Matthew 2:18
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.”
What is all that about?
Well I've been reading a book that explains it.
Firstly Rachel; before I read this I knew very little about Rachel. She doesn't seem very important.
Briefly - Jacob, on the instructions of his father, Isaac, goes to his ancestral homeland to seek a wife. He meets Rachel at a well and falls in love with her (Gen 29) and offers Laban, Rachel's father, to work for 7 years as payment for Rachel to be his wife. At the end of 7 years Laban tricks Isaac into marrying Leah, Rachels' elder sister. He then marries Rachel as well but has to serve Laban another 7 years. During this time Leah conceived 4 sons but Rachel was barren. So Rachel gave Jacob her maid Bilhah as his wife to have children for her, by whom he had 2 sons. Leah was jealous, and by now barren herself, so she gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob and they had two more sons. But then Leah conceived two more sons. Finally God opened Rachel's womb and she bore a son (Joseph of the many coloured coat) for Jacob.
Then Jacob returned home with his wives and the 11 sons.
Later Rachel produced one more son (Benjamin) for Jacob.
Rachel had a painful labour (Gen 35:17) and died giving birth to Benjamin at Ephrath (Gen 35:18-19) which is identified as Bethlehem . Then she was not buried in the family plot at Machpelah, along with Sarah and Rebekah, but near Bethlehem, and Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day (Gen 35:20).
According to the writer when we look outside the Bible to Jewish writings there are three things that stand out:
1. Rachel was a woman of intense suffering.
2. The location of her tomb is Bethlehem.
3. Ancient rabbinic commentaries say that Rachel is not just a matriarch of her people but a most powerful intercessor on behalf of Israel. For example he says that in one tradition, both Abraham and Moses come to God weeping and pleading for Israel after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, but God does not answer their prayers (Lamentations Rabbah 24). It is only when the "matriarch Rachel" intercedes with God on behalf of the sinful people that he responds:
…."for you sake, Rachel I will restore Israel to their place."
Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not.” (Jer 31:15)
Followed by:
Thus says the Lord: “Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, says the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country.(Jer 31:16-17).
So as a reward for her intercession God promises to restore Israel
So in ancient Judaism the author writes, As the wife of Jacob/Israel himself, Rachel was regarded in a special way as the sorrowful mother of all Israel, whose special role was to pray for and intercede on behalf of her children, even, though she was no longer on earth.
He also notes: In the twentieth century, we even have records of Jews visiting Rachel's tomb to light candles and ask for her prayers.
Hence when Herod slaughters the male children in Bethlehem and the region around it - in the vicinity of Rachel's tomb near Bethlehem - Matthew recalls Jeremiah:
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.” (Mt 2:17,18)
Although Rachel has died she is somehow aware of the suffering of her children and laments for them as the matriarch of Israel - "weeping for her children", in the OT for their exile, and now for their killing.
Finally another point about Rachel (though there are more), as noted earlier, Rachel had a painful labour when giving birth to her second son Benjamin and died.
At the cross Mary suffered watching her son die. As Simeon said to Mary a sword will pierce through your own soul also (Lk 2:35). It is at this time of intense suffering that Mary receives her second son, the beloved disciple:
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26-27).
As Rachel received her second son in pain and suffering so Mary receives her second son at a time of pain and suffering. John is like a second Benjamin and that perhaps explains why John calls himself "the beloved" disciple because Benjamin was called "the beloved of the Lord" (Dt 33:12).
There is more but I think that is enough for now.
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.”
What is all that about?
Well I've been reading a book that explains it.
Firstly Rachel; before I read this I knew very little about Rachel. She doesn't seem very important.
Briefly - Jacob, on the instructions of his father, Isaac, goes to his ancestral homeland to seek a wife. He meets Rachel at a well and falls in love with her (Gen 29) and offers Laban, Rachel's father, to work for 7 years as payment for Rachel to be his wife. At the end of 7 years Laban tricks Isaac into marrying Leah, Rachels' elder sister. He then marries Rachel as well but has to serve Laban another 7 years. During this time Leah conceived 4 sons but Rachel was barren. So Rachel gave Jacob her maid Bilhah as his wife to have children for her, by whom he had 2 sons. Leah was jealous, and by now barren herself, so she gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob and they had two more sons. But then Leah conceived two more sons. Finally God opened Rachel's womb and she bore a son (Joseph of the many coloured coat) for Jacob.
Then Jacob returned home with his wives and the 11 sons.
Later Rachel produced one more son (Benjamin) for Jacob.
Rachel had a painful labour (Gen 35:17) and died giving birth to Benjamin at Ephrath (Gen 35:18-19) which is identified as Bethlehem . Then she was not buried in the family plot at Machpelah, along with Sarah and Rebekah, but near Bethlehem, and Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day (Gen 35:20).
According to the writer when we look outside the Bible to Jewish writings there are three things that stand out:
1. Rachel was a woman of intense suffering.
2. The location of her tomb is Bethlehem.
3. Ancient rabbinic commentaries say that Rachel is not just a matriarch of her people but a most powerful intercessor on behalf of Israel. For example he says that in one tradition, both Abraham and Moses come to God weeping and pleading for Israel after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, but God does not answer their prayers (Lamentations Rabbah 24). It is only when the "matriarch Rachel" intercedes with God on behalf of the sinful people that he responds:
…."for you sake, Rachel I will restore Israel to their place."
Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not.” (Jer 31:15)
Followed by:
Thus says the Lord: “Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, says the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country.(Jer 31:16-17).
So as a reward for her intercession God promises to restore Israel
So in ancient Judaism the author writes, As the wife of Jacob/Israel himself, Rachel was regarded in a special way as the sorrowful mother of all Israel, whose special role was to pray for and intercede on behalf of her children, even, though she was no longer on earth.
He also notes: In the twentieth century, we even have records of Jews visiting Rachel's tomb to light candles and ask for her prayers.
Hence when Herod slaughters the male children in Bethlehem and the region around it - in the vicinity of Rachel's tomb near Bethlehem - Matthew recalls Jeremiah:
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.” (Mt 2:17,18)
Although Rachel has died she is somehow aware of the suffering of her children and laments for them as the matriarch of Israel - "weeping for her children", in the OT for their exile, and now for their killing.
Finally another point about Rachel (though there are more), as noted earlier, Rachel had a painful labour when giving birth to her second son Benjamin and died.
At the cross Mary suffered watching her son die. As Simeon said to Mary a sword will pierce through your own soul also (Lk 2:35). It is at this time of intense suffering that Mary receives her second son, the beloved disciple:
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26-27).
As Rachel received her second son in pain and suffering so Mary receives her second son at a time of pain and suffering. John is like a second Benjamin and that perhaps explains why John calls himself "the beloved" disciple because Benjamin was called "the beloved of the Lord" (Dt 33:12).
There is more but I think that is enough for now.
