Amy PattersonApril 17, 2014Honors Exodus/DeuteronomyCaring for the Marginalized: Deuteronomy 26:1-15God deeply desires to see the marginalized cared for. This statement is supported throughout the Bible in God's commands to see this desire fulfilled. An example of this theme can be seen in Deuteronomy 26:1-15, which discusses the firstfruits and tithes of the Israelites after they entered the promised land – two laws described in Deuteronomy 14:22-29. These firstfruits and tithes provide for the Levites, foreigners, orphans and widows – the lowly in society who cannot provide for themselves. In addition to providing for the needs of the lower class, those presenting the offering were to recognize the deliverance the Lord had accomplished in bringing them out of slavery in Egypt. This is consistent with many other chapters of Deuteronomy, especially chapter eight, which exhorts the Israelites not to forget the miraculous works of the Lord after entering the prosperity-filled land of Canaan. Another theme of Deuteronomy is that members of society must be at peace with one another. One way to do this, Deuteronomy teaches us, is to care for the weak and marginalized. Every member of society is commanded to care for those in need. As we live under the new covenant, it can be easy to circumvent Old Testament laws. However, readers can get a sense of God's great plan of redemption by studying the history of the Israelites. Professor Yarchin pointed out that the greatest error of interpretation occurs when we impose our cultural context on the culture and time period described in Deuteronomy. Thus, today's readers are faced with an extremely complex challenge: how can we learn in the middle of a paper...... meeting under the Egyptians. He still cares about the oppressed, even if they are not the Israelites. After entering the Promised Land, the situation will be reversed. The Israelites will have abundant power and wealth and could become oppressors if they do not continue to humbly submit to Yahweh. However, Yahweh expects the overflow of the Israelites' blessings—harvests and tithes—to bless the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows. The distinction of the pericope, as discussed previously, highlights the strong heart of Yahweh who wants all his people to be taken care of. Yahweh sometimes gives direct blessings, such as crops and financial wealth, and other times uses indirect blessings, such as commanding those who received the direct blessings to share them with others. Readers can also learn about socio-ethical points through this pericope.FavorismEmpathyIntentional Care