Sunday Dive

Basking in Easter glory, the Church confirms for us the tenderness and compassion of God's heart with our Gospel reading from the Good Shepherd discourse. Having compared himself to the gate of the sheepfold in previous verses, Jesus continues the theme, likening himself not merely to the gate but to the shepherd himself. Whereas a hired hand flees at the sign of danger in an act of self-protection, Jesus vows as Good Shepherd to put himself in harms way, taking the very place of the sheep so that his Father's will may be fulfilled.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- The analogy of sheep and shepherd and how it fittingly describes the relationship between God and man [10:22]

- A more precise translation of the title "Good Shepherd" [16:50]

- The true identity of the wolf according to ancient Christian tradition [21:56]

- The allusions to Trinitarian theology contained in our Gospel and the manner in which they point to our Christian vocation and destiny [32:19]

- The Jewish liturgical feast that contextualizes our reading and that points to a cleansing of the corrupt Jerusalem priesthood [44:58]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brown, Raymond E. The Gospel according to John (I–XII): Introduction, Translation, and Notes. Vol. 29. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary, Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

REFERENCES

Genesis 31:38-40 - "These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your she-goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was; by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes."

1 Samuel 17:34-35 - "But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth."

Ezekiel 34:1-10 - "The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts. 6 My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. 7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep; 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10 Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them."

Jeremiah 23:1-5 - “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says the LORD. 2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, says the LORD. 5 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king."

Zechariah 11:15-17 - "Then the LORD said to me, “Take once more the implements of a worthless shepherd. 16 For lo, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for the perishing, or seek the wandering, or heal the maimed, or nourish the sound, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs. 17 Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword smite his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!”

Micah 2:12 - "I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture"

Numbers 27:15-17 - Moses said to the LORD, 16 “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”

Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will.

John 18:7-9 - Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, “Of those whom thou gavest me I lost not one.”

John 17:12 - While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost.

John 1:29 - "Behold the Lamb of God"

John 12:20-23 - Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-saida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified."

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

Coming to the Easter account of the Gospel of Luke we see Jesus appearing in his risen glory for the third time. The disciples are dismayed by this appearance but Jesus, making an offer of peace, provides ample evidence to bolster their faith in his resurrection. Rich in parallels with Luke's road to Emmaus story we discover a God in our Gospel who condescends to our human needs and who himself accomplishes our perfecting should we only be docile to him.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- The parallels between our Gospel and the road to Emmaus story [5:09]

- The spiritual significance of Jesus bestowing peace and why peace is the fundamental key to growth in holiness [11:05]

- Why Jesus asks for food in our episode [31:42]

- The subtle manner in which Jesus introduces himself as the new law [37:57]

- Jesus' proclamation of repentance and forgiveness of sins and its link to the beginning of Luke's Gospel, the Book of Isaiah, and the Jewish Jubilee Year [42:15]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Edwards, James R. The Gospel according to Luke. Edited by D. A. Carson. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015.

Fitzmyer, Joseph A., S.J. The Gospel according to Luke X–XXIV: Introduction, Translation, and Notes. Vol. 28A. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018.

Hahn, Scott, ed. Catholic Bible Dictionary. New York; London; Toronto; Sydney; Auckland: Doubleday, 2009.

Philippe, Jacques. Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart. New York: Alba House, 2002.

REFERENCES

Matthew 14:26 - "But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear."

Luke 1:12 - "And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him."

Luke 1:29 - "But she [Mary] was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be."

Exodus 19:6 - "These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."

Deuteronomy 1:1 - "These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness"

Luke 4:18-19 - "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

Year after year, regardless of the three-year cycle of readings, the same Gospel from John is read every Divine Mercy Sunday.  For that reason, we offer you a rebroadcast of last year's episode.  For the full show notes head here.

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

On Palm Sunday the Church offers us two Gospels.  Our first Gospel records the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, an entry that bestows clear royal connotations on the events of Holy Week.  Turning to the beginning of our second Gospel we'll unveil two more themes: a nuptial theme evidenced in the anointing of Jesus  by the woman of Bethany and a Passover theme born out of a tentative detail in our Gospel passage that lends a torrent of meaning to the Eucharistic meal.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- The village of Bethphage, its location, and the significance of its geographic setting [5:29]

- The debate over whether Jesus rode a horse or a donkey into Jerusalem and the allusions invoked by his chosen mode of transportation [8:00]

- What "Hosanna" actually translates as and the Psalm that it is decidedly linked to [19:00]

- The nuptial overtones of the anointing at Bethany and the powerful message that the broken alabaster jar sends [25:04]

- A tiny detail in Jesus' instructions for the preparation of the Passover that unlocks a floodgate of information regarding the Last Supper [36:14]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bergsma, John. Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls: Revealing the Jewish Roots of Christianity. New York: Image, 2019.

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Pitre, Brant. Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. New York: Image, 2017.

REFERENCES

Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.

Genesis 49:8-11 - "Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a lioness; who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his ass’s colt to the choice vine"

1 Kings 1:33 - "And the king said to them, 'Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule'"

2 Kings 9:13 - "Then in haste every man of them took his garment, and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, 'Jehu is king.'"

1 Maccabees 13:51 - "On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel."

Psalm 118:25-27 - "Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech thee, give us success! Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!"

Song of Solomon 1:12 - "While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance."

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

Katie is recovering from a cold but still wanted to offer a pared down version of the podcast.  In this episode we see some Greek converts asking after Jesus, the sight of which prompts Our Lord to finally declare that his hour has come.  We spend the episode exploring why this simple affair proves to be the catalyst for Jesus' passion and the manner in which the whole episode points to a new covenant and a new law that Christ himself will give on Calvary.

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

Our Gospel today drops us into the middle of a conversation between Jesus and a prominent Pharisee named Nicodemus who comes to question Our Lord under the cover of night.  Jesus turns the topic of discussion to salvation making the most famous declaration in Scripture: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son."  What we discover from their interaction is that our God  proves his love not merely by words but - more powerfully - by actions and he requests nothing less from his followers in return.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- The significance of Christ connecting his passion to the bronze serpent in Numbers [8:20]

- The Israelites' near rejection of salvation and the way it illustrates for us how exactly one could be condemned in the next life [10:23]

- Suffering as an act of tremendous mercy on the part of God [19:35]

- Jesus' subtle allusion to an important curse in Deuteronomy and the way that he will abolish that curse [26:09]

- The dual meaning of "lifted up" that refers both to Christ's passion but also to his resurrection [30:56]

- A better translation of the famous John 3:16 [37:55]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Vol. 1 & 2. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

REFERENCES

2 Corinthians 5:21 - "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 - "And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God"

Wisdom 16:5-7 - "For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon thy people and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents, thy wrath did not continue to the end; 6 they were troubled for a little while as a warning, and received a token of deliverance to remind them of thy law’s command. 7 For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw, but by thee, the Savior of all."

Isaiah 52:13 - "Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up"

John 7:50 - Nicodemus defends Jesus

John 19:39 - Nicodemus brings ointment to anoint Jesus' body

John 1:1-5 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God; 3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

"When an Israelite gazed at the symbolic portrayal of the effects of his sin, the bronze serpent, he was granted healing and life.  Similarly, whoever gazes in faith at the ultimate effect of human sin, the crucifixion of the Son of God, is changed and given eternal life." (Martin and Wright 74)

"Nowhere in this Gospel does God say 'I love you'; rather, he demonstrates his love for humanity be self-sacrifice and demands the same practical demonstration of love from his followers." (Keener 566-567)

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

We head into the fourth Gospel today following Jesus into Jerusalem for the first Passover of his public ministry.  There he encounters a city bustling with thousands of Jews and a Temple filled with money changers and animals. What happens next is astonishing. Looking to the Old Testament, the greater context of John's Gospel, and the history of the Temple complex we try to make sense of the cleansing of the Temple, an act that arguably points toward a new kind of worship and a new kind of worshiper.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- Why there were animals and money changers in the Temple [10:16]

- The Old Testament text that foretells a day when there will no longer be trading in the Temple [22:36]

- How the previous scene in Cana provides an interpretive key to the cleansing of the Temple [31:19]

- The forty-six year Temple building project undertaken by Herod that Jesus plans to usurp and how it points to Christ as true Messiah [37:28]

- The very forward tone Jesus takes when responding to the Jews who ask for a sign [41:07]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Vol. 1 & 2. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

Mass Readings Explained with Dr. Brant Pitre

Saint John’s Gospel. The Navarre Bible. Dublin; New York: Four Courts Press; Scepter Publishers, 2005.

REFERENCES

Three Passovers in John's Gospel: John 2:13; 6:4; 13:1

Deuteronomy 16:16-17 - "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place which he will choose: at the feast of unleavened bread, at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed; 17 every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you."

Zechariah 14:20-21 - "And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar; 21 and every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be sacred to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the flesh of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day."

John 4:21 - "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father"

Psalm 69:9 - "For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me."

St. John Chrysostom, Homily XXIV on the Gospel of John - "And many such now there are, who have indeed the name of faith, but are unstable, and easily led away"

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

We join Peter, James, and John atop the mountain of Transfiguration in our Gospel this week. Jesus has just made his first passion prediction and so, to bolster the faith of his disciples, he pulls back the veil on his Divine glory. Breaking open the Old Testament we discover several connections with our Gospel, connections that point toward a new creation, a new temple, and the sure hope of the resurrection.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- The precision time reference Mark uses to introduce his Gospel and the link it has to both creation and the temple [15:23]

- The origin of the term "transfiguration" and its Greek equivalent [21:13]

- What extra-Biblical literature can reveal about the significance of Moses and Elijah's appearance with Christ [28:05]

- The connection between Peter's suggestion to erect tents and the Jewish feast of Tabernacles [34:42]

- The incredible parallels between Christ's transfiguration and his passion [45:58]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

REFERENCES

Mark 8:29 - "You are the Christ"

2 Peter 1:17-18 - "He received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,' 18 we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain."

Exodus 24:15-16, 25:8-9 - "Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days [...] And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it."

Mark 14:58 - "I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands and in three days I will build another, not made with hands."

Philippians 2:5-8 - "Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross."

Malachi 4:5 - "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes."

Deut. Rab. 3.17 (Talmud) - "Moses, I swear to you... in the time to come when I bring Elijah, the prophet unto them, the two of you shall come together"

2 Kings 2:11 - Elijah "ascended in a whirlwind into heaven"

Deuteronomy 34:16 - "No man knows the place of his [Moses'] burial to this day"

Exodus 40:34 - "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."

1 Kings 8:10 - "And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD"

2 Maccabees 2:8 - "And then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated."

Mark 15:36 - "Wait, let us see if Elijah will come to take him down"

Transfiguration // Passion

Unearthly Light // Supernatural Darkness (Mk 15:33)

Glorious/Luminous Clothes // Clothes Stripped (Mk 15:24)

Joined by two Old Testament saints // Joined by two criminals

Peter desires to stay ("It is good that we are here" // Peter flees

The Father's voice is heard // The Father is silent ("Let this cup pass" and "Why have you abandoned me?")

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

We dive into Lent by backtracking in our reading of Mark today, heading to the scene of Jesus' temptation and forty day fast. Though a short passage, we find a Gospel rich with Old Testament imagery and typological fulfillment. Jesus heads into the wilderness to re-stage many scenes from Scripture but this time as the faithful son who has come to reconcile the world to his Father.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- How Jesus' forty days in the desert parallel not only the Israelites forty years in the desert but also Moses' forty day fast before he destroyed the Golden Calf [22:01]

- The Jewish legend that Adam also fasted for forty days after the fall and did penance by washing in a familiar river [26:19]

- The uncanny connections between Jesus' baptism and the flood narrative in Genesis (our first reading) [32:00]

- How the presence of the wild beasts in the wilderness point to the beginning of a new creation [37:14]

- The Rabbinic literature that claims Adam and Eve were also ministered to by angels in the Garden of Eden before the fall [49:12]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

REFERENCES

Deuteronomy 8:2 - "And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not."

