Tag Archives: John 6:44

To Make Holy, Part 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills,

The wealth in every mine;

He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills,

The sun and stars that shine.

Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell –

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

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills –

I know that He will care for me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

John 17:12 (NET)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 29:16 (Tanakh) Isaiah 29:16 (NET) Isaiah 29:16 (NETS)

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

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 45:9 (Tanakh) Isaiah 45:9 (NET) Isaiah 45:9 (NETS)

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

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

Romans 9:20b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Isaiah 29:16b (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 29:16b (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι· τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως μὴ ἐρεῗ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι αὐτό· οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι· οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας

Romans 9:20b (NET)

 Isaiah 29:16b (NETS)

Isaiah 29:16b (English Elpenor)
Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Shall the thing formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not form me,” or the thing made to the one who made it, “You made me with no understanding”? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Thou didst not form me? or the work to the maker, Thou hast not made me wisely?

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

Isaiah 29:16 (Tanakh)

 Isaiah 29:16 (KJV)

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

Isaiah 29:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 29:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐχ ὡς ὁ πηλὸς τοῦ κεραμέως λογισθήσεσθε μὴ ἐρεῗ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας οὐχ ὡς ὁ πηλὸς τοῦ κεραμέως λογισθήσεσθε; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι αὐτό· οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι· οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας

Isaiah 29:16 (NETS)

Isaiah 29:16 (English Elpenor)
Shall you not be regarded as the potter’s clay?  Shall the thing formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not form me,” or the thing made to the one who made it, “You made me with no understanding”? Shall ye not be counted as clay of the potter? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Thou didst not form me? or the work to the maker, Thou hast not made me wisely?

Isaiah 45:9 (Tanakh)

 Isaiah 45:9 (KJV)

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

Isaiah 45:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 45:9, 10a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ποῗον βέλτιον κατεσκεύασα ὡς πηλὸν κεραμέως μὴ ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριάσει τὴν γῆν ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν μὴ ἐρεῗ ὁ πηλὸς τῷ κεραμεῗ τί ποιεῗς ὅτι οὐκ ἐργάζῃ οὐδὲ ἔχεις χεῗρας Ποῖον βέλτιον κατεσκεύασα ὡς πηλὸν κεραμέως; μὴ ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριάσει τὴν γῆν ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν; μὴ ἐρεῖ ὁ πηλὸς τῷ κεραμεῖ· τί ποιεῖς, ὅτι οὐκ ἐργάζῃ οὐδὲ ἔχεις χεῖρας μὴ ἀποκριθήσεται τὸ πλάσμα πρὸς τὸν πλάσαντα αὐτό

Isaiah 45:9 (NETS)

Isaiah 45:9 (English Elpenor)
What better thing have I formed like potter’s clay?  Shall the plowman plow the earth?  Shall the clay say to the potter, “What are you doing, since you are not working, nor do you have hands”? What excellent thing have I prepared as clay of the potter? Will the ploughman plough the earth all say? shall the clay say to the potter, What art thou doing that thou dost not work, nor hast hands? shall the thing formed answer him that formed it?

2 John 1:5 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

Philippians 4:3 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

Romans 9:19 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

1 Corinthians 9:16 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

2 Corinthians 3:1 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

2 Corinthians 3:7 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

2 Corinthians 3:9, 10 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
εἰ γὰρ |τῇ| διακονίᾳ τῆς κατακρίσεως δόξα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον περισσεύει ἡ διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης δόξῃ ει γαρ η διακονια της κατακρισεως δοξα πολλω μαλλον περισσευει η διακονια της δικαιοσυνης εν δοξη ει γαρ η διακονια της κατακρισεως δοξα πολλω μαλλον περισσευει η διακονια της δικαιοσυνης εν δοξη
For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

John 17:11, 12 (NET)

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

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσίν, καγὼ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι. πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι σου ᾧ δέδωκας μοι, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς και ουκ ετι ειμι εν τω κοσμω και ουτοι εν τω κοσμω εισιν και εγω προς σε ερχομαι πατερ αγιε τηρησον αυτους εν τω ονοματι σου ους δεδωκας μοι ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις και ουκετι ειμι εν τω κοσμω και ουτοι εν τω κοσμω εισιν και εγω προς σε ερχομαι πατερ αγιε τηρησον αυτους εν τω ονοματι σου ω δεδωκας μοι ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις
When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name that you have given me.  Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

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

[1] John 17:17 (NET)

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

[3] 2 John 1:5 (NET)

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

[5] Philippians 4:3 (NET)

[6] Luke 16:27 (NET)

[7] John 6:44 (NET)

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

[9] Romans 8:30 (NET)

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

[11] Romans 9:19 (NET)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[18] Ephesians 2:9b (NET)

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

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

[21] John 17:10 (NET)

[22] John 17:10 (KJV)

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

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

[25] Romans 1:25 (NET)

[26] John 17:8b (NET)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[37] John 17:11 (NET)

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

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

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

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

A Door of Hope, Part 1

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The essay Jedidiah, Part 1 was written days before I began to compare Old Testament quotations in the New Testament to the Septuagint, and years before I checked all of the Masoretic text against the Septuagint.  I thought of Achan’s confession as the door or opportunity of/for hope promised in Hosea, and related it to John’s letter (1 John 1:5-2:2 NET Table):

Now this is the gospel (NET note 13) message (NET note 14) we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.  But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  But if we confess (ὁμολογῶμεν, a form of ὁμολογέω) our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.

(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.)  But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.

Revisiting the essay to make Old Testament comparison tables I discovered that the Septuagint was a bit different.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Hosea 2:15 (Tanakh) Hosea 2:15 (NET) Hosea 2:15 (NETS)

Hosea 2:17 (Elpenor English)
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. From there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the “Valley of Trouble” into an “Opportunity for Hope.”  There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt. And from there I will give her her estates and the valley of Achor, to open up her understanding.  And there she will be brought low as in the days of her infancy and as in the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt. And I will give her possessions from thence, and the valley of Achor to open her understanding: and she shall be afflicted there according to the days of her infancy, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.

As I began the word studies for this essay I heard a sermon (Hebrews 6:4-6 NET):

For it is impossible (Ἀδύνατον, a form of ἀδύνατος) in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt.

The preacher wanted to comfort his hearers, persuading them they were not of this kind.  He described the kind of person the writer intended.  It was a fairly accurate description of my life, except that I can’t recall having tasted…the miracles of the coming age before I became an atheist.  I realized, especially in retrospect, that the Holy Spirit wanted to focus my attention on the fact that I had been renewed again to repentance, but I began to wonder if that renewal might be suspect.

I imagined standing before Jesus.  He determined that for the sake of the veracity of Hebrews 6:4-6 it would be best if I spent eternity in the lake of fire.  I was disappointed but willing that his word be true: Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail[1] when you are judged.”[2]  That reaction, so uncharacteristic of the old human (παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; Ephesians 4:22-24), calmed my suspicions about my renewed repentance for the moment.  I also recalled, but didn’t study, for God all things are possible.  I will consider it more thoroughly here (Matthew 19:23-26 NET):

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven!  Again I say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.”  The[3] disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?”  Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible (ἀδύνατον, a form of ἀδύνατος) for mere humans, but for God all things are[4] possible (δυνατά, a form of δυνατός).”

And again (Mark 10:27 NET):

Jesus[5] looked at them and replied, “This is impossible (ἀδύνατον, a form of ἀδύνατος) for mere humans, but not for God;[6] all things are[7] possible (δυνατὰ, a form of δυνατός) for God.”

Though my main concern is the contrast between human ἀδύνατον and God’s δυνατὰ, I’ll consider the context here a moment.  My Dad told me the story of a small night gate in Jerusalem called “The Needle’s Eye,” but he never showed me any pictures of it.  The NET note (32) explained:

The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle. (Although the story of a small gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” has been widely circulated and may go back as far as the middle ages, there is no evidence that such a gate ever existed.) Jesus was saying rhetorically that it is impossible for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom, unless God (v. 26) intervenes.

The difficulty a camel would have passing through The Needle’s Eye—“stooped and…its baggage removed”—reinforces Jesus’ point about divesting oneself of (excess?) possessions (ὑπάρχοντα), while the fantastical image of a camel passing through the eye of a sewing needle distracts the rich (and anyone else) from taking Him seriously.  Others disagree.  But no one of means wants to hear, If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the[8] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.[9]  Then come, follow me.[10]

Anyway, I left on a road trip without studying the problem that nagged at me directly.  As I drove I began to think about the preacher who taught on Hebrews 6:4-6.  In another sermon he had made a fairly serious interpretation mistake, making his own point rather than that of the Scripture.  My mind began to argue against his right to confront me with Hebrews 6:4-6.  I turned on the radio to drown out my thoughts.  Aside from being unloving and unkind, ad hominem arguments aren’t an effective bolster to faith.

What little time I had for study I devoted to לפתח (pethach), translated διανοῖξαι (a form of διανοίγω) in the Septuagint (Table2 below).  I was a little embarrassed that it had just occurred to me to search forms of διανοίγω in the Septuagint to see what Hebrew words they translated in the Masoretic text.  I wanted to finish the table and move on.  The unattended challenge of Hebrews 6:4-6 continued to fester.

While the idea of spending eternity in the lake of fire was unpleasant, it was made bearable if I could face it with Jesus, sustained by his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  But I define the lake of fire as the place where the omnipresent God is not.  If Jesus ripped his Holy Spirit from me, though I wouldn’t be left with anything I care very much about, I realized in a long sleepless night that I really didn’t want to spend eternity there.  I began to question the nature and validity of my renewed repentance again.

In the morning it all seemed like a trick to get me frustrated or angry so I would run off, abandon Jesus and live in sin.  Heaven or hell aside, I want to be done with sin.  It’s not good for me or anyone around me.  I began to wonder if my renewed repentance was part of God’s eternal punishment for crucifying the Son of God for [myself] all over again and holding him up to contempt: He gave me this brief taste of eternal life only to snatch his Spirit away at the most inopportune moment.

