Jesus’ fame increases (Lk 7:17-7:17)

“This word

About Jesus

Spread through out

Judea

And all the surrounding country.”

 

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ λόγος οὗτος ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάσῃ τῇ περιχώρῳ.

 

Thus, it was not unexpected that Luke said that the word or this report about Jesus spread (καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ λόγος οὗτος) throughout Judea (ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ) and all the surrounding country (καὶ πάσῃ τῇ περιχώρῳ), a common comment after most miracles that Jesus performed.  Jesus was in Nain, Galilee when he performed the miracle of raising this anonymous widow’s only son from the dead, yet even Judea knew about it.  This whole incident was unique to Luke and not found among the other gospel writers.  How do you spread the word about Jesus?

Prayer to God for his presence (Isa 64:1-64:5)

“O that you would tear open the heavens!

O that you would come down!

Thus the mountains would quake

At your presence!

Fire kindles brushwood.

Fire causes water to boil.

I want to make your name

Known to your adversaries.

Thus the nations might tremble

At your presence!

When you did awesome deeds

That we did not expect

You came down.

The mountains quaked

At your presence!

From ages past,

No one has heard,

No ear has perceived,

No eye has seen any God

Besides you.

You work for those

Who wait for you.

You meet those

Who gladly do right.

You meet those

Who remember you in your ways.”

This prophet wants Yahweh to be present among his people by tearing open the heavens to come down to earth. He wanted to see the mountains quake at his presence. He wanted Yahweh to be kindling wood in a brush that would start a fire or have that same fire make water boil. He wanted Yahweh’s name known to his adversaries. He wanted the nations to tremble at the sight of Yahweh. He wanted something unexpected to happen, like the mountains shake in his presence. He wanted something that no one had ever heard of or seen before. Only God could do this awesome deed. No one besides him. God would appear to those who waited for him. He would meet those who gladly did the right thing by remembering God’s ways.

Babylonian false sense of security (Isa 47:8-47:9)

“Now therefore hear this!

You lover of pleasures!

You sit securely!

You say in your heart.

‘I am.

There is no one besides me!

I shall not sit as a widow.

I shall not know the loss of children.’

Both these things shall come upon you!

In a moment!

In one day!

The loss of children,

As well as widowhood,

Shall come upon you

In full measure,

In spite of your many sorceries,

In spite of the great power of your enchantments.”

Yahweh seems to call Babylon a lover of pleasures. As always, there is a call to listen, as if they were not listening. The Babylonians have a false sense of security, since they think that they are like Yahweh, with no one like them. They believe that they will not lose children or become widows. However, Yahweh responded that this is exactly what is going to happen to them, very suddenly and unexpected. They will lose their children despite all their powerful sorcery and enchantment charms.

Tobit and Anna are worried about their son (Tob 10:1-10:7)

“Now, day by day, Tobit kept counting how many days Tobias would need for going and returning. When the days had expired and his son did not appear, he said.

‘Is it possible that he has been detained?

Or is it possible that Gabael has died?

Perhaps there is no one to give him the money?’

He began to worry. His wife Anna said.

‘My child has perished.

He is no longer among the living.’

She began to weep and mourn for her son.

‘Woe to me!

My child,

The light of my eyes,

That I let you make the journey!’

But Tobit kept saying to her.

‘Be quiet and stop worrying, my dear.

He is all right.

Probably something unexpected has happened to him.

The man who went with him is trustworthy.

He is one of our own kin.

Do not grieve for him, my dear, he will soon be here.’

She answered him.

‘Be quiet yourself!

Stop trying to deceive me.

My child has perished.’

She would rush out every day. She would watch the road her son had taken. She would heed no one. When the sun had set, she would go in and mourn and weep all night long, getting no sleep at all.”

Tobit and his wife Anna were getting anxious about their son Tobias. Tobit was counting the days and how long it would take to go to Rages and return. Now by his calculations, the time for his return had passed. He thought that it was possible that he had been detained. Maybe Gabael had died and there was no one who knew about the money. He was worried, but Anna his wife was grief stricken. She kept weeping and mourning. She believed that Tobias was dead. She was mad that he even let him go on this journey. Tobit, although worried, tried to calm her down. He said that maybe something unexpected had happened. He certainly was with a trustworthy person, who was related to them. He turned optimistic and said that Tobias would soon be home. She got upset at Tobit and told him to be quiet. She felt that he was deceiving her and that Tobias was already dead. She would sit outside every day and look at the road that Tobias had taken. Then at night, she would go inside, weep, and mourn all night long. She was not getting any sleep.