Numbers 26-Deuteronomy 7/Luke 1-3

Numbers
Numbers 26 we have a second census. This is the census after they return from the 40 years of wandering.

27 covers a possible loophole in the law. What if a man has no sons? The land passes to his daughters until their sons can inherit it in the man's name (their grandfather). The importance of keeping land within the family was a central value of this culture. Land was not sold or given away except under extreme circumstances.

We also have here the important passing of the torch from Moses to Joshua, who will now be the leader of the people. Joshua becomes the first judge, who fulfills this role (these people give the title to the book of Judges coming up). Notice however that Joshua does not have the religious authority that Moses had. Joshua must go to the priest to inquire of God, whereas Moses went directly to God.

Why can't Moses enter the promised land (v.13-14)? Because he struck the rock for water instead of speaking to it (20.8-13).

28-29 is more discussion on the calendar and the proper offerings, both daily and on special days. This is in contrast to those offerings in Leviticus which were primarily offerings people would bring; these were offerings made by the priests on behalf of all the people.

30 regards to nullification of the vows of wives and daughters. Since these women had no economic power and no ownership of the property of the family, they could not bind it irrevocably. However, if they make a vow and their husband or father (before marriage) does not speak up, it stands. So the onus is on the father/husband to speak up and take action; otherwise it is thought that the wife/daughter speaks with the authority of the family. Notice that widows and divorcees can make binding vows because of their economic independence.

31 continues the story started in chapter 25 when the Israelites where "seduced" by the Moabites (or Midianites - it is unclear which is which because it is likely these are two stories that have been combined into one). As we will encounter later, the Israelites prosecute a violent, give-no-quarter war on the people living in the promised land. The likely story behind this is the fear (perhaps justified) that the cultures of Canaan will tempt the Israelites with idolatry. In point of fact, they do, and the worship of other gods than Yahweh is one of the two keys factors in their eventual subjugation.

32 is an interesting interlude and explains the holdings of three tribes to the east of the Jordan River (called Transjordan). They wish to set up towns and fields here, but they promise to cross the Jordan and fight with everyone else against the Canaanites. This turns out to be an acceptable compromise, and the area controlled by the twelve tribes increases before they even get established.

33 is a re-hash in summary form of the wanderings from Egypt up until now. It adds, contracts, expands and omits several things from the rest of the narrative. The boundaries which are given in 34 are likely ideal boundaries, probably achieved during the time of David (check your maps for where tribes end up).

34 is important for two reasons. First, it lays out the Levitical cities. Since the priests did not have a territory, they were given cities throughout the land along with pasture and fields. Second, six towns will be towns of refuge or sanctuary. Remember, there are no police; there are no courts; there are no lawyers. If someone is killed, it is the obligation of the family of the slain to avenge that death and to bring about justice.

Obviously this kind of system lends itself to blood feuds and the ever increasing cycle of violence. To control bloodshed there are two outlets. One is the judicial review (needing two witnesses). The other is the town of refuge, where, if the accused is guilty of man-slaughter (and not murder), they can reside without fear of reprisal.

Finally there is the warning against bloodshed, which I believe is referring to the dangers of the cycle of violence, murders, man-slaughter, vengeance, honor killings etc. Echoing I believe the story of Cain and Abel we hear that blood pollutes the land, and the land cannot be cleaned; it cannot be expiated. It is made filthy by this violence, and only the end of the one perpetrating the violence can bring an end to it. God says - do not pollute the land, because I live in it too!

The final chapter concludes the problem of the women who own land, and who could, potentially, give it through inheritance to a Gentile foreigner. The daughters marry within their tribe and the land stays within that tribe's territory.

Deuteronomy
So we get to the final book of the Torah. The last of the five books of the Pentateuch. The setting: the children of Israel have wandered 40 years and now stand on the brink of entering the promised land (see yesterday's reading). They will enter without Moses, who is about to die. However, before they do, he is going to give them a piece of his mind. Deuteronomy (Dt.) is set as Moses' last great discourse, his final words, on his deathbed, before he leaves them and the people move into the next phase of their story.

The vast majority of the book itself, however was shaped many, many years later. Most scholars now believe the Dt. is the core of the book is a product of 7th century BC reformation and revival during the reign of King Josiah (2 Kings 22-23). It reflects different concerns than the Mosaic laws found in Exodus and Leviticus. It is more urban and less rural, and reflects many of the reforms carried out by Josiah.

However, it is a book of great significance. Deuteronomy means "Second Law," and in it we do get a kind of revision of the Law found earlier in Torah. It is a deeper expounding on the history and law of the Israelites and a great exhortation to remain loyal to Yahweh in the midst of distractions and temptations.

Chapters 1-4 are the first discourse of Moses. You will notice the tense is a little hard to get used to. Remember, Moses begins in verse 6 through 3.29 to give a historical review of their exodus and 40 year journey. We get a retelling of the events at Kadesh-Barnea which precipitated their 40 year wandering and their final return to this plain from which they would launch their invasion of the Promised Land.

Chapter 4 is Moses' first exhortation to obey the Law (Torah). vv.25-31 are especially important for the later history of the people. If they do not follow the Law, then they will lose the land and be scattered. This becomes an important factor in the history of Israel when they are later defeated, exiled, and carried off into slavery in Babylon.

Chapter 5 -28 is Moses' second discourse, primarily on the Law. Notice we start again with the 10 (or however many there are) commandments. Notice who is addressed - all Israel, man, woman, child. God is disclosing this law to everyone and for everyone. Most other Near Eastern laws were significantly more concerned with preserving class distinctions. Also compare this list with the one in Exodus 20.2-17. Also note v. 28. The previous Laws (commandments) come directly from God to the people; the rest are mediated by Moses (the Lord spoke to me).

Chapter 6-11 discuss the requirement of loyalty to God. v. 4 commands the people to love God completely, to remember the laws and pass them down. Within this section, you will find chapters 7-10 warn about the dangers of inhabiting the land.

For chapter 7, we must discuss the "ban," or the "herem." This is where the Israelites are commanded to "utterly destroy" a people. There are many different explanations for this practice, which seems so utterly foreign to the God we have come to know.

Some have looked to the warning that follows, of the dangers that the Israelites faced from the culture and religion of these other peoples, a danger that found fulfillment in the history of Israel. However, it is unclear how that justifies the ban.

There are also many inconsistencies in the different descriptions and prescriptions for the ban. How it is carried out is problematic as well, since after war with many of the people placed under the ban, they still appear and their daughters and sons become intermarried with the Israelites. Many scholars believe that the ban is an anachronism, read back from the 6th century BC (when purity and survival were paramount) to the 11th when conquering and taking possession of the land were. Some believe it was a polemic directed at internal issues of the Josiah reformation, rather than a practice used by Joshua (who leads the people after Moses) in the conquest of Canaan.

The primary purpose of the ban, however we understand it, was to keep the Israelites pure and loyal to Yahweh. They were to burn the idols with fire, and not even use the gold and silver used to cover them. If they did not maintain their loyalty to Yahweh, then they would suffer the plagues of Egypt and be scattered from the land.

Luke
There is a very ancient tradition that the author of Luke was a physician who accompanied Paul on several of his missions. There are some problems with that identification, but none that call the tradition into serious question. The author of Luke was clearly familiar with Jewish tradition, but in a more academic than experiential way; and though his knowledge of ancient Palestine is detailed in some ways, in other ways the vision of that place is found wanting.

Luke certainly drew on Mark (as Matthew most likely did) when shaping his gospel. Further, we see that both Matthew and Luke shared another source that apparently Mark did not have access to. Scholars call this source Q. In broad strokes the story is much the same as the other two synoptic gospels. However there are some differences in emphasis.

Luke's gospel is addressed to Theophilus (Friend of God). The designation "most excellent" points to the likelihood that this was a person of high socio-economic status. The audience is likely mostly Greek, though they would have had some familiarity with Jewish customs. Luke's gospel is, in some ways, the most biographical. He seems to be laying things out in a logical way, trying to make sense of how the story ties together not just theologically but historically as well. Though Luke's gospel is by no means a modern history (such a thing did not exist until centuries later), Luke is probably the gospel that is closest to that understanding. In short, Luke is writing to a Western audience, writing to the people that would form the later world of the Byzantine and Latin Empires, through the middle ages and into the modern world. In other words, more than the other gospels, Luke has us in mind.

Chapters 1-2 form a single unit; the infancy narrative of Luke. There are big differences when compared with Matthew. For one thing it is much longer and more closely detailed. It begins not with the story of Jesus but of John the Baptist and his miraculous birth. There are four songs here, Zechariah's, Mary's, the angels', and Simeon's.

There are also, of course similarities to Matthew. Jesus is born in Bethlehem. There are angelic visits (Joseph/magi/Mary) and earthly visitors to the infant Jesus (magi/shepherds); though the status of these visitors is a bit different. Luke's story, however, is similar to Matthew's: The one who will bring the kingdom of God, will bring forgiveness of sins, will restore the people of God, will be the Messiah, has arrived with portents and heavenly announcements.

Luke 3 covers the ministry and message of John. In his words we hear an echo of Moses from Dt. The ax is at the root of the tree! Every tree that is fruitless will be burned. What should we do? Act with justice and fairness. The people are under Roman rule; they wonder when they will rule the Promised Land again, with their own rulers. When will proper worship return to the temple? When will the law be followed? When will Yahweh rule over the people? When will his servant, the Messiah, be made known? The moment of time Jesus was born into was a turning point for the Jewish people.

Jesus genealogy is traced through his step-father Joseph (Matthew is through Mary) and extends back through Adam, showing him to be a universal savior and that he shares humanity in common with all people, even the Gentiles.