Blessed eyes (Lk 10:23-10:23)

“Then turning

To the disciples,

Jesus said

To them privately.

‘Blessed are the eyes

That see

What you see!’”

 

Καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς κατ’ ἰδίαν εἶπεν Μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ οἱ βλέποντες ἃ βλέπετε.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus turned to his disciples (Καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς).  He told them privately (κατ’ ἰδίαν εἶπεν) that their eyes were blessed, fortunate, or happy (Μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ), because they saw what they saw (οἱ βλέποντες ἃ βλέπετε).  Matthew, chapter 13:16 had almost this same saying about the blessed ones, thus, indicating a Q source.  The disciples of Jesus were the blessed or happy ones (ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι), because of what their eyes saw and their ears heard.  Luke never mentioned ears until the next verse.  Are you happy or fortunate because of what your eyes have seen?

She was more concerned than you (Lk 7:44-7:44)

“Then turning toward

The woman,

Jesus said to Simon.

‘Do you see

This woman?

I entered your house.

You gave me

No water

For my feet.

But she has bathed

My feet

With her tears.

She has dried them

With her hair.’”

 

καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ Σίμωνι ἔφη Βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα; εἰσῆλθόν σου εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, ὕδωρ μοι ἐπὶ πόδας οὐκ ἔδωκας· αὕτη δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἔβρεξέν μου τοὺς πόδας καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς ἐξέμαξεν.

 

Luke said that Jesus turned toward the woman (καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα), but he spoke to Simon (τῷ Σίμωνι ἔφη) in the second person singular.  Did he see this woman (Βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα)?  Jesus had entered his house (εἰσῆλθόν σου εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν), but he had not given him any water for his feet (ὕδωρ μοι ἐπὶ πόδας οὐκ ἔδωκας).  However, she bathed and wiped his feet with her tears (αὕτη δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἔβρεξέν μου τοὺς πόδας).  She then dried his feet with her hair (καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς ἐξέμαξεν).  Jesus compared what she had done to him and what Simon, the Pharisee, the host of this dinner party, had failed to do.  In both Mark, chapter 14:6, and Matthew, chapter 26:10, Jesus said that the women had done a good thing, but without any reprimand of the host, Simon the leper, like here.  Have you ever complained to the host or hostess at a dinner party?

Jesus rebukes Peter (Mk 8:33-8:33)

“But turning

And looking

At his disciples,

Jesus rebuked Peter.

He said.

‘Get behind me!

Satan!

You are setting

Your mind

Not on divine things,

But on human things.’”

 

ὁ δὲ ἐπιστραφεὶς καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐπετίμησεν Πέτρῳ καὶ λέγει Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ, ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

 

Jesus and Peter had a conversation that also can be found in Matthew, chapter 16:33.  Then Jesus turned against Peter (ὁ δὲ ἐπιστραφεὶς).  He looked at his disciples (καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ).  He then warned, rebuked, or admonished Peter (ἐπετίμησεν Πέτρῳ), just as he had done to him.  Jesus did not want an uprising among his followers.  He told him (καὶ λέγει) to get behind him (Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου) because Peter was acting like Satan (Σατανᾶ), since he was only thinking or caring (ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς) about human things (ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων), not divine things of God (τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ).  Peter went from being a great leader to a tempting Satan trying to put obstacles in the way of a divine plan for Jesus.  Be careful when you speak out against a leader.

The activity of the living creatures (Ezek 1:12-1:14)

“Each creature moved

Straight ahead.

Wherever the Spirit

Would go,

They went

Without turning,

As they went.

In the middle

Of the living creatures

There was something

That looked

Like burning coals

Of fire.

Like torches

They moved to and fro

Among the living creatures.

The fire was bright.

Lightning

Issued from the fire.

The living creatures

Darted to and fro,

Like a flash of lightning.”

Ezekiel explained that these living creatures moved straight ahead. They went wherever the Spirit would go, but without turning. In the middle of these living creatures, there was something that looked like burning coals of fire or torches that moved back and forth. These bright lights were in the living creatures, so that they almost seemed like lightning. Thus when these creatures moved about, it was like a flash of traveling lightning.

 

The wings of the four living creatures (Ezek 1:8-1:9)

“Under their wings,

On their four sides,

They had human hands.

The four creatures

Had their faces

With their wings

In this manner.

Their wings touched

One another.

Each of them

Moved straight ahead,

Without turning,

As they moved.”

Apparently these creatures had 4 sides, not merely 2 sides. They had human hands under their wings. Each of the 4 wings on each creature touched each other, just like the seraphim in the Holy of Holies in the sanctuary. They were able to move or walk straight ahead without turning.

The bad living conditions

“We get our bread

At the peril

Of our lives,

Because of the sword

In the wilderness.

Our skin is black

As an oven

From the scorching heat

Of famine.”

Once again in the first person plural, they complain about their living conditions. They have trouble getting bread. They are afraid of the wilderness, because they could die there. Their skin is turning black from the sun with famine all around them. Black skin was considered bad.

The end of idolatry (Isa 17:7-17:8)

“On that day

People will regard their Maker.

Their eyes will look

To the Holy One of Israel.

They will not have regard

For the altars,

The work of their own hands.

They will not look

To what their own fingers have made,

Either the sacred poles

Or the altars of incense.”

The end of idolatry and the turning to the Holy One of Israel will take place on this day of destruction. On that day, they will turn away from the altars that they made with their own hands. They will not look at the idols that they made with their own fingers.   They will turn away from the sacred or holy poles or sticks, like totem poles, and the altars with incense on them. Idolatry will become a thing of the past.

Sadness has turned to joy (Ps 30:11-30:12)

“You have turned my mourning into dancing!

You have taken off my sackcloth!

You clothed me with joy!

Thus my soul may praise you!

My soul will not be silent!

Yahweh!

My God!

I will give thanks to you forever!”

This psalm ends with the sadness of David turning into joy. His mourning has become dancing. He has put away his mourning sackcloth. He has put on joyful clothes. His soul can now praise God and not be silent. He was going to give thanks to Yahweh, his God, forever. It was a time for great rejoicing.