figure out

May 15, 2019

Pray (Lk 18:1-18:1)

“Then Jesus told them

A parable

About the need

To pray always.

Do not grow weary!”

 

Ἔλεγεν δὲ παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι αὐτοὺς καὶ μὴ ἐνκακεῖν,

 

Luke is the only synoptic writer with this parable about the widow and the judge to emphasize the importance of prayer.  Right from the beginning, he had Jesus tell them the purpose of the parable, rather than a secret that they would have to figure out.  Then Jesus told them a parable (Ἔλεγεν δὲ παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς) about the need or duty to always pray (πρὸς τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι αὐτοὺς).  They were not to lose heart or grow weary (καὶ μὴ ἐνκακεῖν).  Do you remember to always pray?

April 15, 2019

The kingdom of God (Lk 13:20-13:20)

“Again,

Jesus said.

‘To what

Should I compare

The kingdom of God?’”

 

Καὶ πάλιν εἶπεν Τίνι ὁμοιώσω τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus once again asked (Καὶ πάλιν εἶπεν) what he could compare the kingdom of God to (Τίνι ὁμοιώσω τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)?  Jesus was once again trying to figure out how to explain the kingdom of God.  This indication of another parable can also be found in in Matthew, chapter 13:33, indicating a Q source.  Jesus, via Matthew, told them another short parable (Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς), not using the phrase kingdom of God, but explicitly calling it a parable.  Do you know how to make good comparisons?

August 25, 2017

The king is troubled about Daniel (Dan 6:14-6:14)

“When the king,

Heard the charge,

He was very much distressed.

He was determined

To save Daniel.

Until the sun went down,

He made every effort

To rescue him.”

The king, on the other hand, was not too worried about his decree. When he heard the charges against Daniel, he was a little upset and concerned about him. He was determined to save Daniel from the lions. He tried everything to figure out how to rescue Daniel. Finally, the sun set. With that, so did Daniel’s chances of help dim.

 

October 16, 2016

The divorced wife (Jer 3:1-3:1)

“‘If a man divorces his wife,

She goes from him.

If she becomes another man’s wife,

Will he return to her?

Would not such a land

Be greatly polluted?

You have played the whore

With many lovers.

Would you return to me?’

Says Yahweh.”

Jeremiah has Yahweh speak about a divorced wife. If she leaves him and becomes the wife of another, would he return to her? The answer is obviously not, because he has already divorced her. According to Deuteronomy, chapter 24, the first husband cannot remarry anyway. She has become another man’s wife. Also this would pollute the land in trying to figure out who is the father of her children. Yahweh explains that the Israelites have been prostitutes with many lovers. Would they return to him? This presupposes that he has divorced himself from them.

June 4, 2016

The useless tongue (Sir 37:16-37:21)

“Discussion

Is at the beginning of every work.

Counsel precedes every undertaking.

The mind

Is the root of all conduct.

It sprouts four branches,

Good and evil,

Life and death.

The tongue continually rules them.

Some people may be

Clever enough to teach many.

Yet they may be

Useless to themselves.

A skilful speaker may be hated.

He will be destitute of all food.

The Lord has withheld

The gift of charm.

He is lacking in all wisdom.”

Sirach points out that some discussion precedes all actions. Thus counsel and advice precede any undertaking. The mind is the source of all conduct. There are 4 branches to the mind, good, evil, life, and death. This is hard to figure out. I am not sure how the mind controls life and death, except spiritually. Good and evil are easy to see. The tongue rules over all 4 branches. Once again, it is hard to see how the tongue controls life and death other than in a spiritual way. Some people are clever enough to teach others, but not worth much to themselves. You can be a skilled but hated speaker, so that you might end up with not much food. The Lord may have withheld charm from this speaker, since he is lacking in wisdom.

February 5, 2016

The wise person (Prov 21:22-21:23)

“A wise person went up against a city of warriors.

He brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.

Whoever watches over their mouth and their tongue

Keeps out of trouble.”

A wise person can go against a city of warriors because he can figure out how to bring down the trusted stronghold of these warriors. If you watch your mouth and tongue, you will keep out of trouble.