Omri and Some Notes

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 -- Week of Proper 18, Year One
Nikolai Grundtvig, Bishop and Hymnwriter, 1872

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 982)
Psalms 45 (morning) 47, 48 (evening)
1 Kings 16:23-34
Philippians 1:12-30
Mark 16:1-8(9-20)

Omri is a metaphor for why we read the scriptures more for their theological content than for their historical content. Although the Bible is remarkably accurate in many of its historical details, the passage that we read today reminds us that writing history was not the primary motivation for the biblical writers, including those who wrote books such as 1 & 2nd Kings which look like history. Theology and teaching always trump factual history for this writer or team of writers, sometimes called the Deuteronomic author.

In the Hebrew Scriptures Omri gets seven verses. Yet his legacy in history rivals and possibly transcends David's. Just as David founded Jerusalem as the capital of Judah and he eventually reunited much of the dispersed tribe of Israel, Omri founded Samaria as the capital of Israel, as the Northern Kingdom was known. He was able to end nearly fifty years of civil war in Israel, and establish a dynasty that lasted about forty years, passing the crown to his son Ahab (reigned around 20 years) and several other successors. In several archeological records, Israel is referred to as the House of Omri long after his death.

Omri and his son Ahab oversaw a massive building campaign and reigned over extensive boundaries comparable to Solomon's. Ahab led a powerful army that was involved in several significant wars and battles. Like David's son Solomon, Omri's son Ahab had extensive international relationships and trade. Traditionalists, such as the Deuteronomic editor and the prophet Elijah, criticized the foreign influences and Ahab's Phoenician Queen Jezabel, just as the same editor faulted Solomon for his entanglement with foreign wives, concubines and religions. After the Northern Kingdom was defeated by Assyria in 722, the former land of Israel that Omri's dynasty ruled eventually became known as Samaria, named for the capital that Omri founded. Judah became a small vassal state of Assyria around 722, and has its own history which included reclaiming the name "Israel."

Though the mention of Omri claims only seven verses in the Hebrew Scripture, from the perspective of Middle Eastern history, he is among the most significant of all Jewish leaders, comparable to David.
_____

There is a paragraph that stood out to me today from Paul's letter to the Philippians. Paul sites divisions and contrary motivations among the Christian leaders of his day. "Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill." He is especially critical of anyone who would seek their personal elevation over another. For Paul, the key to harmony within the congregation is a consistent attitude of deference in equality, grounded in identity as the inheritors of Christ's glory (see yesterday's Morning Reflection). Paul mentions that some who "proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition" intend to increase Paul's suffering in his imprisonment.

But then, in a remarkable expression of equanimity, Paul's says, "What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice." Paul can be thankful even when Christian leaders misrepresent or distort the gospel. He is glad that they proclaim Christ nonetheless.

He's given us a good model for our contemporary conflicts in the church. We can disagree with one another and our theologies, but we can also rejoice that we all proclaim and follow Christ. Paul's next sentence after that paragraph is, "Yes, and I will continue to rejoice..."
_____

One last note. Our optional reading in Mark includes some later alternative conclusions that editors added to the Gospel because they were unhappy with the way the original apparently ended. The original final verse about the women at the tomb -- "So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid." -- make sense as a conclusion when we look at the rest of Mark's gospel. Throughout his book, Mark emphasizes the suffering of Christ as his glory and minimizes the significance of his signs and wonders, except as they point to the call to service and suffering. The disciples never seem to understand.

It is likely that Mark is writing to a threatened congregation that needs examples from their past. Or maybe he is writing to a comfortable, elitist congregation that sees Jesus as a path to glory rather than a way to the cross. Regardless of audience, the oldest ending (vs. 8) seems most consistent with the rest of the Gospel.
_____

Today's new observance from Holy Women, Holy Men:
Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig [1783-September 3, 1872] Danish theologian and hymn writer who helped reform the Danish Lutheran Church.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas