Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 5

Posted on September 1, 2024 by admin

These are my notes from a preaching course I’m taking. Unless otherwise indicated all quotations are from the book:

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 3^rd Edition by Bryan Chapell

Questions for Review and Discussion

What are the crucial questions that preachers must answer in order to convert mere lectures to sermons?

What does the text mean?

The reasoning behind the first question is the most obvious: preachers need to do enough research to determine what the scope and the particulars of a text mean.

How do I know what the text means?

The second question begins to orient preachers to their listeners’ concerns. In a sense, this question forces preachers to retrace the steps that led them to their conclusions in order to identify significant landmarks that others will be able to follow. It is not at all uncommon for preachers to feel fairly confident about a text’s meaning without being able to specify what led them to their conclusion. Solid explanations—and the second question—require preachers to identify the particular details or reasoning that establish a text’s meaning.

What concerns caused the text to be written?

The third question requires preachers to determine the cause of a text. This question is related to the first two (and usually is integral to how they are answered), but it is listed separately because its answer is vital to the ultimate development of a sermon designed to minister to God’s people, and enables us to answer the remaining questions.

The Path of Preparation: Six Critical Questions p. 88

What do we share in common with those to (or about) whom the text was written or with the one by whom the text was written?

The fourth question takes us back to the principles of a Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)… By identifying what we share with the people of Scripture, we bring the truths of the text into immediate contact with the lives of people today…

“…I won’t logically defend any theology that teaches my works will save me, but I sometimes feel and even behave that way. I am always tempted to believe that when I am good, God will love me more.” So is everyone else. We all have moments, or even years, when aspects of our thoughts, emotions, or behavior echo the Judaizers’ theology. We all have vestiges of Babel within us: as a consequence of our fallen nature, we are all trying to build our towers to heaven and claim responsibility for the grace that saves us. Our pride wars against the admission that there is no good in us. Our sinful condition forever struggles with our total dependence on grace. Only when we can identify the humanness that unites us with the struggles of those whom Paul had to warn about the Judaizers do we really know why he wrote and what we are to preach.

Preaching does not simply point us toward what once happened to others; it primarily points toward how those truths…affect us now.

…In some sense, we all share David’s guilt, Thomas’s doubt, and Peter’s denial (1 Cor. 10:13).

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it [Table].

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry [Table]. I speak as to sensible people; judge (κρίνατε, a form of κρίνω) for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply (φημι) then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons [Table]. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? (1 Corinthians 10:13-22 ESV)

Therefore, a solid explanation of a text does not merely display the facts in the text or describe how they support a doctrinal perspective. A full explanation of a text’s meaning begins by identifying how its FCP touches and characterizes our lives.

How should people now respond to the truths of the text?

The fifth question of explanation may not appear to be part of explanation at all… However, this question must be asked as part of the explanation process… Any text of Scripture has near limitless explanation avenues and possibilities. Only when we determine what the text requires of us as a consequence of an FCF the sermon addresses do we know how to focus, phrase, and organize the explanation of the text.

What is the most effective way I can communicate the meaning of the text?

These last questions indicate that a sermon is not merely an outlined description of a text… Since a sermon ultimately answers for listeners, “What does this text mean to me?,” the explanation has to be framed in such a way that it maximizes meaning for listeners… We must exegete our listeners as well as the text to construct a sermon that most powerfully and accurately explains what the text means.

The Path of Preparation: Six Critical Questions pp. 89, 90

Why is an exegetical outline by itself usually insufficient as a homiletical outline?

Prior to answering these questions [e.g., 4-6], a preacher has only collected information about a text, and not developed a sermon. Although many preachers may feel that when they have done enough research to determine a text’s meaning—that they are ready to preach—they are mistaken… Answering these remaining questions actually pushes a preacher…converting a textual commentary or an exegetical lecture into a sermon.

The Path of Preparation: Six Critical Questions p. 89

It is beneficial to use the space around an exegetical outline to make notes of textual insights that you discover in your study tools or that come to mind as your sermon research advances… Keeping verse numbers visible in the outline makes this type of notation easier and will help you to quickly find information in the exegetical outline that you will need when later organizing all the sermon material (illustrations, applications, transitions, etc.) into a homiletical outline for the actual construction of the message.¹¹

The Path of Preparation: Four Necessary Steps, #2 Interrogate: Exegete the Passage (What Does It Say?) p. 97

Simply collecting information about grammar, thought flow, and background does not prepare a pastor to preach on a text. Preachers cannot determine how to organize their explanations or how to state their discoveries meaningfully until they consider the impact the information should have on the congregation…

Explanation prepared in the abstract is irrelevant. When each word and every statement of a message are intimately related to the concerns of the people who must apply the biblical truths to their lives, then explanation assumes sermonic form and power.

The Path of Preparation: Four Necessary Steps, #3 Relate p. 99

Although the two may echo one another closely, an exegetical outline is not necessarily a homiletical outline. An exegetical outline establishes what a text says. A homiletical outline establishes how a text’s meaning is best communicated to a congregation…

First, an exegetical outline describes the immediate text; however, an exegetical outline of a few verses does not necessarily contain context and background information. Aspects of a biblical person’s biography outside the immediate text, the usage of a word in parallel texts, the previous argument of an apostle, and many other aspects of a passage may need additional attention in an order supplied by the immediate text for a pastor to explain its verses fully and accurately.

Second, an exegetical outline also does not indicate the pastoral emphasis that the minister knows should be given to the various components of the passage in light of the issues or concerns facing a particular congregation. A preacher must incorporate these features and concerns, which are not supplied by an exegetical outline, into the sermon.

Thus, insights from the exegetical outline, the passage’s background, and the present level of the congregation’s knowledge about these matters must all funnel into a homiletical outline in order for an effective sermon to take shape.

The Path of Preparation: Four Necessary Steps, #4 Organize: Sequence and Order p. 100

A conceit (a unique approach to story and/or character in film writing) is described as follows:

In general, story is content is component. Style is approach is conceit. What happens is content, how it happens is conceit. Imagine watching a sporting event with only one announcer doing play-by-play. If the camera is anywhere near the action, then the announcer is redundant to what can be seen. It’s the color commentator that elevates the significance of the detail being pointed out and brings an overlay to the experience.¹

What place does the following conceit hold in the New Covenant?
Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon	The New Covenant (Hebrews 8:10-12 ESV)
“Determining for listeners what a text means for them is as central to the process of explanation as is the researching of the passage’s grammar and history.”²	For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” [Table].

If I analyze my own conceit in these pages (which I consider as notes to remind me where the Lord and I have been, not sermons), it might be that I tell you my “cheat” straight up: walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.³ To illustrate (Matthew 6:2-4 ESV):

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you [Table].

This was Jesus’ first application to illustrate and explain: Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.⁴ It seems like most of the heavy lifting had already been accomplished: they were giving to the needy. Their selfishness and fear for their own well-being had already been overcome. One step further—sound no trumpet, so that your giving may be in secret—should have been no big deal. Right?

Perhaps I’m being naive, too working class, in my analysis. There are people in this world with resources beyond their own needs for food, shelter and clothing, people who are accustomed to spending excess resources for political advantage or social status. It is possible that they give to the needy entirely out of selfishness and/or fear for their own well-being. In fact, Jesus’ stated motivation for such giving—that they may be praised by others—covers an entire universe of scenarios I may never fully comprehend.

Being praised by others is pretty great. I like it. What did Jesus offer instead in this text? Your Father…will reward you. In the past He rewarded you openly (εν τω φανερω), which seemed to offer some of the juice of being praised by others. But at least since NA²⁷ and NA²⁸ openly has fallen under suspicion. Still, the coupling of these statements in parallel might lead one to suspect that God’s reward is his praise, if I only read this passage.

Elsewhere Jesus said (Luke 17:7-10 ESV):

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him⁵ when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’?⁶ Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the⁷ servant because he did what was commanded?⁸ So you also, when you have done all (πάντα, a form of πᾶς) that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Did Jesus confirm here that God is a hard man, reaping where [He] did not sow, and gathering where [He] scattered no seed?⁹ Did He imply that God would take credit ultimately for the righteousness I worked so hard to achieve from the law? Or did He imply, in that way that He spoke to Israel, that the free gift of righteousness¹⁰ is not my work? that when I have done all that I was commanded it will have been done by the Holy Spirit in the power of God.

This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them’ [Table]¹¹

So, to be motivated to give to the needy by the grace offered in this passage alone, I must believe first that my heavenly Father is trustworthy and will follow through with Jesus’ promise of a reward, and second that such a reward, whether openly or not, will be as satisfying as being praised by others. Giving to the needy is law, so maybe I can add a bit of fear, what God might do to me if I disobey his law, into this equation. Sill, I wonder if fear of retribution and faith in an unspecified reward is sufficient to overcome the selfishness and fear for my own well-being that lies close at hand when I want to do right.¹² And if it were sufficient would it cause me to give to the needy out of anything like love for God and others, or would it simply be a righteousness of my own that comes from the law?¹³

I’ve had something like this dilemma almost every time I’ve encountered an application in Scripture since I began to believe that the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ¹⁴ is real righteousness. And every time I’ve stumbled here Jesus has directed me back to: walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.¹⁵ Walking by the Spirit is a skill or knack that is trickier to learn by trial-and-error than sound no trumpet, so that your giving may be in secret. But it is the way Jesus walked: And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness…¹⁶ And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee…¹⁷

Being both led and empowered by his own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control¹⁸ [Table] is more like the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.¹⁹ And it’s more like the new covenant as well. So, that is my conceit.

In an expository sermon, the homiletical outline is worded in principles derived from and supported by features of the text in its context. The preacher demonstrates how the text supports these principles and then applies them to the contemporary context of the listeners.

The Path of Preparation: Four Necessary Steps, #4 Organize: Sequence and Order p. 101

How much difference is there between “principles derived from and supported by features of the text” presented for listeners’ obedience and laws? Isn’t this technique designed to result in a “righteousness” of one’s own derived from the preacher’s “principles derived from and supported by features of the text” as understood and elucidated by the preacher? Depending on the preacher these principles may approximate the outcome of the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness as word strings, but obeying word strings to acquire a righteousness of one’s own derived from word strings is not a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. The whole technique reeks of the old covenant.

Is that the point? Do preachers entice me to wear myself out striving for a righteousness of my own derived from law (i.e., from “principles derived from and supported by features of the text”) in the hope that I will discover a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness more or less on my own with the Bible and the Lord, and then return with a healthy skepticism toward preachers and their preaching?

I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive (τῶν πλανώντων, a participle of πλανάω) you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his²⁰ anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide²¹ in him.²²

Why are preachers not necessarily obligated to present the pattern of a text as the structure of a sermon? Why is it most often advisable to follow the pattern of a text?

The most common (and usually the most helpful) expository approach is to advance through the explanation of a text in the order of its ideas. Exceptions may occur, however, for various reasons. Sometimes the sequence of thought in a text does not allow a preacher to introduce background information efficiently… The pattern of a text in its written form may also not communicate well in the oral medium of the sermon… Other aspects of biblical literature may lead us to consider alternative orders for presentation than the original verses presented…Such biblical patterns of organization are appropriate for their original purposes but need not always be presented in lockstep order to expound the truth of the passage. An expository sermon obligates a preacher to present the truths of a text but not necessarily in the pattern of the passage.

Maintaining a rigid and wooden mirroring of the sequence of a text may actually misrepresent the truth of the text.

The Path of Preparation: Four Necessary Steps, #4 Organize: Sequence and Order p. 101

These cautions should not blind us to the usual advantages of explaining a text’s features in the order they occur. This pattern of a text tends to reflect the pattern of the biblical writer’s thought… Still, the advantages of following the pattern of a text are overturned when doing so would overcomplicate the organization of the sermon, miss key thoughts in the text, or misrepresent the text’s purpose.

The more the pattern of the passage governs the truth that the biblical writer wanted to convey, the greater the obligation of the expositor to make listeners aware of that pattern. Still, a preacher has a greater obligation to make sure that listeners understand and apply the truths of the passage than to cover the passage in sentence or verse order.

The Path of Preparation: Four Necessary Steps, #4 Organize: Sequence and Order p. 102

What advantages does an expositor have in following the state, place and prove steps? Do these advantages require these steps in this order?

By stating a truth (with a main point or subpoint statement) derived from the biblical text, saying where in the text that truth originates (i.e., referencing the “place” or aspect of the text supporting that point), and proving how the text backs the truth (by using one of the “General Processes” described below), preachers present the discoveries of their textual study in a highly comprehensible form.

The Light of Presentation p. 104

The state-place-prove order of these steps can vary… For the expositor, the order of the steps is not as crucial as the need to make each one.

The Light of Presentation p. 105

By stating what a text means, placing the truth where it originates in the text, and proving how the text establishes that truth, you fulfill the fundamental obligations of an expositor: state what you know and show how you know. By meeting these obligations, we illuminate a path to a text’s meaning so that others can see the truth of Scripture, follow it to the source, and confirm its authority over their lives.

The Light of Presentation: Prove: Confirmation (Exegesis and Argument): More Light p. 111

How many proofs should a preacher present in regard to a particular concept in a sermon? Which proofs of a particular concept should a preacher present?

There are actually only four ways that we can explain the meaning of any biblical text. These are known as the “General Processes” of explanation. In order to explain a text, we may simply “repeat” the text, we may “restate” the text (i.e., reword it in more familiar terms), we may “describe” unfamiliar events or terms (i.e., “define” them), or we may “confirm” the truth we have stated by various exegetical or logical means.

How do we choose which of the General Processes to employ in explaining any particular main point or subpoint? We move as far down the list of processes as is needed to be clear and convincing that the biblical text supports our statement.

The Light of Presentation: Prove p. 106

If preachers keep challenging themselves to prove their argument as they make declarative statements of truth principles supported by the text, then natural arguments tend to take shape in fairly good order. Yet some cautions must be considered. First, not all things need to be proven—many are obvious. Second, few things need all the proofs you can muster. Choose what is most powerful and most concise. Third, some things cannot be proven…we should be ready to bow before the omniscience of God when our understanding reaches its finite limits. There is no shame in doing this or in teaching listeners to do the same (see Rom. 11:33).

The Light of Presentation: Prove: Confirmation (Exegesis and Argument) pp. 110, 111

As regards the gospel, they [i.e., those who were hardened in Israel] are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

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

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”

“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:28-36 ESV)

What cautions should a preacher exercise in presenting exegetical insights in a sermon?

Preaching should never be an excuse to display our erudition at the expense of convincing listeners that they can never really understand what Scripture says because they read only in English. We are obligated to explain exegetical insights in such a way that they make the meaning of a text more obvious, not more remote…

Young preachers often think that heaping exegetical intricacy on their explanation will establish their credibility, when in fact this practice may damage it… Share the fruit, not the sweat, of your exegetical labor.

The Light of Presentation: Prove: Confirmation (Exegesis and Argument) p. 109

When your exegetical conclusions differ in some degree with the translation most of your listeners have in their laps, handle the difference carefully…

Presenting an argument that supports your explanation rarely justifies being argumentative… Sermons are usually prepared for a mixed group of people, including those who are informed and those who are not, those who are able to reason well and those who are not, those who are ready to accept a preacher’s pronouncements and those who are not. Each of these factors must be considered as preachers prepare to support, develop, and when necessary, defend an exposition (1 Pet. 3:15).

The Light of Presentation: Prove: Confirmation (Exegesis and Argument) p. 110

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? [Table] But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit [Table], in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison… (1 Peter 3:13-19 ESV)

In one of the key debates during the formation of the Westminster Confession of Faith, one scholar spoke with great skill and persuasiveness for a position that would have mired the church in political debates for many years. As the man spoke George Gillespie prepared a rebuttal in the same room. As they watched him write furiously on a tablet, all in the assembly knew the pressure on the young man to organize a response while the scholar delivered one telling argument after another. Yet when Gillespie rose, his words were filled with such power and scriptural persuasion that the haste of his preparation was not discernible. Gillespie’s message so impressed those assembled as the wisdom of God that the opposing scholar conceded that a lifetime of study had just been undone by the younger man’s presentation. When the matter was decided, the friends of Gillespie snatched from his desk the tablet…they found only one phrase written over and over again: Da lucern, Domine (Give light, O Lord).

Over and over Gillespie had prayed for more light from God. Instead of the genius of his own thought, this valiant Reformer wanted more of the mind of God.

The Light of Presentation: Prove: Confirmation (Exegesis and Argument): More Light pp. 111, 112

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour [Table]. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes [Table]. (Matthew 10:16-23 ESV)

Why is profound truth in simple language a mark of pastoral genius?

Whatever arguments we settle on, we must resolve to present them as interestingly and simply as possible…Your tools and your mind will provide you with wonderful proofs of the rich truths in God’s Word. You should delight to proclaim truth as expansively and powerfully as God grants you the gifts to do so. All preachers simply need to make sure that what they preach communicates rather than complicates the truths of God. Doing so will require you to apply all the resources of your mind and heart…keeping matters simple is smart. Saying profound things obscurely or saying simple things cleverly requires relatively little thought, but saying profound things simply is the true mark of pastoral genius.

The Light of Presentation: Prove: Confirmation (Exegesis and Argument) p. 111

Exercises

Create a mechanical layout of Philippians 4:4-7.

Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)

Philippians 4:4-7 (NET Parallel Greek)

(4) in [the] Lord
Rejoice
always;
again
I will say,
rejoice.
(5) Let be known
your reasonableness
to everyone.
The Lord
is at hand;
(6) do not be anxious [about anything],
but
in everything
by prayer
and
supplication
with thanksgiving
to God
let be made known
your requests
(7) And
the peace
of God,
which surpasses
all understanding,
will guard
your hearts
and
your minds
in Christ Jesus.

(4) ἐν κυρίῳ
Χαίρετε
πάντοτε
πάλιν
ἐρῶ
χαίρετε
(5) γνωσθήτω
τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ὑμῶν
πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις
ὁ κύριος
ἐγγύς
(6) μηδὲν μεριμνᾶτε ἀλλ᾿
ἐν παντὶ
τῇ προσευχῇ
καὶ
τῇ δεήσει
μετὰ εὐχαριστίας
πρὸς τὸν θεόν
γνωριζέσθω
τὰ αἰτήματα ὑμῶν
(7) καὶ
ἡ εἰρήνη
τοῦ θεοῦ
ἡ ὑπερέχουσα
πάντα νοῦν
φρουρήσει
τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν
καὶ
τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν
ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.²³ As an unbeliever left to my own devices I’d probably ignore this, though I might wonder why anyone would do such a thing. As an unbeliever being drawn to righteousness by the Holy Spirit, I would probably respond belligerently: “Screw you, Paul! Who are you to tell me what to do?” But I may have gained an insight into this verse.

The Greek word translated Rejoice was χαίρετε, translated as a 2^nd person plural form of χαίρω in the present tense, active voice and imperative mood. Understood as an imperative it means, “you must rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, you must rejoice.” And in my belligerence I may have understood Paul’s intent better than if I had ignored it or simply wondered why anyone would do such a thing.

As a believer under law, I would accept my obligation to Rejoice in the Lord always as a work that I must do. That is, after all, what the text says: “The imperative mood is a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.” And I would have probably realized that Paul was just the messenger. My obligation is from and to the Lord Himself. But as I worked diligently to have my own righteousness derived from the law²⁴—[you must] Rejoice in the Lord always—I would encounter many things both internal and external that would dissuade me from rejoicing. Eventually, I would probably realize that I didn’t Rejoice in the Lord always sufficient to meet even my own standards or expectations. And here, left to my own devices, I might give up in despair.

If, however, as a believer under law I was being drawn to righteousness by the Holy Spirit, whether I gave up in despair or not, He might draw me back, even help me to recognize that χαίρετε was not only an imperative. It might have been translated in the indicative mood. It might have been Paul’s statement of fact: “you rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, you rejoice.” Spurred on by God’s Holy Spirit I might begin to wonder who this Paul guy was: What does he get that I’m not getting?

The Spirit might lead me to read some of Paul’s other writing. Who knows? I might even gain the knowledge of sin from the law (Romans 7:10-18 ESV):

The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Did that 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 [Table].

Maybe the Holy Spirit would lead me back to consider the original verses in more detail (Philippians 4:5b-7 ESV):

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This actually sounds a lot more hopeful than the panic attack I had trying to have my own righteousness obeying a law: “you must rejoice in the Lord always.” It even offers a pretty good reason for rejoicing in the Lord always. What might happen if the Holy Spirit helped me notice this time that the prepositional phrase—in Christ Jesus—seems more like a state of being than I was taking in the Lord?

When I thought in the Lord was the object of MY REJOICING writ large, I found way too many reasons not to rejoice in the Lord as an object of veneration. What if the Holy Spirit helped me to recognize that Lord (κυρίῳ) was in the dative case here, and energized me to search online for its meaning? “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.”²⁵ I might then understand in [the] Lord as another example of that same state of being—in Christ Jesus—the means by whom I rejoice.

[I]n the Lord [you] Rejoice always; again I will say, [you] rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit would draw me into a relationship with this Christ Jesus. Perhaps He would indwell me and become my Savior. Perhaps I would begin then to want the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.²⁶ Who knows? In time I might begin to realize that legislating unfunded mandates is the work of men, not a loving Father God who supplies whatever He requires. Joy (χαρὰ) is listed second among the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). As that guy Paul wrote: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.²⁷

On Pentecost after Jesus ascended into heaven, Peter preached (Acts 2:16, 17a ESV):

But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh [Table]…

Now is the judgment of this world, Jesus promised, now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.²⁸

Create a conceptual outline of Matthew 14:22-32.

Jesus Walks in the Power of the Spirit – Matthew 14:22-33 (ESV)
I. Jesus seeks solitude A. Jesus sends his disciples away (14:22a) B. Jesus dismisses the crowd (14:22b-23a) C. Jesus prays alone (14:23b)	Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds [Table]. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
II. Jesus returns to his disciples A. Disciples tossed by wind and waves (14:24) B. Jesus walks on the water to them (14:25) C. Disciples are terrified by this (14:26) D. Jesus speaks comfort to them (14:27)	but the boat by this time was a long way from the land,²⁹ beaten by the waves, for the wind (ὁ ἄνεμος) was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he³⁰ came³¹ to them, walking on the sea.³² But³³ when the disciples saw him walking on the sea,³⁴ they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately³⁵ Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
III. Peter follows Jesus A. Peter receives Jesus’ command (14:28-29a) B. Peter walks on the water to Jesus (14:29b) C. Afraid he calls to Jesus (14:30) D. Jesus holds and questions him (14:31)	And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus [Table]. But when he saw the wind (τὸν ἄνεμον [ἰσχυρὸν]), he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
IV. Jesus in the boat with his disciples A. The wind ceases (14:32) B. Disciples worship God’s Son (14:33)	And when they got into the boat, the wind (ὁ ἄνεμος) ceased. And those in the boat³⁶ worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

According to a note (23) in the NET, Jesus quoted from Isaiah 6:9, 10 in Matthew 13:14b, 15. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Matthew 13:14b, 15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 6:9b, 10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 6:9b, 10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε (15) ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν, μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε [Table] (10) ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῗς ὀφθαλμοῗς καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς [Table]	ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε (10) ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς
Matthew 13:14b, 15 (NET)	Isaiah 6:9b, 10 (NETS)	Isaiah 6:9b, 10 (English Elpenor)
“‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend. (15) For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’	‘You will listen by listening, but you will not understand, and looking you will look, but you will not perceive’. (10) For this people’s heart has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn–and I would heal them.”	Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive. (10) For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

According to a note (25) in the NET, Paul quoted from Isaiah 40:13 in Romans 11:34. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 11:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 40:13a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 40:13a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου; ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου, καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο
Romans 11:34 (NET)	Isaiah 40:13a (NETS)	Isaiah 40:13a (English Elpenor)
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?	Who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been his counselor	Who has known the mind of the Lord? and who has been his counsellor

According to a note (28) in the NET, Paul quoted from Job 41:11 in Romans 11:35. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows

Romans 11:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Job 41:11a (Septuagint BLB)	Job 41:3a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ τίς προέδωκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ	ἢ τίς ἀντιστήσεταί μοι καὶ ὑπομενεῖ	ἢ τίς ἀντιστήσεταί μοι καὶ ὑπομενεῖ
Romans 11:35 (NET)	Job 41:3a (NETS)	Job 41:3a (English Elpenor)
Or who has first given to God that God needs to repay him?	Or who will withstand me and survive	Or who will resist me, and abide

(I doubt Paul quoted from either of these versions of the Septuagint and I’m not spending the time necessary to consider an independent translation of the Hebrew.)

According to a note (23) in the NET, Peter quoted from Isaiah 8:12 in 1 Peter 3:14. A table comparing the Greek of Peter’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

1 Peter 3:14b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 8:12b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 8:12b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτῶν μὴ φοβηθῆτε μηδὲ ταραχθῆτε	τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῆτε οὐδὲ μὴ ταραχθῆτε	τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῆτε, οὐδ᾿ οὐ μὴ ταραχθῆτε
1 Peter 3:14b (NET)	Isaiah 8:12b (NETS)	Isaiah 8:12b (English Elpenor)
But do not be terrified of them or be shaken.	but do not fear what it fears, neither be troubled	but fear not ye their fear, neither be dismayed.

According to a note (32) in the NET, Peter alluded to Isaiah 53:11, 12 in 1 Peter 3:18. Tables comparing the Greek of Peter’s allusion with that of the Septuagint follow.

1 Peter 3:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 53:11 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 53:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων	ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ δεῗξαι αὐτῷ φῶς καὶ πλάσαι τῇ συνέσει δικαιῶσαι δίκαιον εὖ δουλεύοντα πολλοῗς καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν αὐτὸς ἀνοίσει	ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, δεῖξαι αὐτῷ φῶς καὶ πλάσαι τῇ συνέσει, δικαιῶσαι δίκαιον εὖ δουλεύοντα πολλοῖς, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν αὐτὸς ἀνοίσει
1 Peter 3:18b (NET)	Isaiah 53:11 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:11 (English Elpenor)
the just for the unjust	from the pain of his soul, to show him light and fill him with understanding, to justify a righteous one who is well subject to many, and he himself shall bear their sins.	the travail of his soul, to shew him light, and to form [him] with understanding; to justify the just one who serves many well; and he shall bear their sins.

1 Peter 3:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 53:12 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 53:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων	διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς κληρονομήσει πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν μεριεῗ σκῦλα ἀνθ᾽ ὧν παρεδόθη εἰς θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῗς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκεν καὶ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη	διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς κληρονομήσει πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν μεριεῖ σκῦλα, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν παρεδόθη εἰς θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη· καὶ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκε καὶ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη
1 Peter 3:18b (NET)	Isaiah 53:12 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:12 (English Elpenor)
the just for the unjust	Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because his soul was given over to death, and he was reckoned among the lawless, and he bore the sins of many, and because of their sins he was given over.	Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty; because his soul was delivered to death: and he was numbered among the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and was delivered because of their iniquities.

Tables comparing Job 41:11 and Isaiah 8:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 41:11 (41:3) and Isaiah 8:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Luke 4:1; 17:7; 17:9; 1 John 2:27; Matthew 14:24-27 and 14:33 in the KJV and NET follow.

Job 41:11 (Tanakh)	Job 41:11 (KJV)	Job 41:11 (NET)
Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.	Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.	Who has confronted me that I should repay? Everything under heaven belongs to me!

Job 41:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 41:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ τίς ἀντιστήσεταί μοι καὶ ὑπομενεῖ εἰ πᾶσα ἡ ὑπ᾽ οὐρανὸν ἐμή ἐστιν	ἢ τίς ἀντιστήσεταί μοι καὶ ὑπομενεῖ, εἰ πᾶσα ἡ ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν ἐμή ἐστιν
Job 41:3 (NETS)	Job 41:3 (English Elpenor)
Or who will withstand me and survive, if all that is under heaven is mine?	Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?

Isaiah 8:12 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 8:12 (KJV)	Isaiah 8:12 (NET)
Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.	Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.	“Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word. Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.

Isaiah 8:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 8:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μήποτε εἴπητε σκληρόν πᾶν γάρ ὃ ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος σκληρόν ἐστιν τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῆτε οὐδὲ μὴ ταραχθῆτε	μήποτε εἴπητε σκληρόν· πᾶν γάρ, ὃ ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος, σκληρόν ἐστι· τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῆτε, οὐδ᾿ οὐ μὴ ταραχθῆτε
Isaiah 8:12 (NETS)	Isaiah 8:12 (English Elpenor)
Never say “Hard,” for whatever this people says is hard, but do not fear what it fears, neither be troubled.	Let them not say, [It is] hard, for whatsoever this people says, is hard: but fear not ye their fear, neither be dismayed.

Luke 4:1 (NET)	Luke 4:1 (KJV)
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,	And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Luke 4:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἰησοῦς δὲ πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου ὑπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου καὶ ἤγετο ἐν τῷ πνεύματι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ	ιησους δε πνευματος αγιου πληρης υπεστρεψεν απο του ιορδανου και ηγετο εν τω πνευματι εις την ερημον	ιησους δε πνευματος αγιου πληρης υπεστρεψεν απο του ιορδανου και ηγετο εν τω πνευματι εις την ερημον

Luke 17:7 (NET)	Luke 17:7 (KJV)
“Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’?	But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

Luke 17:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν δοῦλον ἔχων ἀροτριῶντα ἢ ποιμαίνοντα, ὃς εἰσελθόντι ἐκ τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ· εὐθέως παρελθὼν ἀνάπεσε	τις δε εξ υμων δουλον εχων αροτριωντα η ποιμαινοντα ος εισελθοντι εκ του αγρου ερει ευθεως παρελθων αναπεσαι	τις δε εξ υμων δουλον εχων αροτριωντα η ποιμαινοντα ος εισελθοντι εκ του αγρου ερει ευθεως παρελθων αναπεσε

Luke 17:9 (NET)	Luke 17:9 (KJV)
He won’t thank the slave because he did what he was told, will he?	Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

Luke 17:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
μὴ ἔχει χάριν τῷ δούλῳ ὅτι ἐποίησεν τὰ διαταχθέντα	μη χαριν εχει τω δουλω εκεινω οτι εποιησεν τα διαταχθεντα αυτω ου δοκω	μη χαριν εχει τω δουλω εκεινω οτι εποιησεν τα διαταχθεντα ου δοκω

1 John 2:27 (NET)	1 John 2:27 (KJV)
Now as for you, the anointing that you received from him resides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as it has taught you, you reside in him.	But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

1 John 2:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸ χρῖσμα ὃ ἐλάβετε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, μένει ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ἵνα τις διδάσκῃ ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς τὸ αὐτοῦ χρῖσμα διδάσκει ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων καὶ ἀληθές ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ψεῦδος, καὶ καθὼς ἐδίδαξεν ὑμᾶς, μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ	και υμεις το χρισμα ο ελαβετε απ αυτου εν υμιν μενει και ου χρειαν εχετε ινα τις διδασκη υμας αλλ ως το αυτο χρισμα διδασκει υμας περι παντων και αληθες εστιν και ουκ εστιν ψευδος και καθως εδιδαξεν υμας μενειτε εν αυτω	και υμεις το χρισμα ο ελαβετε απ αυτου εν υμιν μενει και ου χρειαν εχετε ινα τις διδασκη υμας αλλ ως το αυτο χρισμα διδασκει υμας περι παντων και αληθες εστιν και ουκ εστιν ψευδος και καθως εδιδαξεν υμας μενειτε εν αυτω

Matthew 14:24-27 (NET)	Matthew 14:24-27 (KJV)
Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it.	But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

Matthew 14:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 14:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 14:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τὸ δὲ πλοῖον ἤδη σταδίους πολλοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀπεῖχεν βασανιζόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων, ἦν γὰρ ἐναντίος ὁ ἄνεμος	το δε πλοιον ηδη μεσον της θαλασσης ην βασανιζομενον υπο των κυματων ην γαρ εναντιος ο ανεμος	το δε πλοιον ηδη μεσον της θαλασσης ην βασανιζομενον υπο των κυματων ην γαρ εναντιος ο ανεμος

As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

Matthew 14:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 14:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 14:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τετάρτῃ δὲ φυλακῇ τῆς νυκτὸς ἦλθεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν	τεταρτη δε φυλακη της νυκτος απηλθεν προς αυτους ο ιησους περιπατων επι της θαλασσης	τεταρτη δε φυλακη της νυκτος απηλθεν προς αυτους ο ιησους περιπατων επι της θαλασσης

When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

Matthew 14:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 14:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 14:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης περιπατοῦντα ἐταράχθησαν λέγοντες ὅτι φάντασμα ἐστιν, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου ἔκραξαν	και ιδοντες αυτον οι μαθηται επι την θαλασσαν περιπατουντα εταραχθησαν λεγοντες οτι φαντασμα εστιν και απο του φοβου εκραξαν	και ιδοντες αυτον οι μαθηται επι την θαλασσαν περιπατουντα εταραχθησαν λεγοντες οτι φαντασμα εστιν και απο του φοβου εκραξαν

But immediately Jesus spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Matthew 14:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 14:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 14:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εὐθὺς δὲ ἐλάλησεν [ὁ Ἰησοῦς] αὐτοῖς λέγων· θαρσεῖτε, ἐγώ εἰμι· μὴ φοβεῖσθε	ευθεως δε ελαλησεν αυτοις ο ιησους λεγων θαρσειτε εγω ειμι μη φοβεισθε	ευθεως δε ελαλησεν αυτοις ο ιησους λεγων θαρσειτε εγω ειμι μη φοβεισθε

Matthew 14:33 (NET)	Matthew 14:33 (KJV)
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”	Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Matthew 14:33 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 14:33 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 14:33 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες· ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ	οι δε εν τω πλοιω ελθοντες προσεκυνησαν αυτω λεγοντες αληθως θεου υιος ει	οι δε εν τω πλοιω ελθοντες προσεκυνησαν αυτω λεγοντες αληθως θεου υιος ει

Matthew 8:23-34

Back to Romans, Part 31

Back to Luke 8:22-56

¹ A description of a story conceit from “Project Conceits: Entertainment Over Content,” on Writer’s Bootcamp online.

² The Path of Preparation: Six Critical Questions, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 3rd Edition by Bryan Chapell p. 90

³ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

⁴ Matthew 6:1a (ESV) Table

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῷ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀνάπεσε here, a form of the verb ἀναπίπτω in the active voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had αναπεσαι (KJV: and sit down to meat) in the middle voice.

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκεινω (KJV: that) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had αυτω ου δοκω (KJV: him? I trow not) here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had ου δοκω. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁹ Matthew 25:24b (ESV)

¹⁰ Romans 5:17b (ESV)

¹¹ Matthew 13:13-15 (ESV)

¹² Romans 7:21b (ESV)

¹³ Philippians 3:9a (ESV)

¹⁴ Romans 3:22a (ESV) Table

¹⁵ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

¹⁶ Luke 4:1 (ESV) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ here in the dative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις την ερημον (KJV: into the wilderness) in the accusative case.

¹⁷ Luke 4:14a (ESV)

¹⁸ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

¹⁹ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτο (KJV: same).

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μένετε (NET: you reside) here, a form of μένω understood in the 2^nd person, present tense and indicative mood (a statement of fact) or as an imperative (ESV: abide); the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μενειτε (KJV: ye shall abide), a promise in the future tense.

²² 1 John 2:26, 27 (ESV)

²³ Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

²⁴ Philippians 3:9a (NET)

²⁵ From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²⁶ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

²⁷ Romans 11:36 (ESV)

²⁸ John 12:31, 32 (ESV)

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σταδίους πολλοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀπεῖχεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεσον της θαλασσης ην (KJV: was…in the midst of the sea).

³⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο ιησους (KJV: Jesus) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἦλθεν here, a form of ἔρχομαι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απηλθεν (KJV: went), a form of ἀπέρχομαι.

³² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὴν θάλασσαν in the accusative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της θαλασσης in the genitive case.

³³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And).

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῆς θαλάσσης in the genitive case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had την θαλασσαν in the accusative case.

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εὐθὺς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ευθεως (KJV: straightway).

³⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελθοντες (KJV: came) following boat. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

Posted on August 21, 2024 by admin

We got a reprieve on time, so this is the continuation of my notes from Chapter 4 in a preaching course I’m taking. Unless otherwise indicated all quotations are from the book:

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 3^rd Edition by Bryan Chapell

Exercises

Indicate how explanation, illustration, and application are used in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) and Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-25).

I left off with Matthew 5:48 (ESV) [Table]):

You therefore must be perfect (τέλειοι, a form of τέλειος), as your heavenly Father is perfect (τέλειος).

Where might a Wretched man [such as] I am,¹ who finds it to be a law that when I want to do right (τὸ καλόν, a form of καλός; see Maximos), evil (τὸ κακὸν, a form of κακός) lies close at hand,² find my heavenly Father’s perfection?

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do [Table].³

Walking by God’s Holy Spirit is the very place Jesus promised: I will come to you (John 14:16-18 KJV):

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

But how can a Wretched man [such as] I am,⁴ who finds it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand,⁵ learn to walk by the Holy Spirit of God? There is a potent hint hidden in plain sight in the words and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh⁶ (καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε, a form of τελέω in the subjunctive mood). The phrase οὐ μὴ τελέσητε is called a subjunctive of emphatic negation. Paul meant, walk by the Spirit and you will not, “at any moment or time in the future,” gratify (or, bring to maturity) the desires of the flesh.

If I am gratifying or bringing the desires of the flesh to maturity, I know that I am not then, and probably have not been for some time in the past, walking by the Spirit. Instead, I am, and probably have been for some time, attempting in practice to be my own god, my own savior, to have my own righteousness derived from the law prompted by the evil [that] lies close at hand. Paul’s words become a powerful guardrail and warning when I am not by trial-and-error walking by the Spirit. The fruit of God’s Holy Spirit is the positive indicator that I am by trial-and-error walking by the Spirit:

If Christ’s own love overwhelms the apathy and antipathy toward others (including God) that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. If his joy burns through the despair, and his peace overcomes the fear and anger and anxiety that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When Jesus’ patience subdues the impatience with my circumstances, with others and with Him that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When his kindness and goodness trample the selfishness and self-centeredness that lies close at hand under my feet when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When the faithfulness of God propels me through the lethargy, doubt, confusion and prompting to quit that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. If Jesus’ gentleness stays the violence and aggression that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit’s self-control steels my heart against every prompting to evil that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness⁷ before other people in order to be seen by them,”⁸ Jesus continued to draw those who would have a righteousness of their own derived from the law into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin. He explained what they would forfeit: “for then you will have no⁹ reward from your Father who is in heaven.”¹⁰ He illustrated his warning with a specific application (Matthew 6:2 ESV):

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites (οἱ ὑποκριταὶ, a form of ὑποκριτής) do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

These hypocrites were actors, the original meaning of ὑποκριτής, rather than those who act in “contradiction to” their “stated beliefs or feelings,” the modern meaning of the word. They did the action they claimed to believe. They gave to the needy but required an audience to do so. Doing good for others’ praise was not following the application Jesus gave to those who had gained knowledge of sin through the law: let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.¹¹

Jesus demonstrated the goodness of God with the following application to actors or those who might follow the actors’ example, to draw them into the blessedness of full knowledge of sin (Matthew 6:3, 4 ESV):

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret¹² will reward you.¹³

Can an actor, ὑποκριτής, learn from Jesus’ words and give in secret? My answer is, no, not and remain an actor. That motion, from wanting other people to think that one is righteous to wanting God to know that one is seeking righteousness, is an act of faith. One may still be trying to have a righteousness of one’s own that comes from the law,¹⁴ but there is a substantial difference between an actor who plays a doctor on TV and one trying to actually become a doctor.

At first, I didn’t even know that there is a righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.¹⁵ I thought a righteousness of my own that comes from the law¹⁶ was the only game in town: justification by faith, sanctification by my own works was what I believed (and what I thought I was taught). I did believe that Jesus’ would help. It took some time for me to recognize that I was on my own, that Jesus refused to help me have my own righteousness derived from the law. He was always right there when I fell on my face. (It’s interesting that a metaphor for abject failure also describes a posture of worship.)

It took Him some time to persuade me that the righteousness of God [that] has been manifested apart from the law…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe [Table]¹⁷ is real righteousness, not just a figment of Paul’s (or God’s) imagination, a righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness rather than my faithfulness, which wrought abject failure.

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,”¹⁸ Jesus continued to demonstrate the goodness of God to actors and others who would have a righteousness of their own derived from the law, drawing them into the blessedness of knowledge of sin gained through the law. Jesus illustrated how actors pray (Matthew 6:5b ESV [Table]):

For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Then He gave his listeners an application that could transform actors, and move any who attempted to have a righteousness of their own derived from the law one step closer to walking by the Spirit (Matthew 6:6 ESV):

But when you pray, go into your room¹⁹ and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.²⁰

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do,”²¹ Jesus continued with another application. The Greek words translated the Gentiles were οἱ ἐθνικοί, a form of ἐθνικός. In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ this was the same kind of contrast Jesus used when He said (Matthew 5:47, 48 ESV):

And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles (οἱ ἐθνικοὶ) do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].

Here, He explained the error in the Gentiles’ thinking relative to a true knowledge of God: for they think that they will be heard for their many words [Table]. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.²² Then Jesus taught them to pray (Matthew 7:9-13 ESV; 7:13b NKJV).

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven [Table]. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors [Table]. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil [Table]. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Jesus taught them to address the only true God as Our Father ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς: literally, “the person who is in the heavens.” The Greek word translated hallowed be was ἁγιασθήτω, a passive form of the verb ἁγιάζω. In other words, his name is set apart, differentiated, consecrated, sanctified, declared holy, and perhaps most pertinent in this context in contrast to Gentiles: declared as special above all others. Gentiles worshiped stories that were at best fantastically embellished memories of long-dead tribal leaders. At worst such stories were open invitations to malevolent spirits (Deuteronomy 32:17; 1 Corinthians 10:20).

After recognizing the God to whom they prayed and their relationship to Him, Jesus’ next instruction was to pray according to God’s purposes on earth: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.²³ God’s will (θέλημα) on earth was well understood by those who knew the law (Matthew 22:34-40 ESV):

But when the Pharisees heard that [Jesus] had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him [Table]. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment [Table]. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” [Table].

Then Jesus instructed them to place themselves through prayer in complete dependence upon their heavenly Father for their physical and spiritual needs (Matthew 6:11-13a ESV):

Give us (ἡμῖν) this day our (ἡμῶν) daily bread, and forgive us (ἡμῖν) our (ἡμῶν) debts, as we (ἡμεῖς) also have forgiven our (ἡμῶν) debtors [Table]. And lead us (ἡμᾶς) not into temptation, but deliver us (ἡμᾶς) from evil [Table].

He did not teach them to pray for me, but for us with no specified limit. This is significantly different from a magical prayer where one seeks to use God to work one’s own will. Even as He instructed them what to pray, Jesus incorporated a reason for their complete dependence upon God into the very words He taught them: For Yours (σοῦ, a singular form of σύ in the genitive case; i.e., God’s) is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.²⁴ Seeking a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law or others’ praise for such a “righteousness” is meaningless because of who God is in his holy otherness.

Then Jesus expanded one aspect of this dependence upon God: and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors²⁵ (Matthew 6:14, 15 ESV):

For if you forgive others their trespasses (τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν), your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses [Table].

Such contingent forgiveness should alarm anyone seeking a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law, but again Jesus’ demonstrated, even as He described, the goodness of God, by drawing them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin through the law. The importance He placed on forgiving others’ trespasses may not have been immediately apparent from law alone, apart from Jesus’ explicit condition. But later, Paul explained (Romans 5:20, 21 ESV):

Now the law came in to increase the trespass (τὸ παράπτωμα), but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus’ instruction regarding forgiveness sounds a bit like “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy²⁶ to me. I can essentially lift what I wrote elsewhere about being merciful:

While it makes sense that I will need [God’s forgiveness] as I hunger and thirst for a righteousness I do not yet possess, mourning in meekness over my spiritual poverty, while it only seems fair that I should [forgive] those around me suffering as I suffer, to actually [forgive others] seems like that very desire to do what is right that I lack the ability to carry…out. Yet, there it sits in Jesus’ saying, a veritable impediment to my own need for [God’s forgiveness]. Do I give up in despair? Or do I see his grace all around me?

And the answer to this dilemma is the same: for it is God who works in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure.²⁷ This leads me to another potential hint whether I am walking by the Spirit or not. It’s more personal than Scriptural, so it may or may not be helpful to others.

When I’m walking by the Spirit I take what I’ve called ordinary applications pretty much in stride as fair warnings: what God who works in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure is doing. When I’m not walking by the Spirit these very same ordinary applications, especially if presented in a preacher’s sermon, seem like heavy burdens. And my attitude toward that preacher mirrors what Jesus said about the scribes and the Pharisees²⁸ (Matthew 23:4a ESV):

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders…

There are several options to consider: (1) Was the sermon sloppy, failing to accentuate the grace of God? (2) Was I daydreaming and failed to hear the grace of God? (3) Was the evil that lies close at hand having more sway than usual when I want to do right, prompting me to return to my own vomit, tempting me to have a righteousness of my own derived from the law? Or, (4) had I already slipped back into my old ways of do-it-yourself righteousness and stepped away from walking by the Spirit? In any event, my own reaction prompts me to consider its source with the Lord, or ask Him straight out if my heart is too deep or dark or murky for me to see clearly into it.

“And when you fast,”²⁹ Jesus continued to draw both actors and those who might follow actors into the blessedness of full knowledge of sin through the law with the following application: do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.³⁰ And He expanded on this application with another (Matthew 6:17, 18 ESV):

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.³¹ And your Father who sees in secret³² will reward you.³³

Is the reward Jesus’ own joy (χαρὰ), the second aspect of the fruit of the Spirit? I’m not entirely comfortable positing any aspect of the fruit of the Spirit as an effect of obedience rather than its cause. But Jesus’ love for his Father flowing in and through one could cause the obedience while his joy flowed in superabundance as a result, like a positive feedback loop, or a snowball gaining mass and momentum as it rolls downhill. The exact dynamics, how God works in [one], both to will and to work for his good pleasure, may elude me until I see Him face-to-face. But that doesn’t inhibit me, or anyone else, from believing Him and receiving what He has promised. Faithfulness (πίστις) is another aspect of the fruit of his Spirit.

Jesus continued to draw his listeners into blessedness, but the treasure He spoke of seems to go even beyond the full knowledge of sin to Jesus Himself (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV):

“Do not lay up (θησαυρίζετε, a form of θησαυρίζω) for yourselves treasures (θησαυροὺς, a form of θησαυρός) on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up (θησαυρίζετε, a form of θησαυρίζω) for yourselves treasures (θησαυροὺς, a form of θησαυρός) in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your³⁴ treasure (θησαυρός) is, there your³⁵ heart will be also.

Paul described this treasure as the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 ESV):

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine³⁶ out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure (θησαυρὸν, another form of θησαυρός) in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Elsewhere he wrote that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Colossians 2:1-3 ESV):

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face [Table], that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures (θησαυροὶ, another form of θησαυρός) of wisdom and knowledge [Table].

To understand what Jesus said next one must remember the law. I’ll quote the law first.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (NET)	Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (English Elpenor)
If there be among you a needy man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother;	If a fellow Israelite from one of your villages in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive to his impoverished condition.	Now if there is among you anyone of your brothers in need in one of your cities within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not rid your heart of love, neither shall you close up your hand from your needy brother.	And if there shall be in the midst of thee a poor [man] of thy brethren in one of thy cities in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, neither shalt thou by any means close up thine hand from thy brother who is in want.
but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth.	Instead, you must be sure to open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs.	By opening, you shall open your hands to him; you shall lend a loan to him whatever he may need, in accord with what he needs.	Thou shalt surely open thine hands to him, and shalt lend to him as much as he wants according to his need.
Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying: ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’; and thine eye (עֵֽינְךָ֗) be evil (וְרָעָ֣ה) against thy needy brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto HaShem against thee, and it be sin in thee.	Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude (ʿayin, עינך) be wrong (rāʿaʿ, ורעה) toward your impoverished fellow Israelite and you do not lend him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be regarded as having sinned.	Be careful to yourself, lest a secret word is in your heart, something lawless, saying, “The seventh year, a year of release, is near,” and your eye (ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου) be evil (πονηρεύσηται) towards your needy brother, and you will not give to him, and he will cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be for you a great sin.	Take heed to thyself that there be not a secret thing in thine heart, an iniquity, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, draws nigh; and thine eye (ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου) shall be evil (πονηρεύσηται) to thy brother that is in want, and thou shalt not give to him, and he shall cry against thee to the Lord, and there shall be great sin in thee.
Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing HaShem thy G-d will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.	You must by all means lend to him and not be upset by doing it, for because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you attempt.	Giving you shall give to him, and you shall lend him a loan whatever he needs, and you shall not be grieved in your heart when you give to him, because through this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you may put your hand.	Thou shalt surely give to him, and thou shalt lend him as much as he wants, according as he is in need; and thou shalt not grudge in thine heart as thou givest to him, because on this account the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all things on which thou shalt lay thine hand.

I might paraphrase the Lord here: “Be careful, when I want you to do right, evil lies close at hand.” And Jesus observed (Matthew 6:22, 23 ESV):

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

The Greek word translated healthy was ἁπλοῦς, a form of the adjective ἁπλόος: “single, single focused; sincere, without an ulterior motive; clear.” This is what Jesus contrasted to the bad or evil eye, ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ (ESV: your eye is bad). The first definition of πονηρὸς listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online is “evil.”

God’s solution to the problem of the evil that lies close at hand has always been that one walk by his Spirit. I’ve been slow to recognize this. My conceit, perhaps, over the indwelling Holy Spirit post-Pentecost (Acts 2) may help to explain my slowness. As Jesus promised the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, He would ask his Father to give to his disciples, He said to them (John 14:17b ESV [Table]):

You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Long before God’s Holy Spirit is in (ἐν) people, He dwells with (μένει, a form of μένω) them, drawing them into fellowship with God and into his righteousness. It’s so clear now, as I became an atheist, the Holy Spirit was right there with me, trying to persuade me that my evil eye “had the whole damn thing all wrong.”³⁷ I wrote:

I remember entertaining the notion that God was trying to communicate to me through the words of this song. I even went back to the Bible to see if I could find what I had gotten “all wrong.” But the Bible said the same thing to me it always said: “God’ll getcha if you don’t watch out!”

That was my religion in a nutshell. I don’t necessarily mean my church or the things people at my church attempted to teach me: I mean the religion I believed in my heart when the light in me was darkness. I had nearly eighteen years of experience that God was unable or unwilling to do me much good. That hadn’t wrung any bells with me. I still believed in a god who could do me great harm, a god who needed to be placated but was mostly to be avoided at all costs. In other words, I worshiped an evil spirit, not because I had ever actually encountered one, but because the light in me was darkness.

In the movie Shooter Senator Charles F. Meachum (Ned Beatty) sneers, “The truth is what I say it is,” moments before another truth in the person of Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) ends the Senator’s life. I wrote:

The primary torment of Sartre’s hell in his play “No Exit” is not knowing for certain why, or if, one is there. Knowledge was the hardest thing to give up when I flirted with atheism. To accept that knowledge is either unattainable, or that the verdict of a jury of my peers (or even a cadre of knowledge elites) is the highest form of truth and justice, is a camel I can’t swallow.³⁸

The One with the absolute power and authority to say honestly, “The truth is what I say it is,” is love and demands by law that people love Him and each other.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 15:11 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (NET)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (English Elpenor)
For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy poor and needy brother, in thy land.’	There will never cease to be some poor people in the land; therefore, I am commanding you to make sure you open your hand to your fellow Israelites who are needy and poor in your land.	For the needy shall not fail from the earth; I therefore command you to do this thing, saying, “By opening, you shall open your hands to your brother who is poor and to the needy in your land.”	For the poor shall not fail off thy land, therefore I charge thee to do this thing, saying, Thou shalt surely open thine hands to thy poor brother, and to him that is distressed upon thy land.

And by grace God supplies the love He demands through his own Holy Spirit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love.³⁹ Jesus concluded with a couple of observations and an explanation (Matthew 6:24 ESV [Table]):

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

And his application demonstrated God’s goodness in response to this fact (Matthew 6:25 ESV).

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or⁴⁰ what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

He explained with a couple of illustrations, drawing his listeners into a richer knowledge of God (Matthew 6:26, 27 ESV):

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing?⁴¹ Jesus continued. And He explained with more illustrations of God’s goodness (Matthew 6:28b-30 ESV).

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:⁴² they neither toil⁴³ nor spin,⁴⁴ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Jesus summed up with an application and explanation that made another contrast to the practice of Gentiles versus the goodness of God (Matthew 6:31, 32 ESV):

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles (ἔθνη, a form of ἔθνος) seek after⁴⁵ all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Jesus concluded this section of his sermon with an application, a promise of God’s provision, a final application with its explanation and an admonition to live one day at a time (Matthew 6:33, 34 ESV):

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ), and all these things will be added to you [Table].

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (κακία).

Jesus continued to demonstrate the goodness of God, drawing his listeners into the full knowledge of sin through the law, with the following application presented as a warning along with a reason as explanation: “Judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) not, that you be not judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω).”⁴⁶ He followed this with another explanation (Matthew 7:2 ESV).

For with the judgment (κρίματι, a form of κρίμα) you pronounce (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) you will be judged (κριθήσεσθε, another form of κρίνω), and with the measure you use it will be measured to you [Table].

Jesus further illustrated this with two rhetorical questions, and then summed up the problem of human judgments with an application addressed directly to actors (Matthew 7:3-5 ESV):

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of⁴⁷ your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Here again, if an actor heeded Jesus’ admonition to take the log out of [his] own eye, to acknowledge his own sin, he would cease to be an actor playing at righteousness and become one actually seeking righteousness, even if that were still a righteousness of his own from the law. In fact, anyone seeking to have [one’s] own righteousness derived from the law⁴⁸ may have difficulty understanding Jesus’ command: Judge not. Judging others is the distinguishing feature that characterizes the religious mind.

Those who actually experience the truth of Paul’s words—it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure⁴⁹—are synonymous with those seeking the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.⁵⁰ It is much more apparent to them to trust Christ’s faithfulness and God’s work in their brothers as well, to forgo their own judgments regarding their brothers. John wrote of Jesus (John 3:17 ESV):

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, another form of κρίνω) the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him [Table].

Understanding this connection to Jesus’ teaching on judgment makes it possible to paraphrase that teaching: follow me.⁵¹ It helped me overcome my penchant to hear Jesus judging, condemning, berating or belittling people almost every time He opened his mouth, particularly when I was striving to have my own righteousness derived from the law.⁵² It helps me now to understand that Jesus did not encourage his listeners to prejudice in his next application (Matthew 7:6 ESV):

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample⁵³ them underfoot and turn to attack you.

This is probably best understood in the same way that Jesus said (Matthew 10:23 ESV):

When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next,⁵⁴ for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

At my most rabid and pig-headed my mother, brother and sister didn’t debate me. They loved me and they prayed. It wasn’t a fair fight at all. When Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,⁵⁵ the Lord didn’t send Peter, James or John to confront him. He did it Himself (Acts 9). And Saul, by the grace of God and the faithfulness of Jesus Christ became Paul the apostle to the Gentiles, who penned by the Holy Spirit (Romans 9:16 ESV [Table]):

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

And (Romans 11:32 ESV):

For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

The Greek word ἐλεήσῃ (ESV: he may have mercy) is a form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood. And the conjunction ἵνα (ESV: that) indicates that ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ (ESV: that he may have mercy on all) is a purpose clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”⁵⁶

Jesus continued to show the goodness of God with three applications explained by three promises, and then three illustrations of those three promises (Matthew 7:7, 8 ESV).

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Then Jesus illustrated God’s goodness by comparison and contrast to his listeners’ own care for their children (Matthew 7:9-11 ESV).

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [Table] If you then, who are evil (πονηροὶ, a form of πονηρός), know how to give good (ἀγαθὰ, a form of ἀγαθός) gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

“So whatever⁵⁷ you wish that others would do to you,” Jesus’ summation was another application, “do also to them.”⁵⁸ And He followed this summation with a reason as explanation: for this is the Law and the Prophets.⁵⁹ Another application followed: “Enter by the narrow gate.”⁶⁰

Jesus had not yet been crucified: the way into the holy places is not yet opened.⁶¹ He had not risen from the dead. As He spoke these words there was no new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.⁶² The narrow gate (τῆς στενῆς πύλης) was the Law and the Prophets, what we know now as the Old Covenant. If one has ears to hear (not to mention a working knowledge of the letter to the Hebrews), Jesus’ explanation included a reason why the first covenant had [not] been faultless⁶³ (Matthew 7:13b, 14 ESV).

For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many [Table]. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few [Table].

And the writer of Hebrews wrote (Hebrews 8:6-13 ESV):

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises [Table]. For if that first covenant had been faultless (ἄμεμπτος), there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” [Table].⁶⁴

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

I would have been one of the many who failed to find the narrow gate through the Law and the Prophets when the Holy Spirit dwelt with me. I only began to understand from the Spirit-inspired writings of the apostle Paul (written after the Holy Spirit was in him) after the Holy Spirit was in me (Romans 8:3, 4 ESV).

For God has done what the law, weakened (ἠσθένει, a form of ἀσθενέω) by the flesh, could not do. By 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.

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation, Jesus said. The spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμον, a form of πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak (ἀσθενής).⁶⁵ Dunderhead that I was, I heard Jesus’ observation as an admonition to strengthen the flesh, rather than an invitation to walk by the Spirit as He walked. The actual situation was that the flesh was all ready too powerful, too persistent, too dominant over my thoughts and actions, so that the Holy Spirit who dwelt with me had little to no sway in my life. No wonder Jesus turned my dunderhead to Paul’s words:

…in order that (ἵνα) the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled (πληρωθῇ, a form of πληρόω) in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The Greek word πληρωθῇ (a form of πληρόω), might be fulfilled (ESV), is in the subjunctive mood and ἵνα (ESV: in order that) makes this a result clause. In other words:

…in order that the righteous requirement of the law [is] fulfilled in us, who walk NOT according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit in me battles the flesh that weakens the law—flesh that is all ready too powerful, too persistent, too dominant over my thoughts and actions—Mano a Mano, so to speak. He will win in the end, and does so more often now than when He merely dwelt with me.

“Beware⁶⁶ of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves,”⁶⁷ Jesus warned. And He explained how to recognize them: You will recognize them by their fruits.⁶⁸ He illustrated by reference to fruits and fruit trees, and concluded with a restatement of his premise (Matthew 7:16b-20 ESV).

Are grapes⁶⁹ gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς), but the diseased tree bears bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς). A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς), nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς). Every tree that does not bear good fruit (καρπὸν καλὸν) is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus⁷⁰ you will recognize them by their fruits.

The bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς) of the false prophets was to persuade people to be actors or to attempt to have a righteousness of their own derived from the law. And the good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς) would have been to bring them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin: poor in spirit,⁷¹ having the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out;⁷² mourning because when [they] want to do right, evil lies close at hand;⁷³ the meek who hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, waiting for the Lord’s salvation.

Did Jesus condemn the false prophets to the lake of fire? He certainly said that fruit trees which bear no good fruit become useful as firewood. For Jesus’ attitude toward false prophets, I’ll turn to a true prophet (Ezekiel 33:11, 12 ESV).

Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? [Table]

“And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins [Table].

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus warned any who thought to become worthy by their own works, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.⁷⁴ And He explained with a prophecy foretelling the future (Matthew 7:22, 23 ESV):

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.’

Then they said to him, John recorded at another time and place, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”⁷⁵ Did He mean that to believe in him whom he has sent was their work, their deed? This is the deed God requires—to believe (πιστεύητε, a form of πιστεύω in the subjunctive mood and present tense) in the one whom he sent (NET). But I notice that the NET translators treated πιστεύητε as an infinitive as they uncharacteristically ignored the subjunctive mood and either dropped the conjunction ἵνα or decided that it was to be understood as a hyphen here.

Or did Jesus mean to correct their premise as He answered their question? No, this is not your work. This is God’s work that (so that, in order that) you may believe in the one whom he sent. This is the work of God, that ye may believe (πιστευσητε, another form of πιστεύω in the subjunctive mood and aorist tense) in him whom He did send (YLT). Since faith as my own work led me to atheism, I clearly favor the latter understanding, where that ye may believe is the result of God’s work.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like⁷⁶ a wise man who built his house on the rock,”⁷⁷ Jesus concluded his sermon with a contrast. He explained this part of his contrast with an illustration, declared the opposite half of his contrast and explained that with the opposite of the same illustration (Matthew 7:25-27 ESV).

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on⁷⁸ that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

And when Jesus finished⁷⁹ these sayings, Matthew concluded, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their⁸⁰ scribes.⁸¹

According to a note (12) in the NET, Paul alluded to Genesis 1:3 and Isaiah 9:2 in 2 Corinthians 4:6. Tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s allusions to that of the Septuagint follow.

2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Genesis 1:3b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 1:3b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει	γενηθήτω φῶς	γενηθήτω φῶς
2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET)	Genesis 1:3b (NETS)	Genesis 1:3b (English Elpenor)
Let light shine out of darkness	Let light come into being	Let there be light

2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 9:2b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 9:2b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει	φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς (e.g., ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει)	φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (e.g., ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει)
2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET)	Isaiah 9:2b (NETS)	Isaiah 9:2b (English Elpenor)
Let light shine out of darkness	light will shine on you (e.g., O you people who walk in darkness)	a light shall shine upon you (e.g., O people walking in darkness)

Tables comparing Isaiah 9:2; Deuteronomy 15:7; 15:8; 15:9; 15:10 and 15:11 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Isaiah 9:2; Deuteronomy 15:7; 15:8; 15:9; 15:10 and 15:11 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 6:1; 6:4; 6:6; 6:18; 6:21; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Matthew 6:25; 6:28; 6:32; 7:4; 7:6; 10:23; 7:12; 7:15, 16; 7:20; 7:25 and 7:28, 29 in the KJV and NET follow.

Isaiah 9:2 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 9:2 (KJV)	Isaiah 9:2 (NET)
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.	The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.	The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness.

Isaiah 9:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 9:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει ἴδετε φῶς μέγα οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς	ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει, ἴδετε φῶς μέγα· οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς
Isaiah 9:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 9:2 (English Elpenor)
O you people who walk in darkness, see a great light! O you who live in the country and in the shadow of death, light will shine on you!	O people walking in darkness, behold a great light: ye that dwell in the region [and] shadow of death, a light shall shine upon you.

Deuteronomy 15:7 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (NET)
If there be among you a needy man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother;	If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:	If a fellow Israelite from one of your villages in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive to his impoverished condition.

Deuteronomy 15:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἐν σοὶ ἐνδεὴς τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεων σου ἐν τῇ γῇ ᾗ κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι οὐκ ἀποστέρξεις τὴν καρδίαν σου οὐδ᾽ οὐ μὴ συσφίγξῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου τοῦ ἐπιδεομένου	᾿Εὰν δὲ γένηται ἐν σοὶ ἐνδεὴς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεών σου ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι, οὐκ ἀποστέρξεις τὴν καρδίαν σου οὐδ᾿ οὐ μὴ συσφίγξῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου τοῦ ἐπιδεομένου
Deuteronomy 15:7 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (English Elpenor)
Now if there is among you anyone of your brothers in need in one of your cities within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not rid your heart of love, neither shall you close up your hand from your needy brother.	And if there shall be in the midst of thee a poor [man] of thy brethren in one of thy cities in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, neither shalt thou by any means close up thine hand from thy brother who is in want.

Deuteronomy 15:8 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (NET)
but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth.	But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.	Instead, you must be sure to open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs.

Deuteronomy 15:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου αὐτῷ δάνειον δανιεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται καθ᾽ ὅσον ἐνδεεῖται	ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου αὐτῷ καὶ δάνειον δανειεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται, καθότι ἐνδεεῖται
Deuteronomy 15:8 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (English Elpenor)
By opening, you shall open your hands to him; you shall lend a loan to him whatever he may need, in accord with what he needs.	Thou shalt surely open thine hands to him, and shalt lend to him as much as he wants according to his need.

Deuteronomy 15:9 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (NET)
Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying: ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’; and thine eye be evil against thy needy brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto HaShem against thee, and it be sin in thee.	Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.	Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude be wrong toward your impoverished fellow Israelite and you do not lend him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be regarded as having sinned.

Deuteronomy 15:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ γένηται ῥῆμα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀνόμημα λέγων ἐγγίζει τὸ ἔτος τὸ ἕβδομον ἔτος τῆς ἀφέσεως καὶ πονηρεύσηται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ καὶ οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ καὶ βοήσεται κατὰ σοῦ πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ ἁμαρτία μεγάλη	πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, μὴ γένηται ῥῆμα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀνόμημα λέγων· ἐγγίζει τό ἔτος τὸ ἕβδομον, ἔτος τῆς ἀφέσεως, καὶ πονηρεύσηται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ, καὶ οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ, καὶ καταβοήσεται κατὰ σοῦ πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ ἁμαρτία μεγάλη
Deuteronomy 15:9 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (English Elpenor)
Be careful to yourself, lest a secret word is in your heart, something lawless, saying, “The seventh year, a year of release, is near,” and your eye be evil towards your needy brother, and you will not give to him, and he will cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be for you a great sin.	Take heed to thyself that there be not a secret thing in thine heart, an iniquity, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, draws nigh; and thine eye shall be evil to thy brother that is in want, and thou shalt not give to him, and he shall cry against thee to the Lord, and there shall be great sin in thee.

Deuteronomy 15:10 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (NET)
Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing HaShem thy G-d will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.	Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.	You must by all means lend to him and not be upset by doing it, for because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you attempt.

Deuteronomy 15:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διδοὺς δώσεις αὐτῷ καὶ δάνειον δανιεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται καὶ οὐ λυπηθήσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου διδόντος σου αὐτῷ ὅτι διὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο εὐλογήσει σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔργοις καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου	διδοὺς δώσεις αὐτῷ καὶ δάνειον δανειεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται, καὶ οὐ λυπηθήσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου διδόντος σου αὐτῷ, ὅτι διά τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο εὐλογήσει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν, οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου
Deuteronomy 15:10 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (English Elpenor)
Giving you shall give to him, and you shall lend him a loan whatever he needs, and you shall not be grieved in your heart when you give to him, because through this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you may put your hand.	Thou shalt surely give to him, and thou shalt lend him as much as he wants, according as he is in need; and thou shalt not grudge in thine heart as thou givest to him, because on this account the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all things on which thou shalt lay thine hand.

Deuteronomy 15:11 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (NET)
For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy poor and needy brother, in thy land.’	For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.	There will never cease to be some poor people in the land; therefore, I am commanding you to make sure you open your hand to your fellow Israelites who are needy and poor in your land.

Deuteronomy 15:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἐκλίπῃ ἐνδεὴς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς διὰ τοῦτο ἐγώ σοι ἐντέλλομαι ποιεῖν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο λέγων ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ πένητι καὶ τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς σου	οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἐκλίπῃ ἐνδεὴς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς σου. διὰ τοῦτο ἐγώ σοι ἐντέλλομαι ποιεῖν τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο λέγων· ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ πένητι καὶ τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς σου
Deuteronomy 15:11 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (English Elpenor)
For the needy shall not fail from the earth; I therefore command you to do this thing, saying, “By opening, you shall open your hands to your brother who is poor and to the needy in your land.”	For the poor shall not fail off thy land, therefore I charge thee to do this thing, saying, Thou shalt surely open thine hands to thy poor brother, and to him that is distressed upon thy land.

Matthew 6:1 (NET)	Matthew 6:1 (KJV)
“Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.	Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 6:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Προσέχετε τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς	προσεχετε την ελεημοσυνην υμων μη ποιειν εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων προς το θεαθηναι αυτοις ει δε μηγε μισθον ουκ εχετε παρα τω πατρι υμων τω εν τοις ουρανοις	προσεχετε την ελεημοσυνην υμων μη ποιειν εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων προς το θεαθηναι αυτοις ει δε μηγε μισθον ουκ εχετε παρα τω πατρι υμων τω εν τοις ουρανοις

Matthew 6:4 (NET)	Matthew 6:4 (KJV)
so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.	That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅπως ᾖ σου ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ· καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι	οπως η σου η ελεημοσυνη εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αυτος αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω	οπως η σου η ελεημοσυνη εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αυτος αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω

Matthew 6:6 (NET)	Matthew 6:6 (KJV)
But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.	But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
σὺ δὲ ὅταν προσεύχῃ, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον σου καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν σου πρόσευξαι τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ· καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι	συ δε οταν προσευχη εισελθε εις το ταμιειον σου και κλεισας την θυραν σου προσευξαι τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω	συ δε οταν προσευχη εισελθε εις το ταμιειον σου και κλεισας την θυραν σου προσευξαι τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω

Matthew 6:18 (NET)	Matthew 6:18 (KJV)
so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.	That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ· καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ ἀποδώσει σοι	οπως μη φανης τοις ανθρωποις νηστευων αλλα τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω	οπως μη φανης τοις ανθρωποις νηστευων αλλα τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι

Matthew 6:21 (NET)	Matthew 6:21 (KJV)
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.	For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός σου, ἐκεῖ ἔσται \|καὶ\| ἡ καρδία σου	οπου γαρ εστιν ο θησαυρος υμων εκει εσται και η καρδια υμων	οπου γαρ εστιν ο θησαυρος υμων εκει εσται και η καρδια υμων

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NET)	2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)
For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.	For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 4:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 4:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ὁ εἰπών· ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει, ὃς ἔλαμψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ [Ἰησοῦ] Χριστοῦ	οτι ο θεος ο ειπων εκ σκοτους φως λαμψαι ος ελαμψεν εν ταις καρδιαις ημων προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του θεου εν προσωπω ιησου χριστου	οτι ο θεος ο ειπων εκ σκοτους φως λαμψαι ος ελαμψεν εν ταις καρδιαις ημων προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του θεου εν προσωπω ιησου χριστου

Matthew 6:25 (NET)	Matthew 6:25 (KJV)
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?	Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Matthew 6:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν· μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε [ἢ τί πίητε], μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε. οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖον ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν μη μεριμνατε τη ψυχη υμων τι φαγητε και τι πιητε μηδε τω σωματι υμων τι ενδυσησθε ουχι η ψυχη πλειον εστιν της τροφης και το σωμα του ενδυματος	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν μη μεριμνατε τη ψυχη υμων τι φαγητε και τι πιητε μηδε τω σωματι υμων τι ενδυσησθε ουχι η ψυχη πλειον εστιν της τροφης και το σωμα του ενδυματος

Matthew 6:28 (NET)	Matthew 6:28 (KJV)
Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin.	And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

Matthew 6:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνουσιν· οὐ κοπιῶσιν οὐδὲ νήθουσιν	και περι ενδυματος τι μεριμνατε καταμαθετε τα κρινα του αγρου πως αυξανει ου κοπια ουδε νηθει	και περι ενδυματος τι μεριμνατε καταμαθετε τα κρινα του αγρου πως αυξανει ου κοπια ουδε νηθει

Matthew 6:32 (NET)	Matthew 6:32 (KJV)
For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.	(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Matthew 6:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητοῦσιν· οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων	παντα γαρ ταυτα τα εθνη επιζητει οιδεν γαρ ο πατηρ υμων ο ουρανιος οτι χρηζετε τουτων απαντων	παντα γαρ ταυτα τα εθνη επιζητει οιδεν γαρ ο πατηρ υμων ο ουρανιος οτι χρηζετε τουτων απαντων

Matthew 7:4 (NET)	Matthew 7:4 (KJV)
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own?	Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Matthew 7:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου· ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ	η πως ερεις τω αδελφω σου αφες εκβαλω το καρφος απο του οφθαλμου σου και ιδου η δοκος εν τω οφθαλμω σου	η πως ερεις τω αδελφω σου αφες εκβαλω το καρφος απο του οφθαλμου σου και ιδου η δοκος εν τω οφθαλμω σου

Matthew 7:6 (NET)	Matthew 7:6 (KJV)
Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.	Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Matthew 7:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσὶν μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ στραφέντες ρήξωσιν ὑμᾶς	μη δωτε το αγιον τοις κυσιν μηδε βαλητε τους μαργαριτας υμων εμπροσθεν των χοιρων μηποτε καταπατησωσιν αυτους εν τοις ποσιν αυτων και στραφεντες ρηξωσιν υμας	μη δωτε το αγιον τοις κυσιν μηδε βαλητε τους μαργαριτας υμων εμπροσθεν των χοιρων μηποτε καταπατησωσιν αυτους εν τοις ποσιν αυτων και στραφεντες ρηξωσιν υμας

Matthew 10:23 (NET)	Matthew 10:23 (KJV)
Whenever they persecute you in one town, flee to another! I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.	But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Matthew 10:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 10:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 10:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν· ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ τελέσητε τὰς πόλεις \|τοῦ\| Ἰσραὴλ ἕως \|ἂν\| ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	οταν δε διωκωσιν υμας εν τη πολει ταυτη φευγετε εις την αλλην αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν ου μη τελεσητε τας πολεις του ισραηλ εως αν ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου	οταν δε διωκωσιν υμας εν τη πολει ταυτη φευγετε εις την αλλην αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν ου μη τελεσητε τας πολεις του ισραηλ εως αν ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου

Matthew 7:12 (NET)	Matthew 7:12 (KJV)
In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.	Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται	παντα ουν οσα αν θελητε ινα ποιωσιν υμιν οι ανθρωποι ουτως και υμεις ποιειτε αυτοις ουτος γαρ εστιν ο νομος και οι προφηται	παντα ουν οσα αν θελητε ινα ποιωσιν υμιν οι ανθρωποι ουτως και υμεις ποιειτε αυτοις ουτος γαρ εστιν ο νομος και οι προφηται

Matthew 7:15, 16 (NET)	Matthew 7:15, 16 (KJV)
“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.	Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 7:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες	προσεχετε δε απο των ψευδοπροφητων οιτινες ερχονται προς υμας εν ενδυμασιν προβατων εσωθεν δε εισιν λυκοι αρπαγες	προσεχετε δε απο των ψευδοπροφητων οιτινες ερχονται προς υμας εν ενδυμασιν προβατων εσωθεν δε εισιν λυκοι αρπαγες

You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Matthew 7:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς. μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλὰς ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα	απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους μητι συλλεγουσιν απο ακανθων σταφυλην η απο τριβολων συκα	απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους μητι συλλεγουσιν απο ακανθων σταφυλην η απο τριβολων συκα

Matthew 7:20 (NET)	Matthew 7:20 (KJV)
So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.	Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἄρα γε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς	αραγε απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους	αραγε απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους

Matthew 7:25 (NET)	Matthew 7:25 (KJV)
The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation had been laid on rock.	And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Matthew 7:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴ καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶ καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ προσέπεσαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἔπεσεν, τεθεμελίωτο γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν	και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθον οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεπεσον τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ επεσεν τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν	και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθον οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεπεσον τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ επεσεν τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν

Matthew 7:28, 29 (NET)	Matthew 7:28, 29 (KJV)
When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching,	And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Matthew 7:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ἐξεπλήσσοντο οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ	και εγενετο οτε συνετελεσεν ο ιησους τους λογους τουτους εξεπλησσοντο οι οχλοι επι τη διδαχη αυτου	και εγενετο οτε συνετελεσεν ο ιησους τους λογους τουτους εξεπλησσοντο οι οχλοι επι τη διδαχη αυτου

because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law.

For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 7:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἦν γὰρ διδάσκων αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν	ην γαρ διδασκων αυτους ως εξουσιαν εχων και ουχ ως οι γραμματεις	ην γαρ διδασκων αυτους ως εξουσιαν εχων και ουχ ως οι γραμματεις

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 5

Back to The Soul

Back to Luke 8:22-56

¹ Romans 7:24a (ESV)

² Romans 7:21 (ESV)

³ Galatians 5:16, 17 (ESV)

⁴ Romans 7:24a (ESV)

⁵ Romans 7:21 (ESV)

⁶ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δικαιοσύνην here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελεημοσυνην (KJV: alms).

⁸ Matthew 6:1a (ESV)

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰ δὲ μή γε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει δε μηγε (KJV: otherwise).

¹⁰ Matthew 6:1b (ESV)

¹¹ Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτος (KJV: himself) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν τω φανερω (KJV: openly) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁵ Philippians 3:9c (NET)

¹⁶ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁷ Romans 3:21a, 22a (ESV)

¹⁸ Matthew 6:5a (ESV) Table

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ταμεῖον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ταμιειον (KJV: closet). These seem to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν τω φανερω (KJV: openly) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ Matthew 6:7a (ESV) Table

²² Matthew 6:7b, 8 (ESV)

²³ Matthew 6:10 (ESV) Table

²⁴ Matthew 6:13b (NKJV)

²⁵ Matthew 6:12 (ESV) Table

²⁶ Matthew 5:7 (ESV)

²⁷ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

²⁸ Matthew 23:2 (ESV) Table

²⁹ Matthew 6:16a (ESV) Table

³⁰ Matthew 6:16b (ESV) Table

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adjective κρυφαίῳ, a form of κρυφαῖος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb κρυπτω.

³² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adjective κρυφαίῳ, a form of κρυφαῖος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb κρυπτω.

³³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had εν τω φανερω (KJV: openly) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υμων.

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υμων.

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λάμψει here, a form of λάμπω in the indicative mood and future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had λαμψαι (KJV: to shine), an infinitive in the aorist tense.

³⁷ From “Wind-Up,” Aqualung, Jethro Tull

³⁸ You Must Be Gentle, Part 3

³⁹ Galatians 5:22a (ESV)

⁴⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἢ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και.

⁴¹ Matthew 6:28a (ESV)

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐξάνουσιν, a plural form of αὐξάνω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular αυξανει.

⁴³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κοπιῶσιν, a plural form of κοπιάω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular κοπια.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had νήθουσιν, a plural form of νήθω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular νηθει.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπιζητοῦσιν, a plural form of ἐπιζητέω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular επιζητει.

⁴⁶ Matthew 7:1 (ESV)

⁴⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκ (NET: from) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απο (KJV: out of).

⁴⁸ Philippians 3:9a (NET)

⁴⁹ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

⁵⁰ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

⁵¹ Matthew 16:24b (ESV)

⁵² Philippians 3:9a (NET)

⁵³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καταπατήσουσιν (NET: they will trample) here, a form of καταπατέω in the indicative mood and future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καταπατησωσιν (KJV: they trample), in the subjunctive mood and either the present or aorist tense.

⁵⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἑτέραν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αλλην (KJV: another).

⁵⁵ Acts 9:1 (ESV)

⁵⁶ From “Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁵⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅσα ἐὰν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οσα αν (KJV: whatsoever).

⁵⁸ Matthew 7:12a (ESV)

⁵⁹ Matthew 7:12b (ESV)

⁶⁰ Matthew 7:13a (ESV) Table

⁶¹ Hebrews 9:8b (ESV)

⁶² Hebrews 10:20b (ESV)

⁶³ Hebrews 8:7a (ESV)

⁶⁴ According to a note (24) in the NET the writer of Hebrews quoted from Jeremiah 31:31-34. Tables comparing the Greek of that quotation to the Septuagint are found in The New Covenant, Part 1.

⁶⁵ Matthew 26:41 (ESV)

⁶⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (not translated in the KJV) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶⁷ Matthew 7:15 (ESV)

⁶⁸ Matthew 7:16a (ESV)

⁶⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σταφυλὰς, a plural form of σταφυλή here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular σταφυλην.

⁷⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἄρα γε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αραγε (KJV: Wherefore).

⁷¹ Matthew 5:3a (ESV)

⁷² Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

⁷³ Romans 7:21b (ESV)

⁷⁴ Matthew 7:21 (ESV) Table

⁷⁵ John 6:28, 29 (ESV) Table

⁷⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὁμοιωθήσεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ομοιωσω αυτον (KJV: I will liken him).

⁷⁷ Matthew 7:24 (ESV) Table

⁷⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had προσέπεσαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προσεπεσον (KJV: beat upon).

⁷⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐτέλεσεν here, a form of τελέω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συνετελεσεν (KJV: had ended), a form of συντελέω.

⁸⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῶν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁸¹ Matthew 7:28, 29 (ESV)

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 2

Posted on August 8, 2024 by admin

This is the continuation of my notes from Chapter 4 in a preaching course I’m taking. Unless otherwise indicated all quotations are from the book:

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 3^rd Edition by Bryan Chapell

Exercises

Indicate how explanation, illustration, and application are used in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) and Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-25).

Jesus’ theme was the goodness of God. He spoke to sinners born under the law,¹ what Paul called the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone² and the ministry of condemnation.³ It is also the fallen condition focus of this sermon. At first Jesus addressed the faithful who had learned from the law: since through the law comes knowledge of sin.⁴

For Paul this knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις) was not merely that law designated sin but that law coerced sin into revealing itself (Romans 7:7b-11 ESV):

Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life (ἡ εἰς ζωήν) proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

This knowledge of sin through the law pressed deeper still within Paul (Romans 7:18, 19 ESV):

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 [Table].

To any who had gained this knowledge of sin through the law, Jesus expressed the goodness of God: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”⁵ And He explained how God had blessed them with the following promise: “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”⁶

Did Jesus say that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who give up and say, I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out? Yes—and no, not exactly. He implied that those who give up and say, I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out, are those who wait for God’s salvation. This becomes clearer later.

The knowledge of sin Paul gained through the law pressed stil further (Romans 7:21-24 ESV):

So I find it to be a law that 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?

And to those whose knowledge of sin gained through the law had wrenched out a lament like Paul’s, Jesus applied the goodness of God: “Blessed are those who mourn (οἱ πενθοῦντες, a participle of πενθέω).”⁷ And again, He explained how God will bless them with the following promise: “for they shall be comforted.”⁸ The Greek word translated they shall be comforted was παρακληθήσονται, a passive form of the verb παρακαλέω in the future tense. It is almost impossible to disregard its association to the noun παράκλητον (a form of παράκλητος). Jesus promised (John 14:16-18, 25, 26 ESV):

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper (παράκλητον, a form of παράκλητος), to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you [Table].

“I will not leave you as orphans (ὀρφανούς, a form of ὀρφανός); I will come to you.”

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper (παράκλητος), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” [Table].

The translators of the KJV made this relationship explicit in English.

Matthew 5:4 (KJV)	John 14:16-18 (KJV)	John 14:25, 26 (KJV)
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.	And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.	These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

To those whose pride had been humbled by the knowledge of sin gained through the law, Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are the meek.”⁹ Again, He explained how God will bless them with a promise:“for they shall inherit the earth.”¹⁰ The Greek word translated meek, πραεῖς (from the adjective πραΰς), occurred from time to time in the Psalms in the Septuagint, extolling God’s grace toward the meek.

But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.¹¹

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 37:11 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 37:11 (NET)	Psalm 36:11 (NETS)	Psalm 36:11 (English Elpenor)
But the meek (וַֽעֲנָוִ֥ים) shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.	But the oppressed (ʿānāv, וענוים) will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.	But the meek (οἱ δὲ πραεῖς) shall inherit land and take delight in the abundance of peace.	But the meek (οἱ δὲ πραεῖς) shall inherit the earth; and shall delight [themselves] in the abundance of peace.

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.¹²

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 25:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 25:9 (NET)	Psalm 24:9 (NETS)	Psalm 24:9 (English Elpenor)
The meek (עֲ֖נָוִים) will he guide in judgment: and the meek (עֲנָוִ֣ים) will he teach his way.	May he show the humble (ʿānāv, ענוים) what is right. May he teach the humble (ʿānāv, ענוים) his way.	The meek (πραεῖς) he will guide in justice; the meek (πραεῖς) he will teach his ways.	The meek (πραεῖς) will he guide in judgment: the meek (πραεῖς) will he teach his ways.

My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.¹³

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 34:2 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 34:2 (NET)	Psalm 33:3 (NETS)	Psalm 33:3 (English Elpenor)
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble (עֲנָוִ֣ים) shall hear thereof, and be glad.	I will boast in the Lord; let the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוים) hear and rejoice.	In the Lord my soul shall be commended; let the meek (πραεῖς) hear and be glad.	My soul shall boast herself in the Lord: let the meek (πρᾳεῖς) hear, and rejoice.

when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. Selah¹⁴

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 76:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 76:9 (NET)	Psalm 75:10 (NETS)	Psalm 75:10 (English Elpenor)
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek (עַנְוֵי) of the earth. Selah.	when God arose to execute judgment, and to deliver all the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוי) of the earth. (Selah)	when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the meek (τοὺς πραεῖς) of the earth. Interlude on strings	when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek (τοὺς πραεῖς) in heart. Pause.

The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.¹⁵

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 147:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 147:6 (NET)	Psalm 146:6 (NETS)	Psalm 146:6 (English Elpenor)
The LORD lifteth up the meek (עֲנָוִ֣ים): he casteth the wicked down to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוים), but knocks the wicked to the ground.	when the Lord picks up the meek (πραεῖς) but humbles sinners to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the meek (πρᾳεῖς); but brings sinners down to the ground.

For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.¹⁶

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 149:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 149:4 (NET)	Psalm 149:4 (NETS)	Psalm 149:4 (English Elpenor)
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek (עֲ֜נָוִ֗ים) with salvation.	For the Lord takes delight in his people; he exalts the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוים) by delivering them.	because the Lord takes pleasure in his people, and he exalts the meek (πραεῖς) with deliverance.	For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; and will exalt the meek (πραεῖς) with salvation.

To any who had the desire to do what is right¹⁷ according to the law, Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”¹⁸ And He explained with another promise how God will bless them: “for they shall be satisfied.”¹⁹ The Greek words translated righteousness were τὴν δικαιοσύνην (a form of δικαιοσύνη). This promised satisfaction is nothing less than that [which] comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness (δικαιοσύνην) from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.²⁰

Here, it becomes clearer, though not stated so succinctly, that Jesus described what I called a super-application: walk by the Spirit—as Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit²¹—and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh;²² being guided, carried along and energized by Jesus’ own love—the fulfilling (πλήρωμα) of the law²³—his own joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control²⁴ all day, everyday, forever; against such things there is no law.²⁵

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy,”²⁶ Jesus continued. But this seemed different somehow:

Poverty of spirit seemed like a need that could arise as a natural result from the knowledge of sin gained through the law, that I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.²⁷ To mourn seemed like a natural result of that neediness, made apparent from the knowledge of sin gained through the law. Meekness, humility, seemed to be a natural result of my mourning and neediness gained from the knowledge of sin through the law. To hunger and thirst for righteousness seemed like the only sane response to my meekness, mourning my neediness gained from the knowledge of sin through the law.

While it makes sense that I will need mercy as I hunger and thirst for a righteousness I do not yet possess, mourning in meekness over my spiritual poverty, while it only seems fair that I should be merciful to those around me suffering as I suffer, to actually be merciful seems like that very desire to do what is right that I lack the ability to carry…out. Yet, there it sits in Jesus’ saying, a veritable impediment to my own need for his promise of mercy. Do I give up in despair? Or do I see his grace all around me?

It took an extraordinary amount of effort to transform my native desire to be right into a hunger and thirst for his righteousness, his effort not mine: work (κατεργάζεσθε, a form of κατεργάζομαι) out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works (ὁ ἐνεργῶν, a participle of the verb ἐνεργέω) in you, both to will (τὸ θέλειν, an infinitve form of θέλω in the present tense) and to work (τὸ ἐνεργεῖν, an infinitive form of ἐνεργέω in the present tense) for his good pleasure [Table].²⁸ The ease, I described as a “natural result,” with which meekness, mourning and spiritual poverty seemed to arise from a knowledge of sin gained through the law stands as evidence that God does all the heavy lifting in both the desires and the efforts He brings forth in me. As Paul wrote in a slightly different context: So then it depends not on human will (τοῦ θέλοντος, a participle of θέλω) or exertion (τοῦ τρέχοντος, a participle of τρέχω in the present tense), but on God, who has mercy.²⁹

So, to those learning to be merciful from God’s own mercy toward them as they suffer the knowledge of sin gained through the law, Jesus revealed the goodness of God: “Blessed are the merciful.”³⁰ Here, too, He explained God’s goodness with a promise: “for they shall receive mercy.”³¹ This means even more mercy from God, and perhaps a little from those to whom they are merciful, those who suffer the same knowledge of sin gained through the law.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,”³² came next. In my past I took this to mean that those who never thought about sex would see God. I had no clue how to stop thinking about sex, and little desire to do so. I’m not sure how literally I took see God (τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω in the future tense). There appear to be three options. First (Revelation 22:3, 4 ESV):

No longer³³ will there be anything accursed,³⁴ but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

This literal meaning of seeing God’s face as a servant of God entails learning the knowledge of sin gained through the law and receiving God’s salvation instead. The second option is (Matthew 24:29, 30; Mark 13:24-26; Luke 21:25-27 ESV):

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn (κόψονται, a form of κόπτω in the middle voice), and they will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

“But³⁵ in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling³⁶ from³⁷ heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves [Table], people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Here, according to Matthew, all the tribes of the earth (πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς) present at a certain moment in time will see the Son of Man.³⁸ But Jesus didn’t limit the promise which explained how God blesses the pure in heart—for they shall see God³⁹—to those who are “present at a certain moment in time.” So, the third option is (Romans 15:20, 21 ESV):

and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω), and those who have never heard will understand (συνήσουσιν, a form of συνίημι).”

Here, συνήσουσιν (a form of συνίημι), will understand, was coupled with ὄψονται (a form of ὁράω), will see. It prompts me to consider some of the other meanings of ὁράω: “to consider (i.e., look at mentally); to arrive at a conclusion by observation; to experience, witness; to notice, recognize, understand; to realize, comprehend.” So, who are the pure in heart (οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ), who shall “consider, arrive at a conclusion by observation, experience, witness, notice, recognize, understand, realize, comprehend” God?

The aim of our charge is love, Paul wrote Timothy, that issues from a pure heart (καθαρᾶς καρδίας) and a good conscience and a sincere faith.⁴⁰ And, So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (καθαρᾶς καρδίας).⁴¹ These form a verbal portrait of what those with a pure heart do or are called to do.

Peter wrote (1 Peter 1:22, 23 ESV):

Having purified (ἡγνικότες, an active participle of ἁγνίζω) your souls by your obedience to the truth [through the Spirit]⁴² for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart ([καθαρᾶς] καρδίας), since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding⁴³ word of God;

I added δια πνευματος (KJV: through the Spirit) from the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text back into the ESV translation because καθαρᾶς (ESV: pure) was in brackets in the NET parallel Greek text. It is not in brackets in the NA²⁸. I take this to mean that the occurrence of καθαρᾶς here was questionable in NA²⁷ but considered more favorably in NA²⁸. I imagined what it might be like to read 1 Peter 1:22 with both δια πνευματος and καθαρᾶς removed from the text in light of the Lord’s assessment of the heart.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (NET)	Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (NETS)	Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (English Elpenor)
The heart (הַלֵּ֛ב) is deceitful (עָקֹ֥ב) above all things, and desperately wicked (וְאָנֻ֣שׁ): who can know it?	The human mind (lēḇ, הלב) is more deceitful (ʿāqōḇ, עקב) than anything else. It is incurably bad (‘ānaš, ואנש). Who can understand it?	The heart (ἡ καρδία) is deep (βαθεῖα) above all else, and so is man (καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν), and who shall understand him?	The heart (ἡ καρδία) is deep (βαθεῖα) beyond all things, and it is the man (καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι), and who can know him?
I the LORD search the heart (לֵ֖ב), I try the reins (כְּלָי֑וֹת), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.	I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds (lēḇ, לב). I examine people’s hearts (kilyâ, כליות). I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.	I, the Lord, am one who tests hearts (καρδίας) and examines kidneys (νεφροὺς), to give to each according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.	I the Lord try the hearts (καρδίας), and prove the reins (νεφροὺς), to give to every one according to his ways, and according to the fruits of his devices.

Even without the Holy Spirit or a pure heart in verse 22, 1 Peter 1:23 would still speak of a new birth—since you have been born again (ἀναγεγεννημένοι, a participle of the verb ἀναγεννάω)…through the living and abiding word of God. But I wonder if it would have been enough to dissuade me from attempting to do all that a pure heart entails—flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace⁴⁴—with my old deceitful (Masoretic Text: עָקֹ֥ב) or deep (Septuagint: βαθεῖα) heart. Jesus was clearer perhaps when He told his disciples (John 15:3, 4 ESV):

Already you are clean (καθαροί, a form of καθαρός) because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me [Table].

The Greek word translated clean was καθαροί, a form of καθαρός, the same word translated pure in Matthew 5:8—οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, the pure in heart (ESV). All of this, including the rabbis understanding of deceitful as βαθεῖα in the Septuagint, translated deep (NETS, English Elpenor), with its connotation of dark or murky, turns my attention to the primary meaning of καθαρός listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online: clear.

It stands then that the first clarity one receives regarding one’s deeply deceitful heart is the knowledge of sin gained through the law, the Word of God. And to them Jesus revealed God’s goodness: “Blessed are the pure in heart.”⁴⁵ And He explained God’s blessing with a promise: “for they shall see God.”⁴⁶ They shall see Him face-to-face one day, as they “consider” Him; “arrive at a conclusion by observation” about Him; “experience” Him, “witness” Him; “notice” Him, “recognize” Him, “understand” Him; “realize” and “comprehend” Him along the way, not fully or exhaustively but truthfully.

Jesus continued: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”⁴⁷ The Greek word translated peacemakers was εἰρηνοποιοί (a form of εἰρηνοποιός). It only occurs once in the New Testament but John was very explicit about who shall be called sons of God (υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται):

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι), who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.⁴⁸

Come to terms quickly with your accuser (τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου) while you are going with him to court, Jesus commanded later in this sermon, lest your accuser (ὁ ἀντίδικος) hand you over to the judge, and the judge⁴⁹ to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.⁵⁰ The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἀντιδίκους (another form of ἀντίδικος) to describe those on the wrong side of the Lord’s judgment. It would have been to their benefit to Come to terms quickly with their accuser ἀντιδίκῳ, another form of ἀντίδικος.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 50:34 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 50:34 (NET)	Jeremiah 27:34 (NETS)	Jeremiah 27:34 (English Elpenor)
Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly (רִ֥יב) plead (יָרִ֖יב) their cause (רִיבָ֑ם), that he may give rest (הִרְגִּ֣יעַ) to the land, and disquiet (וְהִרְגִּ֖יז) the inhabitants of Babylon.	But the one who will rescue them is strong. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He will strongly (rîḇ, ריב) champion (rîḇ, יריב) their cause (rîḇ, ריבם). As a result he will bring peace and rest (rāḡaʿ, הרגיע) to the earth, but trouble and turmoil (rāḡaz, והרגיז) to the people who inhabit Babylonia.	And he that redeems them is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will judge (κρινεῖ) with judgment (κρίσιν) against his adversaries (πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ), that he may destroy (ἐξάρῃ) the earth, and for those that inhabit Babylon he will incite (παροξυνεῖ)	But their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name: he will enter into (κρινεῖ) judgment (κρίσιν) with his adversaries (πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ), that he may destroy (ἐξάρῃ) the earth;⁵¹

While it remains and open question in my mind whether ἐξάρῃ (a form of ἐξαίρω) should have been translated destroy in English, it is readily apparent that those who have gained the knowledge of their own sin through the law are the more likely to make peace with God quickly (ταχύ), receiving his salvation. To them Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”⁵² And then He explained how God will bless them: “for they shall be called sons of God.”⁵³

Those who have gained the knowledge of sin through the law, so as to have become poor in spirit, to mourn their predicament in meekness, to hunger and thirst for that righteousness they do not yet possess, merciful to those who suffer the same fate, pure enough in heart to make peace with God and wait for his salvation, will be persecuted by those who deny the truth of any or all such knowledge of sin. Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”⁵⁴ He explained how God blessed them with a promise, the same promise He made to the poor in spirit: “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”⁵⁵

Jesus followed upon this with an illustration of the form such persecution will take, expressed once again as the goodness of God: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”⁵⁶ He followed that with his first application: Rejoice and be glad.⁵⁷

Admittedly, seeing this as his first application helps to reinforce that everything else up to this point was the work of God, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,⁵⁸ through his Word, the law and the prophets. (I had to resort to David, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Joel to understand Jesus’ words. And on that note, I would have understood none of this apart from Paul’s brilliant summation of the purpose of the law. I would have continued to hear Jesus’ words in the sermon on the mount as just more rules for me to obey.)

Jesus explained why one who is persecuted should rejoice and be glad with another promise: for your reward is great in heaven.⁵⁹ Then he explained God’s blessing on those who are persecuted with an illustration from Israel’s past: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.⁶⁰

“You are the salt of the earth,”⁶¹ Jesus illustrated the goodness of God to those who had gained the knowledge of sin through the law, turned to wait on the Lord’s salvation, become poor in spirit, mourned, the meek who hungered and thirsted for God’s own righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, making peace with God, and persecuted by those who rejected the knowledge of their own sinfulness. But He followed that with an illustration as a warning: but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown⁶² out and⁶³ trampled under people’s feet.⁶⁴

“You are the light of the world,”⁶⁵ He continued his illustration of God’s goodness. And He explained this illustration with further illustrations: A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.⁶⁶ Then came his second application: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and⁶⁷ praise you for your righteousness? No, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.⁶⁸ Here is yet another indication that all that has transpired is due to the goodness of God. It was the work of God, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,⁶⁹ through his Word, the law and the prophets.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets,”⁷⁰ Jesus commanded a third application with a gaze so farsighted as to almost seem like a non sequitur, except to make explicit what his subject matter had been all along as he extolled the goodness of God. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them,⁷¹ He explained.

