the boat

August 15, 2018

The call of the sons of Zebedee (Mk 1:20-1:20)

“Immediately,

Jesus called them.

They left

Their father,

Zebedee,

In the boat

With the hired men.

They followed after Jesus.”

 

καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς· καὶ ἀφέντες τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν Ζεβεδαῖον ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ τῶν μισθωτῶν ἀπῆλθον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ.

 

Once again, the similarity with Matthew, chapter 4:22, is quite striking, almost word for word.  Then as Jesus had done with the other two brothers, he immediately called these two brothers (καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς).  Just like Simon and Andrew had done, they left both their boat and also their father Zebedee (καὶ ἀφέντες τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν Ζεβεδαῖον ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ).  However, they left their father with some hired servants (μετὰ τῶν μισθωτῶν) that was not mentioned in Matthew.  Both James and John, the sons of Zebedee, followed after Jesus (ἀπῆλθον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ).  So now, we have the first four disciples of Jesus, two sets of brothers, according to Matthew and Mark.

May 14, 2018

Jesus goes to Magadan (Mt 15:39-15:39)

“After sending away

The crowds,

Jesus got into the boat.

He went

To the region of Magadan.”

 

Καὶ ἀπολύσας τοὺς ὄχλους ἐνέβη εἰς τὸ πλοῖον, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὰ ὅρια Μαγαδάν.

 

Mark, chapter 8:8-10, has a similar statement about getting into a boat and traveling, but there he went to Dalmanutha, not Magadan.   Jesus sent the crowds away (Καὶ ἀπολύσας τοὺς ὄχλους) after feeding them.  He then got into his boat (ἐνέβη εἰς τὸ πλοῖον).  He ended up in the region of Magadan (καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὰ ὅρια Μαγαδάν).  Are Magadan and Dalmanutha near each other on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee?  No one knows for sure, but this area might be between Capernaum and Tiberias near Gennesaret.  Magadan may have been where Mary Magdalene was from, but there is no concrete evidence to support that.

May 8, 2018

Jesus is recognized as the Son of God (Mt 14:32-14:33)

When they got

Into the boat,

The wind ceased.

Those in the boat

Worshiped Jesus.

They said.

‘Truly,

You are

The Son of God.’”

 

καὶ ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἐκόπασεν ὁ ἄνεμος.

οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες Ἀληθῶς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς εἶ.

 

While both Mark, chapter 6:51, and John, chapter 6:21, have Jesus enter the boat, only Matthew has this revelation about Jesus as the Son of God, no longer just the Son of Man.  When Jesus and Peter got into the boat (καὶ ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον), the wind stopped or abated (ἐκόπασεν ὁ ἄνεμος).  Those in the boat worshiped Jesus (οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ).  They said he truly was the Son of God (λέγοντες Ἀληθῶς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς εἶ), no questions asked.  This was a clear proclamation by his followers that Jesus was divine, the Son of God.  Apparently, the multiplication of the bread and fishes plus the walking on water had finally convinced them that Jesus was more than a mere mortal.

 

May 8, 2018

Peter walks on the water (Mt 14:29-14:30)

“Jesus said.

‘Come!’

Thus,

Peter got out of the boat.

He started walking

On the water.

He came toward Jesus.

But when he noticed

The strong wind,

He became frightened.

He began to sink.

He cried out.

‘Lord!

Save me!’”

 

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Ἐλθέ. καὶ καταβὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου Πέτρος περιεπάτησεν ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα καὶ ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν.

βλέπων δὲ τὸν ἄνεμον ἐφοβήθη, καὶ ἀρξάμενος καταποντίζεσθαι ἔκραξεν λέγων Κύριε, σῶσόν με.

 

This section about Peter walking on the water is unique to Matthew, as he tended to emphasize the importance of Peter.  Jesus told Peter to come to him (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Ἐλθέ).  Thus, Peter got out of the boat (καὶ καταβὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου Πέτρος) and started walking on the water (περιεπάτησεν ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα).  He came toward Jesus (καὶ ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν), but he noticed a strong wind (βλέπων δὲ τὸν ἄνεμον), so that he became frightened (ἐφοβήθη).  Thus, he began to sink (καὶ ἀρξάμενος καταποντίζεσθαι), as he cried out to Jesus, his Lord or master, to save him (ἔκραξεν λέγων Κύριε, σῶσόν με).

April 6, 2018

The disciples followed (Mt 8:23-8:23)

“When he got

Into the boat,

His disciples

Followed him.”

 

Καὶ ἐμβάντι αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.

 

This short episode of everyone getting into the boat can be found in Mark, chapter 4:36, and Luke, chapter 8:22, somewhat similar.  This simple statement has Jesus get into the boat (Καὶ ἐμβάντι αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ πλοῖον) and then his disciples followed him (ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.).  This reemphasized the idea of the importance of his disciples “οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ” who followed him “ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.”

November 19, 2017

The positive response of the people of Nineveh (Jon 3:5-3:5)

“The people of Nineveh

Believed God.

They proclaimed a fast.

Everyone,

Great and small,

Put on sackcloth.”

In a sudden conversion or the fear of destruction, the people of Nineveh believed in God.  Notice that they believed in God, not Yahweh, which would have been more difficult.  Just like on the boat, Jonah seemed to be successful, even if he was not trying very hard.  They proclaimed a fast.  Then everyone, no matter whether they were important or not, put on sackcloth to go into mourning.