I deserve it, no question about that, but it doesn’t sound like God to me (John 3:16-18 NET):

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his[11] one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his[12] Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, a form of κρίνω) the world, but that the world should be saved through him.  The one who believes in him is not condemned (κρίνεται, another form of κρίνω).  The one who does not believe has been condemned (κέκριται, another form of κρίνω) already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

To think of God’s love (ἠγάπησεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) as primarily a feeling,[13] a kind of affection for the world, confuses the Scripture.  God’s feeling for the world is very clear from the beginning, in the Masoretic text (Table3 below) at least:[14] The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.[15]  Unlike the Billy Joel song God doesn’t pretend to “want you just the way you are.”[16]

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  He delivered us [who have faith in Christ Jesus] from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves (ἀγάπης, a form of ἀγάπη), in whom we have redemption,[17] the forgiveness of sins.[18]  For this is the way God loved the world: those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image (εἰκόνος, a form of εἰκών) of his Son,[19] that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.[20]  “Sit at my right hand,” He promised the Son he loves, “until I put your enemies under your feet”’?[21]  All of this is the grace of God received through faith, the faith (πίστις) that is an aspect of the fruit of his Holy Spirit; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.[22]

Jesus is the way God loved the world, not because of a positive emotion but because God is love (ἀγάπη).[23]  God (ἀγάπη) is patient, God (ἀγάπη) is kind, He is not envious.  God (ἀγάπη) does not brag, He is not puffed up.  He is not rude, He is not self-serving, He is not easily angered or resentful.  He is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.  He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  He (ἀγάπη) never ends.[24]  For this is the way God loved—and demonstrated his joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control[25] to—the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 

I had a week between work assignments.  It was more convenient to drive to my mother’s house than all the way back to my own home.  On the drive I began to wonder: if Jesus snatched his Spirit from me, would the new human (καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; Ephesians 4:22-24) cling to his Holy Spirit and bid the chaff of the old human godspeed and good riddance into the lake of fire?  I finally decided that this obsession with Jesus snatching his Holy Spirit from me needed to be confronted directly.  I planned to look into ἀδύνατον, the Greek word translated impossible in Hebrews 6:4, during the week I spent with my mother.

For God achieved what the law could not (ἀδύνατον, a form of ἀδύνατος) do, Paul wrote believers in Rome, because it was weakened (ἠσθένει, a form of ἀσθενέω) through the flesh.  By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.[26]

In the same way God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, and so he intervened with an oath, so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible (ἀδύνατον, a form of ἀδύνατος) for God to lie.[27]

This proved to be the dull spot in my sword of the Spirit.  I was uncertain whether the infinitive ἀνακαινίζειν (to renew) was impossible for God as well as for human beings.  That’s why I had difficulty resting even as the Holy Spirit drew me back to the fact that I had been renewed to repentance.  But the writer of Hebrews was not shy about stating explicitly that something was impossible for God when the Holy Spirit meant that something was impossible for God.  What is impossible (ἀδύνατα, another form of ἀδύνατος) for mere humans, Jesus said according to Luke’s Gospel narrative, is possible (δυνατὰ, a form of δυνατός) for God.[28]

I’ll quote the final occurrences of ἀδύνατον for completeness: For it is impossible (ἀδύνατον, a form of ἀδύνατος) for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.[29]  Now without faith it is impossible (ἀδύνατον, a form of ἀδύνατος) to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.[30]

It would have been much easier to have taken the few moments this study required in the first place rather than face a week of nagging uncertainty.  I’ll trust that this essay will serve as a preface to the word studies to come in A Door of Hope.

Tables comparing Hosea 2:15 and Genesis 6:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Hosea 2:15 (2:17) and Genesis 6:6 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing Romans 3:4; Matthew 19:25, 26; 19:21; Mark 10:27; John 3:16, 17; Colossians 1:14 and 1 Corinthians 13:8 in the NET and KJV.

Hosea 2:15 (Tanakh)

 Hosea 2:15 (KJV)

Hosea 2:15 (NET)
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. From there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the “Valley of Trouble” into an “Opportunity for Hope.”  There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt.

Hosea 2:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 2:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δώσω αὐτῇ τὰ κτήματα αὐτῆς ἐκεῗθεν καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα Αχωρ διανοῗξαι σύνεσιν αὐτῆς καὶ ταπεινωθήσεται ἐκεῗ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας νηπιότητος αὐτῆς καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἀναβάσεως αὐτῆς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ δώσω αὐτῇ τὰ κτήματα αὐτῆς ἐκεῖθεν καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα ᾿Αχὼρ διανοῖξαι σύνεσιν αὐτῆς, καὶ ταπεινωθήσεται ἐκεῖ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας νηπιότητος αὐτῆς καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἀναβάσεως αὐτῆς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.

Hosea 2:15 (NETS)

Hosea 2:17 (English Elpenor)
And from there I will give her her estates and the valley of Achor, to open up her understanding.  And there she will be brought low as in the days of her infancy and as in the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt. And I will give her possessions from thence, and the valley of Achor to open her understanding: and she shall be afflicted there according to the days of her infancy, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.

Genesis 6:6 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 6:6 (KJV)

Genesis 6:6 (NET)
And it repented HaShem that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.

Genesis 6:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 6:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνεθυμήθη ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἐποίησεν τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ διενοήθη καὶ ἐνεθυμήθη ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ διενοήθη

Genesis 6:6 (NETS)

Genesis 6:6 (English Elpenor)
then God considered that he had made humankind on the earth, and he thought it over. then God laid it to heart that he had made man upon the earth, and he pondered [it] deeply.

Romans 3:4 (NET)

Romans 3:4 (KJV)
Absolutely not!  Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.” God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
μὴ γένοιτο· γινέσθω δὲ ὁ θεὸς ἀληθής, πᾶς δὲ ἄνθρωπος ψεύστης, |καθὼς| γέγραπται ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαι σε μη γενοιτο γινεσθω δε ο θεος αληθης πας δε ανθρωπος ψευστης καθως γεγραπται οπως αν δικαιωθης εν τοις λογοις σου και νικησης εν τω κρινεσθαι σε μη γενοιτο γινεσθω δε ο θεος αληθης πας δε ανθρωπος ψευστης καθως γεγραπται οπως αν δικαιωθης εν τοις λογοις σου και νικησης εν τω κρινεσθαι σε

Matthew 19:25, 26 (NET)

Matthew 19:25, 26 (KJV)
The disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?” When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες· τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι ακουσαντες δε οι μαθηται αυτου εξεπλησσοντο σφοδρα λεγοντες τις αρα δυναται σωθηναι ακουσαντες δε οι μαθηται αυτου εξεπλησσοντο σφοδρα λεγοντες τις αρα δυναται σωθηναι
Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but for God all things are possible.” But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐμβλέψας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· παρὰ ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἀδύνατον ἐστιν, παρὰ δὲ θεῷ πάντα δυνατά εμβλεψας δε ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις παρα ανθρωποις τουτο αδυνατον εστιν παρα δε θεω παντα δυνατα εστιν εμβλεψας δε ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις παρα ανθρωποις τουτο αδυνατον εστιν παρα δε θεω παντα δυνατα εστιν

Matthew 19:21 (NET)

Matthew 19:21 (KJV)
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.” Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, ὕπαγε πώλησον σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι εφη αυτω ο ιησους ει θελεις τελειος ειναι υπαγε πωλησον σου τα υπαρχοντα και δος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι εφη αυτω ο ιησους ει θελεις τελειος ειναι υπαγε πωλησον σου τα υπαρχοντα και δος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι

Mark 10:27 (NET)

Mark 10:27 (KJV)
Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God.” And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει· παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατον, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ παρὰ θεῷ· πάντα γὰρ δυνατὰ παρὰ |τῷ| θεῷ εμβλεψας δε αυτοις ο ιησους λεγει παρα ανθρωποις αδυνατον αλλ ου παρα τω θεω παντα γαρ δυνατα εστιν παρα τω θεω εμβλεψας δε αυτοις ο ιησους λεγει παρα ανθρωποις αδυνατον αλλ ου παρα θεω παντα γαρ δυνατα εστιν παρα τω θεω

John 3:16, 17 (NET)

John 3:16, 17 (KJV)
For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ᾿ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ου γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον αυτου εις τον κοσμον ινα κρινη τον κοσμον αλλ ινα σωθη ο κοσμος δι αυτου ου γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον αυτου εις τον κοσμον ινα κρινη τον κοσμον αλλ ινα σωθη ο κοσμος δι αυτου

Colossians 1:14 (NET)

Colossians 1:14 (KJV)
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν εν ω εχομεν την απολυτρωσιν δια του αιματος αυτου την αφεσιν των αμαρτιων εν ω εχομεν την απολυτρωσιν δια του αιματος αυτου την αφεσιν των αμαρτιων

1 Corinthians 13:8 (NET)

1 Corinthians 13:8 (KJV)
Love never ends.  But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει· εἴτε δὲ προφητεῖαι, καταργηθήσονται· εἴτε γλῶσσαι, παύσονται· εἴτε γνῶσις, καταργηθήσεται η αγαπη ουδεποτε εκπιπτει ειτε δε προφητειαι καταργηθησονται ειτε γλωσσαι παυσονται ειτε γνωσις καταργηθησεται η αγαπη ουδεποτε εκπιπτει ειτε δε προφητειαι καταργηθησονται ειτε γλωσσαι παυσονται ειτε γνωσις καταργηθησεται

[1] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had νικήσεις in the future tense and indicative mood here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νικησης in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood (KJV: mightest overcome).  For reference purposes all agree on δικαιωθῇς (NET: will be justified; KJV: mightest be justified) in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood.

[2] Romans 3:4 (NET)

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

[4] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εστιν (KJV: is/are) repeated here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

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

[6] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article τω preceding God.  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[7] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb of being εστιν here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

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

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

[10] Mathew 19:21 (NET)

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

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

[13] When Jesus met Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, for the first time (Luke 7:36-50), He told his host, Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved (ἠγάπησεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) much; but the one who is forgiven little loves (ἀγαπᾷ, another form of ἀγαπάω) little (Luke 7:47 NET).  There is no way I can look at this story and say that the meaning of ἀγαπάω excludes the complex layering of emotions Mary felt, though Jesus focused primarily on what she did to him (Luke 7:44-46).  Crying over, kissing and anointing, Jesus’ feet may have flowed directly from Mary’s emotions, though Jesus said, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44a NET).

I thought my love and gratitude for Jesus’ salvation were supposed to lead to a life of obedience.  My love and gratitude weren’t up to the task.  His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, the fruit of his Holy Spirit, received by faith, is turning the tide.  His love [not my emotions] is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10b NET).  Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:20, 21 NET).

[14] The Septuagint is less clear (Table4 above).

[15] Genesis 6:6 (NET)

[16] “Just the Way You Are”

[17] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δια του αιματος αυτου (KJV: through his blood) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.  NET note 26.

[18] Colossians 1:13, 14 (NET)

[19] He is the image (εἰκὼν) of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation… (Colossians 1:15 NET)

[20] Romans 8:29 (NET)

[21] Matthew 22:44b (NET) Table

[22] Ephesians 2:9 (NET)

[23] 1 John 4:8b (NET)

[24] 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NET)  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πίπτει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκπιπτει (KJV: faileth).

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

[26] Romans 8:3, 4 (NET) Table

[27] Hebrews 6:17, 18 (NET) Table

[28] Luke 18:27 (NET)

[29] Hebrews 10:4 (NET) Table

[30] Hebrews 11:6 (NET)

To Make Holy, Part 5

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The next form of ἁγιάζω I want to consider is found in Jesus’ prayer to his Father: Set them apart (ἁγίασον, a form of ἁγιάζω) in the truth; your word is truth.[1]  But I’m making a slow pilgrimage through his prayer because I believe I can know his holiness here.  I have revealed your name, Jesus prayed, to the [people] you gave me out of the world.  They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have obeyed (τετήρηκαν, a form of τηρέω) your word.[2]

Jesus came into the world to be despised and rejected by people.[3]  And though the Greek word κόσμου (a form of κόσμος), translated of the world, does not exclude the larger Gentile world necessarily, at this particular time He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel[4] rather than Gentile sinners.  You people are from your father the devil,[5] Jesus said of Israel’s religious leaders.  A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher[6] serves as a fair assessment of those who followed Israel’s teachers.  You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves[7] is certainly more explicit.  This gives me some context, how precious the people you gave me out of the world were to Jesus.

