Who is the wise manager? (Lk 12:42-12:42)

“The Lord said.

‘Who then is the faithful

And prudent

Household manager?

His master

Will put him

In charge

Of his slaves.

He will give them

Their correct allowance

Of food

At the proper time.’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς οἰκονόμος ὁ φρόνιμος, ὃν καταστήσει ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς θεραπείας αὐτοῦ τοῦ διδόναι ἐν καιρῷ τὸ σιτομέτριον;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus, the Lord asked them (καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος) who was the faithful and prudent or wise household manager (Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς οἰκονόμος ὁ φρόνιμος)?  His lord or master would put him (ὃν καταστήσει ὁ κύριος) in charge to care (ὃν καταστήσει ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ) for his other slaves.  He would then give to the other slaves (αὐτοῦ τοῦ διδόναι) their correct allowance or measure of food (τὸ σιτομέτριον) at the proper time (ἐν καιρῷ).  This is the only use of the word σιτομέτριον, meaning, a measured portion of food, in the biblical literature.  There is a similar parable about this good slave in Matthew, chapter 24:45, almost word for word, indicating a possible Q source.  Matthew indicated that Jesus asked who was the faithful and wise slave (Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς δοῦλος καὶ φρόνιμος)?  This lord or master had put this slave in charge over his other household slaves (ὃν κατέστησεν ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκετείας αὐτοῦ).  He was to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time (τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς τὴν τροφὴν ἐν καιρῷ).  The lord or master had put one wise and faithful servant in charge of his other slaves.  Are you a wise and faithful servant of God?

Give! (Lk 6:38-6:38)

“Give!

Then it will be given

To you.

A good measure,

Pressed down,

Shaken together,

Running over,

Will be put

Into your lap.

The measure

That you give

Will be the measure

That you get back.”

 

δίδοτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· μέτρον καλὸν πεπιεσμένον σεσαλευμένον ὑπερεκχυννόμενον δώσουσιν εἰς τὸν κόλπον ὑμῶν· ᾧ γὰρ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that if they gave (δίδοτε), it would be given back to them (καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν).  If they used a good measure (μέτρον καλὸν), one that was pressed down (πεπιεσμένον), shaken together (σεσαλευμένον), and running over (ὑπερεκχυννόμενον), it would be put into their lap (ώσουσιν εἰς τὸν κόλπον ὑμῶν).  The measure that they give (ᾧ γὰρ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε) would be the measure that would be given back to them (ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν).  This last phrase is the same as Matthew, chapter 7:2, and Mark, chapter 4:24, who said whatever they used as a measuring tool or rod, it would be the same measuring stick used on them.  The use of a pouch formed from the cloak that they wore would carry things as a measure.  If the grain was shaken and pressed down, they were able to get a fair amount of grain that overflowed their pouch.  Are you good at giving a fair portion or measure?

How do you give gifts? (Mk 4:24-4:24)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Pay attention

To what you hear!

The measure you give

Will be the measure

You get.

Still more

Will be given you.”

 

Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς Βλέπετε τί ἀκούετε. ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν, καὶ προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.

 

Mark indicated that Jesus said to his disciples (Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς) that they should pay attention, perceive, and discern whatever they hear (Βλέπετε τί ἀκούετε).  Whatever they used as a measuring rod (ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε), it would be the same measuring stick used on them (μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν).  This last phrase is exactly the same as in Luke, chapter 6:38, which was also like Matthew, chapter 7:2, who was talking about judging others, so that they would not be judged.  Whatever judgment they made they would be judged the same way.  Finally, Jesus said that more would be added to them (καὶ προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν).

Do not judge (Mt 7:1-7:2)

“Do not judge!

Thus,

You may not be judged.

With the judgment

You make,

You will be judged.

The measure you give

Will be the measure

You get.”

 

Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε

ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε κριθήσεσθε, καὶ ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.

 

The first verse here is exactly the same as in Luke, chapter 6:37, indicating a common Q source.  Thus, Jesus told his followers not to judge others (Μὴ κρίνετε), so that they would not be judged (ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε).  Whatever judgment they made (ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε), they would be judged (κριθήσεσθε,) the same way.  Whatever they used as a measuring rod (καὶ ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε), it would be the same measuring stick used on them (μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν).  This last phrase is exactly the same as in Luke, chapter 6:38, which was also like Mark, chapter 4:24.

 

The conversation about measuring Jerusalem (Zech 2:2-2:5)

“Then I said.

‘Where are you going?’

He answered me.

‘To measure Jerusalem!

To see what is its width!

To see what is its length!’

Then the angel,

Who talked with me,

Came forward.

Another angel

Also came forward

To meet him.

He said to him.

‘Run!

Say to that young man!

Jerusalem shall be inhabited

Like villages without walls,

Because of the multitude

Of people,

As well as animals

In it.’

‘I will be

A wall of fire

All around it.’

Says Yahweh.

‘I will be the glory

within it.’”

