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June 24th, 2023

6/24/2023

This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, and the Gospel reading for this Sunday is a portion of the tenth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, a part of the second of the five sermons in that gospel account. In these writings we are a little bit ahead of that, as we just finished looking at the third of the five sermons, and we are moving on to what is commonly known as the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew.

If one would consider what has been often overlooked in this section, what may be most interesting is the use of what is commonly known as the historical present. That is where a past tense verb is expected, but a present tense is used.

What follows is the entirety of so-called chapter fourteen, in a somewhat-literal translation. Since it is so long, comments regarding it will be saved for next week’s writing; and the historical presents are in bold print; perhaps you see a pattern in their usage:

In that, the appointed time, he heard, Herod, the tetrarch, the report of Jesus, and he said to the servants of him: “This is John the Baptist. He himself was raised from the dead, and, on account of this, the powerful deeds work in him.” For the Herod, seizing the John, he bound him, and in prison, he put away, on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip, the brother of him; for he was saying, the John, to him, “Not it is permitted for you to have her.” And wishing, him, to kill, he feared the crowd, because as a prophet, him, they had.

Now on the birthday, happening, of Herod, she danced, the daughter of the Herodias, in the midst, and it was pleasing to Herod, from where, with an oath, he confessed to her, to give whatever she might ask. Now she, being brought forward by the mother of her, “Give to me,” she says, “here on a plate the head of John the Baptist.” And, being grieved, the king, on account of the oaths and the ones reclining at table with him, he commanded to be given, and sending, he beheaded the John in the prison. And it was brought, the head of him, on a plate, and it was given to the maid, and she brought to the mother of her. And approaching, the disciples of him, they took the corpse, and they buried him, and, coming, they reported to the Jesus.

Now hearing, the Jesus, he departed from there in a boat into a wilderness place according to his own. And hearing, the crowds followed him, on foot, from the cities. And going out, he saw a great crowd, and he was compassionate over them, and he healed the without strength of them.

Now evening happening, they approached him, the disciples, saying, “Wilderness is the place, and the hour already has passed; dismiss the crowds, in order that, going away into the villages, they may buy for themselves foods.”

Now the Jesus said to them, “Not a need, they have, to go away; give them, you, to eat.”
Now they say to him, “Not we have here, except five breads and two fishes.”

Now he said, “Bring to me, here, them.” And having commanded the crowds to recline on the grass, taking the five breads and the two fishes, looking up into the heaven, he blessed, and breaking, he gave to the disciples the breads, then the disciples to the crowds. And they ate, all, and they were satisfied. And they took the excess of the fragments, twelve baskets full. Now the ones eating were men, about five thousand, apart from women and children.

And immediately he compelled the disciples to embark into the boat and to go before him into the other side, until he would dismiss the crowds. And having dismissed the crowds, he went up into the mountain, according to his own, to pray. Now evening happening, alone, he was there.

Now the boat, already stadia, many, from the land, it was away, being harassed by the waves, for it was, contrary, the wind. Now in fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking upon the sea. Now the disciples, seeing him upon the sea, walking, they were terrified, saying, “A phantasm it is.” And from the fear, they were crying out.

Now immediately he was speaking, the Jesus, to them, saying, “Be of good cheer, I am. Stop being afraid.”

Now, answering him, the Peter, he said: “Lord, if you are, command me to come toward you upon the waters.”

Now he said, “Come.”

And going down from the boat, the Peter walked upon the waters, and he came toward the Jesus. Now seeing the wind, strong, he feared, and beginning to be drowned, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Now immediately, the Jesus, stretching out the hand, he took hold of him, and he says to him, “Few-faith, why did you doubt?”

And going up, they, into the boat, it ceased, the wind. Now the ones in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Truly, of God, Son, you are.”

And crossing over, they came upon the land, into Gennesaret. And recognizing him, the men of the place, that, they sent into all the region around, that, and they brought to him all the evil having, and they were exhorting him that only they might touch the fringe of the garment of him, and as many as they touched, they were thoroughly saved.

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June 17th, 2023

6/17/2023

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This Sunday is the Third Sunday after Pentecost, and for the last two of these writings, the focus has been on the majority of what is known as chapter thirteen of the Gospel according to Matthew. What follows now are the final few verses of that chapter (in a somewhat-literal translation; verses 53-58):

And it happened, when he ended, the Jesus, the parables, these, he removed from there. And coming into the native town of him, he was teaching them in the synagogue of them, so as to be astounded, them, and to say: “From where to this man, the wisdom, this, and the powerful deeds? This is the one of the carpenter, son, is he not? The mother of him, called Mary, and the brothers of him, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas, are they not? And the sisters of him, all with us they are, are they not? Therefore, from where to this man, these things, all?” And they were scandalized in him.
Now the Jesus said to them: “A prophet is not un-honored, except in the native town and in the house of him, is he not?” And not he did there powerful deeds, many, because of the unbelief of them.

