Gordon Wenham: Jubilee generosity

If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold. If a man has no one to redeem it and then himself becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it, let him calculate the years since he sold it and pay back the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and then return to his property. But if he does not have sufficient means to recover it, then what he sold shall remain in the hand of the buyer until the year of jubilee. In the jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property. Leviticus 25:25-28

“The main purpose of these laws was to prevent the utter ruin of debtors. In biblical times a man who incurred a debt that he could not repay could be forced to sell off his land or even his personal freedom by becoming a slave. When left unchecked this process led to a great social division, with a class of rich landowners exploiting the mass of landless serfs.

This sort of situation has arisen in many societies, and even Israel was not immune to it, despite this legislation. Standards of house-building have led archaeologists to conclude that early Israel was a relatively egalitarian society, but that by the later monarchy period the gap between the rich and poor had widened.

“The rich houses are bigger and better built and in a different quarter from that where the poor houses are huddled together,” Isaiah denounces “those who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is no more room” (Isaiah 5:8), while Amos angrily decries those who “sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes” (Amos 2:6). Had the jubilee been observed, such unbridled exploitation of the poor would have been checked…

The jubilee year occurred every forty-nine years. If a a man went bankrupt the year after the jubilee, he would have been enslaved for up to forty-eight years unless a relative was able to redeem him; but if it happened at a later stage in the cycle, he would have had a shorter time to wait for release. Thus, about once in any man’s lifetime the slate was wiped clean…”

Gordon Wenham in The Book of Leviticus (NICOT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979) 317.

In a world where debtors experience “utter ruin” economically speaking and where to desire to acquire leads to “social division” and slavery, God sets for a program called “Jubilee” because once in every lifetime He wants every person to have a chance to have their slate “wiped clean.”

Think about it. That’s grace in a world filled with greed. That’s why God would make such a provision. Jubilee foreshadows what Christ would do with our debts. He would forgive them, wipe them clean. And in the famous “Lord’s Prayer” he tells us, explicitly, to forgive the debts of others.

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:9-15

I wonder if the present day Church around the world would receive the same scathing report that Isaiah and Amos delivered. At some point, someone needs to say, “Enough is enough!” Perhaps that’s my role. If so, I can only call people back to what the Word says about forgiving debts. This gets to the heart of the gospel.

In simple terms, if we have experienced Jubilee, that is, forgiveness of God and release from slavery, then we get to extend the same grace to others in tangible ways. This is not about earning your own forgiveness, but about showing we really received His favor in the first place. Do you see the pattern? The redeemed become “redeemers” of others.

God’s generosity came to you on the way to others. Don’t let it stop with you. That’s jubilee generosity!

If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Deuteronomy 15:7-8

“Inasmuch as all the people called into the covenant were to share in the promise, all were to have a share in the land. The attention paid to the precise allocation of the land to the tribes (see Joshua 13-19; Numbers 26:52-56) has the theological understanding behind it that each Israelite was to have some part of the land, given as a gift from God…

This view of the land itself as an inheritance, or as a free gift given in fulfillment of the promise had two implications. First, since the land came as a gift, there was to be no collapsing of private property: there was not to be indiscriminate use of the land by all. The warnings against moving landmarks (Deuteronomy 19:14; Proverbs 22:28; 23:10) remind us that the limits of an individual’s property had been set by God and were not to be tampered with.

Second, and out of the same perception, any attempt to win prosperity by taking the property of another (in any way) was a direct offense against God, not alone because it broke a law, but because the property of a neighbor came to him as a share in God’s heritage…For landowners who had lost their property through bankruptcy, there was the mechanism of the Jubilee Year…The return of property to its ancestral owners is explicitly and emphatically connected to Yahweh’s ownership of the land (Leviticus 25:23-24).

Not only property indebtedness, but debts of every sort were to be canceled in the Jubilee Year (Leviticus 25:29-42)…For those perennially impoverished because of their dispossessed status (orphans, widows, sojourners) the law demands a sharing of the produce of the land…From the demands of the covenant comes the mandate to Israel: “therefore, I command you, you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy, and too the poor, in the land” (Deuteronomy 15:11).”

Luke Timothy Johnson in Sharing Possessions: What Faith Demands, Second Edition (Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 2010) 83-85.

As I continue to lean into the idea of ‘jubilee’ alongside my word for the year ‘abundance’ as it relates to generosity, two thoughts come into view after today’s reading. They provide us a mandate for life in modernity.

