Mark 1:16-20: Fishing in the Nile

Calling of Andrew and Simon Peter, The
by GIUSTO de' Menabuoi

Read or listen to Mark 1:16-20

We see Jesus start the ministry he has announced (Mk 1:14-15) by gathering his first cohort of workers. The king needs his army. These five verses are as impressive as they are brief. To a simple invitation, four fishermen fall in line like soldiers to a general's command.

Not to overlook the enigmatic metaphor: I will make you fishers of men. How are men fishes to be fished? What are the methods? Why do men need to be caught? No explicit explanation is offered in this passage or the book..

Reading in its literary context, this text immediately follows Mark's prologue which introduces Israel's long-awaited Messiah (king-deliverer) as one who augurs an age of salvation from sin (Mk 1:4,8). The four will follow Jesus as he collides with demons, disease and religious teachers. He will teach with authority, forgive sins (Mk 2:5) and declare himself the 'lord of the Sabbath' (Mk 2:28). In the gospel of Mark, the disciples' profile is decidedly unflattering (they would deny and desert him) in spite of initial enthusiasm and bravado; and certainly not for lack of warning (Mk 8:24-35).

Historically, fishermen were middle-class. James and John owned a boat and had hired hands (Mk 1:19-20). To follow an itinerant teacher and miracle-worker was to throw away a profitable trade for an unpredictable career path. Rabbis of the time were also not known to summon disciples in this way; rather they were sought out like a college student might choose majors based on a professor's reputation.

Putting it together we have a theme of the deliverer-king enlisting his first soldiers in his battle against sin (reversing even its ugliest sequelae), reveal a new age, and secure a new peace. The first disciples' alacrity is encouraging even in contrast to their future failures. But what about the fishy metaphor of fishing men? We need to cast our interpretive net a little wider to get closer to its significance.)

Tracing the Bible's story of salvation, we see firstly foreshadowed in the Exodus saga, fishes dying in the Nile when Egypt was judged (Exo 7:18,21) while Israel was delivered safely. Later on in the Exile, Babylon was the 'fisherman' who would 'hunt' and 'hook' the Israelites (Jer 16:16; Eze 29:4-5) into captivity - symbolic of judging and preserving them while their nation burnt to the ground. At the same time, Ezekiel's prophecy of their later restoration takes on cosmic proportions that can only be read as a preview of the end of age. His picture of paradise includes a refreshed 'Great Sea', surrounded by fishermen and teeming with fish (Eze 47:10)! The use of this mixed metaphor, therefore, makes the 'fisher of men' out as one who will snatch people from God's impending judgement (ie. 'the time is fulfilled'), by his means of salvation (ie. 'repent and believe in the good news'), preserving them for when He completes His kingdom (ie. 'the kingdom of God is at hand'); cf. Mk 1:15.

In its original significance, no doubt, the Rome-persecuted Christian of 1st century AD would hear a battle cry in the words 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men'. Loyalty transfered, outlook radically transformed, they would be strengthened to proclaim the good news even when it cost their lives (as history shows.) Weary Christians, like dying embers, may even identify with the deserter-disciples but be reignited by the fact of Christ's resurrection as their start-hot-snuffed-out predecessors were. But of surpassing importance is the mission at hand: to save their fellow man from a sure judgement, before too late, and to be kept for a great new age to come.

Lost on us, perhaps this word is even more urgent for us today: sedated, career-oriented, alien to suffering and tolerantly timid. What is it to leave all, follow Jesus and be a fisher of men today?

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Ephesians - A Brief Introduction.

Paul authored the letter to the Ephesians while he was in prison, most likely in Rome around 60AD (Eph 3:1; 6:20).


The letter to the Ephesians was probably a circular letter to the churches in Asia Minor, of which Ephesus was a major centre where Paul spent three years and established a center of evangelism (Acts 19:1,10,26). An important trade hub on the sea and land route as well as a the Mecca of Artemis worship (Acts 19:35), the city of Ephesus was a religious and commercial cosmopolitan of the day.


