deceived

June 9, 2019

The sons of this age (Lk 20:34-20:34)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Those who belong

To this age

Marry

And are given

In marriage.’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου γαμοῦσιν καὶ γαμίσκονται,

 

Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus said to the Sadducees (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) that those who belong to this age, the sons of this age (Οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου), marry (γαμοῦσιν) and are given in marriage (καὶ γαμίσκονται).  Both Matthew, chapter 22:29, and Mark, chapter 12:24, are almost word for word, with Jesus flat out telling the Sadducees that they were wrong, without mentioning the present age.  However, this reprimand by Jesus is not here in Luke.  Matthew indicated that Jesus answered the Sadducees (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς) by telling them that they were wrong, deceived, or lead astray (εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Πλανᾶσθε).  They did not know the scriptures or the writings (μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς).  They also did not know the power or purpose of God (μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ).  Mark said that Jesus responded to the Sadducees (ἔφη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) by telling them that they were wrong, deceived, or led astray (Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο πλανᾶσθε).  They did not know the scriptures or the writings (μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς).  They also did not know the power or purpose of God (μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ).  Simply put, they were ill-informed or stupid.  Luke did not use this kind of language.  Do you think that some people are stupid?

November 1, 2018

Do not be led astray (Mk 13:5-13:5)

“Then Jesus began

To say to them.

‘Beware!

That no one

Leads you astray.’”

 

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἤρξατο λέγειν αὐτοῖς Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς πλανήσῃ.

 

There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 24:4, and in Luke, chapter 21:8, almost word for word.  Mark said that Jesus began to tell them about people who might lead them astray (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἤρξατο λέγειν αὐτοῖς).  He told them that they should be aware, so that they would not be led astray or be misled (Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς πλανήσῃ).  They had to be cautious, so as not to be deceived.

October 27, 2018

You do not know scriptures (Mk 12:24-12:24)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Is this not the reason

That you are wrong?

You know neither

The scriptures

Nor the power of God.’”

 

ἔφη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο πλανᾶσθε μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ

 

This comment or reprimand by Jesus is similar to Matthew, chapter 22:29, but not in Luke.  Mark said that Jesus responded to the Sadducees (ἔφη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) by telling them that they were wrong, deceived, or led astray (Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο πλανᾶσθε).  They did not know scriptures or the writings (μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς).  They also did not know the power or purpose of God (μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ).  Simply put, they were ill-informed or stupid.

June 16, 2018

Jesus responds (Mt 22:29-22:29)

“Jesus answered them.

‘You are wrong!

Because you know

Neither the scriptures

Nor the power of God.’”

 

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Πλανᾶσθε μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

 

This comment or reprimand by Jesus is similar to Mark, chapter 12:24, but not in Luke.  Jesus answered the Sadducees (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς) by telling them that they were wrong, deceived, or lead astray (εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Πλανᾶσθε).  They did not know scriptures or the writings (μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς).  They did not know the power or purpose of God (μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ).  They were ill-informed.

November 11, 2017

The punishment for Edom (Ob 1:2-1:4)

“I will surely make you

Least among the nations.

You shall be

Utterly despised.

Your proud heart

Has deceived you.

You live

In the clefts

Of the rock.

This dwelling is

In the heights.

You say in your heart.

‘Who will bring me down

To the ground?’

Though you soar aloft

Like the eagle,

Though your nest

Is set among the stars,

From there,

I will bring you down.’

Says Yahweh.”

Yahweh’s oracle in Obadiah was addressed to Edom itself.  Yahweh was going to make them the least of the nations of the world.  They would be utterly despised.  Their proud hearts had deceived them.  They lived high in the rocks.  They thought that no one could bring them down to earth.  They could soar like an eagle, since their nests were in the high stars.  However, Yahweh was clear.  He was going to bring them down.

September 21, 2017

Bel eats and drinks (Dan 14:6-14:7)

“The king said to Daniel.

‘Do you not think

That Bel

Is a living God?

Do you not see

How much he eats,

How much he drinks,

Every day?’

Then Daniel laughed.

He said.

‘Do not be deceived!

O king!

This thing is

Only clay inside,

With bronze,

On the outside.

It never ate

Or drank anything.’”

King Cyrus got into a conversation with Daniel about Bel and his living God. The king maintained that Bel was also a living god, since he was able to eat and drink every day. Then Daniel laughed at him. He told the king not to be deceived. Bel was only made of clay and bronze, so that it was not capable of eating or drinking.

February 1, 2017

The coming battle against Edom (Jer 49:14-49:16)

“‘I have heard tidings

From Yahweh.

A messenger has been sent

Among the nations.

‘Gather yourselves together!

Come against her!

Rise up for battle!’

I will make you least

Among the nations.

You will be

Despised by humankind.

The horror you inspire,

The pride of your heart,

Has deceived you.

You live

In the clefts

Of the rock.

You hold the height

Of the hill.

You make your nest

As high as the eagle’s.

I will bring you down

From there.’

Says Yahweh.”

Yahweh sent a messenger to all the countries. They were to gather together to do battle against Edom, so that Edom would become the least of all the countries in the world. The Edomites would be despised by all since they inspired terrorism. Their pride had deceived them. Even though they lived in rocks in high places, like eagles nesting, Yahweh was going to bring them down.

January 5, 2017

The vision of not surrendering (Jer 38:21-38:23)

“But if you are determined

Not to surrender,

This is what Yahweh

Has shown me.

This is the vision.

All the women

Remaining in the house

Of the king of Judah

Were being led out

To the officials

Of the king of Babylon

Saying.

‘Your trusted friends

Have seduced you.

They have overcome you.

Now that your feet

Are stuck in the mud,

They desert you.’

All your wives,

All your children,

Shall be led out

To the Chaldeans.

You yourself shall not escape

From their hand.

But you shall be seized

By the king of Babylon.

This city shall be burned

With fire.”

Jeremiah told King Zedekiah that Yahweh had sent him a vision of what was going to happen, if he did not surrender to the Babylonians. In this vision, all the women of the household of the king were being brought out to the officials of the Babylonians. These women were saying that their trusted friends had deceived, seduced, and overcome them. Now that their feet were stuck in the mud, as Jeremiah had been in the well, their trusted friends had deserted them. Thus all the Judean wives and children would be were led out to the Chaldeans. The Judean king himself would not escape from the king of Babylon. The city of Jerusalem would be burned with a great fire. This was a grim vision of defeat.

January 4, 2017

The return of the Chaldeans (Jer 37:8-37:10)

“‘The Chaldeans

Shall return.

They shall fight

Against this city.

They shall take it.

They shall burn it

With fire.’

Thus says Yahweh.

‘Do not deceive yourselves!

Saying.

‘The Chaldeans will surely

Go away from us.’

They will not go away.

Even if you defeated

The whole army of Chaldeans

Who are fighting

Against you,

The remaining wounded men,

In their tents,

Would rise up.

They would burn this city

With fire.’”

Jeremiah reminded his two visitors that the Babylonian Chaldeans would return to fight against Jerusalem. In fact, they were going to capture the city and burn it. They should not be deceived, thinking that the Chaldeans have left for good. Even if they defeated the whole Chaldean army, the remaining wounded men would still be able to burn the city down.

December 14, 2016

Beware of false prophets (Jer 29:8-29:9)

“Thus says Yahweh of hosts!

The God of Israel!

‘Do not let the prophets

Who are among you

Deceive you!

Do not let the diviners

Who are among you

Deceive you!

Do not listen

To the dreams

That they dream!

It is a lie

That they are prophesying

To you

In my name.

I did not send them.’

Says Yahweh.”

This Jeremiah letter has another classic Yahweh oracle title, as Yahweh of hosts and the God of Israel are invoked as the source of this warning. They should not be deceived by the prophets and the diviners among them. They should not listen to their dreams, since they are a lie. They prophesy lies in the name of Yahweh, since he did not send these false prophets.