ordered

May 26, 2019

The results of trading (Lk 19:15-19:15)

“This nobleman

Received royal power.

When he returned,

He ordered those slaves,

To whom

He had given the money,

To be summoned.

Thus,

He might find out

What they had gained

By trading.”

 

καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐπανελθεῖν αὐτὸν λαβόντα τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ εἶπεν φωνηθῆναι αὐτῷ τοὺς δούλους τούτους οἷς δεδώκει τὸ ἀργύριον, ἵνα γνοῖ τίς τί διεπραγματεύσατο.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that this nobleman did receive his royal power (καὶ ἐγένετο…αὐτὸν λαβόντα τὴν βασιλείαν) and then he returned home (ἐν τῷ ἐπανελθεῖν).  Once again, only Luke used this term ἐπανελθεῖν that means to return or come back again.  This nobleman ordered those 10 slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned to him (καὶ εἶπεν φωνηθῆναι αὐτῷ τοὺς δούλους τούτους οἷς δεδώκει τὸ ἀργύριον).  He wanted to find out what they had gained by trading (ἵνα γνοῖ τίς τί διεπραγματεύσατο).  Sure enough, this is the only use of the word διεπραγματεύσατο, in all the Greek biblical literature that means to examine thoroughly, to gain by trading, or doing business.  There is an equivalent in Matthew, chapter 25:19, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Jesus said that after a long time (μετὰ δὲ πολὺν χρόνον), the master or lord of these slaves came back (ἔρχεται ὁ κύριος τῶν δούλων ἐκείνων).  He then wanted to settle his accounts with his slaves (καὶ συναίρει λόγον μετ’ αὐτῶν).  Luke had the more colorful language to explain the returning rich man who wanted to see how his slaves had done in their business dealings.  Have you ever traded stocks or other assets to make money?

May 23, 2019

Jesus meets the blind beggar (Lk 18:40-18:40)

“Jesus stood still.

He ordered

The man

To be brought

To him.”

 

σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus stood still (σταθεὶς δὲ).  He ordered them (ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν) to bring that blind man to him (ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν).  Both Mark, chapter 10:49, and Matthew, chapter 20:32, had something similar.  Mark said that Jesus stopped or stood still (καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) when he heard all this noise.  In a saying that is unique to Mark, Jesus then said (εἶπεν) to his disciples that they should call Bartimaeus to him (Φωνήσατε αὐτόν).  Then Jesus’ disciples called this blind man (καὶ φωνοῦσιν τὸν τυφλὸν).  They told him to have courage or take heart (λέγοντες αὐτῷ Θάρσει) and get up (ἔγειρε,) because Jesus was calling him (φωνεῖ σε).  Matthew simply stated that Jesus stopped or stood still (καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) when he heard all this noise.  In all three synoptics, Jesus stopped in his tracks and wanted to see this blind man or men who were calling out to him.  Do you stop when someone calls out to you?

 

May 23, 2019

Have mercy on me! (Lk 18:39-18:39)

“Those who were

In front

Sternly ordered him

To be quiet.

But he shouted out

More loudly.

‘Son of David!

Have mercy on me!’”

 

καὶ οἱ προάγοντες ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ ἵνα σιγήσῃ· αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν Υἱὲ Δαυείδ, ἐλέησόν με.

 

Luke indicated that those who were in front of the crowd (καὶ οἱ προάγοντες) sternly ordered the blind beggar (ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ) to be quiet (ἵνα σιγήσῃ).  Instead, he shouted out more loudly (αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν) the same message “Son of David (Υἱὲ Δαυείδ)!  Have mercy on me (ἐλέησόν με)!”  Both Mark, chapter 10:48, and Matthew, chapter 20:31, have something similar.  Mark said that many in the crowd rebuked, admonished, or ordered Bartimaeus to be quiet or silent (καὶ ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ πολλοὶ ἵνα σιωπήσῃ).  But he shouted out even more loudly (ὁ δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν).  He repeated again what he had shouted out earlier.  He called Jesus, the Son of David (Υἱὲ Δαυείδ).  He wanted Jesus to have mercy on him. (ἐλέησόν με).  Matthew said that the crowd rebuked or admonished these two blind beggars to be quiet or silent (ὁ δὲ ὄχλος ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα σιωπήσωσιν).  But they shouted out even more loudly (οἱ δὲ μεῖζον ἔκραξαν λέγοντες).  They repeated again what they had shouted out earlier.  They called Jesus, Lord, the Son of David (Κύριε, υἱὸς Δαυείδ).  They wanted him to have mercy on them (ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς).  This Greek cry of “Κύριε, ἐλέησον” “kyrie eleison,” would become a Christian cry for mercy that has found its way into the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word at the beginning of the regular Sunday Mass service, with the “Lord, have mercy!”  Quite often, it is also part of a chant.  Do you ask Jesus, the Lord, to have mercy on you?

 

May 10, 2019

We did our duty (Lk 17:10-17:10)

“Thus,

You also,

When you have done

All that you were

Ordered to do,

Say.

‘We are worthless slaves.

We have done only

What we ought

To have done.”

 

οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὅταν ποιήσητε πάντα τὰ διαταχθέντα ὑμῖν, λέγετε ὅτι Δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοί ἐσμεν, ὃ ὠφείλομεν ποιῆσαι πεποιήκαμεν.

 

Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus said that then they had done what they were ordered to do (οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὅταν ποιήσητε πάντα τὰ διαταχθέντα ὑμῖν), they should respond by saying (λέγετε) that they were only worthless slaves (ὅτι Δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοί ἐσμεν) that did only what they ought to have done (ὃ ὠφείλομεν ποιῆσαι πεποιήκαμεν).  In other words, do not take any credit for doing what you normally should have been doing anyway.  We are like slaves to Jesus, doing just what he asked us to do, our Christian duty.  Should you be praised for doing what Jesus wanted you to do?

April 23, 2019

Still room (Lk 14:22-14:22)

“The slave said.

‘Sir!

What you have ordered

Has been done.

But there is still room.’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ δοῦλος Κύριε, γέγονεν ὃ ἐπέταξας, καὶ ἔτι τόπος ἐστίν.

 

Only Luke had Jesus remark that this slave said (καὶ εἶπεν ὁ δοῦλος) to his master, calling him lord (Κύριε), that he had done what he had asked or commanded (γέγονεν ὃ ἐπέταξας).  He had invited the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame, but there was still room (καὶ ἔτι τόπος ἐστίν).  There is nothing like this in Matthew.  Have you ever gone to an event that was not full?

March 3, 2019

Tell no one (Lk 9:21-9:21)

“Jesus sternly ordered them.

He commanded them

Not to tell anyone.”

 

ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖς παρήγγειλεν μηδενὶ λέγειν τοῦτο,

 

Luke said that Jesus sternly ordered them (ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖς) and commanded them (παρήγγειλεν) not to tell anyone (μηδενὶ λέγειν τοῦτο).  This warning about the messianic secret can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 16:20, Mark, chapter 8:30, and here.  However, this warning came right after Peter’s response in Mark and Luke, since they did not have the unique Matthew comment about the reward for Peter.  Jesus, in some ironic way, did not want the people to know that he was the Messiah or the Christ.  Thus, the name “Jesus Christ” did not take hold until after his death and resurrection.  Mark simply said that Jesus sternly ordered, instructed, or charged his disciples that they were not to tell anyone that Jesus was the Christ or the Israelite Messiah.  Matthew also said that Jesus sternly ordered, instructed, or charged his disciples so that they were not to tell anyone that he was the Christ or the Israelite Messiah, just like he had done earlier.  This messianic secret was even stronger in Mark.  Only the elite followers of Jesus knew that he was the Christ messiah, much like a gnostic special knowledge.  How much knowledge do you have about Jesus?

March 2, 2019

Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes (Lk 9:16-9:16)

“Taking

The five loaves

And the two fish,

Jesus looked up

To heaven.

He blessed them.

He broke them.

He gave them

To the disciples

To set before

The crowd.”

 

λαβὼν δὲ τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ κατέκλασεν, καὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς μαθηταῖς παραθεῖναι τῷ ὄχλῳ.

 

Luke said that Jesus took (λαβὼν) the 5 loaves (δὲ τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους) and the 2 fish (καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας).  He looked up to heaven (ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν).  He blessed them (εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς).  He broke them (καὶ κατέκλασεν).  He gave them to his disciples (αὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς μαθηταῖς) to set before the crowd (παραθεῖναι τῷ ὄχλῳ).  This is the only blessing miracle that is recorded in all four gospels, Matthew, chapter 14:18-19, Mark, chapter 6:41, and John, chapter 6:12, plus here.  The blessing of the bread and the fish was exactly the same in all the synoptic gospels, but merely summarized in John.  This feeding of a large group of people harkens back to the Exodus story, chapter 16:1-36, about the manna and the quails in the wilderness.  Yet the blessing itself has almost a foretaste of the Eucharistic Last Supper of Jesus, when Jesus blessed and broke the bread.  Mark said that Jesus took the 5 loaves and the 2 fish.  He looked up to heaven.  He blessed them.  Then he broke up the loaves of bread into pieces.  He gave the loaves of bread to his disciples.  They, in turn, set the broken pieces of bread or served them to the crowd.  Jesus also divided or shared the 2 fish among them all, something that Luke did not mention explicitly.  Matthew indicated that Jesus told his disciples to bring him the food, the 5 loaves of bread and the 2 fish.  Then he ordered or directed the crowd to sit down on the grass.  He took the 5 loaves and the 2 fish.  He looked up to heaven.  He blessed them.  Then he broke the loaves of bread and the fishes into pieces.  He gave the loaves of bread to his disciples.  They, in turn, gave them to the crowd.  This almost sounds like a large later distribution of Holy Communion.  Have you ever been to a large communion service?

March 1, 2019

Five thousand people (Lk 9:14-9:14)

“There were

About five thousand men.

Jesus said

To his disciples.

‘Make them sit down

In groups of

About fifty each.’”

 

ἦσαν γὰρ ὡσεὶ ἄνδρες πεντακισχίλιοι. εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ Κατακλίνατε αὐτοὺς κλισίας ὡσεὶ ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα.

 

Luke said that there were about 5,000 men (ἦσαν γὰρ ὡσεὶ ἄνδρες πεντακισχίλιοι).  Jesus told his disciples (εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς) to make them sit down (Κατακλίνατε αὐτοὺς) in groups of about fifty each (κλισίας ὡσεὶ ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα).  All four gospels have the people sitting on the grass in groups that totaled about 5,000 people.  The exact details are slightly different in Matthew, chapter 14:19, Mark, chapter 6:39-41, and John, chapter 6:10, plus here.  Mark did not mention the total number of people until the end of this story.  Mark said that Jesus ordered or commanded them to get all the people to sit down or recline in groups on the green grass.  Thus, they sat down or reclined in groups of 100s and of 50s.  That is why there was an easy way to get a count of the crowd.  Have you ever tried to count a large crowd?

February 27, 2019

The astonished parents were to be silent (Lk 8:56-8:56)

“Her parents

Were astonished.

But Jesus

Ordered them

To tell no one about

What had happened.”

 

καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτῆς· ὁ δὲ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν τὸ γεγονός

 

Luke said that her parents were astonished (καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτῆς).  However, Jesus ordered them to tell no one what had happened (ὁ δὲ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν τὸ γεγονός).  The ending to this story is different in Matthew, chapter 9:26 than that of Mark, chapter 5:43 and Luke, who are similar.  Mark indicated that Jesus strictly instructed or ordered them that no one should know about this incident.  That would have been hard because this was such a public event.  In Matthew, this event spread all over this land or district without any attempt to keep it quiet, which was the opposite of Luke and Mark.  If you saw a miraculous event, would you be quiet about it or tell everyone?

January 22, 2019

Do not tell anyone (Lk 5:14-5:14)

“Jesus ordered

The cleansed leper

To tell no one.

He said.

Go!

Show yourself

To the priest!

Make an offering

For your cleansing,

As Moses commanded,

For a testimony

To the people.’”

 

καὶ αὐτὸς παρήγγειλεν αὐτῷ μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ ἀπελθὼν δεῖξον σεαυτὸν τῷ ἱερεῖ, καὶ προσένεγκε περὶ τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ σου καθὼς προσέταξεν Μωϋσῆς, εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς

 

Luke said that Jesus ordered the leper (καὶ αὐτὸς παρήγγειλεν αὐτῷ) to tell no one (μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν).  Jesus told him to show himself to the priest (ἀλλὰ ἀπελθὼν δεῖξον σεαυτὸν τῷ ἱερεῖ).  He was to make an offering for this cleansing (καὶ προσένεγκε περὶ τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ σου), just as Moses had commanded (καθὼς προσέταξεν Μωϋσῆς), as a testimony or witness to the people (εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς).  This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 8:4, and Mark, chapter 1:43-44, so that Mark might be the source of this admonition saying.  Mark and Matthew said that Jesus sternly warned the cleansed leper not to say anything to anyone.  This is often referred to as the messianic secret because Jesus did not want anyone to know about his power.  Instead, the leper was to show himself to the priest, as recommended in Leviticus, chapter 14:2-9.  He should make the offering for his cleansing as outlined in Leviticus, since this is what Moses had commanded.  He wanted this cleansed leper to show himself as a witness or testimony to the priests and the people.