Exploration, Part 12

I was asked to compare the “translation” from the previous essay side-by-side with the ESV.

Galatians 5:25-6:5 (ESV/EXP11)

Galatians 5:25-6:5 (ESV)

(Links refer back to the rationale for this particular understanding of the Greek text.)

(Links refer to differences in the Greek of the received and critical texts.)

Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit also we may keep in step; we may not become conceited, provoking one another by envying one another.

Brothers, even if anyone is caught in any transgression, you, the spiritual, must restore such as this in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. One another’s burdens you must bear, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must test his own work, and then unto himself alone he will have reason to boast, and not unto the other. For each his own load will have to bear.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ [Table]. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Having begun by the Spirit1…by hearing with faith…2

…are you now being perfected by the flesh?3

These few changes are more congenial to walking and living by the Spirit by hearing with faith. The ESV translation as is could encourage one to continue his foolish attempt to be perfected by the flesh. The dead giveaway was having Paul encourage the foolish one to have reason to boast (τὸ καύχημα)…in himself (εἰς ἑαυτὸν). Jesus would not approve.4 And Paul wrote to foolish Galatians: But far be it from me to boast (καυχᾶσθαι, a form of καυχάομαι) except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.5

I’m reminded of Jesus’ words to the man from whom He had cast out the Legion of demons: Go home to your friends and tell (ἀπάγγειλον, an imperative form of ἀπαγγέλλω) them how much the Lord has done6 for you, and how he has had mercy on you.7 It helps highlight the difference between telling what the Lord has done in and through me and boasting about what the Lord has done in and through me: The former remains cognizant of the truth: We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.8 The latter does not. Consider how Paul told what the Lord had done in and through him (Galatians 2:20 EXP11):

By means of Christ I have been crucified, but I live hereafter not I but He lives within me, Christ, so who now I live within flesh, by faithfulness I live by means of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

…to the praise of his glorious grace…

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [Table], even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved [Table].9

The Greek is: Παῦλος, Paul, ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, apostle of Christ Jesus, διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ, by the will of God, τοῖς ἁγίοις, To the saints, τοῖς οὖσιν, who are, [ἐν Ἐφέσῳ], in Ephesus, καὶ πιστοῖς, and…faithful, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, in (or, “by means of”) Christ Jesus. The adjective Χριστῷ is in the dative case.

The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.10

Paul continued: χάρις ὑμῖν, Grace to you, καὶ εἰρήνη, and peace, ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν, from God our Father, καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, and…Lord Jesus Christ. Εὐλογητὸς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ, the Blessed God and Father, τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, of our Lord Jesus Christ, εὐλογήσας ἡμᾶς, who has blessed us, ἐν πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ πνευματικῇ, with every spiritual blessing (or, “by means of every spiritual blessing” or “benefit”), ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις, in the heavenly places, ἐν Χριστῷ, in Christ (or “by means of Christ”).

The Greek continued: καθὼς ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ, even as he chose us in him (or, “by means of Him”), πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, before the foundation of the world, εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους, that we should be holy and blameless (literally, “to be us, holy and blameless”), κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, before him. In love (or, “before Him by means of love”).

Paul wrote elsewhere how this love renders one holy and blameless (Romans 13:8-10 ESV):

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself[Table]. Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfilling of the law.

And he identified the source of this love (Galatians 5:22a ESV):

But the fruit (καρπὸς; e.g., “result”) of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη)

He also expounded on this love that is the result of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 13:4-13 ESV):

Love (ἀγάπη) is patient and kind; love (ἀγάπη) does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love (ἀγάπη) never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [Table]. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away [Table]. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways [Table]. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love (ἀγάπη) abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (ἀγάπη).

The love which renders one holy and blameless is not achieved by being perfected by the flesh but by hearing with faith. Paul continued: προορίσας ἡμᾶς, he predestined us, εἰς υἱοθεσίαν, for adoption as sons, διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, through Jesus Christ, εἰς αὐτόν, to himself (literally, “to Him”), κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν, according to the purpose, τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, of his will, εἰς ἔπαινον, to the praise (or, “unto praise”), δόξης τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, of his glorious grace, ἧς ἐχαρίτωσεν ἡμᾶς, with which he has blessed us (or, “which has blessed us”), ἐν τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ, in the Beloved (or “by means of the Beloved”).

