“They will say.
‘This man began
To build it,
But was not able
To finish it.’”
λέγοντες ὅτι Οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἤρξατο οἰκοδομεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ἐκτελέσαι.
Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus said that the other people would say (λέγοντες) that this man began to build it (ὅτι Οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἤρξατο οἰκοδομεῖν), but was not able to finish it (καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ἐκτελέσαι). This conclusion was simple. Do not start what you cannot finish! Have you ever starting something without finishing it?
“I came
To bring fire
To the earth.
How I wish
That it was
Already kindled!”
Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη.
Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus said that he came to bring or cast fire or judgment (Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν) to the earth (ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν). Jesus wished (καὶ τί θέλω) that this fire had already started or kindled (εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη). It appeared that Jesus wanted the judgment day to come sooner. He wanted the judgment of fire to come quickly. Fire was also a symbol of the Holy Spirit, purification, or presence of his love. Jesus wanted things to get going. Are you anxious about things to start?
“The kingdom of God
Is like
A mustard seed.
When sown
Upon the ground,
It is the smallest
Of all the seeds
On earth.
Yet when it is sown,
It grows up.
It becomes the greatest
Of all shrubs.
It puts forth
Large branches,
So that the birds
Of the air
Can make nests
In its shade.”
ὡς κόκκῳ σινάπεως, ὃς ὅταν σπαρῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, μικρότερον ὂν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,
καὶ ὅταν σπαρῇ, ἀναβαίνει καὶ γίνεται μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων, καὶ ποιεῖ κλάδους μεγάλους, ὥστε δύνασθαι ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν αὐτοῦ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνοῖν.
This parable of the mustard seed can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 13:31-32, and Luke, chapter 13:19. The mustard seed was the symbol of small things. However, it could grow to become a tree or shrub where birds could nest. There was no explanation of this parable, except the clear indication that the kingdom of heaven may start out small but would grow to hold many people. Jesus, via Mark, explicitly presented them with another short parable. He said that the kingdom of God was like a mustard seed or a grain of mustard (ὡς κόκκῳ σινάπεως). When planted in the ground (ὃς ὅταν σπαρῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς), it is the smallest of all seeds on earth (μικρότερον ὂν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς). But when it has grown after being planted (καὶ ὅταν σπαρῇ, ἀναβαίνει), it becomes greater than all the garden plants or shrubs (καὶ γίνεται μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων). It then produces great branches (καὶ ποιεῖ κλάδους μεγάλους). Thus, the birds of the air would be able to come and perch or build nests in the shade of its branches (ὥστε δύνασθαι ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν αὐτοῦ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνοῖν). What starts out small can become quite large.
“This book recounts
The genealogy
Of Jesus,
The Messiah Christ,
The son of David,
The son of Abraham.”
Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαυεὶδ υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ
This gospel is the only one of the four gospels that calls itself a book (Βίβλος). Thus, more contemporary translations have used the term ‘an account’ rather than a book, which appears 10 times in the New Testament. Clearly, this is about the genealogy of Jesus (γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ). The Greek word for genealogy means origins, like the Greek word for the origins of the world in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Then there is the Greek term that we all familiar with “Christ,” (Χριστοῦ), which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew “Messiah,” or “The Anointed One.” This author clearly states at the beginning of this book that it will be about Jesus the expected anointed Messiah, Christ. This Jesus was the son of David (υἱοῦ Δαυεὶδ) and the son of Abraham (υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ). Jesus, the Christ, the anointed one, had Jewish ancestry as a son of Abraham. He also had a royal Hebrew lineage as a son of David. Unlike the Gospel of Luke, this genealogy does not start with the more universal Adam, but with the first Hebrew or Israelite, Abraham. Clearly, Jesus was Jewish.
“There were ten horns
On its head.
The other horn
Came up.
To make room for it,
Three of them fell out.
This horn had eyes.
It had a mouth
That spoke arrogantly.
It seemed greater
Than the others.
As I looked,
This horn made war
With the holy ones.
It was prevailing
Over them.
