trustworthy

May 27, 2019

Five cities (Lk 19:19-19:19)

“The nobleman

Said to the second slave.

‘You!

Rule over five cities!’”

 

εἶπεν δὲ καὶ τούτῳ Καὶ σὺ ἐπάνω γίνου πέντε πόλεων.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said the nobleman told the second slave (ἶπεν δὲ καὶ τούτῳ) that he was going to rule over 5 cities (Καὶ σὺ ἐπάνω γίνου πέντε πόλεων).  Since this second trader slave had done well, he was put in charge of 5 cities.  There was something similar in Matthew, chapter 25:23, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Jesus said that this master said to this second diligent trader slave (ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ) that he done a good job (Εὖ).  He was a good trustworthy slave (δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ).  As he had been trustworthy or faithful in a few things (ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός), this master was going to put him in charge or appoint him over many things (ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω), without being specific.  This second slave was to enter into the joy of his master or lord (εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου).  Notice that the Greek wording in Matthew, was exactly the same, word for word, as it was for the first slave with the 5 talents.  They both belonged in the same category as good trustworthy faithful slaves.  Meanwhile, Luke was giving both these slave earthly responsibilities, being in charge of 5 and 10 cities.  What is the best reward you ever got?

May 27, 2019

Authority over ten cities (Lk 19:17-19:17)

“The nobleman

Said to the first slave.

‘Well done!

Good slave!

Because you have been

Trustworthy

In a very small thing,

Take charge

Of ten cities!’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Εὖγε, ἀγαθὲ δοῦλε, ὅτι ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ πιστὸς ἐγένου, ἴσθι ἐξουσίαν ἔχων ἐπάνω δέκα πόλεων.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that the nobleman told the first slave (καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ) that he had done well as a good slave (Εὖγε, ἀγαθὲ δοῦλε).  He had been trustworthy in a very small thing (ὅτι ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ πιστὸς ἐγένου), he was now going to be put in charge of 10 cities (ἴσθι ἐξουσίαν ἔχων ἐπάνω δέκα πόλεων).  There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 25:21, perhaps indicating a Q source.  Jesus said that this master or lord said to this diligent trader slave (ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ) that he done a good job (Εὖ).  He was a good trustworthy slave (δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ).  As he had been trustworthy or faithful in a few things (ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός), this master was going to put him in charge or appoint him over many things (ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω), without being specific.  This first slave was to enter into the joy of his master or lord (εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου).  This idea of being in the presence of his master was similar to the idea of being in the presence of God.  However, Luke had a more specific earthly reward.  Have you ever received a reward for some work that you did?

May 4, 2019

Take care of other things (Lk 16:12-16:12)

“If you have not

Been faithful

With what

Belongs to another,

Who will give you

What is your own?”

 

καὶ εἰ ἐν τῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ πιστοὶ οὐκ ἐγένεσθε, τὸ ἡμέτερον τίς δώσει ὑμῖν;

 

Once again, this is a unique statement of Luke, not found in the other gospel stories.  Luke indicated that Jesus said that if they had not been faithful or trustworthy (καὶ εἰ…πιστοὶ οὐκ ἐγένεσθε) with what belongs to another (ἐν τῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ), who would give them what is their own (τὸ ἡμέτερον τίς δώσει ὑμῖν)?  Why should you be trusted with your own stuff, when you do not know how to handle other people’s stuff, money or other things?  Are you trustworthy with borrowed money?

May 4, 2019

The faithful ones (Lk 16:10-16:10)

“Whoever is faithful

In a very little thing

Is faithful also

In much.

Whoever is dishonest

In a very little thing

Is dishonest also

In much.”

 

ὁ πιστὸς ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ καὶ ἐν πολλῷ πιστός ἐστιν, καὶ ὁ ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ ἄδικος καὶ ἐν πολλῷ ἄδικός ἐστιν.

 

Once again, this is a unique statement of Luke, not found in the other gospel stories.  Luke indicated that Jesus said that whoever was faithful or trustworthy (ὁ πιστὸς) with very small things (ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ) would be faithful or trustworthy (πιστός ἐστιν) also with much things (καὶ ἐν πολλῷ).  On the other hand, whoever was dishonest (ἄδικος) in very little things (καὶ ὁ ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ) would be dishonest (ἄδικός ἐστιν) also with much things (καὶ ἐν πολλῷ).  This was another common sense saying of Jesus, only here in Luke.  How you treated little things, honestly or dishonestly, would be how you would handle big things.  How do you handle little things?

July 5, 2018

The reward for the slave with two talents (Mt 25:23-25:23)

“His master

Said to him.

‘Well done!

Good slave!

Trustworthy slave!

You have been

Faithful

In a few things.

I will put you

In charge

Of many things.

Enter into the joy

Of your master.’”

 

ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ, ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου.

 

This parable is unique to Matthew, but there is something similar in Luke, chapter 19:19, where the nobleman said that this 2nd trader slave had done well, so that he put him in charge of 5 cities.  Here Jesus said that this master said to this 2nd diligent trader slave (ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ) that he done a good job (Εὖ).  He was a good trustworthy slave (δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ).  As he had been trustworthy or faithful in a few things (ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός), this master was going to put him in charge or appoint him over many things (ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω), without being specific.  This 2nd slave was to enter into the joy of his master or lord (εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου).  Notice that the Greek wording is exactly the same, word for word, as it was for the first slave with the 5 talents in verse 21.  They both belonged in the same category as good trustworthy faithful slaves.

 

July 4, 2018

The reward for the slave with five talents (Mt 25:21-25:21)

“His master

Said to him.

‘Well done!

Good slave!

Trustworthy slave!

You have been

Faithful

In a few things.

I will put you

In charge

Of many things.

Enter into the joy

Of your master.’”

 

ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ, ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου.

 

This parable is unique to Matthew, but there is something similar in Luke, chapter 19:17, where the nobleman said that the trader slave had done well, so that he put him in charge of 10 cities.  Here Jesus said that this master said to this 1st diligent trader slave (ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ) that he done a good job (Εὖ).  He was a good trustworthy slave (δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ).  As he had been trustworthy or faithful in a few things (ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός), this master was going to put him in charge or appoint him over many things (ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω), without being specific.  This first slave was to enter into the joy of his master or lord (εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου).

August 5, 2017

The eternal kingdom (Dan 2:44-2:45)

“In the days

Of those kings,

The God of heaven

Will set up a kingdom

That shall never be destroyed.

This kingdom

Shall not be left

To another people.

It shall crush

All these kingdoms.

It shall bring them

To an end.

It shall stand forever.

Just as you saw

That a stone was cut

From the mountain,

Not by human hands.

This stone crushed

The iron,

The bronze,

The clay,

The silver,

The gold.

The great God

Has informed

The king

What shall be hereafter.

The dream is certain.

Its interpretation is

Trustworthy.”

Daniel then talked about the fifth and final kingdom, the eternal kingdom, set up by the God of heaven that shall never be destroyed. No other people would inherit this kingdom, since it would crush all the other kingdoms, like the stone in the king’s dream that crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and gold kingdoms. The great God in heaven has informed King Nebuchadnezzar about the future. Thus, Daniel concluded that the dream was certain and his interpretation was also trustworthy.

June 21, 2016

Samuel (Sir 46:13-46:20)

“Samuel was beloved by his Lord.

He was a prophet of the Lord.

He established the kingdom.

He anointed rulers over his people.

By the law of the Lord

He judged the congregation.

The Lord watched over Jacob.

By his faithfulness,

He proved to be a prophet.

By his words,

He became known as a trustworthy seer.

He called upon the Lord,

The Mighty One,

When his enemies

Pressed him on every side.

He offered in sacrifice

A sucking lamb.

Then the Lord thundered from heaven.

He made his voice heard

With a mighty sound.

He subdued the leaders of the enemy

In Tyre.

He subdued all the rulers of the Philistines.

Before the time of his eternal sleep,

Samuel bore witness before the Lord.

Samuel bore witness before his anointed.

‘No property,

Not so much as a pair of shoes,

Have I taken from anyone!’

No one accused him.

Even after he had fallen asleep,

He prophesied.

He made known to the king his death.

He lifted up his voice from the ground.

In prophecy,

He wanted to blot out

The wickedness of the people.”

Next Sirach praises Samuel, the prophet who was a judge and founder of the monarchy. There is a Hebrew biblical book called Samuel that was later divided into 2 parts. He was a beloved trustworthy faithful prophet. He called upon the Lord when the enemies surrounded him. He offered a sacrifice of a lamb. He defeated the enemies at Tyre and the Philistines. Samuel anointed 2 kings, Saul and David. He never took any property from anyone, not even a pair of shoes. Even after his death, prophecies from the grave came to the king. He continually wanted to blot out the wickedness of his people.

June 4, 2016

The truly wise person (Sir 37:22-37:26)

“If a person is wise

To his own advantage, T

he fruits of his good sense

Will be praiseworthy.

They will be trustworthy.

A wise person

Instructs his own people.

The fruits of his good sense

Will endure.

A wise person

Will have praise heaped upon him.

All those who see him

Will call him happy.

The days of a person’s life

Are numbered.

But the days of Israel

Are without number.

Whoever is wise

Among his people

Will inherit honor.

His name will live forever.”

Sirach now points out who the truly wise person is. The wise ones work to their own advantage. They have good sense that is praiseworthy, trustworthy, and honored. The truly wise ones instruct their own people. The fruits of these happy wise people will endure with praise. Although the days of everyone are numbered and limited, that is not true about Israel since its days are not numbered. So too, the honorable wise person will have his name last forever. This hyperbolic use of forever indicates a long time, rather than eternity.

June 1, 2016

Use of food (Sir 31:23-31:24)

“People bless

The one who is liberal

With food.

Their testimony

To his generosity

Is trustworthy.

The city complains about

The one who is stingy

With food.

Their testimony

To his stinginess

Is accurate.”

Sirach believes that how you use food is important. If you are liberal with your food, you will be blessed with trustworthy testimonies to your generosity. However, if you are stingy with your food, the city will accurately complain about it.