I’m here in Ephesians ostensibly because he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace11 serves as a rebuttal of sorts to the contention that and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone12 is an appropriate translation of καὶ τότε εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον τὸ καύχημα ἕξει. Granted, once I hear εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον as a matter of private boasting, “unto himself alone,” rather than boasting about himself, even in himself alone rings true. But the bookend—καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον, and not in his neighbor13—is rendered unintelligible. Boasting privately within my neighbor is a ventriloquist act that has never even occurred to me to attempt, though boasting about myself, or the work of God in and through me, unto my neighbor is well within the purview of my potential offenses.

Now that I am here, however, Paul’s letter To the saints who are in Ephesus14 is a treasure trove of truth to be hearing with faith: Not only did he call them the saints (τοῖς ἁγίοις), he described them as faithful by means of Christ Jesus (ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ).

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law (ἐν νόμῳ; “by means of law”); you have fallen away from grace [Table]. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus (ἐνΧριστῷ |Ἰησοῦ|; “by means of Christ Jesus”) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith (πίστις) working through love.15

Hearing the dative case in Paul’s writing as “by means of,” more often than not, is probably a necessary step in overcoming every attempt at being perfected by the flesh.16 The truth to be hearing with faith is: Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God: To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful by means of Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us by means of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places by means of Christ, even as he chose us by means of him before the foundation of the world to be us, holy and blameless before him by means of love: he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Him according to the purpose of his will unto praise of his glorious grace which has blessed us by means of the Beloved.

…to unite all things in Christ…

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace [Table], which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him [Table].17

Paul continued: Ἐν , In him (literally, “In whom” or “By means of whom”), ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, we have redemption, διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ, through his blood (e.g., “bloodshed”), τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν παραπτωμάτων, the forgiveness of…trespasses, κατὰ τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, according to the riches of his grace, ἧς ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς ἡμᾶς, which he lavished upon us, ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ φρονήσει, in all wisdom and insight (or, “by means of all wisdom and insight”).

The Greek continues: γνωρίσας ἡμῖν, making known to us (or, “by means of us”), τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, the mystery of his will, κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ, according to his purpose, ἣν προέθετο ἐν αὐτῷ, which he set forth in Christ (or, “by means of Christ”; literally, “Him”), εἰς οἰκονομίαν, as a plan (or, “for stewardship”), τοῦ πληρώματος τῶν καιρῶν, for the fullness of time (literally, “of the fulfilling of the ages”), ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰ πάντα ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ, to unite all things in Christ (literally, “to gather together in one the whole by means of the Christ”), τὰ ἐπὶ τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, things in heaven (literally, “those in the heavens”), καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐν αὐτῷ, and things (or, “those”) on “the” earth in him (or, “by means of Him”).

The truth to be hearing with faith continued: By means of whom we have redemption through his bloodshed, the forgiveness of trespasses according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us by means of all wisdom and insight, making known by means of us the mystery of his will according to his purpose which he set forth by means of Him for stewardship of the fulfilling of the ages: to gather together in one the whole by means of the Christ, those in the heavens and those on the earth by means of Him. As Jesus promised, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς)…to myself.18

…to the praise of his glory…

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory [Table]. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who19 is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.20

Paul continued: Ἐν καὶ, In him (literally, “In whom also” or “By means of whom also”), ἐκληρώθημεν, we have obtained an inheritance, προορισθέντες, having been predestined, κατὰ πρόθεσιν, according to the purpose, τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐνεργοῦντος, of him who all things works (or “of Him who the whole works”), κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν, according to the counsel, τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, of his will, εἰς τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς, so that we who “are,” εἰς ἔπαινον δόξης αὐτοῦ, “unto” praise of his glory, τοὺς προηλπικότας ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ, were first to hope in Christ (or “by means of Christ”). Ἐν καὶ, In himalso (Literally, “in whom also” or “By means of whom also”), ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, you heard the word of truth, (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, the gospel of your salvation) ἐν καὶ πιστεύσαντες, and believed in him (Literally, “in whom also believed” or “by means of whom also believed”) ἐσφραγίσθητε τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (literally, “you were sealed with the Spirit” or “by means of the Spirit of the promise of the holy” or “by means of the Holy [One]”), ἐστιν ἀρραβὼν, who is the guarantee, τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν, of our inheritance, εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῆς περιποιήσεως, until we acquire possession of it (literally, “for redemption of possession”), εἰς ἔπαινον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ, “unto” praise of his glory.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, Paul wrote elsewhere, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price [Table].21 Peter may have expressed our inheritance “for redemption of possession” more clearly (1 Peter 2:8b-10 ESV):

They stumble because they disobey (ἀπειθοῦντες, a present participle of ἀπειθέω; e.g., “disbelieve, doubt”) the word, as they were destined to do (Romans 11:11-24; cf. 11:23).