He came to what was his own (ἴδια, a form of ἴδιος), but his own people (ἴδιοι, another form of ἴδιος) did not receive him.[8]  He knew this would happen.  Isaiah prophesied it: He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.[9]  And in a very real sense their rejection was part of the plan and purpose of salvation (Romans 11:11-33 NET).

I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they?  Absolutely not!  But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles (ἔθνεσιν, a form of ἔθνος), to make Israel jealous.  Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles (ἐθνῶν, another form of ἔθνος), how much more will their full restoration bring?

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles (ἔθνεσιν, a form of ἔθνος).  Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles (ἐθνῶν, another form of ἔθνος), I magnify my ministry, if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them.  For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?  If the first portion of the dough offered is holy (ἁγία, a form of ἅγιος), then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy (ἁγία, a form of ἅγιος), so too are the branches.

Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root, do not boast over the branches.  But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.  Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”  Granted!  They were broken off because of their unbelief (ἀπιστίᾳ), but you stand by faith (πίστει, a form of πίστις).  Do not be arrogant, but fear!  For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you.  Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God – harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.  And even they – if they do not continue in their unbelief (ἀπιστίᾳ)– will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.  For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles (ἐθνῶν, another form of ἔθνος) has come in.  And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.  And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers.  For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.  Just as you were formerly disobedient (ἠπειθήσατε, a form of ἀπειθέω) to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience (ἀπειθείᾳ), so they too have now been disobedient (ἠπείθησαν, another form of ἀπειθέω) in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.  For God has consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy to them all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!

I’m ignoring for the moment the more traditional interpretation of this verse, the importance and instrumentality of the eleven apostles carrying on Jesus’ message and building the church, in favor of the comfort God the Father gave to Jesus on a mission of rejection.  My current focus is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.  She comforted Him in a way the apostles could not.

She has kept it for the day of my burial,[10] Jesus said of the three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard[11] she had “wasted” on his feet.  She had sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said[12] and apparently believed Him while the eleven (all twelve, in fact) were still full of their own understanding, hoping for (or fearing) the overthrow of the Roman government and their own domination of the world.  Taking Jesus at his word is still a great comfort in a world full of rejection as He draws all to Himself.

They belonged to you (KJV: thine they were), Jesus’ prayer continued.  I don’t want to speculate too much about this beyond Jesus’ own words: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.[13]  Most translators have understood the next clause καμοὶ αὐτοὺς ἔδωκας as a reiteration of people the Father gave to Jesus.  But consider the following table:

King James Version Darby Bible Translation

American King James Version
…and thou gavest them me… …and thou gavest them me… …and you gave them me…

Here it sounds reciprocal: the Father also gave Jesus to them.  But I admit it is possible, probably likely, that this is just King James’ English for a reiteration of the Father gave them to Jesus.  You gave them to Me, the NKJV reads.  The Greek word καμοὶ (and me, me also) is a dative pronoun according to the Koine Greek Lexicon as is μοι (me) in the phrase you gave me out of the world:

Dative Case
The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done. The dative case also has a wide variety of uses, with the root idea being that of “personal interest” or “reference”. It is used most often in one of three general categories: Indirect object, Instrument (means), or Location. Most commonly it is used as the indirect object of a sentence. It may also indicate the means by which something is done or accomplished. Used as a dative of location, it can show the “place”, “time”, or “sphere” in which something may happen. 
For example: (Indirect object): “Jesus said to them“, or “he will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask” (Luke 11:13). 
(Instrument or Means): “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by (by means of) prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). In this sentence, there is a single Greek word translated into the phrase “by prayer” showing the means by which to let our requests be made known to God. 
(Location): “… and on the third day He will be raised up” (Matt 20:19). The phrase “the third day” is in the dative case, showing the time in which Jesus will be raised. In this sentence, there is no Greek word present that is translated into the English word “on”; it is added to show the meaning of the dative of location.

The Greek word αὐτοὺς (them) is an accusative pronoun as is οὓς the untranslated relative pronoun which precedes you gave in the prior phrase:

Accusative Case
The accusative case is the case of the direct object, receiving the action of the verb. Like the other cases, the accusative has a wide variety of uses, but its main function is as the direct object of a transitive verb. The direct object will most often be in the accusative case. 
For example: “As newborn babes, long for the guiless milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2). The word “milk” is in the accusative case and is functioning as the direct object of the transitive verb “long for” (or “desire”).

The only reason I want this giving to be reciprocal is to make it clearer that God the Father gave them Jesus and thus they have kept[14] his word, rather than too appear as if they obeyed his word so God the Father gave them to Jesus.

Now they understand, Jesus’ continued, that everything you have given me comes from you.[15]  In other words, Jesus relied on his Father’s supply, not his own godliness.  And those who had been given to Him knew (ἔγνωκαν, a form of γινώσκω; translated understand) this.  The verb ἔγνωκαν is in the perfect tense: “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect.  In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence.”[16]  And though it is obvious to me here and now that everything you have given me comes from you means that Jesus relied on his Father’s supply rather than his own godliness, it just became obvious to me here and now.

“It’s axiomatic to me,” I wrote in another essay, “that Jesus didn’t utilize his own godliness, but trusted the Holy Spirit that descended like a dove from heaven, and…remained on him.[11] Otherwise, Jesus’ invitation and command, Follow me,[12] is little more than a cruel joke.”

“As I’ve written before it is axiomatic to me that the way Jesus loved us,” I wrote in another essay, “was through that same love He received from the Holy Spirit that descended like a dove from heaven, and…remained on him.[43] He prayed as much to his Father if one has ears to hear: I made known your name to them, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love (ἀγάπη) you have loved (ἠγάπησας, a form of ἀγαπάω) me with may be in them, and I may be in them.”[44]

“As I’ve written before,[20] it is axiomatic to me that Jesus’ holiness was from the Holy Spirit rather than his own divine nature” I wrote elsewhere.  “Otherwise, his command and invitation, Follow me, would be meaningless to sinful human beings.”

I acknowledged that my axiom in the beginning was little more than a confidence that “Jesus wasn’t commanding us to follow Him somewhere we couldn’t go…Over time,” I confessed, “my ‘axiom’ has come to mean so much more: When I am anything less than Christlike I no longer think: ‘Oh, He is God and I am not.’  Instead, I know that I am living according to the flesh (Romans 8:5-11), that I’ve fallen away from grace.  One would think I would know better by now but apparently I do not.  It alerts me that it is time to stop relying on myself and get back to trusting Jesus, relying on his Spirit.  But that weight deserves something weightier than an axiom.”[17]  But when did it become axiomatic?  It wasn’t axiomatic when I turned again to obey his rules in my own strength.

I asked a friend I knew from church to sing this prayer as a demo after I had set it to music.  It was beyond his vocal ability.  Twice in the piece Jesus strikes a dissonant pedal tone until the rest of the music resolves and conforms to that note.  My friend recommended a better trained singer, a younger man nearer my age.  And he did this without criticizing my living arrangements or commenting on my unworthiness to write an opera about Jesus.

As this younger more skilful singer and I rehearsed we talked.  I acknowledged the trouble I was having not sinning.  He said that whatever was too difficult for him became easy when he “turned it over to the Lord.”  It was apparent to me that he was describing actual experience, but I failed to ask what he meant by turning it over to the Lord.  I assumed he meant prayer.  When I prayed for Jesus’ help to overcome my sin I got nothing.  (Or I got everything one reads about in these essays.)  At the time I assumed I wasn’t holy enough to merit God’s help.

So I strove with all my might to make myself holy enough to earn his blessing, by which I meant becoming a famous (and hopefully rich) composer.  I clearly didn’t grasp that since Jesus is holy everyone who abides (John 15:1-8) in Him is holy (Romans 11:16-24).  I saw my task as one of becoming holy rather than one of allowing Jesus’ holiness to shine through me; namely, the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that is the fruit of his Holy Spirit.[18]  And I didn’t understand that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit.

In my ignorance I attempted to use Him as my personal demon to achieve my own purposes.  I was a lot like Nikolai (Adam Brody), the lead singer of the band Low Shoulder, in Jason Reitman’s and Diablo Cody’s movie Jennifer’s Body.  “Do you know how hard it is to make it as an indie band these days?” he asked Jennifer (Megan Fox).  “There’s so many of us, and we’re all so cute, and it’s like, if you don’t get on Letterman or some retarded soundtrack, you’re screwed, okay?  Satan is our only hope.  We’re in league with the beast now, and we have to make a really big impression on him.  And to do that, we’re going to have to butcher you and bleed you.”  And he does.

Granted, I tried to make an impression on Jesus by attempting to obey his laws in my own strength, laws that included not butchering or bleeding young women.  So what would I say to myself now about overcoming sin by turning it over to the Lord?

It was a bit like being caught in Devil’s Snare from the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.  Hermione (Emma Watson), who “pays attention in Herbology” at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, recognizes the plant and knows how to escape it.  “Stop moving, both of you,” she yells to Ron (Rupert Grint) and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe).  “You have to relax.  If you don’t, it will only kill you faster.”

For when we were in the flesh, (as opposed to being led by the Holy Spirit) Paul wrote believers in Rome, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.[19]  My striving to obey rules only strengthened sin’s hold on me: the power of sin is the law.[20]  Rather than living in the flesh, striving to obey laws, I should have given more heed to Paul’s explanation: So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.[21]

In the movie Ron doesn’t respond well to Hermione’s words: “Kill us faster?” he exclaims.  “Oh, now I can relax.”  But Hermione relaxes and falls through the bottom of the plant.  Harry is able to follow her example and disappears as well.  Poor Ron is left alone, struggling, thinking his friends have been swallowed whole by the Devil’s Snare.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen (gôy, בגוים; Septuagint: ἔθνεσιν, a form of ἔθνος), I will be exalted in the earth.[22]  In that quiet place of trust I began to find that seemingly inexhaustible supply of God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control like a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.[23]  Ironically, even my striving to obey laws was fueled by his Holy Spirit channeled through my own ignorance of Him, my ignorance of the Bible which reveals Him to all who have ears to hear.

