Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 2:22-40

Jesus is presented in the temple as the law required. Mary and Joseph were faithful in observing the demands of the law. This is what they taught Jesus to do. Jesus himself later on fulfilled the law and expected his disciples also to observe the law. He objected only when the law went against the person. The person was more important for Jesus than the law. Law itself was not anything negative.

Simeon and Anna were the temple ministers and they welcomed Jesus. Indirectly the author was trying to say that the temple or the temple ministers had anything against Jesus. In fact they prophesied about Jesus saying that his birth was the fulfilment of the expectation of the people of Israel and his birth was the fulfilment of the promise of God. It is a double fulfilment.

இயேசுவின் பிறப்பு மக்களின் எதிர்பார்ப்புகளின் நிறைவு. அவருடைய பிறப்பு இறைவனின் வாக்குறுதியின் நிறைவு. சிமியோனும் அன்னாவும் இதைத்தான் வாக்குரைத்தார்கள். இது ஒருபுறமிருக்க மரியாவும் யோசேப்பும் இறைச்சட்டத்தையும் ஒழுங்குகளையும் கடைபிடிப்பவர்களாக சித்தரிக்கப்படுகிறார்கள்.

GOSPEL READING: MARK 1:21-28

Jesus’ teaching was different from the rest of the religious teachers, and preachers. The listeners found in his teaching something that was different. He taught them with authority. The others taught what they had learned from, whereas Jesus taught from within. This is the indirect way of Mark telling that Jesus is the Word. Jesus spoke from his own experience of the Father for he had come to reveal the Father.

Even the evil spirits recognized him. In fact they recognize him first and even before he commands them to leave they approve of his authority and ask him not to disturb them. Through this the mission of Jesus is also revealed. That is, Jesus has come to reveal the Father and also to overcome the evil or to remove the evil form the lives of the people.

இயேசு அதிகாரத்தோடு போதித்தார் அதிகாரத்தோடு தீமையை எதிர்த்தார். தீமை (சாத்தான்) அவரை அடையாளம் கண்டது. மனிதர்கள் வியந்தார்கள் பயனடைந்தார்கள் ஆனால் அடையாளம் கண்டுகொள்ளவில்லை. இயேசுவின் பணி தந்தையை வெளிப்படுத்த அதிலும் சிறப்பாக தன்னில் (இயேசுவில்) தந்தையை வெளிப்படுத்த. அதோடுகூட தீமையை அகற்றுவதும் அவரது பணியாக இருந்தது.