph's brothers need no interpreter to understand the standard symbolism in his dreams. Even his doting father wearies of their transparent meaning.”

Ross continues by pointing out that “Jacob's response to the dream was more tempered [than that of the brothers]. At first he reacted strongly, rebuking (ga'ar) his son, but then he observed (samar) the saying. Surely Jacob must have seen the repetition of his own beginnings in the beginning of Joseph's career. Surely he knew for a fact that God could select the younger over the older and could declare his choice in advance whether by an oracle (25:33) or by a dream [cf. Genesis 28].”

In a similar vein, Hamilton says, “Jacob rebukes his son, but he does not 'hate' Joseph as did his other sons. On the contrary, something bids him exercise restraint. There may be more to this dream than he can perceive at the moment...Jacob will not jump to conclusions but will give the matter more serious reflection.”

To better understand this passage, it is necessary to know a little more regarding how dreams were sometimes viewed in the Bible. Wenham explains that “dreams were a recognized means of revelation so that 'Jacob held on to what had been said' just in case there was something in them. Perhaps this comment helps to explain why he was prepared to send Joseph to visit his brothers despite their intense hatred of him.”

By the way, the Hebrew word samar (or shamar) meaning “keep, observe” is more generally employed in the OT in the context of keeping God's commandments. The other key word in these passages is the root hsb, meaning to think on, reflect, or ponder. Hartley says, “If one reflects intently enough on God's ways, one's thinking comes to faith or to a resolution to live by the law.” In the same manner, closely reflecting on God's revelations can have the similar effect of helping one understand God's will in a particular situation.

One question that troubles some scholars is the apparent fact that this prophecy was never completely fulfilled. Here are different approaches to that problem:

Payne: “His father apparently did not so act [i.e. bow down to Joseph], but 45:11 and 47:12 note that Joseph provided for him and so became, in fact, his superior.” But he notes that the Anchor Bible translation of Genesis 47:31 says, 'And Israel [i.e. Jacob] bowed himself... as 'a gesture of mute appreciation on the part of a ...man on the point of death.'

And as to the fact that Joseph's mother could not bow down to him later since by that time she was dead, Payne responds that perhaps Joseph's step-mother Leah is meant.

Gibson takes an entirely different line, which is not generally followed by other scholars, namely, “the dream of 37:9 is meant to be seen as obviously false and originating in Joseph's own selfish ambition; hence, the question of nonfulfillment of God's prediction does not arise.” The problem with this solution is that, as others have pointed out, all the other dreams in Genesis 37-50 are fulfilled as predicted.”

Luke's Gospel

Scholars as diverse as Green, Burrows, Fitzmyer, and Dibelius agree that the birth-childhood narratives in Luke's book span from 1:57 to 2:52. And this overall section can be further divided into three basic sub-sections dealing, respectively, with the birth of John the Baptist, Jesus' birth, and Jesus' childhood. Each of these three sub-sections contains a very similar formulation regarding someone's reaction to what they have just heard or witnessed, forming a regular progression which moves the reader by degrees from one verb to another.:

“All who heard them pondered” (1:66)

“Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” (2:19)

“His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (2:51a)

Luke 1:66

“The extraordinary occurrences in connection with the nativity and naming of John [the Baptist] made a deep impression on the people in the surrounding districts, the hilly regions to the south of Jerusalem. Many of them silently wondered and discussed with others what this son was going to become some day.” (Geldenhuys)

Luke 2:19

“The sense here is that Mary continued to think and ponder over the events as a whole so that she was able to discern the meaning.” (Marshall)

Luke 2:51

One might ask how Luke could know all of these details. Geldenhuys adds: “The last sentence of this verse again points to the fact that Luke obtained all these particulars directly or indirectly from Mary herself.”

Marshall says that “the incident has shown to Mary that Jesus' obedience to his parents lies within a more fundamental relationship to God...As in 2:19 there may be an allusion to the source of the narrative [i.e. Mary].”

