initial backup of github.com/jesuswordsonly/jesuswordsonly.github.io
This commit is contained in:
embed@git.macaw.me
commit
14edd76594
1931 changed files with 1103754 additions and 0 deletions
865
aboutauthor/101-jesus-on-church-structure.html
Normal file
865
aboutauthor/101-jesus-on-church-structure.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,865 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/101-jesus-on-church-structure.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus, pastors, leaders, church hierarchy, false teachers" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Jesus.on.Church.Structure" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Jesus.on.Church.Structure</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The Spirit of the Apostles is</span></span></span></span><strong><em><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> not a guide equal or greater than the Lord</span></span></span></span></em></strong><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">, thus </span></span></span></span><em><strong><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paul within his letters</span></span></span></span></strong></em><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> does</span></span></span></span><strong><em><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> not have as much authority as has Christ</span></span></span></span></em></strong><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">." (Carlstadt, </span></span></span></span><em><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Canonicis Scripturis</span></span></span></span></em><span><span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> (1520))</span></span></span></span></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 9025" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "9025") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What Does Jesus Say About Having Leaders, Teachers and Pastors?</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus said there is <em><strong>not to be a single leadership authority among ANY of us except Christ Himself</strong></em>! Jesus is the "sole teacher" and "sole pastor." We cannot call anyone other than Christ our teacher, leader or pastor! All such roles of teacher, leader and pastor are Jesus's roles as the King of Kings. No individual Christian is authorized to claim any such exclusive title. <strong><em>Jesus should be the only person listed</em></strong> in the bulletin as "<em><strong>the pastor</strong></em>." Keep the sole authority upon Jesus. As Jesus explained:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">But Jesus called them unto him, and said, "Ye know that the princes of the <em><strong>Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise AUTHORITY upon them</strong></em>. But IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU: but whosoever will be great among you, <strong><em>let him be your servant</em></strong>." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+20%3A25-26&version=NIV">Matt. 20:25-26</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. "But do not be called Rabbi [<em>i.e.</em>,<strong><em> Great One, one with a large knowledge of Bible facts, <a href="http://biblehub.com/greek/4461.htm">Strongs #4461</a></em></strong>]; for <strong><em>One is your Teacher [kathegetes]</em></strong>, and <em><strong>you are all brothers/brethren</strong></em> [<em>adelphoi</em>]. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. <em><strong>Do not be called leaders [teacher][Gk kathegetes]</strong></em>; for One is your <em><strong>Leader</strong></em> [<strong><em>teacher</em></strong>][kathegetes], that is, Christ. But the greatest among you <strong><em>shall be your servant [slave].</em></strong>” (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2023:6-11&version=NASB">Matt. 23:6-11</a>, NASB)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[Note how both 20:25-26 and 23:6-11 have the identical phrase "shall be your servant," showing these two passages are linked. This proves anyone who takes the office / title of "leader," or "teacher" in place of Jesus over the brethren (Matt. 23:6-11) acts wrongfully -- acts improperly just as the "Gentiles who exercise dominion" over the people (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2020:25-26&version=NASB">Matt. 20:25-26</a>.) ]</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, <strong><em>one shepherd/pastor</em></strong> (Grk <em>poimen</em>)." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2010:16&version=NASB">John 10:16</a>.) Cf. Eph. 4:11 "pastor" (<em>poimen</em>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"But be not ye called Rabbi: for <strong><em>one is your teacher</em></strong>, and all ye are brethren...." (Matt. <a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/23-8.htm">23:8</a>)(ASV)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Nor are you to be called '<strong><em>teacher</em></strong>,' for you have one <strong><em>Teacher</em></strong>, the Christ." (Matt. <a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/23-10.htm">23:10</a>, NIV)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, Jesus told us we are all equal, as one family of believers -- brothers and sisters. There is nothing implied in "brethren" other than an equality among all church members. We are to serve one another, not try to lead among one another. As Rick Warren recently put it: "<em><strong>Stop leading, start serving</strong></em>." (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lghqRpblOg8">5/24/2014 You Tube</a>.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">What Jesus first says in Matthew 23:8 is that a Christian can never call himself Rabbi. This means one who has a great degree of knowledge of "Bible facts." As <a href="http://biblehub.com/greek/4461.htm">Strong's #4461</a>, definition of Rabbi explains its meaning in Jesus' teaching time-period:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; background-color: #fdfeff;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="discovery" style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-left: 60px; background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>4461</strong> <em>rhabbí</em>– a rabbi; a <em>teacher-scholar</em> recognized by the Jewish public for accumulating a great number of Bible-facts, i.e. respected for his accumulation of knowledge.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; background-color: #fdfeff;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="discovery" style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-left: 60px; background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">[<a href="http://biblehub.com/greek/4461.htm" style="color: #0092f2;">4461</a> (<em>rhabbí</em>) literally means "great in number," probably referring to the great <em>number</em> of facts (Bible knowledge) acquired by a <em>rabbi</em>. See OT 7727a (<em>rab</em>).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; background-color: #fdfeff;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, this is violated whenever any brother asks you to give him any title of respect such as TEACHER, PASTOR, MINISTER, or any other word to signify that person has "accumulated a great number of Bible facts...."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus then in Matthew 23:10 expressly prohibits any Christian calling himself "Teacher" by the word meaning Teacher in Greek -- kathegetes. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus also has told us there is only one "shepherd" (pastor) who leads us. As Amos Love correctly said:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"After trying for 1700 years, 'clergy - laity' still doesn’t work. Jesus said <strong><em>we are 'All' brethren</em></strong>. Matt 23:8 -10." (<a href="http://headhearthand.posterous.com/leaders-who-last">Amos Love</a> April 26, 2010.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">If you feel Jesus has called you to lead others, then isn't that call only legitimate if it is Jesus, your pastor, who is engaging you as "Staff Assistant to the Pastor Jesus" to serve Jesus. Keep the focus upon Jesus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">When you teach, who is the teacher? You, or Jesus by the Holy Spirit bringing Jesus' words to your mind and those of your listeners?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus said the Holy Spirit coming in Jesus' name will bring to remembrance Jesus' words. Those words will teach us. Our teacher should not be some official clergy or recognized 'divines' or other 'brothers' who claim an office or title or wear robes to distinguish themselves. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> None among us should have a superiority in an office within Christ's true church over us: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will <em><strong>send in my name</strong></em>, will <em><strong>teach you all things</strong></em> and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014:26&version=NIV">John 10:26</a>, NIV.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus always is the "<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">sole pastor</span></strong>" (John 10:16) and "<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">sole teacher</span></strong>" (Matt 23:8,10), as He said</span>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">So your teaching ministry is what? You are trying to help members recall the words of Jesus with the Holy Spirit helping the church members. You cannot call yourself the "teacher" therefore of a Bible class, or boast of your status outside as "Professor of New Testament Studies" among your fellow believers. The only position you hold among believers, in these examples, is "Teaching Assistant to Rabbi / Teacher Jesus," or "Bible Study Facilitator."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I want to address pastors right here. If every time you got up, and began calling yourself hereafter "Assistant to Pastor Jesus," or "Teaching Assistant to Rabbi Jesus," and invited all elders to share equally in pastor-preaching responsibilities, that would take some wind out of your sails, right away. Wouldn't it? You would naturally be more humble than when you can tell others you are a "pastor" or "teacher" of a congregation. Your new found humble title would force you to bring Jesus' words into every sermon, for after all, your title emphasizes Jesus is the sole teacher and sole pastor. And by giving equal time to each elder as assistant pastors, you would lose your central importance. You would properly make the focus turn back to the true sole pastor -- Jesus. That would be a Biblical change we all should contemplate as step one to fix the current system. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Luther Originally Agreed There Can Be No Superior In the Church But Jesus</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As Luther who founded the Reformation in 1517 AD also wrote in<em> </em>1523:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Among Christians there is <em><strong>no superior but Christ himself</strong></em>, and <em><strong>him alone</strong></em>. What kind of authority can there be where <em><strong>all are equal </strong></em>and have the same right, power, <img src="http://bks9.books.google.com/books?id=cHvf_xp6V8IC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&edge=curl&imgtk=AFLRE70RBWmQJpL356VFWbxJBiRtA4WX-4Aql6Rji8K4Urk56yn-waWrvlYsW8EeSdIbluGq3C_Ik4eDjYbWtuWbF5u1A4DbL1IVZ0INXyDnTWqXvMwRiwRvxxoWO97bYZ8kDQxVH3Ov" alt="Front Cover" style="float: right;" />possession and honor, and where <em><strong>no one desires to be the other's superior</strong></em>, but each the other's subordinate. Where there are such people, one could not establish authority even if he wanted to, since in the nature of things<em><strong> it is impossible to have superiors where no one is willing or able to be superior</strong></em>. Where there are no such people [<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>i.e.</em>, no one willing to just all be equal], however, there are no real Christians either.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(Martin Luther, <em>Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed</em> (1523) in Martin Luther, <em>Selected Writings: 1517-1520</em> (Ed. Theodore Tippert)(Fortress Press, 2007) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=cHvf_xp6V8IC&lpg=RA3-PA307&ots=4khwrQvGSD&dq=%22Among%20Christians%20there%20is%20no%20superior%20but%20Christ%20himself%22&pg=RA3-PA307#v=onepage&q=%22Among%20Christians%20there%20is%20no%20superior%20but%20Christ%20himself%22&f=false">307</a>; See also 45 Luther's Works 75, 117 (Walther I. Brandt, 1956).<br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">How amazing it is Luther taught there are no Christians present in a congregation when the group agrees to make some human their single superior. That is how fundamental Luther viewed Jesus' principles when Luther was battling the presupposition that priests and popes were legitimate authorities. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(Sadly, as we shall see in the Study Notes below after this article, once Luther won a treaty of peace with the pope for his new church, the temptation for power later seduced Luther himself. He became a new pope of his new church. He appointed ministers who operated as de facto superiors. By Luther's own criteria, there were no more Christians present in such churches who suffered such a change.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;">Error of Structured Hierarchy Among Equal Brothers</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In agreement is Dave Lililgren's 2007 article entitled "Pastor Jesus" in which we read his valid comments on Matthew 20:25-26:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In verse 25, Jesus describes “<strong><em>secular</em></strong>” leadership by using terms “rulers of the Gentiles” and “their great ones.” This type of leadership is based upon one’s position (“rulers”) in government and upon their greatness (“great ones” could also refer to their credentials) in exercising influence over others. It’s all about control (“lord it over them”) and the exercise of authority. Secular leadership is hierarchical, from top to bottom, with a “chain of command.”</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Tragically, Jesus in verse 25 is <em><strong>describing the leadership structure of many churches today</strong></em>. We have brought in “baggage” from the world (“the Gentiles” literally means “the nations”) and have <strong><em>organized Christ’s church after a pagan model</em></strong>, replete with “boards” and “chains of command” and CEO’s (a.k.a., “senior pastors”). But <strong>Jesus emphatically states that this type of church government is wrong</strong>: “It shall not be so among you” (Matt. 20:26a). This is not to be the way leadership functions in Christ’s kingdom. (Lilligren, "<a href="http://www.cwcfamily.com/dave/pastor_jesus_part_2.htm">Pastor Jesus</a>" (2007).)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Luther began the reformation in 1517 with this same view in mind: to liberate us from all ecclesiastical authority except the authority of Jesus. Luther wrote in his e</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">ssay,' Freedom of a Christian,' which we find in <em>Martin Luther: Selections From His Writings</em> (Dillenberger, editor)(Anchor Books, 1962) at page 65:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Injustice is done those words 'priest,' 'cleric,' 'spiritual,' 'ecclesiastic,' when they are transferred from all Christians to those few who are now by a <em><strong>mischievous usage</strong></em> called 'ecclesiastics.'"</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Our True Obligation Solely To Submit to Christ Within The Church</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">God commands instead we submit only to Christ. Through Moses long ago, God told us one day we would be required to obey the Christ -- apparently as God's most superior voice of all time. We read in Deuteronomy - the prophecy of "The Prophet" which passage Peter in Acts 3 said applies to Jesus -- as follows:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and <em><strong>I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him</strong></em>. 19 I myself will <strong><em>call to account</em></strong> anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2018:17-18&version=NIV">Deut 18:17-19 NIV</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This role for Jesus was implied in God's voice from heaven in the New Testament. At Jesus' transfiguration, a voice speaks from heaven and says of Jesus "<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">listen to Him</span></strong>." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%209:7&version=NIV">Mark 9:7</a>; Matt 17:5, transfiguration.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">When any of us take the role of a single superior over other Christians, we are pushing aside Jesus who God commands be given that role as the Teacher and the Preacher. We all must listen to Jesus.</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> Those who teach and preach are an obvious necessity to communicate Jesus' words. However, to call yourself 'the pastor,' 'the preacher' or 'the teacher' or similar title is a seduction to power -- a power that God exclusively gave the one whose words you quote</span>.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Sadly for Luther, in the end, as discussed in a post-script note below, Luther succumbed to the temptation of earning riches by creating an ecclesiastical structure with himself and his friends in charge. To use Luther's own words, he mischievously placed himself above other Christians with a right to command wages.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Subterfuge Of Jesus's Principles By The Label of 'Minister'</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What about if we simply call a single poweful-church leader "the minister?" Does this label change the substance of what we are doing, and thus avoid Jesus' prohibition? <em>NO. </em>That would be playing a word-game, raising form over substance.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Such nomenclature is simply a brazen circumvention of Jesus' commands. It seeks to create an office which represents a single powerful church-leader or teacher or pastor known as The Minister at X, Y Z church. An unequal "brother" who has taken Jesus' post among us.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The standard 'minister' position does not simply humbly serve with the rest of us as all his equal, as we all know from experience. Rather, the minister is always <em><strong>alone authorized to speak and teach</strong></em>. None of us can contribute during the sermon. <strong><em>No one can question or dispute the minister as he talks</em></strong>. We treat the minister as an oracle above us. Finally, no one but the 'minister' <strong><em>gets paid for his time</em></strong> in the service (except a few other church-leaders), thus giving the minister an unequal honor above the general members within the entire Church.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, this isolating of one individual to hold power over us and command wages under the title of "Minister" is a completely dishonest skirting of Jesus' meaning.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It subverts Jesus' role. As Frank Viola and George Barna recently wrote in <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Cu8BGQAACAAJ">Pagan Christianity</a></em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Cu8BGQAACAAJ"> </a> (Tyndale: 2008) at 75:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[T]he Protestant order of worship represses mutual participation and the growth of Christian community. It puts a choke hold on the functioning of the body of Christ by <strong><em>silencing its members</em></strong>. There is absolutely no room for anyone to give a word of exhortation, share an insight, start or introduce a song, or spontaneously lead a prayer. You are<strong><em> forced to be a muted, staid pewholder</em></strong>! You are prevented from being enriched by the other members of the body as well as being able to enrich them yourself.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Viola explains he was involved in a home church which was a weekly gathering and completely spontaneous in starting up hymns, prayers, readings, etc. Viola says when you operate this way, the headship of Christ emerges. When it is lacking, Jesus' role as leader is suppressed:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[T]he Protestant order of worship <strong><em>strangles the headship of Jesus Christ</em></strong>. The entire service is directed to one person. You are limited to the knowledge, gifting and experience of one member of the body--the pastor. Where is the freedom for our Lord Jesus to speak through His body at will? Where in the liturgy may God give a brother or sister a word to share with the whole congregation? The order of worship allows for no such thing. <strong><em>Jesus Christ has no freedom to express Himself through His body at His discretion</em></strong>. He too is<strong><em> rendered a passive spectator</em></strong>. <em>Id</em>. at 76.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">To support our ignoring Jesus's command, many people complain that operating without a formal leader or pastor is impractical. One responds: "I couldn't imagine a church run without some order."<sup><a href="http://biblicalthought.com/blog/all-church-government-is-unbiblical/">1</a></sup></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://biblicalthought.com/blog/all-church-government-is-unbiblical/"></a></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But you can have order without a single formal leader / pastor / teacher aside from Jesus. And why would we <strong><em>scoff at our Lord Jesus's words</em></strong> without trying what He says? Here is my experience proving it can be done.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;" data-mce-mark="1">If you need titles to remind you of each member's limited role and yet authorize some to moderate the group's activities, you can have multiple Staff Assistants to Jesus in your church (who are rotated) who assist Jesus' service as pastor over the membership. Order is always possible without a single superior other than Jesus to moderate.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">My Experience With Only Jesus As Pastor</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">When I lived in Costa Rica as a missionary in 1998-2002 (still technically a conservative Presbyterian but with Baptist-evangelical ideas as my predominant viewpoint), I regularly attended a Pentecostal English-speaking church on Sunday. Missionary work was something you did the rest of the week.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">One of our church members was Gary. He told a group of us who lived near his home that the notion of modern pastors was unbiblical. Our sub-group who hung out a lot with Gary then read a book he offered that explained this. I was not fully convinced. However, I was willing to try out "Gary's idea." Each Wednesday, we met at a different person's home for communion, worship-singing and prayer. No one was in charge. Whoever's home served as host, that couple was responsible for making sure the communion table was prepared. Each of us brought food and gave it to the host couple for the post-service lunch. It was great and worked completely in an orderly manner.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Significantly, we always had a<em><strong> chair for Jesus</strong></em>. We believed Jesus was the sole teacher and sole pastor. That symbolic chair reminded us to never get carried away as an individual with speaking. We began every service inviting Jesus to be there with us, as He promised where "<strong><em>two or more are gathered together in my name, there I am among them</em></strong>." (Matt. <a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/18-20.htm">18:20</a>.) And we also made expressions of submission to Jesus as Master, recalling that Jesus told us what brings Him and the Father to reside among us:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If a man loves me, he will <strong><em>keep my word</em></strong>, and my Father will love him, and<strong> we will come to him and make our home with him</strong> (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014:23&version=KJV">John 14:23</a>).</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Then after worship-singing and initial prayers, men and women, including husbands and wives, asked the group about what a passage meant. Any of us could raise a question about a passage which they had been studying privately. We read it, studied it, and commented on it. Nothing was out of turn. It was spiritually dominated by the Holy Spirit's presence with us. God was moving among us.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Frank Viola's Similar Experience</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Frank Viola in his chapter on the modern order of worship shared his similar experience in what he calls "open meetings under the headship of Christ." (Viola, <em>Pagan Christianity</em> (2008) at 78.) He explained such a meeting "not too long ago" of about 30 of us "gathered together in a home...." Some spontaneously went to the center of the room and sang a song. Quickly the entire church was singing, arms around one another. Then someone began another song. They sang several songs sometimes repeating them. Some people turned the words of the songs into prayers. "On several occasions, a few of the members exhorted the church in relation to what we had just sung." <em>Id.,</em> at 78. Then they all sat down. Quickly a woman stood up and shared what the Lord had showed her the past week. After she sat down, a man got up and shared a portion of scripture, and exalted the Lord Jesus through it, etc. <em>Id.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Viola points out the same impact this had on myself in the home church we worshipped within in Costa Rica:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It was so...edifying that it became evident to everyone that <strong>someone was indeed leading the meeting</strong>. But He was not visible. It was <strong>the Lord Jesus Christ!</strong> His headship was being manifested among His people. We were reminded again that He in fact is alive...alive enough to direct His church. <em>Id.</em>, at 79.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Why Do We Reject This?</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What is the cause of our misconceptions against this kind of church? It is our modern concept of the church as a<strong><em> structured</em></strong> <strong><em>organization</em></strong> like modern corporations that causes us to want 'leaders' and 'pastors' other than Jesus. However, a truly vibrant Christian community is one that does not need formally present leaders /pastors nor official buildings. The need for walls should not dictate a structure at odds with Jesus' words. As Jesus said of the Temple, one day it would be gone, but God wants those who worship in spirit and truth. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%204:21-24&version=KJV">John 4:21-24</a>.) Walls are sometimes useful. Teaching is useful. Pastoring is useful. But commanding figures called Teachers and Pastors and Leaders (aka Ministers) other than Christ Himself are contrary to Christ's direction.</span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Church Multiplication Association at its website explains my own experience and their desire to obey Jesus's words in what they regard as the "most ignored" passage from Jesus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In our own mission work we use only the terms "hermano" (brother), and "hermana" (sister) for everyone. We try to be very careful to <strong>not give the impression that some of us are somehow more important</strong>, or "more called" than others. In any of our meetings ANYONE is welcome, even those meetings of a sensitive nature. We don't want to do anything that would give an impression that some are more qualified or more important to deal with matters than others. As a result, <em><strong>our poorer, uneducated brethren are often used of God to accomplish extraordinary things as they are encouraged to use their spiritual gifting</strong></em>, rather than something they have been made to feel inferior about through no fault of their own. (J. Guy Muse, missionary in Ecuador, "<a href="http://www.cmaresources.org/article/the-most-ignored-words-of-jesus">The Most Ignored Words of Jesus.</a>")</span></p>
|
||||
<h2 class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Paul & Barnabas' Differing Views</strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">So where did we get the idea of multiple pastors, ministers, and other officers lording over us? Paul.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul says "And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, <strong><em>some pastors </em></strong>(shepherds, Greek <em><strong>poimenas</strong></em>) and teachers...." (Eph. 411.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But Jesus said to the contrary: "And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, <em><strong>one shepherd</strong></em> (Greek <strong>poimen</strong>)." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2010:16&version=KJV">John 10:16</a>.) Jesus uses the same Greek word for <em>shepherd/pastor</em> as Paul, but the singular while Paul uses the plural. Jesus' point is there should be<strong><em> no more than one</em></strong>. Paul's use of the plural is to convey a contradictory idea that it is perfectly ok to have multiple pastors.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And where do we get the idea that anyone but Jesus can serve as a leader over us too?</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"For though you have <strong><em>countless leaders</em></strong> [paidagogous, lit. <em>leaders</em>] in Christ ...." <a href="http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/4-15.htm">1Cor.4:15</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, Jesus said: "Neither be called leaders [kathegetai, lit. leaders, </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">-- </em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">a synonym for paidogagous</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">], for you have one leader, the Christ." </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2023:10&version=AMP" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">Matt.23:10 AMP</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">. (Other translations render this as "master" (</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2023:10&version=KJV" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">KJV</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">) or "director" (</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2023:10&version=YLT" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">YLT</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">).)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And where does the idea come from that these pastors/leaders can not only lord it over us, but also can expect wages from us? Paul again.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Tim.%205:17&version=KJV">1 Tim. 5:17</a>,<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> </span>Paul wrote: "The elders who <strong><em>direct the affairs of the church </em></strong>well are worthy of <strong><em>double hono</em><em>r</em></strong>, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching." Then Paul uses an Original Testament verse about not muzzling an ox, and then by nebulous logic Paul reads it to imply that churchgoers have a duty to pay the elders for their service. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Tim.%205:18&version=KJV">1 Tim. 5:18</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Finally, in<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+9%3A7-14&version=NIV"> 1 Cor. 9:14</a> (NIV) Paul bluntly says: "<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">the Lord has <em><strong>commanded</strong></em> that those who preach the gospel should<strong><em> receive their living from the gospel.</em></strong>" </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Cannot Serve God & Mammon At Same Time</span></strong>.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But I thought Jesus said to His disciples to </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">lay no cost on anyone</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">they served with preaching or teaching the gospel? "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." </span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; color: #000000;"></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2010:8&version=KJV" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;">Matt. 10:8b</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">.) This is intended to apply to all preaching and ministry works, for the words just before </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">this were: </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"[7] And</span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;"></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> <strong>preach</strong> as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' [8a] </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus likewise warned in <a href="http://biblehub.com/text/matthew/6-24.htm">Matthew 6:24</a> what happens if you serve both God and Money <em><strong>at the same time</strong></em>: you will "love less" (miserei) one master in favor of the one you love more --obviously when they conflict. (See <a href="http://biblehub.com/greek/3404.htm">Strong's 3404</a> for miserei in Matt 6:24.) Jesus wasn't requiring everyone to never work for a wage, or otherwise you cannot serve Christ unless poor. We know this because Jesus right after saying not to take money to preach says in the very next verse -- in Matt 10:10 -- that preachers must rely instead upon the <a href="/aboutauthor/670-matthew-10-10-and-the-law-of-hospitality.html">Law of Hospitality from Leviticus 25:6</a> for support. What's that? </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">You would ask for room and board of someone in a village, and in return do work, and if you did a lot, you could even earn a wage. Jesus paraphrased this law as a "workman is worthy of his wage." If the person there will not listen, Jesus told you to leave their home - proving Jesus saw no risk of being beholden to the host by merely receiving a wage-in-return for LABOR. You were not being paid for TEACHING A PET DOCTRINE from which you gain advantage, whether you realize it or not. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But Jesus sees things very differently if you get a congregation of many people who want to hear a message, and you take a salary or fee to teach them. Now you have Two Masters: God and the paying congregants. This is why Jesus prohibited ever taking money to preach in Matthew 10:7-9. It creates a self-interest to confirm spiritual doctrines favored by the listeners.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Two Masters warning in Matthew 6:24 explains why this is a problem. You will now be tempted to serve the paying congregants even if you find later that the seminary they supported to train you was designed to perpetuate serious heresies against Jesus' teachings. Once you discover this is going on, you will quickly realize that if you speak the truth to the congregation about what Jesus really says, you will risk elder disapproval, and the loss of mammon (money). </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This also explains why Apostle John in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=3%20John%207">3 John 7</a> extolled those missionaries who "went out for the Name," but "took nothing from the Gentiles." Had they accepted money from the Gentiles, the temptation would be to please them by skewed doctrine that lowered God's standards to the Gentiles' manner of living. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Jesus' Truth Often Loses to Dependency on Mammon</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, what if you as a paid-pastor find out there is a truth from Jesus that is rejected by <em><strong>every present Gentile denomination in Christianity worthy of any regard? </strong></em>Today, every denomination rejects or ignores Jesus' teaching that "a believer in me" has two choices when sinning: you can go to hell whole or heaven maimed by serious cutting off of the temptations causing the sin. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+9%3A42-48&version=ASV">Mark 9:42-47</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt+5%3A29-30&version=ASV">Matt 5:28-29</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt+18%3A6-9&version=ASV">18:6-9</a>.) A Christian's faith in Christ in these passages is not a ticket to heaven. Nor is a Christian eternally secure merely because he had faith. Jesus taught three independent times this "heaven-maimed, hell-whole" doctrine which utterly destroys the universal pet doctrines of modern congregants.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Modern congregants of every denomination want to simply be assured their faith alone is all that is necessary; there are no hard choices thereafter to be saved. The pastors today do not preach repentance for salvation because they know Jesus failed to win over the </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">greedy rich man whom Jesus told to give all his money to the poor and "come follow me." The man walked away from Jesus. (<a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/19-21.htm">Matt 19:21</a>.) 'We won't let that happen,' says the servile pastor of congregants whom he knows want only reaffirming messages preached that require no reform of life. Instead, 'we pastors of today' gladly tell that rich man to believe Jesus died for his sins and rose from the dead, and he will be saved! (1 Cor.15:1-10.) No works worthy of repentance are ever necessary! Rejoice!!! </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If the rich man gives us weekly donations to support our salary, he will hear regular assurances where he can sing "all is well with my soul." These words were written by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Spafford">Mr. Spafford</a> (1828-88), a well-off rich professional. Spafford supported Dwight Moody who taught Spafford salvation was acquired for a song -- a cheap price. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8_EfDqF7YI">Song of 1873 by Horatio Spafford</a>.) As <a href="https://www.moodyglobal.org/beliefs">Moody Bible Institute</a> boldly still proclaims, our salvation supposedly is "not dependent upon...<em><strong>works of righteousness to attain or sustain it</strong></em>" even though Jesus teaches the o</span><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">pposite in Mark 9:42-47, and again in Matt 5:28-29 and Matt 18:6-9.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Why is there no courage to preach what Jesus teaches? The pastors are beholden to MAMMON. So they <em><strong>had no choice</strong></em> but to accept Paul who alone sanctioned them collecting monies to preach despite doing so was at odds with Christ's prohibition. But they knew it is shameful to ignore these contradictions. As a result, they were also forced to accept dispensational doctrine too. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Dispensationalism was first proposed by the faith-alone proponent Agricola in the 1500s. He argued this justified dismissing all of Jesus' hard sayings about repentance at odds with faith alone as belonging to a defunct Era of Law. Zwingli (1481-1531) was overjoyed, as he made the NT solely the epistles of Paul. (See <span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24px;">Schaff, </span><strong style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24px;"><em>Creeds of Christendom</em></strong><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24px;"> Vol. 1 sec. </span><a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TyAoqFIemNwJ:www.lectionist.org/ccel/schaff/creeds1.ix.ii.i.html%3FscrBook%3DGal%26scrCh%3D5%26scrV%3D1+carlstadt+paul%27s+epistles&cd=172&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: none; outline: none; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24px;">51</a><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24px;">.) Agricola </span>proclaimed that the ERA of LAW has passed away, as Paul taught, and with it, supposedly all of Jesus' teachings. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The modern pastors then learned such a gospel -- although outrageously abandoning Jesus' doctrines -- has another big advantage to their careers. If they focus upon the verses in Paul that support salvation by an </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">easy-believism, there is a a big payoff. It allows exaggerated assurances of salvation which swells the numbers of happy congregants. This greatly lines pastors' pockets and grows their 401ks. They preach doctrines that are highly popular and enthusiastically-embraced by millions. Otherwise, the pastors would have had to use Jesus' message about harsh steps of repentance, which might lead people to not continue attendance. The pastors know that would not work well for their own job security. In Jesus' case, such frankness repelled the young rich man who didn't like the high personal cost of salvation Jesus asked for. See Matt 19:21. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, Paulinism has created a feel-good church system that feeds upon its own success in an endless ever growing cycle. Not because it is what Jesus taught; but instead because it legitimizes avoidance of everything Jesus taught, grounding Christianity on a Pauline foundation opposed by Jesus - wages for pastors, hierarchy in the church, and salvation without repentance from sin, having no path of righteousness to follow at all for salvation-sake. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">The Mammon-Based Gospel Is Endless Flattery.</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Why don't the congregants wake up to what's going on? They have enjoyed flattery for so long they don't know any other Christianity than one of an assurance of eternal security for just their faith. They are a happy group of people who are told they do not have go to heaven "maimed" of any sinful pleasures. Who wants to ever escape from that joyful bubble? <strong>No one</strong>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Their church attendance is like watching an old film-reel of a funny clip of someone falling off a ladder; you can play it over and over again, and it always brings joy and laughter. It is a weekly seduction that you never grow tired of.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">The Hireling Leaves Us Subject to Wolves in Sheep's Clothing</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus said the "hireling" over a flock of sheep does not truly care for them, and serves only for the money, letting them be destroyed by "wolves in sheep's clothing." (John 10:12-13; Matt 7:15.) As Reverand Brostrom wrote in 2003 about the modern salaried pastors in <a href="http://hushmoney.org/HirelingOrServant.htm">Hireling or Servant</a>: </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span>Approaching the pastor as an employee, therefore, is problematic as it promotes a hireling mentality in the church. This becomes apparent in congregations when they <em><strong>seek to accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires</strong></em>. Many churches, for example, look not for a man who is going to faithfully expound the Scriptures and shepherd the people of God, but for one who is <em><strong>likely to fill the pews</strong></em> and assure that the church meets its budget. The <em><strong>hireling mentality also exists among pastors</strong></em>. This becomes apparent when pastors are <em><strong>self-interested</strong></em>, showing greater concern for their compensation package and the earthly security it supposedly brings than ministering to the flock they are called to serve (Jn.10:12,13).</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Based upon this conflict of interest, the modern pastors have squirmed away from Jesus' words. They have largely dismissed Jesus' lessons as belonging to a different dispensation. They have elevated Paul above Christ. They are not ignorant of what they are doing, nor that it contradicts Jesus. (See <a href="/aboutauthor/200-paulinism-examples.html">Paulinism Examples</a> for many modern quotes and YouTubes.) They have wilfully deluded themselves to accept these bogus explanations by the allure of Mammon that is the key advantage in accepting these very same bogus explanations. T</span><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">hat is why they can never give up Paul -- he alone gives the pastors of today the <em><strong>right</strong></em> to money to preach and teach.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, given the state of the church today of well-paid ministers -- all unwitting captives of the denominations they serve, and their well-worn doctrinal statements, I guess Jesus' words are not important any more once Paul gave us the right to preach for financial gain! (My tongue is firmly planted in my cheek.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">The Didache of the Early 100s</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In accord with Jesus' words, the <em>Didache, or Teaching of the Apostles</em>, found in the 1800s but which dates to as early as the 100s as apostolic sayings, says to give room and board to Christ's messengers for one or two days (<em>i.e.</em>, the law of hospitality in Leviticus to which Jesus alluded in Matthew 10), but "If he remain a third day, he is a false prophet." (Quoted in Edwin Johnson, <em>Antiqua Mater</em> (1887) at <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=LTc1AQAAIAAJ&dq=Antiqua%20Mater%3A%20A%20Study%20of%20Christian%20Origins&pg=PA57#v=onepage&q=ebionites&f=false">page 57.</a>) </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Didache continued, and spoke about sermons asking for money: "Whosoever says in spirit; 'Give me money or any other things, <em><strong>you shall not listen to him</strong></em>." Id., at <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=LTc1AQAAIAAJ&dq=Antiqua%20Mater%3A%20A%20Study%20of%20Christian%20Origins&pg=PA64#v=onepage&q=ebionites&f=false">page 64</a>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Who did the early church follow: Jesus and his true apostles? Or someone else's self-serving message? </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jerome in the 300s Decries Single Elder Control or Bishop as Superior over Elders</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jerome translated the Bible into the Latin Vulgate. The pope tried to tell him what to do in using the Greek Septuagint variants over the Hebrew. But Jerome had some independent streaks. One such streak was to expose the error of a singular bishop over elders, or a single elder to rule over a congregation, attributing this to Satan's temptation -- which statements must have been missed by the pope's agents, for his critique applied as much to the pope as to any singular priest over a congregation. Jerome in his Commentary on Titus 1:7 said: </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial;">The presbyter is the same as the bishop, and <strong>before parties had been raised up in religion by the provocations of Satan</strong>, the churches were <strong>governed by the Senate of the presbyters [i.e. elders].</strong> But as each one <strong>sought to appropriate to himself</strong> those whom he had baptized, instead of leading them to Christ, it was appointed that <strong>one of the presbyters, elected by his colleagues, should be set over all the others</strong>, and have <strong>chief supervision over the general well-being of the community</strong>.... Without doubt it is the duty of the presbyters to bear in mind that by the discipline of the Church they are subordinated to him who has been given them as their head, but it is fitting that the <strong>bishops,</strong> on their side, do <strong>not forget that if they are set over the presbyters</strong>, it is the <strong>result of tradition</strong>, and <strong>not by the fact of a particular institution by the Lord</strong> (Comm. Tit. 1.7). </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial;">Quoted in Michael J. Krueger (pastor Presybterian Church in America & Prof. NT at Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte), <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/michael-j-kruger/were-early-churches-ruled-by-elders-or-a-single-bishop.html">Were Early Churches Ruled by Elders or a Single Bishop?</a> at Bible Tools.com. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Barnabas' Similar Message to Paul's</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Similar to Paul's words, Barnabas who authored Hebrews (<a href="/aboutauthor/272-authorship-of-hebrews.html">according to Tertullian</a>) also contributed to the concept of powerful leaders and pastor-like figures in the church:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>Obey your leaders</em>, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">souls, as those who will give an account. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb.%2013:17&version=KJV">Heb. 13:17</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But Jesus said there were not to be "leaders" in the spiritual community. (Matt. 23:6-11, quoted above.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And Jesus said we were not to have rulers among us who rule over us like Gentiles do in their assemblies. (Matt. 20:25-26.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul / Barnabas are at odds with Jesus. Whom do you follow? Barnabas or Jesus? Paul or Jesus? Let's choose Jesus. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Tolstoy Says Paul Drew Us Into Dogmas Not Obedience to Teachings of Jesus</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The famous Tolstoy told us the same thing in his essay "The Church and State" (1891). Tolstoy contrasted the "o</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">riginal Christian doctrine in the Gospels" that dispelled formal worship structures and having formal teachers other than Christ, and then explained: </span><em style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><strong><br /></strong></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">But since Christ's time, and down to ours, we find a deviation of doctrine from the foundations laid by Christ. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This deviation <em><strong>begins ...with that lover of teaching, Paul</strong></em>: and the wider Christianity extends, the more it deviates and <em><strong>appropriates the methods of that very external worship and dogmatism the denial of which was so positively expressed by Christ. (<a href="/aboutauthor/550-tolstoy-church-and-state.html">"Church or State"</a>).</strong></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, will we listen to Tolstoy's upbraiding us to follow Christ's teachings? Or will we stay on the path Paul created?</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">I was happy to find the same question well put by <a href="http://jesusfamilies.org/hot_topics/church.htm">JesusFamilies.org</a> in a recent article <em>Is 'Going to Church' Compatible with the Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth?</em> (accessed 8/30/2014):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">First and foremost, Jesus plainly teaches that he is to be his follower's only Teacher and Leader, Master and Lord... But the deceit comes in the form of, 'Oh, but God told us through <em><strong>Paul</strong> </em>that there are leaders in between Jesus and his followers....<strong>For those not blinded by their religious Bible dogma, that would obviously make those who believe that statement followers of Paul, since Paul directly contradicts Jesus on this most important matter</strong>. ...I ask again, how many shepherds will the followers of Jesus have? Jesus says 'one'. Paul - and the religion founded on his teachings (and the rest of the Bible apart from Jesus' teachings) - says 'millions'. Who are you going to believe? (Emphasis in original).</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><em> </em>I also appreciated reading a similar view in the October 2014 blog of David Brainerd:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Harwood">Philip Harwood</a> wrote in 1838, critiquing churchianity] "Christians are not free, Christianity is not a religion of free and equal brotherhood." [P. Harwood, </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Religious Equality, a Sermon</span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (1838) at</span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=SyIHAAAAQAAJ&lpg=PA3&dq=one%20master%20even%20christ%20all%20brethren&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q=one%20master%20even%20christ%20all%20brethren&f=false" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 23.4px;"> 3-4</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">.]</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 23px 30px; outline: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 23.4px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em><strong>So why isn’t it???? Simple. Paul vs Jesus.</strong></em> Paul says “Obey your masters.” Jesus says “You only have one master, even Christ, and you are all brethren.” Checkmate Paulinists. The “church” is a chaos of gurus because Paul’s “authority” trip doesn’t produce anything but bad, foul, fruit. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 23px 30px; outline: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 23.4px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I should also note, in one of the instances in the quoted text, “master” is didaskalos (teacher) and in another kathegetes (authority, leader). Jesus is both our only <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">teacher</em> and only <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">authority</em>, and only<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"> leader</em>. Anyone teaching anything about “the gospel” that isn’t directly based on his words is out of line.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 23px 30px; outline: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 23.4px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 23.4px;">Yet the Paulinists are always having “leadership” conferences to learn to be better “leaders.” Jesus is the shepherd. <em><strong>Any other “pastor” (i.e. shepherd) is climbing over the door of the sheep fold and is a thief or robber. </strong></em> Jesus said so. See John 10. (David Brainerd, "<a href="https://davidbrainerd2.wordpress.com/category/christianity-without-paul/">Without Paul would we know how to run a church?</a>" <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Christianity without Paul blog</span> (10/31/2014).)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Battle of Britain Over This Issue</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, in the 1550-80s, reformers in England pled to end all church hierarchy, including powerful bishops, etc. To defeat this movement, Paul was argued to have appointed Timothy a bishop (in the modern sense of a powerful leader). In retort, the anti-hierachy movement claimed Paul made Timothy only a deacon, etc. That became the focal point of a debate that ended up keeping an hierachical system despite Jesus' words condemning it. See Donna B. Hamilton, <em>Shakespeare and Politics in Protestant England</em> (U. of Ky. Press, 1992) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LVJrs4zvoXMC&lpg=PA64&ots=-L4lfdO1dT&dq=shakespeare%20apostle%20paul&pg=PA64#v=onepage&q=shakespeare%20apostle%20paul&f=false">64</a> ("those who wanted to do away with a hierachical structure...had argued that Paul appointed Timothy to be a minister...deacon.") </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">With Paul in the mix as a presumed inspired authority, the movement to return to Jesus' doctrine was doomed.<br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Benefits From Ending Pastorates-for-Pay</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">By obeying Jesus to not pay for preaching / teaching, we will return to the norm of original Christianity. As </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Carl B. Hoch, Jr., professor of New Testament at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary states: "In New Testament days, </span><span style="color: #494a44; line-height: 21px; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">leaders were normally not paid.</span><em style="font-weight: bold;">"</em></span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (Carl B. Hoch, Jr.,</span><em> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">All Things New</span></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1995) at 240). </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">By ending payments to pastors, we will go far toward dismantling the currently flawed church structure. We will put an end to the self-interest of the leaders to protect against spiritual obedience to Christ's words on this topic as well as many others. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The correction in the church's salvation doctrine will naturally flow from simply quoting Jesus' words in regular readings from the gospels. There will be no self-interest any longer for someone who gets paid money to "explain" away Jesus' words as belonging supposedly to a defunct dispensation. We can hear Jesus and follow Him, having no shame in listening to Him. Nor any reason provided to ignore His words any longer. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Modern Effort to Revive Home Churches</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; color: #494a44; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Steve Atkerson wrote the first treatise on this modern effort to re-establish house churches. He wrote with respect to paying elders and pastors on how huge the benefits would be to the external ministry of the church by reforming to Christ's teaching:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; color: #494a44; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Requiring elders to be self-supporting would </span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">free large sums of money currently designated for professional pastors to be used instead in support of missionaries or to help the poor</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">. It would also place a pastor's motives above reproach in an era of religious shysters who purposely fleece the flock in order to finance their exorbitant lifestyles (Ezekiel 34:1-6). In addition, creating a class of salaried ministers tends to </span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">elevate them above the average believer and fosters an artificial laity/clergy distinction</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">.</span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> Finally, salesmen <strong>tend to be extra nice toward those to whom they hope to sell something</strong>. Hiring a career clergyman puts him in</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;"><em style="font-weight: bold;"> </em><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #000000;">a similar salesman-customer relationship, and this, no doubt to some degree, affects his dealings with significant contributors (money talks)</span>.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (Steve Atkerson, editor. </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;">Toward A House Church Theology</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (Atlanta, GA: New Testament Restoration Foundation, 1996) at 87.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">When Did The Church Go Off The Rails?</span></span></h3>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Where and when did things change in the church? With one small exception at Rome, it began in the 400s AD.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, Paul in the early 1st century sewed a small seed that caused a small movement at Rome by 70 AD where <a href="http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/1clement.html">Clement of Rome</a>, quoting Paul's lessons, said one had to submit to "elders" and obey them. This solution of 'obeying' rather than persuading was to resolve a "schism" in doctrine, and not an issue over sin. <em>See</em>, <em style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">The Apostolic Fathers</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (ed. Jack N. Sparks) (Thomas Nelson, 1978) at 49, section 47.) This implied the small Roman church by 70-96 AD was led by a hierarchy that dictated doctrinal issues. To gain such superiority over others, Clement haughtily claimed that he spoke by the Holy Spirit: "You will give us joy and gladness if you prove obedient to<strong style="font-style: italic;"> what we have written through the Holy </strong><strong><em>Spirit</em></strong>...." (<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>Id</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">.<em>, </em>at 53, section 63.)<em><br /></em></span></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Other than that small exception emanating early on from Rome, you would be surprised, but it took almost 400 years to erase laymen as the primary participants in church. Thus, Pauline thinking of pastors, leaders, etc., eventually caused "pope Leo [b. 400-d.461], in an epistle to Maximus, bishop of Antioch, [to tell] him that monks or other<strong><em> laymen</em></strong>, however learned, should not be allowed to usurp the right of teaching or preaching, but <strong><em>only the priests of the Lord</em></strong> [can teach/preach]." (Samuel Cheetham, <em>A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities</em> (Burr, 1880) Vol. 2 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=omMaAAAAYAAJ&dq=liberius%20ordered%20people%20to%20celebrate&pg=PA1686#v=onepage&q&f=false">1686</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, was born the laity v. clergy distinction in the 5th century, and the superiority of a few over the church was formalized in violation of Jesus's words.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">PS. Sometimes <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%205:5&version=KJV">1 Peter 5:5</a> is used to teach that 'elders' <em><strong>in a church</strong></em> are proper and we must submit to them. However, read the verse again: "Young men, in the same way be <em><strong>submissive to those who are older.</strong></em>" (NIV). Obviously, to say this is about a church organization is twisting the verse. It is simply a moral command between young and old. It is not an organizational teaching about church. It only applies in a church setting as reflective of a principle that applies both inside and outside of church meetings.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2 class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Overseer / Bishop</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The early church had a member known as the OVERSEER - what we today call a bishop. The early role is much different than we imagine. It comported with what Peter speaks about in 1 Peter <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%205:1-4&version=ASV">5:3</a>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">neither as<strong><em> lording it over the charge allotted to you</em></strong>, but making yourselves examples to the flock</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Peter, I believe, was talking about the charge given a bishop. It did not include routine solitary preaching or directing others in their behavior, as we shall see.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Sozomen and various scholars claim the early bishops of Christianity <strong><em>never preached</em></strong> a sermon for the first 400 years of Christianity. At church, you prayed, read the Bible, heard exortation to obey the word, and sang. That was it! "Sozomen [says] at Rome<strong><em> neither the bishop nor any other were known to publicly preach to the public up to this time (440 A.D.)</em></strong>" (Cheetham, <em>History of Christian Antiquities</em> (1880) Vol. 2 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=omMaAAAAYAAJ&dq=liberius%20ordered%20people%20to%20celebrate&pg=PA1687#v=onepage&q&f=false">1687</a>.) "Valesius...in corroboration of Sozomen [says] that<strong><em> no sermon by any bishop of Rome are extant before Leo the Great</em></strong> [ca. 440 A.D.]" <em>Id. </em></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, you might read Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, but then Jesus alone gave the Sermon. Otherwise, there was no practice of any individual member of the church taking on the role of weekly sermonizing.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, Cheetham found scattered evidence that bishops were said to give sermons from time to time, but in the same church others sometimes did so also. <em>Id.</em> While Cheetham questions whether Sozomen and Valesius are completely correct, such evidence did not mean one person routinely gave the sermon in a specific church. All were equal. Anyone could speak.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Likewise Viola and Barna in <em>Pagan Christianity</em> say that the first example of routine sermonizing in the church by a solitary person -- called the bishop -- came from Clement of Alexandria in the late second century AD. <em>See </em>Viola & Barna, <em>Pagan Christianity</em> (2008) at 89.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Even so, a sermon when mentioned in the early church was far different than what we are familiar with today. Around 165 AD, a passage of scripture was read with an exhortation to obey the word. Two readings from both the OT and NT were often read. "The sermons in these times were nothing else but exposition of some part of scriptures then read, and exhortations to the people to obey the doctrines contained in them, and generally upon the lesson last read, as being freshest in their minds." As a result of up to four readings, the exhortations were often several -- "sometimes two or three at the same assembly, the presbyters first and then the bishop." (Justin Martyr, <em>First Apology</em> (162 AD) at page<a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/firstapologyofju00just"> 92</a> fn. 2.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, even with such minor exhortations sharing the name 'sermon,' they obviously are not the sermonizing with which we are confronted with today -- where someone with the authority of a title as pastor preaches a message where we are far from the text into commentary and one's own thoughts and ideas entering into the lesson.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Regardless, Sozomen and Valesius as well as Viola and Barna still make a good point about what was the <em>general </em>practice: no sermoniznig by a solitary individual. The exceptions are rare in the early church.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Viola and Barna say that "the <strong><em>sermon became a standard practice...by the fourth century</em></strong>." (Viola & Barna, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Pagan Christianity</span> (2008) at 89.) They point out that this copied the strikingly similar pattern of the sophists of paganism who recruited disciples and then gave speeches on topics for a fee. <em>Id.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, the fact the prevailing church practice did not have a bishop (and no office of pastor at all) who sermonized for four centuries raises an important question. Doesn't this reveal the early church thought it improper to give a bishop (or anyone else) a position of such authority whereby he alone would be preaching / sermonizing repeatedly week after week in the church, thereby controlling thought and content of discussion?</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(Please note there was no <strong><em>office</em></strong> of pastor in the early church that survived Paul's mention of there being many 'pastors' in the churches which he promoted. See Viola & Barna, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Pagan Christianity</span> (2008) at 110. See also <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/20-28.htm">Acts 20:28</a> (shepherding used as verb with elders, not an office of pastor). See also <a href="https://youtu.be/2UFt4Lu5LTc">The Pastor Deception </a>-YouTube (Protestant evangelical shows you Paul too only spoke of Pastors in plural after 10:52 mark, and only referred as shepherding-verb to elders in plural form in Acts 20:28.) So the only possible early 'ruling' authority to study from post-Paul history is this position of 'bishop' aka 'overseer.')</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Assuming Sozomen, Valesius, Viola and Barna are correct about <em>general</em> practices, this supports a narrow role for an overseer / bishop. It is a role that would not violate Jesus's commands, as apparently the more Christ-centric early church even understood.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If the role of the overseer aka bishop is like a modern church secretary, the overseer sets out what might happen in an assembly meeting. The overseer has no authority to control the content of those speaking. That belongs to the Lord Jesus and the movement of the spirit during prayer and communion. The group listening should interact, and then correct the one speaking by means of Berean-like testing from the Bible.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In the home-church I mentioned above we had in Costa Rica, whoever's home was the meeting place would serve as overseer of starting off prayer, communion, making sure everything was prepared for worship, etc. But we all participated<strong><em> equally at all points in the worship time</em></strong>. It was completely liberating besides spiritually strengthening to each member of our small group.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Bishop's Role in Settling Doctrinal Disputes Was Non-Binding</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In Acts 15, the Overseer of Jerusalem (James) was called upon to resolve a question of doctrine. The answer was given after consultation with the Holy Spirit, and taking testimony and holding a hearing with the apostles. All opinions were heard first. The answer obviously had to conform to Scripture. James' goal was to find that answer after careful consideration of evidence and opinions. The conclusion was then placed in a friendly letter form. <strong><em>It was not an edict that threatened expulsion of anyone who did not agree</em></strong>. It did not say it was<em><strong> binding</strong></em>. The goal obviously was to let the probable view of God flow through the letter by asking for as much input from other believers as possible. In this way, the Overseer does not assume any authority above and apart from the Lord Jesus. But such an opinion-letter reflected that the bishop could serve as a peacemaker--a role Jesus would approve.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What importance is there that Peter and the other eleven apostles stay out of the dispute? They provide testimony but do not venture any imprimature above the bishop James's ruling. The answer is we must infer James simply rendered an opinion as an elder to try to quell disturbance in the church -- as a peacemaker. His letter's<strong><em> authority depended upon its reasonableness and spiritual correctness</em></strong>. James did not decree that it must be followed merely because James uttered it. Hence, this episode reveals a bishop could try to settle a doctrinal dispute by making what was hoped to be<strong><em> a persuasive non-binding decision</em></strong>. The apostles were not acting in a superior position above James when he acted as Bishop of Jerusalem. Hence, there is no example of hierarchy in Acts 15.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>No Superior Bishop Over Other Bishops</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A myth later developed that there was one bishop -- the one at Rome -- in Peter's line -- who was superior to all other Bishops. However, this had no foundation in the early church, as we will review here.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But we Protestants cannot criticize this speck in Roman Catholic eyes when we have similar beams in our own. For just as there was no bishop-over-bishops, there can neither be any authority of 'senior pastor' over 'junior' pastor, or elders over pastors, as we pretend is acceptably different within our Protestant church.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As proof there was no hierarchy in the early church among bishops, Reverand Jeremy Taylor from the 1600s went over the early history and concluded, citing Cyprian (died 258 AD) and Sylvius in support:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[B]y the law of Christ,<strong><em> one bishop is not superior to the other</em></strong>. ...Cyprian in the council of Carthage [in<a href="http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3818.htm"> 257 AD</a>] said: "It remains (saith he) that we all speak what every one of us doth think, judging no man, and refusing to communicate with no man that shall happen to be of a differing judgment:"..."for <strong><em>none of us makes himself a bishop of bishops</em></strong>, or by tyrannical terror compels his colleagues to a necessity of complying : for every bishop hath a liberty and power of his own arbitrement, <em><strong>neither can he be judged by any one, nor himself judge any other</strong></em>; but we all must<em><strong> expect the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ</strong></em>, who by himself and<em><strong> alone hath power of setting us over the government of his church, and of judging us for what we do</strong></em>."...</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I [Rev. Taylor] only add the saying of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_II">AEneas Sylvius</a> [died 1464 AD], who was himself a pope; "Ante concilium Nicenum, quisque sibi vivebat, et parvus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam;" " "Before the Nicene council, <em><strong>every man lived to himself</strong></em>" (that is, by his proper measures, the limits of his own church), "and <strong><em>little regard was had to the church of Rome</em></strong>." (Jeremy Taylor, <em>The Whole Works of The Right Reverand Jeremy Taylor</em> (Ogle Duncan 1822) Vol. 14 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=fpIbJ7aCcXkC&dq=marsilius%20of%20padua&pg=PA71#v=onepage&q=marsilius%20of%20padua&f=false">71</a>-72.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For further research on Cyprian's quote, it is at Cypr. Op. "Council Carth.," p. 229. See this<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ATIJAAAAQAAJ&dq=episcopum%20episcoporum%20constituit&pg=PA300#v=onepage&q=episcopum%20episcoporum%20constituit&f=false"> link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For further research on Aenaes Sylvius's quote, it is Aen. Sylvius Op. Basil 1571, Ad Mart. Meyer Epistle cclxxxviii [288] p. 802. See this<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=_ZwmAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA386&ots=BbybWtsJMN&dq=parvus%20respectus%20habebatur%20ad%20ecclesiam%20Romanam&pg=PA386#v=onepage&q=parvus%20respectus%20habebatur%20ad%20ecclesiam%20Romanam&f=false"> link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Also Cyprian wrote in the early church of the 250s of its bishops serving as all equals under Christ as the sole head:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"There is one church, <strong>divided by Christ into many members </strong>throughout the world; likewise one bishoprick, poured far abroad by the agreeable<strong><em> multitude of many bishops</em></strong>....[And] although bishopricks be divided and sundered by distance of place, yet were they ever knit together as with a garland, and ever ruled by one advice. Indeed the people was ever mingled together; but the <em><strong>bishops were also joined in charity, that every of them was content to be taught and to be led by other</strong></em>. " (<em>The Works of John Jewel id.</em>, Vol. 3 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ATIJAAAAQAAJ&dq=episcopum%20episcoporum%20constituit&pg=PA301#v=onepage&q=episcopum%20episcoporum%20constituit&f=false">301</a>, citing Cypr. Op. Antonian Epistle lv, p. 112.) [Also quoted by <em>Catholic Encylopedia</em> at this <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3818.htm">link</a>.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Further testimony of there being no superior bishop among bishops initially, at the Council of Constantinople of 380 AD, it was even "decreed that the bishops there should have even and equal authority to the bishop of Rome." (<em>The Works of John Jewel</em> (Cambridge University, 1848) Vol. 3 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ATIJAAAAQAAJ&dq=episcopum%20episcoporum%20constituit&pg=PA300#v=onepage&q=episcopum%20episcoporum%20constituit&f=false">300</a>.) Jewel found much evidence for camaraderie among bishops in that early period where none sought to claim any superiority. (<em>Works of John Jewel, Bishop of Salibury</em> (University Press, 1845) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=_ZwmAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA386&ots=BbybWtsJMN&dq=parvus%20respectus%20habebatur%20ad%20ecclesiam%20Romanam&pg=PA386#v=onepage&q=parvus%20respectus%20habebatur%20ad%20ecclesiam%20Romanam&f=false">386</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But can we have one pastor over another? or elders over pastors? Again, to repeat, there was no office of 'pastor' in the early church. Nor were elders an office; they were the older members of a church. (See "What About Elders?" below.) The only mention of pastors and elders in a church setting was by Paul but these references were apparently descriptive of a role, and not an office because such offices were unknown for over 1000 years of early Christianity. So once we created such an office of <em>pastor</em> in our modern era, we have to accept the fact that (a) his superiority over us is baseless; and (b) having a senior pastor over a junior pastor in authority, or elders over a pastor, is contrary to Christ's words as well as the historic features of the office of bishop -- the only office in the early church. But again, the office of pastor was non-existent in the early church. We need to return to the office of bishop which was a very limited role without sermonizing and control. </span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Where Repetitive Preaching By A Single Voice Leads</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, later, when individual sermonizing became a standardized practice after the 400s, the talks employed "rhetoric" which "speedily passed into mere unreal and factitious artifice;" the talks in church became no more than "intellectual exercise." (Cheetham, <em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">History of Chiristian Antiquities</span></em> (1880) Vol. 2 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=omMaAAAAYAAJ&dq=liberius%20ordered%20people%20to%20celebrate&pg=PA1689#v=onepage&q&f=false">1689</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Church then becomes about admiring the clever rhetoric and even the skill in sophistry of one pastor over another. Then church can descend into absorbing itself in silly issues like predestination, eternal security, and other things that <strong><em>do not promote godliness</em></strong> at all! These discussions clearly <strong><em>promote </em></strong>relaxation and lack of concern about sin. When we take our eyes off Jesus, and focus on textual issues on these topics in Paul's writings, we fall away from Christ. These modern intellectual interpretations of Paul are at total odds with our Lord's words that try to stir our concern about sin by threatening our salvation for a "praxis" (practice) that is sinful. See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+9%3A42-47&version=NASB">Mark 9:42-47</a> (heaven maimed or hell whole); <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt+16%3A27&version=NASB">Matt. 16:27</a> (Son of Man "shall give every man according to the <em>praxis </em>/practice of each.")</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Good preaching is instead about exhortation to obedience and love of the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in whom He dwelled.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But instead, modern preaching often turns into divisive intellectual discussions about nonessentials in writings that are not truly apostolic.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And this leads to campaigns to exclude heretics which Paul mandated (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=titus+3%3A10-11&version=NASB">Titus 3:10, 11</a>). But Jesus said <em>no. </em><em>Instead,</em> leave the tares in the congregation. (See our<a href="/aboutauthor/86-paulinisttares.html"> link</a> for further discussion.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The paid single-pastor system fed debates over non-essential doctrine destructive of concern for our salvation. Telling people to just believe -- a cost-free salvation -- suits a single-paid pastor system because none will walk away as the rich man to Jesus who had a much higher cost to follow Him. Thus, the single paid-pastor system has led to nothing but divisiveness and has resulted in millions of deluded but reassured so-called 'Christians.' The time is now to proclaim only Christ and His Word, which will have the effect of restoring the <em>true</em> Gospel of "heaven maimed" or not at all! See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+9%3A42-47&version=NASB">Mark 9:42-47</a>. </span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Membership Records?</strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">When Jesus preached to crowds, I don't think He ever asked whether someone was qualified to listen. There was no checking of membership status in any sense. This continued a long time after Jesus' resurrection: "Not until the<strong><em> second century</em></strong> did the Roman church develop<em><strong> an organization capable of expelling</strong></em> those viewed as 'heretics.'" (Richard I. Pervo, <em>The Making of Paul: Constructions of the Apostle in Early Christianity</em> (2010) at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=RbGDwsknbdsC&lpg=PA351&dq=knox%20marcion&pg=PA351"> 351</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Regardless, if the church is supposed to be about evangelism first, and fellowship second, how can we create <em>formal</em> tiers of people who can and cannot come to church. (There is such a thing as 'shunning,' but that does not require any membership formality, as explained below.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There is a second reason that no formal membership is necessary for church. Participation cannot lead to expulsion. Jesus taught us against the Roman Catholic principle of excommunication of heretics. Jesus taught this in the Parable of the Wheat & The Tares. He told us to leave tares (heretics) in the congregation. See this<a href="/Recommended-Reading/paulinisttares.html"> link</a> for further discussion. Carlstadt, the co-founder in 1517 of the Reformation with Luther, wrote in 1520 in <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Canonicis Scriptoris</span> that "the threat of excommunication had no biblical foundation." (Saebo: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=OMlT-FViF40C&lpg=PA578&dq=Canonicis%20Scripturis%20karlstadt&pg=PA578#v=onepage&q=Canonicis%20Scripturis%20karlstadt&f=false">578</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">So some might speak out whose ideas are wrong. Jesus says, 'let them fellowship.' It happened to our group in Costa Rica. We listened. We showed love, as Jesus commands. It worked itself out. (Well, some wanted to excercise <a href="/Recommended-Reading/paulinisttares.html">Pauline exclusion</a>, and this Pauline-command disrupted the peace of our little group. Our group was not attune to the problem of Paul at that time.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The concept of shunning in Matthew 18 of wrongdoers is different. Those who do moral wrongs are to be confronted one-on-one personally first, and then by two or more witnesses. If no reconciliation is possible, then Jesus teaches to <strong><em>shun</em></strong> them. Jesus did not say exclude such a sinful person from church -- a place where perhaps God's word would pierce his/her heart and cause repentance. The shunning, in fact, likely had the impact of making someone want to come to church for social acceptance, and would upon entry lead quickly to reconciliation with the person he or she offended. Excluding them from church is thus unnecessary and counter-productive; shunning can be done effectively without and within church meetings. It is not intended to exclude one entirely from church meetings.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Issue About Prayer During Meetings</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">One of the struggles in having church like this is the issue of prayer. Jesus taught:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>5</sup>"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. <sup>6</sup>But when you pray, <strong><em>go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen</em></strong>. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%206:5-6;&version=NIV;">Matt: 6:5-6</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus identified it as a wrongful practice to stand publicly in the synagogue or in the street and pray (even apparently quietly to oneself). This praying-on-corners is still done in Israel today. The defect was obviously that the penitent's prayer was to be seen by men to be penitent. You were praying on a street corner or "standing" at an assembly evidently to be recognized for such wholesome behavior. Hence, it is important to understand such practice to see the fault Jesus was condemning.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus said the cure to this fault is to pray at home in private without the public present.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Does this principle extend to worship time in a public church assembly? Yes but only as to a single individual's efforts to pray. Only then is the risk of self-promotion present.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For example, notice the Psalms are songs which also can be read together as prayers. If done in a corporate way, a public prayer was certainly legitimate in the Bible. Thus, <strong><em>a joint prayer</em></strong> is clearly appropriate. The Lord's Prayer even appears to imply a corporate usage was intended, "<strong><em>Our</em></strong> Father," forgive "us <strong><em>our</em></strong>" sins, etc.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What about praying at home or in small groups? Obviously, Jesus was saying do not stand as an individual and pray to be seen in an exhibition to the public. Individuals who pray to be seen or heard in front of an audience are taking the risk of self-promotion. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;">Arguably, Jesus did not intend to prohibit praying at home in private with close friends and family -- a home group. Jesus prayed in ear-shot of the 12 apostles in the Garden of Gethsemene, and while reclining to eat at the Last Supper. Each time Jesus did not think this was wrong. Hence, "praying on your couch" -- which was also the place one would eat 'reclining' -- may be Jesus' way of saying you can pray where not many people can stand and listen, but are relaxed in an informal setting reclining on a couch. Hence, in a home group meeting on a couch, the others present may not represent an audience in the sense that risks your intention is public approval of you by the fact you are devotedly praying.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;">In other settings like a church meal in front of a large crowd, I would suggest taking Jesus very literally. When your church in a public gathering wishes to pray a blessing thanking God for food, use a common blessing that all can repeat. Do not pray a solitary prayer in front of others at Church. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;">What about a prayer group at church with about 30 or more present? Isn't this a public audience, and now we are into the risk that prayer is self-promotion if done by individuals? It is greater than the 12 which Jesus prayed solitary prayers in front of. Hence, there is potentially risk of self-promotion in a way that may offend God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">One remedy if </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">one thinks the sin Jesus identifies is more the unequal attention and exhibition in front of a substantial audience, then make sure there is a prayer rotation. Thus no one is more holy than the other for prayer. Encourage full participation of each person present so that no one person dominates. If someone is praying more frequently than others to appear more important and sanctified, and whose words show a controlling behavior, then there is a problem. Others should then separately voice concern about exhibitionist prayer in private with that individual.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I suggest also a process of taking prayer requests, whether in a home group or church prayer meeting. This way the prayers should be about the request, curbing the temptation to use a self-congratulatory prayer which a self-promoter might improperly use. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;">Otherwise, in any group meeting of 14 or more persons, I would follow Jesus' words literally to not pray individually in public. If you still feel your group must have this, then there is no easy answer to this dilemma except the Fear of God. When people are present talking to God, one would hope that people are mindful of God's displeasure of using prayer as showmanship. Pray the Holy Spirit teaches you what Jesus intended by his prohibition on public praying. </span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What About "Elders"?</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The NT talks about elders. Elders are just that -- older men and women.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">We are never told that they are an office in the church or hold any formal power at all. As one modern evangelical author Benjamin L. Merkle (Baptist seminary professor) explains in <em>Why Elders?: A Biblical and Practical Guide for Church Members </em>(Kregel Academic, 2009):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The New Testament <strong><em>does not tell us precisely how much authority </em></strong>the elders of the local congregation should have. <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=2TgtWqCTMuUC&lpg=PA35&dq=pastors%20unbiblical&pg=PA35#v=onepage&q=pastors%20unbiblical&f=false">35.</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">We just imagine it is the same authority being excercised in the church we attend today. But this is not <em>evidence</em> of what the reference meant in the early church.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Carlstadt, the co-founder of the Reformation with Luther, had the opinion that the only two offices that existed in the early church were that of bishop and deacon, basing this on Titus 1:5, 10. See Ronald J. Sider, <em>Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt: the development of his thought, 1517-1525</em> (Brill, 1974) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=tI2-w1GKVucC&lpg=PA88&dq=De%20Canonicis%20Scripturis%20Credner&pg=PA138#v=onepage&q=paul&f=false">138</a>. Implicitly, there was no office of elder.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, an elder is indeed simply an older member of a church, and whose years in life give him or her a presumed greater wisdom. Teach respect for elders <em>generally</em>, as the Bible commands. This applies inside and outside of church. Because all older members are elders, you can have an elder board, but then it is made up of everyone over a certain age, without any exception. There are no formal hierarchies in a true church of Christ between men and women of the same age.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">How Jesus' Words Would Help Missions and Charities</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Before going to Costa Rica, I was always part of church leadership because I was their legal counsel. I saw the sad tragic inner workings. One pastor was told by the elder board that<strong><em> if the pastor did not increase offerings</em></strong>, he would be <strong><em>r</em></strong><em><strong>eplaced</strong></em>. Imagine that!</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I saw how <strong><em>building costs</em></strong>, nursery staffing, activities to entertain, etc., ate up budget after budget. I saw how charitable giving by the church-entity was a tiny percentage of the church-tithe back to the community. We were forced instead to fund the para-church organization with most of our "tithe." I saw evangelical opportunity after evangelical opportunity passed by in favor of these other expenses. I saw widowed women and divorcees in shame and distress ask a deacon board for money whose requests were tabled until their sons or daughters (who had no Christian belief) could explain why they were not helping their mom.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A church today runs on money. And the expenses are not evangelistic or charitable in the majority. It is a sad state of affairs.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If the church returned to Jesus's structure for the church, the support for missions and charities both personally and financially would grow. This is because we would focus on the person in the symbolic chair --- JESUS -- and Jesus's words. The emphasis radically changes for Jesus taught us:</span></p>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">to provide food, water and clothes to the brethren (in need)(Parable of the Sheep and the Goats);</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">help our neighbor in medical need from a mortal condition (Parable of the Good Samaritan);</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">nothing about attending a church or weekly worship service or creating an expensive worship center but instead Jesus foresaw a post-temple time of worshipping in "truth and spirit" without such a building expense<strong><em> burdening us;</em></strong> and</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">to go into all the "world" and "not hide our light under a bushel" and preach and teach "all that I (Jesus) have commanded you."</span></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">An Important Step of Healing: Get Rid of Church Buildings</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">An important step of reform would be to resolve to get rid of church buildings, or at least make home church groups the predominant method of fellowship and worship. That is, let's reduce emphasis on a worship center which is not a normal home. First, church buildings financially drain the church of money to do good works among [A] non-Christians (to help lead them to Christ as Jesus instructed in Matt. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5:16&version=NIV">5:16</a>) and [B] Christians. Second, modern church buildings perpetuate the system of passive audience-oriented Christianity without true life under Christ.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Most important, the modern church building is totally unbiblical. Even Philp Schaff admits this. Here is an amazing quote from Philip Schaff, the premier modern historian of the church, and himself the product of modern church buildings and systems. Yet he condemns the notion and the costliness of official church structures as unbiblical and without precedent in the early church!</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">That the Christians in the <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">apostolic age erected special houses </span>of worship is out of the question....As the Saviour of the world was born in a stable, and ascended to heaven from a mountain, so his apostles and their successors down to the fourth century,<strong><em> preached in the streets, the markets, on mountains, in ships, sepulchres, caves, and deserts, and in the humblest private dwellings</em></strong>. But how many thousands of costly churches and chapels have since been built in all parts of the world to the honor of the crucified Redeemer. (Philip Schaff, <em>History of the Christian Church</em> (Scribner: 1859) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=NV8sAAAAYAAJ&dq=apostolic%20age%20erected%20special%20houses&pg=PA127#v=onepage&q=apostolic%20age%20erected%20special%20houses&f=false">127</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The first mention of 'to go to church' appears in 190 AD -- in a letter by Clement of Alexandria. (Viola & Barna, <em>Pagan Christianity</em> (Tyndale: 2008 ) at 12.) But even then it "refers to a private home that the second-century churches used for their meetings." <em>Id.