Nothing True, Part 2

Posted on May 15, 2023 by admin

Job’s lament took an intriguing turn.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:11, 12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:11, 12 (NET)	Job 3:11, 12 (NETS)	Job 3:11, 12 (English Elpenor)
Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?	“Why did I not die at birth, and why did I not expire as I came out of the womb?	“For what reason did I not die in the womb or come forth from the belly and not perish at once?	For why died I not in the belly? and [why] did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?
Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?	Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them?	Why then did knees meet me? Why then did I suck breasts?	and why did the knees support me? and why did I suck the breasts?

I began this study with a complaint that “in the past I’ve gotten bogged down. My religious mind favors the arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar over those of Job.” But as I considered Jobs’ lament and Moses’ and Jeremiah’s, it occurred to me that despite my complaint I have become more patient with people in distress, less judgmental over the words they spoke as they vented their pain and frustration. But still “I hope…to know God better and to discern the errors of my religious mind.”

This time I hear Job asking THE question: God made human infants so weak and helpless that their destruction is assured apart from the love and grace of God. And that includes imparting his love and grace to young women and young men: Even the evil…know how to give good gifts to [their] children¹ at the risk of those same young women and young men mistaking God’s imputed righteousness for their own righteousness.

God’s love and grace answer job’s question and convey the hope and strength to hold out, saying, Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance.² Job may not have been ready yet to hear it from a human comforter, but any would-be human comforter could pray that God Himself would be the Comforter to lead Job out from his despair.

Job’s lament continued:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:13-15 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:13-15 (NET)	Job 3:13-15 (NETS)	Job 3:13-15 (English Elpenor)
For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest (יָנ֬וּחַֽ),	For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace (nûaḥ, ינוח)	Now I would have lain down quiet and in sleep would have been at rest (ἀνεπαυσάμην),	Now I should have lain down and been quiet, I should have slept and been at rest (ἀνεπαυσάμην),
With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;	with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,	with kings, counselors of the earth, who used to act proudly thanks to rapiers,	with kings [and] councillors of the earth, who gloried in [their] swords;
Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:	or with princes who possessed gold, who filled their palaces with silver.	or with rulers, who had much gold, who had filled their houses with silver.	or with rulers, whose gold was abundant, who filled their houses with silver:
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.	Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light?	Or why was I not like a premature birth that comes from a mother’s womb or like infants that did not see the light?	or [I should have been] as an untimely birth proceeding from his mother’s womb, or as infants who never saw light.

The Septuagint makes it explicit that Job’s friends were rulers. Reading only the Masoretic text I missed how Job’s comments about kings and princes may have put his friends on edge, especially equating them to stillborn infants. Does anyone appreciate being reminded of the sinful futility of one’s life and its eventual end?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:17-19 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:17-19 (NET)	Job 3:17-19 (NETS)	Job 3:17-19 (English Elpenor)
There the wicked cease (חָ֣דְלוּ) from troubling (רֹ֑גֶז); and there the weary be at rest (יָ֜נ֗וּחוּ).	There the wicked cease (ḥāḏal, חדלו) from turmoil (rōḡez, רגז), and there the weary are at rest (nûaḥ, ינוחו).	There the impious have kindled (ἐξέκαυσαν) a terrible (θυμὸν) wrath (ὀργῆς); there the weary have found rest (ἀνεπαύσαντο) for the body,	There the ungodly have burnt out (ἐξέκαυσαν) the fury (θυμὸν) of rage (ὀργῆς); there the wearied in body rest (ἀνεπαύσαντο).
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.	There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.	and those of old, together, have not heard the voice of the tax-gatherer.	And the men of old time have together ceased to hear the exactor’s voice.
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.	Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master.	Small and great are there, and the attendant who lived in fear of his master.	The small and great are there, and the servant that feared his lord.

It’s much clearer to me this time how Job’s description of death as a neutralizer of worldly rank and distinction might have affected his royal friends. I’ll pause for a moment here to consider whether the impious have kindled a terrible wrath³ in death, or the ungodly have burnt out the fury of rage⁴ there.

The verb ἐξέκαυσαν (a form of ἐκκαίω) can mean either have kindled or have burnt out. On the other hand a terrible seems like a terrible translation of θυμὸν (a form of θυμός). I suspect that θυμὸν ὀργῆς (a form of ὀργή) was the rabbis’ attempt to capture some of the richness of רֹ֑גֶז (rōḡez). The English word string for רֹ֑גֶז (rōḡez) in the “Outline of Biblical Usage” online reads like an apt description of the wicked, impious or ungodly: “agitation, excitement, raging, trouble, turmoil, trembling;” “turmoil, disquiet, raging;” “trembling, trepidation.”

In Jesus’ description of death a rich man in Hades, as he was in torment (βασάνοις, a form of βάσανος),⁵ called out (φωνήσας, a form of φωνέω)⁶ to Abraham: I am in anguish in this fire.⁷ For years I would have characterized this as a description of the place where the impious have kindled a terrible wrath,⁸ primarily because the Greek word ᾅδῃ (a form of ᾅδης) was translated hell in the KJV. But now it’s obvious that the rich man (and Lazarus, for that matter) had ceased from troubling (Tanakh, KJV), from turmoil (NET), and whatever fury of rage they may have had against man or God had burnt out (English Elpenor).

The rich man seemed to think that he was entitled to some help from Lazarus, and it would be strange indeed that Lazarus lay at the rich man’s gate if he received no help there. There is clearly a judgment in Jesus’ description of death: Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish,⁹ Abraham had said to the rich man. But it is certainly not THE judgment (Matthew 25:41-46 NET).

“Then [the Son of Man] will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed? [Table]’ Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So, in my bid to live…by every word that comes from the mouth of God,¹⁰ I’ll favor the translation of Job 3:17a in the English Elpenor version of the Septuagint over that in the NETS. The immediate upshot of taking Jesus’ description of death literally is a better understanding of his puzzling statement to Martha before he raised her brother Lazarus from the dead: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives (ὁ ζῶν) and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”¹¹

The Greek word translated will…die in the phrase will never die above was not ἀποθανεῖται, the 3^rd person singular form of ἀποθνήσκω in the indicative mood and future tense. Rather, it was ἀποθάνῃ, the 3^rd person singular form of ἀποθνήσκω in the subjunctive mood and second aorist tense (e.g., may…die). Since never was the NET translation of οὐ μὴ in Greek, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ is an example of the Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation:

…the Subjunctive Mood indicates the probability of an event, and the Aorist Tense emphasizes an action as simply occurring…Thus, when you have οὐ µή (ou mē) in combination with the Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is the absolute and unequivocal denial of the probability of an event EVER OCCURING at any moment or time in the future.

This particular subjunctive of emphatic negation was followed by a phrase that was rarely translated into English: εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. It was rendered to the age in Young’s Literal Translation. A note (50) in the NET acknowledged that οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα meant “will never die forever” in Greek. It’s easy to understand why Martha was reluctant to affirm her faith in such a statement. Instead, she affirmed her faith in the One who said it.

I couple this with Paul’s enigmatic statement (2 Corinthians 5:6-9 NET):

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth (ἐνδημοῦντες ἐν τῷ σώματι; KJV: at home in the body) we are absent from the Lord—for we live (περιπατοῦμεν) by faith, not by sight. Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So then whether we are alive (ἐνδημοῦντες) or away, we make it our ambition to please him.

Those who live and believe in Jesus simply skip over death: a sojourn in Hades. What we call death from our limited perspectives has no impact on our ambition (φιλοτιμούμεθα, a form of φιλοτιμέομαι) to please (εὐάρεστοι, a form of εὐάρεστος) him.

Job’s next question might have been voiced by Lazarus as he lay at the rich man’s gate, his body covered with sores,¹² longing (ἐπιθυμῶν, a form of ἐπιθυμέω) to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.¹³

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:20-23 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:20-23 (NET)	Job 3:20-23 (NETS)	Job 3:20-23 (English Elpenor)
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;	“Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,	“Why then is light given to those in bitterness, and life to souls in pain,	For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to those souls which are in griefs?
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;	to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,	who long for death and do not find it, though they are digging for it as for treasures?	who desire death, and obtain it not, digging [for it] as [for] treasures;
Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?	who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave?	Yet they would be very joyful if they were successful.	and would be very joyful if they should gain it?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?	Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?	Death is rest (ἀνάπαυμα) for such a man, for God shut him in.	Death [is] rest (ἀνάπαυμα) to [such] a man, for God has hedged him in.

Death is rest for such a man.¹⁴ This is the reason I quoted this verse. If I were reading the Masoretic text only I would’ve ended the quotation one verse earlier. But I’m struck how Jesus confirmed Job’s words with Abraham’s description of Lazarus’ death: now he is comforted here.¹⁵

Paul recounted a life circumstance that was similar to Job’s question: Why then is light given to those in bitterness, and life to souls in pain?¹⁶ (2 Corinthians 1:8 NET [Table]):

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired (ἐξαπορηθῆναι, a form of ἐξαπορέω) even of living (καὶ τοῦ ζῆν).

In Paul’s writing, however, we also get a glimpse how the righteous, by the grace of God, respond to a sentence of death (2 Corinthians 1:9 NET):

Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death (τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοῦ θανάτου) had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

Job’s first lament concluded:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:24-26 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:24-26 (NET)	Job 3:24-26 (NETS)	Job 3:24-26 (English Elpenor)
For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.	For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water.	For sighing comes before my food, and I cry, gripped by fear.	For my groaning comes before my food, and I weep being beset with terror.
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.	For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me.	For fear—which was my worry—came to me, and the fear I dreaded befell me.	For the terror of which I meditated has come upon me, and that which I had feared has befallen me.
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble (רֹֽגֶז) came.	I have no ease; I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil (rōḡez, רגז) has come upon me.”	I was neither at peace, nor did I have quiet, nor was I at rest, but anger (ὀργή) came to me.”	I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest; yet wrath (ὀργή) came upon me.

I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest (ἀνεπαυσάμην, a form of ἀναπαύω); yet wrath came upon me.¹⁷ This last sigh of Job’s first lament is particularly poignant in the light of Jesus’ insight that one’s¹⁸ life does not consist in the abundance of his¹⁹ possessions.²⁰ [Jesus] then told them a parable (Luke 12:16-21 NET):

“The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, so he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain²¹ and my goods. And I will say to myself, “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax (ἀναπαύου, another form of ἀναπαύω), eat, drink, celebrate!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life (τὴν ψυχήν σου) will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ So it is with the one who stores up riches (θησαυρίζων, a form of θησαυρίζω) for himself, but is not rich (πλουτῶν, a form of πλουτέω) toward God.”

I wonder if the fear—which was [Job’s] worry²² (ἐφρόντισα, a form of φροντίζω; English Elpenor: of which I meditated) was synonymous with Job’s thought which prompted his customary practice after his sons and daughters feasted: Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.²³

According to a note (7) in the NET Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 in Matthew 4:4. A table below compares the Greek of Jesus’ quotation in Matthew 4:4 to that of the Septuagint.

Matthew 4:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 8:3b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 8:3b (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ παντὶ ρήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ	οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι τῷ ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος	οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι τῷ ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος
Matthew 4:4 (NET)	Deuteronomy 8:3b (NETS)	Deuteronomy 8:3b (English Elpenor)
Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.	man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that goes out through the mouth of God man shall live.	man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live.

Tables comparing Job 3:11; 3:12; 3:13; 3:14; 3:15; 3:16; 3:17; 3:18; 3:19; 3:20; 3:21; 3:22; 3:23; 3:24; 3:25 and 3:26 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 3:11; 3:12; 3:13; 3:14; 3:15; 3:16; 3:17; 3:18; 3:19; 3:20; 3:21; 3:22; 3:23; 3:24; 3:25 and 3:26 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 4:4; Luke 12:15 and 12:18 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 3:11 (Tanakh)	Job 3:11 (KJV)	Job 3:11 (NET)
Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?	Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?	“Why did I not die at birth, and why did I not expire as I came out of the womb?

Job 3:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τί γὰρ ἐν κοιλίᾳ οὐκ ἐτελεύτησα ἐκ γαστρὸς δὲ ἐξῆλθον καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀπωλόμην	διατί γὰρ ἐν κοιλίᾳ οὐκ ἐτελεύτησα, ἐκ γαστρὸς δὲ ἐξῆλθον καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀπωλόμην
Job 3:11 (NETS)	Job 3:11 (English Elpenor)
“For what reason did I not die in the womb or come forth from the belly and not perish at once?	For why died I not in the belly? and [why] did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?

Job 3:12 (Tanakh)	Job 3:12 (KJV)	Job 3:12 (NET)
Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?	Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?	Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them?

Job 3:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί δὲ συνήντησάν μοι γόνατα ἵνα τί δὲ μαστοὺς ἐθήλασα	ἱνατί δὲ συνήντησάν μοι γόνατα; ἱνατί δὲ μαστοὺς ἐθήλασα
Job 3:12 (NETS)	Job 3:12 (English Elpenor)
Why then did knees meet me? Why then did I suck breasts?	and why did the knees support me? and why did I suck the breasts?

Job 3:13 (Tanakh)	Job 3:13 (KJV)	Job 3:13 (NET)
For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,	For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,	For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace

Job 3:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν ἂν κοιμηθεὶς ἡσύχασα ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην	νῦν ἂν κοιμηθεὶς ἡσύχασα, ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην
Job 3:13 (NETS)	Job 3:13 (English Elpenor)
Now I would have lain down quiet and in sleep would have been at rest,	Now I should have lain down and been quiet, I should have slept and been at rest,

Job 3:14 (Tanakh)	Job 3:14 (KJV)	Job 3:14 (NET)
With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;	With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;	with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,

Job 3:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μετὰ βασιλέων βουλευτῶν γῆς οἳ ἠγαυριῶντο ἐπὶ ξίφεσιν	μετὰ βασιλέων βουλευτῶν γῆς, οἳ ἐγαυριῶντο ἐπὶ ξίφεσιν
Job 3:14 (NETS)	Job 3:14 (English Elpenor)
with kings, counselors of the earth, who used to act proudly thanks to rapiers,	with kings [and] councillors of the earth, who gloried in [their] swords;

Job 3:15 (Tanakh)	Job 3:15 (KJV)	Job 3:15 (NET)
Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:	Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:	or with princes who possessed gold, who filled their palaces with silver.

Job 3:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ μετὰ ἀρχόντων ὧν πολὺς ὁ χρυσός οἳ ἔπλησαν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου	ἢ μετὰ ἀρχόντων, ὧν πολὺς ὁ χρυσός, οἳ ἔπλησαν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου
Job 3:15 (NETS)	Job 3:15 (English Elpenor)
or with rulers, who had much gold, who had filled their houses with silver.	or with rulers, whose gold was abundant, who filled their houses with silver:

Job 3:16 (Tanakh)	Job 3:16 (KJV)	Job 3:16 (NET)
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.	Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.	Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light?

Job 3:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ ὥσπερ ἔκτρωμα ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ μήτρας μητρὸς ἢ ὥσπερ νήπιοι οἳ οὐκ εἶδον φῶς	ἢ ὥσπερ ἔκτρωμα ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ μήτρας μητρός, ἢ ὥσπερ νήπιοι, οἳ οὐκ εἶδον φῶς
Job 3:16 (NETS)	Job 3:16 (English Elpenor)
Or why was I not like a premature birth that comes from a mother’s womb or like infants that did not see the light?	or [I should have been] as an untimely birth proceeding from his mother’s womb, or as infants who never saw light.

Job 3:17 (Tanakh)	Job 3:17 (KJV)	Job 3:17 (NET)
There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.	There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.	There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.

Job 3:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκεῖ ἀσεβεῖς ἐξέκαυσαν θυμὸν ὀργῆς ἐκεῖ ἀνεπαύσαντο κατάκοποι τῷ σώματι	ἐκεῖ ἀσεβεῖς ἐξέκαυσαν θυμὸν ὀργῆς, ἐκεῖ ἀνεπαύσαντο κατάκοποι τῷ σώματι
Job 3:17 (NETS)	Job 3:17 (English Elpenor)
There the impious have kindled a terrible wrath; there the weary have found rest for the body,	There the ungodly have burnt out the fury of rage; there the wearied in body rest.

Job 3:18 (Tanakh)	Job 3:18 (KJV)	Job 3:18 (NET)
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.	There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.	There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

Job 3:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ οἱ αἰώνιοι οὐκ ἤκουσαν φωνὴν φορολόγου	ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ οἱ αἰώνιοι οὐκ ἤκουσαν φωνὴν φορολόγου
Job 3:18 (NETS)	Job 3:18 (English Elpenor)
and those of old, together, have not heard the voice of the tax-gatherer.	And the men of old time have together ceased to hear the exactor’s voice.

Job 3:19 (Tanakh)	Job 3:19 (KJV)	Job 3:19 (NET)
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.	The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.	Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master.

Job 3:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μικρὸς καὶ μέγας ἐκεῖ ἐστιν καὶ θεράπων οὐ δεδοικὼς τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ	μικρὸς καὶ μέγας ἐκεῖ ἐστι, καὶ θεράπων δεδοικὼς τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ
Job 3:19 (NETS)	Job 3:19 (English Elpenor)
Small and great are there, and the attendant who lived in fear of his master.	The small and great are there, and the servant that feared his lord.

Job 3:20 (Tanakh)	Job 3:20 (KJV)	Job 3:20 (NET)
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;	Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;	“Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,

Job 3:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς	ἱνατί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς, ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς
Job 3:20 (NETS)	Job 3:20 (English Elpenor)
“Why then is light given to those in bitterness, and life to souls in pain,	For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to those souls which are in griefs?

Job 3:21 (Tanakh)	Job 3:21 (KJV)	Job 3:21 (NET)
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;	Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;	to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,

Job 3:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἳ ὁμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυρούς	οἳ ἱμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυρούς
Job 3:21 (NETS)	Job 3:21 (English Elpenor)
who long for death and do not find it, though they are digging for it as for treasures?	who desire death, and obtain it not, digging [for it] as [for] treasures;

Job 3:22 (Tanakh)	Job 3:22 (KJV)	Job 3:22 (NET)
Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?	Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?	who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave?

Job 3:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
περιχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐὰν κατατύχωσιν	περιχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐὰν κατατύχωσι
Job 3:22 (NETS)	Job 3:22 (English Elpenor)
Yet they would be very joyful if they were successful.	and would be very joyful if they should gain it?

Job 3:23 (Tanakh)	Job 3:23 (KJV)	Job 3:23 (NET)
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?	Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?	Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?

