compare

April 22, 2019

The great dinner banquet (Lk 14:16-14:16)

“Then Jesus said to him.

‘Someone gave

A great dinner banquet.

He invited

Many people.’”

 

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἄνθρωπός τις ἐποίει δεῖπνον μέγα, καὶ ἐκάλεσεν πολλούς,

 

Luke indicated that Jesus told a parable.  He said to this man (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἄνθρωπός) that someone gave a great dinner banquet (τις ἐποίει δεῖπνον μέγα).  He invited many people (καὶ ἐκάλεσεν πολλούς).  This is somewhat similar to Matthew, chapter 22:2, where instead of “someone” it was “a king” who was giving a great wedding dinner for his son.  There may be a common Q source for this story or parable.  Matthew had Jesus compare the kingdom of heaven (Ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν) to this male king (ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ) who had prepared a great wedding banquet for his son (ὅστις ἐποίησεν γάμους τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ).  This was an obvious allusion to the king, God the Father, giving a wedding banquet feast for his son, Jesus.  Here in Luke, it was only a great feast.  Both stories have many people being invited to this great feast.  Have you ever been invited to a great dinner banquet?

April 15, 2019

The kingdom of God (Lk 13:20-13:20)

“Again,

Jesus said.

‘To what

Should I compare

The kingdom of God?’”

 

Καὶ πάλιν εἶπεν Τίνι ὁμοιώσω τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus once again asked (Καὶ πάλιν εἶπεν) what he could compare the kingdom of God to (Τίνι ὁμοιώσω τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)?  Jesus was once again trying to figure out how to explain the kingdom of God.  This indication of another parable can also be found in in Matthew, chapter 13:33, indicating a Q source.  Jesus, via Matthew, told them another short parable (Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς), not using the phrase kingdom of God, but explicitly calling it a parable.  Do you know how to make good comparisons?

April 15, 2019

The kingdom of God (Lk 13:18-13:18)

“Jesus said therefore.

‘What is the kingdom

Of God like?

To what

Should I compare it?’”

 

Ἔλεγεν οὖν Τίνι ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τίνι ὁμοιώσω αὐτήν;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus asked (Ἔλεγεν οὖν) what the kingdom of God was like (Τίνι ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ)?  What could he compare it to (καὶ τίνι ὁμοιώσω αὐτήν)?  Jesus was trying to figure out how to explain the kingdom of God.  Could he find anything comparable?  This saying of Jesus about the kingdom of God can also be found in Mark, chapter 4:30, who might have been the source of this saying.  Mark reported that Jesus said (Καὶ ἔλεγεν) what can we compare the kingdom of God with (Πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)?  What parable will we use for it (ἢ ἐν τίνι αὐτὴν παραβολῇ θῶμεν)?  Jesus wanted to know how to explain the kingdom of God with a good parable.  That is basically the same as here in Luke, but Luke did not mention any parable usage.  How would you explain the Kingdom of God?

February 28, 2019

Herod wants to see Jesus (Lk 9:9-9:9)

“Herod said.

‘I beheaded John!

Who is this

About whom

I hear such things?’

He tried

To see him.”

 

εἶπεν δὲ Ἡρῴδης Ἰωάνην ἐγὼ ἀπεκεφάλισα· τίς δέ ἐστιν οὗτος περὶ οὗ ἀκούω τοιαῦτα; καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν αὐτόν.

 

Luke indicated that Herod said (εἶπεν δὲ Ἡρῴδης) that he had beheaded John (Ἰωάνην ἐγὼ ἀπεκεφάλισα).  Who then was this Jesus (τίς δέ ἐστιν οὗτος) about whom he had heard such things (περὶ οὗ ἀκούω τοιαῦτα)?  He wanted to see Jesus (καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν αὐτόν).  There is nothing like this in Matthew, but in Mark, chapter 6:16, there was something similar.  King Herod had his own opinion.  He believed that Jesus was John resurrected.  Mark said that when Herod heard about this, he had no doubt.  He said that it was John, whom he beheaded, that was raised up in Jesus.  Herod saw an equivalence between John the Baptist and Jesus.  Thus, here in Luke, he wanted to see Jesus, which was not in the other gospel stories.  How would you compare John the Baptist to Jesus?

February 28, 2019

Elijah or ancient prophets (Lk 9:8-9:8)

“Some others said

That Elijah had appeared.

Others said

That one of the ancient prophets

Had risen.”

 

ὑπό τινων δὲ ὅτι Ἡλείας ἐφάνη, ἄλλων δὲ ὅτι προφήτης τις τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀνέστη.

 

Luke said that some people said Jesus was the appearance of Elijah (ὑπό τινων δὲ ὅτι Ἡλείας ἐφάνη).  Others said that Jesus was one of the ancient prophets who had risen (ἄλλων δὲ ὅτι προφήτης τις τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀνέστη).  There was nothing about this speculation in Matthew.  However, Mark, chapter 6:15, had something similar, almost word for word.  Some people said that Jesus was Elijah.  Still others said that he was a prophet, like the former ancient prophets.  Elijah was a 9th century BCE northern Israelite prophet whose work can be found in the Old Testament Books of 1 Kings, 2 Kings, and 1 Chronicles.  There was no doubt that the role of Elijah dominated late Jewish thought at the time of Jesus, with his name appearing around John the Baptist, the transfiguration, and the death of Jesus.  The prophets were the holy men of Hebrew scripture who brought the word of Yahweh to his people.  Who would you compare Jesus to?

February 11, 2019

The people of this generation (Lk 7:31-7:31)

“To what then

Will I compare

The people

Of this generation?

What are they like?”

 

Τίνι οὖν ὁμοιώσω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης, καὶ τίνι εἰσὶν ὅμοιοι;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus asked the crowd to what then would he compare the men or the people of this generation (Τίνι οὖν ὁμοιώσω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης)?  What are they like (καὶ τίνι εἰσὶν ὅμοιοι)?  Luke took on the present generation also, just like Matthew, chapter 11:16, indicating a possible common Q source.  Jesus wanted to know to what he should compare this generation to?  What do you think about this present contemporary generation of people?

September 3, 2018

Explain the Kingdom of God (Mk 4:30-4:30)

“Jesus said.

‘With what

Can we compare

The kingdom of God?

What parable

Will we use for it?’”

 

Καὶ ἔλεγεν Πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ ἐν τίνι αὐτὴν παραβολῇ θῶμεν;

 

This saying of Jesus, via Mark, can be found in Matthew, chapter 13:31, and Luke, chapter 13:18, with Luke closer to Mark, who might have been the source of this saying.  Mark reported that Jesus said (Καὶ ἔλεγεν) what can we compare the kingdom of God with (Πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)?  What parable will we use for it (ἢ ἐν τίνι αὐτὴν παραβολῇ θῶμεν)?  Jesus wanted to know how to explain the kingdom of God with a good parable?

April 18, 2018

Childish generation (Mt 11:16-11:16)

“But to what

Shall I compare

This generation?

It is

Like children

Sitting in the market places.

They are calling

To one another.”

 

Τίνι δὲ ὁμοιώσω τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην; ὁμοία ἐστὶν παιδίοις καθημένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροις

 

Then Matthew has Jesus take on the present generation, calling it childish.  Luke, chapter 7:31, has a similar statement, indicating a possible common Q source.  Jesus, via Matthew, wanted to know to what he should compare this generation to (Τίνι δὲ ὁμοιώσω τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην).  He decided that it was like little kids sitting in the market places (ὁμοία ἐστὶν παιδίοις καθημένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς) calling to each other (ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροις), as if playing games.

 

July 30, 2017

The four successful court attendants (Dan 1:19-1:21)

“The king spoke

With them.

Among them all,

No one was found

To compare with

Daniel,

Hananiah,

Mishael,

Azariah.

Therefore,

They were stationed

In the king’s court.

In every matter

Of wisdom,

Of understanding,

Concerning

What the king inquired of them,

He found them

Ten times better

Than all the magicians,

All the enchanters

In his whole kingdom.

Daniel continued there

Until the first year

Of King Cyrus.”

The Babylonian king spoke with all his new young court people. These 4 young Israelite royal students, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were very successful, since no one could compare to them. Thus, they were stationed in the king’s court. In anything about wisdom and understanding, these 4 court attendants were 10 times better than the more traditional Babylonian court magicians and enchanters. These 4 young men became the favorites of King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, in fact, stayed the whole time in the royal court until King Cyrus of Persia took over around 538 BCE. Thus, Daniel would have spent pretty much his entire life in the Babylonian royal court, about 70 years.