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February 26, 2019

The favorite apostles (Lk 8:51-8:51)

“When he came

To the house,

Jesus

Did not allow anyone

To enter with him,

Except Peter,

John,

And James,

Along with the child’s

Father

And mother.”

 

ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν οὐκ ἀφῆκεν εἰσελθεῖν τινα σὺν αὐτῷ εἰ μὴ Πέτρον καὶ Ἰωάνην καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ τὸν πατέρα τῆς παιδὸς καὶ τὴν μητέρα.

 

Luke said that Jesus came to the house (ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν) of Jairus.  He did not allow anyone to come with him (οὐκ ἀφῆκεν εἰσελθεῖν τινα σὺν αὐτῷ), except Peter, John, and James (εἰ μὴ Πέτρον καὶ Ἰωάνην καὶ Ἰάκωβον), along with the child’s father and mother (καὶ τὸν πατέρα τῆς παιδὸς καὶ τὴν μητέρα).  This was not to be a big scene.  Mark, chapter 5:37, was similar to Luke here.  Mark said that Jesus did not allow anyone to go with him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.  These were Jesus’ 3 favorite trusted apostles.  Mark did not mention the girl’s parents like Luke, but that might be presumed.  Matthew said nothing about these 3 favorite apostles.  The other disciples and apostles were excluded from this excursion to heal the young girl.  Do you have favorite people in your life?

January 21, 2019

The demons recognize Jesus (Lk 4:41-4:41)

“Demons also

Came out

Of many people.

They were shouting.

‘You are the Son of God!’

But he rebuked them.

He would not allow them

To speak,

Because they knew

That he was the Messiah,

The Christ.”

 

ἐξήρχετο δὲ καὶ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ πολλῶν, κραυγάζοντα καὶ λέγοντα ὅτι Σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. καὶ ἐπιτιμῶν οὐκ εἴα αὐτὰ λαλεῖν, ὅτι ᾔδεισαν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι.

 

Luke also had Jesus cast out demons.  He said that these demons came out of many people (ἐξήρχετο δὲ καὶ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ πολλῶν).  They were saying or shouting out (κραυγάζοντα καὶ λέγοντα) that Jesus was the Son of God (ὅτι Σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ).  But Jesus rebuked, admonished, or warned them (καὶ ἐπιτιμῶν).  He would not allow them to speak (οὐκ εἴα αὐτὰ λαλεῖν), because they knew that he was the Messiah, the Christ (ὅτι ᾔδεισαν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι).  Matthew, chapter 8:16, has something similar, but Jesus cast out these demons with simply a word.  Mark, chapter 1:34, is also similar.  However, there like here, the cast out demons also knew and spoke out that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.  This idea of not telling people that Jesus was the Christ or Messiah has come to be known as the Messianic secret.  Those who knew about the true role of Jesus were told to be quiet about it.  Why did the demons know about this?

October 22, 2018

Keep the Temple clean (Mk 11:16-11:16)

“Jesus would not allow

Anyone to carry anything

Through the Temple.”

 

καὶ οὐκ ἤφιεν ἵνα τις διενέγκῃ σκεῦος διὰ τοῦ ἱεροῦ,

 

This seems to be a unique saying of Mark, who said that Jesus would not allow or permit (καὶ οὐκ ἤφιεν) anyone to carry anything like a vessel (ἵνα τις διενέγκῃ σκεῦος) through the Temple (διὰ τοῦ ἱεροῦ).  In his attempt to clean up the Temple, Jesus did not want anything being carried around in the Temple.

August 17, 2018

Jesus cures the sick and the possessed (Mk 1:34-1:34)

“Jesus cured many

Who were sick

With various diseases.

He cast out

Many demons.

He would not permit

These demons

To speak,

Because they knew him.”

 

καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν πολλοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ποικίλαις νόσοις, καὶ δαιμόνια πολλὰ ἐξέβαλεν, καὶ οὐκ ἤφιεν λαλεῖν τὰ δαιμόνια, ὅτι ᾔδεισαν αὐτόν.

 

Matthew, chapter 8:16, has something similar, but Jesus cast out these demons with merely a word.  Luke, chapter 4:41, is also similar, but there the cast out demons knew and spoke out that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.  Mark said that Jesus cured many sick people (καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν πολλοὺς κακῶς) having various diseases (ἔχοντας ποικίλαις νόσοις), without indicating how this was done.  Jesus also cast out many demons (καὶ δαιμόνια πολλὰ ἐξέβαλεν).  However, he would not permit or allow these cast out demons to speak (καὶ οὐκ ἤφιεν λαλεῖν τὰ δαιμόνια), because they knew who he was (ὅτι ᾔδεισαν αὐτόν).  Some older texts added that these demons knew that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah (Χριστὸν εἶναι), as in Luke.  This idea of not telling people that Jesus was the Christ or Messiah has come to be known as the Messianic secret.  Those who knew about the true role of Jesus were told to be quiet about it.

