CrGo – Page 2 – Journeys of Heart and Mind

Intro and a Temple incident

Luke is pointing us to the very basis of why Yohanan’s birth will be so important. His father, Zekharya, was a priest. In Jewish thought the role of a priest was as a conduit between Yahweh (who is perfect and holy in every way) and sinful humanity.

A Greek commentary on John

< Previous | Index | Next >

Cruising the gospel – Luke 1:1-25

Bible text –Read it yourself (opens in a new tab)

Luke 1:1-4 – Luke, a Greek medical doctor, was clearly well educated, so he begins this Greek history as any good Greek historian would have done around the turn of the 1st century AD. He writes a formal introduction, explaining what he wants to achieve and the name of the person he is writing to. Theophilus might be a personal name, but taken literally it means lover of God or friend of God, suggesting it’s intended for anyone who wants to give their allegiance to the Jewish deity Yahweh. Yahweh is a Hebrew name meaning I am or I’m who I am or I’m what I am. When Moses was told to go and speak to the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, he wanted to know who he should say had sent him with this extraordinary message of freedom. I am was the name provided to him for that purpose. It was an appropriate name then and it’s an appropriate one in 100 AD and remains appropriate today as well. Jesus comes to us via Latin Yesus from the Greek Yesous which in turn is from the Aramaic Yeshua; and that’s how Jesus would have been known by his family and friends. The Hebrew equivalent is Yahoshua which means Yahweh saves. Nothing could be more appropriate than that! It’s the same name as Joshua who led the Israelites into the promised land after 40 years in the wilderness. And Yahshua (Jesus) has a similar mission to Joshua’s, leading all who will follow him into an even greater place of promise to be and remain permanently with him and the Father.

Luke explains first that others have written accounts like the one he’s embarking on here, and mentions that he’s taken particular pains to search out the truth of everything so his new account will be trustworthy and accurate. And the reason Luke gives for the effort he is putting in is so that starting with the eyewitness accounts he can write a clear and well-ordered sequential account that can be relied on.

John’s birth foretold

Luke 1:5-25 – Luke decides to begin with the birth of John the Baptist. The Jewish Temple was under construction by Herod the Great’s architects and building labourers at the time of John’s birth, the Temple itself was in use at that time, though not yet complete. But Luke probably wrote his account shortly after the Temple had been torn down by the Romans in the year 70 AD. It was a time of great tribulation and despair in Jerusalem, but presumably Luke was writing elsewhere in the Greek part of the Roman Empire.

Zekharya (Zechariah) the Priest and his wife Elishwa (Elizabeth) were devout Jews but elderly. Zekharya’s division was taking its turn at work in the Temple, and he’d drawn lots for the task of burning incense at the altar. While he was doing this work, the Angel Gafriel (Gabriel) appeared to him. He learns that Elishwa will bear a son and that he’s to be called Johanan (John). But because of his doubts, Zekharya will not be able to speak until Johanan’s birth. Lack of faith is a serious failing, especially so for a Jewish priest.

The angel makes a few things clear about the boy to be born.

He’ll be a joy and delight to his parents.
Many will rejoice because of his birth.
He’ll be great in Yahweh’s eyes.
He must never drink alcohol.
He’ll be filled with Ruach (the Holy Spirit) even before he is born.
He’ll come ahead of ha Mashiach (the Messiah) in the spirit and power of Eliya (Elijah).
He’ll turn the hearts of parents to their children.
He’ll turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.
He’ll get people ready for ha Mashiach.

Law and grace

And right here, Luke is pointing us to the very basis of why Yohanan’s birth will be so important. His father, Zekharya, was a priest. In Jewish thought the role of a priest was as a conduit between Yahweh (who is perfect and holy in every way) and sinful humanity. The same was true for all religions in those days and it’s particularly clear in Roman religion where the Latin word pons, pontis means both bridge and priest. Indeed, we can take it further: pontifex is a bridge builder, and Pontifex Maximus, the greatest bridge builder, was the title given to the most senior priest, the Roman High Priest. Today the Pope holds this Roman title, Pontifex Maximus.

