“Then in the house,
The disciples
Asked him again
About this matter.”
καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν πάλιν οἱ μαθηταὶ περὶ τούτου ἐπηρώτων αὐτόν.
There is something similar to this in Matthew, chapter 19:10, but it is a wider discussion. Mark said that when the disciples were in the house again (καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν πάλιν), they asked Jesus further about this matter (οἱ μαθηταὶ περὶ τούτου ἐπηρώτων αὐτόν). As usual, the disciples of Jesus were not quick to understand what he was saying.
“Then looking up
To heaven,
Jesus sighed deeply.
He said to him.
‘Ephphatha!’
That is,
‘Be opened!’
His ears
Were opened.
His tongue’s impediment
Was released
Immediately.
He spoke plainly.”
καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐστέναξεν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Ἐφφαθά, ὅ ἐστιν Διανοίχθητι.
καὶ ἠνοίγησαν αὐτοῦ αἱ ἀκοαί, καὶ εὐθὺς ἐλύθη ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλει ὀρθῶς.
This physical healing is unique to Mark, who said that Jesus looked up to heaven (καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν), and sighed deeply (ἐστέναξεν). Jesus said to the deaf and mute man (καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ), “Ephphatha (Ἐφφαθά,)!” This means “Be opened (ὅ ἐστιν Διανοίχθητι)!” Then this man’s ears were opened (καὶ ἠνοίγησαν αὐτοῦ αἱ ἀκοαί). The impediment on his tongue was released immediately (καὶ εὐθὺς ἐλύθη ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ). He spoke plainly (καὶ ἐλάλει ὀρθῶς). Jesus had cured this man with an Aramaic saying, once again indicating the Aramaic base of this gospel. However, Mark was quick to explain what the meaning of this word was to his Greek audience.
Tet
“Happier were those
Pierced by the sword
Than those
Pierced by hunger.
Their life
Drains away.
They are deprived
Of the produce
Of the field.”
This author points out that famine or starvation is worse than death by a sword. Starvation leads to the draining of life since they were deprived of the products of the field. This brings up the question of whether a quick death or a slow painful death is better. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Tet in this acrostic poem.
Vav
“The chastisement
Of my people
Has been greater
Than the punishment
Of Sodom.
It was overthrown
In a moment,
Even though
No hand
Was laid on it.”
This author compares the punishment of Jerusalem to that of the city of Sodom in Genesis, chapter 19, which seemed to resonate in the Israelite imagination. In fact, the punishment to the people of Jerusalem during this siege was worse than that of Sodom, because this punishment was lingering and not quick. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Vav in this acrostic poem.
“Question a friend!
Perhaps he did not do it.
But if he did anything,
Then he may not do it again.
Question a neighbor!
Perhaps he did not say it.
But if he said it,
Then he may not repeat it.
Question a friend!
Often it is slander.
Do not believe everything you hear.
A person may make a slip
Without intending it.
Who has not sinned with his tongue?
Question your neighbor
Before you threaten him!
Let the law of the Most High
Take its course.
Do not be angry!”
Sirach warns us to verify what you have heard before you take any actions. You should go to the person and ask whether what you have heard is true or not. If a friend has done or said something, check it out to see if he did what you thought he did. Perhaps he will not do it again, if you confront him. Do the same with your neighbor. Here is the famous saying, “do not believe everything you hear.” Sometimes people slip and say something that they did not intend to say. Everyone has had a slip of the tongue. Everyone has sinned with their tongues. Always question people, before you threaten them. Let God’s law take its course. Do not be quick to anger.
“Do not depend on dishonest wealth.
It will not benefit you
In the day of calamity.
Do not winnow with every wind.
Do not follow every path.
Stand firm for what you know.
Let your speech be consistent.
Be quick to hear.
But be deliberate in answering.
If you know what to say,
Answer your neighbor.
But if you do not know,
Put your hand on your mouth.”
Now the righteous person is asked to stand firm. They should not depend on dishonest wealth to benefit them in the days of their trouble. They were not to follow every wind and every path. They should stand firm for what they know. Their speech should be consistent. They should be quick to listen, but deliberate in answering. If they know what to say, say so. However, if they do not know what to say, they should put their hand over their mouth and be silent.
“Better is the end of a thing
Than its beginning.
The patient in spirit are better
Than the proud in spirit.
Be not quick to anger!
Anger lodges in the bosom of fools.
Do not say.
‘Why were the former days
Better than these?’
It is not from wisdom
That you ask this.
Wisdom is good
With an inheritance.
Wisdom is an advantage
To those who see the sun.
The protection of wisdom is
Like the protection of money.
The advantage of knowledge is
That wisdom gives life
To the one who possesses it.”
Following up on the preceding dichotomies, Qoheleth then went on to speak about the value of wisdom. The end is better than its beginning. The patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit. Do not be quick to anger because that is the way of fools. Wise people do not talk about the good old days. You should try to hand on wisdom as an inheritance, just like you might want to hand on a financial inheritance. In fact, knowledge and wisdom give life to the one who possesses it.
“Guard your steps
When you go
To the house of God.
To draw near
To listen is better
Than to offer the sacrifice of fools.
They do not know
How to keep from doing evil.
‘Never be rash with your mouth!
Do not let your heart be quick
To utter a word before God.
God is in heaven.
You are on earth.
Therefore let your words be few!
Dreams come with many cares.
A fool’s voice comes with many words.’”
Be careful when you go up to the house of God, the Temple. It is better to listen than to offer the sacrifice of fools. These sacrificing fools do not know how to keep from doing evil. This appears to be a little bit against the sacrifices at the Temple. Then there is the stern warning of Qoheleth. Don’t be rash with your mouth. Don’t be quick to utter words before God. He reminded everyone that there was a difference between heaven and earth. God is in heaven and you are not. Therefore, you do not need to use a lot of words in your prayer. Dreams make us worry. A fool uses many words, so do not be like a fool. There is a discrepancy of one verse between the Bible of Jerusalem and the Oxford Bible for the next few verses. The phrasing is the same but verse 1 of chapter 5 is verse 17 of the Bible of Jerusalem.
“It is honorable to refrain from strife.
But every fool is quick to quarrel.
The lazy person does not plow in the autumn season.
Harvest comes.
There is nothing to be found.
The purposes in the human mind are like deep water.
But the intelligent will draw them out.
Many proclaim themselves loyal.
But who can find one worthy of trust?”
The honorable people stay away from arguments and strife, but the fools are quick to start an argument. The lazy person does not plow in the correct season so that when harvest comes, they have nothing to harvest. The human mind is deep, but the intelligent people can draw out the purposes of humans. Many people maintain that they are loyal, but it is hard to find a trustworthy person.
“Now therefore,
O kings!
Be wise!
Be warned!
O rulers of the earth!
Serve Yahweh with fear!
Serve Yahweh with trembling!
Kiss his feet!
He will be angry.
You will perish in the way.
His wrath is quickly kindled.
Happy are all who take refuge in him.”
The rebellious kings were warned to fear Yahweh and his king. They should be wise. They have been warned. All rulers should have fear and trembling before Yahweh. They were to kiss his feet. Yahweh did not have feet, but his King David would have feet. If you got Yahweh angry, you would perish because he was quick to anger. However, those who took refuge in Yahweh would be happy and blessed. Thus we have a royal psalm about Yahweh as the real national and international king. However, he wanted his son David, and by extrapolation, a future king, the anointed one to be king of the earth. Anyone who got in his way would be in trouble. Yahweh was quick to anger and ready to destroy if he saw fit.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 