Archive for the ‘Slavery’ Tag
READING THE BOOK OF PSALMS
PART III
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Psalm 3
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Psalm 3 is a first; it is the first psalm “of David.” “Of David” may carry one of three meanings:
- David wrote it,
- Someone else wrote it and attributed it to David, or
- Someone else wrote in the style of David.
Given the frequent, later tacking on attributions in the Book of Psalms and elsewhere in the Bible, (2) and (3) are the most feasible options.
For the sake of thoroughness, though, I note that the story of Absalom’s rebellion is in 2 Samuel 15-19.
The psalmist, under threat from many violent foes, prayed for divine deliverance. He prayed that God would
break the teeth of the wicked,
as if God had already done so. These were the same teeth through which the same wicked people had declared that God would not deliver the psalmist. Alternatively, the psalmist imagined how King David must have felt then written accordingly.
Psalm 3 affirms human dependence on God, that the reality of God shapes human identity and destiny. This understanding contradicts a cultural norm in North American Christianity, infected with individualism and self-reliance.
God helps those who help themselves
comes from Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac, not the Bible. A seminary professor I heard speak jokes that such sayings allegedly from the Bible come from the First Book of the Babylonians.
The petition for divine, avenging violence is common in the Book of Psalms. It is also common in human beings. Yet may none of us forget that God loves us and our enemies. Nevertheless, deliverance for the oppressed may prove catastrophic for the oppressors. We may understandably weep for victims of the Third Reich and not shed one tear for any Nazi. And I, as a student of history with a strong social conscience, read accounts of violent and rebellious slaves. I always side with the slaves, forced into a corner. I never shed one tear for the White people who died in such rebellions and other rebellious acts. I affirm that such violence was part of the price White people paid for maintaining slavery. Besides, I favor the underdogs and the oppressed every time.
One brutalized slave who escaped to freedom in British North America before the Civil War offered his thoughts in writing. He had been the property of a Baptist deacon who had beaten him often. The slave had seized his opportunity to pursue freedom when the deacon died. The former slave wrote that he did not know if the deacon had gone to Heaven or Hell. The ex-slave wrote that he (the former slave) hoped to go to the other place in death. The former slave’s hostility toward the bastard who had owned him was understandable.
Some people are sympathetic; others are not. Chickens do come home to roost, too. Some people are so unsympathetic as to be morally monstrous. But God loves them, too. And if their worst fate is suffering the smashing of their teeth, they get off lightly.
Such people could have turned out differently. Something went horribly wrong; they took a wrong turn and headed down a destructive path. They may even have done so with good intentions, the paving stones of the road to Hell.
So, how can each of us avoid such a path? We all have moral blind spots. We all carry assumptions, some of which are erroneous. The short answer to my question is grace. Yet, if I say,
There but for the grace of God go I,
I err. If I commit that error, I imply that others lack grace.
Here, as when pondering the Book of Job, I rebel against pat answers to difficult questions. I am the hero of my own story. Nevertheless, someone, somewhere, may think of me as a villain. Reality is what it is; objective reality exists. Perceptions are subjective, of course.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 9, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A
THE FEAST OF SAINT LIBORIUS WAGNER, GERMAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1631
THE FEAST OF DAVID BRÜNING, U.S. GERMAN EVANGELICAL MINISTER, HYMNAL WRITER, AND HYMN TUNE COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF GEORGE JOB ELVEY, ANGLICAN COMPOSER AND ORGANIST
THE FEAST OF JOHN ZUNDEL, GERMAN-AMERICAN ORGANIST, HYMNAL EDITOR, HYMN TUNE COMPOSER, AND MUSIC EDITOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT PETER FOURIER, “THE GOOD PRIEST OF MATTAINCOURT;” AND SAINT ALIX LE CLERC, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATON OF NOTRE DAME OF CANONESSES REGULAR OF SAINT AUGUSTINE
THE FEAST OF THOMAS MERTON, U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, MONK, AND SPIRITUAL WRITER
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Above: Woodland Stream, by Alexander Demetrius Goltz
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18
Psalm 1
1 Thessalonians 1:5b-10
Matthew 22:34-40 (41-46)
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Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity;
and, that we may obtain what your promise,
make us love what you command;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 29
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Almighty God, we pray,
show your humble servants your mercy,
that we, who put no trust in our own merits,
may be dealt with not according to the severity of your judgment
but according to your mercy;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 87
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Holiness, in the Bible, pertains to separation from the profane/common (Leviticus 10:10; 1 Samuel 21:5-6; Ezekiel 22:26; 44:23; etc.). Holiness is about complete devotion to God. Holiness, however, is not about legalism, self-righteousness, and serial contrariness. No, holiness is more about what it favors than what it opposes.
