the field

May 1, 2018

Jesus explains the field and the seeds (Mt 13:38-13:38)

“The field is the world.

The good seeds

Are the children

Of the kingdom.

The weeds

Are the children

Of the evil one.”

 

ὁ δὲ ἀγρός ἐστιν ὁ κόσμος· τὸ δὲ καλὸν σπέρμα, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας· τὰ δὲ ζιζάνιά εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ,

 

Only Matthew has this explanation about the parable of the weeds that was earlier in this chapter, 13:24-30.  Jesus, via Matthew, went into great detail about this earlier parable, as he explained the field, the good seed, and the weeds.  The field was the world (ὁ δὲ ἀγρός ἐστιν ὁ κόσμος).  The good seeds were the sons of the kingdom (τὸ δὲ καλὸν σπέρμα, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας).  The weeds were the sons of the evil one (τὰ δὲ ζιζάνιά εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ).  This is the classic battle of good and evil in the world with the sons of the kingdom against the sons of the evil one.

May 1, 2018

The disciples seek an explanation about a parable (Mt 13:36-13:36)

“Then Jesus left the crowds.

He went into the house.

His disciples approached him.

Saying.

‘Explain to us

The parable of the weeds

In the field.’”

 

Τότε ἀφεὶς τοὺς ὄχλους ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν. Καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες Διασάφησον ἡμῖν τὴν παραβολὴν τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ.

 

Only Matthew has this request for an explanation about the parable of the weeds that was earlier in this chapter, 13:24-30.  Then Jesus, via Matthew, left or dismissed the crowds (Τότε ἀφεὶς τοὺς ὄχλους).  He then went into the house (ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν), without an explanation of whose house it was.  His disciples then approached him (Καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ), asking him to explain the parable of the weeds in the field to them (λέγοντες Διασάφησον ἡμῖν τὴν παραβολὴν τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ).  Thus, the mystery would be revealed to his disciples in private, much like a gnostic elite group.

October 11, 2017

The farmers should mourn (Joel 1:11-1:12)

“Be dismayed!

You farmers!

Wail!

You vinedressers!

The wheat,

The barley,

The crops

Of the field

Are ruined.

The vine withers.

The fig tree droops.

Pomegranate trees,

Palm trees,

Apple trees,

All the trees

Of the field

Are dried up.

Surely,

Joy withers away

Among the people.”

The famers and the vinedressers should wail and be upset. All the crops of the field, the wheat and the barley, are ruined. The vines wither away, while the fig trees droop. All the trees of the field, the pomegranate, the palm, and the apple trees, have dried up. There is no longer any joy among the people because of this plague of locusts.

September 24, 2017

The prophet Habakkuk (Dan 14:33-14:34)

“Now the prophet Habakkuk

Was in Judea.

He had made a stew.

He had broken bread

Into a bowl.

He was going

Into the field

To take it

To the reapers.

But the angel

Of the Lord

Said to Habakkuk.

‘Take the dinner

That you have

To Babylon,

To Daniel,

In the lions’ den.’”

Who is this prophet Habakkuk? It is not clear whether he was one of the minor prophets with the same name. Here, he is a prophet in Judea. Since the minor prophets were already known, this may be an attempt to connect the two prophets, Habakkuk and Daniel together. Anyway, he had some stew and bread that he was bringing to the workers reaping in the field, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him. This unnamed angel told Habakkuk to bring his dinner to Daniel in the lion’s den in Babylon. That would be quite a task since foot travel was the normal form of transportation between Judea and Babylon. Once again, there is an emphasis on eating. I would; think that the last thing that Daniel was worried about in the lion’s den would be food.

June 19, 2017

Abundance with no more famines (Ezek 36:29-36:30)

“I will save you

From all

Your unclean situations.

I will summon

The grain.

I will make it

Abundant.

I will lay

No famine

Upon you.

I will make

The fruit

Of the tree

Abundant.

