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Rain, rivers and wind: code word interpretation
1. Rain, rivers and wind: code word interpretation
In the parable of the houses built on rock and on sand, an interesting and consistent code word connection can be made for rain, rivers and wind.
The two verses involving the rain, rivers and winds that "
beat" on the houses use the same nouns but different Greek verbs. Or is it just the "
winds" that "
beat" on the houses? A code word interpretation makes the meanings of the two different verbs more than interesting.
2. Matthew 7: Houses built on sand and on rock
3. Parable
Let us now look at the verses for what is here called the parable of the two houses.
First, the two setup verses for the wise and foolish man.
4. Matthew 7:24
Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: [kjv]
πας ουν οστις ακουει μου τους λογους τουτους και ποιει αυτους ομοιωθησεται ανδρι φρονιμω οστις ωκοδομησεν αυτου την οικιαν επι την πετραν [gnt]
5. Matthew 7:24
KJV: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Greek: πας ουν οστις ακουει μου τους λογους τουτους και ποιει αυτους ομοιωσω αυτον ομοιωθησεται ανδρι φρονιμω οστις ωκοδομησεν αυτου την οικιαναυτου επι την πετραν
Latin: omnis ergo qui audit verba mea haec et facit ea adsimilabitur viro sapienti qui aedificavit domum suam supra petram
Wessex: Eornestlice aelch þare þe þas mine word ge-hereð & þa werceð beoð gelic þam wisen were se his hus ofer stan ge-tymbrede.
6. Matthew 7:26
Matthew 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: [kjv]
και πας ο ακουων μου τους λογους τουτους και μη ποιων αυτους ομοιωθησεται ανδρι μωρω οστις ωκοδομησεν αυτου την οικιαν επι την αμμον [gnt]
7. Matthew 7:26
KJV: And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Greek: και πας ο ακουων μου τους λογους τουτους και μη ποιων αυτους ομοιωθησεται ανδρι μωρω οστις ωκοδομησεναυτου την οικιαναυτου επι την αμμον
Latin: et omnis qui audit verba mea haec et non facit ea similis erit viro stulto qui aedificavit domum suam supra harenam
Spanish: Y todo el que oye estas mis palabras y no las hace, será comparado al hombre insensato, que edificó su casa sobre la arena;
8. Liken
The word "liken" means that Jesus (as he often does) appears to be using a figurative analogy and not a literal saying - though the literal sense may make some sense.
If one understands the other words spoken (e.g., in this discourse), then the remarks on the houses built on rock and on sand are somewhat irrelevant.
9. Same as in like or similar
Matthew 11:16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, [kjv]
τινι δε ομοιωσω την γενεαν ταυτην ομοια εστιν παιδιοις καθημενοις εν ταις αγοραις α προσφωνουντα τοις ετεροις [gnt]
When the word "
same" or "
like" or "
similar" is used, it indicates that an analogy is being made and one must not always take what is said literally. One must find a correspondence in the analogy. The Greek word for "
same" is related to the English word for "
same".
The ancient Greek word
"ὅμοιος" ≈ "similar, like, resembling" and comes from the ancient Greek word
"ὁμός" ≈ "same, common".
The translations of "
liken" in this verse, in the uncommon Greek inflection used, appears to a play-on-words used by Jesus.
10. Rain, rivers and wind
We are here interested in the verses containing the rain, rivers and wind.
11. Matthew 7:25
Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [kjv]
και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθαν οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεπεσαν τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ επεσεν τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν [gnt]
12. Matthew 7:25
KJV: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Greek: και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθον ηλθαν οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεπεσον προσεπεσαν τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ επεσεν τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν
13. Matthew 7:27
Matthew 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. [kjv]
και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθαν οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεκοψαν τη οικια εκεινη και επεσεν και ην η πτωσις αυτης μεγαλη [gnt]
14. Matthew 7:27
KJV: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Greek: και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθον ηλθαν οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεκοψαν τη οικια εκεινη και επεσεν και ην η πτωσις αυτης μεγαλη
15. Parables and secret codes used and explained by Jesus
Jesus often uses
code words so that sayings have more than one meaning.
All the meanings can be true. The encoded (literal) form makes (some) sense and the decoded form makes sense. In general:
Noun words can be code words. Pronouns can be ambiguous.
Verb words are carefully chosen to work in both contexts.
