2017, September 17 ~ Exodus 14:19-31 or 15:1b-11,20-21; Genesis 50:15-21; Romans 14:1-12
This Sunday, three different readings from the Hebrew Bible are offered. Scripture in Context will discuss all these readings and the reading from the Christian Scriptures.
Exodus 14:19-31 or 15:1b-11, 20-21
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s readings tell the story of the deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh by the parting of the Sea of Reeds. Just before this account, (somewhat curiously) YHWH told Moses that he will “harden the hearts of the Egyptians so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army” (14.17). In this portion of the Exodus, the focus is on the power of YHWH versus the power of Pharaoh (whom Egyptians saw as a god). The exercise of YHHW’s power led the Israelites to “fear the LORD and believe in YHWH and his servant Moses” (v. 31).
The alternate reading recounts the same story and is called the “Song of Moses.” It is one of the oldest parts of the Bible. The concluding verses (20-21) are the Song of Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. This is the first place where she is identified by name (she was part of the Rescue of Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter). She is also described as a prophet (one who speaks for God).
Genesis 50:15-21
Today’s reading is from the last chapter of Genesis. Jacob/Israel died and was buried in Canaan. Afterwards, Joseph’s brothers offered themselves as Joseph’s slaves (thereby fulfilling Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37) but Joseph forgave them for their treatment of him. He told them that even though they intended to do harm to him, God intended their sale of him into slavery “for good, in order to preserve a numerous people” (v. 20). This statement reflects two important theological tenets in Genesis – that God controls all that occurs and God’s purposes are not always readily apparent.
Romans 14:1-12
Paul’s letter to the Romans is his longest, last, and theologically most complex letter, written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written. One of Paul’s goals was to reduce tensions and eliminate distinctions between the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome and Gentile Jesus Followers there.
In today’s reading, Paul (who was a Jewish Jesus Follower after his conversion) urges Gentile Jesus Followers not to look down on Jewish Jesus Followers who follow the Kosher laws (v. 2-3) and who observe the Lord’s Day (Sabbath) on a different day (v. 5-6). Paul emphasizes that Jews and Gentiles both live in honor of the Lord (v.8) and will each be accountable in their own ways (v.12).