1. What is the relationship between the prodigies of the manna and quail and the other great events of Exodus like the plagues and the Crossing of the Red Sea? What do all of these events tell us about how God acts in history?
2.What lessons does the author in the Deuteronomic tradition try to teach us from the episode of the manna? How is the depth of this teaching reflected in the New Testament?
3.What should we learn from the episodes of complaining that precedes the desert prodigies? What does Origen say about this?
4. What does prodigies mean? (BONUS QUESTION!!!!!)
5. What do we mean when we refer to the “triple presence” of God?
6. Explain the social reasons and theology behind the Sabbath Day? What are the aspects of both?
7. What is the story behind the place names Meribah and Massah?
8. What were the reasons for and the ramifications of Moses’ appointment of the judges?
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tom's Wrap Up Talk for Exodus 12-15
Of all things Catholic, there is nothing that is so familiar as the Mass. With its unchanging prayers, the Mass fits Catholics like their favorite clothes. Yet most Catholics sitting in the pews on Sunday fail to see the historical connections to the supernatural drama that enfolds them. Pope John Paul II described the Mass as “ Heaven on Earth”, explaining that what we celebrate on earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy.
For early Christians, the key to understanding the mysteries of the Mass began with the account of the Passover in the Book of Exodus and ended with the Book of Revelation. And so the Passover, with its symbolism, becomes a necessary starting point, not only for the Sacrificial worship of the Jewish Temple but for the Gift of Himself as Redeeming Lamb that Jesus would institute at the Last Supper.
Beginning most probably as a shepherd’s feast in the springtime, Passover has always been associated with lambs. The Spring is when lambs are born and they begin their migration to summer pastures. It was customary in those days to sacrifice a newborn lamb for the protection and fertility of the flocks.
Keep this in mind because Passover connected with the Exodus and forever after will involve a victim, a sacrifice of atonement and deliverance. This was true in the time of Moses and is still true when we speak of Jesus and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Notice, I said, “Holy Sacrifice” of the Mass.
The victim of course would be the unblemished lamb – “the perfect sacrifice” because it is offered to God. Eucharistic Prayer 1 (The Roman Canon) says: “and from the many gifts you have given us we offer to you, God of glory and majesty, this holy and perfect sacrifice : the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation.” In the Exodus, the perfect sacrifice would be not only the blood of the lamb but the first born of the Egyptians both signified innocence lost to sin.
The meal and the many rituals that went with it, of course was a necessary part of the Passover. On that first Passover, the unleavened bread, sometimes called “the bread of haste” , the bitter herbs of poverty and the dress and posture of the participants were given by God as the essential elements of all future Passovers to follow. The highlight of any Passover meal, was eating the lamb – the partaking of the victim – no Passover could be consummated without it.
It is for this reason, that Jesus chose the Passover Supper (or Seder) to institute the Holy Eucharist, the institution of the priesthood and the first Mass. The Passover involves the sacrifice of a perfect victim to effect deliverance from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. At the Last Supper, Jesus offers himself as victim (“ Take this and eat…. this is my body.”) given for the atonement of our sins. Like the Passover of Exodus, Jesus tells his Apostles that they must consume the victim (Himself) so that we may join our sacrifice to his and BOTH become willing offerings to the Father. Jesus now gives the Jewish Passover it’s real and definitive meaning. He defines it for all who have the eyes of Faith in a new way – the New Covenant.
As the Passover initiates the commemoration of the Exodus for all time, so the Crossing of the Red Sea bears traces of the great Jewish traditions. All of the elements in this account – the confluence of seemingly natural events, the intervention of the angel, the waters which swallow up pharaoh and his charioteers produce really an epic, which will be written forever in the hearts of the Jewish people up until this very day. The end result, the commentators say is the very real conviction on the part of the Hebrew people that it was God who brought about the deliverance of His people. The death of the first-born, extraordinary as it is, is seen as the “straw that broke the camel’s back” and forced pharaoh’s hand. Both Jewish and Christian commentators, however, view the Crossing of the Red Sea, as the definitive display of God’s power, might and faithfulness. It combined all of those elements, which we just mentioned as well giving the people absolute faith in the authority of God and Moses.
From this point onward, Moses assumes the role of mediator between God and Man. This if we take the time to stop and think about it, is quite remarkable. Although God made covenants throughout history – with Abraham, Noah etc, Moses becomes God’s vicar or representative as the Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth. Being God’s representative implies not just being a messenger – but it implies a responsibility. God is telling Moses, that he, Moses is responsible for the actions and care of the Hebrew people. He is their shepherd. Soon, God will give to his shepherd, Moses the guidelines, which he will use to lead his flock – the Ten Commandments. Moses’ role as mediator or shepherd prefigures Jesus’ role as the Mediator between God and Man. As the Hebrews followed Moses through the wilderness, so too are we expected to follow Christ through the wilderness of this life to union with God. Blessed Jose Maria Escriva writes; “following Jesus on his way, you have understood what Our Lord was asking from you and you have decided to accompany him on his way.” (footnote: Navarre pg. 302). God tells Moses that now he and the Hebrew people must assume responsibility for their own salvation. It must be a cooperative effort between Man and God’s grace. God is depicted in military language in Chapter 14. It is done to show God’s greatest attribute – his Omnipotence (power) and that he can deliver us from any danger. Now, we must use the tools he will give us – the merits of the death of his Son on the Cross to accomplish this. From the time of the Crossing of the Red Sea, God makes us partners in his plan of Salvation. Moses will be the prototype for many shepherds to follow up until the time of Jesus, The Eternal Shepherd, who will appear at the fullness of time to finally lead us home.
TPA/10/28/09
For early Christians, the key to understanding the mysteries of the Mass began with the account of the Passover in the Book of Exodus and ended with the Book of Revelation. And so the Passover, with its symbolism, becomes a necessary starting point, not only for the Sacrificial worship of the Jewish Temple but for the Gift of Himself as Redeeming Lamb that Jesus would institute at the Last Supper.
Beginning most probably as a shepherd’s feast in the springtime, Passover has always been associated with lambs. The Spring is when lambs are born and they begin their migration to summer pastures. It was customary in those days to sacrifice a newborn lamb for the protection and fertility of the flocks.
Keep this in mind because Passover connected with the Exodus and forever after will involve a victim, a sacrifice of atonement and deliverance. This was true in the time of Moses and is still true when we speak of Jesus and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Notice, I said, “Holy Sacrifice” of the Mass.
