In Isaiah, Cyrus the Great emerges as a unique figure chosen by the God of Israel to fulfill a specific historical task: the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple and the liberation of the Judahites from exile in Babylon in direct fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by Jeremiah.

Cyrus’s rise to power is depicted not as a product of his strength but as the result of God stirring his spirit and granting him authority over all nations.

God bestows upon Cyrus exceptional titles: “my shepherd,” a nomadic-pastoral, Bedouin-styled function typical of prophetic literature, signifying his role in guiding the people of Israel back to God’s land, and “my anointed,” indicating a special divine commissioning that parallels, though does not equal, the messianic expectations normally associated with Israelite kings.

Through Cyrus’s conquests, especially the subjugation of Babylon, the Lord demonstrates his universal sovereignty, demonstrating to all nations that he alone is the Unipolar Hegemon that directs the course of history and holds ultimate authority over the kingdoms of the earth.

While Cyrus plays a pivotal role as a pawn on God’s political chessboard, Isaiah carefully distinguishes him from the Slave of the Lord.

The Slave—often wrongly identified with Israel itself—points to a future messianic figure who carries a broader, more enduring mission: to establish justice, bring light to the nations, and embody God’s ultimate purpose. Unlike Cyrus, whose mission is temporal and political, the Slave’s work is a universal call to the path of the Lord, extending beyond the restoration of Jerusalem to the transformation of the human race.

Thus, Isaiah presents Cyrus as a divinely appointed instrument for a limited, though critical, historical role. At the same time, the Slave of the Lord stands as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan of victory and liberation for his people and the entire world.

Then, in Luke, the Slave landed on the beaches of the Gerasenes.

Everything I do, I do for the Slave.

This week, I discuss Luke 8:29.

Show Notes

παραγγέλλω (parangellō)

order, summon, command, send a message

• שׁ-מ-ע (shin-mem-ayin) / س-م-ع (sīn-mīm-ʿayn)

• • hear, submit!
    • 1 Samuel 15:4 - Saul, Israel’s first king, asserts his leadership by gathering a vast army (200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah) to fulfill a divine command: to destroy the Amalekites utterly. Centralized, royal power at its peak.
    • 1 Samuel 23:8 - Saul, now insecure in his power, redirects his military might to pursue David at Keilah, driven by jealousy and fear of losing his throne.
    • 1 Kings 15:22 - King Asa commands all of Judah to dismantle Baasha’s fortifications at Ramah and repurpose them to fortify Geba and Mizpah. Asa’s leadership is pragmatic and defensive, focused on security rather than prophetic utterances.
    • Jeremiah 26:14 (LXX) - Jeremiah stands alone before religious and political leaders, “I am in your hands; do with me as seems good and right to you.” Luke’s lexical itinerary at Decapolis follows the biblical storyline, shifting from the king’s authority to the prophet’s vulnerability.
    • Jeremiah 27:29 (LXX) - Jeremiah warns Judah that resisting Babylon will only bring destruction; the people must submit to Babylon’s yoke as God’s instrument of judgment.
    • Jeremiah 28:27 (LXX) - The theme of the yoke—submission to Babylon’s dominion—continues. This reinforces the prophet’s earlier warning that Judah’s fate is sealed unless they accept God’s judgment.

• ע-ב-ר (ʿayin-bet-resh) / ع-ب-ر (ʿayn-bāʼ-rāʼ)

• • pull along, pass through, pass by, go your way; consistent with nomadic pastoral or shepherd life
    • 2 Chronicles 36:22 - This verse marks the beginning of the return from exile. It records that in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord moved his heart to make a proclamation allowing the exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This aligns with the prophecy of Jeremiah being fulfilled — God’s promise to bring his people back from captivity after seventy years.
    • Ezra 1:1 - This verse parallels 2 Chronicles 36:22. It highlights that in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia’s reign, God stirred his spirit to make a decree throughout his kingdom allowing the Judeans to return and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, again, fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah.
  • In Arabic, this root carries various functions, including “to cross,” “to pass over,” “to interpret,” or “to take a lesson.”

• • • عُبُور (ʿubūr) crossing
    • مَعْبَر (maʿbar) crossing place
    • تَعْبِير (taʿbīr) expression, interpretation (especially of dreams)
• א-מ-ר (ʾaleph–mem–resh) / أ-م-ر (ʾalif-mīm-rāʾ)

• • In Arabic, this root is the foundation for words like أَمْر (ʾamr) (“command” or “order”) and مَأْمُور (maʾmūr) (“one who is commanded”). Matthew Cooper observes that אָמַר (amar) “he spoke,” is inter-functional with the Arabic word أمير (emir), which means “prince,” “commander,” or “leader,” from the same root.
    • Joshua 6:7 - Joshua commands his army to advance on Jericho. Specifically, he orders the armed men to proceed, and the seven priests with the trumpets to go before the Ark of the Covenant as they prepare to encircle the city. This is part of the famous account of the fall of Jericho, where the walls come down after the Israelites’ obedience to God’s instructions.

