strong man

August 28, 2018

The thief binds up people (Mk 3:27-3:27)

“But no one can enter

A strong man’s house

And plunder

His property,

Without first tying up

The strong man.

Then indeed,

He may plunder

His house.”

 

ἀλλ’ οὐ δύναται οὐδεὶς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ εἰσελθὼν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ διαρπάσαι, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον τὸν ἰσχυρὸν δήσῃ, καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει.

 

There is something similar to this in Luke, chapter 11:21-22, and Matthew, chapter 12:29.  Here there is a reference to a strong man, probably Satan, who was overcome by another strong man, probably Jesus.  The strong man must be tied up before anyone can plunder his house.  Jesus, via Mark, appeared to be giving advice on how to rob a house.  No one would go into the house of a strong man (ἀλλ’ οὐ δύναται οὐδεὶς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ) to plunder seize, snatch, or rob his property or goods (εἰσελθὼν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἁρπάσαι) without first tying up the strong man (ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον τὸν ἰσχυρόν δήσῃ).  Then you would indeed be able to plunder or totally rob his whole house (καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει).  Thus, Satan would have to be bound up before you could enter his house to rob him.

April 24, 2018

Tie up someone before stealing from them (Mt 12:29-12:29)

“How can one enter

A strong man’s house?

How can one plunder

His property?

Does he not first tie up

The strong man?

Then indeed the house

Can be plundered.”

 

ἢ πῶς δύναταί τις εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἁρπάσαι, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον δήσῃ τὸν ἰσχυρόν, καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει;

 

There is something similar to this in Luke, chapter 11:21-22, but there it is a strong man guarding his castle.  Here there is a vague reference to Satan, the strong man, who was overcome by another strong man.  Here Matthew seems to indicate that the strong man or Satan must be tied up before anyone can plunder his house.  Jesus, via Matthew, appears to be giving advice on how to rob a house.  How could you get into a strong man’s house (ἢ πῶς δύναταί τις εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ)?  How could you plunder, seize, snatch, or rob his property (καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἁρπάσαι)?  First, you had to tie up the strong man (ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον δήσῃ τὸν ἰσχυρόν), before you could plunder or totally rob his house (καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει).  Thus, Satan would have to be bound up before you could enter his house to rob him.

August 17, 2017

The king was the great tree (Dan 4:20-4:22)

“‘The tree

That you saw,

That grew great,

That became strong,

That its top reached

To heaven,

That was visible

To the end

Of the whole earth,

It is you!

O king!

Its leaves were beautiful.

It fruit was abundant.

It provided food for all.

Animals of the field

Lived under it.

Birds of the air

Had nests

In its branches.

It is you!

O king!

You have grown great!

You have become strong!

Your greatness has increased!

Your greatness reaches

To heaven.

Your sovereignty reaches

To the ends of the earth.’”

Belteshazzar or Daniel told the king that he was the tree that he saw in his dream, since a strong man was often equated with a big sturdy tree. After all, the king, like the tree in the dream, had grown great and strong. His greatness had reached to heaven and was visible to the ends of the whole earth, because his kingdom was so great. Daniel described the tree with its abundant beautiful leaves and fruit that provided food for everyone. He used the same remarks as in the dream about the tree being a shady place for field animals and birds to build nests on its branches.

August 25, 2015

Yahweh and the sun (Ps 19:4-19:6)

“In the heavens,

He has set a tent for the sun.

The sun comes out

Like a bridegroom

From his wedding canopy.

The sun is like a strong man

Who runs his course with joy.

Its rising is from the end of the heavens.

Its circuit is to the end of them.

There is nothing hid from its heat.”

This is almost a hymn to the sun. However, Yahweh is in control of the sun. Clearly this sun is revolving around the earth. The sun comes out like a bridegroom from a wedding canopy. What a description of a sunrise! The sun is like a strong man who cannot be deterred from his course that he runs with joy. The sun rises at one end and does a circuit to the other end of heaven or the sky. Nothing can hide from the heat of the sun.