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for (εἰς) his own possession (περιποίησιν, an accusative form of περιποίησις), that you may proclaim the excellencies (τὰς ἀρετὰς) of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The inheritance of the priesthood was stated clearly in the law:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Deuteronomy 10:8, 9 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 10:8, 9 (NET)

Deuteronomy 10:8, 9 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 10:8, 9 (English Elpenor)

At that time HaShem separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of HaShem, to stand before HaShem to minister unto Him, and to bless in His name, unto this day. At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to formulate blessings in his name, as they do to this very day. At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Leui to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister and to pray in his name, to this day. At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand near before the Lord, to minister and bless in his name to this day.
Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance (וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה) with his brethren; HaShem is his inheritance (נַֽחֲלָת֔וֹ), according as HaShem thy G-d spoke unto him.– Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance (naḥălâ, ונחלה) among his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance (naḥălâ, נחלתו) just as the Lord your God told him. Therefore, for the Leuites there is not a part or allotment (κλῆρος) among their brothers; the Lord himself is his allotment (κλῆρος), as he said to him.) Therefore the Levites have no part nor inheritance (κλῆρος) among their brethren; the Lord himself [is] their inheritance (κλῆρος), as he said to them.

And so I assume that the inheritance of this royal priesthood—an inheritance (κληρονομίαν, another form of κληρονομία) that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,22 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time23is God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit rather than some unspecified it which we acquire possession of.

…all who hate me love death.

As I worked on this essay I watched Lars von Trier’s Melancholia again, drawn to it as irresistibly as Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is drawn out of her sister’s house to bathe naked in the reflected light of the giant planet on a collision course with earth. Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), Justine’s sister, follows Justine at a distance and becomes our window into her amorous affection for impending death.

Justine had rejected her husband Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) from their bridal bed, only to wander off and rape Tim (Brady Corbet) in the sand trap on her brother-in-law’s golf course, still wearing her wedding dress. And Claire’s voyeuristic presence at Justine’s tryst with the planet Melancholia reminds us of her failure to engage her depressed sister in an imitation of life; namely, her attempt to put Justine in a bath before eating a favorite meal—meatloaf she had specially prepared—a gesture which Justine also rejected: “It tastes like ashes.”

And I was again reminded of Lars von Trier’s uncanny ability to dramatize biblical themes. The speaker of the headline of this section—all who hate me love death24—is God:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Proverbs 8:1 (Tanakh/KJV)

Proverbs 8:1 (NET)

Proverbs 8:1 (NETS)

Proverbs 8:1 (English Elpenor)

Doth not wisdom (חָכְמָ֥ה) cry? and understanding put forth her voice? Does not wisdom (ḥāḵmâ, חכמה) call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? You will proclaim wisdom (σοφίαν) in order that prudence may be obedient to you; Thou shalt proclaim wisdom (σοφίαν), that understanding may be obedient to thee.

Though the Masoretic text and Septuagint differ somewhat in their interpretations of the original Hebrew, Paul made the connection (1 Corinthians 1:20-25 ESV):

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom (σοφίαν, a form of σοφία) of the world? [Table] For since, in the wisdom (σοφίᾳ, another form of σοφία) of God, the world did not know God through wisdom (σοφίας, another form of σοφία), it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom (σοφίαν, a form of σοφία), but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles [Table], but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom (σοφίαν, a form of σοφία) of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men [Table].

In the fictional world of Lars von Trier’s Melancholia there was no salvation from death or the love of death. As Justine said:

The earth is evil. We don’t need to grieve for it…Nobody will miss it…All I know is, life on earth is evil…I know we’re alone…Life is only on earth—and not for long.

