The Book of the Twelve - Christian & Jewish Interpretations

Hey everyone,

So this past Sunday School we found ourselves in the Book of the Twelve, learning through the eyes of a Christian and a Jew.  On behalf of your groups, please post your interpretations in the comment section below and keep the dialogue going!


My group was Richardson, Scott, and me (Jon)  and we went though Hosea and Joel.

Hosea
Christian interpretation
-  Hosea is a Christ-like figure, bride is like the church
-  God brings in Gentiles as well, not just the Jews
-  Pre-exile
-  How God is viewed in Hosea; the relentlessness of God and the stubbornness of Israel; marriage relationship
-  4:6 - perceived lack of knowledge of the Torah
-  fail to be a priest of God because of the lack of knowledge of God's Word
-  lack of knowledge = lack of service because priests serve with knowledge
-  spirit of whoredom - 4:12
-  sin condition in prostitution, immorality? -  how we wrestle with idolatry, selling out and settling for quicker pleasures
-  Ch.5 addresses priests; again service without knowledge
-  importance of spiritual knowledge
-  Christians know they are Christians
-  speech and content that informs our views
-  Do we dishonour the context of Hosea if we interpret something Hosea did not mean or intend to say?
-  Typically spiritualize interpretations because spiritually-descended from Abraham

Jewish Interpretation
-  Care that Ephraim is mentioned
-  1:11 - particularity of names is a direct reference to Abraham
-  Typically Historical-ize interpretation - historical importance/significance
-  Ephraim and Mannaseh (meaning "forgotten?")
-  Ephraim received blessing from Joseph


Joel
Summary - meaning we were not too sure which to put this, Christian or Jewish interpretations
-  warning of locusts
-  foreshadow Day of the Lord
-  judge nations and rescue Israel to former glory
-  plagues to Pharoah
-  God will not only punish the nations but Israel too - 2:18
-  1:14 and 2:14 brought Jonah and the people of Nineveh to mind


Christian interpretation
-  judgement is restoration; Jew and Gentile
-  Day of the Lord - when Christ comes again
-  imagery of Christ's ministry; 1:7 with the fig tree brought up the story of Christ cursing the fig tree (Mark 11)
-  2:28 - pouring out of the Spirit linked with Pentecost in Acts 2

Jewish Interpretation
-  judgement is revenge on the nations - when Christ comes for the first time
-  2:13 connected with Exodus 34:6-7 - but may not be brought to mind, continuing the theme of biblical illiteracy/lack of knowledge of God's Word
-  1:14 - Fast - brought up Esther declaring a fast (Esther 4:16)
-  2:4-5 - Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6
-  Tyre, Sidon, and regions of Philistia - Sabeans? - neighbouring nations around Israel
-  Egypt and Edom; exile and out of exile; something about possibly not being able to pass through Edom was brought up in our discussion (Numbers 20)
-  The Lord and Zion - The Lord dwells in Zion
-  3:18 - hills flowing with milk brought up images of the promised land