Biblical Exegesis
Brittany Barnes
HRE4M
Mr. Campbell
12 April, 2013
The Unknown Forces of Chaos This story addresses the primal fears that cripple us as human beings and as followers of Jesus, which are fears of the power of chaos in its many and varied forms, from the uncontrollable powers of nature to the irrational forces that suddenly arise from the depths of our personal lives. Symbolized as storms, wind, and ghosts, these unknown forces of chaos blow through our lives and the fear of these powers often leads us into weak resignation, cowardice, and withdrawal. This story is an experience of testing those powers, discerning who is truly in control and taking the first steps toward true discipleship.
The Exegetical Background A comparison of the different ways in which Matthew and Mark tell this story is interesting, as both of the stories are epiphanies of Jesus on the sea. Mark presents this story as a theophany that reveals Jesus’ divine character. Mark’s puzzling inside view of Jesus intending to “pass by them” (Mark 6.48) is related to the frequent motif that “alludes to God’s veiled self-disclosure to Moses (Exodus 33.18-23) and Elijah (1 Kings 19.11-12)” (Attridge 2006, 1736). Matthew has included, in this story, other elements from the Old Testament traditions of divine appearances. “It is I” is a translation of the Greek ego eimi, which is the name of God in the theophany at the burning bush (Exodus 3.14). Translating this phrase as “I am” more clearly preserves that “Jesus’ words suggest the name of God or his mysterious divine presence” (Attridge 2006, 1694). These motifs in Matthew are the most explicit characterization of Jesus as a divine figure to this point in the narrative. However, the most distinctive element of Matthew’s telling of the story is “the incident of Peter’s attempt to walk on the water” (Brown 1968, 89). This transferal of Jesus’ divine power to Peter is Matthew’s unique contribution to this narrative tradition. The story
HRE4M
Mr. Campbell
12 April, 2013
The Unknown Forces of Chaos This story addresses the primal fears that cripple us as human beings and as followers of Jesus, which are fears of the power of chaos in its many and varied forms, from the uncontrollable powers of nature to the irrational forces that suddenly arise from the depths of our personal lives. Symbolized as storms, wind, and ghosts, these unknown forces of chaos blow through our lives and the fear of these powers often leads us into weak resignation, cowardice, and withdrawal. This story is an experience of testing those powers, discerning who is truly in control and taking the first steps toward true discipleship.
The Exegetical Background A comparison of the different ways in which Matthew and Mark tell this story is interesting, as both of the stories are epiphanies of Jesus on the sea. Mark presents this story as a theophany that reveals Jesus’ divine character. Mark’s puzzling inside view of Jesus intending to “pass by them” (Mark 6.48) is related to the frequent motif that “alludes to God’s veiled self-disclosure to Moses (Exodus 33.18-23) and Elijah (1 Kings 19.11-12)” (Attridge 2006, 1736). Matthew has included, in this story, other elements from the Old Testament traditions of divine appearances. “It is I” is a translation of the Greek ego eimi, which is the name of God in the theophany at the burning bush (Exodus 3.14). Translating this phrase as “I am” more clearly preserves that “Jesus’ words suggest the name of God or his mysterious divine presence” (Attridge 2006, 1694). These motifs in Matthew are the most explicit characterization of Jesus as a divine figure to this point in the narrative. However, the most distinctive element of Matthew’s telling of the story is “the incident of Peter’s attempt to walk on the water” (Brown 1968, 89). This transferal of Jesus’ divine power to Peter is Matthew’s unique contribution to this narrative tradition. The story
Bibliography: * Attridge, Harold W., ed. The HarperCollins Study Bible: Fully Revised and Updated. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. * Barclay, William. The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Mark. Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001. * Barclay, William. The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Matthew. Volume II. Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001. * Brown, Raymond E. The Jerome Biblical Commentary. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1968. * Casciaro, Jose M., ed. The Navarre Bible: Gospels and Acts of the Apostles. New York: Scepter Publishers Inc., 2000. * Laymon, Charles M., ed. The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary on the Bible. Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1971.