reached out

May 8, 2018

Jesus saves Peter (Mt 14:31-14:31)

“Jesus immediately reached out

His hand.

He caught him.

He said to him.

‘You of little faith!

Why did you doubt?’”

 

εὐθέως δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἐπελάβετο αὐτοῦ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Ὀλιγόπιστε, εἰς τί ἐδίστασας;

 

This section about Peter is unique to Matthew, as he tended to emphasize the importance of Peter, yet at the same time, there was a continual mention of the lack of Peter’s faith.  After Peter cried out for help, Jesus immediately reached out his hand (εὐθέως δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα) and caught or grabbed Peter before he fell into the water (ἐπελάβετο αὐτοῦ).  He said to him (καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ).  Why did he have so little faith (Ὀλιγόπιστε,)?  Why did he doubt or hesitate (εἰς τί ἐδίστασας) when he was already walking?  Thus, even the leader of his disciples, Peter, was not so sure of his confidence in Jesus.

April 25, 2017

Another eagle and the vine (Ezek 17:7-17:8)

“There was another great eagle,

With great wings,

With much plumage.

See!

This vine stretched out

Its roots

Toward him.

It shot out

Its branches

Toward him.

Thus he might water it.

From the bed

Where it was planted,

It was transplanted

To good soil

By abundant waters,

So that it might

Produce branches.

It might bear fruit.

It might become

A noble vine.”

After the introduction of the first eagle, there was now a second eagle. This second eagle may be an allusion to Egypt, the other great eagle. This eagle also had great wings and feathers. However, the vine stretched out to this eagle, so that the second eagle might help it grow by giving it water. Thus Jerusalem had reached out to Egypt to help it grow against Babylon. This second eagle then took the vine and tried to transplant it in good soil with a lot of water so that it might produce branches with good fruit, more like a noble vine.

April 9, 2015

Queen Esther faints again (Greek text only)

“Then the king raised the golden scepter. He touched Queen Esther’s neck with it. He embraced her. He said to her. ‘Speak to me.’ She said to him.

‘I saw you, my lord,

Like an angel of God.

My heart was shaken with fear at your glory.

You are wonderful, my lord.

Your countenance is full of grace.’

While she was speaking, she fainted and fell. Then the king was agitated. All his servants sought to comfort her.”

The Greek text continued to show a kind king. The king reached out with the golden scepter and placed on the neck of Queen Esther. He embraced her. She then said that he appeared like an angel and that she was afraid. However, she once again fainted. This made the king angry as everyone wanted to comfort her. Thus this ends the interlude of the 9 little episodes that are found only in the Greek text. The story returns to the Hebrew text which summarizes these events. In fact, they are probably an elaboration of the simple Hebrew text.