18 years

I am somewhat obsessed with numbers when they occur in the Bible.

So when I read in an encounter between Jesus and the synagogue ruler that there is a woman there bent over for 18 years I wonder.

Apparently and I haven’t been able to confirm this Jesus never quotes form the books of Joshua or Judges.

Unsurprising really as these two books record the record of Ancient Israel’s dealings or I should say destruction and genocide of the indigenous peoples of Canaan.

As far as these two books are concerned, according to their writers they have God’s sanction for such bloodthirsty violence.

Of course it is no wonder Jesus never quotes form them as he takes a very different view of who is my neighbour/enemy (A hated Samaritan par excellence) and teaches not a tooth for a tooth, kill or be killed but rather non-violent resistance of injustice and love of one’s enemies.

Therefore in this particular encounter the allusion to Judges chapter 3, the only other place in the whole of his scriptures where that period of time occurs it seems to me to be not insignificant.

So to the book of Judges I went and found the King of Moab oppressing the people of God for 18 years, they are bent over and cry out for a Deliverer/judge.

In  response to the critical synagogue ruler angry that Jesus would heal on a sabbath Jesus  alludes to another part of his scriptures this time the book of Job and the only time that the word translated hypocrites (plural) occurs there.

It is to those who worship a foreign deity, who uphold the status quo for their own benefit whilst others remain oppressed and who therefore do not cry out  for deliverance.

Jesus on the other hand by his actions in straightening this woman.

He is alluding to the book of Ecclesiastes where the writer wonders about who can straighten that which is bent crooked and concludes only the Lord.

Jesus is suggesting that THE purpose of both Synagogue gathering of the people of God and the sabbath is NOT petty rules and identity markers that make the few (rulers) feel good about themselves but the deliverance of those in bondage, .

It is for freedom that Christ has set you free the Apostle Paul will later write.

Jesus wants us to enter into the drama.

He is deliberately provoking the synagogue ruler who along with other leaders will eventually find a way to do away with him.

Because he so threatened their security  turned things upside down.

They are very happy with the status quo and do not want anything changing.

They are quite happy for this woman, who represents Israel at the time to remain bent over and under the Roman occupation.

Jesus however wants to enable the crowd to see that there is an alternative way to be under such a yoke that is NOT liberation theology but is eternal theology.

A quality to community living that sets us free whatever the circumstances.

At the same time Jesus is kicking in to touch once and for all the myth of redemptive violence.

Violence according to Jesus only begets more violence and never produces lasting peace, which is Jesus rereading of the book of Judges.

That writer concluding after several hundred years of a repeating cycle of violence that what is needed is a King.

Well reading Kings and Chronicles, that both end with ancient Israel in exile it is perfectly clear that neither King nor deliver understood in political or geographical terms is the answer.

It seems to me that Jesus leaves us in no doubt as to his view of Earthly Kingship, whether Roma and/or puppet style King Pilate.

He points us to his example of sacrificial love on behalf of neighbour, as he redefines them to include enemy and a form of Kingship who is the servant of all.

What therefore characterises our gatherings as church (Ecclesia in Greek)?

The two words for gathering of the people of God in the Hebrew scriptures being either sunagos and ecclesia!

 

 

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