Firstly, God declared in the OT that He owned everything and that property boundaries must not be tampered with. This leads me to wonder the implications for us when we act like we own property and when with acquisitiveness we try to accumulate more than God has supplied to us. It seems, such thoughts and actions actually destroy us.

In the NT, texts like Hebrews 13:5, reveal God’s heart for us regarding such behavior. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” The desire for money and things supplants our service to God and we become overcome with discontentment.

Secondly, God desires that those who steward property consider even the produce it brings forth not as their own but as something to be shared with the needy. We live in a world that declares adamantly, “I earned all I possess. It’s mine.” In reality, all we have, and all we produce belongs to God and must be stewarded for His purposes.

So, what path should we take if we desire to exhibit generosity with the abundance God supplies? The head of the Jerusalem church and the half-brother of Jesus says it best in James 1:27. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Father in heaven, by the washing of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit make us into openhanded people and help us remain unstained by the world, so that our living, giving, serving, and loving looks like Jesus. Amen.

The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. Leviticus 25:23

“[The jubilee laws] declare that Yahweh is the owner of the land, and Yahweh would assure the people its place in it. Land was given to families and clans, and it would assure the people its place on it. It gave hope to the impoverished by offering a promise of return to their land and a place of equality in the community. It became an aid to prevent the breakdown of the family as a social element.

The laws seek to alter radically the structure of society to preserve economic equality among all Israelites. The equality of the settlement period had given way to wide class distinctions in the monarchial era, and now this exilic legislation sought to restore balance between classes. The jubilee sought to prevent wealth from remaining in the hands of a few.

By blocking speculation in landed property the laws ensured to the peasants class, which springs from the soil, the right to preserve its identity. Not only did the jubilee restore land and give hope to the impoverished; it also reminded the rich that one day their own slaves and poor around them could stand before them as equals and free landholders in society.”

Robert Gnuse in Thou Shall Not Steal: Community and Property in the Biblical Tradition (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 1985) 36-37.

The OT jubilee laws declared God’s ownership of everything. This theme also prevails in the NT (1 Corinthians 10:26). This idea was intended to shape how God’s people related to possessions and to each other. God desires that we preserve equality, or in plain terms, that we aim not at getting ahead of each other but at helping one another. It means we handle money in a way that shows we love our neighbor as ourselves.

This is where the Scriptures shake our proverbial snow scene. God does not like it when His people accumulate material abundance for themselves. Consider the words of Isaiah 5:8-9. “Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.” The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing: “Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants.”

So, what should we do and how does it relate to generosity? If you have a place to live, enjoy it and practice hospitality. Next, remember that God sees everything. So, if you are blessed with material abundance, don’t add house upon house or field upon field. You don’t need two or three houses in a world where many have no place to live. Share with God’s people who are in need (Romans 12:13). Someday that might be you!

A few years back I had coffee with a friend who “owned” three houses, one in the Denver area, one in the mountains, and a third in Mexico. He proceeded to tell me about the problems in the two houses that he only lived in a few weeks of the year. As I recall, one had pipes freeze which led to massive damage and the other had intruders break in and trash the place. He went on and on about his troubles. I spoke the truth in love in reply.

I reminded him that we become slaves to whatever we think we own. He did not own those three homes. They owned him. I urged him to give two of them back to God. Over time, he did just that and found freedom. What about you? Are you acting like you own anything? You can only find freedom when you restore balance, or in biblical terms, when you share. In so doing, you give hope, preserve equality, and exhibit Christian generosity.

Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish kin. For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.” There were also those who said, “We are having to pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine.” And there were those who said, “We are having to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax. Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others.”

I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. After thinking it over, I brought charges against the nobles and the officials; I said to them, “You are all taking interest from your own people.” And I called a great assembly to deal with them, and said to them, “As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish kindred who had been sold to other nations; but now you are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!” They were silent, and could not find a word to say. So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? Moreover I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest. Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” Then they said, “We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests, and made them take an oath to do as they had promised. I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out everyone from house and from property who does not perform this promise. Thus may they be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised. Nehemiah 5:1-13

“The complaint an indictment eventuate in a powerful imperative: “Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them” (v. 11). The required action is in this verb, “restore.” There is no elaboration or direct appeal to tradition. But the economic recompense proposed is not unlike the Jubilee year that constitutes a return of unalienable property, or like the Year of Release from debts (Deuteronomy 15:1-15; Leviticus 25). The scope of the restoration is expansive and focuses on the three great money crops: grain, wine, and oil. The restoration, forever, is to be immediate, “this very day.”

