simple story

April 28, 2019

Divide the property (Lk 15:12-15:12)

“The younger son

Of them said

To his father.

‘Father!

Give me

The share

Of the property

That will belong

To me.’

Thus,

The father divided

His property

Between them.”

 

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ νεώτερος αὐτῶν τῷ πατρί Πάτερ, δός μοι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον μέρος τῆς οὐσίας. ὁ δὲ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὸν βίον.

 

This long parable story about the two sons can only be found in Luke, not in any of the other gospel stories.  Luke indicated that Jesus said that the younger son said to his father (καὶ εἶπεν ὁ νεώτερος αὐτῶν τῷ πατρί), very respectfully calling him “father (Πάτερ)” that he wanted the share of the property that was going to belong to him (δός μοι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον μέρος τῆς οὐσίας).  Thus, the father obliged.  He divided his property between the two of them (ὁ δὲ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὸν βίον).  This is a simple story.  The younger son wanted his inheritance early, which was an unusual request, since inheritances would not take place until the death of his father.  Nevertheless, the father said ok, without consulting with the older son.  Has there been a fight in your family about inheritances?

March 17, 2019

The man who got beat up (Lk 10:30-10:30)

“Jesus accepted

This question.

He replied.

‘A man

Was going down

From Jerusalem

To Jericho.

He fell

Into the hands

Of robbers.

They stripped him.

They beat him up.

They went away,

Leaving him half dead.’”

 

ὑπολαβὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ἄνθρωπός τις κατέβαινεν ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς Ἱερειχώ, καὶ λῃσταῖς περιέπεσεν, οἳ καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν καὶ πληγὰς ἐπιθέντες ἀπῆλθον ἀφέντες ἡμιθανῆ.

 

Luke uniquely had Jesus tell a story to answer the question from the lawyer.  Jesus accepted (ὑπολαβὼν) this inquiry about the meaning of neighbor.  He said (εἶπεν) that a man (Ἄνθρωπός), presumably Jewish, was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho (τις κατέβαινεν ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς Ἱερειχώ), about 23 miles.  However, he fell into the hands of some robbers (καὶ λῃσταῖς περιέπεσεν).  They stripped him (οἳ καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν) and beat him up, inflicting wounds on him (καὶ πληγὰς ἐπιθέντες).  Then they went away (ἀπῆλθον).  They left him half dead (ἀφέντες ἡμιθανῆ).  This was a simple story about a robbery that took place on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho.  More than one violent robber attacked this man.  They took everything, including his clothes, and beat him up.  Then they left him to die, since he was badly wounded.  People get robbed and beaten up all the time.  Do you really care about it?