went out

January 27, 2019

Jesus at prayer (Lk 6:12-6:12)

“Now during those days,

Jesus went out

To the mountain

To pray.

He spent the night

In prayer

To God.”

 

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις ἐξελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ὄρος προσεύξασθαι, καὶ ἦν διανυκτερεύων ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

 

Luke said that during those days (Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις), Jesus went out to the mountain to pray (ἐξελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ὄρος προσεύξασθαι).  He spent the night (καὶ ἦν διανυκτερεύων) in prayer to God (ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ).  Mark, chapter 3:13, also said that Jesus went up a mountain, much like Moses.  Going to a mountain was a way of getting closer to God in the high heavens.  Here Luke emphasized the prayerful solitary preparation of Jesus before his decision about the 12 apostles, as he spent the night praying to God.  This also brings up the separation between Jesus and God,the Father.

October 22, 2018

Jesus leaves Jerusalem (Mk 11:19-11:19)

“When evening came.

Jesus

And his disciples

Went out

Of the city.”

 

Καὶ ὅταν ὀψὲ ἐγένετο, ἐξεπορεύοντο ἔξω τῆς πόλεως.

 

This is a unique saying of Mark, but not inconsistent with the other gospel stories.  When evening came (Καὶ ὅταν ὀψὲ ἐγένετο), Jesus and his disciples went out of the city (ἐξεπορεύοντο ἔξω τῆς πόλεως).  Notice that they left Jerusalem at night, probably going to Bethany, which was not far away and where they felt safe.

October 17, 2018

Jesus entered Jerusalem and the Temple (Mk 11:11-11:11)

“Then Jesus

Entered Jerusalem.

He went

Into the Temple.

When he had looked around

At everything,

As it was already late,

He went out

To Bethany

With the twelve.”

 

Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα εἰς τὸ ἱερόν· καὶ περιβλεψάμενος πάντα, ὀψὲ ἤδη οὔσης τῆς ὥρας, ἐξῆλθεν εἰς Βηθανίαν μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα.

 

This generic remark about Jesus entering Jerusalem and the Temple is in stark contrast with Matthew, chapter 21:30, where he said that the whole city was in turmoil or stirred up wondering who was this man entering the city was.  Matthew emphasized that Jesus was from Galilee, the north, rather than a Judean or a southerner.  Mark said, in a more descriptive simple manner, that Jesus simply entered Jerusalem (Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα) and the Temple (εἰς τὸ ἱερόν).  He just looked around at everything (καὶ περιβλεψάμενος πάντα).  There was nothing spectacular about the arrival of Jesus and his apostles.  Since it was already a late hour (ὀψὲ ἤδη οὔσης τῆς ὥρας), he went out to Bethany (ἐξῆλθεν εἰς Βηθανίαν) with his twelve apostles (μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα).  There they probably spent the night, since it was only about a mile and a half east of Jerusalem.  This was the same city of Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, but there was no mention of them here.

September 9, 2018

The head of John the Baptist (Mk 6:24-6:24)

“The girl went out.

She said

To her mother.

‘What should I ask for?’

She replied.

‘The head

Of John the Baptizer.’”

 

καὶ ἐξελθοῦσα εἶπεν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῆς Τί αἰτήσωμαι; ἡ δὲ εἶπεν Τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάνου τοῦ Βαπτίζοντος.

 

This is like Matthew, chapter 14:8.  Mark said that this girl went out and spoke to her mother (καὶ ἐξελθοῦσα εἶπεν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῆς).  She wanted to know what to ask for (Τί αἰτήσωμαι).  Herodias, her mother, replied simply (ἡ δὲ εἶπεν) that she should ask for the head of John the Baptizer (Τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάνου τοῦ Βαπτίζοντος).  The plot thickens.

August 21, 2018

Jesus taught beside the sea (Mk 2:13-2:13)

“Jesus went out again

Beside the sea.

The whole crowd

Gathered around him.

He taught them.”

 

Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν πάλιν παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν· καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτούς.

 

Only Mark has this incident of Jesus teaching by the sea.  He said that Jesus went out beside the sea again (Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν πάλιν παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν), presumably the Sea of Galilee.  There a whole crowd of people gathered around him (καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτόν) as he taught them (καὶ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτούς).

 

August 21, 2018

The paralytic walks away (Mk 2:12-2:12)

“The paralytic

Stood up.

Immediately,

He took his pallet bed.

He went out

Before all of them.

Thus,

They were all amazed.

They glorified God,

Saying.

‘We never saw anything

Like this!’”

 

καὶ ἠγέρθη καὶ εὐθὺς ἄρας τὸν κράβαττον ἐξῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν πάντων, ὥστε ἐξίστασθαι πάντας καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν λέγοντας ὅτι Οὕτως οὐδέποτε εἴδαμεν.

 

Luke, chapter 5:25-26, and Matthew, chapter 9:7-8, are similar to Mark, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark said that the paralyzed man did exactly as Jesus had told him to do.  He arose or stood up (καὶ ἠγέρθη).  He immediately took his pallet bed (καὶ εὐθὺς ἄρας τὸν κράβαττον).  He went out from there in front of everybody (ἐξῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν πάντων).  Jesus had forgiven this man his sins and cured him of paralysis.  How was the power to forgive sins, which only God could do, related to his healing powers?  They were all amazed, or marveled (ὥστε ἐξίστασθαι πάντας) at what they had just witnessed.  They glorified, honored, or praised God (καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν).  They said to one another that they had never seen anything like this before (λέγοντας ὅτι Οὕτως οὐδέποτε εἴδαμεν).  Jesus had a lot of power.

