Lesson 09 - “Joash: Goes along to get along” - 2
Chronicles 23.1-24.27
ID:
Inductive Questions (Asking the text questions like who, what, where, when,
why, & how?”)
CR:
Cross References (Comparing Scripture to Scripture, understanding the vague by
the clear.)
WS:
Word Study (Understanding definition, theological meaning, and usages in other
passages.)
The
WORD: What does the Bible say?
Context: Read the record of Joash’s life recorded in 2 Corinthians
23-24. (2 Kings 11.17-12.21 also records
a parallel account.)
·
Digging deeper with a word study: (23:1) What does it mean that Jehoiada
“strengthened
(chazaq)
himself”? (Note the Hebrew
hithpael stem and uses
in other
passages)
1.
ID: (23:1-11)
Who were the key conspirators involved in making Joash king? (1
Kings 11.4)
2.
ID: (23:14-21) Were there indications of a genuine change in
the spiritual orientation of Judah? What
were they?
3.
ID: (23.1, 3, and 11) What three covenants were made?
4.
ID: (24:2)
What important caveat was there to the pronouncement that Josiah did
right in the eyes of the Lord?
5.
ID: (24:17-22)
Who did Joash listen to after Jehoiada died? What did he forget?
6.
CR:
(24:21) Why does the narrator specifically note the location of
Zechariah’s murder? (23:14)
7.
CR/ID: (24:23-27)
How did Joash’s life illustrate Proverbs
17:13?
The
WALK: What should I do?
1. As the narrative unfolds we
see what a profound influence those around Joash had on him for good and
bad. Who have your surrounded yourself
with? How dependent is your spiritual
walk on what others think?
2. Are there any lessons for us
from the relationship between Jehoiada and Joash for how we can have a good
influence on others? Are you or have you
been a “Jehoiada” for someone? Have you had a “Jehoiada” in your life?
3. One of Joash’s important
reforms was to restore the temple. Does (should)
our care for the physical buildings our churches meet in have any correlation
with our spiritual zeal today?
4. What do you think of
Zechariah’s response to his murderers in 2 Chronicles 24:22? Do you think that was that a godly response? Why? (Psalm
109; Matthew 26:21-24; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:55-60; Romans 12:14-15; 2 Timothy
4:14; Revelation 6:9-11
Extra
Article
An article in Bibliotheca Sacra by Steven D. Mathewson
Hermeneutical Guidelines
The following hermeneutical guidelines can help exegetes recapture the
"mode of perception that was second nature to the original
audiences."9
4. Focus on the Dialogue Embedded in the Story
Stories often focus on statements made by the characters. Alter speaks
of "the highly subsidiary role of narration in comparison to direct speech
by the characters."41 The story of David and Goliath in 1
Samuel 17 contains more speech than narrative. "The action does not take
very long. As is characteristic of Israel's narrative art, the speeches are of
more interest and importance than the action."42 While speech
dominates, interpreters should expect it to be compressed. "Conversations
in biblical narrative are never precise and naturalistic imitations of
real-life conversations. They are highly concentrated and stylized, are devoid
of idle chatter, and all the details they contain are carefully calculated to
fulfill a clear function."43
Statements made by characters provide insight into their traits. Esau's
blunt request for stew in Genesis 25:30 portrays him as a man controlled by his
cravings. On the other hand Uriah's refusal of King David's offer of a night at
home during a heated battle (2 Sam 11:11) pictures Uriah as a man of honor.
But even more significantly, conversation points to meaning.
"Dialogue is made to carry a large part of the freight of meaning."44
Joseph's statement in Genesis 50:20 summarizes the entire Joseph cycle, as well
as the immediate story in Genesis 49:29–50:26 . Similarly statements by David
in 1 Samuel 17:34–37, 45–47 provide the key to the meaning of his defeat of
Goliath, while Abigail's impassioned speech in 1 Samuel 25:24–31 moves the
reader toward the theme of vengeance belonging to God.
Two more features of speech deserve
attention. First, direct speech set in formal verse often has a summarizing or
ceremonial function, such as Hannah's speech in 1 Samuel 2:1–10 and Adam's
outburst in Genesis 2:23.45 Second, in "contrastive
dialogue" the contrasting speech of two characters accomplishes
"differentiation," that is, a contrast between ideas or concepts.46
As examples Alter cites "Esau's inarticulate outbursts over against
Jacob's calculated legalisms in the selling of the birthright (Gen 25);
Joseph's long-winded statement of morally aghast refusal over against the
two-word sexual bluntness of Potiphar's wife (Gen 39); [and] Saul's choked cry
after David's impassioned speech outside the cave at Ein Gedi (1 Sam 24)."47 (Continue reading this article in
the next lesson or read it all at BiblicalStudies.org.uk)
[9]
Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative,
62. [41] Ibid., 65.
[42]
Walter Brueggemann, First and Second
Samuel (Louisville: Knox, 1990), 133.
[43]
Bar-Efrat, Narrative Art in the Bible,
148.
[44]
Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative,
37.
[45]
Ibid., 28.
[46]
Ibid., 72.
[47]
Ibid.
