Nehemiah and his heroes rebuild the wall, notice the superhuman strength of the guys holding up a huge block of stone, while Nehemiah reads a proclamation.

Nehemiah seems like a typical Sunday School story of a book, a sort of hero story made even less interesting by being told by the hero. Like Ezra it is not the first place I’d look searching for humour in Scripture. Yet, I think reading Nehemiah 6 we can trace more than one example of humour, at least one subtle and another quite open.

See what you think

So, here’s the link to the audio: Humour in the Bible: book16: Nehemiah

The chronology of ancient kingdoms amended: to which is prefix'd, a short chronicle from the first memory of things in Europe, to the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great: with three plates of the temple of Solomon / by Sir Isaac Newton. Dublin. Image is of plate #1 (Image from Wikipedia)

Ezra is far from the funniest book in the Bible, or the easiest read. Yet even here there are hints and traces of that most human of phenomena, humour. In Ezra 3:12-13 (as often) one either has to laugh or cry. Throughout the book something funny is going on with language and translation (see e.g. Ezra 4:7, 18), but no one has yet explained satisfactorily what! The ever so tactful representation of Ezra’s lack of faith in Ezra 8:21-23 is often cited. And in the end, I cannot resist mentioning David’s candidate in Ezra 5-6 culminating in Ezra 6:8-13. Isn’t this punctilious obedience a surprise

So, here’s the link to the audio: Humour in the Bible, book 15: Ezra

Not what either Zedekiah the prophet or a real Viking would wear, but it is funny (photo by dionhinchcliffe)

The strange, and strangely disturbing story of Micaiah ben Imlah in 2 Chronicles 18 which repeats very closely its source in 1 Kings 22¹ it ticks all the boxes as a passage intended to be funny.

And when you read it, it is hilarious. From Jehoshaphat’s gentle resistance through Zedekiah with a “Viking” helmet, and Micaiah telling porkies after swearing the truth, only when caught claiming a Lying spirit from Yahweh tricked him, to Micaiah’s last laugh from prison, the tale is a riot

But what is its point?

So, here’s the link to the audio: Humour in the Bible, book 14: 2 Chronicles 18

1. Which may mean this entry is cheating in terms of finding humour in every book of the (Hebrew) Bible, though it does seem to show that the Chronicles was not so humourless as to damage fine humour when he came across it. BTW if anyone has an example of humour in 1 Chronicles, I am still looking and would value your help. Tyler hinted at some killer comedy in Chronicles but so far no one has proposed a good example…

Larger babies are sometimes refered to ironically as "the baby elephant" (photo by silentcow)

The prayer of Jabez was wildly popular a few years back among voguish Christians worried about the lack of obvious and excess prosperity in their lives (compared to those richer and general better off than them, not compared to the world population in general).

Even without that 1 Chron 4:9-10 is funny (strange peculiar, if not humorous) in several ways:

• first narrative in Chron
• not part of surrounding genealogy seems stuck in
• Jabez does not seem to fit into the genealogies
• though there is a town of that name inhabited by possibly Kenite scribes
• and begins “there was” vayyehi like stories do
• though there are puns and other wordplays in the genealogies, they are more prominent here
• Jabez is honoured, but was born in pain, and prays for pain to be removed from his life

So there are a number of clues that the passage may contain intended humour.

Tyler pointed me to it, and Chris Heard has an article in JHS: R. Christopher Heard, “Echoes of Genesis in 1 Chronicles 4:9–10: An Intertextual and Contextual Reading of Jabez’s Prayer” JHS 4:2, 2002

Among the other resources I used I’ll quote from: Japhet, Sara. I & II Chronicles: A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press, 1993, 110.

Heard argues against Japhet’s claim that in the Chronicler naming implies destiny, making Jabez’ name almost a curse and shows that it rather (as in the text) reflects his mother’s pain (hearing an echo of Gen 3:16).

He also argues that we should read this little story with the other small stories in the opening of Chronicles dealing with the acquisition of land in the south by non-Judahites (Rubenites and Simeonites) in this case Jabez is more honoured (than his brothers in story) because he gets his land by prayer rather than warfare.

This is a miniature story full of delightful and amusing turnarounds.

So, here’s the link to the audio: Humour in the Bible 13: 1 Chronicles 4 The Prayer of Jabez

Elijah the Tishbite was a "lord of hair" (photo by JD Hancock)

Since Google suggests the first chapter of 2 Kings is humorous I’ll measure it against the criteria. It meets most (but not all) which i think makes it clear this passage is not merely funny but was intended to be funny. Though again it is a “black” humour.

As a bonus I’ll offer a reading of the passage, it seems a shame to be talking about humour but not be “allowed” to get any laughs NB: this reading is basically the NRSV, which being a very literal translation captures the fairy tale quality of the telling rather well.

So, here are links to the audio:

Humour in the Bible: Book 12: 2 Kings 1: Mission interrupted

Special bonus: reading of 2 Kings 1 based on the NRSV

Image of Elijah (on Mt Carmel, photo by brett.wagner)

Idols, “gods” that people make! The very idea of making a god is one of those notions that almost have to reduce you to tears (whether of laughter or sadness and desperation depends on the circumstances), and the Bible has plenty of fun at the expense (in both senses) of idols. In this episode, therefore, we’ll look at 1 Kings 18 (particularly 1Kings 18:27 & 39).¹

So, here’s the link to the audio: Humour in the Bible 11: 1 Kings: In an idol moment

1. There is fuller background on this in 1 Kings 16:29 – 19:18: The big fight at Mt Carmel

The narrative books are on the whole easy targets for finding humour, so again I’ll recycle an old podcast This time in 2 Samuel 7 where God plays with words and puns away while explaining what he meant…

