pay attention

May 8, 2019

The brother’s sins (Lk 17:3-17:3)

“Pay attention to yourself!

If your brother disciple

Sins,

You must rebuke

The offender.

If there is repentance,

You must forgive.”

 

προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς. ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σου, ἐπιτίμησον αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐὰν μετανοήσῃ, ἄφες αὐτῷ.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to pay attention (προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς).  If a brother disciple sinned (ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σου), they must rebuke the offender (ἐπιτίμησον αὐτῷ).  If there is repentance (καὶ ἐὰν μετανοήσῃ), they must forgive him (ἄφες αὐτῷ).  This saying about the sinning brother is something similar in Matthew, chapter 18:15, perhaps indicating a Q source, with some minor changes.  Luke wanted the one offended to forgive the original offense.  Matthew indicated that Jesus said that if one of your brothers had sinned against you (Ἐὰν δὲ ἁμαρτήσῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σου), point out that fault or rebuke him (ὕπαγε ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν), when the two of you are alone (μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου).  If he listened to you (ἐάν σου ἀκούσῃ), you have regained your brother (ἐκέρδησας τὸν ἀδελφόν σου).  There was no mention of any forgiveness here.  Is this a blood brother or a fellow disciple of Jesus brother?  It appears to be a fellow follower of Jesus.  Forgiveness was important.  Matthew had a more elaborate process of rebuking and forgiving.  How do you forgive people?

March 28, 2018

False prophets (Mt 7:15-7:15)

“Beware of false prophets!

They come to you

In sheep’s clothing.

But inwardly they are

Ravenous wolves.”

 

Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες.

 

Another great Old Testament theme was the warning against false prophets, as can be found in Jeremiah, chapters 5:6, 5:31, and 6:12-15, Ezekiel, chapter 22:27-28, Zechariah, chapter 13:2, and Micah, chapter 3:5-8.  Mark, chapter 13:22 had a similar warning from Jesus.  The followers of Jesus should be on guard, should pay attention, and be aware (Προσέχετε) of these false or pseudo prophets (ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν).  They come to them with their sheep’s clothing (οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων), but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες).  These false prophets look like meek sheep, but they are really like veracious wolves.

September 7, 2017

Daniel stands up (Dan 10:11-10:11)

“The man said to me.

‘Daniel!

Greatly beloved!

Pay attention

To the words

That I am going

To speak to you!

Stand on your feet!

Now,

I have been sent to you.’

While he was speaking

This word to me,

I stood up trembling.”

This man from the vision spoke to Daniel. He said that Daniel was greatly beloved. However, he had to pay attention to the words that he was going to speak to him. First, Daniel had to get back up on his feet. This man explained that he had been sent to him. While this man was still speaking to him, Daniel stood up, even though he was still trembling.

July 12, 2017

The ordinances of the Temple (Ezek 44:5-44:5)

“Yahweh said to me.

‘Son of man!

Mark well!

Look closely!

Hear attentively

To all that I shall tell you

Concerning all the ordinances

Of the temple

Of Yahweh

With all its laws!

Mark well

Those who may be admitted

To the temple!

Mark well

Those who are to be excluded

From the sanctuary!’”

Yahweh then proceeded to outline all the ordinances about the Temple to Ezekiel, the son of man. Ezekiel was to be observant, pay attention, and listen to what Yahweh had to say. Yahweh was going to enumerate all the laws about the Temple of Yahweh. Ezekiel was to take special notice about who would be admitted into the Temple. Certain people were to be excluded from the sanctuary.

June 6, 2017

The response to the trumpet blast (Ezek 33:4-33:5)

“Then if anyone

Who hears the sound

Of the trumpet

Does not take the warning,

The sword comes.

The sword takes them away.

Their blood shall be

Upon their own heads.

They heard

The sound

Of the trumpet,

But they did not

Take the warning.

Their blood shall be

Upon themselves.

But if they had taken warning,

They would have saved

Their lives.”

What were you to do when the trumpet sounded? If anyone heard the sound of the trumpet about the impending coming of the enemy with the sword, and did pay attention to this warning, it was his own fault. When the sword came, and took them away, their blood would be on their own heads, since they had not heeded the warning of the trumpet blast. If they had taken the warning from the sentinel’s trumpet, they could have saved their own lives.

October 25, 2016

The failure of Jerusalem (Jer 6:16-6:19)

“Thus says Yahweh.

‘Stand at the crossroads!

Look!

Ask for the ancient paths!

Where does the good way lie?

Walk in it!

Find rest for your souls!’

But they said.

‘We will not walk in it.’

I raised up sentinels for you.

Saying.

‘Give heed to the sound of the trumpet!’

But they said.

‘We will not give heed.’

‘Therefore hear!

O nations!

Know!

O congregation!

What will happen to them?

Hear!

O earth!

I am going to bring disaster

On this people.

This is the fruit of their schemes.

Because they have not given heed

To my words.

As for my teaching,

They have rejected it.’”

Yahweh, via Jeremiah, explains the failure of the people of Jerusalem. He wanted them to follow and walk on the ancient path of the good way, where they would find rest for their souls. However, they responded that they would not walk down this path. Then Yahweh sent sentinel prophets to sound the trumpet. However, once again they did not pay attention to this call to be on guard. Thus Yahweh announces to the world that disaster was going to come upon the people of Jerusalem. This was the result of their own schemes, since they did not listen to his words and teachings. Instead, they rejected the word of Yahweh.

 

September 11, 2016

The call of the prophet (Isa 49:1-49:2)

“Listen to me!

O coastlands!

Pay attention!

You people from far away!

Yahweh called me

Before I was born.

While I was in my mother’s womb,

He named me.

He made my mouth

Like a sharp sword.

In the shadow of his hand,

He hid me.

He made me a polished arrow.

In his quiver,

He hid me away.”

In this second chant of the servant of Yahweh, Second Isaiah has this servant speak about how he was called to be a prophet while still in the womb. Once again, the main theme was to listen up and pay attention, but this time the intended listeners are the coastline towns of the Mediterranean Sea, and those far away. Perhaps this alludes to the calling of the prophet Isaiah, but he is not explicitly named here. Nevertheless, this servant was named while still in the womb. He had been given a sharp tongue for his mouth, while he was hidden in the shadow of Yahweh’s hand. He was like a polished arrow hidden in the quiver of the other arrows.

 

August 31, 2016

The cities along the Mediterranean Sea should listen (Isa 41:1-41:1)

“Listen to me in silence!

O coastlands!

Let the people renew their strength!

Let them approach!

Let them speak!

Let us together

Draw near for judgment.”

Second Isaiah asks for people in the cities along the Mediterranean Sea to pay attention. They should renew their strength, approach him, and speak together in order to render judgment in some kind of court situation.

June 2, 2016

Sirach’s qualifications (Sir 33:16-33:18)

“I was the last

To keep vigil.

I was like a gleaner

Following the grape-pickers.

By the blessing of the Lord,

I arrived first.

Like a grape-picker,

I filled my wine press.

Consider that I have not labored

For myself alone.

But I labored

For all who seek instruction.

Hear me!

You!

Who are great among the people!

You!

Leaders of the congregation!

Pay heed!”

This biblical book takes a very personal tone as Sirach defends his position as a teacher. He was the last one to keep the vigil in his congregation. He compared his position to the gleaners who came after the grape-pickers. The mostly poor gleaners picked up the leftover grapes after the good grapes had been picked. However, by the grace of God, Sirach was able to fill up his wine press with all his grapes. In other words, he was not originally a major figure in his religious assembly, but he has progressed. He was not working for himself, but for all those who wanted further instruction about the law. Thus he proclaimed in the assembled congregation that they should listen to him. They should pay attention to him.

April 23, 2016

Almsgiving (Sir 3:29-3:31)

“The mind of the intelligent appreciates proverbs.

An attentive ear is the desire of the wise.

Just as water extinguishes a blazing fire,

So almsgiving atones for sins.

Whoever repays favors

Gives thought to the future.

When they fall,

They will find support.”

Intelligent people appreciate proverbs. You should be wise. You should pay attention with your ears. Like water on a fire, almsgiving, can atone for sins. If you repay people for favors, your reward will go into the future. If anything happens to you, you will find support.