It is interesting, first of all, that the description of the content of the sermon is described in one word, that of ‘parables’. It was previously mentioned that there were seven parables, and these seven parables are in the middle of five sermons. It seems that there are odd numbers of things so that there may be an important center, along with an important middle and ending.

What may be helpful at this point in time is to see the different reactions after Jesus ‘ended’ each of the five sermons that are given in this gospel account. At the end of the first one, the crowds were ‘astounded’ at his teaching (7:28). At the end of the second one, it is the same as the one above, that he ‘removed’ from there (11:1), to teach and proclaim in their cities. At the end of this sermon, the third one, he ‘removed’ from there, but he came to his native town, and they were ‘astounded’, the same word as after the first sermon (13:53-4). At the end of the next one, the fourth one, he ‘removed’ from there again (19:1). At the end of the fifth and last one, it is similar in structure but it specifically states that he ended ALL these words. Then he tells his disciples that basically he is going to be crucified (26:2). What is interesting is that, before the final sermon, there is another occurrence of the crowds being ‘astounded’, when Jesus gives an answer to the Sadducees which makes them see their mistakes (22:33).

Very much like last week, the occurrences of the significant words will be placed into a summary with the numbers of the sermons. Hopefully what follows is helpful:

1 ENDED … CROWDS ASTOUNDED
2 ENDED … REMOVED
3 ENDED … REMOVED … NATIVE TOWN ASTOUNDED
4 ENDED … REMOVED
CROWDS ASTOUNDED 5 ENDED ALL(!) … CRUCIFIED

Perhaps it is not surprising that a structure much like last week is seen, one with a significant beginning, middle, and end. This is not to say that a structure was imposed upon the reality of what happened. But there certainly was a ‘structure’ to the life of Jesus. And there may be a structure in the gospel account that is not found in the other gospel accounts because that account is connected to the living creature of a man. And, at the very end, there is certainly an importance to that very special man being crucified.

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June 11th, 2023

6/11/2023

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This Sunday starts the numbering of the Sundays after Pentecost, and since Trinity Sunday was last Sunday, this Sunday will be the Second Sunday after Pentecost. Last Sunday’s Old Testament Reading happened to be extremely long and covered the entirety of the first chapter of Genesis, and last week’s writing for ‘A Sabbath Day’s Journey’ was also extremely long since it covered the entirety of Jesus’ third sermon in the Gospel according to Matthew, almost the whole of what is known as chapter thirteen of that biblical book. It was promised in this week’s writing that there will be a look back at the structure of that chapter, and a great number of the connecting phrases that were given in bold print last week will be put together in an attempt to see the text’s structure.

This is obviously a structure beyond what is called the chapter and verses of a text. But it is also an attempt to go too far and impose a structure on the text that is artificial or that does not fit with the purpose of such a writing.

A fundamental structural characteristic that may be seen in such a gospel account may be seen in the type of living creature that is typically connected to this gospel account, that of a man. Although this has been mentioned before, it may be useful to go over what are the first words of a man recorded in the Old Testament, that of Adam’s first words about Eve. Here is Genesis 2:23 (given in a somewhat-literal translation):

And he said, the man, “This, the now, bone from bones of me, and flesh, from flesh of me; to this she shall be called ‘woman’, specificity, from man, she was taken, this.”

It may be difficult to see such a thing in such a translation, but in the original language there are a total of thirteen words in what the man speaks, and the first word is ‘This’, the seventh or middle word is ‘to this’, and the last word is also ‘this’.

A slight similarity may be made to the structure of the seven parables that are given in this middle sermon of Jesus in the Gospel according to Matthew. What follows are some of the things that were highlighted in last week’s writing of that chapter, combined with a numbering of each parable, along with a few extra words to help understand the message and its context (and these words are also given in a somewhat-literal translation):

And he [Jesus] was speaking to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, he went out, the one sowing, to sow…. NUMBER ONE

The one having ears, let him hear.”

Another parable he set before them, saying, “It was likened, the kingdom of the heavens, to a man sowing good seed in the field of him…. NUMBER TWO

Another parable he set before them, saying, “Like is the kingdom of the heavens to a grain of mustard…. NUMBER THREE

Another parable he was speaking to them, “Like is the kingdom of the heavens to leaven, which, taking, a woman hid in, of meal, measures three, until it was leavened, the whole…. NUMBER FOUR

These things, all, he was speaking, the Jesus, in parables to the crowds, and without a parable, nothing, he was speaking to them….

Then, dismissing the crowds, he came into the house….

…there it will be, the wailing and the gnashing of the teeth.

The one having ears, let him hear.”

“Like it is, the kingdom of the heavens, to treasure…. NUMBER FIVE

“Again, like it is, the kingdom of the heavens, to a man…. NUMBER SIX

“Again, like it is, the kingdom of the heavens, to a net…. NUMBER SEVEN

….there it will be, the wailing and the gnashing of the teeth.”

“Do you understand these things, all?” They say to him, “Yes.”

Now he said to them, “On account of this, every scribe, discipled in the kingdom of the heavens, like it is to a man, a housemaster, who throws out of the treasure of him new and old things.”

Here is a very basic summary of what was given above, given in a way which may be easier to see a connection to the first words of the man in Genesis.

1. SPEAKING … LET HIM HEAR

2. SET BEFORE THEM

3. SET BEFORE THEM

4. SPEAKING (REPEATED!) … THEN … WAILING AND TEETH-GNASHING … LET HIM HEAR

5. LIKE IT IS

6. LIKE IT IS

7. LIKE IT IS … WAILING AND TEETH-GNASHING

In the summary above, there seems to be a type of progression starting with speaking, then someone having ears to hear, then someone (hopefully) avoiding the wailing and gnashing of the teeth. There are significant points made at the beginning, middle, and end of this text. And although there is an ending here with a significant amount of negativity, it should be stated that this is not the end, given the context of this text. This is, after all, only the middle sermon of Jesus. And also, after the seven parables, the ending of Jesus’ words gives a very positive picture of the treasures of one of his disciples, one who has a variety of treasures, both new and old ones. In much the same way, both the New and Old Testaments continue to show us the treasures of an amazingly gracious God.

He is a God who certainly has the attention of many. But in some situations that attention does not last too long. Next week’s writing will look at a significantly lower level of attention.

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June 3rd, 2023

6/3/2023

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This Sunday is the only Sunday of the year that is specifically devoted to a teaching of the Church, more specifically the holy Trinity—three Persons and one God. As was mentioned in last week’s writing, this is somewhat in the middle of the church year, and we are also at somewhat of a midpoint in our walk through the Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus heads to the cross in all four gospel accounts, but in the Gospel according to Matthew, he heads there as a teacher. And as a teacher, he gives out some significant sermons, and we are approaching the third of his five major sermons, and these sermons may be connected to the first five books of the Old Testament (more on that another time).

Either way, the third or central sermon is a significant one. In much the same way, a trip has a significant middle. Some of the same things Jesus stated earlier will be stated again, but that does not necessarily make them clearer. What makes this third sermon difficult in seeing its level of importance is that it is a series of parables. Parables are not always clear, and that is somewhat the point. Those who were already rejecting Jesus heard the parables and thought he was crazy. And those who received Jesus as a gift from their heavenly Father continued to receive his gifts through the words of these parables.

The following sermon has a unique structure. For one thing, there are a significant number of interruptions. The temptation with such a complicated structure is to impose a predetermined structure on the words. In an effort to avoid that, for this sermon, what is given is the ENTIRE text, including the interruptions, and by reading through it (perhaps a few times), one may see some important signals that will be brought up in more detail in the writing for next week. To be helpful, some of those similarities have been put in bold print.

This is going to make this week’s writing significantly longer than normal, but I hope that it does not bother you too much. So, what follows is a somewhat-literal translation of what is the third of Jesus’ five sermons and the vast majority of chapter thirteen in the Gospel according to Matthew—almost to the end [verses 1-52]:

In the day, that, going out, the Jesus, of the house, he sat beside the sea; and they were assembled to him, crowds, many, so as, him, into a boat, embarking, to sit, and all the crowd on the shore stood.

And he was speaking to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, he went out, the one sowing, to sow, and in the sowing of him, some, on the one hand, fell beside the path, and, coming, the birds devoured them. Now others fell on the rocky places where not it had earth, much, and immediately it sprang up, on account of not to have depth of earth; now the sun, having risen, it was scorched, and on account of not to have root, it was dried up. Now others fell on the thorns, and they came up, the thorns, and they choked them. Now others fell on the earth, the good, and they gave fruit, the one, a hundred, and the other, sixty, and the other, thirty. The one having ears, let him hear.”