So, here’s the link to the audio: God the Exegete

Donkey by jlmaral

For 1 Samuel I am going to cheat again, I just don’t think I can beat the hilarious introduction the first king, Saul, receives. In these two podcasts (again repeated)¹  I’ll point up some of the fun in the tale of Saul and the donkeys

So, here are links to the audio:

Introducing Saul (1 Samuel 9)

Still introducing Saul (1 Samuel 9)

1. • Introducing Saul
   • Still Introducing Saul

Who is that girl? Gustave Doré (1832-1883) from Wikimedia

Ruth is a lovely story, it’s humour is¹ gentle and subtle. Part of the subtlety is that most (though not all) of the signs of humour are missing. However, I think we are intended to smile in at least two ways in the portrayal of the characters.

For this entry in the humour series I am repeating my podcast on chapter 2, where I think several of the signs are present, if subtly:

• incongruity: found I’ll claim in the disparity of cultures between peasant farming Bethlehem and semi-nomadic herding Moab
• lighthearted mood – it’s harvest time and there’s a meal
• surprise – Ruth “happens” on the field of a suitable husband
• ingenuity (cleverness is often a mark of humour think of puns) – if it’s present it is in Ruth’s possible playing with words for servanthood, but that’s too technical for this post
• inferiority – Ruth is a foreign, young, woman; Boaz is a wealthy, older, man
• “inelasticity” (following Bergson) – does Boaz’ slight pomposity count?
• human pretension revealed in all its lack of glory! – not at all present
• hyperbole – not present, except perhaps in the quantity of grain Ruth gleans

The other candidate is the use of direct speech to characterise, and since it is even less overt I’ll just point to the file for those who want to listen: Anyway here’s my candidate for humour in Ruth: Direct speech in biblical narratives

So, here’s the link to the audio: Ruth is from Moab, Boaz is from Bethlehem

1. Chapter three is a possible exception  – and the humour there, if there is humour, is disguised and sexual, so very difficult to spot with confidence across cultures!

Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, was a military general in the Book of Judges in the Bible. "Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum" Published by Guillaume Rouille (1518?-1589) Wikimedia

Judges is one Bible book where it has been common to recognise humour. Ehud killing the fat and oppressive king Eglon in the toilet has been a popular example, though  I’ll pretty much leave the scatology to David and others who appreciate it

I’d rather focus on gender.

In Judges relationships between men and women are either funny or horrible.

The story of Deborah (Judges 4) may provide examples, but the humour in the poem (Judges 5) is much clearer. It shows all nine of my diagnostic signs of humour. And develops some powerful (and this being Judges disturbing) gender bending humour. Though after the harsh laughs of the role reversals it is with a pleasant smile that we notice the delight Sisera’s womenfolk take in their imagined looted finery with “divers colours of needlework on both sides” (Judges 5:30) with its gender stereotyping
So, here’s the link to the audio:  Humour in the Bible Book 7 Judges: Gender Bending

Don Adams, as Maxwell Smart, holding the famous shoe phone. (Wikipedia)

The little story, in Joshua 2, of Rahab and the clueless pair of young Israelite would be spies, provided Spenser¹  (see Signs of humour: especially in written texts across cultures) with a nice example of several of his criteria all together in one text, making it evidently humorous.

What do you think? Do the criteria work? Or is this vignette deadly serious?

So, here’s the link to the audio:
Humour in the Bible: Book 6 Joshua: Rahab and the bungling spies

1. F. Scott Spencer “Those Riotous – Yet Righteous – Foremothers of Jesus: Exploring Matthew’s Comic Genealogy.” In Are we amused?: humour about women in the biblical worlds, edited by Athalya Brenner, 7-30. Continuum, 2003

I once made a silly offer: “Give me a random Old Testament passage, and I’ll show you how the 5 step process works!” So they offered me 2 Kings 10, the lovely story of the seventy heads offered to Jehu in baskets. (Read it yourself if you don’t believe me.)

My goal was to show how the 5 step process could take us from that passage to a sensible message I could preach in church on a Sunday. This podcast is a summary of what we did. (I say “we” because I made my listeners do much of the work, asking:

1. What DID the story mean? (I.e. what was it supposed to communicate to its early hearers, Jews in or just after the exile.)
2. What are the differences that make a difference? (I.e. what has changed that either makes us likely to misunderstand, or that make our situation significantly different from theirs. One that isn’t mentioned in the podcast, but should have been is that we will be shocked by this tale of mass murder, they probably cheered it on, politics was a rougher game there than for most of us today
3. What does it say about God? (If the Bible is about God then each passage will tell us something about God. And Scritpture IS about God and NOT about us.)
4. How do we understand this in the light of Jesus? Or, since this is an Old Testament passage: How does Jesus complete or fill out what is here?
5. How does that work today?

Listen and see if you think I succeeded, got a message for today, and one which is Christian, and one which is fair to the lovely passage of Scripture they gave me!

BTW my mate Jonathan has been writing about Christian Preaching of the Old Testament, I wonder what he thinks of this example

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Detail from Sennacherib's Lachish frieze showing prisoners being impaled

Today’s is a grim reading. But such brutality was not unusual in the Ancient Near East. The Assyrians, for example, when they captured the Judean city of Lachish after a siege in 701BC impaled the surviving leaders outside the city, and left a mass grave of 1,500 people (mainly women and children).

