Tobit 11 – Raphael and Tobias
decide to go ahead of Sarah and the rest so as to greet Tobit and put the
“gall” from the fish on his eyes so he will be cured. They do and of course
both Tobit and his wife are overjoyed to see their son. Tobias applies the gall
and Tobit’s sight is restored. They praise God and go off to the gates of
Nineveh to greet Sarah.
Tobit 12 – Tobit tells Tobias
they need to reward Azariah [Raphael] for all his help. Tobias thinks half of
all they have is not too much. After
all, not only did he help recover the money placed in trust, he also cured
Sarah and Tobit. When they give their friend this reward he reveals to them
that he is, in fact, Raphael, one of the seven angels who serve God. Apparently, the idea of angels came into Judaism from the
Persians’ Zoroastrianism. Only three of the seven major angels are mentioned in
the Bible – Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. Raphael tells them to bless and praise God for all the
blessings he bestows, to praise him publicly. Praising God and giving alms are
what they should do, not hoard gold.
Luke 23 - They bring Jesus to
Pilate and accuse him “of perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to
the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king” (23:2). Pilate
asks him if he is King of the Jews.
Jesus answers, “So you say” (23:3). Pilate
finds nothing to charge him with. But they insist that he is nothing but
trouble. Pilate asks if Jesus is a Galilean, and when
he learns he is, he decides to ship the problem off to Herod, who happens to be
in Jerusalem. Herod is glad to see
Jesus. He had heard about him and
been curious about him “for a long time” (23:7). He wants to see Jesus perform
some sign. Jesus does not speak
with him. Herod’s soldiers mock him. Luke notes that that day Herod and Pilate,
two men who had been enemies previously became friends. Herod sends him back to
Pilate.
Pilate wants to have
Jesus flogged and released, but the people cry for his crucifixion. Pilate argues a second time for Jesus’
release, but the crowds keep shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” (23:21) And yet
a third time he asks, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no
ground for the sentence of death. . .” (23:22). “But they kept
urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their
voices prevailed” (23:23). Pilate give them the man they called for, “one who
had been put in prison for insurrection and murder” (23:25).
Simon
of Cyrene is made to carry Jesus’ cross. Jesus tells
the mourning women who follow him to weep for themselves and for their
children, for “the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the
barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then
they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover
us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is
dry?” (23:29-31)
There
are two other criminals crucified at the place called Golgotha [the skull]. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know
what they are doing” (34). An NRSV note says that other ancient authorities
lack this sentence. They cast lots to divide his clothes. People mock him, saying he saved
others, let him save himself.
There was an inscription—“this is the King of the Jews”—over him (23:38). One of the criminals next to him derides him, but the
other confesses Jesus innocence.
Jesus tells him “today you will be with me in Paradise” (23:43).
About
noon, the land becomes dark for three hours. The curtain of the temple is torn in two and Jesus cries “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (23:46). The
centurion here says, “Certainly this man was innocent.” He does not say he was
the Son of God. All of Jesus’ acquaintances, women included, “stood at a
distance, watching these things” (23:49).
Joseph
of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, goes to Pilate and asks for the body
of Jesus. The women see where he is
buried but it was the beginning of the Sabbath, so they rest.
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