Artist's portrayal of Temple of Artemis

One can imagine an audience of newly-initiated Christians compressed by surrounding paganism (Acts 19:24-27) and immorality (eg. Eph 4:17; 5:3,8). A later indictment indicates they succumbed to these immense pressures (Rev 2:1,4). Gnosticism was a prevalent worldview and creeping into the church in deceptive heresies (Acts 20:28-30; Eph 4:14). Jew-Gentile tensions were also rife where Gentile Christians were gaining dominance and intolerant of the tradition-saddled Jews (cf. Eph 4:2). Jewish Christians on the other hand carried over baggage of viewing Gentiles with contempt, as the 'uncircumcised' pariah (Eph 2:11), from the days of Judaism.


Theatre of Ephesus

We can deduce that Paul's purpose in writing is to extend his teaching to a church he has built up to be a center of evangelism in Asia Minor as well as gird them to withstand the triple challenge of ethnic tension (Eph 4:2-3), ethical pressure (Eph 5:15-16), and errors in doctrine (Eph 4:25) (a problem triad of discord, immorality and heresy).

With the historical context of author, audience and purpose in mind, we can read the letter of Ephesians more meaningfully - grasping its original significance to the reader of the time before transposing it to contemporary equivalence.

The letter can be broadly divided into two sections which are about:
1) Doctrine (chapters 1-3), in which many great truths are laid down; and
2) Practice (chapters 4-6), in which the practical outworking of these truths are urged.

Further reading:
Letter to Ephesians in ESV (Text and Audio)
Backgroud of Ephesus
Introduction, Argument and Outline by Daniel Wallace

Mark 1:9-15 Through the Wilderness

The Baptism of Christ, by Francesco Albani, 1630-1635 from Biblical Art on the WWW

Read or listen to Mark 1:9-15

While the prophets bear witness in the first half of Mark's prologue, the second half has the Triune God - Father, Son and Spirit - bear witness to Himself.

Mark wastes few words and rapidly takes us through key events:
1. Jesus arrives from Galilee
2. He is baptized by John
3. He witnesses the Spirit descend through the heavens
4. A voice from heaven announces 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased' - an echo of a coronation psalm (Ps 2:7) and a prophecy of the suffering servant who will restore Israel (Isa 42:1).
5. The Spirit leads him into the desert
6. He is tempted there 40 days, in company of wild beasts but attended by angels
7. John is in prison, Jesus is back in Galilee
8. Jesus proclaims the good news (Mk 1:15)

At first sight, it is strange that Jesus should be baptised at all. Not only is it inappropriate for John to baptize someone 'whose sandals I am not worthy to.. untie' (Mk 1:7), Jesus is the sinless Son of God who has no sin to repent of! Equally puzzling is the just-coronated king being escorted, not to his inauguration banquet but to a quarantine of '40 days in the wilderness', 'with wild beasts' and to be'tempted by Satan.' What are we to make of these paradoxes?

The baptism of Christ and wilderness temptation watersheds the preceding Messianic prophesies and the action-hero-like portrayal (that will follow in subsequent chapters) of Jesus as authoritative teacher, miracle healer and powerful exorcist.

The biblical context gives us some clues. To have the fixed separation between the heavens and the earth breached dramatically indicates the dawn of a new age (Isa 64:1, Rev 4:1, 11:19, 19:11). Being immersed in water symbolizes the birth of a nation; recalling when they were delivered from Egyptian slavery and rescued through the miraculously parted Red Sea (Ex 14:19-24); an interpretation by Paul, no less (1 Cor 10:1-2.) Going underwater also hints at death (Ps 42:7; 69:1-2) and Jesus picks up the image (Lk 12:50, Mk 10:38-39) in the face of the cross. Jesus' baptism shows that he will, through his own death, inaugurate a new age and renew his kingdom.

