Tribute in Isaiah 33:18

The Significance of Tribute in Isaiah 33:18
Abs Borja, SVD

Introduction
Isaiah 33, Sweeney says, presupposes the overthrow of the unnamed oppressor prior to the institution of Yahweh’s kingship. Although it begins with the concern for the overthrow of the unnamed oppressor it ultimately focuses on the institution of Yahweh’s kingship as its primary concern. This chapter consists of six sub-units finding its peak in vv.17-24 describing Yahweh’s kingship over secured Jerusalem and the cessation of the oppressor.[1]
Isaiah 33:18 focuses on the thing once dreaded in the past, the foreign dominations, and the three symbolic questions expressing the economic burden of foreign occupation and vassal status.[2] This paper aims to present, as the title says, “The Significance of Tribute in Isaiah 33:18.”

Historical Background[3]
Isaiah began to prophesy in the year king Uzziah died (Is 6). It continued to the reigns of Jotham (742-732 BCE) and Ahaz (732-715). His career as a prophet lasted until the invasion of Judah and the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, under the reign of Hezekiah in 701 BCE. This section presents an overview of the Assyrian resurgence and the Sennacherib invasion.

The Resurgence of Assyria
After the death of Jeroboam, Israel suffered much at the resurgence of Assyria. Assyria conquered the lands beyond Euphrates because of their rich natural resources and because they were the gateway to Egypt, to southern Asia Minor, and to the commerce of Mediterranean. Assyria began to march, to conquer, to occupy, and to rule.
In 743 BCE, Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727) continued to expand and he was on his way to subjugate the west especially Syria. This was opposed by the coalition headed by Uzziah (Azariah) of Judah that led to encounter taking place in northern Syria. But the Assyrian advance could not be stopped. By 738 BCE, Tiglath-Pileser III had taken tribute from most of the states of Syria, northern Philistine, Hamath, Tyre, Babylon, Damascus, and Israel. Aside from gathering tribute and punishing rebellion with brutal retaliation, Tiglath-Pileser III deported the offenders and made their lands as provinces of the empire.
When Tiglath-Pileser III advanced to the west, Menahem (745-737) gave him tribute (2 Kgs 15:19). The heavy tribute was raised by means of a levied tax on every landholder in Israel. With that demand, it appears that Menahem surrendered his country’s independence hoping that Assyria would support him in his throne.
When Pekahiah succeeded Menahem, the former was assassinated by Pekah who then took over the throne. Pekah (737-732), along with Rezin, king of Damascus, formed a coalition against Assyria. The confederate desired Judah to join them but Jotham refused to join the alliance. Eventually, Jotham died and he was succeeded by his son Ahaz. Pekah and Rezin feared that Ahaz might be pressured by the Assyrians to attack the coalition from the rear so they took steps to wipe out Judah in the line. Pekah and Rezin, together with Edomites and Philistines, invaded Judah to depose Ahaz in his throne and put ben Tabeel in his place.
Ahaz was helpless and his throne was endangered so he appealed to he aid of Tiglath-Pileser III. Isaiah confronted Ahaz and warned him of the consequences and begged him to trust Yahweh whom Judah was covenanted alone. Ahaz did not heed the prophet, instead, he sent enormous gifts to Tiglath-Pileser III and asked for assistance. Judah became a vassal of the Assyrian empire and Assyria installed their idols in Yahweh’s temple in Jerusalem. This symbolizes that Ahaz trusted more the Assyrian pride and might than the God of Israel, Yahweh. It came to a point that Assyria demanded a heavy tribute that obliged Ahaz to wmpty his treasury and strip the temple to meet the demands.
Isaiah was disappointed at the lack of faith and trust in the heart of Ahaz to Yahweh. He commanded his disciples to write and seal up his words so that the future generation may realize that what he has spoken was exact. Isaiah departed from public life and returned at the reign of Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son and successor, at the Sennacherib invasion.

The Sennacherib Invasion
Throughout the reign of Ahaz, Judah remained a vassal state to Assyria. When Hezekiah became the king of Judah, he reversed is father’s policy cautiously. He eradicated the rituals and removed the Assyrian elements that his father had accepted into the Jerusalem temple. Hezekiah gave much emphasis to the centrality and worship of Yahweh. He sought for independence from Assyria and reasserted the reunion of southern and northern Israel under the Davidic throne.
Hezekiah became serious and determined of his anti-Assyrian policy after the death of the Assyrian king, Sargon II (721-705). Hezekiah took this opportunity to get free from Assyria while the throne is vacant between the death of Sargon II and the accession of Sennacherib. Isaiah said it was a prideful attempt at power politics and again he told that Hezekiah should put all his trust in Yahweh and remain loyal to the covenant with Israel. But Hezekiah did to listen to Isaiah.


Census and Tribute
Blenkinsopp said that “taking census was essential for tax collection or paying tribute.”[4] Let us elaborate further the purpose of census and the significance of tribute in this section.

The Purpose of Census[5]

According to Fales, census in our understanding today is an official enumeration of inhabitants with details as to age, sex, pursuits, etc. does not fit in the culture and societies in the Ancient near East (ANE). He supports this idea by citing and enumerating ANE works. The clay tablets of Mesopotamia (3d to the 1st Millennium BCE) and distant regions consisting the lists and counts from various cities and territorial entities without the overall size of the population in the place; the texts of Ebla (Syria, 24th cent BC) listing food provisions; the archives of Alalakh and the Ugarit in Syria (15th – 14th cent BC) present the registration of males essentially for military contingents; and the legal documents of Sippar (1900-1600 BC) showing the internal organization of the city. These contain census’ lists and it is assumed that this practice was done in the ANE during the Bronze Age.
The perception was altered when Assyria and then Babylonia involved in the construction of the universal empire. Assyrian kings marked the number of conquered and deported population to emphasize imperial might. This is usually referred to the overall count of population including men, women, ad children which is similar to actual census evaluation. For example, Shalmenaser III (858-824) was considering the total number of deportees and Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727 BC) giving the sum of captives from North Palestine alone. The Assyrian Doomsday Book in columns ad sections presents a list of people in family grouping (according to age and sex) and measurements of land parcels including the commodities tied to it. Fales stated that they pertain to the actual census of population in the modern sense of the word. It would seem, Fales concluded, that the interest for lists of people and land in ANE is derived from a specific policy carried out by Assyrian kingship.

The Significance of Tribute
Fleming said that the Assyrian records show how Israel and Judah paid tribute to the Assyrian empire (Menahem to Tiglath-Pileser III; Hezekiah to Sennacherib; Jehu to Shelmaneser, etc.). Payments to the empire eventually increased. These included taxes on agricultural produce, animals, and other materials along with personal service to the states. This might also include military service or forced labor for public payment. This could be avoided by paying and supplying replacement.[6]
Snell maintained that taxes are revenues given to the government in money, in king, or in labor. He mentioned about the traces in the Bible connected to taxation – David asked the society to pay for his adventures in new ways but its leaders disagree (2 Sam 24); Menahem exacted money from the wealthy men of Israel and fifty shekels from every men to give to the king of Assyria (2 Kgs 15:20), and it may also imply a force taxation for the temple (2 Kgs 12:5). Another aspect of taxation, Snell added, was forced labor in Israel, e.g. forcing the people to work for a period o government projects as a way of Egyptian life (Exod 1:11); the Israelites imposed force labor on the subdued population (Josh 16:10).[7]
Snell concluded that Mesopotamia and Assyrian taxations resemble with Israelite taxation. The state required agricultural products and commodities and possibly of herds. It is also collected taxes on goods transported by merchants and imposed force labor to some citizens for the state.[8]

Conclusion
Isaiah 33:18 brought us to the horrible experiences of Judah. It shows Judah’s hunger and greed for power and confidence in human efforts. Isaiah condemned this attitude of relying on human efforts and most significantly that Judah failed to trust in Yahweh whom she was covenanted. But Yahweh remained faithful to Judah. Yahweh is coming to secure Jerusalem from foreign oppressors as Yahweh shows his might and power (Is 33:17-24). Yahweh will cast down the mighty from their thrones and he will lift up the lowly (lk.1:52).
Isaiah’s command to Ahaz and Hezekiah to have a firm trust in Yahweh and continue to be loyal to Yahweh’s suzerain echoes the same message for us today. Isaiah is telling us, “in return you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength (Is 30:15).

_____________

[1] Marvin Sweeney, Isaiah 1-39, The Forms of the Old Testament Literature, vol. 16 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William Eerdsman Publishing Company), p. 422.
[2] Joseph Blenkinsopp, Isaiah 1-39, The Anchor Bible, vol.19 (New York: Doubleday, 2000), p. 446.
[3] The discussions in this section are taken from John Bright, A History of Israel, 3d ed. (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1981), pp. 269-284 and Anthony Ceresko, Introduction to the Old Testament: A Liberation Perspective, revised and updated edition (Quezon City: Claretian Publications, 2001), pp.209-220.
[4] Blenkinsopp, p. 446.
[5] Frederick Mario Fales, “Census” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman, vol.1 (New York: Doubleday), p. 882-3.
[6] Daniel E. Fleming, “Tribute and Taxation” in The oxford Companion to the Bible, ed. Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), p. 781.
[7] Daniel C. Snell, “taxes and taxation” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman, vol. 6 (New York: Doubleday), p. 338-340.
[8] Ibid.

Jesus' Bones Found?

Jesus’ Bones Found?
06 March 2007

Introduction
After the “Da Vinci Code” here comes “The Lost Tomb of Jesus” – a documentary film denying Jesus’ bodily resurrection. Recently, two articles about this arising controversy were published –“Documentary shows Possible Tomb of Jesus and Family” in the Philippine Star and “No Reason to Rewrite Christianity” in the Philippine Sunday Inquirer. The latter is a response to the reports of the former. In this regard, this paper aims to presents the claims of the proponents of the “lost tomb-theory” and the arguments of the scholars who said that the proofs of the documentary are weak. Discussions presented in this paper are taken and quoted from the said articles. This endeavor ends with a short reflection.