The victim of course would be the unblemished lamb – “the perfect sacrifice” because it is offered to God. Eucharistic Prayer 1 (The Roman Canon) says: “and from the many gifts you have given us we offer to you, God of glory and majesty, this holy and perfect sacrifice : the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation.” In the Exodus, the perfect sacrifice would be not only the blood of the lamb but the first born of the Egyptians both signified innocence lost to sin.
The meal and the many rituals that went with it, of course was a necessary part of the Passover. On that first Passover, the unleavened bread, sometimes called “the bread of haste” , the bitter herbs of poverty and the dress and posture of the participants were given by God as the essential elements of all future Passovers to follow. The highlight of any Passover meal, was eating the lamb – the partaking of the victim – no Passover could be consummated without it.
It is for this reason, that Jesus chose the Passover Supper (or Seder) to institute the Holy Eucharist, the institution of the priesthood and the first Mass. The Passover involves the sacrifice of a perfect victim to effect deliverance from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. At the Last Supper, Jesus offers himself as victim (“ Take this and eat…. this is my body.”) given for the atonement of our sins. Like the Passover of Exodus, Jesus tells his Apostles that they must consume the victim (Himself) so that we may join our sacrifice to his and BOTH become willing offerings to the Father. Jesus now gives the Jewish Passover it’s real and definitive meaning. He defines it for all who have the eyes of Faith in a new way – the New Covenant.
As the Passover initiates the commemoration of the Exodus for all time, so the Crossing of the Red Sea bears traces of the great Jewish traditions. All of the elements in this account – the confluence of seemingly natural events, the intervention of the angel, the waters which swallow up pharaoh and his charioteers produce really an epic, which will be written forever in the hearts of the Jewish people up until this very day. The end result, the commentators say is the very real conviction on the part of the Hebrew people that it was God who brought about the deliverance of His people. The death of the first-born, extraordinary as it is, is seen as the “straw that broke the camel’s back” and forced pharaoh’s hand. Both Jewish and Christian commentators, however, view the Crossing of the Red Sea, as the definitive display of God’s power, might and faithfulness. It combined all of those elements, which we just mentioned as well giving the people absolute faith in the authority of God and Moses.
From this point onward, Moses assumes the role of mediator between God and Man. This if we take the time to stop and think about it, is quite remarkable. Although God made covenants throughout history – with Abraham, Noah etc, Moses becomes God’s vicar or representative as the Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth. Being God’s representative implies not just being a messenger – but it implies a responsibility. God is telling Moses, that he, Moses is responsible for the actions and care of the Hebrew people. He is their shepherd. Soon, God will give to his shepherd, Moses the guidelines, which he will use to lead his flock – the Ten Commandments. Moses’ role as mediator or shepherd prefigures Jesus’ role as the Mediator between God and Man. As the Hebrews followed Moses through the wilderness, so too are we expected to follow Christ through the wilderness of this life to union with God. Blessed Jose Maria Escriva writes; “following Jesus on his way, you have understood what Our Lord was asking from you and you have decided to accompany him on his way.” (footnote: Navarre pg. 302). God tells Moses that now he and the Hebrew people must assume responsibility for their own salvation. It must be a cooperative effort between Man and God’s grace. God is depicted in military language in Chapter 14. It is done to show God’s greatest attribute – his Omnipotence (power) and that he can deliver us from any danger. Now, we must use the tools he will give us – the merits of the death of his Son on the Cross to accomplish this. From the time of the Crossing of the Red Sea, God makes us partners in his plan of Salvation. Moses will be the prototype for many shepherds to follow up until the time of Jesus, The Eternal Shepherd, who will appear at the fullness of time to finally lead us home.
TPA/10/28/09
Friday, October 23, 2009
Discussion Questions for Exodus 14-15
1. Why is the passage of the Red Sea, considered to be more important that the death of the First born as a feat of God for his people?
2. Discuss in detail how the account of the Red Sea bear traces of the great Jewish traditions?
3. What anthropomorphism should come as no surprise to us in Chapter 14? Why?
4. Compare Moses in his new role as mediator between God and the people with Jesus, as depicted in the Letter to the Hebrews.
5. What IN YOUR OPINION, is the main effect of the crossing of the Red Sea had on the Israelites? Do you agree with the commentary in the book?
6. How do we know that the victory anthem in Exodus 15:1-21 is one of the oldest hymns of Israel? What clue tells us this? Why does it appear in Exodus?
7. What can you tell us about the use of the word “Yah” in the victory anthem?
8. Why and how does God put the Hebrews to the test during the first stage of their sojourn in the wilderness?
2. Discuss in detail how the account of the Red Sea bear traces of the great Jewish traditions?
3. What anthropomorphism should come as no surprise to us in Chapter 14? Why?
4. Compare Moses in his new role as mediator between God and the people with Jesus, as depicted in the Letter to the Hebrews.
5. What IN YOUR OPINION, is the main effect of the crossing of the Red Sea had on the Israelites? Do you agree with the commentary in the book?
6. How do we know that the victory anthem in Exodus 15:1-21 is one of the oldest hymns of Israel? What clue tells us this? Why does it appear in Exodus?
7. What can you tell us about the use of the word “Yah” in the victory anthem?
8. Why and how does God put the Hebrews to the test during the first stage of their sojourn in the wilderness?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
"Israel in Egypt"
There is a wonderful background article entitled “Israel in Egypt” from the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR). They publish a magazine called Bible and Spade. The link below is a link to ABR and this article. It gives a lot of background about the Hebrews in Egypt and Egypt itself. Although not a Catholic or religious site, ABR has much credibility as a scholarly organization dedicated to the truth and veracity of Biblical history. ABR is strongly endorsed by Bob Owen, an a Biblical Archaeologist, who has made several presentations here at our own Adult Vacation Bible School. There are many secularists who are saying that the Exodus as a historical event, never happened. ABR has tried to refute this. Do yourself a favor and visit their site – you will learn a lot about the Exodus and other historical events in the Bible. The link is: http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/09/24/Israel-in-Egypt.aspx.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Discussion Question For Exodus 12-13
1. The lamb was significant to the first Passover celebration in several ways – can you list them?
2. The Passover at its very heart was always a sacrifice. Why do you think that this is so?
3. Why do you think Jesus chose the Passover Seder to institute the Holy Eucharist?
4. What is the etymology of the word Passover in the Semitic languages? How does this apply to Jesus in the New Testament?
5. What is the history of the use of unleavened bread at Passover? Why is it used in the Mass today?
6. In Exodus 12:29-36, how do we know that the Egyptians acknowledged the dignity of the Hebrews? Why do you think that the sacred writers give us so little detail about how the Egyptians suffered from the last plague?
