raise

June 17, 2019

Redemption is coming (Lk 21:28-21:28)

“When these things

Begin to take place,

Look up!

Raise your heads!

Your redemption

Is drawing near.”

 

ἀρχομένων δὲ τούτων γίνεσθαι ἀνακύψατε καὶ ἐπάρατε τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν, διότι ἐγγίζει ἡ ἀπολύτρωσις ὑμῶν.

 

Among all the common elements, Luke has this unique comment of Jesus, that is not in Mark or Matthew.  Jesus said that when these things begin to take place (ἀρχομένων δὲ τούτων γίνεσθαι), they were to look up (ἀνακύψατε) and raise their heads (καὶ ἐπάρατε τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν), because their redemption was drawing near (διότι ἐγγίζει ἡ ἀπολύτρωσις ὑμῶν).  Only Luke concluded that their redemption or ransom was coming soon.  Do you expect to be saved or redeemed?

January 23, 2019

Why do you question me? (Lk 5:22-5:22)

“When Jesus

Perceived their questionings,

He answered them.

‘Why do you raise

Such questions

In your hearts?’”

 

ἐπιγνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Τί διαλογίζεσθε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν;

 

Luke said that when Jesus perceived their questionings and what they were considering (ἐπιγνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν), he answered by asking them (ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς) why were they raising such questions in their hearts (ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς).  Mark, chapter 2:8, and Matthew, chapter 9:4, are similar to Luke, with Luke closer to Mark, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark said that Jesus immediately seemed to know what they were thinking.  Jesus then asked them why they were discussing or raising such questions in their hearts, just like here.  He asked them why they had such evil thoughts, as indicated in Matthew.  Jesus turned the tables on them by exposing their evil thoughts.

August 20, 2018

Jesus questions his detractors (Mk 2:8-2:8)

“Immediately,

Jesus perceived

In his spirit

That they were discussing

These questions

Among themselves.

He said to them.

‘Why do you raise

Such questions

In your hearts?’”

 

καὶ εὐθὺς ἐπιγνοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ ὅτι οὕτως διαλογίζονται ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, λέγει αὐτοῖς Τί ταῦτα διαλογίζεσθε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν;

 

Luke, chapter 5:22, and Matthew, chapter 9:4, are similar to Mark, with Luke closer to Mark, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark said that Jesus immediately seemed to know with his spirit what they were thinking (καὶ εὐθὺς ἐπιγνοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ).  They were discussing, debating, or considering this among themselves (ὅτι οὕτως διαλογίζονται ἐν ἑαυτοῖς).  However, the text did not indicate that they had been discussing this issue among themselves, but only in their hearts.  Jesus then asked them (λέγει αὐτοῖς) why they were discussing or raising such questions in their hearts (Τί ταῦτα διαλογίζεσθε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν).  He did not call them evil thoughts as Matthew had done in chapter 9:4.

January 27, 2018

The great panic (Zech 14:13-14:14)

“On that day,

A great panic

From Yahweh

Shall fall on them.

Thus,

Each will seize

The hand of a neighbor.

The hand of the one

Will be raised

Against the hand of the other.

Even Judah

Will fight at Jerusalem.

The wealth

Of all the surrounding nations

Shall be collected,

Gold,

Silver,

Garments.

All in great abundance.”

There would be a panic on the great day of Yahweh.  Thus, they would seize their neighbors by the hand.  They would raise their hands against each other.  Even Judah would fight with Jerusalem.  All the wealth of the surrounding countries of gold, silver, and garments would be collected in large amounts.  Everything would be topsy-turvy.

September 12, 2017

The future resurrection (Dan 12:2-12:3)

“Many of those

Who sleep

In the dust

Of the earth

Shall awake.

Some shall awake

To everlasting life.

Some shall awake

To shame,

To everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise

Shall shine

Like the brightness

Of the sky.

Those who lead many

To righteousness,

Shall shine

Like the stars

Forever and ever.”

Here is the first explicit mention of an afterlife resurrection in the Biblical writings.  Once again, Gabriel was explaining to Daniel what the end times would be like.  Notice that not all people would raise from the dead, only many.  Some will awake to an everlasting life, while others will awaken to shame and everlasting contempt.  The wise ones and the righteous ones would shine like the brightness of the sky and the stars, forever and ever.  Perhaps, this is an indication of a glorified shinny body.

May 6, 2017

The drawn sword (Ezek 21:3-21:5)

“Say to the land of Israel!

Thus says Yahweh!

‘I am coming

Against you!

I will draw

My sword

Out of its sheath!

I will cut off

From you

Both the righteous

With the wicked!

Because I will cut off

From you

Both the righteous

With the wicked,

Therefore my sword

Shall go

Out of its sheath

Against all flesh,

From south to north.

All flesh

Shall know

That I,

Yahweh,

Have drawn my sword

Out of its sheath.

It shall not be

Sheathed again.”

Yahweh told Ezekiel to tell the land of Israel that he was going to go against them with a drawn sword. He was going to take his sword out of its sheath or holder against both the righteous and the wicked. His sword was not going to go back into that sheath or holder. He was going to raise his sword against everyone from south to north. They all would know that Yahweh had drawn his sword from his sheath. Thus it would not be returned to its sheath again.

October 24, 2016

The coming invasion (Jer 6:1-6:3)

“Flee for safety!

O children of Benjamin!

From the midst of Jerusalem!

Blow the trumpet in Tekoa!

Raise a signal on Beth-haccherem!

Evil looms out of the north!

Great destruction looms out of the north!

I have likened

My daughter Zion

To the loveliest pasture.

Shepherds with their flocks

Shall come against her.

They shall pitch their tents

Around her.

They shall pasture.

All in their places.”

Jeremiah warns the people of Benjamin, who were just north of Judah and Jerusalem. He wanted them to sound the trumpet at Tekoa, which was about 12 miles south of Jerusalem. Meanwhile at Beth-haccherem, about 2 miles south of Jerusalem, they were to raise a signal. There would be an attack on Jerusalem. The problem was that evil and great destruction was coming from the north. Zion and her lovely pastures would be threatened by shepherds who would surround them with pitched tents. This was an allusion to the armies and kings that were going to surround the towns and fields of Judah.

October 19, 2016

Sound the alarm in Judah and Jerusalem (Jer 4:5-4:6)

“Declare in Judah!

Proclaim in Jerusalem!

Say!

‘Blow the trumpet

Through the land!

Shout aloud!

Say!

‘Gather together!

Let us go Into the fortified cities!’

Raise a standard toward Zion!

Flee for safety!

Do not delay!’”

Jeremiah warns the people of Judah and Jerusalem that they ought to gather together in their fortified cities. They should sound a trumpet throughout the land, as well as shout and cry out. They should raise the standard in Zion. They should flee to safety without delay. They should get their defenses ready for an attack.

May 4, 2016

The weak (Sir 11:12-11:13)

“There are others

Who are slow.

They need help.

They lack strength.

They abound in poverty.

However,

The eyes of the Lord

Look kindly upon them.

He lifts them out of

Their lowly condition.

He raises up their heads.

Thus many are amazed.”

On the other hand, there are those who are weak and slow. They need help since they lack strength and live in poverty. The Lord sees this so he looks kindly on them. He lifts them up out of their lowly conditions. He makes them raise their heads, so that many people are amazed.

September 24, 2015

Prayer for help (Ps 41:10-41:12)

“But You!

Yahweh!

Be gracious to me!

Raise me up!

Thus I may repay them.

By this I know

That you are pleased with me.

My enemy has not triumphed over me.

But you have upheld me

Because of my integrity.

You have set me in your presence forever.”

David prayed to Yahweh. Once again he wanted Yahweh to be gracious to him and raise him up out of his sick bed. Then he would be able to repay all those who were not kind to him. David knew that Yahweh was pleased with him because his enemy had not defeated him. He had been sustained by Yahweh because of his integrity. Therefore he would be in the presence of Yahweh forever. Is this an indication of eternal life?