If we read the entirety of chapter 15 of the Book of Genesis, we see that the theme of the chapter is a covenant God made with Abram. A side note: at this point in the narrative, his name is Abram; it is in chapter 17, when he receives the Covenant of Circumcision, that his name is changed by God to Abraham. The addition of the “ha” makes the name translate to “father of a host of nations” (footnote to Gn 17:5). The name change also indicates that Abraham is now a new man, in a covenantal relationship with God.
A covenant was very important in ancient times and was understood as an agreement between two parties, usually between a greater and a lesser king. The greater king could take control of the lesser king’s realm by simply marching in and slaughtering the lesser king and his army and destroying property. But it was much more expedient to leave the lesser king on his throne and require him to pay taxes to the greater king. In turn, the greater king would protect the lesser king and his land against other invaders and keep the lesser king and his heirs secure on their throne. Both parties had responsibilities to the covenant, and both received benefits from it as well. It was what we might today call a “win, win situation.”
A covenant agreement would have many parts, but it usually begins with a statement that the greater king had already done for the lesser king. It would then detail the responsibilities of each party and, specifically, what the lesser king was required to do and what he was forbidden from doing. If you take a few minutes to read the Ten Commandments in chapter 20 of the Book of Exodus, you will see how those Commandments are structured as a covenant between a greater entity and a lesser:
- I, the Lord, am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
- You shall not carve idols.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
- Etc., etc.
- I will inflict punishment on those who hate me.
The covenant God made with Abram in our first reading this week was that Abram’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Notice how God began this covenant by reminding Abram of what God had already done for him: “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” Abram, of course, questioned God because he was an old man and as yet childless; how can this be? But, in the end, Abram believed God, and it was credited to him as an act of righteousness.
Not only was a covenant a binding agreement, but it was a solemn one as well, as we see depicted in our first reading this week in a strange ceremony. Several animals are slaughtered and cut in half, and the halves are laid opposite each other. Then, fire and smoke (representing God) pass between the animal halves while God repeats his covenantal promise to Abram: “To your descendants I will give this land.” Although the text doesn’t specifically tell us so, Abram would also have passed between the animal halves as covenants were sealed by both parties passing between the animals, signifying: “If I do not abide by the terms of this covenant, may I become like these animals.”
If we read this entire chapter of Genesis, we would see that God also promised Abram that the multitude of descendants that he was to father would be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years (think of their slavery in Egypt); but that God would eventually deliver those descendants from that oppression by means of an Exodus from the land of slavery to the Promised Land. The theme of our first reading and the golden thread that will bind it to our gospel is that there is a covenant between God and Abram that will involve a multitude of offspring requiring an Exodus from slavery to freedom. Abraham’s faith in God was credited to him as an act of righteousness and was rewarded by a promise of offspring that would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. We are that offspring if we share the faith of Abraham. As that offspring, we also share in that Exodus from slavery to sin to the freedom of the Promised Land.
Our gospel passages this week is the “Transfiguration of Jesus,” according to Luke. In this passage, Jesus leads the disciples “up the mountain to pray.” On that mountain, Jesus is transfigured before the disciples to indicate the glory he was to receive through his Passion, but also to overcome the shock of the shameful death he was to suffer in Jerusalem as a common criminal that would shake the faith of the disciples. And in that state of Transfiguration Jesus is met by Moses and Elijah who represent the Old Testament law and the prophets. In the Book of Exodus, the law was given to Moses on a mountain; it is significant here that the Transfiguration takes place on a mountain where the law and the prophets were encountered. It is also significant that the voice of God came from the cloud announcing: “This is my chosen Son; listen to him,” indicating that the law and the prophets have now been replaced by the new covenant that Jesus was to initiate through the Exodus that he would accomplish in Jerusalem. We are now commanded to listen to Jesus as we no longer need prophets speaking on behalf of God because we have now heard directly from God through his Son. And the Son has revealed everything to us that we need to know to make our Exodus from this world to the Promised Land. Once again, we have a covenant, sealed in the blood of Christ rather than in the blood of animals, and this covenant will involve an Exodus from slavery to sin to freedom for those who believe God’s promise and to those who believe, it is credited to them as an act of righteousness.
In our second reading, St. Paul reminds us of what Christ has accomplished for us through his Exodus and exhorts us to stand firm in the new covenant he has initiated in his blood. As we are also to participate in Christ’s Exodus, St. Paul reminds us that “Our citizenship is in heaven”, and if we remain firm in our faith we can expect to participate in our own Exodus from slavery to freedom in the Promised Land.
Reference: ˙©LPi