7. What is the law of the consecration of the first born? What was its significance and what did it mean?
8. What is important about the fact that Joseph’s bones were not left in Egypt?
Tom's Wrap Up Talk for Exodus 8-11
It is important that we discuss numbers in the Bible, since Exodus is so filled with them. All God’s ways are perfect. His works are perfect and His words are perfect. Can there also be perfection in His use of numbers? The Jews and Jewish Christians of the Old and New Testament thought so and so did the Fathers of the Catholic Church. St. Jerome, St. Augustine, and Pope St. Gregory I (the Great) all wrote extensively of God’s design and the significance in His plan of salvation in the use of numbers.
In Sacred Scripture numbers usually have more significance than their quantitative indicators. More often than not, even when a number is used to indicate a certain quantity, the individual number given may point beyond the numerical value to a symbolic significance. At other times the number given is not to be taken literally and may represent an approximate value, a symbolic value, or may indicate the use of hyperbole—an exaggeration or amplification to illustrate a teaching point in the Biblical text. For example:
The six day period of Creation may not be literal but may represent a symbolic period of time that was perfected on the seventh day when God rested—seven being one of the four “perfect” numbers.
The number of the 144,000 heavenly souls marked with the “seal of the living God” in Revelation chapter 7. Bible scholars both ancient and modern have interpreted this number as reflecting the symbolic perfection of redeemed man in terms of the “perfect” number 12 which signifies perfection of government in Scripture multiplied by divine order (Ten signifies divine order in scripture). 144,000 is the square of 12 times the cube of 10.
In Matthew 18:22, Simon Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive a brother who has sinned against him. Peter asks “As many as seven times?” Jesus’ response is “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times,” indicating not a literal 77 times but that Peter’s forgiveness is to be given without limit—an abundance of forgiveness using the “perfect” number 7 which represents both covenant and spiritual perfection.
In addition to the study of the symbolic significance of numbers in Scripture is the study of the numbers formed by the letters of words themselves, which is known by the Greek word gematria. This is the study of the words formed of letters of the alphabet used as number figures. The Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, and many other ancient peoples used their alphabets for numbers. The Hebrews used all 22 letters of their alphabet plus 5 finals. The Greeks used the 24-letter alphabet and 3 additional finals. The Romans only used 6 letters of their alphabet and their combinations to form numbers: I= 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500. The number 1,000 was formed by two D’s (combined to form an M-like figure). The Apostle John, writing during the time of the first great Roman persecution of Christians, recorded in the Book of Revelation that the number of the Beast was 666. Most ancient hand-written manuscripts of the book of Revelation record 666 as this significant number while other manuscripts record the number as 616. Is it a coincidence that all the Roman numerals added together total 666 (excluding the symbol for 1,000 which was not a separate letter/number but two “D”= 500 placed back to back)? Is it also a coincidence that the gematria for Nero Caesar (an alternate Hebrew spelling of the Emperor’s name in wide use in the 1st century AD) totals 666 while the Greek spelling of Nero Caesar totals 616? Six is the number of the beasts and of man (both created on the 6th day). It is also the number which is symbolic of man’s nature to rebel against the law of God.
Each number, according to ancient tradition has significance, for example:
Three is the number of perfect completion for the Jews and for Christians the number three symbolized the perfection of the Godhead = Trinity.
Eight is the number of salvation. It is the number of Christ, of the resurrection, and of the Second Coming. The gematria of the name Jesus in Greek (the language of the Old Testament) is 888: a trinity of eights, the fullness of salvation! As a matter of fact, every name identifying the second person of the Trinity is a multiple of 8 in Greek: Jesus Christ = 1480 (8 x 185); Lord = 800 (8 x 100); Savior = 1,408 (8 sq. x 32); Emmanuel = 25,600 (8 cubed x 50); Messiah = 656 (8x 82); Son 880 (8 x110).
The study of the significance of the use of numbers in Scripture requires a lifetime of study and reflection.
Do we tend to read more into the Plagues than probably was intended by the Sacred Author of Exodus? TEN: Perfection of divine order
Noah was the 10th generation from Adam [Genesis 5:1-32]
Abraham was the 10th generation from Shem, son of Noah [Genesis 11:10-26] (the ancients counted every series with the first in the series as #1—there was no concept of 0 as a place value)
10 Commandments [Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21]
10 clauses in the Lord’s Prayer [Matthew 6:9-13]
10 plagues on Egypt [Exodus 7:14-12:30]
10 virgins in Jesus’ parable [Matthew 25:1-13]
10 times John uses the words "I Am” in his Gospel
The Sacred Writer is telling us that God’s will WILL be done and that God will use the powers of Nature, which he created to see that Divine Order is established. Most all of our accounts of the plague come from Oral tradition, stories passed down from generation to generation. All of these plagues are more or less afflictions which are common to North Africa and Egypt only in much greater severity.
Gematria is not to be confused with what is called “Semitic exaggeration”. In Semitic languages, not only Hebrew but Arabic they tend to go to extremes. If something is bad, it is the worst you ever heard of. If something is good, it is the best you ever heard of. There does not seem to be any in between. Those of us reared in a Western European environment, having a Germanic or English background, coming primarily through the Greek and Roman influence to a certain extent, we look on things rather practically. We do not like too many figures of speech in our language, but we still use them today, such as “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” You are not that hungry ever, but we use expressions like that. Ages in the Pentateuch are exaggerated hyperbole to make a point. A good example of this is Methuselah. Methuselah is the oldest person whose age is mentioned in Genesis is given as 969 years. The name Methuselah has become a general synonym for any living creature of great age. This differs from Gamatria which is the manipulation of a number or sequence of numbers to make a statement.
Another frequently overlooked aspect of the plagues is the effect it undoubtedly had on the Egyptian people themselves. “Pharaoh” was the title of the kings of Egypt. The word pharaoh means “great house”. It was originally used to describe the king’s palace. It also implied that Pharaoh was Master of his own house meaning Egypt. To have the Hebrew God demonstrate his power over nature through the plagues, it also showed the Egyptians that their Pharaoh was not the Master of his own house anymore. The Bible doesn’t mention it but this had to be devastating to the Egyptian dynasty.
Another feature of Hebrew writing is repetition. The ancient Hebrew language had no capacity for what we call comparative adjectives, such as “good – better – best”. To emphasize that something was the “best” or greatest or most powerful, a word or phrase OR an entire verse of Scripture can be repeated. An example of this occurs in the Mass at the Sanctus, when we say, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and earth are full of your Glory, Hosanna in the highest.” The repetition of the word, “holy” three times indicates that God is the “Holiest”. In Sacred Scripture the number 3 represents that which is solid, real, substantial, and something in its completeness. This number usually indicates something of importance or significance in God’s plan of salvation by identifying an important event in Salvation History. This number operates as a “sign-post” in Scripture study for the reader to “pay attention” to the significance of the next event. Hence, “Holy, Holy, Holy” is followed by the Eucharistic Prayer, the center of the Mass.