By definition, in the security field, a
code word is a word that needs to be substituted with another word (e.g., using a
code book) to determine the meaning. By definition, in the security field, a
secret code is a code whose meaning is to be obscured to anyone without the code book.
So Jesus, by definition, uses
secret codes. However, these codes appear to provide only authentication information (and warnings about certain heresies) but no special salvation knowledge - which is always is clear text.
16. Rain, rivers and wind
Let us now make an assumption of a noun code being used in the houses built on rock and sand and guess as to the code meanings of the rain, rivers and wind and see what interesting connections appear.
17. Assumed code word meanings
Here are the assumed code word meanings.
The "rain" represents Jesus.
The "rivers" represent the "harvest".
The "wind" represents the accusations of "Satan", the accuser.
18. Rain
Assume that the "
rain" represents Jesus. The "
rain" "
came down".
Jesus came down to earth from heaven to fulfill certain prophecies and to plant the seeds for the harvest (first Kingdom Parable).
19. The reign/rain of Jesus
Two chapters earlier, Jesus makes this comment. Jesus came for both the "
righteous" and the "
unrighteous".
Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. [kjv]
7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [kjv]
7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. [kjv]
Jesus says that the Father sends rain on both the
just and the
unjust. Some of that "
rain" is sent on houses built on "
sand" and on "
rock", with different results.
20. Matthew 5:45
KJV: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Greek: οπως γενησθε υιοι του πατρος υμων του εν ουρανοις οτι τον ηλιον αυτου ανατελλει επι πονηρους και αγαθους και βρεχει επι δικαιους και αδικους
Geneva: That ye may be the children of your father that is in heauen: for he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill, and the good, and sendeth raine on the iust, and vniust.
21. James 5:18 Elias
James, speaking of Elias, says the following, using a different Greek word for "
rain".
James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. [kjv]
και παλιν προσηυξατο και ο ουρανος υετον εδωκεν και η γη εβλαστησεν τον καρπον αυτης [gnt]
22. James 5:18
KJV: And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Greek: και παλιν προσηυξατο και ο ουρανος υετον εδωκεν και η γη εβλαστησεν τον καρπον αυτης
23. Strongs - rain
- *G5205 *5 ὑετός (hoo-et-os') : from a primary huo (to rain); rain, especially a shower:--rain.
- υετον *3
- Acts 28:2 ... every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
- Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon ...
- James 5:18 ... and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth ...
- υετους
- Acts 14:17 ... in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful ...
- υετος
- Revelation 11:6 ... power to shut heaven, that it rain not in ...
24. Jesus as the rain
It seems strange that Jesus might refer to himself as the "
rain".
A more common way to refer to Jesus is as the "
rock", as in the name for "
Peter". There is another Greek word for "
rock", not used in the
GNT (Greek New Testament) or
LXX (Septuagint).
The ancient Greek word
"βράχυς" ≈ "shallow waters"and then the steep rocky shores and later a rock. It is not clear if this word, similar to "
rain", was in use at the time of Jesus.
25. Strongs - rain
- *G1026 *7 βρέχω (brekh'-o) : a primary verb; to moisten (especially by a shower):--(send) rain, wash.
- εβρεξεν *3
- Luke 7:44 ... feet: but she hath washed my feet with tear ...
- Luke 17:29 ... went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone ...
- James 5:17 ... he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained ...
- βρεχει
- Matthew 5:45 ... and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
- βρεχειν
- Luke 7:38 ... behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, ...
- βρεξαι
- James 5:17 ... he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained ...
- βρεχη
- Revelation 11:6 ... to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days ...
26. Snare
For completeness, let us look at a word that is similar in construction to "rain" and might have some implication as a play on words of "rain".
27. 1 Corinthians 7:35
1 Corinthians 7:35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. [kjv]
τουτο δε προς το υμων αυτων συμφορον λεγω ουχ ινα βροχον υμιν επιβαλω αλλα προς το ευσχημον και ευπαρεδρον τω κυριω απερισπαστως [gnt]
28. 1 Corinthians 7:35
KJV: And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
Greek: τουτο δε προς το υμων αυτων συμφερον συμφορον λεγω ουχ ινα βροχον υμιν επιβαλω αλλα προς το ευσχημον και ευπροσεδρον ευπαρεδρον τω κυριω απερισπαστως
29. Strongs - restraint
- *G1029 *1 βρόχος (brokh'-os) : of uncertain derivation; a noose:--snare.
