Zebedee

January 22, 2019

They follow Jesus (Lk 5:11-5:11)

“When they had brought

Their boats

To land,

They left everything.

They followed Jesus.”

 

καὶ καταγαγόντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀφέντες πάντα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.

 

Luke has a simple statement compared to Mark and Matthew.  He said that when these fishermen had brought their boats to land (καὶ καταγαγόντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν), they left everything (ἀφέντες πάντα).  They followed Jesus (ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ).  This is like Mark, chapter 1:19-20, or Matthew, chapter 4:19-20.  There Jesus said to them to come and follow after him, since he was going to make them fishers of human people.  They immediately left their nets and followed or accompanied Jesus, like an Israelite prophetic call, since Jesus had spoken directly to these two men.  He issued an invitation that seemed like a command at the same time.  They followed after Jesus, no matter what.  Like the Hebrew prophets, their response was immediate, without any hesitation.  They left their fishing nets, as both Simon Peter and Andrew, his brother, became disciples of Jesus.  The other two brothers, James and John left both their boat and also their father Zebedee.  However, in Luke, there was no mention of Andrew, the brother of Simon, or any direct formal call to these fishermen.  The results were the same.  There were either 3 or 4 new full disciples of Jesus.

September 27, 2018

The three disciples go to the mountain (Mk 9:2-9:2)

“Six days later,

Jesus took with him

Peter,

James,

And John.

He led them up

A high mountain,

Alone by themselves.

He was transfigured

Before them.”

 

Καὶ μετὰ ἡμέρας ἓξ παραλαμβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ τὸν Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάνην, καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν κατ’ ἰδίαν μόνους. καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν

 

Going to a special mountain can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 17:1, Luke, chapter 9:28, and here in Mark.  Mark and Matthew are exactly the same, almost word for word, but Luke talked about 8 days and going to pray on the mountain.  Mark said that this activity took place 6 days later (Καὶ μετὰ’ ἡμέρας ἓξ), probably after the proclamation of Peter about Jesus being the Christ messiah.  Jesus took with him (παραλαμβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς) Peter (τὸν Πέτρον), and the 2 sons of Zebedee, James (καὶ τὸν Ἰάκωβον) and John (καὶ Ἰωάνην).  There was no mention of Peter’s brother Andrew.  Jesus brought these 3 disciples to an unnamed high mountain (καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν), presumably near the Sea of Galilee, probably Mount Tabor in lower Galilee or Mount Hermon near Caesarea Philippi, much further north.  They were alone by themselves (κατ’ ἰδίαν μόνους), not with any of the other apostles or disciples.  Going up a high mountain was an attempt to have a special communication with God, just as Moses had done in the Old Testament.  Jesus was transfigured or transformed in front of the 3 apostles (καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν).  Was this a foretaste of the resurrected Christ?

August 15, 2018

The call of the sons of Zebedee (Mk 1:20-1:20)

“Immediately,

Jesus called them.

They left

Their father,

Zebedee,

In the boat

With the hired men.

They followed after Jesus.”

 

καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς· καὶ ἀφέντες τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν Ζεβεδαῖον ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ τῶν μισθωτῶν ἀπῆλθον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ.

 

Once again, the similarity with Matthew, chapter 4:22, is quite striking, almost word for word.  Then as Jesus had done with the other two brothers, he immediately called these two brothers (καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς).  Just like Simon and Andrew had done, they left both their boat and also their father Zebedee (καὶ ἀφέντες τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν Ζεβεδαῖον ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ).  However, they left their father with some hired servants (μετὰ τῶν μισθωτῶν) that was not mentioned in Matthew.  Both James and John, the sons of Zebedee, followed after Jesus (ἀπῆλθον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ).  So now, we have the first four disciples of Jesus, two sets of brothers, according to Matthew and Mark.

May 19, 2018

Jesus and the apostles go up the mountain (Mt 17:1-17:1)

“Six days later,

Jesus took with him

Peter,

James,

And his brother John.

He led them up

A high mountain,

By themselves.”

 

Καὶ μεθ’ ἡμέρας ἓξ παραλαμβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάνην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν κατ’ ἰδίαν.

 

Going to a special mountain can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Mark, chapter 9:2, Luke, chapter 9:28, and here in Matthew.  Mark and Matthew are exactly the same, word for word, but Luke talked about 8 days and going to pray on the mountain.  This activity takes place 6 days (Καὶ μεθ’ ἡμέρας ἓξ) probably after the proclamation of Peter about Jesus being the Christ messiah.  Jesus took with him (παραλαμβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς) Peter (τὸν Πέτρον), and the 2 sons of Zebedee, James (καὶ Ἰάκωβον) and his brother John (καὶ Ἰωάνην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ).  There was no mention of Peter’s brother Andrew.  Jesus brought these 3 disciples to an unnamed high mountain (καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν), presumably near the Sea of Galilee, probably Mount Tabor in lower Galilee or Mount Hermon near Caesarea Philippi, much further north.  They were by themselves (κατ’ ἰδίαν), not with any of the other apostles or disciples.  Going up a high mountain was an attempt to have a special communication with God just as Moses had done in the Old Testament.

March 12, 2018

The call of James and John (Mt 4:21-4:22)

“As Jesus went from there,

He saw

Two other brothers,

James,

The son of Zebedee,

With his brother,

John.

They were in the boat

With their father,

Zebedee,

Mending their nets.

Jesus called them.

Immediately,

They left the boat.

They left their father.

They followed Jesus.”

 

Καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάνην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ Ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς.

οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὸ πλοῖον καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.

 

Continuing with his dependenance on Mark, chapter 1:19-20, Matthew introduced two new disciples, John and James, the fisherman sons of Zebedee.  Zebedee might have been successful since he was explicitly mentioned, as he seemed to own a boat.  Jesus apparently had just left Simon Peter and Andrew (Καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθεν).  Once again, Jesus saw two other fishermen brothers (εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς).  These two brothers were James and John with their father Zebedee (Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάνην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ).  They were in the boat with their father mending the fishing nets (ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ Ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν).  Then as he had done with the other two brothers, Jesus called these two brothers (καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς).  Just like Simon Peter and Andrew had done, they immediately (οἱ δὲ εὐθέως) left both their boat and their father (ἀφέντες τὸ πλοῖον καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν).  Both James and John, the sons of Zebedee, followed Jesus (ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ).  So now, we have four disciples of Jesus, two sets of brothers, according to Matthew and Mark.