Despite what one might even see as gentle treatment of the city by the Babylonians in 586, the fall of Jesusalem marked Hebrew thought deeply because it was God’s city, their last toehold of political independence in the promised land and Yahweh’s holy temple that the Babylonians destroyed. In doing so they also destroyed many Hebrew’s faith in Yahweh, and thus shaped our Bibles. Many of the prophetic books either warn of the coming desctruction, or seek to cope with the exile of the leaders and their resulting loss of faith in Yahweh.

Today’s reading therefore tells the core event that helped shape much of the Old Testament.

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Banana plantation at the foot of Mt Carmel

Since this is a gripping, but well-known, story what I’ll try to do in this podcast is show you how a bit of context (see here for more on context and understanding the Bible).

I’ll also tell you God’s two nicknames, in some religious traditions knowing all a god’s names is really important, in Hinduism the god Vishnu has 1,000 names, in Islam there is a tradition that God has 99 names. Yahweh the God the Bible talks about has kicknames as well as formal names!

Forrested crest of Carmel from the Eshkol Tower of Haifa University

A couple of photos to illustrate the geography

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Photo from The Russian Institute of Radionavigation and Time, http://www.rirt.ru/

Solomon’s prayer understands that Yahweh is a different God, the gods (like Ba’al and his crowd) lived in the sky – and lanced thunderbolts down on people they disliked – heaven/sky was like the earth only bigger and better.

When Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev said “Gagarin flew into space, but didn’t see any God there“. Solomon’s prayer sees the stupidity of Krushchev – how could the creator of universes be see from a measly 302Kms from earth? But even this is not the real difference. This Yahweh is a God who’s name means “being with you” cf. E100-17: Exodus 3-4: Getting the holy between your toes! Yahweh wants a relationship, loves us, and is therefore a jealous God
cf. E100-21: Exodus 19:1 – 20:21: The Ten Commandments.

The story of Israel’s ancestor, Jacob, was bookmarked by two nighttime meetings with God, the second time he was given the name “Israel”. Solomon’s story also has two nighttime meetings with God, in the first he got his wish, and chose wisdom, in this reading after dedicating the temple in a dream God warns Solomon that all his promises to the chosen people are conditional on Israel’s obedience. Therefore they provisional and as we will see are only really fulfilled in Jesus.

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The judgement of Solomon by Gaetano Gandolfi (1734–1802)

In just two chapters we get some of the most beautiful and inspiring, and some of the grubbiest and most bloodthirsty stories in the Bible. It is no wonder that telling the stories of David (with Saul and Solomon and perhaps the rest) as a serial, like a soap opera has the audience panting for more

In this podcast I’ll again point to clues to how we can, and (often of more use) how we should NOT “read” Bible stories.

I’ll also make a shameless plug for my Not Only a Father an online book about the use of motherly language and imagery to describe God in the Bible and in later Christian theology, which you can discuss, argue with or ask questions about as you read – and if you can’t see how that connection fits this passage… then listen to the podcast

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Bathsheba goes to David by Francesco Salviati (1510–1563)

These two chapters mark the turning point in David’s story.

They offer vital clues also to how we “read” biblical narratives.

• Nathan’s story within a story provides hints, abouit the nature of narrative meaning
• David’s strange behaviour  during his child’s illness and on his death provides both a clue to an interpretative rule, and some good practice

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“The fall of Israel” is a theological (not historical) title. This five covers almost the whole history of the Israelite kingdoms from David to the destruction of Jerusalem. The Deuteronomistic History (Joshua-Kings) from which they all come (cf. remarks on Judges) tell the story with the end in view, one important goal of these books is to explain the fall of Jerusalem and the exile.

So this is a good selection to understand what is going on:

1. Even the great king David is human and fails (spectacularly)
2. Solomon is seen at his best – asking for and displaying wisdom not wealth or power;
3. building the temple and expressing fine theology
   not as the king who began to lose an empire, and introduced idols to the temple
4. Elijah and the fight on Mt Carmel is an archetypical story of the conflict between belief in gods and in God
5. Then the final reading tells the ghastly and traumatic story of the fall of Jerusalem and the end of Israel as a political entity – but worse of the temple and crown promised by God!

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by didbygraham

Bible stories, with a few exceptions (maybe some parables for example) do NOT have nice neat “morals”. If you want to say “and the moral of the story is…” don’t read the Bible. But by contrast if you want people with real depth, who make it difficult for us to work out what their motives are, and therefore hard to simply place them in appropriate “boxes”, the Bible is the book for you

In this reading we’ll notice depth and complexity in two of the less central characters, Michal and Nathan. In that complexity we may find clues to living our own, often also complex, lives…

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"head and shoulders above the rest" by jenny downing

Just when you begin to wonder if any Bible story is really suitable for simple Sunday School reading, and have begun to suspect that the Bible has no message but: Humans are broken and need mending, humans are sinful and therefore they keep spoiling God’s lovely world and hurting each other. Along comes a story to remind us of another truth… Just as the story of Ruth  followed the grime of Judges, so now in 1 Samuel 24 we get a story, set amid the war and political jostling of the beginnings of the Hebrew monarchy, with not one but two real heroes. Both protagonists are noble in this chapter. Both we know from other chapters are sinful broken men, but here young David and poor old, broken and probably insane, Saul both act with gracious nobility.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-34-1-samuel-237-%e2%80%93-2422-two-noble-opponents/feed/ 0 0:05:32 "head and shoulders above the rest" by jenny downing Just when you begin to wonder if any Bible story is really suitable for simple Sunday School reading, and have begun to suspect that the Bible has no message but: Humans are broken and nee[...] "head and shoulders above the rest" by jenny downing Just when you begin to wonder if any Bible story is really suitable for simple Sunday School reading, and have begun to suspect that the Bible has no message but: Humans are broken and need mending, humans are sinful and therefore they keep spoiling God’s lovely world and hurting each other. Along comes a story to remind us of another truth… Just as the story of Ruth  followed the grime of Judges, so now in 1 Samuel 24 we get a story, set amid the war and political jostling of the beginnings of the Hebrew monarchy, with not one but two real heroes. Both protagonists are noble in this chapter. Both we know from other chapters are sinful broken men, but here young David and poor old, broken and probably insane, Saul both act with gracious nobility. E100 Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-32-1-samuel-161-%e2%80%93-1816-slain-in-the-spirit/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-32-1-samuel-161-%e2%80%93-1816-slain-in-the-spirit/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:18:46 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=457

