Who Am I? Part 14

Posted on August 29, 2023 by admin

I came across a YouTube video recently: “5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith” by Kristi Burke. It was short and to the point. Ms. Burke looked to be about my daughter’s age. My daughter won’t articulate her own deconstruction experience around me. She will only state her preference for the witchcraft/neopagan beliefs and community she espouses now. So, I clicked on the link.

It seems only fair to let Ms. Burke state her own purpose:

Hi, guys, welcome back to my channel, where we deconstruct all of the things we were taught not to question growing up in evangelical, fundamentalist, conservative christian churches.

We have similar backgrounds. But I can’t honestly say that I was “taught not to question.” Why didn’t I talk to anyone about what I was going through at the time?¹ I thought I already knew what they would say. Might I have been pleasantly surprised? I don’t know. I didn’t talk to anyone. But nothing is ever quite as simple as what I was taught “growing up in evangelical, fundamentalist, conservative christian churches.”

I had a home with parents and a brother and a sister. I went to school. I had friends (and enemies) at home, at school and at church. I played sports and had friends (and enemies) on various teams. And I knew more or less how to fit in in all of these different environments. The rub came sometime in what is now called my tween years, when I began to recognize that God didn’t create me to be a social chameleon, but one person made in his image in all of these different social environments.

I had a few years of experience by then (which felt like a lifetime at the time) of how adult advice didn’t often pan out when navigating all the different social environments they had placed me in. I “knew” I had to figure it out pretty much on my own. And about that time I also became more self-conscious of my own free will: “I want” (θέλω). What did I want in all of it?

Ms. Burke described her faith prior to encountering the “5 Bible Passages”:

I believed in a god who created all people, gave them free will and that he wanted all people to be saved but he couldn’t violate their free will to save them. And that it was the most loving thing he could do to give people freedom. And within that freedom they could either choose him and go to heaven or they could reject him and go to hell. And that would be entirely their choice.

This was essentially my belief except that Ms. Burke made no mention of Jesus or sin: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,² Paul wrote Timothy. I have not come to call the righteous, Jesus said, but sinners to repentance.³ Granted, Ms. Burke’s purpose was not to present a true or even a credible gospel but to “deconstruct all of the things we were taught not to question growing up in evangelical, fundamentalist, conservative christian churches.”

I’m coming fresh from reviewing the story of Eve and the serpent. Her free will led to an attempt to be like God by following the serpent’s advice. Could her free will have led her to reject the serpent’s advice once she saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasing for the eyes to look at and it was beautiful to contemplate?⁴ I don’t think so. All of that desire seems to have determined what she wanted and therefore shaped her free will.

What did Jesus say about his own free will?

Matthew 26:39 (NET) Table	John 10:17, 18 (NET)
Going a little farther, [Jesus] threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will (θέλω), but what you will.”	This is why the Father loves me—because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will (ἐμαυτοῦ). I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.”

While I have no particular quarrel with translating ἀπ᾿ ἐμαυτοῦ of my own free will, I appreciate the precision of Scripture in Greek. Jesus did not use the verb θέλω here. His own will, what He wanted, was not to die a torturous death. And his ἐμαυτοῦ (NET: my own free will) was an authority (ἐξουσίαν, a form of ἐξουσία) received (ἔλαβον, a form of λαμβάνω) by commandment (ἐντολὴν, a form of ἐντολή) from God his Father.

The writer of Hebrews described Jesus’ purpose in the world (Hebrews 10:4-7 NET):

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. So when [Christ] came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.

Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in.

Then I said, ‘Here I am: I have come—it is written of me in the scroll of the book—to do your will (θέλημα), O God.’”

The Greek word θέλημα is the noun form of the verb θέλω. Those who believe that salvation is a choice made by a sinner’s free will tend to make the Gospel something that they think might appeal to a sinner’s free will: going to heaven rather than to hell, heaven being a euphemism here for not-hell. The pitch relies on the implication that heaven is where one gets what one wants (i.e., one’s own free will).

Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 5:10 NET):

…may your kingdom come, may your will (θέλημα σου) be done on earth as it is in heaven.

The implication here is that God’s will is done in heaven. How much would a sinner striving faithfully to pursue a sinner’s free will care for Jesus’ heaven? Jesus said to Nicodemus (John 3:3 NET):

I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God [Table].

The Greek word translated see was ἰδεῖν (a form of εἴδω). It was the same root word Nicodemus used when he said (John 3:2 NET):

Rabbi, we know (οἴδαμεν, another form of εἴδω) that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him [Table].

In other words, Jesus didn’t threaten Nicodemus with eternal damnation, but commended his partial insight. It helps one to understand why He was so surprised that Nicodemus didn’t actually understand one of these earthly things (John 3:6, 7 NET).

What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’

Not all free will (θέλω) is born of the flesh. Jesus said (John 15:7 NET):

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want (θέλητε, another form of θέλω), and it will be done for you [Table].

Here, I would assume that as you remain in Jesus and his words remain in you, whatever you want is born of the Spirit. The Greek words translated whatever were ὃ ἐὰν. So how did Jesus’ Gospel presentation differ (Matthew 11:28-30 NET)?

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls [Table]. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.

It doesn’t really matter if people are weary (κοπιῶντες, a form of κοπιάω) and burdened (πεφορτισμένοι, a form of φορτίζω) by their lives lived in sin—foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending [their] lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another⁵—or from their attempts to make themselves righteous by obeying rules. While the invitation is sincere, Jesus also said (John 6:44, 45 NET):

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day [Table]. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me [Table].

These are not as contradictory as they seem in English. The Greek word translated come in the phrase come to me was the adverb δεῦτε, and in the phrase no one can come to me it was the verb ἐλθεῖν (a form of ἔρχομαι). Anyone who believes that salvation is the result of a sinner’s free will is unlikely to believe that they will all be taught by God effectually, but Jesus also said (John 12:31, 32 NET):

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

Disbelieving Him adversely impacts one’s knowledge of God, but doesn’t change his mind, no matter how many people refuse to take Him at his word: Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar,⁶ Paul wrote in response to his own rhetorical question: If some were unfaithful, their unfaithfulness will not nullify God’s faithfulness, will it?⁷

With that as background I’ll turn to Ms. Burke’s first Bible passage: “Romans 9, which was the starting point of my deconstruction journey,”⁸ she said. Though she began in verse 16, I’ll start at the beginning of the chapter to gain some context (Romans 9:1-6a NET):

I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed—cut off from Christ—for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen [Table], who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen.

It is not as though the word of God had failed.

Here was the perfect opportunity for Paul to explain how God “gave them free will and that he wanted all people to be saved but he couldn’t violate their free will to save them. And that it was the most loving thing he could do to give people freedom. And within that freedom they could either choose him and go to heaven or they could reject him and go to hell. And that would be entirely their choice.”⁹

Instead, Paul wrote (Romans 9:6b, 7 NET):

For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted” [See Greek Table Comparison].

What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit, Jesus said. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’¹⁰ And Paul began here to explain the implications of that difference, contrasting the children of the flesh to the children of God or the children of promise (Romans 9:8-13 NET).

This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. For this is what the promise declared: “About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son.” Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac—even before they were born or had done anything good or bad¹¹ (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)—it was said¹² to her, “The older will serve the younger,” just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Those who believe salvation is a choice of a sinner’s free will would be content it seems to let those for whom Paul had great sorrow and unceasing anguish in [his] heart¹³ hear Jesus say: Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!¹⁴ It was, after all, their choice, wasn’t it?

There is no commandment of God granting any authority to sinners to come to Jesus of their own free will, according to Jesus: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.¹⁵ The “most loving thing he could do” is not “to give people freedom”¹⁶ to destroy themselves forever. For who are the children of promise that God’s purpose in election would stand, according to Jesus? And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.¹⁷

According to a note (5) in the NET Hebrews 10:5b-7 was a quotation from Psalm 40:6-8. A table follows comparing the Greek of Hebrews 10:5b-7 to that of the Septuagint.

Hebrews 10:5b, 6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 40:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 39:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ εὐδόκησας	θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας ὠτία δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ᾔτησας	θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι· ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ἐζήτησας
Hebrews 10:5b, 6 (NET)	Psalm 39:7 (NETS)	Psalm 39:7 (English Elpenor)
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me. Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in.	Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but ears you fashioned for me. Whole burnt offering and one for sin you did not request.	Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou prepared me: whole-burnt-offering and [sacrifice] for sin thou didst not require.
Hebrews 10:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 40:7, 8a (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 39:8, 9a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε εἶπον· ἰδοὺ ἥκω, ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ, τοῦ ποιῆσαι ὁ θεὸς τὸ θέλημα σου	τότε εἶπον ἰδοὺ ἥκω ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου ὁ θεός μου ἐβουλήθην	τότε εἶπον· ἰδοὺ ἥκω, ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου, ὁ Θεός μου, ἐβουλήθην
Hebrews 10:7 (NET)	Psalm 39:8, 9a (NETS)	Psalm 39:8, 9a (English Elpenor)
Then I said, ‘Here I am: I have come—it is written of me in the scroll of the book—to do your will, O God.’”	Then I said, “Look, I have come; in a scroll of a book it is written of me. To do your will, O my God, I desired —	Then I said, Behold, I come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning me, I desired to do thy will, O my God,

I’m becoming more convinced that the Holy Spirit corrected the false pen of the scribes through the writer of Hebrews.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 8:8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 8:8 (NET)	Jeremiah 8:8 (NETS)	Jeremiah 8:8 (English Elpenor)
How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen (עֵ֖ט) of the scribes is in vain (שֶׁ֥קֶר).	How can you say, “We are wise! We have the law of the Lord”? The truth is, those who teach it have used their writings to make it say what it does not really mean [Note 24: The lying (šeqer, שקר) pen (ʿēṭ, עט) of the scribes has made (it) into a lie].	How will you say, “We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us?” A false pen (σχοῖνος ψευδὴς) has become of no use to scribes.	How will ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? In vain have the scribes used a false pen (σχοῖνος ψευδὴς).

According to a note (21) in the NET Romans 9:9b was a quotation from Genesis 18:10 and 14. Two tables follow comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

Romans 9:9b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 18:10b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 18:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός	κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σαρρα ἡ γυνή σου	κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σάρρα ἡ γυνή σου
Romans 9:9b (NET)	Genesis 18:10b (NETS)	Genesis 18:10b (English Elpenor)
About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son.	I will come to you, when I return, during this season next year, and Sarra your wife shall have a son.	I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son

Romans 9:9b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 18:14b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 18:14b (Septuagint Elpenor)
κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός	εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἀναστρέψω πρὸς σὲ εἰς ὥρας καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σαρρα υἱός	εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἀναστρέψω πρὸς σὲ εἰς ὥρας· καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός
Romans 9:9b (NET)	Genesis 18:14b (NETS)	Genesis 18:14b (English Elpenor)
About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son.	In this season I will come back to you next year, and Sarra shall have a son.	I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son

According to a note (27) in the NET Romans 9:12b was a quotation from Genesis 25:23. A table follows comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

Romans 9:12b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 25:23b (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 25:23b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι	ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι	ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι
Romans 9:12b (NET)	Genesis 25:23b (NETS)	Genesis 25:23b (English Elpenor)
The older will serve the younger	the greater shall be subject to the lesser.	the elder shall serve the younger.

According to a note (28) in the NET Romans 9:13b was a quotation from Malachi 1:2, 3. A table follows comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

Romans 9:13b (NET Parallel Greek)	Malachi 1:2b, 3a (Septuagint BLB)	Malachi 1:2b, 3a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἠσαῦ ἐμίσησα	ἠγάπησα τὸν Ιακωβ τὸν δὲ Ησαυ ἐμίσησα	ἠγάπησα τόν ᾿Ιακώβ, τὸν δὲ ῾Ησαῦ ἐμίσησα
Romans 9:13b (NET)	Malachi 1:2b, 3a (NETS)	Malachi 1:2b, 3a (English Elpenor)
Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.	I loved Iakob, but I hated Esau	I loved Jacob, and hated Esau

Tables comparing Psalm 40:6; 40:7; 40:8; Jeremiah 8:8; Genesis 25:23; Malachi 1:2 and 1:3 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Psalm 40:6 (39:7); 40:7 (39:8); 40:8 (39:9); Jeremiah 8:8; Genesis 25:23; Malachi 1:2 and 1:3 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and a table comparing the Greek of Romans 9:11, 12 the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 40:6 (Tanakh)	Psalm 40:6 (KJV)	Psalm 40:6 (NET)
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.	Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.	Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. You make that quite clear to me. You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.

Psalm 40:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 39:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας ὠτία δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ᾔτησας	θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι· ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ἐζήτησας
Psalm 39:7 (NETS)	Psalm 39:7 (English Elpenor)
Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but ears you fashioned for me. Whole burnt offering and one for sin you did not request.	Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou prepared me: whole-burnt-offering and [sacrifice] for sin thou didst not require.

Psalm 40:7 (Tanakh)	Psalm 40:7 (KJV)	Psalm 40:7 (NET)
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,	Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,	Then I say, “Look, I come! What is written in the scroll pertains to me.

Psalm 40:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 39:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε εἶπον ἰδοὺ ἥκω ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ	τότε εἶπον· ἰδοὺ ἥκω, ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ
Psalm 39:8 (NETS)	Psalm 39:8 (English Elpenor)
Then I said, “Look, I have come; in a scroll of a book it is written of me.	Then I said, Behold, I come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning me,

Psalm 40:8 (Tanakh)	Psalm 40:8 (KJV)	Psalm 40:8 (NET)
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.	I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.	I want to do what pleases you, my God. Your law dominates my thoughts.”

Psalm 40:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 39:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου ὁ θεός μου ἐβουλήθην καὶ τὸν νόμον σου ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου	τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου, ὁ Θεός μου, ἐβουλήθην καὶ τὸν νόμον σου ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου
Psalm 39:9 (NETS)	Psalm 39:9 (English Elpenor)
To do your will, O my God, I desired—and your law, within my belly.”	I desired to do thy will, O my God, and thy law in the midst of mine heart.

Jeremiah 8:8 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 8:8 (KJV)	Jeremiah 8:8 (NET)
How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.	How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.	How can you say, “We are wise! We have the law of the Lord”? The truth is, those who teach it have used their writings to make it say what it does not really mean.

Jeremiah 8:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 8:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πῶς ἐρεῖτε ὅτι σοφοί ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς καὶ νόμος κυρίου ἐστὶν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰς μάτην ἐγενήθη σχοῖνος ψευδὴς γραμματεῦσιν	πῶς ἐρεῖτε· ὅτι σοφοί ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς, καὶ νόμος Κυρίου μεθ’ ἡμῶν ἐστιν; εἰς μάτην ἐγενήθη σχοῖνος ψευδὴς γραμματεῦσιν
Jeremiah 8:8 (NETS)	Jeremiah 8:8 (English Elpenor)
How will you say, “We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us?” A false pen has become of no use to scribes.	How will ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? In vain have the scribes used a false pen.

Genesis 25:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 25:23 (KJV)	Genesis 25:23 (NET)
And HaShem said unto her: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.	And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.	and the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from within you. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

Genesis 25:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 25:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος αὐτῇ δύο ἔθνη ἐν τῇ γαστρί σού εἰσιν καὶ δύο λαοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας σου διασταλήσονται καὶ λαὸς λαοῦ ὑπερέξει καὶ ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος αὐτῇ· δύο ἔθνη ἐν γαστρί σου εἰσί, καὶ δύο λαοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας σου διασταλήσονται· καὶ λαὸς λαοῦ ὑπερέξει, καὶ ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι
Genesis 25:23 (NETS)	Genesis 25:23 (English Elpenor)
and the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from your uterus shall be divided, and a people shall excel over a people, and the greater shall be subject to the lesser.”	And the Lord said to her, There are two nations in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy belly, and one people shall excel the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.

Malachi 1:2 (Tanakh)

Malachi 1:2 (KJV)

Malachi 1:2 (NET)

I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

“I have shown love to you,” says the Lord, but you say, “How have you shown love to us?”

“Esau was Jacob’s brother,” the Lord explains, “yet I chose Jacob

Malachi 1:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Malachi 1:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς λέγει κύριος καὶ εἴπατε ἐν τίνι ἠγάπησας ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἀδελφὸς ἦν Ησαυ τοῦ Ιακωβ λέγει κύριος καὶ ἠγάπησα τὸν Ιακωβ	᾿Ηγάπησα ὑμᾶς, λέγει Κύριος. καὶ εἴπατε· ἐν τίνι ἠγάπησας ἡμᾶς; οὐκ ἀδελφὸς ἦν ῾Ησαῦ τοῦ ᾿Ιακώβ; λέγει Κύριος, καὶ ἠγάπησα τόν ᾿Ιακώβ
Malachi 1:2 (NETS)	Malachi 1:2 (English Elpenor)
I loved you, says the Lord. And you said, “How did you love us?” Was not Esau Iakob’s brother? says the Lord. And I loved Iakob,	I have loved you, saith the Lord. And ye said, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,

Malachi 1:3 (Tanakh)	Malachi 1:3 (KJV)	Malachi 1:3 (NET)
And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.	And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.	and rejected Esau. I turned Esau’s mountains into a deserted wasteland and gave his territory to the wild jackals.”

Malachi 1:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Malachi 1:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν δὲ Ησαυ ἐμίσησα καὶ ἔταξα τὰ ὅρια αὐτοῦ εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ εἰς δόματα ἐρήμου	τὸν δὲ ῾Ησαῦ ἐμίσησα καὶ ἔταξα τὰ ὅρια αὐτοῦ εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ εἰς δώματα ἐρήμου
Malachi 1:3 (NETS)	Malachi 1:3 (English Elpenor)
but I hated Esau, and I made his mountains an annihilation and his heritage gifts of the wilderness.	and hated Esau and laid waste his borders, and made his heritage as dwellings of the wilderness?

Romans 9:11, 12 (NET)	Romans 9:11, 12 (KJV)
even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)—	(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Romans 9:11, 12a (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 9:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 9:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
μήπω γὰρ γεννηθέντων μηδὲ πραξάντων τι ἀγαθὸν ἢ φαῦλον (ἵνα ἡ κατ᾿ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις τοῦ θεοῦ μένῃ (12a) οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἀλλ᾿ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος)	μηπω γαρ γεννηθεντων μηδε πραξαντων τι αγαθον η κακον ινα η κατ εκλογην του θεου προθεσις μενη ουκ εξ εργων αλλ εκ του καλουντος	μηπω γαρ γεννηθεντων μηδε πραξαντων τι αγαθον η κακον ινα η κατ εκλογην προθεσις του θεου μενη ουκ εξ εργων αλλ εκ του καλουντος

it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,”

It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

Romans 9:12b (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 9:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 9:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι	ερρηθη αυτη οτι ο μειζων δουλευσει τω ελασσονι	ερρηθη αυτη οτι ο μειζων δουλευσει τω ελασσονι

Who Am I? Part 15

Back to Who Am I? Part 16

Back to Who Am I? Part 17

¹ Who Am I? Part 3; Torture, Part 4

² 1 Timothy 1:15b (NET)

³ Luke 5:32 (NET)

⁴ Genesis 3:6a (NETS) Table

⁵ Titus 3:3 (NET)

⁶ Romans 3:4b (NET) Table

⁷ Romans 3:3 (NET)

⁸ “5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith,” Kristi Burke

⁹ Ibid.

¹⁰ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had φαῦλον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κακον (KJV: evil).

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐρρέθη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ερρηθη.

¹³ Romans 9:2 (NET)

¹⁴ Matthew 25:41b (NET)

¹⁵ John 6:44a (NET) Table

¹⁶ “5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith,” Kristi Burke

¹⁷ John 12:32 (NET)

The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Posted on May 25, 2023 by admin

In another essay I quoted Paul: For [the day of the Lord] will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας).¹ Now I have to consider whether my assumption that Jesus called Judas Iscariot ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the one destined for destruction) is like Jesus’ disciples’ discussion about having no bread² after He said: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”³

Here I’ll begin with Paul’s conclusion to his discussion of ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας, the revelation of the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:12 NET):

And so all of them who have not believed the truth but⁴ have delighted in⁵ evil will be condemned.

This would be a very straightforward statement if the Greek word translated will be condemned (KJV: might be damned) was καταδικάσονται (a form of καταδικάζω). You have condemned (κατεδικάσατε, another form of καταδικάζω) and murdered the righteous person,⁶ James wrote of the rich. [T]he chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about [Paul], Festus explained to King Agrippa, asking for a sentence of condemnation⁷ (καταδίκην, a form of καταδίκη) against him.⁸

The Greek word καταδίκη is the noun form of the verb καταδικάζω. Paul had clearly understood this καταδίκη as a sentence of death if convicted: If then I am in the wrong and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, but if not one of their charges against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!⁹

Jesus used a form of the verb καταδικάζω in quite another way (Matthew 12:1-3a, 7 NET):

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. But when the Pharisees saw this they said¹⁰ to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them…

“If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy¹¹ and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”

Here the Pharisees’ stated their opinion that Jesus’ disciples’ behavior in Jesus’ presence was contrary to the law, and they implied that they or Jesus or someone ought to do something about it against Jesus’ disciples. Jesus characterized this as κατεδικάσατε (another form of καταδικάζω) τοὺς ἀναιτίους (NET: you…have condemned the innocent). I tell you that on the day of judgment, He said later, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak [Table]. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned (καταδικασθήσῃ, another form of καταδικάζω).¹²

And finally, Jesus taught (Luke 6:35-37 NET):

…love your enemies, and do good, and lend,¹³ expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the¹⁴ Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful,¹⁵ just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn (καταδικάζετε, another form of καταδικάζω), and you will not be condemned (καταδικασθῆτε, another form of καταδικάζω); forgive, and you will be forgiven [Table].

In 2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET) the Greek word translated will be condemned was not καταδικάσονται or any other form of καταδικάζω. It was κριθῶσιν, a form of κρίνω. A note (25) in the NET acknowledged that the Greek is “be judged,” but added “in this context the term clearly refers to a judgment of condemnation.”

An entry in Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers on Bible Hub online reads:

That they all.—This is God’s purpose in making them believe the lie—“in order that, one and all, they might be judged.” He who desireth not the death of a sinner, now is said actually to lay plans with the intention of judging him: such are the bold self-contradictions of the Bible!

And Meyer’s NT Commentary on the same page reads:

ἵνα κριθῶσι] in order that they may be judged, i.e. according to the context, condemned.

It seems that context here refers to: the day of the Lord. Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer cited “The Church Fathers” approvingly: Irenaeus, Tertullian, Chrysostom, Cyril, Augustine, Theodoret, Theodorus Mopsuestius “and others.”¹⁶

They correctly agree in considering that by the advent (2 Thessalonians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:8), or the day of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:2), is to be understood the personal advent of Christ for the last judgment and for the completion of the Messianic kingdom.

Given that Jesus said, do not condemn (καταδικάζετε, another form of καταδικάζω), and you will not be condemned (καταδικασθῆτε, another form of καταδικάζω),¹⁷ it seems more circumspect to understand the text as written: in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.¹⁸ I realize that Jesus also said, Do not judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω), and you will not be judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω),¹⁹ but κριθῶσιν (another form of κρίνω) is actually in the text.

Paul wrote of God’s judgment (not mine) on all…who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.²⁰ If I hold to the text as written I believe I will know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent.²¹ Now (δέ) this is eternal life,²² according to Jesus. If, on the other hand, I change κριθῶσιν to καταδικάσονται or understand κριθῶσιν as if it were καταδικάσονται, that’s on me: Then I have condemned those whom God judged.