Exodus 25:18 - "And Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights."

Deuteronomy 9:18 - "Then I lay prostrate before the LORD as before, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin which you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD"

Life of Adam and Eve 6.1-2 - "And Adam said to Eve: ‘Thou canst not do so much as I, but do only so much as thou hast strength for. For I will spend forty days fasting, but do thou arise and go to the river Tigris and lift up a stone and stand on it in the water up to thy neck in the deep of the river. And let no speech proceed out of thy mouth, since we are unworthy to address the Lord, for our lips are unclean from the unlawful and forbidden tree. 2 And do thou stand in the water of the river thirty-seven days. But I will spend forty days in the water of Jordan, perchance the Lord God will take pity upon us.’"

Genesis 1:28 - "Have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."

Life of Adam and Eve 4.2 - "And Adam said to Eve: ‘This hath the Lord provided for animals and brutes to eat; but we used to have angels’ food."

Sanhedrin 59b.22 (Talmud) - "Adam, the first man, would dine in the Garden of Eden, and the ministering angels would roast meat for him and strain wine for him." https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.59b.22?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

Jesus is approached by a leper in our Gospel today.  Having ignored the Mosaic command to avoid others he draws close to Christ in order to request a miracle.  Moved by the man's faith, Jesus also ignores the conventions of Mosaic law, touching the man, healing him from his leprosy, and proving that the Divine touch is not only immune from ritual impurity but can actually bring about the wholeness that the law itself fails to cause.

We'll spend our episode looking closer at:

- A literal translation of our scene that unveils Mark's unique and vivid storytelling style [4:57]

- The Greek roots of the phrase "moved with pity" and the raw, physiological emotion they assign to Jesus [25:36]

- Some textual perplexities that have led scholars to believe Jesus also performed an exorcism when he healed the leper [33:45]

- The notion of the "Messianic Secret" and why Jesus didn't always want people to know his identity [38:40]

- Levitical requirements for the ritual offering for leprosy and how they image and prefigure Jesus' redemption on the Cross [45:40]

- The fascinating way that Jesus quite literally switches roles with the leper by the end of our story [49:00]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

REFERENCES

Numbers 12:11-12 - "And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed"

2 Kings 5:7 - "And when the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, 'Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?'"

"Cast out" (Grk: ekballo) is used in reference to an exorcism at Mk 1:39; 3:15, 22ff; 6:13; 7:26; 9:18, 28 and is used in a negative context at Mk 5:40; 11:15; and 12:8.

The offering for leprosy is described at Leviticus 14:3-7

Sanhedrin 47a:10 (Talmud) - "The Gemara asks: But if so, with regard to the verse: 'I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me,' where do you find that Elisha resurrected a second person? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: That request was fulfilled when he cured Naaman’s leprosy (see II Kings, chapter 5), an affliction that is considered to be equivalent to death, as it is written with regard to Miriam’s leprosy: 'Let her not be as one dead' (Numbers 12:12)."

Ketubot 61b:1 (Talmud) - "The chief butler said to him: You have spoiled the king’s meal, as now he will not eat from it. The king’s soldiers who were there said to him: Why did you do this? He said to them: The one who makes such awful dishes is the one who actually spoiled the king’s food. They said to him: Why do you say this? He said to them: I saw something else, i.e., a leprous infection, in this meat. They checked and didn’t find anything. He took his finger and placed it on the food and said to them: Did you check here? They then checked that spot and found the infection. The Sages said to Rav Ashi: What is the reason that you relied on a miracle and assumed that leprosy would in fact be found there? He said to them: I saw a leprous spirit hovering over the food and realized that it had this defect."

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