Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel

John R. Franke, Thomas C. Oden, John R. Franke

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9780830897292

The history of the entry into the Promised Land followed by the period of the Judges and early monarchy may not appear to readers today as a source for expounding the Christian faith. But the church fathers readily found parallels, or types, in the narrative that illumined the New Testament. An obvious link was the similarity in name between Joshua, Moses' successor, and Jesus—indeed, in Greek the names are identical. Thus Joshua was consistently interpreted as a type of Christ. So too was Samuel. David was recognized as an ancestor of Jesus, and parallels between their two lives were readily explored. And Ruth, in ready fashion, was seen as a type of the church.Among the most important sources for commentary on these books are the homilies of Origen, most of which are known to us through the Latin translations of Rufinus and Jerome. Only two running commentaries exist—one from Gregory of Nazianzus, one of the famous Cappadocian theologians, the other from Bede the Venerable.Another key source for the selections found here derives from question-and-answer format, such as Questions on the Heptateuch from Augustine, Questions on the Octateuch from Theodoret of Cyr, and Thirty Questions on 1 Samuel from Bede. The remainder of materials come from a wide variety of occasional and doctrinal writings, which make mention of these biblical texts to support their arguments.Readers will find a rich treasure trove of ancient wisdom, some of which appear here for the first time in English translation, speaking with eloquence and powerful spiritual insight to the church today.

1 SAMUEL

ELKANAH AND HIS WIVES
1 SAMUEL 1:1-2

OVERVIEW: Unlike sinners, who possess divided personalities, the just are praised for their internal peace and their unity of heart with others like them. As Peninnah and Hannah symbolize conversion and grace, the wives of the patriarchs are most fittingly understood as figures for virtues, hence Elkanah had sons by conversion and sons by grace (ORIGEN). Samuel is a type of Christ (CYPRIAN).

1:1 There Was a Certain Man

THE JUST ARE ONE. ORIGEN: Is not this very thing a reason for praising the just person, that one can say of him: “There was one man”? We who are still sinners cannot acquire that title of praise because each of us is not one but many. For looking at me is the face of one who is now angry, and then sad, a little later happy, and then disturbed and then gentle, at times concerned with the things of God and actions leading to eternal life, but shortly after doing things based on greed or the glory of this world. You can see, then, that he who was thought to be one is not one at all; but there seem to be as many persons in him as there are customs. . . . But as for the just, not only is each said to be one but they are, all together, said to be one. And why shouldn’t they all be called one, who were described as being of “one heart and soul”1? They constantly contemplate one wisdom, are of one affection and disposition, reverence one God, confess one Jesus Christ as Lord, are filled with one Spirit of God. They are rightly called not just one [thing] but “one person,” as the apostle indicated when he said, “All the runners compete, but only one receives the prize.”2 HOMILIES ON 1 KINGS 1.4.3

1:2 Elkanah Had Two Wives

WIVES AS FIGURES FOR VIRTUES. ORIGEN: In this [figurative] way, therefore, I think the marriages of the elders are interpreted more fittingly; in this way the unions entered by the patriarchs in their now final and weakened age are understood nobly; in this way I hold the necessary begetting of children should be reckoned. For young men are not so well fitted as old men for such marriages and for offspring of this kind. For to the extent that someone is feeble in the flesh, to such an extent will he be stronger in virtue of the soul and more fit for the embraces of wisdom. So also that just man Elkanah in the Scriptures is reported to have had two wives at the same time, one of whom was called Peninnah, the other Hannah, that is, “conversion” and “grace.” And first, indeed, he is said to have had sons by Peninnah, that is, of conversion, and later by Hannah, that is, of grace.

And indeed the Scripture designates the progress of the saints figuratively by marriages. Whence also you can, if you wish, be a husband of marriages of this kind. For example, if you freely practice hospitality, you will appear to have taken her as your wife. If you shall add to this care of the poor, you will appear to have obtained a second wife. But if you should also join patience to yourself and gentleness and the other virtues, you will appear to have taken as many wives as the virtues you enjoy.

Thence it is, therefore, that Scripture recounts that some of the patriarchs had many wives at the same time, that others took other wives when previous wives had died. The purpose of this is to indicate figuratively that some can exercise many virtues at the same time; others cannot begin those which follow before they have brought the former virtues to perfection. HOMILIES ON GENESIS 11.2.4

SAMUEL A TYPE OF THE MESSIAH. CYPRIAN: That the church which before had been barren should have more children from among the Gentiles than what the synagogue had had before. Isaiah said, “Rejoice, O barren one, that barest not; break forth and shout, who has not been in labor, for the deserted one will have more children than she who has a husband. . . .”5 So also, to Abraham, when his first son was born of a bondwoman, Sarah remained long barren, but later, in her old age, bore him her promised son Isaac, who was a type of the Christ. Jacob also took two wives: the elder, Leah, with weak eyes, was a type of the synagogue; the younger and beautiful Rachel, a type of the church, who also remained long barren and afterwards brought forth Joseph, who also was himself a type of Christ.

And in 1 Kings [Samuel] it is said that Elkanah has two wives: Peninnah, with her sons; and Hannah, barren, from whom is born not according to the order of generation but according to the mercy and promise of God, when she had prayed in the temple; and Samuel, being born, was a type of Christ. Again in 1 Kings [Samuel]: “The barren has born seven; and she who had many children has grown weak.”6 TO QUIRINUS: TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS 1.20.7

HANNAH’S GRIEF
1 SAMUEL 1:3-8

OVERVIEW: The highest values may be learned from witnessing Hannah’s patience while enduring suffering as she waited for God’s timing (CHRYSOSTOM). “Rivalry” has several meanings (VERECUNDUS). Weeping and fasting for want of a child, Hannah is an example of watchfulness in prayer serves as a model for Christians (CHRYSOSTOM). Her fast, which demonstrates reverential awe, is the means by which she obtained a son (TERTULLIAN).

1:5 The Lord Had Closed Her Womb

GOD’S PURPOSE FOR SUFFERING. CHRYSOSTOM: Let us not take this with a grain of salt; instead let us learn also from this the highest values, and when we fall foul of some disaster, even if we are suffering grief and pain, even if the trouble seems insupportable to us, let us not be anxious or beside ourselves but wait on God’s providence. He is well aware, after all, when is the time for what is causing us depression to be removed—which is what happened in her case as well. It was not out of hatred, in fact, or of revulsion that he closed her womb, but to open to us the doors on the values the woman possessed and for us to espy the riches of her faith and realize that he rendered her more conspicuous on that account. . . . Extreme the pain, great the length of grief—not two or three days, not twenty or a hundred, not a thousand or twice as much; instead, “for a long time,” it says, for many years the woman was grieving and distressed, the meaning of “for a long time.” Yet she showed no impatience, nor did the length of time undermine her values, nor the reproaches and abuse of her rival; instead, she was unremitting in prayer and supplication, and what was most remarkable of all, showing in particular her love for God, was the fact that she was not simply anxious to have this very child for herself but to dedicate the fruit of her womb to God, offer the first fruits of her own womb and receive the reward for this fine promise. HOMILIES ON HANNAH 1.1

1:6 Her Rival Provoked Her

ENVY. VERECUNDUS: The word rival [aemulare] has a threefold meaning.2 First, it means to emulate [imitari], as in “Seek after the greater gifts.”3 We also read, “It is good that you always be emulated for the good.”4 Second, it is to envy [invidere], even one’s enemy, as was said through Samuel to Saul: “God has taken the kingdom from you and has given it to your rival [aemulo].”5 Peninnah, moreover, who played the role of the synagogue, was envied by Hannah because Hannah had not begotten a child in her barrenness. “Hannah’s rival [aemula] afflicted and agitated her severely.” The term rival here indicates enmity or envy. But “agitated” signifies “oppressed” [obprimebat], a metaphorical expression drawn from the act of choking on a piece of meat that one has suddenly regurgitated. Third, aemulare means “to anger,” as was demonstrated when the apostle said, “Shall w...