Being banished into wilderness was the result of sin both for Adam & Eve and Israel (Nu 14:22-23). The prophet Jeremiah when preaching to the exile in Babylon, recalls that Israel was historically sent into the desert for 40 yrs (Jer 2:6) and tested there (Ps 95:7-11). A restoration can only be achieved through forgiveness (Jer 31:31-34). Perhaps even the sin-bearing scapegoat sent into the wilderness (Lev 16:10-26) is remembered here in Mark. Jesus, far wiser than another king banished into the wilderness (Dan 4:28-37) will, unlike Israel of old, emerge victorious (Ps 91:9-14) and inherit the Promised Land. Jesus will not only renew his kingdom, He IS the true and faithful Israel.

Putting it all together, we have a picture of the prophesied Messiah and coronated King, baptised in order to identify with sinful humanity, proclaim a mission to renew a lost kingdom, and point forward to his own saving death. Having symbolically birthed a nation (Jesus is the new Israel), he is led into the desert as Israel was, symbolically entering their wilderness before leading them into the Promised Land. Having inaugurated a new beginning, he must also engage the enemy who deceived humanity out of Eden. (This conflict goes on throughout Mark's gospel as he does not record the conclusion of the temptation in the desert.) The gospel is begging then for a solution which we will find only at the cross: the defeat of the enemy and securing of pardon.

When in Mark 1:15 he returns from the wilderness to proclaim 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel' he does it as the Messiah-King: tried and tested, in solidarity with man, and ready to reestablish his kingdom.

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Mark 1:1-8 As It Is Written

Read or listen to Mark 1:1-8

Mark introduces his gospel (Mk 1:1-15) with a mosaic of testimonies and events. He narrates 1) John's baptism, 2) Jesus' baptism and 3) Jesus' temptation. Interspersing short clips with testimonies, Mark draws from Old Testament prophets, a new testament prophet, and metaphors to explain the significance of these selected events. While he offers no explanation for why Jesus would subject himself to baptism, the mention of wild beasts in the wilderness or John's strange fashion sense for that matter (though we may be able to infer something), his conclusion is clear: 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand..' (Mk 1:15).

As a body, Mark's gospel reads like a sermon-like biography. He starts with Jesus' baptism (Mk 1) and ends with his resurrection (Mk 16), moving through (in the first eight chapters) his public ministry in and around Galilee and (in the last eight chapters) journeying to and being crucified in Jerusalem. Launching from his introduction he will demonstrate Jesus' authority as the 'Christ' (Mk 1:1) and give us a select sampling of his words and deeds to illustrate how he plans to establish the 'kingdom' he proclaims to be 'at hand' (Mk 1:1) and finally executes the plan (by dying no less!)

The events Mark throws out are by no means in a vacuum for the reader of that time. The Jewish nation of Israel, subjugated by the Roman empire, had long been awaiting a Messiah, one prophesied for centuries past (Ge 49:10; Nu 24:17; Isa 16:5; 2Sa 7:12-14; Ps 45:6-7; 110:1-2; 132:11-12; Isa 9:6-7; Eze 37:24; Mic 5:2) and expected to reinstate their nation, restoring its glory.

So Mark starts by announcing his work to be 'the beginning of the gospel', (ie. good news) 'of Jesus Christ', (ie. Messiah) 'the Son of God.' It is the good news that they've been waiting for.

Whether by 'the beginning' Mark meant his prologue (Mk 1:1-13) or his entire writing, as initial news, or the new start that comes from the good news, they are all meaningful possibilities. His death and resurrection inaugurates a kingdom that awaits its final consummation at his second coming; the good news has just begun!. And this good news is intended to renew nation and humanity at large. Whether Mark means the good news is about Jesus, is preached by Jesus, or that Jesus IS good news - they are all happily true. And Jesus is none other than the Son of God.

John (Mk 1:4-6) is introduced, 'as it is written..'(Mk 1:2-3) as the messenger in Isaiah 40:3-5 and Malachi 3:1. These two passages in context speak of God restoring His people, as a king and as a shepherd: 'They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession'(Mal 3:17) and 'He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms'(Isa 40:11). John, as messenger and forerunner, dutifully announces the coming king 'who is mightier than I' (Mk 1:7) and prepares the people by urging repentance.

The Messiah has come. The kingdom of God is indeed at hand!

