touching

May 11, 2019

Ten lepers cleansed (Lk 17:14-17:14)

“When Jesus

Saw them,

He said to them.

‘Go!

Show yourselves

To the priests.’

As they went,

They were made clean.”

 

καὶ ἰδὼν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Πορευθέντες ἐπιδείξατε ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ὑπάγειν αὐτοὺς ἐκαθαρίσθησαν.

 

Only Luke has this story about the curing of the ten lepers.  Luke indicated that Jesus saw the 10 lepers (καὶ ἰδὼν).  He said to them (εἶπεν αὐτοῖς) that they should go and show themselves to the priests (Πορευθέντες ἐπιδείξατε ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν).  Thus, they did so.  As they went on their way (καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ὑπάγειν αὐτοὺς), they were made clean (ἐκαθαρίσθησαν).  Luke indicated that Jesus cured the 10 lepers without any special saying or touching.  He simply told them to go to the Jewish priests for the leper cleansing ritual.  The presumption was that they would be cleansed of their leprosy that actually took place as they were on their way to the Jewish priests in Jerusalem.  However, there was no dramatic cure here.  Has something wonderful happened to you that did not seem miraculous?

February 25, 2019

Faith heals (Lk 8:48-8:48)

“Jesus said to her.

‘Daughter!

Your faith

Has made you well!

Go in peace!’”

 

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Θυγάτηρ, ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε· πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to her (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ), calling her daughter (Θυγάτηρ), that her faith had saved her or made her well (ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε).  Using the second person singular imperative, he told her that she was to go in peace (πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην).  This ending to the healing of this woman with the flowing blood was nearly the same in Matthew, chapter 9:22, and Mark, chapter 5:34.  Mark had pretty much the same narrative as Luke.  Like the other healings, Jesus said to this woman that her faith had healed, cured, or saved her.  He called her “daughter (Θυγάτηρ).”  He told her to go in peace.  This woman was cured of her affliction or disease, as faith was a key ingredient in this healing, as in every healing.  Matthew was slightly different.  He said that Jesus realized that power had gone forth from him.  Jesus then turned around and saw her.  He realized what she was thinking.  Like the other times, Jesus said that her faith had saved or cured her.  He called her “daughter (θύγατερ).”  He told her to have courage and take heart.  With that, this woman was cured at that very hour, rather than at the initial touching of the garment, as in the other 2 synoptics.  Faith was a key ingredient in all these healings.  How strong is your faith?

February 13, 2019

Jesus should know that she is a sinner (Lk 7:39-7:39)

“Now the Pharisee,

Who had invited Jesus,

Saw this.

He said to himself.

‘If this man

Were a prophet,

He would have known

Who

And what sort of woman

Is touching him.

She is a sinner.’”

 

ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Φαρισαῖος ὁ καλέσας αὐτὸν εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων Οὗτος εἰ ἦν προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν.

 

Luke uniquely said that the Pharisee (ὁ Φαρισαῖος), who had invited Jesus (ὁ καλέσας αὐτὸν), saw this (ἰδὼν δὲ).  This Pharisee said to himself (εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων) that if Jesus was a prophet (Οὗτος εἰ ἦν προφήτης), he would have known (ἐγίνωσκεν) who and what sort of woman was touching him (ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ).  She was a public sinner (τι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν).  In the other gospel stories, there was a complaint about wasting expensive oil on Jesus, but here the inner thoughts of the Pharisee seem to indicate that Jesus did not know or understand who he was dealing with.  Would you let a sinful person touch you?

April 9, 2018

Curing the blind men (Mt 9:29-9:31)

“Then Jesus

Touched their eyes.

Saying.

‘According to your faith,

Let it be done to you.’

Their eyes

Were opened.

Jesus

Sternly ordered them.

‘See that no one knows it.’

But they went away.

They spread the news

About him

Throughout that district.”

 

τότε ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν λέγων Κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν γενηθήτω ὑμῖν.

καὶ ἠνεῴχθησαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί. καὶ ἐνεβριμήθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων Ὁρᾶτε, μηδεὶς γινωσκέτω.

οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες διεφήμισαν αὐτὸν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ γῇ ἐκείνῃ.

 

Although there are similar stories about curing a blind man in Jericho in Mark, chapter 10:52, and Luke, chapter 18:42-43, but also in Matthew, chapter 20:33-34, here is the only time that the cured blind men were not to let anyone know about it.  Jesus healed the sight of these blind men by touching their eyes (τότε ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν).  Jesus said that their faith had let him heal them (λέγων Κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν γενηθήτω ὑμῖν.).  Their eyes were opened (καὶ ἠνεῴχθησαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί), so that they could see.  However, Jesus strongly ordered them (καὶ ἐνεβριμήθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων) not to tell anyone, since no one should know about it (Ὁρᾶτε, μηδεὶς γινωσκέτω).  Instead, these newly sighted former blind men left (οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες) and told everyone in the whole land or district area everything that had happened (διεφήμισαν αὐτὸν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ γῇ ἐκείνῃ).  There was no mention of secrecy in the other accounts of this healing, but that was not an uncommon warning.  Earlier in chapter 8:4, Matthew had Jesus tell the cured leper not to say anything to anyone.  He did not want anyone to know about his power.  This is often referred to as the messianic secret.

