Blog Archives

October 28th, 2023

10/28/2023

Some congregations will be celebrating this Sunday that it is the Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost (and the gospel text is Matthew 22:34-46). Other congregations, like the ones I am currently serving, will be celebrating Reformation this Sunday. For this type of celebration, the gospel text is from John 8:31-36 (with a second option of Matthew 11:12-19).

In the writings of this website, we are continuing our walk through the Gospel according to Matthew. And we have been going in the order in which the entire text was laid out. Last week we looked at basically what happened to Judas. This week we will be looking at basically what happened to Jesus.

There are three historical presents in this section. (The term ‘historical present’ is used when something like the past tense verb is usually expected, but a present tense verb shows up.) Interestingly enough, two of them deal with questions, the first one with the accusations of the religious leaders, and the second regarding the sentence of death. These two critical steps combine to lead the reader or listener to what could be called the greatest highpoint of history.

What follows is an attempt at a somewhat-literal translation of what is typically called Matthew 27:11-32; it is the section right before the crucifixion:

Now the Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, the governor, saying, “You, yourself, are the king of the Jews?”

Now the Jesus told, “You, yourself, have said.” And in the being accused, him, by the arch-priests and elders, nothing he answered.

Then he says to him, the Pilate, “You hear, do you not, how many things, you, they witness against?” And not he answered him, to not even one word, so as to marvel, the governor, greatly. Now according to a feast, he was accustomed, the governor, to release one for the crowd, a prisoner whom they wanted. Now they had, then, a prisoner, outstanding, being called Jesus Barabbas. Therefore, having been assembled, they, he said to them, the Pilate, “Whom do you want I release to you, Jesus the Barabbas or Jesus, the one called Christ?” For he knew that because of envy they handed over him.

Now sitting, he, upon the tribunal, she sent to him, the wife of him, saying, “Nothing with you and with the righteous one, that; for many things I suffered today in a dream because of him.”

Now the arch-priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they ask, the Barabbas, now the Jesus, they destroy.

Now having answered, the governor said to them, “Which do you want, from the two, I release to you?”

Now they said, “The Barabbas.”

He says to them, the Pilate, “Therefore, what I will do, Jesus, the one called Christ?”

They say, all, “Let him be crucified.”

Now he told, “For what evil he did?”

Now the ones, more, were crying out, saying, “Let him be crucified.”

Now having seen, the Pilate, that nothing is gained, but on the contrary, rather an uproar is happening, having taken water, he washed the hands before the crowd, saying, “Innocent I am from the blood of this one; you yourselves will see.”

And having answered, all the people said, “The blood of him, upon us and upon the children of us.”
Then he released for them the Barabbas, now the Jesus, having scourged, he handed over, that he might be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken along the Jesus into the praetorium, they assembled against him the whole, the cohort. And having taken off him, a cloak, scarlet, they placed around him, and having woven a crown of thorns, they placed upon the head of him, and a reed in the right of him, and having knelt before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.” And having spit into him, they took the reed, and they were hitting into the head of him. And when they mocked him, they took off, him, the cloak, and they put on him the clothes of him, and they led away him, into, to crucify. Now going out, they found a man, Cyrenian, by name Simon, this one they forced that he carry the cross of him.

0 Comments

October 21st, 2023

10/21/2023

0 Comments

If you are counting along with me, this Sunday is called the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost. And the Gospel text, like the numbering of Sunday’s title, continues on from where it was left last week (Matthew 22:15-22). And with the writings of this website, we are continuing our walk through the Gospel according to Matthew, and the whole time we have been going in the order in which the entire text was laid out.

Last week we left off with the bitter weeping of Peter. That was the very last part of what is known as the twenty-sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew. And with this writing, we will begin what is usually called the twenty-seventh chapter. And it is a very interesting start to the penultimate chapter of this account.

There are a few things in the Gospel according to Matthew that are not in the other so-called ‘synoptic’ accounts. Up to this point, those unique things were usually part of a sermon. What follows is something slightly different; it is a part of history.

The next few words COULD have continued with some details about Peter. They could also go in the direction of Jesus’ trial, and that is briefly mentioned. The majority of the next few verses focuses on one of the last people you might expect—Judas.

Since the following section is so unique, we will only look at a few verses. What follows is a somewhat-literal translation of what is called Matthew 27:1-10:

Now morning, having happened, counsel they took, all the arch-priests and the elders of the people, against the Jesus, so that, to put to death, him; and having bound him, they led away, and they handed over to Pilate, to the governor.

Then having seen, Judas, the one handing over him, that he was condemned, having repented, he returned the thirty silvers to the arch-priests and elders, saying, “I sinned, having handed over blood, innocent.”