Holiness–in its proper sense–manifests itself in life:
- The Holiness code, as in Leviticus 19:1-37, includes honoring parents; keeping the sabbath; refraining from idolatry; offering a sacrifice of well-being properly; feeding the poor; dealing honestly with people; defrauding no one and stealing from nobody; not insulting the deaf; not placing a stumbling block before the blind; rendering impartial justice; loving one’s kinsman as oneself; not mixing different types of cattle, seeds, and cloth; refraining from sexual relations with a slave woman meant for another man; reserving the fruit of the food tree for God for the first three years; eating nothing with blood; avoiding divination and soothsaying; avoiding extreme expressions of grief and mourning; not forcing one’s daughter into harlotry; and eschewing necromancy. Most of the items on this list are absent from the assigned portion of Leviticus 19. Cultural contexts define them.
- “The man” (literal from the Hebrew text) is a student of the Torah. He finds his stability in God, in contrast to the unstable scoffers. When the scoffers find stability, they do not find it in God.
- Holiness is contagious in 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10.
- Jesus knew the influence of Rabbi Hillel (Matthew 22:34-40). Holiness manifests in how we treat each other.
In a dog-eat-dog world, more spiritually toxic since the advent of social media and internet comments sections one does well not to read, loving God fully and loving one’s neighbor as one loves oneself (assuming that one loves oneself, of course) does separate one from the profane/common. Holiness is love, not legalism. Many particulars of holiness vary according to context, but the timeless principles remain constant.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 22, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JACK LAYTON, CANADIAN ACTIVIST AND FEDERAL LEADER OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY
THE FEAST OF JOHN DAVID CHAMBERS, ANGLICAN HYMN WRITER AND TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF SAINTS HRYBORII KHOMYSHYN, SYMEON LUKACH, AND IVAN SLEZYUK, UKRAINIAN GREEK CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND MARTYRS, 1947, 1964, AND 1973
THE FEAST OF SAINTS JOHN KEMBLE AND JOHN WALL, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYRS, 1679
THE FEAST OF SAINTS THOMAS PERCY, RICHARD KIRKMAN, AND WILLIAM LACEY, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYRS, 1572 AND 1582
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Adapted from this post
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Above: A Yoke
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Zechariah 9:9-12
Psalm 45:1-2 (3-13), 14-22 (LBW) or Psalm 119:137-144 (LW)
Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:25-30
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God of glory, Father of love, peace comes from you alone.
Send us as peacemakers and witnesses to your kingdom,
and fill our hearts with joy in your promises of salvation;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 25
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Grant, Lord, that the course of this world
may be so governed by your direction
that your Church may rejoice
in serving you in godly peace and quietness;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 68
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Zechariah 9:9-12 depicts a future scene, in which the Messiah, an ideal king, approaches Jerusalem at the culmination of history–the Day of the LORD. This is the scene Jesus reenacted during his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, without being a regnant type of Messiah.
The image of YHWH as king exists in the assigned readings from Psalms.
In Romans 7:15-25a we read St. Paul the Apostle’s confession of his struggles with sins. We may all relate to those struggles.
My tour of the readings brings me to Matthew 11:25-30 and the topic of yokes.
Literally, a yoke was a wooden frame, loops of ropes, or a rod with loops of rope, depending on the purpose. (See Numbers 19:2; Deuteronomy 21:3; and Jeremiah 28:10.) A yoke fit over the neck of a draft animal or the necks of draft animals. Alternatively, a captive or a slave wore a yoke. (See Jeremiah 28:10; 1 Kings 12:9; 2 Chronicles 10:4; and 1 Timothy 6:1). Also, a yoked pair of oxen was a yoke. (See 1 Samuel 11:7; 1 Kings 19:21; Luke 14:19).
