stood up

April 14, 2019

Jesus laid hands on her (Lk 13:13-13:13)

“Jesus laid his hands

On her.

Immediately,

She stood up straight.

She began

Praising God.”

 

καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνορθώθη, καὶ ἐδόξαζεν τὸν Θεόν.

 

Luke uniquely continued with this story.  Jesus laid his hands on this crippled woman (καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας).  Immediately (καὶ παραχρῆμα), she stood up straight or was made straight (ἀνορθώθη).  She began to praise or glorify God (καὶ ἐδόξαζεν τὸν Θεόν).  Not only did Jesus tell her that she would be cured, he actually cured her with a physical laying on hands, a gesture of power to place a good spirit where an evil spirit was before.  Have you ever seen a faith healer?

March 16, 2019

Eternal life (Lk 10:25-10:25)

“Just then,

A certain lawyer

Stood up

To test Jesus.

He said.

‘Teacher!

What must I do

To inherit eternal life?’”

 

Καὶ ἰδοὺ νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων αὐτὸν λέγων Διδάσκαλε, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω;

 

Luke said that just then, a certain lawyer stood up (Καὶ ἰδοὺ νομικός τις ἀνέστη) to test Jesus (ἐκπειράζων αὐτὸν).  He said, calling Jesus a teacher (λέγων Διδάσκαλε), what did he have to do to inherit eternal life (τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω)?  Although there was a question like this in all 3 synoptics, there are nuanced differences.  Matthew, chapter 22:35-36, had a Pharisee lawyer ask the question about the greatest commandment, and not about eternal life.  Mark, chapter 12:28, had a Scribe, not a Pharisee lawyer ask the same question about the greatest commandment.  In Luke, here, there was an unnamed lawyer, probably an expert in the Mosaic law, who wanted to know about how to gain eternal life.  Mark had this unnamed Scribe approach Jesus, because he had heard the disciples discussing, disputing, or arguing with each other.  He saw how Jesus had answered their questions so well.  He was not there to test him, as here in Luke and Matthew, but he did question Jesus.  Matthew had a lawyer, who was a Pharisee, question Jesus to explicitly test him.  This Pharisee lawyer probably was someone skilled in the Mosaic law.  He addressed Jesus in a very respectful tone calling him “Teacher” or rabbi (Διδάσκαλε), like Luke.  He wanted to know which commandment of the law was the greatest, since there were 613 commandments in late Judaism.  Thus, it would seem like a legitimate question with so many commandments or laws.  Luke had the question about eternal life, but the other 2 synoptics questioned Jesus about the most important commandment.  These questions were related, but not the same.  3 different people, with different motives, posed this question.  Do you question people to learn something or to test them?

January 23, 2019

Glorifying God (Lk 5:25-5:25)

“Immediately,

The paralytic stood up

Before them.

He took

What he had been

Lying on.

He went to his home.

He was glorifying God.”

 

καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀναστὰς ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν, ἄρας ἐφ’ ὃ κατέκειτο, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν.

 

The paralyzed man did exactly what Jesus told him to do.  He got up and went to his home.  Jesus had forgiven this man his sins and at the same time cured him of paralysis.  Normally, the power to forgive sins was what only God could do.  Luke said that this paralytic stood up before them (καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀναστὰς ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν).  He took his bed that he had been lying on (ἄρας ἐφ’ ὃ κατέκειτο) and went home (ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ).  At the same time, he was glorifying or praising God (δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν).  Mark, chapter 2:12, and Matthew, chapter 9:7-8, are similar to Luke, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark said that the paralyzed man did exactly as Jesus had told him to do.  He stood up and immediately took his pallet bed in front of everybody.  Jesus had forgiven this man’s sins and cured him of paralysis.  How was the power to forgive sins, which only God could do, related to his healing powers?  How were these powers related?

January 19, 2019

Jesus goes to Nazareth to preach (Lk 4:16-4:16)

“Jesus came

To Nazareth,

Where he had been

Brought up.

He went

To the synagogue

On the Sabbath day,

As was his custom.

He stood up to read.”

 

Καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Ναζαρά, οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν, καὶ ἀνέστη ἀναγνῶναι.

 

There is something similar to this in Matthew, chapter 13:54 and Mark, chapter 6:2.  Luke said that Jesus came to Nazareth (Καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Ναζαρά), where he had been brought up (οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος).  Matthew and Mark said that Jesus came to his hometown, his own area, without naming it Nazareth.  Luke was more elaborate, while Matthew was closer to Mark.  Matthew and Mark, said that on the Sabbath, Jesus began to teach the people in the synagogue.  Luke was a little different.  He said that Jesus went (καὶ εἰσῆλθεν) to the synagogue (εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν) on the Sabbath day (ν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων), as was his custom (κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ).  Then he then stood up to read (καὶ ἀνέστη ἀναγνῶναι).  Luke would describe in detail what Jesus did at the synagogue on the Sabbath in Nazareth, while the other two evangelists simply said that he preached at the synagogue.

November 19, 2018

Why did Jesus not answer? (Mk 14:60-14:60)

“Then the high priest

Stood up

Before them.

He asked Jesus.

‘Have you no answer

To what they testify

Against you?’”

