Psalm 22, Part 13

This is a continuing look into Psalm 22 as the music in Jesus’ heart as He endured the cross. The tone of the psalm seems to change abruptly.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Psalm 22:22 (Tanakh/KJV)

Psalm 22:22 (NET)

Psalm 21:23 (NETS)

Psalm 21:23 (English Elpenor)

I will declare thy name unto my brethren (לְאֶחָ֑י): in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. I will declare your name to my countrymen (‘āḥ, לאחי). In the middle of the assembly I will praise you. I will tell of your name to my kindred (τοῗς ἀδελφοῗς μου); in the midst of an assembly I will sing a hymn to you: I will declare thy name to my brethren (τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου): in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee.

The Hebrew word translated my brethren (Tanakh, KJV) and my countrymen (NET) was לְאֶחָ֑י (‘āḥ). It was translated τοῗς ἀδελφοῗς μου (BLB) and τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου (Elpenor) in the Septuagint.

For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, and so he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters (ἀδελφοὺς, a form of ἀδελφός), saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers (ἀδελφοῖς, another form of ἀδελφός); in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.”1

Paul wrote (Romans 8:28, 29 NET):

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (ἀδελφοῖς, another form of ἀδελφός).

And Matthew wrote (Matthew 28:1-10 NET):

Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary2 Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and3 rolled away the stone4 and sat on it. His appearance5 was like lightning, and his clothes were white as6 snow. The guards were shaken and became7 like8 dead men because they were so afraid of him. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he9 was lying. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you!” So they left10 the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. But11 Jesus12 met13 them, saying, “Greetings!” They came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”14

Then go quickly and tell his disciples (τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ), the angel said. It was accurate and descriptive. The women knew who he meant. They ran to tell his disciples (τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ), Matthew wrote. In the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text Matthew repeated one more time: And as they went to tell his disciples (τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ), behold, Jesus met them.15 But Jesus said, Go and tell my brothers (τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου).

This was before the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost. This is when I might have imagined some kind of reprimand or rebuke. Granted, Jesus actually believed the Scripture that said, “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’16 He was probably less likely to reprove his disciples for their “failure” to man up and disobey this Scripture than my misplaced pride and ego would be.

Of course, He didn’t call his disciples my brothers (τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου) because of anything they had done, but because of what He had faithfully accomplished for them on the cross. There appears to have been some confusion about what happened that morning (Mark 16:8-11 NET):

Then [Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome] went out and ran from the tomb, for17 terror and bewilderment had seized them. And they said18 nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Early on the first day of the week, after he arose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons. She went out and told those who were with him, while they were mourning19 and weeping. And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

Luke added (Luke 24:8-12 NET):

Then the women remembered [Jesus’] words, and when they returned from the tomb, they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the20 mother of James, and the other women with them who21 told these things to the apostles. But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down and saw only the strips of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened [Table].

John filled in many of the details (John 20:1-17 NET):

Now very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. So she went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Then Peter and the other disciple set out to go to the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon22 Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, and the face cloth, which had been around Jesus’ head, not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, came in, and he saw and believed. (For they did not yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.)

So the disciples went back to their homes.23 But Mary stood outside the tomb24 weeping. As she wept, she bent down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Mary replied, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!” When25 she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.26

Jesus27 said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Because she thought he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him.” Jesus28 said to her, “Mary.”29 She turned and said to him in Aramaic,30 “Rabboni” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus31 replied, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my32 Father. Go to my brothers (τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου) and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father (τὸν πατέρα μου) and your Father (πατέρα ὑμῶν), to my God and your God.’”

I pause here to highlight that Jesus called his disciples my brothers (τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου). Beyond this he called God my Father (τὸν πατέρα μου) and your Father (πατέρα ὑμῶν). This is quite different from what He said to those Judeans who had believed him:33 You people are from your father the devil (ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου), and you want to do what your father (τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν) desires.34 Here, too, it is not because of anything his disciples had done but what Jesus had accomplished for them on the cross.

John continued (John 20:18-22 NET):

Mary35 Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have seen36 the Lord!” And she told them what Jesus had said to her.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together and locked the doors of the place because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord [Table]. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

I pause here to highlight how Jesus reprised the scene from creation when the Lord God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.37 So also it is written, Paul contrasted these events, “The first man, Adam, became a living person”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.38

John continued, quoting Jesus (John 20:23 NET):

If you forgive (ἀφῆτε, a form of ἀφίημι) anyone’s sins, they are forgiven (ἀφέωνται); if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.”

Jesus taught us to pray: and forgive (ἄφες) us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven (ἀφήκαμεν, another form of ἀφίημι) our debtors.39 Then He explained: For if you forgive (ἀφῆτε, a form of ἀφίημι) others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive (ἀφήσει, another form of ἀφίημι) you. But if you do not forgive (ἀφῆτε, a form of ἀφίημι) others, your Father will not forgive (ἀφήσει, another form of ἀφίημι) you your sins [Table].40

John continued (John 20:24-29 NET):

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came [Table]. The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!”

Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.” Thomas41 replied to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me?42 Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Mark wrote (Mark 16:14 NET):

Then43 he appeared to the Eleven themselves, while they were eating, and he rebuked (ὠνείδισεν, a form of ὀνειδίζω) them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him resurrected.

I’ve heard that Peter was the source for Mark’s Gospel account. It is interesting to consider that Peter, who did not make any mental connection to Jesus’ teaching when he entered the empty tomb, recalled Jesus’ rebuke for unbelief while John, who believed when he entered the empty tomb, illustrated the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,44 showing how often Jesus intervened with personal appearances to cause his unbelieving brothers to believe.

Likewise, only Mark’s Gospel reveals that the women said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.45 This was presumably before they encountered Jesus and left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.46 Putting these accounts together helps me see that Jesus’ love for his female brothers who came early that Sunday morning to the tomb was the same. He didn’t wait around for his brothers to meet Him in Galilee: “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”47 Going to Galilee to meet Jesus was not the act that defined Jesus’ brothers.

Jesus spoke the words, “my brothers,” and made it so, overwhelming their unbelief (even Mary Magdalene came at the appointed time seeking a corpse rather than a living God) with his presence. And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,48 Paul wrote. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, Jesus promised, will draw all people to myself.49

Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NET):

Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters (ἀδελφοί, another form of ἀδελφός), the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures [Table], and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep [Table]. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but50 the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, this is the way we preach and this is the way you believed.

A table comparing the Greek of Hebrews 2:12 and that of Psalm 22:22 (21:23) in the Septuagint follows:

Hebrews 2:12 (NET Parallel Greek)

Psalm 22:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 21:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀπαγγελῶ τὸ ὄνομα σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε διηγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῗς ἀδελφοῗς μου ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε διηγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε

Hebrews 2:12 (NET)

Psalm 21:23 (NETS)

Psalm 21:23 (English Elpenor)

I will proclaim your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you. I will tell of your name to my kindred; in the midst of an assembly I will sing a hymn to you: I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee.

A table comparing the Greek of Matthew 26:31b and that of Zechariah 13:7 in the Septuagint follows:

Matthew 26:31b (NET Parallel Greek)

Zechariah 13:7b (Septuagint BLB)

Zechariah 13:7b (Septuagint Elpenor)

πατάξω τὸν ποιμένα, καὶ διασκορπισθήσονται τὰ πρόβατα τῆς ποίμνης πατάξατε τοὺς ποιμένας καὶ ἐκσπάσατε τὰ πρόβατα πατάξατε τοὺς ποιμένας καὶ ἐκσπάσατε τὰ πρόβατα

Matthew 26:31b (NET)

Zechariah 13:7b (NETS)

Zechariah 13:7b (English Elpenor)

I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. Smite the shepherds, and remove the sheep smite the shepherds, and draw out the sheep

Tables comparing Psalm 22:22 and Zechariah 13:7 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 22:22 (21:23) and Zechariah 13:7 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 28:1-4; 28:6; 28:8-10; Mark 16:8; 16:10; Luke 24:10; John 20:6; 20:10, 11; 20:14-17; 20:18; 20:28, 29; Mark 16:14 and 1 Corinthians 15:10 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 22:22 (Tanakh)

Psalm 22:22 (KJV)

Psalm 22:22 (NET)

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. I will declare your name to my countrymen. In the middle of the assembly I will praise you.

Psalm 22:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 21:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)

διηγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῗς ἀδελφοῗς μου ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε διηγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε

Psalm 21:23 (NETS)

Psalm 21:23 (English Elpenor)

I will tell of your name to my kindred; in the midst of an assembly I will sing a hymn to you: I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee.

Zechariah 13:7 (Tanakh)

Zechariah 13:7 (KJV)

Zechariah 13:7 (NET)

Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Strike the shepherd that the flock may be scattered; I will turn my hand against the insignificant ones.

Zechariah 13:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Zechariah 13:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ῥομφαία ἐξεγέρθητι ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιμένας μου καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἄνδρα πολίτην μου λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ πατάξατε τοὺς ποιμένας καὶ ἐκσπάσατε τὰ πρόβατα καὶ ἐπάξω τὴν χεῗρά μου ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιμένας Ῥομφαία ἐξεγέρθητι ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιμένας μου καὶ ἐπὶ ἄνδρα πολίτην μου, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ· πατάξατε τοὺς ποιμένας καὶ ἐκσπάσατε τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ἐπάξω τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιμένας

Zechariah 13:7 (NETS)

Zechariah 13:7 (English Elpenor)

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherds and against his fellow citizen,” says the Lord Almighty. Smite the shepherds, and remove the sheep, and I will bring my hand against the shepherds. Awake, O sword, against my shepherds, and against the man [who is] my citizen, saith the Lord Almighty: smite the shepherds, and draw out the sheep: and I will bring mine hand upon the little ones.

Matthew 28:1-4 (NET)

Matthew 28:1-4 (KJV)

Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων, τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων ἦλθεν |Μαριὰμ| ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον οψε δε σαββατων τη επιφωσκουση εις μιαν σαββατων ηλθεν μαρια η μαγδαληνη και η αλλη μαρια θεωρησαι τον ταφον οψε δε σαββατων τη επιφωσκουση εις μιαν σαββατων ηλθεν μαρια η μαγδαληνη και η αλλη μαρια θεωρησαι τον ταφον
Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας· ἄγγελος γὰρ κυρίου καταβὰς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ προσελθὼν ἀπεκύλισεν τὸν λίθον καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ και ιδου σεισμος εγενετο μεγας αγγελος γαρ κυριου καταβας εξ ουρανου προσελθων απεκυλισεν τον λιθον απο της θυρας και εκαθητο επανω αυτου και ιδου σεισμος εγενετο μεγας αγγελος γαρ κυριου καταβας εξ ουρανου προσελθων απεκυλισεν τον λιθον απο της θυρας και εκαθητο επανω αυτου
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἦν δὲ ἡ εἰδέα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀστραπὴ καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ λευκὸν ὡς χιών ην δε η ιδεα αυτου ως αστραπη και το ενδυμα αυτου λευκον ωσει χιων ην δε η ιδεα αυτου ως αστραπη και το ενδυμα αυτου λευκον ωσει χιων
The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ ἐσείσθησαν οἱ τηροῦντες καὶ ἐγενήθησαν ὡς νεκροί απο δε του φοβου αυτου εσεισθησαν οι τηρουντες και εγενοντο ωσει νεκροι απο δε του φοβου αυτου εσεισθησαν οι τηρουντες και εγενοντο ωσει νεκροι

Matthew 28:6 (NET)

Matthew 28:6 (KJV)

He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἠγέρθη γὰρ καθὼς εἶπεν· δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο ουκ εστιν ωδε ηγερθη γαρ καθως ειπεν δευτε ιδετε τον τοπον οπου εκειτο ο κυριος ουκ εστιν ωδε ηγερθη γαρ καθως ειπεν δευτε ιδετε τον τοπον οπου εκειτο ο κυριος

Matthew 28:8-10 (NET)

Matthew 28:8-10 (KJV)

So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Καὶ ἀπελθοῦσαι ταχὺ ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου μετὰ φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς μεγάλης ἔδραμον ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ και εξελθουσαι ταχυ απο του μνημειου μετα φοβου και χαρας μεγαλης εδραμον απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου και εξελθουσαι ταχυ απο του μνημειου μετα φοβου και χαρας μεγαλης εδραμον απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου
But Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἰησοῦς ὑπήντησεν αὐταῖς λέγων· χαίρετε. αἱ δὲ προσελθοῦσαι ἐκράτησαν αὐτοῦ τοὺς πόδας καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ ως δε επορευοντο απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου και ιδου ο ιησους απηντησεν αυταις λεγων χαιρετε αι δε προσελθουσαι εκρατησαν αυτου τους ποδας και προσεκυνησαν αυτω ως δε επορευοντο απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου και ιδου ιησους απηντησεν αυταις λεγων χαιρετε αι δε προσελθουσαι εκρατησαν αυτου τους ποδας και προσεκυνησαν αυτω
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.” Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

τότε λέγει αὐταῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ὑπάγετε ἀπαγγείλατε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου ἵνα ἀπέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, κακεῖ με ὄψονται τοτε λεγει αυταις ο ιησους μη φοβεισθε υπαγετε απαγγειλατε τοις αδελφοις μου ινα απελθωσιν εις την γαλιλαιαν κακει με οψονται τοτε λεγει αυταις ο ιησους μη φοβεισθε υπαγετε απαγγειλατε τοις αδελφοις μου ινα απελθωσιν εις την γαλιλαιαν και εκει με οψονται

Mark 16:8 (NET)

Mark 16:8 (KJV)

Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαι ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, εἶχεν γὰρ αὐτὰς τρόμος καὶ ἔκστασις· καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπαν· ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ και εξελθουσαι ταχυ εφυγον απο του μνημειου ειχεν δε αυτας τρομος και εκστασις και ουδενι ουδεν ειπον εφοβουντο γαρ και εξελθουσαι εφυγον απο του μνημειου ειχεν δε αυτας τρομος και εκστασις και ουδενι ουδεν ειπον εφοβουντο γαρ

Mark 16:10 (NET)

Mark 16:10 (KJV)

She went out and told those who were with him, while they were mourning and weeping. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἐκείνη πορευθεῖσα ἀπήγγειλεν τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ γενομένοις πενθοῦσι καὶ κλαίουσιν εκεινη πορευθεισα απηγγειλεν τοις μετ αυτου γενομενοις πενθουσιν και κλαιουσιν εκεινη πορευθεισα απηγγειλεν τοις μετ αυτου γενομενοις πενθουσιν και κλαιουσιν

Luke 24:10 (NET)

Luke 24:10 (KJV)

Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἦσαν δὲ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ Μαρία καὶ Ἰωάννα καὶ Μαρία Ἰακώβου καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ σὺν αὐταῖς. ἔλεγον πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ταῦτα ησαν δε η μαγδαληνη μαρια και ιωαννα και μαρια ιακωβου και αι λοιπαι συν αυταις αι ελεγον προς τους αποστολους ταυτα ησαν δε η μαγδαληνη μαρια και ιωαννα και μαρια η ιακωβου και αι λοιπαι συν αυταις αι ελεγον προς τους αποστολους ταυτα

John 20:6 (NET)

John 20:6 (KJV)

Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἔρχεται οὖν καὶ Σίμων Πέτρος ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα ερχεται ουν σιμων πετρος ακολουθων αυτω και εισηλθεν εις το μνημειον και θεωρει τα οθονια κειμενα ερχεται ουν σιμων πετρος ακολουθων αυτω και εισηλθεν εις το μνημειον και θεωρει τα οθονια κειμενα

John 20:10, 11 (NET)

John 20:10, 11 (KJV)

So the disciples went back to their homes. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἀπῆλθον οὖν πάλιν πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί απηλθον ουν παλιν προς εαυτους οι μαθηται απηλθον ουν παλιν προς εαυτους οι μαθηται
But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent down and looked into the tomb. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τῷ μνημείῳ ἔξω κλαίουσα. ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιεν, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον μαρια δε ειστηκει προς το μνημειον κλαιουσα εξω ως ουν εκλαιεν παρεκυψεν εις το μνημειον μαρια δε ειστηκει προς το μνημειον κλαιουσα εξω ως ουν εκλαιεν παρεκυψεν εις το μνημειον

John 20:14-17 (NET)

John 20:14-17 (KJV)

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν και ταυτα ειπουσα εστραφη εις τα οπισω και θεωρει τον ιησουν εστωτα και ουκ ηδει οτι ο ιησους εστιν και ταυτα ειπουσα εστραφη εις τα οπισω και θεωρει τον ιησουν εστωτα και ουκ ηδει οτι ιησους εστιν
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Because she thought he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him.” Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει αὐτῇ Ἰησοῦς· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρός ἐστιν λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν, καγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ λεγει αυτη ο ιησους γυναι τι κλαιεις τινα ζητεις εκεινη δοκουσα οτι ο κηπουρος εστιν λεγει αυτω κυριε ει συ εβαστασας αυτον ειπε μοι που αυτον εθηκας καγω αυτον αρω λεγει αυτη ο ιησους γυναι τι κλαιεις τινα ζητεις εκεινη δοκουσα οτι ο κηπουρος εστιν λεγει αυτω κυριε ει συ εβαστασας αυτον ειπε μοι που εθηκας αυτον καγω αυτον αρω
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει αὐτῇ Ἰησοῦς· Μαριάμ. στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ Ἑβραϊστί· ραββουνι (ὃ λέγεται διδάσκαλε). λεγει αυτη ο ιησους μαρια στραφεισα εκεινη λεγει αυτω ραββουνι ο λεγεται διδασκαλε λεγει αυτη ο ιησους μαρια στραφεισα εκεινη λεγει αυτω ραββουνι ο λεγεται διδασκαλε
Jesus replied, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει αὐτῇ Ἰησοῦς· μή μου ἅπτου, οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα· πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν καὶ θεόν μου καὶ θεὸν ὑμῶν λεγει αυτη ο ιησους μη μου απτου ουπω γαρ αναβεβηκα προς τον πατερα μου πορευου δε προς τους αδελφους μου και ειπε αυτοις αναβαινω προς τον πατερα μου και πατερα υμων και θεον μου και θεον υμων λεγει αυτη ο ιησους μη μου απτου ουπω γαρ αναβεβηκα προς τον πατερα μου πορευου δε προς τους αδελφους μου και ειπε αυτοις αναβαινω προς τον πατερα μου και πατερα υμων και θεον μου και θεον υμων

John 20:18 (NET)

John 20:18 (KJV)

Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what Jesus had said to her. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἔρχεται Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακα τὸν κύριον, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ ερχεται μαρια η μαγδαληνη απαγγελλουσα τοις μαθηταις οτι εωρακεν τον κυριον και ταυτα ειπεν αυτη ερχεται μαρια η μαγδαληνη απαγγελλουσα τοις μαθηταις οτι εωρακεν τον κυριον και ταυτα ειπεν αυτη

John 20:28, 29 (NET)

John 20:28, 29 (KJV)

Thomas replied to him, “My Lord and my God!” And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὁ κύριος μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου και απεκριθη ο θωμας και ειπεν αυτω ο κυριος μου και ο θεος μου και απεκριθη θωμας και ειπεν αυτω ο κυριος μου και ο θεος μου
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει αὐτῷ |ὁ| Ἰησοῦς· ὅτι ἑώρακας με πεπίστευκας; μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες λεγει αυτω ο ιησους οτι εωρακας με θωμα πεπιστευκας μακαριοι οι μη ιδοντες και πιστευσαντες λεγει αυτω ο ιησους οτι εωρακας με πεπιστευκας μακαριοι οι μη ιδοντες και πιστευσαντες

Mark 16:14 (NET)

Mark 16:14 (KJV)

Then he appeared to the Eleven themselves, while they were eating, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him resurrected. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

῞Υστερον [δὲ] ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη καὶ ὠνείδισεν τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν υστερον ανακειμενοις αυτοις τοις ενδεκα εφανερωθη και ωνειδισεν την απιστιαν αυτων και σκληροκαρδιαν οτι τοις θεασαμενοις αυτον εγηγερμενον ουκ επιστευσαν υστερον ανακειμενοις αυτοις τοις ενδεκα εφανερωθη και ωνειδισεν την απιστιαν αυτων και σκληροκαρδιαν οτι τοις θεασαμενοις αυτον εγηγερμενον ουκ επιστευσαν

1 Corinthians 15:10 (NET)

1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV)

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God with me. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

χάριτι δὲ θεοῦ εἰμι ὅ εἰμι, καὶ ἡ χάρις αὐτοῦ ἡ εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη, ἀλλὰ περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα, οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ ἀλλὰ ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ [ἡ] σὺν ἐμοί χαριτι δε θεου ειμι ο ειμι και η χαρις αυτου η εις εμε ου κενη εγενηθη αλλα περισσοτερον αυτων παντων εκοπιασα ουκ εγω δε αλλ η χαρις του θεου η συν εμοι χαριτι δε θεου ειμι ο ειμι και η χαρις αυτου η εις εμε ου κενη εγενηθη αλλα περισσοτερον αυτων παντων εκοπιασα ουκ εγω δε αλλ η χαρις του θεου η συν εμοι

1 Hebrews 2:10-12 (NET)

3 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καὶ preceding came. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

4 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απο της θυρας (KJV: from the door) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

5 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἰδέα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιδεα (KJV: countenance).

