Third narrative

This third narrative centered around a variety of miracles and various comments to his disciples.  Jesus cured the leper before great crowds, but then told him to keep it a secret.  Then he cured the centurion’s paralyzed servant at Capernaum.  This Roman soldier understood the role of authority since he had faith.  Jesus chastised the failure of the sons of Abraham but healed the Roman centurion’s servant.

Jesus also cured other sick and possessed people, including Peter’s mother-in-law.  He thus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah.  He had some scribe followers, even though Jesus was homeless.  Was the death of a father enough to disrupt a disciple?  During a stormy boat ride, they woke up Jesus.  Thus, he responded by showing them his power by calming the storm.

Jesus cured the two possessed demoniacs who were calling out to him as the Son of God.  These demons wanted to be pigs, so that they died in the sea, jumping off a cliff.  However, the herdsmen in the city were upset so that the people asked Jesus to leave.

Jesus then went home and cured a paralytic.  Did Jesus blaspheme?  What was the difference between sin and sickness?  The people were amazed at his powers.  Jesus then called Matthew, the tax collector.  Jesus hung out with these tax collectors and sinners, so that the Pharisees complained.  Jesus responded by asking if well people needed doctors?  Then there was a citation from Hosea about mercy.

The Pharisees wanted to know why his disciples were not fasting, but the disciples of John the Baptist were.  Jesus explained that there would be no fasting while he, the bridegroom, was present.  You did not use old cloth to mend clothes or put new wine in old wineskins.

Then Jesus cured the woman with hemorrhages, because she was a woman of faith.  Then he cured the dead girl who was only sleeping.  He cured the two blind men because they were believers also.  He cured the mute person so that he could speak again.  The Pharisees questioned the power of Jesus.  However, Jesus had compassion for the sheep because there would be a need for many laborers at the harvest time.

Then Jesus began his apostolic talk to his disciples, in particular about the authority of the twelve disciples, with four major apostles.  Matthew then listed the twelve apostles that would be sent to the Jews and what their work was.  Jesus told them what to bring with them and where to stay.  He told them how to enter a house.  Those unhospitable towns who did not accept them would be punished.  These apostles should be like wise simple sheep.  When they would be persecuted, the Holy Spirit would speak through them.  They would be involved in family disputes and hated.  Both the teacher and his disciples would suffer, but they should not be afraid.  They should proclaim the message.  They were to worry about their souls, since they had more value than sparrows.  They should acknowledge Jesus whether in peace or with the sword.  Who was worthy of Jesus?  You had to pick up your cross and lose your life to find it.  Receive Jesus and be a prophet as the righteous disciple of Jesus.

The invitation to repentance (Jer 3:12-3:13)

“Go!

Proclaim these words

Toward the north.

Say!

‘Return!

Faithless Israel!’

Says Yahweh.

‘I will not look on you in anger!

I am merciful!’

Says Yahweh.

‘I will not be angry forever.

Only acknowledge your guilt!

That you rebelled

Against Yahweh

Your God!

You scattered your favors

Among strangers

Under every green tree.

You have not obeyed my voice.’

Says Yahweh.”

Yahweh then told Jeremiah to say these words to the northern tribes. Tell them to return. Yahweh was not going to be angry forever with them because he was merciful. They only had to acknowledge that they rebelled against Yahweh, their God. They had scattered their favors under every green oak tree in false worship. They had not obeyed the voice of Yahweh. The problem, of course, was that they had already been sent into captivity, nearly a century earlier.

The petition to the Father (Isa 63:15-63:16)

“Look down from heaven!

See!

From your holy habitation!

See!

From your glorious habitation!

Where is your zeal?

Where is your might?

Where is the yearning of your heart?

Where is your compassion?

They are withheld from me.

You are our Father.

Abraham does not know us.

Israel does not acknowledge us.

You!

Yahweh!

Are our Father!

Our Redeemer!

From of old is your name.”

The prophet wants to remind Yahweh, who is in his holy glorious heavenly dwelling, to look down on him. He questions him about his zeal and might as well as his heart and compassion. Why was Yahweh holding back from him? Yahweh was his father, even though Abraham and Jacob/Israel would not know and acknowledge him. Yahweh was his father and redeemer from the good old days.

Watch out sinners (Isa 33:13-33:14)

“Hear!

You who are far away!

What I have done!

You who are near!

Acknowledge my might!

The sinners in Zion

Are afraid.

Trembling has seized the godless.

‘Who among us can live

With the devouring fire?

Who among us can live

With these everlasting flames?’”

Isaiah has Yahweh ask the Israelites to listen, just as he had done. If they are far away, can they see what he has done? If they are near, then they should acknowledge Yahweh’s might. The sinners at Mount Zion are afraid. The godless are trembling. They seem to ask how they can live with this devouring fire and these everlasting flames.

Peace (Isa 26:12-26:13)

“O Yahweh!

You will ordain

Peace for us!

Indeed,

All that we have done,

You have done for us.

O Yahweh!

Our God!

Other lords besides you

Have ruled over us,

But we acknowledge

Your name alone.”

Now Isaiah and his friends were lucky that they had peace. Yahweh has helped them to do all the things that they have done. Although they have had other rulers and lords, they freely acknowledge the name of Yahweh alone.

