Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 1

Posted on February 5, 2024 by admin

I don’t worship statues, I thought, when I first encountered the end of John’s letter: Little children, keep yourselves¹ from idols.² It might be easier if I did, not necessarily the keeping part: Prostrating myself before some statue in some temple on a cold stone floor, naked, sounds kinky. I like it. But it would be easier to recognize when I was doing it.

I’ve been home a lot recently, able to attend church and Bible study. The Pastor’s sermon series was on Genesis and the Bible study was an in depth look and discussion. I became increasingly uncomfortable with where my mind was going, especially in the 3^rd chapter of Genesis. I had stopped treating it like the word of God and had begun to treat it like a Delphic Oracle that I could or should outsmart somehow.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 2:16, 17 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:16, 17 (NET)	Genesis 2:16, 17 (NETS)	Genesis 2:16, 17 (English Elpenor)
And HaShem G-d commanded the man (הָֽאָדָ֖ם), saying: ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; [Table]	Then the Lord God commanded the man (‘āḏām, האדם), “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard,	And the Lord God commanded Adam (τῷ Αδαμ), saying, “You shall eat for food of every tree that is in the orchard, [Table]	And the Lord God gave a charge to Adam (τῷ ᾿Αδὰμ), saying, Of every tree which is in the garden thou mayest freely eat,
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die’ [Table].	but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”	but of the tree for knowing good and evil, of it you shall not eat; on the day that you eat of it, you shall die by death” [Table].	but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil– of it ye shall not eat, but in whatsoever day ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.
Genesis 3:6 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:6 (NET)	Genesis 3:6 (NETS)	Genesis 3:6 (English Elpenor)
And when the woman (הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה) saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight (תַֽאֲוָה) to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired (וְנֶחְמָ֤ד) to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat [Table].	When the woman (‘iššâ, האשה) saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive (ta’ăvâ, תאוה) to the eye, and was desirable (ḥāmaḏ, ונחמד) for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.	And the woman (ἡ γυνὴ) saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasing (ἀρεστὸν) for the eyes to look at and it was beautiful (ὡραῗόν) to contemplate, and when she had taken of its fruit she ate, and she also gave some to her husband with her, and they ate [Table].	And the woman (ἡ γυνή) saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant (ἀρεστὸν) to the eyes to look upon and beautiful (ὡραῖόν) to contemplate, and having taken of its fruit she ate, and she gave to her husband also with her, and they ate.

I focused on the woman because that was where the text gives the most hope for understanding why this happened. The man’s motivations were more inscrutable or inanely mundane: “This is the food my wife gave me, so I ate it.”³ There are two different words for desire in the Masoretic text leading to the moment the woman took of its fruit and ate.⁴ A note (18) in the NET translated the Hebrew: “that good was the tree for food, and that desirable it was to the eyes, and desirable was the tree to make one wise.”

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint didn’t choose any forms of θέλω or θέλημα for these words. Rather, they chose ἀρεστὸν (a form of ἀρεστός) for תַֽאֲוָה (ta’ăvâ), and ὡραῖόν (a form of ὡραῖος) for וְנֶחְמָ֤ד (ḥāmaḏ). But who cares about the Septuagint? Let’s just go with it. This happened because the woman exercised her free will, even if the man just followed her lead.

Let me get naked and prostrate myself before free will to see if I can recognize that I am naked and prostrate before a man-made idol: The first thing that occurs to me is that free will must be evil, since it caused the woman to disobey God’s command. Well, I don’t like being naked and prostrate before something evil, so the first thing I’ll do is add free will to God’s word.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 1:27, 28 (Tanakh)	Genesis 1:27, 28 (NET)	Genesis 1:27, 28 (NETS)	Genesis 1:27, 28 (English Elpenor)
And G-d created man (הָֽאָדָם֙) in His own image, in the image of G-d created He him; male (זָכָ֥ר) and female (וּנְקֵבָ֖ה) created He them [Table].	God created humankind (‘āḏām, האדם) in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male (zāḵār, זכר) and female (nᵊqēḇâ, ונקבה) he created them.	And God made humankind (τὸν ἄνθρωπον); according to divine image he made it; male (ἄρσεν) and female (καὶ θῆλυ) he made them [Table].	And God made man (τὸν ἄνθρωπον), according to the image of God he made him, male (ἄρσεν) and female (καὶ θῆλυ) he made them.
And G-d blessed them; [and gave them free will] and G-d said unto them: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth’ [Table].	God blessed them [and gave them free will] and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”	And God blessed them [and gave them free will], saying, “Increase, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and all the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth” [Table].	And God blessed them [and gave them free will], saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the seas and flying creatures of heaven, and all the cattle and all the earth, and all the reptiles that creep on the earth.

Now that free will has been given by God, it needs some power and purpose. Otherwise, why would I prostrate myself naked before it? Just kinky fun? No, it was not just that free will prompted the woman to disobey God, she might have obeyed God of her own free will. There’s no evidence for that in the text, but what good is free will if it is incapable of obedience?

So now, I can use my idol to judge God: If the woman’s God-given free will lacked the power, authority, whatever, to make it possible for her to have obeyed God, then God was unfair, vindictive, evil in a word. God is not evil. Therefore by free will human beings may choose righteousness and obedience. The woman might have rewritten the whole story if she had directed her free will toward righteousness and obedience rather than sin and disobedience.

About this time I recognized that I’d been here before.⁵

God promised Solomon a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you¹—in the dream. But Solomon broke every law God gave the kings of Israel while wide-awake. Surely Solomon’s alleged wisdom was grossly overstated!

Okay, enough of this self-righteous snit. You notice what just happened. I’m all up in arms because the wise and discerning mind God allegedly gave Solomon was neither wise enough nor discerning enough to protect Solomon from falling afoul of the laws God gave the kings of Israel. I reasoned that God-given discernment at a minimum should have made the king wise enough to follow God’s rules for kings, or God-given discernment can’t be discernment given by God. It must have been only a dream.

There is a significant difference between the wise and discerning mind God gave to Solomon and the woman’s free will. The wise and discerning mind is stated explicitly:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 3:11, 12 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:11, 12 (NET)	3 Reigns 3:11, 12 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:11, 12 (English Elpenor)
And God said unto [Solomon], Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; [Table]	God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies,	And the Lord said to him, “Because you requested this thing from me and did not request for yourself many days and did not request riches and did not request lives of your enemies but requested for yourself understanding to listen to judgment, [Table]	And the Lord said to him, Because thou hast asked this thing of me, and hast not asked for thyself long life, and hast not asked wealth, nor hast asked the lives of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to hear judgment;
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise (חָכָ֣ם) and an understanding (וְנָב֔וֹן) heart (לֵב); so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee [Table].	I grant your request and give you a wise (ḥāḵām, חכם) and discerning (bîn, ונבון) mind (lēḇ, לב) superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.	behold, I have done according to your word; behold, I have given you a prudent (φρονίμην) and wise (καὶ σοφήν) heart (καρδίαν); like you there has not been before you, and after you there shall not arise similar to you [Table].	behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee an understanding (φρονίμην) and wise (καὶ σοφήν) heart (καρδίαν): there has not been [any one] like thee before thee, and after thee there shall not arise one like thee.

On the other hand, the woman’s free will was an inference derived from two Hebrew words that can mean desire. Eventually, I had to come to terms with Solomon’s wealth and his God-given wise and discerning mind.⁶

[Solomon’s wealth] which is at least possible to measure, has been coupled in a promise with a wise and discerning mind¹ which is difficult to measure. Solomon’s wealth is hard to deny (whether I argue with the superlative degree of it or not)…

Is it possible that a wise and discerning mind given by God, would not be wise or discerning enough to prevent Solomon’s disobedience to God’s laws? That’s what the Bible seems to be saying here. And Solomon’s wealth is sort of the kicker to make that point.

God judged his creation very good.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 1:31a (Tanakh)	Genesis 1:31a (NET)	Genesis 1:31a (NETS)	Genesis 1:31a (English Elpenor)
And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very (מְאֹ֑ד) good (ט֖וֹב) [Table].	God saw all that he had made—and it was very (mᵊ’ōḏ, מאד) good (ṭôḇ, טוב)!	And God saw all the things that he had made, and see, they were exceedingly good (καλὰ λίαν) [Table].	And God saw all the things that he had made, and, behold, they were very good (καλὰ λίαν).

Is it possible that a creation (including the woman, the man and the serpent) judged very good (Tanakh, KJV, NET, English Elpenor) or exceedingly good (NETS) by God would not be good enough to prevent the woman’s, the man’s or the serpent’s disobedience to God’s one commandment? That’s what the Bible seems to be saying here.

We imagine that the woman, the man and the serpent knew God better than we do, that they saw Him as they conversed with Him. The Hebrew word מִפְּנֵי֙ (pānîm) does occur in the text, translated ἀπὸ προσώπου (Septuagint), from the presence (Tanakh, KJV, NETS), from (NET) and from the face (English Elpenor).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 3:8, 10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:8, 10 (NET)	Genesis 3:8, 10 (NETS)	Genesis 3:8, 10 (English Elpenor)
And they heard (וַיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ) the voice (ק֨וֹל) of HaShem G-d walking (מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ) in the garden (בַּגָּ֖ן) toward the cool (לְר֣וּחַ) of the day (הַיּ֑וֹם); and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence (מִפְּנֵי֙) of HaShem G-d amongst the trees of the garden [Table].	Then the man and his wife heard (šāmaʿ, וישמעו) the sound (qôl, קול) of the Lord God moving about (hālaḵ, מתהלך) in the orchard (gan, בגן) at the breezy time (rûaḥ, לרוח) of the day (yôm, היום), and they hid from (pānîm, מפני) the Lord God among the trees of the orchard.	And they heard (καὶ ἤκουσαν) the sound (τὴν φωνὴν) of the Lord God walking about (περιπατοῦντος) in the orchard (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ) in the evening (τὸ δειλινόν), and both Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence (ἀπὸ προσώπου) of the Lord God in the midst of the timber of the orchard [Table].	And they heard (Καὶ ἤκουσαν) the voice (τῆς φωνῆς) of the Lord God walking (περιπατοῦντος) in the garden (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ) in the afternoon (τὸ δειλινόν); and both Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face (ἀπὸ προσώπου) of the Lord God in the midst of the trees of the garden.
And [Adam] said: ‘I heard (שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי) Thy voice (קֹֽלְךָ֥) in the garden (בַּגָּ֑ן), and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself’ [Table].	The man replied, “I heard (šāmaʿ, שמעתי) you moving about (qôl, קלך) in the orchard (gan, בגן), and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”	And he said to him, “I heard (ἤκουσα) the sound of you (τὴν φωνήν σου) walking about (περιπατοῦντος) in the orchard (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ), and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid myself” [Table].	And he said to him, I heard (ἤκουσα) thy voice (τῆς φωνῆς σου) as thou walkedst (περιπατοῦντος) in the garden (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ), and I feared because I was naked and I hid myself.

