Greek Texts studies for Luke 5:1-11 For the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 5:1-11

v1 εγενετο (γινομαι) aor.  “it came about” - used to indicate a new narrative.

ην εστως "was standing" - had been standing. The imperfect of the verb to-be with the perfect participle forming a periphrastic pluperfect.

Γεννησαρετ gen. "[the lake] of Gennesaret" 

του θεου (ος) gen. "[the word] of God" - a subjective genitive, "the message God reveals", or an ablative genitive of source, "the message from God that Jesus proclaims." 

v2 ειδεν (οραω) aor. "he saw" - Jesus spots two boats on the edge of the lake, one of which can serve as a preaching platform, given that the crowd is crushing in on him. 

εστωτα (ιστημι) perf. part. standing [beside the lake] adjectival limiting "boats"; "two boats which were beside the lake." Can also mean, "He saw two boats drawn up on the lakeside".

αποβαντες (αποβαινω) aor. part. "left there [by the fishermen]" – i.e. the fishermen had left them and were

επλυνον (πλυνω) imperf. "washing" nets following a night of fishing.

v3 εμβας (εμβαινω) aor. part. "he got [into]" - embarked, "he boarded 

twn ploiwn (on) gen. "[one] of the boats" 

Σιμωνος (Σιμων) gen. "which was Simon’s" – an idiom, Christ uses Peter's boat as a pulpit, casting the “net of the gospel" over his hearers.

επαναγαγειν (επαναγω) aor. inf. "to put out" - Jesus asked Peter to "put out to sea."

καθισας (καθιζω) aor. part. "then he sat down" and εδιδασκεν (διδασκω) "taught"

v4 λαλων (λαλεω) pre. part. "[after he had finished] speaking" 

επαναγαγε (επαναγω) aor. imp. "put out" into το βαθος "deeper water" – literally the deep - may imply a particular spot on the lake. Is the son of a carpenter telling the fisherman where to fishier asking them to go out to where fish usually are?

χαλασατε (χαλετω) aor. imp. pl. "let down" - The plural command implies that it is addressed to Peter and those with him in the boat.

v5 αποκριθεις (απορκρινομαι) aor. pas. part. "[Simon] answered]" – A Semitic construction, redundant.

επιστατα (ης ου) voc. "Master" - an expression of respect, possibly a recognition of Jesus' authority. Matthew and Mark prefer the term "teacher" or "rabbi".

κοπιασαντες (κοπιαω) aor. part. "we've worked hard" - participle expressing action "we have toiled all night and caught nothing." - the sense is of wearisome work.

χαλασω (χαλαω) sing. fut. "I will let down" - Peter's response to Jesus' command.

τα δικτυα (ον) "the nets" - Nets (plural) used for deep water fishing.

v6 ποιησαντες (ποιεω) aor. part. "when they had done [so]" - participle is adverbial forming a temporal clause.

συνεκλεισαν (συγκλειω) aor. "they caught" - they shut up. 

πολυ adj. "a large number" and thus the miraculous nature. It is unclear what type of miracle it is- Jesus' knowledge (he knew where the fish were), or that he caused the fish to be there)? Some have argued Jesus could see the fish but Peter’s response belies this.

ιχθυων (υς ος) gen. "of fish" 

διερρησσετο (διαρρησσω) imperf. pas. "began to break" - burst, split, torn.

v7 κατενευσαν (κατανευω) aor. "they signaled" - by the nodding of heads- word is chosen because their hands were full and their voices would not carry to the other boat.

τοις μετοχοις (ος) dat. "their partners" - boats usually in pairs so Peter and his crew are signaling to their business partners, James and John, probably still on the beach.

σου ...συλλαβεσθαι (συλλαμβανω) aor. inf. "to [come] and help" - give a hand.

βαθιζεσθαι (βαθιζω) pres. pas. inf. "they began to sink" - The present tense is inceptive with the emphasis at the beginning of the action.

v8 ιδων (ειδον) aor. part. "when [Simon Peter] saw this" προσεπεσεν (προσπιπτω) aor. "he fell at τοις γονασιν (υ ατος) dat. "[Jesus'] knees" - Peter throws himself at the "knees" rather than his "feet" possibly indicates Peter knelt before Jesus with his head level with Jesus' knees. Of course, Jesus could already be on his knees in squatting fashion, rather than standing.

λεγων (λεγω) pres. part. "and said" 

εξελθε (εξερχομαι) aor. imp. "go away"  depart – an echo of the xcall of Isaiah.

κυριε (ος) voc. "Lord"  Here, "Supreme Lord", rather than just "Sir".

οτι  - because. expressing reason. Peter's response is interesting - not a full-blown recognition of Jesus nor an act of repentance, but it evidences a recognition of his own unworthiness before which prompts the question; must we begin a gospel presentation by telling the congregation they are sinners?

v9 θαμβος (ος) "[were] astonished" [had seized him]. In the Synoptics amazement is a pre-faith response to Christ’s words and works.

v10 μη φοβου (φοβεω) pres. imp. "be not afraid" Lk 2 et al, the proper response to epiphany

απο του νυν "from now on" - things will be different 

εση ζωγρων (ζωγρεω) pres. part. "you will catch [men] the sense is "rescue". This story is Luke's version of the call of all the disciples but is more about their vocation.

v11 γαγοντες (καταγω) aor. part. "so they pulled [their boats] up" – i.e. beached them, αφεντες (αφιημι) aor. part. "left [forgave, remitted, abandoned….everything]" - "they" indicates it is Peter and his partners who leave their profession behind and follow Jesus. 

παντα "everything" - John 21 implies they still owned their boats and homes, what is the "everything" then? Possibly the sense of leaving their old lifestyle behind.

ηκολουθησαν (ακολουθεω) aor. "followed" –to follow as a disciple, student or a protégé’.

Give Us the Fisherman

Christ says: Give me this fisherman, this man without education or experience, this man to whom no senator would deign to speak, not even if he were buying fish. Yes, give me him; once I have taken possession of him, it will be obvious that it is I who am at work in him. Although I mean to include senators, orators, and emperors among my recruits, even when I have won over the senator I shall still be surer of the fisherman.

The senator can always take pride in what he is; so can the orator and the emperor, but the fisherman can glory in nothing except Christ alone.

Remember this fisherman then, this holy, just, good, Christ-filled fisherman. In his nets cast throughout the world he has the task of catching this nation as well as all the others. So remember that claim of his: “We have confirmation of what was prophesied. ” — St Augustine 

Three sentences stand out in today’s mass readings: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah); “For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (Paul of Tarsus); “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Simon Peter). 

In a biblical scheme of things, these can and are considered a typical if not required part of the standard call narrative of a prophet. The sequence goes like this: a) there is a theophany, b) within the theophany there is a specific call to the future prophet to start a new life of being God’s living and walking reminder of the will and acts of God, c) the future prophet, by this time in a state of bowel moving terror, declines for what seem like valid reasons, d) God dismisses the prophet’s objections, e) God sets out the new life that the prophet will lead. Our three sentences above are part “c)” in the sequence of prophet call events.

In the book of Luke we have already read one call narrative. It was early on and part d) was slightly modified, but it is the call of Mary of Nazareth to become the bearer of God. In that encounter, the tone seems to be more one of asking permission, or that is how it is usually interpreted and read. 

We have also had a prophetic call by proxy: The calling of John the baptist. John does not get a voice in it at all. Instead, Zechariah is called to become his father and after that all is set up for John’s ministry. He is never asked in any Gospel account whether he wants to be part of this. It just happens. One might say that while Jeremiah is called before he is born, from his mother’s womb (Jer 1:5), John is called before he is even conceived. In Jeremiah, we also have a followup in which God basically says: “You were born for this.”

In the calling of Peter, we have an added little twist. Somehow Jesus has just gotten done preaching which Peter probably expected of Jesus who had a name as a preacher by then. What Peter, Andrew, James,and John — and Zebedee for that matter — did not expect was that Jesus knew their business better than they did. 

We might look at it as a call all in its own. Jesus calls them to do the job they already did and thought they had completed for the day. They, like all good prophets and probably anyone ever called to do the will of God, reply that what Jesus suggests is foolishness. Jesus’ answer is a boat sinking under the weight of fish, the very prize Bar-Jonah and Bar-Zebedee Seafood LLC is seeking. 

In a way, Simon Bar-Jonah’s call is like that of Ezekiel. The theophany overwhelms him. Ezekiel has to be called a second time after sitting speechless at the banks of the Kabar for three weeks. Simon needs a second assurance as well.

It is charming to read the call narratives in state not quite unlike John the Baptist. In a Lutheran pew there sit many who like John became followers of Jesus before they could speak of think and in most of our cases, arrangements for our baptisms was made before we were born.

There also sit many who were baptized in older years. Yet, for most of them even, that moment, though remembered, has been morphed by the process of remembering. Science says that we remember things in a peculiar way. Something happens and reprograms our brains with a trace of itself. As we remember it that part of the brain restructures once more. As we remember again we do not really remember. Instead we remember that we remembered. This is how stories of the good old days come stories of the good old days. 

It might be pointless for us to ask each other to remember our calling. It might however not be strange to remember our calling if by that we mean the invitation to the work to which we have been set. Like Isaiah, Paul and Peter, it is important to have a clear sense who we are in the scheme of the things done for God. There can never be even the slightest sense of worthiness. Luther’s sacristy has this right: I am not worthy to speak or touch. This cannot happen because of me. It must happen in spite of me. Only you, O Lord, can make it happen. 

But what if what God intends through our work does indeed happen? What if the boats do get into danger of sinking, so to speak? These are times of peril for us. Pride crouches at the door. A sense of overwhelming might wait for us. Maybe even an Elijah like despair: “It will not matter. It will not be enough.”

We are all in need of the attitudes of Isaiah, Paul, and Peter. It is the only attitude that is capable of carrying on whether the boat is full or empty right then. It is the attitude that remembers who God is and even more recalls what we are not. It is in this manner that confession is good for the soul and it should probably attend our prayer more. 

The proud count fish and speak of their heavenly visions. The servants of God speak of the thorns in their side and the suffering of their lives but then witness to the greatness of Jesus Christ. 

Texts for the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany, January 27th, 2019

First Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

1All the people [of Israel] gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 8So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

  9And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm: Psalm 19

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

  14Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

  27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31aBut strive for the greater gifts.

Gospel: Luke 4:14-21

14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

  16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

  because he has anointed me

   to bring good news to the poor.

 He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

  and recovery of sight to the blind,

   to let the oppressed go free,

 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

A Greek Text Study of Luke 4:14-21

Greek Study Luke 4:14-22

V14 υπεστρεψεν "returned", expresses space/sphere,  so "empowered, or full of the Spirit", or accompaniment, "equipped with 

του πνευματος (α ατος) gen. "[the power] of the Spirit" - ablative, expressing source.

φημη (η) "news" - in a neutral sense - not in the sense of the English transliteration, "fame".

καθ (κατα) της περιχωρου (ος) "through the [whole] countryside" - surrounding region. meaning "throughout Galilee".

v15 εδιδασκεν (διδασκω) imperf. "he taught" - he was teaching. Imperfect expressing ongoing action, probably iterative, repeated action; "he went on teaching", Barclay.

δοξαζομενος (δοξαζω) perf. pas. part. "everyone praised [him]"  A strong word, usually reserved for God. The cause of the praise is usually attributed to Jesus' miracles, but Luke links it to his teaching.

v16 hn teqrammenoV (trefw) perf. pas. part. "he had been brought up" – idiom, he had been fed, nourished, reared. The perfect participle with the imperfect forms a periphrastic pluperfect serving to emphasize the duration of his living in Nazareth as a child and young man. 

των σαββατων (ον) gen. "the Sabbath day."

το ειωθος (ειωθα) perf. part. {as was his}custom" - his habit ie Jesus was a pious Jew.

αναγνωναι (αναγινωσκω) aor. inf. "to read" - infinitive expresses purpose, "he stood up [in order] to read." In the synagogue service the rabbi teacher stood read and sat to teach. There was probably a cycle of readings, first from Torah followed by a reading from the Prophets. The reading was in Hebrew with a translation in Aramaic.

  

v17 του προφητου (ος) gen. "[the scroll] of the prophet" – an idiomatic sense; "the scroll which contains the writings of Isaiah the prophet".

αναπτυξας (αναπτυσσω) aor. part. "unrolling" ευρεν (ευρισκω) aor. "he found"  Jesus found the reading in the scroll indicating it wasn't part of the Pericope.  The scroll would have already been open ready for the reader. It could just mean Jesus "found on the page."

ην γεγραμμενον "it is written" - the imperfect with the perfect participle forms a periphrastic pluperfect. Establishing a tense separation between the reading Jesus found and what was written.

  

v18 κυριου (ος) gen. "[the Spirit] of the Lord" – ablative of origin, "the Spirit poured out from the Lord.

επι "is on/over [me]" -  Spacial - expressing the fact that the Spirit has come upon Jesus to enable his ministry he is "consecrated", set apart, to perform. This ministry is defined in four infinitival phrases: "to communicate ..", "to proclaim ..", "to release .." and "to preach .. (v19)."

