Greek translation of Hebrew scriptures
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4 episodes with greek septuagint
4 episodes with greek septuagint
2 episodes with greek septuagint
3 episodes with greek septuagint
4 episodes with greek septuagint
4 episodes with greek septuagint
2 episodes with greek septuagint
3 episodes with greek septuagint
2 episodes with greek septuagint
Abstract: This article, which focuses on the role of Jeremiah as a prophet, is based on a study of the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint. It also analyzes references to Jeremiah in the Book of Mormon and connects those references to current scholarly research on the book of Jeremiah. Consistent with the general consensus […] The post Jeremiah “the Prophet” first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.
From Exodus to Easter: The Lost Plant Medicine of the Bible In this episode of the Roots to Riches podcast, we delve into the fascinating topic of Kaneh Bosm, a term found in Exodus 30:22-25, which many scholars, including Hebrew etymologist Sula Benet, believe refers to cannabis. I, Justin Benton, your host, explore the historical and linguistic evidence suggesting that cannabis was a key ingredient in the holy anointing oil used by Moses and Jesus.We discuss how the mistranslation of Kaneh Bosm to "calamus" in the Greek Septuagint has obscured this truth for centuries. This episode is particularly timely as it coincides with Easter, a period of resurrection and rediscovery. We reflect on how Jesus, the anointed one, used this sacred oil in his healing ministry, emphasizing the holistic and earthy practices of the early church.I also touch on the modern wellness and plant medicine movement, advocating for a return to natural healing methods that align with ancient wisdom. Our mission is to reach a billion people by 2025, promoting both natural and spiritual healing.Throughout the episode, I encourage listeners to question traditional narratives, seek the truth, and consider the profound implications of rediscovering Kaneh Bosm. We conclude with a call to action, inviting listeners to share this knowledge and join us in our mission to heal the world. Ask this Episode anything! Timestamps00:00:08 - Introduction to CannabossumDiscussion on the Hebrew origins of the word Cannabossum and its connection to cannabis.00:00:52 - Welcome to Roots to RichesIntroduction to the podcast and its focus on natural healing and success.00:01:14 - Easter and Listener FeedbackReflection on Easter, Good Friday, and listener comments about Cannabossum.00:02:30 - Cannabossum and Its MistranslationExplanation of how Cannabossum was mistranslated in the Bible and its implications.00:03:34 - Time Travel and Historical CuriosityA light-hearted discussion about time travel and the desire to witness Jesus's ministry.00:04:17 - Jesus and the Holy Anointing OilDetails on Jesus's use of the holy anointing oil and its significance.00:05:46 - Cannabis in Modern AmericaOverview of the negative perception of cannabis in America and its historical context.00:07:17 - The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937Discussion on the impact of the Marijuana Tax Act on cannabis and hemp.00:08:17 - The Sacred Ingredient in Anointing OilExploration of the sacred ingredient in the anointing oil and its biblical references.00:09:01 - Prayer and Introduction to the EpisodeA prayer and introduction to the episode's focus on Cannabossum and divine healing.00:10:05 - Jesus's Healing MinistryDiscussion on Jesus's use of anointing oil in his healing ministry.00:11:00 - Easter and ResurrectionReflection on the significance of Easter and the resurrection of lost truths.00:12:08 - Modern Wellness and Plant MedicineConnection between modern wellness movements and ancient plant-based medicine.00:13:00 - The Mission to HealThe podcast's mission to reach a billion people by 2025 and promote natural healing.00:15:01 - The Return of CannabossumDiscussion on reclaiming the use of Cannabossum and its importance.00:16:26 - Closing Remarks and Call to ActionClosing remarks, call to action for listeners, and the signature "heal the world" chant. Thank you for tuning in to the Miracle Plant Podcast. Remember, our mission is to heal the world with the power of this miracle plant. Join us next time for more inspiring stories and insights into the world of cannabis. Produced by PodConx 101cbd - https://101cbd.org/Email Justin Benton - jbenton@101cbd.orgGet a free consultation - askjanet.orgKaneh Bosm Connection - https://youtube.com/@kanehbosmconnection
Messianic Apologetics editor John McKee reviews the role the Greek Septuagint translation of the Tanach (OT) plays in theology. This is then followed by a review of important stories and issues from the past day or so, largely witnessed on social media.
In this episode, we dive into a fun discussion of Deuteronomy 4:29 and talk about why many English translations may be getting this verse wrong! Instead of reading this verse as a purely conditional “if,” we'll explore the compelling evidence that it should be understood as a statement of certainty—a prophetic guarantee that Israel will seek and find God. From Hebrew grammar to parallel passages and the Greek Septuagint, we'll show how shifting from “if” to “when” or “because” transforms our understanding of this pivotal prophetic passage. But this isn't just a nerdy grammar study—there's a rich theological payoff too! By recognizing the verse's prophetic certainty, we see a powerful thread running throughout Deuteronomy: though rebellion and exile will come, restoration is just as sure. We discuss what this verse means for our eschatology and why it underscores God's unwavering faithfulness to His people. Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:01 English Translations of Deuteronomy 4:29 05:03 Context of Deuteronomy 4:25-30 16:29 Broader Context of Deuteronomy 19:57 Hebrew Grammar Discussion of Ki Clauses 27:42 Looking at the LXX Translations 35:42 Eschatological Ramifications of Deuteronomy 4:29 Article on Deuteronomy 4:29 Referenced: https://petergoeman.com/papers/Deut4_25-29_Goeman_accepted_copy_with_revision.pdf If you have found the podcast helpful, consider leaving a review on Itunes or rating it on Spotify. You can also find The Bible Sojourner on Youtube. Consider passing any episodes you have found helpful to a friend. Visit petergoeman.com for more information on the podcast or blog. Visit shepherds.edu for more on Shepherds Theological Seminary where Dr. Goeman teaches.
Ancient warfare was fierce. It was close, it was personal, it was dirty, it was aggressive, it was violent, and it was in your face. In preparation for battle, soldiers lined up in tight formation side by side with about three feet separating each soldier so that they could move freely. Every piece of the armor was critically important: The belt kept everything he was wearing in its rightful place, the breastplate protected his vital organs, his shoes were designed so that he could stand his ground and maintain his footing, his shield helped protected him from any weapon that would pierce such as arrows or spears, and his helmet kept his head on his shoulders, protected his mind, line of sight, and neck. The part of his armor that was designed to defend and to harm was his sword. The sword used by Romes soldiers between 3BC and 3AD was a double-edged short sword known as the Gladius. Roman legionaries whose shield defended them from the fiery arrows of the enemy received advanced training in using the Gladius to slash the exposed kneecaps or throat of their enemies while in formation and carried their Gladius sword on their belt, or sometimes on a shoulder strap. It was impossible to forget your belt, breastplate, and shoes when marching into battle because those pieces of the soldiers armor were attached to his person. However, it was possible to leave you shield, helmet, and even your sword back in the camp where it was safe and comfortable, but no skilled and experienced soldier would dare enter battle without those parts of his armor he was required to take up and put on, such as his shield, helmet, and sword. A modern equivalent to just how foolish it would be for a Roman soldier to forget any part of his armor is a Russian soldier who became the 2022 winner of the Darwin Awards. The Darwin Awards are those awards given to honor Charles Darwin by commemorating those who improve the gene pool by removing themselves from it in the most spectacular way possible. Here is the description of the unnamed Russian soldier who won this award: You are wearing body armor in a warzone. You spot abandoned Macbook. You want Macbook. Where to hide it? With quick reflexes a Russian soldier slid that Macbook into his chest armor pocket, replacing a ballistic plate designed to save his life. He was killed in Irpin, and his body was retrieved, providing a hearty laugh for all of Ukraine. 'Instant Karma' They reportedly found a stolen iPad as well. Wonder where the iPad was hidden? I am no soldier, and although I love my Macbook Pro and have a great deal of respect for the way it is designed, even I know enough that in a warzone it is best to keep the ballistic plate in the chest armor pocket because a Macbook was never designed to stop a bullet. Yet, when it comes to the armor of God, how often do we intentionally or unintentionally replace that which is designed to protect with philosophies, ideologies, feelings, and practices that serve the enemy rather than our own protection? What is the Sword of the Spirit We are told what the Sword of the Spirit is in the very same verse: It is the word of God. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible claims at least 3,000 times to be The Word of the Lord. In 2 Timothy 3:16 we are told: All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness... We are told in the Old Testament book, Deuteronomy: ...man shall not live on bread alone, but man shall live on everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord (8:3), which is a verse Jesus used against the devil when He was being tempted in the wilderness (see Matt. 4:1-11). In the Psalms, we learn of the written word of God: The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Ps. 19:7-8). As it relates to the authority of Gods word, we are instructed through the prophet Isaiah: This is what the Lord says: Heaven is My throne and the earth is the footstool for My feet. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, so all these things came into being, declares the Lord. But I will look to this one, at one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isa. 66:12). From Genesis to Revelation the Bible claims at least 3,000 times to be The Word of the Lord. The word of God in written form is contained in the 66 books that make up our Bible. When Paul wrote that all Scripture is inspired by God..., we believe that it is a reference to all of the Old Testament and New Testament books that make up the Bible that were written over a period of hundreds of years with many different contributors who were all guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that what you have before you is a supernatural book unlike any other book, that is without error. It is upon the word of God, both Old Testament (the prophets) and the New Testament (the apostles) that Jesus Church is being built upon (see Eph. 2:19-22). It is the written word of God that has supernatural and transformative power to shape and transform Gods people, for from the imagery of the Roman Gladius the author of Hebrews wrote: For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). Regarding the Word of God, Jesus prayed to the Father for His church: I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth (John 17:1417). In just one chapter earlier, Paul said that the way Jesus is purifying and sanctifying His church is, by the washing of the water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless (Eph. 5:26-27). So, we know what the word of God is; the question we must answer is how do we use it as the Sword of the Spirit? How Do We Use the Sword of the Spirit To answer that question, you need to know something about the two words that are used in reference to the word of God, and they are logos and rhēma. Logos is often translated as word or message. Rhēma is often translated word, saying, or statement. In Hebrews 4:12 and Isaiah 66:2 (in the Greek Septuagint) the word logos is used in reference to the Word of God. In Deuteronomy 8:3 (in the Greek Septuagint) and Ephesians 6:17, the word rhēma is used. So, whats the point? Both words are used in reference to the written and spoken word of God and its authority is based on the fact that it has come from God. Listen, every word in the Bible is authoritative because it is the Word of God and is used by the Holy Spirit of God to transform and shape the people of God. When you read or speak out loud the Word of God, as it is given within all 66 books of the Holy Bible, the voice of God is heard through His word. Pauls words in Ephesians 6:17 are calculated and carefully crafted through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; do not miss what is written: Take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. God always uses the authority of His own words with the power of His Holy Spirit to transform, change, and divinely challenge! So, how does one use the Word of God as the offensive sword of the Spirit? Jesus showed us how to use it as an offensive weapon when he was approached three times by the devil. In Matthew 4:1-17 and Luke 4:1-13 we are given the details of Jesus 40 days of fasting in the same wilderness that Israel wondered for 40 years because of their failure to believe and obey the word of God. Each of the temptations Jesus faced was like one of the temptations Israel faced and failed, by sinning. When Israel was in the wilderness, they complained about their lack of food (see Exod. 16). The devil came to Jesus and tempted Him with these words: If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. Jesus answered with the word of God from Deuteronomy 8:3, It is written: Man Shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God (Matt. 4:3-4). In the wilderness, Israel frequently put God to the test, so with the second temptation Satan took Jesus to the top of the temple and said, If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning You; and On their hands they will lift You up, so that You do not strike Your foot against a stone. The devil even quoted and twisted Psalm 91 to try to get Jesus to fall into the same sin Israel fell into in the wilderness. Again, Jesus responded rightly and skillfully with the word of God: You shall not put the Lord Your God to the Test. (Matt. 4:5-7). In the wilderness and throughout Israels history, they were frequently guilty of false worship. In an effort to get Jesus to fall into the same sin, Satan tried to get Jesus to avoid the cross by worshiping him, to which Jesus responded with the sword of the Spirit: You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only (Matt. 4:8-11). Jesus used the sword of the Spirit to counter the Devils temptations. Did you ever notice that two of the three temptations Jesus faced were not inherently evil; it is not wrong to eat when you are hungry nor is it wrong to expect God to save you from harm. However, the scheming of the Devil was to try and get the Son of God to not trust the Fathers plan but to use a different plan that would have avoided the cross. We often counter our temptation to sin with human reason by believing another way is better than Gods way. Think about the way we reason our way out of obedience to God: I know Gods word says sex is a gift to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage, but were in love and were going to get married anyway; or Its only a little lie. Sometimes it is more subtle: I know Gods word says, there must be no filthiness or foolish talk, or vulgar joking..., but at least it is not a 4-letter word, its not gossip if it is a prayer request, its just an innocent joke... I know that Gods word says that, sexual immorality or impurity is sinful, but its only a few scenes in the movie. Or... It only happens once a month... What if we learned from the way Jesus responded to temptation by countering our own with the Word of God? Imagine what would have happened if, in the Garden, Adam responded to the serpents temptation with the Word of God? You can take up the word of God as the sword of the Spirit or you can leave it in its sheath. Here is the thing though, just as handling a sword effectively takes some skill that can only come if you take it out of its sheath, to handle the sword of the Spirit with skill you must take it out and use it. To handle the Word of God with skill, you need to use it by reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and immerse yourself into it so that it can do what God designed it to do, which is to change you, mold you, cleanse you, and guide you. Just as you will never improve your shooting skills if you do not get out to a range and shoot, or a martial artist will only be as skilled as his time in the dojo practicing his techniques, so it is true with handling the word of God with skill. Just as there are resources to improve your aim, or your skills as a martial artist, so there are resources that God has provided through pastors, theologians, scholars, and Christian publishers to improve your skills in handling the word of God. In his letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Some think that this verse is only applicable to pastors, but do you know why we know that is not true? How do we know that every Christian needs to strive to be able to accurately handle the word of truth? Because of what Jesus commanded every Christian: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:1920). Conclusion Remember that the schemes belong to the devil, but the armor of God belongs to God! The sword of the Spirit is no exception! The list of Gods armor begins with the belt of truth, and it concludes with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. What we have discovered about the armor of God is that the belt of truth is our identity in Jesus, the breastplate of righteousness is our righteousness in Jesus, the shoes of the gospel of peace is our redemption that Jesus has made possible, the shield of faith is provided through Jesus, the helmet of salvation is the hope of our salvation in Jesus, and the sword of the Spirit is the word of God that points us back to... Jesus! We learn from the Bible that all the promises of God through His word find their yes and Amen in and through Jesus Christ (see 2 Cor. 19-22). In fact, Jesus is not only Gods Yes to all of His promises, Jesus is Gods most perfect revelation of Himself because He is the living Word of God! In the opening verses of the Gospel of John, we learn that as the Word of God, All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.And as the Word of God, He, became flesh, and dwelt among us... (John 1:1-14). Not only is Jesus your belt, not only is He your breastplate, not only is He your peace, not only is He your shield and your helmet... Jesus is your sword! How do you remain strong in the Lord? You must find Him to be your life! In closing, I read something in Iain Duguids little book, titled, The Whole Armor of God, what I am about to read to you is the essence of the Christmas message: As the Word of God, he [Jesus] spoke the world into existence. As the Word of God, he uniquely reveals to us the Father. As the Word of God, he is Gods final communication to this broken and now redeemed world, come to heal the sick, rescue the lost, restore the broken, and lift up the downcast.... The Word of God in its cleansing work serves as a set of shears, a scalpel, and a sword. Ask God to equip you with these three different tools, each one uniquely crafted to help us in the fight against temptation by the world, the flesh, and the devil. All that sanctifying power flows into your life through the work of the Holy Spirit applying his Word. And when you fail and fall, as you often will, the Sword of the Spirit points you back again to the fact that the gospel is still true and Christs power is still sufficient to keep you safe and bring you at last into your heavenly inheritance.[1] [1] Iain M. Duguid, The Whole Armor of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2019), pp. 101-02.
Ancient warfare was fierce. It was close, it was personal, it was dirty, it was aggressive, it was violent, and it was in your face. In preparation for battle, soldiers lined up in tight formation side by side with about three feet separating each soldier so that they could move freely. Every piece of the armor was critically important: The belt kept everything he was wearing in its rightful place, the breastplate protected his vital organs, his shoes were designed so that he could stand his ground and maintain his footing, his shield helped protected him from any weapon that would pierce such as arrows or spears, and his helmet kept his head on his shoulders, protected his mind, line of sight, and neck. The part of his armor that was designed to defend and to harm was his sword. The sword used by Romes soldiers between 3BC and 3AD was a double-edged short sword known as the Gladius. Roman legionaries whose shield defended them from the fiery arrows of the enemy received advanced training in using the Gladius to slash the exposed kneecaps or throat of their enemies while in formation and carried their Gladius sword on their belt, or sometimes on a shoulder strap. It was impossible to forget your belt, breastplate, and shoes when marching into battle because those pieces of the soldiers armor were attached to his person. However, it was possible to leave you shield, helmet, and even your sword back in the camp where it was safe and comfortable, but no skilled and experienced soldier would dare enter battle without those parts of his armor he was required to take up and put on, such as his shield, helmet, and sword. A modern equivalent to just how foolish it would be for a Roman soldier to forget any part of his armor is a Russian soldier who became the 2022 winner of the Darwin Awards. The Darwin Awards are those awards given to honor Charles Darwin by commemorating those who improve the gene pool by removing themselves from it in the most spectacular way possible. Here is the description of the unnamed Russian soldier who won this award: You are wearing body armor in a warzone. You spot abandoned Macbook. You want Macbook. Where to hide it? With quick reflexes a Russian soldier slid that Macbook into his chest armor pocket, replacing a ballistic plate designed to save his life. He was killed in Irpin, and his body was retrieved, providing a hearty laugh for all of Ukraine. 'Instant Karma' They reportedly found a stolen iPad as well. Wonder where the iPad was hidden? I am no soldier, and although I love my Macbook Pro and have a great deal of respect for the way it is designed, even I know enough that in a warzone it is best to keep the ballistic plate in the chest armor pocket because a Macbook was never designed to stop a bullet. Yet, when it comes to the armor of God, how often do we intentionally or unintentionally replace that which is designed to protect with philosophies, ideologies, feelings, and practices that serve the enemy rather than our own protection? What is the Sword of the Spirit We are told what the Sword of the Spirit is in the very same verse: It is the word of God. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible claims at least 3,000 times to be The Word of the Lord. In 2 Timothy 3:16 we are told: All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness... We are told in the Old Testament book, Deuteronomy: ...man shall not live on bread alone, but man shall live on everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord (8:3), which is a verse Jesus used against the devil when He was being tempted in the wilderness (see Matt. 4:1-11). In the Psalms, we learn of the written word of God: The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Ps. 19:7-8). As it relates to the authority of Gods word, we are instructed through the prophet Isaiah: This is what the Lord says: Heaven is My throne and the earth is the footstool for My feet. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, so all these things came into being, declares the Lord. But I will look to this one, at one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isa. 66:12). From Genesis to Revelation the Bible claims at least 3,000 times to be The Word of the Lord. The word of God in written form is contained in the 66 books that make up our Bible. When Paul wrote that all Scripture is inspired by God..., we believe that it is a reference to all of the Old Testament and New Testament books that make up the Bible that were written over a period of hundreds of years with many different contributors who were all guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that what you have before you is a supernatural book unlike any other book, that is without error. It is upon the word of God, both Old Testament (the prophets) and the New Testament (the apostles) that Jesus Church is being built upon (see Eph. 2:19-22). It is the written word of God that has supernatural and transformative power to shape and transform Gods people, for from the imagery of the Roman Gladius the author of Hebrews wrote: For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). Regarding the Word of God, Jesus prayed to the Father for His church: I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth (John 17:1417). In just one chapter earlier, Paul said that the way Jesus is purifying and sanctifying His church is, by the washing of the water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless (Eph. 5:26-27). So, we know what the word of God is; the question we must answer is how do we use it as the Sword of the Spirit? How Do We Use the Sword of the Spirit To answer that question, you need to know something about the two words that are used in reference to the word of God, and they are logos and rhēma. Logos is often translated as word or message. Rhēma is often translated word, saying, or statement. In Hebrews 4:12 and Isaiah 66:2 (in the Greek Septuagint) the word logos is used in reference to the Word of God. In Deuteronomy 8:3 (in the Greek Septuagint) and Ephesians 6:17, the word rhēma is used. So, whats the point? Both words are used in reference to the written and spoken word of God and its authority is based on the fact that it has come from God. Listen, every word in the Bible is authoritative because it is the Word of God and is used by the Holy Spirit of God to transform and shape the people of God. When you read or speak out loud the Word of God, as it is given within all 66 books of the Holy Bible, the voice of God is heard through His word. Pauls words in Ephesians 6:17 are calculated and carefully crafted through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; do not miss what is written: Take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. God always uses the authority of His own words with the power of His Holy Spirit to transform, change, and divinely challenge! So, how does one use the Word of God as the offensive sword of the Spirit? Jesus showed us how to use it as an offensive weapon when he was approached three times by the devil. In Matthew 4:1-17 and Luke 4:1-13 we are given the details of Jesus 40 days of fasting in the same wilderness that Israel wondered for 40 years because of their failure to believe and obey the word of God. Each of the temptations Jesus faced was like one of the temptations Israel faced and failed, by sinning. When Israel was in the wilderness, they complained about their lack of food (see Exod. 16). The devil came to Jesus and tempted Him with these words: If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. Jesus answered with the word of God from Deuteronomy 8:3, It is written: Man Shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God (Matt. 4:3-4). In the wilderness, Israel frequently put God to the test, so with the second temptation Satan took Jesus to the top of the temple and said, If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning You; and On their hands they will lift You up, so that You do not strike Your foot against a stone. The devil even quoted and twisted Psalm 91 to try to get Jesus to fall into the same sin Israel fell into in the wilderness. Again, Jesus responded rightly and skillfully with the word of God: You shall not put the Lord Your God to the Test. (Matt. 4:5-7). In the wilderness and throughout Israels history, they were frequently guilty of false worship. In an effort to get Jesus to fall into the same sin, Satan tried to get Jesus to avoid the cross by worshiping him, to which Jesus responded with the sword of the Spirit: You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only (Matt. 4:8-11). Jesus used the sword of the Spirit to counter the Devils temptations. Did you ever notice that two of the three temptations Jesus faced were not inherently evil; it is not wrong to eat when you are hungry nor is it wrong to expect God to save you from harm. However, the scheming of the Devil was to try and get the Son of God to not trust the Fathers plan but to use a different plan that would have avoided the cross. We often counter our temptation to sin with human reason by believing another way is better than Gods way. Think about the way we reason our way out of obedience to God: I know Gods word says sex is a gift to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage, but were in love and were going to get married anyway; or Its only a little lie. Sometimes it is more subtle: I know Gods word says, there must be no filthiness or foolish talk, or vulgar joking..., but at least it is not a 4-letter word, its not gossip if it is a prayer request, its just an innocent joke... I know that Gods word says that, sexual immorality or impurity is sinful, but its only a few scenes in the movie. Or... It only happens once a month... What if we learned from the way Jesus responded to temptation by countering our own with the Word of God? Imagine what would have happened if, in the Garden, Adam responded to the serpents temptation with the Word of God? You can take up the word of God as the sword of the Spirit or you can leave it in its sheath. Here is the thing though, just as handling a sword effectively takes some skill that can only come if you take it out of its sheath, to handle the sword of the Spirit with skill you must take it out and use it. To handle the Word of God with skill, you need to use it by reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and immerse yourself into it so that it can do what God designed it to do, which is to change you, mold you, cleanse you, and guide you. Just as you will never improve your shooting skills if you do not get out to a range and shoot, or a martial artist will only be as skilled as his time in the dojo practicing his techniques, so it is true with handling the word of God with skill. Just as there are resources to improve your aim, or your skills as a martial artist, so there are resources that God has provided through pastors, theologians, scholars, and Christian publishers to improve your skills in handling the word of God. In his letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Some think that this verse is only applicable to pastors, but do you know why we know that is not true? How do we know that every Christian needs to strive to be able to accurately handle the word of truth? Because of what Jesus commanded every Christian: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:1920). Conclusion Remember that the schemes belong to the devil, but the armor of God belongs to God! The sword of the Spirit is no exception! The list of Gods armor begins with the belt of truth, and it concludes with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. What we have discovered about the armor of God is that the belt of truth is our identity in Jesus, the breastplate of righteousness is our righteousness in Jesus, the shoes of the gospel of peace is our redemption that Jesus has made possible, the shield of faith is provided through Jesus, the helmet of salvation is the hope of our salvation in Jesus, and the sword of the Spirit is the word of God that points us back to... Jesus! We learn from the Bible that all the promises of God through His word find their yes and Amen in and through Jesus Christ (see 2 Cor. 19-22). In fact, Jesus is not only Gods Yes to all of His promises, Jesus is Gods most perfect revelation of Himself because He is the living Word of God! In the opening verses of the Gospel of John, we learn that as the Word of God, All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.And as the Word of God, He, became flesh, and dwelt among us... (John 1:1-14). Not only is Jesus your belt, not only is He your breastplate, not only is He your peace, not only is He your shield and your helmet... Jesus is your sword! How do you remain strong in the Lord? You must find Him to be your life! In closing, I read something in Iain Duguids little book, titled, The Whole Armor of God, what I am about to read to you is the essence of the Christmas message: As the Word of God, he [Jesus] spoke the world into existence. As the Word of God, he uniquely reveals to us the Father. As the Word of God, he is Gods final communication to this broken and now redeemed world, come to heal the sick, rescue the lost, restore the broken, and lift up the downcast.... The Word of God in its cleansing work serves as a set of shears, a scalpel, and a sword. Ask God to equip you with these three different tools, each one uniquely crafted to help us in the fight against temptation by the world, the flesh, and the devil. All that sanctifying power flows into your life through the work of the Holy Spirit applying his Word. And when you fail and fall, as you often will, the Sword of the Spirit points you back again to the fact that the gospel is still true and Christs power is still sufficient to keep you safe and bring you at last into your heavenly inheritance.[1] [1] Iain M. Duguid, The Whole Armor of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2019), pp. 101-02.
Psalm 76 Worksheet We come again to a question of whether or not Asaph or one of his descendants wrote this Psalm. The Greek Septuagint added the words “Regarding the Assyrian” to the title, suggesting this Psalm was written when Assyrian King Sennacherib was repelled from Jerusalem in the days of King _______________. (2 Kings 18:14-19:37; Isaiah 36-37). The famous Prisms of Sennacherib confirm the siege of Jerusalem but avoid claiming the destruction of the city or surrender of its king. The mysterious death of the Assyrian king is alluded to in the Rassam Cylinder where Ashurbanipal tells how he punished the murderers of his grandfather Sennacherib. Eusebius concurs. -Bob Alden Psalm 76 divides nicely into _______________ 3 verse stanzas; each begins with a note of praise and ends with notice of a deliverance. The God of Jerusalem is _________________________! V. 1-3 What is another name for Salem of verse 2? JeruSALEM means “city of __________________.” Who was a Priest from Salem in the Old Testament? Abraham met him in Genesis 14:18-24. What is Asaph the Psalmist doing in verse 2? The Psalmist is linking Israel's right to have Jerusalem as its capitol with Abraham's ancient meeting with _______________________. Hebrews 7:1-10 Psalm 110 Verse 3 could be a reference to a great victory like the one over Sennacherib, but it makes me think of David's ___________________________ conquest of Jerusalem. Who did David win Jerusalem from? 1 Chronicles 11:1-9 1 Chronicles 13-16 covers the saga of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and placing it in the Tabernacle. When he did, he got ________________ and others to lead out in perpetual praise there! God is more _________________________ than His enemies V. 4-6 Mountains here are a euphemism for proud foreign rulers who _______________ themselves against Israel, like Pharaoh, like Jebus, like Sennacherib. Israel's just cause in exiting Egypt goes along with the just cause of making Jerusalem its capitol. God is to be feared by His enemies but _______________________ the oppressed V. 7-9 The word for fear is the important Hebrew word yare, which occurs 308 times in the Old Testament. It can mean terror that evokes fear, and that's how its intended for God's enemies who refuse to repent. For those who honor God, it turns into reverence for our “__________________________” God. Verse 9 would of course fit with a great deliverance like the one in Hezekiah's day. But it also fits generally with the thought that God will have the ______________________ word in our lives – a comfort to the oppressed but a terror to the unrepentant. God is the King who will have the final word. V. 10-12 Verse 10 is the best known verse in the Psalm. People run their mouth about God all the time, but when judgment is final all will acknowledge that they were wrong and God was ___________________. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -Philippians 2:10-11 Who does verse 11 make us think of here at Christmas-time? Who brought gifts to God and worshipped Him? Read Matthew 2:1-11 The last verse of Psalm 76 makes us think of pretend kings like King ____________________ who will wilt in the judgment. All wise rulers will turn to Jesus!