For the reader of the Roman empire, as for us, it would be a great joy and assurance to know that the Saviour 'first for the Jews, then for the Gentile' is one promised from ages past for all humanity. It is deeply moving to know that He gathers us like lambs in his arms, and we are to him a treasured possession. At the same time, it is arresting to realise that we live in a critical age - a time of fulfilment of God's great promises - and it is our duty, as it was John's to proclaim it. Whatever our wilderness experience, a highway has been blazed through it (Isa 40:3) : the path of God's rule, walked on by repentance.

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1 Samuel 5-6: Too hot to handle

The Philistines and their elders, the Israelites of Beth-Shemesh, and of course God are the main parties in this drama.


View Places in Book of Samuel in a larger map

The narrative spans a period of seven months ending in harvest time, set in Ekron, Ashdod and Gath, three of the five principal cities of the Philistines; and the last events are in Beth-Shemesh, a border territory of Judah.

The ark of the Lord has been captured by the Philistines after a disastrous campaign by the Israelites in a futile attempt to overcome their oppressors. The glory of the Lord has tragically departed from Israel (1 Sam 4:21), now a subjugated and orphaned nation.

The story unfolds, most entertainingly, as follows:

The ark of the Lord is too hot to handle (1 Sam 5:1-12)
1. Plundered to Ashdod and placed beside their god, Dagon, they find the deity prostrate on one day, dismembered and decapitated the next, and the people are stricken with sores. (It is recorded that no one would step on the threshold of the Dagon's temple again henceforth.)
2. Evicted to Gath, the plague follows and causes panic
3. Dumped to Ekron, many die and other survive with sores. There is widespread terror and their anguish pierces the heavens.
4. The Philistine leaders decide to return the ark in fear of their lives

The ark is returned with gifts (1 Sam 6:1-12)
1. Philistine priests and omen readers devise a maneuver to diagnose (did they bring down this plague upon themselves with the ark?) and to remedy their error with guilt offerings
2. Five (for the five cities of Philistine) gold carvings of their sores and five of the rodents that rampaged their cities are placed with the ark, and couriered to the Israelite border town of Beth-Shemesh by previously unyoked and nursing mother-cows
3. The cows and carts head straight for Beth-Shemesh and the Philistine leaders return to Ekron - the diagnostic and therapeutic trial is successful

The ark is received with joy and grief (1 Sam 6:13-21)
1. The ark arrives at a big stone near the field of Joshua
2. The people of Beth-Shemesh are delighted, make a sacrifice of the wood and cows on the stone, and place the ark in the field of Joshua
3. 50,070 men are killed for looking at the ark! A cause of grief and a request to be relived of the ark.

Interesting literary features of this passage include repetitions of 'the ark of the lord', and the 'heavy hand' of the protagonist firmly in control. Also the 'guilt offering' of the Philistines highlight their bid to appease an angry god. Some historical points of interest may also enrich this reading. Idols of the period were made of clay parts and joined together, head and limbs to trunk. Plundering of a tribal deity would signify complete defeat, the head and limbs being the prize. A prostrate, dismembered and decapitated Dagon was a knock out in round one. Stepping on a threshold (the floor beam that keeps doors from swinging out) was superstitiously regarded as inviting in demons. Dagon's impotence was clear. The coincidence of a rodent infestation and sores (which can also be translated hemorrhoids or tumors) suggests the Bubonic plague - which results in lymphatic swellings of the groin and death if untreated. The Israelites who were killed in the eyeballing of the ark must have been struck for more than just an incidental glance (Exo 19:21; Lev 10:1-3; Num 4:4,5,15,20).

Lymphatic swellings in the rodent-transmitted Bubonic plague - from Wikipedia


This narrative on its own shows God to have no equal amongst deities of the day, single-handedly subduing the entire Philistine population with severe judgement and compelling a penitent handover of the ark to its rightful place amid his chosen. The return, though an occasion for rejoicing, is marked with a grim reminder to sinful people that his holiness is not to be trivialised or trifled with. Coupled with the initiation of Samuel the prophet-priest-judge and fresh outpouring of revelation in chapters 1-4, a new beginning is anticipated.

No doubt, a Jewish reader in the time of the exile would be able to root his confidence in such historical events. His God is unmatched among the innumerable gods of Babylon and more than capable of defending his glory as well as the dignity and welfare of his covenant people. And the ark stored in the treasure house of Nebuchadnezzar will surely regain its place. Yet this confidence must be accompanied by an appropriate awe of His holiness and remorse for the sin of the nation.

The larger biblical witness enlarges and personalises this reality. The ark in OT history containing the tablets of the Law (Deut 10:5) symbolizes His powerful presence (Ps 132:8, 2 Chr 6:41, Ps 78:61) and judicial rule from the sanctuary of his temple. Its presence brought blessing (1 Chr 13:14) and its mishandling brought severe judgement (1 Chr 13:9-10). Later, the prophet Jeremiah paradoxically gazes far forward to a time when all peoples, freed from sin, are united under God's benevolent rule, basking in His presence and no longer requiring or missing the ark (Jer 3:14-18). The NT ties it together when it shows that this is achieved by Christ's blood metaphorically poured out on the ark's atonement cover (Rom 3:25*). When the curtain is raised to reveal his consummated kingdom, all who are saved by His blood will behold its glory unhindered in the celestial heaven (Rev 11:19).

Can we possibly be moved to more awe, humility, gratefulness and hope all at once?

*see NET Bible notes on the dual metaphor of Christ's blood as atoning sacrifice, and Christ as the atonement cover (aka mercy seat) upon which the sacrifice is poured.

1 Samuel 4: The gavel descends

The text: 1 Samuel 4

The characters in play are the presumptuous elders of Israel, the condemned sons of Eli, a survivor from Benjamin, Eli who breaks his neck at 98, his daughter-in-law, a child whose birth commemorates Israel's downfall, and the warring troops of Israel and Philistine.

The scene is set at the battlefield where the Israelites and Philistines clash (approx. 20 miles between their camps - Ebenezer and Aphek) on one hand and Shiloh where Eli and his family awaits anxiously. Two disastrous battles ensue in this time.


View Places in Book of Samuel in a larger map

The narration is as much dramatic as it is tragic:
Israel defeated at battle, loses the ark

Israelites defeated by the Philistines by HOET, Gerard taken from http://www.biblical-art.com
1. Israel attacks Philistines and loses 4000 troops
2. Elders decide to bring in the ark of covenant to save them
3. Sons of Eli accompanies the ark
4. Israelite troops shout and frighten the Philistines who remember Egypt
5. 2nd battle sees 30,000 slain, ark plundered, and sons of Eli dead
Eli dies
The death of Eli, by Merian, Matthaeus the elder - from http://www.biblical-art.com
1. Survivor (of tribe of Benjamin) in tatters and relays bad news to Eli
2. Eli fatally fractures his neck and expires at age 98, after 40yrs of being a judge
3. The grave news precipitates labor in Phinehas' gravid wife and she herself dies from childbirth
4. The child is named in her dying breaths, Ichabod (which may mean 'where is the glory?'), saying 'the glory has departed from Israel' (or the glory has gone into exile.)

At the onset of the book of Samuel, Israel is under the oppression of the Philistines (Jud 13:1). In the first 3 chapters, the word of the Lord had come to Samuel of God's irrevokable judgement on the unforgivable sin of Eli's house. The spiritual decay of Israel was marked by the brazenness of their priests, gone unchecked by a cataractous father. While hope was being renewed in a miracle prophet-child ushering in new light, the dreadful oracle had yet to come to pass. We put our hands to our face as God's judgement descends with unremitting wrath.

In this chapter, the elders of Israel not only march out unsummoned, but contemptuosly presume to use the tabernacle of God in their impulsive outburst (cf Jos 6:5, 6:20). Hophni and Phinehas evidence their complete corruptedness of heart by literally going along with this ill-conceived, not to mention contemptuous battle plan. Their rapid sequence stupidity is matched by rapid judgement. God's own people, and His own chosen dwelling place, is not spared. The passage ends on the lowest note possible: the glory of God departed. The stark ending begs the question: What can Samuel possibly do, how will God (himself in exile as it were) rescue Israel from these depths?

