stopped

May 23, 2019

Jesus meets the blind beggar (Lk 18:40-18:40)

“Jesus stood still.

He ordered

The man

To be brought

To him.”

 

σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus stood still (σταθεὶς δὲ).  He ordered them (ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν) to bring that blind man to him (ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν).  Both Mark, chapter 10:49, and Matthew, chapter 20:32, had something similar.  Mark said that Jesus stopped or stood still (καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) when he heard all this noise.  In a saying that is unique to Mark, Jesus then said (εἶπεν) to his disciples that they should call Bartimaeus to him (Φωνήσατε αὐτόν).  Then Jesus’ disciples called this blind man (καὶ φωνοῦσιν τὸν τυφλὸν).  They told him to have courage or take heart (λέγοντες αὐτῷ Θάρσει) and get up (ἔγειρε,) because Jesus was calling him (φωνεῖ σε).  Matthew simply stated that Jesus stopped or stood still (καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) when he heard all this noise.  In all three synoptics, Jesus stopped in his tracks and wanted to see this blind man or men who were calling out to him.  Do you stop when someone calls out to you?

 

April 19, 2019

They were silent (Lk 14:4-14:4)

“But they were silent.

Then Jesus

Took hold of him.

He healed him.

He sent him away.”

 

οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος ἰάσατο αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέλυσεν.

 

Luke uniquely stated that the lawyers and Pharisees were silent (οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν).  Then Jesus took hold of the man with dropsy (καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος) and healed him (ἰάσατο αὐτὸν).  Then Jesus sent him away (καὶ ἀπέλυσεν).  Apparently, this was a perplexing problem for the Pharisees since helping people on the Sabbath was not unlawful as indicated in chapter 13:14-16 with the crippled woman.  Besides, it would be hard to tell if the fluid retention in the body of this person with dropsy had stopped.  Are you perplexed about anything?

February 24, 2019

The woman touched the garment of Jesus (Lk 8:44-8:44)

“She came up

Behind Jesus.

She touched

The fringe

Of his clothes.

Instantly,

Her bleeding stopped.”

 

προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς.

 

Luke said that this woman came up behind Jesus (ροσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν).  She touched the fringe of his cloak (ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ).  Instantly, her bleeding stopped (καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς).  This woman touching Jesus can also be found in Matthew, chapter 9:21, and Mark, chapter 5:27-29, so that Mark might be the source.  Mark said that this woman had heard about Jesus, so that she came up behind him with the crowd all around Jesus.  She wanted to touch his cloak, with no mention of the fringes or edges of Jesus’ clothes.  She was saying to herself, that if she only touched his cloak or garment, she would be healed or cured.  Immediately, her flowing blood dried up or stopped when she touched it.  She realized in her body that she was healed from her disease.  This woman was aware of what was happening to her own body as she was healed.  Matthew said that she came up behind Jesus, because she wanted to touch the fringe or the tassel edge of his cloak.  These fringes (κρασπέδου) or bottom tassels often reminded people about the 10 commandments.  She was thinking to herself, that if she only touched his cloak or garment, she would be healed or cured.  She had a plan to help herself by touching the garment of Jesus.  Have you ever tried to touch someone in a crowd?

February 14, 2019

No kisses (Lk 7:45-7:45)

“You gave me

No kiss.

However,

From the time

I came in,

She has not stopped

Kissing my feet.”

 

φίλημά μοι οὐκ ἔδωκας· αὕτη δὲ ἀφ’ ἧς εἰσῆλθον οὐ διέλειπεν καταφιλοῦσά μου τοὺς πόδας.

 

Luke uniquely had Jesus continue to reprimand Simon, the Pharisee, for his lack of hospitality compared to this sinning woman.  Jesus said that Simon gave him no greeting kiss (φίλημά μοι οὐκ ἔδωκας) when he came into his house.  This woman, on the other hand, since he came in (αὕτη δὲ ἀφ’ ἧς εἰσῆλθον), had not stopped kissing his feet (οὐ διέλειπεν καταφιλοῦσά μου τοὺς πόδας).  What a contrast?  Do you greet people with a kiss?

October 15, 2018

Jesus calls the blind man (Mk 10:49-10:49)

“Jesus stood still.

He said.

‘Call him here!’

They called

The blind man.

They said to him.

‘Take heart!

Get up!

He is calling you.’”

 

καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Φωνήσατε αὐτόν. καὶ φωνοῦσιν τὸν τυφλὸν λέγοντες αὐτῷ Θάρσει, ἔγειρε, φωνεῖ σε.

 

Both Matthew, chapter 20:32, and Luke, chapter 18:40, have something similar.  Mark said that Jesus stopped or stood still (καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) when he heard all this noise, since he seemed to stop in his tracks.  In a saying that is unique to Mark, Jesus then said (εἶπεν) to his disciples that they should call Bartimaeus to him (Φωνήσατε αὐτόν).  Then Jesus’ disciples called this blind man (καὶ φωνοῦσιν τὸν τυφλὸν).  They told him to have courage or take heart (λέγοντες αὐτῷ Θάρσει) and get up (ἔγειρε,) because Jesus was calling him (φωνεῖ σε).

September 6, 2018

The healing (Mk 5:29-5:29)

“Immediately,

Her flowing blood stopped.

She realized

In her body

That she was healed

Of her disease.”

 

καὶ εὐθὺς ἐξηράνθη ἡ πηγὴ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς, καὶ ἔγνω τῷ σώματι ὅτι ἴαται ἀπὸ τῆς μάστιγο

 

This healing is pretty much the same as can be found in Luke, chapter 8:44, but not in Matthew.  Mark said that immediately (καὶ εὐθὺς), her flowing blood dried up or stopped (ἐξηράνθη ἡ πηγὴ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς).  She realized in her body (καὶ ἔγνω τῷ σώματι) that she was healed from her disease (ὅτι ἴαται ἀπὸ τῆς μάστιγο).  This woman was aware of what was happening to her own body as she was healed.

June 4, 2018

The healing of the two blind men (Mt 20:32-20:34)

“Jesus stopped.

He called them.

Saying.

‘What do you want me

to do for you?’

They said to him.

‘Lord!

Let our eyes be opened!’

Moved with compassion,

Jesus touched their eyes.

Immediately,

They regained their sight.

They followed him.’”

 

καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐφώνησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ εἶπεν Τί θέλετε ποιήσω ὑμῖν;

λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Κύριε, ἵνα ἀνοιγῶσιν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν.

σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἥψατο τῶν ὀμμάτων αὐτῶν, καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέβλεψαν καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.

 

Both Mark, chapter 10:49-52, and Luke, chapter 18:40-43 have a more elaborate explanation.  Jesus stopped or stood still (καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς) when he heard all this noise.  He then called (ἐφώνησεν αὐτοὺς) the two blind men.  He wanted to know what they wanted him to do for them (καὶ εἶπεν Τί θέλετε ποιήσω ὑμῖν).  They then called Jesus Lord (λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Κύριε).  They wanted their eyes opened (ἵνα ἀνοιγῶσιν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν) so that they could see.  Jesus was moved with compassion and pity on them (σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ), so that he touched their eyes (ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἥψατο τῶν ὀμμάτων αὐτῶν).  Immediately (καὶ εὐθέως), they regained their sight (ἀνέβλεψαν) and followed him (καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ).  These two blind men then became disciples of Jesus.  However, Matthew did not mention their faith explicitly as in Mark and Luke.

March 6, 2018

The Magi follow the star (Mt 2:9-2:10)

“When they had heard out

The king,

They set out

On their way.

There ahead of them

Went the star

That they had seen

Rising in the east.

It stopped

Over the place

Where the child was.

When they saw

That the star

Had stopped,

They were overwhelmed

With joy.”

 

οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπορεύθησαν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ, ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, προῆγεν αὐτούς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον.

ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα.

 

When the magi had finished their conversation with King Herod (οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως), they set out on their way (ἐπορεύθησαν) to Bethlehem.  Then they saw that the star in the eastern skies (δοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ, ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ).  This star led them until it stopped (προῆγεν αὐτούς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη) over the place where the child was (ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον).  They were really happy with exceeding great joy (ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα) about seeing this star (ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα) that had guided them.  Obviously, this was a religious miracle star, not some ordinary star.  The magi had completed their task.

December 13, 2017

The power of Yahweh (Hab 3:5-3:6)

“Pestilence went before him.

The plague followed close behind.

Yahweh stopped.

He shook the earth.

He looked.

He made the nations tremble.

The eternal mountains

Were shattered.

The everlasting hills

Sank low,

Along his ancient pathways.”

Habakkuk remarked that Yahweh was powerful.  Pestilence went before him, while the plague followed him.  Yahweh stopped and shook the earth.  As he looked, the various countries trembled.  The eternal mountains and the everlasting hills were shattered, as they sank low to provide a path for him.

April 11, 2017

The glory of Yahweh leaves Jerusalem (Ezek 11:22-11:23)

“Then the cherubim

Lifted up

Their wings,

With the wheels

Beside them.

The glory

Of the God of Israel

Was above them.

The glory of Yahweh

Ascended

From the middle of the city.

The glory of Yahweh

Stopped on the mountain

East of the city.”

Now we return to Ezekiel, the cherubim, and the glory of Yahweh. The cherubim have their wings and wheels as before. However, the glory of God or his presence left Jerusalem. The glory of the God of Israel stopped on a mountain east of the city, probably the Mount of Olives. Yahweh was no longer in his beloved city of Jerusalem.