garment

February 25, 2019

Faith heals (Lk 8:48-8:48)

“Jesus said to her.

‘Daughter!

Your faith

Has made you well!

Go in peace!’”

 

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Θυγάτηρ, ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε· πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to her (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ), calling her daughter (Θυγάτηρ), that her faith had saved her or made her well (ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε).  Using the second person singular imperative, he told her that she was to go in peace (πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην).  This ending to the healing of this woman with the flowing blood was nearly the same in Matthew, chapter 9:22, and Mark, chapter 5:34.  Mark had pretty much the same narrative as Luke.  Like the other healings, Jesus said to this woman that her faith had healed, cured, or saved her.  He called her “daughter (Θυγάτηρ).”  He told her to go in peace.  This woman was cured of her affliction or disease, as faith was a key ingredient in this healing, as in every healing.  Matthew was slightly different.  He said that Jesus realized that power had gone forth from him.  Jesus then turned around and saw her.  He realized what she was thinking.  Like the other times, Jesus said that her faith had saved or cured her.  He called her “daughter (θύγατερ).”  He told her to have courage and take heart.  With that, this woman was cured at that very hour, rather than at the initial touching of the garment, as in the other 2 synoptics.  Faith was a key ingredient in all these healings.  How strong is your faith?

April 8, 2018

The woman with the hemorrhage (Mt 9:20-9:21)

“A woman,

Who had suffered

From hemorrhages

For twelve years,

Came up behind him.

She touched

The fringe

Of his cloak.

She said to herself.

‘If I only touch

His cloak,

I will be made well.’”

 

Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ αἱμορροοῦσα δώδεκα ἔτη προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ·

ἔλεγεν γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῇ Ἐὰν μόνον ἅψωμαι τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ σωθήσομαι.

 

This episode about the woman with hemorrhages interrupts the story about the leader and his dead daughter.  However, it can be found in Mark, chapter 5:25-29, and Luke, chapter 8:43-44, except that Mark and Luke have a more elaborate story, about her background.  Interesting enough, the word that Matthew uses for hemorrhages (αἱμορροοῦσα) is only found here, but nowhere else in the biblical literature.  Mark and Luke said that she had flowing blood.  All agree that she had been suffering for 12 years with this bleeding (Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ αἱμορροοῦσα δώδεκα ἔτη).  She came up behind Jesus (προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν).  She wanted to touch the fringe or the tassel edge of his cloak (ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ).  These fringes (κρασπέδου) or bottom tassels often reminded people about the 10 commandments.  She was thinking to herself (ἔλεγεν γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῇ), that if she only touched his cloak or garment (Ἐὰν μόνον ἅψωμαι τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ), she would be healed or cured (σωθήσομαι).

September 13, 2016

Eternal salvation (Isa 51:7-51:8)

“Listen to me!

You who know righteousness!

You people!

You have my teaching in your hearts!

Do not fear the reproach of others!

Do not be dismayed

When they revile you!

The moth will eat them up

Like a garment.

The worm will eat them

Like wool.

But my deliverance will be forever.

My salvation is to all generations.”

Again, Second Isaiah asks people, especially the righteous who have his teaching in their hearts, to listen to Yahweh. They should not be afraid of the reproach of others when they are reviled. Forget about that! These revilers would be eaten up like a moth destroys a garment or worms ruin wool. Never fear, the deliverance and salvation of Yahweh is forever into many generations to come.

July 30, 2015

Yahweh questions Job about the dawn (Job 38:12-38:15)

“Have you commanded the morning

Since your days began?

Have you caused the dawn to know its place?

Have you caused the dawn to take hold of the skirts of the earth?

Have you caused the wicked to be shaken out of it?

It is changed like clay under the seal.

It is dyed like a garment.

Light is withheld from the wicked.

Their uplifted arm is broken.”

Yahweh wanted to know if Job was in charge of making days begin. Obviously he was not. Somehow the morning sun put the wicked in their places. The morning sun changed the clay and dyed it like a garment. The wicked somehow were in darkness. Their arms would be broken if they lifted them to Yahweh.