demanded

April 9, 2019

Light and heavy beatings (Lk 12:48-12:48)

“But the one

Who did not know,

Yet did

What deserved a beating,

Will receive

A light beating.

Everyone

To whom much is given,

Much will be required.

The one

To whom much

Has been entrusted,

Even more

Will be demanded.” 

 

ὁ δὲ μὴ γνοὺς, ποιήσας δὲ ἄξια πληγῶν, δαρήσεται ὀλίγας. παντὶ δὲ ᾧ ἐδόθη πολύ, πολὺ ζητηθήσεται παρ’ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾧ παρέθεντο πολύ, περισσότερον αἰτήσουσιν αὐτόν.

 

This is once again, unique to Luke.  He indicated that Jesus said that the one slave who did not know (ὁ δὲ μὴ γνοὺς) the will of his master, yet did the bad things that were worthy of punishment (ποιήσας δὲ ἄξια πληγῶν), also deserved a light beating (δαρήσεται ὀλίγας).  Everyone to whom much is given (παντὶ δὲ ᾧ ἐδόθη πολύ), much will be required (πολὺ ζητηθήσεται παρ’ αὐτοῦ).  The one to whom much has been entrusted (καὶ ᾧ παρέθεντο πολύ), even more will be demanded (περισσότερον αἰτήσουσιν αὐτόν).  Jesus made a distinction between those who knew the will of the master or lord and still disobeyed him, and those who did not know the will of the master but acted badly.  The latter would not be punished as much as those that knew what they should have been doing.  Those who have much, even much more would be required or demanded.  Do you live up to your responsibilities?

April 4, 2019

The fool (Lk 12:20-12:20)

“But God said to him.

‘Fool!

This very night

Your life

Is being demanded

Of you.

The things

You have prepared,

Whose will they be?’”

 

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός Ἄφρων, ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ· ἃ δὲ ἡτοίμασας, τίνι ἔσται;

 

Luke uniquely continued with this story as Jesus indicated that God said to this rich land owner (εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός) that he was a fool, calling him that (Ἄφρων).  A fool was a harsh title, meaning that someone who had no concern for God.  That very night (ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ), God would demand or require the soul or the life of this rich fool (τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ).  Who would get all the things that he had prepared (ἃ δὲ ἡτοίμασας, τίνι ἔσται)?  The best laid plans of men and mice often go astray.  Instead of enjoying his long indulgent luxurious life, this rich man was about to die.  Then the question remained, who would enjoy all the riches that he had attained?  Death is the only certainty in life.  The only question is when?  Work as if you were going to live forever, but live your life and pray as if you are going to die tonight.  Time’s up!  When do you anticipate your death?

February 14, 2019

One was forgiven more (Lk 7:43-7:43)

“Simon answered.

‘I suppose

The one

For whom

He cancelled

The greater debt.’

Jesus said to him.

‘You have judged rightly.’”

 

ἀποκριθεὶς Σίμων εἶπεν Ὑπολαμβάνω ὅτι ᾧ τὸ πλεῖον ἐχαρίσατο. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ὀρθῶς ἔκρινας.

 

Luke uniquely continued this conversation between Simon the Pharisee and Jesus.  Simon answered saying (ἀποκριθεὶς Σίμων εἶπεν) that the one for whom he had cancelled the greater debt (Ὑπολαμβάνω ὅτι ᾧ τὸ πλεῖον ἐχαρίσατο) would love more.  Jesus then said to him that he had have judged correctly (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ὀρθῶς ἔκρινας).  A simple question demanded a simple response.  You love the people who forgive you more.  Who has forgiven you the most?

February 7, 2019

The faith of the centurion (Lk 7:9-7:9)

“When Jesus heard this.

He was amazed at him.

He turned

To the crowd

That followed him.

He said.

‘I tell you!

Not even in Israel

Have I found such faith.’”

 

ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐθαύμασεν αὐτόν, καὶ στραφεὶς τῷ ἀκολουθοῦντι αὐτῷ ὄχλῳ εἶπεν Λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ τοσαύτην πίστιν εὗρον.

 

Luke said that when Jesus heard all this (ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἰησοῦς), he was amazed or marveled at him (ἐθαύμασεν αὐτόν).  He turned to the crowd that followed him (καὶ στραφεὶς τῷ ἀκολουθοῦντι αὐτῷ ὄχλῳ).  He said (εἶπεν) with a solemn pronouncement (Λέγω ὑμῖν) that he had not found any such great faith in Israel (οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ τοσαύτην πίστιν εὗρον).  This response of Jesus to the centurion was exactly the same as in Matthew, chapter 8:10, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Matthew said that when Jesus heard the response of this centurion, he marveled, wondered, admired, or was amazed.  He then turned to speak to his followers with a solemn pronouncement.  He had not found anyone in Israel with so great of faith like this Roman, non-Jewish, centurion.  His great belief, faith, and trust in the power of Jesus would be demanded of all the Jesus followers.  Do you have faith like this Roman centurion?

December 19, 2018

His name is John (Lk 1:63-1:63)

“Zechariah asked

For a writing tablet.

He wrote.

‘His name is John.’

All of them

Were amazed.”

 

καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον ἔγραψεν λέγων Ἰωάνης ἐστὶν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες.

 

Luke said that Zechariah had asked, demanded, or requested a writing tablet (καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον) with his various signs, as there must have been a tablet available.  Then he wrote on this tablet (ἔγραψεν), since he would have been educated enough to write as a Temple priest.  He said on the tablet that the name of this child was to be John (λέγων Ἰωάνης ἐστὶν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ).  All of people there were amazed or marveled at what was happening (καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες).

April 5, 2018

The great faith of the centurion (Mt 8:10-8:10)

“When Jesus heard

The centurion,

He was amazed.

He said to those

Who followed him.

‘Truly,

I say to you!

In no one in Israel

Have I found

Such a great faith.’”

 

ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐθαύμασεν καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς ἀκολουθοῦσιν Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, παρ’ οὐδενὶ τοσαύτην πίστιν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εὗρον.

 

This response of Jesus to the centurion was exactly the same as in Luke, chapter 7:9, perhaps indicating a Q source.  When Jesus heard the response (ἀκούσας δὲ) of this centurion, he marveled, wondered, admired, or was amazed (ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐθαύμασεν).  He then turned to speak to his followers (καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς ἀκολουθοῦσιν) with a solemn pronouncement (Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν).  He had not found anyone in Israel with so great of faith (παρ’ οὐδενὶ τοσαύτην πίστιν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εὗρον) like this Roman, non-Jewish, centurion.  His great belief, faith, and trust in the power of Jesus would be demanded of all the Jesus followers.

September 14, 2017

The old judges ask for Susanna to appear in court (Dan 13:28-13:29)

“The next day,

When the people gathered

At the house

Of her husband Joakim,

The two elders came.

They were full

Of their wicked plot

To have Susanna

Put to death.

In the presence

Of the people,

They said.

‘Send for Susanna!

The daughter of Hilkiah!

The wife of Joakim!’”

The next day, these old judges went to the house of Joakim, as they usually did. They had this wicked plot to have Susanna put to death. Then, before all the assembled people, they demanded that Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah and the husband of Joakim be brought forward. She was to stand trial before their accusations.

January 3, 2017

The king reacts (Jer 36:24-36:26)

“Yet neither the king,

Nor any of his servants,

Who heard

All these words,

Was afraid.

They did not tear

Their garments.

Even when Elnathan,

Delaiah,

With Gemariah

Urged the king

Not to burn the scroll,

He would not listen to them.

The king commanded

Jerahmeel,

The king’s son,

With Seraiah,

The son of Azriel,

To arrest

The secretary Baruch

With the prophet Jeremiah.

But Yahweh hid them.”

Neither the king of Judah, King Jehoiakim, nor his servants, was alarmed by the words of the scroll. They did not tear their garments as a sign of sorrow or repentance. Instead, the king burned the scroll in its various pieces as mentioned above, despite the protests of some of his senior officials like Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah, who had demanded the first reading, earlier in this chapter. They did not want the king to burn the scroll, but he would not listen to them. Instead, he sent his son Jerahmeel with his friend Seraiah, someone in the royal service, to arrest Baruch and Jeremiah. However, Yahweh hid them, but it is not clear where or how.

December 26, 2016

False worship (Jer 32:34-32:35)

“They set up

Their abominations

In the house

That bears my name.

They defiled it.

They built

The high places of Baal

In the valley

Of the son of Hinnom,

To offer up

Their sons

As well as their daughters

To Molech.

I did not command them,

It did not enter my mind

That they should do

This abomination,

Causing Judah to sin.”

The major fault of the Israelites and Judeans was their false worship. First, they defiled the Temple, the house of Yahweh, by placing these false idols in the Temple itself. Then they also built the high altars for the false god Baal. Finally, they were offering up their sons and daughters to Molech in Hinnom valley, outside Jerusalem, that later became known as Gehenna or hell. Molech was a Canaanite god that demanded child sacrifices, who was specifically mentioned in Leviticus, chapter 20. Once again, Yahweh, as in chapter 19, said that he had not commanded or had it even entered his mind to ask for child sacrifices. Clearly, this worship of false gods and sacrificing children was against the will of Yahweh.

November 2, 2015

The sins in the desert (Ps 78:17-78:22)

“Yet they sinned still more against him.

They rebelled against the Most High.

In the desert,

They tested God in their heart.

They demanded the food they craved.

They spoke against God.

They said.

‘Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

Even though he had struck the rock

So that water gushed out,

The streams overflowed.

Can he also give bread?

Can he provide meat for his people?

Therefore, when Yahweh heard this,

He was full of rage.

A fire was kindled against Jacob.

His anger mounted against Israel.

They had no faith in God.

They did not trust his saving power.”

This complaint is based on Exodus, chapter 16. The Israelites rebelled against God in the desert. They wanted to test God. They demanded their food. They complained that things were better in Egypt. How was God going to provide food for them in the desert wilderness? They already had water from rocks, but that was not good enough. They also wanted bread and meat. This got Yahweh angry and mad at Jacob that is Israel. They had no faith in God and were not trusting in his saving power.