Malachi 3 We do not know anything at all about the prophet who is the author of this final book in the Old Testament. We do not even know if his name was Malachi or if this was an appellation ascribed to him because of his role as God’s messenger. Malach is a Hebrew word that means “messenger.” [Malachi means “my messenger”; malachenu means “our messenger.”] When the Old Testament was later translated into Latin the Hebrew word malach was translated into its direct Latin equivalent, angelus. However, when the Old Testament was later translated into English (a language that didn’t exist in the days of the Roman Empire), for some unknown reason the Hebrew malach was sometimes translated into its direct English equivalent, messenger, and at other times is transliterated from the Latin angelus into angel. This is unfortunate for two reasons: (1) it has led to all kinds of silly notions about “angels” among Christians; and (2) it has likely prevented many of us from noticing when a messenger from God has been sent to us. If we think of “angels” as winged creatures with human faces wearing New Testament era clothing, we would most likely conclude that never has an “angel” appeared to us. The truth is, we don’t know whom God may choose to act as God’s messenger to us at any given time in our lives. We need to pay attention!
Chapter 3 begins with the words: “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly appear in his temple.” Christians have interpreted this verse as referring to John the Baptist, a theme that is fresh on our minds as John the Baptist is the focus of the middle two Sundays of Advent. The book ends with a commentary on these words: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.” That Jesus himself interpreted this as referring to John the Baptist, see Matthew 11:14 and 17:10-13.
It is unreasonable and unjustified for Christians to take Jewish Scriptures and tell the Jews that they don’t know what they mean but we do. On the other hand, we must recognize that there are many layers of meaning in much of the Scriptures. While it is not right to take a particular Christian interpretation of an Old Testament passage and insist that it is the only valid interpretation, it is inevitable that we should take passages such as these from Malachi and apply them to John the Baptist, or take the Servant Songs of Isaiah and apply them to Jesus. Hence it is fitting that, from a strictly Christian standpoint, the Old Testament ends with a (veiled) reference to the precursor to the Messiah, the subject of the New Testament.
Luke 8 There are two parables, three healings, and other events related in this chapter. Any one of them could be fodder for a whole commentary or even a sermon. However, since we have already read through the Gospel of Luke last spring, and someone else has already written a commentary on it, my remarks here will be very brief.
It is worth pointing out the prominence of women (and a girl) in this chapter. Several women who support Jesus’ ministry financially are mentioned at the beginning, a young girl who has died is raised, and a woman suffering from a long-term ailment is healed. Such attention given to women is typical of Jesus, but was not typical of the culture of his time.
The parable of the sower is one worth pondering as we reach the end of this year-long pilgrimage of reading through the Bible. How do we react to the word of God? What type of soil do we represent? (Let’s not presume too much here!)
I know from comments from some of the folks in my congregation that some struggle with much of what is written in the Bible and is passed off as “God’s word.” The wholesale slaughter of men, women, and children when the children of Israel moved into Canaan comes to mind. This reminds me of the Gospel reading from Christmas, when the shepherds rush to the stable and tell Mary and Joseph the message from the “angel” (read “messenger”), that this helpless newborn is Savior, Messiah, and Lord. They were, understandably, “amazed.” Who wouldn’t be? It is safe to assume that they didn’t know what to make of it all. “But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” Now that we have read through the Bible in its entirety, we have lots to ponder. Whether going forward we make daily reading of the Bible a discipline in our lives or not, we will continue to engage the Bible at a minimum through our Sunday readings. Whether we are firm believers or skeptics who don’t know what to make of it all, let us use Mary as a role model and continue to ponder these things in our hearts. But as we ponder let us also, like Mary, “treasure all these words!”
Chapter 3 begins with the words: “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly appear in his temple.” Christians have interpreted this verse as referring to John the Baptist, a theme that is fresh on our minds as John the Baptist is the focus of the middle two Sundays of Advent. The book ends with a commentary on these words: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.” That Jesus himself interpreted this as referring to John the Baptist, see Matthew 11:14 and 17:10-13.
It is unreasonable and unjustified for Christians to take Jewish Scriptures and tell the Jews that they don’t know what they mean but we do. On the other hand, we must recognize that there are many layers of meaning in much of the Scriptures. While it is not right to take a particular Christian interpretation of an Old Testament passage and insist that it is the only valid interpretation, it is inevitable that we should take passages such as these from Malachi and apply them to John the Baptist, or take the Servant Songs of Isaiah and apply them to Jesus. Hence it is fitting that, from a strictly Christian standpoint, the Old Testament ends with a (veiled) reference to the precursor to the Messiah, the subject of the New Testament.
Luke 8 There are two parables, three healings, and other events related in this chapter. Any one of them could be fodder for a whole commentary or even a sermon. However, since we have already read through the Gospel of Luke last spring, and someone else has already written a commentary on it, my remarks here will be very brief.
It is worth pointing out the prominence of women (and a girl) in this chapter. Several women who support Jesus’ ministry financially are mentioned at the beginning, a young girl who has died is raised, and a woman suffering from a long-term ailment is healed. Such attention given to women is typical of Jesus, but was not typical of the culture of his time.
The parable of the sower is one worth pondering as we reach the end of this year-long pilgrimage of reading through the Bible. How do we react to the word of God? What type of soil do we represent? (Let’s not presume too much here!)
I know from comments from some of the folks in my congregation that some struggle with much of what is written in the Bible and is passed off as “God’s word.” The wholesale slaughter of men, women, and children when the children of Israel moved into Canaan comes to mind. This reminds me of the Gospel reading from Christmas, when the shepherds rush to the stable and tell Mary and Joseph the message from the “angel” (read “messenger”), that this helpless newborn is Savior, Messiah, and Lord. They were, understandably, “amazed.” Who wouldn’t be? It is safe to assume that they didn’t know what to make of it all. “But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” Now that we have read through the Bible in its entirety, we have lots to ponder. Whether going forward we make daily reading of the Bible a discipline in our lives or not, we will continue to engage the Bible at a minimum through our Sunday readings. Whether we are firm believers or skeptics who don’t know what to make of it all, let us use Mary as a role model and continue to ponder these things in our hearts. But as we ponder let us also, like Mary, “treasure all these words!”
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