Exploration, Part 8

Describing the results of the freedom for which Christ has set us free,1 Paul contrasted the works of the flesh2 (τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός) of your former way of life to the new life in Christ: the fruit of the Spirit3 ( καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματος), e.g., the Spirit’s “fruit, result, outcome, product, offspring; produce, crop, harvest; advantage, gain, profit” (Galatians 5:22, 23 ESV):

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table].

In the aftermath of the night I didn’t kill my wife, I turned Paul’s description of God’s love into a script that I attempted to act out. That “script” became the defining rules of conduct for my new character, the part I would play from then on forever. I didn’t recognize this as hypocrisy because I was sincerely trying to do better, and I didn’t believe the fruit of the Spirit was the Spirit’s fruit.

Though I hadn’t thought about it quite as formally as I had about Paul’s description of God’s love, I believed instinctively almost that the fruit of the Spirit was more rules for me to obey:

Thou shalt exhibit the fruit of the Spirit: Thou shalt love (See 1 Corinthians 13 for specific details). Thou shalt exhibit joy. Thou shalt live in peace. Thou shalt demonstrate patience. Thou shalt show kindness. Thou shalt demonstrate goodness. Thou shalt exhibit faithfulness. Thou shalt show gentleness. Thou shalt exhibit self-control. Against such things there is no law (e.g., such things are the law).

[Hypocrisy] “embodies a purposeful intent, which stems from a deep-seated core of evil” [e.g., the old man], the conclusion of the entry “Hypocrite” on bibleone.net online reads. The corruption of the old man’s deceitful desires includes the desire to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law4 as well as the feeling that I am actively engaged in the pursuit of righteousness when I do so, despite the actual situation being that I was severed from Christ5 and had turned away from the kingdom of God and his righteousness6 (τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ; e.g., not “my own righteousness”).

There was an additional criteria to meet, however, in the conclusion of “Hypocrite” on bibleone.net online:

More than this, it suggests a determined effort to enforce a standard of conduct upon others, which conduct the enforcer knowingly and deliberately refuses to apply to himself–hence, action born of full knowledge and evil intent…It is the condition of a person who is controlled by the sin nature to the end-desire of having power over other human beings by imposing on them a set of rules, which he himself intentionally disregards.

I failed to meet that criteria (which, by the way, I don’t regard as necessary to Jesus’ intent). But it is curious. As legalistic as I was with myself, I don’t recall preaching Paul to my wife. Perhaps it is selective memory, but if I had harped on the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living,7 I think I would remember. My mother was bound by law (δέδεται νόμῳ) to a husband for whom she no longer felt any affection or respect, and with whom she no longer lived—my father. She was miserable. He was miserable. We all suffered to various degrees. I suppose, I didn’t actually want a wife who was bound by law to me.

It’s a shame I didn’t apply that learning to my relationship to God sooner (Matthew 7:12; John 14:15 NASB).

“Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets [Table].
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

It is possible that I followed the golden rule with my wife to some extent. It didn’t occur to me to follow it with the Lord. And I didn’t hear If you love Me, you will keep My commandments as Jesus’ promise. I heard another rule: how to love Jesus.

I didn’t yet study the New Testament in Greek. Though I had begun to use a concordance to track the word usage of select Greek and Hebrew words through the Bible, I didn’t bother to learn that you will keep was τηρήσετε, a form of the verb τηρέω in the future tense and indicative mood. I didn’t yet understand that the “indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.”8 I hadn’t taken a college course in formal logic yet: I didn’t understand that my attempt to keep his commandments as rules I obeyed wouldn’t necessarily prove my love for Him, but was a logical fallacy called “affirming the consequent.”

John wrote (1 John 4:19-21 NASB):

We love,9 because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot10 love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

I didn’t know yet that the Greek word translated should love was ἀγαπᾷ, a form of ἀγαπάω in the indicative mood, another statement of fact. The commandment (τὴν ἐντολὴν) we have from him is apparently of the—And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light11—variety. But I thought John meant that since Jesus died for my sins, I should have an emotional response that resulted in love for God and others. Or, even if I lacked that emotional response or it was too weak or inconsistent to produce that result, love was the law.

Even as I attempted to love like God by obeying rules, I continued to read the Bible in English translation. I began to wonder if, perhaps, God’s love—with which He first loved us (αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς)—was not all finished at the cross of Christ (John 14:15-26 NASB).

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold (θεωρεῖ, a form of θεωρέω) Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you [Table]. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. “After a little while the world will behold (θεωρεῖ, a form of θεωρέω) Me no more; but you will behold (θεωρεῖτε, another from of θεωρέω) Me; because I live, you shall live12 also. “In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I13 in you. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him [Table]. “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

“These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you [Table].

Jesus didn’t seem to think that God’s love was finished at the cross, but would continue—not from some distant heavenly abode—but from within us. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you, Jesus promised after promising that his Father will give you another Helper, that He may be with you foreverthe Spirit of truth.14 And speaking of his Father’s love for the one who loves Jesus (he will keep [τηρήσει, a form of τηρέω in the future tense and indicative mood] My word), He said, We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.15

Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 NASB):

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body [Table].

The words your and you are plural. While I wouldn’t suggest that the collective body is excluded somehow, these words were penned in response to the potential and prescribed actions of an individual (1 Corinthians 6:16-18 NASB):

Or do you not know that the one who joins himself ( κολλώμενος) to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.” But the one who joins himself ( δὲ κολλώμενος) to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.

Truths began to align in perspicuous form:

  1. We love, because He first loved us.16
  2. If you love [Jesus], you will keep [his] commandments.17
  3. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.18

Even without a college course in formal logic, statements 2 and 3 sounded like conditional promises to me. Would Jesus make even a conditional promise predicated on my weak and wavering emotions of love and gratitude?

One advantage of treating Paul’s description of God’s love as rules to obey was that it kept the depth and detail of his description of love ever before me. It seemed like an awful lot to ask of the human emotions of affection and gratitude. Another advantage was that even my laws derived from Paul’s description of God’s love functioned like the law [that] was [my] “servant whose office it was to take” me “to school,” the school of hard knocks.19 My act, based on my rules derived from Paul’s description of God’s love, wasn’t working out all that well. Though doing “incrementally better” seemed positive relative to my former actions, “incrementally better” was a very long way from the righteousness described by “my new law.”

Why didn’t I just give up? Well, I did from time to time. That didn’t seem to matter all that much. Despite my best efforts to do otherwise, I was working out my own salvation with fear and trembling, for it [was] God who [worked] in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure.20 And it is God who continues to work in me, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. I wasn’t entirely oblivious to his working. It just seemed so on again, off again.

I wanted his working to be on again more often than off again, but I wasn’t yet recognizing that on-again-off-again phenomena as evidence of the conflict of the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth21 and the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.22 I thought it had more to do with the mercurial nature of god (e.g., the false god of my imagination). But He was working on that, too.

He made sure that I would be renewed in the spirit of [my] mind,23 providing both a hunger for, and a growing satisfaction with, his Word—the Lord Jesus Christ—through the written words of the Bible. I began to suspect that the love with which He first loved us24 meant something more than my emotional response to the Lord’s death on my behalf. But the fruit of the Spirit is love25 and walk by the Spirit26 seemed like tantalizing clues to that “something more.”

My wife had moved out. My friend John had moved in to help with expenses. I was back at the church where I had become an atheist, believing that they “were right and I was wrong.” John attended a different church. We studied the Bible individually and together.

We thought and spoke to one another in theological jargon. We knew that salvation was divided into three parts: justification, sanctification and glorification. We knew that justification and glorification were works of God in Christ, received through faith. We also “knew” that sanctification was by our own works (James 2:19-24 NASB):

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?27 Was not Abraham our father justified (ἐδικαιώθη, a form of δικαιόω) by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,”28 and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified (δικαιοῦται, another form of δικαιόω) by works, and not by faith alone [Table].

Granted, there is no mention of sanctification here, yet the principle of adding my works to faith in Jesus Christ seemed thoroughly established. And the idea that sanctification was the place where my works came into play in my salvation seemed to accord well with the teaching of two different non-Lutheran, non-Catholic churches—John’s and mine. About this time, though John remained faithful to the KJV, I switched from studying the NASB to the NIV out of deference to a mentor who was discipling me (James 2:19-24 NIV):

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone [Table].

Translating both ἐδικαιώθη and δικαιοῦται considered righteous sealed the deal for me. Who would be considered righteous but the one who did righteousness? And sanctification was the only part of salvation left to add my works of righteousness to faith. So, sanctification was by my works. Jesus seemed totally on board with that (Luke 18:18-24 NIV).

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”29

“All these I have kept30 since I was a boy,”31 he said.

When Jesus heard this,32 he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.33 Then come, follow me.”

When he heard this, he became34 very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him35 and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter36 the kingdom of God!

This exchange was a treasure trove when I searched the Bible for rules to obey. Even if I allowed that come, follow me was an allusion to faith, the ratio of my works added to my faith seemed roughly equivalent to Peter’s admonition to make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.37 Even my Dad quoted: “pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on you.”38

The only fly in the ointment was Paul (Galatians 5:4 NIV):

You who are trying to be justified (δικαιοῦσθε, another form of δικαιόω; “considered righteous”?) by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace [Table].

Only Paul seemed uncompromising on this point. Jesus was uncompromising in what seemed like the opposite direction (Matthew 5:48 NIV):

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].

How could both statements be true? I might have given up right then and there, except that I had moments—all too brief moments—when love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control flowed into me as if from an external source. And that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control seemed to dominate (cause?) my actions. It was on-again-off-again, more off-again than on-again at that time. But it made me wonder if the fruit of the Spirit might, perhaps, just possibly, maybe, have more to do with God than with me (but that would be cheating, wouldn’t it?).

I still thought the on-again-off-again nature of my experience of the fruit of the Spirit was due to the mercurial nature of god (e.g., the false god of my imagination), but this time I recognized that it might be in response to me. I even began to use the words—the old man and the new man—to rationalize that phenomena, though I still recognized them only as a kind of shorthand for my works before Christ and what my works should be after Christ. The almighty I decided which works were manifest. They were still my works accomplished by my will according to my obedience.

I had not yet quit my factory job to study to prepare for writing the “Tripartite Rationality Index.” I had not yet come to terms with my unexamined faith “that faith was opposed to reason as reason was opposed to faith.”39 And I had not even begun to recognize my antipathy to faith.

Yet after that amazing time [e.g., studying to write the “Tripartite Rationality Index”] I was still disgruntled. Writing this has forced me to ask myself why. The answer that comes to me is that I was not actually as open-minded as I like to remember the story. I was trying to find a rational alternative to faith (i.e., that arrived at the same conclusions but required no faith). My best effort was indistinguishable from faith. In other words, I had failed. So as the Lord and I did our postmortem on those years, I said the time was better than I had expected (recalling my parents and hitting a baseball), but that I was still inclined to wish for never having been born.40

It would be many years before I learned that, according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online, the verb of being ἔσεσθε, translated be in the phrase Be perfect, was a form of εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood: “The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.” In other words, Jesus promised: “You will be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].”

The confusion that resulted from my experience—that I did “incrementally better” as an actor attempting to love like God by obeying rules of love as the “choices” made by my new character—is no longer an issue. Of course, an actor attempting to imitate God does “incrementally better” than one slavishly obeying the dictates of the old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.41 Some actors are better than others. But a righteousness of one’s own achieved by obeying rules as an actor plays a part is not the righteousness of Godrevealed [in the gospel42] from faith for faith;43 it is certainly not the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness [that causes one to] reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.44 Though hypocrisy is not the unforgivable sin, it is an attempt to be justified by law and a falling away from grace.45

But God’s love wasn’t finished at the cross. Jesus continued to draw us to Himself. His Holy Spirit energized John and me to study Paul’s writings in enough detail to begin to perceive the difference between God’s gift of righteousness and our own achievements of righteousness by our own efforts.

According to a note (14) in the NET, Paul quoted from Genesis 2:24 in 1 Corinthians 6:16. A table comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

1 Corinthians 6:16b (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 2:24b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 2:24b (Septuagint Elpenor)

Ἔσονται…οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν

ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν

ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν

1 Corinthians 6:16b (NET)

Genesis 2:24b (NETS)

Genesis 2:24b (English Elpenor)

The two will become one flesh

the two will become one flesh

they two shall be one flesh

Tables comparing 1 John 4:19, 20; John 14:19, 20; James 2:20 and Luke 18:20-24 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 John 4:19, 20 (NET)

1 John 4:19, 20 (KJV)

We love because he loved us first. We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 4:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 4:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν, ὅτι αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς ημεις αγαπωμεν αυτον οτι αυτος πρωτος ηγαπησεν ημας ημεις αγαπωμεν αυτον οτι αυτος πρωτος ηγαπησεν ημας
If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

1 John 4:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 4:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 4:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἐάν τις εἴπῃ ὅτι ἀγαπῶ τὸν θεὸν καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῇ, ψεύστης ἐστίν· ὁ γὰρ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν ἑώρακεν, τὸν θεὸν ὃν οὐχ ἑώρακεν οὐ δύναται ἀγαπᾶν εαν τις ειπη οτι αγαπω τον θεον και τον αδελφον αυτου μιση ψευστης εστιν ο γαρ μη αγαπων τον αδελφον αυτου ον εωρακεν τον θεον ον ουχ εωρακεν πως δυναται αγαπαν εαν τις ειπη οτι αγαπω τον θεον και τον αδελφον αυτου μιση ψευστης εστιν ο γαρ μη αγαπων τον αδελφον αυτου ον εωρακεν τον θεον ον ουχ εωρακεν πως δυναται αγαπαν

John 14:19, 20 (NET)

John 14:19, 20 (KJV)

In a little while the world will not see me any longer, but you will see me; because I live, you will live too. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

John 14:19 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 14:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 14:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἔτι μικρὸν καὶ ὁ κόσμος με οὐκέτι θεωρεῖ, ὑμεῖς δὲ θεωρεῖτε με, ὅτι ἐγὼ ζῶ καὶ ὑμεῖς ζήσετε ετι μικρον και ο κοσμος με ουκ ετι θεωρει υμεις δε θεωρειτε με οτι εγω ζω και υμεις ζησεσθε ετι μικρον και ο κοσμος με ουκετι θεωρει υμεις δε θεωρειτε με οτι εγω ζω και υμεις ζησεσθε
You will know at that time that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

John 14:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 14:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 14:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ γνώσεσθε |ὑμεῖς| ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί μου καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν ἐμοὶ καγὼ ἐν ὑμῖν εν εκεινη τη ημερα γνωσεσθε υμεις οτι εγω εν τω πατρι μου και υμεις εν εμοι καγω εν υμιν εν εκεινη τη ημερα γνωσεσθε υμεις οτι εγω εν τω πατρι μου και υμεις εν εμοι και εγω εν υμιν

James 2:20 (NET)

James 2:20 (KJV)

But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless? But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

James 2:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

James 2:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων ἀργή ἐστιν θελεις δε γνωναι ω ανθρωπε κενε οτι η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν θελεις δε γνωναι ω ανθρωπε κενε οτι η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν

Luke 18:20-24 (NET)

Luke 18:20-24 (KJV)

You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Luke 18:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 18:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 18:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)

τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας· μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα τας εντολας οιδας μη μοιχευσης μη φονευσης μη κλεψης μη ψευδομαρτυρησης τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου τας εντολας οιδας μη μοιχευσης μη φονευσης μη κλεψης μη ψευδομαρτυρησης τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου
The man replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.” And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Luke 18:21 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 18:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 18:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ταῦτα πάντα ἐφύλαξα ἐκ νεότητος ο δε ειπεν ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου ο δε ειπεν ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Luke 18:22 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 18:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 18:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει· πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν [τοῖς] οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι ακουσας δε ταυτα ο ιησους ειπεν αυτω ετι εν σοι λειπει παντα οσα εχεις πωλησον και διαδος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι ακουσας δε ταυτα ο ιησους ειπεν αυτω ετι εν σοι λειπει παντα οσα εχεις πωλησον και διαδος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι
But when the man heard this, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Luke 18:23 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 18:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 18:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ταῦτα περίλυπος ἐγενήθη· ἦν γὰρ πλούσιος σφόδρα ο δε ακουσας ταυτα περιλυπος εγενετο ην γαρ πλουσιος σφοδρα ο δε ακουσας ταυτα περιλυπος εγενετο ην γαρ πλουσιος σφοδρα
When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

Luke 18:24 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 18:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 18:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν |ὁ| Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσπορεύονται ιδων δε αυτον ο ιησους περιλυπον γενομενον ειπεν πως δυσκολως οι τα χρηματα εχοντες εισελευσονται εις την βασιλειαν του θεου ιδων δε αυτον ο ιησους περιλυπον γενομενον ειπεν πως δυσκολως οι τα χρηματα εχοντες εισελευσονται εις την βασιλειαν του θεου

1 Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

2 Galatians 5:19 (ESV) Table

3 Galatians 5:22 (ESV)

4 Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

5 Galatians 5:4a (ESV) Table

6 Matthew 6:33b (ESV) Table

7 Romans 7:2 (NASB)

9 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον (KJV: him) following love. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

10 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the negative particle οὐ preceding δύναται, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the interrogative adverb πως (KJV: how can).

11 Genesis 1:3 (ESV) Table

12 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ζήσετε here, a form of the verb ζάω in the active voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ζησεσθε in the middle voice.

14 John 14:16b, 17a (NASB) Table

15 John 14:23b (NASB) Table

16 1 John 4:19 (NASB)

17 John 14:15 (NASB)

18 John 14:23b (NASB) Table

20 Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV) Table

21 Ephesians 4:24b (NASB)

22 Ephesians 4:22b (NASB)

23 Ephesians 4:23b (NASB)

24 1 John 4:19 (NASB)

25 Galatians 5:22a (NASB)

26 Galatians 5:16a (NASB)

27 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀργή here, a form of ἀργός, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νεκρα (KJV: dead), a form of νεκρός.

28 See Romans, Part 18 for a table comparing the Greek of James’ quotation with that of the Septuagint.

29 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun σου (KJV: thy) following mother. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

30 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐφύλαξα here, a 1st person singular form of φυλάσσω in the active voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εφυλαξαμην (KJV: have I kept) in the middle voice.

31 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun μου following the noun νεοτητος (KJV: my youth). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

32 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun ταυτα (KJV: these things) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

33 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the plural [τοῖς] οὐρανοῖς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular ουρανω.

35 The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had περίλυπον γενόμενον (KJV: [that he] was very sorrowful) here. The NET parallel Greek text did not.

36 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἰσπορεύονται here, a form of εἰσπορεύομαι in the present tense and middle/passive voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εισελευσονται (KJV: shall theyenter), a form of εἰσέρχομαι in the future tense and middle voice.

37 2 Peter 1:5b-7 (NIV)

41 Ephesians 4:22b (ESV) I consider as a case in point the differences between Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf) in the movie Fury and any other character Shia LaBeouf has played. “LeBoeuf would say, ‘So the day after I got the job [in Fury], I joined the US National Guard. I was baptised – accepted Christ in my heart – tattooed my surrender and became a chaplain’s assistant to Captain Yates for the 41st Infantry. I spent a month living on a forward operating base.’” From “The Extreme Way Shia LeBeouf Prepared for ‘Fury’,” on TheThings online.

42 Romans 1:17a (NET)

43 Romans 1:17a (ESV)

44 Romans 5:17b (ESV)

Romans, Part 53

So, how can I view—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord[1]—as a definition of love (ἀγάπη) rather than as rules?  Again, I’ve constructed the following table to help.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

love (ἀγάπη)

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory.  Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint, because the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.[2] Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor. Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment of the law.[3] Knowledge puffs up, but love (ἀγάπη) builds up.[4]
Love (ἀγάπη) is…

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)

…not self-serving (οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς; literally, “not seek itself”)…

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)

If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for (ζητεῖ, a form of ζητέω) the one that went astray?[5]  But above all pursue (ζητεῖτε, another form of ζητέω) his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.[6]
This Love Without Hypocrisy…

Romans 12:9-21 (NET)

Do not lag in zeal (σπουδῇ, a form of σπουδή), be enthusiastic (ζέοντες, a form of ζέω) in spirit…

Romans 12:11a (NET)

…serve (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord.

Romans 12:11b (NET)

But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness (σπουδῇ) and in the love from us that is in you – make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.[7] Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus.  He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures.  He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm (ζέων, another form of ζέω) he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus (KJV: the Lord), although he knew only the baptism of John.[8] Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.  Obey with enthusiasm (εὐνοίας, a form of εὔνοια), as though serving (δουλεύοντες) the Lord and not people, because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good (ἀγαθόν, a form of ἀγαθός), this will be rewarded by the Lord.[9]

In the previous essay it seemed to make intuitive sense to place cling to what is good[10]under that aspect of the fruit of the Spirit translated goodness.  Here it may seem like begging the question[11] to simply place—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—under love.  In one sense love (ἀγάπη) is the master key that can stand for all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit.  I think John used ἀγάπη that way often, but I want to follow Paul’s thinking here.

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith (πίστεως, a form of πίστις), he wrote.  By our own faith?  I think not, for πίστις[12] is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit.  Since we have been declared righteous by faith we have peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.[13]  Again, peace (εἰρήνη) is an aspect of the fruit of his Spirit.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ we have also obtained access by faith (πίστει, another form of πίστις) into this grace (χάριν, a form of χάρις) in which we stand.  And by grace, though Paul may mean more, I think he cannot mean less than the credited righteousness of God, this very fruit of God’s Holy Spirit.  And we rejoice in the hope of our glory!  But that’s not what Paul wrote.  And we rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι) in the hope of God’s glory.[14]

Though the NET translators chose rejoice for καυχώμεθα here and in the next verse, boast is a more obvious meaning.  I say again, let no one think that I am a fool.  But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast (καυχήσωμαι, another form of καυχάομαι) a little.  What I am saying with this boastful (καυχήσεως, a form of καύχησις) confidence I do not say the way the Lord would.  Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.  Since many are boasting (καυχῶνται, another form of καυχάομαι) according to human standards, I too will boast (καυχήσομαι, another form of καυχάομαι).[15]  By the way, according to human standards is κατὰ σάρκα in Greek, according to the flesh (NKJV).

It gives me the sense that Paul meant we boast in the hope of God’s glory.  We boast in the hope that God will be glorified by the lives we live in the flesh (not according to the flesh), crucified with Christ (it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me),[16] living by the Spirit,[17] not by the works of the flesh.[18]  Translated that way we might be less likely to gloss over it and boast in the hope of our own glory.  Not only this, Paul continued, but we also rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι; or, boast) in sufferings.[19]  So where does Paul get off writing this wacko stuff?

If I must boast (καυχᾶσθαι, another form of καυχάομαι), I will boast (καυχήσομαι, another form of καυχάομαι) about the things that show my weakness (ἀσθενείας, a form of ἀσθένεια).[20]  There was method to Paul’s madness.  For the Lord said to him, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (ἀσθενείᾳ).” So then, Paul concluded, I will boast (καυχήσομαι) most gladly about my weaknesses (ἀσθενείαις), so that the power of Christ may reside in me.[21]  And in Romans we find a similar method to his madness: we also rejoice (or, boast) in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.[22]  And here I get a beautiful glimmer of an understanding why the NET translators chose rejoice over boast.

We don’t rejoice or boast in our own suffering because of a rational understanding: knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.  We can only rejoice or boast in our own suffering because we are filled with the joy (χαρὰ) of God, another aspect of the fruit of his Spirit.  And rejoice hearkens back to that fact better than boast ever could.  I am confident they chose rejoice for this reason because of a note on the next verse.

And hope does not disappoint, Paul concluded, because the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.[23]  The note in the NET reads: “The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ (…‘the love of God’) could be interpreted as either an objective genitive (‘our love for God’), subjective genitive (‘God’s love for us’), or both (M. Zerwick’s ‘general’ genitive [Biblical Greek,§§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s ‘plenary’ genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). The immediate context, which discusses what God has done for believers, favors a subjective genitive, but the fact that this love is poured out within the hearts of believers implies that it may be the source for believers’ love for God; consequently an objective genitive cannot be ruled out. It is possible that both these ideas are meant in the text and that this is a plenary genitive: ‘The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us’ (ExSyn 121).”

Here is one place I can say with confidence the NET translators really got what Paul was saying.  This love (ἀγάπη), which has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us, does no wrong (κακὸν) to a neighbor.  Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment (πλήρωμα) of the law.[24]  Pouring this love out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us is what Jesus meant when He said: 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 (πληρῶσαι, a form of πληρόω, the verb from which the noun πλήρωμα is derived) them.[25]

I want to spend some time with κακὸν (a form of κακός) since this ἀγάπη does (or, works) no wrong (or, harm) to a neighbor.  The first time κακὸν occurs in the New Testament was from the mouth of the Roman governor.  Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?”  They all said, “Crucify him!”  He asked, “Why? What wrong (κακὸν) has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”[26]  Though Pilate found no κακὸν in Him under Roman law the chief priests and elders of Israel had accused Him of many things: “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?”[27] Pilate asked.  When Jesus was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond.[28]

Now, with 20-20 hindsight I can see Jesus consciously fulfilling Scripture: He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth.  Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.[29]  At the time in the moment, however, He appeared obstinate, belligerent and disdainful of authority.  Consider his teaching (Matthew 23:1-12 NET).

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.  Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it.  But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.  They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them.  They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long.  They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’  But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers.  And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.  Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ.  The greatest among you will be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Even here there is a very rough edge that is disdainful of human authority.  More to the point, perhaps, Jesus did nothing that would inhibit his progress toward the cross.  My commandment (ἐντολὴ, a form of ἐντολή) is this, He also said, to love (ἀγαπᾶτε, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another just as I have loved (ἠγάπησα, another form of ἀγαπάω) you.  No one has greater love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη) than this – that one lays down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command (ἐντέλλομαι) you.[30]  Hanging on the cross, after thirty plus years of human experience, eating it, drinking it, pissing and shitting it, Jesus prayed what I consider the real prayer of salvation: Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.[31]

My point here, I suppose, is that the love that does (or, works) no wrong (or, harm) to a neighbor may not always appear to all the people all the time to be doing or working no wrong or harm to a neighbor.  By his own admission Jesus’ death on a cross was not his will but his Father’s.[32]  Like most human beings Jesus wanted to live; whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.[33]  Perhaps I’ve overstated the case.  Jesus was not suicidal as He hung on the cross.

I want to follow this just a bit farther (Luke 16:25 NET).

Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things (ἀγαθά, another form of ἀγαθός) and Lazarus likewise bad things (κακά, another form of κακός), but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.’

When I considered this in the light of the gospel I gleaned from my religion,[34] Abraham’s words seemed like karmic nonsense.  But in the light of the knowledge of God I’m compelled to reconsider.  God is love (ἀγάπη).[35]  Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor.[36]  (And this is οὐκ the absolute negation, modifying ἐργάζεται [a form of ἐργάζομαι] apparently not κακὸν.)  So while I might be intellectually stimulated to wonder what role God’s love played in Lazarus’ life, the Holy Spirit reminds me that Knowledge puffs up, but love (ἀγάπη) builds up.[37]  All in all it is simpler then to assume that God’s love was revealed after Lazarus’ death.  This is in accord with Jesus’ knowledge of God: he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.[38]  And it is prudent to accept that I do not dictate when God reveals his love to anyone (or, in anyone for that matter).

I’ll continue looking into—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—as a definition of love rather than as rules in the next essay.


[1] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

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

[3] Romans 13:10 (NET)

[4] 1 Corinthians 8:1b (NET)

[5] Matthew 18:12b (NET)

[6] Matthew 6:33 (NET)

[7] 2 Corinthians 8:7 (NET)

[8] Acts 18:24, 25 (NET) Table

[9] Ephesians 6:5-8 (NET)

[10] Romans 12:9b (NET)

[11] Fallacy: Begging the Question

[12] Galatians 5:22 (NET) translated faithfulness

[13] Romans 5:1 (NET)

[14] Romans 5:2 (NET)

[15] 2 Corinthians 11:16-18 (NET)

[16] Galatians 2:20 (NET)

[17] Galatians 5:16 (NET)

[18] Galatians 5:19 (NET)

[19] Romans 5:3a (NET)

[20] 2 Corinthians 11:30 (NET)

[21] 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NET)

[22] Romans 5:3, 4 (NET)

[23] Romans 5:5 (NET)

[24] Romans 13:10 (NET)

[25] Matthew 5:17 (NET)

[26] Matthew 27:22, 23 (NET)

[27] Matthew 27:13 (NET)

[28] Matthew 27:12 (NET)

[29] Isaiah 53:7 (NET)

[30] John 15:12-14 (NET)

[31] Luke 23:34a (NET) Table

[32] Luke 22:42 (NET)

[33] Ecclesiastes 9:4 (NET)

[34] “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ before you die or burn in hell for all eternity.”

[35] 1 John 4:8, 16 (NET) Table

[36] Romans 13:10a (NET)

[37] 1 Corinthians 8:1b (NET)

[38] Luke 20:38 (NET)