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Who was King Zedekiah?

TylersFulcher — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:59:19 +0000

Who was King Zedekiah?

An Introduction to the Last King to Rule Over Judah

Tyler S. Fulcher

The end of 2 Kings reads like a rapid-fire tragedy.

The downfall of the Kingdom of Judah is cataclysmic. Although the events take years to develop. the narrator collapses time as he rushes the reader through the destruction of Jerusalem.

Zedekiah’s Rise to Power

During the course of events, we meet the last king to rule over Judah: Zedekiah.

Let’s take a few minutes to learn more about who Zedekiah is.

Around 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, captured Jerusalem, robbed the temple, and deported most of the leaders and politically powerful members of Judahite society (2 Kgs 24:13-16).

Rather than install a Babylonian government, Nebuchadnezzar gave power to a member of the Davidic family: Mattaniah. He changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah (2 Kgs 24:17).

Zedekiah began his eleven-year reign at 21, ruling Judah between the first and second Babylonian exiles (597, 586 BC).

Though Zedekiah was one of David’s descendants, he ruled Judah as a Babylonian vassal. As such, he was expected to pay tribute to the Babylonian king and fulfill other expectations. He would be deposed and punished if he failed to honor this treaty.

Rebellion and Alliances: Zedekiah’s Attempt to Regain Independence

During his reign, Zedekiah faced pressure to seek Egypt’s assistance to rebel against Babylon. At first, Zedekiah remained loyal to Babylon.

However, over time Zedekiah sought Egypt’s assistance in rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar. This fateful decision led to the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in Zedekiah’s ninth year (2 Kgs 24:20; 25:1).

The exact timeline for the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem is difficult to reconstruct. The siege lasted more than one year and less than two years. Based on data from Jeremiah, sixteen months is as good of a guess as any.

It is worth remembering that Babylon did not just destroy Jerusalem at this time. They decimated the entire kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah 34:6-7 describes a time just before the end of the Babylonian conquest in which only three cities remained: Jerusalem, Lachish, and Azekah.

Archaeological discoveries in city of Lachish corroborate Jeremiah’s account and provide insights into the tragic last days of Judah.

Archaeologists discovered ostraca in Lachish, which are broken pots with writing on them. A couple of these ostraca describe events just before Babylon conquered the city.

Ostracon 3 describes a Judean commander going to Egypt. It seems to confirm that Egypt did support Zedekiah initially. Ostracon 4 mentions the inhabitants of Lachish watching the smoke signals of Jerusalem, presumably because they were the last cities standing (cf., Jer 34:6-7).

As the siege progressed, the conditions in Jerusalem deteriorated. Struck with famine and dwindling resources, the city succumbed to the Babylonians roughly a year and a half after the attack began.

Zedekiah’s Downfall

When the Babylonians breached the city’s walls Zedekiah and some of his soldiers tried to escape. They fled towards Jericho in a desperate attempt to escape the clutches of Nebuchadnezzar’s power.

When the Babylonian soldiers overtake them, Zedekiah’s men abandon him. He is led alone to Nebuchadnezzar at the city of Riblah.

What happens next is deeply tragic and symbolic. Nebuchadnezzar forces Zedekiah to watch his sons’ execution before having his eyes blinded. This punishment is traumatic to Zedekiah, the kingdom of Judah, and all who read the Book of Kings.

Zedekiah’s last image on earth is the death of his sons.
The Kingdom of Judah sees Zedekiah’s family line snuffed out.
The reader wonders whether the same will happen to the entire family line of David.

After being blinded, Zedekiah is taken to Babylon where he dies as a political prisoner.

This era of the kingdom of Judah looms large in the Bible. Numerous prophetic texts address this moment in the story.

The prophet Jeremiah returns to the story numerous times (cf., Jeremiah 27:1-11; 37:1-21; 38:14-28; 39:1-10; 52:4-30).

Ezekiel refers to the events in 17:15; 21:21-22.

Additionally, Lamentations 4 is a mournful poem about Jerusalem’s demise.

That’s a quick introduction to King Zedekiah.

If you want to improve your knowledge of God’s word, you should check out Quiz Through the Bible. It’s designed to help you get more familiar with the Bible’s content.

Thanks for reading,

Tyler Fulcher

Quiz Through the Bible

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The post Who was King Zedekiah? first appeared on My Bible School.

2 Kings 25 Commentary

TylersFulcher — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:19:55 +0000

Commentary on 2 Kings 25

The End of the Kingdom of Judah

***This blog post is an on-going commentary on 2 Kings 25. I add new content to it regularly.

2 Kings 25:1

וַיְהִי֩ בִשְׁנַ֨ת הַתְּשִׁיעִ֜ית לְמָלְכ֗וֹ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי֮ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ֒ בָּ֠א נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֨ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֜ל ה֧וּא וְכָל־חֵיל֛וֹ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וַיִּ֣חַן עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּבְנ֥וּ עָלֶ֖יהָ דָּיֵ֥ק סָבִֽיב׃

Now in the ninth year of his (Zedekiah’s) reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and all his army came upon Jerusalem, and he camped against it, and they built siege walls all around.

Commentary

2 Kgs 25 opens with a chronological notice describing the historical setting for the events discussed in the chapter. Two facts are worth remembering.

First, the reference to the ninth year of his reign (בִשְׁנַ֨ת הַתְּשִׁיעִ֜ית לְמָלְכ֗וֹ) is about Zedekiah and not Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Kgs 24:18 states that Zedekiah reigned over Judah for eleven years. Thus, Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem begins less than two years before the end of Zedekiah’s reign.

Second, the tenth month of the year is not a reference to October. Instead, the tenth month refers to some time in December-January. While there is some dispute, the events described in this chapter occurred around 587-586 BC (cf., Sweeney 2013, 466; Hobbs 1985, 361).

According to v. 1, Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem with his whole army. However, if you read 2 Kgs 25:6, Nebuchadnezzar is at Riblah, which would have been in the far northern part of Israel. Additionally, Jer 38:17 says that Jerusalem fails to Nebuchadnezzar’s generals.

So, which is it? Did Nebuchadnezzar attack Jerusalem or not?

The answer is quite simple. Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem via his army.

We frequently describe the exploits of famous generals in World War II when we know full well that they seldom went to the front lines. Instead, lower-ranked generals conducted the operation.

The same is true with Nebuchadnezzar. While he may have visited the siege of Jerusalem at some point, he orchestrated the attack from Riblah. The apparent discrepancy between v. 1 and v. 6 is superficial and reflects a common way of talking about major figures in war (cf., Hobbs 1985, 361; Montgomery 1951, 560).

A final question to consider in v. 1 is the meaning of the word often translated as “siege works” or “siege ramps.” The Hebrew word is dayeq (דָּיֵ֥ק). Rather than referring to ramps that lead up to the walls of Jerusalem, a dayeq may have been a mobile tower-like structure from which archers could shoot arrows into the city (Hobbs 1985, 361).

2 Kings 25:2

וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצ֑וֹר עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃

So, the city was besieged until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.

Commentary

Verse 2 summarizes roughly a year and a half.

The account in 2 Kgs is ambiguous about the exact amount of time. The siege began in Zedekiah’s 9th year and continued into his 11th. Based on the data in Jer 52:6, it lasted for 16 months (Hobbs 1985, 362).

2 Kings 25:3

בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃

On the ninth of the month, the famine seized the city so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

Commentary

As with the previous two verses, 2 Kings 25:3 begins with a chronological notice. The events described. take place on the ninth of the month (בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ). Most English translations add “of the fourth month” to this verse. They do so based on Jeremiah 52:6.

Jeremiah 52:6 (NRSV)

On the ninth day of the fourth month (בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָֽרְבִיעִי֙) the famine became so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

2 Kings 25:3 (NRSV)

On the ninth day ~~of the fourth month~~ the famine became so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

Whether the additional phrase is original to this text is irrelevant. A reference to the fourth month is plausible based on a reconstruction of the chronology of the events.

The famine is the more critical information introduced in this verse. Siege warfare is intended to induce famine and starvation. According to v. 3, the Babylonian strategy worked.

The Hebrew way of speaking vividly paints the picture. The famine (הָרָעָ֖ב) is personified in this verse. It functions as the subject of the verb. It seizes the city.

If the siege lasted sixteen months, the people had not planted or harvested their fields for two full cycles (Sweeney 2007, 466). Whatever reserves they had left in the city were depleted by this time.

While a famine is a natural byproduct of siege warfare, we should not overlook the theological significance of this famine at the end of the Book of Kings.

Jeremiah 38 explains that the Babylonian siege and the resultant famine were a part of God’s plan. The people were experiencing YHWH’s punishment because they violated their covenant with Him.

According to the perspective of 1-2 Kings, the people had been building towards this moment through their repeated rebellion against YHWH.

2 Kings 25:4

וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה׀ הַלַּ֨יְלָה֙ דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֣עַר׀ בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃

Then the city was broken and all the men of war that night. The way of the gate between the walls which were by the king’s garden. Also the Chaldeans were against the city on all sides. And he went to the road of Arabah.

Commentary

If you’re confused by this translation, you should be. It’s a fairly literal translation of the Hebrew text we have for this verse, and it does not make much sense.

If you read in English, you’ll see something like this:

Then a breach was made in the city wall; “the king” with all the soldiers fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. “They went” in the direction of the Arabah. (NRSV)

The NRSV smoothes out this verse by adding a couple of words (”the king”, “fled”) and changing a verb from singular (”he went”) to plural (”they went”).

When we encounter verses like this, it is helpful to remember that Bible translators are working with ancient manuscripts copied by hand. Mistakes happened. The changes made by the NRSV translators are based on either context or other ancient manuscripts.

So, what is this verse saying?

After sixteen months of siege warfare, the Babylonians finally burst through Jerusalem’s defenses (”the city was broken”).

Rather than fighting like Davy Crockett and his men at the Alamo (sorry, that was my favorite movie as a kid), King Zedekiah and his men tried to escape. The exact location from which they left the city is unclear, but the result is that they are headed down the Arabah road, which leads to Jericho (Sweeney 2007, 466).

As several scholars note, taking the road to Jericho carries symbolic significance. Israel’s first victory was in Jericho (Joshua 6). Judah’s king faces final defeat on the way to Jericho (Provan 2012, 278).

2 Kings 25:5

וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥גוּ אֹתוֹ֖ בְּעַרְב֣וֹת יְרֵח֑וֹ וְכָל־חֵילֹ֔ו נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃

The Chaldeans pursued after the king and they caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, but all his (Zedekiah’s) soldiers deserted him.

