Greek Study Mark 10:17-31

Greek Study Mark 10:17-31

v17 εκπορευομενου (εκπορευομαι) pres. part. "As [Jesus] started [on his way]" the participle is adverbial forming a temporal clause, as NIV.

προσδραμων (προστρεχω) aor. part. "ran up to [him]" - - idiom for “kneeling” to show respect so.

διδασκαλε αγαθε "good teacher" - nothing offensive in this statement, although Jesus uses it to remind the man that no person is good – reflecting a Pauline understanding of our fallen nature.  

ινα + subj. "to" - - a purpose clause; "what must I do in order to…"

κληρονομησω (κληρομομεω) aor. subj. "inherit". 

ζωην αιωνιον "eternal life" - For a Jew this phrase referred to the eschatological resurrection of the dead and of their ongoing participation in the life of the age to come.   

v18 …a possible allusion here to the Shema, "The Lord our God, the Lord is one", Deut.6:4. 

αγαθος adj. "good" - Here used by Jesus to mean "perfect".

ει μη "except" - All of humanity is affected by sin so that only God is good. The rich man needs to recognize his own condition and seek God's mercy. There can be no repentance without confession, no confession without conviction.

v19 μη απαστερησης (αποστερεω) aor. subj. "do not defraud" – lit. to “deprive by deception or trickery. A subjunctive of prohibition, omitted in some texts (likely by copyists who thought it an inappropriate addition to a list from the Ten Commandments!) 

v20 διδασκαλε (ος) "teacher" - Vocative.

ο .. εφη αυτω/ "he declared".

ταυτα παντα "all these" - all these things (the commandments).

εφυλαξαμην (φυλασσω) aor. "I have kept" – but since the verb is the middle tense in Greek it is actually translated "I have avoided”  - so the man may be referring to evils, not the commandments which in truth makes more sense!

v21 εμβλεψας (εμβλεπω) aor. part. "[Jesus] looked at [him and loved him]" - the prefix serves to intensify the looking, so "looked intently", "a penetrating look".

ηγαπησεν (αγαπαω) aor. "loved [him]" - How to explain this response, “great admiration", "liked him",  "prized him dearly", "his heart warmed towards him", have all been used to express an emotional response of attraction. But the verb refers to overt action, not just inner emotion, so some argue that the overt action is that of self-giving, Jesus addresses the man's problem in the terms of action on behalf of the neighbor.

εν σε υϑστερει "one thing you lack" - come short of - verb usually takes a genitive with the sense "one thing is lacking ". The accusative, as here, may be purposely intended expressing the idea that "you" is the one affected by the lack, so "one thing is missing in your life".

πωλησον και δος "sell ..... and give .." - These two imperatives are aorist and thus express punctiliar, completed action.

οσα εχεις (εχω) pres. "everything you have" - as much as you have. Jesus' call to leave everything and follow him obviously causes interpretive difficulties. It is sometimes handled as illustrative of receiving Jesus, eg. Jesus calls on us to become vulnerable, as a child, to gain everything; or Jesus calls on us to substitute what we love for a love of God or Jesus calls on us to transfer our wealth to the poor of the earth who have no wealth. (There are still a few who stand with Francis of Assisi!) None-the-less, Jesus is indeed stating the substance of neighborly law in the terms of an absolute; not to define the nature of discipleship, or make poverty a requirement, but to underline the fact that "eternal life" cannot be inherited by doing. This man, although clearly a kind and godly man, is not covenant compliant and stands condemned with everyone else. To love his neighbor with such love is beyond him, as it is beyond us all.

τοις πτωχοις adj. "to the poor".

θησαυρον εν ουρανω/ "treasure in heaven" -a common Jewish expression used to describe the blessings of God in general.

ακολουθει (αλοκουθεω) pres. imp. "follow [me]" - follow. It is likely that Jesus' call to discipleship is a call to ongoing faith, not to obedience.

  

v22 στυγηασας (στυγναζω) aor. part. "[the man's] face fell" – idiom; he became sad.

λυπουμενος (λυπεω) pres. pas. part. "[he went away] grieving” participle is adverbial, expressing the manner of his departing. Although this response is often regarded as one of rejection, it is actually the correct response for a person who has come to recognize their state of loss before God. He walks away convicted. Now confession and repentance are possibilities. One cannot make right what one does not know is wrong.

γαρ "because" - Expressing cause.

ην .. εχων "he had" – a periphrastic imperfect construction used to emphasize imperfective aspect, ie. it was not that he had great wealth, but that he was in the wealth-creating business!

κτηματα πολλα "great wealth" - many possessions. 

v23 περιβλεψαμενος (περιβλεπω) aor. part. "[Jesus] looked around" - A nice personal touch recorded by Mark; Jesus watched the man depart and then turned to his disciples to comment.

πως δυσκολως adv. "how hard" - comparative use; "with what difficulty will a person of means enter the kingdom of God". The adverb "with difficulty" is rare in the NT. 

οι .... εχοντες (εχω) "the rich" – literally “the ones having the means to create wealth” 

εισελευσονται (εισερχομαι) fut. "to enter [the kingdom of God]"

v24 εθαμβουντο (θαμβεω) imperf. pas. "[the disciples] were amazed" – a key word used by Mark to indicate a pre-faith response to Jesus words or actions. 

τεκνα (ον) "children" – refers to the disciples using an affectionate form of address.

  
v25 διελθειν (διερχομαι) "to go through" της ραφιδος (ις ιδος) gen. "[the eye] of a needle".

εισελθειν (εισερχομαι) aor. inf. "to enter" - the infinitival prepositional clause serves as the subject of the verb to-be εστιν. 

  
v26 εξεπλησσοντο (εκπλησσω) imperf. pas. "amazed" - imperfect is descriptive, expressing ongoing amazement. 

λεγοντες (λεω) pres. part. "said" - [to themselves]. 

τις "who" σωθηναι (σωζω) aor. pas. inf. "[can] be saved" - infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of "is able". "Saved" in the sense of entering the kingdom. Possibly this reaction is driven, not so much by a general understanding of the difficulty of entering the kingdom, but rather that wealth would have normally indicated that a person was under God's favor and therefore saved, so "if this man, with every advantage and indication of being near the kingdom, cannot be saved, who can?"

v27 εμβλεψας (εμβλεπω) aor. part. "[Jesus] looked at [them and said]" - Another personal stage direction by Mark.

παρα + dat. "with [men]" αδυνατον "impossible" 

αλλα "but” - adversative.

γαρ "for [all things are possible with God]".

  
v28 ηρξατο (αρχω) aor. [Peter] began [to say to him]  Peter is again functioning as a spokesman for the disciples.

λεγειν (λεγω) pres. inf. "said / spoke up"

ημεις "we" - Emphatic.

αφηκαμεν (αφιημι) aor. "we have left" - The aorist is punctiliar expressing a definite act of leaving. 

παντα neut. adj. "everything" - a bold claim, given that we know that the disciples continued to own property!! 

ηκολουθηκαμεν (ακολουθεω) perf. "to follow [you]" - the perfect, expressing a past act with ongoing consequences.

  
v29 αμην λεγω υμιν "I tell you the truth" - indicating the importance of what follows.

αφη (αφημι) imperf. "left" 

ενεκεν + gen. "for" του ευαγγελιου "[for me and] the gospel" - the important message. 

  
v30 εαν μη + subj. if [he shall] not [receive] referring back to ουδις εστιν ο}ς, "there is no one who....", 

νυν εν τω καιρω τουτω "in this present time" - usually expressed in the gospels as ο αιων ουτος - Marks construction here reflects Pauline use (Rom.3:26)

διωγμων (ος) "persecutions".

  
v31 εσονται (ειμι) fut. "[many who are first] will be [last]".

Follow Me?

The Lord remained silent before Pilate and Herod; He made no attempt to justify Himself. You must imitate His holy and wise silence when you see that your enemies accuse you, with every intention of certain conviction; they accuse only with the purpose of hiding their own evil intention under the guise of judgement. — St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, The Cup of Christ

What a terribly odd sentence: “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” I was under the impression that no one “did” anything to “inherit.” One either “is” or one “is not” an heir. At the outside of things, I guess one could marry into money and then hope it would come ones way but that would not have been a consideration in Jesus’ time.

And what am I to make of the answers Jesus gives. In answer to the odd first question: “how can I inherit eternal life,” Jesus answers with a quick summary of all the commandments but then points out that even the keeping of those very commandments is not enough. How Lutheran of Jesus! He lacks “one thing,” this man: surrendering entirely to Jesus. Is this a hidden critique of the Pharisees who, like the man, keep the commandments flawlessly, at least in letter? We have learned last week that there is letter and spirit. That which God intended and that what has become of it through the ministrations of very hard hearts.

And what am I to make of the idea that: “Jesus loved him?” It seems to mean that Jesus actually wants this one to follow him. He asks him to do just that in the very words he used for the other disciples. “Follow me.” This man walks away. What becomes of him? Is he the one who hides in the garden watching the arrest from a distance only to then finally leave all behind including his clothes when discovered, as if to say: “You will leave it all behind one way or another, the only question is how you will leave it?” I pray that he is that, because the empty tomb has the man dressed in white and proclaiming the resurrection. Might he have come to his senses or better might he have come to God’s senses? I pray earnestly I am right here. If he can come to sense, maybe I can too . . .

Last Sunday in the pulpit I said: “God the Holy Spirit must break hearts.” Yes, it is true. Hard hearts must be broken open because only hearts that can be moved to pity and love can embrace children, only they can take the lowest places for the sake of others, only they can stand being the least, even the child, in the kingdom. Hard hearts cannot and will not do that. Hard hearts strive to be last if it means they get to be first and doing that will they not be last? Peter’s great speech about how humble he has become after giving up everything is the humility that accidentally caught sight of itself in the mirror and now is ever so impressed with itself. Ironically, everything he said is probably true given the cost associated with conversion in the 1st century. But, like the man weighed down by greed for wealth instead of freed by it to be a benevolent heart, Peter and the disciples are weighted down by pride of following Jesus instead of being freed by that discipleship to embrace the child. Yes, I am still stuck on that child thing. It is in our stories a bit too frequently not to be important. 

But really now: The camel attempts the impossible in our story: It tries to crawl through the eye of a needle. Don’t bore me with gates that supposedly were named “eye of the needle.” No archeologist has found one. The fact that we are looking speaks volumes. Don’t bore me with misspellings that make the “camel” a “rope.” No, the parable was to be one of impossibility. Even Jesus says so: “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

So, to collect the pieces: You cannot behave your way into the Kingdom of God by obeying the commandments, you also can’t Jesus-follow yourself into the Kingdom, you cannot humble yourself into the kingdom, you can only lose everything, but you are called to do all those things.

Did you ask to be born? Did you fill out a questionnaire asking you about the parents you would like to end up with? Do you have any recollection whatsoever that asked your opinion or preferences about your birth? What then do you make of the idea that one can behave oneself into the kingdom of God. Think about it: The very event that makes it possible for you to read and contemplate what I say here was entirely beyond you and your control, it was even beyond your consciousness. 

There is also a day coming over which you have no veto — may the Lord keep it away from us all for a while yet and when it comes, bring it in mercy, even though persecutions have been promised. 

Why do we pretend that in a life between two realities over which we have no control we have all the control in the world? Why do we pretend standing beyond the first that at the next singularity we will have a say so on what happens next? If you cannot receive the Kingdom of God like a child, how then do you propose to receive it? Yet, if indeed a child, how will you receive the invitation: “Follow me?”

The Texts for Sunday October 4th 2015

First Reading: Genesis 2:18-24

18The Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” 19So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23Then the man said, 

 “This at last is bone of my bones

  and flesh of my flesh;

 this one shall be called Woman,

  for out of Man this one was taken.”

24Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

The Word of the Lord

Psalm: Psalm 8

1 O LORD our Governor, 

    how exalted is your Name in all the world!

2 Out of the mouths of infants and children 

    your majesty is praised above the heavens.

3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, 

    to quell the enemy and the avenger.

4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, 

    the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,

5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? 

    the son of man that you should seek him out?

6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; 

    you adorn him with glory and honor;

7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; 

    you put all things under his feet:

8 All sheep and oxen, 

    even the wild beasts of the field,

9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, 

    and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

10 O LORD our Governor, 

    how exalted is your Name in all the world!

Second Reading: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12

1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

  5Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. 6But someone has testified somewhere, 

 “What are human beings that you are mindful of them,

  or mortals, that you care for them?

 7You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;

  you have crowned them with glory and honor,

  8subjecting all things under their feet.”

Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them,9but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

  10It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12saying, 

 “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,

  in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”

The Word of the Lord

Gospel: Mark 10:2-16

2Some Pharisees came, and to test [Jesus] they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” 5But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 6But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

  10Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

  13People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” 16And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Mark 10:1-16 in Greek text

Greek Study Mark 10:1-16

v1 Jesus' teaching on divorce, v1-12 is typically Markan. The form-critical classification is “scholastic dialogue” and is an example of a teaching between Jesus and the Pharisees and Jesus and his disciples. 

αναστας "Jesus then left" - having arisen [from there he went to the border of Judea across the Jordan]. The participle forms a temporal clause.

τα ορια (ον) "[into] the region [of Judea]" – i.e. the border between Jewish and Gentile territory. 

περαν + gen. "across [the Jordan]" - across, probably "beyond", ie. into Peraea travelling from Galilee to Jerusalem he was skirting around Samaria.

συμπορευονται (συμπορευομαι) pres. "gathered around him".

ειωθει (ειωθα) pluperf. "[as] was his custom" - ειοθα is the perfect of εθω  (is accustomed)  but the pluperfect takes the imperfect "as he was accustomed".

v2 προσελθοντες (προσερχομαι) aor. part. "[some Pharisees] came" - attendant circumstance expressing action accompanying the verb "were asking".

πειραζονες (πειραζω) pres. part. "tested [him]" - a purpose clause, "in order to…”.

εξεστιν "it is lawful" – literally is it permissible/allowed so it takes the form of a question.

απολυσαι (απολυω) aor. inf. "to divorce [his wife]" – here the infinitive forms a noun clause so the phrase translates; [they were asking him if] divorcing a wife is lawful [for a man]".

v3 αποκριθεις (αποκρινομαι) aor. pas. part. answering [them]; redundant.

τι "what" – an interrogative ενετειλατο (εντελλομαι) aor. "did [Moses] command" - in the sense of giving give orders or official sanction to?  Jesus is now testing them as to the regulation which Moses prescribed!

v4 επετρεψεν (επιτριπω) aor. "[Moses] permitted"  actually Mosaic law regulated divorce, but by his choice of the word "permitted" Jesus indicates divorce is actually more of a divine concession not a right or a normative action. We would say it is the exception, not the rule.  Now, the question becomes, “what is the rule?”

γραψαι (γραφω) aor. inf. "to write" - forms an object clause expressing what Moses allowed.

απαστασιου (ον) gen. "[a certificate] of divorce" adjectival, limiting "certificate" – this document was designed to provide protection for a woman – NOT permission for a man! (Deut.24:1-4) The Divine intent was here to provide protection for the weaker of two parties in a contractual arrangement – one could argue from the Greek and the texts inferred that the concession discussed was not how to end a ‘bad marriage” or to provide license to ‘move on” but rather on now to compassionately deal with the real world effects of the sinful consequence of broken relationships. In Greek, this word meant leave ("απο" means away) one's station (στασιου) – the word explodes off the page if you look at it Biblically or from the Greek military language from where it originates, for it literally means a defection from the one ahead of you in rank.  Moses gave permission to write a certificate of defection and I wonder how many sensibilities would be offended if we labeled divorce a “defection”?   And let me be clear, arguing that divorce is “necessary” or “good” is the same argumwent5 used with abortion being “necessary” or “good”.  Absolute prohibitions do not deal with reality, exceptions are real, but Jesus will not be distracted by ‘exceptions” – he is establishing a divine intent and norm….you have to be clear about what the baseline is from which you draw the ‘exception”.  Our society has, in my option, made the exception the rule.  And as he sometimes does, Jesus actually changes the law here, he makes it even more stringent.  I know it is inconvenient to think like this, but as he also does in the beatitudes he makes the Law MORE STRINGENT, NOT LESS.  And as we confess him to be God incarnate he is not expressing his ‘opinion” but rather clarifying a divine norm.  If you look up the word “divorce” will be taken to Deuteronomy 24:1 where a man is given permission to kick out his wife if she displeases him.  Jesus today calls men to a greater level of faithfulness than previous generations; men can no longer leave their wives because they displease them!  And Jesus even allows a situation where a women might leave their husbands as well, which is something which unthinkable in Jewish culture. So in a sense one can argue for that he enfranchises women, yet in doing so he asks for a greater, not a lesser, commitment from them as well.  And note that although the Bible's teaching about divorce shifts over time, its teaching about marriage remains the same (as it was from the beginning)! This is not about our practices…it is about the Divine expectation and norm, it is about what the church is called to teach.

v5 την σκληροκαρδιαν (α) "[your] hearts were hard" – lit. stubborn; "hard-heartedness", the inability (closer to the truth) to obey God's will. Situation that necessitate laws take into account actual sinfulness and are designed to limit and control its consequences. For example multiple sclerosis is an awful disease - the hardening of certain body parts until the person cannot move.  Well, in a downward spiraling relationship, there is a hardening of the heart, until finally the person cannot love.  

v6 Jesus supports his argument using two texts, i] Gen.1:27, ii] Gen.2:24, and draws a conclusion, v6-9. The argument is; "if the intention of the creator of the male and female was for them to be united into "one flesh" "so that they are no longer two, then God's will simply cannot be they divorce. Divorce is tantamount to an undoing the created order!

κτισεως (ις εως) gen. "of creation" – literally means "the sum total of everything created", so not "at the beginning of Genesis", but "from the beginning of creation". The Greek here is clearly referring to the created intent, not traditional or cultural positions. 

v8 εσονται ...... εις "will become" - this unusual use of the verb to-be with the preposition "into" derives from a literal translation in the Septuagint of the Hebrew.

ωστε "so that” - a consecutive clause expressing result, "And the two will become so completely one that they will no longer be two persons but one".

v9 Given the divine will for the integral unity of marriage, evident in the creation, Jesus issues an absolute decree on the issue of divorce using the conclusive Greek word: ουν "therefore" - expressing a logical conclusion.

συνεζευξεν (συζευγνιμι) aor. "has yoked together".

μη + pres. imp. "not" - construction commands the cessation of an action already in progress; so; "husbands must stop removing their wives!”

v10 Jesus now instructs the disciples on the issue of divorce, v10-12. 

εις την οικιαν "when they were back home again"

επηρωτων (επερωταω) "[the disciples] asked"  περι + gen. "about [this]" 

v11 The lack of the exception for divorce, (except for adultery in Matt.19:9) expresses the absolute nature of this kingdom law. In fact, the exception clause in Matthew is more difficult to explain in light of the unforgiving Greek wording of this command and so is likely a later addition to the text!

ος αν + subj. "anyone who" - an indefinite relative clause establishing a hypothetical condition, 3rd class, "whoever, as may be the case.... then ".

επι + acc. "[commits adultery] against [her]" - spacial in the sense of "up against”; also possibly "with respect to" a wife's right to not have a third party intrude on the "one flesh" relationship she has with her husband. Mark's "against her" highlights the force of Jesus' pronouncement. Under rabbinic law a man may commit adultery against another man by bedding that man's wife or a wife may commit adultery against her husband by bedding another man, but it was inconceivable that a man, by bedding another woman, has in this act committed adultery against his own wife! And that is a loophole big enough to drive a truck through!

v12 Given that a Jewish wife could not divorce her husband it is argued that this is an explanatory inclusion for Gentile readers (given that under Roman law a wife could divorce her husband). While there is some second century evidence that in some Jewish circles a women did have the right to divorce her husband, either way the statement reinforces the absolute nature of Jesus' words. 

απολυσασα (απολυω) "divorces [her husband]" attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "marries"; "divorces and marries". Some suggest that this active participle is the consequence of wrongly reading an Aramaic passive participle so giving a translation in agreement with Luke 16:18b; " if she who has been divorced by her husband marries another, he commits adultery".

v13 Thankfully now, leaving divorce behind, Jesus welcomes little children, v13-16. Confronted by the absolute demands of the law we are reminded that there has only ever been one way to secure covenant compliance and that is through God’s mercy. Jesus uses the coming and blessing of children for to illustrate this. And it should not be lost that in the previous teaching on divorce; Jesus is protecting the legally weaker of two parties in the covenantal agreement (the wife). By welcoming παιδια (ον) "little children" which literally means to those too young to vote, provide a career or to legally hold property, therefore in society’s eyes not yet of value, he emphasizes that the values of God’s Kingdom are radically different than the values of any lesser Kingdom - including the USA, (God bless America). He calls disciples to be loyal to and to teach the values of God’s kingdom and not a lesser one!

ινα + subj. "in order that" a purpose clause.

αυτων gen. "[touch] them" - Genitive after a verb of touching- in the sense of laying hands upon for the conferring of a blessing.

επετιμησαν (επιτιμαω) aor. "rebuked" - the disciples told the people to stop bothering him

v14 ιδων (ειδον) aor. part. "when [Jesus] saw this" - participle is adverbial forming a temporal clause.

ηγανακτησεν (αγανακτεω) aor. "he was indignant" - against what they judged to be wrong.

ερχεσθαι (ερχομαι) aor. inf. "[let the little children] come [to me]" - "Children" is the object of the imperative verb "allow", the infinitive is complementary in that it completes the sense of the verb "allow" so "you must allow the children to come to me".

μη + pres. "not" a negation with the pres. imp. commands the secession of action in progress; "stop forbidding them."

του θεου (ος) gen. "[the kingdom] of God" - The genitive is interesting. Does the kingdom belong to God (possessive), proceed from God (ablative), is enacted by God subjective), or is it simply, in general terms, God-like (adjectival, descriptive)? The mystery of the genitive.

των .. τοιουτων "[belongs to] such as these" This statement is not an item in a doctrinal discussion on the innocence of children or on the age of accountability, but a proclamation on the nature of the kingdom. Inclusion is a matter of God's grace not rights or efforts. 

v15 αμην λεω υϑμιν "truly I tell you" underlining the words ος αν + subj. "whoever” see above for a conditional clause μη δεξηται (δεχομαι) aor. subj. "does not receive" – here Jesus, exegetes the nature of God's reign, i.e. those who do not come and receive as these children came and received will have no part in God's righteous rule.

ως "as [a child]" - a comparison. 

ου μη + subj. "[will] never [enter it]" – a subjunctive of emphatic negation. 

  
v16 εναγκαλισαμενος (εναγκαλιζομαι) aor. part. "he took [the children] into his arms" - attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "he blesses".

τιθεις (τιθημι) pres. part. "put [his hands]" - participle is modal expressing the manner of blessing, or possibly the means, "by laying on of hands” a blessing of OT precedence (Gen.48:14-18).

κατευλογει (κατευλογεω) imperf. "and blessed them" – a hapax legomenon, the imperfect may be expressing durative action - the prefix is intensifying, so "he kept on fervently/tenderly/ warmly/lovingly blessing them."  He is making a point here.

Cardiac Sclerosis

'When God wishes, He becomes fire, burning up every coarse passion that has taken root in the soul. "For our God is a consuming fire" (Dt. 4:24; Heb. 12:29). When He wishes, He becomes an inexpressible and mysterious rest so that the soul may find rest in God's rest. When He wishes, he becomes joy and peace, cherishing and protecting the soul.’— St. Macarius the Great

The text for today is indeed difficult one. For one thing, it is about divorce, often taken for granted in our society yet proscribed in Jesus’ words for today. It is made further difficult because marriage meant something different to the time of Jesus.

My favorite anthropological sociologist, John Pilch, points out that children, in spite of 1st century ambiguity toward childhood, were considered “from God.” Therefor, one never really became an empty nester as a parent and neither did one really ever become emancipated from ones father. Father and mother remained the steward of their progeny until death. As a son, one would always seek to be obedient the will of the elder of ones family. A daughter in the house would do likewise and would be required to transfer her allegiance to her family-in-law upon marriage.

To be good stewards of the children that God had supplied, one was expected to arrange good marriages for them, marriages that somehow counted as a blessing to the families involved. In other words, families married families, when husband a wife came together.

In olden days, divorce meant something different. Two families were put asunder. To make that worse, those families had received God’s gifts, offspring, and had taken their office of steward very serious. When the elders, after deliberation and negotiation, agreed that God was pleased to bind the couple and the families together, it was indeed as if “God had joined together.” Divorce was a negation of that very process and of the will of God that it aimed to discern. 

Somewhere in the ancient way of doing marriage is also a concern for generations yet to come. Once offspring, life from your life, is a gift from God, then all life is likewise something sacred that one is steward of. Will future generations of life be had and cared for? Will the family that will receive them be able to raise them? Will the husband make a good father and eventually patriarch to tend the process in future years? 

In our time, we seem to be more of the mind that the point of marriage is to find a soulmate of sort. That is a very different sort of arrangement and it is entered into by the will of the two people involved, not by their families. In our time,the phrase: “What God has joined together,” is based on the courtship of the couple, much of which is bathed in the flood of emotions that romance brings, not a serious deliberation or a panel of elders doing their best to make a good election for everyone involved. 

The Gospel of Mark is also written into a time in the life of the church when it first began to grow around the eastern Mediterranean. We probably need to remember that some of those who had become Christians had done so apart from their families. We will hear that the disciples: “gave up house, sisters, fathers, mother . . .,” to follow Jesus. (Mk 10:29-31) What now would marriage look like in the church and how would it come about? There no longer was a patriarch to negotiate for the son or daughter. What would marriage mean now? Maybe Ephesians 5 was a first attempt to put a new face on the purpose of marriage: showing, by faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and mutual submission, how Christ acts towards his church. In that milieux, divorce would be very harsh note of discord. 

Our reading ends with a little episode that mirrors one we read two weeks ago. Children are brought to our Lord who only shortly before has said: “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mk 9:37) Today we hear: “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Shortly before saying that, Jesus has stood at the foot of the Mount of Transfiguration and looked into the eyes of a terrified father whose son’s young life has been one of utter peril. (Mk 9:22) 

Children then and even now are fragile and uncertain. Their “life” often has “if” as its middle word. (Mikey Hart, “Apocalypse Now”) There is a reason that parents have sleepless nights — at least parents whose hearts are made out of flesh and are capable of aching. Hardened hearts might well be oblivious to the cares of children and frankly too busy to bother. (Mk 10:5)

You, yes, you, received life as a child. Was anyone a steward of your life? Were they good stewards of it? As a child, do you remember elders — not necessary family but adults in general — show you the meaning of a hard heart? 

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that the fragility of children put them at low places in the social pecking order in the 1st century. That did not mean they were unloved necessarily. Then the challenge was: Will you take a lower place and welcome them as if they were the Lord. Here the challenge is to be welcomed in the kingdom of God as one fragile and lowly. Can a hardened heart do either? Can hardened hearts care for life? Can they care for souls? Can they lead the church? (we are still arguing who is the greatest at this point in Mark) Can they read the commandments of God or see the life of Jesus without asking the universal first and wrong question: “What’s in it for me?” Can hardened hearts love God? 

Can a God whose heart is hardened become known as the babe of Bethlehem? Can you follow him if yours is? 

Will you welcome the child and be welcomed as a child for Jesus’s sake?

The Texts for Sunday, September 27th, 2015

First Reading: Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

4The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

  10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors’? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.”

  16So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.”

  24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.

  26Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord‘s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!”

The Word of the Lord

Psalm 19:7-14

7 The law of the LORD is perfect

 and revives the soul; 

 the testimony of the LORD is sure

 and gives wisdom to the innocent.

8 The statutes of the LORD are just

 and rejoice the heart;

    the commandment of the LORD is clear

and gives light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is clean

and endures for ever;

    the judgments of the LORD are true

and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold,

more than much fine gold, 

     sweeter far than honey,

than honey in the comb.

11 By them also is your servant enlightened, 

    and in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how often he offends? 

    cleanse me from my secret faults.

13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;

let them not get dominion over me; 

    then shall I be whole and sound,

    and innocent of a great offense.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my

 heart be acceptable in your sight, 

    O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Second Reading: James 5:13-20

13Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

  19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel: Mark 9:38-50

38John said to [Jesus,] “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us. 41For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

  42“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

  49“For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”