The way of imagination

       To fully understand Mark’s “sequel” to the Scriptures of Israel, we need to look at 7 previous “episodes”, 7 OT characters who shed light on what Mark is saying about John the Baptist and Jesus in chapter 1.   The fifth character from the “original story” is Jeremiah .      As we saw last time, Jesus’ message concerned the “kingdom of God” (Mk. 1.15).   In the Psalms, Yahweh is described as King of the world (Pss. 47, 93-99, etc.).   Yahweh, the King of the world, ruled the nations through his “son” enthroned in Zion (Ps. 2.6).   The dream of the Hebrew Scriptures is for Yahweh to establish his reign (kingdom) over the whole world, through his son/viceroy, the King of Israel – one world, one God.   The realization of this dream was guaranteed by the Davidic covenant recorded in 2 Sam. 7 – Yahweh’s promise that there would always be a descendant of David on the throne of Jerusalem.   However, at the time...

       To fully understand Mark’s “sequel” to the Scriptures of Israel, we need to look at 7 previous “episodes”, 7 OT characters who shed light on what Mark is saying about John the Baptist and Jesus in chapter 1.   The third character from the “original story” is David .   In 2 Samuel 7.8-16, we have the story of the founding of the Davidic covenant – God’s promise that there would always be a descendant of David on the throne of Jerusalem, forever .   It repeats the key features of God’s covenant with Abraham, which “gave birth to” the people of God (cf. Gn. 12.1-3).   God promises David three things: a great name, that Israel will be “planted” securely (cf. Jer. 1.10) in the Promised Land, and an everlasting line of descendants upon his throne (2 Sam. 7.8-13).   The wider context – and play on words – is that David had recently expressed his desire to the prophet Nathan to construct a “house” (i.e., Temple) for Yahweh (2 Sm. 7.1-3). ...

       From the very first verses of his Gospel, Mark plugs his story into the narrative of the Hebrew Scriptures (i.e., Old Testament).   Mark has written a story (Gospel) about a first-century Jew who lived in Northern Palestine (Galilee).   Mark is presenting the story of Jesus as the fulfillment of the story of Israel , which began in Gn. 12.1-3 with God’s calling of Abra(ha)m.   Abraham , Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and all the other OT characters were part of the “people of God” , the family that God promised to give to Abraham that would be God’s agent of salvation in the world.   God revealed his name ( Yahweh ) to Moses in Ex. 3.14, and as the Israelites gathered at the base of Mt. Sinai, Yahweh renewed and expanded the covenant that he had first established with Abraham (Ex. 19—20; cf. Gn. 12, 15, 17).   A covenant is a sacred agreement made between God and his people, with promises of blessing for faithfulness and curs...

       From the very first verses of his Gospel, Mark plugs his story into the narrative of the Hebrew Scriptures (i.e., Old Testament).   Mark has written a story (Gospel) about a first-century Jew who lived in Northern Palestine (Galilee).   Mark is presenting the story of Jesus as the fulfillment of the story of Israel , which began in Gn. 12.1-3 with God’s calling of Abra(ha)m.   Abraham , Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and all the other OT characters were part of the “people of God” , the family that God promised to give to Abraham that would be God’s agent of salvation in the world.   God revealed his name ( Yahweh ) to Moses in Ex. 3.14, and as the Israelites gathered at the base of Mt. Sinai, Yahweh renewed and expanded the covenant that he had first established with Abraham (Ex. 19—20; cf. Gn. 12, 15, 17).   A covenant is a sacred agreement made between God and his people, with promises of blessing for faithfulness and curs...

       From the very first verses of his Gospel, Mark plugs his story into the narrative of the Hebrew Scriptures (i.e., Old Testament).   Mark has written a story (Gospel) about a first-century Jew who lived in Northern Palestine (Galilee).   Mark is presenting the story of Jesus as the fulfillment of the story of Israel , which began in Gn. 12.1-3 with God’s calling of Abra(ha)m.   Abraham , Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and all the other OT characters were part of the “people of God” , the family that God promised to give to Abraham that would be God’s agent of salvation in the world.   God revealed his name ( Yahweh ) to Moses in Ex. 3.14, and as the Israelites gathered at the base of Mt. Sinai, Yahweh renewed and expanded the covenant that he had first established with Abraham (Ex. 19—20; cf. Gn. 12, 15, 17).   A covenant is a sacred agreement made between God and his people, with promises of blessing for faithfulness and curs...

       Après une période prolongée de prophétiser alors que des gens complotaient contre lui en vue de l’assassiner (voir 11, 18-23; 18, 23) et lui menaçaient publiquement et lui ont fait honte (20, 1-2), Jérémie donne libre cours à sa peine avec son dernier (et le plus sombre) psaume de lamentation (20, 7-18).   La lamentation proprement dite se trouve en 20, 7-10.   Peu de versets dans le livre de Jérémie ont été plus scruté que le 20, 7, où les questions de traduction et d’interprétation sont particulièrement difficiles.   Jérémie accuse-t-il Dieu de lui avoir séduit, même violé?   C’est précisément l’avis de certains biblistes. [1] « Seigneur, tu m’as séduit ( pth ), et j’ai été séduit ; tu m’as saisi ( hzq ), et tu as réussi ( ykl ). À longueur de journée je suis exposé à la raillerie, tout le monde se moque de moi. » (traduction officielle liturgique) Il reste que le verbe pth (c.-à-d. « persuadé » [Segond 21...

       La 5 e lamentation se trouve en Jér. 18, 18-23.   En 18, 18, nous voyons la réaction meurtrière à l’annonce par Jérémie de jugement qui se trouve en 18, 13-17.   Le temps pour la repentance est passé, proclame Jérémie, et le jugement est maintenant inévitable.   L’argile refuse de se laisser modeler par le potier (c.-à-d. Juda refuse de retourner à Yahvé; voir 18, 1-12) et maintenant ce sera jeté.   Le trio d’adversaires – les prêtres, les sages, les prophètes – représente la structure de pouvoir, l’industrie du savoir, et l’autorité religieuse de l’établissement (voir 26, 8-11; 36, 19.26).   La prière de Jérémie débute à 18, 19.   Le langage de la prière est juridique.   Il suggère que Jérémie est en cour, qu’il est accusé, et se tourne vers Yahvé (le juge) afin d’être justifié.   La justification sera basée sur le fait qu’il a agi fidèlement en tant qu’intercesseur et a pratiqué l’obéissance, même si ça s’est avéré un...