Commentary

Technically speaking, the Chaldeans are a people group within Babylon (see Dan 2:2). The biblical authors, however, frequently equated the Chaldeans with the Babylonians as a whole (AYBD 1992, 886).

For example, Isaiah 48:14 uses the two terms as synonyms:

The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans. (NRSV)

Though centuries have passed at this point, Abraham’s family came from the land of the Chaldeans (Genesis 11:28). In an ironic and tragic way, the story of Israel/Judah has come full circle.

Nebuchadnezzar’s army notices Zedekiah trying to escape, and they catch up with him. While the route to Jericho may have been Zedekiah’s only option, the plains did not afford him an opportunity to conceal his movements.

When Nebuchadnezzar’s army catches Zedekiah, the rest of the escapees abandon their leader in an attempt to save their lives.

2 Kings 25:6

The Chaldeans pursued after the king and they caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, but all his (Zedekiah’s) soldiers deserted him.

Commentary

Technically speaking, the Chaldeans are a people group within Babylon. The biblical authors, however, frequently equated the Chaldeans with the Babylonians (Hess 1992, 886).

For example, Isaiah 48:14 uses the two terms as synonyms:

The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans. (NRSV)

Though centuries have passed at this point, Abraham’s family came from the land of the Chaldeans (Genesis 11:28).

So, Nebuchadnezzar’s army notices Zedekiah trying to escape and they catch up with him. While the route to Jericho may have been Zedekiah’s only option, the plains did not afford him any way to conceal his movements.

When Nebuchadnezzar’s army catches Zedekiah, the rest of the escapees abandon their leader in an attempt to save their lives.

2 Kings 25:7

וְאֶת־בְּנֵי֙ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ שָׁחֲט֖וּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְאֶת־עֵינֵ֤י צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ֙ עִוֵּ֔ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֨הוּ֙ בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיְבִאֵ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽל׃

The sons of Zedekiah, they slaughtered before his eyes. The eyes of Zedekiah he blinded. Then they bound him in bronze fetters and they brought him to Babylon.

Commentary

This translation of 2 Kgs 25:7 reads a little awkwardly because I’ve tried to preserve the word order in Hebrew. The way this verse is written contributes to its rhetorical force.

Here are three interesting observations:

1) The word order deliberately emphasizes Zedekiah’s punishment.

Hebrew sentences normally follow a Verb (V), Subject (S), and Object (O) pattern.

For example: Threw (V) John (S) the ball (O).

The first two sentences in this verse begin with the object (”the sons of Zedekiah” and “the eyes of Zedekiah”). In both instances, the change of word order emphasizes Zedekiah’s punishment. Nebuchadnezzar executes Zedekiah’s sons and blinds his eyes.

2) The word order emphasizes Zedekiah’s eyes

The end of the first sentence and the beginning of the second sentence mention Zedekiah’s eyes. This structure emphasizes the tragedy Zedekiah endures. His last image on ear is the execution of his sons.

3) The execution ends Zedekiah’s royal line

In addition to being a tragedy, the execution of Zedekiah’s sons is symbolic. It eliminates Zedekiah’s family line from ruling over the kingdom of Judah.

Bibliography

Wray Beal, Lissa M. 1 & 2 Kings. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
James Alan Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Books of Kings., International Critical Commentary (New York: Scribner, 1951), 560.
Sweeney, Marvin A. I & II Kings : A Commentary. 1st ed., Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
Hobbs, T. Raymond. 2 Kings. Word Biblical Commentary 13. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1985.
Leithart, Peter J. 1 & 2 Kings. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2006. Leithart, Peter J.
Provan, Iain W. 1 & 2 Kings. Edited by W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012.
Richard S. Hess, “Chaldea (Place),” in The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 886.
John H Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 207.

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2 Kings 11 Commentary

TylersFulcher — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:18:57 +0000

2 Kings 11 | Commentary

***This blog post is an on-going commentary on 2 Kings 11. I add new content to it each week.

Athaliah, Joash, and Jehoiada

2 Kings 11:1

וַֽעֲתַלְיָה֙ אֵ֣ם אֲחַזְיָ֔הוּ רָאֲתָ֖ה כִּ֣י מֵ֣ת בְּנָ֑הּ וַתָּ֨קָם֙ וַתְּאַבֵּ֔ד אֵ֖ת כָּל־זֶ֥רַע הַמַּמְלָכָֽה׃

Now Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead. So she got up and destroyed all the royal descendants.

Commentary

2 Kgs 11:1 begins with a vav conjunction (ו = “now”) that connects the story we are about to read with the events that transpired in the previous chapters (e.g., 2 Kgs 9-10).

Hebrew sentences typically begin with the verb and then introduce the subject followed by the object (e.g., “threw John the ball“), but verse one begins with the subject. Placing Athaliah (עֲתַלְיָה֙) at the beginning of the sentence puts her in focus as one of the main characters throughout the rest of the chapter.

The focus on Athaliah continues with the next phrase: “Ahaziah’s mother” (אֵ֣ם אֲחַזְיָ֔הוּ). The phrase is in apposition to Athliah, which means “Ahaziah’s mother” further specifies Athaliah’s identity.

After introducing the main character and identifying her as Ahaziah’s mother, the reader finally encounters the sentence’s first verb: רָאֲתָ֖ה = “she saw.” What does she see? She sees the result of the events described in the previous chapters: her son is dead (כִּ֣י מֵ֣ת בְּנָ֑הּ).