It is remarkable that the moneyed people whom Nehemiah addresses promptly agree to his urging: “We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say” (v. 12). It is as though Nehemiah’s summons and his characterization of what has become routine economic exploitation was a huge wake-up call to his contemporaries. It is as though they had been lulled into conventional practices of extraction by participation in the dominant economy that led in turn to amnesia about the distinctive Jewish provisions for an economy among neighbors. Nehemiah’s summons was to remind them that they are not free, as Jews, to practice conventional extraction: they have a different identity and therefore a different mandate.

The dramatic exchange between Nehemiah and his Jewish cohorts is an affirmation that neighborly relationship (“flesh of flesh”) override the pressure of an acquisitive predatory economy. The recognition of those in debt and the acknowledgement of the mandate of God converge to produce concrete alternative economic action. The drama culminates in an oath to adhere to an alternative economic practice that acknowledges others in the economy as legitimate neighbors and not simply as targets of exploitation. The narrative ends with the assent of the assembly and praise to YHWH, the God of “no interest” (vs. 13). Such a doxological conclusion to an economic transaction is not normal. Perhaps the doxology is because, like the alienated son in the parable who had lost his way in an economy of self-indulgence (Luke 15:17), these economic players “came to themselves,” affirmed their true identity as Jews, acknowledged the neighborly demands of the Torah, and ended in glad praise.”

Walter Brueggemann in Money and Possessions (Interpretation; Louisville: WJKP, 2016) 94-95.

Today’s my mom’s birthday. When I think of “alternative economic action” I think of the example of my mom, Patsy Hoag. Rather than follow selfish worldly patterns, she always thinks about encouraging and blessing others to show Christ’s love. Happy Birthday mom. Thanks for modeling the message of today’s post for me.

Now to interact with today’s meditation. Three expressions from Brueggemann stick in my mind as I think about Jubilee and the alternative economic actions that God desires for His people to exhibit.

Firstly, Brueggemann notes that God’s people had been “lulled into conventional practices of extraction by participation in the dominant economy.” Forgetting their identity as people of God, they conformed to the patterns of this world. As the same thing happens today, like Nehemiah, pastors and ministry administrators must call God’s people to live differently! How do your financial practices differ from the world around you?

Secondly, in calling God’s people to “restore” what they had extracted “this very day,” Nehemiah reminds them (as Brueggemann put it) that God’s people “have a different identity and therefore a different mandate,” that is, to care for each other. We see this theme of neighborly love prevail in the New Testament too. Do your financial dealings reflect selfish accumulation or love of God and care for neighbor?

Thirdly, as Brueggemann concludes, “the recognition of those in debt and the acknowledgement of the mandate of God converge to produce concrete alternative economic action.” This convergence should cause Christians everywhere to handle money differently “this very day!” Is your financial house in order? Is it time to make concrete changes? Are you ready to give an accounting to God?

I used Brueggemann’s expression “alternative economic action” as the title for today’s post because that sums up the path I believe Christians need to take to demonstrate authentic Christianity to the world. Each of us is formed by the world’s financial ways that lead to death. Only in allowing God’s Word to transform us do we learn to change directions and take hold of life. That’s my prayer for everyone reading this.

Undoubtedly, it’s also my mom’s prayer from over in Florida. I love you mom! Keep praying with me for a revival of alternative economic action among Christians everywhere.

Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property. If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other. You are to buy from your own people on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And they are to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops. Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 25:10-17

“This provision of the law returns property sold before the Jubilee to the original family landholders. Israelites who fall into servitude because of debt or destitution are freed, their debts cancelled, and they return to their families. The land itself shall have rest, a sabbatical in seven-year cycles…

The significance of this law is threefold. One it prevents undue concentration of wealth and holds up the inalienable character of clan landholdings. Two, it emancipates those who, because of misfortune, fall into debt and eventual slavery, and enables them to start again. Three, it renews the land and reminds Israel that the land belongs to God, that they are not owners but only tenants with right to use, or usufruct, and land cannot be sold permanently.

