his way

March 19, 2019

Do likewise (Lk 10:37-10:37)

“The lawyer said.

The one

Who showed him

Mercy.’

Jesus said to him.

‘Go!

Do likewise!’”

 

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ’ αὐτοῦ. εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.

 

Luke finished his unique story.  The lawyer responded to Jesus (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν).  He said that the one who showed the wounded man mercy and compassion (Ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ’ αὐτοῦ) was the good neighbor.  Then Jesus remarked (εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς) that he should go on his way and do likewise (Πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως).  There was a very satisfying ending to this story of the Good Samaritan.  Both the lawyer and Jesus were satisfied.  The lawyer gave the right answer by saying that the true neighbor was the merciful and compassionate Samaritan.  He did not in fact use the term Samaritan.  He merely called him the compassionate one.  Jesus then came back to the original question that this lawyer had posed about what he needed to gain eternal life.  He told this lawyer to act just like the Good Samaritan had if he wanted to inherit eternal life, the path to eternal life.  Are you willing to follow it?

January 20, 2019

Jesus escaped (Lk 4:30-4:30)

“Jesus

Passed through

The midst of them.

Jesus

Went on his way.”

 

αὐτὸς δὲ διελθὼν διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετο.

 

Luke uniquely said that nothing happened to Jesus.  He said that Jesus passed through them (αὐτὸς δὲ διελθὼν) in their midst (διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν) and went on his way (ἐπορεύετο).  No harm, no foul.  They did not do anything to Jesus as he escaped from there, without saying how it happened.

May 28, 2018

Jesus blessed the children (Mt 19:14-19:15)

“But Jesus said.

‘Let the little children

Come to me!

Do not stop them!

It is to such as these

That the kingdom of heaven

Belongs.’

He laid his hands

On them.

Then he went on his way.”

 

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτὰ ἐλθεῖν πρός με· τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῖθεν.

 

This story about Jesus laying his hand on the little children can be found in Mark, chapter 10:14-16, and Luke, chapter 18:16, but slightly different.  Jesus said (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν) to his disciples that the little children should not be forbidden to come to him (Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτὰ ἐλθεῖν πρός με).  They belonged to the kingdom of heaven (τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν).  Then he laid his hands on them (καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς) before he traveled from there on his way (ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῖθεν).  This emphasis on little children in the kingdom of heaven could be found earlier in chapter 18:1-5.

 

October 10, 2017

Learn the ways of Yahweh (Hos 14:9-14:9)

“Those who are wise,

Understand these things.

Those who are discerning,

Know them.

The ways of Yahweh

Are right.

The upright

Walk in them.

But transgressors

Stumble in them.”

Hosea ended with a final note about wisdom, probably a later addition. The wise ones would understand these things. The discerning ones would know them. The ways of Yahweh are right, so that the upright ones walk in his way. However, the transgressors stumble in the ways of Yahweh. Once again, the good will walk straight, but the evil ones will stumble and fall.

September 12, 2017

Do not worry (Dan 12:9-12:12)

“He said.

‘Go your way!

Daniel!

The words are

To remain secret.

They are to be sealed

Until the time of the end.

Many shall be

Purified,

Cleansed,

Refined.

But the wicked

Shall continue

To do wickedly.

None of the wicked

Shall understand.

But those who are wise

Shall understand.’”

The man in the linen clothes told Daniel not to worry.  Daniel was to go on his way.  These words were secret.  Thus, they would be sealed up until the end times.  Many had to be purified, cleansed and refined until then.  The wicked would continue to do wicked things, since they have no understanding.  However, the wise ones understand what is going on.  This is a kind of back handed slap at Daniel, since he claimed he did not understand what the angel had been telling him.

February 26, 2017

The walled in situation (Lam 3:7-3:9)

Gimel

“Yahweh has walled me about

So that I cannot escape.

He has put heavy chains

On me.

Although I call,

Although I cry for help,

He shuts out

My prayer.

He has blocked

My ways

With hewn stones.

He has made

My paths crooked.”

This author feels walled in. He cannot escape, because he has heavy chains on him. When he calls for help, no one listens to him. Yahweh has blocked his way with carved stone walls. He can no longer walk a straight path, since all his paths are crooked, like a maze. These three verses start with the Hebrew consonant letter Gimel in this acrostic poem.