his home

January 23, 2019

Glorifying God (Lk 5:25-5:25)

“Immediately,

The paralytic stood up

Before them.

He took

What he had been

Lying on.

He went to his home.

He was glorifying God.”

 

καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀναστὰς ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν, ἄρας ἐφ’ ὃ κατέκειτο, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν.

 

The paralyzed man did exactly what Jesus told him to do.  He got up and went to his home.  Jesus had forgiven this man his sins and at the same time cured him of paralysis.  Normally, the power to forgive sins was what only God could do.  Luke said that this paralytic stood up before them (καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀναστὰς ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν).  He took his bed that he had been lying on (ἄρας ἐφ’ ὃ κατέκειτο) and went home (ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ).  At the same time, he was glorifying or praising God (δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν).  Mark, chapter 2:12, and Matthew, chapter 9:7-8, are similar to Luke, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark said that the paralyzed man did exactly as Jesus had told him to do.  He stood up and immediately took his pallet bed in front of everybody.  Jesus had forgiven this man’s sins and cured him of paralysis.  How was the power to forgive sins, which only God could do, related to his healing powers?  How were these powers related?

January 20, 2019

Capernaum (Lk 4:31-4:31)

“Jesus went down

To Capernaum,

A city in Galilee.

He was teaching them

On the Sabbath.”

 

Καὶ κατῆλθεν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ πόλιν τῆς Γαλιλαίας. καὶ ἦν διδάσκων αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν·

 

Luke said that Jesus went down to Capernaum (Καὶ κατῆλθεν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ), a city in Galilee (πόλιν τῆς Γαλιλαίας).  He was teaching them (καὶ ἦν διδάσκων αὐτοὺς) on the Sabbath (ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν).  There is something similar to this in Mark, chapter 1:21, where Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath in Capernaum.  Matthew, chapter 4:13, mentioned that Jesus set up his home in Capernaum.  John, chapter 2:12, said that he went with his family to Capernaum for a few days.  Capernaum was about 20 miles northeast of Nazareth, probably a fishing village of about 1,500 people at that time, on the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee, in the old Israelite tribal territory of Naphtali.  Obviously, there was some sort of Sabbath worship taking place there.  Jesus went there, but the fact that he taught there might seem a little strange, if he had not been invited to do so.  Capernaum became the unofficial headquarters for the ministry of Jesus in Galilee.

October 3, 2018

What was that discussion about? (Mk 9:33-9:33)

“Then they came

To Capernaum.

When he was

In the house,

Jesus asked them.

‘What were you

Arguing about

On the way?’”

 

Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Καφαρναούμ. Καὶ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ γενόμενος ἐπηρώτα αὐτούς Τί ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ διελογίζεσθε;

 

This opening question by Jesus is unique to Mark, who said that they came to Capernaum again (Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Καφαρναούμ).  Mark had mentioned that Capernaum was where he had made his home in chapter 2:1, and where he taught in the synagogue in chapter 1:21.  Apparently, he had a house there, since there was talk about a house in Capernaum as here.  When he was in the house (Καὶ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ γενόμενος), Jesus asked them (ἐπηρώτα αὐτούς) what they were discussing or arguing about on the way there (Τί ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ διελογίζεσθε).  Jesus knew that they had been talking about something that was a little heated.

September 24, 2018

Jesus did not want him back in the village (Mk 8:26-8:26)

“Jesus sent him away

To his home.

He said.

‘Do not even go

Into the village.’”

 

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον αὐτοῦ λέγων Μηδὲ εἰς τὴν κώμην εἰσέλθῃς.

 

This story of the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida was unique to Mark.  Mark once again has an emphasis on the messianic secret.  Jesus sent this former blind man away to his home (καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον αὐτοῦ).  He told (λέγων) this now seeing person that he should not go back into the village (Μηδὲ εἰς τὴν κώμην εἰσέλθῃς) of Bethsaida, but go straight home.

August 15, 2018

Jesus went to a Capernaum synagogue (Mk 1:21-1:21)

“They went

Into Capernaum.

Immediately,

When Sabbath came,

Jesus entered

The synagogue.

He taught there.”

 

Καὶ εἰσπορεύονται εἰς Καφαρναούμ· καὶ εὐθὺς τοῖς σάββασιν εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν ἐδίδασκεν.

