Notes

Eunuchs and Foreigners in Isaiah 56

Isaiah 56 is one of my favoritechapters in the book. So much of what we read in the prophets is “inside baseball” for the Israelites (it applies specifically to their historical situation and national sins - not* to say that it carries no meaning for us in 2023, but just that the words of the prophets rarely look outwards). Isaiah 56 is an exception to that rule. While these words are ‘aimed’ at the Israelites who were failing to be faithful to God. The subject is non-Israelites (foreigners) or disinherited Israelites (eunuchs). After an introduction about what god from people, there is a thesis statement in verse 3

3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”
And let no eunuch complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”

The chapter then addresses how - first eunuchs, and then foreigners - may please God and receive his salvation; through obedience and worship. God is making it plain that national identity doesn’t matter, that social status doesn’t matter - but that obedience and worship please Him. In our modern context, it may mean that God’s blessing and salvation are not conferred on those who ‘seem religious,’ go to the right church, or are from a Christian family. God knows each heart and desires obedience and worship from us - whoever is willing to give him that will find themselves in His Favor. The reason these words are given by God through Isaiah is to chastise Israel - who inherently have the identity of God’s people - for not doing these things. This is made most evident by the condemnation of Israel in the verses that conclude the chapter (9-12)

Molech in Isiah 57

We read some extremely disturbing words in Isaiah 57:6

5 You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.

here is a note about these words from the IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament

The biblical writers attributed child sacrifice to the phoenician worship of Molech (see Lev. 18:21 and 2nd Chron. 28:3). Archaeological discoveries at Carthage (a Phoenician site in north Africa) give evidence of child sacrifice, as hundreds of urns containing the charred remains of infants have been found. Commemorative stelae describe the role of the children as sacrificial victims, referred to in Punic as mlk (i.e., Molech) offerings. Outside of Scripture, however, the evidence in Syro-Palestine for child sacrifice is scant. There is a possible reference from the ninth century B.C. from Tell Halaf and from penalty clauses in Late Assyrian juridical contracts.
The Old Testament describes Molech as a Canaanite deity to whom children were brought for sacrifice. There is literary evidence from the ancient Near East as early as the third millennium B.C. of a god Malik or Milki\u who was worshiped at Ebla and Mari in Syria. He was also worshiped in Assyria and Babylonia, as well as Ugarit (where he was known as Mlk). From these texts it appears that Molech was a netherworld deity involved in the cult of dead ancestors. The term Molech is probably related to the Semitic root denoting "king."

The fact that Molech worship is being discussed in chapter 57 helps make sense of the clause “you descended to the very realm of the dead!” in verse 9 and Molech was seen to be the caretaker of that realm.

Isaiah 59:17: Armor of God

There is likely not a footnote in Ephesians 6 under the "armor of God" passage in your bible that points you back to Isaiah 59:17, but there probably should be. Paul certainly had these words in mind:

He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head; (Isaiah 59:17a)

when he wrote these words,

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:14-17)

It is revealing to contrast these two passages. In Isaiah, it is God who is being equipped for battle because Israel has been unfaithful and he, himself must establish justice and bring salvation. In Ephesians, however, it is the Church who is being equipped for battle because we partake in Jesus, who is the truly-faithful Israel, and we have been given this incredible mission to show the world the light, peace, and righteousness of this salvation. Where Israel failed to accomplish these things, the Church will not. Not because we are better or holier than the Israelites, but because our Savior Jesus Christ has led us in victory and the Spirit of God is in us. Now it is up to us, to pick up this light and go to war in our dark world.

New Bible project Video for the 2nd half of John

If you’re reading the paper version of the study notes just type “bible project john 2 of 2” into the youtube search bar

John 13: the setting of foot washing and passover

13:3-5. The couches would be arranged around tables containing the food, with the upper part of each person’s body facing the food and their feet away from the table. Jesus would go to the outside of this circle to wash each person’s feet. A wealthy home might recline three or four people on each of three large couches; whether couches were available here (or mats, or cloaks), the arrangement may be similar. The person would lean on the left elbow, leaving the right hand free to reach food on the table. After travelers had come to a long distance, the host was to provide water for their feet as a sign of hospitality, as exemplified by Abraham (Gen 18:4). Yet loosing sandals and personally washing someone else’s feet was considered servile, most commonly the work of a servant or of servile or submissive persons (cf. 1 Sam 25:41). Travelers’ sandals need not be covered in dung, as some scholars have suggested (although in Rome people were known to occasionally empty chamber pots from their windows, sometimes to the misfortune of passersby below). Side roads were very dusty; the main streets of Jerusalem, however, would have been kept clear of human waste, especially in the Upper City, where Jesus likely ate this Passover meal historically. (Finding an upper room sufficiently large to host all the *disciples would have been more difficult in the poorer Lower City.) In any case, travelers and people walking in the streets normally washed their feet when entering a home. Jesus’ removing his outer garments to serve them would also appear as a sign of great humility before them. By so serving, Jesus prefigures his death as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 on behalf of the many. Jesus’ milieu celebrated honor and feared shame. Unlike most elite men in Greco-Roman society, Judaism valued humility; but like other societies, it also upheld societal roles. Jesus overturns even positions of social status. Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi (about A.D. 220) was said to be so humble that he would do anything for others—except relinquish his superior position; seating according to rank was crucial. Jesus goes beyond even this. Ancient evidence suggests that Jesus may have poured water over the feet into a basin. Sometimes one would pour cold water into the basin first, and then hot water. Possibly Jesus uses a basin used for handwashing before the meal.

Keener, Craig S.. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (p. 288). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

JOHN 13:34 / 1ST JOHN 2:7: NEW COMMAND / OLD COMMAND

Jesus gives his disciples a new command in John 13:34:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Its true that this command is at least a little novel. The closest parallel we have in the old testament is the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). This command comes in the upper room just after the moment when Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet which serves as a perfect companion to this instruction. Love is a central theme of John’s literature, and is featured prominently in his Gospel. John returns to this subject again in his first epistle:

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. (1st John 2)

By the time John is writing this letter, the command to love one another is both new and old. New because it belongs to the light that Jesus brought into the world (see John 1:4-5). Old because this command belongs with the proclamation of the Gospel which John’s readers have already received (i.e. they should already know this because the Gospel has been proclaimed to them).

Week 14 - Isaiah 54-60 & John 13 (April 2-8)