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May 30, 2019

Jesus on the colt (Lk 19:35-19:35)

“Then they brought

The colt

To Jesus.

They threw

Their cloaks

On the colt.

They set Jesus

On the colt.”

 

καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἐπιρίψαντες αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια ἐπὶ τὸν πῶλον ἐπεβίβασαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν.

 

Luke indicated that they two disciples brought the colt to Jesus (καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν).  They threw their cloaks on the colt (καὶ ἐπιρίψαντες αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια ἐπὶ τὸν πῶλον).  They then set Jesus on the colt (ἐπεβίβασαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν).  Both Matthew, chapter 21:7, and Mark, chapter 11:7, are similar.  Mark said that the two disciples brought or led this colt (καὶ φέρουσιν τὸν πῶλον) back to Jesus (πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν).  They placed their outer garments, cloaks, or coats on this colt (καὶ ἐπιβάλλουσιν αὐτῷ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν).  Then Jesus sat on the colt (καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν).  Jesus had an animal to ride on.  In Matthew, they put their outer garments or coats on them (καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ’ αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια).  Then Jesus sat on them (καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν).  This is where the two animals concept falls apart, since Jesus could not sit on two animals at the same time.  Thus, the Mark and Luke stories and the prophet Zechariah are right about one young colt donkey, not a donkey and a colt.  Jesus was ready for his grand entrance into Jerusalem.  How would you prepare for a great entrance?

March 9, 2019

They would not receive Jesus (Lk 9:53-9:53)

“But the people

Did not receive Jesus,

Because his face

Was set

Toward Jerusalem.”

 

καὶ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο αὐτόν, ὅτι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἦν πορευόμενον εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ

 

Now there was a note of discord here.  Luke continued his unique story of Jesus traveling through Samaria, on his way to Jerusalem.  Luke noted that the people of this Samaritan town did not want to receive Jesus (καὶ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο αὐτόν), because he was only passing by on his way to Jerusalem (εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ).  These Samaritans did not look favorably on the Jerusalem pilgrims who passed by their towns on the way to the Temple.  After all, Jesus had steadfastly set his face (ὅτι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἦν πορευόμενον) to go there, not stopping or staying to worship at Mount Gerizim in Samaria.  Thus, Jesus was not welcome, if he was going to the Judean place of worship in Jerusalem, and just visiting or passing through here.  Would you be upset if someone said that they were planning to visit someone else but just stopped by?

December 14, 2018

The slave of the Lord (Lk 1:38-1:38)

“Then Mary said.

‘Here am I!

The slave

Of the Lord!

Let it be

With me

According to your word!’

Then the angel

Departed from her.”

 

εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου· γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος.

 

Luke brought this conversation between the Angel Gabriel and Mary to a close.  She fully agreed with the plan, so the angel left.  Luke indicated that Mary said (εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ) that she was a slave of the Lord (Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου).  Most translations prefer the softer “servant” or “handmaid” rather than “slave,” but the Greek word “ἡ δούλη” indicates a female slave.  Mary wanted everything to be done to her just as the angel of God had said (γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου).  With that, the Angel Gabriel flew off or left her (καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος), because he had accomplished his mission.  The stage was set for the birth of John and Jesus.

November 8, 2017

The cosmic Day of Yahweh (Am 8:9-8:10)

“On that day,

Says Yahweh God.

‘I will make the sun

Go down at noon.

I will darken the earth

In broad daylight.

I will turn

Your feasts

Into mourning.

I will turn

All your songs

Into lamentations.

I will bring sackcloth

On all loins.

I will bring baldness

On every head.

I will make it

Like the mourning

For an only son.

I will make

The end of it

Like a bitter day.’”

Yahweh said that on the day of Yahweh, the sun would set at noon, so that the earth would be dark during the normal daylight hours.  Yahweh was going to turn joyful feasts into times of mourning, since their songs would be lamentations.  Everyone would wear sackcloth and be bald.  The mourning and weeping would be like for an only son.  Yahweh was going to bring an end to a bitter day.

October 31, 2017

Why things happen (Am 3:3-3:5)

“Do two people walk together,

Unless they have made

An appointment?

Does a lion roar

In the forest,

When it has no prey?

Does a young lion cry out

From its den,

If it has taken nothing?

Does a bird fall

Into a snare

On the earth,

When there is no trap

For it?

Does a snare spring up

From the ground,

When it has taken nothing?”

Amos asked a series of questions. Certain things happen because it is the normal thing for them to do. People who walk together have usually set up a time to do so. A lion roars in the forest when it has taken some prey. A young lion in a den has found something when it cries out. A bird does not fall into a snare if there was no trap set up. A snare does not spring up without being set. Thus, there is a natural reaction that takes place in all these cases.

March 21, 2017

The caretakers of the idol gods (Bar 6:26-6:28)

“Those who serve

These idol gods

Are ashamed.

If any of these gods

Fall to the ground,

They themselves

Must pick them up.

If anyone sets them upright,

These gods

Cannot move themselves.

If they are tipped over,

They cannot straighten themselves.

Gifts are placed

Before them

Just as before the dead.

The priests sell

The sacrifices

That are offered

To these gods.

They use the money themselves.

Their wives likewise

Preserve some of the meat

With salt.

But they give none of it

To the poor

Or the helpless.”

Next this author attacks those who take care of these idol gods. These caretakers were themselves ashamed. If any of these gods fell to the ground, they must pick them up. They have to set these gods upright since they cannot move themselves. If these idols are tipped over, they cannot up right themselves. In other words, there has to be someone around these false idol gods, because if anything happens to them, these caretakers have to straighten things out. Gifts are placed before these images, just like gifts for the dead. However, these caretaker priests often sell the sacrifices that were offered to these gods. Then they would use the money for themselves. Their wives likewise would preserve some of the meat with salt. However, they gave none of it to the poor or the helpless.

March 1, 2017

The fire of Yahweh (Lam 4:11-4:11)

Kaph

“Yahweh gave

Full vent

To his wrath.

He poured out

His hot anger.

He kindled

A fire

In Zion,

That consumed

Its foundations.”

Yahweh was angry at Jerusalem. Thus he vented his anger when he started a fire in Zion that consumed it down to its foundations. Yahweh, not the Babylonians, set the city on fire. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Kaph in this acrostic poem.

October 21, 2016

Yahweh speaks about the desolate land (Jer 4:27-4:28)

“Thus says Yahweh.

‘The whole land shall be a desolation.

Yet I will not make a full end.

Because of this

The earth shall mourn.

The heavens above shall

Grow black.

I have spoken.

I have purposed.

I have not relented.

I will not turn back.’”

Yahweh, via Jeremiah, says that the whole land will be desolate, but he is not done. The earth will mourn, while the heavens will turn black. He has spoken. He has purposed this because he will not relent or turn back. The course is set.

October 3, 2016

The everlasting light of Yahweh (Isa 60:19-60:20)

“The sun shall no longer be

Your light by day.

The moon shall give

Light to you by night,

But not for brightness.

Yahweh will be

Your everlasting light.

Your God will be your glory.

Your sun shall no more go down.

Your moon will not withdraw itself.

Yahweh will be your everlasting light.

Your days of mourning shall be ended.”

You will not need the sun or the moon because the everlasting light of Yahweh will be bright enough. There still will be a sun during the day and a moon at night, but the brightness would come from Yahweh. He will be your everlasting light and your glory. This sun of Yahweh will never set. The moon of Yahweh will never hide itself. The days of mourning are over, because Yahweh is the new everlasting light.