The Spikenard Response: Growing This Holy Week in the Coptic Orthodox Tradition
On the last Friday of Lent, we hear Jesus say, “I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37). Despite humanity’s repeated rejection, Jesus continues toward the Cross, the place where He will ultimately gather all unto Himself (John 12:32). A […]
Shouts
On Palm Sunday, the multitudes shouted “Hosanna! Save us, O Son of David!” (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9-10; Luke 19:38; John 12:13). They were receiving the heavenly King as though He was an earthly king. In their minds, this Passover may well be the last one under Roman occupation as the new king, the Messiah, will […]
The Messiah in the Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew and the Torah The gospel of Matthew begins with the words “Book of Genealogy” (Biblos Genosis in Greek) which sound like an allusion to Genesis in the Old Testament. This sets the tone for the gospel of Matthew mirroring the Torah in many ways. Like Moses, Jesus is seen persecuted by […]
The Messiah in the Gospel of Mark
Mark gave minimal attention to editing his Gospel for grammar and rhetoric. Often, the text runs like someone telling a friend a story over coffee with tangents, random commentaries on events, and even uses “immediately” like a crutch word. However, this is not to say that Mark does not use clever motifs. His favourite […]