Mark ch. 1 and the Seven days of Creation

 

Some people can call me obsessed with the creation story. I am not even going to object – I full heartedly believe that the God created the world, but I also believe that creation activities did not stop at the sunset of the sixth day, with the beginning of the first Shabbat ever. God continued to create and re-create. Yet not His creational activities include people, societies and whole countries. What is most amazing is the fact that creation account – creation-pattern story – can be seen within other lives, novels or developments.

So, Mark chapter 1. What caught my attention was the fact that Jesus + 4 other men ended up in a room with a woman. She was Peter’s mother-in-law. Actually, his name at the time was still Simon, but it is a different story. If we exclude these four men – they were not doing anything important – we’ll end up with Jesus and Simon’s mother-in-law. A Man and a woman being of re-created. Obviously, 6^th day theme. That’s vv.29-31.

Interestingly enough v. 32 begins with “that evening at sundown” – new day. The whole block goes 32 – 45 is a one-day story (it might help to know that in the Bible day goes from sunset to next sunset). During this day he heals people, releases them of demons, therefore he provided them with THE REST – Shabbat story.

Then I started to count back. The story that precedes the healing of the Simon’s in-law is contained within the verses 21-28. What triggered me there was the fact that a demon says to Jesus “WE know who you are”. “We” – plural. It can be understood in a variety of ways. One of them that further down the road Jesus will meet other demon-possessed people (3;11, 5:7). On every occasion demons knew exactly who Jesus is. So, THEY know. During fifth day of creation story God made fish of the sea and birds of the air. And they were made in swarms – plural.

1:1-8 – definitely the story of beginning. Even starts like Gen. 1:1! Another fact that in Gen. 1:2 we have three features of the newly created earth. John the baptizer is also described (v.6) with three verbs (was clothed, wore and ate). The whole passage ends with the mentioning of the Holy Spirit, while Gen 1:2 tells us the the Spirit of God was hovering over the “face of the deep”.  

Second part is vv. 9-11 – the story of the Jesus’s baptism. The parallels to the second day of creation would be – water and the voice from above. It was on the second day when God separated the waters above from waters below.

Then third part would be vv. 12-13 – the wilderness experience. If we remember that it was on the third day that God created the dry land out of the water that parallel presents itself.

The final connection is the passage of vv. 14 to 20 and the fourth day of creation. This is, actually, an easy one. The fourth day of creation tells us about placing sun, moon and stars into the firmament to rule over the earth (Gen. 1:14-16). Therefore, the very fact that the moon of the Gospel account (John the baptizer) was arrested (vv. 14-15), and the Sun of Righteousness – Jesus – gathers up new stars to rule – Simon and Andrew, James and John (vv. 16-20) – make the parallel perfect.

Overall:  Day 1 – vv. 1-8                                                

Day 2 – vv. 9-11                                                                 Day 5 – vv. 21-28

Day 3 – vv. 12-13                                                              Day 6 – vv. 29-31

Day 4 – vv. 14-20                                                              Day 7 – vv. 32-45

Notes on Mark 1:21-28

Notes on Mark 1:21-28

1. Structure of the passage

a. 21a, to Capernaum

  b. 21b. He began to teach

    c. 22, people were amazed – He was teaching with authority

      d. 23, a man, controlled by evil spirit

        e. 24, spirit speaks

        e’. 25, Jesus responds

      d’. 26, a man is freed of evil spirit’s control

    c’. 27, people: what teaching is this? The authority

  b’. 28a, news about Him

a’. 28b, region of Galilee. 

2. Augustine, comparing the confession of demons and St. Peter, points out the difference of intent not the words. "Peter spoke in love, but demons in fear" (Sermons on the New Testament. Lessons 40.8, from ACCS, II:Mark, p.22). It is possible - we need to take the psychological state of a "confessor" into an account. Yet, honestly, I don't think it played the most important role. St. Peter states that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, while demons avoid any reference to "life" because they are the representatives of the one who was "murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44).

Cyrus as a Messiah!

 In chapter 45 Isaiah uses very interesting wording describing Cyrus. In ESV (English Standard Version) we read: "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus" (v. 1). 

There are at least two very important things to notice here. First, we as Christians are used to the word anointed when it is spelled like Messiah or Christ. The word Christ means anointed. So, we can read the verse then as Thus says the LORD to His Christ - Cyrus. Cyrus was the king of Persian empire that took over the dominance of Babylonians. He was the one who released Jews from bondage of exile (apparently under supervision of God) and let them go back to Israel to re-build the Temple in Jerusalem. That's when the Second Temple period begins.     

But then comes another or second theological challenge - how can a king of Persia (native gentile) be a LORD's anointed? To solve this puzzle we actually need to go back in Biblical history to the prophet Elijah. In 1 Kings 19 he is told (commanded) by God to anoint a king over Syria (v. 15) - which make Hazael - technically speaking the very first messianic gentile figure. It is important because starting from now on God is going to claim not only Israel, but other countries as well - first Syria, then via prophet Jonah - Assyria, through conversion of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4) to Cyrus who would permit and equip the restoration of true worship. 

Then we do not need to be surprised when Jesus comes as Messiah for Israel (we might remember this famous dialog with Canaanite woman, Mt. 15:21-28), but also as the Lord of nations, tribes, peoples and languages (Rev. 7:9).  

Isaiah ch. 13-27

 The second part of the Book of Isaiah sometimes called Oracles against the Nations (OAN). In these chapters we find 10 speeches of Yahweh directed to different countries/territories.

1. Ch. 13 - 14 - Babylon

2. Ch. 15 - 16 - Moab

3. Ch. 17 - Damask (Syria) 

4. Ch. 18 - 20 - Cush (Ethiopia) and Egypt    

5. Ch. 21:1-10 - Wilderness of the sea  

6. Ch. 21:11-12 - Dumah (possible word-play on Edom)

7. Ch. 21:13-17 - Arabia 

8. Ch. 22 - the valley of vision 

9. Ch. 23 - Tyre 

10. Ch. 24 - 27 - Re-creation of the whole earth. 

Sometimes it is difficult to identify the addressee. For example, 21:1-10 can be a return to Babylon (cp. v. 9). 

Also it is interesting to notice the structure of the last unit (ch. 24 - 27):

A. 24:1-9 - judgement over land 

  B. 24-10 - 25:5 - judgement over city 

    C. 25:6-12 - judgement and restoration of the Mountain

  B'. 26:1-21 - restored city 

A'. 27:1-11 - restoration of the land 

Conclusion: 27:12-13 - restoration of the land, Jerusalem and the mountain. 

Lord's Vineyard in the Book of Isaiah and Gospel of Matthew

 Jeffrey A. Gibbs in his commentary on Matthew summarizes parallels between Is. 5 - "song about the vineyard" and parable of the wicked tenants (Mt. 21:33-44). We also need to remember that this passage is a part of a longer pericope (see below). 

	Isaiah 5:1-7	Matthew 21:33-44
1.	The owner carefully plants and provides for a fruitful vineyard.	The owner carefully plants and provides for a fruitful vineyard.
2.	there is no mention of others who tend the vineyard for the owner.	The owner lets out the vineyard to tenant farmers. These figures become central.
3.	Despite the owner's efforts, a problem present itself. Instead of producing good grapes, the vineyard produced bitter ones.	Despite the owner's efforts, a problem presents itself. When the owner sends two successive groups of slaves to receive fruit, the tenant farmers violently abuse the slaves and (implicitly) refuse to give the fruit. The tenants even go so far as to murder the owner's son, with the vain hope of owning the vineyard themselves.
4.	the response to the problem is to lay waste to the vineyard.	the response to the problem is to kill the wicked tenant farmers and give care of the vineyard to other, more faithful, farmers.

Jeffrey A. Gibbs, Matthew 21:1 - 28:20, Concordia Publishing House (2018), p. 1090. 

In the v. 23 of chapter 21 we enter into the Temple. Then 22:1 begins a new set of parables - and again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying... Therefore it is very appropriate to consider 21:23-46 holistically. 

1. A. 23-27, Initial question of High Priests and elders. No action on their part - afraid of the crowd.  

2.   B. 28-32, Parable of the sons in the vineyard + discussion.  

3.   B'. 33-44, Parable of the tenants of the vineyard + discussion.  

4. A'. 45-46, Reaction of the High Priests and the Pharisees. No action on their part - feared the crowd.    

Structure of Mt. 21:23-46

 It looks like two of our last Gospel reading (for Sept. 27 and Oct. 4, 2020 - Mt. 21:23-27 [28-32] and Mt. 21:33-46 respectfully) form a single structural unit. The last one (vv. 33-46) is introduced by the phrase " Hear ANOTHER parable". Which means that "the story" of two sons invited to work in Dad's vineyard should be treated like a parable too. Along with this there is a definite word parallelism between what the High Priests are thinking about John the Baptist and their reasoning behind NOT arresting Jesus (v. 26 and 46). 

A. vv. 23-27, Initial question of High Priests. No action taken (partially) - they were afraid of the crowd who considered John the Baptist to be a prophet. 

  B. vv. 28-32, Parable of the sons invited to work in the vineyard with follow up discussion who will go into the Kingdom.

  B'. vv. 33-44, Parable of the tenants in the vineyard with follow up discussion about the producing of fruits in the Kingdom.        

A'. vv. 45-46, Reaction of High Priests. No action taken because they were afraid of the crowd who hold Jesus to be a prophet.   

If this structure is correct, there is an interesting parallelism between the tax collectors and the prostitutes (vv. 31-32) and people who are producing fruits in the Kingdom (v. 43). The fruits of the Kingdom are not the status in the society or riches, but repentance, believe and change of mind(set). 

Evil Eye in Matthew 20

 In our September 20th Gospel reading (Mt. 20:1-16) there is a mentioning of Evil Eye (v. 15 - ESV puts it as "do you begrudge my generosity?"). It was (and in some places still IS) a deep rooted cultural construct in the Ancient World. I'll give you just a few examples where it is mentioned in the Bible: Deut. 15:9,10; Pr. 23:6 [ESV stingy - lit. whose eye is evil], Mt. 6:22-23. 

In this connection I need to refer to one name: Rev. Dr. John H. Elliott is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Francisco. He published the 4 vols. on "Beware the Evil Eye: The Evil Eye in the Bible and the Ancient World", Cascade Books, Eugene, Oregon (2016). His third volume is "the Bible and related sources", where he spent 30 pages (pp. 168-198) on our text from Matthew. His observations are based on variety of sources - Biblical, rabbinical, Greek Ancient philosophy, Church Fathers etc.

To boil down his conclusion: (1) the reference to the Evil Eye should not be dismissed or substituted in translation due to it's importance as a "technical term"; (2) there is a very strong connection between Evil Eye and  envy [envy itself should not be mistakenly take as jealousy - two very different things]; (3) reading the parable (of the owner and the workers in the vineyard) with connection to Evil Eye helps to see the stability in the structure of the story as a whole presented by Jesus; (4) the story presents God's generosity as something that fights and overtakes not only "spiritual" shortcomings  of human existence, but social and psychological as well.