Exploration, Part 1

Posted on November 2, 2024 by admin

Love is punishment. That’s the lesson I learned quite well from my elders. As I grew I began to recognize that they were consoling one another and exhorting one another not to compromise with the world around them, a psychological world that was preaching a different gospel. It’s difficult to believe that I never heard 1 Corinthians 13 as a child, but I don’t recall it. I know Paul’s distinction shocked me as an adult (1 Corinthians 4:21 ESV [Table]).

What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love (ἐν ἀγάπῃ) in a spirit of gentleness?

Though I realized that he probably used the phrase ἐν ράβδῳ, with a rod, hyperbolically for stern or even harsh words, I wouldn’t have distinguished those from love, because love is punishment (though I probably thought that love was a feeling that provoked one to punish the objects of one’s love).

In the introduction to these exploratory essays I simply declared “Don’t compromise with the world” a vague and open-ended application, difficult both to obey or to defend against the virtually unlimited latitude those who police such things could assume. Here, I’ll offer an example:

In my grandmother’s day, no decent Christian woman would wear lipstick. In my mother’s day, young stay-at-home housewives and mothers put on lipstick, sitting in the pew in church. In my day, young stay-at-home housewives and mothers were trained by professional make-up artists at church women’s groups how to apply their “warpaint” more effectively, because they competed deliberately and directly with their husbands’ female coworkers and secretaries.

I have no idea what goes on now. I no longer attend an upwardly mobile middle class American church. And I don’t write this to criticize three generations of women I have loved. All of us need more grace than the faith that God will punish us for our sins eventually, and more timely and pertinent direction than “Don’t compromise with the world.”

Paul wrote, what seems at first blush to be, about circumcision, a very specific compromise with the religious world of old covenant Judaism. I want to begin first with the laws of circumcision to highlight this jarring discontinuity between old and new covenants.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 17:9-14 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:9-14 (NET)	Genesis 17:9-14 (NETS)	Genesis 17:9-14 (Elpenor English)
And G-d said unto Abraham: ‘And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations.	Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.	And God said to Abraam, “Now as for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.	And God said to Abraam, Thou also shalt fully keep my covenant, thou and thy seed after thee for their generations.
This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.	This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.	And this is the covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and between your offspring after you throughout their generations: Every male of yours shall be circumcised,	And this [is] the covenant which thou shalt fully keep between me and you, and between thy seed after thee for their generations; every male of you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you.	You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder of the covenant between me and you.	And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall exist as a covenant sign between me and you.	And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and you.
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed.	Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants.	And a youngster of eight days shall be circumcised among you—every male—throughout your generations, the homebred of your household and the one bought with money from any son of a foreigner, who is not of your offspring.	And the child of eight days [old] shall be circumcised by you, every male throughout your generations, and [the servant] born in the house and he that is bought with money, of every son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder.	The homebred of your household and the one bought with money shall be circumcised with circumcision, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with money shall be surely circumcised, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.’	Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people—he has failed to carry out my requirement.”	And as for an uncircumcised male who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be destroyed from his kin, for he has scattered my covenant.”	And the uncircumcised male, who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from its family, for he has broken my covenant.

Circumcision was a prerequisite for eating the Passover.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 12:43-49 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:43-49 (NET)	Exodus 12:43-49 (NETS)	Exodus 12:43-49 (Elpenor English)
And HaShem said unto Moses and Aaron: ‘This is the ordinance of the passover: there shall no alien eat thereof;	The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may share in eating it.	Then the Lord said to Moyses and Aaron, saying: This is the law of the pascha. No alien shall eat of it.	And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, This is the law of the passover: no stranger shall eat of it.
but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.	But everyone’s servant who is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it.	And any domestic of anyone or purchased slave you shall circumcise him, and then he shall eat of it.	And every slave or servant bought with money– him thou shalt circumcise, and then shall he eat of it.
A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.	A foreigner and a hired worker must not eat it.	A resident alien or hired person shall not eat of it.	A sojourner or hireling shall not eat of it.
In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.	It must be eaten in one house; you must not bring any of the meat outside the house, and you must not break a bone of it.	In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not take any meat outside of the house, and you shall not break a bone of it.	In one house shall it be eaten, and ye shall not carry of the flesh out from the house; and a bone of it ye shall not break.
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.	The whole community of Israel must observe it.	The entire congregation of the sons of Israel shall do this.	All the congregation of the children of Israel shall keep it.
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to HaShem, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.	“When a resident foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land—but no uncircumcised person may eat of it.	But if any guest should draw near to you to keep the pascha to the Lord, you shall circumcise every male of his, and then he shall draw near to keep it, and he shall be like a native of the land. No uncircumcised person shall eat of it.	And if any proselyte shall come to you to keep the passover to the Lord, thou shalt circumcise every male of him, and then shall he approach to sacrifice it, and he shall be even as the original inhabitant of the land; no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.’	The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the resident foreigner who lives among you.”	There shall be one law for the local inhabitant and for the guest among you who has drawn near.	There shall be one law to the native, and to the proselyte coming among you.

Even a woman’s purification ritual after childbirth was synchronized to accommodate her son’s circumcision.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 12:1-4 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:1-4 (NET)	Leviticus 12:1-4 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:1-4 (Elpenor English)
And HaShem spoke unto Moses, saying:	The Lord spoke to Moses:	And the Lord spoke to Moyses, saying:	And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a woman be delivered, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean.	“Tell the Israelites, ‘When a woman produces offspring and bears a male child, she will be unclean seven days, as she is unclean during the days of her menstruation.	Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: Any woman, if she is fertilized and bears a male child, shall also be unclean seven days, as at the days of the separation of her period, she shall be unclean.	Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Whatsoever woman shall have conceived and born a male child shall be unclean seven days, she shall be unclean according to the days of separation for her monthly courses.
And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised [Table].	On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised.	And on the eighth day she shall circumcise the flesh of his foreskin [Table].	And on the eighth day she shall circumcise the flesh of his foreskin.
And she shall continue in the blood of purification three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.	Then she will remain thirty-three days in blood purity. She must not touch anything holy, and she must not enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.	And thirty-three days shall she remain in her unclean blood; she shall not touch anything holy or come into the holy place until the days of her purification are completed.	And for thirty-three days she shall continue in her unclean blood; she shall touch nothing holy, and shall not enter the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.

With that as background, I’ll turn to the new covenant, one of the things our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him¹…that are hard to understand² (Galatians 5:1-5 ESV).

For freedom Christ³ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace [Table]. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

The Greek word translated freedom in the phrase For freedom was ἐλευθερίᾳ, a form of ἐλευθερία in the dative case. A translator’s note (1) in the NET reads:

Translating the dative [Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ] as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.

So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.⁴ The slave (παιδίσκης, a form of παιδίσκη) and the free woman (τῆς ἐλευθέρας, a form of ἐλεύθερος) were Hagar and Sarah, understood allegorically as the old covenant and the new respectively (Galatians 4:21-26 ESV).

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children [Table]. But the Jerusalem above is free (ἐλευθέρα, another form of ἐλεύθερος), and she is our⁵ mother.

Jesus had referred to this same allegory, except that from his lips it sounds less like an allegory and more like the truth; truth which explains why He called Hagar back (Genesis 16) to endure Sarai’s harsh treatment, only to be sent away with her son Ishmael at the appropriate time (Genesis 21), in order that the story Moses recorded in the Torah could be read by Paul in the Spirit, understood allegorically (ἀλληγορούμενα, a participle of ἀλληγορέω) and explained to the Galatians to accomplish the Lord’s intended purpose (John 8:31b-36 ESV):

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” [Table]
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free (ἐλευθερώσῃ, a form of ἐλευθερόω), you will be free (ἐλεύθεροι, another form of ἐλεύθερος) indeed.”

It’s probably a good idea to pause and reflect on what has been gained here regarding the freedom of which Paul wrote: He likened it to being born of a free woman, Sarah rather than Hagar. He interpreted these women allegorically as two covenants. Hagar represented the law, the old covenant and the present Jerusalem, which is in slavery with her children. Sarah represented the Jerusalem above (ἄνω), which is free: What is born of the flesh is flesh, Jesus said to Nicodemus, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’⁶

Jesus offered more detail concerning the slavery of the present Jerusalem and her children: everyone who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) sin is a slave to sin. The [free of sin] son remains forever. So if the [free of sin] Son sets you free (ἐλευθερώσῃ, a form of ἐλευθερόω) [of sin], you will be free (ἐλεύθεροι, another form of ἐλεύθερος) [of sin] indeed. And Paul wrote: For freedom Christ has set us free.⁷

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (ἐλευθερία).⁸

Christ has set us free, Paul continued in his letter to the Galatians according to the ESV translation. The word order in the critical text (NET parallel Greek and NA²⁸) is: Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν; literally, “For freedom us Christ has set free.” The placement of ἡμᾶς adds an emphasis with a flavor nearer to “For our freedom Christ has set free.” But Paul and the Holy Spirit didn’t choose ἡμῶν in the genitive case. It’s not wrong to associate the accusative pronoun ἡμᾶς with the verb ἠλευθέρωσεν, as it is found in the received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text), following χριστος and preceding ἠλευθέρωσεν; literally, “Christ us has set free.”

The Greek verb translated has set…free was ἠλευθέρωσεν, another form of ἐλευθερόω. Paul described that freedom to which Christ in his Spirit has set us free elsewhere (Romans 8:2 ESV [Table]):

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free (ἠλευθέρωσεν, another form of ἐλευθερόω) in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Paul continued in his letter to the Galatians: stand firm therefore. The ESV translators understood the verb στήκετε as a 2^nd person plural imperative form of στήκω. It is a grammatically permissible way to understand στήκετε according to the Koine Greek Lexicon. It even makes some sense, if one assumes that Paul’s purpose was to supply those who were not standing firm with a Scriptural application to obey.

My argument is that Paul’s entire discourse in Galatians 5 calls that very assumption into question. There is another grammatically permissible way to understand στήκετε according to the Koine Greek Lexicon: as a 2^nd person plural form of στήκω in the indicative mood. In other words, Paul stated a fact about those whom Christ has set free—“you stand firm”—further illustrating the nature of that freedom of which he wrote.

Paul continued: and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. The Greek verb ἐνέχεσθε is an imperative form of ἐνέχω according to the Koine Greek Lexicon. But the ESV translation do…submit sounds a bit too much like the active voice. Again, this makes some sense if one assumes that Paul’s purpose was to supply those who were submitting to a yoke of slavery with a Scriptural application to obey: do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. But ἐνέχεσθε is in the middle/passive voice: “subject yourselves to, load yourselves down with, hold yourselves in” or “entangle yourselves” or “involve yourselves in.”

I’ve begun to pay more attention to Greek word order as a way to grasp an author’s tone: καὶ μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε, “and not (or, cannot) again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.” The phrase καὶ πάλιν means “again and again.” So, if I consider καὶ μὴ πάλιν as the phrase καὶ πάλιν split by the negative particle μὴ, I get, “you cannot again and again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.” Why? Those whom Christ has set free for freedom stand firm and do not obey a yoke of slavery.

Paul chose the Greek word translated slavery—δουλείας, a form of δουλεία—elsewhere (Romans 8:15 ESV):

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery (δουλείας, a form of δουλεία) to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

And (Romans 8:20, 21 ESV):

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope [Table] that the creation itself will be set free (ελευθερωθησεται, another form of ἐλευθερόω) from its bondage (δουλείας, a form of δουλεία) to corruption and obtain the freedom (ἐλευθερίαν, another form of ἐλευθερία) of the glory of the children of God.

Look: I, Paul, say to you, he continued, that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.⁹ The Greek words translated if you accept circumcision were ἐὰν περιτέμνησθε, a middle/passive form of the verb περιτέμνω. The translation you accept circumcision demonstrates how the ESV translators handled a middle/passive verb without any particular agenda. The Greek word translated advantage was ὠφελήσει, a form of ὠφελέω in the future tense.

Paul used another form of ὠφελέω elsewhere in a similar context (Romans 2:25 ESV).

For circumcision indeed is of value (ὠφελεῖ, another form of ὠφελέω in the present tense) if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

In all my years in locker rooms growing up, I only saw one uncircumcised male. And I didn’t grow up in a Jewish neighborhood. My mother explained that circumcision was performed today for cleanliness. In other words, a young mother can keep her infant son’s penis clean without fondling it overmuch, peeling back his tiny foreskin. My circumcision has become uncircumcision. And I’m glad. It would be terrible if Christ were of no advantage to me forever.

I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision, Paul continued, that he is obligated to keep the whole law.¹⁰ Here the Greek word translated who accepts circumcision was περιτεμνομένῳ, a middle/passive participle of the verb περιτέμνω. Paul and the Holy Spirit are giving us a good primer on middle/passive verbs in Koine Greek.

Then Paul’s discourse turned a corner as it were. His main concern was not circumcision as an act in itself. The apostle was actually concerned with the more intimate and pervasive issues of how one believes and how one obeys (Galatians 5:4 ESV [Table]).

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

I shared this essay with a brother who objected to You are severed as a translation of κατηργήθητε, a passive form of καταργέω in the aorist tense. The Koine Greek Lexicon online lists three options for the passive voice: “to be released from, to be severed from, to be removed from.” But since he brought it up, I hear You are severed as present or perfect tense, yet I’m hard-pressed to come up with a better option that would be strictly aorist. And my brother softened some as he saw ἀπὸ (from) explicitly in the text.

We know that our old self was crucified with him, Paul wrote elsewhere, in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing (καταργηθῇ, another passive form of καταργέω, “might be released, might be severed, might be removed”), so that we would no longer be enslaved (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) to sin.¹¹ Do we then overthrow (καταργοῦμεν, another form of καταργέω in the active voice) the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.¹²

For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void (κατήργηται, another middle/passive form of καταργέω).¹³ For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released (κατήργηται, another middle/passive form of καταργέω) from the law of marriage.¹⁴ But now we are released (κατηργήθημεν, another passive form of καταργέω) from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.¹⁵

Who are they who are severed (“released, removed”) from Christ¹⁶ and all that union with Christ entails? The circumcised? No, you who would be justified by the law: οἵτινες ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦσθε. The phrase would be justified is the ESV translation of δικαιοῦσθε, a middle/passive form of the verb δικαιόω. I’m tempted to strengthen the middle voice and forego the passive voice altogether here because of my own experience: “would justify yourselves.” But I must admit that would be justified is a clever word choice for δικαιοῦσθε, honoring the passive voice even as it highlights the self-righteousness of the action. So, our education in middle/passive verbs continues.

For by works of the law no human being will be justified (δικαιωθήσεται, another passive form of δικαιόω) in his sight, Paul wrote elsewhere, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.¹⁷ We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified (δικαιοῦται, another middle/passive form of δικαιόω) by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified (δικαιωθῶμεν, another passive form of δικαιόω) by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (δικαιωθήσεται, another passive form of δικαιόω) [Table].¹⁸

In the clause you who would be justified by the law, Paul surely referred to the law delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. But in Greek ἐν νόμῳ, translated by the law in the ESV, points clearly to more than the law. In Paul’s letters ἐν νόμῳ describes an alternative path to ἐν Χριστῷ; ἐν νόμῳ indicates a different way of doing righteousness from the righteousness of God ἐν Χριστῷ, that is, in Christ. [Y]ou have fallen away from grace, he wrote to any who would be justified by the law¹⁹ (Galatians 5:5 ESV).

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

The assumption that Paul’s intent was to write Scriptural applications, principles—let’s be clear—rules for obedience like some new covenant Moses, informs not only expository preaching but Bible translation as well.

Galatians 5:1
Old Covenant (ESV)	New Covenant
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.	For freedom us Christ has set free; you stand firm, therefore you cannot again and again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.

In the first example on the left, there is the grace of God in Jesus Christ—For freedom Christ has set us free—and two rules to obey—stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. In the second example on the right, there is the grace of God in Jesus Christ—“For freedom us Christ has set free”—and two Gospel truths to believe, two better promises—“you stand firm” [e.g., in Christ (ἐν Χριστῷ)], “therefore you cannot again and again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.” The NIV translation sounds closer to this in its translation of ἐνέχεσθε: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.²⁰ The verbatim translation on the right above, recast in better English, might read: “For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.”

Each of us must choose, I suppose, what translation sounds more like (Galatians 1:1-5 ESV):

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father [Table], to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Here is a question intended to help one choose wisely:

Does my obedience demonstrate my goodness for my glory, or does my obedience demonstrate God’s goodness to me, working in and through me for his glory?

Here are two bonus hints from Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 7:18 ESV; Galatians 2:19-21 NET).

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out [Table].
For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. 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 (διὰ νόμου), then Christ died for nothing!

And finally here is one extra special bonus hint from Jesus the Christ (Mark 10:17, 18 ESV).

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Genesis 17:9; 17:10; 17:11; 17:12; 17:13; 17:14; Exodus 12:43; 12:44; 12:45; 12:46; 12:47; 12:48; 12:49; Leviticus 12:1; 12:2 and 12:4 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 17:9; 17:10; 17:11; 17:12; 17:13; 17:14; Exodus 12:43; 12:44; 12:45; 12:46; 12:47; 12:48; 12:49; Leviticus 12:1; 12:2 and 12:4 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Galatians 5:1 and 4:26 in the KJV and NET follow.

Genesis 17:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:9 (KJV)	Genesis 17:9 (NET)
And G-d said unto Abraham: ‘And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations.	And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.	Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

Genesis 17:9 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:9 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Αβρααμ σὺ δὲ τὴν διαθήκην μου διατηρήσεις σὺ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς ῾Αβραάμ· σὺ δὲ τὴν διαθήκην μου διατηρήσεις, σὺ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν
Genesis 17:9 (NETS)	Genesis 17:9 (Elpenor English)
And God said to Abraam, “Now as for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.	And God said to Abraam, Thou also shalt fully keep my covenant, thou and thy seed after thee for their generations.

Genesis 17:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:10 (KJV)	Genesis 17:10 (NET)
This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.	This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.	This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.

Genesis 17:10 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:10 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη ἣν διατηρήσεις ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῶν πᾶν ἀρσενικόν	καὶ αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη, ἣν διατηρήσεις, ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν· περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῶν πᾶν ἀρσενικόν
Genesis 17:10 (NETS)	Genesis 17:10 (Elpenor English)
And this is the covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and between your offspring after you throughout their generations: Every male of yours shall be circumcised,	And this [is] the covenant which thou shalt fully keep between me and you, and between thy seed after thee for their generations; every male of you shall be circumcised.

Genesis 17:11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:11 (KJV)	Genesis 17:11 (NET)
And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you.	And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.	You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder of the covenant between me and you.

Genesis 17:11 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:11 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ περιτμηθήσεσθε τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας ὑμῶν καὶ ἔσται ἐν σημείῳ διαθήκης ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν	καὶ περιτμηθήσεσθε τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας ὑμῶν, καὶ ἔσται εἰς σημεῖον διαθήκης ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν
Genesis 17:11 (NETS)	Genesis 17:11 (Elpenor English)
And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall exist as a covenant sign between me and you.	And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and you.

Genesis 17:12 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:12 (KJV)	Genesis 17:12 (NET)
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed.	And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.	Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants.

Genesis 17:12 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:12 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ παιδίον ὀκτὼ ἡμερῶν περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῖν πᾶν ἀρσενικὸν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν ὁ οἰκογενὴς τῆς οἰκίας σου καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος ἀπὸ παντὸς υἱοῦ ἀλλοτρίου ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματός σου	καὶ παιδίον ὀκτὼ ἡμερῶν περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῖν, πᾶν ἀρσενικὸν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν, ὁ οἰκογενὴς καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος, ἀπὸ παντὸς υἱοῦ ἀλλοτρίου, ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματός σου
Genesis 17:12 (NETS)	Genesis 17:12 (Elpenor English)
And a youngster of eight days shall be circumcised among you—every male—throughout your generations, the homebred of your household and the one bought with money from any son of a foreigner, who is not of your offspring.	And the child of eight days [old] shall be circumcised by you, every male throughout your generations, and [the servant] born in the house and he that is bought with money, of every son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed.