Though I called 2 Thessalonians 2:12 “Paul’s conclusion,” And so (NET) and in order that (NASB) were translations of the Greek word ἵνα. This is a result clause. And κριθῶσιν, will be condemned (NET) or may be judged (NASB), is a verb in the subjunctive mood “in a purpose or result clause, [so] the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.” What is that other stated action?

God sends²³ on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.²⁴ Once my mind is swept clean of the notion that κριθῶσιν was a euphemism for Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels,²⁵ it becomes much clearer that God’s judgment on all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil²⁶ is to send on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. Here again this is a judgment, not necessarily THE judgment.

This judgment doesn’t preclude Jesus’ promise to draw all to Himself. On the contrary it could be instrumental to that drawing. When people believe what is false, they create a social situation like the one in which we currently live. Are there many among us not seeking some different way to live? The Greek words translated deluding influence were ἐνέργειαν πλάνης (a form of πλάνη). One of the meanings of πλάνη in the Koine Greek Lexicon online is “a wandering, roaming.” One might say that God’s judgment is a God-given energy to wander.

The Greek word translated so that was εἰς. And they will believe was πιστεῦσαι, an infinitive (to trust) of πιστεύω in the aorist tense, rather than πιστεύσουσι(ν) in the future tense. The entire clause began with καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, translated Consequently (NET), or And for this reason (NASB 1977, Legacy Standard Bible).

So, the them on whom God sends a deluding influence (a God-given energy to wander) are those who are perishing,²⁷ because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.²⁸ A note (21) in the NET acknowledged that they found no place in their hearts for the truth was “they did not accept (ἐδέξαντο, a form of δέχομαι) the love of the truth” in Greek. This is already at least round two of Jesus’ drawing: the love of the truth was offered but not “receive[d] approvingly.”

Apart from the God-given energy to wander I might have spent my entire life here, hanging around a church, not quite believing Jesus or the Bible, conning myself that I did. The God-given energy to wander, and then to trust what was false was at least a faith. Part of what is false that I believed was that faith was bad, only knowledge was good.

It took some time and experimentation to realize that disbelieving Jesus and the Bible wasn’t the result of some superior knowledge. It wasn’t even unbelief in any absolute sense of not faith. It was simply faith in something less than Jesus and the Bible. When the Lord brought me back from that particular foray into what is false, I returned almost unwittingly with a new theme song but certainly with a new and lifelong motivation to not be fooled again.

The Greek word translated are perishing was ἀπολλυμένοις, a middle/passive participle of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω in the present tense. This might have been translated “to be lost,” one of the possible meanings of the middle voice. In other words, God’s judgment, a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false²⁹ came on “those who are presently lost because they did not accept the love of the truth.” But even if our gospel is veiled, Paul wrote the Corinthians, it is veiled only to those who are perishing (ἀπολλυμένοις, a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω; KJV: are lost, presently), among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see³⁰ the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.³¹

The interchangeability of are perishing and are lost is apparent in Jesus’ parable (Luke 15:4 NET):

Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses (ἀπολέσας, another form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine³² in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost (ἀπολωλὸς, another form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) until he finds it?

Here is none of the false counsel given to Little Bo Peep in the nursery rhyme. Jesus (and his listeners apparently) knew that a lost sheep was a sheep in danger of perishing. It isn’t necessary to believe in “bold self-contradictions of the Bible.”³³ The language as written allows one to believe that Christ, who is the image of God, came to seek and to save the lost (ἀπολωλός)³⁴ or perishing.

These lost are them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth (ἀληθείας, a form of ἀλήθεια), that they might be saved.³⁵ Set them apart in the truth (ἀληθείᾳ), Jesus prayed to his Father, your word is truth (ἀλήθεια).³⁶ The Greek words translated your word were ὁ λόγος ὁ σὸς. This is the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, yet in the context of John’s Gospel account ὁ λόγος ὁ σὸς is also Jesus Himself (Hebrews 1:1-3 NET):

After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last³⁷ days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world (τοὺς αἰῶνας; literally: the ages³⁸). The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word (ρήματι, a form of ῥῆμα), and so when he had³⁹ accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Meyer’s NT Commentary reads:

The truth is the Christian truth, and the unbelief, shown against it, is the consequence of the love for the truth in general being wanting (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

I’m unsure what the author meant by Christian, so I’ll highlight what I am sure Paul did not mean by truth; namely, the squabbling of those who profess Christ. Here is Meyer’s NT Commentary again:

The view of the Fathers remained in the following ages the prevalent one in the Christian church. It was necessary, however, partially to change and transform it, the relation of Christianity to the Roman state having altered, as the Christian church, instead of being exposed to renewed hostilities from the secular power, had obtained the sovereignty of the state, and, penetrating larger portions of the world, represented itself as the kingdom of God on earth, and an imposing hierarchy was placed at its head. Whilst, accordingly, the idea of the advent stepped more and more into the background in the church generally, and especially with the hierarchy, on the other hand, those who had placed themselves in opposition to the hierarchy believed themselves obliged to apply to it the description of the apostle, as well as the figures in the Apocalypse of St. John. Thus arose—whilst the early view concerning the παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου was held with only the modification that its entrance was to be expected in the distant future—the view, first in the eleventh century, that the establishment and growing power of the Papacy is to be considered as the Antichrist predicted by Paul…

In the presence of such polemics used against them, the Catholics are certainly not to be blamed that in retaliation they interpreted ἀποστασία as the defection from the Roman church and from the pope, and Antichrist as the heretics, especially Luther and the evangelical church.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

According to a note (11) in the NET Jesus quoted from Hosea 6:6 in Matthew 12:7. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Matthew 12:7b (NET Parallel Greek)	Hosea 6:6a (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 6:6a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν	ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν	ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν
Matthew 12:7b (NET)	Hosea 6:6a (NETS)	Hosea 6:6a (English Elpenor)
I want mercy and not sacrifice	I want mercy and not sacrifice	I will [have] mercy rather than sacrifice

According to a note (9) in the NET Hebrews 1:3b was an allusion to Psalm 110:1. A table comparing the Greek of Hebrews 1:3b with that of the Septuagint follows.

Hebrews 1:3b (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς	κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου	κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου
Hebrews 1:3b (NET)	Psalm 110:1b (NETS)	Psalm 110:1b (English Elpenor)
he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high	Sit on my right hand	Sit thou on my right hand

Tables comparing Hosea 6:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and the Greek of Hosea 6:6 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 2 Thessalonians 2:12; Acts 25:15; Matthew 12:2, 3; 12:7; Luke 6:35, 36; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; 2:10; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Luke 15:4 and Hebrews 1:1-3 in the NET and KJV follow.

Hosea 6:6 (Tanakh)	Hosea 6:6 (KJV)	Hosea 6:6 (NET)
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.	For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.	For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 6:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διότι ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν θεοῦ ἢ ὁλοκαυτώματα	διότι ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ ἢ ὁλοκαυτώματα
Hosea 6:6 (NETS)	Hosea 6:6 (English Elpenor)
For I want mercy and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than whole burnt offerings.	For I will [have] mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole-burnt-offerings.

2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:12 (KJV)
And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned.	That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἵνα κριθῶσιν πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύσαντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἀλλὰ εὐδοκήσαντες τῇ ἀδικίᾳ	ινα κριθωσιν παντες οι μη πιστευσαντες τη αληθεια αλλ ευδοκησαντες εν τη αδικια	ινα κριθωσιν παντες οι μη πιστευσαντες τη αληθεια αλλ ευδοκησαντες εν τη αδικια

Acts 25:15 (NET)	Acts 25:15 (KJV)
When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.	About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

Acts 25:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 25:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 25:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
περὶ οὗ γενομένου μου εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐνεφάνισαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰτούμενοι κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ καταδίκην	περι ου γενομενου μου εις ιεροσολυμα ενεφανισαν οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι των ιουδαιων αιτουμενοι κατ αυτου δικην	περι ου γενομενου μου εις ιεροσολυμα ενεφανισαν οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι των ιουδαιων αιτουμενοι κατ αυτου δικην

Matthew 12:2, 3 (NET)	Matthew 12:2, 3 (KJV)
But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.”	But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

Matthew 12:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ οἱ μαθηταί σου ποιοῦσιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν ἐν σαββάτῳ	οι δε φαρισαιοι ιδοντες ειπον αυτω ιδου οι μαθηται σου ποιουσιν ο ουκ εξεστιν ποιειν εν σαββατω	οι δε φαρισαιοι ιδοντες ειπον αυτω ιδου οι μαθηται σου ποιουσιν ο ουκ εξεστιν ποιειν εν σαββατω

He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry—

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

Matthew 12:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ,	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις ουκ ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαβιδ οτε επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις ουκ ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαυιδ οτε επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου

Matthew 12:7 (NET)	Matthew 12:7 (KJV)
If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.	But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Matthew 12:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν· ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν, οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους	ει δε εγνωκειτε τι εστιν ελεον θελω και ου θυσιαν ουκ αν κατεδικασατε τους αναιτιους	ει δε εγνωκειτε τι εστιν ελεον θελω και ου θυσιαν ουκ αν κατεδικασατε τους αναιτιους

Luke 6:35, 36 (NET)	Luke 6:35, 36 (KJV)
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.	But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Luke 6:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 6:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 6:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πλὴν ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ ἀγαθοποιεῖτε καὶ δανίζετε μηδὲν ἀπελπίζοντες· καὶ ἔσται ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολύς, καὶ ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ ὑψίστου, ὅτι αὐτὸς χρηστός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους καὶ πονηρούς	πλην αγαπατε τους εχθρους υμων και αγαθοποιειτε και δανειζετε μηδεν απελπιζοντες και εσται ο μισθος υμων πολυς και εσεσθε υιοι του υψιστου οτι αυτος χρηστος εστιν επι τους αχαριστους και πονηρους	πλην αγαπατε τους εχθρους υμων και αγαθοποιειτε και δανειζετε μηδεν απελπιζοντες και εσται ο μισθος υμων πολυς και εσεσθε υιοι υψιστου οτι αυτος χρηστος εστιν επι τους αχαριστους και πονηρους

Luke 6:36 (NET)	Luke 6:36 (KJV)
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.	Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Luke 6:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 6:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 6:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες καθὼς [καὶ] ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν	γινεσθε ουν οικτιρμονες καθως και ο πατηρ υμων οικτιρμων εστιν	γινεσθε ουν οικτιρμονες καθως και ο πατηρ υμων οικτιρμων εστιν

2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:11 (KJV)
Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.	And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει	και δια τουτο πεμψει αυτοις ο θεος ενεργειαν πλανης εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει	και δια τουτο πεμψει αυτοις ο θεος ενεργειαν πλανης εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:10 (KJV)
and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀπάτῃ ἀδικίας τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτούς	και εν παση απατη της αδικιας εν τοις απολλυμενοις ανθ ων την αγαπην της αληθειας ουκ εδεξαντο εις το σωθηναι αυτους	και εν παση απατη της αδικιας εν τοις απολλυμενοις ανθ ων την αγαπην της αληθειας ουκ εδεξαντο εις το σωθηναι αυτους

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NET)	2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV)
among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.	In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 4:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 4:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν οἷς ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἐτύφλωσεν τὰ νοήματα τῶν ἀπίστων εἰς τὸ μὴ αὐγάσαι τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ	εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος τουτου ετυφλωσεν τα νοηματα των απιστων εις το μη αυγασαι αυτοις τον φωτισμον του ευαγγελιου της δοξης του χριστου ος εστιν εικων του θεου	εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος τουτου ετυφλωσεν τα νοηματα των απιστων εις το μη αυγασαι αυτοις τον φωτισμον του ευαγγελιου της δοξης του χριστου ος εστιν εικων του θεου

Luke 15:4 (NET)	Luke 15:4 (KJV)
“Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?	What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

Luke 15:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 15:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 15:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό	τις ανθρωπος εξ υμων εχων εκατον προβατα και απολεσας εν εξ αυτων ου καταλειπει τα εννενηκονταεννεα εν τη ερημω και πορευεται επι το απολωλος εως ευρη αυτο	τις ανθρωπος εξ υμων εχων εκατον προβατα και απολεσας εν εξ αυτων ου καταλειπει τα ενενηκοντα εννεα εν τη ερημω και πορευεται επι το απολωλος εως ευρη αυτο

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NET)	Hebrews 1:1-3 (KJV)
After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets,	God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hebrews 1:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 1:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 1:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις [see verse 2]	πολυμερως και πολυτροπως παλαι ο θεος λαλησας τοις πατρασιν εν τοις προφηταις [see verse 2]	πολυμερως και πολυτροπως παλαι ο θεος λαλησας τοις πατρασιν εν τοις προφηταις επ εσχατου των ημερων τουτων ελαλησεν ημιν εν υιω

in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Hebrews 1:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 1:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 1:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκεν κληρονόμον πάντων, δι᾿ οὗ καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς αἰῶνας	επ εσχατων των ημερων τουτων ελαλησεν ημιν εν υιω ον εθηκεν κληρονομον παντων δι ου και τους αιωνας εποιησεν	[see verse 1] ον εθηκεν κληρονομον παντων δι ου και τους αιωνας εποιησεν

The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews 1:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 1:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 1:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ρήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς	ος ων απαυγασμα της δοξης και χαρακτηρ της υποστασεως αυτου φερων τε τα παντα τω ρηματι της δυναμεως αυτου δι εαυτου καθαρισμον ποιησαμενος των αμαρτιων ημων εκαθισεν εν δεξια της μεγαλωσυνης εν υψηλοις	ος ων απαυγασμα της δοξης και χαρακτηρ της υποστασεως αυτου φερων τε τα παντα τω ρηματι της δυναμεως αυτου δι εαυτου καθαρισμον ποιησαμενος των αμαρτιων ημων εκαθισεν εν δεξια της μεγαλωσυνης εν υψηλοις

The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 8

Back to Romans, Part 61

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Back to Who Am I? Part 15

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 7

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind

Back to Who Am I? Part 17

¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET)

² Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

³ Mark 8:15b (NET)

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλ’.

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

⁶ James 5:6a (NET)

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

⁸ Acts 25:15b (NET)

⁹ Acts 25:11 (NET)

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the neuter noun ἔλεος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the masculine noun ελεον.

¹² Matthew 12:36, 37 (NET)

¹³ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ lend was spelled δανίζετε, and δανειζετε in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article του preceding Most High (KJV: Highest). The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: therefore) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁶ From Meyer’s NT Commentary on Bible Hub

¹⁷ Luke 6:37b (NET) Table

¹⁸ 2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NASB 1995, NASB 1977, Legacy Standard Bible)

¹⁹ Luke 6:37a (NET) Table

²⁰ 2 Thessalonians 2:12b (NASB 1995, NASB 1977, Legacy Standard Bible)

²¹ John 17:3b (NET)

²² John 17:3a (NET)

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πέμπει here in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πεμψει (KJV: shall send) in the future tense.

²⁴ 2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NET)

²⁵ Matthew 25:41b (NET)

²⁶ 2 Thessalonians 2:12a (NET)

²⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν (KJV: in) preceding perishing (KJV: them that perish). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁸ 2 Thessalonians 2:10b (NET)

²⁹ 2 Thessalonians 2:11b (NET)

³⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτοις (KJV: unto them) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³¹ 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 (NET)

³² The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had εννενηκονταεννεα.

³³ From Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, Bible Hub

³⁴ Luke 19:10b (NET)

³⁵ 2 Thessalonians 2:10b (KJV)

³⁶ John 17:17 (NET) Table

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐσχάτου here, a singular form of ἔσχατος, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had εσχατων, a plural form.

³⁸ According to a note (6) in the NET: “Grk ‘the ages.’ The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 11:3 for the same usage.”

³⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δι εαυτου (KJV: by himself) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

Christianity, Part 8

Posted on February 3, 2023 by admin

There are 3 occurrences of πάντας in John’s Gospel [see Table below] including: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ The first occurrence follows (John 2:13-17 ESV):

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned² their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His³ disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume⁴ me.”

Here πάντας was limited by those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting in the temple in Jerusalem. The next occurrence follows (John 2:23-25 ESV):

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) [Table] and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

There is no limit to πάντας here. It is probably safe to infer people from what follows: He needed no one to bear witness about man (τοῦ ἀνθρώπου), for he himself knew what was in man (τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ). Both τοῦ ἀνθρώπου and τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ are singular forms of ἄνθρωπος, so humanity as a whole seems to be in view here. This is a not-so-veiled reference to the sin nature that resides in every human being.

The final occurrence of πάντας in John’s Gospel is the main reason for this essay series: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.⁵ I already considered the words concerning judgment in another essay. Here, I want to consider the words which follow (John 12:34 ESV):

So⁶ the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that⁷ the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

Even without John’s explanation, He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die,⁸ Jesus’ audience grasped that lifted up (ὑψωθῆναι, a form of ὑψόω) was a euphemism for death (even a particular kind of death according to John). It seems to be the only thing they heard when He said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified [Table]. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.⁹ Those seeking an immortal king to overthrow the Roman superpower were clearly troubled by this talk of death.

I feel fairly confident paraphrasing Jesus here: And I, when I am [crucified], will draw all people to myself. The author of “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” on the Christian Publishing House Blog quoted someone named Morris:

“We must take the expression accordingly to mean that all those who are to be drawn will be drawn. That is to say, Christ is not affirming that the whole world would be saved. He is affirming that all who are to be saved will be saved in this way. And he is speaking of a universal rather than a narrowly nationalistic religion. The death of Christ would mean the end of particularism. By virtue of that death ‘all men’ and not the Jews alone would be drawn. And they would be drawn only by virtue of that death” (Morris, pp. 598–99).^[2]

In other words, Morris wanted Jesus to say, And…when I am [crucified], “that death” will draw “all who are to be saved” to myself. Aside from the fact that this isn’t what Scripture records Jesus saying, ἑλκύσω (I…will draw) is in the 1^st person rather than the 3^rd person. Jesus’ death is not the subject of the verb. Jesus is the subject of ἑλκύσω. He stated clearly before his death one of the things He would do after his crucifixion with all authority in heaven and on earth.¹⁰ Morris did seem to allow that by Christ’s death “‘all men’ and not the Jews alone would be drawn.” But he would not allow Christ’s death to draw ‘all men’ to the point “that the whole world would be saved.”

When the crowd asked, Who is this Son of Man? Jesus did not direct their attention to Daniel (Daniel 7:13, 14 ESV):

I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve (Septuagint: δουλεύσουσιν, a form of δουλεύω) him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

Instead Jesus said (John 12:35, 36a ESV):

The light is among you¹¹ for a little while longer. Walk while¹² you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While¹³ you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.

“I am the light of the world,” Jesus had said. “Whoever follows me will not walk¹⁴ in darkness, but will have the light of life.”¹⁵ There is some question whether Jesus spoke the following assessment or if it was John’s by the Holy Spirit (John 3:19-21 ESV):

“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

So here is another example of how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!¹⁶ Jesus, the door to the kingdom, is also the light that exposes one’s works as evil, proving Jesus’ word that we are, in fact, evil.¹⁷ It is not just that we make mistakes. The evil within us is repulsed by the only help available to us.

I’ve often thought of this passage as if it described secret sins. Actually, there are no forms of ἁμαρτία here. The Greek word translated evil was πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός), and wicked things was ὁ φαῦλα (a form of φαῦλος). But if that seems a little too much like straining out a gnat, I’ll simply say that my deepest, darkest, most secret and deceitful sin is that there is something in me that desperately wants its own righteousness derived from law, from rules it obeys successfully. The light makes it obvious that even all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.¹⁸ Jesus’ disciples were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”¹⁹

Granted, I took this a bit out of context. But I’m not convinced that Jesus meant to imply that the rich cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,²⁰ and the rest of us are expected to do it on our own. The main advantage we have over the rich is that we can afford fewer diversions. We spend more time with less to distract us from the insistent drawing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The verses following Jesus’ promise, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,²¹ continued (John 12:36b-38 ESV):

When Jesus²² had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

The Greek word translated might be fulfilled (NET: would be fulfilled) was πληρωθῇ (a form of πληρόω). It is in the subjunctive mood, so it was translated might be fulfilled so as not to offend those who already know Greek apparently: “The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.”²³

John by the Holy Spirit chose πληρωθῇ here despite the fact that Isaiah’s prophecy was already fulfilled before he wrote his Gospel account: God had already successfully hardened a people to withstand Jesus’ miraculous signs and condemn Him to death for violating their understanding of the law. It should give those who do not already know Greek great confidence that this is a stylistic device of Koine Greek and that the caveat in the definition of the subjunctive mood is entirely accurate:

“However if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”²⁴

We can all be confident that other examples of verbs in the subjunctive mood in purpose or result clauses in the New Testament will be fulfilled, absolutely. John continued (John 12:39, 40 ESV):

Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

“He has blinded their eyes

and hardened their heart,

lest they see with their eyes,

and understand with their heart, and turn,

and I would heal them” [Table].

John made it quite clear that many in Israel could not believe (οὐκ ἠδύναντο πιστεύειν) because God intended to fulfill his word through the prophet Isaiah (6:8-13). Jesus contrasted his hardened contemporaries to others who lived before them (Matthew 11:21-24 ESV):

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!²⁵ For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum,²⁶ will you be exalted²⁷ to²⁸ heaven?²⁹ You will be brought down³⁰ to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done³¹ in Sodom, it would have remained³² until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.

And John concluded (John 12:41-43 ESV):

Isaiah said these things because³³ he saw [Christ’s] glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

I don’t doubt that these authorities were drawn to faith in Jesus out of their blinded and hardened conditions by God: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,³⁴ Jesus said. Yet even they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!³⁵

I’ve considered all the occurrences of πάντας in the four Gospel accounts. It is sufficient to persuade me that if Jesus had intended to limit πάντας here, He would have. But Christianity, as far as I know, still won’t acknowledge that He said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.³⁶ So, I’ll continue to look at other occurrences of πάντας in other essays.

I’ll conclude with an observation that came as I began this essay. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: we ourselves boast³⁷ about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions (διωγμοῖς, a form of διωγμός) and in the afflictions that you are enduring.³⁸ Then he embarked on a rather detailed description of the righteous judgment of God (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10a ESV):

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus [Table]. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all (πᾶσιν, a form of πᾶς) who have believed…³⁹

We wait still for this relief (ἄνεσιν, a form of ἄνεσις). I don’t doubt that day will come. I long for the day when the sin condemned in my flesh will be condemned in the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels⁴⁰ instead. Then it struck me that Jesus’ command was a far more practical and timelier tactic for those seeking relief from persecution: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute (διωκόντων, a form of διώκω) you…⁴¹

It would be nice if everyone was like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-38), but some like Saul oppose themselves kicking against the goads as Jesus draws them to Himself (Acts 8:1-3 ESV):

And Saul approved of [Stephen’s (Acts 6:1-7:60)] execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution (διωγμὸς) against the church in Jerusalem, and⁴² they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles [Table]. Devout men buried Stephen and made⁴³ great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Jesus met Saul (Acts 9:1-9) on the road to Damascus and began to transform him into the man we know as Paul an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:19b-31 ESV):

For some days [Saul] was with the disciples at Damascus [Table]. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus⁴⁴ in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in⁴⁵ Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come⁴⁶ here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ [Table].

When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching⁴⁷ the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his⁴⁸ disciples took him⁴⁹ by night and let him⁵⁰ down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple [Table]. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him [Table]. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη) and was being built up. And walking⁵¹ in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied⁵² [Table].

I don’t think Paul deliberately misled the Thessalonians regarding relief from their persecutions and afflictions. He thought everything he wrote to them would happen in his lifetime: Then we (ἡμεῖς) who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.⁵³ Granted, the relief Paul wrote about is more permanent than the short-lived peace enjoyed by the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria after Saul met Jesus on the Damascus road. There will always be those who oppose themselves kicking against the goads until the things Paul wrote to the Thessalonians come to pass.

Peter informed us why we wait so long for these things (2 Peter 3:9 ESV [Table]):

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

As we approach the 2,000^th anniversary of the Lord Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, maybe Christianity will accept that God is serious about this, and fully embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as the right man for the job: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be (e.g., will be) saved through him.⁵⁴ And I, when I am lifted up from the earth (e.g., crucified), will draw all people to myself,⁵⁵ Jesus promised. The rest of us it seems would stop short.

According to a note (38) in the NET John quoted from Psalm 69:9. The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation from the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸and Byzantine Majority Text to that of the Septuagint.

John 2:17b (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 69:9a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 68:10a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου καταφάγεται με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέν με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέ με
John 2:17b (NET)	Psalm 68:10a (NETS)	Psalm 68:10a (English Elpenor)
Zeal for your house will devour me.	the zeal for your house consumed me	the zeal of thine house has eaten me up

The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation from the Stephanus Textus Receptus to that of the Septuagint.

John 2:17b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Psalm 69:9a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 68:10a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ο ζηλος του οικου σου κατεφαγεν με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέν με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέ με
John 2:17b (KJV)	Psalm 68:10a (NETS)	Psalm 68:10a (English Elpenor)
The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.	the zeal for your house consumed me	the zeal of thine house has eaten me up

According to a note (82) in the NET John quoted from Isaiah 53:1. The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

John 12:38b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη	κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη	ΚΥΡΙΕ, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη
John 12:38b (NET)	Isaiah 53:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:1 (English Elpenor)
Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?	Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?	O Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

According to a note (87) in the NET John quoted from Isaiah 6:10. The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

John 12:40 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τετύφλωκεν αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ ἐπώρωσεν αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ νοήσωσιν τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ στραφῶσιν, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῗς ὀφθαλμοῗς καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς
John 12:40 (NET)	Isaiah 6:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 6:10 (English Elpenor)
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and turn to me, and I would heal them.”	For this people’s heart has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn–and I would heal them.”	For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

It is safe to say that John didn’t quote the Septuagint. This is more like a paraphrase of the Hebrew and a subtle corroboration of what is preserved in the Masoretic text. The idea that God caused this was apparently too much for the rabbis who translated the Septuagint too receive.

The table mentioned above follows.

Occurrences of πάντας in John
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
John 2:15	πάντας ἐξέβαλεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ	he drove them all out of the temple
	Limited by…
	(2:14) In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.
John 2:24	τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν πάντας	he knew all people
	Explained by…
	(2:25) and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
John 12:32	πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν	I…will draw all people to myself

A table of occurrences of the Hebrew word פְּלַח (pᵊlaḥ) in Daniel follows:

Reference	Hebrew		NET	ESV	Septuagint BLB	Septuagint Elpenor
Daniel 3:12	פלחין		They…serve	they do…serve	λατρεύουσιν	λατρεύουσι
Daniel 3:14	פלחין		you…serve	you do…serve	λατρεύετε	λατρεύετε
Daniel 3:17	פלחין		we are serving	we serve	λατρεύομεν	λατρεύομεν
Daniel 3:18	פלחין		we…serve	we will…serve	λατρεύομεν	λατρεύομεν
Daniel 3:28	יפלחון		serve	serve	λατρεύσωσιν	λατρεύσωσι
Daniel 6:16	פלח		serve	serve	λατρεύεις	λατρεύεις
Daniel 6:20	פלח		serve	serve	λατρεύεις	λατρεύεις
Daniel 7:14	יפלחון	יִפְלְח֑וּן	were serving	should serve	δουλεύσουσιν	δουλεύσουσιν
Daniel 7:27	יפלחון	יִפְלְח֖וּן	will serve	shall serve	δουλεύσουσιν	δουλεύσουσι

The difference between Daniel 7:14 and 7:27 is apparently in the vowel points, a difference that wasn’t recognized by the rabbis who translated the Septuagint, where both occurrences were rendered δουλεύσουσι(ν), a form of δουλεύω in the future tense and indicative mood. The English translation of the Tanakh on chabad.org (where I found the Hebrew with vowel points) was shall serve (7:14) and will serve (7:18).

Tables comparing Psalm 69:9; Daniel 7:13; 7:14; Isaiah 64:6 and 53:1 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Psalm 69:9 (68:10); Daniel 7:13; 7:14; Isaiah 64:6 and 53:1 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of John 2:15; 2:17; 12:34; 12:35, 36; 8:12; Matthew 11:21; 11:23; John 12:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 1:10; Acts 8:2; 9:20, 21 and 9:24, 25 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 69:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 69:9 (KJV)	Psalm 69:9 (NET)
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.	For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.	Certainly zeal for your house consumes me; I endure the insults of those who insult you.

Psalm 69:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 68:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέν με καὶ οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσαν ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ	ὅτι ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέ με, καὶ οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσον ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ
Psalm 68:10 (NETS)	Psalm 68:10 (English Elpenor)
because the zeal for your house consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you fell on me.	For the zeal of thine house has eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

Daniel 7:13 (Tanakh)	Daniel 7:13 (KJV)	Daniel 7:13 (NET)
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.	I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.	I was watching in the night visions, And with the clouds of the sky, one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him.

Daniel 7:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Daniel 7:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐθεώρουν ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ ἰδοὺ μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν καὶ ἕως τοῦ παλαιοῦ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἔφθασεν καὶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ προσηνέχθη	ἐθεώρουν ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ ἰδοὺ μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν καὶ ἕως τοῦ παλαιοῦ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἔφθασε καὶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ προσηνέχθη
Daniel 7:13 (NETS)	Daniel 7:13 (English Elpenor)
I was watching in the night visions, and lo, as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came as far as the ancient of days and was presented to him.	I beheld in the night vision, and, lo, [one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man, and he came on to the Ancient of days, and was brought near to him.

Daniel 7:14 (Tanakh)	Daniel 7:14 (KJV)	Daniel 7:14 (NET)
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.	And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.	To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Daniel 7:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὐτῷ ἐδόθη ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία καὶ πάντες οἱ λαοί φυλαί γλῶσσαι αὐτῷ δουλεύσουσιν ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ ἐξουσία αἰώνιος ἥτις οὐ παρελεύσεται καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ οὐ διαφθαρήσεται	καὶ αὐτῷ ἐδόθη ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ πάντες οἱ λαοί, φυλαί, γλῶσσαι αὐτῷ δουλεύσουσιν· ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ ἐξουσία αἰώνιος, ἥτις οὐ παρελεύσεται, καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ οὐ διαφθαρήσεται
Daniel 7:14 (NETS)	Daniel 7:14 (English Elpenor)
And to him was given the dominion and the honor and the kingship, and all peoples, tribes, languages shall be subject to him. His authority is an everlasting authority, which will not pass away, and his kingship will not be destroyed.	And to him was given the dominion, and the honour, and the kingdom; and all nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.

Isaiah 64:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 64:6 (NET)
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.	But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.	We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind.

Isaiah 64:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 64:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθημεν ὡς ἀκάθαρτοι πάντες ἡμεῗς ὡς ῥάκος ἀποκαθημένης πᾶσα ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν καὶ ἐξερρύημεν ὡς φύλλα διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν οὕτως ἄνεμος οἴσει ἡμᾶς	καὶ ἐγενήθημεν ὡς ἀκάθαρτοι πάντες ἡμεῖς, ὡς ῥάκος ἀποκαθημένης πᾶσα ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν· καὶ ἐξερρύημεν ὡς φύλλα διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν, οὕτως ἄνεμος οἴσει ἡμᾶς
Isaiah 64:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 64:6 (English Elpenor)
And we have all become like unclean people; all our righteousness is like the rag of a woman who sits apart. And we have fallen off like leaves because of our acts of lawlessness; thus the wind will take us away.	and we are all become as unclean, and all our righteousness as a filthy rag: and we have fallen as leaves because of our iniquities; thus the wind shall carry us [away].

Isaiah 53:1 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:1 (KJV)	Isaiah 53:1 (NET)
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?	Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?	Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?

Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη	ΚΥΡΙΕ, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη
Isaiah 53:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:1 (English Elpenor)
Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?	O Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

John 2:15 (NET)	John 2:15 (KJV)
So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.	And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

John 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 2:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 2:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ποιήσας φραγέλλιον ἐκ σχοινίων πάντας ἐξέβαλεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τά τε πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς βόας, καὶ τῶν κολλυβιστῶν ἐξέχεεν \|τὸ κέρμα\| καὶ τὰς τραπέζας ἀνέτρεψεν	και ποιησας φραγελλιον εκ σχοινιων παντας εξεβαλεν εκ του ιερου τα τε προβατα και τους βοας και των κολλυβιστων εξεχεεν το κερμα και τας τραπεζας ανεστρεψεν	και ποιησας φραγελλιον εκ σχοινιων παντας εξεβαλεν εκ του ιερου τα τε προβατα και τους βοας και των κολλυβιστων εξεχεεν το κερμα και τας τραπεζας ανεστρεψεν

John 2:17 (NET)	John 2:17 (KJV)
His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will devour me.”	And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

John 2:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 2:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 2:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐμνήσθησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι γεγραμμένον ἐστίν· ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου καταφάγεται με	εμνησθησαν δε οι μαθηται αυτου οτι γεγραμμενον εστιν ο ζηλος του οικου σου κατεφαγεν με	εμνησθησαν δε οι μαθηται αυτου οτι γεγραμμενον εστιν ο ζηλος του οικου σου καταφαγεται με

John 12:34 (NET)	John 12:34 (KJV)
Then the crowd responded, “We have heard from the law that the Christ will remain forever. How can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”	The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

John 12:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος· ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ πῶς λέγεις σὺ ὅτι δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	απεκριθη αυτω ο οχλος ημεις ηκουσαμεν εκ του νομου οτι ο χριστος μενει εις τον αιωνα και πως συ λεγεις οτι δει υψωθηναι τον υιον του ανθρωπου τις εστιν ουτος ο υιος του ανθρωπου	απεκριθη αυτω ο οχλος ημεις ηκουσαμεν εκ του νομου οτι ο χριστος μενει εις τον αιωνα και πως συ λεγεις δει υψωθηναι τον υιον του ανθρωπου τις εστιν ουτος ο υιος του ανθρωπου

John 12:35, 36 (NET)	John 12:35, 36 (KJV)
Jesus replied, “The light is with you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.	Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

John 12:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἔτι μικρὸν χρόνον τὸ φῶς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν. περιπατεῖτε ὡς τὸ φῶς ἔχετε, ἵνα μὴ σκοτία ὑμᾶς καταλάβῃ· καὶ ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει	ειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους ετι μικρον χρονον το φως μεθ υμων εστιν περιπατειτε εως το φως εχετε ινα μη σκοτια υμας καταλαβη και ο περιπατων εν τη σκοτια ουκ οιδεν που υπαγει	ειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους ετι μικρον χρονον το φως μεθ υμων εστιν περιπατειτε εως το φως εχετε ινα μη σκοτια υμας καταλαβη και ο περιπατων εν τη σκοτια ουκ οιδεν που υπαγει

While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he went away and hid himself from them.

While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

John 12:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὡς τὸ φῶς ἔχετε, πιστεύετε εἰς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα υἱοὶ φωτὸς γένησθε. ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐκρύβη ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν	εως το φως εχετε πιστευετε εις το φως ινα υιοι φωτος γενησθε ταυτα ελαλησεν ο ιησους και απελθων εκρυβη απ αυτων	εως το φως εχετε πιστευετε εις το φως ινα υιοι φωτος γενησθε ταυτα ελαλησεν ο ιησους και απελθων εκρυβη απ αυτων

John 8:12 (NET)	John 8:12 (KJV)
Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”	Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 8:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 8:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πάλιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐλάλησεν \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς λέγων· ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· ὁ ἀκολουθῶν \|ἐ\|μοὶ οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἀλλ᾿ ἕξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς	παλιν ουν ο ιησους αυτοις ελαλησεν λεγων εγω ειμι το φως του κοσμου ο ακολουθων εμοι ου μη περιπατησει εν τη σκοτια αλλ εξει το φως της ζωης	παλιν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους ελαλησεν λεγων εγω ειμι το φως του κοσμου ο ακολουθων εμοι ου μη περιπατηση εν τη σκοτια αλλ εξει το φως της ζωης

Matthew 11:21 (NET)	Matthew 11:21 (KJV)
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.	Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 11:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 11:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 11:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν, οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ μετενόησαν	ουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδαν οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν	ουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδα οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν

Matthew 11:23 (NET)	Matthew 11:23 (KJV)
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades! For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day.	And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Matthew 11:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 11:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 11:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ; ἕως ᾅδου καταβήσῃ· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον	και συ καπερναουμ η εως του ουρανου υψωθεισα εως αδου καταβιβασθηση οτι ει εν σοδομοις εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν σοι εμειναν αν μεχρι της σημερον	και συ καπερναουμ η εως του ουρανου υψωθεισα εως αδου καταβιβασθηση οτι ει εν σοδομοις εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν σοι εμειναν αν μεχρι της σημερον

John 12:41 (NET)	John 12:41 (KJV)
Isaiah said these things because he saw Christ’s glory and spoke about him.	These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

John 12:41 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:41 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:41 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ταῦτα εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας ὅτι εἶδεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλησεν περὶ αὐτοῦ	ταυτα ειπεν ησαιας οτε ειδεν την δοξαν αυτου και ελαλησεν περι αυτου	ταυτα ειπεν ησαιας οτε ειδεν την δοξαν αυτου και ελαλησεν περι αυτου

2 Thessalonians 1:4 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 1:4 (KJV)
As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.	So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

2 Thessalonians 1:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 1:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 1:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἡμᾶς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὑμῶν καὶ πίστεως ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς διωγμοῖς ὑμῶν καὶ ταῖς θλίψεσιν αἷς ἀνέχεσθε	ωστε ημας αυτους εν υμιν καυχασθαι εν ταις εκκλησιαις του θεου υπερ της υπομονης υμων και πιστεως εν πασιν τοις διωγμοις υμων και ταις θλιψεσιν αις ανεχεσθε	ωστε ημας αυτους εν υμιν καυχασθαι εν ταις εκκλησιαις του θεου υπερ της υπομονης υμων και πιστεως εν πασιν τοις διωγμοις υμων και ταις θλιψεσιν αις ανεχεσθε

2 Thessalonians 1:10 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 1:10 (KJV)
when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony.	When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

2 Thessalonians 1:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 1:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 1:10 (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

Acts 8:2 (NET)	Acts 8:2 (KJV)
Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.	And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Acts 8:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 8:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 8:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
συνεκόμισαν δὲ τὸν Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς καὶ ἐποίησαν κοπετὸν μέγαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ	συνεκομισαν δε τον στεφανον ανδρες ευλαβεις και εποιησαντο κοπετον μεγαν επ αυτω	συνεκομισαν δε τον στεφανον ανδρες ευλαβεις και εποιησαντο κοπετον μεγαν επ αυτω

Acts 9:20, 21 (NET)	Acts 9:20, 21 (KJV)
and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This man is the Son of God.”	And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Acts 9:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εὐθέως ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ἐκήρυσσεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὅτι οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ	και ευθεως εν ταις συναγωγαις εκηρυσσεν τον χριστον οτι ουτος εστιν ο υιος του θεου	και ευθεως εν ταις συναγωγαις εκηρυσσεν τον χριστον οτι ουτος εστιν ο υιος του θεου

All who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?

But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

Acts 9:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες καὶ ἔλεγον· οὐχ οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ πορθήσας \|εἰς\| Ἰερουσαλὴμ τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο, καὶ ὧδε εἰς τοῦτο ἐληλύθει ἵνα δεδεμένους αὐτοὺς ἀγάγῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς	εξισταντο δε παντες οι ακουοντες και ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο πορθησας εν ιερουσαλημ τους επικαλουμενους το ονομα τουτο και ωδε εις τουτο εληλυθει ινα δεδεμενους αυτους αγαγη επι τους αρχιερεις	εξισταντο δε παντες οι ακουοντες και ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο πορθησας εν ιερουσαλημ τους επικαλουμενους το ονομα τουτο και ωδε εις τουτο εληλυθεν ινα δεδεμενους αυτους αγαγη επι τους αρχιερεις

Acts 9:24, 25 (NET)	Acts 9:24, 25 (KJV)
but Saul learned of their plot against him. They were also watching the city gates day and night so that they could kill him.	But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

Acts 9:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγνώσθη δὲ τῷ Σαύλῳ ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ αὐτῶν παρετηροῦντο δὲ καὶ τὰς πύλας ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀνέλωσιν	εγνωσθη δε τω σαυλω η επιβουλη αυτων παρετηρουν τε τας πυλας ημερας τε και νυκτος οπως αυτον ανελωσιν	εγνωσθη δε τω σαυλω η επιβουλη αυτων παρετηρουν τε τας πυλας ημερας τε και νυκτος οπως αυτον ανελωσιν

But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket.

Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

Acts 9:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
λαβόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς διὰ τοῦ τείχους καθῆκαν αὐτὸν χαλάσαντες ἐν σπυρίδι	λαβοντες δε αυτον οι μαθηται νυκτος καθηκαν δια του τειχους χαλασαντες εν σπυριδι	λαβοντες δε αυτον οι μαθηται νυκτος καθηκαν δια του τειχους χαλασαντες εν σπυριδι

Christianity, Part 9

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνέτρεψεν (a form of ἀνατρέπω) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανεστρεψεν (a form of ἀναστρέφω; KJV: overthrew).

³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: And) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had καταφάγεται in the future tense here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had κατεφαγεν (KJV: hath eaten) in the 2^nd Aorist tense.

⁵ John 12:32 (ESV)

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὖν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ὅτι here. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁸ John 12:33 (ESV) Table

⁹ John 12:23, 24a (ESV)

¹⁰ Matthew 28:18b (ESV) Table

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν ὑμῖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεθ υμων (KJV: with you).

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὡς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εως.

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὡς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εως.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had περιπατήσῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had περιπατησει (KJV: shall…walk). This is a “Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation” in Greek: οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ is the aorist tense in the subjunctive mood; ου μη περιπατησει is the future tense in the indicative mood.

¹⁵ John 8:12 (ESV)

¹⁶ Mark 10:24 (ESV)

¹⁷ Matthew 7:11; Matthew 12:34; Luke 11:13; John 8:44

¹⁸ Isaiah 64:6b (ESV)

¹⁹ Mark 10:26, 27 (ESV) Table

²⁰ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

²¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

²² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²³ Verbal Moods from Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²⁴ Ibid.

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had Βηθσαϊδά here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had βηθσαιδαν.

²⁶ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Capernaum was spelled Καφαρναούμ, and καπερναουμ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑψωθήσῃ in the future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υψωθεισα (KJV: art exalted) in the aorist tense.

²⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article η preceding to, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the negative particle μὴ (NET: No).

²⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article του preceding heaven. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καταβήσῃ (a form of καταβαίνω; NET: you will be thrown down) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καταβιβασθηση (a form of καταβιβάζω; KJV: shalt be brought down).

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγενήθησαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγενοντο.

³² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔμεινεν (NET: would have continued) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εμειναν (KJV: would have remained).

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

³⁴ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

³⁵ Mark 10:24b (ESV) Table

³⁶ John 12:32 (ESV)

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι (a form of ἐγκαυχάομαι) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καυχασθαι (a form of καυχάομαι; KJV: glory).

³⁸ 2 Thessalonians 1:4 (ESV)

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστεύσασιν in the aorist tense here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πιστευουσιν (KJV: believe) in the present tense.

⁴⁰ Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

⁴¹ Matthew 5:44 (ESV) Table

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had τε.

⁴³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐποίησαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εποιησαντο.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἰησοῦν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστον (KJV: Christ).

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν.

⁴⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἐληλύθει here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had εληλυθεν

⁴⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παρετηροῦντο δὲ καὶ (NET: They were also watching) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρετηρουν τε (KJV: And they watched).

⁴⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτὸν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁵¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πορευομένη (NET: Living) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πορευομεναι (KJV: walking).

⁵² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπληθύνετο (NET: increased in numbers) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επληθυνοντο (KJV: were multiplied).

⁵³ 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (ESV)

⁵⁴ John 3:17 (ESV) Table

⁵⁵ John 12:32 (ESV)

Christianity, Part 7

Posted on January 21, 2023 by admin

There are 3 more occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel [see Table], the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ First, I’ll continue to consider the implications of the occurrence in Luke 13:22-30.

When I remember that every natural person is opposed to my entrance through the narrow door into the kingdom of God, I’m less concerned about the aggressiveness of ἀγωνίζεσθε : Strive (ἀγωνίζεσθε, a form of ἀγωνίζομαι) to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door…² To enter through the narrow door requires some backbone or, more likely, the insistent drawing of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:7-10 ESV):

So Jesus again said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door (θύρα) of the sheep. All who came before me³ are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door (θύρα). If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

In the clause Strive to enter through the narrow door,⁴ the Greek word translated through was διὰ. In the clause If anyone enters by me,⁵ the Greek word translated by (NET: through) was δι᾿. Both are followed by words in the genitive case, so I’ll ignore whatever differences I might perceive between through and by in English. My next concern is: When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door (θύραν, a form of θύρα).⁶

This is the end of Christianity as I understand it. Presumably, those inside the door still abide in Christ and his words abide in them⁷ but Christianity has no good news, nothing encouraging, to proclaim to those outside the shut door that is Jesus: Depart (πορεύεσθε, a form of πορεύομαι) from [Jesus], you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,⁸ is all it has to say. But that isn’t what Jesus actually said here: Depart (ἀπόστητε, a form of ἀφίστημι) from me, all you workers of evil!⁹

Two different words were translated depart, and Jesus specified no destination in the latter example.¹⁰ Six of the seven occurrences of πορεύεσθε in the New Testament are accompanied by specific instructions regarding destination.¹¹ There are only two occurrences of ἀπόστητε, but the other one has a stand-by-wait-and-see feel to it. I’ll contrast that to a typical example of πορεύεσθε in the table below:

Acts 5:17-20 (ESV)

Acts 5:33-39a (ESV)

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested¹² the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the¹³ night an angel of the Lord opened¹⁴ the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go (πορεύεσθε, a form of πορεύομαι) and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

When they heard¹⁵ this (Acts 5:29-32), they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while [Table]. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away (ἀπόστητε, a form of ἀφίστημι) from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” [Table]

When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’…¹⁶ If I pay more attention to the mind of Christ this is not that bad a place to be when the door is Jesus (Luke 11:5-10 ESV):

And [Jesus] said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence (ἀναίδειαν, a form of ἀναίδεια) he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone (πᾶς) who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Here is another possible meaning of Jesus’ command to strive (ἀγωνίζεσθε); namely, the impudence (ἀναίδεια), “shamelessness, effrontery” and “persistence” to seek undeserved favor from a holy God. The hardened descendants of Jacob will demonstrate that impudence, “shamelessness, effrontery” and “persistence” according to Jesus’ parable (Luke 13:25b-27 ESV).

[T]hen [the master of the house] will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from’ [Table]. Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil’ [Table]!

It sounds ominous. But I expect this unexplained parable to resolve something like communion: By the authority of Jesus’ word bread is (ἐστιν) his body and wine is (ἐστιν) his blood when those who believe [d]o this in remembrance of [Him] to proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. This communion of faith is nothing like the cannibal/vampire fest those who abandoned Jesus imagined. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life,¹⁷ Jesus said.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.¹⁸

Focused on the fear of being cast out (ἐκβαλλομένους ἔξω), I might feel this as a bad thing. But the Lord Jesus has drawn hardened descendants of Jacob to a place where they desire the real kingdom of God rather than the imaginary kingdom they sought for themselves so many centuries earlier. (I assume here that ὄψησθε [a form of ὁράω], translated you see [ESV], is to be taken in its most concrete form [“to see (with the eyes), watch, behold, catch sight of, notice”]; and so, when you see places the resolution of this parable in some as yet future time.) Their weeping and gnashing of teeth is evidence of their desire to enter the real kingdom of God, and a hopeful sign if the door barring their entrance is Jesus: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,¹⁹ He said.

An actual example of Jesus as a shut door follows (Matthew 15:21-25 ESV):

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying,²⁰ “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David;²¹ my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged²² him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt²³ before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

Notice her impudence, shamelessness, effrontery and persistence in the face of Jesus as a door that is shut to her. But also notice that impudence, shamelessness, effrontery and persistence alone is not sufficient to open the door (Matthew 15:26 ESV):

And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

I want to pause here to contrast Jesus’ words to this Canaanite woman to what Paul wrote about hardened descendants of Jacob, his kinsmen according to the flesh,²⁴ who were not yet knocking at the door, weeping and gnashing [their] teeth, but often imprisoning, beating and seeking to kill him (Romans 9:4, 5 ESV):

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

The Canaanite woman didn’t despair at Jesus’ words but grew strong in faith and persisted (Matthew 15:27, 28 ESV):

She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Jesus perceived her faith by her words. By her words she demonstrated that she understood and agreed with Him.

When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know (οἶδα) where you come from.’²⁵

One of the meanings of οἶδα, the Greek word translated know, is “to be able to recall.” I suppose it will be natural for the hardened descendants of Jacob to assume that the master of the house has forgotten them after so many years.

Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’²⁶

But the master of the house will remember them perfectly:

[H]e will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!²⁷

So, the master of the house will clarify the meaning of οἶδα for them: “I am not learning by observation” where you come from. Jesus said (Matthew 12:35-37 ESV):

The good person out of his good treasure²⁸ brings forth good,²⁹ and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,³⁰ for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

He spoke these words under the heading: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.³¹ Will the hardened descendants of Jacob grow strong in faith and persist like the Canaanite woman? Will they understand and agree with the master of the house? He even gave them the words to say. Will they demonstrate by those words the new abundance of their changed hearts? “Lord, be merciful to me worker of evil that I am.”³²

I’m more sanguine about that outcome since believing Jesus’ saying, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.³³ My Christianity won’t acknowledge that He even said it. But if one has the ears to hear, I think that hope is embedded in the words that conclude this parable (Luke 13:29, 30 ESV):

And people will come from east and west, and from³⁴ north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.

Jesus said something similar to the chief priests and the elders of the people³⁵ in the temple (Matthew 21:31b, 32 ESV):

Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you [Table]. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not³⁶ afterward change your minds and believe him.

The Greek word translated before was προάγουσιν. It is a 3^rd person plural form of προάγω in the indicative mood: “to lead forward, lead (someone) out, bring out; to move forward, move onward; to go before, lead the way, precede; to move ahead of; to move on to the next phase (e.g., move troops to the next battle); to induce to do; to happen before, come before.” It is an intriguing way to address those who wanted Jesus dead, his followers scattered and his words forgotten. But I’m thinking even more of that insight which brought so much hope and comfort to Paul (Romans 11:15-23 ESV):

For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? [Table] If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree [Table], do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but³⁷ the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in” [Table]. That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud,³⁸ but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither³⁹ will he spare⁴⁰ you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off [Table]. And even they,⁴¹ if they do not continue⁴² in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

And so, a parable about a door that is Jesus shut in the face of hardened descendants of Jacob sounds like an example of Jesus drawing πάντας to Himself when I believe what He said. The next two occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel follow (Luke 17:24, 26-30 ESV):

For as the lightning flashes⁴³ and lights up the⁴⁴ sky⁴⁵ from one side to the other, so will the Son⁴⁶ of Man be in his day…Just as it was in the days of Noah,⁴⁷ so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage,⁴⁸ until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all⁴⁹ (πάντας, a form of πᾶς). Likewise, just as⁵⁰ it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all⁵¹ (πάντας, a form of πᾶς)—so⁵² will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Both occurrences of πάντας above are limited by the time and the extent of destruction, flood and fire and sulfur respectively. Here is the final occurrence in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 21:25-36 ESV):

“And there will be⁵³ signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring⁵⁴ of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation⁵⁵ will not pass away⁵⁶ until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.⁵⁷

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come⁵⁸ upon all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But⁵⁹ stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength⁶⁰ to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Here πάντας was limited by who dwell on the face of the whole earth at the moment they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.⁶¹ But it is limited further still: Whether [see note 60 below] praying that you may have strength (κατισχύσητε a form of κατισχύω) to escape all these things (ESV), or that ye may be accounted worthy (καταξιωθητε a form of καταξιόω) to escape all these things that shall come to pass (KJV), there is a pattern developing: [A]sk, and it will be given to you,⁶² Jesus promised. For everyone who asks receives…⁶³

There is another potential meaning of ἐκφυγεῖν, the Greek word translated to escape above: “to emerge (like a baby out of the womb).”⁶⁴

Tables comparing the Greek of John 10:7, 8; Acts 5:18, 19; Matthew 15:22, 23; 15:25; 12:35, 36; Luke 17:24; 17:26-30; 13:29; Matthew 21:23; 21:32; Romans 11:18; 11:20, 21; 11:23; Luke 21:25; 21:33 and 21:35, 36 in the NET and KJV follow.

John 10:7, 8 (NET)	John 10:7, 8 (KJV)
So Jesus said again, “I tell you the solemn truth, I am the door for the sheep.	Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἶπεν οὖν πάλιν \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν \|ὅτι\| ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα τῶν προβάτων.	ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων	ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων

All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

John 10:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πάντες ὅσοι ἦλθον [πρὸ ἐμοῦ] κλέπται εἰσὶν καὶ λῃσταί, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἤκουσαν αὐτῶν τὰ πρόβατα.	παντες οσοι προ εμου ηλθον κλεπται εισιν και λησται αλλ ουκ ηκουσαν αυτων τα προβατα	παντες οσοι ηλθον κλεπται εισιν και λησται αλλ ουκ ηκουσαν αυτων τα προβατα

Acts 5:18, 19 (NET)	Acts 5:18, 19 (KJV)
They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.	And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Acts 5:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 5:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 5:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐπέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτοὺς ἐν τηρήσει δημοσίᾳ	και επεβαλον τας χειρας αυτων επι τους αποστολους και εθεντο αυτους εν τηρησει δημοσια	και επεβαλον τας χειρας αυτων επι τους αποστολους και εθεντο αυτους εν τηρησει δημοσια

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

Acts 5:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 5:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 5:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Αγγελος δὲ κυρίου διὰ νυκτὸς \|ἀνοίξας\| τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς ἐξαγαγών τε αὐτοὺς εἶπεν	αγγελος δε κυριου δια της νυκτος ηνοιξεν τας θυρας της φυλακης εξαγαγων τε αυτους ειπεν	αγγελος δε κυριου δια της νυκτος ηνοιξεν τας θυρας της φυλακης εξαγαγων τε αυτους ειπεν

Matthew 15:22, 23 (NET)	Matthew 15:22, 23 (KJV)
A Canaanite woman from that area came and cried out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!”	And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Matthew 15:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 15:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 15:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων ἐξελθοῦσα ἔκραζεν λέγουσα· ἐλέησον με, κύριε υἱὸς Δαυίδ· ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται	και ιδου γυνη χαναναια απο των οριων εκεινων εξελθουσα εκραυγασεν αυτω λεγουσα ελεησον με κυριε υιε δαβιδ η θυγατηρ μου κακως δαιμονιζεται	και ιδου γυνη χαναναια απο των οριων εκεινων εξελθουσα εκραυγασεν αυτω λεγουσα ελεησον με κυριε υιε δαυιδ η θυγατηρ μου κακως δαιμονιζεται

But he did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and begged him, “Send her away because she keeps on crying out after us.”

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Matthew 15:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 15:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 15:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῇ λόγον. καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἠρώτουν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· ἀπόλυσον αὐτήν, ὅτι κράζει ὄπισθεν ἡμῶν	ο δε ουκ απεκριθη αυτη λογον και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται αυτου ηρωτων αυτον λεγοντες απολυσον αυτην οτι κραζει οπισθεν ημων	ο δε ουκ απεκριθη αυτη λογον και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται αυτου ηρωτων αυτον λεγοντες απολυσον αυτην οτι κραζει οπισθεν ημων

Matthew 15:25 (NET)	Matthew 15:25 (KJV)
But she came and bowed down before him and said, “Lord, help me!”	Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

Matthew 15:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 15:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 15:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡ δὲ ἐλθοῦσα προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγουσα· κύριε, βοήθει μοι	η δε ελθουσα προσεκυνει αυτω λεγουσα κυριε βοηθει μοι	η δε ελθουσα προσεκυνησεν αυτω λεγουσα κυριε βοηθει μοι

Matthew 12:35, 36 (NET)	Matthew 12:35, 36 (KJV)
The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.	A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 12:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει πονηρά	ο αγαθος ανθρωπος εκ του αγαθου θησαυρου της καρδιας εκβαλλει τα αγαθα και ο πονηρος ανθρωπος εκ του πονηρου θησαυρου εκβαλλει πονηρα	ο αγαθος ανθρωπος εκ του αγαθου θησαυρου εκβαλλει αγαθα και ο πονηρος ανθρωπος εκ του πονηρου θησαυρου εκβαλλει πονηρα

I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶν ρῆμα ἀργὸν ὃ λαλήσουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποδώσουσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως	λεγω δε υμιν οτι παν ρημα αργον ο εαν λαλησωσιν οι ανθρωποι αποδωσουσιν περι αυτου λογον εν ημερα κρισεως	λεγω δε υμιν οτι παν ρημα αργον ο εαν λαλησωσιν οι ανθρωποι αποδωσουσιν περι αυτου λογον εν ημερα κρισεως

Luke 17:24 (NET)	Luke 17:24 (KJV)
For just like the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.	For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Luke 17:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἀστραπὴ ἀστράπτουσα ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰς τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν λάμπει, οὕτως ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου [ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ]	ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη η αστραπτουσα εκ της υπ ουρανον εις την υπ ουρανον λαμπει ουτως εσται και ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη ημερα αυτου	ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη η αστραπτουσα εκ της υπ ουρανον εις την υπ ουρανον λαμπει ουτως εσται ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη ημερα αυτου

Luke 17:26-30 (NET)	Luke 17:26-30 (KJV)
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man.	And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Luke 17:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Νῶε, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	και καθως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις του νωε ουτως εσται και εν ταις ημεραις του υιου του ανθρωπου	και καθως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις νωε ουτως εσται και εν ταις ημεραις του υιου του ανθρωπου

People were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage—right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἐγάμουν, ἐγαμίζοντο, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας	ησθιον επινον εγαμουν εξεγαμιζοντο αχρι ης ημερας εισηλθεν νωε εις την κιβωτον και ηλθεν ο κατακλυσμος και απωλεσεν απαντας	ησθιον επινον εγαμουν εξεγαμιζοντο αχρι ης ημερας εισηλθεν νωε εις την κιβωτον και ηλθεν ο κατακλυσμος και απωλεσεν απαντας

Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building;

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Luke 17:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁμοίως καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Λώτ· ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἠγόραζον, ἐπώλουν, ἐφύτευον, ᾠκοδόμουν	ομοιως και ως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις λωτ ησθιον επινον ηγοραζον επωλουν εφυτευον ωκοδομουν	ομοιως και ως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις λωτ ησθιον επινον ηγοραζον επωλουν εφυτευον ωκοδομουν

but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ᾗ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐξῆλθεν Λὼτ ἀπὸ Σοδόμων, ἔβρεξεν πῦρ καὶ θεῖον ἀπ᾿ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας	η δε ημερα εξηλθεν λωτ απο σοδομων εβρεξεν πυρ και θειον απ ουρανου και απωλεσεν απαντας	η δε ημερα εξηλθεν λωτ απο σοδομων εβρεξεν πυρ και θειον απ ουρανου και απωλεσεν απαντας

It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Luke 17:30 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:30 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:30 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ἔσται ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀποκαλύπτεται	κατα ταυτα εσται η ημερα ο υιος του ανθρωπου αποκαλυπτεται	κατα ταυτα εσται η ημερα ο υιος του ανθρωπου αποκαλυπτεται

Luke 13:29 (NET)	Luke 13:29 (KJV)
Then people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table in the kingdom of God.	And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 13:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 13:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἥξουσιν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ	και ηξουσιν απο ανατολων και δυσμων και απο βορρα και νοτου και ανακλιθησονται εν τη βασιλεια του θεου	και ηξουσιν απο ανατολων και δυσμων και βορρα και νοτου και ανακλιθησονται εν τη βασιλεια του θεου

Matthew 21:23 (NET)	Matthew 21:23 (KJV)
Now after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”	And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

Matthew 21:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ διδάσκοντι οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ λέγοντες· ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς; καὶ τίς σοι ἔδωκεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην	και ελθοντι αυτω εις το ιερον προσηλθον αυτω διδασκοντι οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι του λαου λεγοντες εν ποια εξουσια ταυτα ποιεις και τις σοι εδωκεν την εξουσιαν ταυτην	και ελθοντι αυτω εις το ιερον προσηλθον αυτω διδασκοντι οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι του λαου λεγοντες εν ποια εξουσια ταυτα ποιεις και τις σοι εδωκεν την εξουσιαν ταυτην

Matthew 21:32 (NET)	Matthew 21:32 (KJV)
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.	For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Matthew 21:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ, οἱ δὲ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι ἐπίστευσαν αὐτῷ· ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰδόντες οὐδὲ μετεμελήθητε ὕστερον τοῦ πιστεῦσαι αὐτῷ	ηλθεν γαρ προς υμας ιωαννης εν οδω δικαιοσυνης και ουκ επιστευσατε αυτω οι δε τελωναι και αι πορναι επιστευσαν αυτω υμεις δε ιδοντες ου μετεμεληθητε υστερον του πιστευσαι αυτω	ηλθεν γαρ προς υμας ιωαννης εν οδω δικαιοσυνης και ουκ επιστευσατε αυτω οι δε τελωναι και αι πορναι επιστευσαν αυτω υμεις δε ιδοντες ου μετεμεληθητε υστερον του πιστευσαι αυτω

Romans 11:18 (NET)	Romans 11:18 (KJV)
do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.	Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Romans 11:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
μὴ κατακαυχῶ τῶν κλάδων· εἰ δὲ κατακαυχᾶσαι οὐ σὺ τὴν ρίζαν βαστάζεις ἀλλὰ ἡ ρίζα σέ	μη κατακαυχω των κλαδων ει δε κατακαυχασαι ου συ την ριζαν βασταζεις αλλ η ριζα σε	μη κατακαυχω των κλαδων ει δε κατακαυχασαι ου συ την ριζαν βασταζεις αλλ η ριζα σε

Romans 11:20, 21 (NET)	Romans 11:20, 21 (KJV)
Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear!	Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Romans 11:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καλῶς· τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἐξεκλάσθησαν, σὺ δὲ τῇ πίστει ἕστηκας. μὴ ὑψηλὰ φρόνει ἀλλὰ φοβοῦ	καλως τη απιστια εξεκλασθησαν συ δε τη πιστει εστηκας μη υψηλοφρονει αλλα φοβου	καλως τη απιστια εξεκλασθησαν συ δε τη πιστει εστηκας μη υψηλοφρονει αλλα φοβου

For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you.

For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Romans 11:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τῶν κατὰ φύσιν κλάδων οὐκ ἐφείσατο, [μή πως] οὐδὲ σοῦ φείσεται	ει γαρ ο θεος των κατα φυσιν κλαδων ουκ εφεισατο μηπως ουδε σου φεισηται	ει γαρ ο θεος των κατα φυσιν κλαδων ουκ εφεισατο μηπως ουδε σου φεισεται

Romans 11:23 (NET)	Romans 11:23 (KJV)
And even they—if they do not continue in their unbelief—will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.	And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

Romans 11:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κακεῖνοι δέ, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμένωσιν τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἐγκεντρισθήσονται· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς πάλιν ἐγκεντρίσαι αὐτούς	και εκεινοι δε εαν μη επιμεινωσιν τη απιστια εγκεντρισθησονται δυνατος γαρ εστιν ο θεος παλιν εγκεντρισαι αυτους	και εκεινοι δε εαν μη επιμεινωσιν τη απιστια εγκεντρισθησονται δυνατος γαρ ο θεος εστιν παλιν εγκεντρισαι αυτους

Luke 21:25 (NET)	Luke 21:25 (KJV)
“And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves.	And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luke 21:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἔσονται σημεῖα ἐν ἡλίῳ καὶ σελήνῃ καὶ ἄστροις, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς συνοχὴ ἐθνῶν ἐν ἀπορίᾳ ἤχους θαλάσσης καὶ σάλου	και εσται σημεια εν ηλιω και σεληνη και αστροις και επι της γης συνοχη εθνων εν απορια ηχουσης θαλασσης και σαλου	και εσται σημεια εν ηλιω και σεληνη και αστροις και επι της γης συνοχη εθνων εν απορια ηχουσης θαλασσης και σαλου

Luke 21:33 (NET)	Luke 21:33 (KJV)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.	Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Luke 21:33 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:33 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:33 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται, οἱ δὲ λόγοι μου οὐ μὴ παρελεύσονται	ο ουρανος και η γη παρελευσονται οι δε λογοι μου ου μη παρελθωσιν	ο ουρανος και η γη παρελευσονται οι δε λογοι μου ου μη παρελθωσιν

Luke 21:35, 36 (NET)	Luke 21:35, 36 (KJV)
For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth.	For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Luke 21:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὡς παγίς· ἐπεισελεύσεται γὰρ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς	ως παγις γαρ επελευσεται επι παντας τους καθημενους επι προσωπον πασης της γης	ως παγις γαρ επελευσεται επι παντας τους καθημενους επι προσωπον πασης της γης

But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Luke 21:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀγρυπνεῖτε δὲ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ δεόμενοι ἵνα κατισχύσητε ἐκφυγεῖν ταῦτα πάντα τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι καὶ σταθῆναι ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	αγρυπνειτε ουν εν παντι καιρω δεομενοι ινα καταξιωθητε εκφυγειν ταυτα παντα τα μελλοντα γινεσθαι και σταθηναι εμπροσθεν του υιου του ανθρωπου	αγρυπνειτε ουν εν παντι καιρω δεομενοι ινα καταξιωθητε εκφυγειν παντα τα μελλοντα γινεσθαι και σταθηναι εμπροσθεν του υιου του ανθρωπου

Christianity, Part 8

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Back to Christianity, Part 9

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to Wonders and False Wonders, Part 3

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Luke 13:24, 25a (ESV) Table

³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had πρὸ ἐμοῦ here. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴ Luke 13:24a (ESV) Table

⁵ John 10:9b (ESV)

⁶ Luke 13:25a (ESV) Table

⁷ John 15:7

⁸ Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

⁹ Luke 13:27b (ESV) Table

¹⁰ I should revisit the Christians of Matthew 7:21-23. There was a third word ἀποχωρεῖτε translated depart. And there, too, no destination was specified. Perhaps I cursed them prematurely “as the distilled sin condemned in the flesh of Christians standing on Jesus’ left.” Could He be offering the hope for repentance even On that day?

¹¹ In the seventh (Acts 16:36), go in peace, the implied destination is wherever Paul and Silas wanted to go, and only the manner of their going was stated precisely. Paul and Silas did not comply exactly with the jailer’s request (Acts 16:37-40).

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων (KJV: their) following hands. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article της here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνοίξας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηνοιξεν.

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

¹⁶ Luke 13:25a (ESV) Table

¹⁷ John 6:63c (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Luke 13:28 (ESV)

¹⁹ Matthew 5:4 (ESV)

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔκραζεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκραυγασεν αυτω (KJV: and cried unto him).

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had υἱὸς Δαυίδ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υιε δαβιδ.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἠρώτουν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηρωτων (KJV: and besought).

²³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had προσεκύνει here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had προσεκυνησεν.

²⁴ Romans 9:3b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Luke 13:25 (ESV) Table

²⁶ Luke 13:26 (ESV)

²⁷ Luke 13:27 (ESV) Table

²⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had της καρδιας (KJV: of the heart) following treasury (KJV: treasure). The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article τα preceding good things. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαν λαλησωσιν (KJV: that…shall speak) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λαλήσουσιν.

³¹ Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

³² Religious and Righteous Prayer

³³ John 12:32 (ESV)

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἀπὸ preceding north (KJV: the north). The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁵ Matthew 21:23a (ESV)

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐδὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ου.

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had ἀλλ’.

³⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑψηλὰ φρόνει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υψηλοφρονει (KJV: be…highminded).

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μή πως here in brackets, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μηπως (KJV: lest…also). The ESV translators seem to have ignored μή πως or μηπως entirely.

⁴⁰ It seems important to point out that Paul used φείσεται here, a singular form of φείδομαι in the future tense and indicative mood. I take the singular to mean that Paul addressed Gentile believers as a collective rather than as individuals.

⁴¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κακεῖνοι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εκεινοι (KJV: they also).

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπιμένωσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επιμεινωσιν (KJV: they abide).

⁴³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article η (KJV: that) preceding flashes (KJV: lighteneth). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article τὸν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῆς ὑπὸ preceding the sky (KJV: heaven), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της υπ (KJV: under).

⁴⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had και (KJV: also) preceding the Son. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article του preceding Noah (KJV: Noe). The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγαμίζοντο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξεγαμιζοντο (KJV: they were given in marriage).

⁴⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πάντας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απαντας.

⁵⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καθὼς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και ως (KJV: also as).

⁵¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πάντας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απαντας.

⁵² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὰ αὐτὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ταυτα (KJV: thus).

⁵³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the plural verb ἔσονται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular verb εσται (KJV: there shall be).

⁵⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had a plural masculine/neuter noun ἤχους here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had a singular participle ηχουσης of the verb ἠχέω.

⁵⁵ I understand this generation (ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη) as the generation Jesus spoke about, though it is understandable if those who heard Him thought He meant their generation. Another option is that γενεὰ should be understood as the human race, though I’m not sure why that was necessary to state. Of course, I’m not facing the traumatic events described here yet either.

⁵⁶ This is the “Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation” in Greek: οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ

⁵⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παρελεύσονται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρελθωσιν (KJV: shall…pass away). This, too, is the “Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation” in Greek: οὐ μὴ παρελεύσονται is the future tense in the indicative mood; οὐ μὴ παρελθωσιν is the aorist tense in the subjunctive mood.

⁵⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπεισελεύσεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επελευσεται (KJV: shall it come).

⁵⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: therefore).

⁶⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κατισχύσητε (a form of κατισχύω) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καταξιωθητε (a form of καταξιόω; KJV: ye may be accounted worthy).

⁶¹ Luke 21:27b (ESV)

⁶² Luke 11:9b (ESV)

⁶³ Luke 11:10a (ESV)

⁶⁴ This is from the definition of ἐκφεύγω in the Koine Greek Lexicon online.

Christianity, Part 3

Posted on December 14, 2022 by admin

In another essay in this series, I wrote, “Any rational argument against [And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself¹] must explain: 1) how Jesus was wrong and 2) when He changed his mind.” I want to consider some arguments against it to see how that observation holds up.

A blog post titled “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” on the Christian Publishing House Blog stated:

The Greek expressions rendered “all” in John 12:32 is an inflected form of the word pas. In Koine Greek “all” does not always mean “all.” Many times in the biblical Greek “all” is used in a hyperbolic sense and does not necessarily always mean “all.”

If I assume that Jesus knew this esoteric rule of Koine Greek, I can shoehorn this argument into item #2 of my understanding of a rational argument: Jesus changed his mind even before He spoke. He wasn’t wrong (item #1) because He never said that He will draw all to Himself. I misunderstand Him taking Him at his word.

I’m not convinced that this is an esoteric rule of Koine Greek. The author² cites no Greek grammar but lets it stand on his own authority. I’m not sure how I would apply such a rule if it existed. Much of what Jesus or Paul said or wrote seemed hyperbolic to me when I began to study the Bible. I suspect that forms of πᾶς (pas) much like all in English mean “every, all, the whole, always, complete, entire, utter,” unless explicitly limited in the text. “It is the context that will make clear the author’s intention.”³

According to the Greek Concordance on biblehub.com there are 90 occurrences of πάντας (the Greek word translated all people in John 12:32) in the New Testament. I’ll look at all of them eventually. I’ve surveyed the first nine in Matthew [see Table below].

All nine occur in narrative passages and are clearly limited in scope. The first occurrence follows (Matthew 2:1-4 ESV):

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all (πᾶσα, another form of πᾶς) Jerusalem with him; and assembling all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

Here πάντας was clearly limited to all the chief priests and scribes of the people. It is completely fair to further limit this to all the chief priests and scribes of the people in Jerusalem, since wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. I’d be willing to limit it further to all the chief priests and scribes of the people living in Jerusalem at this time.

Though I’m not searching occurrences of πᾶσα (another form of πᾶς) deliberately, this one came up in context: all Jerusalem was troubled with Herod. I see no problem limiting this occurrence of a form of πᾶς to all Jerusalem who heard with Herod was troubled.

Another example follows (Matthew 2:16 ESV):

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the male children in Bethlehem and in all⁴ (πᾶσι[ν], another form of πᾶς) that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

Here πάντας was limited to the male children in Bethlehem and in πᾶσι(ν) that region who were two years old or under. Since this order was carried out by men it wouldn’t surprise me if the results were less than perfect. We are told explicitly that they missed their intended target completely (Matthew 2:13-15a ESV):

Now when [the wise men] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.

One more example follows (Matthew 21:12 ESV):

And Jesus⁵ entered the temple⁶ and drove out all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Here πάντας was limited by who sold and bought in the temple. It was further limited by the stated location of the temple: And when [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole (πᾶσα, another form of πᾶς) city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”⁷ Here, too, πᾶσα was limited by the…city of Jerusalem.

So, do these nine examples of πάντας, along with two examples of πᾶσα and one of πᾶσι(ν), persuade me that Jesus intended to limit πάντας in some way when He said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself⁸? No. Matthew was careful to alert his reader by the words which immediately followed it that πάντας was limited. Jesus, by comparison, seems far too cavalier if He intended any such limitation.

There is a book ad preceding the blog post I quoted:

Jesus told the leaders of his day that he “will draw all men [and women] to myself.” You too can experience the joy of drawing “all men” [and women] to the “good news” by Reaching Hearts with the Art of Persuasion.⁹

I never expected with a few clicks of a mouse in under two minutes to find one document that effectively explained one reason I thought Jesus spoke in the exaggerated language of a salesman was the inherent logic of my Christianity. I had a philosophical bent to my mind at a very young age.

I’ve considered the four occurrences of πάντας in Mark’s Gospel [see Table below], but first it seems necessary to address something else. For me the grammatical arguments are most compelling: What did Jesus say? The author of this blog post seems to be arguing something else. He paraphrased D. A. Carson: Jesus “means ‘all people without distinction, Jews and Gentiles alike’, not all individuals without exception, since the surrounding context has just established judgment as a major theme (v. 31)…”

If Jesus draws me to Himself, does that preclude Him from judging the sin condemned in my flesh? No, of course not. I return to what I called the long name¹⁰ of God (Exodus 34:6, 7 ESV):

The Lord passed before [Moses] and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Since I mentioned this alternative argument, I should probably address it directly. One of the things I like to do is to put alternatives into the text to see how they feel:

Alternate Explanations
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself without distinction, Jews and Gentiles alike.	And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all individuals to myself without exception.

I’m not subtle enough to hear much difference between these two statements, but I’m not thick. I understand what the author of the blog post wanted Jesus to say:

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw from all peoples to myself, from Jews and Gentiles alike without distinction. I will not draw all individuals without exception.

If I take this to the judgment seat of Christ, what is my account if He asks why I believed it? I read a blog post from a Christian bookseller paraphrasing the president of the Evangelical Theological Society? “But what did I say, Dan,” is all He has to say to bring me to my senses. He said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all…to myself.

Three of the four occurrences of πάντας in Mark’s Gospel are more like the occurrence in John 12:32 than any in Matthew’s Gospel, and they are clearly limited. One example follows (Mark 2:1-5a, 11, 12 ESV):

And when [Jesus] returned¹¹ to Capernaum¹² after some days,¹³ it was reported that he was at home.¹⁴ And¹⁵ many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near¹⁶ him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down¹⁷ the bed¹⁸ on which¹⁹ the paralytic lay. And²⁰ when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic…“I say to you, rise,²¹ pick up your bed,²² and go home.” And he rose and immediately²³ picked up his bed²⁴ and went out before²⁵ them all (πάντων, another form of πᾶς), so that they were all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Here πάντας was not limited by the words immediately following it. Instead, it was flanked by two infinitives in the present tense: ἐξίστασθαι (a form of ἐξίστημι) and δοξάζειν (a form of δοξάζω), translated: they were all amazed and glorified God in the ESV. Likewise, πάντων was not limited by the words immediately preceding it: (he) went out before them all. (It seems to me that them was added by the translators.) Both are limited by their context, a house in Capernaum at a specific time: And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door.

So, should I assume that πάντας in John 12:32 was limited to all who heard Jesus at that particular moment in Jerusalem? That doesn’t feel right, and I’ve never heard anyone argue that point. My feelings and potentially poor scholarship aside, I want to look more closely at Jesus’ words (John 12:31-33 ESV):

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die [Table].

Here is the mind of Christ. I do like to put this in a little more perspicuous form.

The Mind of Christ

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth (He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die), will draw all people (πάντας) to myself.”

That Jesus will draw πάντας to Himself is either the judgment of this world or something so intimately associated with the judgment of this world that it is one of the next things that came to his mind. Now I admit, my religious mind has had many other ideas about the judgment of this world. Most, if not all, of them can be summed up with some negation of Jesus’ saying I…will draw all…to myself: I will not draw all to Myself; I will draw not all to Myself; I will draw some to Myself but not all.

I will draw all to Myself, is such a shock to my religious mind that if it followed directly after, Now is the judgment of this world, this might have been a speculative essay about how and when a negative particle was removed from the Greek of John 12:32. It is entirely possible, perhaps even likely, that Jesus will say, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,²⁶ to my religious mind.

I will draw all to Myself, does not follow Now is the judgment of this world. [N]ow will the ruler of this world be cast out, falls between them. So again, that Jesus will draw πάντας to Himself is either the means by which the ruler of this world [will] be cast out or something so intimately associated with the means by which the ruler of this world [will] be cast out that it is the very next thought that came to his mind. And again, I admit, my religious mind has had many other ideas about how the ruler of this world [will] be cast out.

Though my religious mind never recognized any connection between now will the ruler of this world be cast out and I...will draw all…to myself, once I hear it from the mind of Christ it is difficult to conceive of any better way to cast out the ruler of this world than to plunder all of his possessions, rather than some or a few of them. And that little taste of freedom from the domination of my religious mind serves as a bridge back to Now is the judgment of this world.

Suddenly, that Jesus will draw πάντας to Himself, that He will cause all to be born again (ἄνωθεν; NET: from above) by his own indwelling Holy Spirit sounds like the most scathing judgment of this world I could ever imagine. And this thought battles mightily against my religious mind’s tendency to demand that infinite mercy and infinite judgment be two entirely different things.

The irony here is that the carnal or fleshly mind hears the judgment in Jesus’ saying, You must be born again,²⁷ and rejects it as hate speech. So, the carnal/fleshly mind rejects the mercy in Jesus’ judgment while my religious mind rejects the judgment in Jesus’ mercy, his promise to draw all to Himself.

In the Introduction to this blog I speculated that “the religious mind may be nothing more than a subspecies of the carnal mind (KJV) or the outlook of the flesh (NET).” Here they seem opposed to one another. What binds them together, however, and betrays their common origin is their design by the ruler of this world to keep us from abiding in Christ and to keep his words from abiding in us. Both are evidence of the ruler of this world’s domination over our hearts and minds.

It is perfectly just that Jesus say, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,²⁸ to my religious mind. Only the mind of Christ endures. Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 2:6-16 ESV):

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—²⁹

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God [Table]. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual [Table].

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things,³⁰ but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

To the extent that Christianity is a product of the religious mind, it is idolatry serving neither Christ nor those who would abide in Him.

According to a note (26) in the NET Matthew quoted from Hosea 11:1. The table below compares the relevant portions of the Greek of Matthew 2:15b to Hosea 11:1b in the Septuagint.

Matthew 2:15b (NET Parallel Greek)	Hosea 11:1b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Hosea 11:1b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξ Ἀιγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου	ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ	ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ
Matthew 2:15b (NET)	Hosea 11:1b (NETS)	Hosea 11:1b (English Elpenor)
I called my Son out of Egypt.	out of Egypt I recalled his children	out of Egypt have I called his children

It appears that Matthew made his own translation from Hebrew rather than quoting the Septuagint directly.

According to a note (12) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 40:13. The table below compares the Greek of 1 Corinthians 2:16a to Isaiah 40:13 in the Septuagint.

1 Corinthians 2:16a (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου, ὃς συμβιβάσει αὐτόν	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου, καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο, ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν
1 Corinthians 2:16a (NET)	Isaiah 40:13 (NETS)	Isaiah 40:13 (English Elpenor)
For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him?	Who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been his counselor to instruct him?	Who has known the mind of the Lord? and who has been his counsellor, to instruct him?

The tables mentioned above follow.

Occurrences of πάντας in Matthew
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Matthew 2:4	πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ	all the chief priests and scribes of the people
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 1) παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα	(v. 1) [they] came to Jerusalem
Matthew 2:16	πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω	all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under
Matthew 4:24	πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ποικίλαις νόσοις καὶ βασάνοις συνεχομένους [καὶ] δαιμονιζομένους καὶ σεληνιαζομένους καὶ παραλυτικούς	all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics
	This was further limited by:
	ἀπῆλθεν ἡ ἀκοὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅλην τὴν Συρίαν	his fame spread throughout all Syria
Matthew 8:16	πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας	all who were sick
	This was further limited by:
	προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ (v. 14) εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Πέτρου	they brought to him (v. 14) [into] Peter’s house
Matthew 12:15	ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ [ὄχλοι] πολλοί, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς πάντας	many followed him, and he healed them all
Matthew 14:35	προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας	they…brought to him all who were sick
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 34) ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν εἰς Γεννησαρέτ (v. 35) ἀπέστειλαν εἰς ὅλην τὴν περίχωρον	(v. 34) they came to land at Gennesaret (v. 35) they sent around to all that region
Matthew 21:12	ἐξέβαλεν πάντας τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ	[he] drove out all who sold and bought in the temple
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 10) εἰσελθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα	(v. 10) he entered Jerusalem
Matthew 22:10	συνήγαγον πάντας οὓς εὗρον	[they] gathered all whom they found
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 9) πορεύεσθε οὖν ἐπὶ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὁδῶν	(v. 9) Go therefore to the main roads
Matthew 26:1	πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους	all these sayings
	This was further limited by (Matthew 24:3-25:46):
	(v. 24:3) Καθημένου δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους τῶν ἐλαιῶν	As he sat on the Mount of Olives

Occurrences of πάντας in Mark
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Mark 1:32	ἔφερον πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας καὶ τοὺς δαιμονιζομένους	they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 29) ἦλθον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Σίμωνος καὶ Ἀνδρέου (v. 21) εἰσπορεύονται εἰς Καφαρναούμ	(v. 29) he…entered the house of Simon and Andrew (v. 21) they went into Capernaum
Mark 2:12	ἐξίστασθαι πάντας	they were all amazed
	This was limited by:
	(v. 1a) εἰσελθὼν πάλιν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ (v. 1b) ἐν οἴκῳ ἐστίν	(v. 1a) he returned to Capernaum (v. 1b) he was at home
Mark 5:40	ἐκβαλὼν πάντας παραλαμβάνει	he put them all outside
	This was limited by:
	κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ (v. 38) ἔρχονται εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀρχισυναγώγου	they laughed at him (v. 38) They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue
Mark 6:39	ἐπέταξεν αὐτοῖς \|ἀνακλῖναι\| πάντας συμπόσια συμπόσια ἐπὶ τῷ χλωρῷ χόρτῳ	he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass
	This was limited by:
	(v. 32) ἀπῆλθον…εἰς ἔρημον τόπον (v. 33) πεζῇ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων	(v. 32) they went away…to a desolate place (v. 33) they ran there on foot from all the towns

Tables comparing Hosea 11:1; Exodus 34:6; 34:7 and Isaiah 40:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Hosea 11:1; Exodus 34:6; 34:7 and Isaiah 40:13 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 2:16; 21:12; Mark 2:1, 2; 2:4, 5; 2:11, 12 and 1 Corinthians 2:15 in the NET and KJV follow.

Hosea 11:1 (Tanakh)	Hosea 11:1 (KJV)	Hosea 11:1 (NET)
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.	When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.	“When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son, and I summoned my son out of Egypt.

Hosea 11:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 11:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
(10:15b) ὄρθρου ἀπερρίφησαν ἀπερρίφη βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ (11:1) διότι νήπιος Ισραηλ καὶ ἐγὼ ἠγάπησα αὐτὸν καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ	ΟΡΘΡΟΥ ἀπερρίφησαν, ἀπερρίφη βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραήλ· ὅτι νήπιος ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἠγάπησα αὐτὸν καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ
Hosea 11:1 (NETS)	Hosea 11:1 (English Elpenor)
At dawn they were cast out; Israel’s king was cast out. For Israel was an infant, and I loved him, and out of Egypt I recalled his children.	Early in the morning were they cast off, the king of Israel has been cast off: for Israel is a child, and I loved him, and out of Egypt have I called his children.

Exodus 34:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 34:6 (KJV)	Exodus 34:6 (NET)
And HaShem passed by before him, and proclaimed: ‘The HaShem, HaShem, G-d, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth;	And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,	The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness,

Exodus 34:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 34:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρῆλθεν κύριος πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ ἀληθινὸς	καὶ παρῆλθε Κύριος πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκάλεσε· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων, μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ ἀληθινός
Exodus 34:6 (NETS)	Exodus 34:6 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord passed by before his face, and he called, “The Lord, the Lord God is compassionate and merciful, patient and very merciful and truthful	And the Lord passed by before his face, and proclaimed, The Lord God, pitiful and merciful, longsuffering and very compassionate, and true,

Exodus 34:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 34:7 (KJV)	Exodus 34:7 (NET)
keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and unto the fourth generation.’	Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.	keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 34:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δικαιοσύνην διατηρῶν καὶ ποιῶν ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας ἀφαιρῶν ἀνομίας καὶ ἀδικίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ οὐ καθαριεῗ τὸν ἔνοχον ἐπάγων ἀνομίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἐπὶ τέκνα τέκνων ἐπὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην γενεάν	καὶ δικαιοσύνην διατηρῶν καὶ ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας, ἀφαιρῶν ἀνομίας καὶ ἀδικίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας, καὶ οὐ καθαριεῖ τὸν ἔνοχον, ἐπάγων ἀνομίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἐπὶ τέκνα τέκνων, ἐπὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην γενεάν
Exodus 34:7 (NETS)	>Exodus 34:7 (English Elpenor)
and preserving righteousness and doing mercy for thousands, taking away acts of lawlessness and of injustice and sins, and he will not acquit the guilty person, bringing lawless acts of fathers upon children and upon children of children, upon the third and fourth generation.”	and keeping justice and mercy for thousands, taking away iniquity, and unrighteousness, and sins; and he will not clear the guilty; bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and to the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.

Isaiah 40:13 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 40:13 (KJV)	Isaiah 40:13 (NET)
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?	Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?	Who comprehends the mind of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor?

Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου, καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο, ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν
Isaiah 40:13 (NETS)	Isaiah 40:13 (English Elpenor)
Who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been his counselor to instruct him?	Who has known the mind of the Lord? and who has been his counsellor, to instruct him?

Matthew 2:16 (NET)	Matthew 2:16 (KJV)
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 Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Matthew 2:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 2:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 2:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων	τοτε ηρωδης ιδων οτι ενεπαιχθη υπο των μαγων εθυμωθη λιαν και αποστειλας ανειλεν παντας τους παιδας τους εν βηθλεεμ και εν πασιν τοις οριοις αυτης απο διετους και κατωτερω κατα τον χρονον ον ηκριβωσεν παρα των μαγων	τοτε ηρωδης ιδων οτι ενεπαιχθη υπο των μαγων εθυμωθη λιαν και αποστειλας ανειλεν παντας τους παιδας τους εν βηθλεεμ και εν πασιν τοις οριοις αυτης απο διετους και κατωτερω κατα τον χρονον ον ηκριβωσεν παρα των μαγων

Matthew 21:12 (NET)	Matthew 21:12 (KJV)
Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.	And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

Matthew 21:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ἐξέβαλεν πάντας τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας τῶν κολλυβιστῶν κατέστρεψεν καὶ τὰς καθέδρας τῶν πωλούντων τὰς περιστεράς	και εισηλθεν ο ιησους εις το ιερον του θεου και εξεβαλεν παντας τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων κατεστρεψεν και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας	και εισηλθεν ο ιησους εις το ιερον του θεου και εξεβαλεν παντας τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων κατεστρεψεν και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας

Mark 2:1, 2 (NET)	Mark 2:1, 2 (KJV)
Now after some days, when he returned to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home.	And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

Mark 2:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ εἰσελθὼν πάλιν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ δι᾿ ἡμερῶν ἠκούσθη ὅτι ἐν οἴκῳ ἐστίν	και παλιν εισηλθεν εις καπερναουμ δι ημερων και ηκουσθη οτι εις οικον εστιν	και εισηλθεν παλιν εις καπερναουμ δι ημερων και ηκουσθη οτι εις οικον εστιν

So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by the door, and he preached the word to them.

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

Mark 2:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ συνήχθησαν πολλοὶ ὥστε μηκέτι χωρεῖν μηδὲ τὰ πρὸς τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον	και ευθεως συνηχθησαν πολλοι ωστε μηκετι χωρειν μηδε τα προς την θυραν και ελαλει αυτοις τον λογον	και ευθεως συνηχθησαν πολλοι ωστε μηκετι χωρειν μηδε τα προς την θυραν και ελαλει αυτοις τον λογον

Mark 2:4, 5 (NET)	Mark 2:4, 5 (KJV)
When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on.	And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Mark 2:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ μὴ δυνάμενοι προσενέγκαι αὐτῷ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον ἀπεστέγασαν τὴν στέγην ὅπου ἦν, καὶ ἐξορύξαντες χαλῶσι τὸν κράβαττον ὅπου ὁ παραλυτικὸς κατέκειτο	και μη δυναμενοι προσεγγισαι αυτω δια τον οχλον απεστεγασαν την στεγην οπου ην και εξορυξαντες χαλωσιν τον κραββατον εφ ω ο παραλυτικος κατεκειτο	και μη δυναμενοι προσεγγισαι αυτω δια τον οχλον απεστεγασαν την στεγην οπου ην και εξορυξαντες χαλωσιν τον κραββατον εφ ω ο παραλυτικος κατεκειτο

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mark 2:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ· τέκνον, ἀφίενται σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι	ιδων δε ο ιησους την πιστιν αυτων λεγει τω παραλυτικω τεκνον αφεωνται σοι αι αμαρτιαι σου	ιδων δε ο ιησους την πιστιν αυτων λεγει τω παραλυτικω τεκνον αφεωνται σοι αι αμαρτιαι σου

Mark 2:11, 12 (NET)	Mark 2:11, 12 (KJV)
“I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”	I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

Mark 2:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττον σου καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκον σου	σοι λεγω εγειραι και αρον τον κραββατον σου και υπαγε εις τον οικον σου	σοι λεγω εγειραι και αρον τον κραββατον σου και υπαγε εις τον οικον σου

And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Mark 2:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἠγέρθη καὶ εὐθὺς ἄρας τὸν κράβαττον ἐξῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν πάντων, ὥστε ἐξίστασθαι πάντας καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν θεὸν \|λέγοντας\| ὅτι οὕτως οὐδέποτε εἴδομεν	και ηγερθη ευθεως και αρας τον κραββατον εξηλθεν εναντιον παντων ωστε εξιστασθαι παντας και δοξαζειν τον θεον λεγοντας οτι ουδεποτε ουτως ειδομεν	και ηγερθη ευθεως και αρας τον κραββατον εξηλθεν εναντιον παντων ωστε εξιστασθαι παντας και δοξαζειν τον θεον λεγοντας οτι ουδεποτε ουτως ειδομεν

1 Corinthians 2:15 (NET)	1 Corinthians 2:15 (KJV)
The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.	But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

1 Corinthians 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 2:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 2:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ πνευματικὸς ἀνακρίνει [τὰ] πάντα, αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπ᾿ οὐδενὸς ἀνακρίνεται	ο δε πνευματικος ανακρινει μεν παντα αυτος δε υπ ουδενος ανακρινεται	ο δε πνευματικος ανακρινει μεν παντα αυτος δε υπ ουδενος ανακρινεται

Christianity, Part 4

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to Nothing True, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Possibly: “Edward D. Andrews (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored ninety-five books. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).”

³ “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” Christian Publishing House Blog

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text had πᾶσι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had πᾶσιν.

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του θεου (KJV: of God) following temple. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ Matthew 21:10 (ESV)

⁸ John 12:32 (ESV)

⁹ “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” Christian Publishing House Blog

¹⁰ Fear -Exodus, Part 6; Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 14

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰσελθὼν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εισηλθεν (KJV: he entered).

¹² In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Capernaum was spelled Καφαρναοὺμ, and καπερναουμ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και joining these clauses. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the verb οἴκῳ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the noun οικον (KJV: in the house).

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the adverb ευθεως (KJV: straightway) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had προσενέγκαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προσεγγισαι (KJV: come nigh).

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text had χαλῶσι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had χαλῶσιν.

¹⁸ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ stretcher (KJV: bed) was spelled κράβαττον, and κραββατον in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅπου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εφ ω (KJV: wherein).

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε.

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔγειρε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγειραι καὶ (KJV: Arise, and).

²² In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ stretcher (KJV: bed) was spelled κράβαττον, and κραββατον in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εὐθὺς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ευθεως.

²⁴ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ stretcher (KJV: bed) was spelled κράβαττον, and κραββατον in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔμπροσθεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εναντιον.

²⁶ Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

²⁷ John 3:7b (ESV)

²⁸ Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

²⁹ See Table

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article τὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεν (not translated in the KJV).

Christianity, Part 2

Posted on November 19, 2022 by admin

I concluded the first essay in this series with the clause, “So here I must decide.” That’s true in the sense that faith is an ongoing choice. It is misleading if the reader assumes that choice is to be made by the puny power of my rational mind.

By the time I can stare down my Christianity and say, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,¹ the initial choice has already been made. [F]or it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,² is how Paul described it. Led by the Holy Spirit, continuously bathed from the inside out in Jesus’ own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, the choice to trust Him becomes a relatively simple matter of not resisting Him.

That the initial choice was made in a non-rational way, however, doesn’t make that choice itself irrational. There are good reasons for making that choice. In real time, however, those reasons have come more like rationalizations after the choice was made rather than preceding and causing the choice. Those reasons do help, however, to sustain that choice on a day-to-day basis.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,³ Jesus said. I will draw is not particularly tricky. It was ἑλκύσω (a form of ἑλκύω) in Greek, a first person indicative verb in the future tense. “The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.”⁴ In other words, as Jesus says this He believes that He will draw all to Himself.

This is quite powerful as reasons go. Any rational argument against it must explain: 1) how Jesus was wrong and 2) when He changed his mind. My religious mind might imagine any number of scenarios from its own experiences and feelings, but for the mind of Christ this is a very high bar, practically insurmountable.

If Jesus were to ask me, “Why did you believe that I would draw all to myself?” my account is simple and direct: That is what you said. If He asked why I believed that He would fail to draw all to Himself, things become more complicated.

When I believed that Jesus would fail to draw all to Himself, I didn’t put it in those words. At that time I didn’t think about giving an account to Jesus but if I had it would have gone something like this:

I didn’t believe that you would fail. I believed that you would do everything in your power but salvation depends ultimately on the individual believer.

Jesus’ next question is obvious: “Why did you believe that All authority in heaven and on earth has [not] been given to me”?⁵

This was the authority on which Jesus’ command to disciple all nations is based. And his saying that No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him⁶ refutes the idea that people choose Christ apart from being drawn by God. The people-must-save-themselves-through-their-own-faith version of Christianity is weakened by the flesh much like the law. It is not what God has done…By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.⁷

If I take Jesus at his word and assume that He draws all to Himself before anyone is sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels⁸…and that is an assumption. I don’t see any way to limit Jesus to this moment but I’m intrigued by the possibilities of this moment…then I can believe that all gathered before his glorious throne have been drawn to Him and like Paul [they themselves] serve the law of God with [their minds] but with [their] flesh [they] serve the law of sin.⁹

So from where do the cursed come? Who are those to whom Jesus says, Depart from me…into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels¹⁰? [H]e will separate people (literally: themselves) one from another¹¹ must be very different than I imagined when I imagined that the righteous and the wicked were different, already separate, people.

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin¹² was a compromise Paul also described with the words: when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members [Table]. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?¹³

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin was acceptable to Paul as a compromise in the hope that God would deliver him through Jesus Christ: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!¹⁴ If those standing before Jesus’ glorious throne are about to experience that deliverance, I get a different image of that day when, according to [Paul’s] gospel (i.e., good news), God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.¹⁵

The cursed standing to Jesus’ left are not like the evil (πονηροί, a form of πονηρός). You brood of vipers! Jesus said to religious leaders. How can you speak good, when you are evil (πονηροί)?¹⁶

After I got over thinking that Jesus was simply rude and abusive, I bypassed thinking He was ignorant seeking information, but I rested for a while on the idea that He was constantly perplexed by human nature. Now, however, I assume He asked a legitimate question, inviting the Pharisees to think deeply about how they spoke anything good.

I relate to that from my own experience with None is righteous.¹⁷ The moment I accepted that premise as true, my arguments against it became prima facie evidence that Jesus was in fact drawing me to Himself. If no one seeks for God¹⁸ is true, and I was seeking for God, then the source of my seeking was something other than my unrighteousness self.

Jesus said (Matthew 7:9-11 ESV):

Or which one of you, if his son asks¹⁹ him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if²⁰ he asks²¹ for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil (πονηροί), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

It fits then that the cursed standing on Jesus’ left are the distilled sin condemned in the human flesh of those on his right. This distilled sin condemned in human flesh never gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcome to a stranger, clothing to the naked, nor the time of day to those who were sick or in prison, things the evil (πονηροί) do often for people they care about.

As this distilled sin condemned in human flesh stares at the glorified Christ, looking much like when He was transfigured before [Peter, James and John], his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became²² white as light,²³ I can almost hear them sneer, when did we see you?²⁴

Peter said to Jesus [at Jesus’ transfiguration], “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses²⁵ and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say,²⁶ for they were²⁷ terrified.²⁸ The righteous on Jesus’ right don’t seem terrified necessarily, just disoriented. None seems to recall this moment from Scripture. They, too, question when they have ever done anything for anyone like their glorified Lord.

My sheep hear my voice, Jesus said, and I know them, and they follow me [Table]. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.²⁹ Though I called the cursed, “the distilled sin condemned in…human flesh,” it seems more likely that it is the righteous led by the Holy Spirit who heed his command to go³⁰ out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.³¹

In his sermon on the mount Jesus said (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV):

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.³² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [Table] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Now I would understand these many as the distilled sin condemned in the flesh of Christians standing on Jesus’ left. This is not to say that there is no corresponding many who heard his command to go out from their midst, and be separate from them standing on Jesus’ right, just that in this passage we are hearing the arguments of the distilled sin that was condemned in their flesh. It boasts in the work of God as if it were its own. It supposes that it should be rewarded along with the new creation it plagued for a lifetime.

One of the wonderful possibilities of this moment is that I won’t see my doppelganger. The glorified Lord separates us one from the other, like trying to see something on the other side of the sun. But it is sobering to consider: Who will I be at that moment?

Will I myself be the righteous new creation on Jesus’ right, marveling at my glorious Lord, wondering what I ever could have done for Him? Or will I identify more with the distilled sin condemned in my flesh, arguing that He should reward me for all the wonderful things that I have done for Him?

When I was barely escaping from a life of atheism, sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, Paul’s words kept me from despair (Romans 7:13-20 ESV):

Did [the law] which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure [Table]. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin [Table]. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me [Table]. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me [Table].

The more I believed Paul’s saying, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,³³ the more I began to see God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as the good in my life, and the more I began to view me myself as the evil. My Pastor warned me about thinking and speaking like this (which should not be taken to imply that he would endorse all I’ve written here). I thought I understood what he was saying, even paid some lip service to it. Writing this essay has cast it in a new light and reminded me of an incident with my son.

I walked through the living room one afternoon as he played a video game. He was driving a car, racing away from the police. As I walked out of the room I said, “You’re never going to drive one of my cars.” He stopped playing and hurried to catch up to me to ask, why. “You’re training yourself to hit the accelerator when you hear a siren rather than the brakes.” The next time I noticed him playing that video game, he had turned off the siren and the police chase, and simply played it as a road race game. He turned out to be a very good driver.

I certainly don’t want to train myself to identify with the distilled sin condemned in my flesh. Part of my prayer for all is to ask that “we know by faith your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control springing up within us to eternal life from your Holy Spirit.” I’ve changed “your Holy Spirit” to “our Holy Spirit,” not to claim any credit for myself but to take ownership of all that I have been given in Christ.

According to a note (26) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:11. The table below compares the relevant portions of the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:17 to Isaiah 52:11 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:17a (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 52:11b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 52:11b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε	ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς ἀφορίσθητε	ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς, ἀφορίσθητε
2 Corinthians 6:17a (NET)	Isaiah 52:11b (NETS)	Isaiah 52:11b (English Elpenor)
come out from their midst, and be separate	go out from the midst of it; be separated	go ye out from the midst of her; separate yourselves
2 Corinthians 6:17b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 52:11a (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:11a (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε	καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε	καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε
2 Corinthians 6:17b (NET)	Isaiah 52:11a (NETS)	Isaiah 52:11a (English Elpenor)
and touch no unclean thing	and touch no unclean thing	and touch not the unclean thing

According to a note (28) in the NET the last clause of 2 Corinthians 6:17 was a paraphrased quotation from Ezekiel 20:41. The table below compares the relevant portion of the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:17 to Ezekiel 20:41 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:17c (NET Parallel Greek)	Ezekiel 20:41b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Ezekiel 20:41b (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς	προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς	προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς
2 Corinthians 6:17c (NET)	Ezekiel 20:41b (NETS)	Ezekiel 20:41b (English Elpenor)
I will welcome you	I will accept you	I will accept you

According to a note (29) in the NET 2 Corinthians 6:18 was a paraphrased quotation of 2 Samuel 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6. The table below compares the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:18 to 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 7:14 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:18a (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Samuel 7:14a (Septuagint BLB) Table	2 Kings 7:14a (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς πατέρα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε μοι εἰς υἱοὺς	ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν	ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν
2 Corinthians 6:18a (NET)	2 Reigns 7:14a (NETS)	2 Kings 7:14a (English Elpenor)
and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons	I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me	I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son

The table below compares the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:18 to Isaiah 43:6 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 43:6b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 43:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε μοι εἰς υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας	ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς	ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς
2 Corinthians 6:18b (NET)	Isaiah 43:6b (NETS)	Isaiah 43:6b (English Elpenor)
and you will be my sons and daughters	bring my sons from a land far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth	bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth

Tables comparing Ezekiel 20:41; 2 Samuel 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Ezekiel 20:41; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 7:9, 10; 17:2; Mark 9:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 6:17 and Matthew 7:21 in the NET and KJV follow.

Ezekiel 20:41 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 20:41 (KJV)	Ezekiel 20:41 (NET)
I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.	I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.	When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

Ezekiel 20:41 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 20:41 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν ὀσμῇ εὐωδίας προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῗν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ εἰσδέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν ἐν αἷς διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῗς καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῗν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν λαῶν	ἐν ὀσμῇ εὐωδίας προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ εἰσδέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν, ἐν αἷς διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῖς, καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῖν κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν λαῶν
Ezekiel 20:41 (NETS)	Ezekiel 20:41 (English Elpenor)
In an odor of fragrance I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and take you in from the countries, those in which you were scattered, and I will be hallowed among you in the eyes of the peoples.	I will accept you with a sweet-smelling savour, when I bring you out from the nations, and take you out of the countries wherein ye have been dispersed; and I will be sanctified among you in the sight of the nations.

2 Samuel 7:14 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 7:14 (KJV)	2 Samuel 7:14 (NET)
I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son; if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;	I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:	I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings.

2 Samuel 7:14 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 7:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀδικία αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλέγξω αὐτὸν ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐν ἁφαῗς υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων	ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν· καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀδικία αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλέγξω αὐτὸν ἐν ράβδῳ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐν ἁφαῖς υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων
2 Reigns 7:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 7:14 (English Elpenor)
I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me, and if his injustice comes, then I will punish him with a rod of men and with attacks of sons of men,	I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men.

Isaiah 43:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 43:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 43:6 (NET)
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;	I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;	I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

Isaiah 43:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 43:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐρῶ τῷ βορρᾷ ἄγε καὶ τῷ λιβί μὴ κώλυε ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς	ἐρῶ τῷ Βορρᾷ· ἄγε, καὶ τῷ Λιβί· μὴ κώλυε, ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς
Isaiah 43:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 43:6 (English Elpenor)
I will say to the north, “Bring them,” and to the southwest, “Do not hinder; bring my sons from a land far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth–	I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Matthew 7:9, 10 (NET)	Matthew 7:9, 10 (KJV)
Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?	Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Matthew 7:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἢ τίς \|ἐστιν\| ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος, ὃν αἰτήσει ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἄρτον, μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ	η τις εστιν εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον εαν αιτηση ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω	η τις εστιν εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον εαν αιτηση ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω

Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Matthew 7:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἢ καὶ ἰχθὺν αἰτήσει, μὴ ὄφιν ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ	και εαν ιχθυν αιτηση μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω	και εαν ιχθυν αιτηση μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω

Matthew 17:2 (NET)	Matthew 17:2 (KJV)
And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.	And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Matthew 17:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 17:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 17:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔλαμψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς	και μετεμορφωθη εμπροσθεν αυτων και ελαμψεν το προσωπον αυτου ως ο ηλιος τα δε ιματια αυτου εγενετο λευκα ως το φως	και μετεμορφωθη εμπροσθεν αυτων και ελαμψεν το προσωπον αυτου ως ο ηλιος τα δε ιματια αυτου εγενοντο λευκα ως το φως

Mark 9:5, 6 (NET)	Mark 9:5, 6 (KJV)
So Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”	And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Mark 9:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 9:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 9:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος λέγει τῷ Ἰησοῦ· ραββί, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ὧδε εἶναι, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τρεῖς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν καὶ Μωϋσεῖ μίαν καὶ Ἠλίᾳ μίαν	και αποκριθεις ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου ραββι καλον εστιν ημας ωδε ειναι και ποιησωμεν σκηνας τρεις σοι μιαν και μωσει μιαν και ηλια μιαν	και αποκριθεις ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου ραββι καλον εστιν ημας ωδε ειναι και ποιησωμεν σκηνας τρεις σοι μιαν και μωσει μιαν και ηλια μιαν

(For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.)

For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

Mark 9:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 9:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 9:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐ γὰρ ᾔδει τί ἀποκριθῇ, ἔκφοβοι γὰρ ἐγένοντο	ου γαρ ηδει τι λαληση ησαν γαρ εκφοβοι	ου γαρ ηδει τι λαλησει ησαν γαρ εκφοβοι

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NET)	2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)
Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you,	Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 6:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 6:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
διὸ ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε, λέγει κύριος, καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε· καγὼ εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς	διο εξελθετε εκ μεσου αυτων και αφορισθητε λεγει κυριος και ακαθαρτου μη απτεσθε καγω εισδεξομαι υμας	διο εξελθετε εκ μεσου αυτων και αφορισθητε λεγει κυριος και ακαθαρτου μη απτεσθε καγω εισδεξομαι υμας

Matthew 7:21 (NET)	Matthew 7:21 (KJV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.	Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι· κύριε κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς	ου πας ο λεγων μοι κυριε κυριε εισελευσεται εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων αλλ ο ποιων το θελημα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις	ου πας ο λεγων μοι κυριε κυριε εισελευσεται εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων αλλ ο ποιων το θελημα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις

Christianity, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 4

Back to Christianity, Part 7

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Back to Nothing True, Part 2

Back to A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 10

¹ Acts 4:19 (ESV)

² Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

³ John 12:32 (ESV)

⁴ Verbal Moods from Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

⁵ Matthew 28:18 (ESV) Table

⁶ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

⁷ Romans 8:3, 4 (ESV)

⁸ Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

⁹ Romans 7:25b (ESV) Table

¹⁰ Matthew 25:41a (ESV)

¹¹ Matthew 25:32b (ESV) Table

¹² Romans 7:25b (ESV)

¹³ Romans 7:21b-24 (ESV)

¹⁴ Romans 7:25a (ESV) Table

¹⁵ Romans 2:16 (ESV)

¹⁶ Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

¹⁷ Romans 3:10b (ESV)

¹⁸ Romans 3:11b (ESV)

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αἰτήσει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαν αιτηση (KJV: if…ask).

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἢ καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καὶ εαν.

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αἰτήσει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αιτηση (KJV: ask).

²² The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the singular ἐγένετο here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had the plural εγενοντο.

²³ Matthew 17:2 (ESV)

²⁴ Matthew 25:44b (ESV) Table

²⁵ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Moses was spelled Μωϋσεῖ, and μωσει in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀποκριθῇ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had λαληση and Byzantine Majority Text had λαλησει.

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγένοντο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ησαν.

²⁸ Mark 9:5, 6 (ESV)

²⁹ John 10:27, 28 (ESV)

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐξέλθατε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξελθετε.

³¹ 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18 (ESV)

³² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article τοῖς preceding heaven. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³³ Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 2

Posted on May 1, 2020 by admin

Lazarus had been buried four days. Jesus raised him from the dead (John 11:38-44). John recalled the aftermath (John 11:45-53 NET):

Then many of the people, who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done [Table]. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation.”

Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is more to your^[1] advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” (Now he did not say this on his own, but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied^[2] that Jesus^[3] was going to die for the Jewish nation, and not for the Jewish nation only, but to gather together into one the children of God who are scattered.) So from that day they planned together^[4] to kill him.

The Greek word translated perish was ἀπόληται (a form of ἀπόλλυμι). I don’t think for a moment that Caiaphas meant: it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to burn in hell for all eternity. Caiaphas feared something more like what happened in 70 AD. But Caiaphas was high priest that year, John recalled, he did not say this on his own but prophesied. So what did the Holy Spirit mean? The events of 70 AD were not averted by Jesus’ death.

I tell you, my friends, Jesus said, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do [Table]. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell (γέενναν, a form of γέεννα). Yes, I tell you, fear him!^[5]

The Greek word ἀπόληται was also translated perish in, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.^[6] If I’m not careful I read this as God…gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not burn in hell for all eternity but go to heaven. This reading is so ingrained I find it difficult to accept Jesus’ judgment if He proposes different criteria for departing into the eternal fire (Matthew 25:31-46).

Condemning those, however, who have demonstrated no care or concern for Jesus’ brothers and sisters into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels^[7] is consistent with Jesus’ teaching on the greatest commandment (Mark 12:28-34a NET):

Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw^[8] that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”^[9] Jesus^[10] answered,^[11] “The most important^[12] is:^[13] ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one [Table]. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength’^[14] [Table]. The^[15] second is:^[16] ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say^[17] that he^[18] is one, and there is no one else besides him. And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind,^[19] and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important^[20] than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” [Table]. When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

For there is no partiality with God [Table], Paul wrote believers in Rome (Romans 2:11-16 NET).

For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish (ἀπολοῦνται, a form of ἀπόλλυμι) apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged (κριθήσονται, a form of κρίνω) by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous [Table]. For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves [Table]. They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, on the day when God will judge (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω) the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

We who have believed in Jesus, been born from above, received his Holy Spirit and rested in God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control have a clear advantage. But do we have the monopoly on being among those who do not hear, Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels? I could argue that we do.

Frankly, I expected so much more of the righteous before God…those who do the law, than merely something other than the absolute negation^[21] of those who saw a brother or sister of Jesus hungry and…gave them nothing (οὐκ) to eat…thirsty and…gave [them] nothing (οὐκ) to drink…a stranger and…did not (οὐ) receive them as a guest, naked and…did not (οὐ) clothe them, sick and in prison and…did not (οὐκ) visit them.^[22] Perhaps Jesus didn’t mean what it sounds like He said.

How can one go from nothing one does pleases God (Romans 3:10-18) to almost anything one does that demonstrates some care or concern for Jesus’ brothers or sisters is sufficient to be called righteous by the Judge and to hear: Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world?^[23] Surely, this implies that one has been delivered…from the power of darkness and transferred…to the kingdom of the Son he loves^[24] already! But my argument falls apart faster than I can make it.

The great commission is to make disciples of all nations, not to save people from burning in hell for all eternity (Matthew 28:18-20 NET):

Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth^[25] has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey (τηρεῖν, a form of τηρέω) everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”^[26]

Should I be surprised if the righteousness of disciples exceeds that of those who escape the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels by demonstrating some care or concern for Jesus’ disciples? (Yes, I’m equating Jesus’ disciples with his brothers or sisters.) I’m tired of arguing with the Judge who has received all authority in heaven and on earth. I lack standing to dispute with Him who gives life to whomever he wishes.^[27] As a matter of fear toward the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw me into hell I concede the point.

But who can live in a manner worthy of such a calling?

I begin to understand why the monastic system may have formed. Don’t worry, I also see how it went awry. Even if the master was led by the Holy Spirit, the initiates perceived that their master lived by following certain rules, and then eventually believed they could become like their master by obeying the rules they had mistakenly perceived as the source of the master’s way of life. Still, I agree that the most important thing I do any and every day is to pray God’s grace and mercy for all in Jesus’ name.

He has tried to get me to reconsider my understanding of—God…gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not burn in hell for all eternity but go to heaven—before. I can grasp the absolute negation in Greek. Those who hear, Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels,^[28] don’t hear it because of some minor lapses in their care or concern for Jesus’ brothers and sisters. But the qualified negation—so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life^[29]—is more difficult for me to grasp.

My first stab at it was that the qualified negation allowed for the possibility that one could both perish and have eternal life. A tear streaked my cheek as I recognized that ἀπόληται could hardly mean “burn in hell for all eternity” if that were true. Though I value such emotional experiences I don’t take them as proof of truth necessarily. I get all teary-eyed when Reggie (Freddy Rodriguez) steps up as the Guardian to defend the Narf (Bryce Dallas Howard) from a Scrunt in the movie Lady in the Water.

I consider that emotional experience a testament to M. Night Shyamalan’s skill as a story-teller, which is not to disparage Bryce Dallas Howard’s skill portraying a vulnerable and precious child or Paul Giametti’s skill portraying a bereaved father desperate to nurture and protect her. Jesus is a better story-teller than Mr. Shyamalan and I have all kinds of emotional reactions to being folded into his story. Besides I’ve already imagined a possible scenario where I the old human burn for all eternity in a lake of fire even as I the new human am face to face with God. How’s that for a salvation by faith predicated on a human choice?

I looked online for some help understanding the qualified negation in Greek. I found some shock therapy on Gary Gagliardi’s site “Christ’s Words — What Is Lost in Translation from Greek.” His translation of John 3:16 and his explanation of the qualified negation in that verse follow:

Therefore, since God was fond of the world order, he appointed the son unique in order that all believing in him might not want to cease to exist but might possess life eternal.

The negative “not” used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that “you don’t want” to do something, not that it isn’t done or don’t think something that might be true. If it wasn’t done or wasn’t true, the objective negative of fact would be used. The sense here is that the person doesn’t “want” to cease to exist.

The word translated as “shall…perish” means “to cease to exist.” The form is one of possibility not the future tense. With the negative used, the sense is “might not want to cease to exist”. This seems…[to] indicate that those who do not trust in him do not want to continue to exist. The sense is that not trusting in his promise equates to no trusting in a continued life and having access to it.

I’m not implying that this is the one and only true translation and interpretation of John 3:16. All things considered Mr. Gagliardi’s translation qualifies as an outlier among English translations of John 3:16. It is interesting as a potential translation as I try to overcome my misunderstanding.

At his arrest Jesus said, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, let these men go.” And John added, He said this to fulfill the word he had spoken, “I have not lost a single one of those whom you gave me.”^[30] The word translated lost was ἀπώλεσα, an active form of ἀπόλλυμι: “to ruin, destroy; to demolish, dismantle, trash, wreck; to lose; to take away; to conceal and make inaccessible; to be unavailable, be taken away; not to be found, have vanished, have gone missing.” The negation is ουκ (a form of οὐ) the absolute negation, so nothing tricky about it.

Before I continue I want to back up and consider Mr. Gagliardi’s translation and explanation of ἀπώλετο in John 17:12.

At that time I was with them, I watched over them in your name, whoever you appointed to me, and I have defended them [formed them into a tribe] and none from them has been lost except the child of the lost so that what is written might be completed.

Also, from the translation, you wouldn’t know that the word translated as “lost” from “none of them have been lost” is the verb form of the same word translated as “perdition.” The verse actually says that none have been lost except for the son of the lost. The word’s primary meaning is “to destroy” so the translation would then come out as “none have been destroyed except the son of destruction.”

So this leads me to a Gospel harmony of how Judas was lost or “destroyed.”

Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16 (NET)	Mark 14:1,2, 10, 11 (NET)	Luke 22:1-6 (NET)
When Jesus had finished saying all these things (Matthew 24-25), he told his disciples,
“You know that after two days the Passover is coming,	Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread,	Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.
and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
Then the chief priests^[31] and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas.
They planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.	the chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.	The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to execute Jesus,
But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.”	For^[32] they said, “Not during the feast, so there won’t be a riot among the people.”
		for they were afraid of the people.
		Then Satan^[33] entered Judas, the one called^[34] Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.
Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests	Then Judas^[35] Iscariot,^[36] one of the twelve, went to the chief priests	He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard
	to betray^[37] Jesus into their hands.	how he might betray Jesus, handing him over to them.
and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?”
	When they heard this, they were delighted and promised to give him money.	They were delighted and arranged to give him money.
So they set out thirty silver coins for him.
		So Judas agreed
From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray him.	So Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray^[38] him.	and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus
		when no crowd was present.

John let this stand without comment in his Gospel narrative, except to reinforce at the last supper that the devil had already put into the heart of Judas^[39] Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray^[40] Jesus.^[41] Jesus specified which prophecy Judas would fulfill: I know the ones^[42] I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who eats my^[43] bread has turned against me.’^[44]

A table comparing this to Psalm 41:9b (the presumed source text) in the Septuagint follows. It is more thought for thought than a word for word quotation.

John 13:18a (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 41:9b (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 40:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ τρώγων μου τὸν ἄρτον ἐπῆρεν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ τὴν πτέρναν αὐτοῦ	ὁ ἐσθίων ἄρτους μου ἐμεγάλυνεν ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ πτερνισμόν	ὁ ἐσθίων ἄρτους μου, ἐμεγάλυνεν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ πτερνισμόν
John 13:18b (NET)	Psalm 40:10b (NETS)	Psalm 40:10b (English Elpenor)
The one who eats my bread has turned against me.	he who would eat of my bread, magnified trickery against me.	who ate my bread, lifted up [his] heel against me.

If I accept the NET translation piece of bread for ψωμίον, Jesus fulfilled this prophecy deliberately (John 13:21-27 NET):

When he had said these things (John 13:18-20), Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, “I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.” The^[45] disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed to know which of them he was talking about. One^[46] of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor.^[47] So Simon Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved^[48] leaned back^[49] against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give^[50] this piece of bread after I have dipped^[51] it in the dish.” Then^[52] he dipped^[53] the piece of bread in the dish and^[54] gave it to Judas Iscariot,^[55] Simon’s son. And after Judas took the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

Before I did this study I assumed that Jesus’ concern in the garden was that his remaining disciples were not arrested and killed. Now I’m reasonably convinced that He was concerned that they not be arrested, threatened with death perhaps, and apart from Him and before receiving the Holy Spirit, be turned away from Him as Judas was. In other words, He did not want them to be lost or “destroyed.”

Tables comparing Psalm 41:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Psalm 41:9 (40:10) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those are tables comparing John 11:50, 51; 11:53; Matthew 28:18; 28:20; John 18:8; Matthew 26:3; Mark 14:2; 14:10, 11; Luke 22:3; John 13:2; 13:18; 13:22, 23 and 13:25, 26 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 41:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 41:9 (KJV)	Psalm 41:9 (NET)
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.	Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.	Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who shared meals with me, has turned against me.

Psalm 41:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 40:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς εἰρήνης μου ἐφ᾽ ὃν ἤλπισα ὁ ἐσθίων ἄρτους μου ἐμεγάλυνεν ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ πτερνισμόν	καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς εἰρήνης μου, ἐφ᾿ ὃν ἤλπισα, ὁ ἐσθίων ἄρτους μου, ἐμεγάλυνεν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ πτερνισμόν
Psalm 40:10 (NETS)	Psalm 40:10 (English Elpenor)
Indeed, the person at peace with me, in whom I hoped, he who would eat of my bread, magnified trickery against me.	For even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, lifted up [his] heel against me.

John 11:50, 51 (NET)	John 11:50, 51 (KJV)
You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.”	Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐδὲ λογίζεσθε ὅτι συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα εἷς ἄνθρωπος ἀποθάνῃ ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ ἔθνος ἀπόληται	ουδε διαλογιζεσθε οτι συμφερει ημιν ινα εις ανθρωπος αποθανη υπερ του λαου και μη ολον το εθνος αποληται	ουδε διαλογιζεσθε οτι συμφερει ημιν ινα εις ανθρωπος αποθανη υπερ του λαου και μη ολον το εθνος αποληται

(Now he did not say this on his own, but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation,

And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
(τοῦτο δὲ ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου ἐπροφήτευσεν ὅτι ἔμελλεν Ἰησοῦς ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους	τουτο δε αφ εαυτου ουκ ειπεν αλλα αρχιερευς ων του ενιαυτου εκεινου προεφητευσεν οτι εμελλεν ο ιησους αποθνησκειν υπερ του εθνους	τουτο δε αφ εαυτου ουκ ειπεν αλλα αρχιερευς ων του ενιαυτου εκεινου προεφητευσεν οτι εμελλεν ιησους αποθνησκειν υπερ του εθνους

John 11:53 (NET)	John 11:53 (KJV)
So from that day they planned together to kill him.	Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀπ᾿ ἐκείνης οὖν τῆς ἡμέρας ἐβουλεύσαντο ἵνα ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτόν	απ εκεινης ουν της ημερας συνεβουλευσαντο ινα αποκτεινωσιν αυτον	απ εκεινης ουν της ημερας συνεβουλευσαντο ινα αποκτεινωσιν αυτον

Matthew 28:18 (NET)	Matthew 28:18 (KJV)
Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.	And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς λέγων· ἐδόθη μοι πᾶσα ἐξουσία ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ [τῆς] γῆς	και προσελθων ο ιησους ελαλησεν αυτοις λεγων εδοθη μοι πασα εξουσια εν ουρανω και επι γης	και προσελθων ο ιησους ελαλησεν αυτοις λεγων εδοθη μοι πασα εξουσια εν ουρανω και επι γης

Matthew 28:20 (NET)	Matthew 28:20 (KJV)
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”	Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος	διδασκοντες αυτους τηρειν παντα οσα ενετειλαμην υμιν και ιδου εγω μεθ υμων ειμι πασας τας ημερας εως της συντελειας του αιωνος αμην	διδασκοντες αυτους τηρειν παντα οσα ενετειλαμην υμιν και ιδου εγω μεθ υμων ειμι πασας τας ημερας εως της συντελειας του αιωνος αμην

John 18:8 (NET)	John 18:8 (KJV)
Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, let these men go.”	Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· εἶπον ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι. εἰ οὖν ἐμὲ ζητεῖτε, ἄφετε τούτους ὑπάγειν	απεκριθη ο ιησους ειπον υμιν οτι εγω ειμι ει ουν εμε ζητειτε αφετε τουτους υπαγειν	απεκριθη ιησους ειπον υμιν οτι εγω ειμι ει ουν εμε ζητειτε αφετε τουτους υπαγειν

Matthew 26:3 (NET)	Matthew 26:3 (KJV)
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas.	Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Τότε συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τοῦ λεγομένου Καϊάφα	τοτε συνηχθησαν οι αρχιερεις και οι γραμματεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι του λαου εις την αυλην του αρχιερεως του λεγομενου καιαφα	τοτε συνηχθησαν οι αρχιερεις και οι γραμματεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι του λαου εις την αυλην του αρχιερεως του λεγομενου καιαφα

Mark 14:2 (NET)	Mark 14:2 (KJV)
For they said, “Not during the feast, so there won’t be a riot among the people.”	But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἔλεγον γάρ μὴ ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ, μήποτε ἔσται θόρυβος τοῦ λαοῦ	ελεγον δε μη εν τη εορτη μηποτε θορυβος εσται του λαου	ελεγον δε μη εν τη εορτη μηποτε θορυβος εσται του λαου

Mark 14:10, 11 (NET)	Mark 14:10, 11 (KJV)
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus into their hands.	And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Καὶ Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριὼθ ὁ εἷς τῶν δώδεκα ἀπῆλθεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς ἵνα αὐτὸν παραδοῖ αὐτοῖς	και ο ιουδας ο ισκαριωτης εις των δωδεκα απηλθεν προς τους αρχιερεις ινα παραδω αυτον αυτοις	και ο ιουδας ο ισκαριωτης εις των δωδεκα απηλθεν προς τους αρχιερεις ινα παραδω αυτον αυτοις

When they heard this, they were delighted and promised to give him money. So Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray him.

And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ἐχάρησαν καὶ ἐπηγγείλαντο αὐτῷ ἀργύριον δοῦναι. καὶ ἐζήτει πῶς αὐτὸν εὐκαίρως παραδοῖ	οι δε ακουσαντες εχαρησαν και επηγγειλαντο αυτω αργυριον δουναι και εζητει πως ευκαιρως αυτον παραδω	οι δε ακουσαντες εχαρησαν και επηγγειλαντο αυτω αργυριον δουναι και εζητει πως ευκαιρως αυτον παραδω

Luke 22:3 (NET)	Luke 22:3 (KJV)
Then Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.	Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Εἰσῆλθεν δὲ σατανᾶς εἰς Ἰούδαν τὸν καλούμενον Ἰσκαριώτην, ὄντα ἐκ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τῶν δώδεκα	εισηλθεν δε ο σατανας εις ιουδαν τον επικαλουμενον ισκαριωτην οντα εκ του αριθμου των δωδεκα	εισηλθεν δε σατανας εις ιουδαν τον επικαλουμενον ισκαριωτην οντα εκ του αριθμου των δωδεκα

John 13:2 (NET)	John 13:2 (KJV)
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus.	And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ δείπνου γινομένου, τοῦ διαβόλου ἤδη βεβληκότος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ἵνα παραδοῖ αὐτὸν Ἰούδας Σίμωνος \|Ἰσκαριώτου\|	και δειπνου γενομενου του διαβολου ηδη βεβληκοτος εις την καρδιαν ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτου ινα αυτον παραδω	και δειπνου γενομενου του διαβολου ηδη βεβληκοτος εις την καρδιαν ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτου ινα αυτον παραδω

John 13:18 (NET)	John 13:18 (KJV)
“What I am saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who eats my bread has turned against me.’	I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Οὐ περὶ πάντων ὑμῶν λέγω· ἐγὼ οἶδα τίνας ἐξελεξάμην· ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ· ὁ τρώγων μου τὸν ἄρτον ἐπῆρεν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ τὴν πτέρναν αὐτοῦ	ου περι παντων υμων λεγω εγω οιδα ους εξελεξαμην αλλ ινα η γραφη πληρωθη ο τρωγων μετ εμου τον αρτον επηρεν επ εμε την πτερναν αυτου	ου περι παντων υμων λεγω εγω οιδα ους εξελεξαμην αλλ ινα η γραφη πληρωθη ο τρωγων μετ εμου τον αρτον επηρεν επ εμε την πτερναν αυτου

John 13:22, 23 (NET)	John 13:22, 23 (KJV)
The disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed to know which of them he was talking about.	Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἔβλεπον εἰς ἀλλήλους οἱ μαθηταὶ ἀπορούμενοι περὶ τίνος λέγει	εβλεπον ουν εις αλληλους οι μαθηται απορουμενοι περι τινος λεγει	εβλεπον ουν εις αλληλους οι μαθηται απορουμενοι περι τινος λεγει

One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor.

Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἦν ἀνακείμενος εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὃν ἠγάπα \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς	ην δε ανακειμενος εις των μαθητων αυτου εν τω κολπω του ιησου ον ηγαπα ο ιησους	ην δε ανακειμενος εις των μαθητων αυτου εν τω κολπω του ιησου ον ηγαπα ο ιησους

John 13:25, 26 (NET)	John 13:25, 26 (KJV)
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”	He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀναπεσὼν \|οὖν\| ἐκεῖνος οὕτως ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, τίς ἐστιν	επιπεσων δε εκεινος επι το στηθος του ιησου λεγει αυτω κυριε τις εστιν	επιπεσων δε εκεινος ουτως επι το στηθος του ιησου λεγει αυτω κυριε τις εστιν

Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish and gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son.

Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀποκρίνεται [ὁ] Ἰησοῦς· ἐκεῖνος ἐστιν ᾧ ἐγὼ βάψω τὸ ψωμίον καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ. βάψας οὖν \|τὸ\| ψωμίον [λαμβάνει καὶ] δίδωσιν Ἰούδᾳ Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτου	αποκρινεται ο ιησους εκεινος εστιν ω εγω βαψας το ψωμιον επιδωσω και εμβαψας το ψωμιον διδωσιν ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτη	αποκρινεται ο ιησους εκεινος εστιν ω εγω βαψας το ψωμιον επιδωσω και εμβαψας το ψωμιον διδωσιν ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτη

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 3

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 1

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 5

Back to The New Covenant, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 2

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 10

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 11

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8

^[1] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑμῖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ημιν (KJV: for us).

^[2] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπροφήτευσεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προεφητευσε.

^[3] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[4] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐβουλεύσαντ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συνεβουλευσαντο (KJV: took counsel together).

^[5] Luke 12:4, 5 (NET)

^[6] John 3:16b (NET)

^[7] Matthew 25:41b (NET)

^[8] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἰδὼν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειδως (KJV: perceiving).

^[9] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πάντων here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πασων.

^[10] The Stephanus Textus Receptu and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: And) preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[11] The Stephanus Textus Receptu and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω (KJV: him) following answered. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[12] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πασων των εντολων (KJV: of all the commandments) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[13] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐστίν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[14] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτη πρωτη εντολη (KJV: this is the first commandment) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[15] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[16] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ομοια (KJV: like) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[17] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπες here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπας (KJV: thou hast said).

^[18] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had θεος (KJV: God) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[19] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εξ ολης της ψυχης (KJV: and with all the soul) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[20] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had περισσότερον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πλειον (KJV: more).

^[21] Here are a few essays where I began to grapple with the absolute and qualified or relative negation in New Testament Greek: Son of God – John, Part 2; Fear – Genesis, Part 7; Son of God – John, Part 3

^[22] Matthew 25:42, 43 (NET)

^[23] Matthew 25:34 (NET)

^[24] Colossians 1:13 (NET)

^[25] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article τῆς preceding earth. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[26] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αμην (KJV: Amen) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not

^[27] John 5:21b (NET)

^[28] Matthew 25:41 (NET)

^[29] John 3:16b (NET)

^[30] John 18:8, 9 (NET)

^[31] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και οι γραμματεις (KJV: and the scribes) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[32] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γάρ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: But).

^[33] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο preceding Satan. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[34] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καλούμενον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επικαλουμενον (KJV: surnamed).

^[35] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Judas. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[36] In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Iscariot was spelled Ἰσκαριὼθ, and ισκαριωτης in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

^[37] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παραδοῖ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παραδω.

^[38] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παραδοῖ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παραδω.

^[39] In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Judas was spelled Ἰούδας, and ιουδα in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

^[40] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παραδοῖ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παραδω.

^[41] John 13:2b (NET)

^[42] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τίνας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun ους (KJV: whom).

^[43] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μετ εμου (KJV: with me).

^[44] John 13:18b (NET)

^[45] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Then) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[46] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: Now) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[47] NET note 57 explains the idiom.

^[48] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐκεῖνος οὕτως here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had simply εκεινος (KJV: He).

^[49] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀναπεσὼν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επιπεσων (KJV: lying on).

^[50] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επιδωσω (KJV: shall give).

^[51] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had βάψω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had βαψας.

^[52] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And).

^[53] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had βαψας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εμβαψας (KJV: had dipped).

^[54] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λαμβάνει καὶ (λαμβάνει was not translated in the NET) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[55] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἰσκαριώτου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ισκαριωτη.

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 5

Posted on April 21, 2020 by admin

Another statement of the law of the Sabbath in Exodus reads as follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 23:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 23:12 (NET)	Exodus 23:12 (NETS)	Exodus 23:12 (English Elpenor)
Six days thou shalt do thy work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest (תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת); that thine ox and thine ass may have rest (יָנ֗וּחַ), and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.	For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease (shâbath, תשבת), in order that your ox and your donkey may rest (nûach, ינוח) and that your female servant’s son and the resident foreigner may refresh themselves.	Six days you shall do your tasks, but on the seventh day you shall rest (ἀνάπαυσις) in order that your ox and your draft animal might rest (ἀναπαύσηται) and that the son of your female servant and the guest might be refreshed.	Six days shalt thou do thy works, and on the seventh day there shall be rest (ἀνάπαυσις), that thine ox and thine ass may rest (ἀναπαύσηται), and that the son of thy maid-servant and the stranger may be refreshed.

All of these translations pass the test—The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath^[1]—in my opinion. Here rest was תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת (shâbath) in the clause but on the seventh day thou shalt rest in the Masoretic text, and ἀνάπαυσις in the Septuagint. The Hebrew root is the same in and He rested (shâbath, וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙) on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.^[2] The Greek root is the same in Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (ἀνάπαυσιν, a form of ἀνάπαυσις) for your souls.^[3]

The second rest—that thine ox and thine ass may have rest—was יָנ֗וּחַ (nûach) in the Masoretic text and ἀναπαύσηται (a form of ἀναπαύω) in the Septuagint. The Hebrew root is the same in the ten commandments: in six days HaShem made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested (nûach, וַיָּ֖נַח) on the seventh day.^[4] The Greek root is the same in Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (ἀναπαύσω, a form of ἀναπαύω).^[5]

I looked up may be refreshed out of curiosity: It was וְיִנָּפֵ֥שׁ (nâphash) in the Masoretic text and ἀναψύξῃ (a form of ἀναψύχω) in the Septuagint. There is only one occurrence of a form of ἀναψύχω in the New Testament (2 Timothy 1:16-18 NET):

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed (ἀνέψυξεν a form of ἀναψύχω) me and was not ashamed^[6] of my imprisonment. But when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly^[7] searched for me and found me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus.

I was about to return to Exodus when a question came to mind: Did Paul consider Onesiphorus a fellow believer? May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! Is that the way he would write about a fellow believer? I won’t argue yea or nay here. But it sent me back to Jesus’ teaching as it shed some light on something I had heard the night before. I’ll try to put all this back into perspicuous form.

I don’t listen to Todd Friel often. He is a bit snarky for my taste. (Perhaps, I should say that his snarkiness appeals way too much to my flesh.) Apparently, he did stand-up comedy^[8] in another life. The night before I began this study a YouTube video titled, “The #1 reason there are so many FALSE Christian converts,” was the clickbait I needed to deviate from my usual course. Mr. Friel explained:

The problem is they aren’t presenting the gospel…God will pull the rug out from under anybody to get their attention. But it’s not that He wants them to come to him so the rug can be replaced. He wants to get their attention so that they recognize: You’re at the end of your rope because I hold the rope, and one day I’m going to pull your rope in and I am going to judge you for every thought, word and deed. And if you are not hidden in the cleft of the rock, My Son the Lord Jesus Christ, I will grind you to powder.

The next morning Paul’s prayer for Onesiphorus—May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—sent me back to Jesus’ description of that day (Matthew 25:31-40 NET):

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats [Table]. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited^[12] me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick^[13] or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

The Greek word translated brothers or sisters was ἀδελφῶν (a form of ἀδελφός). Paul wrote believers in Rome (Romans 8:28-30 NET):

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

Those who were accursed demonstrated no care or concern (Matthew 25:42-45) for Jesus’ brothers and sisters: “Then he 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!’^[14] And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous (e.g., those who demonstrated some level of care or concern for Jesus’ brothers and sisters) into eternal life.”^[15]

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, Jesus taught his disciples, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes (John 5:21-24 NET).

Furthermore, the Father does not judge anyone, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him [Table].

“I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.

Jesus defined eternal life for us in a prayer to his Father: Now this is eternal life—that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.^[16] And the Holy Spirit reminded me of more knowledge of the Judge the Father appointed, who He is, how He judges. Jesus taught his disciples (Matthew 10:40-42 NET):

Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive^[17] a prophet’s reward. Whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive^[18] a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will never lose his reward.

I received a gospel similar to the one presented by Mr. Friel: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or burn in hell for all eternity. I was five. I don’t recall any of the emotional baggage that would be so offensive to adults. It was simply another fact, like cross at the crosswalk with the light, or a bus will run you down. But there was always an undercurrent, and since I wasn’t availing myself of the word of God as a precision diagnostic and surgical instrument, I didn’t recognize that undercurrent as the flesh or the old man.

That undercurrent became progressively more vociferous throughout my young life:

I wanted to save myself from an eternity in a lake of fire. And now, lo and behold, I find that I have become—inadvertently—a Christian! Not a day goes by that I don’t discover yet another restriction in an endless list of prohibitions to which I must conform because I am a Christian! On top of that there is another endless list of things I must do because I am a Christian, chief among these is to rope my friends into a way of life I would not wish on my worst enemy.

If that undercurrent sounds a little like Joe Pesci in the movie My Cousin Vinny, well, that’s a bit of literary license. As a hilariously triumphant example of all things working together for good, even that undercurrent has become a strong motivation to rest in the fruit of the Holy Spirit—once I began to recognize that the voice of that undercurrent wasn’t mine.

I was one of the most false converts to Christ. But God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit hasn’t given up on me yet. Mr. Friel also mentioned substitutionary atonement as something important to the Gospel: For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.^[19] For the wages of sin is death.^[20]

Clearly substitutionary atonement is of first importance. Given my history, however, I’m wary whenever the doctrine of substitutionary atonement substitutes faith in punishment for faith in Jesus Christ. David Instone-Brewer in his essay, “Did God Punish Jesus on the Cross?,” offers a better introduction to this concern than I have done or am doing here.

None of this is to discourage anyone from answering the call of God in Jesus Christ, just a reminder that God is not the enemy here. Sin is the enemy. For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures^[21] because this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.^[22] I will not speak with you much longer, Jesus told his disciples, for the ruler of this world^[23] is coming. He has no power over me, but I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.^[24]

When Joeseph considered divorcing Mary because she was already pregnant, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit [Table]. She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”^[25] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed.^[26] John Piper preached a sermon—Christ Died for Our Sins That We Might Die to Sin—that is clearer than anything I’ve written.

It is true that there was wrath in the past. The Grand Canyon in Arizona is a visible memorial to a time when The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.^[27] There is a time of wrath and revelation of Jesus Christ yet to come. Now, dear friends, Peter wrote, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day. The^[28] Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you,^[29] because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.^[30]

Different believers estimate the strength of μακροθυμεῖ (a form of μακροθυμέω; NET: patient; KJV: longsuffering) and βουλόμενος (a form of βούλομαι) in different ways. The NET translators, for instance, chose wish for βουλόμενος where the KJV translators chose longsuffering. The Koine Greek Lexicon online indicates that forms of βούλομαι with a negative, as it is here (μὴ βουλόμενος), mean “to refuse, not to consent.” Likewise, I may have a different experience of God’s patience than one who has never strayed far from Christian faith.

To end this excursion where it began: the man who marveled at Jesus’ definition of eternal life in my musical composition not only alerted me to how illiterate I had actually become, caring more for the sounds of words than their meaning, he also provided me with a handy tool—this is—to begin to understand the Bible better. This Jew who found philosophical comfort in Buddhism, who thought that salvation by faith was too non-human to be true the last time I had any contact with him, was a great help to me in my journey to know the only true God and Jesus Christ. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day.

Tables comparing Exodus 23:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Exodus 23:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those are tables comparing 2 Timothy 1:16, 17; 25:36; 25:39; 10:41; John 14:30 and 2 Peter 3:9 in the NET and KJV.

