came out

February 22, 2019

The swine go into the lake (Lk 8:33-8:33)

“Then the demons

Came out

Of the man.

They entered

The pigs.

The swine herd

Rushed down

The steep bank

Into the lake.

They were drowned.”

 

ἐξελθόντα δὲ τὰ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰσῆλθον εἰς τοὺς χοίρους, καὶ ὥρμησεν ἡ ἀγέλη κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ εἰς τὴν λίμνην καὶ ἀπεπνίγη.

 

Luke said that the demons came out of that man (ἐξελθόντα δὲ τὰ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου).  They entered the pigs (εἰσῆλθον εἰς τοὺς χοίρους).  The whole swine herd rushed down the steep bank (καὶ ὥρμησεν ἡ ἀγέλη κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ) into the lake (εἰς τὴν λίμνην), where they drowned (καὶ ἀπεπνίγη).  All three synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 8:32, Mark, chapter 5:13, and Luke here, have Jesus cast out the demons into the nearby herd of pigs, with slight nuances in each story.  Mark said that Jesus allowed these evil spirits to have what they wanted.  However, Jesus showed his power.  The unclean spirit demons left the demoniac and entered the herd of pigs.  This herd then rushed down a steep bank into the sea.  Mark was the only synoptic to mention the number of pigs, 2,000, who were drowned or died in the sea.  Matthew said that Jesus then accommodated these evil spirits.  He told them to leave the 2 humans and go into the swine or pigs, which the demons did.  They entered the herd of pigs, but this herd then rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they died in the water.  There is one problem, pigs can swim, so some might have survived.  Perhaps the unfamiliarity of these Jewish authors with pigs may have led to this harsh ending.  Anyway, the pig herd, without a particular size or 2,000 of them as mentioned by Mark, with the unclean spirits, ran into the sea off a steep bank and perished.  Have you ever seen anyone or any animal drown?

October 31, 2018

How wonderful is the the Temple? (Mk 13:1-13:1)

“As Jesus

Came out

Of the Temple,

One of his disciples

Said to him.

‘Look!

Teacher!

What wonderful stones!

What wonderful buildings!’”

 

Καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ λέγει αὐτῷ εἷς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ Διδάσκαλε, ἴδε ποταποὶ λίθοι καὶ ποταπαὶ οἰκοδομαί.

 

There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 24:1.  Mark said that Jesus was leaving the Temple (Καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ).  Then one of his disciples (λέγει αὐτῷ εἷς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ) pointed out to him the beautiful Temple buildings.  This unnamed disciple called him teacher (Διδάσκαλε).  He wanted Jesus to see and look at the wonderful or great stones and buildings (ἴδε ποταποὶ λίθοι καὶ ποταπαὶ οἰκοδομαί).  The Jerusalem Temple had been under reconstruction since the time of Herod the Great in 19 BCE but would not have been completed at the time of Jesus, since it was only finished in 63 CE.  However, most of the work would have been done by the time of Jesus.

October 2, 2018

Was the boy dead? (Mk 9:26-9:26)

“After crying out

And convulsing him

Terribly,

The spirit came out.

The boy was

Like a corpse.

Thus,

Most of them said.

‘He is dead.’”

 

καὶ κράξας καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξας ἐξῆλθεν· καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρὸς, ὥστε τοὺς πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν.

 

This is unique to Mark.  After crying out (καὶ κράξας) and terribly convulsing the boy with spasms (καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξας), the evil spirit came out of the boy (ἐξῆλθεν), who became a corpse (ὡσεὶ νεκρὸς).  Most of the people said that the boy was dead. (ὥστε τοὺς πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν).  Could this boy live without the evil spirit in him?

September 16, 2018

What comes out defiles a person (Mk 7:20-7:20)

“Jesus said.

‘What comes out

Of a person

Defiles a person.”

 

ἔλεγεν δὲ ὅτι Τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκπορευόμενον, ἐκεῖνο κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον.

 

There is something similar to this in Matthew, chapter 15:18.  Jesus indicated that the true defilement was what came out of a person, not what went into him.  Matthew often talked about the mouth of a person, but Mark did not do that here, as he clearly explained defilement.  Mark reported that Jesus said (ἔλεγεν) that what came out of a person or a man (δὲ ὅτι Τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκπορευόμενον) defiled him (ἐκεῖνο κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον), not what went into him.

September 5, 2018

The unclean spirits enter the swine (Mk 5:13-5:13)

“Thus,

Jesus gave them

Permission.

The unclean spirits

Came out.

They entered

The swine.

The herd,

Numbering about two thousand,

Rushed down

The steep bank

Into the sea.

They were drowned

In the sea.”

 

καὶ ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτοῖς. καὶ ἐξελθόντα τὰ πνεύματα τὰ ἀκάθαρτα εἰσῆλθον εἰς τοὺς χοίρους, καὶ ὥρμησεν ἡ ἀγέλη κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, ὡς δισχίλιοι, καὶ ἐπνίγοντο ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ.

 

All three synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 8:32 and Luke, chapter 8:32-33, and Mark here, have Jesus cast out the demons into the herd of pigs nearby, with slight nuances in each story.  Jesus then accommodated or allowed what these evil spirits had wanted (καὶ ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτοῖς).  Then the unclean spirits demons left the demoniac (καὶ ἐξελθόντα τὰ πνεύματα τὰ ἀκάθαρτα).  They entered the herd of pigs (εἰσῆλθον εἰς τοὺς χοίρους).  This herd then rushed down a steep bank into the sea (καὶ ὥρμησεν ἡ ἀγέλη κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν).  Mark was the only synoptic to mention the number of pigs, 2,000 (ὡς δισχίλιοι), who were drowned or died in the sea (καὶ ἐπνίγοντο ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ).  There is one problem, pigs can swim, so that some might have survived.  Perhaps the unfamiliarity of these Jewish authors with pigs may have led to this harsh ending.  Anyway, the 2,000-pig herd with the unclean spirits ran into the sea off a steep bank and perished.

