Tag Archives: Romans 7:24

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 4

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As I continue to focus on the Sabbath (because it has so much material to access) I’ve arrived at the first statement of the ten commandments in Exodus.  So here is the shadow of the good things to come of the Sabbath in its most definitive form.  This section begins, And G-d spoke all these words, saying:[1]

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Exodus 20:8-11 (Tanakh) Exodus 20:8-11 (NET) Exodus 20:8-11 (NETS)

Exodus 20:8-11 (English Elpenor)
Remember the sabbath (הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת) day, to keep it holy. “Remember the Sabbath (shabbâth, השבת) day to set it apart as holy. Remember the day of the sabbaths (σαββάτων) to consecrate it. Remember the sabbath (σαββάτων) day to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; For six days you may labor and do all your work, For six days you shall labor and do all your labor, Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work.
but the seventh day is a sabbath (שַׁבָּ֣ת) unto HaShem thy G-d, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; but the seventh day is a Sabbath (shabbâth, שבת) to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. but on the seventh day there is Sabbata (σάββατα) to the Lord your God.  You shall not do in it any labor, you and your son and your daughter, your male slave and your female slave, your ox and your draft animal and any animal of yours and the guest who resides among you. But on the seventh day is the sabbath (σάββατα) of the Lord thy God; on it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy servant nor thy maidservant, thine ox nor thine ass, nor any cattle of thine, nor the stranger that sojourns with thee.
in six days HaShem made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested (וַיָּ֖נַח) on the seventh day; wherefore HaShem blessed the sabbath (הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת) day, and hallowed it. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested (nûach, וינח) on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath (shabbâth, השבת) day and set it apart as holy. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them, and he rested (κατέπαυσεν) on the seventh day and consecrated it.  For this reason the Lord blessed the seventh (ἑβδόμην) day and consecrated it. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested (κατέπαυσε) on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh (ἑβδόμην) day, and hallowed it.

Do these translations effectively convey the truth that, The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath[2]?  This isn’t a question I’ll explore necessarily in this essay.  It is a safeguard, along with Jesus’ more general key to the Old Testament—Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above’,[3] that I might not be waylaid by shadows while studying the law.

I will note a new Hebrew word וַיָּ֖נַח (nûach) here: In this reprise of Genesis 2:2—and rested on the seventh day—וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ (shâbath) has been replaced by וַיָּ֖נַח (nûach).  And the ark rested (nûach, וַתָּ֤נַח) in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.[4]  The rabbis returned to κατέπαυσε(ν) (a form of καταπαύω) in the ten commandments: The Lord rested on the seventh day; He did not “sabbatize.”  When Noah’s ark rested, however, the rabbis chose ἐκάθισεν (a form of καθίζω).

Another item of note: In the Masoretic text HaShem blessed the sabbath (shabbâth, הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת) day.  In the Septuagint the Lord blessed the seventh (ἑβδόμην, a form of ἕβδομος) day.  Since the Hebrew construction in Genesis 2:3 was identical except that הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י (shebı̂yʽı̂y) was replaced by הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת (shabbâth), it may seem that the Septuagint is the more original here.  The problem with that is Exodus 20:8 was also identical construction but the word was הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת (shabbâth), translated σαββάτων (a form of σάββατον) in the Septuagint.  I’ll call it a toss-up.

Consequently a Sabbath rest (σαββατισμὸς) remains for the people of God.  For the one who enters God’s rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις) has also rested (κατέπαυσεν, a form of καταπαύω) from his works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον), just as God did from his own works.[5]

This is the advantage of studying the Sabbath.  The good things to come of the Sabbath are stated as explicitly as its shadow in the law.  I’ll back up and take a run at this (Hebrews 4:1, 2 NET):

Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις) remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.  For we had good news proclaimed (εὐηγγελισμένοι, a form of εὐαγγελίζω; KJV: gospel preached) to us just as they did.  But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with[6] those who heard it in faith.

The Greek word translated we must be wary was φοβηθῶμεν (a form of φοβέω), fear in all its connotations of fearing the Lord.  The Greek word συγκεκραμενος (a form of συγκεράννυμι) is singular and was translated being mixed with in the KJV: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.  In other words, they didn’t believe it.  In the NET, however, συγκεκερασμένους (another form of συγκεράννυμι) is plural and was translated as if it referred to the people rather than the message.  So the message they heard did them no good, since they didn’t go to church.  I’m not so sure that συγκεκερασμένους was original here.

I’ll back up a bit further (Hebrews 3:14-19 NET):

For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold our initial confidence firm until the end.  As it says, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!  Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”  For which ones heard and rebelled?  Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’[7] leadership?  And against whom was God provoked for forty years?  Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις), except those who were disobedient (ἀπειθήσασιν, a form of ἀπειθέω; KJV: believed not)?  So we see that they could not enter because of unbelief (ἀπιστίαν, a form of ἀπιστία).

After establishing a causal relationship between ἀπιστία and ἀπειθέω—unbelief causes disobedience—I don’t see the author of Hebrews or the Holy Spirit muddying the waters with συγκεκερασμένους.  I don’t know what documents or reasons the Nestle-Aland editors employed, but on the face of it crediting disobedience to a lack of church attendance sounds like a later alteration to the Greek text.

I’ll continue from where I left off (Hebrews 4:3-8 NET):

For we who have believed enter that rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις), as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις)!’”[8]  And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world.  For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested (κατέπαυσεν, a form of καταπαύω) on the seventh day from all his works,” but to repeat the text cited earlier: “They will never enter my rest (κατάπαυσιν, a form of κατάπαυσις)!”  Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed (εὐαγγελισθέντες, a form of εὐαγγελίζω) did not enter because of disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια; KJV: unbelief).  So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David[9] after so long a time, as in the words quoted before,[10] “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!  Do not harden your hearts.”  For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day.

For if Jesus had given them rest, we read in the KJV, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.[11]  This is certainly the safer translation in the sense that the translators exerted the least interpretation over the Greek text.  The only safer step I can imagine would have been to transliterate Ἰησοῦς Iesous.  Jesus and Joshua are Ἰησοῦς in Greek.

Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ Αμαληκ καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων καὶ Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς, καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ ᾿Αμαλήκ· καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ ῍Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ

Exodus 17:10 (NETS)

Exodus 17:10 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous did as Moyses said to him and set up in battle array with Amelek, and Moyses and Aaron and Hor went up onto the top of the hill. And Joshua did as Moses said to him, and he went out and set the army in array against Amalec, and Moses and Aaron and Or went up to the top of the hill.

It seems fairly obvious to translate Ἰησοῦς Joshua in Exodus 17:10.  But what about Hebrews 4:8?  God was added by the NET translators.  The KJV translators derived he from ἐλάλει, the 3rd person singular form of the verb λαλέω.

Personally, I have no difficulty these days believing that He who was born into this world as Ἰησοῦς rested on the seventh day from all his works of creation, swore in [his] anger, ‘They will never enter my rest’ in the time of Moses, did not grant the rest He was concerned with in the time of Joshua and promised another day of rest through his prophet David.  But would I have understood that this particular passage referred to Joshua’s conquest of Canaan if the NET translators (like most modern translators) hadn’t translated Ἰησοῦς Joshua and distinguished him from the one speaking in Psalm 95?  I don’t know, probably not until I began to study this deeply.

Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God, the writer of Hebrews continued.  For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.[12]  Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (ἀναπαύσω, a form of ἀναπαύω), Jesus promised.  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; Exodus 16:23 Septuagint) for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.[13]

My entering into God’s rest differs from his rest in a significant way.  He rested from works that were very good: God saw all that he had made—and it was very good![14]  I am eager to rest from works of evil at one extreme, hypocrisy at the other (the works of an actor playing at righteousness) or some jumbled combination of the two everywhere in between.  Wretched man that I am! Paul lamented.  Who will rescue me from this body of death?[15]  Paul understood entering God’s rest this way (Galatians 2:20, 21 NET):

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

Though he never used the words, I think Paul wrote extensively about this Sabbath rest from the works of the flesh (Romans 3:30, 31; 13:9, 10; Galatians 5:16, 17; 5:22-25 NET):

Since[16] God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.  Do we then nullify the law through faith?  Absolutely not!  Instead we uphold the law.[17]

For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself” [Table].  Love does no wrong to a neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want [Table].

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law [Table].  Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.

And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.[18]  He knows better than I do when I’m relying on, resting in the fruit of his Spirit, or when I’m trying to make myself righteous by obeying some rule.  And I am not so attuned to his Holy Spirit that I discern any of this apart from studying the Bible with Him (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge (κριτικὸς) the desires and thoughts of the heart.[19]

I’ll pick this up in another essay.  A table comparing the Greek of Psalm 95:7b, 8a (94:7b, 8a) in the Septuagint with that of the quotation in Hebrews 3:15 follows:

Hebrews 3:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

 Psalm 95:7b, 8a (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 94:8a (Septuagint Elpenor)
σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ σήμερον, ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ

Hebrews 3:15 (NET)

 Psalm 94:7b, 8a (NETS)

Psalm 94:8a (English Elpenor)
Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!  Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at the embittering, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,

A table comparing the Greek of Psalm 95:11 (94:11) in the Septuagint with that of the quotation in Hebrews 4:3 follows:

Hebrews 4:3a (NET Parallel Greek)

 Psalm 95:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 94:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσιν μου ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου· εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου

Hebrews 4:3a (NET)

 Psalm 94:11 (NETS)

Psalm 94:11 (English Elpenor)
“As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” As I swore in my wrath, “If they shall enter into my rest!” So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

A table comparing the Greek of Genesis 2:2 in the Septuagint with that of the quotation in Hebrews 4:4 follows:

Hebrews 4:4b (NET Parallel Greek) Genesis 2:2b (Septuagint BLB) Genesis 2:2b (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέπαυσεν ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ καὶ κατέπαυσεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ καὶ κατέπαυσε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ
Hebrews 4:4b (NET) Genesis 2:2b (NETS) Genesis 2:2b (English Elpenor)
“And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” and he left off on the seventh day from all his works and he ceased on the seventh day from all his works

Tables comparing Exodus 20:1; 20:8; 20:9; 20:10; 20:11; Genesis 8:4; Psalm 95:7; 95:8; 95:11; Exodus 17:10 and Genesis 1:31 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Exodus 20:1; 20:8; 20:9; 20:10; 20:11; Genesis 8:4 (8:3b); Psalm 95:7 (94:7); 95:8 (94:8); 95:11 (94:11); Exodus 17:10 and Genesis 1:31 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing Hebrews 4:2, 3:16; 4:7 and Romans 3:30, 31 in the NET and KJV.

Exodus 20:1 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 20:1 (KJV)

Exodus 20:1 (NET)
And G-d spoke all these words, saying: And God spake all these words, saying, God spoke all these words:

Exodus 20:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 20:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους λέγων ΚΑΙ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους λέγων

Exodus 20:1 (NETS)

Exodus 20:1 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord spoke all these words, saying: And the Lord spoke all these words, saying:

Exodus 20:8 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 20:8 (KJV)

Exodus 20:8 (NET)
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. “Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy.

Exodus 20:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 20:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μνήσθητι τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν σαββάτων ἁγιάζειν αὐτήν μνήσθητι τὴν ἡμέρα τῶν σαββάτων ἁγιάζειν αὐτήν

Exodus 20:8 (NETS)

Exodus 20:8 (English Elpenor)
Remember the day of the sabbaths to consecrate it. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:9 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 20:9 (KJV)

Exodus 20:9 (NET)
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: For six days you may labor and do all your work,

Exodus 20:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 20:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἓξ ἡμέρας ἐργᾷ καὶ ποιήσεις πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου ἓξ ἡμέρας ἐργᾷ καὶ ποιήσεις πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου

Exodus 20:9 (NETS)

Exodus 20:9 (English Elpenor)
For six days you shall labor and do all your labor, Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work.

Exodus 20:10 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 20:10 (KJV)

Exodus 20:10 (NET)
but the seventh day is a sabbath unto HaShem thy G-d, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates.

Exodus 20:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 20:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ σάββατα κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου οὐ ποιήσεις ἐν αὐτῇ πᾶν ἔργον σὺ καὶ ὁ υἱός σου καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ σου ὁ παῗς σου καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου ὁ βοῦς σου καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου καὶ πᾶν κτῆνός σου καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ παροικῶν ἐν σοί τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ σάββατα Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ σου· οὐ ποιήσεις ἐν αὐτῇ πᾶν ἔργον, σὺ καὶ ὁ υἱός σου καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ σου, ὁ παῖς σου καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου, ὁ βοῦς σου καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου καὶ πᾶν κτῆνός σου καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ παροικῶν ἐν σοί

Exodus 20:10 (NETS)

Exodus 20:10 (English Elpenor)
but on the seventh day there is Sabbata to the Lord your God.  You shall not do in it any labor, you and your son and your daughter, your male slave and your female slave, your ox and your draft animal and any animal of yours and the guest who resides among you. But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; on it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy servant nor thy maidservant, thine ox nor thine ass, nor any cattle of thine, nor the stranger that sojourns with thee.

Exodus 20:11 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 20:11 (KJV)

Exodus 20:11 (NET)
in six days HaShem made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore HaShem blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

Exodus 20:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 20:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν γὰρ ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησεν κύριος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῗς καὶ κατέπαυσεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησεν κύριος τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν ἐν γὰρ ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησε Κύριος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ κατέπαυσε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ· διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησε Κύριος τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν

Exodus 20:11 (NETS)

Exodus 20:11 (English Elpenor)
For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them, and he rested on the seventh day and consecrated it.  For this reason the Lord blessed the seventh day and consecrated it. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.

Genesis 8:4 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 8:4 (KJV)

Genesis 8:4 (NET)
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on one of the mountains of Ararat.

Genesis 8:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 8:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνός ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Αραρατ καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ, ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνός, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ ᾿Αραράτ

Genesis 8:4 (NETS)

Genesis 8:3b (English Elpenor)
And in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh of the month, the ark settled on the mountains of Ararat. and the ark rested in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.

