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January 22, 2019

The paralyzed man (Lk 5:18-5:18)

“Just then,

Some men came

Carrying

A paralyzed man

On a bed.

They were trying

To bring him in

And lay him

Before Jesus.”

 

καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνδρες φέροντες ἐπὶ κλίνης ἄνθρωπον ὃς ἦν παραλελυμένος, καὶ ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν εἰσενεγκεῖν καὶ θεῖναι ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.

 

Luke said that just then (καὶ ἰδοὺ), some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a bed or mat (ἄνδρες φέροντες ἐπὶ κλίνης ἄνθρωπον ὃς ἦν παραλελυμένος).  They were trying to bring him into the house (καὶ ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν εἰσενεγκεῖν).  They wanted to lay him before Jesus (καὶ θεῖναι ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ).  Mark, chapter 2:2-3, and Matthew, chapter 9:2, have something similar.  Mark said that so many people gathered around Jesus’ house that there was no longer room or space for them there, not even in front of the door.  Jesus was preaching the word to them.  Only Mark mentioned that 4 men were carrying a paralyzed man.  Matthew simply said that some people brought this paralyzed man to Jesus on a bed.  They were trying to bring a paralyzed man for Jesus to cure him.

August 19, 2018

Jesus was in a crowded place (Mk 2:2-2:2)

“So many people

Gathered around

So that there was

No longer room

For them,

Not even in front of the door.

He was preaching

The word to them.”

 

καὶ συνήχθησαν πολλοὶ, ὥστε μηκέτι χωρεῖν μηδὲ τὰ πρὸς τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον.

 

This is unique to Mark, but not unusual.  Mark said that so many people gathered around his house (καὶ συνήχθησαν πολλοὶ) that there was no longer room or space for them there (ὥστε μηκέτι χωρεῖν), not even in front of the door (μηδὲ τὰ πρὸς τὴν θύραν).  He was preaching the word to them (καὶ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον).  Once again, there was not a specific message here in Mark, just the word in general.

February 1, 2018

Human Authors

The Bible is the record of the Hebrew people and early Christians.  These human authors worked under the influence of God’s Spirit and at the same time under the influence of their community and culture.  Why these words?  Christians believe that this is God’s meaning in human words in content and message.  The cultural history and empirical science was true for their particular time.  History is always an interpretation.  Science is always experimenting finding new ways to do things.  The divine message of God transcends time and space, since it has an eternal ring to it that goes beyond the human authors and their words.

July 1, 2017

The measurements of the eastern vestibule area (Ezek 40:6-40:7)

“Then he went

Into the gateway

Facing east.

He went up its steps.

He measured

The threshold

Of the gate,

One reed deep.

There were recesses.

Each recess was

One reed wide

With one reed deep.

The space

Between the recesses

Was five cubits.

The threshold

Of the gate

By the vestibule

Of the gate

At the inner end

Was one reed deep.”

As usual, Ezekiel was very detailed in his descriptions. The bronze man continued to measure various things on the eastern vestibule of the Temple. All the measurements were exactly the same, one reed or 10 feet. The only exception was the space between the recesses or alcoves that was only 5 cubits or about 8 feet. Otherwise, the threshold of the gate was also 10 feet. The recesses or alcoves were symmetrical, 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep.