Follow me

May 19, 2019

Follow me! (Lk 18:22-18:22)

“When Jesus

Heard this,

He said to him.

‘There is one thing

Still lacking.

Sell all

That you own!

Distribute

The money

To the poor!

You will have treasure

In heaven.

Then come!

Follow me!’”

 

ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει· πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι.

 

Luke indicated that when Jesus heard this (ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς), he said to this ruler (εἶπεν αὐτῷ) that there was only one thing still lacking (Ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει).  He should go and sell all that he owned (πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον) and distribute this money to the poor (καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς).  Thus, he would have treasure in heaven (καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς).  Then he should come and follow Jesus (καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι).  This call to perfection can also be found in Mark, chapter 10:21, and Matthew, chapter 19:21, but slightly different.  Mark said that Jesus looked at this man (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ) and loved him (ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν).  Jesus said to him (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ) that he only lacked one thing or he fell short in one area (Ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ).  This man would have to go (ὕπαγε) and sell his possessions or whatever he had (ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον).  Then he should give this money or the proceeds to the poor or destitute people (καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς).  He no longer would have earthly wealth, but he would then have a treasure in heaven (καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ).  Finally, he could become a follower or accompany Jesus (καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι).  In Matthew, Jesus issued his ultimatum (ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς) on how to be perfect or complete (Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι).  The young man would have to sell his possessions (ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα).  Then he would have to give the money proceeds to the poor or destitute people (καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς).  He no longer would have earthly wealth, but he would then have a treasure in heaven (καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς).  Finally, he could become a follower or accompany Jesus (καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι).  Like many of these sayings, Jesus had very high standards and difficult demands.  There was no equivocation.  Are you willing to sell everything and follow Jesus?

March 10, 2019

Follow me! (Lk 9:59-9:59)

“Jesus said

To another person.

‘Follow me!’

But this person said.

‘Lord!

First let me go

Bury my father!’”

 

Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς ἕτερον Ἀκολούθει μοι. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, Κύριε, Ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθόντι θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to another person (Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς ἕτερον) to follow him (Ἀκολούθει μοι).  However, this person responded (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν) to Jesus by calling him “Lord (Κύριε)”.  He wanted to be allowed to first go away (Ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθόντι) and bury his father (θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου).  This saying of Jesus is almost the same in Matthew, chapter 8:21, indicating a possible Q source.  Once again, this is a harsh saying about the discipleship of Jesus.  Matthew said that another follower of Jesus said to him, calling him the “Lord” (Κύριε) that he wanted to bury his father first, as it was the Jewish custom and an important Jewish responsibility to bury people within 7 days.  How important was burying your father to you?

March 3, 2019

Follow me (Lk 9:23-9:23)

“Then Jesus said

To them all.

‘If anyone

Wants to become

My followers,

Let them deny themselves!

Let them

Take up

Their cross daily!

Let them

Follow me!’”

 

Ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς πάντας Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεσθαι, ἀρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καθ’ ἡμέραν, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to all of them (Ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς πάντα) that if anyone wanted to become his followers (Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεσθαι), they would have to deny or repudiate themselves (ἀρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν).  They would have to take up their daily cross (καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καθ’ ἡμέραν) to follow Jesus (καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι).  Jesus told his disciples and the crowd that followed him that they would have to deny themselves if they wanted to follow him.  Something similar can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 16:24, Mark, chapter 8:34, and here, almost word for word.  Mark said that Jesus called his disciples and the whole crowd of people.  He said to them that if anyone desired or wanted to become his follower or come after him, they would have to deny or repudiate themselves.  They would have to take up their cross, but not on a daily basis, in order to accompany him or follow him.  Following Jesus was not going to be easy.  There would be difficulties and a danger in this personal decision to follow Jesus.  Matthew said that Jesus told his disciples, with no mention of a crowd, that if anyone desired or wanted to become a follower of Jesus or come after him, they would have to deny or repudiate themselves.  They would have to take up their crosses, but no mention of a daily crosses, in order to accompany him or follow him.  Following Jesus was not going to be easy.  Are you willing to take up your daily cross for Jesus?

April 7, 2018

The call of Matthew (Mt 9:9-9:9)

“As Jesus was walking along,

He saw a man

Called Matthew.

He was sitting

At the tax booth.

Jesus said to him.

‘Follow me!’

He got up.

He followed him.”

 

Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, Μαθθαῖον λεγόμενον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀκολούθει μοι. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ.

 

This saying about the call of Matthew is similar to Mark, chapter 2:14, and Luke, chapter 5:27-28, but there he was called Levi, his Jewish name, and not Matthew.  Also, the other stories mention his father, but not here.  It is strange that if this Matthew the apostle was the author of this gospel, why it was not mentioned here.  Jesus was walking along (Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν), when he saw a man called Matthew sitting in his tax office, toll booth, or tax booth (εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, Μαθθαῖον λεγόμενον).  Jesus simply said to him, “Follow me!” (καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀκολούθει μοι).  Then Matthew got up and followed him (καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ) without any need to explain why or how he was doing this.  At this point in the Matthew gospel narrative, he is the 5th named apostle after Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, the first individual without a brother follower.

April 6, 2018

The death of a father (Mt 8:21-8:22)

“Another of the disciples

Said to him.

‘Lord!

Let me first go

To bury my father!’

But Jesus said to him,

‘Follow me!

Let the dead

Bury their own dead.’”

 

τερος δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κύριε, ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθεῖν καὶ θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου.

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.

 

This saying of Jesus is almost the same in Luke, chapter 9:59-60, indicating a possible Q source.  Once again, this is a harsh saying about discipleship of Jesus.  Another follower of Jesus (τερος δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν) said to him (εἶπεν αὐτῷ), calling him the “Lord” (Κύριε) that he wanted to be allowed to bury his father first (ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθεῖν καὶ θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου), as it was the Jewish custom to bury people within 7 days.  However, Jesus’ response was not very compassionate.  Quite the opposite, Jesus told his follower (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ), a true disciple of Jesus who was a “μαθητῶν,” to follow him (Ἀκολούθει μοι).  Jesus added, that the dead should bury their own dead (καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς).  This seems to deny any mourning period.

March 12, 2018

The call of the first two disciples (Mt 4:19-4:20)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Follow me!

I will make you

Fish for people.’

Immediately,

They left their nets.

They followed him.”

 

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλεεῖς ἀνθρώπων.

 οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.

 

Matthew used Mark, chapter 1:17-18, to indicate that Jesus wanted these two fishermen brothers to follow him.  They were no longer going to fish for sea fish.  Jesus was going to make them fishers of human people (καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλεεῖς ἀνθρώπων).  This was a like an Israelite prophetic call, since Jesus spoke directly to these two men (καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς).  He issued an invitation, yet a command at the same time.  They were to follow after him (Δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου), no matter what.  They were to be on the hunt for humans, and not fish.  Like, the Hebrew prophets, their response was immediate (οἱ δὲ εὐθέως), without any hesitation.  They left their fishing nets (ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα), as they began to follow Jesus (ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ).  Thus, Simon Peter and Andrew, the fishing brothers of Galilee, became the first two disciples of Jesus.