Job 3:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
θάνατος ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυμα συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ	θάνατος ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυμα, συνέκλεισε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Job 3:23 (NETS)	Job 3:23 (English Elpenor)
Death is rest for such a man, for God shut him in.	Death [is] rest to [such] a man, for God has hedged him in.

Job 3:24 (Tanakh)	Job 3:24 (KJV)	Job 3:24 (NET)
For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.	For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.	For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water.

Job 3:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρὸ γὰρ τῶν σίτων μου στεναγμός μοι ἥκει δακρύω δὲ ἐγὼ συνεχόμενος φόβῳ	πρὸ γὰρ τῶν σίτων μου στεναγμός μοι ἥκει, δακρύω δὲ ἐγὼ συνεχόμενος φόβῳ
Job 3:24 (NETS)	Job 3:24 (English Elpenor)
For sighing comes before my food, and I cry, gripped by fear.	For my groaning comes before my food, and I weep being beset with terror.

Job 3:25 (Tanakh)	Job 3:25 (KJV)	Job 3:25 (NET)
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.	For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.	For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me.

Job 3:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
φόβος γάρ ὃν ἐφρόντισα ἦλθέν μοι καὶ ὃν ἐδεδοίκειν συνήντησέν μοι	φόβος γάρ, ὅν ἐφρόντισα, ἦλθέ μοι, καὶ ὃν ἐδεδοίκειν, συνήντησέ μοι
Job 3:25 (NETS)	Job 3:25 (English Elpenor)
For fear—which was my worry—came to me, and the fear I dreaded befell me.	For the terror of which I meditated has come upon me, and that which I had feared has befallen me.

Job 3:26 (Tanakh)	Job 3:26 (KJV)	Job 3:26 (NET)
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.	I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.	I have no ease; I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me.”

Job 3:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὔτε εἰρήνευσα οὔτε ἡσύχασα οὔτε ἀνεπαυσάμην ἦλθεν δέ μοι ὀργή	οὔτε εἰρήνευσα οὔτε ἡσύχασα οὔτε ἀνεπαυσάμην, ἦλθε δέ μοι ὀργή
Job 3:26 (NETS)	Job 3:26 (English Elpenor)
I was neither at peace, nor did I have quiet, nor was I at rest, but anger came to me.”	I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest; yet wrath came upon me.

Matthew 4:4 (NET)	Matthew 4:4 (KJV)
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”	But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 4:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 4:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· γέγραπται· οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ παντὶ ρήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν γεγραπται ουκ επ αρτω μονω ζησεται ανθρωπος αλλ επι παντι ρηματι εκπορευομενω δια στοματος θεου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν γεγραπται ουκ επ αρτω μονω ζησεται ανθρωπος αλλ επι παντι ρηματι εκπορευομενω δια στοματος θεου

Luke 12:15 (NET)	Luke 12:15 (KJV)
Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”	And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Luke 12:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· ὁρᾶτε καὶ φυλάσσεσθε ἀπὸ πάσης πλεονεξίας, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῷ περισσεύειν τινὶ ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ	ειπεν δε προς αυτους ορατε και φυλασσεσθε απο της πλεονεξιας οτι ουκ εν τω περισσευειν τινι η ζωη αυτου εστιν εκ των υπαρχοντων αυτου	ειπεν δε προς αυτους ορατε και φυλασσεσθε απο της πλεονεξιας οτι ουκ εν τω περισσευειν τινι η ζωη αυτω εστιν εκ των υπαρχοντων αυτου

Luke 12:18 (NET)	Luke 12:18 (KJV)
Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.	And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luke 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἶπεν· τοῦτο ποιήσω, καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω καὶ συνάξω ἐκεῖ πάντα τὸν σῖτον καὶ τὰ ἀγαθά μου	και ειπεν τουτο ποιησω καθελω μου τας αποθηκας και μειζονας οικοδομησω και συναξω εκει παντα τα γενηματα μου και τα αγαθα μου	και ειπεν τουτο ποιησω καθελω μου τας αποθηκας και μειζονας οικοδομησω και συναξω εκει παντα τα γενηματα μου και τα αγαθα μου

Nothing True, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to Nothing True, Part 5

Back to Nothing True, Part 6

¹ Matthew 7:11a (NET)

² Job 2:9b, 9α (English Elpenor) Table

³ Job 3:17a (NETS)

⁴ Job 3:17a (English Elpenor)

⁵ Luke 16:23a (NET) Table

⁶ Luke 16:24a (NET)

⁷ Luke 16:24b (NET)

⁸ Job 3:17a (NETS)

⁹ Luke 16:25 (NET) Table

¹⁰ Matthew 4:4 (NET)

¹¹ John 11:25b, 26 (NET)

¹² Luke 16:20b (NET) Table

¹³ Luke 16:21a (NET) Table

¹⁴ Job 3:23a (NETS)

¹⁵ Luke 16:25b (NET) Table

¹⁶ Job 3:20 (NETS)

¹⁷ Job 3:26 (English Elpenor)

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had τινὶ…αὐτοῦ in the Genitive Case here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had τινι…αυτω in the Dative Case.

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῷ in the Dative Case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτου in the Genitive Case.

²⁰ Luke 12:15b (NET)

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὸν σῖτον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τα γενηματα μου (KJV: my fruits).

²² Job 3:25a (NETS)

²³ Job 1:5 (NET) Table

Father, Forgive Them – Part 3

Posted on March 31, 2018 by admin

Jesus said (Matthew 23:33-36 NASB):

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

“Therefore (Διὰ τοῦτο; See: Table1 below), behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

I quoted the NASB to blunt the crime/punishment motif the NET translators superimposed upon the text by translating ἥξει (a form of ἥκω) will be held responsible (See: Table). Of course the NASB translators superimposed their own crime/punishment motif by translating ἔλθῃ (a form of ἔρχομαι) may fall the guilt (See: Table3 below). Neither word seems capable of carrying such concepts. Both translations help to disguise the fact that Jesus brought all the righteous blood shed on earth…upon this generation so that the serpents, the brood of vipers, could escape (φύγητε, a form of φεύγω) the sentence (κρίσεως, a form of κρίσις) of hell. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, a form of κρίνω) the world, but that the world should be saved through him.^[1]

Clarifying this point, however, doesn’t fill me with instant insight. It seems rather to be leading me somewhere I didn’t particularly want to go. Before I go there I want to entertain another insight gained along the way (Matthew 2:13 NET):

After [the wise men] had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee (φεῦγε, another form of φεύγω) to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.”

Only one king was aware enough (Matthew 2:1-12) of Jesus’ first advent to respond to it (Matthew 2:16-18 NET):

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled (ἐπληρώθη, a form of πληρόω): “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were gone.”

Herod comes off as a fool: First he thought Jesus was after something so petty as his throne. My kingdom is not from this world,^[2] Jesus told Pilate. Second, he thought to thwart God by committing infanticide when it was he who was thwarted by the simple tactic of fleeing beyond the boundary of his jurisdiction and remaining there until he died. Those in positions of authority at Jesus’ second advent, when The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,^[3] will do well to remember Herod’s negative example, if for no other reason than how they will be remembered in the history of Him who will reign for ever and ever.

Despite all that had transpired (Luke 1:1-2:40) Joseph wasn’t expected to add Jeremiah’s prophecy to the time in which he was living to deduce that he should flee with the child Jesus and his mother to Egypt. Rather an angel appeared to him in a dream and warned him explicitly, while other fathers of infant sons slept ignorantly, blissfully, through that fateful night. Of course, the purpose of Jeremiah’s prophecy was not that brilliant young minds might thwart it by fleeing. Consider a prophecy, for instance, in which fleeing is its intended fulfillment (Matthew 24:15, 16 NET):

So when you see the abomination of desolation – spoken about by Daniel the prophet – standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee (φευγέτωσαν, another form of φεύγω) to the mountains.

But as I wondered how to live emotionally with the collateral damage of all those butchered sons I caught a glimpse of young Jesus in tears contemplating the same thing and heard the scripture as written for its primary heir (Galatians 3:15-22).

Jeremiah 31:16, 17 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 38:16, 17 (NETS)
Thus saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה); Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה); and [Rachel’s children] shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), that thy children shall come again to their own border.	Thus did the Lord say: Let your voice cease from weeping, and your eyes from tears, because there is a wage for your works, and [Rachel’s sons] shall come back from a land of enemies; there will be permanence for your children.

I am the resurrection and the life, Jesus told Martha before He raised Lazarus from the dead. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?^[4] But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush, Jesus told Sadduccees who contend that there is no resurrection, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.^[5] For the joy set out for him, the writer of Hebrews declared of Jesus, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame…^[6]

As for leading me somewhere I didn’t particularly want to go: the fact that Jesus brought all the righteous blood shed on earth…upon this generation so that the serpents, the brood of vipers, could escape the sentence of hell reminds me of Abraham’s reasoning in Jesus’ parable (Luke 16:19-31) of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:25 NET):

But Abraham said [to the rich man], ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted (παρακαλεῖται, a form of παρακαλέω) here and you are in anguish (ὀδυνᾶσαι, a form of ὀδυνάω; See: Table2 below).’

