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May 3 - December 27, 2024
The word Jesus used in Aramaic is talitha, which comes from the word for “wounded lamb.” Those hearing Jesus would have heard both meanings: “a little child” and “a wounded lamb.”
The Greek uses the word for hospitality. The “little child” becomes a representative of unimportant people in general. Treating the least with care and respect makes us truly great.
The Greek word is skandalizō and can also mean “to scandalize,” “to put a stumbling block before them,” “to offend,” or “to cause to sin.”
Although the Greek uses the word for “servant,” it means someone who ruled under the king, perhaps one of his magistrates or cabinet members who had authority over finances.
11“Not everyone is meant to remain single—only those whom God gives grace to be unmarried.i
21Jesus said to him, “If you really want to be perfect,r go now and sell everything you own. Give your money to the poor and your treasure will be transferred into heaven. Then come back and follow me for the rest of your life.”
23Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “Listen. Do you understand how difficult it is for the rich to enter into heaven’s kingdom realm? 24In fact, it’s easier to stuff a heavy ropet through the eye of a needle than it is for the wealthy to enter into God’s kingdom realm!”
30But many who push themselves to be first will find themselves last. And those who are willing to be last will find themselves to be first.”y
Or “fully developed morally,” “mature.”
As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “to stuff a camel through the eye of a needle.” The Aramaic word for both “rope” and “camel” is the homonym gamla. This could be an instance of the Aramaic text being misread by the Greek translators as “camel” instead of “rope.” Regardless, this becomes a metaphor for something impossible. It would be like saying, “It’s as hard as making pigs fly!” See also Luke 18:25.
25Jesus, knowing their thoughts, called them to his side and said, “Kings and those with great authority in this world rule oppressively over their subjects, like tyrants. 26But this is not your calling. You will lead by a completely different model. The greatest one among you will live as the one who is called to serve others, 27because the greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one with the heart of a servant.
12Upon entering Jerusalem Jesus went directly into the temple area and drove away all the merchants who were buying and selling their goods. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the stands of those selling doves.h 13And he said to them, “My dwelling place will be known as a house of prayer, but you have made it into a hangout for thieves!”i
32John came to show you the path of righteousness,r yet the despised and outcasts believed in him, but you did not. When you saw them turn, you neither repented of your ways nor believed his words.”
37Finally, he sent his own son to them, and he said to himself, ‘Perhaps with my own son standing before them they will be ashamed of what they’ve done.’
43“This is why I say to you that the kingdom realm of God will be taken from you and given to a peopley who will bear its fruit.
The revered theologian and historian Jerome was the translator of the Bible into Latin. He also wrote a commentary on Matthew, which includes a fascinating thought about Jesus overturning the tables. Jerome writes, “For a certain fiery and starry light shone from his eyes, and the majesty of God gleamed in his face.”
See Ps. 8:2. The Greek text quoting from Ps. 8 does not agree with either the Hebrew text, the Septuagint, or the Aramaic, but seems to line up with a version found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. You might say Jesus paraphrased the Scriptures to speak to his generation.
10“So the servants went out into the city streets and invited everyone to come to the wedding feast, good and bad alike, until the banquet hall was crammed with people! 11Now, when the king entered the banquet hall, he looked with glee over all his guests. But then he noticed a guest who was not wearing the wedding robe provided for him.e 12So he said, ‘My friend, how is it that you’re here and you’re not wearing your wedding garment?’ But the man was speechless. 13“Then the king turned to his servants and said, ‘Tie him up and throw him into the outer darkness,f where there will be great
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“Precisely, for the coin bears the image of the emperor Caesar.k Well, then, you should pay the emperor what is due to the emperor. But because you bear the image of God,l give back to God all that belongs to him.”
29Jesus answered them, “You are deluded, because your hearts are not filled with the revelation of the Scriptures or the power of God.
Those invited to come from the streets had no opportunity to buy wedding clothes. This wedding robe is a picture of the garment of righteousness that grace provides for us. The man without the wedding garment had one provided, but he didn’t want to change into new clothes. A change is necessary, for our King provides garments of white linen for us to wear, our wedding garments.
The Greek word eklektoi can mean “chosen,” but it can also be translated “worthy,” “pure,” “choice,” “excellent.”
The coin belongs to Caesar because it carries his image. We have an obligation to God because we carry his image.
To those who insisted on only interpreting the Scriptures literally, Jesus was proving there was a deeper spiritual interpretation.
The Aramaic is “prophets of lies.”
The earth shook violently, rocks were violently split apart, 52and graves were opened. Then many of the holy ones who had died were brought back to life and came out of their graves. 53And after Jesus’ resurrection,y they were seen by many people walking in Jerusalem.z
61Sitting across from the tomb were Mary Magdalene and the other Marys,ab watching all that took place.
The Aramaic reads “after their rising.”
Perhaps one was Joseph, for he had asked that his bones be buried in the promised land. He saw a resurrection coming and didn’t want to be left out. See Heb. 11:22. Jesus’ resurrection was so powerful that many were instantly raised back to life again along with him.
