God is Sufficient
A single, passing word is easily overlooked in translation. You could pontificate about it in abstraction, but can you observe its importance, its technicality? Of course, you can’t—not in English. No way. Not in a thousand years.
What does the word “luxury” have to do with the book of Genesis? Can you tell me how or where it connects to Genesis? What does “luxury” have to do with a dog’s vomit? Can you figure it out? Perhaps you could look up “dog’s vomit” and try to put it all back together from that hint. But by simply hearing Luke in English, you wouldn’t stand a chance. You have no hope of finding these connections. No hope, for example, of hearing what the writer is telling you about the Four Rivers in Genesis. About the difference between a tree and a human being.
Could you, in English, hear by hearing the word “luxury” what Luke is proposing? No—you would simply pontificate about the problem of “ living in luxury” because you’re not interested in lexicography. You’re interested in context, in narrative, in interpretation. The best you could do is theologize about Paradise (or your 401K savings; they are functionally the same), which puts you in league with those condemned in 2 Peter 2.
Your only way out of this dilemma is to hear Luke in the original Greek—but even that’s not enough. You will never hear what Luke is saying if you deal solely with the Greek manuscript.
You have to hear Luke in triliteral Semitic.
Can you discern from the word “luxury” in Luke 7 that you were never supposed to congregate in the first place? That there is a problem with “congregating?” That you’re supposed to spread out, to disperse? That you shouldn’t be here, safe and sound “inside?” You should be spreading out all over the earth—not gathering here in your synagogue, in your “ecclesia,” and settling down.
According to Luke, the proof of your ignorance is found in your dress and your place of habitation. The place of luxury of which God speaks does not require soft clothing, let alone fancy suburban houses.
This week, I discuss Luke 7:20-25.
Show Notes
ق-ن-ى (qāf-nūn-yāʾ) / ק-נ-ה (qof-nun-he)
קָנֶה (qāneh) in biblical Hebrew refers to a “reed,” “stalk,” or “cane. " It is often associated with plants that grow near water, such as the reeds along the Nile or Jordan River.
As “calamus” or “sweet cane”
“Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane (קָנֶה־בֹשֶׂם, qāneh-bōśem) two hundred and fifty,” (Exodus 30:23)“Nard and saffron, calamus (קָנֶה, qāneh) and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, along with all the finest spices.” (Song of Solomon 4:14).“The waters from the sea will dry up, and the river will be parched and dry. The canals will emit a stench, the streams of Egypt will thin out and dry up; the reeds and rushes (קָנֶה וָסוּף, qāneh wāsūf) will rot away.” (Isaiah 19:5-6).“The scorched land will become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, its resting place, grass becomes reeds and rushes (קָנֶה וָסוּף, qāneh wāsūf).” (Isaiah 35:7).“You have bought Me not sweet cane (קָנֶה, qāneh) with money, nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices; rather you have burdened Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your iniquities.” (Isaiah 43:24).
As “reed” or “measuring rod”
“Behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring rod (קָנֶה הַמִּדָּה, qāneh ham-middāh) in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway.” (Ezekiel 40:3).“And behold, there was a wall on the outside of the temple all around, and in the man’s hand was a measuring rod (קָנֶה הַמִּדָּה, qāneh ham-middāh) of six cubits, each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one rod; and the height, one rod.” (Ezekiel 40:5).“He measured on the east side with the measuring rod (קָנֶה הַמִּדָּה, qāneh ham-middāh) five hundred rods by the measuring rod.” (Ezekiel 42:16).
The Arabic term قَنًى (qanā), which refers to a reed or stalk, is from the same root as the Hebrew קָנֶה (qaneh), and is associated with “acquiring,” “creating,” or “possessing. However, in the context of plants, it refers to reeds or stalks as slender, hollow structures.
- قَنًى (qanā): A reed or stalk, similar to the Hebrew קָנֶה (qāneh).
- قِنِيَة (qinīyah): Related to possession or acquiring, aligning with ק-נ-ה, which can also mean “to acquire” or “possess.”
- قَنِيَ (qaniya): The verb form meaning “to acquire” or “to obtain.”
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَى وَأَقْنَى (wa-annahu huwa aghnā wa-aqnā)
“And that it is he who enriches and satisfies (or makes content).” Surah Al-Najim 53:48)
τρυφή / ع-د-ن (‘ayin-dal-nun) / ע-ד-נ (‘ayin-dalet-nun)
Luke employs the term tryphē as a sociopolitical statement, contrasting the immorality of his opponents—condemned in 2 Peter 2 for emulating the Roman “palace”—with the gentleness of John, who is associated with the Lord God’s Eden.
The term עֵ֫דֶן (‘ēḏen) refers to the “place of delight,” “fertility,” or “pleasure.” In Hebrew, עֵ֫דֶן emphasizes delight and lushness, tied to a specific place, the Garden of Eden. In Arabic, عدن (‘adn) pertains to permanence and bliss, the abode of reward, جنة عد (jannat ‘adn), the “Garden of Eternity” or paradise. This function corresponds to τρυφή tryphē in Luke 7:25.
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