Tag Archives: 1 Corinthians 13:6

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 5

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Then Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.[1]  And after Judas took the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”[2]

Jesus’ command here—do quickly (ποίησον τάχιον)—fills me with awe as I consider the responsibility of authority.  Was He speaking to Judas?  Was He speaking to Satan?  It’s difficult to say that He was speaking to both: ποίησον is singular.  But was He speaking to Satan/Judas, a unitary singular, at that moment?

It leads me to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 3:7-12 NET):

I became[3] a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given[4] to me by the exercise of his power.  To me—less than the least of all the[5] saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to[6] the Gentiles the[7] unfathomable riches[8] of Christ and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan[9]—the mystery that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things.[10]  The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms.  This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ[11] Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access[12] to God by way of Christ’s faithfulness.

I’m assuming that the rulers (ἀρχαῖς, a form of ἀρχή) and the authorities (ἐξουσίαις, a form of ἐξουσία) in the heavenly realms here are identical to those Paul mentioned later in the same letter (Ephesians 6:10-12 NET):

Finally,[13] be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power.  Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers (ἀρχάς, another form of ἀρχή), against the powers (ἐξουσίας, another form of ἐξουσία), against the world rulers of this darkness,[14] against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

These are the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms to whom the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed through the church (διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας).  I want to be careful to think in terms of the ἐκκλησία, those called by God to faith in Christ, since churches include both the ἐκκλησία and those still dominated by the rulers (ἀρχάς), the powers (ἐξουσίας), the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.  While this is a constant source of perplexity and disappointment to us, I think Satan probably knows at any given moment those who are his and those who are not.

I’m assuming also that this disclosure to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms has more to do with our actions prompted by faith than our words.  Perhaps, it has even more to do with God’s actions toward and through us than our actions per se.  And if that’s true I may be straining gnats to distinguish between the ἐκκλησία and churches.  God’s acts through us to those among us who are Satan’s own could be as much a part of this disclosure (Matthew 5:43-48) as anything else I might be imagining.

This brings me to God’s love for Satan revealed in the book of Job.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Job 1:1 (Tanakh/KJV) Table Job 1:1 (NET) Job 1:1 (NETS)

Job 1:1 (Elpenor English)
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job.  And that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There was a certain man in the land of Ausitis, whose name was Iob, and that man was genuine, blameless, righteous, religious, staying away from every evil thing. There was a certain man in the land of Ausis, whose name [was] Job; and that man was true, blameless, righteous, [and] godly, abstaining from everything evil.

The first time I read the book of Job I didn’t think of it as God’s love for Satan, or, frankly, his love for anyone.  It struck me as a strange tale, actually a strange drama of unseen forces, choices and actions that might impact my life and peace of mind.  At first, I didn’t believe that God is love.[15]  Now I want to remember that fact as I consider the beginning of Job.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Job 1:6 (Tanakh/KJV) Job 1:6 (NET) Job 1:6 (NETS)

Job 1:6 (Elpenor English)
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan (הַשָּׂטָ֖ן) came also among them. Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord—and Satan (śāṭān, השׁטן) also arrived among them. And when the set day came, then, look, the angels of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and the slanderer (διάβολος) came with them. And it came to pass on a day, that behold, the angels of God came to stand before the Lord, and the devil (διάβολος) came with them.

The Greek transliterations of הַשָּׂטָ֖ן (śāṭān) used in the New Testanment—σατανᾶς, σατανᾶ and σατανᾶν—do not occur in the Septuagint: σατανᾶς, σατανᾶ and σατανᾶν.  The Greek word σαταν occurs in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text versions of 2 Corinthians 12:7, along with 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 11:14 in the Septuagint.  Here is 2 Corinthians 12:7 quoted from the KJV:

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations,[16] there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan[17] (Σατᾶν) to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

A table of 1 Kings 11:14 follows:

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
1 Kings 11:14 (Tanakh/KJV) 1 Kings 11:14 (NET) 3 Reigns 11:14 (NETS)

3 Kings 11:14 (Elpenor English)
And the LORD stirred up an adversary (שָׂטָן֙) unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom. The Lord brought against Solomon an enemy (śāṭān, שׁטן), Hadad the Edomite, a descendant of the Edomite king. And the Lord raised up a satan (σαταν) against Salomon, Hader the Idumean and Hesrom son of Eliadae who was in Raemmath, Hadrazar, king of Souba, his master, and men were gathered around him, and he was leader of a band, and he first captured Damasek, and they were a satan (σαταν) to Israel all the days of Salomon.  And Hader the Idumean was of the seed of the kingdom in Idumea. And the Lord raised up and [sic] enemy (σατὰν) to Solomon, Ader the Idumaean, and Esrom son of Eliadae who [dwelt] in Raama, [and] Adadezer king of Suba his master; (and men gathered to him, and he was head of the conspiracy, and he seized on Damasec,) and they were adversaries (σατὰν) to Israel all the days of Solomon: and Ader the Idumaean [was] of the seed royal in Idumaea.

The Greek translation διάβολος in Job 1:6 doesn’t cause me to question the originality of הַשָּׂטָ֖ן (śāṭān) in the Masoretic text.  A verse near the end of the New Testament ties both of these words together (Revelation 12:9 NET):

So that huge dragon—the ancient serpent, the one called the devil (Διάβολος) and Satan[18] (Σατανᾶς), who deceives the whole world—was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.

I was familiar with Revelation when I first read Job.  And I was familiar with the ancient serpent (ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος) from the story in Genesis.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Genesis 3:1 (Tanakh) Genesis 3:1 (NET) Genesis 3:1 (NETS)

Genesis 3:1 (Elpenor English)
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which HaShem G-d had made.  And he said unto the woman: ‘Yea, hath G-d said: Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’ Now the serpent was shrewder than any of the wild animals that the Lord God had made.  He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?” Now the snake (ὄφις) was the most sagacious of all the wild animals that were upon the earth, which the Lord God had made.  And the snake (ὄφις) said to the woman, “Why is it that God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree that is in the orchard’?” NOW the serpent (ὄφις) was the most crafty of all the brutes on the earth, which the Lord God made, and the serpent (ὄφις) said to the woman, Wherefore has God said, Eat not of every tree of the garden?

I assume that before the fall most if not all of the animals Adam and Eve had anything to do with had the ability to speak.  Genesis 3:2 does not read:

And the woman fled in terror, saying, “Help, help, a talking snake!”

On the contrary, Eve doesn’t comment on the serpent’s ability to speak at all.  She proceeds as if it is perfectly natural for one in dominion over the animals to be questioned by, and to teach, them about the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים).  So when I first read Job, the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) seemed a little too chummy for my taste with Satan (השׁטן), the ancient serpent who had deceived her.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Job 1:7 (Tanakh/KJV) Job 1:7 (NET) Job 1:7 (NETS)

Job 1:7 (Elpenor English)
And the LORD said unto Satan (הַשָּׂטָ֖ן), Whence comest thou?  Then Satan (הַשָּׂטָ֚ן) answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. The Lord said to Satan (śāṭān, השׁטן), “Where have you come from?”  And Satan (śāṭān, השׁטן) answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” And the Lord said to the slanderer (διαβόλῳ), “Where have you come from?”  And the slanderer (διάβολος) answered the Lord, “I have come after going round the earth and walking about what is under heaven.” And the Lord said to the devil (διαβόλῳ), Whence art thou come?  And the devil (διάβολος) answered the Lord, and said, I am come from compassing the earth, and walking up and down in the world.

But if I believe that God is love, I recall that love is not easily angered or resentful.[19]  The Greek words translated easily angered were οὐ παροξύνεται (a form of παροξύνω).  The Greek words translated resentful were οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν (literally: “not counting the evil”).  Another translation reads: love keeps no record of wrongs.[20]  Here λογίζεται (a form of λογίζομαι) was translated keeps no record.  Another form of λογίζομαι was translated not counting in 2 Corinthians 5:19 (NET):

In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting (μὴ λογιζόμενος, another form of λογίζομαι) people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation.

I’ll continue with the next verse in Job:

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Job 1:8 (Tanakh/KJV) Job 1:8 (NET) Job 1:8 (NETS)

Job 1:8 (Elpenor English)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?  There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.” And the Lord said to him, “Did you give thought to your disposition against my servant Iob—because there is no one of those on the earth like him, a man who is blameless, genuine, religious, staying away from every evil thing?” And the Lord said to him, Hast thou diligently considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a man blameless, true, godly, abstaining from everything evil?

When I first read this I heard the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) bragging to Satan about Job.  Considering what happened next, I was led to Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 NIV).

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself?  Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—why die before your time?  It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other.  Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

I sensed the growing hunger and thirst for righteousness within me.  My misunderstanding of God in the book of Job, my natural instinct to seek out ballast and the philosophical bent of my mind made this little bit of Aristotelian sagacity quite compelling.  I even quoted it to my second wife.

Everything turned out fine for me.  I lead a ridiculously blessed life that seems completely undeserved.  It didn’t turn out so well for my family, and so I am repenting of practicing this particular mean between the extremes.  Whatever Solomon meant it is no excuse to quench the Holy Spirit.  By the grace of God I will do my best now to follow wherever his hunger and thirst for righteousness leads.

And believing that God is love, I no longer hear Him bragging to Satan: Love is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.[21]  [Y]our word is truth,[22] Jesus prayed to his Father.  I’ll continue with this in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 1:6; 1 Kings 11:14; Genesis 3:1; Job 1:7; 1:8; Ecclesiastes 7:16; 7:17 and 7:18 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 1:6; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 11:14; Genesis 3:1; Job 1:7; 1:8; Ecclesiastes 7:16; 7:17 and 7:18 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Ephesians 3:7-9; 3:11, 12; 6:10; 6:12; 2 Corinthians 12:7 and Revelation 12:9 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 1:6 (Tanakh)

 Job 1:6 (KJV)

Job 1:6 (NET)
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord—and Satan also arrived among them.

Job 1:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Job 1:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὡς ἐγένετο ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦλθον οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ παραστῆναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ὁ διάβολος ἦλθεν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦλθον οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ παραστῆναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ὁ διάβολος ἦλθε μετ᾿ αὐτῶν

Job 1:6 (NETS)

Job 1:6 (English Elpenor)
And when the set day came, then, look, the angels of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and the slanderer came with them. And it came to pass on a day, that behold, the angels of God came to stand before the Lord, and the devil came with them.

1 Kings 11:14 (Tanakh)

 1 Kings 11:14 (KJV)

1 Kings 11:14 (NET)
And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom. And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom. The Lord brought against Solomon an enemy, Hadad the Edomite, a descendant of the Edomite king.

1 Kings 11:14 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 11:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤγειρεν κύριος σαταν τῷ Σαλωμων τὸν Αδερ τὸν Ιδουμαῗον καὶ τὸν Εσρωμ υἱὸν Ελιαδαε τὸν ἐν Ραεμμαθ Αδραζαρ βασιλέα Σουβα κύριον αὐτοῦ καὶ συνηθροίσθησαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἄνδρες καὶ ἦν ἄρχων συστρέμματος καὶ προκατελάβετο τὴν Δαμασεκ καὶ ἦσαν σαταν τῷ Ισραηλ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Σαλωμων καὶ Αδερ ὁ Ιδουμαῗος ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος τῆς βασιλείας ἐν Ιδουμαίᾳ Καὶ ἤγειρε Κύριος σατὰν τῷ Σαλωμὼν τὸν ῎Αδερ τὸν ᾿Ιδουμαῖον καὶ τὸν ᾿Εσρὼμ υἱὸν ᾿Ελιαδαέ, τὸν ἐν Ῥαεμμὰθ ᾿Αδραζὰρ βασιλέα Σουβὰ κύριον αὐτοῦ· καὶ συνηθροίσθησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἄνδρες, καὶ ἦν ἄρχων συστρέμματος καὶ προκατελάβετο τὴν Δαμασέκ· καὶ ἦσαν σατὰν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Σαλωμών. καὶ ῎Αδερ ὁ ᾿Ιδουμαῖος ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος τῆς βασιλείας ἐν ᾿Ιδουμαίᾳ

3 Reigns 11:14 (NETS)

3 Kings 11:14 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord raised up a satan against Salomon, Hader the Idumean and Hesrom son of Eliadae who was in Raemmath, Hadrazar, king of Souba, his master, and men were gathered around him, and he was leader of a band, and he first captured Damasek, and they were a satan to Israel all the days of Salomon.  And Hader the Idumean was of the seed of the kingdom in Idumea. And the Lord raised up and enemy to Solomon, Ader the Idumaean, and Esrom son of Eliadae who [dwelt] in Raama, [and] Adadezer king of Suba his master; (and men gathered to him, and he was head of the conspiracy, and he seized on Damasec,) and they were adversaries to Israel all the days of Solomon: and Ader the Idumaean [was] of the seed royal in Idumaea.

Genesis 3:1 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 3:1 (KJV)

Genesis 3:1 (NET)
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which HaShem G-d had made.  And he said unto the woman: ‘Yea, hath G-d said: Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’ Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.  And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Now the serpent was shrewder than any of the wild animals that the Lord God had made.  He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?”

Genesis 3:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ ὄφις ἦν φρονιμώτατος πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὧν ἐποίησεν κύριος ὁ θεός καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ὄφις τῇ γυναικί τί ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ θεός οὐ μὴ φάγητε ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ Ο δὲ ὄφις ἦν φρονιμώτατος πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὧν ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ὄφις τῇ γυναικί· τί ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ Θεός, οὐ μὴ φάγητε ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου

Genesis 3:1 (NETS)

Genesis 3:1 (English Elpenor)
Now the snake was the most sagacious of all the wild animals that were upon the earth, which the Lord God had made.  And the snake said to the woman, “Why is it that God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree that is in the orchard’?” NOW the serpent was the most crafty of all the brutes on the earth, which the Lord God made, and the serpent said to the woman, Wherefore has God said, Eat not of every tree of the garden?

Job 1:7 (Tanakh)

 Job 1:7 (KJV)

Job 1:7 (NET)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”  And Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”

Job 1:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Job 1:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ πόθεν παραγέγονας καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ διάβολος τῷ κυρίῳ εἶπεν περιελθὼν τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσας τὴν ὑπ᾽ οὐρανὸν πάρειμι καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· πόθεν παραγέγονας; καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ διάβολος τῷ Κυρίῳ εἶπε· περιελθὼν τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσας τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν πάρειμι

Job 1:7 (NETS)

Job 1:7 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to the slanderer, “Where have you come from?”  And the slanderer answered the Lord, “I have come after going round the earth and walking about what is under heaven.” And the Lord said to the devil, Whence art thou come?  And the devil answered the Lord, and said, I am come from compassing the earth, and walking up and down in the world.

Job 1:8 (Tanakh)

 Job 1:8 (KJV)

Job 1:8 (NET)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?  There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.”

Job 1:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Job 1:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος προσέσχες τῇ διανοίᾳ σου κατὰ τοῦ παιδός μου Ιωβ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν κατ᾽ αὐτὸν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἄνθρωπος ἄμεμπτος ἀληθινός θεοσεβής ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος· προσέσχες τῇ διανοίᾳ σου κατὰ τοῦ παιδός μου ᾿Ιώβ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι κατ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἄνθρωπος ἄμεμπτος, ἀληθινός, θεοσεβής, ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος

Job 1:8 (NETS)

Job 1:8 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to him, “Did you give thought to your disposition against my servant Iob—because there is no one of those on the earth like him, a man who is blameless, genuine, religious, staying away from every evil thing?” And the Lord said to him, Hast thou diligently considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a man blameless, true, godly, abstaining from everything evil?

Ecclesiastes 7:16 (Tanakh)

 Ecclesiastes 7:16 (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 7:16 (NET)
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? So do not be excessively righteous or excessively wise; otherwise you might be disappointed.

Ecclesiastes 7:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Ecclesiastes 7:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολὺ καὶ μὴ σοφίζου περισσά μήποτε ἐκπλαγῇς μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολύ, μηδὲ σοφίζου περισσά, μήποτε ἐκπλαγῇς

Ecclesiastes 7:16 (NETS)

Ecclesiastes 7:16 (English Elpenor)
Do not be very righteous, and do not be excessively wise, lest you be horrified. Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 (Tanakh)

 Ecclesiastes 7:17 (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 7:17 (NET)
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool; otherwise you might die before your time.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Ecclesiastes 7:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἀσεβήσῃς πολὺ καὶ μὴ γίνου σκληρός ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνῃς ἐν οὐ καιρῷ σου μὴ ἀσεβήσῃς πολὺ καὶ μὴ γίνου σκληρός, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνῃς ἐν οὐ καιρῷ σου

Ecclesiastes 7:17 (NETS)

Ecclesiastes 7:17 (English Elpenor)
Do not be very ungodly, and do not become hard so that you should not die when it is not your time. Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (Tanakh)

 Ecclesiastes 7:18 (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NET)
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings.

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀντέχεσθαί σε ἐν τούτῳ καί γε ἀπὸ τούτου μὴ ἀνῇς τὴν χεῗρά σου ὅτι φοβούμενος τὸν θεὸν ἐξελεύσεται τὰ πάντα ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀντέχεσθαί σε ἐν τούτῳ, καί γε ἀπὸ τούτου μὴ μιάνῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου, ὅτι φοβουμένοις τὸν Θεὸν ἐξελεύσεται τὰ πάντα

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NETS)

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (English Elpenor)
It is good that you hold on to the one; indeed, do not let your hand go from the other, for the one who fears God will go forth in all things. It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].

Epehesians 3:7-9 (NET)

Epehesians 3:7-9 (KJV)
I became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power. Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
οὗ ἐγενήθην διάκονος κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ ου εγενομην διακονος κατα την δωρεαν της χαριτος του θεου την δοθεισαν μοι κατα την ενεργειαν της δυναμεως αυτου ου εγενομην διακονος κατα την δωρεαν της χαριτος του θεου την δοθεισαν μοι κατα την ενεργειαν της δυναμεως αυτου
To me—less than the least of all the saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐμοὶ τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ πάντων ἁγίων ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις αὕτη, τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εὐαγγελίσασθαι τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ εμοι τω ελαχιστοτερω παντων των αγιων εδοθη η χαρις αυτη εν τοις εθνεσιν ευαγγελισασθαι τον ανεξιχνιαστον πλουτον του χριστου εμοι τω ελαχιστοτερω παντων αγιων εδοθη η χαρις αυτη εν τοις εθνεσιν ευαγγελισασθαι τον ανεξιχνιαστον πλουτον του χριστου
and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan—the mystery that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ φωτίσαι [πάντας] τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι και φωτισαι παντας τις η κοινωνια του μυστηριου του αποκεκρυμμενου απο των αιωνων εν τω θεω τω τα παντα κτισαντι δια ιησου χριστου και φωτισαι παντας τις η οικονομια του μυστηριου του αποκεκρυμμενου απο των αιωνων εν τω θεω τω τα παντα κτισαντι δια ιησου χριστου

Ephesians 3:11, 12 (NET)

Ephesians 3:11, 12 (KJV)
This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων ἣν ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν κατα προθεσιν των αιωνων ην εποιησεν εν χριστω ιησου τω κυριω ημων κατα προθεσιν των αιωνων ην εποιησεν εν χριστω ιησου τω κυριω ημων
in whom we have boldness and confident access to God by way of Christ’s faithfulness. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ προσαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ εν ω εχομεν την παρρησιαν και την προσαγωγην εν πεποιθησει δια της πιστεως αυτου εν ω εχομεν την παρρησιαν και την προσαγωγην εν πεποιθησει δια της πιστεως αυτου
Ephesians 6:10 (NET)

Ephesians 6:10 (KJV)
Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Τοῦ λοιποῦ, ἐνδυναμοῦσθε ἐν κυρίῳ καὶ ἐν τῷ κράτει τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ το λοιπον αδελφοι μου ενδυναμουσθε εν κυριω και εν τω κρατει της ισχυος αυτου το λοιπον αδελφοι μου ενδυναμουσθε εν κυριω και εν τω κρατει της ισχυος αυτου

Ephesians 6:12 (NET)

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις οτι ουκ εστιν ημιν η παλη προς αιμα και σαρκα αλλα προς τας αρχας προς τας εξουσιας προς τους κοσμοκρατορας του σκοτους του αιωνος τουτου προς τα πνευματικα της πονηριας εν τοις επουρανιοις οτι ουκ εστιν ημιν η παλη προς αιμα και σαρκα αλλα προς τας αρχας προς τας εξουσιας προς τους κοσμοκρατορας του σκοτους του αιωνος τουτου προς τα πνευματικα της πονηριας εν τοις επουρανιοις

2 Corinthians 12:7 (NET)

2 Corinthians 12:7 (KJV)
even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations.  Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων. διὸ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος σατανᾶ, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι και τη υπερβολη των αποκαλυψεων ινα μη υπεραιρωμαι εδοθη μοι σκολοψ τη σαρκι αγγελος σαταν ινα με κολαφιζη ινα μη υπεραιρωμαι και τη υπερβολη των αποκαλυψεων ινα μη υπεραιρωμαι εδοθη μοι σκολοψ τη σαρκι αγγελος σαταν ινα με κολαφιζη ινα μη υπεραιρωμαι

Revelation 12:9 (NET)

Revelation 12:9 (KJV)
So that huge dragon—the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world—was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἐβλήθη ὁ δράκων ὁ μέγας, ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος, ὁ καλούμενος Διάβολος καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς, ὁ πλανῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην, ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν γῆν, καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐβλήθησαν και εβληθη ο δρακων ο μεγας ο οφις ο αρχαιος ο καλουμενος διαβολος και ο σατανας ο πλανων την οικουμενην ολην εβληθη εις την γην και οι αγγελοι αυτου μετ αυτου εβληθησαν και εβληθη ο δρακων ο μεγας ο οφις ο αρχαιος ο καλουμενος διαβολος και σατανας ο πλανων την οικουμενην ολην εβληθη εις την γην και οι αγγελοι αυτου μετ αυτου εβληθησαν

[1] Luke 22:3 (NET) Table

[2] John 13:27 (NET)

[3] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐγενήθην here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγενομην (KJV: I was made).

[4] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had δοθείσης here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δοθεισαν (KJV: given).

[5] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article των preceding saints.  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[6] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν (KJV: among) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[7] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the nominative/accusative neuter article τὸ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the accusative masculine article τον.

[8] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the masculine/neuter noun πλοῦτος in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the masculine noun πλουτον in the accusative case.

[9] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had κοινωνια (KJV: fellowship) here, where the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had οἰκονομία.

[10] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δια ιησου χριστου (KJV: by Jesus Christ) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[11] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τῷ preceding Christ.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[12] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article την preceding confident access.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[13] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Τοῦ λοιποῦ here in the genitive case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had το λοιπον αδελφοι μου (KJV: Finally, my brethren).

[14] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του αιωνος (KJV: of this world) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[15] 1 John 4:8, 16 (NET)

[16] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had διὸ (NET: Therefore) following revelations.  The Sephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[17] The Sephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σαταν here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had σατανᾶ.

[18] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ὁ preceding Satan.  The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[19] 1 Corinthians 13:5b (NET)

[20] 1 Corinthians 13:5b (NIV)

[21] 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NET)

[22] John 17:17b (NET) Table

Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 1

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I want to compare and contrast Paul’s teaching in his letter to the Corinthians to Jesus’ letter To the angel of the church in Thyatira[1] under the rubrics: “Paul’s Regime” and “Jesus’ Regime.”

Paul’s Regime

Jesus’ Regime
It is actually reported that sexual immorality (πορνεία) exists among you (ὑμῖν; plural), the kind of immorality (πορνεία) that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with (ἔχειν, a form of ἔχω) his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5:1 (NET)

 But I have (ἔχω) this against you (σοῦ, a form of σύ; singular): You tolerate (ἀφεῖς, a form of ἀφίημι) that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality (πορνεῦσαι, a form of πορνεύω) and to eat food sacrificed to idols (εἰδωλόθυτα, a form of εἰδωλόθυτον).

Revelation 2:20 (NET)
I have given her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality (πορνείας, a form of πορνεία).

Revelation 2:21 (NET)

Experiencing these as two distinct regimes is new for me.  As long as I assumed that Jesus’ spoke to the second person plural the two passages seemed virtually identical.  And without doubt I love and respect Paul.  He led me to Jesus, helped me to see Him in a different light.  Apart from Paul’s writing in the New Testament I may never have learned to trust Jesus.  I’ve tried to imagine that the man Paul wrote about had kidnapped his father’s wife, kept her against her will, raped her repeatedly and refused to release her.  But that’s as much, or more, to ask of ἔχειν than the idea that he was pimping her for cultic purposes.

The man who had his father’s wife compares to Jezebel, who by her teaching deceives [Jesus’] servants to commit sexual immorality, as a man who walks into a congregation with a loaded gun compares to an active shooter.  Jesus gave Jezebel time to repent.  Paul didn’t say anything about time to repent, though I’m hard-pressed to determine what form the man’s repentance might have taken.

When I believed that πορνεία meant pre-marital sex[2] repentance seemed fairly straightforward: The man should dump the woman, go to college, get a high-paying job, return home, settle down and marry a nice girl—one who wouldn’t cohabit with her husband’s son.  That changed as I began to take the law (Exodus 22:16, 17, Deuteronomy 22:28-30) more seriously,[3] as a way to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent.[4]  Of course, the woman in this case was or had been married to the man’s father.  By law both should have been condemned to death (Leviticus 20:10, 11).

Paul’s Regime

Jesus’ Regime
And you (ὑμεῖς, a form of ὑμείς) are proud (πεφυσιωμένοι, a form of φυσιόω)!  Shouldn’t you have been deeply sorrowful instead and removed (ἀρθῇ, a form of αἴρω) the one who did this from among you (ὑμῶν)?

1 Corinthians 5:2 (NET) Table

 Look!  I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, and those who commit adultery (μοιχεύοντας, a form of μοιχεύω) with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds.

Revelation 2:22 (NET)

Paul addressed everyone (ὑμεῖς is second person plural) in the church at Corinth except the man who had his father’s wife, accusing them of being proud.  Of the seven occurrences of forms of φυσιόω in the New Testament, six are found in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.  (It is at least his second letter.)  Pride or arrogance was a consistent theme in his mind as he wrote.

Paul claimed I became your father (ἐγέννησα, a form of γεννάω) in Christ Jesus through the gospel.[5]  Actually he wrote, For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers (πατέρας, a form of πατήρ) ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα (literally, “for in Christ Jesus through the Gospel I gave birth to [KJV: have begotten] you”).  The NET translators shaded the arrogance of that statement a bit.  But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers, Jesus taught his disciples.  And call no one your ‘father’ (πατέρα, another form of πατήρ) on earth, for you have one Father (πατὴρ, another form of πατήρ), who is in heaven.  Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ.[6]

The grandiose claim that the Corinthian believers were born of Paul (John 1:13 NIV ἐγεννήθησαν is another form of γεννάω) was out of character with Paul’s own teaching earlier in the same letter (1 Corinthians 3:6, 7 NET):

I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow.  So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.

I have applied these things to myself and Apollos, Paul wrote, because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up (φυσιοῦσθε, another form of φυσιόω) in favor of the one against the other.  For who concedes you any superiority?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you received it, why do you boast (καυχᾶσαι, a form of καυχάομαι) as though you did not?[7]  Of course, then he wrote (1 Corinthians 4:18-20 NET):

Some have become arrogant (ἐφυσιώθησαν, another form of φυσιόω), as if I were not coming to you.  But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant (πεφυσιωμένων, another form of φυσιόω) people, but also their power.  For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power.

Though God’s power (δυνάμει, a form of δύναμις) would clearly be the truth of his final declaration, in context it doesn’t seem to be the power Paul had in mind.  What do you want? he continued as if the following choice would be made by the Corinthians rather than by Paul himself.  Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline (ράβδῳ, a form of ῥάβδος) or with love (ἀγάπῃ) and a spirit of gentleness (πραΰτητος, a form of πραΰτης)?[8]  (While I assume that Paul’s threat to return to Corinth to beat the arrogant with a stick was bluster, it is heartwarming to find such punishment distinguished from love in the New Testament.)  In the very same letter Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 8:1b-3 NET):

Knowledge puffs up (φυσιοῖ, another form of φυσιόω), but love (ἀγάπη) builds up.  If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know.  But if someone loves (ἀγαπᾷ, a form of ἀγαπάω) God, he is known (ἔγνωσται, a form of γινώσκω) by God.

And (1 Corinthians 13:4-13 NET):

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious.  Love does not brag, it is not puffed up (φυσιοῦται, another form of φυσιόω).  It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.  It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.  But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways.  For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known.  And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

Paul formed his conclusion that the Corinthians were proud (πεφυσιωμένοι, a form of φυσιόω), not by direct observation and interaction with them but, by hearsay[9] and by the fact that they had not removed the one who did this from among [them].  Paul had asked rhetorically, Shouldn’t you have been deeply sorrowful instead and removed the one who did this from among you?  The Greek word translated deeply sorrowful is ἐπενθήσατε (a form of πενθέω).

I am afraid, Paul wrote, that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve (πενθήσω, another form of πενθέω) for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality (πορνείᾳ), and licentiousness that they have practiced.[10]  Truly, love is not glad about injustice;[11] it does not rejoice in iniquity.[12]  Grieve, mourn (πενθήσατε, another form of πενθέω), and weep, James wrote.  Turn your laughter into mourning (πένθος) and your joy into despair.  Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.[13]  But I can’t help wondering if this mourning wasn’t more cultural than divinely inspired.

Granted, Jesus said: Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn (πενθήσετε, another form of πενθέω) and weep;[14] and, The wedding guests cannot mourn (πενθεῖν, another form of πενθέω) while the bridegroom is with them, can they?[15]  He also said, Blessed are those who mourn (πενθοῦντες, another form of πενθέω), for they will be comforted.[16]  But I still remember the contrast between Ezra and Malachi:

Ezra

Malachi
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children alike – gathered around him.  The people wept loudly [Table].  Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples.  Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard [Table].  Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God.  And let it be done according to the law [Table].”

Ezra 10:1-3 (NET)

 You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you [Table].  Yet you ask, “Why?”  The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law [Table].  No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this.  What did our ancestor do when seeking a child from God?  Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth [Table].  “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and the one who is guilty of violence,” says the Lord who rules over all.  “Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful” [Table].

Malachi 2:13-16 (NET)

As Jesus’ disciples mourned his death (or perhaps their own loss) they didn’t believe his comfort when it came to them in the form of a woman: Early on the first day of the week, after he arose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons.  She went out and told those who were with him, while they were mourning (πενθοῦσι, another form of πενθέω) and weeping.  And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.[17]  So to the first part of Paul’s rhetorical question I can only give a qualified yes.

The Greek word translated removed in the second part of Paul’s rhetorical question was ἀρθῇ (a form of αἴρω).  “Take this man away (αἶρε, another form of αἴρω)!  Release Barabbas for us!”[18] an angry mob before Pilate rejected Jesus.  “Away (αἶρε, another form of αἴρω) with him!”[19] a mob in Jerusalem rejected Paul.  A crowd listening patiently to Paul’s defense turned ugly when he said that the Lord said to him, Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.[20]  Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Away (αἶρε, another form of αἴρω) with this man from the earth!  For he should not be allowed to live!”[21]

Here again I can’t help wondering if Paul’s reaction wasn’t more cultural than divinely inspired.  But calling it cultural isn’t entirely accurate.  Paul’s reaction was precisely correct for a time under law when yehôvâh was present among his people in a way unknown since the garden of Eden, before He gave his life as an atonement for sin.  Consider Achan (Joshua 7) as a case in point.

Exile for the man who had his father’s wife (and the woman along with him, presumably) would be considered more merciful than death, but Jesus’ parable persuades me to reject the second part of Paul’s rhetorical question—Shouldn’t you have…removed the one who did this from among you?  When Jesus’ slaves asked if they should uproot the weeds planted by the enemy He said, No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest.[22]  This is not to say that I know whether the man who had his father’s wife was a weed planted by the enemy or a sinning saint.  It is to say, if this is Jesus’ attitude toward uprooting weeds planted by the enemy I dare not risk uprooting a sinning saint.

Let’s say for the sake of argument that I’m reading too much into Jesus’ parable.  Let’s say that I’m wrong about the angel of the church in Thyatira, that he was a human being rather than a higher order being.  Let’s grant, for the sake of argument, that Paul as an apostle had the authority and God-given wisdom to recognize a weed and uproot it.  Did he have the authority to turn the church of Jesus Christ in Corinth (and any who hear him today) from the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of the Holy Spirit, and transform them into a paranoid police force?  Rather than knowing no law against loving our neighbor as well as our enemies, does every infraction of any law call us to dam up the fruit of the Holy Spirit?  Must we judge one another constantly lest we be proud for loving one another excessively?  I admit I sat silently through a sermon declaring that, Do not judge so that you will not be judged,[23] meant that we should judge and be judged.[24]

Hear Jesus’ regime by contrast: Look!  I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness.  That is Jezebel, the one who by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.[25]  Secondly, He is throwing those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds.  But there is not one word to the rest of the church in Thyatira about being proud because they had not removed Jezebel and her followers from their midst.  The criticism—But I have this against you—was laid directly on the angel of the church in Thyatira, whether human or a higher order being. Yes, the letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira was to be read by all the churches, but its content was directed with surgical precision.

To be fair the only reason I have the audacity to make this kind of critique of Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 5 is Paul’s extended treatise on love in his later writing to believers in Rome.  Therefore we must not pass judgment (κρίνωμεν, a form of κρίνω) on one another, but rather determine (κρίνατε, another form of κρίνω) never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.[26]  Actually, Paul described love this way: Μηκέτι οὖν ἀλλήλους κρίνωμεν[27] (literally, “no longer then one another judge”).

[1] Revelation 2:18a (NET)

[2] An article by Bromleigh McCleneghan, “Sex and the single Christian: Why celibacy isn’t the only option,” was interesting bait for an unsuspecting moralist.  Obviously single people can have sex.  That’s how they become married people in God’s sight.  The rest is ceremony, celebration and government paperwork.  If anyone actually believed that religious leaders knew magical rites that could transmogrify illicit sex into holy matrimony those religious leaders would be compelled by law to perform those rites equally for all in a pluralistic society.  The only thing single people cannot do is fool God into thinking they are not guilty of adultery if they have sex with somebody different tomorrow night, simply because they have not signed government paperwork or had a ceremony or celebrated.

[3] Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 12, Ezra and Divorce

[4] John 17:3b (NET)

[5] 1 Corinthians 4:15b (NET)

[6] Matthew 23:8-10 (NET)

[7] 1 Corinthians 4:6, 7 (NET)

[8] 1 Corinthians 4:21 (NET)

[9] My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. (1 Corinthians 1:11 NIV)

[10] 2 Corinthians 12:21 (NET)

[11] 1 Corinthians 13:6a (NET)

[12] 1 Corinthians 13:6a (NKJV)

[13] James 4:9, 10 (NET)

[14] Luke 6:25b (NET)

[15] Mathew 9:15a (NET)

[16] Matthew 5:4 (NET)

[17] Mark 16:9-11 (NET)

[18] Luke 23:18b (NET)

[19] Acts 21:36b (NET)

[20] Acts 22:21b (NET)

[21] Acts 22:22b (NET)

[22] Matthew 13:29, 30a (NET)

[23] Matthew 7:1 (NET)

[24] This point of view is surprisingly common.   I found the following paraphrase online: “If you don’t want your life to be scrutinized, then don’t judge others.  If you can stand the scrutiny then go ahead.”  I will freely admit to needing as much grace as possible.  There are other voices online.

[25] Revelation 2:20b (NET)

[26] Romans 14:13 (NET)

[27] Romans 14:13a

Romans, Part 68

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This will conclude my consideration of Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer[1] as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.  I’ll continue with the aftermath of the war between Israel and Benjamin.

So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, האלהים) until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably.[2]  They had a foretaste of eternal life, not pie in the sky by and by nor tears without end but an amazing opportunity to know yehôvâh intimately.  The brotherhood had joined together to purge evil from Israel.  The Benjaminites joined together to withstand them.  The brotherhood prevailed, then they mourned the loss of so many of their brother Benjaminites.

They said, “Why, O Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of Israel, has this happened in Israel?”[3]  They regretted (nâcham, וינחמו) what had happened to their brother Benjamin. They acknowledged their part in it, saying, Today we cut off an entire tribe from Israel![4]  The text acknowledged yehôvâh’s complicity: And the people grieved (nâcham, נחם) for Benjamin, because the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) had made a void in the tribes of Israel.[5]  But they missed their moment to know Him.  I know this because Phinehas didn’t preach on the text: Then the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) relented (nâcham, וינחם) over the evil (raʽ, הרעה [H7451]) that he had said he would do to his people.[6]

Israel missed this eternal moment (as I’ve missed my own so often) because they treated it, not as a glorious insight and revelation to be savored but, as a problem to be solved.  How can we find wives for those who are left?[7]  Why was that a problem?  The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite.”[8]   “After all, we took an oath in the Lord’s name,” the victorious brotherhood admitted, “not to give them our daughters as wives.”  So they asked, “Who from all the Israelite tribes did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?”[9]

The victorious brotherhood’s focus was not on eternal life, knowing yehôvâh, but on justifying themselves before yehôvâh: This is what the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) has commanded [Table]: If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised [Table].[10]  They had made two thoughtless oaths at Mizpah: They had made a solemn oath that whoever did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must certainly be executed.[11]  So from the beginning there was no real hope that the incident at Gibeah would be settled as a police matter: The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah,[12] but apparently did not attend.

And I, before I realized that I had the timing of events reversed, would have laid all that happened next on Jephthah.  I thought he was the brotherhood’s inspiration, a kind of butterfly effect, rather than someone overwhelmed by a massive wave of popular precedent.  That popular precedent might have become, if not the image of knowing yehôvâh, the image and meaning of obeying Him, if not for the precious words appended to its retelling: Each man did what he considered to be right.[13]   

Now it just so happened no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the gathering.  When they took roll call, they noticed none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.[14]  Jabesh Gilead was east of the Jordan River in the land that Phineas had insinuated might be tainted.  I’ve written elsewhere about the cost of acknowledging a thoughtless oath.  But the victorious brotherhood had “good” reason not to confess the thoughtless oath that “justified” exterminating the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, namely, their other thoughtless oath not to give their daughters as wives to the surviving Benjaminites (Judges 21:10, 11a NET):

So the assembly sent 12,000 capable warriors against Jabesh Gilead.  They commanded them, “Go and kill with your swords the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and little children (ṭaph, והטף; Septuagint: the translators seem to have edited out the part about killing children).  Do this: exterminate every male, as well as every woman who has had sexual relations with a male.  But spare the lives of any virgins.”

They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young girls (naʽărâh, נערה; Septuagint: νεάνιδας) who were virgins (bethûlâh, בתולה; Septuagint: παρθένους)…[15]  The Benjaminites returned at that time, and the Israelites gave to them the women they had spared from Jabesh Gilead.  But there were not enough to go around.[16]

So, they commanded the Benjaminites, “Go hide in the vineyards, and keep your eyes open.  When you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the celebration, jump out from the vineyards.  Each one of you, catch yourself a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh and then go home to the land of Benjamin.[17]  The Benjaminites did as instructed.  They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives.[18]  Then the brotherhood disbanded, after having become as great a menace (to more women) as the children of Belial they exterminated.

“There is no one righteous, not even one, Paul gathered the judgments of yehôvâh on the wicked and unbelieving scattered primarily throughout the Psalms of David (also Isaiah) and applied them to all, “there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.”

“Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues (See Septuagint comparison below), the poison of asps is under their lips.”

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

“Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known (See Septuagint comparison below).”

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[19]

How can I rejoice (χαίροντες, a form of χαίρω) in hope here?  And I don’t mean simply in the face of ancient history.  For all our laws, all our police and all our courts, our “justice” is ultimately as puerile as theirs was.  It seems more like a time to endure (ὑπομένοντες, a form of ὑπομένω) in suffering than to rejoice in hope, but that is my point.

The same love which endures (ὑπομένει, another form of ὑπομένω) all things,[20] does not rejoice (χαίρει, another form of χαίρω) in iniquity (ἀδικίᾳ, a form of ἀδικία), but rejoices (συγχαίρει, a form of συγχαίρω) in the truth (ἀληθείᾳ, a form of ἀλήθεια);[21] love is the true justice which does no wrong to a neighbor in the first place; it is the fulfillment of the law,[22] rather than some vain effort to stuff the toothpaste back in the tube after injustice (ἀδικίᾳ, a form of ἀδικία) has prevailed.  And this love without hypocrisy, The love unfeigned, is what I think Paul continued to describe: Rejoice in hope (ἐλπίδι, a form of ἐλπίς), endure (ὑπομένοντες, a form of ὑπομένω) in suffering (θλίψει, a form of θλίψις), persist in prayer.[23]

Now may the God of hope (ἐλπίδος, another form of ἐλπίς) fill (πληρώσαι, a form of πληρόω) you with all joy (χαρᾶς, a form of χαρά) and peace (εἰρήνης, a form of εἰρήνη) as you believe in him, Paul wrote his benediction to the Romans, so that you may abound in hope (ἐλπίδι, a form of ἐλπίς) by the power (δυνάμει, a form of δύναμις) of the Holy Spirit.[24]  And by his power and the continuous infusion of his joy (χαρὰ) and his peace (εἰρήνη) [not to mention the other aspects of the fruit of the Spirit[25]], the apostles, after they had been beaten, left the council rejoicing (χαίροντες, a form of χαίρω) because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name[26] (e.g., Ἰησοῦ, a form of Ἰησοῦς, understood as yehôvâh).

So is this χαρὰ from the Holy Spirit like some kind of drug that overcomes reality?  On the contrary, it is an aspect of the truth (ἀλήθεια) that overcomes the injustice (ἀδικίᾳ, a form of ἀδικία) that masquerades as reality.  Set them apart in the truth (ἀληθείᾳ, a form of ἀλήθεια), Jesus prayed to his Father, your word is truth (ἀλήθεια).[27]  We understand in some sense that we are not to focus on the manmade muck we see around us.  We are keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith instead.  For the joy (χαρᾶς, a form of χαρά) set out for him he endured (ὑπέμεινεν, another form of ὑπομένω) the cross…[28]  And the one who endures (ὑπομείνας, another form of ὑπομένω) to the end (τέλος) will be saved.[29]

As I considered all this I read an article in MSN News online:[30]

An Islamic State Jihadist killed his mother in a public square in the Syrian city of Raqa who begged him to leave the organization, a monitor said Friday.  Ali Saqr, 20, had reported his mother, Lina, to IS authorities in Raqa because “she tried to persuade him to leave IS and flee the city,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.  Authorities subsequently arrested the woman and accused her of apostasy, the monitoring group said.  On Wednesday, she was shot to death by her son “in front of hundreds of people close to the mail service building in Raqa city,” the Observatory added.

Ali Saqr is a comtemporary example of Jephthah or any of the brotherhood who judged and condemned the Benjaminites in Gibeah.  He cannot go home to consider what he has done.  He has been judged and condemned by Superpowers who care nothing for him.  If the entry to hell is marked by the words—Abandon all hope, ye who enter here—then the entry to our synagogues and churches should read—yehôvâh relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people—and the churches can add his most profound words—Follow Me!

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι) in the hope (ἐλπίδι, a form of ἐλπίς) of God’s glory.  Not only this, but we also rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι) in sufferings (θλίψεσιν, another form of θλίψις), knowing that suffering (θλῖψις, another form of θλίψις) produces endurance (ὑπομονὴν, a form of ὑπομονή), and endurance (ὑπομονὴ), character, and character, hope (ἐλπίδα, another form of ἐλπίς) .  And hope (ἐλπὶς) does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.[31]

“Repent,” Peter said, “and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”  With many other words he testified and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse generation!”  So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.  They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.[32]

It seems fitting to end this essay with Paul’s instruction to Timothy on prayer (1 Timothy 2:1-6 NET):

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people, even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God’s purpose at his appointed time.

Below are two tables comparing Old Testament quotations in Paul’s letter to the Romans to the Septuagint.

Romans 3:13 (NET)

 Romans 3:13 (Greek Text)

Psalms 5:9b; 140:3b (Septuagint)
Their throats are open graves,

they deceive with their tongues,

 τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν, ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν, τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν
the poison of asps is under their lips. ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν διάψαλμα
Romans 3:15-17 (NET) Romans 3:15-17 (Greek Text)

Isaiah 59:7a, 7c, 8a  (Septuagint)
Their feet are swift to shed blood, ὀξεῖς οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐκχέαι αἷμα, οἱ δὲ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πονηρίαν τρέχουσιν ταχινοὶ ἐκχέαι αἷμα
ruin and misery are in their paths, σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν, σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν
and the way of peace they have not known. καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ ἔγνωσαν (a form of γινώσκω). καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ οἴδασιν (a form of εἴδω).

[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

[2] Judges 21:2 (NET)

[3] Judges 21:3a (NET)

[4] Judges 21:6 (NET)

[5] Judges 21:15 (NKJV)

[6] Exodus 32:14 (NET)

[7] Judges 21:7a (NET)

[8] Judges 21:1 (NET)

[9] Judges 21:7b, 8a (NET)

[10] Numbers 30:1b, 2 (NET)

[11] Judges 21:5b (NET)

[12] Judges 20:3a (NET)

[13] Judges 21:25b (NET)

[14] Judges 21:8b, 9 (NET)

[15] Judges 21:12a (NET)

[16] Judges 21:14 (NET)

[17] Judges 21:20, 21 (NET)

[18] Judges 21:23a (NET)

[19] Romans 3:10b-18 (NET)

[20] 1 Corinthians 13:7d (NET)

[21] 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NKJV)

[22] Romans 13:10 (NET)

[23] Romans 12:12 (NET)

[24] Romans 15:13 (NET)

[25] Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

[26] Acts 5:41 (NET) Table

[27] John 17:17 (NET)

[28] Hebrews 12:2a (NET)

[29] Mark 13:13b (NET)  I assume that this endurance is achieved by the patience (μακροθυμία) that is another aspect of the fruit of the Spirit not some act of will or human effort.

[30] “Syria jihadist ‘kills mother’ after she asked him to leave IS”

[31] Romans 5:1-5 (NET)

[32] Acts 2:38-42 (NET) Table1; Table2

Romans, Part 64

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I am considering Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer[1] as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.   In a previous essay I wrote, “Dear God, I hope she was dead,” of the Levite’s concubine as she was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house.[2]  That hope is probably not the hope Paul wrote of if Rejoice in hope described love rather than instituted a rule to obey because Love is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.[3]  I assume that chapter 19 of Judges related what happened in Gibeah and chapter 20 related what the Levite “explained” about what happened.  (But I don’t think I would make that assumption with any literature other than the Bible.)

Judges 19 (NET)

Judges 20 (NET)
Then the Israelites said, “Explain how this wicked thing happened!”  The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up…

Judges 20:3b-4a (NET)
So they traveled on, and the sun went down when they were near Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin.  They stopped there and decided to spend the night in Gibeah…They were having a good time…

Judges 19:14, 15a,:22a (NET)

 “I and my concubine stopped in Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin to spend the night.

Judges 20:4b (NET)

So far so good, there is substantial agreement between the two accounts.

Judges 19 (NET)

Judges 20 (NET)
…when suddenly some men (ʼı̂ysh, אנשי) of the city (ʽı̂yr, העיר), some good-for-nothings[4] (belı̂yaʽal, בליעל); literally, “sons of worthlessness”), surrounded the house and kept beating on the door.

Judges 19:22b (NET)

 “The leaders (baʽal, בעלי) of Gibeah attacked me and at night surrounded the house where I was staying.

Judges 20:5a (NET)

Here, some men of the city, some good-for-nothings became the leaders of Gibeah in the Levite’s retelling of the tale.  If this were two Gospel accounts I would tend to add them together to understand that some men of the city, some good-for-nothings were also the leaders of Gibeah.  I’m not so trusting at the end of Judges.  But there may be no discrepancy at all.

The King James translators chose men in place of leaders.  So did the translators of the Septuagint (ανδρες, a form of ἀνήρ).  Still, I applaud the NET translators for attempting to highlight the difference here.  The account in Judges 19 called them men (ʼı̂ysh, אנשי) twice (note 50) while the Levite called them baʽal.  I will suggest that the term may be more derogatory or facetious than leaders.

For fire went out from Heshbon, Moses quoted a proverb, a flame from the city of Sihon.  It has consumed Ar of Moab and the lords (baʽal, בעלי) of the high places of Arnon.[5]  The Lord God of Israel[6] spoke through Joshua: The leaders (baʽal, בעלי) of Jericho, as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, fought with you, but I handed them over to you.[7]

When Gideon with his three hundred men, exhausted, but still chasing the Midianites,[8] asked the people of Succoth for bread, The officials (śar, שׁרי) of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna.  So why should we give bread to your army?”[9] Gideon’s hungry men defeated Midian without their bread (Judges 8:13-17 NET):

Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass of Heres.  He captured a young man from Succoth and interrogated him.  The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth’s officials (śar, שׁרי) and city leaders (zâqên, זקניה)– seventy-seven men (ʼı̂ysh, איש) in all.  He approached the men (ʼı̂ysh, אנשי) of Succoth and said, “Look what I have!  Zebah and Zalmunna!  You insulted me, saying, ‘You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna.  So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’”  He seized the leaders (zâqên, זקני) of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men (ʼı̂ysh, אנשי) of Succoth with them.  He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men (ʼı̂ysh).

The officials, leaders and men of Succoth insulted Gideon and were punished for it, but not once were they called baʽal.  That epithet was reserved for the leaders (baʽal, בעלי) of Shechem,[10] who conspired with Abimelech to murder Gideon’s legitimate heirs (Judges 8:33-35 NET).

After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted (Septuagint: ἐξεπόρνευσαν, a form of ἐκπορνεύω) themselves to the Baals (baʽal, הבעלים).  They made Baal-Berith (baʽal berı̂yth,בעל ברית) their god (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, לאלהים).  The Israelites did not remain true to the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) their God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיהם), who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them.  They did not treat the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.

In other words, these baʽal worshippers were disloyal to God and his leadership.  The temple of Baal-Berith[11] even financed Abimelech’s rise to power.[12]  It makes me suspect that the Levite called the men of Gibeah baʽal (בעלי) to highlight their disloyalty and to indicate its source.

Judges 19 (NET)

Judges 20 (NET)
They said to the old man who owned (baʽal, בעל) the house, “Send out the man who came to visit you so we can have sex with (yâdaʽ, ונדענו) him.”

Judges 19:22c (NET)

 They wanted to kill (hârag, להרג) me…

Judges 20:5a (NET)

There is no usage of hârag (kill) to this point in the Bible that would lead me to believe that it could entail the euphemistic yâdaʽ (have sex with; literally, to know).  I would like to believe that the Levite felt some remorse, regret or at least some embarrassment that would cause him to avoid retelling his part in this story, but I can’t be fully convinced that I understand his motives.

Judges 19 (NET)

Judges 20 (NET)
The man who owned (baʽal, בעל) the house went outside and said to them, “No, my brothers!  Don’t do this wicked thing!  After all, this man is a guest in my house.  Don’t do such a disgraceful thing!  Here are my virgin daughter and my guest’s concubine.  I will send them out and you can abuse them and do to them whatever you like.  But don’t do such a disgraceful thing to this man!”

Judges 19:23, 24 (NET)

In the introduction of the tale the Levite didn’t tell—The man who owned (baʽal, בעל) the house—I find the denotation of baʽal.  The owner of an ox is baʽal (Exodus 21:28-32, 36).  If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it he is the owner of the pit; he is baʽal (Exodus 21:33, 34).  As the owner of an ox, so the owner of a donkey or of anything else is also baʽal (Exodus 21:34; 22:11-15).  So, of course, the owner of a house is baʽal (Exodus 22:8; Judges 19:22, 23).