- βροχον
- 1 Corinthians 7:35 ... not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for ...
30. Proverbs 22:25
Proverbs 22:25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. [kjv]
μηποτε μαθης των οδων αυτου και λαβης βροχους τη ση ψυχη [lxx]
31. Proverbs 22:25
KJV: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Hebrew: פן תאלף ארחתו ולקחת מוקש לנפשך׃
Greek: μηποτε μαθης των οδων αυτου και λαβης βροχους τη ση ψυχη
32. Rivers
Assume that the rivers represent the "harvest", full of fish in the water analogy.
The etymology of "river" in Greek comes from the same root that means "fallen" as in a low area.
33. Strongs - river
- *G4215 *17 ποταμός (pot-am-os') : probably from a derivative of the alternate of G4095 (compare G4224); a current, brook or freshet (as drinkable), i.e. running water:--flood, river, stream, water.
- ποταμον *5
- Acts 16:13 ... out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont ...
- Revelation 12:15 ... mouth water as a flood after the woman, that ...
- Revelation 12:16 ... mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out ...
- Revelation 16:12 ... vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water ...
- Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear ...
- ποταμω *3
- Matthew 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, ...
- Mark 1:5 ... of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
- Revelation 9:14 ... are bound in the great river Euphrates.
- ποταμοι *3
- Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds ...
- Matthew 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds ...
- John 7:38 ... his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
- ποταμος *2
- Luke 6:48 ... and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, ...
- Luke 6:49 ... the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately ...
- ποταμων *2
- 2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils ...
- Revelation 8:10 ... it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
- ποταμους
- Revelation 16:4 ... his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; ...
- ποταμου
- Revelation 22:2 ... of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare ...
34. John 7:38
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [kjv]
ο πιστευων εις εμε καθως ειπεν η γραφη ποταμοι εκ της κοιλιας αυτου ρευσουσιν υδατος ζωντος [gnt]
35. John 7:38
KJV: He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Greek: ο πιστευων εις εμε καθως ειπεν η γραφη ποταμοι εκ της κοιλιας αυτου ρευσουσιν υδατος ζωντος
Try substituting "
harvest" for "
rivers". Would it then make sense to say that "
out of his belly shall flow a harvest of living water"?
36. Baptism
In some sense, a baptism in a "
river" could be considered a type of "
harvest".
 |
Details are left as a future topic.
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37. Promise to Abraham
It is interesting to substitute "harvest" for "river" in the following verse in Genesis and use time as a measure.
38. Genesis 15:18
KJV: In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Hebrew: ביום ההוא כרת יהוה את אברם ברית לאמר לזרעך נתתי את הארץ הזאת מנהר מצרים עד הנהר הגדל נהר פרת׃
Greek: εν τη ημερα εκεινη διεθετο κυριος τω αβραμ διαθηκην λεγων τω σπερματι σου δωσω την γην ταυτην απο του ποταμου αιγυπτου εως του ποταμου του μεγαλου ποταμου ευφρατου
39. Harvest
What might be the "harvest" of their time in Egypt?
What might be the "harvest" of their time in Babylon?
They were in fact, given that land in large part between those times, and selected parts during other times.
Note: These connections are just intended to be though-provoking in a critical thinking sense and not serious connections.
40. Revelation
Try making analogies in the same way to the following two verses in Revelation.
The
KJV (King James Version) translates "
river" as "
flood".
41. Revelation 12:15
KJV: And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Greek: και εβαλεν ο οφις οπισω της γυναικος εκ εκ του στοματος αυτου οπισω της γυναικος υδωρ ως ποταμον ινα ταυτην αυτην ποταμοφορητον ποιηση
42. Revelation 12:16
KJV: And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Greek: και εβοηθησεν η γη τη γυναικι και ηνοιξεν η γη το στομα αυτης και κατεπιεν τον ποταμον ον εβαλεν ο δρακων εκ του στοματος αυτου
Let us return to the "
rivers" as "
harvest" (at the end of the age).
43. Kingdom parables
In the Kingdom parables, the "harvest" is the "end of the age". In the next few verses, Jesus identifies the meanings of some nouns which are code words.
