They forgot to bring bread (Mk 8:14-8:14)

“The disciples

Had forgotten

To bring any bread.

They had only

One loaf

With them

In the boat.”

 

Καὶ ἐπελάθοντο λαβεῖν ἄρτους, καὶ εἰ μὴ ἕνα ἄρτον οὐκ εἶχον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ.

 

There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 16:5.  In Matthew, the disciples discovered this problem when they landed on the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  However, Mark said that it took place while they were still in the boat.  In an ironic twist of fate, the disciples of Jesus forget to bring any bread with them on this trip across the Sea of Galilee, with no indication of the place where they going.  Mark said that the disciples forgot to bring loaves of bread (Καὶ ἐπελάθοντο λαβεῖν ἄρτους).  They only had one loaf of bread (καὶ εἰ μὴ ἕνα ἄρτον οὐκ εἶχον) with them (μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν) in the boat (ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ).  Bread was a key food element of nourishment.  Remember the bread of life.

Do not tell anyone (Mk 7:36-7:36)

“Jesus ordered them

To tell no one.

But the more

He ordered them,

The more zealously

They proclaimed it.”

 

καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν· ὅσον δὲ αὐτοῖς διεστέλλετο, αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον περισσότερον ἐκήρυσσον.

 

Once again, this unique saying of Mark had Jesus order or instruct this man and the crowd with him (καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς) not to tell anyone about it (ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν).  However, the more he ordered or instructed them to be quiet (ὅσον δὲ αὐτοῖς διεστέλλετο,), the more zealously they proclaimed it (αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον περισσότερον ἐκήρυσσον).  This was the strange Messianic secret that no one could keep secret.  The ironic twist was that the crowds saw what was happening, yet Jesus was trying not to let people tell others.  On the other hand, he would send his apostles out to preach.  What did he expect to happen?

The ironic wine preacher (Mic 2:11-2:11)

“If someone were to go about

Uttering empty falsehoods,

Saying.

‘I will preach to you

About wine.

I will preach to you

About strong drink.’

Such a one

Would be

The preacher

For this people!”

In an ironic twist, Micah said that if someone were to preach empty lies by talking about the great value of wine and strong alcoholic drinks, then he surely would be a popular preacher among the people.

Against Edom (Lam 4:21-4:21)

Shin

“Rejoice!

Be glad!

O daughter Edom!

You live

In the land of Uz!

But to you also

The cup shall pass!

You shall

Become drunk!

You shall

Strip yourself bare!”

This poem ends with a swipe at Judah’s southern neighbor Edom. With an ironic twist, this author told Edom to rejoice and be glad because they lived in Uz, the place where Job lived. However, there was a warning that the cup of anger would pass to them. They would become drunk and naked. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Shin in this acrostic poem.