I will make

The produce

Of the field

Abundant.

Thus,

You may never again

Suffer the disgrace

Of famine

Among the nations.”

To make life easier in the new old land, Yahweh, via Ezekiel said that he would save the Israelites from any unclean situations. He would make the grain grow abundantly, so that there would be no more famines. He was also going to make the fruits of the tree and produce of the field more abundant. Thus, they would never again suffer the disgrace of famine like other nations and countries.

 

June 15, 2017

The wonderful blessed land (Ezek 34:26-34:27)

“I will make them

A blessing.

I will make the regions

Around my hill

A blessing.

I will send down

The showers

In their season.

They shall be showers

Of blessing.

The trees

Of the field

Shall yield

Their fruit.

The earth

Shall yield

Its increase.

They shall be

Secure

On their soil.

They shall know

That I am Yahweh,

When I break

The bars

Of their yoke.

I will save them

From the hands

Of those who enslaved them.”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, was going to bless the holy hill of Israel and the surrounding areas. He was going to send down blessing showers in their appropriate seasons. He was also going to bless the trees of the field, so that they would yield their fruit. The good earth would yield a steady increase in its crops. Thus, they could be secure on their own soil. They would know that he was Yahweh, because he was going to break the bars on their slavery yoke. Finally, they would be saved from the hands of those who had enslaved them. Good times were ahead.

March 1, 2017

Death would be better than famine (Lam 4:9-4:9)

Tet

“Happier were those

Pierced by the sword

Than those

Pierced by hunger.

Their life

Drains away.

They are deprived

Of the produce

Of the field.”

This author points out that famine or starvation is worse than death by a sword. Starvation leads to the draining of life since they were deprived of the products of the field. This brings up the question of whether a quick death or a slow painful death is better. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Tet in this acrostic poem.

November 12, 2016

The calamity to come (Jer 14:17-14:18)

“You shall say to them this word.

‘Let my eyes run down with tears

Night and day!

Let them not cease!

The virgin daughter!

My people!

Is struck down

With a crushing blow,

With a very grievous wound.

If I go out into the field,

Look!

Those were killed by the sword!

If I enter the city,

Look!

Those are sick with famine!

Both the prophet with the priest

Ply their trade through the land.

But they have no knowledge.’”

Yahweh once again asks Jeremiah to speak about the coming devastation. Yahweh was going to cry both night and day with tears rolling down his face all the time. His virgin daughter, his people, has been struck a crushing blow so that they were grievously wounded. If you looked in the field, you could see the people killed by the sword. If you went into the city, you could see people sick with the famine. Both the priest and the prophet were plying their trade, but they did not know what they were doing.

October 4, 2016

Strangers at work (Isa 61:5-61:5)

“Strangers shall stand.

They shall feed your flocks.

Foreigners shall till your land.

They will dress your vines.”

In an odd assertion, it seems that strangers or foreigners would do the menial work for the Israelites. These strangers would be the shepherds of the flocks in the field. They would do the field labor of tilling the land and clipping the grape vines. It seems that the Israelites would be so prosperous that they could hire people or have slaves do the things that they did not want to do.

September 25, 2016

The joyful new Exodus (Isa 55:12-55:13)

“You shall go out in joy!

You shall be led back in peace!

The mountains before you

Shall burst into song.

The hills before you

Shall break out into singing.

All the trees of the field

Shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn bushes,

The cypress tree shall come up.

Instead of the briar patch,

The myrtle tree shall come up.

It shall be a memorial to Yahweh.

It shall be an everlasting sign

That you shall not be cut off.”

Second Isaiah concludes this section by talking about a happy return to Jerusalem. The Israelites will return in joy and peace because the singing mountains and hills are alive with the sound of music. The trees of the field will clap with their branches, as if they were hands. Instead of thorn bushes and briar patches, cypress and myrtle trees will grow. This will be a memorial to Yahweh as an everlasting sign that they will never be cut off from Yahweh again.