added

March 11, 2019

Proclaim the kingdom! (Lk 9:60-9:60)

“But Jesus

Said to him.

‘Let the dead

Bury

Their own dead!

But as for you!

Go!

Proclaim

The kingdom of God!’”

 

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ Ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς, σὺ δὲ ἀπελθὼν διάγγελλε τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus responded to this man (εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ) who wanted to bury his father.  He told him to let the dead (Ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς) bury their own dead (θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς).  He wanted him to go forth and proclaim (σὺ δὲ ἀπελθὼν διάγγελλε) the kingdom of God (τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ).  This saying of Jesus is almost the same as in Matthew, chapter 8:22, indicating a possible Q source.  Once again, this is a harsh saying about the discipleship of Jesus.  Matthew indicated that Jesus’ response was not very compassionate.  Quite the opposite, Jesus told his follower to follow him.  Jesus added, that the dead should bury their own dead.  This seems to deny any mourning period.  Although the burying of a dead father was a sacred filial duty, Jesus put the role of discipleship above that.  Is proclaiming the message of Jesus more important than the funeral of your father?

March 10, 2019

Jesus said no (Lk 9:55-9:55)

“But Jesus turned.

He rebuked them.”

 

στραφεὶς δὲ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς.

 

However, Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus turned around (στραφεὶς) to these two apostles.  He was not going to have any fire from heaven.  He rebuked both James and John (δὲ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς).  This was not the first or last time that Jesus would be upset with his apostles.  A Byzantine text added that Jesus said something to them.  He said that they did not know (Οὐκ οἴδατε) what spirit was in them (οἵου πνεύματός ἐστε ὑμεῖς).  Do you think that you have ever upset God?

February 20, 2019

The other side of the sea (Lk 8:22-8:22)

“One day,

Jesus

Got into a boat

With his disciples.

He said to them.

‘Let us go across

To the other side

Of the lake.’

Thus,

They set out.”

 

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνέβη εἰς πλοῖον καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς λίμνης· καὶ ἀνήχθησαν.

 

Luke said that one day (Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν), Jesus got into a boat (καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνέβη εἰς πλοῖον) with his disciples (καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ).  He said to them (καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς) that he wanted to go across to the other side of the lake (Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς λίμνης).  Thus, they set out (καὶ ἀνήχθησαν).  Something similar to this short episode of Jesus telling his disciples to travel across the sea can also be found in Mark, chapter 4:35-36.  Mark said that at the end of the day, when evening came, Jesus told his disciples that he wanted them to cross over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum.  However, Mark added that Jesus dismissed the crowds.  Then he and his disciples got into a couple of boats.  Thus, there was a small group of boats crossing the Sea of Galilee.  Matthew, chapter 8:23, had the simple statement that Jesus got into the boat with his disciples.  Have you ever gone across a sea or a lake on a boat?

January 31, 2019

Pray for those who abuse you! (Lk 6:28-6:28)

“Pray for those

Who abuse you!”

 

προσεύχεσθε περὶ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς

 

Luke indicated that Jesus asked his followers to pray (προσεύχεσθε) for those who were abusing or mistreating them (περὶ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς), using the second person plural.  There was something similar in Matthew, chapter 5:44, where a Byzantine text added that these followers of Jesus were asked to pray for those who were abusing them (καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς), just like here.  These early Christians were asked to pray for people who were taking advantage of them.

January 31, 2019

Bless those who curse you! (Lk 6:28-6:28)

“Bless those

Who curse you!”

 

εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς,

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to his followers to bless those (εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς) who cursed them (καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς), using the second person plural.  There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 5:44, where a Byzantine text added that these followers of Jesus were asked to bless those cursing them (εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς), just like here.  These early Christians were asked to be generous to their enemies and persecutors.

January 27, 2019

What can you do on the Sabbath? (Lk 6:9-6:9)

“Then Jesus

Said to them.

‘I ask you!

Is it lawful

To do good

Or to do evil

On the Sabbath?

Is it lawful

To save life

Or to destroy life

On the Sabbath?’”

 

εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτούς Ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς εἰ ἔξεστιν τῷ σαββάτῳ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀπολέσαι;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus asked them (εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτούς Ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς), using the second person plural, if it was lawful (εἰ ἔξεστιν) to do good (ἀγαθοποιῆσαι) or sin, do harm, or evil (ἢ κακοποιῆσαι) on the Sabbath (τῷ σαββάτῳ)?  Was it lawful to save a life (ψυχὴν σῶσαι) or destroy a life (ἢ ἀπολέσαι) on the Sabbath?  This was based on Mark chapter 3:4, where Jesus asked the same questions.  Mark added that they were silent and did not respond, but Luke did not say that.  Jesus wanted to know what were the exceptions to the Sabbath restrictions.  Meanwhile, Matthew, chapter 12:11-12, had Jesus speak about saving sheep on the Sabbath.

