next day

March 18, 2019

The Samaritan pays for his upkeep (Lk 10:35-10:35)

“The next day,

The Samaritan

Took out

Two denarii.

He gave them

To the innkeeper.

He said.

‘Take care of him!

When I come back,

I will repay you

Whatever more

You spend.”

 

καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον ἐκβαλὼν δύο δηνάρια ἔδωκεν τῷ πανδοχεῖ καὶ εἶπεν Ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί με ἀποδώσω σοι.

 

Luke continued his unique story.  Jesus said that the next day (καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον), this Samaritan took out and gave two denarii (ἐκβαλὼν δύο δηνάρια ἔδωκεν) to the innkeeper (τῷ πανδοχεῖ).  He told (καὶ εἶπεν) this innkeeper to take care of the wounded man (Ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ).  When he would come back or return (ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί), he would repay the innkeeper (με ἀποδώσω σοι) whatever more he would have to spend for the care of the wounded man (καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς).  Now the story is more interesting.  Not only did this Samaritan help the person in need, but he was going to continue to help him.  He did not hand him off without assuring that he would be well taken care of.  This was beyond the call of duty.  This Samaritan had already spent a day with the wounded person, but now he was going to pay for his further care.  Who does that?  There did not seem to be any prior relationship with this person and the Samaritan.  He was doing all this out of the goodness of his heart.  One denarius was equivalent to a day’s pay, about $.25 USA dollar.  This was a reasonable amount.  Would you do anything like this?

March 6, 2019

A great crowd (Lk 9:37-9:37)

“On the next day,

When they had come down

From the mountain,

A great crowd

Met Jesus.”

 

Ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἑξῆς ἡμέρᾳ κατελθόντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους συνήντησεν αὐτῷ ὄχλος πολύς

 

Luke said that on the next day (Ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἑξῆς ἡμέρᾳ), after the transfiguration, when they had come down from the mountain (κατελθόντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους), a great crowd met Jesus (συνήντησεν αὐτῷ ὄχλος πολύς).  Mark, chapter 9:14-15, and Matthew, chapter 17:14 are somewhat similar.  Jesus came to his disciples and saw a great crowd around them.  Mark said that some Scribes were arguing or discussing with them, but there was no indication what they were discussing or arguing about.  As Jesus left his small group of disciples, a large crowd came towards him.  Mark said that suddenly a large crowd saw Jesus, so that they were amazed or overcome with awe, since he was like a celebrity.  They all ran forward to greet him.  Have you ever been in a crowd when a celebrity appeared?

October 22, 2018

The withered fig tree (Mk 11:20-11:20)

“In the morning,

As they passed by,

They saw

The fig tree

Withered away

To its roots.”

 

Καὶ παραπορευόμενοι πρωῒ εἶδον τὴν συκῆν ἐξηραμμένην ἐκ ῥιζῶν.

 

This incident about the withered fig tree continued here, where it was a complete whole in Matthew, chapter 21:18-20.  Here in Mark, it was the next day after the curse when they were passing by it in the morning (Καὶ παραπορευόμενοι πρωῒ).  Then they saw the withered or dried up fig tree, even its roots (εἶδον τὴν συκῆν ἐξηραμμένην ἐκ ῥιζῶν).  Rather than immediately the same day, as in Matthew, the result was the same.  The fig tree was dead.

October 17, 2018

Hungry (Mk 11:12-11:12)

“On the following day,

When they came

From Bethany,

Jesus was hungry.”

 

Καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Βηθανίας ἐπείνασεν.

 

This story about Jesus being hungry in the morning can also be found in Matthew, chapter 21:18.  On the following day, the next day (Καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον), when Jesus and his disciples came from Bethany (ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Βηθανίας), he was hungry (ἐπείνασεν).  This simple statement starts an intriguing story, but also shows an interesting human trait of Jesus.  Like many other humans, he was hungry in the morning.

August 9, 2018

The gathering with Pilate (Mt 27:62-27:62)

“The next day,

That is,

After the day of Preparation,

The chief priests

And the Pharisees

Gathered before Pilate.”

 

Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον, ἥτις ἐστὶν μετὰ τὴν Παρασκευήν, συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι πρὸς Πειλᾶτον

 

This is unique to Matthew, who said that the next day or the tomorrow (Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον), after the day of Preparation (ἥτις ἐστὶν μετὰ τὴν Παρασκευήν), the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate (συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι πρὸς Πειλᾶτον).  Now we have the problem of dating the crucifixion.  What does the following day mean?  This tomorrow was the day after the day of Preparation.  Was it the day of preparation for the Sabbath or the day of preparation for Passover?  Perhaps Passover fell on the Sabbath.  Anyway, the chief priests were joined by the Pharisees, but not the elders or presbyters of Jerusalem as in all the other preceding meetings.  Why did the Pharisees suddenly show up here?  There were no elders, scribes, or Sadducees at this meeting before Pilate, the governor of Judea.