In another essay, though I didn’t quite scoff at Abraham’s reasoning, I didn’t think that receiving good things in life was sufficient cause to turn the rich man’s ᾅδῃ (a form of ᾅδης) into γεέννης (a form of γέεννα). But Jesus clearly meant γεέννης in reference to the serpents, the brood of vipers escape from the sentence of hell. So it’s difficult for me to turn now and see how bad things—bringing all the righteous blood shed on earth…upon this generation—might justify that escape.

As I consider again the accounts of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple I have to admit I find it hard to imagine a γέεννα were sin could be any more unrestrained. The primary differences I see between the destruction of Jerusalem and γέεννα are: 1) though there is a “letting go” on God’s part evident in Jerusalem’s destruction it was not the absolute “place that the omnipresent God is not” that I understand of γέεννα; and, 2) what we call death was the escape route taken by most in Jerusalem from its hellish destruction, while there is no exit from γέεννα.

I am probably missing the point here, however. There is no more justification required to spare the serpents, the brood of vipers from a sentence of hell beyond Jesus’ death on the cross and his mercy. I should consider his motivation to show them mercy since it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy (ἐλεῶντος, a form of ἐλεέω).^[7]

I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy (râcham, ורחמתי; Septuagint: ἐλεήσω, another form of ἐλεέω) on whom I will show mercy (râcham, ארחם; Septuagint: ἐλεῶ, another form of ἐλεέω),^[8] y^ehôvâh declared to Moses after the incident with the golden calf. In the past witnessing his people suffering from their sin has motivated y^ehôvâh/Jesus to show them mercy.

Jeremiah 31:18-20 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 38:18-20 (NETS)
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) my God.	In hearing I heard Ephraim mourning: “You instructed me and I was instructed; I was not trained like a calf. Bring me back, and I shall come back, because you are the Lord my God.
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.	Because later than my captivity I repented, and later than that I became aware, I sighed for days of shame, and I yielded to you, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely (râcham, רחם) have mercy (râcham, ארחמנו) upon him, saith the LORD (y^ehôvâh, יהוה).	Ephraim is my beloved son, a child to delight in; because since my words are in him, I will remember him with remembrance. Therefore I hurried for him; in having mercy (ἐλεῶν, another form of ἐλεέω) I will have mercy (ἐλεήσω, a form of ἐλεέω) on him, quoth the Lord.

Notice the order of events:

First, one is turned (John 6:44; 12:32) by y^ehôvâh…turn (shûb, השיבני; Septuagint: ἐπίστρεψόν, a form of ἐπιστρέφω) thou me, and I shall be turned (shûb, ואשובה; Septuagint: ἐπιστρέψω)…(KJV: turn thou me, and I shall be turned).

Second, one who is turned by y^ehôvâh repents (2 Timothy 2:24-26)…after that I was turned (shûb, שובי), I repented (nâcham, נחמתי; Septuagint: μετενόησα, a form of μετανοέω)… (KJV: after that I was turned, I repented).

The translators of the Septuagint conflated being turned by y^ehôvâh with captivity: “later than my captivity I repented” (ὅτι ὕστερον αἰχμαλωσίας μου μετενόησα). The Tanakh reads: Thou hast chastised (yâsar, יסרתני; Septuagint: ἐπαίδευσάς, a form of παιδεύω) me, and I was chastised (yâsar, ואוסר; Septuagint: ἐπαιδεύθην, another form of παιδεύω), as a bullock unaccustomed (lôʼ, לא) to the yoke (lâmad, למד)… (KJV: Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke).

Translating yâsar with forms of παιδεύω wasn’t wrong exactly, just a little misleading. Ephraim learned that y^ehôvâh’s word (Deuteronomy 32) was true, but I wonder if ἐπαίδευσάς and ἐπαιδεύθην actually communicate the crudity and violence of that method of “instruction.”

The Greek ἐγώ ὥσπερ μόσχος οὐκ ἐδιδάχθην^[9] seems virtually identical to the Hebrew translated as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke though the English translation—“I was not trained like a calf”—coupled with instructed rather than chastised seems to disguise that fact. But, yes, survivors “instructed” by losing a war and being carried off into captivity that y^ehôvâh’s word was true did prompt Ephraim to ask y^ehôvâh to turn him.

The translators of the NET (among other modern translations) followed the same line of reasoning—“For after we turned away from you we repented”—and—“You disciplined us and we learned from it”—emphasizing our repentance and our learning over being turned by y^ehôvâh. But hear y^ehôvâh’s motivation to show mercy revealed in Moses’ song: For HaShem (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) will judge His people, and repent Himself for His servants; when He seeth that their stay is gone, and there is none remaining, shut up or left at large.^[10]

Third, it is after repentance that one gains real knowledge (Ephesians 4:24-29; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 2:6-16) beyond the simple fact that y^ehôvâh’s word is true…and after that I was instructed (yâdaʽ, הודעי; Septuagint: γνῶναί, a form of γινώσκω)… (KJV: after that I was instructed).

Fourth, this instruction (Tanakh, KJV) or awareness (NETS/Septuagint) brings shame and confusion (Romans 7:15-25; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:7-9; 1 Timothy 1:15-17) over past behavior…I was ashamed (bûsh, בשתי; Septuagint: αἰσχύνης, a form of αἰσχύνη), yea, even confounded (kâlam, נכלמתי; Septuagint: ὑπέδειξά, a form of ὑποδεικνύω)…(KJV: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded). It is the carnal mind or religious mind that seeks to induce shame first to manipulate others into conformity with its concept of righteousness.

For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, John wrote, to destroy the works of the devil.^[11] To be born from above and led by the Spirit of God is the surest way to destroy the works (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) of the devil, but as in the instance cited above it isn’t the only thing God is doing or has done to reconcile the world to Himself through Christ.

I haven’t written about destroying the works of the devil. I think more often in terms of the old man (παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον). It is good to pause here a moment to consider παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον since so many women feel excluded by the word man.

This is the record of the family line of Adam (ʼâdâm, אדם; Septuagint: ἀνθρώπων, a form of ἄνθρωπος). When God created humankind (ʼâdâm, אדם; Septuagint: Αδαμ, a form of Ἀδάμ), he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male (zâkâr, זכר; Septuagint: ἄρσεν) and female (n^eqêbâh, ונקבה; Septuagint: θῆλυ, a form of θῆλυς); when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind (ʼâdâm, אדם; Septuagint: Αδαμ, a form of Ἀδάμ) [Table].”^[12] The rabbis who translated the Septuagint used ἀνθρώπων (a form of ἄνθρωπος) for the first ʼâdâm (אדם) in Genesis 5:1. So from now on I will call παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον (another form of ἄνθρωπος) old human.

My wife would dig into me in arguments, searching for what I am calling the old human. When she found it, when I responded angrily, she believed she had discovered my true motives, my true feelings, my true self. If I avoided an outburst of anger, which was usually facilitated by my silence, she called me mean and assumed I was hiding my true motives, my true feelings, my true self. I didn’t study the Bible as often or as consistently as I do now, so the experience was much more disorienting in real time than it seems in retrospect.

I have no excuse for my inattention to Scripture. I became the married man…concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife.^[13] She, my children and I have all suffered for it. But that kind of unmasking by the woman I love is a wound that doesn’t heal. I am all too aware now that when I want to do good, evil is present with me.^[14]

A conversation recently over a long lunch with a coworker helped me understand my now ex-wife. My coworker, speaking on a different topic, said that her mother reprimanded her with the words “be nice.” And my coworker repeated, “be nice, be nice, be nice.” On the flight home I had a long time to consider that lifestyle relative to my own.

It was similar to my efforts to have my own righteousness derived from the law,^[15] except that the law actually is God’s word, through the law comes the knowledge of sin. So, though I was playing badly, I was in the right theater. When I turned Paul’s definition of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-13) into rules that I tried to obey in my own strength, that definition actually is a vivid description of the way God loves. So again, I played badly but in the right theater. For a child to attempt to construct a way of life from the word nice, defined as a vague negation of whatever she was doing, saying or thinking at the moment her mother spoke it as correction, could only seem like a repression of her true motives, her true feelings, her true self.

If I am filled with God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, the fruit of his Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23), then all I need is permission to consider that fruit my new human. When I am filled with the fruit of Spirit the Old Testament testifies to the need for a new human, since the old human was never reformed by love or promise, by law or punishment. “Do not be amazed that I said to you,” Jesus said, “‘You must all be born from above.’”^[16] And the teaching of the New Testament becomes that permission to receive and perceive the fruit of God’s own Spirit as my new human (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET).

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

If my wife has turned the faith she used on me against herself, that her old human is her true self, it is extraordinarily difficult for her to work out her salvation. I cannot have the salvation by grace through faith revealed in the Bible if I refuse to believe what the Bible says about me—the old me and the new me—and about that salvation.

Since I failed her so miserably when we were married I have tried by the grace of God to love her consistently since our divorce. I’ve confessed my sins and shortcomings when I’ve recognized them, but I’ve clearly lost all credibility with her. She is convinced that I live by obeying rules I have derived from studying the Bible. Of course, she is not entirely wrong.

At any given moment I may be led by the Spirit of God or I may have reverted to attempting to love like God by obeying Paul’s definition of love as if it were rules or worse, the sin in my flesh may be expressed beyond the confines of my flesh. But the Holy Spirit’s persistence—despite my efforts to obey rules—has increased the frequency of that oscillation and vacillation to moments, not days or weeks, not months or years. And my fixation on the old human does not alter the fact that Jesus, the Judge, is perfectly willing to consider my old human a child of the devil doing the deeds (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) of [his] father (John 8:37-47). I would do well to accept his faith as my own.