This last phrase “her son was dead” (כִּ֣י מֵ֣ת בְּנָ֑הּ) ends the first half of the verse, which provides the background for the events about to take place.

Next, the author describes Athaliah’s actions with two consecutive verbs: “she got up” (וַתָּ֨קָם֙) and “destroyed” (וַתְּאַבֵּ֔ד). The second verb, translated as “destroyed”, frequently appears in this form (i.e., Piel) in contexts related to political conflict (cf., 2 Kgs 10:19; 11:1; 19:18; Jer 40:15; 46:8; [TDOT, 22]).

The final phrase “all the royal descendants” (אֵ֖ת כָּל־זֶ֥רַע הַמַּמְלָכָֽה) establishes the story’s major tension. Remember, Ahaziah was the king of Judah, which makes him a descendant of David. When Athaliah kills all the royal descendants, that raises a major question:

How can God’s covenant with David (cf., 2 Sam 7) be true if all of David’s descendants are dead? No Davidic heir can sit on the throne if they are all dead.

Bibliography

Benedikt Otzen, “אָבַד,” in Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, ed. G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, trans. John T. Willis (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977) 22.

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The Genre of the Gospels

TylersFulcher — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:59:06 +0000

The Literary Genre of the Gospels

A key insight for reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Tyler S. Fulcher

What kind of literature are the four gospels?

Answering that question is critical for reading the accounts of Jesus’s life well.

This blog post compares and contrast the Gospel accounts with other ancient biographies.

Which section of the library?

In his Introduction to the New Testament, David deSilva asks, “How would the first-century librarian have classified the Gospels?” (2018, 117).

We approach books differently depending what type of literature (aka literary genre) we think it is.

If we are reading a fiction book, we look at the plot and tension. If we’re reading a comic book, we expect humor. If we read a historical account of World War II, we expect accurate details and explanations.

Understanding a book’s genre influences the way we read it.

The same is true with ancient literature. How we approach the gospels is affected by the type of literature we understand it to be.

The “Gospel” Section?

The word “gospel” means good news. That’s a good description of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but it doesn’t identify the literary genre.

Instead, deSilva argues that the gospel accounts should be understood as a type of ancient biography.

He writes: “Justin Martyr (d. 164 CE) called the Gospels “memorabilia” (apomnēmoneumata), the “memoirs of the apostles,” recalling Xenophon’s Memorabilia, a kind of biography of Socrates” (20018, 118).

In Greek literature, stories about important figures were often referred to as bios.

Defining Features of Bios.

Ancient biographies differed in important ways from modern biographies.

Modern biographies are often interested in the chronology of a person’s life, important events, and the development of his or her thoughts.

Ancient biographies were often more concerned with demonstrating the main character’s virtue and persuading the reader to imitate the subject’s life.

Rather than following a strictly chronological framework, ancient biographies often followed thematic patterns. Additionally, these biographies spent significant time discussing the person’s death and the virtue with which he faced it.

The rationale behind the thematic arrangement and focus on virtuous death is tied to the ancient biographies purpose. As deSilva writes, “The ancient biography, the bios, had thus a deeply moral and exemplary character” (2018, 119).

How to Read the Gospels as Ancient Biographies

If the Gospels are ancient biographies, how should we read them?

While that is a huge question that deserves much more space, we can make a few helpful observations.

1) Don’t expect chronological accuracy.

The Gospel authors were not concerned with the chronology of Jesus’s life. In general they often present Jesus’s life in a chronological order, but they abandon that framework as often as they deem necessary.

2) Expect persuasive writing.

A defining feature of ancient biographies was persuasion. Authors told stories about a virtuous person hoping to convince the reader that they should imitate the subject of the biography.

The Gospel authors want their readers to imitate Jesus.

3) Examine the way Jesus approached death.

Ancient biographers often spent considerable time explaining how the subject of the biography approached death virtuously.

The Gospels spend significant space exploring the events surrounding Jesus’s death and his resurrection.

These events are critical to understanding the Gospel message.

That’s all for this post!

I’d love to hear what you found most interesting about the Gospels’ literary genre.

Send me an email and let me know.

Sources:

David A. deSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation, Second Edition. (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2018).

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Introduction to Old Testament Theology

TylersFulcher — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:25:23 +0000

Introduction to Old Testament Theology

An in-depth summary of John Sailhamer’s work.

Tyler S. Fulcher

Understanding Old Testament theology can be a challenge for many pastors.

John Sailhamer’s Introduction to Old Testament Theology offers valuable insights that can help pastors preach the Old Testament with greater clarity and confidence.

This blog post is an extended summary of Sailhamer’s work. I highly recommend you pick it up.

All are welcome to read the post, but my hope is that this summary will benefit pastors. This goal guides my approach in the summary as you will see.

Chapter One: Introduction

In his opening chapter, Sailhamer introduces key concepts that shape how we approach Old Testament theology and outlines the challenges we must address.

1. Theology as a Science?

Sailhamer makes a bold yet intriguing argument: theology can be understood as a science. While it may seem unusual to compare theology with disciplines like biology or astrophysics, there are important similarities. All these fields seek to explore and explain their subjects through careful study and examination. In the case of theology, the subject is God’s revelation.

Since Christians believe God reveals Himself through creation and Scripture, this divine revelation can be studied and understood. Sailhamer writes, “Theology, being to some extent also a science, is an attempt to formulate God’s revelation into themes and propositions. It is the scientific explication of revelation” (Sailhamer 1995, 13).