Since the pattern of the ten plagues are repeated more that three times, it indicates: perfection; the divine order; and that something important will follow – the liberation of the Hebrews from their bondage.
To appreciate and read Exodus fully, we must take into account and be familiar with the nuances of Hebrew writing and poetry. As contemporary Catholics, we become almost obsessed with what is not in Scripture, when we overlook the very creative ways that the ancient authors communicate the Divine Message.
TA/ 10/13/09
In Sacred Scripture numbers usually have more significance than their quantitative indicators. More often than not, even when a number is used to indicate a certain quantity, the individual number given may point beyond the numerical value to a symbolic significance. At other times the number given is not to be taken literally and may represent an approximate value, a symbolic value, or may indicate the use of hyperbole—an exaggeration or amplification to illustrate a teaching point in the Biblical text. For example:
The six day period of Creation may not be literal but may represent a symbolic period of time that was perfected on the seventh day when God rested—seven being one of the four “perfect” numbers.
The number of the 144,000 heavenly souls marked with the “seal of the living God” in Revelation chapter 7. Bible scholars both ancient and modern have interpreted this number as reflecting the symbolic perfection of redeemed man in terms of the “perfect” number 12 which signifies perfection of government in Scripture multiplied by divine order (Ten signifies divine order in scripture). 144,000 is the square of 12 times the cube of 10.
In Matthew 18:22, Simon Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive a brother who has sinned against him. Peter asks “As many as seven times?” Jesus’ response is “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times,” indicating not a literal 77 times but that Peter’s forgiveness is to be given without limit—an abundance of forgiveness using the “perfect” number 7 which represents both covenant and spiritual perfection.
In addition to the study of the symbolic significance of numbers in Scripture is the study of the numbers formed by the letters of words themselves, which is known by the Greek word gematria. This is the study of the words formed of letters of the alphabet used as number figures. The Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, and many other ancient peoples used their alphabets for numbers. The Hebrews used all 22 letters of their alphabet plus 5 finals. The Greeks used the 24-letter alphabet and 3 additional finals. The Romans only used 6 letters of their alphabet and their combinations to form numbers: I= 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500. The number 1,000 was formed by two D’s (combined to form an M-like figure). The Apostle John, writing during the time of the first great Roman persecution of Christians, recorded in the Book of Revelation that the number of the Beast was 666. Most ancient hand-written manuscripts of the book of Revelation record 666 as this significant number while other manuscripts record the number as 616. Is it a coincidence that all the Roman numerals added together total 666 (excluding the symbol for 1,000 which was not a separate letter/number but two “D”= 500 placed back to back)? Is it also a coincidence that the gematria for Nero Caesar (an alternate Hebrew spelling of the Emperor’s name in wide use in the 1st century AD) totals 666 while the Greek spelling of Nero Caesar totals 616? Six is the number of the beasts and of man (both created on the 6th day). It is also the number which is symbolic of man’s nature to rebel against the law of God.
Each number, according to ancient tradition has significance, for example:
Three is the number of perfect completion for the Jews and for Christians the number three symbolized the perfection of the Godhead = Trinity.
Eight is the number of salvation. It is the number of Christ, of the resurrection, and of the Second Coming. The gematria of the name Jesus in Greek (the language of the Old Testament) is 888: a trinity of eights, the fullness of salvation! As a matter of fact, every name identifying the second person of the Trinity is a multiple of 8 in Greek: Jesus Christ = 1480 (8 x 185); Lord = 800 (8 x 100); Savior = 1,408 (8 sq. x 32); Emmanuel = 25,600 (8 cubed x 50); Messiah = 656 (8x 82); Son 880 (8 x110).
The study of the significance of the use of numbers in Scripture requires a lifetime of study and reflection.
Do we tend to read more into the Plagues than probably was intended by the Sacred Author of Exodus? TEN: Perfection of divine order
Noah was the 10th generation from Adam [Genesis 5:1-32]
Abraham was the 10th generation from Shem, son of Noah [Genesis 11:10-26] (the ancients counted every series with the first in the series as #1—there was no concept of 0 as a place value)
10 Commandments [Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21]
10 clauses in the Lord’s Prayer [Matthew 6:9-13]
10 plagues on Egypt [Exodus 7:14-12:30]
10 virgins in Jesus’ parable [Matthew 25:1-13]
10 times John uses the words "I Am” in his Gospel
The Sacred Writer is telling us that God’s will WILL be done and that God will use the powers of Nature, which he created to see that Divine Order is established. Most all of our accounts of the plague come from Oral tradition, stories passed down from generation to generation. All of these plagues are more or less afflictions which are common to North Africa and Egypt only in much greater severity.
Gematria is not to be confused with what is called “Semitic exaggeration”. In Semitic languages, not only Hebrew but Arabic they tend to go to extremes. If something is bad, it is the worst you ever heard of. If something is good, it is the best you ever heard of. There does not seem to be any in between. Those of us reared in a Western European environment, having a Germanic or English background, coming primarily through the Greek and Roman influence to a certain extent, we look on things rather practically. We do not like too many figures of speech in our language, but we still use them today, such as “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” You are not that hungry ever, but we use expressions like that. Ages in the Pentateuch are exaggerated hyperbole to make a point. A good example of this is Methuselah. Methuselah is the oldest person whose age is mentioned in Genesis is given as 969 years. The name Methuselah has become a general synonym for any living creature of great age. This differs from Gamatria which is the manipulation of a number or sequence of numbers to make a statement.
Another frequently overlooked aspect of the plagues is the effect it undoubtedly had on the Egyptian people themselves. “Pharaoh” was the title of the kings of Egypt. The word pharaoh means “great house”. It was originally used to describe the king’s palace. It also implied that Pharaoh was Master of his own house meaning Egypt. To have the Hebrew God demonstrate his power over nature through the plagues, it also showed the Egyptians that their Pharaoh was not the Master of his own house anymore. The Bible doesn’t mention it but this had to be devastating to the Egyptian dynasty.