January 25, 2019

The new and old wine (Lk 5:38-5:39)

“But new wine

Must be put into

Fresh wineskins.

No one,

After drinking old wine

Desires new wine.

But he says.

‘The old wine

Is good.’”

 

ἀλλὰ οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινοὺς βλητέον.

καὶ οὐδεὶς πιὼν παλαιὸν θέλει νέον· λέγει γάρ Ὁ παλαιὸς χρηστός ἐστιν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that new wine (ἀλλὰ οἶνον νέον) must be put into fresh, new, or unused wineskins (εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινοὺς βλητέον).  No one, after drinking old wine (καὶ οὐδεὶς πιὼν παλαιὸν), desires new wine (θέλει νέον).  But he says (λέγει γάρ) that the old wine was good (Ὁ παλαιὸς χρηστός ἐστιν).  Interesting enough, Luke has the first verse like Mark, chapter 2:22, and Matthew, chapter 9:17, but then he uniquely added that that old wine was good because people did not like new wine.  Both Mark and Matthew said that new wine should be poured into fresh or new wineskin leather pouches.  Thus, both the wine and the wineskins would be preserved.  They seem to be saying not to mix up the new with the old, since they are incompatible.  Here Luke said that the old was better, when most of the teaching was about the renewal of the old ways.

November 9, 2018

You will always have poor people (Mk 14:7-14:7)

“You will always

Have the poor

With you.

You can show

Kindness to them

Whenever you wish.

But you will not always

Have me.”

 

πάντοτε γὰρ τοὺς πτωχοὺς ἔχετε μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν, καὶ ὅταν θέλητε δύνασθε αὐτοῖς εὖ ποιῆσαι, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε.

 

This is almost word for word in Mathew, chapter 26:11, and somewhat similar to John, chapter 12:8.  Mark indicated that Jesus said that they would always have poor people with them (πάντοτε γὰρ τοὺς πτωχοὺς ἔχετε μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν).  In other words, there would be no immediate solution to the difficulties of poverty that has persisted for over 2,000 years.  Mark also indicated that Jesus added that they were able to do kind or good acts to the poor whenever they wished or wanted (καὶ ὅταν θέλητε δύνασθε αὐτοῖς εὖ ποιῆσαι).  However, Jesus reminded them in the first person singular that they would not always have him (ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε).

 

October 10, 2018

Follow the commandments (Mk 10:19-10:19)

“You know

The commandments!

‘You shall not murder!

You shall not commit adultery!

You shall not steal!

You shall not bear false witness!

You shall not defraud!

Honor your father!

Honor your mother!’”

 

τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας Μὴ φονεύσῃς, Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, Μὴ κλέψῃς, Μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, Μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα

 

This response of Jesus can be found in Matthew, chapter 19:17-19, and Luke, chapter 18:20, but slightly different, since Luke and Mark are closer to each other.  Mark said that Jesus gave the classic answer for those who wanted to enter eternal life.  They knew the commandments or laws (τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας).  Follow them!  Mark did not have any question about which commandments to follow.  Jesus just mentioned some of the commandments.  You shall not kill or murder (Μὴ φονεύσῃς)!  You shall not commit adultery (Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς)!  You shall not steal (Μὴ κλέψῃς)!  You shall not bear false witness (Μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς)!  You shall not defraud (Μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς)!  Honor your father (Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου)!  Honor your mother (καὶ τὴν μητέρα)!  All of these are from the Ten Commandments in Exodus, chapter 20:12-16, and Deuteronomy, chapter 5:16-20.  Mark does not have the reminder to love your neighbor.  However, he added the comment about not defrauding others.

October 2, 2018

Jesus said they needed to pray (Mk 9:29-9:29)

“Jesus said

To his disciples.

‘This kind

Can come out

Only through prayer.’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ.

 

Mark added the need for prayer.  There is no emphasis on faith as in Matthew, chapter 17:20, where Jesus talked about faith and the mustard seed.  Here the emphasis is on prayer.  Mark indicated that Jesus said to his disciples (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς) that this kind of evil spirit could only be expelled (Τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν) through prayer (εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ).  Prayer might imply faith, but it is not explicit here.