searching

January 21, 2019

Jesus at a lonely place (Lk 4:42-4:42)

“At daybreak,

Jesus departed.

He went into

A deserted place.

The crowds

Were looking

For him.

When they reached him,

They wanted to prevent him

From leaving them.”

 

Γενομένης δὲ ἡμέρας ἐξελθὼν ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἔρημον τόπον· καὶ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπεζήτουν αὐτόν, καὶ ἦλθον ἕως αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατεῖχον αὐτὸν τοῦ μὴ πορεύεσθαι ἀπ’ αὐτῶν.

 

Luke said that when daybreak came (Γενομένης δὲ ἡμέρας), Jesus departed or left (ἐξελθὼν) Capernaum.  He went into a deserted place (ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἔρημον τόπον).  The crowds were looking or searching for him (καὶ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπεζήτουν αὐτόν).  When they reached him (καὶ ἦλθον ἕως αὐτοῦ), they wanted to prevent him or detain him from leaving them (καὶ κατεῖχον αὐτὸν τοῦ μὴ πορεύεσθαι ἀπ’ αὐτῶν).  There is something similar in Mark, chapter 1:35-36.  Jesus went out to a deserted place at daybreak, following the healings of the evening before. as here, but Jesus went out to pray, which was not mentioned here.  Jesus left the other disciples behind early in the morning before daybreak.  Luke had the crowds of people come to him, but there was no mention of Simon or the other disciples as in Mark.  However, Mark never mentioned anything about preventing Jesus from leaving.  Clearly, Jesus had a hard time being alone.

December 29, 2018

My Father’s house (Lk 2:49-2:49)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Why are you searching

For me?

Did you not know

That I must be

In my Father’s house?’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Τί ὅτι ἐζητεῖτέ με; οὐκ ᾔδειτε ὅτι ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρός μου δεῖ εἶναί με;

 

Luke had Jesus respond in a sharp fashion.  Jesus said to them (καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς) why were they searching for him (Τί ὅτι ἐζητεῖτέ με).  Did they not know (οὐκ ᾔδειτε) that he had to be or that it was his duty to be in his Father’s house (ὅτι ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρός μου δεῖ εἶναί με)?  This sounds like a rebuke to his parents.  However, Jesus seemed to indicate that he had a higher mission.  The main question is why did he wait nearly 20 years after this before he began his special Fatherly mission?

December 28, 2018

Mary complains to Jesus (Lk 2:48-2:48)

“When his parents

Saw Jesus,

They were astonished.

His mother

Said to him.

‘Child!

Why have you

Treated us

Like this?

Look!

Your father

And I

Have been searching

For you anxiously!’”

 

καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν ἐξεπλάγησαν, καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ Τέκνον, τί ἐποίησας ἡμῖν οὕτως; ἰδοὺ ὁ πατήρ σου κἀγὼ ὀδυνώμενοι ζητοῦμέν σε

 

Luke continued by saying his parents were also astonished at Jesus.  However, his mother, Mary, was also a little upset.  Luke said that when his parents saw Jesus (καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν), they were also astonished or shocked (ἐξεπλάγησαν).  His mother said to Jesus (καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ) that she wanted to know why he, this young child (Τέκνον), had did this to them or treated them like this (τί ἐποίησας ἡμῖν οὕτως).  She and his father had been distressed, pained, or anxious while searching for him (ἰδοὺ ὁ πατήρ σου κἀγὼ ὀδυνώμενοι ζητοῦμέν σε).  Why had he not told them what he was going to do?  He had caused them a lot of problems over the last few days.

 

August 29, 2018

His family asks for Jesus (Mk 3:32-3:32)

“A crowd

Was sitting

Around Jesus.

They said to him.

‘Look!

Your mother,

Your brothers,

And your sisters

Are outside,

Asking for you.’”

 

καὶ ἐκάθητο περὶ αὐτὸν ὄχλος, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου καὶ αἱ ἀδελφαί σου ἔξω ζητοῦσίν σε.

