“Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit”
—Deuteronomy 29:18b
At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.”
—Joshua 8:30-31a
When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.
—1 Kings 6:7
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”
—Matthew 9:27
“The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”
—Luke 11:31
The statement of Jesus that “something greater than Solomon is here” must be one of the greatest understatements of all times. Despite Solomon's "greatness" as the world sees it, his reign became an enormous downturn for Israel as a nation. The gospels repeatedly refer to Jesus as “son of David” but never as “son of Solomon”.
The Law of Moses had included commands to guide the conduct of Israel's kings, who were commanded not to “acquire many horses”, not to buy horses from Egypt, not to acquire many wives, and not to acquire excessive wealth. And we can see Solomon systematically disobeying every one of these. The familiar account of Solomon's foreign wives and concubines connects to his heart turning away from the Lord. But perhaps we can understand that as the fruit of something planted earlier.
The king was to “write for himself...a copy of this law...and he shall read...that he may learn”.
When Joshua built the altar on Mount Ebal, he made it of uncut stones, as both Exodus and Deuteronomy stated. However we may understand the intent behind that command, it clearly states not to profane the stones themselves with iron tools. But the stones for the temple that Solomon built were cut and dressed at the quarry. The outward appearance of the command was observed at the temple building site, but its meaning was ignored.
Centuries later, Jesus taught against an approach to the Law of Moses that was all about preserving appearances while ignoring intent and “the weightier matters”. It seems that legalism and performance for the sake of appearances are the fruit of roots that run very deep.
Roots
Your decrees are very trustworthy;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore.
—Psalm 93:5
“Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit”
—Deuteronomy 29:18b
At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.”
—Joshua 8:30-31a
When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.
—1 Kings 6:7
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”
—Matthew 9:27
“The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”
—Luke 11:31
The statement of Jesus that “something greater than Solomon is here” must be one of the greatest understatements of all times. Despite Solomon's "greatness" as the world sees it, his reign became an enormous downturn for Israel as a nation. The gospels repeatedly refer to Jesus as “son of David” but never as “son of Solomon”.
The Law of Moses had included commands to guide the conduct of Israel's kings, who were commanded not to “acquire many horses”, not to buy horses from Egypt, not to acquire many wives, and not to acquire excessive wealth. And we can see Solomon systematically disobeying every one of these. The familiar account of Solomon's foreign wives and concubines connects to his heart turning away from the Lord. But perhaps we can understand that as the fruit of something planted earlier.
The king was to “write for himself...a copy of this law...and he shall read...that he may learn”.
When Joshua built the altar on Mount Ebal, he made it of uncut stones, as both Exodus and Deuteronomy stated. However we may understand the intent behind that command, it clearly states not to profane the stones themselves with iron tools. But the stones for the temple that Solomon built were cut and dressed at the quarry. The outward appearance of the command was observed at the temple building site, but its meaning was ignored.
Centuries later, Jesus taught against an approach to the Law of Moses that was all about preserving appearances while ignoring intent and “the weightier matters”. It seems that legalism and performance for the sake of appearances are the fruit of roots that run very deep.
Have mercy on us, Son of David!