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὡς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ωσει (KJV: as).

9 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο κυριος (KJV: the Lord) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

11 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ως δε επορευοντο απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου (KJV: And as they went to tell his disciples) preceding but (KJV: behold). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

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

13 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὑπήντησεν (a form of ὑπαντάω) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απηντησεν.

15 Matthew 28:9a (KJV)

16 Matthew 26:31b (NET) Table

20 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had the article preceding mother of James. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

21 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αι (KJV: which) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

22 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καὶ (not translated in the NET) preceding Simon. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

23 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had αὐτοὺς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτους (KJV: their own home).

25 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

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

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

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

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

33 John 8:31a (NET)

34 John 8:44a (NET) Table

36 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἑώρακα in the 1st person here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εωρακεν (KJV: she had seen) in the 3rd person. The conjunction ὅτι, which preceded both ἑώρακα and εωρακεν, was treated as an introduction to “a direct speech (In English, it is not translated except by quotation marks)” in the NET and was translated that in the KJV.

37 Genesis 2:7 (NET) Table

38 1 Corinthians 15:45 (NET)

39 Matthew 6:12 (NET) Table

40 Matthew 6:14, 15 (NET)

41 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not. The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο preceding Thomas. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

42 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had θωμα (KJV: Thomas) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

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

44 Ephesians 3:19 (NET)

45 Mark 16:8b (NET)

46 Matthew 28:8 (NET)

47 Matthew 28:10 (NET)

48 Romans 8:28 (NET)

49 John 12:32 (NET)

Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 3

The movie Spotlight is named after a team of investigative journalists at the Boston Globe.  They pierce a smokescreen of secrecy—fueled by police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, businessmen, civil servants, their own bosses and colleagues, even their own subconscious desires to protect the reputation of the Catholic Church—to shine a spotlight on priests’ abuse of children, both sexual and spiritual, in articles published in 2002.  There are spoilers here.  Though the film is based on actual events and people, I’m writing about characters in a movie, including the Catholic Church.

The scope of investigative journalist Mike Rezendes’ (Mark Ruffalo) research is broadened by phone conversations with Richard Sipe (Richard Jenkins – voice only), a psychiatrist and former priest, who treated pedophile priests during the last half of the 1960’s.  I quote one of their conversations, more personal than professional.

“Richard, do you still go to mass?” Mike asks.

“No.  No, I haven’t been to church for some time now.  But I still consider myself a Catholic.”

“How does that work?”

“Well, the church is an institution, Mike, made of men.  It’s passing.  My faith is in the eternal.  I try to separate the two.”

“Sounds tricky.”

“It is,” Richard agrees.

Cardinal Law (Len Cariou) presides over a shell game in the Boston Archdiocese, moving pedophile priests from parish to parish.  A super at the end of Spotlight reads, “In December 2002, Cardinal Law resigned from the Boston Archdiocese.  He was reassigned to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, one of the highest ranking Roman Catholic churches in the world.”

The producers expect us to feel a certain way about that fact.  I want to use it to distinguish church—a not-for-profit business—from what I’ll call ἐκκλησία, those called by God through Jesus Christ to be led by his Holy Spirit.  Cardinal Law was promoted by the church.  He was a company man defending it from scandal.  Richard says: “the secretary-canonist for the papal nuncio…co-authored a report warning pedophile priests were a billion-dollar liability” sixteen years earlier than the present in the film.  But this faithfulness to the church doesn’t work out so well for the ἐκκλησία, especially the little ones Jesus mentioned (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:1, 2).

Spotlight editor Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton) threatens attorney Eric Macleish (Billy Crudup)—who profited settling child abuse cases against the Church privately—for information and confirmation: “We’ve got two stories here.  We’ve got a story about degenerate clergy, and we’ve got a story about a bunch of lawyers turning child abuse into a cottage industry.  Now, which story do you want us to write?”  Later however Robby admits regretfully:

“We had all the pieces.  Why didn’t we get it sooner?…Macleish sent us a letter on 20 priests, years ago…We buried the story in Metro.  No folo.”

“That was you,” Robby’s boss Ben Bradlee, Jr. (John Slattery) says.  “You were Metro.”

“Yeah.  That was me.  I’d just taken over.  I don’t remember it at all.  But yeah…”

Paul was concerned with both, the church and the ἐκκλησία, without distinguishing between the two.

church

ἐκκλησία

When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints?….So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church?  I say this to your shame!  Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians?  Instead, does a Christian sue a Christian, and do this before unbelievers?

1 Corinthians 6:1, 4-6 (NET)

The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated.  Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be cheated?  But you yourselves wrong and cheat, and you do this to your brothers and sisters!

1 Corinthians 6:7, 8 (NET)

His most beautiful words to the ἐκκλησία and to the church are his words on love.  In his letter to the Corinthians love was presented as one way, albeit, a way that is beyond comparison,[1] a more excellent way (KJV), a still more excellent way (ESV), a way of life that is best of all (NLV), the most excellent way (NIV), the same way Jesus preached in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:13-48 NET).  In his letter to the Romans Paul presented love as the only way (Romans 13:8-10 NET):

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Cleary, the love of natural humans will not fulfill the law.  We must all be born from above[2] through faith in Jesus Christ, dependent instead on the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe,[3] the love that is an aspect of the fruit of his Holy Spirit.  I’ll continue contrasting Paul’s regime in 1 Corinthians 5 to Jesus’ regime in Revelation 2:18-29.

Paul’s Regime

Jesus’ Regime

Your boasting is not good.  Don’t you know that a little yeast (ζύμη) affects the whole batch of dough?

1 Corinthians 5:6 (NET)

But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you.  However, hold on to what you have until I come.

Revelation 2:24, 25 (NET)

Clean out the old yeast (ζύμην, another form of ζύμη) so that you may be a new batch of dough – you are, in fact, without yeast (ἄζυμοι, a form of ἄζυμος).  For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  So then, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast (ζύμῃ, another form of ζύμη), the yeast (ζύμῃ, another form of ζύμη) of vice and evil, but with the bread without yeast (ἀζύμοις, another form of ἄζυμος), the bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 5:7, 8 (NET)

Not good your boasting (or, glorying, KJV, NKJV), Paul wrote.  The Greek word translated good is καλὸν (a form of καλός).  This is the beautiful good of Jesus’ works.  What follows is a quote from an article by George Long in William Smith’s “A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities,” defining incestum in Roman law:

If a man married a woman whom it was forbidden for him to marry by positive morality (moribus), he was said to commit incestum (Dig. 23 tit. 2 s39). Such a marriage was in fact no marriage, for the necessary connubium between the parties was wanting. Accordingly, incestum is the sexual connection of a male and a female, whether under the form of marriage or not, if such persons cannot marry by reason of consanguinity.

There was no connubium between persons related by blood in the direct line, as parents and children. If such persons contracted a marriage it was Nefariae et Incestae nuptiae. There was no connubium between persons who stood in the relation of parent and child by adoption, not even after the adopted child was emancipated.

With this in mind I would say it was the most likely meaning of the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles.[4]  A man cohabiting with his father’s wife, was against the law, Roman law as well as yehôvâh’s law.  In other words, it was a circumstance not unlike those in the movie Spotlight.  Would anyone consider the conspiratorial cover-up revealed in Spotlight a beautiful good?

Of course, now I need to consider whether turn this man over to Satan (σατανᾷ, a form of Σατανᾶς; adversary) was simply an instruction to turn him over to Roman authorities in the city of Corinth.  But I reject that notion just as quickly.  Roman authorities had no interest in the blasphemy of Hymenaeus and AlexanderI find no guilt in him,[5] Pilate said of Jesus, while the Jewish authorities had Him dead to rights for blasphemy (Matthew 26:25, Mark 14:63, Luke 22:71 NET) if He is not yehôvâh, the Son of God the Father.

Don’t you know that a little yeast (ζύμη) affects the whole batch of dough?[6]  Paul continued.  Yes, that is exactly how Jesus expected his teaching to work in and through those who are called according to his purpose:[7]  He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast (ζύμῃ) that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”[8]  To be fair Paul wasn’t writing about Jesus’ teaching.  He wrote about the yeast (ζύμῃ, another form of ζύμη) of vice and evil.  He’d already been-there-done-that as far as Jesus’ teaching was concerned.  In 1 Corinthians he was scrambling to put the toothpaste[9] back in the tube.

I need to pause to spell out what I’m actually thinking.  That is the main purpose of these essays, after all, to remind me what I was thinking as I did a particular word study.  As I worked on this one I stumbled across a website by Sherry Shriner.  She uses many of the Scriptures I use to assert that “The Apostle Paul Was A Deceiver!  He was Satan In The Flesh!  An Antichrist!”[10]  I’m not asserting that at all, only that Paul is a human being, born from above, led by the Holy Spirit, struggling at times with the sinfulness of his own flesh or with overcoming his own religion, which he characterized as my own righteousness derived from the law.[11]

More to the point here in 1 Corinthians 5 I think he struggled with 1) the repercussions of changing[12] his manner of teaching—When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony of God.  For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified[13]—and, 2) his allegiance to James’ abbreviated version of the law (Acts 15:19, 20 NET) from the Jerusalem CouncilAs [Paul, Silas and Timothy] went through the towns, they passed on the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers to obey.[14]  I think what the NET translators called a Corinthian slogan—All things are lawful for me[15]—was the logical consequence of this teaching.  I also think the Corinthians may have been the most sinful people (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NET) to be called to that time—but called they were (Acts 18:9-11 NET):

The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city” [Table].  So he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

According to Kyle Harper: “Prostitution [πορνεία; sex with “slaves, prostitutes, and concubines”] was considered a social necessity, an alternative to the violation of respectable women [μοιχεία], in the Roman Empire no less than in classical Greece.”  But “πορνεία was not a common term before Judaism and Christianity infused it with new meaning.”[16]  “Πορνεία in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs functions,” Mr. Harper continued, “as a catchall vice for any sexual transgression….Reuben was guilty of πορνεία for sleeping with Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, because his father had been in the same bed….”[17]  The thought that Paul derived his understanding of πορνεία from a book of fiction sent me to bed for a time.