[1] John 17:17 (NET)

[2] John 17:6 (NET)

[3] Isaiah 53:3a (NET)

[4] Matthew 15:24 (NET)

[5] John 8:44a (NET)

[6] Luke 6:40 (NET)

[7] Matthew 23:15b (NET)

[8] John 1:11 (NET)

[9] Isaiah 53:3 (Tanakh)

[10] John 12:7b (NET)

[11] John 12:3 (NET)

[12] Luke 10:39b (NET)

[13] John 6:44 (NET)

[14] I have written enough about forms of τηρέω (τετήρηκαν is a form of τηρέω) elsewhere: Everyone Fathered by God Does Not Sin; Antichrist, Part 2; Son of God – 1 John, Part 3; Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 3; My Deeds, Part 1; My Deeds, Part 2; My Deeds, Part 3

[15] John 17:7 (NET)

[16] https://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/verbs1.htm#TENSE

[17] Who Am I? Part 6

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

[19] Romans 7:5, 6 (NET)

[20] 1 Corinthians 15:56b (NET)

[21] Romans 7:4 (NET)

[22] Psalm 46:10 (Tanakh)

[23] John4:14b (NET)

Will, Areté and Troy

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An article in the Washington Post by Mark Berman and Marwa Eltagouri, entitled “Parkland suspect detailed plans in chilling videos: ‘I’m going to be the next school shooter’” caught my ear.  Two excerpts from it are contrasted below:

He announced plans to become a school shooter, detailed how many people he hoped to murder and gloated about the infamy he would gain from such a massacre.

“When you see me on the news, you’ll all know who I am,” he says before laughing. “You’re all going to die!”

 Yet even as it emerged after the massacre that he was a troubled young man with a pattern of disturbing behavior and alleged violence, what motivated him to open fire remains unanswered.

Though the journalists’ apparent deafness, whether real or feigned, to the shooter’s own words aroused my curiosity, it’s not really the subject of this essay.  I want to consider the persistence of ancient heroic areté in the contemporary world.

In Homer the word applied to men capable of fighting—able warriors.  They had to possess the best weapons, and their wealth guaranteed the quality of these weapons.  The [men] capable of effectively defending the group united in themselves strength, courage, good birth, and martial skills.  Moral or spiritual values were rarely mentioned.  Areté primarily meant the strength and skill of a warrior or wrestler, and especially heroic virtue.  It was inseparable from a spirit of competition and pride that involved a feeling of duty and responsibility toward the idea of areté.  Over time the concept of areté was extended to prudence and cunning, advantageous traits in war.  The desire to win the crown of areté is the essence of heroism.

Zbigniew Pańpuch’s definition of heroic areté above may not seem at first to describe a school shooter’s psyche unless one considers the question: “effectively defending the group” from whom?  I’m starting here because I think his brief treatise on the ethical problems of areté through time, though otherwise quite able and compelling, misses one key element—the desire (will) that animates it: glory, honor and immortality.  “The probable cause affidavit,” of another school shooter arrested recently, “says he told an investigator he spared people he liked because he wanted his story told.”[1]

Mr. Pańpuch has given me a fresh appreciation for Wolfgang Petersen’s and David Benioff’s Troy.  This desire to be remembered is cited in the opening narration of the movie:

Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity.  And so we ask ourselves will our actions echo across the centuries?  Will strangers hear our names long after we’re gone and wonder who we were…

Though the film was criticized for not adhering to the standard myths it does an excellent job of exploring the ethical issues of areté in dramatic form.  I think Homer may have approved.  Surely, the poets of a later epoch would have understood.

The movie begins in Thessaly.  Agamemnon’s (Brian Cox) will to power over the Greek city states has led him to confront Triopas (Julian Glover), the last free king of Thessaly.  “I brought all the Greek kingdoms together,” Agamemnon extols his own areté later in the film.  “I created a nation out of fire worshippers and snake eaters!  I build the future.”  He proposes a battle of champions to Triopas, but his own champion Achilles (Brad Pitt) is AWOL.

A boy finds Achilles back in camp, sleeping off a drunken orgy with two beautiful naked women.  “I want what all men want,” Achilles admits later in the film.  “I just want it more.”

As Achilles prepares to leave for battle, the boy says, “The Thessalonian you’re fighting, he’s the biggest man I’ve ever seen.  I wouldn’t want to fight him.”

“That’s why no one will remember your name,” Achilles replies.

When Achilles arrives at the front Agamemnon doesn’t honor him as he feels he deserves.  He turns to leave.  But Nestor (John Shrapnel), full of “prudence and cunning,” knows how to manipulate him.

“Achilles, Achilles,” Nestor calls his name to salve his wounded pride, “Look at the men’s faces.  You can save hundreds of them.  You can end this war with a swing of your sword.  Let them go home to their wives.”  And Achilles obeys Nestor.

After Paris (Orlando Bloom) takes Helen (Diane Kruger) with him back to Troy, her husband Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson) asks his brother Agamemnon for help to regain his honor.  “I want her back,” he says, “so I can kill her with my own two hands.  I won’t rest till I’ve burned Troy to the ground.”

“I thought you wanted peace with Troy,” Agamemnon says.

“I should have listened to you.”

“Peace is for the women and the weak,” Agamemnon consoles his brother.

Thus Mr. Pańpuch described the “Areté of mores…the mores and culture of the ordinary life, mentality, and way of life of ‘the best people’—’αριστοι [aristoi].”[2]

They were aware of their privileged and exclusive position.  They had refined manners and knew how to act in every situation.  They showed great hospitality, composure in their response to unexpected situations, and were natural in ordinary life.  They typically acted with irreproachable courtesy toward those who acted wickedly.  Forbearance and admonitions always came before the meting out of just punishment.  The role of the woman and the womanly areté was an essential element of their mores.  Beauty was part of feminine areté, just as a man was judged according to his intellectual and physical virtues.  A woman’s areté was also measured by the purity of her manners, and provident economic management.  This was connected with the social and legal status of women as mistresses of the home, the guardians of every good custom, and the teachers of tradition and culture.

The woman with her specific areté had a moderating influence on the ways of men.

“Old King Priam thinks he’s untouchable behind his high walls,” Agamemnon argues with his counselor Nestor.  “He thinks the sun god will protect him.  But the gods protect only the strong!  If Troy falls I will control the Aegean.”  When he cannot dissuade him from attacking Troy Nestor encourages Agamemnon to call on Achilles and his Myrmidons.  “He can’t be controlled,” Agamemnon laments.  “He’s as likely to fight us as the Trojans.”

“We don’t need to control him, we need to unleash him.  That man was born to end lives.”

Nestor’s plot to use Achilles to achieve Agamemnon’s dream of a unified Greece dramatizes the evolution of areté as described by Mr. Pańpuch, a further moderation of the heroic areté of the sons of disobedience (ἀπειθείας, a form of ἀπείθεια) :

The fight for heroic areté earlier was a fight for personal glory, but with time it was replaced by the motive of heroic love of the fatherland.  Fortitude understood as military skill became areté.  The πολις and what was of benefit or harm to it was the measure of true areté.  It was shameful and blameworthy for a man to refuse to sacrifice his health, property, or life for the fatherland.  The ethics of the state replaced aristocratic ethics.  This process became clearer yet as the conception of justice and the ideal of the state under the rule of law took shape.

This definition mirrors an argument which attempts to wrest Nietzsche’s will to power from Nazis: “Some of the misconceptions of the will to power, including Nazi appropriation of Nietzsche’s philosophy, arise from overlooking Nietzsche’s distinction between Kraft (force) and Macht (power).[2]  Kraft is primordial strength that may be exercised by anything possessing it, while Macht is, within Nietzsche’s philosophy, closely tied to sublimation and ‘self-overcoming’, the conscious channeling of Kraft for creative purposes.”

Odysseus (Sean Bean), the “one man he’ll listen to,” is dispatched to channel Achilles’ Kraft for Agamemnon’s creative purposes.  “Let Achilles fight for honor,” Odysseus pleads.  “Let Agamemnon fight for power.  And let the gods decide which man to glorify…We’re sending the largest fleet that ever sailed, a thousand ships…This war will never be forgotten.  Nor will the heroes who fight in it.”

As he considers whether to swallow his contempt for Agamemnon’s Macht, Achilles’ mother, the sea nymph Thetis (Julie Christie), prophesies his fate:

If you stay in Larisa you will find peace.  You will find a wonderful woman.  You will have sons and daughters, and they will have children.  And they will love you.  When you are gone, they will remember you.  But when your children are dead and their children after them your name will be lost. 

If you go to Troy glory will be yours.  They will write stories about your victories for thousands of years.  The world will remember your name.  But if you go to Troy you will never come home.  For your glory walks hand in hand with your doom.  And I shall never see you again.

“Everyone dies,” Achilles’ expresses his own attitude toward death—and life—later in the film, “today or fifty years from now.  What does it matter?”  And so he encourages his Myrmidons as they approach the beach of Troy with the words, “You know what’s there, waiting, beyond that beach—immortality!  Take it!  It’s yours!”

Hector (Eric Bana) confronts Achilles in the Trojan temple of Apollo over the dead bodies of his priests.  “These priests weren’t armed,” he shouts.  “Fight me!”

“Why kill you now, prince of Troy,” Achilles smirks, “with no one here to see you fall?”

“Why did you come here?”

“They’ll be talking about this war for a thousand years.”

“In a thousand years the dust from our bones will be gone.”

“Yes, prince, but our names will remain.”

Over time areté took on a more moral, even a religious, meaning.  Zbigniew Pańpuch wrote this of “Areté in realization”:

A man’s conscious efforts play an essential role in his achievement of areté.  By nature we are capable of acquiring permanent dispositions and developing them in ourselves by habituation.  These dispositions are not innate.  We only possess predispositions to acquire them because natural operations are not subject to change by habituation, “we acquire the virtues by first having actually practiced them, just as we do the arts”…

Aristotle also stated that there was a converse dependence: there is no prudence without areté.  The idea that happiness can only become fully real in the presence of the transcendent good, God, was revolutionary compared to the ancient conception of happiness.  St. Thomas Aquinas created a great synthesis of the ancient conception of areté and Christian doctrine.  He incorporated into his system the inheritance of great ancient conceptions (Aristotelian, Stoic, and neo-Platonic) and the content of Christian revelation.

Areté it seems has always been a religious attempt to tame the will, to rechannel the desires, of the sons of disobedience.  Paul wrote (Ephesians 2:1-3 NET Table):

And although you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly lived according to this world’s present path, according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience, among whom all of us also formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest…

Ancient “heroic” areté persists because the ruler of the kingdom of the air still whispers sweetly to the deceitful heart of the old human in virile young men, “glory, honor, immortality.”  Clint Eastwood proposed an alternative to the willful self-aggrandizing pursuit of chimeric areté in his movie The 15:17 to Paris.

Young Spencer Stone (William Jennings) gets in a lot of trouble at his smug religious school.  His fiercely loyal mother Joyce Erskel (Judy Greer) confronts him in his bedroom after a report that he toilet-papered a neighbors’ house.  “I am mortified, Spencer.  Mortified,” she repeats after he acknowledges it.  “What am I gonna tell Anthony’s father?”

“I don’t think you should tell…”

“No, you don’t think.  The constant calls from the principal, all the trouble you’ve been causing, it’s too much.  It’s too much Spencer.”

“Mom, I’m sorry.”