As pastors, this view challenges us to approach the Old Testament with the mindset that we are carefully studying God’s message to humanity. Consequently, we should subject ourselves to a rigorous process of study and be open to revising our positions when we grasp certain concepts better.

2. The Old Testament as Divine Revelation

A key challenge in Old Testament theology is whether we acknowledge the Old Testament as divine revelation. Sailhamer points out that some scholars may view the Old Testament as merely an ancient religious text, no different from other religious writings.

For Sailhamer, this is a critical point of departure. He asserts that viewing the Old Testament as divinely inspired is fundamental to giving it authoritative status. His theology, like the historic Christian claim, starts with the belief that the Bible—Old Testament included—is God’s revelation to humanity. This perspective can strengthen a pastor’s conviction when preaching from the Old Testament, knowing that it carries divine authority.

3. The Old Testament in Light of the New

Since Sailhamer’s focus is on Old Testament theology, he highlights both the opportunity and challenge of interpreting it within the broader Christian framework. The very term “Old Testament” implies the existence of a “New Testament.”

Sailhamer emphasizes two critical points for preachers:

First, the Old Testament is always viewed in light of the New Testament. It naturally anticipates the arrival of Christ and the New Testament’s fulfillment. As Sailhamer writes, “OT theology anticipates the study of NT theology, and there is no possibility of working without this anticipation” (Sailhamer 1995, 23).

Second, the Old Testament stands alone with a unique message. While the New Testament fulfills its promises, the Old Testament retains its own integrity and meaning.

This means pastors must honor both the continuity between the Testaments and the distinctiveness of the Old Testament’s message. It speaks to us today not just as a precursor to the New Testament, but as a powerful testament of God’s work in its own right.

Conclusion: Strengthening Your Preaching of the Old Testament

Sailhamer’s insights help pastors preach the Old Testament with greater understanding and confidence. By treating theology as a disciplined study of God’s revelation, recognizing the Old Testament’s divine authority, and respecting its unique message, pastors can engage with the text more fully. This approach empowers you to connect Old Testament themes to the broader biblical narrative while affirming the richness of its standalone message.

When preparing sermons, let these principles guide your exploration of the Old Testament, knowing that it offers profound truths that can shape and deepen your congregation’s faith.

Chapter Two: Methodology

In the second chapter, Sailhamer describes the various approaches to Old Testament Theology adopted by different scholars. He identifies four sets of options to doing Old Testament Theology.

Text or Event – These approaches differ over where they think revelation resides.
Critical or Canonical – The critical approach takes the OT apart to recover its earliest forms, whereas the canonical assumes its form is equivalent with what we have in the canon.
Descriptive or confessional – The former treats the Bible like any other text. The latter treats it as a confessional document demanding confessional interpretive presuppositions.
Diachronic or Synchronic – The diachronic looks at the development of the OT. The synchronic looks at its meaning as a whole.

Over the next several chapters, Sailhamer explores each of these topics in greater depth.

The post Introduction to Old Testament Theology first appeared on My Bible School.

IVP Bible Background Commentaries

TylersFulcher — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 19:47:46 +0000

IVP Bible Background Commentaries

(Recommended Resource)

Every pastor should own the IVP Bible Background Commentaries on the Old and New Testaments.

Here are three reasons why:

1) Knowing the Bible’s Historical Background is Critical.

Let’s face it. The Bible is an ancient book from a wildly different culture.

We cannot hope to understand it well or help the people in our churches understand it without studying the historical, cultural, and social background of the Bible.

The IVP Bible Background Commentaries provide a quick reference to make sure you don’t miss an important piece of information about the passage from which you are preaching.

2) They are Incredibly Convenient.

The IVP Bible Background Commentaries conveniently provide important insights about major background issues for the whole Bible. In just two books, you get access to background issues for the whole Bible.

3) They are Accessible.

While many biblical commentaries wade deep into academic arguments, the IVP Bible Background Commentaries provide excellent scholarship in an accessible manner. The notes are easy to read and understand. They don’t require years of specialized study.

Bonus Reason: You can usually find used copies of these books on Amazon for $15-20.

If you’re interested, here are links to both of these commentaries.

Walton, John H., et al. The IVP Bible Background Commentary : Old Testament. IVP Academic, an imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary : New Testament. 2nd ed., InterVarsity Press, 2014.

The post IVP Bible Background Commentaries first appeared on My Bible School.

1 Kings 3:16-28

TylersFulcher — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 13:51:38 +0000

1 Kings 3:16-28

Verse-by-Verse Commentary

***This is an ongoing project. As I work through the passage, I will add more notes and commentary.

1 Kings 3:16

Notes

This passage starts with the word “then” (אָ֣ז), which signals a change in time. In the previous story (1 Kgs 3:1-15), Solomon encountered YHWH in a dream at Gibeon. The narrator doesn’t tell us exactly when the events in this story (1 Kgs 3:16-28) take place, but it is presumably sometime after Solomon’s dream. We also immediately encounter two of the main characters, but we don’t know much about them. The narrator simply tells us they are two women (שְׁתַּ֛יִם נָשִׁ֥ים) who were prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת), they entered (תָּבֹ֗אנָה) into the king‘s presence (אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ), and they stood before him(וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖דְנָה לְפָנָֽיו).

