Exploration, Part 7

Describing the freedom for which Christ has set us free1 Paul highlighted: if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.2 As he contrasted the curse (κατάραν, a form of κατάρα) on a life lived by works of the law (ἐξ ἔργων νόμου) to the miraculous life in the Spirit received by hearing with faith3 (ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως) in Galatians 3, he asked rhetorically (Galatians 3:19a ESV):

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made…

In an article “Five Things About Deterrence” on the National Institute of Justice website, “Daniel S. Nagin succinctly summarized the current state of theory and empirical knowledge about deterrence.”

Research shows clearly that the chance of being caught is a vastly more effective deterrent than even draconian punishment.

With the Lord the “chance of being caught” is 100% and eternal punishment in a lake of fire (Revelation 20:10-15) might have caused even Draco to blush. But without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.4 Yet even with faith Paul acknowledged (Romans 7:18b-24 ESV):

I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me [Table].

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members [Table]. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Paul answered his own rhetorical question—Why then the law?—with the words τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν προσετέθη (ESV: It was added because of transgressions). It is extremely unlikely that he intended the law to be understood as a deterrence to sin here. For the Greek word παραβάσεων, a plural form of παράβασις, was echoed in his explanation of the spread of sin in humanity (Romans 5:12-14 ESV).

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men (ἀνθρώπους, a plural form of ἄνθρωπος) because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression (παραβάσεως, a singular form of παράβασις) of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come [Table].

Now the law came in to increase the trespass (τὸ παράπτωμα),5 he concluded. It is no small task to persuade us that the old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) is a yoke of slavery6 to the sin God condemnedin the flesh through Christ, by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.7 We think of it—if we think of it at all—as our true self, our only lord and master. Mostly we obey its dictates unconsciously—“it’s just what I want to do”—until the Lord creates and begins to grow the new man (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) within us.

Only then do we begin to understand what Paul meant: Now if I do what I do not want ( οὐ θέλω), it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.8 This confounding of desire (will) and action—For I do not understand my own actions…I do not do what I want ( θέλω), but I do the very thing I hate9—might be one’s first indication that the new man has come into existence. And it may take one some time, experiencing the old man’s persistent sinfulness, to begin to appreciate Jesus’ words to Nicodemus: Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all (δεῖ ὑμᾶς) be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’10 Ironically, it’s only after you are not under the law (οὐκ ἐστὲ ὑπὸ νόμον) that you can look back and realize what it was like to be under the law: gaining the knowledge of sin through painful experience, learning how hopelessly sinful the old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) actually is.

Paul contrasted the free gift (τὸ χάρισμα) of Christ to the trespass (τὸ παράπτωμα) of Adam, the original old man:

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass (παραπτώματι, a form of παράπτωμα), much more have the grace of God and the free gift ( δωρεὰ) by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift (τὸ δώρημα) is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass (ἐξ ἑνὸς, a form of εἷς) brought condemnation, but the free gift (τὸ δὲ χάρισμα) following many trespasses (πολλῶν παραπτωμάτων, another form of παράπτωμα) brought justification (δικαίωμα). For if, because of one man’s trespass (παραπτώματι, a form of παράπτωμα), death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift (τῆς δωρεᾶς, another form of δωρεὰ) of righteousness (τῆς δικαιοσύνης, a form of δικαιοσύνη) reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass (παραπτώματος, another form of παράπτωμα) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness (δικαιώματος, a form of δικαίωμα) leads to justification (δικαίωσιν, a form of δικαίωσις) and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience (τῆς παρακοῆς, a form of παρακοή) the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience (τῆς ὑπακοῆς, a form of ὑπακοή) the many will be made righteous (δίκαιοι, a form of δίκαιος). Now the law came in to increase the trespass (τὸ παράπτωμα), but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, a form of δικαιοσύνη) leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.11

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made.12 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God?13 Paul asked rhetorically (Galatians 3:21b-23 ESV):

Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life [e.g., create the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness (δικαιοσύνῃ) and holiness14], then righteousness ( δικαιοσύνη) would indeed be by the law (ἐκ νόμου) [literally: “then the righteousness would indeed be by law”]. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned15 until the coming faith would be revealed.

So, we—walking according to the flesh, the old man whichis corrupt through deceitful desires16were held captive (ἐφρουρούμεθα, a form of φρουρέω) under the law (ὑπὸ νόμον), imprisoned (συγκλειόμενοι, a present participle of συγκλείω) until the coming faith would be revealed. This is a fairly succinct description of the human condition vis-à-vis the law before Christ has set us free.17

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified (δικαιωθῶμεν, a passive form of δικαιόω) by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring,18 heirs according to promise.19

The Greek word translated guardian was παιδαγωγὸς: “instructor, teacher, schoolmaster; tutor, a boy-leader, i.e., a servant whose office it was to take the children to school; pedagogue.” In this context I favor the law was our “servant whose office it was to take” us “to school,” the school of hard knocks, until Christ came or we came to the knowledge of sin that, I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out,20 whichever comes first. The one who acknowledges that tends to go to the Lord in faith, saying, “This law thing isn’t working out for me. You got anything else?”

Men like David came essentially to that point (Psalm 51:1-17 ESV).

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions [Table]. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! [Table]

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me [Table]. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment [Table]. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me (e.g., “the old man”) [Table]. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart (e.g., “the new man”) [Table].

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow [Table]. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice [Table]. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities [Table]. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me [Table]. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me [Table]. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit [Table].

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you [Table]. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness [Table]. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise [Table]. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering [Table]. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise [Table].

Men like David proved to be few and far between: For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, Jesus said prior to his crucifixion and the inauguration of the new covenant, before his resurrection, ascension and giving his Holy Spirit to all who believe Him, and those who find it are few.21 I was not one of the few. The Lord Jesus drew me to Himself first and brought me later to the faith that this “law thing isn’t working out for me.”

In another essay I wrote:

My wife came home late one night several weeks after she told me she wanted a divorce. I heard her getting ready for bed in the next bedroom. I got up and started to walk toward the door. Before I crossed the threshold of my bedroom door I heard that still small voice, “What are you doing, Dan?” I stopped in the doorway. I was calm, not angry, lucid, and I was going to kill my wife. I started to shake and sweat as I made my way back to my bed. I don’t recall how long I sat there. Finally I made my way to my wife’s bedroom and half-confessed, half-blamed her for bringing demons into our home. It had to be demons, surely I could never kill my wife. I loved her. I said I loved her.

Now, about forty-seven years later, I can begin to understand what happened that night: I knew the Voice was God. I realized that He knew what I intended to do before I had thought consciously about it myself. The Voice, though clearly audible, did not enter from my ears. The Voice originated within that space I recognized as myself, yet it was not my voice. The Voice did not accuse me, reprimand me, quote a law or any Scripture. He simply asked me the most pertinent question. And that alone was sufficient to stop me from continuing in a sinful course of action—cold-blooded murder. The whole event was amazing!

So, did [I] honor [The Voice] as God or give thanks to him?22 No, I was too self-centered for that. I was more concerned about the black mark against my name as I worked to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law.23 I all but missed the righteousness that [had come] by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.24 I couldn’t miss it entirely; it happened to me. But I thought it was a unique over-the-top experience due to the enormity of the circumstance rather than something normative. I was wrong—but perhaps not entirely wrong.

Though I believed none of it at the time, as I tried to be justified by the law I was severed from Christ, according to Paul, I had fallen away from grace.25 Why did the Lord stop me from murdering my wife? At the time I thought it was for her benefit rather than mine (though I certainly enjoyed the benefit of not becoming a murderer). There was no condemnation in The Voice that questioned me—The Voice I obeyed without question apart from any command being uttered—but I was thoroughly chastened. I “knew” it was up to me to do better.

But where did that murderous intent come from in the first place? Even now it isn’t entirely clear to me.

Cold blooded murder isn’t mentioned in Paul’s list of the works of the flesh. I was many years then from understanding or receiving that Jesus said to the Jews who had believed (and continued to believe)26 him:27 You are of your father the devil, and your will (θέλετε, a 2nd person plural form of the verb θέλω in the present tense and indicative mood) is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies [Table]. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.28

Though I had begun to experience that strange schizophrenia of the conflict between the old and new self, I wasn’t yet ready to acknowledge them as anything more than Paul’s literary devices characterizing my behavior before I believed in Jesus and what I should be doing afterward (Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV).

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds [Table]. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart [Table]. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that29 you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The phrase [you] were taught in him (KJV: have been taught by him) was ἐν αὐτῷ ἐδιδάχθητε in Greek. The preposition ἐν followed by the pronoun αὐτῷ in the dative case can be translated: “in, on, at, by, with, within” according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online. I favor “by Him” because the Holy Spirit brings me back here again and again to understand what and how I do (ποιέω in Greek). And I don’t experience preachers or Bible teachers preaching or teaching this very often. That may be an implicit bias of expository preaching.