June 8, 2018

The need for faith (Mt 21:21-21:22)

“Jesus answered them.

‘Truly!

I say to you!

If you have faith,

If you do not doubt,

Not only will you do

What has been done

To the fig tree,

But even if you say

To this mountain.

‘Be lifted up!

Be thrown into the sea!’

It will be done.

Whatever you ask for

In prayer,

With faith,

You will receive.’”

 

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν καὶ μὴ διακριθῆτε, οὐ μόνον τὸ τῆς συκῆς ποιήσετε, ἀλλὰ κἂν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ εἴπητε Ἄρθητι καὶ βλήθητι εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, γενήσεται·

καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ πιστεύοντες λήμψεσθε.

 

This Jesus saying about faith can be found in Mark, chapter 11:20-24, word for word, but it was the next day after the curse, not the same day.  Jesus answered the disciple’s question (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς) about how the fig tree withered with a solemn pronouncement (Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν) about the importance of faith.  If they had faith (ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν) and did not doubt (καὶ μὴ διακριθῆτε), they too would be able to effectively curse a fig tree (οὐ μόνον τὸ τῆς συκῆς ποιήσετε).  Not only that, but if they had faith, they could move mountains.  They could tell a mountain (ἀλλὰ κἂν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ εἴπητε) to be lifted up or taken away (Ἄρθητι) and thrown into the sea (καὶ βλήθητι εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν), and it would happen (γενήσεται).  Whatever they asked for in believing prayer (καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ πιστεύοντες), they would receive it (λήμψεσθε).  The essential ingredient of effective prayer was faith.

September 14, 2017

The old judges ask for Susanna to appear in court (Dan 13:28-13:29)

“The next day,

When the people gathered

At the house

Of her husband Joakim,

The two elders came.

They were full

Of their wicked plot

To have Susanna

Put to death.

In the presence

Of the people,

They said.

‘Send for Susanna!

The daughter of Hilkiah!

The wife of Joakim!’”

The next day, these old judges went to the house of Joakim, as they usually did. They had this wicked plot to have Susanna put to death. Then, before all the assembled people, they demanded that Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah and the husband of Joakim be brought forward. She was to stand trial before their accusations.

May 18, 2017

What is the meaning of Ezekiel’s reaction? (Ezek 24:18-24:19)

“So I spoke

To the people

In the morning.

At evening,

My wife died.

On the next morning,

I did

As I was commanded.

Then the people

Said to me.

‘Will you not tell us

What these things

Mean for us?

Why are you acting

This way?’”

Ezekiel then went in the morning to tell the people with him in Babylon what Yahweh had said to him. That very evening, his wife died. The next day, he did exactly what Yahweh had told him to do. He did not seem upset. However, the people were confused. They wanted to know what this non-mourning attitude meant. Why was he acting so strange, as if nothing had happened to him in his life? His young wife had died, yet he seemed unperturbed.

May 14, 2016

The foolish giver (Sir 20:13-20:17)

“The wise make themselves beloved

By only a few words.

But the courtesies of fools are wasted.

A fool’s gift will profit nothing.

So it is with the envious

Who give under compulsion.

He looks for recompense sevenfold.

He has many eyes instead of one.

He gives little.

He upbraids much.

He opens his mouth

Like a town crier.

Today he lends.

Tomorrow he asks it back.

Such a one is a hateful man.

Such a one is hateful to God.

Such a one is hateful to humans.

The fool says.

‘I have no friends.

I get no thanks for my good deeds.

Those who eat my bread

Are evil-tongued.’

How many will ridicule him!

How often will they ridicule him!”

Wise people can make themselves loved with a few words. However, fools have a difficult time. Courtesies and gifts do not bring them any gain. The same is true of the envious people that are forced to give a gift. They are looking for a reward. These fools are looking to be compensated. They are looking all over with their many eyes. They give little. They are always criticizing. They are like town criers, shouting all the time. One day they lend things. Then the next day, they want them back again. These fools are hateful people to God and their fellow humans. These foolish people think that they have no friends. They get no thanks for their good deeds. They think that the people who eat with them are evil people. Thus they are often ridiculed by many people.