Papers by franns diletta maceda
The 150 Most Important Events in Church History Timeline: 100 A.D. to 1500 A.D., 2010
(381), Ephesus (431), Chalcedon (451) concluded Christ is 'one person in two natures, unmixed, un... more (381), Ephesus (431), Chalcedon (451) concluded Christ is 'one person in two natures, unmixed, unchanged, undivided, inseparable'. Mary is 'the Mother of God' (Theotokos-God-bearer). * Council of Chalcedon vindicated Nestorius; history misrepresented Nestorian view so he was considered heretical. 3. Donatist-Heretical leader: Donatus. Orthodox leaders: Caecilian, Augustine of Hippo. Council of Arles (314) concluded 'outside the church there is no salvation' 4. Pelagian-Heretical leaders: Pelagius, Coelestius, John Cassian, Caesarius of Arles. Orthodox leaders: Augustine of Hippo and Jerome. Councils of Ephesus (431) and Orange (529) concluded for Semi-Augustinianism; sacramental grace enables people to overcome their innate sinfulness. Nicene and post-Nicene Fathers' contributions: (numbers 25-32) Eusebius-(circa 263-c.339); Father of Church History; writings: Ecclesiastical History, Chronicle, Life of Constantine; bishop of Caesarea; friend and advisor of Emperor Constantine. Ambrose-(circa 340-397); writings: On Faith, On the Holy Ghost, On the Sacraments; Overcame Emperor Theodosius over Thessalonian massacre; influenced Augustine thru his sermons. John Chrysostom-(circa 374-407); 'chrysostom' means golden mouth; greatest preacher of ancient church; patriarch of Constantinople in 397; banished by Empress Eudoxia and died in exile. Jerome-(circa 345-420); writings: Vulgate, Catalogue of Illustrious Authors; advocate of monasticism; His Latin Vulgate (completed in 405)became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church.
An exegetical treatment of Paul’s First Letter to Timothy 4: 6-16 A younger yet better servant of Christ Jesus Live our faith Express our salvation, 2010
Paul’s first letter to Timothy is part of what we call the Pastoral Epistles (PE) – Paul’s second... more Paul’s first letter to Timothy is part of what we call the Pastoral Epistles (PE) – Paul’s second letter to Timothy and a lone letter to Titus completes the PE. Two things can be said of the PE that is unique from Paul’s other letters: (1) They are among the last things Paul reflected, his concerns near the end of his ministry. (2) They are addressed not to a congregation but to 2 young men in pastoral roles. But the author also intended the letter to be read extensively among the various churches. Among the general concerns in the letter are warning against false teachers (1 Tim. 1.3), qualifications of bishops and deacons (3.1, 3.8), duties to believers (5.1), false teaching and true riches (6.2).
Each of the PE has a clear identification of the Apostle Paul as the author. It was only in the nineteenth century that arguments have been introduced questioning the Pauline authorship. Today the majority of NT scholars consider the PE not written by Paul but by a Paulinist or a disciple of Paul by the turn of the first century A.D. or one or two generations removed from the apostle. This paper is written from the view of Pauline authorship, convinced that a non-Pauline theory (i.e. a disciple of Paul wrote the PE) has more historical difficulties.
The Wisdom from God hidden in Christ Now Revealed to Believers In Paul’s Letter to the Colossians 1:28, 2010
The letter to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul about 60-62 A.D. while imprisoned in... more The letter to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul about 60-62 A.D. while imprisoned in Rome (NRS Colossians 4:18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.). One purpose was to correct the incipient heresy in the Asian city of Colosse (present-day Turkey).
Written to a church Paul did not plant, Colossians stands tall in highlighting the centrality of Christ Jesus as the one and only mediator of God’s saving activity. Those who belong to Christ need only to draw on the resources God provides through Jesus to find blessings. The letter is part of the Prison Epistles which include Ephesians, Philemon and Philippians.
The four themes (‘The God who saves’, ‘Christ Jesus the only mediator’, the heresy, the work of the church ) are the center of Paul’s teaching in this letter.
God directs the saving process. Paul uses warfare language that God ‘rescued believers out of Satan’s dominion and transferred them to his beloved Son’s kingdom’. God’s work extends beyond this rescue to transformation. He is active in filling believers with the fullness of life in Christ, 2.10. God makes alive the believer by the forgiveness of sins and subduing those opposing humanity through Christ and the cross, 2.13-15.
The reference of Christ Jesus in the great hymnal section, 1.15-20, has roots in the wisdom tradition of Judaism and its great confession/ acknowledgment God is the creator (cf. Gen. 1.1, Job 28. 23-28, Psalms 95. 6-7, 100.3, Prov. 8.22, Wisdom 7.22-27, Ecc. 24). Wisdom, aside from the Torah, can be found in the one who is the image of the invisible God. The hymn which appears to be pre-Pauline has no words ‘Christ’, ‘Jesus’ and ‘Lord’ but it obviously points to Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus, reconciling (make peace) sinners to God, is the new man or the first member of the new humanity in which believers from various nations or people-groups dwell and find renewal according to the image of God (3.10-11). His lordship governs our relationships (3.18, 20, 24). Sharing in the gracious benefits of his rule/ lordship mean honoring his rule/ lordship with our lives – the theological center of the letter that enables believers to counteract the false teaching, 2.4.
Ultimately, Colossians is about the work of the Father in the Son on behalf of people he calls to manifest his message and presence on earth. This new community is to realize that all the benefits God has already given and are all that is needed to accomplish living the life that honors God. Any suggestion someone needs other benefits outside of Christ is a delusion. Blessing comes from God through the Lord Christ Jesus alone, and a life that pleases God comes from what the Mediator-Enabler provides.
JESUS is GOD , 2005
Grace of God in Christ Jesus-there is nothing you can do to make God love you more and there is n... more Grace of God in Christ Jesus-there is nothing you can do to make God love you more and there is nothing you can do to make God love you less. (Philip Yancey's What's So Amazing About Grace?)
The Concept of Wisdom in Ancient Israel (Book of Proverbs) and in the Ancient Near East (Egypt and Mesopotamia), 2007
Like all Hebrew intellectual virtues, wisdom (generally 'hokma' – Hebrew noun with feminine gende... more Like all Hebrew intellectual virtues, wisdom (generally 'hokma' – Hebrew noun with feminine gender; understanding – 'bina', Job 39:26, Pro. 23:4; insight – 't buna', Ps. 136:5; prudence -sekel, Pro. 12:8, 23:9) is intensely practical, not theoretical. Basically, wisdom is the art of being successful, of forming the correct plan to gain the desired results. Its seat is the heart, the center of moral and intellectual decisions (1 Kings 3:9, 12).
Those who possess technical skill are called wise: Bezalel, chief artisan of the tabernacle (Ex. 31:3; RSV 'ability'); artificers of idols (Is. 40:20, Je. 10:9); professional mourners (Je. 9:17); navigators (Ezk. 27:8-9). Practical wisdom may take on a sinister aspect, as in Jonadab's crafty advice (2 Sam. 13:3).
Joshua, David and Solomon were granted wisdom to enable them to deal with their official duties. The Messianic King predicted by Isaiah was to be equipped with wisdom to judge impartially – Wonderful Counselor.
A special class of wise men/ women seems to have developed during the monarchy (2 Sam 14:2). By Jeremiah's time, they had taken their place beside prophets and priests, formulating plans for successful living (Jer. 18:18). The wise man/ counselor stood in a parental relationship to those well-being hinged on his advice: Joseph was a 'father' to the pharaoh (Gn. 45:8); Deborah, a 'mother' in Israel (Jdg. 5:7).
Wisdom in the fullest sense belongs to God alone, his completeness of knowledge pervading every realm of life (Job 10:4, 26:6, Pro. 5:21, 15:3).
Micah 4:9-13 The Future Reinstatement of Israel's Glory by God's Redeeming Grace An Exegetical Paper, 2007
The prophet Micah was a farmer or landowner from Moresheth-Gath which
was 35 kms. southwest of ... more The prophet Micah was a farmer or landowner from Moresheth-Gath which
was 35 kms. southwest of Jerusalem. He prophesied between 735 – 700 B.C. (estimate
only). His name means 'Who is like Yahweh'. 1 Moresheth-Gath in Shephelah (Micah
1:14) is present-day Tell el-Judeideh, about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem and 20 miles
west of the Mediterranean coast. It sits 1000 feet above sea level, overlooking the coastal
highway on which numerous armies and trade caravans had traveled between Egypt and
Mesopotamia (Iraq). 2
James Luther Mays may be right in his assumption Micah got his name-type (with place
of origin) because he prophesied in Jerusalem which is far from his hometown of
Moresheth. 3 Or maybe the later redactors added the place-name for clarity or perhaps
Micah was a rich landowner. Anyway, May's suggestion suits me.
Micah was a younger contemporary of Isaiah, and G.L. Robinson gathered a few
comparisons between the two: Isaiah – courtier in Jerusalem, statesman and concerned
with political issues; Micah – from obscure village, evangelist/sociologist, concerned
with personal religion and social morality, sensitive to the social maladies affecting small
towns and villages. 4
To further contrast the two prophets, Isaiah was a first cousin of Uzziah (king of Judah
bet. 792-740 B.C., his son was Jotham) and he suffered no royal persecution. 5
Jeremiah reiterated Micah's prediction of Jerusalem's fall (3:12) a hundred years later
(Jer. 26:6. 9, 11) and the priests and false prophets were itching to kill him and his
message. But certain sane elders defended Jeremiah with Micah's prophecy and with
King Hezekiah's repentance. The Lord then protected Jerusalem from Sennacherib's
hordes and Jeremiah's life was spared (Jer 26:24) 6
Date of writing – The written time frame in Micah's book is between the reigns of Jotham
and Hezekiah thus, the maximum period of his prophetic career was between 750 – 686
B.C. The shortest time would be 735 – 715 B.C. Most scholars opinions are between
these two extremes. Micah's activities overlapped with Isaiah's (circa 740 – 681 B.C.)
and Hosea's ( circa 750 – 715) but it appears Micah's ministry was closer with Isaiah's
because of the similarity between Isaiah's word on Judah and Jerusalem (Isa 2:24) and
Micah 4: 1-5. 7
Some scholars say Micah prophesied orally first (725 – 710 B.C.) then wrote his
manuscript sometime around 700 B.C. If a later redactor edited Micah's manuscript, the
edited version would still be sometime early in the seventh century to have enough time
elapsed before his Jerusalem fall prophecy to occur and be mentioned in Jeremiah's 26:18
(circa 608 B.C.) 8
Thus, my conclusion on the writing's date and his prophetic career is this: It is reasonable
to assume Micah prophesied and wrote between 740 – 695 B.C. ( between the years just
before Jotham's reign ended and a few years after Hezekiah's repentance). 695 B.C. is a
few years short of a century when compared to 608 B.C. of Jeremiah's 26:18, which is
fine for me considering these dates are all estimates. This timeframe is comparable with
735 – 700. 9
I presume Micah was in his late twenties at the start of his 40-year prophetic ministry.
Perhaps Micah wrote the whole book because I am not fully convinced that later
redactors or his disciples ( if there were any) edited such a short book. The evidences are
inconclusive or ambiguous at best.
unpublished, 2021
A traditional short report discusses this analyst’s reflections and embryonic ideas on the Hebrew... more A traditional short report discusses this analyst’s reflections and embryonic ideas on the Hebrew Old Testament (HOT) words ‘adam’ (Bibleworks 10, 2015), ‘ezer kenegdo’ (Magalong, 2002, p. 102), ‘zakar’ (Bibleworks 10, 2015), ‘neqebah’ (Bibleworks 10, 2015), ‘ish’ (Bibleworks 10, 2015), ‘ishshah’ (Bibleworks 10, 2015) and ‘chavvah’ (Bibleworks 10, 2015) and their English translations ‘man’, ‘helper as his partner’, ‘male’, ‘female’, ‘woman’ and ‘Eve’ in Genesis chapters one, two and three of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. It is proposed the ancient biblical context of sex, orgasms, love in marriage is similar with our current romantic impressions of these essentials in marriage.