Exodus 23:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 23:12 (KJV)	Exodus 23:12 (NET)
Six days thou shalt do thy work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest; that thine ox and thine ass may have rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.	Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.	For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant’s son and the resident foreigner may refresh themselves.

Exodus 23:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 23:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἓξ ἡμέρας ποιήσεις τὰ ἔργα σου τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀνάπαυσις ἵνα ἀναπαύσηται ὁ βοῦς σου καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου καὶ ἵνα ἀναψύξῃ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς παιδίσκης σου καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος	ἓξ ἡμέρας ποιήσεις τὰ ἔργα σου, τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀνάπαυσις, ἵνα ἀναπαύσηται ὁ βοῦς σου καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου, καὶ ἵνα ἀναψύξῃ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς παιδίσκης σου καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος
Exodus 23:12 (NETS)	Exodus 23:12 (English Elpenor)
Six days you shall do your tasks, but on the seventh day you shall rest in order that your ox and your draft animal might rest and that the son of your female servant and the guest might be refreshed.	Six days shalt thou do thy works, and on the seventh day there shall be rest, that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and that the son of thy maid-servant and the stranger may be refreshed.

2 Timothy 1:16, 17 (NET)	2 Timothy 1:16, 17 (KJV)
May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment.	The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
δῴη ἔλεος ὁ κύριος τῷ Ὀνησιφόρου οἴκῳ, ὅτι πολλάκις με ἀνέψυξεν καὶ τὴν ἅλυσιν μου οὐκ ἐπαισχύνθη	δωη ελεος ο κυριος τω ονησιφορου οικω οτι πολλακις με ανεψυξεν και την αλυσιν μου ουκ επησχυνθη	δωη ελεος ο κυριος τω ονησιφορου οικω οτι πολλακις με ανεψυξεν και την αλυσιν μου ουκ επαισχυνθη

But when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me.

But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλὰ γενόμενος ἐν Ῥώμῃ σπουδαίως ἐζήτησεν με καὶ εὗρεν	αλλα γενομενος εν ρωμη σπουδαιοτερον εζητησεν με και ευρεν	αλλα γενομενος εν ρωμη σπουδαιοτερον εζητησεν με και ευρεν

Matthew 25:36 (NET)	Matthew 25:36 (KJV)
I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’	Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
γυμνὸς καὶ περιεβάλετε με, ἠσθένησα καὶ ἐπεσκέψασθε με, ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην καὶ ἤλθατε πρός με	γυμνος και περιεβαλετε με ησθενησα και επεσκεψασθε με εν φυλακη ημην και ηλθετε προς με	γυμνος και περιεβαλετε με ησθενησα και επεσκεψασθε με εν φυλακη ημην και ηλθετε προς με

Matthew 25:39 (NET)	Matthew 25:39 (KJV)
When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’	Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ἀσθενοῦντα ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν πρός σε	ποτε δε σε ειδομεν ασθενη η εν φυλακη και ηλθομεν προς σε	ποτε δε σε ειδομεν ασθενη η εν φυλακη και ηλθομεν προς σε

Matthew 10:41 (NET)	Matthew 10:41 (KJV)
Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.	He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δεχόμενος προφήτην εἰς ὄνομα προφήτου μισθὸν προφήτου λήμψεται, καὶ ὁ δεχόμενος δίκαιον εἰς ὄνομα δικαίου μισθὸν δικαίου λήμψεται	ο δεχομενος προφητην εις ονομα προφητου μισθον προφητου ληψεται και ο δεχομενος δικαιον εις ονομα δικαιου μισθον δικαιου ληψεται	ο δεχομενος προφητην εις ονομα προφητου μισθον προφητου ληψεται και ο δεχομενος δικαιον εις ονομα δικαιου μισθον δικαιου ληψεται

John 14:30 (NET)	John 14:30 (KJV)
I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me,	Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐκέτι πολλὰ λαλήσω μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν, ἔρχεται γὰρ ὁ τοῦ κόσμου ἄρχων· καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐκ ἔχει οὐδέν	ουκ ετι πολλα λαλησω μεθ υμων ερχεται γαρ ο του κοσμου τουτου αρχων και εν εμοι ουκ εχει ουδεν	ουκετι πολλα λαλησω μεθ υμων ερχεται γαρ ο του κοσμου αρχων και εν εμοι ουκ εχει ουδεν

2 Peter 3:9 (NET)	2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.	The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐ βραδύνει κύριος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥς τινες βραδύτητα ἡγοῦνται, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ βουλόμενος τινας ἀπολέσθαι ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρῆσαι	ου βραδυνει ο κυριος της επαγγελιας ως τινες βραδυτητα ηγουνται αλλα μακροθυμει εις ημας μη βουλομενος τινας απολεσθαι αλλα παντας εις μετανοιαν χωρησαι	ου βραδυνει ο κυριος της επαγγελιας ως τινες βραδυτητα ηγουνται αλλα μακροθυμει εις ημας μη βουλομενος τινας απολεσθαι αλλα παντας εις μετανοιαν χωρησαι

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 6

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 2

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 3

Back to Romans, Part 18

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 11

Back to The Book of Life, Part 2

Back to The Book of Life, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 1

Back to Christianity, Part 5

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 10

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 10

Back to Who Am I? Part 16

^[1] Mark 2:27 (NET) Table

^[2] Genesis 2:2b (Tanakh) Table

^[3] Matthew 11:29 (NET) Table

^[4] Exodus 20:11a (Tanakh) Table

^[5] Matthew 11:28 (NET)

^[6] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐπαισχύνθη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had επησχυνθη.

^[7] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σπουδαίως here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σπουδαιοτερον (KJV: very diligently).

^[8] The online ad for one of his books describes the author this way: “Todd Friel studied to be a pastor for four years but neglected to actually get saved. He abandoned church ministry plans and did secular TV, radio and stand-up comedy for 6 years. Gratefully, God saved Todd (from hell and stand-up comedy).”

^[12] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἤλθατε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηλθετε (KJV: ye came).

^[13] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀσθενοῦντα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ασθενη.

^[14] Matthew 25:41 (NET)

^[15] Matthew 25:46 (NET)

^[16] John 17:3 (NET)

^[17] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λήμψεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ληψεται (KJV: shall receive).

^[18] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λήμψεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ληψεται (KJV: shall receive).

^[19] 1 Corinthians 15:3 (NET)

^[20] Romans 6:23a (KJV)

^[21] 1 Corinthians 15:3b, 4 (NET) Table

^[22] John 3:16, 17 (NET) Table

^[23] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had τουτου following world and preceding ruler. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[24] John 14:30, 31 (NET)

^[25] Matthew 1:20, 21 (NET)

^[26] 1 Peter 2:24 (NET) Table

^[27] Genesis 6:6 (NET) Table

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

^[29] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑμᾶς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ημας (KJV: us).

^[30] 2 Peter 3:8, 9 (NET)

The Angels Will Gather

Posted on August 15, 2016 by admin

But I have a few things against you,^[1] Jesus told John to write to the angel of the church in Pergamum.^[2] The word translated angel is ἀγγέλῳ (a form of ἄγγελος). Below is a table of its forms and occurrences.

Form of ἄγγελος	Total Occurrences	Revelation Occurrences	URL
ἀγγέλῳ	9	8	http://biblehub.com/greek/angelo__32.htm
ἀγγέλων	31	7	http://biblehub.com/greek/angelo_n_32.htm
ἄγγελοι	23	8	http://biblehub.com/greek/angeloi_32.htm
ἀγγέλοις	9	3	http://biblehub.com/greek/angelois_32.htm
ἄγγελόν	22	11	http://biblehub.com/greek/angelon_32.htm
ἄγγελος	48	17	http://biblehub.com/greek/angelos_32.htm
ἀγγέλου	14	8	http://biblehub.com/greek/angelou_32.htm
ἀγγέλους	20	5	http://biblehub.com/greek/angelous_32.htm
Total	176	67

It means messenger and was translated messenger when the translators were reasonably sure the messenger was a human being (ἀγγέλων – Luke 7:24; ἄγγελον – Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, Luke 7:27; ἀγγέλους – Luke 9:52). Paul euphemistically called a thorn in the flesh…a messenger (ἄγγελος – 2 Corinthians 12:7) of Satan.

To this list I would add: 1) Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels (ἀγγέλων – 1 Timothy 5:21) because of its association with the word translated elect (ἐκλεκτῶν, a form of ἐκλεκτός); 2) seen by angels (ἀγγέλοις – 1 Timothy 3:16 because human messengers proclaimed [Jesus] among Gentiles; 3) you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God (ἄγγελον – Galatians 4:14) because Paul referred to himself, a human being, as a messenger of God; and 4) I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you (ἄγγελον – Revelation 22:16) because the word translated you (ὑμῖν) is plural ἄγγελον meant John as opposed to the angel who spoke to John.

There are seven more occurrences of forms of ἄγγελος that seem equivocal to me. Three of them are further confounded by two occurrences in Stephen’s defense (Acts 7:35, 38 NET):

This same Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ God sent as both ruler and deliverer through the hand of the angel (ἀγγέλου) who appeared to him in the bush.

This is the man who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel (ἀγγέλου) who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, and he received living oracles to give to you.

The angel (Septuagint: ἄγγελος) of the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) appeared to [Moses] in a flame of fire from within a bush.^[3] When the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) saw that he had turned aside to look, God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) called to him from within the bush and said…^[4] “I am the God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of your father, the God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of Abraham, the God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of Isaac, and the God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym).^[5] “Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘The Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), the God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of your fathers, appeared to me…”^[6]

God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) spoke all these words: “I, the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), am your God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיך), who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery” [Table].^[7] “Moses alone may come near the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), but the others must not come near, nor may the people go up with him.”^[8] The Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) spoke to Moses: “Go quickly, descend, because your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly [Table]. They have quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them – they have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיך), O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt’” [Table].^[9] Clearly, the messenger of y^ehôvâh in the burning bush and on Mount Sinai was y^ehôvâh Himself, though first century Jews may have been reluctant to acknowledge it.^[10]

So when Stephen said—You received the law by decrees given by angels (ἀγγέλων), but you did not obey it^[11]—was it a pious fiction for Jewish sensibilities or a prophetic revelation? What about when the Holy Spirit included Stephen’s statement in the New Testament? Why then was the law given? Paul asked rhetorically. It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the descendant to whom the promise had been made. It was administered (διαταγεὶς, a form of διατάσσω) through angels (ἀγγέλων) by an intermediary.^[12] For if the message spoken through angels (ἀγγέλων) proved to be so firm that every violation or disobedience received its just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, while God confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.^[13]

Are these human messengers—prophets and priests—oblique references to y^ehôvâh Himself or beings of another order of creation—angels?

Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels (ἀγγέλοις)!^[14] All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel (ἀγγέλου).^[15] For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for man. For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels (ἀγγέλους).^[16] Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels (ἀγγέλους) without knowing it.^[17] Though I categorize these as equivocal I’m certainly leaning toward a higher order of being. There are seven more occurrences I would have listed as equivocal and probably would have considered them more likely to be human until I began this study.

But I have a few things against you,^[18] Jesus told John to write to the angel of the church in Pergamum.^[19] The Greek word translated you is σοῦ (a form of σύ), the second person singular as is the verb translated have (ἔχεις, a form of ἔχω) in the next sentence: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat (φαγεῖν, a form of φάγω) food sacrificed to idols (εἰδωλόθυτα, a form of εἰδωλόθυτον) and commit sexual immorality (πορνεῦσαι, a form of πορνεύω).^[20]

Jesus continued with his message to the angel of the church in Pergamum: Therefore, repent^[21] (μετανόησον, a form of μετανοέω)! Once again the verb μετανόησον is second person singular. If not, I will come against you (σοι, another form of σύ) quickly and make war against those people with the sword of my mouth.^[22]

But I have this against you,^[23] Jesus told John to write to the angel of the church in Thyatira.^[24] The Greek word translated you is σοῦ (a form of σύ), the second person singular as is the verb translated tolerate (ἀφεῖς, a form of ἀφίημι) in the next sentence: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality (πορνεῦσαι, a form of πορνεύω) and to eat (φαγεῖν, a form of φάγω) food sacrificed to idols (εἰδωλόθυτα, a form of εἰδωλόθυτον).^[25]

The criticism was directed at the angels; the threat to make war against those who followed the teaching of Balaam with his words, the censure of illness toward those who committed adultery with Jezebel, and death to those who followed her teaching: Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, and those who commit adultery (μοιχεύοντας, a form of μοιχεύω) with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds. Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts.^[26] And this, after He had given her time to repent, but she [was] not willing to repent of her sexual immorality (πορνείας, a form of πορνεία).^[27]

I will repay (δώσω, a form of δίδωμι) each one of you (ὑμῖν) what your (ὑμῶν) deeds deserve.^[28] Here the words translated you and your are plural. But to the rest of you (ὑμῖν) in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you (ὑμᾶς; plural). However, hold on to what you have until I come.^[29]

Do not accept an accusation against an elder, Paul wrote Timothy, unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses. Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest.^[30] Not rebuking Jezebel publicly (before other elders) seems like the most obvious^[31] failure if Jesus criticized an authoritarian human messenger for tolerating Jezebel (literally, “left” her to do what she did: Matthew 13:36; Matthew 26:44; Mark 8:13; Mark 13:34). But since Jesus’ prescription—I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness—is somewhat beyond the purview of a human messenger, I consider an angelic being here and make the connection to Jesus’ parable (Matthew 13:24-30 NET).

“The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. When the plants sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. So the slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’ He said, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the slaves replied,^[32] ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’ [Table] But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, but then gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Jesus explained the parable to his disciples (Matthew 13:37-39 NET):

“The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world and the good seed are the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels (ἄγγελοι).”

Here the ἄγγελοι are distinguished from the human δοῦλοι as higher beings capable of making distinctions that human messengers could not, and should not, make—No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them. The Son of Man will send his angels (ἀγγέλους), and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers.^[33] This sounds precisely like the function Jesus criticized the angel (ἀγγέλῳ) of the church in Thyatira for not fulfilling sooner regarding Jezebel and her followers. It prompts me to reconsider whether all seven of these angels are higher order beings—angels.

Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited – Part 1

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 12

Back to To Make Holy, Part 9

^[1] Revelation 2:14a (NET)

^[2] Revelation 2:12a (NET)

^[3] Exodus 3:2a (NET)

^[4] Exodus 3:4a (NET)

^[5] Exodus 3:6 (NET) Table

^[6] Exodus 3:16a (NET)

^[7] Exodus 20:1, 2 (NET)

^[8] Exodus 24:2 (NET)

^[9] Exodus 32:7, 8 (NET)

^[10] NET note 97

^[11] Acts 7:53 (NET)

^[12] Galatians 3:19 (NET)

^[13] Hebrews 2:2-4 (NET)

^[14] Matthew 25:41b (NET)

^[15] Acts 6:15 (NET)

^[16] 1 Corinthians 11:8-10 (NET)

^[17] Hebrews 13:2 (NET)

^[18] Revelation 2:14a (NET)

^[19] Revelation 2:12a (NET)

^[20] Revelation 2:14b (NET) I have written about what was written to the angel of the church in Ephesus as if the Greek words translated you and their verbs were plural. They are also singular. I may have a lot of rethinking to do.

^[21] Revelation 2:16a (NET)

^[22] Revelation 2:16b (NET)

^[23] Revelation 2:20a (NET)

^[24] Revelation 2:18a (NET)

^[25] Revelation 2:20b (NET)

^[26] Revelation 2:22, 23a (NET)

^[27] Revelation 2:21 (NET)

^[28] Revelation 2:23b (NET)

^[29] Revelation 2:24, 25 (NET)

^[30] 1 Timothy 5:19, 20 (NET)

^[31] Paul’s own actions described in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 are more obvious perhaps, but I’ll consider that in its own essay.

^[32] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λέγουσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον (KJV: said).

^[33] Matthew 13:41 (NET)

Romans, Part 74

Posted on April 30, 2016 by admin

Bless (εὐλογεῖτε, a form of εὐλογέω) those who persecute you, bless (εὐλογεῖτε, a form of εὐλογέω) and do not curse.^[1] The Greek word translated persecute is διώκοντας (a form of διώκω). Another form of the same word was translated pursue (διώκοντες, another form of διώκω) hospitality^[2] in the previous verse, a pursuit I imagine with similar vigor but less hostile intent. Paul’s word picture recalls Saul.

When they had driven [Stephen] out of the city, they began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.^[3] And Saul agreed completely with killing him.^[4] Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.^[5] Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats to murder the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.^[6]

But this was not some special pleading on Paul’s part. Jesus wholeheartedly agreed (Luke 6:26-31 NET):

“Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.

“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless (εὐλογεῖτε, a form of εὐλογέω) those who curse (καταρωμένους, a form of καταράομαι) you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well, and from the person who takes away your coat, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back from the person who takes them away. Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, Peter wrote, but instead bless (εὐλογοῦντες, another form of εὐλογέω) others because you were called to inherit a blessing (εὐλογίαν, a form of εὐλογία).^[7] To keep me from believing that—Bless those who persecute you—is a rule for me to obey in my own strength to prove my righteousness rather than a description of the righteousness that is the fruit of the Spirit, I turn to Paul’s letter to the Galatians (3:5-14 NET):

Does God then give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law or by your believing what you heard?

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, so then, understand that those who believe are the sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, saying, “All the nations will be blessed (ἐνευλογηθήσονται, a form of ἐνευλογέω) in you.” So then those who believe are blessed (εὐλογοῦνται, another form of εὐλογέω) along with Abraham the believer. For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse (κατάραν, a form of κατάρα), because it is written, “Cursed (ἐπικατάρατος, a form of ἐπικατάρατος) is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.” Now it is clear no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by faith. But the law is not based on faith, but the one who does the works of the law will live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse (κατάρας, another form of κατάρα) of the law by becoming a curse (κατάρα) for us (because it is written, “Cursed [ἐπικατάρατος, a form of ἐπικατάρατος] is everyone who hangs on a tree”) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing (εὐλογία) of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we [i.e., Jews and Gentiles] could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

Now I wish to demonstrate how obscene this blessing-of-the-persecutor is to the religious mind. Jesus took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed (κατευλόγει, another form of εὐλογέω) them.^[8] Then Jesus led [his surviving apostles] out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed (εὐλόγησεν, another form of εὐλογέω) them. Now during the blessing (εὐλογεῖν, another form of εὐλογέω) he departed and was taken up into heaven. So they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple courts blessing (εὐλογοῦντες, another form of εὐλογέω) God.^[9]

The people of Jerusalem took branches of palm trees and went out to meet [Jesus]. They began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed (εὐλογημένος, another form of εὐλογέω) is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!”^[10] Both those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed (εὐλογημένος, another form of εὐλογέω) is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed (εὐλογημένη, another form of εὐλογέω) is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!^[11] The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed (εὐλογημένος, another form of εὐλογέω) is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”^[12] “Blessed (εὐλογημένος, another form of εὐλογέω) is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”^[13]

Jesus prophesied over Jerusalem: For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed (εὐλογημένος, another form of εὐλογέω) is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”^[14] And, Look, your house is forsaken! And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed (εὐλογημένος, another form of εὐλογέω) is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”^[15]

When [Jesus] had taken his place at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed (εὐλόγησεν, another form of εὐλογέω) and broke it, and gave it to them.^[16] While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks (εὐλογήσας, another form of εὐλογέω) he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.”^[17] While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks (εὐλογήσας, another form of εὐλογέω) he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it. This is my body.”^[18]

There is no reason to take this holy blessing and waste it on a persecutor—except that Jesus commanded it and his Holy Spirit provides the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control^[19] to makes it so. So what is it? What does it mean to Bless (εὐλογεῖτε, a form of εὐλογέω) those who persecute you? The phrase bless and do not curse (καταρᾶσθε, another form of καταράομαι) seems to function as a negated opposite. The most obvious curse is contrasted to its opposite blessing below:

Matthew 25:34 (NET)	Matthew 25:41 (NET)
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed (εὐλογημένοι, another form of εὐλογέω) by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’”	“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed (κατηραμένοι, another form of καταράομαι), into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!’”

The NET translators chose gave thanks for εὐλόγησεν in:

Matthew 14:19b (NET)	Mark 6:41a (NET)	Luke 9:16a (NET)
He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks (εὐλόγησεν, another form of εὐλογέω) and broke the loaves.	He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks (εὐλόγησεν, another form of εὐλογέω) and broke the loaves.	Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks (εὐλόγησεν, another form of εὐλογέω) and broke them.

But Paul also equated εὐλογῇς (another form of εὐλογέω) with thanksgiving: Otherwise, if you are praising (εὐλογῇς, another form of εὐλογέω) God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift say “Amen” to your thanksgiving (εὐχαριστίᾳ), since he does not know what you are saying?^[20] As for translating εὐλογῇς praising, Simeon’s blessing of God seems to contain both praise and thanksgiving (Luke 2:28-32 NET):

Simeon took [Jesus] in his arms and blessed (εὐλόγησεν, another form of εὐλογέω) God, saying, “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Then Simeon blessed (εὐλόγησεν, another form of εὐλογέω) them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!”^[21] Here the translators chose the literal and said for καὶ εἶπεν rather than saying as in verse 28. I still think Simeon’s true prophecy may be considered part of the blessing rather than something distinct from it. In other words, I believe even painful truth can be a part of a blessing.

“If you continue on the path you’re on presently rejecting Jesus, He warns of eternal fire,” is not a curse in my opinion but a truth that may well be part of a blessing. God raised up his servant (παῖδα, a form of παῖς), Peter said, and sent him first to you, to bless (εὐλογοῦντα, another form of εὐλογέω) you by turning each one of you from your iniquities (πονηριῶν, a form of πονηρία).^{^[22]} Each can judge for him- or herself whether Peter’s use of the clever παῖδα for Jesus rather than the incendiary υἱὸς (Matthew 26:63-66; Mark 14:61-64; Luke 22:70, 71) was cowardice or speaking truth in the spirit of blessing those who persecuted Jesus.

I think it was the latter, much like Paul in Athens. While Paul was waiting for [Silas and Timothy] in Athens, his spirit was greatly upset (παρωξύνετο, a form of παροξύνω) because he saw the city was full of idols.^[23] Upset as he was, he did not curse the Athenians. Rather, he presented the Gospel to them. So Paul stood before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects. For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, this I proclaim to you.”^[24]

Romans, Part 75

^[1] Romans 12:14 (NET)

^[2] Romans 12:13b (NET)

^[3] Acts 7:58 (NET)

^[4] Acts 8:1a (NET) Table

^[5] Acts 8:3 (NET)

^[6] Acts 9:1, 2 (NET)

^[7] 1 Peter 3:9 (NET)

^[8] Mark 10:16 (NET)

^[9] Luke 24:50-53 (NET)

^[10] John 12:13 (NET)

^[11] Mark 11:9, 10 (NET)

^[12] Matthew 21:9 (NET)

^[13] Luke 19:38 (NET)

^[14] Matthew 23:39 (NET)

^[15] Luke 13:35 (NET)

^[16] Luke 24:30 (NET)

^[17] Matthew 26:26 (NET)

^[18] Mark 14:22 (NET)

^[19] Galatians 5:22, 23a (NET)

^[20] 1 Corinthians 14:16 (NET)

^[21] Luke 2:34, 35 (NET)

^[22] Acts 3:26 (NET)

^[23] Acts 17:16 (NET) Table

^[24] Acts 17:22, 23 (NET) Table

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Matthew 25:41

Who Am I? Part 14

The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Christianity, Part 8

Christianity, Part 7

Christianity, Part 3

Christianity, Part 2

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 2

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 5

The Angels Will Gather

Romans, Part 74