“They could not
Reply
To this.”
καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν ἀνταποκριθῆναι πρὸς ταῦτα.
Luke uniquely showed that this response of Jesus shut them up. The lawyers and Pharisees could not reply or respond to this saying of Jesus (καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν ἀνταποκριθῆναι πρὸς ταῦτα). Thus, Luke ended this conversation with the Pharisees about this cured dropsy man. How do you end a conversation?
“At that same hour,
Jesus rejoiced
In the Holy Spirit.
He said.
‘I thank you!
Father!
Lord of heaven
And earth!
Because you have
Hidden these things
From the wise
And the intelligent.
You have revealed them
To infants.
Yes!
Father!
It was pleasing in your sight.”
Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἠγαλλιάσατο τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ καὶ εἶπεν Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, Πάτερ, Κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν, καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις· ναί, ὁ Πατήρ, ὅτι οὕτως εὐδοκία ἐγένετο ἔμπροσθέν σου.
Luke said that at the same time or hour (Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ), Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit (ἠγαλλιάσατο τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ). Jesus said (καὶ εἶπεν) that he acknowledged and thanked (Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι) his Father (Πάτερ,), the Lord of heaven and earth (Κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς), using the second person singular. This was a strong personal Trinitarian theological statement about the relationship between God, the Father, and the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. This was like eavesdropping on a conversation between Jesus and his heavenly Father, who had hidden these things (ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας ταῦτα) from the wise (ἀπὸ σοφῶν) and the intelligent (καὶ συνετῶν). However, he had revealed them to the infants (καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις). Yes (ναί, ὁ Πατήρ), this was the gracious will of the Father, well pleasing in his sight (ὅτι οὕτως εὐδοκία ἐγένετο ἔμπροσθέν σου). This theological statement about the relationship between Jesus and his heavenly Father was also found in Matthew, chapter 11:25, indicating a possible common Q source. Matthew also indicated that Jesus said that the unlearned little one had received revelation, but the wise and intelligent ones did not understand it. Jesus said thank you to his Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, because he had hidden these things from the wise and intelligent ones. However, he revealed them to the unlearned little ones. Somehow, the unwise ones were the ones who got God’s revelation, while the wise and intelligent ones did not understand it, because God had hidden it from them. Both Luke and Matthew are in agreement on that. They also agreed that Jesus had a special relationship to God, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Do you understand the Trinity?
“But Jesus said to them.
‘You give them
Something to eat.’
They said.
‘We have no more
Than five loaves
And two fish.
Otherwise,
We will have to go
To buy food
For all these people.’”
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς Δότε αὐτοῖς φαγεῖν ὑμεῖς. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν Οὐκ εἰσὶν ἡμῖν πλεῖον ἢ ἄρτοι πέντε καὶ ἰχθύες δύο, εἰ μήτι πορευθέντες ἡμεῖς ἀγοράσωμεν εἰς πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον βρώματα.
Luke said that Jesus told the apostles and disciples (εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς) to give this crowd something to eat (Δότε αὐτοῖς φαγεῖν ὑμεῖς.). However, they responded (οἱ δὲ εἶπαν) that they only had (Οὐκ εἰσὶν ἡμῖν πλεῖον) 5 loaves (ἢ ἄρτοι πέντε) and 2 fish (καὶ ἰχθύες δύο). Otherwise, they would have to go to buy (εἰ μήτι πορευθέντες ἡμεῖς ἀγοράσωμεν) some food (βρώματα) for all these people (εἰς πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον). The fact that Jesus wanted to feed everyone was recorded in all four gospels, Matthew, chapter 14:16, Mark, chapter 6:37, and John, chapter 6:5-7, plus here in Luke. Despite the fact that the disciples wanted to send the crowds home, Jesus wanted to feed them there. Mark indicated that Jesus answered his disciples, telling them to give the people something to eat. Only Mark has this response of the disciples explaining the problem of buying food. The disciples said to Jesus if they were to go to buy food, that it would cost about 200 denarii to buy enough bread for all these people to eat. A denarius was worth one day’s pay, so that that 200 denarii would be over a half year’s pay, a large amount of money. The disciples thought that Jesus wanted them to buy some bread for the crowd. In John, there was a conversation between Jesus and Philip about this. Mark indicated that Jesus told his disciples to go and see how many loaves of bread they had. Once the apostles found out, they said to Jesus that they only had 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Matthew said that despite the fact that the disciples wanted to send the crowds home, Jesus wanted to feed them there. Jesus said to his disciples that the crowds did need not to go away, because Jesus and his disciples were going to give them something to eat. The disciples replied to Jesus that they had practically no food to eat, only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. How much food do you need to eat well?
“When Jesus
Heard this,
He replied.
‘Do not fear!
Only believe!
She will be saved!’”
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀκούσας ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Μὴ φοβοῦ· μόνον πίστευσον, καὶ σωθήσεται.
Luke said that when Jesus heard this (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀκούσας), he replied to the synagogue leader (ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ) that he should not fear (Μὴ φοβοῦ), but only believe (μόνον πίστευσον), because she would be saved (καὶ σωθήσεται). Mark chapter 5:36, was similar to Luke here, almost word for word. However, Matthew did not have this conversation, since the child was dead from the beginning. Mark said that Jesus overheard what they were talking about. He then turned to this synagogue leader and told him not to fear, but only believe. Belief was a key element in many of these healing cases with Jesus. Would you believe in Jesus at a time of death?
“John summoned
Two of his disciples.
He sent them
To the Lord.
To ask.
‘Are you the one
Who is to come,
Or are we
To wait
For another?’”
καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάνης
ἔπεμψεν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον λέγων Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν;
Luke said that John the Baptist summoned two of his disciples (καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάνης). He sent them to the Lord (ἔπεμψεν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον) to ask him if he was the one who was to come (λέγων Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος)? Or should they wait for another (ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν)? Matthew, chapter 11:3 has something similar. John the Baptist sent a few of his disciples, rather than two as indicated by Luke. Notice that this is the first time that Matthew called Jesus the Christ (τοῦ Χριστοῦ), while Luke called him the Lord (Κύριον). Neither called him Jesus. The question in both Luke and Matthew is exactly the same, indicating a possible Q source. These disciples of John came to Jesus. They had one big important question to ask him. Was Jesus the expected Messiah or should they wait for someone else? The disciples of John were true messianic Jews, waiting for the Messiah. Did they not realize that Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist? In fact, John had already met Jesus, had a conversation with him, and witnessed his baptism. What more did he need? In one sense this is strange since Luke already established that John and Jesus were cousins of some sort, so that they would have known each other, to say nothing about John’s baptism of Jesus. Is Jesus the one that you have been waiting for?
“Then Mary said.
‘Here am I!
The slave
Of the Lord!
Let it be
With me
According to your word!’
Then the angel
Departed from her.”
εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου· γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος.
Luke brought this conversation between the Angel Gabriel and Mary to a close. She fully agreed with the plan, so the angel left. Luke indicated that Mary said (εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ) that she was a slave of the Lord (Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου). Most translations prefer the softer “servant” or “handmaid” rather than “slave,” but the Greek word “ἡ δούλη” indicates a female slave. Mary wanted everything to be done to her just as the angel of God had said (γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου). With that, the Angel Gabriel flew off or left her (καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος), because he had accomplished his mission. The stage was set for the birth of John and Jesus.
“Now when Jesus
Rose early
On the first day
Of the week,
He appeared first
To Mary Magdalene,
From whom
He had cast out
Seven demons.”
Ἀναστὰς δὲ πρωῒ πρώτῃ σαββάτου ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ, παρ’ ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια.