In Judaism the most senior priest was known as the Chief Priest. He was the only person ever allowed into the Holiest place in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Once a year a rope was tied around one of his ankles and he would enter the Holy of Holies, first the Ulam (a porch), then the Hekhal (the Holy Place) , and then the Debir (the innermost sanctuary in the Temple). He would be in the presence of Yahweh there, and if the Chief Priest was incapacitated or died while he was there, other priests would be able to use the rope to pull him out without entering the holy place themselves.

Zekharya, though of the priestly family, could not enter the holiest place himself. The altar of incense was in the Hekhal, just outside the Holy of Holies which was screened off by a heavy curtain.

So, here’s the thing. Yahweh was unapproachable by anyone other than the Chief Priest. Yahweh’s Law, given to Moshe (Moses) must be fully obeyed, throughout a person’s entire life. Zekharya and other members of the priestly family could make sin offerings and other offerings as required when someone failed to obey the law in some way. But there always had to be a Priest in the loop, a sinner could not be purified any other way.

This promised son, to be called Yohanan, would prepare the way for ha Machiach (the Messiah) who would bring in a new covenant in which all people could approach Yahweh directly. So Zekharya and Elishwa had major roles to play as the parents of the one who would prepare a way for the Messiah and a new and different way to approach Yahweh. The old way of the Law was going to be replaced by a new way of grace.

Nobody, not even Zekharya and Elishwa could imagine what this new way would be like, but the son to be born in their old age was going to announce it and prepare for it, the angel had made that clear enough.

Struck dumb

It’s easy, perhaps natural, to see this as punishment for Zekarya’s disbelief. But there’s another, more likely, and I think better possibility. If Zekarya is able to speak he’ll probably relate his doubts to friends, family, and anyone willing to listen to the ramblings of an aged man. He’ll also tell them that he is to become a father, but they can see his age and his wife’s age, and for that reason alone nobody will believe a word he says. Better then, that he says nothing until the child is born. That way, faced with such a miracle, people will have little choice but to believe everything he tells them.

One other point might confirm my last paragraph. Luke is providing some historical background to the beginning of a new relationship between Yahweh and his people. This new relationship will replace punishment for wrong action with forgiveness and a new beginning. Under those circumstances seeing Zekarya’s dumbness as punishment is a bad fit with the rest of the story Luke is planning to write. It would be like starting off on the wrong foot.

Meanwhile in the Court of Israel and/or the Court of the Priests, people were beginning to wonder why Zekarya was taking so long over burning some incense. When he did leave the Temple he was unable to talk, they realised he’d had a vision as he was making signs about it. He returned home when his period of service was complete, Elishwa became pregnant and remained in seclusion for five months, rejoicing that she had been favoured by Yahweh and was now free of criticism and the disgrace of a woman unable to provide her husband with a son.

Useful? Interesting?

If you enjoyed this or found it useful, please like, comment, and share below. (If you don’t see those links, click the article’s title above the main photo and they will appear.) Send a link to friends who might enjoy the article or benefit from it – Thanks! My material is free to reuse (see conditions), but a coffee is always welcome and encourages me to write more often!

You might also like:

Finding Jesus

Jargon and the Holy Spirit

Want to learn to follow Jesus?

Introducing Luke

A Greek commentary on John

< Previous | Index | Next >

Cruising the gospel – Luke

Before we begin working through Luke, here’s a brief overview of the book and its author.

Luke is usually considered to be a Greek medical doctor who accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys around the Mediterranean. There’s no evidence that he was associated with or even met Jesus. Luke was a gentile or perhaps a Greek-speaking Jew. The many ‘we’ passages in Acts demonstrate Luke was with Paul on these occasions (see Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18; and 27:1–28:16). Further, Paul mentions Luke as his companion and co-worker in Colossians 4:14 (“Luke, the beloved physician”), Philemon 24, and 2 Timothy 4:11 (“Only Luke is with me”). Early church tradition consistently tells us that Luke wrote the gospel and Acts and adds that he was from Antioch in Syria, did not marry, and died in old age.

