Peace and glory (Lk 19:38-19:38)

“The crowds said.

‘Blessed

Is the coming king

In the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven!

Glory in the highest heaven!’”

 

λέγοντες Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου· ἐν οὐρανῷ εἰρήνη καὶ δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις.

 

Luke indicated that the crowds said (λέγοντες) that blessed was the coming king (ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ὁ Βασιλεὺς) in the name of the Lord (ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου·)!  Peace in heaven (ν οὐρανῷ εἰρήνη)!  Glory in the highest heaven (ν οὐρανῷ εἰρήνη)!  This was high praise for Jesus.  He was the king coming in the name of the Lord so that there would be peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven.  Matthew, chapter 21:9, and Mark, chapter 11:9-10, are similar, while John, chapter 12:13, is closer to Luke, but with slight differences.  Mark said that they were all shouting out “Hosanna” (Ὡσαννὰ)!”  Jesus was the blessed one who came in the name of the Lord (Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου).  Mark said that they were shouting blessed is the coming kingdom (Εὐλογημένη ἡ ἐρχομένη βασιλεία) of our ancestor or father David (οῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Δαυείδ).  He did not actually call Jesus the son of David, as Matthew did.  These hosannas should reach to the highest heaven (Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις).  Matthew indicated that they were all shouting out (ἔκραζον λέγοντες) Hosanna to the Son of David (Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ Δαυείδ)!  He was the blessed one who came in the name of the Lord (Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου).  These hosannas should reach to the highest heaven (Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις).  Hosanna was a Hebrew term of praise asking God to save them.  This saying came from the Hallel chants that was used in the Passover celebration, based on Psalm 118:26.  Later it became part of the Roman Catholic “Sanctus” chant in the Eucharistic celebration.  This event has become the great Palm Sunday celebration, the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem.  Actually, only John, chapter 12:13, called these palm branches.  John repeated what Luke had said.  Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven!  Glory in the highest heaven!  He, like Luke here, did not have any Hosannas in this praise of Jesus.  Do you like the term and song “Hosanna”?

Have mercy on me! (Lk 18:39-18:39)

“Those who were

In front

Sternly ordered him

To be quiet.

But he shouted out

More loudly.

‘Son of David!

Have mercy on me!’”

 

καὶ οἱ προάγοντες ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ ἵνα σιγήσῃ· αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν Υἱὲ Δαυείδ, ἐλέησόν με.

 

Luke indicated that those who were in front of the crowd (καὶ οἱ προάγοντες) sternly ordered the blind beggar (ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ) to be quiet (ἵνα σιγήσῃ).  Instead, he shouted out more loudly (αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν) the same message “Son of David (Υἱὲ Δαυείδ)!  Have mercy on me (ἐλέησόν με)!”  Both Mark, chapter 10:48, and Matthew, chapter 20:31, have something similar.  Mark said that many in the crowd rebuked, admonished, or ordered Bartimaeus to be quiet or silent (καὶ ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ πολλοὶ ἵνα σιωπήσῃ).  But he shouted out even more loudly (ὁ δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν).  He repeated again what he had shouted out earlier.  He called Jesus, the Son of David (Υἱὲ Δαυείδ).  He wanted Jesus to have mercy on him. (ἐλέησόν με).  Matthew said that the crowd rebuked or admonished these two blind beggars to be quiet or silent (ὁ δὲ ὄχλος ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα σιωπήσωσιν).  But they shouted out even more loudly (οἱ δὲ μεῖζον ἔκραξαν λέγοντες).  They repeated again what they had shouted out earlier.  They called Jesus, Lord, the Son of David (Κύριε, υἱὸς Δαυείδ).  They wanted him to have mercy on them (ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς).  This Greek cry of “Κύριε, ἐλέησον” “kyrie eleison,” would become a Christian cry for mercy that has found its way into the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word at the beginning of the regular Sunday Mass service, with the “Lord, have mercy!”  Quite often, it is also part of a chant.  Do you ask Jesus, the Lord, to have mercy on you?

 

Bows and arrows (Hab 3:9-3:9)

“You brandished

Your naked bow!

Overflowing arrows

Were at your command.”

Selah

This hymn of Habakkuk talked about a bow ready to shoot many arrows, since there were more than enough arrows for this empty bow.  Then we have the psalmist pause for mediation with Selah, reminding us that this was a chant or hymn being sung.

All those with God bless the Lord (Dan 3:35-3:39)

“Bless the Lord!

All you works

Of the Lord!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!   

Bless the Lord!

You heavens!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!   

Bless the Lord!

You angels of the Lord!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!   

Bless the Lord!

All you waters

Above the heaven!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!   

Bless the Lord!

All you powers

Of the Lord!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!” 

Now the chant turns to a praise from all the works of the Lord. The heavens, the angels, the heavenly waters, and all the powers of the Lord are to bless the Lord. They were to sing praise to him and exalt him forever. The angels and the powers of the Lord were with him in heaven. The heavenly waters were somehow separated from the earthly waters in their cosmology.

The disfigured suffering servant (Isa 52:13-52:15)

“See!

My servant shall prosper.

He shall be exalted.

He shall be lifted up.

He shall be very high.

There were many

Who were astonished at him.

His appearance was so marred,

Beyond human semblance.

His form was beyond

That of mortals.

Thus he shall startle many nations.

Kings shall shut their mouths

Because of him.

What had not been told them,

They shall see.

What they have not heard,

They shall contemplate.”

Now Second Isaiah has the 4th chant of the suffering servant. Here there is a painful description of this servant of Yahweh, who is going to prosper, be exalted, and be lifted up very high. Many people were astonished at his marred figure that was beyond human semblance. He hardly looked human, so that he startled many nations. Kings shut their mouths. They suddenly saw things that they did not know about. They contemplated things that they had not heard. Was this an individual or the country of Israel? Obviously the text is not clear, except to say that he or Israel was badly disfigured, but that he or they would prosper anyway.

The face of Yahweh (Ps 27:7-27:10)

“Hear!

Yahweh!

When I cry aloud,

Be gracious to me!

Answer me!

Come!

My heart says.

‘Seek his face!

I seek your face!

Yahweh!’

Do not hide your face from me!

Do not turn your servant away in anger!

You have been my help!

Do not cast me off!

Do not forsake me!

O God of my salvation!

If my father and my mother have forsaken me,

Yahweh will take me up.”

This seems to be the song or chant that David sang in the Temple. He wanted Yahweh to listen to his cry or plea. He wanted Yahweh to be gracious to him. He wanted to seek the face of Yahweh. He did not want Yahweh to turn his face away in anger. Yahweh had been helpful. He did not want him to cast him off or forsake him. Yahweh was his God of salvation. Even if his parents abandoned him, Yahweh would always be there for him.