A quick survey of the occurrences of מפני (pānîm) in the early chapters of Genesis, which I won’t undertake here, makes it difficult to believe that it was meant to imply that the woman, the man or the serpent literally saw God’s face. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.⁷ So, we imagine that they saw Jesus. Nude? The woman doesn’t strike me as one who would need to eat forbidden fruit to realize she was naked if she had already seen Jesus in shiny white clothes. All the text says is that they heard his words and knew that He responded to their words.

The Lord God’s voice…walking in the garden (Tanakh/KJV/English Elpenor) is a curious turn of phrase. I suppose it could be understood as “the voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden.” But it seems to explain the alternative translations: the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard (NET) and the sound of the Lord God walking about in the orchard (NETS).

The Hebrew words לְר֣וּחַ (rûaḥ) הַיּ֑וֹם (yôm), which I suppose would literally translate, “in” or “toward the spirit of the day,” were translated various ways: toward the cool of the day (Tanakh), in the cool of the day (KJV), at the breezy time of the day (NET), in the evening (NETS) and in the afternoon (English Elpenor). In the Tanakh on chabad.org it was understood as the direction the Lord’s voice walked: to the direction of the sun.⁸ And despite the fact that the rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose no form of πνεῦμα for לְר֣וּחַ (rûaḥ) here, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words to Nicodemus (John 3:5-8 ESV):

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit (πνεύματος), he cannot enter the kingdom of God [Table]. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit (πνεύματος) is spirit (πνεῦμα). Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind (πνεῦμα) blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound (τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ), but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (πνεύματος).”

Jesus’ comfort level with the interplay of spirit and wind calms me and encourages me to think that the woman, the man and the serpent communed with a voice in the wind or a voice in the Spirit. I assume then that the face or presence of the Lord was their perception of proximity to that voice. But the NET translation of לְר֣וּחַ (rûaḥ), at the breezy time, seems to be more of a hedge translation, taking no sides as it were whether God came to them calmly or furiously:

The expression is traditionally rendered “cool of the day,” because the Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruakh) can mean “wind.” U. Cassuto (Genesis: From Adam to Noah, 152-54) concludes after lengthy discussion that the expression refers to afternoon when it became hot and the sun was beginning to decline. J. J. Niehaus (God at Sinai [SOTBT], 155-57) offers a different interpretation of the phrase, relating יוֹם (yom, usually understood as “day”) to an Akkadian cognate umu (“storm”) and translates the phrase “in the wind of the storm.” If Niehaus is correct, then God is not pictured as taking an afternoon stroll through the orchard, but as coming in a powerful windstorm to confront the man and woman with their rebellion. In this case קוֹל יְהוָה (qol y^ehvah, “sound of the Lord”) may refer to God’s thunderous roar, which typically accompanies his appearance in the storm to do battle or render judgment (e.g., see Ps 29).

Though they knew Him in some sense, knowing God means more than hearing his voice and disobeying Him.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 9:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 9:10 (NET)	Psalm 9:11 (NETS)	Psalm 9:11 (English Elpenor)
And they that know (יֽוֹדְעֵ֣י) thy name (שְׁמֶ֑ךָ) will put their trust (וְיִבְטְח֣וּ) in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.	Your loyal followers trust in you, [NET note 21: Heb “and the ones who know (yāḏaʿ, יודעי) your name (šēm, שמך) trust (bāṭaḥ, ויבטחו) in you”] for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help.	And let those who know (γινώσκοντες) your name (τὸ ὄνομά σου) hope (ἐλπισάτωσαν) in you, because you did not forsake those who seek you, O Lord.	And let them that know (γινώσκοντες) thy name (τὸ ὄνομά σου) hope (ἐλπισάτωσαν) in thee: for thou, O Lord, hast not failed them that diligently seek thee.

The Hebrew word שְׁמֶ֑ךָ (šēm), translated thy name (Tanakh, KJV) and your name (NET), might have been translated your reputation, your fame or your glory. The Greek translation of שְׁמֶ֑ךָ (šēm) τὸ ὄνομά σου—your name (NETS) and thy name (English Elpenor)—might have been translated your reputation, your fame or news of you. The Hebrew word וְיִבְטְח֣וּ (bāṭaḥ), will put their trust (Tanakh, KJV) and trust (NET), was translated ἐλπισάτωσαν in the Septuagint, hope (BLB, Elpenor). But ἐλπισάτωσαν might have been translated have confident assurance, be confident or put trust.

A note on the root word ἐλπίζω in the Koine Greek Lexicon online reads:

Does not mean “to hope” in the sense of “longing for” or “wishing”; but of “confident assurance.”

The serpent trusted (Genesis 3:4, 5) his own partially true knowledge rather than God’s command. The woman trusted (Genesis 3:6) the serpent’s knowledge and her own desires rather than God’s command. The man trusted (Genesis 3:6) his wife rather than God’s command. Though I hadn’t seen it before, Paul may have written the best summation of what transpired in the garden (Romans 1:18-21 NET).

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal⁹ power and divine nature—have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made (Genesis 1-2). So people are without excuse. For although they knew (γνόντες, a form of γινώσκω) God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their senseless hearts were darkened [Table].

Paul also wrote (1 Corinthians 8:2, 3 NET):

If¹⁰ someone thinks he knows¹¹ something, he does not yet¹² know¹³ to the degree that he needs to know (γνῶναι, another form of γινώσκω). But if someone loves (ἀγαπᾷ, a form of ἀγαπάω) God, he is known (ἔγνωσται, another form of γινώσκω) by God.

Rather than inventing a category free will along with a lot of convoluted arguments, it seems to make more sense to stick with desire: the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit.¹⁴ The Greek word translated the desires was ἐπιθυμεῖ, an indicative form of the verb ἐπιθυμέω in the active voice and present tense. In other words, “the flesh desires against the Spirit.” Accepting the truth of this statement, even in the garden where everything was very good, cuts through a lot of unnecessary intellectual clutter.

So, the flesh desiring against the Spirit of God was the cause of sin, rather than its result, as James wrote (James 1:13-15 ESV):

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,”¹⁵ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire (τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας). Then desire (ἡ ἐπιθυμία) when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

God cannot be tempted with evil. I take that to heart, for I can imagine an argument that God didn’t need to give free will to human beings in any explicit way, it was simply bequeathed as a part of his image. But if God cannot be tempted by evil, He doesn’t possess free will in any sense that is most meaningful to human beings. Apart from the ability to be tempted with evil, free will loses all its explanatory power, and most of its appeal, for human beings.

It is written in the prophets, Jesus said, ‘And they will all be taught (διδακτοὶ, a form of διδακτός) by God.’ Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me.¹⁶ And that’s what God continued to do for the woman and the man in their time, and continues to do for any who read his words in the Bible any time. Paradise may be lost, but the Garden of Eden was only a shadow of the good things to come.¹⁷

Tables comparing Psalm 9:10 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and the Greek of Psalm 9:10 (9:11) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 1 John 5:21; Romans 1:20; 1 Corinthians 8:2 and James 1:13 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 9:10 (Tanakh)	Psalm 9:10 (KJV)	Psalm 9:10 (NET)
And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.	And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.	Your loyal followers trust in you, for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help.

Psalm 9:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 9:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλπισάτωσαν ἐπὶ σὲ οἱ γινώσκοντες τὸ ὄνομά σου ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντάς σε κύριε	καὶ ἐλπισάτωσαν ἐπὶ σοὶ οἱ γινώσκοντες τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντάς σε, Κύριε
Psalm 9:11 (NETS)	Psalm 9:11 (English Elpenor)
And let those who know your name hope in you, because you did not forsake those who seek you, O Lord.	And let them that know thy name hope in thee: for thou, O Lord, hast not failed them that diligently seek thee.

1 John 5:21 (NET)	1 John 5:21 (KJV)
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.	Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

1 John 5:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 5:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 5:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων	τεκνια φυλαξατε εαυτους απο των ειδωλων αμην	τεκνια φυλαξατε εαυτα απο των ειδωλων αμην

Romans 1:20 (NET)	Romans 1:20 (KJV)
For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.	For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Romans 1:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 1:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 1:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθορᾶται, ἥ τε αἴ_διος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θειότης, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀναπολογήτους	τα γαρ αορατα αυτου απο κτισεως κοσμου τοις ποιημασιν νοουμενα καθοραται η τε αιδιος αυτου δυναμις και θειοτης εις το ειναι αυτους αναπολογητους	τα γαρ αορατα αυτου απο κτισεως κοσμου τοις ποιημασιν νοουμενα καθοραται η τε αιδιος αυτου δυναμις και θειοτης εις το ειναι αυτους αναπολογητους

1 Corinthians 8:2 (NET)	1 Corinthians 8:2 (KJV)
If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know.	And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

1 Corinthians 8:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 8:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 8:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἐγνωκέναι τι, οὔπω ἔγνω καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι	ει δε τις δοκει ειδεναι τι ουδεπω ουδεν εγνωκεν καθως δει γνωναι	ει δε τις δοκει ειδεναι τι ουδεπω ουδεν εγνωκεν καθως δει γνωναι

James 1:13 (NET)	James 1:13 (KJV)
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.	Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

James 1:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	James 1:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	James 1:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Μηδεὶς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι ἀπο θεοῦ πειράζομαι· ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἀπείραστος ἐστιν κακῶν, πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα	μηδεις πειραζομενος λεγετω οτι απο του θεου πειραζομαι ο γαρ θεος απειραστος εστιν κακων πειραζει δε αυτος ουδενα	μηδεις πειραζομενος λεγετω οτι απο θεου πειραζομαι ο γαρ θεος απειραστος εστιν κακων πειραζει δε αυτος ουδενα

Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 2

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 11

¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the neuter reflexive pronoun ἑαυτὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the masculine εαυτους. A note in the Koine Greek Lexicon explained: “Although it is technically used of the 3rd person, it is also used for the 1st and 2nd person…”

² 1 John 5:21 (ESV) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αμην (KJV: Amen) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³ Genesis 3:12 Table

⁴ Genesis 3:6b (ESV) Table

⁵ From Solomon’s Wealth, Part 4

⁶ From Solomon’s Wealth, Part 5

⁷ John 1:18 (ESV) Table

⁸ Rashi’s commentary reads: “to the direction of the sun: To that direction in which the sun sets, and this is the west, for toward evening, the sun is in the west, and they sinned in the tenth [hour]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 19:8, Sanh. 38B].”

⁹ In the NET parallel Greek text eternal was spelled αἴ_διος, and ἀΐδιος in the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: And) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγνωκέναι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειδεναι (KJV: that he knoweth).

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὔπω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδεπω ουδεν (KJV: nothing yet).

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔγνω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγνωκεν (KJV: he knoweth).

¹⁴ Galatians 5:17a (ESV) Table

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article του preceding God. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁶ John 6:45 (NET) Table

¹⁷ Hebrews 10:1a (NET)

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 9

Posted on October 9, 2017 by admin

I’ll continue to look at y^ehôvâh’s fearful pronouncement: I punish the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me…^[1] Two tables comparing/contrasting four partial verses follow. In the center columns the Hebrew words read from top to bottom, beside them are my best effort at a word-for-word translation, and then the NET translations are in the outer columns.

Exodus 20:5b Table			Deuteronomy 5:9b
…responding (פקד) to the transgression (עון) of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject (לשׁנאי) me… Exodus 20:5b (NET)	visiting	פקד	פקד	visiting	…I punish (פקד) the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin (עון) of the fathers who reject (לשׁנאי) me… Deuteronomy 5:9b (NET)
	the iniquity	עון	עון	the iniquity
	of fathers	אבת	אבות	of the fathers
	upon	על	על	upon
	sons	בנים	בנים	sons
	upon	על	ועל	and upon
	the third	שלשים	שלשים	the third
	and upon	ועל	ועל	and upon
	the fourth	רבעים	רבעים	the fourth
	who hate	לשׁנאי	לשׁנאי	who hate

Exodus 34:7b			Numbers 14:18b
…responding (פקד) to the transgression (עון) of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation. Exodus 34:7b (NET)	visiting	פקד	פקד	visiting	…visiting (פקד) the iniquity (עון) of the fathers on the children until the third and fourth generations. Numbers 14:18b (NET)
	the iniquity	עון	עון	the iniquity
	of the fathers	אבות	אבות	of the fathers
	upon	על	על	upon
	sons	בנים	בנים	sons
	and upon	ועל	על	upon
	sons(’)	בני
	sons	בנים
	upon	על
	the third	שלשים	שלשים	the third
	and upon	ועל	ועל	and upon
	the fourth	רבעים	רבעים	the fourth

There doesn’t seem to be anything about the Hebrew words themselves that would compel anyone to translate פקד (pâqad) I punish or עון (ʽâvôn) for the sin.^[2] In fact, forms of pâqad were only translated punish or punishment three other times in the NET prior to Deuteronomy 5:9. Two occur after Israel worshipped the golden calf. Moses said (Exodus 32:30-35 NET):

“You have committed a very serious sin, but now I will go up to the Lord – perhaps I can make atonement on behalf of your sin.”

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has committed a very serious sin, and they have made for themselves gods of gold [Table]. But now, if you will forgive (nâsâh, תשׁא) their sin…, but if not, wipe me out from your book that you have written” [Table]. The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me – that person I will wipe out of my book. So now go, lead the people to the place I have spoken to you about. See, my angel will go before you. But on the day that I punish (pâqad, פקדי; Tanakh: I visit), I will indeed punish (pâqad, ופקדתי; Tanakh: I will visit) them for their sin.”

And the Lord sent a plague (nâgaph, ויגף) on the people because they had made the calf – the one Aaron made.

I don’t have any quarrel with describing this plague^[3] as punishment, but it occurs in a particular context. Though Moses offered—wipe me out from your book that you have written—y^ehôvâh said, Whoever has sinned against me – that person I will wipe out of my book. Later in his address recorded in Deuteronomy Moses said: Fathers must not be put to death for what their children do, nor children for what their fathers do; each must be put to death for his own sin.^[4]

Rabbi Dr. Zev Farber in his article “Punishing Children for the Sins of their Parents,” on TheTorah online wrote about “the surprising claim” from Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina in the Babylonian Talmud “that in four cases the prophets overturned a decree Moses makes in the Torah.” Apparently Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina held that not only Deuteronomy 5:9 but Exodus 20:5 “makes a clear and strong claim that in at least one case—worshipping other gods or idols—God punishes the descendants of the sinner until the fourth generation.” Rabbi Farber took issue with one of the “four cases”:^[5]

The prophet Ezekiel, who was exiled to Babylon in 597, offers a torrent of arguments and rhetoric against the concept of punishing children for the sins of the parents. He does not frame it as an argument against the Torah…but rather he frames it as a response to a popular notion (Ezek 18).

Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina apparently did not accept that “God punishes the descendants of the sinner until the fourth generation” was an erroneous popular notion and so he pit Ezekiel against Moses and even y^ehôvâh Himself. This tenacious aspect of the religious mind to justify itself should be familiar to us. How many generations of English speaking followers of Jesus have believed that ἄνωθεν meant again, Nicodemus’ misunderstanding of Jesus’ words? How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he?^[6] Jesus^[7] answered (John 3:5-8 NET):

“I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’ The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

I want to simplify the world to consider pâqad in the context of Adam and two of his sons Cain and Abel. First, for background, consider Paul’s understanding of their situation (Romans 5:12-14 NET Table):

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man [e.g., Adam] and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned – for before the law was given, sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin when there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam (who is a type of the coming one) transgressed.

And the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) was pleased with Abel and his offering…^[8] But when Cain killed Abel it is apparently possible to argue by the Hebrew words of Deuteronomy 5:9 that y^ehôvâh punished Abel for Adam’s sin. It’s not an argument I want to make before the judgment seat of Christ. Then the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”^[9] Cain lacked David’s knowledge of y^ehôvâh (Psalm 139:1-12 NET):

O Lord, you examine me and know. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), being thoroughly aware of it. You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me. Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.

Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence? If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there. If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn, and settle down on the other side of the sea, even there your hand would guide me, your right hand would grab hold of me. If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me, and the light will turn to night all around me,” even the darkness is not too dark for you to see, and the night is as bright as day; darkness and light are the same to you.

Cain mistook y^ehôvâh’s question—Where is your brother Abel?—for ignorance of what he had done rather than as an opportunity to confess, and repent of, his rash act. We can only imagine how differently this scene might have played out if Cain had expressed his own shock and horror at what he had done in anger, anger directed primarily at y^ehôvâh’s rejection of his offering. But I don’t take that to mean that y^ehôvâh was ignorant that Cain murdered Abel: The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!^[10] Nor do I take it to mean that David was disputing with Moses or imagining novel qualities of y^ehôvâh. I assume that y^ehôvâh is ever this knowledgeable and Cain was simply ignorant of it.

Cain wasn’t stupid. Consider his clever evasion to y^ehôvâh’s question, Where is your brother Abel: I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?^[11] Apparently, he reasoned that his father had tripped himself up by being too forthright with y^ehôvâh: I heard you moving about in the orchard, Adam had answered y^ehôvâh’s question, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.^[12] As Cain understood it, the knowledge Adam let slip—I was naked—enabled y^ehôvâh to infer what his father had done: Who told you that you were naked? y^ehôvâh asked Adam. Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?^[13] But again, I don’t assume that y^ehôvâh had to infer what He already knew Adam had done simply because Cain didn’t know Him.

In a similar way I assume that the word of y^ehôvâh (יהוה) that came to Ezekiel is the same word of the same y^ehôvâh revealed to Moses and recorded in Deuteronomy 5:9. The erroneous popular notion—Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear (nâsâh, נשׁא) the iniquity (ʽâvôn, בעון) of the father?^[14]—that the son should or must die for the father’s sin (Ezekiel 18:20 Tanakh) was the misunderstanding of religious minds no matter how many famous rabbis espoused it. And so I take the translation of פקד (pâqad) as I punish in Deuteronomy 5:9 as a perpetuation of an erroneous popular notion of religious minds that was clearly corrected in Ezekiel 18.

I am not yet perfected in love. The first thing that comes to mind when things don’t go my way is that God is punishing me for something. Faith in y^ehôvâh comes from the fruit of his Spirit, along with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. If I think of verses like Deuteronomy 5:9 from the perspective of sons, grandsons and great grandsons, I will come to the same erroneous conclusion, what Rabbi Farber called Sour Grapes Theology:^[15]

The sour grapes theology paints the punishment of descendants as a harsh but necessary way of God dispensing justice. Full punishment of a sinner may include the punishment of his family.

I think it’s more productive to view Deuteronomy 5:9 from the perspective of iniquitous fathers, particularly iniquitous fathers who don’t want the horror of their iniquity visited upon their children. For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but [God] does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness.^[16] My children were not my biological offspring so I won’t even comment on passing on my iniquity via nature. But the iniquity I passed on to them via nurture was not merely a matter of my inept blundering.

As I think of it now I recall how often I passed on my perverse views of life, the way things “really” work. And I did so with as much or more conviction than anything I taught them about Christ and his righteousness. Add to that my own on-again-off-again righteousness—sometimes led by the Holy Spirit, sometimes not so much—and I have a truly horrifying picture of y^ehôvâh visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,^[17] my children! And this, when I wanted what was best for them.

I find myself crying aloud with Cain’s words (if not his meaning): My iniquity (ʽâvôn, עוני) is too great to endure (nâsâh, מנשׁא)! What hope do I have but that which is to be found in the long name of y^ehôvâh? The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, keeping loyal love for thousands, [bearing] (nâsâh, נשׁא) iniquity (ʽâvôn, עון) and transgression and sin.^[18]

In a prophecy that reads so much like history unbelievers doubt its authenticity, y^ehôvâh spoke of disobedient (Leviticus 26:13-17) survivors (Leviticus 26:39, 40 Tanakh):

And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them. And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their treachery which they committed against Me, and also that they have walked contrary unto Me.

Confession of one’s own iniquity is obvious. Confession of one’s fathers’ iniquity is necessary because we are far too likely to mistake our fathers’ iniquity for the way things are done, especially if those fathers were religious leaders of some note.

In the movie The Shack in a dream within a vision during a life-threatening coma Mack (Sam Worthington) spends a weekend in a cabin at a lake with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. His wife Nan (Radha Mitchell) calls God Papa, a bit too familiar for Mack’s taste at the beginning of the film.

Papa (Octavia Spencer) appears to Mack as the neighbor woman who, looking at young Mack’s bruised face, said, “Daddies aren’t supposed to do that to their kids. It ain’t love. You understand?” Papa explains to adult Mack, “After what you been through, I didn’t think you could handle a father right now.” But once Mack has God in his hands, so to speak, he has a lifetime of blame to unleash.

“You’re the almighty God, right?” he accuses Papa. “You know everything. You’re everywhere, all at once. And you have limitless power. Yet, somehow you let my little girl die. When she needed you most, you abandoned her.” Mack’s 7-year-old daughter Missy (Amélie Eve) was abducted by a serial killer. Nothing of her was ever found but her bloodstained dress. Still, Mack’s first salvo is mostly a ruse that doesn’t quite get to the heart of his issue with God.

That first night he reads himself to sleep with the Old Testament and dreams of Missy’s abduction, a dream within a dream within a vision in a coma. Missy calls out to him for rescue. The next morning at breakfast Mack moves one step closer to the real issue.

Mack: Everybody knows you punish the people who disappoint you.

Papa: Hmm. Nope. I don’t need to punish people. Sin is its own punishment.^[19] As difficult as it is for you to accept, I’m in the middle of everything you perceive to be a mess, workin’ for your good.

Later, after a stroll across the lake with Jesus (Aviv Alush), Mack meets Wisdom (Alice Braga) in a cave beneath a waterfall. She helps him take his first steps toward obeying Jesus’ command: Do not judge so that you will not be judged.^[20] Sitting with Wisdom, Mack approaches the heart of the matter.

Mack: You know, what I don’t understand is how God can love Missy and put her through so much horror. She was innocent.

Wisdom: I know.

Mack: Did he use her to punish me? ‘Cause that’s not fair. And she didn’t deserve it. My wife and my children didn’t deserve it. Now, I might. ‘Cause you know I’m…

Mack can never bring himself to confess that he murdered his father. Later that day Mack acknowledges being overly hard on God. Papa responds: “I can work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies. But that doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies.”

That evening Mack is taken to meet the abusive father he poisoned. Before he can say anything more than “Dad” his father says, “Mack, I’m so sorry for everything. I was blind and I couldn’t see you. I couldn’t see anyone.” Still, Mack can’t or won’t confess his murder, he only makes excuses. “Son, I forgive you,” his father continues. “You’ve become the father I could never be. And I’m so proud of you. Can you ever forgive me?”

In the movie Papa protested that she didn’t “orchestrate the tragedies.” Still, woven into the fabric of The Shack is a serial killer who came to a campground to abduct a little girl. His victim of opportunity was a murderer’s daughter. Papa in Mack’s dream in a vision in a coma in a movie may want to leave it to chance or fate or karma, but in Scripture visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children is as much a part of y^ehôvâh’s self-proclaimed name as forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.^[21] That’s as important in reality as it proved to be in The Shack.

The next morning Papa appears to Mack as a man (Graham Greene). “For what we have to do today you’re gonna need a father,” Papa explains. He wants Mack to forgive the man who murdered his daughter.

Mack: So, you just let him get away with it?

Papa: Nobody gets away with anything…I’m not asking you to excuse what he did. I’m asking you to trust me to do what’s right and to know what’s best.

Form of pâqad	Reference	KJV	NET
פקד	Exodus 34:7	…visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children…	…responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children…
	Exodus 38:21	…as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses…	…which was counted by the order of Moses…
	Numbers 1:44	…which Moses and Aaron numbered…	…whom Moses and Aaron numbered…
	Numbers 3:15	Number the children of Levi after the…	Number the Levites by their clans and…
	Numbers 3:39	…which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD…	…whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the word of the Lord…
	Numbers 3:40	Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel…	Number all the firstborn males of the Israelites…
	Numbers 4:37	…which Moses and Aaron did number…	…whom Moses and Aaron numbered…
	Numbers 4:41	…whom Moses and Aaron did number…	…whom Moses and Aaron numbered…
	Numbers 4:45	…whom Moses and Aaron numbered…	…whom Moses and Aaron numbered…
	Numbers 4:46	…whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered…	…whom Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered…
	Numbers 4:49	According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered…	According to the word of the Lord they were numbered…
	Numbers 14:18	…visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children…	…visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children…
	Deuteronomy 5:9	…visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children…	I punish the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers…
יפקד	Numbers 16:29	…or if they be visited after the visitation of all men…	…or if they share the fate^[22] of all men…
יפקד	Numbers 27:16	…set a man over the congregation…	…appoint a man over the community…
פקדי	Exodus 32:34	…nevertheless in the day when I visit…	But on the day that I punish…
פקדו	Numbers 26:63	…who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab…	…who numbered the Israelites in the plains of Moab…
פקדו	Numbers 26:64	…when they numbered the children of Israel…	…when they numbered the Israelites…
פקדיו	Numbers 1:22	…those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names…	…all the males numbered of them twenty years old or older…
פקדיו	Numbers 26:54	…be given according to those that were numbered of him.	…given according to the number of people in it.
פקדיכם	Numbers 14:29	…and all that were numbered of you…	…all those of you who were numbered…
פקדיהם	Numbers 1:21	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.
	Numbers 1:23	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.
	Numbers 1:25	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Gad were 45,650.
	Numbers 1:27	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Judah were 74,600.
	Numbers 1:29	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.
	Numbers 1:31	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400.
	Numbers 1:33	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.
	Numbers 1:35	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.
	Numbers 1:37	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.
	Numbers 1:39	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Dan were 62,700.
	Numbers 1:41	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Asher were 41,500.
	Numbers 1:43	Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali…	Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400.
	Numbers 3:22	Those that were numbered of them, according to the number…	Those of them who were numbered, counting every male…
	Numbers 3:22	…even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.	Not translated
	Numbers 4:36	And those that were numbered of them by their families were…	…and those of them numbered by their families were 2,750.
	Numbers 4:40	Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families…	…those of them numbered by their families, by their clans, were 2,630.
	Numbers 4:44	Even those that were numbered of them after their families…	…those of them numbered by their families were 3,200.
	Numbers 4:48	Even those that were numbered of them, were…	…those of them numbered were 8,580.
	Numbers 26:7	…and they that were numbered of them were…	…and those numbered of them were 43,730.
	Numbers 26:62	And those that were numbered of them were…	Those of them who were numbered were 23,000…
פקודי	Exodus 38:21	This is the sum of the tabernacle…	This is the inventory of the tabernacle…
	Exodus 38:25	And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation…	The silver of those who were numbered of the community…
	Numbers 1:45	So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel…	…who could serve in Israel’s army, were numbered…
	Numbers 2:32	These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel…	These are the Israelites, numbered according to their families.
	Numbers 2:32	…all those that were numbered of the camps…	All those numbered in the camps…
	Numbers 3:39	All that were numbered of the Levites…	All who were numbered of the Levites…
	Numbers 4:37	These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites…	These were those numbered from the families of the Kohathites…
	Numbers 4:41	These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon…	These were those numbered from the families of the Gershonites…
	Numbers 4:45	These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari…	These are those numbered from the families of the Merarites…
	Numbers 26:51	These were the numbered of the children of Israel…	These were those numbered of the Israelites, 601,730.
	Numbers 26:57	And these are they that were numbered of the Levites…	…Levites who were numbered according to their families…
	Numbers 26:63	These are they that were numbered by Moses…	These are those who were numbered by Moses…
	Numbers 31:14	…Moses was wroth with the officers of the host…	…Moses was furious with the officers of the army…
ויפקד	Numbers 3:16	Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD…	Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord…
	Numbers 3:42	And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him…	So Moses numbered all the firstborn males among the Israelites…
	Numbers 4:34	And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered…	…Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community numbered…
ופקדיו	Numbers 2:6	And his host, and those that were numbered thereof…	Those numbered in his division are 54,400.
	Numbers 2:8	And his host, and those that were numbered thereof…	Those numbered in his division are 57,400.
	Numbers 2:11	And his host, and those that were numbered thereof…	Those numbered in his division are 46,500.
	Numbers 4:49	…thus were they numbered of him…	Thus were they numbered by him…
ויפקדם	Numbers 1:19	…so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.	And so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
ופקדתי	Exodus 32:34	…I will visit their sin upon them.	…I will indeed punish them for their sin.
ופקדתם	Numbers 4:27	…and ye shall appoint unto them in charge…	You will assign them all their tasks…
ופקדיהם	Numbers 2:4	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 74,600.
	Numbers 2:13	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 59,300.
	Numbers 2:15	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 45,650.
	Numbers 2:19	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 40,500.
	Numbers 2:21	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 32,200.
	Numbers 2:23	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 35,400.
	Numbers 2:26	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 62,700.
	Numbers 2:28	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 41,500.
	Numbers 2:30	And his host, and those that were numbered of them…	Those numbered in his division are 53,400.
	Numbers 3:34	And those that were numbered of them, according to the number…	Those of them who were numbered, counting every male…
	Numbers 26:34	…Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them…	…Manasseh; those numbered of them were 52,700.
	Numbers 26:41	…and they that were numbered of them were…	…and according to those numbered of them, 45,600.
	Numbers 26:50	…and they that were numbered of them were…	…and those numbered of them were 45,400.
ואפקד	Leviticus 18:25	…therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it…	…and I have brought the punishment for its iniquity upon it…
והפקדתי	Leviticus 26:16	…I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague…	…I will inflict horror on you, consumption and fever…
ופקודי	Numbers 4:38	And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon…	Those numbered from the Gershonites…
ופקודי	Numbers 4:42	And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari…	Those numbered from the families of the Merarites…
לפקדיהם	Exodus 30:12	…sum of the children of Israel after their number…	…census of the Israelites according to their number…
	Numbers 3:43	…of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand…	Not translated
	Numbers 26:18	…Gad according to those that were numbered of them…	…Gadites according to those numbered of them, 40,500.
	Numbers 26:22	…Judah according to those that were numbered of them…	…Judah according to those numbered of them, 76,500.
	Numbers 26:25	…Issachar according to those that were numbered of them…	…Issachar, according to those numbered of them, 64,300.
	Numbers 26:27	…Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them…	…Zebulunites, according to those numbered of them, 60,500.
	Numbers 26:37	…Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them…	…Ephraimites, according to those numbered of them, 32,500.
	Numbers 26:43	…Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them…	…Shuhahites according to those numbered of them were 64,400.
	Numbers 26:47	…Asher according to those that were numbered of them…	…Asherites, according to those numbered of them, 53,400.
בפקד	Exodus 30:12	…ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them…	…ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them…
	Exodus 30:12	…that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.	…there will be no plague among them when you number them.
	Numbers 31:49	…and there lacketh not one man of us.	…and not one is missing.
הפקד	Leviticus 6:4^[23]	…or that which was delivered him to keep…	…or the thing that he had held in trust…
תפקד	Numbers 1:49	…thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi…	…the tribe of Levi you must not number…
	Numbers 1:50	But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony…	But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony…
	Numbers 3:10	And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons…	So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons…
	Numbers 4:23	…until fifty years old shalt thou number them…	You must number them from thirty years old and upward…
	Numbers 4:29	…thou shalt number them after their families…	…you are to number them by their families…
הפקדים	Exodus 30:13	…every one that passeth among them that are numbered…	Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered…
	Exodus 30:14	Every one that passeth among them that are numbered…	Everyone who crosses over to those numbered…
	Exodus 38:26	…for every one that went to be numbered…	…for everyone who crossed over to those numbered…
	Numbers 1:44	These are those that were numbered…	These were the men…
	Numbers 1:46	Even all they that were numbered were…	And all those numbered totaled 603,550.
	Numbers 2:9	All that were numbered in the camp of…	All those numbered of the camp of Judah…
	Numbers 2:16	All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben…	All those numbered of the camp of Reuben…
	Numbers 2:24	All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim…	All those numbered of the camp of Ephraim…
	Numbers 2:31	All they that were numbered in the camp…	All those numbered of the camp of Dan…
	Numbers 4:46	All those that were numbered of the…	All who were numbered of the Levites…
	Numbers 7:2	…over them that were numbered…	…had been supervising the numbering.
תפקדו	Numbers 1:3	…thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.	You and Aaron are to number all in Israel…
תפקדו	Numbers 4:32	…and by name ye shall reckon the instruments…	You are to assign by names the items…
תפקדם	Numbers 3:15	…a month old and upward shalt thou number…	…a month old and upward you are to number.
תפקדם	Numbers 4:30	…unto fifty years old shalt thou number them…	You must number them from thirty years…
הפקדים	Numbers 31:48	And the officers which were over thousands of the host…	Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army…
התפקדו	Numbers 1:47	…were not numbered among them.	…were not numbered among them.
	Numbers 2:33	But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel…	But the Levites were not numbered among the other Israelites…
	Numbers 26:62	…they were not numbered among the children of Israel…	…they were not numbered among the Israelites…
מפקודי	Numbers 26:64	…whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered…	…a man among these who had been among those numbered by Moses…

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 10

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 11

Back to To Make Holy, Part 4

Back to Father, Forgive Them – Part 4

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 12

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited – Part 1

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 13

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 14

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 3

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 9

^[1] Deuteronomy 5:9b (NET)

^[2] I also notice that the qualifications לשׁנאי (translated: of those who reject me) and מצותי ולשמרי לאהבי (translated: those who love me and keep my commandments ) have vanished from occurrences after the end of the forty-day covenant. I won’t say more since they reappear in Moses’ history lesson (Deuteronomy 5:5-10).

^[3] Leviticus 26:14-17 may give some hint what this plague may have been.

^[4] Deuteronomy 24:16 (NET)

^[5] Rabbi Dr. Zev Farber, “Punishing Children for the Sins of their Parents,” TheTorah

^[6] John 3:4 (NET)

^[7] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[8] Genesis 4:4b (NET) Table

^[9] Genesis 4:9a (NET)

^[10] Genesis 4:10b (NET) Table

^[11] Genesis 4:9b (NET)

^[12] Genesis 3:10 (NET)

^[13] Genesis 3:11 (NET)

^[14] Ezekiel 18:19a (Tanakh)

^[15] Rabbi Dr. Zev Farber, “Punishing Children for the Sins of their Parents,” TheTorah

^[16] Hebrews 12:10 (NET)

^[17] Deuteronomy 5:9 (Tanakh)

^[18] Exodus 34:6b, 7a (NET)

^[19] “Sin is its own punishment,” is practically the definition of ʽâvôn but that will have to wait for another essay.

^[20] Matthew 7:1 (NET)

^[21] Exodus 34:7 (KJV)

^[22] p^eqûddâh

^[23] According to NET online this is piqqâdôn rather than pâqad as it is listed in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

Fear – Genesis, Part 1

Posted on December 6, 2012 by admin

Paul was not the only one to write about the end of fear. John also wrote, There is no fear (φόβος) in love, but perfect love drives out fear (φόβον, a form of φόβος), because fear (φόβος) has to do with punishment (κόλασιν, a form of κόλασις). The one who fears (φοβούμενος, a form of φοβέω) punishment has not been perfected in love.¹ This is as good to hear as Paul’s statement, For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear (φόβον, a form of φόβος).² But I wonder about the fear of the Lord since the concept continued into the New Testament.

Therefore, because we know the fear (φόβον, a form of φόβος) of the Lord, Paul wrote the Corinthians, we try to persuade people…³ And to slaves in Colossae he wrote, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching⁴ – like those who are strictly people-pleasers – but with a sincere heart, fearing (φοβούμενοι, a form of φοβέω) the Lord.⁵ I have begun to track fear through the Old Testament to attempt to understand this better.

The first occurrence was from the mouth of Adam after he ate the forbidden fruit, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid (yārē’, וָֽאִירָ֛א) because I was naked, so I hid,”⁶ he said to the Lord God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day.⁷ The rabbis who translated the Septuagint used the Greek word ἐφοβήθην for the Hebrew word, the passive form of φοβέω the root of φόβος.⁸ This form does not occur in the New Testament but is close to, For I was afraid (ἐφοβούμην, a form of φοβέω) of you, because you are a severe man.⁹ This is apparently the middle voice of φέβομαι.

Next God spoke what would become the most common divine greeting to those born of Adam, “Fear (yârêʼ, תִּירָ֣א) not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”¹⁰ In the Septuagint the rabbis chose the Greek word φοβοῦ. The first usage of this form in the New Testament was in Mark’s account of the synagogue ruler Jairus. He fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “My little daughter is near death. Come and lay your hands on her so that¹¹ she may be healed and live.”¹² But, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher any longer?” But Jesus, paying no attention¹³ to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, “Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ, a form of φοβέω); just believe (πίστευε, a form of πιστεύω).”¹⁴

And here by faith in the revelation of Scripture I can begin to analyze the beginning of fear from its end. Jesus offered faith to Jairus as an antidote, or a preoccupation, to his fear of the revealed facts. (Jesus apparently raised his daughter from death.) This is the faith Adam lacked. Though he had unimaginable experience of God’s generous provision, Adam’s faith was in his own efforts to keep God’s commandment. Once that commandment was broken he feared punishment. Whatever sonship he experienced was forfeit and he was given over to a spirit of slavery leading to fear.

Sarah didn’t believe the word of the Lord when it was said, I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son,¹⁵ but trusted in her long experience of barrenness. She laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?”¹⁶ The Lord confronted Abraham about her. Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid (yârêʼ, יָרֵ֑אָה). But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”¹⁷ While Adam’s fear prompted him to hide from the all-seeing God, Sarah’s fear persuaded her to lie to the all-knowing God.

The Hebrew word translated afraid above was the Greek word ἐφοβήθη in the Septuagint. This form of φοβέω was first used in Matthew’s narrative of Joseph’s, Mary’s and Jesus’ return from Egypt. After Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” So he got up and took the child and his mother and returned¹⁸ to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over¹⁹ Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid (ἐφοβήθη, another form of φοβέω) to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee.²⁰ Joseph’s fear of Archelaus was apparently warranted since God warned him in a dream.

I get an image of the nature of Lot’s faith in the Lord from the next occurrence of fear (Genesis 19:15-17).

At dawn the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!” When Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them. They led them away and placed them outside the city [Table]. When they had brought them outside, they said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!” [Table]

Lot apparently sensed the anxiousness in the angels’ tone of voice, but misunderstood its significance. “No, please, Lord!” [Table] he said. Your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because this disaster will overtake me and I’ll die” [Table].²¹ Lot assumed that the angels’ anxiety was provoked by Lot’s relative slowness. He reasoned that he should seek closer shelter. “Look, this town over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. Let me go there. It’s just a little place, isn’t it? Then I’ll survive.”²²

“Very well,” he replied, “I will grant this request too and will not overthrow the town you mentioned.”²³ Then the angel revealed that he was anxious to fulfill the will of the Lord. “Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.”²⁴ Lot made it safely to Zoar, and Zoar was spared from destruction when the Lord rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah.²⁵ But, Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid (yârêʼ, יָרֵ֖א) to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters.²⁶ This, too, was ἐφοβήθη in the Septuagint.

The second usage of this form in the New Testament was, Although Herod wanted to kill John [because John had repeatedly told him, “It is not lawful for you to have {Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife}²⁷.”],²⁸ he feared (ἐφοβήθη) the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.²⁹ In other words, Herod did not believe the Lord that he should not have taken his brother’s wife. He feared the wrath of his people if he killed one they considered a prophet. Similarly, Lot did not believe that he would make it safely to the mountains and asked for Zoar to be spared as a place of refuge. When that request was granted he did not believe that Zoar would continue to be spared from destruction and fled to the mountains.

There is a pattern of sorts here. Those born of Adam fear God, but not in a good way. It is not a fear that leads to faith in Him. It prompts them to hide or lie or flee from his protection. It is a fear of punishment. They are not perfected in love. And I take this to mean they are not led by the Spirit, they do not experience that continuous stream of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control [Table]³⁰ that flows from Him.

Addendum: November 5, 2024
Tables comparing Genesis 18:12; 18:15; 19:15; 19:20; 19:21; 19:22; 19:24 and 19:30 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 18:12; 18:15; 19:15; 19:20; 19:21; 19:22; 19:24 and 19:30 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Colossians 3:22; Mark 5:23; 5:36; Matthew 2:21, 22 and 14:3 in the KJV and NET follow.

Genesis 18:12 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:12 (KJV)	Genesis 18:12 (NET)
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: ‘After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’	Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?	So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?”

Genesis 18:12 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 18:12 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἐγέλασεν δὲ Σαρρα ἐν ἑαυτῇ λέγουσα οὔπω μέν μοι γέγονεν ἕως τοῦ νῦν ὁ δὲ κύριός μου πρεσβύτερος	ἐγέλασε δὲ Σάρρα ἐν ἑαυτῇ, λέγουσα· οὔπω μέν μοι γέγονεν ἕως τοῦ νῦν, ὁ δὲ κύριός μου πρεσβύτερος
Genesis 18:12 (NETS)	Genesis 18:12 (Elpenor English)
And Sarra laughed within herself, saying, “It has not yet happened to me up to the present, and my lord is rather old.”	And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old.

Genesis 18:15 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:15 (KJV)	Genesis 18:15 (NET)
Then Sarah denied, saying: ‘I laughed not’; for she was afraid. And He said: ‘Nay; but thou didst laugh.’	Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.	Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”

Genesis 18:15 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 18:15 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἠρνήσατο δὲ Σαρρα λέγουσα οὐκ ἐγέλασα ἐφοβήθη γάρ καὶ εἶπεν οὐχί ἀλλὰ ἐγέλασας	ἠρνήσατο δὲ Σάρρα λέγουσα· οὐκ ἐγέλασα· ἐφοβήθη γάρ. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· οὐχί, ἀλλὰ ἐγέλασας
Genesis 18:15 (NETS)	Genesis 18:15 (Elpenor English)
But Sarra denied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And he said, “No, but you did laugh.”	But Sarrha denied, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid. And he said to her, Nay, but thou didst laugh.

Genesis 19:15 (Tanakh)	Genesis 19:15 (KJV)	Genesis 19:15 (NET)
And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying: ‘Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here; lest thou be swept away in the iniquity of the city.’	And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.	At dawn the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!”

Genesis 19:15 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 19:15 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἡνίκα δὲ ὄρθρος ἐγίνετο ἐπεσπούδαζον οἱ ἄγγελοι τὸν Λωτ λέγοντες ἀναστὰς λαβὲ τὴν γυναῖκά σου καὶ τὰς δύο θυγατέρας σου ἃς ἔχεις καὶ ἔξελθε ἵνα μὴ συναπόλῃ ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῆς πόλεως	ἡνίκα δὲ ὄρθρος ἐγίνετο, ἐσπούδαζον οἱ ἄγγελοι τὸν Λὼτ λέγοντες· ἀναστὰς λάβε τὴν γυναῖκά σου καὶ τὰς δύο θυγατέρας σου, ἃς ἔχεις, καὶ ἔξελθε, ἵνα μὴ καὶ σὺ συναπόλῃ ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῆς πόλεως
Genesis 19:15 (NETS)	Genesis 19:15 (Elpenor English)
Now when dawn was breaking, the angels were urging Lot, saying, “Rise, take your wife and the two daughters whom you have, and get out, lest you also be destroyed together with the lawlessness of the city.”	But when it was morning, the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise and take thy wife, and thy two daughters whom thou hast, and go forth; lest thou also be destroyed with the iniquities of the city.

Genesis 19:20 (Tanakh)	Genesis 19:20 (KJV)	Genesis 19:20 (NET)
Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one; oh, let me escape thither–is it not a little one? –and my soul shall live.’	Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.	Look, this town over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. Let me go there. It’s just a little place, isn’t it? Then I’ll survive.”

Genesis 19:20 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 19:20 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἰδοὺ ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἐγγὺς τοῦ καταφυγεῖν με ἐκεῖ ἥ ἐστιν μικρά ἐκεῖ σωθήσομαι οὐ μικρά ἐστιν καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου	ἰδοὺ ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἐγγὺς τοῦ καταφυγεῖν με ἐκεῖ, ἥ ἐστι μικρά, καὶ ἐκεῖ διασωθήσομαι· οὐ μικρά ἐστι; καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου ἕνεκέν σου
Genesis 19:20 (NETS)	Genesis 19:20 (Elpenor English)
Look, this city, which is small, is near enough for me to flee for refuge there; I shall escape there. Is it not small? And my soul will live!”	Behold this city is near for me to escape thither, which is a small one, and there shall I be preserved, is it not little? and my soul shall live because of thee.

Genesis 19:21 (Tanakh)	Genesis 19:21 (KJV)	Genesis 19:21 (NET)
And he said unto him: ‘See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken.	And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.	“Very well,” he replied, “I will grant this request too and will not overthrow the town you mentioned.

Genesis 19:21 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 19:21 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἰδοὺ ἐθαύμασά σου τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ τοῦ μὴ καταστρέψαι τὴν πόλιν περὶ ἧς ἐλάλησας	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ ἐθαύμασά σου τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ρήματι τούτῳ τοῦ μὴ καταστρέψαι τὴν πόλιν, περὶ ἧς ἐλάλησας
Genesis 19:21 (NETS)	Genesis 19:21 (Elpenor English)
And he said to him, “Look, I have indulged your person also in reference to this matter, not to overthrow the city concerning which you have spoken.	And he said to him, Behold, I have had respect to thee also about this thing, that I should not overthrow the city about which thou hast spoken.

Genesis 19:22 (Tanakh)	Genesis 19:22 (KJV)	Genesis 19:22 (NET)
Hasten thou, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither.’ –Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.–	Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.	Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.)

Genesis 19:22 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 19:22 (Elpenor Septuagint)
σπεῦσον οὖν τοῦ σωθῆναι ἐκεῖ οὐ γὰρ δυνήσομαι ποιῆσαι πρᾶγμα ἕως τοῦ σε εἰσελθεῖν ἐκεῖ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης Σηγωρ	σπεῦσον οὖν τοῦ σωθῆναι ἐκεῖ· οὐ γὰρ δυνήσομαι ποιῆσαι πρᾶγμα, ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν σε ἐκεῖ. διὰ τοῦτο ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης Σηγώρ
Genesis 19:22 (NETS)	Genesis 19:22 (Elpenor English)
So hurry to escape there, for I shall not be able to do a thing until you enter there.” Therefore he called the name of the city Segor.	Hasten therefore to escape thither, for I shall not be able to do anything until thou art come thither; therefore he called the name of that city, Segor.

Genesis 19:24 (Tanakh)	Genesis 19:24 (KJV)	Genesis 19:24 (NET)
Then HaShem caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from HaShem out of heaven;	Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;	Then the Lord rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord.

Genesis 19:24 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 19:24 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ κύριος ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ Σοδομα καὶ Γομορρα θεῖον καὶ πῦρ παρὰ κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ	καὶ Κύριος ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ Σόδομα καὶ Γόμορρα θεῖον, καὶ πῦρ παρὰ Κυρίου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ
Genesis 19:24 (NETS)	Genesis 19:24 (Elpenor English)
and the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorra sulfur and fire from the Lord out of the sky,	And the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.

Genesis 19:30 (Tanakh)	Genesis 19:30 (KJV)	Genesis 19:30 (NET)
And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar; and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.	And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.	Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters.

Genesis 19:30 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 19:30 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἀνέβη δὲ Λωτ ἐκ Σηγωρ καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ ὄρει καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐφοβήθη γὰρ κατοικῆσαι ἐν Σηγωρ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ αὐτὸς καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ	᾿Ανέβη δὲ Λὼτ ἐκ Σηγὼρ καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ ὄρει αὐτὸς καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ἐφοβήθη γὰρ κατοικῆσαι ἐν Σηγώρ. καὶ κατῴκησεν ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ, αὐτὸς καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Genesis 19:30 (NETS)	Genesis 19:30 (Elpenor English)
Now Lot went up out of Segor and settled in the mountain, and his two daughters with him, for he was afraid to dwell in Segor. And he lived in the cave, he and his two daughters with him.	And Lot went up out of Segor, and dwelt in the mountain, he and his two daughters with him, for he feared to dwell in Segor; and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters with him.

Colossians 3:22 (NET)	Colossians 3:22 (KJV)
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching—like those who are strictly people-pleasers—but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.	Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

Colossians 3:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Colossians 3:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Colossians 3:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις, μὴ ἐν \|ὀφθαλμοδουλίᾳ\| ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι, ἀλλ᾿ ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον.	οι δουλοι υπακουετε κατα παντα τοις κατα σαρκα κυριοις μη εν οφθαλμοδουλειαις ως ανθρωπαρεσκοι αλλ εν απλοτητι καρδιας φοβουμενοι τον θεον	οι δουλοι υπακουετε κατα παντα τοις κατα σαρκα κυριοις μη εν οφθαλμοδουλειαις ως ανθρωπαρεσκοι αλλ εν απλοτητι καρδιας φοβουμενοι τον θεον

Mark 5:23 (NET)	Mark 5:23 (KJV)
He asked him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be healed and live.”	And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

Mark 5:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 5:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 5:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ παρακαλεῖ αὐτὸν πολλὰ λέγων ὅτι τὸ θυγάτριον μου ἐσχάτως ἔχει, ἵνα ἐλθὼν ἐπιθῇς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῇ ἵνα σωθῇ καὶ ζήσῃ	και παρεκαλει αυτον πολλα λεγων οτι το θυγατριον μου εσχατως εχει ινα ελθων επιθης αυτη τας χειρας οπως σωθη και ζησεται	και παρεκαλει αυτον πολλα λεγων οτι το θυγατριον μου εσχατως εχει ινα ελθων επιθης αυτη τας χειρας οπως σωθη και ζησεται

Mark 5:36 (NET)	Mark 5:36 (KJV)
But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”	As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Mark 5:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 5:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 5:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς παρακούσας τὸν λόγον λαλούμενον λέγει τῷ ἀρχισυναγώγῳ· μὴ φοβοῦ, μόνον πίστευε	ο δε ιησους ευθεως ακουσας τον λογον λαλουμενον λεγει τω αρχισυναγωγω μη φοβου μονον πιστευε	ο δε ιησους ευθεως ακουσας τον λογον λαλουμενον λεγει τω αρχισυναγωγω μη φοβου μονον πιστευε

Matthew 2:21, 22 (NET)	Matthew 2:21, 22 (KJV)
So he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel.	And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Matthew 2:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 2:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 2:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ	ο δε εγερθεις παρελαβεν το παιδιον και την μητερα αυτου και ηλθεν εις γην ισραηλ	ο δε εγερθεις παρελαβεν το παιδιον και την μητερα αυτου και ηλθεν εις γην ισραηλ

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee.

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

Matthew 2:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 2:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 2:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι Ἀρχέλαος βασιλεύει τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀντὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ἡρῴδου ἐφοβήθη ἐκεῖ ἀπελθεῖν· χρηματισθεὶς δὲ κατ᾿ ὄναρ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας	ακουσας δε οτι αρχελαος βασιλευει επι της ιουδαιας αντι ηρωδου του πατρος αυτου εφοβηθη εκει απελθειν χρηματισθεις δε κατ οναρ ανεχωρησεν εις τα μερη της γαλιλαιας	ακουσας δε οτι αρχελαος βασιλευει επι της ιουδαιας αντι ηρωδου του πατρος αυτου εφοβηθη εκει απελθειν χρηματισθεις δε κατ οναρ ανεχωρησεν εις τα μερη της γαλιλαιας

Matthew 14:3 (NET)	Matthew 14:3 (KJV)
For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,	For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.

Matthew 14:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 14:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 14:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ὁ γὰρ Ἡρῴδης κρατήσας τὸν Ἰωάννην ἔδησεν καὶ ἐν φυλακῇ ἀπέθετο διὰ Ἡρῳδιάδα τὴν γυναῖκα Φιλίππου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ	ο γαρ ηρωδης κρατησας τον ιωαννην εδησεν αυτον και εθετο εν φυλακη δια ηρωδιαδα την γυναικα φιλιππου του αδελφου αυτου	ο γαρ ηρωδης κρατησας τον ιωαννην εδησεν αυτον και εθετο εν φυλακη δια ηρωδιαδα την γυναικα φιλιππου του αδελφου αυτου

Fear – Genesis, Part 2

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 7

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 8

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 72

Back to Wonders and False Wonders, Part 3

¹ 1 John 4:18 (NET)

² Romans 8:15a (NET)

³ 2 Corinthians 5:11a (NET)

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὀφθαλμοδουλίᾳ here, a singular form of ὀφθαλμοδουλία, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οφθαλμοδουλειαις (KJV: eyeservice), a plural form of ὀφθαλμοδουλεία.

⁵ Colossians 3:22 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κύριον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θεον (KJV: God).

⁶ Genesis 3:10 (NET) Table

⁷ Genesis 3:8 (NET) Table

⁸ Addendum 11/03/2024: In Strong’s Concordance online φέβομαι is listed as the root of φόβος. The Koine Greek Lexicon online doesn’t have a listing for φέβομαι.

⁹ Luke 19:21a (NET)

¹⁰ Genesis 15:1 (NET) Table

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἵνα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οπως (KJV: that).

¹² Mark 5:23 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ζήσῃ here, a form of ζάω in the aorist tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ζησεται (KJV: she shall live), in the future tense.

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παρακούσας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ευθεως ακουσας (KJV: As soon as…heard).

¹⁴ Mark 5:35, 36 (NET)

¹⁵ Genesis 18:10 (NET)

¹⁶ Genesis 18:12 (NET)

¹⁷ Genesis 18:15 (NET)

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰσῆλθεν, a form of εἰσέρχομαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηλθεν (KJV: came), a form of ἔρχομαι.

¹⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επι (KJV: in) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁰ Matthew 2:19-22 (NET)

²¹ Genesis 19:18, 19 (NET)

²² Genesis 19:20 (NET)

²³ Genesis 19:21 (NET)

²⁴ Genesis 19:22a (NET)

²⁵ Genesis 19:24a (NET)

²⁶ Genesis 19:30 (NET)

²⁷ Matthew 14:3 (NET)

²⁸ Matthew 14:4 (NET)

²⁹ Matthew 14:5 (NET)

³⁰ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (NET)

Romans, Part 32

Posted on November 21, 2012 by admin

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear (φόβον, a form of φόβος), Paul continued, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.”¹ Human beings have been afraid of God ever since Adam died and hid from Him, saying, and I was afraid because I was naked.² That is καὶ ἐφοβήθην (a form of φοβέω) ὅτι γυμνός εἰμι ³ in the Septuagint, literally, “and I was afraid because naked I am.” And naked we still are, because no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked (γυμνὰ, a form of γυμνός) and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account (λόγος).⁴ It is fitting that the fear that came upon us when Adam sinned is banished in Christ.

The word Abba is the childish word for father [Addendum 9/5/2024: or perhaps not]. It reminds me of the picture of John John Kennedy peeking out from under his father’s desk in the oval office at the White House. In October of 1962 President Kennedy was the most feared man on the planet, with the power to plunge the world into nuclear war. But to John John, he was Daddy. The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) – if indeed we suffer with (συμπάσχομεν, a form of συμπάσχω) him so we may also be glorified with (συνδοξασθῶμεν, a form of συνδοξάζω) him.⁵

There are many things someone might suffer, but this linkage of suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him leads me back to chapter 6: 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 (δόξης, a form of δόξα) of the Father, so we too may live a new life.⁶ Once Jesus’ disciples knew that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God⁷ he instructed them⁸ not to tell anyone.⁹

From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer (παθεῖν, a form of πάσχω) many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.¹⁰

So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!”¹¹ Mark emphasized that Jesus spoke openly about this. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.¹² But [Jesus] turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s” [Table]. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.¹³ And Paul wrote, 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.¹⁴

So the suffering Paul had in mind I think was primarily the frustration and inner confusion associated with this death and resurrection experience, particularly that neither I (old man born of the flesh nor new man born of the Spirit) can do what I want: 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.¹⁵ I’ve written in another essay in more detail that I think the essence of taking up one’s cross to follow Jesus in this death is not my will but yours be done,¹⁶ and a few more ideas about this suffering of death in another. For I consider that our present sufferings (παθήματα, a form of πάθημα) cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us,¹⁷ Paul continued (Romans 8:19-21 NET).

For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God [e.g., all who are led by the Spirit of God¹⁸]. For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of God who subjected it – in¹⁹ hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage (δουλείας, a form of δουλεία) of decay (φθορᾶς, a form of φθορά) into the glorious freedom of God’s children.

In school I learned about evolution, that marvelous creative force that made everything we see today. In my real life I travel from medical conference to medical conference where I hear about genetic defects and diseases, the bondage of decay, the actual observable results of evolution. The palliation of genetic defects and diseases is one of our last locally produced products and a mainspring of our economy. While medical researchers may intend to find “cures” for genetic defects and diseases good economic sense would argue against that. But there is another more pressing problem to consider, more long range and more far reaching.

Those who are faithful to their creator evolution, what I will call the evolutionary mind, face a daunting problem when it comes to “cures” for the products of evolution. To my mind a cure would be found along the lines of investigation leading to an understanding of God’s original design of the genetic code for humankind. This would not be conceivable to the evolutionary mind. There was no grand design, no right way for the code to be written. It was all happenstance that happened to produce life-forms that survived under given conditions. For the evolutionary mind a “cure” must come from one’s own mind, evaluating the conditions people must thrive under and “Imagineering” so to speak how the code should read to accommodate those conditions.

Just as an aside, it occurs to me that back-breeding (e.g., inter-racial marriage) is still quite effective to overcoming some of the genetic burden that continues to accumulate over time. When I was young such marriage was a curiosity. Now inter-racial marriage seems to be a positive symptom of enlightened thinking among many young people. If that trend continues and becomes standard practice it may well alleviate the necessity for any more Draconian measures forbidding intra-racial marriage. And to my way of thinking it is the religious mind that would stand in the way of inter-racial marriage much like it would have bridled at God’s decrees against intra-familial marriage when genetic burden made that necessary.

Paul’s point, however, was that those who trust in Christ, or more specifically those led by the Spirit of God, wait for God’s solution, that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. While the children don’t know exactly how this will take place, they assume it is along the lines of death and resurrection that they are experiencing, a destruction by fire and a creation of new heavens and a new earth (2 Peter 3:8-13 NET). Ultimately, the children trust that Abba, Daddy has everything under control. The scorn and ridicule that elicits from those with an evolutionary mind may also be part of the suffering Paul wrote about.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together (συνωδίνει, a form of συνωδίνω) until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes²⁰ for what he sees?²¹

This is what convinced me that for Paul, So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin,²² and, 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,²³ were normative for the believer’s experience here on earth. They are the suffering to which he referred. Even being led by the Spirit is but a foretaste of the glory that will be revealed to us. It is the foretaste that prompts us to pray, Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven [Table].²⁴

But if we hope for what we do not see, Paul concluded, we eagerly wait for it with endurance (ὑπομονῆς, a form of ὑπομονή).²⁵

Addendum: October 11, 2024
Tables comparing Matthew 16:20; Romans 8:20 and 8:24 in the NET and KJV follow.

Matthew 16:20 (NET)	Matthew 16:20 (KJV)
Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.	Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Matthew 16:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 16:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 16:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τότε \|διεστείλατο\| τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ εἴπωσιν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστός	τοτε διεστειλατο τοις μαθηταις αυτου ινα μηδενι ειπωσιν οτι αυτος εστιν ιησους ο χριστος	τοτε διεστειλατο τοις μαθηταις αυτου ινα μηδενι ειπωσιν οτι αυτος εστιν ιησους ο χριστος

Romans 8:20 (NET)	Romans 8:20 (KJV)
For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of God who subjected it—in hope	For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Romans 8:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 8:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 8:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα, ἐφ᾿ ἑλπίδι	τη γαρ ματαιοτητι η κτισις υπεταγη ουχ εκουσα αλλα δια τον υποταξαντα επ ελπιδι	τη γαρ ματαιοτητι η κτισις υπεταγη ουχ εκουσα αλλα δια τον υποταξαντα επ ελπιδι

Romans 8:24 (NET)	Romans 8:24 (KJV)
For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?	For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Romans 8:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 8:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 8:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τῇ γὰρ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν· ἐλπὶς δὲ βλεπομένη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπίς· ὃ γὰρ βλέπει τίς ἐλπίζει	τη γαρ ελπιδι εσωθημεν ελπις δε βλεπομενη ουκ εστιν ελπις ο γαρ βλεπει τις τι και ελπιζει	τη γαρ ελπιδι εσωθημεν ελπις δε βλεπομενη ουκ εστιν ελπις ο γαρ βλεπει τις τι και ελπιζει

Romans, Part 33

Fear – Genesis, Part 1

Twilight Revisited

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 2

Back to You Must Be Gentle, Part 3

Back to Exploration, Part 1

Back to Exploration, Part 2

¹ Romans 8:15 (NET)

² Genesis 3:10 (NET) Table

³ Genesis 3:10 Elpenor Septuagint Table

⁴ Hebrews 4:13 (NET)

⁵ Romans 8:16, 17 (NET)

⁶ Romans 6:4 (NET)

⁷ Matthew 16:16 (NET)

⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τοις μαθηταις αυτου (KJV: his disciples) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τοῖς μαθηταῖς.

⁹ Matthew 16:20 (NET)

¹⁰ Matthew 16:21 (NET)

¹¹ Matthew 16:22 (NET)

¹² Mark 8:32 (NET)

¹³ Matthew 16:23, 24 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 6:5 (NET)

¹⁵ Galatians 5:17 (NET) Table

¹⁶ Luke 22:42b (NET) Table

¹⁷ Romans 8:18 (NET)

¹⁸ Romans 8:14 (NET)

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the preposition ἐφ᾿ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had another form of ἐπί: επ.

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τι και (KJV: why…yet) preceding hopes (KJV: hope). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ Romans 8:22-24 (NET)

²² Romans 7:25b (NKJV) Table

²³ Galatians 5:17 (NET) Table

²⁴ Matthew 6:9, 10 (NET)

²⁵ Romans 8:25 (NET)

Romans, Part 30

Posted on October 30, 2012 by admin

So then, brothers and sisters, Paul continued, we are under obligation (ὀφειλέται, a form of ὀφειλέτης), not to the flesh (σαρκὶ, a form of σάρξ), to live according to the flesh (σάρκα, another form of σάρξ)…¹ The word translated obligation above is also found in Matthew’s version of the Lord’s prayer, and forgive us our debts (ὀφειλήματα, a form of ὀφείλημα), as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors (ὀφειλέταις, another form of ὀφειλέτης).² This is a powerful concept, but first I want to focus on what the flesh is not.

The flesh as Paul used it is not the body. Be careful, he warned, not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.³ If⁴ you have died with Christ⁵ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings. Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship⁶ and false humility achieved by an unsparing treatment⁷ of the body (σώματος, a form of σῶμα) – a wisdom with no true value – they in reality result in fleshly (σαρκός, another form of σάρξ) indulgence (πλησμονὴν, a form of πλησμονή).⁸

In other words, “I self-flagellate three times a day and only eat bread and water,” is the same pride and religious thinking that got us into this mess in the first place. It is the religious impulse of the flesh of Adam.

The flesh is not sexual desire. A husband should give to his wife her sexual rights (ὀφειλὴν, a form of ὀφειλή), and likewise a wife to her husband. It is not the wife who has the rights (ἐξουσιάζει, a form of ἐξουσιάζω) to her own body (σώματος, a form of σῶμα), but the husband. In the same way, it is not the husband who has the rights (ἐξουσιάζει, a form of ἐξουσιάζω) to his own body (σώματος, a form of σῶμα), but the wife [Table]. Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer [Table].⁹ While the believer in Christ is not obligated (ὀφειλέται, a form of ὀφειλέτης) or a debtor to the flesh, husband and wife are indebted (ὀφειλὴν, a form of ὀφειλή) to each other sexually.

Interestingly, neither the wife nor the husband possesses the ἐξουσιάζει (a form of ἐξουσιάζω; authority, power) over her or his own body. That belongs to the spouse. This is the same authority that Gentile kings lorded over their subjects as Jesus told his disciples, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority (ἐξουσιάζοντες, another form of ἐξουσιάζω) over them are called ‘benefactors.’ Not so with you; instead the one who is greatest among you must become¹⁰ like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves.”¹¹ It is the same control Paul would not allow anything to have over him: “All things are lawful for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “All things are lawful for me” – but I will not be controlled (ἐξουσιασθήσομαι, another form of ἐξουσιάζω) by anything.¹² I think I’ll go the long way around and circle back to this.

While sex (and sexual desire) in and of itself is not the flesh, if I set my sights on another’s wife (or a prostitute) that is the flesh. (Or do you not know that anyone who is united [κολλώμενος, a form of κολλάω] with a prostitute [πόρνῃ, a form of πόρνη] is one body with her?¹³) Here is where the power I spoke of earlier comes into play. If I believe that I delight in the law of God in my inner being,¹⁴ then the desire for another’s wife or a prostitute, which is clearly contrary to God’s law, is not my desire: Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.¹⁵ It is like a distant early warning system, sounding the alarm which I is asserting control.

This distinction may not be so obvious for the young, the virginal, or the single. I should know. I’ve spent most of my adult life single. But I want to address that in a separate essay.

Now not everyone lumps the old man, flesh, sin personified, desire of the flesh and so on together as one thing. But I have read a lot of Nietzsche, and out of deference, I suppose, for the help he has been to me I try to keep what he would call “imaginary causes and effects”¹⁶ to a minimum. I can posit all of this sin and rebellious desire in an old man born of Adam (as well as the credited righteousness of God and the fruit of his Spirit in a new creation born from above in the image of Christ) without feeling that any of this is my imagination. And the quantum leap (there is no time or space between energy quanta) between the old and new I describes my experience with chilling accuracy, especially in outbursts of anger.¹⁷

Even as I rant I wonder, “Who are you?” For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate.¹⁸ That’s how my father used to act! And there have been times when that brought me back from the brink. (But there have also been times when that did not bring me back from the brink and I reveled in the sensual pleasure of rage.)

The main theological objection to lumping the old man, flesh, sin personified, desire of the flesh and so on together is that our old man was crucified with¹⁹ Jesus. It is therefore dead (and presumably gone). I take the death of Adam as my key here. God said, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.²⁰ Something died in Adam when he became knowledgeable of evil.

I heard you moving about in the orchard, Adam said to God, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid,²¹ yet Adam had been naked all along. The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed,²² not with God, not with each other, and not with the animals. In a similar sense something has died in me, too. The old man no longer has my absolute unquestioned allegiance as me. And that is all Paul said, 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.²³ The entire lifetime of Adam was 930 years, and then he died.²⁴ And in a similar way I await that ultimate condemnation of sin in the flesh,²⁵ the death of this body.

I promised I would circle back via the long way. Why would Paul counsel Corinthian husbands and wives to treat each other sexually in ways that Jesus did not want his disciples to treat each other at all, and under a control that Paul himself would not allow anything to have over him? So, here goes.

If the flesh got the wild idea to seek out a prostitute I wouldn’t know where to begin to look for one. Add to that, I know me. If I had sex with a pretty young prostitute I would fall in love with a pretty young prostitute. About a decade after my first divorce it took several days for me to get the pretty nurse who administered a barium enema out of my mind. I can be a silly old fool, no doubt about it. But chasing a pretty young prostitute, saying, “I love you, I love you, let me take you away from all of this,” is a sillier old fool than I can be. I live in the Midwest. I am working class all the way. I grew up in a fundamentalist church. There is something unseemly about visiting a prostitute.

Though the Roman government had apparently put a damper on the sexual worship of goddesses (and gods) in other places, this practice still flourished in Corinth at the time Paul wrote. Visiting a temple prostitute was good and in some cases necessary for good fortune. Highly skilled sex slaves, both male πόρνοι (a form of πόρνος) and female πόρνης (a form of πόρνη), were readily available, and Paul counseled husbands and wives, because of this πορνείας (a form of πορνεία), to be that for each other. He never repented of it. He never gave it a different spin that I have found. So I assume that even that degree of sensual and sexual commitment between husband and wife was not living according to the flesh²⁶ in Paul’s understanding of the term he appropriated to describe the situation of the one born of the flesh and of the Spirit.

I want to leave the pelvic sins (as I heard a clever wag call them) to ponder the wider scope of opposition of the flesh to the Spirit of God. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality (πορνεία), impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things.²⁷ There is a world of sin less than a hair’s breadth and a nanosecond away from me (there is no time or space between quantum states) at every moment of my life here in this body. But I say, Paul wrote the Galatians, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.²⁸ So then, brothers and sisters, Paul wrote the Romans, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh…²⁹

Addendum: May 31, 2024
Tables comparing Genesis 5:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 5:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Colossians 2:20; 2:23 and Luke 22:26 in the KJV and NET follow.

Genesis 5:5 (Tanakh)	Genesis 5:5 (KJV)	Genesis 5:5 (NET)
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.	And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.	The entire lifetime of Adam was 930 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 5:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένοντο πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι Αδαμ ἃς ἔζησεν ἐννακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη καὶ ἀπέθανεν	καὶ ἐγένοντο πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι ᾿Αδάμ, ἃς ἔζησε, τριάκοντα καὶ ἐννακόσια ἔτη, καὶ ἀπέθανεν
Genesis 5:5 (NETS)	Genesis 5:5 (English Elpenor)
And all the days of Adam, that he lived, amounted to nine hundred thirty years, and he died.	And all the days of Adam which he lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.

Colossians 2:20 (NET)	Colossians 2:20 (KJV)
If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world?	Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Colossians 2:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Colossians 2:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Colossians 2:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἰ ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου, τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε	ει ουν απεθανετε συν τω χριστω απο των στοιχειων του κοσμου τι ως ζωντες εν κοσμω δογματιζεσθε	ει απεθανετε συν χριστω απο των στοιχειων του κοσμου τι ως ζωντες εν κοσμω δογματιζεσθε

Colossians 2:23 (NET)	Colossians 2:23 (KJV)
Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship and humility achieved by an unsparing treatment of the body—a wisdom with no true value—they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.	Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Colossians 2:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Colossians 2:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Colossians 2:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἅτινα ἐστιν λόγον μὲν ἔχοντα σοφίας ἐν ἐθελοθρησκίᾳ καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀφειδίᾳ σώματος, οὐκ ἐν τιμῇ τινι πρὸς πλησμονὴν τῆς σαρκός	ατινα εστιν λογον μεν εχοντα σοφιας εν εθελοθρησκεια και ταπεινοφροσυνη και αφειδια σωματος ουκ εν τιμη τινι προς πλησμονην της σαρκος	ατινα εστιν λογον μεν εχοντα σοφιας εν εθελοθρησκεια και ταπεινοφροσυνη και αφειδια σωματος ουκ εν τιμη τινι προς πλησμονην της σαρκος

Luke 22:26 (NET)	Luke 22:26 (KJV)
Not so with you; instead the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves.	But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Luke 22:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μείζων ἐν ὑμῖν γινέσθω ὡς ὁ νεώτερος καὶ ὁ ἡγούμενος ὡς ὁ διακονῶν	υμεις δε ουχ ουτως αλλ ο μειζων εν υμιν γενεσθω ως ο νεωτερος και ο ηγουμενος ως ο διακονων	υμεις δε ουχ ουτως αλλ ο μειζων εν υμιν γενεσθω ως ο νεωτερος και ο ηγουμενος ως ο διακονων

Romans, Part 31

Back to Young, Virginal, or Single

Back to Romans, Part 32

Back to Conclusion

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 3

Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

¹ Romans 8:12 (NET)

² Matthew 6:12 (NET) Table

³ Colossians 2:8 (NET)

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had ουν (KJV: Wherefore) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article τω preceding Christ. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐθελοθρησκίᾳ in the dative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εθελοθρησκεια (KJV: will worship) in the nominative case.

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had καὶ preceding by an unsparing treatment (KJV: neglecting). The NET parallel Greek text did not (NET note 46).

⁸ Colossians 2:20-23 (NET)

⁹ 1 Corinthians 7:3-5a (NET)

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γινέσθω in the present tense here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γενεσθω (KJV: let him be) in the 2nd aorist tense.

¹¹ Luke 22:25, 26 (NET)

¹² 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NET)

¹³ 1 Corinthians 6:16 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 7:22 (NET)

¹⁵ Romans 7:20 (NET) Table

¹⁶ Friedrich Nietzsche: The Antichrist (part 2)

¹⁷ Galatians 5:20 (NET) Table

¹⁸ Romans 7:15 (NET)

¹⁹ Romans 6:6 (NET)

²⁰ Genesis 2:17 (NKJV) Table

²¹ Genesis 3:10 (NET) Table

²² Genesis 2:25 (NET) Table

²³ Romans 6:6 (NET)

²⁴ Genesis 5:5 (NET)

²⁵ Romans 8:3 (NET)

²⁶ Romans 8:12 (NET)

²⁷ Galatians 5:19-21a (NET) [Table] There is no note explaining why, but adultery (μοιχεία) which heads this list in the KJV does not even appear in the Greek text from which the NET was translated. It does begin the list in the textus receptus (received text).

²⁸ Galatians 5:16 (NET)

²⁹ Romans 8:12 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Genesis 3:10

Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 1

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 9

Fear – Genesis, Part 1

Romans, Part 32

Romans, Part 30