Now the ones said, “What toward us? You, yourself, will see to it yourself.” And having put down the silvers into the temple, he departed, and having gone away, he hanged himself.

Now the arch-priests, having taken the silvers, they said, “Not it is permitted to throw them into the temple treasury, since price of blood it is.” Now counsel, having taken, they bought with them the field of the potter into a burial place for the strangers. Thus, it was called, the field, that, Field of Blood, until the today.

Then it was fulfilled, the thing having been spoken through Jeremiah, the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty silvers, the price of the one having been valued, whom they valued from sons of Israel, and they gave them into the field of the potter, just as he directed me, Lord.”

Hopefully it is at least somewhat obvious that much could be said about such a unique text. It should be said that this is certainly a sad thing. But with such a strong focus for Judas on such a negative thing, one should only expect more negative things. But there is a hint of the LORD still having control of things, especially given the last part of the text, the fulfillment of a part of the Old Testament.

Perhaps there should also be a reminder at this time that there were no initial chapter or verse divisions within this text. But there were—and still remain—helpful hints in the text along the way to point out some divisions. And these significant points also lead to high and low points within the words of the text.

It may not be entirely clear that this text is somewhat of a high point within the account. To see such a high point, it will be helpful to review the structures that have been present within such a Hebrew-structured Greek account.

The start of this Gospel account, with the naming of Jesus, gives the importance of a midpoint and an endpoint (1:18-25). At the beginning of so-called ‘chapter two’ (2:1), there is a very similar start that closely compares with the start of the narrative after Jesus’ fifth and final sermon (26:6). The two verbs in the Greek language of ‘to be born’ and ‘to happen’ sound very similar as well (and the following translations are quite literal):

Now of the Jesus, having been born in Bethlehem….

Now of the Jesus, having happened in Bethany….

What is interesting is that within that ‘chapter two’, there are three fulfillments of scripture (2:15, 17, 23), with the middle one having the exact same introduction as there was in the last part of the text above, from Jeremiah. And it is also the longest of the three quotations.

What is also interesting is that the first fulfillment in chapter two starts with a word that means ‘in order that’. And the last of the three means ‘so that’. So there seems to be a little progression with these initial words.

The above fulfillment in Matthew 27(:9-10) is the only fulfillment passage of its kind in the last three chapters of this gospel account. That is VERY significant. And these three are very long chapters.

What has probably caused the greatest amount of ink to be spilled (and toner to be used) is that there is not a clear quote in Jeremiah which connects to the words given in the quotation above. One can see that in the cross-references that appear in many bibles. There is actually a closer connection to Zechariah 11. (You may wish to look at verses 11 through 13.)

As was said, a significant amount of effort has been made to look at the sources for such a quotation. And there could be multiple reasons for such a ‘distraction’.
I call it a ‘distraction’ because that is exactly what it could be for the person who is looking for the midpoints in various parts of this gospel account.

What is the midpoint of the last part of this gospel account? That is where things get quite interesting. I certainly do not expect you to count up the number of Greek syllables or words, but it is interesting that the number of verses from 26:6 to the end of the book is 156, and the number of verses between 26:6 and the ‘then’ in 27:9 is 78 and the number of verses from that ‘then’ to the end of the book is also 78. Certainly the length of a verse is quite a varied thing, but it does make one think about the possible intricacies of such a text, as well as the possible importance of such a midpoint.

Why would such an Old Testament fulfillment be so close to the middle of such a section of scripture? Perhaps to put forward the thought that there is a more important ‘midpoint’ to our history. It may be the importance of the God-man, Jesus, who is doing what his name says: He saves. It is one that is truly HIS STORY.

0 Comments

October 14th, 2023

10/14/2023

0 Comments

This Sunday is the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, and the Gospel text is Matthew 22:1-14. The writings of this website, at this point in time, are a bit farther ahead, at what is commonly known as Matthew 26, and we will be finishing that chapter with this writing.

In some editions of the scriptures, the verse [30] about Jesus and his disciples singing a hymn and then leaving the upper room to go to the Garden of Gethsemane are in the same paragraph as the previous text, that of the institution of the Lord’s Supper. In other editions, that verse is connected to what comes after. Either way, the use of paragraphs in ancient Greek texts was certainly not the same as it is today in any texts.

In last week’s somewhat-literal translation, that verse was given. In an effort to help with the progression of the text for this week, it will be given in the following translation as well. And you may wish to look at a study bible or at least another translation of the text to see how they divide the text and how they translate it as well. So here is an attempt at a somewhat-literal translation of the rest of Matthew 26[:30-75]; the bold print that is below are the historical presents (where normally the verb should be in a past tense, but it is given in the present):

And having hymned, they went out into the Mount of the Olives.

