You are the Light of the World

Matthew 5 14 to 16

YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Ύμεῖς ἐστε τὸ Φῶς τοῦ κόσμου.

You are the light of the world.

" can not be a city hidden on a mountain placed nor do they burn a lamp and put it under the corn measuring scoop (one word in Greek modion) but upon tha lampstand and it shines for all in the house so let it shine the light of yours before men so that they should see /pereceive the good work sof you and glorify your father in the heavens"

Thats the word order in Greek.

In more grammatical English with some words added so it makes sense in English

… A city on a mountain can not be hidden nor do (people) light a lamp and put it under the corn scoop but upon the lampstand and it shines for all in the house to see.

So (let) shine your light before people so that they should see your good works and praise your father in heaven!

Be aware many cities were built on mountain sides or slopes for defensive purposes and to avoid flooding during rain and storms.

More notes on the Greek dunamai is followed by an infinitive.

Krubeenai is the aorist passive infinitive of either kruptoo or kruboo.

Lukhnos lamp . This would be an oil lamp not a candle.

A Modion was a vessel or scoop used for measuring dry grain

Notice that shine in greek is lampsatoo aorist imperative 3rd person.

Note outoos and hopoos! A command / exhortation followed by a probable result

See perceive is idoosin aorist subjunctive of horaooo might should subjunctive so a probable result.

Doksasoosin is another aorist subjunctive Glorify or praise works works equally well to translate this verb. Perhaps praise if you think glorify is too formal in modern English.

My personal feeling is that the KJV should perhaps be left for formal occasions or special days and use modern translations with notes indicating possible alternates where those alternates are valid given language changes since the time of the King James version which was 4 centuries ago!

Happy Australia Day to my Australian readers! To those elsewhere say in the northern hemisphere since you have power and can read this post spare a thought and some coinage or other aid for those effected by winter storms and flooding. Shine some light by checking your neighbours are okay!

Archibald Fountain

Whether you are a visitor to Sydney or a local pausing to enjoy the coolness take a moment to consider the Classical influences on this fountain in theme and style.
Yes its Art Deco but a very NeoClassical influenced Art Deco with simplified forms inspired by 19th archaeologists discovering earlier forms of Greek art.

And its a beautiful fountain! Enjoy!

Matthew 5:13 SALT

Matthew 5:13

I am not going to type up the whole of the greek this Sunday because there is only one or two unusual features and I  dont need to show you the greek to explain them.

Please compare this verse to Luke 14:34 -5 and Mark 9: 50.

How can salt lose its taste?  The verb mooranthee is an aorist passive subjunctive form of moorainoo and yes that is related to moron!

So while we say loses its taste in English the verb also means that the salt has been foolish useless distorted and insipid.

Bear in mind at that time salt was valuable and sometimes not stored or prepared perfectly so salt could be spoiled or contaminated?

Look at Luke's version and Mark. Do not obsess on the minor differences such as Luke saying seasons instead of salts.

The idea is the same. Admittedly not obvious in an age when salt can be stored in air and water tight containers. Salt is something precious and valuable that must be prepared and guarded to maintain its value.

The textual differences may simply be due to jesus using the same concept in more than one teaching session?

Matthew Chapter 5 11 - 12

Matthew Chapter 5 Verses 11 and 12

Verse 11

Blessed you are when(ever) they insult you and persecute you and utter all kinds of lying evil about / against you because of me.

μακάριοι ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καί διώξωσιν

καί εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ̓ ὑμῖν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ.

Some texts insert ψευδόμενοι after ὑμῖν. I have changed all evil to all kinds of lying evil cos it means more sense of English as the Greek is using a singular where we would use a plural.

Note the Aorist Subjunctive Verb Forms.

Ὀνειδίσωσιν from Ὀνειδίξω διώξωσιν from διώκω and εἴπωσιν from λέγω.

I suspect they are being used for emphasis and effect as plain aorist could fit in just as well?

Verse 12

Rejoice and be very glad that /for the great reward (is) for you in the heavens.

So / likewise for they persecuted the prophets those before you.

Χαίρετε καί ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁμισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

Οὕτως γὰρ ἐδιώξαν τὸυς προφήτας τὸυς πρὸ ὑμῶν.

The righteous can have a difficult time in this world however don't be tempted into paranoid thoughts of oh I'm suffering I must be righteous. This is a promise but it comes with a price.

Next time the value of salt.

Gorgias Response to Plato SATIRE

GORGIAS' RESPONSE TO PLATO

Athenaeus 11. 505 D records Gorgias the sophist making the following comment on Plato's Dialogue Gorgias after reading it.

Ὡς καλῶς αἶδε Πλάτων ἰαμβίζειν.

How finely knows Plato to satirize / mock.

                         just testing my new phone app so apologies if youve seen this before 

Matthew 5 righteousness

Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 10

Blessed (are) those who are persecuted because of righteousness

for theirs is the realm of the heavens.

μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης,

ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

Δεδιωγμένοι is unusual. Rather than the future passive verb form so frequent used in previous verses of the Beatitudes suddenly we have a Perfect passive participle! Not Aorist or future but perfect. Perfect passive … it is ...-ed … those who are in the past right now and the near future.

This perfect passive participle is of the verb Διωκω to hunt chase pursue persecute someone as if they were prey. A verb that came to be used not just about hunting but in a legal context.

Why do some governments and people treat the righteous as criminals?

Ἕνεκεν is a preposition used with the genitive. For, for the sake of, because of

Prophets and other people and not just Christians have been persecuted and indeed prosecuted in courts for the sake of righteousness. A cautionary note do not presume righteousness or a righteous cause justifies criminal activities. This should be a last resort if a civil law is unjust.

Remember the previous verse about peacemaking.

Negotiation and rational debate first please if possible?

It is uncivil rude and mean to harass people visiting a clinic those services may include abortions.

I recently read of a disturbing situation where women using a health clinic in the USA were harassed by so called Christians accusing them of being baby killers and sl*&s. Many of those women were using the clinic to get low cost contraceptives and medical and family planning advice they couldn't afford or get elsewhere in that particular state.

On the other side those are those who claim to be liberals or progressive who label everyone who seeks righteousness as part of following the divine as perverts prudes delusional or the allegation that one is trying to be superior?

Righteousness isn't just about who is right or wrong it's a process of seeking and supporting justice.