Saul the hero close up by donwolf1979

Yes, like some of the Bible writers, I just can’t resist a pun, especially if it really does help carry the message And in this case I think it does, more specifically after we have noticed quickly some of the good stuff in the famous David and Goliath story of David and Goliath. For this podcast, perhaps as homework, you might want to play with a computer Bible… and you might also want to return to the comments, and discuss the vexed question of the nature of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit…

I'll leave you to work out why I chose this picture for this podcast photo by quapan

This is the story in which we hear the interface between Judges, “Everyone did as they saw fit, for there was no king in Israel”, and the story of the Hebrew kingdoms. In these few chapters there is loads of good stuff to notice (for a start try):

• Humour in the Bible: Part 1: Introducing Saul
• Humour in the Bible: Part 2: Still Introducing Saul
• Direct speech in biblical narratives

But this time I’ll restrain myself, and just mention one or two neat narrative details. Instead I’ll talk more about the big theological picture.

Quotation in title from Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr (without apologies to Aristophanes)

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Three great chapters, full of well crafted narrative, with a stirring  song thrown in! There is too much detail to notice in the way these stories are told, you’ll have to watch for the fun yourselves. In this ‘cast I’ll focus more on the song, and not so much on its detail as overall how it works. (For more background on this see my Why Read the Bible? Dreams and visions which is part of a longer series of reflections on Lost Treasures of the Bible: reading “from another place”: reading for a change that was earlier published as part of the Fetschrift for Brian Smith:

Sutherland, Martin, and Carey Baptist College. Mission without Christendom : exploring the site : essays for Brian Smith. Auckland N.Z.: Carey Baptist College, 2000.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-31-1-samuel-11-%e2%80%93-321-on-not-missing-the-voice-in-the-darkness/feed/ 0 0:05:07 Three great chapters, full of well crafted narrative, with a stirring  song thrown in! There is too much detail to notice in the way these stories are told, you’ll have to watch for the fun yourselves. In this ‘cast I’ll focus more[...] Three great chapters, full of well crafted narrative, with a stirring  song thrown in! There is too much detail to notice in the way these stories are told, you’ll have to watch for the fun yourselves. In this ‘cast I’ll focus more on the song, and not so much on its detail as overall how it works. (For more background on this see my Why Read the Bible? Dreams and visions which is part of a longer series of reflections on Lost Treasures of the Bible: reading “from another place”: reading for a change that was earlier published as part of the Fetschrift for Brian Smith: Sutherland, Martin, and Carey Baptist College. Mission without Christendom : exploring the site : essays for Brian Smith. Auckland N.Z.: Carey Baptist College, 2000. E100 Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-7-bible-stories-for-adults/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-7-bible-stories-for-adults/#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 15:42:05 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=479

Newspaper photo by Jachin Sheehy

If you thought Bible stories were for children, nice little tales with a nice little moral at the end, then you probably have not been following the E100 up to this point, and you certainly have not been reading the bits the organisers censored out!

Bible stories are NOT like that, rather they tell in the most realistic way possible the stories of real people, who we must watch, listen to and then work out how we’ll respond. Is Samuel the real hero of the books that bear his name? Is Saul a hero or a villain? And David a plaster saint? Just to pose the questions is to suggest answers that don’t fit the Sunday School Story mode of reading the Bible.

This set of five readings will give us more practice at reading the real Bible

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-7-bible-stories-for-adults/feed/ 0 0:04:47 Newspaper photo by Jachin Sheehy If you thought Bible stories were for children, nice little tales with a nice little moral at the end, then you probably have not been following the E100 up to this point, and you certainly have not been reading the [...] Newspaper photo by Jachin Sheehy If you thought Bible stories were for children, nice little tales with a nice little moral at the end, then you probably have not been following the E100 up to this point, and you certainly have not been reading the bits the organisers censored out! Bible stories are NOT like that, rather they tell in the most realistic way possible the stories of real people, who we must watch, listen to and then work out how we’ll respond. Is Samuel the real hero of the books that bear his name? Is Saul a hero or a villain? And David a plaster saint? Just to pose the questions is to suggest answers that don’t fit the Sunday School Story mode of reading the Bible. This set of five readings will give us more practice at reading the real Bible E100 Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-30-ruth-11-%e2%80%93-422-at-last-a-nice-story/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-30-ruth-11-%e2%80%93-422-at-last-a-nice-story/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 15:56:41 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=437

Well, Judges was thoroughly censored for E100, as it is for most church use, the bits we got were the rare good bits, cf. my Twisted tales: or should the book of Judges be censored? (which got me into trouble with a fundamentalist who could not be bothered to actually listen to what I was saying before condemning me to hell – so it may be worth listening to

Ruth is about “redemption”, the need for husband for Ruth and so a baby to continue the “house of Elimelek” and to provide for the two widows, and so it’s about the primary virtue of the OT (and of redeemers) “hesed” faithfulness/love/kindness in covenant relationships.

