A Covenant Relationship

The use of the verb "to know" in Old Testament scripture has relevance to both the Sinai covenant--as well as the connotation of sexual intimacy in a marriage, according to biblical scholar Michael Coogan. On the one hand, the verb is as technical term used in ancient treaties for mutual recognition by both parties of their obligations to each other, and on the other hand is can demonstrate literally or metaphorically that the relationship between the two parties is one of love. This use of the verb, “to know” is used throughout the Bible, according to Coogan, from Deuteronomy 9.24 and 2 Samuel 7.20, to 1 Kings 5.1 where Hiram, the king of Tyre, “loves” David, the king of Israel who is his treaty partner.

The marriage covenant was another analogue used by the biblical writers to describe the relationship between Yahweh, the husband, and Israel, the wife. Thus, the use of the terms contract (berit), love, and knowledge all become interchangeable metaphors as if they were part of an Algebra equation. Love is a contract and a contract implies love. Love implies sexual knowledge of a spouse, and sexual knowledge implies love. A contract implies a sexual relationship and a sexual relationship implies a contract.

The sexual aspects of a covenant relationship are exemplified in prophetic works like Hosea where Yahweh knew Israel as a covenant partner (suzerain) or spouse. In Hosea 6.6 Yahweh complains about Israel’s failure to live up to its obligations, “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Steadfast love translates as hesed, which is the mutual love of parties in a married relationship or treaty relationship. Thus, as a covenant relationship, Yahweh expected love and knowledge from Israel, and this love was enduring despite Israel’s repeated infidelities by worshiping other gods.

This metaphor of Yahweh having a marriage covenant with Israel is also illustrated in other sections of the Old Testament like Proverbs 2.17, Malachi 2.14, Jeremiah 2.2; 3.1-5, Isaiah 5.1-7; 62.5, and Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 16 and 23 the metaphor of Jerusalem as an unfaithful wife is illustrated, similar to how it is used in Hosea. “How sick is your heart, says the Lord God, that you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen whore; building your platform at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square!” (Ezekiel 16.30). The naming of Jerusalem as an unfaithful wife and whore reflects the patriarchal society in which women were property, and where violence against adulterous women was acceptable. Thus, Yahweh is jealous, possessive husband who sees Jerusalem as a wayward wife who must be punished. “I will satisfy my fury upon you, and my jealousy shall turn away from you; I will be calm, and will be angry no longer.” (Ezekiel 16.42).

In Amos 3.1-2, the prophet passes judgment on Israel in the name of Yahweh, saying, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” Yahweh knew Israel as a covenant partner and spouse (or suzerain), thus, Israel had a unique obligation to Yahweh, especially after being rescued from slavery in Egypt. The “love” relationship of this covenant is demonstrated in Deuteronomy 6.4 when the Moses says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. “

The meaning of this marriage covenant in Amos includes not only the obligation to love and worship Yahweh, but also to love of fellow Israelites. By breaking this primary covenant with God, the curses attached to the covenant will be executed, “Woe to those who are ease in Zion. And to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria … See, the Lord commands and the great house shall be shattered to bits, and the little house to pieces” (Amos 6.1, 6.11).

The Writings, Part 2

Wisdom Literature
This literature, written during the third millennium BCE, is concerned with the realities of human experience from the mundane to the sublime, and with the relationship between that experience and the divine.

One example of the genre of Wisdom literature is Proverbs. Proverbs are short sayings that express insight into ordinary life in human experience. Proverbs often reflect a kind of folk wisdom preserved in the royal courts. The story of the wronged courtier is common to this type of literature. Also, the Proverbs are often presented using a relational metaphor such as father/son, teacher/student, or master/apprentice.

The books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes share a concern with the present and are largely focused on the human condition as it is actually experienced, though they rarely make explicit reference to the main events and personality of Israel’s history and ancestors, prophets, or kings. Much of the Wisdom literature in the Hebrew Bible is attributed to Solomon, just as many of the Psalms are attributed to David. This attribution to Solomon is supported by his reputation as an exceedingly wise ruler, as illustrated in the number of passages in 1 Kings which says, “He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five.”

The Writings, Part 1

In the Jewish tradition, the third part of the Bible is known as the "Writings." They include: Chronicles, Ruth, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, 1-2 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Jonah, and Daniel.

Chronicles
Chronicles is an interpretive history of Israel with a broad chronological scope, extending from Adam to the Persian period. This work is the final book of the Hebrew Bible, though the Chronicler barely mentions the principal events described in the first five books of the Bible (nor the books of Joshua, Judges, and 1 Samuel).
Chronicles focuses almost exclusively on the kingdom of Judah from David to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. The principal source of Chronicles is Deuteronomistic History, especially 2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings, reflecting a common practice of the time for authors to use freely from another author's work. The Chronicler was also familiar with the Pentateuch as one of his sources, as well as some other biblical sources which no longer exist. In some cases, however, the Chronicler often provides details that are not found elsewhere in the Bible. In the whole, Chronicles is a truly independent work, not just a revision of existing Deuteronomistic History.
Chronicles was likely written in the late fifth or fourth century BCE, before Hellenization made an impact. Little direct evidence in the book enables scholars to determine the social and historical context of its author, or of the events that may have impacted.

The content of Chronicles begins first with a summary of ancestral genealogies, and then shifts to relay a narrative of David and his anointing as king of all Israel. The Chronicler consistently shows David in a positive light as King and presents the perspective that Israel was always a unified entity. Thus, the Chronicler uses a bit of a revisionist history, editing his sources to support his ideological perspective of a unified Israel. His overall perspective is that Israel was best led by pious rulers who were faithful to the commandments given by God through Moses and united in worship at the Temple in Jerusalem. He takes this approach to provide a compelling model for the restored community of his day.

The Psalms
The Book of Psalms is the longest Book in the Bible with 150 chapters and five parts. Scholars believe David wrote the first 72 chapters of the Psalms, and, though the remaining 78 are attributed to him, they were likely penned by different authors -- making the work an anthology. In this way, David is the presumed author of many of the Psalms just as Moses is presented as the author of Israel's legal tradition. In their content, the Psalms are also an affirmation of David's reputation as a poet and a musician as well as his origination of the Temple's elaborate system of worship.

In their approach, the Psalms use "parallelism" as their primary poetic device. This technique is a kind of thought rhyme in which an idea is developed through the use of repetition, synonyms, or opposites. As a whole, the Psalms have been classified into several different types:
Individual laments, Communal laments, Individual songs of trust, Individual songs of thanksgiving, Communal songs of thanksgiving, Hymns of divine kinship, Creation hymns, Hymns celebrating divine actions in Israel's history, Hymns concerning the renewal of Israel's covenant with God, Liturgies, Royal Psalms, Hymns concerning the Davidic covenant, Zion hymns, Pilgrimage hymns, Torah Psalms, and Wisdom Psalms.

For the most part, the Psalms are difficult to date and lack contextual specifics, which paradoxically is part of their broad appeal. They are concerned with the fundamental aspects of the human condition and can be appropriated to prayer at different times and circumstances.

Seeing with new eyes

I was blessed to accept two new gifts into my life today, my new kitten, Iggy and a first grade class of new catechists at St. Clement. Eyes filled with curiosity and wonder. Hearts not shy about asking questions like, "How old are you, and are you married?" Playfulness that comes as naturally as being alive. Climbing furniture just because you can, and squeezing you body behind hard to reach places just to see if you can fit in there.

I'm looking forward to letting the eyes of a child (and a kitten) show me things I hadn't seen before, but were always there. I'm looking forward to being asked questions I can't answer. I'm looking forward to letting my heart grow in love and appreciation for these new creatures of God in my life and the God who made them.

In Luke 18:17, Jesus says,"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." And in Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

I've always understood these scriptures but it's hard to truly "get" them as an adult unless you have a child or children in your life. Our adult world and way of being can be so serious and boring, frankly. I think what Jesus means that he wants us to be "like a child" and receive him with an open heart that loves without inhibition, caution, shame, or fear. He wants us to have an unguarded, accepting heart that expects love, not hurt or rejection. This his hard to do!

We've all had our hearts broken at one time or another, whether it be from a relationship or job gone bad. It takes courage to step up to bat again with an open heart after you've been wounded time and time again. That's what makes Jesus' words so challenging. It takes faith I guess. To trust like a child, to love like a child, to notice things, to ask questions, and enjoy life rather than fret about it.

Was there Sex in the Garden?

The second aspect of Genesis, which the authors of “The Uncensored Bible,” explore, is whether or not Adam and Eve were sexually active in the Garden, or just became aware of and practiced their sexuality after leaving the Garden. Looking at Genesis 2:25, Adam and Eve were naked but unashamed before eating the forbidden fruit. After the fruit was eaten, however, they realized they were naked. So the authors suggest that once Adam and Eve realized that they were naked, their sexuality was aroused and they probably had sexual intercourse (though there is obviously not any explicit proof of this in the Bible.)

According to a theory proposed by biblical scholar, Jacob Milgrim, which the authors explore, Adam and Eve must have had sexual intercourse before they were expelled from the Garden and before they felt the shame for their bodies that caused them to cover themselves with fig leaves.