• צ-ע-ק (ṣade-ayin-qof) / ص-ع-ق (sīn–ʿayn–qāf)

• • In biblical Hebrew, צעק (ṣāʿaq) means “to cry out, to shout, to call loudly.”
    • 1 Samuel 10:17 - Samuel gathers the people of Israel at Mizpah to publicly present Saul as the chosen king. This follows God’s command to anoint a king, as the people had demanded one like the nations around them. Samuel is about to cast lots to reveal Saul as God’s chosen king formally.
  • In Arabic, صعق (ṣaʿaqa) means “to be struck by thunder, to be shocked, to be stunned.”

• י-ע-ץ (yod-ayin-ṣade) / و-ع-ظ (wāw-ʿayn-ẓāʾ)

• • 1 Kings 12:6 - Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and the new king, consults the elders who had served his father about responding to the people’s request to lighten their burdens. The elders advise him to show kindness. He does not listen.
  • “To advise, to give counsel.” The Arabic triliteral carries the core function “to exhort, to admonish, to preach.”

• • • وَعْظ (waʿẓ) exhortation, admonition
    • وَاعِظ (wāʿiẓ) preacher, admonisher
    • تَوْعِيظ (tawʿīẓ) act of exhorting, preaching

People choose personal relationships and personal fulfillment over duty. Most often, they place the latter ahead of the former, which is why you see all these ridiculous posts on social media about “toxic relationships.”

It’s a big joke.

I live among people who do not inhabit the same reality as I do.

It used to frustrate me, but now I smile and move on, knowing that most people are not willing to make hard choices. They—and those who enable them—form Caesar’s political base.

The blind leading the blind.

Scripture has taught me, the hard way, that I have no right to judge.

Neither do others, yet we all persist in doing so.

All of you should watch the Star Wars series Andor in full—it’s just two seasons—and then watch Rogue One, and you’ll understand what the writers of the New Testament were doing in the shadows of “empire.”

Unlike the arrogant cowards sitting on the Rebel Council at Yavin IV, the biblical writers weren’t building anything new to replace Rome or Jerusalem. They had no secret plans for a “new” Republic. The gospel was not a hero’s journey or a strategy for institution-building under the protection of a solipsistic Jedi order, nor was it fighting for “freedom.” It was, however, about hope, against all hope.

Rehear Galatians.

The New Testament ends where it begins—with the sword of instruction wandering the earth in God’s broad encampment, moving from place to place with an urgent message of permanent, perpetual rebellion:

“Caesar is not the king!”

Long before Paul, Jeremiah, too, had joined the Rebellion. He understood the price. Jeremiah was not James Dean. You cannot be a rebel unless you have a cause. Unless, of course, you, like most Americans I know, want to remain a teenager for the rest of your life.

Adults, however, have to make a choice:

This much I know:

“Everything I do, I do for the Rebellion.”

This week, I discuss Luke 8:28.

Show Notes

ἀνακράζω (anakrazō) / ק-ר-א (qof–resh–aleph) / ق-ر-أ (qāf–rāʾ–hamza)

Cry out. Read aloud.

Gideon’s story is part of the cyclical narrative structure that characterizes the Book of Judges. In this recurring pattern, Israel turns away from God and does evil, prompting God to give them into the hands of their enemies. In their suffering, the people cry out to God, who then raises up a deliverer—a judge—to rescue them. This deliverance brings a period of temporary peace until the cycle begins again. In the case of Gideon, Israel is oppressed by the Midianites. God chooses Gideon to lead a small and unlikely force, emphasizing that the victory is not the result of human strength but a demonstration of the Lord’s power and faithfulness.

In Ezekiel 8–11, the prophet is shown a vision of the abominations taking place in the Jerusalem temple, including idolatry, injustice, and ritual defilement. As a result of this widespread corruption, the glory of God departs from the temple. In chapter 9, the vision shifts from exposing sin to executing judgment. God summons six angelic executioners, each carrying a weapon and a seventh figure dressed in linen holding a writing kit. This scribe is instructed to mark the foreheads of those who mourn over the city’s sins, while the others are commanded to kill the rest without mercy, beginning at the defiled sanctuary.

προσπίπτω (prospiptō) / נ-פ-ל (nun-fe-lamed) / ن-ف-ل (nun-fa-lam)

Fall upon, at, against; become known.

“And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell (תִּפֹּ֖ל tiffōl) down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.” (Esther 8:3)

Esau suffered the consequences of tribal betrayal and familial treachery; Esther and her people faced annihilation under a lawfully decreed genocide. These parallels—illuminated by Luke’s deliberate lexical choices—frame the demon-possessed man as a victim of Greco-Roman imperial oppression.

In each case, the act of falling appears directed toward a human being when, in fact, it is the acceptance of Providence.

This is the core teaching of the Abrahamic scrolls.

Esther does not confront the king as a preacher or moral authority; she pleads with him, fully aware that she holds no power. You might say Esther was, in this instance, a functional Muslim.

To fall is ultimately submission to divine authority—Esther, by entrusting herself to God’s hidden providence, accepts that there is no King but God.

Her only weapon against oppression, along with Esau and the demonic, was to fall prostrate, hoping against all hope in God’s promise (in his absence), that:

“Caesar is not the king!”

(see also: κατεκλίθη)

δέομαι (deomai) / ח-נ-ן (ḥet–nun–nun) / ح-ن-ن (ḥāʼ–nūn–nūn)

Ask; pray; beg. Grace. Compassion, mercy, tenderness.