Metaphorically, a yoke had a variety of meanings, depending on the circumstances. It often symbolized servitude and subjection. Forced labor was an unjust yoke (1 Kings 11:28; 12:11, 14). Slavery was a yoke (Sirach 33:27). Hardship was a yoke (Lamentations 3:27; Sirach 40:1). The oppression and humiliation of one nation by another was the yoke of bondage (Jeremiah 27:8; 28:4; Hosea 11:7; Deuteronomy 28:48; and Isaiah 47:6). To break out of subjugation or slavery was to break the yoke (Jeremiah 28:2; Isaiah 9:4; 14:25). God promised to break the yoke of Egypt in Ezekiel 30:18. To break away from God was to break God’s yoke (Jeremiah 2:20; 5:5; Sirach 51:39). Sin was also a yoke (Lamentations 1:14).
The yokes of God and Christ carry positive connotations. The yoke of obedience to God is easy. It is also the opposite of the yoke of subordination and subjugation. This positive yoke is the yoke in Matthew 11:28-30. It is the yoke St. Paul the Apostle wore (Philippians 4:3). It is the yoke in Psalm 119:137-144.
Draw near to me, you who are untaught,
and lodge in my school.
Why do you say you are lacking in these things,
and why are your souls very thirsty?
I opened my mouth and said,
Get these things for yourselves without money.
Put your neck under the yoke,
and let your souls receive instruction;
it is to be found close by.
See with your eyes that I have labored little
and found for myself much rest.
Get instruction with a large sum of silver
and you will gain by it much gold.
May your soul rejoice in his mercy,
and may you not be put to shame when you praise him.
Do your work before the appointed time,
and in God’s time he will give you your reward.
–Sirach 51:23-30, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)
You, O reader, will serve somebody or something. That is not in question. Whom or what you will serve is a germane question. Why not serve God, the greatest king? In so doing, you will find your best possible state of being. The path may be difficult–ask St. Paul the Apostle, for example–but it will be the best path for you.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 14, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF FRANCIS MAKEMIE, FATHER OF AMERICAN PRESBYTERIANISM AND ADVOCATE FOR RELIGIOUS TOLERATION
THE FEAST OF SAINT CARTHAGE THE YOUNGER, IRISH ABBOT-BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIA DOMINICA MAZZARELLO, CO-FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
THE FEAST OF SAINT THEODORE I, BISHOP OF ROME
THE FEAST OF SAINTS VICTOR THE MARTYR AND CORONA OF DAMASCUS, MARTYRS IN SYRIA, 165
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Good Shepherd
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60
Psalm 23
1 Peter 2:19-25
John 10:1-10
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God of all power,
you called from death our Lord Jesus Christ,
the great shepherd of the sheep.
Send us as shepherds to rescue the lost,
to heal the injured,
and to feed one another with knowledge and understanding;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
OR
Almighty God,
you show the light of your truth to those in darkness,
to lead them into the way of righteousness.
Give strength to all who are joined in the family of the Church,
so that they will resolutely reject what erodes their faith
and firmly follow what faith requires;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 22
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Almighty God, merciful Father,
since you have wakened from death the Shepherd of your sheep,
grant us your Holy Spirit that we may know the voice of our Shepherd
and follow him that sin and death may never pluck us out of your hand;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 52
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The lectionary wisely omits 1 Peter 2:18:
Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh.
—The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
I realize that the First Epistle of Peter dates to a time and comes from a cultural setting in which the Church was young, small, and not influential. Nevertheless, I reject any defense that these circumstances excused not denouncing the indefensible.