Zechariah then questioned the man with the measuring cord in his hand.  He responded that he was going to measure Jerusalem to find out its width and length.  The angel that had been talking to Zechariah heard from another angel that the new Jerusalem would not need walls, because so many people and animals would be there.  Instead, Yahweh would provide protection with a wall of fire all around it, like a ring of fire.  Yahweh was going to bring glory to Jerusalem, because he was going to bring his glory to Jerusalem.

The flowing water leads to a river (Ezek 47:3-47:5)

“Going on eastward,

With a cord in his hand,

The man measured

One thousand cubits.

Then he led me

Through the water.

It was ankle-deep.

Again,

He measured

One thousand cubits.

He led me

Through the water.

It was knee-deep.

Again,

He measured

One thousand cubits.

He led me

Through the water.

It was up to the waist.

Again,

He measured

One thousand cubits.

It was a river

That I could not cross.

The water had risen.

It was deep enough

To swim in,

A river

That could not be crossed.”

The bronze man took a cord and started to measure the flowing water from the Temple. For the first 1,000 cubits or 1,500 feet, or a little over a quarter mile, the water was only ankle-deep. He then led Ezekiel across this small stream. However, the next measured 1,000 cubits or quarter mile, the water was knee high. Once again, he led Ezekiel across this knee-high water. After the 3rd measurement of 1,000 cubits or over a quarter mile, the water was waist high. Ezekiel then waded through this waist-high water. Finally, after another 1,000 cubits or another quarter mile, it was a mighty river that Ezekiel could not cross, except by swimming, because it was so deep. Thus, there was a river, a little over a mile from the eastern gate of the Temple.

Just measurements (Ezek 45:10-45:12)

“You shall have

Honest balances.

There must be

An honest ephah,

There must be

An honest bath.

The ephah

With the bath

Shall be

Of the same measure.

The bath

Contains one tenth

Of a homer.

The ephah contains

One tenth

Of a homer.

The homer shall be

The standard measure.

The shekel shall be

Twenty gerahs.

Twenty shekels,

Twenty-five shekels,

Shall make a mina

For you.”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, was going to tell them how to keep their measurements just and correct. What are all these measurements? Ezekiel loved to be exact. First, a homer was a measure for liquids, about 60 gallons or 6 bushels of grain. The bath was about 6 gallons. The ephah was a measurement for grains about 2/3rd of a bushel or about 6 gallons. The gerah was the smallest size coin, about 1/50th of ounce. The shekel coin was 2/5th of an ounce. The mina was the largest coin, about 1.25 pounds. Thus, these were to be the standard measurements.

Ezekiel was to describe this new Temple to the Israelites (Ezek 43:10-43:10)

“‘You!

Son of man,

Describe

The temple

To the house of Israel!

Let them

Measure the pattern!

Let them

Be ashamed

Of their iniquities!’”

Yahweh told Ezekiel, the son of man, to describe this new Temple to the Israelites, the house of Israel. They should measure the patterns that he would lay out for them. They should also be ashamed of their iniquities. Clearly, Ezekiel was laying down the basics for the new Temple, just like Moses with his Mosaic laws.

Measuring the nave (Ezek 41:1-41:2)

“Then he brought me

To the nave.

He measured

The pilasters,

On each side.

Six cubits was

The width

Of the pilasters.

The width

Of the entrance was

Ten cubits.

The sidewalls

Of the entrance were

Five cubits

On either side.

He measured

The length of the nave,

Forty cubits.

Its width was

Twenty cubits.”

This bronze man brought Ezekiel into the hall, the Temple properly speaking. This nave of the inner court was called the Hekal, the place of saints for the Temple. As usual, the bronze man began to measure everything. The pilasters were 6 cubits or 10 feet wide on each side. The entrance gate was 10 cubits, about 16 feet wide. The sidewalls of the gate were 5 cubits or 8 feet on each side. The nave itself was 40 cubits by 20 cubits, about 64 feet by 32 feet rectangular, relatively small.

The Ulam vestibule of the inner Temple (Ezek 40:48-40:49)

“Then he brought me

To the vestibule

Of the temple.

He measured

The pilasters

Of the vestibule,

Five cubits

On either side.

The width

Of the gate

Was fourteen cubits.

The sidewalls

Of the gate were

Three cubits

On either side.

The depth

Of the vestibule was

Twenty cubits

Its width was

Twelve cubits.

Ten steps

Led up to it.

There were pillars

Beside the pilasters

On either side.”

The bronze man brought Ezekiel into inner court, the Temple properly speaking. This vestibule of the inner court was called Ulam. As usual, the bronze man began to measure everything. The pilasters were 5 cubits or 8 feet on each side. The gate was 14 cubits, about 23 feet wide. The sidewalls of the gate were 3 cubits or 5 feet on each side. The vestibule itself was 20 cubits by 12 cubits, about 32 feet by 20 feet rectangular, relatively small. There were 10 steps leading up to it, not just 7 or 8. Besides the pilasters, there were also pillars on either side.