On the whole, the Jubilee is a periodic, structural remedy to economic deformations and imbalances that arise within a fifty-year period. It is a kind of social homeostasis, a way of maintaining productivity and social wellness by restoring to impoverished families their original land inheritance… Instead of generational poverty, there will be the blessing of protection and prosperity for the next generations (Isaiah 65:23-24).”

Melba Padilla Maggay in Living Faithfully in a Multicultural World (Manila: OMF Literature, 2018) 129-130. Special thanks to Anjji Gabriel for sharing this book with me.

For the foreseeable future I plan to lean into the biblical idea of ‘jubilee’ to learn more about God’s design for His people with regard to economic and social relations. I will explore its OT roots and NT expression in the early church writings. This seems fitting to me as I have only another six weeks or so in my 50th year. And, my word for the 2018 is ‘abundance’ which also fits well with ‘jubilee’.

Let’s consider three thoughts about God’s design for ‘jubilee’ and think about how they reflect God’s generosity in the world filled with patterns that Maggay describes with the term “economic deformations” which promote “generational poverty” and pervasive brokenness. In plain terms, the worldly patterns cause people to take advantage of each other rather than help one another.

Firstly, we live in a time where there is “undue concentration of wealth,” and it is only getting worse. The gap between the rich and poor is widening. This runs contrary to God’s design, which is why we see voluntary sharing that brings equality in the NT (2 Corinthians 8:13-15). God cares that everyone has enough, and we should too! Those blessed with abundance should not accumulate it but rather enjoy and share it. Sharing openhandedly is an aspect of generosity.

Secondly, the issues of debt and slavery are widespread. In America, the financial system expects everyone to participate in the diabolical debt economy; whereas the Scriptures call for a different debt to remain outstanding in perpetuity: love (Romans 13:8). To show love, Jesus desires that we live within our means to have margin and freedom to help others like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Aiding others with love is another reflection of generosity.

Thirdly, it is blasphemous for anyone to say they own anything! This strong language comes straight from God. We see it repeatedly in the Torah (first five books of the OT) reminding people to live as tenants in the land (Leviticus 25:23; Deuteronomy 10:14; Exodus 9:29, 19:5, et al). Since we own nothing, we must handle God’s resources in a way that accomplishes God’s purposes in the world. Faithful, obedience stewardship empowered by the Spirit produces the fruit of generosity.

I am thankful for writers like Maggay who remind us that we live in a world of “economic deformation” which promotes “generation poverty” and brokenness. In response, she inspires us to aim at “living faithfully” for God. We counteract the nefarious worldly systems not through erecting political structures but by individually and collectively living out the teachings of Jesus. In so doing, we exhibit the OT idea of jubilee, which is at the heart of Christian generosity.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. Romans 16:7

“In the Greek sentence, the second name is Iounian, which could be the accusative form of either Junias (masculine) or Junia (feminine). Commentators are agreed that the latter is much more likely to be correct, since the former name is unknown elsewhere. Perhaps then Andronicus and Junia were a married couple about whom Paul tells us four things: they are his kinsfolk, that is, Jewish people; they have at some point been his fellow prisoners; they were converted before he was; and they are outstanding among the apostles. In which of its two senses is Paul using the word ‘apostles’? The commonest New Testament application of the word is to ‘the apostles of Christ’, meaning the Twelve (Matthias having replaced Judas), together with Paul and James, a very small group whom Christ had personally appointed and equipped to be the teachers of the church.

The much less frequent use of the term designates ‘the apostles of the churches’ (2 Corinthians 8:23). This must have been a considerably large group, who were sent out by churches as what we would call ‘missionaries’, like Epaphroditus who was an ‘apostle’ of the Philippian church (Philippians 2:25) or like Barnabas and Saul who had been sent out by the church of Antioch (Acts 13:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 2:6). If then, by ‘apostles’ in Romans 16:7 Paul is referring to apostles of Christ, we must translate that they were ‘outstanding in the eyes of the apostles’ or ‘highly esteemed by the apostles’, for it is impossible to suppose that an otherwise unknown couple have taken their place alongside the apostles Peter, Paul, John, and James. Since this translation slight strains the Greek, however, it is probably better to understand ‘apostles’ as meaning ‘apostles of the churches’, and to conclude that Andronicus and Junia were indeed outstanding missionaries.”

John Stott in The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World (Downers Grove: IVP, 1994) 395-396.

Today marks number ten of ten less known individuals or couples from the New Testament that Jenni and I highlighted in a recent talk. Their generosity is evident in their reputation and sacrifice. This couple were kin to Paul. They were in Christ before he was, and like him, they had been imprisoned for their faith. But why would Paul esteem this couple so highly? Like Epaphroditus whom we celebrated yesterday, they risked everything for the cause of Christ.

We need more couples like this today: couples willing to give themselves generously, regardless of the sacrifice, so that others might come to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. While these people people may venture to remote places, they can emerge right were we live. Couples today can follow their example in their home town by being people of the Word who are willing to live differently than the world in every aspect of life, regardless of what others think of them. That would cause the apostles to salute!

Father in heaven, we’ve celebrated the lives of Gaius, Phoebe, Theophilus, Chloe, Elizabeth and Zechariah, Joanna, Susanna, Silas, Epaphroditus, and Andronicus and Junia. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to join them and follow in their footsteps in generously supporting the ministry of the gospel with all we are and all we have, regardless of the sacrifice, so that others may come to know you. In your mercy, hear our prayer in the matchless name of Jesus. Amen.

Hopefully I caught your attention with the word “gambler” in the title. It has a purpose derived from the Greek text and early church history. While this post is long, please read it to gain keen insight from my favorite Scottish professor, William Barclay. I will offer no comments at the end other than this prayer and comment at the outset.

Father in Heaven, by your Holy Spirit raise up people like Epaphroditus in our day, who are willing to risk everything to serve others in the name of Christ. Amen.

If you see such courage or bravery in people today in our time, do precisely what Paul did. Give thanks and celebrate their sacrifice with everything you’ve got!

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me. Philippians 2:25-30

“There is a dramatic story behind this. When the Philippians heard that Paul was in prison, their warm hearts were moved to action. They sent a gift to him by the hand of Epaphroditus. What they could not personally do, because distance prevented them, they delegated to Epaphroditus to do for them. Not only did they intend him to be the bearer of their gifts they also intended him to stay in Rome and be Paul’s personal servant and attendant. Clearly Epaphroditus was a brave man, for any one who proposed to offer himself as the personal attendant of a man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to considerable risk of becoming involved in the same charge. In truth, Epaphroditus risked his life to serve Paul.

In Rome Epaphroditus fell ill, perhaps with the notorious Roman fever which sometimes swept the city like a scourge, and was near to death. He knew that news of his illness had filtered back to Philippi, and he was worried because he knew that his friends there would be worried about him. God in his mercy spared the life of Epaphroditus and so spared Paul yet more sorrow. But Paul knew that it was time that Epaphroditus went back home, and in all probability he was the bearer of the letter.

But there was a problem. The Philippian Church had sent Epaphroditus to stay with Paul, and if he came back home, there would not be lacking those who said he was a quitter. Here Paul gives him a tremendous testimonial, which will silence any possible criticism in return.

In this testimonial every word is carefully chosen. Epaphroditus was his brother, his fellow-worker, and his fellow-soldier. As Lightfoot puts it, Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, one with him in danger. He in truth had stood in the firing-line. Then Paul goes on to call in your messenger and the servant of my need. It is impossible to supply the flavour of these words in translation.

The word Paul uses for messenger is apostolos. Apostolos literally means anyone who is sent out on an errand, but Christian usage ennobled it and by using it Paul by implication ranks Epaphroditus with himself and all the apostles of Christ.

The word he uses for servant is leitourgos. In secular Greek this was a magnificent word. In the ancient days in the Greek cities there were men who, because they loved their city so much, at their own expense undertook certain great civic duties. It might to defray the expenses of an embassy, or cost of putting on one of the dramas of the great poets, or of training the athletes who would represent the city in the games, or of fitting the athletes who would represent the city in the games, or of fitting out a warship and paying a crew to serve in the navy of the state. These men were the supreme benefactors of the state and were known as leitourgoi.

Paul takes the great Christian word apostolos and the great Greek word leitourgos, and applies them to Epaphroditus. “Give a man like that a welcome home,” he says. “Hold him in honor for he hazarded his life for Christ.”

Paul is making it easy for Epaphroditus to go home. There is something wonderful here. It is touching to think of Paul, himself in the very shadow of death, in prison and awaiting judgment, showing such Christian consideration for Epaphroditus. He was facing death, and yet it mattered to him that Epaphroditus should not meet with embarrassment when he went home. Paul was a true Christian in his attitude to others for he was never so immersed in his own troubles that the had no time to think of the troubles of his friends.