As we know from Genesis 3:13, God discovered Adam and Eve’s disobedience to his command that they not eat from the tree of good and evil, and punished them. The authors suggest that perhaps one of the reasons God later made clothes for them in Genesis 3:20, was to curb their sexual interest and arousal for each other. If we take the author’s argument at face value, perhaps this may explain the widespread Catholic guilt and shame about sex that has pervaded Church followers for hundreds of years (e.g. sex is bad, the flesh and body is bad, and one should feel shame for being naked and having sex).

Does “Knowing” Someone Equal sex?
The first time the Bible refers to Adam and Eve having sexual intercourse, occurs after God expels them from the Garden. “Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain.” In this context, the passage suggests that the two had sexual relations only after they were ejected from the Garden. Looking at Hebrew meaning of the verb, “to know,” Milgrim and the authors argue that not only does the verb refer to the occurrence of sexual relations, but the tense of the verb suggests that Adam “knew” or “had known” his wife so there is a good chance that Adam and Even had sexual relations before leaving the Garden. (This concept could parallel the ideas of John Paul II on sex as a creational gift from God, rather than the sinful, recreational act is has been viewed as since Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden.)

The Pangs of Childbirth
Looking at Genesis 3:16, Milgrim points out that the punishment laid on Eve significantly increased her pain in childbirth, which implies that she already had the potential to bare children before being expelled from the Garden. He also suggests that it was only after eating the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve became aware of their nakedness and sexuality and became sexually aroused.

Milgrim’s opinion clashes with that of St. Augustine. The doctrine of original sin was proposed by Augustine based on his interpretation of the Garden of Eden. Augustine believed Eve was created for the purpose of having babies so it is conceivable that Adam and Eve had sexual relations in the Garden because that was the purpose for which Eve was created.

Augustine also thought that lust was the original sin, which resulted from Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, and this sin was consequently passed on to all newborn babies. So it is possible according to both Milgrim and Augustine that Adam and Eve had sex before original sin manifested itself through the eating of the forbidden fruit.

The authors argue then that lustful sexual thoughts and actions were absent from Adam and Eve’s behavior before they ate the fruit. I would propose, however, that it is entirely possible that Adam and Eve had NO sex drive (healthy or unhealthy) in the Garden, and only after eating from the tree and leaving the Garden did they have “knowledge” of either their individual or shared sexuality.

The authors note a possible objection to Milgrim’s thesis, pointing out that God prohibited the eating of the forbidden fruit before Eve was created, so why would God have been concerned about Adam’s “knowledge of sex” when there was no one yet for him to have sex with?

Milgrim argues that the ability to have sex is a creative/creational force that, as a result of the Fall, allows Adam and Eve to now “be like God.” This argument can be backed up with the words of Eve who says, after giving birth to Cain, “I have acquired a man with Yahweh.”

Parallels to The New Eve
We can see parallels to sex being equal to “knowing” someone in the New Testament when we Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel says in Luke 1:31, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.” And Mary responds by saying, “How can this be since I don’t know man (or since I am a virgin)?” In this context (as in the Genesis story), Mary is suggesting she has not yet had sexual intercourse with her fiancé, Joseph. To which Gabriel says, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child will be called Son of God,” and Mary responds by saying, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Knowledge is Good?

After eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge in Genesis 3:6, did Adam and Eve develop a conscience and suddenly became responsible for their moral choices? Were they now able and obliged to reason and make moral decisions unlike the other animals in the Garden? This is one of the perspectives offered by Bible scholars, Kalter, McKenzie, and Kilpatrick propose in their book, The Uncensored Bible.

The authors suggest that use of the phrase, “knowledge of good and evil” in Genesis means that by eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Even unleashed not just the sinful attributes of “being like gods,” but also the positive attributes of humanity’s full potential to know, learn, explore and cultivate wisdom. To me it sounds like a bit like putting a positive spin on a bad situation, but the authors argue that human beings were not meant to live in paradise so this rebellion by Adam and Eve was inevitable. They suggest that by design, humans need challenges to face, problems to fix, and sense of purpose. So the Adam and Eve story, in their view, demonstrates humanity’s need for purpose and how that purpose is explored and fulfilled.

The authors suggest that the actions that led to original sin were a basically a tradeoff. By eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve lost immortality for themselves and us, but gained a measure of self-determination, the ability to learn and explore and understand and enhance life. They were no longer naïve, dependant, children held in the blissful, protective comfort of God’s Garden sanctuary, but were now adults living in a world where their fate was uncertain, but their ability to reason and adjust to the circumstances was now stimulated and engaged.

I think the authors have oversimplified the impact of Adam and Eve’s rebellion in Genesis. Before the Fall they only had one choice, to love and serve God by being the authentic persons he made them to be. After the Fall, they now HAD to reason about right and wrong when making choices in how to live. By eating the forbidden fruit they now had to accept both the rights and responsibilities of their newfound ability to reason. Prior to their rebellion, all of their choices were Godly choices so there was no need for them to reason. As Adam and Eve learned, the veil of sin makes it more challenging to consistently make Godly choices.

Make a Joyful Noise!

I've always loved reading and praying the Psalms. They seem like bite-sized prayers on the kind of topics our hearts yearn to talk to God about: Joy, Forgiveness, Thanksgiving, Deliverance, Fear, Betrayal, Blessing, Praise, Worship, and Human Weakness.

The Psalms unite us with the power of our long faith tradition. Every time I pray a Psalm, I am blown away by the fact that King David and the people of Israel also have held this same prayer in their hands and their hearts. The prayer unites me with God as well as the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before me.

I'm also inspired by the kinship the Psalms have to music. As a singer/songwriter I identify with King David, setting prayers to music and experiencing the joy of how music touches our minds, bodies, and hearts. I can just picture David writing and performing these Psalms for the people of Israel with joyful exuberance:

- Psalm 47:1, "Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!"
- Psalm 95:1, "Come, let's shout praises to God, raise the roof for the Rock who saved us! Let's march into his presence singing praises, lifting the rafters with our hymns!"
- Psalm 98:4, "Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band!"
- Psalm 27:6, "I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy"
- Psalm 98:1, "O sing to the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things"
- Psalm 33:3, "Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy."
- Psalm 84:2, "My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God."
- Psalm 68:25 "the singers in front, the musicians last, between them girls playing tambourines."
- Psalm 95:1, "O come let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!"
- Psalm 149:1-3, "Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp."
- Psalm 150:3-6, "Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals,praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD."

How can you not picture a Holy Spirit hootenanny celebration when you read these words? It's like a giant divine feedback loop of praise to God: the Holy Spirit inspires the writer to write the music, worshipers perform the music, and God is praised by the music. No wonder music during the celebration of the Mass helps us "feel" Holy and a mass without music can feel a little meditative and flat.

I've also had the experience, however, of writing spiritual music when I've felt despair like King David in Psalm 51 or like Paul and Silas in Acts, praising God while in prison. For me it happened while driving around the city. Mary came to me through the Holy Spirit and lifted me up to put her Magnificat to music, "The Lord has done great things for us and hallowed be his name!"

There is a sense of catharsis or emotional cleansing that happens when we sing in the midst of our despair. By praising the Lord in the storm one is humbled to say, "I'm really down in the dumps right now Lord, but I know that you are Lord of all things so I praise you for your glory, and know that you will not abandon me."

Praising God in the storm reminds us to take the focus off of ourselves and put it back on God. It's about him, not us. Our suffering may not go away immediately but we know (like the people of Israel) that he has delivered us before and he will deliver us again, so we pray with confidence despite our despair.

This pattern is demonstrated in Psalm 3 where King David's prayer flows from initial despair, "O Lord how many are my foes! Many are rising against me," to confidence, "I wake again for the Lord sustains me,"to finally thanksgiving, "For you strike my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Deliverance belongs to the Lord."

In New Testament worship this is the same idea of "offering up" prayers to Jesus and asking for his strength and mercy in our weakness. We know we can't bear this suffering ourselves, but when connected to the wounds of Jesus, we find strength, hope, and meaning. There is "power in the blood of the lamb."

Nature as a Mirror of God's Love

Like St. Frances I have a love of nature and this love feeds me both physically and spiritually. If you think about it, the world we live in IS nature, but being in a place like Chicago we’ve created so many brick and concrete structures that we’ve crowded out nature to some extent, so we have to intentionally go out and find time and space to BE in nature.

Nature is a mirror of God’s creation and love for us. It surrounds us, it invites us, it comforts us, it wows us, and challenges us. I love:

- Walking through the neighborhood garden down the street and seeing the flowers, plants, and trees reaching up to the sky for sunlight.

- Strolling down to the river to meditate on the rippling water, watching the ducks paddle by. I’m often drawn to reciting Psalm 23, “Beside restful waters he leads me. He refreshes my soul.”

- Hiking, fishing, biking, sailing, and camping in nature.

These experiences make me feel the reality of being surrounded by God’s love. They open my heart, make me smile, and put me at ease and full acceptance as God’s beloved.

Being in nature reminds me that it’s not all about me, but it’s about God. He created the world and all it’s wonders. Nature distracts me with its beauty, putting me in touch with the creator, and taking the focus off my self.

When I do have to work, I love working in my office sunroom because the sun, trees, blue skies, and the sound of street life below surround me.

Being in nature to me is like going to church. I can feel the tender hand of God through the Holy Spirit. In a sense it’s an opportunity for God to show off and say, “Do you see how beautiful this world is that I made for you? How can you doubt that I love you?”

Nature is a gift from God, a reflection of his love for us, and a demonstration of his ever-present goodness as the architect of life.