And, approaching, the disciples said to him, “Why in parables do you speak to them?”
Now he, answering, said, “Because to you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, now to those, not it has been given. For who has, it will be given to him, and he will have abundance; now who, not he has, even what he has will be taken from him. On account of this, in parables to them, I am speaking; because, seeing, not they see, and hearing, not they hear, neither do they understand.’ And it is fully fulfilled to them the prophecy of Isaiah, the one saying: ‘In hearing, you will hear, and certainly not understand, and seeing, you will see, and certainly not perceive. For waxed gross, the heart of the people, this, and with the ears, heavily, they heard, and the eyes of them, they closed; lest they see with the eyes and with the ears, they hear, and with the heart, they understand, and they turn back, and I will heal them.’”

“Now, of you, blessed the eyes, because they see, and the ears of you, because they hear. For, amen, I am saying to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see which you see, and not they did see, and to hear the things which you hear, and not they did hear.”

“Therefore, you, yourselves, hear the parable of the sowing one. All hearing the word of the kingdom and not understanding, he comes, the evil one, and he seizes the thing having been sown in the heart of him; this is by the path, sown. Now the thing on the rocky places sown, this is the one, the word hearing, and immediately with joy, receiving it; now not he has root in himself, but on the contrary, short-lived it is, now occurring tribulation or persecution on account of the word, immediately, he is scandalized. Now the thing in the thorns sown, this is the one, the word hearing, and the anxiety of the age and the deceit of the riches chokes the word, and unfruitful it becomes. Now the thing on the good earth sown, this is the one, the word hearing and understanding, who indeed bears fruit and makes one, on the one hand, a hundred, on the other hand, sixty, on the other hand, thirty.”

Another parable he set before them, saying, “It was likened, the kingdom of the heavens, to a man sowing good seed in the field of him. Now in the sleeping, the men, he came, of him, the enemy, and over-sowed tares in between the wheat, and he went away. Now when it sprouted, the grass, and fruit it made, then it appeared, also, the tares. Now approaching, the servants of the housemaster said to him, ‘Lord, we, good seed sowed in your field, did we not? Therefore, from where has it tares?’ Now he said to them, ‘An enemy man, this, he did.’ Now the servants say to him, ‘Therefore, do you want, going away, we may collect them?’ Now he says, ‘No, lest, collecting the tares, you root up together with them the wheat. Leave, to grow together, both, until the harvest; and in appointed time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, “Collect first the tares and bind them into bundles, to burn them, now the wheat, gather into the barn of me.”’”

Another parable he set before them, saying, “Like is the kingdom of the heavens to a grain of mustard, which, taking, a man sowed in the field of him; which less, on the one hand, it is of all the seeds, on the other hand, when it grows, greater of the herbs it is, and it becomes a tree, so as to come, the birds of the heaven, and they dwell in the branches of it.”

Another parable he was speaking to them, “Like is the kingdom of the heavens to leaven, which, taking, a woman hid in, of meal, measures three, until it was leavened, the whole.”

These things, all, he was speaking, the Jesus, in parables to the crowds, and without a parable, nothing, he was speaking to them, so that, it was fulfilled, the thing spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open, in parables, the mouth of me; I will utter things having been hidden from a foundation of a world.”

Then, dismissing the crowds, he came into the house. And they approached him, the disciples of him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” Now he, answering, said, “The one sowing the good seed is the Son of the Man. And the field is the world. Now the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom. Now the tares are the sons of the evil. Now the enemy, the one sowing them is the devil, and the harvest, completion of the age, it is, now the reapers, angels they are. Therefore, as they are collected, the tares, and with fire they are consumed, thus it will be in the completion of the age. He will send out, the Son of the Man, the angels of him, and they will collect out of the kingdom of him, all the scandals and the ones doing the lawlessness, and they will throw them into the furnace of the fire; there it will be, the wailing and the gnashing of the teeth. Then the righteous with shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of the Father of them. The one having ears, let him hear.”

“Like it is, the kingdom of the heavens, to treasure, having been hidden in the field, which, finding, a man hid, and from the joy of him, he goes and sells all things he has, and he buys the field, that.”

“Again, like it is, the kingdom of the heavens, to a man, a merchant seeking good pearls. Now finding one, valuable pearl, going away, he sells all things what he had, and he buys it.”

“Again, like it is, the kingdom of the heavens, to a net thrown into the sea, and from every kind, gathering, which, when it was filled, bringing up upon the shore and, sitting, collected the good into vessels, now the bad out, they threw. Thus, it will be in the completion of the age; they will go out, the angels, and they will separate the evil men from the midst of the righteous, and they will throw them into the furnace of the fire; there it will be, the wailing and the gnashing of the teeth.”

“Do you understand these things, all?” They say to him, “Yes.”

Now he said to them, “On account of this, every scribe, discipled in the kingdom of the heavens, like it is to a man, a housemaster, who throws out of the treasure of him new and old things.”

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A Sabbath Day's Journey

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