ISAIAH 1: 18
The title of my homily for this 2nd Tuesday in Lent is, “Isaiah 1:18.”
Every once and a while someone asks us what our favorite Bible text is. If you don’t have one and you’re looking for candidates, Isaiah 1:18 is a good horse to put in the race.
IT BEGINS
Isaiah 1: 18 begins with a great line. “Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord.” That’s the New American Bible [NAB] translation and Mitzi read it so well this morning. I prefer the New Revised Standard Version [NRSV] translation: “Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord” or the New International Version [NIV] translation: “’Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord.”
Scholars say this text has the settling of an argument in a court of law type language.
And what are we to settle with God or argue about with God or set things right with God?
It’s our sins – our stains – the bad stuff in our story – and if I’ve heard anything from people about what they worry about, it’s their past – their past mistakes, their sins, and how they think they stained their lives.
Scholars say this text has the settling of an argument in a court of law type language.
And what are we to settle with God or argue about with God or set things right with God?
It’s our sins – our stains – the bad stuff in our story – and if I’ve heard anything from people about what they worry about, it’s their past – their past mistakes, their sins, and how they think they stained their lives.
Scars, tatoos and sin last.
BLEACH
Next comes what makes this text, Isaiah 1:18, a favorite and a memorable text for so many people.
God wants to settle the matter with people - to forgive us, even if our sins are scarlet red. God will bleach them out – help them disappear them – forgive them – so that our souls can become as white as snow.
Isn’t that a great message? Isn’t that a great text.
A BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR THE TEXT
I read in a commentary on today's text that the red used for dye was a very rich red dye. It was taken from the dried female body of a worm called the “coccus ilicis”. Isn’t that interesting? Who and when did someone figure that out? The "coccus ilicis" is found on the leaves of oak trees in Spain and various other places. To come up with a rich red garment, the cotton cloth was double dipped, double dyed – a process unique to this color.
So this red color in cloth was more than spaghetti source on a white blouse or shirt – that those Tide sticks can remove.
Next there was an interesting Jewish practice using wool threads. I found this last night when I was going through some Jewish Midrash and Rabbinical comments on this first reading from Isaiah. (1)
To get at the issue of sin – in the community – a leader of the temple would take a woolen thread that was solid red crimson. It would be tied to the Porch or vestibule that leads into the Temple hall. People coming into the temple would see this red thread when they came into the temple.
Now if in time it turned white, the people knew that their sins were forgiven. If it stayed red, then the people still felt sinful and separated from God. If that crimson thread still stayed red over time, it would be cut in two. One part would be still tied to the temple wall – but the other part was tied between a goat’s horns. It would be the scapegoat that was lead out into the desert. Two goats were used for a penitential service. One would be killed; the other goat the priest put his hands over and symbolically load it down with the sins of the people before it was sent into the desert. (2)
If that red thread turned white – then hopefully the thread in the Temple Porch would also turn white – bleached by the sun. It they didn’t, the people remained with a feeling of being sinful and stupid.
CONCLUSION
BLEACH
Next comes what makes this text, Isaiah 1:18, a favorite and a memorable text for so many people.
God wants to settle the matter with people - to forgive us, even if our sins are scarlet red. God will bleach them out – help them disappear them – forgive them – so that our souls can become as white as snow.
Isn’t that a great message? Isn’t that a great text.
A BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR THE TEXT
I read in a commentary on today's text that the red used for dye was a very rich red dye. It was taken from the dried female body of a worm called the “coccus ilicis”. Isn’t that interesting? Who and when did someone figure that out? The "coccus ilicis" is found on the leaves of oak trees in Spain and various other places. To come up with a rich red garment, the cotton cloth was double dipped, double dyed – a process unique to this color.
So this red color in cloth was more than spaghetti source on a white blouse or shirt – that those Tide sticks can remove.
Next there was an interesting Jewish practice using wool threads. I found this last night when I was going through some Jewish Midrash and Rabbinical comments on this first reading from Isaiah. (1)
To get at the issue of sin – in the community – a leader of the temple would take a woolen thread that was solid red crimson. It would be tied to the Porch or vestibule that leads into the Temple hall. People coming into the temple would see this red thread when they came into the temple.
Now if in time it turned white, the people knew that their sins were forgiven. If it stayed red, then the people still felt sinful and separated from God. If that crimson thread still stayed red over time, it would be cut in two. One part would be still tied to the temple wall – but the other part was tied between a goat’s horns. It would be the scapegoat that was lead out into the desert. Two goats were used for a penitential service. One would be killed; the other goat the priest put his hands over and symbolically load it down with the sins of the people before it was sent into the desert. (2)
If that red thread turned white – then hopefully the thread in the Temple Porch would also turn white – bleached by the sun. It they didn’t, the people remained with a feeling of being sinful and stupid.
CONCLUSION
For the Christian the scapegoat is Christ driven outside the city and hung on the cross. He is beaten blood red and killed and when we see him on the cross we know He is the Son who bleached our sins white as snow. (3)
NOTES
Painting on top, "The Scapegoat" [1854] by Holman Hunt [1827-1910]. Notice the red thread between the horns.
(1) page 181 in The Book of Legends - Sefer Ha-Aggadah, Legends from The Talmud and Midrash, edited by Hayim Nahman Bialik and Yehoshua Hanna Ravnigzky, Translated by William G. Braude
(2) page 69-70 in Dictionary of the Bible, John L. McKenzie.
(3) Read The Rene Girard Reader, by Rene Girard, edited by James G. Williams, especially pages 11-12; pages 97-141; as well as Violence and the Sacred by Rene Girard.
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