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">New Testament scholar Graydon F. Synder explains why we can affirm there were no church buildings until under Emperor Constantine in the 300s:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"There is no literary evidence nor archaelogical indication that any such home was converted into an extant church building. Nor is there any extent church that certainly was built prior to Constantine." (Snyder, <em>Ante-Pacem: Archaelogical Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine </em>(2003) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=swtI9Cpyl3kC&lpg=PP1&dq=Ante-Pacem%3A%20Archaeological%20Evidence%20of%20Church%20Life%20Before%20Constantine&pg=PA128#v=onepage&q=homes&f=false">128</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, Synder concludes in <em>Ante-Pacem: Archaelogical Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine </em>(Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1985) at 67</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The first churches consistently met in homes. Until the year 300 <strong><em>we know of no buildings first built as a church</em></strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Besides homes, the early church also met in "open places, markets and hired halls." (<em>Id., </em>2003 edition, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=swtI9Cpyl3kC&lpg=PP1&dq=Ante-Pacem%3A%20Archaeological%20Evidence%20of%20Church%20Life%20Before%20Constantine&pg=PA128#v=onepage&q=homes&f=false">128</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, if we had Jesus' concept of church, I bet every week-end we would worship outdoors or in a home as a step toward different afternoon opportunities than we do now. Our money we collect would be used to <strong><em>gain friends for the kingdom</em></strong>. See Luke <a href="http://bible.cc/luke/16-9.htm">16:9</a> ("I tell you, use <strong><em>worldly wealth to gain friends</em></strong> for yourselves...."); Matt.<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5:16&version=NIV"> 5:16</a> ("In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may<strong><em> see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven</em></strong>.") We would help widows, orphans and the poor, as was a main purpose of offerings commanded to Jews in their tithe. (See our PDF article on the tithe at this <a href="/images/stories/Lessons/es app on tithing.pdf">link</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As a result, we would more often end up at a food dispensing service run by Christians for the poor. Or do some charity work where we could meet people who don't know Christ, but due to our charity, will give thanks to God and want to know about Jesus whose example we claim to follow. They will then be open to hear about God and the Lord Jesus's payment for their sins if they turn in repentance and fully trust Him as Lord of their lives.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Jesus' Example</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Maybe that mobile triage unit is what Jesus actually had in mind when He spoke of His church. Consider Jesus' own example. Did He start any building projects? Wasn't the only money handled by the 12 a money bag for the poor? Was this ever spent on administration costs of staff and a music team? Did Jesus stay in one place and show up week after week at the same synagogue to speak, or instead did Jesus largely give itinerant missionary messages to strangers in open fields? Jesus said He had no place to even lay His head.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This supports a minimal role for a church structure as the central hub of our attention. It does not erase it entirely. Jesus did several times attend synagogue services, and once He participated in the reading from Isaiah at one.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Our Proper Self-Designation to Reflect Jesus As Sole Master</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I think Luther hit the nail on the head with this one although later he succumbed to pressure to allow exactly the contrary of what he initially protested:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I pray you leave my name alone and <em><strong>not to call yourselves Lutherans</strong></em>, but <em><strong>Christians</strong></em>. Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine: I have not been crucified for any one...How does it then benefit me, a miserable bag of dust and ashes, to give my name to the children of Christ? Cease, my dear friends, to cling to these party names and distinctions; away with all of them; and <strong><em>let us call ourselves only Christians</em></strong>, after <em><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Him from whom our doctrine comes</span></strong></em>. It is quite proper for Papists should bear the name of their party, because they are not content with<em><strong> the name and doctrine of Jesus Christ</strong></em>....Well, let them own the Pope, as he is their master. For me, <strong><em>I neither am, nor wish to be the master of any one</em></strong>. I and mine will contend for the sole and whole doctrine of <strong><em>Christ, who is our sole master.</em></strong> (P. Schaff, <em>The History of the Christian Church </em>(1910)<a href="http://www.ccel.org/a/schaff/history/7_ch05.htm"> Section 78</a>, reprinted Oak Harbor, Wa., Logos Research, 1997); <em>see also </em>Michelet, <em>Life of Luther</em>, at 262; Stork, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>The Life of Luther</em><em> </em>at 289.</span>).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Conclusion</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This topic disturbs modern Pastors who are <strong>enriched by Pauline principles of church leaders, pastorates for pay, etc</strong>. But it is time that followers of Jesus speak out for a different way -- the WAY Jesus taught.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This home-church movement can only be reliably dominated by laypersons who are committed to not making any financial gain by their involvement in 'church.' You cannot expect your current pastor or minister will lead the change. It runs counter to what holds them captive -- career preaching of the so-called "gospel" for pay. By strong financial compulsion, they will explain away Jesus' words. Paul will be cited that ministers are entitled to pay, and that the title of 'pastor' is an office in the church which Jesus 'shares' with them. Thus, you will get nowhere trying to convince them that they are on the wrong track. So show them the right track, and your good fruit of helping widows and orphans, the spiritually hurting, etc., and spreading the true Gospel of Jesus more effectively than even they imagined. Then they might repent. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Anthony Buzzard, a theologian and minister, wrote wisely on a similar topic that there are certain issues which become orthodox not because they are right, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">but because a pastor or minister can only continue to enrich themselves from "God's service" by perpetuating such doctrines</span></strong></span>. Buzzard explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Few Christians can conceive the possibility that they may have embraced long-standing error. We have been well schooled by our teachers to wrap protective armor<img src="http://focusonthekingdom.org/old_web/a-buzzard.JPG" alt="" width="85" height="142" style="float: right;" /> around our imagined truth, even though it may be indefensible error. We're prone to give unquestioning assent to hallowed church tradition. We're often overwrought by authority and title.<em><strong> Seldom do we pause to consider the religious leadership is in the hands of those who will conform to a prevailing pattern or acceptable thinking and were rewarded for their orthodoxy.</strong></em> But can our present denominational systems, among which there exists serious conflicts and disagreements, faithfully represent God and truth? (Buzzard, <em>The Doctrine of the Trinity</em> (1998) at 306.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, we must turn to Jesus to be our pastor who leads us out of the darkness that currently prevails. And we will find it is easy to follow Jesus when no one is paid to re-inforce doctrines Jesus did not teach. When pastorates-for-pay cease, the scales of incorrect doctrine will finally fall away. Christ's Kingship will have a new renaissance - one long overdue. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Lastly, the lay-person faithful whose only interest is to love Christ and serve our Father in Heaven will be the engine God uses to make this next large-scale transformation in the church. In the coming <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>era of persecution</strong></span>, this switch may even help<em><strong> prepare the church</strong></em> to continue and spread because now the <em><strong>church's physical effectiveness</strong></em> cannot be destroyed when a mere assistant pastor / teaching assistant / staff assistant disappears or when thugs destroy a church building or murder a Christian of influence.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">I will leave as the final words those of a servant Philip Harwood who in 1838 brought the same plea as is outlined above. Among his closing comments to a sermon that was reprinted at London were these:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">We do not want a new gospel. We want the old gospel to be preached and practised with a new energy and earnestness. We want a new perception and setting forth of its everlasting truths, a new out-pouring upon us all of its spirit of liberty and love, We want not to have Rabbis, and masters, and fathers upon earth—<em><strong>we want a true, living devotedness to our Master and our Father in heaven.</strong></em> We want not more sacraments, more priests, more bishops, more cathedral churches—<em><strong>we want more faith, more hope, more love</strong></em>. We want not government patronage, but popular intelligence and virtue. We want not the dominance of a sect, though it were our own— but the <em><strong>sway of the Christianity common</strong></em>, more or less, to all sects, the Christianity that is known by its fruits. (Philip Harwood, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Religious Equality, A Sermon preached at Bridport, December 23, 1838</span> (London: Mardon 1838) at <a href="/aboutauthor/691-sermon-on-equality-by-harwood-1838.html">22-23</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Blessings of Christ.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">END</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong>NOTES AND COMMENTS</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;">Pastors Who Renounce the Title After Reading This Article</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">#1 "Pastor Pius" of Kenya - Now Brother Pius, Servant of Jesus</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Our Dearest brother Douglas</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Greetings in the name of our Savior Jesus. I am happy of the sermon of Jesus' Words on Church Structure that you have sent to me.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What a wonderful lesson you have tought me!!!!, from now on words, <em><strong>I resign to from being called a pastor</strong> </em>and I am just a brother and a SERVANT OF JESUS. From now, I confirm to you and Yah that henceforth I want people to call me brother Pius. I have seen and really realized that neither Yah nor Jesus support a pastoral post. This pastoral post is human as it is only Paul who supports it.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I declare today and I will announce it to our members next week so that they will be calling me a Servant of Jesus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Brother Doug, Thanks a lot for your wonderful lesson to myself.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Shalom and blessings from Yah and His son Yahshua our Messiah.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">All our Love,</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" data-mce-mark="1">Brother: Pius </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" data-mce-mark="1">Here is a <a href="/aboutauthor/620-brother-pius-giving-up-his-title-as-pastor.html">link</a> to the text of Brother Pius's actual speech to his congregation of 30, resigning as Pastor to take the role of brother -- willing to seat himself if the Holy Spirit moves another to teach / preach.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">#2 - Be Pastor #2 to renounce your title as pastor. Please bravely make the same resignation as Pastor that Pius did. Then share your speech. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" data-mce-mark="1"> <br /> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">What Should We Do Now If We Are Alone? Commentary by Doug</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What should we do now when few share these views? What if we have no friends who agree to worship and organize the way Jesus taught? What if we are alone for the present? </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, we are not truly alone, for worship is with the Father in Heaven who hears our prayers, whether in a crowd or alone. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Yet, on Sabbath, we are to seek a "holy convocation." (See our "<a href="/aboutauthor/33-sabbathcommand.html">Sabbath Command</a>" article.) However, there is no rule what that means. Obviously, we can have worship anywhere with anyone, even if it is only by yourself. Jesus even told you to go in your room to pray. So you can have a convocation alone with God if that is the only present option.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What if we do not know how to worship alone? Or in small numbers? Consider the alternative -- whether you should truly regularly attend modern Pauline "Christian" churches. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">While I do not see any sin in visiting Pauline Christian churches to occassionally worship -- making mental exceptions as I watch / observe the goings-on that are terrible traditions (see my article "<a href="/aboutauthor/86-paulinisttares.html">How to Treat Pauline Tares</a>,"), it can grade on your spirit. It can prove harmful over the long-term. You have to select a Pauline church that emphasizes righteousness, and teaches you God's true principles of behavior. They will say it is for rewards. You know that obedience has more importance than that. So you can usually listen, with a mental check against their de-emphasis.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, Kierkegaard has a more negative view which we should consider. Kierkegaard was one of the most recent Christians to recognize the Problem of Paul. Kierkegaard explained how Pauline Christianity is now victorious and ended true Christianity (see <a href="/aboutauthor/83-kierkegaard.html">our link</a>). In this crisis, Kierkegaard wrote in 1854 that it not only is better not to participate in such a church but also that it is sinful to do so: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"This has to be said; so be it now said,</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Whoever thou art, whatever in other respects thy life may be, my friend, by ceasing to take part (if ordinarily thou doest) in the public worship of God, as it now is (with the claim that it is the Christianity of the New Testament),<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> thou hast constantly one guilt the less, and that a great one: thou dost not take part in treating God as a fool</span> by calling that the Christianity of the New Testament which is not the Christianity of the New Testament."</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<div style="margin-left: 30px;" align="right"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">S. Kierkegaard, 1854</span></strong></span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I don't contend it is a sin to attend a Pauline church because of what Jesus taught in the Parable of the Tares. We should fellowship with fellow believers in Jesus. We cannot determine who is sincere or how deeply they truly love Jesus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">At best, each of us in this present crisis can pray about whether to enter the modern "Church" enclaves at all or only occassionally or very selectively based upon proximity of doctrine. The important thing in all of this is that the choice is truly how to MAKE TIME to worship the Father and His appointed King, His Son - Yahshua. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Worship Tools</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I provide suggestions / video / audio links to help on the "<a href="/aboutauthor/33-sabbathcommand.html" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Sabbath Command</a>" page so you can worship at home, either alone or with others. I suggest you pick 1 p.m. every Sabbath to have your convocation. I also have a page of Music suggestions (with worship video with lyrics) at this <a href="/aboutauthor/401-music-store-manager.html" style="line-height: 1.3em;">link</a>. Lastly, I collected various prayers and edifying material, including many You Tubes, that can lift your spirits at this<a href="/aboutauthor/308-prayers-and-edification.html" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Blessings. Doug</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Suggestion for Service Order</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Frank Viola in my view goes too far in <em>Pagan Christianity</em> to think the right choice is to have absolutely no order of worship. Instead, what you need are two things (a) equal treatment and position of all; and (b) no superiority of any single individual except the King---Jesus. But you can have such a spirit within the framework of a service order. Within it, you can incorporate all the spontaneous contributions from members that arise. So rather than invite chaos, here is what we did in Costa Rica for four years before we left, and it worked great:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">1. Form a circle so no one person is the center of attention. Invite Jesus to participate, and ask Him to take His throne in the room. If it helps your group focus on Jesus as leader and pastor, place an empty chair near the center of the circle or within the circle.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">2. Open in Prayer to God (Yahweh / the Father) in Yahshua's name. (Yahshua is Jesus's true name. See<a href="/aboutauthor/353-yashua-and-the-name-of-jesus.html"> link</a>. It is preferable because in Judaic thought the sound of a name is the name, not a translated pronunciation.) Sing a hymn or two.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">3. The host family (rotate weekly if possible) asks for individuals to express thanks to God for small and big things of each individual. This is Praise time.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">4. The host family asks for expressions of sorrow for having done an individual wrong, especially another participant/spouse/friend. Such a step helps group unity if sins expressed by one participant toward another are made in public, e.g., "I am sorry I snapped at Bob." But some confessions should be done in private, especially if children are around.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">5. The host family invites prayer requests -- for others to hold up in prayer.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">6. Inviduals pray based upon the prayer requests.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">7. Read a passage of Scripture -- about 12 verses. Then the reader starts over one verse at a time. The reader asks the group what do you think this verse means? The reader does not contribute. When all opinions are canvassed, the reader goes to the next verse. And this repeats itself until all 12 verses are discussed. No one has to have doctorate to comment! <strong><em>You would be amazed about the richness of spiritually-motivated ideas among the faithful.</em></strong> It is a far richer experience than listening week-after-week to a 'pastor' teach. We did accept prepared studies to be discussed but kept to 5 minutes or so, yet everyone was free to comment and critique the thoughts as they were expressed. A true discussion format where Jesus / the Spirit was trusted to be the leader and teacher. (You can repeat this several times with different members reading off a verse that the Lord showed them the past week or during the worship time.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">8. Praise God for His Word.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">9. Sing a hymn or read a Psalm. Try to pick songs about God and His greatness. (Many songs are about our pathetic weaknesses and needs. But this is WORSHIP. It is not supposed to focus on us. This is my wife's pet-peeve with the choice of music at most churches. It is not worship on the greatness of God and praise, but commenting on our experience, our needs, etc.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">10. Offer bread (unleavened) and wine to all. Grape juice if you insist.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">11. Do the communion with the words of invocation from Holy Scripture (<em>e.g</em>.Matthew). The host or some volunteer should read the Holy Scripture to all.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">12. Sing a hymn or two that are WORSHIP oriented.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">13. Close in Prayer.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">14. Have a lunch or dinner together.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">15. The most important rule: don't make the rules of order more important than the Spirit of God who you always allow to change what you do.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Study Notes / Further Research on Teacher/Leader Issue</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Marsilius of Padua 1275-1342 AD</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Marsilius was the first thinker in Roman Catholic Christendom to deny there is any right to hierarchical authority within the church. Marsilius also contended there was no right within the church to punish heresy. And he said that the church has no right to establish an orthodox viewpoint on any doctrine so that it is then becomes beyond dispute. None of those powers were delegated by Jesus to the church. (See Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey, editors, <em>History of Political Philosophy</em> (2d ed.)(Chicago: Rand McNally College Publishing, 1972) at 251-53.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Strauss/Cropsey's famous text explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">but he<em><strong> denies</strong></em> that the ecclesiastical<em><strong> hierarchy is divinely established</strong></em>. According to him all Christian priests are <em><strong>essentially equal</strong></em> in all respects as far as divine right is concerned. He also <em><strong>denies that any priest, even if he be bishop or pope</strong></em>, has by divine right any of the following powers: the <em><strong>power to command or to coerce</strong></em>; the<em><strong> power to decide</strong></em> whether and how coercion is to be <em><strong>exercised against apostates and heretics, be they subjects or princes</strong></em>; and the <strong><em>power to determine in a legally binding way what is orthodox and what is heretical</em></strong>. <em>Id.</em>, at 251.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Marsilius argues that Christ came into the world not to dominate men, nor to wield temporal rule; and he <em><strong>excluded himself, his apostles and disciples and their successors, bishops and priests, from all coercive authority and worldly rule</strong></em>," says Kilcullen, R.J. Kilcullen in "<a href="http://www.humanities.mq.edu.au/Ockham/y6707.html">Tape 8: Marsilius of Padua</a>," Macquarie University POL167: Introduction to Political Theory (1996) citing Marsilius of Padua, <em>In Defense of the Peace</em> (trans. Alan Gewirth)(N.Y.: Columbia University Press, 1956) at 114.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Specifically, Marsilius said "That Christ meant to exclude his apostles from worldly rule is proved by: <strong><em>'The kings of the gentiles lord it over them... But you not so</em></strong>." <em>Id.</em>, citing Marsilius, at 113-40.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For more background, see also "<a href="/aboutauthor/334-marsilius-of-padua-on-church-hierarchy-knol.html">Marsilius of Padua</a>" <em>Knol Encyclopedia</em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, Marsilius's work <em>In Defense of the Peace</em> was the first book that used Christ's principles to say all sovereignty rests with the people who have the right to replace temporal rulers. Marsilius said all political power vests with the people. Five hundred years later, the American Revolution took these principles seriously for the first time. See Fritz Berolzheimer, <em>The world's legal philosophies</em> (Boston: 1912) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=_U4uAAAAIAAJ&dq=marsilius%20of%20padua&pg=PA109#v=onepage&q=marsilius%20of%20padua&f=false">109</a>. )</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Glasite Movement of 1725-29 Was First To Attempt No Earthly-Pastor System</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A Presbyterian pastor in Edinburgh, John Glas, in 1730 started up a church that did not have a single pastor, and tried to have all the church members treated as equal brethren. He started well for a long time. Glas's original writings from 1725-1729 echo many of the same points we found above from Jesus's words. Glas's good beginning -- known as the Glasite movement -- is summarized on our website at this <a href="/aboutauthor/137-glasites.html">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, because Glas eventually and gradually incorporated Pauline views on pastors, elders, and Paul's doctrine to exclude "heretics" on two warnings, the system degraded into an unbearable tyranny of many equal pastors, rather than the few, who forced all members to submit to these pastors. Total unanimity of opinion on all sorts of matters were required on pain of excommunication (which Paul alone teaches) (Jesus taught tolerating heretics in the Parable of the Tares, and only taught the shunning of moral wrongdoers in Matt. 18.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, the ultimate failure of the Glasite movement to create a true Christian fellowship underscores that Christ's true church cannot flourish as Christ intended it until the authority of Paul is rejected. Paul's words sow divisiveness and the need for a domineering human controller or controllers (<em>e.g</em>,. a person / persons to enforce exclusion on those regarded as heretics on doctrine after two warnings, as Paul taught).</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Reformation Prevented Independent Churches, Even Independent Witnessing</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">We have all been told the Reformation changed everything for Christianity. Supposedly, true Christianity was reborn. Not quite. What happened is that Catholicism's stranglehold was loosed, but a new one was attempted to be put on the followers of Jesus -- Paulianity similar to old Marcionism was reborn. Yet, some true Christianity emerged but it was quickly quashed by the new Paulianity.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Carlstadt co-founded the Reformation with Luther in 1517. He tried to take the church in the direction of relying only on Jesus' words, and held they were superior to Paul's. (See "<a href="/aboutauthor/193-carlstadt-research.html">Carlstadt Research</a>.") Carlstadt "<strong><em>granted laymen the right to perform all tasks previously reserved for the ordained</em></strong>." (See Ronald J. Sider, <em>Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt: the development of his thought, 1517-1525</em> (Brill, 1974) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=tI2-w1GKVucC&lpg=PA88&dq=De%20Canonicis%20Scripturis%20Credner&pg=PA137#v=onepage&q=paul&f=false">137</a>.) Carlstadt insisted upon the "<em><strong>layman's right to judge theological disputes and attend general councils, ... to celebrate the eucharist privately</strong></em>...." (<em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=tI2-w1GKVucC&lpg=PA88&dq=De%20Canonicis%20Scripturis%20Credner&pg=PA137#v=onepage&q=paul&f=false">137</a>-38.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, Luther by 1522 diverged from Carlstadt, and was angry with his positions on the book of James and handling the eucharist, etc. Luther called Carlstadt the "New Judas," and had him banished from Germany. (See "<a href="/aboutauthor/111-luther-killed-jwo.html">Luther Destroys JWO Movement in Reformation</a>.")</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Luther could do so because he had esconced himself in the favor of several key rulers of Germany. Thereby, Lutheranism became the official church in many parts of Germany. Luther then refused to allow any independent church as a violation of Paul's commands to obey our rulers (Romans 13:1). Any home church would necessarily be in violation of the new state Lutheran church. In fact, any <strong><em>private preaching one-on-one was prohibited</em></strong>. Luther said:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What I say about <strong><em>public preaching</em></strong>, I say even more even more emphatically about <strong><em>private preaching</em></strong> and <strong><em>secret ceremonies</em></strong>. These are not to be tolerated at all. For the rest, anyone may read what he like and believe what he like....[This rule] puts a stop to the knavery of the fellows who <strong><em>preach in corners</em></strong>, who sneak uncalled and unsent, into <em><strong>people's houses</strong></em>, and emit their poison there, before pastors or rulers find them out. These are the thieves and murders of whom Christ speaks in John 10. (Luther, "Commentary on 82d Psalm," <em>Works of Luther</em> (2007) Vol. IV at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=hGR548TlX2oC&lpg=PA312&ots=bGJ9J0C3Lf&dq=%22public%20preaching%22%20%22secret%20ceremonies%22%20luther&pg=PA312#v=onepage&q&f=false">312</a>; official cite LW 1364; WA 31.1:210,11-12 (citation referenced by MacKenzie: <a href="http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/mackenziechallengeofhistory.pdf">20</a>).</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">On peril of body and soul, no one should listen to such a man but should report him to his pastor or ruler. (Quoted from same passage by James Martin Estes, <em>Peace, order and the glory of God</em> (Brill: 2005) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=nn-YmLxcbPAC&lpg=PA188&ots=nExWjYzQYf&dq=luther%20%22on%20peril%20of%20body%20and%20soul%22&pg=PA188#v=onepage&q=luther%20%22on%20peril%20of%20body%20and%20soul%22&f=false">188.</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If true, then what about Jesus's evangelism and His sharing bread in private ceremonies, and telling his apostles to do likewise and visit people in homes? Luther admitted the apostles were commanded to go into people's homes in Mark 16:15, but Luther claimed this was a "<strong><em>special command</em></strong>" only applicable to the apostles! "<strong><em>Since then</em></strong>,<em><strong> no one has had this general command</strong></em>," as Estes summarizes Luther's silly argument. <em>See,</em> James Martin Estes, <em>Peace, order and the glory of God</em> (Brill: 2005) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=nn-YmLxcbPAC&lpg=PA188&ots=nExWjYzQYf&dq=luther%20%22on%20peril%20of%20body%20and%20soul%22&pg=PA188#v=onepage&q=luther%20%22on%20peril%20of%20body%20and%20soul%22&f=false">188.</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Luther took this unbiblical position to the point of killing people! Luther promised and delivered a death sentence upon members of independent congregations like the Anabaptists founded. Their independence, by itself, was a basis for Luther finding them <strong><em>guilty of sedition</em></strong>, and subject to a death penalty. While Luther in this quote below highlighted the Anabaptist opposition to infant baptism -- the Anabaptists instead insisted upon a knowing faith-based confession, Luther justified executing Anabaptists simply because the Anabaptists sought independence from the state church now led by himself. This supposedly proved their seditious nature. Luther wrote:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">That <em>seditious articles</em> of doctrine should be <strong><em>punished by the sword </em></strong>needed no further proof. For the rest, the Anabaptists hold tenets relating to infant baptism, original sin, and inspiration, which have no connection with the Word of God, and are indeed opposed to it. ... Secular authorities are also bound to restrain and punish avowedly false doctrine ... For think what disaster would ensue if children were not baptized? ... Besides this the Anabaptists <strong><em>separate themselves from the churches</em></strong> ... and they<strong><em> set up a ministry and congregation of their own</em></strong>, which is also contrary to the command of God. From all this it becomes clear that the<strong><em> secular authorities are bound</em></strong> ... to inflict <em><strong>corporal punishment on the offenders</strong></em> ... Also when it is a case of only upholding some spiritual tenet, such as infant baptism, original sin, and unnecessary separation, then ... we conclude that ... the stubborn sectaries must be put to death." (Dave Armstrong. "Pamphlet of 1536" in<em> Martin Luther and The Protestant Inquisition</em> (Janssen, X, 222-223; pamphlet of 1536.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For the same reason, Luther likewise prohibited anyone serving the role of pastor who was not authorized by the state church. These men should be arrested as likely to stir up rebellion. MacKenzie in the Lutheran <em>Concordia Journal</em> excerpts these passages and comments where Luther refuted Jesus's view that all believers are equal. Instead, Luther created a superior class known as the 'pastor.' (Other than Paul's writings which mention the office of pastor, no early church-history documents reveal any such office of 'pastor). Luther wrote:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"All Christians are priests," Luther said, "but <strong><em>not all are pastors</em></strong>. For to be a pastor one must be not only a Christian and priest but <em><strong>must have an office committed to him.</strong></em> This call and command make pastors and preachers." Those who preach without such authorization are "sure emissaries of the devil." They should be turned over to the authorities for, in Luther's thinking, their purpose is "to start a rebellion, or worse, among the people."</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Source: MacKenzie in "Luther's Two Kingdoms," from the Lutheran <em>Concordia Journal</em> (2007) No. 71 at <a href="http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/mackenziechallengeofhistory.pdf">22</a> (PDF). MacKenzie cites for these three quotes respectively (1) LW 13:65; WA 31.1:211,17-20; (2) LW13:65; WA 31.1:211,26-27; and (3) 65 LW 13:66; WA 31.1:212,4-5.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As Private Preaching Was Banned, Non-Christians Were Compelled To Hear Authorized Public Preaching</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As Luther's command explicitly prohibited private evangelism, how would a non-Christian hear the word? Luther's solution was simple. Luther justified forcing non-Christians to attend the official state church on pain of banishment:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"It is our custom to affright those who ... fail to attend the preaching; and to<strong><em> threaten them with banishment</em></strong> and the law. ... In the event of their still proving contumacious, to excommunicate them ... as if they were heathen." (Dave Armstrong, <em>Martin Luther and The Protestant Inquisition</em> (Grisar, citing LW VI, 263; EN, IX, 365; letter to Leonard Beyer, 1533)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Although excommunication in Pope-dom has been shamefully abused ... yet we must not suffer it to fall, but make right use of it, as Christ commanded." (Dave Armstrong, <em>Martin Luther and The Protestant Inquisition</em> citing Durant, 424-425.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"The spiritual powers ... also the temporal ones, will have to succumb to the Gospel, either through love or <strong><em>through force</em></strong>, as is clearly proved by all Biblical history." (Martin Luther, Letter to Frederick, Elector of Saxony, 1522 (Janssen, III, 267; letter to Frederick, Elector of Saxony, 1522)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What about the common people whom Luther originally appealed to for support? What if they did not go along with the Lutheran church once imposed as the state church through most of Germany? Luther's view was harsh and so unlike our Lord's view:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Like the mules who will not move unless you perpetually whip them with rods, so the<em><strong> civil powers must drive the common people, whip, choke, hang, burn, behead and torture them, that they may learn to fear the powers that be</strong></em>." (El. ed. 15, 276, quoted by O'Hare, in '<em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Facts About Luther</span></em> (TAN Books, 1987) at 235.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As Private Preaching Even By Missionaries Was Banned, War Would Spread Christianity</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Having crippled Christianity from private preaching as Christ practiced and Jesus encouraged of his 12 apostles, Luther intended Christianity should now only spread by the sword and war, not by voluntary witnessing:</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"The Word of God can never be advanced without whirlwind, tumult, and danger ... One must either despair of peace and tranquility or else deny the Word. <strong><em>War is of the Lord</em></strong> who did not come to send peace. <strong><em>Take care not to hope</em></strong> that the cause of Christ can be advanced in the world <strong><em>peacefully and sweetly</em></strong>, since you see the battle has been waged with his own blood and that of the martyrs." (Letter of Martin Luther to Georg Spalatin, February 1520.)</span></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Luther Taught The State Alone Would Adjudicate Church Doctrine</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">To prevent any private preaching further, and any private discussions on what doctrine might mean, Luther gave the state the sole authority to adjudicate church doctrine. Luther directed:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Let the rulers take a hand. Let them hear the case and command that party to keep silence which does not agree with the Scriptures."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">MacKenzie in "Luther's Two Kingdoms," from the Lutheran <em>Concordia Journal</em> provides this quote with citation, and then comments this means that "the temporal authorities<strong><em> will actually adjudicate a doctrinal dispute.</em></strong>" (See link to MacKenzie's article online at this link to PDF at page <a href="http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/mackenziechallengeofhistory.pdf">21</a>; MacKenzie cites LW 13:63; WA 31.1:209,24-26.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, the Reformation removed one collar and gave us another one. Part of our continued antipathy to home churches arises from the ingrained belief from centuries of torture and persecution of <strong><em>those who practiced what Jesus endorsed</em></strong>. It is time to break free, and courageously stand for Christ's Way! Now we must remember that we have Jesus's words to serve as our sole pastor.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Pauline Wages To Ministers Is A Seduction</span></span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus sent the apostles out to preach and teach, but taught them not to take any wages. "Freely you received, freely you give."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This was the view of the original church.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Carl B. Hoch, Jr., professor of New Testament at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary states: "In New Testament days, </span><strong style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;"><em>leaders were normally not paid.</em> </strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">That is, money was given more as a gift than as an income or a salary. ....[M]oney was never to be the driving force of ministry (1 Peter 5:2). Unfortunately, churches today will not call a man until they feel they can support him, and some men will not seriously consider a call if the financial package is 'inadequate.'" (Carl B. Hoch, Jr.,</span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;"> All Things New</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1995) at 240).</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Likewise, Lenski states in his <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>Commentary on Paul's Epistle to Timothy</em> that clearly taking wages by preaching elders was not practiced in the early church, despite Paul's best efforts to create such a practice</span>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It is generally assumed that the elders were paid for their services in the apostolic churches. We are convinced that this assumption is not tenable. The probability is that none of them were paid. The elders of the synagogues were not paid or salaried. Each synagogue had a number of elders, too many to have a payroll that would be large enough to support them. The apostolic congregations imitated the synagogue in this respect. (Lenski,<em> Commentary on Saint Paul's Epistles to Timothy</em> (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1937) at 683).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul alone in the NT justified paying church leaders for services. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Christians are waking up, and realizing pastorates-for-pay is unbiblical. Paul is the most formidable force to overcome. For as Macarius Magnes pointed out in the 300s (see <a href="/aboutauthor/397-macarius-magnes-on-paul-from-circa-300-ad.html">our link</a>), Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:14 says "those who preach the Gospel should receive their living from the Gospel." For these Christians who wish to teach contrarily, yet stay true to Paul, they take all of Paul's verses that support self-sufficiency in his own ministry, and try to convince pastors today to ween themselves off of the wage-train. Although followers of Paul, these Christians are to be commended, and their site is: <a href="http://www.batteredsheep.com/pastors_salaried.html">http://www.batteredsheep.com/pastors_salaried.html</a><a href="http://www.batteredsheep.com/pastors_salaried.html"></a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Battered Sheep exhort us to a new type of church -- volunteer servants. It gives us this new view which it says revives the original view. Please observe how much it notes if the structural problems identified above disappear (e.g., inequality, superiors, etc.), this would end pastorates-for-pay by necessity:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If our churches truly implemented New Testament patterns of ministry, <em><strong>one wonders whether there would be any real need to support one, full-time pastor?</strong></em> If the local church had a functioning priesthood (as <em><strong>opposed to the passive, spectator event that is the mark of most churches</strong></em>) and an equally shared eldership, there simply <em>would not be the urgency or necessity to hire someone on a full-time basis</em>. This is because (1) leadership responsibilities would be shared; (2)<em><strong> one man and his gifts would not become the focal-point of the meeting</strong></em>; (3) corporate teaching would be shared and <strong><em>not left to one sole pastor</em></strong>; and (4) each member would<em><strong> actively participate and contribute to the meeting</strong></em>. (D.M. Erkel, "<a href="http://www.batteredsheep.com/pastors_salaried.html">Should Pastors Be Salaried?</a>" <em>Battered Sheep </em>(2010).)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Amen. How does Battered Sheep suggest to exit this mistaken path?</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[W]e would highly recommend that pastors secure an additional skill or trade in the event that a congregation's financial assistance runs out (or even if he gets terminated from his church!). Is this not the better of wisdom?</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What is the immediate benefit of changing our structure of operation to one without a single paid pastor?</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The sad truth is that most church boards never bother to consider <em><strong>how much money could be saved for missionary support, the poor, and literature used to advance the furtherance of the Gospel, if they did not have to remunerate a full-time pastor</strong></em>.</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Pastorates-for-pay have also clearly gotten out-of-hand. Of course, there are many pastors and ministers who labor for little pay. But the top tier pastors get paid 100s of thousands of dollars. And the televangelists get paid close to millions of dollars.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For a website that is dedicated to documenting the wealthy lifestyles of prominent pastors and televangelists, see <a href="http://www.inplainsite.org/html/tele-evangelist_lifestyles.html">http://www.inplainsite.org/html/tele-evangelist_lifestyles.html</a></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Moses As Pastor Prior to Jesus</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A congregational leader did not have a speaking role in Moses's contemplation. He led the people in and out of the congregational assembly, much like we suggested the bishop's role operated in the early church:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, <sup>16 </sup>Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set <strong><em>a man over the congregation</em></strong>, <sup>17 </sup>Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as <strong><em>sheep which have no shepherd</em></strong>. <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Number 27:15</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">See, <a href="http://reasontostand.org/archives/2009/10/06/the-unbiblical-clergylaity-division">Clergy-laity distinction is unbiblical</a> by Reason to Stand.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;">Once THE PROPHET came, Moses made it clear that we should follow THE PROPHET. See Deuteronomy 18. See our article <a href="/aboutauthor/532-the-jesus-words-only-principle-explained.html">The Jesus' Words Only Principle Explained</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Email Comments</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hi Doug,</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;" /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Many greeting from my self and my family! I have been studying several articles in your website and sharing with some friends.The article,"Words on Church Structure" was wonderful and we surprised how big difference the apostolic church and the modern churches! Bishop and pastors are more political rather than servants,the rule with iron fist instead of good example to the believers. I completely agree with</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;" /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">you on this among others. I think the church of Jesus Christ need over whole reformation on it doctrine or miss the mark of being a virgin to coming Groom. Keep us in prayer and have a bless day,</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;" /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Julius (7/28/2013)</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I was reading (and printed out) your article on church structure and thought similar as to what you suggest here. Many thanks for the encouragement and links, I really appreciate it and feel supported. I feel within my spirit and have for many years that we must hold NT church meetings and your guide helped me very much !!! THANKS Blessings and Shalom Stella (June 24, 2011)</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h2><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"> Other Christians Are Speaking Out In Agreement</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I found on August 30, 2014 a webpage <a href="http://jesusfamilies.org/hot_topics/church.htm">http://jesusfamilies.org/hot_topics/church.htm</a> that supports the same view, and recognizes Paul's contradiction of Jesus on this important topic.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I like his exegesis on John 10:16, and the translators' effort to deflect notice of Paul's contradictions of Jesus. So this article says:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd (Greek poimen)." (John 10:16)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">How many shepherds? Isn't it interesting that translators at some point decided to translate the Greek transliterated term 'poimen' as 'shepherd' in John chapter 10, and as 'pastor' in Ephesians chapter 4:11. It is the same exact term used in both places and the contexts are the same - they are both talking about leadership. Now why would those translators do that? Perhaps because the Way was too narrow for them and they liked Paul more than Jesus? Perhaps faithfulness to their religious system or prior translation traditions?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> The author has another section that I wish to excerpt in toto, as it is forcefully put so well:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Pay Other's To Follow Jesus For You</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Sadly, Christianity as well as its messianic brethren, very much like their mutually self-serving system. They choose, hire and bless their leaders who essentially tell them they are accepted by God if they believe a certain set of doctrine and if they participate in the organization's meetings and rituals ' or at least give them money to support and run it. And of course the leaders are only too glad to tell the people what they want to hear and at the same time be provided a living by making weekly speeches called, 'sermons' or 'the teaching of God's Word' or some other such label. Their leaders also very much like having people say to them in the market place, 'oh, pastor, pastor'. They also get the seats of honor at all the important life events like baby christenings, marriages and funerals ' heck, most even get paid for presiding they are so esteemed! Of course many of their leaders actually think they are helping the people of their flock by substituting for the Good Shepherd, but oh how horribly deceived they are. They think that their counsel to their members is wise and good as it comes from 'a calling', experience, education, or 'God's Word' ' all the while they ignore the most important teachings of the real and living Word. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Please listen to what Jesus calls those leaders who accept money to 'pastor the flock':</span></p>
|
||||
<blockquote style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin-left: 60px;">
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">"<span style="color: #ff0000;">I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep</span>." (John 10:11-13)</span></p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">For those willing to receive it, Jesus calls all men who usurp his role of the 'One Good Shepherd' and accept money to do so, 'hirelings'. And what does he say of the hireling? That when real trouble comes, you can expect him or her to say, 'well, it's been good knowing you, I'll pray for you, good bye'trust in the Lord!' When it really comes to laying down their literal life for you, they will fail, because they love their life in the world. This is why the Real Jesus of Nazareth is the only true "good Shepherd". He will not fail you, and he will lead you to his Father and Life eternal IF you are willing to "listen to HIM" (Matt. 17:5).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> jkl<!-- Quantcast Tag --></span></p>
|
||||
<noscript>
|
||||
<div style="display: none;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img src="//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-3Ruxm6-Q3_nFd.gif" alt="Quantcast" width="1" height="1" border="0" /></span></div>
|
||||
</noscript>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><!-- End Quantcast tag --></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 12860746<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
929
aboutauthor/134-yahweh.html
Normal file
929
aboutauthor/134-yahweh.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,929 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/134-yahweh.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Yahweh" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Yahweh</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 10pt;">"To see Jesus with bodily eyes is... a wonderful thing! It only remains that we know if it is true. In all ages men have covered falsehoods with the veil of religion, that the appearance of divinity might conceal the human fraud." (Petrach, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Decamaron</span>.)</span></span></span></span></span></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 4175" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "4175") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>Should We Restore The Divine Name To More Common Use?</strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #3366ff;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">James Dunn, a highly respected Christian scholar, in </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>Jesus Remembered</em> (Eerdman's 2003) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=G4qpnvoautgC&lpg=PA546&dq=yahweh%20priority%20Jesus%20idolatrous&pg=PA546#v=onepage&q&f=false" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 13.600000381469727px; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal;">546</a> says one thing stands out in the Lord's "Our Father" prayer:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"According to this prayer, the first priority for Jesus' followers is that <strong><em>God's name be sanctified</em></strong>...."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, then Dunn adds: "<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the Hebrew Bible,...the name </span><em style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px;">shem</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> (name) of Yahweh ...may be used as an alternate name of Yahweh himself." Really? We can substitute "the name" for Yahweh? Why?</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Dunn means that in writing, the scribes replaced Yahweh with Shem ("The Name") (or Adonai, "Lord"), but Yahweh was there originally. Dunn blesses this <strong>translation suppression</strong> of Yahweh's name, as we shall explore here. However, Dunn's notion that dominates all translations is contrary to the Bible instructions to teach God's name. It takes the duty to honor God's name too far.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus' mentioning the importance of keeping the memory of God's true name holy (but not as a secret or never used) derives from first of the Ten Commandments to have no other god before Yahweh:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"Heading the list of the ten commandments is the command to make Yahweh <em><strong>the top priority</strong></em>....This is the command about priorities, and its place in the list resonates with the rest of scripture, where idolatry is the number one sin." (Anne Robertson, <em>God's Top 10: Blowing the Lid Off the Commandments</em> (Church Publishing, 2006) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=udR3YK-SLsQC&lpg=PT18&dq=yahweh%20priority%20Jesus%20idolatrous&pg=PT18#v=onepage&q&f=false">1</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Robertson makes an excellent point about how easily one can be misled by good things, and giving </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">them a priority over God. This applies to using substitute names for Yahweh such as "The Name," or "Lord" or "Adonai." There is nothing inherently evil in these substitutes, but it takes away the honor owed Yahweh, and the reverence and memory of His name. Now Yahweh's name is virtually forgotten or unknown in any modern church. It is often never uttered at mainline churches. Robertson explains:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"The things that become idols most easily are not, in and of themselves, bad things. The danger of Christian idolatry isn't a tendency to put bad things before God. The danger is taking good, wonderful God-given or God-created things and giving them a greater importance than God [Yahweh]." <em>Id.</em>, at 1-2.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">More similar discussion of this topic can be found at: <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james+2%3A13&version=KJV">The Divine Name & NT.</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><a href="http://carriertom.typepad.com/sheep_and_goats/2009/12/the-divine-name-and-the-new-testament.html"><span style="font-size: 14pt; background-color: transparent; color: #000000;"></span></a></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Yet, consider that according to Charles Ryrie, author of Ryrie Study Bible,<strong><em> Yahweh’s Name appears in Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament exactly 6,823 time</em></strong>. <em>See</em>, Ryrie, Charles. <em>Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition</em> (Moody, 1995) at 6.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Despite this amazing fact, the name “Yahweh” <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">doesn’t appear even once in the text of the three most popular Bible English translations of the Original Testament on the market today</span></strong>. Thus, the King James Bible, the New American Standard Bible, and the New International Version <em><strong>do not have God’s Name ever disclosed and clearly identified</strong></em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Biblical scholars have failed sadly to make better known that these texts' omission is explained by mimicking the unbiblical use of "Shem" (NAME) or the substitution of ADONAI (LORD) by Jewish copyists beginning in the 300s to the present. This has led to our ignorance of God's true name of "Yahweh." in the NT era. Thereby, Christians have forgotten the name Jesus was elevating -- YAHWEH.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The 1901 American Standard Version Bible boldly stood for another path - now long forgotten and trampled upon. But the reasoning was sound. The translators announced they would restore the name of God where it appears in the Original Hebrew Bible:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[They] were brought to the unanimous conviction that <em><strong>a Jewish superstition</strong></em>, which regarded the Divine Name as too sacred to be uttered, ought no longer to dominate in the English or any other version of the Old Testament . . . This Memorial Name, explained in Exodus 3:14, 15, and emphasized as such over and over in the original text of the Old Testament, designates God as the personal God, as the covenant God, the God of revelation, the Deliverer, the Friend of his people . . . This personal name, with its wealth of sacred associations, is<em><strong> now restored to the place in the sacred text to which it has an unquestionable claim</strong></em>. (<a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/asv.ii.html">Preface to the ASV, 1901</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Alas, the good reasoning of these translators fell on deaf ears. Almost no translation today includes God's name despite its clear presence in the Hebrew text - except the public domain World English Bible Version (Yahweh) and Young's Literal (Jehovah).</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">How did this still prevalent error to suppress Yahweh's name come about? </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Jewish copyists from the late 100s AD forward were generally fearful to write YAHWEH down. By the 2d-3d century AD, this fear against writing the name Yahweh at all caused the adoption among Jews that they should not speak out loud the name of God -- Yahweh, although writing the name was not flatly prohibited. As Wikipedia explains, at first the name could be written but not spoken:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">According to a Jewish tradition developed during the 3rd to 2nd centuries BCE, the Tetragrammaton is written but not pronounced. ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah">Jehovah"</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Later, it came to be believed writing down YAHWEH could lead one to also speak the name, and this was disapproved of. Hence, in the 3d-4th century, Jewish and also Christian scribes began eliminating the name of Yahweh from texts that once had the name present. This has spiritual repurcussions. God tied His promises, His covenant, His Law, and salvation to His Name. Moreover, He commanded us to know His Name, to seek His Name, to bless His Name, and to share His Name with everyone.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">For discussion on this, see PDF by Neil Snyder, <a href="http://www.hisnameisyahweh.org/His%20Name%20is%20Yahweh.pdf">His Name is Yahweh</a>.<a href="http://www.hisnameisyahweh.org/His%20Name%20is%20Yahweh.pdf"><br /></a></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">Pronunciation</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Most Bible scholars and Hebrew linguists believe that “Yahweh” is the correct way to pronounce God’s Name. The Y-a-h in His Name sounds like “Yah,” and the w-e-h in His Name sounds like “way.” That said, considerable debate persists about whether to enunciate the second syllable in God’s Name with a “v” sound or with a “w” sound, but compelling evidence proves that the “w” sound is correct. See <em>Encyclopedia Judaica, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Unger’s Bible Dictionary, The Jewish Encyclopedia</em> (Volume 12), the<em> Encarta Encyclopedia</em>, or Clover, R. <em>The Sacred Name</em> Volume I (Third Edition, Qadesh La Yahweh Press, Garden Grove, California, 2002) chapter 9.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">For more discussion on the correct pronunciation, see this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton#Pronunciation:_the_question_of_which_vowels">Wikipedia article</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The <em>Encyclopedia Brittanica </em>gives a detailed explanation as follows:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The early Christian scholars who inquired what was the true name of [God] had therefore no great difficulty getting the information they sought. Clement of Alexandria (died circa 212) says that it was pronounced<strong><em> iaove</em></strong>.” [In Greek, the V shaped letter sounded as a U sound, and was known as <em>upsilon</em>.] Epiphanius (died 404 AD) who was born in Palestine and spent a considerable part of his life there gives<strong><em> IABE</em></strong> (one codice <strong><em>IAVE</em></strong>). [B = Beta in Greek, and also had a<em> v</em> sound.] Theodoret (died circa 457 AD) born in Antioch writers that the Samaritans pronounced the name <strong><em>IaBe</em></strong> (in another passage <em><strong>IABAU</strong></em>)...[B = Beta in Greek.] This direct testimony is supplemented by the magical texts in which IaBe as well as<em><strong> IaBa</strong></em>, occurs frequently. In an Ethiopic list of magical names of Jesus, purporting to have been taught by him to his disciples, <strong><em>YAWE</em></strong> is found. Finally there is evidence from more than one source that the modern Samaritan priests pronounce the name <strong><em>YAHWEH</em></strong> or <em><strong>YAHWA</strong></em>. There is <em><strong>no reason to impugn the soundness of this substantially consistent testimony to the pronunciation of Yahweh or Jahveh, coming as it does through several independent channels</strong></em>....Recent scholars, accordingly, with few exceptions, are agreed that the ancient pronunciation of the name was Yahweh (the first H sounded at the end of the syllable.” (“<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=HlQEAAAAYAAJ&dq=Iaoue&pg=PA312#v=onepage&q=Iaoue&f=false">Jehova</a>,” <em>Encylopedia Brittanica</em> (1911) Vol. 15 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=HlQEAAAAYAAJ&dq=Iaoue&pg=PA312#v=onepage&q=Iaoue&f=false">312</a>.) See likewise <em>New American Encyclopedia</em> (Dodd, Mead and company, 1918) Vol 12 at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=KWsNAQAAMAAJ&dq=Iaoue&pg=PA625#v=onepage&q=Iaoue&f=false"> 625</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, it appears in transliterated English, it is YAHWEH.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">One of the most detailed explanations to support Yahweh (where "w" is sounded as "oo") is the correct pronunciation is "Is The Correct Pronunciation Known," ch. XI, <a href="http://www.yahweh.org/publications/sny/sn09Chap.pdf">pp. 104-14</a> in PDF from <a href="http://www.yahweh.org/PDF_index1.html">The Sacred Name</a> (Yahweh Press). See page 114 of the same.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Further background is provided in Wikipedia's article "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah">Jehovah</a>" where we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Most scholars believe "Jehovah" to be a late (ca. 1100 CE) hybrid form derived by combining the Latin letters <em>JHVH</em> with the vowels of <em>Adonai</em>, but there is some evidence that it may already have been in use in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Antiquity" title="Late Antiquity">Late Antiquity</a> (5th century).<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-Kotansky-3">[4]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-This_pp._40.2C_41-4">[5]</a></sup> It was not the historical vocalization of the Tetragrammaton at the time of the redaction of the Pentateuch (6th century BCE), at which time the most likely vocalization was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh" title="Yahweh">Yahweh</a>. The historical vocalization was lost because in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple_Judaism" title="Second Temple Judaism">Second Temple Judaism</a>, during the 3rd to 2nd centuries BCE, the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton came to be avoided, being substituted with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adonai" class="mw-redirect" title="Adonai">Adonai</a> "my Lord."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;">Jewish sources on pronunciation agree it is Yahweh. The</span><strong style="font-family: Tahoma; color: #4a4a4a; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"><em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"></span></em></strong><em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;">Jewish</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"> Encyclopedia</span></em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"> of 1901, Volume 12, page 119, states: "</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;">It thus becomes possible to determine with a fair degree of certainty the historical pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton, the results agreeing with the statement of Ex. iii. 14, in which YHWH terms Himself </span><img src="http://www.yahweh.com/images/yahweh/ahyh.jpg" alt="" style="width: 43px; height: 15px;" /><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;">. "I will be", a phrase which is immediately proceeded by the fuller term "I will be that I will be," or, as in the English versions, "I am" and "I am that I am." The name </span><img src="http://www.yahweh.com/images/yahweh/yhwh.jpg" alt="" style="width: 40px; height: 15px;" /><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"> is accordingly derived from the root </span><img src="http://www.yahweh.com/images/yahweh/hwh.jpg" alt="" style="width: 28px; height: 15px;" /><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;">(=</span><img src="http://www.yahweh.com/images/yahweh/hyh.jpg" alt="" style="width: 31px; height: 15px;" /><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;">), and is regarded as an imperfect. This passage is decisive for the pronunciation "Yahweh"; for the etymology was undoubtedly based on the known word."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>The Encyclopedia Judaica</em>, Volume 7, page 680 further states this fact: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"The true pronunciation of the name YHWH was never lost. <strong>Several early Greek writers of the Christian Church testify the name was pronounced 'Yahweh.'</strong> This is confirmed, at least for the vowel of the first syllable of the name, by the shorter form Yah, which is sometimes used in poetry (e.g., Ex. 15:12), and the - yahu or -yah that serves as the final syllable in very many Hebrew names." </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: #333333; line-height: 1.3em;">The Encyclopedia Brittanica</em>, Volume 23, page 867, confirms this fact: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"YAHWEH, the proper name of the God of Israel; it is composed of four consonants (YHWH) in Hebrew and is therefore called the Tetragrammaton..." The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Volume 9, page 160, confirms this fact again: "Of the names of God in the Old Testament, that which occurs most frequently (6,823 times) is the so-called Tetragrammaton, YHWH (<img src="http://www.yahweh.com/images/yahweh/yhwh.jpg" alt="" style="width: 40px; height: 15px;" />), the distinctive personal name of the God of Israel." </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For an opposing point of view that says Yahweh is truly Yah-hu-way, see <a href="http://www.ha-shem.followersofyah.com">HaShem</a> website.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Prior Misconceptions on Pronunciation </span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Between the years 500 A.D. and 1000 A.D., vowel markings were invented and introduced in the Hebrew language. To prevent Jewish people from accidentally saying Yahweh, the rabbis decided to place the vowel markings for the word “Adonai” (which means lord) or "Elohim" on the Tetragrammaton -- “YWHW.” When Elohim is overlayed, it produced a word with this sound: YeHoVah. But when ADONAI is placed over it, ADONAI's vowel's come out: "YAHWEH."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In 1520 A.D., a Bible scholar named Galatinus [FN 1] called God by the name “Jehovah” [FN2] and in 1611 A.D., the translators of the original King James Bible explained in a footnote that God’s Name is Jehovah. That’s why so many people today believe that God’s Name is Jehovah.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="background-color: #ffff00;" data-mce-mark="1">FN 1</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">According to <em>The Jewish Encyclopedia</em> (Singer, Isadore, ed. 12 vols. KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 1964, vol. 7, p. 88), Galatinus was the confessor for Pope Leo the 10th.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="background-color: #ffff00;" data-mce-mark="1">FN 2</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Many, if not most, Bible scholars believe Galatinus was the person responsible for interpreting the Name “Yahweh” as Jehovah. However, there is some controversy about this question. No matter who made this step, we know the name Jehovah did not come into use until at least the 1400s A.D.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>The Divine Name and the New Testament</strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the 100s Clement and in the 300s Theodoret - both Christian commentators - mention the Divine name is YAHWEH (pronounced Ya-oo-way), or a close variant. See "Iaoue" <a href="http://encycl.opentopia.com/term/Iaoue">Encyclopentopia</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">George Howard has done extensive study on the Divine Name in the New Testament and marshalls the proof that<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"> it was used originally</span></strong>, but later was removed in manuscript copying. Then he has this to say:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"The removal of the Tetragrammaton from the New Testament and its replacement with the surrogates KYRIOS and THEOS blurred the original distinction between the Lord God and the Lord Christ, and in many passages made it impossible to know which one was meant. ..Once the Tetragrammaton was removed and replaced by the surrogate 'Lord', scribes were unsure whether "lord" meant God or Christ. As time went on, these two figures were brought into even closer unity until it was often impossible to distinguish between them. Thus it may be that the <strong>removal of the Tetragrammaton contributed significantly to the later Christological and Trinitarian debates which plagued the church of the early Christian centuries</strong>." George Howard, <em>The Name of God in the New Testament</em>, BAR 4.1 (March 1978), 15</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There is good reason to re-insert the Name of God -- YAHWEH -- into the English Translation, and the Greek text too for that matter. First of all, the <strong>Greek Septuagint had the Name of Yahweh in it from the very beginning</strong>. Though this fact was at one time widely doubted by scholars, substantial fragments of the Original Testament in Greek (the Septuagint) have surfaced since then, and they do have the Name preserved in ancient paleo Hebrew, amidst the text that is otherwise Greek. Photographs of these fragments can be seen in this 'Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures' from the Jehovah Witnesses. These photographs are a powerful testimony to the reverence the ancients had for the Name. See photo of manuscript 4Q120 from 140 BC in Septuagint at this Wikipedia article <a href="https://en.wikipedTetragrammatonia.org/wiki/">Tetragammaton</a>. <a href="http://www.paleotimes.org/whatsNew/2003/july_29_2003.htm"><br /></a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, it is ironic that Jehovah Witnesses preserve the very proof that the name is YAHWEH, yet their group still uses in its name an anachronism (i.e., Jehovah) caused by a hasty conclusion of Galatinus in 1520! Wonders never cease!</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Continuing with our point, Howard explains that the Hebrew Matthew that he restored proves likewise that Yahweh was the original text in the New Testament wherever HaShem was used in reference to God in the Hebrew versions.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">When you are preparing your English translation of the Bible, it's <a href="http://www.divine-name.info/bibles.htm">perfectly acceptable</a> to use God's name Yahweh in the Original Testament (OT). You can do it nearly 7000 times. That's <a href="http://carriertom.typepad.com/sheep_and_goats/2007/05/the_divine_name.html">how often</a> the four consonant tetragrammaton appears in the original Hebrew.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Using God's name in the New Testament is a different matter. It is a bolder move, and not without controversy. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Ancient manuscripts of the Original Testament (OT) in Hebrew contain the divine name, but ancient manuscripts of the New Testament Greek do not. Yet, this can be explained because when the Infallible Name Doctrine arose by the third century, it would deliberately seek destruction of texts that preceded it that had YHWH in the text. And thus by either deterioration or deliberate sanctimonious destruction, none of the NT texts prior to the third century exist. And this explains why no NT text survives with YHWH in the text. See <a href="/aboutauthor/250-dates-of-manuscripts-that-survive.html">Surviving Manuscripts of New Testament</a>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">When the OT was translated into Greek in 257 BC in the Septuagint, there were placeholders used for YAHWEH's name. These evolved over time, and yet line up with the oldest NT manuscripts, as we shall see.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Unfortunately, in the end, KYRIOS (or Lord) replaced these earlier placeholders in 300s for both the Septuagint and NT editions. Hence, later versions of the Septuagint OT make those passages where YHWH appear simply identify "Lord" and now it is impossible with such translation to distinguish between whether it is Messianic prophecy about Jesus as "Lord" or instead that is a passage about God Almighty. And passages in the NT became equally impossible to distinguish the Lord God from the Lord Jesus when the same change was imposed on our NT scripture.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So the way to fix this is to examine the earliest NT manuscripts with the earliest Septuagint manuscripts from before the 300s, and compare their placeholders for Yahweh. George Howard of the University of Georgia writes this in Journal of Biblical Literature (Vol. 96, 1977, p. 63), and identifies the problem and the solution:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"Recent discoveries in Egypt and the Judean Desert <strong>allow us to see first hand the use of God's name in pre-Christian times</strong> [i.e., the earlier Septuagint versions]. These discoveries are significant for New Testament studies in that they form a literary analogy with the earliest Christian documents and may explain how NT authors used the divine name. In the following pages we will set forth a theory that the divine name, YHWH [Howard uses the Hebrew characters] (and possibly abbreviations of it), was originally written in the NT quotations of and allusions to the Old Testament and that in the course of time it was replaced mainly with the surrogate abbreviation for Kyrios, "Lord" [Again, he uses the Greek characters]. This removal of the Tetragram[maton], in our view, <strong>created a confusion in the minds of early Gentile Christians about the relationship between the 'Lord God' and the 'Lord Christ' </strong>which is reflected in the MS tradition of the NT text itself."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Not only did the removal of the Tetragrammaton create that confusion, but also now those who wish to uphold the Theodosian Trinity of 381 AD have a motive to resist restoring the original sense of YAHWEH in various passages. The truth is Jesus is divine by the indwelling of the Logos ("dwelt among us" John 1:14) --- even though the "Logos is not mine, but my Father's who sent me." (John 14:24.) But to say Jesus is YAHWEH, translated as Lord in the Septuagint, goes beyond John's prologue or the original usage in the NT.</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">So when a non-Jehovah Witness advocates we use Yahweh's name in honor, we hear that it is awfully suspicious that it's the Jehovah Witness Bible that uses Jehovah in the New Testament. Doesn't that mean they're writing their own doctrines into the Bible? No, it doesn't. What it means is that Witnesses love the divine name and so they highlight facts that are not highlighted (if not actually buried) by those who don't love the name. Since the name appears some 7000 times in the entire Bible, it's hard to argue that God doesn't want it known. Especially in view of these verses.</span><br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">...</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">that men may know that thou, whose name alone is YAHWEH, art the most high over all the earth.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Ps 83:18</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">or</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Matt 6:9-10 (New Testament)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In fact, should not Christians be identified with that name?</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">[Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to <strong>take out of them a people for his name</strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Acts 15:14</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In spite of this, most churches today are moving in the opposite direction! Check <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2008/09/he_who_must_not.html">this</a> out in the Boston Globe:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"The Vatican, saying the name of God deserves more reverence, earlier this summer instructed that Catholics<strong> stop using the word Yahweh in worship</strong>, a step that is expected to affect a number of hymns, according to the Catholic News Service. And now comes Christianity Today, the evangelical magazine, talking with Protestants about the issue. One of several perspectives reported in the article: "Protestants should be following their lead, said Carol Bechtel, professor of Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. 'It's always left me baffled and perplexed and embarrassed that <strong>we sprinkle our hymns with that name</strong>,' she said. 'Whether or not there are Jewish brothers and sisters in earshot, the most obvious reason to avoid using the proper and more personal name of God in the Old Testament is simply respect for God."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, we are being told again that "out of respect for God" we should not utter His name -- Yahweh. Just call Him God, and don't get too personal -- that is what Catholicism and Protestant leaders are saying. This is the revival of the Ineffable Name Doctrine under a new rubric. It is sad, for it violates the words of the Bible itself to proclaim the name and make it known. And thus the doctrines of men replace the commands of God -- again!</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Fortunately, Standford Rives in his reconstruction of the Original Gospel of Matthew -- volume three of his series -- which is hosted free on our site -- restores Yahweh to the places it was found in the oldest Hebrew versions of Matthew. See our <a href="/images/stories/JWOBook/ogm2012.htm">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">Did Jesus Get Condemned as A Blasphemer For Using God's True Name?</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">As explained below here, it is reasonable to infer that Jesus actually used Yahweh's name in His response to the Sanhedrin question whether He was Messiah. Instead of saying He was the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of "Power," as it reads now, it appears what Jesus actually said was he would be seated "on the right hand of Yahweh." Why? Because there is nothing blasphemous in saying one is sitting on the right hand of Power. But the Sanhedrin had a rule -- preserved in later texts -- that it was blasphemy to utter the "secret name" of God. Hence, once you know that fact, and the later influence of editors of the NT to remove Yahweh's name, then you can infer what Jesus truly said was he would sit on the "right hand of Yahweh," not simply "Power." And thus this reference to Yahweh was eliminated, with all the other uses of Yahweh in the NT due to the Ineffable Name Doctrine contaminating the copyists to scorn writing the allegedly 'secret name' of God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Let's go through the analysis as succinctly as possible.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">First, Jesus in John says to the Father, "I made your name known." John <a href="http://bible.cc/john/17-26.htm">17:26</a>. So that means we will not be surprised if we find a text that is best explained by Jesus uttering the name Yahweh.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Second, the Mishna Sanhedrin VII, 5 (compiled about 200 AD)(see <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=zBRuo3LHyS4C&lpg=PA396&ots=lbbdfphSOW&dq=mishnah%20sanhedrin%207%205&pg=PA396#v=onepage&q=mishnah%20sanhedrin%207%205&f=false">link</a>) reads: ‘The blasphemer <strong>only incurs guilt if he utters the secret name of God</strong>." Here is the<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CD8QjBAwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmishnahyomit.org%2Fsanhedrin%2FSanhedrin%25207-5.doc&ei=6MfrUJPcF-KOiAKKuIHADA&usg=AFQjCNFZ6uULhaZir7egOPCPWgETyYSb_w&sig2=dcMSCNbXh7il0fQAWdyX0g&bvm=bv.1357316858,d.cGE"> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">link</span></a> to a Word document of the entire part VII from a site that has a repository of the Sanhedrin legal documents called the Mishna Sanhedrin.</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Now one has to understand that the Mishnah Sanhedrin was construing Leviticus 24:15-16. These verses read in pertinent part -- and Leviticus read this as of 125 BC when the Dead Sea Scroll version of Leviticus was written:</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #3366ff;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #3366ff;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff; margin-left: 30px;"><span id="en-KJV-3462" class="text Lev-24-15" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">15 </sup>And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #3366ff; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #3366ff;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff; margin-left: 30px;"><span id="en-KJV-3463" class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">16 </sup>And <strong>he that blasphemeth the name of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span></strong>, he shall surely be put to death,</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Next, we set forth the modern explanation of this Mishnah passage. It shows that the priests running the Sanhedrin <span class="text Lev-24-16" data-mce-mark="1">read verse 16 to say the one who curses God but does not use the name Yahweh can live, but if he uses the name of Yahweh, he must die. Here is the official explanation:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span class="text Lev-24-16" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">With regards to the blasphemer the Torah states (Lev. 24:15): “Anyone who blasphemes his God shall bear his guilt. <strong>If he also pronounces the name of the Lord, he shall be put to death</strong>.” </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">From these verses the Rabbis learned that <strong>the blasphemer was punished by a death penalty only if he used God’s four letter name</strong>. <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The problem with putting the blasphemer on trial is that when the witnesses testify and repeat what they heard, they too will be blaspheming God’s name. Although they certainly would not receive the death penalty for doing so, it was nevertheless seen to be unacceptable for even a witness to repeat what he heard, especially in a public trial. Therefore, during the court’s deliberation <strong>they used a code word, “may Yose smite Yose”</strong>. However, in order to complete the trial the witnesses needed to state what they heard explicitly at least one time. Therefore, at the end of the trial they would remove everyone from the court and only the witnesses and the judges would remain. They would then ask the eldest witness to say explicitly what he heard. So painful was it for the judges to hear God’s name being blasphemed that <strong>they would tear their clothes and not repair them</strong>. Id. <strong style="color: #009933; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 15px;">mishnah</strong><span style="color: #009933; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;" data-mce-mark="1">yomit.org/</span><strong style="color: #009933; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 15px;">sanhedrin</strong></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Now compare this procedure to Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin in Matthew and Mark:</span></span><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">63 </span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I <sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26&version=NASB#fen-NASB-24118t" style="color: #b37162; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote t">t</a>]</sup>adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are <sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26&version=NASB#fen-NASB-24118u" style="color: #b37162; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote u">u</a>]</sup>the Christ,the Son of God.” <span id="en-NASB-24119" class="text Matt-26-64" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">64 </sup>Jesus *said to him, <span class="woj" data-mce-mark="1">“You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, <sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26&version=NASB#fen-NASB-24119v" style="color: #b37162; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote v">v</a>]</sup>hereafter you will see <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps;" data-mce-mark="1">the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of <span style="color: #ff0000;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>Power</strong></span></span>, and <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps;" data-mce-mark="1">coming on the clouds of heaven</span>.”</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">65 </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">tore his <sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26&version=NASB#fen-NASB-24120w" style="color: #b37162; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote w">w</a>]</sup>robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; <span id="en-NASB-24120" class="text Matt-26-65" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">66 </sup>what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!” (Matt <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2026:63-66&version=NASB">26:63-66</a>)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span class="text Matt-26-65" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top; color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">62 </sup><span class="text Matt-26-65" data-mce-mark="1">And Jesus said, </span><span class="text Matt-26-65" data-mce-mark="1">“I am; and you shall see <span class="text Matt-26-65" data-mce-mark="1">the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;" data-mce-mark="1">Power</span></strong></span>, and <span class="text Matt-26-65" data-mce-mark="1">coming with the clouds of heaven</span>.” (Mark <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%2014:62&version=NASB">14:62</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">As we read it today, there does not appear to be any insult on God's name. His name is not used. The punishment that the Sanhedrin would pass could not be a death penalty unless Jesus / Yashua actually spoke the name Yahweh. This is true either under Leviticus 26 or the Sanhedrin's recognized construction of that passage. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, it appears that the reason Jesus / Yashua was executed was precisely because He used the name of Yahweh, and due to evolving views of the Ineffable Name Doctrine, just saying the Name was considered sinful. But for Jesus / Yashua doing so, our Lord would not have been executed. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And hence our Lord was killed for making the Name Yahweh known to the Sanhedrin who were already influenced by a perniscious Ineffable Name Doctrine that would silence even Jesus for using the Name. Hence, this supports the view that we should take the risk to make the true name of God known -- Yahweh.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, scholars unaware that Yahweh's name was systematically removed by copyists due to the Ineffable Name Doctrine by the 2-3d centuries, presuppose the evangelists were wrong in their Gospels for suggesting the penalty of death could apply to what Jesus said. As D.A. Carson explains in <em>The Gospel According to John </em>(Eedrman's 1991) at page <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=zBRuo3LHyS4C&lpg=PA396&ots=lbbdfphSOW&dq=mishnah%20sanhedrin%207%205&pg=PA396#v=onepage&q=mishnah%20sanhedrin%207%205&f=false">396,</a> </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span class="text Lev-24-16" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"It is often pointed out that the technical definition of blasphemy in Mishnah (Sanhedrin 7:5) requires that to be guilty a person must pronounce the name of God, the Tetragrammaton, often translated as Yahweh today. Because there is <strong>no evidence that Jesus ever defied that prohibition</strong>, some scholars argue the Evangelist displays considerable ignorance of first-century Judaism."<br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Yet, we can now see that we can infer that the evidence of what Jesus actually said was removed by copyists adhering to the Ineffable Name Doctrine. And thus Jesus did use the Name, and this is what garnered the finding of blasphemy, because the Sanhedrin had evolved the notion that use of the name, without the necessary 'curse' upon God set forth in Leviticus 24:15-6, was itself blasphemy.</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Winn's Analysis on The NT Use of Yahweh</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">CW provides a detailed examination of this issue in his article <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Questioning Pau</span>l, <a href="http://questioningpaul.com/Questioning_Paul-Galatians-01-Chrestus-Useful_Implement.Paul">chapter one</a> -- where question marks -- ??? -- reflect a non-reproducible foreign text font only visible if you go to the original link:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Often overlooked, four of the most common Divine Placeholders for God’s names and titles were used in this passage [of Galatians 1:1]. The [letters #1] and</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> [letters #2]</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> represent: "Messiyah, the Implement of Yah," "Yahushua," meaning "Yah Saves," "Yahweh," or "Elohym-God," and His favorite title "’Ab-Father," based upon the first word in the Hebrew lexicon. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Examples of placeholders not used in this particular verse, but ubiquitous throughout the rest of the Renewed Covenant, and universally found in every first-, second-, third-, and early fourth-century Greek manuscript, describe the "Ruwach-Spirit," the "’Edon-Upright One," and the "Upright Pillar." And Placeholders for "Mother" and "Son," like "Father" are also common, but not universal.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">While codices dating to the first three centuries differ somewhat among themselves, and differ significantly from those composed after the influence of General Constantine, the use of Divine Placeholders is the lone exception to scribal variation among the early manuscripts<strong>. These symbols for God’s name and titles are universally found on every page of every extant codex written within 300 years of Yahshua’s day, without exception</strong>. But, nonetheless, they are <strong>universally ignored by Christian translators, writers, and preachers.</strong> By including them here in the text, as all of the Renewed Covenant authors themselves did, it is incumbent upon us to correct 1,700 years of religious tampering and corruption.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The very fact that these placeholders are found on<strong> all of the more than one-hundred manuscripts unearthed prior to the mid fourth-century</strong>, tells us that it wasn’t a regional or scribal choice. Instead, they convey something so profoundly important that they were purposefully inscribed throughout the original autographs—in the texts penned by the authors of the Renewed Covenant.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And so while these manuscripts all differ from one another with regard to their wording; the only constant is the one thing every translator has ignored. There<strong> isn’t even a footnote in any of our English translations indicating that these Divine Placeholders were universally depicted in all of the oldest manuscripts, including the codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus.</strong> As a result, Christians do not know that these symbols existed, much less that they were<strong> later replaced by translators, substituting the very names and titles which would have been written out by the original authors had they been intended</strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Kappa Sigma and Kappa Upsilon, in capital letters with a line over them, were used to convey Yahweh’s name </span></strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">and Yahshua’s "Upright One" title, even though every English bible replaces these symbols with "Lord." The fact Kappa Sigma conveys "Yahweh," the preponderance of the time it is used, is something I discovered when translating Greek quotations of Hebrew passages cited by Yahshua and His apostles in the Renewed Covenant.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This obvious conclusion has been reaffirmed recently by the publication of early Septuagint manuscripts. In them, we find a transition from writing Yahweh’s name in paleo-Hebrew in the midst of the Greek text throughout the first and second centuries, to using the symbolism of Kappa Sigma to represent Yahweh’s name beginning in the third-century. So, we now know for certain, what seemed perfectly obvious: the Divine Placeholders were used to designate Yahuweh’s name in a language whose alphabet could not replicate its sounds.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Also by finding "Yahuweh" <strong>written in paleo-Hebrew in the oldest Greek manuscripts of the Covenant Scriptures, especially in those dating to the first and second centuries BCE and CE, we have an interesting affirmation that my initial rationale regarding the Divine Placeholders was accurate</strong>. Yahweh’s name can’t be accurately transliterated using the Greek alphabet, so to avoid a mispronunciation, the Hebrew alphabet was initially used, and then, after Hebrew became a dead language, Greek symbolism was substituted.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, we know the divine name was being used in early Christian NT manuscripts, symbolized by the Kappa Sigma Upsilon <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">with a line over it</span>. This matches what we found in the Septuagint manuscripts where later "Lord" replaced what was the placeholder for YHWH. [See graphic below - early Septuagint use of Yahweh inside of Greek text.