“Thus,
Zacchaeus
Hurried down.
He was happy
To welcome Jesus.”
καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων.
Luke said that Zacchaeus hurried down (καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη) from the tree. He was happy to welcome Jesus (καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων). Instead of Zacchaeus seeking Jesus, Jesus was seeking Zacchaeus, so that he must have been well pleased at this turn of events. Luke was the only synoptic with this story of Zacchaeus. Did you realize that when you are seeking God, he is seeking you?
“They went
With haste.
They found Mary
And Joseph,
With the child
Lying
In a manger.”
καὶ ἦλθαν σπεύσαντες, καὶ ἀνεῦραν τήν τε Μαριὰμ καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τὸ βρέφος κείμενον ἐν τῇ φάτνῃ·
Without any specific directions, Luke said that these shepherds hurried to Bethlehem (καὶ ἦλθαν σπεύσαντες). There was no indication of what happened to the sheep that they were watching. Nevertheless, they found Mary (καὶ ἀνεῦραν τήν τε Μαριὰμ) and Joseph (καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ), with the child lying in a manger (καὶ τὸ βρέφος κείμενον ἐν τῇ φάτνῃ), just as the angels had told them.
“Now many saw them
Going.
They recognized them.
They hurried there
On foot
From all the towns.
They arrived
Ahead of them.”
καὶ εἶδον αὐτοὺς ὑπάγοντας καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν πολλοί, καὶ πεζῇ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων συνέδραμον ἐκεῖ καὶ προῆλθον αὐτούς.
This opening to the multiplication of the loaves story can be found in all four gospels, Matthew, chapter 14:13, Luke, chapter 9:10, John, chapter 6:1-2, and here. Jesus wanted to get away to a deserted place in a boat, but somehow the crowds followed him. It is not clear if they were looking for his reaction to the death of John the Baptist, or just following him as an itinerant preacher and healer. Mark said that many people saw and recognized Jesus and his disciples leaving in the boat (καὶ εἶδον αὐτοὺς ὑπάγοντας καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν πολλοί). They ran together on foot there along the shore from all the various towns (καὶ πεζῇ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων συνέδραμον ἐκεῖ). The crowds, in fact, arrived ahead of them (καὶ προῆλθον αὐτούς). This crowd seemed to follow along the bank of the sea, so that Jesus and his apostles could not get away by themselves.
“So,
All the people
Hurried back.
The rest of the elders
Said to Daniel.
‘Come!
Sit among us!
Inform us!
God has given you
The standing
Of an elder.
Daniel said to them.
‘Separate them far
From each other.
I will examine them.’”
All the people hurried back to the house of Joakim and Susanna. The rest of the elders came up to Daniel. They asked him to sit among them as an elder, since they thought that God had given him standing as an elder. There had been no indication about other elders until this point. Suddenly, Daniel became important, as he told them to separate the two elder judges who had testified against Susanna. He was going to examine each one of them separately.
“Then at daybreak,
The king got up.
He hurried
To the den of lions.
When he came near
The den,
Where Daniel was,
He cried out anxiously
To Daniel.
‘O Daniel!
Servant of the living God!
Has your God,
Whom you faithfully serve,
Been able
To deliver you
From the lions?’”
The next morning, the king got up at the crack of dawn. He hurried to the to the lions’ den, where Daniel was. He then cried out to Daniel, as he called him the servant of the living God. He wanted to know if his God, whom he faithfully served, had saved him from the lions overnight. This story of Daniel in the lions’ den was probably based on a classic Babylonian folk-tale. However, the overlay of the God of Daniel was unique.
Het
“Yahweh is my portion.
I promise to keep your words.
I implore your favor with all my heart.
Be gracious to me according to your promise.
When I think of your ways,
I turn my feet to your decrees.
I hasten.
I do not delay
To keep your commandments.
Even though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget your law.
At midnight,
I rise to praise you,
Because of your righteous ordinances.
I am a companion of all
Who fear you.
I am a companion of
Those who keep your precepts.
Yahweh!
The earth is full of your steadfast love.
Teach me your statutes!”
This psalmist promised to keep the words of Yahweh. He wanted Yahweh to continue with his gracious promise. When he thought about Yahweh, he turned his feet to Yahweh’s decrees. He hurried to keep all the commandments of God. Even though the wicked ones tried to ensnarl him, he did not forget the law. In fact, he rose at midnight to praise Yahweh and his righteous ordinances. He was a companion to those who fear God and keep his precepts. The earth is full of the steadfast love of Yahweh. This psalmist wanted to learn more about the statutes of Yahweh. So ends this section on the eighth consonant letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Het.
“Then they went up to Jerusalem, as the festival of weeks was close at hand. After the festival called Pentecost, they hurried against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea. He came out with three thousand infantry and four hundred cavalry. When they joined battle, it happened that a few of the Jews fell.”
They went on to Jerusalem because the festival of the weeks or Pentecost was coming up. After the festival of Pentecost that was 7 weeks after Passover, they want out to war against Gorgias. Idumea was southeast of the Dead Sea, the old Edom or Esau territory. Gorgias had only 3,000 infantry and 400 cavalry. In this battle, some Jews actually died.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 