So Ruth (in the Christian Bible placed between Judges and Samuel) redeems:

• it echoes and redeems the ancestral stories of failure: Judah and Tamar
• it announces and prefigures David (remember David & foreign woman, Bathsheba?) and redeems him
• it stands between the terror and chaos of Judges and presents a world where God’s virtue is revealed in his creatures lives!

An everyday tale of country folk – but crammed with theology and incidentally a crackingly well-told tale with no violence, death or hatred, but which keeps our interest all through

I have a few other podcasts on this lovely book.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-30-ruth-11-%e2%80%93-422-at-last-a-nice-story/feed/ 0 0:04:40 Well, Judges was thoroughly censored for E100, as it is for most church use, the bits we got were the rare good bits, cf. my Twisted tales: or should the book of Judges be censored? (which got me into trouble with a fundamentalist who could not be b[...] Well, Judges was thoroughly censored for E100, as it is for most church use, the bits we got were the rare good bits, cf. my Twisted tales: or should the book of Judges be censored? (which got me into trouble with a fundamentalist who could not be bothered to actually listen to what I was saying before condemning me to hell – so it may be worth listening to Ruth is about “redemption”, the need for husband for Ruth and so a baby to continue the “house of Elimelek” and to provide for the two widows, and so it’s about the primary virtue of the OT (and of redeemers) “hesed” faithfulness/love/kindness in covenant relationships. So Ruth (in the Christian Bible placed between Judges and Samuel) redeems: it echoes and redeems the ancestral stories of failure: Judah and Tamar it announces and prefigures David (remember David & foreign woman, Bathsheba?) and redeems him it stands between the terror and chaos of Judges and presents a world where God’s virtue is revealed in his creatures lives! An everyday tale of country folk – but crammed with theology and incidentally a crackingly well-told tale with no violence, death or hatred, but which keeps our interest all through I have a few other podcasts on this lovely book. E100, Ruth, Theology Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-29-judges-131-%e2%80%93-1631-samson-a-biblical-superhero/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-29-judges-131-%e2%80%93-1631-samson-a-biblical-superhero/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 15:28:17 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=434

It’s certainly hard to find a superhero in the Bible! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even Moses – all fail – though some of them look good the way we try to… by comparison with their neighbours, family or friends think of how Moses shines when compared to Aaron.

But Samson! He’s super strong, has a fatal weakness, and a secret identity (as a Nazirite

However in this podcast we’ll look closer, and in noticing some details of how the story is told uncover what is really going on

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-29-judges-131-%e2%80%93-1631-samson-a-biblical-superhero/feed/ 0 0:05:25 It’s certainly hard to find a superhero in the Bible! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even Moses – all fail – though some of them look good the way we try to… by comparison with their neighbours, family or friends think of how Moses shines whe[...] It’s certainly hard to find a superhero in the Bible! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even Moses – all fail – though some of them look good the way we try to… by comparison with their neighbours, family or friends think of how Moses shines when compared to Aaron. But Samson! He’s super strong, has a fatal weakness, and a secret identity (as a Nazirite However in this podcast we’ll look closer, and in noticing some details of how the story is told uncover what is really going on E100, Judges, Narrative, Reading Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-28-judges-61-%e2%80%93-725-unlikely-victors/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-28-judges-61-%e2%80%93-725-unlikely-victors/#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 15:54:25 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=429

This story is often used to support testing whether God really wants us to do something we are reluctant to do, just like Gideon. In this podcast, as well as drawing attention to some other thoroughly human characteristics of our hero, I’ll point to the censored Bible story (one we do not read in church) in 1 Kings 22, and suggest we should heed its warning before we hurry to copy Gideon.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-28-judges-61-%e2%80%93-725-unlikely-victors/feed/ 0 0:04:39 This story is often used to support testing whether God really wants us to do something we are reluctant to do, just like Gideon. In this podcast, as well as drawing attention to some other thoroughly human characteristics of our hero, I’ll po[...] This story is often used to support testing whether God really wants us to do something we are reluctant to do, just like Gideon. In this podcast, as well as drawing attention to some other thoroughly human characteristics of our hero, I’ll point to the censored Bible story (one we do not read in church) in 1 Kings 22, and suggest we should heed its warning before we hurry to copy Gideon. E100, Judges Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-27-judges-41-%e2%80%93-531-deborah-%e2%80%93-a-twice-told-tale/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-27-judges-41-%e2%80%93-531-deborah-%e2%80%93-a-twice-told-tale/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 16:27:35 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=424

The story of Deborah, the prophetess and judge, is one of those biblical stories told to us twice, first in a prose narrative and then in a poetic celebration (the Exodus crossing of the sea in Ex 14 & 15 provides another example).

In this case the details, what Western minds call “facts” and worship above all other sorts of information, are strikingly different between the two tellings:

• In chapter 4: there is a focus on Canaanite oppression of the people of Israel, the battle concerns particularly the tribes of Naphtali & Zebulon, the victory is assured when Yahweh “confused” the Canaanites, in telling Jael’s killing of Sisera (the Canaanite general) her actions are presented as a parody of motherhood: “don’t be afraid” she says, then fed him milk and tucked him up.
• In chapter 5: the issues at stake seem to concern the free passage of trade, Yahweh ensures Canaanites’ defeat by sending a storm, various (Northern) tribes are involved, including Ephraim, Benjamin, Issachar etc. as well as Naphtali and Zebulun, the telling of Jael’s actions stresses her hospitality, giving him milk, even cream, instead of just water etc.

Another reminder that the focus of the tellers of Bible stories was not on the information content (that we focus on) but more on the relationships and especially on the primary relationship between us (as hearers of the telling) and God. Both tellings are full or irony, and both upset our notions of appropriate gender roles, as well as our stomachs. Stories in Judges are always disturbing.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-27-judges-41-%e2%80%93-531-deborah-%e2%80%93-a-twice-told-tale/feed/ 0 0:04:59 The story of Deborah, the prophetess and judge, is one of those biblical stories told to us twice, first in a prose narrative and then in a poetic celebration (the Exodus crossing of the sea in Ex 14 & 15 provides another example). In this case [...] The story of Deborah, the prophetess and judge, is one of those biblical stories told to us twice, first in a prose narrative and then in a poetic celebration (the Exodus crossing of the sea in Ex 14 & 15 provides another example). In this case the details, what Western minds call “facts” and worship above all other sorts of information, are strikingly different between the two tellings: In chapter 4: there is a focus on Canaanite oppression of the people of Israel, the battle concerns particularly the tribes of Naphtali & Zebulon, the victory is assured when Yahweh “confused” the Canaanites, in telling Jael’s killing of Sisera (the Canaanite general) her actions are presented as a parody of motherhood: “don’t be afraid” she says, then fed him milk and tucked him up. In chapter 5: the issues at stake seem to concern the free passage of trade, Yahweh ensures Canaanites’ defeat by sending a storm, various (Northern) tribes are involved, including Ephraim, Benjamin, Issachar etc. as well as Naphtali and Zebulun, the telling of Jael’s actions stresses her hospitality, giving him milk, even cream, instead of just water etc. Another reminder that the focus of the tellers of Bible stories was not on the information content (that we focus on) but more on the relationships and especially on the primary relationship between us (as hearers of the telling) and God. Both tellings are full or irony, and both upset our notions of appropriate gender roles, as well as our stomachs. Stories in Judges are always disturbing. E100, History, Judges, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-26-judges-26-%e2%80%93-36-a-vicious-cycle-or-a-divine-alarm-clock/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-26-judges-26-%e2%80%93-36-a-vicious-cycle-or-a-divine-alarm-clock/#comments Sun, 23 May 2010 15:58:16 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=416

The deuteronomistic cycle described by Richard Martin

There’s a nasty cycle that repeats time and again in Judges, and that forms a theme of the history in the books of Samuel and Kings too:

• Israel forgets that Yhwh is the ONE who has given them everything
• they start to worship/serve other Gods
• God allows an enemy to oppress them
• they call to God – who raises up a strong leader who by God’s power rescues them

This pattern was described in Deuteronomy so these books (with Joshua) get called the “Deuteronomistic History” by scholars.

The prophetic cycle by Richard Martin.

Incidentally since I have used Richard Martin’s fine diagram of this vicious cycle I will include also here (though it is really describing an extension of this pattern found in the prophetic books) his prophetic cycle – in the hopes some of you will find his superb class notes useful

After all it is appropriate while reading Judges to remember that this depressing book is part of a wider Scripture that is all fulfilled in Christ! The prophets will point more clearly to that fulfillment than Judges does.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-26-judges-26-%e2%80%93-36-a-vicious-cycle-or-a-divine-alarm-clock/feed/ 0 0:04:57 The deuteronomistic cycle described by Richard Martin There’s a nasty cycle that repeats time and again in Judges, and that forms a theme of the history in the books of Samuel and Kings too: Israel forgets that Yhwh is the ONE who has given t[...] The deuteronomistic cycle described by Richard Martin There’s a nasty cycle that repeats time and again in Judges, and that forms a theme of the history in the books of Samuel and Kings too: Israel forgets that Yhwh is the ONE who has given them everything they start to worship/serve other Gods God allows an enemy to oppress them they call to God – who raises up a strong leader who by God’s power rescues them This pattern was described in Deuteronomy so these books (with Joshua) get called the “Deuteronomistic History” by scholars. The prophetic cycle by Richard Martin. Incidentally since I have used Richard Martin’s fine diagram of this vicious cycle I will include also here (though it is really describing an extension of this pattern found in the prophetic books) his prophetic cycle – in the hopes some of you will find his superb class notes useful After all it is appropriate while reading Judges to remember that this depressing book is part of a wider Scripture that is all fulfilled in Christ! The prophets will point more clearly to that fulfillment than Judges does. E100, Judges Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-six-is-ruth-also-among-the-judges/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-six-is-ruth-also-among-the-judges/#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 16:19:45 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=441

The book of Judges starts badly and gets worse. The end gets completely censored, never read in church, even the Sunday School stories get their naughty bits covered up!

The book ends with a slogan in 21:25 “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” Which neatly prepares for the books of Samuel except by the time we reach the end of 2 Kings (even if we are slow learners) we realise that kings are not much better.

And that’s how Scripture develops in the Hebrew Bible, in the Christian Old Testament Ruth stands between a beautifully told and thoroughly nice story between two ugly collections of humans behaving badly. A reminder of God’s redemption of human wrong, and of the part we humans can play in revealing that redemption.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-six-is-ruth-also-among-the-judges/feed/ 0 0:04:54 The book of Judges starts badly and gets worse. The end gets completely censored, never read in church, even the Sunday School stories get their naughty bits covered up! The book ends with a slogan in 21:25 “In those days Israel had no king; e[...] The book of Judges starts badly and gets worse. The end gets completely censored, never read in church, even the Sunday School stories get their naughty bits covered up! The book ends with a slogan in 21:25 “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” Which neatly prepares for the books of Samuel except by the time we reach the end of 2 Kings (even if we are slow learners) we realise that kings are not much better. And that’s how Scripture develops in the Hebrew Bible, in the Christian Old Testament Ruth stands between a beautifully told and thoroughly nice story between two ugly collections of humans behaving badly. A reminder of God’s redemption of human wrong, and of the part we humans can play in revealing that redemption. E100, Judges, Ruth Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-25-joshua-513-%e2%80%93-627-the-fall-of-jericho/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-25-joshua-513-%e2%80%93-627-the-fall-of-jericho/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 16:03:40 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=379

The remains of the Bronze Age walls of Tell es-Sultan (Jericho?) are impressively massive. Photo from Wikimedia

A great Sunday School story again raises the issue of divinely ordered brutal killing, which will need a small series of 5 Minute Bible ‘casts outside this E100 series, which I am committed to doing…

The story is also in several ways full of creative tensions, that raise it beyond a nice tale for kiddies into a thoroughly thought provoking story for adults, with some profound and striking theological points to make.

