his sword

November 17, 2018

Someone cut the ear of the high priest’s slave (Mk 14:47-14:47)

“But one of those

Who stood nearby

Drew his sword.

He struck

The slave

Of the high priest.

He cut off his ear.”

 

εἷς δέ τις τῶν παρεστηκότων σπασάμενος τὴν μάχαιραν ἔπαισεν τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτάριον.

 

This is similar to Matthew, chapter 26:51.  In Luke, chapter 22:49-51, there was a little discussion before the cutting off of the ear.  Then Jesus healed the ear that was hurt.  John, chapter 18:10-11, explicitly named Peter, not one of those with Jesus, as the one who cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave.  In fact, the slave has the name of Malchus.  Mark said that one of these unnamed apostles was standing nearby Jesus (εἷς δέ τις τῶν παρεστηκότων).  He then drew his sword (σπασάμενος τὴν μάχαιραν) and struck a slave of the high priest (ἔπαισεν τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως).  He cut his ear off (καὶ ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτάριον).  Obviously, this could have started a major battle, also indicating that these apostles were armed and ready to do battle, if necessary.

July 16, 2018

Someone cuts off the ear of the high priest’s slave (Mt 26:51-26:51)

“All at once,

One of those

With Jesus

Put his hand

On his sword.

He drew it.

He struck

The slave

Of the high priest.

He cut off

His ear.”

 

καὶ ἰδοὺ εἷς τῶν μετὰ Ἰησοῦ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἀπέσπασεν τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πατάξας τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτίον.

 

This is almost word for word in Mark, chapter 14:47.  In Luke, chapter 22:49-50, there was a little discussion before the cutting off of the ear and then Jesus healed the ear that was hurt.  John, chapter 18:51, explicitly named Peter, not one of those with Jesus, as the one who cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave.  In fact, the slave has the name of Malchus.  Both Mark and Matthew said that one of these unnamed disciples with Jesus (καὶ ἰδοὺ εἷς τῶν μετὰ Ἰησοῦ) stretched out his hand (ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα).  He then drew his sword (ἀπέσπασεν τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ) and struck a slave of the high priest (καὶ πατάξας τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως).  He cut his ear off (ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτίον).  Obviously, this could have started a major battle here.

September 20, 2017

Under what tree did all this take place (Dan 13:58-13:59)

“‘Now then,

Tell me!

Under what tree

Did you catch them

Being intimate

With each other?’

The second elder answered.

‘Under an evergreen oak.’

Daniel said to him.

‘Very well!

This lie will cost you

Your head.

The angel of God

Is waiting

With his sword

To split you in two.

Thus,

He will destroy you both.’”

Daniel asked the second elder the same question that he had asked the first elder. Under what tree did you find Susanna and her friend being sexually intimate with each other? The second elder said that they were under an evergreen oak tree, a large holly oak tree, quite different from the small mastic tree. Once again, Daniel told this elder, like the first elder, that his lying response would cost him his life. The angel of God was waiting with his sword to split him in two. Thus, both these lying old judges would be destroyed. Once again there is a Greek play on words with evergreen oak tree (πρϊνος) and split (καταπριση).

June 6, 2017

The need for a sentinel (Ezek 33:1-33:2)

“The word of Yahweh

Came to me.

‘Son of man!

Speak!

To your people!

Say to them!

‘If I bring

The sword

Upon a land,

The people of the land

Shall take

One of their number

As their sentinel.’”

As usual, the word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel, the son of man. Yahweh wanted him to speak to his people. He wanted to tell them that they needed to have a sentinel or watch person taken from their ranks. This would be especially important if Yahweh was going to bring his sword against them.

June 5, 2017

The fear of captivity (Ezek 32:9-32:10)

“I will trouble

The hearts

Of many people.

I will carry you

Captive

Among the nations,

Into the countries,

That you have not known.

I will make many people

Appalled at you.

Their kings

Shall shudder

Because of you.

I will brandish

My sword

Before them.

They shall tremble

Every moment,

For their lives,

Every one of them,

On the day

Of your downfall.”

Yahweh was going to trouble many people because he was going to carry them off as captives to various nations and countries that they did not know. Other people would be appalled at them. Their kings would shudder because of what was happening. Yahweh was going to show his sword. They would tremble all the time, all of them. They would be afraid for their lives on the day of Egypt’s downfall.

April 2, 2017

Some will remain (Ezek 6:8-6:10)

“But I will spare some.

Some of you

Shall escape

The sword.

Among the nations,

They will be scattered

Through the countries.

Those of you

Who escaped

Shall remember me

Among the nations

Where they are carried captive.

They will remember

How I was crushed

By their wanton hearts

That turned away

From me.

They will remember

That their wanton eyes

Turned after their idols.