 

There is something similar to this in Luke, chapter 4:31, where Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath in Capernaum.  Jesus and his entourage of at least 4 disciples went, traveled, or entered Capernaum (Καὶ εἰσπορεύονται εἰς Καφαρναούμ).  When suddenly the Sabbath came (καὶ εὐθὺς τοῖς σάββασιν), Jesus entered the synagogue (εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν) and taught there (ἐδίδασκεν).  Matthew, chapter 4:13, mentioned that Jesus set up his home in Capernaum.  John, chapter 2:12, said that he went with his family to Capernaum for a few days.  Capernaum was about 20 miles northeast of Nazareth, probably a fishing village of about 1,500 people at that time, on the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee, in the old Israelite tribal territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.  Synagogues were a new thing in the first century CE, something like local Jewish town hall meetings, but also as centers of study and worship, obviously outside of Jerusalem and its Temple.  There may have been some sort of Sabbath worship taking place.  Jesus with his disciples went there, which would not have been unusual.  However, the fact that he taught there might seem a little strange, if not invited.

April 5, 2018

The centurion at Capernaum (Mt 8:5-8:5)

“When Jesus entered

Capernaum,

A centurion

Came to him.

He appealed to Jesus.”

 

Εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν

 

This story about Jesus going into Capernaum can be found in Luke, chapter 7:1-2, and Mark chapter 2:1.  Jesus went back to Capernaum (Εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ) that was now his home, as indicated in chapter 4:13 of this work.  Capernaum (Καφαρναοὺμ) was a fishing village of about 1.500 people, on the northwest seaside corner of the Sea of Galilee.  This non-Jewish Roman centurion came to him (προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος) beseeching, imploring, asking, or appealing to Jesus (παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν).  Thus, this centurion (ἑκατόνταρχος) was a Roman soldier in charge of 100 men, who also may have had more authority, as part of the Roman occupying troops of Galilee.

March 11, 2018

Jesus goes to Capernaum (Mt 4:13-4:13)

“Jesus left Nazareth.

He made his home

In Capernaum

By the sea,

In the territory

Of Zebulun,

Of Naphtali.”

 

καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρὰ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ

 

Matthew is the only gospel story that mentions that Jesus set up his home in Capernaum. However, John, chapter 2:12, mentioned that he went with his family to Capernaum for a few days. Instead of going home to Nazareth, Jesus actually left Nazareth (καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρὰ). He went and made his home in Capernaum (ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ), about 20 miles northeast of Nazareth, probably a fishing village of about 1.500 people at that time. Capernaum was on the northwest seaside (τὴν παραθαλασσίαν) corner of the Sea of Galilee, in the old territory of Zebulun and Naphtali (ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ). There was no explicit mention of the Sea of Galilee, but Capernaum is on that sea in the territory of Naphtali. However, the territory of Zebulun was west of Naphtali and not on the Sea of Galilee.

December 28, 2017

Compassion for Jerusalem (Zech 1:15-1:17)

“‘I am extremely angry

With the nations

That are at ease.

While only a little angry,

They made the disaster worse.’

Therefore,

Thus says Yahweh.

‘I have returned to Jerusalem

With compassion.

My house shall be built in it.’

Says Yahweh of hosts.

‘The measuring lines

Shall be stretched out

Over Jerusalem.

Proclaim further!

Thus says Yahweh of hosts.

My cities

Shall again overflow

With prosperity.

Yahweh will again comfort Zion.

He will again choose Jerusalem.’”

While Yahweh was angry at the various easy-going nations, he was going to be compassionate to Jerusalem.  The other countries had made matters worse.  Now Yahweh was going to return to Jerusalem with compassion for its people.  Yahweh of hosts was going to spread out his measuring lines over Jerusalem.  He wanted them to proclaim that the cities of Yahweh would again overflow with prosperity.  Yahweh has chosen Jerusalem and Zion as his home.

July 1, 2016

Rebuke against rebellion (Isa 1:2-1:3)

“Hear!

O heavens!

Listen!

O earth!

Yahweh has spoken.

‘I reared children.

I brought them up.

But they have rebelled

Against me.

The ox knows its owner.

The donkey knows its master’s crib.

But Israel does not know.

My people do not understand.’”

Isaiah begins with an oracle that comes from Yahweh. He asks heaven and earth to listen to him. Yahweh says that he reared and brought up his children. However, these children have rebelled against him. As an ox knows its owner and a donkey knows where his home is, the people of Israel are just the opposite. They do not know or understand anything. This is the tone to many of the oracles of Yahweh via Isaiah. It is not clear whether this oracle is against just the northern Israelites or also includes the people of Judah. Sometimes the term “Israel” is used for both and sometimes just for the northern Israelites.