Academia Letters, 2021
Submission to Academia Letters Superluminal Communication in the Bible and God's Design of Marria... more Submission to Academia Letters Superluminal Communication in the Bible and God's Design of Marriage Franns Diletta Maceda 'It is certain because impossible.' Tertullian's original expression [1] This paper will discuss an embryonic idea of a superluminal communication event [2] (of a description of a quantum mechanics event on the human or macro scale) providing us with a first generation scientific understanding of God's claim of the husband's headship in marriage, and supporting the biblical understanding that sin came from one man. Upcoming superluminal instruments will contribute to humankind's well-being in medicine, food production, more harmony between science and theology among others. First part Source of sin and its transmission Genesis chapter 3 verses 6 and 7 (3:6-7) of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible [3] reads, 6 'So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.' Verse 7, 'Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.' Verse 7 is the result of the warning from Genesis 2: 17, 'But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.'
Drafts by franns diletta maceda
unpublished, 2005
J.E.S.U.S. is G.O.D. is a mnemonic device for Jesus' Eternal Salvation for Us against Sins and Sa... more J.E.S.U.S. is G.O.D. is a mnemonic device for Jesus' Eternal Salvation for Us against Sins and Satan's Slander is Grace Over Death, Devil and Damnation. Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)
Proposed embryonic idea of a superluminal event in the bible providing us with a first generation... more Proposed embryonic idea of a superluminal event in the bible providing us with a first generation scientific understanding for the theological assertion of God's design of marriage part of which is the husband's headship. Upcoming superluminal devices will introduce new methods to cure diseases, increase food production among others
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Papers by franns diletta maceda
Each of the PE has a clear identification of the Apostle Paul as the author. It was only in the nineteenth century that arguments have been introduced questioning the Pauline authorship. Today the majority of NT scholars consider the PE not written by Paul but by a Paulinist or a disciple of Paul by the turn of the first century A.D. or one or two generations removed from the apostle. This paper is written from the view of Pauline authorship, convinced that a non-Pauline theory (i.e. a disciple of Paul wrote the PE) has more historical difficulties.
Written to a church Paul did not plant, Colossians stands tall in highlighting the centrality of Christ Jesus as the one and only mediator of God’s saving activity. Those who belong to Christ need only to draw on the resources God provides through Jesus to find blessings. The letter is part of the Prison Epistles which include Ephesians, Philemon and Philippians.
The four themes (‘The God who saves’, ‘Christ Jesus the only mediator’, the heresy, the work of the church ) are the center of Paul’s teaching in this letter.
God directs the saving process. Paul uses warfare language that God ‘rescued believers out of Satan’s dominion and transferred them to his beloved Son’s kingdom’. God’s work extends beyond this rescue to transformation. He is active in filling believers with the fullness of life in Christ, 2.10. God makes alive the believer by the forgiveness of sins and subduing those opposing humanity through Christ and the cross, 2.13-15.
The reference of Christ Jesus in the great hymnal section, 1.15-20, has roots in the wisdom tradition of Judaism and its great confession/ acknowledgment God is the creator (cf. Gen. 1.1, Job 28. 23-28, Psalms 95. 6-7, 100.3, Prov. 8.22, Wisdom 7.22-27, Ecc. 24). Wisdom, aside from the Torah, can be found in the one who is the image of the invisible God. The hymn which appears to be pre-Pauline has no words ‘Christ’, ‘Jesus’ and ‘Lord’ but it obviously points to Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus, reconciling (make peace) sinners to God, is the new man or the first member of the new humanity in which believers from various nations or people-groups dwell and find renewal according to the image of God (3.10-11). His lordship governs our relationships (3.18, 20, 24). Sharing in the gracious benefits of his rule/ lordship mean honoring his rule/ lordship with our lives – the theological center of the letter that enables believers to counteract the false teaching, 2.4.
