housetop

May 14, 2019

Stay where you are (Lk 17:31-17:31)

“On that day,

Anyone on the housetop,

Who has belongings

In the house,

Must not come down

To take them away.

Likewise,

Anyone in the field

Must not turn back.”

 

ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὃς ἔσται ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, μὴ καταβάτω ἆραι αὐτά, καὶ ὁ ἐν ἀγρῷ ὁμοίως μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that on that day (ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ) of the coming of the Son of Man at the end times, anyone on the housetop (ὃς ἔσται ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος), who has belongings in the house (καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ), must not come down to take them away (μὴ καταβάτω ἆραι αὐτά).  Likewise, anyone in the field (καὶ ὁ ἐν ἀγρῷ ὁμοίως) must not turn back to the things left behind (μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω).  This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 24:17-18, and Mark, chapter 13:15-16.  Mark indicated that Jesus said that during these end times, the people on the housetop or roofs of their houses (ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος) should not go down (μὴ καταβάτω) and enter their house (μηδὲ εἰσελθάτω τι) to take anything out of there (ἆραι τὰ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ).  It would be useless to do so, as the world was coming to an end.  If they were in the field working (καὶ ὁ εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν), they were not to turn back or return to their house (μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω) to get or take a coat or outer garment (ἆραι τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ).  Jesus, via Matthew, said that during this end time, the people on the housetop or roofs of their houses (ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος) should not go down (μὴ καταβάτω) to take things out of their houses (ἆραι τὰ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ).  If they were in the field working (καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ), they were not to turn back or return to their house (μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω ὀπίσω) to get or take a coat or outer garment (ἆραι τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ).  They had no need for clothes because the end was near.  What would you want to take from your house if the world was coming to an end?

January 22, 2019

Go through the roof (Lk 5:19-5:19)

“But they found

No way

To bring him in,

Because of the crowd.

They went up

On the roof.

They let him down,

With his bed,

Through the tiles

Into the middle

Of the crowd,

In front of Jesus.”

 

καὶ μὴ εὑρόντες ποίας εἰσενέγκωσιν αὐτὸν διὰ τὸν ὄχλον, ἀναβάντες ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα διὰ τῶν κεράμων καθῆκαν αὐτὸν σὺν τῷ κλινιδίῳ εἰς τὸ μέσον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.

 

Luke said that these men could not find a way to bring him into the house (καὶ μὴ εὑρόντες ποίας εἰσενέγκωσιν αὐτὸν), because of the crowd (διὰ τὸν ὄχλον).  Thus, they went up on the roof housetop (ἀναβάντες ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα).  They let the paralyzed man down (καθῆκαν αὐτὸν), still on his bed (σὺν τῷ κλινιδίῳ), through the tiles (διὰ τῶν κεράμων) in the middle of the crowd (εἰς τὸ μέσον), in front of Jesus (ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ).  Although Matthew, chapter 9:2, never mentioned this roof opening, Mark, chapter 2:4, said that they were not able to bring this paralytic to Jesus.  Thus, they dug through or gouged out a hole in the roof, so that they let down the paralyzed man lying on his bed through this hole in the roof.  This large crowd of people would have this paralyzed man on a bed come through the roof in the middle of the house.  What a sight!  As a little kid, this story really struck me.  The story in Luke had a tile roof, while in Mark, it was like a mud roof.

November 3, 2018

Do not go into your houses (Mk 13:15-13:15)

“The one on the housetop

Must not go down.

He must not

Enter his house,

To take

Anything away.”

 

ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος μὴ καταβάτω μηδὲ εἰσελθάτω τι ἆραι ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ,

 

This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 24:17, but not in Luke.  Mark said that during these end times, the people on the housetop or roofs of their houses (ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος) should not go down (μὴ καταβάτω) and enter their house (μηδὲ εἰσελθάτω τι) to take anything out of there (ἆραι τὰ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ).  It would be useless to do so, as the world was coming to an end.

 

February 4, 2016

Troublesome people (Prov 21:9-21:11)

“It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

Than in a house shared with a contentious wife.

The souls of the wicked desire evil.

Their neighbors find no mercy in their eyes.

When a scoffer is punished,

The simple becomes wiser.

When the wise are instructed,

They increase in knowledge.”

Watch out for contentious wives. You would be in better shape if you lived in a corner of a housetop attic. The wicked souls desire evil so that their neighbors cannot find any mercy in their eyes. Whenever the scoffers or mockers are punished, it helps the simple to get a little wiser. Now if the wise are instructed, they will increase in knowledge.