mere mortal

May 8, 2018

Jesus is recognized as the Son of God (Mt 14:32-14:33)

When they got

Into the boat,

The wind ceased.

Those in the boat

Worshiped Jesus.

They said.

‘Truly,

You are

The Son of God.’”

 

καὶ ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἐκόπασεν ὁ ἄνεμος.

οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες Ἀληθῶς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς εἶ.

 

While both Mark, chapter 6:51, and John, chapter 6:21, have Jesus enter the boat, only Matthew has this revelation about Jesus as the Son of God, no longer just the Son of Man.  When Jesus and Peter got into the boat (καὶ ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον), the wind stopped or abated (ἐκόπασεν ὁ ἄνεμος).  Those in the boat worshiped Jesus (οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ).  They said he truly was the Son of God (λέγοντες Ἀληθῶς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς εἶ), no questions asked.  This was a clear proclamation by his followers that Jesus was divine, the Son of God.  Apparently, the multiplication of the bread and fishes plus the walking on water had finally convinced them that Jesus was more than a mere mortal.

 

October 8, 2017

Yahweh has second thoughts (Hos 11:8-11:9)

“How can I give you up?

O Ephraim!

How can I hand you over?

O Israel!

How can I make you

Like Admah?

How can I treat you

Like Zeboiim?

My heart recoils

Within me.

My compassion

Grows warm.

My compassion

Grows tender.

I will not execute

My fierce anger.

I will not again

Destroy Ephraim.

I am God!

I am not a mortal!

I am the Holy One

In your midst.

I will not come

In wrath.”

Yahweh, via Hosea, had second thoughts about the destruction of Israel. How could he give Ephraim up? How could he hand over Israel? He could not make them like Admah and Zeboiim, two of the five cities destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis, chapter 19. His heart was compassionate with warm tenderness. He decided not to execute his fierce anger against Ephraim. Yahweh was God, not a mere mortal. He was the Holy One in their midst. He was not going to come in anger.

March 27, 2017

Ezekiel is the son of man (Ezek 2:1-2:3)

“Yahweh said to me.

‘Son of man!

Stand up

On your feet!

I will speak with you!’

When he spoke

To me,

The Spirit entered

Into me.

He set me

On my feet.

I heard him

Speaking to me.

He said to me.

‘Son of man!

I am sending you

To the people

Of Israel,

To a nation

Of rebels.

They have rebelled

Against me.

Their ancestors

Have transgressed

Against me.

They

Have transgressed

Against me

To this very day.”

Yahweh spoke to Ezekiel with the title, the son of man, a mere mortal. He told him to stand up on his feet, because he wanted to speak with him. When Yahweh spoke to Ezekiel, the Spirit entered into Ezekiel. Yahweh set him on his feet. Then Ezekiel heard Yahweh speaking to him, as if he was not directly speaking to him. Yahweh told Ezekiel that he was sending him to the people of Israel, a nation of rebels that had rebelled against Yahweh. Both their ancestors and they themselves have transgressed against Yahweh even to this very day.

October 9, 2015

Praise for God (Ps 56:8-56:11)

“You have kept count of my tossings.

Put my tears in your bottle!

Are they not in your record?

Then my enemies will retreat,

In the day when I call.

This I know,

That God is for me.

In God,

Whose word I praise.

In Yahweh,

Whose word I praise.

In God,

I trust.

I am not afraid.

What can a mere mortal do to me?”

God knew about the situation of David.  He had gathered the tears of David and kept a record of it.  His enemies would retreat if David were to call on God.  He was sure of himself because God was on his side.  He praised God.  He praised Yahweh.  He trusted in God.  Thus he was not afraid of mere mortals?