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><img src="http://www.yahweh.com/images/yahweh/smallSeptuagintFrag2.jpg" alt="" style="float: right;" /></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, one of the earliest fragments of the NT is the Papyrus 46 which contains Galatians. It dates to as early as 185 AD. It had a placeholder for Yahweh, but in later compilations, it is deleted. Here is CW's explanation in his Questioning Paul <a href="http://questioningpaul.com/Questioning_Paul-Galatians-03-Yaruwshalaym-Source_of_Salvation.Paul">chapter three</a>. First, he says that Galatians 2:5 should be translated:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span data-mce-mark="1">"With regard to</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">whom (os)<strong>, we did not </strong>(oude) <strong>yield</strong> (eiko – surrender) [<strong>in submission</strong> (hypotage)] <strong>in order that</strong> (hina) <strong>the truth</strong> (aletheia – that which is an eternal reality and in complete accord with history and the evidence) <strong>of God</strong> (Yahweh placeholders) [<strong>’s beneficial and healing message</strong> (euangelion)] <strong>would continue to exist</strong> (diameno – stand firm, remain unchanged, and permanently endure) <strong>advantageously among</strong> (pros) <strong>you</strong> (sou)<strong>."</strong>(Galatians 2:5)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Then CW notes how the placeholder for Yahweh was entirely eliminated in later compilations:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Further, a placeholder for Yahweh’s name or title exists between "aletheia/truth" and "diameno/would continue to exist" in the oldest Greek text, but not in the Textus Receptus, the Novum Testamentum Graece, nor the Nestle Aland Greek New Testament, even though the first claimed to be the "text received directly from God," and the other two have claimed to have corrected every error of the former by referencing older manuscripts.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span class="bibleKJV" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." Thus, any reference to "God" is gone, let alone the original reference to Yahweh.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Meaning of Yahweh</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">What does Yahweh mean?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Wikipedia article "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh">Yahweh</a>," explains the theories of the meaning of the name of Yahweh:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The most likely meaning of the name may be “He Brings Into Existence Whatever Exists" -literally “I will Be that I will be” (<a href="https://youtu.be/chCzWp1wxak">link</a> at 4:58) but there are many theories and none is regarded as conclusive. The traditional rendering of the name, as found in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Bibles" class="mw-redirect" title="English Bibles">English Bibles</a>, is "I am who I am" or "I am that I am."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Ideogram Meaning of Yahweh</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">I was asked by someone to vet whether the claim was true in a YouTube video by P.P. Simmons entitled "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wiBtYITrxM">Revealed: The Secret Name of God</a>." He argues Yahweh means:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Behold the Hand or Behold the Nail.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">[As I will explain below, this is only partly accurate.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">If true, this then would mean God's own name pointed to Jesus' crucifixion. Simmons claims each letter has<strong> ideographic meanings</strong> like the male and female signs outside public restrooms are symbols for an idea. So a single letter in Hebrew can supposedly have several ideographic meanings. Simmons claims:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">HEH [or HEY or HE] literally means WINDOW or LOOK</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">YUD [or YOD] literally means by ideographic identification HAND.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">HEH [or HEY or HE] literally and symbolically means WINDOW or LOOK</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">WAH [or VAV] literally means a NAIL.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, Simmons contends these Hebrew letters in Yahweh can be accurately translated as BEHOLD the HAND, BEHOLD THE NAIL. [I am not sure how Simmons makes YUD come second, and instead HEH comes first.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Simmons rejoices because YASHUA then means "Behold the Hand, Behold the Nail is our Salvation." Mr. Simmons says this elegantly is the gospel found through Ideograms.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Sounds beautiful. Even winsome.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There is something to this, but not as definitive as Simmons proposes.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Let's allow him to present his case. At 2:02 of the video, Simmons offers his proof. He claims the Hebrew letters have had "ideographic meanings" from ancient times. A chart of each vowel's supposed ideographic "literal meaning" appears on a chart that is displayed. At 2:03 of the video, it says you can find the chart at this <a href="http://amerisoftinc.com/hebletr1.htm">link</a>. <br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">While that link is empty as of 2018, previously in 2010 when you clicked the link for more information on the "hidden meanings" of the Hebrew letters at that page, you find there is talk of mysticism. The link page was to a page on Hebrew letters at <a href="http://www.inner.org/hebleter/default.htm">Inner Org</a>. While that link is empty as of 2018, in 2010 the title on the page was "Authentic Jewish <strong>Mysticism </strong>and Thought." Umm. Makes me a bit concerned.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Yet, staying with the amerisoft link, we find the author of the chart upon which Simmons relies credits several books for the "literal meanings" quoted by Simmons. These book titles are:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">Hebrew Word Pictures</span>, Frank T. Seekins, Living Word Pictures Inc, Phoenix Arizona, 1994</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">The Inner Meaning of the Hebrew Letters</span>, Robert Haralock</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">The Wisdom of the Hebrew Alphabet</span>, Rabbi Michael Munk</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">How the Hebrew Language Grew</span>, Edward Horowitz</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">Honey from the Rock</span>, Lawrence Kushner</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">The Secrets of Hebrew Words</span>, Benjamin Bleck</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Of these, the first book is indeed the most influential in raising attention to ideograms. Frank T. Seekins -- Hebrew Word Pictures --- is perhaps accurate in part, but one cannot help but notice some strange supporters. We find a webpage that promotes his book for sale which says that "according to <strong>mystics of the Jewish tradition</strong>, the entire cosmos is said to be created from the 22 consonants of the Hebrew alphabet." ("<a href="http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/Aleph-Bet/aleph-bet.html">The Hebrew Alphabet</a>"). Umm. More concern now arises whether this is serious scholarship or hokum.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Well, let's see if we can independently verify that the "ideographic meaning" of YUD is HAND, HE is "behold" or "look" and VAV/ WAV is NAIL.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">First, we find controversy among those who accept ideographic meanings. One who agrees with the premise of Seekins, says YUD / YOD means "closed hand," not "hand." See Logos Christian Website on <a href="http://www.logoschristian.org/LWN/godsname.html">God's Name.</a> Yet, then inexplicably, he ignores the 'closed' aspect, and just treats it as 'hand." Id. It seems these meanings are applied loosely and not by some strict rules. Umm. Are we really going to find any scholars agreeing?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Undaunted, our goal is to find the truth, so we will not stop there. Let's study "ideograms" or "ideographic" meanings to Hebrew letters by Google searching.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Indeed, scholars agree Hebrew, like Egyptian, had ideographic representations in the shape of letters. See <em>The Bible Dictionary</em> (London, Paris, NY: 1878) Vol 1 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=z8ACAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=ideograms+hebrew+letters&source=bl&ots=jpWdUHXwqU&sig=cUKlzebgqwiaGy61gF0EU2ZCE9k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aEQmT8q-A-SjiQLct5SBCA&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBjgK#v=onepage&q=ideograms%20hebrew%20letters&f=false">55</a>. The letters were themselves pictorial representations in the shape of the letter.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So do we know the meaning of the words by looking at the pictures they represent graphically? Yes, indeed we do, in most cases. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The only ones that Simmons's claims are supported by scholars are YOD = HAND and VAV = NAIL. As we shall demonstrate, HE has been argued to mean WINDOW but it does not mean BEHOLD, as Simmmons claimed. (Remember, it is a pictograph of a physical object, so stretching WINDOW into BEHOLD is likely the product of wishful thinking.) Also, most likely HE is a picture of a HEDGE, and has no meaning of WINDOW, and clearly not the meaning of LOOK.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So the Bible Dictionary from 1878 cited above does explain that HE is both a letter and a picture-word but "the meaning of this word is uncertain." Id., at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=z8ACAAAAQAAJ&lpg=PA55&ots=jpWdUHXwqU&dq=ideograms%20hebrew%20letters&pg=PA58#v=onepage&q=yod&f=false">58</a>. It goes on and says "Gesenius conjectures it may have signified a 'window,' but Furst believes it <strong>equivalent to the Hebrew word signifying a hedge</strong>." Id. The dictionary comments that "his opinion is more probable on account of the identity of the letters He and Cheth...." Id.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The "Vav" is indeed a "nail" -- the shape of which is "very well preserved in the Hebrew." Id., at 58.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And "yod" is an ideograph of "hand." Id. , at 58. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">If you look then at a list of the Hebrew alphabet, you can see why this is reasonable -- the letters are indeed shaped to be potentially that of a hand, nail and hedge. See this link "<a href="http://www.soul-guidance.com/houseofthesun/treeoflifeletters.htm">Hebrew Alphabet</a>."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So where do we end up? </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">With the tantalizing fact that YWHW has the symbol letters of a HAND and NAIL in his name. I think personally that alone is supportive of YAHSHUA. We did not need to stretch HE which means likely HEDGE into WINDOW and then by an overactive imagination transform WINDOW into LOOK or BEHOLD.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Now the name YHWH in ideograms -- YOD HEY VAV HEY means HAND HEDGE NAIL HEDGE. I see something in this that is itself then a picture. The hedge could be a thorn hedge. For example -- read this explanation of the word "keep" in Hebrew and you will see the point unintentionally mentioned which supports Jesus' experience is prophesied with the name YAHWEH:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>Keep </strong>(Strong's #8104)<br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Hebrews were a nomadic people raising livestock. It would not be uncommon for a shepherd to be out with his flock, away from the camp, over the night. In order<strong> to protect the flock the shepherd would construct a corral of thorn bushes</strong>. The shepherd would then guard over the flock and the corral would be<strong> a hedge of protection around them</strong>. The image behind the Hebrew verb (shamar) is this guarding and protecting of the shepherd and the corral over the flock. ("<a href="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/40_numbers1.html">Ancient Hebrew Research Center -- Numbers 6</a>.")</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So the pictograph for HEDGE appears on either side of HAND and NAIL. So a THORN HEDGE, A HAND and NAIL evokes what image to you? The PASTOR of our souls leading and protecting the flock into a protective hedge done by a nail into his hand.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">It is still beautiful and sublime. Thus Seekins and Simmons meant well. However, it does no good to assert meanings not supported by serious scholarship. It also is an endeavor that pokes a bit close to mysticism. It is also open to multiple interpretations. My suggestion is to not make it a practice to speculate on such things. God's word is clear enough without our reading too much into things. But this HAND and NAIL meaning indeed is VERY intriguing to a follower of YAHSHUA. Could God YAHWEH have given Moses a name whose ideographic meaning points to the one the Father "indwelled," as Jesus / Yahshua said in John 14:10? That the Father's future role in humankind would be to have a Shekinah presence in the man Yahsua?</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Study Notes</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;" data-mce-mark="1">Website on Tetragrammaton in NT</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">A great study of the Tetragammaton in light of the Hebrew version of Matthew is at this <a href="http://www.tetragrammaton.org/tetra5.html">link</a> from a website devoted to the Tetragrammaton. The introduction gives you a flavor of the issues it covers: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Chapter 5: <strong>Matthew's Gospel in Hebrew</strong></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> Hebrew language and manuscript studies are important for an accurate understanding of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Both the Hebrew language and culture strongly influenced the Greek words and thought patterns used in the Christian Scriptures. Though the majority of the Hebrew Scripture quotations come from the <em>Septuagint</em>, by no means is this always true. In some instances, the writer translated <a href="http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTCHART.HTM"><strong>directly from Hebrew</strong></a> to Greek when quoting Scripture.</p>
|
||||
<p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> Thus, a comprehensive study of the Christian Scriptures must also consider Hebrew language documents. In the case of this present study, however, there is even greater need to become acquainted with Hebrew texts, inasmuch as verification of the divine name in the <em>New World Translation</em> Christian Greek Scriptures comes directly from Hebrew sources.<sup>[1]</sup><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; color: black;">On page 12 in the Foreword of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Kingdom Interlinear Translation</span> (1985 edition) the New World Bible Translation Committee says:</p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; color: black;"> We have looked for some agreement with us by the Hebrew versions we consulted to confirm our own rendering [of the divine name]. Thus, out of the 237 times that we have restored Jehovah's name in the body of our translation, there is only one instance wherein we have no support or agreement from any of the Hebrew versions. But in this one instance, namely, at 1 Corinthians 7:17, the context and related texts strongly support restoring the divine name.</p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">In this and the following two chapters, we will consider three topics dealing with Hebrew language manuscripts.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"> </p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>PRONUNCIATION OF YHWH</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">What is the history of the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton? In Wikipedia's "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah">Jehovah</a>" we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The most widespread theory is that the Hebrew term [omitted] has the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niqqud" title="Niqqud">vowel points</a> of [omitted] (adonai). Using the vowels of adonai, the compositehataf patah under the guttural alef becomes a sheva under the yod , the holam is placed over the first he , and the qamats is placed under the vav , giving <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">???????</span> (Jehovah). When the two names, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">????</span> and <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">????</span>, occur together, the former is pointed with a hataf segol <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">?</span> under theyod <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">?</span> and a hiriq under the second he <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">?</span>, giving [omitted], to indicate that it is to be read as (elohim) in order to avoid adonai being repeated.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-autogenerated2-25">[26]</a></sup></span></p>
|
||||
<div class="thumb tright">
|
||||
<div class="thumbinner"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sefer_Yezira_1552_IEHOUAH.PNG" class="image"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/Sefer_Yezira_1552_IEHOUAH.PNG/220px-Sefer_Yezira_1552_IEHOUAH.PNG" alt="" width="220" height="187" class="thumbimage" /></a></span>
|
||||
<div class="thumbcaption" style="margin-left: 30px;">
|
||||
<div class="magnify" style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sefer_Yezira_1552_IEHOUAH.PNG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.19/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></span></div>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" title="Sefer Yetzirah" data-mce-mark="1">[Graphic above: a 1552 Latin translation of Sefer Yetzirah, using the form <strong>Iehouah</strong> for the "magnum Nomen tetragrammatum."]</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The pronunciation Jehovah is believed to have arisen through the introduction of vowels of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qere" class="mw-redirect" title="Qere">qere</a>—the marginal notation used by the Masoretes. In places where the consonants of the text to be read (the qere) differed from the consonants of the written text (the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kethib" class="mw-redirect" title="Kethib">kethib</a>), they wrote the qere in the margin to indicate the desired reading.<sup>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from April 2009" data-mce-mark="1">citation needed</span></a>]</sup> In such cases, the kethib was read using the vowels of the qere. For a few very frequent words the marginal note was omitted, referred to as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q%27re_perpetuum" class="mw-redirect" title="Q're perpetuum">q're perpetuum</a>.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-Jewish:YHWH-18">[19]</a></sup> One of these frequent cases was God's name, which was not to be pronounced in fear of profaning the "ineffable name". Instead, wherever <span lang="he" xml:lang="he" data-mce-mark="1">????</span> (YHWH) appears in thekethib of the biblical and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgical_book" title="Liturgical book">liturgical books</a>, it was to be read as <span class="script-hebrew" dir="rtl" data-mce-mark="1">???????</span> (adonai, "My Lord [plural of majesty]"), or as <span class="script-hebrew" dir="rtl" data-mce-mark="1">????????</span> (elohim, "God") if adonai appears next to it.<sup>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from April 2009" data-mce-mark="1">citation needed</span></a>]</sup> This combination produces <span class="script-hebrew" dir="rtl" data-mce-mark="1">???????</span> (yehovah) and <span class="script-hebrew" dir="rtl" data-mce-mark="1">???????</span> (yehovih) respectively.<sup>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from April 2009" data-mce-mark="1">citation needed</span></a>]</sup> <span lang="he" xml:lang="he" data-mce-mark="1">????</span> is also written <span lang="he" xml:lang="he" data-mce-mark="1">’?</span>, or even <span lang="he" xml:lang="he" data-mce-mark="1">’?</span>, and read ha-Shem ("the name").<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-autogenerated2-25">[26]</a></sup></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">****</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jehovist writers such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehemia_Gordon" title="Nehemia Gordon">Nehemia Gordon</a>, who helped translate the "Dead Sea Scrolls", have acknowledged the general agreement among scholars that the original pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton was Yahweh, and that the vowel points now attached to the Tetragrammaton were added to indicate that Adonai was to be read instead, as seen in the alteration of those points after prefixes. He wrote: "There is a virtual scholarly consensus concerning this name" and "this is presented as fact in every introduction to Biblical Hebrew and every scholarly discussion of the name."<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-53">[54]</a></sup> Gordon, disputing this consensus, wrote, "However, this consensus is not based on decisive proof. We have seen that the scholarly consensus concerning Yahweh is really just a wild guess," and went on to say that the vowel points of Adonai are not correct.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-54">[55]</a></sup> He argued that "the name is really pronounced Ye-ho-vah with the emphasis on 'vah'. Pronouncing the name Yehovah with the emphasis on 'ho' (as in English Jehovah) would quite simply be a mistake."<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-55">[56]</a>'</sup></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">****</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Despite Jehovist claims that vowel signs are necessary for reading and understanding Hebrew, modern Hebrew is written without vowel points.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-V.26P-82">[83]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-V.26P-82">[83]</a></sup> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah" title="Torah">Torah</a> scrolls do not include vowel points, and ancient Hebrew was written without vowel signs.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-83">[84]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-84">[85]</a></sup></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea_Scrolls" title="Dead Sea Scrolls">Dead Sea Scrolls</a>, discovered in 1946 and dated from 400 BC to 70 AD,<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-85">[86]</a></sup> include texts from the Torah or Pentateuch and from other parts of the Hebrew Bible,<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-86">[87]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-87">[88]</a></sup> and have provided documentary evidence that, in spite of claims to the contrary, the original Hebrew texts were in fact written without vowel points.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-88">[89]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-89">[90]</a></sup> Menahem Mansoor's </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The <em>Dead Sea Scrolls: A College Textbook and a Study Guide </em></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">claims the vowel points found in printed Hebrew Bibles were devised in the 9th and 10th centuries</span>.<sup style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah#cite_note-90">[91]</a></sup></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Pronunciation Issue</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This is discussed in "The Question ofVowels" in a Wikipedia article at this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton#Pronunciation:_the_question_of_which_vowels">link.</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton#Pronunciation:_the_question_of_which_vowels"></a></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yahweh in the Dead Sea Scrolls</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Dead Sea Scrolls date from 400 BC to 70 AD. ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah">Jehovah</a>," Wikipedia.)<img src="http://www.eliyah.com/tetragrm.gif" alt="" /> YHWH -- typically rendered as Yahweh - appears</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">in the DSS version of Psalm 119 where the blue arrow appears. (Thanks <a href="http://www.eliyah.com/yhwhdss.html">eliyah.com</a>.) The Masoretic text done in the 900s AD era uses Adonai in its place or Yahweh Adonai instead of Yahweh alone.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><big><big>T</big></big>he book <em>The Meaning of the Qumran Scrolls for the Bible</em> page 164 tells us that in these original Dead Sea Scroll writings 250 BC the Name Yahweh stood alone but the Masoretes typically added Adonai -- showing the surrogate name along the true name that stood alone in the original text: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><big><small><span style="color: #000000;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></small></big></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><big><small><span data-mce-mark="1">Actually this practice was much earlier, for one of the </span><span style="color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">frequent discrepancies</span><span style="color: #000000;" data-mce-mark="1"> between the Massoretic text and the presumed Hebrew </span>Vorlage <span style="color: #000000;" data-mce-mark="1">of the Septuagint is </span><span style="color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">whether to read in a given passage Yahweh alone, or Yahweh Adonai. This <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">inconsistency was occasioned by the fact that originally Yahweh did stand alone, but that Adonai tended to be introduced alongside the Tetragrammaton by way of making explicit the surrogate</span>. This was not understood by the Massoretes, however, who felt compelled to vocalize both words. Neither was it understood by the scribes of the Qumran Scrolls, nor even by still earlier translators of the LXX. <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">That Yahweh originally stood alone in most passages is supported by the fact that, in Hebrew poetry, the double designation of the Deity usually adds excessive length to the poetic stich</span>.</span></small></big></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><big><small><strong><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></strong></strong></small></big></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Here are some important examples where the DSS used YHWH, and not ADONAI / Lord, which now systematically purges YHWH from our view.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">First, the Isaiah Scroll of chapter 53 from about 250 BC has YHWH where the Masoretes used Lord (Adonai or Elohim). Otherwise, the Masoretes were virtually 100% identical to how the Dead Sea Scrolls read, proving their faithfulness in copying. Here is a complimentary remark about their work while also rendering the DSS Isaiah with YHWH where the Masoretes had 'Lord':</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Specifically, the nearly intact Great Isaiah Scroll is almost identical to the most recent manuscript version of the Masoretic text from the 900's AD. (Scholars have discovered a handful of spelling and tense-oriented scribal errors, but nothing of significance.) (<a href="http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/dead-sea-scrolls-2.htm">Dead Sea Scrolls - the Book of Isaiah</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The variants between the Masoretes' work and the DSS are identified in the footnotes to the Abegg Flint version of the Dead Sea Scroll Bible (1996) in case one wishes to compare.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, the Divine Name--YHWH--also appears in the Habakkuk Pesher (Commentary) from Cave 1 -- one of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It writes the name Yahweh in paleo-Hebrew. <em>Id.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Why then does the Abegg Flint, Dead Sea Scrolls Bible and all modern texts persist in obscuring YHWH's true name when the DSS prove it was originally present?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">We have to realize that translators even today try not to offend sensibilities of some by placing YHWH / or a transliteration like YAHWEH in the text. The editors know some do not want God's name written at all, let alone phonetically identified as either "Yahweh" or "Jehova" (which causes more disagreement). So <strong>rather than identify God's name at all,</strong> whether 100% accurately or a good faith alternative, <strong>God's name is not identified at all. </strong> As the <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/asv.ii.html">Preface</a> to the 1901 American Standard Version Bible said, this is all born of "superstition." This suppression of God's true name is thus unholy.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Here is an example where this methodology is expressly acknowledged. The editors of the International Standard Version Bible explain that they do not reveal YHWH when they translate. Instead, the word "Lord" is used to reflect YHWH in the 'Old Testament' (i.e., Hebrew Scripture):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the Old Testament, the traditional "LORD" is used for Yahweh. Where the Hebrew Adonai Yahweh occurs, the rendering "Lord GOD" is used. Yahweh Elohim is rendered as LORD God. Most titles of God are translated in the text, with the original title placed in a footnote. ("<a href="http://isv.org/principles.php">Textual Aspects of Translation</a>," <a href="http://isv.org/principles.php">http://isv.org/principles.php</a> (2012).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, redacting scripture is wrong. Deut 12:32; Prov 30:6.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, Jeff Benner in "Selection from the Isaiah Scroll" reports where the Dead Sea Scrolls from at least 125 BCE has YHWH in Isaiah 7:14. The Masoretic text of the 900s has Adonai.<img src="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/files/31_selections1.jpg" alt="Isaiah 7:14" /> Isaiah 7:14</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">(This photo plate is from this <a href="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/31_selections.html">link</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Benner explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This passage from the Dead Sea Scrolls has a few differences from the Masoretic text (as used today in all Hebrew Bibles and which most translations are based on). In the top line the word <strong>YHWH </strong>is underlined, this is the name of God. In the <strong>Masoretic text the word</strong> <strong>adonai</strong><strong>is used instead</strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the bottom line, near the middle [of the Dead Sea Scroll Isaiah] is the word v'qara meaning "he will call". In the Masoretic text this word is written as v'qarat meaning "she will call". </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">I don't know Hebrew, so I am reporting this here. If Mr. Benner is wrong, any reader who thinks so should notify me.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">Encyclopedia on Yahweh & When Stopped Pronouncing It</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>The Encyclopedia Judaica, Volume 7, pages 680-682, sums it all up: </strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<blockquote style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"></span>
|
||||
<p style="color: black; padding-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><big style="font-weight: bold;">YHWH.</big> <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">The personal name of the God of Israel is written in the Hebrew Bible with the four consonants yhwh and is referred to as the "Tetragrammaton". At least until the destructions of the First Temple in 586 b.c.e., this name was regularly pronounced with its proper vowels</span>, as is clear from the *Lachish Letters, written shortly before that date. <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">But at least by the third century b.c.e., the pronunciation of the name yhwh was avoided, and Adonai, "the Lord", was substituted for it, as evidenced by the use of the Greek word Kyrios, "Lord", for yhwh in the Septuagint</span>, the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures that was begun by Greek-speaking Jews in that century. <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">Where the combined form *Adonai yhwh occurs in the Bible, this was read as *Adonai *Elohim, "Lord God</span>". In the early Middle Ages, when the consonantal text of the Bible was supplied with vowels points to faciliate its correct traditional reading, the vowel points for 'Adonai with one variation - a sheva with the first yodof YHWH instead of the hataf-patah under the aleph of 'Adonai7 were used for YHWH, thus producing the form Yehowah. When Christian scholars of Europe first began to study Hebrew, they did not understand what this really meant, and they introduced the hybrid name "Jehovah". <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">In order to avoid pronouncing even the sacred name *Adonai for YHWH, the custom was later introduced of saying simply in Hebrew ha-Shem (or Aramaic Shemc, "the Name") even in such an expression as "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of YHWH" (Ps. 118:26</span>).</span></p>
|
||||
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><big></big></span>
|
||||
<p style="color: black; padding-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><big style="font-weight: bold;">THE PROHIBITION OF USE OF THE NAMES OF GOD</big><big style="font-weight: bold;">.</big> <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">The prohibition applies both to the pronunciation of the name of God and its committal to writing</span>, apart from its use in sacred writings.<span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">The prohibition against the pronunciation of the name of God applies only to the Tetragrammaton</span>, which could be pronounced by the high priest only once a year on the Day of Atonement in the Holy of Holies (cf. Mishnah Yoma 6:2), and in the Temple by the priests when they recited the Priestly Blessings (Sot. 7:6; see also Ch. Albeck (ed.), Seder Nashim (1954), 387). <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">As the Talmud expresses it: "Not as I am written am I pronounced. I am written yod he vav he, and I am pronounced alef dalet" (nun yod, i.e., Adonai; Kid. 71a)</span>.</span></p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">First Trend Not to Speak Yahweh's Name</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the 3rd century before Christ, the teaching began among followers of Simon the Just to not speak God's true name out loud -- but do not confuse this fact with believing this was universal or dominant by the 3d century.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, <em>The Jewish Encyclopedia </em>of 1901, Volume 11, page 353, points out that this was the turning point, namely the exact time when the notion began to no longer pronounce the Name Yahweh.</span></p>
|
||||
<blockquote style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"></span>
|
||||
<p style="color: black; padding-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><big>SIMEON THE JUST</big> (<span data-mce-mark="1"><img src="http://www.yahweh.com/images/yahweh/simeon.jpg" alt="" style="width: 105px; height: 15px;" /></span>): High priest. He is identical either with Simeon I. (<span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">310-291 or 300-271 b.c.</span>), son of Onias I., and grandson of Jaddua, or with Simeon II. (219-199 b.c.), son of Onias II... <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">After Simeon's death men ceased to utter the tetragrammaton aloud</span> (Yoma 30b; Tosef Sotah. xiii.).</span></p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><big><br /></big></strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><big><small></small></big></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><big><small><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Babylonian Talmud</span></small></big><big style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3em;"><small>,</small></big><big style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3em;"><small> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Tractate Yoma, page 39b, also verifies that it was upon the death of Simeon the Righteous, that all Israel began to no longer pronounce the Name Yahweh.</span></small></big></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<blockquote style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; color: black;">
|
||||
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><small><big>...</big><big><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">When Simeon the Righteous died</span>, with many indications that such glory was no more enjoyed, <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">his brethren no more dared utter the Ineffable Name</span>...</big></small></span></div>
|
||||
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><big></big></span></blockquote>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Kiddushin, page 71a, also explains that the Name Yahweh was prior to the death of Simeon the Just pronounced among those thought most pious: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-weight: bold;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<blockquote style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><big></big></span>
|
||||
<p style="color: black; padding-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><big><span data-mce-mark="1"><small>Our <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">Rabbis taught</span>: At first [Yahweh's] <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">Name used to be entrusted to all people. When unruly men increased, it was confided to the pious of the priesthood</span></small></span></big></span></p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" align="justify"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-weight: bold;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span data-mce-mark="1"><small><big></big></small></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><small><big><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 9, pages 162-163, not only confirms this fact, but it shows the strict prohibition and warning to all those who do not adhere to it.</span></big></small></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; color: black; text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; padding-left: 30px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The restriction upon communicating the Name </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; color: black;" data-mce-mark="1">proper probably originated in Oriental etiquette; in the East even a teacher was not called by name. For naming his master Elisha, Gehazi was punished with leprosy (II Kings viii. 5; Sanh. 100a). </span><span style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; color: black; text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">After the death of the high priest Simeon the Righteous, forty years prior to the destruction of the Temple, the priests ceased to pronounce the Name (Yoma 39b). From that time the pronunciation of the Name was prohibited. "Whoever pronounces the Name forfeits his portion in the future world" (Sanh. xi. 1)</span><span style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; color: black;" data-mce-mark="1">. Hananiah ben Teradion was </span><span style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; color: black; text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">punished for teaching his disciples the pronunciation of the Name</span><span style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; color: black;" data-mce-mark="1"> (`Ab. Zarah 17b).</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> Source: <a href="http://www.yahweh.com/The-Name-Of-Yahweh.html">Yahweh.com</a></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">First Use of Yahweh in Bible</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Most people assume Genesis is the first book of the Bible, and here is when Yahweh first revealed His name. However, this is the first time Yahweh revealed His name to Moses. However, the first book of the Bible was the Book of Job. Moses took this book which was 500 years old approximately at the time Moses rewrote it, and finalized it as Holy Scripture, as Jewish tradition teaches. Here is the first use of Yahweh in holy writings, as M.J. Mahood explains, and it begins in Job:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Job 12:9-10 [is] where one finds in the dialogues the only mention of Yahweh. "Who does not know from all these that the <em><strong>hand of Yahweh has made this</strong></em>? That from His hand is every living thing, and the spirit of the flesh is His donation?" (M.J. Mahood, International Congress for Study of Old Testament, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=uLNDUDGTOz4C&lpg=PA90&ots=aFrAGo8EPp&dq=yahweh%20in%20italiano&pg=PA90#v=onepage&q=yahweh%20in%20italiano&f=false">p. 90</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 40px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; color: #2e496a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Study Aids</span></h1>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jah">Jah</a>," Wikipedia<br />"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallelujah">Hallelujah</a>" Wikipedia<br />"<a href="http://net.lib.byu.edu/imaging/negev/Names.html">The Names of God</a>," -- photo plates of early archaelogical examples of YAHWEH. </span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">David Breetzke, <a href="http://scripturaltruth101.blogspot.com/2013/02/nehemia-gordon-and-name-of-yehovah.html">Nehemiah Gordon and the Name of Yehovah</a> (2013) - criticizes view that Yahweh is really Yehovah.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Other websites devoted to topic:</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><a href="http://www.bibletruth.cc/GodsName.htm">http://www.bibletruth.cc/GodsName.htm</a> -- very analytical. </span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Bibles That Use YHVH</span></strong></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There is no dispute that YHVH are the Hebrew letters for Yahweh's name. If you would like to know when they are present, regardless of the correct pronunciation, the World English Bible provides this each of the 7000 times YHVH appears. You will find the WEB at this<a href="http://jesuschrist.com/bible/"> link</a>.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> When the WEB for the Original Testament is read outloud on Librivox -- available at this <a href="https://archive.org/details/bible_web_old_testament_0901_librivox2">weblink</a> -- it it spoken as YAHWEH. For the New Testament with the same use of Yahweh inferred where likely, the audio version of WEB is available at this <a href="https://archive.org/details/web_new_testament_0811_librivox1">weblink.</a></span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: black; line-height: normal;"> </em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;"> </em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15163835<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
647
aboutauthor/189-correct-christology.html
Normal file
647
aboutauthor/189-correct-christology.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,647 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/189-correct-christology.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="trinity, tertullian, valentinus, Christology" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Correct Christology" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Correct Christology</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><p>"But if we must focus on Paul's letters to establish the Christian faith, then truly the servant has become greater than his Master." (Bercot<em>Theologians </em>(2010) at 40.)</p></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 7400" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "7400") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24pt;">A Correct Christology</span></h1>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Divinity Abiding - "Shechinah" - in Jesus</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">You will find Jesus is very clear on His true nature -- a man fully indwelled by the Father and His Logos who is thereby Divine (<em>i.e.</em>, indwelled by the Presence). (John 1:1,<a href="http://biblos.com/john/1-14.htm">14</a>, "Logos made flesh"; <a href="http://biblos.com/john/14-24.htm">14:24</a>, "<strong><em>Logos</em></strong> you hear is<em><strong> not mine</strong></em>, but the Father's who sent me" ; <a href="http://bible.cc/john/14-10.htm">14:10</a>, "Father in me...dwells in me") <em>Cf.</em> 12:48 "the logos I have spoken will judge him in the last day."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The full presence of God in Hebrew is called by the noun <em>Shechinah. </em>This noun derives from the Bible's use of the verb SHAKAN meaning "to dwell." This verb was used to refer to God's presence in the cloud in the Sinai Desert and later in the Temple. Thus, SHECHINAH in Hebrew came to mean <strong><strong><em>Divinity abiding or Divine Presence.</em></strong></strong> Thus, the "Divine presence" was in the Temple, and called the <em>Shechinah. </em>(See "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhinah">Shechinah</a>," <em>Wikipedia</em>.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Divinity is used here to mean "qualities of individuals who are considered to have some special access or relationship to the divine." ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divinity">Divinity</a>," Wikipedia.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Adam Clarke in his famous <em>Commentary </em>explains this in relation to Ex. 25:<em><a href="http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/view.cgi?book=ex&chapter=025">22</a>:</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><em></em>"[I]n the sanctuary, the <em>shechinah</em> or <em>Divine glory</em> dwelt, because <em>there</em> were the ark, the tables, and the cherubim."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">This derived from Exodus 40:35 which said: "Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, for the<strong><em> cloud rested</em></strong> [<em>shakhan</em>] upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle."</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">John One Confirms This When Translated Correctly</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In John 1:14, Apostle John says: “The word (logos) became flesh and <strong><em>dwelt</em></strong> among us and we beheld His glory, the Glory of the<strong><em> One and Only</em></strong>, who came from the Father." (John <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201:14&version=NIV">1:14</a>, NIV.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Incidentally, this verse was tampered with in translation by the King James Version. It reads in the KJV not as the "one and only" but instead as "the only begotten." This deliberately makes us think Jesus is the Word and Jesus as the Word came from the Father. But this is a false translation. The word MONOGENES in Greek means "one and only," not "only begotten." If it were otherwise, then the Word -- God -- was a "begotten" being which is impossible. God is eternal. Instead, John, when translated correctly, says the "one and only" God as the Word came from the Father to indwell Jesus. In Jesus, we thereby beheld the glory of God (<em>i.e.</em>, the Word, the "one and only") residing in Jesus. (For more on the history of this mistranslation of MONOGENES in this verse, see <a href="/aboutauthor/253-one-and-only-issue-in-john-114.html">our webpage</a> discussion.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">John 1:14 correctly translated is then easily seen as restated by Jesus Himself in John 14:24: "The <em><strong>WORD</strong></em> (<em><strong>logos</strong></em>, singular) you hear<em><strong> is</strong></em> (singular) <strong><em>not my own</em></strong> but of the Father who sent me." (John <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:24&version=WYC">14:24</a>, Wycliff.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Contrast the NIV version of John <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:24&version=NIV">14:24</a> which obscures one's ability to find the connection to John 1:14. The NIV does so by changing "Word" (logos) in 14:24 into "words" and then modifying the verb tenses to a plural (when they are singular) to fit the false plural of <em>word</em>. This way the NIV does not let you readily identify the LOGOS of 14:24 (an indwelling Word from the Father) with LOGOS in John 1:14 (equally simply an indwelling Word from the Father).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">You can verify the singular noun LOGOS in 14:24 and the singular verb tenses in 14:24 using Interlinear Scripture Analyzer available free online or by going to the "Greek" tab at <a href="http://bible.cc/john/14-24.htm">http://bible.cc/john/14-24.htm</a>. The versions with the correct singular for LOGOS in 14:24b are: KJV, AKJV, ASV, ESV, NASB and YLT. A wrong plural exists in the ISV and NIV.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>John Uses Greek Word Linked To Hebrew for Divinity Abiding</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Hence, the LOGOS, or WORD (God) "dwelt among us" and "we beheld the Glory of the One and Only" God dwelling in Jesus. But the LOGOS does not belong to Jesus (John 14:24), but to the FATHER.Why ? Because it is an indwelling presence distinct from the humanity of Jesus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">When John says in 1:14 “The Word became flesh and <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">dwelt</span> </strong>among us,” the Greek word for dwelt (to tabernacle) in Greek is<em><strong> skeinei</strong></em> . It derives from the Hebrew <em><strong>mishkhan</strong></em> where <em><strong>shachan </strong><span style="font-style: normal;">as a root </span></em>means “to dwell." And the root of that word is the same as <strong><em>shekinah -- the divinity abiding </em><span style="font-weight: normal;">at the Temple of Jerusalem</span></strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Hence, "dwelt" as John used it meant that God's presence was dwelling in Jesus as God did in the Jerusalem Temple. “The word became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14) means God dwelt in Jesus (not that Jesus lost any identity as a human being or was God Himself). God thereby took upon Himself human flesh and lived/dwelled on planet earth inside of Jesus. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Both apostolic gospels reiterate Jesus's body was the "temple" of God. See <a href="http://biblehub.com/john/2-19.htm">John 2:19</a> (Jesus answered them: "Tear down this Temple, and I will rebuild it in three days"; <a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/26-61.htm">Matt 26:61</a> "I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days"). Each verse implies Jesus' body was the Temple where God dwelled, just as Jesus expressly said so in John 14:24. And as Apostle John wrote in John 1:14.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Do you see how just a very slight mistranslation can throw you off?</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Methodist Adam Clarke Concurs</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Thus, the full presence of the Father/His Logos in Jesus was a similar type of <em>Shechinah</em> presence as at the Temple. The famous commentator Adam Clarke agrees, and explains that Jesus's human heart likewise could be a place "for the Divine Majesty to dwell in, and that it be the holy of holies." <em>Adam </em>Clarke, <em>Commentary</em>, Ex. 25:<em><a href="http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/view.cgi?book=ex&chapter=025">22</a>.</em> If so, it would be proper to call Jesus Divine.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Adam Clarke (1760-1832), a British Methodist, in his famous <em>Commentary </em>wrote of John 1:14 -- the "Word dwelt among us" -- that this 'dwelling' refers to Jesus' "human nature...being as the temple in which...deity condescended to dwell," and "the <strong><em>Word is probably an allusion to the divine Shechinah </em></strong>in the Jewish Temple." (Adam Clarke, <em>The Holy Bible</em> (1825) Vol. 5 at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=GeY8AAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA486&ots=QVaUMX6Ym_&dq=shechinah%20divinity&pg=PA486#v=onepage&q=shechinah%20divinity&f=false"> 486</a>.) Thus, Clarke says the Gospel dispensation was foreshadowed by types under the OT where the Temple Schechinah was God's way to prepare us to understand "this manifestation of God in the flesh" of Jesus. (<em>Id.</em>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">As we saw in the quotes above, Jesus precisely claimed the same indwelling presence as was true for the Temple. Thus, the Temple <em>Shechinah</em> was a fore-type of the Divinity in Christ on Earth. "The Shechinah is a Jewish term for God's presence on Earth...." ("<a href="http://weekendfisher.blogspot.com/2008/02/shechinah-presence-of-god-and-messiah.html">The Shechinah...and Messiah</a>.") <em>See also </em><a href="http://biblos.com/john/1-14.htm">Merriam-Webster</a> (<em>Shechinah, </em>"The presence of God in the world as conceived by Jewish theology.")</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Hence, the Shechinah presence was the Father/ Father's Word or Logos which inhabited Jesus, making Jesus DIVINE -- having the full Shechinah-presence in Himself.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Then because of this interconnection between the man Jesus and the Shechinah-presence, it meant that wherever Jesus's presence would be, God's <em>Shechinah</em> presence on Earth would be. Jesus said: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2018:20&version=KJV">18:20</a>).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Jesus was blatantly restating a familiar Rabinnic lesson that where two or more gathered in the name of God, the Shechinah-presence would be there. ("<a href="http://weekendfisher.blogspot.com/2008/02/shechinah-presence-of-god-and-messiah.html">The Shechinah...and Messiah</a>.") Hence, clearly Jesus in Matt. 18:20 was claiming Divinity traveled with Himself by virtue of the Shechinah-presence principle to which He blatantly alluded. The Rabinnic lesson on the Shechinah-presence and God's name was "the context in which Jesus' words were meant to be understood." ("<a href="http://weekendfisher.blogspot.com/2008/02/shechinah-presence-of-god-and-messiah.html">The Shechinah...and Messiah</a>.")(For more on those Rabinnic lessons, see "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhinah">Shechinah</a>," <em>Wikipedia</em>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">As Fisher said in his informative article <a href="http://weekendfisher.blogspot.com/2008/02/shechinah-presence-of-god-and-messiah.html">The Shechinah...and Messiah</a> (2008):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Jesus' remark that he could be present whenever and wherever people come together in his name is remarkable in itself. However, given the Jewish background of Jesus and his earliest hearers, and the likely Jewish audience of the Gospel of Matthew, it becomes a more pointed reference. In saying that he is the presence who is with believers when they come together, Jesus is identifying himself as <strong><em>the Presence of God</em></strong>, the Shechinah so often mentioned in the Torah and discussed by the Rabbis. This is the implication when he says, "Whenever two or three come together ... there am I with them."</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">This Christology perfectly makes sense of Jesus's various descriptions of His interpersonal relationship to the Father:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"The Father<strong><em> is greater than I</em></strong>." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:28&version=NIV">John 14:28</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"I can <strong><em>do nothing by myself.</em></strong>" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%205:19&version=NIV">John 5:19</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"The Father and I are one." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010:30&version=NIV">John 10:30</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the<strong><em> only true God</em></strong>, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2017:3&version=NIV">John 17:3</a>.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Compare this to the opening of Revelation: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave <strong><em>him</em></strong> to show unto his servants...." Rev. 1:1.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Hence, it is proper to say Jesus was DIVINE. Whenever we call on Jesus's name to be with us, the Divine Word is present that in dwelt Jesus -- the Shechinah-presence of God -- comes to us.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Jesus As The Son of Man - Meaning A True Human Being</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Yet, as Daniel's prophecy requires, this Divine Jesus upon Ascension remains a true man in heaven, and thus can fulfill the prophecy of Daniel that God will eternally give this Divine Jesus -- the Son of Man (understood as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_man">'future human</a>') indwelled by the Word/Father --- all the kingdoms of the earth to rule and reign forever. Daniel 7: 13, 14.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Specifically, the Prophet Daniel speaks of a "son of man" -- which meaning represents a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_man">'future human</a>' -- who will be given all the kingdoms of the Earth by the "Ancient of Days":</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">13 In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like <strong><em>a son of man</em></strong> [Heb. kibar anash], <strong><em>coming with the clouds of heaven</em></strong>. He approached the <strong><em>Ancient of Days</em></strong> and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language<strong><em> <strong><em>worshipped him</em></strong></em></strong>. His dominion is an <em><strong>everlasting dominion</strong></em> that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Dan. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+7:13-14&version=NIV">7:13-14</a> NIV) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1">God gives His authority to the Son of Man </span><em>forever</em><span data-mce-mark="1"> to rule over "all peoples, nations and men." The Ancient of Days even implicitly permits "worship" at the feet of this Son of Man by humanity as its king (not as God), according to Daniel. (Dan. 7:14.) </span></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Worship of King is Equally Valid as Worship To God</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, "worship" in the Original Testament is used properly to refer to what we call homage as one gives a human king, even though the same word is used to reflect worship of God.</span></span><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"> We read in</span></span><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span><a href="http://bible.cc/1_chronicles/29-20.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px;">1 Chron. 29:20</a>:<span data-mce-mark="1"> "And David said to all the congregation, now bless Yahweh your God. And all the congregation blessed Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and <strong><em>worshipped</em> Yahweh and </strong><em><strong>the king</strong>.</em>" (KJV, 'worshipped; YLT, 'obeisance;YLT, Jehovah = Yahweh</span>). Yet obviously, you can only worship the king as king, and not as God.</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1">Son of Man Coming on Clouds Prophesied With Shekinah Glory Present</span></span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1">Continuing with our main point, Jesus prophesies that He Himself will fulfill this "Son of Man" prophecy in Daniel. Jesus in Matthew <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2024:30&version=KJV">24:30</a> calls Himself the "Son of Man" and invokes the words of Daniel to apply to Himself in a future coming back to Earth:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>And then shall appear the sign of the<em> Son of man</em> in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man <strong><em>coming in the clouds of heaven</em></strong><em> </em>with power and great glory.</strong> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">This reference to "clouds of heaven" and "glory" is another reference to the Shechinah presence in Jesus -- this time in the "Son of Man" prophecy. Just as a cloud at the temple held the Shechinah presence, clouds will do so when Jesus returns. As <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Edwards_(theologian)">Jonathan Edwards</a> (1703-1728), a famous American preacher of Reformed persuasion, in his commentary on Daniel 7:13-14 explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Here both Christ's humanity and <span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>divinity</em></strong> </span>are signified: his humanity, in that it is said, "One like the <strong><em>Son of man</em></strong>;" and his <span class="gstxt_hlt">di</span>vinity, in that he came with the "<strong><em>clouds of heaven</em></strong>." Appearing with <strong><em>bright clouds</em></strong>, or with the <span class="gstxt_hlt">Shechinah, </span>is a token of<em> </em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>divinity</em></strong></span><span class="gstxt_hlt">, </span>for this is often in Scripture called <em>the glory of the Lord, </em>and sometimes <em>the cloud of glory. </em>(<em>Works of Jonathan Edwards</em> (Ball: 1839) at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=0bfRAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA769&ots=zvV6Vs6lNT&dq=shechinah%20divinity&pg=PA769#v=onepage&q=shechinah%20divinity&f=false"> 769</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">And notice that by Jesus claiming to be the Son of Man in Matt. 24:30, Jesus refutes any notion of docetism, contrary to what Paul taught. Jesus did not merely appear as a man but was somehow not truly a man. Jesus was indeed a man of <strong><em>true human flesh</em></strong>, and thus could fulfill the "Son of Man" prophecy in Daniel 7:13-14. As a true human, Jesus truly suffered and was truly tempted at the Cross not to go through with it. This made His death, and the blood poured out thereby, have the ability to serve as the blood from an innocent lamb so as to pay for our sins.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In sum, Jesus clearly claimed to be a "man" (the Son of Man to be precise) but also was Divine -- fully indwelled by the Father and His Logos. "The Logos became flesh." (John 1:14.) To a human soul so utterly filled by the Father and His Logos, we too with Thomas would correctly exclaim: "My Lord and My God" upon seing the resurrected Jesus. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020:28&version=KJV">John 20:28</a>.) When Peter spoke the words of Satan, Jesus said "Get behind me Satan." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt%2016:23&version=KJV">Matt 16:23</a>.) In the same way, when we see Jesus the Man constantly speaking the Father's Logos -- the Word/God -- we likewise can exclaim of Jesus "My God." It is a reference to what is dwelling in Jesus and speaking through Him. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Also, because Jesus embodies literally the Logos, we are taught we can call him, that is, use the name, Word of God for Jesus. See Revelation 19:13. A name in Judaism does not reflect actual being, but a name only. Thus, that is not justification to say Jesus IS the Logos, when we know John defines the Logos by itself Is God in John chapter one. Hence Word of God in Revelation as a name of Jesus distinguishes Jesus from the Logos as a being by itself. John in Revelation does not say Jesus is the Logos, but instead says He has the NAME / is called Word (Logos) of God. This was the role of the Deut 18:18-19 special prophet known as The Prophet. Thus, we can never say Jesus is the logos, but we can call him by the <strong>name</strong> Logos of God -- the one who identifies with Jesus who is indwelling him -- a very big difference .</span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Cannot Be God Who Only Appears To Be A Man</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Our salvation and Jesus's fulfillment of the Son of Man prophecy depends on Jesus being a man indwelled fully by God rather than being<strong><em> God who only appears to be a man</em></strong> / appears to have human flesh.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Apostle John says the latter notion that Jesus was not of true human flesh is the message of the Anti-Christ (<em>i.e.</em>, Satan). To repeat, Apostle John said: "Many deceivers, who do <em>not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming<em><strong> in human flesh</strong></em> </em>[Greek, <em>sarx</em>, human flesh], have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and <strong><em>the antichrist</em></strong>." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20John%201:7&version=KJV">2 John 1:7</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The struggle in 207 A.D. by the early church was against Marcion who insisted Jesus was God, and thus Jesus, Marcion argued, could not become a true man and only appeared to be human. Marcion reasoned that God cannot be tainted by any connection to inherently sinful human flesh. Thus, Marcion reasoned that Jesus, because He was God, just appeared to be a man. Tertullian, a major church leader, battled vigorously against this, insisting that "Christ <strong><em>really became a man</em></strong>." (Tertullian, <em>The Flesh of Christ</em> at this <em><a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.v.vii.iv.html">link</a>.</em>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Marcion went further. He claimed Jesus, being God, could not have suffered in the flesh because His flesh was thereby a mere phantom. Tertullian responded with alarm: "Have you, then, cut away all sufferings from Christ, on the ground that, as a mere phantom, He was incapable of experiencing them?" (Tertullian, <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.v.vii.v.html">The Flesh of Christ, ch. 5</a>.) Tertullian mocked Marcion by saying:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">O thou most infamous of men, who acquittest of all guilt the murderers of God! For nothing did Christ suffer from them, <strong><em>if He really suffered nothing at all</em></strong>. <em>Id.</em>, <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.v.vii.v.html">Ch. 5</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Tertullian said the fact of Jesus's truly being a man is why Jesus is called the<strong><em> Son of Man</em></strong>. It conveyed the fact that Jesus was a true man: "Else why is Christ man and the<strong><em> Son of man</em></strong>, if he has nothing of man, and nothing from man?" (Tertullian, <em>id, </em>at <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.v.vii.v.html">Ch. 5</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">God Prophesied He Would Come Hidden Inside A Man To Rule Us As King Through A Man</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In Isaiah 45: 14-16, God prophesies of a human who will be king over many nations, and people will recognize that God is in this human king, and God hid himself in this manner:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"></span></span><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"></span></span><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Isa-45-14" style="position: relative;">and they will bow down to you.</span></span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Isa-45-14" style="position: relative; color: #000000; line-height: 24px;">They will make supplication to you:</span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-45-14" style="position: relative;">‘Surely God is in you; and there is no one else.</span></span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-45-14" style="position: relative;">There is no other god.</span></span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span id="en-WEB-18577" class="text Isa-45-15" style="position: relative; color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">15 </span>Most certainly you are a God who hidden yourself,</span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-45-15" style="position: relative;">God of Israel, the Savior.’”</span></span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span id="en-WEB-18578" class="text Isa-45-16" style="position: relative; color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">16 </span>They will be disappointed,</span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-45-16" style="position: relative;">yes, confounded, all of them.</span></span><br style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="color: #000000; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-45-16" style="position: relative;">Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+45%3A14-16&version=WEB">WEB</a>)</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Now in light of Jesus' coming, and Jesus' said "the father dwells in me" in John 14:10, this prophecy, and Jesus' explanation, are a perfect fit.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>B</strong><strong>ut Then Roman Catholic Church Leaders in 300s Say Jesus Only Appeared To Be A Man</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">However, beginning in the 300s, leading Roman Catholic Church (RCC) voices lost hold on this original orthodox view expressed by Apostle John and Tertullian. The RCC got confused by Paul (Phil. 2:7; Romans 8:3) and apparently by Marcion. The Roman Catholic Church now thought Jesus only appeared to be a man. These leading commentators denied Jesus had a human nature and thus denied Jesus could actually suffer pain.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">First, St. Hilary of Poitiers (300-368) in <em>On The Trinity</em> said "<strong><em>No more in the passion did the flesh of Christ feel pain </em></strong>than if you were to wound fire or water with a sword." (Hilary, <em>De Trinitate</em> Bk. 9: 56 and Bk. 10:23. See this<a href="http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&tbo=1&q=No+more+in+the+passion+did+the+flesh+of+Christ+feel+pain+&btnG=Search+Books"> link</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Second, Jerome from the 400s commented on Matthew 26 that it was ridiculous to think Jesus "was afraid of death" or "spoke in terror about the passion" (Jerome, <em>In Matthaeum</em> Bk. IV ch. 26:39.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Finally, Aquinas in the 1200s persisted with this notion that Jesus's flesh was not truly human: "It would seem that there was <em><strong>no true sensible pain in Christ</strong></em>." (<em>Summa Theologia </em>(2007) Vol. IV at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=QxX4xENxcwMC&lpg=PA2102&dq=No%20more%20in%20the%20passion%20did%20the%20flesh%20of%20Christ%20feel%20pain&pg=PA2102#v=onepage&q=No%20more%20in%20the%20passion%20did%20the%20flesh%20of%20Christ%20feel%20pain&f=false">2102</a>.) Aquinas argued from Hillary and the Virgin Birth that Jesus's flesh was "under<strong><em> no necessity of suffering pain</em></strong>." <em>Id.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><em></em>Jerome, Hillary and Aquinas were infected by the message of what John said came from the Anti-Christ (<em>i.e.</em>, Satan). These otherwise brilliant scholars did not agree Jesus came in "human flesh." They thought His body only appeared to have human flesh, but was somehow a spiritually divine flesh that was impervious to pain or fear.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">So anyone can see that we trip ourselves up when we rely upon voices other than that of Jesus to interpret Jesus's true nature. This especially applies to the words from Paul -- a most confused and baffling voice.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Henceforth, I recommend we as Christians dispense with any depiction of Jesus's nature by using descriptions that are not from Jesus Himself. We need to focus only on words <em>actually</em> used by Jesus. Messianic passages from the OT are also important, but who better than Jesus to know what is His relationship to Divinity? This also means we need to eliminate any non-biblical terms to formulate our Christology. These human traditions only tend to skew our thinking. </span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Tolerance of Differences of Opinion on Christ's Divinity</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">What if someone will not accept my interpretation that Jesus is Divine by the indwelling full presence of the Father and His Logos of which Jesus expressly spoke? I cannot say that this means they are lost. The only two things we must believe about Jesus's nature are that He was "Messiah and the Son of God." This is what Peter confessed, and what Jesus then said was the confession upon which Jesus would build His church/community. (Matt. 16:18.) John's Gospel ends with a similar message -- John saying the Gospel's entire purpose was so we knew Jesus was the "Messiah and the Son of God." (John 20:31.) Nothing more and nothing less.</span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">For the same reason, if another Christian believes I do not affirm Jesus's Divinity as they would express it, I trust they would see tolerance in this area is appropriate for the very same reasons I tolerate those who do not see things precisely as I do.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The Only Dangerous Christological Views</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The only confession about Christ's nature necessary from any Christian is that Jesus is Messiah and Son of God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Beyond that, we are safe as long as we<strong><em> do not claim</em></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">(a) Jesus only appeared to come in human flesh but it was not truly human flesh (as Paul erroneously teaches in Phil. <a href="http://bible.cc/philippians/2-6.htm">2:6</a>- <a href="http://bible.cc/philippians/2-7.htm">2:7</a>) -- which Apostle John says is the message of Satan / Anti-Christ -- <a href="http://biblos.com/2_john/1-7.htm">2 John 1:7</a>;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">(b) that someone other than God was supposedly creator (as Paul teaches in Col. <a href="http://bible.cc/colossians/1-15.htm">1:15</a>-<a href="http://bible.cc/colossians/1-16.htm">1:16</a>) in contravention of Isaiah 44:24, but it is OK to say the Logos manifested / dwelling in Jesus was the Creator;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">(c) that Jesus supposedly was not fully indwelled by the Father/the Logos, but allegedly emptied Himself of those aspects which otherwise would give Him divinity while on Earth (as Paul erroneously teaches in Philippians <a href="http://bible.cc/philippians/2-7.htm">2:7</a>) in contravention of John 1:1, <a href="http://bible.cc/john/1-14.htm">14</a>; and John<a href="http://bible.cc/john/14-10.htm"> 14:10</a>;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">(d) that Jesus's kingdom over all humanity is supposedly not eternal but instead Jesus will turn it over to God at that point forever (as Paul erroneously teaches in 1 Cor.<a href="http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/15-24.htm">15:24</a>; 1 Cor. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20corinthians%2015:28&version=NIV">15:28</a>) -- in contravention of Daniel <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel%207:13-14&version=NIV">7:13-14</a> (Son of Man will receive an "everlasting kingdom"); </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">(e) that Jesus in His death supposedly symbolized the death of the God of Sinai -- the husband of Israel -- and thus imply that Jesus in His resurrected state represented a different God -- a God whom we can wed without the Law which was dissolved supposedly by the death of the alleged first God, as Paul erroneously teaches or implies in Rom. 7:1-6. For discussion, see<a href="/aboutauthor/167-romans-7-a-major-incongruity.html"> Paul Says God of Sinai is Dead</a>.<br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Monotheism With "Son of Man" View of Jesus Was Maintained Until 381 AD in Early Church</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The early church ca. 180- 200 insisted it was still adamantly monotheistic, and Jesus was the Son of Man (a title denoting only humanity), and the Father was distinct, and the latter was the one and only God. Irenaeus in 180 AD wrote Against Heresies, and insisted heretics </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"do not retain a steadfast faith in one God, the Father Almighty, and in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Against Heresies, 1.3.6 in the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103103.htm">Roman Catholic New Advent translation</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Constitution of the Apostles</span> ca. 200 AD, we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Daniel describeth [Jesus] as <em><strong>Son of Man</strong></em> coming to the<em> <strong>Father</strong></em><em>, </em>and receiving all judgment and honor from him, and as the stone cut out of the' mountain without hands, and becoming a great mountain, and filling the whole earth<em>, </em><strong><em>dashing to pieces </em></strong>the many governments of the smaller countries, and the <strong><em>polytheism of the gods</em></strong> ; but preaching<strong><em> the one God....</em></strong> (Irah Chase, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The work claiming to be the Constitution of the Apostles</span> at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LphsM3-c8acC&dq=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&pg=PA128#v=onepage&q=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&f=false">128</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Tertullian, the first doctrinal expounder of a "trinity" ca. 205 AD had a similar view that Jesus was the Son indwelled by God, but was distinctly not God by Himself / apart from the indwelling of the Father. Tertullian's distinct categories are clear:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">[There is one rule of faith only, and it admits of no alteration] "that which teaches us to believe in<strong><em> one God almighty, the Maker of the World</em></strong>, and <strong><em>His Son</em></strong> Jesus Christ." (John Henry Newman, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tracts for the times</span> (Rivington: 1839) Volume 4 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=I1otAAAAYAAJ&dq=Bingham%2C%20Antiquities%20of%20the%20Christian%20Church&pg=PA109#v=onepage&q=Bingham,%20Antiquities%20of%20the%20Christian%20Church&f=false">109</a> (a modern trinitarian is quoting this to support his view of multiple persons in a Godhead, but that is opposite of what Tertullian is actually saying).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Tertullian clearly says there is God and then there is His Son. They are not the same although they might operate together. (Tertullian elsewhere describes this as an indwelling.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Heretical Trinity of Valentinus That Tertullian Battled Provides Context</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">No doubt this is why Tertullian condemned as heresy within the church the teaching of a "trinity of man" -- derived, he said, from Plato. (Plato's trinity had 2 inferior deities known as Aeons to a father deity.) Tertullian wrote in <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Prescriptions against Heretics</span> <a href="http://www.tertullian.org/anf/anf03/anf03-24.htm#P3191_1146200">7:3</a>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy. From this source came the Aeons, and I know not what infinite forms, and<em><strong> the trinity of man</strong></em> in the system of Valentinus, who was of Plato's school."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"Valentinus professed to have derived his ideas from Theodas or Theudas, a disciple of St. Paul." <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Catholic Encyclopedia</span><em>. See </em>"<a href="http://www.cogwriter.com/valentinus.htm">Valentinus, Gnostic Trinitarian Heretic</a>," cogwriter.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Valentinus taught Jesus was an Aeon — an sub-deity, and did not truly come in human flesh. He only appeared to have human flesh. <em>Id. </em> Valentinus is among those who said Jesus "appeared in mere seeming" and "did appear as a man, when He was not a man...." (Irenaeus, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Adversus Haeres</span> Book V, Chapter 1, Verse 2.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><em></em>According to the words of Irenaeus ca. 180 AD,<em> </em>Valentinus "developed <em><strong>a triune version of the Godhead</strong></em> similar to what Plato had developed earlier." In this, the Bythus (Father) "determined to send forth from himself the beginning of all things, and deposited this production (which he had resolved to bring forth) in his contemporary Sige [<em>i.e.</em>, a female deity], even as seed is deposited in the womb. She then, having received this seed, and becoming pregnant, gave birth to Nous, who was both similar and equal to him who had produced him, and was alone capable of comprehending his father's greatness....This Nous they call also Monogenes <em>i.e.</em>, "one and only of its kind"...." Irenaeus. <em>Adversus Haeres</em>. Book 1, Chapter 1, Verses 1-3.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">A bishop named Marcellus of Ancyra wrote around the middle of the fourth century about Valentinus' trinity doctrine that turned Father, Son and Holy Spirit into a pagan trinity, adopted, as Ireneaus warned in 180 AD, from Plato -- the idea of 2 inferior deities serving a father deity:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"Now with the heresy of the Ariomaniacs, which has corrupted the Church of God...These then teach <em><strong>three hypostases, just as Valentinus the heresiarch first invented in the book entitled by him 'On the Three Natures'</strong></em>. For he was the <strong><em>first to invent three hypostases and three persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he is discovered to have filched this from Hermes and Plato.</em></strong>" (Source: Logan A. "Marcellus of Ancyra (Pseudo-Anthimus), 'On the Holy Church': Text, Translation and Commentary. Verses 8-9," <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Journal of Theological Studies</span>, NS, Volume 51, Pt. 1, April 2000, p. 95 ).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Tertullian's Correct Formulation of Trinity Doctrine Circa 205 AD</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Tertullian envisioned a trinity of the Father and His Eternal Word manifested in His Son who was not eternal (and hence not God by Himself apart from the indwelling of the Father). That simple. Jesus of the flesh was a man at all times indwelled by the Word. The Roman Catholic Church admits this but then tries to obscure Tertullian was saying 2 substances -- one divine and one human -- were indwelled in Jesus. It does not identify the 'two substances,' so that a believer in a post 381AD version of the trinity might think Tertullian shares that distinctly different and heretical doctrine of 381 AD. Listen to how the Roman Catholic Church's explains Tertullian's quite accurate view:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">He says that from<strong><em> all eternity there was reason (ratio) in God, and in reason the Word (Sermo), not distinct from God</em></strong>, but in vulva cordis. For the purpose of creation the Word received a perfect birth as Son. There was<em><strong> a time when there was no Son</strong></em> and no sin, when <em><strong>God was neither Father </strong></em>nor Judge. In his Christology Tertullian has had no Greek influence, and is purely Roman. Like most Latin Fathers he speaks not of two Natures but of <strong><em>two Substances </em></strong>in one Person, united without confusion, and distinct in their operations (Chapman J. Transcribed by Lucy Tobin. Tertullian. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Catholic Encyclopedia</span>, Volume XIV. Copyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">As you can see, this is worded to make the reader presuppose that Tertullian shared the views of the 381 AD trinity about 2 substances integrated in one God-head, but clearly Tertullian did not. The RCC confesses this was without “confusion” — their beings remained distinct. This is clear because Tertullian says the Son is not eternal, but the Word is, and the Word filled Jesus. Then Tertullian taught a correct trinity. They were not both eternally God, combined as substance from eternity. Tertullian did not share the belief in the post-381 AD Trinity of the RCC (now part of Protestantism) which held the Word was Jesus before His birth, and Jesus was eternal and God always, and the Holy Spirit is the third person of a trinity. All those 381 AD changes conformed to Plato's trinity just as Valentinus taught, and were polytheistic and idolatrous while Tertullian's trinity was Biblical and sound.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In fact, Tertullian refuted his version of the trinity was claiming Jesus was God by proving Scripture speaks of Jesus as a distinct being from God:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="style2" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The simple...are constantly throwing out against us that we are preachers of<strong><em> two gods and three gods</em></strong>...</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="style2" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Now, from this one passage of the epistle of the inspired apostle, we have been already able to show that<strong><em> the Father and the Son are two separate Persons</em></strong>, not only by the mention of their <em><strong>separate names as Father and the Son</strong></em>, but also by the fact that He who delivered up the kingdom, and He to whom it is delivered up -- and in like manner, He who subjected (all things), and He to whom they were subjected -- <em><strong>must necessarily be two different Beings</strong></em>. But since they will have the Two to be but One,<strong><em> so that the Father shall be deemed to be the same as the Son</em></strong>...For the Father is the entire substance, but the Son is a derivation and portion of the whole, as He Himself acknowledges: "My Father is greater than I." In the Psalm His inferiority is described as being "a little lower than the angels." Thus the Father is distinct from the Son, being greater than the Son (Tertullian. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Against Praxeas</span>, Chapters 3,4-5,9. Translated by Peter Holmes. Excerpted from <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ante-Nicene Fathers</span>, Volume 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="style2"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Do not be confused because the RCC later invented the idea you can have three "persons" in one being / Godhead. Tertullian knew of no such semantical contradiction. In this quote, Tertullian believed <strong><em>two separate persons meant two separate beings</em></strong>, and the <strong><em>two can never be one being</em></strong>. Thus, Tertullian was refuting any notion that his version of a trinity implied two gods or three gods because <strong><em>he acknowedged Jesus was a distinct person and being from the Father who alone is God</em></strong>. Tertullian insisted that because he was saying Jesus is a distinct being and person from the Father in his scheme of a trinity, then Tertullian cannot be accused of saying more than one God exists. Jesus' status is solely as Son by derivation, which Tertullian says is clearly what Jesus means when He says "The Father is greater than I."</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Valentinus' Pagan Vision Is Adopted 381 AD By Roman Church To Refute Monotheism</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In the end, Valentinus' vision of a trinity that changed Jesus into a non-flesh human Aeon as God triumphed. For it was in 381 AD that the Trinity doctrine was reformulated completely unlike what Tertullian had said (<em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 12pt;">i.e.</em>, that Jesus was a MAN indwelled by God's Word) into three distinct persons/beings in one 'godhead' just as Valentinus had taught.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">When this version of the Trinity was adopted ca. 381 at the Council of Constantinople (at Emperor Theodosius's insistence (see Freeman,<em> 381 AD</em>), the main proponent, Gregory of Nyssa, explicitly said it was adopted to prove the <strong><em>heresy of monotheism</em></strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Gregory explained this in the first chapter of his book <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Great Catechism</span>, and according to Schaff, teaches the "<strong>absurdity of Jewish monotheism</strong>." (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church</span> (edited by Philip Schaff, Henry Wace)(1893) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=AIAXAAAAYAAJ&dq=gregory%20Great%20Catechism%20xxxv%20The%20Nicene%20and%20Post-Nicene%20Fathers&pg=PA471" target="_blank">471</a>.) Gregory in the text alludes to monotheism as "the beliefs of the Jews" and then castigates that view as an "<strong><em>absurdity</em></strong>." <em>Id.</em>, at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=AIAXAAAAYAAJ&dq=gregory%20Great%20Catechism%20xxxv%20The%20Nicene%20and%20Post-Nicene%20Fathers&pg=PA476" target="_blank"> 476 col. 2</a>. Schaff explains Gregory's text in a footnote snipes at monotheism again when Gregory says in effect "an argument against Dualism would only confirm the Jew in his stern <strong><em>monotheism</em></strong>." (<em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=AIAXAAAAYAAJ&dq=gregory%20Great%20Catechism%20xxxv%20The%20Nicene%20and%20Post-Nicene%20Fathers&pg=PA474" target="_blank">474 fn. 7</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In chapter 3, Gregory acknowledged that "<strong><em>neither</em></strong> does the statement [of the Trinity] <strong><em>harmonize with the Jewish dogma</em></strong>" nor endorse multiple gods as it proposes a 'unity' instead. Yet, Gregory continues by saying that as a result of the Trinity doctrine as he formulated it, Jewish monotheism is ended: "the <strong><em>Jewish dogma is destroyed</em></strong> by the acceptance of the Word and by belief in the Spirit." He pointedly said "the <strong><em>number of the triad [</em></strong><em><strong>i.e.</strong></em><strong><em>, </em></strong><em><strong>three</strong></em><strong><em>]</em></strong> [is] a remedy in the case of those <em><strong>who are in error as to the One</strong></em>." (Gregory of Nyssa, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Great Catechism</span>, ch. 3.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Why this change in 381 AD? Under Roman government influence, the Roman Catholic Church was explicitly endorsing that God is more than one being (who operates as a unity) so as <strong><em>to completely divorce Christianity from Judaism</em></strong>. This was partly to stop observance of Sabbath on Saturday and move it to Sunday, as well as move Passover to the month of the goddess Osiris/Eostre which is how we got the name "Easter" for the time we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. From Constantine forward, Rome's pagan rulers were sheep in wolves' clothing, trying to paganize the worship and beliefs of Christians to match their worship of and belief in pagan deities.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">For more details, see <a href="/aboutauthor/239-council-of-nicea-of-325-ad.html">Council of Nicea</a>. On Constantine's true motives and intentions, see our link <a href="/aboutauthor/245-contantines-damage-to-christianity.html">Constantine</a>. On the change of Sabbath to Sunday, see our link on <a href="/aboutauthor/33-sabbathcommand.html">Sabbath</a>. For the true origin of Easter, see our discussion on the <a href="/aboutauthor/126-appendix-c-easter.html">"Easter Error</a>" from an appendix to Jesus' Words Only.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Roman Catholic Church Admits Its Trinity Is Shrouded in Darkness Even If You Have Read The Bible</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Now one can understand why Roman Catholicism tries to shroud the post-381 AD doctrine of the trinity in darkness and empty spiritualizing. For any attention paid to the facts exposes it for what it is: idolotary and polytheism from paganism given Christian garb, replacing an accurate trinity as Tertullian in 205 AD taught. Here is the 1912 RCC explanation of the trinity of the post-381 AD kind:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In Scripture there is as yet no single term by which the Three Divine Persons are denoted together....The Vatican Council has explained the meaning to be attributed to the term mystery in theology. It lays down that a mystery is a truth which we are<em><strong> not merely incapable of discovering</strong></em> apart from Divine Revelation, but which,<em><strong> even when revealed</strong></em>, remains “hidden by the veil of faith and enveloped, so to speak, by<em><strong> a kind of darkness</strong></em>” (Const., "De fide. cath.", iv). (Joyce G.H. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Blessed Trinity. The Catholic Encyclopedia</span>, Volume XV Copyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton Company Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">I love this quote! The version of the trinity doctrine designed in 381 AD to destroy monotheism is hidden, the RCC admits, in a "kind of darkness." That says it all!</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Protestants Agree Too</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">While Tertullian's Trinity makes perfect sense -- there is God the Father who sends His Word to indwell His Son Jesus -- no one can make sense of the 381 AD Trinity -- that there is "God-the-Father," God-the-Son" and "God-the-Holy Spirit" -- each of distinct mind and spirit -- each a person, and still be "one." The impenatrable nature of this 381 AD trinity which we all have been taught since children is confessed by Protestants too:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">...the Trinity...has proven <strong><em>impossible for Christians actually to understand the d</em></strong><strong><em>octrine or to explain it in any comprehensive way</em></strong> (Brown HOJ, <em>Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church</em> (Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988) at128).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">But remember it is more than this. Unlike Tertullian's trinity doctrine, the 381 AD doctrine expressly countenances worshipping a man as God instead of giving homage to Jesus as a king appointed over us by God and who is indwelled by God. Worshipping a Man as if He himself were God is idolatry in violation of the second commandment. And also saying three persons can share God-hood in a God-head is pure polytheism, and thus violates the first commandment.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">END</span></p>
|
||||