“If you would seek God and implore (תִּתְחַנָּֽן tiṯḥǎnnānʹ) the compassion of the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, surely now he would rouse himself for you and restore your righteous estate.” (Job 8:5–6)

The triliteral root ح-ن-ن (

Situated opposite Galilee, the “earth” of the Gerasenes marks the site of God’s first tactical strike against Greco-Roman assimilation in Luke.

The Greco-Roman rulers who possess and enslave the land impose violence and havoc, sowing death where God’s many flocks were meant to roam freely, without interference.

Like the abusers in Jerusalem, the occupying forces in Decapolis do not want to live and let live. They seek to assimilate, to convert, to impose, to kill—to force others to become like them, “twice as much the sons of Hell as themselves.”

Sure, they may be interested in learning something from those they conquer, but ultimately, everything must be “melted down” and absorbed into something of their own making. It’s called a “god complex:”

They do not submit to God, who made the heavens and the earth. They do not accept what was made, as it has been made, by his making. His name alone be praised!

Unlike every other revolution in human history, the socio-political rebellion of the biblical tradition—be ye not deceived, O man, it is indeed a political rebellion, though it is not about starting something new, it is a reversion—to accept the Bible is to revert to God as your King, your religion, your tribe, your city, and your homeland.

To return to his land is to return not to what we build, create, perceive, synthesize, or formulate through our ideolocial or theological assimilations, but to what God himself provided in the beginning: an open field where all living creatures coexist in his care.

This week, I discuss Luke 8:27.

Show Notes

δαιμόνιον (daimonion) / ש–י–ד (shin–yod–dalet) / ث–د–ي (thā–dāl–yāʼ)

Demon, other deity, or god. From the root שדד (shadad), which means “to deal violently, despoil, or devastate.” Klein notes that the Arabic ثَدْي (thady), “breast,” reinforces his observation that שֹׁד (shōd) and שַׁד (shad) are two forms of the same biblical root meaning “breast.” In consideration of this link, and the fact that the original text is unpointed, it is difficult to ignore the consonantal link between chaos, havoc, militarism, and the function “demon,” vis-à-vis the field, and violence against the land, since the land is inherently matriarchal:

• שָׂדָאוּת (sadā’ut) is a feminine noun meaning “military fieldcraft,” derived from שָׂדֶה (sadeh), meaning “field.”

• Note that שֵׁדָה (shedah), female demon, and שָׂדֶה (sadeh), field or open land, are indistinguishable in the unpointed text.

This intersection is intentional. Consider a related sub-function associated with δαιμόνιον in Luke:

• שׁדד (shin-dalet-dalet) and שׂדד (sin-dalet-dalet)
  • שׁדד (shadad) to devastate, despoil, or destroy, referring to violence or judgment.
  • שׂדד (sadad) to plow or harrow, referring to agricultural activity.

In Semitic languages, the function “demon” likely originates from the Akkadian term šēdu, a protective spirit often depicted in Mesopotamian art as a bull-like colossus or a human-bull hybrid, for example, the bull effigy of Wall Street. The question is not what the demon šēdu protects, but whose interests it serves. Does it protect life in God’s field or wreak havoc on behalf of its human sponsors? Does it plow and harrow, or does it despoil?

Demonic Evil

As it is written:

“πάντων τῶν κακῶν” unambiguously indicates “of all evils,” not “all kinds,” underscoring Paul’s deliberate rhetorical force in presenting the love of money not as a moral weakness but as a seed giving rise to every form of evil in God’s field.

ἱμάτιον (himation) / ב-ג-ד (bet–gimel–dalet) / ب-ج-د (bāʼ–jīm–dāl)

Outer garment; cloak.

A scarce word in Classical Arabic, بَجَدَ (bajada), means “to strive or exert,” technically different than بِجَاد (bijād) — the pre-Islamic Bedouin term for a striped cloak or blanket, which Klein links to ב-ג-ד.

Instead of بَجَدَ (bajada), Arabic typically employs roots like ج-ه-د (jīm–hāʾ–dāl) — جَاهَدَ (jāhada) — the basis of جِهَاد (jihād), to express striving or struggle, especially in a religious context. Related roots such as ج-د-د (jīm–dāl–dāl) — جَدَّ (jadda) “to be serious” — and ج-دّ (jīm–dāl–dāl) — جِدّ (jidd) “seriousness” — reinforce the idea of earnest effort and commitment that underlies the concept of jihād.

The بِجَاد (bijād)—a coarse, often red or striped woolen cloak worn by Bedouins—symbolizes striving through its association with the harsh realities of shepherd life in God’s open field, demanding simplicity, endurance, and honor, in contrast with the soft garments of city dwellers. The reference to soft garments is not incidental. In Luke 7:25, Jesus mocks those dressed in “soft clothing” who “live in luxury” in the royal houses. As such, John the Baptist is “more than a prophet.” Clothed in the rough and unpleasant garment of a shepherd, he survives under God’s rule in the open field with an honor imperceptible in the eyes of city dwellers.