Send us a textThe Old Testament was compiled in Hebrew and later translated to Greek (Septuagint) around 300 BCDaniel's prophecy of 69 weeks (490 years) predicted the timing of the Messiah's arrival, and 70 weeks to the destruction of JerusalemSir Robert Anderson calculated 173,880 days between Artaxerxes's decree and Christ's triumphal entry, exactly 69 weeksHistorical evidence suggests the crucifixion occurred on Wednesday, not FridayDaniel's prophecy accurately predicted both the Messiah's execution and Jerusalem's destruction in 70 ADOur Website: https://idcpodcast.co/ Check out our new Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AtlasApologia Check out our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atlas_apologia/Support the show
Why did you write this book? The subtitle is “The Divine Gateway to Lecto Divina and Contemplative Prayer”. What is Lecto Divina? What is contemplative prayer? I'd like to drill down a bit into the 4 parts of Lecto Divina clarity The first is Lecto which means reading. What's going on here? The second is Meditetio, meaning meditation or reflection. This is narrowing in a portion of the passage correct? You caution against private revelation, why is that ? Third is oratio, where reading becomes praying, where you make the words your own. Tell us more about this step Fourth is contemplation. You say this is complicated, more difficult than what it may seem at first and something you grow into. What about contemplating is so difficult? In the section on how to use this book, you rely on teachings from the church fathers. Tell us a bit about who you're referring to when you say that and why you feel we should look to their advice? You talk about the difference between praise and worship vs prayer. What is the difference? Your book is a portion of the Psalms that are found in the Bible. What did you leave out and why? You made a new translation of the excerpts using the Hebrew, Greek (Septuagint), and Latin. First, why did you feel the need for a new translation rather than just using an existing one? Since the Psalms were originally written in Hebrew, explain what the Greek Septuagint is and why you took that into account. I don't know much about Latin, other than it used a lot in the Catholic Faith and I know you are catholic. What's unique about Latin, why has the Catholic Church used it and why did you consider it in your translation? You talk about how we should properly think about two references we see in the Psalms. One is our enemies, the other is images of fortifications like fortress, refuge and rock. Let's take one a time, first how should we think about our enemies when praying? Next how should we think about images of fortifications? You chose to use the word “Father” when the name of God, or tetragramtron is used. For clarification, what is the tetragramatron, how has it been translated and spoken historically by Jewish believers as well as in modern Christian Bibles? Why did you decide to use the word “father” here. There's a lot debate among the Messianic faith, which is what I practice, on whether we can and should pronounce the name of God. What is the position of the Catholic faith and you personally on this issue? We consider the Psalms as literary poetry, but you said you intentionally chose in your translation to focus on the meaning and less on the poetry. Am I correct in stating that and why did you take that approach? You suggest changing the tenses when reading the Psalms as well as inserting personal names where there are general references. Why ? I'd like to read a quote from John Cassian on pg 23 of the intro and get your thoughts on it With the breathing prayers and mediation you caution against Eastern or modern forms of meditation. What's the difference between good and bad meditation? I do my quiet time in the morning and when I tried the breathing prayers I found myself falling asleep a couple times. How can I avoid this other than getting a good nights rest? Finally in your intro you had some thoughts on journaling and provided blank pages in your book for journaling, specifically that it can be beneficial but you had some cautions as well. What's the best way to incorporate journaling into our prayers? At the end of your book you have a mood index where you have categorized the Psalm excerpts from the book based on feelings. I've heard a variety of opinions on how we as believers should think about and respond to our feelings, whether we should embrace them and be in touch with them, or alternatively redirect what we consider negative feelings and focus on being positive. This is particularly relevant when we're going through difficult circumstances and trying to heal through those circumstances. For me personally my wife separated from me and has stated her intent to divorce me and I've experienced deep sadness both during this time as well as in the past, so this issue of our feelings is one I'm very interested in. How do you think we should think about our feelings? The bulk of your book is in fact the Psalms themselves and not your thoughts about praying them. Would you mind walking us through the process we've discussed by selecting one of them Psalms and demonstrating how you might pray with that Psalm. How can others get your book and contact you? Any final thoughts?
The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children: More Apocryphal AdventuresIn today's episode of Sacrilegious Discourse, Husband and Wife are back with more apocryphal shenanigans! After tackling the tale of Susanna and the Elders, they're now diving headfirst into the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Holy Children. Get ready for a fiery ride!We kick things off by chatting about where these chapters come from—most Bibles don't have them, but the Greek Septuagint does. These passages were left out of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts but are a big deal for Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians. The story drops us right into the fiery furnace scene from Daniel Chapter 3, where Azariah and his buddies are singing and praying while surrounded by flames.As we break down the text, we dig into the historical and theological bits. Why all the praise for God when things look so grim? And what's up with the Greek stuff like Hades popping up? We also chat about how these passages reflect the socio-political vibes of the Babylonian exile.From the endless praise to the miraculous divine save, we bring our usual mix of humor and skepticism to this ancient tale. Whether you're here for the theological deep dive or just some laughs, this episode has got you covered.Visit us at: SACRILEGIOUSDISCOURSE.COM and join us on Discord, where we hang out the most AND have live episodes every Wednesday: https://discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC Join Acast+ to enjoy our podcast adfree! https://plus.acast.com/s/sacrilegiousiscourse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
WE RETURN to our regularly scheduled reading this week with proverbs that are paternal calls for wisdom--and a warning against communing with spirits of the dead. Contrary to some who seen in these chapters a female deity named Wisdom, perhaps even the consort of Yahweh, the mundane explanation is simply that the word chokhmah (“wisdom”) is a feminine noun. Grammatical gender has nothing to do with biological gender. So, attempts to see in Proverbs a feminine spirit named Wisdom are misguided—an example of eisegesis, reading a desired, predetermined meaning into the text, rather than exegesis, drawing the intended meaning from the text. We also dig deep into Proverbs 2:18: [F]or her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; We find in the passage what may be a reference to the cult of the dead that surrounded the Israelites. First, the word translated “departed” is rephaim, the spirits of the Nephilim destroyed in the Flood. This is confirmed by the Greek Septuagint, translated about 200 years before the birth of Jesus, which translates rephaim as “giants.” Further, the Septuagint uses axonas for the word translated “paths,” where three verses earlier the words triboi and trochiai are rendered “paths.” The Brenton translation of the Septuagint renders Prov. 2:18 this way: For she has fixed her house near death, and guided her wheels near Hades with the giants. We explain why this is relevant: On the Golan Heights, ancient Bashan, there are literally hundreds of funerary monuments that feature concentric rings of stone around a central tumulus or cairn. The largest is Gilgal Refaim (“Wheel of Giants”), which we visited last March, but there are three others nearly as large that are practically unknown. Gilgal Refaim appears to have been built as a cult site for ritual circumambulation around a sacred central core in which a priest or shaman would descend to make contact with spirits of the netherworld. In short, Proverbs 2 appears to be a warning against participating in rites that were clearly still taking place in the time of Saul, David, and Solomon (see 1 Samuel 28, Saul's visit to the medium of En-dor). In fact, based on the writings of the prophets, communing with spirits of the netherworld continued in Israel for at least another three or four hundred years, down to the time of Jeremiah and the Babylonian captivity. Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! Our 1,200 square pole barn now has HVAC, a new floor, windows, ceiling fans, upgraded electric service, and insulation. We're now producing programs out there. Thank you for your support! If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Check out our online store! www.GilbertHouse.org/store is a virtual book table with books and DVDs related to our weekly Bible study. Take advantage of our monthly specials! Coffee! We've partnered with Kevlar Joe's Coffee (KevlarJoe.com) for Gilbert House blends: Amazing Grace, a mild cookies-and-cream flavored coffee; Snarling Dachshund, a medium-roast Sumatran; and Bunker Buster, a dark-roasted Colombian that's sure to get you moving. Find them at GilbertHouse.org/store/. SOLIDARITY MISSION TO ISRAEL! We're planning a one-week trip to Israel May 6–13, 2024 to bear witness to what's happened there since the war with Hamas began. We plan to visit Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, Sderot, the site of the Nova Music Festival, and more. For details, go to www.GilbertsInIsrael.com. NEW DATES FOR OUR NEXT TOUR OF ISRAEL! Our 2025 tour features special guests Timothy Alberino, Dr. Judd Burton, and Doug Van Dorn! We will tour the Holy Land March 25–April 3, 2025, with an optional three-day extension in Jordan. For more information, log on to www.GilbertsInIsrael.com. Subscribe to our new YouTube channels! Unraveling Revelation: www.YouTube.com/UnravelingRevelation These weekly studies and Derek's podcast: www.YouTube.com/GilbertHouse Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the right-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org. For the complete Gilbert House Fellowship archive, go to www.spreaker.com/show/gilbert-house-fellowship.
WE RETURN to our regularly scheduled reading this week with proverbs that are paternal calls for wisdom--and a warning against communing with spirits of the dead.Contrary to some who seen in these chapters a female deity named Wisdom, perhaps even the consort of Yahweh, the mundane explanation is simply that the word chokhmah (“wisdom”) is a feminine noun. Grammatical gender has nothing to do with biological gender. So, attempts to see in Proverbs a feminine spirit named Wisdom are misguided—an example of eisegesis, reading a desired, predetermined meaning into the text, rather than exegesis, drawing the intended meaning from the text. We also dig deep into Proverbs 2:18: [F]or her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; We find in the passage what may be a reference to the cult of the dead that surrounded the Israelites. First, the word translated “departed” is rephaim, the spirits of the Nephilim destroyed in the Flood. This is confirmed by the Greek Septuagint, translated about 200 years before the birth of Jesus, which translates rephaim as “giants.” Further, the Septuagint uses axonas for the word translated “paths,” where three verses earlier the words triboi and trochiai are rendered “paths.” The Brenton translation of the Septuagint renders Prov. 2:18 this way: For she has fixed her house near death, and guided her wheels near Hades with the giants. We explain why this is relevant: On the Golan Heights, ancient Bashan, there are literally hundreds of funerary monuments that feature concentric rings of stone around a central tumulus or cairn. The largest is Gilgal Refaim (“Wheel of Giants”), which we visited last March, but there are three others nearly as large that are practically unknown. Gilgal Refaim appears to have been built as a cult site for ritual circumambulation around a sacred central core in which a priest or shaman would descend to make contact with spirits of the netherworld. In short, Proverbs 2 appears to be a warning against participating in rites that were clearly still taking place in the time of Saul, David, and Solomon (see 1 Samuel 28, Saul's visit to the medium of En-dor). In fact, based on the writings of the prophets, communing with spirits of the netherworld continued in Israel for at least another three or four hundred years, down to the time of Jeremiah and the Babylonian captivity.
STARTS AT 12:30mins AS I ADDED A LENGTHY INTRODUCTION TO EXPLAIN MY REASONING FOR POSTING “DISCREPANCY” EPS. IF YOU DON'T WANT THE INTRO PLEASE SKIP TO A LITTLE PAST 12MINS 30SECS. Discrepancy Bible Examples (Easter Weekend Last Supper and Arrest of Jesus, other discrepancies). https://youtu.be/aqtk7q1FBvM?si=F-WqZaZx63nXNGUo _Matt 1:23 (virgin… Jesus, Emmanuel; Isaiah 7:14 (young woman… Immanuel). Excuse of Septuagint. __church creating translations, later Greek Septuagint vs original Septuagint was only Torah in 3rd century BC. (It has the apocrypha which has later texts and couldn't have been translated earlier). __Paul inventing verses: 1Cor 15:3-4 (this does not exist in scripture although it says it is in scripture). __Luke 24:44-49 (made up from the same verse Paul used, Luke is taking this verse). __Matt genealogy (some names are taken out) 1:17 (42 vs 41 generations, 14 3x, דוד Gematria, 14 14 14, Jechonia name changed). This differed from Luke's genealogy. Excuse of allegory. See Chronicles and Kings. __John 8:44 anti semitism __KJV Isaiah 14 adds in satan from heaven. This is different from Tanakh. -Easter: Passover and the gospels (day before in John, and other gospels state the first date of passover when the lamb is sacrificed).
Comparing the Greek Septuagint to the ERV --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/adayah2real/message
SOLOMON BEGAN his reign with a prayer for wisdom, a prayer that was answered by God in a dream. We discuss some of the interesting differences in the Septuagint and the Masoretic Hebrew text, which is the basis for our English language Old Testament translations. It appears the Masoretes made minor changes to make David and Solomon appear even more powerful and wise than in the older Hebrew text that was translated into the Greek Septuagint. We talk about a concept we've discussed before, “the Name.” This is a term used often in the Old Testament, but it's not well understood. Jews today use the phrase ha-shem (“the name”) to avoid saying Yahweh, but since YHWH appears some 7,000 times in the Old Testament, that clearly wasn't a problem for the Hebrew prophets. Nor is the Name of Yahweh His reputation; it's another aspect of the personhood of God, often described as dwelling with the Angel of Yahweh, who is Yahweh in human form. A more accurate translation of 2 Samuel 6:1–2, acknowledging the lack of a preposition (the word “by”) in the original Hebrew, the Ark of the Covenant is “is called the Name of Yahweh of hosts.” In short, “the Name” isn't a phrase, it's a Being. Here's a link to Dr. Michael Heiser's article, “The Name Theology of the Old Testament.” PLEASE NOTE that our audio sounds different this week because we took in a new rescue puppy Friday night! We recorded this week's study in our dining room with wireless mics because we don't trust little Glory around all the expensive lights just yet. Also, you'll hear the sound of dogs wrestling towards the end of this week's study. Our apologies for the distractions! Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! Our 1,200 square pole barn now has HVAC, a new floor, windows, ceiling fans, upgraded electric service, and insulation. We're now producing programs out there. Thank you for your support! If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Check out our online store! www.GilbertHouse.org/store is a virtual book table with books and DVDs related to our weekly Bible study. Take advantage of our monthly specials! Coffee! We've partnered with Kevlar Joe's Coffee (KevlarJoe.com) for Gilbert House blends: Amazing Grace, a mild cookies-and-cream flavored coffee; Snarling Dachshund, a medium-roast Sumatran; and Bunker Buster, a dark-roasted Colombian that's sure to get you moving. Find them at GilbertHouse.org/store/. SOLIDARITY MISSION TO ISRAEL! We're planning a one-week trip to Israel May 6–13, 2024 to bear witness to what's happened there since the war with Hamas began. We plan to visit Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, Sderot, the site of the Nova Music Festival, and more. For details, go to www.GilbertsInIsrael.com. NEW DATES FOR OUR NEXT TOUR OF ISRAEL! Our 2025 tour features special guests Dr. Judd Burton and Doug Van Dorn! We will tour the Holy Land March 25–April 3, 2025, with an optional three-day extension in Jordan. For more information, log on to www.GilbertsInIsrael.com. Subscribe to our new YouTube channels! Unraveling Revelation: www.YouTube.com/UnravelingRevelation These weekly studies and Derek's podcast: www.YouTube.com/GilbertHouse Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the right-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org. For the complete Gilbert House Fellowship archive, go to www.spreaker.com/show/gilbert-house-fellowship.
SOLOMON BEGAN his reign with a prayer for wisdom, a prayer that was answered by God in a dream. We discuss some of the interesting differences in the Septuagint and the Masoretic Hebrew text, which is the basis for our English language Old Testament translations. It appears the Masoretes made minor changes to make David and Solomon appear even more powerful and wise than in the older Hebrew text that was translated into the Greek Septuagint. We talk about a concept we've discussed before, “the Name.” This is a term used often in the Old Testament, but it's not well understood. Jews today use the phrase ha-shem (“the name”) to avoid saying Yahweh, but since YHWH appears some 7,000 times in the Old Testament, that clearly wasn't a problem for the Hebrew prophets. Nor is the Name of Yahweh His reputation; it's another aspect of the personhood of God, often described as dwelling with the Angel of Yahweh, who is Yahweh in human form. A more accurate translation of 2 Samuel 6:1–2, acknowledging the lack of a preposition (the word “by”) in the original Hebrew, the Ark of the Covenant is “is called the Name of Yahweh of hosts.” In short, “the Name” isn't a phrase, it's a Being. PLEASE NOTE that our audio sounds different this week because we took in a new rescue puppy Friday night! We recorded this week's study in our dining room with wireless mics because we don't trust little Glory around all the expensive lights just yet.Also, you'll hear the sound of dog wrestling towards the end of this week's study. Our apologies for the distractions!
Psalm 48 Worksheet Psalm 47 praised the God of Zion, and Psalm 48 follows it by __________________________ the Zion of God. Psalm 48 celebrates Jerusalem as Israel's capitol and the key city of God's dealing with mankind on earth. But don't miss the key to what makes it special is God, who will be __________________________ on the earth. God and His city are put there for the entire earth's _______________! V. 1-3 Wherever a person lives on earth, even in places of higher elevation, spiritually speaking to go up to Jerusalem is to go up to the ______________________ ‘mountain' from which everything else makes sense. Jerusalem is only about 2,500 feet above sea level. It is actually a tad in the shadow of the Mount of Olives, which rises 100 feet higher. Remembering when God miraculously ______________________ Israel V. 4-8 Isaiah 36-37 2 Chronicles 32 2 Kings 18-19. In John 3 Jesus said you see the impact the wind has, but not the wind. Israel knew the only explanation for their enemies' fear was the movement of their ____________________ but ever-present God! God is the source of deliverance for His people, but He is also a greater ___________________ to our temporary prospering than any of our enemies. God is the ____________________ we must always turn back to V. 9-14 All the way back to Genesis 12 we see that Israel was blessed to be a blessing. I love how the Psalms appreciate that Jerusalem was not there only to be a blessing to Jewish folks but also so that the ends of the earth would ________________________ the Lord. Missions is not the main purpose of the church: worship is. Missions exists because there are still places on earth where worship does not. -John Piper Singers like the Sons of Korah had stayed as close to Jerusalem as they could, waiting for the days to come when they would again be _____________________ upon to lead out in the singing of praises to our great God in the city of God! See Nehemiah 12:27-29 Death is probably not an adequate translation for the last word in verse 14. It should be the word ______________________ or forever! That is how the Greek Septuagint translated it. THIS IS OUR GOD, OUR GOD FOREVER AND EVER; HE WILL BE OUR GUIDE EVEN TO ETERNITY!
In this video JC Schroeder reads and breaks down the first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, in both Hebrew and Greek from the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint.
Now we begin our book-by-book assessment of the texts labeled Apocrypha in the 1611 KJV. Which were found in Qumran? Obliterating the notion that these texts are of Greek origin nor the Greek Septuagint for that matter. 11 of 15 books are found in Qumran by direct fragments or association and 4 fail. Essentially, there is no category called Apocrypha or if we use the English instead of scholarly witchcraft, "Hidden Away." Neither of the 11 ever belonged in this category of maybe scripture which was never a Temple Priest paradigm. The 4 that fail also are not Apocrypha as they fail the test with false histories and false Bible thus just useless occult texts. There is no category of Apocrypha, it doesn't exist. It is fraud. Watch, test and learn. Yah Bless. Now Available in Podcast Audio Format Internationally: https://www.thegodculture.com/podcast (Includes Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more platforms. Free on our website.) Alternative Video Platforms Now Available: Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/TheGodCulture Playeur (Utreon): https://utreon.com/c/TheGodCulture Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheGodCulture:c For Our Books in eBook (Free) or Print: The Search For King Solomon's Treasure, Ophir Philippines Coffee Table Book, The Book of Jubilees: The Torah Calendar, 2nd Esdras: The Hidden Book of Prophecy, REST: The Case For Sabbath: OphirInstitute.com (All Books. Links to Amazon and Shopee PH for your area.) 2Esdras.org BookOfJubilees.org RestSabbath.org LeviteBible.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-God-Culture-Original-376627072897316 FB Alternatives: https://parler.com/user/TheGodCulture https://gab.com/TheGodCulture Website: thegodculture.com For the many that are having difficulty with YouTube working properly, here are Series' Playlists: Solomon's Gold Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4PhVocfJEi1oZRRj0AWnzx Restoring Creation Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkvO2QiSdXc&list=PLru2qbCMGOi7UQDyLIj1DtRC5Q2YgvS6U Answers In Jubilees Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7bU2SrP84nw1EyRAqpQqsP Answers In 2nd Esdras Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6ULjeic8lJP63WRyOiW9yp Flood Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7FQ7HiGJcODyJEoBP7-0Md Lost Tribes Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7nzrJvNB4pKWG8gFOe9xDA Original Canon Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5IdRs0Efb9L0oyVL3E9r1f Sabbath Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6Fd6BamniTVm5SsNi2mZPy RESOLVED: Doctrines of Men Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi49L5WkYemQh72yDwV0Ye7Y Feasts of YHWH Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4YXMnaHTYiJw-mDuBqvNtP The Name of God Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4xaPtUfKykVU0HbOZK-LeJ 100 Clues The Philippines Is Ophir: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5gq1FV4RlgEAKP7WRCLca9 Find The Garden of Eden Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4KPuAcFq4Bx4A2l8dmcfxP Rivers from Eden Theory Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6Xt-ts2C1QVz-ZnAZxicWJ Revelation Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6WYQajRSk9iP5tc_Oi5k1j Prophetic Warning Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4jpVYhQ8s5Ad_bZN69nVVh When Was Jesus Born Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6nC0qdzNGBvSt8jK3xmIU5 Commandments of the New Testament Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5jcicc67_G3Tc-C0pN0WJv All Tagalog Videos Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7uDwFBB6Qn_DEl4FRu_Nwk All Spanish Narrated Videos Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5EtdquviZxBfc8R-Chw3ij ALSO, Watch "Where Did Noah's Ark Support the show
What about the Greek Septuagint? Does it represent Bible Canon? Let's go right to it's origin story and this claim falls apart very quickly. Did 72 translators, 6 from each of the 12 tribes translate the Torah into Greek in Egypt? Wait til you see just how out of touch and illiterate this claim is. Watch, test and learn. Yah Bless. Now Available in Podcast Audio Format Internationally: https://www.thegodculture.com/podcast (Includes Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more platforms. Free on our website.) Alternative Video Platforms Now Available: Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/TheGodCulture Playeur (Utreon): https://utreon.com/c/TheGodCulture Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheGodCulture:c For Our Books in eBook (Free) or Print: The Search For King Solomon's Treasure, Ophir Philippines Coffee Table Book, The Book of Jubilees: The Torah Calendar, 2nd Esdras: The Hidden Book of Prophecy, REST: The Case For Sabbath: OphirInstitute.com (All Books. Links to Amazon and Shopee PH for your area.) 2Esdras.org BookOfJubilees.org RestSabbath.org LeviteBible.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-God-Culture-Original-376627072897316 FB Alternatives: https://parler.com/user/TheGodCulture https://gab.com/TheGodCulture Website: thegodculture.com For the many that are having difficulty with YouTube working properly, here are Series' Playlists: Solomon's Gold Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4PhVocfJEi1oZRRj0AWnzx Restoring Creation Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkvO2QiSdXc&list=PLru2qbCMGOi7UQDyLIj1DtRC5Q2YgvS6U Answers In Jubilees Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7bU2SrP84nw1EyRAqpQqsP Answers In 2nd Esdras Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6ULjeic8lJP63WRyOiW9yp Flood Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7FQ7HiGJcODyJEoBP7-0Md Lost Tribes Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7nzrJvNB4pKWG8gFOe9xDA Original Canon Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5IdRs0Efb9L0oyVL3E9r1f Sabbath Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6Fd6BamniTVm5SsNi2mZPy RESOLVED: Doctrines of Men Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi49L5WkYemQh72yDwV0Ye7Y Feasts of YHWH Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4YXMnaHTYiJw-mDuBqvNtP The Name of God Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4xaPtUfKykVU0HbOZK-LeJ 100 Clues The Philippines Is Ophir: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5gq1FV4RlgEAKP7WRCLca9 Find The Garden of Eden Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4KPuAcFq4Bx4A2l8dmcfxP Rivers from Eden Theory Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6Xt-ts2C1QVz-ZnAZxicWJ Revelation Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6WYQajRSk9iP5tc_Oi5k1j Prophetic Warning Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4jpVYhQ8s5Ad_bZN69nVVh When Was Jesus Born Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6nC0qdzNGBvSt8jK3xmIU5 Commandments of the New Testament Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5jcicc67_G3Tc-C0pN0WJv All Tagalog Videos Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi7uDwFBB6Qn_DEl4FRu_Nwk All Spanish Narrated Videos Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5EtdquviZxBfc8R-Chw3ij ALSO, Watch "Where Did Noah's Ark Land?": https://youtu.be/48-XtI0JAIsSupport the show
We begin a new series in the great historical narrative of Israel's history named after the book's first hero - Samuel. Originally compiled as a single book, it is believed to have been divided into two around 400 B.C. with the translation of the Greek Septuagint. The division of the two books helps us to see two distinct aspects of the dawning of the kingdom of Israel. While 1st Samuel echoes the darkness of the book of Judges, 2nd Samuel reveals more about king David, the progenitor of Israel's Messianic King. --1 Samuel is the story of three men - Samuel, Saul, and David. It traces the development of the kingdom of Israel from the dark anarchy expressed in the book of Judges, to the establishment of a theocratic monarchy. The narrative, which covers about 100 years, begins with the story of the birth and childhood of Samuel -chapters 1-3-- this is followed by a narrative about the transfer of the ark of the covenant and its power -chapters 4-6-. The book's remaining chapters relay stories of Samuel's interactions with Israel's first king, Saul, and future king David. 1 Samuel concludes with the tragic death of king Saul. --Samuel is not merely a political history- it is spiritual in that it concerns the sovereign work of God among His, at times, faithful and, at times, faithless people. It reveals God's divine purpose in history, as He ordains the affairs of men and overthrows their plans to establish His purposes. Though in darkness, God's people are not left alone at the mercy of some impersonal dark force- for the Lord is King of kings- In our King, hope shines through our darkest times. As the metaphor says, -it's always darkest just before the dawn.-
We begin a new series in the great historical narrative of Israel's history named after the book's first hero - Samuel. Originally compiled as a single book, it is believed to have been divided into two around 400 B.C. with the translation of the Greek Septuagint. The division of the two books helps us to see two distinct aspects of the dawning of the kingdom of Israel. While 1st Samuel echoes the darkness of the book of Judges, 2nd Samuel reveals more about king David, the progenitor of Israel's Messianic King. --1 Samuel is the story of three men - Samuel, Saul, and David. It traces the development of the kingdom of Israel from the dark anarchy expressed in the book of Judges, to the establishment of a theocratic monarchy. The narrative, which covers about 100 years, begins with the story of the birth and childhood of Samuel -chapters 1-3-- this is followed by a narrative about the transfer of the ark of the covenant and its power -chapters 4-6-. The book's remaining chapters relay stories of Samuel's interactions with Israel's first king, Saul, and future king David. 1 Samuel concludes with the tragic death of king Saul. --Samuel is not merely a political history- it is spiritual in that it concerns the sovereign work of God among His, at times, faithful and, at times, faithless people. It reveals God's divine purpose in history, as He ordains the affairs of men and overthrows their plans to establish His purposes. Though in darkness, God's people are not left alone at the mercy of some impersonal dark force- for the Lord is King of kings- In our King, hope shines through our darkest times. As the metaphor says, -it's always darkest just before the dawn.-
We begin a new series in the great historical narrative of Israel's history named after the book's first hero – Samuel. Originally compiled as a single book, it is believed to have been divided into two around 400 B.C. with the translation of the Greek Septuagint. The division of the two books helps us to see two distinct aspects of the dawning of the kingdom of Israel. While 1st Samuel echoes the darkness of the book of Judges, 2nd Samuel reveals more about king David, the progenitor of Israel's Messianic King. 1 Samuel is the story of three men – Samuel, Saul, and David. It traces the development of the kingdom of Israel from the dark anarchy expressed in the book of Judges, to the establishment of a theocratic monarchy. The narrative, which covers about 100 years, begins with the story of the birth and childhood of Samuel (chapters 1-3); this is followed by a narrative about the transfer of the ark of the covenant and its power (chapters 4-6). The book's remaining chapters relay stories of Samuel's interactions with Israel's first king, Saul, and future king David. 1 Samuel concludes with the tragic death of king Saul. Samuel is not merely a political history; it is spiritual in that it concerns the sovereign work of God among His, at times, faithful and, at times, faithless people. It reveals God's divine purpose in history, as He ordains the affairs of men and overthrows their plans to establish His purposes. Though in darkness, God's people are not left alone at the mercy of some impersonal dark force; for the Lord is King of kings! In our King, hope shines through our darkest times. As the metaphor says, "it's always darkest just before the dawn."
There is arguably no greater story in Biblical and Church History that the collection, translations, canonization, and preservation (or as you shall see the attempts to corrupt the text) of the Old Testament Scriptures. Everyone is the product of a "Tradition" and we will look at some of them.The main question that is looked at is why there are differences between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Septuagint (LXX) of the Old Testament. The New Testament writers quote the LXX 80-90% of the time and most often their quotations do NOT match what we find in our Old Testaments. Why is that? How did the MT and the LXX become different?What about the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) - which contained mostly Hebrew and some Aramaic Old Testament scrolls and fragments? They are more than 1000 years OLDER than the extant MT manuscripts we possess (from around 1000AD).What you will learn is that the rabbis "attempted" to corrupt/change/alter the Hebrew Bible by tampering with Messianic prophecies that clearly pointed to Jesus as their Messiah. The timing of His coming, the nature and scope of His Mission, and even His very identity.But thank to God's sovereignty and to the work of Textual Criticism, we can know what the Original Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures contained!God preserved His Word and often did so in an unusual manner. To think a translation into another language (i.e. the Greek Septuagint from nearly 300 years BEFORE Christ) reveals the original Hebrew better than the MT Hebrew text that was only canonized around AD100 (400 years later). To think that God would use the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (from 1947 to 2017) to in many cases confirm that it was the LXX that reflected the Hebrew original Tanakh better than the existing Hebrew Tanakh.This evidence flies in the face of what many of us were taught in our seminaries and Bible colleges. I for one was told that the Masoretic Text (MT) that my Old Testament was based upon (I was using the NASB) was meticulously preserved and copied. The memo I got was that I could "trust" my Old Testament and that because it was translated from the MT, it was as closer to the original Hebrew than any other textual tradition could provide. This is simply a MYTH. The Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls end up "correcting" the MT text in many places where the actual text of the Hebrew was modified by Rabbi Akiba and others between AD90-AD110 - close to 100 years AFTER Christ. To think we would trust unbelieving rabbis who rejected Jesus as their Messiah who were doing all they could to stop the growing Christian movement! And in this podcast, I provide a number of actual examples of where they altered and changed their Hebrew Bible from its original.Thankfully, God has preserved for us the Old Testament. And for the first time in history, a critical text of the Hebrew Old Testament is being worked on. It is called The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition (HBCE) which so far only has the book of Proverbs completed. We have had a critical text of our Greek New Testament now for more than 150 years. By comparing ALL of the extant Greek manuscripts, it has been estimated that we can know we have the text of the original New Testament to an accuracy of 99.5%. A critical text of the Old Testament will accomplish the same thing. Thankfully today, we have many Old Testament translations - like the ESV and NET that incorporate the LXX and the DSS and when they "correct" the MT, they will render the English accordingly.
Monday, 10 July 2023 And he drove them from the judgment seat. Acts 18:16 Gallio just completed his words to the Jews about their appeal against Paul. He wants nothing to do with it. Therefore, Luke next records, “And he drove them from the judgment seat.” In this statement is a word found only here in Scripture, apelaunó. It is not found in the Greek Septuagint either, but it is used in the same manner as Luke uses it by the classical writers Demosthenes and Plutarch. The Pulpit Commentary says, “It implies the ignominious dismissal of the case, without its being even tried.” Although we can't know what the word fully implies, it was probably first accompanied by a curt note of dismissal – “Now beat it or I'll have you thrown out.” That may have been followed by a warning from Gallio as well – “And don't bring this nonsense to me again or you'll regret it.” It may have even been accompanied by a nod to the lictors, indicating that they should come forward and escort the Jews out of the tribunal. As for the judgment seat, it is, as seen elsewhere, the word béma. Again, the Pulpit Commentary gives a short description, saying it “was properly the ‘raised space,' or ‘tribune,' on which, in the case of a consul, proconsul, or praetor, the sella curulis was placed on which he sat and gave judgment. It was usually a kind of apse to the basilica. In Matthew 27:19; John 19:13, and, indeed, here and elsewhere, it seems to be used, generally, for the judgment-seat itself (see Acts 25:10).” Life application: The case has been presented and the decision has been rendered. As has been the case, and as will be the case throughout Acts, Christianity is considered a religious expression derived from the faith of the Jews. It is not something different entirely but is so closely associated with their faith, based on the Law of Moses, that it was considered a legitimate religious expression under Roman rule. This is important to remember. God has ensured, right in His word, that this is to be understood. It is thus a huge shame that so many within the church attempt to disassociate the church from the teachings of the Old Testament. This happens in varying degrees as well. Some churches limit their focus solely on the New Testament. Some will take anything seemingly too Jewish in the New Testament and say it only applies to the Jews. An example of this is to say that the seven letters to the seven churches are written to end times Jews and not to the church. Their main argument is that the symbolism is all Jewish – lampstands, mentioning of synagogues, noting Balaam, etc. The problem with such ideologies is that Jesus is Jewish. He came through the people of the Old Testament, He came under the law, and He came in fulfillment of their prophecies. Faith in Him cannot be ripped out of that context. When we see the lampstand, we see a foreshadowing of Jesus in typology. The stories of the Old Testament, the implements of worship under the law, the sacrifices of the temple, etc., are all anticipatory of Him. To cut ourselves off from studying those things is to leave a complete void in our understanding of who He is and of what He has done. This does not mean we are to return to the worship of the Mosaic Covenant, as others teach, but we are to know how things worked under it so that we can then understand Jesus' fulfillment of those things. Be sound in your understanding of dispensational theology, be willing to study each of the dispensations, and while doing so, consider how each aspect of it points to the Person and work of Jesus. The Bible, from beginning to end, is about Jesus. Cherish it and study it all the days of your life! In doing so, there is wonder and delight. Lord God, what a wonderful treasure Your word is. Help us to understand it more fully with each reading through it. Fill us with the knowledge of Jesus that is so richly on display in its pages. Thank You for Your precious word! Amen.
God's Eternal Hand Overshadows Time Have you ever tried to put together the pieces of a puzzle without the picture on the box, the one that shows what the puzzle will look like when it's completed? Read Ecc. 3:1-15 God's eternal hand overshadows time Let's Pray! God providentially manages time V. 1-10 The word translated season is the word zeman, which the Greek Septuagint translated as chronos. You can see the word “Chronology”in there. Everything in the universe has an appropriate chronological unfolding. The word translated time is the word ‘eth, which the Greek Septuagint translated as Kairos. It refers to fixed and definite events, ‘dates with destiny.' God's providential care in our lives throughout time means His divine arrangement of details to give everyone opportunity to experience real meaning in life while at the same time factoring in our own and others good and bad choices that have built in consequences. It's not that the things like work and sex and amusement in chapter 2 were wrong in and of themselves – they were just never meant to bring meaning apart from God's purpose for them and His timing and boundaries for their use. As chronological time unfolds, God providentially brings fixed events into our lives. Our calling is to discern what time it is and make wise choices within time. God purposefully instills eternal thoughts inside us V. 11-15 God has also established in man an impulse leading him beyond that which is temporal toward the eternal; it lies within us not to be contented with the temporal; we can't stop thinking about eternal questions. “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” -C.S. Lewis The word driven away in verse 15 could be translated pursued, followed, chased. It's used in Proverbs 13:21 to speak of disaster pursuing sinners. All of the sinners life the consequences of their sins have been chasing them down.
Solomon confesses- -The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built-- -2 Chronicles 6-18- God is present everywhere, yet he is distinct from his creation. The Bible does not teach pantheism.--Also, there is a special presence of God. We see this throughout the 18th chapter of Genesis. The LORD -God's proper name, Yahweh- comes with two angels to visit with Abraham. The LORD and his two angels eat and drink what Abraham has provided -Genesis 18-8-.--The LORD also spoke mouth to mouth to Moses, and Moses saw his form ---------- t-m-n-h-, which the Greek Septuagint renders as his glory ------doxa- -Numbers 12-8-.--That does not mean the Moses saw God in all his glory, as is clear in Exodus 33-20-23 and in 1 Timothy 6-16.--What did Stephen see-- -I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God- -Acts 7-56-.
Solomon confesses- -The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built-- -2 Chronicles 6-18- God is present everywhere, yet he is distinct from his creation. The Bible does not teach pantheism.--Also, there is a special presence of God. We see this throughout the 18th chapter of Genesis. The LORD -God's proper name, Yahweh- comes with two angels to visit with Abraham. The LORD and his two angels eat and drink what Abraham has provided -Genesis 18-8-.--The LORD also spoke mouth to mouth to Moses, and Moses saw his form ---------- t-m-n-h-, which the Greek Septuagint renders as his glory ------doxa- -Numbers 12-8-.--That does not mean the Moses saw God in all his glory, as is clear in Exodus 33-20-23 and in 1 Timothy 6-16.--What did Stephen see-- -I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God- -Acts 7-56-.
Solomon confesses: "The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!" (2 Chronicles 6:18) God is present everywhere, yet he is distinct from his creation. The Bible does not teach pantheism.Also, there is a special presence of God. We see this throughout the 18th chapter of Genesis. The LORD (God's proper name, Yahweh) comes with two angels to visit with Abraham. The LORD and his two angels eat and drink what Abraham has provided (Genesis 18:8).The LORD also spoke mouth to mouth to Moses, and Moses saw his form (תְּמוּנָה tᵉmûnāh), which the Greek Septuagint renders as his glory (δόξα doxa) (Numbers 12:8).That does not mean the Moses saw God in all his glory, as is clear in Exodus 33:20-23 and in 1 Timothy 6:16.What did Stephen see? "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:56).
The Hebrew Bible is not the same thing as the Imperial Christian Old Testament (though it's very similar to the protestant version), but there are many different ways people draw value from these books.The Torah is not the same thing as the Old Testament: it is the 5 books classically attributed to Moses. For some who adhere to an Abrahamic faith, the Torah is the only scripture; for others, the testimonies of prophets and historians are also invaluable.The Hebrew Bible is often called the Tanakh, which isn't a word, but an acronym for Torah-Neviim-Ketuvim (Law, Prophets, and all the other writings). Calling it a bible is misleading; it's a library--a very small library of the greatest literature that defined a nation--a small Mediterranean nation that eventually influenced the entire world. To say that "the Bible" is the infallible word of God is to deny the obvious inconsistencies and material contradictions. To say that it is the complete word of God is to deny the obvious appeals to external authoritative texts. To say that it is the literal word of God is to deny the obvious editorial history and the skill of the genuine authors. We outline the various major textual traditions (the Greek Septuagint and the Hebrew Masoretic text), as well as the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Apocrypha (or Deuterocanon), and several pseudepigraphal writings. We look at rejected books that might hope to belong, and we cite books that were abridged into the biblical histories and have since been lost.All this and more...To witness Katie's first Bible Study (a mini-series), support us on PatreonYou can find our merch on SpreadshirtJoin the Community on DiscordLearn more great religion facts on Facebook and Instagram
Tuesday, 14 February 2023 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. Acts 14:13 In the previous verse, those at Iconium had proclaimed that Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. Having been designated gods by the masses, it now says, “Then the priest of Zeus.” In other words, this is the man who was designated to mediate between the people and their god. He would consult the supposed deity, offer sacrifices to him, lead the form of worship necessary to supposedly appease him, and so on. For those who worshipped Zeus, this would be the most important person in their Zeus-directed spiritual lives. Of him, it next says, “whose temple was in front of their city.” This is more of an explanation of the Greek than a translation. Also, the tense of the verb is incorrect. Rather, it simply says, “that, being before their city.” Taken together, the two clauses would then read, “Then the priest of Zeus, that, being before the city.” It surely means that the temple itself, or an idol in the image of Zeus, was there before the city and it is where he ministered to Zeus. It is probably a temple though based on the next words, saying that he “brought oxen and garlands to the gates.” Rather, the verb is an aorist participle, “having brought oxen and garlands to the gate.” He had arrived with his objects of ceremonial worship and sacrifice and was ready to use them in honor of these supposed “gods” who had come among them. As can be seen, if the priest had oxen and garlands, it is likely he had charge of an entire complex dedicated to Zeus, including the necessary altars, lavers, a spot for keeping the instruments of worship, animals, and so forth. Now, believing that his god had come down among them, he is bringing garlands to adorn them and oxen to butcher to them. That is seen in the words that he was “intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.” The order of the words by the NKJV gives the sense that he intended to sacrifice and was bringing the multitudes along for the ride. Rather, the Greek more closely reads, “with the crowds was desiring to sacrifice.” In other words, it wasn't just the priest who wanted to sacrifice while the crowds watched. It is the crowds who proclaimed Paul and Barnabas gods. It is they who obviously ran to the priest outside the city to tell him the news. It is they who now, along with the priest, were in a frenzy to sacrifice to these men. The same crowd who had heard the gospel had forgotten that good news and conjured up another idea in their minds about what had taken place. Life application: What has occurred at Iconium is not that unusual. People can easily get crossed thoughts in their heads about the message of Jesus. This can happen directly as it did with Paul and Barnabas where a person starts attending a church because a preacher's message convicted them. In their minds, they then substitute the message about Jesus with the one who gave the message. The preacher becomes the object of their worship in some fashion. This can also happen when someone knows that the Bible can change lives, having seen it in others. They then substitute what the Bible says with the King James Bible itself. The book becomes the object of their idolatry. This may sound laughable, but there is an entire cult built around the King James Version of the Bible. The same is true with the Greek Septuagint, the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Scriptures, and so on. To them, the writings as a text, not what the writings say, take the preeminent spot in the lives of the people. This is true with denominations, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Roman Catholic Church, the Mormons, and so forth. There is an idolatrous fixation on the communicating body rather than on the One who is supposed to be proclaimed out of the sacred writings. Remember the simple words of Scripture and keep them in your mind always, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). He is to be the Source of our lives, worship, prayer, attention, and hopes. In all things and at all times let us honor God through the honoring of Jesus Christ our Lord. To the glory of God above all else, let us do this. Heavenly Father, forgive us for diverting our eyes from Jesus. We look to the left and to the right in an innumerable number of ways, missing the target when we do. Instead, help us always to fix our eyes on Him. May our hearts be directed toward Him, and may our souls be filled with You because of what You have done through Him. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DAVID'S FRAME OF MIND was apparently much better by the time he wrote these psalms, which are dated to about the time he was anointed king over all Israel. That took place at Hebron, but shortly thereafter he marched against the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and made that his capital city. We discuss the Jebusites, why we believe they were Hurrians (Horites), and why that's relevant to our understanding of the supernatural battle for control of God's har moʿed (“mount of assembly”). We also note differences between the Septuagint and Masoretic accounts in 2 Samuel 5: the Septuagint makes no mention of a water shaft into the City of David, and the Valley of Rephaim southwest of Jerusalem, where David fought two battles against the Philistines, was translated into the Greek Septuagint as “Valley of Titans.” Help us to Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio and warehouse space. In 2023, we plan to fix the holes in the walls, replace windows, insulate the building, install an HVAC system, and move our studios and book/DVD warehouse and shipping office out of our home. If you are so led, you can donate by clicking here. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Please subscribe and share our YouTube channel, www.YouTube.com/GilbertHouse! Check out our online store! www.GilbertHouse.org/store is a virtual book table with books and DVDs related to our weekly Bible study. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! JOIN US IN ISRAEL! The Gilberts will be in the Holy Land March 19-30, 2023. This is a tour like no other! See Joshua's altar, Gilgal Refaim, the Temple Mount, and more. For information and to reserve your place, log on to www.gilberthouse.org/travel. We're planning a tour of the churches of Revelation, Göbekli Tepe, Abraham's home town Harran, the “Gates of Hell,” Mount Nemrut, and more. Due to the political situation in Eastern Europe, we've moved the tour to October, 2023. Dates will be finalized by January. More information is available at www.gilberthouse.org/travel. Follow our weekly studies of Bible prophecy at www.UnravelingRevelation.tv, or at www.youtube.com/unravelingrevelation! Click here for the complete archive of our New Testament Bible studies to date, and click here for the Old Testament studies to date. Or go to www.spreaker.com/show/gilbert-house-fellowship for all of the audio.
DAVID'S FRAME OF MIND was apparently much better by the time he wrote these psalms, which are dated to about the time he was anointed king over all Israel.That took place at Hebron, but shortly thereafter he marched against the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and made that his capital city.We discuss the Jebusites, why we believe they were Hurrians (Horites), and why that's relevant to our understanding of the supernatural battle for control of God's har moʿed (“mount of assembly”).We also note differences between the Septuagint and Masoretic accounts in 2 Samuel 5: the Septuagint makes no mention of a water shaft into the City of David, and the Valley of Rephaim southwest of Jerusalem, where David fought two battles against the Philistines, was translated into the Greek Septuagint as “Valley of Titans.”Help us to Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio and warehouse space. In 2023, we plan to fix the holes in the walls, replace windows, insulate the building, install an HVAC system, and move our studios and book/DVD warehouse and shipping office out of our home. If you are so led, you can donate by clicking here.
Not only did the author for Mark borrow heavily from the Septuagint and the Jewish Roman War by Josephus to hand craft stories for his Jesus, but he also borrowed from Homer's Bibles, the Odyssey and the Illiad to make comparisons between the ancient Greek heroes Odysseus and Hector to his Jesus and to demonstrate that Homer's ideas were old and outdated, thus, Jesus was the update merging two culturally classic works into one; the Greek Septuagint and the Odyssey. The source material in this series is Denis MacDonald's Homer in Mark
Pastor Alan shares his perspective on Isaiah 7: 14 and the virgin birth according to Matthew 1:22-23; while remembering the influence of the Greek Septuagint's translation of Isaiah 7:14; which some scholars seem to overlook.
Pastor Alan shares his perspective on Isaiah 7: 14 and the virgin birth according to Matthew 1:22-23; while remembering the influence of the Greek Septuagint's translation of Isaiah 7:14; which some scholars seem to overlook.
Pastor Alan shares his perspective on Isaiah 7: 14 and the virgin birth according to Matthew 1:22-23; while remembering the influence of the Greek Septuagint's translation of Isaiah 7:14; which some scholars seem to overlook.
Pastor Alan shares his perspective on Isaiah 7: 14 and the virgin birth according to Matthew 1:22-23; while remembering the influence of the Greek Septuagint's translation of Isaiah 7:14; which some scholars seem to overlook.
Pastor Alan shares his perspective on Isaiah 7: 14 and the virgin birth according to Matthew 1:22-23; while remembering the influence of the Greek Septuagint's translation of Isaiah 7:14; which some scholars seem to overlook.
Pastor Alan shares his perspective on Isaiah 7: 14 and the virgin birth according to Matthew 1:22-23; while remembering the influence of the Greek Septuagint's translation of Isaiah 7:14; which some scholars seem to overlook.
Pastor Alan shares his perspective on Isaiah 7: 14 and the virgin birth according to Matthew 1:22-23; while remembering the influence of the Greek Septuagint's translation of Isaiah 7:14; which some scholars seem to overlook.
χαίρετε πάντες! Here is the second of three episodes on the Psalms of the Greek Septuagint. Psalm 2 is very culturally influential, so we had a lot to discuss with multiple interpretations. Enjoy the episode! Josep & Leandros Here is a link to the text, you can follow along with our recitation at 2:20 - 5:08. The Triumphant Messiah Ἵνα τί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη, καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά; παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ. διάψαλμα. διαρρήξωμεν τοὺς δεσμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀπορρίψωμεν ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτῶν. ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐκγελάσεται αὐτούς, καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐκμυκτηριεῖ αὐτούς. τότε λαλήσει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ ταράξει αὐτούς. ἐγὼ δὲ κατεστάθην βασιλεὺς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Σειὼν ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ, διαγγέλλων τὸ πρόσταγμα Κυρίου. Κύριος εἶπεν πρὸς μέ Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε· αἴτησαι παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ, καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, καὶ τὴν κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς· ποιμανεῖς αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ, ὡς σκεῦος κεραμέως συντρίψεις αὐτούς. καὶ νῦν, βασιλεῖς, σύνετε· παιδεύθητε, πάντες οἱ κρίνοντες τὴν γῆν. δουλεύσατε τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν φόβῳ, καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε αὐτῷ ἐν τρόμῳ. δράξασθε παιδείας, μή ποτε ὀργισθῇ Κύριος, καὶ ἀπολεῖσθε ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαίας. ὅταν ἐκκαυθῇ ἐν τάχει ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ. μακάριοι πάντες οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ. https://biblehub.com/sepd/psalms/2.htm We also wanted to include the music from Handel's Messiah in this episode, but couldn't due to copyright issues. Nonetheless, you can check out his version of the Psalm here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNcZgu9yFjU Support the podcast and get access to episodes in advance: https://www.patreon.com/Hellenizdein?fan_landing=true&view_as=public Follow us ον Twitter: https://twitter.com/ancientgreekpod Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/604916774052809 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ancientgreekpodcast/ Write to us personally at: theancientgreekpodcast@gmail.com
Brother Shaffer takes on the difficult questions concerning the Greek Septuagint translation in this Q&A session. Matthew Shaffer – The Septuagint and the Apostles Q&A MP3 Link
Dr. Joanna Kline is a professor at Gordon College where she teaches Old Testament. She specializes in literary approaches to the Bible and early interpretation of Scripture. If you enjoy seeing connections between different biblical stories, you will love today's episode. Joanna talks about narrative analogy: when Biblical stories are written in such a way to make comparisons to other stories that can lead to more avenues of interpretation. She sees connections between the story of David and the stories of Jacob, Judah, and Joseph. We also talk about the nature of the writing/editing process of the Hebrew Bible and how we explain why narrative analogies occur. There are some interesting differences in the Greek Septuagint and Hebrew Masoretic Text in the story of David and Goliath. David, Uriah, and Bathsheba - Joseph, Potiphar, and Potiphar's wife Judah and Tamar - Absolem and half sister We finish by discussing the themes that rise to the surface through the motifs of these narrative analogies. Joanna Kline Faculty Page: https://www.gordon.edu/bib-cmn/joannakline/ WHERE TO FIND US Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLRSNQ7xVw7PjQ5FnqYmSDA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_hebrewbibleinsights/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebrewBibleInsights Website: https://www.hebrewbibleinsights.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew9793/support
The story of David and Goliath is one of the best-known in the Bible. The contrast between the faith of David (in God), Saul (in his armor), and Goliath (in himself) is just one of the lessons to draw from the account. One of the interesting aspects of David's battle with Goliath is the way the Masoretic Hebrew text, on which our English Old Testament translations are based, includes a big chunk of 1 Samuel 17 that is not in the older Hebrew texts translated into the Greek Septuagint 200-300 years before the birth of Jesus. 1 Samuel 17:12–31 and 55–58 are not in the Septuagint. It doesn't change the meaning of the text, but the verses were apparently added by the Masoretes to enhance the stature of David as the founder of the bloodline that would produce the promised Messiah. We also discuss Saul's fall from favor as he disobeys God's command to devote the Amalekites to destruction and then blames his failure on his fear of the people. Get our new app! It's free and connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday , Unraveling Revelation , and A View from the Bunker . The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Please subscribe and share our YouTube channel, www.YouTube.com/GilbertHouse! Check out our new online store! www.GilbertHouse.org/store is a virtual book table with books and DVDs related to our weekly Bible study. JOIN US IN ISRAEL! The Gilberts will be in the Holy Land March 19-30, 2023. This is a tour like no other! See Joshua's altar, Gilgal Refaim, and more. For information and to reserve your place, log on to www.SkyWatchInIsrael.com. NOTE: NEW DATES FOR OUR TOUR OF TURKEY! We're planning a tour of the churches of Revelation, Göbekli Tepe, Abraham's home town Harran, the “Gates of Hell,” Mount Nemrut, and more. Due to the political situation in Eastern Europe, we've moved the tour to October, 2023. Dates will be finalized by January. More information is available at www.SkyWatchinTurkey.com. Follow our weekly studies of Bible prophecy at www.UnravelingRevelation.tv, or at www.youtube.com/unravelingrevelation! SciFriday is back! Every episode is at www.SciFriday.tv and www.youtube.com/scifridaytv! Click here for the complete archive of our New Testament Bible studies to date, and click here for the Old Testament studies to date. Or go to www.spreaker.com/show/gilbert-house-fellowship for all of the audio.
THE STORY of David and Goliath is one of the best-known in the Bible. The contrast between the faith of David (in God), Saul (in his armor), and Goliath (in himself) is just one of the lessons to draw from the account. One of the interesting aspects of David's battle with Goliath is the way the Masoretic Hebrew text, on which our English Old Testament translations are based, includes a big chunk of 1 Samuel 17 that is not in the older Hebrew texts translated into the Greek Septuagint 200-300 years before the birth of Jesus. 1 Samuel 17:12–31 and 55–58 are not in the Septuagint. It doesn't change the meaning of the text, but the verses were apparently added by the Masoretes to enhance the stature of David as the founder of the bloodline that would produce the promised Messiah. We also discuss Saul's fall from favor as he disobeys God's command to devote the Amalekites to destruction and then blames his failure on his fear of the people.
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies
Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories. Interactions with Zoroastrianism led Jewish and Christian writers of the Second Temple Period to separate God from responsibility for evil in the world. This led to the emergence of a heavenly being that is responsible for evil and suffering: Satan. Satan and the Problem of Evil charts the development of Satan traditions and the problem of evil from the Hebrew Bible and its various translations in the Greek Septuagint to Jewish literature from the Second Temple Period to the Greek New Testament. It concludes by examining the writings of the early church theologians, from the late first century through the fourth century CE. Wright argues that these latter writers present a shift in the understanding of Satan to one that is significantly different from the Jewish Scriptures, extrabiblical Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers (Fortress Press, 2022) offers researchers, scholars, students, and even the general reader a definitive treatment of a perennial question. Archie T. Wright is interim executive director of the Catholic Biblical Association and visiting lecturer at the London School of Theology. He is the author of The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature (Fortress, 2015). Jackson Reinhardt is a graduate of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University. He is currently an independent scholar, freelance writer, and research assistant. You can reach Jackson at jtreinhardt1997@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @JTRhardt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day
In this conclusion to the series through Isaiah 53, brother TJ touches on several points, including one technical difference between the Hebrew Bible and Greek Septuagint. He also looks at what seed the Servant would see, who is the many in verse 12, and how Yeshua is our mediator.
Sermon by Steve Sweigart Pilate asked Jesus "What is truth?" How do we know what is truth and how did we get our version of the Bible? Early writing, translating, and copying was extremely labor intensive. The Greek Septuagint was the early Bible for the common man and the early church. The Latin Vulgate was a Latin translation for the rich and the elite and became the official translation of the Roman Catholic Church. William Tyndale and John Wycliffe each translated the Bible into English. In 1604, King James authorized 54 scholars to create the King James Bible we use to this day.
The Priestly and Yahwist creation stories in Genesis 1-2 contain numerous elements borrowed from Babylonian, Assyrian, Egyptian & Sumerian creation myths, but they also possess unique elements that shed light on ancient understandings of human nature. Dr. Phyllis Trible argues that the Priestly account in Genesis 1, with its creation of men and women on the sixth day of creation, advances a vision of the equality of all persons—despite sexual differentiation—since all humankind is created in God's image and likeness. Throughout the centuries, the Yahwist account in Genesis 2 has been used as a prooftext to reinforce male supremacy, gynophobia, misogyny and sexism. Dr. Pamela Milne notes that “patriarchal interpreters claim that woman is inferior because she is created last (Gen. 2:22). But these same interpreters never argue that humans are inferior to animals because they were created later (Gen. 1:27).” Judith Antonelli goes further, speaking of the gynandromorph/androgynos (ha Adama) in Genesis 2—mistranslated “man” in the Greek Septuagint of the 3rd century B.C.—suggesting that, while the Genesis story is a divine mandate for sexual equality, it could also be interpreted as a story asserting…female superiority! Father Jayme concludes that, whereas various churches continue to use the Genesis creation accounts to justify their gravely sinful sexism, extraordinary Catholics are called to see the goodness of all persons despite their sexual differences!Have you seen the latest issue of Extraordinary Catholics magazine?Check out Episode 87 of the Sonic Boomers podcast!Learn more about the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM), of which Inclusive Catholicism is part, through Sacramental Whine podcast, and check out Sacramental Whine: Chronicling the Independent Sacramental Movement, Volume 1 & Volume 2!Check out other podcasts by and for Inclusive Catholics!Support Extraordinary Catholics podcast!
Show Notes Enroll in Institute Timestamps: 00:55 – An overview of the The Old Testament. 04:27 – Bryce breaks down the Old Testament into nine time periods. 09:41 – Canonization and the creation of the Greek Septuagint. The authors of the New Testament quoted the Greek version of the Old Testament.Continue Reading The post Ep 135 | Genesis 1-2; Moses 2-3; Abraham 4-5, Come Follow Me (January 3-9) appeared first on LDS Scripture Teachings.
Did you know that Jesus, the Apostles and New Testament writers all read the scriptures the Greek (the Septuagint version of the Bible)? In this episode of Religion Today, the host Martin Tanner explains why Jesus, the Apostles and Early Christians all read the Old Testament in Greek (the Septuagint Bible) and quotes from it. The Apostle Paul, in his NT writings, quotes over 100 times from the Septuagint. The Septuagint is often from an earlier, better version of Hebrew, than existing Hebrew Bibles today. For example, the Septuagint says the Messiah would be born to a virgin. The Hebrew Bible says the Messiah would be born to a young woman. The differences have a profound effect on Christian doctrine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We look at the Greek Septuagint to see answer how long the Israelites were really slaves in Egypt and the possible age of the earth.
