Passover 2026: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and the Gospel

 The "suffering servant" prophecy in Isaiah 52:13-53:12, with its picture of substitutionary atonement, is foundational for Christianity.  

The Gospels indicate that this prophecy shaped Jesus' self-understanding.  In Luke 22:37, Jesus says that Isa 53:12, which describes the servant as "numbered among the transgressors," would be fulfilled in him.  Earlier that same evening he explained to his disciples that the wine of one of the cups of Passover represented "my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt 26:28).  Here his language also reflects Isaiah 53:!2, which says that the servant "poured out his soul to death" and "bore the sin of many."

Jesus' disciples initially resisted the idea that he, the Messiah, would be put to death in Jerusalem (Mt 16:13-23), but they came to understand that Jesus indeed would be the suffering servant.  Peter, who protested against this idea when he first heard it, later held up Jesus' example of sacrificial love as one for his disciples to emulate, using Isaiah 53 (1 Pe 2:18-25).  In verse 22, Peter quotes Isaiah 53:9 ("there was no deceit in his mouth") in reference to Jesus.  He makes several more allusions to Isaiah 53 in the ensuing verses.  

Matthew sees Jesus' healing ministry as a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4 (Mt 8:14-17).

Many people have come to faith in Jesus the Messiah through the powerful words of Isaiah 53.  One example from the first century is the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8.  Philip uses Isaiah 53 to explain the Gospel to the eunuch and lead him to baptism (Ac 8:26-40).  

Paul recognized in Isaiah 52:!5 a prophecy of the Gospel going to the nations (Romans 15:21.).  John and Paul both saw in Isaiah 53:1 the fact that there would also be resistance to that revolutionary message (John 12:38; Rom 10:16).  Paradoxically, Jesus' being "lifted up" on the cross would be an exaltation and a victory (Isa 52:14; John 12:32).  

I recommend the book The Gospel According to Isaiah 53 for more on the amazing message of the Suffering Servant.

Good Friday 2024: Mary the Wife of Clopas

 In the 1980s sitcom Newhart, three Vermont woodsmen were among the cast of eccentric characters.  Larry, their spokesman, introduced the other two as "my brother Darryl" and "my other brother Darryl."

I can't help thinking of the Darryls when I read John 19:25, which says that those standing near the cross of Christ included "his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene."  Since the mother of Jesus was named Mary, three different Marys are mentioned in this verse.

The presence of three Marys together is not as unusual as we might imagine at first.  Available data indicate that the name Mary (Miriam in Hebrew) was held by nearly a quarter of the women in Judea in the first century AD.  There are reasons this name was so popular.  The original Miriam, the sister of Moses, was a prophet of Israel.  Shortly before the time of Jesus, two wives of Herod the Great bore that name, so it was a name associated with queens and princesses.

The Bible tells us about additional women named Mary among the first followers of Jesus.  One of them was Mary of Bethany, who anointed Jesus' feet with ointment about a week before the crucifixion (John 12:1-3).  We also know that the mother of John Mark, author of the Gospel of Mark, was named Mary (Acts 12:12).         

Mary the wife of Clopas is perhaps the least familiar of these Marys.  According to Eusebius'  Ecclesiastical History (Book 3, Chapter 11), Clopas was a brother of Joseph, the husband of Jesus' mother Mary, making Clopas' wife the sister-in-law of Jesus' mother.  

This information helps answer one of the main questions raised by John 19:25:  How many women are being referenced there? In one reading there are four:

1. Mary the mother of Jesus
2. An unnamed sister of Mary.
3. Mary the wife of Clopas.
4. Mary Magdalene.

But since Mary the wife of Clopas was the sister-in-law of the mother of Jesus, and since the word for "sister" in John 19:25 can be used for a wider range of relationships than just "sisters," there may be only three women in John 19:25:

1. Mary the mother of Jesus
2. Mary's sister-in-law Mary the wife of Clopas.
3. Mary Magdalene.

Richard Bauckham considers this reading to be the more likely one  (see Chapter 6 of Gospel Women).

