King Solomon: A Study

 Philip Ryken’s King Solomon: The Temptations of Money, Sex, and Power is a recent publication that basically contains Ryken’s sermons on the life of king Solomon.  In this book, Ryken retells, explains, and applies the biblical story of Solomon’s rise to the throne, his rule, and his failures (which is found mostly in 1 Kings).

I appreciated Ryken’s general christological approach to king Solomon based on Luke 11:31: one greater than Solomon is here.  Over and over in these chapters, Ryken shows how Jesus is the true king of wisdom, peace, righteousness, and justice.  He does a good job pointing the reader to Christ and the gospel of grace.

One more strength of this book was Ryken’s explanation of the biblical stories.  In his retelling of the stories, he brought out some helpful nuances of them that one might usually miss.  For example, he shows David’s wisdom in putting Solomon on the throne before his (David’s) death.  There are other such examples which make this book a helpful Bible study tool.

The major weakness of the book has to do with application.  I was disappointed with Ryken’s application methods.  Quite often I thought his application (from Solomon’s day to ours) was weak or forced.  For example, when Adonijah didn’t get to be king he demanded to have a certain woman as his wife (1 Ki 2.13-17).  Ryken’s application was that we’re like that sometimes.  When we don’t get something we want, we demand something from God or just go and take it for ourselves (p.31-2).  Another questionable application section was where Ryken explained that Solomon spent more time building his house than God’s temple.  His application was that we should not be like that, but have our priorities straight and spend more time on God’s kingdom than our own.  One application question summarizes most of them: “Are you able to learn from Solomon’s mistake and apply the lesson to your own life?” (p. 184).  There are quite a few more examples like that. To be honest, most of his application sections completely missed the mark for me.  In my opinion, the book would have been much better without them.

In summary, this book is a good one to have if you want a readable study on the biblical narrative of king Solomon.  It is around 200 pages; most Christians should be able to follow it with ease.  There is even a helpful study guide in the back of the book, along with a Scripture index.  King Solomon will he a helpful tool for studying Solomon’s life and legacy and how it brings us to Jesus, the true King.  Even though I don’t think the application sections are helpful, I do recommend it.

shane lems

shane lems

Naboth’s Vineyard (1 Ki 21) and Methods of Interpretation

Jerome T. Walsh, OT scholar and professor, has done some fine work in the area of OT narrative, language, and structure. While studying the life/ministry of Elijah, I ran across a helpful article by Walsh in the Journal of Biblical Literature 111.2 (1992): 193-211, called “Methods and Meanings: Multiple Studies of 1 Kings 21.” One thing I found helpful in this article is the point that different methods of interpretation need not be opposed to one another. Walsh shows this by approaching 1 Ki 21 from a stylistic, syntagmatic, and paradigmatic analyses (stylistic = surface and general structure of the text; syntagmatic = plot, motif, resolution, etc; paradigmatic = deep structure of the text, including relationships of characters, etc.).

For example, the stylistic aspect of this chapter “demonstrates the symmetrical construction of both parts of the story and the numerous parallels that unite the two parts and balance them against one another. The chiastic arrangement of scenes calls attention to the central subunits of each part, and close reading reveals the way those subunits shape the reading of the entire text. Of particular note is the way these subunits work against the narrative quality of the chapter to elicit the reader’s reflection and judgment” (201-2).

The syntagmatic analysis of this text deals with the flow of the narrative. For example, “Naboth is named more often (seventeen times) than Ahab and Jezebel combined (fourteen times)! Even after Naboth is dead, he is named six times in three verses (vv 14-16); he haunts the story like an unpeacable ghost” (204). In this section, Walsh also notes the ironic eating motif in 1 Ki 21. Ahab goes from wanting a vineyard to a childish fast; Jezebel calls an illegal fast which results Naboth going hungry and Ahab eating once again. Naboth’s blood is unfortunately consumed by dogs. Later on, Elijah rebukes Ahab: dogs will consume/eat you and Jezebel – and your posterity! Again, in a childish way, Ahab fasts and sulks and later he and his wife and descendants are consumed (205).

The paradigmatic analysis has to do with the fundamental nature of the narrative (206). This analysis shows that in some respects Ahab is in control, in some he is not; in some respects Naboth is the enemy, in some he is the hero. In this analysis we are left wondering if Ahab’s *repentance* is “any less self-serving than his earlier petulance” (tantrum) (208). Furthermore, by telling the story we accomplish the “completion” of it. Ahab’s story is complete: he is/will be judged for wickedness. Naboth’s story is not, but by reading the story we note the injustice, that Naboth ought to have kept his vineyard (Ibid.). Naboth is innocent.

If this is somewhat confusing, the elements of Walsh’s article are things we hopefully do as we study any text in Scripture (primarily narratives). We might not label things in such a detailed manner, but we do try to see what’s going on at different “levels” of the text (not levels as in levels of contradictory meaning, but levels as in different approaches to map-making: topography, geography, precipitation, etc.). Walsh is clear: “All three synchronic (my note – reading/studying the text ‘as is’) methods produce a strongly unified reading of the entire chapter” (208). “Though they are compatible, each insight is unique” (211). Finally, “the method itself, therefore, exercises some control over the way a reader construes a text and over the meaning he or she eventually actualizes” (Ibid.).

To sum this all up, first of all the article is a “must read” if you are studying 1 Ki 21 (don’t miss the footnotes!). It offers quite a few insights into the Naboth story that are easy to pass by. It also shows how the three afore-named analyses are “done” and how they are helpful when “done” rightly. Finally, the article doesn’t tear the text into shreds which the reader must scotch-tape back into place.

Be sure to check out other materials written by Walsh: he’s contributed to the Berith Olam series, and has a few helpful books published by Liturgical Press.

shane lems

sunnyside wa

Elijah: “The Prophetic Hinge”

Ronald B. Allen wrote a nice article (“Elijah the Broken Prophet” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 22.3 [1979], 193-202) on Elijah’s life and ministry. Though I do not fully agree with each point Allen makes, the essay is helpful. I’ll put the best part of the essay here:

“…It is not just in miraculous displays that Elijah points forward to Jesus. It is pre-eminently in the fact that ‘Elijah the second Moses’ is still not the Prophet greater than Moses…; he is rather the hinge-figure that keeps that hope alive. Just as Moses with manna, and Jesus with the multitudes hungry on the shore of Galilee, so Elijah is connected with miraculous provisions of food…. Further, he portends the resurrection miracles of our Lord when he is used of Yahweh to bring back to life the dead son of his benefactress…, whereas, she, in turn, is the Syrophonecian believer in the OT…. Elijah’s role in the rain controversy is also recalled in the many instances of Jesus’ control over weather phenomena: Baal is still a fake!”

“Finally, may we not see in Elijah’s despair in the wilderness something similar to Jesus’ ordeal in Gethsemane? In both cases there was a time of tumultuous decision-making in determining to drink the cup of the Father’s will. Though a broken prophet, Elijah does not remain broken. His ministry continued in the record of the book of Kings. His name became a messianic designation…. And he – with Moses – talked with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration – fades before him, so that the three disciples on looking again ‘saw no one except Jesus himself alone.’”

Here’s how Allen closes the essay: “…Elijah was seen in in a heilsgeschichtliche continuity to be the prophetic hinge between Moses and Jesus. He is a second Moses who still ranks lower than the great prophet Messiah.”

I like that term “prophetic hinge.” While Allen didn’t go too far into it, there are so many parallels between Moses/Israel and Elijah. I’ve counted around 10; there are no doubt more, which in turn again brings us to the Messiah.

shane lems

sunnyside wa