Faith

What is the message of the book of Revelation? – Monday, 33rd Week in ordinary time – Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5a

The word ‘Revelation’, referring to the last book of the New Testament, is a translation of the Greek word Apocalypse. When we speak of apocalypse as a term in Greek, it literally means, ‘to pull the lid off something.”

The 22 chapters of this book are filled with symbolic descriptions. Sadly, many have approached this book as a road map for reading its alleged ‘hidden secrets’ about the end of the world. Let me say this plainly, the symbolic descriptions in this book are not to be taken literally nor is the symbolism meant to be pictured realistically. One would find it difficult and repulsive to visualise a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes; yet Jesus Christ is described in precisely such words (Rev 5:6).

Before we answer when and by whom was this book written, it would makes sense to understand why was it written. Like the book of Daniel and other apocalyptic books, it was composed as resistance literature to meet a crisis. In the early part of 60 A.D., Nero instituted a violent persecution of Christians in Rome, but it was restricted to Rome and had nothing to do with the issue of emperor worship. The first emperor who appears to have tried to compel Christians to participate in Caesar worship was Domitian (81-96), a fierce persecutor of the Christians.

Clearly, the Roman imperial authorities were attempting to revive and enforce the cult of emperor worship. The Church of course resisted, leading to a ruthless persecution of the early church. Rome, the city on seven hills (Rev 17:9) is portrayed as the harlot, Babylon. John pictures the Roman Empire as a seven headed beast rising out of the sea (13:1). The imperial priesthood is represented as a second beast, having two horns like a lamb (simulating the Messiah) but with the voice of a dragon (betraying its Satanic origin). Working great signs and imposing economic sanctions, it endeavours to enforce the universal observance of Caesar worship (13:11-17). The date of the book in its present form is probably near the end of the reign of Domitian (A.D. 81–96).

The author of the book calls himself John (Rev 1:1, 4, 9; 22:8), who because of his Christian faith has been exiled to the rocky island of Patmos, a Roman penal colony. Although he never claims to be John the apostle, whose name is attached to the fourth gospel, he was so identified by several of the early church Fathers as John the apostle. Most probably he was a Palestine-born Jew who had fled into exile, a prophetic figure known to the churches in the Asia Minor region of what is today, western Turkey.

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What  a beautiful text this is to end the week. It has much spiritual ‘meat on the bone’ to enjoy. In contrast to Il John, which we studied yesterday, this letter of ‘the elder’ is personal and not an exchange between churches. Its recipient is a man called Gaius which was a rather common name in the Roman world. But as to who this Gaius is specifically, that is unknown; as also in the case of the other names, Diotrephes (verse 9) and Demetrius(verse 12), who are also mentioned in the letter.

2 John and 3 John are both brief letters. When read today, things are not clear and they almost seem to be cryptically written especially when the author speaks of this ‘face to face’ pending visit to Gaius (verse 14). Perhaps there was an important matter to discuss and the author thought it best not to create a ‘WhatsApp or Twitter storm of words.’ Rather than tweeting he recommended meeting. Personal meetings are more effective than thumbing your thoughts and feelings, all in 280 characters.

The elder is writing primarily to express his joy on the verbal character report he has received from some ‘brothers’ (mentioned here as ‘friends’ in the RSV) who though were strangers have been welcomed by Gaius and were floored by his faith and his sound doctrine. He is a man who walks the talk for he is referred to a s a man who ‘walks in the truth’ (verse 3) and practices love.

What ought to get your eye is verse 2. The elder writing to Gaius says “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in GOOD HEALTH, JUST AS IT IS WITH YOUR SOUL. Our daily greeting to just about everyone we meet is, “how are you?” That response is varied and can range from health issues to emotional ones. Imagine hitting someone with this question, “how is your soul today?” Gosh, the Western world will throw a fit with accusations of ‘invasion of privacy’ and dragging morality into the neighbourhood. But what’s so awful about that question to a fellow Christian or even more to immoral politician who seems to want to hit the nuclear button? How is your soul, they need to be asked?

In both letters, the question of Christian hospitality is raised. Yet in fact, the situation indicated in the two letters seems to be reversed. In 2 John, the elder warns the Church
not to give hospitality to deceiving teachers. But in this letter, while the elder’s friends had received hospitality from Gaius, they find themselves rejected and put out of the church by Diotrephes (vs. 9), who is presumably a local church authority.

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Deceivers, not welcome! Friday, 32nd Week in ordinary time – 2 John 4 -9

Attributed to the Gospel writer John, this letter, along with 1 John, deals with the crucial issue of heresy. 2 John takes up the concerns already expressed in 1 john. There is much similarity of thought and expression in the two letters.

2 John opens with ‘the elder’ addressing ‘the elect lady’ and ‘her children’. This begs the question, who is the elder and who is the elect lady? Once we have ascertained this, we can look at the text itself.

The word ‘elder’ in Greek, as in English, means an “old man.” In Jewish communities, from ancient times (cf. Num. 11:16; Josh. 24:31; Ruth 4:2) a council of elders supervised the administration and interpretation of the law. In New Testament times, these councils were no doubt modelled on the great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem with its “chief priests, scribes, and elders.” Also at the synagogue assemblies, the elders were given seats of honour (cf. Matt. 23:6)

The church in apostolic times took over the institution. The apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 11:30; 15:2-29; 16:4; 21:18) served as model for the elders of local Christian communities (cf. Acts 14:23; 20:17). The term was broad enough to include all leaders who exercised oversight and pastoral care in the congregations (cf. I Pet. 5:1; Jas. 5:14; Titus 1:5-6). Here, the elder speaks with authority in the singular, not as a member of a council group. However, his personal identity and rank and the basis of his authority are not clear.

The letter is addressed to the ‘elect lady’ which is a Christian congregation rather than a person. It is addressed to a community either in Ephesus or in the province of Asia. The gracious figure used to describe the 2 churches in this exchange, the elect lady and her children (vs. 1) have a parallel in I Pet. 5:13, which was also written by an apostle-elder. The word ‘elect’ is not meant to be an honorific title but indicative of those who are especially “chosen” of God.

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Accepting a slave as a brother – Thursday, 32nd week in ordinary time – Philemon 7-20

The letter to Philemon is all of 25 verses and our text of today will focus on 14 of these verses. Who is Philemon? He is a young well to do Christian from Lycus valley of Asia Minor, probably Colossae. He is greeted with Apphia who perhaps is his wife and Archippus, perhaps their son. Along with them, Paul greets the Church that meets in their house. Philemon was perhaps a convert at the hands of Paul, probably in Ephesus.

Paul is writing to Philemon on account of a slave by the name of Onesimus who was once owned by Philemon. Onesimus had run away from his master causing Philemon considerable damage. It is for this reason that Paul in verse 18 says. “If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. “

Onesimus has now takes refuge with Paul who is in prison, perhaps knowing of the esteem that his master has for Paul. Paul converts Onesimus and makes him a helper in the work of evangelization, not knowing that Onesimus is a runaway slave. This truth is manifest by the visit of Ephapras who recognises Onesimus or perhaps, Onesimus makes a confession on seeing Epaphras; realising the game is up.

Paul, on the one had wants to keep Onesimus for the purpose of evangelization but realises that Philemon cannot be deprived of his rights and so decides to send him back(14, ). In verse 14 he says, “I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.”

It was not that Paul did not need Onesimus, in fact he says, “I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel.” There is something beautiful here. Christianity does not help a man run away from his past; it enables him to face it. Onesimus had run away, Paul sends him to face what he has done.

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Living by the principles of sound doctrine – Tuesday, 32nd week in ordinary time – Titus 2:1-8, 11-14

Titus 2:1-8 is better read till verse 10. In this list of Christian household codes or household duties (in German nicknamed Haustafeln), the virtues and the vices are stereotypical with respect to the five groups addressed in Titus. The five groups are older men, older women, young women, young men, and slaves. All but one group is called to the cardinal virtue of moderation (temperance). The four cardinal virtues being prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. The word cardinal derives from the Latin cardo, meaning “hinge.”

Just before this text, in 1:13. Paul asks Titus to “rebuke the false teachers sharply; so that they may become sound in the faith.” Paul says “their very minds and consciences are corrupted. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their action. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work,” These are very sharp words by Paul and he does not mince his intention. As an aside, I wish those in the Episcopacy were as clear as Paul in calling out false doctrine rather than the happy-clappy messages we hear.

In contrast to the false teachers, Paul tells Titus that he must teach what is “consistent with sound doctrine.” He is then instructed to address five groups of people. Our text of today focuses on four groups of the five groups of people mentioned in Titus; slaves being the only one left out.

It begins with the senior men who must be sober, in contradiction to overindulgence of wine. They must be serious, which is not serious in behaviour, as in gloomy. They must be prudent and sound in the faith, in love and steadfastness. Older men in the community, by virtue of their seniority and experience of life, were expected to be examples of reserve, dignity and balanced moderation in their consistent living out of the Gospel. This was to be in contrast to many Cretans, earlier described as “liars, vicious beasts and lazy gluttons”.(2:12)

The older women were to be reverent in behaviour, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to teach what is good so they must encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children and to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, to be kind, being submissive to their husband.” In verses 4 and 5, the stress on domestic virtues is not unrelated to the fact that some of the younger women apparently had become involved in spreading heretical thought. The call to be submissive is characteristic of the socio cultural ideology at that time and should not be understood with alarm or misread by some as a means of domination or discrimination.

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