This is Good Shepherd Sunday. “Good Shepherd” is a metaphor originally applied to YHWH (Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34) then to Jesus. Instead of going over shepherds again, I choose to focus on competing translations of one line in Psalm 23. Divine goodness and mercy may either pursue or attend/accompany one. Enemies cannot catch up. After leading many lectionary discussions and comparing translations of Psalms, I have become accustomed to competing, feasible translations of text and lines. I do not know if I should prefer divine goodness and mercy pursuing me or walking beside me. Perhaps that does not matter. Either way, the metaphor provides comfort.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 20, 2022 COMMON ERA
WEDNESDAY IN EASTER WEEK
THE FEAST OF JOHANNES BUGENHAGEN, GERMAN LUTHERAN THEOLOGIAN, MINISTER, MINISTER, LITURGIST, AND “PASTOR OF THE REFORMATION”
THE FEAST OF SAINTS AMATOR OF AUXERRE AND GERMANUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT MAMERTINUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT MARCIAN OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK
THE FEAST OF CHRISTIAN X, KING OF DENMARK AND ICELAND; AND HAAKON VII, KING OF NORWAY
THE FEAST OF MARION MACDONALD KELLERAN, EPISCOPAL SEMINARY PROFESSOR AND LAY LEADER
THE FEAST OF ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES, ANGLICAN HYMN WRITER AND HYMN TRANSLATOR
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Icon of Christ Pantocrator
Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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READING LUKE-ACTS, PART XLII
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Luke 17:1-10
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Luke 17:7-10 is one of the passages many Antebellum Southern (U.S.) defenders of race-based chattel slavery twisted to argue that the “Peculiar Institution of the South” was compatible with the Bible. 17:7-10 uses imagery from the social world of the Roman Empire. However, the passage is about accepting salvation via grace and responding faithfully to God.
Faithful response to God is the core of Luke 17:1-10. Faithful response to God necessarily spills over into how we think of and behave toward others. Faithful response precludes leading people astray. Faithful response requires forgiving the penitent, regardless of how often they sin. Faithful response entails trusting God. Faithful response mandates humble service to one another in the name of God. Faithful response entails imitating God.
Jesus is the ultimate example of faithful response to God.
May we imitate Jesus in imitating God, by grace.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 22, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JOHN JULIAN, ANGLICAN PRIEST, HYMN WRITER, AND HYMNOLOGIST
THE FEAST OF ALEXANDER MEN, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1990
THE FEAST OF BENJAMIN LAY, AMERICAN QUAKER ABOLITIONIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT LADISLAO BATTHÁNY-STRATTMAN, AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PHYSICIAN AND PHILANTHROPIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT VINCENT PALLOTTI, FOUNDER OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE, THE UNION OF CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE, AND THE SISTERS OF THE CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE
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Above: Alpha and Omega
Image in the Public Domain
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READING REVELATION, PART XVI
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Revelation 22:6-21
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How soon is soon? We read that, in a text from the 90s C.E., that Christ will return “soon.” We may safely assume that John of Patmos understood “soon” be within the lifetimes of many members of the original audience.
The passage of time has handed down a verdict on that expectation, as well as many other expectations regarding the timing of the Second Coming of Jesus.
If we assume Amillennialism to be true (see Revelation 20), we accept that the “millennium” has been in progress for thousands of years. Given that numbers are symbolic in Revelation (except in the case of the seven churches in the first three chapters), why not interpret “millennium” is a non-literal way?
Details of the Second Coming reside with God. I am content to leave them there. In the meantime, I have faithful living in which to engage. Trying to understand how to live faithfully in concrete terms, can prove challenging sometimes. I suspect that God cares about how I live faithfully, within circumstances, than about how I understand any detail of an ancient apocalyptic text.
I do focus on broad strokes, though. Serve only God, who is sovereign. Reject the bad value systems (exploitation, militarism, slavery, et cetera) of “Roman Empires.” Stick close to Jesus. Resist evil. Trust in the faithfulness of God.
God will handle the rest.
Thank you, O reader, for joining me on this journey through Revelation. May something you read along the way have benefited you spiritually.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 21, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF GEORGE MCGOVERN, U.S. SENATOR AND STATESMAN; AND HIS WIFE, ELEANOR MCGOVERN, HUMANITARIAN
THE FEAST OF DAVID MORITZ MICHAEL, GERMAN-AMERICAN MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF EMILY GARDINER NEAL, EPISCOPAL DEACON, RELIGIOUS WRITER, AND LEADER OF THE HEALING MOVEMENT IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
THE FEAST OF SAINT LAURA OF SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, FOUNDER OF THE WORKS OF THE INDIANS AND THE CONGREGATION OF MISSIONARY SISTERS OF IMMACULATE MARY AND OF SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA
THE FEAST OF WALTER SISULU AND ALBERINA SISULU, ANTI-APARTHEID ACTIVISTS AND POLITICAL PRISONERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
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Above: The Whore of Babylon
Image in the Public Domain
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READING REVELATION, PART XIII
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Revelation 16:1-19:21
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In this installment, replete with allusions to the plagues on Egypt, God destroys the empire. As I have mentioned, Revelation is a text that originally constituted high treason.