Three tables follow: the occurrences of Διὰ τοῦτο in Matthew and forms of ὀδυνάω and ἔλθῃ (a form of ἔρχομαι) in the New Testament and their translations in the KJV and NET. If the parallel Greek in the NET differed from the Stephanus Textus Receptus I have broken the table to show those differences in other tables including the Byzantine Majority Text.

Διὰ τοῦτο in Matthew	Reference	KJV	NET
Διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 6:25	Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life…	Therefore I tell you, do not worry…

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

διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 12:27	…therefore they shall be your judges.	For this reason they will be your judges.
Διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 12:31	Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven…	For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν πασα αμαρτια και βλασφημια αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις η δε του πνευματος βλασφημια ουκ αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν πασα αμαρτια και βλασφημια αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις η δε του πνευματος βλασφημια ουκ αφεθησεται τοις ανθρωποις

διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 13:13	Therefore speak I to them in parables…	For this reason I speak to them in parables…
διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 13:52	…Therefore every scribe which is instructed…	…Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· διὰ τοῦτο πᾶς γραμματεὺς μαθητευθεὶς τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὅμοιος ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδεσπότῃ, ὅστις ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις δια τουτο πας γραμματευς μαθητευθεις εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδεσποτη οστις εκβαλλει εκ του θησαυρου αυτου καινα και παλαια	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις δια τουτο πας γραμματευς μαθητευθεις εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδεσποτη οστις εκβαλλει εκ του θησαυρου αυτου καινα και παλαια

διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 14:2	…and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.	And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.
Διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 18:23	Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened…	For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like…
διὰ τοῦτο	Matthew 21:43	Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you…	For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you…
δια τουτο	Matthew 23:14	…therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.	Not included in NET
Διὰ τοῦτο	Mathew 23:34	Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men…	For this reason I am sending you prophets and wise men…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς· ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε καὶ σταυρώσετε καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν	δια τουτο ιδου εγω αποστελλω προς υμας προφητας και σοφους και γραμματεις και εξ αυτων αποκτενειτε και σταυρωσετε και εξ αυτων μαστιγωσετε εν ταις συναγωγαις υμων και διωξετε απο πολεως εις πολιν	δια τουτο ιδου εγω αποστελλω προς υμας προφητας και σοφους και γραμματεις και εξ αυτων αποκτενειτε και σταυρωσετε και εξ αυτων μαστιγωσετε εν ταις συναγωγαις υμων και διωξετε απο πολεως εις πολιν

διὰ τοῦτο

Matthew 24:44

Therefore be ye also ready…

Therefore you also must be ready…

Form of ὀδυνάω	Reference	KJV	NET
ὀδυνᾶσαι	Luke 16:25	…and thou art tormented.	…and you are in anguish.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβραάμ· τέκνον, μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά· νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι	ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε οδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι	ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε ωδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι

ὀδυνῶμαι	Luke 16:24	…I am tormented in this flame.	…I am in anguish in this fire.
ὀδυνώμενοι	Luke 2:48	…thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.	…your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.
ὀδυνώμενοι	Acts 20:38	Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake…	…especially saddened by what he had said…

ἔλθῃ, a form of ἔρχομαι	Reference	KJV	NET
ἔλθῃ	Matthew 10:23	…till the Son of man be come.	…before the Son of Man comes.

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

ἔλθῃ	Matthew 21:40	When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh…	…when the owner of the vineyard comes…
ἔλθῃ	Matthew 23:35	That upon you may come all the righteous blood…	…so that on you will come all the righteous blood…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅπως ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυννόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἅβελ τοῦ δικαίου ἕως τοῦ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου, ὃν ἐφονεύσατε μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου	οπως ελθη εφ υμας παν αιμα δικαιον εκχυνομενον επι της γης απο του αιματος αβελ του δικαιου εως του αιματος ζαχαριου υιου βαραχιου ον εφονευσατε μεταξυ του ναου και του θυσιαστηριου	οπως ελθη εφ υμας παν αιμα δικαιον εκχυνομενον επι της γης απο του αιματος αβελ του δικαιου εως του αιματος ζαχαριου υιου βαραχιου ον εφονευσατε μεταξυ του ναου και του θυσιαστηριου

ἔλθῃ

Matthew 25:31

When the Son of man shall come in his glory…

When the Son of Man comes in his glory…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, τότε καθίσει ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ	οταν δε ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη δοξη αυτου και παντες οι αγιοι αγγελοι μετ αυτου τοτε καθισει επι θρονου δοξης αυτου	οταν δε ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη δοξη αυτου και παντες οι αγιοι αγγελοι μετ αυτου τοτε καθισει επι θρονου δοξης αυτου

ἔλθῃ

Mark 4:22

…neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

…and nothing concealed except to be brought to light.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν κρυπτὸν ἐὰν μὴ ἵνα φανερωθῇ, οὐδὲ ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν.	ου γαρ εστιν τι κρυπτον ο εαν μη φανερωθη ουδε εγενετο αποκρυφον αλλ ινα εις φανερον ελθη	ου γαρ εστιν τι κρυπτον ο εαν μη φανερωθη ουδε εγενετο αποκρυφον αλλ ινα εις φανερον ελθη

ἔλθῃ	Mark 8:38	…when he cometh in the glory of his Father…	…when he comes in the glory of his Father…
ἔλθῃ	Luke 1:43	…that the mother of my Lord should come to me?	…that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα ἔλθῃ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ κυρίου μου πρὸς ἐμέ	και ποθεν μοι τουτο ινα ελθη η μητηρ του κυριου μου προς με	και ποθεν μοι τουτο ινα ελθη η μητηρ του κυριου μου προς με

ἔλθῃ

Luke 8:17

…that shall not be known and come abroad.

…made known and brought to light.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ φανερὸν γενήσεται οὐδὲ ἀπόκρυφον ὃ οὐ μὴ γνωσθῇ καὶ εἰς φανερὸν ἔλθῃ	ου γαρ εστιν κρυπτον ο ου φανερον γενησεται ουδε αποκρυφον ο ου γνωσθησεται και εις φανερον ελθη	ου γαρ εστιν κρυπτον ο ου φανερον γενησεται ουδε αποκρυφον ο ου γνωσθησεται και εις φανερον ελθη

ἔλθῃ	Luke 9:26	…when he shall come in his own glory…	…when he comes in his glory…
	Luke 12:38	And if he shall come in the second…	Even if he comes in the second…
	Luke 12:38	…or come in the third watch…	…or third watch of the night…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
κὰν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ κὰν ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ φυλακῇ ἔλθῃ καὶ εὕρῃ οὕτως, μακάριοι εἰσιν ἐκεῖνοι.	και εαν ελθη εν τη δευτερα φυλακη και εν τη τριτη φυλακη ελθη και ευρη ουτως μακαριοι εισιν οι δουλοι εκεινοι	και εαν ελθη εν τη δευτερα φυλακη και εν τη τριτη φυλακη ελθη και ευρη ουτως μακαριοι εισιν οι δουλοι εκεινοι

ἔλθῃ

Luke 14:10

…that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say…

…so that when your host approaches he will say to you…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν κληθῇς, πορευθεὶς ἀνάπεσε εἰς τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον, ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ κεκληκώς σε ἐρεῖ σοι· φίλε, προσανάβηθι ἀνώτερον· τότε ἔσται σοι δόξα ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν συνανακειμένων σοι	αλλ οταν κληθης πορευθεις αναπεσον εις τον εσχατον τοπον ινα οταν ελθη ο κεκληκως σε ειπη σοι φιλε προσαναβηθι ανωτερον τοτε εσται σοι δοξα ενωπιον των συνανακειμενων σοι	αλλ οταν κληθης πορευθεις αναπεσε εις τον εσχατον τοπον ινα οταν ελθη ο κεκληκως σε ειπη σοι φιλε προσαναβηθι ανωτερον τοτε εσται σοι δοξα ενωπιον των συνανακειμενων σοι

ἔλθῃ

Luke 22:18

…until the kingdom of God shall come.

…until the kingdom of God comes.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, [ὅτι] οὐ μὴ πίω ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ γενήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου ἕως οὗ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἔλθῃ.	λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι ου μη πιω απο του γεννηματος της αμπελου εως οτου η βασιλεια του θεου ελθη	λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι ου μη πιω απο του γενηματος της αμπελου εως οτου η βασιλεια του θεου ελθη

ἔλθῃ

John 4:25

…when he is come, he will tell us all things.

