dark

March 31, 2019

All will be revealed (Lk 12:3-12:3)

“Therefore,

Whatever you have said

In the dark,

Will be heard

In the light.

What you have whispered

In the ear,

Behind closed doors,

Will be proclaimed

From the housetops.”

 

ἀνθ’ ὧν ὅσα ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ εἴπατε ἐν τῷ φωτὶ ἀκουσθήσεται, καὶ ὃ πρὸς τὸ οὖς ἐλαλήσατε ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις κηρυχθήσεται ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus remarked that whatever they had said in the dark (ἀνθ’ ὧν ὅσα ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ εἴπατε) would be heard in the light (ἐν τῷ φωτὶ ἀκουσθήσεται).  What they have whispered in the ear behind closed doors (καὶ ὃ πρὸς τὸ οὖς ἐλαλήσατε ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις) would be proclaimed from the housetops (κηρυχθήσεται ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων).  This is similar to Matthew, chapter 10:27, indicating a Q source.  Matthew indicated that Jesus told his disciples that he told them in the dark (ὃ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ), they were to utter and tell it in the light (εἴπατε ἐν τῷ φωτί).  Whatever they heard whispered in their ear (καὶ ὃ εἰς τὸ οὖς ἀκούετε), they were to proclaim it from the housetops (κηρύξατε ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων).  They were to proclaim the good news loud and clear in the light of day.  Do you let people know about what you have heard secretly?

November 17, 2018

Judas kisses Jesus (Mk 14:45-14:45)

“When Judas came,

He went up

To Jesus,

At once.

He said.

‘Rabbi’

Then he kissed him.”

 

καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐθὺς προσελθὼν αὐτῷ λέγει Ῥαββεί, καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν·

 

This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 26:49.  In Luke, chapter 22:47, there is an abbreviated form of only Judas kissing Jesus, while in John, chapter 18, there is no Judas kiss at all.  Mark said that Judas suddenly came up to Jesus (καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐθὺς προσελθὼν αὐτῷ).  Then Judas called Jesus “Rabbi (λέγει Ῥαββεί)!”  Then he kissed Jesus (καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν).  Notice that both Matthew and Mark used the Jewish title of Rabbi.  The kiss would have been the normal greeting, since it was certainly used by Christ’s followers, as indicated in the Pauline letters.  Yet it might also have been a practical way for others to recognize Jesus in the dark.

November 8, 2017

The cosmic Day of Yahweh (Am 8:9-8:10)

“On that day,

Says Yahweh God.

‘I will make the sun

Go down at noon.

I will darken the earth

In broad daylight.

I will turn

Your feasts

Into mourning.

I will turn

All your songs

Into lamentations.

I will bring sackcloth

On all loins.

I will bring baldness

On every head.

I will make it

Like the mourning

For an only son.

I will make

The end of it

Like a bitter day.’”

Yahweh said that on the day of Yahweh, the sun would set at noon, so that the earth would be dark during the normal daylight hours.  Yahweh was going to turn joyful feasts into times of mourning, since their songs would be lamentations.  Everyone would wear sackcloth and be bald.  The mourning and weeping would be like for an only son.  Yahweh was going to bring an end to a bitter day.

October 12, 2017

A vision of the day of Yahweh (Joel 2:10-2:11)

“The earth quakes

Before them.

The heavens tremble.

The sun is darkened.

The moon is darkened.

The stars

Withdraw their shining.

Yahweh utters

His voice

Before his army.

How vast is his host!

Numberless are

Those who obey

His command.

Truly,

The day of Yahweh

Is great.

It is so terrible!

Who can endure it?”

Thus, there is a fusion of the swarm of locusts with the day of Yahweh. The earth would quake. The heavens would tremble. The sun and the moon would become dark. The stars would not shine. Yahweh would utter his strong voice before this vast numberless army. They all would obey his command. The day of Yahweh would be a terrible, but great day. Who would be able to endure this?

June 5, 2017

The darkening of the skies (Ezek 32:7-32:8)

“‘When I blot you out,

I will cover

The heavens.

I will make

Their stars dark.

I will cover

The sun

With a cloud.

The moon shall

Not give its light.

I will darken

Above you

All the bright lights

Of the heavens.

I will put darkness

On your land.’

Says Yahweh God.”

Yahweh God, via Ezekiel, said that he was going to blot out the Pharaoh. He was going to close off the heavens also. He was going to make the stars dark and cover the sun with a cloud. Meanwhile, the moon would not give any light. All the bright lights of the heavens would go dark over the land of Egypt.

June 2, 2017

The captive cities of Egypt (Ezek 30:17-30:19)

“The young men

Of On

Shall fall by the sword.