For the original listeners, this must be a dark day forever to be remembered. That for their own sins, not only were they dealt with severely, they had at once lost their God to the enemy, and their reason for being a people. For the Jew in Babylonian exile centuries later, this very same tragedy had been repeated where the temple and all its treasures are plundered in judgement of Judah's intractable idolatry. The psalmist would recall God as the protagonist who 'forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind, and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.' (Ps 78:60-61). If history was anything to base their hopes on, nothing less than utter repentance and a renewed trust in the promises of God could reverse their predicament.

In the wider biblical story of salvation, these events are difficult to comprehend even if the tragedy is eventually reversed. Why should God allow for His own glory to be captured by the enemy even if he were to forsake his dwelling place among his people? Why not stop at the annihilation of Israel who had forsaken their covenant with him? Unless if in this we see a hint of God taking judgement upon himself, entering into exile in order to lead the return? Looking far forward do we not see Christ forsaken on the cross, the radiance of God's glory depart from Israel and descend into Hades before rising to save his people?

At any rate, today, we must be so humbled by the gravity of our sin - no less brazen or contemptuous - for it required the blood of God's own son (worth far more than 30,000 slain soldiers). And we should be so deeply grateful that He was forsaken so that we will never be and that we should never cry, 'Where is the glory?'

1 Samuel 3: Dawn of an age

The text: 1 Samuel 3

The characters here are God who begins to reveal himself after a long hiatus; Eli, whose vision is deteriorating with age; and Samuel, now a young man under Eli's tutelage, ministering in the temple.

The setting is the tabernacle at Shiloh, hill country where the ark was brought in the time of Joshua. The period is one of spiritual starvation as 'the word of the Lord was rare in those days.' Specifically it is night when Samuel is called, and morning when he relays his vision to Eli.

This is a narrative with an embedded oracle:
Eli and Israel in darkness
1. Israel is bereft of 'frequent vision'
2. It is dark, except for the 'lamp of God'
3. Eli's eyes are 'dim'
Samuel is called, Eli is judged
1. God calls Samuel, whom Samuel mistakes for Eli because 'the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him
2. Eli instructs Samuel to answer 'Speak, LORD, for your servant hears'
3. In the fourth instance, Samuel answers and receives oracle
4. God will punish the house of Eli as he had said, in a thorough, lasting and irreversible way for the unrestrained blasphemy of his sons, not even by 'sacrifice or offering'.
5. Samuel reveals all to Eli in the morning when pressed, and Eli accepts his fate in resignation ('Let him do what seems good to him.')
Samuel becomes a prophet to Israel
1. Samuel grew
2. God was with him
3. He 'let none of his words fall to the ground'
4. The span of Israel recognised his authority
5. God appeared again, and 'revealed himself.. by the word'

Many contrasts are strikingly apparent: darkness and light (night-morning, dim eyes-lamp of God), initiation (of Samuel) and termination (of Eli's house), the lack of and then the outpouring of revelation. Samuel's response 'speak Lord, your servant is listening' to God's call was the decisive moment.

The impression: While Israel and Eli was in dark decay, God initiates a humble-willing servant in Samuel, delivers irreversible judgement on Eli's unrestrained blasphemous house, and begins pouring out revelation to Israel through a custodian Samuel; all signaling a new dawn.

Read in the time and story of 1 Samuel, Samuel whose miraculous birth and consecration signaled a new beginning, is being initiated to bring about this fresh impetus in God's purpose to establish a kingdom. The corrupt and contemptuous spiritual leaders of Israel is being decisively eradicated to make way for fresh revelation that must precede renewal.

The original listeners (on two levels: Israelites before monarchy, later Jews in exile) are being given historic motivation to repel idolatry and abide by the revelation given to them. The preservation and prospering of their nation hinges on repentant hearts under enlightened leadership.

