twelve years

February 24, 2019

The woman with flowing blood (Lk 8:43-8:43)

“A woman

Had been suffering

From flowing blood

For twelve years.

Although she had spent

All that she had

On physicians,

No one

Could cure her.”

 

καὶ γυνὴ οὖσα ἐν ῥύσει αἵματος ἀπὸ ἐτῶν δώδεκα, ἥτις οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ἀπ’ οὐδενὸς θεραπευθῆναι

 

This episode about the woman with flowing blood interrupted the story about the synagogue leader and his dying daughter.  However, it can be found in Matthew, chapter 9:20, Mark, chapter 5:25, and Luke here.  Thus, Mark might be the source.  Luke said that a woman had been suffering from flowing blood (καὶ γυνὴ οὖσα ἐν ῥύσει αἵματος) for 12 years (ἀπὸ ἐτῶν δώδεκα).  Although she had spent all that she had on physicians (ἰατροῖς προσαναλώσασα ὅλον τὸν βίον), no one could cure her (ἥτις οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ἀπ’ οὐδενὸς θεραπευθῆναι).  This phrase about spending all her money on physicians was only in the Byzantine text.  Mark, like Luke, who probably followed him, said that she had suffered from flowing blood, rather than hemorrhages.  All agree that she had been suffering for 12 years with this bleeding.  Mark and Luke had a more elaborate story, about her background.  Mark said that she had endured or greatly suffered much under many physicians.  Thus, she had spent all her money.  Instead of helping her get better, she had actually become worse.  She was in a desperate situation.  Interesting enough, the word that Matthew used for hemorrhages (αἱμορροοῦσα) is only found there, but nowhere else in the biblical literature.  Mark and Luke said that she had flowing blood.  All agree that she had been suffering for 12 years with this bleeding.  Could you suffer something for 12 years?

September 5, 2018

The woman with a blood flow (Mk 5:25-5:26)

“There was a woman

Who had been suffering

From flowing blood

For twelve years.

She had endured much

Under many physicians.

She had spent all

That she had.

She was no better,

But rather grew worse.”

 

Καὶ γυνὴ οὖσα ἐν ῥύσει αἵματος δώδεκα ἔτη,

καὶ πολλὰ παθοῦσα ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἰατρῶν καὶ δαπανήσασα τὰ παρ’ αὐτῆς πάντα, καὶ μηδὲν ὠφεληθεῖσα ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εἰς τὸ χεῖρον ἐλθοῦσα,

 

This episode about the woman with hemorrhages interrupted the story about the synagogue leader and his dying daughter.  However, it can be found in Matthew, chapter 9:20, and Luke, chapter 8:43, also, so that Mark might be the source.  Interesting enough, the word that Matthew used for hemorrhages (αἱμορροοῦσα) was only found there, but nowhere else in the biblical literature.  Mark, like Luke, who probably followed him, said that she had suffered from flowing blood (Καὶ γυνὴ οὖσα ἐν ῥύσει αἵματος), rather than hemorrhages.  All agree that she had been suffering for 12 years with this bleeding (δώδεκα ἔτη).  Mark and Luke had a more elaborate story, about her background.  Mark said that she had endured or greatly suffered much under many physicians (καὶ πολλὰ παθοῦσα ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἰατρῶν).  Thus, she had spent all her money (καὶ δαπανήσασα τὰ παρ’ αὐτῆς πάντα).  Instead of helping her getting better (καὶ μηδὲν ὠφεληθεῖσα), she had actually become worse off (ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εἰς τὸ χεῖρον ἐλθοῦσα).  She was in a desperate situation.

February 9, 2015

Governor Nehemiah (Neh 5:14-5:15)

“Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me put a heavy burden on the people. They took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. Even their servants oppressed the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.”

Nehemiah defended himself for his 12 years of service, from the 20th to the 32nd year of King Artaxerxes. He never took full advantage of his position as governor to take the governor’s food. He did not demand 40 silver shekels like his predecessors who had ruled this area from Samaria. Even his servants were better than their servants. He did all this because he feared God.