It is “the smell of a field” that Luke 8:27 makes terminologically functional here, recalling the transfer of Isaac’s blessing to his younger son. Now Luke turns the tables. As Esau was denied his birthright in favor of Jacob, so now Jacob is denied the same in favor of the demon-possessed Gerasene:

οἰκία (oikia

In Scripture, “earth” signifies more than just physical land; it functions as a literary sign that opposes human oppression. The biblical narrative presents the land both as a silent witness against human civilization and as one of its victims. In this context, the recurring phrase “heavens and earth” serves as a merism, expressing the totality of creation and affirming God’s sovereign authority and judgment:

Poet Mahmoud Darwish echoes this Abrahamic outlook by portraying the land as a woman—“the lady of the earth”—a figure of both suffering and resilience. Through this personification, Darwish critiques the domination of land by human civilization, portraying earth not as property but as a noble matriarch. His vision resonates with the biblical sabbatical and jubilee traditions, in which the land itself is granted rest and release from exploitation (Leviticus 25).

In the Old Testament, Galilee is often marginalized or conquered. Yet, in Isaiah—and later in the New Testament—it is repurposed as the launching point for God’s mission to liberate the land from human abuse.

In contrast to Jerusalem or Rome, which embody imperial tyranny cloaked in Hellenistic pluralism, Jesus reclaims Galilee as the new hub for Biblical Shepherdism—a direct challenge to the ideology of Hellenistic urban empire. Galilee becomes a scriptural threshold: a place of refuge, instruction, and mission. It embodies God’s cause, where divine law transcends political borders, and the land becomes a witness to divine justice against human violence, not a possession of empire.

This week I discuss Luke 8:26.

Show Notes

χώρα (chōra) / ע-ר-ץ (ʿayin–resh–ṣade) / أ-ر-ض (ʾalif-rā-ḍād)

The biblical Hebrew אֶרֶץ (’ereṣ) can denote:

• The entire inhabited earth, as in Genesis 1:1 (“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”), is typically rendered in the Septuagint (LXX) as γῆ (gē).
• A specific territory, region, or localized land, such as “the land of Canaan,” or the land surrounding a city.
• The pairing of שָּׁמַיִם (šāmayim)“heavens” and אֶרֶץ (’ereṣ) earth in scripture functions as a merism, a literary device expressing totality.

“May you be blessed of the Lord, Maker of heavens and earth.”
(Psalm 115:15)

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.”
(Isaiah 65:17)

• In the Qur’an, أرض “arḍ” also appears frequently in the same manner in phrases like “السماء والأرض” (al-samāʾ wa al-arḍ) – “the heavens and the earth.”

In his poetry, Mahmoud Darwish uses the Semitic function أ-ر-ض in line with the anti-civilizational tradition of Abrahamic literature:

Darwish refers to the earth (ٱلْأَرْض) both as a practical reality, literally, “on this earth,” this “ground,” and as the shared heritage of those who live on this ground, who come from the ground, from the same mother, “the lady of the earth.” This sovereignty is not imposed or “built” by civilization, but inherent.

In Semitic, earth as “lady” or “mistress” implies dignity and nobility: the land as a suffering yet powerful matriarch—both witness to and victim of human civilization. For Darwish, it evokes the Palestinian spirit of steadfastness (صمود – ṣumūd). It is not the human being, but the land that is steadfast:

(Tarazi, Paul Nadim. Decoding Genesis 1–11. Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies, St. Paul, MN. 2014. p. 82)

(Gen 2:7, Qur’an 30:20)

(Genesis 3:19, Qur’an 20:55)

Γερασηνῶν (Gerasēnōn) / جرش

Gerasa (جرش Jerash in modern-day Jordan) was a key city in the eastern Roman Empire. It served as a Hellenistic hub and a strategic site that developed due to the cultural changes after Alexander the Great’s conquests in the 4th century BC.

The typical features of a Hellenistic polis—such as a colonnaded cardo maximus, theaters, temples dedicated to Greco-Roman gods, and agoras—are visible in the ruins of Gerasa. These structures reflect the urban planning strategies introduced by Macedonian and later Roman rulers, as well as the blending of Greek and local Semitic cultures. These are hallmarks of anti-Scriptural Hellenistic pluralism, which seeks to erase Ezekielian shepherdism. Ezekiel’s school was carried forward by St. Paul, who opposed Roman imperialism by imposing coexistence against Caesar under the one God of the tent-dwelling shepherd Abraham.

Γαλιλαία / (Galilaia) / גָּלִיל

• In Joshua and Chronicles, Kedesh in Galilee is identified as a city of refuge and a Levitical inheritance, tying it to themes of mercy, sanctuary, and priestly service.

• In 1 Kings 9, this same region is dismissed by King Hiram of Tyre when Solomon gives him twenty cities in Galilee as a diplomatic gift—cities Hiram calls כָּבוּל (Kabul) “Cabul,” or “worthless.” This underlines Galilee’s devalued status in the eyes of political power.

• In 2 Kings 15, Galilee becomes the first region to fall to the Assyrians, highlighting its vulnerability.

• Isaiah turns this trajectory on its head in Isaiah 9:1-2, where Galilee—specifically called “Galilee of the nations”—becomes the location where light of instruction will arise:

In the New Testament, this prophetic rever...

In “Dark Sayings,” I explore how internalized racism destroyed my mother’s family. This psychological process, woven out of Hellenistic pluralism and anti-Scriptural platitudes about the so-called “Melting Pot,” reveals how systemic racism operates not only externally but within the immigrant’s self-conception.

Internalized racism is more insidious than the inferiority complex from which it stems. Eventually, the immigrant—the stranger in a foreign land—overcomes fear by adopting the personality of the oppressor.

“You shouldn’t give your children Arabic names, Marc.”
“Stop listening to Arabic music, Marc.”
“You need to assimilate into this culture, Marc.”
“If you love the Middle East so much, Marc, why don’t you live there?”

The last one is my favorite. It reveals the speaker’s true heart. They might as well say, “Go back to Africa, Marc.”

My father is from Africa. Is Africa a punishment?

Internalized racism explains why people from the West Bank see themselves as superior to people from Gaza. It’s why Arab Christians often identify with white Western Christians against their Muslim brothers. It’s why immigrants and minorities across backgrounds look up to those who marginalize them.

This concept of “Stockholm Syndrome” reflects a fundamental truth about the human condition. The privileged and underprivileged who perpetuate internalized racism share something profoundly disturbing in common: both reject the God of Abraham, trusting not in him as King, but in themselves.

Ironically, Pharaoh (or Caesar) is not their king, as they profess in John’s Gospel, but merely their locum tenens — their temporary substitute. They view themselves as the true sovereigns. This explains their enthusiasm for elections; they delight in proclaiming their chosen figurehead by acclamation: creatus imperator.

They “create” (creāre) him. They “make” him. They “elect” him. They “bring him into being” and then they control him—but they can’t control the God who speaks out of the whirlwind.

Providence, habibi, is rougher than a corncob. She’ll slap you sideways even if you’re careful.

Though “internalized racism” isn’t a Scriptural term, it’s rooted in biblical notions of cowardice; in the absolute fear of the power of death and deep anxiety about what might happen if Jesus alienates the “wrong people” in Decapolis. God forbid he offend those “nice white people.” Very bad for business.

Consider the disciples.

What a bunch of cowardly, misguided fools. One almost wonders why Jesus didn’t let his Father finish what he began with the storm at sea.

Oops! I am starting to sound like Jonah. See, there are no good guys!

This week, I discuss Luke 8:25.

Show Notes

βουλή (boulē) / מ-כ-ר (meem-kaf-resh) / م-ك-ر (mīm-kāf-rāʾ)

Purposeful plan, will, counsel. يَمْكُرُ (yamkurū) to plan, scheme, plot. מכר (makar) to sell. For example, Joseph being sold by his brothers (מָכְרוּ māḵərū Genesis 37:28).

πίστις (pistis) / אֱמֶת (ʾemet), from the root א-מ-ן (aleph-mem-nun), אָמֵן (ʾāmēn), and أمين (amīn)

The root א-מ-ן (aleph-mem-nun) is functional with إيمان (īmān, “faith”) and آمن (āmana, “he trusted”), reflecting the biblical Hebrew concepts of trust, faithfulness, and reliability.

Under the influence of Hellenism (Judaeo-Christianism), אֱמֶת (ʾemet) is misinterpreted by neoplatonists as “truth,” as if it were a philosophical abstraction. Here, the wisdom of George Carlin comes to mind:

The God of Abraham is not a “symbol,” let alone a pagan effigy—he is our trustworthy Master. Saying “amin” does not indicate agreement with an idea; it reflects placement of trust in the trustworthy Master.

φοβέω (phobeō) / י-ר-א (yod-resh-aleph) / و-ر-ي (wāw–rāʼ–yāʼ)

Fear, fearful, or feared. وَأَرَى (waʾara) — “to frighten someone.”

In the Qur’an, وَأَرَى (waʾara) is linked to divine signs intended to cause fear. Concerning the Lukan reference, Abraham is shown (أَرَى arā) a terrifying thing:

In Genesis 22, Abraham also sees (וַיַּרְא wayyárʾ) the ram caught in the thicket, and “fears God” (ירא אלהים yirē ʾelohim) through his obedience.

θαυμάζω (thaumazō) / ת-מ-ה (taw-meem-he)

The disciples encountered God on Mount Zion, were filled with terror, panicked, and fled:

In Ecclesiastes, after a reminder to “fear God,” a warning: don’t be shocked by institutional oppression. Corruption and injustice are standard and forever entrenched — officials monitor one another, but the system will always fail. “Reform” is a word found only on the lips of the self-righteous:

Theologians and philosophers love to talk about the meaning of life. They explore its purpose, justification, and value, questioning whether or not suffering has meaning. They sound like the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, wasting time viewing things from the wrong perspective: man’s point of view, the king’s point of view, Job’s point of view.

This mirrors how Christians assess and then attempt to control the Holy Spirit through human words. Their version of the Holy Spirit—always friendly, gentle, and “inspiring”—bears little resemblance to the God of Scripture. This domesticated spirit, which makes people feel good with that telltale twinkle and misty look, becomes a false god they tame, groom, and adore like a pet.

That’s why they’re confused when the same wind that filled Jesus’ sails at the beginning of the parable suddenly transforms into a fierce, wrathful storm—a whirlwind. But this is precisely how God’s breath, his wind, operates.

Not only is it invisible to the eye, but it cannot be controlled. Sometimes cold, sometimes hot, and always unpredictable, it can turn against you on a dime, just like life’s events.

As Jesus said in judgment of Job’s lament, “the rain falls on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

This week, I discuss Luke 8:24.

