Tuesdays Are for the Old Testament
7/16/24
Lessing, R. Reed, & Steinmann, Andrew E. (2014). "Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hosea." In Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. (451-460).
Lessing and Steinmann place Hosea in context "shortly after the preaching of Amos (c. 765-760), who also prophesied in the Northern Kingdom. Hosea overlaps chronologically with both Micah and Isaiah who prophesied in Judah" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 451). The imagery in Hosea is striking, particularly in his marriage to an unfaithful wife as a parallel to God's relationship with Israel.
Critical scholarship has divided the book into multiple parts, particularly separating the passages of doom (Hosea) from hopeful material (some post-exilic redactor) (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 451). However, recent approaches have been more open to descriptions of Hosea as something written in a group setting during the exilic period. Many of these would see Hosea as a literary character rather than an historical person (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 452). This view leaves scholars free to take all the characters and actions as literary inventions. However, the book contains many oral qualities, which suggests to Lessing and Steinmann that it was not a purely literary fabrication.
Compared with the other prophets from the 8th century B.C. Hosea "is rough, disjoined, jagged, and choppy" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 453). There is doubt whether Hosea is poetry or prose. Lessing and Steinmann take it to be a mix. Hosea uses numerous similes to convey his ideas. The book basically divides into three parts. 1:1 serves as a superscription, 14:9 is a concluding exhortation, and the rest is a series of prophetic oracles (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 454). The oracles, in turn, first deal with Hosea's family life (ch. 1-3), then oracles of judgment and hope (4:1-14:8).
Lessing and Steinmann note significant textual problems (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 454). The dialect is difficult to read. Rather than expanding on the text, as in some works, the Septuagint is very literal, making for helpful glosses of the dialectic challenges.
Traditionally, Hosea was considered the oldest of the Twelve. However, since there are mentions of Judean kings after Uzziah, Lessing and Steinmann consider it to be chronologically later than Amos (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 455). The Assyrians had risen to prominence by the time of Hosea, but not Amos. Lessing and Steinmann consider the period covered tobe about 760-715 B.C. There was a series of six kings in the North in about 30 years. Four were assassinated by the next king. It was a very dark period for Israel.
Lessing and Steinmann discuss important theological themes in Hosea. The family of Hosea is prominent, with his marriage to a prostitute (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 45). The issue of pagan religious prostitution needs to be factored into the equation. The marriage and children, however, cannot be separated from the relationship of Yahweh and Israel. The names of the children are certainly significant of the message. Feminists have predictably considered Hosea as misogynistic, promoting domestic abuse (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 457). What they miss, according to Lessing and Steinmann, is the fact that the negative family relationships are clearly aberrant and unacceptable.
Christ is found in Hosea as the prophet looks to a king on David's throne, as Hosea 11:1 says God's son comes out of Egypt, and in the extensive metaphors of bride and groom (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 458). The broken and restored relationship in Hosea is very like the relationship of Christ and the church. There is also a metaphor of Christ rising on the third day, found in Hosea 6:1-3.
Sin is highlighted in Hosea as there are many types of unfaithfulness noted (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 459). The root issue is Israel's apostasy from God. God's grace is shown in the many statements of restoration. God's people are not cast out forever.
7/16/24
Lessing, R. Reed, & Steinmann, Andrew E. (2014). "Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hosea." In Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. (451-460).
Lessing and Steinmann place Hosea in context "shortly after the preaching of Amos (c. 765-760), who also prophesied in the Northern Kingdom. Hosea overlaps chronologically with both Micah and Isaiah who prophesied in Judah" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 451). The imagery in Hosea is striking, particularly in his marriage to an unfaithful wife as a parallel to God's relationship with Israel.
Critical scholarship has divided the book into multiple parts, particularly separating the passages of doom (Hosea) from hopeful material (some post-exilic redactor) (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 451). However, recent approaches have been more open to descriptions of Hosea as something written in a group setting during the exilic period. Many of these would see Hosea as a literary character rather than an historical person (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 452). This view leaves scholars free to take all the characters and actions as literary inventions. However, the book contains many oral qualities, which suggests to Lessing and Steinmann that it was not a purely literary fabrication.
Compared with the other prophets from the 8th century B.C. Hosea "is rough, disjoined, jagged, and choppy" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 453). There is doubt whether Hosea is poetry or prose. Lessing and Steinmann take it to be a mix. Hosea uses numerous similes to convey his ideas. The book basically divides into three parts. 1:1 serves as a superscription, 14:9 is a concluding exhortation, and the rest is a series of prophetic oracles (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 454). The oracles, in turn, first deal with Hosea's family life (ch. 1-3), then oracles of judgment and hope (4:1-14:8).
Lessing and Steinmann note significant textual problems (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 454). The dialect is difficult to read. Rather than expanding on the text, as in some works, the Septuagint is very literal, making for helpful glosses of the dialectic challenges.
Traditionally, Hosea was considered the oldest of the Twelve. However, since there are mentions of Judean kings after Uzziah, Lessing and Steinmann consider it to be chronologically later than Amos (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 455). The Assyrians had risen to prominence by the time of Hosea, but not Amos. Lessing and Steinmann consider the period covered tobe about 760-715 B.C. There was a series of six kings in the North in about 30 years. Four were assassinated by the next king. It was a very dark period for Israel.
Lessing and Steinmann discuss important theological themes in Hosea. The family of Hosea is prominent, with his marriage to a prostitute (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 45). The issue of pagan religious prostitution needs to be factored into the equation. The marriage and children, however, cannot be separated from the relationship of Yahweh and Israel. The names of the children are certainly significant of the message. Feminists have predictably considered Hosea as misogynistic, promoting domestic abuse (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 457). What they miss, according to Lessing and Steinmann, is the fact that the negative family relationships are clearly aberrant and unacceptable.
Christ is found in Hosea as the prophet looks to a king on David's throne, as Hosea 11:1 says God's son comes out of Egypt, and in the extensive metaphors of bride and groom (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 458). The broken and restored relationship in Hosea is very like the relationship of Christ and the church. There is also a metaphor of Christ rising on the third day, found in Hosea 6:1-3.
Sin is highlighted in Hosea as there are many types of unfaithfulness noted (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 459). The root issue is Israel's apostasy from God. God's grace is shown in the many statements of restoration. God's people are not cast out forever.
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