“Babylon,” is Rome, of course. Let us ponder the state of the literal Babylon in the middle 90s C.E., O reader. Reference works tell me that Babylon, ancient by then, had been a great city and the capital of the Chaldean/Neo-Babylonian Empire. These books also inform me that Babylon had become a mere village, pillaged for building materials. Human greatness may last a long time, in some cases, but it fades, inevitably.
Some Biblical authors–including John of Patmos–used fornication and adultery as metaphors for idolatry. The Roman Empire was corrupt. The society was decadent. The empire’s foundations included slavery, exploitation, and violence. The Roman Empire was, symbolically:
Babylon the Great, the Mother of all prostitutes and all filthy practices on the earth.
–Revelation 17:5, The Jerusalem Bible (1966)
Those who identified with, traded with, and accepted the value system of “Babylon the Great” mourn the empire’s fall in Revelation 18. Yet, in chapter 19, there is rejoicing in Heaven. God’s creative destruction is nearly complete.
What are the “Roman Empires” around us? To what extent do we accept their value systems? If any one of these “Roman Empires” were to fall, would we–you–I–mourn its passing?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 18, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST, PHYSICIAN
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Above: Revelation Title (French)
Scanned by Kenneth Randolph Taylor from a copy of the Louis Segond revised translation (1910) of the Bible
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READING REVELATION, PART I
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Revelation 1:1-20
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Rev[elation] is widely popular for the wrong reasons, for a great number of people read it as a guide to how the world will end, assuming that the author was given by Christ detailed knowledge of the future he communicated in coded symbols.
—Father Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament (1997), 773
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…Revelation does not speak about our time, it does speak to it.
–M. Eugene Boring, Revelation (1989), 62
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THE APOCALYPTIC GENRE
Reading a book within its genre matters.
Consider the apocalypse in Daniel 7-12, for example, O reader. The author wrote in the first century B.C.E. He mostly wrote history as prophecy. But when the author started writing about the future (relative to him), he got details wrong. This was par for the course, given the genre.
Apocalyptic literature, written in images and symbols, is politically subversive of tyranny. The genre offers hope during difficult times, encourages the faithful to remain faithful, and contrasts the world order with the divine order. Apocalyptic literature uses the future as away to address the present.
I lay my theological cards on the table at the beginning of this project, O reader.
- I am a left-of-center Episcopalian.
- I am a student of history.
- I am an intellectual.
- I know the historical record of failed predictions of Christ’s Second Coming and failed identifications of the Antichrist.
- I tell you, O reader, that the rapture is a fiction from the mind of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882).
- I know that Darby’s Dispensationalism, popularized further in C. I. Scofield‘s study Bible, the “manual of fundamentalism,” remains a widespread interpretive system.
- I affirm that Christ will eventually return, but only once. The rapture requires two Second Comings.
- I have no interest in prophecy conferences, but care deeply about loving like Jesus daily.
Apocalyptic literature has much to say about our present. This content remains politically subversive. That is fine. I approve of subverting injustice, tyranny, slavery, economic exploitation, and needless violence. They are antithetical to the Kingdom of God.
Apocalyptic literature is also optimistic. In the darkness, the genre proclaims hope that God and good will triumph in the end. Apocalyptic literature, therefore, stiffens the spines of discouraged, faithful people. Good news of the deliverance of oppressed people doubles as judgment of the oppressors. The genre invites us to ask ourselves:
Whose side am I on?
In summary, apocalyptic literature immediately moves past preaching and gets to meddling.
THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN AND RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY
Certain passages of the Old and New Testaments, in their contexts, support submission to earthly authority. The Apocalypse of John has none of that. Revelation tells us that the Roman Empire was evil, antithetical to the Kingdom of God. This is the message that made the text treasonous long ago and still inspires many people to resist tyranny. One may read, for example, of Christian opponents of Apartheid (in South Africa) drawing inspiration from the Apocalypse of John, even as the national government prosecuted and persecuted them. Today, in dictatorships, certain Christians are reading Revelation as they emerge in their struggles for justice.
REVELATION IN THE BIBLE AND LECTIONARIES
Revelation is a liturgical hot potato. The major lectionaries include little of it. The Eastern Orthodox lectionary excludes the Apocalypse of John. The Orthodox Study Bible (2008) explains:
While seen as canonical and inspired by God, the Revelation is the only New Testament book not publicly read in the services of the Orthodox Church. This is partly because the book was only gradually accepted as canonical in many parts of Christendom. In addition, in the second and third centuries Revelation was widely twisted and sensationally misinterpreted, and the erroneous teachings brought troublesome confusion to Christians–a trend that continues to this day.
Genesis and Revelation constitute fitting bookends of the Christian Bible. Genesis opens with mythology–the creation of an earthly paradise, followed by the end of that paradise–to be precise (Genesis 1-3). Revelation concludes with a vision of God, having finally defeated evil once and for all, restoring that earthly paradise and establishing the fully-realized Kingdom of God (Revelation 21-22).
THE ORIGIN OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN
Revelation came from 92 to 96 C.E., at the end of the reign of the Emperor Domitian. Emperor-worship and the worship of the goddess Roma (Rome personified) were parts of conventional Roman patriotism and civic life. The Christian refusal to participate in these cults made Christians seem unpatriotic at best and treasonous at worst. Persecution was generally sporadic and regional at the time, but it was a constant threat. “John of Patmos” (whoever he was) wrote to seven churches in commercial cities in western Asia Minor.
The elaborate symbolism–including numerology–in apocalyptic literature prevented the uninitiated–in this case, Roman censors–from understanding the texts.
SYMBOLISM AND MEANING IN REVELATION 1
The only instance in which to interpret any number in the Apocalypse of John literally pertains to the seven churches in western Asia Minor.
Revelation 1 plunges us into the symbolic aspect of apocalyptic literature immediately. Stars (at the end of the chapter) represent angels and lamp-stands represent churches. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus has white hair, indicating holiness. His eyes, like a burning flame, pierce to the heart of all things. Christ’s “feet like burnished bronze” are stable and steadfast. His voice, “like the sound of the ocean,” is the convergence of the truth of God in the Hebrew Bible. Jesus holds the Church–then a vulnerable group of house congregations–in his hand. From Christ’s mouth emerges a two-edged sword (speech). His face shines like the sun. Christ is victorious, resurrected, ascended, and priestly.
The Roman Empire may have seemed to have had all the power and glory. It did not. The Roman Empire had executed Jesus. Yet he had risen; his tomb was empty. The power of the Roman Empire was nothing compared to the power of God in Christ.
That was treasonous, for, according to Roman coinage, the emperor was the “Son of God.”
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 6, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF GEORGE EDWARD LYNCH COTTON, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF CALCUTTA
THE FEAST OF HEINRICH ALBERT, GERMAN LUTHERAN COMPOSER AND POET
THE FEAST OF HERBERT G. MAY, U.S. BIBLICAL SCHOLAR AND TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF JOHN ERNEST BODE, ANGLICAN PRIEST, POET, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM TYNDALE, ENGLISH REFORMER, BIBLE TRANSLATOR, AND MARTYR, 1536; AND MILES COVERDALE, ENGLISH REFORMER, BIBLE TRANSLATOR, AND BISHOP OF EXETER
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READING THE GENERAL EPISTLES, PART VIII
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1 Peter 2:1-3:17
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Whenever Christians to my right speak or write about what the Bible says about various matters, I invariably roll my eyes, at least metaphorically. Literalists overlook a documented fact: the Bible contradicts itself. Reading the germane texts for what they are reveals that context is key. If one mistakes St. Paul the Apostle for a systematic theologian, one may overlook the cultural contexts in which he ministered.