<hr /><hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Study Notes</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Wikipedia records that most of Christendom came later to at least view the "Person of Christ" correctly (if no embellishment is added). The Wikipedia, in an article entitled "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Christ">Person of Christ</a>" explains the doctrine of hypostatic union.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Ephesus" title="First Council of Ephesus">First Council of Ephesus</a> in 431 debated a number of views regarding the Person of Christ. The council was called by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_of_Alexandria" title="Cyril of Alexandria">Cyril of Alexandria</a> at the request of Pope <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestine_I" class="mw-redirect" title="Celestine I">Celestine I</a> who was unhappy with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorius" title="Nestorius">Nestorius</a>, who had previously been a preacher in Antioch, and his view that regarded the Person of Christ as having a disjoint human nature from his divine nature. At the same gathering the council also debated the doctrines of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monophysitism" title="Monophysitism">Monophysitism</a> (i.e. the Person of Christ has only one nature) versus <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miaphysitism" title="Miaphysitism">Miaphysitism</a> (i.e. the Person of Christ has two natures united as one). The council rejected <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorianism" title="Nestorianism">Nestorianism</a> (i.e. the Person of Christ having two disjoint natures) and adopted the <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypostatic_union" title="Hypostatic union">Hypostatic union</a></em> i.e.<strong> two co-existing natures in the Person of Christ</strong>. The language used in the 431 declaration was further refined at the 451 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Chalcedon" title="Council of Chalcedon">Council of Chalcedon</a>.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Christ#cite_note-7">[8]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Christ#cite_note-8">[9]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Christ#cite_note-9">[10]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Christ#cite_note-10">[11]</a></sup></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Chalcedon" title="Council of Chalcedon">Council of Chalcedon</a> <strong>endorsed the <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypostatic_union" title="Hypostatic union">Hypostatic union</a></em>,</strong> stating that the human and divine natures of the Person of Christ <strong>co-exist, yet each is distinct and complete</strong>.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Christ#cite_note-11">[12]</a></sup><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Christ#cite_note-Armentrout-12">[13]</a></sup> However, the Chalcedon creed was not accepted by all Christians. To date, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholicism" class="mw-redirect" title="Roman Catholicism">Roman Catholicism</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodoxy" class="mw-redirect" title="Eastern Orthodoxy">Eastern Orthodoxy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglicanism" title="Anglicanism">Anglicanism</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism" title="Lutheranism">Lutheranism</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism" title="Calvinism">Reformed</a> adhere to the Chalcedonian creed, while many branches of Eastern Christianity such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac_Orthodox_Church" title="Syriac Orthodox Church">Syrian Orthodoxy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyrian_Church_of_the_East" title="Assyrian Church of the East">Assyrian Church</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_Orthodoxy" class="mw-redirect" title="Coptic Orthodoxy">Coptic Orthodoxy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Orthodox" class="mw-redirect" title="Ethiopian Orthodox">Ethiopian Orthodoxy</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Apostolic_Church" title="Armenian Apostolic Church">Armenian Apostolicism</a> reject it</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">An article entitled "<a href="http://christianthinktank.com/jesusnoidol.html">Are Christians Committing Idolatry and Violating the 2d Commandment in Worshipping Jesus</a>" the author correctly defends that Christians can worship the God-Yawheh as God who was dwelling / tabernacling in Jesus, and this does not make us worship a human as God rather than as a king. The author writes: </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="western" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The overall concept is that God dwelt among us and manifested His glory to us in the person and life of Jesus. The Son of God Jesus had a human body, but Christians do not worship His body in any way. His flesh was like the curtains of the Tabernacle or like the stone walls of the Temple. Israelites did not worship the cloth of the curtains, nor the stone and timber of the Temple--they worshipped the God who 'dwelt' inside those.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="western" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">When GOD first appeared to Moses in the burning bush, the locale was made sacred by the temporary presence of God, but Moses would not have worshipped the leaves or branches of the bush!</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="western" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">So also Jesus is described as a <strong>'temple'</strong> and as the <strong>'tabernacle'</strong> and the <strong>'dwelling'</strong> of God's presence and glory:</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Study Notes: Passages That Distinguish Jesus From God</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=rev%201:1&version=KJV">Revelation 1:1 </a>(KJV), we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">As <a href="http://coffeehouseapologetics.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/god-almighty-in-revelation-chapter-5/">Coffeehouse Apologetics</a> says, "notice that Revelation 1:1 introduces the book of Revelation as something that God gave to Jesus to give to his servants."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Jesus says:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=rev%203:21&version=KJV">Rev.3:21</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Email with Trinitarian Opponents</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span><strong><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1">John February 20, 2016</span></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1">... You also need to take a harder look at the Old Testament in Isaiah chapters 41,and 43 for they teach that the Saviour is God,There is only one savior and in the New Testament it is stated that His name is JESUS..Jesus is God...He was worshipped(and never refuted worship given to Him) He forgave sins,He is Holy,He knew the thoughts of men,He controlled the weather at times...ONLY GOD HAS THESE ATTRIBUTES...I'll pray for you that you will see the truth of His word and stop spreading untruths leading many astray..... </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1">John March 1, 2016</span></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Thx for the reply. At this point in our debate I would like an answer to a simple question..Do you believe that Jesus is God? (Please look at the scripture references I sent you before) and please provide Biblical references to your answer.Thanks! </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>My Reply March 2, 2016</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Hi John</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">I believe whatever Jesus taught on the subject such as in his Prayer to the Father in John 17:3 King James Version (KJV):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true <strong>God</strong>, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Jesus also said the Father "dwelled" in himself. In John 14:10, Jesus says the "Father in me...dwells in me."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">At the same time, Jesus said:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"The Father is greater than I." (John 14:28.) "I can do nothing by myself." (John 5:19.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Hence, Jesus attributed His miracles to the Father, to the "only true God" as Jesus called him in John 17:3.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Thus, Jesus was DIVINE because the Father dwelled in Himself.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">I detail the proofs at</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><a href="/topicindex/189-correct-christology.html"></a><a href="/topicindex/189-correct-christology.html">http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/189-correct-christology.html</a> I deal with the "worship" proof you offer that the Bible shows you can worship the king -- using the same word to worship God. Yet, because the Father dwelled in Jesus, and if you knew that, and you worshipped the Father in Jesus that would be proper too.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">You cited all of Isaiah 41. I suppose you mean the verse where "first and last" is a title God uses, and thus you link that to Jesus' use of the same title in Revelation, and this many offer as proof as Jesus is God the Son apart from the indwelling of the Father. However, that is not correct. <a href="/component/content/article/9-bible/689-alpha-a-omega-argument-for-trinitarianism.html"></a><a href="/component/content/article/9-bible/689-alpha-a-omega-argument-for-trinitarianism.html">http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/component/content/article/9-bible/689-alpha-a-omega-argument-for-trinitarianism.html</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">You also cited Isaiah 43, and I suppose you mean verse 3. God says he is Israel's Savior. God calls many people in the book of Judges "savior"... So many agents of God are called "Savior," but God the Father is the principal who these agents obey to become savior...meaning agent of salvation. So that title of our Lord as Savior does not mean Jesus is thus God the Son apart from the Father.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Blessings of Yah</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Doug</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;" data-mce-mark="1">John 3/5/2016</span></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">It's interesting you call Jesus "divine" since the Bible clearly teaches there is only one God.A clear contradiction.Also your comments about the "Saviors" mentioned in Judges doesn't line up with the teachings of "Savior" in Isaiah.. They aren't God nor can they save the soul as God can..He is the ONLY savior and ONLY He can save one's soul..hence Jesus being the Savior because He is the perfect sinless and Holy Lamb of God..and fits all the requirements and fills all the qualifications of being Emmanuel.. Which being interpreted is GOD with us... </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>My Reply 3/6/2016</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Hi John</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">I explain how Jesus is Divine (a term that applied to a place where the Father dwelled, such as at the Temple). It does not mean the Temple is Deity. Thus there is no contradiction with the Shema - God is One to say the Temple is Divine nor that Jesus is Divine. I explained this in the article I gave you -- Correct Christology. <a href="/topicindex/189-correct-christology.html"></a><a href="/topicindex/189-correct-christology.html">http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/189-correct-christology.html</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">As to the usage of Savior in Isaiah, see 45:14-6. I discuss this in my article that the people will bow down to the Messiah (homage to a king-like person) and supplicate (ask favor) from him and say "God is in you." And then it says of God that you have "hidden yourself, God of Israel, the Savior" in this man, alluding to the Messiah. Please read my article where I discuss this in detail.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Now in light of Jesus' coming, and Jesus' said "the father dwells in me" in John 14:10, this prophecy in Isaiah, and Jesus' explanation, are a perfect fit. The name Emmanuel likewise fits -- it means the same thing -- God dwells with us. This is exactly what Jesus explains in John 14:10.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">As to Savior in Isaiah versus elsewhere, one must always look at all the usages of the same word elsewhere in the Holy Scripture. So if you are saying that God is Savior, and Jesus is savior, and you deduce this means Jesus necessarily is God, then by the same reasoning the many saviors listed in Judges have to be God. Hence, we know savior does not necessarily mean one is God. Usage throughout the Bible of the same term is important to test your position's validity. Thus, while it is true that the judges are not God, how are they and God both called saviors? Because the judges were agents of God, and thus they were called by God saviors. Of course, God the Father was the ultimate savior in all cases.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">This necessarily must be true of Jesus as Jesus is not claiming to be God. Jesus says in a prayer to the Father: " And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3 ... <a href="http://biblehub.com/john/17-3.htm"></a><a href="http://biblehub.com/john/17-3.htm">http://biblehub.com/john/17-3.htm</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In fact, Jesus -- completely in accord with John 17:3 (which says the "Father" is "the only true God") -- clearly disavows He is God in the identical language in Mark and Luke: "Why call me Good? No one is good but God alone." Mark 10:18 <a href="http://biblehub.com/mark/10-18.htm"></a><a href="http://biblehub.com/mark/10-18.htm">http://biblehub.com/mark/10-18.htm</a> Luke 18:19 <a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-19.htm"></a><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-19.htm">http://biblehub.com/luke/18-19.htm</a> [Jesus was being humble about his perfect goodness compared to the infinite goodness of God.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">So Jesus is DIVINE, but not himself God. Rather, as Jesus said, the Father dwelled in Jesus, just like at the temple. Adam Clarke, a famous commentator, put forth this explanation, and many later realized everything fits when we take Jesus' words literally that "the father dwells in me." (John 14:10.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Remember, if you put Jesus as equal to the Father whom Jesus clearly says "is the only true God" in John 17:3, you thus violate Jesus' words which said the opposite is true - "the Father is greater than I" in John 14:28. If you do so, such veneration of Jesus goes too far into idolatry - putting another as equal to God before the one Jesus says is "the only true God" -- the Father in John 17:3. See <a href="/topicindex/208-exaltation-that-turns-idolatrous.html"></a><a href="/topicindex/208-exaltation-that-turns-idolatrous.html">http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/208-exaltation-that-turns-idolatrous.html</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">I thus urge you Brother to just follow what Jesus teaches you about his true nature such as "the Father is greater than I" (John 14:28) and "I can do nothing by myself" (John 5:19)-- that does not put your soul in mortal danger of idolatry.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Blessings John</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Doug</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15147799<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
549
aboutauthor/197-baptism.html
Normal file
549
aboutauthor/197-baptism.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,549 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/197-baptism.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Baptism" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Baptism</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >"Jesus said 'A disciple is not above his teacher.' (Matt. 10:24.) Yet<em><strong> we make Paul, the disciple, greater than the teacher</strong></em>." (Bercot, <em>Common Sense</em>, 1992)</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 6742" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "6742") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Did Jesus Require Baptism?</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus's ministry included baptizing: "After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them<strong><em> baptizing</em></strong>." (John <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%203:22&version=KJV">3:22</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Is submission to baptism important? Could it be a requirement to be saved in John<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%203:5&version=KJV"> 3:5</a>? I have assumed for a long time that because of the thief on the cross that baptism is quite optional. But I am beginning to think it has more importance than I have assumed for a long time.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In fact, I have been so saturated with Paulinist thinking for so long that even after becoming Jesus-centric, I still believed giving any importance to water baptism for salvation was simply crazy due to Pauline doctrine. However, someone recently challenged me on this, and so I studied more carefully the issue.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, I realized that it is not as crazy an idea as it at first appears. Lutheranism for a long time has taught water baptism is essential for salvation, and thus "baptism is<em><strong> ordinarily necessary for salvation</strong></em>." (<em>The Lutheran Encyclopedia</em> (Scribner 1899) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=93ErAAAAYAAJ&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA40#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false">40</a>.) Luther found a way to insist upon it despite Paul's faith alone gospel. Luther claimed Paul does not exclude baptism as a work for salvation because it is supposedly not our work, but God's work. Luther said: "Yes, it is true that our works are of no use for salvation. Baptism, however, is not our work but God's," and God's works have saving power and are "<em><strong>necessary for salvation</strong></em>." (Jack Cotrell , <em>Baptism: A Biblical Study</em> (1989) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=cKIOWHSGN5oC&lpg=PA140&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false">140</a>; Luther, <em>The Larger Catechism</em> (2008) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=VyUfyLkgWrgC&lpg=PA100&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false">100</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Baptism in water would be important if Jesus means "baptism" by "water" in John<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3:5&version=NIV"> 3:5</a> which says:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God<strong><em> unless he is born of water</em></strong> and the Spirit." (NIV)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I have long thought this meant "born of water" at child birth.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But could water baptism with repentance have been intended by Jesus to represent the new birth?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In other words, did the new birth mean in fact to initiate by water and spirit simultaneously effectuating such a change? Did it mean by "water" in fact "water" and hence baptism? Is this why "the fathers from Justin Martyr downwards and every liturgy of Christendom unhesitatingly apply <strong><em>these words [in John 3:5] to Baptism</em></strong>, without allusion to any alternative interpretation" (Sir William Smith,<em> A Dictionary of the Bible</em> (1893) at I: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=zM0UAAAAYAAJ&dq=john%203%3A5%20water&pg=PA347#v=onepage&q=john%203:5%20water&f=false">347</a>)?</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></h3>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">The Language of John 3:5 That Points To Water Baptism</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In John 3:5, the Greek is "ex" water and spirit. "Ex" means "from," in the sense of either "away" or "source." Here the source-sense is in view. (Jack Cotrell , <em>Baptism: A Biblical Study</em> (1989) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=cKIOWHSGN5oC&lpg=PA33&dq=john%203%3A5%20water&pg=PA38#v=onepage&q=john%203:5%20water&f=false">38</a>.) The conjunction of "water and spirit" with a<em><strong> single verb</strong></em> signify they "together form a <strong><em>single means</em></strong> of that regeneration which is a prerequisite for entrance into the kingdom of God...." (<em>Id.</em>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, there are many modern authorities who argue, based on John<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:6&version=NIV"> 3:6</a>, that Jesus meant by <em>water</em> being born of the flesh, <em>i.e.</em>, natural birth. The next verse reads:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, this contention claims a paralellism between "born of water" in 3:5 which supposedly parallels "birth to the flesh" in 3:6, just as "born of...the Spirit" in 3:5 parallels "birth to the spirit" in 3:6. But this conclusion relies upon assuming water in 3:5 equates to birth in the flesh in 3:6. There might not be a parallelism at all; verse 5 could mean that the new birth is by water and the spirit, and verse 6 could simply mean flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit to spirit. There may be no clear parallelism except by a presupposition that links "water" to "flesh."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Others claim that "water and spirit" mean simply the spirit. Calvin wrote: "By 'water and Spirit,' therefore I simply understand the Spirit, which is water." (Calvin, <em>Institutes</em> 4.16.25 - Vol. 3 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=xBFqGDueBPMC&lpg=PA404&dq=john%203%3A5%20water&pg=PA404#v=onepage&q=john%203:5%20water&f=false">404</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But this is silly, as it simply erases the word "water" without any justification. Jesus said the new birth was by "water," as distinct from the "spirit," as well as by the "spirit." Calvin simply affirms how he wishes the passage read, and does not give any rationale to erase the fact that two (not one) operative factors are involved: water and spirit.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Smith_(lexicographer)">Sir William Smith</a> (1813-1893) in<em> A Dictionary of the Bible</em> (1893) at I: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=zM0UAAAAYAAJ&dq=john%203%3A5%20water&pg=PA347#v=onepage&q=john%203:5%20water&f=false">347</a> correctly responds to the view that "water" meant "spirit" as Calvin claimed:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This not only <strong><em>contradicts the unanimous opinion of the Church</em></strong>, but does violence to the language of Holy Scripture. No one intending to convey the idea that the " <span class="gstxt_hlt">water</span>" was figurative would mention it before "the Spirit," and connect the two as parallel elements of birth. The being "born of <span class="gstxt_hlt">water </span>and the Spirit" is plainly <em><strong>one operation</strong></em>, wrought by two distinct, yet inseparable, means.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Tradition of Apostles and Early Church</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Here is where tradition can help answer the question and help remove doubt. Research suggests that no theologian prior to 1600 ever believed "water" in John 3:5 meant natural child birth. Instead, the early apostles and church writers exclusively thought it meant baptism by water which was salvific when combined with repentance from sins:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%202:38&version=NIV">Acts 2:38</a> - Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Peter replied, "Repent and be <em><strong>baptized</strong></em>, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ<strong><em> for the forgiveness of your sins</em></strong>. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2022:16&version=NIV">Acts 22:16</a> - Be baptized and wash away your sins.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be<strong><em> baptized and wash your sins away</em></strong>, calling on his name."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Peter in<a href="http://bible.logos.com/passage/nasb/1%20Pet.%203.21#ref=1%20Pe%203%3A21%2Chi%3D1%20Pe%203%3A21-1%20Pe%203%3A21&ver=NASB"> 1 Peter 3:21</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Corresponding to that, <strong><em>baptism now saves you</em></strong>—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a<span style="color: #517291;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></span>good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[This demonstrates that water alone does not save you, but it must be conjoined with repentance -- an appeal to God in a good conscience. But Paulinists try to redefine baptism in this verse to mean essentially a change of heart analogous to faith (Hovey: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=_u82AAAAMAAJ&dq=john%203%3A5%20water&pg=PA421#v=onepage&q=john%203:5%20water&f=false">421</a>). Yet, such a view is not exposition, but a reconstruction of passages to read as one prefers.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Even Paul had a passage that supports baptismal regeneration when combined with a word of confession:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(25) Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the <strong><em>washing with water through</em><em> [Greek en] the word</em><em> [or command -the Greek 'remati.']</em></strong> (Eph. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:25-26&version=NIV">5:25-26</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Watson Mils in <em>Acts and Pauline Writings</em> (Mercer University Press, 1997) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=95191jRdGMAC&lpg=PA227&ots=4r7d0tVPTo&dq=remati%20greek&pg=PA227#v=onepage&q=remati%20greek&f=false">227</a> says "literally, this <strong><em>serves as a text for baptismal regeneration</em></strong> ...<em>By the word</em> (NRSV), translates <em>en remati, </em>literally "in a word." This may imply a baptismal confession of the name of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 6:11)...."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The early commentators all concurred that John 3:5's reference to "water" meant water baptism. Here are the key early quotes:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Justin Martyr, ca. 165 AD</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"I shall now lay before you the manner of our dedicating ourselves to God through Christ on conversion. As many are therefore persuaded and believe that the things taught and said by us our true, and moreover take upon themselves to live accordingly, are taught to pray and ask God with fasting for forgiveness of their former sins, we praying together, and fasting for and with them, and then, <em>and not till then</em>, they are <strong><em>brought to a place of water</em></strong> and <em><strong>there regenerated after the same manner as ourselve</strong></em>s, for they are washed...for Christ has said: 'Unless you are <em><strong>born again</strong></em>, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." [Quoting John 3:3, 5.] (Justin, <em>First Apology<a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/firstapologyofju00just"> </a></em><a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/firstapologyofju00just">LXXIX</a> at page 73-74.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Irenaeus, 190 AD</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"‘And [Naaman] dipped himself . . . seven times in the Jordan’ [2 Kgs. 5:14]. It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [this served] as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of <em><strong>the sacred water</strong></em> and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions, being spiritually regenerated as newborn babes, even as the Lord has declared: ‘Except<strong><em> a man be born again through water</em></strong> and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’" (<em>Fragment </em>34 [A.D. <strong>190</strong>]).</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="section"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Hippolytus, 217 AD</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"[P]erhaps someone will ask, ‘What does it conduce unto piety to be <strong><em>baptized</em></strong>?’ In the first place, that you may do what has seemed good to God; in the next place, being born again by water unto God so that you change your first birth, which was from concupiscence, and are able to attain salvation, which would otherwise be impossible. For thus the [prophet] has sworn to us: ‘Amen, I say to you, unless <strong><em>you are born again with living water</em></strong>, into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ Therefore, fly to the water, for this alone can extinguish the fire. He who will not come to the water still carries around with him the spirit of insanity for the sake of which he will not come to the living water for his own salvation" (<em>Homilies </em>11:26 [A.D. 217]).</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="section"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Basil the Great, 375 AD</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"This then is what it means to be ‘<strong>born again of water</strong> and Spirit’: Just as our dying is effected<strong><em> in the water</em></strong>, our living is wrought through the Spirit. In three<strong><em> immersions</em></strong> and an equal number of invocations the great mystery of <em><strong>baptism</strong></em> is completed in such a way that the type of death may be shown figuratively, and that by the handing on of divine knowledge the souls of the baptized may be illuminated. If, therefore, there is any grace in the water, it is not from the nature of <strong><em>water</em></strong>, but from the Spirit’s presence there" (<em>The Holy Spirit </em>15:35 [A.D. 375]).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Abraham, 387 AD</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"The Church was redeemed at the price of Christ’s blood. Jew or Greek, it makes no difference; but if he has believed, he must circumcise himself from his sins so that he can be saved . . . for no one ascends into the kingdom of heaven except through the sacrament of baptism. . . . ‘Unless a man be<strong><em> born again of water</em></strong> and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’" (<em>Abraham </em>2:11:79–84 [A.D. 387]).</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong>"This Day I Have Begotten Thee" At A Water Baptism</strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus's baptism may have been a type for us to follow, further demonstrating the point that water baptism is what regenerates us as children of God, <em>i.e.</em>, makes us born again.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, Jesus's own baptism involved the conjunction of water and the descent of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 3:16.) Thus, Jesus's reference to "water and spirit" in John 3:5 would naturally draw one's mind to the experience Jesus had. It would be what we would naturally think is the purpose of Jesus water-baptizing in John 3:22 -- mentioned just 17 verses after John 3:5.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Second, in the original version of the baptism account of Jesus by John the Baptist, it involved a new birth --- where the Father said to Jesus "<strong><em>this day I have begotten thee</em></strong>." (Jesus was born as the unique Son of God, so His baptism is not completely analogous to our own.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The baptismal account of Jesus in Luke 3:22 originally and in Matthew had this account that the Father spoke from heaven to Jesus: "<strong><em>This day I have begotten you</em></strong>." (<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=MlPrYQ5srKEC&lpg=PP1&dq=did%20calvin%20murder%20servetus&pg=PA528#v=onepage&q&f=false">Link</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The original baptism language of "<em><strong>this day I have begotten thee</strong></em>" is also quoted in the NT in Hebrews 1:5 and 5:5.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Moreover, this original version of Christ's baptismal account -- where the Father says "this day I have begotten thee" -- was quoted pre-325 AD also by Clement, Methodius, Lactantius, in the Acts of Peter and Paul, and by Origen and Justin. See our full discussion at this <a href="/aboutauthor/235-hebrew-matthew-baptismal-account.html">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Epiphanius in the early 300s quotes the original version of Matthew in Hebrew as similarly saying:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And as Jesus came up from the water, Heaven was opened, and He saw the Holy Spirit descend in the form of a dove and enter into Him. And a voice from Heaven said, ‘You are my beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.’ And again, ‘<strong><em>T</em></strong><em><strong>oday I have begotten You</strong></em>.’ “Immediately a great light shone around the place; and John, seeing it, said to Him, ‘Who are you, Lord? And again a voice from Heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’ Then John, falling down before Him, said, ‘I beseech You, Lord, baptize me!’ But He forbade him saying, ‘Let it be so; for thus it is fitting that all things be fulfilled.’” (Epiphanius, <em>Panarion</em> 30.13.7, quoting the Hebrew Matthew.) [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authentic_Gospel_of_Matthew">Wikipedia</a>]</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It was only post 325 A.D. that the standard texts of Matthew and Luke were revised to omit "today I have begotten thee" from Jesus's baptism by John-the-Baptist. You will <strong><em>not</em></strong> find it any longer in the KJV, ASV, NIV, etc. This was because of the controversy with Arius in 306 A.D. who claimed the 'begotten' passages meant Jesus was not the "Eternal Son of God." However, the Roman Catholic church by 325 A.D. felt it was imperative to assert this about Jesus even though no verse in the NT ever calls Jesus the '<strong><em>eternal </em></strong>Son of God.' For background, see Wayne A. Grudem, <em>Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine</em> (Zondervan, 1994) at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=DA8xl4eagDcC&lpg=PA243&dq=arius%20col.%201%3A15&pg=PA243#v=onepage&q=arius%20col.%201:15&f=false"> 243</a>. Hence, words from the original account were let slip in reproductions, to the point we do not any longer see them in our NT.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, at Jesus's water baptism, God-the-Father gave Jesus a new birth as Son of God (a unique status), declaring from heaven "This day I have begotten thee." This was an example of how baptism would have similar effects on ourselves although obviously we would not become Divine as Jesus uniquely was indwelled by the Father/Word. (John <a href="http://bible.cc/john/1-1.htm">1:1</a>, <a href="http://bible.cc/john/14-10.htm">14:10</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Typical Paulinist Disagreement That Baptism Is Needed</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Of course, Jesus said baptism was a work of righteousness (Matt. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%203:13-15&version=NIV">3:13-15</a>). If one accepts Paul as valid, such an act of righteousness never could be necessary for salvation -- as Paul is generally interpreted to affirm. (Eph. 2:8-9.) Baptism might be a fruit of faith, but Paul would never tolerate it as a conditional requirement for salvation, so Paul is understood to say. For example, Paul speaks apparently specifically to that point in Titus:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Not by <strong><em>works of righteousness </em></strong>which we have done, but according to his mercy he <em><strong>saved us</strong></em>, by the <em><strong>washing of regeneration</strong></em>, and renewing of<strong><em> the Holy Ghost</em></strong>...Titus<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=titus%203:5&version=NIV"> 3:5</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Here Paulinists say Paul believes the only washing necessary for rebirth is of the Holy Spirit to save us. No act of righteousness can do so - an allusion to baptism which Jesus called an act of "righteousness" to John the Baptist when Jesus submitted to baptism (Matt: <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%203:13-15&version=NIV">3:13-15</a>).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, and very ironically, Hovey, a Pauline thinker, confesses Paul likely means in Titus 3:5 by "saved...by washing of regeneration" that we are saved by water baptism, as Paul's Greek actually means the' washing of the <strong><em>laver/water basin</em></strong> of regeneration.' But Hovey escapes that literal meaning by interpreting Paul to have meant that water baptism is figurative/symbolic, and not causative. Hovey: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=_u82AAAAMAAJ&dq=john%203%3A5%20water&pg=PA422#v=onepage&q=john%203:5%20water&f=false">422</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Putting aside whether Titus 3:5 is yet another verse proving the importance of water baptism, Walvoord claims any view that "born of water" in John 3:5 signifies baptism (as a concurrent means of the 'new birth) would contradict Paul and thus cannot be true:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"[One view of 3:5 is] the water refers to baptism as an essential part of regeneration. This view <em><strong>contradicts other Bible verses</strong></em> that make it clear salvation is by<em><strong> faith alone</strong></em>....Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5." (John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, <em>The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament</em> (1983) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=DP4UiA4gQNMC&lpg=PA281&dq=john%203%3A5%20water&pg=PA281#v=onepage&q=john%203:5%20water&f=false">281</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, the standard refrain from modern Paulinists is that water baptism is a mere ceremony and is insignificant for salvation. For example:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But for now, the reason <strong><em>baptism is not necessary for salvation</em></strong> is because we are justified by faith (<a href="http://bible.logos.com/passage/nasb/Rom.%205.1" target="_blank" class="lbsBibleRef">Rom. 5:1</a>; <a href="http://bible.logos.com/passage/nasb/Eph.%202.8" target="_blank" class="lbsBibleRef">Eph. 2:8</a>), not by faith and a ceremony (<a href="http://bible.logos.com/passage/nasb/Rom.%204.1-11" target="_blank" class="lbsBibleRef">Rom. 4:1-11</a>). You see, a religious ceremony is a set of activities or forms peformed by someone. In the Bible circumcision was a ceremony where one person performed a religious rite on another person. Likewise, baptism is also a ceremony where one person performs a religious rite on another person. But, we are saved by faith alone and <strong><em>anything else we do, including ceremonies, will not help</em></strong>. <a href="http://www.carm.org/is-baptism-necessary-salvation">(Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Even modern Baptists say baptism is not essential for salvation based upon Pauline principles:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">To apply <em>baptism</em> for <em>salvation</em>, therefore, is making a<strong><em> false saviou</em></strong><em><strong>r</strong></em> of the ordinance. (<em>The Baptist Manual</em> (1849) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=-6sTAAAAYAAJ&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=RA2-PA64#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false">64</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Another Baptist publication stated in reliance on Pauline doctrine that baptism is not important for salvation:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[Scripture] cannot possibly imply that <span class="gstxt_hlt">baptism </span>is essential to <span class="gstxt_hlt">salvation. </span>Were this the case, then it would <span class="gstxt_hlt"><em><strong>not </strong></em></span><em><strong>always be necessarily true that faith is </strong></em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><em><strong>salvation</strong></em>. </span>Were this true, it would imply that <em><strong>an external </strong></em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><em><strong>work </strong></em></span><em><strong>performed by man is </strong></em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><em><strong>necessary </strong></em></span><em><strong>to </strong></em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><em><strong>salvation</strong></em>. (Alexander Carson, <em>Baptism in its mode and subjects</em> (American Baptist Publication Society, 1860) at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=bL0PAAAAIAAJ&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA477#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false"> 477</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But if Jesus means by "water" in John 3:5 the notion of baptism, then Jesus contradicts Paul (unless Titus 3:5 is in accord with Jesus). If so, an act of righteousness -- baptism -- does in part play a crucial role in salvation when baptism is physically possible for you to submit to.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Luther Said Baptism Was Crucial</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, as mentioned previously, Luther taught baptism was essential for salvation, and thus official Lutheranism still maintains that "baptism is<em><strong> ordinarily necessary for salvation</strong></em>." (<em>T</em><em>he Lutheran Encyclopedia</em> (Scribner 1899) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=93ErAAAAYAAJ&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA40#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false">40</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Luther himself said baptism is ordinarily "<em>necessary for salvation</em>." (Jack Cotrell ,<em> Baptism: A Biblical Study</em> (1989) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=cKIOWHSGN5oC&lpg=PA140&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false">140</a>; Luther, <em>The Larger Catechism</em> (2008) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=VyUfyLkgWrgC&lpg=PA100&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false">100</a>.</span>)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">First Divergence from Luther</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The surprisingly universal consensus since inception of Christianity that baptism was essential to salvation (whether right or wrong) was first abandoned by Zwingli. This was the same pastor who removed every book from the New Testament but Paul's epistles and the book of Hebrews. (See our <a href="/aboutauthor/176-bultmann-on-paul.html">link</a> on that issue.) Zwingli was an extreme Paulinist.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In 1523-1525 A.D. Zwingli "<strong><em>single-handedly created a new view of baptism</em></strong> that<strong><em> separated it from salvation</em></strong>." (William R. Baker, <em>Evangelicalism and the Stone-Campbell movement</em> (Intervarsity Press, 2002) Volume 1 at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=RRrPjijN7p4C&lpg=PA84&dq=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&pg=PA84#v=onepage&q=baptism%20work%20not%20necessary%20for%20salvation&f=false"> 84</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Now most modern Protestants agree with Zwingli (and not with Luther) that baptism is completely optional, and failure to be baptized has utterly no impact on your salvation.</span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">My Advice</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Because John the Baptist, Jesus and the early apostles baptized those coming forward in repentance, it appears to imply a duty to submit to this process by those who call on Jesus for salvation. If Jesus made it a requirement in John 3:5, then of course we must obey.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Can one be saved without baptism in water? It appears the thief on the cross had no baptism after his conversion, yet Jesus promises that day he will be in paradise with Jesus. This would imply sometimes salvation is not dependent on baptism. However, some who insist baptism is always necessary claim this example is inconclusive for one cannot be sure the thief was not previously baptized. (See this<a href="http://www.gospelway.com/salvation/thief_cross.php"> link</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, I would conclude that if one comes to repentance and faith just before death, God has power to save anyway as obedience to baptism was not time-wise possible. However, if it is time-wise possible, we <strong><em>should</em></strong> submit to this command.<strong><em> Deliberate disobedience</em></strong> to baptism apparently would risk one's salvation.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0000ff;">FURTHER READING</span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In whose name were we supposed to Baptize? The name of the Lord Jesus - Yahshua. A very late addition to Matthew 28:19 purported to have Jesus endorse using three names. However, this was a false addition scribbled into the Bible at sometime after the Nicene Council in 325 A.D. For proof, see this <a href="/aboutauthor/198-baptism-in-whose-name.html">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Infant-Baptism: Calvinists like Catholics Treat Infant Baptism as Magic Unto Salvation in Reliance Upon Paul. </span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The truth is children are spiritually safe until they reach the age of accountability, and sin.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Long ago, the prophet Ezekiel stated unequivocally, after contrasting the behavior of a father with his son, that there is no inherited sin (from Adam or anyone else): “The soul who sins shall die. <em><strong>The son shall not bear the guilt of the father</strong></em>, nor the father bear the guilt of the son” (18:20; cf. vss. 2-19). (This is why the Eastern Orthodox for centuries rejected Paul's doctrine of inherited sin.) You start pure and at some point you sin: “You were <em><strong>perfect in your ways from the day you were created,</strong></em> till iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:15).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus, Himself, demonstrated the spiritually safe condition of children when He stated: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and<em><strong> become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven</strong></em>” (Matthew 18:3). Adults must become like children if they wish to be saved! Children hardly can be spiritually depraved! Christ followed up this declaration with a comparable observation: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for <em><strong>of such is the kingdom of heaven</strong></em>” (Matthew 19:14).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus wants us to become all like children so we are spiritually safe. It logically follows children are spiritually safe.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, in reliance primarily upon Paul's statement that children are sanctified through their parents (1 Cor. 7:14), the early Calvinist position was that infant baptism saves (or is a sign of salvation of being born to Christian parents). This is the identical view of Catholicism -- that a permanent seal of salvation and justification happens upon water baptism as an infant.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> This is another example of why it is erroneous to rely upon Paul. Baptism becomes a magical right similar to pagan belief and practice. It is no different than indulgences -- a work by someone other than yourself that imparts salvation.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, under the Jewish understanding of the Bible, children are not of age to be judged for sin, and thus are not hell-bound until they sin after becoming accountable. No fixed date is given in the Bible. Each parent should be able to discern when <em><strong>their child's sin is consciously done as an adult, and no longer as an innocent child</strong></em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Here are snippets of the Calvinist view from this <a href="http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/blog/presumptive-regeneration-in-the-reformed-tradtion-a-collection-of-quotes/">link</a> -- so akin to the Roman Catholic view -- citing primarily Paul in 1 Cor. 7:14. The fact Paul is the sole proof for this practice should be proof alone not to baptize your children until they are mature enough to be an adult who can pledge their faith and obedience to Christ. (I think age 15 is when I was capable of making adult decisions. It may vary depending upon the mental capacity of your child). So these snippets are:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>John Knox</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“The conviction of the writers of that Book of Common Order, was thus the Biblical perception that the children of believers are Christians already, before being baptized in their infancy.”</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Genevan Book of Church Order, still describing covenant children, the Preface then continues: “They be contained under the name of God’s people…. Remission of sins in the blood of Christ Jesus doth appertain unto them by God’s promise….<em><strong> Paul…pronounceth the children begotten and born (either of the parents being faithful) to be clean and holy. First Corinthians 7</strong></em>…. “The Holy Ghost assure us that infants be of the number of God’s people and that remission of sins doth also appertain to them in Christ…. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Belgic Confession</strong></span><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 20px;">“This signifies to us that as water washes away the filth of the body when poured upon it, and is seen on the body of the baptized when sprinkled upon him, so does the blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost internally sprinkle the soul…by the sprinkling of the precious blood of the Son…. First Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:14; First John 1:7; Revelation 1:6.”</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Dr. G. de Bries (1608)</strong><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span data-mce-mark="1">“One should note…to whom the sign of baptism applies. Holy Scripture clearly teaches us that it applies to the entire household of God; to the whole body of His congregation; that is, to all of those who are His people, both small and large…. Little children…have the sproutings of faith…. ….The little children are renewed by God’s Spirit according to the measure and comprehension of their age. And this divine power, which is hidden within them, grows and gradually increases….they are redeemed, sanctified and regenerated from perdition — even though natural corruption still remains in them. For they possess such regeneration not through their own goodness, but through the sole goodness and mercy of God in Jesus Christ.”</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span data-mce-mark="1">G. de Bries, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Radical Origin and Foundation of the Anabaptists</span>, ed. 1608, Bk. III. Ib. f. 290a.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> <strong style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Dr. Casper Oliveanus</strong><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span data-mce-mark="1">“Thus, our children are holy — by way of the covenant of grace…. See <em><strong>First Corinthians </strong></em></span><span data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong>7:14</strong></em> and Ezra 9:2…. The promise of the Gospel has been made expressly to our children, </span><span data-mce-mark="1">Deuteronomy 30:6…. God consummated internally that which He promises externally. Titus 3:3-8 ?Everlasting life is sealed by the testimony of the Holy Spirit and imparted by the Holy Spirit.” </span><span data-mce-mark="1">Casper Olevianus, <span data-mce-mark="1">The Essence of the Covenant of Grace</span>. (Copinga’s translation, Groningen, 1739) at 497f.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>The Second Helvetic Confession</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“We condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that new-born infants of the faithful are to be </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">baptized. For, according to evangelical teaching, of such is the Kingdom of God (Luke 18:16) — and they are written in the covenant of God (Acts 3:25)…. Why, then, should the sign of God’s covenant not be given to them? Why should those who belong to God…and are in God’s Church — not be initiated by holy baptism? We condemn the Anabaptists.” </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">2nd Helv. Conf. chs. 11,19-22,30. “Damnamus Anabaptistas” (twice, in arts. 22 & 30). 83) Op. cit. p. 206. 84) Creeds I p. 644.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>Dr. Theodore Beza</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">“The Anabaptists greatly err by opposing the baptism of infants…. Although they may not have faith with its effects such as those who are of age — they may, however, have the seed and germ of it; seeing that the Lord has sanctified them from the mother’s womb (<em><strong>First Corinthians 7:14</strong></em>)…. We presuppose in general that they are children of God — who are born of a believing father and mother, or when one of the two is a believer (Genesis 17:7).” Further, “as regards children born in the Church, one should presume the election of all of them, without limitation.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Dr. Theodore Beza, <em><strong>The Christian Faith</strong></em> (1558)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Decrees of Dordt I:17.</strong><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Second. such elect ones also include many babies. For Dordt insisted that “the children of believers are holy not by nature but by virtue of the covenant of grace in which they, together with the parents, are comprehended. Godly parents have no reason to doubt the election and salvation of those their children whom it pleases God to call out of this life in their infancy<em><strong>. First Corinthians 7:14;</strong></em> Genesis 17:7; Isaiah 59:21; Acts 2:39.”</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Vander Waal’s, p. 53. Comp. too Gravemeijer: III:20:22 p. 139.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>Dr. John Calvin</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">“Let him (Heshusius) then accuse Paul of blasphemy — for saying that Christ is formed in us like the foetus in the womb. His well-known words to the Galatians are: ‘My little children, for whom I again travail, as in birth — until Christ Jesus be formed in you.’ <em><strong>Galatians 4:9</strong></em>….”</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">“God therefore calls those who were thus slain — ‘His sons.’ Just as if a husband should reproach his wife with depriving him of their common children…. Children are more precious than all goods…. A father is more grievously injured, if children are taken away…. God here pronounces…’you have born them — unto Me.’”</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">“The Jews were naturally accursed, through being Adam’s seed. But by supernatural and singular privilege, they were exempt and free from the curse — since</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">circumcision was a testimony of the adoption by which God had consecrated them to Himself. Hence, they were holy…. As to their being impure, it could not…abolish God’s covenant…. And so <em><strong>Paul says that the children of the faithful are holy — since baptism does not lose its efficacy, and the adoption of God remains fixed. First Corinthians 7:14</strong></em>.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Calvin’s<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> True Partaking of the Flesh and Blood of Christ in the Holy Supper</span>, in his Tracts & Treat. II pp. 497f. 306) Ib. pp. 534f.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Dutch Calvinist Cornelius Poudroyen</strong></span><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 20px;">Believers’ children “have the Holy Spirit and the redemption from sin — just as the adults do.” “<em><strong>First Corinthians 7:14</strong></em> — ‘Otherwise your children would be unclean; but now, they are holy.’” “”¦one cannot be holy, without the Holy Spirit…. Children have faith.”</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Dr. Herman Bavinck</strong><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“Calvin says…that the children of believers are already holy even before baptism through a supranatural grace (Institutes IV:16:31)[paraphrase from 1 Cor. 7:14]; that the seed of faith and conversion hides within them through a secret operation of the Spirit (IV:16:20); that they partake of the grace of regeneration by virtue of the promise; and that baptism follows by way of sign…. Men had this feeling that the regeneration of children took place before baptism….” </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Herman Bavinck:<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> Reformed Dogmatics</span></span> I p. 29 & n. 1, and III pp. 266f (as cited in Wielenga’s op. cit. pp. 241f).</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="line-height: 20px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15131509<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
481
aboutauthor/198-baptism-in-whose-name.html
Normal file
481
aboutauthor/198-baptism-in-whose-name.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,481 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="https://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/198-baptism-in-whose-name.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Baptism in whose name" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Baptism in whose name</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><span><span style="font-size: medium;">"Christendom has done away with Christianity without being quite aware of it." Soren Kierkegaard</span></span></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="https://jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="https://jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 263" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "263") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="https://jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 24pt;">In Whose Name Are We Supposed to Baptize?</span></h1>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In Matthew<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2028:19&version=NIV"> 28:19</a> as it reads today, we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the<strong><em> name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,</em></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, this uses the Trinitarian formula of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Is this how it originally read?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Based solely upon the Greek text tradition, all evangelical scholars as well as several Catholic authorities admit this bolded portion was added to the original Matthew. This is despite the fact no Greek text omits it -- but all Greek surviving texts of this verse post-date the Trinitarian controversy that began in 325 AD and ended in 381 AD. (See below "Matthean Text Changed After 325 AD")</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There are several early versions of Matthew in Aramaic, Hebrew and Latin which omit this trinitarian formula. In fact, the Hebrew version of Matthew (which long predated 325 AD) was quoted without this text. The early 'fathers' such as Jerome, Origen, etc., called it the Gospel According to the Hebrews (by Matthew) which they spoke about with reverence.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">First Proof of Addition to Matthew 28 from Hebrew Matthew</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The original Hebrew Matthew does not have what we read in present-day Matthew 28:19.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What we read in the <em>Hebrew Gospel of Matthew</em> printed by Professor Howard is:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"19 Go</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">20 and teach them to carry out all things which I have commanded you forever."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This parallels the similar passage in Mark 16:15: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, if the Hebrew Matthew is the accurate original, there was no command from Jesus to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (For reason to believe many other variants in the Hebrew Matthew are more original, see our discussion of the "<a href="/aboutauthor/132-hebrew-matthew-introduction.html">Hebrew Matthew</a>.")</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">All Other Scripture Says To Baptize Only In Jesus' Name</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Everywhere else in the NT (except present-day Matthew 28:19), it says that baptism is in the name of the Lord Jesus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, when we look at our current Scripture other than Matthew 28:19, it exclusively teaches us to baptize in one name: that of the Lord Jesus. And this is a strong proof of the <em><strong>invalidity</strong></em> of the trinitarian formula in the Greek canonical Matthew 28:19.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><em>Biblical Evidence</em></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, Acts<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2019:5&version=NIV"> 19:3-5</a> teaches: "On hearing this, they were baptized<strong><em> into the name of the Lord Jesus</em></strong>." Likewise in Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%202:38&version=NIV">2:39</a>, Peter teaches: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, <em><strong>in the name of Jesus Christ</strong></em> for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." In Acts<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%208:16&version=NIV"> 8:16</a> "because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the <strong><em>name of the Lord Jesus</em></strong>." In Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2010:48&version=NIV">10:48</a>, we read: "So he ordered that they be baptized in the <strong><em>name of Jesus Christ</em></strong>." In Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2022:16&version=KJV">22:16</a>, we read: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the <em><strong>name of the Lord</strong></em>."</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Early Church Only Baptized In Jesus' Name</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What confirms that the Acts formula is authentic, and the post-Hebrew Greek version of Matthew 28:19 is inauthentic, is that any notion of baptism in a name in the early church was solely in the name of Jesus Christ, and not the Trinity formula.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Protestant authority <strong>The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge</strong> (Funk & Wagnalls, 1908) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=l-oVAAAAYAAJ&dq=schaff%20religious%20knowledge&pg=PA435#v=onepage&q=must%20be%20disputed&f=false">435</a> agrees that Matthew 28:19's trinity formula is a false addition:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Jesus, however, <strong>cannot have given His disciples this Trinitarian order</strong> of baptism after His resurrection; for <strong>the New Testament knows only one baptism in the name of Jesus </strong>(Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:43; 19:5; Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 1:13-15), which still occurs even in the second and third centuries, while the Trinitarian formula occurs only in Matt. 28:19, and then only again (in the) Didache 7:1 and Justin, Apol. 1:61...Finally, the distinctly liturgical character of the formula...is strange; it was not the way of Jesus to make such formulas...<strong> the formal authenticity of Matt. 28:19 must be disputed</strong>...."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">An equally important Protestant authority agrees. In <strong>The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia</strong> (ed. James Orr)(1915) Vol. 4 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Tn4PAAAAYAAJ&dq=only%20canonizes%20a%20later%20ecclesiastical%20situation&pg=PA2637#v=onepage&q=only%20canonizes%20a%20later%20ecclesiastical%20situation&f=false">2637</a>, under "Baptism," it says:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Matthew 28:19 in particular only <strong>canonizes a later ecclesiastical situation</strong>, that its universalism is <strong>contrary to the facts of early Christian history</strong>, and<strong> its Trinitarian formula (is) foreign to the mouth of Jesus</strong>."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The opinion of all leading Christian scholars agree. Christian Henry Forney in <strong>The Christian ordinances: being a historical inquiry into the practice of trine immersion, the washing of the saints' feet and the love-feast</strong> (Board of Publication of the General Eldership of the Church of God, 1883) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=W_ErAAAAYAAJ&dq=baptismal%20formula%20was%20changed%20from%20the%20name%20of%20Jesus%20Christ&pg=PA83#v=onepage&q&f=false">83</a> explains that there was one and only one early practice: baptism into the name of Jesus Christ:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Neander, the prince of modern ecclesiastical historians, says that the<span class="gstxt_hlt">formula </span>of baptism which is regarded as the older is the "shorter one which <strong><em>refers only to </em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>Christ</em></strong></span><span class="gstxt_hlt">, </span>to which there is allusion in the New Testament." Dr. Hare also says in his <em>Church History</em>: "Baptism as an initiatory rite was performed <strong>simply in the </strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong>name </strong></span><strong>of </strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong>Jesus</strong></span><span class="gstxt_hlt">." </span>This sentence occurs in his chapter on the "Apostolic Church," in his " <em>History of the Christian Church</em>." Robinson, in his <em>History of Baptism</em>, says: "There is<strong> no mention of baptizing in the </strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong>name </strong></span><strong>of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost</strong>,'' in immediately post-Apostolic times." This testimony, of a negative character, certainly becomes very strong and significant in view of the fact that Peter enjoined baptism "in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of <span class="gstxt_hlt">Jesus Christ.</span>"</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The <strong>Encyclopedia Brittanica</strong> (1911) Vol. 26 at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=uDQEAAAAYAAJ&dq=baptismal%20formula%20was%20changed%20from%20the%20name%20of%20Jesus%20Christ%20brittanica&pg=PA774#v=onepage&q&f=false"> </a><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=uDQEAAAAYAAJ&dq=baptismal%20formula%20was%20changed%20from%20the%20name%20of%20Jesus%20Christ%20brittanica&pg=PA774#v=onepage&q&f=false">774</a> explains that analysis of Matthew 28:19 supports that it did not originally have the Trinity formula we see today, matching how other passages in the NT read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There are traces in the New Testament of a <span class="gstxt_hlt">baptismal </span>confession<strong><em> simply of the </em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>name </em></strong></span><strong><em>of </em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>Christ</em></strong></span><span class="gstxt_hlt"> </span>(1 Cor. i. 13, 15; Rom. vi. 2; cf. even the late verse Acts viii. 37), not of the threefold <span class="gstxt_hlt">name. </span>Moreover, textual criticism points to an<em> </em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>early </em></strong></span><strong><em>type of reading in Matt, xxviii. 19 without the threefold </em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>formula</em></strong></span><span class="gstxt_hlt">.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The <em>Methodist Review </em>(January 1906) Vol. 88 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=VMdWAAAAIAAJ&dq=early%20church%20always%20baptized%20in%20the%20name%20of%20the%20Lord%20Jesus&pg=PA148#v=onepage&q=early%20church%20always%20baptized%20in%20the%20name%20of%20the%20Lord%20Jesus&f=false">148</a> details the history that calls into question whether Matthew 28:19 originally read to mention Father, Son & Holy Spirit for the baptismal name to use:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mark and Luke have <strong><em>no baptismal command whatever</em></strong>, and the spurious ending of Mark contains no reference to baptism, but only to preaching the gospel to every creature. And there is <strong><em>reason to believe that originally</em></strong><span class="gtxt_body"><strong><em> the commandment in Matthew referred only to baptism in the </em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>name </em></strong></span><strong><em>of Christ</em></strong></span><span class="gtxt_body">. This reading, which can be traced down as far as the fourth century, would correspond with the</span><span class="gtxt_body"><strong><em> fact that in the apostolic age and beyond baptism was administered in the </em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>name </em></strong></span><strong><em>of Christ</em></strong></span><span class="gtxt_body">. The Acts of the Apostles leaves </span><span class="gtxt_body"><strong><em>no doubt</em></strong></span><span class="gtxt_body"> on this point. Peter exhorted his hearers to repent and be <span class="gstxt_hlt">baptized </span>in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of <span class="gstxt_hlt">Jesus </span>Christ that they might receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 2. 38). ...[B]aptism in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of Christ is ...[in] Acts 8. 16, where Peter and John are represented as praying for the converts of Samaria who had been <span class="gstxt_hlt">baptized </span>in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of the <span class="gstxt_hlt">Lord Jesus </span>that they might receive the Holy Ghost;...Again in 10. 48 Peter exhorted the heathen to be <span class="gstxt_hlt">baptized </span>in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of Christ. In Ephesus (Acts 19. 5) Paul <span class="gstxt_hlt">baptized </span>the disciples of John in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of the <span class="gstxt_hlt">Lord Jesus, </span>while his language in 1 Cor. 1. 13 implies, and in Rom. 6. 3 declares, that the Christians were <span class="gstxt_hlt">baptized </span>only in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of <span class="gstxt_hlt">Jesus. </span>The <span class="gstxt_hlt">early </span>Christian book, <em>The Shepherd of Hermes</em>, speaks repeatedly of<em><strong> baptism in the </strong></em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><em><strong>name </strong></em></span><em><strong>of the Son of God</strong></em>. and a hundred years after the trinitarian formula was established in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">church </span>there was lively discussion as to whether baptism in the <span class="gstxt_hlt">name </span>of <span class="gstxt_hlt">Jesus,</span>which was still practiced by some, should be recognized as valid. When and under what circumstances the longer formula came into use we do not know; even as we do not know how Matthew's "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" took the place of the formula "God, <span class="gstxt_hlt">Jesus </span>Christ, and Holy Spirit." It is entirely probable that a formula with three numbers arose in connection with the custom of trine immersion,....</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In agreement is the additional following resource: Maurice Arthur Canney, <em>Encyclopedia of Religion</em> (Routledge, 1921) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=FRoMAAAAIAAJ&dq=early%20church%20always%20baptized%20in%20the%20name%20of%20the%20Lord%20Jesus&pg=PA53#v=onepage&q=early%20church%20always%20baptized%20in%20the%20name%20of%20the%20Lord%20Jesus&f=false">53</a> which says:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Persons were baptized at first in the "name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:38, 48) or in the "name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 8:16;19:5.) <strong><em>Afterwards, with the development of the doctrine of the Trinity</em></strong>, they were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Cf. Justin Martyr, <em>Apol.</em> I,61.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Matthean Text Changed After 325 AD</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This change in Matthew likely first took place after the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. We can infer this from the changes in Eusebius's quotation of this passage after that Council. Ross Drysdale explains why:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Eusebius lived between 264-340 A.D....He had the advantage of being much closer to the original of Matthew 28:19. Yet he <strong><em>never quoted it in the Triune formula</em></strong>, but in all his citations (which <strong>number eighteen </strong>or more) he renders it: "Go and make ye disciples of all the nations IN MY NAME, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you....Perhaps the most compelling evidence is that<em><strong> after his visit to Constantinople and his attendance at the Council of Nicea</strong></em>, he changed his references to Matthew 28:19 and began quoting it in the Triune formula. Thus <strong><em>h</em><em>e switched to the Trinitarian rendering immediately after Nicea</em></strong>, with its imperial threats of banishment to all who reject the newly officialized Trinity doctrine. He never knew or quoted any other form but the MY NAME rendition until his visit to Nicea. Discretion appears to be the better part of valor in his case. (Quoted in Oneil McQuick, <em>The Voice</em> (2005) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=J4fZeuyXWXEC&lpg=PA459&dq=HASTINGS%20ENCYCLOPEDIA%20OF%20RELIGION%20trinitarian%20formula&pg=PA459#v=onepage&q=HASTINGS%20ENCYCLOPEDIA%20OF%20RELIGION%20trinitarian%20formula&f=false">459</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Scholar Edmund Schlink in <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=sXDQPAAACAAJ">The Doctrine of Baptism</a></em> (Concordia, 1972) at 28, concluded the variance between Matthew 28:19 and the repeated reference in Acts to simply baptizing in Jesus's name points to a deliberate alteration: "[It] must be assumed that the text has been transmitted in a <em><strong>form expanded by the church</strong></em>." (Quoted in Oneil McQuick, <em>The Voice</em> (2005) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=J4fZeuyXWXEC&lpg=PA459&dq=HASTINGS%20ENCYCLOPEDIA%20OF%20RELIGION%20trinitarian%20formula&pg=PA459#v=onepage&q=HASTINGS%20ENCYCLOPEDIA%20OF%20RELIGION%20trinitarian%20formula&f=false">459</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The article "Baptism, Early Church," in <em>Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics</em> (1963) at 1016 concluded: "The cumulative evidence of these three lines of criticism (textual, literary and historical) is distinctly <strong><em>against the view </em></strong>that Matthew 28:19 <strong><em>represent the exact words of Christ</em></strong>." (Quoted in Oneil McQuick, <em>The Voice</em> (2005) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=J4fZeuyXWXEC&lpg=PA459&dq=HASTINGS%20ENCYCLOPEDIA%20OF%20RELIGION%20trinitarian%20formula&pg=PA459#v=onepage&q=HASTINGS%20ENCYCLOPEDIA%20OF%20RELIGION%20trinitarian%20formula&f=false">459</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Catholics even appear to admit their mischevious change in Matthew 28:19. The <em>Jerusalem Bible</em> (N.Y.: 1966), a scholarly Catholic work, states at 64 note<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=O8yr3eoDyVIC&lpg=PA14&dq=so%20far%20as%20the%20fullness%20of%20its%20expression%20is%20concerned%2C%20is%20a%20reflection%20of%20the%20liturgical%20usage%20established%20later&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q=so%20far%20as%20the%20fullness%20of%20its%20expression%20is%20concerned,%20is%20a%20reflection%20of%20the%20liturgical%20usage%20established%20later&f=false"> g</a>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"It may be that this formula, [<em>i.e.</em>, the Triune Matthew 28:19) so far as the fullness of its expression is concerned, is <strong><em>a reflection of the liturgical usage established later<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></em></strong>in the primitive community. It will be remembered that Acts speaks of baptizing "in the name of Jesus,"...."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">We should not be thus surprised that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope, may have admitted four years after the Jerusalem Bible's statement -- in 1970 --- that Rome created and added the Trinity formula to the liturgy of Baptism. Talking about the baptismal formula in the apostle's creed, he wrote: "The basic form of our profession of faith took shape during the course of the second and third centuries in connection with the ceremony of baptism. So far as its place of<strong><em> origin is concerned</em></strong>, the text came <strong><em>from the city of Rome</em></strong>." (Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger, <em>Introduction to Christianity</em> (1970) - <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LJlkwvExekkC&lpg=PA84&vq=city%20of%20rome&pg=PA83#v=onepage&q=city%20of%20rome&f=false">viewable quote</a>.) He does go on to say it was based fundamentally upon Matthew 28:19, yet at the same time, he appears to speak like the Jerusalem Bible that the "profession" in Baptism -- the Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- had its origin at Rome in an evolution centuries after Christ.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The crack in the Catholic position began long prior to the<em> Jerusalem Bible</em>. In 1923, Bernard Henry Cuneo wrote <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Lord_s_command_to_baptise.html?id=motbAAAAMAAJ">The Lord's Command To Baptize: An Historical Critical Investigation</a></em> as part of the Catholic University's <em>New Testament Studies</em> (No. 5)(Washington DC) where at page <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=motbAAAAMAAJ&q=later+development#search_anchor">27</a> /<a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/MN41385ucmf_3/MN41385ucmf_3_djvu.txt"> archive.org</a> we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The passages in Acts and the Letters of St. Paul. These passages seem to point to the earliest form as baptism in the name of the Lord...Is it possible to reconcile these facts with the belief that Christ commanded his disciples to baptize in the triune form? Had Christ given such a command, it is urged, the Apostolic Church would have followed him, and we should have some trace of this obedience in the New Testament. <strong><em>No such trace can be found. </em></strong>The only explanation of this silence, according to the anti-traditional view, is this the short christological (Jesus Name) formula was original, and <strong>the longer trine formula was a later development</strong>."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, even the Catholic scholars and leaders recognize the compelling evidence that had Matthew 28:19 included the trinity-formula for baptism as Jesus's own command, we inexplicably have abundant NT quotes that baptism was only in Jesus' name.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The truth is obvious. The Trinity baptism text of Matthew 28:19 did not originate from the original Church that started in Jerusalem around AD 33. It was <strong><em>a deliberate forgery</em></strong>, apparently added after 325 A.D. to support the emerging Trinity doctrine.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> STUDY NOTES</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This issue over Matthew 28:19 is discussed in S. Rives, Original Gospel of Matthew (2d Ed. 2014), in Appendix J in volume 2. We have excerpted it <a href="/aboutauthor/633-matthew-28-19-in-original-gospel-of-matthew.html">here</a> with authorizaiton.</span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 19268383<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
562
aboutauthor/253-one-and-only-issue-in-john-114.html
Normal file
562
aboutauthor/253-one-and-only-issue-in-john-114.html
Normal file
File diff suppressed because one or more lines are too long
649
aboutauthor/33-sabbathcommand.html
Normal file
649
aboutauthor/33-sabbathcommand.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,649 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/33-sabbathcommand.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Sabbath, false apostle paul" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Sabbath Command" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="history of when Sabbath abrogated among Christians, and transferred to Sunday" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Sabbath Command</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><p><span style="font-family: "andale mono", times; font-size: 12pt;">This is a rebellious people, lying children, that will not hear the Law of Yahweh. Isaiah 30:9.</span></p></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 3288" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "3288") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img src="/images/stories/christ-the-redeemer.jpg" alt="christ-the-redeemer" width="250" height="190" style="margin-left: 10px; float: right;" /><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Sabbath Command</span>:</span></h1>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Applicable to Gentiles in Community of Israel 1250 BC?</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Sabbath is commanded to be observed by one of the Ten Commandments issued to Moses in 1250 BC. (Ex 20:8.) In the first century AD, Jesus taught the Law was still to be observed by His disciples until the heavens and earth pass away. (Matt. 5:17-19.) Jesus regularly observed Sabbath, and attended service readings of the Law. (Luke 4:16.) Luke personally did likewise. See Acts 16:13. The early Christian church attended Sabbath services as well. (Acts 13:42-43, Barnabas and Paul attended synagogue on Sabbath, and Jews and Gentiles ("devout proselytes") begged another sermon about Christ from them on the next Sabbath.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Sabbath-command applies to sojourners / foreigners (<em>i.e.</em>, Gentiles) just as much as to Sons of Israel. See Deut. 5:12-15; Lev. 25:6; Exo 23:12. (On what part of the Law applies to Gentiles, see our discussion at this <a href="/aboutauthor/98-law-applicable-today.html">link</a></span>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Influence on Gentiles</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;">The seven day week is a universal phenomenon (coincidence?), tracing back to the Babylonians after they captured the Israelites and brought them to Babylon. The Bablyonians practiced it by 600 BC, coinciding with the captivity of the Jews, with the holy day being the "seventh day" of the week (<em>i.e.</em>, today’s Saturday). (See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven-day_week"><span style="color: #000000;">Wikipedia</span></a>.) While they did not apparently call it Sabbath, it functioned that way. Hence, apparently many Gentiles were generally following this practice outside of Israel by at least 600 BC. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">India / Hindus had a seven day week by about 100 BC, with an equivalent to Saturday as the seventh day. China in the 4th Century AD adopted the seven day week, influenced by the Christian Manichean sect. <em>Id. </em>Japan adopted the seven day week as early as 1007 AD. <em>Id.</em> And now it is truly universal</span>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em><br /></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">God's Promise of Salvation to Gentiles Links It To Obedience to the Seventh-Day Sabbath</span></strong></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The promise in Isaiah 56 of salvation to Gentiles ("my salvation is about to come", <a href="http://bible.cc/isaiah/56-1.htm">56:1</a>) was predicated on two things: "<em><strong>keep the Sabbath</strong></em> from profaning it and <em><strong>keep his hand from doing evil.</strong></em>" (Isaiah <a href="http://bible.cc/isaiah/56-2.htm">56:2</a>) or "who <em><strong>keep My Sabbaths</strong></em>, and choose things that please Me, and<em><strong> take hold of my covenant</strong></em>." (Isaiah <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/isaiah/passage.aspx?q=isaiah+56:4;isaiah+56:6">56:4,6</a>). Essentially, the salvation of a Gentile -- according to God's word -- turns on obeying the Sabbath and keeping from evil as outlined in His covenant, <em>i.e.</em>, taking hold of at least those commands which apply expressly to sojourners / foreigners. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">God promises eunuchs in return for obedience that "I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off." (Isaiah <a href="http://bible.cc/isaiah/56-5.htm">56:5</a>.) God similarly then promises the Gentiles / "foreigners" (who similarly obey) that "I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer," and "their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar...." (Isaiah <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+56&version=NASB">56:7</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><img src="/images/Isaiah_56_6-7.png" alt="Isaiah 56 6-7" width="430" height="168" style="float: right;" /></span></p>
|
||||
<h2> </h2>
|
||||
<h2> </h2>
|
||||
<h2> </h2>
|
||||