Then the Ancient One came.
His judgment was given
For the holy ones
Of the Most High.
The time arrived
When the holy ones
Gained possession
Of the kingdom.”
Rather than dwell on the 4th beast, Daniel took notice of the little horn that came out of its head to replace 3 other horns. This little horn had eyes and an arrogant mouth. Somehow, it seemed greater than the others. Then Daniel saw the little horn start a war with the holy ones. In fact, the little horn was winning, until the Ancient One showed up and proclaimed judgment in favor of the holy ones of the Most High God. Finally, the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom.
“Adjoining the territory
Of Gad,
To the south,
The boundary shall run
From Tamar
To the waters
Of Meribath-kadesh.
From there
It shall run
Along the Brook of Egypt
To the Great Sea.”
Somehow the territory of Gad was in the south. Now we have the southern borders of Israel just as it was described in the preceding chapter. This southern border in Numbers, chapter 34 was also vague. Here the border goes almost to Egypt, to the great sea, or the Mediterranean Sea. Tamar was the start of this southeast border. Meribath-kadesh was in the wilderness of Zin, south of the Dead Sea.
“On the south side,
It shall run
From Tamar
As far as
The waters
Of Meribath-kadesh.
From there
It shall run
Along the Brook of Egypt
To the Great Sea.
This shall be the south side.”
The southern border in Numbers, chapter 34 was also vague. However, there was a mention of the Dead Sea and the Wilderness of Zin. Here the border goes almost to Egypt, to the great sea, or the Mediterranean Sea. Tamar, just mentioned on the eastern border, is the start of this southeast border. Meribath-kadesh was in the wilderness of Zin, south of the Dead Sea.
“Thus says Yahweh God!
‘In the first month,
On the first day
Of the month,
You shall take a young bull
Without blemish.
Purify the sanctuary!
The priest shall take
Some of the blood
Of the sin offering.
He shall put it
On the doorposts
Of the temple.
He shall put it
On the four corners
Of the ledge
Of the altar.
He shall put it
On the posts
Of the gate
Of the inner court.
You shall do the same
On the seventh day
Of the month
For any one
Who has sinned
Through error
Or ignorance.
Thus,
You shall make atonement
For the temple.”
Yahweh, via Ezekiel, wanted them to purify the sanctuary on the 1st day of the 1st month. In other words, this would be a New Year’s Day activity. They were to take an unblemished bull and use him to cleanse the sanctuary at the start of the new year. The priest should take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the Temple, as well as the four corners of the altar ledge and the posts of the gate of the inner court. The priest was also supposed to do this same ritual on the 7th day of the month for anyone who sinned inadvertently by error or ignorance. This purification ritual of the first day of the first month of the year would make an atonement for the Temple, so that it would be purified.
“Besides,
Even the Chaldeans themselves
Dishonor these gods.
When they see
Someone who cannot speak,
They bring Bel.
They pray to Bel
That the mute
May speak,
As though Bel
Were able
To understand.
Yet they themselves
Cannot perceive this.
They abandon them.
They have no sense.”
The Chaldeans dishonored their own gods. Whenever they saw a mute person, they would bring the god Bel to them. Then they would pray to Bel to make him speak, as if this false god could understand. But then they would leave him or her there with Bel with no response, because these worshipers of Bel had no sense themselves. Bel was the term used for the Babylonian god Marduk, or Lord. It also was used for many gods in the region. This may have been the start of the use of Lord for the God of Israel, Yahweh.
Taw
“Pay them back
For their deeds!
O Yahweh!
According to the work
Of their hands,
Give them anguish
Of heart!
May your curse
Be on them!
Pursue them
In anger!
Destroy them
From under Yahweh’s heavens!”
This personal lament ends with a plea to Yahweh to destroy his enemies. This author was very clear. He wanted his enemies paid back for what they had done. Yahweh was to use his own hands and his own anger. They were to receive an anguished heart. They should be cursed, pursued, and destroyed. They should be wiped out from under God’s heavens. These three verses start with the final Hebrew consonant letter Taw, since this is the last section of this acrostic poem.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 