Another feature of Hebrew writing is repetition. The ancient Hebrew language had no capacity for what we call comparative adjectives, such as “good – better – best”. To emphasize that something was the “best” or greatest or most powerful, a word or phrase OR an entire verse of Scripture can be repeated. An example of this occurs in the Mass at the Sanctus, when we say, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and earth are full of your Glory, Hosanna in the highest.” The repetition of the word, “holy” three times indicates that God is the “Holiest”. In Sacred Scripture the number 3 represents that which is solid, real, substantial, and something in its completeness. This number usually indicates something of importance or significance in God’s plan of salvation by identifying an important event in Salvation History. This number operates as a “sign-post” in Scripture study for the reader to “pay attention” to the significance of the next event. Hence, “Holy, Holy, Holy” is followed by the Eucharistic Prayer, the center of the Mass.
Since the pattern of the ten plagues are repeated more that three times, it indicates: perfection; the divine order; and that something important will follow – the liberation of the Hebrews from their bondage.
To appreciate and read Exodus fully, we must take into account and be familiar with the nuances of Hebrew writing and poetry. As contemporary Catholics, we become almost obsessed with what is not in Scripture, when we overlook the very creative ways that the ancient authors communicate the Divine Message.
TA/ 10/13/09
Jewish People Still Recall Plagues Today
A fascinating footnote to our study of the Ten Plagues in Exodus 8-11 is that as much as we might tire of reading about them, observant Jews continue to recall the plagues today.
The Passover is still marked by a fast of the firstborn, to show gratitude for sparing the first-born of Israel during the plague, and by two Seders, family meals with special foods and a special ceremony. Five obligations are performed by each Jew during the Seder: eating matzo; drinking four cups of wine; eating bitter herbs and telling the story of Exodus. What a great way that our Jewish brothers and sisters teach us to recall God's faithfulness.
-Tom
The Passover is still marked by a fast of the firstborn, to show gratitude for sparing the first-born of Israel during the plague, and by two Seders, family meals with special foods and a special ceremony. Five obligations are performed by each Jew during the Seder: eating matzo; drinking four cups of wine; eating bitter herbs and telling the story of Exodus. What a great way that our Jewish brothers and sisters teach us to recall God's faithfulness.
-Tom
Friday, October 9, 2009
DIscussion Questions for Exodus 8-11
Discussion Questions
For
Exodus
Chapters 8-11
1. The third plague of gnats is significant for several reasons. Please name them.
2. Some of the plagues are attributed to what is called the “Priestly Source” and others to the “Yahwist Source” – what does this mean? (Note: You may have to do a little research!)
3. How does Moses’ role in his confrontation with Pharaoh demonstrate that he is a type of Christ? (Answer is not in your Commentary). Just use some deductive reasoning.
4. How does the Sacred Author of Exodus emphasize the “separateness of the Hebrew people,” especially in the account of the Plagues?
5. Explain how the seventh plague, the hailstorm, can be called a “Theophany.” What is the hailstorm meant to demonstrate?
6. The plague of the hailstones is later recalled in two other books of the Bible. What are they and what are the accounts meant to tell us?
7. The ninth plague of darkness is mentioned in the Book of Wisdom. How does Wisdom interpret darkness?
8. Explain how the plagues found their way into other books of the Bible and became part of the history of Israel. Explain how the accounts of the plagues became part of the celebrations of the Passover.
For
Exodus
Chapters 8-11
1. The third plague of gnats is significant for several reasons. Please name them.
2. Some of the plagues are attributed to what is called the “Priestly Source” and others to the “Yahwist Source” – what does this mean? (Note: You may have to do a little research!)
3. How does Moses’ role in his confrontation with Pharaoh demonstrate that he is a type of Christ? (Answer is not in your Commentary). Just use some deductive reasoning.
4. How does the Sacred Author of Exodus emphasize the “separateness of the Hebrew people,” especially in the account of the Plagues?
5. Explain how the seventh plague, the hailstorm, can be called a “Theophany.” What is the hailstorm meant to demonstrate?
6. The plague of the hailstones is later recalled in two other books of the Bible. What are they and what are the accounts meant to tell us?
7. The ninth plague of darkness is mentioned in the Book of Wisdom. How does Wisdom interpret darkness?
8. Explain how the plagues found their way into other books of the Bible and became part of the history of Israel. Explain how the accounts of the plagues became part of the celebrations of the Passover.
John's Wrap Up Talk For Exodus 5 through 7
In the last few weeks, we have seen how the Israelites became slaves in a land where they were invited to live. In just a few chapters, Moses is born, grows up, flees to the desert, meets God and is given a very challenging mission. God has prepared the man that he will use to free his people and now it is time for Moses to put God’s plan into action.
Moses has everything he needs to successfully carry out his mission. He has the miraculous rod of God with which to display God’s power and he has Aaron to speak for him. Moses and Aaron met with the elders of the people of Israel, spoke the words God spoke to Moses and performed the signs. The people believed and were grateful to hear that God had heard their cries and was working to free them from their plight. That was easy enough.
Pharaoh, however, is not so easy to convince. In fact, Moses’ visit with Pharaoh makes things go from bad to worse. This could not have been encouraging for Moses. Moses knows that God is responding to the cries of the people of Israel and wants to free them from their bondage in Egypt, so why would God have him do something to cause their condition to worsen? Why would God send Moses into a bear trap like this?
How often do we contemplate what God is up to? Do you ever ask questions like:
Why does God seem to give so much power to his enemies?
Why does it seem that evil has the upper hand in the world?
Why does God allow innocent people to suffer?
Why do things have to get worse before they get better?
Why me? Why do I have to endure this pain?
Does God really know what he is doing?
As we know, God is sovereign and those who are in positions of great power are there because he allowed it to be. Jumping ahead in the Bible, when the Israelites asked for a king, they ended up with a series of good kings and bad kings. God allowed every one of them to be king – even the bad ones – and they all had a purpose. God even allowed the Israelites to be taken into captivity by very powerful nations. How did that turn out? Israel cried out the God and they eventually returned home and rejuvenated their faith and religious practices.
In this case, God has allowed this self-seeking pharaoh to rule over his people, subject them to very hard labor and murder them at his will. Then God sends a reluctant man to this hard-hearted, project-minded pharaoh to ask to let his people go to worship him, knowing that the pharaoh not only will disallow it, but he will make things worse for the Israelites and for Moses and Aaron as well.
We do not know God and his ways and we never will. However, we do know that God, although not the author of evil, can, in a mysterious way, bring good from evil. This is a prime example of God's power over evil. Evil can never triumph.
In a way, God has set up a sting operation in Egypt. In the movie “The Sting” with Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Johnny Hooker (Redford) and Henry Gondorff (Newman) con a big-time crime boss named Doyle Lonnegan by using his own greed against him. Hooker and Gondorff know Lonnegan and use his personality to cause his own downfall. In the case of the Exodus, God created Pharaoh and knows exactly how he will react in any situation. He also created Moses, Aaron, all the Israelites and Egyptians and all the characters in the story. He knows what buttons to push and exactly what will happen. Pharaoh and Satan have been “set up” in order to make God’s power known to all.
Is this fair? Certainly it is. To say that God set Pharaoh up may be a bit of a theological conundrum. God actually presented Pharaoh with a series of choices and God, knowing human nature, knew that Pharaoh would choose to be obstinate. Pharaoh, as we all do, exercised free will. Even though God knew how he would act, Pharaoh is responsible for his own actions because he had free will to act any way he chose. God created Pharaoh and created the situation but God did not choose for Pharaoh. Therefore, Pharaoh is responsible for the consequences of his actions.
What does this have to do with the Israelites and why they have to suffer from Pharaoh’s obstinacy? Why does God allow suffering at all? Let’s hearken to the Book of Job. Job was pious, upright and very rich with a big family. Life was good for Job. One day, Job suffers a sudden and complete reversal of fortune. He loses his property and his children; he is afflicted with a horrible disease; and sorrow oppresses his soul. Nevertheless, Job does not complain against God. Job’s friends insist that his plight is a result of wrongdoing on his part and God is giving him an opportunity for repentance. Job rejects this explanation and demands a response from God himself. In response to Job’s plea that he be allowed to see God and hear from him the cause of his suffering, God answers, not by justifying his action before men, but by referring to his own omniscience and almighty power. Job is content with this and recovers his attitude of humility and trust in God, which is now deepened and strengthened by his experience of suffering.
In conclusion, God allows evil only to display his great power to overcome it. We should always put our trust in God and let his strength be our strength. God allows suffering so that we may be made stronger by enduring it; so we will draw closer to him and let God be all that we need.
As we see in the chapters from this week, God is our redeemer. In the Catechism glossary it says, “Jesus Christ [is the] redeemer of mankind. Christ paid the price of his own sacrificial death on the cross to ransom us, to set us free from the slavery of sin, thus achieving our redemption.” Christ paid the price for our sins so we could have eternal life. The question we should ask is, “Why would we ever question a God like that?” or “Why would a God like that allow suffering without having a really good reason?” God wants us to depend on him and him alone. Suffering has a way of drawing us close to him. St. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians, Chapter 12:
Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:7–10)
In the words of David, let us pray:
Hear my words, O Lord; listen to my sighing. Hear my cry for help, my king, my God! To you I pray, O Lord; at dawn you will hear my cry; at dawn I will plead before you and wait.
You are not a god who delights in evil; no wicked person finds refuge with you; the arrogant cannot stand before you. You hate all who do evil; you destroy all who speak falsely. Murderers and deceivers the Lord abhors.
But I can enter your house because of your great love. I can worship in your holy temple because of my reverence for you, Lord. Guide me in your justice because of my foes; make straight your way before me. (Psalm 5:2–9)
Amen!
Moses has everything he needs to successfully carry out his mission. He has the miraculous rod of God with which to display God’s power and he has Aaron to speak for him. Moses and Aaron met with the elders of the people of Israel, spoke the words God spoke to Moses and performed the signs. The people believed and were grateful to hear that God had heard their cries and was working to free them from their plight. That was easy enough.
Pharaoh, however, is not so easy to convince. In fact, Moses’ visit with Pharaoh makes things go from bad to worse. This could not have been encouraging for Moses. Moses knows that God is responding to the cries of the people of Israel and wants to free them from their bondage in Egypt, so why would God have him do something to cause their condition to worsen? Why would God send Moses into a bear trap like this?
How often do we contemplate what God is up to? Do you ever ask questions like:
Why does God seem to give so much power to his enemies?
Why does it seem that evil has the upper hand in the world?
Why does God allow innocent people to suffer?
Why do things have to get worse before they get better?
Why me? Why do I have to endure this pain?
Does God really know what he is doing?
As we know, God is sovereign and those who are in positions of great power are there because he allowed it to be. Jumping ahead in the Bible, when the Israelites asked for a king, they ended up with a series of good kings and bad kings. God allowed every one of them to be king – even the bad ones – and they all had a purpose. God even allowed the Israelites to be taken into captivity by very powerful nations. How did that turn out? Israel cried out the God and they eventually returned home and rejuvenated their faith and religious practices.
In this case, God has allowed this self-seeking pharaoh to rule over his people, subject them to very hard labor and murder them at his will. Then God sends a reluctant man to this hard-hearted, project-minded pharaoh to ask to let his people go to worship him, knowing that the pharaoh not only will disallow it, but he will make things worse for the Israelites and for Moses and Aaron as well.
We do not know God and his ways and we never will. However, we do know that God, although not the author of evil, can, in a mysterious way, bring good from evil. This is a prime example of God's power over evil. Evil can never triumph.
In a way, God has set up a sting operation in Egypt. In the movie “The Sting” with Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Johnny Hooker (Redford) and Henry Gondorff (Newman) con a big-time crime boss named Doyle Lonnegan by using his own greed against him. Hooker and Gondorff know Lonnegan and use his personality to cause his own downfall. In the case of the Exodus, God created Pharaoh and knows exactly how he will react in any situation. He also created Moses, Aaron, all the Israelites and Egyptians and all the characters in the story. He knows what buttons to push and exactly what will happen. Pharaoh and Satan have been “set up” in order to make God’s power known to all.
Is this fair? Certainly it is. To say that God set Pharaoh up may be a bit of a theological conundrum. God actually presented Pharaoh with a series of choices and God, knowing human nature, knew that Pharaoh would choose to be obstinate. Pharaoh, as we all do, exercised free will. Even though God knew how he would act, Pharaoh is responsible for his own actions because he had free will to act any way he chose. God created Pharaoh and created the situation but God did not choose for Pharaoh. Therefore, Pharaoh is responsible for the consequences of his actions.
What does this have to do with the Israelites and why they have to suffer from Pharaoh’s obstinacy? Why does God allow suffering at all? Let’s hearken to the Book of Job. Job was pious, upright and very rich with a big family. Life was good for Job. One day, Job suffers a sudden and complete reversal of fortune. He loses his property and his children; he is afflicted with a horrible disease; and sorrow oppresses his soul. Nevertheless, Job does not complain against God. Job’s friends insist that his plight is a result of wrongdoing on his part and God is giving him an opportunity for repentance. Job rejects this explanation and demands a response from God himself. In response to Job’s plea that he be allowed to see God and hear from him the cause of his suffering, God answers, not by justifying his action before men, but by referring to his own omniscience and almighty power. Job is content with this and recovers his attitude of humility and trust in God, which is now deepened and strengthened by his experience of suffering.
