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May 28, 2019

Collect interest (Lk 19:23-19:23)

“Why then did you not

Put my money

Into the bank?

Then,

When I returned,

I could have collected it

With interest.”

 

καὶ διὰ τί οὐκ ἔδωκάς μου τὸ ἀργύριον ἐπὶ τράπεζαν; κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν σὺν τόκῳ ἂν αὐτὸ ἔπραξα.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus remarked that this nobleman asked this third slave why he had not put his money into a bank (καὶ διὰ τί οὐκ ἔδωκάς μου τὸ ἀργύριον ἐπὶ τράπεζαν), instead of wrapping it in a cloth.  Then, when he returned (κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν) from his trip, he would have at least collected it with interest (σὺν τόκῳ ἂν αὐτὸ ἔπραξα).  This is similar to Matthew, chapter 25:27, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Jesus, via Matthew, said that this master told his slave that had hid his talent in the ground, that he should have at a minimum invested his money with the bankers (ἔδει σε οὖν βαλεῖν τὰ ἀργύριά μου τοῖς τραπεζείταις).  Then, at least, when he returned (καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐγὼ ἐκομισάμην), he would have received his money plus the earned interest on it (ἐκομισάμην ἂν τὸ ἐμὸν σὺν τόκῳ).  This master was a demanding harsh slave owner.  The demands were very serious.  Do you trust banks and bankers?

May 28, 2019

Known better (Lk 19:22-19:22)

“The nobleman

Said to this slave.

‘I will judge you

By your own words.

You wicked slave!

You knew,

Did you not,

That I was a harsh man.

I take

What I did not deposit.

I reap

What I did not sow?’”

 

λέγει αὐτῷ Ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου κρίνω σε, πονηρὲ δοῦλε. ᾔδεις ὅτι ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος αὐστηρός εἰμι, αἴρων ὃ οὐκ ἔθηκα καὶ θερίζων ὃ οὐκ ἔσπειρα;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus remarked that the nobleman said to this slave (λέγει αὐτῷ) that he was going to judge him (κρίνω σε) by his own words, what came out of his own mouth (Ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου).  The nobleman called him a wicked slave (πονηρὲ δοῦλε) because he knew (ᾔδεις) that this nobleman was an austere harsh rigid man (ὅτι ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος αὐστηρός εἰμι).  This nobleman repeated what was just said in verse 21, that he took what he did not deposit (αἴρων ὃ οὐκ ἔθηκα) and he reaped what he did not sow (καὶ θερίζων ὃ οὐκ ἔσπειρα).  This was similar to Matthew, chapter 25:26, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Jesus said, via Matthew, that this master was not happy with his slave who hid his talent money.  This lord or master responded to this slave (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτῷ).  He called him a wicked lazy slave (Πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ).  He knew that this master was a hard man, since he reaped where he had not sown (ᾔδεις ὅτι θερίζω ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρα) and he gathered where he had not scattered (καὶ συνάγω ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισα), repeating the slave’s own words.  Notice that Luke did not call this slave lazy, just wicked or evil, while Matthew did.  Are you a demanding person?

May 27, 2019

Wrapped in cloth (Lk 19:20-19:20)

“Then another slave

Came.

He said.

‘Lord!

Here is your mina!

I wrapped it up

In a piece of cloth.’”

 

καὶ ὁ ἕτερος ἦλθεν λέγων Κύριε, ἰδοὺ ἡ μνᾶ σου, ἣν εἶχον ἀποκειμένην ἐν σουδαρίῳ·

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that another slave came in (καὶ ὁ ἕτερος ἦλθεν) and said to this lord, nobleman (λέγων Κύριε), that he had saved his mina (ἰδοὺ ἡ μνᾶ σου).  He had wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, a handkerchief or a napkin (ἣν εἶχον ἀποκειμένην ἐν σουδαρίῳ).  Instead of trading with this money, he simply wrapped it up to keep it safe.  There was something similar in Matthew, chapter 25:25, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Unlike the first 2 slaves, this third slave did something else with his one talent.  Jesus said this slave who had received one talent came forward to his master (προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον εἰληφὼς).  However, this slave said that he was afraid (καὶ φοβηθεὶς), so he went and hid his talent in the ground (ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ).  Then he seemed happy to return this one talent back to his master.  He said “Look! here it is (ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν)!”  He was glad to be rid of this burden of protecting this money from possible thieves or robbers.  Sometimes people are too cautious, as they fear that they will lose something, as here in this parable story.  Are you too cautious with your money?

April 16, 2019

The yeast (Lk 13:21-13:21)

“The kingdom of God

Is like yeast

That a woman took.

She mixed it in

With three measures

Of flour,

Until all of it

Was completely leavened.”

 

ὁμοία ἐστὶν ζύμῃ, ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἔκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία, ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that the kingdom of God was like yeast (ὁμοία ἐστὶν ζύμῃ).  A woman took it (ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ) and mixed or hid it (ἔκρυψεν) within 3 measures of flour (εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία), until all of it was completely leavened (ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον).  This parable about the yeast in bread can also be found in Matthew, chapter 13:33, indicating a Q source.  Once again, the emphasis with this parable is growth from a small piece of flour to a large leavened loaf of bread, because of the yeast.  Jesus, via Matthew said that the kingdom of heaven, not the kingdom of God, was like yeast (Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ).  A woman mixed in 3 measures of flour (ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία,) so that the bread was all leavened (ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον).  The kingdom of heaven would be like this leavened bread, always expanding.  The 3 measures of flour would be over 50 pounds, quite a lot of flour.  Do you use yeast in baking?

December 11, 2018

Elizabeth conceived a child (Lk 1:24-1:24)

“After those days,

His wife,

Elizabeth

Conceived.

For five months,

She remained

In seclusion.”

