Did you notice that the elders assembled before Solomon in
Jerusalem to bring the ark out of Zion?
Zion is the oldest part of the city, the place where David had brought
the ark, now it would be brought to the temple for its presumed permanent
residence. It is amazing that the tent,
the ark and all the accoutrements had lasted nearly five hundred years, but
they were all brought up together here.
We are told that the only thing in the ark was the tablets. What happened to the rod of Aaron and the jar
of manna? The temple is ratified as
God’s chosen place by the shekinah glory filling the temple as the ark was set
in its place. What a glorious day! These people present this day could never
have imagined the history that was to come for the nation on such a day as
this. No one could imagine the pain and
exile their children would experience.
Surely everyone was in shock when they saw Judas and the
crowd with clubs and swords coming out in the night to the garden. What could this possibly mean? Why was Judas with them? Then, the greeting, “Rabbi”, and the kiss of
betrayal as the crowd surged forward and seized Jesus, causing at least one of
the disciples to react violently. The young
man who runs away naked in the last verse of the reading is thought to be Mark,
the writer of the Gospel, which would make this a first hand account of the
events. The disciples flee. What do you
do when all you have believed is now going wrong? Where do you go and how do
you resume life?
Paul calls together the leaders of the Jewish community in
Rome when he arrives there to explain his side of the story. Surprisingly, the leaders tell him that they
have received no communication from Judea concerning him. Given the vehemence of the opposition to Paul
in Jerusalem, people vowing to fast until he was dead, plotting to kidnap him
from the Roman authorities and kill him, etc., it is amazing that they made no
effort to inform the community about Paul.
His statement is that he is in chains because of the “hope of Israel.” What is the hope of Israel? It is the coming of Messiah. The leaders are aware of this “sect” which they
say is spoken against everywhere. Paul’s
presentation of the Gospel convinces some but not others and his final
statement is that what the Holy Spirit told Isaiah was correct, that the
message was to go to the Jews but they would not hear it so it will go to
Gentiles who will hear and respond. The
glory of the Lord has moved from the temple into the world.
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