The Receptive Life: Learning How to Receive All of the Gifts That Only the Triune God Can Give
Praying the Psalms with Jesus ... SubscribeThe Scripture reading is from the King James Version (KJV) and is in the public domain.The King James Version Bible (KJV) was authorized by King James I and is sometimes referred to as the “Authorized Version”. It was translated by the Church of England and was first published in 1611.The KJV New Testament was translated from the Textus Receptus. However, the majority of the book of Revelation seems to have been translated from the Latin Vulgate. The KJV Old Testament was translated from the Masoretic Hebrew text, and the Apocrypha was translated from the Greek Septuagint.Several versions of the King James Bible (KJV) were produced in 1611,1629, 1638, 1762, and 1769. The 1769 edition is most commonly cited as the King James Version (KJV).
Episode 115d: 12 Minor Prophets and Greek NamesDescription: Garry Stevens and I take a look at some of the naming conventions used in the Old Testament of the Bible. Why do certain prophets and characters go by different names? We look at how the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament impacted the way the bible was and is understood.Learn more about Garry Steven’s History in the Bible Podcast Here: https://www.historyinthebible.com/You can learn more about the History of Papacy and subscribe at all these great places:http://atozhistorypage.com/email: steve@atozhistorypage.comhttps://www.patreon.com/historyofthepapacyhttps://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfThePapacyPodcast/https://twitter.com/atozhistoryThe History of the Papacy on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6DO2leym3kizBHW0ZWl-nAGet Your History of the Papacy Podcast Products Here: https://www.atozhistorypage.com/productsHelp out the show by ordering these books from Amazon!https://amzn.com/w/1MUPNYEU65NTFMusic Provided by:"Danse Macabre" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"Virtutes Instrumenti" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"Virtutes Vocis" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"Funeral March for Brass" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"String Impromptu Number 1" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Agnus Dei X - Bitter Suite Kevin MacLeaod (incomptech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Disciple Up Episode 202 Do I Have a Soul or Am I a Soul? Louie Marsh, 3-10-2021 Intro: This episode sparked by an e-mail from a listener named John, who wrote: Please check out my biggest and best book – Everyday in the Spirit - https://tinyurl.com/3fct42zn I was listening to a podcast called "The Bible Project" and the guys on there bring up a point about the word in Hebrew that is translated into English as "soul" doesn't really mean what we think. They say we are translating it wrong and that we don't have a soul if you translate the word correctly it means the throat. The gateway to your innermost part of your body. I am confused about what that means as far as if I go to heaven or not when I die or what Great question and indicative of a lot of what some people are saying these days about the soul and after life. So on this episode we're going to dive in and check out what some scholars say about this and how in the end the Bible Project guys and I agree, but we disagree with how to get there. Link are in the show notes to what I'll be referencing as well as a link to the Bible Project so you can listen and decide for yourself. Links: Exegetical Fallacies by D.A. Carson, Baker Books - https://tinyurl.com/25635e3z Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil-Delitzch, - https://tinyurl.com/pbdyyach The Bible Project; https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bible-project Bible Project Episode Description (bold & underlining is mine) You Are A Soul This is our first episode related to our new word studies video on the Hebrew word “Nephesh” which often gets translated as “soul” in English bibles. In Hebrew the most basic meaning of the word is “throat.” Which seems weird to us. So how did we get “soul” from “throat”? Tim and Jon discuss. In the first part of the episode (0-12:30), Tim and Jon outline where the word “soul” comes from (Old English), and why most people think that a core teaching of the Bible is people “having souls.” Jon asks how much you can really separate the ideas of a person's “mind, soul, and body.” In the second part of the episode (12:30-41:20), Tim explains that the Hebrew word “Nephesh” is an extremely common word in the Hebrew Old Testament. It occurs over 700 times, but less than 10% of the time is it translated as “soul.” It also gets translated as “life”, “heart”, “you”, “people” and several other words. Tim outlines some famous verses in the Old Testament that use the word soul. Like Psalm 42 “ As the deer pants...My soul thirsts for you” the original meaning is Hebrew is “my throat thirsts for you.” Tim explains that the word Nephesh is designed to show the essential physicality of a person. Whereas “soul” connotes the non-physicality of a person. In the third part of the episode (41:20-end), Tim says “Nephesh” isn't just used to describe humans, but also used to describe animals and what the land produced in Genesis. “And God said ‘Let the waters teem with living Nephesh.'” The bottom line, biblically, is that people don't have souls. They are souls. They don't have “nephesh” they are “nephesh.” And the ultimate hope for Christians is not a disembodied existence living as souls, but an embodied existence living in their Nephesh. Thank you to all our supporters! Check out more free resources on our website: www.thebibleproject.com Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. Hebrew Word: נֶפֶשׁ Transliteration: nepesh Phonetic Pronunciation: neh'-fesh Usage Notes: English Words used in KJV: soul 475 life 117 person 29 mind 15 heart 15 creature 9 body 8 himself 8 yourselves 6 dead 5 will 4 desire 4 man 3 themselves 3 any 3 appetite 2 miscellaneous translations 47 [Total Count: 753] from (naphash); properly a breathing creature, i.e. animal or (abstract) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental) :- any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, × dead (-ly), desire, × [dis-] contented, × fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, × jeopardy of) life (× in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (× she) will, × would have it. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words. Life Usage Number: 1 Part Of Speech: Noun Strong's Number: Original Word: נֶפֶשׁ, nepesh Usage Notes: "soul; self; life; person; heart." This is a very common term in both ancient and modern Semitic languages. It occurs over 780 times in the Old Testament and is evenly distributed in all periods of the text with a particularly high frequency in poetic passages. The basic meaning is apparently related to the rare verbal form, nāpash. The noun refers to the essence of life, the act of breathing, taking breath. However, from that concrete concept, a number of more abstract meanings were developed. In its primary sense the noun appears in its first occurrence in Gen. 1:20: "the moving creature that hath life," and in its second occurrence in Gen. 2:7: "living soul." However, in over 400 later occurrences it is translated "soul." While this serves to make sense in most passages, it is an unfortunate mistranslation of the term. The real difficulty of the term is seen in the inability of almost all English translations to find a consistent equivalent or even a small group of high-frequency equivalents for the term. The kjv alone uses over 28 different English terms for this one Hebrew word. The problem with the English term "soul" is that no actual equivalent of the term or the idea behind it is represented in the Hebrew language. The Hebrew system of thought does not include the combination or opposition of the terms "body" and "soul," which are really Greek and Latin in origin. The Hebrew contrasts two other concepts which are not found in the Greek and Latin tradition: "the inner self" and "the outer appearance" or, as viewed in a different context, "what one is to oneself" as opposed to "what one appears to be to one's observers." The inner person is nepesh, while the outer person, or reputation, is shēm, most commonly translated "name." In narrative or historical passages of the Old Testament, nepesh can be translated as "life" or "self," as in Lev. 17:11: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for [yourselves]…." Needless to say, the reading "soul" is meaningless in such a text. But the situation in the numerous parallel poetic passages in which the term appears is much more difficult. The Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate both simply use the Greek and Latin equivalent "soul," especially in the Psalms. The first occurrence is in Psa. 3:2: "Many are saying of my soul, There is no deliverance for him in God" (nasb). The next occurrence is in Psa. 6:3: "And my soul is greatly dismayed; But Thou, O Lord, how long?" (nasb). In both passages the parallel contrast is between nepesh and some aspect of the self, expressed as "him" in Psa. 3:2 and not expressed but understood in Psa. 6:3. There is no distinction as to whether it appears as an "A" or "B" word in the parallelism. However, since Hebrew rejects repeating the same noun in both halves of a poetic line, nepesh is often used as the parallel for the speaker, primary personal subject, and even for God, as in Psa. 11:5: "The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence [he himself] hateth." Such passages are frequent, and a proper understanding of the word enlightens many well-known passages, such as Psa. 119:109: "My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Thy law" (nasb). The versions vary widely in their readings of nepesh, with the more contemporary versions casting widely for meanings. Usage Number: 2 Part Of Speech: Verb Original Word: נָפַשׁ, nāpash Usage Notes:Nāpash means "to breathe; respire; be refreshed." This verb, which is apparently related to the noun nepesh, appears 3 times in the Old Testament (Exod. 23:12; Exod. 31:17). The other appearance is in 2 Sam. 16:14: "And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there." Genesis 2:7 “7then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7, ESV) “7Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the earth and blew the breath of life into his nostrils. The man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, GW) “7And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7, ASV 1901) “7Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, NASB95) “7And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7, KJV 1900) “7And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, NKJV) “7God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!” (Genesis 2:7, The Message) Psalm 42:1-2 Terrible suggested translation: Like Psalm 42 “ As the deer pants...My soul thirsts for you” the original meaning is Hebrew is “my throat thirsts for you.” “1As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1–2, ESV) The Root Fallacy: (D.A. Carson) Soul – GW, NASB, YLT, NIV, KJV, ASV, Darby, I – HCSB, NLT, LB, The Message, Vol. 5, Page 55: “The poet compares the thirsting of his soul after God to the thirsting of a stag.” Aside from the root fallacy there's the fact this is a metaphor. The writer is comparing a deer's thirst for water need to survive with his soul's (self, inner person, etc.) need for God. The physical is contrasted with the spiritual. Literally it was never intended as “throat,” That's horrible and reflects a misunderstanding of metaphor and language as well. BOTTOM LINE: My soul is saved because I am saved! In the end I'll be reunited with my body, but that body will be changed. The bottom line, biblically, is that people don't have souls. They are souls. They don't have “nephesh” they are “nephesh.” “42So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 15:42–46, ESV) So yes, you ARE a soul who inhabits a body and in the end Christ will redeem both!
Streamed live on Jan 17, 2021 In this episode we'll look at the differences in the book of Job between the 9th century A.D. Hebrew Masoretic text translated to English and the Greek Septuagint text translated to English. There are some peculiar differences. Join us! Honor of Kings with Sean Griffin & Ken Heidebrecht From: Hanging On His Words and Kingdom In Context https://www.facebook.com/groups/2157038407944204/ Follow Sean Griffin from@ Instagram: @KingdomInContext Twitter: @KingdomContext Follow Ken Heidebrecht from@ Twitter: @HangOnHisWords Instagram: HangingOnHisWords https://www.facebook.com/hangingonhis… If you feel led you can support these brothers. You can support Sean @ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/sgriffin887 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kingdomincontext Make personal check payable to Sean Griffin @ PO Box 1266, Ft. Collins, CO 80522 You Can support Ken @ https://www.patreon.com/hangingonhisw… https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/hang… https://mountainsintothesea.bandcamp.… Teespring Merchandise - https://teespring.com/stores/hanging-... ~~~~~~~ As always, if you like any of these and think it may be beneficial to someone, just please share it. Contact @ BeGoodBroadcast@gmail.com Twitter @ https://twitter.com/WinInHim It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/support
Greetings friends to this end of the year podcast! Before I share my own stories, I want to give you our last two Listener Stories for 2020, one from Tom and another from Tammy. I think Tammy’s story is especially interesting because the Coronavirus pandemic had a big impact on her. I think her story will resonate with many of you. Hello, my name is Tammy. I recently retired from being a principal and before that a school teacher, a job I had done and loved for over 30 years. I had oodles of plans for what I was going to do, places I was going to go and things I was really looking forward to doing- like working with children at our church this summer. When COVID hit and closed down school as we knew it on March 13, 2020, my life really changed. I didn’t get to say goodbye to my students, parents and staff, it just all ended that Friday in March. I was really struggling with what to me felt like a major loss. (This is in no way to disrespect those that have had greater losses due to COVID.) I was talking to my husband explaining how I was feeling such an absence of being needed and like I was just wandering looking for what I was supposed to be doing with my life at this time. My sweet husband said some very wise words to me. He said, “Tammy, I believe God is just giving you this down time to recharge you and prepare you for what He has planned next for you to do for Him. Take this time and use it to its best.” While I knew he was right, I have to say I DON’T do down time well. When you work 60 hours a week for oodles of years and have people consistently needing things from you, to have that come to a screeching halt, really put me off kilter. I was struggling trying to figure out what God wanted me to do. Then one morning in my devotion time God put on my heart that I have been wanting to complete a read through the Bible in a year program for a long time. Even though it was August, I thought, this doesn’t have to wait until January to be a New Year’s Resolution, it can be my New Life Resolution. What a blessing this decision has been! I looked at all different types of programs. I found Digging Deeper Daily and liked the explanation of how this program was laid out. I wanted to learn about the “threads that unify the message of the Old and New Testaments”. I also like the fact that there were brief devotional notes that I thought would help me see the connections clearer. I started this journey on August 20th and upon hearing the first reading, I fell in love with this journey. Phil’s voice was so calming and yet assured in what he was saying and reading. The brief stories he shares of his work as a Bible translator make me feel like I have a new friend. This adventure has helped me grow daily in my understanding of God’s word. Being a Christian since a child, I had heard many stories from the bible, now I understand more deeply what was happening before, during and after those isolated events. It has really helped make the Bible come to life for me. Phil explains how he started this project as a gift to leave his grandchildren. He wanted to read the entire bible to them. I feel his love each morning as I listen to him read and explain the daily passage, its as if for those brief moments I have been adopted into his family. This has not only been a way for me to learn more about the Bible, grow closer to God, but also to feel like I am being gathered into the fold each morning. The brief explanations at the end of the readings are so helpful. I always look forward to the prayer Phil delivers to close the devotional time. Often, I will replay the prayer a time or two more. At the end of “our time together” I try to conclude with a prayer for Phil and all those doing God’s work to bring His word to the nations that don’t have the Bible yet. This reminder of what a gift the Bible is to us, that I often take for granted because I haven’t known a time without it, has made my daily time with God even more precious. Early on in the program, Phil was reading to us from Matthew. When He read Matthew 11:28 which says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I cried. This to me reiterated what my husband told me. I was in need of this passage. When Phil read this verse, with such love in his voice, I felt as if it was God speaking it to me. I needed rest, yet I wouldn’t let myself admit it. Now, each morning I consider my time listening to Phil read God’s word as a time of rest, connection and recharging. I can’t wait to find out what great adventure God has in store for me next, or where He needs me in this stage of life, what I do know though is that Phil Fields and Digging Deeper Daily will be on that amazing ride with me. Thanks so much, Tammy, for your story! And with a sincere blush, I also say thanks for your kind words. I am so pleased— more than that— filled with joy, when people are able to look through the kind of one-way mirror that podcasting is, to become my friends and even adopted family. Thanks to Tom giving me this next story. Tom is mainly a reader (not a regular podcast listener). The 3D YouVersion plan he has followed for 2020 is called Read To Me Daily. (Link given in the episode notes.) Tom is a long time friend, dating back to my music teaching days. There is one odd, totally unplanned, similarity between his story and Tammy’s. I think you will catch it. My name is Tom and I am a sixty-year-old Arkansan. I have read through the Bible several times using different plans. The last few times, using electronic media, such as Digging Deeper Daily, has aided me greatly through ease of access. Reading the Bible entirely in one year gives one little time for Bible study, but I value the discipline of daily reading which stirs my thoughts and continually whets my appetite to, what else, dig deeper. I read through the Bible this year using the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. In the past I have used various translations and even some paraphrases and I may have been wiser to use the recommended New Living Translation or Good News Translation. Instead, however, I wanted to use the AMPC this year to slow me down. The many bracketed words and phrases in the AMPC which are used to further describe a translated word or passage, forced me to ponder over a word or passage and think about how an idea was being explained. I did enjoy the New Living Translation as well as the Good News Translation versions referenced most often in the devotionals. I found multiple translations of the same verses to be quite helpful. Most years when using a daily reading plan I plowed right past the devotional passages and read only the scripture. This year I was determined to include reading the devotionals, again, to slow me down and to help me think about what I was reading. I enjoyed reading the Digging Deeper Daily devotionals which often gave the translator’s perspective of a passage, citing examples of difficult passages to translate and including real-life examples of working with an indigenous people group to help them understand the Bible. In addition to translation notes, I appreciated the occasional summaries from prior days, reminding me of an important passage, even to the point of repeating some passages over consecutive days for emphasis. I also appreciated being prodded by the devotional to live up to its title to, here it is again, dig deeper into particular passages. I appreciated how the daily readings were divided up between Old and New Testaments, particularly saving Isaiah for the end of the calendar year with so many relevant passages for the advent season. My favorite passage, personally, occurred late in the calendar year on September 21. Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT) I am never more at peace than when I surrender to Christ’s yoke. Finally, while I spent the year in the daily reading plan rather than listening to the daily podcasts, I did enjoy utilizing the audio podcasts through the Old Testament genealogies.
Greetings friends to this end of the year podcast! Before I share my own stories, I want to give you our last two Listener Stories for 2020, one from Tom and another from Tammy. I think Tammy’s story is especially interesting because the Coronavirus pandemic had a big impact on her. I think her story will resonate with many of you. Hello, my name is Tammy. I recently retired from being a principal and before that a school teacher, a job I had done and loved for over 30 years. I had oodles of plans for what I was going to do, places I was going to go and things I was really looking forward to doing- like working with children at our church this summer. When COVID hit and closed down school as we knew it on March 13, 2020, my life really changed. I didn’t get to say goodbye to my students, parents and staff, it just all ended that Friday in March. I was really struggling with what to me felt like a major loss. (This is in no way to disrespect those that have had greater losses due to COVID.) I was talking to my husband explaining how I was feeling such an absence of being needed and like I was just wandering looking for what I was supposed to be doing with my life at this time. My sweet husband said some very wise words to me. He said, “Tammy, I believe God is just giving you this down time to recharge you and prepare you for what He has planned next for you to do for Him. Take this time and use it to its best.” While I knew he was right, I have to say I DON’T do down time well. When you work 60 hours a week for oodles of years and have people consistently needing things from you, to have that come to a screeching halt, really put me off kilter. I was struggling trying to figure out what God wanted me to do. Then one morning in my devotion time God put on my heart that I have been wanting to complete a read through the Bible in a year program for a long time. Even though it was August, I thought, this doesn’t have to wait until January to be a New Year’s Resolution, it can be my New Life Resolution. What a blessing this decision has been! I looked at all different types of programs. I found Digging Deeper Daily and liked the explanation of how this program was laid out. I wanted to learn about the “threads that unify the message of the Old and New Testaments”. I also like the fact that there were brief devotional notes that I thought would help me see the connections clearer. I started this journey on August 20th and upon hearing the first reading, I fell in love with this journey. Phil’s voice was so calming and yet assured in what he was saying and reading. The brief stories he shares of his work as a Bible translator make me feel like I have a new friend. This adventure has helped me grow daily in my understanding of God’s word. Being a Christian since a child, I had heard many stories from the bible, now I understand more deeply what was happening before, during and after those isolated events. It has really helped make the Bible come to life for me. Phil explains how he started this project as a gift to leave his grandchildren. He wanted to read the entire bible to them. I feel his love each morning as I listen to him read and explain the daily passage, its as if for those brief moments I have been adopted into his family. This has not only been a way for me to learn more about the Bible, grow closer to God, but also to feel like I am being gathered into the fold each morning. The brief explanations at the end of the readings are so helpful. I always look forward to the prayer Phil delivers to close the devotional time. Often, I will replay the prayer a time or two more. At the end of “our time together” I try to conclude with a prayer for Phil and all those doing God’s work to bring His word to the nations that don’t have the Bible yet. This reminder of what a gift the Bible is to us, that I often take for granted because I haven’t known a time without it, has made my daily time with God even more precious. Early on in the program, Phil was reading to us from Matthew. When He read Matthew 11:28 which says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I cried. This to me reiterated what my husband told me. I was in need of this passage. When Phil read this verse, with such love in his voice, I felt as if it was God speaking it to me. I needed rest, yet I wouldn’t let myself admit it. Now, each morning I consider my time listening to Phil read God’s word as a time of rest, connection and recharging. I can’t wait to find out what great adventure God has in store for me next, or where He needs me in this stage of life, what I do know though is that Phil Fields and Digging Deeper Daily will be on that amazing ride with me. Thanks so much, Tammy, for your story! And with a sincere blush, I also say thanks for your kind words. I am so pleased— more than that— filled with joy, when people are able to look through the kind of one-way mirror that podcasting is, to become my friends and even adopted family. Thanks to Tom giving me this next story. Tom is mainly a reader (not a regular podcast listener). The 3D YouVersion plan he has followed for 2020 is called Read To Me Daily. (Link given in the episode notes.) Tom is a long time friend, dating back to my music teaching days. There is one odd, totally unplanned, similarity between his story and Tammy’s. I think you will catch it. My name is Tom and I am a sixty-year-old Arkansan. I have read through the Bible several times using different plans. The last few times, using electronic media, such as Digging Deeper Daily, has aided me greatly through ease of access. Reading the Bible entirely in one year gives one little time for Bible study, but I value the discipline of daily reading which stirs my thoughts and continually whets my appetite to, what else, dig deeper. I read through the Bible this year using the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. In the past I have used various translations and even some paraphrases and I may have been wiser to use the recommended New Living Translation or Good News Translation. Instead, however, I wanted to use the AMPC this year to slow me down. The many bracketed words and phrases in the AMPC which are used to further describe a translated word or passage, forced me to ponder over a word or passage and think about how an idea was being explained. I did enjoy the New Living Translation as well as the Good News Translation versions referenced most often in the devotionals. I found multiple translations of the same verses to be quite helpful. Most years when using a daily reading plan I plowed right past the devotional passages and read only the scripture. This year I was determined to include reading the devotionals, again, to slow me down and to help me think about what I was reading. I enjoyed reading the Digging Deeper Daily devotionals which often gave the translator’s perspective of a passage, citing examples of difficult passages to translate and including real-life examples of working with an indigenous people group to help them understand the Bible. In addition to translation notes, I appreciated the occasional summaries from prior days, reminding me of an important passage, even to the point of repeating some passages over consecutive days for emphasis. I also appreciated being prodded by the devotional to live up to its title to, here it is again, dig deeper into particular passages. I appreciated how the daily readings were divided up between Old and New Testaments, particularly saving Isaiah for the end of the calendar year with so many relevant passages for the advent season. My favorite passage, personally, occurred late in the calendar year on September 21. Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT) I am never more at peace than when I surrender to Christ’s yoke. Finally, while I spent the year in the daily reading plan rather than listening to the daily podcasts, I did enjoy utilizing the audio podcasts through the Old Testament genealogies.
Started off with a little Christmas story relating to my new sweater -wait till you see it--, then a little discussion of the speed at which the world has changed in 2020, then finishing up with a discussion of the textual variant found in the Greek Septuagint at Isaiah 9-6.
Dec 18, 2020 A Public reading and discussion surrounding the hidden psalms you may have not heard about. Included in the Greek Septuagint, the Psalms of Solomon leave the reader with much wisdom to chew on. #psalms #solomon #apocrypha More information: https://parableofthevineyard.com/info... From Adam@ Parable of the Vineyard Backup Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO_X... BitChute https://www.bitchute.com/channel/gt7o... Also @ https://parableofthevineyard.com/ LIVE FELLOWSHIP: Friday - 8pm CST: Weekly Gathering Torah Portions Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... To assist the ministry: https://parableofthevineyard.com/assi… Mail: Adam Fink P.O. Box 557 Nixa, MO. 65714 Email: hello@parableofthevineyard.com Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/parableofthevineyard (Paypal – Pick “friends and family” option for no fee) For a convenient monthly system: https://www.patreon.com/POTV (Patreon) ~~~~~~~ I started this to be able to listen and discern these thing for myself as I go. I'm just using my best possible discernment rebroadcasting these messages. I hope you are able to further discern and distill these words into a more pure truth. As always, if you like any of these and think it may be beneficial to someone, just please share it. Contact @ BeGoodBroadcast@gmail.com Twitter @ https://twitter.com/WinInHim --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/support
Dr. Tremper Longman tells you what's up with The Passion Translation. My name is Mike Winger and this is my "Passion Project". A project where I've hired a number of scholars to do reviews of different books Brian Simmons' seriously flawed Bible version. Scroll down for the links you are looking for! 0:00 The glorious intro 1:50 The reviewer's credentials 3:30 Is it honest to call TPT a “translation”? 5:45 Dr. Longman's BIGGEST issue with TPT's Song of Songs? 8:19 How big of a deal is this really? 10:01 Simmons is wrong about church history. 16:25 Simmons blames DEMONS for people not agreeing with him. 18:57 How much alteration is taking place in TPT's Song of Songs? 20:01 Is Dr. Longman bothered by translations that aren't word for word? 20:51 Does Brian Simmons mislead people about The Passion Translation? 22:20 How Brian Simmons uses the etymological fallacy to translate. 25:00 An example of Simmons adding words to the text. 26:52 Simmons' use of homonyms is unjustified and misleading. 29:34 How you CAN see Christ in the Song of Songs without altering the text. 30:25 How Simmons misuses the Greek Septuagint and Aramaic. 33:36 Footnotes in TPT may mislead people about scholars. 35:31 Should we trust Simmons' wild claims? 38:47 Factual error #1 – En Gedi means goat, not lamb. 41:15 Factual error #2 – Sharon does not mean “his song”. 44:32 Factual error #3 – Seal does not mean “prison cell”. 46:50 Where does Dr. Longman think Simmons is getting this stuff from? 48:01 How the way TPT was made is different than how most translations are made. 50:52 What degree qualifications does Brian Simmons have? 51:43 Are people opposed to TPT just spiritually dead religious scholars? 52:55 Are most translations bad? 53:56 Should TPT be in churches, bookstores and Bible apps? 55:21 Do you have anything NICE to say about Song of Songs in TPT? 55:44 A deceptive quote from Simmons' web site. 56:21 Bill Johnson's endorsement of The Passion Translation 56:54 A misleading quote from the 2020 edition of TPT 57:28 What Dr. Longman would say to a Christian who loves The Passion Translation 58:19 My FAVORITE part of Dr. Longman's review! 58:55 What you can expect from my Passion Project. 59:22 Special “cameo” from Brian Simmons You can download Dr. Longman's paper as a Microsoft Word document for free right here. https://biblethinker.org/images/Notes/FINAL_Longman_TPT_-_Song_of_Songs.docx If you want to read it on my website instead of downloading it, this link will work. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/our-media/message/review-of-tpt-song-of-songs-by-tremper-longman/read This is the playlist where I will eventually upload all the interviews as they become available. There should be 5 coming over the next couple months and I hope to eventually add more as I'm able to get more scholars involved in the project. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuv-ISp_iIw1WL8zaEm86L8 I want to give thanks to those who have donated to this ministry to not only enable me to continue teaching regularly online but to go above and beyond by doing this special project and to make everything I do totally free.
Dr. Tremper Longman tells you what's up with The Passion Translation. My name is Mike Winger and this is my "Passion Project". A project where I've hired a number of scholars to do reviews of different books Brian Simmons' seriously flawed Bible version. Scroll down for the links you are looking for! 0:00 The glorious intro 1:50 The reviewer’s credentials 3:30 Is it honest to call TPT a “translation”? 5:45 Dr. Longman’s BIGGEST issue with TPT’s Song of Songs? 8:19 How big of a deal is this really? 10:01 Simmons is wrong about church history. 16:25 Simmons blames DEMONS for people not agreeing with him. 18:57 How much alteration is taking place in TPT’s Song of Songs? 20:01 Is Dr. Longman bothered by translations that aren’t word for word? 20:51 Does Brian Simmons mislead people about The Passion Translation? 22:20 How Brian Simmons uses the etymological fallacy to translate. 25:00 An example of Simmons adding words to the text. 26:52 Simmons’ use of homonyms is unjustified and misleading. 29:34 How you CAN see Christ in the Song of Songs without altering the text. 30:25 How Simmons misuses the Greek Septuagint and Aramaic. 33:36 Footnotes in TPT may mislead people about scholars. 35:31 Should we trust Simmons’ wild claims? 38:47 Factual error #1 – En Gedi means goat, not lamb. 41:15 Factual error #2 – Sharon does not mean “his song”. 44:32 Factual error #3 – Seal does not mean “prison cell”. 46:50 Where does Dr. Longman think Simmons is getting this stuff from? 48:01 How the way TPT was made is different than how most translations are made. 50:52 What degree qualifications does Brian Simmons have? 51:43 Are people opposed to TPT just spiritually dead religious scholars? 52:55 Are most translations bad? 53:56 Should TPT be in churches, bookstores and Bible apps? 55:21 Do you have anything NICE to say about Song of Songs in TPT? 55:44 A deceptive quote from Simmons’ web site. 56:21 Bill Johnson’s endorsement of The Passion Translation 56:54 A misleading quote from the 2020 edition of TPT 57:28 What Dr. Longman would say to a Christian who loves The Passion Translation 58:19 My FAVORITE part of Dr. Longman’s review! 58:55 What you can expect from my Passion Project. 59:22 Special “cameo” from Brian Simmons You can download Dr. Longman's paper as a Microsoft Word document for free right here. https://biblethinker.org/images/Notes/FINAL_Longman_TPT_-_Song_of_Songs.docx If you want to read it on my website instead of downloading it, this link will work. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/our-media/message/review-of-tpt-song-of-songs-by-tremper-longman/read This is the playlist where I will eventually upload all the interviews as they become available. There should be 5 coming over the next couple months and I hope to eventually add more as I'm able to get more scholars involved in the project. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuv-ISp_iIw1WL8zaEm86L8 I want to give thanks to those who have donated to this ministry to not only enable me to continue teaching regularly online but to go above and beyond by doing this special project and to make everything I do totally free.
Dr. Tremper Longman tells you what's up with The Passion Translation. My name is Mike Winger and this is my "Passion Project". A project where I've hired a number of scholars to do reviews of different books Brian Simmons' seriously flawed Bible version. Scroll down for the links you are looking for! 0:00 The glorious intro 1:50 The reviewer’s credentials 3:30 Is it honest to call TPT a “translation”? 5:45 Dr. Longman’s BIGGEST issue with TPT’s Song of Songs? 8:19 How big of a deal is this really? 10:01 Simmons is wrong about church history. 16:25 Simmons blames DEMONS for people not agreeing with him. 18:57 How much alteration is taking place in TPT’s Song of Songs? 20:01 Is Dr. Longman bothered by translations that aren’t word for word? 20:51 Does Brian Simmons mislead people about The Passion Translation? 22:20 How Brian Simmons uses the etymological fallacy to translate. 25:00 An example of Simmons adding words to the text. 26:52 Simmons’ use of homonyms is unjustified and misleading. 29:34 How you CAN see Christ in the Song of Songs without altering the text. 30:25 How Simmons misuses the Greek Septuagint and Aramaic. 33:36 Footnotes in TPT may mislead people about scholars. 35:31 Should we trust Simmons’ wild claims? 38:47 Factual error #1 – En Gedi means goat, not lamb. 41:15 Factual error #2 – Sharon does not mean “his song”. 44:32 Factual error #3 – Seal does not mean “prison cell”. 46:50 Where does Dr. Longman think Simmons is getting this stuff from? 48:01 How the way TPT was made is different than how most translations are made. 50:52 What degree qualifications does Brian Simmons have? 51:43 Are people opposed to TPT just spiritually dead religious scholars? 52:55 Are most translations bad? 53:56 Should TPT be in churches, bookstores and Bible apps? 55:21 Do you have anything NICE to say about Song of Songs in TPT? 55:44 A deceptive quote from Simmons’ web site. 56:21 Bill Johnson’s endorsement of The Passion Translation 56:54 A misleading quote from the 2020 edition of TPT 57:28 What Dr. Longman would say to a Christian who loves The Passion Translation 58:19 My FAVORITE part of Dr. Longman’s review! 58:55 What you can expect from my Passion Project. 59:22 Special “cameo” from Brian Simmons You can download Dr. Longman's paper as a Microsoft Word document for free right here. https://biblethinker.org/images/Notes/FINAL_Longman_TPT_-_Song_of_Songs.docx If you want to read it on my website instead of downloading it, this link will work. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/our-media/message/review-of-tpt-song-of-songs-by-tremper-longman/read This is the playlist where I will eventually upload all the interviews as they become available. There should be 5 coming over the next couple months and I hope to eventually add more as I'm able to get more scholars involved in the project. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuv-ISp_iIw1WL8zaEm86L8 I want to give thanks to those who have donated to this ministry to not only enable me to continue teaching regularly online but to go above and beyond by doing this special project and to make everything I do totally free.
Dr. Tremper Longman tells you what's up with The Passion Translation. My name is Mike Winger and this is my "Passion Project". A project where I've hired a number of scholars to do reviews of different books Brian Simmons' seriously flawed Bible version. Scroll down for the links you are looking for! 0:00 The glorious intro 1:50 The reviewer’s credentials 3:30 Is it honest to call TPT a “translation”? 5:45 Dr. Longman’s BIGGEST issue with TPT’s Song of Songs? 8:19 How big of a deal is this really? 10:01 Simmons is wrong about church history. 16:25 Simmons blames DEMONS for people not agreeing with him. 18:57 How much alteration is taking place in TPT’s Song of Songs? 20:01 Is Dr. Longman bothered by translations that aren’t word for word? 20:51 Does Brian Simmons mislead people about The Passion Translation? 22:20 How Brian Simmons uses the etymological fallacy to translate. 25:00 An example of Simmons adding words to the text. 26:52 Simmons’ use of homonyms is unjustified and misleading. 29:34 How you CAN see Christ in the Song of Songs without altering the text. 30:25 How Simmons misuses the Greek Septuagint and Aramaic. 33:36 Footnotes in TPT may mislead people about scholars. 35:31 Should we trust Simmons’ wild claims? 38:47 Factual error #1 – En Gedi means goat, not lamb. 41:15 Factual error #2 – Sharon does not mean “his song”. 44:32 Factual error #3 – Seal does not mean “prison cell”. 46:50 Where does Dr. Longman think Simmons is getting this stuff from? 48:01 How the way TPT was made is different than how most translations are made. 50:52 What degree qualifications does Brian Simmons have? 51:43 Are people opposed to TPT just spiritually dead religious scholars? 52:55 Are most translations bad? 53:56 Should TPT be in churches, bookstores and Bible apps? 55:21 Do you have anything NICE to say about Song of Songs in TPT? 55:44 A deceptive quote from Simmons’ web site. 56:21 Bill Johnson’s endorsement of The Passion Translation 56:54 A misleading quote from the 2020 edition of TPT 57:28 What Dr. Longman would say to a Christian who loves The Passion Translation 58:19 My FAVORITE part of Dr. Longman’s review! 58:55 What you can expect from my Passion Project. 59:22 Special “cameo” from Brian Simmons You can download Dr. Longman's paper as a Microsoft Word document for free right here. https://biblethinker.org/images/Notes/FINAL_Longman_TPT_-_Song_of_Songs.docx If you want to read it on my website instead of downloading it, this link will work. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/our-media/message/review-of-tpt-song-of-songs-by-tremper-longman/read This is the playlist where I will eventually upload all the interviews as they become available. There should be 5 coming over the next couple months and I hope to eventually add more as I'm able to get more scholars involved in the project. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuv-ISp_iIw1WL8zaEm86L8 I want to give thanks to those who have donated to this ministry to not only enable me to continue teaching regularly online but to go above and beyond by doing this special project and to make everything I do totally free.
The Septuagint version of Esther is considerably longer than the KJV, or any other version of the Bible, and the Lord (Yahvah) and God (Elohim) is mentioned over forty times in the book. In the KJV, the Lord is not even mentioned once. 0:00 - Introduction 1:53 - Chapter 1 9:23 - Chapter 2 14:12 - Chapter 3 19:46 - Chapter 4 29:16 - Chapter 5 33:38 - Chapter 6 36:37 - Chapter 7 38:28 - Chapter 8 46:57 - Chapter 9 52:02 - Chapter 10 From https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdaeLFzfgDMuCH2PFA76CNg This recording is also posted on my website at: http://www.biblebibliographies.net/au... ~~~~~~~ If this blessed you, share it. Contact @BeGoodBroadcast@gmail.com Twitter @WinInHim --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/support
In How We Got the Bible, we’re continuing on in our quest to understand the sources for the Hebrew Bible. We’ve already covered the Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls, but we have one last important Hebrew source to look at before surveying several significant ancient translations. As it turns out the Samaritans have Read more about 332 Bible 3 – Samaritan Pentateuch and Ancient Translations[…]
In How We Got the Bible, we’re continuing on in our quest to understand the sources for the Hebrew Bible. We’ve already covered the Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls, but we have one last important Hebrew source to look at before surveying several significant ancient translations. As it turns out the Samaritans have Read more about 332 Bible 3 – Samaritan Pentateuch and Ancient Translations[…]
1SAMUEL 1:Yesterday we heard the charming conclusion of the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. The words of the town women have prophetic significance: “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family.” (NLT) The words have a double meaning for us today, as we see them looking forward to Jesus our Redeemer. Now if you have been listening closely, you didn’t hear the word ‘redeemer’ in the GNT. That word happens 8 times in Ruth, beginning at 2:20. GNT translated the correct meaning as “a close relative of ours, one of those responsible for taking care of us.” The term meant much more than— for instance, redeeming a family member who had been sold into slavery. The nearest kinsman would also revenge a murder or marry a widow of a close family member. The advantage of GNT’s term is that it accurately shows the meaning, but the advantage of translating using the word ‘redeemer’ is that readers will more quickly see the correspondence between what Boaz did with Jesus— who both came from Boaz’ line and is our redeemer. Continuing the history of Israel, we now move to the transition from the period of judges to the period of kings. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book in the Hebrew Scripture. They were separated in the Greek Septuagint. The books are named after Samuel, not written by him. In 1 Samuel, we see that Samuel is not just a judge, but also a prophet, and that he anointed both Saul and David. This book contains many of the favorite Bible stories told to children. PSALM 90:The traditional titles in the Psalms (given as headings or footnotes in our Bibles) were written centuries afterward by the Rabbis and we need not consider them part of the inspired Word. This title of Psalm 90 may identify Moses as the author, or the Rabbis may have meant that this psalm reflects a Mosaic perspective. No other psalm is labeled like this one. This is a good psalm for meditating on the meaning of our life and our short life-span. ROMANS 1a:Yesterday in the final chapter of 1 Timothy, Paul continued giving instructions on how to teach particular groups in the church, ending with teachings for slaves and for rich people. Note that those who give generously to help others store up heavenly treasures and “a good foundation for the future.” Paul's closing encouragements to Timothy are moving because we can sense Paul's deep love for Timothy. We move back in time slightly from 1 Timothy to Romans. Romans was written perhaps 6-9 years before 1Timothy, written at the time that Paul was in Corinth. The topic sentence for Romans is 1:16-17, and the book is an outstanding presentation of this thesis in impeccable logic. As a translator, I often use those two verses as an example of how hard it is to understand a literal translation versus a meaning based translation. I encourage you to compare the NLT with something like the ESV— to see what I mean. GNT Translation notes: 1Sam. 1:20 The name Samuel actually means ‘name of God’ but has some sounds that are similar to the Hebrew verb ‘asked’. ====Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the whole world is hearing about your [fully believing in Christ//faith]. 12 What I mean is that both you and I will be [mutually encouraged to believe more fully in Christ//helped at the same time, you by my faith and I by yours]. 13 [I want you to know//You must remember], my friends, that many times I have planned to visit you, but something has always kept me from doing so. I want to win converts among you also, as I have among other Gentiles. 17 For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through [believing//faith] from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through [believing//faith] shall live.”
1SAMUEL 1:Yesterday we heard the charming conclusion of the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. The words of the town women have prophetic significance: “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family.” (NLT) The words have a double meaning for us today, as we see them looking forward to Jesus our Redeemer. Now if you have been listening closely, you didn’t hear the word ‘redeemer’ in the GNT. That word happens 8 times in Ruth, beginning at 2:20. GNT translated the correct meaning as “a close relative of ours, one of those responsible for taking care of us.” The term meant much more than— for instance, redeeming a family member who had been sold into slavery. The nearest kinsman would also revenge a murder or marry a widow of a close family member. The advantage of GNT’s term is that it accurately shows the meaning, but the advantage of translating using the word ‘redeemer’ is that readers will more quickly see the correspondence between what Boaz did with Jesus— who both came from Boaz’ line and is our redeemer. Continuing the history of Israel, we now move to the transition from the period of judges to the period of kings. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book in the Hebrew Scripture. They were separated in the Greek Septuagint. The books are named after Samuel, not written by him. In 1 Samuel, we see that Samuel is not just a judge, but also a prophet, and that he anointed both Saul and David. This book contains many of the favorite Bible stories told to children. PSALM 90:The traditional titles in the Psalms (given as headings or footnotes in our Bibles) were written centuries afterward by the Rabbis and we need not consider them part of the inspired Word. This title of Psalm 90 may identify Moses as the author, or the Rabbis may have meant that this psalm reflects a Mosaic perspective. No other psalm is labeled like this one. This is a good psalm for meditating on the meaning of our life and our short life-span. ROMANS 1a:Yesterday in the final chapter of 1 Timothy, Paul continued giving instructions on how to teach particular groups in the church, ending with teachings for slaves and for rich people. Note that those who give generously to help others store up heavenly treasures and “a good foundation for the future.” Paul's closing encouragements to Timothy are moving because we can sense Paul's deep love for Timothy. We move back in time slightly from 1 Timothy to Romans. Romans was written perhaps 6-9 years before 1Timothy, written at the time that Paul was in Corinth. The topic sentence for Romans is 1:16-17, and the book is an outstanding presentation of this thesis in impeccable logic. As a translator, I often use those two verses as an example of how hard it is to understand a literal translation versus a meaning based translation. I encourage you to compare the NLT with something like the ESV— to see what I mean. GNT Translation notes:1Sam. 1:20 The name Samuel actually means ‘name of God’ but has some sounds that are similar to the Hebrew verb ‘asked’. ====Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the whole world is hearing about your [fully believing in Christ//faith].12 What I mean is that both you and I will be [mutually encouraged to believe more fully in Christ//helped at the same time, you by my faith and I by yours].13 [I want you to know//You must remember], my friends, that many times I have planned to visit you, but something has always kept me from doing so. I want to win converts among you also, as I have among other Gentiles.17 For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through [believing//faith] from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through [believing//faith] shall live.” NLT Translation notes:Rom. 1:8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your [fully believing//faith] in him is being talked about all over the world.12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your [fully believing in Christ//faith], but I also want to be encouraged [in the same way by you//by yours].16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—[both Jews, and also non-Jews//the Jew first and also the Gentile.[As I have said repeatedly already, translating pistis/pistew (same root word) by the different-appearing words in English ‘faith’ and ‘believe can cause misunderstanding for some English speakers. (This certainly happens in Indonesian where the same root was translated as ‘iman’ and ‘percaya’.) Keeping the word ‘believe’ in all places helps us to see the continuity/cohesion. Our being ‘made right’ in God’s sight is not accomplished by the fuzzy touchy-feely stuff Americans often refer to by the word ‘faith’.]17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by [our fully believing this message (the Good News)//faith]. As the Scriptures say, “It is through [fully believing//faith] that a righteous person has life.”
Why do you consult the Septuagint frequently? I understand that the Greek Septuagint is a valuable resource for understanding Second Temple Judaism and for reading the Apostolic Scriptures, and that there are some differences between the Septuagint and Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Tanach. Are there any English translations of the Septuagint which can help me in my studies? The post Septuagint (LXX) – FAQ appeared first on Messianic Apologetics.
Spent most of the program on the 90th Psalm, looking at it from the aspects of both the Hebrew and the Greek Septuagint, and its important message for us today. Then a few comments in response to Ken Wilson, and then a few comments on the cancellation of the SBC summer meeting, and hence the extension of the current president, etc.
Nagging Thoughts Clapback: "Does the Bible Permit a Woman to Preach?" Isaiah 3:16-26 Eisegesis Part 7. If strong women make weak men, whose mommy is to blame for Adam being too weak to protect Eve from the serpent?!_____ Isaiah 3:12 with footnotes = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+3%3A12&version=NETIsaiah 3:12 Greek Septuagint interlinear = https://biblehub.com/interlinear/apostolic/isaiah/3.htmpraktór = https://biblehub.com/greek/4233.htmapaiteó = https://biblehub.com/greek/523.htmIsaiah 3:12 Hebrew interlinear = https://biblehub.com/interlinear/isaiah/3-12.htm_____Does the Bible Permit a Woman to Preach? By John MacArthur & Grace To You: https://youtu.be/n8ncOf82ZJ0 _____ CLAPBACK Part 1: https://youtu.be/IYSJwRrQ8HsCLAPBACK Part 2: https://youtu.be/EtZo7lliowoCLAPBACK Part 3: https://youtu.be/NlJjT2l5fXQCLAPBACK Part 4: https://youtu.be/hP7qVDn3aE8CLAPBACK Part 5: https://youtu.be/hC-L1c9vru0CLAPBACK Part 6: https://youtu.be/ohh4XRSd1x0
Nagging Thoughts Clapback: "Does the Bible Permit a Woman to Preach?" Isaiah 3:16-26 Eisegesis Part 7. If strong women make weak men, whose mommy is to blame for Adam being too weak to protect Eve from the serpent?!_____ Isaiah 3:12 with footnotes = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+3%3A12&version=NETIsaiah 3:12 Greek Septuagint interlinear = https://biblehub.com/interlinear/apostolic/isaiah/3.htmpraktór = https://biblehub.com/greek/4233.htmapaiteó = https://biblehub.com/greek/523.htmIsaiah 3:12 Hebrew interlinear = https://biblehub.com/interlinear/isaiah/3-12.htm_____Does the Bible Permit a Woman to Preach? By John MacArthur & Grace To You: https://youtu.be/n8ncOf82ZJ0 _____ CLAPBACK Part 1: https://youtu.be/IYSJwRrQ8HsCLAPBACK Part 2: https://youtu.be/EtZo7lliowoCLAPBACK Part 3: https://youtu.be/NlJjT2l5fXQCLAPBACK Part 4: https://youtu.be/hP7qVDn3aE8CLAPBACK Part 5: https://youtu.be/hC-L1c9vru0CLAPBACK Part 6: https://youtu.be/ohh4XRSd1x0
1st CHRONICLES 1:Jewish and Christian traditions hold that Jeremiah was the author of 1&2 Kings, which were originally one book. And that Ezra, the priest, wrote 1&2 Chronicles, which are also one book in the Hebrew. It may be that Ezra wrote these books after his return to Jerusalem. The Greek Septuagint names this book Paraleipomena, which means ‘things left over’. This book does supplement things not found in other books. Compared to the books of Samuel and Kings, Chronicles focuses more on the spiritual misdeeds of the kings and the importance of worshiping the Lord properly through the ministry of the priests and the Temple. This fits well with Ezra being the author. So we turn from the Prophets and return to the books of history. PROVERBS 13b:Here is a favorite verse from today’s reading:16 Wise people think before they act;fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness. (NLT) EPHESIANS 3:At the first of chapter 1, Paul mentioned God’s “secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan … was to bring Everything together with Christ as head.” At the end of chapter 2, we learned that specifically, through our union with Christ, all believers are made one— no matter if they are Jews or non-Jews. Paul restates God’s secret plan in a more concise and clear way in today’s chapter as he moves to this letter’s second major prayer. There are two instances of ‘joined/in union with Christ’ in this chapter. Translation notes:12 In union with Christ and through our [believing//faith] in him we have the boldness to go into God's presence with all confidence. 17 and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through [your believing//faith]. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love,
1 CHRONICLES 1:Jewish and Christian traditions hold that Jeremiah was the author of 1&2 Kings, which were originally one book. And that Ezra, the priest, wrote 1&2 Chronicles, which are also one book in the Hebrew. It may be that Ezra wrote these books after his return to Jerusalem. The Greek Septuagint names this book Paraleipomena, which means ‘things left over’. This book does supplement things not found in other books. Compared to the books of Samuel and Kings, Chronicles focuses more on the spiritual misdeeds of the kings and the importance of worshiping the Lord properly through the ministry of the priests and the Temple. This fits well with Ezra being the author. So we turn from the Prophets and return to the books of history. PROVERBS 13b:Here is a favorite verse from today’s reading: Pro. 13:16 NLT Wise people think before they act;fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness. EPHESIANS 3:At the first of chapter 1, Paul mentioned God’s “secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan … was to bring Everything together with Christ as head.” At the end of chapter 2, we learned that specifically, through our union with Christ, all believers are made one— no matter if they are Jews or non-Jews. Paul restates God’s secret plan in a more concise and clear way in today’s chapter as he moves to this letter’s second major prayer. There are two instances of ‘joined/in union with Christ’ in this chapter. GNT Translation notes:Eph. 3:12 In union with Christ and through our [believing//faith] in him we have the boldness to go into God's presence with all confidence.17 and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through [your believing//faith]. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, NLT Translation note:Pro. 13:23 A poor person’s farm may produce much food,but injustice [can sweep//sweeps] it all away.====Eph. 3:5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed [that secret plan//it] to his holy apostles and prophets.12 [PET: Because we who fully believe in Christ are joined as one with Him, we feel confident/bold/free and no longer need to be afraid to come to God in prayer.//Because of Christ and our faith in him,d we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.] 20-21 PET: May God— who is able to do far more than we can ask or think, always be glorified by the unity of His whole church. Let us glorify Him because of His amazing power which works in each of our lives. And because we are one with Christ Jesus, let us glorify God from age to age, forever! Amen!///NLT:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
1 CHRONICLES 1:Jewish and Christian traditions hold that Jeremiah was the author of 1&2 Kings, which were originally one book. And that Ezra, the priest, wrote 1&2 Chronicles, which are also one book in Hebrew. It may be that Ezra wrote these books after his return to Jerusalem. The Greek Septuagint names this book Paraleipomena, which means ‘things left over’. This book does supplement things not found in other books. Compared to the books of Samuel and Kings, Chronicles focuses more on the spiritual misdeeds of the kings and the importance of worshiping the Lord properly through the ministry of the priests and the Temple. This fits well with Ezra being the author. So we turn from the Prophets and return to the books of history. PROVERBS 13b:Here is a favorite verse from today’s reading:Pro. 13:16 NLT Wise people think before they act;fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness. EPHESIANS 3:At the first of chapter 1, Paul mentioned God’s “secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan … was to bring Everything together with Christ as the head.” At the end of chapter 2, we learned that specifically, through our union with Christ, all believers are made one— no matter if they are Jews or non-Jews. Paul restates God’s secret plan in a more concise and clear way in today’s chapter as he moves to this letter’s second major prayer. There are two instances of ‘joined/in union with Christ’ in this chapter. GNT Translation notes: Eph. 3:12 In union with Christ and through our [believing//faith] in him we have the boldness to go into God's presence with all confidence. 17 and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through [your believing//faith]. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love,
The church has been talking about gossip for a very, very long time! Clement of Rome, who likely knew Peter and John (and died in 99AD) Wrote this about gossip: Since, then, we are a holy portion, we should do everything that makes for holiness. We should flee from slandering, vile and impure embraces, drunkenness, rioting, filthy lusts, detestable adultery and disgusting arrogance. “For God,” says Scripture, “resists the arrogant but gives grace to the humble.” We should attach ourselves to those to whom God's grace has been given. We should clothe ourselves with concord, being humble, self-controlled, far removed from all gossiping and slandering, and justified by our deeds, not by words. Spurgeon: GOSSIPS of both genders, give up the shameful trade of tale-bearing; don't be the devil's bellows any longer to blow up the fire of strife. Leave off setting people by the ears. If you do not cut a bit off your tongues, at least season them with the salt of grace. Praise God more and blame neighbours less. Any goose can cackle, any fly can find out a sore place, any empty barrel can give forth sound, any brier can tear a man's flesh. No flies will go down your throat if you keep your mouth shut, and no evil-speaking will come up. Think much, but say little: be quick at work and slow at talk; and above all, ask the great Lord to set a watch over your lips. C. H. Spurgeon, Flashes of Thought (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1874), 184. What, exactly, is gossip? I find that several times over the past year, I have wondered about that, and even been asked about it more than once. Gossip is mentioned less than 10 times in the Bible, 8 times in the NIV and 4 times in the ESV. In the NIV, 6 of those 8 times are in the OT, and all six are in Proverbs. In the ESV, 3 of those 4 times are in the NT, and the one OT reference is in Ezekiel. What does that tell us? I think it tells us that our best Bible scholars don't really have a great grip on what gossip is either! That should give us pause - particularly when we decide to point the finger at somebody and identify their actions as gossip. I've seen and received more than one accusation of gossip that did not seem to line up with what Scripture identifies as gossip. It's just not terribly clear what, precisely, gossip designates. But we are going to try our level best to help clear that up today. While it is true that the Bible never precisely defines what is meant by gossip, what is far more clear, is how we should act towards other people, and what is allowed and what isn't allowed in our conversations with each other and about each other, according to the Bible. Here's a shocking truth that should be the fact of the podcast: When it comes to the Bible, God's Word, pummelling people with your words is JUST AS BAD as pummelling them with your fists. Let me reiterate, because most people who engage in the activities of criticism, gossip, slander, cut-downs, etc probably aren't physical bullies. It's easy for them to say dank words about people, but they probably wouldn't take a swing at those people if they bumped into them at Walmart. When it comes to the Bible, there's no difference between the wounds we inflict with our fists and knives and swords, than with the wounds we inflict with our words. Witness these two warnings: James 3:8 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Proverbs 12:18 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Paul gives a general rule in Romans 14:19, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Here's a good place to start - we are to make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual upbuilding or edification. Our words and actions must be delivered with a heart of blessing, peace and building up. Encouragement, not criticism - upbuilding, not tearing down. Conversations that are not intended to edify - or build somebody up - or work towards their ultimate good, therefore are not allowed for Christians. Ephesians 4:29 says it pretty clearly: No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don't grieve God's Holy Spirit. Gossip does not build people up. In the NIV, we are told in Proverbs 11:13 and 16:28 that a gossip separates close friends, and in 26:20 that gossip causes a quarrel to continue. In Proverbs 18:8 and 20:19, we learn that gossips betray confidences and that the words they share are choice morsels - so interesting that people want to hear them - words of gossip are delicious to our ears, so to speak. In Romans 1, Paul gives a long description of, well, people. He doesn't go into much detail about who he is referring to, and it appears that he is just generally describing people (or wicked people.) One of their characteristics of wickedness, along with sexual perversity, envy, strife, murder and malice, is that they are gossips. The Greek word there for gossip is psithyristēs, psith-oo-ris-tace' which means literally means “whisperers.” Beyond that, Paul here gives no real description of what gossip is. Similarly, Paul doesn't describe gossip in detail in 2nd Corinthians 12:20, where the same Greek word is used in this way: "For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder." In both of those passages, the KJV translates the word psith-oo-ris-tace' as ‘whisperings,' which I think is a very good translation that gets at the heart of the word meaning. One other time in the Bible where that word is used is in Ecclesiastes 10, in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament, where a snake charmer is described as using psith-oo-ris-tace'/whisperings as a way to charm a snake. The final appearance of the English word ‘gossip' in the NT (according to the ESV) is in 1 Timothy 5:13, where the word used is "phlyaros," flü'-ä-ros A Greek word that means, "a person uttering foolish things, babbling. Of things foolish, trifling, vain." The passage reads, "Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not." This seems to be a little different than the above uses. That Greek word for gossip, translated as tattlers in the KJV, word actually comes from a verb, which means, ‘to bubble.' and can also mean, to babble. A few other passages: Proverbs 11:13 A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence. Proverbs 16:28 A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends Proverbs 20:19 The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth. Proverbs 26:20 Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down. Putting the biblical testimony above together, I believe we can reasonably conclude that gossip entails: #1 Privately/secretly/ Telling secrets or unauthorized juicy details about somebody else in a non-edifying manner - with a non-edifying goal. #2 Discussing other people excessively (in a nosy/babbling sort of way) bubbling over with information and guessings and speculation that gets into the realm of foolish babble and speculation. Gossip betrays trusts, it ruins friendship, throws gasoline on conflicts, and separates close people. It is the opposite of wisdom, integrity and being trustworthy. I note here that Proverbs, the book of wisdom, has the absolute most to say about the topic of gossip in the Bible. For instance, in the HCSB, the word gossip makes 13 appearances, and OVER HALF OF THOSE MENTIONS - 7 - are warnings in the book of Proverbs. I believe this means that gossip is the very OPPOSITE of wise behavior. People who spend their time gossiping and reading about gossip are wasting their time on incredibly foolish activities and becoming foolish, shallow and vapid themselves. Run away from such things. AND DON'T READ ABOUT THEM online either. As I write this, a daily gossip rag has released a picture of a popular celebrity from the 90s, criticizing his appearance as disheveled. The poor guy has just spent months in the hospital with a terrible GI issue, and now has to deal with his picture being made fun of by a prominent national gossip newspaper/website. It's sad, really, and we should avoid such things. Gossiping about celebrities AND politicians is still gossip, and it makes us increasingly foolish, instead of increasingly wise. (I read this in a front page article on Reddit) What is the takeaway? Be very, very careful when communicating about somebody that is not present to somebody else. Don't share their secrets. Don't share juicy details about their lives. DON'T speculate about their motives, what they are thinking, and why they did such and such thing - especially when that speculation is negative. The fact of the matter is that you and I don't actually know somebody's motive at all, and such things are notoriously difficult to guess from the outside. Sometimes I don't even know what motivates my OWN ACTIONS, so I should run away from predicting what is motivating the actions of others. Don't try to combine all of the juicy details you know about their lives into some sort of cohesive narrative. Those sorts of gossipy ‘investigations' are almost always wrong in their conclusions. Not only are they wrong, for a Christian, they are off limits entirely. Apparently, some conversation about other people can take place without their being present. (Otherwise, Paul would be guilty of gossip in Galatians 2:11-15 and 2nd Timothy 4:10) As well, not everything that happens that is negative is prohibited from being a point of discussion - see 1 Corinthians 1:11 "My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you." What is the dividing line? I think the answer goes back to Romans 14:19, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." - If the purpose of a discreet conversation is genuinely and truly the building up, or the well-being of somebody being discussed, then I don't believe that qualifies as gossip. Two church elders discussing a church member who might be struggling with alcohol addiction, and their motivation is to lovingly help the person? Probably not gossip. Two pastors discussing a third pastor of a church larger than theirs, and speculating that he has underhanded and worldly character as evidenced by his big house and nice car? That's pretty close to gossip - right on it, actually. I believe the determining factor is a HEART ISSUE. We should be very, very careful with every discussion we have about a third/fourth party who isn't around to defend themselves. If that discussion is 100 percent motivated by love and a desire for the greater good, encouragement and building up of the person being discussed, then that conversation is probably not gossip. (Be led by the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit, however - better safe than sorry.) What about ‘neutral conversations' about third parties? Ones that are just motivated by sharing information? I think those can be risky, especially if they involve confidential or private information. Best to avoid such conversations. Mixed motivations are difficult here, and most of us have them. I'm naturally going to be careful to avoid accidentally punchin or kicking somebody. We should have the same approach with our words. Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. By the way, The distinguishing mark of gossip is not whether or not the information is true. RAY ORTLUND: “Gossip is not necessarily false information. Slander is false. Gossip might include true information, and maybe that's why gossip doesn't always feel sinful. What makes it sin is, first and foremost, that God says it's sin. But gossip spreads what can include accurate information to diminish another person. That is not how people behave when they are living in the power of the grace of God.” You know who is guilty of gossip? You and I. We need the Word and the Spirit to help tame our tongues. I know I do. How does one avoid gossip? I believe that this is an issue that is less about what the precise definition of gossip is and more about the state of the heart and the predominance of love in it towards those who are being discussed; as well as a deep and sincere desire for the object of discussion to be edified and blessed. I believe a group of church leaders can, in a godly way, discuss rumors of a certain member of the fellowship engaging in drunkenness or adultery. I believe, at the same time, it is possible for those same church leaders to discuss those issues in a way that qualifies as gossip. What distinguishes the two? The best I can tell you is that it is the attitude of the heart and its love, as well as a genuine desire for edification that is the distinguishing factor. Ultimately, it should be repeated that judicious care needs to be taken in any conversation about a party that is not privy to the conversation. I hate it when people gossip about me - especially when they genuinely have no ideas about what really happened, or what's really going on in my head. That said, Let me be clear about something: I am guilty of gossip. You are too. I'm afraid it is a common (though deadly) sin. What does the Bible say to us) given the fact that we are guilty of the same sin that we are frustrated about when a fellow believer commits it against us? I am glad you asked! Romans 2:1-5 " You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. " Ouch!!! What a challenging passage of Scripture. When we judge other people for things that we are guilty of, we are inviting God's judgment on us in a significant way. When we do this, we are showing contempt for the kindness, mercy and patience of God which is designed to lead us (and the people that we are angry at) to repentance. It shows that we are still much more aware of the splinter in our neighbor's eye than we are of the plank in our own eye. According to Jesus (Matthew 7:5) it makes us a hypocrite, and hypocrisy will lead people away from the truth (Galatians 2:13) and shows that, though our words might say the right things, our hearts are far from God. (Matthew 15:8). To be clear, this sort of judgment - criticizing others for sins that we are guilty of - invites the judgment of God on our lives. (Matthew 7:1-2 "“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ") That is more than scary - it is terrifying! A lifestyle of continually judging others for sin that the judger is guilty of will likely lead to health problems, frustrations, discord and other issues. It will affect us, and it will certainly have a negative impact on the church we are part of. O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who does not take up a reproach against his friend. Psalm 15:1, 3 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: . . . one who sows discord among brothers. Proverbs 6:16, 19 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people. Leviticus 19:16, AV Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. James 4:11 Argue your case with your neighbor himself,and do not reveal another's secret. Proverbs 25:9 CLOSE: Ray ORTLUND: Gossip leaves a wide trail of devastation wherever and however it goes – word of mouth, email, blogging, YouTube, social media. It erodes trust and destroys morale. It creates a social environment of suspicion where everyone must wonder what is being said behind their backs and whether appearances of friendship are sincere. It ruins hard-won reputations with cowardly but effective weapons of misrepresentation. It manipulates people into taking sides when no such action is necessary or beneficial. It unleashes the dark powers of psychological transference, doing violence to the gossiper, to the one receiving the gossip and to the person being spoken against. It makes the Body of Christ look like the Body of Antichrist – destroyers rather than healers. It exhausts the energies we would otherwise devote to positive witness. It robs our Lord of the Church he deserves. It exposes the hostility in our hearts and discredits the gospel in the eyes of the world. Then we wonder why we don't see more conversions, why “the ground is so hard.” https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/ray-ortlund/gossip/
The church has been talking about gossip for a very, very long time! Clement of Rome, who likely knew Peter and John (and died in 99AD) Wrote this about gossip: Since, then, we are a holy portion, we should do everything that makes for holiness. We should flee from slandering, vile and impure embraces, drunkenness, rioting, filthy lusts, detestable adultery and disgusting arrogance. “For God,” says Scripture, “resists the arrogant but gives grace to the humble.” We should attach ourselves to those to whom God's grace has been given. We should clothe ourselves with concord, being humble, self-controlled, far removed from all gossiping and slandering, and justified by our deeds, not by words. Spurgeon: GOSSIPS of both genders, give up the shameful trade of tale-bearing; don't be the devil's bellows any longer to blow up the fire of strife. Leave off setting people by the ears. If you do not cut a bit off your tongues, at least season them with the salt of grace. Praise God more and blame neighbours less. Any goose can cackle, any fly can find out a sore place, any empty barrel can give forth sound, any brier can tear a man's flesh. No flies will go down your throat if you keep your mouth shut, and no evil-speaking will come up. Think much, but say little: be quick at work and slow at talk; and above all, ask the great Lord to set a watch over your lips. C. H. Spurgeon, Flashes of Thought (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1874), 184. What, exactly, is gossip? I find that several times over the past year, I have wondered about that, and even been asked about it more than once. Gossip is mentioned less than 10 times in the Bible, 8 times in the NIV and 4 times in the ESV. In the NIV, 6 of those 8 times are in the OT, and all six are in Proverbs. In the ESV, 3 of those 4 times are in the NT, and the one OT reference is in Ezekiel. What does that tell us? I think it tells us that our best Bible scholars don't really have a great grip on what gossip is either! That should give us pause - particularly when we decide to point the finger at somebody and identify their actions as gossip. I've seen and received more than one accusation of gossip that did not seem to line up with what Scripture identifies as gossip. It's just not terribly clear what, precisely, gossip designates. But we are going to try our level best to help clear that up today. While it is true that the Bible never precisely defines what is meant by gossip, what is far more clear, is how we should act towards other people, and what is allowed and what isn't allowed in our conversations with each other and about each other, according to the Bible. Here's a shocking truth that should be the fact of the podcast: When it comes to the Bible, God's Word, pummelling people with your words is JUST AS BAD as pummelling them with your fists. Let me reiterate, because most people who engage in the activities of criticism, gossip, slander, cut-downs, etc probably aren't physical bullies. It's easy for them to say dank words about people, but they probably wouldn't take a swing at those people if they bumped into them at Walmart. When it comes to the Bible, there's no difference between the wounds we inflict with our fists and knives and swords, than with the wounds we inflict with our words. Witness these two warnings: James 3:8 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Proverbs 12:18 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Paul gives a general rule in Romans 14:19, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Here's a good place to start - we are to make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual upbuilding or edification. Our words and actions must be delivered with a heart of blessing, peace and building up. Encouragement, not criticism - upbuilding, not tearing down. Conversations that are not intended to edify - or build somebody up - or work towards their ultimate good, therefore are not allowed for Christians. Ephesians 4:29 says it pretty clearly: No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don't grieve God's Holy Spirit. Gossip does not build people up. In the NIV, we are told in Proverbs 11:13 and 16:28 that a gossip separates close friends, and in 26:20 that gossip causes a quarrel to continue. In Proverbs 18:8 and 20:19, we learn that gossips betray confidences and that the words they share are choice morsels - so interesting that people want to hear them - words of gossip are delicious to our ears, so to speak. In Romans 1, Paul gives a long description of, well, people. He doesn't go into much detail about who he is referring to, and it appears that he is just generally describing people (or wicked people.) One of their characteristics of wickedness, along with sexual perversity, envy, strife, murder and malice, is that they are gossips. The Greek word there for gossip is psithyristēs, psith-oo-ris-tace' which means literally means “whisperers.” Beyond that, Paul here gives no real description of what gossip is. Similarly, Paul doesn't describe gossip in detail in 2nd Corinthians 12:20, where the same Greek word is used in this way: "For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder." In both of those passages, the KJV translates the word psith-oo-ris-tace' as ‘whisperings,' which I think is a very good translation that gets at the heart of the word meaning. One other time in the Bible where that word is used is in Ecclesiastes 10, in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament, where a snake charmer is described as using psith-oo-ris-tace'/whisperings as a way to charm a snake. The final appearance of the English word ‘gossip' in the NT (according to the ESV) is in 1 Timothy 5:13, where the word used is "phlyaros," flü'-ä-ros A Greek word that means, "a person uttering foolish things, babbling. Of things foolish, trifling, vain." The passage reads, "Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not." This seems to be a little different than the above uses. That Greek word for gossip, translated as tattlers in the KJV, word actually comes from a verb, which means, ‘to bubble.' and can also mean, to babble. A few other passages: Proverbs 11:13 A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence. Proverbs 16:28 A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends Proverbs 20:19 The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth. Proverbs 26:20 Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down. Putting the biblical testimony above together, I believe we can reasonably conclude that gossip entails: #1 Privately/secretly/ Telling secrets or unauthorized juicy details about somebody else in a non-edifying manner - with a non-edifying goal. #2 Discussing other people excessively (in a nosy/babbling sort of way) bubbling over with information and guessings and speculation that gets into the realm of foolish babble and speculation. Gossip betrays trusts, it ruins friendship, throws gasoline on conflicts, and separates close people. It is the opposite of wisdom, integrity and being trustworthy. I note here that Proverbs, the book of wisdom, has the absolute most to say about the topic of gossip in the Bible. For instance, in the HCSB, the word gossip makes 13 appearances, and OVER HALF OF THOSE MENTIONS - 7 - are warnings in the book of Proverbs. I believe this means that gossip is the very OPPOSITE of wise behavior. People who spend their time gossiping and reading about gossip are wasting their time on incredibly foolish activities and becoming foolish, shallow and vapid themselves. Run away from such things. AND DON'T READ ABOUT THEM online either. As I write this, a daily gossip rag has released a picture of a popular celebrity from the 90s, criticizing his appearance as disheveled. The poor guy has just spent months in the hospital with a terrible GI issue, and now has to deal with his picture being made fun of by a prominent national gossip newspaper/website. It's sad, really, and we should avoid such things. Gossiping about celebrities AND politicians is still gossip, and it makes us increasingly foolish, instead of increasingly wise. (I read this in a front page article on Reddit) What is the takeaway? Be very, very careful when communicating about somebody that is not present to somebody else. Don't share their secrets. Don't share juicy details about their lives. DON'T speculate about their motives, what they are thinking, and why they did such and such thing - especially when that speculation is negative. The fact of the matter is that you and I don't actually know somebody's motive at all, and such things are notoriously difficult to guess from the outside. Sometimes I don't even know what motivates my OWN ACTIONS, so I should run away from predicting what is motivating the actions of others. Don't try to combine all of the juicy details you know about their lives into some sort of cohesive narrative. Those sorts of gossipy ‘investigations' are almost always wrong in their conclusions. Not only are they wrong, for a Christian, they are off limits entirely. Apparently, some conversation about other people can take place without their being present. (Otherwise, Paul would be guilty of gossip in Galatians 2:11-15 and 2nd Timothy 4:10) As well, not everything that happens that is negative is prohibited from being a point of discussion - see 1 Corinthians 1:11 "My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you." What is the dividing line? I think the answer goes back to Romans 14:19, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." - If the purpose of a discreet conversation is genuinely and truly the building up, or the well-being of somebody being discussed, then I don't believe that qualifies as gossip. Two church elders discussing a church member who might be struggling with alcohol addiction, and their motivation is to lovingly help the person? Probably not gossip. Two pastors discussing a third pastor of a church larger than theirs, and speculating that he has underhanded and worldly character as evidenced by his big house and nice car? That's pretty close to gossip - right on it, actually. I believe the determining factor is a HEART ISSUE. We should be very, very careful with every discussion we have about a third/fourth party who isn't around to defend themselves. If that discussion is 100 percent motivated by love and a desire for the greater good, encouragement and building up of the person being discussed, then that conversation is probably not gossip. (Be led by the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit, however - better safe than sorry.) What about ‘neutral conversations' about third parties? Ones that are just motivated by sharing information? I think those can be risky, especially if they involve confidential or private information. Best to avoid such conversations. Mixed motivations are difficult here, and most of us have them. I'm naturally going to be careful to avoid accidentally punchin or kicking somebody. We should have the same approach with our words. Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. By the way, The distinguishing mark of gossip is not whether or not the information is true. RAY ORTLUND: “Gossip is not necessarily false information. Slander is false. Gossip might include true information, and maybe that's why gossip doesn't always feel sinful. What makes it sin is, first and foremost, that God says it's sin. But gossip spreads what can include accurate information to diminish another person. That is not how people behave when they are living in the power of the grace of God.” You know who is guilty of gossip? You and I. We need the Word and the Spirit to help tame our tongues. I know I do. How does one avoid gossip? I believe that this is an issue that is less about what the precise definition of gossip is and more about the state of the heart and the predominance of love in it towards those who are being discussed; as well as a deep and sincere desire for the object of discussion to be edified and blessed. I believe a group of church leaders can, in a godly way, discuss rumors of a certain member of the fellowship engaging in drunkenness or adultery. I believe, at the same time, it is possible for those same church leaders to discuss those issues in a way that qualifies as gossip. What distinguishes the two? The best I can tell you is that it is the attitude of the heart and its love, as well as a genuine desire for edification that is the distinguishing factor. Ultimately, it should be repeated that judicious care needs to be taken in any conversation about a party that is not privy to the conversation. I hate it when people gossip about me - especially when they genuinely have no ideas about what really happened, or what's really going on in my head. That said, Let me be clear about something: I am guilty of gossip. You are too. I'm afraid it is a common (though deadly) sin. What does the Bible say to us) given the fact that we are guilty of the same sin that we are frustrated about when a fellow believer commits it against us? I am glad you asked! Romans 2:1-5 " You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. " Ouch!!! What a challenging passage of Scripture. When we judge other people for things that we are guilty of, we are inviting God's judgment on us in a significant way. When we do this, we are showing contempt for the kindness, mercy and patience of God which is designed to lead us (and the people that we are angry at) to repentance. It shows that we are still much more aware of the splinter in our neighbor's eye than we are of the plank in our own eye. According to Jesus (Matthew 7:5) it makes us a hypocrite, and hypocrisy will lead people away from the truth (Galatians 2:13) and shows that, though our words might say the right things, our hearts are far from God. (Matthew 15:8). To be clear, this sort of judgment - criticizing others for sins that we are guilty of - invites the judgment of God on our lives. (Matthew 7:1-2 "“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ") That is more than scary - it is terrifying! A lifestyle of continually judging others for sin that the judger is guilty of will likely lead to health problems, frustrations, discord and other issues. It will affect us, and it will certainly have a negative impact on the church we are part of. O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who does not take up a reproach against his friend. Psalm 15:1, 3 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: . . . one who sows discord among brothers. Proverbs 6:16, 19 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people. Leviticus 19:16, AV Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. James 4:11 Argue your case with your neighbor himself,and do not reveal another's secret. Proverbs 25:9 CLOSE: Ray ORTLUND: Gossip leaves a wide trail of devastation wherever and however it goes – word of mouth, email, blogging, YouTube, social media. It erodes trust and destroys morale. It creates a social environment of suspicion where everyone must wonder what is being said behind their backs and whether appearances of friendship are sincere. It ruins hard-won reputations with cowardly but effective weapons of misrepresentation. It manipulates people into taking sides when no such action is necessary or beneficial. It unleashes the dark powers of psychological transference, doing violence to the gossiper, to the one receiving the gossip and to the person being spoken against. It makes the Body of Christ look like the Body of Antichrist – destroyers rather than healers. It exhausts the energies we would otherwise devote to positive witness. It robs our Lord of the Church he deserves. It exposes the hostility in our hearts and discredits the gospel in the eyes of the world. Then we wonder why we don't see more conversions, why “the ground is so hard.” https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/ray-ortlund/gossip/
In this episode, we read Genesis chapters 32 and 33 from the Good News Translation of the Bible, Today's English Version. In this story, Jacob humbles himself before his brother Esau, hoping that Esau will not seek revenge for being tricked out of his birthright. The language of this passage in the Greek Septuagint helps us to accurately translate 1 Peter 3:1-6. In this New Testament passage, when properly translated, wives are not told to “accept the authority” of their husbands; nor does Sarah “obey” Abraham, calling him “master.”
1/19/19 Saturday 1pm ET/12pm CTRL/11am MTN/10am Pac Call in and listen, share comments or ask questions at 1-347-934-0379 or online at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/healingxoutreach/2019/01/19/hxo-forum-a-critical-examination-of-the-ot-text-hebrew-aramaic-or-greek Our Panel is on the topic of which is the oldest text of the Old Testament? Is the Aramaic Peshitta, The Hebrew Masoretic, or Greek Septuagint the oldest text and the bible which Jesus would have read from? Our panel consists of: David Withun is and Army veteran & member of the Melkite Catholic Church (Orthodox by communion) he teaches at Savannah Classical Academy in Savannah, GA, and a PhD student at Faulkner University. He blogs frequently at www.davidwithun.com. William Albrecht has a B.A. in theology and is a member of the Catholic apostolate, the Catholic Legate. You can find out more about him at: www.catholic-legate.com www.youtube.com/gnrhead
This episode launches our new study in the book of Numbers. This book is part of what is called the Pentateuch, a section of the Bible that also includes, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. The word Pentateuch is from the Greek and simply means “five books.” These books are actually considered one book written by one author, Moses, and are referred to as the Torah by the Jews. They also go by the names, “The Law of Moses,” the “Book of the Law of Moses,” and “The Book of Moses.” The name of this book, Numbers, is derived from a translation of the Greek Septuagint title, Arithmoi. This name was chosen because of the two numberings or censuses commanded by God in the book. As the book opens up, we will see God providing Moses with instructions for the first of these two numberings, in order that the people might be organized for battle. The closer the people got to the land of Canaan, there was a growing need for structure and order. They would need to know how many men they had who could fight. God had a plan, and they would play an important role in it. But first, they would have to be organized and under strong leadership.
This episode continues our series examining God as a character in the Bible. Today Tim and Jon dive deep into the story of Jesus of Nazareth. In part one (00:00-12:30), Tim outlines the historical path of Jesus. He says that within Jewish culture, Jesus stands unique. For example, in early Christian culture, there were hymns singing songs of praise to Jesus, not just about Jesus. Christians can “praise the name of Jesus” and Paul can use the phrase “maranatha,” which means “our Lord come” in Aramaic. Tim says the point is that Paul can write to a Hebrew or Greek audience with an Aramaic phrase and have it apparently make sense. The significance is that what Jews would have said about Yahweh––“our Lord come”––Christians were then saying about Jesus in Paul’s letters. Tim says that by doing this you are essentially equating Jesus to Yahweh. Tim cites Larry Hurtado and his book One Lord, One God. In part two (12:30-22:45), Tim outlines the most common exalted claim made about Jesus by the first Jewish Christians. It was to use the language of Psalm 110:1-2 combined with Daniel 7. Psalm 110 A poem of David: Yahweh says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.” These lines are the most-quoted Old Testament text in the New Testament. It describes God taking a “master/lord” of King David and placing him on a throne that is next to the divine throne. It’s quoted by Jesus himself inMark 12:36 and 14:62, by the apostles in Acts 2:33-35; 5:31; 7:55-56, and by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; 2:6; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2. It's also used in a Jewish context to claim that a human figure had been exalted to share in the divine rule over creation, which was equal to a claim that this figure shares in God’s unique identity. Tim asks the burning historical question: How did this configuration of beliefs and practices come into existence? The New Testament offers an account for the origins of this exalted view of Jesus and their experience of him through the Spirit. In part three (22:45-37:00), Tim lays out more accounts of Jesus and says that Jesus positions himself as “Yahweh returning” from the Old Testament. For example in Mark 1:1-3: “The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way; The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.’” “Lord” here is in Greek (kurios), the Greek Septuagint translation of “Yahweh.” In Mark 1:4-8, John the baptist is introduced as the messenger voice in the wilderness. So In Mark 1:9, we’re introduced to Jesus as kurios. Tim continues and says that with Jesus’ baptism, the story is a Father, Son and Spirit love-fest. Mark 1:9-11: "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens [God as Father]. 'You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.'" Tim says the point is to demonstrate the unity of the triune God. Jesus is sent forth from God/Yahweh in the power of the Spirit. In part four (37:00-end), Tim says after the baptism that Jesus does “Yahweh alone” things, such as forgiving people’s sins. Mark 2:5-7: "And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.' But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 'Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?' [lit. “the one God”]" Jon asks about the relationship as a son and father. Why does Jesus call God his father? Tim says it’s not like Yahweh gave birth to Jesus. It carries forward Old Testament ideas that the son, specifically the eldest son, is the chosen one who will carry on the father’s mission. Tim says that while the title “Father” or “my Father” or “our Father” can be confusing to modern readers, Jesus was fundamentally trying to show an intimate, precious relationship between him and Yahweh. Father is used in the Old Testament in Exodus when Yahweh refers to Israel as “my son.” Further, Christians get this language uniquely from Jesus’ own choice of that word to use it to describe Yahweh. Tim says that there is always a point in these type of conversations when things seem mysterious and confusing and people lack language to describe this aspect of God. Tim says he thinks that this is part of the beauty of the topic. Show Resources: Larry Hurtado One Lord, One God. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maranatha Our video on God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAvYmE2YYIU&t=3s Show Music: Defender Instrumental, Tents Praise Through The Valley, Tae the Producer Eden, Tae the Producer Moments, Tae the Producer Show Produced By: Dan Gummel, Jon Collins, Matthew Halbert-Howen
1 CHRONICLES 1:Jewish and Christian traditions hold that Jeremiah was the author of 1&2 Kings, which were originally one book. And that Ezra, the priest, wrote 1&2 Chronicles, which are also one book in the Hebrew. It may be that Ezra wrote these books after his return to Jerusalem. The Greek Septuagint names this book Paraleipomena, which means ‘things left over’. This book does supplement things not found in other books. Compared to the books of Samuel and Kings, Chronicles focuses more on the spiritual misdeeds of the kings and the importance of worshiping the Lord properly through the ministry of the priests and the Temple. This fits well with Ezra being the author. So we turn from the Prophets and return to the books of history. PROVERBS 13b:Here is a favorite verse from today’s reading: Pro. 13:16 NLT Wise people think before they act;fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness. EPHESIANS 3:At the first of chapter 1, Paul mentioned God’s “secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan … was to bring Everything together with Christ as head.” At the end of chapter 2, we learned that specifically, through our union with Christ, all believers are made one— no matter if they are Jews or non-Jews. Paul restates God’s secret plan in a more concise and clear way in today’s chapter as he moves to this letter’s second major prayer. There are two instances of ‘joined/in union with Christ’ in this chapter. GNT Translation notes:Eph. 3:12 In union with Christ and through our [believing//faith] in him we have the boldness to go into God's presence with all confidence.17 and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through [your believing//faith]. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, NLT Translation note:Pro. 13:23 A poor person’s farm may produce much food,but injustice [can sweep//sweeps] it all away.====Eph. 3:5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed [that secret plan//it] to his holy apostles and prophets.12 [PET: Because we who fully believe in Christ are joined as one with Him, we feel confident/bold/free and no longer need to be afraid to come to God in prayer.//Because of Christ and our faith in him,d we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.] 20-21 PET: May God— who is able to do far more than we can ask or think, always be glorified by the unity of His whole church. Let us glorify Him because of His amazing power which works in each of our lives. And because we are one with Christ Jesus, let us glorify God from age to age, forever! Amen!///NLT:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
The Names and Titles of Jesus – Jesus The Word/Logos This series of the names and titles of Jesus will give us a more in-depth understanding of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the second in the series. The following is an outline. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it. 6There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. Exodus 33 :20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.“ 1 Timothy 6:16 He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. 18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. Jesus the Word Pre-existent Co-existent Self-existent John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 1Co 1:24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God Col 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation Heb 1:6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God's angels worship him. 22“The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,[c][d] before his deeds of old; 23I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. 24When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; 25before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, 26before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. 27I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. 30 Then I was constantly[e] at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. 32“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. 33Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. 34Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. 35For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD. 36But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.” Predetermined Counsel of God. Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, 1Pe 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake 7No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began The Wisdom of God 7No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. The Word = Logos is the name of Jesus Reason Why John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. The Jews understood that the Logos, the Word of God, was God revealing Himself, God creating, God acting, God alive in His creation Targum Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible. (Yahweh) Aramaic term that means “the word.” It’s the word memra. Greek Septuagint memra “the word.” translation logos in Greek for example, in Genesis 15: “After this, the word [logos] of the Lord came to Abram in a vision.” Psalm 33, verse 6: “By the word [by the logos] of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” -The apostle John is the only New Testament author to call Jesus “the Word.” He does so in the Gospel of John, and in his first Epistle of John, and also, as we’ll see, in the book of Revelation. -When he talks about the “Word,” that’s the Greek word logos. So when you see the “Word,” that’s the logos. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John said 4 things about the Word Logos His Eternity 2. His Personality 3. His Deity 4. His Humanity John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 2 Problems Too high a view of John 2. Too low a view of Jesus More divine than human? More human than divine? Partly human, partly divine? Fully human, fully divine! The Incarnation of the Word of Life 1 John 1 (NIV) 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. THE WORD I AM (Yahweh) = LORD = “the word.” It’s the word memra= logos in Greek Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John infused this word with a richer, fuller meaning-- not an impersonal force but a person, God made flesh. Jesus was God’s mirror, God’s way of making Himself known to His creation. The definition of a word John 1:18,No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side [Jesus, the Logos/Word of God], he has made him known. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," [that God who spoke in Genesis 1] has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God [how?] in the face of Jesus Christ [the Logos, the Word]. Believe Credence - believing that the facts accepting the truth. 2. Confidence – believing in (trust and obey) 3. Continuance – go on believing (faith& faithfulness) John 20:31 Greek (present continual tense) Is this belief saving Faith Credence- believing that the facts accepting the truth John 8:24Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that [a]I am He, you will die in your sins.” Gospel Incarnation 2. Cross 3. Resurrection 4. Ascension 5. Second Coming Believe Credence - believing that the facts accepting the truth. 2. Confidence – believing in (trust and obey) 3. Continuance – go on believing (faith& faithfulness) John 20:31 Greek (present continual tense) Believe Heb 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek (present continual tense) Him. John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (present continual tense) THE WORD (logos) of God Revelation 19:12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word Logos of God.. TRUTH IS NOT A PROPITIATION IT IS A PERSON THE WORD THE LOGOS OF GOD Subscribe to the podcast: {Apple Podcasts}{Stitcher}{Google Play}{IHeartRadio}{YouTube}{Spotify}