Clopas and Mary had a son named Symeon who became the leader of the Christians in Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Jesus' brother James in 62 AD.  Symeon held that position for many years, eventually dying as a martyr himself (Book 3, Chapter 32).  

Since Mary is identified as "the wife of Clopas" rather than as the mother of Symeon, she and Clopas were likely known for more than just being Symeon's parents.  In his book Gospel Women, scholar Richard Bauckham points out that in the early church, a number of married couples worked together to spread the Gospel. (Think of Prisca and Aquila as an example, or Andronicus and Junia---Romans 16.)  Among these couples were relatives of Jesus (1 Corinthians 9:5), so Mary and her husband Clopas may have been such a husband-and-wife team of evangelists.  

Each of the Marys mentioned in the Gospels made a unique contribution to the early Christian movement, and it is worthwhile to learn what we can about their lives.  The example of Mary the wife of Clopas highlights the substantial role played by the extended family of Jesus in the early church.  

Palm Sunday 2024: The Triumphal Entry---Four Gospels, One Message

All four canonical Gospels describe Jesus' dramatic arrival in Jerusalem about five days before Passover in the year of his crucifixion and resurrection (Jn 12:1-12).  As Jesus rode from Bethphage on a donkey, a crowd of pilgrims spread cloaks and leafy branches on the road and hailed his coming with joyful shouts.  This event, traditionally known as the Triumphal Entry, is commemorated by Christians each year on Palm Sunday.  

Each Gospel account contributes to our understanding of what happened.  From John we learn that Jesus had been in Bethany, two miles from Jerusalem, visiting his friends Mary and Martha.  There he raised their brother Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, back to life (Jn 11).  News of this miracle spread quickly, attracting people who wanted to see Jesus and Lazarus (Jn 12:17-18).

Mark 11:1-11 and Luke 19:28-35 explain that when Jesus began the walk from Bethany to Jerusalem, he sent two disciples to Bethphage, where they would find a young colt that had never been ridden.  They were to untie the colt and bring it to Jesus.  Matthew 21:1-7 adds the information that the colt was a donkey, that it would be with its mother, and that the disciples were to bring both animals.  All three Synoptic Gospels agree that Jesus sat on the colt after his disciples draped it with cloaks. (Some have mistakenly thought that Matthew 21:7 is claiming Jesus sat on both animals, but this verse instead is saying that he sat on the cloaks spread over the colt.)

Seeing Jesus on the colt may have reminded onlookers of the reference to a donkey and a donkey's colt in Genesis 49:11, or to Solomon's riding King David's mule when he was anointed king (1 Ki 1:38-40).  More importantly, as Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15 point out, Jesus' actions evoked the messianic prophecy of Zechariah 9:9:  ``Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The symbolism of the donkey was not lost upon the crowd.  They waved and scattered leafy branches, and they expressed their messianic hopes by shouting words from Psalm 118:25-26: ``Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Lord!  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!'' (Mk 11:9-10)  These are actions associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, and more broadly with  messianic expectation.  Judas Maccabeus received similar acclamation in 164 BC when his victories led to the rededication of the Temple (2 Macc 10:6-8).  So did Judas' brother Simon when he expelled the Syrian forces from the Akra citadel in 141 BC (1 Macc 13:49-52).     

This rejoicing may have continued for some time.  In those days, whenever someone in a group shouted, ``Blessed is he who comes,'' it was customary for the others to automatically add, ``in the name of the Lord!''  Scholar David Instone-Brewer (in his book The Jesus Scandals) has suggested that children in the crowd may have enjoyed starting this cheer repeatedly in order to get others to respond in the usual way.  (Matthew 21:15 mentions children cheering in the Temple area the next day.)