Then he says to them, the Jesus, “All you, yourselves, will be scandalized in me, in the night, this; for it has been written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and they will be thoroughly scattered, the sheep of the flock.’ Now after being raised, me, I will go before you into the Galilee.”

Now having answered, the Peter, he said to him, “If all will be scandalized in you, I myself never will be scandalized.”

He told him, the Jesus, “Amen, I am saying to you that in this, the night, before a rooster, to call, three times you will deny me.”

He says to him, the Peter, “And if it is necessary, me with you to die, certainly not you, I will deny.” Likewise, also, all the disciples said.

Then he comes with them, the Jesus, into a place being called Gethsemane, and he says to the disciples, “Sit here until, which, having gone away there, I pray.” And having taken aside the Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and to be distressed. Then he says to them, “Very grieved is the soul of me until death. Remain here and watch with me.” And having gone on a micron, he fell upon face of him, praying and saying, “Father of me, if possible it is, let it pass from me, the cup, this; yet not as I, myself, want, but on the contrary, as you.” And he comes toward the disciples, and he finds them sleeping, and he says to the Peter, “So not you had strength, one hour, to watch with me? Watch and pray, in order that, not you enter into temptation. On the one hand, the spirit, eager; on the other hand, the flesh, weak.” Again, for a second one, having gone away, he prayed, saying, “Father of me, if not it is possible, this, to pass by, if not it, I drink, let be done, the will of you.” And having come again, he found them sleeping, for they were, of them, the eyes, having been made heavy. And having left them again, having gone away, he prayed, for a third, the same word having said again. Then he comes toward the disciples, and he says to them, “Sleep the remaining and rest, behold, it has come near, the hour, and the Son of the Man is given over into hands of sinners. Rise, let us go; behold, he has come near, the one betraying me.”

And still he speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, he came, and with him a crowd, great, with swords and clubs, from the arch-priests and elders of the people. Now the one giving over him, he gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, he it is; seize him.” And immediately, having approached the Jesus, he said, “Greetings, rabbi.” And he intensely kissed him.

Now the Jesus said to him, “Comrade, for which you are present.” Then having approached, they threw upon, the hands, upon the Jesus, and they seized him. And behold, one of the ones with Jesus, having stretched out the hand, he drew out the sword of him, and having struck the slave of the arch-priest, he took off of him, the ear. Then he says to him, the Jesus, “Put back the sword of you into the place of it; for all the ones having taken a sword, in a sword they will be destroyed. Or do you think that not, I am able to exhort the Father of me, and he will provide for me, now more, twelve legions of angels? Therefore, how they should be fulfilled, the writings, that thus, it is necessary to happen?” In that, the hour, he said, the Jesus, to the crowds, “As against a robber you came out with swords and clubs to apprehend me? Each day, in the temple, I was sitting, teaching, and not you seized me. Now this, all has happened that they may be fulfilled, the writings of the prophets.” Then the disciples, all, having left him, they fled.

Now the ones having seized the Jesus, they led away toward Caiaphas, the arch-priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Now the Peter was following him, from a distance, until to the courtyard of the arch-priest, and having entered, inside he was sitting, with the attendants, to see the end.

Now the arch-priests and the Sanhedrin, all, they were seeking a false witness against the Jesus, thus him, they might kill. And not they found, many having approached, false witnesses. Now later, having approached, two, they said, “This man told, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of the God, and through three days, to build.’”

And having stood up, the arch-priest said to him, “Nothing you answer, what these, of you, they give witness against?” Now the Jesus was silent.

And the arch-priest said to him, “I put under oath, you, by the God, the Living, that to us you say, if you, yourself, are the Christ, the Son of the God.”

He says to him, the Jesus. “You, yourself, said. Yet I am saying to you, from now, you will see the Son of the Man sitting from right of the power and coming upon the clouds of the heaven.”

Then the arch-priest ripped apart the garments of him, saying, “He blasphemed; what still a need do we have of witnesses? Behold, now you heard the blasphemy. What to you it seems?”

Now the ones, having answered, they said, “Guilty of death he is.”

Then, they spit on, into the face of him, and they punched him, now the ones slapped, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ, who it is, the one having struck you?”

Now the Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard; and she approached him, one maidservant, saying, “Also you, yourself, were with Jesus, the Galilean.”

Now the one denied before all, saying, “Not I know what you are saying.”

Now having gone into the entrance, she saw him, another, and she says to the ones there, “This one, himself, was with Jesus, the Nazarene.” And again, he denied with an oath that “Not I know the man.”

