go home

March 21, 2019

The door is locked (Lk 11:7-11:7)

He answered

From within.

‘Do not bother me!

The door has already

Been locked.

My children

And I are

In bed.

I cannot get up

And give you anything.’”

 

κἀκεῖνος ἔσωθεν ἀποκριθεὶς εἴπῃ Μή μοι κόπους πάρεχε· ἤδη ἡ θύρα κέκλεισται, καὶ τὰ παιδία μου μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἰς τὴν κοίτην εἰσίν· οὐ δύναμαι ἀναστὰς δοῦναί σοι

 

Luke uniquely had this parable story about waking up a friend at midnight. The answer of this friend, who was just woken up in the middle of the night, was what you might expect.  He responded from within his house (κἀκεῖνος ἔσωθεν ἀποκριθεὶς εἴπῃ).  He told his friend not to bother or trouble him (Μή μοι κόπους πάρεχε).  His door has already been locked (ἤδη ἡ θύρα κέκλεισται).  His children (καὶ τὰ παιδία μου), as well as himself (μετ’ ἐμοῦ), were already in bed (εἰς τὴν κοίτην εἰσίν).  He was not able to get up (οὐ δύναμαι ἀναστὰς) and give him anything (δοῦναί σοι).  What did he expect?  Just go away!  This neighbor friend was quite direct, nothing doing.  Just go home and leave him alone.  He had settled down for the night.  Maybe they could talk tomorrow.  Has anybody ever woken you up at midnight?

 

January 23, 2019

Go home (Lk 5:24-5:24)

“‘But so that you may know

That the Son of Man

Has authority

On earth

To forgive sins.’

He said to the man

Who was paralyzed.

‘I say to you!

Stand up!

Take your bed!

Go to your home!’”

 

ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας, εἶπεν τῷ παραλελυμένῳ Σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that so they may know (ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε) that the Son of Man (ὅτι ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) has authority on earth to forgive sins (ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας), he said to the paralyzed man (εἶπεν τῷ παραλελυμένῳ) in a very direct imperative way (Σοὶ λέγω,) to stand up (ἔγειρε) and take his bed (καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου), then go to his home (πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου).  Mark, 2:10-11, and Matthew, chapter 9:6-7, are almost word for word to Luke, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Both Mark and Matthew remarked that Jesus said that they should know that the Son of Man had the power and authority to forgive sins on earth.  He said to the paralytic to stand up, take his bed, and go home.  In other words, Jesus, the Son of Man, was going to show his power in this healing action.  The use of this term “Son of Man” to describe Jesus indicated his divine eschatological nature.

September 17, 2018

Jesus cures her daughter (Mk 7:29-7:30)

“Jesus said to her.

‘For saying that,

You may go!

The demon

Has left your daughter.’

Thus,

She went home.

She found her child

Lying in bed.

The demon was gone.”

 

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Διὰ τοῦτον τὸν λόγον ὕπαγε, ἐξελήλυθεν ἐκ τῆς θυγατρός σου τὸ δαιμόνιον.

καὶ ἀπελθοῦσα εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς εὗρεν τὸ παιδίον βεβλημένον ἐπὶ τὴν κλίνην καὶ τὸ δαιμόνιον ἐξεληλυθός.

 

A similar response can be found in Matthew, chapter 15:28.  There was no mention of faith here as there was in Matthew.  Mark said that Jesus answered her (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ).  Jesus said that she had by her words accepted her position as a dog under the table, so that she could go home (Διὰ τοῦτον τὸν λόγον ὕπαγε).  Jesus said that the demon had come out of her daughter (ἐξελήλυθεν ἐκ τῆς θυγατρός σου τὸ δαιμόνιον).  Thus, she then went away from Jesus to her home (καὶ ἀπελθοῦσα εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς).  There she found that her child was lying in bed (εὗρεν τὸ παιδίον βεβλημένον ἐπὶ τὴν κλίνην), but the demon was gone or expelled from her (καὶ τὸ δαιμόνιον ἐξεληλυθός).  Despite the reluctance of Jesus to go outside of the Israelites, this Canaanite woman persuaded him to cure her daughter of her demonic illness.  Jesus cured her child without touching her or being in her presence.

 

April 5, 2018

The healing of the centurion’s servant (Mt 8:13-8:13)

“Jesus said

To the centurion.

‘Go!

Let it be done

For you

According to your faith.’

The servant

Was healed

At that very hour.”

 

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῃ Ὕπαγε, ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι. καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.

 

There is a slightly different ending to this healing of the centurion’s servant in Luke, chapter 7:10.  Here there is an emphasis on the faith of the centurion.  Jesus told the centurion (καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῃ) to go home (Ὕπαγε), because the healing was going to take place as he had believed that it would (ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι.).  Simply the word of Jesus, not his presence would cure his servant.  Then Matthew indicated that at that very moment, at that very hour (ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ), the servant was healed (καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς), without the presence of Jesus.

January 7, 2017

The speech of Gedaliah (Jer 40:9-40:10)

“Gedaliah,

The son of Ahikam,

The son of Shaphan,

Swore to them

With their troops.

Saying.

‘Do not be afraid

To serve the Chaldeans!

Stay in the land!

Serve the king of Babylon!

It shall go well with you.

As for me,

I am staying at Mizpah,

To represent you

Before the Chaldeans

Who come to us.

But as for you,

Gather wine!

Gather summer fruits!

Gather oil!

Store them in your vessels!

Live in the towns

That you have taken over!’”

Gedaliah, whose father Ahikam and grandfather Shaphan were well known, swore to these field leaders and their troops. As in 2 Kings, chapter 25, he told them not to be afraid of these Chaldean officials. They would be better off staying in the land and serving the Babylonian king. He would take care of things with the Chaldean officials, representing their causes. They should just go home and enjoy their wine, fruits, and oils. They should store them up and live in their towns. Everything was okay. Thus it was clear that not everyone was sent into captivity.

June 1, 2016

When to leave a banquet (Sir 32:10-32:13)

“Lightning travels

Ahead of thunder.

Approval precedes

A modest person.

Leave in good time!

Do not be the last!

Go home quickly!

Do not linger!

Amuse yourself there,

To your heart’s content.

But do not sin

Through proud speech.

But above all,

Bless your Maker

Who fills you With his good gifts.”

Sirach thinks that there is a proper time to leave a banquet. Just as lightening precedes thunder by a few seconds, so too does approval precede a modest person. Do not be the last one to leave a banquet. Do not hang around, but go home quickly. While you are there at the banquet, amuse yourself to your heart’s content, but do not use sinful proud speech. More than anything else, bless your creator who has given you all his good gifts and graces.

April 25, 2015

The division of the troops (1 Macc 3:54-3:57)

“Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout. After this, Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. He said to those who were building houses, or about to be married, or planting vineyards, or were fainthearted to go home. Each should return to his home again, according to the law. Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus.”

When the trumpet sounded, the army was to gather in force. They were divided into groups of 10, 50, 100, and 1,000 with a leader for each group. The idea of sorting the people into smaller groups goes back to Moses appointing judges in Exodus, chapter 18. However, those who were building houses, vineyards, or getting married or just fainthearted should go home. This is a reference to the Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy, chapter 20. Then this army marched out to Emmaus.