The young men

Of Pi-beseth

Shall fall by the sword.

The cities themselves

Shall go into captivity.

At Tehaphnehes,

The day shall be dark,

When I break

The dominion of Egypt.

Its proud might

Shall come to an end.

The city

Shall be covered

By a cloud.

Its daughters-towns

Shall go into captivity.

Thus I will execute

Acts of judgment

On Egypt.

Then they will know

That I am Yahweh.”

Not only would Yahweh destroy many Egyptian cities, he was also going to take their surviving citizens captive. The young men of On and Pi-beseth would die by the sword. On was Heliopolis and Pi-beseth was Bubastis. Anyone still remaining alive in these cities would be taken into captivity. At Tehaphnehes or Tahpanhes, the day would become dark. Yahweh was going to put an end to the great dominion of Egypt. This powerful city would be covered, as if there was a cloud over it. The daughters-towns or suburbs of Tehaphnehes would also be taken into captivity. Yahweh was going to execute his judgment on Egypt, so that they would know that he was Yahweh, God.

April 12, 2017

Ezekiel leaves Jerusalem (Ezek 12:7-12:7)

“I did

As I was commanded.

I brought out

My baggage

By day,

As baggage for exile.

In the evening

I dug through the wall

With my own hands.

I brought it out

In the dark,

Carrying it

On my shoulder

In their sight.”

Ezekiel said that he did what Yahweh had asked him to do.   He got his luggage ready during the day, clearing indicating that it was exile baggage. Then when the evening came, he dug a hole in the wall with his own hands. Next, in the sight of everyone, even though it was dark, he put his baggage on his shoulder. He then went through the hole in the wall.

April 12, 2017

Go into exile with your baggage (Ezek 12:4-12:6)

“You shall bring out

Your baggage,

By day,

In their sight,

As baggage for exile.

You shall go out yourself

At evening,

In their sight,

As those do

Who go into exile.

Dig through the wall

In their sight.

Carry the baggage

Through it.

In their sight

You shall lift

The baggage

On your shoulder.

You shall carry it out

In the dark.

You shall cover

Your face.

Thus you may not see

The land.

I have made you

A sign

For the house of Israel.”

There is a great emphasis on the baggage during this symbolic exilic story, since it assumes that Ezekiel was still in Jerusalem. Everything was to be done in plain sight of everyone. Thus the baggage was prepared during the day so that everyone could see him getting ready to leave. However, Ezekiel was to leave in the evening, but in plain sight. He was to dig a hole in the wall, reminiscent of what King Zedekiah had done. He was to carry his baggage on his shoulder in the dark through the hole in the wall. He had to cover his face, so that he could not see the land he was leaving. Thus his action would become a sign for the house of Israel to see.

March 25, 2017

The useless false wooden gods (Bar 6:70-6:73)

“Like a scarecrow

In a cucumber bed,

That guards nothing,

So are their gods of wood,

Overlaid with gold

Or silver.

In the same way,

Their gods of wood,

Overlaid with gold

Or silver,

Are

Like a thorn bush

In a garden,

On which every bird perches.

They are

Like a corpse

Thrown out in the darkness.

From the purple

Or the linen

That rot upon them,

You will know

That they are not gods.

They will finally

Be consumed themselves.

They will be a reproach

In the land.

Better,

Therefore

Is someone upright.

Such a person

Will be far above reproach.”

This letter of Jeremiah found as the last chapter in this book of Baruch ends with a comparison of these false wooden gods covered with gold and silver. The author compared them to a scarecrow in a cucumber bed that guarded nothing. They were compared to a thorn bush in a garden where birds sat on it. They were compared to a dead corpse in the dark. All of these useless items were like these useless idol gods. Even with purple or linen on them, they would still rot. They would be finally consumed and become a reproach to all. It was much better to be an upright person beyond reproach than any of these gods. So ends the letter of Jeremiah in the Book of Baruch.

September 8, 2016

Yahweh will help Cyrus (Isa 45:2-45:3)

“I will go before you.

I will level the mountains.

I will break into pieces

The doors of bronze.

I will cut through the bars of iron.

I will give you the treasures of darkness.

I will give you riches hidden in secret places.

Thus you may know

That it is I,

Yahweh,

The God of Israel,

Who call you by your name.”

Second Isaiah says that Yahweh, in the first person singular, will clearly help Cyrus, since he will go before him to set things up for him. Yahweh was going to level the mountains. He was going to break down the bronze doors with their iron bars. He was going to give Cyrus the treasures and the riches from dark and secret places. In case there was any doubt, it was Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has called Cyrus by name to do his work.