The Greek word translated fulfill them was πληρῶσαι, an active form of the verb πληρόω, which might be understood as an infinitive or as a 3^rd person verb in the optative mood (“he might fulfill,” “it might fulfill”). “The optative is the mood of possibility, removed even further than the subjunctive mood from something conceived of as actual. Often it is used to convey a wish or hope for a certain action to occur.” If I consider it as an infinitive form I assume that Jesus was looking ahead to his death on the cross, as a form in the optative mood I assume Jesus’ gaze reached all the way to those who came into the light, so that it may be clearly seen that [their] works have been carried out in God.⁷²

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished,⁷³ Jesus prophesied to explain. The Greek word translated is accomplished was γένηται, a form of γίνομαι in the subjunctive mood. This could be down the actuality scale from πληρῶσαι if I take πληρῶσαι as an infinitive, or up the actuality scale if I take it as a verb in the optative mood. There is another option that ἕως |ἂν| πάντα γένηται (ESV: until all is accomplished) is the result of not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law, and is as certain as the indicative mood, though |ἂν| understood (but not translated) as may could argue against it.

I started down this path, considering πληρῶσαι as a 3^rd person verb in the optative mood, because I made a mistake. I thought Jesus said πληρώσαι, leaving me no option. The verb καταλῦσαι, to abolish, a form of καταλύω, might also be understood as an infinitive or as a 3^rd person verb in the optative mood. Both occurrences, however, are better understood as infinitive forms. It is clearly easier to understood πληρῶσαι as another infinitive. I don’t see any place except following ἀλλὰ (but) that Jesus might have changed from the implied 1^st person of the infinitives to a 3^rd person form. I don’t believe He would have described his Father’s action in the optative mood. My only option then seems to be: “but [that] it (i.e., the law) might fulfill.” I cling to that possibility, I suppose, because it pays some heed to the law even as its glory faded to that of a status symbol for those in the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus explained, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, Jesus pivoted, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.⁷⁴

That probably shocked the followers of the scribes and Pharisees. But it helps me, along with what follows, to understand that the one who teaches (διδάξῃ, a form of διδάσκω) the least of these commandments is one like Paul, who taught (Romans 3:19-25a ESV):

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being (σὰρξ) will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction [Table]: for fall have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

And whoever does (ποιήσῃ, a form of ποιέω) the least of these commandments is the one who receives the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to walk by the Spirit⁷⁵—as Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit⁷⁶—guided, carried along and energized by Jesus’ own love—the fulfilling (πλήρωμα) of the law⁷⁷—his own joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control⁷⁸ all day, everyday, forever.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment,’”⁷⁹ Jesus said to those who had gained only a superficial knowledge of sin through the law from their teachers, the scribes and Pharisees. Here his sermon became as much a demonstration of God’s goodness as explanation, as he began to draw them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of one’s sinfulness: But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.⁸⁰ Then He gave them the following applications (Matthew 5:23-26 ESV):

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there⁸¹ remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Though everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, Jesus’ applications were addressed to the one who had given his brother cause to be angry. One can almost hear Cain’s retort: am I my brother’s keeper?⁸² And I admit I’m more familiar with this aspect of God’s goodness from Paul’s more explicit statement: Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.⁸³

Jesus continued speaking to those who attempted to use the law for their own purposes, to acquire a righteousness of [their] own that comes from the law:⁸⁴ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’”⁸⁵ He demonstrated the goodness of God by drawing them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin to be gained through the law: But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.⁸⁶ And He followed this with some dramatic hyperbole (Matthew 5:29, 30 ESV):

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go⁸⁷ into hell.

I know this is dramatic hyperbole because I spent one very long Sunday afternoon after my first divorce contemplating cutting off my penis. Almost thirty years later, after my second divorce, I worked on a film about a man who wanted so desperately to be a woman that he cut off his own penis. It was an interesting project since I had wanted to cut off my own penis, not to become a woman but to acquire a righteousness of my own derived from the law.

The writer/director/producer of the film told me how difficult it was to find a naturalistic fake penis, handled, not completely flaccid nor completely erect. Then it fell to the makeup/wardrobe lady to figure out how to attach it directly to the actor’s body, as the writer/director/producer directed her, fearing that nothing less would look realistic on camera. From the sounds we heard, I gathered that the scene which transpired on the other side of the closed bathroom door was filled with pathos, both tragic and comedic.

Still, that failed experiment to attach a fake penis directly to the actor’s body persuaded the writer/director/producer that the only way to proceed was to attach it to a dance belt, which was the makeup/wardrobe lady’s first instinct all along. The first test left most of us understanding the writer/director/producer’s original concern: It looked like a fake penis glued to a dance belt, though the general shape and position seemed anatomically correct if one squinted. But the makeup/wardrobe lady, an artist who could already visualize the finished piece in her mind, remained confident.

On the day the scene was shot, the actor walked on set with his fake penis glued to a dance belt dyed or painted to match his skin tone. The effect was amazing. The makeup/wardrobe lady graciously received our approval and applause. The shot, however, still did not go as planned.

It was so difficult for the actor to cut through the fake penis with a kitchen knife that the scene became comedy rather than tragedy or horror. This was low budget filmmaking. There was only one fake penis, glued to one dance belt, dyed or painted to match the actor’s skin tone. The writer/director/producer got down on his knees and vigorously sawed almost all the way through the actor’s fake penis. The camera rolled. The actor sliced off his penis with one quick motion. The scene was saved.

My own plan had been to use a heavy cleaver and a cutting board. Both were ready at hand. But the Lord made it quite clear to me in that moment that cutting off my penis would not be sufficient, that I would need to cut off my head. I was uncertain whether I could survive cutting off my penis but quite convinced that cutting off my head would kill me, and said so. His one word answer, Exactly, both stopped me from proceeding and encouraged me to take Paul’s discussions of death more seriously than I had been taking them.

I have said that Paul led me to Christ. That’s not untrue but probably an over-simplification. Jesus led me to Paul and helped me understand his teaching, then Paul led me to where Jesus said the same thing only differently, then Jesus led me to Paul’s words and Paul led me to Jesus’ words, back and forth. I did tend to begin to grasp the concepts through Paul’s words before I actually heard what Jesus was saying, but the process bound their words so tightly together it is difficult to think of the one apart from the other.

Jesus’ dramatic hyperbole shows the level of commitment required to have a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law, if such a thing were even possible, which it is not: For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.⁸⁸ So, ultimately Jesus’ dramatic hyperbole was designed to draw those who had not yet gained the full knowledge of sin through the law into the blessedness of that knowledge, a truth which sets one amazingly free. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out,⁸⁹ sets one free from the burden of trying to have a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law and on course to seek the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.⁹⁰

Jesus continued to demonstrate God’s goodness as He continued to draw those with a superficial knowledge of sin into the blessedness of full knowledge, contrasting the teaching of God (Matthew 19:3-8) to that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:31, 32 ESV).

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery [Table].

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all,⁹¹ Jesus continued and explained this application with illustrations another application and another explanation, and a final application with its explanation (Matthew 5:34b-37 ESV):

either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Jesus’ contrasts continued, explained by a series of applications that would be daunting to even the most dedicated seeker of a righteousness of his own derived from the law. Yet, to anyone who has spent any significant time walking by the Spirit—as Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit⁹²—these “applications” are all too familiar as the very things the Holy Spirit reminds one, prompts one and empowers one to do on a case-by-case basis as the situations arise (Matthew 5:38-45a ESV).

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also [Table]. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you [Table].

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you [Table], so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven [Table].

Then Jesus explained how our Father in heaven demonstrates his goodness to all: For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.⁹³ He then questioned the value of the righteousness of those seeking a righteousness of their own derived from the law with illustrations, not to berate or condemn them but to draw them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin through the law (Matthew 5:46, 47 ESV):

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [Table]

Jesus concluded this section of his sermon with an application that should put the fear of God and instigate a change of course in any seeking a righteousness of his own derived from the law (Matthew 5:48 ESV [Table]):

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I’ve gone long again and have simply run out of time to continue with the author’s first exercise or even consider the second. I was intrigued by the idea of considering Jesus’ “sermon on the mount” as a sermon, testing the author’s contention that a sermon is about one thing. I’m nowhere near clever enough to read Matthew 5-7 and decipher Jesus’ theme. So I asked Him.

The goodness of God was the answer that came to me, his idea rather than mine. Clearly, I’m not clever enough even to understand Jesus’ words, much less relate them to this theme, without recourse to Scriptures outside of the prescribed passage. And though I would love to continue with this theme, I need to move on at this time if there is any possibility that I can keep up with this course in the time allotted.

According to a note (42) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Isaiah 13:10, 34:4 and Joel 2:10 in Matthew 24:29. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follow.

Matthew 24:29b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς
Matthew 24:29b (NET)	Isaiah 13:10b (NETS)	Isaiah 13:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;	and it will be dark when the sun rises, and the moon will not give its light.	and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light.

Matthew 24:29c (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 34:4b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες πεσοῦνται ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν σαλευθήσονται	καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν…καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται
Matthew 24:29c (NET)	Isaiah 34:4b (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (English Elpenor)
the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.	and all the stars shall fall	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt…and all the stars shall fall

Matthew 24:29b, d (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς…καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν σαλευθήσονται	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσιν	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός, ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσι
Matthew 24:29b, d (NET)	Joel 2:10b (NETS)	Joel 2:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light…and the powers of heaven will be shaken.	and the sky shall be shaken. The sun and the moon shall grow dark	and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened

According to a note (47) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Matthew 24:30. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Matthew 24:30b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος
Matthew 24:30b (NET)	Daniel 7:13b (NETS)	Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)
the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven	as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven	[one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

According to a note (36) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Isaiah 13:10, 34:4 and Joel 2:10 in Mark 13:24, 25. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follow.

Mark 13:24b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς
Mark 13:24b (NET)	Isaiah 13:10b (NETS)	Isaiah 13:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;	and it will be dark when the sun rises, and the moon will not give its light.	and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light.

Mark 13:25 (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 34:4b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες ἔσονται ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πίπτοντες, καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς σαλευθήσονται	καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν…καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται
Mark 13:25 (NET)	Isaiah 34:4b (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (English Elpenor)
the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.	and all the stars shall fall	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt…and all the stars shall fall

Mark 13:24b, 25b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς…καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς σαλευθήσονται	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσιν	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός, ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσι
Mark 13:24b, 25b (NET)	Joel 2:10b (NETS)	Joel 2:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light…and the powers of heaven will be shaken.	and the sky shall be shaken. The sun and the moon shall grow dark	and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened

According to a note (38) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Mark 13:26. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Mark 13:26b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν νεφέλαις	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος
Mark 13:26b (NET)	Daniel 7:13b (NETS)	Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)
the Son of Man arriving in the clouds	as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven	[one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

According to a note (66) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Isaiah 34:4 in Luke 21:26. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Luke 21:26b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 34:4b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (Septuagint Elpenor)
αἱ γὰρ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν σαλευθήσονται	N/A	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν
Luke 21:26b (NET)	Isaiah 34:4b (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (English Elpenor)
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken	N/A	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt

According to a note (68) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Luke 21:27. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Luke 21:27b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν νεφέλῃ	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος
Luke 21:27b (NET)	Daniel 7:13b (NETS)	Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)
the Son of Man arriving in a cloud	as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven	[one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

According to a note (18) in the NET, Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:15 in Romans 15:21. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 15:21b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 52:15b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 52:15b (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ \|ὄψονται\|, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν	οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ ὄψονται καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν	οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσι
Romans 15:21b (NET)	Isaiah 52:15b (NETS)	Isaiah 52:15b (English Elpenor)
“Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”	those who were not informed about him shall see and those who did not hear shall understand	they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider

Tables comparing Psalm 37:11; 25:9; 34:2; 76:9; 147:6; 149:4; Jeremiah 17:9; 17:10; Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10; Isaiah 52:15 and Jeremiah 50:34 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 37:11 (36:11); 25:9 (24:9); 34:2 (33:3); 76:9 (75:10); 147:6 (146:6); 149:4; Jeremiah 17:9; 17:10; Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10; Isaiah 52:15 and Jeremiah 50:34 (27:34) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Revelation 22:3; Mark 13:24, 25; 1 Peter 1:22, 23; Matthew 5:25; 5:13; 5:23 and 5:30 in the KJV and NET follow.

Psalm 37:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 37:11 (KJV)	Psalm 37:11 (NET)
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.	But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.	But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.

Psalm 37:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 36:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἱ δὲ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσιν γῆν καὶ κατατρυφήσουσιν ἐπὶ πλήθει εἰρήνης	οἱ δὲ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσι γῆν καὶ κατατρυφήσουσιν ἐπὶ πλήθει εἰρήνης
Psalm 36:11 (NETS)	Psalm 36:11 (English Elpenor)
But the meek shall inherit land and take delight in the abundance of peace.	But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight [themselves] in the abundance of peace.

Psalm 25:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 25:9 (KJV)	Psalm 25:9 (NET)
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.	The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.	May he show the humble what is right. May he teach the humble his way.

Psalm 25:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 24:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁδηγήσει πραεῖς ἐν κρίσει διδάξει πραεῖς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ	ὁδηγήσει πραεῖς ἐν κρίσει, διδάξει πραεῖς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ
Psalm 24:9 (NETS)	Psalm 24:9 (English Elpenor)
The meek he will guide in justice; the meek he will teach his ways.	The meek will he guide in judgment: the meek will he teach his ways.

Psalm 34:2 (Tanakh)	Psalm 34:2 (KJV)	Psalm 34:2 (NET)
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.	My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.	I will boast in the Lord; let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

Psalm 34:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 33:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐπαινεσθήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου ἀκουσάτωσαν πραεῖς καὶ εὐφρανθήτωσαν	ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐπαινεθήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου· ἀκουσάτωσαν πρᾳεῖς, καὶ εὐφρανθήτωσαν
Psalm 33:3 (NETS)	Psalm 33:3 (English Elpenor)
In the Lord my soul shall be commended; let the meek hear and be glad.	My soul shall boast herself in the Lord: let the meek hear, and rejoice.

Psalm 76:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 76:9 (KJV)	Psalm 76:9 (NET)
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.	When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.	when God arose to execute judgment, and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)

Psalm 76:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 75:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῷ ἀναστῆναι εἰς κρίσιν τὸν θεὸν τοῦ σῶσαι πάντας τοὺς πραεῖς τῆς γῆς διάψαλμα	ἐν τῷ ἀναστῆναι εἰς κρίσιν τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ σῶσαι πάντας τοὺς πραεῖς τῆς γῆς. (διάψαλμα)
Psalm 75:10 (NETS)	Psalm 75:10 (English Elpenor)
when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Interlude on strings	when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek in heart. Pause.

Psalm 147:6 (Tanakh)	Psalm 147:6 (KJV)	Psalm 147:6 (NET)
The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.	The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the oppressed, but knocks the wicked to the ground.

Psalm 147:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 146:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀναλαμβάνων πραεῖς ὁ κύριος ταπεινῶν δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἕως τῆς γῆς	ἀναλαμβάνων πρᾳεῖς ὁ Κύριος, ταπεινῶν δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἕως τῆς γῆς
Psalm 146:6 (NETS)	Psalm 146:6 (English Elpenor)
when the Lord picks up the meek but humbles sinners to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the meek; but brings sinners down to the ground.

Psalm 149:4 (Tanakh)	Psalm 149:4 (KJV)	Psalm 149:4 (NET)
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.	For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.	For the Lord takes delight in his people; he exalts the oppressed by delivering them.

Psalm 149:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 149:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι εὐδοκεῖ κύριος ἐν λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψώσει πραεῖς ἐν σωτηρίᾳ	ὅτι εὐδοκεῖ Κύριος ἐν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψώσει πραεῖς ἐν σωτηρίᾳ
Psalm 149:4 (NETS)	Psalm 149:4 (English Elpenor)
because the Lord takes pleasure in his people, and he exalts the meek with deliverance.	For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; and will exalt the meek with salvation.

Jeremiah 17:9 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)	Jeremiah 17:9 (NET)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?	The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?	The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?

Jeremiah 17:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 17:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
βαθεῖα ἡ καρδία παρὰ πάντα καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν καὶ τίς γνώσεται αὐτόν	βαθεῖα ἡ καρδία παρά πάντα, καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι· καὶ τίς γνώσεται αὐτόν
Jeremiah 17:9 (NETS)	Jeremiah 17:9 (English Elpenor)
The heart is deep above all else, and so is man, and who shall understand him?	The heart is deep beyond all things, and it is the man, and who can know him?

Jeremiah 17:10 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV)	Jeremiah 17:10 (NET)
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.	I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.	I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

Jeremiah 17:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 17:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ κύριος ἐτάζων καρδίας καὶ δοκιμάζων νεφροὺς τοῦ δοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τοὺς καρποὺς τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων αὐτοῦ	ἐγὼ Κύριος ἐτάζων καρδίας καὶ δοκιμάζων νεφροὺς τοῦ δοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τοὺς καρποὺς τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων αὐτοῦ
Jeremiah 17:10 (NETS)	Jeremiah 17:10 (English Elpenor)
I, the Lord, am one who tests hearts and examines kidneys, to give to each according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.	I the Lord try the hearts, and prove the reins, to give to every one according to his ways, and according to the fruits of his devices.

Isaiah 13:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 13:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 13:10 (NET)
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.	For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.	Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations no longer give out their light; the sun is darkened as soon as it rises, and the moon does not shine.

Isaiah 13:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 13:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἱ γὰρ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ὁ Ὠρίων καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ φῶς οὐ δώσουσιν καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς	οἱ γὰρ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ὁ ᾿Ωρίων καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ φῶς οὐ δώσουσι, καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς
Isaiah 13:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 13:10 (English Elpenor)
For the stars of heaven and Orion and all the ornament of heaven will not give light, and it will be dark when the sun rises, and the moon will not give its light.	For the stars of heaven, and Orion, and all the host of heaven, shall not give their light; and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light.

Isaiah 34:4 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 34:4 (KJV)	Isaiah 34:4 (NET)
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.	And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.	All the stars in the sky will fade away, the sky will roll up like a scroll; all its stars will wither, like a leaf withers and falls from a vine or a fig withers and falls from a tree.

Isaiah 34:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἑλιγήσεται ὁ οὐρανὸς ὡς βιβλίον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται ὡς φύλλα ἐξ ἀμπέλου καὶ ὡς πίπτει φύλλα ἀπὸ συκῆς	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ἑλιγήσεται ὁ οὐρανὸς ὡς βιβλίον, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται ὡς φύλλα ἐξ ἀμπέλου καὶ ὡς πίπτει φύλλα ἀπὸ συκῆς
Isaiah 34:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4 (English Elpenor)
Heaven shall roll up like a scroll, and all the stars shall fall like leaves from a vine and as leaves fall from a fig tree.	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt, and the sky shall be rolled up like a scroll: and all the stars shall fall like leaves from a vine, and as leaves fall from a fig-tree.

Joel 2:10 (Tanakh)	Joel 2:10 (KJV)	Joel 2:10 (NET)
Before them the earth quaketh, the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining.	The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:	The earth quakes before them; the sky reverberates. The sun and the moon grow dark; the stars refuse to shine.

Joel 2:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 2:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν συγχυθήσεται ἡ γῆ καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσιν καὶ τὰ ἄστρα δύσουσιν τὸ φέγγος αὐτῶν	πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν συγχυθήσεται ἡ γῆ καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός, ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσι, καὶ τὰ ἄστρα δύσουσι τὸ φέγγος αὐτῶν
Joel 2:10 (NETS)	Joel 2:10 (English Elpenor)
The earth shall be disturbed before them, and the sky shall be shaken. The sun and the moon shall grow dark, and the stars shall shed their brightness.	Before them the earth shall be confounded, and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their light.

Isaiah 52:15 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:15 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:15 (NET)
So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.	So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.	so now he will startle many nations. Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.

Isaiah 52:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὕτως θαυμάσονται ἔθνη πολλὰ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ συνέξουσιν βασιλεῖς τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν ὅτι οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ ὄψονται καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν	οὕτω θαυμάσονται ἔθνη πολλὰ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, καὶ συνέξουσι βασιλεῖς τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν· ὅτι οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσι
Isaiah 52:15 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:15 (English Elpenor)
so shall many nations be astonished at him, and kings shall shut their mouth, because those who were not informed about him shall see and those who did not hear shall understand.	Thus shall many nations wonder at him; and kings shall keep their mouths shut: for they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider.

Jeremiah 50:34 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 50:34 (KJV)	Jeremiah 50:34 (NET)
Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.	Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.	But the one who will rescue them is strong. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He will strongly champion their cause. As a result he will bring peace and rest to the earth, but trouble and turmoil to the people who inhabit Babylonia.

Jeremiah 50:34 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 27:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὁ λυτρούμενος αὐτοὺς ἰσχυρός κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ κρίσιν κρινεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ ὅπως ἐξάρῃ τὴν γῆν καὶ παροξυνεῖ τοῖς κατοικοῦσι Βαβυλῶνα	καὶ ὁ λυτρούμενος αὐτοὺς ἰσχυρός, Κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ· κρίσιν κρινεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ, ὅπως ἐξάρῃ τὴν γῆν, καὶ παροξυνεῖ τοῖς κατοικοῦσι Βαβυλῶνα
Jeremiah 27:34 (NETS)	Jeremiah 27:34 (English Elpenor)
And he that redeems them is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will judge with judgment against his adversaries, that he may destroy the earth, and for those that inhabit Babylon he will incite	But their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name: he will enter into judgment with his adversaries, that he may destroy the earth;

Revelation 22:3 (NET)	Revelation 22:3 (KJV)
And there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him,	And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

Revelation 22:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Revelation 22:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Revelation 22:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ πᾶν κατάθεμα οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι. καὶ ὁ θρόνος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀρνίου ἐν αὐτῇ ἔσται, καὶ οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ λατρεύσουσιν αὐτῷ	και παν καταναθεμα ουκ εσται ετι και ο θρονος του θεου και του αρνιου εν αυτη εσται και οι δουλοι αυτου λατρευσουσιν αυτω	και παν καταθεμα ουκ εσται εκει και ο θρονος του θεου και του αρνιου εν αυτη εσται και οι δουλοι αυτου λατρευσουσιν αυτω

Mark 13:24, 25 (NET)	Mark 13:24, 25 (KJV)
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;	But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

Mark 13:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 13:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 13:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀλλὰ ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις μετὰ τὴν θλῖψιν ἐκείνην ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς,	αλλ εν εκειναις ταις ημεραις μετα την θλιψιν εκεινην ο ηλιος σκοτισθησεται και η σεληνη ου δωσει το φεγγος αυτης	αλλ εν εκειναις ταις ημεραις μετα την θλιψιν εκεινην ο ηλιος σκοτισθησεται και η σεληνη ου δωσει το φεγγος αυτης

the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

Mark 13:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 13:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 13:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες ἔσονται ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πίπτοντες, καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς σαλευθήσονται	και οι αστερες του ουρανου εσονται εκπιπτοντες και αι δυναμεις αι εν τοις ουρανοις σαλευθησονται	και οι αστερες του ουρανου εσονται εκπιπτοντες και αι δυναμεις αι εν τοις ουρανοις σαλευθησονται

1 Peter 1:22, 23 (NET)	1 Peter 1:22, 23 (KJV)
You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.	Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

1 Peter 1:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἡγνικότες ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ τῆς ἀληθείας εἰς φιλαδελφίαν ἀνυπόκριτον, ἐκ [καθαρᾶς] καρδίας ἀλλήλους ἀγαπήσατε ἐκτενῶς	τας ψυχας υμων ηγνικοτες εν τη υπακοη της αληθειας δια πνευματος εις φιλαδελφιαν ανυποκριτον εκ καθαρας καρδιας αλληλους αγαπησατε εκτενως	τας ψυχας υμων ηγνικοτες εν τη υπακοη της αληθειας δια πνευματος εις φιλαδελφιαν ανυποκριτον εκ καθαρας καρδιας αλληλους αγαπησατε εκτενως

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1 Peter 1:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀναγεγεννημένοι οὐκ ἐκ σπορᾶς φθαρτῆς ἀλλὰ ἀφθάρτου διὰ λόγου ζῶντος θεοῦ καὶ μένοντος	αναγεγεννημενοι ουκ εκ σπορας φθαρτης αλλα αφθαρτου δια λογου ζωντος θεου και μενοντος εις τον αιωνα	αναγεγεννημενοι ουκ εκ σπορας φθαρτης αλλα αφθαρτου δια λογου ζωντος θεου και μενοντος εις τον αιωνα

Matthew 5:25 (NET)	Matthew 5:25 (KJV)
Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison.	Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Matthew 5:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἴσθι εὐνοῶν τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου ταχύ, ἕως ὅτου εἶ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, μήποτε σε παραδῷ ὁ ἀντίδικος τῷ κριτῇ καὶ ὁ κριτὴς τῷ ὑπηρέτῃ καὶ εἰς φυλακὴν βληθήσῃ	ισθι ευνοων τω αντιδικω σου ταχυ εως οτου ει εν τη οδω μετ αυτου μηποτε σε παραδω ο αντιδικος τω κριτη και ο κριτης σε παραδω τω υπηρετη και εις φυλακην βληθηση	ισθι ευνοων τω αντιδικω σου ταχυ εως οτου ει εν τη οδω μετ αυτου μηποτε σε παραδω ο αντιδικος τω κριτη και ο κριτης σε παραδω τω υπηρετη και εις φυλακην βληθηση

Matthew 5:13 (NET)	Matthew 5:13 (KJV)
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people!	Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Matthew 5:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται; εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι εἰ μὴ βληθὲν ἔξω καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων	υμεις εστε το αλας της γης εαν δε το αλας μωρανθη εν τινι αλισθησεται εις ουδεν ισχυει ετι ει μη βληθηναι εξω και καταπατεισθαι υπο των ανθρωπων	υμεις εστε το αλας της γης εαν δε το αλας μωρανθη εν τινι αλισθησεται εις ουδεν ισχυει ετι ει μη βληθηναι εξω και καταπατεισθαι υπο των ανθρωπων

Matthew 5:23 (NET)	Matthew 5:23 (KJV)
So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you,	Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matthew 5:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐὰν οὖν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρον σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κακεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ	εαν ουν προσφερης το δωρον σου επι το θυσιαστηριον κακει μνησθης οτι ο αδελφος σου εχει τι κατα σου	εαν ουν προσφερης το δωρον σου επι το θυσιαστηριον και εκει μνησθης οτι ο αδελφος σου εχει τι κατα σου

Matthew 5:30 (NET)	Matthew 5:30 (KJV)
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.	And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:30 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:30 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:30 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἰ ἡ δεξιά σου χεὶρ σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὴν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα σου εἰς γέενναν ἀπέλθῃ	και ει η δεξια σου χειρ σκανδαλιζει σε εκκοψον αυτην και βαλε απο σου συμφερει γαρ σοι ινα αποληται εν των μελων σου και μη ολον το σωμα σου βληθη εις γεενναν	και ει η δεξια σου χειρ σκανδαλιζει σε εκκοψον αυτην και βαλε απο σου συμφερει γαρ σοι ινα αποληται εν των μελων σου και μη ολον το σωμα σου βληθη εις γεενναν

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

¹ Galatians 4:4b (ESV)

² 2 Corinthians 3:7a (ESV) Table

³ 2 Corinthians 3:9a (ESV) Table

⁴ Romans 3:20b (ESV)

⁵ Matthew 5:3a (ESV)

⁶ Matthew 5:3b (ESV)

⁷ Matthew 5:4a (ESV)

⁸ Matthew 5:4b (ESV)

⁹ Matthew 5:5a (ESV)

¹⁰ Matthew 5:5b (ESV)

¹¹ Psalm 37:11 (ESV)

¹² Psalm 25:9 (ESV)

¹³ Psalm 34:2 (ESV)

¹⁴ Psalm 76:9 (ESV)

¹⁵ Psalm 147:6 (ESV)

¹⁶ Psalm 149:4 (ESV)

¹⁷ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Matthew 5:6a (ESV)

¹⁹ Matthew 5:6b (ESV)

²⁰ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

²¹ Luke 4:14b (ESV)

²² Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

²³ Romans 13:10b (ESV)

²⁴ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

²⁵ Galatians 5:23b (ESV) Table

²⁶ Matthew 5:7 (ESV)

²⁷ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

²⁸ Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV)

²⁹ Romans 9:16 (ESV) Table

³⁰ Matthew 5:7a (ESV)

³¹ Matthew 5:7b (ESV)

³² Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

³³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἔτι here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had εκει (“there, in that place, to that place”).

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had κατάθεμα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had καταναθεμα (KJV: curse).

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text had Ἀλλὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had Ἀλλ’.

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πίπτοντες here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκπιπτοντες (KJV: fall).

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁸ Matthew 24:30b (ESV)

³⁹ Matthew 5:8b (ESV)

⁴⁰ 1 Timothy 1:5 (ESV)

⁴¹ 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV)

⁴² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δια πνευματος (KJV: through the Spirit) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις τον αιωνα (KJV: for ever) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁴ 2 Timothy 2:22a (ESV)

⁴⁵ Matthew 5:8a (ESV)

⁴⁶ Matthew 5:8b (ESV)

⁴⁷ Matthew 5:9 (ESV)

⁴⁸ John 1:10-13 (ESV)

⁴⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σε παραδω (KJV: deliver thee) repeated here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵⁰ Matthew 5:25, 26 (ESV)

⁵¹ The final clause in verse 34 of the Elpenor Septuagint—καὶ παροξυνεῖ τοῖς κατοικοῦσι Βαβυλῶνα—was not translated in the Elpenor parallel English.

⁵² Matthew 5:9a (ESV)

⁵³ Matthew 5:9b (ESV)

⁵⁴ Matthew 5:10a (ESV)

⁵⁵ Matthew 5:10b (ESV)

⁵⁶ Matthew 5:11 (ESV) Table

⁵⁷ Matthew 5:12a (ESV)

⁵⁸ Philippians 2:13b (ESV) Table

⁵⁹ Matthew 5:12b (ESV)

⁶⁰ Matthew 5:12c (ESV)

⁶¹ Matthew 5:13a (ESV)

⁶² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had βληθὲν, a passive participle of βάλλω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the passive infinitive βληθηναι (KJV: to be cast).

⁶³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶⁴ Matthew 5:13b (ESV)

⁶⁵ Matthew 5:14a (ESV)

⁶⁶ Matthew 5:14b, 15 (ESV)

⁶⁷ Matthew 5:16a (ESV)

⁶⁸ Matthew 5:16b (ESV)

⁶⁹ Philippians 2:13b (ESV) Table

⁷⁰ Matthew 5:17a (ESV)

⁷¹ Matthew 5:17b (ESV)

⁷² John 3:21b (ESV)

⁷³ Matthew 5:18 (ESV)

⁷⁴ Matthew 5:19, 20 (ESV)

⁷⁵ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

⁷⁶ Luke 4:14b (ESV)

⁷⁷ Romans 13:10b (ESV)

⁷⁸ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

⁷⁹ Matthew 5:21 (ESV)

⁸⁰ Matthew 5:22 (ESV) Table

⁸¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had κακεῖ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had καί εκει.

⁸² Genesis 4:9b (ESV) Table

⁸³ Romans 14:13 (ESV)

⁸⁴ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

⁸⁵ Matthew 5:27 (ESV) Table

⁸⁶ Matthew 5:28 (ESV) Table

⁸⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπέλθῃ, a form of ἀπέρχομαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had βληθη (KJV: should be cast), a form of βάλλω.

⁸⁸ Romans 8:3a (ESV)

⁸⁹ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

⁹⁰ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

⁹¹ Matthew 5:33, 34a (ESV)

⁹² Luke 4:14b (ESV)

⁹³ Matthew 5:45b (ESV) Table

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 1

Posted on July 24, 2024 by admin

These are my notes from a preaching course I’m taking. Unless otherwise indicated all quotations are from the book:

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 3^rd Edition by Bryan Chapell

Questions for Review and Discussion

What three elements of exposition consistently appear in examples of Old and New Testament preaching? What does the consistency of these elements say about the nature of exposition?

John A. Broadus, the father of modern expository preaching…concludes that in an expository sermon, “the application of the sermon is not merely an appendage to the discussion or a subordinate part of it, but is the main thing to be done.”⁴ For Broadus, the primary duty of the expositor is to exhort the people of God to apply the truths revealed in Scripture because this is the ultimate intent of God’s Word. Personal transformation should be the fruit of biblical exposition.

