bag

March 12, 2019

Carry very little (Lk 10:4-10:4)

“Carry no purse!

Carry no bag!

Wear no sandals!

Greet no one

On the road.”

 

μὴ βαστάζετε βαλλάντιον, μὴ πήραν, μὴ ὑποδήματα· καὶ μηδένα κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀσπάσησθε.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus gave these 70 special disciples nearly the same message that he had given to his 12 apostles.  Jesus told them not to carry (μὴ βαστάζετε) any purse (βαλλάντιον) or bag (μὴ πήραν).  They were not to wear sandals (μὴ ὑποδήματα) and not greet anyone on the road (καὶ μηδένα κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀσπάσησθε).  Earlier Luke, chapter 9:3, indicated that Jesus told the 12 apostles to take nothing for their journey.  Here it was almost the same admonition for these 70 special missionary disciples.  However, there was the further admonition of not to greet people on the road that seemed a little inhospitable.  However, they had an urgent message that meant that there should be no distractions along the way.  There was no mention of bread, a staff, or tunics here for the 70 disciples.  Equivalent passages about the 12 apostles can be found in Matthew, chapter 10:9-10, and Mark, chapter 6:8-9.  Mark indicated that Jesus instructed the 12 apostles that they should not bring anything for their journey.  They could only bring a staff or walking stick, but they could not bring any bread, a bag or a sack, or money in their belts.  However, all 3 synoptics agreed that they did not need two tunics, since one would be enough.  Matthew indicated that Jesus told the 12 apostles that they were not to bring with them any gold, silver, or copper, in their money belts, since they did not need money.  This was similar to what Mark had said about not bringing any money belts.  They were not to take any bag or sack for their journey.  They were not to take two tunics, since one would be enough.  They were not to take any sandals or a staff.  This was a very strong demand on these 12 missionaries of Jesus.  The same demand was expected of these 70 disciples on this 2nd missionary journey.  Would you be able to carry out these instructions as a missionary for Jesus Christ?

February 27, 2019

Take nothing (Lk 9:3-9:3)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Take nothing

For your journey!

Take no staff!

Take no bag!

Take no bread!

Take no money!

Do not take

Even an extra tunic!’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Μηδὲν αἴρετε εἰς τὴν ὁδόν, μήτε ῥάβδον μήτε πήραν μήτε ἄρτον μήτε ἀργύριον μήτε ἀνὰ δύο χιτῶνας ἔχειν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus told the 12 apostles (καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς) to take nothing for their journey (Μηδὲν αἴρετε εἰς τὴν ὁδόν).  They were not to take a staff (μήτε ῥάβδον), a bag (μήτε πήραν), bread (μήτε ἄρτον), or money (μήτε ἀργύριον).  They were not to take even 2 tunics (μήτε ἀνὰ δύο χιτῶνας ἔχειν).  Equivalent passages to this can be found in Matthew, chapter 10:9-10, and Mark, chapter 6:8-9, who is closer to Luke here.  Mark indicated that Jesus told them what they could not bring with them on their mission.  Jesus instructed them that they should not bring anything for their journey.  They could only bring a staff or walking stick, but they could not bring any bread, a bag or a sack, or money in their belts.  Mark said that they should wear sandals and have a walking stick, but without any food or bread.  However, all 3 synoptics agreed that they did not need two tunics, since one would be enough.  Matthew also indicated that Jesus told them what they could not bring with them on their mission.  They were not to bring with them any gold, silver, or copper, in their money belts, since they did not need money.  This was similar to what Mark had said about not bringing any money belts.  They were not to take any bags or sacks for their journey.  They were not to take two tunics, since one would be enough.  They were not to take any sandals or a staff.  However, these laborers did deserve their food.  Mark had said that they should bring a staff or sandals, but not bring food.  Matthew was the opposite.  He said that they were not to bring sandals, but could bring food.  They did not need any money or material things, but they certainly needed something to eat for nourishment.  This was a very strong demand on these 12 missionaries of Jesus.  Do you travel light with few things?

September 8, 2018

What to take on their mission (Mk 6:8-6:9)

“Jesus ordered them

To take nothing

For their journey,

Except a staff.

There would be

No bread,

No bag,

No money in their belts.

But they were

To wear sandals,

But not put on

Two tunics.”

 

καὶ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδὲν αἴρωσιν εἰς ὁδὸν εἰ μὴ ῥάβδον μόνον, μὴ ἄρτον, μὴ πήραν, μὴ εἰς τὴν ζώνην χαλκόν,

ἀλλὰ ὑποδεδεμένους σανδάλια, καὶ μὴ ἐνδύσησθε δύο χιτῶνας.