“And it is getting harder and harder to come in here because every time I do, I just leave disappointed.”  She slams his bedroom door as she leaves.

That night Spencer prayed what apparently became his life-long prayer, a prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assissi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love.  Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness, joy.  For it is in giving that we receive.  It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.  And it is in dying that we are born into eternal life.  Amen. 

My own bungled lifetime, seeking any and every other remedy, caused me to marvel at the boy.  “Where? How? Such genius,” I sputtered in amazement.  The Holy Spirit’s answer was immediate, and came in the form of Jesus’ couplet on ἑλκύω, which both exalts… (John 6:44a NET)

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws (ἑλκύσῃ, a form of ἑλκύω) him…

…and humbles (John 12:32 NET):

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (ἑλκύσω, another form of ἑλκύω) all people to myself.

Romans, Part 84

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  1. The community has to provide (‘lend’) money to those who need it, free of interest.
  2. All such loans, if outstanding, are to be cancelled every seventh year.
  3. The country’s wealth, and this applies particularly to productive capital such as land, belongs equally to all and needs to be shared out.
  4. Inhabitants are also entitled to have a sabbatical year every seventh year. During this sabbatical year they are entitled to be freed from work at the expense of the community.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’ll return to this in another essay.

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

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

[3] Genesis 15:4 (NET) Table

[4] Genesis 18:14 (NET)

[5] Genesis 31:3 (NET)

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

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

[8] Ibid., p. 85

[9] Galatians 3:16 (NET)

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

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

[12] Genesis 28:14b (Tanakh)

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

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

[15] Luke 13:35 (NET)

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

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

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

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

[20] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

[21] John 6:44a (NET)

[22] Romans 9:18 (NET)

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

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

[25] Romans 7:12 (NET)

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

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

Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 16

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Paul wrote believers in Colossae (Colossians 3:1-6 NET):

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.  So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

A note (4) at the end of this passage in the NET reads:

The words ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας (…“on the sons of disobedience”) are lacking in Ì46 [correct symbol won’t display] B b sa, but are found in א A C D F G H I Ψ 075 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy bo. The words are omitted by several English translations (NASB, NIV, ESV, TNIV). This textual problem is quite difficult to resolve. On the one hand, the parallel account in Eph 5:6 has these words, thus providing scribes a motive for adding them here. On the other hand, the reading without the words may be too hard: The ἐν οἷς (en hois) of v. 7 seems to have no antecedent without υἱούς already in the text, although it could possibly be construed as neuter referring to the vice list in v. 5. Further, although the witness of B is especially important, there are other places in which B and Ì46 [ditto above] share errant readings of omission. Nevertheless, the strength of the internal evidence against the longer reading is at least sufficient to cause doubt here. The decision to retain the words in the text is less than certain.

Whether the words sons of disobedience were original or not is immaterial to me.  I’m more concerned with δι᾿ ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ (“Because of these things the wrath of God is coming”).  First, ἔρχεται (a form of ἔρχομαι) is present tense; appears or shows itself might be a better translation.  Though because is a possible translation of δι᾿[1] (a form of διά), through would be more common (verse 17) and more in line with Paul’s teaching in the opening of Romans, the wrath of God…revealed from heaven.  So I would translate it, “through these (e.g., sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry) the wrath of God appears” or “shows itself.”  In other words, these are the evidence or symptoms of the depraved, unapproved, reprobate or debased mind to which God gave those over who did not like to retain God in their knowledge.[2]

God’s wrath was to give them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.[3]  Paul enumerated what should not be done for believers in Rome (Romans 1:29-32 NET):

They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice.  They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility.  They are gossips [Table], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless [Table].  Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.

A young mother put it this way on Facebook:

Parent shaming.  Judging.  Close mindedness.  Mass murders.  Hate on Nationalities.  Hate on skin colors.  Hate on LGBT’s.  Hate on parenting.  Hate.  I can honestly say I’m worried to bring my children up in the type of society we’ve become.  What will it take to change?  Will it get better before it gets worse?  I have to believe there’s more love in this world than hate.  Incredibly saddening that my happy, loving boys will one day learn the world is so ugly and destructive.

Even if sons of disobedience wasn’t original I don’t see why ἐν οἷς or ἐν τούτοις are “too hard” of a reading.  Paul’s contrast was to the lives the Colossians lived before they died and [their] life [was] hidden with Christ in God, not to some mysterious others called the sons of disobedience.  Even Ephesians reads διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας (for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience[4]).  But again διὰ could be through, ταῦτα refers back to the person who is immoral, impure, or greedy[5] (probably immorality, impurity or greed) and ἔρχεται is present tense, appears or shows itself.

So I would understand it more like, “For through these [immoral, impure or greedy persons, or immorality, impurity or greed] the wrath of God shows itself upon the sons of disobedience.”  The sons of disobedience are no longer a mystery.  The Greek word translated disobedience is ἀπειθείας (a form of ἀπείθεια).  God has consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, another form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy to them all.  The sons of disobedience are old humans, they have not been born from above: Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of the light…[6]  Paul made this same contrast between the old human (παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) and the new (νέον, a form of νέος) for the Colossians (3:7-11 NET):

You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them (ἐν τούτοις; literally “in these”).  But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old (παλαιὸν, a form of παλαιός) man (ἄνθρωπον, a form of ἄνθρωπος) with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.  Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.

I think the Bible has been translated by those who expect most people to spend eternity in the lake of fire.  I don’t intend to dispute that view.  On the contrary, the idea I’m experimenting with here is that all old humans are condemned to spend eternity in the lake of fire.  How many new humans spend eternity with Jesus and his Father?  That depends on God’s mercy—I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion[7]—up to and including all—For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.[8]

I’m a long way, however, from accepting Universalism, demanding that He save all.  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,[9] was a perfect opportunity to specify few, many or all.  Neither Paul nor the Holy Spirit chose to do so.  Enter through the narrow gate, Jesus said, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult (τεθλιμμένη, a form of θλίβω) that leads to life, and there are few who find it.[10]  In the past I took this to mean that ultimately relatively few will be saved.  Now I think differently.

Since yehôvâh informed Cain, you must subdue [sin],[11] and Moses commanded Israel to choose life,[12] salvation was determined by the desire, or willingness, of human beings, whosoever will.  The result, there are few who find it, is what Jesus became human to change.  Someone asked Him directly, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”  Speaking in real time before his crucifixion and resurrection, He said, “Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able (ἰσχύσουσιν, a form of ἰσχύω) to.  Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, let us in!’  But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know where you come from.’” [13]  I tell you the solemn truth, Jesus also said, I am the door for the sheep.[14]  As I considered both of these together I wondered what door the head of the house gets up and shuts.

Surely, it was not Jesus but whosoever will.  The most immediate reason why the many could not enter was the shut door, but a survey of the word ἰσχύω suggests they were not good enough,[15] not strong enough,[16] not healthy enough,[17] not vigilant enough[18] and they would not endure long enough[19] in their own strength.  And so Jesus became the door.  No one can come to me, He said, unless the Father who sent me draws him…[20]  And I, Jesus promised, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.[21]

I’ve written elsewhere what I think about the Greek words translated draws and draw relative to “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling.”  And I don’t think much of the old human’s free will in any sense beyond contingent choices.   I certainly don’t think it is sacrosanct to God.  It wasn’t sacrosanct when He gave old humans over in the desires of their hearts to impurity,[22] to dishonorable passions,[23] and to a depraved mind.[24]  Why should it be sacrosanct when one is born from above, not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God?[25]

Nor can I embrace patristic universalism.  I can’t believe in a purgatorial hell.  In fact, I think the Old Testament narrates how God has gone out of his way to demonstrate over and over again that the best that is ever achieved by punishment, or by the fear of punishment, is hypocrisy.  Jesus said (John 3:5-7, 10 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.’…Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things?

J.W. Hanson painted the early universalist church fathers as elitists in his book Universalism, the Prevailing Doctrine of the Christian Church During Its First Five Hundred Years (p. 56):

Some of the fathers who had achieved a faith in Universalism, were influenced by the mischievous notion that it was to be held esoterically, cherished in secret, or only communicated to the chosen few,–withheld from the multitude, who would not appreciate it, and even that the opposite error would, with some sinners, be more beneficial than the truth….Origen said that “all that might be said on this theme is not expedient to explain now, or to all.  For the mass need no further teaching on account of those who hardly through the fear of aeonian punishment restrain their recklessness.”

I’m not oblivious to Origen’s concern, though it seems to me that someone who would return to sin because God is merciful really hasn’t finished with sin yet.  And I consider myself the rankest of the rank and file.  On the other hand Mr. Hanson characterized many of the patristic fathers as liars whenever they taught endless punishment (p. 59):

There can be no doubt that many of the fathers threatened severer penalties than they believed would be visited on sinners, impelled to utter them because they considered them to be more salutary with the masses than the truth itself. So that we may believe that some of the patristic writers who seem to teach endless punishment did not believe it. Others, we know, who accepted universal restoration employed, for the sake of deterring sinners, threats that are inconsistent, literally interpreted, with that doctrine.

I began this second round considering condemnation or judgment after I read John F. Walvoord’s commentary on Revelation 20 online (Revelation 20:11, 12 NET).

Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne.  Then books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life.  So the dead were judged (ἐκρίθησαν, a form of κρίνω) by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.

I’m not aware of ἐκρίθησαν translated condemned in any English Bible, but that is what Mr. Walvoord took it to mean: “Their standing posture means that they are now about to be sentenced.”  John’s vision continued (Revelation 20:13-15 NET):

The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged (ἐκρίθησαν, a form of κρίνω) according to his deeds.  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  This is the second death – the lake of fire.  If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.

Mr. Walvoord wrote, “The summary judgment is pronounced in verse 14 that ‘death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.’  In a word, this means that all who died physically and were in Hades, the intermediate state, are here found unworthy and cast into the lake of fire.”

I was shocked that the doctrine I’ve heard my whole life was based on a rationalist assumption that death and hell, or Death and Hades, were not entities that might be thrown into the lake of fire but merely euphemisms for “all who died physically and were in Hades.”  And this in an essay where literal was used 35 times, literally 12 times and literalness twice, mostly relative to the thousand years, but it was a consistent theme of Mr. Walvoord’s argument.  He wrote for example:

[Barnes] further holds that Revelation 20 should not be taken literally, and interposes the words “as if” before the judgment and resurrection of 20:4 as well as with the binding of Satan. This would seem to be adding to the book, so strongly forbidden in 22:18.

But Mr. Walvoord’s understanding of Revelation 20:13-15 presents us with the following rewrite:

Revelation 20:14, 15 NET

Revelation 20:14, 15 John F. Walvoord
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  This is the second death – the lake of fire.  If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire. Then the dead that were in Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  This is the second death – the lake of fire.  No one’s name was found written in the book of life, so they were all thrown into the lake of fire.