Evidences
The article, “Documentary shows Possible Tomb of Jesus and Family,” of the Philippine Star, February 28, 2007 issue, featured a documentary film entitled, “The Lost Tomb of Jesus.” The film was directed by Simcha Jacobovici (a New Testament scholar and Emmy-award winning documentarian) and produced by James Cameron (Oscar-wimming director). The film tries to prove that Jesus’ body did not resurrect and also the possibility that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and they begot a son named Judah . The film, Cameron said, shows the tangible, physical, and archeological data of Jesus’ existence. What were / are their (Jacobovici / Cameron) evidences?
Cameron argued that ten small caskets (ossuaries) were discovered in 1980 in Talpiot, a neighborhood Southeast of Jerusalem. Two of the boxes may have contained the bones of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. One box bears the inscription “Judah, son of Jesus”, which according to the film, Jesus may have had a son. Jacovobici added that DNA evidences can be collected from the boxes. The DNA analysis has so far proved that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were not siblings and there is a speculation that they could have been husband and wife. James Tabor, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte , played with the idea that resurrection can also be interpreted as a spiritual resurrection than the bible’s literal interpretation of Jesus’ physical body rising from the dead. These claims, according to the article, were ridiculed by some scholars.
Let us look and deal with some reasons why some scholars derided the claim of the documentary film “The Lost Tomb of Jesus.” Let us start with Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who stated that Christianity has always understood the physical resurrection of Christ to be at the very center of the faith. The archeologist Amos Kloner who noticed that the site, Talpiot, identified in the documentary is in Southern Jerusalem neighborhood which is contrary to the Christian belief that Jesus’ body spent for three days was at the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem ’s Old City . Kloner concluded that the documentary failed to hold up by archeological standard.
Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem , asserted that the film’s hypothesis holds little weight. He added that skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that many people hold dear. Randy Flores, SVD, a professor of Old Testament and Hebrew language at the Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay City, wrote an article in the Philippine Sunday Inquirer, March 4, 2007 issue, entitled, “No reason to rewrite Christianity” in response to the Philippine Star article. Flores pointed five loop holes on the claims of the documentary.
First, Flores says, the title “Jesus, son of Joseph,” which according to the documentary film inscribed in one of the stone boxes, was never a title used by the early followers of Jesus. It was used latter by the outsiders (see Luke 3:23, John 1:45, and John 6:42). It is difficult to understand why such a rare title was engraved on Jesus’ ossuary. Second, it was next to impossible to transfer the body of Jesus considering the biblical account of his burial: Matthew 27:60-66 asserts that the tomb was covered with a large stone rolled on it, was sealed, and it was guarded. Mark 16:2 and Matthew 28:1 state that the women discovered the empty tomb in the first hour of the Sabbath. Moving the body on a Sabbath is a serious violation of the Sabbath prescription.
Third, the Roman emperor issued an edict (Caesar’s edict) sometime during 50 BC to 50 AD, that sepulchers and graves should remain unmolested in perpetuity. The violators will seriously be punished. Fourth, the Church historian Eusebius, in 4th cent AD, wrote that the tomb of James (martyred around 62 AD), the brother of Jesus became a pilgrimage spot for the many Christians. If this was part of the family tomb of Jesus in Talpiot, Christian pilgrims would not have gone there since that would contradict their belief in a Risen Jesus. Eusebius’ description of the tomb of James appeared to be a singular tomb. Why was he not buried in the family tomb of Jesus?
Lastly, Flores asked, what is the significance of Talpiot as Jesus’ and his family’s final resting place? Jesus comes from Nazareth and most probably, some members of his close family (like Mary) were still alive at the time of his death. His followers could have buried Jesus in Jerusalem or somewhere in Jesus’ adopted hometown, Galilee in Capernaum . Flores ended his article saying that the documentary, “The Lost tomb of Jesus,” does not have compelling evidence to rewrite Christianity.

Conclusion
As the pilgrim Church continues expanding her mission and witnessing to the Word, she is all the more confronted with issues. Among the many is the claim that Jesus’ bones were found which totally contradicts a central Christian doctrine – Jesus’ resurrection (both body and spirit). The arising controversy might be a threat to the faith of the believers. How I wish that those who will watch the documentary film will be critical and attempt also to question the authenticity of its claims and evidences. How does this controversy affect our goal for repentance and renewal of life through prayer, almsgiving, and fasting in this season of Lent? Peter warns us, “be sober and vigilant. Your opponent, the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” He stressed, “Resist him, steadfast in faith (1 Peter 5:8-9).”

Sources: Philippine Sunday Inquirer ( Philippines ), 04 March 2007;
The Philippine Star ( Philippines ), 28 February 2007.

Om Shanti!