Genesis 17:13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:13 (KJV)	Genesis 17:13 (NET)
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder.

Genesis 17:13 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:13 (Elpenor Septuagint)
περιτομῇ περιτμηθήσεται ὁ οἰκογενὴς τῆς οἰκίας σου καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος καὶ ἔσται ἡ διαθήκη μου ἐπὶ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον	περιτομῇ περιτμηθήσεται ὁ οἰκογενὴς τῆς οἰκίας σου καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος, καὶ ἔσται ἡ διαθήκη μου ἐπὶ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον
Genesis 17:13 (NETS)	Genesis 17:13 (Elpenor English)
The homebred of your household and the one bought with money shall be circumcised with circumcision, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with money shall be surely circumcised, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:14 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:14 (KJV)	Genesis 17:14 (NET)
And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.’	And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.	Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people—he has failed to carry out my requirement.”

Genesis 17:14 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:14 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἀπερίτμητος ἄρσην ὃς οὐ περιτμηθήσεται τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἐξολεθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτῆς ὅτι τὴν διαθήκην μου διεσκέδασεν	καὶ ἀπερίτμητος ἄρσην, ὃς οὐ περιτμηθήσεται τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτῆς, ὅτι τὴν διαθήκην μου διεσκέδασε
Genesis 17:14 (NETS)	Genesis 17:14 (Elpenor English)
And as for an uncircumcised male who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be destroyed from his kin, for he has scattered my covenant.”	And the uncircumcised male, who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from its family, for he has broken my covenant.

Exodus 12:43 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:43 (KJV)	Exodus 12:43 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses and Aaron: ‘This is the ordinance of the passover: there shall no alien eat thereof;	And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:	The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may share in eating it.

Exodus 12:43 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:43 (Elpenor Septuagint)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ Ααρων λέγων οὗτος ὁ νόμος τοῦ πασχα πᾶς ἀλλογενὴς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ ᾿Ααρών· οὗτος ὁ νόμος τοῦ πάσχα· πᾶς ἀλλογενὴς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:43 (NETS)	Exodus 12:43 (Elpenor English)
Then the Lord said to Moyses and Aaron, saying: This is the law of the pascha. No alien shall eat of it.	And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, This is the law of the passover: no stranger shall eat of it.

Exodus 12:44 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:44 (KJV)	Exodus 12:44 (NET)
but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.	But every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.	But everyone’s servant who is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it.

Exodus 12:44 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:44 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ πᾶν οἰκέτην τινὸς ἢ ἀργυρώνητον περιτεμεῖς αὐτόν καὶ τότε φάγεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	καὶ πάντα οἰκέτην ἢ ἀργυρώνητον περιτεμεῖς αὐτόν, καὶ τότε φάγεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:44 (NETS)	Exodus 12:44 (Elpenor English)
And any domestic of anyone or purchased slave you shall circumcise him, and then he shall eat of it.	And every slave or servant bought with money– him thou shalt circumcise, and then shall he eat of it.

Exodus 12:45 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:45 (KJV)	Exodus 12:45 (NET)
A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.	A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.	A foreigner and a hired worker must not eat it.

Exodus 12:45 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:45 (Elpenor Septuagint)
πάροικος ἢ μισθωτὸς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	πάροικος ἢ μισθωτὸς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:45 (NETS)	Exodus 12:45 (Elpenor English)
A resident alien or hired person shall not eat of it.	A sojourner or hireling shall not eat of it.

Exodus 12:46 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:46 (KJV)	Exodus 12:46 (NET)
In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.	In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.	It must be eaten in one house; you must not bring any of the meat outside the house, and you must not break a bone of it.

Exodus 12:46 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:46 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ βρωθήσεται καὶ οὐκ ἐξοίσετε ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας τῶν κρεῶν ἔξω καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ βρωθήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐξοίσετε ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας τῶν κρεῶν ἔξω· καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:46 (NETS)	Exodus 12:46 (Elpenor English)
In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not take any meat outside of the house, and you shall not break a bone of it.	In one house shall it be eaten, and ye shall not carry of the flesh out from the house; and a bone of it ye shall not break.

Exodus 12:47 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:47 (KJV)	Exodus 12:47 (NET)
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.	All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.	The whole community of Israel must observe it.

Exodus 12:47 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:47 (Elpenor Septuagint)
πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ ποιήσει αὐτό	πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ποιήσει αὐτό
Exodus 12:47 (NETS)	Exodus 12:47 (Elpenor English)
The entire congregation of the sons of Israel shall do this.	All the congregation of the children of Israel shall keep it.

Exodus 12:48 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:48 (KJV)	Exodus 12:48 (NET)
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to HaShem, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.	And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.	“When a resident foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land—but no uncircumcised person may eat of it.

Exodus 12:48 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:48 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἐὰν δέ τις προσέλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς προσήλυτος ποιῆσαι τὸ πασχα κυρίῳ περιτεμεῖς αὐτοῦ πᾶν ἀρσενικόν καὶ τότε προσελεύσεται ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ καὶ ἔσται ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ αὐτόχθων τῆς γῆς πᾶς ἀπερίτμητος οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	ἐὰν δέ τις προσέλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς προσήλυτος ποιῆσαι τὸ πάσχα Κυρίῳ, περιτεμεῖς αὐτοῦ πᾶν ἀρσενικόν, καὶ τότε προσελεύσεται ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ καὶ ἔσται ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ αὐτόχθων τῆς γῆς· πᾶς ἀπερίτμητος οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:48 (NETS)	Exodus 12:48 (Elpenor English)
But if any guest should draw near to you to keep the pascha to the Lord, you shall circumcise every male of his, and then he shall draw near to keep it, and he shall be like a native of the land. No uncircumcised person shall eat of it.	And if any proselyte shall come to you to keep the passover to the Lord, thou shalt circumcise every male of him, and then shall he approach to sacrifice it, and he shall be even as the original inhabitant of the land; no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

Exodus 12:49 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:49 (KJV)	Exodus 12:49 (NET)
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.’	One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.	The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the resident foreigner who lives among you.”

