

“While they were sailing,

Jesus fell asleep.

A windstorm

Swept down

On the lake.

The boat

Was filling

With water.

So that

They were in danger.”





Fifth narrative





















The stolen body story spread (Mt 28:15-28:15)


They took the money.

They did

As they were directed.

This story

Is still told

Among the Jews

To this day.”


οἱ δὲ λαβόντες ἀργύρια ἐποίησαν ὡς ἐδιδάχθησαν. Καὶ διεφημίσθη ὁ λόγος οὗτος παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας.


This is unique to Matthew.  He said that these custodian guards or soldiers took the money (οἱ δὲ λαβόντες ἀργύρια).  They did as the Jewish leaders had directed or instructed them to do (ἐποίησαν ὡς ἐδιδάχθησαν).  These guards explained that the disciples of Jesus had stolen the body of Jesus while they were asleep.  Matthew then remarked that this story was spread all over and being told among Jewish people (Καὶ διεφημίσθη ὁ λόγος οὗτος παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις) right up to the day that he was writing this gospel in the 2nd half of the first century, some 30-40 years later or the present day (μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας).  Obviously, this was a slap at the Jews who had not become Jewish Christians.

Tell everyone that someone stole the body of Jesus (Mt 28:12-28:14)

“After the chief priests

Had assembled

With the elders,

They devised

A plan

To give large sums

Of silver money

To the soldiers.

They said.

‘Tell the people!

‘His disciples came

By night.

They stole him away

While we were asleep.’

If the governor

Hears this story,

We will take care of him.

We will keep you

Out of trouble.’”


καὶ συναχθέντες μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων συμβούλιόν τε λαβόντες ἀργύρια ἱκανὰ ἔδωκαν τοῖς στρατιώταις

λέγοντες Εἴπατε ὅτι Οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς ἐλθόντες ἔκλεψαν αὐτὸν ἡμῶν κοιμωμένων.

καὶ ἐὰν ἀκουσθῇ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος, ἡμεῖς πείσομεν καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀμερίμνους ποιήσομεν.


This is unique to Matthew, who continued with this story about the guards and the Jerusalem chief priestsAfter these chief priests had assembled with the elders or presbyters in consultation (καὶ συναχθέντες μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων), they decided or devised a plan to give large sums of silver money to these soldiers (συμβούλιόν τε λαβόντες ἀργύρια ἱκανὰ ἔδωκαν τοῖς στρατιώταις).  These custodian guards (κουστωδίας) have now become soldiers (στρατιώταις).  The chief priests said (λέγοντες) to tell the people that Jesus’ disciples came at night (Εἴπατε ὅτι Οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς ἐλθόντες).  They stole the body of Jesus away (ἔκλεψαν αὐτὸν), while they were asleep (ἡμῶν κοιμωμένων).  If the governor heard this story (καὶ ἐὰν ἀκουσθῇ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος), they would take care of him or urge or persuade him (ἡμεῖς πείσομεν καὶ ὑμᾶς) to keep these soldiers out of trouble (ἀμερίμνους ποιήσομεν).  The problem, of course, is whether Roman soldiers would trust these Jewish leaders in Jerusalem.  The better option was that these were Jewish guards who could be persuaded by the Jewish leaders with a little financial incentive.

The weeds among the wheat (Mt 13:25-13:26)

“But while everyone was asleep,

An enemy came.

He sowed weeds

Among the wheat.

Then he went away.


When the plants came up,

They bore grain.

Then the weeds appeared as well.”


ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἐπέσπειρεν ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σίτου καὶ ἀπῆλθεν.

ὅτε δὲ ἐβλάστησεν ὁ χόρτος καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησεν, τότε ἐφάνη καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια.


There is no equivalent to this parable in the other synoptic gospels.   Only Matthew has this parable about the good seed and the weeds.  As with all good stories, a protagonist unnamed enemy appeared, who might have been the evil one or the devil but is only called an enemy here.  While everyone was asleep (ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους), their unnamed enemy came and went away (ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς… καὶ ἀπῆλθεν).  However, this enemy “ἐχθρὸς” sowed weeds among and in the middle of the good wheat seeds (καὶ ἐπέσπειρεν ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σίτου).  When the wheat plants sprouted (ὅτε δὲ ἐβλάστησεν ὁ χόρτος) and produced grain (καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησεν), the weeds appeared as well (τότε ἐφάνη καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια).  Thus, the wheat and the weeds grew together.

The stormy boat ride (Mt 8:24-8:24)

“A windstorm arose

On the sea.


The boat

Was being swamped

By the waves.

But Jesus was asleep.”


καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς μέγας ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, ὥστε τὸ πλοῖον καλύπτεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων· αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκάθευδεν.


This stormy boat ride episode can be found in Mark, chapter 4:37-38, and Luke, chapter 8:23, somewhat the same as here.  A great severe storm, almost like an earthquake, arouse (καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς μέγας ἐγένετο), while they were at sea (ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ).  Their boat was being enveloped or swamped with surging waves (ὥστε τὸ πλοῖον καλύπτεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων).  However, Jesus was asleep (αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκάθευδεν), while this storm was hitting their boat.

The lamentation for Assyria (Nah 3:18-3:19)

“Your shepherds

Are asleep!

O king of Assyria!

Your nobles slumber!

Your people are scattered

On the mountains!

There is no one

To gather them!

There is no assuaging

Your hurt!

Your wound is mortal!

All who hear

The news of you,

Clap their hands

Over you.

Who has ever escaped

Your endless cruelty?”

It almost seems like Yahweh, via Nahum, was sorry about the situation in Assyria.  Nahum has a lament for their situation.  Nahum said that all their leaders or shepherds were asleep, while their nobles also slumbered.  The people had been scattered to the mountains, with no one to gather them back.  They had suffered a mortal wound.  Unfortunately, everyone who heard the news about them were clapping their hands in joy.  Assyria would never escape from its cruel position.  Ding dong, Assyria was dead.