Not everyone in the crowd was comfortable with the celebration.  Some Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his disciples.  He responded, ``I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out'' (Lk 19:40).  His reference to stones reminds us of some previous verses in Psalm 118:  ``The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes'' (vv 22-23). 

 After coming to Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple area and looked around before returning to Bethany that night  (Mk 11:11)  Supporters of Jesus may have been disappointed that he made no move to gather troops or call for the overthrow of Roman rule.  However, we should not conclude, as some have, that the crowd cheering Jesus during the Triumphal Entry became the crowd that called for his crucifixion a few days later.  This second crowd was likely composed of an entirely different group of people---e.g., Temple authorities who saw Jesus as a threat to the status quo.  

Jesus' disciples at first did not comprehend the full meaning of the Triumphal entry, but their understanding grew in light of subsequent events and is reflected in the Gospel accounts (Jn 12:16).  In riding a donkey's colt that had never had a rider, Jesus demonstrated his authority over creation and hinted at the coming of the ``peaceable kingdom'' described in Isaiah 11:6-9.  His actions pointed to the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9-11, which pictures the Messiah as one who brings salvation and peace to the nations and whose rule will extend ``to the ends of the earth.''  Significantly, God declares in Zechariah 9:11 that ``because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.''  This prophecy reminds us of Jesus' intention to lay down his life for the sins of mankind on this trip to Jerusalem (Lk 9:22; 51; Mt 26:28).  

Both Matthew and John link Zechariah 9:9 with prophecies from Isaiah.  Matthew 21:5 connects the Zechariah passage with Isaiah 62:11:  ``Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your salvation comes...''  John 12:15 makes a connection with Isaiah 40:9:  ``...Fear not; say to the cities of Judah, `Behold your God!'.''  These verses from Isaiah complement Zechariah 9, speaking of the deity and mission of the Messiah.

All four Gospel accounts portray Jesus as the promised Messiah.  They also emphasize Jesus' detailed foreknowledge and control over  the course of events.  One has the sense that he was orchestrating everything that happened during Passion Week, from the Triumphal Entry to his arrest and crucifixion.  All of these things were carried out according to a predetermined plan.  When we, like Jesus' first disciples, find life difficult to comprehend, we can take comfort in the fact he is in charge as that plan continues to unfold. 

Seder 118: Numbers 21---The Bronze Snake

 After the first "water from the rock" episode in Exodus 17, the Israelites were attacked by Amalek and achieved a military victory.  Similarly, after the second "water from the rock" episode in Numbers 20, the Israelites were attacked by Arad the Canaanite and defeated him in battle as well (Num 21:1-3)..  

The younger generation of Israelites was showing some courage, but they also shared some of the problems of their ancestors.  As the journey dragged on, they began to speak against God and against Moses (Num 21:4-5), turning up their noses at God's provision for them.  

God sent correction in the form of poisonous snakes (v 6), a punishment with symbolic significance.  Kevin Chen describes this incident as a kind of "fall" for the younger generation of Israelites.  By slandering God and his provision for them, they were succumbing to the temptations of the Serpent.  Chen sees significance in the fact that the Hebrew word for "serpent" in verse 7 is singular rather than plural.  The Israelites ask for relief from the poisonous snakes, but their real problem is with the same Serpent who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3).  It's really that Serpent which needs to be taken away.  The word for serpent appears five times in both Gen 3 and Numbers 21:4-9, linking the two chapters.

God provides relief by having Moses make a bronze snake and hold it up on a pole.  An Israelite who looked at the bronze snake on the pole would be healed of a snakebite (vv 8-9).  

This remedy has symbolic significance, as is pointed out in John 3:14-15.  The bronze snake is a type of Jesus, who was raised up on the cross to defeat the Serpent.  When the Son of Man is lifted up, the ruler of this world is cast out (Jn 12:31-34).  All who look to Jesus in faith are saved.  