Four times was Genesis 15:6 quoted in the New Testament. It is insinuated a number of other times. This verse is especially important in the epistles of Paul. Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3, 9, (v.23 is a partial quotation), Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23 NKJV). Two major doctrines of the New Testament are stated in that verse: believing and righteousness. These are BIG theological words, and we want to look at them briefly. Righteousness Righteousness is a gift through trust and faithfulness (faith) in Jesus’ blood (His sacrificial and substitutionary death on our behalf). Many will agree with that statement. Though the above is true, many will reject the notion that righteousness, from Genesis to Revelation, refers to righteous living. Righteousness includes righteous behavior according to God’s Word, dictates, and commandments. There is no such thing in Scripture as being only righteous on the inside (spiritually) without also being righteous in one's actions (physically). Internal-only-righteousness is a fantastical and imaginary doctrine taught by pulling verses out of context and reinterpreting Paul’s teaching according to a relatively modern theology! That may be contrary to what you have believed and heard taught, but don’t be so quick to dismiss it. Read the next paragraph and look up the Scripture references. Convince yourself if it is true or not. Internal and external righteousness are inseparable in the Bible. Bible righteousness refers to relationship, both with God and with others. There are vertical and horizontal dimensions to righteousness in Scripture. Paul and John taught both and so should we! Look at the following verses in the New English Translation (and others) to begin to get a picture of Biblical righteousness-justification. You will see doing, practicing, and living in righteousness as well as receiving the gift of righteousness. These are two sides of the same coin, and they are inseparable! See Matthew 3:15, 6:1, 11:19; Romans 3:25-26, 4:22-25, 5:17, 6:12-23; 2nd Corinthians 6:14; 1st Thessalonians 2:10; Titus 2:11-12; James 2:20-26; 1st Peter 2:24; 2nd Peter 2:21; 1st John 2:29, 3:7, 10; Revelation 22:11, Deuteronomy 9:4-6; Ezekiel 18:1-32, and there are many more. [1] Please read the notes. Some are quick to reply, “But Brother Dan, it is by believing in the heart that we come into righteousness. Paul said, “With the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). I agree with that verse fully, but I am telling you that our interpretation has been incomplete and we need some exposition-interpretation. Why so much interpretation? Recently on my Facebook feed, one pastor stated (maybe as a rebuke?), “Some want to give you Biblical interpretation instead of just accepting what the Bible says.” It was written in another language, so that is my loose version. The pastor’s statement sounds spiritual, but it’s not. It shows huge ignorance concerning Biblical language studies. If you were only dealing with modern English or Spanish, then the pastor’s statement could be applicable. When you are dealing with ancient languages and texts written thousands of years ago, that is when you are confronted with issues of interpretation. Let me give you some examples from the English and Spanish languages. Sometimes if you look at things in more familiar terms, it may help. Before I refer to older texts, I have been to places in the world where the English of the region was like hearing an unknown foreign language! Even in the U. S., when I first heard the people in the Appalachians speak in the mid 1960’s, I couldn’t understand ¾ of their words! I was in the car with my parents in 1964. We got lost in the mountains, so my dad stopped along a mountain road and called to a man plowing his field. When the man began to speak in answer to my dad, we were shocked. It sounded like a foreign language. Once the man finished, my dad politely thanked him, and got back into the car. My mother asked him, “Do you have any idea what he said?” Dad answered, “Wha wha wha to the right, and wha wha wha to the left.” That was all he understood after about a minute or two! We needed an interpretation! Have you tried to read English or Spanish documents from a few centuries ago? Please try it. Suddenly, you will be faced with the fact that the language, spelling, and grammar were different than they are today. Sometimes these will be so drastically different that you will not be sure what you are reading. For the modern English or Spanish speaker, in order to get a proper “interpretation” of the text, they must go beyond reading and simply accepting the text the way it’s written. We must go further or we will misinterpret and misunderstand the text unless we find out what the words meant in their historical setting. Unless you are an 11th or 12th century student or scholar of ancient Spanish, the oldest known poem in Castilian Spanish, El Cantar del Mio Cid, will leave question marks all over your face. Here is an excerpt: “De los sos ojos tan fuerte mientre lorando tornava la cabeça y estava los catando vio puertas abiertas e uços sin cañados alcandaras vazias sin pielles e sin mantos e sin falcones e sin adtores mudados sospiro mio Çid ca mucho avie grandes cuidados fablo mio Çid bien e tan mesurado grado a ti señor padre que estas en alto esto me an buelto mios enemigos malos” I am fluent in Spanish, but it doesn’t look much like it. The poem had no punctuations in the original text. That alone is a problem, but what in the world is, “uços sin cañados” or “adtores mudados”? Even if one could translate most of this poem, would their interpretation be correct? Probably not without quite a bit of study! How about in English? Do you know the words euene, forsothe, weren, borun, watris, or erthe? They are very unfamiliar, aren’t they? All those words are in a familiar portion of Scripture from the 1395 A. D. Middle English translation in the Wycliffe Bible: In the bigynniyng God made euene and erthe. Forsothe the erthe was idel and voide, and derknessis weren on the face of and derknessis weren on the face of depthe; the Spyrit of the Lord was was borun on the watris. That is Genesis 1:1-2, but if you read an original copy, get ready for a real chore! The lettering style Wycliffe used is h-a-r-d to read. Do you see all the strange words I was telling you about? If you were not familiar with the text, would you have understood it? I don’t think so. I know I would be scratching my head. I would need interpretation! A more drastic need for interpretation applies to ancient languages that existed long before Jesus walked the earth! The further back you go into the history of any language, the more you will need to study and interpret. Some words and phrases in the ancient texts make no sense to the modern reader unless you have interpretation AND historical context. Misunderstood words and phrases The idiomatic peculiarities of a language can be translated word for word, but unless they are explained, or interpreted, you will misunderstand the word or phrase. One short list of Hebrew idioms is found on the website: Ancient Hebrew Research Center. Here are the idioms mentioned on their list from Psalms and Proverbs. In the parenthesis to the right, I added what these idioms are not referring to. You would be surprised at the funny ways people often misinterpret these idiomatic expressions. Some I have heard are roll-in-the-floor funny! Ps 3.7 Break teeth make powerless (not a reference to losing teeth in a fight!) Ps 4.1 Enlarge space set free (not a reference to getting a bigger space!) Ps 5.9 Their throat is an open grave they speak deceitfully Ps 6.7 Eye is consumed vision is blurred Ps 7.3 Iniquity in my hands guilty Ps 7.9 Hearts and kidneys thoughts and emotions (not a reference to your blood pump or kidneys!) Ps 10.5 Snorts scoffs Ps 11.6 the portion of their cup their destiny Ps 12.2 double heart duplicitous Ps 17.8 Little man of the eye pupil Ps 24.4 Clean hands act purely (not a reference to hygiene after toilet use!) Ps 25.1 Lift up my soul pray (not a reference to coming out of depression!) Ps 27.8 Seek my face seek me (not a reference to seeking the face as opposed to the hands!) Ps 33.18 Eyes are upon watches over Ps 41.9 Lifted heel against turned against (not a reference to kicking someone!) Ps 73.9 Tongue struts through the earth arrogantly order everyone (not a reference to gossip or slander!) Ps 75.5 Lift horn defy God (not a reference to becoming great without God!) Ps 89.13 Right hand might (not a reference to being right-handed!) Ps 89.22 Son of wickedness wicked person Ps 90.12 Number days use time wisely (not a reference to length of life!) Ps 94.9 Planted created (not a reference to being solidly built on a foundation!) Ps 102.2 Hide your face refuse to answer (not a reference to being ashamed!) Ps 121.1 Lift up eyes look up toward (not a reference to vision!) Ps 124.3 Swallowed alive killed (not a reference to eating something that’s still alive!) Pro 17.22 Dries bones drains strength (not a reference to osteoporosis!) Pro 22.9 Good eye generous (not a reference to good or clear eyesight, good luck, or wishing goodness on people!) Pro 23.6 Bad/Evil eye stingy (not a reference to being single-minded, bad luck, or putting a curse on someone!) Pro 18.20 Fruit of the mouth what someone says Pro 24.20 lamp will go out will die (not a reference to a lack of light at one’s house!) Go to the link and read the idioms from the other books of the Hebrew Bible. There are hundreds more idiomatic expressions that are not included in that list. Any of these could be easily misunderstood unless explained. Did you know that many words in English meant one thing years ago that today mean something completely different? Nice used to mean silly, foolish, and simple. Silly was something worthy or blessed. Something awful was something worthy of awe, and naughty used to be one that had nothing! Gay used to mean light-hearted and joyous! My, my, my, how gay has been highjacked and misrepresented! To be a husband originally meant you owned a house or land and had nothing to do with marital status. To broadcast was the way you swept your hand to sow your seeds in the field! Buxom was not related to female anatomy, but meant that someone was meek and obedient! The list could go on for many pages! [2] If you only look at the English language in the last few hundred years, you will see that word order, grammar, definitions, and punctuations have changed. New words have been added, and many words have gone into disuse. Some words from 1960’s and 70’s have disappeared! Do you remember words like: groovy, having a gas (nothing to do with passing gas!), bug, crash (nothing to do with automobile accidents!), pad (not a reference to your iPad!), and far out. Did you ever get the question, “What’s your bag, man?” Did you hear the expression, “What a bummer”? If you remember any of these, then we dated you! Most reading this need interpretation from just 40 or 50 years ago! How much study and interpretation do you think we would need for languages 2 to 3 thousand years old? It is ludicrous to believe you need to accept the text as it is written without explanation or interpretation. If you follow the logic of the pastor that thought interpretation was not necessary, and that we should take the verses as they are written, then many Scriptures could be misinterpreted. When the New Testament Quotes or Alludes to the Old Testament Besides reading and studying ancient texts in their historical, cultural, and linguistic context, we must look at verses in the right context when they are alluding to other passages of Scripture. Here is an example that will hit you like a ton of bricks because of the implication for dearly held evangelical ideas: “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it (Deuteronomy 30:11-15). First, did you notice that God’s commandments were not too difficult? That flies contrary to Christian teaching that says that the law of God was difficult, harsh, or cruel! Paul quoted part of this portion of Scripture in Romans 10:6-10. But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (NASB). Generally, people think that our salvation in Christ is only based on believing it and saying it alone. They miss Paul’s intended and fuller meaning. The complete passage reveals something more than believing and speaking alone. Paul’s statement about believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth was also stressing that God’s moral commandments were within reach of every covenant person. God’s moral commandments were not burdensome, harsh, or cruel. (See 1st John 5:2, 3 in different translations.) They were not too difficult or out of reach, as stated in the context of Deuteronomy 30:11-15! Come on, let’s read the context! It was as close as a word spoken in the heart or by the mouth, so that you may observe it or do it. The Word wasn’t in your heart and mouth for the purpose of agreement with Church dogma, or so that others may call you a Christian. “Believing in the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confessing Jesus as your Lord with your mouth” was emphasizing obedience to the Gospel of Christ, and receiving His Lordship over your life (see Romans 10:16). The Lordship of Jesus over our Lives Jesus taught us concerning the meaning of having His Lordship over our lives, and it is not based on spoken words alone! “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built” (Luke 6:46-48 NASB). Speaking or confessing Jesus as your Lord, and even doubling up on it (“Lord, Lord”), is incomplete. Note the three things Jesus mentions as those that truly are under His Lordship: You come to the Lord Jesus. You hear His words. You act on His Word, or you DO it! Notice that all three parts stated together. It is a threefold cord, if you would, that cannot be broken. Confessing His Lordship over our lives was always a reference to OBEDIENCE to Him whom is Lord! It always meant obedience to His Word and will. His message to the Gentiles was that, through the gospel of Christ, they were to be brought into the obedience of faith (Rom. 1:5, 16:26). “Not everyone who says to me, ʻLord, Lord,ʼ will enter into the kingdom of heaven - only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 NET). Just as important, we must understand that practicing the things that are in opposition to God’s Word (commandments) is a denial of His Lordship over our lives. “On that day, many will say to me, ʻLord, Lord, didnʼt we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?ʼ Then I will declare to them, ʻI never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!ʼ” (Matthew 7:21, 22 NET) Others translate lawbreakers as “workers of iniquity.” Another translation says, “those that practice lawlessness.” For us in Christ, the lawbreakers are the ones who rebel against God’s Word and His will, and live based on some past work of God in their lives. Disobedience and rebellion are at the very core of lawlessness. Frankly, even if you were at one time used by, or had a relationship with God, if you have fallen away, only repentance will bring you back (2nd Peter 3:9; Luke 13:3, 5). Those that live in the obedience of faith in Christ right now will not hear those terrible words, “I never knew you”, and “go away from me, you lawbreakers”! Thank God! Those that live in disobedience and rebellion will hear them. It will be a horribly bad day for those that were once believers, but now live in lawlessness. Don’t get angry with me over this. I didn’t say it. Jesus said it, and I am only a messenger repeating what He said. Look at few verses down from Romans 10:9-10, and notice the connection between believing and obedience in verse 16. But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” (NET) To obey the good news is to believe the report! Did you get that? Paul made the connection, and so should we. Abraham “believed” If you look at the Greek word επιστεσευσεν [3] translated as "believed" in Romans 4:3, it is defined as; to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in, to place trust in Jesus or God, and so on. It would be incomplete to think believe means only that Greek definition because the quote came from Genesis 15:6. As we saw in previous articles in this series, Paul usually quoted from a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scripture known as the Septuagint (LXX). The Septuagint was a word-for-word translation that kept the original Hebrew word order. Therefore, to stop with a Greek definition of a word in the Septuagint or New Testament that quoted from it is to partially interpret the Scripture. Actually, it is worse than that because sometimes the Greek and Hebrew are opposed to each other. Their concepts were often worlds apart. That is why looking at the Greek alone can be VERY misleading.[4] Paul was not thinking pisteuo alone. If he was thinking believing alone, then why quote Genesis 15:6, a Scripture reference from a Hebrew source- the Old Testament? What was the word in Hebrew? What was running through Paul’s heart and mind as he used this Greek word pisteuo? He was quoting the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew text, but he knew what the Hebrew text said and meant. The Hebrew word translated believed in Genesis 15:6 is heemin, from the Hebrew root word aman.[5] It does not mean Christian beliefs or to believe alone. The word is used in the sense of support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, be established, be firm, sure, lasting, confirmed, sure, verified, reliable, to trust, and to believe- in the sense of trusting that what someone has said can be relied upon as the truth. The word faithful means loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast and resolute. [6] These Hebrew concepts and definitions are at the center of Paul’s teaching and interpretation of believing in Romans 4 and Galatians 3. Let’s not forget the exposition of James 2. After looking at the emphasis in Hebrew in comparison to Greek-only definitions, these questions must be asked of every follower of Jesus after studying the definitions. I got them after reading the synonyms for the word faithful and the powerful synonym discussion on the Merriam-Webster dictionary site: Are you a support to the cause of Jesus, the kingdom, and the Father in Heaven? Do you have the Lord’s interest in your mind and heart, or are you after your own way and will? Is it your will be done or is it His will that you want for your life? Are you faithful to God’s Word and His moral commandments? Are these a description of your life since you declared your sworn allegiance to Jesus as your Lord? Or are you the kind of “Christian” that says “Lord, Lord” but refuses to do what He says (Matthew 7:21-23)? If you love Him, you will obey His Word/commandments (John 14:15, 21, 23, 1John 2:5)! Are you firm, sure, and lasting in the things of God and the Lord Jesus or are you an indecisive (or wishy-washy) Christian with no moral backbone? Are you one day an upright example of Christian moral principles according to the New Testament, and the next day you act like a heathen with your words or actions? Can the Lord depend on you? Are you reliable? Can the Lord expect you to live according to His Word and obey His dictates for your life? Do you trust (rely fully) in Jesus and His sacrifice for you? Do you have an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of God and His Word? There is much more to discuss, but this should reveal that to believe in Jesus or the Gospel is not to have a mere belief, conviction, assurance, or credence. It is much more than believing alone! I often summarize what I have learned about this pregnant word by saying it is better defined by trust, faithfulness, loyalty, and obedience to the Lord and His Word. Like righteousness, it is a covenant term used of the faithful, loyal and obedient, and it describes relationship with God and with others. There is no believing without trust. There is no believing without faithfulness and loyalty. Don’t say you believe the Gospel and yet disobey and rebel against the Lord and His Word because these are completely incompatible! The obedient to God and His Word/commandments are the ones that truly believe. All others are pretenders and need to repent! Notes: [1] For “a fresh look at the old doctrine of justification by faith”, see Dunn and Suggate, The Justice of God (W. B. Eerdmans: Gran Rapids; 1993) pgs. 31-42. I will email you a 22-page PDF on this subject by James D. G. Dunn. Request it at dr@danalanrodriguez.com. There is no charge for the PDF. [2] Read an interesting article, Is English Changing? ; https://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/english-changing. Also see: http://mentalfloss.com/article/54770/15-words-dont-mean-what-they-used; and http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/words-literally-changed-meaning-through-2173079 [3] From πιστευω- See Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, G4100- pisteuo; Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon 511a. [4] If you can handle a scholarly, difficult, and sometimes boring book, see Thorleif Boman: Hebrew Thought Compared to Greek, (SCM Press LTD, 1960) for further study. The differences between these two languages and their ways of thinking are truly monumental! For the benefit of any detractors; I am not saying that Hebrew is to be preferred above Greek as a language, or that Hebrew is in general better than Greek. The Greek language brought us science, mathematics, philosophy and many other things. Greek has value in its proper place. It would be ridiculous to deny the clear influence and contribution of Greek culture to most of the world. In these studies, I am only referring to the importance of the Hebrew language insofar as Biblical interpretation goes. In the case of Biblical thought and interpretation, Hebrew is highly preferred, and should be primary. If you haven’t done it, read the previous articles in this series. [5] H539- See Brown, Driver, Briggs- אמן [6] See the definition for faithful, the synonyms, and the synonym discussion at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faithful. Please listen to the short audio message: Living Healthy vs. Living in Anxiety. Be mightily blessed!
“…When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8b NET) Evidently, real, vibrant, Bible faith will be in comparatively short supply when Jesus returns. Will we have the genuine kind of faith He is looking for? (See 1st Peter 1:7 in the NKJV.) I pray that we do. That is the purpose of these articles, to examine our faith as Paul stated in 2nd Corinthians 13:5. I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude 1:3 NET). We are contending earnestly for the faith once for all entrusted to the saints in these articles! Grandma, grandpa, your mother or father, or your denomination probably never taught faith quite like you will read in these articles. “Well, I was taught that faith is just believing God, and that is all there is to it.” Have you ever heard that? Many believe firmly that their particular Church doctrinal statements are their faith. Then, you have a multitude of people that ask, “What is your faith? To what faith do you subscribe?” Of course, they are asking you about the particular Christian group you associate with or belong to. Others take faith into the realms of believing and trusting, full persuasion of God’s promises, speaking the Word, or believing (trusting) that you receive your answer to prayer. There are sound Biblical truths to be studied in those areas, but faith is much broader in scope in Paul’s epistles and the rest of the New Testament than these definitions alone. Did you know that obedience is an intimate part of faith? How often do you hear from today’s pulpits that obedience is an integral part of faith? Paul connected them forever. Through Him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name… and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith (Romans 1:5, 16:26 NET). Did you know that there are teachers today that reject the idea that obedience to God and His Word are essential parts of your faith in Christ? Can they read? Paul began and finished his great epistle to the Romans with the principle of obedience of faith. Obeying the Lord is not an option in Scripture in the Old and New Testaments, that is, IF we want God and the Lord Jesus by His Spirit working in our lives (John 14:21-26; 1 John 2:3-6 NET). These articles will tear down some traditional interpretations, but they should not be construed as a denial of other areas of faith not covered in them. Faith is a BIG subject! For that very reason, I am adding audio messages to these articles that give you some other sides of Biblical faith. I hope you listened to the audio message, “Only Believe” with Part 1 of this series of articles. I suggest you listen to all the 37 audio messages in the series, “Removing Doubt from the Heart.” Only Believe was #28 from this series. Bible faith as Paul understood it, was solidly based on the Old Testament or the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:14-17). He also based his understanding of faith on the words and example of Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh, so He and the written Word must agree (John 1:1-3, 14). That must be included in any assessment of Paul’s view of faith. As we saw in the first article, Paul used the Scripture profusely in his epistles, either by direct quotations or by allusions. By allusions, I mean that he was constantly hinting at Scripture even though he was not necessarily quoting verses or naming the books where they were found. Here is an oft-quoted verse used to establish Paul’s teaching on faith. There is no guessing game here! For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17 NKJV) “The just shall live by faith” is a quotation of the second part of Habakkuk 2:4.[1] Where did Paul’s definition of faith come from? Was it from some special revelation only given to him? Paul’s definition of faith was confirmed by his choice of a proof text from the Old Testament, written almost seven centuries before he wrote Romans 1:17. Paul almost exclusively used the Septuagint (LXX) Greek when quoting the Old Testament. The Septuagint was an ancient Jewish translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek. The language was analyzed and the conclusion is that the Pentateuch was translated near the middle of the 3rd century B.C., and the rest of the Old Testament was translated in the 2nd century B. C.[2] The Greek of the New Testament reflects the Septuagint in hundreds of places.[3] Gustav A. Deissmann (1866–1937), the renowned German Protestant theologian, said it like this: "A single hour lovingly devoted to the text of the Septuagint will further our exegetical knowledge of the Pauline Epistles more than a whole day spent over a commentary… Every reader of the Septuagint who knows his Greek (New) Testament will after a few days’ study come to see with astonishment what hundreds of threads there are uniting the Old and the New."[4] Follow me in this. I am not splitting hairs here. It’s information every single believer should have. Paul quoted Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11 by using the Greek word for faith (pistis) as it came to him from the Septuagint, but that was not its origin. The Hebrew original text was standing behind the Greek Septuagint and Paul’s usage. Hebrew has to be the place to look for the original meaning. That makes perfect sense to me, yet many prefer to see only the Greek, and do their best to dismiss the Hebrew standing behind it. That, my friends, is a huge lack in judgment! Going back to the original Hebrew that stands behind the Greek is not only necessary, but it is doing an honest word study, whether you are a scholar, preacher, teacher, or a student of the Word. If one refuses to admit or rejects the Hebrew that stands behind all Greek Septuagint quotations (and word usage) in the New Testament, then one subscribes to a dishonest form of Biblical study. I don’t think any of us want to be accused of dishonesty. What is the Hebrew word translated faith in Habakkuk 2:4, quoted by Paul in Romans 1:17 and in Galatians 3:11? Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (BDB) is relevant today, even though newer dictionaries are in circulation. The Hebrew word that is generally translated faith in Habakkuk 2:4 is emunah, and BDB states that it means: firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, and steadiness. (See H530, 53b.) Those definitions are the ones found in the summarized version of the BDB on the Bible software on my cell phone. When looking at the definition of emunah (H530, 53b) in the full BDB, [5] we see that faithfulness and trust are added to the definition. On page 53, column b, under entry #530, around the center of the page, we come to the BDB translation of Habakkuk 2:4: “a righteous man by his faithfulness liveth.” Pay close attention to the code right after the translation: (>faith LUTH AV RV). The list of abbreviations at the front of the dictionary is the place to decode it. The parenthesis means that the preceding translation of emunah as faithfulness is preferred to how Luther, the Authorized KJV, and the Revised Version translated it as faith! Luther, the KJV and the AV (among others) did not translate emunah. They injected into Habakkuk 2:4 their translation from the Greek New Testament back into the Old. That is backwards! I am suggesting that we do the exact opposite, take the Hebrew definitions and inject them into the New! Faithfulness is not “by faith alone” or “believing alone”. Not even close! Oops! That is contrary to centuries of protestant theology that began with Luther emphasizing “by faith alone”, one perpetuated by the KJV, RV, and the majority of versions. Look back at these definitions of emunah. The words faith and believe are completely lacking in the Hebrew definition. “By faith alone” is missing in the BDB translation of Habakkuk 2:4. Look at the NKJV translation of Habakkuk 2:4, one basically in agreement with the KJV and RV: “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.” (NKJV) Translations like the NKJV are simply bringing into the Hebrew original text a translation of the verse according to the Greek New Testament that came from the Septuagint. They paid NO attention to the original Hebrew text! Now, watch what happens when you don’t take the Greek as the final word or inject it back into the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. The Hebrew original text of Habakkuk 2:4 gives us a completely different picture. “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness” (NET). A few other translations have the better word faithfulness: God’s Word, Good News Translation, Lexham English Bible, New International Revised Version, NIV, New Living Testament, Voice. Young’s Literal Translation has steadfastness. The Common English Bible has live honestly. The Complete Jewish Bible has trusting faithfulness. The Message has loyal and steady believing. All of these are much better than the word faith. The New English Translation in Habakkuk 2:4, under note 15 says about the traditional translation of emunah as faith that it “nowhere else refers to ‘belief’ as such.” “Honesty, integrity, reliability, faithfulness” define emunah when used in reference to human conduct and character, as in this verse.[6] Belief, faith, and believing are not even in the equation! Here’s where it really gets messy. Even though the NET gets it right in Habakkuk 2:4, they ignore the Hebrew background in Romans 1:17. They honestly believe it is the best scholarship to translate the text from the Greek and let it stay that way without elucidating the Hebrew behind it. They missed the point of Habakkuk 2:4 in Paul’s reference. Don’t misunderstand me. Translators are working with the texts in front of them to the best of their abilities. They translate a word, generally, looking for a word or words that convey the meaning clearly into their target language. I believe translators are doing an excellent job, as far as word-for-word translations go, especially in the newer translations like the New English Translation and others. The issue I am referring to is in the realm of looking at the original language behind the Greek when Old Testament verses and allusions are found in the New Testament. When the original emunah is translated from the Greek pistis as faith in the New Testament, without further explanation, it is misleading and woefully incomplete. It has to be elucidated based on Habakkuk 2:4, and other Old Testament verses we will get to. That is especially true if the verses are quoted in the New Testament! Translators could include a footnote next to the word faith (and many others) in the New Testament. There should be a fuller explanation and definition based on the Hebrew original, but these are nowhere to be found! It’s better to translate faith (and believe) as a phrase based on the Hebrew definition. My God! That would have enhanced richly our faith in Christ in so many ways, and kept the church out of many strange and unfruitful interpretations. If I had known that Bible faith was, and is, correctly defined by faithfulness, steadfastness, loyalty, obedience, and trust, it would have made a huge difference in so many ways. Fidelity, firmness, and steadiness are not primarily (nor secondarily or even thirdly) your beliefs, but your Covenant relationship-fellowship with Him, your lifestyle, and actions according to His Word. Glory to God! I learned some powerful lessons in the realm of faith from 1974 until 1986 (and I am still learning), such as trusting in the promises of God, speaking to the mountain to be removed, speaking of things that are not as though they were, getting your words to agree with God's Word, and so on (Romans 4:17-22; Mark 11:22-26). When I first learned some of the things I am sharing in these articles, sadly, I started to discard many of the things I learned earlier. I did not realize that what I was learning was not to take away from my faith, but to tweak and adjust me in it. God’s purpose was to take me further into the realm of faith than I had ever been. I threw out the baby with the bathwater! That was not a good idea! Now in 2017, I can look back, grin, and laugh at how ignorant I was, but it was no laughing matter then. It was havoc and sheer hell! That is one story that I will spare you from. I stepped away from the Lord and His Word over my errors (and sins) from 1989-1999, but (PTL) I came back to Him through repentance and renewal in April of 1999. Looking back, since my initial commitment to Jesus in early 1974 (under the big tent of R. W. Schambach, Tampa Florida), I can truthfully say, that I am finally getting a clue! As I continue to study, finally, I am receiving from the Lord some understanding on how all these areas of faith complement each other and work together. They are not contrary to one another. I trust that these messages will take you much further in Him, and in faith, than I have ever been. I also trust that it will happen for you in a whole lot less time. Be mightily blessed! NOTES: [1] Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38 also repeat, “the just shall live by faith.” [2] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Septuagint [3] An interesting question is, which Hebrew text stands behind the Septuagint (LXX)? According to the evidence of the Dead Scrolls, there were a few Hebrew manuscript traditions. One agreed more with the MT, one was like the LXX, and another like the Samaritan text of the Pentateuch. Then, there was the one that was different than those, like the one reflected in the great Isaiah Scroll, and there were more. This is important because scholars believed, until the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and examined, that the LXX had many Christian additions. The DSS proved that assumption wrong because they were pre-Christian! They found clear evidence of a textual tradition similar to the Septuagint. See Ostling, Richard N., “Dead Sea Scrolls” yield “major questions” in Old Testament understanding, (University of Notre Dame; https://news.nd.edu/news/dead-sea-scrolls-yield-major-questions-in-old-testament-understanding/, accessed 10-26-17); Tov, Emanuel; Searching for the “Original” Bible, (https://members.bib-arch.org/biblical-archaeology-review/40/4/10, accessed 10-26-17), and Tov, Emanuel. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 2nd Rev. Ed. Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2001, 114-117; where he states that Qumran-specific texts were 20%, Proto-Masoretic texts – 35%, Proto-Samaritan texts – 5%, Proto-Septuagint texts – 5%, Non-Aligned texts – 35%. [4] Deissmann, The Philology of the Greek Bible, its Present and Future, (1908, Hodder and Stoughton, London), pp. 12, 13. [5] The BDB Hebrew and English Lexicon, (Hendickson Publishers, Massachussetts, 1996) coded to Strong’s numbers. Reprinted from the 1906 ed. [6] The Lumina NET at Bible.org, translation note 15 in Habakkuk 2:4, https://lumina.bible.org/bible/Habakkuk+2 (accessed October 17, 2017) ________________ The audio message that follows is #29 from the series, “Removing Doubt from the Heart.” The name of the message is: Light Burden vs. the Devil's Heavy Weights. Messages 1-28 are already published on our website.