Next, we have the longer ending of Mark that contains the appearances or apparitions of the risen Jesus that can be found in the other gospel stories. This too was an addition to the original ending, but it was in Greek, probably from the late second or early third century. It was included in the Latin Vulgate and the King James English version of the Bible, so that it is found in most Bibles today. This particular text is similar to Matthew, chapter 28:9, where Jesus appeared to the women as they were leaving the tomb. Luke, chapter 24:10, had the women tell the apostles about the resurrection, without Jesus appearing to them. In John, chapter 20:14-17, Mary Magdalene has a conversation with the risen Jesus. Clearly Mary Magdalene was involved in these incidents at the tomb. Here Mark said that the risen Jesus (Ἀναστὰς) first appeared to Mary Magdalene (ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ,) early on the first day of the week (δὲ πρωῒ πρώτῃ σαββάτου). In this unique text, it explicitly said that this was the Mary Magdalene that Jesus had cast out 7 demons from (παρ’ ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια).
“There were also women
Looking on
From a distance.
Among them were
Mary Magdalene,
Mary,
The mother
Of James the younger,
And of Joseph,
And Salome.”
Ἦσαν δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες ἀπὸ μακρόθεν θεωροῦσαι, ἐν αἷς καὶ Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία ἡ Ἰακώβου τοῦ μικροῦ καὶ Ἰωσῆτος μήτηρ καὶ Σαλώμη,
This is similar to Matthew, chapter 27:55-56. In Luke, chapter 23:49, there was a mention of the women from Galilee, but without their specific names. In John, chapter 19:25-27, there was a mention of the mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene, as well as a conversation, but no mention of Galilee. Mark said that some women were also there (Ἦσαν δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες). They were looking on from a distance (ἀπὸ μακρόθεν θεωροῦσαι), which would have been their normal role. Mark specifically mentioned Mary Magdalene (ἐν αἷς ἦν Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ), Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joseph (καὶ Μαρία ἡ Ἰακώβου τοῦ μικροῦ καὶ Ἰωσῆτος μήτηρ), as well as Salome (καὶ Σαλώμη). Was Salome the mother of the sons of Zebedee? Certainly, there were a lot of women called Mary, since it was the most popular name of Palestinian Jewish women at the time of Jesus. There probably were 8 different women with the name of Mary in the 61 times that the name Mary was mentioned in the New Testament. First was (1) Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was not mentioned here. Next there was (2) Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who also was not mentioned here. (3) Mary of Clopas was mentioned in John, but not here. Then there was Mary Magdalene (4), who was mentioned here. Finally, there were the more confusing Marys. (5) Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joseph, who was mentioned here. (6) Perhaps the mother of the Zebedee brothers was also named Mary or Mary Salome. Finally (7) Mary, the mother of John Mark was mentioned in Acts, chapter 12:12, while (8) Mary in Rome, was mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 16:6. There was also an English novel by Bruce Marshall (1899-1987) called The Other Mary from 1927, based on the New Testament.
“Then they laid hands
On Jesus.
They seized him.”
οἱ δὲ ἐπέβαλαν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ καὶ ἐκράτησαν αὐτόν.
This is similar to Matthew, chapter 26:50, but here in Mark, there was no conversation like in Matthew and the other gospel writers. In Luke, chapter 22:48-53, Jesus reprimanded Judas for betraying him, before he was seized. In John, chapter 18:4-11, there was a long dialogue of Jesus with those who came to get him, before he was arrested. Mark said that Jesus did not respond to Judas at all. They just put their hands upon him or grabbed Jesus (οἱ δὲ ἐπέβαλαν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ). Then they seized or arrested Jesus without any kind of conversation at all (καὶ ἐκράτησαν αὐτόν).
“Jesus said to them.
‘It is one of the twelve!
It is the one
Who is dipping
Into the bowl
With me.’”
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Εἷς τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ ἐμβαπτόμενος μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἰς τὸ τρύβλιον.
This is similar to Matthew, chapter 26:22, and Luke, chapter 22:21, where Jesus’ hand was on the table. John, chapter 13:26-27, has the dipping of the hand in the bowl for bread in a conversation between Jesus, Peter, and Judas. Here, Mark said that Jesus told his apostles (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς) that clearly the betrayer was one of the 12 apostles (Εἷς τῶν δώδεκα). In fact, he said that it was one of those who were dipping into the bowl or the deep platter with him (ὁ ἐμβαπτόμενος μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἰς τὸ τρύβλιον). There was no question that the betrayer was among them in this room.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 