Ultimately, Colossians is about the work of the Father in the Son on behalf of people he calls to manifest his message and presence on earth. This new community is to realize that all the benefits God has already given and are all that is needed to accomplish living the life that honors God. Any suggestion someone needs other benefits outside of Christ is a delusion. Blessing comes from God through the Lord Christ Jesus alone, and a life that pleases God comes from what the Mediator-Enabler provides.
Those who possess technical skill are called wise: Bezalel, chief artisan of the tabernacle (Ex. 31:3; RSV 'ability'); artificers of idols (Is. 40:20, Je. 10:9); professional mourners (Je. 9:17); navigators (Ezk. 27:8-9). Practical wisdom may take on a sinister aspect, as in Jonadab's crafty advice (2 Sam. 13:3).
Joshua, David and Solomon were granted wisdom to enable them to deal with their official duties. The Messianic King predicted by Isaiah was to be equipped with wisdom to judge impartially – Wonderful Counselor.
A special class of wise men/ women seems to have developed during the monarchy (2 Sam 14:2). By Jeremiah's time, they had taken their place beside prophets and priests, formulating plans for successful living (Jer. 18:18). The wise man/ counselor stood in a parental relationship to those well-being hinged on his advice: Joseph was a 'father' to the pharaoh (Gn. 45:8); Deborah, a 'mother' in Israel (Jdg. 5:7).
Wisdom in the fullest sense belongs to God alone, his completeness of knowledge pervading every realm of life (Job 10:4, 26:6, Pro. 5:21, 15:3).
was 35 kms. southwest of Jerusalem. He prophesied between 735 – 700 B.C. (estimate
only). His name means 'Who is like Yahweh'. 1 Moresheth-Gath in Shephelah (Micah
1:14) is present-day Tell el-Judeideh, about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem and 20 miles
west of the Mediterranean coast. It sits 1000 feet above sea level, overlooking the coastal
highway on which numerous armies and trade caravans had traveled between Egypt and
Mesopotamia (Iraq). 2
James Luther Mays may be right in his assumption Micah got his name-type (with place
of origin) because he prophesied in Jerusalem which is far from his hometown of
Moresheth. 3 Or maybe the later redactors added the place-name for clarity or perhaps
Micah was a rich landowner. Anyway, May's suggestion suits me.
Micah was a younger contemporary of Isaiah, and G.L. Robinson gathered a few
comparisons between the two: Isaiah – courtier in Jerusalem, statesman and concerned
with political issues; Micah – from obscure village, evangelist/sociologist, concerned
with personal religion and social morality, sensitive to the social maladies affecting small
towns and villages. 4
To further contrast the two prophets, Isaiah was a first cousin of Uzziah (king of Judah
bet. 792-740 B.C., his son was Jotham) and he suffered no royal persecution. 5
Jeremiah reiterated Micah's prediction of Jerusalem's fall (3:12) a hundred years later
(Jer. 26:6. 9, 11) and the priests and false prophets were itching to kill him and his
message. But certain sane elders defended Jeremiah with Micah's prophecy and with
King Hezekiah's repentance. The Lord then protected Jerusalem from Sennacherib's
hordes and Jeremiah's life was spared (Jer 26:24) 6
Date of writing – The written time frame in Micah's book is between the reigns of Jotham
and Hezekiah thus, the maximum period of his prophetic career was between 750 – 686
B.C. The shortest time would be 735 – 715 B.C. Most scholars opinions are between
these two extremes. Micah's activities overlapped with Isaiah's (circa 740 – 681 B.C.)