λαῖλαψ (lailaps) / ס-ע-ר (samek-ʿayin-resh) / ס-ו-פ (samek-waw-feh)

Hurricane, tempest, furious storm. All three biblical references in Luke 8:23 invoke the Lord’s wrath against human arrogance:

• Job 21:18 (סוּפָה sû·fāhʹ ) - The arrogance of Job, who questions why the wicked prosper.
  • “Are they as straw before the wind, and like chaff which the storm (סוּפָה sû·p̄āhʹ ) carries away?
• Job 38:1(סְעָרָה seʿā·rāh) - Anger at Job’s arrogance—at his attempt to comprehend divine judgment. The whirlwind is the wrath of God.
  • Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind (סְעָרָה seʿā·rāh) and said, 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
• Jeremiah 32:18 (סַ֫עַר sǎʹ·ʿǎr) God stirs up a sweeping, consuming judgment against all nations.
  • Thus says the Lord of hosts,
  • “Behold, evil is going forth
  • From nation to nation,
  • And a great storm (סַ֫עַר sǎʹ·ʿǎr) is being stirred up
  • From the remotest parts of the earth.

ἐπιτιμάω (epitimaō) / ג-ע-ר (gimel-ʿayin-resh) / ج-ع-ر (jīm–ʿayn–rāʼ)

Rebuke or speak insultingly, often with a firm or authoritative tone. It can also imply harsh or scolding speech; in divine usage, it can function as subduing or silencing through rebuke. The Arabic root also denotes the production of a loud, guttural sound, explicitly referring to the mooing or bellowing of cattle. In both Hebrew (גער) and Arabic (جعر), the shared Semitic root captures a raw, forceful vocalization.

The waters in the Psalms represent a fundamental aspect of God’s creation, serving as a metaphor for his dominion and kingly victory over all opponents. They are the chaotic forces under his control. The Psalms consistently depict God as the supreme authority over all the waters of creation—a realm teeming with life and human activity, overcome by God, the only true hegemon.

“Thus he rebuked (יִּגְעַ֣ר yiḡ·ʿǎrʹ) the Red Sea and it dried up, and he led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness.” (Psalm 106:9)

“You rebuke (גָּ֭עַרְתָּ gāʹ·ʿǎr·tā) the arrogant, the cursed, who wander from your commandments.” (Psalm 119:21)

“And the Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke (יִגְעַ֨ר yiḡ·ʿǎrʹ) you! Is this not a log snatched from the fire?’” (Zechariah 3:2)

ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) / א-ב-ד (ʾalef-bet-dalet) / أ-ب-د (ʾalif-bāʼ-dāl)

Perish, get lost, go astray; destroy, kill. In Arabic, أَبَدَ (ʾábada) can indicate “it ran away”, especially concerning animals, in line with the function lost, gone, destroyed, or vanished beyond recovery or control.

“As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will eliminate (הַֽאֲבַדְתִּ֛י hǎ·ʾǎḇǎḏ·tîʹ) from among his people.” (Leviticus 23:30)

“But you will perish (אֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם ʾǎḇǎḏ·těmʹ) among the nations, and your enemies’ land will consume you.” (Leviticus 26:38)

“On that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing (אֹֽבְדִים֙ ʾō·ḇeḏîmʹ) in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27:13)

In the Qur’an, the function أ-ب-د is often used in noun forms and derivatives related to judgment. This usage stems from the biblical function אֲבַדּוֹן (abaddon) used interchangeably with Sheol (Proverbs 15:11; Psalm 88:11). In Arabic, أَبَدًا (ʾabadan) indicates everlasting:

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:95):

Surah Al-Jinn (72:23):

The phrase خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا (khālidīna fīhā abadan) appears numerous times in the Qur’an. It’s used in verses describing the everlasting nature of Paradise or Hell.

ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) / כרת (kaf–resh–taw)

To “cut” or “cut off.” In a cultic setting, a covenant was “cut”—reflecting the ritual slicing of animals in two (cf. Genesis 15:18, where God “cut a covenant” with Abram).

ἀπόλλυμι is not the most frequent translation of כרת, which carries the function of destruction or extermination, notably, unto death or ruin.

Luke’s usage of this rare Levitical function corresponds to the consequence of disobedience:

“I will also set my face against that man and will cut him off (הִכְרַתִּ֥י hiḵ·rǎt·tîʹ) from among his people, because he has given some of his children to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane my holy name.” (Le...

In every age, empires create words to describe the people in the societies they seek to dominate and exploit. Eventually, these terms are turned inward and used against themselves. The Greco-Romans—and their eastern heirs, whom modern scholars call the Byzantines—labeled those outside their empire as barbarians. 

The colonials who settled the Americas, after dismantling the peaceful coexistence of Semitic peoples in Southern Spain, referred to the inhabitants of this supposed “new” land as savages.

Whether communists, leftists, or terrorists, from age to age and generation to generation, we rely on the notion of the alien or foreigner to demonize the other.

Humanities scholars, clinging to the illusion of progress, speak as though they have just discovered this problem, but wisdom literature has tackled this since before Hellenism emerged as a blot on humanity’s historical record. 

When Jesus sets out to make a pilgrimage to Decapolis, he does so under the control of his Father’s will, who breathes into his sail and sends him on a mission—not to trample underfoot the barbarians at the edge of Constantine’s empire, but to confront Constantine himself. 

