right hand

January 26, 2019

Preaching in the synagogue (Lk 6:6-6:6)

“On another Sabbath,

Jesus entered

The synagogue.

He taught.

There was a man there

Whose right hand

Was withered.”

 

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἑτέρῳ σαββάτῳ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν καὶ διδάσκειν· καὶ ἦν ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖ καὶ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἡ δεξιὰ ἦν ξηρά·

 

Luke said that on another Sabbath (Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἑτέρῳ σαββάτῳ), Jesus entered an unnamed synagogue (εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν) where he taught there (καὶ διδάσκειν).  There was a man present (καὶ ἦν ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖ) in the assembly whose right hand was withered (καὶ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἡ δεξιὰ ἦν ξηρά).  Matthew, chapter 12:9, and Mark, chapter 3:1 are similar to this incident, so that Mark might be the source of this discussion about the Sabbath and the man with the withered or dried out hand.  Matthew had Jesus leave the grain fields and enter the local synagogue, instead of waiting another week or another Sabbath as Luke indicated.  Clearly, Jesus was a good Jewish person, so that he had no trouble or unease about entering the local synagogue, probably at Capernaum.  Maybe he had taught there before.  Matthew had the discussion that began in the fields now switch to the synagogue.  What was Jesus going to do about this man with the bad hand?

November 20, 2018

Jesus responds (Mk 14:62-14:62)

“Jesus said.

‘I am!

You will see

The Son of Man

Seated

At the right hand

Of the Power.

He will come

With the clouds

Of heaven.’”

 

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ ὄψεσθε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ δεξιῶν καθήμενον τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ ἐρχόμενον μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

 

This is almost word for word at times in Matthew, chapter 26:64.  In Luke, chapter 22:67-70, there is something similar, but there is nothing like this in John, chapter 18.  Mark said that Jesus replied to the high priest (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν), pure and simple in the first person singular “I am (Ἐγώ εἰμι).”  He was the Messiah Christ and the Son of the Blessed One.  There was no ambiguity as in Matthew, “because you have said so”.  This answer is direct and unambiguous.  There was no more Messianic secret.  Then Jesus told him that he would see the Son of Man (καὶ ὄψεσθε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) seated at the right hand of the Power, Yahweh, or God, the Father (ἐκ δεξιῶν καθήμενον τῆς δυνάμεως).  He would come on or with the clouds of heaven (καὶ ἐρχόμενον μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ).  Jesus gave a strong theological response that the end times were near when the Son of Man, himself, would appear with the heavenly clouds.  Jesus was and is the Christ Messiah, case closed.

October 30, 2018

David and the psalms (Mk 12:36-12:36)

“David himself,

Inspired

By the Holy Spirit,

Declared.

‘The Lord said

To my Lord.

‘Sit

At my right hand!

Until I put

Your enemies

Under your feet.’”

 

αὐτὸς Δαυεὶδ εἶπεν ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ Εἶπεν Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν σου.

 

There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 22:43-44, and Luke, chapter 20:42-43, almost word for word.  Mark used Psalm 110:1 as the basis of this question about David and the Messiah Christ.  Mark indicated that that Jesus said that David himself (αὐτὸς Δαυεὶδ εἶπεν), inspired by the Holy Spirit (ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ), spoke about the “Lord (Κύριος).”  In Psalm 110:1, David said that the Lord said to his Lord to sit at his right hand (Εἶπεν Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου).  He should sit there until he put all his enemies under his feet (ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν σου).  The assumption was that David had written the psalms, so that citing Psalm 110 was citing David himself.

July 17, 2018

Jesus responds (Mt 26:63-26:64)

“But Jesus was silent.

Then the high priest

Said to him.

‘I put you under oath

Before the living God!

Tell us!

If you are the Christ,

The Messiah,

The Son of God?’

Jesus said to him.

‘You have said so.

But I tell you!

From now on

You will see

The Son of Man

Seated at the right hand

Of Power.

He will be coming

On the clouds of heaven.’”

 

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐσιώπα. καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἐξορκίζω σε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος ἵνα ἡμῖν εἴπῃς εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Σὺ εἶπας· πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπ’ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

 

This is almost word for word in Mark, chapter 14:61-62.  In Luke, chapter 22:67-69, there is something similar, but there is nothing like this in John, chapter 18.  Matthew said that Jesus was originally silent (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐσιώπα).  Then the high priest Caiaphas said to Jesus (καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ) that he was going to put him under oath according to the living God (Ἐξορκίζω σε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος).  Caiaphas told Jesus to tell everyone there (ἵνα ἡμῖν εἴπῃς) whether he was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God (εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ).  This was a strongly worded theological statement.  Then Jesus replied to Caiaphas, the high priest (λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς), that he had said so (Σὺ εἶπας).  Then Jesus gave him a warning with a solemn pronouncement (πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν).  He told him that from now on (ἀπ’ ἄρτι), he would see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, Yahweh, or God, the Father (ὄψεσθε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως), coming on the clouds of heaven (καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ).  Jesus gave a strong theological response that the end times were near when the Son of Man would appear on a cloud.

