the dead

September 28, 2018

Jesus told them not to tell anyone (Mk 9:9-9:9)

“As they were coming down

The mountain,

He ordered them

To tell no one

About what they had seen,

Until the Son of Man

Had been raised

From the dead.”

 

Καὶ καταβαινόντων αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ ἃ εἶδον διηγήσωνται, εἰ μὴ ὅταν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ.

 

Once again, we are back at the messianic secret that can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 16:9, Luke, chapter 9:36, and here in Mark that is closer to Matthew.  Jesus and his 3 disciples came down or descended from the mountain (Καὶ καταβαινόντων αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους).  He admonished, commanded, instructed, or ordered them (διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς) not to tell anyone about what they had seen (ἵνα μηδενὶ ἃ εἶδον διηγήσωνται) until the Son of Man had been raised from the dead (εἰ μὴ ὅταν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ).  They would be free to speak about this after the death and resurrection of Jesus, but not before that turning point among the followers of Jesus.

August 9, 2018

Go tell the disciples (Mt 28:7-28:7)

“Then go quickly!

Tell his disciples!

‘He has risen

From the dead!

Indeed!

He is going

Ahead of you

To Galilee.

There you will see him.’

This is my message

For you.”

 

καὶ ταχὺ πορευθεῖσαι εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ὅτι Ἠγέρθη ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἰδοὺ προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε. ἰδοὺ εἶπον ὑμῖν.

 

This text is similar to Mark, chapter 16:7, but there was a specific mention of Peter there that is not here.  Luke, chapter 24:9, had the women tell the 11 apostles, about the resurrection of Jesus without being told to do so.  John, chapter 20:2, had Mary Magdalene tell Peter and the other disciple about Jesus’ resurrection without anyone telling her to do so.  Matthew said that this angel told these women to go quickly in order to tell the disciples of Jesus (καὶ ταχὺ πορευθεῖσαι εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ) that he had risen from the dead (ὅτι Ἠγέρθη ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν).  Indeed, he was going to go ahead of them into Galilee (καὶ ἰδοὺ προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν), where they would see him (ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε) without mentioning any specific destination.  This was his angelic message for them (ἰδοὺ εἶπον ὑμῖν).

 

June 16, 2018

The living God of their ancestors (Mt 22:31-22:32)

“As for the resurrection

Of the dead,

Have you not read

What was said to you

By God?

‘I am the God of Abraham.

I am the God of Isaac.

I am the God of Jacob.’

He is God.

Not of the dead,

But of the living.”

 

περὶ δὲ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος

Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ; οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων.

 

Jesus continued his explanation that can also be found in Mark, chapter 12:26-27, and Luke, chapter 20:37-38.  They both refer to Moses at the burning bush, a mysterious theophany that overwhelmed Moses, but is not explicitly mentioned here.  However, this was implied by the comment about God based on Exodus, chapter 3:6.  As for the resurrection of the dead (περὶ δὲ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν), Jesus reminded the Sadducees that they had not read the correct sayings of God (οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος).  He then referenced the saying of Yahweh to Moses at the burning bush, that he was God of Abraham (Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ), the God of Isaac (καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ), and the God of Jacob (καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ).  Jesus ended by saying that Yahweh, the Father, was the God of the living (ἀλλὰ ζώντων), not the dead (οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς νεκρῶν).

April 6, 2018

The death of a father (Mt 8:21-8:22)

“Another of the disciples

Said to him.

‘Lord!

Let me first go

To bury my father!’

But Jesus said to him,

‘Follow me!

Let the dead

Bury their own dead.’”

 

τερος δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κύριε, ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθεῖν καὶ θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου.

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.

 

This saying of Jesus is almost the same in Luke, chapter 9:59-60, indicating a possible Q source.  Once again, this is a harsh saying about discipleship of Jesus.  Another follower of Jesus (τερος δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν) said to him (εἶπεν αὐτῷ), calling him the “Lord” (Κύριε) that he wanted to be allowed to bury his father first (ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθεῖν καὶ θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου), as it was the Jewish custom to bury people within 7 days.  However, Jesus’ response was not very compassionate.  Quite the opposite, Jesus told his follower (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ), a true disciple of Jesus who was a “μαθητῶν,” to follow him (Ἀκολούθει μοι).  Jesus added, that the dead should bury their own dead (καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς).  This seems to deny any mourning period.

November 5, 2017

No one left in the house (Am 6:9-6:10)

“If ten people remain

In one house,

They shall die.

If a relative,

One who burns

The dead,

Shall take up the body

To bring it

Out of the house,

Shall say to someone

In the innermost parts

Of the house,

‘Is there still anyone else

With you?’

The answer will come.

‘No!’

Then the relative will say.

‘Hush!

We must not mention

The name of Yahweh.’”

Amos pointed out that the destruction would be complete. If there were 10 people in any house, they would all die. If a relative came along to burn the bodies of the dead, he would call out to see if there was anyone left in the house. If the answer was no, then this relative would say to anyone around that they should not mention the name of Yahweh, in case they might be struck down also.

October 6, 2017

The useless sacrifices (Hos 9:4-9:4)

“They shall not pour

Drink offerings

Of wine

To Yahweh.

Their sacrifices

Shall not please him.

Such sacrifices shall be

Like mourners’ bread.

All who eat of it

Shall be defiled.

Their bread

Shall be

For their hunger only.

It shall not come

To the house

Of Yahweh.”

Hosea told them that in their captivity, they will not be able to pour out drink offerings of wine to Yahweh. Their sacrifices would not please God. These sacrifices would be like the defiled bread of mourners who have had contact with the dead. The only reason to eat this bread would be because they were hungry. There will be no more symbolic bread, since they will no longer have contact with the house of Yahweh.

September 12, 2017

The future resurrection (Dan 12:2-12:3)

“Many of those

Who sleep

In the dust

Of the earth

Shall awake.

Some shall awake

To everlasting life.

Some shall awake

To shame,

To everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise

Shall shine

Like the brightness

Of the sky.

Those who lead many

To righteousness,

Shall shine

Like the stars

Forever and ever.”

Here is the first explicit mention of an afterlife resurrection in the Biblical writings.  Once again, Gabriel was explaining to Daniel what the end times would be like.  Notice that not all people would raise from the dead, only many.  Some will awake to an everlasting life, while others will awaken to shame and everlasting contempt.  The wise ones and the righteous ones would shine like the brightness of the sky and the stars, forever and ever.  Perhaps, this is an indication of a glorified shinny body.

April 10, 2017

Yahweh will send the sword (Ezek 11:7-11:8)

“Therefore

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘The slain

Whom you have placed

Within it,

Are the meat.

The city is the pot.

But you shall be

Taken out of it.

You have feared

The sword.

I will bring the sword

Upon you!’

Says Yahweh God.”

This oracle of Yahweh continues with the theme of the dead in Jerusalem. Using the earlier proverb about the meat in the pot, Yahweh explains that the dead people are the meat and the pot is the city. They will be taken out of the pot or the city. However, the sword or death would come upon them anyway. Cleary Yahweh God has spoken.

March 21, 2017

The caretakers of the idol gods (Bar 6:26-6:28)

“Those who serve

These idol gods

Are ashamed.

If any of these gods

Fall to the ground,

They themselves

Must pick them up.

If anyone sets them upright,

These gods

Cannot move themselves.

If they are tipped over,

They cannot straighten themselves.

Gifts are placed

Before them

Just as before the dead.

The priests sell

The sacrifices

That are offered

To these gods.

They use the money themselves.

Their wives likewise

Preserve some of the meat

With salt.

But they give none of it

To the poor

Or the helpless.”

Next this author attacks those who take care of these idol gods. These caretakers were themselves ashamed. If any of these gods fell to the ground, they must pick them up. They have to set these gods upright since they cannot move themselves. If these idols are tipped over, they cannot up right themselves. In other words, there has to be someone around these false idol gods, because if anything happens to them, these caretakers have to straighten things out. Gifts are placed before these images, just like gifts for the dead. However, these caretaker priests often sell the sacrifices that were offered to these gods. Then they would use the money for themselves. Their wives likewise would preserve some of the meat with salt. However, they gave none of it to the poor or the helpless.

November 26, 2016

Which is worse death or captivity? (Jer 22:10-22:10)

“Do not weep for him

Who is dead!

Do not bemoan him!

Rather weep for him

Who goes away!

He shall return no more

To see his native land.”

Jeremiah poses the problem. Which is worse? Was it better to die or to be sent into captivity? In fact, Jeremiah says that they should not weep or bemoan the dead. Instead they should weep for those who are going away, never to see their native land. Jeremiah maintains that captivity was worse than death. Was that a common thought? That is a strange way to look at it, but it does denote the great importance of the Promised Land to the Israelites.