December 26, 2017

Question for the priests about holiness (Hag 2:11-2:12)

“Thus says Yahweh of hosts.

‘Ask the priests

For a ruling.

If one carries

Consecrated meat

In the fold

Of one’s garment,

Then if the fold

Of his garment,

Touches

Bread,

Or stew,

Or wine,

Or oil,

Or any kind of food,

Does it become holy?’

The priests answered.

‘No.’”

Haggai gave an example of what Yahweh was talking about.  Haggai was to ask the priests about holiness.  If someone was carrying consecrated holy meat in the fold or cover of his garment and it touched bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other kind of food, would that food then become holy by touching it?  That was the dilemma.  How could holiness be passed on?  The priests answered negatively, by saying no, because these things could not become holy by merely touching a holy thing accidently.

September 1, 2017

The vision of the goat (Dan 8:5-8:5)

“As I was watching,

A male goat

Appeared

From the west.

It came across

The face

Of the whole earth,

Without touching

The ground.

The goat

Had a conspicuous horn

Between its eyes.”

While Daniel was watching the ram, a goat from the west appeared, maybe a reference to Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE). This goat was a like a flying animal, but there was no mention of any wings. This goat simply moved without touching the ground. However, it did have a horn between its eyes, like a unicorn.

March 30, 2017

The dialog about defilement (Ezek 4:14-4:15)

“Then I said.

‘Yahweh God!

I have never

Defiled myself.

From my youth

Up until now,

I have never eaten

What died of itself

Or was torn by animals.

Carrion decaying flesh

Has never

Come into my mouth.’

Then he said to me.

‘See!

I will let you have

Cow’s dung

Instead of human dung.

You can prepare

Your bread on that.’”

Ezekiel was upset about eating unclean bread. He complained to Yahweh that he had never defiled himself from his youth on. He had never eaten anything that died of itself or any torn up animals. This meant that he ate only slaughtered animals. He had never touched decaying or the carrion flesh of dead animals. We might call it road kill animals. Yahweh responded that he would let him cook his barley cakes on animal dung, which was not considered unclean. Human excrement, however, was considered unclean. This was an indication of the obsession of later Israelites about touching and eating clean and unclean animals.

January 1, 2017

The live style of the Rechabites (Jer 35:7-35:10)

“‘You shall not

Build a house!

You shall not

Sow seed!

You shall not

Plant a vineyard!

You shall not

Own a vineyard!

You shall live

In tents

All your days!

Thus you may live many days

In the land where you reside.’

We have obeyed

This charge

Of our ancestor Jonadab

The son of Rechab,

In all that he commanded us.

Thus we ourselves,

Our wives,

Our sons,

Our daughters

Do not drink wine

All our days.

We do not build houses

To live in.

We have no vineyard.

We have no field.

We have no seed.

But we have lived in tents.

We have obeyed Jonadab.

We have done

All that our ancestor Jonadab

Commanded us.”

These Rechabites followed the commandments of Jonadab the son of Rechab. Thus they lived a unique nomad live style. Jonadab had commanded them not to build houses or sow seeds. They were to live in tents. They did not practice any kind of agriculture, so that they neither planted nor owned any vineyards or fields. They would live a long life, as long as they abstained from intoxicants, as they, their wives, and their children did not drink any wine. Since they did not cultivate grapes, they drank the milk of their animals. Thus they seem to be closer to the Hebrew Nazirites, who vowed a sacred separate life style, but only for a set time period, not cutting their hair, not drinking intoxicating liquids, and not touching unclean things. These Rechabites seem to be like a religious order or communal monks, actually like wandering desert Arabs.

October 13, 2016

Yahweh consecrates Jeremiah (Jer 1:9-1:10)

“Then Yahweh put out his hand.

He touched my mouth.

Yahweh said to me.

‘Now I have put my words

In your mouth.

See!

Today I appoint you

Over nations.

Today I appoint you

Over kingdoms.

You will pluck up.

You will pull down.

You will destroy.

You will overthrow.

You will build.

You will plant.’”

Yahweh then consecrated Jeremiah by putting out his hand and touching his mouth. He told Jeremiah that he was going to put his words into his mouth. Jeremiah would be over many nations and kingdoms. His task was to pluck up and pull down, destroy, and overthrow. Yet at the same time he was also going to build and plant. Jeremiah had a unique but difficult task as a prophet of God.

June 23, 2016

Elisha (Sir 48:12-48:14)

“When Elijah was enveloped

In the whirlwind,

Elisha was filled

With his spirit.

He performed

Twice as many signs.

He performed marvels

With every utterance of his mouth.

Never in his lifetime

Did he tremble before any ruler.

No one could intimidate him at all.

Nothing was too hard for him.

When he was dead,

His body prophesied.

In his life,

He did wonders.

So in death

His deeds were marvelous.”

The story of this prophet Elisha takes up 13 chapters in 2 Kings, 1-13. He follows in the spirit of Elijah with many miracles and confrontations with the various Israelite kings. However, he died a natural death. Nevertheless, he performed twice as many miracles as Elijah. Also he spoke quite a lot to the various rulers. He was never intimidated, as Elijah had occasionally been. Nothing was too hard for him. Even in his death, he was able to perform a miracle. When a dead man was thrown into his grave, the dead man came alive by touching his dead body in 2 Kings, chapter 13. Thus he continued in the spirit of his spiritual father, Elijah.