Community

Biblical and Theological Reflections in Honor of August H. Konkel

Rick Wadholm, Meghan D. Musy, Rick Wadholm Jr., Meghan D. Musy

• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781532639289, 9781532639296
• eBook ISBN: 9781532639302
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

Community provides a constructive collection of essays offering biblical and theological reflections on the topic of community in honor of the Mennonite Old Testament scholar August H. Konkel's seventieth birthday. As such, Community follows the trajectory of Gus's own myriad contributions to scholarship that have been intentionally engaged both on behalf of and as a lively and constructive member of such community. These essays present forays across the spectrum of biblical and theological studies that intersect with the many contributions of Gus's life work.

1

A Cord of Three Strands is Not Quickly Broken

The Deterioration of Unity and Community in Judges

Mary L. Conway1

Introduction

The people of Israel experienced Yahweh’s grace in the exodus under the leadership of Moses, and advanced into their promised land under the direction of Joshua. The book of Judges opens with the death of their erstwhile leader, and the twelve tribes set out to establish themselves in their new territory. Up until now, in spite of episodes of stumbling and discord, Israel has nevertheless adhered as a unit, a federation of tribes with a common identity and purpose as the people of Yahweh, led and motivated by strong charismatic leaders. The writer of Ecclesiastes has wisdom to offer about the value of unity and community:

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

If either of them falls down,

one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls

and has no one to help them up.

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Eccl 4:9–12 NIV2011).

That is, it is not quickly broken if the cords remain entwined. The book of Judges, however, recounts the deterioration of the community of Israel in a downward spiral that ends in fragmentation and internecine warfare. This story, although tragic, has much wisdom to offer the contemporary church.

Although all the tribes play a role in the descent of Israel to its nadir in the second conclusion, the trajectories of three tribes in particular exemplify the transition of Israel from a united community to a fragmented mosaic of disparate groups pursuing their own agendas.2 The seeming unity of most tribes in Judg 19–21 is an illusion, for they unite only against Benjamin. The adventures of three strands in the Israelite cord—Judah, Ephraim, and Benjamin—exemplify the swinging of the pendulum in Israel between unity and cooperation on the one hand and isolation and betrayal on the other.

Judah: Leadership > Betrayal and Apathy > Leadership

Judah as Leader of the Community

After Joshua—the last charismatic leader over all Israel—dies, the Israelites inquire of Yahweh as to who should lead them in occupying the land. Yahweh responds, “Judah should go up. Take note, I hereby give the land into its power” (Judg 1:1).3 Although no specific leader within the tribe is designated, Judah as a community accepts the responsibility to lead the other tribes in following Yahweh’s instructions to settle their new territory. Judah immediately cooperates with its brother tribe Simeon to do battle with the Canaanites. The rest of Judg 1 is an account of the various tribes working independently, yet in cooperation, to take control of their allotments within the land God had promised them. The metaphorical cord is strong and sound.

Some tribes, however, prove to be more successful than others. In Judg 1:11 Judah attacks Debir, but there is no immediate notice of victory over the town in spite of Judah’s leadership role and early successes (see Judg 1:4–9). In v. 12, Caleb appears, a warrior who seemingly holds a position of leadership. Caleb was the second faithful spy, along with Joshua, who earlier encouraged the Israelites to trust Yahweh and follow his instructions to move into the promised land when the other ten spies proved reluctant and discouraging (see Num 13). The failure to take Debir must have disappointed Caleb; after all, Yahweh had promised to give Israel the land. In this situation he acts in a less trusting manner than when he was scouting out the new territory; he does not inquire of Yahweh and seek his advice, as his fellow spy and Israel’s previous leader, Joshua, did in the case of the failure to defeat Ai (see Josh 7). When Joshua inquired of Yahweh as to the reason for this failure, it was revealed to him that there was sin in the camp, and he proceeded to correct the situation that led to the defeat. Caleb, however, brashly offers his daughter, Achsah, in marriage as a bribe to any warrior who can successfully take the town. His relative, Othniel, is the successful conqueror, and Caleb gives his daughter a dowry of land.4 Unfortunately, the gift disappoints Achsah, since the land is too dry to be productive. Nevertheless, although she is disappointed, Achsah does not resort to bribery to get what she wants, as did Caleb. Instead, she goes directly to her father, who has long supported her and with whom she has a trusting relationship, and inquires of him, laying out her situation and asking for what she needs to make the land a productive home. In so doing she effectually rebukes her father for not going and inquiring of Yahweh—who has long supported him and with whom he had a trusting relationship—when he is in a similarly disappointing situation.5

It is significant that Caleb disappears from the narrative of Judges a few verses later in Judg 1:20; he is obviously not the new leader that Israel needs to replace Joshua. Cooperation and mutual support within the community are of great value. However, dependence on one’s own community must never replace dependence on, and obedience to, Yahweh. Leaders, and indeed the Israelite people in general, were called on to model and exemplify covenant loyalty and trust in Israel’s God. Similarly, in the church today, leaders and members form a community of support and fellowship. We are encouraged to look after each other’s needs, providing emotional, social, physical, and spiritual assistance (Matt 25:31–46; Luke 10:25–37). In loving and helping others we are gratefully responding to the love of God for us and the deliverance that he alone can provide (1 John 4:19). It is tempting, however, for a church community to become a social support group, depending exclusively on each other and our own wisdom. If there is “sin in the camp,” we need to deal with it, inquiring of Yahweh as to his will and obediently following his directions as revealed in his word and by his Spirit.

It is also worth noting that although Caleb, Othniel, and Achsah seem to be associated with Judah, they are also identified as Kennizites. Caleb is described as being from the tribe of Judah (Num 13:6; 34:19), but he is also termed a “Kenizzite” in Num 32:12 and Josh 14:6, 14. In Judg 1:13 and 3:9, Othniel is called the “son of Kenaz,” another way of designating his ethnic background, although he is also described as Caleb’s younger brother (Judg 3:9; Josh 15:17) and therefore has Judahite connections.6 It is possible that the family was not of purely “Israelite” descent but members of a different ethnic group that had been grafted into Judah over time. Indeed, tribal membership in the ancient Near East (ANE) was not entirely a biological matter, exclusively based on natural descent; it could also be attained by political or economic affiliation, settlement within ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Contributors
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: A Cord of Three Strands is Not Quickly Broken
• Chapter 2: An Evil Spirit from God?
• Chapter 3: Prophetic Testimony for the Community
• Chapter 4: The Community of Israel in 1 Chronicles 1–9
• Chapter 5: All in the Family of David
• Chapter 6: Job Breaks Bad
• Chapter 7: Babylon in the Book of Isaiah
• Chapter 8: Where is the Study of the Septuagint Going, and Should It?
• Chapter 9: Lexicographical Notes on the Septuagint of Zechariah
• Chapter 10: The Congregation of the Poor
• Chapter 11: Reading Luke-Acts as a Mennocostal
• Chapter 12: The Word of God and Christian Community
• Chapter 13: Destruction and Restoration of Genuine Human Community in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Creation and Fall