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February 20, 2019

Jesus calms the sea (Lk 8:24-8:24)

“They went

To Jesus.

They woke him up.

Shouting.

‘Master!

Master!

We are perishing!’

Jesus woke up.

He rebuked the wind

And the raging waves.

They ceased.

So that

There was a calm.”

 

προσελθόντες δὲ διήγειραν αὐτὸν λέγοντες Ἐπιστάτα ἐπιστάτα, ἀπολλύμεθα. ὁ δὲ διεγερθεὶς ἐπετίμησεν τῷ ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῷ κλύδωνι τοῦ ὕδατος· καὶ ἐπαύσαντο, καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη.

 

Luke said that the disciples went to Jesus (προσελθόντες).  They woke him up (δὲ διήγειραν αὐτὸν), shouting at him (λέγοντες) “Master (Ἐπιστάτα)!  Master (Ἐπιστάτα)!  We are perishing (ἀπολλύμεθα)!”  Jesus then woke up (ὁ δὲ διεγερθεὶς).  He rebuked (ἐπετίμησεν) the wind (τῷ ἀνέμῳ) and the raging water waves (καὶ τῷ κλύδωνι τοῦ ὕδατος), so that they ceased (καὶ ἐπαύσαντο).  Finally, there was a calm sea (καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη).  This waking of Jesus and calming the waters can be found in Matthew, chapter 8:25-26, and Mark chapter 4:38-39, in a somewhat similar fashion.  Matthew said that these disciples went to wake up Jesus.  They cried out to him calling him “the Lord (Κύριε)”.  They wanted to be saved or rescued, because they were dying or facing certain death.  They were definitely afraid and scared.  After waking up, Jesus then turned to his followers and asked them why they were afraid.  Was it because they had little faith?  The unfaithful “ὀλιγόπιστοι” was a favorite word of Matthew.  Then Jesus got up.  He then rebuked or admonished the winds and the sea itself, so that there was a great calm in the air and on the sea.  Jesus called out his disciples for their lack of faith or trust, while showing his great power.  Mark was not as frantic, but he had more details.  He said that Jesus was in the stern or the back of the boat, sleeping on a cushion.  The disciples woke up Jesus as Mark said that they called Jesus “Teacher (Διδάσκαλε).”  They said that Jesus did not care if they were perishing, or facing certain death.  They were definitely afraid and scared.  Notice that they did not call Jesus “Lord, Κύριε” as in Matthew, but rather “Teacher, Διδάσκαλε.”  Mark said that after Jesus woke up, he then rebuked or admonished the wind.  Then he spoke to the sea itself, as he told the sea to be silent, peaceful, and still   Thus, the wind abated or was still.  There was a great calmness in the sea.  Do you believe that God controls the wind and the sea?

October 17, 2018

They brought the colt to Jesus (Mk 11:7-11:7)

“Then they brought

The colt

To Jesus.

They threw

Their garments

On it.

Then Jesus sat on it.”

 

καὶ φέρουσιν τὸν πῶλον πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἐπιβάλλουσιν αὐτῷ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν.

 

Both Matthew, chapter 21:7, and Luke, chapter 19:35, are similar.  The two disciples brought or led this colt (καὶ φέρουσιν τὸν πῶλον) back to Jesus (πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν).  They placed their outer garments, cloaks, or coats on this colt (καὶ ἐπιβάλλουσιν αὐτῷ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν).  Then Jesus sat on the colt (καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν).  Jesus had an animal to ride on.

 

July 5, 2017

Measuring the Temple (Ezek 41:13-41:15)

“Then he measured

The temple.

It was

A hundred cubits long.

The yard

With the building,

Including its walls,

Was one hundred cubits deep.

The width

Of the east front

Of the temple

With the yard,

Was one hundred cubits.

Then he measured

The depth of the building

Facing the yard,

Together with its galleries

On either side,

A hundred cubits.”

Now the bronze man was back measuring the Temple. However, he included the yard and its building, as well as its galleries. This turned out to be a square building, 100 cubits long and wide, about a 160 feet square building with the front facing east and the back facing west.

May 7, 2017

The glittering sword (Ezek 21:15-21:17)

“‘Therefore hearts melt!

Many stumble!

At all their gates,

I have set the point

Of the sword.

Ah!

It is made

For flashing.

It is polished

For slaughter.

Attack to the right!

Engage to the left!

Attack wherever

Your edge is directed!

I too will strike

Hand to hand.

I will satisfy

My fury.’

I,

Yahweh,

Have spoken.”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, concluded this little hymn to the sword. Hearts would melt. Many would stumble. Everywhere there would be the flashing of swords. Especially at the gates, there would be polished silver swords that led to slaughter and death, all around, to the right and the left, front and back. Swords would be pointed in all directions. Yahweh would also strike where he pleased in order to satisfy his anger.

May 6, 2017

The drawn sword (Ezek 21:3-21:5)

“Say to the land of Israel!

Thus says Yahweh!

‘I am coming

Against you!

I will draw

My sword

Out of its sheath!

I will cut off

From you

Both the righteous

With the wicked!

