Whew. Long break. I guess this is what happens when one moves her One Year Bible from beside her bed to a table in the basement!
I was beginning to think I would simply comment on miscellaneous Bible stuff, but picked up the One Year Bible and flipped through today’s reading. This passage in Matthew caught my attention — mostly because I had underlined it last year!
Matthew 18:19:
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.”
Fascinating. What does the Greek say?
Πάλιν [ἀμὴν] λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐὰν δύο συμφωνήσωσιν ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς περὶ παντὸς πράγματος οὗ ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται, γενήσεται αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς.
Palin amen lego humin hoti ean duo sumphonesomin ex humon epi tays gays peri pantos pragmatos ou ean aitesontai, genesetai aoutois para tou patrosmou tou en ouranois.
Let’s look at some of those words.
amen -
1) so be it 2) let it be so
Whenever a Gospel writer records Jesus using the word “amen”, the writer is emphasizing Jesus’ own authority behind the teaching. Jesus isn’t just repeating something he’d learned or heard others say; he was teaching as one with autonomous authority. Therefore, according to Matthew as he heard it from Jesus, this is something we want to pay attention to. Where else have we heard the words, “Let there be….?” Yep, in Genesis. (Well, the Beatles used it to, but that’s another post.)
sumphonesomin -
1) to agree together 2) to agree with one in making a bargain, to make an agreement, to bargain
Say the word. Sum-phon-es-o-min. Do you hear the beginning of the word symphony here? What is a symphony? A gathering of musicians, all playing their instruments in a way that produces a memorable piece of music; a piece that is united in its execution and production, a piece that shares melody, harmony, rhythym, and pace. What would it be like for those of us who call Jesus Lord to be like a symphony whenever we come together? To have counterpoints, to have new information, to be able to riff on a melody yet not stray so far from the root chord as to become dischordant — what would that be like?
pragmatos -
1) that which has been done, a deed, an accomplished fact 2) what is done or being accomplished 2a) spec. business, a commercial transaction 3) a matter, question, affair 3a) spec. in a forensic sense, a matter at law, case, suit 4) that which is or exists, a thing
Pragmatic. Common sense. Use your head. Rational. Think about it! Take your time. Listen. Reason together. Something tactile or a tactic. We are supposed to use the grey matter God gave us. If we can be symphonic, if we can bargain and see one another’s view and hear one another’s voice, we will make a pleasing sound for God and it will be done for us.
I will come back at a later date (maybe tomorrow?) and finish looking at this passage. Meanwhile, go to the Greek Bible and click on the words in the passage — what a joy to have language and be able to communicate ideas through millenia! whoot!
Too much coffee today. Sorry