With this simple verse, much of the stage is set for the ensuing story. We have the three main characters (i.e., two prostitutes and Solomon) and the location (the king’s presence ~ Jerusalem 1 Kgs 3:15).

I want to draw your attention to two details that play an important role in our understanding of the passage.

First, the narrator describes the women as prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת = ). This detail carries several implications for our reading of the passage. We need to familiarize ourselves with the words meaning and theological significance before we can determine its significance in this passage.

The Hebrew word often translated as prostitute (זֹנָה = zonah) has a broader meaning than the English term suggests. There are two main ways zonah (זֹנָה) is used in the Old Testament: literal and metaphorical.

The literal meaning can refer to sexual activity exchanged for compensation, it can also refer to any sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage (TDOT). Notably, this is a term that is reserved primarily for women’s activities. There is a separate word (נָאַף = nāʾap) typically reserved for men’s illicit sexual activity.

In addition to our passage, literal uses of zonah appears in several famous biblical stories (Tamar: Gen 38:15; Rahab: Josh 2:1; Jephthah’s mother: Judg 11:1).

The metaphorical meaning developed out of the literal. Just as all sexual activity must be confined to the covenant relationship between a man and a woman, so to all idolatrous worship must be avoided because of the covenant relationship between YHWH and Israel. The prophetic literature frequently uses zonah as metaphorical language for idolatry. Hosea (in)famously uses the image of prostitution (zonah) to describe Israel’s covenant violations.

Hosea 1:2 (NRSV)

2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom (זְנוּנִים = zenunim) and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom (זְנוּנִים = zenunim) by forsaking the Lord.”

Notably, YHWH intends for Hosea’s marriage to Gomer to reflect YHWH’s covenant relationship with Israel. Just as Gomer is unfaithful to Hosea, Israel is unfaithful to YHWH.

So, what are we to make of this information? Why does it matter that the two women who approach Solomon are prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת)?

Scholars have explained this in various, but not necessarily mutually exclusive, ways. Some have suggested that their vocation demonstrates Solomon’s ability/willingness to govern all socio-economic classes in his kingdom. Others suggest the story’s plot depends, in part, on their being prostitutes. It explains why no fathers are mentioned in the story and why the women might live in the same house.

Finally, some scholars suggest the narrator is making a larger statement about Solomon’s kingdom with the presence of two prostitutes. The larger context of the passage lends support to this view. In 1 Kings 3:1-2, Solomon marries an Egyptian princess and the people are offering sacrifices at high places (i.e., not in Jerusalem).

Both issues lead to major problems throughout the book. Solomon’s marriage to foreign women leads him into idolatry (i.e., spiritual prostitution) and the sacrifices at high places repeatedly plague Israelite religion and violate YHWH’s covenant with the people (i.e., spiritual prostitution).

If this third option is in view, which I think it is, then the narrator is encouraging the reader to pay attention to potential associations between these two women and issues of national idolatry.

Second, notice that the narrator does not say the women “came to King Solomon” (הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה) He says “the king” (הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ). In fact, at no point in this passage (1 Kgs 3:16-28) does the narrator every explicitly identify Solomon as the king. Obviously, Solomon is the king in question. There is no disputing that. However, as readers, we must grapple with the following question: Why doesn’t the narrator explicitly identify Solomon as the king?

As we work through this passage, we will return to these two issues. For now, I just want to flag the topics for you. So, let me summarize with two questions:

Is it important that these women are prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת)?
Why doesn’t the narrator explicitly identify the king (הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ) as Solomon?

The post 1 Kings 3:16-28 first appeared on My Bible School.

1 Kings 6:11-13

TylersFulcher — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 15:05:49 +0000

1 Kings 6:11-13 | Bible Study

Will God Live in the Temple?

God’s Conditional Presence

1 Kings 6:11-13 interrupts a long description of the temple.

We do well to pay attention to this interruption because it makes a shocking point.

God’s presence isn’t guaranteed to be in the temple forever.

As we’ve seen in previous studies, the narrator of 1 Kings repeatedly foreshadows the problems the monarchy will face later in the story. (see other guided studies).

So, let’s look at this brief interruption to the temple construction.

Get the Passage of the Week

This weekly blog post encourages you to study the Bible one passage at a time. I send out emails on Mondays and Fridays with guided studies.

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1 Kings 6:11-13 (my translation)

11 Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying 12 “Concerning this house you are building — if you will walk in my statutes and you will do my justice, and you will observe my commands by walking in them — then I will exalt my word with you which I spoke to your father David. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and I will not forsake my people Israel.

Conditional Statements in the Past

God’s conditional statement in 1 Kings 6:12 recalls a similar statement found in 1 Kings 3:14. Solomon’s status with God is, in some sense, conditioned on his obedience to God.

1 Kings 3:14 (NRSV)

If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”

In 1 Kings 3, God’s commitment to the Davidic promise writ-large is at stake. In 1 Kings 6, Solomon’s obedience (or lack thereof) will determine if God lives in the temple.

Positive and Negative Implications

The beauty of 1 Kings 6:13 is that God agrees to dwell in the temple and, consequently, among the Israelites. This promise is good news when compared to God’s initial hesitancy about the temple project as expressed in 2 Samuel 7.

However, there is a negative implication by God’s statement in 1 Kgs 6:13. God will not be confined to the temple. If Solomon proves to be unfaithful, the LORD reserves the right to walk away and leave the temple behind.

