The cloud

May 20, 2018

The adoration of the three apostles (Mt 17:6-17:8)

“When the disciples heard this,

They fell to the ground,

Face down.

They were overcome

With fear.

But Jesus came.

He touched them.

Saying.

‘Get up!

Do not be afraid!’

When they looked up,

They saw no one

Except Jesus himself alone.”

 

καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ μαθηταὶ ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα.

καὶ προσῆλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἁψάμενος αὐτῶν εἶπεν Ἐγέρθητε καὶ μὴ φοβεῖσθε.

πάραντες δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν οὐδένα εἶδον εἰ μὴ αὐτὸν Ἰησοῦν μόνον.

 

This adoration of the apostles can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Mark, chapter 9:8, Luke, chapter 9:36, and here in Matthew, which is more elaborate, even though there are other differences in all 3 accounts.  When the disciples heard (καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ μαθηταὶ) this voice from the cloud say that Jesus was the beloved Son, in whom the Father was well pleased, they fell face down to the ground (ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν).  They were greatly terrified (ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν).  However, Jesus came (καὶ προσῆλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς) to them.  He touched them (καὶ ἁψάμενος αὐτῶν).  Then he told them to get up (εἶπεν Ἐγέρθητε) and not be afraid (μὴ φοβεῖσθε).  When they looked up or lifted up their eyes (πάραντες δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν), they saw no one (οὐδένα εἶδον), but only Jesus himself alone (εἰ μὴ αὐτὸν Ἰησοῦν μόνον).  Where were Moses and Elijah?  Was this just a dream?

June 1, 2015

Jeremiah hides the cult material (2 Macc 2:4-2:8)

“It was also in the same document

Writing that the prophet,

Having received an oracle,

Ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him.

He went out to the mountain

Where Moses had gone up.

He had seen the inheritance of God.

Jeremiah came and found a cave-dwelling.

He brought the tent there

With the ark and the altar of incense.

Then he sealed up the entrance.

Some of those who followed him

Came up intending to mark the way,

But they could not find it.

When Jeremiah learned of it,

He rebuked them and declared.

‘The place shall be unknown

Until God gathers his people together again

Until God shows his mercy.

Then the Lord will disclose these things.

The glory of the Lord

And the cloud will appear.

As they were shown in the case of Moses,

And as Solomon asked

That the place should be specially consecrated.’”

Once again, this letter refers to the Epistle of Jeremiah. However, this reference to Jeremiah is more about not being enticed by the idols of the gods that they will see in captivity. This implies that Jeremiah went to Mount Sinai to get the tent of Moses. He then hid it with the Ark of the Covenant and the altar of incense in some cave that was sealed. No one would know about this cave until the end of time when God would gather all his people. Here then is a hint of eschatology, the end times. People tried to find this cave but were unable to do so. King Solomon also had the Ark of the Covenant passed around. The glory and the cloud are how God appeared to Moses.

March 12, 2014

The cloud (Num 9:15-9:23)

“On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant.  From evening until morning it was over the tabernacle, having the appearance of fire.  It was always so.  The cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night.  Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, then the Israelites would set out.  In the place where the cloud settled down, there the Israelites would camp.  At the command of Yahweh the Israelites would set out.  At the command of Yahweh they would camp.  As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they would remain in camp.  Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites would keep the charge of Yahweh, and would not set out.  Sometimes the cloud would remain a few days over the tabernacle.  According to the command of Yahweh, they would remain in camp.  Then according to the command of Yahweh, they would set out.  Sometimes the cloud would remain from evening until morning.  When the cloud lifted in the morning, they would set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they would set out.  Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, resting upon it, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out.  But when it lifted they would set out.  At the command of Yahweh they would camp.  At the command of Yahweh they would set out.  They kept the charge of Yahweh at the command of Yahweh by Moses.”

Just like in Exodus, chapter 40, if the cloud stayed, they did not move.  The cloud covered the tabernacle by day and appeared like fire at night.  So when the cloud moved away from the tabernacle, then the children of Israel set out on their journey.  Wherever the cloud settled down, there the Israelites would camp. At the command of Yahweh they would set out or camp.  However, if the cloud rested over the tabernacle they would remain in camp days, months, or even longer.  When the cloud lifted they would set out. They followed the commandment of Yahweh via Moses.  The cloud told them to move or not to move.