Joshua (Interpretation | INT)

Top Highlights

“Therefore, the words ‘be strong and courageous’ are not really a call to be vigorous in waging war. Rather, they are primarily an injunction to trust and depend upon the Lord (Pss. 27:14; 31:24). The Israelites’ reception of the land does not depend on human strength and courage; rather, the command to ‘be strong and courageous’ calls for a particular response to God, who has already chosen to capture Canaan and to open it to the Israelites.” (Page 24)

“The key to the meaning is in the parallel statement, ‘you shall meditate on it day and night.’ The expression ‘you shall meditate’ denotes something akin to mumbling or speaking under the breath. Thus, it reflects the practice of reading aloud, which was common in the biblical world even when reading alone (Acts 8:30). Joshua’s’ is not casual (or quiet) reflection but active reading and study.” (Page 27)

“The crossing of the Jordan is remembered as one of the key events in Israel’s history. Just as the Red Sea miracle changed Israel’s status from slave to free, so Joshua 3:1–5:1 says the trek through the Jordan transformed Israel from a wandering band to a landed people, a nation.” (Pages 43–44)

“The commands are somewhat lost, however, amidst six promises of the Lord’s action: ‘I have given,’ ‘as I promised,’ ‘shall be your territory,’ ‘no one shall be able to stand against you,’ ‘I will be with you,’ ‘I will not fail or forsake you.’ Such divine pledges highlight the power of God and render human action rather superfluous.” (Page 23)

“James Gustafson has said that the church is shaped by a ‘common memory.’ This memory includes ‘knowledge about the past,’ but membership in the faith also requires ‘personal identification with the meaning of the past events’ (Treasure in Earthen Vessels, pp. 71–72). Or, as Allen Verhey puts it, ‘Without remembering, there is no identity. In amnesia one loses one’s identity. And without common remembering, there is no community’” (Page 54)