In the Reconciling of the World

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-13

4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name..

(Omitted verses:  2 This was after King Jeconi′ah, and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.  3 The letter was sent by the hand of Ela′sah the son of Shaphan and Gemari′ah the son of Hilki′ah, whom Zedeki′ah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon.)

Okay, I thought it was important to include the omitted verses, because they show how political this all was. So the king, his court, and the artisans did not leave Jerusalem on their own, they were captives of Nebuchadnezzar, taken away by force. Zedekiah was a puppet king installed by King N. Nevertheless, Zedekiah allows and supports this letter of Jeremiah’s because it bolsters his position. Jeremiah tells the exiles (captives) that what the other prophets are telling them (that their captivity and exile will be short) is a lie. Jeremiah tells them to settle down, build houses, have families, and seek the welfare of the city they live in, because they will stuck there for a long time, so they better make the best of it.

I doubt if that letter was intended as a comfort to the exiles, I think it was more along the lines of telling them to “Suck it up.” I think it speaks to our current situation, with a man in the White House who is terrifyingly inept, crass, and incoherent. How shall we deal with the hideous insecurity born of our own common sense, which tells us just how erratic and unreliable this man is? Well, speaking metaphorically, I guess the houses we build will have to have foundations of hope and patience. The families we make will have to be the offspring of resolution and courage, and our aim must be to multiply the qualities of kindness, forbearance, and generosity. If “in its welfare you will find your welfare,” then if we spread hate, resentment, exasperation, and denunciation then they will rebound on us to the detriment of our well-being. Instead, we need to reconcile ourselves to our situation, and commit ourselves to doing all the good we can. “11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.”

 

Romans 11:13-24

20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe.

Paul is talking about the Gentiles being spiteful toward the Jewish Christians who rejected the good news of Christ as the Messiah. Apparently they cut themselves off; Paul calls them “the broken branches,” because they would not accept the gospel. Paul also says this, which is weird: “15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead!” How can rejection be the reconciliation of the world? Maybe he is talking about the rejection of Jesus by the Jews when he was crucified? I found a commentary by Coffman that castigates “the translators” for adding the words “is” and “shall be.” He says Paul’s meaning is really simple, and refers to his perception of the Jews as ‘dead to the word.’ Paul says, “14 in order to make my own people jealous, and thus save some of them,” then goes on to say, “For if the casting away of them the reconciling of the world, what the receiving but life from the dead?” (Coffman’s amended translation in the commentary)

So here is a situation where my question led to a no-brainer of a conclusion. All Paul is saying is that the Jews reject the reconciling of the world, but in the receiving (of it is) life from the dead. He is telling the Gentiles not to boast and be mean, because he (Paul) is still hoping and trying to save some of the Jews.

Not a very enlightening reflection, but fun to find out how mistranslation can lead to confusion and errors of interpretation.

John 11:1-27

“27 ………….. the one coming into the world."

Not much to say about this Gospel, except that Martha’s use of the present tense has a deep meaning for me. Not ‘has’ come, not ‘will’ come, but ‘is’ coming. I often want to change the responsive words in the Rite II Great Thanksgiving from “Christ has died, Christ has risen; Christ will come again,” to this:  “Christ dies; Christ rises, Christ comes.” All now, all eternal.