June 18, 2018

Who is the Lord for David? (Mt 22:43-22:45)

“Jesus said to them.

‘How is it then

That David,

Inspired by the Spirit,

Calls him Lord?

Saying.

‘The Lord said

To my Lord.

‘Sit at my right hand,

Until I put your enemies

Under your feet.’

If David thus calls him Lord,

How can he be his son?’”

 

λέγει αὐτοῖς Πῶς οὖν Δαυεὶδ ἐν Πνεύματι καλεῖ αὐτὸν Κύριον λέγω

Εἶπεν Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν σου;

εἰ οὖν Δαυεὶδ καλεῖ αὐτὸν Κύριον, πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν;

 

There is something similar in Mark, chapter 12:35-37, and Luke, chapter 20:41-44, almost word for word.  Jesus said to these Pharisees (λέγει αὐτοῖς).  What did David mean when, inspired by the Spirit, he called the future Messiah, a son of David, “Lord” (Πῶς οὖν Δαυεὶδ ἐν Πνεύματι καλεῖ αὐτὸν Κύριον λέγω).  Jesus then cited Psalm 110:1, where David said that the Lord said to his Lord to sit at his right hand (Εἶπεν Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου).  He should sit there until he put all his enemies under his feet (ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν σου).  Jesus then posed the big question.  How can David call the Messiah Lord (εἰ οὖν Δαυεὶδ καλεῖ αὐτὸν Κύριον) if he is the son of David (πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν)?  This is a trick question.  Why would David call his future son or descendant his own Lord, master, or greater than him?  The response was that Jesus, the Son of Man, and descendant of David, was greater than David.  Peter repeated this citation of Psalm 110 in his preaching in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2:34-35, also.

June 3, 2018

James and John on either side of Jesus (Mt 20:21-20:21)

“Jesus said to her.

‘What do you want?’

She said to him.

‘Declare

That these two sons of mine

Will sit,

One at your right hand

And one at your left hand,

In your kingdom.’”

 

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Τί θέλεις; λέγει αὐτῷ Εἰπὲ ἵνα καθίσωσιν οὗτοι οἱ δύο υἱοί μου εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου.

 

There is something similar to this in Mark, chapter 10:36-37, but there the brothers, rather than their mother spoke with Jesus.  Jesus then asked her what did she want or wish (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Τί θέλεις)?  She said to him (λέγει αὐτῷ) that she wanted Jesus to declare or command that her two sons (Εἰπὲ ἵνα καθίσωσιν οὗτοι οἱ δύο υἱοί μου) would sit at the right hand (εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν) and at the left hand (καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου) of Jesus in his kingdom (ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου).  After all, they had been with Peter at the transfiguration and were one of the four original disciples.  Thus, they were already very special.  Perhaps, she thought of this as an earthly kingdom.  Strangely enough at the crucifixion of Jesus, it would be two thieves on his right and left side.

March 17, 2018

Secret charity (Mt 6:3-6:4)

“But when you give alms,

Do not let your left hand

Know

What your right hand

Is doing.

Thus,

Your alms

May be done

In secret.

Your Father,

Who sees in secret,

Will reward you.”

 

σοῦ δὲ ποιοῦντος ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου,

ὅπως ᾖ σου ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ· καὶ ὁ Πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι.

 

Jesus, via Matthew, continued with the idea of secretly giving alms or charity.  When you performed charitable acts or almsgiving (σοῦ δὲ ποιοῦντος ἐλεημοσύνην), it should be so secret, that your left hand would not know (μὴ γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου) what your right hand was doing (τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου).  That seems a little difficult.  Thus, almsgiving in secret (ὅπως ᾖ σου ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ) would be rewarded by your heavenly Father (ὁ Πατήρ σου… ἀποδώσει σοι) who sees what is hidden in secret (ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ).  Charitable giving is a good thing, best done in secret.  Your reward will be in heaven.

December 29, 2017

The fourth vision of Joshua the high priest (Zech 3:1-3:1)

“Then Yahweh showed me

The high priest,

Joshua,

Standing

Before the angel of Yahweh,

With Satan,

The Adversary,

Standing

At his right hand

To accuse him.”

This 4th vision was about Joshua the high priest in Jerusalem.  Joshua was with the angel of Yahweh and his adversary, Satan.  This Satan stood at the right hand of the good angel.  He was going to accuse Joshua of wrong doing.

February 23, 2017

Yahweh has become the enemy (Lam 2:4-2:4)

Daleth

“He has bent

His bow

Like an enemy.

His right hand

Is set

Like a foe.

He has killed all

In whom we took pride

In the tent

Of daughter Zion.

He has poured out

His fury

Like fire.”

Yahweh has become like an enemy of Israel. He bent his bow like an enemy archer about to release an arrow. His right hand was like an enemy warrior. He has killed all the important prideful people of Zion. He has poured out his fury like a raging fire. Yahweh was really mad. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Daleth. Each verse after this will use the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet in this acrostic poem.