In the imagery of the bronze snake Chen also sees a hint of the hiddenness of the Messiah's identity.  Some wrongly accused Jesus of being a servant of the Serpent (Mt 10:24-26; 12:24-29) and did not recognize a crucified man as the Messiah.

The Son of Man is lifted up on the cross, and we also should lift him up continually in our lives.  Kyle Kettering made this point in a sermon on John 3 at Church of the Messiah on September 24, 2022.

Seder 96: Psalm 126---Sowing Seeds in Faith

 For the Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalm from Babylon starting in 538 BC, coming back to the land of promise was like a dream come true (Ps 126:1).  Words of the prophets were being fulfilled.  The repetition of "the Lord has done great things for them/us" in verses 2-3 suggests that the psalmist may have had in mind in particular Joel's prophecy, since a similar phrase also appears twice in Joel 2:20-21.  (Walter C. Kaiser points this out in his book The Journey Isn't Over.)

But other things in the prophecies were not happening yet---e.g., the bountiful harvests described in Joel 2:22 and 3:18 had not occurred, as we see in Haggai 1:6.  And so the people prayed for further restoration--Ps 126:4.

In answer to their prayers, God sent prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who affirmed that God would bring blessing when the people stepped out on faith and put God first.  Psalm 126:5-6 uses the imagery of a harvest to communicate this lesson.  

"Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!" (v 5)

Sowing may involve tears, since one has to give up grain that could provide food right now in order to plant a crop of grain.  Before anything can sprout, the seed must die (see John 12:24).  But the sacrifice is worth it.  The harvest reaped will far exceed the seed sown.  The psalm concludes, "He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shourts of joy, bringing the sheaves with him."

It is still the case that there is much fulfillment of biblical prophecies yet to occur.  We should continue to sow seed, because the greatest harvest still lies ahead.

Seder 85: Psalm 6---From Lament to Confidence

 Psalm 6, an individual lament, is one of the seven "penitential psalms" traditionally read on Ash Wednesday.  In the midst of suffering, the psalmist (traditionally David) asks God to have mercy on him in accordance with his covenantal promises (vv 2-4). He looks forward to continuing to publicly praise God, which he would not be able to do from the grave.  

There is a shift in tone after verse 7, where the psalmist goes from describing his weariness in suffering to rebuking his enemies.  He has received assurance of his deliverance (vv 8-9)  and warns his enemies to prepare for the fact that God will vindicate him.  This kind of transition from lament to victory is seen in a number of Psalms (see Ps 22, 28, 31, e.g.).  

Some New Testament passages use the language of Psalm 6.  In John 12:27, Jesus says, "Now is my soul troubled," as in Ps 6:3.  The language of Ps 6:8 ("Depart from me, all you workers of evil") appears in Matt 7:23 and Luke 13:27.  In suffering, the psalmist is a forerunner of Jesus, who has achieved victory over sin and death and will cast out the enemies of the kingdom.  He comes to our aid in times of suffering.

Seder 83: Psalm 42-43---Longing for God in a Time of Trouble

 Scholars believe that Psalms 42 and 43 were originally one unit, since the refrain of Ps 42:5,11 is repeated in Ps 43:5.  This psalm was divided in two long ago, though, as early as the Septuagint.

Psalm 42 is the first psalm in Book 2 of the Psalter, and the first of the psalms of the sons of Korah.  It is an individual lament, with the psalmist cut off from worship at the Temple and harassed by enemies.  In a spiritual struggle, he mourns his current situation and reminds himself to hope in a faithful God.

He asks in the psalm's refrain,  "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him."

The Gospel writers picture Jesus in a similar position shortly before his arrest, as he thought about what lay ahead:  

Matt 26:38:  "My soul is very sorrowful and troubled, even to death."

Mark 14:34:  "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death."

John 12:27:  "Now is my soul troubled." 

This is another example in which early Christians saw the situation of the psalmist prefiguring that of the Messiah.