great joy

August 13, 2022

Great joy (3 John 1:4)

“I have no greater joy

Than this,

To hear

That my children

Are walking

In the truth.”

μειζοτέραν τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαράν, ἵνα ἀκούω τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ περιπατοῦντα.

This author said, “I have no greater joy than this (μειζοτέραν τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαράν), to hear (ἵνα ἀκούω) that my children (τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα) are walking (περιπατοῦντα) in the truth (ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ).”  This author was very happy.  He had no greater joy than to hear about his children.  2 John had also used the term of little children, not just children.  He seemed to think of all the other followers of Jesus Christ as children.  Of course, his great happiness was that his beloved children were walking in truth.  They were living the good life of Jesus Christ.  They were truly walking the talk.  Do you live the good life of Jesus Christ?

August 8, 2022

Great joy (2 John 1:4)

“I was overjoyed

To find

Some of your children

Walking

In the truth,

Just as we have been

Commanded

By the Father.”

Ἐχάρην λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σου περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καθὼς ἐντολὴν ἐλάβομεν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός.

This author said, “I was overjoyed (Ἐχάρην λίαν) to find (ὅτι εὕρηκα) some of your children (ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σου) walking (περιπατοῦντας) in the truth (ἐν ἀληθείᾳ), just as we have been commanded (καθὼς ἐντολὴν ἐλάβομεν) by the Father (παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός).”  This author was very happy or exceeding joyous to find out that some of the children of this lady or community was living a life of truth by walking on the right path.  They were living up to the commandments that they had received from God the Father.  It is interesting to note that he does not say all the children.  Were some of them not walking with Jesus Christ?  The right path is not about moral behavior but correct belief.  Do you believe correctly?

December 24, 2018

Good news (Lk 2:10-2:10)

“But the angel

Said to them.

‘Do not be afraid!

See!

I am bringing you

Good news

Of great joy

For all the people.’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος Μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ἰδοὺ γὰρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαρὰν μεγάλην, ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῷ λαῷ,

 

Luke said that the unnamed angel tried to reassure these shepherds not to be fearful.  This angel said to them (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος) that they should not be afraid (Μὴ φοβεῖσθε).  He said that they should see or realize that he was bringing them good news or the gospel news like a Roman proclamation (ἰδοὺ γὰρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν) of great joy (χαρὰν μεγάλην) that would be for all the people (ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῷ λαῷ).  The angel said that he had some good news for them and their fellow Israelites.

August 9, 2018

The women depart from the tomb (Mt 28:8-28:8)

“Thus,

They left the tomb

Quickly

With fear

And great joy.

They ran

To tell

His disciples.”

 

καὶ ἀπελθοῦσαι ταχὺ ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου μετὰ φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς μεγάλης ἔδραμον ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ.

 

This text is similar to Mark, chapter 16:8-10, but there the whole question of the short and long ending of Mark comes up.  In verse 8, the scared women do not tell anyone, then in verse 9, they told Peter and his friends, and then in verse 10, Mary Magdalene told those who had been mourning his death.  Luke, chapter 24:10, had Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and the other women tell the apostles about the resurrection.  John, chapter 20:2, had only Mary Magdalene tell Peter and the other beloved disciple about Jesus’ resurrection.  Clearly Mary Magdalene was involved in these incidents at the tomb.  Here Matthew said that these women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, left the tomb quickly (καὶ ἀπελθοῦσαι ταχὺ ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου) with both fear and grace or great joy (μετὰ φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς μεγάλης).  They ran to tell the disciples of Jesus what had happened to him (ἔδραμον ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ).  Thus, the resurrection of Jesus became common knowledge to the male disciples of Jesus via these women, Mary Magdalene in particular.

 

March 6, 2018

The Magi follow the star (Mt 2:9-2:10)

“When they had heard out

The king,

They set out

On their way.

There ahead of them

Went the star

That they had seen

Rising in the east.

It stopped

Over the place

Where the child was.

When they saw

That the star

Had stopped,

They were overwhelmed

With joy.”

 

οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπορεύθησαν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ, ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, προῆγεν αὐτούς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον.

ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα.

 

When the magi had finished their conversation with King Herod (οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως), they set out on their way (ἐπορεύθησαν) to Bethlehem.  Then they saw that the star in the eastern skies (δοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ, ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ).  This star led them until it stopped (προῆγεν αὐτούς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη) over the place where the child was (ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον).  They were really happy with exceeding great joy (ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα) about seeing this star (ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα) that had guided them.  Obviously, this was a religious miracle star, not some ordinary star.  The magi had completed their task.

June 17, 2017

The jealous God (Ezek 36:5-36:7)

“Therefore,

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘I am speaking

In my hot jealousy

Against the rest

Of the nations.

I am speaking

Against all Edom.

They took my land

As their possession

With wholehearted joy,

With utter contempt.

They wanted

To plunder it

Because of its pasture.

Therefore,

Prophesy

Concerning the land

Of Israel.

Say to the mountains,

To the hills,

To the water streams,

To the valleys!’

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘I am speaking

In my jealous wrath!

You have suffered

The insults

Of the nations.’

Therefore,

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘I swear

That the nations

That are all around you

Shall themselves

Suffer insults.’”

Yahweh God, via Ezekiel, was speaking in his hot jealousy against all the other countries. However, there was an explicit remark about all of Edom, since they had taken possession and plundered the land of Israel with great joy and utter contempt, because of its good pastures. Thus, Ezekiel was to prophesy about the land of Israel, including its mountains, hills, water streams, and valleys. Yahweh God was full of his jealous wrath. Israel had suffered the insults of these other countries. Now Yahweh said that all these other countries around Israel would suffer these insults themselves.