<h2> </h2>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Early Church Was Predominantly Obedient On Sabbath</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In obvious reliance upon Jesus (and hence rejection of <a href="/aboutauthor/242-paul-abolished-sabbath.html">Paul's abolition of Sabbath</a>), the early church continued to obey Sabbath on Saturday for several hundred years after Christ while worshipping either on Saturday or on the Lord's Day - our present Sunday.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Ante-Nicene church records from 125 A.D. to 325 A.D. clearly show the church's general practice was:</span></p>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">to keep <strong><em>the rest</em></strong> commanded for Sabbath on what we call now Saturday, but they typically<strong><em> also assembled on Sabbath for worship</em></strong>; and</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">on what we today call Sunday (and they called the Lord's Day), they <strong><em>did not rest</em></strong> but typically assembled for worship.</span></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">See the Eastern canonical book (adopted 692 AD) and early canon of Syrian-Antioch church </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostolic_Constitutions">Constitution of the Apostles</a></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (ca. 300 A.D.) Book 7, ch. XXIII at this books.google </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LphsM3-c8acC&dq=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&pg=PA175#v=onepage&q=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&f=false" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">link</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> ("but the Sabbath </span><em></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">and the Lord's day</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><em> </em></strong></span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">keep as festivals, because the former is the memorial of creation </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;"></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">and the latter of the resurrection"); ch. XXX at this </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LphsM3-c8acC&dq=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&pg=PA179#v=onepage&q=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&f=false" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">link </a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(Lord's day is day to assemble, not rest); Book 5, ch. XX at this </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LphsM3-c8acC&dq=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&pg=PA129#v=onepage&q=%22Constitution%20of%20the%20Apostles%22&f=false" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">link</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">)("Every Sabbath </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;"></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">and every Lord's day </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;"></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">hold your religious assemblies").</span></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Bingham, a Christian scholar, summarizes numerous ancient sources besides <em>Constitutions</em> and confirms this was the overwhelming practice of the early church: "The ancient Christians were very careful in the observation of <strong><em>Saturday</em></strong>, or the seventh day... It is plain that all the Oriental [Eastern] churches, and the greatest part of the world, <strong><em>observed the Sabbath as a festival</em></strong>... Athanasius likewise tells us that they held religious assemblies on the Sabbath, not because they were infected with Judaism,<strong><em> but to worship Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath</em></strong>, Epiphanius says the same." (Joseph Bingham,<em> Antiquities of the Christian Church </em>(1878) Vol. II, Bk. xx, Ch. 3, Sec. 1, 66. 1137,1136). See also Bingham, <em>Works of Bingham</em> at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=FwFKAAAAMAAJ&dq=Bingham%2C%20Antiquities%20of%20the%20Christian%20Church&pg=PA542#v=onepage&q=sabbath&f=false">542</a> ("Sabbath of every week was observed in many churches;" <em>Id</em>. at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=FwFKAAAAMAAJ&dq=Bingham%2C%20Antiquities%20of%20the%20Christian%20Church&pg=PA543#v=onepage&q=sabbath&f=false"> 543</a> (communion was sometimes on Sabbath but typically on Sunday.) <em>See also</em> Bingham, <em>Antiquities of the Christian Church</em> Vol. IV at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=opwHAAAAQAAJ&dq=Bingham%2C%20Antiquities%20of%20the%20Christian%20Church&pg=RA1-PA233#v=onepage&q=sabbath&f=false">233</a> (quotes Athanasius again).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This means the Sabbath persisted for these several hundred years despite Paul's pronouncement in 50 AD that the Sabbath was abolished. (See <a href="/aboutauthor/242-paul-abolished-sabbath.html">our</a> link on Paul's words doing so</span>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Etymological Practices That Speak Volumes Proving Persistent Early Observance</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This explains why if you spoke a European language today, you would be </span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">using the word "Sabbath" for day seven of each week instead of "Saturn's-Day" -- Saturday in English. In Spanish, day seven is "Sabado" -- Sabbath, not "Saturno." In Italy, day seven is "Sabato" -- not "Saturno." In Russian -- Subbota; in Portguese --- </span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Sábado. In Romanian --- Sâmbat. In Greek -- Savato. In Armenian - Shabat. In Georgian - Sabati, etc. ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Week-day_names">Weekday Names</a>," <em>Wikipedia</em>.) In fact, even outside Europe we find Sabbath continues as the name used in many nations simply modified to their language: Somalia -Sabti; Arabic - as-Sabt; Malta - Is-Sibt; Malaysia - Sabtu; Indonesia - Sabtu; and Sudan - Sabtu. </span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Further, the Didache from 100-200 AD is confirmed as correct that "Sunday" was at the same time kept weekly as the "Lord's Day." The European tongues likewise all call our English "Sun-Day" the "Lord's Day," <em>i.e.</em>, "Domingo" (Spanish) and "Domenica" (Italian), etc. As <em>Answers.com</em> explains, English is <strong>anomolous</strong> in erasing the faith-aspect of what originally was present - "Sabbath" and the "Lord's Day" for days seven and one:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In Spanish, that leaves the words for Saturday and Sunday that weren't adopted using the Roman naming pattern. </span><em style="font-family: Verdana; line-height: 18px;">Domingo</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, the word for Sunday, comes from a Latin word meaning "Lord's day." And </span><em style="font-family: Verdana; line-height: 18px;">sábado</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, the word for Saturday, <em><strong>comes from the Hebrew word Sabbath, meaning a day of rest</strong> </em>(in Jewish and Christian tradition, God rested on the seventh day of creation). ("<a href="http://spanish.about.com/od/historyofspanish/a/names_of_days.htm">Names of Days</a>").</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This is an etymological proof that there was such a long standing original Sabbath-observance practice that Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese, Romanians, Greeks, Russians, etc., refused to buckle in the 300s when the name change was being enforced. These Europeans to this day call day seven "Sabbath."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The British Christians were more pagan and amenable to change. When in the 300s AD Rome insisted they adopt a celestial god's name to be associated with each day (see next section), they had no problem using "Saturn" -- Saturday -- for Sabbath, and the "Sun-god" for Sunday -- the Lord's Day. As <a href="http://webclipart.about.com/od/Calendar_Clip_Art/ss/Origins-Of-The-English-Names-For-The-Days-Of-The-Week.htm"><em>Origins of the English Names for the Days of the Week Explains</em></a>: "English, like most of the Germanic languages, preserves the <em><strong>original pagan/sun associations of the day</strong></em>."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(This is similar to the English calling Jesus' Passion week "Easter" after the goddess "Eostre" -- Celtic for Osiris, but in Spain and Italy it is still called "Passover" -- Pascua and Pasqua respectively -- the Spaniards and Italians </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>et al., </em></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">retaining the passion's original spiritual connection to the Hebrew feast of Passover).</span></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">When Did The Rules Change?</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Sabbath was the universal day of rest until Rome in the early 300s tried to wipe it out. Then in 321 A.D., Rome, at Emperor Constantine's insistence, instituted the observance of a day of rest to his pagan Sun-God, <em>i.e.</em>, Sun-Day. (See <a href="/aboutauthor/239-council-of-nicea-of-325-ad.html">our </a>link.) Constantine by law was Pontifex Maximus. This title made him the supreme Bishop of the Catholic Church and all religions at Rome. Thus when he issued a civil law making Sunday a worship day to the Sun-god — his pagan sun-God which he retained despite claiming in 324 AD that he also had been a Christian since 315AD, everyone had to comply and observe Sun-day to honor Sol Invictus --- meaning the pagan god whOde name means the Unconquered Sun. As <em>Wikipedia</em> under "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbath">Sabbath</a>" records:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0.5em 30px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Roman emperor Constantine, a sun-worshiper, professed his conversion to Christianity, although his subsequent actions suggest that <strong><em>t</em></strong><em><strong>he “conversion” was more of a political move than a genuine change of heart</strong></em>. Constantine proclaimed himself Bishop of the Catholic Church and then enacted the first civil law regarding Sunday observance in A.D. 321.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<dl style="margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; margin-left: 30px;"><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"On the<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"> venerable day of the sun</span></strong> let the magistrate and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however, persons engaged in agricultural work may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain growing or for vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost." <sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbath#cite_note-1" style="color: #0b0080; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a></sup></span></dd></dl>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0.5em 30px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Note that Constantine’s law <strong><em>did not mention Sabbath but referred to it as a “the venerable day of the sun.”</em></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Roman Catholic Church gradually adopted thereafter Sun-day as a day of rest in place of the traditional Sabbath. As Eusebius explains in the 330s in his commentary on Psalms, a Sabbath rest should now be on Sunday and "we" (the Roman Church to which he belonged) "<strong><em>transferred</em></strong>" the Sabbath to Sun-day, the Lord's Day:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"And all things that were duty to do on the Sabbath, these <strong><em>we have transferred to the Lord's day</em></strong>, as more appropriately belong to it, because it has precedence and is first in rank, and more honorable than the Jewish sabbath." (Robert Cox, <em>Sabbath Literature</em> (1865) Vol. I at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=DJIIAAAAQAAJ&dq=cox%2C%20sabbath%20literature%20we%20have%20transferred%20to%20the%20lord's%20day&pg=PA361#v=onepage&q&f=false">361</a>, quoting Eusebius from circa 325 AD.) See also, Robert Cox, <em>Literature of the Sabbath Question</em> (1865) at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=DJIIAAAAQAAJ&dq=cox%2C%20sabbath%20literature&pg=PA363#v=onepage&q=jewish%20sabbath&f=false"> 363</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In 336 AD, at the Council of Laodicea, the Roman Catholic Church without shame declared it had the power to move Sabbath to Sunday. This is still admitted in the modern era in Catholic catechism classes. See, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Rev. Peter Geiermann, C.SS.R., (1946), <em>Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine</em>, p. 50</span>. </span>In <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>Wikipedia</em>, we have an extensive quote from page 50 of t</span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">he Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<dl style="margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; margin-left: 30px;"><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Q. Which is the Sabbath day?</span></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A. <em><strong>Saturday is the Sabbath day.</strong></em></span></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?</span></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because <em><strong>the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea, (AD 336) transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday</strong></em>….</span></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Q. Why did the Catholic Church substitute Sunday for Saturday?</span></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A. The Church <em><strong>substituted Sunday for Saturday</strong></em>, because Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday, and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles on a Sunday.</span></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Q. <em><strong>By what authority did the Church substitute Sunday for Saturday</strong></em>?</span></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.6; margin-left: 31px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A. The Church substituted Sunday for Saturday<strong><em> by the plenitude of that divine power which Jesus Christ bestowed upon her!</em></strong></span><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbath#cite_note-2" style="color: #0b0080; white-space: nowrap; background: none;"><br /></a></sup></span></dd></dl>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In 363 AD, Catholicism Curses Sabbath-Keepers</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It was only in 363 A.D. that the Roman Catholic Church went so far as to make it a heresy and anathema to rest on the Saturday-Sabbath. At the Council of Laodicea of 363 A.D.—one of the first church councils controlled primarily by the Roman Bishop—it was decided to deem heretical and anathema (cursed) the practice of keeping Sabbath. (Canon 29.) (<em>Nicene and PostNicene Fathers </em>(1990), supra, XIV at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=5oEXAAAAYAAJ&dq=if%20any%20shall%20be%20found%20to%20be%20judaizers%2C%20let%20them%20be%20anathema%20from%20Christ&pg=PA148#v=onepage&q=if%20any%20shall%20be%20found%20to%20be%20judaizers,%20let%20them%20be%20anathema%20from%20Christ&f=false">148</a>.) This officially declared Sabbath was moved to Sunday. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Council claimed Sabbath-keeping was “judaizing.” (See next quote below.) Even though the term "judaizing" is not found in the NT, this was how by 363 AD Roman Catholicism came to describe the enemies of Paul's doctrine in Galatians even as the <em><strong>Catholics now embraced Paul's anti-law positions</strong></em>. The Catholic Church now claimed any effort to follow the Law given Moses (besides faith) <em><strong>severs one from Christ</strong></em>. Hence, Roman Catholicism now wielded as a pejorative the term "judaizer" against those who resisted that the Roman rulers' decrees that Sabbath as Saturday was abolished in favor of Sun-Day (<strong>Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers</strong> </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;"> </em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(1990), supra, XIV at </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=5oEXAAAAYAAJ&dq=if%20any%20shall%20be%20found%20to%20be%20judaizers%2C%20let%20them%20be%20anathema%20from%20Christ&pg=PA148#v=onepage&q=if%20any%20shall%20be%20found%20to%20be%20judaizers,%20let%20them%20be%20anathema%20from%20Christ&f=false" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">148</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">.) The church decree reads in part:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Christians must not judaize by resting on the <strong><em>Sabbath, but must work on that day</em></strong>, rather, honoring the Lord’s day [<em>i.e.</em>, Sunday]; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ. <em>Id., </em>at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=5oEXAAAAYAAJ&dq=if%20any%20shall%20be%20found%20to%20be%20judaizers%2C%20let%20them%20be%20anathema%20from%20Christ&pg=PA148#v=onepage&q=if%20any%20shall%20be%20found%20to%20be%20judaizers,%20let%20them%20be%20anathema%20from%20Christ&f=false">148</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">See also Bingham, <em>Antiquities of the Christian Church</em> at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=opwHAAAAQAAJ&dq=Bingham%2C%20Antiquities%20of%20the%20Christian%20Church&pg=RA1-PA235#v=onepage&q=sabbath&f=false">235</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The same history is recounted by the Jewish scholar, Abraham Millgram in <em>Sabbath: Day of Delight</em> (1965). We have typed up his four page discussion of such history at this<a href="/aboutauthor/287-millgram-on-paul-a-sabbath.html"> link</a></span>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Roman Catholic Archbishop Of Our Era Admits This Was An Unbiblical Change</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Heroically but without effect, a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore, Cardinal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gibbons">James Gibbons</a>, tried to confess this error. Perhaps he hoped Catholicism would reverse this error. Gibbons wrote in </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>The Faith of Our Fathers</em> (1917) that “you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures <em><strong>enforce the religious observance of Saturday</strong></em>, a day which we [Catholics] never sanctify.” (<em>Id.</em>, at 89.) He similarly wrote elsewhere: </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"For example, <em><strong>nowhere</strong></em> in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the <strong><em>Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday</em></strong>. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the Church <em><strong>outside the Bible</strong></em>." ("To Tell You The Truth," <em>Catholic Virginian</em> (Oct. 3, 1947) page 9, quoted in "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gibbons#cite_note-3">Gibbons</a>," Wikipedia.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, Gibbons implied the church could with equal authority change it back to what the Bible dictated. Gibbons' subtelty apparently was too subtle, and no one listened</span>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul in 500s Cited By Catholicism To Curse Sabbath-Keepers</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Despite heavy pressure from Catholicism beginning in the 300s to end Sabbath observance, many Christians resisted. Good Christians tried to continue resting on Sabbath as had been the tradition from Christ to the late 300s. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In the 500s, Pope <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_I">Gregory the Great</a> (540-604 AD) actually claimed that anyone who wished to still keep the Sabbath by resting from work besides worshipping on the Lord's Day [<em>i.e.</em>, on Sunday] had <strong><em>the spirit of the Anti-Christ</em></strong>. Not only that, the pope, <em><strong>relying upon Paul's words in Galatians 5:2</strong></em>, clearly implied that those observing Sabbath were now cut off from Christ. The pope equated them to persons who must endorse circumcision too for Gentiles -- a red-herring:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"What else can I call these but preachers of the <strong><em>Anti-Christ</em></strong>...he must say too that the commandment of circumcision of the body is to be retained. But let him hear <strong>the apostle Paul</strong> saying in opposition 'If you be circumcised, Christ profits you nothing.' Gal. 5:2.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(Philip Schaff, <em>Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Second Series</em> (2007) Volume XIII <em>Gregory the Great</em> at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=lE_TafAcVkUC&lpg=PA92&dq=intitle%3ANicene%20intitle%3Aand%20intitle%3APost-nicene%20intitle%3Afathers%20judaizing%20sabbath&pg=PA92#v=onepage&q&f=false">92</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As one can see, the Roman Catholic church<strong><em> knew Paul was its ally to abolish Sabbath</em> </strong>to conform to the desires of the Roman state. And this was the period where Rome (the state) wished to do away with Sabbath -- a costly second day of rest during a 7 day week. (Rome could not afford our current 2 days of rest of both Saturday and Sunday.) Rome -- the state -- instead required all citizens to worship and rest on Sun-Day (<em>i.e.</em>, the day of Sol Invictus, the god-of-the-Sun.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul's Writings Beginning in 300s Are Elevated To Support Christian Worship on Day of Sun-God</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, it was precisely in this period when <strong><em>Paul's writings for the first time were taken very seriously</em></strong>, and were now officially promoted. As Thomas F. Martin in "<a href="http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/journal_of_early_christian_studies/v008/8.2martin.html">Vox Pauli</a>," in the <em>Journal of Early Christian Studies</em> says:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"From the mid-300s <small class="caps">C.E.</small> to the mid-400s, there was a<strong><em> marked turn towards the figure and theology of Paul</em></strong>, indicated by the flurry of commentaries on Pauline letters written during that period." (<em>Journal of Early Christian Studies</em> - Volume 8, Number 2, Summer 2000, pp. 237-272.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Despite the Western church's <em><strong>late turn towards Paul,</strong></em> the Catholic rulings abolishing Sabbath on Saturday in 336 AD and again in 363 AD at Rome were never accepted outside of Roman territories. The Eastern Orthodox have always maintained Christians must keep the Sabbath on Saturday while worshipping on Sunday. "Orthodox Christians continue to celebrate Saturday as Sabbath." ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbath_in_Christianity#Eastern_Christianity">Sabbath in Christianity</a>," <em>Wikipedia</em>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Roman Catholicism Later Embraces Full Blown Apostasy from God's Law in 1200s</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In time, Roman Catholicism even hardened its position further in favor of Paulinism's anti-Law position. Thomas Aquinas in the 1200s went so far as to say that <strong>practicing ritual elements of the Mosaic law</strong> (which he said included the Sabbath rest) was a <strong>mortal sin</strong>, as it was tantamount to denying that the Messiah had come. (Aquinas, St Thomas (1981) <em>Summa Theologiae</em> (Christian Classics) at 3020, referenced in "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gibbons#cite_note-3">Gibbons</a>," <em>Wikipedia</em>.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Doesn't the Bible speak of this -- about the ones calling darkness light, and light darkness? (See <a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/5-20.htm">Isaiah 5:20</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For a somewhat shorter PDF version of our article here, <a href="/images/stories/Lessons/sabbath rules changed in 364.pdf" target="_blank" title="Sabbath Command - When the Rules Changed">click here</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Terrible Consequence to Gentiles Who Obey Roman Catholics' Paganized Sabbath Change</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What is the consequence of abandoning Sabbath even though God said it applies to foreigners in community with Israel?</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>God will only remember His children</strong> by those who <strong>keep His Sabbaths</strong>. See <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+31%3A13&version=NIV">Exodus 31:13</a> (sign with God); <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+56%3A3-6&version=NIV">Isaiah 56:3-6</a> (eunuchs and foreigners who keep Sabbath, God will remember); and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+66%3A22-23&version=NIV">Isaiah 66:22-23</a> (in eternity, Sabbath will be kept</span>)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Daniel 7:25: Prophecy of Changing The Law and Times and Seasons</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Some say the Roman Catholic Church is the beast of Daniel because in 336 AD and repeated in 363 AD it changed the times and the seasons by moving Sabbath on Saturday to Sunday. See <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel+7%3A25&version=NIV">Dan. 7:25</a>. Thus, these same voices --- apparently the Adventist church --- claim anyone resting on Sunday has the mark of the beast. I take no position on those claims. But I do want to address an historically inaccurate rebuttal to such claims</span>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Error Of Those Who Claim Sabbath Was Never Kept by Predominant Christian Church</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">At a popular website, Sabbath Keepers Refuted, it claims the church never kept Sabbath on Saturday, and if any one set Sunday as Sabbath, it was the Roman government, not the Roman church. Hence, they contend those who obey Sabbath on Sunday do not have the mark of the beast - alleged to be Sunday Sabbatarianism. It claims:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"the universal record of history and the New Testament proves that<strong><em> Christians never kept the Sabbath after the resurrection of Christ</em></strong>." (Sabbath Keepers Refuted, <a href="http://www.bible.ca/7-change-times-seasons-daniel-7-25.htm">Sabbitarians and Mark of the Beast</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Roman Catholic Church supposedly only later joined in urging Christians to CHANGE from resting on Saturday to Sunday. Later the RCC made this a threatening command.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As one can see from the above impeccable scholarly sources and early church historians, the statement Christians "never kept the Sabbath" after the resurrection of Christ is untrue. The opposite is the case. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Even as of today, the Eastern Orthodox have two milennia of an unbroken history of keeping the Sabbath on Saturday. The Adventists or whoever make these 'mark-of-the-beast' claims are at least historically accurate.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mistranslations Designed to Mislead the Innocent God-Fearing Gentile</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">So why was Sabbath Keepers so insistent? Well, here is an ugly secret: the pro-Sunday translators repetitiously mistranslated Luke's descriptions in Acts of church meetings on "<em><strong>mia ton Sabbaton</strong></em>" - meaning "<em><strong>on one of the Sabbaths</strong></em>" -- as instead "<em><strong>on the first day of the week</strong></em>." For an example, see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+20%3A7&version=NIV">Acts 20:7</a> in the KJV & NIV. This is literally an<strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> off-the-wall translation</span></strong>. It has no excuse except to mislead innocent God-fearing people like those at Sabbath Keepers that Sunday was always the day of rest in the early church. For a detailed article at our site, see <a href="/aboutauthor/540-first-day-of-week-versus-one-of-the-sabbaths.html">First Day of the Week? Or On One of the Sabbaths?</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The King James, however, was not always consistent. It clearly has even Paul worshipping on Sabbath. For in Acts 13, we learn:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">13 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">14 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the <strong><em>sabbath day</em></strong>, and sat down. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2013&version=KJV">Acts 13:13-14</a> KJV.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul then gives a speech where he mentions the prophets are read every Sabbath day, as if that is a norm he personally experiences. Paul says even in the King James: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">27 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every <strong>sabbath</strong> day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2013&version=KJV">Acts 13:27</a> KJV.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Then Paul agrees to worship and lead a Sabbath observance of apparently new Christian Gentiles the next Sabbath! We read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">42 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the <em><strong>Gentiles</strong> </em>besought that these words [from Paul] might be preached to them <em><strong>the next sabbath</strong></em>. </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">43 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">44 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And the <em><strong>next sabbath day</strong></em> came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">45 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and <em><strong>spake against those things which were spoken by Paul</strong></em>, contradicting and blaspheming. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+13%3A42-45&version=NIV">Acts 13:42-45</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, the argument Paul only observed Sabbath because Jews followed Sabbath (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A1%2C4&version=KJV">Acts 18:1,4 KJV</a> "he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath") fails in light of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+13%3A42-45&version=NIV">Acts 13:42-45</a>. There Gentiles asked Paul to meet the next Sabbath with them, not the Jews, to hear more of his message. Paul had an opportunity to say there and then that he would meet them on Sunday, not Saturday, but Paul did not do so.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">So Sabbath Keepers' claim that no Christian followed Sabbath in the early church cannot be defended based upon even the King James Bible which <strong><em>inconsistently renders the word for Sabbath(s)</em></strong> as sometimes about <em><strong>the Sabbath</strong></em> in reference to Gentiles following Paul, and the day they met was Sabbath, while many other times obscured this fact by translating Sabbath in Greek as the <em><strong>first day of the week</strong>, i.e., </em>Sunday<em>.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, the King James Bible is the same Bible that translates the word "pascha" (passover) in Acts as <em><strong>Easter</strong></em> to make us think the apostles remembered Jesus' resurrection on the pagan holiday for the goddess Eostre. This is only true today, starting in the 300s under the pagan Constantine who as Pontifex Maximus over the Roman Catholic Church (and all other religions at Rome) moved the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus from Passover to the day to worship the goddess Easter (Eostre). See our article <a href="/aboutauthor/126-appendix-c-easter.html">Easter Error</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">What Day Is Sabbath?</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Law does not mandate how the sabbath is connected to the lunar cycle. Its first practice as of 1488 BC under the Law was that the first of the month -- the appearance of the new moon was the first Sabbath day of the month. Then every 7 days thereafter was the next Sabbath. After the 28th, there could be 1-2 non-week days added until the next new moon appeared. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, the law's ambiguity -- actually silence -- on how to calculate the sabbath cycles means the Levitical priests had authority under <a href="http://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/17-8.htm">Deut 17:8</a> to resolve a difficult legal case such as what dates trigger the sabbath cycle. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As of 1000 BC, the Jewish religious authorities modified the cycle to what we have today with a slight amendation in 700 BC. The relic of these ancient decisions is the remnant of "Sabbath" as the name for the Sabbath day surviving in European and non-European tongues nearly universally. It only is not followed in English-German languages which still call it Saturn's Day, as decreed in the 300s by Constantine.</span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;">Sabbath: Is It The 12 Hours From Sunrise Saturday to Sunset?</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">By the way, it was apparently a late oral tradition in Judaism as a hedge around the Law to start Sabbath rest on the prior evening of Friday. However, the meaning of "Day" in Gen. 1:5 was the <strong><em>daylight portion</em></strong> from sunrise to sunset, and "night" was from sunset to sunrise. Hence, true Sabbath Day rest <strong><em>begins Saturday morning, and ends Saturday at dusk</em></strong>. For an excellent article on this at a website dedicated to this issue, see <a href="http://www.12hoursabbath.com/">http://www.12hoursabbath.com</a>. See footnotes for that page at <a href="http://12hoursabbath.com/page2.php">http://12hoursabbath.com/page2.php</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Importantly, the author explains that Lev. 23:32 is not support for including the prior evening in the weekly Sabbath rest. That verse instead addresses the Day of Atonement, and how it is measured. <em>Id. </em>The 12 hour weekly sabbath is at <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus+23%3A3&version=NIV">23:3 </a>but the annual 24 hour sabbath for the Day of Atonement is in 23:32 which takes in parts of 2 days, and all of one night.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In agreement, please note that Bingham (quoted above) mentioned that the early Christians rested on "Saturday." There is nothing about adding Friday night to the Sabbath rest. Hence, history confirms Sabbath is Saturday only. And Gen. 1:5 proves this means the daylight period</span>.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;">A Holy Assembly / Holy Convocation: Is Church-Assembly or Private "Holy" Rest Required?</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Sabbath Command in Leviticus (unlike in Exodus 20:8) refers to a holy assembly or in some translations a "holy convocation."</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>3</sup>six days is work done, and in the seventh day [is] a sabbath of rest, a <strong><em>holy convocation [or assembly]</em></strong> ye do no work; it [is] a sabbath to Jehovah [sic: Yahweh] in all your dwellings. (Lev. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus%2023:3&version=YLT">23:3</a>.)(KJV)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Some explain the word meaning at issue as follows: "The original Hebrew word that is translated as 'convocation' is (pronounced) <em>mik-raw</em> means <em>a <strong>called assembly</strong></em>." (Wayne Blank, "<a href="http://www.keyway.ca/htm2004/20040219.htm">Convocation</a>.")</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But at least two translations are "holy assembly" - NIV, Holman, Cfr. "holy convocation" NASB, ESV, KJV, YLT. See Bible Hub <a href="http://biblehub.com/leviticus/23-3.htm">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Does this mean by our rest we are involved in a holy assembly de facto? Or is this an independent obligation to call a meeting with others on Sabbath? After all, when the command to obey Sabbath is given in Exodus 20:8 and elsewhere, it includes no command about a Holy Convocation / Assembly.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul Kroll at Grace Communion Ministries did a thorough article on this issue, and concluded Leviticus 23:3 means that one's rest on Sabbath is one's holy assembly before God. See this<a href="https://www.gci.org/law/sabbath/lev23"> link</a>. His explanation is:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The essence of Sabbath-keeping was physical rest. In </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Exodus%2020.8-11" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" data-reference="Exodus 20.8-11" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Exodus 20:8-11</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> and </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Deuteronomy%205.12-15" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" data-reference="Deuteronomy 5.12-15" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Deuteronomy 5:12-15</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, the Sabbath command specifies rest from labor as the way to keep the day “holy.” There is no mention of going to a worship service each Sabbath. Other passages in the Old Testament also define the Sabbath by rest, </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><em></em></span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> not by attendance at worship services. See </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Exodus%2031.12-17" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" data-reference="Exodus 31.12-17" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Exodus 31:12-17</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Numbers%2015.32" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" data-reference="Numbers 15.32" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Numbers 15:32</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Nehemiah%2013.15-22" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" data-reference="Nehemiah 13.15-22" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Nehemiah 13:15-22</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> and </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Jeremiah%2017.19-27" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" data-reference="Jeremiah 17.19-27" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Jeremiah 17:19-27</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">. The latter two passages, though they refer to Jerusalem, do not mention anything about failure to attend worship services or “sacred assemblies,” but only work on the Sabbath as a desecration of this day.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul Kroll concludes that therefore Leviticus 23:3 would be anomolous:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It would be strange, then, to have one phrase in </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Leviticus%2023.3" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" data-reference="Leviticus 23.3" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Leviticus 23:3</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> refer to a weekly worship service commanded for all Israel, and then claim that this was just as important as resting as a way to keep the Sabbath. It would be a mistake to assume such a teaching from a single and vague phrase in one verse when the entire witness of the Old Testament does not mention worship service attendance in conjunction with the Sabbath.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul Kroll then concludes that one's rest was one's sacred assembly -- the rest itself is a form of assembly:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Let us look at <a href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Leviticus%2023.3" target="_blank" class="rtBibleRef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #312c75; text-decoration: underline;" data-reference="Leviticus 23.3" data-version="niv" data-purpose="bible-reference">Leviticus 23:3</a> directly: “There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">rest,</em> a day of sacred assembly. You are <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">not to do any work;</em>wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord.” The verse emphasizes <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">rest</em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Since the passage is about resting and not working, it seems that the expression “<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">day</em> of sacred assembly” is a parallel to “Sabbath to the Lord” and refers not so much to official communal worship on the Sabbath but to the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">day </em>itself as being a “sacred assembly.”</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The phrase “day of sacred assembly” can be understood as a “sacred day of celebration” or a “sacred occasion,” as well as a “sacred assembly” or convocation. The weekly Sabbath, as well as the annual festivals, were occasions to worship and praise God for the abundance of his physical blessings and for saving Israel from bondage in Egypt. But this worship and praise could be given to God in the Israelites’ participation in rest itself (thus experiencing the blessings of Yahweh through rest), as well as in contemplation and conversation <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">at home.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">By resting from their labor and self-interests on the weekly Sabbath, the Israelites were presenting themselves before God through rest. Resting was a way of being in the presence of God and fulfilling his sacred purpose. The only people who were commanded to come to the Temple for worship were the Levites and priests. On behalf of the entire nation, they performed the prescribed ceremonies. There was no command for people to watch them, or for them to teach the people. It was simply not possible for very many people to be there.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">My instincts tell me this is correct but at the same time that congregating on Sabbath is permissible and probably advisable.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, we should not put a burden from the Law on people without very good reason. The fact that the majority of times the Sabbath command is given -- six times -- without the command of a "holy assembly" -- suggests to me that it is simply synonymous with the concept of rest on Sabbath.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Second, even so, the term "holy assembly" still has meaning for your rest time. You should not use your rest for any unholy activity. It is sacred time. This could support that "holy assembly" means your rest time.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Regardless, to be safe in this regard, my recommendation is you make it your custom to have church on Saturday, <em>i.e.</em>, Sabbath. The first reason is: why not? Second, better safe than sorry -- the theory behind 'hedges' around the Law makes perfect sense in this regard. Finally, Jesus "made it his custom" to <em><strong>attend Scripture readings on Sabbath in the synagogue</strong></em> (Luke 4:14-16), so He found it worthwhile. Why shouldn't we do so too? </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">I currently attend church on Saturday, so this removes the concern for me over whether Mr. Kroll is correct or not. I suggest others do likewise.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">What If A Sacred Meeting Is Meant Instead?</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Assuming a holy convocation in Leviticus 23:3 means an assembled "meeting," and is not synonymous with one's "rest", what does it mean? One commentator says it is simple:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"We should meet and worship with others." ("<a href="http://www.godssabbathtruth.com/sabbath-keeping.html">How do we keep the Sabbath</a>.")</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I would say a "meeting" is more. Jesus says "where <strong><em>two or three</em></strong> are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matt. 18:20</span>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Where would this be? Jesus said the Temple would soon be no more, and "God is a spirit" (who can be anywhere in Spirit), and God then wants a particular kind of worshipper rather than a place of worship:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>21</sup>Jesus saith to her, `Woman, believe me, that there doth come an hour, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>22</sup>ye worship what ye have not known; we worship what we have known, because the salvation is of the Jews;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>23</sup>but, there cometh an hour, and it now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also doth seek such to worship him;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>24</sup><strong><em>God [is] a Spirit</em></strong>, and those worshipping Him,<em><strong> in spirit and truth</strong></em> it doth behove to worship.' (John <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%204:21-24&version=YLT">4:21-24</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, once the Temple would be gone, a meeting with other believers<em><strong> would be at least 2 persons meeting in God's name to pray and worship</strong></em>. Anywhere. God is a Spirit, and can be with us even in a small assembly anywhere. After the Temple would be gone, there is no applicable regulation as to a place or duration or even an order of worship. The early church predominantly met in open <strong><em>fields or in homes</em></strong>. See our page "<a href="/aboutauthor/101-jesus-on-church-structure.html">Church Structure</a>." </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Furthermore, there is no command to meet with as many people as possible. A meeting in your home with your spouse / children / a friend complies with the Sabbath command, if it truly means a meeting, now that the Temple is gone. As long as you are truly worshipping God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What if you live where you can find no other believers? How do you comply with a meeting requirement, if truly present? I believe that Jesus taught even when you are one by yourself and pray in secret, that the Father still hears and still answers. (Matt 6:6, pray in secret, and the Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.) Also, in the Original Gospel of Matthew reconstructed by Rives, we read Matthew originally had a slight but important reference to one who is alone: "<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Wherever there are two, they are not without God. And wherever there is one alone, I say I am with him." (Matt 18:20, <a href="/images/stories/JWOBook/ogm2012.htm">OGM</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, if you alone are worshipping in Jesus’ presence — calling Him to come be with you, is that a holy meeting? I don't see why not. Of course, I would recommend a convocation of at least one other as your aim. This can be with your spouse or child, as long as you pray in spirit and truth, and worship God with praise.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, there is no barrier to also worshipping on Sunday. You can do that too. God never says "no" to more time with us. We can celebrate this as the day of Jesus / Yahshua's resurrection</span>.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">What is Worship?</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Assuming again that Sabbath is not just rest, but a day of worship in a meeting, how do we do worship? This answer can apply to the Lord's Day instead or in addition, depending on what the Holy Spirit has taught you is the answer regarding Leviticus 23:3. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus with His disciples went away to quiet outdoor places to pray and sing psalms. Jesus in praying often fell on His face -- meaning prostrating himself on the ground. He prayed to the Father in the hearing of His disciples, but apparently it was a private personal prayer.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What should we do? Should we follow Jesus' example?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Ron Owens in an article "<a href="http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/articles/full.asp?id=25|58|343">Worship Service: A Hindrance or a Highway for Revival</a>" explains what is Biblical worship and that we are not practicing it by-and-large:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The primary word used in the Old Testament for worship is the Hebrew word <em>shachah</em>. In each of its 170 uses, it has the same meaning: to <em><strong>prostrate oneself, to bow down or stoop</strong></em>. In the New Testament, the Greek word for worship, proskuneo, has virtually the same meaning: <em><strong>to crouch, prostrate oneself, to kiss the hand, do reverence, to adore</strong></em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Examples from Scripture reveal</span>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And Abram <em><strong>fell on his face</strong></em>: and God talked with him, saying, (Genesis 17:3)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And <em><strong>I bowed down my head</strong></em>, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son. (Genesis 24:48)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua<em><strong> fell on his face to the earth, and did worship</strong></em>, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? (Joshua 5:14)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and<em><strong> they fell upon their faces</strong></em>: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. (Numbers 20:6)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Come, let us <em><strong>bow down in worship, let us kneel</strong></em> before the LORD our Maker; (Psalms 95:6)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and <em><strong>fell before the throne on their faces</strong></em>, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelations 7:11-12)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And he went a little further, and <em><strong>fell on his face</strong></em>, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt]. (Matthew 26:39)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Ironically, worship is<strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> never done that way</span> </strong>in any modern church or assembly:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Today, we see very little of this attitude of stooping, of humbling oneself in worship. Instead, it seems the church is spending an inordinate amount of time <strong><em>standing and celebrating</em></strong>. (Ron Owens, <em>id.</em>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In private worship, I suggest you kneel and even bow forward during prayer. If the church you attend does not actually worship God except by the gesture of words, God already said 'they worship me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.' So perhaps you should find a church that does worship God in a truer sense -- by prostrating yourself while praying. So perhaps start worshipping in your own home where you have no one restricting your worship. There is no rule it must take place in a hall called 'church.' See our article on "<a href="/aboutauthor/101-jesus-on-church-structure.html">Jesus' Words on Church Structure</a>."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And if you wish some psalms (songs) to sing, there are some contemporary songs that are great. I collect my recommendations at this<a href="/aboutauthor/401-music-store-manager.html"> list-link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">A Meditation</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For those Christians who obey God's command to rest on Sabbath, here is a Sabbath meditation where God attaches a promise to a Sabbath rest focused upon Him:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"If thou turn away thy foot [on] the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure...not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: [that]<strong><em> thou shalt delight in Yahweh</em></strong>...I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Yahweh hath spoken it." (Isaiah 58:13-14.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Also, remember this verse:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,<strong><em> whose mind is stayed on thee</em></strong>; because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2026:3&version=ASV">26:3</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Do Good On The Sabbath!</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Follow Jesus' example and do good on the sabbath. Perhaps do a mitzvot -- a good deed.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Justin Martyr in 165 AD wrote in <em>First Apology</em> that weekly, "we remind each other of his duty, and <strong><em>the rich relieve the poor, and upon such charitable accounts we visit some or other every day</em></strong>." (<em>First Apology</em> LXXXVI at page <a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/firstapologyofju00just">91</a>.) "But the wealthy and the willing, for everyone is at liberty to contribute as they think fitting, [make a collection], and this collection is deposited with the bishop, and out of this<em><strong> he relieves the widow and the orphan</strong></em>, and such as are reduced to want, by sickness or any other cause, and such as are in bonds, and strangers that come from afar...." <em>Id.</em>, at 94.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In conformance with Jesus's commands and the example of the early church, on each sabbath perhaps send a donation to orphans if not visit and care for them in your personal ministry. (I have no affiliation with any of the organizations I recommend below.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A most deserving ministry is <a href="http://www.newlifenicaragua.org/">New Life Nicaragua</a>. Watch the video, and learn the story of the family that started it.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">New Life Nicaragua </span></h3>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">c/o Evangel Fellowship Intl.</span></h3>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">PO Box 326</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Conway, SC 29528</span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Its site explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>This part is really important.</strong> Make your check payable to EFI. Please write on the memo line of your check how you want your money directed. For example, nutrition center or child sponsorship or leadership training etc..</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">One other in Nicaragua is Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (tax deductible for US Citizens) which runs Christian orphanages in several countries, e.g., Nicaragua, Haiti, El Salvador, etc. Here are images of the happy faces of the children they serve at this <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=nuestros+pequenos+hermanos+nicaragua&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=h0hFUIe1IamOiALV2IC4Dg&ved=0CEYQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=685">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The donation page, which takes a credit card is at <a href="http://www.nph.org/ws/help/donations.php?lang=en">http://www.nph.org/ws/help/donations.php?lang=en</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Their mission statement is at <a href="http://www.nph.org/ws/about/mission.php?lang=en">http://www.nph.org/ws/about/mission.php?lang=en</a> and it says:</span></p>
|
||||
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos™ International is <strong><em>a Christian mission</em></strong> that strives to provide a permanent family and home for orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children who live in conditions of extreme poverty. Our programs provide quality education, health care and spiritual formation with the goal of r<strong><em>aising good Christians and productive members of their respective societies.</em></strong></span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Another alternative, and one you can do by check with your bill pay, is Orphan Care International (a Christian organization) at <a href="http://www.warmblankets.org/">http://www.warmblankets.org/</a> Their mailing address is:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Warm Blankets Orphan Care International<br />5105 Tollview Drive, Suite 155<br />Rolling Meadows, IL 60008</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Another alternative which reaches to all poor in Roatan with life-changing water -- hopefully both spiritual and physical -- is <a href="http://www.lw4r.org/donate.html">Living Water 4 Roatan</a>. That is a link to a donation. It is predominantly a Baptist ministry yet they are providing Spanish versions of the Bible which clearly contain our Lord Jesus' words. For news on their ministry, see <a href="http://www.lw4r.org/news.html">News</a>. Their operations appear centered in Colonia on the Island of Roatan, part of Honduras. Their WordPress news blog is at this <a href="http://lw4r.wordpress.com/">link</a>. When you hear how it started -- poor people were dying from bad drinking water, and walked long distances for clean water -- then you will appreciate the ministry of the couple that started this ministry. Their account of how it began is at this <a href="http://www.lw4r.org/water.html">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Also consider helping widows. In the world, as of July 2010, there are estimated to be over 115 million women living in devastating poverty as a result of becoming widows. See this <a href="http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/charity-news/archive/2010/06/more-than-115-million-widows-living-in-poverty">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Tips on Celebrating Sabbath</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A <a href="http://urj.org/holidays/shabbat/celebrate/"><span style="color: #000000;">Jewish website</span></a> gives you some tips on Shabbat worship, and books to purchase as guides. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000;">Certain Sabbath traditions among the Jews are good for us to utilize to remind us of its meaning. For example, the lighting of the candles reminds us of when God said "let there be light." So here is a Jewish <a href="http://www.reformjudaism.org/shabbat-home-ritual"><span style="color: #000000;">webpage</span></a> explaining that morning ritual on Sabbath. It then discusses the Sabbath ritual of sanctifying the day over a glass of wine. And the importance of sharing bread among your family.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Then there is the conclusion of Sabbath as night comes on the Sabbath day (daylight hours). The blessings and ritual that Jews follow can enrich our spiritual experience by copying are at this <a href="http://www.reformjudaism.org/practice/prayers-blessings/shabbat-conclusion-worship-services-hinei-el-praising-god">link</a>. These are called <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Havdallah blessings which are two: a praise of God and blessings over the food and wine to prepare for dinner.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jews typically begin Sabbath observance on Friday night -- which I believe began as a hedge around the Law rather than a principle of the Law about the duration of Sabbath. (I contend the Sabbath "day" is the daylight portion of what we call Saturday.) This is a good hedge. We can be mindful of Friday night to rest then too, from a valid hedging purpose. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">On Friday night are blessings. They are usually spoken in Hebrew, which you can try to speak. You can listen or participate karaoke style with them with versions of the blessings online. Here is<a href="http://www.reformjudaism.org/practice/prayers-blessings/shabbat-evening-blessings-introductory-lines-kiddush"> one link</a> and here is<a href="http://urj.org/holidays/shabbat/blessings/"> </a><a href="http://www.reformjudaism.org/shabbat-blessings">another link</a><a href="http://urj.org/holidays/shabbat/blessings/"> </a> -- the files are playable in Mp3 and downloadable as well. If you press "Printable version," it gives you the English equivalent to read yourself.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, on the same page is a basic blessing of God to use when you thank God for the bread we eat</span>:</span></p>
|
||||
<h3 style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Blessing God For the Bread</span></h3>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://media.urj.org/educate/blessings/bread-blessing.mp3"><em>Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, <br />Hamotzi lechem min haaretz.</em> </a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Our praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, </span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Who brings forth bread from the earth. (<a href="http://urj.org/learning/teacheducate/childhood/shabbat/index.cfm?syspage=article&item_id=2392&printable=1">URJ</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For more information on "blessings (grace) after the meal," see the topic on this <a href="http://www.reformjudaism.org/shabbat-blessings">link</a></span>.</span></h2>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>What About Doing Business With Non-Believers on Sabbath?</strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I address in <a href="/aboutauthor/464-sabbath-what-about-engaging-in-commerce.html">this article </a>whether doing business with a non-believer on Sabbath is a sin.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jesus Did Not Abolish Sabbath</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Some try to argue Jesus Himself violated Sabbath, and thus showed He abolished it. Rather, Jesus simply violated man-made rules about the Sabbath, and then used astonishment about this as a teaching moment of how to validly apply the Sabbath command. The article “Sabbath” in <em> Anchor Bible Dictionary</em> (ed. David N. Freedman) Vol. 5 at 855-56<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em> </em>explains:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">“At times Jesus is interpreted to have abrogated or suspended the Sabbath commandment on the basis of controversies brought about by Sabbath healings and other acts. Careful analysis of the respective passages does not seem to give credence to this interpretation. The action of plucking ears of grain on the Sabbath by the disciples is particularly important in this matter. Jesus makes a foundational pronouncement...'The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath’ (Mark 2:27). The disciples’ act of plucking grain <em>infringed against the rabbinic halakhah of minute casuistry</em> in which it was forbidden to reap, thresh, winnow, and grind on the Sabbath....<em><strong>Jesus reforms the Sabbath and restores it to its rightful place as designed in creation</strong></em>, where the Sabbath is made for all mankind and not specifically for Israel, as claimed by normative Judaism...”</span></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Further Research of All Views on Sabbath</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">William Armstrong,<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=qpYQAAAAYAAJ"> Is Saturday or Sunday The Christian Sabbath? : A Refutation of Sabattarianism</a> (1880) -books.google.com - relying upon Paul, he argues Christianity abolished the original Sabbath.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"<a href="http://www.abcog.org/ntsab.htm">When Did Sunday Become the Christian Day of Worship?</a>" (webpage of abcog) - defends Sunday as day Sabbath was transferred to.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Scott Nelson, <a href="http://www.judaismvschristianity.com/what_day_is_the_sabbath.htm">What Day is the Sabbath</a> (defense of Lunar sabbath view)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://www.yrm.org/lunarsabbath.htm">Lunar Sabbath Illusion</a> -- critique of Lunar sabbath view that Genesis by saying the "moon" guides us by day implies its monthly cycle resets the start of the next 4 sabbaths He proves the new moon was not a marker to reset the sabbath's each lunar cycle, using Exodus 40:1,2,17, proving lots of work was done on the new moon, and God commanded on a new moon lots of work in Haggai 1:1,2,8,12). Also, Leviticus 23:15 would be incompatible with resetting the 7 day Sabbath each month by the new moon because this passage mandates 7 weeks of Sabbath's plus 1 "morrow" to count to Pentecost, but new moons would not equal 49 days in 7 cycles of a sabbath reset by new moons. Also, Jesus abided by the Jewish Sabbath cycle, which was not reset each month by the full moon.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="line-height: 15.8080005645752px;"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Miscellaneous Notes about Sabbath</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #008000;">1. Food Preparation on Sabbath?</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">No food preparation of baking or boiling (Exodus 16:23; 35:3) should be done on Sabbath. The prior day, as a result, is known as the Day of Preparation. All foods requiring baking or boiling are prepared therefore on Friday.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">God exemplified this lesson in the desert experience of Israel.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">When God provided manna in the desert, He sent a double portion on Friday, but on Saturday (Sabbath), nothing. Exodus 16:35. Why? This way we would see God did not make food on Sabbath. God also meant to show us an example how he recommends we store up double on the day before Sabbath. God is a Great Father and teacher.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There were special exceptions on high holy Sabbaths. For Exodus 12:16 says on a high holy Sabbath -- each of the four annual national feasts -- some work to prepare food is allowed so "that all may eat." </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">As a result of these laws and commands, by Jesus' day, Friday was often simply called the Day of Preparation. Be careful in not exaggerating that fact. For even a day before a High Holy Day Sabbath was called a "Day of Preparation" because most preparations with the exceptions allowed in Exodus 12:16 had to be completed on the day prior to the high Holy Day Sabbath. This is why on Tuesday of Passion Week, there was a day of preparation before the High Holy Day of Passover which was Wednesday that week, by my calculations. See John 19:31; Mark 15:42.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="font-size: 12.1599998474121px; line-height: 15.8080005645752px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15148203<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
563
aboutauthor/353-yashua-and-the-name-of-jesus.html
Normal file
563
aboutauthor/353-yashua-and-the-name-of-jesus.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,563 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/353-yashua-and-the-name-of-jesus.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Yashua - and the name of Jesus" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Yashua - and the name of Jesus</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><p>Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Prov. 30:5-6)</p></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 7441" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "7441") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Name of Jesus</span></h1>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Phonetic Pronunciation History</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">There are some people who believe the name Jesus is somehow Zeus disguised, and hence offensive to use. They think “Yahshua” was combined with “Zeus,” and this is how “Jesus” arose. It is true “sus” could be added for such a purpose. See Professor J.C.J. Melford,<em> Dictionary of Christian Lore and Legend</em> (1983) at 126: “Greek name endings with sus, seus, and sous (which are phonetic pronunciations for Zeus) were attached by the Greeks to names and geographical areas as means to give honor to their supreme deity, Zeus.”</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">However, this does not apply here. Jesus's true name of YAHSHUA would in Latin or Greek identify a woman because of the feminine A ending. So to identify YAHSHUA as a male, a Greek or Roman transliteration would add "S." Thus, to convert YAHSHUA to a male name, simply replacing A with an S-ending did the trick in both languages. Thus, there was no ZEUS-like appendage involved, and no pagan meaning to the name <em>Jesus</em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">The truth is Jesus is no more inappropriate to refer to Yahshua than rendering Mattityahu as Matthew. It is how the historical YAHSHUA is recognized in English.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Nor is there anything sinister in the name Jesus. For the English modern spelling of Jesus was originally an honest but now archaic transliteration of Yahshua into Greek and Latin. True, Jesus is an artifact pronunciation that is no longer valid because of how English changed over time. But this is an honest transformation due to changes in language.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">As already mentioned, the ending in S is simply because Greek and Latin needed a masculine ending of -ous or -us to YAHSHUA so as to be sure one knew we were not talking about a woman. But those facts do not prove it is wrong or sinister to identify Messiah by the name of "Jesus," as some contend.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Second, the English syllable JES derives from IES in ancient Greek, and was pronounced as YAIS. The Greek letter E corresponds to the dipthong of AE or AI. (See Richard Morris Smith (1884) at this<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=us3Y7a9AhOYC&dq=yashua%20yeshua&pg=PA26#v=onepage&q=yashua%20yeshua&f=false"> link</a>.) The Teutons "preserved the Roman spelling and the pronunciation <strong>YAIZOOS</strong>." (<em>Id.</em>) "The Gaullish French pronounced it as Zhaizyoo." <em>Id.</em> In Norman English the letter "</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I" with the Y sound evolved into the J sound, and had the pronunciation first "Jayzu" and then "Jayzus." </span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;">Id.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">In Old English, the name of Jesus was rendered with the second letter as "ae" -- a dipthong with a predominant A sound. See "Bosworth's Parallel Gospels,"<em> The Saturday Review</em> (July 14, 1866) at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=E7U-AQAAIAAJ&dq=pronunciation%20in%20classical%20greek%20of%20jesus%20name&pg=PA56#v=onepage&q=pronunciation%20in%20classical%20greek%20of%20jesus%20name&f=false"> 56</a> col. 2, para. 2.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Later in English, this changed into Jesus as we now sound out the E sound. (Smith, 1884, supra.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The letter I in Latin and Greek evolved by the 1400s into J in English. Later, it eventually gained the modern J sound. The <em>Encyclopedia Americana</em> explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">“The form of ‘J’ was <em><strong>unknown in any alphabet until the 14th century</strong></em>. Either symbol (J,I) used initially generally had the <em><strong>consonantal sound of Y as in year</strong></em>. Gradually, the two symbols (J,I) were differentiated, the J usually acquiring consonantal force and thus becoming regarded as a consonant, and the I becoming a vowel.”</span></p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">This is how YAHSHUA truly started as a transliteration that by honest steps evolved into JESUS even though JESUS no longer sounds anything like YAHSHUA.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">An observant comment at Karen's Korner "<a href="http://seeingwhatyoubelieve.blogspot.com/2008/09/jesus-iesous-and-yahshua.html">Jesus, Iesous, and Yashu</a>a" (2008) aptly points out:</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> I do not know how old the name Iesuos is, but I presume it was also a Greek name prior to the Septuagint translation. Those translators called Joshua by the name of Iesous. Many different men by this name appear in the history of Josephus, including two high priests deprived of the priesthood. (See Antiquities, vi, v, 3 and xv, iii, 1.) Others were actually given the high priesthood. Antiquities. XX, ix, 4 says,<br /><br />“And now Jesus the son of Gamaliel became the successor of Jesus, the son of Damneus, in the high priesthood, which the king had taken from the other; on which account a sedition arose between the high priests, with regard to one another; for they got together bodies of the people, and frequently came, from reproaches, to throwing of stones at each other.”<br /><br />This sounds a lot like preachers today! But my point is that Josephus and other Greek-speaking historians thought nothing of translating men’s Hebrew names into Greek. The same is done in Hebrews 4:8, where Joshua is referred to as Jesus (Iesous).</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, JESUS did not come about as a sinister version of ZEUS, as some claim. There is nothing wrong thus to use “Jesus” to identify YAHSHUA. It is an historically valid transliteration which is now archaic, as letters and pronunciation have changed over time. That said, <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">I wholeheartedly endorse teaching the original name and sound is YAHSHUA.</span></strong> (Some prefer YESHUA. Two persons I know endorse YAHUSHA.) We need an updated transliteration for today. And YAHSHUA is the best one.</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In closing this first topic, I do commend Karen's conclusion to her article quoted above:</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> But let us <span style="color: #ff0000;">not go so far as to malign others for using the English translations</span> of those Hebrew words or for “mispronouncing” the name.</span></strong></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Yahsha or Yah-Shua?</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">I also believe YAH-SHUA is the true name of Jesus, typically rendered in English as Joshua, but transliterated into Greek and Latin,<strong><em> after adding a masculine S ending</em></strong>, with the Greek-Latin pronunciation of YAZUS.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Here, the Shem-Tob Hebrew Matthew helps a bit but not entirely. It helps us by rendering in Matt 1:21 Jesus as "Y'SHUA" <em>i.e.</em>, Yahshua / Yashua. But otherwise, Jesus is rendered as "Y'SHU," <em>i.e.</em>, Yeshu, at Matt 9:2, 19:28, 20:30, and 28:9. (See this <a href="http://www.seekgod.ca/hr/hrfaqs9a.htm">link</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">Why the difference?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The <em>Toledoth Yeshu</em> was a medieval work up through the 1100s which popularized among Jews to call Jesus "Yeshu" to imply an acronym meaning 'let his name and memory be blotted out.' See the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledot_Yeshu">Toledoth Yeshu</a>," Wikipedia. (The acronym was "Yemach Shemo U'zikhrono.") </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">However, when it comes to Matthew 1:21, and God tells Joseph to call him Jesus "for he will save my people from their sins," the polemical use of YESHU in Shem-Tob was submerged, and Y'SHUA was properly visible. This is because one familiar with Hebrew would know YESHU could not possibly fit the meaning of 'he will save my people,' but Yahshua could, and thus polemics are put aside to render correctly the name of Jesus in Matthew 1:21 in the ancient Hebrew version.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">Bennett concurs, after exhaustive analysis of the Hebrew, and the evolution of Hebrew usage:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"Thus Joshua [in Hebrew] should be <em><strong>pronounced Yahshua</strong></em>. I see no reason for spelling it or pronouncing it as Yeshua....It is perfectly acceptable to pronounce Joshua [in Hebrew] as <em><strong>Yahshua</strong></em>, and the short form of Yahushua [Joshua's unabbreviated name] is more accurately rendered as <em><strong>Yahshua</strong></em>." (Todd D. Bennett, <em>Names: The Father, the Son, and the Importance of Names in the Scriptures</em> (Shema Israel Publications: 2006) at 65.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">However, some think Jesus' true name was YASHA. (<a href="http://christthecreativeword.org/Miscellaneous/Messages/the_name_that_is_above_every_nam.htm">Mildred Garner</a>.) I don't agree.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">If it was YASHA, it meant simply "He saves." (<a href="http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/h3467/page/4">Strongs 3467</a>.) But if it meant YAH-SHUA, it means "salvation of Yahweh." </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">How can we decide? I believe Matthew in Matthew in<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1%3A21&version=KJV"> 1:21</a> was telling us that Jesus' name was a conglomerate name just as Isaiah 8:1 and 9:6 set forth conglomerate names. (For discussion of the conglomerate names in them, see our article on <a href="/aboutauthor/359-isaiah-96-what-does-it-mean.html">Isaiah 9:6.</a>) For Matthew tells us Jesus' name, and then says "for he shall save <strong>my</strong> people from their sins." <a href="/aboutauthor/347-original-gospel-of-matthewreconstructed.html">Matt 1:21 (OGM /Shem-Tob.)</a> Cfr. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1%3A21&version=KJV">Matt 1:21</a> ("his people"). A meaning of "Salvation of Yahweh" -- YAH-SHUA --- fits that explanation that "he shall save my people...." But "he saves" (YASHA) does not tie in Yahweh's name. Thus Matthew's explanation requires a longer word than YASHA - a conglomerate word with YAH as a component - as a foundation for that synopsis. YAH-SHUA fits what Matthew is saying.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, because if Jesus' name were purely YASHA - "He saves" (<a href="http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/h3467/page/4">Strong's 3467</a>), </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">it does not have YAH in Jesus' name, while YAH-SHUA does. I believe the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 requires that Jesus' name include the name YAH. See our article "</span><a href="/aboutauthor/359-isaiah-96-what-does-it-mean.html" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3em;">Isaiah 9:6</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">Furthermore, as explained below, I believe Zechariah 6:11-13 was a prophecy that Jesus' actual name would be Joshua -- again, the English version of a name whose pronunciation is historically proven to be YAHSHUA.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Contrast "Isaiah's" Name For Example</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">By looking at Isaiah's true name -- so similar to that of the Savior Jesus, you can see how conglomerate names work and how Isaiah 9:6 and Zechariah 6:11-13 interrelate. This will help prove Jesus must have had the same name as Joshua -- pronounced YAHSHUA.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">First, Isaiah means in Hebrew "Yahweh saves." = two conglomerated words -- <strong>YASHA</strong> (saves) + <strong>YAH</strong>. See <em>Jewish Study Bible</em> (Jewish Publication Society) -- comment on Isaiah 9:6, discussed at this <a href="http://www.tidings.org/reflections/reflect200806C.htm">link</a>.) Technically, the JPS says it means the "Lord Saves." But the true first component is YAH -- as in YASHAI-<strong><em>YAH</em></strong> (phonetically), not LORD. See this<a href="/aboutauthor/134-yahweh.html"> link.</a> See also <a href="http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/h3467/page/4">Strong </a><a href="http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/h3467/page/4">#3467</a>, <em>Yasha</em> (yaw-sha) - saves.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Christian authorities in agreement say: "the Hebrew name </span><em>Isaiah</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> itself means "the </span><em>Lord saves</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">." </span><a href="https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=600&tbm=bks&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Peter+D.+Quinn-Miscall%22&ei=3dxbT5SJMPDKiQKd8KXBCw&ved=0CEQQ9Ag" class="fl">Peter D. Quinn-Miscall</a> <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=laNuXh5PaYwC&pg=PA134&dq=isaiah+Lord+saves&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3dxbT5SJMPDKiQKd8KXBCw&ved=0CEMQ6AEwBA">Reading <em>Isaiah</em>: poetry and vision (2001) at 134</a>. "<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The prophet's very name, which means "the </span><em>Lord saves." </em>(John F. A. Sawyer, <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=KokYVNmrf9QC&pg=PA27&dq=isaiah+Lord+saves&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3dxbT5SJMPDKiQKd8KXBCw&ved=0CFQQ6AEwBw"><em>Isaiah</em> (1987) at 27</a>.) But see <a href="http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Isaiah.html#.Vs8ZU_krLZ4">Isaiah Meaning</a> (says it means Yahweh is Salvation, or Salvation of Yahweh. This points out that "Isaiah" is a name which uses the same two elements of the name Joshua but in reverse order.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">Again, in Mr. Reading's statement that it means the "Lord saves" we must remember "Lord" there is a veiling of the name YAH (at the end - ISAI-<strong><em>YAH</em></strong>) -- the word "Lord" arising from the influence of the man-made Ineffable Name Doctrine that we should not utter God's name.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">And if pronounced in Hebrew, Isaiah would be YASHA + YAH.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">However, Jesus's name in the pronuciation history detailed above is nothing like YASHA-YAH.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">So what is Jesus' true name?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Here Jesus' name in the Greek, Latin, Teutonic, Gallic, and Norman and Old English was always pronounced with a first syllable YAH sound. (See above.) Hence, the first part of the name of Jesus was YAH, which is either a contraction of YAHWEH, or the Digrammaton -- a two letter abbreviation equally meaning YAHWEH. The next syllable had to mean, per Matthew 1:21, saving / salvation of "my people." Thus 'SHUA fits.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">This is what Matthew 1:21 was saying. YAH-SHUA was the name given to Jesus: OF YAHWEH + SALVATION. Thus it means YAHWEH's SALVATION or "Salvation of Yahweh." Thereby, it fulfilled Isaiah 9:6, both in the first and last conglomerate words - SALVATION OF YAHWEH -- whereby the child born to us He (God) will call by the name of the Mighty God and Everlasting Father -- by having YAH as part of His name. See "<a href="/aboutauthor/359-isaiah-96-what-does-it-mean.html">Isaiah 9:6</a>." But no blasphemous thoughts should enter our minds. God called as a Prophet Isaiah whose name was YASHA + YAH meaning YAH(WEH) SAVES. While God called Isaiah his Prophet and Isaiah had the name of Yahweh -- the Mighty God and Everlasting Father, in part, God was not trying to imply by choosing Isaiah that Isaiah was Yahweh / the Father Himself.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Prophecy That Jesus' Name Would Be Y'SHUA bar Yahuzadok</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">First, be aware that the Branch was to have the name YAHUZADOK, Yahweh the Righteous. In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+23%3A5-6&version=KJV">Jeremiah 23:5-6 KJV</a>, we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><sup>6</sup>In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD [=YAHWEH] <em>OUR</em> RIGHTEOUSNESS. [The word "our" is interpolated for poetical effect.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The name translated as "Lord [<em>i.e.</em>, YAHWEH] <em>our</em> Righteousness" in Hebrew is simply <strong>YAHUZADAK</strong>. (Todd Bennett, <em>Names</em> (2008) at 60.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">The Prophet Zechariah then even prophecies that the "branch" of Jeremiah -- the king to come -- would have Jesus' name of Joshua -- the English version of Y'SHUA, and simultaneously be <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">son of</span> YAHUZADAK. This is in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zechariah%206:11-13&version=KJV">Zechariah 6:11-13 (KJV)</a>, which thereby ties into Jeremiah 23:5-6 which prophesied the annointed king to come in David's line would be also known by the name of Yahuzadok (Righteous Yahweh):<br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup>11</sup>Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the <strong><em>head of <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Joshua [i.e., <span style="color: #ff0000;" data-mce-mark="1">Yahshua</span>] the son of Josedech [i.e., <span style="color: #ff0000;" data-mce-mark="1">Yahuzadak</span>]</span></em></strong> the high priest;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup>12</sup>And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold<strong><em> the man whose name is The BRANCH</em></strong>; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><sup>13</sup>Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, we see the Jeremiah prophecy tells us the NAME by which the Branch is called YAHUZADAK actually is part of his family name, as depicted in Zechariah. The high-priest in Zechariah who prophetically prefigures the coming king has the full name of YAHSHUA bar (son of) YAHUZADAK. Then Jeremiah says this is a prophecy about someone who will also be known as the "Branch" (NTSR = Nazarene) of David. Hence, "JOSHUA son of" YAHUZADAK is the prophetic name of the coming king when you read together both Jeremiah 23:5-6 and Zechariah 6:11-13, and he will be commonly known as NTSER = Nazarene if you anglify it. (Jesus' true birth city was spelled <a href="/aboutauthor/571-nazara-or-nazareth-correct-birthplace-of-jesus.html">Nazara</a>, and hence this is how that prophecy was fulfilled.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">To repeat, in Hebrew, JOSHUA is the name we have deduced is the name of Jesus. But in Hebrew, it is YAHSHUA.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, Jeremiah's and Zechariah's prophecy together meant Jesus' true full name is <strong>YAHSHUA bar [son of] YAHUZADOK</strong>, just as the high priest YAHSHUA bar YAHUZADAK was exactly known, and was crowned to symbolize the Davidic king to come. Zechariah adds that this person will also be known as the "branch" (netser = nazarene) who was to sit and rule over Jerusalem in the future. As explained <a href="/aboutauthor/571-nazara-or-nazareth-correct-birthplace-of-jesus.html">elsewhere</a>, Jesus' town was actually Nazara in all early manuscripts and early quotes of the 'fathers (which later editors changed to Nazareth -- a town that did not exist in Jesus' day because Nazara disappeared but Nazareth came into being). And this town Nazara's name actually derives from "Branch" (netser). Thus, the prophecy of Zechariah was indeed fulfilled in every respect regarding Jesus / Yahshua. In Acts 22, Luke preserves that Jesus was identified as "Jesus the Nazarene," as his common title.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Thus, the full true name of Jesus, as Jews appended "son of" often, was, if we subtract the poetical addition of "our" from Yahweh <em>our </em>Righteousness, actually: "<strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Salvation of Yahweh, son of Righteous Yahweh</span></strong>" = <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">Yahshua bar Yahuzadok</span></strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">More Proof Jesus is Joshua = Yahshua</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">As Bennet explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">So then, <strong><em>the Name of Messiah is the same name as Joshua</em></strong>, the commander of Israel who began as a servant and later led the children of Israel across the Jordan River into the promised land. <em>Id.</em>, at 60-61.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Before Joshua's name was changed to Josehua, his original name was HOSHEA. That simply meant "salvation." Moses changed it to YAHUSHUA to signify it now meant "Salvation of Yahweh." (Bennett: 62.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Again, while Jesus' personal name could be the full name of Joshua -- YAHUSHUA, it was <em><strong>common to shorten it to YAHSHUA</strong></em>. The pronunciation history in Greek, Latin, Gaullic, Teutonic, and Norman periods all suggest Jesus' name was the shortened version, which means Jesus' true name was YAHSHUA.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Regardless, Bennett agrees that even the short form of YAHUSHUA -- which is YAHSHUA - should have the YAH sound at the beginning, not the YEH sound. At the time of the Babylonian captivity, the "short form spelling" removed the significant parts of pronouncing Yahweh's name as Yahweh, but we know better now: "the<em><strong> short form name should still have the Yah sound at the beginning</strong></em>." (Bennett: 65.) Pronunciation history of Jesus' name proves Bennett is correct.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">(3/10/2012.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Study Notes</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">YAH or YAHU in Jesus' Name?</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Yahu in a name would often contract to Yah. See <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>Museum Journal</em> (1910) vol 1-3, at <a href="#v=onepage&q=yahu%20contraction%20to%20yah&f=false">page 30</a>.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Or Yah was an acceptable digrammaton -- a two letter word -- to equally signify Yahweh. <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Steven Ortlepp, <em>Pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton: A Historical Linguistic Approach</em> at pages <a href="#v=onepage&q=yahu%20contraction%20to%20yah&f=false">129-130</a>.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">The article “Jah” in Wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jah"></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jah">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jah</a> likewise says “Yah is a short form of Yahweh” used “50 times in the text of the Hebrew Bible….”</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Ineffable Name Doctrine Overlaid on New Testament</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Standford Rives in his <em>Reconstruction of the Original Gospel of Matthew</em> -- book 3 in the series -- explains that the High Priest likely said to Jesus to tell him plainly whether Jesus was "Messiah, son of Yahuzadok," <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>i.e.</em>, son of Righteous Yahweh, Matthew 26:63. Here is the reference from page 93 in the 2014 edition:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">I insert “Righteous Yahweh” in place of “God” as likely what was actually spoken, but removed due to the Ineffable Name doctrine that influenced early editors of the New Testament. It even doomed the oldest manuscripts with “Yahweh” to disappear. The high priest wants to know if Jesus claims to fulfill the prophecy of the branch (NTSR in Hebrew) who would be "son of Yahuzadak, Righteous Yahweh." The branch of Jeremiah 23:5-6 to come rule Israel as an “anointed” king (Messiah = anointed) will have the name Yahuzadak, but in Zechariah 6:11-13 his full name turns out to be <em>Yahshua son of Yahuzadak</em>, a high priest, who is crowned to prefigure the “branch” of David’s lineage to come to rule over Israel as an “annointed” king, <em>i.e</em>., Messiah. Hence, the high priest in verse 63 is asking about these passages.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Early Manuscript Writing of Jesus' Name</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">C Winn (CW) in his article <a href="http://questioningpaul.com/Questioning_Paul-Galatians-01-Chrestus-Useful_Implement.Paul">Questioning Paul</a> claims he is examining the earliest manuscripts of Paul and other NT writings to see how the name of Jesus was written. He contends Jesus' name did not even appear in the earliest manuscript of the NT -- Papyrus 46, the oldest extant manuscript of Paul's letter to the Galatians. It is dated to the late first or early second century. There he says Jesus' name was symbolized by a brief placeholder [ ] to represent "Yahushua," and then in other places by other brief letter placeholders. CW writes:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Moving on, the <em><strong>placeholders</strong> </em>Iota Epsilon, Iota Epsilon Nu, Iota Sigma, Iota Epsilon Sigma, Iota Upsilon, and Iota Nu were used to convey Yahushua’s name every time it is found in the Renewed Covenant. And that means that there is absolutely no basis whatsoever for the 17</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">-century corruption written as "Jesus." Beyond the fact that there is no "J" sound or letter in the Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, or Latin languages, "Jesus" isn’t an accurate transliteration of </span><em>Iesou</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, </span><em>Iesous</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, or </span><em>Iesoun</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">—which were conceived as a result of Greek gender and grammar rules. But most importantly, none of these names was ever written in the Greek text—not once, not ever. It is therefore inappropriate to transliterate something (to reproduce the pronunciation in the alphabet of a different language) which isn’t present in the text. So the name "Jesus" is a colossal fraud purposely promoted by religious leaders desirous of separating Yahshua from Yahweh, and the Torah from the Healing and Beneficial Message.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Let's just stop there, and clarify that there is nothing fraudulent in using the name Jesus, as it is an honest transliteration with an honest gender ending. It simply changed pronunciation in English over time to no longer reflect a correct transliteration as it originally did with a necessary addition of a gender ending.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">That said, CW next explains in Galatians 1:1 that the original and oldest Papyrus 46 had IHY but this was replaced later:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"> I want to bring your attention to another problem with our English translations. In this passage, the purpose of the placeholders for Yahushua’s name and title, for <strong>"</strong>Messiyah," and [omitted Hebrew letters]<strong><em> for "Yahushua</em></strong>," were ignored as usual. And in both cases, the placeholders were <strong><em>replaced by the Greek title and name which does not actually appear in the oldest manuscripts: </em></strong><em><strong>Christou Iesou</strong></em>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I have not had an opportunity to study the accuracy of these claims. I will update this page when I have done so. </span> </span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Study Note On Background Movements</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">For why YA and not YE sound is best at beginning, see this discussion of the name of <a href="/aboutauthor/134-yahweh.html">YAHWEH</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">For defense of Yeshua over Yashua from yashanet, see this <a href="http://www.yashanet.com/library/Yeshua_or_Yahshua.htm">link.</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Wikipedia's article "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahshua">Yashua</a>" claims:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">" Christians, historians, and linguists outside the sacred name movement for the most part reject the term </span><em>Yahshua</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> in favor of </span><em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeshua_(name)" title="Yeshua (name)">Yeshua</a></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> as the original pronunciation.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Yahshua" supporters teach that since the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah" title="Messiah">Messiah</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> will "come in his Father's Name",{John 5:43} then he must have the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh_(name)" class="mw-redirect" title="Yahweh (name)">name of Yahweh</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">, or at least the abbreviated form (</span><em>Yah</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">) in his spoken name. Another popular contraction is </span><em>Yah'shua</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> with the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostrophe" title="Apostrophe">apostrophe</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> ( ’ ) serving as a division to emphasize </span><sup>[<em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">citation needed</span></a></em>]</sup><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> the "Yah" aspect of the name and the Hebrew </span><em>shua</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> (salvation), found in the </span><em>Natural Israelite Bible, English Version</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">However, I found a work from 1887 that already contended that the Hebrew true sound is Yashua:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The names of Moshai and <strong>Yaishooa</strong> (or Yeshua, Yashua, Jesus) I have given in the spelling, which to the ordinary English reader, unfamiliar with Hebrew sounds, most correctly represents the original Hebrew sounds, or Hebrew-Aramaic pronunciation. (Richard Morris Smith,<em> An Outline of the Future Religion of the World</em> (<span dir="ltr">G. P. Putnam's Sons</span>, <span dir="ltr">1884</span>) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=us3Y7a9AhOYC&dq=yashua%20yeshua&pg=PA26#v=onepage&q=yashua%20yeshua&f=false">26</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">His reason? In a footnote on the same page, he explains that the transliteration of Jesus actually had for the "e" sound there <strong><em>a dipthong sound of AE</em></strong>. So as to the E he explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The second letter (represented in Hebrew by vowel points), the Greek hra has the sound of the English dipthong ae or ai, but shorter in the Hebrew than Greek pronunciation. <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=us3Y7a9AhOYC&dq=yashua%20yeshua&pg=PA26#v=onepage&q=yashua%20yeshua&f=false">26</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Thus, Jesus' name in phonetically recorded Greek sounds identical to YAHSHUA. The "Salvation of Yah(weh)." This is the name Matthew was explaining in Matthew chapter one.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">On the Massoretes leaving the vowel points as YAH if it could be combined with another word, such as HALLELU-YAH = Praise Yahweh, see Essays 1897 at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oFrOAAAAMAAJ&dq=pronunciation%20in%20classical%20greek%20of%20jesus%20name&pg=PA61#v=onepage&q=pronunciation%20in%20classical%20greek%20of%20jesus%20name&f=false"> 61</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Additional Notes on Matt 1:21</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The Shem-Tob here has “my people,” not “his people.” This makes it significantly clearer that the subject of the sentence—he—alludes to Jesus. It means “For He shall save my people.” Matthew was extracting out the meaning of the second part of Jesus’ conglomerate-name. In Hebrew, Strong’s #3467 says Yasha means Save (or Savior). An almost identical expression to 1:21 appears in Deut 20:4: “The Angel of the Lord said, Call his name Save (or Savior) (yasha) because he will save his people.”</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Comparably, the name Isaiah was a conglomerate: YashaYah. Hebrew reads right to left. Thus, Isaiah (=ISHA-YAH) means YAH SAVES.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">But if you want to say “salvation of Yah,” it has to be reversed, and is slightly altered. Thus, still reading right to left in Hebrew, it starts as “Yah-Yashua” but is altered to “YAH-HUSHUA.” Thus, YAH=of Yah + YASHUA (salvation). Then “salvation of Yahweh” can be abbreviated “Yahshua.” (See Dianne Otto, <em>What I Discovered On The Way To Church</em> (2011) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=jmsuoCYAd0IC&lpg=PA135&dq=yahshua&pg=PA135#v=onepage&q=yahshua&f=false">135</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;">Is It Unholy to Use A Non-Hebrew Name for A Leader of Yahweh's People</span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Some have told me it is unholy to use "Jesus" for a Hebrew prophet, as if a Latinized or Grecian name is inherently unholy.</span></p>
|
||||
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But a question arises: Moses is really an Egyptian name, and not at all a Hebrew name. Ra-meses, the Pharoaoh, has a name where the "meses" part of his name is synomous to "moses" which the great Moses bore. [See Torah ed. Friedman (2005)]</span></div>
|
||||
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, if Adonai can use Moses, bearing an Egyptian name, why would Adonai find it necessarily offensive to use a Roman name for His Messiah if Jesus is truly a Roman name? I can understand the desire to remind people Jesus' true name was Yahshua, Yeshua, etc., but I do not understand the moral offense anyone takes to the use of a non-Hebrew name for Yahshua, Yeshua, etc., even if indeed Jesus is not truly a transliteration of a Hebrew name. (Yet, it is; it originally sounded like Yashua + s to masculinize it.) </span></div>
|
||||
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Doug</span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;">2/25/2012</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Study Notes</strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Nehemiah Gordon defends it is Yeshua at this<a href="/component/content/article/16-hebrew-matthew/414-naming-of-jesus-in-hebrew-matthew-by-gordon.html"> link </a>on our site.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">For another view by someone I respect, see <a href="http://truthofyah.net/studies/messiahsname.html">The Messiah's Name</a> (Truth of Yah).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15147652<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
481
aboutauthor/362-isaiah-53-fulfilled-in-jesus.html
Normal file
481