August 18, 2018

Jesus came to preach (Mk 1:38-1:38)

“Jesus said

To them.

‘Let us go on

To the neighboring towns.

Thus,

I may proclaim

The message there also.

That is what

I came out to do.’”

 

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἄγωμεν ἀλλαχοῦ εἰς τὰς ἐχομένας κωμοπόλεις, ἵνα καὶ ἐκεῖ κηρύξω· εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐξῆλθον.

 

There is something similar in Luke, chapter 4:43, but Luke explicitly said that the message was “to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God”.  Here Mark simple recounts that Jesus said to his followers (καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς) that they were going to go another way (Ἄγωμεν ἀλλαχοῦ) into the nearby neighboring towns or villages (εἰς τὰς ἐχομένας κωμοπόλεις).  Thus, he could proclaim or preach (ἐκεῖ κηρύξω) this unspecified message there, since that is what he came to do (εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐξῆλθον).  It was time to get to work.  They had to move on to the other nearby towns and villages to proclaim the message of Jesus.

 

July 23, 2018

The dead rise and appear in Jerusalem (Mt 27:53-27:53)

“After his resurrection,

They came out

Of the tombs.

They entered

The holy city.

They appeared

To many people.”

 

καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῶν μνημείων μετὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν αὐτοῦ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν καὶ ἐνεφανίσθησαν πολλοῖς.

 

Once again, this is unique to Matthew, since the other 3 gospels do not mention any appearance of holy dead people in Jerusalem.  Matthew clearly said that after the resurrection of Jesus (μετὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν αὐτοῦ), these holy righteous ones came out of their tombs (καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῶν μνημείων).  They entered the holy city (εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν) of Jerusalem, where they appeared to many people (καὶ ἐνεφανίσθησαν πολλοῖς).  Thus, the general resurrection of the dead at the end times had already occurred.

May 21, 2018

Jesus heals the epileptic boy (Mt 17:17-17:18)

“Jesus answered.

‘You faithless generation!

You perverse generation!

How much longer

Must I be with you?

How much longer

Must I put up with you?

Bring him here to me!’

Jesus rebuked the demon.

The demon came out of him.

The boy was cured instantly.”

 

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη, ἕως πότε μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε.

καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον, καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης.

 

Problem solved, as Jesus cured the epileptic son.  However, he also reprimanded his disciples at the same time.  The healing of the man with the uncurable epileptic son can be found in the other synoptic gospels.  Mark, chapter 9:19-27, has an extended detailed version of this story, while Luke, chapter 9:41-42, has a short version of this story.  Jesus called them out (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν) as a faithless, corrupt, and perverse generation (Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη).  Almost in desperation, he wondered how much longer he was going to be with them (ἕως πότε μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἔσομαι) and how much longer he had to bear with or put up with them (ἕως πότε μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἔσομαι).  He told them to bring the boy to him (φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε).  Finally, Jesus rebuked the demon (καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς).  Once the demon came out of the boy (καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον), he was cured instantly or at that hour (καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης).  There was a clear equivalence between the illness of epilepsy and demonic possession.  Once the devil or evil spirits had left the boy, he was cured of his illness.

May 12, 2018

The Canaanite woman (Mt 15:22-15:22)

“Just then,

A Canaanite woman

From that same region

Came out.

She started shouting.

‘Have mercy on me!

Lord!

Son of David!

My daughter

Is possessed

By a demon.’”

 

καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων ἐξελθοῦσα ἔκραζεν λέγουσα Ἐλέησόν με, Κύριε υἱὸς Δαυείδ· ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται.

 

Mark, chapter 7:24-26, has something similar but there were more details there, as she entered a house.  A gentile Canaanite woman (καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία), from that same coastal region (ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων) appeared on the scene.  The Canaanites, who worshiped Baal, were still the enemies of the Jewish people.  This Canaanite woman came out shouting (ἐξελθοῦσα ἔκραζεν λέγουσα).  She asked Jesus to have mercy on her (Ἐλέησόν με,).  She called Jesus, the Lord (Κύριε), and the Son of David (υἱὸς Δαυείδ), clear Jewish messianic terms.  She said that her daughter was possessed by a demon (ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται).  She was not asking for a cure for herself, but for her daughter.

April 7, 2018

The people ask Jesus to leave (Mt 8:34-8:34)

“Then the whole town

Came out

To meet Jesus.

When they saw him,

They begged him

To leave

Their neighborhood.”

 

καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ὑπάντησιν τῷ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν παρεκάλεσαν ὅπως μεταβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν.

 

All three synoptic gospels, Mark, chapter 5:17 and Luke, chapter 8:37 and Matthew here, have the people in the Gadarenes area ask Jesus to leave their neighborhood, with slight nuances in each story.  The whole town went out to meet Jesus (καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ὑπάντησιν τῷ Ἰησοῦ).  They then begged him to leave their neighborhood or area (καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν παρεκάλεσαν ὅπως μεταβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν).  Not in my neighborhood, as economics was more important than any miraculous events.