The phrase τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον (ESV: your old self; NET: the old man) only occurs in Ephesians 4:22 and Colossians 3:9. It was παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος (ESV: our old self; NET: our old man) in Romans 6:6. The phrase τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον (ESV: the new self; NET: the new man) only occurs in Ephesians 4:24. The concept occurs again in Ephesians 2:15 as ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον (ESV/NET: one new man) and in Colossians 3:10 as τὸν νέον (ESV: the new self; NET: the new man; literally, “the new”), which connects this concept to Jesus’ discussion of new wine: Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-39.

If the strict expository preacher or teacher only considers them when addressing these few passages, the old and new man will appear less important than the emphasis the Lord places upon them: What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’30born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.31

At any rate, the night I didn’t murder my wife, I didn’t believe that either existed. Both τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον and τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον were merely euphemisms for my works, admonitions to stop sinning and start doing righteousness, rather than something already accomplished by the grace of God in Jesus Christ—ready, available, already present for me to receive through faith.

So I proceeded: “I [had] said I loved her. The next morning I set out to make my word true, not unlike Jephthah. I copied Paul’s definition of love on a piece of paper”32 (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NASB).

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails; [Table]

“I tacked it up on my bedroom wall by the door so I couldn’t leave that room without seeing it. I showed it to my wife. I promised her that this was my new law, that this is how I would love her.”33 I did not write—You shall not murder34—on a piece of paper and tack “it up on my bedroom wall by the door.” That is curious, given that I called love “my new law.” But Paul had written (Romans 13:10 NASB):

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”35 (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB):

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment [Table]. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets” [Table].36

And it’s highly likely that I had heard “The Law of Love” taught and preached:

The concept of the “Law of Love” is a central tenet in Christian theology, emphasizing the importance of love as the fulfillment of God’s commandments. This principle is deeply rooted in both the Old and New Testaments and is considered the essence of Christian ethical teaching.

And frankly, I was a bit frustrated with “Paul’s understanding of law” (e.g., my misunderstanding of Paul’s understanding of law), thinking that it was what had gotten me into this mess in the first place.

Though I had copied Paul’s description of love verbatim from the NASB, what I understood was:

Thou shalt be patient, thou shalt be kind, thou shalt not be jealous; thou shalt not brag, thou shalt not be arrogant. Thou shalt not act disgracefully, thou shalt not seek thine own benefit; thou shalt not be provoked, thou shalt not keep an account of a wrong suffered, thou shalt not rejoice in unrighteousness, thou shalt rejoice with the truth; thou shalt keep every confidence, thou shalt believe all things, thou shalt hope all things, thou shalt endure all things.

Thou shalt never fail…

Even that may not have been too bad, if I had thought of these as God’s promises rather than as commandments. I did not. I thought of them as laws for me to obey. I set about being perfected by the flesh37 with a vengeance. The troubling thing was: it worked!—sort of—my wife didn’t die. I wrote elsewhere:

Though such things are difficult to measure, I think it is fair to say that I did incrementally better at not sinning by trying to love like this rather than trying not to sin.38

I reflected on my own experience with my wife. I was far from perfect loving like God by attempting to keep the definition of his love as if it were law. But my wife survived it. She wasn’t raped. Even after our divorce she thought of me as one of the kindest men she knew.39

I’ll pick this up in another essay. Tables comparing Galatians 3:23; 3:29 and Ephesians 4:21 in the KJV and NET follow.

Galatians 3:23 (NET)

Galatians 3:23 (KJV)

Now before faith came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Galatians 3:23 (NET Parallel Greek)

Galatians 3:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Galatians 3:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα συγκλειόμενοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι προ του δε ελθειν την πιστιν υπο νομον εφρουρουμεθα συγκεκλεισμενοι εις την μελλουσαν πιστιν αποκαλυφθηναι προ του δε ελθειν την πιστιν υπο νομον εφρουρουμεθα συγκεκλεισμενοι εις την μελλουσαν πιστιν αποκαλυφθηναι

Galatians 3:29 (NET)

Galatians 3:29 (KJV)

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3:29 (NET Parallel Greek)

Galatians 3:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Galatians 3:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ, κατ᾿ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι ει δε υμεις χριστου αρα του αβρααμ σπερμα εστε και κατ επαγγελιαν κληρονομοι ει δε υμεις χριστου αρα του αβρααμ σπερμα εστε και κατ επαγγελιαν κληρονομοι

Ephesians 4:21 (NET)

Ephesians 4:21 (KJV)

if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

Ephesians 4:21 (NET Parallel Greek)

Ephesians 4:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Ephesians 4:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἴ γε αὐτὸν ἠκούσατε καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ἐδιδάχθητε, καθώς ἐστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ειγε αυτον ηκουσατε και εν αυτω εδιδαχθητε καθως εστιν αληθεια εν τω ιησου ειγε αυτον ηκουσατε και εν αυτω εδιδαχθητε καθως εστιν αληθεια εν τω ιησου

1 Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

2 Galatians 5:18 (ESV)

3 Galatians 3:2 (ESV)

4 Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

5 Romans 5:20a (ESV)

6 Galatians 5:1b (ESV) Table

7 Romans 8:3b (ESV)

8 Romans 7:20 (ESV) Table

9 Romans 7:15 (ESV)

10 John 3:7 (NET)

11 Romans 5:15-21 (ESV)

12 Galatians 3:19a (ESV)

13 Galatians 3:21a (ESV)

14 Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

15 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had συγκλειόμενοι here, a present participle of συγκλείω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the participle συγκεκλεισμενοι (KJV: shut up) in the perfect tense.

16 Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

17 Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

18 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και connecting these clauses. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not

19 Galatians 3:24-29 (ESV)

20 Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

21 Matthew 7:14 (ESV) Table

22 Romans 1:21b (ESV) Table

23 Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

24 Philippians 3:9c (ESV)

25 Galatians 5:4 (ESV) Table

26 The Greek words translated who had believed were τοὺς πεπιστευκότας, a participle of πιστεύω in the perfect tense: “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.” From Verb Tenses: Perfect Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online. In other words, who had believed and continued in their faith rather than who had believed but did so no longer.

27 John 8:31a (ESV)

28 John 8:44, 45 (ESV)

29 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἴ γε (NET: if indeed) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειγε (KJV: If so be that).

30 John 3:6, 7 (NET)

31 John 1:13 (NET)

33 Ibid.

34 Exodus 20:13 (ESV) Table

35 Matthew 22:36 (NASB)

36 See Jedidiah, Part 2 for tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotations to that of the Septuagint

37 Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

Romans, Part 89

But now I go to Jerusalem to minister (διακονῶν, a form of διακονέω) to the saints, Paul continued his letter to believers in Rome.  For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased (εὐδόκησαν, a form of εὐδοκέω) to make some contribution (κοινωνίαν, a form of κοινωνία) for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.[1]  I’ve written about the poor among the saints in Jerusalem elsewhere[2] and won’t repeat it here.

I have no interest in, or intention of, making rules for (or against) giving beyond what I’ve written about the gift (Romans 12:1-8) of contributing (μεταδιδοὺς, a form of μεταδίδωμι).  For believers in Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to do this,[3] Paul continued.  I’m content to assume that the cheerfulness (2 Corinthians 9:7-15) which accompanies giving in the Spirit is sufficient to guide one into giving in the Spirit so long as one is not hardened by a religious mind.

Paul continued, and indeed believers in Macedonia and Achaia are indebted (ὀφειλέται, a form of ὀφειλέτης) to the Jerusalem saints.  For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things (πνευματικοῖς, a form of πνευματικός), they are obligated (ὀφείλουσιν, a form of ὀφείλω) also to minister (λειτουργῆσαι, a form of λειτουργέω) to them in material things (σαρκικοῖς, a form of σαρκικός).[4]  For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening (πώρωσις) has happened to Israel until the full (πλήρωμα) number of the Gentiles has come in (εἰσέλθῃ, a form of εἰσέρχομαι).[5]

I am the door, Jesus said.  If anyone enters (εἰσέλθῃ, a form of εἰσέρχομαι) through me, he will be saved, and will come in (εἰσελεύσεται, another form of εἰσέρχομαι) and go out, and find pasture.[6]  The sense of indebtedness and obligation becomes personal to me in: if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?[7]  I take this to imply that if Israel had not been hardened they would have received Jesus as yehôvâh come in human flesh and the world as we know it would have come to an end before I ever came into existence.

I told Jesus more than thirty-five years ago that a time we had spent studying together “was better than I had expected…but that I was still inclined to wish for never having been born.”[8]  As I prepared for this essay I came across David Benatar’s book Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence.  What I read online was exceedingly funny, a fact Mr. Benatar addresses early in his introduction:

A version of the view I defend in this book is the subject of some humour:

Life is so terrible, it would have been better not to have been born. Who is so lucky? Not one in a hundred thousand! [Jewish saying]

Sigmund Freud describes this quip as a ‘nonsensical joke’, which raises the question whether my view is similarly nonsensical.

