his tongue

September 18, 2018

Jesus touches the person (Mk 7:33-7:33)

“Jesus took him aside,

Away from the crowd,

In private.

He put his fingers

Into his ears.

He spat.

He touched his tongue.”

 

καὶ ἀπολαβόμενος αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου κατ’ ἰδίαν ἔβαλεν τοὺς δακτύλους αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ καὶ πτύσας ἥψατο τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ,

 

This physical healing is unique to Mark.  Jesus took the deaf and mute person aside in private, away from the crowd there (καὶ ἀπολαβόμενος αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου κατ’ ἰδίαν).  Jesus then put his fingers into his ears (ἔβαλεν τοὺς δακτύλους αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ).  Jesus spit and then touched his tongue (καὶ πτύσας ἥψατο τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ).  Jesus had just cured a young girl without any physical contact, but this healing was quite physical and dramatic.

May 19, 2016

Carefulness (Sir 22:27-22:27)

“Who will set a guard

Over my mouth?

Who will put an effective seal

Upon my lips?

Thus I may not fall

Because of them.

Thus my tongue may not

Destroy me.”

Sirach wants a guard on his mouth and a seal on his lips. He is afraid that he might fall because of what he says. He was afraid that his tongue would destroy him. After all, he did speak and write a lot.

December 24, 2015

Let me never forget Jerusalem (Ps 137:4-137:6)

“How could we sing Yahweh’s song

In a foreign land?

If I forget you,

O Jerusalem!

Let my right hand wither!

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth,

If I do not remember you,

If I do not set Jerusalem

Above my highest joy.”

The psalmist asked how he could sing a song about Yahweh when he was in a foreign land. If he had forgotten Jerusalem, his right hand should wither. His tongue should stick to the roof of his mouth. He was always going to remember Jerusalem as his greatest joy. He would never forget that wonderful place.

October 5, 2015

The boastful man (Ps 52:1-52:3)

To the choirmaster leader, a Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, ‘David has come to the house of Ahimelech’

“Why do you boast?

O mighty man!

Why do you boast?

What is the mischief done against the godly?

All day long

You are plotting destruction.

Your tongue is like a sharp razor.

You are a worker of treachery.

You love evil more than good.

You love lying more than speaking the truth.”

Selah

Psalm 52 is loosely based on 1 Samuel, chapter 22, where Doeg the Edomite told Saul where David was hiding.  This choral Davidic psalm asked why he was boastful.  This probably refers to Saul rather Doeg the Edomite.  He was planning all day mischief against the good godly people.  His tongue was like a sharp razor as he loved evil more than good.  He was a worker of treachery.  He loved lies more than truth.  This first section ends with a meditative musical interlude pause, a Selah.

October 4, 2015

God of salvation (Ps 51:13-51:14)

“Then I will teach transgressors your ways.

Sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed!

O God!

O God of my salvation!

My tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.”

If David were to be forgiven, he would teach God’s way to other transgressors in hope that they would return to God. He did not want to shed his blood with an early death. He wanted to be saved so that his tongue and voice could sing to God about his deliverance.

June 11, 2015

The third son is willing to suffer (2 Macc 7:10-7:12)

“After him, the third son was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue. He courageously stretched forth his hands. He said nobly.

‘I got these from heaven.

Because of his laws I disdain them.

From him I hope to get them back again.’

As a result, the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man’s spirit. He regarded his sufferings as nothing.”

The 3rd son put out his tongue and hands. He said that he had gotten these limbs from heaven and hoped to get them back. The king and those with him were astonished at this 3rd son who regarded the sufferings as nothing. Clearly the king is present. This 3rd son also expected some sort of afterlife where he would get his tongue and limbs back.