“However,
They said
To the nobleman.
‘Lord!
He already
Has ten minas!’”
καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ Κύριε, ἔχει δέκα μνᾶς.
Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus remarked that the bystanders said to the nobleman (καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ), lord (Κύριε), that he already had 10 minas (ἔχει δέκα μνᾶς). Luke seemed to understand this problem of fairness and equality, but there was no complaint in Matthew. Is it fair to give more to people who already have a lot?
“Soldiers
Also asked him.
‘What shall we do?’
John said to them.
‘Do not intimidate
People!
Do not falsely
Accuse people!
Be content
With your wages!’”
ἐπηρώτων δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ στρατευόμενοι λέγοντες Τί ποιήσωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Μηδένα διασείσητε μηδὲ συκοφαντήσητε, καὶ ἀρκεῖσθε τοῖς ὀψωνίοις ὑμῶν.
This final unique saying of Luke about John and his preaching was a dialogue with some soldiers, that is not found elsewhere in the biblical writings. Luke said that some soldiers also asked John (ἐπηρώτων δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ στρατευόμενοι λέγοντες) what they should do (Τί ποιήσωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς). John told them (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς) not to intimidate people or use false accusations (Μηδένα διασείσητε μηδὲ συκοφαντήσητε). They should be content with their wages (καὶ ἀρκεῖσθε τοῖς ὀψωνίοις ὑμῶν). Once again Luke has John respond with a call for justice, fairness, and honesty. These Jewish soldiers of Herod Antipas were perhaps a little cruel or crude in their everyday life activities.
“Yet your people say.
‘The way of Yahweh
Is not just!’
When it is
Their own way
That is not just.”
Just like earlier in chapter 18, Yahweh received a challenge about fairness. Why was Yahweh unfair? Yahweh responded to his people that it was not his ways that were unjust, rather it was their own ways that were not just.
“Yet the house of Israel
Say!
‘The way of Yahweh
Is unfair!’
‘O house of Israel!
Are my ways unfair?
Is it not your ways
That are unfair?’”
Just like earlier in this chapter, Yahweh received a challenge about fairness. Why was Yahweh unfair? Yahweh responded to the house of Israel that it was not his ways that were unfair, rather it was their ways that were unfair.
“Yet you say!
‘The way of Yahweh
Is unfair.’
‘Hear now!
O house of Israel!
Is my way unfair?
Is it not your ways
That are unfair?”
Yahweh received a challenge about fairness. Why was Yahweh unfair? Yahweh responded to the house of Israel. It was not his ways that were unfair, it was their ways that were unfair.
“See!
A king will reign in righteousness.
Princes will rule with justice.
Each will be
Like a hiding place from the wind,
Like a covert from the tempest,
Like streams of water
In a dry place,
Like the shade of a great rock
In a weary land.
Then the eyes of those who have sight
Will not be closed.
The ears of those who have hearing
Will listen.
The minds of the rash
Will have good judgment.
The tongues of the stammerers
Will speak readily.
They will speak distinctly.”
Isaiah maintains that there will be new age when justice will prevail. The righteous kings and the good princes will rule with justice. Thus they will be helpful to others because they will be like a hiding place from the wind, like a covering in a storm, like streams of water in a dry place, and like shade in a hot weary land. The seeing will see and the hearing will hear. Minds will make good judgments. People who stammer will speak readily and distinctly. This would be some kind of utopian time when justice and fairness for all existed in an enlightened society.
“If a ruler listens to falsehood,
All his officials will be wicked.
The poor and the oppressor
Have this in common.
Yahweh gives light to the eyes of both of them.
If a king judges the poor with equity,
His throne will be established forever.”
If a king listens to false things, all his officials will be wicked. The poor and the oppressor have one thing in common. Yahweh gives life and light to their eyes. If a good king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.
“At the set time,
That I appoint,
I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters,
With all its inhabitants,
It is I who keep its pillars steady.”
Selah
Now we have some kind of oracle by a prophet spoken in the Temple by a prophet who spoke in the name of God. He pointed out that at a set time, when he decided when it would be, God would judge the earth with equity or fairness. Thus when the earth totters, God would keep it steady for all its inhabitants. This might indicate that they were familiar with earthquakes. This section then ends with the musical interlude meditative pause, Selah.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 