 

Μετὰ δὲ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας συνέλαβεν Ἐλεισάβετ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ περιέκρυβεν ἑαυτὴν μῆνας πέντε,

 

Luke indicated that sometimes afterwards (Μετὰ δὲ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας), Elisabeth (Ἐλεισάβετ), the wife of Zechariah (ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ), conceived a child or became pregnant (συνέλαβεν).  There is no indication whether this was a supernatural event or a natural event.  Zechariah would have had to tell Elisabeth about his encounter with the angel Gabriel in the Temple sanctuary.  Perhaps, he was able to write.  However, Elizabeth remained in seclusion for 5 months, as she hid or concealed herself (καὶ περιέκρυβεν ἑαυτὴν μῆνας πέντε,).  There was no great announcement about this future birth.

July 5, 2018

The slave with one talent (Mt 25:24-25:25)

“Then the slave who had received

One talent

Also came forward.

He said.

‘Master!

I knew that

You were a harsh man.

You reap

Where you did not sow.

You gather

Where you did not

Scatter seed.

I was afraid.

I went off.

I hid your talent

In the ground.

Here you have

What is yours.’”

 

προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον εἰληφὼς εἶπεν Κύριε, ἔγνων σε ὅτι σκληρὸς εἶ ἄνθρωπος, θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρας, καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας·

καὶ φοβηθεὶς ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ· ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν.

 

This parable is unique to Matthew, but there is something similar in Luke, chapter 19:20-21, where the slave had wrapped the money in a piece of cloth.  This slave who had received one talent came forward to his master (προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον εἰληφὼς).  He said to his master or lord (εἶπεν Κύριε) that he knew that his master was a harsh or hard man (ἔγνων σε ὅτι σκληρὸς εἶ ἄνθρωπος), because he would reap or harvest crops where he had not sown them (θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρας).  He even gathered crops where he had not scattered seeds (καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας).  Thus, this slave said that he was afraid (καὶ φοβηθεὶς), so he went and hid his talent in the ground (ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ).  Then he seemed happy to return this one talent worth $4,000,000 US back to his master, as he said “Look! here it is (ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν)!”  He was glad to be rid of this burden of protecting this money from possible thieves or robbers.

July 4, 2018

The third slave dug a hole (Mt 25:18-25:18)

“But the one slave who had

Received the one talent

Went off.

He dug a hole

In the ground.

He hid

His master’s money.”

 

ὁ δὲ τὸ ἓν λαβὼν ἀπελθὼν ὤρυξεν γῆν καὶ ἔκρυψεν τὸ ἀργύριον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ.

 

This parable is unique to Matthew, but there is something similar in Luke, chapter 19:12-27.  Unlike the first 2 slaves, this 3rd slave did something else with his one talent.  Jesus said that this slave who had received one talent (ὁ δὲ τὸ ἓν λαβὼν) went off and dug a hole in the ground (ἀπελθὼν ὤρυξεν γῆν).  He hid his master’s or his lord’s money (καὶ ἔκρυψεν τὸ ἀργύριον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ).

May 2, 2018

The hidden treasure and the kingdom of heaven (Mt 13:44-13:44)

“The kingdom of heaven is

Like a treasure

Hidden in a field.

Someone found it.

He hid it.

Then in his joy

He goes

And sells

All that he has.

Then he buys that field.”

 

Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν θησαυρῷ κεκρυμμένῳ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, ὃν εὑρὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔκρυψεν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ ὑπάγει καὶ πωλεῖ ὅσα ἔχει καὶ ἀγοράζει τὸν ἀγρὸν ἐκεῖνον.

 

Only Matthew has this parable about the treasure in the field.  Jesus. via Matthew, compared the kingdom of heaven to a hidden treasure in a field (Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν θησαυρῷ κεκρυμμένῳ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ).  If a man found it (ὃν εὑρὼν ἄνθρωπος), he would re-hide it again (ἔκρυψεν).  Then with great joy or gladness (καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ), he would sell everything that he had (ὑπάγει καὶ πωλεῖ ὅσα ἔχει), so that he could buy that field (καὶ ἀγοράζει τὸν ἀγρὸν ἐκεῖνον).  In Jewish law, if you owned the property, you were entitled to everything on that property.  In other words, this man would give up everything for this treasure.  Thus, you should give up everything for the heavenly kingdom treasure.

 

September 13, 2017

Bathing in the garden (Dan 13:15-13:16)

“Once,

While they were watching

For an opportune day,

Susanna went in,

As before,

With only two maids.

She wished to bathe

In the garden.

It was a hot day.

No one was there,

Except the two elders,

Who had hidden themselves.

They were watching her.”

The two elder judges kept looking for the right moment. Apparently, that day had come. As it was a hot day, Susanna, with her two female maids, wanted to take a bath in the garden. She did not know that the two elder judges had hid themselves in the garden to watch her.

September 7, 2017

Daniel alone saw the vision (Dan 10:7-10:9)

“I,

Daniel,

Alone,

Saw the vision.

The people,

Who were with me,

Did not see the vision.

But a great trembling

Fell upon them.

They fled.

They hid themselves.

I was left alone

To see this great vision.

My strength

Left me.

My complexion

Grew deathly pale.

I retained no strength.

Then I heard

The sound

Of his words.

When I heard

The sound

Of his words,

I fell into a trance,

Face to the ground.”

Daniel explained in the first-person singular what happened to him when he saw this grand vision. Although there were other people there with him, he was the only one who saw the man clothed in linen. They did not see anything, but they began to tremble and then hid themselves. Thus, Daniel was left alone to see this vision by himself. He, too, had a problem. His strength left me. His complexion turned pale. When he heard the sound of this bronze man’s voice, he fell into a trance, face to the ground.