OmShanti!
-abs borja, svd-
march 2006

Are you thirsty? Come! Let us fetch water from the well! When was the last time you’ve been there? Do you visit the well frequently? You know, I spend ample time in and by the well once in a while, not always, because I am caught up with my own agenda and activities, doing necessary things that I want to accomplish.
When I am thirsty, I tend to substitute any kind of soft drink for water especially when the tempting green-bottled sprite is available in the store. At times I go for the sweet black coca-cola; sometimes I prefer royal true-orange or simply C2. These drinks are attractive especially when they are cold, right? They come in varied colors and in elegant containers. They are tasty and delicious. But these are carbonated, substantiated with preservatives and chemicals. They are labeled with expiration dates! How about water, what can you say about it? Hmmm…is it tasteless, colorless, and to some extent unattractive? Somehow you are right. But water is not carbonated nor sustained by any kind of preservative. It has no expiration date! It remains fresh all the time. It is perfectly alive!
Everyday we feel thirsty. Not necessarily for water but something that prevails upon society. Some of us are thirsty for power and material wealth. Some thirst for fame, achievements, etc. Why? Because these satisfy the desires of the flesh and these can raise us above other people. Fame and power last only for some time; material wealth can be stolen, eaten by rust, and consumed by fire; achievements can easily be forgotten by people. These are like soft drinks. They are temporal and spatial, they won’t last long – they are corruptible.
On the other hand, some of us are passionate to search for water, something that is natural and alive, and something that gives life. We may consider these as the virtues of life – humility, patience, trust, kindness, compassion, hope, love, peace, etc. These virtues can never be stolen, nor consumed by fire nor eaten by rust. They are incorruptible! They are always remembered by people who share love, continue to hope, aim for peace, etc. These are God’s blessings that no man can destroy. That is why we are always confronted with an option whether to quench our thirst with soft drinks sold in the stores or the living water we have to fetch from the well. The choice depends on us.

“To fetch water from the well” is to exert conscious effort foregoing the activities that provide pleasure, and making ourselves free despite our busy day to visit the source of the living water, the magnificent well – God. Isn’t it that when we make ourselves present before the Lord that we feel relaxed, we feel good, restful, and most of al, we find peace in our hearts and minds? Isn’t it that the time we remain quite and still and detach ourselves from the things that make our lives complicated, we reach a certain degree of calmness and we feel peaceful? That’s it – we are on our way back to the “forgotten self, the peaceful soul – the Om Shanti” as the Brahma Kumaris would name it.

The “forgotten self” is the original, the good, the authentic “person” in us that was concealed by our personal interests, locked by our mundane attachments and desires. An effective means to uncover the concealed self is to sit, unload the baggages that burden us. As much as we can, we try to listen to the voice within, what it is telling and where it is calling us. And most of all, to spare and o waste time with God – the magnificent well, who is the source of the living water. We do not just fetch water, but we must drink and allow it to flow inside us. Aaahhh…refreshing! Our thirst is quenched. We are revitalized and we feel renewed – a “new person”, with new energy and life! We experience the peace that springs from within us, and now we have to courage to say,
OmShanti! – I am a peaceful soul. This peaceful soul contains all the positive energies that transmit goodness to others, to share peace to every person in the society whatever be his faith, culture, religion, race, and face would be.

The magnificent well is always inviting and waiting for us to fetch the living water. How wonderful would our lives be if we can always say, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God (Psalm 42:2).” Can we?

Imprisoned Hermit

Abs Borja, “The Imprisoned Hermit,” Ugnay
vol. XI, no. 1 (May-December 2004): 19.

The Imprisoned Hermit
Frt. Abs Borja, SVD

When I was told by the editor to write about eremitical life, I suddenly remember an old, unpleasant, bearded man with along white hair, dressed in a filthy robe, holding a staff, and living alone at the hub of the jungle. That was a figment of my childhood imagination of an “ermitanyo (hermit).” I was deeply fascinated about it, yet, I found it a boring lifestyle.
Back to my sanity. After several days of scribbling my thoughts and losing my patience with this fickle mind, I approached the editor telling him that I am hard up writing this article. I was planning to withdraw from writing this literary composition, but if I do so, I’ll be missing the opportunity to impart my own story, my experience, and my reflections and the rare moment to be with you in an exciting adventure – to meet the hermit in the jungle. We have some rules to observe carefully. First, remove the unnecessary baggage that might cause a burden to the flight, and second, avoid creating any noise that will disturb the hermit. Are you ready? Okay, take a deep breathe then we go. A second, two minutes, sixteen days, twenty months…after twenty-one years, eureka! There he is my own little hermit. Mostly the unheard part of my person; crying, longing for eternal freedom and solitude.
My hermit is not in the jungle. I found him imprisoned inside the walls of my various desires; in fenced by my mundane attachments; bound by the barbwires of my retained worldly pleasures and shackled in the chains of my insatiability. Now, I discovered him. It is my pleasure to heed his desires to see the true light and the brightness of God’s glory; to smell the fragrance of God’s paradise; to hear the sound of silence; to taste the sweetness of solitude; and to feel the warmth of God’s loving presence.
Settling in a hermitage house in the novitiate’s holy grounds ushered me to breach some barriers. It widened my horizons and escorted me to uncover the small world of silence in this big tough world of noise. This world of silence offers excellent time to unwind, relax, and detach myself from the bustle of routinely activities. It is a friendly place to savor the sweet and settle the bad memories of the past and appreciating their contributions in building who I am. Most of all, it is a conducive place to waste time with the Lord.
I lulled the awakened hermit into sleep when I am so busy ad very much concerned with so many things. But in silence, I wake him up from sleep – a young sweet child wearing a shimmering robe of truth, holding a rod of hope, dwelling in the nucleus of peace and love. This hermit is a precious gift designed to bridge between God and me.
How about you? Have you found your own hermit? The secret is to pause for some moments of silence and allow your hermit to come out of the prison. Give adequate time for your hermit to wonder and to live in freedom.

