realize

April 7, 2019

Watch for the thief (Lk 12:39-12:39)

“Know this!

If the owner

Of the house

Had known

At what hour

The thief

Was coming,

He would not have

Let his house

Be broken into.”

 

τοῦτο δὲ γινώσκετε ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ ὥρᾳ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται, οὐκ ἂν ἀφῆκεν διορυχθῆναι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that they should know (τοῦτο δὲ γινώσκετε) that if the owner of a house had known (ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης) at what hour (ποίᾳ ὥρᾳ) the thief was coming (ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται), he would not have let his house be broken into (οὐκ ἂν ἀφῆκεν διορυχθῆναι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ).  This was very similar to Matthew, chapter 24:42-43, about the thief at night.  Matthew said that Jesus warned his disciples to be vigilant.  They were to stay awake (γρηγορεῖτε οὖν) because they did not know on what day (ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε ποίᾳ ἡμέρᾳ) the Lord was coming (ὁ κύριος ὑμῶν ἔρχεται).  They had to understand or realize (ἐκεῖνο δὲ γινώσκετε) that if an owner of a house had known at what time of the night a thief was coming (ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ φυλακῇ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται), he would have been alert and stayed awake (ἐγρηγόρησεν ἂν).  He would not have let his house be broken into (καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴασεν διορυχθῆναι τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ).  Would you stay up all night protecting your house?

March 16, 2019

Many people want to hear and see what you do (Lk 10:24-10:24)

“I tell you!

Many prophets

And kings

Desired to see

What you see,

But they did not

See it.

They wanted to hear

What you heard,

But they did not hear it.”

 

λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ βασιλεῖς ἠθέλησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ ὑμεῖς βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to his disciples with a solemn pronouncement (λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν) that many prophets (ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται) and kings (καὶ βασιλεῖς) desired to see (ἠθέλησαν ἰδεῖν) what they see (ἃ ὑμεῖς βλέπετε), but they did not see it (καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν).  They wanted to hear (καὶ ἀκοῦσαι) what they had heard (ἃ ἀκούετε), but they did not hear it (καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν).  Matthew, chapter 13:17 had something similar, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Jesus said that his disciples had heard and seen what other prophets and righteous ones had wanted to see and hear, but never did.  Matthew did not mention kings, but righteous people instead.  Jesus then issued a solemn declaration.  Many prophets and righteous people had longed for what they had seen and heard, but they never saw or heard these things, like they have.  The disciples of Jesus should realize how fortunate they were to be with Jesus.  Many people were less fortunate than them.  Do you feel fortunate or unfortunate?

February 9, 2019

John sends two disciples to Jesus (Lk 7:18-7:19)

“John summoned

Two of his disciples.

He sent them

To the Lord.

To ask.

‘Are you the one

Who is to come,

Or are we

To wait

For another?’”

 

καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάνης

ἔπεμψεν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον λέγων Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν;

 

Luke said that John the Baptist summoned two of his disciples (καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάνης).  He sent them to the Lord (ἔπεμψεν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον) to ask him if he was the one who was to come (λέγων Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος)?  Or should they wait for another (ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν)?  Matthew, chapter 11:3 has something similar.  John the Baptist sent a few of his disciples, rather than two as indicated by Luke.  Notice that this is the first time that Matthew called Jesus the Christ (τοῦ Χριστοῦ), while Luke called him the Lord (Κύριον).  Neither called him Jesus.  The question in both Luke and Matthew is exactly the same, indicating a possible Q source.  These disciples of John came to Jesus.  They had one big important question to ask him.  Was Jesus the expected Messiah or should they wait for someone else?  The disciples of John were true messianic Jews, waiting for the Messiah.  Did they not realize that Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist?  In fact, John had already met Jesus, had a conversation with him, and witnessed his baptism.  What more did he need?  In one sense this is strange since Luke already established that John and Jesus were cousins of some sort, so that they would have known each other, to say nothing about John’s baptism of Jesus.  Is Jesus the one that you have been waiting for?