 

καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἰς μέσον ἐπηρώτησεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν λέγων Οὐκ ἀποκρίνῃ οὐδέν; τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν;

 

This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 26:62.  There is nothing like this in Luke, chapter 22, and John, chapter 18.  Mark said that the high priest stood up or rose up (καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς) before them or in the middle of them (εἰς μέσον).  He then questioned Jesus (ἐπηρώτησεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν λέγων) why he had not answered (Οὐκ ἀποκρίνῃ οὐδέν) to what these men were testifying against him (τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν).  Apparently, this was the first time that the high priest had spoken directly to Jesus.

November 19, 2018

False testimony (Mk 14:56-14:57)

“Many gave

False testimony

Against Jesus.

Their testimony

Did not agree.

Some stood up.

They gave

False testimony

Against Jesus.”

 

πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐψευδομαρτύρουν κατ’ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἴσαι αἱ μαρτυρίαι οὐκ ἦσαν.

καί τινες ἀναστάντες ἐψευδομαρτύρουν κατ’ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες

 

This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 14:60.  However, this emphasis on witnesses and testimony was not in Luke, chapter 22, and John, chapter 18.  Mark said that many people gave false testimony against Jesus (πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐψευδομαρτύρουν κατ’ αὐτοῦ).  Their testimonies did not agree (καὶ ἴσαι αἱ μαρτυρίαι οὐκ ἦσαν).  Some people stood up (καί τινες ἀναστάντες) and gave these false testimonies against Jesus (ἐψευδομαρτύρουν κατ’ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες).  There is almost a redundancy in these remarks.  According to Jewish law in Deuteronomy, chapters 17:6 and 19:15, it took 2 witnesses to convict anyone.  This gathering sounds more like a trial than an informal meeting.  Not only were they seeking pseudo or false witnesses, the whole council meeting may have been illegal, since they were not allowed to meet during the festivals, including Passover.  This council included the elders or presbyters and the Scribes of Jerusalem, along with the priests and the high priests.  However, the dreaded Pharisees and Sadducees were not part of this council meeting.

August 21, 2018

The paralytic walks away (Mk 2:12-2:12)

“The paralytic

Stood up.

Immediately,

He took his pallet bed.

He went out

Before all of them.

Thus,

They were all amazed.

They glorified God,

Saying.

‘We never saw anything

Like this!’”

 

καὶ ἠγέρθη καὶ εὐθὺς ἄρας τὸν κράβαττον ἐξῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν πάντων, ὥστε ἐξίστασθαι πάντας καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν λέγοντας ὅτι Οὕτως οὐδέποτε εἴδαμεν.

 

Luke, chapter 5:25-26, and Matthew, chapter 9:7-8, are similar to Mark, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark said that the paralyzed man did exactly as Jesus had told him to do.  He arose or stood up (καὶ ἠγέρθη).  He immediately took his pallet bed (καὶ εὐθὺς ἄρας τὸν κράβαττον).  He went out from there in front of everybody (ἐξῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν πάντων).  Jesus had forgiven this man his sins and cured him of paralysis.  How was the power to forgive sins, which only God could do, related to his healing powers?  They were all amazed, or marveled (ὥστε ἐξίστασθαι πάντας) at what they had just witnessed.  They glorified, honored, or praised God (καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν).  They said to one another that they had never seen anything like this before (λέγοντας ὅτι Οὕτως οὐδέποτε εἴδαμεν).  Jesus had a lot of power.

July 16, 2018

The high priest speaks (Mt 26:62-26:62)

“The high priest

Stood up.

He said.

‘Have you

No answer?

What is it

That these men

Testify against you?’”

 

καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Οὐδὲν ἀποκρίνῃ, τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν;

 

This is almost word for word in Mark, chapter 14:60.  There is nothing like this in Luke, chapter 22, and John, chapter 18.  Matthew and Mark said that the high priest stood up or rose up (καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς).  He, assuming it was Caiaphas, then asked Jesus (εἶπεν αὐτῷ) if he had any answer (Οὐδὲν ἀποκρίνῃ) to what these men were testifying against him (τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν).  Apparently, this was the first time that the high priest Caiaphas spoke directly to Jesus.

September 19, 2017

Daniel questions the elder’s condemnation (Dan 13:47-13:49)

“All the people

Turned to Daniel.

They asked.

‘What is this

That you are saying?’

Taking his stand

Among them,

He said.

‘Are you such fools?

O Israelites!

Have you condemned

A daughter of Israel

Without examination?

Have you condemned

A daughter of Israel

Without learning the facts?

Return to court!

These men

Have given false evidence

Against her.’”

They all turned to Daniel after he had spoken out. They wanted to know what he said. Then Daniel stood up in the middle of them. He then asked them if they were fools. Why had these Israelites condemned one of their own daughters? He said that there had been no examination or attempt to learn the facts of the case. He wanted them all to return to court, because he believed that these two elders had put forth false evidence against Susanna. There was no indication on how he knew this.

September 7, 2017

Daniel stands up (Dan 10:11-10:11)

“The man said to me.

‘Daniel!

Greatly beloved!

Pay attention

To the words

That I am going

To speak to you!

Stand on your feet!

Now,

I have been sent to you.’

While he was speaking

This word to me,

I stood up trembling.”

This man from the vision spoke to Daniel. He said that Daniel was greatly beloved. However, he had to pay attention to the words that he was going to speak to him. First, Daniel had to get back up on his feet. This man explained that he had been sent to him. While this man was still speaking to him, Daniel stood up, even though he was still trembling.