44. Matthew 13:38
KJV: The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Greek: ο δε αγρος εστιν ο κοσμος το δε καλον σπερμα ουτοι εισιν οι υιοι της βασιλειας τα δε ζιζανια εισιν οι υιοι του πονηρου
45. Matthew 13:39
KJV: The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Greek: ο δε εχθρος ο σπειρας αυτα εστιν ο διαβολος ο δε θερισμος συντελεια του αιωνος εστιν οι δε θερισται αγγελοι εισιν
46. Matthew 13:40
KJV: As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Greek: ωσπερ ουν συλλεγεται τα ζιζανια και πυρι κατακαιεται ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος τουτου
47. Wind
Assume that the wind represents the accusations of "Satan" and those working for him, as accusers.
Whenever an adjective is added, such as in "four winds", the combined words form a word and, it appears, the noun as code word is now a different word (with a different meaning, if any).
48. Strongs - wind
- *G417 *31 ἄνεμος (an'-em-os) : from the base of G109; wind; (plural) by implication, (the four) quarters (of the earth):--wind.
- ανεμος *8
- Matthew 14:24 ... with waves: for the wind was contrary.
- Matthew 14:32 ... were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
- Mark 4:39 ... and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and ...
- Mark 4:41 ... this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
- Mark 6:48 ... in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: ...
- Mark 6:51 ... into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore ...
- Acts 27:14 ... against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
- Revelation 7:1 ... holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow ...
- ανεμου *7
- Matthew 11:7 ... A reed shaken with the wind?
- Mark 4:37 ... a great storm of wind, and the waves beat ...
- Luke 7:24 ... A reed shaken with the wind?
- Luke 8:23 ... and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and ...
- John 6:18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
- Acts 27:7 ... were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, ...
- Revelation 6:13 ... when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
- ανεμων *4
- Matthew 24:31 ... elect from the four winds, from one end ...
- Mark 13:27 ... elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth ...
- James 3:4 ... are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small ...
- Jude 1:12 ... they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, ...
- ανεμω *4
- Mark 4:39 ... and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and ...
- Luke 8:24 ... Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: ...
- Acts 27:15 ... could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
- Ephesians 4:14 ... and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight ...
- ανεμοι *3
- Matthew 7:25 ... the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon ...
- Matthew 7:27 ... the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon ...
- Matthew 8:27 ... this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
- ανεμοις *2
- Matthew 8:26 ... Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and ...
- Luke 8:25 ... for he commandeth even the winds and water, and ...
- ανεμους *2
- Acts 27:4 ... we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
- Revelation 7:1 ... holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow ...
- ανεμον
- Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and ...
49. Water and wind
In Mark, Jesus rebukes the wind tossing the boat on the water. The disciples are amazed.
50. Mark 4:39
KJV: And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Greek: και διεγερθεις επετιμησεν τω ανεμω και ειπεν τη θαλασση σιωπα πεφιμωσο και εκοπασεν ο ανεμος και εγενετο γαληνη μεγαλη
51. Mark 4:40
KJV: And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Greek: και ειπεν αυτοις τι δειλοι εστε ουτως πως ουκ ουπω εχετε πιστιν
52. Mark 4:41
KJV: And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Greek: και εφοβηθησαν φοβον μεγαν και ελεγον προς αλληλους τις αρα ουτος εστιν οτι και ο ανεμος και η θαλασσα υπακουουσιν υπακουει αυτω
53. Satan as accuser
The name "
Satan" means adversary or accuser.
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Details are left as a future topic.
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54. Reed shaken in the wind
Might this interpretation of "wind" have some meaning to John the Baptist described by Jesus as a "reed shaken by the wind"? (Though that statement appears to be rhetorical).
55. Matthew 11:7
KJV: And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Greek: τουτων δε πορευομενων ηρξατο ο ιησους λεγειν τοις οχλοις περι ιωαννου τι εξηλθετε εξηλθατε εις την ερημον θεασασθαι καλαμον υπο ανεμου σαλευομενον
56. Beat of a different drum
The verb for "
beat" is different in both verses 25 and 27. It is a plural verb.
Rain is a singular noun.
Rivers is a plural noun.
Wind is a plural noun.
57. Subject
The plural "
beat" could take as subjects the following (in what would be considered common speech).
Rain, rivers and wind
Rivers and wind
Wind
58. Ambiguity
Not having the nouns adjacent to the associated verb (i.e., a proper suffix of the list) can make for a confusing sentence - or a type of joke or humor that some find funny and others find annoying.
One example is that of a pronoun.
59. Pronouns
60. Pronouns
A "
pronoun" is a word that refers to another "
noun" or "
proper noun". Thus, a pronoun is a substitute for a noun. Pronouns can be
ambiguous.