On our website, you will find teaching on different areas of faith. The audio podcast series, “Removing Doubt from the Heart,” addresses numerous vital aspects of faith. These articles address another part to faith, one that is by no means less important. Why are we doing this? We are contending earnestly for the faith! Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 1:3-4 NET). There was a faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, and in these articles, we are contending earnestly for it. Do you know how faith was viewed in apostolic times? You may think you know, but allow this series to challenge you, and possibly, to bring you additional light to whatever concept of faith you may have. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV). These articles have to do with examining and testing yourself to see whether the faith you and me have is genuine. …That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ… (1Peter 1:7 NKJV) We need some solid information properly drawn from the Scripture to know about this genuine faith in order to function and live by it. For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” (Romans 1:17 NET) Real Bible faith is not commonplace. Actually, before the coming of the Lord, it may be in comparatively short supply. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:8 NET) What a question! It's there as a challenge to you and me in Christ. I want to be among those that Jesus says when He comes, “I found faith in him.” Don't you? I am doing my part earnestly so that the message of faith gets out to the Body of Christ. Are you doing it too? You can help spread the word by forwarding these articles and the audios on the subject of faith on our website. We need this message of faith today because we are closer to His coming! The key that unlocks Paul’s own views and interpretations Here is how we will begin to study this side of the subject of faith. We begin with a question. How did the great apostle Paul (and others) use the word faith? How can we be 100% positive as to the apostolic interpretation of that word 2000 years ago? Wouldn’t that be the most important consideration when reading the epistles? We do not want to take our modern idea of the definition of faith and read it back into the New Testament. Yet, that is precisely what is done on many fronts. The key that unlocks Paul’s own views and interpretations can be found in the many quotations, references, and allusions from the Old Testament in his epistles. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NKJV). Paul was not filling up space when he quoted Old Testament Scripture. It was the basis for his teaching. Paul’s doctrine (teaching) was centered on the Old Testament, the Holy and inspired-by-God Scriptures. The New Testament wasn’t yet written in his day. All that existed in his day was the Old Testament. For some reason, many believe that Paul’s doctrinal position came uniquely via a special revelation unrelated to the Hebrew Old Testament. Paul’s doctrine or teaching was constructed out of that already revealed in Holy Scriptures, according to 2nd Timothy 3:15 and 16. The Hebrew Bible was his foundation even though he wrote in Greek, and quoted from the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament. We will say much more about all that in the next article. To make it even harder to swallow for those in the grip of modern interpretations, Paul stated that the OLD TESTAMENT Hebrew Bible (The Holy Scriptures) was “able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Paul was solidly basing the salvation message he taught through faith in Christ Jesus on the Old Testament Holy Scriptures. What? Paul was preaching Jesus and salvation through faith by using the Old Testament? That alone, throws some traditional thoughts into a tailspin, and we are just getting started! Paul’s doctrine was rooted and grounded in the Hebrew Holy Scriptures. Yet, some foolishly throw out the Hebrew Holy Scriptures in favor of Paul’s epistles viewed according to new interpretations that have nothing to do with the apostle’s doctrine. Some even throw out the words of Jesus in the Gospels, and have proclaimed Paul the “savior” of the Gentiles. It is truly disgusting how some deny the words of our Lord today. Not only is it repulsive, it is deeply anti-Christ to reject the words of our Master, Jesus. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words… (1Timothy 6:3, 4 NKJV) We must consent to the words of Jesus in the Gospels (and Acts and Revelation), and to the doctrine which accords with godliness. [1] Those that reject these are full of pride, they don’t know anything, and they are obsessed with disputes and arguments. Have you come across any people like that? They believe that the words of Jesus and the Old Testament are irrelevant for believers today because they believe His words were contrary to grace and were under the law. Is that teaching anti-Christ and anti-God? Yes it is. It is also anti - the Holy Scriptures. To present this study properly, a few things must be addressed before we begin a discussion on the subject of faith and believing. It is vital to understand the immense importance of the Old Testament to New Testament word studies. According to David H. Stern’s translation, The Jewish New Testament, there are 695 verses of the Old Testament quoted from Matthew to Revelation.[2] Those are direct verse quotations (or parts of verses), but there are many more references and hints to Old Testament passages in the New Testament. Roger Nicole, in the The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, [3] stated that some of the quotations and references in the New to the Old Testament could be as high as 4,105: “The New Testament contains an extraordinarily large number of Old Testament quotations. It is difficult to give an accurate figure since the variation in use ranges all the way from a distant allusion to a definite quotation introduced by an explicit formula stating the citation’s source. As a result, the figures given by various authors often reflect a startling discrepancy…. C. H. Toy lists 613 such instances, Wilhelm Dittmar goes as high as 1640, while Eugen Huehn indicates 4105 passages reminiscent of Old Testament Scripture. It can therefore be asserted, without exaggeration that more than 10 per cent of the New Testament text is made up of citations or direct allusions to the Old Testament. The recorded words of Jesus disclose a similar percentage. Certain books like Revelation, Hebrews, Romans are well nigh saturated with Old Testament forms of language, allusions and quotations.”[4] Did you get that? Certain books like Revelation, Hebrews, and Romans are well nigh saturated with Old Testament forms of language, allusions, and quotations. My question is simple. How could we possibly understand books like Romans, Revelation or Hebrews without looking closely at the Old Testament verses quoted and alluded to in them? If we don’t study the Old Testament, especially the sections or verses quoted in the New, we are left with a huge doctrinal and interpretational void. Many have made up new interpretations because they have completely ignored the Hebrew Biblical text. So that we are clear, ignoring the original Hebrew of the Old Testament is not a new problem, but one that has dogged the Church relentlessly for centuries. We will tackle that issue on a basic level in these articles. If so many verses, references, and allusions to the Hebrew Scripture are all over the New Testament, does that make the Old Testament obsolete, or does it grant the Old Testament a place of prominence in the New Testament? Yes, the Old Testament has a highly visible and prominent place in the New Testament. It has a place of honor and respect, and it is indispensible to gain a right doctrinal perspective in the New Testament. Since Paul quoted profusely from the Old Testament Holy Scriptures, should we pay close attention to these quotations? Here’s a verse I quoted above to start our study of faith. Paul cites an Old Testament verse as a proof text for what he was teaching. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17 NKJV) Paul quoted a part of Habakkuk 2:4 in the second half of Romans 1:17.[5] Where was Paul’s definition of faith coming from? Was it from some special revelation only given to him? No! His definition of faith was from the Old Testament, written centuries before he wrote Romans 1:17. If Paul quoted from an Old Testament verse, then he was relying on its definition and message. More to come! NOTES: [1] Doctrine is the same Greek word in 2nd Timothy 3:16 and 1st Timothy 6:3. [2] Lederer Messianic Publications; 1st edition (September 1, 1989) [3] Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1979, Vol. 1, p. 617 [4] Roger Nicole, “New Testament Use of the Old Testament,” Carl F.H. Henry, ed., Revelation and the Bible. Contemporary Evangelical Thought. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1958 / London: The Tyndale Press, 1959. pp.137-151. See also: https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/rev-henry/9_ot-in-the-nt_nicole.pdf . [5] Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38 also repeat, “the just shall live by faith.” So you hear another audio teaching on "Removing Doubt from the Heart", here is Part 28: "ONLY BELIEVE."
Devarim (?????) is both the title for the last book from the scroll of the Torah and the title of the first Torah portion therein. Devarim means “words.” The English-speaking world calls this book Deuteronomy. The Hebrew title for the book comes from the opening phrase of the book: “These are the words (devarim) which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness” (Deuteronomy 1:1). One ancient name for the book of Deuteronomy is Mishnah HaTorah (???? ????), which means “repetition of the Torah.” This is similar to the Greek Septuagint name Deuteronomos, which means “second law.” The English name Deuteronomy is derived from Deuteronomos. The book of Deuteronomy is dominated by Moses' farewell address to the children of Israel as he urges them to remain faithful to the covenant and prepares them for entering Canaan. During the course of the book, Moses reviews the story of the giving of the Torah at Sinai and the trip to the Promised Land, reiterates several laws of Torah and introduces new laws. The book seems to follow the general pattern of an ancient Near Eastern covenant treaty document.
Eusebius was born ca. 300 C.E. in the Syriac city of Edessa where, according to his biographers, he received his first training in biblical interpretation. He later studied with the other Eusebius in Caesarea and settled in Antioch, in the wake of the Council of Nicaea, before becoming bishop, around 340, of the Syrian city of Emesa (present-day Homs). His Commentary on Genesis, written in Greek but preserved in its entirety only in an Armenian translation, reflects much of his personal life story. Eusebius brings his knowledge of Syriac to the interpretation of the Greek Septuagint text, often in an attempt to uncover nuances in the Hebrew original.The Commentary also reflects Syriac and Antiochene Christianity’s proximity to Judaism. Basing ourselves on a select number of passages, we will explore what the new Commentary has to tell about Judaism and how it relates to early Syriac exegesis (in particular Ephrem) on the one hand and Greek Antiochene exegesis on the other.
This episode of Communio Santorum is titled, “And In the East – Part 2.”In our last episode, we took a brief look at the Apostle Thomas' mission to India. Then we considered the spread of the faith into Persia. Further study of the Church in the East has to return to the Council of Chalcedon in the 5th C where Bishop Nestorius was condemned as a heretic.As we've seen, the debate about the deity of Christ central to the Council of Nicea in 325, declared Jesus was of the same substance as the Father. It took another hundred years before the deity-denying error of Arianism was finally quashed. But even among orthodox & catholic, Nicean-holding believers, the question was over how to understand the nature of Christ. He's God – got it! But he's also human. How are we to understand His dual-nature. It was at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 that issue was finally decided. And the Church of the East was deemed to hold a position that was unorthodox.The debate was sophisticated & complex, and not a small part decided more by politics than by concern for theological purity. The loser in the debate was Bishops Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople. To make a complex issue simple, those who emphasized the unity of the 2 natures came to be called the Monophysites = meaning a single nature. They regarded Nestorius as a heretic because he emphasized the 2 natures as distinct; even to the point of saying Nestorius claimed Jesus was 2 PERSONS. That's NOT what Nestorius said, but it's what his opponents managed to get all but his closest supporters to believe he said. In fact, when the Council finally issued their creedal statement, Nestorius claimed they only articulated what he'd always taught. Even though the Council of Chalcedon declared Nestorianism heretical, the Church of the East continued to hold on to their view in the dual nature of Christ, in opposition to what they considered the aberrant view of monophysitism.By the dawn of the 6th C, there were 3 main branches of the Christian church:The Church of the West, which looked to Rome & Constantinople for leadership.The Church of Africa, with its great center at Alexandria & an emerging center in Ethiopia;And the Church of the East, with its center in Persia.As we saw last episode, the Church of the East was launched from Edessa at the border between Northern Syria & Eastern Turkey. The theological school there transferred to Nisibis in Eastern Turkey in 471. It was led by the brilliant theologian Narsai. This school had a thousand students who went out from there to lead the churches of the East. Several missionary endeavors were also launched from Nisibis – just as Iona was a sending base for Celtic Christianity in the far northwest. The Eastern Church mounted successful missions among the nomadic people of the Middle East & Central Asia between the mid-5th thru 7th Cs. These included church-planting efforts among the Huns. Abraham of Kaskar who lived during the 6th C did much to plant monastic communities throughout the East.During the first 1200 years, the Church of the East grew both geographically & numerically far more than in the West. The primary reason for this is because in the East, missionary work was largely a movement of the laity. As Europe moved into the Middle Ages with its strict feudal system, travel ground to a standstill, while in the East, trade & commerce grew. This resulted in the movement of increasing numbers of people who carried the Faith with them.Another reason the Church in the East grew was persecution. As we saw last time, before Constantine, the persecutions of the Roman Empire pushed large numbers of believers East. Then, when the Sassanids began the Great Persecution of Christians in Persia, that pushed large numbers of the Faithful south & further East. Following the persecution that came under Shapur II, another far more severe round of persecution broke out in the mid-5th C that saw 10 bishops and 153,000 Christians massacred within a few days.When we think of Arabia, many immediately think of Islam. But Christianity had taken root in the peninsula long before Muhammad came on the scene. In fact, a bishop from Qatar was present at the Council of Nicea in 325! The Arabian Queen Mawwiyya, whose forces defeated the Romans in 373, insisted on receiving an orthodox bishop before she would make peace. There was mission-outreach to the south-eastern region of Arabia, in what is today Yemen before the birth of Muhammad by both Nestorian & Monophysite missionaries. By the opening of the 6th C, there were dozens of churches all along the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf.The rise of Islam in the 7th C was to have far-reaching consequences for the Church in the East. The Persian capital at Ctesiphon fell to the Arabs in 637. Since the Church there had become a kind of Rome to the Church of the East, the impact was massive. Muslims were sometimes tolerant of religious minorities but only as communities of the disenfranchised known as dhimmi. They became ghettoes stripped of their vitality. At the same time, the Church of the East was being shredded by Muslim conquests, it was taking one of its biggest steps forward by reaching into China in the mid 7th C.While the Church of the West grew mostly by the work of trained clergy & the missionary monks of Celtic Christianity, in the East, as often as not, it was Christian merchants & craftsmen who advanced the Faith. The Church of the East placed great emphasis on education and literacy. It was generally understood being a follower of Jesus meant an education that included reading, writing & theology. An educated laity meant an abundance of workers capable of spreading the faith – & spread it they did! Christians often found employment among less advanced people, serving in government offices, & as teachers & secretaries. They helped solve the problem of illiteracy by inventing simplified alphabets based on the Syriac language which framed their own literature & theology.While that was at first a boon, in the end, it proved a hindrance. Those early missionaries failed to understand the principle of contextualization; that the Gospel is super-cultural; it transcends things like language & traditions. Those early missionaries who pressed rapidly into the East assumed that their Syrian-version of the Faith was the ONLY version & tried to convert those they met to that. As a consequence, while a few did accept the faith & learned Syrian-Aramaic, a few generations later, the old religions & languages reasserted themselves and Christianity was either swept away or so assimilated into the culture that it wasn't really Biblical Christianity any longer.The golden age of early missions in Central Asia was from the end of the 4th C to the latter part of the 9th. Then both Islam & Buddhism came onto the scene.Northeast of Persia, the Church had an early & extensive spread around the Oxus River. By the early 4th C the cities of Merv, Herat & Samarkand had bishops.Once the Faith was established in this region, it spread quickly further east into the basin of the Tarim River, then into the area north of the Tien Shan Mountains & Tibet. It spread along this path because that was the premier caravan route. With so many Christians engaged in trade, it was natural the Gospel was soon planted in the caravan centers.In the 11th C the Faith began to spread among the nomadic peoples of the central Asian regions. These Christians were mostly from the Tartars & Mongol tribes of Keraits, Onguts, Uyghurs, Naimans, and Merkits.It's not clear exactly when Christianity reached Tibet, but it most likely arrived there by the 6th C. The territory of the ancient Tibetans stretched farther west & north than the present-day nation, & they had extensive contact with the nomadic tribes of Central Asia. A vibrant church existed in Tibet by the 8th C. The patriarch of the Assyrian Church in Mesopotamia, Timothy I, wrote from Baghdad in 782 that the Christian community in Tibet was one of the largest groups under his oversight. He appointed a Tibetan patriarch to oversee the many churches there. The center of the Tibetan church was located at Lhasa and the Church thrived there until the late 13th C when Buddhism swept through the region.An inscription carved into a large boulder at the entrance to the pass at Tangtse, once part of Tibet but now in India, has 3 crosses with some writing indicating the presence of the Christian Faith. The pass was one of the main ancient trade routes between Lhasa and Bactria. The crosses are stylistically from the Church of the East, and one of the words appears to be “Jesus.” Another inscription reads, “In the year 210 came Nosfarn from Samarkand as an emissary to the Khan of Tibet.” That might not seem like a reference to Christianity until you take a closer look at the date. 210! That only makes sense in reference to measuring time since the birth of Christ, which was already a practice in the Church.The aforementioned Timothy I became Patriarch of the Assyrian church about 780. His church was located in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Seleucia, the larger twin to the Persian capital of Ctesiphon. He was 52 & well past the average life expectancy for people of the time. Timothy lived into his 90's, dying in 823. During his long life, he devoted himself to spiritual conquest as energetically as Alexander the Great had to the military kind. While Alexander built an earthly empire, Timothy sought to expand the Kingdom of God.At every point, Timothy's career smashes everything we think we know about the history of Christianity at that time. He alters ideas about the geographical spread of the Faith, its relationship with political power, its cultural influence, & its interaction with other religions. In terms of his prestige & the geographical extent of his authority, Timothy was the most significant Christian leader of his day; far more influential than the pope in Rome or the patriarch in Constantinople. A quarter of the world's Christians looked to him as both a spiritual & political head.No responsible historian of Christianity would leave out Europe. Omitting Asia from the record is just as unthinkable. We can't understand Christian history without Asia or Asian history without Christianity. The Church of the East cared little for European developments. Timothy I knew about his European contemporary Charlemagne. The Frankish ruler exchanged diplomatic missions with the Muslim Caliphate, a development of which the leader of the Church in the East would have been apprised. Timothy also knew Rome had its own leader called the Pope. He was certainly aware of the tension between the Pope & the Patriarch of Constantinople over who was the de-facto leader of the Christian world. Timothy probably thought their squabble silly. Wasn't it obvious that the Church of the East was heir to the primitive church? If Rome drew its authority from Peter, Mesopotamia looked to Christ himself. After all, Jesus was a descendant of that ancient Mesopotamian Abraham. And wasn't Mesopotamia the original source of culture & civilization, not to mention the location of the Garden of Eden? It was the East, rather than the West, that first embraced the Gospel. The natural home of Christianity was in Mesopotamia & Points East. According to the geographical wisdom of the time, Seleucia stood at the center of the world's routes of trade & communication, equally placed between the civilizations that looked respectively to the West & the East.All over the lands of modern-day Iraq & Iran believers built huge & enduring churches. Because of its setting close to the Roman frontier, but far enough beyond to avoid interference—Mesopotamia retained a powerful Christian culture that lasted through the 13th C. Throughout the European Middle Ages the Mesopotamian church was as much a cultural & spiritual Christian headquarters as France or Germany or even that outstanding missionary base of Ireland.Several Mesopotamian cities like Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, & Tikrit were thriving centers of Christianity for centuries after the arrival of Islam. In 800 AD, these churches & the schools attached to them were repositories of the classical scholarship of the Greeks, Romans & Persians that Western Europe would not access for another 400 years!Simply put, there was no “Dark Age” in the Church of the East. From Timothy I's perspective, the culture & scholarship of the ancient world was never lost. More importantly, the Church of the East countenanced no break between the primitive church that rose in Jerusalem in the Book of Acts and themselves.Consider this: We can easily contrast the Latin-speaking, feudal world of the European Middle Ages with the ancient Middle-Eastern church rooted in a Greek & Aramaic speaking culture. The Medieval Church of Europe saw itself as pretty far removed from the Early Church. Both in language & thought forms, they were culturally distinct & distant. But in Timothy I's time, that is, the early 9th C, the Church of the East still spoke Greek & Aramaic. Its members shared the same basic Middle Eastern culture & would continue to do so for centuries. As late as the 13th, they still called themselves “Nazarenes,” a title the first Christians used. They called Jesus “Yeshua.” Clergy were given the title “rabban” meaning teacher or master, related to the Hebrew – “rabbi.”Eastern theologians used the same literary style as the authors of the Jewish Talmud rather than the theological works of Western Europe. As Philip Jenkins says, if we ever wanted to speculate on what the early church might have looked like if it had developed while avoiding its alliance with Roman state power, we have but to look East.Repeatedly, we find Patriarch Timothy I referring to the fact that the Churches of the East used texts that were lost to & forgotten in the West. Because of their close proximity to the setting of so much Jewish and early Christian history, Eastern scholars had abundant access to ancient scriptures & texts. One hint of what was available comes from one of Timothy's letters.Written in 800, Timothy answered the questions of a Jew in the process of converting to Christianity. This Jew told the Patriarch of the recent finding of a large hoard of ancient manuscripts, both biblical & apocryphal, in a cave near Jericho. The documents had been acquired by Jerusalem's Jewish community. Without much doubt, this was an early find of what later came to be known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Thank God, this early find didn't move treasure hunters to ransack the other caves of the area! In any case, as now, scholars were thrilled at the discovery. Timothy responded with all the appropriate questions. He wanted to know what light the find might shed on some passages of Scripture he was curious about. He was eager to discover how the newfound texts compared with the known Hebrew versions of the OT. How did they compare with the Greek Septuagint? Timothy was delighted to hear back that the passages he was concerned about did indeed exist in the ancient manuscripts.Timothy's questions are impressive when we compare them to what Western Latin scholars would have made of such a find. They had no idea of the issues Timothy raised. They could not even have read the language of the ancient manuscripts. Only a handful of Western scholars would even have known how to hold the manuscripts: for instance—which way was up and how do you read them, from left to right or vice-versa?The Church of the East Timothy I led was devoted to both scholarship & missionary activity. While the Latin Church saw the Atlantic Ocean as a wall blocking expansion to the West, the Church of the East saw Asia as a vast region waiting to be evangelized.The Eastern Church was divided into regions known as Metropolitans. A Metropolitan was like an archbishop, under whom were several bishops, to whom a number of priests & their churches reported. To give you an idea of how vast the church of the East was – Timothy had nineteen metropolitans & eighty-five bishops reporting to him. In the West, England had two archbishops. During Timothy's tenure as Patriarch, five new metropolitan sees were created near Tehran, in Syria, Turkestan, Armenia, & one on the Caspian Sea. Arabia had at least four bishops & Timothy ordained a new one in Yemen.Timothy I was to the Church of the East what Gregory I had been to the Western Church in terms of missionary zeal. He commissioned monks to carry the faith from the Caspian Sea all the way to China. He reported the conversion of the great Turkish king, called the khagan, who ruled most of central Asia.In our next episode, we'll take a look at the Gospel's reach into the Far East.I want to invite you once again to visit us on Facebook – just do a search for The History of the Christian Church, give the page a “like” and leave a comment about where you live.I also want to thank those subscribers who've left a review on iTunes for the podcast. Your comments have been so generous & kind. Thanks much to all. More than anything, it's those reviews on iTunes that help get the word out about the podcast.And last, as I engage this revision of Season 1 of CS, new subscribers will hear the revision, but then may get to episodes from the prior version that haven't been done yet. So, you may hear an occasional remark that CS doesn't take donations. We didn't originally and didn't need to because I was able to absorb the costs personally. As the podcast has grown, I can't do that anymore and am now taking donations. Seriously, anything helps. So, if you want to donate, go to the sanctorum.us site and use the secure donate feature. Thanks.
As I record & post this episode, a new movie's out called Logan. It's appears to be the last installment for the venerable X-Men character Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman. Logan was an immortal who became the subject of a secret military experiment gone wrong. His skeleton was infused with a fictional metal called adamantium that bears the hardness of a diamond.Why, you wonder, am I sharing this. What's this have to do with Church History? I mention it, not because I've seen the movie, but because of the name of the church father we're going to take a look at today. Or I should say his nickname; it was Adamantius. Roughly meaning, “Man of Steel” or if you prefer, “Tough Guy.”Can you guess who we're talking about, what his more common name was? Origen, a man both honored & despised. Honored because when he was good, he was very, very good and when he was bad he was awful!I've come to think of Origen as a really smart guy with a basically good heart, who went off into weirdness because of one simple error, which we'll take a look at later.Origen Adamantius was born at Alexandria in Egypt around AD 185, the eldest of 7. His parents were committed Christians who diligently raised their family in the Scriptures. Persecution led to his father Leonidas' beheading in 202. Origen was 17, and saw it as his duty to follow his dad's example. His mother hid his clothes to keep him from going out of the house. As he searched for them, she persuaded him to consider that as the eldest son, it was now his responsibility to provide for her & his siblings.To do just that, Origen opened a school for the wealthy children of Alexandria. He made extra money copying texts, and tutoring those seeking to become church members.It became clear to all who engaged him that he was a genius. A wealthy patron offered to assist him in further schooling. Origen wanted to parlay his emerging intellect as a tool for the defense of the Christian faith and decided the best way to do that was by making sure he understood the arguments of the major contenders. So he enrolled in a school of the pagan philosopher Ammonius Saccas. It was during this time Origen began putting together his ideas that would later come out in his work refuting the challenges of the pagan critic Celsus that we'll get to a bit later.As Origen's output grew, a wealthy friend supplied him with secretaries to capture his dictation and run his affairs.When Origen was installed by the pastor of the church at Alexandria, Bishop Demetrius, as the head of the Catechetical, or we might say, new-member school, Origen began a life of ultra strict asceticism. He slept on the floor, ate no meat, drank no wine, fasted twice a week, owned no shoes, and according to the ancient church historian Eusebius, castrated himself in mistaken obedience of what Jesus said about eunuchs in Matt 19. There's some debate if Origen actually did this, or just chose to stay celibate.Reflecting the safety of travel on the now Roman Lake of the Med, Origen made several trips to Rome, and one to Arabia. In 215, when he was about 30, unrest in Alexandria caused by a visit from the Emperor Caracalla, moved Origen to make a visit to Palestine. While there, he was asked by the pastors of both Caesarea and Jerusalem to preach in their churches. He did, though he was only a layman. He'd never been ordained a pastor. When he got home, his pastor, Bishop Demetrius was livid as this was regarded as a serious breach of ecclesiastical protocol.From 218 to 230, Origen devoted himself exclusively to writing. Then in 230 again set out for Palestine, where he the same pastor-bishops as before asked him to preach again. When he declined lest it create another brueha with Demetrius, they offered to ordain him then and there. Sounded good to Origen, so the deed was done.Yeah, Demetrius wasn't pleased and when Origen got back, fired him & revoked his ordination, claiming the other two pastors weren't Origen's spiritual authority, HE was. That was too much for Origen to bear, so he moved to Caesarea in 231 where he opened a famous school, attracting scholars from all over.Origen then gave himself to writing & preaching. In 250, at the age of 65, he was rounded up in the persecution under Decius, endured prolonged torture, in which they hoped to get him to recant. But Origen outlasted Decius. He was released, but managed to survive just a few years.While Origen left a lasting impact on theology and the Church, his by far largest work was called the Hexapla, which he worked 20 years on. The Hexapla is a massive work 6000 pages spread over 15 volumes. It's 6 versions of the OT arranged in columns side by side, like what we call a parallel bible today. It compares the Hebrew text to the Greek Septuagint translation, and 4 other Greek translations, including one Origen found in a jar near Jericho – and which modern scholars wonder was an early find of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Hexapla became an important step in the development of the modern Bible and went far in advancing the science of scripture translation. Chances are there was only a single full edition of the Hexapla, housed in the church at Caesarea, but was destroyed by the Muslims in their invasion in 638.While the Hexapla was his largest work, his most significant was On First Principles, a systematic theology, the first ever for the Christian Faith. Origen merged a distinct Christian philosophy with Greek rhetorical techniques and assumptions based on Scripture. In 4 volumes, Origen deals with God, spirits, man, nature, free will, & Scripture. The original text has all but disappeared, but a questionable Latin translation by Rufinus, and a more reliable rendering by Jerome convey most of it.These two works alone, to say nothing of all the other material he produced, it's easy to see how he kept 7 secretaries busy and moved Jerome a hundred yrs later to say, “Has anyone read everything Origen wrote?”In Against Celsus, Origen gave a stellar defense of the Christian faith against the erudite attacks of the pagan philosopher Celsus. Nothing of Celsus remains, except where Origen quotes him. It seems Celsus had had enough of the upstart Christians and their crucified God. He leveled his not insubstantial genius at clearing away what he considered the foolishness of the Gospel. But his, what he thought were ace serves into the Christian side of the court were returned by the Wimbledon champion Origen, who sent them back on fire! Really, it was clear that paganism was a dilapidated old shack that needed to come down. Christianity was the wrecking ball that did it in. Against Celsus is one of the finest defenses of Christianity produced in that era. Answering Celsus' accusation that by refusing military service Christians were poor citizens, Origen said, “We who by our prayers destroy all demons which stir up wars, violate oaths, and disturb the peace, are of more help to the emperors than those who seem to be doing the fighting.”Origen produced commentaries on almost all the books of the Bible, though only fragmentary evidence survives of most. His homilies are the oldest examples of Christian preaching.History has assigned many labels to Origen. He was at heart a biblical scholar whose intellect was nurtured by Scripture. But this is where Origen also seems to go off the rails. He applied a three-fold method when interpreting the Bible. He said the Bible could be understood literally, morally, and allegorically. Nothing too-too wild there. But where Origen DID go too far was in saying the allegorical method was the main way to view Scripture.In contrast, modern Evangelicals would say the literal, straight-forward meaning of the text prevails. You don't have to read anything INTO the text with a literal interpretation. Your goal is to get the meaning OUT of the text, not put it in. Now, there might be some allegorical meaning to some passages, but those ought to be considered only after first getting a good grasp on the literal meaning.Origen flipped that. He claimed the allegorical meaning was the primary purpose of the text, while the literal was SO obvious, well, clearly something as important as God's Word had to be deeper than just what any ole' uneducated person could get.That brings us to another error Origen made. He divided people into 2 categories; the mass of everyday commoners with average intelligence for whom a literal interpretation of the Bible was sufficient to help them muddle through. And the intellectually elite and enlightened for whom the lofty heights of allegory opened higher spiritual realms. For commoners, the Gospel with its message of the cross and resurrection were enough, but the elite who entered into the mysteries of allegory, the very mind of God was available.Sadly, Origen's view of interpreting Scripture dominated the European Medieval Church.Other problems areas with Origen are his belief that all spirits are created in the spiritual realm then find homes in either demons, humans or angels. He believed that ultimately, all spirits would be saved and restored to God, including the devil.Most problematic was Origen's thoughts on the Trinity. He conceived of it as a hierarchy. The Father was the absolute, supreme God, while Jesu and the Holy Spirit were also in essence God, but not equal to the Father. And though he attacked Gnostic beliefs, like them, he rejected the goodness of material creation.While Origen produced much helpful material, his nudging the Church to adopt an allegorical method for interpreting Scripture set it on a path that ended up obscuring God's Word and removing it from the hands of everyday believers. Now it became the sole domain of those properly educated to parse it's esoteric truths.Three centuries after Origen's death, in 553, the Council of Constantinople declared him a heretic. His works were systematically removed.Modern apologists for Origen suggest he was only seeking to cast the Faith in the thought forms of his day. That may have been his goal, but he simply went too far and introduced ideas that were clearly anti-Biblical, ideas that a literal, straight-forward understanding of the text would have cleared up, had Origen let them.
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