As translated from the Hebrew Matthew.
There is a sentence found in the Aramaic that is missing in all but one Greek manuscript, which reads, “As my Father has sent me, so I send you.”
Mark omits the narrative of Jesus’ birth and genealogy, for a servant needs no pedigree.
He and Barnabas and Paul once traveled together in their missionary work (Acts 13:4) until some kind of failure took place in Mark’s life and he left his team for a short period. Because of his abrupt departure, Paul refused to have Mark rejoin them from that time forward, which caused a rift between Paul and Barnabas.
6John wore a rough garment made from camel hair,j with a leather belt around his waist,k and he ate locusts and honey.
12Immediately after this he was compelled by the Holy Spirito to go into an uninhabited desert region.
14Later on, after John the Baptizer was arrested, Jesus went back into the region of Galilee and preached the wonderful gospel of God’s kingdom.r 15His message was this: “At last the fulfillment of the age has come! It is time for God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness!s Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!”t
23Suddenly, during the meeting, a demon-possessed man screamed out, 24“Hey! Leave us alone! Jesus the victorious,ab I know who you are. You’re God’s Holy One and you have come to destroy us!”ac
j1:6 John was not afraid to violate religious taboos. A camel was considered unclean in the Jewish tradition. He was wearing what others considered to be unclean.
o1:12 Or “cast out [or ‘thrown,’ or ‘pushed’] into the wilderness.” The Greek word ekballei is often used for driving out demons. This was a forceful compelling of the Holy Spirit.
t1:15 The Greek is “believe the good news” (“the gospel”), and the Aramaic is “put your trust in the joyful message of hope.” This translation merges both concepts, making it “the hope-filled gospel.”
ac1:24 The demon knew Jesus’ true identity before the people did. This is not so much a question (Have you come to destroy us?), but rather an assertive and defiant declaration. There is no question mark in the Greek text. The demonized man was apparently comfortable in the presence of the religious teachers, but when Jesus stepped into the room, he spoke out and couldn’t resist the power of Jesus.
23If you understand what I’m saying, you need to respond!”g 24Then he said to them, “Be diligent to understand the meaning behind everything you hear, for as you do, more understanding will be given to you. And according to your longing to understand,h much more will be added to you. 25For those who listen with open hearts will receive more revelation. But those who don’t listen with open hearts will lose what little they think they have!”i
25Now, in the crowd that day was a woman who had suffered horribly from continual bleeding for twelve years.h 26She had endured a great deal under the care of various doctors, yet in spite of spending all she had on their treatments, she was getting worse instead of better. 27When she heard about Jesus’ healing power, she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind him and touched his prayer shawl.i 28For she kept saying to herself, “If I could touch even his clothes, I know I will be healed.”j
41He tenderly clasped the child’s hand in his and said to her in Aramaic, “Talitha koum,”p which means, “Little girl,q wake up from the sleep of death.” 42Instantly the twelve-year-old girl sat up, stood to her feet, and started walking around the room! Everyone was overcome with astonishment in seeing this miracle! 43Jesus had them bring her something to eat. And he cautioned them repeatedly that they were to tell no one about what had happened.r
c5:13 Depending on weight, the cost of two thousand live pigs today could be as much as $250,000. The economic cost to the community over the loss of this herd was significant.
h5:25 The daughter of Jairus was twelve years old; this woman had suffered for twelve years. Jesus touched the girl; the woman touched Jesus. In the Jewish culture, this would have defiled Jesus and left him ceremonially unclean. But in fact, people were healed by that touch. Life is greater than law. He bore our uncleanness and left us healed.
i5:27 Or “cloak” (or “outer garment”). As a Jewish man, Jesus would have had over his shoulders a prayer shawl (“tallit”). The blue tassel on the corner of the prayer shawl was said to symbolize all the commandments and promises of God. See Num. 15:38–40. The Hebrew word for “fringe” or “border” (of a garment) can also mean “wing.” Some have interpreted Mal. 4:2 (“healing in his wings”) as a reference to the tassels of the prayer shawl.
j5:28 The Greek word is sozo and has many possible meanings, including “safe and sound,” “healed,” “delivered,” “made whole,” “rescued,” “restored,” and “saved.”
k5:30 This is a literal reading of a unique phrase in Greek construction. It could be translated “the power that keeps going out of him went out from him.” The Aramaic uses the word chayel that can be translated “dancing, twirling [movement]” or “vibrations.”
q5:41 The Aramaic word talitha can also mean “little lamb.” The Greek word used here is korasion, which may be a hypocorism, similar to “sweetheart.” The tenderness of this moment is obvious in the text. However, some Hebrew scholars find in the word talitha a Hebrew root that could point to the tallit, or prayer cloak of Jesus, which he may have placed over the girl. This would make his words to mean, “Little girl under the prayer cloak, arise.” This fringed tallit had already been touched by a woman who received her healing previously in this chapter.