and Hosea's ( circa 750 – 715) but it appears Micah's ministry was closer with Isaiah's
because of the similarity between Isaiah's word on Judah and Jerusalem (Isa 2:24) and
Micah 4: 1-5. 7
Some scholars say Micah prophesied orally first (725 – 710 B.C.) then wrote his
manuscript sometime around 700 B.C. If a later redactor edited Micah's manuscript, the
edited version would still be sometime early in the seventh century to have enough time
elapsed before his Jerusalem fall prophecy to occur and be mentioned in Jeremiah's 26:18
(circa 608 B.C.) 8
Thus, my conclusion on the writing's date and his prophetic career is this: It is reasonable
to assume Micah prophesied and wrote between 740 – 695 B.C. ( between the years just
before Jotham's reign ended and a few years after Hezekiah's repentance). 695 B.C. is a
few years short of a century when compared to 608 B.C. of Jeremiah's 26:18, which is
fine for me considering these dates are all estimates. This timeframe is comparable with
735 – 700. 9
I presume Micah was in his late twenties at the start of his 40-year prophetic ministry.
Perhaps Micah wrote the whole book because I am not fully convinced that later
redactors or his disciples ( if there were any) edited such a short book. The evidences are
inconclusive or ambiguous at best.
Drafts by franns diletta maceda
Each of the PE has a clear identification of the Apostle Paul as the author. It was only in the nineteenth century that arguments have been introduced questioning the Pauline authorship. Today the majority of NT scholars consider the PE not written by Paul but by a Paulinist or a disciple of Paul by the turn of the first century A.D. or one or two generations removed from the apostle. This paper is written from the view of Pauline authorship, convinced that a non-Pauline theory (i.e. a disciple of Paul wrote the PE) has more historical difficulties.
Written to a church Paul did not plant, Colossians stands tall in highlighting the centrality of Christ Jesus as the one and only mediator of God’s saving activity. Those who belong to Christ need only to draw on the resources God provides through Jesus to find blessings. The letter is part of the Prison Epistles which include Ephesians, Philemon and Philippians.
The four themes (‘The God who saves’, ‘Christ Jesus the only mediator’, the heresy, the work of the church ) are the center of Paul’s teaching in this letter.
God directs the saving process. Paul uses warfare language that God ‘rescued believers out of Satan’s dominion and transferred them to his beloved Son’s kingdom’. God’s work extends beyond this rescue to transformation. He is active in filling believers with the fullness of life in Christ, 2.10. God makes alive the believer by the forgiveness of sins and subduing those opposing humanity through Christ and the cross, 2.13-15.
The reference of Christ Jesus in the great hymnal section, 1.15-20, has roots in the wisdom tradition of Judaism and its great confession/ acknowledgment God is the creator (cf. Gen. 1.1, Job 28. 23-28, Psalms 95. 6-7, 100.3, Prov. 8.22, Wisdom 7.22-27, Ecc. 24). Wisdom, aside from the Torah, can be found in the one who is the image of the invisible God. The hymn which appears to be pre-Pauline has no words ‘Christ’, ‘Jesus’ and ‘Lord’ but it obviously points to Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus, reconciling (make peace) sinners to God, is the new man or the first member of the new humanity in which believers from various nations or people-groups dwell and find renewal according to the image of God (3.10-11). His lordship governs our relationships (3.18, 20, 24). Sharing in the gracious benefits of his rule/ lordship mean honoring his rule/ lordship with our lives – the theological center of the letter that enables believers to counteract the false teaching, 2.4.
Ultimately, Colossians is about the work of the Father in the Son on behalf of people he calls to manifest his message and presence on earth. This new community is to realize that all the benefits God has already given and are all that is needed to accomplish living the life that honors God. Any suggestion someone needs other benefits outside of Christ is a delusion. Blessing comes from God through the Lord Christ Jesus alone, and a life that pleases God comes from what the Mediator-Enabler provides.
Those who possess technical skill are called wise: Bezalel, chief artisan of the tabernacle (Ex. 31:3; RSV 'ability'); artificers of idols (Is. 40:20, Je. 10:9); professional mourners (Je. 9:17); navigators (Ezk. 27:8-9). Practical wisdom may take on a sinister aspect, as in Jonadab's crafty advice (2 Sam. 13:3).