Justine’s hatred of God doesn’t manifest in particularly overt or aggressive ways. She is a fictional character. Jesus is not drawing her to Himself with the infinite gravity of All authority in heaven and on earth.25 There is nothing for her to resist. She simply states her hatred calmly: “I know we’re alone.” Still, as writer and director of Melancholia, Mr. von Trier grounded Justine in the here and now. Her mother Gaby (Charlotte Rampling) reveals much of Justine’s nurturing in an impromptu and unwilling wedding toast:

Yes, I wasn’t at the church. I don’t believe in marriage. Claire, who I’ve always taken for a sensible girl, you’ve arranged a spectacular party: Till death do us part and forever and ever, Justine and Michael. I just have one thing to say: enjoy it while it lasts. I myself hate marriages…especially when they involve some of my closest family members.

And Justine’s erratic behavior bears some resemblance to the contemporary woman whose quest for self-possession both entitles her to share herself with whomever whenever she chooses and prohibits her from being possessed by another, man or God. Her father Dexter (John Hurt) has no words to say beyond his complaint about not wishing to complain about Gaby (which provoked Gaby’s outburst). Dexter will dance with his daughter and party with her but will not, or cannot, have a serious conversation with her about her concerns.

I understand Justine as an actor playing a role called happiness (unconvincingly) in a world that is ultimately absurd to her, a mindless concatenation of meaningless rituals: evil in a word, though even evil loses its potency when not held in opposition to the goodness and graciousness, love in a word, of God. She only comes to life, as it were, only comes into her own true self as death overwhelms all (well, everyone except for her young nephew, to whom she lies shamelessly). We, however, live in a real world where death is ultimately defeated, where the goodness of God draws you to Himself to love and possess you through Jesus: the way, and the truth, and the life.26

The truth to be hearing with faith is: By means of whom also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined of Him who the whole works according to the counsel of his will, so that we who are unto praise of his glory were first to hope by means of Christ. By means of whom also you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, by means of whom also believed; you were sealed by means of the Spirit of the promise by means of the holy [One] who is the guarantee of our inheritance for redemption of possession unto praise of his glory.

I may be getting carried away with the “by means of” aspect of Paul’s use of the dative case. But I would prefer to praise the Lord too much, rather than too little, for his salvation, not falling back into the temptation of being perfected by the flesh. Paul made it abundantly clear here that the Lord’s purpose in saving me was unto praise of his glory. His salvation is good. I will perceive that goodness and will praise Him for it because that is his purpose. And I’ll continue to study Ephesians to know more truth to be hearing with faith.

According to a note (29) Peter quoted from Hosea 1:6, 9 and 2:23. Tables comparing the Greek of Peter’s quotation to that of the Septuagint follow.

1 Peter 2:10b (NET Parallel Greek)

Hosea 1:6b (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 1:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐκ ἠλεημένοι Οὐκ-ἠλεημένη Οὐκ-ἠλεημένη

1 Peter 2:10b (NET)

Hosea 1:6b (NETS)

Hosea 1:6b (English Elpenor)

shown no mercy Not Pitied Unpitied

1 Peter 2:10a (NET Parallel Greek)

Hosea 1:9b (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 1:9b (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ λαὸς Οὐ-λαόσ-μου Οὐ-λαός-μου

1 Peter 2:10a (NET)

Hosea 1:9b (NETS)

Hosea 1:9b (English Elpenor)

not a people Not My People Not my people

1 Peter 2:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Hosea 2:23b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Hosea 2:23b (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ λαὸς νῦν δὲ λαὸς θεοῦ…οὐκ ἠλεημένοι νῦν δὲ ἐλεηθέντες καὶ ἐλεήσω τὴν Οὐκ-ἠλεημένην καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ Οὐ-λαῷμου λαός μου εἶ σύ καὶ ἐλεήσω τὴν Οὐκ-ἠλεημένην καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ Οὐ-λαῷμου λαός μου εἰ σύ

1 Peter 2:10 (NET)

Hosea 2:23b (NETS)

Hosea 2:23b (English Elpenor)

not a people, but now you are God’s people… shown no mercy, but now you have received mercy And I will have pity on Not Pitied, and I will say to Not My People, “You are my people,” and will love her that was not loved, and will say to that which was not my people, Thou art my people;

Tables comparing Hosea 1:6; 1:9; Deuteronomy 10:8; 10:9; Proverbs 8:36 and 8:1 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Hosea 1:6; 1:9; Deuteronomy 10:8; 10:9; Proverbs 8:36 and 8:1 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Mark 5:19; Ephesians 1:14 and 1 Peter 1:4 in the KJV and NET follow.