…whenever he comes, he will tell us everything.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· οἶδα ὅτι Μεσσίας ἔρχεται (ὁ λεγόμενος χριστός)· ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, ἀναγγελεῖ ἡμῖν ἅπαντα	λεγει αυτω η γυνη οιδα οτι μεσσιας ερχεται ο λεγομενος χριστος οταν ελθη εκεινος αναγγελει ημιν παντα	λεγει αυτω η γυνη οιδα οτι μεσιας ερχεται ο λεγομενος χριστος οταν ελθη εκεινος αναγγελει ημιν παντα

ἔλθῃ	John 5:43	…if another shall come in his own name…	If someone else comes in his own name…
ἔλθῃ	John 7:31	When Christ cometh…	Whenever the Christ comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου δὲ πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλεγον· ὁ χριστὸς ὅταν ἔλθῃ μὴ πλείονα σημεῖα ποιήσει ὧν οὗτος ἐποίησεν	πολλοι δε εκ του οχλου επιστευσαν εις αυτον και ελεγον οτι ο χριστος οταν ελθη μητι πλειονα σημεια τουτων ποιησει ων ουτος εποιησεν	πολλοι δε εκ του οχλου επιστευσαν εις αυτον και ελεγον οτι ο χριστος οταν ελθη μητι πλειονα σημεια τουτων ποιησει ων ουτος εποιησεν

ἔλθῃ	John 11:56	…that he will not come to the feast?	That he won’t come to the feast?
ἔλθῃ	John 15:26	But when the Comforter is come…	When the Advocate comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ παράκλητος ὃν ἐγὼ πέμψω ὑμῖν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται, ἐκεῖνος μαρτυρήσει περὶ ἐμοῦ	οταν δε ελθη ο παρακλητος ον εγω πεμψω υμιν παρα του πατρος το πνευμα της αληθειας ο παρα του πατρος εκπορευεται εκεινος μαρτυρησει περι εμου	οταν δε ελθη ο παρακλητος ον εγω πεμψω υμιν παρα του πατρος το πνευμα της αληθειας ο παρα του πατρος εκπορευεται εκεινος μαρτυρησει περι εμου

ἔλθῃ	John 16:4	…that when the time shall come…	…so that when their time comes…
ἔλθῃ	John 16:13	Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come…	But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς \|ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πάσῃ\| οὐ γὰρ λαλήσει ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅσα \|ἀκούσει\| λαλήσει καὶ τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν	οταν δε ελθη εκεινος το πνευμα της αληθειας οδηγησει υμας εις πασαν την αληθειαν ου γαρ λαλησει αφ εαυτου αλλ οσα αν ακουση λαλησει και τα ερχομενα αναγγελει υμιν	οταν δε ελθη εκεινος το πνευμα της αληθειας οδηγησει υμας εις πασαν την αληθειαν ου γαρ λαλησει αφ εαυτου αλλ οσα αν ακουση λαλησει και τα ερχομενα αναγγελει υμιν

ἔλθῃ	Romans 3:8	Let us do evil, that good may come?	Let us do evil so that good may come…
	1 Corinthians 4:5	…until the Lord come…	Wait until the Lord comes.
	1 Corinthians 11:26	…ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.	…you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐὰν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ τὸ ποτήριον πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ κυρίου καταγγέλλετε ἄχρι οὗ ἔλθῃ	οσακις γαρ αν εσθιητε τον αρτον τουτον και το ποτηριον τουτο πινητε τον θανατον του κυριου καταγγελλετε αχρις ου αν ελθη	οσακις γαρ αν εσθιητε τον αρτον τουτον και το ποτηριον τουτο πινητε τον θανατον του κυριου καταγγελλετε αχρις ου αν ελθη

ἔλθῃ

1 Corinthians 13:10

But when that which is perfect is come…

…but when what is perfect comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται	οταν δε ελθη το τελειον τοτε το εκ μερους καταργηθησεται	οταν δε ελθη το τελειον τοτε το εκ μερους καταργηθησεται

ἔλθῃ

1 Corinthians 16:10

Now if Timotheus come…

Now if Timothy comes…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐὰν δὲ ἔλθῃ Τιμόθεος, βλέπετε, ἵνα ἀφόβως γένηται πρὸς ὑμᾶς· τὸ γὰρ ἔργον κυρίου ἐργάζεται ὡς \|καγώ\|	εαν δε ελθη τιμοθεος βλεπετε ινα αφοβως γενηται προς υμας το γαρ εργον κυριου εργαζεται ως και εγω	εαν δε ελθη τιμοθεος βλεπετε ινα αφοβως γενηται προς υμας το γαρ εργον κυριου εργαζεται ως και εγω

ἔλθῃ	1 Corinthians 16:11	…that he may come unto me:	…so that he may come to me.
	1 Corinthians 16:12	I greatly desired him to come unto you…	I strongly encouraged him to visit you…
	1 Corinthians 16:12	…but his will was not at all to come at this time…	…but it was simply not his intention to come now.
	Galatians 3:19	…till the seed should come…	…until the arrival of the descendant…
	Colossians 4:10	…if he come unto you, receive him…	…if he comes to you, welcome him…
	2 Thessalonians 1:10	When he shall come to be glorified in his saints…	…when he comes to be glorified among his saints…

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐνδοξασθῆναι ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς πιστεύσασιν, ὅτι ἐπιστεύθη τὸ μαρτύριον ἡμῶν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ	οταν ελθη ενδοξασθηναι εν τοις αγιοις αυτου και θαυμασθηναι εν πασιν τοις πιστευουσιν οτι επιστευθη το μαρτυριον ημων εφ υμας εν τη ημερα εκεινη	οταν ελθη ενδοξασθηναι εν τοις αγιοις αυτου και θαυμασθηναι εν πασιν τοις πιστευσασιν οτι επιστευθη το μαρτυριον ημων εφ υμας εν τη ημερα εκεινη

ἔλθῃ	2 Thessalonians 2:3	…for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…	For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes…
ἔλθῃ	Revelation 17:10	…and when he cometh…	…but whenever he does come…

Father, Forgive Them – Part 4

Back to Cobwebs

Back to Will, Areté and Troy

Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 6

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

^[1] John 3:17 (NET)

^[2] John 18:36a (NET)

^[3] Revelation 11:15 (NET)

^[4] John 11:25, 26 (NET)

^[5] Luke 20:37, 38 (NET)

^[6] Hebrews 12:2b (NET)

^[7] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

^[8] Exodus 33:19b (Tanakh) Table

^[9] I just as a calf was not trained.

^[10] Deuteronomy 32:36 (Tanakh)

^[11] 1 John 3:8b (NET)

^[12] Genesis 5:1, 2 (NET)

^[13] 1 Corinthians 7:33 (NET)

^[14] Romans 7:21b (NET)

^[15] Philippians 3:9b (NET)

^[16] John 3:7 (NET)

Romans, Part 53

Posted on July 23, 2014 by admin

So, how can I view—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord^[1]—as a definition of love (ἀγάπη) rather than as rules? Again, I’ve constructed the following table to help.

The Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)	love (ἀγάπη)
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.^[2]		Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor. Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment of the law.^[3] Knowledge puffs up, but love (ἀγάπη) builds up.^[4]
Love (ἀγάπη) is… 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)	…not self-serving (οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς; literally, “not seek itself”)… 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)
If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for (ζητεῖ, a form of ζητέω) the one that went astray?^[5] But above all pursue (ζητεῖτε, another form of ζητέω) his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.^[6]
This Love Without Hypocrisy… Romans 12:9-21 (NET)	Do not lag in zeal (σπουδῇ, a form of σπουδή), be enthusiastic (ζέοντες, a form of ζέω) in spirit… Romans 12:11a (NET)	…serve (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord. Romans 12:11b (NET)
But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness (σπουδῇ) and in the love from us that is in you – make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.^[7]	Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm (ζέων, another form of ζέω) he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus (KJV: the Lord), although he knew only the baptism of John.^[8]	Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. Obey with enthusiasm (εὐνοίας, a form of εὔνοια), as though serving (δουλεύοντες) the Lord and not people, because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good (ἀγαθόν, a form of ἀγαθός), this will be rewarded by the Lord.^[9]

In the previous essay it seemed to make intuitive sense to place cling to what is good^[10]under that aspect of the fruit of the Spirit translated goodness. Here it may seem like begging the question ^[11] to simply place—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—under love. In one sense love (ἀγάπη) is the master key that can stand for all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. I think John used ἀγάπη that way often, but I want to follow Paul’s thinking here.

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith (πίστεως, a form of πίστις), he wrote. By our own faith? I think not, for πίστις ^[12] is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. Since we have been declared righteous by faith we have peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.^[13] Again, peace (εἰρήνη) is an aspect of the fruit of his Spirit. Through our Lord Jesus Christ we have also obtained access by faith (πίστει, another form of πίστις) into this grace (χάριν, a form of χάρις) in which we stand. And by grace, though Paul may mean more, I think he cannot mean less than the credited righteousness of God, this very fruit of God’s Holy Spirit. And we rejoice in the hope of our glory! But that’s not what Paul wrote. And we rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι) in the hope of God’s glory.^[14]

Though the NET translators chose rejoice for καυχώμεθα here and in the next verse, boast is a more obvious meaning. I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast (καυχήσωμαι, another form of καυχάομαι) a little. What I am saying with this boastful (καυχήσεως, a form of καύχησις) confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness. Since many are boasting (καυχῶνται, another form of καυχάομαι) according to human standards, I too will boast (καυχήσομαι, another form of καυχάομαι).^[15] By the way, according to human standards is κατὰ σάρκα in Greek, according to the flesh (NKJV).

It gives me the sense that Paul meant we boast in the hope of God’s glory. We boast in the hope that God will be glorified by the lives we live in the flesh (not according to the flesh), crucified with Christ (it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me),^[16] living by the Spirit,^[17] not by the works of the flesh.^[18] Translated that way we might be less likely to gloss over it and boast in the hope of our own glory. Not only this, Paul continued, but we also rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι; or, boast) in sufferings.^[19] So where does Paul get off writing this wacko stuff?

If I must boast (καυχᾶσθαι, another form of καυχάομαι), I will boast (καυχήσομαι, another form of καυχάομαι) about the things that show my weakness (ἀσθενείας, a form of ἀσθένεια).^[20] There was method to Paul’s madness. For the Lord said to him, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (ἀσθενείᾳ).” So then, Paul concluded, I will boast (καυχήσομαι) most gladly about my weaknesses (ἀσθενείαις), so that the power of Christ may reside in me.^[21] And in Romans we find a similar method to his madness: we also rejoice (or, boast) in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.^[22] And here I get a beautiful glimmer of an understanding why the NET translators chose rejoice over boast.

We don’t rejoice or boast in our own suffering because of a rational understanding: knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. We can only rejoice or boast in our own suffering because we are filled with the joy (χαρὰ) of God, another aspect of the fruit of his Spirit. And rejoice hearkens back to that fact better than boast ever could. I am confident they chose rejoice for this reason because of a note on the next verse.

And hope does not disappoint, Paul concluded, because the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.^[23] The note in the NET reads: “The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ (…‘the love of God’) could be interpreted as either an objective genitive (‘our love for God’), subjective genitive (‘God’s love for us’), or both (M. Zerwick’s ‘general’ genitive [Biblical Greek,§§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s ‘plenary’ genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). The immediate context, which discusses what God has done for believers, favors a subjective genitive, but the fact that this love is poured out within the hearts of believers implies that it may be the source for believers’ love for God; consequently an objective genitive cannot be ruled out. It is possible that both these ideas are meant in the text and that this is a plenary genitive: ‘The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us’ (ExSyn 121).”

Here is one place I can say with confidence the NET translators really got what Paul was saying. This love (ἀγάπη), which has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us, does no wrong (κακὸν) to a neighbor. Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment (πλήρωμα) of the law.^[24] Pouring this love out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us is what Jesus meant when He said: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill (πληρῶσαι, a form of πληρόω, the verb from which the noun πλήρωμα is derived) them.^[25]

I want to spend some time with κακὸν (a form of κακός) since this ἀγάπη does (or, works) no wrong (or, harm) to a neighbor. The first time κακὸν occurs in the New Testament was from the mouth of the Roman governor. Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!” He asked, “Why? What wrong (κακὸν) has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”^[26] Though Pilate found no κακὸν in Him under Roman law the chief priests and elders of Israel had accused Him of many things: “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?”^[27] Pilate asked. When Jesus was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond.^[28]

Now, with 20-20 hindsight I can see Jesus consciously fulfilling Scripture: He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.^[29] At the time in the moment, however, He appeared obstinate, belligerent and disdainful of authority. Consider his teaching (Matthew 23:1-12 NET).

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Even here there is a very rough edge that is disdainful of human authority. More to the point, perhaps, Jesus did nothing that would inhibit his progress toward the cross. My commandment (ἐντολὴ, a form of ἐντολή) is this, He also said, to love (ἀγαπᾶτε, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another just as I have loved (ἠγάπησα, another form of ἀγαπάω) you. No one has greater love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη) than this – that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command (ἐντέλλομαι) you.^[30] Hanging on the cross, after thirty plus years of human experience, eating it, drinking it, pissing and shitting it, Jesus prayed what I consider the real prayer of salvation: Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.^[31]

My point here, I suppose, is that the love that does (or, works) no wrong (or, harm) to a neighbor may not always appear to all the people all the time to be doing or working no wrong or harm to a neighbor. By his own admission Jesus’ death on a cross was not his will but his Father’s.^[32] Like most human beings Jesus wanted to live; whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.^[33] Perhaps I’ve overstated the case. Jesus was not suicidal as He hung on the cross.

I want to follow this just a bit farther (Luke 16:25 NET).

Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things (ἀγαθά, another form of ἀγαθός) and Lazarus likewise bad things (κακά, another form of κακός), but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.’

When I considered this in the light of the gospel I gleaned from my religion,^[34] Abraham’s words seemed like karmic nonsense. But in the light of the knowledge of God I’m compelled to reconsider. God is love (ἀγάπη).^[35] Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor.^[36] (And this is οὐκ the absolute negation, modifying ἐργάζεται [a form of ἐργάζομαι] apparently not κακὸν.) So while I might be intellectually stimulated to wonder what role God’s love played in Lazarus’ life, the Holy Spirit reminds me that Knowledge puffs up, but love (ἀγάπη) builds up.^[37] All in all it is simpler then to assume that God’s love was revealed after Lazarus’ death. This is in accord with Jesus’ knowledge of God: he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.^[38] And it is prudent to accept that I do not dictate when God reveals his love to anyone (or, in anyone for that matter).

I’ll continue looking into—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—as a definition of love rather than as rules in the next essay.

Romans, Part 54

Back to To Make Holy, Part 1

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

^[1] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

^[2] Romans 5:1-5 (NET)

^[3] Romans 13:10 (NET)

^[4] 1 Corinthians 8:1b (NET)

^[5] Matthew 18:12b (NET)

^[6] Matthew 6:33 (NET)

^[7] 2 Corinthians 8:7 (NET)

^[8] Acts 18:24, 25 (NET) Table

^[9] Ephesians 6:5-8 (NET)

^[10] Romans 12:9b (NET)

^[11] Fallacy: Begging the Question

^[12] Galatians 5:22 (NET) translated faithfulness

^[13] Romans 5:1 (NET)

^[14] Romans 5:2 (NET)

^[15] 2 Corinthians 11:16-18 (NET)

^[16] Galatians 2:20 (NET)

^[17] Galatians 5:16 (NET)

^[18] Galatians 5:19 (NET)

^[19] Romans 5:3a (NET)

^[20] 2 Corinthians 11:30 (NET)

^[21] 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NET)

^[22] Romans 5:3, 4 (NET)

^[23] Romans 5:5 (NET)

^[24] Romans 13:10 (NET)

^[25] Matthew 5:17 (NET)

^[26] Matthew 27:22, 23 (NET)

^[27] Matthew 27:13 (NET)

^[28] Matthew 27:12 (NET)

^[29] Isaiah 53:7 (NET)

^[30] John 15:12-14 (NET)

^[31] Luke 23:34a (NET) Table

^[32] Luke 22:42 (NET)

^[33] Ecclesiastes 9:4 (NET)

^[34] “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ before you die or burn in hell for all eternity.”

^[35] 1 John 4:8, 16 (NET) Table

^[36] Romans 13:10a (NET)

^[37] 1 Corinthians 8:1b (NET)

^[38] Luke 20:38 (NET)

Torture, Part 5

Posted on May 3, 2014 by admin

I don’t want to leave the impression that I am so perfected in love that I never fear punishment.^[1] I’m a creature of habit. The possibility that God is punishing me for something is the first thing that comes to mind whenever it seems that things aren’t going my way. What I’m saying is, I think that is a bad habit. If I trust Him instead of reacting in fear I find that, though things aren’t going my way, the way they are going is just as good if not better than my way (though comparing and contrasting actual events with my imagination or fears is a dubious occupation at best).

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,^[2] the 23^rd Psalm ends. That translation sounded like what I thought I “knew.” God’s goodness and mercy would follow in the train of my glory, confirming my virtue, if and only if I kept the law. I didn’t, not so much. So I didn’t expect (though I sometimes still hoped for) God’s goodness and mercy. It was only later after his goodness and mercy hunted me down, tackled me to the ground and held me there that I began to see it and Him for who He is. Later I learned that the verse was badly translated. Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days,^[3] is much more to the point.^[4] The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose καταδιώξεταί,^[5] follow hard upon, pursue closely.

The desktop image on the computer I use most often to study the Bible is a frame from Lars Von Trier’s “Antichrist.” She is on her side, facing away from us, recovering from the trauma of snipping off her clitoris. Her “familiars,” the three beggars, wait patiently beside her. She had an oracle that someone would die when they arrived. In a few moments her husband will fulfill that oracle, crushing her larynx to silence the voice that spoke of an evil he rejected as implausible, and finally choking the life out of the woman he claimed to love. This image by contrast reminds me of the Sunday I didn’t cut off my penis, and the different way I heard two passages of Scripture before and after that intervention.

Matthew 18:8, 9 (NET)

Romans 6:3-6 (NET)

If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell.

Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection. We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Before that Sunday, though they may have seemed harsh, Jesus’ words recorded by Matthew (and Mark,^[6]) didn’t seem out of line when compared to a hero of the faith ^[7] like Jephthah who sacrificed his daughter to keep his oath. And surely Paul’s words were metaphorical, a figure of speech, not to be taken literally. After that Sunday I began to perceive cutting off my penis, or a hand or a foot as hyperbole, but being buried with [Christ] through baptism into death as the literal truth. And to this day I’m not sure how to justify that opinion from the texts themselves apart from the (now obvious) fact that my hand or my foot, or even my penis, never causes (σκανδαλίζει, a form of σκανδαλίζω; or, entices) me to sin.

I introduce the story of the rich man and Lazarus^[8] this way despite my sense that its context indicates reasonably clearly that it is not to be taken too literally. Jesus’ illustration which precedes it of an unrighteous manager cheating his master/employer was certainly not a recommendation of good business practice. His points were two: 1) the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light;^[9] and 2) make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth [one’s own presumably ^[10] rather than someone else’s], so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.^[11]

In Mark’s Gospel account Jesus’ was quoted, saying, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!^[12] Jesus’ disciples were not contemporary socialists who assumed that the rich were swindlers and thieves who took whatever they had from the poor and working classes. Their astonished question, “Then who can be saved?”^[13] indicates to me they believed that the rich were blessed by God, that their wealth was a sign of his approval and favor. And I assume they believed this because their religious teachers believed and taught it. Jesus said (Luke 16:13, 14 NET):

“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The Pharisees (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed him.

This is the audience for, and the immediate context of, the story of a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen…who feasted sumptuously every day. But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores, who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.^[14] In other words, Lazarus was “cursed” by God.

Both men died. The rich man in hell (ᾅδῃ, a form of ᾅδης), as he was in torment (βασάνοις, a form of βάσανος),…looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.^[17] Hell is not γέεννα here but ᾅδῃ, Hades. Peter quoted a Psalm in his first sermon after receiving the Holy Spirit: Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body also will live in hope, because you will not leave my soul in Hades (ᾅδην, another form of ᾅδης), nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.^[18] The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ᾅδην for Sheol (sh^eʼôl).

Peter (NET)

Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)

Parallel Greek Text (NET)

…because you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.

Acts 2:27 (NET)

ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν

Psalm 16:10

ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιον σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν.

Acts 2:27

David by foreseeing this, Peter explained, spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades (ᾅδην, another form of ᾅδης), nor did his body experience decay.^[19] Jesus said: And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades (ᾅδου, another form of ᾅδης)!^[20] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (ᾅδου, another form of ᾅδης) will not overpower it.^[21] Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, and the one who lives! I was dead, but look, now I am alive – forever and ever – and I hold the keys of death and of Hades (ᾅδου, another form of ᾅδης)!^[22] Three more times in Revelation (6:8; 20:13, 14) Hades was personified (ὁ ᾅδης). The NET translators only translated Hades as hell in the story of the rich man and Lazarus, which is progress.^[23]

Of course, they also translated βασάνοις torment. It was translated afflictions the only other place it occurs outside of the story of the rich man and Lazarus: Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions (βασάνοις, a form of βάσανος), those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.^[24] Perhaps they had good reason, for the rich man called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish (ὀδυνῶμαι, a form of ὀδυνάω) in this fire (φλογὶ, a form of φλόξ).^[26]

The rich man was clearly thirsty, but was he in anguish in hell? After the twelve-year-old Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem for three days, listening to [the teachers] and asking them questions,^[27] His mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously (ὀδυνώμενοι, a form of ὀδυνάω).”^[28] And the Ephesian elders were especially saddened (ὀδυνώμενοι, a form of ὀδυνάω) by what [Paul] had said, that they were not going to see him again.^[29] But the rich man was in this fire (φλογὶ, a form of φλόξ), surely that must mean he was being tortured in hell.

After forty years had passed, Luke recounted Stephen’s history lesson, an angel appeared to him in the desert of Mount Sinai, in the flame (φλογὶ, a form of φλόξ) of a burning (πυρὸς, a form of πῦρ) bush.^[30] Other writers used forms of φλόξ as follows. The writer of Hebrews quoted, He makes his angels spirits and his ministers (λειτουργοὺς, a form of λειτουργός) a flame (φλόγα, another form of φλόξ) of fire^[31] (πυρὸς, a form of πῦρ). Another form of λειτουργός was translated authorities in, For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities (λειτουργοὶ) are God’s servants devoted to governing.^[32] Paul was a minister (λειτουργὸν, another form of λειτουργός) of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles who served the gospel of God like a priest.^[33] Epaphroditus was my brother, coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister (λειτουργὸν) to me in my need,^[34] Paul wrote the Philippians.

Jesus’ head and hair were as white as wool, in John’s vision on Patmos, even as white as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery (πυρὸς, a form of πῦρ) flame (φλὸξ),^[35] and, His eyes are like a fiery (πυρός, a form of πῦρ) flame (φλὸξ).^[36] Jesus described Himself as the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery (πυρός, a form of πῦρ) flame (φλόγα, another form of φλόξ) and whose feet are like polished bronze.^[37] Paul wrote however, With flaming (φλογός, another form of φλόξ) fire (πυρὶ, another form of πῦρ) he will mete out punishment (ἐκδίκησιν, a form of ἐκδίκησις) on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.^[38] Perhaps that was why the rich man was in anguish in this fire.

But Abraham said, “Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish (ὀδυνᾶσαι, another form of ὀδυνάω).”^[39] So was the rich man simply thirsty and anxious or saddened because he and Lazarus and the Pharisees and Jesus’ disciples expected him to be blessed and favored by God? If he had been hardened as one of the objects of wrath prepared for destruction^[40] why didn’t he blaspheme the name of God like those who were tossed…into the great winepress of the wrath of God?^[41]

Thus people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.^[42] They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds.^[43] And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people, but they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it was so horrendous.^[44]

Granted, the rich man didn’t exactly repent either, though I’m not entirely clear how he might have repented of receiving good things in his lifetime, the stated reason why he was in anguish, anxious or saddened in a flame like the burning bush, one of God’s ministers or the fiery eyes of Jesus. But when he couldn’t get any water from Abraham or Lazarus because a great chasm had been fixed between^[45] them, he still didn’t blaspheme God. “Then I beg you, father”, he said, “send Lazarus to my father’s house (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment (βασάνου, a form of βάσανος; or affliction).”^[46] And here Abraham delivered the first of Jesus’ two points to this illustration: 1) They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.^[47]

In other words Moses and the prophets delivered the same message as Jesus, according to Jesus. Then the rich man said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.”^[48] Again, Abraham spoke Jesus’ second point to this illustration: 2) If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead”^[49] And these two points serve his major point that what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight.^[50] In other words, while the rich man’s appearance (dressed in purple and fine linen…[feasting] sumptuously every day) may have impressed other people (You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, Jesus told the Pharisees), God was not so impressed (but God knows your hearts).^[51]

And in that flame like the burning bush, one of the ministers of God or Jesus’ fiery eyes the rich man reconsidered his wasted life (Psalm 139:7, 8 NET).

Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence? If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there. If I were to sprawl out in Sheol [Septuagint: ᾅδην, another form of ᾅδης] there you would be.

Who knows? Perhaps I’m meant to take the rich man’s thirst in the psalmist’s sense (Psalm 42:1-5 NET):

As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God! I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” I cannot eat, I weep day and night; all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?” I will remember and weep! For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God, shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival. Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.

Back to Romans, Part 53

Back to Romans, Part 54

Back to Who Am I? Part 4

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 5

Back to Romans, Part 89

Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

^[1] 1 John 4:18 (NET)

^[2] Psalm 23:6a (KJV)

^[3] Psalm 23:6a (NET)

^[4] The note in the NET reads: “The use of רָדַף (radaf, ‘pursue, chase’) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, ‘goodness and faithfulness’) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, ‘pursue’). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v 5) to chase him, but ironically God’s ‘goodness and faithfulness’ (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word ‘pursue’ is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) ‘chasing down’ the one whom he loves.”

^[5] Psalm 23:6 (Study Bible)

^[6] Mark 9:43-48 (NET)

^[7] Hebrews 11:32-34 (NET)

^[8] Luke 16:19-31 (NET)

^[9] Luke 16:8b (NET)

^[10] Luke 16:10b (NET)

^[11] Luke 16:9 (NET)

^[12] Mark 10:23, 24 (NET)

^[13] Mark 10:26b (NET)

^[14] Luke 16:19-21 (NET)

^[17] Luke 16:23 (NET)

^[18] Acts 2:26, 27 (NET) Table

^[19] Acts 2:31 (NET) Table

^[20] Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15 (NET)

^[21] Matthew 16:18 (NET)

^[22] Revelation 1:17b, 18 (NET)

^[23] The King James translators chose hell for every instance of ᾅδης. Addendum 2/11/2022: The current version of the NET has Hades rather than hell in Luke 16:23.

^[24] Matthew 4:23, 24 (NET)

^[26] Luke 16:24 (NET)

^[27] Luke 2:46 (NET)

^[28] Luke 2:48b (NET)

^[29] Acts 20:38 (NET)

^[30] Acts 7:30 (NET)

^[31] Hebrews 1:7 (NET)

^[32] Romans 13:6 (NET)

^[33] Romans 15:16 (NET)

^[34] Philippians 2:25 (NET)

^[35] Revelation 1:14 (NET)

^[36] Revelation 19:12 (NET)

^[37] Revelation 2:18 (NET)

^[38] 2 Thessalonians 1:8 (NET)

^[39] Luke 16:25 (NET)

^[40] Romans 9:22 (NET)

^[41] Revelation 14:19 (NET)

^[42] Revelation 16:9 (NET)

^[43] Revelation 16:11 (NET)

^[44] Revelation 16:21 (NET)

^[45] Luke 16:26 (NET) Table

^[46] Luke 16:27, 28 (NET)

^[47] Luke 16:29 (NET)

^[48] Luke 16:30 (NET)

^[49] Luke 16:31 (NET)

^[50] Luke 16:15b (NET)

^[51] Luke 16:15a (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

An attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind.

Tag Archives: Luke 16:25

Nothing True, Part 2

Father, Forgive Them – Part 3

Romans, Part 53

Torture, Part 5