Allusions in Peleyah

References in the text of Pele'yah (see also Reader's Guide)

Page	Subject	Reference
4	Dedication	Psalm 42. ke ayal (As the hart) ta'arag (desires, tense = imperfect, person = 3rd person singular and gender = feminine) al-aphyiq mayim (the channels of water) ken nephesh (so my soul) ta'arag (desires) eleyik elohim (thee O god) tsameah (she longs) nephesh (soul) le'elohim l'el chay (for the living God) matay abo (when shall I come) we ara'ah (and appear) pheney elohim (before God)
5	Birth in a stable	Jesus: Luke 2; note that the stable is inferred. It is not in the text of Luke. The babe in the manger is in the text, but we are not told that the manger is in a stable. Compare the conception and birth story of Augustus Caesar. Who did you go out into the desert to see? Rich or poor? Ruler or beloved?
7	Pele'yah	Could mean wonder of God (Yah) or Yah is wonder. Pele is named after Jesus, whose name, Isaiah says, will be called wonderful (Isaiah 9:6). Two of the exiles returning from Babylon in the time of Nehemiah have similar names.
7	The name of the Lord	Exodus 3:14; compare Judges 13:18; God's name is called secret, translating Pili - the same word as our hero's name is made from. (In Hebrew the vowels were not marked as they are today.)
9	tremendous brain, ... chestnuts.	W. H. Auden, Hymn to St Cecilia. Note, a donkey's front chestnuts are just inside the knees. They are a bald bit of tough but tender skin. They have evolved from vestigial lower limbs.
13-15	Purification	Luke 2:22, Leviticus 12:2-6.
15	Theophilus	Luke 1, Acts 1; some say this could refer to the high priest of that name, Theophilus, son of Annas, 37-41 CE. Tsame would have known of him. In this story, Matthew's gospel has been written and Luke's is yet to be written. I am following Griesbach with an early Matthew, Luke knowing Matthew, and Mark late. I am not a fan of Q.
17	Language Games	The literacy in Galilee in the time of Jesus is well attested. See for example, Alan Millard, Reading and Writing in the Time of Jesus. That a woman would have such an opportunity is moot but not impossible. Prisca, for example, is a teacher in the New Testament record. It is not unlikely that she was also literate.
17	Magi	Matthew 2. No count of the Magi is given in the story. The traditional count of 3 does not include a woman, but I have with others (cited by Spong in Born of a Woman) included a reference to Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10), as well as Balaam, the son of Beor, (Numbers 22-24) . For Rachel's tomb, see Genesis 35:19.
19	Chorazin	One of the towns that Jesus laments over (Matthew 11, Luke 10) in pain at their unbelief. Chorazin was rich in grain and probably thoroughly under the thumb of Roman domination at the time. Perhaps the longing of the twins will be the salvation of Chorazin after all.
19	Zippori	Roman Sepphoris; not mentioned in the New Testament, but an important Greek speaking town that was a centre of Roman operations in Galilee. It is very close to Nazareth.
21	Bar Mitzvah	Luke 2:41. What kind of questions would Jesus have asked the teachers? See a storied reconstruction in http://bmd.gx.ca/jerusalem__early_years.htm. Other stories around Tsame's mother Mayim, her sister Ayala, and her half-brother David may be found here. They begin with David's story. See http://bmd.gx.ca/tree.htm.
21	Jacob	Genesis 32.
21	Egypt	Isaiah 19:25, Genesis 32:12 reveal the love God has for Egypt also.
21	Servant	Isaiah 42:6, 49:6. The servant songs reveal the triumph of love over violence.
23	Entry into Jerusalem	Matthew 21. The donkey could not have been Pele'yah since it was a colt on whom no one had yet ridden. (Matthew omits this detail, but Mark and Luke agree on it. Matthew refers to two donkeys, Mark and Luke only to one.)
23	The scape donkey!	Leviticus 16.
23	Passover meal	The differences in calendar between Luke and John are easily visible with a parallel study of the story of the woman and the jar of ointment. Some scholars suggest that Bethany followed the Essene calendar in distinction to the temple calendar.
25	Wine	John 19:29 and parallels.
25	Completion	John 19:30; Hebrews.
25	New wine	John 2; the wedding at Cana. Many see this incident as symbolic of the death of Jesus.
25	Spirit	Acts 2; John 20:23; 14-16 Paraclete - one who comes alongside. For real.
back	Redemption	Exodus 13:13 And every firstling of an ass, thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck.