Violence in the Bible?

If anyone secretly entices you--even if it is your brother, your father’s son or your mother’s son, or your own son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your most intimate friend--saying, “Let us go worship other gods” ... you shall surely kill them; your own hand shall be first against them to execute them, and afterwards the hand of all the people. Stone them to death for trying to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Then all Israel shall hear and be afraid, and never again do any such wickedness. (Deut 13:6-11)

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out the sword that is in your hand toward Ai; for I will give it into your hand." And Joshua stretched out his hand ... When Israel had finished slaughtering all the inhabitants of Ai in open wilderness where they pursued them, and when all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to AI, and attacked it with the edge of the sword. The total of those who fell that day, both men and women, was twelve thousand ... (Josh 8:18, 24-25)

Much to my surprise, the Islamic scriptures in the Quran were actually far less bloody and less violent than those in the Bible. … By the standards of the time, which is the 7th century A.D., the laws of war that are laid down by the Quran are actually reasonably humane…Then we turn to the Bible, and we actually find something that is for many people a real surprise. There is a specific kind of warfare laid down in the Bible which we can only call genocide" (P. Jenkins)

For Sherwood, the "internal blindness" that members of a monotheistic community have for their own problematic pasts or issues is driven by competition (to be the "favored son," or the descendants of).

Reading emphatically in the direction of life, early Christian funereal art orients the narrative around its ending, understood in terms of resurrection and recreation. In third to sixth-century sarcophagi, catacombs, and frescos, Abrahams and Isaacs get up from the altars alongside Noahs, Daniels, Jonahs, or Lazaruses walking out of their arks, furnaces, fish, or tombs. (Sherwood)

According to Sherwood, early monotheistic interpreters (Judaism, Christian, and Islam) were more willing to embrace the paradoxes, violence, and disagreements expressed in their texts.

The more modernist emphasis upon dichotomized truth led to a rejection of ambiguity in favor of sometimes forced interpretations, a more dogged emphasis upon boundaries, and the loss of acceptable flexibility in interpretation.

Point of Origin

• Christianity developed in Roman Palestine (ca. 1st century C.E.).
• It was a Jewish sect (Josephus refers to early Christians as "Nazarenes")
• It is messianic. Judaism is also messianic.
• Jesus was a Jew (went to temple, read Nebiim, discussed proper length of tzitzit [cf. Matt 15:7-9; 23:1-12]).
• Jesus was not the first person to be called "Messiah" (notably, Judah and Simon bar Kochba, both of whom led revolts)

Brief Chronology

• Antiochus Epiphanes took the Seleucid throne in 175 BCE.
• He set up the Jerusalem temple for "pagan" worship.
• This prompted a number of attempted revolts by the Judeans.

• In 164 BCE, Judas Maccabees led the Maccabean Revolt.
• Relative independence was won in 135 BCE and lasted until 63 BCE.
• In 63 BCE, General Pompey (Roman) took Jerusalem.

• In 66 CE, the Zealots revolted against Rome.
• In 70 CE, the Jerusalem temple was destroyed.
• In 73-74 CE, the Roman Empire quashed the revolt.

Social-Cultural Response to Foreign Overrule

Multiple sects of Judaism developed during this time.

• Pharisees (became Rabbinic Judaism after 70 CE)
• Sadducees (largely conservative, legal literalists)
• Essenes (withdrew; saw existence as a conflict between light and dark). Some scholars think Jesus was influenced by the Essenes.

• Zealots (agreed theologically with Pharisees; biased toward military action)
• Nazarenes (small group that followed the teachings of Jesus; possibly influenced by the Hillel school of rabbinic thought)

Response and Reinterpretation

Mark is typically thought to be the earliest of the Gospels.

A prominent theme in Mark is that the Kingdom of God is near (cf. Mark 1:14-15).

• Jesus must suffer before this kingdom can come (theme developed out of the midrashes and targums of 2^nd and 3^rd Isaiah).
• Mark maintains that the Kingdom of God was immanent for his audience (compare Mark 11:1-10 with Zech. 9:9-10).

• This kingdom was characterized (idealistically) by peace and righteousness. Can we all say "stability"?
• Jesus' "secret role" as Messiah was not revealed until his final week (Mark 11:1-16:8).

• For Mark, Jesus as a messiah symbolized the end of the "oppressive" Roman overrule.
• The "Nazarene Movement" took root because it offered hope of stability in a context marked by conflict (economic disparities, Roman political control, etc.)

Introductory Notes

• The author of Hebrews is unknown.
• Paul was associated with the letter during the process of canonization. But it's not in the Pauline style.
• Possible date = 60-95 CE. Given the highly developed theology, a date closer to 95 CE is more likely.

• The "message" was received "second hand" (cf. 2:3).
• Audience was "established" believers (cf. 5:11-14).
• Persecution experienced by audience (cf. 10:32-34).
• The prologue (1:1-5) asserts the divinity of Christ.

Literary Themes

• Supremacy of God's revelation through Christ (cf. 1:1-8)
• Connects Christ to the priestly, prophetic, and wisdom traditions (of Judaism).
  • Priest in the order of Melchizedek (7:1-8:13; compare Ps. 110:4, Gen. 14:17-20) = eternal priesthood = eternal sacrifice (cf. 9:11-10:18).

• Genuine humanity of Christ (2:6-18; 4:14-15; 5:7-8)
• Superior to the angels (1:5-2:8)
• Superior to Moses (3:1-6)
• Dramatic emphasis upon "faith" (11:1-14)

Coming Full Circle

In the aftermath the seemingly failed messianic mission of Jesus, Hebrews attempts to refocus the community.

• Restoration will happen but at a later, undisclosed time.
• The community must be faithful and behave in a manner consistent with what will be expected of citizens of the restored "kingdom."

• The "shared symbol" of the collective, Jesus/Christ, still exists but in the divine realm.
• The social, political, and economic conflicts in which the community finds itself will one day be resolved. The true test of membership is faith in that forthcoming resolution.

Hebrews concludes with an emphasis upon mutual love (ch. 13). The community was encouraged to seek internal stability as a response to its circumstances and to project that stability upon the outside "world" in advance of restoration.