I’ll even get the chance to talk (briefly) about Amos! (As well as Amos 4: 1-3, I’ll also mention the grim account of Achan at the start of Joshua 7.)

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-25-joshua-513-%e2%80%93-627-the-fall-of-jericho/feed/ 0 0:04:43 The remains of the Bronze Age walls of Tell es-Sultan (Jericho?) are impressively massive. Photo from Wikimedia A great Sunday School story again raises the issue of divinely ordered brutal killing, which will need a small series of 5 Minute Bible [...] The remains of the Bronze Age walls of Tell es-Sultan (Jericho?) are impressively massive. Photo from Wikimedia A great Sunday School story again raises the issue of divinely ordered brutal killing, which will need a small series of 5 Minute Bible ‘casts outside this E100 series, which I am committed to doing… The story is also in several ways full of creative tensions, that raise it beyond a nice tale for kiddies into a thoroughly thought provoking story for adults, with some profound and striking theological points to make. I’ll even get the chance to talk (briefly) about Amos! (As well as Amos 4: 1-3, I’ll also mention the grim account of Achan at the start of Joshua 7.) E100, Joshua Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-24-joshua-31-%e2%80%93-424-crossing-the-jordan/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-24-joshua-31-%e2%80%93-424-crossing-the-jordan/#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 15:59:41 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=384

In spring it becomes a torrent, today's river is depleted by water taken by modern pumping stations for cities and irrigation

For today’s reading there are historical (standing stones) and geographic (the Jordan river) information that is important, and perhaps better communicated by pictures and words, rather than words alone. So here are some relevant pictures, with brief captions…

Even today the Jordan valley has (in places) dense bush, making it a strange and dangerous place for people more used to dry pastureland. Photo Wikimedia.

Ancient monoliths (like these from Tel Gezer in the Judean Shephelah) are still impressive. Photo Tim Bulkeley

They were often erected in rows or circles, they still cause us to wonder why they were raised.

This chapter focuses on Joshua taking over from Moses, now that (at the end of Deuteronomy) Moses is dead and gone (though no one except God) saw him die. In the reading we learn a lot about how the Bible views leadership, and it does not easily fit with any of our modern, well-worn patterns. Thank God! We also (not coincidentally) learn about cooperation among God’s people.

Despite its title this five has little about the law, and not enough about the covenant (binding agreement) to which this law belongs. The selection of passages (the first time I have strongly differed from the choice made by the organisers) is weighted towards American Evangelical favourite Sunday School stories. Having got that gripe off my chest, we’ll notice how in these readings we learn (again) about what it does and does not mean to be God’s chosen people. And we will discover more in those Sunday School stories than they taught in my Sunday School And incidentally I will promise again that I will deal with the problem of God’s repeated orders for brutal and seemingly indiscriminate killing – but can’t do that topic justice without breaking the format of either the E100 or the 5 Minute Bible or both

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-5-the-law-and-the-land/feed/ 0 0:03:58 Despite its title this five has little about the law, and not enough about the covenant (binding agreement) to which this law belongs. The selection of passages (the first time I have strongly differed from the choice made by the organisers) is weig[...] Despite its title this five has little about the law, and not enough about the covenant (binding agreement) to which this law belongs. The selection of passages (the first time I have strongly differed from the choice made by the organisers) is weighted towards American Evangelical favourite Sunday School stories. Having got that gripe off my chest, we’ll notice how in these readings we learn (again) about what it does and does not mean to be God’s chosen people. And we will discover more in those Sunday School stories than they taught in my Sunday School And incidentally I will promise again that I will deal with the problem of God’s repeated orders for brutal and seemingly indiscriminate killing – but can’t do that topic justice without breaking the format of either the E100 or the 5 Minute Bible or both E100, Exodus, Joshua, Law, Law/Torah/Pentateuch, OT Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/ruth-is-from-moab-but-boaz-is-from-bethlehem/ http://5minutebible.com/ruth-is-from-moab-but-boaz-is-from-bethlehem/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:22:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=12

There are many ways in which the story-tellers of the Bible ensure that their tellings are lively and engaging. One is through the way they report speech. There is usually more “direct speech” (where the words of a character are “quoted”) then “indirect speech” (where the teller tells us the gist of what the character said). This direct speech is often skillfully crafted to give a lively and rich portrayal of the person. The podcast begins with cases where a group of people speak (we already heard one of these in the post Humour in the Bible: Part 2: Still Introducing Saul). Another example of this is found in Jonah 1:8 though here different emotions are expressed. The book of Ruth uses skillfully differentiated speech to help portray the characters. In this podcast we’ll look at Boaz’ two speeches to Ruth from chapter 2 (Ruth 2:11-12; 8-9).

Often in biblical narrative things “just seem to happen”, rather like they do in our lives But are such “happenings” chance or divine providence at work? We’ll try to decide, using Gen 37:12ff. (read with Gen 39) and Ruth 2 as examples.