aboutauthor/362-isaiah-53-fulfilled-in-jesus.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,481 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/362-isaiah-53-fulfilled-in-jesus.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Isaiah 53 Fulfilled in Jesus" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Isaiah 53 Fulfilled in Jesus</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >"In Acts...Paul is <em><strong>denied the title of Apostle</strong></em>." (Hengel & Schwemer, <em>Paul between Damascus and Antioch</em> (John Knox Press, 1997) at 321.)</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 5411" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "5411") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Isaiah 53 Fulfilled in Jesus</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Leading up to Isaiah 49, we get a glimpse at a figure who is fufilled prophetically in Jesus:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. <strong><em>I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth</em></strong>." <a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/49-6.htm"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Isaiah</span> 49:6</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">This light will come from the Torah / Law spreading out to the nations. <em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Isaiah</span></em> <a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/51-4.htm">51:4 </a>reads: "Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a <em>light to the nations</em>."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Then we come to Isaiah 53.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">To avoid any claim of bias, let us rely upon Isaiah 53:1-12 from circa 250 BC in the <em>Dead Sea Scroll Bible</em> (Abegg, Flint & Ulrich)(1999) at 359-60. These modern translators -- Abegg, Flint & Ulrich -- borrowed from tradition to also not write down YHWH, and they replaced it with "LORD." However, we will note where YHWH appears in the DSS of Isaiah 53. (On where YHWH belongs in Isaiah 53 DSS, see this<a href="http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/dead-sea-scrolls-2.htm"> link</a>.) Thus, Isaiah 53 reads in the DSS:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the YHWH / LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender plant, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should look at him. 3 He was despised and rejected by others, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. He was despised and rejected by others, and like one from whom people hide their faces, and we despised him, and we did not value him. 4 Surely he has borne our sufferings and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken and struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was <strong><em>wounded for our transgressions</em></strong>, and he was crushed for our iniquities; and the punishment that made us whole was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each of us, to his own way; and the YHWH / <em><strong>LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. </strong></em>7 He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth, like a lamb led to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 From detention and judgment he was taken away. And who can even think about his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living, he was stricken for the transgression of my people 9 Then they made his grave with the wicked and with rich people his tomb although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was YHWH / the LORD was willing to crush him and he made him suffer. Although you make his soul an offering for sin, and he will see his offspring, and he will prolong his days, and the will of the YHWH / LORD will triumph in his hand. 11 Out of the suffering of his soul<strong><em> he will see light </em></strong>and find satisfaction; And through his knowledge, his servant, the righteous one, will make many righteous, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will alot him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life to death, and was numbered with the transgressors, yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressions.</span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;">He Will See The Light (Of Life) - Verse 11</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The NIV note to 53:11 says that Isaiah 53:11 in the Dead Sea Scrolls says the Messiah figure, after suffering as the sacrifice of God, will see the "light (of life) [the 'of life' NIV implies]:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">he will see the light of life<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2053&version=NIV#fen-NIV-18723d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]</sup> Note D: "Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint);<em><strong> Masoretic Text does not</strong></em> have <em>the light of life." </em>See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2053&version=NIV">Note D to Isaiah 53:11</a> in NIV.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Jeff Benner in his article, "<a href="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/31_selections.html">Selections from the Isaiah Scroll</a>," reproduces a copy of Isaiah 53:11 from the Dead Sea Scrolls from at least 125 BCE:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><img src="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/files/31_selections3.jpg" alt="Isaiah 53:11" /></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">He reports as to the above:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The underlined phrase [in the Dead Sea Scroll] reads "mey'amal naphshoh yireh or vayis'ba." In the Masoretic text this phrase is written as "</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">mey'amal naphsho yireh yis'ba." Without even knowing Hebrew one can see that the Dead Sea Scroll includes some information that is not in the Masoretic text.</span><strong style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 12pt;"><em> </em></strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> The Masoretic text translates to "from the labor of his soul, he will see, he will be satisfied". The Dead Sea Scroll text translates to "from the labor of his soul, he will see</span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>light and</strong></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> he will be satisfied."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Thus, those who trust the Dead Sea Scrolls as more reliable here find a significant prophecy that the Messiah who after performing the sacrifice for us, shall see "life." This implies the resurrection. But for those who follow Messiah but believe the text preserved in 900 CE by the Masoretes, believe Isaiah only prophesied in verse 11 that Messiah will simply "see." Each believer must decide which manuscript they think is more reliable based upon the available evidence. It is clear that the Masorete text is missing what Messiah sees. It only says "he will see..." but does not say what He sees. I hope that helps believers to consider whether the Dead Sea Scrolls from 250 BC are more reliable than the Masorete text of 900 AD.</span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Silence To Charges / Putting Up No Defense</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Some claim Jesus was not absolutely silent during his interrogation, and thus he did not fulfill Isaiah 53. Let's see whether that is fair.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The prophecy was specific in what way the suffering servant would be silent. To do this, one needs to see the metaphors which are used in <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Isaiah</span> 53 about <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">silence</span>. It does not mean Jesus would never speak during his trial. It would mean <strong>he would never defend himself or resist the charges against him.</strong> There are 2 metaphors to consider about how Jesus responded to OPPRESSION and AFFLICATION.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Let's look at the Dead Sea Scrolls <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Isaiah</span> 53:7. It says "he was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth, <strong>like a lamb that is led to slaughte</strong>r, <strong>a sheep before its sheerers</strong>, so he is silent, so he did not open his mouth."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The metaphor is about a "lamb led to the slaughter" and a "sheep before its sheerers" as the response to OPPRESSION and AFFLICTION. Sheep bleet frequently, and they increase and become noisy at feeding times. Lambs express their distress by increased bleeting. See this <a href="http://jas.fass.org/content/86/1/220.full.pdf" target="_blank">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">But what is a remarkable trait about lambs is they do not get excited in their bleets even though the knives to cut their throats are right in front of their eyes. Or as their fur is cut, they do not utter excited bleets and put up no resistance.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">So the point of these metaphors is <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">SILENCE</span> toward OPPRESSION or AFFLICTION.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">With that in mind, were the words spoken by Jesus during the trial breaking this prophecy?</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">Had Jesus uttered words of resistance or struggle, then he would have not remained silent like a sheep before the slaughter. But instead Jesus clearly put up no fight to refute any of the charges, and this frustrated the high priest. Jesus spoke words when he was abjured to answer, but he still spoke no words of resistance or refutation. He just was even more non-committal and non-responsive except to say the High Priest was correct when he said Jesus was Messiah - which the High Priest inadvertently affirmed rather than asked as a question. In response, Jesus agreed He was Messiah, as the High Priest had said, and otherwise, Jesus simply spoke words that He would be seen on clouds of glory - the second coming. In Matthew 26 we read:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">(57) So they seized Jesus and led him away to the house of Kaiaphah, the high priest where the scribes and Pharisees were gathered together. (58) But Peter followed him afar off to the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the guards and servants to see the end. (59) Now the chief priests and the Pharisees and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death. (60) And they found not even one, though many false witnesses came forward. But afterward came forward two false witnesses, (61) and said, "This man said I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to repair it in three days." (62) And the high priest stood up, and said to him, "Do you answer nothing to what these witness es are bearing against you?" (63) But Jesus answered not a word. And the high priest said to him, "<em><strong>I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God</strong></em>." (64) Jesus said to him, " <em><strong>You said it. Nevertheless I again say to you, you have yet to see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power of God and coming on the clouds of heaven</strong></em>." (65) Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, "He has cursed God and blasphemed. What further need do we have of witnesses? You have now heard how he cursed God. (66) What do you think can be done?" They answered and said, "He is worthy of death." (67) Then they spit in his face and some smote him with thefist on his back, and others slapped him in the face, (68) saying, "Prophesy for us, you Messiah, who is it that struck you?"</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Albert Nolan in <em>Jesus Before Christianity</em> (2001) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=2UWm30LdqEYC&lpg=PA160&ots=V7k38noJL8&dq=jesus%20silent%20before%20shearers&pg=PA160#v=onepage&q=jesus%20silent%20before%20shearers&f=false" target="_blank">160</a> correctly points out:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">"what is frequently overlooked, is that <em>Jesus</em> did not defend himself. Throughout all the proceedings, no matter who accused him or what they accused him of, Jesus remained silent. (Mk 14:60-61; Mt 26:62-63; 27:12-14, Luke 23:9. If and when he did speak, it was only in order to be non-committal and in effect to refuse to give an answer: 'It is you who say it.' (Mk 15:2; Mt 26:64; 27:11; Lk 22:70, 23:3."And if I tell you, you will not believe me and if I question you, you will not answer." Lk 22:67; see also 20:8."</span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">See His Offspring Argument Against Jesus' Fulfillment</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A Jewish critic argues that because Jesus did not have offspring, as prophesied in verse 10, this entire passage cannot apply to Jesus.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">At first, I answered the critic, contending that Jesus had offspring in the spirit by means of baptisms in his name. Each person is born again in Jesus' name -- hence making them offspring in spirit.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But then I looked at the passage a little closer, and I found a better answer.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Here is verse 10 again to examine:</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 15.808px;">10 Yet it was YHWH / the LORD was willing to crush him and he made him suffer. Although you make his soul an offering for sin, and he will see his offspring, and he will prolong his days, and the will of the YHWH / LORD will triumph in his hand.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, notice that "he will prolong his days" has to be YHWH will "prolong" the suffering man's day. YHWH is the "He" in this subject phrase. The subject then of "he will see his offspring" can equally be YHWH. It means "YHWH will see his offspring." The question is who does the "his" in this phrase refer to. Because God is the Father, any spiritual children Jesus leads to become born again would be God's offspring, the phrase can very likely be referring to such an anticipated case -- YHWH will see His (YHWH's) offspring -- sons of God spawned by the Word spoken by Jesus / Yahshua, leading to new births in the spirit.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><hr /></div>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Study Notes</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Masoretic text does not have in verse 11 the words "light (of life)" as in "he will see the light (of life)." This phrase is interpreted as implying resurrection to many believers in Messiah. However, this "light of life" is missing in the Masoretic text. As a result, the Jewish Publication Society version of Isaiah 53:11 reads:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">53:11 Of the travail of his soul he shall <strong><em>see to the full</em></strong>, even My servant, who by his knowledge did justify the Righteous One to the many, and their iniquities he did bear. (<a href="http://bibledbdata.org/onlinebibles/jps1917/23_053.htm">JPS, 53:11</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Yet, the NIV says "light of life" is present in the earlier Dead Sea Scrolls from 135 BCE and the Septuagint from 257 BCE. See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2053&version=NIV">Note D to Isaiah 53:11 NIV</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Some believe any correction to the Masoretes is sacrilegious and blasphemy. I do not think that is true. Regardless, I make no comment whether the Masoretic text is accurate or the earlier Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint are accurate. That is for each reader to consider and determine in their own heart.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 12860434<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
512
aboutauthor/417-bible-on-taking-oaths.html
Normal file
512
aboutauthor/417-bible-on-taking-oaths.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,512 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/417-bible-on-taking-oaths.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="a href=http://soundfrost.softonic.com/ descargar videos de youtube/a" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Bible on Taking Oaths" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="coilone" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
a href=http://soundfrost.softonic.com/ descargar videos de youtube/a" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Bible on Taking Oaths</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><p>Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Prov. 30:5-6)</p></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html" class="child"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly/jesus-words-only-amazon.html"><span>Purchase from Amazon.com</span></a></li></ul></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html" class="child"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation/jesus-word-on-salvation-amazon.html"><span>Purchase from Amazon.com</span></a></li></ul></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/download-e-book.html"><span>Download e-Book</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/purchase-from-amazoncom.html"><span>Purchase from Amazon.com</span></a></li></ul></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html" class="child"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible/download-e-book.html"><span>Download e-Book</span></a></li></ul></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html" class="child"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience/download-e-book.html"><span>Download e-Book</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/jwoogm-20"><span>Amazon Shop</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 9520" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "9520") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1>Bible Lesson on Taking Oaths</h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Jewish doctrine on oaths teaches:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Eschatological acceptance of God by non-Israelites is also expressed through an oath of allegiance to Him (Isa. 19:18; 45:23) (<a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0015_0_14994.html">Jewish Virtual Library</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Turning to <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2019:18&version=KJV">Isaiah 19:18</a> and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2045:23&version=KJV">45:23</a>, they say:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>18 </sup><span>In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and <strong><em>swear to the </em></strong></span><span class="small-caps"><strong><em>Lord</em></strong></span><span><strong><em> of hosts</em></strong>; one shall be called, The city of destruction. (Ch. 19)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>23 </sup><span>I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow,<strong><em> every tongue shall swear</em></strong>. (Ch. 45)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, what if someone tells you never to take an oath? Under these verses as apparently correctly interpreted at Jewish Virtual Library, you could never become accepted by God if you are a non-Israelite if you did not take an oath of allegiance to God. (If applicable, which we are examining, then it suggests we should be taking an oath of allegiance to God-Yahweh. Possibly at Baptism. And possibly regularly in prayer time, e.g., "I swear my allegiance and fidelity to you, Yahweh.") </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So be very careful in determining whether the Bible teaches you never to make an oath. As we shall explore here, it clearly does. There were two mistranslations in the NT that made it appear we should do otherwise -- one at Matthew 5:33 and the other at James 5:12, as we shall see.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h2>The Original Testament from God to Moses</h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The<a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0015_0_14994.html"> Jewish Virtual Library</a> lists many mandatory oaths in the Original Testament (OT):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span>The exculpatory oath, exacted by the plaintiff from the defendant to back the latter's plea of innocence when no witness to the facts was available; the oath was taken at the Sanctuary (Ex. 22:7, 10; the procedure is described in </span><small>I</small><span> Kings 8:31). If the defendant took the oath, the suit was decided in his favor (Ex. 22:10; cf. the effect of the exculpatory oath in the Old Babylonian lawsuits in Pritchard, Texts</span><sup>3</sup><span>, 218 [</span><small>E</small><span>, 1], 545 [no. 10]). On the other hand, if he refused to swear, his plea was automatically rebutted and he lost the suit (cf. Pritchard, Texts</span><sup>3</sup><span>, 545 [no. 11]). Such a self-convicted liar is referred to in Ecclesiastes 9:2 as "he who is afraid of the oath" (note esp. his position as the second, pejorative member of his pair, paralleling "the wicked," "the impure," etc. of the preceding pairs). A perjurer who repents and wishes to clear himself before God and man must follow the prescription of Leviticus 5:20–26. A special case of exculpatory oath is that of the suspected adulteress; its curse is effected through the ordeal of the "bitter waters that induce the spell" (Num. 5).</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, clearly the Bible required taking oaths at various times.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h2>New Testament Passages On Oath-Taking</h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But some claim Jesus did away with this. And if so, does this mean every witness in our society who takes an oath is thereby violating God's Law?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Some claim yes, based upon Matthew 5:33 and James 5:12.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, Matthew 5:33 dropped off the word "falsely" which the Hebrew-more-original version contained. So Jesus condemned "taking an oath <em><strong>falsely</strong></em>," not taking any oath. See <em>The Original Gospel of Matthew</em> by S. Rives (source: Howard, <em>The Hebrew Gospel of Matthew</em>.) Nehemiah Gordon makes the same point. If Jesus taught taking an oath were wrong, then Jesus would contradict the Original Testament, and be a false prophet. Deut. 13:1-5. Hence, the variant that spares Jesus is valid; it derives from a Hebrew text that appears to have elements older than our Greek NT. See Howard, <em>id.</em> This text is the means of repairing the discord between the Greek version of Matthew 5:33 and the OT.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And as to James 5:12, commentators are aware that there is an excellent strain of variants that proves James was condemning taking a false oath, not any oath.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Clarke in his commentary states that variants to James 5:12 have James condemning hypocritical (false) oaths:</span></p>
|
||||
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Several MSS. join [a Greek word] and [another Greek word] together, and prefix [another Greek word meaning] into, which makes<strong><em> a widely different reading</em></strong>: "Lest ye fall into<em><strong> hypocrisy</strong></em>."</span></div>
|
||||
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"> </div>
|
||||
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Now, as it is a fact, that the Jews did teach that there might be mental reservation, that would annul the oath, how solemnly soever it was taken; the object of St. James, if the last reading be genuine, <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">and it is supported by a great number of excellent MSS</span></strong>., some versions, and some of the most eminent of the fathers, was <em><strong>to guard against that hypocritical method of taking an oath</strong></em>, which is subversive of all moral feeling, and must make conscience itself callous. (See "Comment" tab at <a href="http://bible.cc/james/5-12.htm">http://bible.cc/james/5-12.htm</a>.)</span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Likewise, Gill writes in his commentary:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Lest ye fall into condemnation; by the Lord; for either false, or rash, or profane swearing; for he will not suffer it to go unpunished; see <a href="http://bible.cc/exodus/20-7.htm" target="_blank">Exodus 20:7</a>. Some copies read, "<strong><em>lest ye fall into hypocrisy</em></strong>"; or dissimulation, and get into a habit and custom of lying and deceiving, as common swearers do; and so reads the Arabic version. (See "Comment" tab at <a href="http://bible.cc/james/5-12.htm">http://bible.cc/james/5-12.htm</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h2>Dissent To These Corrections</h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Others disagree nevertheless. For example, Mr. Thompson - zealot on this issue - writes:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Why are the oaths used? The intent of the oath, as all things that are against God, is to destroy mankind. There is no other purpose for it. The oath has a man violate God's law just by taking it. The oath is an act of idolatry, and it is so commonplace, that its presence is hardly noticed. Yet, it is present in almost all political and religious systems. The only religious system that forbids it is true scriptural Christianity. (<em><a href="http://verydumbgovernment.blogspot.com/2010/03/swear-and-oath-tell-lie.html">Swear an Oath, Tell A Lie</a></em> (accessed 9/30/2012).)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">As proof, Thompson first cites an Original Testament (OT) scripture that Thompson is unaware was poorly punctuated in the King James Bible. This is <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Zephanaiah 1:4-5 which simply says it is wrong to swear by Yahweh and a false god. It is not prohibiting swearing (taking an oath) by God's name alone ever. So the ESV correctly reads that God threatens to cut off:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"those who bow down and swear to the Lord<br />and <strong>yet swear</strong> by Milcom," <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zephaniah+1%3A4-5&version=ESV">ESV</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mr. Thompson cites the KJV which reads differently, and thus Mr. Thompson appears justified. However, the <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zephaniah+1%3A4-5&version=KJV">KJV</a> put in a comma, and this changes the meaning. Plus the KJV is less clear. By the KJV, God threatens</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>, </strong></span>and that swear by Malcham; (Comma is highlighted in red.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, the KJV in our modern syntax creates an ambiguity. Does the verse mean God will condemn those who only swear by His name even if they do not swear by Milcom /Malcham? It is semantically possible in the English KJV that this is the case. However, because there is no comma here in Hebrew, it was wrong to suggest it here, and this is what opened up an ambiguity. Second, because the OT demands various oaths be taken in God's name, one cannot easily accept a translation that makes it appear God is going to punish those who obey that command. The ESV therefore has the right meaning.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mr. Thompson also cites in his favor Zechariah 5:3. In the KJV, it lacks the word "falsely" which other translations utilized, and thus it does support Mr. Thompson. The KJV reads:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span>Then said he unto me, This </span><em>is</em><span> the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off </span><em>as</em><span> on this side according to it; and every <em><strong>one that sweareth </strong></em>shall be cut off </span><em>as</em><span> on that side according to it. (<a href="http://bible.cc/zechariah/5-3.htm">Biblos</a>)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, the NIV, ESV, NLT, King James 2000, World English, etc. has the key portion:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">everyone who swears<em><strong> falsely </strong></em>will be banished.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Expert commentators likewise render Zechariah 5:3 as "swear falsely." See Hinckley Gilbert Thomas Mitchell, John Merlin Powis Smith, Julius August Bewer, <em>A Critical & Exegetical Commentary on Hagai, Zechariah</em> (1912) Vol. 23 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LBcXAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PR7&ots=Yo9D7k36rz&dq=zechariah%205%3A3&pg=PA169#v=onepage&q=zechariah%205:3&f=false">169</a>. <a href="http://bible.org/book/export/html/6305">Bible.org</a> provides a fresh translation, and it says the Hebrew means "swear falsely."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Before we address why, the Young's Literal is fascinatingly entirely different. Here is Young's Literal:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And he saith unto me, 'This is the execration that is going forth over the face of all the land, for <strong><em>every one who is stealing</em></strong>, on the one side, according to it, <em><strong>hath been declared innocent</strong></em>, and <strong><em>every one who hath sworn</em></strong>, on the other side, according to it,<strong><em> hath been declared innocent</em></strong>. (<a href="http://bible.cc/zechariah/5-3.htm">Biblos</a>)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It turns out that Young's renders "will be purged" (<em>niqqa</em>) as "declared innocent," because there is a <em>niphal . </em>As <a href="http://bible.org/book/export/html/6305">Bible.org </a>explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span>Another problem with the predicate “has been purged out” (</span><span>hQ*n]</span><span>,</span><span> niqqa</span><span>), in addition to its tense, is the fact that the niphal usually connotes “to be free from guilt” or “exempt from punishment.”</span><sup><a name="P1446_390159"></a></sup><span> This would yield a meaning exactly opposite from that [we] propose here, for it would be saying that the thief and he who swears will be freed from guilt (or has been freed from guilt)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">While Bible.org believes it should render this the opposite -- as a purge, what the verse appears to be saying is an "execration" is going forth because one who is stealing against the commands on one side of the scroll was found innocent; the reason why was because someone has sworn in violation of the other side of the scroll (the false-witness command, as we shall see), but was declared innocent. Meaning the false witness was accepted as true, and this deserves "execration." Hence, the execration is over a false-witness under oath, and not just any kind of oath in God's name.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This is bolstered by what other commentary says. The 10 Commandments were on 2 tablets originally. So the "one side" and "the other side" of the flying scroll in 5:1 of Zechariah symbolize the 2 tablets upon which were the 10 Commandments. One side of the scroll refers to "stealing" which coincides with the eighth commandment in Exodus 20:15 which originally was on Tablet 2. Klein then says "the false witness in the name of the Lord" in Zechariah 5:3 "transgresses the third" commandment from Exodus 20:7, 16 which was on Tablet 1 given Moses. (George Klein, <em>New American Commentary</em> Vol. 21B "Zechariah" (B&H: 2008) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=EdqXxFWxKjkC&lpg=PA171&ots=aBdMCusJeH&dq=zechariah%205%3A3&pg=PA172#v=onepage&q=zechariah%205:3&f=false">page 172</a>.) Hence this is why Zechariah 5:3 is referring to one side and the other side of the flying scroll -- it symbolized 1 command against stealing in the 10 commandments, and the other command against bearing false witness in the same 10 commandments.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, this "swearing" in 5:3 was an allusion to the false swearing command on Tablet 1. It was not a new command to stop taking any oaths in God's name at all.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Gill's commentary exposes the underlying Hebrew which points to the meaning that "false swearing" from one of the tablets given Moses is what is intended in Zechariah:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">this curse also reaches to the whole world, and the inhabitants of it, who lie in wickedness; and to all sorts of sinners, particularly those next mentioned:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">for everyone that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side, according to it; as it is written and declared on one side of the roll:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">and everyone that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it; as is written and declared on the other side of the roll; which two sins of <em><strong>theft</strong></em> and <em><strong>false swearing,</strong></em> the one being against the second, and the other the first table of the law, show that the curse of the law reaches to all sorts of sins and sinners; (<a href="http://bible.cc/zechariah/5-3.htm">Biblos</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, no matter how one looks at this, the command was against false swearing rather than against taking any oath in God's name. Zechariah 5:3 was against the one who swears and is declared innocent (of lying) about the thief who gets off because of the false testimony. There is no prohibition on all forms of swearing -- it only condemns false swearing.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2>Jesus' Point</h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The command Jesus is repeating in Matthew 5:33 is from Leviticus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"'Do not swear<strong> falsely</strong> by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. <a href="http://bible.cc/leviticus/19-12.htm">http://bible.cc/leviticus/19-12.htm</a></span></p>
|
||||
<h2>Interpretive Confusion</h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium;">Furthermore, there is a problem of English translation. Cursing is also translated in English as swearing which also means taking an oath. So the translation 'swearing' is an ambiguous English term, and unless we know whether the underlying language speaks of 'cursing' or 'taking an oath,' we must be careful not to think condemnation of swearing is condemnation of taking an oath. It may be a condemnation of merely cursing.</span></p>
|
||||
<div> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For example, the Didache, an early Christian writing from 200 AD attributes to Jesus: "</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness,...." </span><a href="http://www.essene.com/History&Essenes/didach.htm" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.3em;">http://www.essene.com/History&Essenes/didach.htm</a></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Well, not bearing a false witness would require a witnesses who took an oath to tell the truth in the OT (see above). Thus, the command not to bear false witness is the same as telling someone not to make a false oath but only a true oath. It did not abolish the duty to give an oath in certain situations.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, the phrase "not swearing" in this verse from the Didach, if truly from Jesus, is not a command not to take any oath. If it meant not to take any oath, then why does Jesus in the next breath condemn giving "false testimony," which is based upon an oath? Hence, "swearing" in the Didach passage, if an authentic quote of Jesus missing in the NT, would still have to fit the context, and thus only could mean "cursing" is prohibited.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">We cannot allow interpretative confusion in an English translation to mislead us to deny the duty to give an oath when the Law requires. And in fact, it appears we Gentiles must swear allegiance to God-Yahweh as a condition of our acceptance by Him, as discussed at the outset. See Isaiah 19:18 and 45:23. </span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 1170377<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
441
aboutauthor/421-dan-on-jwo.html
Normal file
441
aboutauthor/421-dan-on-jwo.html
Normal file
File diff suppressed because one or more lines are too long
616
aboutauthor/532-the-jesus-words-only-principle-explained.html
Normal file
616
aboutauthor/532-the-jesus-words-only-principle-explained.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,616 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/532-the-jesus-words-only-principle-explained.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="The Jesus Words Only Principle Explained" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>The Jesus Words Only Principle Explained</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;">And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. (Deut 5:10 KJV)</span></p></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 5929" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "5929") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">The Jesus' Words Only Principle Explained</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #000080;"><strong><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #000080;"><strong><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Introduction</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">A. Not All Messages from God Are Equally Authoritative</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Even a very astute and logical Christian thinker can denigrate the "sole teacher" status Jesus said He had. Such a good Christian and evangelical radio personality -- Greg K. -- recently wrote in an article entitled "Are the Red Letters More Important" in his monthly newsletter for June 2014:</span></p>
|
||||
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402466227737_5820" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #494949; font-family: 'Gill Sans', Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Therefore, <em><strong>Jesus’ words have no more authority than Jude’s, and Paul’s words have no less authority than Christ’s</strong></em>. In fact, since Jesus is God—the same God who inspired all of Scripture—in a very real sense, Titus’s words and <em><strong>Paul’s words are Jesus’ words</strong></em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402466227737_5888" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; color: #494949; font-family: 'Gill Sans', Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Since the same doctrine supporting Jesus’ words endorses every other biblical writer, <strong><em>singling out Jesus as a special authority undermines the doctrine of inspiration for all of Scripture</em></strong>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In his monthly newsletter of June 23, 2014, this same well-known Bible commentator likewise writes: </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"<span style="color: #494949; line-height: normal;">The mistake [of Red Letter Christians] is thinking that red-letter verses (the words of Jesus) have more authority than the rest of the Bible."</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So if this Christian thinker is correct, then the words "that are difficult to be understood" from Paul, as <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%203">Second Peter 3:15</a> says about Paul's words, are of equal weight to those from "The Prophet" as Peter calls Jesus in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2018:15,18;%20Acts%203:20,22;7:37;%20Hebrews%203:2-6">Acts 3:22,</a> quoting Deuteronomy 18:18-19.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">But if that were true, then why did John the Baptist <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> -- the greatest prophet who ever lived prior to Jesus (Matthew </span><a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/11-11.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; line-height: 21px;">11:11</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">) -- believe he "must decrease" so that unfettered acceptance of Jesus' message would "increase" (John</span><a href="http://bible.cc/john/3-30.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; line-height: 21px;"> 3:30-31</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">)?</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the Deuteronomy passage which Peter quotes in Acts 3:22 (more on those words later), God Yahweh tells Moses that "every word" of a special prophet called "the Prophet" will be from Yahweh, and God will hold every man "to account" who does not follow what "the Prophet says." (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+18:18-19">Deut. 18:18-19</a>.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">God never says this about anyone else other than <em><strong>the Prophet</strong></em>. Not everything any other prophet ever spoke was <strong><em>always</em></strong> from Yahweh. Only the words a prophet <strong><em>quoted Yahweh as saying </em></strong>were from Yahweh. Casual talk and explanations recorded in the Bible even though uttered by a prophet are not words from Yahweh. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Moses had no constant inspiration in everything he said or did. Sometimes his acts were sinful as when he struck a rock inconsistent with what God told him to do. God punished him by not letting him enter the promised land of Israel. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">An example of the lack of constant inspiration is the one time Moses was confronted with a difficult legal case to decide, and he concluded he was unable <strong><em>on his own</em></strong> to resolve it. So he "went" to Yahweh with the issue. (Numbers 27:3 <em>et seq.</em>) This is in accord with Deut. 1:17 "The case that is<em><strong> too hard for you</strong></em>, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it" (Deuteronomy 1:17). </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus, however, would not have had the same difficulty or limitation, as we shall see.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There was something distinctly different, unique and superior about <em><strong>The Prophet</strong> </em>to come where every word he spoke somehow was from God Yahweh Himself. We know now how this happened, for as Jesus says "the <em><strong>father dwells in me</strong></em>" -- John 14:10 -- an event never true of any other prophet who always, other than Moses, God communicated with by visions. In those cases, the Holy Spirit spoke to the prophet by visions. More proof on that below.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, <em><strong>The Prophet</strong></em> has an even superior standing to Moses, as Moses heard intermittently from Yahweh. Even when Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18-19 announces the words from Yahweh about The Prophet, Moses introduced the quote by his own explanation of the words from Yahweh to follow. See <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+18%3A15-16&version=ASV">Deut 18:15-16</a>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Moses necessarily implied his own explanation is <em><strong>NOT</strong></em> what Yahweh said, but Moses' own interpretation of what it meant. Other than that comment, Moses quotes Yahweh promising that a unique prophet is yet to come -- whom we now know as Jesus -- whose<em><strong> every word</strong></em> is God speaking through Him, and thus we are held to account to The Prophet above all prophets.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus below, I will establish that Greg --- the Bible thinker who<strong> says Jesus' words are not more important than any other passage in the Bible</strong> -- is not only an ill-informed opinion, but is <strong>soundly rejected by God</strong> in Numbers 12:1-14. God explains in that passage that not even all prophets speaking in Holy Scripture when quoting God are speaking with equal authority and clarity. It may be all equally inspired in a general sense when quoting God, but their words do not all have the same priority of emphasis and clarity as to Moses' revelation from God. Our God explains this in Numbers 12:1-14 and Deuteronomy 18:18-19, as more fully discussed below. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And Jesus also explained that the "<strong><em>apostle is not more important than his master."</em></strong> John <a href="http://bible.cc/john/13-16.htm" style="color: #517291; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">13:16</a>. Thus, Jesus explained His words have a priority over any words from an apostle, particularly one whom Second Peter says speaks with "words difficult to be understand." Those words in Second Peter directly relate to God's rebuke of Miriam in Numbers 12:1-14. In that passage, Yahweh says all prophets (except The Prophet) are inferior to Moses because God speaks less clearly to general prophets -- via visions -- and thus in a way more difficult to be understood than God speaks to Moses or The Prophet to come. To repeat, the latter speaks verbatim God's words by some unexplained direct and obviously much clearer means.</span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">An Error in Categories by Greg</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Besides these principles of priority. we will prove below that Greg makes a categorical error in the above quote. He describes <em><strong>non-prophets</strong></em> as on par with Jesus. That certainly endangers taking Jesus' words as seriously as intended by God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> For example, Jude is no prophet; he was simply a bishop of Jerusalem. The third Bishop of Jerusalem, to be precise.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul is also not a prophet. The best that any one has claimed for Paul is that he is an apostle of Jesus. While there are not two witnesses to establish that as true, even so, Jesus said the apostles were only inspired to remember Jesus' words which he spoke to them. (John <a href="http://bible.cc/john/14-26.htm" style="color: #517291; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">14:26</a>.) However, Paul in his epistles never quotes Jesus except two passages in Luke's Gospel -- the communion liturgy and the worker is worth his wage. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The only exception in Paul's epistles is 2 Corinthians 12:7, but it is so problematical that even Paul aficionados reject these were possibly the words of our Lord Jesus. There Paul says the "Lord" (Jesus? Paul does not say) refused Paul's repeated prayers to be free from the "torment" of an "angel of Satan," the Lord supposedly refusing to do so, and telling Paul that "my grace is sufficient for you." Because this apparently has our Lord Jesus refuse to lift a demonic influence over Paul, Pauline teachers insists that there is something wrong in this text. It supposedly could not be as Paul intended it. Regardless, this would be the only words of a "Lord" -- possibly Jesus -- quoted in Paul's epistles other than the two quotes of Jesus from Luke's Gospel. This is hardly any track record to conclude that Paul was a prophet of Jesus' words. </span></p>
|
||||
<p> <br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence Paul has no words in his epistles from Jesus which are unique and depend upon Paul's recollection that can be relied upon. In fact, Paul only a few times says the "Lord" says something -- probably intended as an allusion by Paul to OT scripture: 1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Tim. 2:11; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Thess.4:1-2,8; 1 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 4:17. cf. 1 Cor. 7:25, 40.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Tiers of Authority</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Instead, there are four tiers of inspired authority which God demands we follow differently based upon which has priority over the other. The primary passages establishing this are Numbers 12:1-14 and Deuteronomy 18:18-19.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Consequence of Breaching This Order of Priority</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">As we shall demonstrate below, when we defy this order of priority, God says we are disgraced in God's view. We have improperly inverted the order of authority within those given revelations from God. <em><strong>One is more clear than the other</strong></em>. For example in Numbers 12:1-14, God says Moses' words are<strong><em> more authoritative than words of a mere prophet because God speaks more clearly to Moses than He does to a mere prophet</em></strong>. God intends we understand the more clear authority trumps the authority of the less clear. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">How do we defy this order of priority? God says we do so when we treat someone of lesser authority (such as an ordinary prophet who has only a vision, or a prophet's messenger / apostle of God's word) as on par --- of equal WEIGHT --- with a higher authority such as Moses who spoke with God "mouth to mouth" or <em><strong>The Prophet</strong></em> to come who has the most intimate connection of all. God Yahweh explains these principles in Numbers 12:1-14 and Deuteronomy 18:17-18, as we will explore below.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">B. The Four Tiers of Authority Versus A Disgraced God-Encounter</span></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">These four tiers of authority are: (1) The Prophet (Messiah); (2) next below Him is Moses; (3) next below Moses are all other prophets because they merely have visions in which God speaks to them; and (4) next below any of the above are prophets only secondarily -- as a "messenger" (apostle) of one who is in divine communication with God, e.g., carrying the message of another who is in divine contact with God -- such as either Aaron who was an apostle to Moses or one of the 12 apostles to <em><strong>The</strong></em> Prophet (Jesus). </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">There is a fifth category of one who experiences a direct communication with God. However, God's purpose in this category is to disgrace that person and chastise them for disobeying the priority of authority outlined here, as God does with Miriam in Numbers 12. Because this kind of experience intends to disgrace the recipient, the actual sight of God's form or the vision lends no authority or credence in the recipient's words or teachings.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">We shall see this happens to Miriam because she speaks up for her brother Aaron and herself as prophets too. "Has Yahweh only just spoken through Moses?" (Numbers <a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/12-2.htm">12:2</a>, Friedman.) God then disgraces her for this audacity of claiming equal divine communication as Moses, despite she and Aaron did have some limited prophetic experiences.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000080;"><strong><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">C. Aaron & Miriam as Prophets, And Messengers of A Prophet (Moses)</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">To understand Numbers ch. 12, we need to know about the prior prophetic role of Aaron and Miriam. Each has a valid claim, but not as significant or substantial as Moses.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">First, Aaron primarily acted as a messenger of God's word between God and his brother Moses. </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, Aaron was called Moses' "prophet" in addressing the Pharoah. (</span><a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/7-1.htm" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 19.1875px;">Exodus 7:1</a><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> ("Aaron will be your prophet")</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">. This event signified that whatever words Moses heard from the Lord Yahweh were then spoken through Aaron to Pharoah. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Aaron also performed signs before the people. (Exodus 4:15-16.) God commanded Moses once to tell Aaron to stretch out his wooden rod in order to bring on the first of the three plagues. (<a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/7-19.htm">Exodus 7:19</a>, Yahweh told Moses "tell Aaron..."); 8:1, 12.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">With one exception that we know of, Aaron never received a direct prophecy that went only to Aaron. Instead, </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">it is said fifteen times in the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah" style="line-height: 19.1875px; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: underline; background-image: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" title="Torah">Pentateuch</a><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> that "the Lord spoke to Moses and </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"></em></span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Aaron" ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline;">Aaron</a>," Wikipedia) -- obviously in a messenger role first exemplified in Exodus 7:1. The exception is in <a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/4-27.htm">Exodus 4:27</a> "Yahweh said to Aaron, 'Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.'" This was a rather insignificant prophecy directly with Aaron.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; color: #494a44; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">As a result, Aaron was an inferior "prophet" to Moses. This was understood in early Judaism although in the later post-exile period Rabbinical Judaism elevated Aaron's status to an equality with Moses. But in the Bible itself, we learn:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; color: #494a44; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus Aaron, the first priest, <em><strong>ranks below Moses</strong></em>: he is his <em><strong>mouthpiece</strong></em>, and the executor of the will of <strong><em>God revealed through Moses</em></strong>, although it is pointed out</span><sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; font-family: sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron#cite_note-11" style="color: #0b0080; text-decoration: underline; background-image: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> that it is said fifteen times in the Pentateuch </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah" style="color: #0b0080; text-decoration: underline; background-image: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" title="Torah"></a><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">that "the Lord spoke to Moses and </span><em style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"></em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Aaron." ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline;">Aaron</a>," <em>Wikipedia</em>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, in Aaron's primary role, it was inferior to Moses. God would directly speak a prophetic message to Moses which Aaron would likely hear second-hand from Moses. (Or perhaps sometimes heard simultaneously. We cannot rule out that possibility.) Then Aaron would repeat that message to another. In that Messenger role, Aaron was clearly inferior to his master (Moses). In Greek, the word "messenger" is "apostolos" - rendered Apostle in English. On this topic, Jesus explained that the "apostolos is not more important than the one who sent him." (John <a href="http://bible.cc/john/13-16.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">13:16</a>.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Otherwise, as noted above, the only direct prophetic communication to Aaron recorded is in Exodus 4:27. But it was quite inconsequential: "Yahweh told Aaron, 'Go to see Moses in the wilderness....'"</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">As to Miriam, we read in <a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/15-20.htm">Exodus 15:20</a>: "</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Then <em><strong>Miriam the prophet</strong></em>, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, both Aaron and Miriam had valid claims to be prophets of God. However, Aaron was more the messenger (apostle) of Moses -- repeating what Moses heard from Yahweh. It is unclear what prophetic messages Miriam received, but we know they took place. Thus, both Aaron and Miriam were within their right to both claim to be prophets of God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000080;"><strong><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">D. Levels of Authority Based on Clarity And Directness of Communication</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">These four types of prophetic experiences are a tiered hierarchy where the words given by one are more important than the rest, the second than the third, etc. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">As discussed below, in Numbers ch. 12 God explains the second and third tiers of authority in my list, indicating Moses is greater than ordinary prophets who God only speaks to in riddles (enigmas) or in visions or in dreams. However, with Moses, God spoke face-to-face ("mouth to mouth"), and explains He does not speak in riddles, speaks clearly to Moses, and Moses sees the form of Yahweh.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">As Friedman explains in <em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Commentary on the Torah</span></em> (Harper 2001) at pages 467-468 -- a great Jewish resource for Christians:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong>In a vision, in a dream</strong></span>. All prophetic experiences in the Tanak [the Law, Prophets & Writings of the Hebrew Bible] are understood to be all through <em><strong>visions and dreams -- except Moses'</strong></em>. The fifteen books of the Hebrew Bible that are named for prophets either identify the prophet's experiences as visions or else leave the form of the experiences undescribed (Ezek 12:27, 40:2; Hos. 12:11; Hab. 2:2; Mic. 3:6). Many begin by identifying the book's contents as the prophet's vision: "The<em><strong> vision</strong></em> of Isaiah" (Isa 1:1; cf. 2 Chr. 32:32); "The <em><strong>vision</strong></em> of Obadaiah" (Oba 1); "The book of the<em><strong> vision</strong></em> of Nahum" (Nah 1:1); "The words of Amos...which he <em><strong>envisioned</strong></em>" (Amos 1:1); "The word of YHWH that came to Micah...which he <strong><em>envisioned</em></strong>" (Mic 1:1); "The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet <strong><em>envisioned</em></strong>." (Hab 1:1).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, <em><strong>Moses' priority exists from the CLARITY of expression God uses</strong></em> with Moses, unlike the way God speaks less clearly and more enigmatically to the ordinary prophet.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Then the priority of The Prophet over Moses is explained in Deuteronomy 18. There God Yahweh explains there is The Prophet who is to come. He is even greater than Moses because "every word" The Prophet speaks is from God. This is a higher connection than even Moses had whereby Moses intermittently heard messages directly from the Lord. Not everything Moses said reflected God's word unlike The Prophet to come whose every word would be from God. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">E. Why Jesus Has The Most Direct Connection</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">How did this constant direct inspiration operate with Jesus?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus explained how it worked: the "Father dwells in me" (John 14:10). Every word or act Jesus did was because He saw and heard first the Father doing it. (John 5:19).</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">In conformance with the priority of Jesus over the classic prophet, we learn John the Baptist -- the "greatest prophet" -- stops his ministry once he sees Jesus is on the scene. "I must decrease so he may increase." <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">(John</span><a href="http://bible.cc/john/3-30.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;"> 3:30-31</a><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">.) </span>John, the greatest prophet, knew Jesus had the priority over a mere prophet, even the "greatest prophet." For God spoke from heaven at John's baptism to Jesus: "this day I have begotten thee." (See<a href="/aboutauthor/235-hebrew-matthew-baptismal-account.html"> link</a>.) John realized the Logos had become flesh. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">In addition, Jesus in the NT says He is the "sole teacher" <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">(</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2023:6-11&version=NASB" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;">Matt. 23:6-11</a><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">, NASB) </span>and "sole pastor" <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> (</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2010:16&version=NASB" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;">John 10:16</a><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">.)</span> and otherwise, there is no hierarchy to exist in the church among equal brethren. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">(</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+20%3A25-26&version=NIV" style="color: #517291; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;">Matt. 20:25-26</a><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">.) </span>This preserved His role as the superior within the church -- even greater than "apostles" (messengers) -- because all members were equal.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">So the Jesus' Words Only principle teaches the New Testament is solely subject to one voice, one set of commands -- those of Jesus. Yet, when Jesus reaffirms the Law given Moses continues (Matt 5:17-19), that means those commands continue based upon the authority of Jesus despite a "New Testament." The new does not remove or replace the old. They are revitilized and re-interpreted with the greatest clarity by Jesus.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Nevertheless, Jesus has superiority over all the predecessors due to the intimate connection which even Moses did not have: the abiding presence of the Father within Himself. (John 14:10.) Jesus would then be a recipient of even a more clear communication from the Father than even Moses received.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">With that introduction in mind, let's begin our study.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000080;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000080;">Numbers 12: God Reproves Miriam and Aaron On Tiers of Prophetic Authority</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Miriam and Aaron were upset that Moses took a Cushite wife. They claimed they too spoke for God, or that God had communicated with them. So therefore Moses should not be the sole point of authority among the Israelites. To this, God reproved them. Here is the entire series of related verses:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="chapter-2" style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Ch. 12 1. </span>Miriam<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> for he had married a Cushite.</span> <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">2 </span>“<strong><em>Has the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”</em></strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> And the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> heard this.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">3 </span>(Now Moses was a very humble man,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">4 At once the Lord [Yawheh] said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord [Yahweh] came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words:</span></p>
|
||||
<div class="poetry top-05" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-left: 33px; position: relative; margin-bottom: 1em; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;">
|
||||
<p class="line" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">“When there is <strong><em>a prophet among you</em></strong>,</span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">I, the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord [Yahweh]</span>, <em><strong>reveal<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> myself to them in visions,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></strong></em></span></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> </span></strong></em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong>I speak to them in dreams</strong></em>.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">7 </span>But this is not true of my servant <strong><em>Moses</em></strong>;<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">he is faithful in all my house.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">8 </span><em><strong>With him I speak face to face,</strong></em></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">clearly and not in riddles;<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span></strong></em></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> </span></strong></em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong>he sees the form of the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span>.</strong></em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Why then were you <em><strong>not afraid</strong></em></span><br /><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> </span></strong></em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong>to speak against my servant Moses</strong></em>?”<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<p class="top-05" style="margin-top: -0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">9 </span>The anger of the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> burned against them,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> and he left them.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">10 </span>When the cloud lifted from above the tent,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> Miriam’s skin was leprous<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+12&version=NIV#fen-NIV-4070a" style="color: #b37162; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span>—it became as white as snow.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span> <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">11 </span>and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span> <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">12 </span>Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">13 </span>So Moses cried out to the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span>, “Please, God, heal her!<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span>”</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">14 </span>The <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> replied to Moses, “If <strong><em>her father had spit in her face</em></strong>,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> for seven days; after that she can be brought back.”</span> <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">15 </span>So Miriam was confined outside the camp<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> for seven days,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> and the people did not move on till she was brought back. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+12&version=NIV">Numbers 12:1-14 NIV</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">God essentially equates Miriam's act of rebellion as justifying God disgracing her by leprosy -- the equivalent of "spitting" in her face. <br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">What was Miriam's contention against Moses about?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Miriam was claiming with Aaron that since God used Aaron and her as prophets, they had an equal authority as prophets from God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">But God explains in Numbers 12 that Aaron or Miriam -- although prophets -- they still rank below Moses. God reproves Miriam for attacking the priority of Moses over them. The difference God said between the way He speaks to a mere prophet (like them) versus the way He speaks to Moses is:</span></p>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">God speaks clearly and without riddles ("enigmas") to Moses.</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">God does not speak clearly or without riddles to ordinary prophets.</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Proof of the latter is that John the Baptist, the greatest prophet, was never told by God Yahweh that Jesus was Messiah. (Matt 11:2.) John met Jesus at the baptism, saw the sign from heaven, and heard the voice of Yahweh, but even then nothing was said that Jesus was Messiah. The voice said "this is my beloved son," etc. So John was in the dark -- no doubt hearing riddles and unclear messages. Yet, Jesus calls John the "greatest prophet." Obviously, that did not put John on a higher plane than Moses or Jesus. Those two were on a higher plane. John never prophetically knew Jesus was Messiah, </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">and thus had to ask Jesus through his disciples visiting Jesus to inquire. (Matt. 11:2.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">And Jesus was on the highest plane of all, as Deuteronomy 18 will demonstrate.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Deuteronomy 18: The Prophet Is Someone Where Communication is Unique</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">When people saw Jesus feed the 5000, they thought this meant Jesus was "the Prophet." <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+6%3A14-15&version=ESV">John 6:14-15</a>. After the Ascension, Peter in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+3%3A22-23&version=KJV">Acts 3:22-23</a> and Stephen in <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/7-37.htm">Acts 7:37</a> says Jesus is indeed "The Prophet" spoken about in Deuteronomy 18. There Moses first tells Israelites about "The Prophet." After his preface, Moses then quotes God Yahweh directly on what He said about "The Prophet" in the following passage:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">15 </span>The <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> [Yahweh] your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> <em><strong>You must listen to him</strong></em>.</span> <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">16 </span>For this is what you asked of the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> [Yahweh] your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> [Yahweh] our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">17 </span>The <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> [Yahweh] said to me: “What they say is good.</span> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">18 </span>I will raise up for them a prophet<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> in his mouth.<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> He will tell them everything I command him.<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">19 </span>I myself will call to account<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> anyone who does not <em><strong>listen<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> to my words</strong></em> that <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">the prophet</span></strong></span> speaks in my name.<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span> (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deuteronomy%2018&version=NIV">Deut. 18:18-19 NIV</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Note at <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus' transfiguration, a voice of the same Yahweh speaks from heaven and says of Jesus "<em><strong>listen to Him</strong></em>." (</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%209:7&version=NIV" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;">Mark 9:7</a><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">; Matt 17:5, transfiguration.) </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">These words -- "listen to Him" -- repeat what Moses said about The Prophet in Deuteronomy 18. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Note too that Moses is not shy to tell you this Prophet is above himself in intimacy to Yahweh. The Prophet will be a fellow-Israelite. But then something different is true. God is no longer speaking face-to-face to this one like Yahweh does with Moses, or by visions with ordinary prophets: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">and I will put my words<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> in his mouth.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> He will tell them everything I command him.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">19 </span>I myself will call to account<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> anyone who does not listen<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> to my words that <em><strong>the prophet</strong> </em>speaks in my name.<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deuteronomy%2018&version=NIV">Deut 18:18-19 NIV</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Moses explains why God is working this way through this One to come:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">16 </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">For this is what you asked of the </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear <strong><em>the voice of the </em></strong></span><strong><em><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span></em></strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><em> </em></strong>our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” (Deut 18:16.)</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, God was going to work directly through a MAN like Moses who would not freighten people, as when God was talking from within a fire. This Man would be just as if God was speaking to them with "the voice of the Lord," but now instead of a fire with a scary voice, it would be a voice coming from a "fellow Israelite," a Man who would not freighten them. For previously, the people were so alarmed hearing God's voice, they begged Moses as follows: "Then they said to Moses, Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+20%3A19&version=NASB">Exodus 20:19 NASB</a>.)</span></span></span> </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">It is clearly implied in Deuteronomy 18:16 that this One is not an ordinary prophet who has a vision, or even hears "mouth to mouth" like Moses did. Instead, this prophet was different. God says "I will put my words in his mouth."</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> Because this obviously produces a greater clarity and directness than even Moses enjoyed, God says "I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name." </span><em style="line-height: 19.1875px; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large;"></em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">The words of that prophet will judge every man.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">God never implies in this context that any ordinary prophet will have this role, because again in Numbers 12 God already told us that an ordinary prophet does not hear as clearly or as directly as did Moses. But here, "the" prophet depicted in Deuteronomy 18 enjoys a special status of somehow being the "voice of the Lord" talking as directly through himself as God spoke from the fire on Mount Sinai.</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus explained how this worked.</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">First, John 1:1,<a href="http://biblos.com/john/1-14.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 16.363636016845703px; line-height: 20px;">14</a> tells us the "Logos [was] made flesh." But Jesus tells us in John <a href="http://biblos.com/john/14-24.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 16.363636016845703px; line-height: 20px;">14:24</a> that the "Logos you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me." In the same context, Jesus tells us in John <a href="http://bible.cc/john/14-10.htm" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 16.363636016845703px; line-height: 20px;">14:10</a>, the "Father ...dwells in me." </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Jesus said that He was simply doing (and saying) what He saw (and heard) the Father doing (and saying):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">"Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because <em><strong>whatever the Father does the Son also does</strong></em>." (<a href="http://biblehub.com/john/5-19.htm">John 5:19 NIV</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">As Jesus elsewhere said: "</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me</span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> to say all that I have spoken." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2012:49&version=NIV">John 12:49 NIV</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Conclusion</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, Jesus was unique. He had a communication with the Father that even Moses knew ahead of time was uniquely different from the way God spoke with Moses. So even though God told Moses, Miriam and Aaron that Moses had a clear and more meaningful contact with Yahweh-God, Moses revealed an even more direct use of The Prophet in the future. This servant would operate like the burning bush served in Moses' encounter. However, instead of the voice coming out of the bush -- scaring people -- it would come out of a Man -- a "fellow Israelite" -- and thus be more familiar and less freightening.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">At the same time, God reproved Aaron and Miriam for thinking merely because Aaron spoke God's words which God gave Moses to Pharoah, and on other occassions both Aaron and Miriam spoke as true prophets, that this made Aaron and Miriam equal to Moses. Instead, Aaron remained a mere "messenger prophet" -- having no significant direct revelation akin to Moses' connection to Yahweh. Aaron's messages were derivative of Moses, and hence Aaron could not speak with the same authority which Moses had. And when Miriam and Aaron spoke as prophets, it was merely as temporary visions of God which God says is not the same as He speaks with Moses which is "mouth to mouth," where Moses can see God's "form" and most importantly, God speaks "clearly" and not by "enigmas."</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">What does God-Yahweh say He regards one who is a Messenger (Apostle) claiming authority equal to one like Moses, let alone one superior to Moses? as equal to or superior to The Prophet Jesus? God said it deserved His doing what is equivalent to spitting in your face to show how disgraced you are before Him. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Remember Miriam was struck with a skin disease as punishment, and then God explained what she had done:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">13 </span>So Moses cried out to the <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span>, “Please, God, heal her!<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span>”</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">14 </span>The <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span> replied to Moses, “<em><strong>If her father had spit in her face,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> would she not have been in disgrace for seven days</strong></em>? Confine her outside the camp<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> for seven days; after that she can be brought back.”</span> <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">15 </span>So Miriam was confined outside the camp<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> for seven days,<span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span> and the people did not move on till she was brought back. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers%2012&version=NIV">Numbers 12:13-15 NIV</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, even though Miriam's encounter with God appears that now she even saw God's form standing in front of the tent, and shared this amazing experience with Moses and Aaron, it certainly was not intended to create any kind of trust in Miriam or Aaron thereafter. We were to view them now with distrust for such disgrace. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, not every communication with God and even seeing His form is the same or signifies someone is thereafter a prophet. Miriam and Aaron only served as "witnesses" of this appearance of God and His words as Moses recorded them in Numbers 12. God was not making Miriam or Aaron ongoing prophets after this shameful act, and never spoke through them again.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Paul had a similar experience to the reproof of Miriam and Aaron. Paul has only one encounter with what he once calls a "vision" of light that says "I am Jesus." (Other times Paul says he saw in the light a physical appearance of the resurrected Jesus, making himself an equal witness to the 12 of the resurrection.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">The words of this "Jesus" are all negative toward Paul. Like Miriam's affliction with leprosy, Paul is afflicted with blindness.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Later, Paul is told that another -- one Ananias (about whom nothing is known) -- that Paul would be a "martus" -- a witness -- to the Gentiles. Not an apostle, not a prophet, but just a witness of this appearance of Jesus to himself to the Gentiles. So nothing greater was invested in Paul than was Miriam invested with when she saw God outside the tent of meeting in Numbers 12 to repove her with leprosy. Paul's reproof was blindness. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">While I believe there is reason to disbelieve this is the true Jesus in Acts 9 afflicting Paul (see <a href="/aboutauthor/292-jesus-prophecy-about-who-identified-himself-as-jesus-to-paul.html">link</a>), let's assume it is so. Here is Acts 9 depiction of this event similar to Miriam's experience, where an angry reproof is given to Paul by one who says "I am Jesus" -- The Prophet - similar to what God said to Miriam outside the tent of meeting in Numbers 12:<br /></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="chapter-1" style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">9 </span>And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">2 </span>And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">3 </span>And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">4 </span>And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, <span style="color: #ff0000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong>Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?</strong></em></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">5 </span>And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, <span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong><em><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks</span>.</em></strong></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">6 </span>And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, <span style="color: #ff0000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong>Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.</strong></em></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">7 </span>And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">8 </span>And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+9&version=KJV">KJV</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">The words this Jesus speaks directly heard by Paul -- and not through others -- are <em><strong>entirely negative</strong></em>. All words spoken by this Jesus in this account are highlighted in red and bold. You can see they are the <strong><em>same kind of reproof Miriam received</em></strong>. An affliction of blindness happens as well, <strong><em>similar to what Miriam suffered</em></strong>. This experience does not make Paul a prophet or an apostle. Later Ananias tells Paul that the Holy One told him that Paul should "bear" Jesus name to the Gentiles. The role for Paul depicted in other versions of this account is he would be a "witness" -- Paul would be a witness of this Jesus's reproof for trying to kill Christians. This is not making Paul a "messenger" of any messages of Jesus privately communicated to Paul. <em><strong>Paul was just a witness</strong></em>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, Paul is not even at the level of Aaron -- who typically was a messenger of God's word given first to Moses. Paul was outside the four tiers of authority -- and rather was a witness to the wrath and negativity of Jesus for persecuting His people. Paul was to share this negative experience to the Gentiles, just like Miriam could witness to the world what negative experience comes from God when you claim to be on par with Moses but you are just a mere prophet, as she was.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">On top of this, even Second Peter -- often cited to equate Paul to 'scripture (although a misreading of what this means, see <a href="/aboutauthor/57-second-peter-reference-to-paul.html">our</a> link), says Paul is "difficult to understand." (2 Peter 3:15-17.) When true, this implies Paul is subject to the higher priority of those to whom God spoke more "clearly" and not in "enigmas" (riddles) (Numbers 12:8). Paul is thus a lesser authority (even if intermittently inspired) than Moses or Jesus. What does this imply? The Bethel Church of God in 2012 said it right:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px 30px; color: #494a44; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Based on the above texts, as well as others, there is<strong><em> only one way to understand Paul’s Epistles.</em></strong> They <strong>must be interpreted</strong> by the clear texts in the Bible,<strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> texts that are</span> </strong><em><strong>not</strong></em><strong> <span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">difficult to understand</span></strong>. ("<a href="http://www.bethelcog.org/church/understanding-paul/understanding-paul-1" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline;">Understanding Paul</a>," Bethel Church of God (2012).)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Because Paul's epistles never quote Jesus other than the liturgy and maybe the worker-is-worthy-of-his his wage (both of <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">which are in Luke), and once dubiously Paul's Lord refused to release Paul from a torment by an "Angel of Satan" (2 Cor. 12:7), </span>any reliance on every word of Paul as inspired is a disgraceful act, God says. Why? </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Because when you treat Paul's<em><strong> every word</strong></em> as on par with Jesus, as well as able to subvert and revoke Moses' words, you are subject to disgrace for three misdeeds: </span></p>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">first, by putting Paul equal in authority to The Prophet; </span></li>
|
||||
<li style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">second, by putting Paul's words above Moses words which Aaron and Miriam did not even dare to do -- who were reproved sorely for pleading for an equality between Miriam's and Aaron's roles and Moses' role; and</span></li>
|
||||
<li style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">finally, by treating Paul as if Paul were The Prophet whose every word was inspired -- which is only true of The Prophet, and not even true of Moses who only had intermittent communication with God!</span></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Paulinists thus will suffer, absent repentance, God's disgrace upon them, equivalent to God spitting in their face on Judgment Day.</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">So why would we want to ever take the chance of treating someone like Paul as an inspired authority in every word written even when <strong>99% of the time Paul never claims to be quoting God or Jesus</strong>? The only two times Paul quotes Jesus is [1] his quote in 1 Cor. 11:24 from Luke's liturgy of the communion in Luke 22:19 and [2] apparently in 1</span></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Tim 5:18 about the worker is worthy of his wage. Paul each time does not even imply this involved any inspiration by himself -- Paul. Otherwise, we are left with the highly problematic quote by Paul of a "Lord" refusing to release Paul from the torment by an angel of Satan in Paul's flesh. (2Cor. 12:7.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"> </p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Then there are only five examples where Paul is quoting the Lord God (not Jesus specifically), and we can infer Paul was quoting what he accepted as oral Torah or it was a loose quotation of the Law or Prophets. See </span></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Tim. 2:11; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Thess.4:1-2,8; 1 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 4:17.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> See also our article "</span><a href="/aboutauthor/80-paul-admits-often-uninspired.html" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 19.1875px;">Paul Admits He Often Is Speaking Without Inspiration</a><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">What we have done incorrectly is quote Paul as inspired in every word just like we can quote Jesus as inspired in every word. The only reason that is true of Jesus is because Deuteronomy 18 said <strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">this would be true alone of The Prophet</span></strong>. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">(<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deuteronomy%2018&version=NIV" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline;">Deut 18:18-19 NIV</a>.)</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> No such honor or elevation belongs to Paul's mere letters. To give them such importance will cause what? God's disgrace upon you, especially as you have let yourself be drawn away from the words and teachings of Jesus - our <em><strong>sole teacher</strong></em>.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">End.</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> D. v.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Study Notes</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Not all inspiration is of the same authority. This explains why Jews always taught that Torah had higher authority than the prophets. The Law or Pentateuch - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy & Numbers -- given by God to Moses - always had an authority above any of the Prophets in the Prophets section. (See "</span><a href="/recommendedreading/335-writings-section-of-original-testament-of-bible-knol.html" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">Writings in the Original Testament</a><span style="color: #000000; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">.")</span> </span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">A father spitting in a child's face was the most extreme form of displeasure and disgrace to exhibit in the Middle East of that era. God was saying that is what Miriam deserved.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">The verb for spit is repeated twice here in Numbers 12, to suggest repeated spitting. This means it was not some accidental act of a father. Rather, it was the punishment from a father upon a child.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Aaron was silent, incidentally, as Miriam spoke up on his behalf for an equality with Moses. He was not punished, showing a lesser anger at him for colluding quietly than against Miriam who was the instigator. Friedman suggests it was because Aaron was the high priest, and he had to make personal atonement rather than be disgraced due to his office.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #800080; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> <span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">Email Comments</span></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1">I read this entire article- it’s absolutely great!</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"> (Matt P, graduate Dallas Theological Seminary, July 29, 2013).</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 19.1875px;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<div class="heading passage-class-1" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px; color: #5c1101; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;">
|
||||
<h3 style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+27%3A21%2CDeuteronomy+17%3A8-11%2CJeremiah+18%3A18%2CEzekiel+7%3A26&version=NASB"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000;"></span></a></span></h3>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img src="http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/worldwonders/img/getty/large/cinque-terre/85652556.jpg" alt="" /></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 12860757<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
472
aboutauthor/545-the-validity-of-the-gospel-of-john.html
Normal file
472
aboutauthor/545-the-validity-of-the-gospel-of-john.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,472 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="https://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/545-the-validity-of-the-gospel-of-john.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="The Validity of the Gospel of John" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>The Validity of the Gospel of John</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><p style="text-align: left;">"Paul [cannot be] both claimant and witness [for himself]." Tertullian<em>, Against Marcion </em>207 A.D<em>. <br /></em></p></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="https://jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="https://jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 6163" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "6163") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="https://jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">Is The Gospel of John Authentic?</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">I currently believe John's Gospel is authentic. But we are to test all things. So I have collected the criticism's of that thesis here:</span></p>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There is an apparent inconsistency in the duration of Jesus' ministry. In the Synoptics, the events could cover one year. In the Gospel of John, the summary spans three years. According to John, w<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">e find that three Passover festivals were mentioned to have occurred during Jesus' ministry (John 2:13; 6:4; 11:55). </span></span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">John's Gospel is the work of a trained mind who wrote good Greek with some semitizing; but <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%204:13">Acts 4.13</a> says that John was "unschooled."</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">John makes little reference to Galilee, which is allegedly scarcely what we would expect from a native of the province, especially since Galilee (supposedly) was the centre of Christ’s ministry. Nor does he mention at all his brother James.</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">John's knowledge of Judaism is supposedly tainted. Critics cite John 18.13 in this regard -- saying John implied there was an annual priest: "and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year." However, this does not imply an annual priest; it simply says who the high priest was that year.</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The author of this gospel would supposedly hardly refer to himself as "the disciple Jesus loved" -- some suggesting this is a false humility. On the other hand, it may be a sincere effort at humility to keep his name out of the piece.</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">John does NOT mention the 'Transfiguration' – when Jesus was joined by Moses and Elijah on a mountain top, transformed into "glory" and was addressed by God himself – a supposedly astounding omission considering that we are informed by each of the synoptic gospels that John was one of only three eye witnesses to this stunning miracle! Here is Mark's version: "And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus." – Mark 9.2,9.</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Similarly, John's Gospel omits any mention of the raising of Jairus's daughter but according to Mark's gospel it was John who was a privileged witness: "And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly ... And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment." – Mark 5.37,42.</span></li>
|
||||
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There was also supposedly a last minute redraft: John 21. The last two verses of the twentieth chapter indicate that the author intended to terminate his work here: </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">‘Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in his name ‘ – John 20, 30-31. But the </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">twenty-first chapter was apparently added as an afterthought, telling the story about a third appearance of Jesus, the catching of precisely 153 fish, and vouchsafing that ‘we know that the witness he gives is true.’ (John 21.24). For a rebuttal to this concern, see "<a href="http://www.thesacredpage.com/2011/12/john-21-later-addition-or-epilogue.html">John 21: Later edition or epilogue?</a>" from the Sacred Page.</span></span></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Critical Consensus Denies Historical Genuiness of the Fourth Gospel</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">As Christians, we do not measure the validity of our canonical Scripture by the votes of non-believers. But among them are believers, and thus we must consider their opinions. Anyway, the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Catholic Encyclopedia</span>'s article, "<a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08438a.htm#VI">The Gospel of St. John</a>" records:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The historical genuineness of the Fourth Gospel is at the present time almost <em><strong>universally denied outside the Catholic Church.</strong></em> Since David Friedrich Strauss and Ferdinand Christian Baur this denial has been postulated in advance in most of the critical inquiries into the Gospels and the life of Jesus. Influenced by this prevailing tendency, Alfred Loisy also reached the point where he openly denied the historicity of the Fourth Gospel; in his opinion the author desired, not to write a history, but to clothe in symbolical garb his religious ideas and theological speculations. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">For more on the traditional reasons for the validity of John, see the updated New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia "<a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08438a.htm">Gospel of John</a>."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">Earliest Citations to John's Gospel</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Our manuscript evidence dates primarily to the 4th Century. However, Papyrus Bodmer II dated to 200 AD has the first 14 chapters of John (less 22 verses), and some parts of 16-21. So to know of its earliest history, we must turn to the earliest commentators.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The pagan philosopher Celsus in his ‘True Discourse’ (about 178 AD) based some of his statements on passages of the fourth gospel. Also, Heracleon, a follower of Valentinius, composed a commentary on the fourth gospel about 160 AD.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">But a generation earlier, Papias (about 70-130), though mentioning an apostle called John, says nothing of any gospel. Speaking of this Greek Bishop, Eusebius says (Hist. eccl., III, xxxix, 17) his work included passages taken from a ‘first epistle’ of John but nothing from a gospel.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Some contend that John went through its various re-writes in the second half of the second century. During this period, the anti-Montanists actually attributed John's Gospel to Cerinthus, an Egyptian ‘heretic.’Attribution to a heretic was certainly the fastest way for the hierarchy to discredit a false gospel! Wikipedia relates:</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Works attributed to Cerinthus</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Cerinthus may be the alleged recipient of the Apocryphon of James (codex I, text 2 of the Nag Hammadi library), although the name written is largely illegible. A 2nd- or 3rd-century heretical Christian sect (later dubbed the Alogi) alleged Cerintthus was the true author of the Gospel of John and Book of Revelation. According to Catholic Encyclopedia: Caius: "Additional light has been thrown on the character of Caius's dialogue against Proclus by Gwynne's publication of some fragments from the work of Hippolytus "Contra Caium" (Hermathena, VI, p. 397 sq.); from these it seems clear that Caius maintained that the Apocalypse of John was a work of the Gnostic Cerinthus.” </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Montanists deduced their doctrine of the ‘paraclete’ mainly from John 15 and 16.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">We return to Irenaeus, the Bishop of Lyons, who died about 202. Irenaeus was the first to identify and name the four gospels. He cites in his writings at least one hundred verses from the fourth gospel.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Date Written in Relation to Revelation</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Eusebius says that Revelation comes <strong>prior</strong> to the Gospel of John:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"He [the apostle John] wrote this Gospel in the Province of Asia, after he had composed the Apocalypse on the Island of Patmos. A few months before his death [18 September, 96], the emperor had discontinued the persecution of the Christians and recalled the exiles." Eusebius (Hist. eccl., <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm">3.20. 5-7</a>)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, the sequence of the writing of the works in the NT is not chronological. Revelation comes prior to John's Gospel.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="body" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; line-height: normal;" align="left"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15617058<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
551
aboutauthor/610-2015-04-03-14-39-36.html
Normal file
551
aboutauthor/610-2015-04-03-14-39-36.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,551 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/610-2015-04-03-14-39-36.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="El espíritu de la Pitón respaldaba a Pablo en Actos 16:16" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="DJD" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>El espíritu de la Pitón respaldaba a Pablo en Actos 16:16</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><p id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22039" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22042" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22041">Numbers 6:24-26: "</span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22061" style="font-family: Palatino-Roman; font-size: xx-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22060">Yahweh bless you, and keep you. Y</span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22063" style="font-family: Palatino-Roman; font-size: xx-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22062">ahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22071" style="font-family: Palatino-Roman; font-size: xx-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym18_1_1459634147754_22070">Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace."</span></span></strong></span></p></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 7826" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "7826") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1><span lang="ES" style="font-size: 12pt;">El espíritu de la Pitón respaldaba a Pablo en Actos 16:16</span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span lang="ES" style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<table border="0" style="margin-left: 2.45pt; border-collapse: collapse;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
