CADRE Comments

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Lots of plotnotes to this entry, for various reasons; starting with some observations helpful in understanding what happens up in Syro-Phoenicia. Tyre and Sidon were two major port cities of the old Phoenician Empire, along the southern Syrian coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Galilee region of Palestine. The cities were under Roman Empire rule at that time, of course, along with everything else around "the Sea Amid the Land". These cities still exist and are still major ports for the nation of Syria. In deep antiquity, traders from Phoenicia established port cities further south along the Mediterranean Coast, forming the semi-independent territory of Canaan (Hebrew for 'trader'); often warring with the Hebrews, and eventually defeated and assimilated. At the ti...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Blind Sheep, Blind Shepherds, and the Door of Life Now (says the Evangelist, telling of something several months later), the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles (early-to-mid autumn) was near. So the brothers of Jesus said to Him: "Leave here and go into Judea, so your disciples (there) may also behold your works which you are doing. For no one does anything in hiding when he is seeking publicity--if you are doing these things, reveal yourself to the world!" For not even His brothers were trusting Him (to know what He was doing). Jesus therefore said to them, "This is not My season yet; but the season for you is always here. The world cannot hate you; but it hates Me, because I testify about it that its acts are evil. "Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this fe...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) This chapter is longer than usual, so I'm presenting it in two parts. The scripture references will be given at the end of part 2. Passings Over (Part 1) Now the birthday of Herod (Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee) had come (tells the Follower, with the Disciple--sometime in early spring, based on various implications); and for his birthday he made a feast inviting his captains and magnates and other foremost men of Galilee. And at the feast, the daughter of (his wife) Herodias enters and dances in their midst, pleasing Herod and those who lay back with him (at the dinner table). Now the king said to the maiden, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you!" And he (even) swears an oath to her: "Whatever you may be asking of me, I will give you--up to half my kingdom!...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Knights and King, Errant Now getting into the boat, Jesus and His disciples crossed over again and came to His own city (Capernaum). And the crowd (whom He had given the slip by departing in the middle of the night before) welcomed His return, for they had all been hoping He would! And Jesus, standing beside the lake, sees the crowd as they gather to Him; and He has compassion on them, for they are harassed and thrown down, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He is saying to His disciples: "The harvest is vast; but the workers are few. Therefore implore the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest!" Now calling together the twelve apostles, He gives them authority over all the demons in order to cast them out, and to be curing every disease and every disability! Je...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Enemy Forces Now on that day (the Follower says, followed by the Disciple and the Scholar), when the evening had come, He said to them, "Let us go across the lake, to the other side." So He and His disciples stepped into boats, and leaving the crowds His disciples brought Him along, as He was; for as they sailed He fell asleep. Now it happens, a tornado (a 'whirl of wind') descends on the lake!--and the sea is shaking and billows dash into the boat, so that it already fills to the brim!--and they are in danger of foundering! But He is asleep on the cushion in the aft of the ship! And they are rousing Him saying to Him: "Rabbi! Do you not care that we are about to die!?! Save us, Master!!" Now He, being roused, rebukes the wind and the surging water, saying: ...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) This 'chapter' runs rather long, for obvious reasons so I've broken it into two entries. Scripture refs for both parts are given together at the end of this entry. The King Declares the Kingdom (Part 2 of 2) "Beware of doing your fair-togetherness in front of people to be noticed by them; otherwise, surely you have no reward with your Father in the heavens! "Therefore, when you do an act of charity, you should not sound a trumpet in front of you!--the way that hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by people. Truly I tell you: this is all the reward they will have! "But when you do charity, do not even let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your alms (the money given in charity) may be in hiding; and yo...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Knights Now Jesus withdraws from there (i.e. from Judea) with His disciples, toward the Lake (of Galilee, says the Follower with the Disciple); and great crowds from the Galilee region followed with Him--also people from Judea and over beyond the Jordan, from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from the Decapolis, even from the district of Sidon and Tyre! They all had heard of what He was doing, and came to Him; and He is healing them all. And whenever the unclean spirits beheld Him (adds the Follower), they would fall down before Him and cry out saying, "You are the Son of God!" But He strictly warns them, that they should not reveal Him--so that (adds the Disciple) the declaration through Isaiah the prophet might be filled: Look here! My Boy Whom I have chosen! My beloved, in Whom My soul d...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) This 'chapter' runs rather long, so I've broken it into two entries. In essence, this is the first dramatic climax of the whole story: it explains how and why some (though not yet all) teachers first seriously began to think that Jesus not only needed close watching but outright stopping--up to and including killing Him, somehow, if that's what it took. (It also synchs together a particular piece of shared Synoptic material with the first important speech in GosJohn, via a GosMatt link that scholars have long noticed has peculiarly Johannine characteristics.) There have been earlier places where keeping previous story elements in mind helped bring extra meaning and clarity to the current incidents; but this is the most important such situation up to now. Watch for Plotnotes...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) This 'chapter' runs rather long, so I'm breaking it into two entries. The King of the Sabbaths And going out from there (says the Follower, implying from wherever Jesus had raised the daughter of Jairus), Jesus is going into His own country (meaning Nazareth evidently in this case); and His disciples follow Him. Now on the next Sabbath, He begins to teach in the synagogue. And most of the listeners are astonished, saying: "Where has all this come from?? And what is this wisdom being given?? Yet what works of power happen from his hands! Isn't this the artisan, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters married among us?" [Note: literally 'here (facing) toward us', i.e. at least still living in the distr...