The Goal p.69

The aim (τέλος) of our charge (τῆς παραγγελίας, a form of παραγγελία) is love (ἀγάπη) that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion (ματαιολογίαν, a form of ματαιολογία), desiring (θέλοντες, a present participle of θέλω) to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions (διαβεβαιοῦνται, a form of διαβεβαιόομαι). (1 Timothy 1:5-7 ESV)

Owe no one anything, except to love (ἀγαπᾶν, a present infinitive of ἀγαπάω) each other, for the one who loves (ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν, a present participle of ἀγαπάω) another has fulfilled (πεπλήρωκεν, an active form of πληρόω in the perfect tense ¹) the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal,² You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love (ἀγαπήσεις, another form of ἀγαπάω in the future tense) your neighbor as yourself”³ [Table]. Love (ἡ ἀγάπη) does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love (ἡ ἀγάπη) is the fulfilling (πλήρωμα) of the law. (Romans 13:8-10 ESV)

Do not think that I have come to abolish (καταλῦσαι, an infinitive form of καταλύω) the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish (καταλῦσαι, an infinitive form of καταλύω) them but to fulfill (πληρῶσαι, an active form of πληρόω in the optative mood) them. (Matthew 5:17 ESV) [Addendum 8/4/24: I read this as πληρώσαι rather than πληρῶσαι, which might indicate an infinitive form as well as the optative form.]

But I say, walk (περιπατεῖτε, an imperative or indicative form of περιπατέω) by the Spirit, and you will not gratify (οὐ μὴ τελέσητε, a form of τελέω in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood ⁴) the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do [Table]. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God [Table]. But the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table]. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:16-24 ESV)

The application—walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh⁵—elevates Jesus’ stated purpose to fulfill the law from the iffy maybe πληρῶσαι in the optative mood to accomplished fact as each and every human being walks by the Spirit all day, everyday, forever. That, in turn, elevates walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh from an ordinary application of a relatively arbitrarily selected cluster of verses around Galatians 5:16 to a super-application of the Lord’s redemptive plan found in Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. Will the expository preaching method described in this textbook honor and reinforce that status or drown it in a surfeit of ordinary applications?

Probably the best description of ancient exposition occurs in Nehemiah’s account of Israel’s reacquaintance with the Word of God after the people returned from exile in Babylon, where they had forgotten God’s law and the language in which it had been given:

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbathai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

Nehemiah 8:5-8

The exposition of the Word involved three elements: presentation of the Word (it was read), explanation of the Word (making it clear and giving its meaning),⁷ and exhortation based on the Word (the priests caused the people to understand in such a way that they could use the information that was imparted).⁸ Presentation of the Word itself, explanation of its content, and exhortation to apply its truths composed the pattern of proclamation.

The Pattern pp. 70, 71

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Nehemiah 8:5 (Tanakh)	Nehemiah 8:5 (NET)	2 Esdras 18:5 (NETS)	Nehemiah 8:5 (English Elpenor)
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people–for he was above all the people–and when he opened it, all the people stood up.	Ezra opened the book in plain view of all the people, for he was elevated above all the people. When he opened the book, all the people stood up.	And Esdras opened the book before all the people, because he was above the people, and it happened, when he opened it, all the people stood.	And Esdras opened the book before all the people, for he was above the people; and it came to pass when he had opened it, [that] all the people stood.
And Ezra blessed HaShem, the great G-d. And all the people answered: ‘Amen, Amen’, with the lifting up of their hands; and they bowed their heads, and fell down before HaShem with their faces to the ground.	Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people replied “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.	And Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered and said, “Amen,” lifting up their hands, and they bowed and did obeisance to the Lord with their face to the ground.	And Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God: and all the people answered, and said, Amen, lifting up their hands: and they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their face to the ground.
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, even the Levites, caused the people to understand (מְבִינִ֥ים) the Law; and the people stood in their place.	Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—all of whom were Levites—were teaching (bîn, מבינים) the people the law, as the people remained standing.	And Iesous and Banaias and Sarabia were instructing (συνετίζοντες); Akoub, Sabbathaios, Kallitas, Azarias, Iozabad, Hanani, Phalaias and the Leuites tutored the people in the law, and the people kept their stance.	And Jesus and Banaias and Sarabias instructed (συνετίζοντες) the people in the law, and the people [stood] in their place.
And they read (וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ) in the book, in the Law of G-d, distinctly (מְפֹרָ֑שׁ); and they gave (וְשׂ֣וֹם) the sense (שֶׂ֔כֶל), and caused them to understand (וַיָּבִ֖ינוּ) the reading.	They read (qārā’, ויקראו) from the book of God’s law, explaining (pāraš, מפרש) it and imparting (śûm, ושׁום) insight (śēḵel, שׁכל). Thus the people gained understanding (bîn, ויבינו) from what was read.	And they read (καὶ ἀνέγνωσαν) from the book of the law of God, and Esdras was teaching (ἐδίδασκεν) and expanding (καὶ διέστελλεν) on the knowledge of the Lord (ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ κυρίου), and the people understood (συνῆκεν) during the reading.	And they read (καὶ ἀνέγνωσαν) in the book of the law of God, and Esdras taught (ἐδίδασκεν), and instructed them distinctly (καὶ διέστελλεν) in the knowledge of the Lord (ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ Κυρίου), and the people understood (συνῆκεν) [the law] in the reading.

These three elements in the Old Testament proclamation consistently reappear in New Testament practice.⁹ Luke records that when Jesus first explained his ministry in the synagogue, he read the Scripture out loud (4:18-19), explained the import of what was read (4:21), and then made the implications clear—though it was not to his listeners’ liking that the obvious application meant yielding honor to Jesus (4:23-29).

The Pattern p. 71

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit (ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ πνεύματος)⁶ to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught (ἐδίδασκεν, a form of διδάσκω) in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

And he came to Nazareth,⁷ where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read (ἀναγνῶναι, an infinitive form of ἀναγγέλλω). And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because⁸ he has anointed me to proclaim good news⁹ to the poor.¹⁰ He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not¹¹ this Joseph’s son?”¹² And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum¹³ (Luke 4:31-44 ¹⁴), do here in your hometown as well.’” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months (1 Kings 17:1-6), and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon,¹⁵ to a woman who was a widow (1 Kings 17:7-16). And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19) the Syrian” [Table]. When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow¹⁶ of the hill on which their town was built, so that¹⁷ they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away. (Luke 4:14-30 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 61:1, 2 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 61:1, 2 (NET)	Isaiah 61:1, 2 (NETS)	Isaiah 61:1, 2 (English Elpenor)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;	The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives and the freeing of prisoners,	The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,	The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to preach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken in heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;	to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn,	to summon the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of retribution, to comfort all who mourn	to declare the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of recompence; to comfort all that mourn;

These features are consistent enough…to challenge today’s preachers to consider whether their exposition of Scripture faithfully reflects these biblical elements: presentation of an aspect of the Word itself, explanation of what that portion of the Word means, and exhortation to act on the basis of what that explanation reveals…

These features of exposition occur with enough frequency to suggest a common approach to expounding God’s truth: present the Word, explain what it says, and exhort on the basis of what it means. This is the essence and ethic of expository preaching.

The Pattern p. 72

What three components of exposition usually occur in each main point? Why are all three important?

Exposition does not merely involve the transmission of biblical information. It also demands establishment of the biblical basis for an action or a belief that God requires of his people…God has revealed these matters for the purpose of telling his people who he is and how they should relate to him and to one another. Until people can see how the truths of a text operate in their lives, the exposition remains incomplete. This is why explanation, illustration, and application should act as proof, demonstration, and specification of the exhortation a preacher makes and the transformation God requires.¹⁰

…these traditional categories can damage expository preaching if preachers do not see that explanation, illustration, and application are all essential components of opening and unfolding the meaning of a text. Explanation answers the question, What does the text mean? Illustration responds to, Show me what the text means. Application answers, What does the text mean to me? Ordinarily, each component has a vital roll in establishing listeners’ full understanding of a text.¹⁴

The Components pp. 72, 73

The more you preach, the more you will discover that this unfolding of biblical truth makes the components of exposition interdependent and, at times, indistinguishable.¹⁷ Illustration sometimes offers the best explanation; explanation focused on an FCF may sound much like application; and application may offer the opportunity for both illustration and explanation (see James 3:2-12).

The Components p. 74

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If¹⁸ we put bits into the mouths of horses so that¹⁹ they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well [Table]. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever²⁰ the will²¹ of the pilot directs [Table]. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell [Table]. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless²² evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord²³ and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither²⁴ can a salt pond yield fresh²⁵ water. (James 3:1-12 ESV)

The author pointed to James 3:2-12 as an example of how “application may offer the opportunity for both illustration and explanation.” Up through verse 3:10a most of James’ statements support his primary application: Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers…²⁶ Granted, those statements are a mixture of explanation and illustration.

This is why Not many of you should become teachers…
Explanation	Illustration
…for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (James 3:1b ESV)	If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. (James 3:3 ESV)
For we all stumble in many ways. (James 3:2a ESV)	Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. (James 3:4 ESV)
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (James 3:5 ESV)	For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, (James 3:7 ESV)
And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (James 3:6 ESV)	With it (the tongue) we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (James 3:9 ESV)
but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8 ESV)	From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. (James 3:10a ESV)

There was another train of thought, another argument, growing up within James’ original argument:

And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, (James 3:2b ESV)
Explanation	Illustration
able also to bridle his whole body. (James 3:2c ESV)	If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. (James 3:3 ESV)
but no human being can tame the tongue. (James 3:8a ESV)	Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. (James 3:4 ESV)
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (James 3:9 ESV)	For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, (James 3:7 ESV)
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:10 ESV)	Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? (James 3:11 ESV)
	Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:12 ESV)

This second argument hints at another application that is never quite stated explicitly. Earlier James wrote: If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.²⁷ So, I might imagine an application: “Bridle your tongue,” but this seems more like a fallen condition focus (FCF) when considered along with but no human being can tame the tongue.²⁸ And where is the grace?

Again, James hinted at it but did not state it explicitly (James 1:16-18 ESV):

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

For the actual application to James’ second argument I’ll return to Paul, adding Luke’s description of Jesus this time as both explanation and illustration: walk by the Spirit—as Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit²⁹—and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.³⁰ I called this a super-application because of its role in accomplishing Jesus’ stated purpose to fulfill (πληρῶσαι, an active form of πληρόω in the optative mood) (Matthew 5:17) the law. But I probably recognized it as a super-application because the Holy Spirit brings it to mind whenever I am exhorted to do something by more ordinary applications lest I foolishly return to my own vomit, striving again to have my own righteousness derived from the law³¹ (or from the applications that exegete the law), rather than to have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness;³² being guided, carried along and energized by Jesus’ own love—the fulfilling (πλήρωμα) of the law³³—his own joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control³⁴ all day, everyday, forever; against such things there is no law.³⁵

As your expertise grows, the components of exposition will blend and bond to drive the truths of God’s Word deep into the hearts of his people.¹⁸

In well-planned expository messages, each component of exposition (i.e., explanation, illustration, and application) occurs in each main point of the sermon, because listeners will otherwise wonder why we have explained aspects of the text that are not related to their lives.

The Components p. 74

How may the proportion of the components of exposition vary according to the nature of a congregation? Why are all the components still important for all congregations?

Imagining their listeners are present, the finest expositors begin preparing each sermon by asking themselves the following question: What may I, with the authority of God’s Word, require of you as a result of what we discern this text means? Recognition that listeners have a personal need to discern a text’s meaning for their lives, rather than simply accepting the assertions or dictates of a preacher, forces pastors to evaluate whether their messages are accessible as well as informative, and applicable as well as astute.

…The most common order in which exposition’s components appear, however, is explanation, illustration, and application.¹⁹ This allows a preacher to establish a truth, demonstrate its implications for mind and heart, and then apply it.

The Balance: A Generic Framework pp. 74, 75

It is helpful for student preachers to prepare sermons that give equal attention to each of the sermon components so that they learn to use all the homiletical tools. Differences among congregations, however, require pastors to vary the proportions of the expositional components.²⁰

Youth pastors typically swell the illustrative component of their sermons and drive application home behind a few well-chosen explanatory points… Blue-collar congregations often desire solid explanation whose relevance is spelled out more fully in down-to-earth application… When professionals and management types dominate a congregation, the pastor may want to hit application lightly since these persons are often most motivated by what they determine to do and are not accustomed to having others make decisions for them. In such a congregation, it may be important to package explanation in such a way that application becomes largely self-evident…

Each of these congregational characterizations is almost sinfully stereotypical and should not rule common sense. My own experience has been that sermons that provide a healthy combination of all the expositional components can be preached with impact almost anywhere with only minor adjustments.

The Balance: A Customized Approach pp. 75, 76

Even though the relationships are not exclusive of one another, it is often helpful to think that explanations prepare the mind, illustrations prepare the heart, and applications prepare the will to obey God. This approach cautions preachers to avoid messages that do not offer adequate servings of explanation, illustration, and application.

A balanced expositional meal carries each component in sufficient proportion to nourish the whole person. In addition, an expositional meal placed before the entire family of God should feed the different ages, learning styles, and personalities present so as not to slight the needs and values of any.²¹

No strict rules determine the proportion these expository components should take in any specific sermon.

Balanced Christians disdain messages whose illustrations dominate to the point of entertainment, whose applications extend to the level of diatribe, or whose explanations enlarge to ponderous displays of academic erudition.

The Balance: A Healthy Approach pp. 76, 77

What does the diversity of biblical terms related to preaching indicate about the tone and the manner of expository preaching? What, ultimately, should govern the tone of our sermons?

In obedience to biblical imperatives, an expositor must preach “as one who speaks the very words of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). Preaching that lacks authority leaves a congregation longing for the divine voice.

The Attitudes: A Divine Authority p. 79

The end (τὸ τέλος) of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.³⁶ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins [Table]. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.³⁷ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God (ὡς λόγια θεοῦ); whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11 ESV)

Lives sickened by sin, confused by culture, and crushed by tragedy desire no “uncertain sound” (1 Cor. 14:8 KJV).

The Attitudes: A Divine Authority p. 79

Now,³⁸ brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none³⁹ is without meaning, but if I do not know the meaning (τὴν δύναμιν, a form of δύναμις) of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. (1 Corinthians 14:6-12 ESV)

Still, we need to understand that this authority resides in the truth of the Word rather than in a particular tone we bring to our messages. We need to distinguish carefully between preaching with authority and merely sounding authoritative.²⁷

A pastor confident of the Bible’s truth is able to preach with great force or with great gentleness and still speak with authority. Preaching with authority relates more to the confidence and the integrity with which a preacher expresses God’s truth than to a specific tone or posture a preacher assumes…The intention and effectiveness of Scripture are undercut by a manner of proclamation milder or bolder than the text and the situation indicate are appropriate (see 1 Thess. 5:14).

The Attitudes: A Divine Authority p. 79

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly⁴⁰ in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but⁴¹ test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 ESV)

The same principles of exposition that require us to reflect the intent of a biblical author should direct us to speak in a manner appropriate for the truth being presented. The great variety of terms in the original languages that relate to preachers and their tasks confirm how manifold our expressions may need to be…

The Attitudes: A Biblical Manner p. 79

Just as no one word captures all the dimensions of biblical preaching, so no one style can reflect its many facets.²⁸

We do not need to pump our authority into the Word to make it effective…

No one approach, attitude, or tone will suit all occasions…

Our own relationship with Christ teaches us that we must treat people with compassion as well as confront them with the authority of God’s Word…

Life is too complex, the obligations of preaching too myriad, and the message of Scripture too rich for preachers to impoverish their ministries with one style of sermonizing…

The Attitudes: A Humble Boldness pp. 80-83

Our tone should always resonate with the humility of one who speaks with authority because we are under the authority of One greater than all (2 Tim. 4:1-2)…

We represent him. Therefore we must consider how he would speak were he to address our listeners with the truths committed to our care. If the words we are saying come from Christ’s mouth, how would he say them? Our words must reflect his character as well as his truth if our preaching is to remain true to him.

The Attitudes: A Christlikeness p. 83

This has already gone long. I’ll finish the Exercises in a continuation of Chapter 4.

Tables comparing Nehemiah 8:5; 8:6; 8:7; 8:8; Isaiah 61:1 and 61:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Nehemiah 8:5 (2 Esdras 18:5); 8:6 (18:6); 8:7 (18:7); 8:8 (18:8); Isaiah 61:1 and 61:2 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Luke 4:16; 4:18; 4:22, 23; 4:26; 4:29; James 3:8, 9; 3:12; 1 Peter 4:7; 4:9; 1 Corinthians 14:6; 14:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:13 and 5:21 in the KJV and NET follow.

Nehemiah 8:5 (Tanakh)	Nehemiah 8:5 (KJV)	Nehemiah 8:5 (NET)
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people–for he was above all the people–and when he opened it, all the people stood up.	And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:	Ezra opened the book in plain view of all the people, for he was elevated above all the people. When he opened the book, all the people stood up.

Nehemiah 8:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Nehemiah 8:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤνοιξεν Εσδρας τὸ βιβλίον ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἦν ἐπάνω τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα ἤνοιξεν αὐτό ἔστη πᾶς ὁ λαός	καὶ ἤνοιξεν ῎Εσδρας τὸ βιβλίον ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἦν ἐπάνω τοῦ λαοῦ -καὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα ἤνοιξεν αὐτό, ἔστη πᾶς ὁ λαός
2 Esdras 18:5 (NETS)	Nehemiah 8:5 (English Elpenor)
And Esdras opened the book before all the people, because he was above the people, and it happened, when he opened it, all the people stood.	And Esdras opened the book before all the people, for he was above the people; and it came to pass when he had opened it, [that] all the people stood.

Nehemiah 8:6 (Tanakh)	Nehemiah 8:6 (KJV)	Nehemiah 8:6 (NET)
And Ezra blessed HaShem, the great G-d. And all the people answered: ‘Amen, Amen’, with the lifting up of their hands; and they bowed their heads, and fell down before HaShem with their faces to the ground.	And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.	Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people replied “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Nehemiah 8:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ηὐλόγησεν Εσδρας κύριον τὸν θεὸν τὸν μέγαν καὶ ἀπεκρίθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ εἶπαν αμην ἐπάραντες χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκυψαν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν	καὶ ηὐλόγησεν ῎Εσδρας Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τὸν μέγαν, καὶ ἀπεκρίθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ εἶπαν· ἀμήν, ἐπάραντες τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔκυψαν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν
2 Esdras 18:6 (NETS)	Nehemiah 8:6 (English Elpenor)
And Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered and said, “Amen,” lifting up their hands, and they bowed and did obeisance to the Lord with their face to the ground.	And Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God: and all the people answered, and said, Amen, lifting up their hands: and they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their face to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:7 (Tanakh)	Nehemiah 8:7 (KJV)	Nehemiah 8:7 (NET)
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, even the Levites, caused the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place.	Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.	Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—all of whom were Levites—were teaching the people the law, as the people remained standing.

Nehemiah 8:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Nehemiah 8:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Ἰησοῦς καὶ Βαναιας καὶ Σαραβια ἦσαν συνετίζοντες τὸν λαὸν εἰς τὸν νόμον καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ στάσει αὐτοῦ	καὶ ᾿Ιησοῦς καὶ Βαναΐας καὶ Σαραβίας ἦσαν συνετίζοντες τὸν λαὸν εἰς τὸν νόμον· καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ στάσει αὐτοῦ
2 Esdras 18:7 (NETS)	Nehemiah 8:7 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous and Banaias and Sarabia were instructing; Akoub, Sabbathaios, Kallitas, Azarias, Iozabad, Hanani, Phalaias and the Leuites tutored the people in the law, and the people kept their stance.	And Jesus and Banaias and Sarabias instructed the people in the law, and the people [stood] in their place.

Nehemiah 8:8 (Tanakh)	Nehemiah 8:8 (KJV)	Nehemiah 8:8 (NET)
And they read in the book, in the Law of G-d, distinctly; and they gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.	So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.	They read from the book of God’s law, explaining it and imparting insight. Thus the people gained understanding from what was read.

Nehemiah 8:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Nehemiah 8:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνέγνωσαν ἐν βιβλίῳ νόμου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐδίδασκεν Εσδρας καὶ διέστελλεν ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ κυρίου καὶ συνῆκεν ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ ἀναγνώσει	καὶ ἀνέγνωσαν ἐν βιβλίῳ νόμου τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐδίδασκεν ῎Εσδρας καὶ διέστελλεν ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ Κυρίου, καὶ συνῆκεν ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ ἀναγνώσει
2 Esdras 18:8 (NETS)	Nehemiah 8:8 (English Elpenor)
And they read from the book of the law of God, and Esdras was teaching and expanding on the knowledge of the Lord, and the people understood during the reading.	And they read in the book of the law of God, and Esdras taught, and instructed them distinctly in the knowledge of the Lord, and the people understood [the law] in the reading.

Isaiah 61:1 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 61:1 (KJV)	Isaiah 61:1 (NET)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;	The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;	The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives and the freeing of prisoners,

Isaiah 61:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 61:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ οὗ εἵνεκεν ἔχρισέν με εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς ἀπέσταλκέν με ἰάσασθαι τοὺς συντετριμμένους τῇ καρδίᾳ κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν	ΠΝΕΥΜΑ Κυρίου ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, οὗ εἵνεκεν ἔχρισέ με· εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς ἀπέσταλκέ με, ἰάσασθαι τοὺς συντετριμένους τὴν καρδίαν, κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν
Isaiah 61:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 61:1 (English Elpenor)
The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,	The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to preach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken in heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind;

Isaiah 61:2 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 61:2 (KJV)	Isaiah 61:2 (NET)
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;	To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;	to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn,

Isaiah 61:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 61:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καλέσαι ἐνιαυτὸν κυρίου δεκτὸν καὶ ἡμέραν ἀνταποδόσεως παρακαλέσαι πάντας τοὺς πενθοῦντας	καλέσαι ἐνιαυτὸν Κυρίου δεκτὸν καὶ ἡμέραν ἀνταποδόσεως τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, παρακαλέσαι πάντας τοὺς πενθοῦντας
Isaiah 61:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 61:2 (English Elpenor)
to summon the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of retribution, to comfort all who mourn	to declare the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of recompence; to comfort all that mourn;

Luke 4:16 (NET)	Luke 4:16 (KJV)
Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,	And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Luke 4:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Ναζαρά, οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν καὶ ἀνέστη ἀναγνῶναι	και ηλθεν εις την ναζαρετ ου ην τεθραμμενος και εισηλθεν κατα το ειωθος αυτω εν τη ημερα των σαββατων εις την συναγωγην και ανεστη αναγνωναι	και ηλθεν εις την ναζαρετ ου ην τεθραμμενος και εισηλθεν κατα το ειωθος αυτω εν τη ημερα των σαββατων εις την συναγωγην και ανεστη αναγνωναι

Luke 4:18 (NET)	Luke 4:18 (KJV)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,	The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luke 4:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ οὗ εἵνεκεν ἔχρισεν με εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς, ἀπέσταλκεν με, κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν, ἀποστεῖλαι τεθραυσμένους ἐν ἀφέσει,	πνευμα κυριου επ εμε ου ενεκεν εχρισεν με ευαγγελιζεσθαι πτωχοις απεσταλκεν με ιασασθαι τους συντετριμμενους την καρδιαν κηρυξαι αιχμαλωτοις αφεσιν και τυφλοις αναβλεψιν αποστειλαι τεθραυσμενους εν αφεσει	πνευμα κυριου επ εμε ου εινεκεν εχρισεν με ευαγγελισασθαι πτωχοις απεσταλκεν με ιασασθαι τους συντετριμμενους την καρδιαν κηρυξαι αιχμαλωτοις αφεσιν και τυφλοις αναβλεψιν αποστειλαι τεθραυσμενους εν αφεσει

Luke 4:22, 23 (NET)	Luke 4:22, 23 (KJV)
All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”	And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

Luke 4:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ πάντες ἐμαρτύρουν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ἐπὶ τοῖς λόγοις τῆς χάριτος τοῖς ἐκπορευομένοις ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγον· οὐχὶ υἱός ἐστιν Ἰωσὴφ οὗτος	και παντες εμαρτυρουν αυτω και εθαυμαζον επι τοις λογοις της χαριτος τοις εκπορευομενοις εκ του στοματος αυτου και ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο υιος ιωσηφ	και παντες εμαρτυρουν αυτω και εθαυμαζον επι τοις λογοις της χαριτος τοις εκπορευομενοις εκ του στοματος αυτου και ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο υιος ιωσηφ

Jesus said to them, “No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and say, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.’”

And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

Luke 4:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· πάντως ἐρεῖτε μοι τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην· ἰατρέ, θεράπευσον σεαυτόν· ὅσα ἠκούσαμεν γενόμενα εἰς τὴν Καφαρναοὺμ ποίησον καὶ ὧδε ἐν τῇ πατρίδι σου	και ειπεν προς αυτους παντως ερειτε μοι την παραβολην ταυτην ιατρε θεραπευσον σεαυτον οσα ηκουσαμεν γενομενα εν τη καπερναουμ ποιησον και ωδε εν τη πατριδι σου	και ειπεν προς αυτους παντως ερειτε μοι την παραβολην ταυτην ιατρε θεραπευσον σεαυτον οσα ηκουσαμεν γενομενα εν τη καπερναουμ ποιησον και ωδε εν τη πατριδι σου

Luke 4:26 (NET)	Luke 4:26 (KJV)
Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.	But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

Luke 4:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ πρὸς οὐδεμίαν αὐτῶν ἐπέμφθη Ἠλίας εἰ μὴ εἰς Σάρεπτα τῆς Σιδωνίας πρὸς γυναῖκα χήραν	και προς ουδεμιαν αυτων επεμφθη ηλιας ει μη εις σαρεπτα της σιδωνος προς γυναικα χηραν	και προς ουδεμιαν αυτων επεμφθη ηλιας ει μη εις σαρεπτα της σιδωνος προς γυναικα χηραν

Luke 4:29 (NET)	Luke 4:29 (KJV)
They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.	And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

Luke 4:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἀναστάντες ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν ἕως ὀφρύος τοῦ ὄρους ἐφ᾿ οὗ ἡ πόλις ᾠκοδόμητο αὐτῶν ὥστε κατακρημνίσαι αὐτόν	και ανασταντες εξεβαλον αυτον εξω της πολεως και ηγαγον αυτον εως της οφρυος του ορους εφ ου η πολις αυτων ωκοδομητο εις το κατακρημνισαι αυτον	και ανασταντες εξεβαλον αυτον εξω της πολεως και ηγαγον αυτον εως οφρυος του ορους εφ ου η πολις αυτων ωκοδομητο εις το κατακρημνισαι αυτον

James 3:8, 9 (NET)	James 3:8, 9 (KJV)
But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.	But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

James 3:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	James 3:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	James 3:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδεὶς δαμάσαι δύναται ἀνθρώπων, ἀκατάστατον κακόν, μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου	την δε γλωσσαν ουδεις δυναται ανθρωπων δαμασαι ακατασχετον κακον μεστη ιου θανατηφορου	την δε γλωσσαν ουδεις δυναται ανθρωπων δαμασαι ακατασχετον κακον μεστη ιου θανατηφορου

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image.

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

James 3:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	James 3:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	James 3:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν αὐτῇ εὐλογοῦμεν τὸν κύριον καὶ πατέρα καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καταρώμεθα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς καθ᾿ ὁμοίωσιν θεοῦ γεγονότας	εν αυτη ευλογουμεν τον θεον και πατερα και εν αυτη καταρωμεθα τους ανθρωπους τους καθ ομοιωσιν θεου γεγονοτας	εν αυτη ευλογουμεν τον θεον και πατερα και εν αυτη καταρωμεθα τους ανθρωπους τους καθ ομοιωσιν θεου γεγονοτας

James 3:12 (NET)	James 3:12 (KJV)
Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.	Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

James 3:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	James 3:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	James 3:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
μὴ δύναται, ἀδελφοί μου, συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα; οὔτε ἁλυκὸν γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ	μη δυναται αδελφοι μου συκη ελαιας ποιησαι η αμπελος συκα ουτως ουδεμια πηγη αλυκον και γλυκυ ποιησαι υδωρ	μη δυναται αδελφοι μου συκη ελαιας ποιησαι η αμπελος συκα ουτως ουδεμια πηγη αλυκον και γλυκυ ποιησαι υδωρ

1 Peter 4:7 (NET)	1 Peter 4:7 (KJV)
For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer.	But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

1 Peter 4:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 4:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 4:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πάντων δὲ τὸ τέλος ἤγγικεν. σωφρονήσατε οὖν καὶ νήψατε εἰς προσευχάς	παντων δε το τελος ηγγικεν σωφρονησατε ουν και νηψατε εις τας προσευχας	παντων δε το τελος ηγγικεν σωφρονησατε ουν και νηψατε εις τας προσευχας

1 Peter 4:9 (NET)	1 Peter 4:9 (KJV)
Show hospitality to one another without complaining.	Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

1 Peter 4:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 4:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 4:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
φιλόξενοι εἰς ἀλλήλους ἄνευ γογγυσμοῦ	φιλοξενοι εις αλληλους ανευ γογγυσμων	φιλοξενοι εις αλληλους ανευ γογγυσμων

1 Corinthians 14:6 (NET)	1 Corinthians 14:6 (KJV)
Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching?	Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

1 Corinthians 14:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 14:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 14:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν, τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ [ἐν] διδαχῇ	νυνι δε αδελφοι εαν ελθω προς υμας γλωσσαις λαλων τι υμας ωφελησω εαν μη υμιν λαλησω η εν αποκαλυψει η εν γνωσει η εν προφητεια η εν διδαχη	νυνι δε αδελφοι εαν ελθω προς υμας γλωσσαις λαλων τι υμας ωφελησω εαν μη υμιν λαλησω η εν αποκαλυψει η εν γνωσει η εν προφητεια η εν διδαχη

1 Corinthians 14:10 (NET)	1 Corinthians 14:10 (KJV)
There are probably many kinds of languages in the world, and none is without meaning.	There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

1 Corinthians 14:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 14:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 14:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τοσαῦτα εἰ τύχοι γένη φωνῶν εἰσιν ἐν κόσμῳ καὶ οὐδὲν ἄφωνον	τοσαυτα ει τυχοι γενη φωνων εστιν εν κοσμω και ουδεν αυτων αφωνον	τοσαυτα ει τυχοι γενη φωνων εστιν εν κοσμω και ουδεν αυτων αφωνον

1 Thessalonians 5:13 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 5:13 (KJV)
and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.	And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

1 Thessalonians 5:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 5:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 5:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἡγεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ διὰ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν. εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς	και ηγεισθαι αυτους υπερ εκπερισσου εν αγαπη δια το εργον αυτων ειρηνευετε εν εαυτοις	και ηγεισθαι αυτους υπερ εκπερισσου εν αγαπη δια το εργον αυτων ειρηνευετε εν εαυτοις

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV)
But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.	Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 5:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 5:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πάντα \|δὲ\| δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε	παντα δοκιμαζετε το καλον κατεχετε	παντα δε δοκιμαζετε το καλον κατεχετε

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 2

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

Back to Luke 8:22-56

¹ In other words, the one who loves another in the ever present has fulfilled and continues to fulfill the law. “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence.” From Verb Tenses, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ου ψευδομαρτυρησεις (KJV: Thou shalt not bear false witness) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had εαυτον here, the 3^rd person accusative singular masculine form of ἑαυτοῦ, where the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had σεαυτον, the 2^nd person accusative singular masculine form of σεαυτοῦ.

⁴ The use of an emphatic structure in the Greek New Testament is called the Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation. The Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation is, without any equivocation, the most emphatic grammatical structure in the Greek New Testament…when these two Greek negative particles are combined in the form of οὐ µή (ou mē) with reference to a future event, what results is an intensified form of the negative: “οὐ µή (ou mē) is the most decisive way of negativing something in the future.” Thayer adds, “The particles οὐ µή in combination augment the force of the negation, and signify not at all, in no wise, by no means; . . .”

…when this combination is attached to an Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is what has been termed the Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation. As was pointed out above, the Subjunctive Mood indicates the probability of an event, and the Aorist Tense emphasizes an action as simply occurring, without any specific reference to time, apart from the use of an adverbial modifier (e.g., that which would describe when, where, how much, or how often). Thus, when you have οὐ µή (ou mē) in combination with the Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is the absolute and unequivocal denial of the probability of an event EVER OCCURING at any moment or time in the future. From EMPHATIC NEGATIONS IN BIBLICAL GREEK, on the BLB Blog online.

⁵ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

⁶ Luke wrote: And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit, Καὶ ὑπέστρεψεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ πνεύματος (Luke 4:14a ESV). Paul wrote: But I say, walk by the Spirit, Λέγω δέ πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε (Galatians 5:16a ESV). In other words, “walk as Jesus walked.”

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ναζαρά here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had την ναζαρετ.

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had εἵνεκεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ενεκεν. These seem to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had εὐαγγελίσασθαι, an infinitive form of εὐαγγελίζω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ευαγγελιζεσθαι (KJV: to preach the gospel), an infinitive form in the present tense.