The cultural and geographical context of First Peter was northern Asia Minor, the Roman Empire, 70-90 C.E. The culture was hostile to Christianity, a young, small, and growing religion. Slavery, and patriarchy were cultural norms. The author bought into these norms, although he moderated them. The attitude of submission to civil authority (the Roman Empire, in this case) contrasted with the attitude of “John of Patmos,” who wrote Revelation. According of Revelation, the Roman Empire was in league with Satan, so submission to the empire was submission to Satan. Such submission was sinful, according to Revelation. Not surprisingly, the attitude of submission to the empire (in 1 Peter) has long been more popular with governments than the contrasting attitude in Revelation.
As always, context is crucial.
I argue with much of 1 Peter 2:1-3:17. I oppose all forms of slavery at all times and in all places. I affirm equality within marriage. I contend that one can belong to a powerless minority in a society and still say,
X is wrong. The social and cultural norms are askew.
I hold that living the Golden Rule, individually and collectively, is a divine mandate, not a suggestion. Living reverently in Christ (1 Peter 3:15) requires nothing less.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 COMMON ERA
PROPER 21: THE EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAUL VI, BISHOP OF ROME
THE FEAST OF FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF JOHN BRIGHT, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND BIBLICAL SCHOLAR
THE FEAST OF JOHN BYROM, ANGLICAN THEN QUAKER POET AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF LANCELOT ANDREWES, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF CHICHESTER THEN OF ELY THEN OF WINCHESTER
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Above: Joel, the Prophet, by James Tissot
Image in the Public Domain
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READING JOEL, PART III
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Joel 2:18-4:21 (Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox)
Joel 2:18-3:21 (Anglican and Protestant)
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The divine forgiveness and restoration of Judah in the rest of the Book of Joel relies on the assumption that God has been punishing them with a swarm of locusts. As glorious as the predicted restoration is and as much as I welcome divine mercy, I reject the underlying assumption.
The unidentified invading force in 3:1-21/4:1-21 (depending on versification) will be the recipient of divine wrath, we read. Again, divine deliverance of the oppressed is catastrophic for the oppressors. We also read that named enemies of Judah–those perennial foes Egypt and Edom–will suffer terrible fates for “shedding the blood of the innocent” in Judah.
But Judah shall be inhabited forever,
And Jerusalem throughout the ages.
Then I will treat as innocent their blood
Which I have not treated as innocent;
And the LORD shall dwell in Zion.
–Joel 4:20-21, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985)
Joel 3:6/4:6 (depending on versification) helps somewhat to date the book. The verse refers to Philistines selling the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Ionians. This is a reference to the slave trade.
The Book of Joel ends on a note of divine vengeance against foes of Judah, juxtaposed with a glorious future for Judah. In this regard, Joel ends like Third Isaiah.
I have mixed feelings about the Book of Joel. I do not blame or credit God for natural disasters. Logic teaches a simple principle:
If x, then y.
Given that I reject x, I harbor questions about y. I embrace calls to repentance, of course. Populations and individuals always need to confess their sins and repent. But what if x (the swarm of locusts, in this case) is not God’s army of destruction? I also enjoy certain passages of Joel, read on Ash Wednesday and Pentecost, especially. Yet I do not like the book, as a whole.
Thank you for joining me, O reader, for this journey through the Book of Joel. My next (and penultimate) destination will be Second Zechariah (Zechariah 9-14). Stay beside me, so to speak, if you choose. You are certainly welcome.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 16, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE RIGHTEOUS GENTILES
THE FEAST OF CATHERINE LOUISA MARTHENS, FIRST LUTHERAN DEACONESS CONSECRATED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1850
THE FEAST OF GEORGE ALFRED TAYLOR RYGH, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF HENRY WILLIAMS, ANGLICAN MISSIONARY IN NEW ZEALAND; HIS WIFE, MARIANNE WILLIAMS, ANGLICAN MISSIONARY AND EDUCATOR IN NEW ZEALAND; HER SISTER-IN-LAW, JANE WILLIAMS, ANGLICAN MISSIONARY AND EDUCATOR IN NEW ZEALAND; AND HER HUSBAND AND HENRY’S BROTHER, WILLIAM WILLAMS, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF WAIAPU
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARY MAGDALEN POSTEL, FOUNDER OF THE POOR DAUGHTERS OF MERCY
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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