Read any
legal document. Note the almost complete lack of pronouns. To be as unambiguous as possible, nouns are used instead of pronouns and those nouns are usually defined near the beginning of the document.
Here is some related content.
Third person reflexive references
Ambiguous statements and perspective
61. Problem at the hospital
Some movies use this ambiguity as humor. Some people like this humor. Some do not. Here is an example from one of the
Airplane movies.
Be
hospitable and not
hostile!
Person A: There's a problem at the hospital.
Person B: What is it?
Person A: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important now.
The pronoun "
it" is somewhat ambiguous. Pronouns usually refers to the
nearest noun, but not always. This is an example of one problem that makes
NLP (Natural Language Processing) by computers difficult.
62. Redundancy
To achieve clarity (as in legal documents), one can repeat the noun (as in plaintiff, defendant, etc.) instead of using generic and ambiguous pronouns.
63. Them
The ambiguous pronoun in the above verse is "
them".
M. R. Ducks. (Them are ducks).
M. R. not. (Them are not).
64. Them
Who is the "
them"? The obvious choices are the following.
The small group of disciples receiving a private briefing.
A large group of the crowd receiving a public briefing.
What difference might it make in one case or the other?
How does what is said apply to a much larger group, if it is a private briefing to a small group?
65. Mark 11:2-3 Sending the colt back soon
Mark 11:2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. [kjv]
και λεγει αυτοις υπαγετε εις την κωμην την κατεναντι υμων και ευθυς εισπορευομενοι εις αυτην ευρησετε πωλον δεδεμενον εφ ον ουδεις ουπω ανθρωπων εκαθισεν λυσατε αυτον και φερετε [gnt]
11:3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. [kjv]
και εαν τις υμιν ειπη τι ποιειτε τουτο ειπατε ο κυριος αυτου χρειαν εχει και ευθυς αυτον αποστελλει παλιν ωδε [gnt]
In the lead up to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem celebrated on Palm Sunday, Jesus gives a command to get a colt.
I always had the idea that the colt would be sent immediately to Jesus, where the "
him" refers to the colt.
The
RSV (Revised Standard Version) has the following translation of the verse.
@OMIT(t=[If]) any one says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.
So can this be taken two ways, or should it be translated only one way. Which way?
66. Mark 11:2
KJV: And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
Greek: και λεγει αυτοις υπαγετε εις την κωμην την κατεναντι υμων και ευθεως ευθυς εισπορευομενοι εις αυτην ευρησετε πωλον δεδεμενον εφ ον ουδεις ουπω ανθρωπων κεκαθικεν λυσαντες εκαθισεν λυσατε αυτον αγαγετε και φερετε
67. Mark 11:3
KJV: And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
Greek: και εαν τις υμιν ειπη τι ποιειτε τουτο ειπατε οτι ο κυριος αυτου χρειαν εχει και ευθεως ευθυς αυτον αποστελει αποστελλει παλιν ωδε
Latin: et si quis vobis dixerit quid facitis dicite quia Domino necessarius est et continuo illum dimittet huc
Wycliffe: And if ony man seye ony thing to you, What doen ye? seie ye, that he is nedeful to the Lord, and anoon he schal leeue hym hidir.
Tyndale: And if eny man saye vnto you: why do ye soo? Saye that the Lorde hath neade of him: and streight waye he will sende him hidder.
Gothic: jah jabai hvas iggqis qithai: duhve thata taujats? qithaits: thatei frauja this gairneith; jah sunsaiw ina insandeith hidre.
Luther: Und so jemand zu euch sagen wird: Warum tut ihr das? so sprechet: Der Herr bedarf sein; so wird er's bald hersenden.
68. Gender pronouns
Many languages have gender-specific pronouns. In some languages, this is just a "
grammatical gender" that may or may not mean a physical gender.
The usual pronouns are for masculine as in "
he", feminine as in "
she" and neuter as in "
it".
Some languages have only two such as masculine and feminine.
69. The baby
The German word
"das Kind" ≈ "the baby" which is neuter. Thus, someone coming from German (or Greek, etc.) might say something like the following using a quote fragment from
Ludwig Wittgenstein (Austrian-British philosopher) .
"Das Kind learn eine Menge Dinge glauben. Es learn nach diesen Glaube handeln." (German)
"The child learns to believe a lot of things. It learns to act according to those beliefs." (English)
Book of quotes:
Ludvig Wittgenstein: On certainty. 1969. (translation).
