αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 2

Posted on May 22, 2024 by admin

This is a continuation of a survey of the occurrences of αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ in the New Testament (see table below), particularly when associated with an article and noun in the accusative case. In another essay I understood τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ (ESV: his betrothed)¹ differently from τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον (ESV: her as his betrothed and his betrothed respectively).² It is not the customary way these phrases have been translated into English. I’ll pick up where I left off, considering the 12 occurrences of ἑαυτοῦ in Luke, 7 of which were associated with an accusative phrase [Table].

Jesus said (Luke 14:26-33 ESV):

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own (ἑαυτοῦ) father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even³ his own (ἑαυτοῦ) life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever⁴ does not bear his own⁵ (ἑαυτοῦ) cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to⁶ complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet⁷ him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not,⁸ while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has (πᾶσιν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπάρχουσιν) cannot be my disciple.

This section, titled “The Cost of Discipleship” in the ESV, further demonstrates Jesus’ saying: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.⁹ The phrase, and does not hate his own father,¹⁰ was καὶ οὐ μισεῖ τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ in Greek. This is the first time I’m seeing ἑαυτοῦ following the accusative phrase τὸν πατέρα. I assume that ἑαυτοῦ is implied throughout this list: “the father of himself and the mother of himself and the wife of himself and the children of himself and the brothers of himself and the sisters of himself.”

I would consider that interpretation virtually certain if the next occurrence were την εαυτου ψυχην, his own life,¹¹ as it is in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text. In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸, however, the word order was τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ again. I suppose I should hold onto this idea as an intuition rather than an interpretation that is “virtually certain.”

Or, perhaps, I shouldn’t be so fussy about the placement of ἑαυτοῦ relative to the noun. I was taking την εαυτου ψυχην as a reference to “the of himself life” as opposed to “the of God life” one possesses as a believer in Christ. And so, τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ was merely “the life of himself” as opposed to “the death of himself.” But as I struggle to spell it out, it seems more like a distinction without a difference.

In the next occurrence—Whoever does not bear his own cross¹²—ἑαυτοῦ followed the accusative phrase again in the NET parallel Greek and NA²⁸: τὸν σταυρὸν ἑαυτοῦ. It was τον σταυρὸν αυτου in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text. According to an entry on Wikipedia:

Novum Testamentum Graece (The New Testament in Greek) is a critical edition of the New Testament in its original Koine Greek, forming the basis of most modern Bible translations and biblical criticism. It is also known as the Nestle–Aland edition after its most influential editors, Eberhard Nestle and Kurt Aland. The text, edited by the Institute for New Testament Textual Research, is currently in its 28th edition, abbreviated NA28.

The title is sometimes applied to the United Bible Societies (UBS) edition, which contains the same text (its fifth edition, “UBS5”, contains the text from NA28). The UBS edition is aimed at translators and so focuses on variants that are important for the meaning whereas the NA includes more variants.

The release of a 29th edition is expected in 2025.^[1]

Methodology

The Greek text as presented is what biblical scholars refer to as the “critical text”. The critical text is an eclectic text compiled by a committee that compares readings from a large number of manuscripts in order to determine which reading is most likely to be closest to the original. They use a number of factors to help determine probable readings, such as the date of the witness (earlier is usually better), the geographical distribution of a reading, and the likelihood of accidental or intentional corruptions.

In other words, NA²⁸ is a current scholarly best guess. The parallel Greek text in the NET is essentially NA²⁷. So, any agreement between the two indicates a modicum of stability of a particular editorial committee’s best guess.¹³ When the NA²⁸ agrees with the Stephanus Textus Receptus and/or Byzantine Majority Text and differs from the NET parallel Greek, I take that to mean a change in the best guess between the two editions of the critical text.

The final occurrence of εαυτου in this passage was the same in all four Greek texts: πᾶσιν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπάρχουσιν, all that he has.¹⁴ An example of Jesus’ hate for his mother and brothers follows (Luke 8:19-21 ESV):

Then his mother and his brothers came¹⁵ to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And¹⁶ he was told,¹⁷ “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”¹⁸

This chapter begins: Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God.¹⁹ His mother and brothers may have traveled some distance to see Him. His words probably stung them a bit. On the other hand, I would assume that those listening to Him would have understood if He had jumped up immediately to greet his mother and brothers, perhaps they even expected it. His gracious words perfectly illustrate his meaning regarding discipleship, and demonstrate his own single-minded devotion to God his Father and to those who hear the word of God and do it.

Matthew and Mark recorded a similar occasion, both followed by the same event:

Matthew 12:46-13:2 (ESV)	Mark 3:31-4:1 (ESV)
While he was still²⁰ speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.²¹	And²² his mother and his brothers²³ came, and standing²⁴ outside they sent to him and called²⁵ him.
	And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said²⁶ to him, “Your mother and your brothers²⁷ are outside, seeking you.”
But he replied to the man who told²⁸ him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”	And he answered²⁹ them,³⁰ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” [Table]
	And looking about at those who sat around him,
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples,
he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”	he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
That same day³¹ Jesus went out of³² the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat³³ and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.	Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large³⁴ crowd gathered³⁵ about him, so that he got into a boat³⁶ and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was³⁷ beside the sea on the land.

I bring it up to revisit the setup to the arrival of Jesus’ mother and his brothers in more current translations of Mark (Mark 3:20, 21 ESV):

Then he went³⁸ home, and the³⁹ crowd gathered again, so that they could not even⁴⁰ eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

The Greek words translated home were εἰς οἶκον. The translation into an house (KJV) is more literal. The root οἶκος can mean home, but I still might translate it: “into a home.” I’m not privy to the reasons the translators of the ESV, NASB, NASB 1995, NASB 1977, Legacy Standard Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word Translation, Good News Translation, International Standard Version, Majority Standard Bible, New American Bible and the NET chose home here.

Even if Mark meant home, I understand why he didn’t write εἰς τόν οἶκον αὐτοῦ (Luke 1:23): “into his house” or “his home.”

Matthew 8:19, 20 (ESV)	Luke 9:57, 58 (ESV)
And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”	As⁴¹ they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”⁴² And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

The Greek words translated his family were οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ; literally “those from beside him.” The word translated heard this was ἀκούσαντες, a participle of ἀκούω: So, “those from beside him hearing.” Hearing what? The context seems clear that they were hearing what Jesus was doing, probably what He was saying, but more to the immediate point: hearing where He was at a particular moment in time because they went out (ἐξῆλθον, a form of ἐξέρχομαι). For what purpose? to seize him (κρατῆσαι αὐτόν) Why? for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”⁴³

I didn’t question this translation at the time: The identity of οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ seemed confirmed when his mother and his brothers showed up standing outside.⁴⁴ And home seemed like a reasonable assumption for εἰς οἶκον since they knew where to find Him. Brad Gray, the Founder of Walking The Text online, did a really interesting video—“From Nazareth to Capernaum” | Jesus In Galilee Pt 1 | EP168—about Jesus’ move to Capernaum. In it he described the distance from Nazareth to Capernaum as about 22 miles, a day’s journey on foot.

Subsequently, I’ve heard that some are offended by the idea that Mary, in particular, thought her Son was out of his mind. One proposed solution was to take οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ absolutely literally as some present in the house with Jesus. This is interesting because it would probably mean that αὐτοῦ should be understood as an adverb rather than as a personal pronoun. But if they were already present with Jesus, why did they leave to seize him, never to return in Mark’s Gospel narrative?

I suggest looking more closely at the words translated He is out of his mind: ὅτι ἐξέστη, an active form of ἐξίστημι: “to drive out of his senses; to amaze, astonish; to take by surprise, startle; to confound, be dismayed, be distraught; to change, displace; to become separated from (something), lose (something); to lose one’s mind, go insane, faint away.” Jesus was not doing or saying the things his mother and brothers expected Him to do or say.

We’re not told exactly what each person thought He should do or say. Mary’s concern for instance, may have been exactly what Mark and the Holy Spirit expressed: the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.⁴⁵ It’s not that hard to imagine a mother concerned that her firstborn is burning himself out at a furious pace, especially if she feels some responsibility for pushing Him out the door into this ministry (John 2:1-11).

The next occurrence was: την εαυτου ψυχην in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text, or τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ in the NET parallel Greek and NA²⁸, his own life, from If anyone comes to me and does not hate…even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.⁴⁶ This hatred of “the of himself life” or “the soul of himself” was best expressed in Jesus’ prayer in the garden.

Matthew 26:38, 39 (ESV)	Mark 14:34-36 (ESV)	Luke 22:41, 42 (ESV)
Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” [Table].	And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him [Table]. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”	And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” [Table].

Paul shared his insights into this hatred as well (Romans 6:3, 4 ESV; Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (ζωῆς, a form of ζωή).

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

The next occurrence was: τὸν σταυρὸν ἑαυτοῦ in the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸, or τον σταυρὸν αυτου in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text: his own cross (ESV) from Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.⁴⁷ In another essay I wrote: “To take up [my] cross is to join Jesus distrusting my own desires and saying to God, not my will but yours be done.” Here, in this context I’m thinking of it somewhat differently, perhaps more generally, as pursuing the ministry the Lord gives one in the grace He provides. Given that, I find it difficult to distinguish between ἑαυτοῦ, “the cross of himself,” and αυτου, “his cross.”

The final occurrence I’ll consider in this essay was: πᾶσιν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπάρχουσιν, all that he has, from So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.⁴⁸ I tend to understand πᾶσιν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπάρχουσιν as “all that of himself there is.” If I were to think of it in terms of things, it would be those things that have him. The Greek word translated renounce was ἀποτάσσεται, a middle passive form of ἀποτάσσω: “to renounce, give up; to say goodbye, bid farewell, forsake, take leave, send away” (middle voice); “to be detached, be appointed” (passive voice). So, “to renounce, bid farewell, forsake, be detached from all that of himself there is.”

Matthew 22:36b-40 (ESV)	Mark 12:29b-31 (ESV)	Luke 10:27, 28 (ESV)
“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 first commandment [Table]. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” [Table]	“The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one [Table]. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’ [Table]. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” [Table].	“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all⁴⁹ your soul⁵⁰ and with all⁵¹ your strength⁵² and with all⁵³ your mind,⁵⁴ and your neighbor as yourself.” And [Jesus] said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

“Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ astonished disciples asked in a slightly different context. But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”⁵⁵ [F]or it is God who works in you, Paul wrote, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.⁵⁶

I’ll continue with this in another essay. The tables mentioned above follow.

	αὐτοῦ Occurrences		ἑαυτοῦ Occurrences
	Total	Accusative Phrase	Total	Accusative Phrase
New Testament	1428	136	47	21
Matthew	267	90	2	0
Mark	163	46	0	0
Luke	249	72	12	6

Occurrences of αὐτοῦ preceding or following a phrase in the accusative case in Luke
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Luke 1:13	καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννην	and you shall call his name John.
Luke 1:23	ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ	he went to his home.
Luke 1:31	καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν	and you shall call his name Jesus.
Luke 1:49	καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ	and holy is his name.
Luke 1:58	ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνεν κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτῆς	that the Lord had shown great mercy to her
Luke 1:64	ἀνεῴχθη δὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ παραχρῆμα	And immediately his mouth was opened
Luke 2:21	καὶ ἐκλήθη τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦς	he was called Jesus
Luke 2:34	καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Μαριὰμ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ	and said to Mary his mother
Luke 3:4	εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ	make his paths straight.
Luke 3:17	διακαθᾶραι τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ	to clear his threshing floor
Luke 3:17	καὶ συναγαγεῖν τὸν σῖτον εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην αὐτοῦ	and to gather the wheat into his barn
Luke 5:25	ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ δοξάζων τὸν θεόν	<and went home, glorifying God
Luke 5:30	πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ	at his disciples
Luke 6:13	προσεφώνησεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ	he called his disciples
Luke 6:14	καὶ Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ	and Andrew his brother
Luke 6:20	Καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ	And he lifted up his eyes
Luke 6:20	εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἔλεγεν	on his disciples, and said:
Luke 6:45	ἐκ γὰρ περισσεύματος καρδίας λαλεῖ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ	for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks
Luke 7:1	Ἐπειδὴ ἐπλήρωσεν πάντα τὰ ρήματα αὐτοῦ	After he had finished all his sayings
Luke 7:3	ἐλθὼν διασώσῃ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ	to come and heal his servant
Luke 7:16	καὶ ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ	and “God has visited his people!”
Luke 7:38	καὶ στᾶσα ὀπίσω παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ	and standing behind him at his feet
	βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ	to wet his feet
	καὶ κατεφίλει τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ	and kissed his feet
Luke 8:5	ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπεῖραι τὸν σπόρον αὐτοῦ	A sower went out to sow his seed.
Luke 8:41	παρεκάλει αὐτὸν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ	he implored him to come to his house
Luke 9:14	εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ	And he said to his disciples
Luke 9:23	καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ	and take up his cross
Luke 9:24	ὃς γὰρ ἂν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι	For whoever would save his life
Luke 9:24	ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ	but whoever loses his life
Luke 9:31	ἔλεγον τὴν ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ	and spoke of his departure
Luke 9:32	εἶδον τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ	they saw his glory
Luke 9:43	εἶπεν πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ	Jesus said to his disciples
Luke 10:2	ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ	to send out laborers into his harvest
Luke 10:34	καὶ προσελθὼν κατέδησεν τὰ τραύματα αὐτοῦ	He went to him and bound up his wounds
Luke 10:39	ἤκουεν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ	and listened to his teaching
Luke 11:1	καθὼς καὶ Ἰωάννης ἐδίδαξεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ	as John taught his disciples
Luke 11:8	διὰ τὸ εἶναι φίλον αὐτοῦ	because he is his friend
Luke 11:8	διά γε τὴν ἀναίδειαν αὐτοῦ	yet because of his impudence
Luke 11:22	τὴν πανοπλίαν αὐτοῦ αἴρει	he takes away his armor
Luke 11:22	καὶ τὰ σκῦλα αὐτοῦ διαδίδωσιν	and divides his spoil
Luke 12:1	ἤρξατο λέγειν πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ πρῶτον	he began to say to his disciples first
Luke 12:22	Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς [αὐτοῦ]	And he said to his disciples
Luke 12:25	δύναται ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ προσθεῖναι πῆχυν	can add a single hour to his span of life
Luke 12:31	πλὴν ζητεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ	Instead, seek his kingdom
Luke 12:39	οὐκ \|ἂν\| ἀφῆκεν διορυχθῆναι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ	he would not have left his house to be broken into
Luke 12:46	καὶ τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀπίστων θήσει	and put him with the unfaithful
Luke 12:47	ἢ ποιήσας πρὸς τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ	or act according to his will
Luke 13:15	ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ	Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox
Luke 14:17	ἀπέστειλεν τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ	he sent his servant
Luke 15:5	ἐπιτίθησιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους αὐτοῦ χαίρων	he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Luke 15:13	καὶ ἐκεῖ διεσκόρπισεν τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ	and there he squandered his property
Luke 15:15	καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτοῦ	who sent him into his fields
Luke 15:20	καὶ δραμὼν ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ	and ran and embraced him
Luke 15:22	εἶπεν δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ	But the father said to his servants
Luke 15:22	καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ	and put a ring on his hand
Luke 16:1	διασκορπίζων τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ	was wasting his possessions
Luke 16:18	Πᾶς ὁ ἀπολύων τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ	Everyone who divorces his wife
Luke 16:20	πρὸς τὸν πυλῶνα αὐτοῦ	at his gate
Luke 16:21	ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κύνες ἐρχόμενοι ἐπέλειχον τὰ ἕλκη αὐτοῦ	Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:23	καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ	and in Hades…he lifted up his eyes
Luke 17:2	εἰ λίθος μυλικὸς περίκειται περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ	if a millstone were hung around his neck
Luke 17:16	καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ	and ohe fell on his face at Jesus’ feet
Luke 17:33	ὃς ἐὰν ζητήσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ περιποιήσασθαι	Whoever seeks to preserve his life
Luke 18:13	ἀλλ᾿ ἔτυπτεν τὸ στῆθος \|αὐτοῦ\|	but beat his breast
Luke 18:14	κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ	this man went down to his house
Luke 22:36	καὶ ὁ μὴ ἔχων πωλησάτω τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀγορασάτω μάχαιραν	And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.
Luke 22:50	καὶ ἀφεῖλεν τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ τὸ δεξιόν	and cut off his right ear
Luke 23:34	διαμεριζόμενοι δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔβαλον \|κλήρους\|	And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Luke 23:55	καὶ ὡς ἐτέθη τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ	and how his body was laid
Luke 24:23	καὶ μὴ εὑροῦσαι τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ	and when they did not find his body
Luke 24:26	καὶ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ	and enter into his glory
Luke 24:50	καὶ ἐπάρας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ	and lifting up his hands

Occurrences of ἑαυτοῦ in a phrase in the accusative case
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Luke 2:3	εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν	to his own town
Luke 11:21	φυλάσσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ αὐλήν	guards his own palace
Luke 14:26	μισεῖ τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ	hate his own father
Luke 14:26	καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ	And…his own life
Luke 14:27	βαστάζει τὸν σταυρὸν ἑαυτοῦ	bear his own cross
Luke 15:20	ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ	came to his father
Luke 24:27	τὰ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ	the things concerning himself
Romans 4:19	κατενόησεν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα	he considered his own body
Romans 5:8	συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην	But…shows his love
Romans 8:3	τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας	sending his own Son
1 Corinthians 7:2	ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω	each man should have his own wife
1 Corinthians 7:37	τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον	to keep her as his betrothed
1 Corinthians 7:38	ὁ γαμίζων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον	he who marries his betrothed
1 Corinthians 10:24	μηδεὶς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ζητείτω	Let no one seek his own good
1 Corinthians 10:29	συνείδησιν δὲ λέγω οὐχὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ	I do not mean your conscience
Ephesians 5:28	ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ	He who loves his wife loves himself.
Ephesians 5:29	Οὐδεὶς γάρ ποτε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα ἐμίσησεν	For no one ever hated his own flesh
Ephesians 5:33	ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα οὕτως ἀγαπάτω ὡς ἑαυτόν	let each one of you love his wife as himself
1 Thessalonians 2:12	τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείαν	who calls you into his own kingdom
1 Thessalonians 4:4	εἰδέναι ἕκαστον ὑμῶν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σκεῦος κτᾶσθαι ἐν ἁγιασμῷ	that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness
Revelation 10:7	ὡς εὐηγγέλισεν τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ δούλους τοὺς προφήτας	just as he announced to his servants the prophets

Tables comparing Luke 14:26-28; 14:31, 32; 8:19-21; Matthew 13:1, 2; Mark 4:1; Matthew 12:46; 12:48; Mark 3:31, 32; 3:20; Luke 9:57 and 10:27 in the NET and KJV follow.

Luke 14:26-28 (NET)	Luke 14:26-28 (KJV)
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.	If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 14:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 14:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρός με καὶ οὐ μισεῖ τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τὰς ἀδελφὰς ἔτι τε καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ, οὐ δύναται εἶναι μου μαθητής	ει τις ερχεται προς με και ου μισει τον πατερα εαυτου και την μητερα και την γυναικα και τα τεκνα και τους αδελφους και τας αδελφας ετι δε και την εαυτου ψυχην ου δυναται μου μαθητης ειναι	ει τις ερχεται προς με και ου μισει τον πατερα αυτου και την μητερα και την γυναικα και τα τεκνα και τους αδελφους και τας αδελφας ετι δε και την εαυτου ψυχην ου δυναται μου μαθητης ειναι

Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 14:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 14:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅστις οὐ βαστάζει τὸν σταυρὸν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἔρχεται ὀπίσω μου, οὐ δύναται εἶναι μου μαθητής	και οστις ου βασταζει τον σταυρον αυτου και ερχεται οπισω μου ου δυναται μου ειναι μαθητης	και οστις ου βασταζει τον σταυρον αυτου και ερχεται οπισω μου ου δυναται ειναι μου μαθητης

For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Luke 14:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 14:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 14:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τίς γὰρ ἐξ ὑμῶν θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι οὐχὶ πρῶτον καθίσας ψηφίζει τὴν δαπάνην, εἰ ἔχει εἰς ἀπαρτισμόν	τις γαρ εξ υμων θελων πυργον οικοδομησαι ουχι πρωτον καθισας ψηφιζει την δαπανην ει εχει τα προς απαρτισμον	τις γαρ εξ υμων ο θελων πυργον οικοδομησαι ουχι πρωτον καθισας ψηφιζει την δαπανην ει εχει τα εις απαρτισμον

Luke 14:31, 32 (NET)	Luke 14:31, 32 (KJV)
Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with 10,000 to oppose the one coming against him with 20,000?	Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

Luke 14:31 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 14:31 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 14:31 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Η τίς βασιλεὺς πορευόμενος ἑτέρῳ βασιλεῖ συμβαλεῖν εἰς πόλεμον οὐχὶ καθίσας πρῶτον βουλεύσεται εἰ δυνατός ἐστιν ἐν δέκα χιλιάσιν ὑπαντῆσαι τῷ μετὰ εἴκοσι χιλιάδων ἐρχομένῳ ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν	η τις βασιλευς πορευομενος συμβαλειν ετερω βασιλει εις πολεμον ουχι καθισας πρωτον βουλευεται ει δυνατος εστιν εν δεκα χιλιασιν απαντησαι τω μετα εικοσι χιλιαδων ερχομενω επ αυτον	η τις βασιλευς πορευομενος συμβαλειν ετερω βασιλει εις πολεμον ουχι καθισας πρωτον βουλευεται ει δυνατος εστιν εν δεκα χιλιασιν απαντησαι τω μετα εικοσι χιλιαδων ερχομενω επ αυτον

If he cannot succeed, he will send a representative while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace.

Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

Luke 14:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 14:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 14:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ δὲ μή γε, ἔτι αὐτοῦ πόρρω ὄντος πρεσβείαν ἀποστείλας ἐρωτᾷ \|τὰ\| πρὸς εἰρήνην	ει δε μηγε ετι αυτου πορρω οντος πρεσβειαν αποστειλας ερωτα τα προς ειρηνην	ει δε μηγε ετι πορρω αυτου οντος πρεσβειαν αποστειλας ερωτα τα προς ειρηνην

Luke 8:19-21 (NET)	Luke 8:19-21 (KJV)
Now Jesus’ mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd.	Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

Luke 8:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 8:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 8:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Παρεγένετο δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο συντυχεῖν αὐτῷ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον	παρεγενοντο δε προς αυτον η μητηρ και οι αδελφοι αυτου και ουκ ηδυναντο συντυχειν αυτω δια τον οχλον	παρεγενοντο δε προς αυτον η μητηρ και οι αδελφοι αυτου και ουκ ηδυναντο συντυχειν αυτω δια τον οχλον

So he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

Luke 8:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 8:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 8:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπηγγέλη δὲ αὐτῷ· ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἑστήκασιν ἔξω ἰδεῖν θέλοντες σε	και απηγγελη αυτω λεγοντων η μητηρ σου και οι αδελφοι σου εστηκασιν εξω ιδειν σε θελοντες	και απηγγελη αυτω λεγοντων η μητηρ σου και οι αδελφοι σου εστηκασιν εξω ιδειν σε θελοντες

But he replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

Luke 8:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 8:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 8:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· μήτηρ μου καὶ ἀδελφοί μου οὗτοι εἰσιν οἱ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ ἀκούοντες καὶ ποιοῦντες	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν προς αυτους μητηρ μου και αδελφοι μου ουτοι εισιν οι τον λογον του θεου ακουοντες και ποιουντες αυτον	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν προς αυτους μητηρ μου και αδελφοι μου ουτοι εισιν οι τον λογον του θεου ακουοντες και ποιουντες αυτον

Matthew 13:1, 2 (NET)	Matthew 13:1, 2 (KJV)
On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake.	The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

Matthew 13:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 13:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 13:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐξελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῆς οἰκίας ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν	εν δε τη ημερα εκεινη εξελθων ο ιησους απο της οικιας εκαθητο παρα την θαλασσαν	εν δε τη ημερα εκεινη εξελθων ο ιησους απο της οικιας εκαθητο παρα την θαλασσαν

And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat to sit while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Matthew 13:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 13:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 13:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλοι πολλοί, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν εἱστήκει	και συνηχθησαν προς αυτον οχλοι πολλοι ωστε αυτον εις το πλοιον εμβαντα καθησθαι και πας ο οχλος επι τον αιγιαλον ειστηκει	και συνηχθησαν προς αυτον οχλοι πολλοι ωστε αυτον εις το πλοιον εμβαντα καθησθαι και πας ο οχλος επι τον αιγιαλον ειστηκει

Mark 4:1 (NET)	Mark 4:1 (KJV)
Again he began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake.	And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

Mark 4:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 4:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 4:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ πάλιν ἤρξατο διδάσκειν παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν· καὶ συνάγεται πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλος πλεῖστος, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἦσαν	και παλιν ηρξατο διδασκειν παρα την θαλασσαν και συνηχθη προς αυτον οχλος πολυς ωστε αυτον εμβαντα εις το πλοιον καθησθαι εν τη θαλασση και πας ο οχλος προς την θαλασσαν επι της γης ην	και παλιν ηρξατο διδασκειν παρα την θαλασσαν και συνηχθη προς αυτον οχλος πολυς ωστε αυτον εμβαντα εις το πλοιον καθησθαι εν τη θαλασση και πας ο οχλος προς την θαλασσαν επι της γης ην

Matthew 12:46 (NET)	Matthew 12:46 (KJV)
While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him.	While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

Matthew 12:46 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:46 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:46 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος τοῖς ὄχλοις ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ εἱστήκεισαν ἔξω ζητοῦντες αὐτῷ λαλῆσαι	ετι δε αυτου λαλουντος τοις οχλοις ιδου η μητηρ και οι αδελφοι αυτου ειστηκεισαν εξω ζητουντες αυτω λαλησαι	ετι δε αυτου λαλουντος τοις οχλοις ιδου η μητηρ και οι αδελφοι αυτου ειστηκεισαν εξω ζητουντες αυτω λαλησαι

Matthew 12:48 (NET)	Matthew 12:48 (KJV)
To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”	But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

Matthew 12:48 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:48 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:48 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ λέγοντι αὐτῷ· τίς ἐστιν ἡ μήτηρ μου καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ ἀδελφοί μου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν τω ειποντι αυτω τις εστιν η μητηρ μου και τινες εισιν οι αδελφοι μου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν τω ειποντι αυτω τις εστιν η μητηρ μου και τινες εισιν οι αδελφοι μου

Mark 3:31, 32 (NET)	Mark 3:31, 32 (KJV)
Then Jesus’ mother and his brothers came. Standing outside, they sent word to him, to summon him.	There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

Mark 3:31 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 3:31 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 3:31 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ \|ἔρχεται\| ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔξω στήκοντες ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καλοῦντες αὐτόν	ερχονται ουν οι αδελφοι και η μητηρ αυτου και εξω εστωτες απεστειλαν προς αυτον φωνουντες αυτον	ερχονται ουν οι αδελφοι και η μητηρ αυτου και εξω εστωτες απεστειλαν προς αυτον φωνουντες αυτον

A crowd was sitting around him and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you.”

And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

Mark 3:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 3:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 3:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐκάθητο περὶ αὐτὸν ὄχλος, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου [καὶ αἱ ἀδελφαί σου] ἔξω ζητοῦσιν σε	και εκαθητο οχλος περι αυτον ειπον δε αυτω ιδου η μητηρ σου και οι αδελφοι σου εξω ζητουσιν σε	και εκαθητο οχλος περι αυτον ειπον δε αυτω ιδου η μητηρ σου και οι αδελφοι σου και αι αδελφαι σου εξω ζητουσιν σε

Mark 3:20 (NET)	Mark 3:19b, 20 (KJV)
Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat.	and they went into an house. (20) And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

Mark 3:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 3:19b, 20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 3:19b, 20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἔρχεται εἰς οἶκον· καὶ συνέρχεται πάλιν [ὁ] ὄχλος, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς μηδὲ ἄρτον φαγεῖν	και ερχονται εις οικον (20) και συνερχεται παλιν οχλος ωστε μη δυνασθαι αυτους μητε αρτον φαγειν	και ερχονται εις οικον (20) και συνερχεται παλιν οχλος ωστε μη δυνασθαι αυτους μητε αρτον φαγειν

Luke 9:57 (NET)	Luke 9:57 (KJV)
As they were walking along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”	And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

Luke 9:57 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 9:57 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 9:57 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ πορευομένων αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶπεν τις πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀκολουθήσω σοι ὅπου ἐὰν ἀπέρχῃ	εγενετο δε πορευομενων αυτων εν τη οδω ειπεν τις προς αυτον ακολουθησω σοι οπου αν απερχη κυριε	εγενετο δε πορευομενων αυτων εν τη οδω ειπεν τις προς αυτον ακολουθησω σοι οπου αν απερχη κυριε

Luke 10:27 (NET)	Luke 10:27 (KJV)
The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”	And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Luke 10:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 10:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 10:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης [τῆς] καρδίας σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου, καὶ τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αγαπησεις κυριον τον θεον σου εξ ολης της καρδιας σου και εξ ολης της ψυχης σου και εξ ολης της ισχυος σου και εξ ολης της διανοιας σου και τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αγαπησεις κυριον τον θεον σου εξ ολης της καρδιας σου και εξ ολης της ψυχης σου και εξ ολης της ισχυος σου και εξ ολης της διανοιας σου και τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον

Back to Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 2

Back to Luke 8:22-56

¹ 1 Corinthians 7:36 (ESV)

² 1 Corinthians 7:37, 38 (ESV) Table

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔτι τε καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἔτι δε καὶ (KJV: yea, and).

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἑαυτοῦ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτου (KJV: his).

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had τα προς and the Byzantine Majority Text had τα εις.

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑπαντῆσαι (NET: to oppose) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απαντησαι (KJV: to meet).

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰ δὲ μή γε (NET: If he cannot succeed) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει δε μηγε (KJV: Or else).

⁹ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

¹⁰ Luke 14:26a (ESV)

¹¹ Luke 14:26b (ESV)

¹² Luke 14:27a (ESV)

¹³ While there is some hint of criticism of this methodology in Novum Testamentum Graece on Wikipedia, I found a short 2019 article, “Plans for the NA29 and UBS6,” on Evangelical Textual Criticism online. It is interesting in a gossipy sort of way, particularly in the comments.

¹⁴ Luke 14:33b (ESV)

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Παρεγένετο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρεγενοντο.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ (NET: So) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And).

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had λεγοντων (KJV: by certain which said). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁹ Luke 8:1a (ESV)

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ετι δε (KJV: While…yet) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had simply Ἔτι (NET: While…still).

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had [εἶπεν δέ τις αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἔξω ἑστήκασιν ζητοῦντες σοι λαλῆσαι] (NET: Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.”) here. The ESV did not.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Καὶ |ἔρχεται| (NET: Then…came) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ερχονται ουν (KJV: There came then).

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ following brothers. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had στήκοντες here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εστωτες.

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καλοῦντες (NET: to summon) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had φωνουντες (KJV: calling).

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ λέγουσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον δε.

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had [καὶ αἱ ἀδελφαί σου] (“and your sisters,” not translated in the NET or ESV). The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λέγοντι (NET: had said) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειποντι (KJV: that told).

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀποκριθεὶς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απεκριθη.

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λέγει (NET: and said) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had λεγων (KJV: saying).

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ (NET: On that day) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν δε τη ημερα εκεινη (KJV: The same day).

³² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απο here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding boat (KJV: ship). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πλεῖστος (NET: Such a large) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πολυς (KJV: a great).

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had συνάγεται here in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συνηχθη (KJV: there was gathered) in the aorist tense.

³⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding boat (KJV: ship). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἦσαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ην.

³⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔρχεται here, a singular 3^rd person form of ἔρχομαι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had a plural form ερχονται (KJV: they went).

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article ὁ preceding crowd. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μηδὲ (not translated in the NET) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μητε (KJV: so much as).

⁴¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγενετο δε (KJV: And it came to pass).

⁴² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κυριε (KJV: Lord) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴³ Mark 3:21b (ESV)

⁴⁴ Mark 3:31a (ESV)

⁴⁵ Mark 3:20b (ESV)

⁴⁶ Luke 14:26 (ESV)

⁴⁷ Luke 14:27 (ESV)

⁴⁸ Luke 14:33 (ESV)

⁴⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν ὅλῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξ ολης.

⁵⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῇ ψυχῇ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της ψυχης.

⁵¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν ὅλῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξ ολης.

⁵² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῇ ἰσχύϊ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της ισχυος.

⁵³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν ὅλῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξ ολης.

⁵⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῇ διανοίᾳ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της διανοιας.

⁵⁵ Matthew 19:25b, 26 (ESV) Table

⁵⁶ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

Psalm 22, Part 3

Posted on July 25, 2020 by admin

This is a continuing consideration of Psalm 22 as the music in Jesus’ heart as He endured the cross.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 22:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 22:11 (NET)	Psalm 21:12 (NETS)	Psalm 21:12 (Elpenor English)
Be not far (תִּרְחַ֣ק) from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.	Do not remain far away (rachaq, תרחק) from me, for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.	Do not keep away (ἀποστῇς) from me, because affliction is near, because there is no one to help.	Stand not aloof (ἀποστῇς) from me; for affliction is near; for there is no helper.

I was curious if I could determine whether remain in the NET translation of תִּרְחַ֣ק (rachaq) owed anything to the theory that God the Father had forsaken God the Son in some more secretive way than to the cross. Where Be not far from me sounds like a plea to stay close, Do not remain far away sounds to me like a plea to return from a distance. But of the seven occurrences of the exact form תרחק (rachaq) five where translated do…remain far away. The only occurrence that was not negated was translated Keep your distance.

Reference	NET Parallel Hebrew	NET	Septuagint BLB	Septuagint Elpenor
Psalm 22:11 (21:12)	תרחק	Do…remain far away	ἀποστῇς	ἀποστῇς
Psalm 22:19 (21:20)	תרחק	do…remain far away	μακρύνῃς	μακρύνῃς
Psalm 35:22 (34:22)	תרחק	do…remain far away	ἀποστῇς	ἀποστῇς
Psalm 38:21 (37:22)	תרחק	do…remain far away	ἀποστῇς	ἀποστῇς
Psalm 71:12 (70:12)	תרחק	do…remain far away	μακρύνῃς	μακρύνῃς
Exodus 23:7	תרחק	Keep your distance	ἀποστήσῃ	ἀποστήσῃ
Isaiah 46:13	תרחק	is…far away	n/a	n/a

The clause in question in the Masoretic text of Isaiah 46:13 [Table] is not corroborated by the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 46:13 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 46:13 (NET)	Isaiah 46:13 (NETS)	Isaiah 46:13 (Elpenor English)
I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.	I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor.	I brought near my righteousness, and I will not delay the salvation that comes from me; I have provided salvation in Sion to Israel for glorying.	I have brought near my righteousness, and I will not be slow with the salvation that is from me: I have given salvation in Sion to Israel for glory.

Until Jesus’ crucifixion the typical expectation for the end (τέλος) of my one dear Son; in him I take great delight^[1] was not that He would be executed as a criminal. I’m taking my concept of “typical expectation” from Jesus’ use of δοκεῖτε (a form of δοκέω; NET: you think) in answer to those who informed Him about the manner of death of some Galileans (Luke 13:1-5 NET):

Now there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. He^[2] answered them, “Do you think (δοκεῖτε, a form of δοκέω) these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things?^[3] No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well!^[4] Or those eighteen^[5] who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think (δοκεῖτε, a form of δοκέω) they^[6] were worse offenders than all the^[7] others who live in^[8] Jerusalem? No, I tell you! But unless you repent you will all perish as well!”^[9]

The rulers in Jerusalem had done everything in their power to engineer Jesus’ crucifixion to discredit (Luke 19:29-40) Him with the people, as was prophesied by Isaiah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 53:4b, 5 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:4b, 5 (NET)	Isaiah 53:4b, 5 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:4b, 5 (Elpenor English)
we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.	we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.	we accounted him to be in trouble and calamity and ill-treatment.	we accounted him to be in trouble, and in suffering [by God]*, and in affliction.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.	He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.	But he was wounded because of our acts of lawlessness and has been weakened because of our sins; upon him was the discipline of our peace; by his bruise we were healed.	But he was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; [and] by his bruises we were healed.

After Jesus’ death, more to the point after his resurrection, his death became the foundational assumption of new (Romans 7:1-6) eternal life in the Spirit (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

Job is the primary example of suffering for righteousness’ sake (1 Peter 3:13-17) in the Old Testament. If I accept Psalm 22 as Christ’s meditation enduring the cross, it is interesting to contrast Job’s attitude toward God with that of the Son of God toward his Father.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 13:21 (Tanakh)	Job 13:21 (NET)	Job 13:21 (NETS)	Job 13:21 (Elpenor English)
Withdraw thine hand far (הַרְחַ֑ק) from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.	Remove your hand far (rachaq, הרחק) from me and stop making me afraid with your terror.	withdraw (ἀπέχου) your hand from me, and let fear of you not terrify me.	Withhold (ἀπέχου) [thine] hand from me: and let not thy fear terrify me.
Psalm 22:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 22:11 (NET)	Psalm 21:12 (NETS)	Psalm 21:12 (Elpenor English)
Be not far (תִּרְחַ֣ק) from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.	Do not remain far away (rachaq, תרחק) from me, for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.	Do not keep away (ἀποστῇς) from me, because affliction is near, because there is no one to help.	Stand not aloof (ἀποστῇς) from me; for affliction is near; for there is no helper.

This is why the Father loves me, Jesus said, because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.^[10] He knew that it pleased the LORD to bruise him.^[11] Or did He?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 53:10-12 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:10-12 (NET)	Isaiah 53:10-12 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:10-12 (Elpenor English)
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.	Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.	And the Lord desires to cleanse him from his blow. If you offer for sin, you shall see a long-lived offspring. And the Lord wishes to take away	The Lord also is pleased to purge him from his stroke. If ye can give an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed: (11a) the Lord also is pleased to take away from
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.	Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins.	from the pain of his soul, to show him light and fill him with understanding, to justify a righteous one who is well subject to many, and he himself shall bear their sins.	(11b) the travail of his soul, to shew him light, and to form [him] with understanding; to justify the just one who serves many well; and he shall bear their sins.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.	So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”	Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because his soul was given over to death, and he was reckoned among the lawless, and he bore the sins of many, and because of their sins he was given over.	Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty; because his soul was delivered to death: and he was numbered among the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and was delivered because of their iniquities.

I plan to look at all the differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint here. What caught my attention first, however, was how this prophecy fared so well at the hands of the Masoretes, whose “ultimate goal was to uphold the traditions of the Jewish people. The Masoretes had to decipher the authentic word of God and eliminate the dissimilarities.”^[12]

So I clicked the “Show” button on Rashi’s Commentary on The Complete Jewish Bible online at Chabad.org. The answer became apparent:

Rashi’s Commentary to verse 3 – Despised and rejected by men: was he. So is the custom of this prophet: he mentions all Israel as one man, e.g., (44:2), “Fear not, My servant Jacob” ; (44:1) “And now, hearken, Jacob, My servant.” Here too (52:13), “Behold My servant shall prosper,” he said concerning the house of Jacob. יַשְׂכִּיל is an expression of prosperity. Comp. (I Sam. 18:14) “And David was successful (מַשְׂכִּיל) in all his ways.”

Rashi’s Commentary to verse 4 – Indeed, he bore our illnesses: Heb. אָכֵן, an expression of ‘but’ in all places. But now we see that this came to him not because of his low state, but that he was chastised with pains so that all the nations be atoned for with Israel’s suffering. The illness that should rightfully have come upon us, he bore.

The massacre of Jews during the People’s Crusade of 1096 deeply affected Rashi (RAbbi SHlomo Yitzhaki). He “wrote several Selichot (penitential poems) mourning the slaughter and the destruction of the region’s great yeshivot.”^[13] “The Hebrew chronicles portray the Rhineland Jews [whether massacred by crusaders in 1096 directly or compelled to suicide] as martyrs who willingly sacrificed themselves in order to honour God and to preserve their own honour.”^[14]

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 53:10a (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:10a (NET)	Isaiah 53:10a (NETS)	Isaiah 53:10a (Elpenor English)
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise (דַּכְּאוֹ֙) him; he hath put him to grief (הֶֽחֱלִ֔י):	Though the Lord desired to crush (daka’, דכאו) him and make him ill (chalah, החלי),	And the Lord desires to cleanse (καθαρίσαι) him from his blow (πληγῆς).	The Lord also is pleased to purge (καθαρίσαι) him from his stroke (πληγῆς).

I cross-referenced the occurrences of חָלָה (châlâh) in the Masoretic text with the occurrences of πληγῆς (a form of πληγή)] in the Septuagint, searching for some correlation. In the account of Ahab’s death (1 Kings 22:34-39) after being struck by an arrow the king said, I’m wounded (החליתי, another form of châlâh).^[15] King Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel bled to death from that wound (makkah, המכה), translated πληγῆς in the Septuagint. It was enough to persuade me that the rabbis interpreted החלי (another form of châlâh) as a noun in Isaiah 53:10a.

A table of all the occurrences of καθαρίσαι (a form of καθαρίζω) and the Hebrew words it translated follows.

Reference	Septuagint BLB	Septuagint Elpenor	NET Parallel Hebrew	Chabad.org
Leviticus 13:7	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	tohorah, לטהרתו	לְטָֽהֳרָת֑וֹ
Leviticus 13:59	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	taher, לטהרו	לְטַֽהֲר֖וֹ
Leviticus 14:23	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	tohorah, לטהרתו	לְטָֽהֳרָת֖וֹ
Leviticus 16:30	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	taher, לטהר	לְטַהֵ֣ר
2 Chronicles 29:15	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	taher, לטהר	לְטַהֵ֖ר
2 Chronicles 34:3	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	taher, לטהר	לְטַהֵ֔ר
2 Chronicles 34:8	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	taher, לטהר	לְטַהֵ֥ר
Isaiah 53:10	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	daka’, דכאו	דַּכְּאוֹ֙
Ezekiel 39:14	καθαρίσαι	καθαρίσαι	taher, לטהרה	לְטַֽהֲרָ֑הּ

Isaiah 53:10 stands out as an outlier and causes me to wonder if the original Hebrew had more to do with the Day of Atonement.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 16:30 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 16:30 (NET)	Leviticus 16:30 (NETS)	Leviticus 16:30 (Elpenor English)
For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse (לְטַהֵ֣ר) you; from all your sins shall ye be clean before HaShem.	for on this day atonement is to be made for you to cleanse (taher, לטהר) you from all your sins; you must be clean before the Lord.	For on this day he shall make atonement for you, to cleanse (καθαρίσαι) you from all your sins before the Lord, and you shall be clean.	For in this day he shall make an atonement for you, to cleanse (καθαρίσαι) you from all your sins before the Lord, and ye shall be purged.

If so, I would consider The Lord also is pleased to purge him from his stroke an oblique reference to Jesus’ resurrection. On the other hand, I might consider that the rabbis understood דַּכְּאוֹ֙ (daka’; Tanakh: bruise; NET: crush) as something similar to what happened when young King Josiah began to purge Judah of idolatry.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Chronicles 34:3, 8 (Tanakh)	2 Chronicles 34:3, 8 (NET)	2 Supplements 34:3, 8 (NETS)	2 Chronicles 34:3, 8 (Elpenor English)
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge (לְטַהֵ֔ר) Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.	In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year he began ridding (taher, לטהר) Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images.	And in the eighth year of his reign—and he was still a lad—he began to seek the Lord, God of Dauid his father. And in the twelfth year of his reign he began to purge (καθαρίσαι) Ioudas and Ierousalem of the high places and the groves and the smelted items.	And in the eighth year of his reign, and he [being] yet a youth, he began to seek the Lord God of his father David: and in the twelfth year of his reign he began to purge (καθαρίσαι) Juda and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the ornaments for the altars, and the molten images.
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged (לְטַהֵ֥ר) the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.	In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying (taher, לטהר) the land and the temple. He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city official, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary to repair the temple of the Lord his God.	And in the eighteenth year of his reign—in order to purge (καθαρίσαι) the land and the house—he sent out Saphan son of Eselias and Maasias ruler of the city and Iouach son of Ioachaz, his recorder, to repair the house of the Lord, his God.	And in the eighteenth year of his reign, after having cleansed (καθαρίσαι) the land, and the house, he sent Saphan the son of Ezelias, and Maasa prefect of the city, and Juach son of Joachaz his recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.

Rashi’s commentary reads:

And the Lord wished to crush him, He made him ill: The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to crush him and to cause him to repent; therefore, he made him ill.

I’m uncertain^[16] if the translators of the Septuagint understood this as a reference to “all Israel” or as a reference to the Messiah whose appearance was prophesied. The Masoretes, understanding him as “all Israel” and believing “he was chastised with pains so that all the nations be atoned for with Israel’s suffering,” may have preserved the original Hebrew here better than the Rabbis who translated the Septuagint.

None of this, however, justifies Christian crusaders^[17] (or anyone else for that matter) extorting, robbing or killing Jews (From Rhineland massacres, Background):

A relevant perspective on the extent of the era’s antisemitism was recorded 40 years afterward by Jewish historian Solomon bar Simson. He stated that Godfrey of Bouillon swore

to go on this journey only after avenging the blood of the crucified one by shedding Jewish blood and completely eradicating any trace of those bearing the name ‘Jew,’ thus assuaging his own burning wrath.^[8]

Emperor Henry IV (after being notified of the pledge by Kalonymus Ben Meshullam, the Jewish leader in Mainz) issued an order prohibiting such an action. Godfrey claimed he never really intended to kill Jews, but the community in Mainz and Cologne sent him a collected bribe of 500 silver marks.^[9]

…On top of the general Catholic suspicion of Jews at the time, when the thousands of French members of the People’s Crusade arrived at the Rhine, they had run out of provisions.^[12] To restock their supplies, they began to plunder Jewish food and property while attempting to force them to convert to Catholicism.^[12]

Not all crusaders who had run out of supplies resorted to murder; some, like Peter the Hermit, used extortion instead. While no sources claim he preached against the Jews, he carried a letter with him from the Jews of France to the community at Trier. The letter urged them to supply provisions to Peter and his men. The Solomon bar Simson Chronicle records that they were so terrified by Peter’s appearance at the gates that they readily agreed to supply his needs.^[9]

Still, I’m deeply affected that this periodic^[18] share in his sufferings^[19] coupled with the belief that such suffering atoned for all the nations may have contributed to the preservation of his word and thus the redemption of the nations: Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.^[20]

Tables comparing Psalm 22:11; Isaiah 53:4; 53:5; Job 13:21; Isaiah 53:10; 53:11; 53:12; Leviticus 16:30; 2 Chronicles 34:3 and 34:8 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 22:11 (21:12); Isaiah 53:4; 53:5; Job 13:21; Isaiah 53:10; 53:11; 53:12; Leviticus 16:30; 2 Chronicles (Supplements) 34:3 and 34:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Luke 13:2-5 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 22:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 22:11 (KJV)	Psalm 22:11 (NET)
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.	Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.	Do not remain far away from me, for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.

Psalm 22:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 21:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἀποστῇς ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ ὅτι θλῗψις ἐγγύς ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ βοηθῶν	μὴ ἀποστῇς ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι θλῖψις ἐγγύς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ βοηθῶν
Psalm 21:12 (NETS)	Psalm 21:12 (English Elpenor)
Do not keep away from me, because affliction is near, because there is no one to help.	Stand not aloof from me; for affliction is near; for there is no helper.

Isaiah 53:4 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:4 (KJV)	Isaiah 53:4 (NET)
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.	Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.	But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.

Isaiah 53:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 53:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὗτος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν φέρει καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται καὶ ἡμεῗς ἐλογισάμεθα αὐτὸν εἶναι ἐν πόνῳ καὶ ἐν πληγῇ καὶ ἐν κακώσει	οὗτος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν φέρει καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐλογισάμεθα αὐτὸν εἶναι ἐν πόνῳ καὶ ἐν πληγῇ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐν κακώσει
Isaiah 53:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:4 (English Elpenor)
This one bears our sins and suffers pain for us, and we accounted him to be in trouble and calamity and ill-treatment.	He bears our sins, and is pained for us: yet we accounted him to be in trouble, and in suffering [by God]*, and in affliction.

Isaiah 53:5 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)	Isaiah 53:5 (NET)
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.	But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.	He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.

Isaiah 53:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 53:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αὐτὸς δὲ ἐτραυματίσθη διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν καὶ μεμαλάκισται διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν παιδεία εἰρήνης ἡμῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἡμεῗς ἰάθημεν	αὐτὸς δὲ ἐτραυματίσθη διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν καὶ μεμαλάκισται διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν· παιδεία εἰρήνης ἡμῶν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς ἰάθημεν
Isaiah 53:5 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:5 (English Elpenor)
But he was wounded because of our acts of lawlessness and has been weakened because of our sins; upon him was the discipline of our peace; by his bruise we were healed.	But he was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; [and] by his bruises we were healed.

Job 13:21 (Tanakh)	Job 13:21 (KJV)	Job 13:21 (NET)
Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.	Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.	Remove your hand far from me and stop making me afraid with your terror.

Job 13:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 13:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὴν χεῗρα ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἀπέχου καὶ ὁ φόβος σου μή με καταπλησσέτω	τὴν χεῖρα ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἀπέχου, καὶ ὁ φόβος σου μή με καταπλησσέτω
Job 13:21 (NETS)	Job 13:21 (English Elpenor)
withdraw your hand from me, and let fear of you not terrify me.	Withhold [thine] hand from me: and let not thy fear terrify me.

Isaiah 53:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 53:10 (NET)
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.	Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.	Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.

Isaiah 53:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 53:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κύριος βούλεται καθαρίσαι αὐτὸν τῆς πληγῆς ἐὰν δῶτε περὶ ἁμαρτίας ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν ὄψεται σπέρμα μακρόβιον καὶ βούλεται κύριος ἀφελεῗν	καὶ Κύριος βούλεται καθαρίσαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς πληγῆς. ἐὰν δῶτε περὶ ἁμαρτίας, ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν ὄψεται σπέρμα μακρόβιον· καὶ βούλεται Κύριος ἀφελεῖν
Isaiah 53:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:10, 11a (English Elpenor)
And the Lord desires to cleanse him from his blow. If you offer for sin, you shall see a long-lived offspring. And the Lord wishes to take away	The Lord also is pleased to purge him from his stroke. If ye can give an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed: (11a) the Lord also is pleased to take away from

Isaiah 53:11 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:11 (KJV)	Isaiah 53:11 (NET)
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.	He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.	Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins.

Isaiah 53:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 53:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ δεῗξαι αὐτῷ φῶς καὶ πλάσαι τῇ συνέσει δικαιῶσαι δίκαιον εὖ δουλεύοντα πολλοῗς καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν αὐτὸς ἀνοίσει	ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, δεῖξαι αὐτῷ φῶς καὶ πλάσαι τῇ συνέσει, δικαιῶσαι δίκαιον εὖ δουλεύοντα πολλοῖς, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν αὐτὸς ἀνοίσει
Isaiah 53:11 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:11b (English Elpenor)
from the pain of his soul, to show him light and fill him with understanding, to justify a righteous one who is well subject to many, and he himself shall bear their sins.	the travail of his soul, to shew him light, and to form [him] with understanding; to justify the just one who serves many well; and he shall bear their sins.

Isaiah 53:12 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:12 (KJV)	Isaiah 53:12 (NET)
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.	Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.	So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”

Isaiah 53:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 53:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς κληρονομήσει πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν μεριεῗ σκῦλα ἀνθ᾽ ὧν παρεδόθη εἰς θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῗς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκεν καὶ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη	διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς κληρονομήσει πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν μεριεῖ σκῦλα, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν παρεδόθη εἰς θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη· καὶ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκε καὶ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη
Isaiah 53:12 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:12 (English Elpenor)
Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because his soul was given over to death, and he was reckoned among the lawless, and he bore the sins of many, and because of their sins he was given over.	Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty; because his soul was delivered to death: and he was numbered among the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and was delivered because of their iniquities.

Leviticus 16:30 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 16:30 (KJV)	Leviticus 16:30 (NET)
For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall ye be clean before HaShem.	For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.	for on this day atonement is to be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins; you must be clean before the Lord.

Leviticus 16:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 16:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐξιλάσεται περὶ ὑμῶν καθαρίσαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ καθαρισθήσεσθε	ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐξιλάσεται περὶ ὑμῶν, καθαρίσαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν ἔναντι Κυρίου, καὶ καθαρισθήσεσθε
Leviticus 16:30 (NETS)	Leviticus 16:30 (English Elpenor)
For on this day he shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you from all your sins before the Lord, and you shall be clean.	For in this day he shall make an atonement for you, to cleanse you from all your sins before the Lord, and ye shall be purged.

2 Chronicles 34:3 (Tanakh)	2 Chronicles 34:3 (KJV)	2 Chronicles 34:3 (NET)
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.	For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.	In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year he began ridding Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images.

2 Chronicles 34:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Chronicles 34:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀγδόῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔτι παιδάριον ἤρξατο τοῦ ζητῆσαι κύριον τὸν θεὸν Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ δωδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ ἤρξατο τοῦ καθαρίσαι τὸν Ιουδαν καὶ τὴν Ιερουσαλημ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλσεων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν χωνευτῶν	καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀγδόῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ -καὶ αὐτὸς ἔτι παιδάριον- ἤρξατο τοῦ ζητῆσαι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐν τῷ δωδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ ἤρξατο τοῦ καθαρίσαι τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλσεων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν περιβωμίων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν χωνευτῶν
2 Supplements 34:3 (NETS)	2 Chronicles 34:3 (English Elpenor)
And in the eighth year of his reign—and he was still a lad—he began to seek the Lord, God of Dauid his father. And in the twelfth year of his reign he began to purge Ioudas and Ierousalem of the high places and the groves and the smelted items.	And in the eighth year of his reign, and he [being] yet a youth, he began to seek the Lord God of his father David: and in the twelfth year of his reign he began to purge Juda and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the ornaments for the altars, and the molten images.

2 Chronicles 34:8 (Tanakh)	2 Chronicles 34:8 (KJV)	2 Chronicles 34:8 (NET)
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.	Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.	In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying the land and the temple. He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city official, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

2 Chronicles 34:8 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Chronicles 34:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ τοῦ καθαρίσαι τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν οἶκον ἀπέστειλεν τὸν Σαφαν υἱὸν Εσελια καὶ τὸν Μαασιαν ἄρχοντα τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὸν Ιουαχ υἱὸν Ιωαχαζ τὸν ὑπομνηματογράφον αὐτοῦ κραταιῶσαι τὸν οἶκον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτοῦ	Καὶ ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ τοῦ καθαρίσαι τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν οἶκον ἀπέστειλε τὸν Σαφὰν υἱὸν ᾿Εσελία καὶ τὸν Μαασὰ ἄρχοντα τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὸν ᾿Ιουὰχ υἱὸν ᾿Ιωάχαζ τὸν ὑπομνηματογράφον αὐτοῦ κραταιῶσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ
2 Supplements 34:8 (NETS)	2 Chronicles 34:8 (English Elpenor)
And in the eighteenth year of his reign—in order to purge the land and the house—he sent out Saphan son of Eselias and Maasias ruler of the city and Iouach son of Ioachaz, his recorder, to repair the house of the Lord, his God.	And in the eighteenth year of his reign, after having cleansed the land, and the house, he sent Saphan the son of Ezelias, and Maasa prefect of the city, and Juach son of Joachaz his recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.

Luke 13:2-5 (NET)	Luke 13:2-5 (KJV)
He answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things?	And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· δοκεῖτε ὅτι οἱ Γαλιλαῖοι οὗτοι ἁμαρτωλοὶ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς Γαλιλαίους ἐγένοντο, ὅτι ταῦτα πεπόνθασιν	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις δοκειτε οτι οι γαλιλαιοι ουτοι αμαρτωλοι παρα παντας τους γαλιλαιους εγενοντο οτι τοιαυτα πεπονθασιν	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις δοκειτε οτι οι γαλιλαιοι ουτοι αμαρτωλοι παρα παντας τους γαλιλαιους εγενοντο οτι τοιαυτα πεπονθασιν

No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well!

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐὰν μὴ μετανοῆτε πάντες ὁμοίως ἀπολεῖσθε	ουχι λεγω υμιν αλλ εαν μη μετανοητε παντες ωσαυτως απολεισθε	ουχι λεγω υμιν αλλ εαν μη μετανοητε παντες ωσαυτως απολεισθε

Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem?

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἢ ἐκεῖνοι οἱ δεκαοκτὼ ἐφ᾿ οὓς ἔπεσεν ὁ πύργος ἐν τῷ Σιλωὰμ καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτούς, δοκεῖτε ὅτι αὐτοὶ ὀφειλέται ἐγένοντο παρὰ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Ἰερουσαλήμ	η εκεινοι οι δεκα και οκτω εφ ους επεσεν ο πυργος εν τω σιλωαμ και απεκτεινεν αυτους δοκειτε οτι ουτοι οφειλεται εγενοντο παρα παντας ανθρωπους τους κατοικουντας εν ιερουσαλημ	η εκεινοι οι δεκα και οκτω εφ ους επεσεν ο πυργος εν τω σιλωαμ και απεκτεινεν αυτους δοκειτε οτι ουτοι οφειλεται εγενοντο παρα παντας ανθρωπους τους κατοικουντας εν ιερουσαλημ

No, I tell you! But unless you repent you will all perish as well!”

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐὰν μὴ \|μετανοῆτε\| πάντες ὡσαύτως ἀπολεῖσθε	ουχι λεγω υμιν αλλ εαν μη μετανοητε παντες ομοιως απολεισθε	ουχι λεγω υμιν αλλ εαν μη μετανοητε παντες ομοιως απολεισθε

Psalm 22, Part 4

Back to Forgiveness and My Religious Mind

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 1

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 2

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 3

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 4

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 5

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 6

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 7

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 8

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 9

Back to Psalm 22, Part 11

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 10

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 11

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 12

Back to Christianity, Part 5

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 5

^[1] Matthew 3:17b (NET)

^[2] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο ιησους (KJV: Jesus) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[3] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ταῦτα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τοιαυτα (KJV: such things).

^[4] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὁμοίως here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ωσαυτως (KJV: likewise).

^[5] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δεκαοκτὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δεκα και οκτω (literally: “ten and eight”).

^[6] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουτοι.

^[7] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τοὺς here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[8] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[9] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ωσαυτως here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ὁμοίως (KJV: likewise).

^[10] John 10:17, 18 (NET)

^[11] Isaiah 53:10a (Tanakh)

^[12] “Jewish Concepts: Masoretic Text,” Jewish Virtual Library: Anything you need to know from Anti-Semitism to Zionism

^[13] Rashi

^[14] Rhineland massacres

^[15] This was translated τέτρωμαι (a form of τιτρώσκω) in the Septuagint.

^[16] The Samaritan woman who spoke with Jesus knew that Messiah is coming, Herod asked the chief priests and experts in the law…where the Christ was to be born (Matthew 2:4 NET) but None of the rulers of this age understood [the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery], Paul wrote believers in Corinth. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8 NET). How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled? (Matthew 26:54 NET)

^[17] From Rhineland massacres, Background: Many crusaders had to go into debt in order to purchase weaponry and equipment for the expedition; as Western Catholicism strictly forbade usury, many crusaders inevitably found themselves indebted to Jewish moneylenders. Having armed themselves by assuming the debt, the crusaders rationalized the killing of Jews as an extension of their Catholic mission.^[6]

^[18] From Rhineland massacres, Background: There had not been so broad a movement against Jews by Catholics since the seventh century’s mass expulsions and forced conversions. While there had been a number of regional persecutions of Jews by Catholics, such as the one in Metz in 888, a plot against Jews in Limoges in 992, a wave of anti-Jewish persecution by Christian millenarian movements (which believed that Jesus was immediately to descend from Heaven) in the year 1000, and the threat of expulsion from Trier in 1066; these are all viewed “in the traditional terms of governmental outlawry rather than unbridled popular attacks.”^[7] Also many movements against Jews (such as forced conversions by King Robert the Pious of France, Richard II, Duke of Normandy, and Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor around 1007–1012) had been quashed either by Roman Catholicism’s papacy or its bishops.^[7]

^[19] Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:10, 11; 1 Peter 4:13

^[20] Isaiah 53:10a (Tanakh)

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 4

Posted on April 12, 2020 by admin

As I continue to focus on the Sabbath (because it has so much material to access) I’ve arrived at the first statement of the ten commandments in Exodus. So here is the shadow of the good things to come of the Sabbath in its most definitive form. This section begins, And G-d spoke all these words, saying:^[1]

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 20:8-11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:8-11 (NET)	Exodus 20:8-11 (NETS)	Exodus 20:8-11 (English Elpenor)
Remember the sabbath (הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת) day, to keep it holy.	“Remember the Sabbath (shabbâth, השבת) day to set it apart as holy.	Remember the day of the sabbaths (σαββάτων) to consecrate it.	Remember the sabbath (σαββάτων) day to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work;	For six days you may labor and do all your work,	For six days you shall labor and do all your labor,	Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work.
but the seventh day is a sabbath (שַׁבָּ֣ת) unto HaShem thy G-d, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;	but the seventh day is a Sabbath (shabbâth, שבת) to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates.	but on the seventh day there is Sabbata (σάββατα) to the Lord your God. You shall not do in it any labor, you and your son and your daughter, your male slave and your female slave, your ox and your draft animal and any animal of yours and the guest who resides among you.	But on the seventh day is the sabbath (σάββατα) of the Lord thy God; on it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy servant nor thy maidservant, thine ox nor thine ass, nor any cattle of thine, nor the stranger that sojourns with thee.
in six days HaShem made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested (וַיָּ֖נַח) on the seventh day; wherefore HaShem blessed the sabbath (הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת) day, and hallowed it.	For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested (nûach, וינח) on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath (shabbâth, השבת) day and set it apart as holy.	For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them, and he rested (κατέπαυσεν) on the seventh day and consecrated it. For this reason the Lord blessed the seventh (ἑβδόμην) day and consecrated it.	For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested (κατέπαυσε) on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh (ἑβδόμην) day, and hallowed it.

Do these translations effectively convey the truth that, The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath^[2]? This isn’t a question I’ll explore necessarily in this essay. It is a safeguard, along with Jesus’ more general key to the Old Testament—Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above’,^[3] that I might not be waylaid by shadows while studying the law.

I will note a new Hebrew word וַיָּ֖נַח (nûach) here: In this reprise of Genesis 2:2—and rested on the seventh day—וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ (shâbath) has been replaced by וַיָּ֖נַח (nûach). And the ark rested (nûach, וַתָּ֤נַח) in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.^[4] The rabbis returned to κατέπαυσε(ν) (a form of καταπαύω) in the ten commandments: The Lord rested on the seventh day; He did not “sabbatize.” When Noah’s ark rested, however, the rabbis chose ἐκάθισεν (a form of καθίζω).

Another item of note: In the Masoretic text HaShem blessed the sabbath (shabbâth, הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת) day. In the Septuagint the Lord blessed the seventh (ἑβδόμην, a form of ἕβδομος) day. Since the Hebrew construction in Genesis 2:3 was identical except that הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י (sh^ebı̂yʽı̂y) was replaced by הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת (shabbâth), it may seem that the Septuagint is the more original here. The problem with that is Exodus 20:8 was also identical construction but the word was הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת (shabbâth), translated σαββάτων (a form of σάββατον) in the Septuagint. I’ll call it a toss-up.

Consequently a Sabbath rest (σαββατισμὸς) remains for the people of God. For the one who enters God’s rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις) has also rested (κατέπαυσεν, a form of καταπαύω) from his works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον), just as God did from his own works.^[5]

This is the advantage of studying the Sabbath. The good things to come of the Sabbath are stated as explicitly as its shadow in the law. I’ll back up and take a run at this (Hebrews 4:1, 2 NET):

Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις) remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it. For we had good news proclaimed (εὐηγγελισμένοι, a form of εὐαγγελίζω; KJV: gospel preached) to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with^[6] those who heard it in faith.

The Greek word translated we must be wary was φοβηθῶμεν (a form of φοβέω), fear in all its connotations of fearing the Lord. The Greek word συγκεκραμενος (a form of συγκεράννυμι) is singular and was translated being mixed with in the KJV: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. In other words, they didn’t believe it. In the NET, however, συγκεκερασμένους (another form of συγκεράννυμι) is plural and was translated as if it referred to the people rather than the message. So the message they heard did them no good, since they didn’t go to church. I’m not so sure that συγκεκερασμένους was original here.

I’ll back up a bit further (Hebrews 3:14-19 NET):

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 your hearts as in the rebellion.” For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’^[7] 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 (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις), except those who were disobedient (ἀπειθήσασιν, a form of ἀπειθέω; KJV: believed not)? So we see that they could not enter because of unbelief (ἀπιστίαν, a form of ἀπιστία).

After establishing a causal relationship between ἀπιστία and ἀπειθέω—unbelief causes disobedience—I don’t see the author of Hebrews or the Holy Spirit muddying the waters with συγκεκερασμένους. I don’t know what documents or reasons the Nestle-Aland editors employed, but on the face of it crediting disobedience to a lack of church attendance sounds like a later alteration to the Greek text.

I’ll continue from where I left off (Hebrews 4:3-8 NET):

For we who have believed enter that rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις), as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις)!’”^[8] And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world. For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested (κατέπαυσεν, a form of καταπαύω) on the seventh day from all his works,” but to repeat the text cited earlier: “They will never enter my rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις)!” Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed (εὐαγγελισθέντες, a form of εὐαγγελίζω) did not enter because of disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια; KJV: unbelief). So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David^[9] after so long a time, as in the words quoted before,^[10] “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day.

For if Jesus had given them rest, we read in the KJV, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.^[11] This is certainly the safer translation in the sense that the translators exerted the least interpretation over the Greek text. The only safer step I can imagine would have been to transliterate Ἰησοῦς Iesous. Jesus and Joshua are Ἰησοῦς in Greek.

Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ Αμαληκ καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων καὶ Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ	καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς, καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ ᾿Αμαλήκ· καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ ῍Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ
Exodus 17:10 (NETS)	Exodus 17:10 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous did as Moyses said to him and set up in battle array with Amelek, and Moyses and Aaron and Hor went up onto the top of the hill.	And Joshua did as Moses said to him, and he went out and set the army in array against Amalec, and Moses and Aaron and Or went up to the top of the hill.

It seems fairly obvious to translate Ἰησοῦς Joshua in Exodus 17:10. But what about Hebrews 4:8? God was added by the NET translators. The KJV translators derived he from ἐλάλει, the 3^rd person singular form of the verb λαλέω.

Personally, I have no difficulty these days believing that He who was born into this world as Ἰησοῦς rested on the seventh day from all his works of creation, swore in [his] anger, ‘They will never enter my rest’ in the time of Moses, did not grant the rest He was concerned with in the time of Joshua and promised another day of rest through his prophet David. But would I have understood that this particular passage referred to Joshua’s conquest of Canaan if the NET translators (like most modern translators) hadn’t translated Ἰησοῦς Joshua and distinguished him from the one speaking in Psalm 95? I don’t know, probably not until I began to study this deeply.

Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God, the writer of Hebrews continued. For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.^[12] Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (ἀναπαύσω, a form of ἀναπαύω), Jesus promised. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (ἀνάπαυσιν, a form of ἀνάπαυσις; Exodus 16:23 Septuagint) for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.^[13]

My entering into God’s rest differs from his rest in a significant way. He rested from works that were very good: God saw all that he had made—and it was very good!^[14] I am eager to rest from works of evil at one extreme, hypocrisy at the other (the works of an actor playing at righteousness) or some jumbled combination of the two everywhere in between. Wretched man that I am! Paul lamented. Who will rescue me from this body of death?^[15] Paul understood entering God’s rest this way (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

Though he never used the words, I think Paul wrote extensively about this Sabbath rest from the works of the flesh (Romans 3:30, 31; 13:9, 10; Galatians 5:16, 17; 5:22-25 NET):

Since^[16] God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.^[17]

For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself” [Table]. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want [Table].

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law [Table]. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.

And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.^[18] He knows better than I do when I’m relying on, resting in the fruit of his Spirit, or when I’m trying to make myself righteous by obeying some rule. And I am not so attuned to his Holy Spirit that I discern any of this apart from studying the Bible with Him (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge (κριτικὸς) the desires and thoughts of the heart.^[19]

I’ll pick this up in another essay. A table comparing the Greek of Psalm 95:7b, 8a (94:7b, 8a) in the Septuagint with that of the quotation in Hebrews 3:15 follows:

Hebrews 3:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 95:7b, 8a (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 94:8a (Septuagint Elpenor)
σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ	σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ	σήμερον, ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ
Hebrews 3:15 (NET)	Psalm 94:7b, 8a (NETS)	Psalm 94:8a (English Elpenor)
Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.	Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at the embittering,	To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,

A table comparing the Greek of Psalm 95:11 (94:11) in the Septuagint with that of the quotation in Hebrews 4:3 follows:

Hebrews 4:3a (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 95:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 94:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσιν μου	ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου	ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου· εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου
Hebrews 4:3a (NET)	Psalm 94:11 (NETS)	Psalm 94:11 (English Elpenor)
“As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’”	As I swore in my wrath, “If they shall enter into my rest!”	So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

A table comparing the Greek of Genesis 2:2 in the Septuagint with that of the quotation in Hebrews 4:4 follows:

Hebrews 4:4b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 2:2b (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:2b (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέπαυσεν ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ	καὶ κατέπαυσεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ	καὶ κατέπαυσε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ
Hebrews 4:4b (NET)	Genesis 2:2b (NETS)	Genesis 2:2b (English Elpenor)
“And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”	and he left off on the seventh day from all his works	and he ceased on the seventh day from all his works

Tables comparing Exodus 20:1; 20:8; 20:9; 20:10; 20:11; Genesis 8:4; Psalm 95:7; 95:8; 95:11; Exodus 17:10 and Genesis 1:31 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Exodus 20:1; 20:8; 20:9; 20:10; 20:11; Genesis 8:4 (8:3b); Psalm 95:7 (94:7); 95:8 (94:8); 95:11 (94:11); Exodus 17:10 and Genesis 1:31 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those are tables comparing Hebrews 4:2, 3:16; 4:7 and Romans 3:30, 31 in the NET and KJV.

Exodus 20:1 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:1 (KJV)	Exodus 20:1 (NET)
And G-d spoke all these words, saying:	And God spake all these words, saying,	God spoke all these words:

Exodus 20:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους λέγων	ΚΑΙ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους λέγων
Exodus 20:1 (NETS)	Exodus 20:1 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord spoke all these words, saying:	And the Lord spoke all these words, saying:

Exodus 20:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:8 (KJV)	Exodus 20:8 (NET)
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.	Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.	“Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy.

Exodus 20:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μνήσθητι τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν σαββάτων ἁγιάζειν αὐτήν	μνήσθητι τὴν ἡμέρα τῶν σαββάτων ἁγιάζειν αὐτήν
Exodus 20:8 (NETS)	Exodus 20:8 (English Elpenor)
Remember the day of the sabbaths to consecrate it.	Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:9 (KJV)	Exodus 20:9 (NET)
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work;	Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:	For six days you may labor and do all your work,

Exodus 20:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἓξ ἡμέρας ἐργᾷ καὶ ποιήσεις πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου	ἓξ ἡμέρας ἐργᾷ καὶ ποιήσεις πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου
Exodus 20:9 (NETS)	Exodus 20:9 (English Elpenor)
For six days you shall labor and do all your labor,	Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work.

Exodus 20:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:10 (KJV)	Exodus 20:10 (NET)
but the seventh day is a sabbath unto HaShem thy G-d, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;	But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:	but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates.

Exodus 20:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ σάββατα κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου οὐ ποιήσεις ἐν αὐτῇ πᾶν ἔργον σὺ καὶ ὁ υἱός σου καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ σου ὁ παῗς σου καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου ὁ βοῦς σου καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου καὶ πᾶν κτῆνός σου καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ παροικῶν ἐν σοί	τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ σάββατα Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ σου· οὐ ποιήσεις ἐν αὐτῇ πᾶν ἔργον, σὺ καὶ ὁ υἱός σου καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ σου, ὁ παῖς σου καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου, ὁ βοῦς σου καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου καὶ πᾶν κτῆνός σου καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ παροικῶν ἐν σοί
Exodus 20:10 (NETS)	Exodus 20:10 (English Elpenor)
but on the seventh day there is Sabbata to the Lord your God. You shall not do in it any labor, you and your son and your daughter, your male slave and your female slave, your ox and your draft animal and any animal of yours and the guest who resides among you.	But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; on it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy servant nor thy maidservant, thine ox nor thine ass, nor any cattle of thine, nor the stranger that sojourns with thee.

Exodus 20:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:11 (KJV)	Exodus 20:11 (NET)
in six days HaShem made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore HaShem blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.	For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.	For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

Exodus 20:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν γὰρ ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησεν κύριος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῗς καὶ κατέπαυσεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησεν κύριος τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν	ἐν γὰρ ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησε Κύριος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ κατέπαυσε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ· διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησε Κύριος τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν
Exodus 20:11 (NETS)	Exodus 20:11 (English Elpenor)
For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them, and he rested on the seventh day and consecrated it. For this reason the Lord blessed the seventh day and consecrated it.	For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.

Genesis 8:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 8:4 (KJV)	Genesis 8:4 (NET)
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.	And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.	On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on one of the mountains of Ararat.

Genesis 8:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 8:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνός ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Αραρατ	καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ, ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνός, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ ᾿Αραράτ
Genesis 8:4 (NETS)	Genesis 8:3b (English Elpenor)
And in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh of the month, the ark settled on the mountains of Ararat.	and the ark rested in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.

Psalm 95:7 (Tanakh)	Psalm 95:7 (KJV)	Psalm 95:7 (NET)
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,	For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,	For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture, the sheep he owns. Today, if only you would obey him.

Psalm 95:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 94:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ἡμεῗς λαὸς νομῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ πρόβατα χειρὸς αὐτοῦ σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε	ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡμεῖς λαὸς νομῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ πρόβατα χειρὸς αὐτοῦ
Psalm 94:7 (NETS)	Psalm 94:7 (English Elpenor)
because he is our God and we are people of his pasture and sheep of his hand! Today if you hear his voice,	For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Psalm 95:8 (Tanakh)	Psalm 95:8 (KJV)	Psalm 95:8 (NET)
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:	Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:	He says, “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, like they were that day at Massah in the wilderness,

Psalm 95:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 94:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ	σήμερον, ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ
Psalm 94:8 (NETS)	Psalm 94:8 (English Elpenor)
do not harden your hearts, as at the embittering, like the day of the trial in the wilderness,	To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, according to the day of irritation in the wilderness:

Psalm 95:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 95:11 (KJV)	Psalm 95:11 (NET)
Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.	Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.	So I made a vow in my anger, ‘They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them.’”

Psalm 95:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 94:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου	ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου· εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου
Psalm 94:11 (NETS)	Psalm 94:11 (English Elpenor)
As I swore in my wrath, “If they shall enter into my rest!”	So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

Exodus 17:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:10 (KJV)	Exodus 17:10 (NET)
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.	So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.	So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him, and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ Αμαληκ καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων καὶ Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ	καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς, καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ ᾿Αμαλήκ· καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ ῍Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ
Exodus 17:10 (NETS)	Exodus 17:10 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous did as Moyses said to him and set up in battle array with Amelek, and Moyses and Aaron and Hor went up onto the top of the hill.	And Joshua did as Moses said to him, and he went out and set the army in array against Amalec, and Moses and Aaron and Or went up to the top of the hill.

Genesis 1:31 (Tanakh)	Genesis 1:31 (KJV)	Genesis 1:31 (NET)
And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.	And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.	God saw all that he had made—and it was very good! There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 1:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν καὶ ἰδοὺ καλὰ λίαν καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί ἡμέρα ἕκτη	καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησε, καὶ ἰδοὺ καλὰ λίαν. καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα ἕκτη
Genesis 1:31 (NETS)	Genesis 1:31 (English Elpenor)
And God saw all the things that he had made, and see, they were exceedingly good. And it came to be evening, and it came to be morning, a sixth day.	And God saw all the things that he had made, and, behold, they were very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Hebrews 4:2 (NET)	Hebrews 4:2 (KJV)
For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith.	For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ γάρ ἐσμεν εὐηγγελισμένοι καθάπερ κακεῖνοι· ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ὠφέλησεν ὁ λόγος τῆς ἀκοῆς ἐκείνους μὴ συγκεκερασμένους τῇ πίστει τοῖς ἀκούσασιν	και γαρ εσμεν ευηγγελισμενοι καθαπερ κακεινοι αλλ ουκ ωφελησεν ο λογος της ακοης εκεινους μη συγκεκραμενος τη πιστει τοις ακουσασιν	και γαρ εσμεν ευηγγελισμενοι καθαπερ κακεινοι αλλ ουκ ωφελησεν ο λογος της ακοης εκεινους μη συγκεκραμενους τη πιστει τοις ακουσασιν

Hebrews 3:16 (NET)	Hebrews 3:16 (KJV)
For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership?	For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τίνες γὰρ ἀκούσαντες παρεπίκραναν; ἀλλ᾿ οὐ πάντες οἱ ἐξελθόντες ἐξ Ἀιγύπτου διὰ Μωϋσέως	τινες γαρ ακουσαντες παρεπικραναν αλλ ου παντες οι εξελθοντες εξ αιγυπτου δια μωσεως	τινες γαρ ακουσαντες παρεπικραναν αλλ ου παντες οι εξελθοντες εξ αιγυπτου δια μωυσεως

Hebrews 4:7 (NET)	Hebrews 4:7 (KJV)
So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.”	Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πάλιν τινὰ ὁρίζει ἡμέραν, σήμερον, ἐν Δαυὶδ λέγων μετὰ τοσοῦτον χρόνον, καθὼς προείρηται σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν.	παλιν τινα οριζει ημεραν σημερον εν δαβιδ λεγων μετα τοσουτον χρονον καθως ειρηται σημερον εαν της φωνης αυτου ακουσητε μη σκληρυνητε τας καρδιας υμων	παλιν τινα οριζει ημεραν σημερον εν δαυιδ λεγων μετα τοσουτον χρονον καθως ειρηται σημερον εαν της φωνης αυτου ακουσητε μη σκληρυνητε τας καρδιας υμων

Romans 3:30, 31 (NET)	Romans 3:30, 31 (KJV)
Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.	Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἴπερ εἷς ὁ θεὸς ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως καὶ ἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως	επειπερ εις ο θεος ος δικαιωσει περιτομην εκ πιστεως και ακροβυστιαν δια της πιστεως	επειπερ εις ο θεος ος δικαιωσει περιτομην εκ πιστεως και ακροβυστιαν δια της πιστεως

Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως; μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ νόμον ἱστάνομεν	νομον ουν καταργουμεν δια της πιστεως μη γενοιτο αλλα νομον ιστωμεν	νομον ουν καταργουμεν δια της πιστεως μη γενοιτο αλλα νομον ιστωμεν

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 5

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 1

Back to Psalm 22, Part 4

Back to A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 6

Back to Romans, Part 17

Back to Westworld, Part 2

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 2

Back to Westworld, Part 3

Back to The Book of Life, Part 3

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 5

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 9

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

Back to Exploration, Part 1

^[1] Exodus 20:1 (Tanakh)

^[2] Mark 2:27 (NET) Table

^[3] John 3:7 (NET)

^[4] Genesis 8:4 (Tanakh)

^[5] Hebrews 4:9, 10 (NET)

^[6] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had συγκεκερασμένους here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συγκεκραμενος (KJV: being mixed with).

^[7] In the Stephanus Textus Receptus Moses was spelled μωσεως, and Μωϋσέως in the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text. Despite this single difference in Greek, the KJV translation is quite different: For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

^[8] The Greek of the NET, NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text, Septuagint BLB and Elpenor is identical, but the English translation of the KJV (Hebrews 4:3) and NETS (Psalm 94:11)—if they shall enter into my rest—is different. My knowledge of Greek is insufficient to choose between them.

^[9] In the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text David was spelled Δαυὶδ, and δαβιδ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

^[10] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had προείρηται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειρηται (KJV: it is said).

^[11] Hebrews 4:8 (KJV)

^[12] Hebrews 4:9, 10 (NET)

^[13] Matthew 11:28-30 (NET) Table

^[14] Genesis 1:31 (NET)

^[15] Romans 7:24 (NET)

^[16] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἴπερ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επειπερ (KJV: Seeing).

^[17] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἱστάνομεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιστωμεν (KJV: establish).

^[18] Hebrews 4:13 (NET)

^[19] Hebrews 4:12 (NET) Table

To Make Holy, Part 7

Posted on November 4, 2019 by admin

The next form of ἁγιάζω I want to consider is found in Jesus’ prayer to his Father: Set them apart (ἁγίασον, a form of ἁγιάζω) in the truth; your word is truth.^[1] But I’m making a slow pilgrimage through his prayer because I believe I can know his holiness here. Jesus prayed (John 17:9 NET):

I am praying on behalf of them. I am not praying on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those you have given me, because they belong to you.

Translating ἐρωτῶ pray (KJV) at a time when I pray thee was a more natural way to make a request sounds different to my ear than I am praying today. But now I ask (ἐρωτῶ, a form of ἐρωτάω) you, lady (not as if I were writing^[2] a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another.^[3] Yes,^[4] I say (ἐρωτῶ, a form of ἐρωτάω) also to you, true companion, help them. They have struggled together in the gospel ministry along with me and Clement and my other coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.^[5] So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg (ἐρωτῶ, a form of ἐρωτάω) you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house.^[6]

Jesus’ request was made on behalf of those you have given me, those who understood and had actively received the words He gave them. They were further designated here as belonging to the Father. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, Jesus had said, and I will raise him up at the last day.^[7]

Growing up it seemed natural for me to assume that these people (τοῖς ἀνθρώποις) were given to Jesus because God knew they would believe that He had sent Him, they would accept the words He gave to them and really understand that Jesus came from the Father. And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.^[8]

Now it seems just as natural to assume that they believed that God had sent Jesus, accepted the words He gave to them and really understood that He came from the Father because God predestined them to be conformed to the image of his Son. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.^[9] This new assumption became natural as I heard Paul’s answer to his own rhetorical question: You will say to me then, “Why^[10] does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will (βουλήματι, a form of βούλημα)?”^[11]

At first, I was so certain that Paul would (or should) mount a spirited defense of human desire and exertion, human faith and human obedience predicated on human willpower (θέλοντος, a form of θέλω), that I misunderstood his answer (Romans 9:20, 21 NET):

But who indeed are you—a mere human being—to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?

Pastor J.D. Farag told a story about a woman who approached him at a conference:

She thanked me for the ABC’s of salvation. She said, “I led my friend to Christ using the ABC’s of salvation.”

And by the way, it’s not the only way. It’s just a simple way. If I can do it, you can do it. It’s a simple way to share how to be saved.

So she shares with me how that she was able to lead this friend to Christ. And then after she got saved she went to church with her on a Sunday. The very next day her husband murdered her and then killed himself.

She’s with the Lord. Maybe I’m just saying I’m never going to stop sharing the gospel and the ABC’s of salvation, because you just don’t know.

Though we called the “ABC’s of salvation” the “four spiritual laws,”^[12] this story reminded me of my understanding growing up in church. The woman’s faith in Christ made her a vessel for special use (KJV: vessel unto honour). Her husband sealed his own fate as a vessel for ordinary use (KJV: unto dishonour) by murdering his wife and then killing himself. (Had he lived he, too, may have repented and believed the four spiritual laws or the ABC’s of salvation.) But behind these human desires and exertions^[13] was another: the first woman’s decision to share the ABC’s of salvation with her friend and the nagging regret that she didn’t do so with her friend’s husband. Though Pastor Farag didn’t go there, I remember fearing that one would answer for this failure and this lost soul at the judgment seat of Christ: Woe^[14] to me if I do not preach the gospel!^[15]

With these beliefs Paul’s description of God as a potter with the right (ἐξουσίαν, a form of ἐξουσία) to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use seemed mostly irrelevant, if not altogether cruel or evil. Paul continued (Romans 9:22-24 NET):

But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?^[16] And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Before I could appreciate the consistency of Paul’s answer I needed to be persuaded that salvation was wholly a work of God—Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever^[17]—not of human effort so that no one can boast.^[18] To perceive the wisdom of the Holy Spirit’s answer to Paul’s rhetorical question I needed much more persuasion that the righteousness revealed in the gospel, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ,^[19] was a gift to be received, not a curse to endure as I mourned the lost “joys” and past “glories” of sin, or chafed at those around me who still “enjoyed” their sins.

Let’s face it, I needed a radical renewing of my mind before I could appreciate how God’s right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel (σκεῦος) for special use and another for ordinary use (ἀτιμίαν, a form of ἀτιμία) is the rationale for a salvation that begins with the temporary housing of an entirely new creation within sinful condemned flesh (2 Corinthians 5:17; 4:7; 1 Corinthians 15:42b-44a).

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!^[20]

But we have this treasure in clay jars (σκεύεσιν, another form of σκεῦος), so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor (ἀτιμίᾳ), it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

It bears mentioning that though the NET translators seemed to distinguish between a vessel for special use, objects of wrath or mercy and clay jars, all are forms of σκεῦος.

Reference	NET	KJV	Greek
Romans 9:21	one vessel for special use	one vessel unto honour	σκεῦος
Romans 9:22	objects of wrath	vessels of wrath	σκεύη, a form of σκεῦος
Romans 9:23	objects of mercy	vessels of mercy	σκεύη, a form of σκεῦος
2 Corinthians 4:7	clay jars	earthen vessels	σκεύεσιν, another form of σκεῦος

Everything I have belongs to you, and everything you have belongs to me, Jesus’ prayer continued, and I have been glorified by them.^[21] The KJV reads: And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified (δεδόξασμαι, a form of δοξάζω) in them.^[22] I’m reasonably convinced that the translators of the KJV assumed that Jesus referred still to the men you gave^[23] me out of the world.^[24] Before I studied σκεῦος I was less sure that was the NET translators’ assumption. The addition of the word thing (Everything) reminded me of a song we sang when I was young:

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills,

The wealth in every mine;

He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills,

The sun and stars that shine.

Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell –

He is my Father so they’re mine as well;

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills –

I know that He will care for me.

Now I can see that this listing of wealth was intended as a demonstration of God’s ability to care for me. I didn’t understand it that way then. As a child of the King I thought I was supposed to believe that He would express his care for me as a share of that wealth. I can’t say how often I actually believed that versus how often I thought it was just wishful thinking. It did set the tone, what I thought I should believe, if and when I tried to be a “true” believer. He worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator^[25] may be a fair characterization of my religious youth.

Paul amplified how Jesus could be glorified by or in those who “really understand that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me”^[26] (2 Corinthians 3:1b-3 NET):

We^[27] don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?^[28] You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

Paul contrasted the glory of the ministry of the law to that of the ministry of the Spirit (διακονία τοῦ πνεύματος), describing the former as the ministry that produced death (διακονία τοῦ θανάτου; KJV: ministration of death) or the ministry that produced condemnation (διακονίᾳ τῆς κατακρίσεως; KJV: ministration of condemnation), and the latter as the ministry that produces righteousness (διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης; KJV: ministration of righteousness):

But if the ministry that produced death—carved in letters on stone tablets—came with glory (δόξῃ, a form of δόξα), so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses^[29] because of the glory (δόξαν, another form of δόξα) of his face (a glory which was made ineffective), how much more glorious (δόξῃ, a form of δόξα) will the ministry of the Spirit be? For if there was glory (δόξα) in the^[30] ministry that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in^[31] glory (δόξῃ, a form of δόξα)! For indeed, what had been glorious (δεδοξασμένον, another form of δοξάζω) now has no^[32] glory (δεδόξασται, another form of δοξάζω) because of^[33] the tremendously greater glory (δόξης, another form of δόξα) of what replaced it. For if what was made ineffective came with glory (δόξης, another form of δόξα), how much more has what remains come in glory (δόξῃ, a form of δόξα)!^[34]

I am no longer in the world, Jesus continued, but they^[35] are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that^[36] you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.^[37] The KJV reads: keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me. These appear to be the extremes of translating the same Greek text in the former verse to keep consistent with the differences in the next verse:

John 17:12 (NET)	John 17:12 (KJV)
When I was with them I kept them safe and^[38] watched over them in your name that^[39] you have given me. Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.	While I was with them in the world,^[40] I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

The singular pronoun ᾧ (NET: that) was rendered that you have given me and was assumed to refer to your name, where the plural pronoun ους (KJV: those) was translated those that thou gavest me and was assumed to refer to the people God gave to Jesus. I’ll begin to consider the lost son of perdition in another essay. The point here as far as I’m concerned was that Jesus asked his Father to give the Holy Spirit to those who accepted Jesus’ words (John 17:13 NET):

But now I am coming to you, and I am saying these things in the world, so they may experience my joy completed in themselves.

Jesus’ joy was χαρὰν (a form of χαρά) in Greek. But the fruit of the Spirit is…joy (χαρὰ).^[41] The oneness He asked for those who believed that God had sent Jesus, accepted the words He gave to them and really understood that He came from the Father because God predestined them to be conformed to the image of his Son, comes through this same indwelling Holy Spirit, as each is led to acknowledge (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

A note (39) in the NET indicated that Romans 9:20b was a quote from Isaiah 29:16 and 45:9. Tables comparing the English translations from the Masoretic text and Septuagint follow:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 29:16 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 29:16 (NET)	Isaiah 29:16 (NETS)	Isaiah 29:16 (Elpenor English)
Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?	Your thinking is perverse! Should the potter be regarded as clay? Should the thing made say about its maker, “He didn’t make me”? Or should the pottery say about the potter, “He doesn’t understand”?	Shall you not be regarded as the potter’s clay? Shall the thing formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not form me,” or the thing made to the one who made it, “You made me with no understanding”?	Shall ye not be counted as clay of the potter? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Thou didst not form me? or the work to the maker, Thou hast not made me wisely?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 45:9 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 45:9 (NET)	Isaiah 45:9 (NETS)	Isaiah 45:9 (Elpenor English)
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?	One who argues with his Creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!”	What better thing have I formed like potter’s clay? Shall the plowman plow the earth? Shall the clay say to the potter, “What are you doing, since you are not working, nor do you have hands”?	What excellent thing have I prepared as clay of the potter? Will the ploughman plough the earth all say? shall the clay say to the potter, What art thou doing that thou dost not work, nor hast hands? shall the thing formed answer him that formed it?

I compared the Greek of Romans 9:20b to Isaiah 29:16b below:

Romans 9:20b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 29:16b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 29:16b (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι· τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως	μὴ ἐρεῗ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας	μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι αὐτό· οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι· οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας
Romans 9:20b (NET)	Isaiah 29:16b (NETS)	Isaiah 29:16b (English Elpenor)
Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?”	Shall the thing formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not form me,” or the thing made to the one who made it, “You made me with no understanding”?	Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Thou didst not form me? or the work to the maker, Thou hast not made me wisely?

Tables comparing Isaiah 29:16 and 45:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Isaiah 29:16 and 45:9 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables of 2 John 1:5; Philippians 4:3; Romans 9:19; 1 Corinthians 9:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 3:1; 3:7; 3:9, 10 and John 17:11, 12 comparing the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 29:16 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 29:16 (KJV)	Isaiah 29:16 (NET)
Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?	Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?	Your thinking is perverse! Should the potter be regarded as clay? Should the thing made say about its maker, “He didn’t make me”? Or should the pottery say about the potter, “He doesn’t understand”?

Isaiah 29:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 29:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐχ ὡς ὁ πηλὸς τοῦ κεραμέως λογισθήσεσθε μὴ ἐρεῗ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας	οὐχ ὡς ὁ πηλὸς τοῦ κεραμέως λογισθήσεσθε; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι αὐτό· οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι· οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας
Isaiah 29:16 (NETS)	Isaiah 29:16 (English Elpenor)
Shall you not be regarded as the potter’s clay? Shall the thing formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not form me,” or the thing made to the one who made it, “You made me with no understanding”?	Shall ye not be counted as clay of the potter? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Thou didst not form me? or the work to the maker, Thou hast not made me wisely?

Isaiah 45:9 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 45:9 (KJV)	Isaiah 45:9 (NET)
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?	Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?	One who argues with his Creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!”

Isaiah 45:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 45:9, 10a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ποῗον βέλτιον κατεσκεύασα ὡς πηλὸν κεραμέως μὴ ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριάσει τὴν γῆν ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν μὴ ἐρεῗ ὁ πηλὸς τῷ κεραμεῗ τί ποιεῗς ὅτι οὐκ ἐργάζῃ οὐδὲ ἔχεις χεῗρας	Ποῖον βέλτιον κατεσκεύασα ὡς πηλὸν κεραμέως; μὴ ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριάσει τὴν γῆν ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν; μὴ ἐρεῖ ὁ πηλὸς τῷ κεραμεῖ· τί ποιεῖς, ὅτι οὐκ ἐργάζῃ οὐδὲ ἔχεις χεῖρας μὴ ἀποκριθήσεται τὸ πλάσμα πρὸς τὸν πλάσαντα αὐτό
Isaiah 45:9 (NETS)	Isaiah 45:9 (English Elpenor)
What better thing have I formed like potter’s clay? Shall the plowman plow the earth? Shall the clay say to the potter, “What are you doing, since you are not working, nor do you have hands”?	What excellent thing have I prepared as clay of the potter? Will the ploughman plough the earth all say? shall the clay say to the potter, What art thou doing that thou dost not work, nor hast hands? shall the thing formed answer him that formed it?

2 John 1:5 (NET)	2 John 1:5 (KJV)
But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another.	And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ νῦν ἐρωτῶ σε, κυρία (οὐχ ὡς ἐντολὴν \|καινὴν\| γράφων σοι ἀλλὰ ἣν εἴχομεν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς), ἵνα ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους	και νυν ερωτω σε κυρια ουχ ως εντολην γραφω σοι καινην αλλα ην ειχομεν απ αρχης ινα αγαπωμεν αλληλους	και νυν ερωτω σε κυρια ουχ ως εντολην γραφων σοι καινην αλλα ην ειχομεν απ αρχης ινα αγαπωμεν αλληλους

Philippians 4:3 (NET)	Philippians 4:3 (KJV)
Yes, I say also to you, true companion, help them. They have struggled together in the gospel ministry along with me and Clement and my other coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.	And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ναὶ ἐρωτῶ καὶ σέ, γνήσιε σύζυγε, συλλαμβάνου αὐταῖς, αἵτινες ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ συνήθλησαν μοι μετὰ καὶ Κλήμεντος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν συνεργῶν μου, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐν βίβλῳ ζωῆς.	και ερωτω και σε συζυγε γνησιε συλλαμβανου αυταις αιτινες εν τω ευαγγελιω συνηθλησαν μοι μετα και κλημεντος και των λοιπων συνεργων μου ων τα ονοματα εν βιβλω ζωης	ναι ερωτω και σε συζυγε γνησιε συλλαμβανου αυταις αιτινες εν τω ευαγγελιω συνηθλησαν μοι μετα και κλημεντος και των λοιπων συνεργων μου ων τα ονοματα εν βιβλω ζωης

Romans 9:19 (NET)	Romans 9:19 (KJV)
You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?”	Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐρεῖς μοι οὖν τί [οὖν] ἔτι μέμφεται; τῷ γὰρ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν	ερεις ουν μοι τι ετι μεμφεται τω γαρ βουληματι αυτου τις ανθεστηκεν	ερεις ουν μοι τι ετι μεμφεται τω γαρ βουληματι αυτου τις ανθεστηκεν

1 Corinthians 9:16 (NET)	1 Corinthians 9:16 (KJV)
For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!	For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐὰν γὰρ εὐαγγελίζωμαι, οὐκ ἔστιν μοι καύχημα· ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι ἐπίκειται· οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐστιν ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσωμαι	εαν γαρ ευαγγελιζωμαι ουκ εστιν μοι καυχημα αναγκη γαρ μοι επικειται ουαι δε μοι εστιν εαν μη ευαγγελιζωμαι	εαν γαρ ευαγγελιζωμαι ουκ εστιν μοι καυχημα αναγκη γαρ μοι επικειται ουαι δε μοι εστιν εαν μη ευαγγελιζωμαι

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET)	2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!	Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὥστε εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις· τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονεν καινά	ωστε ει τις εν χριστω καινη κτισις τα αρχαια παρηλθεν ιδου γεγονεν καινα τα παντα	ωστε ει τις εν χριστω καινη κτισις τα αρχαια παρηλθεν ιδου γεγονεν καινα τα παντα

2 Corinthians 3:1 (NET)	2 Corinthians 3:1 (KJV)
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?	Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἀρχόμεθα πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνειν; ἢ μὴ χρῄζομεν ὥς τινες συστατικῶν ἐπιστολῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐξ ὑμῶν	αρχομεθα παλιν εαυτους συνιστανειν ει μη χρηζομεν ως τινες συστατικων επιστολων προς υμας η εξ υμων συστατικων	αρχομεθα παλιν εαυτους συνιστανειν ει μη χρηζομεν ως τινες συστατικων επιστολων προς υμας η εξ υμων συστατικων

2 Corinthians 3:7 (NET)	2 Corinthians 3:7 (KJV)
But if the ministry that produced death—carved in letters on stone tablets—came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective),	But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Εἰ δὲ ἡ διακονία τοῦ θανάτου ἐν γράμμασιν ἐντετυπωμένη λίθοις ἐγενήθη ἐν δόξῃ, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι ἀτενίσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον Μωϋσέως διὰ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ τὴν καταργουμένην	ει δε η διακονια του θανατου εν γραμμασιν εντετυπωμενη εν λιθοις εγενηθη εν δοξη ωστε μη δυνασθαι ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το προσωπον μωσεως δια την δοξαν του προσωπου αυτου την καταργουμενην	ει δε η διακονια του θανατου εν γραμμασιν εντετυπωμενη εν λιθοις εγενηθη εν δοξη ωστε μη δυνασθαι ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το προσωπον μωυσεως δια την δοξαν του προσωπου αυτου την καταργουμενην

2 Corinthians 3:9, 10 (NET)	2 Corinthians 3:9, 10 (KJV)
For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in glory!	For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἰ γὰρ \|τῇ\| διακονίᾳ τῆς κατακρίσεως δόξα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον περισσεύει ἡ διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης δόξῃ	ει γαρ η διακονια της κατακρισεως δοξα πολλω μαλλον περισσευει η διακονια της δικαιοσυνης εν δοξη	ει γαρ η διακονια της κατακρισεως δοξα πολλω μαλλον περισσευει η διακονια της δικαιοσυνης εν δοξη

For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ γὰρ οὐ δεδόξασται τὸ δεδοξασμένον ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει εἵνεκεν τῆς ὑπερβαλλούσης δόξης	και γαρ ουδε δεδοξασται το δεδοξασμενον εν τουτω τω μερει ενεκεν της υπερβαλλουσης δοξης	και γαρ ου δεδοξασται το δεδοξασμενον εν τουτω τω μερει ενεκεν της υπερβαλλουσης δοξης

John 17:11, 12 (NET)	John 17:11, 12 (KJV)
I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.	And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσίν, καγὼ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι. πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι σου ᾧ δέδωκας μοι, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς	και ουκ ετι ειμι εν τω κοσμω και ουτοι εν τω κοσμω εισιν και εγω προς σε ερχομαι πατερ αγιε τηρησον αυτους εν τω ονοματι σου ους δεδωκας μοι ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις	και ουκετι ειμι εν τω κοσμω και ουτοι εν τω κοσμω εισιν και εγω προς σε ερχομαι πατερ αγιε τηρησον αυτους εν τω ονοματι σου ω δεδωκας μοι ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις

When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name that you have given me. Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅτε ἤμην μετ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐγὼ ἐτήρουν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι σου ᾧ δέδωκας μοι, καὶ ἐφύλαξα, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπώλετο εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας, ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ	οτε ημην μετ αυτων εν τω κοσμω εγω ετηρουν αυτους εν τω ονοματι σου ους δεδωκας μοι εφυλαξα και ουδεις εξ αυτων απωλετο ει μη ο υιος της απωλειας ινα η γραφη πληρωθη	οτε ημην μετ αυτων εν τω κοσμω εγω ετηρουν αυτους εν τω ονοματι σου ους δεδωκας μοι εφυλαξα και ουδεις εξ αυτων απωλετο ει μη ο υιος της απωλειας ινα η γραφη πληρωθη

To Make Holy, Part 8

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 1

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 3

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 3

Back to Peter’s Second Gospel Proclamation, Part 3

Back to Westworld, Part 1

Back to The Book of Life, Part 3

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Back to Who Am I? Part 15

Back to αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 2

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 2

^[1] John 17:17 (NET)

^[2] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had γράφων here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had γραφω (KJV: wrote).

^[3] 2 John 1:5 (NET)

^[4] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ναὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had και (KJV: And).

^[5] Philippians 4:3 (NET)

^[6] Luke 16:27 (NET)

^[7] John 6:44 (NET)

^[8] Romans 8:28, 29 (NET)

^[9] Romans 8:30 (NET)

^[10] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὖν (not translated in the NET) following Why. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[11] Romans 9:19 (NET)

^[12] “In 1952, [Bill Bright] wrote The Four Spiritual Laws, an evangelistic Christian tract. In the booklet he outlines his view of the essentials of the Christian faith concerning salvation. It is summarized as four spiritual laws or principles that govern what he sees as human beings’ relationship with God. The booklet ends with a prayer of repentance.”

^[13] I think the fact that this woman attended church once before she died gave Pastor Farag the confidence to assume that she had truly Admitted she was a sinner, really Believed that Jesus is Lord and fully intended to Call (ἐπικαλέσηται, a form of ἐπικαλέω) upon Him; and so he said, “She’s with the Lord.”

So then, it does not depend on human desire (θέλοντος, a form of θέλω) or exertion (τρέχοντος, a form of τρέχω), but on God who shows mercy (Romans 9:16 NET). [W]e must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run (τρέχωμεν, another form of τρέχω) with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1b, 2a NET). [F]or the one bringing forth in you both the desire (θέλειν, another form of θέλω) and the effort (ἐνεργεῖν, a form of ἐνεργέω)—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God (Philippians 2:13 NET).

^[14] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γάρ (not translated in the NET) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: yea)

^[15] 1 Corinthins 9:16b (NET)

^[16] NET note 44: Or possibly “objects of wrath that have fit themselves for destruction.” The form of the participle could be taken either as a passive or middle (reflexive). ExSyn 417-18 argues strongly for the passive sense (which is followed in the translation), stating that “the middle view has little to commend it.” First, καταρτίζω (katartizō) is nowhere else used in the NT as a direct or reflexive middle (a usage which, in any event, is quite rare in the NT). Second, the lexical force of this verb, coupled with the perfect tense, suggests something of a “done deal” (against some commentaries that see these vessels as ready for destruction yet still able to avert disaster). Third, the potter-clay motif seems to have one point: The potter prepares the clay.

^[17] Matthew 6:13b (NASB) Table

^[18] Ephesians 2:9b (NET)

^[19] Romans 3:22a (NET) Table

^[20] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τα παντα (KJV: all things) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[21] John 17:10 (NET)

^[22] John 17:10 (KJV)

^[23] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔδωκας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δεδωκας (KJV: gavest).

^[24] John 17:6a (NET) Table

^[25] Romans 1:25 (NET)

^[26] John 17:8b (NET)

^[27] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἢ (not translated in the NET) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει (KJV: or).

^[28] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συστατικων (KJV: commendation) repeated here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[29] In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Moses was spelled Μωϋσέως, and μωσεως in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

^[30] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῇ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had η.

^[31] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[32] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had οὐ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ουδε.

^[33] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἵνεκεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ενεκεν (KJV: by reason of).

^[34] 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 (NET)

^[35] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουτοι (KJV: these).

^[36] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular pronoun ᾧ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the plural ους (KJV: those).

^[37] John 17:11 (NET)

^[38] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[39] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the singular pronoun ᾧ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural ους (KJV: those).

^[40] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν τω κοσμω (KJV: in the world) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[41] Galatians 5:22a (NET) Table

Father, Forgive Them – Part 3

Posted on March 31, 2018 by admin

Jesus said (Matthew 23:33-36 NASB):

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

“Therefore (Διὰ τοῦτο; See: Table1 below), behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

I quoted the NASB to blunt the crime/punishment motif the NET translators superimposed upon the text by translating ἥξει (a form of ἥκω) will be held responsible (See: Table). Of course the NASB translators superimposed their own crime/punishment motif by translating ἔλθῃ (a form of ἔρχομαι) may fall the guilt (See: Table3 below). Neither word seems capable of carrying such concepts. Both translations help to disguise the fact that Jesus brought all the righteous blood shed on earth…upon this generation so that the serpents, the brood of vipers, could escape (φύγητε, a form of φεύγω) the sentence (κρίσεως, a form of κρίσις) of hell. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, a form of κρίνω) the world, but that the world should be saved through him.^[1]

Clarifying this point, however, doesn’t fill me with instant insight. It seems rather to be leading me somewhere I didn’t particularly want to go. Before I go there I want to entertain another insight gained along the way (Matthew 2:13 NET):

After [the wise men] had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee (φεῦγε, another form of φεύγω) to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.”

Only one king was aware enough (Matthew 2:1-12) of Jesus’ first advent to respond to it (Matthew 2:16-18 NET):

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled (ἐπληρώθη, a form of πληρόω): “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were gone.”

Herod comes off as a fool: First he thought Jesus was after something so petty as his throne. My kingdom is not from this world,^[2] Jesus told Pilate. Second, he thought to thwart God by committing infanticide when it was he who was thwarted by the simple tactic of fleeing beyond the boundary of his jurisdiction and remaining there until he died. Those in positions of authority at Jesus’ second advent, when The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,^[3] will do well to remember Herod’s negative example, if for no other reason than how they will be remembered in the history of Him who will reign for ever and ever.

Despite all that had transpired (Luke 1:1-2:40) Joseph wasn’t expected to add Jeremiah’s prophecy to the time in which he was living to deduce that he should flee with the child Jesus and his mother to Egypt. Rather an angel appeared to him in a dream and warned him explicitly, while other fathers of infant sons slept ignorantly, blissfully, through that fateful night. Of course, the purpose of Jeremiah’s prophecy was not that brilliant young minds might thwart it by fleeing. Consider a prophecy, for instance, in which fleeing is its intended fulfillment (Matthew 24:15, 16 NET):

So when you see the abomination of desolation – spoken about by Daniel the prophet – standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee (φευγέτωσαν, another form of φεύγω) to the mountains.

But as I wondered how to live emotionally with the collateral damage of all those butchered sons I caught a glimpse of young Jesus in tears contemplating the same thing and heard the scripture as written for its primary heir (Galatians 3:15-22).

Jeremiah 31:16, 17 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 38:16, 17 (NETS)
Thus saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה); Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה); and [Rachel’s children] shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), that thy children shall come again to their own border.	Thus did the Lord say: Let your voice cease from weeping, and your eyes from tears, because there is a wage for your works, and [Rachel’s sons] shall come back from a land of enemies; there will be permanence for your children.

I am the resurrection and the life, Jesus told Martha before He raised Lazarus from the dead. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?^[4] But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush, Jesus told Sadduccees who contend that there is no resurrection, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.^[5] For the joy set out for him, the writer of Hebrews declared of Jesus, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame…^[6]

As for leading me somewhere I didn’t particularly want to go: the fact that Jesus brought all the righteous blood shed on earth…upon this generation so that the serpents, the brood of vipers, could escape the sentence of hell reminds me of Abraham’s reasoning in Jesus’ parable (Luke 16:19-31) of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:25 NET):

But Abraham said [to the rich man], ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted (παρακαλεῖται, a form of παρακαλέω) here and you are in anguish (ὀδυνᾶσαι, a form of ὀδυνάω; See: Table2 below).’

In another essay, though I didn’t quite scoff at Abraham’s reasoning, I didn’t think that receiving good things in life was sufficient cause to turn the rich man’s ᾅδῃ (a form of ᾅδης) into γεέννης (a form of γέεννα). But Jesus clearly meant γεέννης in reference to the serpents, the brood of vipers escape from the sentence of hell. So it’s difficult for me to turn now and see how bad things—bringing all the righteous blood shed on earth…upon this generation—might justify that escape.

As I consider again the accounts of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple I have to admit I find it hard to imagine a γέεννα were sin could be any more unrestrained. The primary differences I see between the destruction of Jerusalem and γέεννα are: 1) though there is a “letting go” on God’s part evident in Jerusalem’s destruction it was not the absolute “place that the omnipresent God is not” that I understand of γέεννα; and, 2) what we call death was the escape route taken by most in Jerusalem from its hellish destruction, while there is no exit from γέεννα.

I am probably missing the point here, however. There is no more justification required to spare the serpents, the brood of vipers from a sentence of hell beyond Jesus’ death on the cross and his mercy. I should consider his motivation to show them mercy since it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy (ἐλεῶντος, a form of ἐλεέω).^[7]

I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy (râcham, ורחמתי; Septuagint: ἐλεήσω, another form of ἐλεέω) on whom I will show mercy (râcham, ארחם; Septuagint: ἐλεῶ, another form of ἐλεέω),^[8] y^ehôvâh declared to Moses after the incident with the golden calf. In the past witnessing his people suffering from their sin has motivated y^ehôvâh/Jesus to show them mercy.

Jeremiah 31:18-20 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 38:18-20 (NETS)
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) my God.	In hearing I heard Ephraim mourning: “You instructed me and I was instructed; I was not trained like a calf. Bring me back, and I shall come back, because you are the Lord my God.
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.	Because later than my captivity I repented, and later than that I became aware, I sighed for days of shame, and I yielded to you, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely (râcham, רחם) have mercy (râcham, ארחמנו) upon him, saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה).	Ephraim is my beloved son, a child to delight in; because since my words are in him, I will remember him with remembrance. Therefore I hurried for him; in having mercy (ἐλεῶν, another form of ἐλεέω) I will have mercy (ἐλεήσω, a form of ἐλεέω) on him, quoth the Lord.

Notice the order of events:

First, one is turned (John 6:44; 12:32) by y^ehôvâh…turn (shûb, השיבני; Septuagint: ἐπίστρεψόν, a form of ἐπιστρέφω) thou me, and I shall be turned (shûb, ואשובה; Septuagint: ἐπιστρέψω)…(KJV: turn thou me, and I shall be turned).

Second, one who is turned by y^ehôvâh repents (2 Timothy 2:24-26)…after that I was turned (shûb, שובי), I repented (nâcham, נחמתי; Septuagint: μετενόησα, a form of μετανοέω)… (KJV: after that I was turned, I repented).

The translators of the Septuagint conflated being turned by y^ehôvâh with captivity: “later than my captivity I repented” (ὅτι ὕστερον αἰχμαλωσίας μου μετενόησα). The Tanakh reads: Thou hast chastised (yâsar, יסרתני; Septuagint: ἐπαίδευσάς, a form of παιδεύω) me, and I was chastised (yâsar, ואוסר; Septuagint: ἐπαιδεύθην, another form of παιδεύω), as a bullock unaccustomed (lôʼ, לא) to the yoke (lâmad, למד)… (KJV: Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke).

Translating yâsar with forms of παιδεύω wasn’t wrong exactly, just a little misleading. Ephraim learned that y^ehôvâh’s word (Deuteronomy 32) was true, but I wonder if ἐπαίδευσάς and ἐπαιδεύθην actually communicate the crudity and violence of that method of “instruction.”

The Greek ἐγώ ὥσπερ μόσχος οὐκ ἐδιδάχθην^[9] seems virtually identical to the Hebrew translated as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke though the English translation—“I was not trained like a calf”—coupled with instructed rather than chastised seems to disguise that fact. But, yes, survivors “instructed” by losing a war and being carried off into captivity that y^ehôvâh’s word was true did prompt Ephraim to ask y^ehôvâh to turn him.

The translators of the NET (among other modern translations) followed the same line of reasoning—“For after we turned away from you we repented”—and—“You disciplined us and we learned from it”—emphasizing our repentance and our learning over being turned by y^ehôvâh. But hear y^ehôvâh’s motivation to show mercy revealed in Moses’ song: For HaShem (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) will judge His people, and repent Himself for His servants; when He seeth that their stay is gone, and there is none remaining, shut up or left at large.^[10]

Third, it is after repentance that one gains real knowledge (Ephesians 4:24-29; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 2:6-16) beyond the simple fact that y^ehôvâh’s word is true…and after that I was instructed (yâdaʽ, הודעי; Septuagint: γνῶναί, a form of γινώσκω)… (KJV: after that I was instructed).

Fourth, this instruction (Tanakh, KJV) or awareness (NETS/Septuagint) brings shame and confusion (Romans 7:15-25; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:7-9; 1 Timothy 1:15-17) over past behavior…I was ashamed (bûsh, בשתי; Septuagint: αἰσχύνης, a form of αἰσχύνη), yea, even confounded (kâlam, נכלמתי; Septuagint: ὑπέδειξά, a form of ὑποδεικνύω)…(KJV: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded). It is the carnal mind or religious mind that seeks to induce shame first to manipulate others into conformity with its concept of righteousness.

For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, John wrote, to destroy the works of the devil.^[11] To be born from above and led by the Spirit of God is the surest way to destroy the works (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) of the devil, but as in the instance cited above it isn’t the only thing God is doing or has done to reconcile the world to Himself through Christ.

I haven’t written about destroying the works of the devil. I think more often in terms of the old man (παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον). It is good to pause here a moment to consider παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον since so many women feel excluded by the word man.

This is the record of the family line of Adam (ʼâdâm, אדם; Septuagint: ἀνθρώπων, a form of ἄνθρωπος). When God created humankind (ʼâdâm, אדם; Septuagint: Αδαμ, a form of Ἀδάμ), he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male (zâkâr, זכר; Septuagint: ἄρσεν) and female (n^eqêbâh, ונקבה; Septuagint: θῆλυ, a form of θῆλυς); when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind (ʼâdâm, אדם; Septuagint: Αδαμ, a form of Ἀδάμ) [Table].”^[12] The rabbis who translated the Septuagint used ἀνθρώπων (a form of ἄνθρωπος) for the first ʼâdâm (אדם) in Genesis 5:1. So from now on I will call παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον (another form of ἄνθρωπος) old human.

My wife would dig into me in arguments, searching for what I am calling the old human. When she found it, when I responded angrily, she believed she had discovered my true motives, my true feelings, my true self. If I avoided an outburst of anger, which was usually facilitated by my silence, she called me mean and assumed I was hiding my true motives, my true feelings, my true self. I didn’t study the Bible as often or as consistently as I do now, so the experience was much more disorienting in real time than it seems in retrospect.

I have no excuse for my inattention to Scripture. I became the married man…concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife.^[13] She, my children and I have all suffered for it. But that kind of unmasking by the woman I love is a wound that doesn’t heal. I am all too aware now that when I want to do good, evil is present with me.^[14]

A conversation recently over a long lunch with a coworker helped me understand my now ex-wife. My coworker, speaking on a different topic, said that her mother reprimanded her with the words “be nice.” And my coworker repeated, “be nice, be nice, be nice.” On the flight home I had a long time to consider that lifestyle relative to my own.

It was similar to my efforts to have my own righteousness derived from the law,^[15] except that the law actually is God’s word, through the law comes the knowledge of sin. So, though I was playing badly, I was in the right theater. When I turned Paul’s definition of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-13) into rules that I tried to obey in my own strength, that definition actually is a vivid description of the way God loves. So again, I played badly but in the right theater. For a child to attempt to construct a way of life from the word nice, defined as a vague negation of whatever she was doing, saying or thinking at the moment her mother spoke it as correction, could only seem like a repression of her true motives, her true feelings, her true self.

If I am filled with God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, the fruit of his Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23), then all I need is permission to consider that fruit my new human. When I am filled with the fruit of Spirit the Old Testament testifies to the need for a new human, since the old human was never reformed by love or promise, by law or punishment. “Do not be amazed that I said to you,” Jesus said, “‘You must all be born from above.’”^[16] And the teaching of the New Testament becomes that permission to receive and perceive the fruit of God’s own Spirit as my new human (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET).

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

If my wife has turned the faith she used on me against herself, that her old human is her true self, it is extraordinarily difficult for her to work out her salvation. I cannot have the salvation by grace through faith revealed in the Bible if I refuse to believe what the Bible says about me—the old me and the new me—and about that salvation.

Since I failed her so miserably when we were married I have tried by the grace of God to love her consistently since our divorce. I’ve confessed my sins and shortcomings when I’ve recognized them, but I’ve clearly lost all credibility with her. She is convinced that I live by obeying rules I have derived from studying the Bible. Of course, she is not entirely wrong.

At any given moment I may be led by the Spirit of God or I may have reverted to attempting to love like God by obeying Paul’s definition of love as if it were rules or worse, the sin in my flesh may be expressed beyond the confines of my flesh. But the Holy Spirit’s persistence—despite my efforts to obey rules—has increased the frequency of that oscillation and vacillation to moments, not days or weeks, not months or years. And my fixation on the old human does not alter the fact that Jesus, the Judge, is perfectly willing to consider my old human a child of the devil doing the deeds (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) of [his] father (John 8:37-47). I would do well to accept his faith as my own.

Three tables follow: the occurrences of Διὰ τοῦτο in Matthew and forms of ὀδυνάω and ἔλθῃ (a form of ἔρχομαι) in the New Testament and their translations in the KJV and NET. If the parallel Greek in the NET differed from the Stephanus Textus Receptus I have broken the table to show those differences in other tables including the Byzantine Majority Text.

Διὰ τοῦτο in Matthew	Reference	KJV	NET
Διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 6:25	Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life…	Therefore I tell you, do not worry…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν· μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε [ἢ τί πίητε], μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε. οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖον ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν μη μεριμνατε τη ψυχη υμων τι φαγητε και τι πιητε μηδε τω σωματι υμων τι ενδυσησθε ουχι η ψυχη πλειον εστιν της τροφης και το σωμα του ενδυματος	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν μη μεριμνατε τη ψυχη υμων τι φαγητε και τι πιητε μηδε τω σωματι υμων τι ενδυσησθε ουχι η ψυχη πλειον εστιν της τροφης και το σωμα του ενδυματος

διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 12:27	…therefore they shall be your judges.	For this reason they will be your judges.
Διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 12:31	Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven…	For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν πασα αμαρτια και βλασφημια αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις η δε του πνευματος βλασφημια ουκ αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν πασα αμαρτια και βλασφημια αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις η δε του πνευματος βλασφημια ουκ αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις

διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 13:13	Therefore speak I to them in parables…	For this reason I speak to them in parables…
διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 13:52	…Therefore every scribe which is instructed…	…Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· διὰ τοῦτο πᾶς γραμματεὺς μαθητευθεὶς τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὅμοιος ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδεσπότῃ, ὅστις ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις δια τουτο πας γραμματευς μαθητευθεις εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδεσποτη οστις εκβαλλει εκ του θησαυρου αυτου καινα και παλαια	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις δια τουτο πας γραμματευς μαθητευθεις εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδεσποτη οστις εκβαλλει εκ του θησαυρου αυτου καινα και παλαια

διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 14:2	…and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.	And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.
Διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 18:23	Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened…	For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like…
διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 21:43	Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you…	For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you…
δια τουτο	Matthew 23:14	…therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.	Not included in NET
Διὰ τοῦτο	Mathew 23:34	Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men…	For this reason I am sending you prophets and wise men…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς· ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε καὶ σταυρώσετε καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν	δια τουτο ιδου εγω αποστελλω προς υμας προφητας και σοφους και γραμματεις και εξ αυτων αποκτενειτε και σταυρωσετε και εξ αυτων μαστιγωσετε εν ταις συναγωγαις υμων και διωξετε απο πολεως εις πολιν	δια τουτο ιδου εγω αποστελλω προς υμας προφητας και σοφους και γραμματεις και εξ αυτων αποκτενειτε και σταυρωσετε και εξ αυτων μαστιγωσετε εν ταις συναγωγαις υμων και διωξετε απο πολεως εις πολιν

διὰ τοῦτο

Matthew 24:44

Therefore be ye also ready…

Therefore you also must be ready…

Form of ὀδυνάω	Reference	KJV	NET
ὀδυνᾶσαι	Luke 16:25	…and thou art tormented.	…and you are in anguish.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβραάμ· τέκνον, μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά· νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι	ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε οδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι	ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε ωδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι

ὀδυνῶμαι	Luke 16:24	…I am tormented in this flame.	…I am in anguish in this fire.
ὀδυνώμενοι	Luke 2:48	…thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.	…your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.
ὀδυνώμενοι	Acts 20:38	Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake…	…especially saddened by what he had said…

ἔλθῃ, a form of ἔρχομαι	Reference	KJV	NET
ἔλθῃ	Matthew 10:23	…till the Son of man be come.	…before the Son of Man comes.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ τελέσητε τὰς πόλεις \|τοῦ\| Ἰσραὴλ ἕως \|ἂν\| ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.	οταν δε διωκωσιν υμας εν τη πολει ταυτη φευγετε εις την αλλην αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν ου μη τελεσητε τας πολεις του ισραηλ εως αν ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου	οταν δε διωκωσιν υμας εν τη πολει ταυτη φευγετε εις την αλλην αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν ου μη τελεσητε τας πολεις του ισραηλ εως αν ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου

ἔλθῃ	Matthew 21:40	When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh…	…when the owner of the vineyard comes…
ἔλθῃ	Matthew 23:35	That upon you may come all the righteous blood…	…so that on you will come all the righteous blood…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅπως ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυννόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἅβελ τοῦ δικαίου ἕως τοῦ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου, ὃν ἐφονεύσατε μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου	οπως ελθη εφ υμας παν αιμα δικαιον εκχυνομενον επι της γης απο του αιματος αβελ του δικαιου εως του αιματος ζαχαριου υιου βαραχιου ον εφονευσατε μεταξυ του ναου και του θυσιαστηριου	οπως ελθη εφ υμας παν αιμα δικαιον εκχυνομενον επι της γης απο του αιματος αβελ του δικαιου εως του αιματος ζαχαριου υιου βαραχιου ον εφονευσατε μεταξυ του ναου και του θυσιαστηριου

ἔλθῃ

Matthew 25:31

When the Son of man shall come in his glory…

When the Son of Man comes in his glory…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, τότε καθίσει ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ	οταν δε ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη δοξη αυτου και παντες οι αγιοι αγγελοι μετ αυτου τοτε καθισει επι θρονου δοξης αυτου	οταν δε ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη δοξη αυτου και παντες οι αγιοι αγγελοι μετ αυτου τοτε καθισει επι θρονου δοξης αυτου

ἔλθῃ

Mark 4:22

…neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

…and nothing concealed except to be brought to light.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν κρυπτὸν ἐὰν μὴ ἵνα φανερωθῇ, οὐδὲ ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν.	ου γαρ εστιν τι κρυπτον ο εαν μη φανερωθη ουδε εγενετο αποκρυφον αλλ ινα εις φανερον ελθη	ου γαρ εστιν τι κρυπτον ο εαν μη φανερωθη ουδε εγενετο αποκρυφον αλλ ινα εις φανερον ελθη

ἔλθῃ	Mark 8:38	…when he cometh in the glory of his Father…	…when he comes in the glory of his Father…
ἔλθῃ	Luke 1:43	…that the mother of my Lord should come to me?	…that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα ἔλθῃ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ κυρίου μου πρὸς ἐμέ	και ποθεν μοι τουτο ινα ελθη η μητηρ του κυριου μου προς με	και ποθεν μοι τουτο ινα ελθη η μητηρ του κυριου μου προς με

ἔλθῃ

Luke 8:17

…that shall not be known and come abroad.

…made known and brought to light.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ φανερὸν γενήσεται οὐδὲ ἀπόκρυφον ὃ οὐ μὴ γνωσθῇ καὶ εἰς φανερὸν ἔλθῃ	ου γαρ εστιν κρυπτον ο ου φανερον γενησεται ουδε αποκρυφον ο ου γνωσθησεται και εις φανερον ελθη	ου γαρ εστιν κρυπτον ο ου φανερον γενησεται ουδε αποκρυφον ο ου γνωσθησεται και εις φανερον ελθη

ἔλθῃ	Luke 9:26	…when he shall come in his own glory…	…when he comes in his glory…
	Luke 12:38	And if he shall come in the second…	Even if he comes in the second…
	Luke 12:38	…or come in the third watch…	…or third watch of the night…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
κὰν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ κὰν ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ φυλακῇ ἔλθῃ καὶ εὕρῃ οὕτως, μακάριοι εἰσιν ἐκεῖνοι.	και εαν ελθη εν τη δευτερα φυλακη και εν τη τριτη φυλακη ελθη και ευρη ουτως μακαριοι εισιν οι δουλοι εκεινοι	και εαν ελθη εν τη δευτερα φυλακη και εν τη τριτη φυλακη ελθη και ευρη ουτως μακαριοι εισιν οι δουλοι εκεινοι

ἔλθῃ

Luke 14:10

…that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say…

…so that when your host approaches he will say to you…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν κληθῇς, πορευθεὶς ἀνάπεσε εἰς τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον, ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ κεκληκώς σε ἐρεῖ σοι· φίλε, προσανάβηθι ἀνώτερον· τότε ἔσται σοι δόξα ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν συνανακειμένων σοι	αλλ οταν κληθης πορευθεις αναπεσον εις τον εσχατον τοπον ινα οταν ελθη ο κεκληκως σε ειπη σοι φιλε προσαναβηθι ανωτερον τοτε εσται σοι δοξα ενωπιον των συνανακειμενων σοι	αλλ οταν κληθης πορευθεις αναπεσε εις τον εσχατον τοπον ινα οταν ελθη ο κεκληκως σε ειπη σοι φιλε προσαναβηθι ανωτερον τοτε εσται σοι δοξα ενωπιον των συνανακειμενων σοι

ἔλθῃ

Luke 22:18

…until the kingdom of God shall come.

…until the kingdom of God comes.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, [ὅτι] οὐ μὴ πίω ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ γενήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου ἕως οὗ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἔλθῃ.	λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι ου μη πιω απο του γεννηματος της αμπελου εως οτου η βασιλεια του θεου ελθη	λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι ου μη πιω απο του γενηματος της αμπελου εως οτου η βασιλεια του θεου ελθη

ἔλθῃ

John 4:25

…when he is come, he will tell us all things.

…whenever he comes, he will tell us everything.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· οἶδα ὅτι Μεσσίας ἔρχεται (ὁ λεγόμενος χριστός)· ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, ἀναγγελεῖ ἡμῖν ἅπαντα	λεγει αυτω η γυνη οιδα οτι μεσσιας ερχεται ο λεγομενος χριστος οταν ελθη εκεινος αναγγελει ημιν παντα	λεγει αυτω η γυνη οιδα οτι μεσιας ερχεται ο λεγομενος χριστος οταν ελθη εκεινος αναγγελει ημιν παντα

ἔλθῃ	John 5:43	…if another shall come in his own name…	If someone else comes in his own name…
ἔλθῃ	John 7:31	When Christ cometh…	Whenever the Christ comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου δὲ πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλεγον· ὁ χριστὸς ὅταν ἔλθῃ μὴ πλείονα σημεῖα ποιήσει ὧν οὗτος ἐποίησεν	πολλοι δε εκ του οχλου επιστευσαν εις αυτον και ελεγον οτι ο χριστος οταν ελθη μητι πλειονα σημεια τουτων ποιησει ων ουτος εποιησεν	πολλοι δε εκ του οχλου επιστευσαν εις αυτον και ελεγον οτι ο χριστος οταν ελθη μητι πλειονα σημεια τουτων ποιησει ων ουτος εποιησεν

ἔλθῃ	John 11:56	…that he will not come to the feast?	That he won’t come to the feast?
ἔλθῃ	John 15:26	But when the Comforter is come…	When the Advocate comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ παράκλητος ὃν ἐγὼ πέμψω ὑμῖν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται, ἐκεῖνος μαρτυρήσει περὶ ἐμοῦ	οταν δε ελθη ο παρακλητος ον εγω πεμψω υμιν παρα του πατρος το πνευμα της αληθειας ο παρα του πατρος εκπορευεται εκεινος μαρτυρησει περι εμου	οταν δε ελθη ο παρακλητος ον εγω πεμψω υμιν παρα του πατρος το πνευμα της αληθειας ο παρα του πατρος εκπορευεται εκεινος μαρτυρησει περι εμου

ἔλθῃ	John 16:4	…that when the time shall come…	…so that when their time comes…
ἔλθῃ	John 16:13	Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come…	But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς \|ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πάσῃ\| οὐ γὰρ λαλήσει ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅσα \|ἀκούσει\| λαλήσει καὶ τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν	οταν δε ελθη εκεινος το πνευμα της αληθειας οδηγησει υμας εις πασαν την αληθειαν ου γαρ λαλησει αφ εαυτου αλλ οσα αν ακουση λαλησει και τα ερχομενα αναγγελει υμιν	οταν δε ελθη εκεινος το πνευμα της αληθειας οδηγησει υμας εις πασαν την αληθειαν ου γαρ λαλησει αφ εαυτου αλλ οσα αν ακουση λαλησει και τα ερχομενα αναγγελει υμιν

ἔλθῃ	Romans 3:8	Let us do evil, that good may come?	Let us do evil so that good may come…
	1 Corinthians 4:5	…until the Lord come…	Wait until the Lord comes.
	1 Corinthians 11:26	…ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.	…you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐὰν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ τὸ ποτήριον πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ κυρίου καταγγέλλετε ἄχρι οὗ ἔλθῃ	οσακις γαρ αν εσθιητε τον αρτον τουτον και το ποτηριον τουτο πινητε τον θανατον του κυριου καταγγελλετε αχρις ου αν ελθη	οσακις γαρ αν εσθιητε τον αρτον τουτον και το ποτηριον τουτο πινητε τον θανατον του κυριου καταγγελλετε αχρις ου αν ελθη

ἔλθῃ

1 Corinthians 13:10

But when that which is perfect is come…

…but when what is perfect comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται	οταν δε ελθη το τελειον τοτε το εκ μερους καταργηθησεται	οταν δε ελθη το τελειον τοτε το εκ μερους καταργηθησεται

ἔλθῃ

1 Corinthians 16:10

Now if Timotheus come…

Now if Timothy comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐὰν δὲ ἔλθῃ Τιμόθεος, βλέπετε, ἵνα ἀφόβως γένηται πρὸς ὑμᾶς· τὸ γὰρ ἔργον κυρίου ἐργάζεται ὡς \|καγώ\|	εαν δε ελθη τιμοθεος βλεπετε ινα αφοβως γενηται προς υμας το γαρ εργον κυριου εργαζεται ως και εγω	εαν δε ελθη τιμοθεος βλεπετε ινα αφοβως γενηται προς υμας το γαρ εργον κυριου εργαζεται ως και εγω

ἔλθῃ	1 Corinthians 16:11	…that he may come unto me:	…so that he may come to me.
	1 Corinthians 16:12	I greatly desired him to come unto you…	I strongly encouraged him to visit you…
	1 Corinthians 16:12	…but his will was not at all to come at this time…	…but it was simply not his intention to come now.
	Galatians 3:19	…till the seed should come…	…until the arrival of the descendant…
	Colossians 4:10	…if he come unto you, receive him…	…if he comes to you, welcome him…
	2 Thessalonians 1:10	When he shall come to be glorified in his saints…	…when he comes to be glorified among his saints…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐνδοξασθῆναι ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς πιστεύσασιν, ὅτι ἐπιστεύθη τὸ μαρτύριον ἡμῶν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ	οταν ελθη ενδοξασθηναι εν τοις αγιοις αυτου και θαυμασθηναι εν πασιν τοις πιστευουσιν οτι επιστευθη το μαρτυριον ημων εφ υμας εν τη ημερα εκεινη	οταν ελθη ενδοξασθηναι εν τοις αγιοις αυτου και θαυμασθηναι εν πασιν τοις πιστευσασιν οτι επιστευθη το μαρτυριον ημων εφ υμας εν τη ημερα εκεινη

ἔλθῃ	2 Thessalonians 2:3	…for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…	For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes…
ἔλθῃ	Revelation 17:10	…and when he cometh…	…but whenever he does come…

Father, Forgive Them – Part 4

Back to Cobwebs

Back to Will, Areté and Troy

Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 6

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

^[1] John 3:17 (NET)

^[2] John 18:36a (NET)

^[3] Revelation 11:15 (NET)

^[4] John 11:25, 26 (NET)

^[5] Luke 20:37, 38 (NET)

^[6] Hebrews 12:2b (NET)

^[7] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

^[8] Exodus 33:19b (Tanakh) Table

^[9] I just as a calf was not trained.

^[10] Deuteronomy 32:36 (Tanakh)

^[11] 1 John 3:8b (NET)

^[12] Genesis 5:1, 2 (NET)

^[13] 1 Corinthians 7:33 (NET)

^[14] Romans 7:21b (NET)

^[15] Philippians 3:9b (NET)

^[16] John 3:7 (NET)

Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 4

Posted on February 7, 2018 by admin

As I continue to study nâśâʼ^[1] and ʽâbar in Exodus 20:7 – Deuteronomy 4:26 I’ll begin with an aside. The first occurrence of nâśâʼ in this section translated pardon was an angel who will not pardon [Israel’s] transgressions. A table contrasting two mentions of an angel follows.

The Forty Day Covenant

After the Golden Calf

The Lord said to Moses, “Go up from here, you and the people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’

Exodus 33:1 (NET)

“I am going to send an angel before you…

Exodus 23:20a (NET)

I will send an angel before you…

Exodus 33:2a (NET)

…to protect you as you journey and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries.

Exodus 23:20b-22 (NET)

For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them completely.

Exodus 23:23 (NET)

…and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Exodus 33:2b (NET)

Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way.”

Exodus 33:3 (NET)

When the people heard this troubling word they mourned; no one put on his ornaments. For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up among you for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments, that I may know what I should do to you.’” So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments by Mount Horeb.

Exodus 33:4-6 (NET)

It’s worth noting that the angel’s function—to protect—and the warning—Take heed—were both forms of shâmar in Hebrew. The former (לשמרך) was translated φυλάξῃ (a form of φυλάσσω) in the Septuagint. If anyone hears my words but does not keep (φυλάξῃ, a form of φυλάσσω) them, Jesus said, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.^[2] The latter (השמר) was translated πρόσεχε (a form of προσέχω) in the Septuagint. Until I come, Paul wrote Timothy, give attention (πρόσεχε, a form of προσέχω) to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.^[3]

The Hebrew word translated obey in obey his voice was shâmaʽ (ושמע; See Table below) which was translated εἰσάκουε (a form of εἰσακούω) in the Septuagint. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard (εἰσηκούσθη, another form of εἰσακούω), and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John.^[4] The Hebrew word translated rebel in do not rebel was mârar (תמר) which was translated ἀπείθει (a form of ἀπειθέω) in the Septuagint. He who believes (πιστεύων, a form of πιστεύω) in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe (ἀπειθῶν, another form of ἀπειθέω) the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.^[5]

And finally pardon was nâśâʼ (ישׁא) in Hebrew which was translated ὑποστείληταί (a form of ὑποστέλλω) in the Septuagint. You know that I did not hold back (ὑπεστειλάμην, another form of ὑποστέλλω) from proclaiming to you anything that would be helpful,^[6] Paul declared to the Ephesian elders. But here the translators of the Septuagint took a different turn since they didn’t even translate peshaʽ (לפשעכם; transgressions): “For he shall not hold you in undue awe, for my name is upon him.”^[7] It makes me wonder if they were trying to put a better spin on for he will not pardon (or, bear) your transgressions for Greek consumption.

The clause detailing the angel’s purpose—to protect you as you journey^[8]—was missing from the restatement of the covenant after the golden calf incident, yet for forty years in the wilderness y^ehôvâh^[9] cared and provided for them. So why don’t I consider that all of the missing elements of the covenant should be assumed in the later restatement?

I’m no lawyer but I did spend several years calculating and writing the conditions that went into my employer’s boilerplate contracts. It seems pretty apparent to me that when y^ehôvâh did not destroy Israel and make a great nation of Moses, when He accepted Moses’ description of that act as evil, then both parties had abrogated the covenant and the contract became null and void. Care and provision for Israel became a matter of grace, no longer stipulated by contract, by law.

What is clearly missing from the restatement of the covenant is the contractual language: But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries. For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them completely.^[10] This was replaced by a simple unilateral statement: I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.^[11]

I hesitate to call this grace (though it may qualify as election) since y^ehôvâh called it dread (Deuteronomy 32:26, 27 Tanakh):

I thought I would make an end of them, I would make their memory cease from among men; Were it not that I dreaded (gûr, אגור) the enemy’s provocation, lest their adversaries should misdeem, lest they should say: Our hand is exalted, and not HaShem hath wrought all this.

Accepting that the clauses missing from the restatement of the covenant are truly missing helps me to track the transition from [Sin] (chaṭṭâʼâh, חטאת; Septuagint: ἥμαρτες, a form of ἁμαρτάνω) desires (t^eshûqâh, תשוקתו) to dominate you, but you must subdue (mâshal, תמשל) it,^[12] to Paul’s declaration to believers in Galatia (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

Who would have thought that the way to subdue or rule over sin was to die to it (Romans 6:8-11 NET)?

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Who would have thought that the way to subdue or rule over sin was to die to the law (Romans 7:4-6 NET)?

So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God. 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.

Viewed from this perspective the worship of the golden calf and y^ehôvâh’s restatement of the covenant follows the pattern of Paul’s explanation to believers in Rome (Romans 5:20, 21 NET):

Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Why would anyone want transgression to increase? This is scandalous to the religious mind. But Jesus taught a Pharisee (Luke 7:40-47 NET):

“Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.”

Ultimately, this love from God Himself subdues and rules over sin (Romans 13:8-10 NET):

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Jesus warned (Matthew 5:17-20 NET):

“Do not think that I have come to abolish (καταλῦσαι, a form of καταλύω) the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish (καταλῦσαι, a form of καταλύω) these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 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.

After explaining that the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, Paul continued (Romans 6:1-4 NET):

What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.

In other words, believers can say with Paul: We have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer we who live, but Christ lives in us. So the life we now live in the body, we live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. We do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another. But “when 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 (ἀνακαινώσεως , a form of ἀνακαίνωσις) of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.”^[13]

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.^[14] This is the salvation believers in Philippi were enjoined to continue working out (Philippians 2:12-18 NET):

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed (ὑπηκούσατε, a form of ὑπακούω), not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you. And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me.

It is much better news than the Septuagint’s translation of Exodus 23:21b: “For he shall not hold you in undue awe, for my name is upon him.” A table of the translations of shâmaʽ in the KJV, NET and Septuagint from Genesis through Exodus 23:22 follows.

Form of shâmaʽ	Reference	KJV	NET	Septuagint
שמע	Genesis 16:11	…because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.	…for the Lord has heard your painful groans.	ἐπήκουσεν, a form of ἐπακούω
	Genesis 21:12	…hearken unto her voice…	Do all that Sarah is telling you…	ἄκουε, a form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 21:17	…for God hath heard the voice of the lad…	…for God has heard the boy’s voice…	ἐπακήκοεν, another form of ἐπακούω
	Genesis 24:52	…when Abraham’s servant heard their words…	When Abraham’s servant heard their words…	ἀκοῦσαι, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 26:5	Because that Abraham obeyed my voice…	…this will come to pass because Abraham obeyed^[15] me…	ὑπήκουσεν, a form of ὑπακούω
	Genesis 27:8	…obey my voice according to that which I command thee.	…do exactly what I tell you!	ἄκουσόν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 27:13	…only obey my voice…	Just obey me!	ὑπάκουσον, another form of ὑπακούω
	Genesis 27:43	Now therefore, my son, obey my voice…	Now then, my son, do what I say.	ἄκουσόν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 29:33	Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated…	Because the Lord heard that I was unloved…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 30:6	…and hath also heard my voice…	…He has responded to my prayer…	ἐπήκουσεν, a form of ἐπακούω
	Genesis 34:5	And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah…	When Jacob heard that Shechem had violated his daughter…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 39:10	…that he hearkened not unto her…	…he did not respond to her invitation…	ὑπήκουσεν, a form of ὑπακούω
	Genesis 42:21	…and we would not hear…	…but we refused to listen.	εἰσηκούσαμεν a form of εἰσακούω
	Genesis 42:23	…they knew not that Joseph understood them…	…they did not know that Joseph could understand them…	ἀκούει, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 7:13	…that he hearkened not unto them…	…and he did not listen to them…	εἰσήκουσεν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Exodus 7:22	…neither did he hearken unto them…	…and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron…
	Exodus 8:15	…and hearkened not unto them…	…and did not listen to them…
	Exodus 8:19	…and he hearkened not unto them…	…and he did not listen to them…
	Exodus 9:12	…and he hearkened not unto them…	…and he did not listen to them…
	Exodus 16:9	…for he hath heard your murmurings.	…because he has heard your murmurings.	εἰσακήκοεν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Exodus 18:19	Hearken now unto my voice…	Now listen to me…	ἄκουσόν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 22:23	…I will surely hear their cry…	…I will surely hear their cry…	ἀκοῇ, a form of ἀκοή
	Exodus 23:22	But if thou shalt indeed obey…	But if you diligently obey him…	ἀκοῇ, a form of ἀκοή
ושמע	Exodus 23:21	Beware of him, and obey his voice…	Take heed because of him, and obey his voice…	εἰσάκουε, another form of εἰσακούω
ישמע	Exodus 6:30	…and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?	…why should Pharaoh listen to me?	εἰσακούσεταί, another form of εἰσακούω
	Exodus 7:4	But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you…	Pharaoh will not listen to you.
	Exodus 11:9	Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you…	Pharaoh will not listen to you…
	Exodus 19:9	…that the people may hear when I speak…	…so that the people may hear when I speak…	ἀκούσῃ, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 23:13	…neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.	…do not let them be heard on your lips.	ἀκουσθῇ, another form of ἀκούω
וישמע	Genesis 14:14	And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive…	When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive…	ἀκούσας, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 16:2	And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.	Abram did what Sarai told him.	ὑπήκουσεν, a form of ὑπακούω
	Genesis 21:17	And God heard the voice of the lad…	But God heard the boy’s voice.	εἰσήκουσεν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Genesis 23:16	And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron…	So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 28:7	And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother…	Jacob obeyed his father and mother…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 30:17	And God hearkened unto Leah…	God paid attention to Leah…	ἐπήκουσεν, a form of ἐπακούω
	Genesis 30:22	…and God hearkened to her…	He paid attention to her…	ἐπήκουσεν, a form of ἐπακούω
	Genesis 31:1	And he heard the words of Laban’s sons…	Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 35:22	…and Israel heard it.	…and Israel heard about it.	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 37:21	And Reuben heard it…	When Reuben heard this…	ἀκούσας, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 45:2	…and the house of Pharaoh heard.	…and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.	ἀκουστὸν, a form of ἀκουστός
	Exodus 2:15	Now when Pharaoh heard this thing…	When Pharaoh heard about this event…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 2:24	And God heard their groaning…	God heard their groaning…	εἰσήκουσεν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Exodus 18:1	…heard of all that God had done for Moses…	…heard about all that God had done for Moses…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 18:24	So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law…	Moses listened to his father-in-law…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
שמעו	Genesis 37:6	Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:	Listen to this dream I had:	ἀκούσατε, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 43:25	…they heard that they should eat bread…	…they had heard that they were to have a meal…	ἤκουσαν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 6:9	…but they hearkened not unto Moses…	…but they did not listen to him…	εἰσήκουσαν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Exodus 6:12	…the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me…	If the Israelites did not listen to me…	εἰσήκουσαν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Exodus 15:14	The people shall hear, and be afraid…	The nations will hear and tremble…	ἤκουσαν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 16:20	…they hearkened not unto Moses…	But they did not listen to Moses…	εἰσήκουσαν, another form of εἰσακούω
וישמעו	Genesis 3:8	And they heard the voice…	Then the man and his wife heard the sound…	ἤκουσαν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 34:24	And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all…	…the men who assembled at the city gate agreed…	εἰσήκουσαν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Genesis 37:27	And his brethren were content.	His brothers agreed.	ἤκουσαν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 45:2	Not translated	…the Egyptians heard it…	ἤκουσαν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 4:31	…and when they heard that the LORD…	When they heard that the Lord…	Not Translated
ושמעו	Genesis 49:2	Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob…	Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob…	ἀκούσατε, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 49:2	…and hearken unto Israel your father.	…listen to Israel, your father.	ἀκούσατε, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 3:18	And they shall hearken to thy voice:	The elders will listen to you…	εἰσακούσονταί, another form of εἰσακούω
ישמעו	Genesis 11:7	…they may not understand one another’s speech.	…they won’t be able to understand each other.	ἀκούσωσιν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 4:1	…nor hearken unto my voice:	…or pay attention to me…	εἰσακούσωσιν, another form of εἰσακούω
	Exodus 4:8	…neither hearken to the voice of the first sign…	…or pay attention to the former sign…	εἰσακούσωσιν, another form of εἰσακούω
שמען	Genesis 4:23	Hear my voice…	Listen to me!	ἀκούσατέ, another form of ἀκούω
ישמעון	Exodus 4:9	…neither hearken unto thy voice…	…or listen to you…	εἰσακούσωσιν, another form of εἰσακούω
שמעת	Genesis 3:17	Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife…	Because you obeyed your wife…	ἤκουσας, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 18:10	And Sarah heard it in the tent door…	Now Sarah was listening at the entrance…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 22:18	…because thou hast obeyed my voice.	Because you have obeyed me…	ὑπήκουσας, another form of ὑπακούω
	Genesis 27:5	And Rebekah heard…^[16]	Now Rebekah had been listening…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 7:16	…hitherto thou wouldest not hear.	But until now you have not listened.	εἰσήκουσας, another form of εἰσακούω
ושמעתי	Exodus 22:27	…that I will hear; for I am gracious.	…I will hear, for I am gracious.	εἰσακούσομαι, another form of εἰσακούω
שמעתם	Genesis 42:22	…and ye would not hear?	…but you wouldn’t listen?	εἰσηκούσατέ, another form of εἰσακούω
שמעתי	Genesis 3:10	I heard thy voice in the garden…	I heard you moving about in the orchard…	ἤκουσα, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 21:26	…neither yet heard I of it, but to day.	I did not hear about it until today.
	Genesis 27:6	Behold, I heard thy father…	Look, I overheard your father…
	Genesis 37:17	…for I heard them say…	…for I heard them say…
	Genesis 41:15	…and I have heard say of thee…	But I have heard about you…	ἀκήκοα, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 42:2	I have heard that there is corn in Egypt:	…I hear that there is grain in Egypt.
	Exodus 3:7	…and have heard their cry…	I have heard their cry…
	Exodus 6:5	And I have also heard the groaning of the children of…	I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites…	εἰσήκουσα, another form of ἐπακούω
	Exodus 16:12	I have heard the murmurings…	I have heard the murmurings…	εἰσακήκοα, another form of εἰσακούω
שמעתיך	Genesis 17:20	And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee:	As for Ishmael, I have heard you.	ἐπήκουσά, another form of ἐπακούω
שמעני	Genesis 23:11	…hear me…	Hear me out.	ἄκουσόν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 23:13	I pray thee, hear me:	Hear me, if you will.	ἄκουσόν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 23:15	My Lord, hearken unto me:	Hear me, my lord.	ἀκήκοα, another form of ἀκούω
ישמעני	Exodus 6:12	…how then shall Pharaoh hear me…	…then how will Pharaoh listen to me…	εἰσακούσεταί, another form of ἐπακούω
שמענו	Genesis 23:6	Hear us, my Lord: thou art a mighty prince…	Listen, sir, you are a mighty prince…	ἄκουσον, another form of ἀκούω
שמעוני	Genesis 23:8	…hear me…	…then hear me out.	ἀκούσατέ, another form of ἀκούω
שמוע	Exodus 15:26	If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God…	If you will diligently obey the Lord your God…	ἀκοῇ, a form of ἀκοή
שמוע	Exodus 19:5	Not translated	…if you will diligently listen to me…	ἀκοῇ, a form of ἀκοή
השמע	Genesis 21:6	…so that all that hear will laugh…	Everyone who hears about this will laugh…	ἀκούσῃ, another form of ἀκούω
נשמע	Genesis 45:16	And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house…	Now it was reported in the household of Pharaoh…	διεβοήθη, a form of διαβοάω
ונשמעה	Exodus 20:19	Speak thou with us, and we will hear…	You speak to us and we will listen…	Not Translated
כשמע	Genesis 27:34	And when Esau heard the words of his father…	When Esau heard his father’s words…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
	Genesis 29:13	…when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob…	When Laban heard this news about Jacob…
	Genesis 39:19	…when his master heard the words of his wife…	When his master heard his wife say…
	Exodus 16:8	…for that the LORD heareth your murmurings…	…because the Lord has heard your murmurings…	εἰσακοῦσαι, another form of εἰσακούω
כשמעו	Genesis 39:15	…when he heard that I lifted up my voice…	When he heard me raise my voice…	ἀκοῦσαι, another form of ἀκούω
כשמעו	Exodus 16:7	…for that he heareth your murmurings…	…because he has heard your murmurings…	εἰσακοῦσαι, another form of εἰσακούω
כשמעם	Genesis 34:7	…when they heard it:	…when they heard the news.	ἤκουσαν, another form of ἀκούω
וכשמעו	Genesis 24:30	…and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying…	…and heard his sister Rebekah say…	ἤκουσεν, another form of ἀκούω
תשמע	Genesis 41:15	…that thou canst understand a dream…	Not translated	ἀκούσαντά, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 15:26	If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God…	If you will diligently obey the Lord your God…	ἀκούσῃς, another form of ἀκούω
	Exodus 23:22	But if thou shalt indeed obey…	But if you diligently obey him…	ἀκούσητε, another form of ἀκούω
תשמעו	Genesis 34:17	But if ye will not hearken unto us…	But if you do not agree to our terms…	εἰσακούσητε, another form of εἰσακούω
תשמעו	Exodus 19:5	…if ye will obey my voice…	…if you will diligently listen to me…	ἀκούσητε, another form of ἀκούω
אשמע	Exodus 5:2	Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice…	Who is the Lord that I should obey him…	εἰσακούσομαι, another form of εἰσακούω
אשמע	Exodus 22:23	…I will surely hear their cry…	…I will surely hear their cry…	εἰσακούσομαι, another form of εἰσακούω

Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 5

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 12

Back to
Atonement, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

^[1] I used the second spelling (nâsâh) offered in Strong’s Concordance in the tables and in a previous essay, which confused me when I linked to the Hebrew dictionary.

^[2] John 12:47 (NIV)

^[3] 1 Timothy 4:13 (NET)

^[4] Luke 1:13 (NET)

^[5] John 3:36 (NKJV)

^[6] Acts 20:20a (NET)

^[7] Exodus 23:21b (NETS) The Tanakh reads: for he will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in him.

^[8] I won’t argue that the angel’s purpose was to keep believing Israelites within the covenant, though I considered it.

^[9] In these essays I’ve used several names for the Hebrew יהוה. Admittedly, I was being catty when I used Jehovah to obliquely reference the undercurrent in religious thought that Jesus died to save us from an evil god. I abandoned the name Yahweh for reasons akin to the genetic fallacy: I learned Yahweh from Nietzsche. He was not only an atheist but a philologist as well. I settled on y^ehôvâh because it was in Strong’s Concordance, the same source I’ve used for all the other Hebrew words addressed in these essays. Subsequently I’ve come across an argument favoring Yahweh on YAHWEH’S restoration ministry online in an article titled “The Yehovah Deception: Reinventing a Misnomer.”

The most succinct form of their argument reads: “As confirmed by the Jewish Talmud, hundreds of years before the birth of Yahshua the Messiah the Jews stopped pronouncing the divine Name and began concealing it by reading the vowel points from Adonai into the Tetragrammaton. The motivation behind this practice was not from irreverence but through a strong veneration for the Name. They were afraid that if it were pronounced, someone might misuse or blaspheme the Name. Part of this hesitation doubtless arose from their time in Babylon. While their reasoning was admirable, it is against the clear teachings of Scripture.”

I find that argument plausible and discouraging. My own working hypothesis concerning the Masoretes was that they were generally honorable when dealing with the words of Scripture but may have shaded the meaning of certain Hebrew words a bit to defend Jewish religion from Christian scholarship. As a working hypothesis it limited the search field to points of contention. The idea that they may be the heirs of those who deliberately corrupted the name of God with vowels from a different word offers no limit to the mischief they may have perpetrated on words of lesser importance. If true, a searchable list of Hebrew homographs is no mere convenience but an absolute necessity for Old Testament study. Creating such a list is well beyond my abilities.

My only purpose in using y^ehôvâh is to remind myself that Lord is not the word used in Scripture. I was taught from the pulpit that it is disrespectful to call Jesus by name, that Paul called Him Lord, though now I think that was Paul’s way of designating Him y^ehôvâh (Isaiah 45:18-23; Romans 14:10-12; Philippians 2:5-11; John 5:22, 23). So for the time being I’ll continue using y^ehôvâh since I definitely don’t believe the name of God is a magical incantation that must be pronounced correctly for the magic to work.

^[10] Exodus 23:22, 23 (NET)

^[11] Exodus 33:2 (NET)

^[12] Genesis 4:7b (NET) Here, the Tanakh presents the subduing of sin as a comforting possibility rather than an imperative: …and unto thee is its desire, but thou mayest rule over it (Genesis 4:7b Tanakh). The Septuagint comforted Cain that he would once again rule over Abel (if he offered the appropriate sacrifice): “Be still, his recourse is to you, and you will rule over him” (Genesis 4:7b NETS).

^[13] Titus 3:3-7 (NET)

^[14] Romans 10:10, 11 (KJV)

^[15] So then faith comes by hearing (ἀκοῆς, a form of ἀκοή), and hearing (ἀκοὴ, another form of ἀκοή) by the word of God (Romans 10:17 NKJV). No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws (ἑλκύσῃ, a form of ἑλκύω) him (John 6:44a NET)… And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (ἑλκύσω, another form of ἑλκύω) all people to myself.

^[16] For it is not those who hear (ἀκροαταὶ, a form of ἀκροατής) the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous (Romans 2:13 NET). This is an interesting example. Relative to Isaac’s word Rebekah was a hearer only because she did everything in her power to deceive her husband and change the outcome of his word. But was she hearing/obeying y^ehôvâh (Genesis 25:21-26) instead? Was her deception necessary? Would we be reading the history of Esau/Israel rather than Jacob/Israel without it? Or would y^ehôvâh have chosen (Malachi 1:1-5) Jacob even if Isaac had blessed Esau as he intended (Romans 9:10-18)? Was Rebekah’s deception righteous? Or might her faith have been counted as righteousness (Romans 4:1-5)?

Romans, Part 84

Posted on December 14, 2016 by admin

For I tell you, Paul continued writing to believers in Rome, that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy.^[1] These are two seemingly independent clauses joined by the conjunction δὲ, “but, moreover, and.” Any of these would be easier to understand than and thus, indicating that the second clause is logically dependent upon the first. But rather than reject it I’m inclined to slow down and consider it very carefully.

The translators acknowledge the difficulty in a footnote (6): “There are two major syntactical alternatives which are both awkward: (1) One could make ‘glorify’ dependent on ‘Christ has become a minister’ and coordinate with ‘to confirm’ and the result would be rendered ‘Christ has become a minister of circumcision to confirm the promises…and so that the Gentiles might glorify God.’ (2) One could make ‘glorify’ dependent on ‘I tell you’ and coordinate with ‘Christ has become a minister’ and the result would be rendered ‘I tell you that Christ has become a minister of circumcision…and that the Gentiles glorify God.’ The second rendering is preferred.”

I began with a survey of the promises made to the fathers (πατέρων, a form of πατήρ):

…the promises made to the fathers… (τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν πατέρων)
Abram	Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:1-7, 18-20; 17:1-8 ^[2]
Abraham	Genesis 17:18-21; 18:10-14, 17-19, 26-32; 21:12-13; 22:15-18
Isaac	Genesis 26:2-5, 24
Jacob/Israel	Genesis 28:13-15; 31:3; 35:9-12; 46:2-4

Some of the promises were personal and came to pass in the father’s own lifetime. But look, the word of the Lord came to [Abram]: “[Eliezer of Damascus] will not be your heir, but instead a son who comes from your own body will be your heir.”^[3] Is anything impossible for the Lord? He said to Abraham. I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.^[4] The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. I will be with you.”^[5] The promises made to all three concerned the land, their descendants and a singular descendant.

The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’ decrees the Lord, ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants (zeraʽ, זרעך; Septuagint: σπέρμα, singular) so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants (zeraʽ, זרעך; Septuagint: σπέρμα, singular) will take possession (yârash, וירש; Septuagint: κληρονομήσει, a form of κληρονομέω, 3^rd person singular) of the strongholds of their enemies. Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants (zeraʽ, בזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular).’”^[6]

“This word,” [zeraʽ, זרעך] C. John Collins wrote, “in the singular can refer to offspring, either in a collective sense or as a specific descendant (much as the English word ‘offspring’).”^[7] I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore, is an example of the singular in a “collective sense.” [Desmond] “Alexander argues,” Mr Collins continued, “that the second and third instances of ‘offspring’ are used for a specific offspring.”^[8] Given that, and without any academic credentials to defend, I wonder about some of the other promises. The Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) appeared to Isaac and said (Genesis 26:2-5 NET):

“Do not go down to Egypt; settle down in the land that I will point out to you. Stay in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants (zeraʽ, ולזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular), and I will fulfill the solemn promise I made to your father Abraham. I will multiply your descendants (zeraʽ, זרעך; Septuagint: σπέρμα, singular) so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them (zeraʽ, לזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular) all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants (zeraʽ, בזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular). All this will come to pass because Abraham obeyed me and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Did y^ehôvâh promise that, All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of [Isaac, Esau and Jacob]…because Abraham obeyed Him? The Tanakh is considerably more circumspect in translation: and by thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves; because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws. To Jacob y^ehôvâh said (Genesis 28:13-15 NET):

“I am the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants (zeraʽ, ולזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular) the ground you are lying on. Your descendants (zeraʽ, זרעך; Septuagint: σπέρμα, singular) will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using your name and that of your descendants (zeraʽ, ובזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular). I am with you! I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

Did y^ehôvâh promise that, All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name Israel? Again, the Tanakh is more circumspect in translation: And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Why would Gentiles translate the Scripture this way? Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant, Paul wrote believers in Galatia. Scripture does not say, “and to the descendants,” referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” referring to one, who is Christ.^[9]

Why would contemporary Gentiles, the primary beneficiaries of these particular promises, change y^ehôvâh’s promises? and [Jesus Christ] shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in [Jesus Christ] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because [Abraham] hast hearkened to [His] voice.^[10] And, by [Jesus Christ] shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves; because that Abraham hearkened to [His] voice, and kept [His] charge, [His] commandments, [His] statutes, and [His] laws.^[11] And in [Israel] and in [Jesus Christ] shall all the families of the earth be blessed.^[12]

And since I’ve gone down this rabbit hole I might as well complete the set: all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name^[13] [i.e., Abram], where the Tanakh reads: in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. It seems absurd to continue to defend one word thus. But I didn’t start down this path trusting the translators of the NET. What I called an inclination is a leading I have learned to trust following Jesus through the Scripture. Still, I doubt this is what Paul had in mind.

“Look, your house is left to you desolate!” Jesus had said to the circumcised. “For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”^[14] “Look, your house is forsaken! And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”^[15] It would be difficult for one who did not believe that Jesus is y^ehôvâh to understand how He has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to Abram/Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel.

The Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants (zeraʽ, לזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular) I will give this land.”^[16] Isolated as this promise is I’m inclined to hear לזרעך as both, “in a collective sense” and “as a specific descendant.” The idea that y^ehôvâh promised to give this land to y^ehôvâh come to earth in human flesh as Jesus the Messiah is admittedly unintelligible. But the idea that y^ehôvâh promised Abram that one of his descendents, to whom the land was given, is y^ehôvâh come to earth in human flesh as Jesus the Messiah is powerful indeed. Jesus is ever worthy, ever producing the fruit of the kingdom of God. At a moment when the rest of the descendants of Israel were about to lose the vineyard as they would lose the kingdom of God Jesus has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to Abram/Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel.

After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west [Table]. I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants (zeraʽ, ולזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular) forever [Table]. And I will make your descendants (zeraʽ, זרעך; Septuagint: σπέρμα, singular) like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants (zeraʽ, זרעך; Septuagint: σπέρμα, singular) also can be counted [Table]. Get up and walk throughout the land, for I will give it to you” [Table].^[17] That day the Lord made a covenant with Abram: “To your descendants (zeraʽ, לזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular) I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River [Table]– the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, [Table] Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,[Table] Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites [Table].”^[18] And finally (Genesis 17:8 NET):

I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing – to you and your descendants (zeraʽ, ולזרעך; Septuagint: σπέρματί, singular) after you as a permanent possession. I will be their (Septuagint: αὐτοῖς, plural) God.”

“So how did it come about,” Manfred Davidmann asked rhetorically, “that the Jewish people were expelled twice from the country God promised them with their grip on the country weakening at the present time? Without a shadow of a doubt the Jewish people lost the country in the past because they did not fulfil their part of the bargain, because they broke the terms of the Covenant…In the language of religion, the land of Israel does not belong to anyone other than God. Those who live in it may use and benefit from the land but only as long as they follow God’s laws.”^[19]

Mr. Davidmann might have taught my Sunday school class. The “Torah states a scientific law, the Social Cause-and-effect Relationship {1}, which is that the consequences of keeping or not keeping the Torah laws are inescapable, that what happens to one is in the end the inevitable result of one’s own behaviour…this is a scientific law which was defined and stated using the language of religion to get the message across to listeners in such a way that they could understand at least the effects of this ’cause-and-effect relationship’.” He may have raised a few eyebrows with the adjective scientific but all in all I think my elders would have gone along with him. I have a few comments about Mr. Davidmann’s abbreviated version of the law:

The essential social provisions of Torah law are clear and to the point. This is what the Torah lays down as a matter of law {1}:

The community has to provide (‘lend’) money to those who need it, free of interest.

All such loans, if outstanding, are to be cancelled every seventh year.

The country’s wealth, and this applies particularly to productive capital such as land, belongs equally to all and needs to be shared out.

Inhabitants are also entitled to have a sabbatical year every seventh year. During this sabbatical year they are entitled to be freed from work at the expense of the community.

Every person is entitled as a matter of right to social security. This means that people are entitled to be supported by the community not only when they fall on hard times but also to maintain their independence as independent breadwinners for their families. For example, the community has to provide backup funds to those who need them and they have to be provided as and when required.

To prevent people being exploited through their need these funds have to be provided without charging interest and such ‘loans’ are cancelled every seventh year if the borrower has been unable to repay them.

It is the inhabitants who keep the social laws, who keep Torah law, who are entitled to these rights.

As for item #4 there is a qualitative and substantive difference between farmers trusting y^ehôvâh enough to let their lands go fallow one year in seven and an angry mob demanding their “rights” to a year’s vacation at “community” expense. Aside from that federal, state and municipal governments in the United States of America provide most of these welfare benefits in spirit if not to the letter of the law. But none of this is sufficient to fulfill the law. It was the so-called moral law ignored by Mr. Davidmann that prescribed the death penalty for so many offenses, for the letter kills quite literally.

So here I am, one of the believing Gentiles [who] glorify God for his mercy (ἐλέους, a form of ἔλεος). And this, because the righteousness of God which fulfills the law does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy (ἐλεῶντος, a form of ἐλεέω).^[20] No one can come to me, Jesus said, unless the Father who sent me draws him.^[21] So then, God has mercy (ἐλεεῖ, another form of ἐλεέω) on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.^[22] And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy (ἐλέους, a form of ἔλεος) that he has prepared beforehand for glory – even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?^[23]

By that mercy I have been called to faith in Jesus Christ, forgiven of my sins, born from above, filled continuously with the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control of his Holy Spirit. This only I want to learn from you, Paul wrote teetering believers in Galatia: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?^[24] It would be treasonous for me to turn back now and pretend that I might fulfill the law by obeying it, whether in part or in total.

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.^[25] Through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe.^[26] I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!^[27]

I’ll return to this in another essay.

Romans, Part 85

^[1] Romans 15:8, 9a (NET)

^[2] This is an interesting article I stumbled across searching for confirmation that σπέρμα, σπέρματί and σπέρματός are singular. http://www.lionelwindsor.net/2010/03/16/the-singular-seed-of-galatians-316/

^[3] Genesis 15:4 (NET) Table

^[4] Genesis 18:14 (NET)

^[5] Genesis 31:3 (NET)

^[6] Genesis 22:15-18 (NET)

^[7] C. John Collins, “GALATIANS 3:16: WHAT KIND OF EXEGETE WAS PAUL?” Tyndale Bulletin 54.1 (2003), p. 84

^[8] Ibid., p. 85

^[9] Galatians 3:16 (NET)

^[10] Genesis 22:17b, 18 (Tanakh)

^[11] Genesis 26:4b, 5 (Tanakh)

^[12] Genesis 28:14b (Tanakh)

^[13] Genesis 12:3b (NET) Table

^[14] Matthew 23:38, 39 (NET)

^[15] Luke 13:35 (NET)

^[16] Genesis 12:7a (NET) Table

^[17] Genesis 13:14-17 (NET)

^[18] Genesis 15:18-21 (NET)

^[19] http://www.solhaam.org/articles/land.html

^[20] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

^[21] John 6:44a (NET)

^[22] Romans 9:18 (NET)

^[23] Romans 9:23, 24 (NET)

^[24] Galatians 3:2-4 (NKJV)

^[25] Romans 7:12 (NET)

^[26] Romans 3:20b-22 (NET)

^[27] Galatians 2:20, 21 (NET)

Romans, Part 78

Posted on June 24, 2016 by admin

And do this because we know the time…^[1] The words because we know are a way the NET translators translated the Greek word εἰδότες (a form of εἴδω; also, 2 Corinthians 5:11). They translated it because you…know (Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24; 1 Peter 5:9), when you did…know (Galatians 4:8), and we know (1 Thessalonians 1:4). More often than not εἰδότες occurs in the New Testament as εἰδότες ὅτι; because is a legitimate translation of ὅτι.

Greek	NET	References
εἰδότες ὅτι	because they knew that	Luke 8:53
εἰδότες ὅτι	because they knew	John 21:12
εἰδότες ὅτι	knowing that	Romans 5:3; 1 Corinthians 15:58
εἰδότες ὅτι	we know that	Romans 6:9; 2 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 2:16
εἰδότες ὅτι	because we know that	2 Corinthians 1:7
εἰδότες ὅτι	because we know	2 Corinthians 4:14
εἰδότες ὅτι	because you know that	Ephesians 6:8; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:24; Colossians 4:1; James 3:1
εἰδότες ὅτι	because they know that	Philippians 1:16
εἰδότες ὅτι	you know that	1 Peter 1:18

So I question the wisdom of translating εἰδότες “as a causal adverbial participle” (NET note 11), adding because when ὅτι is not present. But I question even more the wisdom of translating nothing, no Greek word at all, as do (NET note 10). That one word shifts the focus of the text from the phenomenal revelation that love is the fulfillment of the law^[2] to a list of works that I must do. The verse continues, [because (ὅτι)] it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep.^[3]

The word translated us is ὑμᾶς —you. So Paul was very direct: And this, he wrote highlighting and accentuating that love is the fulfillment of the law, knowing the time, because it is already the hour for you to awake from sleep… and one extraneous word turned my attention from God reconciling the world to himself in Christ, from the power of his resurrection, from the fruit of his Holy Spirit to my own puny efforts to do rules, to love like God in my own strength.

I’m not angry with the NET translators, I’m grateful. Their footnotes, revealing their thought processes, have disabused me of my notion that Bible translators are something more than human beings doing the best they can—given their beliefs. I didn’t even read the NET back when I had most of my difficulties. I read the NASB and then the NIV.

NASB

NIV

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now [a] salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

Romans 13:11

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

Romans 13:11

The NIV has no footnote here. My NASB fell apart years ago, but it has the telltale italics. Do in italics didn’t alert my Bible-believing heart to dig deeper, not like a footnote did (10): “Grk ‘and this,’ probably referring to the command to love (13:8-10); hence, ‘do’ is implied from the previous verses.” Unless, of course, one believes that Paul and the Holy Spirit intended to accentuate the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise, as it pertains to the law, through faith rather than works (Matthew 5:17-20 NET):

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 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.

The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, Paul wrote believers in Rome, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy.^[4]

The Greek word translated darkness is σκότους (a form of σκότος). Paul wrote believers in Ephesus, for you were at one time darkness (σκότος), but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit (καρπὸς) of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful (ἀκάρποις, a form of ἄκαρπος) deeds of darkness (σκότους, a form of σκότος), but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says: “Awake, O sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!”^[5]

To the Romans Paul stressed carousing and drunkenness…sexual immorality and sensuality…discord and jealousy as works of darkness. The list stressed in Ephesians included sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed…vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting.^[6] But I don’t think I’m stretching his words at all to include 1) attempts to be righteous by obeying rules in one’s own strength, or 2) attempts to share credit for the fruit of the Spirit, among the unfruitful deeds of darkness. For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness,^[7] Paul summed up the righteousness of the Pharisees. He wrote believers in Philippi, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.^[8]

The Greek work translated light in the phrase weapons of light is φωτός (a form of φῶς). Jesus is the light (John 1:6-9 NET):

A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light (φωτός, a form of φῶς), so that everyone might believe through him. He himself was not the light (φῶς), but he came to testify about the light (φωτός, a form of φῶς). The true light (φῶς), who gives light (φωτίζει, a form of φωτίζω) to everyone, was coming into the world.

Instead, put on (ἐνδύσασθε, a form of ἐνδύω) the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires,^[9] Paul concluded. Here the new human is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

I’ll conclude this essay by quoting from four commentaries. My purpose is to show the decline in enthusiasm for the power of God’s love as a function of time. First, Matthew Henry (1662-1714):

Love intends and designs no ill to any body, is utterly against the doing of that which may turn to the prejudice, offence, or grief of any. It worketh no ill that is, it prohibits the working of any ill: more is implied than is expressed it not only worketh no ill, but it worketh all the good that may be, deviseth liberal things. For it is a sin not only to devise evil against thy neighbour, but to withhold good from those to whom it is due both are forbidden together, Proverbs 3:27-29. This proves that love is the fulfilling of the law, answers all the end of it for what else is that but to restrain us from evil-doing, and to constrain us to well-doing? Love is a living active principle of obedience to the whole law. The whole law is written in the heart, if the law of love be there.

Second, John Gill (1697-1771):

therefore love is the fulfilling of the law: so far as a man loves his neighbour, he acts agreeably to the law, and the particular precepts of it above mentioned: what the apostle says of love to the neighbour, the Jews frequently say of love to God; “he that loveth God (they say^F4) מקיים עשר אמירן, “hath fulfilled the decalogue”, both above and below. And again^F5, “there is no service like the love of God, R. Abba saith it is כללא דאורייתא, “the sum of the law”; for the ten words of the law הכא אתכלילו, “are herein comprehended”, or “fulfilled”:’ and elsewhere^F6 they observe, “that כל התורה כלולה באהבה, “the whole law is comprehended”, or fulfilled “in love”.’

Third, Albert Barnes (1798-1870):

Therefore … – “Because” love does no harm to another, it is “therefore” the fulfilling of the Law, implying that all that the Law requires is to “love” others.

Is the fulfilling – Is the “completion,” or meets the requirements of the Law. The Law of God on this “head,” or in regard to our duty to our neighbor, requires us to do justice toward him, to observe truth, etc. “All” this will be met by “love;” and if people truly “loved” others, all the demands of the Law would be satisfied.

Of the law – Of the Law of Moses, but particularly the Ten Commandments.

Fourth, the Pulpit Commentary (1884):

From specific admonitions on this subject, the apostle passes naturally to the principle which, in these regards as well as others, should inspire all our dealings with our fellow-men. Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another (literally, the other, meaning the same as his neighbour) hath fulfilled law. νόμον here is anarthrous, denoting law in general, not the Mosaic Law in particular, though the instances of transgression that follow are from the Decalogue. The idea of the passage is but a carrying out of our Lord’s saying, Matthew 22:39, Matthew 22:40. We find it also in Galatians 5:14 more shortly expressed. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended (or, summed up) in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of law.

No one mentioned the fruit of the Spirit directly, that this is God’s love rather than ours. But from Matthew Henry’s “more is implied than is expressed [love] not only worketh no ill, but it worketh all the good that may be” to the Pulpit Commentary’s assessment that love is a “principle which…should inspire all our dealings with our fellow-men,” confidence in the love that God has in us took a nose dive in about two centuries. Listen to John (1 John 4:16, 17 NET):

And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has in (ἐν) us. God is love, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him [Table]. By this [e.g., God’s residence, his possession of us through the Holy Spirit] love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world.

Romans, Part 79

^[1] Romans 13:11a (NET)

^[2] Romans 13:10 (NET)

^[3] Romans 13:11b (NET)

^[4] Romans 13:11b-13 (NIV)

^[5] Ephesians 5:8-14 (NET)

^[6] Ephesians 5:3, 4 (NET)

^[7] Romans 10:3 (NET)

^[8] Philippians 3:8b, 9 (NET)

^[9] Romans 13:14 (NET)

Romans, Part 65

Posted on November 29, 2015 by admin

I’m still considering Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer^[1] as a description of love rather than as rules to obey. I’m focusing now on the aftermath of the death of the Levite’s concubine. The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “How could such a wicked thing take place? Now, hand over the good-for-nothings (b^elı̂yaʽal, בליעל) in Gibeah so we can execute them and purge Israel of wickedness.”^[2]

On the surface of it this sounds like a thoughtful and lawful way to proceed. But I note that the Levite had not called the perpetrators of the crime in Gibeah good-for-nothings (KJV: children of Belial) but baʽal.^[3] Perhaps baʽal in this context communicated children of b^elı̂yaʽal to the Levite’s contemporaries, but I suspect that it carried a more technical legal weight in this particular accusation (Deuteronomy 13:12-18 NET).

Suppose you should hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you as a place to live, that some evil (b^elı̂yaʽal, בליעל; KJV: children of Belial) people have departed from among you to entice the inhabitants of their cities, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods” (whom you have not known before). You must investigate thoroughly and inquire carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done among you, you must by all means slaughter the inhabitants of that city with the sword; annihilate with the sword everyone in it, as well as the livestock. You must gather all of its plunder into the middle of the plaza and burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It will be an abandoned ruin forever – it must never be rebuilt again. You must not take for yourself anything that has been placed under judgment. Then the Lord will relent from his intense anger, show you compassion, have mercy on you, and multiply you as he promised your ancestors. Thus you must obey the Lord your God, keeping all his commandments that I am giving you today and doing what is right before him.

Not only that, but purge Israel of wickedness was a familiar theme from the law.

Reference	NET	Hebrew	Septuagint
Deuteronomy 13:5	purge out evil from within	ובערת הרע מקרבך	ἀφανιεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 17:7	purge evil from among you	ובערת הרע מקרבך ף	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 17:12	purge evil from Israel	ובערת הרע מישׁראל	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ Ισραηλ
Deuteronomy 19:13	purge out the blood of the innocent from Israel	ובערת דם הנקי מישׁראל	καθαριεῖς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ἐξ Ισραηλ
Deuteronomy 19:19	purge^[4] evil from among you	ובערת הרע מקרבך	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 21:9	purge out the guilt of innocent blood from among you	תבער הדם הנקי מקרבך כי	ἐξαρεῖς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 21:21	purge out wickedness from among you	ובערת הרע מקרבך	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 22:21	purge evil from among you	ובערת הרע מקרבך ס	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 22:22	purge evil from Israel	ובערת הרע מישׁראל ס	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ Ισραηλ
Deuteronomy 22:24	purge evil from among you	ובערת הרע מקרבך ס	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 24:7	purge evil from among you	ובערת הרע מקרבך	ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Judges 20:13	purge Israel of wickedness	ונבערה ^[5]רעה מישׁראל	ἐκκαθαριοῦμεν πονηρίαν ἀπὸ Ισραηλ

I went to bed meditating on these details with a line from Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill, Volume 1” flitting around in my memory: “When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that not only does God exist, you’re doing his will.”^[6] I awoke the next morning with the fresh insight that y^ehôvâh had this law (Deuteronomy 13:12-18) at his disposal throughout the period covered by the book of Judges.

The Israelites did evil (raʽ, הרע) in the Lord’s (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) sight. They forgot the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) their God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיהם) and worshiped the Baals (baʽal, הבעלים) and the Asherahs.^[7] They had become the children of Belial by definition. The Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) was furious with Israel,^[8] but he did not invoke this law. He turned them over to King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim^[9] instead. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjects for eight years.^[10] And I was reminded of Moses’ intercession with y^ehôvâh.

When the first forty day covenant ended y^ehôvâh had Israel dead to rights. They had despised that covenant,^[11] but y^ehôvâh intended to honor it: Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord (y^ehôvâh, ליהוה) alone must be utterly destroyed.^[12]

So now, leave me alone, He said to Moses, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.^[13]

Turn from your burning anger, Moses interceded, and relent (nâcham, והנחם) of this evil (raʽ, הרעה) against your people.^[14]

Then the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) relented (nâcham, וינחם) over the evil (raʽ, הרעה) that he had said he would do to his people,^[15] though they had made themselves children of Belial. The prophet Samuel, the last of the judges, defined children of Belial as those who knew not y^ehôvâh: Now the sons of Eli [the priest] were sons of Belial (b^elı̂yaʽal,בליעל ); they knew (yâdaʽ ידעו) not the LORD (y^ehôvâh).^[16]

Do not become partners with those who do not believe, Paul wrote the Corinthians, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar (Βελιάρ, a form of Βελίαλ)? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.^[17]

When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), the passage in Judges continued, he (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother [Table]. The Lord’s (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) spirit empowered him and he led (shâphaṭ, וישפט) Israel.^[18]

I feel more than a little awkward about it, but I’ll quote from a website on Satanism, not to establish some identity for Belial. The witch I worked for in school told me with a straight face that he worshiped Celtic Baal but did not believe that Celtic Baal existed in any other sense than as a personification of natural forces. Though he would cringe at being compared to a Satanist (he perceived Satanism as a Christian heresy), I think one would find the same range from true believers to those who only believe in personifications of natural forces among Satanists. I quote the following merely to hear Belial as what Paul called the flesh, speaking honestly, audaciously and uncensored by law or religion.

Belial is the carnal side of man, the lust, sex, pleasure and therefore the principal drives that make living worthwhile. People derive all the principal emotions of the higher ego from Belial: Pride comes from self control and suppression of the Belial, strength, pleasure and independence come from embracing it. Belial is the Master of the Earth, the force that holds Humankind by its balls, any security or stability are results of lessons learnt from dealing with this Crown Prince.

Belial is the champion of simply being human, for the flesh, the material and the carnal. In essence, a reverence for Belial affirms how “good” the flesh/humanity is. Unrestrained by law or morality; lawless; immoral; dissolute; lewd; lascivious, Unrestrained; uncurbed; uncontrolled; unruly; riotous; ungovernable; wanton; profligate; dissolute; lax; loose; sensual; impure; unchaste; lascivious; immoral, dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure.^[19]

We salt this flesh with law and spread religious jelly on it to alter its flavor somewhat, but can’t change its essence. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above,’^[20] y^ehôvâh in human flesh as Jesus said. And Paul wrote to believers in Rome (Romans 6:3-7 NET):

Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.

For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection. We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.)

And again, Paul wrote to believers in Galatia (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

The essence of Wiccan morality (as well as many American teenagers, among others) is stated, “as long as you aren’t harming anyone, do as you wish.” But when we do as we wish in our flesh, we children of Belial, we inevitably and without fail do harm to someone. And that brought me back to the Kill Bill quotation: “When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that not only does God exist, you’re doing his will.”

These lines, spoken by a character known as the Bride in Volume 1 (aka Black Mamba), was played and partially created by Uma Thurman. The Bride was a former member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, a kind of Manson family with style, not political revolutionaries but contract killers. We’re deep in Belial territory here, and the god to which the Bride referred (and personified for two films) was δίκη—Vengeance. Here is an exchange between Black Mamba (the Bride) and Copperhead (Vivica A. Fox) from Kill Bill, Volume 1:

Black Mamba: I’m not gonna murder you in front of your [four-year-old] child, okay?

Copperhead: That’s being more rational than Bill led me to believe you were capable of.

Black Mamba: It’s mercy, compassion and forgiveness I lack—not rationality.

Copperhead: Look, I know I fucked you over. I fucked you over bad. I wish to God I hadn’t, but I did. You have every right to want to get even.

Black Mamba (chuckling): No, to get even, even Stephen, I would have to kill you, go up to Nikki’s room, kill her, then wait for your husband to come home and kill him. That’d be even, Vernita. That’d be about square.

Copperhead: Look, if I could go back in a machine, I would. But I can’t. All I can tell you is that I’m a different person now.

Black Mamba: Oh, great. I don’t care.

Copperhead: Be that as it may, I know I don’t deserve your mercy or your forgiveness. However, I beseech you for both on behalf of my daughter.

Black Mamba: Bitch, you can stop right there. Just because I have no wish to murder you before the eyes of your daughter does not mean parading her around in front of me is gonna inspire sympathy. You and I have unfinished business. And not a goddam fucking thing you’ve done in the subsequent four years, including getting knocked up, is gonna change that.

It hit home hard since I had thought that y^ehôvâh/Jesus was δίκη, and had mistaken his patience and mercy for proof of his nonexistence when I turned to atheism. The word of the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) came to^[21] Ezekiel (Ezekiel 18:21-29 NET):

“But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be held against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live. Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign (ʼădônây, אדני) Lord (y^ehôvih, יהוה)? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live?

“But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die.

“Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s (ʼădônây, אדני) conduct is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust? When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die. When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. Because he considered and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s (ʼădônây, אדני) conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

This exercise altered my superficial observation that the brotherhood acted thoughtfully and lawfully. I began to see four hundred thousand armed men, as likely as not to be sons of Belial themselves, rushing in where y^ehôvâh had not tread.

But the Benjaminites refused to listen to their Israelite brothers. The Benjaminites came from their cities and assembled at Gibeah to make war against the Israelites.^[22]

Why? Was it because the Benjaminites wholeheartedly supported the children of Belial’s right to know any strange man who wandered into town or to gang-rape young women? Or was it because their Israelite brothers came at them in battle array, four hundred thousand strong, armed with an implacable law that condemned them already?

Romans, Part 66

Back to Romans, Part 68

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 4

Back to Introduction-Section Seven

^[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

^[2] Judges 20:12, 13a (NET)

^[3] Judges 20:5 (NET)

^[4] NET note 37: “Heb ‘you will burn out’ (בִּעַרְתָּ, bi’arta). Like a cancer, unavenged sin would infect the whole community. It must, therefore, be excised by the purging out of its perpetrators who, presumably, remained unrepentant (cf. Deut 13:6; 17:7, 12; 21:21; 22:21-22, 24; 24:7).”

^[5] I thought this was a typo since רעה has he ה at the end rather than at the beginning (הרע) like the other occurrences, but the letters are in the same order in the Hebrew OT online at ericlevy.com

^[6] “Kill Bill, Volume 1”

^[7] Judges 3:7 (NET)

^[8] Judges 3:8a (NET)

^[9] Judges 3:8b (NET) Also: Judges 3:12; 4:1-2; 6:1; 10:6-7; 13:1 (NET)

^[10] Judges 3:8c (NET)

^[11] Exodus 32:1-6 (NET)

^[12] Exodus 22:20 (NET)

^[13] Exodus 32:10 (NET) Table

^[14] Exodus 32:12b (NET) Table

^[15] Exodus 32:14 (NET)

^[16] 1 Samuel 2:12 (KJV)

^[17] 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NET)

^[18] Judges 3:9, 10a (NET)

^[19] “Belial, the Northern Crown Prince of Satanism”

^[20] John 3:7 (NET)

^[21] Ezekiel 18:1 (NET)

^[22] Judges 20:13b, 14 (NET)

Fear – Numbers, Part 5

Posted on November 28, 2014 by admin

The Hebrew word yârê does not occur in the story of the waters of Meribah (either time). Still, it seemed important to me to study the story I alluded to earlier. I want to compare and contrast the two stories. The first in Exodus involves Moses and the parents who left Egypt while the second in Numbers involves Moses with their children, some of whom were not yet born at the time of the first incident forty years earlier.

Exodus

Numbers

The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim.

Exodus 17:1a (NET)

Then the entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh.

Numbers 20:1a (NET)

Miriam died and was buried there.

Numbers 20:1b (NET)

Now there was no water for the people to drink. So the people contended with Moses, and they said…

Exodus 17:1b, 2a (NET)

And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. The people contended with Moses, saying…

Numbers 20:2, 3a (NET)

So far the stories are quite similar, except that Moses’ sister Miriam died in the later story.

Exodus

Numbers

“Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?”

Exodus 17:2b (NET)

But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up out of Egypt – to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

Exodus 17:3 (NET)

“If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord! Why have you brought up the Lord’s community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here? Why have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!”

Numbers 20:3b-5 (NET)

In the later story Moses had learned apparently not to argue with a mob. I think it’s also worth noting that the parents in the former story murmured against Moses. They had some respect for him, maybe even some fear of the Lord, though I can see it is clearly arguable whether that fear entailed any reverence: How long must I bear with this evil congregation, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, that murmurs against me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites that they murmured against me.^{^[1]}

The children, however, grew up hearing their parents’ complaints more openly. To them these complaints were simply facts. They saw no reason to murmur facts. They declared them openly: If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord! Why have you brought up the Lord’s community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here?

Apparently, the fact that the Lord gave them water from the rock through Moses did not get as much play in the tents of the Exodus as did the complaints against Moses (or against the Lord, as He clearly took it). At least that fact did not make as indelible an impression on the children. And Egypt, a place of slavery most had never seen or known, had become a fairy land of myth by comparison: Why have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!

Exodus

Numbers

Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with this people? – a little more and they will stone me!”

Exodus 17:4 (NET)

So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They then threw themselves down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

Numbers 20:6 (NET)

In the first story Moses sounded distressed, fearful even for his own life. Forty years later both Moses and Aaron have been here and done this before.

Exodus

Numbers

The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go. I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.”

Exodus 17:5, 6a (NET)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink.”

Numbers 20:7, 8 (NET)

In the earlier story the Lord gave Moses a bit of theater to perform. It was reminiscent of the first plague in Egypt (Exodus 7:15-18 NET):

“Go to Pharaoh in the morning [the Lord said to Moses] when he goes out to the water. Position yourself to meet him by the edge of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. Tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say, “Release my people, that they may serve me in the desert!” But until now you have not listened. Thus says the Lord: “By this you will know that I am the Lord: I am going to strike the water of the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood. Fish in the Nile will die, the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from the Nile.”’”

He instructed Moses to take the same staff, strike the rock as he struck the Nile, and potable water rather than blood would pour forth from it.

In the later story the Lord gave Moses a different bit of theater to perform. This time he should speak to the rock rather than strike it with his staff. The children believed the harsh words they learned from their parents. Speaking to a rock is a futile enterprise ordinarily, but God would intervene here and water would pour forth from the rock as Moses spoke to it.

Exodus

Numbers

And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.

Exodus 17:6b (NET)

So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, just as he commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?” Then Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his staff. And water came out abundantly. So the community drank, and their beasts drank too.

Numbers 20:9-11 (NET)

The earlier story ends much like the incident at the Nile: Moses…did so, just as the Lord had commanded.^[2] The later story is more nuanced. Moses took the staff just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the people as the Lord commanded them. But instead of speaking to the rock they spoke to the people (Numbers 20:10b NET):

Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?

Moses’ words conveyed an attitude toward the people’s thirst. I’m leaving aside for the moment any conjecture whether he actually believed it was the Lord’s attitude or simply went rogue. But the Lord demonstrated that it was not an attitude He wanted conveyed.

Exodus

Numbers

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to show me as holy before the Israelites, therefore you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.”

Numbers 20:12 (NET)

Aaron’s inclusion here makes me suspect that he was still speaking on Moses’ behalf.^[3] Both stories conclude in a similar manner.

Exodus

Numbers

He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Exodus 17:7 (NET)

These are the waters of Meribah, because the Israelites contended with the Lord, and his holiness was maintained among them.

Numbers 20:13 (NET)

What holiness was maintained by the Lord’s promise to remove Moses and Aaron from their places of leadership before the people entered the promised land? Jesus stated it explicitly (Matthew 6:31, 32 NET):

So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

With all of this laid out for me so plainly and beautifully, I still find myself murmuring and wondering, who can possibly please this God? But the point is well-taken, my bad attitude notwithstanding (Romans 8:8, 9a NET):

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.

Only God can please God. I have been crucified with Christ, Paul wrote, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!^{^[4]}

The final occurrence of yârêʼ in Numbers is: And the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear (yârêʼ) him [King Og of Bashan], for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand. You will do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”^[5]

I have no idea why Moses might have feared King Og of Bashan who marched out with all his forces to face Israel.^[6] I find it hard to believe that Og’s stature^[7] alarmed Moses at this late date. Aaron had died (or was executed) on Mount Hor. Moses would die (or be executed) soon. He seems to me like a man with absolute freedom, with nothing left to lose. And I don’t know why God thought Moses feared Og.

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose φοβηθῇς here. The only occurrence of φοβηθῇς in this form in the New Testament is (Matthew 1:19, 20 NET):

Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid (φοβηθῇς) to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” [Table].

Joseph’s fear here was a moral scruple. I would certainly like to think that Moses’ fear was of the same kind. So they defeated Og, his sons, and all his people, until there were no survivors, and they possessed his land.^[8]

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 1

^[1] Numbers 14:27 (NET)

^[2] Exodus 7:20a (NET)

^[3] Exodus 4:14-16 (NET)

^[4] Galatians 2:20, 21 (NET)

^[5] Numbers 21:34 (NET)

^[6] Numbers 21:33b (NET)

^[7] Deuteronomy 3:11 (NET) – Only King Og of Bashan was left of the remaining Rephaites. (It is noteworthy that his sarcophagus was made of iron. Does it not, indeed, still remain in Rabbath of the Ammonites? It is thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide according to standard measure.)

^[8] Numbers 21:35 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

An attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind.

Tag Archives: Galatians 2:20-21

αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 2

Psalm 22, Part 3

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 4

To Make Holy, Part 7

Father, Forgive Them – Part 3

Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 4

Romans, Part 84

Romans, Part 78

Romans, Part 65

Fear – Numbers, Part 5