While the idea of an interminable existence (Genesis 3:22-24) in this state of being feels like hell, eternal life fueled by an inexhaustible supply of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control seems more reasonable.  Strip me of all that impedes that gracious flow and I’m golden, ready to enjoy God face to face for as long as He pleases.  Reason, however, cannot persuade me that my existence is better than my nonexistence.  Only revelation can do that (Revelation 4:9-11 NET):

And whenever the living creatures (Revelation 4:6b-8) give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”

I exist at his pleasure, not my own, which is not to say that I am entirely free of the pleasures that wage war (στρατευομένων, a form of στρατεύομαι) in [my] members (James 4:1-10 NASB):

What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you (ὑμῖν; 2nd person, dative plural)?  Is not the source your (ὑμῶν; 2nd person, genitive, plural) pleasures (ἡδονῶν, a form of ἡδονή) that wage war in your (ὑμῶν; 2nd person, genitive, plural) members?  You lust and do not have; so you commit murder.  You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel.  You do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures (ἡδοναῖς, another form of ἡδονή).  You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?  Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?  But He gives a greater grace.  Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  Submit therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

I am not abandoned to defend against the warfare of pleasures in my own strength, as Paul wrote Titus (3:3-6 NASB):

For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures (ἡδοναῖς, another form of ἡδονή), spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.  But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind (φιλανθρωπία) appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior

Years of following Jesus through the Scriptures have made me at first more willing that his Spirit win this conflict of pleasures, and slowly more accustomed to that victory.  He has lifted me from his description of the seed which fell among the thorns: these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures (ἡδονῶν, a form of ἡδονή) of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.[9]  Now the fact that I have received such mercy while most in Israel are still hardened to the Gospel of his grace—though I won’t accuse God of injustice—seems terribly unfair to me.

A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.  “For I tell you (ὑμῖν; plural), you will not see (ἴδητε, a form of εἴδω; plural, you see) me from now until you say (εἴπητε, a form of ῥέω, according to Strong’s Concordance and the NET dictionary, a form of εἶπον a form of λέγω according to Bible Hub and the Koine Greek Lexicon; plural),Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[10]  So then, Paul concluded, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens (σκληρύνει, a form of σκληρύνω) whom he chooses to harden.[11]

I’m equating the πώρωσις (hardening) of Romans 11:25 with σκληρύνει (hardens) in Romans 9:18 not only by Romans 9-11 but also from Hebrews 3:12-19 (NET):

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes the living God.  But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened (σκληρυνθῇ, another form of σκληρύνω) by sin’s deception.  For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold our initial confidence firm until the end.  As it says, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!  Do not harden (σκληρύνητε, another form of σκληρύνω) your hearts as in the rebellion.”  For which ones heard and rebelled?  Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership?  And against whom was God provoked for forty years?  Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient (ἀπειθήσασιν, a form of ἀπειθέω)?  So we see that they could not enter because of unbelief (ἀπιστίαν, a form of ἀπιστία).

And Mark recalled (3:1-6 NET):

Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him.  So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.”  Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?”  But they were silent.  After looking around at them in anger (ὀργῆς, a form of ὀργή), grieved (συλλυπούμενος, a form of συλλυπέω) by the hardness (πωρώσει, a form of πώρωσις) of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”  He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.  So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him [Table].

Israel is not alone in experiencing hardness (Ephesians 4:17-24 NET):

So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking (νοὸς, a form of νοῦς) [Table].  They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness (πώρωσιν, another form of πώρωσις) of their hearts.  Because they are callous (ἀπηλγηκότες, a form of ἀπαλγέω), they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.  But you did not learn about Christ like this, if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus.  You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted (φθειρόμενον, a form of φθείρω) in accordance with deceitful (ἀπάτης, a form of ἀπάτη) desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind (νοὸς, a form of νοῦς), and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.

I am pleased now to pray for Israel and for all:  “My persistent prayer for justice is for the mercy on which everything depends, for it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on [You] who shows mercy,[12] and, [You have] consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, another form of ἀπείθεια) so that [You] may show mercy to them all.”[13]

This is completely unacceptable to the religious mind.  If it allows any god beyond itself it wants a god who shows me, or some arbitrary designation of us, favoritism while dealing punitively, even violently, with others, designated just as arbitrarily—not me, not us.

[1] Romans 15:25, 26 (NET)

[2] Romans, Part 69; Romans, Part 52; Romans, Part 18; Torture, Part 5; Romans, Part 69

[3] Romans 15:27a (NET)

[4] Romans 15:27b (NET)

[5] Romans 11:25 (NET)

[6] John 10:9 (NET)

[7] Romans 11:15 (NET)

[8] You Must Be Gentle, Part 3

[9] Luke 8:14 (NASB)

[10] Matthew 23:39 (NET)

[11] Romans 9:18 (NET)

[12] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

[13] Romans 11:32 (NET)