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January 1, 2019

The old guys (Lk 3:35-3:35)

“The son of Serug,

The son of Reu,

The son of Peleg,

The son of Eber,

The son of Shelah.”

 

τοῦ Σεροὺχ τοῦ Ῥαγαῦ τοῦ Φάλεκ τοῦ Ἔβερ τοῦ Σαλὰ

 

This section is based on Genesis, chapter 11:14-23, which has more details about these people.  Luke listed the names without indicating how they are connected, Nahor was the son of Serug (τοῦ Σεροὺχ), the son of Reu (τοῦ Ῥαγαῦ), the son of Peleg (τοῦ Φάλεκ), the son of Eber (τοῦ Ἔβερ), the son of Shelah (τοῦ Σαλὰ), just as he has done throughout this genealogy.  According to Genesis, Shelah, had a son, Eber, who had a son, Peleg.  There was no mention of his brother Joktan and his 13 Arab sons here, since Peleg seems more important.  Peleg had a son, Reu, who had a son, Serug, who in turn had a son, named Nahor, who was the grandfather of Abraham.  1 Chronicles, chapter 1:24-27 has the same genealogy.

September 4, 2018

Jesus was asleep (Mk 4:38-4:38)

“But Jesus

Was asleep

In the stern,

On a cushion.

They woke him up.

They said to him.

‘Teacher!

Do you not care

That we are perishing?’”

 

καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἐν τῇ πρύμνῃ ἐπὶ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον καθεύδων· καὶ ἐγείρουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Διδάσκαλε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἀπολλύμεθα

 

This waking of Jesus can be found in Matthew, chapter 8:24-25, and Luke, chapter 8:23-24, in a somewhat similar fashion.  Mark was not as frantic, but Luke had a sense of urgency.  Mark had more details, since he said that Jesus was in the stern or the back of the boat sleeping on a cushion (καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἐν τῇ πρύμνῃ ἐπὶ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον καθεύδων).  These followers or disciples woke up Jesus (καὶ ἐγείρουσιν αὐτὸν).  They said to Jesus (καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ), calling him Teacher (Διδάσκαλε), that he did not care (οὐ μέλει σοι) if they were perishing, dying or facing certain death (ὅτι ἀπολλύμεθα).  They were definitely afraid and scared.  Notice that they did not call Jesus “Lord, Κύριε” as in Matthew, but rather “Teacher, Διδάσκαλε.”

August 16, 2018

Jesus rebukes the man with the unclean spirit (Mk 1:25-1:26)

“But Jesus rebuked him.

He said.

‘Be silent!

Come out of him!’

The unclean spirit

Convulsed him.

Crying

With a loud voice,

He came out of him.”

 

καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Φιμώθητι καὶ ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ.

καὶ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ φωνῆσαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ.

 

This is very similar, almost word for word, to Luke, chapter 4:35, but as usual, Luke had more details.  Both Mark and Luke said that Jesus rebuked him (καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς).  Rebuking was a common Hebrew term used in exorcisms, while in Greek it has a more English sense of warning, chiding, or admonishing.  Jesus told him to be silent or muzzled (Φιμώθητι), so that the unclean or evil spirit could come out of that person (καὶ ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ).  Then Luke had an explanation about how the unclean spirit left these people unharmed.  Luke continued to have two persons, while Mark only had one person.  Here Mark said that that the unclean spirit convulsed this person (καὶ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἀκάθαρτον), so that crying with a great loud voice (καὶ φωνῆσαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ) he came out of that one person (ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ).  Thus, the exorcism was complete.

July 16, 2018

Two witnesses come forward (Mt 26:60-26:61)

“At last,

Two witnesses

Came forward.

They said.

‘This fellow said.

‘I am able

To destroy

The Temple of God,

And to build it

In three days.’”

 

ὕστερον δὲ προσελθόντες δύο

εἶπαν Οὗτος ἔφη Δύναμαι καταλῦσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι.

 

This is similar to Mark, chapter 14:57-58, but Mark has more details and does not explicitly mention 2 witnesses, but only some witnesses.  There is nothing like this in Luke, chapter 22, and John, chapter 18.  Matthew said that finally 2 witnesses came forward (ὕστερον δὲ προσελθόντες δύο), an important number under Jewish law.  They said that this man had said (εἶπαν Οὗτος ἔφη) that he was able to destroy the Temple of God (Δύναμαι καταλῦσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ) and rebuild it in three days (καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι).  Jesus had mentioned destroying this Temple in chapter 24:2.  He had also spoken about his resurrection in three days in chapters 16:21, 17:23, and 20:19.  There was no indication of when the 2 witnesses said that Jesus had uttered these words.

June 12, 2018

They refuse the second invitation (Mt 22:5-22:5)

“But they made light of it.

They went away,

One to his own farm,

Another to his trading business.”

 

οἱ δὲ ἀμελήσαντες ἀπῆλθον, ὃς μὲν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἀγρόν, ὃς δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμπορίαν αὐτοῦ·

 

This refusal has more details in Luke, chapter 14:18-20.  Jesus said that they made up specific excuses on why they could not go to the wedding banquet.  But Matthew said that they made light of them, disregarded or disrespected (οἱ δὲ ἀμελήσαντες) this second invitation.  They simply went on with their daily life, they went (ἀπῆλθον) one to his own farm or field (ὃς μὲν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἀγρόν), and another to his trading business (ὃς δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμπορίαν αὐτοῦ).  They were too busy to go to a wedding feast.

May 12, 2018

The Canaanite woman (Mt 15:22-15:22)

“Just then,

A Canaanite woman

From that same region

Came out.

She started shouting.

‘Have mercy on me!

Lord!

Son of David!

My daughter

Is possessed

By a demon.’”

 

καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων ἐξελθοῦσα ἔκραζεν λέγουσα Ἐλέησόν με, Κύριε υἱὸς Δαυείδ· ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται.

 

Mark, chapter 7:24-26, has something similar but there were more details there, as she entered a house.  A gentile Canaanite woman (καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία), from that same coastal region (ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων) appeared on the scene.  The Canaanites, who worshiped Baal, were still the enemies of the Jewish people.  This Canaanite woman came out shouting (ἐξελθοῦσα ἔκραζεν λέγουσα).  She asked Jesus to have mercy on her (Ἐλέησόν με,).  She called Jesus, the Lord (Κύριε), and the Son of David (υἱὸς Δαυείδ), clear Jewish messianic terms.  She said that her daughter was possessed by a demon (ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται).  She was not asking for a cure for herself, but for her daughter.