Youth...Hope of the Church

Abs Borja, “Youth …Hope of the Church!,” Yeastako
vol.3, no.2 (April-June 2006): 3.

Youth…Hope of the Church!
-Frt. Abs Borja, SVD-

They came! I saw in their faces the smiles of excitement. All were carrying their back packs. Some carried firewood. Others carried kitchen utensils. Two or three of them carried their tuldas. Of course, rice, canned goods, and vegetables completed the expedition. The gentle boys put up the tents and the lovely ladies cooked delicious foods and prepared their viands. Some were still coming! They grew in number! At last, they completed the menu! Wow! It was the very first time in Aguinaldo that all gimongs (communities) were well represented. That was great! Who were these people? They are the youth who came to participate and to worship Christ in the Parish Youth Camp.
As I lie looked through my tent’s opening, my eyes gazed heavenward at the dark blue sky. I remembered the days when we prepared ourselves for the Vicariate Youth Camp; the day when we built our tent; the little sharings we had; the talks we attended; the camaraderie we cherished; the joy of meeting friends and making acquaintances with the youth of Bon-Lag Vicariate. We were just ordinary participants then, but now, we are at the helm, to re-echo the VYC. The success of the PYC underscored the vision, the mission, and the strong support of Fr. Teody Saluba, SVD to the youth, together with the active youth leaders from the different gimongs who courageously and willfully took the risks to re-echo the VYC.
Other thoughts were also playing in my mind. I realized that the next day would be my call back to the seminary. Summer camp was wrapping up. I felt a bit sad that I would be leaving the people I had learned to love; that I would be leaving the places where I experienced the simplicity and the beauty of life, the places where I had lots of realizations and memories. But that is life! It is a continuing journey. It is not stagnant. There are chapters that I have to close to open new chapters. What else can I do but to make those experiences my inspiration and continue to move on in my journey!
But wait. Let me tell you who my companions were along the journey. Can you guess? Definitely, they were the faithful people, but to be more specific, they were the youth. The youth who sang with so much life during the mass; the youth who walked with me to the barrios; the youth with whom I shared jokes and laughter; the youth who supported the parish willingly and untiringly; the youth who became my inspiration in preparing and giving myself for the parish youth camp; the youth in whom I saw the face of Christ through their simple actions, deeds, and cheerful words.
If others say “ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”, let me say, “ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng simbahan”. If the youth of today will go astray, who will build the Church tomorrow? If they are trained today, then, they will be the leaders tomorrow. How I wish that the youth who were so energetic, excited, and participated well during the youth camp, will feel the same in sharing to others what they had learned; experienced, and realized. A life that is not shared is dead but a life that is shared is alive. We are the youth of the nation, the hope of the Church! Let us not just think of ourselves but rather look around us. Let us build a fraternity of young people and make service as an everyday gimmick! In doing this, we may not see it but I believe that God who sees us from above smiles!