mending

April 28, 2019

The man with two sons (Lk 15:11-15:11)

“Then Jesus said.

‘There was a man

Who had two sons.’”

 

Εἶπεν δέ Ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχεν δύο υἱούς.

 

This unique parable in Luke continues the theme of lost things that are found.  First, it was the sheep, then the coin, but now it is a lost son.  Luke has this lovely long story about finding oneself and mending lost relationships.  He indicated that then Jesus said (Εἶπεν δέ) that there was a certain man (Ἄνθρωπός) who had 2 sons (τις εἶχεν δύο υἱούς).  This long parable story about the 2 sons can only be found in Luke, not in any of the other gospel stories.  Have you ever been estranged from a family member?

January 24, 2019

Repairing garments (Lk 5:36-5:36)

“Jesus told them

A parable.

‘No one tears

A piece

From a new garment

And sews it on

An old garment.

Otherwise,

The new piece

Will be torn.

The new piece

Will not match

The old garment.’”

 

Ἔλεγεν δὲ καὶ παραβολὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὅτι Οὐδεὶς ἐπίβλημα ἀπὸ ἱματίου καινοῦ σχίσας ἐπιβάλλει ἐπὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιόν· εἰ δὲ μήγε, καὶ τὸ καινὸν σχίσει καὶ τῷ παλαιῷ οὐ συμφωνήσει τὸ ἐπίβλημα τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ καινοῦ.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus told them a parable (Ἔλεγεν δὲ καὶ παραβολὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς).  This will be first of many parables or stories.  Jesus said that no one tears a piece from a new garment (ὅτι Οὐδεὶς ἐπίβλημα ἀπὸ ἱματίου καινοῦ σχίσας) and sews it on an old garment (ἐπιβάλλει ἐπὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιόν).  Otherwise (εἰ δὲ μήγε), the new piece will be torn (καὶ τὸ καινὸν σχίσει) and the new piece will not match the old garment (καὶ τῷ παλαιῷ οὐ συμφωνήσει τὸ ἐπίβλημα τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ καινοῦ).  Mark, chapter 2:21, and Matthew, chapter 9:16, are similar to Luke, so that Mark might be the source of this mending of the cloth saying.  Luke called his saying a parable, while Mark and Matthew did not use that terminology.  They remarked that Jesus said that no one would sew a new piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak or coat.  This new patch would pull away or tear away.  Then there would be a worse tear there than before.  In other words, do not mend coats with new pieces of cloth.  The new with the old will not work and match correctly.  Let the old garment wear out, because there is nothing that you can do to it.  Is this an indication that the new Jesus ways will not blend with the old Jewish ways?

August 15, 2018

Jesus sees James and John (Mk 1:19-1:19)

“As Jesus went

A little farther,

He saw James,

The son of Zebedee,

And his brother,

John.

They were

In their boat

Mending their nets.”

 

Καὶ προβὰς ὀλίγον εἶδεν Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάνην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα,

 

Once again Mark and Matthew, chapter 4:20, are almost word for word.  Mark introduced two new disciples, John and James, the fisherman sons of Zebedee.  Zebedee might have been successful since he was explicitly mentioned and he seemed to own a boat.  Jesus apparently had just left Simon Peter and Andrew a short distance away (Καὶ προβὰς ὀλίγον).  Once again, Jesus saw two other fishermen brothers (εἶδεν Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάνην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ).  These two brothers, the sons of Zebedee, James and John, were in a boat (καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ) mending the fishing nets (καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα), not casting them out to sea.  Luke, chapter 5:10, indicated that these two sons of Zebedee were partners with Simon, so that they may have shared a boat or boats.