Mark tells THE (Real Ruler's) "Good-News". Chapter 3 [Pericope 18]

Pericope 18 -  When curiosity & mechanism,  impell: to see, to stop him be, to schism.

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And Jesus, with disciples still in tow,

withdrew towards the sea (of Galilee).

A multitude from Galilee followed,

and from Judea (South, all came to see

him; and the capital,) Jerusalem;

from further South in Idumea(n lands);

and from beyond the (Eastern) Jordan, some

from (Northern) Tyre, and Sidon, and surrounds.

So many people, having heard how much

he now was doing, came to him. And he

told his disciples(, students, and the such,)

to have a boat in readiness you see

so that the crowd might not crush him (or them).

For he had healed so many that those with

diseases were now pressing close to him, 

that they might touch him. Unclean spirits sniffed,

whenever they encountered him were fall-

ing down before him, and were crying good

and saying "You're the son of god!" - they'd call.

And he would much rebuke them, so they would

not make him known. That's all the text here says.

They must have said something, for Mark to tell

us this much, but he doesn't seem to praise

them. Maybe these unclean spirits that yell

are like emoji's crossed with viruses,

they need a host to use them - or be used

by them. But Jesus' way ain't this. He cares

for messengers who'll go, & live the news!

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7Καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἀνεχώρησεν πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ πολὺ πλῆθος ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας [ἠκολούθησεν], καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας 8καὶ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰδουμαίας καὶ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου καὶ περὶ Τύρον καὶ Σιδῶνα πλῆθος πολὺ ἀκούοντες ὅσα ἐποίει ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτόν.  9Καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ἵνα πλοιάριον προσκαρτερῇ αὐτῷ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον ἵνα μὴ θλίβωσιν αὐτόν· 10πολλοὺς γὰρ ἐθεράπευσεν, ὥστε ἐπιπίπτειν αὐτῷ ἵνα αὐτοῦ ἅψωνται ὅσοι εἶχον μάστιγας. 11καὶ τὰ πνεύματα τὰ ἀκάθαρτα, ὅταν αὐτὸν ἐθεώρουν, προσέπιπτον αὐτῷ καὶ ἔκραζον λέγοντες ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. 12καὶ πολλὰ ἐπετίμα αὐτοῖς ἵνα μὴ αὐτὸν φανερὸν ποιήσωσιν. Mark 3:7-12   NA28

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Mark tells THE (Real Ruler's) "Good-News". Chapter 3 [Pericope 17]

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Pericope 17 - He understands the law's demands - appoints 

                       to grow, the flow of ligaments and joints.

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And then, again, he entered into the

(together-meeting-place, the) synagogue

(& when it says it like this, then prob'ly

it's on the Shabbat - their habit for long...

...for cent-u-ries since exiled, to retain

the laws of loving neighbour after God,

thus giving time each week to do the same,

each Shabbat they would meet, and  greet, - and nod,

while list'ning to the scriptures being read,

and have a teacher help them hear God's word

to them, right then, and for tough times ahead.

A culture's way to stay true, undeterred.)

And there was, there, a man with withered hand,

and "they" were watching him - whether (or not)

"God's" Shabbat laws he'd keep (now this was planned

they knew what he would do - they'd heard the lot -

but now they would have witnesses who'd tell

in court, before the Doctors of the Law,

to keep their meeting places running well

they had to keep their power at the fore!

So, that their charges would be well sustained

when time came to accuse. Thus were their hopes,

and thoughts; not what that man would stand to gain,

they prob'ly thought that both these two were dopes.

But he says to the man with withered hand

"Arise, (stand up) within the midst of us!"

No "standing-over" he would "understand",

displays "God's pow-er at the fore - and trust."

And he says to them "Is it lawful? - will

the Shabbat have us do evil, or good;

to act to save life, or to act to kill?

But they were silent. (In that way they would

be seen to be unable to think through

the law of God, and practice it with skill.

But Jesus wasn't finished what he'd do;

their kind of blind-ness, deafness, wants to kill.

And having looked around at them with strong

emotions, anger, and with grief (unplanned)

at hardness of the hearts of them so long;

he's saying to that man "Stretch out your hand!"

Just note, he doesn't specify which one,

and all the village witnesses this deed.

He doesn't even touch him. They've begun

to see him running circles round them, lead-

ing from the front with actions clear and plain.

And, anyone can say "Stretch out your hand."

This can't be seen as doctor's work that day.

And yet the man appears to understand

for he attempts to stretch his withered hand,

and his hand was restored. Wonder what more'd

they want, to see Creator's, art-works planned

and perpetrated, "pow-er at the fore".

And straightaway, on having gone out, they,

the Pharisees along with (enemies)

Herodians, conferred so that they may

have him destroyed (such Shabbat acts they seize!)

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1Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πάλιν εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν. καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπος ἐξηραμμένην ἔχων τὴν χεῖρα. 2καὶ παρετήρουν αὐτὸν εἰ τοῖς σάββασιν θεραπεύσει αὐτόν, ἵνα κατηγορήσωσιν αὐτοῦ. 3καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τὴν ξηρὰν χεῖρα ἔχοντι· ἔγειρε εἰς τὸ μέσον. 4καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀποκτεῖναι; οἱ δὲ ἐσιώπων. 5καὶ περιβλεψάμενος αὐτοὺς μετ’ ὀργῆς, συλλυπούμενος ἐπὶ τῇ πωρώσει τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ· ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρα. καὶ ἐξέτεινεν καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ.  6Καὶ ἐξελθόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι εὐθὺς μετὰ τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν συμβούλιον ἐδίδουν κατ’ αὐτοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀπολέσωσιν.  Mark 3:1-6 NA28

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Mark tells THE (Real Ruler's) "Good-News". Chapter 2 [Pericope 16]

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Pericope 16 - Interpret by all rights!

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(The Jewish mind must here be understood,

it's not that they were specially ritu'lists.

But since their exile, they knew God's law would

be solid in a world that's full of mists.

So when the scriptures spoke of holy days

they tried with all their might to keep them well.

Well, maybe they missed out what Proverbs says

'bout seeking wisdom, knowledge to dispel

the foolishness of folly, and to bind

true love and faithfulness to heart and hand,

to fear the Lord, as starting place to find

true wisdom, and to seek to understand.)

And on the sabbaths (maybe more than once),

it came to pass, that as he's passing through

the grainfields (on the way to synagogues)

his own disciples start on their way too, 

and (maybe they have slept late, missed a meal,

for as they make their way they're) plucking heads

of grain (& though they prob'ly know the deal,

they feel secure, with "gleaning laws" God said,

interpreted and lived out there "today"

within their Rabbi's view, no need to hide),

and so the Pharisees who see such say

to him, "Wow, why do they, on Sabbaths..?", (chide-

-ing in their tone no doubt) "..do what is not

according to our law! (No mention of

interpretation here, equating what

they think that God "is for", or "shunned"  or "loved",

-  with their own culture's way, as it was then.)

He says to them, "Oh, did you never read

what David did, when he, and too his men,

were hungry (when they were that time in need)?

Did you read how he entered God's house then,

when Abiathar was High-priest, he ate

the Presentation loaves… which are not meant

for anyone who doesn't even rate

as levite/priest according to our law(!)

Not only did he eat himself, why then

he even gave some to those (who before)

were there with him (like Eve did to her man).

But this was quite unlike that first unlaw-

ful-ness, where they were not in need at all;

God's laws are for his children, and then more -

extending love, to serve, not make them  fall.

And further then he said to them: "Shabbat 

was made to aid God's good Humanity"

& not "Humanity made for Shabbat".

To understand God's planned serenity,

well then, the Son of.. Adam, (Image of.., 

or next attempt at ruler of the world)

is Lord, and master, and the true sage of 

interpreting how Shabbat flags are furled!

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23Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν παραπορεύεσθαι διὰ τῶν σπορίμων, καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἤρξαντο ὁδὸν ποιεῖν τίλλοντες τοὺς στάχυας. 24καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· ἴδε τί ποιοῦσιν τοῖς σάββασιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν; 25καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ ὅτε χρείαν ἔσχεν καὶ ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ, 26πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγεν, οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἱερεῖς, καὶ ἔδωκεν καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ οὖσιν; 27Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· τὸ σάββατον διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐγένετο καὶ οὐχ ὁ ἄνθρωπος διὰ τὸ σάββατον· 28ὥστε κύριός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ τοῦ σαββάτου.  Mark 2:23-28 NA28

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Mark tells THE (Real Ruler's) "Good-News". Chapter 2 [Pericope 15]

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Pericope 15 - Old Ways Displaced by New. Won't do, to mix!

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Now John's disciples and the Pharisees
were fasting, and they come and say to him:
"Why would (the true religious folk who please
our God) all fast, with trainees - not on whim,

but disciplined by coaches like ol' John,
and Pharisees (who keep the law in mind);
and YET your students, learning from you, ona
kinds of things, aren't being trained to bind

the disciplines like fasting, tid-y'n rooms,

to their young lives? Quite an an-om-al-y!

And Jesus then replied to them: “The grooms-

men cannot fast when he is with them. He,

in spending time with them makes this  "no go!".

The days will come however, when the groom

will have been taken off, away, and so

then they will fast in those days (in their gloom)”.

“And no-one sews a patch of unshrunk lace

on clothing old, for it will tear away,

the new from old, then ā worse tear takes place.

These likenesses he drew, but more he'd say:

And no-one stores new wine in wineskins old!

They don't, for if they did the wine would burst 

the wineskins, and they'd lose (if truth be told),

both wine and wineskins. That's why they think first!

But new wine needs fresh skins to hold it in.

Old structures have been stretched to hold the old:

old life and way, and style and stage, that's been.

They can't be stretched some more, they'll break. Be bold!

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18Καὶ ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι νηστεύοντες. καὶ ἔρχονται καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· διὰ τί οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ τῶν Φαρισαίων νηστεύουσιν, οἱ δὲ σοὶ μαθηταὶ οὐ νηστεύουσιν; 19καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· μὴ δύνανται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος ἐν ᾧ ὁ νυμφίος μετ’ αὐτῶν ἐστιν νηστεύειν; ὅσον χρόνον ἔχουσιν τὸν νυμφίον μετ’ αὐτῶν οὐ δύνανται νηστεύειν. 20ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡμέραι ὅταν ἀπαρθῇ ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ὁ νυμφίος, καὶ τότε νηστεύσουσιν ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ. 21Οὐδεὶς ἐπίβλημα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου ἐπιράπτει ἐπὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιόν· εἰ δὲ μή, αἴρει τὸ πλήρωμα ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ καινὸν τοῦ παλαιοῦ καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται. 22καὶ οὐδεὶς βάλλει οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιούς· εἰ δὲ μή, ῥήξει ὁ οἶνος τοὺς ἀσκοὺς καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἀπόλλυται καὶ οἱ ἀσκοί· ἀλλ’ οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινούς. Mark 2:18-22  NA28

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