The author

Luke’s name is not mentioned in the gospel itself, and he’s an undistinguished person to be credited as author of a gospel; Matthew, Mark and John were three of Jesus’ disciples and perhaps thought to be more authoritative for that reason alone. However, Luke’s standard of Greek is very high, perhaps better and more learned than any other New Testament author.

Date of writing

This is not settled. Some authorities accept an early date, around 60 AD or a few years later. Supporting this are the facts that Acts concludes with Paul under house arrest in Rome, no mention of Nero’s persecution, and nothing about the Jewish War. But the commonest estimate is later, 80 to 85 AD, after the destruction of the Temple. This view is strengthened by the fact that Luke draws from Mark’s gospel, and that 21:20–24 seem to have been written with knowledge of the fall of Jerusalem.

Purpose

Luke’s gospel and Acts probably began as a single book dedicated to Theophilus (a Greek name meaning ‘friend of god’ or ‘lover of god’) and written to provide a clear background and history of the church from the birth of Jesus up to the time of writing – less than 90 years later. It may later have been converted into two volumes, one to accompany the other gospels and the second as an account of the early years of the church to be followed by the more detailed work of the collected letters written by Paul and others.

Theophilus may have been an early gentile follower of Jesus, the words ‘most excellent’ hint that he might have been an imperial official in the the Greek-speaking part of the Empire, but the way Luke writes suggests he might stand in for many Greeks of slightly lesser importance all of whom were ‘lovers of god’ and followers of Yahshua (Jesus).

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

Introducing Luke

Finding Jesus

Want to learn to follow Jesus?

Seeing and believing (2)

Yahshua, coming and standing there amongst them says ‘Shalom alechem’, ‘Peace be with you’. It’s the everyday greeting you’d hear on the streets in any Jewish town but here amongst these frightened men it has a much wider and deeper meaning.

Greek commentary on John’s gospel dated 1190-1200 (Bodleian Library)

< Previous|Index|Next >

Cruising the gospel – John 20:19-31

Bible text –Read it yourself (opens in a new tab)

Brief note:

In the previous installment, I used the Aramaic names for people rather than the modern English equivalents. I’ve done the same again this time because it’s what we normally do with foreign names.

We would not call Jacques Chirac ‘Jack’ and we don’t use an English name in place of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, so why do we call Yohanan ‘John’ and Cephas ‘Peter’? Using the original names reminds us that these people were part of a different culture than our own. From now on I shall continue to take this approach.

An amazing day

20:19-31 – In the first 18 verses of John 20 we saw how Maryam Magdalitha (Mary Magdalene) saw and believed; here in the rest of the same chapter we read about Te’oma (Thomas) and how he came to believe. Te’oma (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean ‘twin’; John was writing in Greek so he gives both versions for clarity.

For Maryam, hearing Yahshua’s (Jesus’) voice was enough. but Te’oma needed a clearer hint. Notice the gentleness and understanding of Jesus here. There’s no tone of judgement or disappointment in Jesus’ words or in the way he gives Te’oma time to process things and finally what he needs to spark belief. It’s not at all surprising that someone might struggle to believe that after crucifixion and burial, someone might be alive again. In similar circumstances I might have struggled to believe, and so might you. Things were happening at breath-taking speed; this is the evening of the same day Maryam saw Yahshua outside the tomb at dawn.

Notice how the disciples are afraid of the Jews and therefore had the doors closed, perhaps even bolted. They are Jews themseleves, of course, but the Jews they’re afraid of are the leaders who had Jesus crucified and want to stamp out any hint of people still following him. They are surely right to be afraid of these powerful men.

Yet Yahshua, coming and standing there amongst them says ‘Shalom alechem’, ‘Peace be with you’. It’s the everyday greeting you’d hear on the streets in any Jewish town at that time, but here amongst these frightened men it has a much wider and deeper meaning. It’s not just a wish for physical peace and safety, it means peace and safety in the presence of Yahweh, the almighty Father who will protect them. And Yahshua shows them his hands and the wound in his side. And their fear and anxiety turn to rejoicing. We, too, can rejoice in his presence as he stands amongst us when we meet.