 

Equivalent passages to this can be found in Matthew, chapter 10:9-10, and Luke, chapter 9:3, who is closer to Mark.  Thus, Mark indicated that Jesus told them what they could not bring with them on their mission.  Jesus instructed them that they should bring nothing for their journey (καὶ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδὲν αἴρωσιν εἰς ὁδὸν).  They could only bring a staff or walking stick (εἰ μὴ ῥάβδον μόνον).  They could not bring any bread (μὴ ἄρτον), a bag or sack (μὴ πήραν), or money in their belts (μὴ εἰς τὴν ζώνην χαλκόν).  This was similar to what Matthew had said about not bringing any gold, silver, or copper in their money belts, since they did not need money.  Matthew had said that they should not bring a staff or sandals, but bring food.  Mark was the reverse here, since he said that they should wear sandals (ἀλλὰ ὑποδεδεμένους σανδάλια) and have a walking stick without any food or bread.  However, they both agreed that they did not need two tunics (καὶ μὴ ἐνδύσησθε δύο χιτῶνας), since one would be enough.  This was a very strong demand on these missionaries of Jesus.

April 12, 2018

What to bring with you (Mt 10:9-10:10)

“Take no gold!

Take no silver!

Take no copper

In your belts!

Take no bag

For your journey!

Do not take

Two tunics!

Do not take

Sandals!

Do not take

A staff!

Laborers deserve

Their food.”

 

Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν μηδὲ ἄργυρον μηδὲ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν,

μὴ πήραν εἰς ὁδὸν μηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας μηδὲ ὑποδήματα μηδὲ ῥάβδον· ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ.

 

Equivalent passages to this can be found in Mark, chapter 6:8-9, and Luke, chapter 9:3.  Jesus told them what they could not bring with them on their mission.  They were not to bring with them any gold (Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν), silver (μηδὲ ἄργυρον), or copper (μηδὲ χαλκὸν) in their money belts (εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν) since they did not need money.  They were not to take any bag or sack for their journey (μὴ πήραν εἰς ὁδὸν).  They were not to take two tunics (μηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας) since one would be enough.  They were not to take any sandals (μηδὲ ὑποδήματα) or a staff (μηδὲ ῥάβδον).  However, these laborers did deserve their food (ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ).  They did not need any money or material things, but they certainly needed something to eat or nourishment.  This was a very strong demand on these missionaries of Jesus.

March 7, 2016

Sweet smells (Song 1:12-1:14)

Female lover

“While the king was on his couch,

My nard gave forth its fragrance.

My beloved is to me

A bag of myrrh,

That lies between my breasts.

My beloved is to me

A cluster of henna blossoms

In the vineyards of En-gedi.”

This female lover responded, while the king was on his couch. She said that her nard plant had a lovely fragrance. Myrrh was another fragrant plant that had a lovely aroma. This bag of myrrh was placed between her breasts. He was like a cluster of colored blossoms in the vineyards. Today En-gedi is a natural preserve on the edge of the Dead Sea, so that it must have been a natural place of beauty for years.

March 22, 2015

Judith dresses up to go to General Holofernes (Jdt 10:1-10:5)

“When Judith had stopped crying out to the God of Israel, as she had ended all these words, she rose from where she lay prostrate. She called her maid. She went down into the house where she lived on the Sabbath and on her festal days. She removed the sackcloth that she had been wearing. She took off her widow’s garments. She bathed her body with water. She anointed herself with precious ointment. She combed her hair and put on a tiara. She dressed herself in the festive attire that she used to wear while her husband Manasseh was living. She put sandals on her feet. She put on her anklets, bracelets, rings, earrings and all her other jewelry. Thus she made herself very beautiful, to entice the eyes of all the men who might see her. She gave her maid a skin of wine and a flask of oil. She filled a bag with roasted grain, dried fruit cakes, and fine bread. Then she wrapped up all her dishes. She then gave them to her maid to carry.”

This is a glimpse into what a beautiful woman of the 3rd to 1st century BCE did to look beautiful as the details are very specific. Judith got up from her prayer tent and went into her house. She took off her sackcloth and widow garments. It is interesting to note that there was special clothing just for widows, thus the custom of women in mourning wearing black. In Genesis, chapter 38, there is the story of Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar who took off her widow garments and enticed her father-in-law as a prostitute to have sex with her that produced the lineage for Judah through the twin boys of Perez and Zerah. Judith bathed and anointed her body. It is interesting to note that despite the shortage of water, she was able to take a water bath. She combed her hair and put on a tiara, as if a princess or queen. She put on festive attire, with anklets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and other fine jewelry. She wanted to look enticing. Then she had her maid servant carry her food and dishes.