It is Constantine, Habibi, who is the problem. The Emperor is the barbarian from whom the Lord’s inheritance must be saved. 

This week, I discuss Luke 8:22, which exposes the true enemy of God, not the outsiders, but the emperor himself.

Show Notes

πλέω / מ-ל-א (mem-lamed-alef) / م-ل-أ (mīm-lām-hamza)

That which fills, makes full; fullness, full amount, measure, extent:

The root مَلَأَ (malaʾa) in Arabic can be found in words such as:

• مَلَأَ (malaʾa) - to fill
• مَلِيء (malīʾ) - full, filled
• مَمْلُوء (mamlūʾ) - filled (passive participle)
• امْتَلَأَ (imtalaʾa) - to become full, to be filled
• مِلْء (milʾ) - fullness, filling
• تَمْلِيء (tamlīʾ) - filling (verbal noun)
• مَلَأ (malaʾ) - assembly, ruling council, crowd, public

ἄνεμος / ר-ו-ח (resh-waw-ḥet) / ر-و-ح (rāʾ–wāw–ḥāʾ)

ἄνεμος (anemos, “wind,” 8:23) When the wind fully enters (מְלֹא / مِلْء) the sail, it takes shape, and the boat is propelled forward. Classical Arabic poetry often compares the full sail to a “breathing chest”—expanding, alive, and responsive to the unseen force of wind (رِيح rīḥ, which in Scripture functions as God’s breath or “Spirit.”) The biblical Hebrew term רוּחַ (ruaḥ) and the Arabic رُوح (rūḥ) both function as wind or divine Spirit.

The Greek verb πληρόω (plēroō), meaning “to fill,” “make full,” or “complete,” also corresponds to מ-ל-א and appears numerous times throughout Paul’s letters, notably: 

Paul deliberately chooses a second term in 1 Corinthians—not πληρόω, but κορέννυμι—to convey sharp sarcasm, mocking the leaders in Roman Corinth for being full of themselves and smug in their self-satisfaction. The only other appearance of this Pauline term, which does not occur in the Septuagint, is in Acts 27, which corresponds to Luke by way of authorship: 

See also: ب-و-ء (bā-wāw-hamza) / ב-ו-א (bet-waw-alef) πλέω also corresponds to בוא (Jonah 1:3), which aligns with Acts 27:38. 

The malaʾ belittle the prophets:

• “He’s just a man like us.” (26:155)

• “He’s a liar.” (26:186)

• “He’s possessed/crazy.” (26:154)

• “He’s a magician.” (26:34)

Some concepts in the Bible are so crucial that if they aren’t properly understood from the outset, the text itself can be twisted from a guide that protects your steps into a snare that traps you in a cycle of endless folly.

One such example is the idea of ownership or proprietorship.

When you hear the Bible, even in the original languages, but especially in translation—for example, the colonial King James text—when you hear the Bible in that translation, you are hit over and over again with a notion of ownership that has as its reference not Scripture but, in fact, the King of England, who imagines that he owns things, just like those of us living in a capitalist society imagine that we own things.

Just ask your child.

Ask them about the shirt on their back, the shoes they wear to school, or the toys on the floor of the room where they sleep. Ask them to whom those things belong. They will likely tell you that they “own” those things.

But that is not how ownership functions in Scripture.

Even when it says, “your land,” in Scripture—even then—the underlying premise of the text is that God, not his children, is the sole proprietor. That”s how ownership works in the Bible. Everything is a temporary loan. No one “owns” anything except God.

That is what the word “inheritance” means.

It is not granted to you, so you can “possess” it in perpetuity. It is a temporary gift that can be reclaimed and lent to others at any time. You cannot claim it as property because you are not the Most High.

You are not the Proprietor.

This week, I discuss Luke 8:22.

Show Notes

ἀνάγω (anagō) / ع-ل-و (ʿayn-lām-wāw) / ע-ל-ה (ʿayin-lamed-he)

This root carries the core function of “ascending” or “rising.” The same root is used to refer to pilgrimage in Jewish tradition, particularly in the phrase עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל, (ʿaliyah la-regel) literally “going up” or “ascending by foot,” referring to three biblical festivals involving pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem:

Religious and political ideologues routinely pervert this verse. The biblical understanding of land relationship can be described as patrimony (נַחֲלָה - naḥala). This concept frames the land as a divine inheritance or trust from God, who remains the sole owner. As Leviticus 25:23 explicitly states:

Other verses where the same root appears are also significant for Jewish tradition:

Luke’s lexical use of ἀνάγω (anagō), the Greek parallel to Hebrew עלה (ʿalah), repeatedly functions as a direct reference to Exodus themes: the plagues, the movement out of Egypt with God into the wilderness, the people’s complaints, and constant reminders that it was God who brought them up, and God who brings up.

The Arabic cognate عَلَا (ʿalā), means “was high, was elevated, rose, ascended.” The word عَلَا (ʿalā) and related forms from this root occur multiple times throughout the Qur’an:

The root functions in various ways, including:

• عَلِيّ (ʿaliyy) - high, exalted
• أَعْلَى (aʿlā) - highest, most exalted
• تَعَالَى (taʿālā) - to be exalted, elevated
• عُلُوّ (ʿuluww) - height, exaltation, arrogance

“Al-ʿAli” (The Most High) is one of the 99 names of God.