Joshua, David and Solomon were granted wisdom to enable them to deal with their official duties. The Messianic King predicted by Isaiah was to be equipped with wisdom to judge impartially – Wonderful Counselor.
A special class of wise men/ women seems to have developed during the monarchy (2 Sam 14:2). By Jeremiah's time, they had taken their place beside prophets and priests, formulating plans for successful living (Jer. 18:18). The wise man/ counselor stood in a parental relationship to those well-being hinged on his advice: Joseph was a 'father' to the pharaoh (Gn. 45:8); Deborah, a 'mother' in Israel (Jdg. 5:7).
Wisdom in the fullest sense belongs to God alone, his completeness of knowledge pervading every realm of life (Job 10:4, 26:6, Pro. 5:21, 15:3).
was 35 kms. southwest of Jerusalem. He prophesied between 735 – 700 B.C. (estimate
only). His name means 'Who is like Yahweh'. 1 Moresheth-Gath in Shephelah (Micah
1:14) is present-day Tell el-Judeideh, about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem and 20 miles
west of the Mediterranean coast. It sits 1000 feet above sea level, overlooking the coastal
highway on which numerous armies and trade caravans had traveled between Egypt and
Mesopotamia (Iraq). 2
James Luther Mays may be right in his assumption Micah got his name-type (with place
of origin) because he prophesied in Jerusalem which is far from his hometown of
Moresheth. 3 Or maybe the later redactors added the place-name for clarity or perhaps
Micah was a rich landowner. Anyway, May's suggestion suits me.
Micah was a younger contemporary of Isaiah, and G.L. Robinson gathered a few
comparisons between the two: Isaiah – courtier in Jerusalem, statesman and concerned
with political issues; Micah – from obscure village, evangelist/sociologist, concerned
with personal religion and social morality, sensitive to the social maladies affecting small
towns and villages. 4
To further contrast the two prophets, Isaiah was a first cousin of Uzziah (king of Judah
bet. 792-740 B.C., his son was Jotham) and he suffered no royal persecution. 5
Jeremiah reiterated Micah's prediction of Jerusalem's fall (3:12) a hundred years later
(Jer. 26:6. 9, 11) and the priests and false prophets were itching to kill him and his
message. But certain sane elders defended Jeremiah with Micah's prophecy and with
King Hezekiah's repentance. The Lord then protected Jerusalem from Sennacherib's
hordes and Jeremiah's life was spared (Jer 26:24) 6
Date of writing – The written time frame in Micah's book is between the reigns of Jotham
and Hezekiah thus, the maximum period of his prophetic career was between 750 – 686
B.C. The shortest time would be 735 – 715 B.C. Most scholars opinions are between
these two extremes. Micah's activities overlapped with Isaiah's (circa 740 – 681 B.C.)
and Hosea's ( circa 750 – 715) but it appears Micah's ministry was closer with Isaiah's
because of the similarity between Isaiah's word on Judah and Jerusalem (Isa 2:24) and
Micah 4: 1-5. 7
Some scholars say Micah prophesied orally first (725 – 710 B.C.) then wrote his
manuscript sometime around 700 B.C. If a later redactor edited Micah's manuscript, the
edited version would still be sometime early in the seventh century to have enough time
elapsed before his Jerusalem fall prophecy to occur and be mentioned in Jeremiah's 26:18
(circa 608 B.C.) 8
Thus, my conclusion on the writing's date and his prophetic career is this: It is reasonable
to assume Micah prophesied and wrote between 740 – 695 B.C. ( between the years just
before Jotham's reign ended and a few years after Hezekiah's repentance). 695 B.C. is a
few years short of a century when compared to 608 B.C. of Jeremiah's 26:18, which is
fine for me considering these dates are all estimates. This timeframe is comparable with
735 – 700. 9
I presume Micah was in his late twenties at the start of his 40-year prophetic ministry.
Perhaps Micah wrote the whole book because I am not fully convinced that later
redactors or his disciples ( if there were any) edited such a short book. The evidences are
inconclusive or ambiguous at best.