Owned, Owner
Reference

NET

LXX
Exodus 21:28 …the owner (baʽal, ובעל) of the ox will be acquitted. κύριος
Exodus 21:29a …and its owner (baʽal, בבעליו) was warned… κυρίῳ
Exodus 21:29b …and the man (baʽal, בעליו) must be put to death (mûth, יומת). κύριος
Exodus 21:34a …the owner (baʽal, בעל) of the pit must repay the loss. κύριος
Exodus 21:34b He must give money to its owner (baʽal, לבעליו)… κυρίῳ
Exodus 21:36 …and its owner (baʽal, בעליו) did not take the necessary precautions… κυρίῳ
Exodus 22:8 …then the owner (baʽal, בעל) of the house will be brought before the judges (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, האלהים; Septuagint: ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ, “in the sight of God”)… κύριος
Exodus 22:11 …and its owner (baʽal, בעליו) will accept this… κύριος
Exodus 22:12 …he will pay its owner (baʽal, לבעליו). κυρίῳ
Exodus 22:14 …and it is hurt or dies when its owner (baʽal, בעליו) was not with it… κύριος
Exodus 22:15 If its owner (baʽal, בעליו) was with it… κύριος
Judges 19:22 They said to the old man who owned (baʽal, בעל) the house… κύριον
Judges 19:23 The man who owned (baʽal, בעל) the house went outside and said to them… κύριος

The owner of a woman was also baʽal.

Husband
Reference

NET

 Septuagint
Genesis 20:3 …for she is someone else’s (baʽal, בעל) wife (bâʽal, בעלת). συνῳκηκυῖα ἀνδρί
Exodus 21:22 …in accordance with what the woman’s husband (baʽal, בעל) demands of him… ἀνὴρ τῆς γυναικός
Leviticus 21:4[13] He must not defile himself as a husband (baʽal, בעל) among his people…

n/a
Deuteronomy 21:13 …you may have sexual relations (bôʼ, תבוא) with her and become her husband (baʽal, ובעלתה)… συνοικισθήσῃ αὐτῇ
Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man is caught having sexual relations (shâkab, שכב) with a married (bâʽal, בעלת) (baʽal, בעל) woman… συνῳκισμένης ἀνδρί
Deuteronomy 24:4 …her first husband (baʽal, בעלה) who divorced her is not permitted to remarry her… ἀνὴρ

By this reckoning the Levite was baʽal.  But surely yehôvâh, the creator and owner of everything, was also baʽal.  Suddenly it becomes easier to understand why ancient Israelites succumbed over and over again to baʽal worship, especially if the baʽal worshippers down the street practiced “sacred sex,” celebrating in worship things yehôvâh forbade.

Plead earnestly with your mother, yehôvâh spoke of Israel through the prophet Hosea years later, (for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband [ʼı̂ysh, אישה]), so that she might put an end to her adulterous (Septuagint: πορνείαν, a form of πορνεία) lifestyle, and turn away from her sexually immoral (Septuagint: μοιχείαν, a form of μοιχεία) behavior.[14]  However, in the future I will allure her, He promised.  I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.[15]

“At that time,” declares the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), “you will call, ‘My husband (ʼı̂ysh, אישי)’; you will never again call me, ‘My master (baʽălı̂y, בעלי).’  For I will remove the names of the Baal (baʽal, הבעלים) idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!”[16]

 

Judges 19 (NET)

Judges 20 (NET)
The men refused to listen to him, so the Levite grabbed (châzaq, ויחזק) his concubine and made her go outside.  They raped (yâdaʽ, וידעו) her and abused her all night long until morning.  They let her go at dawn.  The woman arrived back at daybreak and was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house where her master (ʼâdôn, אדוניה) was staying until it became light.

Judges 19:25, 26 (NET)

 …instead they abused my concubine so badly that she died (mûth, ותמת).

Judges 20:5b (NET)

Again the Levite’s version of the story is dramatically different from the account in Judges 19.  He didn’t mention his own involvement in his concubine’s rape or that she survived her ordeal.  Perhaps he didn’t know the latter, if she died during the night.  Though mûth, the Hebrew word translated died, can mean to kill or execute, the form here seems to be used of women who died of what we—with no access to the tree of life— consider “natural causes,”[17] or dead[18] animals.  As I wrote in a previous essay, I hope she died during the night but I’m not convinced that hope is in line with the truth.  Frankly, this particular Levite has given me no reason to trust his account.

The Hebrew word translated grabbed was translated persuaded in: His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded (châzaq, ויחזק) [the Levite] to stay with him for three days, and they ate and drank together, and spent the night there.[19]  Instead of grabbing her with his hands and thrusting her out of the door, the Levite may have persuaded his concubine to sacrifice herself.  I don’t know if he grabbed her or persuaded her.  If he persuaded her I don’t know how he persuaded her, but I want to consider the faith of Jephthah’s daughter and σκάνδαλα (a form of σκάνδαλον; stumbling blocks).

As I wrote before I never want to disparage her faith in any way, but how I use the description of her faith as Scripture could become a stumbling block to others.  If I use her faith as a searchlight to examine my own work,[20] expose my faithlessness and repent, Then [I] can take pride in [myself; that is, my own progress] and not compare [myself] with someone else.[21]  But if I used her faith as an example for young women to follow, to guilt them into acting against their own self-interests, I would have become[22] one of the judges with evil motives.[23]  And I would have turned the compelling childlike faith of Jephthah’s daughter into a stumbling block for other young women.

Judges 19 (NET)

Judges 20 (NET)
When he got home, he took a knife, grabbed (châzaq, ויחזק) his concubine, and carved her up into twelve pieces.  Then he sent the pieces throughout Israel.

Judges 19:29 (NET)

 I grabbed hold (ʼâchaz, ואחז) of my concubine and carved her up and sent the pieces throughout the territory occupied by Israel, because they committed such an unthinkable atrocity in Israel.   All you Israelites, make a decision here!”

Judges 20:6, 7 (NET)

I sincerely doubt that the Levite persuaded his concubine to be carved up into twelve pieces—dead or alive.

The first occurrence of châzaq, the Hebrew word translated grabbed, in this form (ויחזק) in the Old Testament described the grip a famine had on Egypt: The famine was severe (châzaq, ויחזק) throughout the land of Egypt.[24]  The most common usage by far described the grip yehôvâh had on Pharaoh’s heart: But the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) hardened (châzaq, ויחזק) Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) had predicted to Moses.[25]  It was used to describe the grip He had on the hearts of all the peoples dwelling in the land of Canaan during Joshua’s conquest: For it was of the LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה) to harden (châzaq, ויחזק) their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle…[26]  It was translated control in: The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) gave King Eglon of Moab control (châzaq, ויחזק) over Israel because they had done evil in the Lord’s (yehôvâh, יהוה) sight.[27]

The Levite also described his grip but with the functionally equivalent word ʼâchaz (ואחז): But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab (ʼâchaz, ואחז) [the snake] by the tail” – so he put out his hand and caught it (châzaq, ויחזק), and it became a staff in his hand…[28]  In a different form ʼâchaz described yehôvâh’s grip on judgment: I will sharpen my lightning-like sword, and my hand will grasp hold (ʼâchaz, ותאחז) of the weapon of judgment; I will execute vengeance on my foes, and repay those who hate me![29]  But ʼâchaz also described the capture of someone fleeing: When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured (ʼâchaz, ויאחזו) him.[30]

So perhaps both accounts agree in mentioning the firmness of the Levite’s grip as he carved up his concubine.  Or perhaps both accounts agree describing the effort he expended before he could carve up his resistant and unwilling concubine.  Frankly, I can’t tell.  But the brotherhood of four hundred thousand sword-wielding foot soldiers[31] responded as one man[32] to the Levite’s explanation (Judges 20:8-10 NET):

Not one of us will go home!  Not one of us will return to his house!  Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will attack the city as the lot dictates.  We will take ten of every group of a hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (and a hundred of every group of a thousand, and a thousand of every group of ten thousand) to get supplies for the army.  When they arrive in Gibeah of Benjamin they will punish them for the atrocity which they committed in Israel.

Romans, Part 65

Back to Romans, Part 67

[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

[2] Judges 19:26 (NET)

[3] 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NET)

[4] KJV: Belial.  See: “Belial, the Northern Crown Prince of Satanism”

[5] Numbers 21:28 (NET)

[6] Joshua 24:2 (NET)

[7] Joshua 24:11b (NET)

[8] Judges 8:4 (NET)

[9] Judges 8:6 (NET)

[10] Judges 9:2, 3, 6, 7, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 39, 46, 47

[11] http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Baal-berith.html#.VjwAqIKFNAg; https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0003_0_01776.html, http://www.angelfire.com/empire/serpentis666/Baal-Berith.html

[12] Judges 9:4 (NET)

[13] This is a special case.  The KJV translated baʽal (בעל) being a chief man, forcing God to call his own priests baʽal.  Though that is some powerful prophetic irony, I think the NIV translators grasped the sense of it better: He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself.  The priest may make himself unclean or defile himself for a dead close relative who is near to him: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, and his virgin sister… (Leviticus 21:2, 3 NET)

[14] Hosea 2:2 (NET)

[15] Hosea 2:14 (NET)

[16] Hosea 2:16, 17 (NET) Table1 Table2

[17] Genesis 23:2; 35:8, 19, 38:12; Numbers 20:1 (NET)

[18] Exodus 21:34, 36 (NET)

[19] Judges 19:4 (NET)

[20] Galatians 6:4, 5 (NET)

[21] Galatians 6:4 (NET)

[22] If the Levite persuaded his concubine this way, for instance, he made a distinction (διεκρίθητε, a form of διακρίνω) between himself—a holy Levite and a man—and his concubine—a sex slave and a woman.

[23] James 2:4 (NET)

[24] Genesis 41:56b (NET)

[25] Exodus 9:12 (NET) Also: Exodus 7:13, 22; 8:19; 9:35; 10:20, 27; 11:10; 14:8 (NET)

[26] Joshua 11:20a (KJV)

[27] Judges 3:12b (NET)

[28] Exodus 4:4 (NET)

[29] Deuteronomy 32:41 (NET)

[30] Judges 1:6a (NET)

[31] Judges 20:2 (NET)

[32] Judges 20:8 (NET) note 16

Romans, Part 63

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I am considering Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer,[1] as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.  The story of the Levite and his concubine in the book of Judges qualifies as ἀδικίᾳ that love is not glad about.  In the previous essay I wrote, “Dear God, I hope she was dead,” of the Levite’s concubine as she was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house.[2]  The problem with that hope is that the text doesn’t specify exactly when she died.

If my Mom found dog pee on the carpet she would rub the dog’s nose in it.  If that poor woman didn’t die from her injuries during the night I feel like my nose is being rubbed in the stench of the religious mind.

I’m trying to be mindful of our differing socializations, the Levite’s and mine.  John Wayne and Clint Eastwood would never send a woman out to face a pack of rapists.  “Women and children first” is second nature to me.  The Levite never heard Jesus’ teaching, What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.[3]  I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he could not know that sending his woman out to a pack of rapists defiled him infinitely more than any pack of rapists could ever hope to do to him (Matthew 15:18-20a NET).

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person.  For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality (πορνεῖαι, a form of πορνεία), theft, false testimony, slander.  These are the things that defile a person…

“Get up, let’s leave!”[4] the Levite said the next morning to the woman sprawled out on the doorstep of the house.

Perhaps his apparent coldness to the one who saved his ass—literally—is just my misunderstanding of an ancient Hebrew idiom.  I thought Jesus was terribly rude to his mother when He said, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.[5]  Jesus, his mother Mary and his disciples attended a wedding in Cana.  All Mary had said to Him was, “They have no wine left.”[6]  My mother argues that I’m wrong to hear rudeness in Jesus’ response, rather that I should hear the crosscurrents of the obligation an eldest son felt toward his widowed or abandoned mother, and a godly mother’s sense of obligation to push him out the door to accomplish whatever God had sent Him to accomplish instead.

“Whatever he tells you, do it,”[7] Mary told the servants.  Jesus did this [turned water into wine] as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee.  In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him,[8] and his quiet life, and hers, changed dramatically overnight.

If the Levite put the woman’s unresponsive but still breathing body on the donkey and went home,[9] his negligence alone made him culpable for her death.  Even a Samaritan, a pseudo-Jew, had more compassion on a total stranger who fell among robbers (Luke 10:34, 35 NET):

He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them.  Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’

This became the meaning of the law, love your neighbor as yourself,[10] when Jesus asked an expert in religious law, “Which of these three [the priest or the Levite who passed by on the others side,[11] or the Samaritan] do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”  The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.”  So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”[12]

If the woman was still alive when the Levite took a knife, grabbed his concubine, and carved her up into twelve pieces,[13] the reeking stench of the religious mind boggles the imagination, for she had become too tainted in his sight to serve any longer as his sex slave.  If this is the understanding I am meant to perceive from the text’s reticence to state with any precision when the woman died, I will suggest that law is required to create a religious monster of this magnitude.

Before the law Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, and as a result she has become pregnant.”[14]  The charge was true.  Tamar had removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil.  She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah.[15]  She did this so that men, one man in particular in fact, would think she was a prostitute.[16]

Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”[17]

While they were bringing her out, she sent word to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.”  Then she said, “Identify the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.”[18]

They were Judah’s, given in pledge to what he thought was a cult prostitute seated by the side of the road.  Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.”  He did not have sexual relations with her again.[19]

It’s a complicated tale involving Tamar’s social security, Judah’s superstition and Onanism (like Ananias and Sapphira-ism, e.g., lying to the Holy Spirit).  But before the law it was that easy for Judah to confess his own guilt and acquit Tamar.  After the law this Levite earned his place in a fiery hell.  And my own deliberations were so alarmingly like his.

I didn’t exactly grab my daughter and throw her out of the house to a pack of ravenous men.  I didn’t exactly fill her with the confidence that she could be loved by one man for an entire lifetime either.  I had my own σκάνδαλα (a form of σκάνδαλον; stumbling blocks) as he had his.  The Levite had Lot, a righteous man in anguish over the debauched lifestyle of lawless men[20] as his example.

Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with a man, Lot had said to a pack of ravenous men of Sodom.  Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please.  Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.[21]  The Levite’s host did essentially the same thing to save him: Here are my virgin daughter and my guest’s concubine, he said.  I will send them out and you can abuse them and do to them whatever you like.  But don’t do such a disgraceful thing to this man![22]

God spared Lot and his virgin daughters: So the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house as they shut the door.  Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, with blindness.[23]  In his own story the Levite played the role of the visitor.  He knew his host and his host’s daughter should be spared.  He knew he could not strike men blind.  So he did the only thing in his power to do: the Levite grabbed his concubine and made her go outside.[24]

My own deliberations during my second divorce, predicated largely on my own experiences during my first divorce, shared the Levite’s  myopia.  Not once did I consider, much less wait for, God’s miraculous intervention.  I deliberated and acted with only my own abilities in view, never considering the possibility of God’s graciousness, believing instead that I probably deserved to be punished with another divorce, and so, living up to that expectation of my religious mind.

I have written a lot about the Levite and virtually nothing about the men who threatened him and raped his concubine.  I relate to the Levite’s religious mind.  It is more difficult to relate to the men who surrounded the house where he and his concubine stayed.  To illustrate I’m reminded of a story told by artist Miru Kim in Esquire Magazine.

She takes beautiful, evocative photographs of deserted urban landscapes and ruins with either herself or her sister as the lone figure in the shot—nude.  She was photographing herself, alone in an abandoned train tunnel, when the vagrant who lived there returned.  A marginal man, underground, in the dark, far from any systems of social control, it was the perfect setting for a violent tragedy.  Miru Kim continues in her own words:

“I was so scared.  That was probably the scariest moment.  I saw a figure coming through the tunnel, and he didn’t have a flashlight or anything, so it was completely dark.  So I see this dark figure coming toward me, then I saw that it was just this old guy who looked pretty harmless, he just lived there.  So I dressed up and explained to him what I was doing — ‘I’m doing an art project, sorry to bother you’ — you know?  Because it’s like his house, you know?  So I told him, and he didn’t say much; he was just standing there like, Okay.  So I took off my clothes again and did it in front of him and he was kind of sitting in the picture, so I was like, ‘Do you mind moving forward out of the picture, please?’  And he was just sitting around watching, so I did my thing, then dressed up.  It was really filthy in there, real muddy, smelled like urine, and I was wiping off with baby wipes, and the guy was like, ‘Do you want my shirt to clean off?’  He looked probably sixty or so, I’m sure he’s younger than he looks, and really skinny.  He was really nice.  Afterward, we were sitting around talking about his life.  He kept on talking about Rikers Island, and that he likes it down there because it’s quiet.  I told him I liked that, too.  And then he was like, ‘Let me walk you out.’  He thanked me for treating him like a regular person.”

I understand this art lover.  I relate to this lover of women.  He is my brother.  The mob that surrounded the house in Gibeah seems like cartoon evil to me.  This is how old men portray the enemy to young men when they want them to fight their wars for them.

I recognize the humanity of the men in Sodom primarily by their religious minds.  Lot offended their moral sensibilities: “Out of our way!” they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, and now he dares to judge us!  We’ll do more harm to you than to them!”[25]  The men of Benjamin were given no such cover.  They were like irrational animals – creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed.[26]

I played a week-long gig in an army town about forty years ago.  When we finished the first night we had to excuse ourselves between two lines of soldiers wound all the way around our hotel.  They awaited their turn for two women side by side on their backs in another hotel room.  I had been in locker rooms in high school.  I can at least extrapolate from that experience what kind of macho-anti-masturbatory-group-think might possess a young man to pay for the privilege to be third, fifth (?), eleventh (?), thirty-second (?), fifty-third (?) in one of those lines.  I can’t find any experience to extrapolate from to get anywhere near the vigilantes (?) enforcing social norms (?) in Sodom or the welcoming committee (?) in Gibeah.

“Warm Bodies” is an interesting movie.  It might have been a great film if it weren’t narrated from the wrong point of view with unnecessary voiceovers.  A zombie eats a man’s brains.  This allows him to see the man’s thoughts and feel his feelings.  He falls in love with the man’s girlfriend.  It’s not a sexual or romantic love, though there is a humorous bit where he attempts to comb his hair before assuring her in labored speech and pantomime that he will not eat her.  “Keep you safe,” is his constant refrain.  And he lives up to his word, not eating her himself and defending her from other zombies who would.

Eventually the mob in Gibeah came face-to-face with a woman.  Like the vagrant in the abandoned train tunnel or the zombie in “Warm Bodies” they had an opportunity to see themselves in her frightened eyes and repent, but they gang-raped her instead.  To say that they deserved to die implies moral reasoning and social systems of adjudication.  The instinct to exterminate these men is more basic than that.  It is the instinct, perhaps, which binds us together as a brotherhood of men.  And the Levite’s macabre missive mustered four hundred thousand of the brotherhood.

A town in which most people are filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit can afford one fat, lazy sheriff.  The image and meaning of the good in that town will be some aspect(s) of the citizens’ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control.  A town in which most people are not filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit must fund at least three shifts of virile nazis.  The image and meaning of the good in that town will be those virile nazis.  As Robin (Anne Heche) in “Six Days Seven Nights” replied to Quinn (Harrison Ford), who thought women preferred a man who was in touch with his feminine side: “Well, not when they’re being chased by pirates.  They like them mean and armed!”

Romans, Part 64

Back to Romans, Part 65

Back to Romans, Part 66

[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

[2] Judges 19:26 (NET)

[3] Matthew 15:11 (NET)

[4] Judges 19:28 (NET)

[5] John 2:4 (KJV)

[6] John 2:3 (NET)

[7] John 2:5 (NET)

[8] John 2:11 (NET)

[9] Judges 19:28 (NET)

[10] Leviticus 19:18 (NET) Table

[11] Luke 10:31, 32 (NET)

[12] Luke 10:36, 37 (NET)

[13] Judges 19:29 (NET)

[14] Genesis 38:24a (NET)

[15] Genesis 38:14 (NET)

[16] Genesis 38:15a (NET)

[17] Genesis 38:24b (NET)

[18] Genesis 38:25 (NET)

[19] Genesis 38:26 (NET)

[20] 2 Peter 2:7 (NET)

[21] Genesis 19:8 (NET)

[22] Judges 19:24 (NET)

[23] Genesis 19:10, 11a (NET)

[24] Judges 19:25b (NET)

[25] Genesis 19:9a (NET)

[26] 2 Peter 2:12a (NET)

Romans, Part 61

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I’m continuing to look at Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer,[1] as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.  I’m still focusing on the injustice (ἀδικίᾳ, a form of ἀδικία) love is not glad (or, does not rejoice)[2] about.  Two different things are revealed (ἀποκαλύπτεται, a form of ἀποκαλύπτω) in the first chapter of Romans.

Two Revelations
For the righteousness (δικαιοσύνη) of God is revealed in the gospel…

Romans 1:17a (NET)

 For the wrath (ὀργὴ, a form of ὀργή) of God is revealed from heaven…

Romans 1:18a (NET)
…from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous (δίκαιος) by faith will live.”

Romans 1:17b (NET)

 …against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (ἀδικίαν, a form of ἀδικία) of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness (ἀδικίᾳ, a form of ἀδικία)…

Romans 1:18b (NET)

But I didn’t always think of these as two different things.  As I became an atheist, though I doubt that I actually thought through these particular verses, I believed that God’s righteousness was God’s wrath, at least it was the nexus where his righteousness impacted human beings.

I returned from atheism to a semblance of faith believing that the wrath (e.g., God’s righteousness) I had not experienced had been deferred to a later time, the end, the Revelation (Ἀποκάλυψις, a form of ἀποκάλυψις).  With this idea in mind I thought the wrath of God…revealed from heaven was some unspecified vengeance against every kind of unrighteousness (ἀδικίᾳ), wickedness, covetousness, malice.  They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility.  They are gossips [Table], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless [Table].[3]

No matter what the Scripture said I wouldn’t or couldn’t hear that God’s wrath revealed from heaven was that God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.[4]  It was beyond my powers of comprehension that He did this so that they are filled with every kind of unrighteousness (ἀδικίᾳ), wickedness, covetousness, malice.  They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility.  They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless.

As long as I refused to believe that it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy,[5] I couldn’t fathom the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God;[6] namely, that God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.[7]  I couldn’t reason that if in his wrath He hands people over to every kind of ἀδικίᾳ, in his non-wrathful state he keeps us from that same ἀδικίᾳ.  And I didn’t perceive that the true nexus of the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel is his love in us,[8] the love that is the fulfillment of the law,[9] the fruit of his Spirit.[10]

Half a millennium or so before Paul penned his letter to the Romans ἀδικίᾳ was a Greek goddess.  “There is also a chest made of cedar, Pausanias wrote, “with figures on it, some of ivory, some of gold, others carved out of the cedar-wood itself.  It was in this chest that Cypselus, the tyrant of Corinth, was hidden by his mother when the Bacchidae were anxious to discover him after his birth.  In gratitude for the saving of Cypselus, his descendants, Cypselids as they are called, dedicated the chest at Olympia.”[11]  Carved on the chest are the figures of a “beautiful woman…punishing an ugly one, choking her with one hand and with the other striking her with a staff.  It is Justice [δίκη] who thus treats Injustice [ἀδικίᾳ].”[12]

I’ll explore some sayings about δίκη (Dike) as a revelation of the religious mind, making no attempt to distinguish the creative reasoning of human beings from lying spirits.[13]  “Next he [Zeus] led away bright Themis (Divine Law),” Hesiod wrote, “who bare the Horai (Horae, Seasons), and Eunomia (Good Order), Dike (Justice), and blooming Eirene (Peace), who mind the works of mortal men.”[14]  “[S]he sits beside her father, Zeus the son of Kronos (Cronus), and tells him of men’s wicked heart, until the people pay for the mad folly of their princes who, evilly minded, pervert judgement and give sentence crookedly.”[15]

The latter saying sounds more like Satan the accuser than justice (Revelation 12:7-10 NET):

Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels.  So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan (Σατανᾶς), who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth,[16] and his angels along with him.  Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come, because the accuser (κατήγωρ, a form of κατηγορέω) of our brothers and sisters, the one who accuses (κατηγορῶν, another form of κατηγορέω) them day and night before our God, has been thrown down.”

Perhaps δίκη gives a glimpse into how Satan perceives himself.  It certainly gives me a different impression of Plato’s eulogy:  “With [Zeus],” Plato wrote in Laws, “followeth Dike (Justice), as avenger of them that fall short of the divine law; and she, again, is followed by every man who would fain be happy, cleaving to her with lowly and orderly behavior…”[17]  It sounds like a revelation of Satan’s own longing and ambition.  “To thee revenge the punishment belong, chastising every deed unjust and wrong” says the Orphic Hymn 62 to Dike.[18]  This is essentially the meaning of δίκη in the New Testament (Acts 28:3, 4 NET).

When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.  When the local people saw the creature hanging from Paul’s hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer!  Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice (δίκη; KJV: vengeance) herself has not allowed him to live!”

Even when the goddess is forgotten the noun δίκη retains her meaning and purpose (2 Thessalonians 1:8-10a; Jude 1:6, 7 NET).

With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will undergo the penalty (δίκην, a form of δίκη; KJV: punished) of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed…

You also know that the angels who did not keep within their proper domain but abandoned their own place of residence, he has kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up for the judgment of the great Day.  So also Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns, since they indulged in sexual immorality (ἐκπορνεύσασαι, a form of ἐκπορνεύω) and pursued unnatural desire in a way similar to these angels, are now displayed as an example by suffering the punishment (δίκην, a form of δίκη; KJV: vengeance) of eternal fire.

Philostratus tired of δίκη or the inability of vengeance to produce righteousness in, or secure justice among, human beings: “I am sure that Dike (Justice) will appear in a very ridiculous light; for having been appointed by Zeus and by the Moirai (Fates) to prevent men being unjust to one another, she has never been able to defend herself against injustice.”  In the New Testament δίκη has nothing to do with overcoming ἀδικία in human beings.  Rather, God’s mercy and his love in us through faith in Jesus’ faithfulness crucifies our ἀδικίαν (a form of ἀδικία) and resurrects our new lives into his righteousness through the death and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 7:5, 6 NET).

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.