The same root appears in the angelic proclamation from Luke 2:14, which is used in Christian liturgical services in the doxology: “Glory to God in the highest”:

What is it like to be unaffected?

How sad it must be to go to church, attend a class, interact with your neighbor, and be indifferent to what they say.

What is it like to be unaffected?

To be so confined to yourself that when you look at your natural reflection in the mirror, you see your flaws—you might even acknowledge them—but the moment you look away, you forget them. You carry on with your life. It’s a curiosity, an interest, a fleeting insight, perhaps. But it’s a compartment, a facet of your identity that you create that fits into something you control—a picture you paint that does not influence how you live.

What is it like to be unaffected?

To live in such a way that everything around you exists as an experience in service to you on your checklist—an item on your itinerary, your menu, your agenda.

What happens when every member of society treats everything like a trophy wife? Their job, partner, children, friends, family, affiliations, and even the place they pray?

Everything becomes a trophy wife.

Even God—the god of their imagination—becomes a trophy wife.

What happens when everything is the object of the reflection of their natural face?

What is it like to be unaffected?

To resolve the dissonance of your natural reflection with the comfort of forgetfulness.

To return to what was left behind. To turn away from what lies ahead. To prefer a lie. To lie to yourself.

What happens when you look away?

This week, I discuss Luke 8:19–21.

Show Notes

Refer to Episode 548: Μαγδαληνή / ג-ד-ל (gimel-dalet-lamed) / ج-د-ل (jīm-dāl-lām)

In Latin, creāre means “to create,” “to produce,” or “to elect.” In Rome’s political sphere, it referred to the act of appointing or electing officials, including Julius Caesar.

Hearers Not Listeners

“But be doers of the word and not listeners only…”
(James 1:22)“Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· Μήτηρ μου καὶ ἀδελφοί μου οὗτοι εἰσιν οἱ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ ἀκούοντες καὶ ποιοῦντες.” (Luke 8:21)

In James 1:22, ποιηταὶ λόγου (“doers of the word”) and ἀκροαταὶ (“listeners") correspond to the participial forms found in Luke 8:21: ἀκούοντες (“hearing”) and ποιοῦντες (“doing”). Notably, ἀκροαταὶ and ἀκούοντες come from different roots. ἀκροαταὶ from the root: ἀκρο- (akro-), meaning at “the edge” or “the extremity,” implying passive reception, or “listening” vs. ἀκούοντες “to hear.”)

Someone who sees their natural face (πρόσωπον τῆς γενέσεως, “the face of his birth”) in a mirror and then forgets what he saw is the one who hears Scripture and neglects to act. He chooses to forget his appearance in God’s eyes. His knowledge of Scripture (the mirror) is overtaken by willful self-deception. He is a listener, not a doer. 

ἀκροατής (“listener to”) occurs only four times in the New Testament, all with the negative connotation of inaction: 

1. Romans 2:13: 
   1. γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ νόμου δίκαιοι
   2. “for it is not the listeners of the Law”
2. James 1:22: 
   1. καὶ μὴ ἀκροαταὶ μόνον παραλογιζόμενοι
   2. “and not mere listeners of the Law, who delude themselves” 
3. James 1:23: 
   1. ὅτι εἴ τις ἀκροατὴς λόγου ἐστὶν καὶ οὐ ποιητής
   2. “for if anyone is a listener of the word and not a doer"
4. James 1:25: 
   1. παραμείνας οὐκ ἀκροατὴς ἐπιλησμονῆς γενόμενος
   2. “not a forgetful listener, but a doer”

παραλογίζομαι / ر-م-ي (rā-mīm-yāʼ) / ר-מ-ה (resh-mem-he)

To deceive, defraud. To desert, abandon, or betray. To cast, throw, to cast (blame), or shoot (arrows). The Arabic رَمَى (ramā) and the Hebrew רמה (rāmā) carry the same function. 

James 1:24: ἐπιλανθάνομαι (“to forget”)

"For God is not unjust so as to forget (ἐπιλαθέσθαι) your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints." (Hebrews 6:10)

"Do not neglect (ἐπιλανθάνεσθε) to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2)

"And do not neglect (ἐπιλανθάνεσθε) doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrews 13:16)

"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting (ἐπιλανθανόμενος) what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead." (Philippians 3:13)

• Philippians 3:13 refers to 3:8, which pertains to Paul’s station, family, tribe, religion, religious purity, heritage, personal achievements, religious accomplishments, national pedigree, and personal zeal—in his words—"ἡγοῦμαι πάντα ζημίαν / ἡγοῦμαι σκύβαλα" (I consider everything a loss; I consider them dung):
  • “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere dung, so that I may gain Christ.”
  • "ἀλλὰ μενοῦνγε καὶ ἡγοῦμαι πάντα ζημίαν εἶναι διὰ τὸ ὑπερέχον τῆς γνώσεως Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου μου, δι’ ὃν τὰ πάντα ἐζημιώθην, καὶ ἡγοῦμαι σκύβαλα, ἵνα Χριστὸν κερδήσω."

This week, Fr. Paul reminds us that a word does not carry meaning yet the words of Scripture make God’s instruction accessible. Likewise, it is the words of God to which we submit, not an abstract Torah in Deuteronomy, but the words of God, a point echoed in the letters of St. Paul. (Episode 333)