Read in the time and story of the Bible's salvation plan, a sin-judgement-mercy pattern emerges; Adam & Eve were clothed and promised a 'seed' that will crush the head of the serpent, Noah's sons would renew the mandate to multiply and fill the earth after the great deluge, and Abraham was promised nationhood after the towering mutiny of mankind was confounded at Babel. David will subsequently inherit the eternal kinghood. We are not hard pressed to see Jesus in Samuel's horizon. He is the 'radiance of God's glory' (Heb 1:1-3), His indwelling Spirit recalls His teaching (John 14:24), and the judgement upon Him ended an era of darkness, and 'made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.' (2 Cor 4:6). A rejection of Christ's sacrifice is met with similar irreversible consequences (Matt 12:31, Heb 10:29).

What should I take from this today but to continue in His Word, keeping Christ crucified ever my vision, pray for enlightened leadership and always in the spirit of 'Speak Lord, your servant is listening.'

1 Samuel 2: Ironies, ironies many are the ironies

Scandalous deportment of Eli's sons by Gerard Hoet

The text: 1 Samuel 2

The main characters in today's passage are Hannah who breaks out in song and Eli who is pronounced judgement. His sons Hophni and Phinehas are cursed to death for their wickedness. The setting of the entire passage is Shiloh where the tabernacle is, after Samuel has been dedicated to the Lord's service.

The narrative has:
Hannah's prayer
1. joy in victory and deliverance
2. holiness and greatness of God
3. God's sovereign control over all
4. God humbles the proud and exalts the weak
5. God's insurmountable power
Eli's son's wickedness and curse
1. Eli's sons corruption - extorting and skimming, contempt of God's offering
2. Eli rebukes his sons who do not listen - God has destined they should be punished
3. God pronounces curse - death of his sons and early death of the line of priests
4. God promises to raise a new and faithful priest who will minister before anointed one always
Samuel's development
Interspersed between these narratives are anecdotes of Samuel ministering at Shiloh, and growing in stature as well as Hannah's abundant blessings of children in return for Samuel.
In a nutshell, Hannah's grateful praise and blessings for her faithfulness are contrasted against Eli's foretold downfall and the curse upon the spiralling wickedness of his household. Amid this double reversal (Hannah is exalted, Eli is humbled), a new leader is promised. How many contrasting movements can we perceive? The humble is exalted, the proud is crushed, one's children are born, another's children will die, one priestly household fades, another will take its place but remain...

In the time and story of 1 Samuel, as noted yesterday, Israel is at its nadir and awaits renewal of their spirituality and leadership which we will see emerge through the ministry of Samuel. The ironical reversals represent God pushing forward with his covenant purpose to build a nation but without compromising on covenant faithfulness of his people. The humiliated exile of Israel may draw a comparison with Hannah whose prayers of anguish lead to her deliverance and exaltation.

In the time and story of the Bible's salvation plan, we see renewed hope emerging from a seed of faithfulness that survive in the ashes of judgement, a pattern reminiscent of Israel in the Exodus, Joshua from the wilderness and foreshadows the one whose sacrifice brings us hope amid our sins judged in Him. Samuel's ministry that ends with the anointing of David in spite of the promise of 1 Sam 2:35 is renewed by the eternal high priest (Heb 6:20) who will always intercede for us (Heb 7:25). The pattern of Christ who is humbled in death but exalted to the highest place is exemplified by Hannah(Phil 2:9-10)(One might even see a hint of parallel between two exalted mothers (Hannah and Mary) and two judged priests (Eli and Zechariah).)

The original listeners, presumably the Jews in Babylonian exile, would be encouraged that God pursues his covenant promise with unrelenting commitment. They could look forward to a reversal of their humiliation and a restoration of their glory. But they would also be reminded that His faithfulness does not in any way diminish their reponsibility as covenant people to the covenant terms.

Today, we are similarly assured that God's sovereignity and faithfulness guarantees our deliverance into the new creation. A future glory awaits those who now suffer for Him. And this knowledge should spur us to greater praise and holiness.