In English, some people can get upset by hearing a baby referred to as an "
it".
70. Gender system in Greek
71. Case and gender
72. Grammatical gender
73. German and Russian
In Russian and Greek, the gender of a knife, fork and spoon is arbitrary.
In Russian, the speaker uses different endings for past tense verbs, some adjectives, etc., based on the gender of the speaker.
74. Students
What does one do if a student wants to have a different gender pronoun (or name) used as they fell like it for any given day?
75. Antonym
The English word
"antonym", from 1870, means a word that has the
opposite meaning of another word. It was constructed from the English prefix "
anti" meaning "
opposite" or "
against" from the Greek prefix "
anti" for "
in place of" and the Greek word for "
word" (or "
noun").
The modern Greek word
"αντωνυμία" (an-to-nee-MEE-a) ≈ "pronoun" comes from the Greek prefix "
anti" and the Greek word for "
noun". The meaning is that of a something used "
in place of" a noun which is a
pronoun.
76. Wind
Let is take the "
wind" as the noun going with the plural "
beat". We then have the following.
The "rain", "Jesus" came down (from heaven, to plant the future harvest).
The "rivers", "harvest", arrived (at the end of the age).
The "wind", "accusations", blew and "beat" on the house.
77. Strongs - beat
The meaning of "
beat" for the house on "
rock" is that of falling towards as in homage.
- *G4363 *8 προσπίπτω (pros-pip'-to) : from G4314 and G4098; to fall towards, i.e. (gently) prostrate oneself (in supplication or homage), or (violently) to rush upon (in storm):--beat upon, fall (down) at (before).
- προσεπεσεν *5
- Mark 5:33 ... her, came and fell down before him, and told ...
- Mark 7:25 ... of him, and came and fell at his feet:
- Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, ...
- Luke 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud ...
- Acts 16:29 ... and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
- προσεπεσαν
- Matthew 7:25 ... the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and ...
- προσεπιπτον
- Mark 3:11 ... when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, ...
- προσπεσουσα
- Luke 8:47 ... she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him ...
78. Strongs - beat
The meaning of "
beat" for the house on "
sand" is that of getting cut off, chopped up as in falling away from.
- *G4350 *8 προσκόπτω (pros-kop'-to) : from G4314 and G2875; to strike at, i.e. surge against (as water); specially, to stub on, i.e. trip up (literally or figuratively):--beat upon, dash, stumble (at).
- προσκοπτει *3
- John 11:9 ... walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth ...
- John 11:10 ... walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no ...
- Romans 14:21 ... any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
- προσκοψης *2
- Matthew 4:6 ... thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
- Luke 4:11 ... thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
- προσεκοψαν *2
- Matthew 7:27 ... the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and ...
- Romans 9:32 ... the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
- προσκοπτουσιν
- 1 Peter 2:8 ... a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto ...
79. Threshing floor
We will use the threshing floor model.
Plant the seed and let it grow, the "rain".
Harvest and take the fruit (of the grass) to the threshing floor, the "harvest".
Winnow it by breaking it up and using wind to remove the chaff and keep the fruit, the "wind".
80. House on rock
In the house built on the "rock", the "rock" as in "Jesus", the winnowing takes a strange form. Jesus has the unique ability to calm the wind such that accusations have no power and both the fruit and the chaff fall to the threshing floor and do not fall off of the threshing floor.
How important is the foundation of the threshing floor?
81. House on sand
In the house built on the "sand", the "sand" as in a human organization or hierarchy, the winnowing takes a strange form. Jesus has the ability to not intervene in the wind such that accusations have full power and winnow and blow the chaff and the fruit off of the threshing floor. That fall, being cut off and not landing on the threshing floor, is, indeed, very great for those involved.
Can a "house" fall by disappearing - as chaff in the wind?
82. Disciples
Later in Matthew, the disciples ask Jesus about what appears to not be possible (after the rich man, the camel, eye of the needle, etc.).
83. Matthew 19:25
KJV: When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Greek: ακουσαντες δε οι μαθηται αυτου εξεπλησσοντο σφοδρα λεγοντες τις αρα δυναται σωθηναι
84. Matthew 19:26
KJV: But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Greek: εμβλεψας δε ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις παρα ανθρωποις τουτο αδυνατον εστιν παρα δε θεω παντα δυνατα εστιν
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