scared

February 20, 2019

Jesus calms the sea (Lk 8:24-8:24)

“They went

To Jesus.

They woke him up.

Shouting.

‘Master!

Master!

We are perishing!’

Jesus woke up.

He rebuked the wind

And the raging waves.

They ceased.

So that

There was a calm.”

 

προσελθόντες δὲ διήγειραν αὐτὸν λέγοντες Ἐπιστάτα ἐπιστάτα, ἀπολλύμεθα. ὁ δὲ διεγερθεὶς ἐπετίμησεν τῷ ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῷ κλύδωνι τοῦ ὕδατος· καὶ ἐπαύσαντο, καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη.

 

Luke said that the disciples went to Jesus (προσελθόντες).  They woke him up (δὲ διήγειραν αὐτὸν), shouting at him (λέγοντες) “Master (Ἐπιστάτα)!  Master (Ἐπιστάτα)!  We are perishing (ἀπολλύμεθα)!”  Jesus then woke up (ὁ δὲ διεγερθεὶς).  He rebuked (ἐπετίμησεν) the wind (τῷ ἀνέμῳ) and the raging water waves (καὶ τῷ κλύδωνι τοῦ ὕδατος), so that they ceased (καὶ ἐπαύσαντο).  Finally, there was a calm sea (καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη).  This waking of Jesus and calming the waters can be found in Matthew, chapter 8:25-26, and Mark chapter 4:38-39, in a somewhat similar fashion.  Matthew said that these disciples went to wake up Jesus.  They cried out to him calling him “the Lord (Κύριε)”.  They wanted to be saved or rescued, because they were dying or facing certain death.  They were definitely afraid and scared.  After waking up, Jesus then turned to his followers and asked them why they were afraid.  Was it because they had little faith?  The unfaithful “ὀλιγόπιστοι” was a favorite word of Matthew.  Then Jesus got up.  He then rebuked or admonished the winds and the sea itself, so that there was a great calm in the air and on the sea.  Jesus called out his disciples for their lack of faith or trust, while showing his great power.  Mark was not as frantic, but he had more details.  He said that Jesus was in the stern or the back of the boat, sleeping on a cushion.  The disciples woke up Jesus as Mark said that they called Jesus “Teacher (Διδάσκαλε).”  They said that Jesus did not care if they were perishing, or facing certain death.  They were definitely afraid and scared.  Notice that they did not call Jesus “Lord, Κύριε” as in Matthew, but rather “Teacher, Διδάσκαλε.”  Mark said that after Jesus woke up, he then rebuked or admonished the wind.  Then he spoke to the sea itself, as he told the sea to be silent, peaceful, and still   Thus, the wind abated or was still.  There was a great calmness in the sea.  Do you believe that God controls the wind and the sea?

September 4, 2018

Jesus was asleep (Mk 4:38-4:38)

“But Jesus

Was asleep

In the stern,

On a cushion.

They woke him up.

They said to him.

‘Teacher!

Do you not care

That we are perishing?’”

 

καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἐν τῇ πρύμνῃ ἐπὶ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον καθεύδων· καὶ ἐγείρουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Διδάσκαλε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἀπολλύμεθα

 

This waking of Jesus can be found in Matthew, chapter 8:24-25, and Luke, chapter 8:23-24, in a somewhat similar fashion.  Mark was not as frantic, but Luke had a sense of urgency.  Mark had more details, since he said that Jesus was in the stern or the back of the boat sleeping on a cushion (καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἐν τῇ πρύμνῃ ἐπὶ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον καθεύδων).  These followers or disciples woke up Jesus (καὶ ἐγείρουσιν αὐτὸν).  They said to Jesus (καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ), calling him Teacher (Διδάσκαλε), that he did not care (οὐ μέλει σοι) if they were perishing, dying or facing certain death (ὅτι ἀπολλύμεθα).  They were definitely afraid and scared.  Notice that they did not call Jesus “Lord, Κύριε” as in Matthew, but rather “Teacher, Διδάσκαλε.”

April 6, 2018

Wake up Jesus (Mt 8:25-8:25)

“They went

To wake him up

Saying.

‘Save us!

Lord!

We are perishing!’”

 

καὶ προσελθόντες ἤγειραν αὐτὸν λέγοντες Κύριε, σῶσον, ἀπολλύμεθα.

 

This waking of Jesus can be found in Mark, chapter 4:38, and Luke, chapter 8:24, somewhat similar.  Mark is not as frantic, but Luke has a sense of urgency.  These followers or disciples went to wake up Jesus (καὶ προσελθόντες ἤγειραν αὐτὸν).  They cried out to the Lord (λέγοντες Κύριε) that they wanted to be saved or rescued (σῶσον), because they were dying or facing certain death (ἀπολλύμεθα.).  They were definitely afraid and scared.

August 16, 2016

Yahweh protects Mount Zion (Isa 31:4-31:5)

“Thus Yahweh said to me.

‘As a lion

Or a young lion

Growls over its prey,

They are not terrified

By the shouting,

When a band of shepherds

Is called out against it.

They are not daunted at their noise.

Thus Yahweh of hosts

Will come down To fight

Upon Mount Zion,

Upon its hill.

Like birds hovering overhead,

So Yahweh of hosts

Will protect Jerusalem.

He will deliver it.

He will spare it.

He will rescue it.’”

Yahweh, via Isaiah, issues an oracle about protecting Mount Zion, Jerusalem. Just like growling lions standing over their prey are not scared by the shouting noise of the shepherds, so too Yahweh will come down to the holy hill of Mount Zion in Jerusalem. He will be like a bird hovering overhead. He will protect, deliver, spare, and rescue Jerusalem. There is no question about that.

February 6, 2016

The generous ones (Prov 22:9-22:13)

“Those who are generous are blessed.

They share their bread with the poor.

Drive out a scoffer!

Then strife also goes out.

Quarreling and abuse will cease.

Whoever loves a pure heart,

Will have the king as a friend.

Whoever is gracious in speech,

Will have the king as his friend.

The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge.

But he overthrows the words of the faithless.

The lazy person says.

‘There is a lion outside!

I shall be killed in the streets!’”

The generous people are blessed because they share their bread with the poor. Get rid of the scoffers, the mockers, and strife will go away. Arguments and abuse will cease if the mockers are gone. If you have a pure heart and gracious speech you will have the king as a friend. Yahweh watches over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless. The lazy person is afraid to go outside because he says that he is scared of being killed by a lion.

April 11, 2015

Haman at the banquet of Queen Esther (Esth 7:1-7:6)

“So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther.

‘What is your petition, Queen Esther?

It shall be granted you.

What is your request?

Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.’

Then Queen Esther answered.

‘If I have won your favor, O king,

If it pleases the king,

Let my life be given me.

That is my petition,

The lives of my people

That is my request.

We have been sold,

I and my people,

To be destroyed,

To be killed,

To be annihilated.

If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women,

I would have held my peace.

But no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.’

Then King Artaxerxes said to Queen Esther.

‘Who is he?

Where is he?

Who has presumed to do this?’

Queen Esther said.

‘He is a foe and enemy!

He is the wicked Haman!’

Then Haman was in terror before the king and the queen.”

This dinner seemed to be going well as they were drinking wine. The king then asked the queen what her request was just as he had done on the previous night. This time, Queen Esther was more straightforward. She wanted to save her life and the life of her people because they were going to be killed and annihilated. Then the king wanted to know who was trying to kill her and her people. Then she responded that it was the foe and enemy, the wicked Haman. This really scared Haman. He might have said to the king that the king had approved this action, but he did not.