Get somebody in here (Lk 14:21-14:21)

“Thus,

The slave returned.

He reported this

To his master.

Then the owner

Of the house

Became angry.

He said

To his slave.

‘Go out at once

Into the streets

And into the lanes

Of the town!

Bring in

The poor,

The crippled,

The blind,

And the lame!’”

 

καὶ παραγενόμενος ὁ δοῦλος ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα. τότε ὀργισθεὶς ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης εἶπεν τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ Ἔξελθε ταχέως εἰς τὰς πλατείας καὶ ῥύμας τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τοὺς πτωχοὺς καὶ ἀναπήρους καὶ τυφλοὺς καὶ χωλοὺς εἰσάγαγε ὧδε.

 

Luke continued this parable.  Jesus said that this slave returned (καὶ παραγενόμενος ὁ δοῦλος).  Then he reported (ἀπήγγειλεν) to his master, the lord (τῷ κυρίῳ), all these things (ταῦτα).  The owner of the house (ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης) then became very angry (τότε ὀργισθεὶς).  He told his slave (εἶπεν τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ) to go out at once (Ἔξελθε ταχέως) into the streets (εἰς τὰς πλατείας) and the lanes of the town (καὶ ῥύμας τῆς πόλεως,).  He was to bring in the poor (καὶ τοὺς πτωχοὺς), the crippled (καὶ ἀναπήρους), the blind (καὶ τυφλοὺς), and the lame (καὶ χωλοὺς) in there (ὧδε).  Once again, there are some differences with Matthew, chapter 22:8-9, who was less descriptive of those who were invited this time.  Jesus said that this king told his slaves (τότε λέγει τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ) that the wedding feast was ready (Ὁ μὲν γάμος ἕτοιμός ἐστιν).  Those originally invited were not worthy or deserving of his invitation (οἱ δὲ κεκλημένοι οὐκ ἦσαν ἄξιοι).  Therefore, they were to go into the main streets or the meeting places on the roads (πορεύεσθε οὖν ἐπὶ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὁδῶν).  Then they should invite everyone or as many as they could find to this wedding banquet (καὶ ὅσους ἐὰν εὕρητε καλέσατε εἰς τοὺς γάμους).  This king was intent on having this wedding dinner.  However, Luke extended the new invitations to the vulnerable in our society, the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame, a slightly different perspective.  Who would you invite to a dinner feast?

The king leaves his throne immediately (Dan 4:33-4:33)

“Immediately,

The sentence

Was fulfilled

Against King Nebuchadnezzar.

He was driven away

From human society.

He ate grass

Like an ox.

His body was bathed

With the dew of heaven.

His hair grew

As long

As eagles’ feathers.

His nails became

Like birds’ claws.”

The result happened immediately in a very descriptive way. As soon as the words were spoken, the sentence was fulfilled against King Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from human society to eat grass like an ox. His body bathed in the heavenly dew. This text explains that his hair grew as long as eagle feathers and his finger nails became like bird claws.

How long would David have to wait for revenge? (Ps 35:17-35:18)

“How long?

Yahweh!

Will you look on?

Rescue me from their ravages!

Rescue my life from the lions!

Then I will thank you in the great congregation.

In the mighty throng

I will praise you.”

David wanted to know how long this malicious activity towards him was going to continue. He wanted Yahweh to see what was going on. He wanted to be rescued from the ravages of these wild beasts, like the lions. David was again very descriptive as the enemies were like wild animals or lions. If Yahweh would help him, David would thank him before the whole congregation, in the mighty throng of people. There he would praise Yahweh.

David is weak (Ps 22:14-22:15)

“I am poured out like water.

All my bones are out of joint.

My heart is like wax.

It is melted within my breast.

My mouth is dried up like a potsherd.

My tongue sticks to my jaws.

You lay me in the dust of death.”

This is a very colorful descriptive explanation of David’s or the psalmist’s situation. He was poured out like water, exhausted. His bones were out of joint in pain. His heart was like wax that melted away in his breast with no energy. His mouth was dried up as his tongue was stuck to his jaws. A potsherd is broken pieces of pottery. He was almost on his death bed of dust. It is apparent why the works of Matthew and Mark used this vivid graphic psalm to describe a dying Jesus on the cross.