his point

October 23, 2018

We do not know (Mk 11:33-11:33)

“Thus,

They answered Jesus.

‘We do not know.’

Jesus said to them.

‘Neither will I tell you

By what authority

I am doing

These things.’”

 

καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγουσιν Οὐκ οἴδαμεν. καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.

 

This response of Jesus can be found in Matthew, chapter 21:27, and Luke, chapter 20:7-8, almost word for word.  Mark said that the chief priests, the Scribes, and the elders responded to Jesus (καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ).  They said that they did not know (λέγουσιν Οὐκ οἴδαμεν) the value, origins, or power of the baptism of John the Baptist.  Jesus then told them (καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς) that he would not tell them by what authority he was doing these things (Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ).  Jesus had made his point.

June 8, 2018

The timid response (Mt 21:27-21:27)

“Thus,

They answered Jesus.

‘We do not know.’

He said to them.

‘Neither will I tell you

By what authority

I am doing these things.’”

 

καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἶπαν Οὐκ οἴδαμεν. ἔφη αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτός Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.

 

This question of Jesus can be found in Mark, chapter 11:33, word for word, and Luke, chapter 20:7-8, almost word for word.  Thus, the chief priests and elders responded to Jesus (καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἶπαν) that they did not know (Οὐκ οἴδαμεν) the origins or power of the baptism of John the Baptist.  Jesus then told them (ἔφη αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτός) that he would not tell them by what authority he was doing these things in the Temple (Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ).  Jesus had made his point.

August 31, 2016

The Creator (Isa 40:21-40:24)

“Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been told you

From the beginning?

Have you not understood

From the foundations of the earth?

It is he

Who sits above the circle of the earth.

Its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens

Like a curtain.

He spreads them

Like a tent to live in.

He brings princes to naught.

He makes the rulers of the earth

As nothing.

Scarcely are they planted,

Scarcely sown,

Scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,

When he blows upon them,

They wither.

The tempest carries them off

Like stubble.”

Second Isaiah continues to use the questioning style to make his point. He seems to call attention to the ignorance of the people. Do they not understand that God created them? God sits on top of the dome over the earth in the heavens, As Second Isaiah was expressing the cosmology of his day. God has stretched out the heavens like a curtain or a tent. All humans are like grasshoppers since he has such a lofty view. He controls the earthly princes and rulers. As soon as someone plants something and it begins to take roots, he blows on it and it withers. Then he sends a tempest storm to carry it off as stubble. Clearly God is in control as the creator of this world and the things in it.