εινεκεν + gen. "because" - for the sake of. Causal clause, "for this reason [he anointed me]." "Anointed" in the sense of commissioned to undertake a particular task. 

ευαγγελισασθαι (ευαγγελιζω) aor. inf. "to preach good news" – i.e. to communicate. 

απεσταλκεν, "he has sent", In the NT this word usually includes the content of the communication, namely the announcement of the coming kingdom of God and the invitation to enter ("repent and believe"). The word by itself simply means "important communication."

πτωχοις dat. adj. "the poor" identifying for whom the preaching is performed.

κηρυξαι (κηρυσσω) aor. inf. "to proclaim/preach” - a purpose clause.

αφεσιν (ις εως) "freedom,forgiveness, remission, pardon”, from captivity. Clearly tapping into the slavery imagery, exodus and exile, but in the sense of "freedom from slavery to sin", so "forgiveness."

αιχμαλωτοις (ος) dat. "the prisoners" identifying for whom the freedom is performed.

αναβλεψιν (ις εως) "recovery of sight" - restoration of sight- spiritual sense is intended. Due to sin, people are blind to the Word of God and divine revelation is withheld.

τυφλοις dat. adj. "for the blind".

αποστειλαι (αποστελλω) aor. inf. "sent to” εν αφεσει (ις εως) [to release] in freedom, liberty. a modal phrase expressing manner, "to send away in freedom the τεθραυσμενους (θραυω) perf. pas. part. "oppressed" - down-trodden.

v19 κηρυξαι (κηρυσσω) aor. inf. "to proclaim" - the fourth and final infinitive

ενιαυτον (ος) "the year" – era 

κυριου (ος) gen. "of the Lord's" an idiom, "this is God's year to act!"

δεκτον adj. "favor" - acceptable, welcome, agreeable, favorable, acceptable", the year in which God's will and purpose in Christ is operative for salvation. This may relate to the fulfilment of Jubilee, Leviticus 25, the fiftieth year when slaves are released, debts cancelled, etc. In Christ, Jubilee is spiritually realized, which, of course, is the point Jesus draws from the texts.

v20 πτυξας (πτυσσω) aor. part. "he rolled up [the scroll]" - temporal, so when.

αποδους (αποδιδωμι) aor. part. "gave it back to".υπηρετη (ης ου) "the assistant”. 

εκαθισεν (καθιζω) aor. "sat down" - he sat down. took the preacher's seat!

παντων gen. adj. "[the eyes] of everyone" ησαν ατενιζοντες "were fixed [on him]" – i.e. focused. a periphrastic imperfect. The word expresses an intense focused gaze and is used by Luke at important moments when people's attention is concentrated.

v21 ηρξατο (αρχω) aor. "he began" The use of this word differs depending on the context. Often it serves to emphasize the importance of what is said. 

σημερον adv. "today" - emphatic serving to underline the fact that the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy is palpable.

πεπληρωται (πληροω) perf. pas. "is fulfilled" – completed happening now.

εν τοις ωσιν υμων "in your hearing" – literally in the ears.  It is unclear what is "in the ears." Is it scripture, or that which is fulfilled. Probably the latter - the promise is being realized at the moment of their hearing. 

v22 εμαρτυρουν (μαρτυρεω) imperf. "spoke well of" - witnessing, bearing testimony to, speaking of. What better place than a synagogue to gather a quorum of witnesses to the truth!   Yet, the question that follows evidences skepticism on the part of the congregation, so possibly "everyone noticed what he said", a dative of disadvantage; "everyone spoke up against him" as they 

εθαυμαζον (θουμαζω) imperf. "were amazed" - ongoing action. Amazement is an important initial response to the gospel; the kind of response a person makes when confronted with theophany. Mark plays with this response: his gospel begins and ends with people being amazed; "amazement" is a sot of pre faith response.

της χαριτος (ις ιτος) gen. "[the words] of grace”. Possibly an objective genitive, so "words about grace". The word "grace" χαριτος is translated in many ways: "winning words" ,"well spoken", " wonderful things said", "beautiful words", "astonished by his eloquence", "the words of charm" – idiomatically - "They were astonished words of such grace should fall from his lips".

τοις εκπορευομενοις (εκπορευομαι) pres. part. "that came" 

ουχι "[Isn't this Joseph's son?]" - This negation is used where a question presumes a positive answer. The question evidences the skepticism of the congregation. Familiarity breeds contempt.