When I got back to work I realized that the language of popular fiction[18] might well reflect the common word usage of a people and a time.  I realized we are not told whether the man who had his father’s wife was a Jew or proselyte who might be familiar with a usage of πορνεία that would include incestum, or a pagan more familiar with πορνεία as sex with slaves, prostitutes or concubines.  I don’t know whether Paul assumed his hearers understood the breadth of πορνεία that may have been common in Second Temple Judaism or taught it explicitly in Corinth.  I know Paul wrote a sin list in his letter to the Galatians (5:19-21a NET):

NET

Parallel Greek

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. φανερὰ δέ ἐστιν τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός, ἅτινα ἐστιν πορνεία, ἀκαθαρσία, ἀσέλγεια, εἰδωλολατρία, φαρμακεία, ἔχθραι, ἔρις, ζῆλος, θυμοί, ἐριθεῖαι, διχοστασίαι, αἱρέσεις, φθόνοι, |φόνοι,| μέθαι, κῶμοι καὶ τὰ ὅμοια τούτοις

In the Textus Receptus this list begins with μοιχεία (adultery).  But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, Jesus said, and these things defile a person.  For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality (πορνεῖαι, another form of πορνεία), theft, false testimony, slander.[19]  And, For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality (πορνεῖαι, another form of πορνεία), theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly.[20]

Jesus’ Sin Lists in Greek

Matthew 5:19

Mark 7:21, 22

διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί, φόνοι, μοιχεῖαι, πορνεῖαι, κλοπαί, ψευδομαρτυρίαι, βλασφημίαι διαλογισμοὶ οἱ κακοὶ ἐκπορεύονται, πορνεῖαι, κλοπαί, φόνοι, μοιχεῖαι, πλεονεξίαι, πονηρίαι, δόλος, ἀσέλγεια, ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός, βλασφημία, ὑπερηφανία, ἀφροσύνη

These sin lists alter the landscape considerably.  It is not possible for the words πορνείας[21] (another form of πορνεία) or πορνείαν[22] (another form of πορνεία) from James’ abbreviated version of the law to stand for every defilement that comes from the human heart, every work of the flesh.  Frankly, I think all of this happened in space and time to push Paul, the human author of so much of the New Testament commentary on the Gospel, to abandon his allegiance to this decision of the Jerusalem Council and to hear better words and gain a better understanding.  And I think these events are recorded in Scripture so that we would see how much better these words and this understanding actually are (Romans 7:7, 12; 3:19-24, 31 NET):

What shall we say then?  Is the law sin?  Absolutely not!  Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law.  For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else if the law had not said, Do not covet.”

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.  For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.  But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no distinction, 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.

Do we then nullify the law through faith?  Absolutely not!  Instead we uphold the law.

Confronted with a Corinthian man who had his father’s wife, Paul turned to Satan for help.  Confronted with pedophile priests, the Catholic Church turned to psychologists and psychiatrists.[23]  Spotlight, perhaps it is unnecessary to say, is not a movie about the amazing power of psychologists and psychiatrists to take away the sin of pedophile priests.

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away (αἴρων, a form of αἴρω) the sin of the world!”[24]

For far too long I believed that meant forgiveness only.  I didn’t believe that, Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.[25]  I didn’t believe that all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.[26]  I thought it was all up to me: my faith, my obedience, my love, my joy, my peace, my patience, my kindness, my goodness, my faithfulness, my gentleness, and my self-control.

[1] 1 Corinthians 12:31b (NET)

[2] John 3:7b (NET)

[3] Romans 3:22 (NET)

[4] 1 Corinthians 5:1b (NET) Table

[5] John 19:6b (ESV)

[6] 1 Corinthians 5:6b (NET)

[7] Romans 8:28b (NET)

[8] Matthew 13:33 (NET)

[9] Romans, Part 66; Romans, Part 68

[10] http://www.justgivemethetruth.com/paul_was_a_deceiver.htm

[11] Philippians 3:9 (NET)

[12] Paul in Corinth; Romans, Part 2; Paul in Athens

[13] 1 Corinthians 2:1, 2 (NET) Table

[14] Acts 16:4 (NET) Table

[15] 1 Corinthians 6:12a (NET)

[16] Kyle Harper: “Porneia—The Making of a Christian Sexual Norm;” Journal of Biblical Literature 131, no. 2 (2012); p. 369; “For all the importance of prostitution in Greek and Roman societies, πορνεία was not a common word.  Πορνεία occurs in only four classical authors (by contrast, the word occurs nearly four hundred times in Jewish and Christian literature before 200 c.e., and over eighteen hundred times between 200 and 600 c.e.).”  (I cannot link to this article directly, but was able to download it at academia.edu.)

[17] ibid, p. 372

[18] What lover of the Old Testament Scriptures wouldn’t want to hear the patriarchs confess their sexual sins according to the law yehôvâh delivered at Sinai so many years after the patriarchs themselves died?

[19] Matthew 15:18, 19 (NET)

[20] Mark 7:21, 22 (NET)

[21] Acts 15:20, 29 (NET)

[22] Acts 21:25 (NET)

[23] http://www.themediareport.com/2015/11/30/cardinal-law-spotlight-movie/  (I am not the “Dan” who commented on this article, by the way.  I just discovered this site researching the current essay.)

[24] John 1:29 (NET)

[25] 1 John 3:9 (NET)

[26] Romans 8:14 (NET)

Fear – Genesis, Part 8

So Judah and his brothers came back to Joseph’s house.[1]  Suddenly Judah, though not the eldest, has taken the lead in the narrative.  He and his brothers threw themselves to the ground before[2] Joseph.  We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found,[3] Judah said.  But Joseph refused: The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of you may go back to your father in peace.[4]  Then Judah, the man credited with the plan to profit from Joseph’s sale as a slave,[5] approached Joseph and related the tale of Jacob’s love for Rachel’s sons (Genesis 44:27-34 NET):

“Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons.  The first disappeared and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.”  I have not seen him since.  If you take this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair in tragedy to the grave.’  So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us – his very life is bound up in his son’s life.  When he sees the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave.  Indeed, your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’  So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy.  As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers.  For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me?  I couldn’t bear to see my father’s pain.”

Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!”[6]  Then he said to his brothers, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.[7]  What follows is one of the most beautiful expressions of forgiveness in the Bible: Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life![8]  I admit, I want to reach back in time and say to Joseph, “Next time?  Lead with that.”  But I can believe that it took some time to come to that conclusion.  Maybe he even needed to hear Judah’s changed heart before he could fully understand that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose[9]

God sent me ahead of you to preserve you on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance, Joseph continued.  So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God.[10]  As far as Joseph was concerned, Though [his brothers’ sin was] like scarlet, [the Lord had made it] as white as snow; Though [it was] red like crimson, [He had made it] as wool.[11]  Then Joseph sent his brothers home with provisions to bring their father and all their families back to Egypt.  When he heard the news, Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.  But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived.  Then Israel said, “Enough!  My son Joseph is still alive!  I will go and see him before I die.”[12]  Once again the pattern holds: Jacob was unbelieving but Israel was persuaded and ready to go.

On the journey God spoke to Jacob’s unbelief, Jacob, Jacob…I am God, the God of your father.  Do not be afraid (yârêʼ) to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.  I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there.  Joseph will close your eyes.[13]  The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose φοβοῦ (a form of φοβέω)[14] here.  Now Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing around him to hear the word of God.[15]

There were two boats onshore owned by Peter and his business partners James and John.  Jesus got into Peter’s boat and asked him to put out a little way from the shore.  Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.[16]  After He finished teaching He told Peter to put out into deeper water for a catch of fish.  Peter was tired.  He had been up all night and hadn’t caught a thing.  But he did as Jesus said.  He caught so many fish the net was tearing and he needed help from the other boat.  Peter fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”[17]  It is an odd way to react to a benefactor, but I think it illustrates the fearfulness of those born only of the flesh of Adam.

“Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ), Jesus said to him, “from now on you will be catching people.”  So when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.[18]

Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years.[19]  Then he died there with Joseph as God had promised him.  When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay us in full for all the harm we did to him?”[20]  And so, prompted by this fear, they lied and concocted the following scheme: they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave these instructions before he died: ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’  Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.”  When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept.  Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.”[21]

But Joseph’s forgiveness, offered so many years earlier, was sincere.  “Don’t be afraid (yârêʼ),” he said.  “Am I in the place of God?  As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day.  So now, don’t be afraid (yârêʼ).  I will provide for you and your little children.”  Then he consoled them and spoke kindly to them.[22]  In the Septuagint fear was φοβεῖσθε (another form of φοβέω) again.

In the previous essay I discussed Matthew 10:28-31 (NET).  Here I will simply quote it.

Do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε) of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Instead, fear (φοβεῖσθε) the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.  Even all the hairs on your head are numbered.  So do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε); you are more valuable than many sparrows.

And Jesus said to Nicodemus, I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God [Table]…What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not be amazed that I said to you, “You must all be born from above.”[23]

Fear – Exodus, Part 1

Back to Jedidiah, Part 4

Back to Jedidiah, Part 5

Back to Romans, Part 43


[1] Genesis 44:14a (NET)

[2] Genesis 44:14b (NET)

[3] Genesis 44:16b (NET)

[4] Genesis 44:17 (NET)

[6] Genesis 45:1a (NET)

[7] Genesis 45:4b

[8] Genesis 45:5 (NET)

[9] Romans 8:28 (NET)

[10] Genesis 45:7, 8a (NET)

[11] Paraphrase of Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

[12] Genesis 45:26b-28 (NET)

[13] Genesis 46:2b-4 (NET)

[15] Luke 5:1 (NET)

[16] Luke 5:3 (NET)

[17] Luke 5:8 (NET)

[18] Luke 5:10, 11 (NET)

[19] Genesis 47:28a (NET)

[20] Genesis 50:15 (NET)

[21] Genesis 50:16-18 (NET)

[22] Genesis 50:19-21 (NET)

[23] John 3:3, 6, 7 (NET)

Fear – Genesis, Part 5

I think I am safe using the word fear to describe Jacob’s prognostication that Simeon and Levi…had brought ruin on him by making him a foul odor among the inhabitants of the land, that the Canaanites and the Perizzites…would join forces against him and attack him, and both he and his family would be destroyed![1]  It was not a prophecy; it did not come to pass.  It was a rational appraisal of the likely response of men born of Adam (then Noah).  And it was a righteous expectation of the law God gave Noah and his sons after the flood (Genesis 9:5, 6 NET).

For your lifeblood I will surely exact punishment, from every living creature I will exact punishment.  From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.  Whoever sheds human blood, by other humans must his blood be shed; for in God’s image God has made humankind.

Simeon and Levi had perpetrated the kind of violence that brought the flood in the first place (Genesis 6:11-13 NET).

The earth was ruined in the sight of God; the earth was filled with violence.[2]  God saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful.  So God said to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them.  Now I am about to destroy them and the earth.”

It is a fearful thing to contemplate a God with the power and the will for such destruction (Genesis 6:5-7 NET).

But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth.  Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.  The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.  So the Lord said, “I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.”

But if I take the Lord’s reasons and offense seriously, his relative tolerance of human evil after the flood is just as fearful a thing if in a different way (Genesis 8:21, 22 NET).

I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, even though the inclination of their minds is evil from childhood on.  I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done.  While the earth continues to exist, planting time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.

And thus the law: Whoever sheds human blood, by other humans must his blood be shed.[3]

Though Simeon’s and Levi’s die hard antics seem more like justice for Dinah to my religious mind (compared to David’s inaction regarding Tamar, or Jacob’s silence), the most likely outcome for Dinah did not look good.  Both the evil of men and the righteousness of God’s law conspired to catch her up in the violent retribution due Simeon and Levi, or she might have become like one of the slave women her brothers took from Shechem.  But Jacob, Dinah, Simeon, Levi and all of their family found favor (or, grace) in the sight of the Lord.[4]

I have appropriated what the Bible said about Noah to Jacob, Dinah, Simeon, Levi and all of their family.  This would have been unthinkable to my religious mind.  It assumed that Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord because Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries.  He walked with God.[5]  Now I am more and more convinced that my religious mind had the cart before the horse.  Noah was a godly man, blameless among his contemporaries, and walked with God because Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.  In that light it is not much of a stretch to see the similarity here.

Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once to Bethel and live there.  Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”[6]  This was God’s solution despite the fact that Simeon and Levi at least (and perhaps at most) should have died according to his own law.  I am not accusing God of wrongdoing.  He never bound Himself to law when it came to showing favor or mercy.  I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy,[7] He said to Moses.  And when Paul analyzed the Gospel that my religious mind was so intent on converting to a new law, he reiterated that point and added, So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.[8]

So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you.  Purify yourselves and change your clothes.  Let us go up at once to Bethel.  Then I will make an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress and has been with me wherever I went.”[9]

When I see it in this context the Gospel of Jesus Christ mitigates my fear concerning God’s “tolerance” of human evil after the flood.  The Gospel does not belong, and is perverted and misunderstood, in the world created by religious minds.  Where it belongs, where it becomes the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe[10] is in the real world of human sin.  I was surprised, given my religious prejudices, that Abel Ferrara and Zoë Lund had walked this ground before me in the movie she wrote and he directed “Bad Lieutenant” (1992), starring Harvey Keitel in the title role.

Bad LT was not merely a bad cop, he was a hardcore sinner, without natural affection.  Bad LT’s decadence was so demoralizing I cried out loud, “Why am I watching this?”  About that time one of the ‘B’ stories came to the forefront when Bad LT overheard a nun’s confession.

The nun had been raped on the altar in her church.  She seemed to react like any other woman might react while being raped.  She was a bit less modest in the examination room than I might have expected, but nothing so extreme that I did anything but note the fact.  Her confession, however, was totally unexpected.  A curious thing happens when someone actually believes she has been forgiven by the Sovereign God and that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.[11]

“Those boys,” she said, “those sad raging boys.  They came to me as the needy do.  And like many of the needy they were rude.  Like all the needy they took.  And like all the needy they needed.  Father, I knew them.  They learn in our school and they play in our school yard and they are good boys….Jesus turned water to wine.  I ought to have turned bitter semen into fertile sperm, hatred to love, and maybe to have saved their souls.  [Bad LT exited then and did not hear the rest of her confession.]  They did not love me, but I ought to have loved them, for Jesus loved those who were vile to Him.  And never again shall I encounter two boys whose prayer was more poignant, more legible, more anguished.”

Later Bad LT came to speak to the nun as she prayed, first prostrate then on her knees, in church.  “Listen to me, Sister,” he said, “listen to me good.  The other cops will just put these guys through the system.  They’re juveniles.  They’ll walk.  But I’ll beat the system and do justice, real justice for you.”

“I have already forgiven them,” she replied.

“Come on, Lady.  These guys put out cigarette butts on your – Get with the program.  How could you—how could you forgive these motherfu—these, these guys?  Excuse me.  How could you?  Deep down inside don’t you want them to pay for what they did to you?  Don’t you want this crime avenged?”

“I’ve forgiven them.”

“But – do you have the right?  You’re not the only woman in the world.  You’re not even the only nun. You’re forgiveness will leave blood in its wake.  What if these guys do this to other nuns?  Other virgins? Old women who’ll die from the shock?  Do you have the right to let these boys go free?  Can you bear the burden, Sister?”

“Talk to Jesus,” she said.  “Pray.  You do believe in God, don’t you? that Jesus Christ died for your sins?”

The nun left Bad LT alone in the church.  He moaned and cried out from the floor.  Then he had a vision of Jesus.  First, he blamed Jesus for His perceived absence in Bad LT’s wretched life.  But eventually he begged for forgiveness and direction.  Suddenly Bad LT became the repentant thief on the cross.  Like the thief he had only hours to live.  Unlike the thief he was free to do one more thing.  His choice, to pass on some of the mercy the Lord and the nun had shown him, was at least as interesting as David’s choices concerning his sons Amnon and Absalom.

Jacob’s household and all who were with him gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their possession and the rings that were in their ears.  Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem and they started on their journey.  The surrounding cities were afraid (chittâh;[12] Septuagint: φόβος[13]) of God, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.[14]  The note in the NET reads: “Heb ‘and the fear of God was upon the cities which were round about them.’ The expression ‘fear of God’ apparently refers (1) to a fear of God (objective genitive; God is the object of their fear). (2) But it could mean ‘fear from God,’ that is, fear which God placed in them (cf. NRSV “a terror from God”). Another option (3) is that the divine name is used as a superlative here, referring to ‘tremendous fear’ (cf. NEB ‘were panic-stricken’; NASB ‘a great terror’).”


[1] Genesis 34:30 (NET)

[2] A note in the NET reads: “The Hebrew word translated “violence” refers elsewhere to a broad range of crimes, including unjust treatment (Gen 16:5; Amos 3:10), injurious legal testimony (Deut 19:16), deadly assault (Gen 49:5), murder (Judg 9:24), and rape (Jer 13:22).”

[3] Genesis 9:6 (NET)

[4] A paraphrase of Genesis 6:8 (NET)

[5] Genesis 6:8, 9 (NET)

[6] Genesis 35:1 (NET)

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

[8] Romans 9:16 (NET)

[9] Genesis 35:2, 3 (NET)

[10] Romans 3:22 (NET)

[11] Romans 8:28 (NET)

[14] Genesis 35:4, 5 (NET)

Romans, Part 13

Therefore what advantage (περισσὸν, a form of περισσός) does the Jew have,1 Paul asked.  The word translated advantage (περισσὸν) is also found in Jesus’ saying, I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly (περισσὸν, a form of περισσός).2  Paul continued, or what is the value (ὠφέλεια) of circumcision?3  The Greek word ὠφέλεια was only used here and once more negatively by Jude (ὠφελείας, a form of ὠφέλεια; for their own gain), but it comes from ὠφέλιμος.

For “physical exercise has some value (ὠφέλιμος),” Paul wrote Timothy, “but godliness is valuable (ὠφέλιμος) in every way.  It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.”4  Every scripture is inspired by God and useful (ὠφέλιμος) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness [Table], that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.5  To Titus Paul wrote, This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God6 may be intent on engaging in good works.  These things are good7 and beneficial (ὠφέλιμα, a form of ὠφέλιμος) for all people.8

So again, there is a mini-Gospel lesson embedded in the words περισσός and ὠφέλιμος, waiting for anyone who wants to know what advantage (περισσὸν, a form of περισσός) Jews have or what the value (ὠφέλεια) of circumcision is.

Actually, there are many advantages (literally, “much in every way”).  First of all,9 the Jews were entrusted (ἐπιστεύθησαν, a form of πιστεύω) with the oracles (λόγια, a form of λόγιον) of God.10  And in this they were faithful, the right people for the job—mission accomplished.  When I consider the wars and conquests, the captivities and apostasies, and how often it would have been easier and seemed more advantageous to lose or alter those words to make them more accommodating to the times, or at least a little more flattering to the people…I can only say, thank you.

Paul moved directly to another question, and let the advantages the Jews have and the value of circumcision drop.  He listed them later in a context where they might be missed.  To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.  To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever!  Amen.11

What then? Paul continued.  If some did not believe (ἠπίστησαν, a form of ἀπιστέω), does their unbelief (ἀπιστία) nullify (καταργήσει, a form of καταργέω) the faithfulness (πίστιν, a form of πίστις) of God?12  Both ἀπιστέω and ἀπιστία are derived from ἄπιστος the negation of πιστός.  Both πιστός and πίστις are derived from πείθω, to convince by argument.  I’m laboring over the relationship of these words for faith and unbelief so that I can grasp what Paul was thinking.  Why would Paul even think that someone might think that the unbelief (ἀπιστία) of some people might nullify (καταργήσει, a form of καταργέω) the faithfulness (πίστιν, a form of πίστις) of God?

To review, Paul was convinced that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised.  He was content enough with the letter circulated after the Jerusalem Council to spread its teaching himself.  Then he went to Corinth.  In Corinth, hampered by his allegiance to James’ abbreviated version of the law, Paul called adultery, or a violation of Leviticus 18:8, πορνεία.13  It is evident later in Romans (Romans 9-11) that he was perplexed by the fact that God called the sexually immoral (πόρνοι, a form of πόρνος), idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers [Table]14 to faith and repentance, while so many of his own people rejected the very same Gospel message.

When Paul wrote faith comes by hearing,15 that understanding was coming right out of his experience and the meaning and derivation of the Greek word πίστις from πείθω:  Faith comes by hearing the argument (e.g., the Gospel presented as a reasoned discourse).  The NET translators have rendered it, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ [Table].16  There is apparently a manuscript dispute whether God or Christ is the older, more original, word.  Frankly, I don’t care about that at all.  The NET translators have focused on the content of the message in both clauses.  Faith comes from what is heard (i.e., the preached word of Christ) and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ seems a bit redundant to me.  The content of the message is certainly extremely important, but I don’t think Paul was talking about content in the second clause.

I think the New King James translation is more to Paul’s point in its austerity.  So then faith comes by hearing (ἀκοῆς, a form of ἀκοή), and hearing (ἀκοὴ) by the word (ρήματος, a form of ῥῆμα) of God.17 This is the conclusion of an argument that began with a contrast of righteousness by law and righteousness by faith.  For Moses18 writes about the righteousness that is by the law:The one who does these things will live by them.”19  Paul quoted from the introduction to the Laws of Sexual Regulations in Leviticus 18:6-33.  You must not do as they do in the land of Egypt where you have been living, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan into which I am about to bring you; you must not walk in their statutes.  You must observe my regulations and you must be sure to walk in my statutes…anyone who does so will live by keeping them.20

Paul saw something different in Deuteronomy 30, the righteousness that is by faith.21  Deuteronomy 30 was written (and spoken) prophetically to people who have rebelled against the Lord, who have not kept his commandments and statutes (Deuteronomy 30:1-3a, 9b, 10).

When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you.  Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you…For the Lord your God will once more rejoice over you to make you prosperous just as he rejoiced over your ancestors, if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law.  But you must turn to him with your whole mind and being.

Paul wrote, But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say? “The word (ρῆμα, another form of ῥῆμα) is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word [ρῆμα, another form of ῥῆμα] of faith that we preach)…22

Paul knew he preached the same content to the Pharisee that he preached to the πόρνοι (a form of πόρνος) in Corinth.  In fact, if anyone was short changed it was the πόρνοι in Corinth, for Corinth is where Paul prejudged the people as too immature for wisdom.  But it was in Corinth that the πόρνοι believed the content of the message, and it was in Jerusalem and in synagogues throughout the Roman Empire where the Pharisees did not.  When Paul penned, faith comes by hearing (ἀκοῆς, a form of ἀκοή), and hearing (ἀκοὴ, another form of ἀκοή) by the word (ρήματος, a form of ῥῆμα) of God,23 he meant something like hearing comes by God (or Christ) uttering, “hear.”  That was the only explanation he had for the difference between the πόρνοι and the Pharisees.  And it was certainly his own experience on the Damascus road in a singularly dramatic fashion.

What then? Paul asked.  If some did not believe; namely, the Jews (for whom the content of the message was intended) because God or Christ had not yet uttered, “hear,” does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?24  Suddenly the question is much more than a straw man.  How can I trust this God who would do this to his own people? or not do this for his own people, as the case may be?  But Paul reassured me that it does not nullify the faithfulness of God.  Absolutely not!  Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written:so that you will be justified (δικαιωθῇς, a form of δικαιόω) in your words (λόγοις, a form of λόγος) and will prevail when you are judged (κρίνεσθαι, a form of κρίνω).”25

Though I may never fully understand the sequencing of who-believes-when, I can accept that it has something to do with God being proven true, being justified in his words, and prevailing when He is judged.  And I’ve already seen some connection between this and all things working together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,26 and its corollary, Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow.27

 

Addendum: February 11, 2021
A comparison of the Greek of Paul’s quotation of Leviticus 18:5 from the Septuagint follows

Romans 10:5b (NET Parallel Greek) Leviticus 18:5b (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:5b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ποιήσας |αὐτὰ| ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν |αὐτοῖς| ποιήσας ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῗς ἃ ποιήσας αὐτά ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς

Romans 10:5b (NET)

Leviticus 18:5b (NETS)

Leviticus 18:5b (English Elpenor)

The one who does these things will live by them. as for the things a person does, he shall live by them which if a man do, he shall live in them

A comparison of the Greek of Paul’s quotation from Deuteronomy 9:4 in the Septuagint follows:

Romans 10:6b (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 9:4a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 9:4a (Septuagint Elpenor)

μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου

Romans 10:6b (NET)

Deuteronomy 9:4a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 9:4a (English Elpenor)

Do not say in your heart, do not say in your heart, Speak not in thine heart,

It was perhaps a poignant historical reminder to those who knew the Scriptures, ‘For my righteousness HaShem hath brought me in to possess this land.’28

A comparison of the Greek of Paul’s quotation from Deuteronomy 30:12 in the Septuagint follows:

Romans 10:6c (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 30:12b (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:12b (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῗν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν

Romans 10:6c (NET)

Deuteronomy 30:12b (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:12b (English Elpenor)

Who will ascend into heaven? Who will go up to the sky…for us? Who shall go up for us into heaven,

A comparison (mostly a contrast) of Paul’s “quotation” with Deuteronomy 30:13 in the Septuagint follows:

Romans 10:7a (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 30:13b (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίς καταβήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῗν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης

Romans 10:7a (NET)

Deuteronomy 30:13b (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:13b (English Elpenor)

Who will descend into the abyss? Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us Who will go over for us to the other side of the sea…for us

A comparison of the Greek of Paul’s quotation from Deuteronomy 30:14 in the Septuagint follows:

Romans 10:8b (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 30:14a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:14a (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐγγύς σου τὸ ρῆμα ἐστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἔστιν σου ἐγγὺς τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἐγγύς σού ἐστι τὸ ρῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου

Romans 10:8b (NET)

Deuteronomy 30:14a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:14a (English Elpenor)

The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart The word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart The word is very near thee, in thy mouth, and in thine heart

If Paul quoted from the Septuagint it may be worth noting that he stopped prior to καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσί σου ποιεῖν αὐτό (and in thine hands to do it).

Tables comparing Leviticus 18:5; 18:3; 18:4; Deuteronomy 30:1; 30:2; 30:3; 30:9; 30:10; 9:4; 30:12; 30:13 and 30:14 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Leviticus 18:5; 18:3; 18:4; Deuteronomy 30:1; 30:2; 30:3; 30:9; 30:10; 9:4; 30:12; 30:13 and 30:14 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Titus 3:8, Romans 3:2 and 10:5 in the NET and KJV follow.

Leviticus 18:5 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:5 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:5 (NET)

Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them: I am HaShem. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. So you must keep my statutes and my regulations; anyone who does so will live by keeping them.  I am the Lord.

Leviticus 18:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ φυλάξεσθε πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ πάντα τὰ κρίματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά ἃ ποιήσας ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῗς ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ φυλάξεσθε πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ πάντα τὰ κρίματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά, ἃ ποιήσας αὐτά ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς· ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν

Leviticus 18:5 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:5 (English Elpenor)

And you shall keep all my ordinances and all my judgments, and you shall do them; as for the things a person does, he shall live by them; I am the Lord your God. So ye shall keep all my ordinances, and all my judgments, and do them; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I [am] the Lord your God.

Leviticus 18:3 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:3 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:3 (NET)

After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their statutes. After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. You must not do as they do in the land of Egypt where you have been living, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan into which I am about to bring you; you must not walk in their statutes.

Leviticus 18:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα γῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐν ᾗ κατῳκήσατε ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ οὐ ποιήσετε καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα γῆς Χανααν εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάγω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῗ οὐ ποιήσετε καὶ τοῗς νομίμοις αὐτῶν οὐ πορεύσεσθε κατά τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα Αἰγύπτου, ἐν ᾗ κατῳκήσατε ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ, οὐ ποιήσετε καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα γῆς Χαναάν, εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάγω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ, οὐ ποιήσετε καὶ τοῖς νομίμοις αὐτῶν οὐ πορεύσεσθε

Leviticus 18:3 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:3 (English Elpenor)

You shall not act according to the practices of the land of Egypt, wherein you lived, and you shall not act according to the practices of the land of Chanaan, there where I am bringing you, and you shall not live by their precepts. Ye shall not do according to the devices of Egypt, in which ye dwelt: and according to the devices of the land of Chanaan, into which I bring you, ye shall not do; and ye shall not walk in their ordinances.

Leviticus 18:4 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:4 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:4 (NET)

Mine ordinances shall ye do, and My statutes shall ye keep, to walk therein: I am HaShem your G-d. Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. You must observe my regulations, and you must be sure to walk in my statutes. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 18:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τὰ κρίματά μου ποιήσετε καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου φυλάξεσθε πορεύεσθαι ἐν αὐτοῗς ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν τὰ κρίματά μου ποιήσετε καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου φυλάξεσθε καὶ πορεύεσθε ἐν αὐτοῖς· ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν

Leviticus 18:4 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:4 (English Elpenor)

My judgments you shall perform, and my ordinances you shall keep, to walk by them; I am the Lord your God. Ye shall observe my judgments, and shall keep my ordinances, and shall walk in them: I [am] the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 30:1 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:1 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:1 (NET)

And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt bethink thyself among all the nations, whither HaShem thy G-d hath driven thee, And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, “When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you.

Deuteronomy 30:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσται ὡς ἂν ἔλθωσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἡ εὐλογία καὶ ἡ κατάρα ἣν ἔδωκα πρὸ προσώπου σου καὶ δέξῃ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου ἐν πᾶσιν τοῗς ἔθνεσιν οὗ ἐάν σε διασκορπίσῃ κύριος ἐκεῗ ΚΑΙ ἔσται ὡς ἂν ἔλθωσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, ἡ εὐλογία καὶ ἡ κατάρα, ἣν ἔδωκα πρὸ προσώπου σου, καὶ δέξῃ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὗ ἐὰν διασκορπίσῃ σε Κύριος ἐκεῖ,

Deuteronomy 30:1 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:1 (English Elpenor)

And it shall be, when all these words come upon you, the blessing and the curse that I gave before you, that you shall receive them into your heart among all the nations wherever the Lord may scatter you there, And it shall come to pass when all these things shall have come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thy face, and thou shalt call [them] to mind among all the nations, wherein the Lord shall have scattered thee,

Deuteronomy 30:2 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:2 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:2 (NET)

and shalt return unto HaShem thy G-d, and hearken to His voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today,

Deuteronomy 30:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐπιστραφήσῃ ἐπὶ κύριον τὸν θεόν σου καὶ ὑπακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐπιστραφήσῃ ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου καὶ εἰσακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου

Deuteronomy 30:2 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:2 (English Elpenor)

and you shall return to the Lord your God and obey his voice regarding everything I command you today, with the whole of your heart and with the whole of your soul. and shalt return to the Lord thy God, and shalt hearken to his voice, according to all things which I charge thee this day, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul;

Deuteronomy 30:3 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:3 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:3 (NET)

that then HaShem thy G-d will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the peoples, whither HaShem thy G-d hath scattered thee. That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you.  He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he has scattered you.

Deuteronomy 30:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἰάσεται κύριος τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου καὶ ἐλεήσει σε καὶ πάλιν συνάξει σε ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰς οὓς διεσκόρπισέν σε κύριος ἐκεῗ καὶ ἰάσεται Κύριος τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου καὶ ἐλεήσει σε καὶ πάλιν συνάξει σε ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς οὓς διεσκόρπισέ σε Κύριος ἐκεῖ

Deuteronomy 30:3 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:3 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord will heal your sins and have mercy on you and gather you again from all the nations among whom the Lord has scattered you there. then the Lord shall heal thine iniquities, and shall pity thee, and shall again gather thee out from all the nations, among which the Lord has scattered thee.

Deuteronomy 30:9 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:9 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:9 (NET)

And HaShem thy G-d will make thee over-abundant in all the work of thy hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good; for HaShem will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers; And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: The Lord your God will make the labor of your hands abundantly successful and multiply your children, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil.  For the Lord will once more rejoice over you to make you prosperous just as he rejoiced over your ancestors,

Deuteronomy 30:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ πολυωρήσει σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ τῶν χειρῶν σου ἐν τοῗς ἐκγόνοις τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ ἐν τοῗς γενήμασιν τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐν τοῗς ἐκγόνοις τῶν κτηνῶν σου ὅτι ἐπιστρέψει κύριος ὁ θεός σου εὐφρανθῆναι ἐπὶ σὲ εἰς ἀγαθά καθότι ηὐφράνθη ἐπὶ τοῗς πατράσιν σου καὶ πολυωρήσει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ τῶν χειρῶν σου, ἐν τοῖς ἐκγόνοις τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐκγόνοις τῶν κτηνῶν σου καὶ ἐν τοῖς γενήμασι τῆς γῆς σου· ὅτι ἐπιστρέψει Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου εὐφρανθῆναι ἐπὶ σοὶ εἰς ἀγαθά, καθότι εὐφράνθη ἐπὶ τοῖς πατράσι σου,

Deuteronomy 30:9 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:9 (English Elpenor)

and the Lord your God will treat you with care in every work of your hands, in the progeny of your belly and in the produce of your land and in the progeny of your livestock.  For the Lord your God will turn to be joyful toward you for good things, just as he was joyful over your fathers, And the Lord thy God shall bless thee in every work of thine hands, in the offspring of thy body, and in the offspring of thy cattle, and in the fruits of thy land, because the Lord thy God will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:

Deuteronomy 30:10 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:10 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:10 (NET)

if thou shalt hearken to the voice of HaShem thy G-d, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto HaShem thy G-d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law.  But you must turn to him with your whole mind and being.

Deuteronomy 30:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐὰν εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου φυλάσσεσθαι καὶ ποιεῗν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς κρίσεις αὐτοῦ τὰς γεγραμμένας ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τούτου ἐὰν ἐπιστραφῇς ἐπὶ κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου ἐὰν εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, φυλάσσεσθαι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς κρίσεις αὐτοῦ τὰς γεγραμμένας ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τούτου, ἐὰν ἐπιστραφῇς ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου

Deuteronomy 30:10 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:10 (English Elpenor)

if you listen to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments that are written in the book of this law, if you turn to the Lord your God with the whole of your heart and with the whole of your soul, if thou wilt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments, and his ordinances, and his judgments written in the book of this law, if thou turn to the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

Deuteronomy 9:4 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 9:4 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 9:4 (NET)

Speak not thou in thy heart, after that HaShem thy G-d hath thrust them out from before thee, saying: ‘For my righteousness HaShem hath brought me in to possess this land’; whereas for the wickedness of these nations HaShem doth drive them out from before thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee. Do not think to yourself after the Lord your God has driven them out before you, “Because of my own righteousness the Lord has brought me here to possess this land.”  It is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out ahead of you.

Deuteronomy 9:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 9:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἐν τῷ ἐξαναλῶσαι κύριον τὸν θεόν σου τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα ἀπὸ προσώπου σου λέγων διὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας μου εἰσήγαγέν με κύριος κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ταύτην ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῶν ἐθνῶν τούτων κύριος ἐξολεθρεύσει αὐτοὺς πρὸ προσώπου σου μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἐν τῷ ἐξαναλῶσαι Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα πρὸ προσώπου σου λέγων· διὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας μου εἰσήγαγέ με Κύριος κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ταύτην

Deuteronomy 9:4 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 9:4 (English Elpenor)

When the Lord your God eliminates these nations before you, do not say in your heart, saying: “It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to inherit this good land,” but because of the impiety of these nations the Lord will destroy them utterly before you. Speak not in thine heart, when the Lord thy God has destroyed these nations before thy face, saying, For my righteousness the Lord brought me in to inherit this good land.

Deuteronomy 30:12 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:12 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:12 (NET)

It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: ‘Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’ It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it? It is not in heaven, as though one must say, ‘Who will go up to heaven to get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’

Deuteronomy 30:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐκ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω ἐστὶν λέγων τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῗν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ λήμψεται αὐτὴν ἡμῗν καὶ ἀκούσαντες αὐτὴν ποιήσομεν οὐκ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω ἐστὶ λέγων· τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ λήψεται ἡμῖν αὐτήν, καὶ ἀκούσαντες αὐτὴν ποιήσομεν

Deuteronomy 30:12 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:12 (English Elpenor)

It is not up in the sky, saying, “Who will go up to the sky and get it for us?  And when we hear it, we shall do it.” It is not in heaven above, [as if there were one] saying, Who shall go up for us into heaven, and shall take it for us, and we will hear and do it?

Deuteronomy 30:13 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:13 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:13 (NET)

Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? And it is not across the sea, as though one must say, ‘Who will cross over to the other side of the sea and get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’

Deuteronomy 30:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐδὲ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης ἐστὶν λέγων τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῗν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ λήμψεται ἡμῗν αὐτήν καὶ ἀκουστὴν ἡμῗν ποιήσει αὐτήν καὶ ποιήσομεν οὐδὲ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης ἐστὶ λέγων· τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ λήψεται ἡμῖν αὐτήν, καὶ ἀκουστὴν ἡμῖν ποιήσῃ αὐτήν, καὶ ποιήσομεν

Deuteronomy 30:13 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:13 (English Elpenor)

Neither is it beyond the sea, saying, “Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and get it for us?  And when we hear it, we shall do it.” Neither is it beyond the sea, saying, Who will go over for us to the other side of the sea, and take it for us, and make it audible to us, and we will do it?

Deuteronomy 30:14 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 30:14 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 30:14 (NET)

But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. For the thing is very near you—it is in your mouth and in your mind so that you can do it.

Deuteronomy 30:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 30:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἔστιν σου ἐγγὺς τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ταῗς χερσίν σου αὐτὸ ποιεῗν ἐγγύς σού ἐστι τὸ ρῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσί σου ποιεῖν αὐτό

Deuteronomy 30:14 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 30:14 (English Elpenor)

The word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart and in your hands, to do it. The word is very near thee, in thy mouth, and in thine heart, and in thine hands to do it.

Titus 3:8 (NET)

Titus 3:8 (KJV)

This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works.  These things are good and beneficial for all people. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable unto men.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· καὶ περὶ τούτων βούλομαι σε διαβεβαιοῦσθαι, ἵνα φροντίζωσιν καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι οἱ πεπιστευκότες θεῷ· ταῦτα ἐστιν καλὰ καὶ ὠφέλιμα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πιστος ο λογος και περι τουτων βουλομαι σε διαβεβαιουσθαι ινα φροντιζωσιν καλων εργων προιστασθαι οι πεπιστευκοτες τω θεω ταυτα εστιν τα καλα και ωφελιμα τοις ανθρωποις πιστος ο λογος και περι τουτων βουλομαι σε διαβεβαιουσθαι ινα φροντιζωσιν καλων εργων προιστασθαι οι πεπιστευκοτες θεω ταυτα εστιν τα καλα και ωφελιμα τοις ανθρωποις

Romans 3:2 (NET)

Romans 3:2 (KJV)

Actually, there are many advantages.  First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

πολὺ κατὰ πάντα τρόπον. πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ. πολυ κατα παντα τροπον πρωτον μεν γαρ οτι επιστευθησαν τα λογια του θεου πολυ κατα παντα τροπον πρωτον μεν γαρ οτι επιστευθησαν τα λογια του θεου

Romans 10:5 (NET)

Romans 10:5 (KJV)

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Μωϋσῆς γὰρ γράφει  τὴν δικαιοσύνην τὴν ἐκ [τοῦ] νόμου [ὅτι] ὁ ποιήσας |αὐτὰ| ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν |αὐτοῖς| μωσης γαρ γραφει την δικαιοσυνην την εκ του νομου οτι ο ποιησας αυτα ανθρωπος ζησεται εν αυτοις μωυσης γαρ γραφει την δικαιοσυνην την εκ του νομου οτι ο ποιησας αυτα ανθρωπος ζησεται εν αυτοις

1 Romans 3:1a (NET)

2 John 10:10b (NET)

3 Romans 3:1b (NET)

4 1 Timothy 4:8 (NET)

5 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 (NET)

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

7 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τα preceding good.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

8 Titus 3:8 (NET)

9 The NA28, Stephanus Textus Receptus (KJV: because) and Byzantine Majority Text had μὲν γὰρ here, where the NET parallel Greek text had simply μὲν.

10 Romans 3:2 (NET)

11 Romans 9:4, 5 (NET)

12 Romans 3:3 (NET)

14 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NET)

15 Romans 10:17a (NKJV)

16 Romans 10:17 (NET)

17 Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

19 Romans 10:5 (NET)

20 Leviticus 18:3-5 (NET)

21 Romans 10:6 (NET)

22 Romans 10:6-8 (NET)

23 Romans 10:17 (NKJV) Table

24 Romans 3:3 (NET)

25 Romans 3:4 (NET) Table

27 Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV) Table

28 Deuteronomy 9:4b (Tanakh)

Jedidiah, Part 5

David’s song continued: Create for me a pure heart, O God!  Renew a resolute spirit within me!  Do not reject me!  Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me! 1  Whatever Daivid’s understanding of making sins as white as snow, he apparently grasped that creating a pure heart and renewing a resolute spirit was the work of the Holy Spirit rather than his own.  David continued: Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!  Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! 2

It was both surprising and encouraging to find this man after Jesus’ own heart in the Old Testament who would say, amen, to Paul’s saying, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.3 There is however a New Testament corollary to the concept of making sins as white as snow:  And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose4

For all things to work together for good for me, the effect of other people’s sins on my life must be neutralized.  One might say, though their sins are like red, they must be made white as snow in their effect upon me, though they are red like scarlet, they must be made like wool.  Here, on this side of the equation, Jesus provided all kinds of instruction for his followers to be part of the process of gathering with Him rather than scattering.5  First and foremost among these is, forgive: if you have anything against anyone, forgive (ἀφίετε, a form of ἀφίημι) him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive (ἀφῇ, another form of ἀφίημι) you your sins (παραπτώματα, a form of παράπτωμα).6  This is quite frankly the fastest way to mute the effect of others’ sins on my life. If God is for us, who can be against us?7 

If I thought of this as law instead of love, then I tried to puff up some phony forgiveness like a tea kettle or a “little engine that could,” or else God wouldn’t forgive me my sins.  But when I thought of this is as love rather than law, I realized I could take from the Lord’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that flows like a stream of living water through me, and—knowing that no one is less deserving of forgiveness than I—share the overflow of that mercy, grace and forgiveness and the gift of righteousness as freely with another as I have received it myself.

You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” the Lord Jesus quoted the limits on retribution He had placed in the law He gave to Moses.  But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer.  But whoever strikes you on8 the9 right cheek, turn the other to him as well.  And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.10  Follow me,11 Jesus said.  He wants his followers to join Him in blunting the effectiveness of sin, not as sin eaters per se, but more like sin shock absorbers.  This is the limit, from here the shit stops rolling down hill.

Give12 to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow13 from you, Jesus continued.  You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor” and “hate your enemy.”  But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you [Table], so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.14

This reminds me of the movie 300.  First the phalanx absorbs the shock of sin’s assault, then comes the push back.  And David continued: Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.15  This teaching is not didactic but a loving demonstration of the very mercy that is its object.  Paul picked up on the militant spirit of overcoming, or conquering, evil with good (Romans 12:9-21 NET).

Love (ἀγάπη) must be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good (ἀγαθῷ, a form of ἀγαθός).  Be devoted to one another with mutual love (φιλόστοργοι, a form of φιλόστοργος), showing eagerness in honoring one another.  Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.16  Rejoice (χαίροντες, a form of χαίρω) in hope (ἐλπίδι, a form of ἐλπίς), endure (ὑπομένοντες, a form of ὑπομένω) in suffering (θλίψει, a form of θλίψις), persist in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.  Rejoice (χαίρειν, another form of χαίρω) with those who rejoice (χαιρόντων, another form of χαίρω),17  weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.  Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.  Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  Rather,18  if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals19 on his head.  Do not be overcome (νικῶ, a form of νικάω) by evil, but overcome (νίκα, another form of νικάω) evil with good (ἀγαθῷ, a form of ἀγαθός).

I couldn’t help but notice how similar these instructions are to the love that fulfills the law (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NET).

Love (ἀγάπη) is patient (μακροθυμεῖ, a form of μακροθυμέω), love is kind, it is not envious.  Love does not brag, it is not puffed up.  It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.  It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes (πιστεύει, a form of πιστεύω) all things, hopes (ἐλπίζει, a form of ἐλπίζω) all things, endures (ὑπομένει, another form of ὑπομένω) all things.

None of this, however, originates with me.  All of it comes from drinking and continuing to drink from that river of living water20 which is the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23 NET Table).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy (χαρά), peace, patience (μακροθυμία), kindness, goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη), faithfulness (πίστις), gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

 

 

Addendum: February 2, 2020
Tables comparing the NET parallel Greek of Jesus’ quotation from Exodus or Leviticus with the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow:

Matthew 5:38b (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 21:24a (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:24a (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος

Matthew 5:38b (NET)

Exodus 21:24a (NETS)

Exodus 21:24a (English Elpenor)

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. eye for eye, tooth for tooth, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,

Matthew 5:38b (NET Parallel Greek)

Leviticus 24:20b (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:20b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος

Matthew 5:38b (NET)

Leviticus 24:20b (NETS)

Leviticus 24:20b (English Elpenor)

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. eye for eye, tooth for tooth; eye for eye, tooth for tooth:

A table comparing the NET parallel Greek of Jesus’ quotation from Leviticus (Table) with the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follows:

Matthew 5:43b (NET Parallel Greek)

Leviticus 19:18b (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 19:18b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου

Matthew 5:43b (NET)

Leviticus 19:18b (NETS)

Leviticus 19:18b (English Elpenor)

Love your neighbor you shall love your neighbor thou shalt love thy neighbour

It seems possible to me that Paul, given his own proclivity toward vengeance (Acts 9:1-9; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy 1:12-14), shared a personal word from the Lord with believers in Rome, but a table comparing the NET parallel Greek as an allusion to Deuteronomy in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follows:

Romans 12:19b (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 32:35a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 32:35a (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω

Romans 12:19b (NET)

Deuteronomy 32:35a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:35a (English Elpenor)

Vengeance is mine, I will repay In a day of vengeance, I will repay, In the day of vengeance I will recompense,

A table comparing the NET parallel Greek of Paul’s quotation from Proverbs with the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follows:

Romans 12:20b (NET Parallel Greek)

Proverbs 25:21, 22a (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 25:21, 22a (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου τρέφε αὐτόν ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν, ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ

Romans 12:20b (NET)

Proverbs 25:21, 22a (NETS)

Proverbs 25:21, 22a (English Elpenor)

if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. If your enemy is hungry, nourish him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink.  For by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head, If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,

Tables comparing Psalm 51:10; Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Psalm 51:13; Deuteronomy 32:35; Proverbs 25:21 and 25:22 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 51:10 (50:12); Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Psalm 51:13 (50:15); Deuteronomy 32:35; Proverbs 25:21 and 25:22 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing Matthew 5:39; 5:42; Romans 12:11; 12:15 and 12:20 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 51:10 (Tanakh)

Psalm 51:10 (KJV)

Psalm 51:10 (NET)

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Create for me a pure heart, O God.  Renew a resolute spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοί ὁ θεός καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῗς ἐγκάτοις μου καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοί, ὁ Θεός, καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις μου

Psalm 50:12 (NETS)

Psalm 50:12 (English Elpenor)

A clean heart create in me, O God, and an upright spirit renew wthin me. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts.

Exodus 21:24 (Tanakh)

Exodus 21:24 (KJV)

Exodus 21:24 (NET)

eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Exodus 21:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος χεῗρα ἀντὶ χειρός πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, χεῖρα ἀντὶ χειρός, πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός

Exodus 21:24 (NETS)

Exodus 21:24 (English Elpenor)

eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 24:20 (KJV)

Leviticus 24:20 (NET)

breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath maimed a man, so shall it be rendered unto him. breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be rendered unto him. fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth—just as he inflicts an injury on another person that same injury must be inflicted on him.

Leviticus 24:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

σύντριμμα ἀντὶ συντρίμματος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος καθότι ἂν δῷ μῶμον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ οὕτως δοθήσεται αὐτῷ σύντριμμα ἀντὶ συντρίμματος, ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, καθότι ἂν δῷ μῶμον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, οὕτω δοθήσεται αὐτῷ

Leviticus 24:20 (NETS)

Leviticus 24:20 (English Elpenor)

fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as one gives a blemish to a person, so shall it be given to him. bruise for bruise, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as any one may inflict a blemish on a man, so shall it be rendered to him.

Psalm 51:13 (Tanakh)

Psalm 51:13 (KJV)

Psalm 51:13 (NET)

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee. Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.

Psalm 51:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ ἀσεβεῗς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσιν διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδούς σου, καὶ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσι

Psalm 50:15 (NETS)

Psalm 50:15 (English Elpenor)

I will teach lawless one your ways, and impious ones will return to you. [Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee.

Deuteronomy 32:35 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 32:35 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 32:35 (NET)

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon them shall make haste. To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. I will get revenge and pay them back at the time their foot slips; for the day of their disaster is near, and the impending judgment is rushing upon them!”

Deuteronomy 32:35 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 32:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω ἐν καιρῷ ὅταν σφαλῇ ὁ ποὺς αὐτῶν ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἡμέρα ἀπωλείας αὐτῶν καὶ πάρεστιν ἕτοιμα ὑμῗν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω, ἐν καιρῷ, ὅταν σφαλῇ ὁ ποῦς αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἡμέρα ἀπωλείας αὐτοῖς, καὶ πάρεστιν ἕτοιμα ὑμῖν

Deuteronomy 32:35 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:35 (English Elpenor)

In a day of vengeance, I will repay, in a time when their foot slips, because near is the day of their destruction and things prepared for you are at hand. In the day of vengeance I will recompense, whensoever their foot shall be tripped up; for the day of their destruction [is] near to them, and the judgments at hand are close upon you.

Proverbs 25:21 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 25:21 (KJV)

Proverbs 25:21 (NET)

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

Proverbs 25:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 25:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου τρέφε αὐτόν ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν, ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν

Proverbs 25:21 (NETS)

Proverbs 25:21 (English Elpenor)

If your enemy is hungry, nourish him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink. If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;

Proverbs 25:22 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 25:22 (KJV)

Proverbs 25:22 (NET)

For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Proverbs 25:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 25:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ δὲ κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοι ἀγαθά τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοι ἀγαθά

Proverbs 25:22 (NETS)

Proverbs 25:22 (English Elpenor)

For by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you with good things. for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee [with] good.

Matthew 5:39 (NET)

Matthew 5:39 (KJV)

But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer.  But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ· ἀλλ᾿ ὅστις σε ραπίζει εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα,  στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη αντιστηναι τω πονηρω αλλ οστις σε ραπισει επι την δεξιαν σου σιαγονα στρεψον αυτω και την αλλην εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη αντιστηναι τω πονηρω αλλ οστις σε ραπισει επι την δεξιαν σου σιαγονα στρεψον αυτω και την αλλην

Matthew 5:42 (NET)

Matthew 5:42 (KJV)

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

τῷ αἰτοῦντι σε δός, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανίσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς τω αιτουντι σε διδου και τον θελοντα απο σου δανεισασθαι μη αποστραφης τω αιτουντι σε διδου και τον θελοντα απο σου δανεισασθαι μη αποστραφης

Romans 12:11 (NET)

Romans 12:11 (KJV)

Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες τη σπουδη μη οκνηροι τω πνευματι ζεοντες τω καιρω δουλευοντες τη σπουδη μη οκνηροι τω πνευματι ζεοντες τω κυριω δουλευοντες

Romans 12:15 (NET)

Romans 12:15 (KJV)

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων, κλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων χαιρειν μετα χαιροντων και κλαιειν μετα κλαιοντων χαιρειν μετα χαιροντων και κλαιειν μετα κλαιοντων

Romans 12:20 (NET)

Romans 12:20 (KJV)

Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἀλλὰ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ εαν ουν πεινα ο εχθρος σου ψωμιζε αυτον εαν διψα ποτιζε αυτον τουτο γαρ ποιων ανθρακας πυρος σωρευσεις επι την κεφαλην αυτου εαν ουν πεινα ο εχθρος σου ψωμιζε αυτον εαν διψα ποτιζε αυτον τουτο γαρ ποιων ανθρακας πυρος σωρευσεις επι την κεφαλην αυτου

1 Psalm 51:10, 11 (NET) Table

2 Psalm 51:12 (NET) Table

3 Philippians 2:12b, 13 (NET) Table

4 Romans 8:28 (NET)

6 Mark 11:25 (NET) Table

7 Romans 8:31b (NET)

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ραπίζει εἰς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ραπισει επι (KJV: shall smite thee on).

9 The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had σου (KJV: thy) here.  The NET parallel Greek text did not.

10 Matthew 5:38-41 (NET)

14 Matthew 5:42-45 (NET)

15 Psalm 51:13 (NET)

16 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had κυρίῳ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had καιρω.  This is so far afield I suspect it may be a typo in this version of the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

17 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: and) following rejoice.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

18 The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA28 had ἀλλ’.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Therefore).

19 The note on Proverbs 25:22a in the NET reads as follows: “The imagery of the ‘burning coals’ represents pangs of conscience, more readily effected by kindness than by violence. These coals produce the sharp pain of contrition through regret (e.g., 18:19; 20:22; 24:17; Gen 42-45; 1 Sam 24:18-20; Rom 12:20). The coals then would be an implied comparison with a searing conscience.”