Break Open the Word

Epiphany VI Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20 Psalm 119:1-8 I Corinthians 3:1-9 Saint Matthew 5:21-37 Amen-em-ope, author of "Instruction" BACKGROUND – Wisdom Literature The origin of this type of writing, known throughout the Ancient Near East, most especially in Egypt, has been thought to be the royal court.  It was here that princes learned about kingship, or courtiers learned how to be of service to the king.  Whether through the sojourn of Israel in Egypt, or through Israel’s adoption of Egyptian kingship into its own government, the style and content of Israel’s sense of Wisdom made its way into the culture and finally into the scriptures.  Many scholars opine that to look to the courtly origin of Wisdom Literature is to not look back far enough.  Many feel that the true origin is the passing of “wisdom” from father to son, from mother to daughter.  In the royal courts a similar means of transmission would have developed, although on a much differ...

Epiphany V Isaiah 58:1-12 Psalm 112 I Corinthians 2:1-16 Saint Matthew 5:13-20 Sargent - "Prophetic Frieze" BACKGROUND – The Prophets II As we became students of the Scriptures when we were children, we were brought into an understanding of biblical events and characters that were unique and peculiar to Israel.  If we continued our biblical studies, we may have become aware of the shared culture that our Scriptures represent.  Was the prophetic office unique to the religion of Yahweh?  It appears that it was not, with prophetic offices being seen in Canaanite, Mesopotamian, and Egyptian cultures and cults.  Often the prophetic office was a part of the royal household, providing guidance about political decisions, and divining what it was that the god desired.  Other prophetic callings were known as well, not all of them having a royal or cult sanction.  Ecstatic prophets were also known in Israel (see I Samuel 10:5-7, 10-13) as well as in...

Epiphany IV Micah 6:1-8 Psalm 15 I Corinthians 1:18-31 Saint Matthew 5:1-12 Albrecht Dürer - Apocalypse BACKGROUND – The Prophets I It might be a good time to step back and think about the prophets, what they contributed to the Holy Scriptures, and how they were perceived in the time of their ministry.   The term, prophet, is a Greek translation of the Hebrew word Nabi’ , which indicated some one who was considered to be an authentic spokesperson for a divinity.   In the Hebrew Scriptures, and indeed in early Christianity, it mattered not whether the prophet spoke for YHWH, but rather that he or she spoke the truth.   Thus both Balaam (see the First Reading for this morning) and the Sybil are honored along with the prophets who saw themselves as agents for the Most High.   The notion that prophets were diviners of the future is a much later development.   The original concept was that these men and women spoke God’s will – directed to th...