 

Luke, chapter 8:20, and Matthew, chapter 12:47, have something similar, almost word for word, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark indicated that someone from the crowd sitting around him (καὶ ἐκάθητο περὶ αὐτὸν ὄχλος) said that he should look (καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Ἰδοὺ) because his mother (ἡ μήτηρ σου), his brothers (καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου), and his sisters (καὶ αἱ ἀδελφαί σου) were outside (ἔξω) wanting to talk to him or searching for him (ζητοῦσίν σε).  Matthew and Luke never mentioned anything about his sisters, only his brothers, who were all unnamed.

August 18, 2018

Simon and friends pursue Jesus (Mk 1:36-1:37)

“Simon

And his companions

Hunted for Jesus.

When they found him,

They said to him.

‘Everyone is searching

For you.’”

 

καὶ κατεδίωξεν αὐτὸν Σίμων καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ

καὶ εὗρον αὐτὸν καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ ὅτι Πάντες ζητοῦσίν σε.

 

There is something similar in Luke, chapter 4:42, but there it was a crowd of people with no mention of Simon.  Mark said that Simon was with some of his companions or fellow disciples (Σίμων καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ) who were hunting or following after or looking for Jesus (καὶ κατεδίωξεν αὐτὸν).  When they found him (καὶ εὗρον αὐτὸν), they said to him (καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ) that everyone was seeking, searching, or looking for him.  Jesus could not be alone.

April 11, 2016

These false worshipers are seeking something (Wis 13:6-13:9)

“These people are little to be blamed.

Perhaps they go astray.

But they were seeking God.

They desired to find him.

As they live among his works,

They keep searching.

They trust in what they see.

Because the things that are seen are beautiful.

Yet again,

Not even they are to be excused.

If they had the power to know so much

That they could investigate the world,

How did they fail to find sooner

the Lord of these things?”

This writer seems to give these nature idol worshipers a pass. They were at least seeking God (πλανῶνται Θεὸν). They were trying to find him in his works (τοῖς ἔργοις). They kept searching in this beautiful world. However, since they were so smart, they should have investigated further to find the creator of all this beauty. They are not to be totally excused because they should have found the maker and creator (δεσπότην) of all these things. This is an argument against nature worshippers who fail to see through to the divine maker of nature.

March 19, 2016

The missing lover (Song 5:6-5:7)

Female lover

“I opened to my beloved.

But my beloved had turned away.

He was gone.

My soul failed me

When he spoke.

I sought him.

But I did not find him.

I called him.

But he gave no answer.

Making their rounds in the city,

The sentinels found me.

They beat me.

They wounded me.

They took away my mantle.

These were the sentinels of the walls.”

This is a lot like chapter 3, where this female lover went searching in the streets to find her lover. Instead of her lover being at the door, he had left. Her soul was faint. Once again, like in chapter 3, she called for him, but her lover gave no answer. However, when she searched the city, the result here was more brutal. The sentinels or watchmen guards of the town, instead of helping her, beat her up, wounded her, and took her coat or mantle.

November 1, 2015

Has Yahweh forgotten me? (Ps 77:4-77:9)

“You keep my eyelids from closing.

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

I consider the days of old.

I remember the years long ago.

I commune with my heart in the night.

I meditate and search my spirit.

‘Will Yahweh spurn me forever?

Will Yahweh never again be favorable?

Has his steadfast love ceased forever?

Are his promises at an end for all time?

Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?’”

Selah

Asaph or this psalmist suffers from mental anguish. He feels that God has forgotten him. He could not close his eyes. He was troubled as he remembered the good old days. He was self reflective, searching his heart. He could hardly speak. He had a series of questions about God. Was he spurned forever? Would Yahweh never be favorable to him again? Had God forgotten his promises? Had God forgotten his steadfast love and graciousness to him? Was God so angry that he could not be compassionate? This is a questioning troubled person. This meditative section ends with the musical interlude pause of Selah.

September 3, 2015

Live in the house of Yahweh (Ps 27:4-27:4)

“One thing

I asked of Yahweh.

That will I seek after.

I want to live in the house of Yahweh.

All the days of my life,

I want to behold the beauty of Yahweh.

I want to search in his temple.”

David had one request of Yahweh. He wanted to live in the house of Yahweh, in the Temple. He wanted to live his whole life in the Temple, searching around it. He wanted to admire the beauty of Yahweh all the days of his life. The one problem was that he was not a Levite.