Hope against hope
Commentary
Some might call the Old Testament lesson an unfulfilled prophecy. Initially it must have referred to the northern kingdom of Israel, which was battered more than once in the third quarter of the eighth century B.C. by the world power of the time, Assyria, in northern Mesopotamia. Finally in 721 B.C., the capital city, Samaria, was beseiged, conquered and destroyed. Forced shifts in population followed. Israelites were marched away in great numbers to various parts of the empire and other peoples were brought in to take their place. Assyria wanted to destroy the identity of the conquered peoples so completely as to eliminate political cohesiveness and reduce the possibility of rebellion. It gained the reputation of being the cruelest oppressor in antiquity. Did it succeed in frustrating the promise in Jeremiah's prophecy?
Jeremiah preached in the southern kingdom of Judah a century after the fall of Samaria. As the Assyrian empire declined, the Judean king Josiah began to take control of the territory of the former northern kingdom. The military and political successes may have stimulated Jeremiah's jubilant poetry and theologically founded hope. If so, the celebration was short-lived. The Egyptian Pharaoh eliminated Josiah as a hindrance to dealing with Babylon, the new expanding empire from southern Mesopotamia. Babylon won and plagued Judah until destroying it early in the sixth century B.C.
When Judah was restored after Persia became the world power in the second half of the century, the people in Samaria were disdained because Israelites had intermarried with the other peoples who had been settled there. This attitude toward Samaritans still existed in Jesus' time. The northern kingdom was never restored. It has been called the lost tribes of Israel.
Why did Jeremiah's prophecy and hope live on? Some literalists continued to expect a miracle in the form of ethnically pure families emerging from their widely scattered locations and returning to unite with Judah to form the messianic kingdom. Some began to perceive that Judah would be the remnant of the chosen people who should receive the fulfillment of all the divine promises. The followers of Jesus saw the promises fulfilled by a new beginning that included people from all parts of the world. The hope did not die; but it was transformed.
Hopes may be misplaced in their specific anticipations. Yet, the community of faith survives and the love of God remains sure. They deserve to be at the center of our steadfast hope.
OUTLINE I
New beginnings
Jeremiah 31:7-9
A. v. 7. Making the most of what is left. "Remnant" at the end of the verse gives a clue to the situation. The subject is clearly the decimated people of God. These verses have continued to contain meaning through the centuries even though the composition of the people of God has changed. Their identity comes from their special relationship with God, which makes them "the chief of the nations." The situation is like the jubilation at the end of a war. In spite of the loss of beloved family members and dear friends in battle, peace brings the chance for a new beginning.
B. v. 8. Strength through restoration. Continuing the comparison with the end of a war, we may think of those who return from distant assignments. Although the ancient poem probably refers to exiles from Assyria, "the land of the north," the picture is all too familiar. Undesirable disablement combines with regular and even joyous events such as childbirth. Reunion brings the chance for all kinds of new beginnings.
C. v. 9. God's intimate care. Throughout the poem, God is active, causing the glad songs, saving the people, reuniting them. Now he promises to make the way easy. Historically, Ephraim was the younger son of Joseph, but the most powerful tribe in the northern kingdom. Here, he represents God's people, who receive attention like the first child in a family. God is the loving parent who assures the child a good beginning and continued care after that.
OUTLINE II
Our qualified mediator
Hebrews 5:1-10
A. vv. 1-3. Sharing our human weaknesses. In those times when we feel our inadequacy, when some failing makes God seem distant, then the human compassion of Christ becomes most precious. "Deal gently" (v. 2) translates a Greek word that appears only here in the New Testament and refers to exactly the right mix of emotion and composure. We need both in a mediator. Christ fulfills this idea. He is like the high priest in the Old Testament. Being human, he understands the persons for whom he makes offerings to God.
B. vv. 4-6. Properly called. When things are not right and God's established order seems in disarray, we need someone who can demonstrate that God is still in charge and concerned about us. For just such a purpose, God had instituted the Old Testament priesthood, which would continue to provide an orderly worship of God. Christ was like the first high priest Aaron (Exodus 28:1; Psalm 2:7). Or better still, since Christ was not a descendant of Aaron, he was like the priest Melchizedek who had served Abraham before the time of Aaron (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 110:4). Most important, God had taken the initiative to provide us an authoritative mediator.
C. vv. 7-10. Perfected by experience. From his own fervent prayer, during his own intense suffering, Christ knew God could be depended upon to deliver a person in anguish. His complete trust in God made him the ideal mediator to elicit similar obedient trust from us.
OUTLINE III
When pressure mounts
Mark 10:46-52
A. vv. 46-48. In Jericho, Jesus was only 18 miles from Jerusalem, a day or two from his final Passover week with its many trials. The story turns to a blind beggar. When told that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, the beggar does not use the name that was given. Instead, he shouts out, "Jesus, Son of David!" Did the people who tried to quiet him know that it had become dangerous to publicly acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah? In any case, the beggar has no time for caution. He cries out the messianic title a second time. Perhaps he is bold from strong conviction. Surely he is desperate to be healed. No doubt he was driven by both faith and need.
B. vv. 49-51. Jesus, who might well have been anxious about the journey ahead and its trying sequel, takes time to respond to the beggar's call. He puts forth a question very like the one he spoke to James and John in the previous story, "What do you want me to do?" The answers in the two stories pose a great contrast. The apostles prayed to be set above others. The blind beggar prays for sight, such as most others have. As though impressed by the personal attention that he is receiving, he calls Jesus by a more intimate title, "my teacher."