¹⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιασασθαι τους συντετριμμενους την καρδιαν (KJV: he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐχὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουχ.

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding son. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὴν Καφαρναοὺμ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τη καπερναουμ.

¹⁴ NET note 83.

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Σιδωνίας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σιδωνος.

¹⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article το preceding brow. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὥστε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις το (KJV: that).

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰ δὲ (NET: And if) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ιδου (KJV: Behold) and the Byzantine Majority Text had ἰδέ, an imperative form of εἴδω (i.e., “Know” or “See”).

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰς (NET: to) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Byzantine Majority Text had πρός (KJV: that).

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅπου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Byzantine Majority Text had οπου αν (KJV: whithersoever).

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had βούλεται, a form of βούλομαι in the indicative mood here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Byzantine Majority Text had βούληται in the subjunctive mood.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀκατάστατον, a form of ἀκατάστατος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Byzantine Majority Text had ακατασχετον, a form of ἀκατάσχετος.

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κύριον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Byzantine Majority Text had θεον (KJV: God).

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὔτε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Byzantine Majority Text had ουτως ουδεμια πηγη (KJV: so can no fountain).

²⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: and) preceding fresh. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁶ James 3:1a (ESV)

²⁷ James 1:26 (ESV) Table

²⁸ James 3:8a (ESV)

²⁹ Luke 4:14b (ESV)

³⁰ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

³¹ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

³² Philippians 3:9c (NET)

³³ Romans 13:10b (ESV)

³⁴ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

³⁵ Galatians 5:23b (ESV) Table

³⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τας preceding prayers. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γογγυσμοῦ here, a singular form of the noun γογγυσμός, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural form γογγυσμων (KJV: grudging).

³⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Νῦν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νυνι.

³⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων (KJV: of them) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ (NET: most highly) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υπερ εκπερισσου (KJV: very highly).

⁴¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had δὲ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 3

Posted on June 11, 2024 by admin

In another essay I began to consider the genders of Greek pronouns in Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV):

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God [Table], not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

I was taught that faith, πίστεως, was excluded from the clause this is not your own doing because this, τοῦτο, is neuter and πίστεως is feminine. If that were true, however, it would exclude grace as well: Τῇ…χάριτι is also feminine. “In other words, both grace and faith would be your own doing…”¹

My reasons for including grace in the clause this is not your own doing have nothing to do with the genders of Τῇ…χάριτι and τοῦτο, but with many other passages of Scripture and a not insignificant amount of personal experience.²

I began a New Testament survey of πίστεως to see if I could find other Scriptures that persuade “me that faith is of my own doing.” I’ll begin with the first occurrence of πίστεως I skipped accidentally in the previous essay (Acts 6:1-5 ESV):

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said,³ “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore,⁴ brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit⁵ and of wisdom, whom we will appoint⁶ to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full⁷ of faith (πίστεως) and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

Here, men of good repute (μαρτυρουμένους, a passive form of μαρτυρέω) were further characterized as full of the Spirit (πλήρεις πνεύματος) and of wisdom (καὶ σοφίας).⁸ If any of you lacks wisdom (σοφίας, a form of σοφία), James wrote, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without⁹ reproach, and it will be given him.¹⁰ I have no way to gain wisdom from the Lord apart from the near continuous internal dialogue with his indwelling Spirit and his word. In fact, it is easiest to distinguish his Spirit from the clutter inside me when we are directly engaged with the Bible.

Stephen was full of faith (|πλήρης| πίστεως) and of the Holy Spirit (καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου).¹¹ Here, full of faith precedes and of the Holy Spirit. This is probably more to the point. Once the Lord’s wisdom began to penetrate the thickness of my disbelief (or my self-belief and self-reliance), once I began to see that it was kind of stupid to rely on my faith when his was available to me through his indwelling Spirit, there was no more question that faith is not [my] own doing; it is the gift of God.¹²

To persist in relying on my own faith once I have learned from Him (Matthew 11:28-30) would indicate a chafing at his yoke, a refusal to be led by his Spirit (Galatians 5:13-18). I would be relying still on my own love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, trying still to manufacture my own joy and peace. I would be striving still to have a righteousness of my own derived from the law, rather than relying on the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.¹³ It would indicate an arrogant refusal to enter his rest (Hebrews 4:7-13), once I have received his Holy Spirit and learned from Him.

But what about before? Was the faith that received his Holy Spirit initially mine in the sense that it originated with me? Or was it mine in the sense that it was given to me? Jesus described the Holy Spirit as the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4, 5 ESV):

And while staying with them [Jesus] ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father (τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ πατρὸς), which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Not only was He God’s promise but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit was a statement of fact according to Jesus. The Greek word translated you will be baptized was βαπτισθήσεσθε, a passive form of βαπτίζω in the indicative mood. The only requirements stated were not to depart from Jerusalem (ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων μὴ χωρίζεσθαι) and to wait (περιμένειν, an infinitive form of περιμένω). Granted, He spoke to the apostles whom he had chosen (Acts 1:1, 2 ESV).

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up,¹⁴ after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

Given the apostles’ obedience to Jesus’ commands, it seems reasonable to assume some kind of faith here, but whose? [H]e had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles seems like an odd construction: ἐντειλάμενος, translated he had given commands (ESV), is a participle of ἐντέλλω in the middle voice:

The Greek middle voice shows the subject acting in his own interest or on his own behalf, or participating in the results of the verbal action. In overly simplistic terms, sometimes the middle form of the verb could be translated as “the performer of the action actually acting upon himself” (reflexive action).

For example: “I am washing myself.” “I” is the subject of the sentence (performing the action of the verb) and yet “I” am also receiving the action of the verb. This is said to be in the “Middle Voice”. Many instances in the Greek are not this obvious and cannot be translated this literally.

Every form of ἐντέλλω that occurs in the New Testament is in the middle voice (see table below). None are in the active voice. In other words, such commands were meant to be obeyed with the authority and power of the one making them rather than that of those receiving them: τοῖς ἀποστόλοις is the indirect object, to the apostles, and finally, διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου, through (or “by” or “in the midst of”) the Holy Spirit. It is a fairly expressive description of what it means to be in Christ.

So, I have the Holy Spirit of God acting on behalf of the apostles (dare I say, in the apostles?) to carry out Jesus’ commands even before He indwells the apostles. I want to consider another example of a form of ἐντέλλω for comparison (Acts 13:44-48 ESV).

The next Sabbath almost the whole city [of Pisidian Antioch] gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him [Table]. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles [Table]. For so the Lord has commanded us (ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν), saying,

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed [Table].

Paul and Barnabas quoted from Isaiah 49:6 (see table below).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 49:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 49:6 (NET)	Isaiah 49:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 49:6 (English Elpenor)
And he said, It is a light thing (נָקֵ֨ל) that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.	he says, “Is it too insignificant a task (qālal, נקל) for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”	And he said to me, “It is a great thing (μέγα) for you to be called my servant so that you may set up the tribes of Iakob and turn back the dispersion of Israel. See, I have made you a light of nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.”	And he said to me, [It is] a great thing (μέγα) for thee to be called my servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to recover the dispersion of Israel: behold, I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation to the end of the earth.

The part of this quotation Paul and Barnabas excluded, which was also excluded apparently from the Masoretic text and the NETS translation of the Septuagint, is quite telling: εἰς διαθήκην γένους, for the covenant of a race (English Elpenor), is only true of Jesus. Still, they were willing to quote the rest, which is also true of Jesus, under the heading: οὕτως γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ κύριος, For so the Lord has commanded us (ESV). In other words, Paul and Barnabas recognized that the words of an ancient prophecy granted God’s authority and power to them to bring (or, be for) salvation to the ends of the earth.

The Lord said something similar to Ananias about Saul (aka Paul) (Acts 9:10-19a ESV).

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem [Table]. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel [Table]. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus¹⁵ who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like¹⁶ scales fell from¹⁷ his eyes, and he regained his sight.¹⁸ Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened [Table].

Ananias, unaware as yet that the Lord had already arrested Saul (Acts 9:3-9), was concerned about the authority (ἐξουσίαν, a form of ἐξουσία) Saul had received (Acts 9:1, 2) from the chief priests to bind all who call on [Jesus’] name.¹⁹ But the Lord informed him of the good works, which God prepared beforehand, that [Saul, aka Paul] should walk in them:²⁰ he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.²¹

Now there were²² in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch,²³ and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” [Table]. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus [Table]. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. When they had gone through the whole²⁴ island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain²⁵ magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.²⁶

Now Paul²⁷ and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia.²⁸

Here again, the Holy Spirit was instrumental in bringing Jesus’ words to Ananias to pass. There are two more issues I want to consider before concluding this essay.

First, if I intend to take the middle voice of forms of ἐντέλλω seriously, I’m compelled to understand παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς in Acts 1:4, he ordered them (ESV), differently. The Greek word παρήγγειλεν is a form of παραγγέλλω: “to pass on a message, transmit a message, tell, communicate; to give orders, give a command, issue an order; to charge, command; to instruct, direct, order, advise; to summon (to appear), summon (to one’s help).” That Jesus “communicated to the apostles” what He was doing in and through them by his Holy Spirit honors both the middle voice of ἐντειλάμενος in Acts 1:2, he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen (ESV), and Jesus’ saying: No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.²⁹

Finally, I want to spend a few moments considering and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed:³⁰ καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅσοι ἦσαν τεταγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

Since ἐπίστευσαν is a 3^rd person singular form of πιστεύω, a more accurate translation might be: and [he] believed, as many as were appointed to eternal life. In other words, an individual’s faith was credited to being among those who enjoyed the continuing effect³¹ of having been appointed to eternal life. The Greek word translated appointed was τεταγμένοι, a participle of the verb τάσσω in the perfect tense and middle and passive voices: “to appoint; to give orders to; to indicate by way of instruction; to ordain; to prescribe; to indicate as binding, indicate as a standard or rule” (middle meaning); “to be set in array; to be well ordered; to be appointed” (passive meaning). This corresponds quite accurately to Jesus’ saying: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.³²

But what of those who were not appointed to eternal life, were not drawn by the Father and did not believe? If I believe that they are eternally condemned I might be persuaded that their unbelief was their own choice. It’s a small step from there to believing that my faith was my own choice, perhaps even my own doing: Isn’t that the reason that I am saved and they are condemned?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes (ὁ πιστεύων) in him (εἰς αὐτὸν) should not perish but have eternal life [Table]…Whoever believes in him is not condemned,³³ but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.³⁴

If, on the other hand, I take Jesus at his word—And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself³⁵—I begin to hear the temporal nature of the passive meaning of τεταγμένοι: “to be set in array; to be well ordered; to be appointed.” Not all appointments are scheduled for the same moment in time. God’s sequencing, God’s timing for his own purposes, may go a long way to helping me understand my question: “Why did He give me his own Holy Spirit then [as a twenty-something atheist stoner] and not when I was five?”³⁶

I’ll pick this up in another essay. According to a note (180) in the NET, Paul and Barnabas alluded to Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6. Tables comparing the Greek of their allusion to that of the Septuagint follow.

Acts 13:47b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 42:6b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 42:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τέθεικα σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν	ἔδωκά σε…εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν	ἔδωκά σε…εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν
Acts 13:47b (NET)	Isaiah 42:6b (NETS)	Isaiah 42:6b (English Elpenor)
I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles	I have given you…as a light to nations	I have given thee…for a light of the Gentiles

What follows from Isaiah 49:6 seems more like a partial quotation than an allusion:

Acts 13:47b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 49:6b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 49:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τέθεικα σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναι σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς	τέθεικά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς	δέδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς
Acts 13:47b (NET)	Isaiah 49:6b (NETS)	Isaiah 49:6b (English Elpenor)
I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.	I have made you a light of nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.	I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation to the end of the earth.

The table mentioned above follows. I have added “[to]” before pronouns to remind myself that they are indirect objects in the dative case.

Forms of ἐντέλλω in the New Testament
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Matthew 28:20	πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν	all that I have commanded [to] you
Matthew 17:9	ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς	Jesus commanded [to] them
Matthew 19:7	ὑμῖν Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο	Moses command [to] one
Mark 10:3	ὑμῖν ἐνετείλατο Μωϋσῆς	Moses command [to] you
Mark 13:34	τῷ θυρωρῷ ἐνετείλατο	he…commands [to] the doorkeeper
John 8:5	\|ἡμῖν\| Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο	Moses commanded [to] us
John 14:31	\|ἐνετείλατο\| μοι ὁ πατήρ	the Father has commanded [to] me
Hebrews 9:20	ἐνετείλατο πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὁ θεός	God commanded for you
Hebrews 11:22	ἐνετείλατο	gave directions
Acts 1:2	ἐντειλάμενος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις	he had given commands…to the apostles
Matthew 4:6	τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται	He will command [to] his angels
Luke 4:10	τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται	He will command [to] his angels
John 15:14	ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν	I command [to] you
John 15:17	ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν	I command [to] you
Acts 13:47	ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ κύριος	the Lord has commanded [to] us

Tables comparing Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Acts 6:2, 3; 6:5; James 1:5; Acts 1:2; 9:17, 18; 13:1 and 13:6 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 42:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 42:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 42:6 (NET)
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;	I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;	“I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people and a light to the nations,

Isaiah 42:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 42:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐκάλεσά σε ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ κρατήσω τῆς χειρός σου καὶ ἐνισχύσω σε καὶ ἔδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν	ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐκάλεσά σε ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ κρατήσω τῆς χειρός σου καὶ ἐνισχύσω σε καὶ ἔδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν
Isaiah 42:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 42:6 (English Elpenor)
I, the Lord God, have called you in righteousness, and I will take hold of your hand and strengthen you; I have given you as a covenant to a race, as a light to nations,	I the Lord God have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will strengthen thee: and I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles:

Isaiah 49:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 49:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 49:6 (NET)
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.	And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.	he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 49:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπέν μοι μέγα σοί ἐστιν τοῦ κληθῆναί σε παῖδά μου τοῦ στῆσαι τὰς φυλὰς Ιακωβ καὶ τὴν διασπορὰν τοῦ Ισραηλ ἐπιστρέψαι ἰδοὺ τέθεικά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς	καὶ εἶπέ μοι· μέγα σοί ἐστι τοῦ κληθῆναί σε παῖδά μου τοῦ στῆσαι τὰς φυλὰς ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ τὴν διασπορὰν τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπιστρέψαι· ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς
Isaiah 49:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 49:6 (English Elpenor)
And he said to me, “It is a great thing for you to be called my servant so that you may set up the tribes of Iakob and turn back the dispersion of Israel. See, I have made you a light of nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.”	And he said to me, [It is] a great thing for thee to be called my servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to recover the dispersion of Israel: behold, I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation to the end of the earth.

Acts 6:2, 3 (NET)	Acts 6:2, 3 (KJV)
So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.	Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Acts 6:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 6:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 6:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ οἱ δώδεκα τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπαν· οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ διακονεῖν τραπέζαις	προσκαλεσαμενοι δε οι δωδεκα το πληθος των μαθητων ειπον ουκ αρεστον εστιν ημας καταλειψαντας τον λογον του θεου διακονειν τραπεζαις	προσκαλεσαμενοι δε οι δωδεκα το πληθος των μαθητων ειπον ουκ αρεστον εστιν ημας καταλειψαντας τον λογον του θεου διακονειν τραπεζαις

But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task.

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Acts 6:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 6:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 6:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐπισκέψασθε δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἄνδρας ἐξ ὑμῶν μαρτυρουμένους ἑπτά, πλήρεις πνεύματος καὶ σοφίας, οὓς καταστήσομεν ἐπὶ τῆς χρείας ταύτης	επισκεψασθε ουν αδελφοι ανδρας εξ υμων μαρτυρουμενους επτα πληρεις πνευματος αγιου και σοφιας ους καταστησομεν επι της χρειας ταυτης	επισκεψασθε ουν αδελφοι ανδρας εξ υμων μαρτυρουμενους επτα πληρεις πνευματος αγιου και σοφιας ους καταστησωμεν επι της χρειας ταυτης

Acts 6:5 (NET)	Acts 6:5 (KJV)
The proposal pleased the entire group, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch.	And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

Acts 6:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 6:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 6:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ πλήθους καὶ ἐξελέξαντο Στέφανον, ἄνδρα \|πλήρης\| πίστεως καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Πρόχορον καὶ Νικάνορα καὶ Τίμωνα καὶ Παρμενᾶν καὶ Νικόλαον προσήλυτον Ἀντιοχέα	και ηρεσεν ο λογος ενωπιον παντος του πληθους και εξελεξαντο στεφανον ανδρα πληρη πιστεως και πνευματος αγιου και φιλιππον και προχορον και νικανορα και τιμωνα και παρμεναν και νικολαον προσηλυτον αντιοχεα	και ηρεσεν ο λογος ενωπιον παντος του πληθους και εξελεξαντο στεφανον ανδρα πληρης πιστεως και πνευματος αγιου και φιλιππον και προχορον και νικανορα και τιμωνα και παρμεναν και νικολαον προσηλυτον αντιοχεα

James 1:5 (NET)	James 1:5 (KJV)
But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.	If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

James 1:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	James 1:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	James 1:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἰ δέ τις ὑμῶν λείπεται σοφίας, αἰτείτω παρὰ τοῦ διδόντος θεοῦ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς καὶ μὴ ὀνειδίζοντος καὶ δοθήσεται αὐτῷ	ει δε τις υμων λειπεται σοφιας αιτειτω παρα του διδοντος θεου πασιν απλως και μη ονειδιζοντος και δοθησεται αυτω	ει δε τις υμων λειπεται σοφιας αιτειτω παρα του διδοντος θεου πασιν απλως και ουκ ονειδιζοντος και δοθησεται αυτω

Acts 1:2 (NET)	Acts 1:2 (KJV)
until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.	Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Acts 1:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 1:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 1:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας ἐντειλάμενος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου οὓς ἐξελέξατο ἀνελήμφθη	αχρι ης ημερας εντειλαμενος τοις αποστολοις δια πνευματος αγιου ους εξελεξατο ανεληφθη	αχρι ης ημερας εντειλαμενος τοις αποστολοις δια πνευματος αγιου ους εξελεξατο ανεληφθη

Acts 9:17, 18 (NET)	Acts 9:17, 18 (KJV)
So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”	And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 9:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)<	Acts 9:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀπῆλθεν δὲ Ἁνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπεν· Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκεν με, Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς πνεύματος ἁγίου	απηλθεν δε ανανιας και εισηλθεν εις την οικιαν και επιθεις επ αυτον τας χειρας ειπεν σαουλ αδελφε ο κυριος απεσταλκεν με ιησους ο οφθεις σοι εν τη οδω η ηρχου οπως αναβλεψης και πλησθης πνευματος αγιου	απηλθεν δε ανανιας και εισηλθεν εις την οικιαν και επιθεις επ αυτον τας χειρας ειπεν σαουλ αδελφε ο κυριος απεσταλκεν με ο οφθεις σοι εν τη οδω η ηρχου οπως αναβλεψης και πλησθης πνευματος αγιου

Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,

And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Acts 9:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέπεσαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὡς λεπίδες, ἀνέβλεψεν τε καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐβαπτίσθη	και ευθεως απεπεσον απο των οφθαλμων αυτου ωσει λεπιδες ανεβλεψεν τε παραχρημα και αναστας εβαπτισθη	και ευθεως απεπεσον απο των οφθαλμων αυτου ωσει λεπιδες ανεβλεψεν τε παραχρημα και αναστας εβαπτισθη

Acts 13:1 (NET)	Acts 13:1 (KJV)
Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul.	Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 13:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 13:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 13:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
῏Ησαν δὲ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ κατὰ τὴν οὖσαν ἐκκλησίαν προφῆται καὶ διδάσκαλοι ὅ τε Βαρναβᾶς καὶ Συμεὼν ὁ καλούμενος Νίγερ καὶ Λούκιος ὁ Κυρηναῖος, Μαναήν (τε Ἡρῴδου τοῦ τετραάρχου σύντροφος) καὶ Σαῦλος	ησαν δε τινες εν αντιοχεια κατα την ουσαν εκκλησιαν προφηται και διδασκαλοι ο τε βαρναβας και συμεων ο καλουμενος νιγερ και λουκιος ο κυρηναιος μαναην τε ηρωδου του τετραρχου συντροφος και σαυλος	ησαν δε τινες εν αντιοχεια κατα την ουσαν εκκλησιαν προφηται και διδασκαλοι ο τε βαρναβας και συμεων ο καλουμενος νιγερ και λουκιος ο κυρηναιος μαναην τε ηρωδου του τετραρχου συντροφος και σαυλος

Acts 13:6 (NET)	Acts 13:6 (KJV)
When they had crossed over the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus,	And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

Acts 13:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 13:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 13:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Διελθόντες δὲ ὅλην τὴν νῆσον ἄχρι Πάφου εὗρον ἄνδρα τινὰ μάγον ψευδοπροφήτην Ἰουδαῖον ᾧ ὄνομα \|Βαριησοῦ\|	διελθοντες δε την νησον αχρι παφου ευρον τινα μαγον ψευδοπροφητην ιουδαιον ω ονομα βαριησους	διελθοντες δε την νησον αχρι παφου ευρον τινα μαγον ψευδοπροφητην ιουδαιον ω ονομα βαριησους

Back to Matthew 8:23-34

¹ Keep Yourelves From Idols, Part 2

² Ibid.

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δέ (NET: But) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Wherefore).

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αγιου following Spirit (KJV: Holy Ghost). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had καταστήσομεν in the future tense and indicative mood here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had καταστησωμεν in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood (“we may appoint”).

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had πλήρης, a masculine or feminine singular adjective in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πληρη, a neuter plural adjective in the nominative or accusative case, or a masculine or feminine singular adjective in the accusative case. Faith (πίστεως) is feminine and Spirit (πνεύματος) is neuter.

⁸ Acts 6:3 (ESV)

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had μὴ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had ουκ.

¹⁰ James 1:5 (ESV)

¹¹ Acts 6:5b (ESV)

¹² Ephesians 2:8b (ESV) Table

¹³ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνελήμφθη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανεληφθη. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had Ἰησοῦς here. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὡς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ωσει.

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπέπεσαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απεπεσον. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

¹⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παραχρημα (KJV: forthwith) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁹ Acts 9:14 (ESV)

²⁰ Ephesians 2:10b (ESV)

²¹ Acts 9:15b (ESV) Table

²² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τινες (KJV: certain) near the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τετραάρχου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τετραρχου. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅλην here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἄνδρα preceding a certain (NET: a magician). The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁶ Acts 13:1-6 (ESV) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Βαριησοῦ in the genitive case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had βαριησους in the nominative case.

²⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding Paul. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁸ Acts 13:13, 14a (ESV) Table

²⁹ John 15:15 (ESV)

³⁰ Acts 13:48b (ESV) Table

³¹ “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence.” From “Verb Tenses: Perfect Tense,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³² John 6:44a (ESV) Table

³³ Son of God – John, Part 1; Son of God – John, Part 2; Son of God – John, Part 3; Son of God – John, Part 4; Son of God – John, Part 5; A Door of Hope, Part 1; Westworld, Part 3

³⁴ John 3:16, 18 (ESV)

³⁵ John 12:32 (ESV)

³⁶ Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 2

The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Posted on September 19, 2023 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration whether my assumption that Jesus called Judas Iscariot ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the one destined for destruction) is like Jesus’ disciples’ discussion about having no bread¹ after He said: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”²

Paul wrote (2 Thessalonians 2:1-6 NET):

Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας) [Table]. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in God’s temple, displaying himself as God [Table]. Surely you recall that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you. And so you know what holds him back, so that he will be revealed in his own time.

The interpretation of many of the Church Fathers was summarized in Meyer’s NT Commentary:

The apocalyptic teaching of the apostle in chap. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 has occupied Christians of all times, and has been very variously interpreted. A chief distinction in the interpretations consists in this, that this Pauline prediction may be considered either as that which will be fulfilled in the near or more distant future, or as having already received its fulfilment.

I. The Church Fathers belong to the representatives of the first view…They correctly agree in considering that by the advent (2 Thessalonians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:8), or the day of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:2), is to be understood the personal advent of Christ for the last judgment and for the completion of the Messianic kingdom. Also it is correctly regarded as proved, that the Antichrist here described is to be considered as an individual person, in whom sin will embody itself…The restraining power by which the appearance of Antichrist is delayed, is usually considered to be the continuance of the Roman Empire (τὸ κατέχον) and its representative the Roman emperor (ὁ κατέχων).

And thus the “Who is the Antichrist?” guessing game began. There isn’t anything intrinsically wrong with a guessing game, I suppose. Jesus let his disciples guess who would betray Him, during dinner the night He was betrayed.

Matthew 26:21-23 (NET)	Mark 14:18-20 (NET)	Luke 22:21-23 (NET)	John 13:21, 22 (NET)
And while they were eating he said,	While they were at the table eating, Jesus said,		When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified,
		“But look, the hand of the one who betrays (παραδιδόντος) me is with me on the table.
“I tell you the truth, one of you will betray (παραδώσει) me.”	“I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me will betray (παραδώσει) me.”		“I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray (παραδώσει) me.”
		For³ the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed (παραδίδοται)!”
They became greatly distressed	They⁴ were distressed,		The disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed to know which of them he was talking about.
		So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.
and each one⁵ began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray (παραδώσει) me.	and one by⁶ one said to him, “Surely not I?”⁷ He said⁸ to them, “It is one of⁹ the twelve, one who dips his hand with me into the bowl.

The tone of μήτι ἐγώ ¹⁰ and μήτι ἐγώ εἰμι ¹¹ is more difficult to decipher than I expected. It’s not quite the open-ended Is it I? of the King James Version, something I’ve heard preached and intended to contrast here to the suspicion and accusation of the Antichrist guessing game. Surely not I? doesn’t feel quite right either. The Greek question seems to be a more hesitant denial, seeking independent confirmation or assurance from Jesus.

And I considered Luke’s account more closely this time: So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.¹² The Greek word translated to question (συζητεῖν, an infinitive form of συζητέω) means “to seek together; to discuss, carry on a discussion; to reflect, mediate, contemplate, think.” But it can also mean “to dispute, debate, argue (with someone).”

The Greek words translated one another (πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς) do very little to dissuade me of the idea that Jesus’ disciples may have suspiciously accused one another. Since ἑαυτοὺς is in the accusative case, πρὸς means: “to; toward, in the direction of; beside; against; with; at.” As Luke’s account continued, it added a little more fuel to the fire of these suspicious accusations (Luke 22:24 NET).

A dispute (φιλονεικία) also (καὶ) started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

Here again, Jesus’ disciples seem to have blocked out his “morbid fascination” with his own death because they “knew” He was the promised Messiah who would overthrow the Roman pagans and restore “faithful” Israel to its rightful place as the head and not the tail.¹³ Each one seemed most concerned about his own place in that new order.

John recorded a conclusion to the “Who is the betrayer?” guessing game, for his readers if not yet for the other disciples at that moment (John 13:23-26 NET):

One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor [Table]. So Simon Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish and gave it to Judas Iscariot (John 13:18), Simon’s son [Table].

John was also the one who described antichrist (1 John 2:18, 19 NET):

Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the¹⁴ antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour. They went out¹⁵ from us, but they did not really belong to us because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.

First, John affirmed that ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται (NET: antichrist is coming). The Greek verb ἔρχεται is a singular form of the verb ἔρχομαι in the present tense. A note in the Koine Greek Lexicon explained: “The present is sometimes used with the force of the future.” Whether this is one of those times is a matter of interpretation, since John continued: καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν (NET: so now many antichrists have appeared).

The Greek verb γεγόνασιν is a 3^rd person plural form of γίνομαι in the perfect tense. “The basic thought of the perfect tense,” according to the entry in Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online:

…is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.

This sounds similar to Paul’s affirmation that the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction¹⁶…will be revealed in his own time. For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work.¹⁷ John proceeded to characterize the many antichrists.

1. They went out from us…

This was ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν or ἐξῆλθον in Greek. The difference is insignificant: ἐξῆλθαν and ἐξῆλθον are both 3^rd person plural forms of ἐξέρχομαι. (The latter might also be understood as a 1^st person singular form.) I assume that ἡμῶν (NET: us) refers to the visible church generally. But John may have meant visible church leaders or even apparent apostles more specifically.

Consider how he began this letter (1 John 1:1-3 NET):

This is what we proclaim to you:¹⁸ what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our (ἡμῶν) eyes, what we have looked at and our (ἡμῶν) hands have touched (concerning the word of life—and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you [ὑμῖν] the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us [ἡμῖν]). What we have seen and heard we announce to you (ὑμῖν) too,¹⁹ so that you (ὑμεῖς) may have fellowship with us [ἡμῶν] (and indeed our [ἡμετέρα]²⁰ fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ).

Is the ἐξῆλθαν or ἐξῆλθον of the many antichrists equivalent to the rebellion²¹ (ἡ ἀποστασία) of which Paul wrote? I would assume so, unless John’s second characterization of the many antichrists precludes that possibility.

2. …but they did not really belong to us…

The Greek here is ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν (literally: “but existed not from us”). I take that to mean that at the time They went out, the many antichrists were not yet born from above, not yet born of the Spirit, not yet born…by God. John continued to explain: because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate (φανερωθῶσιν) that all of them do not belong to us.²²

Then John contrasted the many antichrists to his faithful readers (1 John 2:20, 21 NET):

Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all²³ know. I have not written to you that you do not know the truth, but that you do know it (αὐτὴν), and that no lie is of the truth.

3. …the antichrist…denies the Father and the Son

This led him to another characterization of antichrist, which I assume applies to the many antichrists as well (1 John 2:22, 23 NET).

Who is the liar but the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist (ὁ ἀντίχριστος): the person who denies the Father and the Son. Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also.²⁴

The Greek word translated denies all three times above was ἀρνούμενος, a present participle of the verb ἀρνέομαι: “to say that a statement heard or presented is untrue; to deny (the value of or validity of); to contradict, disavow, reject, abnegate, refuse, disown; to refuse (to do); to repent.” If you had asked me sometime before I became an atheist if I denied that Jesus is the Christ or if I denied the Father and the Son, I would have said “no.” And as far as I understood it, that was true.

I denied his “value” and “validity” all day every day, however, not out of any particular malice but, out of ignorance. I didn’t know Him. What I “knew” of imputed righteousness (Romans 4:22-25 KJV) was that it was a figment of God’s imagination, a mind game He played on Himself. Likewise, the righteousness of God without the law (Romans 3:21-24 KJV) was the same divine play pretending. I “knew” the only way to make it real was for me to obey the rules: the laws of the Old Testament, the commands of the New, along with those of my parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, doctors, city laws, county laws, state laws, national laws and on and on and on.

Is that what I was taught? I don’t remember what I was taught. It seems almost impossible to disentangle what I was taught from what I learned, sixty years or so after the fact. Maybe I was stupid, probably I didn’t pay enough attention, perhaps I wasn’t actually born from above just because I said a sinner’s prayer to Jesus so I wouldn’t burn in hell for all eternity when I was five-years-old. I do recall that the adults over me expected me to obey them—immediately.

The fastest way to do that was in my own strength. I expected Jesus to help. But He didn’t help me have my own righteousness derived from the law. And there didn’t seem to be much time or patience afforded to me to figure out how to live by the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness,²⁵ even if I had believed that his righteousness was available to me, or such a way of life was possible through faith in Jesus Christ.

I’ll continue with this in another essay.

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 28:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Deuteronomy 28:13 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 26:22; Mark 14:19, 20; Luke 22:22; 1 John 2:18, 19; 1:3; 2:20 and 2:23 in the NET and KJV follow.

Deuteronomy 28:13 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (NET)
And HaShem will make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments of HaShem thy G-d, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them;	And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:	The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments that I am urging you today to be careful to do.

Deuteronomy 28:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καταστήσαι σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ μὴ εἰς οὐράν καὶ ἔσῃ τότε ἐπάνω καὶ οὐκ ἔσῃ ὑποκάτω ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς τῶν ἐντολῶν κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν	καταστήσαι σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ μὴ εἰς οὐράν, καὶ ἔσῃ τότε ἐπάνω καὶ οὐκ ἔσῃ ὑποκάτω, ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν
Deuteronomy 28:13 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (English Elpenor)
May the Lord your God set you up as a head and not as a tail, and you shall then be on top, and you shall not be underneath—if you hear the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, to guard and to perform.	The Lord thy God make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt then be above and thou shalt not be below, if thou wilt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, in all things that I charge thee this day to observe.

Matthew 26:22 (NET)	Matthew 26:22 (KJV)
They became greatly distressed and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?”	And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

Matthew 26:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 26:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 26:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ λυπούμενοι σφόδρα ἤρξαντο λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς ἕκαστος· μήτι ἐγώ εἰμι, κύριε	και λυπουμενοι σφοδρα ηρξαντο λεγειν αυτω εκαστος αυτων μητι εγω ειμι κυριε	και λυπουμενοι σφοδρα ηρξαντο λεγειν αυτω εκαστος αυτων μητι εγω ειμι κυριε

Mark 14:19, 20 (NET)	Mark 14:19, 20 (KJV)
They were distressed, and one by one said to him, “Surely not I?”	And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

Mark 14:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἤρξαντο λυπεῖσθαι καὶ λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς κατὰ εἷς· μήτι ἐγώ	οι δε ηρξαντο λυπεισθαι και λεγειν αυτω εις καθ εις μητι εγω και αλλος μητι εγω	οι δε ηρξαντο λυπεισθαι και λεγειν αυτω εις καθ εις μητι εγω και αλλος μητι εγω

He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand with me into the bowl.

And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

Mark 14:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἷς τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ ἐμβαπτόμενος μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ εἰς τὸ τρύβλιον	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις εις εκ των δωδεκα ο εμβαπτομενος μετ εμου εις το τρυβλιον	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις εις εκ των δωδεκα ο εμβαπτομενος μετ εμου εις το τρυβλιον

Luke 22:22 (NET)	Luke 22:22 (KJV)
For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”	And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

Luke 22:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς μὲν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κατὰ τὸ ὡρισμένον πορεύεται, πλὴν οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι᾿ οὗ παραδίδοται	και ο μεν υιος του ανθρωπου πορευεται κατα το ωρισμενον πλην ουαι τω ανθρωπω εκεινω δι ου παραδιδοται	και ο μεν υιος του ανθρωπου πορευεται κατα το ωρισμενον πλην ουαι τω ανθρωπω εκεινω δι ου παραδιδοται

1 John 2:18, 19 (NET)	1 John 2:18, 19 (KJV)
Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour.	Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1 John 2:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Παιδία, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν, καὶ καθὼς ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν, ὅθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν	παιδια εσχατη ωρα εστιν και καθως ηκουσατε οτι ο αντιχριστος ερχεται και νυν αντιχριστοι πολλοι γεγονασιν οθεν γινωσκομεν οτι εσχατη ωρα εστιν	παιδια εσχατη ωρα εστιν και καθως ηκουσατε οτι ο αντιχριστος ερχεται και νυν αντιχριστοι πολλοι γεγονασιν οθεν γινωσκομεν οτι εσχατη ωρα εστιν

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

1 John 2:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν· ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν	εξ ημων εξηλθον αλλ ουκ ησαν εξ ημων ει γαρ ησαν εξ ημων μεμενηκεισαν αν μεθ ημων αλλ ινα φανερωθωσιν οτι ουκ εισιν παντες εξ ημων	εξ ημων εξηλθον αλλ ουκ ησαν εξ ημων ει γαρ ησαν εξ ημων μεμενηκεισαν αν μεθ ημων αλλ ινα φανερωθωσιν οτι ουκ εισιν παντες εξ ημων

1 John 1:3 (NET)	1 John 1:3 (KJV)
What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ).	That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 1:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 1:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃ ἑωράκαμεν καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν, ἀπαγγέλλομεν καὶ ὑμῖν, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν. (καὶ ἡ κοινωνία δὲ ἡ ἡμετέρα μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.)	ο εωρακαμεν και ακηκοαμεν απαγγελλομεν υμιν ινα και υμεις κοινωνιαν εχητε μεθ ημων και η κοινωνια δε η ημετερα μετα του πατρος και μετα του υιου αυτου ιησου χριστου	ο εωρακαμεν και ακηκοαμεν απαγγελλομεν υμιν ινα και υμεις κοινωνιαν εχητε μεθ ημων και η κοινωνια δε η ημετερα μετα του πατρος και μετα του υιου αυτου ιησου χριστου

1 John 2:20 (NET)	1 John 2:20 (KJV)
Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.	But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

1 John 2:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου \|καὶ\| οἴδατε πάντες	και υμεις χρισμα εχετε απο του αγιου και οιδατε παντα	και υμεις χρισμα εχετε απο του αγιου και οιδατε παντα

1 John 2:23 (NET)	1 John 2:23 (KJV)
Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also.	Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1 John 2:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει, ὁ ὁμολογῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει	πας ο αρνουμενος τον υιον ουδε τον πατερα εχει	πας ο αρνουμενος τον υιον ουδε τον πατερα εχει

The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 7

¹ Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

² Mark 8:15b (NET)

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And).

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οι δε (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἷς preceding each (KJV: every one), while the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων (KJV: of them) following every one (NET: each).

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κατὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καθ.

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και αλλος μητι εγω (KJV: and another said, Is it I?) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκριθεις (KJV: answered and) preceding he said. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκ here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁰ Mark 14:19

¹¹ Matthew 26:22

¹² Luke 22:23 (NET)

¹³ Deuteronomy 28:13 (NET)

¹⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο preceding antichrist. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐξῆλθαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξηλθον.

¹⁶ 2 Thessalonians 2:3b (NET) Table

¹⁷ 2 Thessalonians 2:6b, 7a (NET)

¹⁸ NET note 1: The phrase “This is what we proclaim to you” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the English. The main verb which governs all of these relative clauses is ἀπαγγέλλομεν (apangellomen) in v. 3. This is important for the proper understanding of the relative clauses in v. 1, because the main verb ἀπαγγέλλομεν in v. 3 makes it clear that all of the relative clauses in vv. 1 and 3 are the objects of the author’s proclamation to the readers rather than the subjects. To indicate this the phrase “This is what we proclaim to you” has been supplied at the beginning of v. 1.

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁰ I assume that John used a different word here for our (ἡμετέρα, a singular form of ἡμέτερος in the 1^st person) to include his readers in the fellowship…with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, rather than to limit that fellowship to visible church leaders or apostles, actual or apparent.

²¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET) Table

²² 1 John 2:19b (NET)

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πάντες here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παντα (KJV: all things).

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὁ ὁμολογῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει (NET: The person who confesses the Son has the Father also) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁵ Philippians 3:9 (NET)

Christianity, Part 10

Posted on July 30, 2023 by admin

There are 10 occurrences of πάντας in Romans [see Table below] the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ I’ll consider seven of them in some detail. The first occurrence is probably universal (Romans 3:9 ESV):

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all (πάντας), both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

I might argue that πάντας was limited here by both Jews and Greeks (Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ ῞Ελληνας) to those people living around the Mediterranean Sea at the time Paul wrote his letter to Roman believers. The context argues against it. I’ve never heard anyone make that argument. But consider what Jesus said (Luke 5:32 ESV):

I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).

If I refuse to take this as evidence of the existence of righteous people Jesus did not come to call, I am likely to take righteous (δικαίους) as his rhetorical contrast to sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὺς), the all He came to call…to repentance. This is especially true if I remember Peter (2 Peter 3:9 ESV [Table]):

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).

For there is no distinction [Table], Paul clarified, for all (πάντες, another form of πᾶς) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.² This leads to the next occurrence of πάντας in Romans, but it is prefaced by a discussion I call the limit of the law (Romans 3:19, 20 ESV).

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified (οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ) in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

I did alright as an atheist as long as I was willing to consider myself evil. I was playing kind of a word game, since I had already “decided that what God said was evil was at least potentially good, and what God said was good was probably generally evil.”³ Paul’s “limit of the law” became important to me eventually because:⁴

When I wanted to consider myself good again I invented “more realistic” rules than y^ehôvâh’s to obey. I failed to obey them. So I made “even more realistic” rules. Eventually my standards were so low even I realized they were unworkable. And I still wasn’t keeping them!

When I returned to faith I knew my own limitations but still expected Jesus to help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,⁵ my obedience to the law, that is. He wouldn’t help me do that. He helped me to believe my own experience and Paul’s writing instead: by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight,⁶ since through the law comes knowledge of sin.⁷ Only then was I ready to receive the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21-26 ESV).

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all (πάντας) who believe. For there is no distinction [Table]: for all (πάντες) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus [Table].

Here πάντας is clearly limited by τοὺς πιστεύοντας (ESV: who believe). Of all the sinners who have ever lived on earth only those who believe have the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.⁸ And since the total number of sinners is equal to the total number of people except for Jesus Christ, of all the other people who have ever lived on earth only those who believe are justified by [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.⁹ That’s where I began my own journey, so that’s where I’ll begin here.

Given my history, that was a heavy burden for my faith to bear. I should point out that πιστεύοντας (ESV: believe) is in the present tense, which has a now and forever aspect to it. Jesus warned his disciples (Matthew 24:9-14 ESV):

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

For a while, I relied on my faith to accomplish all of this, believing my faith was faith in Jesus Christ¹⁰ despite the fact that He wouldn’t help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law.¹¹ I had noticed that the word in in the phrase faith in Jesus Christ was not actually a preposition in Greek: πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ. I even questioned why the genitive case was translated faith in Jesus Christ when of would have been a more normal translation. Still, the faith of Jesus Christ didn’t resonate with me until Peter’s stroll on the Sea of Galilee rocked my world. After that I wanted “to depend on Jesus’ faith. He has the faith to stand on the water and hold Peter up as well.”¹² Then I heard (Romans 3:21-24 NET):

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed—namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all (πάντας) who believe. For there is no distinction [Table], for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

A lengthy note (27) in the NET explained the translators’ choice for πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ, the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Though a “decision is difficult here” and “the grammar is not decisive,” my own experience of Jesus’ faithfulness was sufficient to persuade me that the one who wrote, I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,¹³ would encourage sinners to believe in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ rather than faith in Jesus Christ, to rely wholly on Him rather than some ephemeral thing they conjure in their own minds.

The next three occurrences of πάντας follow (Romans 5:12-21 ESV).

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all (πάντας) men because all (πάντες) sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam [Genesis 3:1-24], who was a type of the one who was to come [Table].

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all (πάντας) men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all (πάντας) men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The first occurrence of πάντας here is limited by men (ἀνθρώπους, a form of ἄνθρωπος), human beings created male and female rather than ἄνδρας (a form of ἀνήρ), men as distinct from women or boys. But the point is that death spread to all (πάντας) people because all (πάντες) sinned.¹⁴

It’s in this light that I want to consider Paul’s usage of forms of the adjective πολύς (Romans 5:15b ESV).

For if many (πολλοὶ, a form of πολύς) died through one man’s trespass, much (πολλῷ, another form of πολύς) more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many (πολλοὺς, another form of πολύς).

The first many was οἱ (a form of ὁ) πολλοὶ, and can be legitimately translated “these many” or “those many,” referring back to all (πάντας): For if [these] many died through one man’s trespass. The next clause is related to the first one by πολλῷ μᾶλλον, much more (ESV). So, the second clause grows much more from the first: much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. The Greek words translated for many were εἰς τοὺς πολλοὺς, which could legitimately be translated “for these many” or “for those many,” referring immediately back to οἱ πολλοὶ (“these many” or “those many”) who died (ἀπέθανον, a form of ἀποθνήσκω).

I think the cleverness of the usage of forms of πολύς here is directly attributable to Paul’s knowledge that though Jesus died He was exempt from the all (πάντες) who sinned, and though Enoch and Elijah sinned, they were exempt from the all (πάντας) who died. But I seriously doubt that Paul or the Holy Spirit considered that the many (τοὺς πολλοὺς) for whom the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded was a quantity significantly less than the many (οἱ πολλοὶ) who died through one man’s trespass.

The next occurrence of πάντας was also limited by men: Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all (πάντας) men.¹⁵ Here, too, men was ἀνθρώπους not ἄνδρας. This is a reference to all people, even Jesus: For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become¹⁶ the righteousness of God.¹⁷

And the next occurrence of πάντας is like the previous one: so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all (πάντας) men.¹⁸ It’s a fairly straightforward statement for any who have ears to hear. Granted, those who believe in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ may find it easier to hear than those who believe in faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul switched from πάντας to the adjective πολλοὶ again to continue his discussion: For as by the one man’s disobedience the many (οἱ πολλοί) were made sinners.¹⁹ “These many” or “those many” who were made sinners refers back to the all for whom one trespass led to condemnation. I’m assuming οἱ πολλοί gave Paul and the Holy Spirit the latitude to exclude Jesus from the category sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ). The next clause continues: so by the one man’s obedience the many (οἱ πολλοί) will be made righteous,²⁰ the same many who were made sinners.

And again, this is easier to hear if one believes it will be accomplished by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ rather than by faith in Jesus Christ. Though God made (ἐποίησεν) him to be sin, I assume that οἱ πολλοί gave Paul and the Holy Spirit the latitude to exempt Jesus from any necessity of being made (κατασταθήσονται) righteous in the future.

The last two occurrences of πάντας that I’ll consider in this essay follow (Romans 11:29-32 ESV):

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all (τοὺς πάντας) to disobedience, that he may have mercy²¹ on all (τοὺς πάντας).

Here τοὺς πάντας could be legitimately translated “these all” or “those all.” This reminds me of a snowball gaining mass and momentum as it rolls downhill. If God shows mercy to someone as disobedient as I have been, it only gives Him more latitude to show mercy to someone as disobedient as you have been, and on, and on, and on, and on. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, Jesus said, will draw all people to myself.²²

This exercise, however, has made it quite clear to me that all of these things are easier to hear if one believes in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. They are almost impossible to hear if one believes faith in Christ is the personal achievement that justifies one before God.

The table mentioned above follows.

Occurrences of πάντας in Romans
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Romans 3:9	προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ ῞Ελληνας πάντας ὑφ᾿ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι	For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
Romans 3:22	δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως \|Ἰησοῦ\| Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας	the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
Romans 5:12	οὕτως εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὁ θάνατος διῆλθεν	so death spread to all men
Romans 5:18	ὡς δι᾿ ἑνὸς παραπτώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς κατάκριμα	as one trespass led to condemnation for all men
Romans 5:18	οὕτως καὶ δι᾿ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς δικαίωσιν ζωῆς	so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for fall men.
Romans 10:12	πλουτῶν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους αὐτόν	bestowing his riches on all who call on him
Romans 11:32	συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν	For God has consigned all to disobedience
Romans 11:32	ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ	that he may have mercy on all.
Romans 16:15	τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους	the brothers who are with them.
Romans 16:19	ὑμῶν ὑπακοὴ εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο	your obedience is known to all

Christianity, Part 11

Back to Who Am I? Part 16

Back to Christianity, Part 15

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 2

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Romans 3:22b, 23 (ESV)

³ Who Am I? Part 3

⁴ Romans, Part 73

⁵ Philippians 3:9a (ESV)

⁶ Greek Comparison Table

⁷ Romans 3:20 (ESV)

⁸ Romans 3:22a (ESV) Table

⁹ Romans 3:24 (ESV)

¹⁰ Romans 3:22b (ESV) Table

¹¹ Philippians 3:9a (ESV)

¹² Romans, Part 17

¹³ Galatians 2:20a (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 5:12b (ESV)

¹⁵ Romans 5:18a (ESV)

¹⁶ Both γινωμεθα (Stephanus Textus Receptus) and γενώμεθα (NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text) are 1^st person plural verbs in the subjunctive mood, hence the translation we might become (ESV). But this is a result clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action,” Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions).

¹⁷ 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Romans 5:18b (ESV)

¹⁹ Romans 5:19a (ESV)

²⁰ Romans 5:19b (ESV)

²¹ The Greek word translated he may have mercy was ἐλεήσῃ, a 3^rd person singular form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood. This is, however, a result or purpose clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action,” Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions).

²² John 12:32 (ESV)

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Posted on February 26, 2023 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration of God’s love for Satan revealed in the book of Job: the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) allowed Satan to carry out his scientific experiment on Job, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.¹ Satan had a hypothesis why Job feared God, and a test for that hypothesis. But when the experiment was over Job didn’t curse God to his face as Satan’s test had predicted (Job 1:20-22 NET).

Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground [Table]. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” [Table] In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety [Table].

This result effectively falsified Satan’s hypothesis.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:4, 5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:4, 5 (NET)	Job 2:4, 5 (NETS)	Job 2:4, 5 (English Elpenor)
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life (נַפְשֽׁוֹ).	But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life (nep̄eš, נפשו).	Then the slanderer continued and said to the Lord, “Skin for skin; whatever a person has he will use to pay for his life (τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ).	And the devil answered and said to the Lord, Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life (τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ).
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse (יְבָֽרְכֶֽךָּ) thee to thy face	But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse (bāraḵ, יברכך) you to your face!”	However, stretch out your hand, and touch his bones and his flesh; surely he will bless (εὐλογήσει) you to your face!”	Nay, but put forth thine hand, and touch his bones and his flesh: verily he will bless (εὐλογήσει) thee to [thy] face.

In other words, Satan rejected the conclusion that his hypothesis was false. He said he would have gotten the result he desired, if not for the Lord’s arbitrary condition placed on his test. The Lord had said to Satan (Job 1:12b NET [Table]):

All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!

The Lord (יהוה) didn’t debate the merits of the scientific method with Satan:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:6 (NET)	Job 2:6 (NETS)	Job 2:6 (English Elpenor)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life (נַפְשׁ֖וֹ).	So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life (nep̄eš, נפשו).”	Then the Lord said to the slanderer, “Very well, I am handing him over to you; only spare his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ).”	And the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I deliver him up to thee; only save his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ).

The Lord’s love, kindness and patience toward Satan is, frankly, a bit perplexing to me here. Is it simply who He is because God is love?² Was He demonstrating his superiority? Was He leading Satan to repentance? Or was He goading Satan to store up wrath for [himself] in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed?³

I also admit to being confused about Satan’s hypothesis at this point: Is it for nothing that Job fears God? [Table] Have you not made a hedge around him⁴ [Table] to shield him from disease? It seems even less likely to me now that Satan was conducting a scientific experiment to ascertain why/how Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.⁵ I’m thinking that Satan just wanted Job to curse God.

I, on the other hand, am more interested in how Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil⁶ even when Satan by the Lord’s leave took everything from him. The Lord’s confidence to continue with Satan’s charade encourages me that I’m on the right track with the idea that Job believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it as righteousness to him.⁷ The Lord’s confidence to continue with Satan’s test didn’t come from his faith in Job, but from his faith in the life-transforming power of his own credited righteousness.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:7, 8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:7, 8 (NET)	Job 2:7, 8 (NETS)	Job 2:7, 8 (English Elpenor)
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.	So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.	So the slanderer went out from the Lord, and he struck Iob with a grievous festering sore from his feet to his head.	So the devil went out from the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from [his] feet to [his] head.
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.	Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.	And he took a potsherd, so that he could scrape away the pus, and sat on the rubbish heap outside the city.	And he took a potsherd to scrape away the discharge, and sat upon a dung-heap outside the city.

Job’s wife seemed to have an uncanny grasp of the situation, even more so because her advice seems more in line with Satan’s reasoning than the Lord’s.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:9 (NET)	Job 2:9 (NETS)	Job 2:9 (English Elpenor)
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.	Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”	Then after a long time had passed, his wife said to him, “How long will you persist and say, ‘Look, I will hang on a little longer, while I wait for the hope of my deliverance?’ For look, your legacy has vanished from the earth—sons and daughters, my womb’s birth pangs and labors, for whom I wearied myself with hardships in vain. And you? You sit in the refuse of worms as you spend the night in the open air. As for me, I am one that wanders about and a hired servant—from place to place and house to house, waiting for when the sun will set, so I can rest from the distresses and griefs that now beset me. Now say some word to the Lord and die!”	And when much time had passed, his wife said to him, How long wilt thou hold out, saying, 9α Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance? 9β for, behold, thy memorial is abolished from the earth, [even thy] sons and daughters, the pangs and pains of my womb which I bore in vain with sorrows; 9γ and thou thyself sittest down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms, 9δ and I am a wanderer and a servant from place to place and house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labours and my pangs which now beset me: but say some word against the Lord, and die.

If I thought this was contemporary fiction I might go off on a feminist rant about misogyny and the patriarchy. Though I do think the literary form of Job is drama, I believe the story is true. But as drama, Job’s wife is the first everyman character one encounters. She reacts more like what Satan claimed to expect from his scientific experiment on Job, not because she is female but because she is human. I say “claimed” because Satan (Septuagint: ὁ διάβολος) is a liar.

I’m becoming more and more convinced that Satan already knew that Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil⁸ because Job believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it as righteousness to him.⁹ Satan already knew, even if he held onto some vague hope, that because of the power of the Lord’s credited righteousness there was nothing he could do to cause Job to curse God. Satan’s actual intent was to baffle us with misdirection, and to terrorize us with all he would do to us if we believed the Lord and the Lord credited it as righteousness to us.

Job’s wife sounds like Satan because everyman is from [their] father the devil, and [we] want to do what [our] father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature because he is a liar and the father of lies.¹⁰

That everyman is from [their] father the devil is a point for everyman to concede to Jesus, the shut door at the entrance to the kingdom of God, and the light that will highlight our inner devil all too clearly. God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am,¹¹ is the key to open the shut door that is Jesus, the light of the world.

Did the rabbis who translated the Septuagint add words to Job’s wife’s soliloquy to make her more sympathetic? Or did the editors of the Masoretic text delete them to make her more direct? I’m favoring the latter here because in the Masoretic text Job’s wife quotes the Lord almost verbatim even as she sounds more like Satan:

Job 2:3 (NET) The Lord	Job 2:9 (NET) Job’s Wife
he still (ʿôḏ, ועדנו) holds firmly (ḥāzaq, מחזיק) to his integrity (tummâ, בתמתו)	Are you still (ʿôḏ, עדך) holding firmly (ḥāzaq, מחזיק) to your integrity (tummâ, בתמתך)?

Here is a comparison of the Greek in the Septuagint for contrast:

Job 2:3 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Job 2:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)	Job 2:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔτι δὲ ἔχεται ἀκακίας	ἔτι δὲ ἔχετε ἀκακίας	μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων	μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων
Job 2:3 (NETS)	Job 2:3 (English Elpenor)	Job 2:9 (NETS)	Job 2:9 (English Elpenor)
And he still maintains his innocence	and he yet cleaves to innocence	How long will you persist and say	How long wilt thou hold out, saying

Quoting the Lord verbatim is a clever synopsis that cuts immediately to the point. But the longer version of her speech seems more like a wife’s anguish watching her husband suffer, as well as her own anguish as long as he lives and she is not free to marry again. All this demonstrates perhaps is that the rabbis wrote better fiction. But I have faith that the story is true, and the Greek of the Septuagint seems much less like Job’s wife was privy to the Lord’s words verbatim.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:10 (NET)	Job 2:10 (NETS)	Job 2:10 (English Elpenor)
But [Job] said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil (הָרָ֖ע)? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.	But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil (raʿ, הרע)?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.	But Iob looked up and said to her, “You have spoken like one of the foolish women. If we received the good things from the Lord’s hand, shall we not bear the bad (τὰ κακὰ)?” In all these things that happened to him Iob did not sin at all with his lips before God.	But he looked on her, and said to her, Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. If we have received good things of the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things (τὰ κακὰ)? In all these things that happened to him, Job sinned not at all with his lips before God.

In one sense, Job’s faith sounds naive. He accepts what has happened to him as evil from the hand of God (Septuagint: of the Lord, Κυρίου). He seems oblivious to Satan’s part in any of it. I wondered briefly whether Job thought of Satan as one of the gods. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint seem to have anticipated that question and answered it in the negative by translating האלהים (‘ĕlōhîm) Κυρίου here rather than θεοῦ. But Job’s theology was absolutely correct since Satan could do nothing without the Lord’s permission.

Job’s wife, especially in the Masoretic text, seems to believe that Job’s blamelessness is a personal achievement, a righteousness derived from law: Job still holds firmly to his integrity. But Job’s acceptance of both good and evil from the hand of the Lord sounds more to me like the fruit of a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness¹² so many years before the Word became flesh and took up residence among us.¹³

The Lord boasts about Job: There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.¹⁴ The Lord has every right to boast. Job’s righteousness is the Lord’s handiwork. Job does not boast: The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!¹⁵ What do you have that you did not receive? Paul wrote the Corinthians. And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?¹⁶ He also wrote to the Romans: Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?¹⁷

Satan doesn’t appear again in the book of Job except by proxy in his influence over natural born human beings. I want to continue to study the book of Job in another essay series, but here I’ll sum up a bit. This side excursion into the book of Job began for me with a question: Who did Jesus command, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”¹⁸

The narrative is quite clear that Jesus spoke to Judas Iscariot. But right before Jesus spoke those words, John also made it clear that Satan (ὁ σατανᾶς) had entered into Judas. In the book of Job Satan needed the Lord’s permission to do anything to Job. Was, What you are about to do, do quickly, Jesus’ permission? I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again, Jesus said. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will (ἐμαυτοῦ). I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.¹⁹

“It’s difficult to say that He was speaking to both: ποίησον is singular. But was He speaking to Satan/Judas, a unitary singular, at that moment?”²⁰ Then Satan entered into him²¹ (τότε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς ἐκεῖνον ὁ σατανᾶς) seems to be something more than You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires.²² And now I wonder if that “ something more” exempts Judas somehow from all people Jesus will draw to Himself if or when He was crucified.²³

Tables comparing Job 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9 and 2:10 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9 and 2:10 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 2:4 (Tanakh)	Job 2:4 (KJV)	Job 2:4 (NET)
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.	And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.	But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life.

Job 2:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ διάβολος εἶπεν τῷ κυρίῳ δέρμα ὑπὲρ δέρματος ὅσα ὑπάρχει ἀνθρώπῳ ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκτείσει	ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ διάβολος εἶπε τῷ Κυρίῳ· δέρμα ὑπὲρ δέρματος· καὶ πάντα, ὅσα ὑπάρχει ἀνθρώπῳ, ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκτίσει
Job 2:4 (NETS)	Job 2:4 (English Elpenor)
Then the slanderer continued and said to the Lord, “Skin for skin; whatever a person has he will use to pay for his life.	And the devil answered and said to the Lord, Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life.

Job 2:5 (Tanakh)	Job 2:5 (KJV)	Job 2:5 (NET)
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face	But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.	But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”

Job 2:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ ἀποστείλας τὴν χεῗρά σου ἅψαι τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ εἰ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει	οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ ἀποστείλας τὴν χεῖρά σου ἅψαι τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ· ἦ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει
Job 2:5 (NETS)	Job 2:5 (English Elpenor)
However, stretch out your hand, and touch his bones and his flesh; surely he will bless you to your face!”	Nay, but put forth thine hand, and touch his bones and his flesh: verily he will bless thee to [thy] face.

Job 2:6 (Tanakh)	Job 2:6 (KJV)	Job 2:6 (NET)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.	And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.	So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life.”

Job 2:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ ἰδοὺ παραδίδωμί σοι αὐτόν μόνον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ διαφύλαξον	εἶπε δὲ ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· ἰδοὺ παραδίδωμί σοι αὐτόν, μόνον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ διαφύλαξον
Job 2:6 (NETS)	Job 2:6 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to the slanderer, “Very well, I am handing him over to you; only spare his life.”	And the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I deliver him up to thee; only save his life.

Job 2:7 (Tanakh)	Job 2:7 (KJV)	Job 2:7 (NET)
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.	So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.	So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

Job 2:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξῆλθεν δὲ ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἔπαισεν τὸν Ιωβ ἕλκει πονηρῷ ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς	᾿Εξῆλθε δὲ ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου καὶ ἔπαισε τὸν ᾿Ιὼβ ἕλκει πονηρῷ ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς
Job 2:7 (NETS)	Job 2:7 (English Elpenor)
So the slanderer went out from the Lord, and he struck Iob with a grievous festering sore from his feet to his head.	So the devil went out from the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from [his] feet to [his] head.

Job 2:8 (Tanakh)	Job 2:8 (KJV)	Job 2:8 (NET)
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.	And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.	Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.

Job 2:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔλαβεν ὄστρακον ἵνα τὸν ἰχῶρα ξύῃ καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας ἔξω τῆς πόλεως	καὶ ἔλαβεν ὄστρακον, ἵνα τὸν ἰχῶρα ξύῃ, καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας ἔξω τῆς πόλεως
Job 2:8 (NETS)	Job 2:8 (English Elpenor)
And he took a potsherd, so that he could scrape away the pus, and sat on the rubbish heap outside the city.	And he took a potsherd to scrape away the discharge, and sat upon a dung-heap outside the city.

Job 2:9 (Tanakh)	Job 2:9 (KJV)	Job 2:9 (NET)
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.	Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.	Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”

Job 2:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
χρόνου δὲ πολλοῦ προβεβηκότος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων	Χρόνου δὲ πολλοῦ προβεβηκότος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ· μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων· 9α ἰδοὺ ἀναμένω χρόνον ἔτι μικρὸν προσδεχόμενος τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας μου; 9β ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἠφάνισταί σου τὸ μνημόσυνον ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, υἱοὶ καὶ θυγατέρες, ἐμῆς κοιλίας ὠδῖνες καὶ πόνοι, οὓς εἰς τὸ κενὸν ἐκοπίασα μετὰ μόχθων· 9γ σύ τε αὐτὸς ἐν σαπρίᾳ σκωλήκων κάθησαι διανυκτερεύων αἴθριος, 9δ κἀγὼ πλανῆτις καὶ λάτρις, τόπον ἐκ τόπου περιερχομένη καὶ οἰκίαν ἐξ οἰκίας, προσδεχομένη τὸν ἥλιον πότε δύσεται, ἵνα ἀναπαύσωμαι τῶν μόχθων μου καὶ τῶν ὀδυνῶν, αἵ με νῦν συνέχουσιν· ἀλλὰ εἰπόν τι ῥῆμα πρὸς Κύριον καὶ τελεύτα
Job 2:9 (NETS)	Job 2:9 (English Elpenor)
Then after a long time had passed, his wife said to him, “How long will you persist and say, ‘Look, I will hang on a little longer, while I wait for the hope of my deliverance?’ For look, your legacy has vanished from the earth—sons and daughters, my womb’s birth pangs and labors, for whom I wearied myself with hardships in vain. And you? You sit in the refuse of worms as you spend the night in the open air. As for me, I am one that wanders about and a hired servant—from place to place and house to house, waiting for when the sun will set, so I can rest from the distresses and griefs that now beset me. Now say some word to the Lord and die!”	And when much time had passed, his wife said to him, How long wilt thou hold out, saying, 9α Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance? 9β for, behold, thy memorial is abolished from the earth, [even thy] sons and daughters, the pangs and pains of my womb which I bore in vain with sorrows; 9γ and thou thyself sittest down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms, 9δ and I am a wanderer and a servant from place to place and house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labours and my pangs which now beset me: but say some word against the Lord, and die.

Job 2:10 (Tanakh)	Job 2:10 (KJV)	Job 2:10 (NET)
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.	But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.	But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

Job 2:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν ἐλάλησας εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς κυρίου τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποίσομεν ἐν πᾶσιν τούτοις τοῗς συμβεβηκόσιν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν Ιωβ τοῗς χείλεσιν ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ	ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας εἶπεν αὐτῇ· ἵνα τί ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν ἐλάλησας οὕτως; εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου, τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποίσομεν; ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν ᾿Ιὼβ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ
Job 2:10 (NETS)	Job 2:10 (English Elpenor)
But Iob looked up and said to her, “You have spoken like one of the foolish women. If we received the good things from the Lord’s hand, shall we not bear the bad?” In all these things that happened to him Iob did not sin at all with his lips before God.	But he looked on her, and said to her, Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. If we have received good things of the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things? In all these things that happened to him, Job sinned not at all with his lips before God.

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Back to Nothing True, Part 2

¹ Job 1:8b (NET) Table

² 1 John 4:8 (NET)

³ Romans 2:5 (NET) Table

⁴ Job 1:9b, 10a (NET)

⁵ Job 1:1b (NET) Table

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Genesis 15:6 (NET) Table

⁸ Job 1:1b (NET) Table

⁹ Genesis 15:6 (NET) Table

¹⁰ John 8:44 (NET) Table

¹¹ Luke 18:13 (NET) Table

¹² Philippians 3:9b (NET)

¹³ John 1:14a (NET)

¹⁴ Job 1:8b (NET) Table

¹⁵ Job 1:21b (NET) Table

¹⁶ 1 Corinthians 4:7b (NET)

¹⁷ Romans 8:32 (NET) Table

¹⁸ John 13:27b (NET)

¹⁹ John 10:17b, 18 (NET)

²⁰ The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 5

²¹ John 13:27a (NET)

²² John 8:44a (NET) Table

²³ John 12:32 (NET)

The Book of Life, Part 3

Posted on May 31, 2022 by admin

The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people,¹ language, and nation, and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast,² everyone whose³ name⁴ has not been written since the foundation of the world in the⁵ book of life belonging to the Lamb who⁶ was killed.⁷

This is the fullest description of the book of life so far. The Greek words translated the book were τῷ βιβλίῳ in the NET, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text. In the Stephanus Textus Receptus the feminine article τη preceded the neuter noun βιβλίῳ. That noun in the dative case was followed by a string of three articles, two nouns and a participle all in the genitive case: τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου τοῦ⁸ ἐσφαγμένου.

For the most part, the genitive is often viewed as the case of possession. In more technical terms one noun in the genitive case helps to qualify another noun by showing its “class” or “kind”.⁹

So I have: “the book of the life of the lamb of the slain,” or “the book of the slain lamb’s life.” Or if one is inclined to play games with gender: “the slain lamb’s book of life.” Once the idea is purged from my thoughts—that the Lord wrote or had a list of personal names since the foundation of the world,¹⁰ that omission from this list condemned one to be thrown into the lake of fire,¹¹ that Peter lied about the existence of this list, writing, The Lord…does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance¹²—it is easy to understand “the book of the life of the lamb of the slain” as the New Testament.

The Greek word translated slain (KJV) and who was killed (NET) was ἐσφαγμένου, a participle of the verb σφάζω: “to kill, butcher, slaughter (by cutting the throat), slay for a sacrifice; to wound, maim, torment.” This word is like a synopsis of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

John¹³ saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb (ἀμνὸς) of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one about¹⁴ whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water¹⁵ so that he could be revealed to Israel.”¹⁶

After many of his disciples quit following him (John 6:67, 68 NET):

Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” Simon Peter answered him,¹⁷ “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life (ζωῆς αἰωνίου).

If the Holy Spirit had intended for me to understand the book of life as a list of personal names He could have written τῷ ὀνοματογραφίᾳ τῆς ζωῆς. But if anyone says that Jesus’ life is described throughout the Bible, I wouldn’t be inclined to argue. I just didn’t see that for myself until I began to understand that Jesus learned this life from the Scriptures I know as the Old Testament.

First, I had to learn that Jesus expressed genuine surprise when he asked Nicodemus, Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things?¹⁸ He didn’t ridicule Nicodemus for ignorance of a novel concept that Jesus’ had made up in the moment: Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’¹⁹ Only then did I begin to recognize his life in the writings of the Old Testament.

The personal name of consequence in the slain Lamb’s book of life is not mine but Christ’s (Galatians 2:20 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is not Paul’s hyperbolic expression of his personal devotion to Christ but his declarative statement of mere Christianity. Anything, everything, less is hypocrisy, the work of an actor, one seeking to have [one’s] own righteousness derived from the law,²⁰ one rejecting the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness.²¹

He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross! As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name (ὄνομα) that is above every name (ὄνομα), so that at the name (ὀνόματι, a form of ὄνομα) of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.²²

The Greek word translated Jesus was Ἰησοῦ, a form of Ἰησοῦς. In the Septuagint Ἰησοῦ and Ἰησοῦς are the Greek name of Joshua (Exodus 17:9, 10 NET).

So Moses said to Joshua (Ἰησοῦ), “Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”

So Joshua (Ἰησοῦς) fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him, and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill [Table].

So even the name above every name has more to do with the reputation of One than his personal name. Joshua did many wonderful things, but it is not before Joshua that every knee will bow. Joshua is not the Lord that every tongue will confess because his name is Ἰησοῦς in Greek.

Another occurrence of the Lamb’s book of life follows (Revelation 21:27 NET):

but nothing ritually unclean²³ will ever enter into [the holy city, Jerusalem], nor anyone who does²⁴ what is detestable or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Again, names was added by the translators: but only those…written in the Lamb’s book of life. Here the book doesn’t seem like a literal book at all. Being written in the Lamb’s book of life sounds more like a euphemism for having a share in the Lamb’s life, for being in Christ (Philippians 3:5-11 NET):

I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless [Table]. But²⁵ these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. More than that,²⁶ I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things—indeed, I regard them as dung!—that I may gain Christ [Table] and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead [Table].

Given this, I would understand one not found written in the book of life²⁷ as a euphemism for one not in Christ. I’ll consider one more occurrence of the book of life (Revelation 20:11, 12 NET).

Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it;²⁸ the earth and the heaven fled from his presence,²⁹ and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the³⁰ great and the³¹ small, standing before the throne.³² Then books were opened,³³ and another book was opened³⁴—the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.

A note (34) in the NET acknowledged that ἄλλο βιβλίον ἠνοίχθη, ὅ ἐστιν τῆς ζωῆς is literally “another book was opened, which is of life.” I can understand these books concretely as the Bible with the New Testament which is of life highlighted: the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.³⁵

You yourselves are our letter, Paul wrote (2 Corinthians 3:2-11 NET):

written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.³⁶
Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills,³⁷ but the Spirit gives life.
But if the ministry that produced death—carved in letters on³⁸ stone tablets—came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective) [Table], how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be? For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation (κατακρίσεως, a form of κατάκρισις), how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in glory! For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it [Table]. For if what was made ineffective came with glory, how much more has what remains come in glory!

Conversely, I can understand “another book was opened, which is of life” abstractly as Christ Himself at the very moment when those whose life is hidden with Christ appear (Colossians 3:1-4 NET).

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ (who is your³⁹ life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.

I can’t understand the dead being judged by a list of personal names to which they have had no access. So the dead were judged (ἐκρίθησαν, a form of κρίνω) by what was written in the books, according to their deeds (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον).⁴⁰ Jesus said, (John 3:16-21 ESV):

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, another form of κρίνω) the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him [Table]. Whoever believes in him is not condemned (κρίνεται, another form of κρίνω), but whoever does not believe is condemned (κέκριται, another form of κρίνω) already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment (κρίσις): the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) have been carried out (εἰργασμένα, a form of ἐργάζομαι) in God.”

For many live, Paul wrote, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears (Philippians 3:18-21 NET):

I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven—and we also eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself [Table].

Does Jesus’ power (ἐνέργειαν, a form of ἐνέργεια; KJV: working) by which he is able to subject all things to himself extend to the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things⁴¹? I tend to answer this question in the affirmative because I remember when I believed none of it. I remember what “living” was like when I was written in the book of the slain Lamb’s life in these negative terms.

Tables comparing Exodus 17:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 17:9 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Revelation 13:7, 8; John 1:29-31; 6:68; Revelation 21:27; Philippians 3:7; Revelation 20:11, 12; 2 Corinthians 3:3; 3:6 and Colossians 3:4 in the NET and KJV follow.

Exodus 17:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:9 (KJV)	Exodus 17:9 (NET)
And Moses said unto Joshua: ‘Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of G-d in my hand.’	And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.	So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”

Exodus 17:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπίλεξον σεαυτῷ ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς καὶ ἐξελθὼν παράταξαι τῷ Αμαληκ αὔριον καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ βουνοῦ καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῇ χειρί μου	εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς τῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ· ἐπίλεξον σεαυτῷ ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς καὶ ἐξελθὼν παράταξαι τῷ ᾿Αμαλὴκ αὔριον, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ βουνοῦ, καὶ ἡ ράβδος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ χειρί μου
Exodus 17:9 (NETS)	Exodus 17:9 (English Elpenor)
iAnd Moyses said to Iesous, “Choose for yourself capable men, and go forth, and set up in battle array with Amalek tomorrow. And look, I stand on top of the hill, and the rod of God is in my hand.”	And Moses said to Joshua, Choose out for thyself mighty men, and go forth and set the army in array against Amalec to-morrow; and, behold, I [shall] stand on the top of the hill, and the rod of God [will be] in my hand.

Revelation 13:7, 8 (NET)	Revelation 13:7, 8 (KJV)
The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation,	And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
\|καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι πόλεμον μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ νικῆσαι αὐτούς,\| καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἐξουσία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν φυλὴν καὶ λαὸν καὶ γλῶσσαν καὶ ἔθνος	και εδοθη αυτω πολεμον ποιησαι μετα των αγιων και νικησαι αυτους και εδοθη αυτω εξουσια επι πασαν φυλην και γλωσσαν και εθνος	και εδοθη αυτω ποιησαι πολεμον μετα των αγιων και νικησαι αυτους και εδοθη αυτω εξουσια επι πασαν φυλην και λαον και γλωσσαν και εθνος

and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed.

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οὗ οὐ γέγραπται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου τοῦ ἐσφαγμένου ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου	και προσκυνησουσιν αυτω παντες οι κατοικουντες επι της γης ων ου γεγραπται τα ονοματα εν τη βιβλω της ζωης του αρνιου εσφαγμενου απο καταβολης κοσμου	και προσκυνησουσιν αυτω παντες οι κατοικουντες επι της γης ων ου γεγραπται το ονομα εν τω βιβλιω της ζωης του αρνιου του εσφαγμενου απο καταβολης κοσμου

John 1:29-31 (NET)	John 1:29-31 (KJV)
On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!	The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Τῇ ἐπαύριον βλέπει τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει· ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου	τη επαυριον βλεπει ο ιωαννης τον ιησουν ερχομενον προς αυτον και λεγει ιδε ο αμνος του θεου ο αιρων την αμαρτιαν του κοσμου	τη επαυριον βλεπει ο ιωαννης τον ιησουν ερχομενον προς αυτον και λεγει ιδε ο αμνος του θεου ο αιρων την αμαρτιαν του κοσμου

This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὗτος ἐστιν ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον· ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεται ἀνὴρ ὃς ἔμπροσθεν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτος μου ἦν	ουτος εστιν περι ου εγω ειπον οπισω μου ερχεται ανηρ ος εμπροσθεν μου γεγονεν οτι πρωτος μου ην	ουτος εστιν περι ου εγω ειπον οπισω μου ερχεται ανηρ ος εμπροσθεν μου γεγονεν οτι πρωτος μου ην

I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.”

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν, ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθον ἐγὼ ἐν ὕδατι βαπτίζων	καγω ουκ ηδειν αυτον αλλ ινα φανερωθη τω ισραηλ δια τουτο ηλθον εγω εν τω υδατι βαπτιζων	καγω ουκ ηδειν αυτον αλλ ινα φανερωθη τω ισραηλ δια τουτο ηλθον εγω εν τω υδατι βαπτιζων

John 6:68 (NET)	John 6:68 (KJV)
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.	Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος· κύριε, πρὸς τίνα ἀπελευσόμεθα; ρήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις	απεκριθη ουν αυτω σιμων πετρος κυριε προς τινα απελευσομεθα ρηματα ζωης αιωνιου εχεις	απεκριθη ουν αυτω σιμων πετρος κυριε προς τινα απελευσομεθα ρηματα ζωης αιωνιου εχεις

Revelation 21:27 (NET)	Revelation 21:27 (KJV)
but nothing ritually unclean will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.	And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς αὐτὴν πᾶν κοινὸν καὶ [ὁ] ποιῶν βδέλυγμα καὶ ψεῦδος εἰ μὴ οἱ γεγραμμένοι ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου	και ου μη εισελθη εις αυτην παν κοινουν και ποιουν βδελυγμα και ψευδος ει μη οι γεγραμμενοι εν τω βιβλιω της ζωης του αρνιου	και ου μη εισελθη εις αυτην παν κοινον και ποιουν βδελυγμα και ψευδος ει μη οι γεγραμμενοι εν τω βιβλιω της ζωης του αρνιου

Philippians 3:7 (NET)	Philippians 3:7 (KJV)
But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.	But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
[Ἀλλὰ] ἅτινα ἦν μοι κέρδη, ταῦτα ἥγημαι διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ζημίαν	αλλ ατινα ην μοι κερδη ταυτα ηγημαι δια τον χριστον ζημιαν	αλλ ατινα ην μοι κερδη ταυτα ηγημαι δια τον χριστον ζημιαν

Revelation 20:11, 12 (NET)	Revelation 20:11, 12 (KJV)
Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.	And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Καὶ εἶδον θρόνον μέγαν λευκὸν καὶ τὸν καθήμενον ἐπ᾿ \|αὐτόν\|, οὗ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου ἔφυγεν ἡ γῆ καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ τόπος οὐχ εὑρέθη αὐτοῖς	και ειδον θρονον λευκον μεγαν και τον καθημενον επ αυτου ου απο προσωπου εφυγεν η γη και ο ουρανος και τοπος ουχ ευρεθη αυτοις	και ειδον θρονον μεγαν λευκον και τον καθημενον επ αυτον ου απο προσωπου εφυγεν η γη και ο ουρανος και τοπος ουχ ευρεθη αυτοις

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ εἶδον τοὺς νεκρούς, τοὺς μεγάλους καὶ τοὺς μικρούς, ἑστῶτας ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου. καὶ βιβλία ἠνοίχθησαν, καὶ ἄλλο βιβλίον ἠνοίχθη, ὅ ἐστιν τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ ἐκρίθησαν οἱ νεκροὶ ἐκ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τοῖς βιβλίοις κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν	και ειδον τους νεκρους μικρους και μεγαλους εστωτας ενωπιον του θεου και βιβλια ηνεωχθησαν και βιβλιον αλλο ηνεωχθη ο εστιν της ζωης και εκριθησαν οι νεκροι εκ των γεγραμμενων εν τοις βιβλιοις κατα τα εργα αυτων	και ειδον τους νεκρους τους μεγαλους και τους μικρους εστωτας ενωπιον του θρονου και βιβλια ηνεωχθησαν και αλλο βιβλιον ηνεωχθη ο εστιν της ζωης και εκριθησαν οι νεκροι εκ των γεγραμμενων εν τοις βιβλιοις κατα τα εργα αυτων

2 Corinthians 3:3 (NET)	2 Corinthians 3:3 (KJV)
revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.	Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
φανερούμενοι ὅτι ἐστὲ ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφ᾿ ἡμῶν, ἐγγεγραμμένη οὐ μέλανι ἀλλὰ πνεύματι θεοῦ ζῶντος, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν λιθίναις ἀλλ᾿ ἐν πλαξὶν καρδίαις σαρκίναις	φανερουμενοι οτι εστε επιστολη χριστου διακονηθεισα υφ ημων εγγεγραμμενη ου μελανι αλλα πνευματι θεου ζωντος ουκ εν πλαξιν λιθιναις αλλ εν πλαξιν καρδιας σαρκιναις	φανερουμενοι οτι εστε επιστολη χριστου διακονηθεισα υφ ημων εγγεγραμμενη ου μελανι αλλα πνευματι θεου ζωντος ουκ εν πλαξιν λιθιναις αλλ εν πλαξιν καρδιαις σαρκιναις

2 Corinthians 3:6 (NET)	2 Corinthians 3:6 (KJV)
who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.	Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ γράμμα \|ἀποκτέννει\|, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ	ος και ικανωσεν ημας διακονους καινης διαθηκης ου γραμματος αλλα πνευματος το γαρ γραμμα αποκτεινει το δε πνευμα ζωοποιει	ος και ικανωσεν ημας διακονους καινης διαθηκης ου γραμματος αλλα πνευματος το γαρ γραμμα αποκτενει το δε πνευμα ζωοποιει

Colossians 3:4 (NET)	Colossians 3:4 (KJV)
When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.	When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ (ἡ ζωὴ \|ὑμῶν\|), τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ	οταν ο χριστος φανερωθη η ζωη ημων τοτε και υμεις συν αυτω φανερωθησεσθε εν δοξη	οταν ο χριστος φανερωθη η ζωη ημων τοτε και υμεις συν αυτω φανερωθησεσθε εν δοξη

Back to Christianity, Part 6

Back to Who Am I? Part 16

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 1

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 2

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 3

¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had καὶ λαὸν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτὸν here in the accusative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω in the dative case (KJV: him).

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the singular οὗ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural ων.

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the singular τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ (literally: the name of him) here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had τὸ ὄνομα, and the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the plural τα ονοματα (KJV: names).

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the masculine or neuter article τῷ preceding book, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the feminine article τη.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τοῦ in the genitive case preceding was killed. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

⁷ Revelation 13:7, 8 (NET)

⁸ This article τοῦ is not found in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

⁹ GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions), Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

¹⁰ Revelation 17:8 (NET) Table

¹¹ Revelation 20:15 (NET) Table

¹² 2 Peter 3:9 (NET) Table

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο ιωαννης here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑπὲρ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had περι (KJV: of).

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

¹⁶ John 1:29-31 (NET)

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Then) preceding him. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ John 3:10 (NET) Table

¹⁹ John 3:7 (NET)

²⁰ Philippians 3:9a (NET)

²¹ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

²² Philippians 2:8-11 (NET)

²³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had an adjective κοινὸν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had a participle κοινουν (KJV: that defileth).

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὁ ποιῶν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ποιουν (KJV: worketh).

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text had Ἀλλὰ here, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byantine Majority Text had Ἀλλ’.

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had μενοῦνγε here, where the Byantine Majority Text had μεν ουν.

²⁷ Revelation 20:15a (NET)

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had αὐτόν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had αυτου.

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article τοῦ preceding presence (KJV: face). The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τοὺς preceding great. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τοὺς preceding small. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

³² The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had θρόνου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had θεου (KJV: God).

³³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἠνοίχθησαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηνεωχθησαν.

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἠνοίχθη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηνεωχθη.

³⁵ Revelation 20:12b (NET)

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural καρδίαις in the dative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the singular καρδιας in the genitive case (KJV: of the heart).

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀποκτέννει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had αποκτεινει (KJV: killeth), and the Byzantine Majority Text had αποκτενει.

³⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν preceding stone. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑμῶν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ημων (KJV: our).

⁴⁰ Revelation 20:12b (NET)

⁴¹ Philippians 3:18b, 19 (KJV)

Psalm 22, Part 6

Posted on November 15, 2020 by admin

This is a continuing look into Psalm 22 as the music in Jesus’ heart as He endured the cross.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 22:14a (Tanakh)	Psalm 22:14a (NET)	Psalm 21:15a (NETS)	Psalm 21:15a (Elpenor English)
I am poured out like water,	My strength drains away like water [Note 31: like water I am poured out];	Like water I was poured out,	I am poured out like water,

The Hebrew word translated I am poured out was נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֘ (shaphak). The Greek word in the Septuagint was ἐξεχύθην (a form of ἐκχέω). Jesus taught his disciples:

Matthew 26:27, 28 (NET)	Mark 14:23, 24 (NET)	Luke 22:20 (NET)
And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you,	And after taking the^[1] cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.	And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out (ἐκχυννόμενον) for you^[2] is the new covenant in my blood.
for this is my blood, the blood of the^[3] covenant,^[4] that is poured out (ἐκχυννόμενον) for many for the forgiveness of sins.	He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the^[5] covenant,^[6] that is poured out (ἐκχυννόμενον) for^[7] many.

Here, too, the Greek word translated poured out was ἐκχυννόμενον (another form of ἐκχέω). On the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on all who believed Jesus, Peter quoted the prophet Joel:

Acts 2:17 (NET)	Joel 2:28 (NETS)	Joel 3:1 (English Elpenor)
‘And in the last days it will be,’ God says, ‘that I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ) my Spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.	And it shall be after these things, I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ)^[8] my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.	And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ) of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
Acts 2:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Joel 2:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, λέγει ὁ θεός, ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται	καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται	ΚΑΙ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται
Acts 2:18 (NET)	Joel 2:29 (NETS)	Joel 3:2 (English Elpenor)
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ) my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.	Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ)^[9] my spirit.	And on my servants and on [my] handmaids in those days will I pour out (ἐκχεῶ) of my Spirit.
Acts 2:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Joel 2:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καί γε ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν	καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου	καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου

Peter’s addition of γε (translated even) understood as at least, and the potential addition of μου (depending on which version of the Septuagint is closer to the original Greek and which Greek is closer to the original Hebrew), indicates to me that the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was limited in Peter’s then present to believers—limited to my (e.g., God’s) servants or slaves (δούλους, a form of δοῦλος, and δούλας, a form of δούλη). Jesus told his disciples, “you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves (δοῦλοι, another form of δοῦλος) undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”^[10]

The religious mind as “a subspecies of the carnal mind” will not hear this saying. It rejects such a concept entirely as it strives to justify itself by having its own righteousness derived from the law or Church doctrine or whatever virtue system it might imagine for itself. The religious mind craves credit and praise for its own standards and achievements of righteousness. I think the phrase slaves undeserving of special praise (δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοι; KJV: unprofitable servants) was Jesus’ way of expressing the attitude of those led by the Spirit of God. Paul described it a bit differently (Galatians 2:19-21 NET):

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

What you have done (ποιήσητε, a form of ποιέω) when you have done everything as a disciple of Christ led by his Holy Spirit is not your work (Hebrews 4:1-13) but Christ’s: the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.^[11] The one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.^[12]

This Jesus God raised up, Peter continued on the day the Holy Spirit was poured out upon believers, and we are all witnesses of it. So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out (ἐξέχεεν, another form of ἐκχεῶ) what you both see and hear [Table].^[13]

The phrase what you both see and hear was a reference to what happened when the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers (Acts 2:4-12 NET):

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem [Table]. When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? [Table] And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” [Table]

Peter was also first to preach the Gospel to Gentiles (Acts 10:34b-48a NET):

I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people [Table], but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news (εὐαγγελιζόμενος, a form of εὐαγγελίζω) of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)—you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: with respect to Jesus from Nazareth,^[14] that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good (εὐεργετῶν, a form of εὐεργετέω) and healing all who were oppressed by the devil because God was with him. We are^[15] witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed^[16] him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him up on^[17] the third day and caused him to be seen, not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he^[18] is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had accompanied^[19] Peter were greatly astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out (ἐκκέχυται, another form of ἐκχέω) even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said [Table], “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” So he gave orders to have them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ [Table].

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere I have never spoken in tongues. I receive God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control from his Holy Spirit. Paul wrote: And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out (ἐκκέχυται, another form of ἐκχέω) in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.^[20]

A note (6) in the NET acknowledged the possibility that this love of God (ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ) means: “The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” I will testify to this actuality, and add that the love that comes from God and that produces our love for God and others has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.^[21]

Paul wrote to Titus (Titus 3:3-7 NET):

For we, too, were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another. But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that^[22] we have done but on the basis of his mercy,^[23] through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out (ἐξέχεεν, another form of ἐκχέω) on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become^[24] heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.”

After Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirit,^[25] one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately.^[26] I’ve heard the physical explanation of this flow of blood and water many times. A quote from an article on compellingTruth online—“When Jesus was pierced, why did blood and water come out of His side?”—follows:

Crucifixion typically resulted in death through one of two ways. The first way was hypovolemic shock. The prolonged rapid heartbeat resulting from hypovolemic shock can cause fluid to gather in the area around the heart….

The second way death often occurred during crucifixion was due to asphyxiation….This…can also result in the buildup of fluid around the heart.

I didn’t grasp the symbolic significance of blood and water (αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ) until I did this study of what poured out of Jesus: his blood for the forgiveness of sins and the water near to his heart, his Holy Spirit, for the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe.^[27] As He promised the Samaritan woman at the well: whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water (ὕδωρ) that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.^[28]

I am poured out like water, Jesus sang in his heart as He died on the cross.

Tables comparing Psalm 22:14; Joel 2:28 (3:1) and 2:29 (3:2) in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Psalm 22:14 (21:15); Joel 2:28 (3:1) and 2:29 (3:2) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:23, 24; Acts 2:18; 10:38-40; 10:42; 10:45; Titus 3:5; 3:7 and John 19:34 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 22:14 (Tanakh)	Psalm 22:14 (KJV)	Psalm 22:14 (NET)
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.	I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.	My strength drains away like water; all my bones are dislocated. My heart is like wax; it melts away inside me.

Psalm 22:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 21:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡσεὶ ὕδωρ ἐξεχύθην καὶ διεσκορπίσθη πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία μου ὡσεὶ κηρὸς τηκόμενος ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου	ὡσεὶ ὕδωρ ἐξεχύθην, καὶ διεσκορπίσθη πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου, ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία μου ὡσεὶ κηρὸς τηκόμενος ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου
Psalm 21:15 (NETS)	Psalm 21:15 (English Elpenor)
Like water I was poured out, and all my bones were scattered; my heart became like wax melting within my belly;	I am poured out like water, and all my bones are loosened: my heart in the midst of my belly is become like melting wax.

Joel 3:1 (Tanakh)	Joel 2:28 (KJV)	Joel 2:28 (NET)
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions;	And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:	“After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will have prophetic dreams; your young men will see visions.

Joel 2:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται	ΚΑΙ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται
Joel 2:28 (NETS)	Joel 3:1 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be after these things, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.	And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

Joel 3:2 (Tanakh)	Joel 2:29 (KJV)	Joel 2:29 (NET)
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit.	And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.	Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Joel 2:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου	καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου
Joel 2:29 (NETS)	Joel 3:2 (English Elpenor)
Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.	And on my servants and on [my] handmaids in those days will I pour out of my Spirit.

Matthew 26:28 (NET)	Matthew 26:28 (KJV)
for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.	For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ αἷμα μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυννόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν	τουτο γαρ εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων	τουτο γαρ εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων

Mark 14:23, 24 (NET)	Mark 14:23, 24 (KJV)
And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.	And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ λαβὼν ποτήριον εὐχαριστήσας ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἔπιον ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες	και λαβων το ποτηριον ευχαριστησας εδωκεν αυτοις και επιον εξ αυτου παντες	και λαβων το ποτηριον ευχαριστησας εδωκεν αυτοις και επιον εξ αυτου παντες

He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ αἷμα μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ ἐκχυννόμενον ὑπὲρ πολλῶν	και ειπεν αυτοις τουτο εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον	και ειπεν αυτοις τουτο εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον

Acts 2:18 (NET)	Acts 2:18 (KJV)
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.	And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καί γε ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν	και γε επι τους δουλους μου και επι τας δουλας μου εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις εκχεω απο του πνευματος μου και προφητευσουσιν	καιγε επι τους δουλους μου και επι τας δουλας μου εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις εκχεω απο του πνευματος μου και προφητευσουσιν

Acts 10:38-40 (NET)	Acts 10:38-40 (KJV)
with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil because God was with him.	How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέθ, ὡς ἔχρισεν αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ δυνάμει, ὃς διῆλθεν εὐεργετῶν καὶ ἰώμενος πάντας τοὺς καταδυναστευομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ	ιησουν τον απο ναζαρετ ως εχρισεν αυτον ο θεος πνευματι αγιω και δυναμει ος διηλθεν ευεργετων και ιωμενος παντας τους καταδυναστευομενους υπο του διαβολου οτι ο θεος ην μετ αυτου	ιησουν τον απο ναζαρετ ως εχρισεν αυτον ο θεος πνευματι αγιω και δυναμει ος διηλθεν ευεργετων και ιωμενος παντας τους καταδυναστευομενους υπο του διαβολου οτι ο θεος ην μετ αυτου

We are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,

And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἡμεῖς μάρτυρες πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν ἔν τε τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ [ἐν] Ἰερουσαλήμ. ὃν καὶ ἀνεῖλαν κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου	και ημεις εσμεν μαρτυρες παντων ων εποιησεν εν τε τη χωρα των ιουδαιων και εν ιερουσαλημ ον ανειλον κρεμασαντες επι ξυλου	και ημεις εσμεν μαρτυρες παντων ων εποιησεν εν τε τη χωρα των ιουδαιων και εν ιερουσαλημ ον και ανειλον κρεμασαντες επι ξυλου

but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,

Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἤγειρεν [ἐν] τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν ἐμφανῆ γενέσθαι	τουτον ο θεος ηγειρεν τη τριτη ημερα και εδωκεν αυτον εμφανη γενεσθαι	τουτον ο θεος ηγειρεν τη τριτη ημερα και εδωκεν αυτον εμφανη γενεσθαι

Acts 10:42 (NET)	Acts 10:42 (KJV)
He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.	And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ παρήγγειλεν ἡμῖν κηρύξαι τῷ λαῷ καὶ διαμαρτύρασθαι ὅτι οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ ὡρισμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κριτὴς ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν	και παρηγγειλεν ημιν κηρυξαι τω λαω και διαμαρτυρασθαι οτι αυτος εστιν ο ωρισμενος υπο του θεου κριτης ζωντων και νεκρων	και παρηγγειλεν ημιν κηρυξαι τω λαω και διαμαρτυρασθαι οτι αυτος εστιν ο ωρισμενος υπο του θεου κριτης ζωντων και νεκρων

Acts 10:45 (NET)	Acts 10:45 (KJV)
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,	And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστοὶ \|ὅσοι\| συνῆλθαν τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἡ δωρεὰ τοῦ \|ἁγίου\| πνεύματος ἐκκέχυται	και εξεστησαν οι εκ περιτομης πιστοι οσοι συνηλθον τω πετρω οτι και επι τα εθνη η δωρεα του αγιου πνευματος εκκεχυται	και εξεστησαν οι εκ περιτομης πιστοι οσοι συνηλθον τω πετρω οτι και επι τα εθνη η δωρεα του αγιου πνευματος εκκεχυται

Titus 3:5 (NET)	Titus 3:5 (KJV)
he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,	Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων τῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ἃ ἐποιήσαμεν ἡμεῖς ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως πνεύματος ἁγίου	ουκ εξ εργων των εν δικαιοσυνη ων εποιησαμεν ημεις αλλα κατα τον αυτου ελεον εσωσεν ημας δια λουτρου παλιγγενεσιας και ανακαινωσεως πνευματος αγιου	ουκ εξ εργων των εν δικαιοσυνη ων εποιησαμεν ημεις αλλα κατα τον αυτου ελεον εσωσεν ημας δια λουτρου παλιγγενεσιας και ανακαινωσεως πνευματος αγιου

Titus 3:7 (NET)	Titus 3:7 (KJV)
And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.”	That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἵνα δικαιωθέντες τῇ ἐκείνου χάριτι κληρονόμοι γενηθῶμεν κατ᾿ ἐλπίδα ζωῆς αἰωνίου	ινα δικαιωθεντες τη εκεινου χαριτι κληρονομοι γενωμεθα κατ ελπιδα ζωης αιωνιου	ινα δικαιωθεντες τη εκεινου χαριτι κληρονομοι γενωμεθα κατ ελπιδα ζωης αιωνιου

John 19:34 (NET)	John 19:34 (KJV)
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately.	But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλ᾿ εἷς τῶν στρατιωτῶν λόγχῃ αὐτοῦ τὴν πλευρὰν ἔνυξεν, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εὐθὺς αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ	αλλ εις των στρατιωτων λογχη αυτου την πλευραν ενυξεν και ευθυς εξηλθεν αιμα και υδωρ	αλλ εις των στρατιωτων λογχη αυτου την πλευραν ενυξεν και ευθεως εξηλθεν αιμα και υδωρ

Psalm 22, Part 7

Back to Forgiveness and My Religious Mind

Back to Psalm 22, Part 8

Back to Funeral, Part 2

Back to The New Covenant, Part 1

Back to Christianity, Part 6

Back to Luke 8:22-56

^[1] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[2] The word order in Greek is: 1) τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον (This cup); 2) ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη (the new covenant); 3) ἐν τῷ αἵματι μου (in my blood); 4) τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐκχυννόμενον (that is poured out for you). Neither my Greek nor my King James English is subtle enough to know if This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you (KJV) means This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood (NET). They sound substantially different to my ear. The KJV translators have mimicked the Greek word order better than the NET translators.

^[3] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding the article τῆς. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[4] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καινης (KJV: new) preceding covenant (KJV: testament). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[5] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding the article τῆς. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[6] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καινης (KJV: new) preceding covenant (KJV: testament). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[7] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑπὲρ here where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had περι.

^[8] The Hebrew word in the Masoretic text was אֶשְׁפּ֚וֹךְ (shaphak, שָׁפַךְ) another form of the word נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֘ translated I am poured out in Psalm 22:14.

^[9] The Hebrew word in the Masoretic text was אֶשְׁפּ֖וֹךְ (shaphak, שָׁפַךְ) another form of the word נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֘ translated I am poured out in Psalm 22:14.

^[10] Luke 17:10 (NET) The Greek word translated duty was ὠφείλομεν (a form of ὀφείλω): we have only done what what was owed to God in Christ. Owe (ὀφείλετε, another form of ὀφείλω) no one anything, Paul wrote, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law (Romans 13:8 NET).

^[11] Philippians 3:9b (NET)

^[12] John 3:21 (NET)

^[13] Acts 2:32, 33 (NET)

^[14] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ναζαρέθ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ναζαρετ.

^[15] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb εσμεν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[16] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνεῖλαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανειλον (KJV: they slew).

^[17] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[18] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὗτος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτος.

^[19] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had συνῆλθαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συνηλθον (KJV: came with).

^[20] Romans 5:5 (NET)

^[21] Romans 11:36 (NET)

^[22] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ων (KJV: which).