Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 11 February 2021

This is rather brief.  I will shortly be amplifying last evening's post.

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LEVITICUS 13

Skin Diseases

1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2“When a person has a swelling,  scab,  or spot on the skin of his body, and it becomes a disease on the skin  of his body, he is to be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. 3The priest will examine the infection  on the skin of his body. If the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean. 4But if the spot on the skin of his body is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest must quarantine the infected person for seven days.  5The priest will then reexamine him on the seventh day. If he sees that the infection remains unchanged and has not spread on the skin, the priest must quarantine him for another seven days. 6The priest will examine him again on the seventh day. If the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest is to pronounce him clean;  it is a scab. The person is to wash his clothes and will become clean. 7But if the scab spreads further on his skin after he has presented himself to the priest for his cleansing,  he must present himself again to the priest. 8The priest will examine him, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest must pronounce him unclean; he has a skin disease.

9“When a skin disease develops on a person, he is to be brought to the priest. 10The priest will examine him. If there is a white swelling on the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is a patch of raw flesh in the swelling, 11it is a chronic disease on the skin of his body, and the priest must pronounce him unclean.  He need not quarantine him, for he is unclean. 12But if the skin disease breaks out all over the skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from his head to his feet so far as the priest can see, 13the priest will look, and if the skin disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean.  Since he has turned totally white, he is clean. 14But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he will be unclean. 15When the priest examines the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease. 16But if the raw flesh changes  and  turns white, he must go to the priest. 17The priest will examine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest must pronounce the infected person clean; he is clean.

18“When a boil appears on the skin  of one’s body  and it heals, 19and a white swelling or a reddish-white spot develops where the boil was, the person must present himself to the priest. 20The priest will make an examination, and if the spot seems to be beneath the skin and the hair in it has turned white, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease that has broken out in the boil. 21But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in it, and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days. 22If it spreads further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. 23But if the spot remains where it is and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil. The priest is to pronounce him clean.

24“When there is a burn on the skin of one’s body produced by fire, and the patch made raw by the burn becomes reddish-white or white, 25the priest is to examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and the spot appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease. 26But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in the spot and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days. 27The priest will reexamine him on the seventh day. If it has spread further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease. 28But if the spot has remained where it was and has not spread on the skin but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn. The priest is to pronounce him clean, for it is only the scar from the burn.

29“When a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin, 30the priest must examine the infection. If it appears to be deeper than the skin,  and the hair in it is yellow and sparse, the priest must pronounce the person unclean. It is a scaly outbreak,  a skin disease of the head or chin. 31When the priest examines the scaly infection, if it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the priest must quarantine the person with the scaly infection for seven days. 32The priest will reexamine the infection on the seventh day. If the scaly outbreak has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 33the person must shave himself  but not shave the scaly area. Then the priest must quarantine the person who has the scaly outbreak for another seven days. 34The priest will examine the scaly outbreak on the seventh day, and if it has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, the priest is to pronounce the person clean. He is to wash his clothes, and he will be clean. 35But if the scaly outbreak spreads further on the skin after his cleansing, 36the priest is to examine the person. If the scaly outbreak has spread on the skin, the priest does not need to look for yellow hair; the person is unclean. 37But if as far as he can see, the scaly outbreak remains unchanged and black hair has grown in it, then it has healed; he is clean. The priest is to pronounce the person clean.

38“When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin of the body, 39the priest is to make an examination. If the spots on the skin of the body are dull white, it is only a rash  that has broken out on the skin; the person is clean.

40“If a man loses the hair of his head, he is bald,  but he is clean. 41Or if he loses the hair at his hairline, he is bald on his forehead, but he is clean. 42But if there is a reddish-white infection on the bald head or forehead, it is a skin disease breaking out on his head or forehead.  43The priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white, like the appearance of a skin disease on his body, 44the man is afflicted with a skin disease;  he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; the infection is on his head.

45“The person afflicted with an infectious skin disease is to have his clothes torn  and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth  and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean! ’ 46He will remain unclean as long as he has the infection; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp. 

Contaminated Fabrics

47“If a fabric is contaminated with mildew — in wool or linen fabric, 48in the warp or woof of linen or wool, or in leather or anything made of leather — 49and if the contamination is green or red in the fabric, the leather, the warp, the woof, or any leather article, it is a mildew contamination and is to be shown to the priest. 50The priest is to examine the contamination and quarantine the contaminated fabric for seven days. 51The priest is to reexamine the contamination on the seventh day. If it has spread in the fabric, the warp, the woof, or the leather, regardless of how it is used, the contamination is harmful mildew; it is unclean.  52He is to burn the fabric, the warp or woof in wool or linen, or any leather article, which is contaminated. Since it is harmful mildew it must be burned up.

53“When the priest examines it, if the contamination has not spread in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, 54the priest is to order whatever is contaminated to be washed and quarantined for another seven days. 55After it has been washed, the priest is to reexamine the contamination. If the appearance of the contaminated article has not changed, it is unclean. Even though the contamination has not spread, you must burn up the fabric. It is a fungus  on the front or back of the fabric.

56“If the priest examines it, and the contamination has faded after it has been washed, he must cut the contaminated section out of the fabric, the leather, or the warp or woof. 57But if it reappears in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, it has broken out again. You must burn up whatever is contaminated. 58But if the contamination disappears from the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, which have been washed, it is to be washed again, and it will be clean.

59“This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, warp or woof, or any leather article, in order to pronounce it clean or unclean.” 

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Matthew 26:20-54

(Note Psalms 116, 117, 118.  They were probably the hymn or hymns referred to here at the end of the meal)

MATTHEW 26

20When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21While they were eating, He said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me.” 

22Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord? ”

23He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl — he will betray Me. 24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him,  but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

25Then Judas, His betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi? ” 

“You have said it,” He told him.

The First Lord’s Supper

26As they were eating,  Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples,  and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.”  27Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28For this is My blood that establishes the covenant;  it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.  29But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way  in My Father’s kingdom  with you.” 30After singing psalms,  they went out to the Mount of Olives. 

Peter’s Denial Predicted

31Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away  because of Me, for it is written:

I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.  

32But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 

33Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away! ”

34“I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times! ” 

35“Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You! ” And all the disciples said the same thing.

The Prayer in the Garden

36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,   and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.  38Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow  — to the point of death.  Remain here and stay awake with Me.”  39Going a little farther,  He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 

40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you  stay awake with Me one hour? 41Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this  cannot pass  unless I drink it, Your will be done.”  43And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. 

44After leaving them, He went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?  Look, the time is near. The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.  46Get up; let’s go! See, My betrayer is near.”

The Judas Kiss

47While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived.  A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48His betrayer had given them a sign: “The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him! ” 49So he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi! ” and kissed Him.

50“Friend,”  Jesus asked him, “why have you come? ” 

Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him. 51At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his ear. 

52Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword.  53Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions  of angels?  54How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled  that say it must happen this way? ”