We should not lose sight of how shocking this statement is in its larger context. Even as 1 Kings celebrates the temple’s majesty, we are reminded that God’s presence there is not guaranteed.

Summary

A well-known 20th-century theologian named Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously warned Christians about the dangers of ‘cheap grace.” By this phrase, he meant a type of Christian living that was not accompanied by fruitful action for the Lord.

God’s comments in 1 Kings 6:11-13 warn Solomon about taking advantage of God’s gracious decision to live among his people. God cannot be confined by human constructs. He can and will do as he pleases and deems necessary.

Recommended Resources

Check out the notes for this passage here and here.

Here are a couple of commentaries you might find helpful on the book of Kings.

Wray Beal, Lissa M. 1 & 2 Kings. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2014.

Leithart, Peter J. 1 & 2 Kings. Grand Rapids, Mich: Brazos Press, 2006.

The post 1 Kings 6:11-13 first appeared on My Bible School.

3 Things I Wish I Knew About 1-2 Kings

TylersFulcher — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 15:04:25 +0000

3 Things I Wish I knew About 1-2 Kings

Tyler S. Fulcher

I love 1-2 Kings.

find the book absolutely fascinating. It contains stories of war, love, betrayal, and miracles.

The book is filled with iconic characters (e.g., David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, etc.) and moments from Israel’s past.

It covers over 400 years of history and follows the path from the height of Israel’s united kingdom to the division of that kingdom and the destruction of both Israel and Judah.

I could go on and on about how much I love this book, but today I wanted to share three things I wish I knew about 1-2 Kings earlier in my time studying the book.

Lesson 1: The Book of Kings is not (only) a historical book.

Christians typically divide the Old Testament into four major sections.

The Pentateuch
The Historical Books
The Poetic Books
The Prophetic Books

According to these divisions, 1-2 Kings is a historical book.

I’m willing to bet that title raises a specific set of questions for you.

Did these events really happen? How do we know? Does archaeology support the Bible?

These are all interesting questions and worthy of consideration.

What if I told you that 1-2 Kings is not (only) a historical book?

Jews divide the Bible (aka our Old Testament) into three major sections.

The Torah
The Prophets
The Writings

1-2 Kings is one of the prophetic books according to this organizing structure.

Now, that raises a dramatically different set of questions.

How can a “history book” be prophetic? What exactly makes these books prophetic anyway?

By shifting our perception of what 1-2 Kings is, we shift the types of questions we bring to it.

I wish I had known this sooner.

Lesson 2: The Book of Kings is the end of one section of the Bible.

Similar to the first point, I wish I had known that 1-2 Kings is the end of a section of the Old Testament.

When we finish 2 Kings in the Christian Bible, we dive straight into 1 Chronicles.

You’ll be forgiven for thinking that you just read these stories… you did.

In the Jewish Bible, 1-2 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles are in very different locations.

1-2 Chronicles comes at the very end of the canon.
1-2 Kings comes after 1-2 Samuel just like you are accustomed to, but it’s followed by the book of Isaiah.

1-2 Kings stands at the end of a long narrative sequence that begins in Genesis.

You can think of it like this:

Genesis through Kings tells the story of Israel from creation to the Babylonian exile.

1-2 Chronicles retells that whole story, but ends with the return from the Babylonian exile.

One history (Genesis-Kings) is written from the perspective of the exile.

The other history (Chronicles) is written from the perspective after the exile.

I wish I had known this sooner.

Lesson 3: The Book of Kings is written from the perspective of the exile.

Like I just mentioned, 1-2 Kings is written from the perspective of the exile.

It’s hard to overestimate how important the Babylonian exile is for understanding the Old Testament.

So many of the books were written or edited during and after the exilic period.

1-2 Kings ends with the last of David’s heirs imprisoned in Babylon. He’s alive, but only because the Babylonian king is merciful and let’s him eat at the king’s table.

This detail lets us know that the author or editor(s) of Kings worked from some time during the exilic period.

Can you imagine the type of questions a Jewish person would be asking during the exile?

What just happened?
Why did God let Babylon conquer us?
What will happen to God’s covenant with his people?
Wasn’t one of David’s descendants supposed to be on the throne forever?

If you go back and reread 1-2 Kings with these questions in mind, you will have a completely different experience reading the book.

I wish I had known this sooner.

I’ve spent years studying the Bible, especially the Old Testament.

I’m constantly having “aha” moments like the three I just described.

Figuring out how the Bible fits together makes it more enjoyable to read and study God’s word.

That’s why I created a discipleship program called Quiz Through the Bible.

It has a strategic Bible reading plan that will guide you through some of the Bible’s most important chapters.

After you read the passages, you take quizzes to master your knowledge of the content.

This process will help you make better sense of more of the Bible.

You can get more information about Quiz Through the Bible here.

Summary

Before you go, let me summarize the 3 things I wish I had known about 1-2 Kings sooner.

Kings is not (only) a historical book.
Kings is the end of a section of the Bible.
Kings is written from the perspective of the exile.

I hope these three insights help you understand the book of Kings better.

I’d love to know which of these (if any) you didn’t realize.

Send me a reply and let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Tyler S. Fulcher

The post 3 Things I Wish I Knew About 1-2 Kings first appeared on My Bible School.

Why study the Old Testament?

