Byzantine Eagle

#byzantine #eagle #mosaic from the 5th or 6th century AD

This shows how Greek and Roman techniques endured into the Byzantine era. I would have thought this was Roman or Hellenistic at first sight but it is Byzantine era.

Pure and Clean - Katharos

#biblestudy #wordstudy #greeknewtestament #classicalgreek

KATHAROS

Both the Ancient Greeks and Hebrews often thought disease was caused by sin, having no microscopes and not knowing about viruses or bacteria.

Hence we see the word Katharos and verbs derived from it translated as clean or pure.

IN #mark 1:40-45 we see a leper who could have had any one of several skin conditions asking Jesus to cleanse him - katharisai, an Aorist Infinitive.
Jesus's response is  katharisthee. I will you to be cleansed/purified!

Note that he asks the leper to have his cure verified by the priests but quietly.

We also read of purification rituals in Greek religion.

Further on in this chapter healing is linked to forgiveness
 HOWEVER this does NOT mean we should link ALL disease and disorders and disabilites
 PHYSICAL PSYCHIC or PSYCHOLOGICAL to SIN or SUPENATURAL origins.

What Jesus does during his earthly ministry  is treat both body and mind /soul whatever the source of the ailment.

We however have access to modern medicine unlike the inhabitants of ancient Palestine, Greek, Roman, or Jewish, who had to rely on  herbs, minerals, or surgery, if they could afford them, or for demonic possession or mental illnesses, religious rituals that may or may not have worked.

Basic hygiene and changing into new clothes after bathing in mineral springs or baths with herbs added was one method of treatment hence the link of cleaniness and purity.

Remember whether your favorite Bible version or Greek drama uses cleanse or purify the Greek word is probably KATHAROS which can mean both cleanse physically and purify from sin or guilt.

Put a Sock in it!

#biblestudy #greeknewtestament

PUT A SOCK IN IT!

There's a verse in the #gospel of #mark that could well by translated by this very colloquial phrase.

Normally I don't favor OVER modernizing translations into paraphrase but in Mark 1:25 the verb used is NOT SIGAOO!

Yes its normally translated as Be silent but the #Aorist #Passive #Imperative is PHIMOW !

Jesus is literally telling the possessed man  to MUZZLE HIMSELF to shut up and become restrained like an animal wearing a muzzle!

Another excellent language of how he used STRONG language without using OBSCENITIES.

Possibly the person addressed actually had a mental illness or a compulsion to disrupt synagouge services or was schizophrenic or whatever.

The point of Mark recording this story was to emphasize Jesus' power and that he used it to HEAL as Mark goes on to relate how Jesus started healing other people who were sick or possessed, who had disorders of body, mind, and soul.

And it is a very lovely example of an Aorist Passive Imperative!

Reading both the English and Greek add depth and dare I say pleasure to one's Sunday  #biblestudy!

Mid week I have found some lovely examples of Greek Byzantine texts to share.

Join me. Follow me here or look for updates on my Twitter account ! @JVartndesign

Minoan Bird Motif Vessel

Looking at this Minoan ouring Vessel I find myself wondering what the Minoans were using to apply color? The curved liens suggest some kind of brush but of what materials?

I do wonder if using a different kind of tool to apply colors might also be an explanation for the reversion to a more geometric style after the fall of Knossos and Mycenae. Or perhaps whichever animal the hairs came from for Minoan brushes was over hunted and came near to extinction?

Its splendid work matching the curves of the vessel and makes me wish more Minoan frescoes survived apart from Thera and Knossos so we could see more examples of Minoan painting.

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MARK ONE: 16 - 20

"and going along the sea of Galilee (walking along the shoreline parallel or very close to it) he saw Simon and Andreas the  brother of Simon casting nets into the sea. They were fishermen."

Casting is amphiballontas throwing around or over so its possible Simon and Andrew were not in a boat but wading through shallow water casting nets and then pulling them to shore unlike the sons of Zebedee working from a boat. There may be a hint here that James and John were a slighter high social class since hired servants are mentioned in association with their boat in verse 20?

Also the whole thing with Simon and Andreas having Greek names as Simon could be read and heard as Simo(n) snub nose or dolphin even or a Hebrew Aramaic name implying you are one who hears or listens.

And he spoke to them  the Jesus

 " Come here to (me implied) behind/after me!
And I will make you to become fishers of men."

and straightaway they let go of the nets following (as attendants) to him.

Deute is both a verb and an adverb. Used as as an adverb and command it derives from an older form of dew deusoo (see LSJ) and emphasizes there is a need for them to follow him.

Opisoo looks like a verb but derives from a noun.

The combination of both emphasizes that it is very important and urgent that Simon and Peter follow Jesus there and then!

What presence and power Jesus had to inspire both ordinary working guys to drop everything and walk after him and also get t6eh sons of a more prosperous fisherman who owned nets a boat and could afford to hire non family as crew to also follow him.

How many of us would be brave enough to do that also?

Next week mid week a rather lovely Minoan vase I just found a picture of while searching for something entirely different.

Sundays New Testament Greek Mid week unless I'm busy something on Hellenic culture.

Follow me too here or on twitter so you get regular updates ! Thank you

Marks Mysterious Name

#bibletrivia #stmark #etymology #mark

While researching St Mark for the next bible study series I came across not one but three possible explanations of the meaning of Marks name.

Mark comes from Latin MARCUS.

Wikipedia favors the theory that Marcus was an alternative name for Mars from Etruscan or some other Italic dialect and may mean Warrior.

Some other scholars think Marcus is related to the #Mors stem meaning dying or mortal

Another theory is that it means hammer and that Marcellus small hammer derives from it and that for some reason the usage of a name replaced its usage as a common noun describing an object.

Marcus seems to have either John's Nickname (yes John was his Aramiac/Hebrew name) or the name he used for dealing with Roman bureaucracy.

It has also been suggested he was called this because possibly his father was a Roman citizen.

Take your pick.