Mr Walvoord concluded, without a Scripture quotation or any fear of contradiction:

If the point of view be adopted that the book of life was originally the book of all living from which have been expunged the names of those who departed from life on earth without salvation, it presents a sad picture of a blank space where their names could have been written for all eternity as the objects of divine grace. Though they are judged by their works, it is evident that their destiny is determined primarily by their lack of spiritual life. When the fact is contemplated that Jesus Christ in His death reconciled the world to Himself (2 Cor. 5:19) and that He died for the reprobate as well as for the elect, it is all the more poignant that these now raised from the dead are cast into the lake of fire. Their ultimate destiny of eternal punishment is not, in the last analysis, because God wished it but because they would not come to God for the grace which He freely offered.

What about the dead in the sea?  I think we can accept that the sea is not an entity that might be thrown into the lake of fire.  I would assume that the names of some, up to and including all, were written in the book of life.  Mr. Walvoord changed the subject:

A special problem is introduced by the resurrection of those who were cast into the sea with the presumption that their bodies have disintegrated and have been scattered over a wide area geographically. The special mention of the sea is occasioned by the fact that resurrection usually implies resurrection from the grave. The resurrection of the dead from the sea merely reaffirms that all the dead will be raised regardless of the condition of their bodies.

I would assume though Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire, the names of some of their dead, up to and including all, were written in the book of life.  The idea I’m experimenting with is that the new humans born of God are spared while the old humans, in a one for one correspondence, are judged according to their deeds and thrown into the lake of fire.  And this, because the names in the book of life are not written there by some who came “to God for the grace which He freely offered” but by the mercy of God (Romans 9:15, 16 NET):

I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.  So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion [e.g., “whosoever will”], but on God who shows mercy.

 

[1] Enter through (διὰ) the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through (δι᾿, another form of διὰ) it  (Matthew 7:13 NET).

[2] Romans 1:28 (NKJV)

[3] Romans 1:28b (NET)

[4] Ephesians 5:6b (NET)

[5] Ephesians 5:5b (NET)

[6] Ephesians 5:7, 8 (NET)

[7] Romans 9:15 (NET)

[8] Romans 11:32 (NET)

[9] 1 Timothy 1:15b (NET)

[10] Matthew 7:13, 14 (NET)

[11] Genesis 4:7b (NET)

[12] Deuteronomy 30:19 (NET)

[13] Luke 13:23-25 (NET)

[14] John 10:7 (NET)

[15] It is no longer good (ἰσχύει, another form of ἰσχύω) for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people (Matthew 5:13b NET).

[16] No one was strong enough (ἴσχυεν, another form of ἰσχύω) to subdue him (Mark 5:4b NET).

[17] Those who are healthy (ἰσχύοντες, another form of ἰσχύω) don’t need a physician… (Matthew 9:12b NET)

[18] Couldn’t (ἴσχυσας, another form of ἰσχύω) you stay awake for one hour? (Mark 14:37b NET)

[19] I am able (ἰσχύω) to do all things through the one who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 NET).

[20] John 6:44a (NET)

[21] John 12:32 (NET)

[22] Romans 1:24 (NET) Table

[23] Romans 1:26 (NET)

[24] Romans 1:28 (NET)

[25] John 1:13 (NET)

Romans, Part 60

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

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

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

John 15:11 (NET)

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

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

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)

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

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NET)

 

[Love] hopes all things, endures all things.

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

Matthew 18:13 (NET)

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

Luke 15:6 (NET)

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

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

Romans 12:9-21 (NET)

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

Romans 12:12a (NET)

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

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

Acts 5:41 (NET) Table

 

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

Romans 15:13 (NET)

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

Mark 13:13b (NET)[2]

 

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

2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 (NET)

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

Acts 2:42 (NET)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matthew 15:1, 2 (NET)

 

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

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

Matthew 15:3 (NET)

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

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

Matthew 15:4-6 (NET)

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

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

Matthew 15:7-9 (NET)

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

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

Mark 7:8 (NET)

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

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

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

[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

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

[3] Luke 1:14a (NET)

[4] Luke 1:7 (NET)

[5] Luke 1:13 (NET)

[6] Hebrews 12:2b (NET)

[7] Hebrews 12:2c (NET)

[8] John 17:5 (NET)

[9] John 15:11 (NET)

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

[11] John 15:10 (NET)

[12] John 15:6 (NET)

[13] Matthew 5:20 (NET)

[14] John 15:12 (NET)

[15] Romans 13:10 (NET)

[16] John 15:13 (NET)

[17] John 17:26 (NET)

[18] Galatians 5:22a (NET)

[19] John 17:26 (KJV)

[20] Proverbs 14:12 (NET)

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

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

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

[24] 2 Corinthians 9:4 (NET)

[25] John 14:26 (NET)

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

[27] 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NASB)

[28] John 7:18 (NET)

[29] 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NET)

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

[31] John 6:46 (NET)

[32] John 6:44a (NET)

[33] modus ponens

[34] Romans 4:17b (NET)

Romans, Part 59

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The most obvious translation of Do not lag in zeal[1] (τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί) is something like “this haste not slothful.”  Thus we urged Titus, Paul wrote the Corinthians, that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you.  But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness (σπουδῇ) and in the love from us that is in you – make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.  I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness (σπουδῆς, a form of σπουδή) of others.[2]

The translation of σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς as eagerness above is not wrong if I recognize that Paul’s concern was the timeliness of completing this act of kindness rather than an emotional affect.  Certainly Paul was also interested in the Corinthians’ emotional affect, but he used a different word for that (2 Corinthians 8:10b-12 NET):

It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly (προθυμία), you can also complete it according to your means.  For if the eagerness (προθυμία) is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.

The Greek words σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς seem to refer here to the fact that the Corinthians made a good start last year but had failed thus far to finish what [they] started.  I know your eagerness (προθυμίαν, a form of προθυμία) to help,[3] Paul assured them.  The Corinthians’ προθυμία and προθυμίαν were not at issue.  It was σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς they lacked or needed to address (2 Corinthians 9:2b-4 NET):

I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal (ζῆλος) to participate has stirred up most of them.  But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them.  For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

As a description of love “this haste not slothful” makes a good deal of sense.  A feigned or hypocritical love, the love of an actor, wearing a false face, speaking another’s lines, will tend to be too fast or too slow in action.  While the Love…without hypocrisy (ἀνυπόκριτος),[4] the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is timely, at a measured pace, this haste not slothful, full of the recognition that love unfeigned lasts a lifetime and beyond.

“This haste not slothful,” however, makes a terrible rule.  Here is a listing of various English translations.

Romans 12:11a

Bible Version
Never be lacking in zeal… New International Version
Never be lazy… New Living Translation
Do not be slothful in zeal… English Standard Bible
Do not become apathetic… Berean Study Bible
not lagging in diligence… Berean Literal Bible
not lagging behind in diligence… New American Standard Bible, NASB 1977
Not slothful in business… King James Bible, KJV 2000, American KJV, Webster’s Bible Translation
Do not lack diligence… Holman Christian Standard Bible
Never be lazy in showing such devotion. International Standard Version
Be diligent and do not be lazy… Aramaic Bible in Plain English, GOD’S WORD Translation
not slothful in earnest care… Jubilee Bible 2000
in diligence not slothful… American Standard Version, English Revised Version
In carefulness not slothful. Douay-Rheims Bible
as to diligent zealousness, not slothful… Darby Bible Translation
Do not be indolent when zeal is required. Weymouth New Testament
not lagging in diligence… World English Bible
in the diligence not slothful… Young’s Literal Translation

I won’t take issue with translating σπουδῇ (a form of σπουδή) abstractly as diligent or diligence: if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence (ὁ προϊστάμενος ἐν σπουδῇ).[5]  I do question translating it zeal or zealousness.  Paul did not write ζῆλος.  Matthew, Mark and John recounted two different occasions when Jesus demonstrated a godly zeal.

Matthew

 Mark

John
Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.

Matthew 21:12 (NET)

 Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

Mark 11:15, 16 (NET)

 Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  He found in the temple courts those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at tables.  So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

John 2:13-15 (NET)
And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”

Matthew 21:13 (NET)

 Then he began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

Mark 11:17 (NET)

 To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”

John 2:16 (NET)

 
The chief priests and the experts in the law heard it and they considered how they could assassinate him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

Mark 11:18 (NET)

 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal (ζῆλος) for your house will devour me.”

John 2:17 (NET)

 

Paul actually distinguished between this kind of zeal and love: Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love (ἀγάπῃ, a form of ἀγάπη) and a spirit of gentleness?[6]  And though I have no doubt that Jesus consciously fulfilled Scripture, the incidents were also remarkable because they were uncharacteristic and atypical of Him.  The religious mind is all too eager to consider hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, and envying[7] righteous indignation or zeal for God.  Paul gave no law encouraging the religious mind not to lag in this kind of zeal.

The description continues, be enthusiastic in spirit (τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες [a form of ζέω]), literally “this spirit boils” or “this boiling spirit.”  If I put it back together I have, this haste not slothful, this boiling spirit.  These words make sense if applied to a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria.[8]  He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures.  He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm (ζέων, another form of ζέω) he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus (KJV: the Lord), although he knew only the baptism of John.[9]

The danger of this kind of enthusiasm wasn’t actually revealed until the next chapter of Acts:  Paul found some disciples in Ephesus and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”[10] It gives me a different impression when Apollos began to speak out fearlessly (παρρησιάζεσθαι, a form of παῤῥησιάζομαι) in the synagogue.[11]  I contrast it to Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ (literally, “speaking freely upon the Lord”).  Here, I think, Paul and Barnabas relied on the Lord rather than their own “fearlessness” and He testified to the message of his grace, granting miraculous signs and wonders to be performed through their hands.[12]

Priscilla and Aquila, who had spent time with Paul,[13] slowed Apollos’ haste (without dampening his enthusiasm): when Priscilla and Aquila heard him [speak out fearlessly in the synagogue], they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.[14]  Apollos traveled from Ephesus to Achaia.  When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,[15] the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers[16] who had responded to Paul’s presentation of the Gospel.[17]  (No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, Jesus said, and I will raise him up at the last day.[18])  Apollos greatly assisted them, not by browbeating them to live better lives, but by preoccupying those who might have done so: for he refuted the Jews (Ἰουδαίοις, a form of  Ἰουδαῖος) vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.[19]

This haste not slothful, this boiling spirit, serve (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord,[20] or serving the Lord,[21] or “this Lord enslaved,” or “enslaved to this Lord.”  Ordinarily I might think of being enslaved as a negative thing.  But Paul compared the slavery of righteousness to the slavery of sin (admittedly, speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh), just as you once presented your members as slaves (δοῦλα, a form of δοῦλος) to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves (δοῦλα, a form of δοῦλος) to righteousness leading to sanctification.[22]

For we too were once foolish, Paul wrote to Titus, disobedient, misled, enslaved (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another.[23]  If I think of serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord or being enslaved to the Lord as something like the work I do to please my employer, I will think that I am obeying a rule: serve the Lord.  If on the other hand I think of serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord or being enslaved to the Lord as something more like being enslaved (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) to various passions and desires, well, that’s more like what I did on the weekends after work.

And I think that is more like the δουλεύοντες Paul described here, the natural (super-natural) outpouring of this boiling spirit.  In fact, I should work for my employer in this same way and not like I used to work before I was enslaved to the Lord.  Slaves, obey (ὑπακούετε, a form of ὑπακούω) your human masters with fear and trembling, Paul wrote the Ephesians, in the sincerity (ἁπλότητι, a form of ἁπλότης) of your heart (καρδίας, a form of καρδία) as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) of Christ doing the will of God from the heart (ψυχῆς, a form of ψυχή).  Obey with enthusiasm (εὐνοίας, a form of εὔνοια), as though serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord and not people…[24]

Part of the definition of ἁπλότητι in the NET is “free from pretence and hypocrisy,” “not self seeking.”  This ἁπλότητι comes from the love that is not self-serving.[25]  All of this is accomplished as slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) of Christ, not as someone in some wretched social condition but as one whose attitudes and actions are produced by the fruit of the Holy Spirit: For the love of Christ controls (συνέχει, a form of συνέχω) us…[26]  Doing the will of God from the heart[27]…with enthusiasm (or, good will), as[28]… serving (or, enslaved to) the Lord and not people.  We have died to what controlled (κατειχόμεθα, a form of κατέχω) us, so that we may serve (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.[29]

And so I have, “this haste not slothful, this boiling spirit, enslaved to the Lord.”  Transforming a description of Love…without hypocrisy into three rules—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—may be equivalent to the παρρησιάζεσθαι of Apollos in the synagogue, but it will never rival the παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ of Paul and Barnabas in Iconium.  For it lacks all the power of God.

[1] Romans 12:11a (NET)

[2] 2 Corinthians 8:6-8 (NET)

[3] 2 Corinthians 9:2a (NET)

[4] Romans 12:9a (NET)

[5] Romans 12:8 (NET)

[6] 1 Corinthians 4:21b (NET)

[7] Galatians 5:19, 20 (NET)

[8] Acts 18:24a (NET)

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

[10] Acts 19:2 (NET)

[11] Acts 18:26a (NET)

[12] Acts 14:3 (NET)

[13] Acts 18:2, 3 (NET)

[14] Acts 18:26b (NET)

[15] Acts 18:27b (NET)

[16] 1 Corinthians 6:9b, 10a (NET) Table

[17] 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NET)

[18] John 6:44 (NET)

[19] Acts 18:28 (NET)

[20] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

[21] Romans 12:11 (NAS)

[22] Romans 6:19 (NET)

[23] Titus 3:3 (NET)

[24] Ephesians 6:5-7 (NET)

[25] 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)

[26] 2 Corinthians 5:14a (NET)

[27] The NET note on obey in verse 7: “Though the verb does not appear again at this point in the passage, it is nonetheless implied and supplied in the English translation for the sake of clarity.”

[28] I don’t see anything to translate though in the Greek.  This is not something to be faked as though, but is the real righteousness of God, the love that is the fulfillment of the law..

[29] Romans 7:6b (NET)

Romans, Part 58

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In this essay I’ll continue looking at the aftermath of Jesus feeding five thousand plus people in the light of his assessment of the Jewish leaders (Ἰουδαῖοι, a form of Ἰουδαῖος)[1] as an answer to how the Father seeking his own is not self-seeking.  And ultimately it is a continuing part of my attempt to view—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord[2]—as a definition of love (ἀγάπη) rather than as rules.  Jesus spoke to those who followed Him not because [they] saw miraculous signs, but because [they] ate all the loaves of bread [they] wanted[3] after they began complaining about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven”[4] (John 6:43-45 NET):

Do not complain about me to one another.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.  It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’  Everyone who hears and learns from (παρὰ) the Father comes to me.

As I’ve written elsewhere the translation draws may be understating the case a bit if I think in terms of the hymn, “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling.”[5]  The Greek word ἑλκύσῃ (a form of ἑλκύω) translated draws above means something more like drags more often than not in the New Testament.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me [drags] him gives a little different picture of the situation.

Jesus’ summary of the prophets—‘And they will all be taught by God’—was translated as follows in the KJV: And they shall be all taught of God.  Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.[6]  To a contemporary ear this may sound like “they will all be taught about God” and “Everyone who has heard and learned about the Father, comes to Jesus.”  The editors of the NKJV, aware of this quirk of contemporary English, clarified the meaning of the text:  ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’  Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.[7]  And it becomes doubly clear when I recognize that Jesus, the Holy Spirit and John felt the need to include the parenthetical: Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from (παρὰ) God – he has seen the Father.[8]

I don’t want to pass by too quickly without examining Jesus’ summary of the prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’  A note in the NET claimed this as a quotation of Isaiah 54:13.  So I’ll look at that chapter a bit (Isaiah 54:4-13a NET):

Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame!  Don’t be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated!  You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth; you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment.  For your husband is the one who made you – the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) who commands armies is his name.  He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel.  He is called “God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of the entire earth.”

“Indeed, the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) will call you back like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיך).  “For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.  In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your protector, the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה).

“As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood would never again cover the earth.  In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.  Even if the mountains are removed and the hills displaced, my devotion will not be removed from you, nor will my covenant of friendship be displaced,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), the one who has compassion on you.

“O afflicted one, driven away, and unconsoled!  Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.  I will make your pinnacles out of gems, your gates out of beryl, and your outer wall out of beautiful stones.  All your children will be followers of the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה)…

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.  And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”[9]

“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.  It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt.  For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה).  “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה).  “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds.  I will be their God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, לאלהים) and they will be my people.

“People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me.  For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה).  “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done” [Table].

The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) has made a promise to Israel.  He promises it as the one who fixed the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by night.  He promises it as the one who stirs up the sea so that its waves roll.  He promises it as the one who is known as the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) who rules over all.[10]

A note in the NET acknowledges that, Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me, might have been translated “listens to the Father and learns.”  The latter translation actually fits the Greek word order (πᾶς ὁ ἀκούσας παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μαθὼν ἔρχεται πρὸς ἐμέ) better than the former.  I’m pleasantly surprised that it was translated as it was.

A narrow path is created by 1) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; 2) ‘And they will all be taught by God;’ and 3) Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me.  I definitely relate this to, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (ρήματα, a form of ῥῆμα) of God.[11]  If everyone who hears from God also learns from God, they will all be taught by God carries a different weight than everyone who hears from God must learn on his own to come to Jesus.[12]

I found a thoughtful sermon online from John Piper that accurately portrays the teaching of my religion:

In John 6:44, Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” And in John 12:32, Jesus says, “I will draw all people to myself.” So John 6:44 teaches, I argued last week, that the Father draws people triumphantly to the Son, and all whom he draws come, because the drawing is decisive. And John 12:32 teaches that Jesus draws all to himself.[13]

The solution to this dilemma (dilemma because my religion rejects the notion of universal salvation) is that all in John 12:32 (NET)—And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself—does not mean all people (people is not in the original text).  All means “all the children of God” or “all of my sheep.”[14]  To my mind this limitation disregards, Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”[15]

If the Lord does not wish (βουλόμενος, a form of βούλομαι) for any to perish but for all to come to repentance,[16] we need to consider these “couplets,” as I think of them, in another way.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him;[17] And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.[18]  So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy;[19] For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.[20]  And consider these in the light of his unilateral declaration: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.[21]

All the Lord has to do is declare that these words justify Him to call as many, up to and including all, to repentance as He desires and John Piper and I have no way to contradict Him.  There are three reasons I won’t go all the way and say I believe in universal salvation: 1) I have no standing to tell the Lord He must save all; 2) my own theory how this might be possible, that universal salvation entails universal condemnation, while intellectually satisfying, is emotionally horrifying; and 3) it seems to me that the arguments of Scripture lock me out from determining such a thing at the same time they free me to pray for “the mercy on which everything depends, for it does not depend on human desire or exertion but on You who shows mercy, and You have consigned all to disobedience so that You may show mercy to all.”

Jesus continued (John 6:47-51 NET):

I tell you the solemn truth, the one who believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life (Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς).  Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread that has come down from heaven, so that a person may eat from it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever.  The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.

Then the Ἰουδαῖοι began to argue with one another, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”[22]  The Church’s answer to their question was Transubstantiation.  If Transubstantiation is Jesus’ answer, too, then He might have said: “You will walk to the front of the congregation and kneel before the priest who will give you a morsel of bread and a sip of wine, the substance of which he has changed into my literal body and blood respectively, but it will still look and taste like bread and wine.”  And I’ll read what He actually said in that light (John 6:53-58 NET):

I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.  The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink [Table].  The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him.  Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes me will live because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died.  The one who eats this bread will live forever.

In this case I would assume that Jesus deliberately used offensive language to thin the herd of his followers.  If, on the other hand, I believe that Jesus’ answer to their question—How can this man give us his flesh to eat?—came later in the text when He spoke privately with his disciples, I will have a different perspective: The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature (σὰρξ) is of no help![23]  The words (ρήματα, a form of ῥῆμα) that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.[24]

I may still wonder if He spoke something like a parable that may have been misunderstood by others, that He explained to his core disciples, but I also recognize that He spoke of something deeper than my ability to learn in my natural self from spiritual teaching.  And I recall that the concept of eating the words of God was familiar to Jesus’ audience (Ezekiel 3:1-4 NET):

He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you see in front of you – eat this scroll – and then go and speak to the house of Israel.”  So I opened my mouth and he fed me the scroll.

He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving to you.”  So I ate it, and it was sweet like honey in my mouth.

He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.”

In this case his hearers may not have been offended because they thought Jesus spoke of cannibalism.  They understood his allusion.  They were offended because Jesus didn’t hand them the law of Moses to eat, but Himself and his own teaching as the Spirit words to be ingested.  They rejected Him not because they were confused but because they understood Him perfectly and their hearts were hardened (Ezekiel 3:5-7 NET):

For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel – not to many peoples of unintelligible speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand – surely if I had sent you to them, they would listen to you!  But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.

 After this many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer.  So Jesus said to the twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”[25]

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go?  You have the words (ρήματα, a form of ῥῆμα) of eternal life.  We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God!”[26] 

If Jesus were only seeking those who have come to believe and to know that [He is] the Holy One of God, then I’m not sure if that would be self-serving or not.  If He is serious about seeking those who are his own in name only but in actual point of fact are hardened and reject Him, it is clear that seeking his own is not self-seeking, but clearly an act of the love that is not self-serving.[27]

[1] John 5:16-47 (NET) Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders (Ἰουδαῖοι) began persecuting him (verse 16) [Table].

[2] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

[3] John 6:26 (NET)

[4] John 6:41 (NET)

[5] http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Softly_and_Tenderly/

[6] John 6:45 (KJV)

[7] John 6:45 (NKJV)

[8] John 6:46 (NET)

[9] Romans 11:26, 27 (NET)

[10] Jeremiah 31:31-35 (NET)

[11] Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

[12] Even the KJV translators chose this path: Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me (John 6:45b KJV).  Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me (John 6:45b NKJV).  I’m afraid I would have assumed in the past that learned was my own work, to blunt the impact of And they will all be taught by God (e.g., only those who learned by whatever wisdom or virtue they possessed innately would benefit from being taught by God or having heard from God).

