“They no longer
Dared
To ask him
Another question.”
οὐκέτι γὰρ ἐτόλμων ἐπερωτᾶν αὐτὸν οὐδέν.
Luke uniquely said here that the Sadducees no longer dared to ask him another question (οὐκέτι γὰρ ἐτόλμων ἐπερωτᾶν αὐτὸν οὐδέν). Case closed. Time to move on to a new subject. This complete victory for Jesus in this discussion about the resurrection can only be found here in Luke. Do you stop asking questions when you are satisfied?
“Jesus said to them.
‘Then give
To the Emperor Caesar
The things
That are the Emperor Caesar’s!
Give to God
The things
That are God’s.’”
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Τοίνυν ἀπόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ.
Luke indicated that Jesus said to them (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς) to give back to the Emperor Caesar (Τοίνυν ἀπόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος), the things that are of the Emperor Caesar’s (Καίσαρι)! However, give to God the things that are God’s (καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ). There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 22:21, and in Mark, chapter 12:17, almost word for word. Mark said that Jesus responded to them (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς) by telling them to give to the Roman emperor Caesar the things that belonged to the emperor (Τὰ Καίσαρος ἀπόδοτε Καίσαρι). At the same time, they should give to God the things that belong to God (καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ). Matthew said that Jesus responded to them (τότε λέγει αὐτοῖς) by telling them to give to the Roman emperor Caesar the things that belonged to the emperor (Ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι). At the same time, they should give to God the things that belong to God (καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ). Jesus appeared to accept the Roman rule and its taxing policies. He also had a milder view of their tax collectors. With this ambiguous answer, Jesus avoided offending Jewish nationalists and the Roman Empire party and its officials. Thus, the Roman and Jewish parties were both satisfied and unsatisfied at the same time. If everything belonged to God, do not pay this tax. If everything belonged to the Roman Empire, pay the tax. The choice was theirs. He was not going to tell them what to do. This statement of Jesus has become the basic Christian understanding of the relationship between religious churches and civilian states. Do you see a difference between Church regulations and civic state regulations?
“They all ate.
They were filled.
What was leftover
Was gathered up.
There were
Twelve baskets
Of broken pieces.”
καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν πάντες, καὶ ἤρθη τὸ περισσεῦσαν αὐτοῖς κλασμάτων κόφινοι δώδεκα.
Luke said that they all ate (καὶ ἔφαγον) until they were filled or satisfied (καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν πάντες). What was leftover was gathered up (καὶ ἤρθη τὸ περισσεῦσαν), so that there were 12 baskets of broken pieces (αὐτοῖς κλασμάτων κόφινοι δώδεκα). This is the only miracle that is recorded in all four gospels, Matthew, chapter 14:20, Mark, chapter 6:42-44, and John, chapter 6:12, plus here, but there were slight differences. All the synoptic gospels have the same wording, so that Mark may be the source. All agree that there were 12 baskets of food left over, symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles. They also agree that it was about 5,000 men. Obviously, there was no exact count taken. Only Matthew added the remark about women and the children. Mark said that they took up 12 full hand baskets of the broken pieces of bread, and the pieces of fish. Those who ate the loaves and fish were about 5,000 men. Certainly, it was a miraculous feeding. Matthew said that everyone ate some food. They were all satisfied or filled, but there was no mention of anything to drink. They took up the leftover broken pieces or fragments of food, so that it filled 12 full baskets, a very symbolic number. Those who ate were about 5,000 men, not counting the women and the children, who would have been on the edges of this large crowd of men. Without a doubt, this was a very big crowd to feed. What is the largest crowd that you ever ate with?
“Woe to you
Who are full now!
You will be hungry.”
οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, οἱ ἐμπεπλησμένοι νῦν, ὅτι πεινάσετε.
Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus said that they would be cursed (οὐαὶ ὑμῖν) if they were full now (οἱ ἐμπεπλησμένοι νῦν), using the second person plural. However, in the future they would be hungry (ὅτι πεινάσετε). This is the reverse of verse 21, where Luke indicated that Jesus said that the hungry people now (οἱ πεινῶντες νῦν) would be blessed or happy (μακάριοι) and satisfied (ὅτι χορτασθήσεσθε), also using the second person plural. Here Luke was talking about real hunger for food that would be satisfied. Those who were not hungry now would be hungry in the future.
“Blessed are you
Who are hungry now!
You shall be satisfied.”
μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες νῦν, ὅτι χορτασθήσεσθε.
Luke indicated that Jesus said that the hungry people now (οἱ πεινῶντες νῦν) would be blessed or happy (μακάριοι) and satisfied (ὅτι χορτασθήσεσθε), using the second person plural. This is somewhat equivalent to Matthew, chapter 5:6, perhaps indicating that these beatitudes may be from the Q source. There Matthew said the happy, blessed, and fortunate ones (μακάριοι) were those who hungered and thirsted for righteousness (οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην). They would not go away empty handed. They would be satisfied or filled (ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσοντ). Isaiah, chapter 55:1-2 had an invitation to those without money to come to drink and eat. They could have water, wine, milk and bread. They would enjoy themselves at this banquet. Matthew may have been referencing Psalm 107:4-9, where Yahweh had helped a small group of lost Israelites who were hungry and thirsty, while wandering in the desert. He satisfied their thirst and filled their hunger with good food. Thus, they gave thanks to Yahweh. So too, those who hungered and thirsted for righteousness, the right way of doing things, would be satisfied or filled with this righteousness. However, here Luke was talking about real hunger for food that would be satisfied. Luke is more concrete, less spiritual. You are poor and hungry, plain and simple. You would be blessed, fortunate, happy, and satisfied.
“God
Has filled
The hungry
With good things.
He has sent
The rich away
Empty.”
πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς.
This canticle of Mary was modeled on that of Hannah in 1 Samuel, chapter 2:4, that praised Yahweh for her son the prophet Samuel. Luke had Mary elaborate on Hannah’s thought about how the mighty and the rich would stumble, but the low and the poor would succeed. Mary said that God had filled or satisfied the needy hungry people with good things (πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν), while at the same time he had sent away (ἐξαπέστειλεν) the rich people (καὶ πλουτοῦντας) empty handed (κενούς.). God was going to reverse the human order of rich and poor as far as food was concerned. The rich would have nothing, but the poor would be satisfied.
“Jesus said to them.
‘Give to the emperor Caesar
The things
That are the emperor Caesar’s.
Give to God
The things
That are God’s.’”
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Τὰ Καίσαρος ἀπόδοτε Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ.
There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 22:21, and in Luke, chapter 20:25, almost word for word. Mark said that Jesus responded to them (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς) by telling them to give to the Roman emperor Caesar the things that belonged to the emperor (Τὰ Καίσαρος ἀπόδοτε Καίσαρι). At the same time, they should give to God the things that belong to God (καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ). Jesus appeared to accept the Roman rule and its taxing policies, as he also had a milder view of their tax collectors. With this ambiguous answer, Jesus avoided offending Jewish nationalists and the Roman Empire party and its officials. Thus, the Roman and Jewish parties were both satisfied and unsatisfied at the same time. If everything belonged to God, do not pay this tax. If everything belonged to the Roman empire, pay the tax. The choice was theirs. He was not going to tell them what to do. This statement of Jesus has become the basic Christian understanding of the relationships between religious church organizations and state civic organizations.
“They ate.
They were filled.
They took up
The broken pieces
Left over,
Seven baskets full.”
καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν, καὶ ἦραν περισσεύματα κλασμάτων ἑπτὰ σπυρίδας.
Matthew, chapter 15:37, has a similar statement about how many ate at this multiplication of the bread loaves. Mark said that they all ate (καὶ ἔφαγον) the bread and the fishes, so that they were filled or satisfied (καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν). They then collected 7 overflowing full baskets of these broken piece fragments of the loaves of bread (καὶ ἦραν περισσεύματα κλασμάτων ἑπτὰ σπυρίδας). In comparison with the feeding of the 5,000 earlier in chapter 6:30-44, there were 12 baskets of food left over, while here it is only 7 baskets. Mark, like Matthew, used a different word for the baskets here as opposed to the preceding chapter. The “σπυρίδας” here was a very large basket, while the other story had a “κοφίνους”, a smaller wicker basket.
“Jesus said to her.
‘Let the children
Be fed first!
It is not fair
To take the children’s bread
And throw it
To the dogs.’”
καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτῇ Ἄφες πρῶτον χορτασθῆναι τὰ τέκνα· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν καλόν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων καὶ τοῖς κυναρίοις βαλεῖν.
This time Jesus answered her like in Matthew, chapter 15:26. Mark said that Jesus responded to her (καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτῇ) that the children had to be feed or satisfied first (Ἄφες πρῶτον χορτασθῆναι τὰ τέκνα). It was not right or fair (οὐ γάρ ἔστιν καλὸν) to take the children’s food or bread (λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων) and feed it, throw it, or cast it to the unclean dogs (καὶ τοῖς κυναρίοις βαλεῖν). His food was for the children of Israel, not for the gentile dogs.
“All ate.
All were filled.”
καὶ ἔφαγον πάντες καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν·
This is the only miracle that is recorded in all four gospels, Matthew, chapter 14:20, Luke, chapter 9:17, and John, chapter 6:12, plus here. Certainly, it was a miraculous feeding. All the synoptic gospels have the same wording as Mark so that he may be the source. Mark said that everyone ate some food (καὶ ἔφαγον πάντες). They were all satisfied or filled (καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν). There was no mention of anything to drink.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 