Correlation of Genesis 37:11 with Passages in Luke

An earlier post of mine is titled “Joseph as a Type of Christ” and it contains exactly fifty ways in which the life of Joseph parallels that of Christ. And just one of those consists of this particular example. I naiively thought that I might be the first to put Genesis 37:11 together with the above passages in Luke. However, as you will see in the quotations below, that is far from the case.

For example, Hamilton says, “As with Mary, who, when she was confronted with a situation half-plausible and half-incredulous, pondered it in her heart (Luke 2:19,51), so too Jacob will not jump to conclusions but will give the matter more serious reflection.”

Then there is also the similarity in wording, as Fitzmyer elaborates: “The verb sunterein is complemented by a slightly different form in v. 51 [than in Luke 2:19], diaterein, 'keep, cherish.' The latter is used in the LXX [Greek Septuagint translation] of Gen 37:11...and Dan 4:28...Both the Genesis and Daniel passages show a person puzzled by what he has heard, keeping the words in mind in an effort to fathom their meaning. This too would be the picture of Mary here as the next phrase makes clear.”

“The wording, especially in the version of Luke 2:51 (he mater autoo dieterei panta rhe mata, 'his mother treasured all these things') closely resembles that of [the Greek version of] Gen. 37:11 (ho de pater autou dieter esen to rhema, 'his father kept [or treasured] the matter'). In both, the parent awaits the unfolding of God's work in the child. Nevertheless, the fact that the two Lukan verses (2:19,51) differ in form may imply that Luke did not have one particular text in mind.” (Pao and Schnabel)

THE NARNIA CHRONICLES -- BIBLICAL ECHOES

The Narnia Chronicles – Biblical Echoes

These seven books by C.S. Lewis are admirably written to give equal enjoyment to those of any age. Lewis not only tells an interesting interrelated set of adventure stories, but there are many theological points made along the way as well as purposeful parallels with events and personages found in the Bible. They are best enjoyed if read in the order intended by the author, which is not the order in which he actually wrote these fiction books. Most importantly, The Magician's Nephew should be read first and The Last Battle last. Without giving away too much of the actual plots, here is a very brief guide to some of the echoes they contain of biblical themes.

By the way, there are actually Christian guide books available to use these seven books as the basis of a series of Sunday school lessons. And if you are interested in a fairly short dramatic reading for two men and two woman based on some of these books, one I designed can be found on this blog site under the titles: “Alpha and Omega: Parts 1 and 2.”

The Magician's Nephew

In this book we get our first glimpse of Narnia, a sort of parallel universe to ours populated mainly by talking animals. We are allowed to see the actual creation of this land through Lewis' almost poetic description which has notable similarities to the events in Genesis 1.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

A number of important biblical themes are encapsulated in this, his most famous, book in the series. The Fall of Genesis 3 is reenacted as one of the children who enters Narnia falls under the spell of Satan (as a wicked witch). He is only saved when Aslan, the powerful ruler-lion as the type of Christ, sacrifices his life to redeem the boy and defeat the force of evil.

A dramatized form of this book appeared on TV years ago and became the topic of discussion by a group of us chemists in our break room the following morning. A friend of mine was confused about the plot since it seemed to make no sense to him that the lion would come back to life after being killed. This was interesting in that that particular chemist was raised and educated in Catholic schools. It actually took an atheist at our table to be the first to point out to him that this was obviously the story of Christ's atoning death and resurrection.

The Horse and His Boy

This book is filled with a number of battles between the forces of good in Narnia and those of evil, just as seen in I-II Kings. The similarity is especially seen in the names of some of the characters. For example, one of the arch-traitors in the Narnia Chronicles appears here under the name Rabadash, a man who attempts unsuccessfully to deliver Narnia into the hands of their enemies, only to be sent back to them in the form of a jackass. The biblical parallel appears in II Kings 18-19 in the person of the Rabshakeh who unsuccessfully tries to talk Israel into surrendering to the Assyrian forces and must return to his people as a failure. That parallel is strengthened when one realizes that the Assyrian Rabshakeh reports to his superior officer called the Tartan just as Rabadash reports to the Tarkaan in C.S. Lewis' book.