For this reason we also, Paul wrote the Colossians, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of all patience and steadfastness, joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.  He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves…[19]

The word translated righteousness in—the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel—is δικαιοσύνη (Dikaiosyne), not a goddess but a daimona (δαίμων[20]).  “In the ancient Greek religion, daimon designates not a specific class of divine beings, but a peculiar mode of activity: it is an occult power that drives humans forward or acts against them: since daimon is the veiled countenance of divine activity, every deity can act as daimon…”[21]  The Orphic Hymn 63 says, “O blessed Dikaiosyne, mankind’s delight, the eternal friend of conduct just and right: abundant, venerable, honoured maid, to judgements pure dispensing constant aid, and conscience stable, and an upright mind…”[22]

To the religious mind Dikaiosyne merely dispenses “aid.”  Of course in the New Testament the daimon does not merely “aid” but possesses and takes control, not for anything resembling righteousness: two demon-possessed (δαιμονιζόμενοι, a form of δαιμονίζομαι) men coming from the tombs met [Jesus].  They were extremely violent, so that no one was able to pass by that way.[23]  As Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man from the town met him who was possessed[24] by demons (δαιμόνια, a form of δαιμόνιον).  For a long time this man had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among the tombs.[25]

Ancient Greeks were not unaware of these phenomena, they attributed them to κακοδαίμων: “The Hellenistic Greeks divided daemons into good and evil categories: agathodaimōn (ἀγαθοδαίμων “noble spirit”), from agathós (ἀγαθός “good, brave, noble, moral, lucky, useful”), and kakódaimōn (κακοδαίμων “malevolent spirit”), from kakós (κακός “bad, evil”).”[26]  I assume this determination was made according to how well the daemons’ activities corresponded to the determiner’s own desires: the κακοδαίμων thwarted as the ἀγαθοδαίμων aided those desires.  The derivation of δαίμων is “From δαίω daiō (to distribute fortunes)” according to Strong’s Concordance.

To the religious mind Dikaiosyne dispenses “aid” to those who make pure judgments.  I’m reminded of Peter’s surprise that Cornelius summoned him because an angel appeared and told him to do so: I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.[27]  That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,[28] –I have not come to call the righteous (δικαίους, a form of δίκαιος), but sinners to repentance,[29] –is a difficult truth for the religious mind to accept.

It is the truth suppressed by unrighteousness (ἀδικίᾳ).  The religious mind jealously guards its own righteousness as its own peculiar possession.  In my opinion Paul experienced a theological crisis[30] over this trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance, and we read the Holy Spirit’s solution to that crisis when we read his letter to the Romans (Romans 3:5-9 NKJV).

But if our unrighteousness (ἀδικία) demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust (ἄδικος) who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)  Certainly not!  For then how will God judge the world?  For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?  And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.  What then?  Are we better than they?  Not at all.  For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

All unrighteousness (ἀδικίᾳ) is sin…[31]  God will reward each one according to his works…wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness (ἀδικίᾳ).[32]  The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, and with every kind of evil (ἀδικίας, another form of ἀδικία) deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.  Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.  And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil (ἀδικίᾳ) will be condemned.[33]  

What shall we say then?  Is there injustice (ἀδικία) with God?  Absolutely not!  For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”  So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.[34]

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.  Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.  For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.[35]

This gives me a fairly extensive idea of the truth love rejoices about and the ἀδικία it does not.  Love is not glad about injustice (ἀδικίᾳ), but rejoices in the truth.[36]  Do not extinguish the Spirit,[37] Paul wrote the Thessalonians.  I will suggest that the quickest way to extinguish the Spirit is to take credit for his fruit or to believe that his fruit is anything but the gift of righteousness.[38]  [W]hen the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior.[39]

I’ll continue in the next essay.

Romans, Part 62

Back to Romans, Part 65

[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

[2] 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NASB)

[3] Romans 1:29-31 (NET)

[4] Romans 1:28b (NET)

[5] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

[6] Romans 11:33a (NET)

[7] Romans 11:32 (NET)

[8] John 17:26 (NET)

[9] Romans 13:10b (NET)

[10] Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

[11] Pausanias’ description of the Chest of Kypselos and other items at Olympia

[12] Pausanias’ description of the Chest of Kypselos and other items at Olympia

[13] 1 Kings 22:19-23; 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4; Ephesians 2:1-3 (NET)

[14] http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/HoraDike.html

[15] ibid

[16] I am very confused whether this is still future are already past: Then the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!”  So he said to them, “I saw Satan (σατανᾶν, a form of Σατανᾶς) fall like lightning from heaven.” (Luke 10:17, 18 NET)

[17] http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/HoraDike.html

[18] ibid

[19] Colossians 1:9-13 (NET)

[20] Then the demons (δαίμονες, a form of δαίμων) begged him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” (Matthew 8:31 NET)

[21] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(classical_mythology)

[22] http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Dikaiosyne.html

[23] Matthew 8:28 (NET)

[24] ἔχων [2192] δαιμόνια (literally, “had demons”)

[25] Luke 8:27 (NET)

[26] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(classical_mythology)

[27] Acts 10:34, 35 (NET)

[28] 1 Timothy 1:15 (NET)

[29] Luke 5:32 (NET)

[30] https://religiousmind.net/2012/10/07/romans-part-23/; https://religiousmind.net/2012/08/04/romans-part-7/; https://religiousmind.net/2012/06/12/pauls-religious-mind/; https://religiousmind.net/2013/04/17/romans-part-42/

[31] 1 John 5:17a (NET)

[32] Romans 2:6, 8 (NET)

[33] 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NET)

[34] Romans 9:14-16 (NET)

[35] Romans 11:29-32 (NET)

[36] 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NET)

[37] 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (NET)

[38] Romans 5:17 (NET)

[39] Titus 3:4-6 (NET)

Romans, Part 60

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Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.[1]  I want to look at this as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.  To begin I’ve made the following table.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

Joy (χαρὰ)
I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.

John 15:11 (NET)

 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride on your behalf.  I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in the midst of all our suffering.

2 Corinthians 7:4 (NET)
Love (ἀγάπη) is…

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)

 …not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NET)

 

[Love] hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:7b (NET)
And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

Matthew 18:13 (NET)

 Returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Luke 15:6 (NET)

 Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:17 (NET)
This Love Without Hypocrisy…

Romans 12:9-21 (NET)

 Rejoice (χαίροντες, a form of χαίρω) in hope (ἐλπίδι, a form of ἐλπίς), endure (ὑπομένοντες, a form of ὑπομένω) in suffering (θλίψει, a form of θλίψις)…

Romans 12:12a (NET)

 …persist (προσκαρτεροῦντες, a form of προσκαρτερέω) in prayer.

Romans 12:12b (NET)
So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

Acts 5:41 (NET) Table

 

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 (NET)

 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Mark 13:13b (NET)[2]

 

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 (NET)

 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 2:42 (NET)

The Greek word translated rejoice is χαίροντες (a form of χαίρω).  The aspect of the fruit of the Spirit that fulfills this rejoicing is joy (χαρὰ).  Joy (χαρά) and gladness will come to you,[3] an angel of the Lord prophesied to Zechariah the priest.  He and his wife Elizabeth did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.[4]  Zechariah…your prayer has been heard, the angel said, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John.[5]

Clearly χαρά was used to name this ordinary joy, but I won’t spend much time on that.  I don’t have any problem rejoicing when I get my way, when I get what I want.  To rejoice in hope indicates that I rejoice prior to that time.  For the joy (χαρᾶς, a form of χαρά) set out for him [Jesus] endured (ὑπέμεινεν, a form of ὑπομένω) the cross, disregarding its shame.[6]

I’ve misunderstood this verse often enough, thinking that joy was simply a euphemism for a seat at the right hand of the throne of God.[7]  And so, enduring difficulties was a rational calculation based on faith in a given outcome (e.g., I can endure the University because in the end I will get a degree and a higher paying job).  I have no real reason to ignore faith (πίστις) here.  Faith is another aspect of the fruit of Christ’s Spirit.  But I’m not a fun guy to be around when I’m enduring difficult circumstances by faith in a rational outcome.  And I certainly won’t do any rejoicing until I get what I want.

More to the point, perhaps, a seat at the right hand of the throne of God offered Jesus no upward mobility: And now, Father, He prayed, glorify me at your side with the glory I had with you before the world was created.[8]  It was simply a matter of getting back to where He belonged, not much incentive to endure the cross, disregarding its shame.  It leads me to believe that the joy set out for him was much more than a euphemism for something else.

I have told you these things so that my joy (χαρὰ) may be in you, and your joy (χαρὰ) may be complete (πληρωθῇ, a form of πληρόω).[9]  Here is a statement, if I will hear it, that the joy set out for Jesus may be in me, and his joy will πληρωθῇ (or, fulfill) my joy.  Interestingly, this statement resides in a passage about bearing fruit (John 15:5, 7-9 NET Table).

I am the vine; you are the branches.  The one who remains in me – and I in him – bears much fruit (καρπὸν, a form of καρπός), because apart from me you can accomplish nothing…If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.  My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit (καρπὸν, a form of καρπός) and show that you are my disciples.  Just as the Father has loved (ἠγάπησεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) me, I have also loved (ἠγάπησα, another form of ἀγαπάω) you; remain in my love (ἀγάπῃ, a form of ἀγάπη).

But the fruit (καρπὸς) of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy (χαρὰ), peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (πίστις), gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.[10]  I would love to say that I heard these words and was transformed by them.  But what I heard was, If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.[11]  And I reasoned that there was no way around it, a sinner like I am must man-up and out-Pharisee the Pharisees or burn[12] in hell for all eternity: For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.[13]

Failing that, I heard, My commandment is this – to love (ἀγαπᾶτε, another form of ἀγαπάω) one another just as I have loved (ἠγάπησα, another form of ἀγαπάω) you.[14]  Eureka!  I found it, I thought.  A sinner like I am can’t out-Pharisee the Pharisees by trying to keep rules; a sinner like I am out-Pharisees the Pharisees by trying to love like Jesus: Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong to a neighbor.  Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment (πλήρωμα) of the law.[15]

No one has greater love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη) than this, Jesus continued, that one lays down his life for his friends.[16]  As a hypocrite I thought like an actor: I should imitate Jesus’ love.  Failing that, I began to hear again (John 15:14-17 NET).

You are my friends if you do what I command you.  I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand (οἶδεν, a form of εἴδω) what his master is doing.  But I have called you friends, because I have revealed (ἐγνώρισα, a form of γνωρίζω) to you everything I heard from my Father.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit (καρπὸν, a form of καρπός), fruit (καρπὸς) that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  This I command you – to love (ἀγαπᾶτε, another form of ἀγαπάω) one another.

There it was again, to go and bear fruit.  Okay, if imitation isn’t the sincerest form of flattery, what do You want?  to love one another just as I have loved you.  How did You love?  I made known your name to them, Jesus prayed to his Father, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love (ἀγάπη) you have loved (ἠγάπησας, another form of ἀγαπάω) me with may be in them, and I may be in them.[17]   But the fruit (καρπὸς) of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη)…[18]

There it was, hiding in plain sight.  It wasn’t a “modern” translation: And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.[19]  It was there from the beginning of the translation of the Bible into English.  Why was it so difficult to hear?  Why did I doubt it?  My answer to that question is the religious mind.  There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death.[20]

I have great confidence (παρρησία, a form of παῤῥησία) in you; I take great pride (καύχησις) on your behalf, [21] Paul wrote the Corinthians.  The confidence he wrote about was a “freedom in speaking” an “unreservedness in speech,” according to the definition of παρρησία in the NET.  I think this refers to the boasting he wrote about later in the same letter: I keep boasting (καυχῶμαι, a form of καυχάομαι) to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.[22]

What really interests me in this context is what he wrote next:  I am filled with encouragement (παρακλήσει, a form of παράκλησις); I am overflowing with joy (χαρᾷ, a form of χαρὰ) in the midst of all our suffering (θλίψει, a form of θλίψις).[23]  So even as he was concerned whether the Corinthians’ haste would be timely enough—if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated[24]—he was overflowing with the joy set out for Jesus.  The Greek word παρακλήσει (a form of παράκλησις) translated encouragement relates to the παράκλητος as κλητός relates to κλῆσις and καλέω.  But the Advocate (παράκλητος), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.[25]

Love (ἀγάπη) is not glad (χαίρει, another form of χαίρω) about injustice.[26]  I’ll spend some time here focused on the injustice (ἀδικίᾳ, a form of ἀδικία) love is not glad (or, does not rejoice)[27] about (ἐπὶ, a form of ἐπί).  The person who speaks on his own authority, Jesus said, desires to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness (ἀδικία) in him.[28]  In Greek it reads, ὁ ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ λαλῶν τὴν δόξαν τὴν ἰδίαν ζητεῖ (literally, “this from himself speaks the honor his own seeks”).

I realize Jesus is the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him…a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness in him..  Still, I find some guidance here for Bible study.  School is easy if you seek to make good grades.  All that stuff the professor jabbers on about all semester is the answer to the questions on the tests.  Remember it, feed it back, get a good grade.  The kiss of death is to actually become interested in the subject matter.  When that happens to me I get my own ideas about the questions and their answers, and I tend to speak from myself.  In other words, I disagree with the professor’s answers to his or her own questions on tests.

The academic alternative to speaking from myself is to quote recognized authorities.  That’s how I began my Bible study adventure.  But eventually it dawned on me that the Ἰουδαίοις (a form of  Ἰουδαῖος) did that faithfully.  The problem with that procedure was that Jesus appeared and declared their recognized authorities wrong.

Matthew Mark
Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said, “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders?  For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.”

Matthew 15:1, 2 (NET)

 

 The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed hands?”

Mark 7:5 (NET)
He answered them, “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

Matthew 15:3 (NET)

 He also said to them, “You neatly reject the commandment of God in order to set up your tradition.

Mark 7:9 (NET)
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’  But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” he does not need to honor his father.’  You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition.

Matthew 15:4-6 (NET)

 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’  But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you would have received from me is corban’ (that is, a gift for God), then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother.  Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.  And you do many things like this.”

Mark 7:10-13 (NET)
Hypocrites!  Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Matthew 15:7-9 (NET)

 He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’

Mark 7:6, 7 (NET)
Having no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.”

Mark 7:8 (NET)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.[29]  On the surface it sounds like a simple enough works religion, until I hear one of his judgments: On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ [Table] Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you.  Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’[30]

What’s a sinner saved by grace to do?  My best answer to date is, be a sinner saved by grace.  Yes, I’m speaking from myself as opposed to quoting recognized authorities.  But I’m not seeking honor for me.  I am seeking honor for Jesus and his Father, Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God – he has seen the Father.[31]  Still Jesus said, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.[32]  I have come to Jesus.[33]  I’m not entirely comfortable saying I am a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness (ἀδικία) in me, except in that sense that Paul wrote about of faith in the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.[34]   I am on that path.

I’ll pick this up again in the next essay.

[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

[2] Also: Matthew 10:22; 24:13 (NET)

[3] Luke 1:14a (NET)

[4] Luke 1:7 (NET)

[5] Luke 1:13 (NET)

[6] Hebrews 12:2b (NET)

[7] Hebrews 12:2c (NET)

[8] John 17:5 (NET)

[9] John 15:11 (NET)

[10] Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

[11] John 15:10 (NET)

[12] John 15:6 (NET)

[13] Matthew 5:20 (NET)

[14] John 15:12 (NET)

[15] Romans 13:10 (NET)

[16] John 15:13 (NET)

[17] John 17:26 (NET)

[18] Galatians 5:22a (NET)

[19] John 17:26 (KJV)

[20] Proverbs 14:12 (NET)

[21] 2 Corinthians 7:4a (NET)

[22] 2 Corinthians 9:2b (NET)

[23] 2 Corinthians 7:4b (NET)

[24] 2 Corinthians 9:4 (NET)

[25] John 14:26 (NET)

[26] 1 Corinthians 13:6a (NET)

[27] 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NASB)

[28] John 7:18 (NET)

[29] 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NET)

[30] Matthew 7:22, 23 (NET)

[31] John 6:46 (NET)

[32] John 6:44a (NET)

[33] modus ponens

[34] Romans 4:17b (NET)

Romans, Part 52

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So how can I view, Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good,[1] and what follows as a definition of love rather than as rules?  I’ve constructed the following table to help.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

Goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη)
…for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness (ἀγαθωσύνῃ), righteousness, and truth (ἀληθείᾳ) – trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.[2]
Love (ἀγάπη) is…

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)

 …not glad about injustice (ἀδικίᾳ)…

1 Corinthians 13:6a (NET)

 …but rejoices (συγχαίρει, a form of συγχαίρω) in the truth (ἀληθείᾳ).

1 Corinthians 13:6b (NET)
The person who speaks on his own authority desires to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness (ἀδικία) in him.[3]
This Love Without Hypocrisy…

Romans 12:9-21 (NET)

 Abhor (ἀποστυγοῦντες, a form of ἀποστυγέω) what is evil (πονηρόν, a form of πονηρός)…

Romans 12:9b (NET)

 …cling (κολλώμενοι, a form of κολλάω) to what is good (ἀγαθῷ, a form of ἀγαθός).

Romans 12:9c (NET)

While it makes some sense to place cling to what is good (ἀγαθῷ) under goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη), there is also a certain arbitrariness to subdividing a multivariate unity like the fruit of the Spirit.  Why not place rejoices (συγχαίρει) in the truth under joy (χαρά)?  I have no argument against that at all.  I wholeheartedly believe that the motivating power (both to will and to do)[4] is the fruit of Christ’s Spirit.  I rejoice in the truth because of his joy flowing in and through me.  And I’ve clearly walked everything through love (ἀγάπη; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NET) as well.  What is most important to me is the direction of flow, that I abhor what is evil and cling to what is good by God’s goodness, not my own.

I used to work this backwards.  I believed that if I gathered a list of all that is evil and abhorred it, if I gathered a list of all that is good and clung to it, then I would be a man of integrity who desired to honor God.  And if I was not glad about injustice but rejoiced in the truth, then I would be walking as a child of the light, and I would have achieved the fruit of the Spirit, the very Goodness of God.  I would have climbed up sunshine mountain.[5]  Though I now consider this adultery, even a super πορνεία, and precisely what Jesus meant when he called the Pharisees hypocrites, I didn’t know any better then.  My only alternative in the futility of my thinking[6] was to say, “No, I won’t do any of those things.”

Though I could see no alternative to obeying rules in my mind, I felt it in my heart and in my spirit.  I had moments, brief, precious God-given moments of unbounded grace, when I could do no wrong, effortlessly.  Why did they end? I wondered.  And so I studied the Bible for more rules to obey.  But despite my best efforts to remain blind and unthinking, God’s light shone through.  His love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness and his firm control[7] began to take its toll on my recalcitrant mind, and renew it.

Now I see even with my mind, that if I abhor what is evil and cling to what is good, it is due to his goodness.  If I am not glad about injustice but rejoice in the truth, it is due to his love and joy.  If I walk as a child of the light it demonstrates his righteousness, not mine.  It is his gift received by faith.  For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ![8]  Now I can look back and see that even the point of that silly little song was to “Look to God on High,” but my religious mind tried to keep me blind—tried and failed because eventually I learned to stop trying to do and started believing.

John’s words are an excellent transition to believe into the next definition of love in Paul’s letter to the Romans, Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.[9]

I am writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of his name.  I am writing to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning.  I am writing to you, young people, that you have conquered the evil one (πονηρόν).  I have written to you, children, that you have known the Father.  I have written to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning.  I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one (πονηρόν).[10]
The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

Kindness (χρηστότης)
But “when the kindness (χρηστότης) of God our Savior and his love for mankind (φιλανθρωπία) appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy (ἔλεος), through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior.”[11]
Love (ἀγάπη) is…

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)

 …kind (χρηστεύεται, a form of χρηστεῦομαι)…

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NET)

 …it is not envious (ζηλοῖ, a form of ζηλόω).

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NET)
But the Jews became jealous (Ζηλώσαντες, a form of ζηλόω), and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar.[12]They court you eagerly (ζηλοῦσιν, another form of ζηλόω), but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly (ζηλοῦτε, another form of ζηλόω).  However, it is good to be sought eagerly (ζηλοῦσθαι, another form of ζηλόω) for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you.[13]
This Love Without Hypocrisy…

Romans 12:9-21 (NET)

 Be devoted (φιλαδελφίᾳ, a form of φιλαδελφία) to one another with mutual love (φιλόστοργοι, a form of φιλόστοργος)…

Romans 12:10a (NET)

 …showing eagerness (προηγούμενοι, a form of προηγέομαι) in honoring (τιμῇ, a form of τιμή) one another.

Romans 12:10b (NET)
Now on the topic of brotherly love (φιλαδελφίας, a form of φιλαδελφία) you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love (ἀγαπᾶν, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another.  And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia.  But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.  In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.[14]

So I began here with John’s good and kind and gracious words that I may cling to them and rejoice in their truth: 1) your sins have been forgiven because of his name; 2) you have known him who has been from the beginning, 3) you have conquered the evil one [whether that be Satan or the sin in my own flesh]; 4) you have known the Father; 5) you have known him who has been from the beginning [and it is good to hear it again]; 6) you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

This kindness (χρηστότης), an aspect of the fruit of his Spirit, is from God: when the kindness (χρηστότης) of God our Savior and his love for mankind (φιλανθρωπία) appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy (ἔλεος), through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior.  And so, love is kind (χρηστεύεται), it is not envious (ζηλοῖ, a form of ζηλόω).

It’s worth the time to try to grasp what Paul meant by negating ζηλοῖ here, because he often used forms of ζηλόω in a more positive sense.  I am jealous (ζηλῶ, another form of ζηλόω) for you with godly jealousy (ζήλῳ, a form of ζῆλος), because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.[15]  He encouraged the Corinthians to be eager (ζηλοῦτε, another form of ζηλόω) for the greater gifts,[16] to Pursue love and be eager (ζηλοῦτε) for the spiritual gifts,[17] to be eager (ζηλοῦτε) to prophesy, and do not forbid anyone from speaking in tongues.[18]  But he was well aware of the jealousy of the religious mind (Acts 17:1-5a NET).

After they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.  Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed them from the scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”  Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.  But the Jews became jealous (Ζηλώσαντες, a form of ζηλόω), and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar.

They court you eagerly (ζηλοῦσιν, another form of ζηλόω), but for no good purpose,[19] Paul wrote the Galatians.  The word translated good in for no good purpose is καλῶς, literally beautifully.  Paul used it often in an edgy almost sarcastic way.  Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”  Granted (καλῶς)!  They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith.  Do not be arrogant, but fear![20]  For you are certainly giving thanks well (καλῶς), he wrote to the one who speaks in a tongue[21] but does not interpret, but the other person is not strengthened.[22]  For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough (καλῶς)![23]

I think this same edginess comes into play here in Galatians as Paul hit on the primary motive of the religious mind’s jealousy: they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly (ζηλοῦτε, another form of ζηλόω).[24]  Then he explained the difference between a positive and negative ζηλόω.  However, it is good (καλὸν, a form of καλός) to be sought eagerly (ζηλοῦσθαι, another form of ζηλόω) for a good (καλῷ, another form of καλός) purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you.[25]  The words translated good here, καλὸν and καλῷ, are forms of καλός, beautiful literally, “goodness” in appearance.  It is a beautiful image of the difference between attempting to be good by one’s own efforts and relying on the intrinsic goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη) of God.  For I know that nothing good (ἀγαθόν, a form of ἀγαθός) lives in me, Paul wrote the Romans, that is, in my flesh.  For I want to do the good (καλὸν, a form of καλός), but I cannot do it.[26]  The religious works of the religious mind lack the ἀγαθωσύνη of God (and probably his χρηστότης as well).

And so Paul’s description of love is to Be devoted (φιλαδελφίᾳ, brotherly affection) to one another with mutual love (φιλόστοργοι, familial affection), showing eagerness (προηγούμενοι, lead the way) in honoring (τιμῇ, or valuing) one another.[27]  This is what John did with the words that I used to begin this section.  And this is what Paul did: Now on the topic of brotherly love (φιλαδελφίας) you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love (ἀγαπᾶν) one another.  And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia.  But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more…[28] 

What follows is interesting as a regional/cultural difference or Paul’s personal taste or something gleaned from experience.  In Jerusalem God’s kindness was manifest as a communal ethic: All who believed were together and held everything in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need.[29]  When Ezra followed Shecaniah’s suggestion to have the men who married foreign women divorce them according to the law,[30] A proclamation was circulated throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem [Table].  Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders [Table].[31]  With a historical precedent like that Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem may have forfeited their property to the authorities if they had tried to keep it.

Paul worked with his own hands even as he ministered the Gospel.  When James, Cephas, and John, who had a reputation as pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, Paul wrote the Galatians, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.  They requested only that we remember the poor [in Jerusalem], the very thing I also was eager to do.[32]  James commented how some in the Jerusalem church had become judges with evil motives[33] favoring the rich: Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?  Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?[34]

Against this backdrop Paul counseled the Thessalonians to show God’s kindness through a more working-class ethic, to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.  In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.[35]

[1] Romans 12:9b (NET)

[2] Ephesians 5:8-10 (NET)

[3] John 7:18 (NET)

[7] Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

[8] Romans 5:17 (NET)

[9] Romans 12:10 (NET)

[10] 1 John 2:12-14 (NET)

[11] Titus 3:4-6 (NET)

[12] Acts 17:5 (NET)

[13] Galatians 4:17, 18 (NET)

[14] 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 (NET)

[15] 2 Corinthians 11:2 (NET)

[16] 1 Corinthians 12:31 (NET)

[17] 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NET)

[18] 1 Corinthians 14:39 (NET)

[19] Galatians 4:17a (NET)

[20] Romans 11:19, 20 (NET)

[21] 1 Corinthians 14:13 (NET)

[22] 1 Corinthians 14:17 (NET)

[23] 2 Corinthians 11:4 (NET)

[24] Galatians 4:17b (NET)

[25] Galatians 4:18 (NET)

[26] Romans 7:18 (NET)

[27] Romans 12:10 (NET)

[28] 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 10 (NET)

[29] Acts 2:44, 45 (NET)

[31] Ezra 10:7, 8a (NET)

[32] Galatians 2:9, 10 (NET)

[33] James 2:4 (NET)

[34] James 2:6b, 7 (NET)

[35] 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12 (NET)