Hosea 1:6 (Tanakh)

Hosea 1:6 (KJV)

Hosea 1:6 (NET)

And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah) because I will no longer have pity on the nation of Israel. For I will certainly not forgive their guilt.

Hosea 1:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 1:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ συνέλαβεν ἔτι καὶ ἔτεκεν θυγατέρα καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Οὐκ-ἠλεημένη διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσω ἔτι ἐλεῆσαι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ισραηλ ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἀντιτασσόμενος ἀντιτάξομαι αὐτοῖς καὶ συνέλαβεν ἔτι καὶ ἔτεκε θυγατέρα, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς, Οὐκ-ἠλεημένη, διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσω ἔτι ἐλεῆσαι τὸν οἶκον ᾿Ισραήλ, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ ἀντιτασσόμενος ἀντιτάξομαι αὐτοῖς

Hosea 1:6 (NETS)

Hosea 1:6 (English Elpenor)

And she conceived again and bore a daughter. And he said to him, “Call her name Not Pitied, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel, but setting myself in opposition, I will oppose them. And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And he said to him, Call her name, Unpitied: for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, but will surely set myself in array against them.

Hosea 1:9 (Tanakh)

Hosea 1:9 (KJV)

Hosea 1:9 (NET)

Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. Then the Lord said: “Name him ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi) because you are not my people, and I am not your God.

Hosea 1:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 1:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Οὐ-λαόσ-μου διότι ὑμεῖς οὐ λαός μου καὶ ἐγὼ οὔκ εἰμι ὑμῶν καὶ εἶπε· κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Οὐ-λαός-μου, διότι ὑμεῖς οὐ λαός μου, καὶ ἐγώ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὑμῶν

Hosea 1:9 (NETS)

Hosea 1:9 (English Elpenor)

And he said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people and I am not your ‘I am.’” And he said, Call his name, Not my people: for ye are not my people, and I am not your [God].

Deuteronomy 10:8 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 10:8 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 10:8 (NET)

At that time HaShem separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of HaShem, to stand before HaShem to minister unto Him, and to bless in His name, unto this day. At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to formulate blessings in his name, as they do to this very day.

Deuteronomy 10:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 10:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ διέστειλεν κύριος τὴν φυλὴν τὴν Λευι αἴρειν τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης κυρίου παρεστάναι ἔναντι κυρίου λειτουργεῖν καὶ ἐπεύχεσθαι ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ διέστειλε Κύριος τὴν φυλὴν τὴν Λευὶ αἴρειν τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου, παρεστάναι ἔναντι Κυρίου, λειτουργεῖν καὶ ἐπεύχεσθαι ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης

Deuteronomy 10:8 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 10:8 (English Elpenor)

At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Leui to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister and to pray in his name, to this day. At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand near before the Lord, to minister and bless in his name to this day.

Deuteronomy 10:9 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 10:9 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 10:9 (NET)

Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; HaShem is his inheritance, according as HaShem thy G-d spoke unto him.– Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him. Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance among his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance just as the Lord your God told him.

Deuteronomy 10:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 10:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν τοῖς Λευίταις μερὶς καὶ κλῆρος ἐν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν κύριος αὐτὸς κλῆρος αὐτοῦ καθὰ εἶπεν αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι τοῖς Λευίταις μερὶς καὶ κλῆρος ἐν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν· Κύριος αὐτὸς κλῆρος αὐτοῦ, καθότι εἶπεν αὐτῷ

Deuteronomy 10:9 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 10:9 (English Elpenor)

Therefore, for the Leuites there is not a part or allotment among their brothers; the Lord himself is his allotment, as he said to him.) Therefore the Levites have no part nor inheritance among their brethren; the Lord himself [is] their inheritance, as he said to them.

Proverbs 8:36 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 8:36 (KJV)

Proverbs 8:36 (NET)

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. But the one who misses me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death.”

Proverbs 8:36 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 8:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οἱ δὲ εἰς ἐμὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες ἀσεβοῦσιν τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς καὶ οἱ μισοῦντές με ἀγαπῶσιν θάνατον οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες εἰς ἐμὲ ἀσεβοῦσιν εἰς τὰ ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς, καὶ οἱ μισοῦντές με ἀγαπῶσι θάνατον

Proverbs 8:36 (NETS)

Proverbs 8:36 (English Elpenor)

But those who sin against me treat their own souls with impiety, and those who hate me love death. But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.

Proverbs 8:1 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 8:1 (KJV)

Proverbs 8:1 (NET)

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?

Proverbs 8:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 8:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

σὺ τὴν σοφίαν κηρύξεις ἵνα φρόνησίς σοι ὑπακούσῃ ΣΥ τὴν σοφίαν κηρύξεις, ἵνα φρόνησίς σοι ὑπακούσῃ

Proverbs 8:1 (NETS)

Proverbs 8:1 (English Elpenor)

You will proclaim wisdom in order that prudence may be obedient to you; Thou shalt proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to thee.

Mark 5:19 (NET)

Mark 5:19 (KJV)

But Jesus did not permit him to do so. Instead, he said to him, “Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, that he had mercy on you.” Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Mark 5:19 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 5:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 5:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ λέγει αὐτῷ· ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκον σου πρὸς τοὺς σοὺς καὶ ἀπάγγειλον αὐτοῖς ὅσα ὁ κύριος σοι πεποίηκεν καὶ ἠλέησεν σε ο δε ιησους ουκ αφηκεν αυτον αλλα λεγει αυτω υπαγε εις τον οικον σου προς τους σους και αναγγειλον αυτοις οσα σοι ο κυριος εποιησεν και ηλεησεν σε ο δε ιησους ουκ αφηκεν αυτον αλλα λεγει αυτω υπαγε εις τον οικον σου προς τους σους και αναγγειλον αυτοις οσα σοι ο κυριος πεποιηκεν και ηλεησεν σε

Ephesians 1:14 (NET)

Ephesians 1:14 (KJV)

who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:14 (NET Parallel Greek)

Ephesians 1:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Ephesians 1:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἐστιν ἀρραβὼν τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν, εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῆς περιποιήσεως, εἰς ἔπαινον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ος εστιν αρραβων της κληρονομιας ημων εις απολυτρωσιν της περιποιησεως εις επαινον της δοξης αυτου ος εστιν αρραβων της κληρονομιας ημων εις απολυτρωσιν της περιποιησεως εις επαινον της δοξης αυτου

1 Peter 1:4 (NET)

1 Peter 1:4 (KJV)

that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1 Peter 1:4 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 Peter 1:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 Peter 1:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἰς κληρονομίαν ἄφθαρτον καὶ ἀμίαντον καὶ ἀμάραντον, τετηρημένην ἐν οὐρανοῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς εις κληρονομιαν αφθαρτον και αμιαντον και αμαραντον τετηρημενην εν ουρανοις εις ημας εις κληρονομιαν αφθαρτον και αμιαντον και αμαραντον τετηρημενην εν ουρανοις εις υμας

1 Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

2 Galatians 3:2c (ESV)

3 Galatians 3:3c (ESV)

5 Galatians 6:14 (ESV)

7 Mark 5:19 (ESV)

8 Luke 17:10b (ESV)

9 Ephesians 1:1-6 (ESV)

11 Ephesians 1:5, 6a (ESV) Table

12 Galatians 6:5b (ESV)

13 Galatians 6:5c (ESV)

14 Ephesians 1:1b (ESV)

15 Galatians 5:4-6 (ESV) This faith, πίστις, is another result, translated faithfulness, of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

16 Galatians 3:3c (ESV)

17 Ephesians 1:7-10 (ESV)

18 John 12:32 (ESV)

19 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had here, probably a form of the relative pronoun ὅς (rather than the article ), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ὅς (KJV: which).