|
||||
<tbody>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td style="width: 517.75pt; padding: 1.4pt;" valign="top" width="690">
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">En Actos, Pablo encuentra una mujer poseída por el demonio conocido como Pitón. La mujer era una adivina muy popular en Filipo, cuyas gentes pagaban por escuchar sus profecías. Aquellos que aspiraban a ser reyes y gobernantes ambicionaban su apoyo para ganar aceptación entre las gentes. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Enormes territorios griegos cayeron frente a Filipo de Macedonia porque este sobornó a la sacerdotisa de Pitón para que profetizara que él los conquistaría. La pitonisa era, en términos de hoy en día, el equivalente a una estrella del rock.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Cuando Pablo se encuentra en Filipo, esta adivina de la Pitón le siguió durante varios días por la ciudad. Adondequiera que iba ella le proclamaba un hombre de Dios al que declaraba “un camino de salvación para nosotros”. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Su intención era obvia: esta mujer poseída por el demonio albergaba la esperanza de que muchos reconocieran y aceptaran a Pablo como un profeta de Dios, y que así aceptaran también su plan de salvación (ella no mencionó al verdadero Jesús). Pablo no hizo nada para detenerla durante varios días. Lucas apunta:<em></em></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><em>16 Y aconteció, que yendo nosotros á la oración, una muchacha que tenía espíritu pitónico</em> (griego: <em>pneuma pythona</em> – un espíritu de pitón), <em>nos salió al encuentro, la cual daba grande ganancia á sus amos adivinando</em> (griego: <em>manteuomene</em> – profetizando)<em>. 17Esta, siguiendo á Pablo y á nosotros, daba voces, diciendo: Estos hombres son siervos del Dios Alto, los cuales os anuncian el camino de salud. 18Y esto hacía por muchos días; mas desagradando á Pablo, se volvió y dijo al espíritu: Te mando en el nombre de Jesucristo, que salgas de ella. Y salió en la misma hora.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Pablo expulsando el espíritu de Pitón de la joven en el nombre de Jesús tras varios días de retraso no prueba que Pablo conociera al verdadero Jesús. Pues nuestro Señor específicamente dijo que muchos son los que llaman en Su nombre y utilizan Su nombre para expulsar demonios serán respondidos por Jesús con un “Yo nunca os conocí.” Debemos tener presente este pasaje mientras estudiamos si el comportamiento del espíritu de Pitón prueba las doctrinas de salvación de Pablo -únicamente fe/no trabajo necesario/anti leyes o anomia- no provenía del verdadero Jesús:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">No todo el que me dice: ``Señor, Señor, entrará en el reino de los cielos, sino el que hace la voluntad de mi Padre que está en los cielos. Muchos me dirán en aquel día: ``Señor, Señor, ¿no profetizamos en tu nombre, y en tu nombre echamos fuera demonios, y en tu nombre hicimos muchos milagros?. Y entonces les declararé: “Jamás os conocí; apartaos de mí, los que practicáis la iniquidad [ANOMIA (Griego para “ausencia de ley” o “negación de la ley”].” (’ (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%207&version=ESV">Matt 7:21-23 ESV</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Un mensaje de salvación anómico sin leyes significa un mensaje basado en la negación de la Ley que Dios otorgó a Moisés. (Para la discusión de “anomia” en Mateo 7:21 ver <a href="/recommendedreading/106-chapter-five-jwo.html">ch. 5 of Jesus Words Only</a>.) <br /> Jesús nos advierte en esta frase de que aquellos que vengan con un mensaje anómico y que enseñen o promuevan un mensaje de salvación en el que no es necesario obedecer la voluntad de “mi Padre” y a pesar de eso se dará la salvación de todos modos podrán expulsar demonios en el nombre de Jesús, pero esto no valida su falso mensaje.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">¿Qué es el espíritu de Pitón? </span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Un “espíritu de Pitón” se refiere a un tipo específico de espíritu demoníaco. La Nueva Traducción Viviente (NLT) de Actos 16:16 lo traduce simplemente como “una muchacha poseída por el demonio”. En Samuel 1-28:7, cuando se traduce “He aquí una mujer en Endor que tiene espíritu de pitonisa (OBH en hebreo, a veces traducido como médium/adivina/espiritista)”. (Jacques de Daillon (Conde de Lude), Demonología: or, Un tratado de espíritus: Donde se exponen varios pasajes de escritura (Impreso por el autor, 1723) en 114-115.) La palabra hebrea “OBH” se traduce frecuentemente como “brujo” o “nigromante” y fue frecuentemente tranducida Pitón en la Biblia Vulgata latina. (M. Oldfield Howey, The Encircled Serpent a Study of Serpent Symbolism in All Countries And Ages (1900) at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">142</a>.) Sin embargo, OBH era el diminutivo utilizado para la palabra hebrea ABADDON, que Juan en revelaciones 9:11 nos expone de forma reveladora como APOLLYON en griego. Los estudiosos coinciden en que APOLLYON significa APOLLO, el dios-sol (hijo de Zeus, el dios mitológico principal) cuyo templo se encontraba en Delfos, donde la estatua de Pitón con múltiples cabezas de serpiente hablaba a través de las sacerdotisas. Ver el artículo "<a href="/recommendedreading/379-apollyon-bible-study.html">Apollyon</a>." Entonces, ¿quién es la Pitón relacionada con Apolo? </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">La Pitón en la mitología griega era la serpiente que guardaba el oráculo de Delfos...la vidente profética de Apolo se llamaba Pythia” (Rick Strelan, <em>Strange Acts; Studies in the Cultural World of the Acts of the Apostles </em>(Walter de Gruyter, 2004) at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">113</a>.) Apolo era conocido como “Apollo Pythius ya que su símbolo era la Pitón.” (Dr Elsie Clark, <em>Spiritual Warfare</em>: Vol. 2 <em>Battling Against Carnality</em> (2010) at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">189</a>.) Apolo era el dios-sol entre los griegos. En el corazón del templo de Apolo había una pirámide conocida como el “trípode” simbolizando los rayos del Sol. (Técnicamente, la deidad griega Fobos era la deidad de la luz y se transformó en “Apollo Pythia”. Ver el <a href="http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/apollo.html">link</a>.) En este trípode reposaba una estatua de serpiente enroscada con tres cabezas conocida como Python o Pitón.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(Técnicamente, Apolo venció previamente a la profetizada Pitón, pero ahora a través de esta sacerdotisa Pythia en Delfos, también conocida como Pitón, el espíritu de Pitón habló. Ver e Leadbetter, "<a href="http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/apollo.html">Apollo</a>," Pantheon.org.) De este modo, encontramos que ahora Pitón se identificaba como Apolo Pitón en Delfos: </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"El cono o pirámide era un símbolo de los rayos del Sol, esto ejemplifica el culto a Apolo, la deidad-Sol con la serpiente, la pitón, la deidad-Tierra” (M. Oldfield Howey, The Encircled Serpent a Study of Serpent Symbolism in All Countries And Ages (1900) at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">143</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Claramente, el espíritu de Pitón es el espíritu de satanás/Apolo/lucifer -la luz cegadora- ( ver "<a href="/recommendedreading/223-who-is-the-blinding-angel-of-light.html">Quién es el ángel de luz cegadora</a>") – incluso representado como una gran serpiente de tres cabezas. La “pitonisa” -la joven virgen que proclamaría las profecías de la serpiente- debía sentarse en el trípode en el Templo de Pitón/Apolo en Delfos/Delphos. Siempre había tres jóvenes vírgenes que se alternaban en la tarea. (Howey, <em>Id., </em>at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">144</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Delfos en Grecia y su oráculo se relacionaron con Filipo de Macedonia ya que alrededor del siglo III A.C. Macedonia bajo el mando de Filipo II conquistó partes de Grecia sobornando al oráculo Pitón para que realizara profecías de su triunfo. Demóstenes decía que el oráculo se había “Filipizado” <em>Id., </em>at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">146</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[La pintura a la derecha es “Apolo venciendo a la Pitón”, por Eugene Delacroix]</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> <strong><span style="color: blue;"></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="color: blue;">La sacerdotisa Pitón de Filipo.</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">La sacerdotisa Pitón de Filipo en Macedonia era otra de las hermanas-profetisas de las tres que rotaban en su tarea en Delfos. La Pitón de Filipo es la que conoció Pablo.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin: 0in 0in 14.15pt 22.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">12 y de allí a Filipos, que es la primera ciudad de la provincia de Macedonia, y una colonia; y estuvimos en aquella ciudad algunos días. ...16 Aconteció que mientras íbamos a la oración, nos salió al encuentro una muchacha que tenía espíritu de adivinación, la cual daba gran ganancia a sus amos, adivinando (Hechos<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016&version=YLT"> 16:12, 16</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Ella era un “agente de satanás” explica Chr. Wordsworth, D.D., Canónigo de Westminster, en su libro “The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the original Greek (Ed. Ch. Wordsworth, D.D., Canon of Westminster)(Rivington 1862) pág <a href="#v=onepage&q=philippi python&f=false"><span style="color: #1155cc;">120</span></a>. Él explica que esta denominación de Pitón aplicada a esta joven representaba: </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin: 0in 0in 14.15pt 22.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Una expresión notable. La damisela se encontraba poseída por un espíritu maligno...un espíritu de Pitón, una palabra que nunca aparece en los evangelios...La palabra Pitón expresaría algo poderoso para los oídos de un griego y un romano. ¿Qué contenía esta palabra? La Pitón era la serpiente profética en Delfos, el centro y foco de la adivinación pagana. La Pitón dio su nombre y lugar a la deidad profética del mundo pagano. El sucesor de la Serpiente de Delfos era Pitón Fobos o Apolo. Y desde él todos los que reivindicaban los poderes de adivinación recibían su título, y eran llamados Pitones. [El autor presenta numerosos ejemplos desde la literatura griega]. De este modo, la damisela de Filipo con su posesión Pitonísica era, de acuerdo a su rango, una representante de Pythia que se sentó en el trípode de Delfos, y que entregó las respuestas en el nombre de Pitón Apolo (Pythian Apollo), el sucesor de la Serpiente, y trajo muchas ganancias y renombre a sus maestros, en ese lugar, y engañó al mundo con sus hechizos. De este modo, San Lucas llama al espíritu de Filipo, Pitón...la Pitón era un representante de satán.” <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="#v=onepage&q=philippi python&f=false"><span style="color: #1155cc;">120</span></a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Predeciblemente, este devoto autor cristiano se blinda en la importancia de que el apoyo de esta aliada de la Pitón durante “varios días” en Delfos respaldaba el plan de salvación que predicaba Pablo. Este autor simplemente viene a decir que esto se da por la virtud de Pablo para expulsar al demonio. Pablo indica que la Pitón es un “espíritu impuro” que es “denunciado y expulsado por San Pablo”. Nunca ahonda el autor en el significado del retraso de Pablo y el apoyo provisional por quien este autor reconoce como un famoso e influyente “agente de satanás”.<strong><span style="color: blue;"></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="color: blue;">¿Por qué normalmente se traduce mal este verso? </span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Obviamente conscientes del problema que nos encontramos a punto de exponer, la mayoría de las traducciones diferentes de Young's Literal <em>nunca traducen correctamente</em> este verso como “espíritu de Pitón”. De este modo, King James simplemente indica “espíritu de adivinación” (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2016:16-19&version=KJV">Acts 16:16-19 KJV</a>.) La NVI es todavía más débil, dice simplemente que ella tenía un “espíritu”. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2016:16-19&version=NIV">Acts 16:16 NIV</a>.) Prácticamente todos los demás coinciden.<strong><span style="color: blue;"></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="color: blue;">Ignorando/evitando un problema obvio</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Si la mujer de la que se habla estaba poseída por el demonio y Pablo estuviera siguiendo al verdadero Cristo, entonces su llamamiento a otros para escuchar a Pablo para la salvación representa una causa dividida contra sí misma, no tiene sentido. Pero si Pablo estuviera siguiendo involuntariamente un falso Cristo, entonces la historia encaja perfectamente. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Por favor nótese la distinción entre esta mujer poseída por el demonio de los demonios que reconocieron que Jesús era Cristo, ya que los demonios ni hicieron nada para promover la idea de que Jesús era el mesías, hijo de Dios, etc. Ni fueron los demonios que reconocieron a Jesús favorecidos con ningún favor, y su reconocimiento no ayudó de ningún modo a la causa de Jesús. Ver Marcos 3:11-12. Esto contrasta con las diferentes evidencias del reconocido demonio Pitón (la sacerdotisa), que apoyó a Pablo durante varios días y alegando que él tenía el auténtico plan de salvación. En la antigua Grecia-Macedonia, no había una profeta más influyente que la sacerdotisa Pitón. Se la remuneraba constantemente por sus profecías y todos buscaban su favor.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Nótese cómo Pablo tomó ventaja durante días gracias a su apoyo, sin cuestionarse siquiera por qué la profeta-Pitón que servía a satanás apoyaba específicamente el plan de salvación de Pablo. Pablo nunca se preguntó si sería posible que él hubiera conocido a un falso “Jesús”, un impostor en su camino a Damasco. Encontramos, según Lucas cuenta en la historia, que Pablo en Filipo nunca pensó en este problema sin9o que se encontraba feliz de que incluso los demonios apoyaran su mensaje “Puede notarse que los misioneros no cuestionaban la veracidad de la inspiración de la mujer mediante el espíritu de Pitón, tampoco se cuestionaron si decía o no la verdad...” (M. Oldfield Howey, The Encircled Serpent a Study of Serpent Symbolism in All Countries And Ages (1900) at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">142</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Pero debieron haberlo cuestionado, ya que este demonio-oráculo al servicio de satanás estaba bien visto por los paganos de la zona. ¿Por qué iba satanás a promover el mensaje de Pablo deliberadamente a través de ella? Al parecer Lucas no se lo plantea dos veces aunque claramente el Bereano en cada uno de nosotros requiere que nos lo replanteemos y examinemos a título personal. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">De este modo, volvamos a examinar el aspecto clave de este verso: </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Una muchacha...con espíritu [el demonio] de Pitón...habiéndonos seguido a Pablo y a nosotros, gritaba [públicamente, y durante varios días], diciendo “Estos hombres...nos declaran un camino de salvación”. Actos 16:16-17.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">De este modo, se puede observar que si Pablo estuviera sirviendo al auténtico Cristo, los espíritus demoníacos como la Pitón, que eran populares y muy influyentes entre los paganos no se encontrarían “durante varios días” siguiendo a Pablo y diciendo a la gente que acepte el “plan de salvación” de Pablo.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Y nótese que el espíritu de Pitón no alegaba por seguir a Cristo, sino por seguir el plan de salvación de Pablo. En Actos 16:17, el demonio Pitón dice “Estos hombres son los servidores del Dios altísimo, que nos anuncian el camino de la salvación”, por tanto el mensaje de salvación de Jesús no estaba siendo promovido, sino que en su lugar el demonio promovía el muy diferente mensaje de salvación de Pablo. Sobre la diferencia entre estos dos evangelios, ver nuestra página “Las contradicciones de Pablo sobre Jesús”.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">De este modo, Actos 16:16-17 es otra confirmación de que Pablo estaba involuntariamente sirviendo los propósitos de satanás. Ya hemos deducido esto desde la visión de Pablo de alguien proclamando “Yo soy Jesús” en el desierto cuando Jesús nos advirtió que no confiaramos cuando alguien “venga en mi nombre” (ver Mateo 24:5, 24-27) porque el único modo de que Jesús sea visto en la Tierra tras la Ascensión sería si cada uno de los ojos de la Tierra le ve. (Ver <a href="/recommendedreading/292-jesus-prophecy-about-who-identified-himself-as-jesus-to-paul.html">link</a>.) Pero eso no es lo que sucedió en el camino a Damasco, ¿o lo es?.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Entonces, ¿qué cambia si Pablo expulsó al demonio en el nombre de Jesús? ¿Prueba esto que Pablo conociera al verdadero Jesús? Definitivamente, ¡no!.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">En Mateo 7, Jesús dice que muchos que trabajan en la “anomia” (negación de la Ley) podrán decir que realizaron muchos milagros y exorcizaron en nombre de Jesús, pero Jesús les dirá que nunca les conoció.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Un milagro o exorcismo entonces no prueba nada, Jesús habría expulsado al demonio como misericordia hacia esta pobre muchacha.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Lo que es importante extraer de este pasaje es qe Pablo, el ferviente trabajador de lo que parece anomia (ver <a href="/recommendedreading/106-chapter-five-jwo.html">link</a>), no conocía al verdadero Cristo porque si Pablo le hubiera conocido, ¿por qué iba un popular e influyente demonio promover durante días su plan de salvación? Esto representaría un reino dividido contra sí mismo, y como Jesús dijo, en esencia, cosas como estas no serían auténticas. Entonces, la conclusión lógica es que Pablo no “conocía” a Cristo, contrariamente a la asunción de Pablo sobre la identidad del personaje que encontró en el camino desierto a las afueras de Damasco. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">3/25/2012</span></p>
|
||||
<div style="border-style: none none double; border-bottom-color: gray; border-bottom-width: 1pt; padding: 0in;">
|
||||
<p class="Lneahorizontal"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Notas de estudio</span></h1>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">¿Por qué se molestó Pablo con el espíritu de Pitón alentándolo tras “varios días” en lugar de hacerlo desde el principio? ¿Por qué debería un hombre de Dios querer que un demonio le aliente? Los estudiosos reconocen este hecho mientras que intentan invertirlo de otra manera: “es en cierto modo un misterio el por qué se molestó por los gritos de la muchacha [de apoyo]” (Henry Ansgar Kelly, Satan: A Biography (Cambridge University Press: 2006) at <a href="#v=onepage&q=spirit of python promoting paul&f=false">56</a>.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">La mejor explicación es que Pablo dejó que esta situación continuara sin reprender al demonio porque estaba ayudándole, hasta que Pablo se dio cuenta de que la gente comenzaría a preguntarse por qué los demonios apoyaban a Pablo.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Contrasta la situación con Jesús en Mateo. En cada encuentro con personas poseídas por el demonio, Jesús los expulsaba de la persona. Jesús no les dejaba continuar en su estado durante “varios días” para servir sus intereses personales si es que le identificaban como a un Mesías. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">En Marcos se presenta una situación única que no aparece en Mateo. Este es el Evangelio que los eruditos han deducido fue escrito por un paulinista, eliminando todas las profecías críticas sobre Pablo en Mateo. Ver "<a href="/recommendedreading/364-marcan-priority-claim-is-invalid.html">Marcan Priority Claim</a>."</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mientras que a primera vista lo acontecido en Marcos 3:11-12 parece similar a lo que sucede con Pablo en Hechos 16, al reflexionar un poco podemos notar que se diferencia bastante. Jesús, según Marcos aparentemente mantiene a los demonios en su lugar (al contrario que en Mateo que describe cómo Jesús siempre los expulsa). Lo que sucede según Marcos es que encontrandose Jesús sanando a muchas personas, llama “espíritus impuros” a quienes gritan “tú eres el hijo de dios”, y no a quienes quieren “hacerle conocido” y respetado entre la gente.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Al contrario que en Pablo, Jesús en Marcos 3 no quería que nadie percibiera esos espíritus impuros declarando su identidad, para de este modo prevenir el apoyo de los demonios. Por el contrario, Pablo dio la bienvenida al parecer a este apoyo por parte de los agentes demoníacos.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>Pitón. </strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">El historiador romano Luciano lo describe como “el dragón que habló bajo el trípode” en el templo de Pitón. En el templo se mantenía a una hueste de serpientes. Se asume que “dragón” en este caso significa una de las serpientes.</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Lo que es curioso es que apolo era la deidad solar y que el símbolo de su poder sea una serpiente de tres cabezas. Cuando se considera que la deidad solar en Roma se acabó conociendo como Sol Invicto, se encuentra la similitud con la popular deidad Apolo-Pitón de los griegos. El siguiente fragmento es la opinión de M. Oldfield Howey, en su obra:The Encircled Serpent a Study of Serpent Symbolism in All Countries And Ages (1900) pag <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">143</a>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">El trípode en que se sentaba la pitonisa era otra reliquia de la religión que fue reemplazado, ya que estaba formado por una serpiente de bronce, enroscada en espiral hacia arriba en forma de cono, finalizando en tres cabezas. El cono o pirámide era un símbolo de los rayos solares, un ejemplo del culto a Apolo, la deidad-sol junto a la serpiente, la Pitón, la deidad-tierra.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>Glosario/ Afirmaciones felices/ Palabras proféticas de conocimiento</strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">El método profético de la Pitón presenta una escalofriante similitud a las modernas “palabras de conocimiento/palabras de sabiduría” y el “glosario” que yo mismo he presenciado en ciertas iglesias. Puedo verificar palabras de conocimiento que con frecuencia relatan de forma sorprendentemente precisa descripciones de personas, con su pasado excelentemente descrito por extranjeros, mezclado con promesas de futuro que normalmente constituyen una apuesta segura.</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hay que recordar que el don de lenguas de los 12 apóstoles era diferente: se trabba de la habilidad de hablar en su propia lengua, y los que escuchan oirían en su propia lengua. Ver Hechos 1.</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Por este hecho es tan escalofriante considerar cómo nuestro comportamiento moderno puede haber penetrado en la iglesia copiando prácticas de las Pitonisas de la Antigua Grecia.</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Anacarsis identifica en un jornal de viaje durante el siglo VI D.C. Que “hacia el centro [del templo] se encuentra una apertura desde la que llega la exhalación profética. (Howey, <em>id.</em>., at <a href="#v=onepage&q="spirit of python&f=false">144</a>.) La joven virgen bebía un agua que “se decía [tenía] el poder de mostrar el futuro”. I<em>d. C</em>uriosamente, las jóvenes profetisas sufrían de “movimientos involuntarios” en sus miembros y emitían un sonido “entre gritos y profundos gemidos” (<em>id</em>.) Entonces ella emitió “terribles aullidos que fueron rápidamente recogidos por los sacerdotes.” De este modo trabajaban los sacerdotes. Anarcasis continúa: “Los recogieron en el orden correcto y nos los enviaron por escrito”. <em>Id</em>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Leadbetter lo resume de forma más directa, sin ser consciente de cómo esto podría instruir r a los Cristianos acerca de problemas sobre las instrucciones de Pablo: “después de que ella murmurara su respuesta, un sacerdote varón la traducía para el suplicante” (Ron Leadbetter, "<a href="http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/apollo.html">Apollo</a>," Pantheon.org (2012).)<em> </em></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Lo que es interesante es la similitud de esta escena a la versión de Pablo del don de lenguas. El verdadero regalo apostólico del don de lenguas era la habilidad de un apóstol de hablar y que personas con un lenguaje diferente escucharan el mensaje en su propio idioma. Lucas anota esto mismo en Hechos 1. Sin embargo, Pablo le da el mismo nombre a algo completamente diferente -algo idéntico a los enunciados extáticos del “espíritu de Pitón” donde otro interpretaba y escribía. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Las palabras no eran comprensibles sin más ya que se supone que eran el verdadero don apostólico descrito en Hechos 1. Pero Pablo describe esta muy diferente versión del don de lenguas en la siguiente frase, nótese por favor la chocante similaridad con el caso del “espíritu de Pitón y sus intérpretes”:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">“Si habla alguno en lengua extraña, sea esto por dos, o a lo más tres, y por turno; y otro interprete.” (<a href="http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/14-27.htm">1 Cor. 14:27 </a>RVR 1960.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Uno se pregunta si la picadura de satanás en la carne de Pablo le empapó de algún modo con el espíritu satánico de Pitón -que Pablo revela involuntariamente cuando describe el espíritu que da la habilidad de hablar en nuevas lenguas, del que Pablo afirma de un modo muy modesto (estoy bromeando): <span style="position: relative; top: -4pt;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="position: relative; top: -4pt;">18</span> “<strong>Doy gracias a Dios porque hablo en lenguas más que todos vosotros”</strong>. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor.%2014:18&version=NIV">1 Cor. </a><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor.%2014:18&version=NIV">14:18 NIV</a>.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<div style="border-style: none none double; border-bottom-color: gray; border-bottom-width: 1pt; padding: 0in;">
|
||||
<p class="Lneahorizontal"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Pitón: Un ventrílocuo. </span></h1>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">La palabra griega “pitón” tenía un significado secundario en adivinación y la ventriloquía, como si un ventrílocuo se encontrara hablando en una voz extraña. Ver Mark Nanos, at <a href="http://www.marknanos.com/Phil3Dogs-Reverse-6-27-07.pdf">24</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mapas de Delfos y Filipo </span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Filipo se sitúa en Macedonia, mientras que Delfos está en Grecia, 100 millas al norte de Atenas. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Notas adicionales de estudio</span></h1>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Stephen A escribe:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">La palabra traducida como “viperinas” en NT podría significar pitón.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">EKHIDNA (Equidna) era un monstruo dragona (drakaina) con la cabeza y el pecho de una mujer. Probablemente representaba o presidía las corrupciones de la Tierra: putrefacción, cieno, aguas fétidas, enfermedad y plagas. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Se la igualaba frecuentemente con Pitón (el que se pudre), un dragón nacido del fétido cieno, resto del gran Deluge. Otros la llaman la Lamprea Tartarea, y le asignaron la oscuridad, cenagoso foso de Tártaros bajo la Tierra. Hesiodo le da una hija de monstruosos dioses marinos, y se supone que la asociaba con la basura y podredumbre del mar y las fétidas marismas.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">En todos los casos, se la describe como consorte de Tifón (Typhoeus), un monstruoso demonio tormenta que retó a Zeus en el cielo. Juntos engendraron hordas de monstruos terribles para plagar la Tierra.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Otras dragonas relacionadas de cerca incluyen al Equidna de Argive (Argive Ekhidna) y Poine, el Campo Tártaro (Tartarean Kampe) y el “Phokian Sybaris”.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">En la imagen (derecha), Equidna se iguala con Pitón. Apolo sentado en la piedra del ónfalo la vence con sus flechas: en el papel de dios sanador (Paian) destruyendo al demonio que extiende las plagas.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://www.theoi.com/Ther/DrakainaEkhidna1.html"></a><a href="http://www.theoi.com/Ther/DrakainaEkhidna1.html">http://www.theoi.com/Ther/DrakainaEkhidna1.html</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Esta palabra “EKHIDNA” es utilizada 4 veces en el Nuevo Testamento.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(Echidn?n) — 4 ocurrencias</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mateo 3:7 N-GFP</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">¡Generación de víboras! ¿Quién os enseñó a huir de la ira venidera? </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mateo 12:34</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">¡Generación de víboras! ¿Cómo podéis hablar lo bueno, siendo malos? Porque de la abundancia del corazón habla la boca. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mateo 23:33</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Serpientes, generación de víboras! ¿Cómo escaparéis de la condenación del infierno?</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Lucas 3:7</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Y decía a las multitudes que salían para ser bautizadas por él: ¡Oh generación de víboras! ¿Quién os enseñó a huir de la ira venidera? </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Contenidodelatabla" style="margin-bottom: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</tbody>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<p><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span lang="ES" style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15117250<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
470
aboutauthor/622-grandpa-a-the-battle-of-the-bulge.html
Normal file
470
aboutauthor/622-grandpa-a-the-battle-of-the-bulge.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,470 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/622-grandpa-a-the-battle-of-the-bulge.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Grandpa & The Battle of the Bulge" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Grandpa & The Battle of the Bulge</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><span>"The law of YAHWEH is perfect, reviving the soul." Psalm 19:7</span></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 176" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "176") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1 style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;">GRANDPA & THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1">My maternal grandfather Joseph Weger was born in the Ukraine (Kiev). His uncle, a Komisar, was disaffected with Lenin. So in 1922, this uncle put Grandpa Joe, age 8, and his sister Mary, age 6, on a train with a one way ticket to Poland. Grandpa grubbed his way along for several years in Poland until he found his way to Germany / Austria. He stayed there a few years, but eventually found his way to the USA. In early 1945, after winning 2 purple hearts in the US Army, he was picked among 5 others to serve in the British unit stationed near the eastern front near Russia. No battles were then ongoing on the Eastern front. Grandpa Joe was selected due to his unique fluency in German, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian to communicate with Russian / Ukrainian forces who were called upon in January 1945 by the USA to invade Poland en route to Germany on the east. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1">Grandpa's fluency in German also made him ideal to translate intercepts of German military radio traffic.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1">His redeployment with this British force was part of a military strategy, he explained to me, to use Russian / Ukrainian forces to pull off German troops from the Western line. The Nazis by a surprise attack had trapped almost the entire US European force. The Nazis were en route to a great surprise victory which could have let them win the war against the US Forces, and turn all their attention to defeat the Russians. This battle in the Western front was known later as the Battle of the Bulge. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1">This hoped-for assault from the East by the Russians / Ukrainians would force the Germans to pull men out of the Battle of the Bulge in order to defend the German homeland. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1">Later, Grandpa Joe became a bartender -- as his war wounds in his legs made him fit for little else. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1">But many a customer never knew the man who poured their drinks had a role, not an insignificant one, in the most important battle of WWII that saved the American force in Europe. For the Germans were on the verge of wiping out the American forces in Europe in the surprise Battle of the Bulge. However, at a critical moment, the Russians and Ukrainians were asked by the USA to attack from the East, opening up the bulge that let the American forces escape the noose they had found themselves in, thanks to a blunder by American generals in Europe. Five men, including Grandpa Joe, were the crucial conduit of information that saved the butts of all those men encircled by the Nazis on the Western front.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">DETAILS OF THE EASTERN FRONT ATTACK TO LET U.S. FORCES BREAK FREE IN WEST</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;">As the articles below show, the Russians agreed to help the Allies in the Battle of the Bulge by moving up their Eastern assault from the 20th of January to January 12th - eight days earlier. If you do a timeline of events (see below), you will see precisely how critical this eight-days acceleration of the Russian attack was to the victory in the west in the Battle of the Bulge. This perhaps is not mentioned very often because the American request 'backfired' in that the Russians ended up at the doorstep of Berlin in a matter of a few weeks. So here are some specifics:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;">1. </span><a href="http://www.quora.com/On-the-day-of-battle-of-bulge-there-was-another-battle-in-Russian-war-theatre-which-was-it-What-were-casualties-in-both-battles" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;"></a><a href="http://www.quora.com/On-">http://www.quora.com/On-</a><wbr />the-day-of-battle-of-bulge-<wbr />there-was-another-battle-in-<wbr />Russian-war-theatre-which-was-<wbr />it-What-were-casualties-in-<wbr />both-battles</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #333333;">Although it came sometime after the start of the German Ardennes offensive [i.e., battle of the bulge, 12/16/44 to 1/25/45] the Soviets launched <strong>a massive attack on January 12</strong> into the German forces in Poland in a drive to reach the Oder River and Berlin. The Soviets had been planning to launch the attack, known as the Vistula-Oder offensive on the 20th <strong>but moved up the start date after the western allies asked the Soviet's to relieve the pressure from the German attack in Belgium</strong>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>DIRE STATUS OF BATTLE OF THE BULGE 1/13/1945 - 1 DAY AFTER RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE ON 1/12/1945</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2888061/Slaughter-snow-Hitler-s-crazed-gamble-win-war-terrifying-account-Battle-Bulge-70-years-ago-month-reveals-close-came-paying-off.html" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;"></a><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/</a><wbr />news/article-2888061/<wbr />Slaughter-snow-Hitler-s-<wbr />crazed-gamble-win-war-<wbr />terrifying-account-Battle-<wbr />Bulge-70-years-ago-month-<wbr />reveals-close-came-paying-off.<wbr />html</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 6pt 30px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal; min-height: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;">But as late as January 13, 1945, a British intelligence officer reviewed the Ardennes battle respectfully: ‘The enemy can claim to have wrested the initiative from the Allies.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 6pt 30px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal; min-height: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;">‘He has provided his people with a tonic which they sorely needed, and took their minds off the gloomy situation at the end of a disastrous year. He has gained time. Against this, however, the cost was tremendous for the results achieved.’</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 6pt 30px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal; min-height: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>BATTLE OF BULGE STARTED IN DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES </strong>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/16/eisenhower-bulge-war-leadership-managing-battle.html" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;"></a><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/">http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/</a><wbr />16/eisenhower-bulge-war-<wbr />leadership-managing-battle.<wbr />html</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 30px; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: black;">On Dec. 19, 1944, Dwight Eisenhower and his senior staff met with Gens. Omar Bradley and George Patton. The Americans were suffering in the opening of the Battle of the Bulge. The Germans had achieved c<strong>omplete surprise and threatened to drive through the Ardennes forest, cross the river Meuse and capture American supply depots</strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 30px; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: black;">Ongoing operations left Eisenhower with <strong>no reserves to deploy</strong>. The weather was terrible, and American air superiority, which could have equalized the situation, had been eliminated. For the first time since D-Day, June 6, the G.I.s were facing a foe that was more numerous, more mobile and better equipped than they were. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; color: black;"><strong>Russian Assault - January 12th -- Immediate Results in </strong></span><strong style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 18pt;">Leo Barron, <a href="#v=onepage&q=battle%20of%20the%20bulge%20russian%20ukrainian%20forces%20on%20eastern%20front&f=false" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;">Patton at the Battle of the Bulge - book</a></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 18pt;">:</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 30px; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: black;">"Joseph Stalin...ordered ...the attack... on January 12th. Since the Wehrmacht no longer had a strategic reserve thanks to the Battle of the Bulge, it <strong>did not have the capability to counter-attack and destroy any major Soviet penetration</strong>. ...Army Group A was then <strong>powerless to stop </strong>Marshal Zukhov <strong>when they attacked on the morning of January 12th</strong>. As a result, <strong>the German armies on the Eastern front...retreated hundreds of miles</strong>, ceding Poland to the Russian horde." </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 30px; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berlin" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;">"Battle of Berlin"</a> Wikipedia:</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 30px; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Starting on 12 January 1945, the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Army" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="Red Army">Red Army</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> breached the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="Nazi Germany">German</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> front as a result of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula%E2%80%93Oder_Offensive" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="Vistula–Oder Offensive">Vistula–Oder Offensive</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> and advanced westward as much as 40 kilometres (25 miles) a day through </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Prussian_Offensive" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="East Prussian Offensive">East Prussia</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Silesian_Offensive" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="Lower Silesian Offensive">Lower Silesia</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Pomeranian_Offensive" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="East Pomeranian Offensive">East Pomerania</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Silesian_Offensive" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="Upper Silesian Offensive">Upper Silesia</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, temporarily halting on a line 60 km (37 mi) east of Berlin along the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oder_River" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial;" title="Oder River">Oder River</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.</span><sup style="line-height: 1; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHastings2004295-20" target="_blank" style="color: #0b0080; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[14]</a></sup><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: black;"><strong>JAN 28th -16 Days After Russian Assault on East - Battle of Bulge Won By Allies</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal; margin: 11.25pt 0in; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: black;"><a href="http://www.battleofthebulgememories.be/en/stories/british-army/203-the-british-in-the-battle-of-the-ardennes.html" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;"></a><a href="http://www.">http://www.</a><wbr />battleofthebulgememories.be/<wbr />en/stories/british-army/203-<wbr />the-british-in-the-battle-of-<wbr />the-ardennes.html</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 30px; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #141414; font-size: 18pt; background-color: #bfbfbf; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">By 28th January, the German Army was finally pushed back to its initial positions on 16 December 44, beyond the Siegfried Line.</span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 12860748<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,555 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/721-paul-never-served-the-role-of-a-messenger-of-jesus.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Paul Never Served The Role of A Messenger of Jesus" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Paul Never Served The Role of A Messenger of Jesus</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><span><span style="font-size: medium;">"Christendom has done away with Christianity without being quite aware of it." Soren Kierkegaard</span></span></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 8303" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "8303") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 24pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Paul Never Acts Out A Messenger Role For Jesus</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<h1 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 44pt; margin-right: 48.024pt; margin-bottom: 10pt; font-size: 18pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction</h1>
|
||||
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Astoundingly, Paul never quotes Jesus’ words as delivered to him which are supernaturally delivered that involve any kind of substantive message to us, <em>i.e.</em>, a command, a moral or religious truth, etc., that we should adopt, etc. As we will prove below, the following are all the words that Paul attributes to the Jesus of Paul’s revelation from “Jesus”:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; padding-left: 60px;"><br />Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8..., I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. ...Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A7%2C+8%2C+10&version=YLT">Acts 22:7, 8, 10</a>).</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; padding-left: 60px;"><br />Haste and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me;...go because to nations far off I will send thee. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A17-18%2C+21&version=YLT">Acts 22:17-18, 21</a>, Paul’s “Jesus” telling Paul not to go see the 12 apostles / disciples at Jerusalem).</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; padding-left: 60px;">Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A9-10&version=KJV">Acts 18:9-10</a>, ascribed to be "the Lord [speaking] to Paul in the night by a vision"). </p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; padding-left: 60px;">Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome." (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+23%3A11&version=NKJV">Acts 23:11</a>, "following night the Lord stood beside him").</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; padding-left: 60px;"><br />My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+corinthians+12%3A9&version=ESV">2 Cor. 12:9 ESV</a>, “Jesus” explaining why he will not release Paul from a torment by an “Angel of Satan” who uses a “thorn in the flesh” to keep Paul humble).</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">That's it. No other unique quote by means of revelation from Paul's Jesus to Paul is ever attributed by Paul to "Jesus." This includes the entire revelation outside Damascus or in a later trance or vision. This is true whether we look at Acts or Paul's Epistles.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">By contrast, the role of the true 12 was to be messengers of what Jesus taught them as commandments while He was among them, so as to make disciples of Jesus:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... 20 and teaching them to obey everything<strong> I have commanded you</strong>. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+28%3A19-20&version=ESV">Matthew 28:19-20</a>.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">But Paul never served that messenger role to teach anything new that Jesus was supposedly only communicating through Paul. Paul never quotes Jesus in a post-Ascension revelation that involves a general message to us rather than an individual message only for Paul. This is true for both Acts and Paul’s Epistles. Paul is simply writing and speaking on his own about abrogation of the law, grace, faith-alone, predestination, etc., never ascribing his principles directly to a quote from Jesus by revelation.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Compounding that problem, Paul in his epistles never quotes Jesus except one or two times from Luke’s Gospel. The only other quote of the “Lord” (apparently the Damascus Jesus) in Paul’s epistles is a very odd refusal by Jesus to release Paul from an affliction by an “Angel of Satan.” (<a href="http://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/12-7.htm">2 Cor. 12:7</a>, "angelos Satana") The latter involves no valuable message to Christians. In fact, the consensus is that it is very problematic. This response of “Jesus” to Paul should not be a guide regarding what Jesus would do for us if we made a similar prayer to the true Jesus.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, Paul did not serve as a messenger of Jesus that was at all analogous to what the 12 apostles were commissioned to do. Then realize the word<em><strong> apostle</strong> </em>is from the Greek word <em><strong>apostolos</strong></em>. In Greek, it simply means <em><strong>messenger</strong></em>. Hence, while Paul claimed to be an “apostle” of Jesus Christ, Paul never actually served that role. Paul was his <strong><em>own messenger</em></strong> of what Paul referred to multiple times as “<em><strong>my gospel.</strong></em>” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+2%3A16%3B+16%3A25%3B+II+Timothy+2%3A8%3B+Gal.1%3A8-9&version=ESV">Romans 2:16; 16:25; II Timothy 2:8; Gal.1:8-9</a>.)</p>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 29pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>Paul’s Four Insignificant Quotes of Jesus in Acts</strong></h2>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">In Acts, Paul has a brief encounter outside Damascus with a light and voice that said “I am Jesus.” Then again in a trance shortly thereafter when Paul was in the temple at Jerusalem. Nothing substantive is spoken to Paul in either exchange. Paul recounts both speaking-events in one speech in Court — hence under oath. The bolded portion below is all that Paul attributes to the voice of “Jesus” out of the “light” in Event #1 outside Damascus:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me<strong>, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?</strong> 8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, <strong>I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.</strong> 9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. 10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, <strong>Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do</strong>. 11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A6-11+&version=KJV">Acts 22:6-11 KJV.</a>)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Then Paul attributes words to the “Lord” — apparently the same Jesus Paul met outside Damascus—after Paul arrived in Jerusalem and he was in the Temple, and fell into a trance. This “Lord” told Paul not to try to convince the 12 apostles that Paul had met Jesus in the wilderness outside Damascus. Hence, we read Paul testified to the Court in Acts 22 as follows about Event #2 — where the bolded words are from the “Lord” —apparently the Damascus Jesus:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">and I saw him [<em>i.e.</em>, the Lord, apparently the Damascus Jesus] saying to me, <strong>Haste and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me</strong>;..<strong>.go because to nations far off I will send thee</strong>. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A17-18%2C+21&version=YLT">Acts 22:17-18, 21</a> YLT.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We know “they” is a reference that includes the Apostles due to what Paul and / or Luke writes elsewhere. First, Paul alludes to this Departing-Jerusalem-Without-Seeing-the Apostles-event again in his Epistle to the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.+1%3A16-18&version=ESV">Galatians at 1:16-18</a> where we read:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas [i.e., Apostle Peter] and remained with him fifteen days. (Gal. 1:16-18 ESV.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Putting the two passages together, we know Paul did go up to Jerusalem immediately after his encounter in the wilderness outside Damascus. (Acts 22:17.) However, Paul did not go up “to the apostles” in Jerusalem because, as we learn in Acts 22:17-18, the “Lord” (the Damascus "Jesus" apparently) told Paul that “they” — inclusive of the apostles— “will not receive your testimony concerning me.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+22%3A18&version=ESV">Acts 22:18</a>.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Apparently, the “Jesus” whom Paul met did not feel He could convince the 12 apostles that Paul met the true Jesus. We will return to that odd fact later. Regardless, for this reason, Paul stayed away from the 12 apostles. As we shall see below, this persisted for three years. </p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The next quote of the "Lord" -- presumably Jesus -- in Acts that speaks to Paul is also a problematical quote. It reflects a God of no power to protect Paul other than through human agents: </p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;">Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city. (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A9-10&version=KJV" style="color: #517291; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;">Acts 18:9-10</a><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;">, ascribed to be "the Lord [speaking] to Paul in the night by a vision"). </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;">Why would Jesus depend on having "much people" as the basis of Paul's protection? The true Jesus can call on armies from heaven. The Jesus of Paul is inconsistent with the nature of the Jesus of the Gospels. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;">The final quote of the "Lord" -- presumably Jesus -- in Acts from Paul adds nothing material in a doctrinal sense. The "Lord" tells Paul "be of good cheer," and Paul will "testify" -- serve the "witness" role that this Lord only ever affirms for Paul (or is permitted by God to say is Paul's role) - at Rome as Paul had done at Jerusalem. (Acts 23:11.) No revelation about doctrine is present in this quote. Nor is there any confirmation implied of any controversial doctrine of Paul at Jerusalem. Quite the opposite. For when Paul was at Jerusalem, he was charged with "apostasy" in Acts 21:21 by bishop James (apostasy meaning that Paul violated Deut 13:1-5), and James asked for a specific response. Paul rather than saying Jesus did away with the Law took the step offered to prove Paul was not an apostate. Paul accepted the offer of James to show Paul's continued belief that the Mosaic Law applied by taking a vow from Numbers 6, and fulfilling it at the Temple. Paul performed this. So if the true Jesus spoke Acts 23:11, he confirmed a Paul who proved he was no apostate against the Law -- a very different Paul than would appear in the later written epistles.</span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p><strong style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 18pt; font-style: italic; text-indent: 0pt;">Paul Quotes Jesus’ Once or Twice from Luke’s Gospel, and That’s It</strong></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul twice uses words of Jesus that appear in Luke’s gospel. Other than this, there are no other quotes of Jesus in Paul’s 13 epistles other than a strange decision by Jesus not to release Paul from a Satanic “angel” afflicting Paul.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">First, Paul in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+tim+5%3A18&version=ESV">1 Timothy 5:18</a> quotes scripture as teaching “the worker deserves his wages.” These are words of Jesus in Luke 10:7. However, Paul does not ascribe this to Jesus. It could be that Paul is simply paraphrasing the Law in Deuteronomy which Jesus was likewise paraphrasing.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, Paul quotes from the Lord’s Last Supper in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+22%3A19-24&version=ESV">Luke 22:19 et seq</a>.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul is clearly again not claiming to have received these words by special revelation from Jesus.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">
|
||||
<div> </div>
|
||||
<h1 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 44pt; margin-right: 48.024pt; margin-bottom: 10pt; font-size: 18pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>Paul Claims Unspeakable Revelations from the Lord Who Then Refuses To Give Release From Satan’s Angel</strong></h1>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul speaks about a ‘man’ who had revelations that were ‘unspeakable.’ Then Paul clarifies he is speaking about himself. He said that his pride could get the better of himself due to the exceeding unspeakable revelations. For this reason, Satan torments him with a stinger to keep Paul humble. Paul then explains he asked the “Lord” for release multiple times from this “angel of Satan” but the Lord refused, finally saying “my grace is sufficient for you.” Hence, this becomes the only example in Paul’s epistles where Paul is likely quoting the Damascus Jesus. Here is the entire passage to consider — 2 Corinthians 12:1-9:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger [<em>i.e.</em>, in Greek “Angelos”] of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “<strong>My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness</strong>.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+12%3A1-9&version=ESV">2 Cor. 12:1-9 ESV</a>).</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The bolded portion again represents the only words from this “Lord,” presumably the Damascus Jesus. This “man” caught up in the heavens is evidently Paul. Paul does not come out and say this directly, apparently to be ‘humble’ about the superior revelation he had received. It is obviously Paul because Paul speaks about his own revelations after speaking of this man’s “revelations.” Paul then speaks about the purpose of an Angel of Satan to “torment” Paul to keep Paul humble. It is a physical “thorn in the flesh” that Satan’s Angel uses to torment Paul. Regardless, whatever were these revelations from the ‘Lord,’ Paul says they are “unspeakable.” This helps explain why Paul never quotes the Lord Jesus in Paul’s epistles to support any of Paul’s doctrines.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">One thing for sure: the message and action of this “Jesus” cannot be a guide to the church at large. For Jesus never leaves demons in control of a believer if Jesus is asked to cast out a demon. If Paul needed to control humility, Jesus would not use an Angel of Satan on that errand of virtue. And why would an Angel of Satan join in such an effort to keep Paul humble? This is a most strange passage.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">As Dickason says, rather than this verse being inspiration for any of us, instead it can be read so Paul’s “apostolic mission [is cast] <em><strong>under suspicion</strong></em>.” (C. Fred Dickason, Demon Possession and the Christian (Crossway, 1989) at <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Yx4NsiVtnL8C&lpg=PA119&dq=thorn%20in%20the%20flesh%20demonic%20possession&pg=PA120#v=onepage&q=under%20suspicion&f=false">120</a>.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">It is such a notorious verse that could never apply to true Christians, other Christian scholars lament that “12:7 is notoriously difficult, prompting Barrett to write ‘it can <em><strong>hardly be in the form Paul intended it</strong></em>....’” (David L. Barr, The Reality of the Apocalypse (Society of Biblical Lit, 2006) at <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=zHLZob88C44C&lpg=PA105&dq=hyperairomai&pg=PA105#v=onepage&q=hyperairomai&f=false">105.</a>)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, the only time Paul quotes Jesus in his epistles that is not from a gospel record, it is a verse that certainly is not a message for the church at large. It is for Paul alone. Christians have a right to expect Jesus would give them freedom from demonic influences. Paul’s situation appears to defy any explanation if Paul met the true Jesus outside Damascus.<a href="file:///C:/Users/doug/Dropbox/Writings%20in%20Process/JWO%20Updated%202014-15/chapter%203B%202016%20-%20Paul%20quotes%20of%20Jesus%2018%20pt%20font.htm#pgfId-514763">1</a></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">
|
||||
<div> </div>
|
||||
<h1 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 44pt; margin-right: 48.024pt; margin-bottom: 10pt; font-size: 18pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>Why Paul Only Once or Twice Quotes Jesus From the Gospels in His Epistles</strong></h1>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul boasts that he learned “nothing” from the apostles when he first visited them three years after his experience outside Damascus with “Jesus.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.+1%3A16-21%3B+2%3A6-9&version=ESV">Gal. 1:16-21; 2:6-9</a>.) We will demonstrate this below. This will prove why Paul did not quote from the gospels about Jesus more than twice: Paul did not spend time with the apostles so as to learn Jesus’ Gospel.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">As mentioned before, Paul in his Epistles has only one certain, and one possible quote of Jesus in his Epistles taken from the Gospels. Luke’s Gospel to be precise. Other than that, Paul quotes the “Lord” in an apparent reference to Jesus when Paul is refused to be released from a Satanic influence causing Paul physical stress.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">To understand why Paul does not know much about the Gospel of Jesus, we need to next read from Galatians and later from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+9%3A26-30&version=ESV">Acts 9:26-30</a>. This will help explain why Paul never quotes Jesus’ Gospel except once for sure, and maybe twice.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We just quoted above that in Galatians 1:17-19, Paul said after his Damascus Wilderness experience he did not go to Jerusalem <span style="background-color: #ffffff;">to see the apostles</span> for three years. Let’s read it again with a few more verses at the end:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">I did not immediately consult with anyone; <em><strong>nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me</strong></em>, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas [i.e., Apostle Peter] and remained with him fifteen days. But <em><strong>I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.</strong></em> (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.(<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.+1%3A16-21&version=ESV">Gal. 1:16-21 ESV</a>.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Then let’s read Paul’s further explanation of whether he needed the 12 apostles’ approval. Referring to this same visit in year three after Damascus, Paul explains in Galatians 2 as follows:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">But from those who were <em><strong>reputed to be somewhat</strong></em> (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man’s person) — they, <strong>I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me</strong>:...and when <em><strong>they</strong></em> perceived the grace that was given unto me, <em><strong>James and Cephas [i.e., Peter] and John, they who were reputed to be pillars</strong></em>, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship....(<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.+2%3A6%2C+9&version=ASV">Galatians 2:6,9 ASV</a>.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">So on this third-year journey, Paul only visited with Peter over the course of 15 days. The only other “apostle” Paul met was James, the Lord’s brother. However, James was not one of the 12 apostles. He was simply Jesus’ brother. The 12 made James bishop of Jerusalem. Thus, Paul did not stay long enough to familiarize himself with the true 12 apostles to know who was who. Paul also did not know John was an apostle, as Paul says he met John in Galatians 2:6, but in Galatians 1:17-19 Paul believes the only apostles he met were Peter and James, not realizing John too was an apostle.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Next, let’s go to Acts 9 which likewise is apparently about this visit at the three year mark spoken about in Galatians chapter one. In Acts 9, Barnabas takes Paul to Jerusalem to meet the apostles. If one reads carefully, Luke does not say the apostles received Paul in a truly fully engaged manner when Barnabas made the effort to present Paul to them. This is the only way <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+9%3A26-30&version=ESV">Acts 9:26-30</a> reconciles with Paul saying the apostles “imparted nothing to me” in his first encounter with them. Indeed, as Luke records it, the interaction was one-sided, and fits Galatians chapter one. Luke records a presentation by Barnabas alone, and silence by Paul. Then the response by the Apostles is never stated by Luke. So we read in Acts 9:26-30 as follows:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">26 And when he [i.e., Paul] had come to Jerusalem, <em><strong>he attempted to join the disciples</strong></em>. And they were<em><strong> all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple</strong></em>.27 But Barnabas took him and <em><strong>brought him to the apostles</strong></em> and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+9%3A26-30&version=ESV">Acts 9:26-30 ESV</a>.)</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">
|
||||
<div> </div>
|
||||
<h1 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 44pt; margin-right: 48.024pt; margin-bottom: 10pt; font-size: 18pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>Miscellaneous Passages in Paul Also Do Not Quote Jesus</strong></h1>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">None of Paul’s epistles expressly claim Jesus spoke to Paul a message contained therein other than the highly problematic refusal by the “Lord” (Jesus?) to release Paul from a demonic influence in 2 Corinthians 12:7.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">A few other times Paul in his epistles says the “Lord” or “God” commands or influences something. However, these appear to be Paul saying these were message from the Lord Yahweh—the Father or His Holy Spirit. These references may even be Paul simply alluding to the Law of the Elders, not the Law given Moses. None of these conceivably imply Jesus prophetically spoke to Paul the content of the statement.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">These passages are: <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Cor.+7%3A25%2C+40%3B+1+Cor.+14%3A37%3B+1+Thess.+4%3A1-2%2C8%3B+1+Thess.+2%3A13&version=ESV">1 Cor. 7:25, 40; 1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Thess. 4:1-2,8; and 1 Thess. 2:13</a>. Let’s review them one by one.</p>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 29pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">1 Corinthians 7:25, 40</h2>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul in this passage says:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">25 Now concerning virgins, <em><strong>I do not have a command from the Lord</strong></em>, but I am giving <em><strong>an opinion</strong></em> as one having been shown-mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy....40 But she is happier if she remains thus [i.e., an unmarried virgin and not seek marriage], according <em><strong>to my opinion</strong></em>; and I also<em><strong> think</strong></em> that I have the Spirit of God. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Cor.+7%3A25%2C+40%3B+&version=DLNT">1 Cor. 7:25, 40</a>, Disciples Literal New Testament.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul admits he is not speaking under inspiration. He mentions twice he is giving his “opinion.” However, the second time, Paul says “I also <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">think</span></strong> that I have the Spirit of God,” presumably meaning that God is aiding the opinion by His Spirit.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Regardless, Paul here is not quoting Jesus. Paul is also uncertain God endorses his opinions, but Paul <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">thinks</span></strong> he has the “Spirit of God” as he mulls over his opinion.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">A small digression is in order. If Paul is a constantly inspired person in all his writings, why doesn't Paul know he has the Spirit of God in this instruction? Could it be that we have made a faulty assumption that all Paul's writings were even understood by Paul to be inspired by God? I think Paul's own words make that unmistakeably clear that Paul did not think everything he wrote was inspired.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Incidentally, Paul’s opinion which he only 'thought' was while he "has the Spirit of God" was that virgins (male or female) should remain as Paul, <em>i.e.</em>, unmarried virgins, and if a man is released from his wife, “do not be seeking a wife.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Cor.+7%3A25%2C+40%3B+&version=DLNT">1 Cor. 7:25-27, 40</a>.) Certainly, these are not commands that God would have given Paul as they are fundamentally against the Genesis account where God makes a helpmate to Adam as a good thing, and not to be necessarily avoided.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 29pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">1 Corinthians 14:37</h2>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">In 1 Corinthians 14:37, we read:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things<em><strong> I am writing to you are a command of the Lord</strong></em>.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 14pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The sentence, by itself, provides no clue whether the “Lord” here is intended to mean Yahweh or Jesus. In context, it appears to clearly be a reference to the preceding three sentences which mention a command supposedly from the Law given Moses by Yahweh:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For <em><strong>they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says</strong></em>. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (1 Cor. 14:33-35 ESV.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul here is claiming that the “Law...says” women are “not permitted to speak, but should be in submission”— which Paul interprets to mean “should keep silent in the churches....”</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, when Paul says in verse 37 that “the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord,” it is obvious Paul means this command from the Law he just quoted.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Hence, this is not a special revelation Paul received from Jesus. It is simply a quote from what Paul understood or thought was the Law. As a result, the word “Lord” in verse 37 can only mean the Father, Yahweh.</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Incidentally, there was no such law in the Law given Moses that required women to be submissive to men in a synagogue,<a href="file:///C:/Users/doug/Dropbox/Writings%20in%20Process/JWO%20Updated%202014-15/chapter%203B%202016%20-%20Paul%20quotes%20of%20Jesus%2018%20pt%20font.htm#pgfId-516649">2</a> or to be quiet in synagogue. Such submission to the men, and separation in the synagogues, had become a Pharisaic tradition. Paul evidently equated Pharisaic traditions with the Law.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 29pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">1 Thessalonians 4</h2>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul here mentions commands he previously taught that were given by Jesus. Paul does not claim he learned them by revelation from Jesus. The commands Paul then summarizes are two: against sexual immorality and exploiting a brother. These commands appear to be loose paraphrases of Jesus from the Gospels. We read:</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally then, brothers, we ask you, and exhort in the Lord Jesus that just as you received from us how you ought to be walking and pleasing God (just as you also are walking), that you be abounding more. 2 For you know what commands we gave to you <strong>through</strong> the <strong>Lord Jesus</strong>. 3 For this is the will of God: your holiness— that you be abstaining from sexual-immorality; 4 that each of you know-how to acquire control of his own vessel in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of desire as indeed the Gentiles not knowing God; 6 that no one overstep and exploit his brother in the matter. Because the Lord is the avenger concerning all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned. 7 For God did not call us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 So therefore the one rejecting is not rejecting a human, but God, the One also giving His Holy Spirit to you. (1 Thess. 4: 1-8 Disciples Literal NT.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The Greek term translated as “through” in verse 2 means “by.” These were commands by the Lord Jesus, not commands spoken by Paul through Jesus. Hence, Paul was claiming he was a messenger of commands originally given by Jesus. More important, Paul does not proclaim he prophetically learned these commands from Jesus or God. What were these commands? Paul summarizes two commands: not committing sexual immorality and not exploiting a brother. We can only conclude these two commands are loose paraphrases of commands from Jesus we find in the gospels. Paul did not speak them by revelation from Jesus to Paul.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 29pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">1 Thessalonians 2:13</h2>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 0pt; margin: 22pt 18pt 9pt 30px; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">13 And for this reason we are indeed giving-thanks to God unceasingly: because having received the word of God heard from us, you accepted not the word of humans, but, as it truly is, <em><strong>the word of God</strong></em>, which also is at-work in you, the ones believing. (1 Thess. 2:13 Disciples Literal New Testament.)</p>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul is speaking for a team of evangelists who preached the word of God. Paul is not claiming the entire team had any inspiration in doing so. Paul was only claiming they were simply preaching God’s word. More important, Paul is again not claiming to quote Jesus.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 style="text-indent: 0pt; margin-top: 29pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> </h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Conclusion</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">In sum, Paul never acts out the role as a messenger of some unique message to God’s people from Jesus Christ or even God. Paul never quotes Jesus speaking to Paul in Acts or the Epistles to teach us any substantive religious truth, spiritual command or moral teaching. Remember these are all the words that Paul attributes to "<span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Jesus</span>" based upon revelation:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8..., I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. ...Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.</strong> (Acts 22:7, 8, 10). </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong> Haste and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me;</strong> <strong>go because to far off nations I will send thee</strong> (Acts 22:17-18, 21 Paul’s “Jesus” telling Paul not to go see the 12 apostles / disciples at Jerusalem). </span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.</strong> (2 Cor. 12:9 ESV, “Jesus” explaining why he will not release Paul from a torment by an “Angel of Satan” who uses a “thorn in the flesh” to keep Paul humble). </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city</strong>.</span> <span style="color: #000000;">(</span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A9-10&version=KJV" style="color: #517291; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;">Acts 18:9-10</a><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-indent: 48px;">, ascribed to be "the Lord [speaking] to Paul in the night by a vision").</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Hence, Paul never quotes Jesus or God uniquely giving Paul a revelation about any truth to guide God's people. Paul never thus cites any revelation from Jesus or the Father to support any of Paul’s doctrines, <em>e.g.</em>, abrogation of the Law, faith-alone, eternal security, predestination, justification without works, etc. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;">END</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<hr style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;" />
|
||||
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: -12pt; margin-top: 3pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">1</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<p style="text-indent: -12pt; margin-top: 3pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">2. The Law in Genesis 3:16 said to the woman that one consequence of her sin would be that her “husband” would “rule over her,” but not that men in general would rule over her. Hence, a synagogue is simply a meeting of men, and implies no silence or submission to the group. If her husband let her speak in synagogue or sit next to her, then none of the men could impose a rule of silence or a different seating position. Thus, Paul and other Pharisees misapplied Genesis 3:16, and forced silence on women in a group who came to worship God.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 12860760<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
541
aboutauthor/75-easter-error.html
Normal file
541
aboutauthor/75-easter-error.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,541 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/75-easter-error.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Easter Error" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="coilone" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Easter Error</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >"Whatever the devil cannot be or do as it relates to God in Jesus Christ, he will either <strong>counterfeit</strong> or wipe out." Gary Flannigan, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">111: The Media War</span> (2008) at 131.</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 1521" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "1521") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h1 class="Appendix-Title"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Easter Error: Wrong Name & Time</span></h1>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 class="Heading1"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></h2>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<h2 class="Heading1"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Jesus' Command Of A Passover Remembrance</span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Hebrew word for Passover is <em>Pesach</em>. The King James Bible translates the word for Passover in Greek (Pascha) with the word Easter in Acts 12:4. The King James translators thus believed Easter was synonymous with Passover. Why was this? To find the answer, we need to go back to what early Christians understood (and everyone but English-speaking Christians still understand) was the context in which Jesus intended the communion command to be fulfilled.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">We English-speaking Protestants are generally ignorant of Jesus' intention behind the "remembrance of me" command at the Passover-<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; background-color: #ffff00;" data-mce-mark="1">related </span>dinner before He was crucified. (Luke 22:19.) As explained below,<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=914376" class="footnote"><sup> 1</sup></a> the command from Jesus <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">to add a remembrance</span> was supposed to be added to the Passover service which his Jewish apostles were to keep and celebrate annually. When Jesus said "do this in remembrance of me," He did not envision a new ceremony called Communion. When He did likewise with the cup of wine, Jesus was not envisioning a new second step to what we call Communion. Rather, Jesus was saying when you "do this," that is, recite remembrances as the head of the table shares the unleavened bread and as each table-participant drinks from the Cup of Redemption in the Passover Dinner, the participants were henceforth to now do this in remembrance of Jesus. The story of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins would now be added as a remembrance at these two junctures of the Passover Dinner.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This explains why the early church practiced Passover. The Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp (died 155 A.D.), asserted Passover observance was directly handed to him by the apostles. Polycarp also said he was taught by them to keep it on 14 Nissan (exactly at twilight when the 15th is about to begin...see <a href="http://biblehub.com/leviticus/23-5.htm">Lev. 23:5</a>), exactly as prescribed as the time for Passover in the Law given Moses.<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=913470" class="footnote"> <sup>2</sup></a></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">It may surprise an English-speaking evangelical to learn this, but it was this apostolic practice which explains why the Catholics and Orthodox still keep Passover each year. We find the Catholics in Italy call it Pasqua. In the Orthodox church, Pascha. Among Catholics it is an eight day period.<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=913474" class="footnote"> <sup>3</sup></a></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In fact, even in the evangelical Protestant church outside English-speaking lands, the celebration week ending with Resurrection Sunday still retains its correct name of Passover, e.g., Pascua in Spanish; Paschen in Dutch, Pâques in French, etc. I first learned this by living abroad in Costa Rica. I was puzzled why Protestant Christians there called Easter Pascua. That's how I stumbled across this issue.</span></p>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 class="Heading2"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Law of Passover</span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Passover Season was comprised of two parts: a Passover dinner and a week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover dinner was celebrated at a dining-room table in a house (Exodus 12:46) besides at the Temple (Deut. 16:2). The home-observance was typically led by the head of a family. The house had to be cleaned of all scraps of unleavened bread in preparation for passover and the feast of unleavened bread. The sojourner (Gentile sharing community with the Jews) was enjoined only not to eat unleavened bread in this season. Exodus 12:19. Otherwise, the sojourner did not have to keep the Passover dinner or celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Yet, if the sojourner chose to keep the Passover dinner, he had to be circumcised first. Exodus 12:49. Thus, it was an honor that a sojourner could share in, but it was not a requirement to do so.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h2 class="Heading2"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">How the Timing Was Changed From 14 Nissan</span></h2>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Why does Passover in the Catholic, Orthodox, and Evangelical Protestant communities no longer coincide with the Jewish day of observance of Passover?<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=914993" class="footnote"> <sup>4</sup></a> Why in particular is this true even if they retain the name Passover as the festival-season they celebrate?</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">At the Council of Nicea in 325, Passover's day of celebration was changed at the urging of the Emperor of Rome. He specifically demanded it be a different day other than 14 Nissan (at twilight) so as to spite the Jews. Emperor Constantine's ostensible reasons were all blatantly grounded on a virulent anti-semitical tirade!<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=913480" class="footnote">5</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, there were actually some other competing considerations not specifically mentioned in the records from the Council of Nicea. The true Passover could fall in March. However, the new chronology guaranteed Passover would land in April. Why was this important? Because in that era, the English and Germanic name for April was<strong><em> Eostremonat</em></strong> or <strong><em>Ostaramonath</em></strong> respectively. What did this name mean? In April, the pagans celebrated the festival of Osiris. <span style="background-color: #ffff00;">In Germany, she was Ostara</span>. It was her month. In Britain, her name was<strong><em> Eostre</em></strong>. There is no dispute this is the origin of the name for <strong><em>Easter</em></strong>. In the Eighth century, a Christian monk and historian, Bede, explained why English-speaking lands persisted in calling the Passover by the name Easter. He explained: "Eosturmonath, which is now interpreted as the paschal month, was <strong><em>formerly named after the goddess Eostre, and has given its name to the festival [Passover in Britain</em></strong>]."<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=913484" class="footnote"> <sup>6</sup></a></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"><strong>UPDATE</strong></span>: But one member of our modern intelligentsia a century ago tried to bamboozle us, saying "easter" -- which in Germany goes by way of the "cognate Ostern" -- does not trace to a pagan goddess. Ostern supposedly derives from "auferstehn" meaning "resurrection" in German. (Ed. Christian Cruse, Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius (1905) at <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=DOI3AQAAMAAJ&dq=dysnoetas&pg=PA194#v=onepage&q=passover&f=false">194 fn. 1.</a>) This is false. Ostern in Germany today derives from worshipping the same goddess as the British called Eostre, and for the same compromising reason. The Christians in Germany chose to celebrate Christ's resurrection using the same term as had been used to worship Ostara -- her name Ostara. So there is no possibility that the name originated in Germany to signify Christ's resurrection. Here are the facts. </span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">In Germany, according to Jacob Grimm, a linquist of highest caliber, in his 1835 work explained "the great Christian festival in the oldest of [Old High German]<strong> remains the name of Ostard</strong>. " (J. Grimm, <strong>Teutonic Mythology</strong> (4th Ed. George Bell & Sons 1882) Vol. I at 289-91. [Text is in <a href="https://archive.org/stream/teutonicmytholog01grim/teutonicmytholog01grim_djvu.txt">Internet archives - search 289</a> until "Ostara" appears. Note some OCR mispellings need to be ignored.] Grimm goes on, explaining it is "mostly found in the plural [Ostara], for two days were kept at Easter." Then Grimm draws a parallel to Easter: "This Ostard, like Eostre, must in the heathen religion denoted a higher being, whose worship was so firmly rooted, that the Christian teachers tolerated the name, and applied it to one of its own grandest annivesaries." (Id. at 290.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">This means that what is Ostern today in Germany was originally named the day of "Ostard" - plural "Ostara" -- the same as the name of goddess whose two days would worship her, just like was the usage of Eostre -- the name of the goddess herself in English as well as the name of the day to worship her. Hence, Ostern -- as Easter is now known in Germany -- does not come from "auferstehn" but from Ostard, Ostara -- which terms Christians used to celebrate this day into the period of Old High German use. This in turn matches the name of the goddess who in the Celtic language is Eostre, which Bede in the 800s identified as the fertility goddess, and that the British would not give up her name. Obviously, the Germans did the identical thing.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Then Cruse (or later editor) had the audacity to add to his falsehood that "Easter" is "undoubtedly preferable" to name the day of celebrating Christ's resurrection over the name Passover -- because Easter supposedly means resurrection as opposed to what he derogatorily refers to as "Passover" -- a "primitive name" used at the time of Christ. One can see in this the disgusting effort to double-down on a falsehood by suggesting it would be wrong to abandon Easter for the true time periods -- Passover -- and use the proper Biblical term of celebration -- Passover. Incidentally, no one other than Cruse has ever offered this explanation of Ostern in German. This is likely because it has a 100% obviously false premise. <strong>END UPDATE.</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; background-color: #ffffff;">Thus, there was a more compromising rationale and purpose to Constantine's change. He desired to appease pagan citizens. This is why Constantine would not tolerate those who wanted to retain the apostolic practice of keeping Passover on 14 Nissan at twilight. These were known as Quatordecimans, i.e., 14-ers in Latin. Like we call the gold-rush enthusiasts 49ers, these adherents were called the 14ers. Because Constantine was able to heavily influence doctrine, the Roman Catholic church now inflicted excommunication on all Quatordecimans. This resulted in all kinds of civil penalties, e.g., inability to inherit, etc.<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=913488" class="footnote" style="background-color: #ffffff;"> <sup>7</sup></a> This is how the true apostolic practice of observing 14 Nissan as the true day for Passover was wiped out in the Roman territories. Yet, the name Passover continued to be used. This is why the feast is still called Passover in all of Christendom except in English-speaking and <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">German</span> lands.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; background-color: #ffffff;">Thus, it was the British and <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Germans</span> who solely refused to observe Passover under any name other than that of their goddess known as Eastre <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">in Britain</span> and <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Ostara in Germany.</span> She would have a priority over Passover. The Catholic church tolerated this in Britain and <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Germany</span>. This was simply inherited by the Protestant English and <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">German</span> Church without any re-examination. Luther translated the Passover lamb as "Osterlamb." (1 Cor. 5:7.) As a result, Protestants in English-speaking and <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">German-speaking lands</span> came to completely forget the very context in which the drama of the Resurrection was to be recreated each year: it was the PASSOVER week, which starts with the Passover Dinner and continues in what is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread.</span></p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><big><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jesus' Intention to Transform the Passover Dinner</span></big></span>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">But why did the early apostolic church follow Passover? Because Jesus commanded a change within the Passover Dinner. (Luke 22:19.) It was not something new called Communion. Jesus instead was intending they add a memorial to step four of the traditional Passover Seder that week where the unleavened bread is broken. He impliedly asked them to add another memorial at the juncture where the Cup of Redemption was drunk. At each point, the bread and wine are shared by the head of the table with a recitation of certain traditional remembrances. Thus, the early church had to know this was the true nature of Jesus' command regarding Communion -- to add these to later passover dinners. This is why the apostles kept Passover, as Polycarp affirmed.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">How do we know this was Jesus' meaning? First, the Passover ceremony had been standardized for millennia prior to Jesus Christ. It had fifteen clearly defined steps. We have Gospel-confirmation there had been no significant change in the fifteen steps by Jesus' day. The record in the Gospels shows Jesus followed six of the fifteen steps in exactly identical order. The only thing not mentioned are the steps involving the meal itself in the middle. While those steps are not mentioned, the six steps mentioned in the Gospels do not vary in the slightest from the traditional Passover seder even as it is kept to this very day by Jews.<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=913494" class="footnote"> 8</a> The dinner's outline was never enacted as a law in the Bible or otherwise, yet one can see Jesus went through it step-by-step in the First Century A.D. If nothing else, and even if there were not Passover, Jesus modelled how the bread and wine portions of passover should be celebrated in the future.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Therefore, we know that Jesus was first saying at step four, we need to change something. This is when we eat the unleavened bread. It was at that point that Jesus commanded we were to "do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19.) Next, Jesus clearly henceforth was alluding to a Passover-type Cup of Redemption with Himself: "this is the cup of the New Covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:20.) Our Redemption was now from His blood, symbolized by that cup.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">What else confirms Jesus' intent to modify the Passover Seder? His remembrance terminology in Luke 22:19 also fits in with the nature of the Passover Seder. The head of the table leads the participants in a series of remembrances of the work of God with the people of Israel. It includes not only the Passover but the bitter herbs the people of Israel ate in the desert. There is a remembrance too that Elijah will come back before Messiah, and so on. All Jesus was saying was He wanted to add one more work of God to the list of remembrances which were already being recounted at every Passover.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Now hopefully you can understand why it was so imperative to retain Passover within the early church. This is why Roman Catholicism and the Orthodox Church continued the observance of Passover all these centuries. To rid ourselves of Passover's observance completely would be to rid ourselves of the very context in which at least a Jewish Christian was to obey the commandment of Jesus to "do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19.) If our intent is to enjoy the privilege of Passover, then our persistent use of the word Easter for Passover has a negative effect. It has led to ignorance. What else explains an otherwise brilliant and famous commentator like Gill actually saying: "the passover was... abolished, and not to be observed by Christians." (Commentary on Acts 20:6.) Due to the Easter moniker for Passover, no one within English-speaking Christianity has any footing to even begin to suspect Gill is wrong. At least for the Jewish-Christian, Jesus intended they "do this in remembrance of me," i.e., share the bread and wine at Passover with a remembrance of Jesus' work on the cross. For the Gentile Christian who exercises the privilege to keep Passover, then he must follow Jesus' revision to that dinner celebration.</span></p>
|
||||
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><big><span style="font-weight: bold;"> The Orthodox Confront English-speaking "Easter" Terminology</span></big></span>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This background now allows you to understand why the Orthodox Church in English countries cannot fathom the practice of calling this feast Easter. As Michael Harper, an Orthodox `father,' notes: "This is a much more important subject than a mere dispute about words." Harper acknowledges that virtually no one realizes the original pagan goddess worshipped in April was named Easter. Yet, it is this very meaninglessness of the name Easter which effectuated a loss of the real meaning of the season. This is how we lost the content of what we were trying to do -- amend the Passover service to remember Jesus while we simultaneously remembered all the other works of God which were part of the Passover dinner. Harper explains the Orthodox' Church's viewpoint on this phenomenon among English-speakers:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="QuoteAppendix" style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">[There is a] constant<em><strong> temptation to drop the word Pascha</strong></em> and for clarity (and sometimes charity) <em><strong>use the western word Easter.</strong></em> But perhaps the time has come for us to<em><strong> make a stand against this</strong></em>. In our increasingly secular and pagan society the use of <em><strong>a pagan word, of which no one knows the meaning, is hardly suitable to describe the greatest day in the Christian year.</strong></em> When most people knew the Christian meaning of the word Easter [as Passover] one could perhaps make out a case for using the word. But not today!<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=914028" class="footnote"> 9</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In other words, if we did retain the substance of Passover practice within our Easter-observance, perhaps you could say using Easter as a name is harmless. But now the word Easter obscures rather than highlights what we are trying to celebrate to honor Jesus' command to revise the Passover ceremony.</span></p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
|
||||