In addition, there is an interesting theological point regarding the subject of providence in that the title characters of the book, Bree and Shasta, realize at the end that all the events, both good and “evil,” they had been experiencing were actually the personal doing of Aslan himself, designed expressly to guide their actions toward the desired conclusion. I can look back at my own life to realize that even some of my greatest disappointments turned out to be my greatest blessings in the long run.

Prince Caspian

In this book, the children return to the land of Narnia after many years have elapsed there while only a few on earth, and the magical creatures are all in hiding from their enemies. The youngest child, Lucy, is the first one to catch sight of Aslan although it takes much longer for her brother and cousin to do so. Only then do the memories of their previous time there come back fully to them. One of the themes of this book appears to be the fact that as real as Bible stories are to us when we are quite young, as we age it sometimes becomes difficult to maintain that firm belief after we begin to grow up, even though they are still as true as ever. Sometimes we need help from above to recapture that earlier childlike faith.

There is also the reverse story of a dwarf who was raised among those who were afraid of Narnia, its inhabitants, and its leader Aslan. For that person, it took much more convincing before he realized that he had been brainwashed by his society for years. One can see the same thing on occasion in the conversion of those raised in an officially atheistic country. When they become exposed to the truth for the first time, some happily make an almost overnight change and become especially loyal believers.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

In this adventure, two of the children and their thoroughly obnoxious cousin Eustace enter the world of Narnia again through the painting of ship at sea. Eustace typifies the sort of product that results from a thoroughly “modern” education in which it is taught that all that exists is only which can be scientifically proved or experienced with one's own senses. Therefore everything else is treated as utter nonsense. I had another chemist friend at work who was the epitome of this attitude. His greatest scorn was saved for all that Walt Disney stood for, as well as any form of musical entertainment. He once told a group of us that he could not for the life of him understand how grown men and women could appear on screen dancing and singing without being thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Once Eustace experiences Narnia for himself, he becomes changed for life – for the better in every way. Similarly, after retirement my friend at work ended up returning to the church in which he was raised.

Also on this voyage, we become reacquainted with the lovable mouse-warrior Reepicheep (try reading it backwards while eliminating the mouse-cheeps and you will come up with his real-life counterpart, the Apostle Peter.) He is the epitome of the rash and often mistaken, but brave, St. Peter, who goes on to found the church.

The Silver Chair

This entry into the series is most interesting from what it says regarding the subject of Christian apologetics. Some of the Narnian children stumble into a cave and are captured by the stunted inhabitants of an underground land who have never been outside. The evil queen of that land tries to convince the children with her hypnotic voice that they have merely been imagining all of the wonders of an outside world which they have been describing. These are obviously only the result of wish fulfillment. In this manner, C.S. Lewis takes a potshot at Sigmund Freud and his book Moses and Monotheism in which the famous psychoanalyst attempted to explain that the whole notion of a benevolent creator God was invented in Moses' mind as a result of his growing up without a father. Because of that, Freud reasons, Moses came to imagine a sort of ultimate Father to fill that vacuum, one who was both loving and all-powerful.

The Last Battle

The Second Coming of Christ/Aslan in judgment over all the inhabitants of Narnia is presented here. Those who have always followed Aslan are overjoyed to see the loving beast and enter into eternal life with Him. But the vast majority of the pagan Calormenes who worshiped the bloodthirsty god Tash instead do not see Aslan as loving at all, but only the violent Tash who destroys them all except for one lone Calormene who had always pictured Tash as someone more in the image of Aslan. That one pagan is saved, reflecting Lewis' idea that even some who have never known Christ in their lifetime may experience salvation – a notion not shared by all Christian theologians even though there may be hints of that idea found in Romans 1:16-23.