[13] http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/they-will-all-be-taught-of-god

[14] http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/they-will-all-be-taught-of-god

[15] Romans 3:4 (NET)

[16] 2 Peter 3:9b (NET)

[17] John 6:44a (NET)

[18] John 12:32 (NET)

[19] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

[20] Romans 11:32 (NET)

[21] Romans 9:15 (NET)

[22] John 6:52 (NET)

[23] ἡ σὰρξ οὐκ ὠφελεῖ οὐδέν appears almost as a double negative: “the flesh, no, it assists (is useful, advantageous or profitable, to) no one.”

[24] John 6:63 (NET)

[25] John 6:66, 67 (NET)

[26] John 6:68, 69 (NET)

[27] 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)

Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 8

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To reveal my own position and velocity[1] it is probably past time that I at least outline my own religious background.  And here, I’ll take the lazy way out.  Matt Slick has done it for me in his “Doctrine Grid”[2] online.  He acknowledged that “some of these are debatable…I do not claim absolute correctness on all points–only the essentials.”  I’m not going to debate his points beyond pointing out that Mr. Slick offers them as “a layout of biblical orthodoxy” and I offer them only as an outline of my religious background, both its content and tone.

Though I live among them I don’t understand my people, those of my religious background, as it pertains to the hope and promise of universal salvation in the Scriptures.  I think I understand what might motivate someone like Richard Wayne Garganta to eliminate “hell talk” from the Bible.  But I can’t get a handle on what might motivate someone to eliminate the hope and promise of universal salvation from the Bible.  “It’s not there!” is a form of blindness.

A puff piece[3] about Matt Chandler in the May 2014 issue of Christianity Today caught my attention as I considered these things:

For a long time, Chandler had prayed for his dad to know Christ.  “I remember being confused with the idea of [Dad having] free will, but then me asking God to save him. To me those two things were incompatible.”
He found the answer in classically reformed teachings, especially those of John Piper. Chandler embraces the view that God predestines some to heaven and others to hell.[4]

I’m not going to say much about free will except to offer my opinion that it represents the contingent choices we make—contingent choices with a really good press agent.  I will look deeper into “the view that God predestines some to heaven and others to hell.”  We certainly knew of that view in my religion.  Our essentially fundamentalist church had separated from the Congregationalists as they embraced “modernism.”[5]  It was joined later by others separating from the Presbyterians for similar reasons, a group who held views similar to Matt Chandler’s.   My family shared a more “whosoever will may come” view.

It seemed fairer somehow.  Could God be other than fair?  He has given everyone on the planet an equal opportunity to choose to trust Him.  Salvation, therefore, is left ultimately up to an individual’s choice.  That seemed consistent enough with the Old Testament, and except for Paul’s writings and Jesus’ sayings more or less consistent with the New Testament as I understood it at the time.

So, is “God predestines some to heaven and others to hell” a fair inference from God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden[6]?  I still don’t think so.  It requires me to reject the hope and promise of universal salvation revealed in Scripture (a Christian heresy[7] according to Matt Slick and a host of others, my people all).  Consider the context (Romans 9:17, 18 NET):

For the scripture says to Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”  So then, God has mercy (ἐλεεῖ, a form of ἐλεέω) on whom he chooses (θέλει, a form of θέλω) to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses (θέλει, a form of θέλω) to harden.

I can say with full conviction on the authority of Scripture that the chariots of Pharaoh and his army [yehôvâh] has thrown into the sea, and his chosen officers were drowned in the Red Sea.[8]  I can’t say with the same confidence that Pharaoh or his army will spend eternity in hell.   Yehôvâh, as revealed by Paul, thinks differently than Matt Chandler or Matt Slick on this subject (Romans 11:30, 31 NET).

Just as you were formerly disobedient (ἠπειθήσατε, a form of ἀπείθεια), so they too have now been disobedient (ἠπείθησαν, another form of ἀπειθέω) in order that, by the mercy (ἐλέει, a form of ἔλεος) shown to you, they too may now receive mercy (ἐλεηθῶσιν, another form of ἐλεέω).

Paul referred specifically here to his own people, my fellow countrymen, who are Israelites,[9] and all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints.[10]  But I can’t find any compelling reason to discriminate against an ancient Pharaoh and his army: For God has consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, another form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy (ἐλεήσῃ, another form of ἐλεέω) to…all.[11]  So while—it does not depend on human desire (θέλοντος, another form of θέλω)or exertion, but on God who shows mercy (ἐλεῶντος, another form of ἐλεέω )[12]—is a potent antidote to the “whosoever will may come” religious view of my youth, it is clearly coupled with the hope of universal salvation: God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to…all.

Jesus’ saying—No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws (ἑλκύσῃ, a form of ἑλκύω) him, and I will raise him up at the last day[13]—is a stronger refutation of “whosoever will may come” unless one takes ἑλκύσῃ to mean “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling.”[14]  In that case, Jesus’ promise of universal salvation—And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (ἑλκύσω, another form of ἑλκύω) all…to myself[15]—becomes little more than a promise of equal opportunity:  And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will softly and tenderly call all people to myself.  But I’m not convinced that ἑλκύσῃ and ἑλκύσω will dance to that tune.

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, called to it softly and tenderly, and it rose up out of its scabbard and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear.  The Scripture says, Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out (εἵλκυσεν, another form of ἑλκύω) and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear.[16]  The King James translators chose drew for εἵλκυσεν, making the connection to Jesus’ sayings clear even in English: Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear.[17]  Here any English speaking person might consider how much say the sword had regarding when, how or for what purpose it was drawn.

“Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some [fish],” Jesus told his disciples.  So they threw the net, and were not able to pull (ἑλκύσαι, another form of ἑλκύω) it in because of the large number of fish.[18]  Here the net resisted, because it was too heavy for the disciples to pull up out of the water and into their boat.  But it was no match for Peter dragging it ashore: So Simon Peter went aboard and pulled (εἵλκυσεν, another form of ἑλκύω) the net to shore.[19]  And again, the King James translators made the comparison to Jesus’ sayings obvious:  they were not able to draw it in.[20]

Here are a few more examples of forms of ἑλκύω from Luke and James:

“Whosoever will may come”

Bible
But when her owners saw their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and softly and tenderly called them into the marketplace before the authorities. But when her owners saw their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged (εἵλκυσαν, another form of ἑλκύω) them into the marketplace before the authorities.

Acts 16:19 (NET)
The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together.  They seized Paul and softly and tenderly called him out of the temple courts, and immediately the doors were shut. The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together.  They seized Paul and dragged (εἷλκον, another form of ἑλκύω) him out of the temple courts, and immediately the doors were shut.

Acts 21:30 (NET)
But you have dishonored the poor!  Are not the rich oppressing you and softly and tenderly calling you into the courts? But you have dishonored the poor!  Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging (ἕλκουσιν, another form of ἑλκύω) you into the courts?

James 2:6 (NET)

It does not behoove the God-predestines-some-to-heaven-and-others-to-hell folk to call out the whosoever-will-may-come folk on this point.  The former are as opposed to universal salvation as the latter.  Still, it seems to me if I understand Jesus’ sayings correctly—No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me [drags] him and, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will [drag] all…to myself—I get a clearer picture of the human condition and the hope and promise of God in Christ.

The only person I want to condemn to hell is my old man, not my father, but the sin in my flesh.  I have had a remarkably blessed life.  No one raped and murdered my mother, my sister, my daughter or my wives.  Divorce is the most difficult sin I’ve been called upon to forgive.  And I love the women who divorced me.  I certainly wouldn’t want to see them condemned to an eternity in hell because they found living with me unendurable.  But by wishing my old man condemned to hell I have condemned the whole world.

Gentle Heart suggested that final judgment could be like the judgment of wheat and chaff: “So maybe John 5:28 and 29 can be talking about all us dead being raised and our ‘old selves’ get condemned and our ‘new selves’ live eternally with the Lord.”  It’s an intriguing idea that seems to satisfy the long name of God.

The Long Name of God
The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.

Exodus 34:6, 7a (NET)

 But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.

Exodus 34:7b (NET)

The main objection would be the apparent need for postmortem salvation in some (or, many) cases.  But that is really only an objection from the human perspective, the impossibility of believing in Jesus for salvation when one faces Him in judgment.  But from the divine perspective there is no law or rule, no circumstance of life or death that prohibits God from showing mercy: I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.[21]  Salvation does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.[22]  And, God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.[23]  In fact this is why we work hard and struggle, Paul encouraged Timothy, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.[24]

There is a satisfying symmetry to the idea that universal salvation entails universal condemnation.  But I’ve had a lifetime to identify with the new man.[25]  If God condemned the sin in my flesh to an eternity in hell, I think I could bid the old man Godspeed and good riddance.  But consider one born from above by the calling of God at, or after, the final judgment.

I know how often I have oscillated between the old and new man when they were in the same geographical and space/time location.  Imagine the trauma of oscillating between the more familiar old man and the relatively strange new man when one is in hell and the other is face to face with God.  Still, the Holy Spirit has seen, and sees, me through my conflict and confusion.  I don’t doubt that He could comfort one in the throes of that terror.

I can’t say this is the way God fulfills his desire to be merciful while He by no means leaves the guilty unpunished.  I can only say, Gentle Heart, in the spirit of Jonathan Edwards’ argument for God as the Superlative Torturer, that if we can imagine this wheat and chaff solution to the dilemma of universal salvation, how many more solutions can the living God conceive and execute to satisfy the desire of his, and your, gentle heart.

[1] Who Am I? Part 1

[2] Doctrine Grid

[3] I call it a puff piece because I have no doubt that the editors will publish a hatchet job about the very same preacher if he slips financially or sexually, or strays doctrinally too far from what the editors feel they can sell as Christianity Today.

[4] “The Joy-Stung Preacher,” Joe Maxwell, Christianity Today, May 2014, p. 39

[5] Theological Liberalism

[6] Romans 9:18 (NET)

[7] Can a Christian be a universalist?

[8] Exodus 15:4 (NET)

[9] Romans 9:3, 4 (NET)

[10] Romans 1:7 (NET)

[11] Romans 11:32 (NET)  A note in the NET acknowledges that “them” was added for stylistic reasons.

[12] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

[13] John 6:44 (NET)

[14] Softly and Tenderly

[15] John 12:32 (NET)  NET note: “Grk ‘all.’ The word ‘people’ is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV ‘all men’).”  See: Colossians 1:15-20 (NET)

[16] John 18:10a (NET) Table

[17] John 18:10a (NKJV) Table

[18] John 21:6 (NET)

[19] John 21:11a (NET)

[20] John 21:6 (NKJV)

[21] Exodus 33:19b (NET) Table

[22] Romans 9:16 (NET)

[23] Romans 11:32 (NET)

[24] 1 Timothy 4:10 (NET)

[25] Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9, 10 (NET)