“Jesus said to him.
‘If you are able!
All things
Can be done
For the one
Who believes.’”
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τὸ Εἰ δύνῃ, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι.
This is unique to Mark. Jesus said to him (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ). If you are able (Τὸ Εἰ δύνῃ), all things can be done (πάντα δυνατὰ) for the one who believes (τῷ πιστεύοντι). Jesus responded that belief was the key ingredient for any success in this area.
Christian faith is a gift from God. We do not earn it. However, we can refuse this gift. We must accept this gift with our mind, our heart, and our will. Our whole person believes in Jesus Christ. My mind believes that it is true. My heart says I trust. I will love and have a concern for others. The initial Christian faith is a gentle longing, a search for meaning. For some it comes in a blinding flash, like the apostle Paul. Dorothy Day (1897-1980) found it working with the poor, while others see it in the presence of a priest or minister who witnesses to goodness, or at the time of a tragedy or death. Still others grow up within a cultural community of Christians that grows with them throughout their life. My faith in Jesus Christ is a continuous growing mysterious reality.
The Christian tradition believes in a monotheistic personal God who has had a unique presence in Jesus Christ. We truly care to live with the mysterious life of God who has an impact on our lives. The God of Israel was Yahweh, whom the Christians consider God the Father. There is also the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Yahweh, that is present in our lives. Jesus is the Son of God, the Father.
“Two kinds of individuals
Multiply sins.
A third incurs wrath.
Hot passion blazes
Like a burning fire.
Hot passion
Will not be quenched
Until it burns itself out.
Whoever commits fornication
With his near of kin
Will never cease
Until the fire burns him up.
To a fornicator,
All bread is sweet.
He will never cease
Until he dies.”
Here Sirach is like Proverbs with a numerical proverb that is a little unclear. Some sinners multiply their sins, basically those with sins of passion. However, another kind of sinner incurs the wrath of God. Obviously, fornication is wrong. Hot passion blazes like a burning fire until it is quenched and burns itself out. The big sin is sexual fornication with a relative. Sirach believes that this fornicator will not cease until fire burns him up. Each fornicator believes that all bread is sweet, since they make no distinction on who they get involved with. They will only cease their bad habits at death. This is a strong condemnation of the indiscriminate sexual offender, especially those who get sexually involved with their own family members.
“The quiet words of the wise
Are more to be heeded
Than the shouting of a ruler
Among fools.
Wisdom is better
Than weapons of war.
But one bungler
Destroys much good.”
Qoheleth believes that you should listen to the quiet words of the wise rather than the shouting of a ruler among fools. This is somewhat revolutionary saying that the wise are better than the rulers. This strong statement indicates that wisdom is better than war weapons. However, there is a caveat. One bungler can destroy much good.
“‘All the toil of man is for the mouth.
Yet the appetite is not satisfied.’
What advantage has the wise ones
Over the fools?
What do the poor have?
They know how to conduct themselves
Before the living.
Better is the sight of the eyes
Than the wandering of desire.
This also is vanity.
This is chasing after wind.”
Qoheleth believes that the reason that people work is so that they can have something to eat. However, the problem is that the appetite for food is never satisfied. What advantage does the wise person have over the foolish person? In fact, the poor people know how to conduct themselves. Then Qoheleth warns against wandering desires. After all, remember that this is all vanity and chasing after the wind that cannot be caught.
Ain
“I have done what is just.
I have done what is right.
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
Guarantee your servant’s well being.
Do not let the godless oppress me.
My eyes fail from watching
For your salvation.
My eyes fail from watching
For the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
Deal with your servant
According to your steadfast love.
Teach me your statutes.
I am your servant.
Give me understanding.
Thus I may know your decrees.
It is time for Yahweh to act.
Your law has been broken.
Truly I love your commandments
More than gold,
More than fine gold.
Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts.
I hate every false way.”
The psalmist believes that he is the servant of God. He has always done what is just and right. As usual, he did not want to be left to his oppressors. He wanted to be protected against the godless men. His eyes were beginning to fail because he has been waiting for salvation and righteous promises. Of course, he wanted to feel the steadfast love of Yahweh. He wanted to learn and understand about the decrees of Yahweh. He wanted Yahweh to act now because his laws were broken. The psalmist loved the commandments of Yahweh more than even fine gold. He wanted all his steps to follow the precepts of Yahweh. He hated false ways. So ends this section on the sixteenth consonant letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Ain.
“Behold our shield!
O God!
Look on the face of your anointed!
A day in your courts is better
Than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper
In the house of my God
Than live in the tents of wickedness.
Yahweh God is a sun.
Yahweh God is a shield.
He bestows favor.
He bestows honor.
No good thing does Yahweh withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
Yahweh of hosts!
Happy is everyone who trusts in you!”
This psalm ends with the psalmist reminding people on how to be happy, trust in Yahweh. Yahweh is his shield and protector. The psalmist wants God to look at his anointed one. He believes that one day in the courts of the Temple was better than 1,000 days elsewhere. He was happy to be a Temple door keeper than live in the tents of the wicked. Yahweh was his sun and shield at the same time. Yahweh had bestowed favors and honors on him. Yahweh does not hold back anything from the upright. Everyone who trusts in Yahweh is happy. How to be happy, trust in Yahweh.
“My days are swifter than a runner.
They flee away.
They see no good.
They go by like skiffs of reed.
They go by like an eagle swooping on the prey.
If I say.
‘I will forget my complaint.
I will put off my sad countenance
I will be of good cheer.’
I become afraid of all my suffering.
I know that you will not hold me innocent.
I shall be condemned.
Why then do I labor in vain?
If I wash myself with snow,
And cleanse my hands with lye,
Yet you will plunge me into filth.
My own clothes will abhor me.
God is not a mortal,
As I am.
I cannot answer him.
We cannot come to trial together.
There is no umpire between us.
There is no one who might lay his hand upon us both.
Let him take his rod away from me.
Let not dread of him terrify me.
Then I would speak without fear of him,
I know that I am not what I am thought to be.”
Job believes that his days are numbered since they go quicker than a runner, a reed, or an eagle. Was he supposed to forget the complaint and all his sufferings? He would still suffer and be considered guilty. Why should he labor in vain, by washing with snow and lye? He will be sent back into filth, so that his own clothes will still dislike him? God is not a mortal like him. They are not equals. There is no umpire to say who is right. Just let God take his stick away from him. He wanted this dread to leave him so that he could speak freely. He realized that he was not perfect. Job could not forget about his circumstances. He could not cleanse himself. He could not call in a fair referee to solve his problems.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 