C. v. 52. Jesus does not scold the beggar for using the messianic title, nor urge him to keep silence about the healing, as had been customary in the past. Jesus commends the man for his faith, then frees him with a simple, "Go." But the man follows as a disciple.
Jeremiah preached in the southern kingdom of Judah a century after the fall of Samaria. As the Assyrian empire declined, the Judean king Josiah began to take control of the territory of the former northern kingdom. The military and political successes may have stimulated Jeremiah's jubilant poetry and theologically founded hope. If so, the celebration was short-lived. The Egyptian Pharaoh eliminated Josiah as a hindrance to dealing with Babylon, the new expanding empire from southern Mesopotamia. Babylon won and plagued Judah until destroying it early in the sixth century B.C.
When Judah was restored after Persia became the world power in the second half of the century, the people in Samaria were disdained because Israelites had intermarried with the other peoples who had been settled there. This attitude toward Samaritans still existed in Jesus' time. The northern kingdom was never restored. It has been called the lost tribes of Israel.
Why did Jeremiah's prophecy and hope live on? Some literalists continued to expect a miracle in the form of ethnically pure families emerging from their widely scattered locations and returning to unite with Judah to form the messianic kingdom. Some began to perceive that Judah would be the remnant of the chosen people who should receive the fulfillment of all the divine promises. The followers of Jesus saw the promises fulfilled by a new beginning that included people from all parts of the world. The hope did not die; but it was transformed.
Hopes may be misplaced in their specific anticipations. Yet, the community of faith survives and the love of God remains sure. They deserve to be at the center of our steadfast hope.
OUTLINE I
New beginnings
Jeremiah 31:7-9
A. v. 7. Making the most of what is left. "Remnant" at the end of the verse gives a clue to the situation. The subject is clearly the decimated people of God. These verses have continued to contain meaning through the centuries even though the composition of the people of God has changed. Their identity comes from their special relationship with God, which makes them "the chief of the nations." The situation is like the jubilation at the end of a war. In spite of the loss of beloved family members and dear friends in battle, peace brings the chance for a new beginning.
B. v. 8. Strength through restoration. Continuing the comparison with the end of a war, we may think of those who return from distant assignments. Although the ancient poem probably refers to exiles from Assyria, "the land of the north," the picture is all too familiar. Undesirable disablement combines with regular and even joyous events such as childbirth. Reunion brings the chance for all kinds of new beginnings.
C. v. 9. God's intimate care. Throughout the poem, God is active, causing the glad songs, saving the people, reuniting them. Now he promises to make the way easy. Historically, Ephraim was the younger son of Joseph, but the most powerful tribe in the northern kingdom. Here, he represents God's people, who receive attention like the first child in a family. God is the loving parent who assures the child a good beginning and continued care after that.
OUTLINE II
Our qualified mediator
Hebrews 5:1-10
A. vv. 1-3. Sharing our human weaknesses. In those times when we feel our inadequacy, when some failing makes God seem distant, then the human compassion of Christ becomes most precious. "Deal gently" (v. 2) translates a Greek word that appears only here in the New Testament and refers to exactly the right mix of emotion and composure. We need both in a mediator. Christ fulfills this idea. He is like the high priest in the Old Testament. Being human, he understands the persons for whom he makes offerings to God.
B. vv. 4-6. Properly called. When things are not right and God's established order seems in disarray, we need someone who can demonstrate that God is still in charge and concerned about us. For just such a purpose, God had instituted the Old Testament priesthood, which would continue to provide an orderly worship of God. Christ was like the first high priest Aaron (Exodus 28:1; Psalm 2:7). Or better still, since Christ was not a descendant of Aaron, he was like the priest Melchizedek who had served Abraham before the time of Aaron (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 110:4). Most important, God had taken the initiative to provide us an authoritative mediator.
C. vv. 7-10. Perfected by experience. From his own fervent prayer, during his own intense suffering, Christ knew God could be depended upon to deliver a person in anguish. His complete trust in God made him the ideal mediator to elicit similar obedient trust from us.
OUTLINE III
When pressure mounts
Mark 10:46-52
A. vv. 46-48. In Jericho, Jesus was only 18 miles from Jerusalem, a day or two from his final Passover week with its many trials. The story turns to a blind beggar. When told that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, the beggar does not use the name that was given. Instead, he shouts out, "Jesus, Son of David!" Did the people who tried to quiet him know that it had become dangerous to publicly acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah? In any case, the beggar has no time for caution. He cries out the messianic title a second time. Perhaps he is bold from strong conviction. Surely he is desperate to be healed. No doubt he was driven by both faith and need.
B. vv. 49-51. Jesus, who might well have been anxious about the journey ahead and its trying sequel, takes time to respond to the beggar's call. He puts forth a question very like the one he spoke to James and John in the previous story, "What do you want me to do?" The answers in the two stories pose a great contrast. The apostles prayed to be set above others. The blind beggar prays for sight, such as most others have. As though impressed by the personal attention that he is receiving, he calls Jesus by a more intimate title, "my teacher."
C. v. 52. Jesus does not scold the beggar for using the messianic title, nor urge him to keep silence about the healing, as had been customary in the past. Jesus commends the man for his faith, then frees him with a simple, "Go." But the man follows as a disciple.