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><big><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Any Imperative To Reform?</span></big></span>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There is absolutely no dispute factually that the early apostolic church kept Passover. There is no dispute that universal non-English speaking Christianity has always kept Passover, whether Protestant, Orthodox or Catholic. There is no dispute that it was only in 325 A.D. that this observance was moved from 14 Nissan to a date that coincides instead always with a date in April. (This is because the Christian Passover-Easter is measured in relation to the vernal equinox.) There is no dispute that the current date does not coincide with the Passover in God's Law. There is no dispute that the only reason English-speaking Christianity lost the memory of the Passover festival was due to the stubborness of Englishmen. By the time of the Eighth Century, as recorded by Bede, the British Christians preferred to worship under their pagan goddess' name of Eastre.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">With these indisputable facts, what should a Christian do? First, assuming Passover is something still to be observed, it is impermissible to move the timing.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">When King Jeroboam moved the feast of tabernacles by one month from the time specified in the Law, the way this is described shows God's displeasure. (1 Kings 12:33.)<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=914814" class="footnote"> 10</a> The Spanish Reina Valera is the closest to the correct translation. Jeroboam selected a "month he invented in his heart." (Reina Valera.) The Hebrew is bada, which means "to invent." (Strong's #908.) Cf. "devised in his own heart" (ASV KJV); "fixed by him at his pleasure" (BBE); "of his own choosing" (CEV).</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What did Jesus likewise teach when we invent our own traditions in place of God's commands?</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="QuoteAppendix" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(6) And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. (7) Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, (8) This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. (9) But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men. (Matt. 15:6-9 ASV.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, moving Passover, if we observe it, to anything other than 14 Nissan is vain (empty) worship, so says the Lord Jesus Christ. It is moved solely by tradition. Jesus says God does not accept vain worship. Jesus was alluding to the second commandment which says "do not use the Lord's name in vain."</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Nor can one ignore that Daniel says what will mark "another" who "puts down three rulers" (Dan. 7:24) is that he "shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the Law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time." Dan 7:25. Thus, God gives us an idea that this "other" acts wrongly by changing the "times and the Law."<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=915118" class="footnote"> 11</a> If this is so, then how can moving the date for Passover as provided in the Law given Moses be correct? As the Psalmist says, "Your royal laws cannot be changed." (Ps. 93:5.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The remaining question, and the most important, is whether Jesus intended the apostles to keep Passover.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">First, in broad terms, it is undisputed that the command to keep the Passover applied to Jews. It was optional for sojourners (Gentiles), but if they elected to keep it, they had to be circumcised. Thus, only if God abrogated the Law as to Jews can one say Jesus did not intend the apostles to keep Passover.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There are some fundamentally difficult passages to overcome if we contend God intended to abrogate the Law (Torah) in the New Testament. The New Testament was prophesied to "inscribe the Law (Torah) on our hearts." (Jeremiah 31:31-33.) When a Redeemer is sent to Israel to create a new covenant, God promises that "these words that I have given you" (the Law) "will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children's children forever." (Isaiah 59:21 NLT.)<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=915244" class="footnote"> 12</a> When His Servant (Messiah) comes, God "will magnify the Law (Torah), and make it honorable." (Isaiah 42:21 ASV/KJV.) Jesus, for His part, did everything possible to put the Law given Moses on our lips and in our hearts forever. Jesus said immediately after just referring to the "Law (given Moses) and the Prophets" (Matt. 5:17):</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="QuoteAppendix" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:19 KJV)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">In an identical spirit, Jesus excoriated the Pharisees for a shallow teaching of the "less weighty matters of the Law," but leaving the "weightier matters of the Law undone." Matt. 23:23. Jesus attacked the Pharisees' oral traditions which made of none effect the written commandments of God given Moses. Matt. 15:6-9 (the Pharisees taught that a special korban payment which they invented would excuse later having to honor one's parents if they fell into poverty -- in violation of one of the Ten Commandments.) Jesus did everything He could to elevate obedience to the Law given Moses. Jesus' critiques all reveal the Pharisees had a shallow defective Law-negating doctrine. The people merely assumed the Pharisees were teaching the Law because the people were told by the Pharisees what the Law was. Bible-texts were not ubiquitous as they are now. But Jesus said this supposition about the Pharisees was untrue.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Moreover, if the New Testament somehow abrogates the Law, including the Law of Passover, this would contradict God's repeated emphasis that "these ordinances" of the Law shall be "everlasting for all generations." (Ex. 27:21; 30:21; Lev. 6:18; 7:36; 10:9; 17:7; 23:14, 21, 41; 24:3; Num. 10:8; 15:15.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Luther reluctantly came to accept Jesus intended the Law given Moses remains the rule of life for the Christian. While Luther originally subscribed to an anti-Law position in his Commentary on Galatians, Luther eventually made an about face. He insisted the Law, in particular the Ten Commandments, applies to Christians. (Shorter/Longer Catechisms (1531-32); Antinomian Theses (1537); cfr. Commentary on Galatians (1531).)<a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.html.htm#pgfId=914918" class="footnote"> 13</a></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, it would appear that Jesus at least intended His Jewish apostles to keep Passover. It remained an honor for a Gentile to keep it.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What confirms this is that Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, said the apostles themselves personally taught him to keep Passover. If Polycarp were lying, it makes no sense that there is such a strong universal memory (other than in English-speaking lands) that the festival we call Easter is everywhere else called Passover, and is universally kept.</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Finally, Jesus' command to "do this in remembrance of Me" during the Passover dinner has one obvious meaning. Jesus gave two remembrances that would be spoken of when the apostles "do this"-- distribute the unleavened bread and share the Cup of Redemption at Passover. The context defines what do this meant. The later tradition of what we do on Sunday in Communion does not define what Jesus meant by do this. To think Jesus meant "do this" in a vacuum of a Sunday church communion service which observance is itself nowhere commanded in Scripture is replacing tradition for what is the import of Jesus' command. He clearly assumed that the apostles would keep the Passover dinner, as the Law mandated upon a Jew. It is within this context the apostles would fulfill His remembrance-commands of the communion cup and wine. To use tradition to avoid the import of Jesus' command would be "empty" worship. Jesus specifically said worship is vain when tradition replaces commandments of God. (Matt. 15:6-9.) This includes commandments from Our Lord to remember Him when we `do this' (i.e., keep passover sharing of the bread and wine).</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="BodyAppendix"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, we should re-examine our own practice of Easter: do you know it is Passover that we are attempting to celebrate? If not, that is the first sign of an empty and vain worship. Do we know we are being told to exchange unleavened bread and a Cup of Redemption as remembrances at a Passover dinner at home if we are electing to keep the Passover season as a Christian? If not, that is a second sign of an empty and vain worship. Finally, are we troubled in the slightest that we are worshipping Christ under the name of a pagan goddess albeit a long forgotten association? If not, then that is a final sign that our worship has become so empty and so vain that even the clear historical taint of idol-worship does not concern us.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<div class="footnotes">
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 1.</span> <a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/Easterhtml.htm#34955" class="XRef"> See Jesus' Intention to Transform the Passover Dinner</a> elsewhere on this page.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 2.</span> Of this there can be no doubt. Polycarp (martyred 155 A.D.) spoke of Christians keeping Passover at 14 Nissan, which he claimed he learned from Apostle John (whom he claimed to know as a child) and other apostles. Eusebius records that Polycarp went to Rome to convince the bishop of Rome to change back to apostolic practice. Eusebius says the bishop of Rome could not "persuade Polycarp not to observe what he had always observed with John, the disciple of our Lord, and the other apostles with whom he associated." (Eusebius, Ecclessiastical History, Ch. XXIII.) Likewise, passover for Christians on 14 Nissan was recorded in the Apostolic Constitution which dates somewhere between 220 A.D. and the late 300s.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 3.</span> "In the Roman Catholic Church, Easter is actually an eight-day feast called the Octave of Easter." ("Easter," Wikipedia, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter (last accessed 1/7/07).)</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 4.</span> For reasons too complex to narrate, the Orthodox do not agree with the Catholic date for Passover.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 5.</span> Emperor Constantine at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. stated the ostensible rationale for the change. He thought it imperative Passover not be held on the same day as Jews keep Passover. Constantine stated victoriously at the Council: "It was, in the first place, declared improper to follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this holy festival....Let us, then, have nothing in common with the Jews, who are our adversaries.... avoiding all contact with that evil way.... Therefore, this irregularity must be corrected, in order that we may no more have any thing in common with those parricides and the murderers of our Lord.... no single point in common with the perjury of the Jews." (Theodoret's Ecclesiastical History.)</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 6.</span> He wrote in Latin: "Eosturmonath, qui nunc paschalis mensis interpretatur, quondam a dea illorum quae Eostre vocabatur et cui in illo festa celebrabant nomen habuit." (Venerable Bede: The Reckoning of Time Faith Wallis (trans.) (Liverpool University Press, 1999) at 54.)</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 7.</span> The Quatordecimans were vigorously routed out by Roman Catholicism which deemed them heretics for refusal to move Passover to a day of man's choosing. See "Quatordecimanism," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartodeciman (last accessed 1/7/07). A subsidiary issue was that Catholics insisted that the Resurrection celebration must always coincide with a Sunday. The Quatordecimans disagreed. If you kept 14 Nissan as Passover as a memorial each year, the celebration of the Resurrection does not always fall on a Sunday. Why? Because 14 Nissan is not always a Thursday in our solar calendar as it was in the year Jesus was crucified. (The Jews used a lunar calendar which is why variances will creep in from year-to-year.) There is no doubt this was the day of Passover in the year of Jesus' crucifixion. The Passover Sabbath falls on 15 Nissan regardless of the day that the weekly Sabbath may fall. (Exodus 12:16; Lev 23:7; Num 28:16-18.) The Gospels say Jesus was crucified and died just before the Passover Sabbath. This is called the "day of preparation." (Matt. 27:62.) This was a reference to just before the beginning of 15 Nissan. Thus, when Jesus resurrected Sunday, Jesus would be three days and three nights in the grave, as He predicted. (Matt. 12:40.) But if you accept a memorial of Passover as 14 Nissan, but tolerate the Catholic idea of always celebrating the Resurrection on a Sunday, then because of the variance in the solar versus lunar calendars involved, sometimes Sunday will be less than three days and more than three days from 14 Nissan. Anyone knowing Jesus' prophecy will suspect Jesus was a liar. (Sometimes atheists spot the inconsistency, and they hurl this back as proof that Jesus was a liar.) Thus, the Quatordecimans were additionally trying to argue Sunday was an inappropriate day to celebrate the Resurrection in a week in which you were observing the Passover correctly on 14 Nissan. Such Sunday-observance combined with Passover on 14 Nissan would leave the faith open to attack by making Jesus appear to be a liar. The Quatordecimans had a compromise solution. They suggested, to simplify things, that the resurrection should be celebrated on 14 Nissan (with the Passover) even though technically the Resurrection did not fall on Passover. Look at the validity of the Quatordecimans' concerns even among Protestants. We Protestants like Catholics persist in calling the Friday before Easter Sunday the "Good Friday." Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion. Now do the math! Three days and three nights later is Monday, not Sunday.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 8.</span> There are fifteen points covered in a standard Passover Seder. When you correlate John, Matthew and Luke, steps one through four are mentioned in exact parallel; steps five through twelve (i.e., the particulars of the meal) are omitted; and then steps thirteen and fourteen are repeated again in identical parallel to the standard service. (See http://home.earthlink.net/~lionlamb/PassoverSeder.html.) What Jesus was saying in context was He wanted step four (the bread) and step thirteen (the wine) to now be done "in remembrance of Me."</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 9.</span> See Michael Harper, It IS Pascha not Easter! http://www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk/pascha.htm (accessed 1/5/2007).</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 10.</span> Keil & Delitzsch explain this was an "arbitrary alteration of the Law." They explain: "Jeroboam also transferred to the eighth month the feast which ought to have been kept in the seventh month (the feast of tabernacles, Lev 23:34.)."</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 11.</span> Daniel shows this other's activity is viewed negatively by saying in Daniel 7:26 "But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end." Then in turn the kingdom taken from him "shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." (Dan. 7:27.)</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 12.</span> All commentators agree Isaiah 59:21 is a promise of the New Covenant. Barnes says "these words" or "my words" means God's truth previously given "for the guidance and instruction of the church." Clarke says this means the "words of Jesus." But this overlooks the tense, which is a past tense. "These words" are words given prior to the coming of the Redeemer. Keil & Delitzsch concur, but they try to claim the prior "words" are the words of a covenant given to Abraham in Genesis 17:1 et seq. No one wants to accept the simplest solution: Isaiah is saying the same thing as Jeremiah. God intended the Law is on the lips and in the hearts of all those who belong to the New Covenant.</span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="footnote">
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="footnoteNumber"> 13.</span> See <a href="file:///C:/JWOPDF/Lessons/chapter%205.htm#20427" class="XRef"> </a> et seq., viz., at 106.</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Update Notes</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Easter">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> provides the origin of the term Easter in Paganism without any shame:</span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"<em style="margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 17.28px;">Easter</em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 17.28px;">. —The English term, according to the Ven. Bede (De temporum ratione, I, v), relates to Eôstre, a Teutonic goddess of the rising light of day and spring, which deity, however, is otherwise unknown, even in the Edda (Simrock, Mythol., 362); Anglo-Saxon, </span><em style="margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 17.28px;">eaester, eaestron</em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 17.28px;">; Old High German, ô</span><em style="margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 17.28px;">stra, ôstrara, ôstrarün</em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 17.28px;">; German,</span><em style="margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 17.28px;">Ostern</em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 17.28px;">. April was called </span><em style="margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 17.28px;">easter-monadh</em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 17.28px;">."</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p class="Footnote"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 17.28px;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 15114854<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
653
aboutauthor/98-law-applicable-today.html
Normal file
653
aboutauthor/98-law-applicable-today.html
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,653 @@
|
|||
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
|
||||
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en-gb" lang="en-gb" >
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<base href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/aboutauthor/98-law-applicable-today.html" />
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
|
||||
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
|
||||
<meta name="keywords" content="Jesus Words, Jesus Words Only, Jesus Words on Salvation, Did Calvin Murder Servetus, Flaws of Young Earth Science, Ingenious Design, Apostle Paul, False Apostle Paul, Faith Alone, Dispensationalism, Ebionites, Commands of Jesus, Original Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew Matthew" />
|
||||
<meta name="title" content="Law Applicable Today" />
|
||||
<meta name="author" content="18ptTR" />
|
||||
<meta name="description" content="Jesus' Words as Primary Focus for Christians" />
|
||||
<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />
|
||||
<title>Law Applicable Today</title>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/mootools.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/media/system/js/caption.js"></script>
|
||||
|
||||
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/nav.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/style1.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if IE]>
|
||||
<link href="/templates/js_relevant/css/ie.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" />
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
<!--[if lte IE 6]>
|
||||
<style type="text/css">
|
||||
img { behavior: url(/templates/js_relevant/js/iepngfix.htc); }
|
||||
</style>
|
||||
<![endif]-->
|
||||
|
||||
</head>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<body>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="main-wrapper">
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="header_graphic">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div id="newsflash"> <div class="moduletable">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" ><div>The prophets divine lies...and strengthen the hands of the wicked, that he should not turn from his wicked way, by promising him life. (Ezekiel 13:8-23)</div></td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top" >
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<h1><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" title="Relevant">Relevant</a></h1>
|
||||
<h2>A Joomla! Template for the Rest of Us</h2>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="menubar">
|
||||
<div id="navmenu">
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="/templates/js_relevant/js/barmenu.js"></script>
|
||||
<ul class="menu"><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/"><span>Home</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books.html" class="haschild"><span>Books</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/jesuswordsonly.html"><span>Jesus' Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation.html"><span>Jesus' Words on Salvation</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus.html" class="child"><span>Did Calvin Murder Servetus?</span></a><ul><li><a href="/books/didcalvinmurderservetus/background-material-did-calvin-murder-servetus.html"><span>Background Material</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible.html"><span>How Not to Study the Bible</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/flawsofyoungearthscience.html"><span>Flaws of Young Earth Science</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/jesusorpaul.html"><span>Jesus or Paul</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/unintended-disservice.html"><span>Unintended Disservice</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/original-gospel-of-matthew.html"><span>Original Gospel of Matthew</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/commands-of-jesus.html"><span>Commands of Jesus</span></a></li><li><a href="/books/gospel-of-john.html"><span>Gospel of John</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/recommendedreading.html"><span>Further Reading</span></a></li><li><a href="/media.html"><span>Media</span></a></li><li class="haschild"><a href="/reviews.html" class="haschild"><span>Reviews</span></a><ul><li><a href="/reviews/jwo-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words Only</span></a></li><li><a href="/reviews/jwos-reviews.html"><span>Jesus Words on Salvation</span></a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/contactus.html"><span>Contact Us</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/topicindex/753-bookstore.html"><span>Bookstore</span></a></li><li><a href="/topicindex.html"><span>Topic Index</span></a></li><li id="current" class="active"><a href="/aboutauthor.html"><span>About Author</span></a></li><li><a href="/newsletters.html"><span>Newsletters</span></a></li></ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
<div id="mainbody">
|
||||
<div id="showcasetop"> </div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table width="940" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td id="leftcol" valign="top" width="200">
|
||||
<div class="inside">
|
||||
<div class="moduleS1">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
<h3>Questions?</h3>
|
||||
|
||||
Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message"<br /><br />
|
||||
|
||||
<form name="s5_quick_contact" method="post" action="">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="namebox" onclick="s5_qc_clearname()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearname()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Name..." name="name"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="emailbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearemail()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearemail()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Email..." name="email"></input><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="subjectbox" onclick="s5_qc_clearsubject()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearsubject()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Subject..." name="subject"></input><br />
|
||||
<textarea id="messagebox" rows="" cols="" class="inputbox textarea" onclick="s5_qc_clearbody()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearbody()" style="font-size:11px; font-family:arial; overflow:auto;width:80%; height:55px" name="message">Your Message...</textarea><br />
|
||||
<input class="inputbox" id="spambox" onclick="s5_qc_clearspam()" onfocus="s5_qc_clearspam()" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:11px; font-family:arial; width:80%" type="text" value="Enter The Code 2520" name="verif_box"></input><br />
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<input id="email_address" type="hidden" value="" name="email_address"></input>
|
||||
|
||||
<input class="button" type="button" onclick="s5_qc_submit()" value="Send Message" ></input>
|
||||
</form>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
|
||||
// <![CDATA[
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_qc_spam_text = document.getElementById("spambox").value;
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearbody() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearname() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearemail() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearsubject() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject...") {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value = s5_qc_spam_text;
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_clearspam() {
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("spambox").value="";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("namebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("namebox").value = "Name...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("emailbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("emailbox").value = "Email...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("messagebox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("messagebox").value = "Your Message...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("subjectbox").value.length < 1) {
|
||||
document.getElementById("subjectbox").value = "Subject...";
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_isValidEmail(str_email) {
|
||||
if (str_email.indexOf(".") > 2 && str_email.indexOf("@") > 0) {
|
||||
alert('Your email is now being submitted - Thank you!');
|
||||
document.s5_quick_contact.submit();
|
||||
}
|
||||
else {
|
||||
alert('Your email address is not valid, please check again - Thank you!');
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
function s5_qc_submit() {
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value == s5_qc_spam_text || document.getElementById("subjectbox").value == "Subject..." || document.getElementById("namebox").value == "Name..." || document.getElementById("emailbox").value == "Email..." || document.getElementById("messagebox").value == "Your Message...") {
|
||||
alert('All fields are required, please complete the form - Thank you!');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (document.getElementById("spambox").value != "2520") {
|
||||
alert('Your spam verification answer is incorrect.');
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
var s5_message_holder = document.getElementById("messagebox").value;
|
||||
var s5_first_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(0);
|
||||
var s5_second_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(1);
|
||||
var s5_third_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(2);
|
||||
var s5_fourth_message_char = s5_message_holder.charAt(3);
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "<") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "w" && s5_second_message_char == "w" && s5_third_message_char == "w") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_first_message_char == "h" && s5_second_message_char == "t" && s5_third_message_char == "t") {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
if (s5_message_holder.indexOf("s5_qc_null") >= 0) {
|
||||
return false;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
else {
|
||||
document.getElementById("email_address").value = "info@jesuswordsonly.com";
|
||||
var email_str = document.getElementById("emailbox").value;
|
||||
s5_qc_isValidEmail(email_str);
|
||||
}
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
// ]]>
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
<td id="maincol" valign="top">
|
||||
<div id="breadcrumbs">
|
||||
<span class="breadcrumbs pathway">
|
||||
<a href="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/" class="pathway">Home</a> <img src="/templates/js_relevant/images/arrow.png" alt="" /> About Author</span>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<table class="contentpaneopen">
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<tr>
|
||||
<td valign="top">
|
||||
<h1>Email Exchange On Law Applicable Today</h1>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Wheeler M. email May 26, 2010:</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I have recently found your site and am reading through it with great interest. If I may, I'd like to ask a question. In your view that the law of Moses is still binding for the Christian, does this include the ceremonial law? The food laws? Many thanks in advance for your consideration of these questions.</span></p>
|
||||
<h3><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">My Response</span></strong></span></h3>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hi Wheeler,</span><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Is Law Binding Today?</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Based upon Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus is saying the Law will continue until heaven and earth pass away. Jesus likewise says in Luke that the Law and Prophets were "proclaimed until John," and now the "kingdom of God" is proclaimed. (Luke 16:16.) Then Jesus explains this does not mean the Law has passed away or fallen away. In the next verse, Jesus says that it is easier for "heaven and earth to pass away" than for one small dot which forms a letter, like the dot in our letter i (called in Hebrew a "tittle") to "fall" from the Law. Jesus necessarily means that even though we preach the kingdom of God, it is based upon centuries of foundation of preaching of the Law and prophets, from which not a single provision will pass away while the heavens and earth still stand. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">What Laws Apply to Gentiles?</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A very narrow set of commands apply to Gentiles living in the tribes of Israel, and by spiritual analogy, it is the same for Gentiles in whom the kingdom of God lives today.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The principle of reading the Law by a Gentile is simple: if the Law says it applies to a foreigner/sojourner, it applies to Gentiles. A sojourner was an uncircumcised member of the nations. Otherwise, it applies only to Israelites, <em>e.g.</em>, circumcision in Lev. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus%2012&version=KJV">12:1-3</a> applies only to "sons of Israel." </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Sometimes a command only to "sons of Israel" extends the same duty to Gentiles in </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">an exception which thereby broadens the duty to also be upon Gentiles in the gates ("sojourners"). For example, on circumcision, while the Law was only upon "sons of Israel" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus+12%3A1-3&version=ASV">Lev. 12:1-3</a>), it had two exceptions where a sojourner (Gentile) living in community in Israel had to be circumcised.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> First, if a sojourner (Gentile) wishes to participate in the Passover feast at someone's home -- which is voluntary, then the Gentile must be circumcised. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+12%3A48&version=KJV">Exodus 12:48</a>.) Also later, Ezekiel added prophetically that a Gentile who wished to enter the Temple had to be circumcised. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ezekiel+44%3A9&version=KJV">Ezekiel 44:9</a>. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 21px;">Hence, figuring out the duty of a Gentile living in the kingdom under the Law is fairly easy and obvious to determine. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #000000; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 21px;">Below, I provide you encyclopedia summaries of the laws in the Torah that apply to Gentiles. As you will come to realize, many people exaggerate what applies, apparently from self-interest, or to appear more 'strict,' etc. But the Law is the Law. We must put aside the filters of our own and read it as it reads -- neither adding to it or subtracting from it. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24px; line-height: 21px;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Gentiles Promised Tribal Inheritance without Circumcision</span></strong> </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 21px;">Before we get into the laws applicable to Gentiles, it is important to know the prophet Ezekiel made clear that if a sojourner lived in the kingdom of Israel,<strong> they became a co-inheritor within the tribe they chose to dwell</strong>. Yet, they remained in the legal category of sojourners, and were never "sons of Israel" thereafter. There was no requirement of circumcision, yet they were entitled to an "inheritance" in the kingdom equal to a son of Israel, meaning the land they lived on could pass to their children. By analogy to us Gentiles today, we jointly share in the kingdom of God by a similar principle. Here is the passage in Ezekiel: </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: #494a44; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 24px; line-height: 21px;"><span id="en-ASV-21701" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">21 </span>So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel. </span><span id="en-ASV-21702" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">22 </span>And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you, who shall beget children among you; and they shall be unto you as the home-born among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. </span><span id="en-ASV-21703" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">23 </span>And it shall come to pass, that <em><strong>in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith</strong></em> the Lord Jehovah [sic: Yahweh]. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+47:21-23">Ezek 47:21-23 ASV.</a></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What About the One Law Verse: Its Meaning</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A Gentile can voluntarily comply with a Law only applicable to "sons of Israel" such as the command to be circumcised. But if the Gentile attempts to do so, then he / she must comply with that particular Law's prescriptions. In that sense, and only in that sense, is there one Law applicable to Sons of Israel and sojourners (gentiles). </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This is evident in Numbers 15:13-15 which says if a "stranger" or one "living permanently" with Sons of Israel "wishes to offer a food offering...<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">he shall do as you do</span></strong>." After saying this, it says "For there is <em><strong>one statute for you and the stranger who sojourns with you</strong></em>...." </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Here, the sojourner had the right <em><strong>not to comply with the offering statute at all.</strong></em> However, once the duty was assumed to offer a food offering, then the sojourner must do so in the same manner as the "son of Israel." Hence, unless a law binds a sojourner, <em>i.e</em>., it is directed at the sojourner, it is optional. But once assumed, the Gentile must comply with its terms.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The sojourner-directed laws represent a very small set of commands -- largely the 10 commandments - which applies to Gentiles. (More can be found between Lev. 17-26 known as the Code of Righteousness.) See heading below: LAW FOR SOJOURNERS.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Luther in <em>Antinomian Theses</em> and Bonhoeffer in<em> Cost of Discipleship</em> reduced it more-or-less simply to the 10 commandments. However, I think that is too narrow. Many of Jesus' moral statements were paraphrases of the Lev. 17-26 section. Tyndale is consistent with how I interpret the scope of the Law on Gentiles. Hence, when Jesus said the "greatest" in the kingdom teach the Law (in Matt. 5:17-19), He meant largely these provisions.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">As a result, none of the ceremonial laws or clean-unclean laws apply to foreigners/sojourners unless expressly stated to apply to foreigners/sojourners, of which are few. (I keep the food laws as health laws, and not laws of right/wrong. Jesus said the food that goes in you does not make you a sinner. Hence "clean" "unclean" in the Law signified a health issue, not a moral one. Eating idol meat was in Deuteronomy / Exodus -- in different texts from food laws of "clean / unclean" (health) -- and eating idol meat was a moral wrong. Not much concern today about that.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Also, in my opinion, any of the temple laws are in suspense due to the destruction of the temple.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I also believe Jesus' sacrifice as God's Lamb fulills satisfactorily the blood to be shed as an atonement sacrifice. This does not mean the Law of atonement is done away with. Very much the opposite is true. Instead, we must call on Jesus' sacrifice as our atonement today. When doing so, we are calling on a Law that only appears in the Mosaic Law. It did not exist in the Abrahamic Covenant. Thus, under the Mosaic Law, we Gentiles always have had a right to call on the Atonement principle. (See Numbers 22:18 discussed below.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The only difference today is we recognize that Isaiah 53 prophesied that a servant-man would come as God's lamb and pay that atonement price. Thus no bulls, goats or lambs would be needed any more even if the Temple still stood. Instead, the blood of God's lamb is our atonement. Hence, the rule of atonement still applies to favor Gentiles if they so wish to appropriate it. It was a privilege for Gentiles under the Law to do so, yet, under Numbers 22:18, the Gentile who sought atonement had to satisfy the same conditions for atonement that sons of Israel had to satisfy -- repentance and works worthy of repentance. See below. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Did this help?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Doug</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">James Gave Us Starter Rules, Trusting Weekly Readings from the Law to Fill In Our Knowledge</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The bishop of Jerusalem, James, in Acts 15 gave us the starter 4 rules from the Law given Moses to follow as Gentiles. For example, James told us not to eat meat with blood in it. This is in the Noahide Commands and the Mosaic Torah Law. Yet, Christians routinely violate this command by eating meat without the three-pressings out of blood to render meat clean of blood. It now turns out that science shows it is the heme iron in meat that renders it toxic to humans. The heme iron activates oxidative damage that can explain the statistical correlation between cancer, heart disease, etc. and eating meat with the blood in it. See our article <a href="/aboutauthor/699-bible-study-on-eating-meat-with-the-blood-in-it.html">Eating Meat with the Blood In It</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">James in Acts 15 in his decision on the four rules then implies we Gentiles will progress in obedience to the Torah as we attend on Sabbath the synagogue where a portion of the Law is read weekly. For James adds in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+15&version=WEB">Acts 15:21</a> "For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, <em><strong>being read in the synagogues every Sabbath</strong></em>.” As Todd Derstine explains what this means: "At the conclusion of the first Apostolic Conference in Acts 15, James said that the new Gentile converts to the Way would be able to grow in righteousness by having Moses read to them in the synagogues every Sabbath day."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I interpret this likewise. In context, James intended not to burden Gentiles with a long list of commands right at the beginning. James offered a time to learn them by weekly Sabbath readings of the Law. Our conscience would improve as time went on...God knowing whether we seek to obey or not during that time of growing. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, some read the decision by James - the bishop of Jerusalem and not an apostle -- as saying Gentiles need obey only four laws from the Law. If true, this makes Jesus' endorsement of the ten commandments and principles found in Leviticus' Code of Righteousness as <strong>legitimately cast aside by a non-apostle</strong> - James. That cannot be James' point. But this conclusion is wrong in context anyway - as James immediately follows mention of these four rules by saying "For the Law" has been "preached" in weekly sabbath from old times, implying that such practice will surely continue and the knowledge of the Law can gradually be learned. This fits what Luke mentions elsewhere in Acts, such as that Gentiles were attending synagogue services on Sabbath at that time and "hearing the word of the Lord" that way. See <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/13-44.htm">Acts 13:44-45</a>. And certainly Gentiles who accepted Christ would continue to do this because they were following Christ's example, as we are told to do, in Luke's Gospel that Jesus' "custom" was to "go to synagogue on the Sabbath." (<a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/13-44.htm">Luke 4:16</a>.) Gentiles were at the same time told by Peter that "Christ left you an example," and you should "follow in His steps." (1 Peter 2:21). John likewise said "one who says he abides in Him should walk even as he walked." (1 John 2:6.) Hence, Luke who wrote Acts presumably understood James meant the very same thing: that Gentiles would learn the Law gradually by following Jesus' example of attending regular synagogue services on Sabbath where the Law is read each week.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">However, the argument against this obvious meaning by Michael Morrison in <a href="https://www.gci.org/bible/act15">Christians and the Law of Moses: A Study of Acts 15</a> exposes the weakness of any counter-argument. He says Acts 15:21's following the four rules to tell Gentiles to follow implies nothing about the Gentiles' future learning about the Law by attending sabbath services. Morrison says: </span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 60px; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;">Instead, it will be enough to give them four rules, which they will find easy to comply with. <strong>Why give them these rules?</strong> Notice the reason that James gives: “For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath” (v. 21).</span></div>
|
||||
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 60px; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 14pt;">James was <strong>not encouraging Gentile Christians to attend the synagogues</strong>. He was <strong>not saying they should listen to the laws of Moses</strong>. No, but <strong>because those laws were commonly preached, the apostles should tell the Gentiles four rules</strong>. Then they would not think that Christianity is more difficult than it is.</span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> However, this argument is reading this backwards, as if James is giving four immediate rules as a means to allow Gentiles to avoid ever needing to attend a Sabbath service to learn more. Instead, it is obviously the other way around. James is giving them the four rules because he explains the "law of Moses has been preached ...and read in the synagogues every Sabbath." The connection is obvious: no more than four laws from the Law need be put on a new Gentile at this time -- the issue in Acts 15:2 on what are the essential laws for salvation -- because the Gentiles will learn gradually the laws that apply to them. Circumcision was not one of them, as the Law imposes that only on "sons of Israel" in Lev. 12:1-3.</span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">To help foster the mistake that Morrison falls into, a deliberate fabrication was added to Acts 15:24 in the 10th century that had the apostles say 'we gave no command to obey the law to Gentiles.' This ended up in many English Bibles, but the ASV of 1901 and the NIV removed the fraud. See this <a href="/aboutauthor/750-deliberate-fabrication-in-acts-1524-by-10th-century.html">link</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Thus, God holds us accountable like a child who is growing in conscience. God affirms we can know nothing or little of the Law given Moses yet obey the same principles of God by conscience. For example, Jesus extolled Job ... a Gentile man 500 years prior to the Law. God said to Satan about this Gentile man that “there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity....” (Job 2:3.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">Likewise Apostle Peter realizes in Cornelius, a Gentile, that those who "fear" God and “do righteousness” are “acceptable to God” whether Gentile or Jew. (Acts 10:35.) This must have been obedience to principles known without the Law as Cornelius was a Gentile.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">But, as James indicated, God intends our conscience to grow, impelled by our Love of God and our regular reading from or hearing the Law and the Master's words.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>Law for Sojourners Today</strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">The Law given Noah to not eat meat with the blood in it (Genesis 9) is de facto universal on all mankind, whether Jew or Gentile. This command precedes the Law given Moses, and thus whatever one thinks about the Mosaic law, there is still this one command. Interestingly, all meats, including chicken and beef are sold today with the blood undrained fully. Only a Kosher market will sell fully drained meats. Is it any wonder that we are learning that a predominant cause of deadly health diseases, e.g., cancer, cardiac problems, etc., stem from eating animal meat -- which by default are sold with the blood in it. See our article <a href="/aboutauthor/699-bible-study-on-eating-meat-with-the-blood-in-it.html">Do Gentiles Have To Avoid Eating Meat with the Blood in It?</a> But many think such laws can change? We know supposedly how to make meat safe, and we can leave the blood in the meat at no risk to our health. While breaking this law is breaking a law to protect our health, and does not mean we have broken a moral law that would render us a sinner, it is still a Law of God -- for our health, and we should not presume we know better than God.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;">For what does God say?</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Law of God given to Moses is perfect and unchanging. Ps. 19:7; James 1:25. It is "<em><strong>eternal for all generations</strong></em>" -- a statement repeated 11 times: Ex. 27:21; 30:21; Lev. 6:18; 7:36; 10:9; 17:7; 23:14, 21, 41; 24:3; Num. 10:8.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But Charles Ryrie, the famous Paulinist evangelical scholar, insists "the Law was<em><strong> never given to Gentiles</strong></em>, and was <strong><em>expressly done away</em></strong> for the Christian." (Charles Ryrie, <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=wCjXQwAACAAJ&dq=ryrie+balancing+the+christian+life&hl=en&ei=u8diTYGLIpK0sAOBsLzpBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAA">Balancing the Christian Life</a></em> (Chicago: Moody Press, 1969) at 88, quoted in Mathison: 88.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Charles Mathison, a Reformed Christian, correctly responds -- albeit from within his Reformed world-view -- that Ryrie errs:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But that claim cannot be substantiated Biblically. Throughout Scripture there is only one ultimate standard to which God holds not only the Jews<em><strong> but also the "stranger" among them</strong></em> (Lev. 24:22), "the nations" (Ps. 9:4-5), "the world" (<em>id.</em>, vv. 7-8), that is the Gentiles....God is the universal king over "all the earth," and not only Israel. (Ps. 47: 2, 7-9)...In many passages, Scripture teaches that non-Israelites have the same moral standards as Israelites and are punished for breaking them (<em>e.g.</em>, Lev. 18:24-27; 2 Kings 17:24-41; Ps. 119:118-19; Prov. 14:34; 16:12; 17:15; Isa. 10:1; 24:5-6; Dan. 4:24-25; Amos 1:3, 6,9,11,13; 2:1,4,6.) (Keith Mathison, <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=UZ4LAAAACAAJ&dq=mathison+dispensationalism+rightly+dividing&hl=en&ei=6MliTbqqHonSsAPzwMHaCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA">Dispensationalism: Rightly Dividing the People of God?</a></em> (P&R Publishing: 1995) at 88.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Mathison is correct that there is one Law, and the Gentile was subject to the commands therein, often referenced by the name 'strangers' or 'foreigners' or,'sojourner.'</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">As Blaine Robinson, M.A. explains in the <a href="http://www.blainerobison.com/hebroots/twelve-tribes.htm">Twelve Tribes of Israel</a> (2010) a Gentile who was a citizen of Israel's community was known as a sojourner, and not an Israelite:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal; font-family: Verdana;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal;" data-mce-mark="1">No Gentile was ever called an Israelite (<em>cf.</em> Acts 4:10; 9:15; Rom 11:25) .... Gentiles that “sojourned” with Israel were treated as citizens of the commonwealth, as long as they obeyed the laws of God. (</span></span><span data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal;" data-mce-mark="1">See Ex 12:19, 43-49; 20:10; 23:12; Lev 16:29; 17:8-15; 18:26; 20:2; 22:10, 18-19; 24:16, 22; Num 9:14; 15:14-16, 26-30; 19:10; Deut 5:14; 16:11, 14; 31:12.) </span><span style="color: #000000; line-height: normal;" data-mce-mark="1">This status meant that they had the same justice rights as native-born Israelites. Gentiles could also share in the Passover meal as long as the males were circumcised (Ex 12:48).</span></span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">How do we know when the Law extends to the sojourners? </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Some misinterpret the following verse to believe there is no distinction, and thus all commands in the Torah apply to Gentiles as well who live in Israel:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you. (Numbers 15:16)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">While it is true there is one Law (Torah) which is the same for an Israelite and Gentile -- that means the One BOOK of Torah. The Numbers verse does not mean every law in the Torah applies to both the Israelite and Gentile-sojourner in Israel. </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">We know that is a wrong reading because the Law differentiates frequently between each, thus evincing it is incorrect to interpret the "one Law" verse in Numbers as meaning the scope of the Law is identical. The most glaring difference is the law of circumcision which the Law says solely applies to "sons of Israel" (Lev. 12:1-3) but not to sojourners (Gentiles) unless they wish to participate in Passover. (Exodus 12:48.) (Later, Ezekiel also added that a Gentile who wished to enter the Temple had to be circumcised. Ezekiel 44:9.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The excellent ministry First Fruits of Zion recently explained the Numbers passage is limited by context. After quoting Numbers 15:16, it explains:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This seems simple enough. According to these verses, there is one law for both Jews and Gentiles. Therefore, Gentile believers should keep the whole Torah.<br /> <br /> But wait. It’s not that clear.<br /> <br /> First of all, the context deals<em><strong> not with the application of Torah as a whole, but specifically with the sacrifices</strong></em>. In other words, if an alien wanted to offer a sacrifice in the Temple <strong><em>he needed to follow the same Torah guidelines as the Israelite</em></strong>. [See Lev. 22:18.] The passage is not saying that all the laws of Torah apply equally to Jews and Gentiles. ("One Law and the Gentiles," <em>The Weekly E-drash </em>(First Fruits of Zion, June 10, 2014).</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, when we read Leviticus 22:18, we see that "sojourners" (Gentiles) are now added so that when they too bring offerings -- although not mandatory on them -- they must follow the same legal standards. Thus, those standards are introduced by this verse:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">18 </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel and say to them,</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">When any one of the house of Israel or of the sojourners in Israel presents a burnt offering as his offering, for any of their vows or freewill offerings that they offer to the </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Lord</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">,</span> ... (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus+22%3A18&version=ESV">Lev. 22:18</a>, ESV.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The scholar Jan Joosten reviewed the Holiness Code (Lev. 17-26), and found the sacrifices are not obligatory on the Gentiles in Israel -- the sojourners, but the Law provided if they wanted to participate, they had to abide by the same legal standard as applied to "sons of Israel" as their obligation. Jan Joosten explains in<em> People and Land in the Holiness Code: An Exegetical Study of the Ideational Framework of the Law in Leviticus 17-26</em>, Volume 67 (Brill 1996) at <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=bv0x1WyNp8IC&lpg=PA68&ots=FWTnZV-mE8&dq=sojourners%20bring%20sacrifice%20at%20temple&pg=PA68#v=onepage&q=sojourners%20bring%20sacrifice%20at%20temple&f=false">page 68</a>:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Here [in Lev. 22:18], as in [Lev.] 17:8, the <em>ger</em> [sojourner / Gentile] is seen to bring sacrifices which could lead one to think of a proselyte. However, the priestly laws nowhere limit the bringing of sacrifices exclusively to the Israelites. [FN. Cf. the sacrifice brought by the foreigner in 22:25, and Numbers 15:14 where both gerim and 'whoever else is living among you' are permitted to bring sacrifices.] Also note that the present law does not require that the <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>ger</em> offer sacrifices to YHWH, but merely regulates for that eventuality. The picture which is emerging is of an alien residing among the Israelites in their land to whom the possibility of sacrificing at the Israelite shrine is open. Should he wish to bring sacrifice, then his sacrifice must meet all the usual requirements.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">With that correct understanding, let's examine carefully what Laws in the one Law squarely apply to Gentiles. Whenever they apply equally, they are construed identically, as <em>First Fruits of Zion</em> makes clear.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">Five Categories of Law Applicable to Gentiles</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In my opinion, there are five types of Laws in the Original Testament that apply to sojourning Gentiles.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">First, under the Law, certain commands were open-ended, applicable to all. I put the Ten Commandments here.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Second, some applied only to the sons of Israel, such as the circumcision command. See Lev. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus%2012&version=KJV">12:1-3</a> ("sons of Israel"). Only if an uncircumcised Gentile wished to enter the Temple / sanctuary, he had to be circumcised. Ezek. 44:9. Or if he wished to share in the Passover meal. Ex. 12:48.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Third, some commands were extended to both Israel and sojourners equally (such as the moral commands between Leviticus 17 and 26 and others sprinkled elsewhere in Leviticus). Some of the food laws are within this category too, <em>e.g.</em>, not to eat animals killed by other animals. Lev. <a href="http://bible.cc/leviticus/17-15.htm">17:15</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Fourth, some commands applied equally only depending upon special circumstances (<em>e.g.</em>, if a sojourner wanted to participate in Passover seder, they had to be circumcised (Ex. 12:48), or if the sojourner wanted an atonement for their sin, they were subject to the same conditions as an Israelite (Lev. 22:18 <em>et seq</em>.).)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, since the temple has been destroyed, Jews cannot accomplish the legal technicalities for an offering for sin. Thus, neither could Gentiles if they wanted to do so. However, as believers that Isaiah 53 prophesied of a Messiah Servant, Jesus, who would atone for both Israelites and Gentiles, we would extend the principle of Lev. 22:18 to the moral conditions one must satisfy to acquire Jesus' atonement. We would say the conditions on atonement equally apply now to both Israelite and Gentile who accept Yahshua Jesus as Messiah (=Prince, King, Ruler). Jesus explained the conditional moral principles in <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A22-26&version=ASV" style="color: #517291; outline: none; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">Matt 5:22-26</a> (be reconciled / appease the one you offended before bringing your sacrifice to the altar.) </span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">These moral conditions of atonement - which were simplified by John the Baptist and Jesus as "works worthy of repentance" -- were previously stated in <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Jer. 7:20-25; Mic. 6:6-8, </span><a href="file:///C:/Writings%20in%20Process/Salvation%20Redraft/Final%20Version%20for%20March%202008/Original%20Files/Atonementhtml.html#pgfId=478171" class="footnote" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"></a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Joel 2:13, Hos.14:1-2; </span><a href="file:///C:/Writings%20in%20Process/Salvation%20Redraft/Final%20Version%20for%20March%202008/Original%20Files/Atonementhtml.html#pgfId=478194" class="footnote" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"></a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">and Mal. 1:10,</span><a href="file:///C:/Writings%20in%20Process/Salvation%20Redraft/Final%20Version%20for%20March%202008/Original%20Files/Atonementhtml.html#pgfId=478214" class="footnote" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"></a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> 3:3-4. Cf. Isaiah 27:9. The pro</span>phets clarified atonement could not be used as some form of magic or divination of a power over God that would insist God somehow made an unconditional promise of atonement for those who had <strong>not</strong> turned from sin but who had invoked the legal right of atonement for sin. Jesus reconfirmed these prophetic clarifications on the moral conditions of the right to atonement in Matthew 5:22-26. This is discussed in detail in <a href="/books/jesuswordssalvation/128-chapter-1-jwos.html">chapter one</a> of my book <em>Jesus' Words on Salvation.</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Finally, some of the Law was extended solely to non-Israelite sojourners, <em>e.g.</em>, eating animals that died naturally which Israelites were prohibited from eating. Deut. 14:21.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For more detailed information, see below: "Encyclopedia References to Law Applicable to Gentiles Under the Torah."</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">So What Laws Apply to Gentiles In The Torah?</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Ten Commandments appear open-ended and have universal application to Israel and Sojourners living in community with Israel. But others argue the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) are not open-ended, implied from Exodus 20:2 which says "I...brought you out of the Land of Egypt." </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This point is largely irrelevant. You can find specific mention of most of the Ten Commandments imposed on sojourners: blasphemy -- using God's name in vain / insultingly (Lev. 24:16; Num 15:30); murder (Lev. 24:17); Sabbath-breaking (Deut. 5:12-15; Lev. 25:6; Exo 23:12); adultery (Lev. 20:2, 10), etc.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Even if the Decalogue / Ten Commandments as a whole does not apply, Bonhoeffer says Jesus extended the Decalogue to all in the New Covenant when He spoke to the young rich man. (Matthew 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-26.) See Bonhoeffer, <em>Cost of Discipleship</em> (1937) at 72-84.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And as explained above, we who invoke Jesus' atonement pursuant to Leviticus 22:18 <em>et seq.</em>, must satisfy the same moral conditions that applied to Israelites: leave your gift at the altar, and go be reconciled to the one whom you offended - either God or man, or both. Jesus and John the Baptist also refered to this as "works worthy of repentance."</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">To find more commands applicable to Gentiles, I suggest one start by reading Leviticus 17 to the end of Leviticus 26-- known as the HOLINESS CODE. In doing so, highlight any command you think applies to sojourners or is open ended. I call this the MORAL SECTION of the Law. Jesus regularly quoted from this moral section in His sermons.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">God Promises Salvation to Sojourners Who Obey Sabbath and The Law</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In Isaiah 56:1-7, we read about the salvation terms for the "son of the stranger" (<em>i.e.</em>, the non-Jew who joins with the Jews):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>1</sup>Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>2</sup>Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>3</sup><strong><em>Neither</em></strong> let the <em><strong>son of the stranger</strong></em>, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, <strong>saying</strong>, The LORD hath<em><strong> utterly separated me from his people:</strong></em> neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>4</sup>For thus saith the LORD unto the<strong><em> eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me</em></strong>, and take hold of my covenant;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>5</sup>Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls<strong><em> a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters</em></strong>: I will give them an<strong><em> everlasting name, that shall not be cut off</em></strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>6</sup>Also the <strong><em>sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant</em></strong>;</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><sup>7</sup>Even them will<em><strong> I bring to my holy mountain</strong></em>, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. (Isaiah <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2056:1-7&version=KJV">56:1-7</a> KJV.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This passage makes crystal clear that laying hold of the covenant and doing things pleasing to God, including taking our Sabbath rest, are the conditions of salvation for Gentiles.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The inclusion of Gentiles was in the Law itself.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong>Deuteronomy 32:43 -</strong> Rejoice, O ye nations, <strong>with his people</strong>: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">And in the Prophets, Jeremiah <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jer.%203:17&version=YLT">3:17</a> reads:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Yahweh; and<strong><em> all the nations shall be gathered unto it</em></strong>, to the name of Yahweh, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Command To Rest The Land</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What about the command to rest the land from sowing every seven years?</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. (<a href="http://biblehub.com/leviticus/25-4.htm">Lev. 25:4</a>.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The land was not to be sown from the last harvest of the 6th year of a cycle. The vines were not to be cut back to allow new growth. The land itself would still grow food / grapes, etc. The law continues, and specifically allows Israelites and "sojourners" to gather the natural growth of the field in year 7. The point was to stop making the land have to work to produce food.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Does this apply to a sojourner who owns land? The command is over the land, and not to whoever owns it. This would appear to be a principle applicable to Gentiles who own land. This principle turns out to be good husbandry of the land. It allows the nutrients to rebuild as the little worms work the soil. See "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_rotation">Crop Rotation</a>," <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>Wikipedia</em>.</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">This command to rest the land, incidentally, is a moral one. Apparently with the Babylonian captivity in view, God prophesied in Leviticus that if the Israelites did not give the land rest, God would send them into captivity long enough to make up for the overdue rest which the Land deserved.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="color: #592902; font-family: 'times new roman', times; line-height: 21px;" data-mce-mark="1">“I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. Then the land will enjoy its Sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its Sabbaths. All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the Sabbaths you lived in it.” </span><em style="color: #592902; font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">(Leviticus 26:33–35)</em></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If the Babylonian captivity fulfilled this prophesied punishment, this means that the 50 years in Babylon made up for 50 cycles without any Sabbath annual rest. </span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If this implies it is a moral command, as I suggest due to the serious punishment attached to its violation, this would be a command that a Gentile follower of Jesus should follow if they own land that requires tilling to create new crops. Furthermore, now we scientifically know we should be glad to do so anyway.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #3366ff;">What About Passover?</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Passover dinner, which precedes the feast of unleavened bread, is optional for the Sojourner. However, if he "will keep it," then the Sojourner has to be circumcised. (Exo 12:48; Nu 9:14.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, Passover was an honor for a non-Jew sojourner to celebrate. If he chose to do so, he must be circumcised.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What About Tithing?</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Tithing clearly does not apply to Gentiles, but only to sons of Israel. Gentiles, whether poor or not, were one of the several beneficiaries of the tithe paid by Sons of Israel, along with widows, orphans, and Levite priests. See our article on <a href="/aboutauthor/562-whether-gentile-christians-have-to-tithe.html">Whether Gentiles Are Subject to the Law of Tithing</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;">The Didache Instructions</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="color: #000000;"></span><br /></span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Didache of about 100 AD -- considered the oldest surviving manual of Christianity -- addressed what Law applied to Gentiles from the Torah. It claimed it was written by the 12 Apostles. Rather than make any careful distinction, as we did above, it said to<em><strong> do your best to keep all of it</strong></em>. The Temple was gone, so this may be a prudent general instruction, measured by historical Christianity. The ministry First Fruits of Zion explains this historical background in the article I previously quoted. It explains that it is likely that most Gentile Christians early on tried to keep as much of the Torah as possible:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in 12pt 30px; line-height: 16.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The <em>Didache</em> is allegedly a collection of apostolic instructions for Gentile believers. When discussing the question of how much Torah a Gentile is obligated to keep, the <em>Didache</em> recommends keeping all of it, but leaves the matter up to an individual’s capacity:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in 15pt 60px; line-height: 16.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">If you are able to bear all the yoke of the Lord [i.e., Torah], you will be perfect; but if you are not able, do as much as you are able to do. (<em>Didache</em> 6:2)</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in 12pt 30px; line-height: 16.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The <em>Didache</em> agrees with Numbers 15:15–16. There is not supposed to be a different Torah for Gentile believers. The Gentile believers are not supposed to have a different type of worship or religion. There is only one Torah for God’s people. The only question left open is to what extent the Gentile believer is obligated. Most of the laws of the Torah apply equally to Jewish and Gentile disciples of Yeshua. </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> On the other hand, Gentile believers <em><strong>are not obligated to keep all of the ceremonial laws as the Jewish believers such as circumcision and other distinct markers of Jewish identity like the calendar, the holy days, the dietary laws, and so forth</strong></em>. Despite that, the Bible does not create alternative Gentile versions of these institutions.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"> In the days of the apostles, the Gentile believers kept most of those things along with the Jewish believers as part of their participation in their shared religion.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 11.25pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: 16.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, according to FFOZ the Law given Moses does not extend to Gentiles the duties to keep circumcision, the calendar, the holy days, the dietary laws, etc. As we saw above, it did extend Sabbath and some food prohibitions on Gentiles (which even James repeated in Acts), so this is an overstatement by FFOZ. Yet, perhaps it is wise to follow the rule of the Didache: keep as much of it as you can feasibly apply to your life. If you don't wear 4 cornered clothes, you don't need to wear philacteries, so don't worry about that command, for example. </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 11.25pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: 16.5pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #3366ff;">What about Other Feast Days Than Passover? </span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-top: 11.25pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: 16.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">A young man who is a Christian and keeps Sabbath has a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y1AFbfVqtQ">You Tube video</a> that reviews whether feast days are mandatory for a Christian to observe. He argues they no longer apply. I disagree as to Passover and possibly the Day of Atonement. He points out that Lev. 23:27 says the feast days are to be holy convocations to make an offering by fire. He contends that without sacrifices, they would cease to be feast days. He says Deut 16:2 says the passover is necessarily a sacrifice. However, I see it has a second function that continues -- a remembrance of God's provisions when Israel was in bondage in Egypt. He relies upon Paul to say that circumcision was abolished, and no longer necessary. (See 4:20 mark.) While I don't agree with his conclusion entirely, he may have a point about any holiday that is only about sacrifice, since they are suspended at the Temple. </span></p>
|
||||
<h2><strong><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;"></span></strong></h2>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;">Supplemental Comments</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Blessings of God After A Meal</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There are certain laws that are wise to follow. For example, the Law apparently commands a blessing after one has eaten and is satisfied. See Deuteronomy <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%208:10&version=NIV">8:10</a>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">When you have eaten and are satisfied, <strong><em>praise the LORD your God</em></strong> <strong><em>for the good land</em></strong> he has given you.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It apparently is a safeguard against ungratefulness and idolatry. Cf. 8:12; 31:20. There is no command to bless God prior to a meal. But neither is there a prohibition from doing so.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;"><strong>What Of Levitical Interpretations of the Law?</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The Levites had a special authority under the Law to provide binding interpretations of the Law (not to extend it or nullify it):</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee<strong><em>: According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee</em></strong>, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, <strong><em>thou shalt do</em></strong>: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, [to] the right hand, nor [to] the left. And the man that will do presumptuously,<strong><em> and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die</em></strong>: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel." Deuteronomy 17:9-12.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What do we do now that there are no more Levites to turn to? In my opinion, God took them away so our High Priest Jesus / Yahshua would be the one whose words interpreting the Law would be paramount. We would not sway to the left or right, but "listen to Him," as Yah spoke twice from heaven about Jesus / Yahshua -- once at His baptism and second at His transfiguration.</span></p>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;" data-mce-mark="1">Encyclopedia References to Law Applicable to Gentiles Under Torah</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<h4><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C&pg=PA562&lpg=PA562&dq=Certain+rights+were+conceded+to+them&source=bl&ots=Fuo3Dkw-xy&sig=du5LhrkRXBWD7vETc3Xs7nKmDA4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=u6tzUO2fNaXKyQHa1IGoAw&ved=0CE8Q6AEwBg">The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia </a>reads in its article "Sojourners":</span></h4>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"The Mosaic legislation was quite <strong><em>open to receive outsiders into the covenant community</em></strong> (hence the LXX rendering of ger proselytos). Certain rights were conceded to them, including sabbatical rest (Ex. 20:10; 23:12; Dt. 5:14), a fair trial (1:16), access to the cities of refuge (Nu. 35:15; Josh. 20:9), and participation in the Feasts of Booths and Weeks (Dt. 16:11, 14). Their sustenance was to be guaranteed by provision for gleaning (along with other needy groups, Lev. 19:10; 23:22), by the triennial tithe (Dt. 26:11f) and by the produce of the land during the Sabbatical Year (Lev. 25:6f). Indeed, the juxtaposition of ger with "native of the land" (e.g., Ex. 12:19, 48), "your countrymen" (lit "your brother"), "sons of Israel," and similar expressions clearly indicates that<strong><em> sojourners were to be treated for the most part just like ordinary Israelites.</em></strong> Their privileges and responsibilities thus included observing the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29), the Passover (Ex. 12:49; Nu. 9:14), Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:19); sacrificial procedures (Lev. 17:8; 22:18; Nu. 15:14–16); atonement for unintentional and defiant sin (15:26–31); purification rites after eating unclean meat (Lev. 17:15; Nu. 19:10), sacrifices to Molech (Lev. 20:2); blaspheming the name of the Lord (24:16), sexual and moral purity (18:26),lex talionis (24:20–22). Lev. 19:33f summarized the idealized position of the ger's [Heb. native born] position was so secure that his prosperity could conceivably exceed that of the native Israelites, and the latter could become servants for the former (Lev. 25:47–55). Covenantal infidelity would bring these conditions as a curse upon Israel (Dt. 28:43)..... Whereas Lev. 17:15 forbids the native and the ger to eat animals that have died a natural death, Dt. 14:21 suggests that such animals could be given to the ger or sold to foreigners for consumption.... At an early period Israel probably adhered to these ideals (Dt. 29:10f [MT 9f]; cf. also 31:12, which included the <em><strong>sojourners in the assembly of those gathered for instruction in the Torah and the fear of the Lord).</strong></em> The <em><strong>gerîm were also present at the covenant renewal ceremony</strong></em> conducted at Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim (Josh. 8:33). ... Second-class treatment of sojourners may, however, be documented from later history. The gêrîm noted separately in David’s census (2 Ch. 2:17 [MT 16]) became the basis of Solomon’s work crews, some of which consisted entirely of sojourners (cf. 1 Ch. 22:2). Nevertheless, in Ezekiel’s vision of the restored community (47:22), the identification of the gêrîm with native Israelites is almost complete, even to receiving an inheritance of land in the midst of the tribe in which they resided. [<em>ISBE</em> (Editor Geoffrey Bromiley)(1995) Vol. 4 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C&lpg=PA562&ots=Fuo3Dkw-xy&dq=Certain%20rights%20were%20conceded%20to%20them&pg=PA562#v=onepage&q=Certain%20rights%20were%20conceded%20to%20them&f=false">562</a>, with some bracketed corrections.]</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">"Alien," <em>Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible </em><em>reads:</em></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Foreigners or sojourners had certain rights but also certain limitations while in Israel. They could <strong><em>offer sacrifices </em></strong>(Lv 17:8; 22:18) but <em><strong>could not enter the sanctuary unless circumcised </strong></em>(Ez 44:9). They were allowed to participate in the three great Jewish festivals (Dt 16:11, 14) but <em><strong>could not eat the Passover meal unless circumcised</strong></em> (Ex 12:43, 48)....They were <em><strong>not to work on the sabbath</strong></em> and the Day of Atonement (Ex 20:10; 23:12; Lv 16:29; Dt 5:14) and could be stoned for reviling or blaspheming God’s name (Lv 24:16; Nm 15:30). Foreigners <strong><em>were forbidden to eat blood</em></strong> (Lv 17:10, 12) but could eat animals that had died a natural death (Dt 14:21). Israel’s code of <em><strong>sexual morality also applied to the foreigner</strong></em> (Lv 18:26). There were prohibitions against Israelite intermarriage with foreigners, but it was nevertheless a common occurrence (Gn 34:14; Ex 34:12, 16; Dt 7:3, 4; Jos 23:12). ...<em><strong>Civil rights were provided for foreigners by the Law of Moses</strong></em> (Ex 12:49; Lv 24:22), and they came under the <em><strong>same legal processes and penalties</strong></em> (Lv 20:2; 24:16, 22; Dt 1:16). They were to be treated politely (Ex 22:21; 23:9), loved as those under the love of God (Lv 19:34; Dt 10:18, 19), and <em><strong>treated generously if poor and receive the fruits of the harvest</strong></em> (Lv 19:10; 23:22; Dt 24:19–22). They could receive asylum in times of trouble (Nm 35:15; Jos 20:9). <em><strong>Foreign servants were to receive treatment equal to Hebrew servants</strong></em> (Dt 24:14). A foreigner could not take part in tribal deliberations or become a king (17:15). The prophet Ezekiel looked forward to the messianic age when the foreigner would share all the blessings of the land with God’s own people (Ez 47:22, 23) in Israel.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">'Anyone' Commands</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">There are other commands applicable to "<em><strong>anyone</strong></em>" and I would say this word means they apply to both Israelites and Sojourning-Gentiles living in their community. For example, there is a command to return what you stole, whether entrusted to you or by robbery, plus pay 1/5 (20%) more. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%206&version=NIV">Leviticus 6:1-8 NIV</a>. This begins saying "Yahweh told Moses, If <strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">anyone</span></strong> sins and is unfaithful to Yahweh by deceiving...." Then there are later additions to this principle to tie into it. In Numbers 5:8, it teaches if when you repent, and now you must restore the goods or items stolen, but there is no one any longer to whom to give, you give the restitution to Yahweh - implying you donate it to the Temple "alms" box for the poor. Since there is no longer any such box at most Christian churches, I would say you still must find a way to route this money to the poor.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Identifiable Moral Commands In A Mixed Context</span></strong></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Sometimes there are passages clearly directed to the Sons of Israel that contain commands that would seem to have a moral component having nothing to do with only the Sons of Israel. For example, Exodus 23 is a long list of commands, and clearly it is only to the Sons of Israel, as it describes what they are to do when they come into the land that has Gentiles which evidently is only a command to Israelites. Among the moral commands is one against taking bribes, and I would not construe its presence in this context as intended to limit it to Israelite judges: </span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"Do not accept a bribe [<em>i.e.</em>, payment to allow a wrong to be done / ignored],</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent." (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2023&version=NIV">Exodus 23:8</a> NIV.)</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So if I am a Gentile and serve as a Judge, can I as a Christian accept a bribe? The answer is clear that this command comes with an <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>identifier</em> of the rationale -- a universal rationale. It says a "bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent." Hence, this is a moral command, and not merely a command which could have a non-universal application just to Israelites. Hence, I would follow it, and obviously accept its moral imperative from Yahweh to me as a judge.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<h1><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">Email on July 20, 2012</span></strong></span></h1>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">D writes me:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">You may recall I told you we were having a Bible Study in our home conducted by a Messianic Jew.... and at one time we had 20 people attending. Slowly, one by one, they stopped coming. In retrospect, I believe there was too much Jewish tradition that was not explained. At least, that was the case for me.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">For example, wearing a shawl or a scull cap when praying. I understand all Jews follow this tradition. At present, I'm not sure, as a gentile, exactly what I should and should not be doing. One thing that turned me off regarding the Messianic movement was when I saw on the Internet<em><strong> a bunch of Jew wannabees wearing a scull cap along with a long beard.</strong></em> HOWEVER, I'm simply seeking truth. If I discover I need to be wearing certain things while praying, I will do so, to be obedient to our heavenly Father.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">What is <em><strong>your understanding or belief regarding what you wear while praying?</strong></em> For example, at sundown on Friday night, while praying in the Sabbath.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I'm currently studying the feasts mentioned in the Torah. There seems to be a lot of blessings we are missing by not celebrating these dates. What are your thoughts on this subject? Have you written anything on this subject?</span></p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">My Reply to D on July 21, 2012</span></strong></span></h2>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">To answer how to know what laws apply, I start first with Yashua's words - Yahweh appointed him in Deuteronomy 18 as "the prophet" -- the obedience to whose words would be "required." This is a universal principle for Jew and Gentile stated in the Law.</span></p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Next, I read the Law as having often distinct commands to Israel versus "sojourners" or "foreigners" (not Israelites) who lived in Israel. The latter are now known as Gentiles. If they live in community with Israel, <em><strong>some but not all commands applicable to Israel applies to the Gentiles by the strict reading of the Law itself.</strong></em> So Leviticus 12:1-3 says Israelites must be circumcised, but the Law has no blanket command to Gentiles to do so. It implicitly says they don't have to be circumcised in all cases to live in community with Israel because elsewhere it says if the Gentile (sojourner / foreigner) wishes to celebrate Passover (no compulsion to do so), they must be circumcised. Exodus 12:19. I believe these kind of distinctions in the Law are why James in Acts 15 did not impose circumcision on Gentiles who came to Christ -- apparently strictly reading Leviticus 12:1-3 which narrows its application to the "sons of Israel."</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Thus, the issue about a prayer shawl must turn on the text of the command, if any, found in the Law, and then whether it also applies to Gentiles.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">WIkipedia on the Tallit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallit" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.<wbr />org/wiki/Tallit</a> has this to say:</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<blockquote><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The <strong>Bible does not command wearing of a unique prayer shawl or tallit</strong>. Instead, it presumes that people wore a garment of some type to cover themselves and instructs them to add fringes (tzitzit) to the 4 corners of these (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Numbers" target="_blank" title="Book of Numbers">Numbers</a> 15:38, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuteronomy" target="_blank" title="Deuteronomy">Deuteronomy</a> </span><wbr /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">22:12). These passages do not specify tying particular types or numbers of knots in the fringes. Nor do they specify a gender division between men and women, or between native Israelite/Hebrew people and those assimilated by them. The exact customs regarding the tying of the tzitzit and the format of the tallit are post-Biblical and rabbinical and can vary between various Jewish communities.</span></span></blockquote>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, there is no command to pray with a shawl. (Paul taught a woman must have a head covering, but even Paul had no command that a man use a prayer shawl.)</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Incidentally, the fringes command only applies if you are wearing a 4 cornered garment, but there is <em><strong>no command to wear a four cornered garment (like a poncho).</strong></em> Thus, it is largely anachronistic -- meaning clothing practices of today rarely involve where one puts on a four cornered poncho. It can happen. But I don't concern myself about it because I do not wear such clothes.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">By the way, the command about not cutting one's beard in a certain way is not a command to have a beard. It is a command not in effect to have a Fu Manchu shaped beard. I have a page on that if you need it. It is in JWO. Hence, having a beard, even for a Jew, is not required.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Hence, a lot of traditions are just that ... traditions.... or <strong><em>hedges around the Law</em></strong> -- <em><strong>exaggerated readings to prevent any possible theoretical violation</strong></em>. Jesus / Yashua told us<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"> not to live with such excessive unnecessary burdens not in the Law itself</span></strong>.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Perhaps the people attending at your home faded away when non-Biblical traditions were being suggested while the true Law was being denied validity by the Pauline rabbi you mentioned.</span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">I personally celebrate Passover because it was an option for a circumcised Gentile under the Law to do so (Exodus 12:19), and I love its meaning. I don't understand the other high holy days as applicable to Gentiles. Booths clearly is for Jews. The Day of Atonement critically depends upon the Temple, but I celebrate it anyway in a spiritualized sense.</span></p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">The key is to not let Pauline thinking contaminate us where the "letter of the Law kills" and "incites" sin in us. See Roman's 7:7-11. That is blasphemy. Instead, the Law is good for us, frees us, settles us, guides us, comforts us, teaches us, and ultimately helps us admire and love God for His goodness and mercy.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;">That's my take on things....Shabbat Shalom D.</span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div> </div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">God Set Jews Apart As Light of Law to Gentiles</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; color: #000000;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1">God chose the lineage of Jews / Israel to show off a people who were priests who kept God's covenant, and as God's treasure / riches, this would teach non-Israelites to see "you are called by the name of Yahweh" and fear the Israelites.</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; color: #000000; margin-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;" data-mce-mark="1"><big>Exodus 19:5-6—<small> </small></big><strong><big><small><br /></small></big></strong><big><small>5 Now therefore, <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">if you will truly obey My voice, by keeping My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people</span>; for all the earth <em>is</em> Mine. <br />6 And you shall be <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">to Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation</span>...</small></big></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; color: #000000; margin-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><small><big><big>Deuteronomy 28:9-10—</big></big><strong><big> <br /></big></strong><big>9 Yahweh will <span style="text-decoration: underline;">establish you as His Holy People</span> unto Himself, as <span style="text-decoration: underline;">He promised you on oath, if you will keep the Laws of Yahweh your Father, and walk in all His ways</span>. <br />10 <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Then all the people on the earth will see that you are called by the Name of Yahweh</span>, and they will fear you.</big></small></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;" align="justify"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 18pt;"><big><span style="color: black;">I Peter 2:9—</span></big><span style="color: black;"></span><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">But you </span><em style="color: black;">are </em><span style="color: black;">a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you would show forth the praises of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p> </p>
|
||||
<hr />
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Email on Why Did James Appear To Give Gentiles A Short List of Commands? 11/26/2015</strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: black; font-size: 18pt;">....I do have one more question though...one that has been causing me a great deal of confusion over the past month or so. Why in Acts 15 and Acts 21 does James and Peter say that all the Gentiles need to do is refrain from eating blood, things strangled, things sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality. Certainly there is more commands that we must follow as Gentiles. I am very confused by this..Can you you shed some light on this issue?</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: black; font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: black; font-size: 18pt;">Blessings,</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: black; font-size: 18pt;">Joey</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #0000ff;">My Response on 11/26/2015</span></strong></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #1f497d;">Hi Joseph</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #1f497d;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #1f497d;">Yes, right after this in Acts 15 verse 21 James implied – due to the Greek present tense in verse 19 versus the import of verse 21 -- that the gentiles start with these few principles in vv 19-20, because they will continue to learn from the weekly readings – readings of the Law, as v 21 implies Here is the key passage – and the last verse is the key:</span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #1f497d;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span class="text"><strong><sup><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">19 </span></sup></strong></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">“Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"></span></span><span class="text"><strong><sup><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">20 </span></sup></strong></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"></span></span><span class="text"><strong><sup><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">21 </span></sup></strong></span><span class="text"><strong><span style="color: red; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath</span></strong></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+15&version=WEB">Acts 15:19-21</a>.)</span></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span class="text" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span class="text" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">So James is not excepting anything from the law applicable to Gentiles. He is simply giving them a starter set of principles, and if they attend weekly readings from Moses, they will pick up the rest.</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span class="text" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span class="text" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Does that help?</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span class="text" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"></span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></p>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="text" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="color: black; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Doug</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #1f497d;"> V</span></span></p>
|
||||
<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> </p>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<div><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></div>
|
||||
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;"></span></p>
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<span class="article_separator"> </span>
|
||||
|
||||
</td>
|
||||
</tr>
|
||||
</table>
|
||||
<div class="bottom_top"></div>
|
||||
<div id="bottom">
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div id="footer"><strong>Content View Hits</strong> : 12860749<br />
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var pv = new Array(1,0,0,0,1);
|
||||
var trdlname = "/downloads";
|
||||
//<![CDATA[
|
||||
var regex = /\.(?:doc|eps|jpg|png|svg|xls|ppt|pdf|xls|zip|txt|vsd|vxd|js|css|rar|exe|wma|mov|avi|wmv|mp3)($|\&|\?)/;
|
||||
//]]>
|
||||
var trlkname = "/external/";
|
||||
var trmlname = "/mailto/";
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.jesuswordsonly.com/modules/mod_analytics/gatr.js"></script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
|
||||
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||||
try {
|
||||
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3747914");
|
||||
pageTracker._initData();
|
||||
pageTracker._trackPageview();
|
||||
} catch(err) {}
|
||||
</script>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="copyright"></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
Loading…
Add table
Add a link
Reference in a new issue