Exodus 12:49 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:49 (Elpenor Septuagint)
νόμος εἷς ἔσται τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ καὶ τῷ προσελθόντι προσηλύτῳ ἐν ὑμῖν	νόμος εἷς ἔσται τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ καὶ τῷ προσελθόντι προσηλύτῳ ἐν ὑμῖν
Exodus 12:49 (NETS)	Exodus 12:49 (Elpenor English)
There shall be one law for the local inhabitant and for the guest among you who has drawn near.	There shall be one law to the native, and to the proselyte coming among you.

Leviticus 12:1 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:1 (KJV)	Leviticus 12:1 (NET)
And HaShem spoke unto Moses, saying:	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,	The Lord spoke to Moses:

Leviticus 12:1 (BLB Septuagint)	Leviticus 12:1 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων	ΚΑΙ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων
Leviticus 12:1 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:1 (Elpenor Engish)
And the Lord spoke to Moyses, saying:	And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Leviticus 12:2 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:2 (KJV)	Leviticus 12:2 (NET)
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a woman be delivered, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean.	Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.	“Tell the Israelites, ‘When a woman produces offspring and bears a male child, she will be unclean seven days, as she is unclean during the days of her menstruation.

Leviticus 12:2 (BLB Septuagint)	Leviticus 12:2 (Elpenor Septuagint)
λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς γυνή ἥτις ἐὰν σπερματισθῇ καὶ τέκῃ ἄρσεν καὶ ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ χωρισμοῦ τῆς ἀφέδρου αὐτῆς ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται	λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· γυνή, ἥτις ἐὰν σπερματισθῇ καὶ τέκῃ ἄρσεν, καὶ ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας, κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ χωρισμοῦ τῆς ἀφέδρου αὐτῆς, ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται
Leviticus 12:2 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:2 (Elpenor Engish)
Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: Any woman, if she is fertilized and bears a male child, shall also be unclean seven days, as at the days of the separation of her period, she shall be unclean.	Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Whatsoever woman shall have conceived and born a male child shall be unclean seven days, she shall be unclean according to the days of separation for her monthly courses.

Leviticus 12:4 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:4 (KJV)	Leviticus 12:4 (NET)
And she shall continue in the blood of purification three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.	And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.	Then she will remain thirty-three days in blood purity. She must not touch anything holy, and she must not enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.

Leviticus 12:4 (BLB Septuagint)	Leviticus 12:4 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ τριάκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς καθήσεται ἐν αἵματι ἀκαθάρτῳ αὐτῆς παντὸς ἁγίου οὐχ ἅψεται καὶ εἰς τὸ ἁγιαστήριον οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται ἕως ἂν πληρωθῶσιν αἱ ἡμέραι καθάρσεως αὐτῆς	καὶ τριάκοντα καὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας καθήσεται ἐν αἵματι ἀκαθάρτῳ αὐτῆς, παντὸς ἁγίου οὐχ ἅψεται καὶ εἰς τὸ ἁγιαστήριον οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται, ἕως ἂν πληρωθῶσιν αἱ ἡμέραι καθάρσεως αὐτῆς
Leviticus 12:4 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:4 (Elpenor Engish)
And thirty-three days shall she remain in her unclean blood; she shall not touch anything holy or come into the holy place until the days of her purification are completed.	And for thirty-three days she shall continue in her unclean blood; she shall touch nothing holy, and shall not enter the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.

Galatians 5:1 (NET)	Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.	Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 5:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 5:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν· στήκετε οὖν καὶ μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε	τη ελευθερια ουν η χριστος ημας ηλευθερωσεν στηκετε και μη παλιν ζυγω δουλειας ενεχεσθε	τη ελευθερια ουν η χριστος ημας ηλευθερωσεν στηκετε και μη παλιν ζυγω δουλειας ενεχεσθε

Galatians 4:26 (NET)	Galatians 4:26 (KJV)
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.	But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Galatians 4:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 4:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 4:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐστὶν μήτηρ ἡμῶν	η δε ανω ιερουσαλημ ελευθερα εστιν ητις εστιν μητηρ παντων ημων	η δε ανω ιερουσαλημ ελευθερα εστιν ητις εστιν μητηρ παντων ημων

Exploration, Part 2

¹ 2 Peter 3:15b (ESV)

² 2 Peter 3:16b (ESV) Table

³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the relative pronoun η (KJV: wherewith) preceding Christ. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴ Galatians 4:31 (ESV)

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μητηρ παντων ημων (KJV: mother of us all) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μήτηρ ἡμῶν.

⁶ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

⁷ Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

⁸ 2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV) Table

⁹ Galatians 5:2 (ESV)

¹⁰ Galatians 5:3 (ESV)

¹¹ Romans 6:6 (ESV)

¹² Romans 3:31 (ESV) Table

¹³ Romans 4:14 (ESV)

¹⁴ Romans 7:2 (ESV)

¹⁵ Romans 7:6 (ESV)

¹⁶ I’m thinking that You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law (Galatians 5:4a ESV) is a fairly self-conscious bookend to And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people (Genesis 17:14a Tanakh).

¹⁷ Romans 3:20 (ESV)

¹⁸ Galatians 2:15, 16 (ESV)

¹⁹ Galatians 5:4b (ESV) Table

²⁰ Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

My Reasons and My Reason, Part 6

Posted on December 22, 2014 by admin

There is another way I might view the wrath of God…revealed from heaven against [my] ungodliness and unrighteousness,^[1] a way more in keeping with my normal method of Bible study—superficially more in keeping with it. I confess that, Although [I] claimed to be wise, [I] became [a fool] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings…^[2] I am one of them of which Paul wrote: Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.^[3]

The Greek word translated dishonor above is ἀτιμάζεσθαι (a form of ἀτιμάζω). Jesus told a parable about a man who planted a vineyard and leased it out to tenant farmers (Mark 12:2-5 NET):

At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop. But those tenants seized his slave, beat (ἔδειραν, a form of δέρω) him, and sent him away empty-handed. So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously (ἠτίμασαν, another form of ἀτιμάζω). He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten (δέροντες, another form of δέρω), others killed.

They beat (δείραντες, another form of δέρω) this one too, Luke’s Gospel narrative reads, treated him outrageously (ἀτιμάσαντες, another form of ἀτιμάζω), and sent him away empty-handed.^[4] So the word translated dishonor in Romans 1:24 was associated here with a beating. This association is explicit in Acts. The highest legal court in Jerusalem summoned the apostles and had them beaten (δείραντες, another form of δέρω). Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor (ἀτιμασθῆναι, another form of ἀτιμάζω) for the sake of the name.^[5]

I’ve considered that my masochism is one of the potential meanings of the wrath of God revealed from heaven. It is a desire of my heart. It could be considered impurity. It isn’t hard to find people online who propose that sexual desire, especially desire the author considers deviant, is demon inspired if not a symptom of demon possession. But if I plug that interpretation into Paul’s statement—Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to masochism, to beat their bodies among themselves—I am not convinced or convicted of sin. I am excited—sexually. The implication then, if this interpretation were true and I so blindly given over to the desire of my heart, is that I remain under the wrath of God.