Because I will cut off

From you

Both the righteous

With the wicked,

Therefore my sword

Shall go

Out of its sheath

Against all flesh,

From south to north.

All flesh

Shall know

That I,

Yahweh,

Have drawn my sword

Out of its sheath.

It shall not be

Sheathed again.”

Yahweh told Ezekiel to tell the land of Israel that he was going to go against them with a drawn sword. He was going to take his sword out of its sheath or holder against both the righteous and the wicked. His sword was not going to go back into that sheath or holder. He was going to raise his sword against everyone from south to north. They all would know that Yahweh had drawn his sword from his sheath. Thus it would not be returned to its sheath again.

March 25, 2017

The faces of the four living creatures (Ezek 1:10-1:11)

“As for the appearance

Of their faces,

Each had

The face

Of a human being

In front.

Each had

The face

Of a lion

On the right side.

Each had

The face

Of an ox

On the left side.

Each had

The face

Of an eagle

At the back.

Such were their faces.

Their wings

Were spread out above.

Each creature

Had two wings.

Each wing

Touched the wing

Of another.

The two wings

Covered their bodies.”

Each creature had the face of a human being in front. Then there was a face of a lion on the right side with a face of an ox on the left side. In the back was the face of an eagle. Interesting enough this is similar to the idea of cherubim in Assyrian and Babylonian times. They had a statue of a god who had the head of a human, the body of a lion, the paws of an ox, with wings. This same symbolism was later taken up as the symbols of the four Christian evangelists, as well as the 4 creatures of the apocalypse in the Book of Revelation. There is also the interpretation that these animal heads symbolize mobility, intelligence, and strength. Their wings were spread out above each of these creatures, so that they touched each other. Thus these wings covered the bodies of these creatures.

March 18, 2017

Patience (Bar 4:23-4:26)

“I sent you out

With sorrow,

With weeping.

But God will give you

Back to me

With joy,

With gladness forever.

As the neighbors of Zion

Have now seen

Your capture,

So they soon will see

Your salvation

By God.

This will come

To you

With great glory,

With the splendor

Of the Everlasting One.

My children,

Endure with patience

The wrath

That has come upon you

From God.

Your enemy

Has overtaken you.

But you will soon see

Their destruction.

You will tread

Upon their necks.

My pampered children

Have traveled rough roads.

They were taken away

Like a flock

Carried off

By the enemy.”

The personification of Jerusalem continued as this city advised her exiles to have patience. She had sent them out of town with sorrow and weeping. However, God was going to bring them back to Jerusalem with eternal joy and gladness. Zion’s neighbors had seen them captured. They would soon see these Israelites safely coming back with the glorious splendor of the Everlasting One, not Yahweh. Jerusalem wanted her pampered children to endure patiently the wrath of God that had come via their enemies. They would soon tread on the necks of their enemies since they would be destroyed. Even though they had traveled rough roads and were taken away like a flock of sheep, they needed patience.

December 15, 2016

The return to Jerusalem (Jer 29:14-29:14)

“‘I will restore your fortunes.

I will gather you

From all the nations,

From all the places,

Where I have driven you.’

Says Yahweh.

‘I will bring you back

To the place

From which

I sent you into exile.’”

Yahweh is very clear in this letter of Jeremiah that he will restore their fortunes. He will gather them up from all the countries and places that he has driven them into. He was going to bring them back to the exiled places where they started from.

December 2, 2016

The basket of good figs (Jer 24:4-24:7)

“Then the word of Yahweh

Came to me.

‘Thus says Yahweh!

The God of Israel!

Like these good figs,

So I will regard as good

The exiles from Judah.

I have sent them away

From this place

To the land of the Chaldeans.

I will set my eyes

Upon them for good.

I will bring them back

To this land.

I will build them up.

I will not tear them down.

I will plant them.

I will not pluck them up.

I will give them a heart

To know

That I am Yahweh.

They shall be my people.

I will be their God.

They shall return to me

With their whole heart.’”

Yahweh, the God of Israel, explained to Jeremiah that the basket of good figs referred to those who had gone into exile in 598 BCE, not those who had remained in Judah. The Babylonians or the Chaldeans had taken them. Yahweh was going to bring these good people back from their exile. He was again going to plant them in this land, since he was not going to tear them down. Their hearts would know Yahweh. Thus they would be his people and he would be their God. They would return to Yahweh with their whole hearts.

November 28, 2016

The future good shepherds (Jer 23:3-23:4)

“‘Then I myself

Will gather the remnant

Of my flock

Out of all the lands

Where I have driven them.

I will bring them back

To their fold.

They shall be fruitful.

They shall multiply.

I will raise up

Shepherds over them.

They will shepherd them.

They shall not fear any longer.

They shall not be dismayed.

None shall be missing.’

Says Yahweh.”

At some future time, Yahweh will gather the remnant of his flock from all the countries that they were driven into. He is going to bring them back into the fold where they will be fruitful and multiply. Moreover, he will then put good shepherd leaders over them. They will no longer fear or be dismayed. No one will be missing. Thus the future good times would have good leaders.