December 24, 2018

Good news (Lk 2:10-2:10)

“But the angel

Said to them.

‘Do not be afraid!

See!

I am bringing you

Good news

Of great joy

For all the people.’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος Μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ἰδοὺ γὰρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαρὰν μεγάλην, ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῷ λαῷ,

 

Luke said that the unnamed angel tried to reassure these shepherds not to be fearful.  This angel said to them (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος) that they should not be afraid (Μὴ φοβεῖσθε).  He said that they should see or realize that he was bringing them good news or the gospel news like a Roman proclamation (ἰδοὺ γὰρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν) of great joy (χαρὰν μεγάλην) that would be for all the people (ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῷ λαῷ).  The angel said that he had some good news for them and their fellow Israelites.

September 16, 2018

What goes into a man does not defile him (Mk 7:18-7:18)

“Jesus said

To the disciples.

‘Then do you also

Fail to understand?

Do you not realize

That whatever goes

Into a person

From outside

Cannot defile him.’”

 

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀσύνετοί ἐστε; οὐ νοεῖτε ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἔξωθεν εἰσπορευόμενον εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον οὐ δύναται αὐτὸν κοινῶσαι,

 

There was something similar to this earlier in chapter 7:15. Matthew, chapter 15:11 also has something like this.  Mark said that Jesus reprimanded them (καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς) for their lack of discernment or understanding (Οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀσύνετοί ἐστε).  Did they not realize that whatever went into a person from outside (οὐ νοεῖτε ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἔξωθεν εἰσπορευόμενον εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον) could not make them impure, unclean or a defiled person (οὐ δύναται αὐτὸν κοινῶσαι).  Thus, spiritual purity was more important than physical purity.  It is not what you put into your body, such as unclean food, that polluted or defiled a person.

July 1, 2018

Be ready (Mt 24:42-24:44)

“Keep awake therefore!

You do not know

On what day

Your Lord is coming.

But understand this!

If the owner

Of the house

Had known

In what part

Of the night

The thief was coming,

He would have stayed awake.

He would not have

Let his house

Be broken into.

Therefore,

You also must be ready!

The Son of Man

Is coming

At an unexpected hour.”

 

γρηγορεῖτε οὖν, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε ποίᾳ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ κύριος ὑμῶν ἔρχεται.

ἐκεῖνο δὲ γινώσκετε ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ φυλακῇ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται, ἐγρηγόρησεν ἂν καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴασεν διορυχθῆναι τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ.

διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑμεῖς γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι, ὅτι ᾗ οὐ δοκεῖτε ὥρᾳ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται.

 

There is one sentence of this saying of Jesus in Matthew that is similar in Mark, chapter 13:35, and also in Luke, chapter 12:39-40, about the thief at night.  Jesus warned his disciples to be vigilant.  They were to stay awake (γρηγορεῖτε οὖν) because they did not know on what day (ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε ποίᾳ ἡμέρᾳ) the Lord was coming (ὁ κύριος ὑμῶν ἔρχεται).  They had to understand or realize (ἐκεῖνο δὲ γινώσκετε) that if an owner of a house had known at what time of the night a thief was coming (ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ φυλακῇ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται), he would have been alert and stayed awake (ἐγρηγόρησεν ἂν).  He would not have let his house be broken into (καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴασεν διορυχθῆναι τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ).  Therefore, they had to be ready or prepared (διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑμεῖς γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι) for the coming of the Son of Man (ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται) because he would be coming at an unexpected hour (ὅτι ᾗ οὐ δοκεῖτε ὥρᾳ).

April 28, 2018

They are the blessed ones (Mt 13:16-13:17)

“But blessed are your eyes!

They see!

Blessed are your ears!

They hear!

Truly I say to you!

Many prophets

And righteous people

Longed to see

What you see.

But they did not see it.

They longed to hear

What you hear.

But they did not hear it.”

 

ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὅτι βλέπουσιν, καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν ὅτι ἀκούουσιν.

ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.

 

This saying about the blessed ones can also be found almost word for word in Luke, chapter 10:23-24, indicating a Q source.  Jesus’ disciples have heard and seen what other prophets and righteous ones had wanted to see and hear, but never did.  His disciples were the blessed or happy ones (ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι).  Blessed are their eyes because they see (οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὅτι βλέπουσιν)!  Blessed are their ears because they hear (καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν ὅτι ἀκούουσιν)!  Jesus issued a solemn declaration (ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν).  Many prophets and righteous people had set their hearts on or longed for (ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν) what they had seen (ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε) and heard (καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε), but they never saw them (καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν) or heard them (καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν) like they have.  The disciples of Jesus should realize how fortunate they are to be with Jesus.  Many people were less fortunate than them.

April 13, 2018

You will be persecuted (Mt 10:17-10:18)

“Beware of those men!

They will hand you over

To tribunals.

They will flog you

In their synagogues.

You will be dragged

Before governors

And before kings,

Because of me.

You will be

A testimony

Before them

And the gentiles.”

 

Προσέχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· παραδώσουσιν γὰρ ὑμᾶς εἰς συνέδρια, καὶ ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν μαστιγώσουσιν ὑμᾶς·

καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνας δὲ καὶ βασιλεῖς ἀχθήσεσθε ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν.

 

Equivalent passages to this can be found in Mark, chapter 13:9, and Luke, chapter 21:12.  Jesus, via Matthew warned his apostles and disciples that they would be persecuted because of him.  They should realize or be aware of what other men were going to do to them (Προσέχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων).  They would be handed over to the local councils, courts, tribunals, or local Jewish Sanhedrin (παραδώσουσιν γὰρ ὑμᾶς εἰς συνέδρια).  These were local gatherings called “συνέδρια.”  They would be flogged or scourged in the synagogues (καὶ ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν μαστιγώσουσιν ὑμᾶς).  This “μαστιγώσουσιν” would be a whipping that one would endure after being tied to a pole.  They would also be dragged before governors and kings (καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνας δὲ καὶ βασιλεῖς ἀχθήσεσθε).  All this would happen to them (ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ) because they were going to give testimony or witness about Jesus before other people even the gentiles (εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν).  They were warned about how difficult the task of being a follower or apostle of Jesus might be.

December 31, 2017

The new age (Zech 6:15-6:15)

“Those who are far off

Shall come.

They will help build

The temple of Yahweh.

You shall know

That Yahweh of hosts

Has sent me to you.

This will happen

If you diligently obey

The voice of Yahweh

Your God.”

“Those who are far off

Shall come.

They will help build

The temple of Yahweh.

You shall know

That Yahweh of hosts

Has sent me to you.

This will happen

If you diligently obey

The voice of Yahweh

Your God.”

Zechariah indicated that various people from far off places would return to help build the Temple of Yahweh.  They would realize that Yahweh had sent him.  All this new age would happen if they diligently obeyed the voice of Yahweh, their God.

August 27, 2017

The decree about the living God of Daniel (Dan 6:26-6:27)

“I make a decree.

In all my royal dominion,

People should tremble,

People should fear,

Before the God of Daniel!

He is the living God!

He endures forever!

His kingdom

Shall never be destroyed!

His dominion

Has no end!

He delivers!

He rescues!

He works signs

In heaven!

He works wonders

On earth!

He has saved Daniel

From the power

Of the lions.”

King Darius made a decree for his royal kingdom. People were to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel, because he was a living God. He would endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, since it has no end. He delivers people. He rescues people. He works signs and does wonders, both in heaven and on earth. Most of all, he has saved Daniel from the power of the lions. This is a universal declaration that all people in the whole world should realize what the God of Daniel has done for him. What a wonderful description of the role of God in human lives. Interesting enough, this great proclamation comes from this questionable Darius the Mede, and not an Israelite leader or prophet.