Christianity, Part 2

I concluded the first essay in this series with the clause, “So here I must decide.” That’s true in the sense that faith is an ongoing choice. It is misleading if the reader assumes that choice is to be made by the puny power of my rational mind.

By the time I can stare down my Christianity and say, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,1 the initial choice has already been made. [F]or it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,2 is how Paul described it. Led by the Holy Spirit, continuously bathed from the inside out in Jesus’ own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, the choice to trust Him becomes a relatively simple matter of not resisting Him.

That the initial choice was made in a non-rational way, however, doesn’t make that choice itself irrational. There are good reasons for making that choice. In real time, however, those reasons have come more like rationalizations after the choice was made rather than preceding and causing the choice. Those reasons do help, however, to sustain that choice on a day-to-day basis.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,3 Jesus said. I will draw is not particularly tricky. It was ἑλκύσω (a form of ἑλκύω) in Greek, a first person indicative verb in the future tense. “The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.”4 In other words, as Jesus says this He believes that He will draw all to Himself.

This is quite powerful as reasons go. Any rational argument against it must explain: 1) how Jesus was wrong and 2) when He changed his mind. My religious mind might imagine any number of scenarios from its own experiences and feelings, but for the mind of Christ this is a very high bar, practically insurmountable.

If Jesus were to ask me, “Why did you believe that I would draw all to myself?” my account is simple and direct: That is what you said. If He asked why I believed that He would fail to draw all to Himself, things become more complicated.

When I believed that Jesus would fail to draw all to Himself, I didn’t put it in those words. At that time I didn’t think about giving an account to Jesus but if I had it would have gone something like this:

I didn’t believe that you would fail. I believed that you would do everything in your power but salvation depends ultimately on the individual believer.

Jesus’ next question is obvious: “Why did you believe that All authority in heaven and on earth has [not] been given to me”?5

This was the authority on which Jesus’ command to disciple all nations is based. And his saying that No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him6 refutes the idea that people choose Christ apart from being drawn by God. The people-must-save-themselves-through-their-own-faith version of Christianity is weakened by the flesh much like the law. It is not what God has doneBy sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.7

If I take Jesus at his word and assume that He draws all to Himself before anyone is sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels8…and that is an assumption. I don’t see any way to limit Jesus to this moment but I’m intrigued by the possibilities of this moment…then I can believe that all gathered before his glorious throne have been drawn to Him and like Paul [they themselves] serve the law of God with [their minds] but with [their] flesh [they] serve the law of sin.9

So from where do the cursed come? Who are those to whom Jesus says, Depart from meinto the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels10? [H]e will separate people (literally: themselves) one from another11 must be very different than I imagined when I imagined that the righteous and the wicked were different, already separate, people.

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin12 was a compromise Paul also described with the words: when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members [Table]. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?13

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin was acceptable to Paul as a compromise in the hope that God would deliver him through Jesus Christ: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!14 If those standing before Jesus’ glorious throne are about to experience that deliverance, I get a different image of that day when, according to [Paul’s] gospel (i.e., good news), God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.15

The cursed standing to Jesus’ left are not like the evil (πονηροί, a form of πονηρός). You brood of vipers! Jesus said to religious leaders. How can you speak good, when you are evil (πονηροί)?16

After I got over thinking that Jesus was simply rude and abusive, I bypassed thinking He was ignorant seeking information, but I rested for a while on the idea that He was constantly perplexed by human nature. Now, however, I assume He asked a legitimate question, inviting the Pharisees to think deeply about how they spoke anything good.

I relate to that from my own experience with None is righteous.17 The moment I accepted that premise as true, my arguments against it became prima facie evidence that Jesus was in fact drawing me to Himself. If no one seeks for God18 is true, and I was seeking for God, then the source of my seeking was something other than my unrighteousness self.

Jesus said (Matthew 7:9-11 ESV):

Or which one of you, if his son asks19 him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if20 he asks21 for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil (πονηροί), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

It fits then that the cursed standing on Jesus’ left are the distilled sin condemned in the human flesh of those on his right. This distilled sin condemned in human flesh never gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcome to a stranger, clothing to the naked, nor the time of day to those who were sick or in prison, things the evil (πονηροί) do often for people they care about.

As this distilled sin condemned in human flesh stares at the glorified Christ, looking much like when He was transfigured before [Peter, James and John], his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became22 white as light,23 I can almost hear them sneer, when did we see you?24

Peter said to Jesus [at Jesus’ transfiguration], “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses25 and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say,26 for they were27 terrified.28 The righteous on Jesus’ right don’t seem terrified necessarily, just disoriented. None seems to recall this moment from Scripture. They, too, question when they have ever done anything for anyone like their glorified Lord.

My sheep hear my voice, Jesus said, and I know them, and they follow me [Table]. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 Though I called the cursed, “the distilled sin condemned in…human flesh,” it seems more likely that it is the righteous led by the Holy Spirit who heed his command to go30 out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.31

In his sermon on the mount Jesus said (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV):

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.32 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [Table] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Now I would understand these many as the distilled sin condemned in the flesh of Christians standing on Jesus’ left. This is not to say that there is no corresponding many who heard his command to go out from their midst, and be separate from them standing on Jesus’ right, just that in this passage we are hearing the arguments of the distilled sin that was condemned in their flesh. It boasts in the work of God as if it were its own. It supposes that it should be rewarded along with the new creation it plagued for a lifetime.

One of the wonderful possibilities of this moment is that I won’t see my doppelganger. The glorified Lord separates us one from the other, like trying to see something on the other side of the sun. But it is sobering to consider: Who will I be at that moment?

Will I myself be the righteous new creation on Jesus’ right, marveling at my glorious Lord, wondering what I ever could have done for Him? Or will I identify more with the distilled sin condemned in my flesh, arguing that He should reward me for all the wonderful things that I have done for Him?

When I was barely escaping from a life of atheism, sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, Paul’s words kept me from despair (Romans 7:13-20 ESV):

Did [the law] which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure [Table]. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin [Table]. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me [Table]. 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. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me [Table].

The more I believed Paul’s saying, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,33 the more I began to see God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as the good in my life, and the more I began to view me myself as the evil. My Pastor warned me about thinking and speaking like this (which should not be taken to imply that he would endorse all I’ve written here). I thought I understood what he was saying, even paid some lip service to it. Writing this essay has cast it in a new light and reminded me of an incident with my son.

I walked through the living room one afternoon as he played a video game. He was driving a car, racing away from the police. As I walked out of the room I said, “You’re never going to drive one of my cars.” He stopped playing and hurried to catch up to me to ask, why. “You’re training yourself to hit the accelerator when you hear a siren rather than the brakes.” The next time I noticed him playing that video game, he had turned off the siren and the police chase, and simply played it as a road race game. He turned out to be a very good driver.

I certainly don’t want to train myself to identify with the distilled sin condemned in my flesh. Part of my prayer for all is to ask that “we know by faith your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control springing up within us to eternal life from your Holy Spirit.” I’ve changed “your Holy Spirit” to “our Holy Spirit,” not to claim any credit for myself but to take ownership of all that I have been given in Christ.

According to a note (26) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:11. The table below compares the relevant portions of the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:17 to Isaiah 52:11 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:17a (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 52:11b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 52:11b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς ἀφορίσθητε ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς, ἀφορίσθητε

2 Corinthians 6:17a (NET)

Isaiah 52:11b (NETS)

Isaiah 52:11b (English Elpenor)

come out from their midst, and be separate go out from the midst of it; be separated go ye out from the midst of her; separate yourselves

2 Corinthians 6:17b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 52:11a (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 52:11a (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε

2 Corinthians 6:17b (NET)

Isaiah 52:11a (NETS)

Isaiah 52:11a (English Elpenor)

and touch no unclean thing and touch no unclean thing and touch not the unclean thing

According to a note (28) in the NET the last clause of 2 Corinthians 6:17 was a paraphrased quotation from Ezekiel 20:41. The table below compares the relevant portion of the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:17 to Ezekiel 20:41 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:17c (NET Parallel Greek)

Ezekiel 20:41b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Ezekiel 20:41b (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς

2 Corinthians 6:17c (NET)

Ezekiel 20:41b (NETS)

Ezekiel 20:41b (English Elpenor)

I will welcome you I will accept you I will accept you

According to a note (29) in the NET 2 Corinthians 6:18 was a paraphrased quotation of 2 Samuel 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6. The table below compares the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:18 to 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 7:14 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:18a (NET Parallel Greek)

2 Samuel 7:14a (Septuagint BLB) Table

2 Kings 7:14a (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς πατέρα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε μοι εἰς υἱοὺς ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν

2 Corinthians 6:18a (NET)

2 Reigns 7:14a (NETS)

2 Kings 7:14a (English Elpenor)

and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son

The table below compares the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:18 to Isaiah 43:6 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 43:6b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 43:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε μοι εἰς υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς

2 Corinthians 6:18b (NET)

Isaiah 43:6b (NETS)

Isaiah 43:6b (English Elpenor)

and you will be my sons and daughters bring my sons from a land far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth

Tables comparing Ezekiel 20:41; 2 Samuel 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Ezekiel 20:41; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 7:9, 10; 17:2; Mark 9:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 6:17 and Matthew 7:21 in the NET and KJV follow.

Ezekiel 20:41 (Tanakh)

Ezekiel 20:41 (KJV)

Ezekiel 20:41 (NET)

I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

Ezekiel 20:41 (Septuagint BLB)

Ezekiel 20:41 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐν ὀσμῇ εὐωδίας προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῗν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ εἰσδέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν ἐν αἷς διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῗς καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῗν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν λαῶν ἐν ὀσμῇ εὐωδίας προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ εἰσδέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν, ἐν αἷς διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῖς, καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῖν κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν λαῶν

Ezekiel 20:41 (NETS)

Ezekiel 20:41 (English Elpenor)

In an odor of fragrance I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and take you in from the countries, those in which you were scattered, and I will be hallowed among you in the eyes of the peoples. I will accept you with a sweet-smelling savour, when I bring you out from the nations, and take you out of the countries wherein ye have been dispersed; and I will be sanctified among you in the sight of the nations.

2 Samuel 7:14 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 7:14 (KJV)

2 Samuel 7:14 (NET)

I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son; if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings.

2 Samuel 7:14 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 7:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀδικία αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλέγξω αὐτὸν ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐν ἁφαῗς υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν· καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀδικία αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλέγξω αὐτὸν ἐν ράβδῳ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐν ἁφαῖς υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων

2 Reigns 7:14 (NETS)

2 Kings 7:14 (English Elpenor)

I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me, and if his injustice comes, then I will punish him with a rod of men and with attacks of sons of men, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men.

Isaiah 43:6 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 43:6 (KJV)

Isaiah 43:6 (NET)

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

Isaiah 43:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 43:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐρῶ τῷ βορρᾷ ἄγε καὶ τῷ λιβί μὴ κώλυε ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς ἐρῶ τῷ Βορρᾷ· ἄγε, καὶ τῷ Λιβί· μὴ κώλυε, ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς

Isaiah 43:6 (NETS)

Isaiah 43:6 (English Elpenor)

I will say to the north, “Bring them,” and to the southwest, “Do not hinder; bring my sons from a land far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth– I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Matthew 7:9, 10 (NET)

Matthew 7:9, 10 (KJV)

Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Matthew 7:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 7:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 7:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἢ τίς |ἐστιν| ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος, ὃν αἰτήσει ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἄρτον, μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ η τις εστιν εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον εαν αιτηση ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω η τις εστιν εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον εαν αιτηση ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Matthew 7:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 7:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 7:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἰχθὺν αἰτήσει, μὴ ὄφιν ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ και εαν ιχθυν αιτηση μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω και εαν ιχθυν αιτηση μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω

Matthew 17:2 (NET)

Matthew 17:2 (KJV)

And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Matthew 17:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 17:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 17:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔλαμψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς και μετεμορφωθη εμπροσθεν αυτων και ελαμψεν το προσωπον αυτου ως ο ηλιος τα δε ιματια αυτου εγενετο λευκα ως το φως και μετεμορφωθη εμπροσθεν αυτων και ελαμψεν το προσωπον αυτου ως ο ηλιος τα δε ιματια αυτου εγενοντο λευκα ως το φως

Mark 9:5, 6 (NET)

Mark 9:5, 6 (KJV)

So Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Mark 9:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος λέγει τῷ Ἰησοῦ· ραββί, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ὧδε εἶναι, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τρεῖς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν καὶ Μωϋσεῖ μίαν καὶ Ἠλίᾳ μίαν και αποκριθεις ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου ραββι καλον εστιν ημας ωδε ειναι και ποιησωμεν σκηνας τρεις σοι μιαν και μωσει μιαν και ηλια μιαν και αποκριθεις ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου ραββι καλον εστιν ημας ωδε ειναι και ποιησωμεν σκηνας τρεις σοι μιαν και μωσει μιαν και ηλια μιαν
(For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.) For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

Mark 9:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὐ γὰρ ᾔδει τί ἀποκριθῇ, ἔκφοβοι γὰρ ἐγένοντο ου γαρ ηδει τι λαληση ησαν γαρ εκφοβοι ου γαρ ηδει τι λαλησει ησαν γαρ εκφοβοι

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NET)

2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)

Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

2 Corinthians 6:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

2 Corinthians 6:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)

διὸ ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε, λέγει κύριος, καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε· καγὼ εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς διο εξελθετε εκ μεσου αυτων και αφορισθητε λεγει κυριος και ακαθαρτου μη απτεσθε καγω εισδεξομαι υμας διο εξελθετε εκ μεσου αυτων και αφορισθητε λεγει κυριος και ακαθαρτου μη απτεσθε καγω εισδεξομαι υμας

Matthew 7:21 (NET)

Matthew 7:21 (KJV)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:21 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 7:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 7:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι· κύριε κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ου πας ο λεγων μοι κυριε κυριε εισελευσεται εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων αλλ ο ποιων το θελημα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις ου πας ο λεγων μοι κυριε κυριε εισελευσεται εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων αλλ ο ποιων το θελημα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις

1 Acts 4:19 (ESV)

2 Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

3 John 12:32 (ESV)

5 Matthew 28:18 (ESV) Table

6 John 6:44a (ESV) Table

7 Romans 8:3, 4 (ESV)

8 Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

9 Romans 7:25b (ESV) Table

10 Matthew 25:41a (ESV)

11 Matthew 25:32b (ESV) Table

12 Romans 7:25b (ESV)

13 Romans 7:21b-24 (ESV)

14 Romans 7:25a (ESV) Table

15 Romans 2:16 (ESV)

16 Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

17 Romans 3:10b (ESV)

18 Romans 3:11b (ESV)

22 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the singular ἐγένετο here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had the plural εγενοντο.

23 Matthew 17:2 (ESV)

24 Matthew 25:44b (ESV) Table

28 Mark 9:5, 6 (ESV)

29 John 10:27, 28 (ESV)

31 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18 (ESV)

32 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τοῖς preceding heaven. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

33 Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

To Make Holy, Part 4

The next form of ἁγιάζω I’ll 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 plan to crawl through his prayer on my knees because I believe I can know his holiness here.

I have revealed your name, Jesus prayed, to the men you gave me out of the world.[2]  Though the Greek word translated men is masculine, I’m not convinced that justifies (note 15) translating ἀνθρώποις (a form of ἄνθρωπος) men in the 21st century.  John didn’t use ἄρσενες (a form of ἄῤῥην) for instance, as Paul did when his intent was to distinguish male from human.  But from the beginning of creation, Jesus said, he made them male (ἄρσεν, another form of ἄῤῥην) and female.[3]  And God made humankind (ἄνθρωπον, another form of ἄνθρωπος); according to divine image he made it; male (ἄρσεν, another form of ἄῤῥην) and female he made them.[4]

Also the Greek word translated I have revealed was not a form of ἀποκαλύπτω but Ἐφανέρωσα (a form of φανερόω).  So I think Jesus meant something more than calling God πάτερ, even something more than the mere fact that yehôvâh has a Father.  Jesus revealed (ἐφανέρωσεν, another form of φανερόω) his glory[5] by turning water to wine (John 2:1-11).  He revealed (ἐφανέρωσεν, another form of φανερόω) himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias[6] after he was raised from the dead[7] by telling them where to cast their net to catch fish and by having a charcoal fire ready to prepare their breakfast (John 21:1-14).  Jesus had revealed his Father’s name by demonstrating who the Father is by his own relationship to Him (John 14:8-10 NET).

Philip said, “Lord, show (δεῖξον, a form of δεικνύω) us the Father, and we will be content.”  Jesus replied, “Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip?  The person who has seen me has seen the Father!  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me?  The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds.

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath.  His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat [8] as they made their way,[9] rubbed them in their hands, and ate them.[10]  We may misunderstand this story because we live in a different world.  Most seed farmers sow today is dead, purchased from agribusinesses.  It will not grow a crop that produces viable seed.  We think it is wrong to walk through a farmer’s field to eat without payment the crop he purchased and labored over.

The grain Jesus’ disciples ate was alive, fully able to grow another crop and produce another harvest.  It was from God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food,[11] from God who said to Moses: When you go into the ripe grain fields of your neighbor you may pluck off the kernels with your hand, but you must not use a sickle on your neighbor’s ripe grain.[12]  But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.”[13]

They weren’t wrong (Exodus 16:4, 5; 20:8-11 NET):

Then the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them.  Will they walk in my law or not?  On the sixth day they will prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather every other day.”

Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy.  For six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord (yehôvâh, ליהוה) your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates.  For in six days the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

But Jesus defended his disciples’ from the Pharisees accusation by citing hunger as a commonly known exception: “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry – how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest,[14] took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any to eat but the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?”[15]

His next argument might have been a bit more opaque to the Pharisees: Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty (ἀναίτιοι, a form of ἀναίτιος)?[16]  This becomes clearer with Peter’s teaching, one of the men to whom Jesus revealed his Father’s name (1 Peter 2:4-10 NET):

So as you come to [Jesus], a living stone rejected by men but chosen and priceless in God’s sight, you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For it says in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, and whoever believes (πιστεύων, a form of πιστεύω) in him will never be put to shame.”  So you who believe (πιστεύουσιν, another form of πιστεύω) see his value, but for those who do not believe (ἀπιστοῦσιν, a form of ἀπιστέω), the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over.  They stumble because they disobey (ἀπειθοῦντες, a form of ἀπειθέω; disbelieve) the word, as they were destined to do.  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim (ἐξαγγείλητε, a form of ἐξαγγέλλω) the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  You once were not a people, but now you are God’s people.  You were shown no mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Isaiah prophesied yehôvâh’s description of my chosen people as the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise (tehillâh, תהלתי; Septuagint: διηγεῖσθαι, a form of διηγέομαι) me.[17]  How we praise and proclaim Him is important.  Are we filled with his own ἀρετὰς (a form of ἀρέτη; translated virtues), his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness and his self-control, or are we bitter and resentful as we grudgingly strive in our own strength to obey rules that others apparently ignore with impunity?  Malachi prophesied (3:13-18 NET):

“You have criticized me sharply,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), “but you ask, ‘How have we criticized you?’  You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God.  How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord (yehôvih, יהוה) who rules over all?  So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful.  In fact, those who challenge (bâchan, בחנו; Tanakh, tempt) God escape!’”

Then those who respected (yârêʼ, יראי) the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) spoke to one another, and the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) took notice.  A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected (yârêʼ, ליראי) the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) and honored his name.  “They will belong to me,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) who rules over all, “in the day when I prepare my own special property.  I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.  Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.”

I tell you that something greater than the temple is here,[18] Jesus continued.  I turn here to Hebrews, not as the thoughts of some anonymous disciple but, as the teaching that was foremost in Jesus’ mind between his resurrection and ascension (Hebrews 12:18-24 NET):

For you have not come to something that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more.  For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”  In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.”  But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.

If you had known what this means:I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent (ἀναιτίους, another form of ἀναίτιος),[19] Jesus continued.  Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.  For this reason the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”[20]  It was not wrong to capitalize Son of Man, for Jesus certainly meant Himself, but clearly not Himself exclusively.

If I pay attention, He has given me a beautiful contrast between how the disobedient and unbelieving picture God and judge others according to their own image, and how the obedient and believing see Him.  Actually everything Jesus said and did confronting the Pharisees and teachers of the law offers this contrast and reveals his Father’s name, but I’ll consider only one other slightly different example in this essay:

Matthew 15:21-28 (NET)

Mark 7:24-30 (NET)

After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Matthew 15:21

After Jesus left there, he went to the region of Tyre.

Mark 7:24a

A Canaanite woman from that area came and cried out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is horribly demon-possessed (δαιμονίζεται, a form of δαιμονίζομαι)!”  But he did not answer her a word.  Then his disciples came and begged him, “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.”  So he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Matthew 15:22-24

When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know, but he was not able to escape notice.

Mark 7:24b

But she came and bowed down before him…

Matthew 15:25a

Instead, a woman whose young daughter had an unclean (ἀκάθαρτον, a form of ἀκάθαρτος) spirit (πνεῦμα) immediately heard about him and came and fell at his feet.

Mark 7:25

The woman was a Greek, of Syrophoenician origin.

Mark 7:26a

…and said, “Lord, help me!”

Matthew 15:25b

She asked him to cast the demon (δαιμόνιον) out of her daughter.

Mark 7:26b

He said to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for…

Mark 7:27a

“It is not right (καλὸν, a form of καλός) to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” he said.

Matthew 15:26

…it is not right to take the children’s bread and to throw it to the dogs.”

Mark 7:27b

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Matthew 15:27

She answered, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Mark 7:28

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great!  Let what you want be done for you.”

Matthew 15:28a

Then he said to her, “Because you said this, you may go.  The demon (δαιμόνιον) has left your daughter.”

Mark 7:29

And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Matthew 15:28b

She went home and found the child lying on the bed, and the demon (δαιμόνιον) gone.

Mark 7:30

It is too easy to miss Jesus’ demonstration of his Father here.  When I obsess about what He called the woman I miss that He said, Woman, your faith is great, and honored her request when she accepted his description of her as a dog.  Mark described her socially and genealogically as Greek, of Syrophoenician origin.  Matthew described her lost soul as a Canaanite (1 Corinthians 10:19-22 NET).

Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything?  No, I mean that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons (δαιμονίοις, a form of δαιμόνιον) and not to God [Table].  I do not want you to be partners with demons (δαιμονίων, another form of δαιμόνιον).  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons (δαιμονίων, another form of δαιμόνιον).  You cannot take part in the table of the Lord and the table of demons (δαιμονίων, another form of δαιμόνιον).  Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy?  Are we really stronger than he is?

The word translated pagans (εθνη, a form of ἔθνος) doesn’t occur in the parallel Greek of the NET online.  It is found however in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Byzantine Majority Text.

1 Corinthians 10:20 NET Parallel Greek 1 Corinthians 10:20 Stephanus Textus Receptus

1 Corinthians 10:20 Byzantine Majority Text

ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι ἃ θύουσιν[21] , δαιμονίοις καὶ οὐ θεῷ [θύουσιν]· οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς κοινωνοὺς τῶν δαιμονίων γίνεσθαι αλλ οτι α θυει[22] τα εθνη δαιμονιοις θυει και ου θεω ου θελω δε υμας κοινωνους των δαιμονιων γινεσθαι αλλ οτι α θυει τα εθνη δαιμονιοις θυει και ου θεω ου θελω δε υμας κοινωνους των δαιμονιων γινεσθαι

After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their statutes,[23] yehôvâh commanded Moses to Speak unto the children of Israel.[24]  Moses knew Israel would not obey yehôvâh’s statutes and prophesied in song (Deuteronomy 32:16, 17 Tanakh):

They roused Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations (tôʽêbah, בתועבת; Septuagint: βδελύγμασιν, a form of βδέλυγμα) did they provoke Him [Table].  They sacrificed unto demons (shed, לשדים; Septuagint: δαιμονίοις, a form of δαιμόνιον), no-gods, gods that they knew not, new gods that came up of late, which your fathers dreaded not [Table].

With this fresh in my mind I get a better picture of what was going on: Jesus came to town and a demon worshiper complained to Him that her daughter was demon-possessed.  It’s a vivid picture of the iniquity of the mother (in this case) being visited upon her daughter, whether we regard that visitation as punishment from God or the expected result of consorting with demons.  Jesus fully intended to ignore the Canaanite woman because He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  It is how He understood his mission from his Father.  It is what He taught his disciples (Matthew 10:5-8 NET):

Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: “Do not go to Gentile (ἐθνῶν, another form of ἔθνος) regions and do not enter any Samaritan town.  Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.  Freely you received, freely give.”

Could there be anything more cruel than casting out a demon from the daughter of a demon worshiper?

Matthew 12:43-45 (NET)

Luke 11:24-28 (NET)

“When an unclean (ἀκάθαρτον, a form of ἀκάθαρτος) spirit (πνεῦμα) goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it.

Matthew 12:43

“When an unclean (ἀκάθαρτον, a form of ἀκάθαρτος) spirit (πνεῦμα) goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any.

Luke 11:24a

Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’  When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order.

Matthew 12:44

Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’  When it returns, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

Luke 11:24b, 25

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits (πνεύματα, a form of πνεῦμα) more evil (πονηρότερα, a form of πονηρός) than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first.

Matthew 12:45a

Then it goes and brings seven other spirits (πνεύματα, a form of πνεῦμα) more evil (πονηρότερα, a form of πονηρός) than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

Luke 11:26

It will be that way for this evil (πονηρᾷ, another form of πονηρός) generation as well!”

Matthew 12:45b

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!”

Luke 11:27

But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear (ἀκούοντες, a form of ἀκούω) the word of God and obey (φυλάσσοντες, a form of φυλάσσω) it!”

Luke 11:28

Jesus’ disciples couldn’t tolerate the woman’s loud persistence, so Jesus engaged her.  Still she persisted.  More to the point she accepted Jesus’ description of her as one of the dogs: She answered, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”  (The Pharisees by contrast wouldn’t even accept Jesus’ description of them as actors.[25])  And so Jesus, contrary to his own understanding of his mission from the Father and his own teaching to his own disciples, healed the woman’s daughter because of this woman’s one simple act of faith, believing his description of her as a dog.  Perhaps that faith would lead to more faith in more things Jesus taught and turn this Canaanite woman and her daughter from their faith in demons.

This all reminds me of yehôvâh’s repentance: And the LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה) repented (nâcham, וינחם; Septuagint: ἱλάσθη, a form of ἱλάσκομαι) of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.[26]  How can yehôvâh/Jesus repent of his own covenant, his own understanding or his own teaching, except by submitting his own will to that of his Father?  Who is his Father?

God is love,[27] wrote another of the men to whom Jesus revealed his Father’s name.  Not, Love is god.  This isn’t pagan worship of an idea or ideals achieved by human desire or exertion.  It is rather a shorthand for the name of the Father Jesus revealed to his disciples by his every word and deed.  Paul’s definition of love is the way He, in fact, loves and fills believers with Himself (1 Corinthians 13:1-8a NET):

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have God, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have God, I am nothing.  If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have God, I receive no benefit.

God is patient, God is kind, He is not envious.  God 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.  God never ends.

And Jesus said (Matthew 7:21-23; John 3:7; Matthew 12:33a NET):

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.  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!’

Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good…

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God,[28] Paul wrote believers in Rome.  The Gospel harmony I created to write this essay follows.

Matthew 12:1-8 (NET)

Mark 2:23-28 (NET)

Luke 6:1-5 (NET)

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath.

Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἐπορεύθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς σάββασιν διὰ τῶν σπορίμων

Matthew 12:1a

Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath…

Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν |παραπορεύεσθαι| διὰ τῶν σπορίμων

Mark 2:23a

Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath…

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν σαββάτῳ διαπορεύεσθαι αὐτὸν διὰ σπορίμων

Luke 6:1a

His disciples were hungry…

οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπείνασαν

Matthew 12:1b

…and they began to pick heads of wheat…

καὶ ἤρξαντο τίλλειν στάχυας

Matthew 12:1c

…and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat…

καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἤρξαντο … τίλλοντες τοὺς στάχυας

Mark 2:23b

…and his disciples picked some heads of wheat…

καὶ ἔτιλλον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ … τοὺς στάχυας

Luke 6:1b

as they made their way.

ὁδὸν ποιεῖν

Mark 2:23c

…rubbed them in their hands…

ψώχοντες ταῖς χερσίν

Luke 6:1c

…and eat them.

καὶ ἐσθίειν

Matthew 12:1d

…and ate them.

καὶ ἤσθιον …

Luke 6:1d

But when the Pharisees saw this…

οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες

Matthew 12:2a

…they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.”  He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did…

εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ οἱ μαθηταί σου ποιοῦσιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν ἐν σαββάτῳ.  ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ

Matthew 12:2b, 3a

So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?”  He said to them, “Have you never read what David did…

καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· ἴδε τί ποιοῦσιν τοῖς σάββασιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν; καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ

Mark 2:24, 25a

But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?”  Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David did…

τινὲς δὲ τῶν Φαρισαίων εἶπαν· τί ποιεῖτε ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν; καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἶπεν |ὁ| Ἰησοῦς· οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἀνέγνωτε ὃ ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ

Luke 6:2, 3a

…when he was in need…

ὅτε χρείαν ἔσχεν

Mark 2:25b

…when he and his companions were hungry – how he entered the house of God…

ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ

Matthew 12:3b, 4a

…and he and his companions were hungry – how he entered the house of God…

καὶ ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, |πῶς| εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ

Mark 2:25c, 26a

…when he and his companions were hungry – how he entered the house of God…

ὅτε ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ [ὄντες], [ὡς] εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ

Luke 6:3b, 4a

…when Abiathar was high priest…

ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως

Mark 2:26b

…took…

λαβὼν

Luke 6:4b

…and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law…

καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον, ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν

Matthew 12:4b

…and ate the sacred bread, which is against the law…

καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγεν, οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν

Mark 2:26c

…and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful…

καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως … ἔφαγεν … οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν

Luke 6:4c

…for him or his companions to eat…

αὐτῷ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ

Matthew 12:4c

…but only for the priests?

εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν μόνοις

Matthew 12:4d

…for any but the priests to eat…

φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἱερεῖς

Mark 2:26d

…for any to eat but the priests alone…

… φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ μόνους τοὺς ἱερεῖς

Luke 6:4d

…and also gave it to his companions?”

καὶ ἔδωκεν καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ οὖσιν

Mark 2:26e

…and gave it to his companions?”

καὶ ἔδωκεν τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ

Luke 6:4e

Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?  I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.  If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

ἢ οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὅτι τοῖς σάββασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τὸ σάββατον βεβηλοῦσιν καὶ ἀναίτιοι εἰσιν;  λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι τοῦ ἱεροῦ μεῖζον ἐστιν ὧδε.  εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν· ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν, οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους

Matthew 12:5-7

Then he said to them…

καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς

Mark 2:27a

Then he said to them…

καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς

Luke 6:5a

“The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.  For this reason…

τὸ σάββατον διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐγένετο καὶ οὐχ ὁ ἄνθρωπος διὰ τὸ σάββατον·  ὥστε

Mark 2:27b, 28a

For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

κύριος γάρ ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

Matthew 12:8

…the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

κύριος ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ τοῦ σαββάτου.

Mark 2:28b

“The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

κύριος ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

Luke 6:5b

[1] John 17:17 (NET)

[2] John 17:6a (NET)

[3] Mark 10:6 (NET) Table

[4] Genesis 1:27 (NETS)

[5] John 2:11b (NET)

[6] John 21:1 (NET)

[7] John 21:14b (NET)

[8] Matthew 12:1a (NET)

[9] Mark 2:23b (NET)

[10] Luke 6:1b (NET)

[11] 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NET)

[12] Deuteronomy 23:25 (NET)

[13] Matthew 12:2 (NET)

[14] Mark 2:25, 26a (NET)

[15] Luke 6:4b (NET)

[16] Matthew 12:5 (NET)

[17] Isaiah 43:20b, 21 (NET)

[18] Matthew 12:6 (NET)

[19] Matthew 12:7 (NET)

[20] Mark 2:27, 28 (NET)

[21] A form of θύω

[22] θυει another form of θύω

[23] Leviticus 18:3 (Tanakh) Table

[24] Leviticus 18:2a (Tanakh)

[25] Romans, Part 9; Romans, Part 10; Romans, Part 12; Romans, Part 26; Romans, Part 49; Romans, Part 60; Romans, Part 71; Romans, Part 83; Sowing to the Flesh, Part 2; My Deeds, Part 1

[26] Exodus 32:14 (KJV)

[27] 1 John 4:8b (NET)

[28] Romans 8:14 (NET)