August 19, 2018

The cleansed leper told everyone (Mk 1:45-1:45)

“But the cleansed leper

Went out.

He began

To proclaim it freely.

He spread the news,

So that Jesus

Could no longer

Go into a town openly.

But he stayed

Out in the deserted country.

However,

The people came

To him

From every quarter.”

 

ὁ δὲ ἐξελθὼν ἤρξατο κηρύσσειν πολλὰ καὶ διαφημίζειν τὸν λόγον, ὥστε μηκέτι αὐτὸν δύνασθαι φανερῶς εἰς πόλιν εἰσελθεῖν, ἀλλ’ ἔξω ἐπ’ ἐρήμοις τόποις ἦν· καὶ ἤρχοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντοθεν.

 

There is nothing quite like this in Luke or Matthew, since Mark alone said that after this cleansed leper went out (ὁ δὲ ἐξελθὼν), he began to proclaim what had happened to him freely (ἤρξατο κηρύσσειν πολλὰ).  He spread the news about his cleansing to everyone (καὶ διαφημίζειν τὸν λόγον), so that Jesus was no longer able to openly enter into a city or town (ὥστε μηκέτι αὐτὸν δύνασθαι φανερῶς εἰς πόλιν εἰσελθεῖν).  He had to stay out in the solitary deserted countryside (ἀλλ’ ἔξω ἐπ’ ἐρήμοις τόποις ἦν).  Nevertheless, the people came to him from all around the area or from various quarters (καὶ ἤρχοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντοθεν).  The cleansed leper did not keep quiet, so that this led to more consternation for Jesus.

August 17, 2018

Jesus prayed alone in the early morning (Mk 1:35-1:35)

“In the morning,

While it was still

Very dark,

Jesus got up.

He went out

To a deserted place.

There he prayed.”

 

Καὶ πρωῒ ἔννυχα λίαν ἀναστὰς ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς ἔρημον τόπον, κἀκεῖ προσηύχετο.

 

There is something similar in Luke, chapter 4:42, but there is nothing about Jesus praying there.  He simply went out to a deserted place at daybreak, following the healings of the evening before as here.  Mark said that in the morning (Καὶ πρωῒ), while it was still very dark or still nighttime (ἔννυχα λίαν), Jesus rose up or got up (ἀναστὰς).  He went out and left for a deserted, desolate, or solitary place (ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς ἔρημον τόπον), where he prayed (κἀκεῖ προσηύχετο).  Jesus left the other disciples behind early in the morning before daybreak.  This would be an important habit of Jesus, praying alone.

July 19, 2018

Simon of Cyrene (Mt 27:32-27:32)

“As they went out,

They came upon a man

From Cyrene,

Named Simon.

They compelled

This man

To carry

His cross.”

 

Ἐξερχόμενοι δὲ εὗρον ἄνθρωπον Κυρηναῖον, ὀνόματι Σίμωνα· τοῦτον ἠγγάρευσαν ἵνα ἄρῃ τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ.

 

This is similar to Mark, chapter 15:21, who has a very detailed description of Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as well as Luke, chapter 23:26.  John, chapter 19:17, had no mention of Simon, since he said that Jesus carried his cross by himself.  As they went out from the courtyard (Ἐξερχόμενοι δ), the Roman soldiers came upon a man from Cyrene (εὗρον ἄνθρωπον Κυρηναῖον) that had a large Jewish community in current day Libya.  This man was named Simon (ὀνόματι Σίμωνα).  They compelled or forced him to carry Jesus’ cross (τοῦτον ἠγγάρευσαν ἵνα ἄρῃ τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ).  This Simon may have been in Jerusalem for the Passover.  Mark seemed to indicate that this Simon was well known with two sons, but Matthew and Luke did not mention his sons.

July 17, 2018

Peter remembers Jesus’ words (Mt 26:74-26:75)

“At that moment,

The cock crowed.

Then Peter remembered

What Jesus had said.

‘Before the cock crows,

You will deny me

Three times.’

He went out.

He wept bitterly.”

 

καὶ εὐθὺς ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν.

καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τοῦ ῥήματος Ἰησοῦ εἰρηκότος ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με· καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς

 

This is almost word for word in Mark, chapter 14:72, except that Mark has the cock crowing twice instead of once.  In Luke, chapter 22:60-62, not only does the cock crow, but Peter sees Jesus look at him to remind him of his failures.  John, chapter 18:27, has only the simple remark that the cock crowed when Peter denied Jesus the 3rd time, without Peter weeping.  Matthew recounts that at that moment when the rooster cock crowed (καὶ εὐθὺς ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν), Peter remembered what Jesus had said (καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τοῦ ῥήματος Ἰησοῦ εἰρηκότος).  Before the cock or the rooster crowed (ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι), he would deny, disown, or repudiate Jesus 3 times (τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με).  Thus, Peter went out and wept or lamented bitterly (καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς).  The early followers of Jesus, the primitive Christian community, were in shambles.  Both Peter and Judas, two of the 12 leaders, had betrayed Jesus, while Jesus himself was about to be led off to death.