Then they will be loathsome

In their own sight

For the evils

That they have committed,

For all their abominations.

They shall know

That I am Yahweh.

I did not threaten

In vain

To bring this disaster

Upon them.”

Yahweh was going to spare some of these Israelites from his sword of death. They would escape scattered among the various nations and countries. Those that escaped would remember Yahweh in their captivity countries. They would remember how Yahweh had crushed their reckless hearts and eyes that turned away from Yahweh to their idols. They would become despicable in their own eyes. They would realize that they had committed evils and abominations. They would then know that Yahweh had not threatened in vain about this disaster that came upon them.

January 27, 2017

The defeat of the various Philistine cities (Jer 47:5-47:7)

“Baldness has come

Upon Gaza.

Ashkelon is silenced.

O remnant of their power!

How long

Will you gash yourselves?

O!

Sword of Yahweh!

How long

Until you are quiet?

Put yourself

Into your scabbard!

Rest!

Be still!

How can it be quiet?

Yahweh has given it

A charge

Against Ashkelon,

Against the seashore.

There he has appointed it.”

This short chapter on the Philistines ends with the mention of a couple of the five main Philistine cities, mentioned from the time of Joshua, chapter 13. Ashkelon and Gaza were still standing, but as defeated cities, as Jeremiah mentioned here. Gaza was bald and Ashkelon was silent, since they were only a remnant of their former power. How long would they be in mourning? Would Yahweh put his sword away? These seaside cities were in ruin. Gath and Ashdod were not mentioned here, because they were completely destroyed by the Egyptians in the 7th century BCE.

August 31, 2016

Yahweh calls the victor from the east (Isa 41:2 -41:4)

“Who has roused a victor from the east?

Who summoned him to service?

He delivers up nations to him.

He tramples kings under foot.

He makes them

Like dust with his sword.

He makes them

Like driven stubble with his bow.

He pursues them.

He passes on safely,

Scarcely toughing the path

With his feet.

Who has performed this?

Who has done this?

He is calling the generations

From the beginning.

I!

Yahweh!

I am the first!

I will be with the last.”

Second Isaiah wants to know who has summoned the victor conquer from the east for service. This victor from the east was Cyrus, the King of Persia from 559-530 BCE, more than two centuries after the time of Isaiah. Cyrus the Great created the largest empire in the world with present day Iran the last vestige of that realm. Cyrus took over many countries, trampling kings. He made them like dust or stubble with his sword as well as his bow and arrows. He pursued many people, but he was always safe with his fast feet that barely touched the ground. Second Isaiah points out that Yahweh was behind Cyrus. Who allowed him to do all these things? Why it was Yahweh, who interjected himself in the first person singular, saying that he was eternally the first and the last.

June 21, 2016

Joshua (Sir 46:1-46:6)

“Joshua

Son of Nun

Was mighty in war.

He was the successor of Moses

In the prophetic office.

He became,

As his name implies,

A great savior of God’s elect.

He took vengeance

On the enemies

That rose against them.

Thus he might give Israel

Its inheritance.

How glorious he was

When he lifted his hands.

He brandished his sword

Against the cities.

Who before him,

Ever stood so firm?

He waged the wars of the Lord.

Was it not through him

That the sun stood still?

Did not one day

Become as long as two?

He called upon the Most High,

The Mighty One,

When enemies pressed him on every side.

The great Lord answered him

With hailstones of mighty power.

He overwhelmed that nation in battle.

On the slope

He destroyed his opponents.

Thus the nations might know his armament.

He was fighting

In the sight of the Lord.

He was a devoted follower of the Mighty One.”

Of course, there was a whole biblical book named after Joshua. Sirach lists him as a warrior and a prophet, who succeeded Moses. This son of Nun was a great savior of God’s people. He wiped out the enemies of Israel so that they might have their inheritance. He lifted up his hand as he swung his sword. Before him, no one had ever waged wars for the Lord like him. He stood firm and created miracles with the sun. He called upon the Most High God, the mighty one, when enemies were all around him. The Lord heard his cry so that his enemies were destroyed. Thus all the countries came to know about his fighting strength for the Lord, as a devoted follower of the Mighty one.

April 1, 2016

The Lord prepares for the battle (Wis 5:17-5:20)

“The Lord will take his zeal

As his whole armor.

He will arm all creation

To repel his enemies.

He will put on righteousness

As a breastplate.

He will wear impartial justice

As a helmet.

He will take holiness

As an invincible shield.

He will sharpen stern wrath

For a sword.

Creation will join with him

To fight against his frenzied foes.”

The Lord will prepare for this battle against the unjust. His zeal will be his armor. All creation will join him against his enemies. His breastplate will be righteousness. His helmet will be impartial justice. Holiness will be his shield. His sword will be his stern anger. Once again, all of creation will join with the Lord to fight his foes.