There is a word in this passage which later had a famous usage. The Authorized Version speaks of Epaphroditus not regarding his life; the Revised Standard Version uses risking his life; we have translated it hazarding his life. The word is the verb paraboleuesthai; it is a gambler’s word and means to stake everything on a turn of the dice. Paul is saying that for the sake of Jesus Christ Epaphroditus gambled his life.

In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the parabolani, the gamblers. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. In A.D. 252 plague broke out in Carthage; the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from destruction and desolation.

There sound be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him [or her] ready to gamble with his [or her] life to serve Christ and men.”

William Barclay in The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, Revised Edition (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975) 48-50.

Do it again in our day, God, raise up gamblers like Epaphroditus!

Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 1 Thessalonians 1:1

Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

“Paul begins by associating Silvanus and Timothy with himself. Silvanus was Paul’s chief assistant on his second missionary journey… Paul chose Silvanus (or Silas, as Luke calls him; despite NIV Paul always calls this man Silvanus) as his helper. This man came under notice previously as one of the two who took the decisions of the Council of Jerusalem to Antioch (Acts 15:22, 27), He is called one of the “leaders among the brothers” (Acts 15:22) as well as a prophet (Acts 15:32). He seems to have worked harmoniously with Paul through the missionary journey, and Paul later recalled his faithful preaching (2 Corinthians 1:19). Among other places, he had, of course, preached at Thessalonica, and this accounts for his association with Paul in the greeting to the church that had come into being as a result of the mission there. After the second missionary journey Silvanus may be mentioned once more, namely, as Peter’s amanuensis in the writing of 1 Peter (1 Peter 5:12; it is not certain that this is the same Silvanus).”

Leon Morris in The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, Revised (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991) 33-34.

Silas is number eight of ten less known New Testament characters that Jenni and I featured in a recent talk whose like exhibits a generous willingness to assist in God’s work with a can-do, whatever-it-takes attitude. Four types of help from Silvanus are noteworthy.

Firstly, he traveled and ministered with the Apostle Paul. This sounds glamorous, but it can be exhausting. At every moment he would need to be “on” in service to others. In my experience, to thrive on the road is only possible when God is the Source of your strength.

Secondly, he used his prophetic gift to preach. He did not just carry Paul’s bags. While Paul broke ground in new territory the role of the prophet is to help people align their thinking and living with biblical truth. That was His role and he played it. He was known for his preaching.

Thirdly, he was a great writer. Scholars believe he served as amanuensis for both Paul and Peter, so we can safely say he serve as the leading editor and publisher in the early church of the New Testament. Hippolytus of Rome (c. 235) numbers Silvanus among the seventy disciples in Luke 10.

Fourthly, he was a pivotal player in the Jerusalem Council. When conflict could have torn the early church apart, he helped preserve unity. When the going got tough, he is noted for encouraging and strengthening the believers and helping the gospel spread through the entire ancient world. What a reputation!

Speaking of the Jerusalem Council, my most recent book, co-authored with Wes Willmer and Greg Henson just posted on Amazon, The Council: A Biblical Perspective on Board Governance. I commend it to anyone who serves on a board of a Christ-centered church or nonprofit organization.

Are you Silvanus? His generosity inspires me as I have a prophetic gift, as God has me traveling all over the world, as I aim to encourage and strengthen those I serve, and as God has me engaged with many writing projects. His sacrifice motivates me to empty myself in the enriching service of God. Care to join me?

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:1-3

“This is the first mention of the “the twelve” since their having been chosen in 6:12-16… Luke identifies a second group within the larger mass of those who followed Jesus, distinguished by their significant, ongoing role as Jesus’ followers. They are “some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases…who provided for them out of their resources.” …

Their presence in apparently significant numbers in Jesus’ entourage (“many others”) is likely due to the reach of Jesus’ ministry to include (and the effectiveness of the good news among) single women – for example, widows (7:11-17) and prostitutes (7:36-50). The identification of Mary as “Magdalene” and the mention of Susanna, both without any reference to husbands or even to elder sons, supports this reading.