In conclusion, God allows evil only to display his great power to overcome it. We should always put our trust in God and let his strength be our strength. God allows suffering so that we may be made stronger by enduring it; so we will draw closer to him and let God be all that we need.
As we see in the chapters from this week, God is our redeemer. In the Catechism glossary it says, “Jesus Christ [is the] redeemer of mankind. Christ paid the price of his own sacrificial death on the cross to ransom us, to set us free from the slavery of sin, thus achieving our redemption.” Christ paid the price for our sins so we could have eternal life. The question we should ask is, “Why would we ever question a God like that?” or “Why would a God like that allow suffering without having a really good reason?” God wants us to depend on him and him alone. Suffering has a way of drawing us close to him. St. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians, Chapter 12:
Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:7–10)
In the words of David, let us pray:
Hear my words, O Lord; listen to my sighing. Hear my cry for help, my king, my God! To you I pray, O Lord; at dawn you will hear my cry; at dawn I will plead before you and wait.
You are not a god who delights in evil; no wicked person finds refuge with you; the arrogant cannot stand before you. You hate all who do evil; you destroy all who speak falsely. Murderers and deceivers the Lord abhors.
But I can enter your house because of your great love. I can worship in your holy temple because of my reverence for you, Lord. Guide me in your justice because of my foes; make straight your way before me. (Psalm 5:2–9)
Amen!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
From John Bailey...
Another must-read for those studying Scripture is "Dei Verbum." You can find it on the Vatican web site at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html (or you can just Google "Dei Verbum" and find it that way). Don't worry - it's not written in Latin! It is the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation. It explains very well the Church's view of Divine Revelation and Holy Scripture. It's good stuff!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Scripture Study Resources
There are many good resources to both aid and encourage your study of Exodus and Scripture in General. Several are either written by or edited by Scott Hahn. Scott Hahn is probably the foremost Catholic Scripture Scholar in the country. Since the late 1980’s Scott has reignited interest in Bible Study with his enthusiasm and very readable style. Among books that are a must on your Bible Study list should be the following by Scott Hahn: A Father Who Keeps His Promises, Scripture Matters and The Catholic Bible Dictionary. Another important book is Pathways In Scripture by Damasus Winzen with a foreword by Dr. Hahn. Pathways is a solid guide to Scriptural types and symbolism. All of these books are available in our parish library.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wrap Up Talk For Exodus 3 and 4
The next two chapters of Exodus (3 and 4) are filled with Theological significance and symbols. A major feature of this section is what we call the “Theophany.” We need to spend a little time becoming familiar with this concept because not only does it demonstrate God’s intervention in history but it also shows God’s desire for a relationship with his people – the people he has chosen.
“Theophany” is a Greek word meaning “appearance of God”. It is a supernatural manifestation of God in the natural world. Normally a Theophany is a dramatic display of Divine Glory in a way that is visible (fire, clouds, lightening) or audible (thunder, trumpet blast, divine voice) or otherwise sensible like earthquake, strong winds etc. Much like miracles, theophanies demonstrate God’s power over the order and forces of nature.
Theophanies can take place in the natural environment – in or by trees or bushes, near springs or rivers and above all on mountains. They can also be accompanied by spectacular natural events like earthquakes. Naturally, Theophanies evoke a sense of awe and terror in those who behold them. We can imagine what Moses must have thought when he saw the burning bush!
Theophanies were occasions when God intervened in history to disclose his will, to issue divine decrees and commands, to pass judgment on tribes and nations and most especially to act as Savior for his people. The best known Theophany is the one on Mount Sinai. The CCC explains the Theophany on Mount Sinai within the context of the Ten Commandments and God’s self-revelation as a gift: “The gift of the Commandments is the gift of God himself and his holy will. In making his will known, God reveals himself to his people.” (CCC #2059).
Theophanies in the New Testament share certain features with those of the Old Testament. The main difference is that most theophanies in the NT are ‘Christophanies” – that is, manifestations of the Divine Glory of Jesus Christ; for example, the Transfiguration.
Not only are Theophanies incredible in and of themselves but they are truly unique. Never before in history had God chosen to reveal himself to a people, to show his Divine Nature and express a desire for a relationship. This gives the Hebrew people truly a singular place in Salvation history.
The Theophany of the burning bush is, of course, the one we are dealing with in Exodus Chapter 3. Moses was called by God when he was living as an ‘exile in a foreign land” (2:22) thus anticipating the characteristic fate of his people. “The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a fire rising out a thornbush.” In this great sign, the whole history of our salvation is contained.
The fire is a symbol of God, who is “a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Dt.4:24). The thornbush, in its lowliness and worthlessness, represents the Israelite people and the whole of mankind in this state of fallen nature. The “angel of the Lord” is, in the Old Testament, very often the Son of God. The fire that does not consume the thornbush foreshadows the Incarnation, which leaves intact, the human nature of Christ.
The apparition in the burning bush initiates a new period in the history of salvation. The time has come when God will fulfill the promises he made to the patriarchs. It is the new activity that is indicated in the revelation of a new name of God. As long as the fathers of Israel wandered about in the promised land as strangers and guests, God made himself known as El Shaddai, which translated means “God Almighty” to show that he was able to fulfill his promise (Gen 17:1; 28:3,Ex 6:3). The fulfillment itself when God leads his people into Canaan to take possession of it, stands under the name YHWH, which means “I AM” The name reveals the absolute truthfulness of God, whose promise of salvation will never be revoked. He is the “Yes” and the “Amen” to all of his promises, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last letters in the alphabet of human history. The name stunned Moses, we can safely assume because it also is a form of the verb “to be”, which means, “I am existence itself”. The name is so holy that it cannot be spoken even today. It is referred to by the Greek pseudonym, “Tetragammatron”. Fast-forward to the New Testament in the Gospel of John. Jesus challenged by his Disciples about Abraham being their Father in faith responds; “Amen, Amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, “I AM” (John 8:58). They then picked up stones to throw at him. They too were stunned and knew that Jesus was claiming to be one and the same as God.
Moses dreads his mission (4:10) as centuries later Jeremiah dreaded his (Jer 1:16). No true Apostle is self-appointed. If he is called by God, however, he participates in his power (Mk 16:17-18). As a symbol of his apostolic power Moses receives the “rod of God” (4:20; 17:9) which he may use to heal or strike. The rod clearly points to the Cross of Christ, the powerful scepter in the hands of the Son of God made Man, which strikes Satan and heals mankind.