Such a conclusion, though disheartening, isn’t rationally problematic if I believe that my salvation is partially, if not largely, predicated upon my desire and effort. I’ve followed this line of reasoning before, and it led inexorably to my taking charge again of my righteousness without altering my natural responses at all. If I believe however that it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy,^[6] this conclusion functions something like a reductio ad absurdum. It gives me pause to examine the Scriptures in more detail.

Jesus had an interesting exchange with some in the temple courts (John 8:46-49 NET):

Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God.”

The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan (Σαμαρίτης, a form of Σαμαρείτης) and are possessed by a demon?” Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father – and yet you dishonor (ἀτιμάζετε, another form of ἀτιμάζω) me.

Here dishonor (ἀτιμάζετε, another form of ἀτιμάζω) meant name-calling and an accusation that Jesus was possessed by a demon. Jesus took issue most directly with the latter: I am not possessed by a demon, He said. As it pertains to impurity then, I have an instance where people with religious minds accused Jesus—for being, doing and speaking the word of God—of being possessed by a demon because they disagreed with Him. He didn’t comment about being called a “Samaritan” but I think even that is worth some consideration here.

Jesus asked a Samaritan (Σαμαρείας, a form of Σαμάρεια) woman for some water to drink, though that may be difficult to discern in translation: Jesus said to her, “Give me some water to drink.”^[7] Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink (ASV, KJV). Jesus says to her, Give me to drink (DNT). Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water” (GWT, TEV). Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink” (NKJV, NAB). Jesus saith to her, ‘Give me to drink’ (YLT). Where I hear this as a request is in the woman’s response.

So the Samaritan (Σαμαρῖτις, a form of Σαμαρεῖτις) woman said to him, “How can you – a Jew – ask (αἰτεῖς, a form of αἰτέω) me, a Samaritan (Σαμαρίτιδος, another form of Σαμαρεῖτις) woman, for water to drink?”^[8] The Greek word αἰτεῖς might have been translated beg. Jesus’ actual tone didn’t convey the gruff and imperious command that many English translations of his request imply. “Will you give me a drink?” (NIV) and “Would you please give me a drink of water?” (CEV) and “Would you give me a drink of water?” (TMSG) and “Please give me a drink,” (ISVNT) are truer to his tone in this particular case despite the fact that the statement was transmuted into a question or please was added to text.

Jesus asked her to give Him some water (MSNT) strayed even further from a word-for-word translation yet also carries the more accurate tone. Give me to drink (δός μοι πεῖν) is the same basic construction in Greek as Give us today (δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον) in our plaintive cry for our daily ration of God, the bread of life^[9]—Give us today our daily bread^[10]—a sinner’s only hope for righteousness. I don’t think anyone who prays thus with even the slightest understanding thinks it a gruff and imperious command.

Jesus’ request surprised the Samaritan woman. John, wanting his readers to understand her surprise, added: For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans;^[11] or, For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.^[12] The note in the NET explains: “The background to the statement use nothing in common is the general assumption among Jews that the Samaritans were ritually impure or unclean. Thus a Jew who used a drinking vessel after a Samaritan had touched it would become ceremonially unclean.” This sounds as if the Jews were prejudiced against the Samaritans. And, ultimately, I want to assert that they were. But I need to take the long way around.

The common assumption, if I say that Jews were prejudiced against the Samaritans, is that they misjudged the Samaritans. But they were fairly accurate in their judgment of Samaritans according to Scripture (2 Kings 17:6a, 24-29, 32, 33 NET).

In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel to Assyria…The king of Assyria brought foreigners from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. When they first moved in, they did not worship the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them and the lions were killing them. The king of Assyria was told, “The nations whom you deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land, so he has sent lions among them. They are killing the people because they do not know the requirements of the God of the land.” So the king of Assyria ordered, “Take back one of the priests whom you deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” So one of the priests whom they had deported from Samaria went back and settled in Bethel. He taught them how to worship the Lord.

But each of these nations made its own gods and put them in the shrines on the high places that the people of Samaria had made. Each nation did this in the cities where they lived….At the same time they worshiped the Lord. They appointed some of their own people to serve as priests in the shrines on the high places. They were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported.

You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below [Table], the Lord commanded Israel. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God…[Table]^[13] The Jews’ judgment qualifies as prejudice, I think, because they misjudged themselves and the righteousness of God. Jesus addressed their prejudice obliquely yet forcefully.

If you had known the gift of God, He said to a descendant of foreign idolaters, and who it is who said to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would have asked (ᾔτησας, another form of αἰτέω) him, and he would have given you living water.^[14] So, without reproach, while the Samaritan woman was ignorant of the gift of God and who Jesus is, the implication is fairly clear that this living water was hers for the asking. And as we’ll discover momentarily the gift of God did not merely belong to God, the gift is God in the person of the Holy Spirit.

This is scandalous to a religious mind. I feel like I’m back in the garden, but instead of a serpent offering a lying promise to be like God, Jesus offered God Himself—not to Eve the innocent or a pious Jewish woman—to a Samaritan—not as a reward for good behavior but as the only source of goodness: Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said, “Good (ἀγαθέ, a form of ἀγαθός) teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good (ἀγαθόν, another form of ἀγαθός)? No one is good (ἀγαθὸς) except God alone.^[15].

“Sir,” the woman said to him, “you have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do you get this living water? Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob, are you?^[16] At first I thought she was either not particularly clever or deliberately obtuse, not unlike Jesus’ disciples when he told them to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.^[17]

They had forgotten to bring bread on their journey.^[18] So they began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we brought no bread.”^[19] When Jesus overheard their discussion, He chided them humorously (Matthew 16:8-12 NET).

“You who have such little faith (ὀλιγόπιστοι, a form of ὀλιγόπιστος)! Why are you arguing among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you took up? How could you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Why didn’t He say teaching in the first place? I assume He wanted to reinforce his own teaching on the social construction of reality: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”^[20] But Jesus didn’t chide the Samaritan woman.

So I began to consider that she was cagey with this Jew who shouldn’t be drinking from her bucket, probably shouldn’t be speaking with her at all, much less about a gift of God. Besides, she was educated enough to know that they spoke together at Jacob’s well,^[21] and indoctrinated enough to have adopted him as her ancestor (πατρὸς, literally father). So Jesus continued by contrasting living water (ὕδωρ ζῶν) to the water from Jacob’s well.

Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain (πηγὴ) of water springing up to eternal life.^[22] My people have committed a double wrong, the Lord spoke through Jeremiah, they have rejected me, the fountain of life-giving water (Septuagint: πηγὴν ὕδατος ζωῆς), and they have dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns which cannot even hold water.^[23] You are the one in whom Israel may find hope, Jeremiah prayed. All who leave you will suffer shame. Those who turn away from you will be consigned to the nether world. For they have rejected you, the Lord (Hebrew: y^ehôvâh), the fountain of life (Septuagint: πηγὴν ζωῆς).^[24]

Sir, give me this water, the Samaritan woman said, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.^[25] Surely this time, I thought, Jesus should have said something to her like, Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you.^[26] But Jesus disagreed. Go call your husband and come back here,^[27] He said instead.

What? Where did that come from?

I have no husband,^[28] the woman said. The Greek is actually ἀπεκρίθη ἡ γυνὴ καὶ εἶπεν, The woman answered and said (NKJV). But even that translation isn’t quite sufficient. As I stare at the Greek I begin to think that John or the Holy Spirit has tried to communicate something of the dynamic of this conversation between a man and a woman.

Reference	NET	Greek
John 4:7	Jesus said to her…	λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς
John 4:9	So the Samaritan woman said to him…	λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις
John 4:10	Jesus answered her…	ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ
John 4:11	the woman said to him…	λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή
John 4:13	Jesus replied…	ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ
John 4:15	The woman said to him…	λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ γυνή
John 4:16	He said to her…	λέγει αὐτῇ
John 4:17	The woman replied…	ἀπεκρίθη ἡ γυνὴ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ

I take λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς (Jesus said to her) as my point of departure for normal conversation. The Samaritan woman (ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις) responded in kind, λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ (literally, “said then to him”). But Jesus opened up to her, ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ (literally, “answered Jesus and said to her”). I say He “opened up” because εἶπεν (a form of ῥέω), though legitimately translated said, means to pour forth. The woman however remained guarded, λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή. Undeterred, Jesus remained open, ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ. The woman began to open up, λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ γυνή. Perhaps I’m reaching here, but πρὸς αὐτὸν rather than simply αὐτῷ seems to accentuate the fact that she spoke to him. Abruptly, Jesus closed up again, λέγει αὐτῇ, back to normal conversation, and the woman opened up to Him, ἀπεκρίθη ἡ γυνὴ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, and said, I have no husband.

Then Jesus commended her. Again, this may be difficult to hear in English translations: Thou saidst well, I have no husband (ASV); That’s right (CEV), Thou hast well said, I have not a husband (DNT); You’re right when you say that you don’t have a husband (GWT); You are quite right in saying, ‘I don’t have a husband’ (ISVNT); Thou hast well said, I have no husband (KJV); You rightly say that you have no husband (MSNT); You have well said, ‘I have no husband’ (NKJV); You are right when you say you don’t have a husband (TEV); That’s nicely put: ‘I have no husband’ (TMSG); Well didst thou say—A husband I have not (YLT); You are right when you say you have no husband (NIV); You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband’ (NAB); Right you are when you said, ‘I have no husband.’^[29]

The Greek is καλῶς εἶπας ὅτι ἄνδρα οὐκ ἔχω (literally, “beautifully you poured forth that husband you not have”). Traditionally καλῶς is translated as the adverbial form (well) of ἀγαθός (good), even καλός (beautiful) is translated as if it were ἀγαθός (good). Traditions have origins. J.A. McGuckin^[30] credits Maximos^[31] with the insight: “The Beautiful is identical with The Good, for all things seek the beautiful and the good at every opportunity, and there is no being that does not participate in them.” Maximos lived half a millennium after John and the Holy Spirit chose καλῶς. I want to experiment with a pre-traditional reading of some Scriptures.

Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce beautiful (καλὸν, a form of καλός) fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^[32] In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your beautiful (καλὰ, another form of καλός) deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.^[33] In the same way, every good (ἀγαθὸν, a form of ἀγαθός) tree bears beautiful (καλοὺς, another form of καλός) fruit, but the bad (σαπρὸν, a form of σαπρός) tree bears bad (πονηροὺς, a form of πονηρός) fruit. A good (ἀγαθὸν, a form of ἀγαθός) tree is not able to bear bad (πονηροὺς, a form of πονηρός) fruit, nor a bad (σαπρὸν, a form of σαπρός) tree to bear beautiful (καλοὺς, another form of καλός) fruit. Every tree that does not bear beautiful (καλὸν, a form of καλός) fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.^[34]

Rather than a metaphor about bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς) what follows is a vivid contrast of Jesus’ beautiful good with the Pharisees’ pious good (Matthew 12:10-14 NET):

A man was there [in the Synagogue] who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they could accuse him. He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do beautifully (καλῶς) on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him.

Some explanation why I called—the Pharisees went out and plotted (or, counseled) against him, as to how they could assassinate (or, destroy) him—a pious good rather than evil is in order. Jesus came to make atonement for sin but had not yet accomplished it in this period of transition. There is nothing beautiful about plotting to kill or destroy a man as there is nothing beautiful about running a man and woman through with a javelin.^[35] But Phinehas was commended for the latter (Numbers 25:11-13 NET):

“Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, when he manifested such zeal for my sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal. Therefore, announce: ‘I am going to give to him my covenant of peace. So it will be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of a permanent priesthood, because he has been zealous for his God, and has made atonement for the Israelites.’”

The Pharisees had this Scriptural precedent when faced with Jesus’ willful and recalcitrant desecration of the Sabbath (as they perceived it). I could go on and on about the beautiful good but will entertain only a few more examples here (Luke 6:26-31 NET):

“Woe to you when all people speak (εἴπωσιν, another form of ῥέω) beautifully (καλῶς) of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.

“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do beautifully (καλῶς) to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well, and from the person who takes away your coat, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back from the person who takes them away. Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.

I am the beautiful (καλός) shepherd, Jesus said. The beautiful (καλός) shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^[36] And Paul’s words make so much more sense if I recognize that he desired Jesus’ beautiful good rather than the Pharisees’ pious good,^[37] of which he was already a master (Romans 7:15-21 NET):

For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate. But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is beautiful (καλός). But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me. For I know that nothing good (ἀγαθόν, a form of ἀγαθός) lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the beautiful (καλὸν, a form of καλός), but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good (ἀγαθόν, a form of ἀγαθός) I want, but I do the very evil (κακὸν, a form of κακός) I do not want! Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me. So, I find the law that when I want to do the beautiful (καλὸν, a form of καλός), evil (κακὸν, a form of κακός) is present with me.

I’m not advocating for a new translation of καλός and καλῶς. As words go beautiful is as slippery as good. I’m not likely to heal a withered hand in a synagogue or church any Saturday or Sunday soon, something I would wholeheartedly consider a beautiful good. And it is a fair question how beautiful I feel blessing those who curse me, praying for those who mistreat me, with both cheeks red and stinging, missing my coat and my shirt. But when the One who commended Phinehas made atonement Himself and told us to live this way instead, I think it is important to see it as a beautiful good.

I had to go this roundabout way to get over my tendency to hear sarcasm and ridicule in Jesus’ voice. Now I believe He took his roundabout course to find a reason to commend the Samaritan woman: This you said truthfully^[38] (τοῦτο ἀληθὲς εἴρηκας). And then He added that she in her beautiful truthfulness was exactly the kind of worshipper his Father is seeking: a time is coming – and now is here – when the true (ἀληθινοὶ, a form of ἀληθινός) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit (πνεύματι, a form of πνεῦμα) and truth (ἀληθείᾳ, a form of ἀλήθεια), for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit (πνεῦμα), and the people who worship him must worship in spirit (πνεύματι, a form of πνεῦμα) and truth^[39] (ἀληθείᾳ, a form of ἀλήθεια).

Now I can back up and hear Jesus’ other statements for what they are. “Right you are when you said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the man you are living with now is not your husband. This you said truthfully!”^[40] I would have no way of knowing this about the woman if Jesus hadn’t said it. More to the point, He demonstrated something important for her.

“Sir, I see that you are a prophet,”^[41] she said. Taking Jesus at face value allows me to take this woman at face value as well. Recognizing a prophet before her, she broached the single most pressing religious issue on her mind: Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you people say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.^[42] I have no idea how she was treated when she climbed the mountain in Samaria to worship God. I can only imagine how she might have been treated if this Samaritan woman had dared to journey to Jerusalem to worship God.

The priest sent back to teach her ancestors was from the northern kingdom of divided Israel. From its very beginning Jeroboam, the first king, had changed the Lord’s decrees (1 Kings 12:26-32 NET):

Jeroboam then thought to himself: “Now the Davidic dynasty could regain the kingdom. If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, their loyalty could shift to their former master, King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” After the king had consulted with his advisers, he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” He put one in Bethel and the other in Dan. This caused Israel to sin; the people went to Bethel and Dan to worship the calves.

He built temples on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival celebrated in Judah. On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.

I could have pummeled this woman with chapter and verse after chapter and verse of Scripture proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jerusalem was the place where people must worship God. Jesus did not. All He said on the subject was: Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what (ὃ) you do not know. We worship what (ὃ) we know, because salvation is from the Jews.^[43]

I don’t know why ὃ was translated what rather than who or whom. I hope it’s a subtlety of the Greek language, for Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship^[44] is very near the beginning of the translation of Scripture into English. I would hate to think that the translators made a conscious decision to turn the eyes of the English-speaking world to doctrine and dogma at the very moment when Jesus turned his away. You Samaritans don’t really know the one you worship. But we Jews do know the God we worship… (CEV) You worship One of whom you know nothing. We worship One whom we know… (MSNT) You Samaritans do not really know whom you worship; but we Jews know whom we worship… (TEV)

Crouching furtively in the Samaritan woman’s conundrum was a desire to worship God and a concern to do it as He desired. Jesus heard that desire and concern, and responded to it: But a time is coming – and now is here – when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”^[45]

I don’t get the impression that she understood Him. Then, I’ve spent my adult life trying everything from obeying the law to faith alone. I suppose my current understanding of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth is living honestly by the Holy Spirit. The Samaritan woman did reveal a profound and faithful hope: “I know that Messiah is coming” (the one called Christ); “whenever he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.” ^[46]

Fresh from this knowledge of God I can look at the original Scriptures with fresh eyes. In Jesus’ parable about the owner of the vineyard ἠτίμασαν and ἀτιμάσαντες (forms of ἀτιμάζω) associated with forms of δέρω described slaves who were beaten up. I have been beaten up before. I felt pain, anger and humiliation but no sexual excitement whatsoever. I can’t dismiss the judicial beating associated with ἀτιμάζω in Acts 5:40 and 41 quite so easily.

I typed “judicial whipping fantasy” into Google and “Maragana Girl, Chapter 12 – The Punishment in the School Auditorium”^[47] by caligula97236 came up (second, actually, scanning the titles quickly I mistook “Judicial Spanking in Taiwan” for actual rather than fantasy punishment). It is a tale about twenty naked male criminals humiliated and switched by female medical students and police officers as an educational spectacle for teenage girls. It is couched in terms of how wrong this was and in need of reform.

There is no denying that the judicial or punishment whipping fantasy is part of sado-masochistic lore. It is part of the reason I attempted to distinguish sadism from masochism in the first essay of this series. I recall my own state of mind whenever I was the dominant masochist, as I call it:

First, and not incidentally, was the sight of a beloved woman’s body laid out for my enjoyment. I measured each stroke of the whip by the sound it made, the mark it left on her beautiful flesh, how she flinched, and the whimpers or gasps she vocalized as a result. My goal was to whip her in tempo (both velocity and frequency) with her own growing euphoria, the same euphoria I had known at her hand as a submissive masochist. But beyond any goal or thought of the future was the sheer pleasure of the moment, sharing that extreme intimacy with her.

I have no access to the mind of the judicial torturer who beat Jesus’ disciples. I suspect that it was not what I have just described. As I perceive it a judicial torturer is the business end of an institutional belief that certain actions, words or thoughts deserve, or may be modified for the good through, the application of physical pain and social humiliation (though I suppose the hope is that the fear of physical pain and social humiliation will achieve the latter end more often than not).

Fiery hell seems to be presented in terms of physical pain. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable…For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.^[48] The prospect, that so offended Ingmar Bergman, of the dead being raised and given new imperishable, immortal bodies only to suffer for an eternity in hell lends credence in my mind to the deservedness of physical pain. Though I admit, I tend to abstract fiery hell as a metaphor for knowing, face to face beyond any doubt, that God is Love and then being cast out from his omnipresence forever. In that sense I can see physical pain as salutary, a welcome distraction from the actual horror of the situation.

The application or the fear of the application of physical pain and social humiliation inspires many to a hypocritical compliance with many kinds of social norms. It will never produce goodness: No one is good (ἀγαθὸς) except God alone.^[49] The Holy Spirit mocked a faith in physical pain and social humiliation when Jesus’ disciples were beaten to conform their behavior to Jewish social norms. He filled them with his joy^[50] (χαρά) instead so they walked away from their beatings rejoicing (χαίροντες, a form of χαίρω) because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor (ἀτιμασθῆναι, another form of ἀτιμάζω) for the sake of the name.^[51] Viewed this way, my concern that my masochism, dominant or submissive, is the wrath of God revealed from heaven seems as absurd as Jesus’ disciples fretting because they had brought no bread.^[52]