20 Ephesians 1:11-14 (ESV)

21 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20a (ESV)

23 1 Peter 1:4, 5 (ESV)

24 Proverbs 8:36b (ESV)

25 Matthew 28:18b (ESV) Table

26 John 14:6b (ESV)

Antichrist, Part 1

I was introduced to Lars von Trier’s movies in a backhanded way.  A friend wanted me to watch “Melancholia” because she thought it was a waste of two hours of her life.  I suspected she was afraid I might like it and call her taste into question.  I was afraid of that too as I watched the magical beginning of the film.  Fortunately for our friendship I found the character Justine disagreeable enough to satisfy her.  I enjoyed the film more when I skipped from the extreme slow motion photography of the opening to the chapter titled “Claire” and watched from there to the end.  Less of Justine’s melancholia was definitely more for me.  I was hooked however on Lars von Trier.

I cried at the end of “Breaking the Waves” when God credited Bess’s faith as righteousness: For what does the scripture say? Paul asked.  “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[1]  The plot turned on the confusion in the English language between eros and agapē.  It seems to me that English speaking believers who care about making the Gospel plain would lead the curve to accept fuck and fucking as legitimate words for eros.  We are the ones, after all, muscling in on love (since the Aunt Pollys[2] and professional fundraisers of the world have made charity[3] as odious to the receiver as to the giver).

Sexual intercourse is too clinical to substitute for eros.  Making love is too nice-nice, too insincere, or too dishonest to suffice.  The freshly fucked wife lying forlornly beside her husband, asking, “Do you love me?” knows full well that fucking doesn’t make any love.  Her clueless husband turning from the television to stare incredulously at her, and saying defensively, “Didn’t I just show you how much I love you?” thinks love was the feeling he had while fucking her.  Or worse, he might take offense thinking she has denigrated his performance as a fucker.  If he has read any books about fucking he might take the time to cuddle and talk to her afterwards, before turning to the television.  But a wife is close enough to see through that hypocrisy eventually.  Only the love that flows from Christ’s Spirit is the ἀγάπη[4] (agapē) she seeks when fucking just isn’t enough.

I was on my first movie set with nudity.  We were ready to shoot.  The male actor, speaking for himself and his female counterpart, asked the director, “Are we making love or fucking?”  We all knew exactly what he meant.  Making love is the tender prelude to the selfish self-abandon of fuckingMaking love is the hope of which fucking is the substance.  By comparison making love seems calculated, hypocritical, a mere going through the motions, or a practiced aloofness.  “Give me a little of both,” the director replied.

Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong to a neighbor, Paul wrote.  Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment of the law.[5]  Few would be persuaded that, fucking does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore fucking (or the feeling I have while I am fucking, or wanting to fuck, her) is the fulfillment of the law.  I wonder sometimes, however, if we don’t actually prefer the confusion.  Loving enemies and praying for persecutors is decidedly unsexy and a hard sell.  It isn’t natural.  It only comes from the ἀγάπη of God flowing into one through his Holy Spirit and then out again as attitudes and actions that are incomprehensible to those born only of the flesh of Adam.

Having said all that, however, there was something about fucking, especially first fucking, that made me highly susceptible to the ἀγάπη of God.  I have noticed a similar phenomenon in other men.  It makes a sort of sense then that Satan and the religious mind would conspire to make first fucking as “immoral” as possible, to short circuit that natural progression from eros to agapē.  In the past this was achieved by putting all women but prostitutes completely out of reach.  In my day it was the misnomer premarital sex and the presumed punishment for premarital sex—pregnancy.  In terms of God’s law it was about as difficult for a man to commit premarital sex as to commit a pre-homicidal murder, since even a man who raped a single woman had committed lifelong marriage (Deuteronomy 22:28, 29 NET):

Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and overpowers and rapes her and they are discovered [Table].  The man who has raped her must pay her father fifty shekels of silver and she must become his wife because he has violated her; he may never divorce her as long as he lives [Table].

In “Breaking the Waves” Bess knew that Jan worked on an oil rig out at sea when she married him.  But after their honeymoon, when he had to go back to work, she couldn’t bear their separation.  (I should probably say that I will be spoiling “Breaking the Waves” for anyone who finds a movie “spoiled” by knowing its story.)  Bess prayed that God would bring Jan home.  Whenever Bess prayed, by the way, she spoke for herself and then lowered the pitch of her voice and spoke for God as well.  Not surprisingly perhaps, Bess’s god sounded a bit like the elders of her church.

Early in the film we get a picture of her church.  When Jan asked why they had no bells in their steeple, the religious leader scolded, “We do not need bells in our church to worship God.”  “I like church bells,” Bess whispered to Jan.  He attended a funeral presided over by the elders and heard the words, “You are a sinner and you deserve your place in hell,” spoken as a corpse was lowered into the ground.  When he told Bess about it, she agreed, “He will go to hell; everyone knows that.”

Jan got hurt on the rig and came home paralyzed, probably for life, though even his life was not guaranteed.  He encouraged Bess to take a lover, but not to divorce him.  Bess was offended.  Later he convinced her that his life depended on her taking a lover and telling him about it.  She reluctantly and unsuccessfully attempted to seduce his doctor, someone for whom she had some affection.  She tried to tell Jan a sexy story, but he knew she was lying.  She began to have anonymous encounters with strangers.  She even dressed like a prostitute.  When she did, Jan seemed to get better.  When she didn’t, he seemed to get worse.

Finally she went to the “big ship” dressed as a prostitute.  Other prostitutes wouldn’t go there.  The men were brutal and cruel.  Bess barely escaped with her life.  She was excommunicated from her church, locked out of her home and pelted with rocks by neighborhood children.  Then she heard from her sister-in-law (who was also Jan’s nurse) that he was dying.

When his doctor asked, “What’s your talent, Bess?” she replied, “I can believe.”  At the moment where all was darkest for Bess personally her sister-in-law asked, “Is there anything I can do for you, anything at all?”  “Yes,” Bess answered, “I’d like you to go to Jan and pray for him to be cured, and rise from his bed and walk.”  Bess then went back to the “big ship.”

Lars von Trier was uncharacteristically shy about showing what happened to Bess there.  One can only assume that she was raped and beaten (and I call it rape despite her willingness to endure it).  But not showing it was the right call.  There was no need by that time in the story for anger at her attackers, and no call for overwhelming sorrow for Bess.  As she died in the emergency room she realized and admitted how wrong she had been.

At the medical inquest Jan’s doctor was tongue-tied to describe her condition.  He declared her good, but recanted when the medical examiners disputed describing her death as due to excessive goodness.  But there, sitting at the inquest, was Jan, not only risen from his deathbed but walking again.  While the religious leaders of Bess’s “church” were preoccupied with excommunicating sinners, teaching love for the law, and condemning corpses to hell, the body of Christ functioned within it (her sister-in-law was a member in good standing) and without it (Bess and Jan were not).

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit, Paul wrote to the Corinthians.  And there are different ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.  To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.  For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles[6]

Bess received the faith.  Her sister-in-law prayed and received a miracle.  Jan received a gift of healing.

Jan couldn’t face the prospect of self-righteous men condemning his beloved wife to hell, so he and his friends from the oil rig stole her body.  “Bess McNeill,” the church leader intoned over a casket filled with sand, “you are a sinner, and for your sins you are consigned to hell.”

“Not one of you has the right to consign Bess to hell,” her sister-in-law rebuked them with a gift of wisdom.  And they, for once, fell silent.

Bess was buried at sea on the oil rig.  Later a friend roused Jan from his mourning to come out on deck.  They stopped at the radar screen to assure themselves that nothing was on the ocean near them.  Then they went outside and heard church bells ringing.  And just in case we viewers were inclined to be incredulous, the scene cut to an extreme high angle, looking down on the oil rig in the ocean through the ringing bells of heaven.

There is another interesting aspect to this film.  People like the leaders of Bess’ “church” are not likely to see a movie rated “R for strong graphic sexuality, nudity, language and some violence.”  They self-select as unworthy of its message, and are “hardened,” so they may not repent and be forgiven,[7] Jesus said of those who were outside (ἔξω).[8]  But “Antichrist,” another of Trier’s movies, is what I really want to write about here.

Antichrist, Part 2 

Back to Antichrist, Part 3

Back to Romans, Part 44

Back to Antichrist, Part 4

Back to Antichrist, Part 5

Back to The Righteousness of God

Back to Torture, Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 50

Back to Torture, Part 4

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 12


[1] Romans 4:3 (NET)

[2] Aunt Polly was the bitter woman from Walt Disney’s “Pollyanna” whose noblesse-oblige-charity was contrasted to Pollyanna’s cheerful giving.  Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7 NET).

[3] Agapē was translated charity in the KJV in 1 Corinthians 13.

[5] Romans 13:10 (NET)

[6] 1 Corinthians 12:4-10a (NET)

[7] Mark 4:12 (NET)