Now after a little, having approached, the ones standing, they said to the Peter, “Truly also, you of them, you are, for indeed, the speech of you, evident, you, it makes.” Then he began to invoke a curse and to swear that “Not I know the man.” And immediately a rooster called.

And he remembered, the Peter, the word of Jesus having said, “Before a rooster, to call, three times you will deny me; and having gone out, outside, he wept bitterly.

0 Comments

October 7th, 2023

10/7/2023

0 Comments

This Sunday is called the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost; the gospel reading at this time immediately follows the longer reading from the previous Sunday, and it is the Final part of chapter twenty-one (Matthew 21:33-46). For the writings of this website, last week we looked at what is usually considered chapter 25 in the Gospel according to Matthew. This next section will take into account that the last of the five major sermons of Jesus were just finished, and that he is looking ahead to the very serious situation before him. The enemies of Jesus were finished talking to him—and Jesus is basically finished with his long talks; now the enemies wanted some action.

What follows is an attempt at a somewhat-literal translation of a significant portion of Matthew 26 (verses 1-30; the words in bold indicate what is called the historical present, when normally the verb should be in a past tense, but it is given in the present):

And it happened when he ended, the Jesus, all the words, these, he said to the disciples of him: “You know that after two days, the Passover happens, and the Son of the Man is handed over into, to be crucified.”

Then they were gathered together, the arch-priests and the elders of the people, into the court of the arch-priest, the one named Caiaphas, and they consulted together that the Jesus, by guile, they might seize, and they might kill. Now they were saying, “Not in the feast, in order that, not a disturbance happens in the people.”

Now the Jesus, happening in Bethany, in a house of Simon, the leper, she approached him, a woman, having an alabaster jar of ointment, heavy with price, and she poured upon the head of him, reclining. Now seeing, the disciples were angry, saying, “Into what, the waste, this? For it was able, this, to be sold for much and to be given to poor.”

Now, knowing, the Jesus, he said to them, “Why trouble you cause to the woman? For a work, good, she worked toward me. For always the poor you have with yourselves, now me, not always you have. For pouring, this woman, the ointment, this, upon the body of me for to bury me, she did. Amen, I am saying to you, wherever it is proclaimed, the gospel, this, in all the world, it will be spoken, also what she did, this, into a remembrance of her.”

Then going, one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, to the arch-priests, he said, “What you want to me to give, and I, to you, will hand over him?” Now they weighed him thirty silvers. And from then, he was seeking a good time that him, he might hand over.

Now on the first of the no-yeast, they approached, the disciples, to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want, we may prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

Now he said, “Go into the city toward the certain, and say to him, “The teacher says, ‘The time of me, near is. With you I make the Passover with the disciples of me.’” And they did, the disciples, as he ordered them, the Jesus, and they prepared the Passover.

Now evening happened; he reclined with the twelve. And eating, they, he said, “Amen, I am saying to you that one out of you will hand over me.” And grieving exceedingly, they began to say to him, one each, “Not I myself am, Lord?”

Now the one, answering, he said, “The one dipping with me, the hand in the dish, this one, me, will hand over. On the one hand, the Son of the Man goes as it has been written about him, on the other hand, woe to the man, that, through whom the Son of the Man is handed over. Good it were for him if not was born, the man, that.”

Now answering, Judas, the one betraying him, he said, “Not I myself am, rabbi?”

He says to him, “You yourself have said.”

Now eating, they; taking, the Jesus, bread and blessing, he broke, and giving to the disciples, he said, “Take, eat; this is the body of me.” And taking a cup and giving thanks, he gave to them, saying, “Drink from it, all; for this is the blood of me of the covenant, that concerning many, being poured out into forgiveness of sins. Now I am saying to you, certainly not I will drink from now of this, the fruit of the vine until the day, that, when it I drink with you, new, in the kingdom of the Father of me.” And having hymned, they went out into the Mount of the Olives.

The historical presents start up again with Jesus’ words to Judas. It is interesting that they are not connected with the Lord’s Supper. But there is something more important going on. A simple connection to Jesus’ body and blood is one thing, and relatively speaking, it would be a simple thing. But the separation of body and blood for the purpose of a sacrifice is a significant sacrifice—and a significant miracle. There were sacrifices that were a daily thing, but the sacrifice of the God-man was in a very different category. And you might say that it IS different. The sacrifice of Jesus certainly still makes a difference today.

0 Comments

A Sabbath Day's Journey

October 28th, 2023

October 21st, 2023

October 14th, 2023

October 7th, 2023

Archives