Typescene sounds like a typical technical term scholars use make Bible stories dull In this podcast I hope to show you it’s exactly the opposite and that by spending 5 minutes learning about typescenes you can discover a livelyness you may have missed, even in a well-loved story like Ruth. (Other passage you should have ready, or look at before listening are: Genesis 24; 29 & Exodus 2:15ff..)

This is the first part of a short series (it might only be two parts, who knows on passages where God exegetes his own words.

In this part we’ll look at 2 Samuel 7, where David wants to build a ‘house’ = temple for God, since he already has a nice ‘house’ = palace for himself (‘house of cedar’ means a palace with expensive wood panelling). I’ll look at how God gives a four word speech and then explains in detail what it means. And in the process starts the punning and wordplay that lead to the superb promise to David, later in the chapter.

Here’s the audio of : God the exegete: 2 Sam 7: Part One

]]> http://5minutebible.com/god-the-exegete-2-sam-7-part-one/feed/ 0 0:04:26 This is the first part of a short series (it might only be two parts, who knows on passages where God exegetes his own words. In this part we’ll look at 2 Samuel 7, where David wants to build a ‘house’ = temple for God, since he [...] This is the first part of a short series (it might only be two parts, who knows on passages where God exegetes his own words. In this part we’ll look at 2 Samuel 7, where David wants to build a ‘house’ = temple for God, since he already has a nice ‘house’ = palace for himself (‘house of cedar’ means a palace with expensive wood panelling). I’ll look at how God gives a four word speech and then explains in detail what it means. And in the process starts the punning and wordplay that lead to the superb promise to David, later in the chapter. Here’s the audio of : God the exegete: 2 Sam 7: Part One Humour Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/working-with-what-the-bible-doesnt-say/ http://5minutebible.com/working-with-what-the-bible-doesnt-say/#comments Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:29:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=27

In this post I’ll start looking at how we respond to the Bible’s silences, often there are questions we want to ask the Bible, which the Bible does not answer. What do we do then? Some of these questions, like the one I start with produce classic biblical puzzlers…

By the way, if the sound quality is not as good as usual, or if you hear building work or children playing in the background, that’s because I recorded this post in the middle of a refugee camp! See another blog for more information.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/working-with-what-the-bible-doesnt-say/feed/ 0 0:05:04 In this post I’ll start looking at how we respond to the Bible’s silences, often there are questions we want to ask the Bible, which the Bible does not answer. What do we do then? Some of these questions, like the one I start with produc[...] In this post I’ll start looking at how we respond to the Bible’s silences, often there are questions we want to ask the Bible, which the Bible does not answer. What do we do then? Some of these questions, like the one I start with produce classic biblical puzzlers… By the way, if the sound quality is not as good as usual, or if you hear building work or children playing in the background, that’s because I recorded this post in the middle of a refugee camp! See another blog for more information. Genesis, Reading, Ruth Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/twisted-tales-or-should-the-book-of-judges-be-censored/ http://5minutebible.com/twisted-tales-or-should-the-book-of-judges-be-censored/#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:00:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=28

Judges is definitely not suitable for Sunday School reading, the bits that are told are firmly censored, and few of us go back to notice what we are missing. But, if we do, what we find is a book chock full of horrid twisted tales, brutal, brutish and sadly not short. Why? Can such a nasty collection of stories be justified, or should it simply be banned?

Sometimes a good old-fashioned cliché is the best way to achieve your desired effect, and communicate your theological message. I’ll illustrate this using Joshua 11:1-9. The story of how Jabin of Hazor and all his allied kings were defeated by Joshua and Israel. (With some help from their friend!)

]]> http://5minutebible.com/cliche-theology-joshua-111-9/feed/ 1 0:04:27 Sometimes a good old-fashioned cliché is the best way to achieve your desired effect, and communicate your theological message. I’ll illustrate this using Joshua 11:1-9. The story of how Jabin of Hazor and all his allied kings were defeated by[...] Sometimes a good old-fashioned cliché is the best way to achieve your desired effect, and communicate your theological message. I’ll illustrate this using Joshua 11:1-9. The story of how Jabin of Hazor and all his allied kings were defeated by Joshua and Israel. (With some help from their friend!) Cliché, Joshua, Theology Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-2-still-introducing-saul/ http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-2-still-introducing-saul/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:30:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=29

Here’s a second instalment of Saul’s introduction… if when you are listening you have a Bible handy, open it to 1 Sam 9:11ff.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-2-still-introducing-saul/feed/ 0 0:05:17 Here’s a second instalment of Saul’s introduction… if when you are listening you have a Bible handy, open it to 1 Sam 9:11ff. Here’s a second instalment of Saul’s introduction… if when you are listening you have a Bible handy, open it to 1 Sam 9:11ff. Humour, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-1-introducing-saul/ http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-1-introducing-saul/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:39:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=30

This is the first of what might need to be a long series! Just to do justice to the introduction of Saul in 1 Sam 9 I’ll need at least 2 posts…

except the “video”  version is a bumper compendium edition that merges parts 1 & 2 together…

]]> http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-1-introducing-saul/feed/ 2 0:11:48 This is the first of what might need to be a long series! Just to do justice to the introduction of Saul in 1 Sam 9 I’ll need at least 2 posts… except the “video”  version is a bumper compendium edition that merges parts 1 [...] This is the first of what might need to be a long series! Just to do justice to the introduction of Saul in 1 Sam 9 I’ll need at least 2 posts… except the “video”  version is a bumper compendium edition that merges parts 1 & 2 together… Humour, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no