Jesus repeats the warm greeting, it’s also a promise, ‘Shalom alechem’ – ‘Peace be with you’. As the Father sent me, so I’m also sending you. They’re not just being given peace, but also a mission! It’s a message to us, today, as well. ‘Peace be with you and I’m sending you’. We can’t take only the peace, we must accept the being sent as well.

He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’. He breaths on us too and tells us to receive the Holy Spirit. Do we receive him? And do we realise we have the power to forgive sins, or not to forgive? I’m not sure that we are quite so convinced about that! Why did Jesus breathe on them? the word for Spirit is ‘Ruach’ and it it also means ‘breath’. When Jesus fills us with his spirit he is also filling us with his breath. We can see the link in English with words like ‘inspiration’ and ‘respiration’ – both spirit and breath. As followers of Jesus, just as life-giving air flows in and out as we breath, so the eternal life-giving Holy Spirit flows in and out, active and equally life-giving (or even more so!).

But just like you and me, poor old Te’oma wasn’t there when Jesus appeared and said these things. When he does turn up and hears what had happened, he tells the others, ‘I can’t possibly believe that nonsense. I won’t believe such a thing unless I can see his hands and put my finger on the holes where the nails were, and put my hand in the hole in his side. We can’t judge Te’oma for not believing what they had told him. I’m pretty sure we’d be just the same, though possibly less open and honest about it!

But when Jesus does come by again, more than a week later, there’s double proof. Jesus already knows what Te’oma had said, and tells him, ‘Come on then, take a proper look, here are the nail holes and here’s the wound in my side. Put your finger here and take a good look at my hands, and put your hand here in my side and believe! Te’oma said, probably rather tremblingly, ‘My Master and my God’. Notice that this is far more than just believing Jesus died and returned to life. Te’oma knows who Yahshua really is, God himself in a different and unexpected form. I think at this stage Cephas (Peter), Johanan (John) and Maryam Magdalitha understood this, also Yahshua’s mother would have known. But Te’oma fully understands quite early too.

We sometimes think of him as ‘doubting Thomas’, but as soon as he had the evidence there was no room left for doubt!

And Yahshua’s comment right at the end of this gospel is very telling too. You saw and believed, how blessed are those who don’t see yet nevertheless believe. We don’t really need physical evidence, believing happens when something changes in our hearts. This is available to everyone!

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

John 20:1-18 – Cruising the Gospel

Dealing with the body

They took down the body and followed the Jewish practice of spice embalming and wrapping it in linen strips. Very short of time before sunset, they found a newly-carved tomb nearby and laid the body there, Matthew’s Gospel suggests it was Yusuf’s own tomb.

Greek commentary on John’s gospel dated 1190-1200 (Bodleian Library)

< Previous|Index|Next >

Cruising the gospel – John 19:31-42

Bible text –Read it yourself (opens in a new tab)

Shabta

19:31-37 – Because the following day was Shabta (Aramaic), Shabbat (Hebrew) or the Sabbath (English), it was an important day of rest. Shabta began at sunset on the previous day and ended at sunset too.

19:38-42 – So any tasks that needed to be done on Shabta would have to be completed before sunset the previous day. That’s why the Jewish leaders asked Pilatus to take the bodies down from the crosses before nightfall. Normally, bodies would be left to decay on the crosses and the corpses would be consumed by rats or by birds over the following days and weeks. But if it was necessary to remove them earlier, the Roman custom was to break the legs. It could take up to three days for a healthy, fit individual to die following crucifixion. Because a person on a cross would have to use their legs to lift their body to inhale, soldiers might be ordered to break the legs so the prisoner would be unable to breathe and would die within a few minutes. The Roman soldiers broke the legs of the criminals either side of Yahshua as both were still alive. But a spear in Yahshua’s side proved that he was dead, not just holding his breath and staying very still.

Removing Yahshua from the cross

Yusuf min Arimathea (Joseph of Arimathea) was a secret follower of Yahshua and later, probably by then already late afternoon, he was joined by Naqdimon (Nicodemus), who brought the necessary materials. Both men were members of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious council), both followed Yahshua despite the high risks involved, both would have known and been known by the disciples. They took down the body and followed the Jewish practice of spice embalming and wrapping it in linen strips. Very short of time before sunset, they found a newly-carved tomb nearby and laid the body there, Matthew’s Gospel suggests it was Yusuf’s own tomb.

Like those who had seen Yahshua die, Yusuf and Naqdimon must also have thought that this was the end of everything, that for all his amazing teaching and wisdom, this was the end of the ministry of Yahshua bar Yusuf (Jesus son of Joseph, as people generally believed him to be). They would not have understood yet, despite his teaching, that he was also, and far more significantly, Yahshua bar Yahweh! He was, and would remain, the Son of the Eternal Father.

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

Matthew 27:32-66 – Cruising the Gospel

Before Jesus dies

Although used by pre-Roman societies, crucifixion was one of the worst experiences the Romans could inflict on a captured enemy, a violent and vicious criminal or a traitor. Remember the reluctance of the scared Roman Governor and the insistent demands of the angry Jewish High Priest that this terrible execution must go ahead.

Greek commentary on John’s gospel dated 1190-1200 (Bodleian Library)

< Previous|Index|Next >

Cruising the gospel – John 19:25-30

Bible text –Read it yourself (opens in a new tab)

Torment and shame

19:25-27 – It’s impossible to imagine the horror of death by crucifixion. The shame of hanging naked in front of family, friends and strangers is hard to grasp in a society where nakedness was deemed utterly unacceptable. Add to this the extreme pain of the body’s full weight supported on heavy nails driven through wrists and heel bones (the feet were nailed from the side, one each side of the central wooden post) and the exhausting effort of getting enough air into the lungs – muscles continuously straining (despite the extreme pain) to lift the body enough to breathe. More recent studies suggest that an inability to inhale was not normally the cause of death. Also used by some pre-Roman societies, crucifixion was one of the worst experiences the Romans could inflict on a captured enemy, a violent and vicious criminal or a traitor. Remember the reluctance of the scared Roman Governor and the insistent demands of the angry Jewish High Priest that this terrible execution must go ahead. We discussed those factors last time.

Family

Yahshua’s mother (Mariam), his aunt Mariam and Mariam of Magdala (three Mary’s in total) were there in front of the cross as he suffered, and also one of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, usually thought to be Johanan (John). If that’s correct we’re reading the words of an eyewitness. Yahshua, seeing them there before him and thinking of them more than about himself (as he always did) tells John that from now on his mother is John’s mother and tells her that John is now her son. In this way he is taking care that both of them will be cared for in their sorrow and their longer term needs (both practical and emotional).

The death of Yahshua

Making sure that the Old Testament writings were fulfilled was important and was one way to help people understand that Yahshua was who he claimed to be. It was especially useful as a way of reaching the Jewish teachers of his day. Yahshua was aware of this even as death approached and remained committed to such fulfilment, in this case of Psalm 69:21. So he called out, ‘I’m thirsty’. After drinking from the sponge they held up for him, he said, ‘It’s done’, lowered his head and died.

And the little group of friends, family and followers in front of the cross must have thought this marked the end of his mission, the end of his purpose, and the end of everything. They couldn’t know it yet – but they were so very mistaken.

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

What does Jesus mean to me and how do I respond to him?

Matthew’s account of Jesus’ death – Cruising the Gospel

Mark’s account of the crucifixion – Cruising the Gospel

Category: CrGo

Intro and a Temple incident

Cruising the gospel – Luke 1:1-25

John’s birth foretold

Law and grace

Struck dumb

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

Introducing Luke

Cruising the gospel – Luke

The author

Date of writing

Purpose

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

Seeing and believing (2)

Cruising the gospel – John 20:19-31

Brief note:

An amazing day

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

Dealing with the body

Cruising the gospel – John 19:31-42

Shabta

Removing Yahshua from the cross

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like:

Before Jesus dies

Cruising the gospel – John 19:25-30

Torment and shame

Family

The death of Yahshua

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

You might also like: