making

June 6, 2018

The prophecy of Isaiah (Mt 21:13-21:13)

“Jesus said to them.

‘It is written.

‘My house

Shall be called

A house of prayer.’

‘But you are making it

A den of robbers.’”

 

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Γέγραπται Ὁ οἶκός μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται, ὑμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ποιεῖτε σπήλαιον λῃστῶν.

 

This biblical citation of Jesus in the Temple by Matthew, can be found in Mark, chapter 11:17, and Luke, chapter 19:46, almost word for word.  Matthew said that Jesus told them that it was written in Scripture (καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Γέγραπται) that his house shall be called a house of prayer (Ὁ οἶκός μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται).  However, they were making it into a den or hideout of robbers or bandits (ὑμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ποιεῖτε σπήλαιον λῃστῶν).  This first citation is from Isaiah, chapter 56:7, while the second citation is from Jeremiah, chapter 7:11.

September 9, 2016

The curses (Isa 45:9-45:10)

“Woe to you

Who strive with your Maker!

Woe to you

Earthen vessels who strive

With the potter!

Does the clay say

To the one him who fashions it?

‘What are you making?’

Does it say?

‘Your work has no handles.’

Woe to anyone

Who says to a father!

‘What are you begetting?’

Woe to anyone

Who says to a woman!

‘With what are you in labor with?’”

This curse is the only time in Second Isaiah that any curse appears. Yahweh was against anyone who talks back to their maker. We are all clay. Do not ask your potter, what are you making? Do not complain about the work made by others that does not have handles. You do not ask your father what he is begetting. The same thing applies to a woman in labor. You do not ask her with what is she in labor with?

May 15, 2016

Shame (Sir 20:21-20:23)

“One may be prevented

From sinning

By poverty.

When he rests,

He feels no remorse.

One may lose his life

Through shame.

One may lose his life

Because of his foolish look.

Another out of shame

Make promises to a friend.

Thus he makes an enemy

For nothing.”

If you are in poverty, there is less chance of you sinning. Thus when the poor person rests, he does not feel any remorse. However, you can lose your life through shame or some foolish look.   Another person may make promises to a friend that he is not able to keep. He will do this out of shame. Thus he ends up making an enemy for no good reason.

April 11, 2016

Accursed false idol worship (Wis 14:8-14:11)

“But the idol made with hands is accursed.

So too the one who made it. Having made it,

The perishable thing was named a god.

Equally hateful to God

Are the ungodly man

With their ungodliness.

What was done

Will be punished together

With the one who did it.

Therefore there will be a visitation

Also upon the heathen idols.

Because,

Though part of what God created,

They became an abomination.

They became snares for human souls.

They became a trap to the feet of the foolish.”

Now here is a stinging rebuke of idols and their makers. Both the ungodly idol and the ungodly ones (ὁ ἀσεβῶν) who made it were accursed by God. They were making, calling, and naming these idols gods (θεὸς ὠνομάσθη). They and their idols both would be punished together. Although they are a good part of God’s creation (ἐν κτίσματι Θεοῦ), these idols (εἰδώλοις) have become an abomination or a scandal since they set snares and traps for foolish human souls (σκάνδαλα ψυχαῖς ἀνθρώπων).