interesting

March 18, 2019

The Samaritan pays for his upkeep (Lk 10:35-10:35)

“The next day,

The Samaritan

Took out

Two denarii.

He gave them

To the innkeeper.

He said.

‘Take care of him!

When I come back,

I will repay you

Whatever more

You spend.”

 

καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον ἐκβαλὼν δύο δηνάρια ἔδωκεν τῷ πανδοχεῖ καὶ εἶπεν Ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί με ἀποδώσω σοι.

 

Luke continued his unique story.  Jesus said that the next day (καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον), this Samaritan took out and gave two denarii (ἐκβαλὼν δύο δηνάρια ἔδωκεν) to the innkeeper (τῷ πανδοχεῖ).  He told (καὶ εἶπεν) this innkeeper to take care of the wounded man (Ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ).  When he would come back or return (ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί), he would repay the innkeeper (με ἀποδώσω σοι) whatever more he would have to spend for the care of the wounded man (καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς).  Now the story is more interesting.  Not only did this Samaritan help the person in need, but he was going to continue to help him.  He did not hand him off without assuring that he would be well taken care of.  This was beyond the call of duty.  This Samaritan had already spent a day with the wounded person, but now he was going to pay for his further care.  Who does that?  There did not seem to be any prior relationship with this person and the Samaritan.  He was doing all this out of the goodness of his heart.  One denarius was equivalent to a day’s pay, about $.25 USA dollar.  This was a reasonable amount.  Would you do anything like this?

February 14, 2018

The Good Book

The Bible is a great book, the “Good Book.”  Every time we go back to it, we find new meanings.  There is always the sensus plenior, the fuller meaning.  The bible texts have more than one meaning.  Reading and rereading our favorite passages exposes us to even a greater understanding of life and the world around us.  Some stories of the Bible are so interesting, we like to read them more than once.

March 20, 2017

Security in the foreign temples (Bar 6:18-6:19)

“Just as the gates

Are shut

On every side

Against anyone

Who has offended a king,

As though under sentence

Of death,

So the priests make

Their temples secure

With doors,

With locks,

With bars,

So that they may not be

Plundered

By robbers.

They light more lamps

For them

Than they light for themselves,

Even though their gods

Can see none of them.”

In an interesting bit of irony, this author points out that the foreign temples have a lot of security, as if the temples were in prison. These temples are like someone who has offended a king. They have gates on all sides of them, as if they are awaiting a death sentence. Their temple priests have secured their temples with doors, locks, and bars because they are afraid that robbers will come into the temple and steal things from it. They have so much light in the temple for themselves, rather than for their gods who cannot see anything anyway, with or without light.

January 7, 2017

Freedom for Jeremiah (Jer 40:2-40:4)

“The captain of the guard

Took Jeremiah.

He said to him.

‘Yahweh your God

Threatened this place

With this disaster.

Now Yahweh

Has brought it about.

He has done

As he said.

Because all of you

Sinned against Yahweh.

You did not obey his voice.

Therefore this thing

Has come upon you.

Now look!

I have just released you today

From the fetters

On your hands.

If you wish

To come with me

To Babylon,

Come!

I will take good care of you.

But if you do not wish

To come with me

To Babylon,

You need not come!

See!

The whole land is before you.

Go wherever

You think it good

Or right to go!’”

Jeremiah is finally recognized by Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, who took him aside. He said to Jeremiah that his God Yahweh had threatened this place and made that threat come true. This happened because they were sinning in Jerusalem and Judah. They had not obeyed their God. This Babylonian captain then released Jeremiah from the chains around his hands. Here is where it gets interesting. He offers Jeremiah a choice. He could go to Babylon, where he would be taken care of, or he could stay in Judah, where the whole land would be his. The captain of the guard told Jeremiah to decide on what was right and good for him. The choice was up to Jeremiah, but it seemed obvious that Jeremiah would stay.

February 18, 2016

What shall I do? (Prov 30:8-30:9)

“Give me neither poverty nor riches.

Feed me with the food that I need.

Shall I be full?

Shall I deny you?

Shall I say?

‘Who is Yahweh?’

Shall I be poor?

Shall I steal?

Shall I profane the name of my God?”

Agur wanted neither to be rich or poor. All he wanted was enough food to eat and sustain his life. Should he deny God? Should he profane the name of God? Should he ask about Yahweh? Will he have enough to eat? Will he be poor? Will he steal things? This Agur seems to be a savant who asks interesting questions about himself and his life.

July 23, 2015

Everyone listened to Job (Job 29:21-29:25)

“They listened to me.

I waited.

I kept silence for my counsel.

After I spoke

They did not speak again.

My word dropped upon them like dew.

They waited for me as for the rain.

They opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

I smiled on them when they had no confidence.

The light of my countenance

They did not extinguish.

I chose their way.

I sat as chief.

I lived like a king among his troops.

I lived like the one who comforts mourners.”

Job was like the most interesting man in the world. He would listen. However, after he had spoken, they would not speak again because his words were so interesting. His words dropped down like dew on others. They waited for him like they waited for the rain. When he smiled, they had confidence. His face was like an inextinguishable light. He told people what to do, like a chief. He lived like a king who had many troops. He was like the chief comforter in charge. Thus some 2,500 years ago, he was the most interesting man in the world.