November 29, 2015

The wandering Israelites (Ps 105:12-105:15)

“When they were few in number,

Of little account,

Strangers in it,

They wandered from nation to nation.

They wandered from one kingdom to another people.

He allowed no one to oppress them.

He rebuked kings on their account.

He said.

‘Touch not my anointed ones.

Do my prophets no harm.’”

At one time the Israelites were not that large. They were strangers in other lands. They wandered from one country to another, from one kingdom to another. However, Yahweh did not allow anyone to oppress them. He would rebuke kings on their account. He told them not to touch his anointed ones. They were not to harm his prophets. Yet somehow, many of the Israelites complained about being persecuted by various countries and people.

June 28, 2015

The dialogue of Yahweh and Satan (Job 1:6-1:12)

“One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before Yahweh. Satan also came among them. Yahweh said to Satan.

‘Where have you come from?’

Satan answered Yahweh.

‘From going to and fro on the earth,

I am walking up and down on it.’

Yahweh said to Satan.

‘Have you considered my servant Job?

There is no one like him on the earth.

He is a blameless and upright man.

He fears God.

He turns away from evil.’

Then Satan answered Yahweh.

‘Does Job fear God for nothing?

Have you not put a fence around him?

Have you not put a fence around his house and all that he has?

The fence is on every side.

You have blessed the work of his hands.

His possessions have increased in the land.

But stretch out your hand now.

Touch all that he has.

He will curse you to your face.’

Yahweh said to Satan.

‘Very well,

All that he has is in your power.

Only do not stretch out your hand against him!’

Satan then went out from the presence of Yahweh.”

Now we have a divine perspective with the 2 main protagonists of the story in a heavenly, other world since Job was not aware of this conversation. Yahweh was the Jewish Israelite God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Satan was the adversary or the powerful evil one, who later became the personification of evil or the devil, just like the serpent in Genesis, chapter 3. The assumption is that everyone knew who they were. Notice that Yahweh and Satan were on good speaking terms with each other. The heavenly beings, or sons of God, are some sort of council with God that is often referred to as the angels of God or some sort of lesser gods, subordinate to the main God. Satan seems to be one of these heavenly subordinate beings or angels. However, he seems more involved with earth. Yahweh started the conversation by asking Satan where he was from. He responded that he had been walking around earth. Yahweh then said that he must have seen his wonderful blameless and upright servant Job, who did no evil. Satan responded that Yahweh had put a fence or hedge all around him. He had blessed his work so that everything increased for him. Satan wanted Yahweh to stretch out his hand and see if he would curse Yahweh. Yahweh said that he would not do that, but he would allow Satan to do whatever he wanted to Job, except personally harm him. So the story begins.

May 13, 2015

King Demetrius I allows Jews to be in his army (1 Macc 10:36-10:37)

“Let Jews be enrolled in the king’s forces

To the number of thirty thousand men.

Let the maintenance be given them

That is due to all the forces of the king.

Let some of them be stationed in the great strongholds of the king.

Let some of them be put in positions of trust in the kingdom.

Let their officers and leaders be of their own number.

Let them live by their own laws,

Just as the king has commanded in the land of Judah.”

King Demetrius I wanted to allow Jews to be in his army. Actually to be a member of the army was a privilege. He hoped that this would strengthen their loyalty to him. He was going to allow 30,000 Jews in his royal army. Already they had quotas. These Jewish soldiers were going to be paid like the other soldiers in the royal army. They would be stationed at the great strongholds of the king. Some would even be given trusted positions. They would even have their own officers come from their ranks. Finally, they could follow all the Jewish laws in Judah.

March 25, 2015

Judith goes out to pray (Jdt 12:5-12:9)

“Then the servants of General Holofernes brought her into the tent. She slept until midnight. Toward the morning watch she got up. She sent this message to General Holofernes.

‘Let my lord now give orders to allow your servant

To go out and pray.’

So General Holofernes commanded his guards not to hinder her. She remained in the camp three days. She went out each night to the valley of Bethulia. She bathed at the spring in the camp. After bathing, she prayed the Lord God of Israel to direct her way for the triumph of his people. Then she returned purified. She stayed in the tent until she ate her food toward evening.”

Judith seems to have a tent near the general or in part of the general’s tent. She slept until midnight. However, at the morning watch she sent a message to the general. She wanted her and her servant to go out to pray. Then General Holofernes ordered his guards to let her go. She stayed in the army camp 3 days. Each night she would go out to the valley of Bethulia and bathe in the guarded springs. Then she would pray to the God of Israel for direction. Once purified or cleansed, she would return to the tent and eat her food at night. This seems like a simple routine so that she would not be suspected of anything.