Trust in Yahweh (Prov 3:5-3:8)

“Trust in Yahweh

With all your heart!

Do not rely on your own insight!

In all your ways

Acknowledge him.

He will make straight your paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes!

Fear Yahweh!

Turn away from evil!

It will be healing to your flesh.

It will be refreshment to your body.”

At the heart of wisdom is trust in Yahweh. You are to trust God with your whole heart. Do not rely on yourself for insight. Acknowledge God in all ways. He will lead you down the right path. Do not pretend to be wise in your own eyes. Fear God. Turn away from evil. This is straight forward advice that will bring healing and refreshment to your body.

Worship Yahweh (Ps 96:7-96:9)

“Ascribe to Yahweh!

O families of the peoples!

Ascribe to Yahweh

Glory and strength!

Ascribe to Yahweh

The glory due his name!

Bring an offering!                                             

Come into his courts!

Worship Yahweh in holy splendor!

Tremble before him!

All the earth!”

This is a universal call for all people to worship Yahweh. They were to recognize his glory and his strength. They were to acknowledge the glory of his name. They were to bring offerings to the court of Yahweh with their best garments on them. All the earthly humans should tremble before him.

The power of Yahweh over the proud and wicked (Job 40:10-40:14)

“Deck yourself with majesty and dignity!

Clothe yourself with glory and splendor!

Pour out the over flowing of your anger!

Look on all who are proud!

Abase them!

Look on all who are proud!

Bring him low!

Tread down the wicked where they stand!

Hide them all in the dust together!

Bind their faces in the world below!

Then will I also acknowledge to you.

Your own right hand can give you victory.”

This is a very favorable comment about Job. He was told to put on majesty and dignity. He was to cloth himself with glory and splendor. Yahweh told Job to look at the proud and the wicked people. Job was to humiliate the proud and bring them low. He was to tread on the wicked ones so that they return to dust. He wanted them sent to the underworld. Yahweh would acknowledge Job and give him a victory with his right hand.

The prayer of Tobit for the return to Jerusalem (Tob 13:14-14:1)

“Happy are those who love you!

Happy are those who rejoice in your prosperity!

Happy also are all who grieve with you because of your afflictions.

They will rejoice with you.

They will witness all your glory forever.

My soul blesses the Lord,

The great King!

Jerusalem will be built as his house for all ages

How happy I will be,

If a remnant of my descendents should survive,

They would see your glory,

They would acknowledge the King of heaven.

The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphires and emeralds.

All her walls will be built with precious stones.

The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold.

The battlements will be built with pure gold.

The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with ruby.

The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with stones of Ophir.

The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy.

All her houses will cry ‘Hallelujah!’

Blessed be the God of Israel!

The blessed will bless your holy name forever and ever.’

This ended Tobit’s words of praise.”

The setting is the time before the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem. It is not just the Temple, but the whole town that will praise God. Everyone will be happy who love Jerusalem and want it to prosper. Those who have grieved with you will rejoice with its new glory. Tobit’s soul blessed the Lord, who is the great king. Jerusalem shall be his home for all ages to come. The remnant of his descendents will return and be happy in the glory of Jerusalem. They will acknowledge the king of heaven there. The renewed paved streets of Jerusalem will have sapphires, emeralds, Ophir, and all kinds of precious stones. The gates will have these stones plus golden towers. The gates and houses will cry out with Alleluia all over the place. The God of Israel is to be blessed. Thus, we come to the end of Tobit’s prayer. It is more like a lament, a longing for the return to Jerusalem. He, in fact, had lived in the north, not in Jerusalem, but he would journey every year to worship there. This canticle or hymn clearly believed in an idealized Jerusalem.

The prayer of Tobit for the exiles (Tob 13:3-13:8)

Acknowledge him before the nations,

O children of Israel.

He has scattered you among them.

He has shown you his greatness even there.

Exalt him in the presence of every living being.

Because he is our Lord

Because he is our God.

Because he is our Father.

Because he is God forever.

He will afflict you for our iniquities.

He will again show mercy on all of you.

He will gather us from all the nations,

Among whom you have been scattered.

If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,

To do what is true before him,

Then he will turn to you.

He will no longer hide his face from you.

Now see what he has done for you.

Acknowledge him at the top of your voice.

Bless the Lord of righteousness.

Exalt the King of the ages.

In the land of my exile,

I acknowledge him.

Show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners.

Turn back, you sinners,

Do what is right before him.

Perhaps he may look with favor upon you.

He may show you mercy.

As for me,

I exalt my God.

My soul rejoices in the King of heaven.

Let all people speak of his majesty.

Acknowledge him in Jerusalem.”

The prayer of Tobit continues as he recalls the plight of the exiles. The children of Israel have been scattered among the nations. However, they should show his greatness and presence in every living being. Here it is not only Jerusalem where he is present but among all living beings. God is lord and father forever. He will both afflict you and show you mercy. He will gather you from the nations where he has scattered you. If you turn to God with your heart and soul, he will turn his face to you. Acknowledge him at the top of your lungs. Bless and acknowledge the king of ages even in exile. Tobit acknowledged him even in exile. We were sinners, but now we must turn to righteousness. He will look with favor on us as he shows us his mercy. Tobit will continue to exalt God and rejoice in the King of heaven. Some day we will be able to do this in Jerusalem.