Two other events in this connection are of typical importance. The first is that Moses receives Aaron, his brother, to help him (4:14). The Divine apostolate is exercised through two men. Our Lord practices the same system, sending out his apostles “two by two” (Mk 6:7). The greatest of all Apostles, St. Paul, is never alone. Important parts of the Acts of the Apostles are written in the first person plural. The reason for this is evident: the success of any apostolic activity does not depend on the personality of the preacher. He acts in everything as a member of the community of God’s saints.
The other incident reported here and closely connected with Moses’ mission is the strange encounter between him and God when he is with his family on his journey to Egypt (4:24-26). The incident shows that Moses cannot enter upon his mission without having “fulfilled all justice” (Mt 3:15). An apostle is never an anarchist who wants to create something new by first destroying what has been built before. God’s ways with men are marked not by revolution but by continuity through tradition, because God always remains faithful to Himself. For this reason, Moses, the mediator of the covenant of Mount Sinai, has to fulfill the covenant of the Circumcision. Likewise, Jesus, the Founder of the New Testament is circumcised and Baptized. The connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament cannot be denied and only reflect the continuity and Wisdom of God’s Master Plan for Salvation. Exodus connects a lot of these dots!
TA 9/30/09
“Theophany” is a Greek word meaning “appearance of God”. It is a supernatural manifestation of God in the natural world. Normally a Theophany is a dramatic display of Divine Glory in a way that is visible (fire, clouds, lightening) or audible (thunder, trumpet blast, divine voice) or otherwise sensible like earthquake, strong winds etc. Much like miracles, theophanies demonstrate God’s power over the order and forces of nature.
Theophanies can take place in the natural environment – in or by trees or bushes, near springs or rivers and above all on mountains. They can also be accompanied by spectacular natural events like earthquakes. Naturally, Theophanies evoke a sense of awe and terror in those who behold them. We can imagine what Moses must have thought when he saw the burning bush!
Theophanies were occasions when God intervened in history to disclose his will, to issue divine decrees and commands, to pass judgment on tribes and nations and most especially to act as Savior for his people. The best known Theophany is the one on Mount Sinai. The CCC explains the Theophany on Mount Sinai within the context of the Ten Commandments and God’s self-revelation as a gift: “The gift of the Commandments is the gift of God himself and his holy will. In making his will known, God reveals himself to his people.” (CCC #2059).
Theophanies in the New Testament share certain features with those of the Old Testament. The main difference is that most theophanies in the NT are ‘Christophanies” – that is, manifestations of the Divine Glory of Jesus Christ; for example, the Transfiguration.
Not only are Theophanies incredible in and of themselves but they are truly unique. Never before in history had God chosen to reveal himself to a people, to show his Divine Nature and express a desire for a relationship. This gives the Hebrew people truly a singular place in Salvation history.
The Theophany of the burning bush is, of course, the one we are dealing with in Exodus Chapter 3. Moses was called by God when he was living as an ‘exile in a foreign land” (2:22) thus anticipating the characteristic fate of his people. “The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a fire rising out a thornbush.” In this great sign, the whole history of our salvation is contained.
The fire is a symbol of God, who is “a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Dt.4:24). The thornbush, in its lowliness and worthlessness, represents the Israelite people and the whole of mankind in this state of fallen nature. The “angel of the Lord” is, in the Old Testament, very often the Son of God. The fire that does not consume the thornbush foreshadows the Incarnation, which leaves intact, the human nature of Christ.
The apparition in the burning bush initiates a new period in the history of salvation. The time has come when God will fulfill the promises he made to the patriarchs. It is the new activity that is indicated in the revelation of a new name of God. As long as the fathers of Israel wandered about in the promised land as strangers and guests, God made himself known as El Shaddai, which translated means “God Almighty” to show that he was able to fulfill his promise (Gen 17:1; 28:3,Ex 6:3). The fulfillment itself when God leads his people into Canaan to take possession of it, stands under the name YHWH, which means “I AM” The name reveals the absolute truthfulness of God, whose promise of salvation will never be revoked. He is the “Yes” and the “Amen” to all of his promises, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last letters in the alphabet of human history. The name stunned Moses, we can safely assume because it also is a form of the verb “to be”, which means, “I am existence itself”. The name is so holy that it cannot be spoken even today. It is referred to by the Greek pseudonym, “Tetragammatron”. Fast-forward to the New Testament in the Gospel of John. Jesus challenged by his Disciples about Abraham being their Father in faith responds; “Amen, Amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, “I AM” (John 8:58). They then picked up stones to throw at him. They too were stunned and knew that Jesus was claiming to be one and the same as God.
Moses dreads his mission (4:10) as centuries later Jeremiah dreaded his (Jer 1:16). No true Apostle is self-appointed. If he is called by God, however, he participates in his power (Mk 16:17-18). As a symbol of his apostolic power Moses receives the “rod of God” (4:20; 17:9) which he may use to heal or strike. The rod clearly points to the Cross of Christ, the powerful scepter in the hands of the Son of God made Man, which strikes Satan and heals mankind.
Two other events in this connection are of typical importance. The first is that Moses receives Aaron, his brother, to help him (4:14). The Divine apostolate is exercised through two men. Our Lord practices the same system, sending out his apostles “two by two” (Mk 6:7). The greatest of all Apostles, St. Paul, is never alone. Important parts of the Acts of the Apostles are written in the first person plural. The reason for this is evident: the success of any apostolic activity does not depend on the personality of the preacher. He acts in everything as a member of the community of God’s saints.
The other incident reported here and closely connected with Moses’ mission is the strange encounter between him and God when he is with his family on his journey to Egypt (4:24-26). The incident shows that Moses cannot enter upon his mission without having “fulfilled all justice” (Mt 3:15). An apostle is never an anarchist who wants to create something new by first destroying what has been built before. God’s ways with men are marked not by revolution but by continuity through tradition, because God always remains faithful to Himself. For this reason, Moses, the mediator of the covenant of Mount Sinai, has to fulfill the covenant of the Circumcision. Likewise, Jesus, the Founder of the New Testament is circumcised and Baptized. The connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament cannot be denied and only reflect the continuity and Wisdom of God’s Master Plan for Salvation. Exodus connects a lot of these dots!
TA 9/30/09
Statement of Purpose
This Blog is designed for members of the Saint Bartholomew Scripture Study Group. This group is composed primarily of members of Saint Bartholomew Catholic Church in Manchester, Maryland. The Saint Bartholomew Scripture Study was formed in the Fall of 1998 and has been faithfully meeting on Wednesday evenings since then. The facilitators of this group are John Bailey and Tom Abbott. We welcome all members of our Scripture Study and those who love God's Word to visit our blog, read the weekly wrap up talks and questions and to comment on them or discuss your own journey through Scripture!
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