TylersFulcher — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 21:07:29 +0000

3 Reasons to Study the Old Testament

Tyler S. Fulcher

“Tell me what you would strike from the Old Testament and I’ll tell you what defect there is in your Christian knowledge.” —Wilhelm Vischer

That’s a bold claim, but I’m convinced it’s true.

Now…

Most Christians would claim, “I would never ‘strike’ anything from the Old Testament.”

Most Christians insist all of the Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Few Christians would ever advocate for literally striking out portions of the Old Testament.

That’s good. That’s correct.

But does our use of the Old Testament reflect our verbal commitment to it?

Or, do we effectively “strike” out parts of the Old Testament by never interacting with it?

I spend a good bit of time thinking about these questions.

Throughout my adult life, I have either worked in the local church or studied the Bible, especially the Old Testament, in academic settings.

I love the Church.

And I love the Old Testament.

I just wish the two were on better terms.

As I think back over my years in ministry and my life as a regular church-attender, I recognize a tendency.

The overwhelming majority of sermons come from the New Testament.

Don’t get me wrong…

The New Testament is wonderful and needs to be preached from as well.

I’m just convinced that our proportions are all wrong.

If I had to guess, I would estimate that 60-70% of all sermons I have heard focused on a New Testament passage.

(That’s a conservative estimate, too!)

When a sermon did focus on the Old Testament, one of two things were usually true.

The passage was one of the well-known portions (Psalm 23, Genesis 1, etc.)
the Old Testament served as a launching pad for a sermon primarily about New Testament issues.

What was the result?

I was hardly ever exposed to the Old Testament in sermons and discipleship groups.

I ended up with an abbreviated Bible that was mostly missing parts from the first 75%.

(That’s right. The Old Testament is roughly 75% of the Bible.)

And as our friend Wilhelm Vischer suggested, my Christian knowledge was defective.

This is when I should remind you that I am a nerd.

In addition to serving as a pastor, I have spent years studying the Bible academically. Most of that time has been focused on the Old Testament.

The longer I study the Old Testament, the more I become convinced that our churches need to recover the whole Bible.

It’s not enough to leave our Bible’s physically whole, if we effectively ignore 75% of it.

So, here are three reasons I think every Christian needs to (re)explore the Old Testament.

Reason 1: The Old Testament is indispensable to understanding the New Testament.

I know this isn’t a new sentiment. Statements like this are heard frequently in Christian communities.

It’s truer than most people realize, though.

It’s like when you have a child and your whole world changes.

You see everything from a different perspective.

You suddenly understand the struggles your parents faced in a new way.

In the same way, the more familiar you become with the Old Testament, the more you will understand the New Testament.

I mean think about it…

Why does the New Testament start with a genealogy filled with Old Testament figures?

Why does Paul quote Old Testament passages so frequently?

Why is Revelation so weird?

(Ok, that last one is more complicated!)

My point is that the New Testament authors assumed their readers would be intimately familiar with the Old Testament.

Reason 2: The Old Testament isn’t as different from the New Testament as people suspect.

This lesson flies in the face of popular opinion.

One of the main critiques of Christianity is that the Jesus of the New Testament is incompatible with the God of the Old Testament.

That argument goes back to the second century after Jesus, by the way.

Many sermons will unintentionally teach people that the New Testament is radically different from the Old Testament.

Conversations about law and grace do this all the time.

But, if we take Jesus’s words seriously, we can’t maintain this perspective.

Jesus said he came to fulfill the law—not abolish it (Matthew 5:17).

In a famous scene at the end of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus explained how all of the Scriptures spoke of him (Luke 24:27).

Yes, Jesus turned many things on their head and inside out.

But he claimed that his ministry was what the Old Testament was always pointing toward.

Why would we avoid the very books that Jesus said pointed toward him?

Lesson 3: The Old Testament is captivating.

I realize this last point isn’t objective, but hear me out.

I once told my professor that people didn’t find the Old Testament that interesting.

She was offended.

For the next few minutes, she explained how she never had that experience if she just opened the Old Testament with people and started asking questions.

She suggested that we embrace the “issues” that push people away from the Old Testament, because, ironically, that is how people fall in love with it.

I’ve come to agree with her.

The more I have explored the stories and complexities of the Old Testament, the more fascinated I am.

It’s written in a way that invites you deeper and deeper into its world.

And whenever I invite people to explore the Old Testament and embrace their questions, they get wide-eyed.

It’s like they’ve discovered their Bibles again for the first time.

I hope you can see how passionate I am about the Old Testament.

I’m convinced that studying it is the key to deepening your knowledge of the Christian faith.

At the same time, I know it’s a daunting challenge.

The Bible is a massive book. Suggesting that you should (re)explore the first 75% of it is a big ask.

It can be confusing.

That’s why I made a program called Quiz Through the Bible.

It’s designed to introduce you to the main storyline of the Bible.

By the end of that program, you will have a strong foundation in how the different parts of the Bible fit together.

Summary

Before you go, I wanted to give you a quick summary.

The Old Testament is too important for us to keep ignoring it.

We effectively cut out 75% of our Bible’s by not studying, preaching, and teaching from the Old Testament.

Here are 3 reasons you should get to know the Old Testament better.

1) It’s indispensable for understanding the New Testament.

2) It’s not as different from the New Testament as you might think.

3) It’s captivating.

Thanks for reading!

Talk to you soon,

Tyler S. Fulcher

The post Why study the Old Testament? first appeared on My Bible School.