Given the reality that persons who were ill or demonized also experienced different measures of social ostracism, the experience of healing among some of these women may have been accompanied not by a return to their own communities and families, to the extent that these might have existed for them, but by incorporation into this new community being formed around Jesus…

The recounting of the presence of women in a wandering company – and especially the narration of their presence as typical of Jesus’ mission – would have triggered questions about their status and role… The presence of these women in this band of travelers is suspect; at the very least their behavior is shameless and quite likely would have been regarded as illicitly sexual.

After our having read 7:36-50, however, our views are constrained in other directions; that is, we may well be predisposed to see their actions as manifestations of gratitude and generosity rather than having pushed beyond the boundaries of honor and morality…

Luke strikes two chords that will be heard again and again in the Third Gospel – those of service and off appropriate disposition of resources. “To serve” usually has the connotation of “waiting on tables” in Luke-Acts, though this practice comes to serve as a metaphor for leadership; the verb and noun forms of service are also expanded along different lines, to include the notion of “support” or “provision.” In this case, women are said to serve/provide “out of their resources.”

Generally, this again suggests that the women around Jesus were single, not because married women had no resources but because single women would have been in an easier position to dispose of their resources as they saw fit… Luke mentions Susanna, but he does not characterize her in any way that distinguishes her from the “many others” except for the prominence given her by being named.”

Joel B. Green in The Gospel of Luke (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997) 317-321.

Why such a long post about Susanna, number seven of ten less known NT characters?

Both society at large and Christian church families tend to forget about single women. Yet, Luke highlights Susanna, who is likely a single woman, and celebrates her for her service and support of the ministry of Jesus and the disciples.

If you are a single woman, then this post is intended to send you some sincere Christian love. If not, it is still for you, in order to raise your awareness.

When I travel like I did for much of the past month, I applaud my wife, Jenni, for intentionally reaching out to single women. This tends to come into view as having coffee or enjoying a meal together. Each one has a story and is loved by our Lord Jesus Christ. She does not see them as a project but as her sisters in Christ. They bless her as much as she blesses them. They have much to contribute and must not be overlooked.

Think of the single women in your life. Some might be widows. Others may be divorced or perhaps never married. Regardless of their story or background, ask God to guide you in reaching out and including them in the rhythms of life and in the activities of the community of faith.

And don’t be surprised if they exhibit prominent leadership, like Susanna, in their support and service to our Lord Jesus Christ.

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:1-3

“Unique to Luke, the Evangelist notes the work of three women of faith. As Jesus ministers, He draws followers who come form a wide variety of backgrounds. Mary Magdalene serves after having seven demons exorcised by Jesus. Joanna, as the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, gives evidence that Jesus’ message has reached even into the palace. When these and other women [like Susanna] come to faith, they immediately give of their resources to enable Jesus’ ministry to continue. This note is important, since the passage makes clear that those contributing to Jesus’ ministry span both gender diversity and the social scale. The pattern of grace received and ministry pursued emerges in the exemplary response of these women. Their ministry comes at two levels: personal involvement and the contribution of resources. Both levels of involvement are important to effective ministry.”

Darrell L. Bock in Luke (NIVAC; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996) 220. After nearly a month on the road, I am here for about ten days to prepare for upcoming teaching and to serve a few clients from my home office. I took a break yesterday and walked through our neighborhood. I love the colors of the trees at this time of year against the blue sky (as pictured above).

Joanna marks number six of ten characters highlighted in a recent talk Jenni and I gave. She emerges as an underwriter who deploys both herself and resources from the beginning to the end of the ministry of Jesus. As you may recall, she also appears in the resurrection account as one of the women who headed to the garden tomb (Luke 24:1-12). This is one fearless influential lady!

To associate with Jesus from start to finish as a person of status shows zeal worthy of our admiration and imitation. Frankly, she reminds me of my sister-in-law, Joanna, who is the wife of Dr. David Hoag, president of Warner University. David is a strong man of God, and while Joanna may be small in stature, she’s a fearless woman of faith.

Are you Joanna? Has God put your husband in a key role and perhaps, at least in part, your fervent faith has both helped him become what He is. But you don’t sit comfortably there. You deploy yourself and the resources in your care with boldness to advance the cause of Jesus Christ. Whatever you do, don’t let difficult circumstances sway you. Live and give generously regardless of what others are doing.

Some may wonder why these characters are mentioned just once or perhaps twice in the unfolding biblical narrative. I think they are there to remind us that the good news of Jesus goes forth through the fearless faith and personal support of real people. I love that her example inspires women everywhere to see themselves in God’s story.