Psalm 95:7 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 95:7 (KJV)

Psalm 95:7 (NET)
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture, the sheep he owns.  Today, if only you would obey him.

Psalm 95:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 94:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ἡμεῗς λαὸς νομῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ πρόβατα χειρὸς αὐτοῦ σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡμεῖς λαὸς νομῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ πρόβατα χειρὸς αὐτοῦ

Psalm 94:7 (NETS)

Psalm 94:7 (English Elpenor)
because he is our God and we are people of his pasture and sheep of his hand!  Today if you hear his voice, For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Psalm 95:8 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 95:8 (KJV)

Psalm 95:8 (NET)
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: He says, “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, like they were that day at Massah in the wilderness,

Psalm 95:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 94:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ σήμερον, ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ

Psalm 94:8 (NETS)

Psalm 94:8 (English Elpenor)
do not harden your hearts, as at the embittering, like the day of the trial in the wilderness, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, according to the day of irritation in the wilderness:

Psalm 95:11 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 95:11 (KJV)

Psalm 95:11 (NET)
Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. So I made a vow in my anger, ‘They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them.’”

Psalm 95:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 94:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου· εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου

Psalm 94:11 (NETS)

Psalm 94:11 (English Elpenor)
As I swore in my wrath, “If they shall enter into my rest!” So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

Exodus 17:10 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 17:10 (KJV)

Exodus 17:10 (NET)
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him, and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ Αμαληκ καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων καὶ Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς, καὶ ἐξελθὼν παρετάξατο τῷ ᾿Αμαλήκ· καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ ῍Ωρ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ βουνοῦ

Exodus 17:10 (NETS)

Exodus 17:10 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous did as Moyses said to him and set up in battle array with Amelek, and Moyses and Aaron and Hor went up onto the top of the hill. And Joshua did as Moses said to him, and he went out and set the army in array against Amalec, and Moses and Aaron and Or went up to the top of the hill.

Genesis 1:31 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 1:31 (KJV)

Genesis 1:31 (NET)
And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. God saw all that he had made—and it was very good!  There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 1:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν καὶ ἰδοὺ καλὰ λίαν καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί ἡμέρα ἕκτη καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησε, καὶ ἰδοὺ καλὰ λίαν. καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα ἕκτη

Genesis 1:31 (NETS)

Genesis 1:31 (English Elpenor)
And God saw all the things that he had made, and see, they were exceedingly good.  And it came to be evening, and it came to be morning, a sixth day. And God saw all the things that he had made, and, behold, they were very good.  And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Hebrews 4:2 (NET)

Hebrews 4:2 (KJV)
For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did.  But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ γάρ ἐσμεν εὐηγγελισμένοι καθάπερ κακεῖνοι· ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ὠφέλησεν ὁ λόγος τῆς ἀκοῆς ἐκείνους μὴ συγκεκερασμένους τῇ πίστει τοῖς ἀκούσασιν και γαρ εσμεν ευηγγελισμενοι καθαπερ κακεινοι αλλ ουκ ωφελησεν ο λογος της ακοης εκεινους μη συγκεκραμενος τη πιστει τοις ακουσασιν και γαρ εσμεν ευηγγελισμενοι καθαπερ κακεινοι αλλ ουκ ωφελησεν ο λογος της ακοης εκεινους μη συγκεκραμενους τη πιστει τοις ακουσασιν

Hebrews 3:16 (NET)

Hebrews 3:16 (KJV)
For which ones heard and rebelled?  Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership? For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
τίνες γὰρ ἀκούσαντες παρεπίκραναν; ἀλλ᾿ οὐ πάντες οἱ ἐξελθόντες ἐξ Ἀιγύπτου διὰ Μωϋσέως τινες γαρ ακουσαντες παρεπικραναν αλλ ου παντες οι εξελθοντες εξ αιγυπτου δια μωσεως τινες γαρ ακουσαντες παρεπικραναν αλλ ου παντες οι εξελθοντες εξ αιγυπτου δια μωυσεως

Hebrews 4:7 (NET)

Hebrews 4:7 (KJV)
So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!  Do not harden your hearts.” Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
πάλιν τινὰ ὁρίζει ἡμέραν, σήμερον, ἐν Δαυὶδ λέγων μετὰ τοσοῦτον χρόνον, καθὼς προείρηται σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. παλιν τινα οριζει ημεραν σημερον εν δαβιδ λεγων μετα τοσουτον χρονον καθως ειρηται σημερον εαν της φωνης αυτου ακουσητε μη σκληρυνητε τας καρδιας υμων παλιν τινα οριζει ημεραν σημερον εν δαυιδ λεγων μετα τοσουτον χρονον καθως ειρηται σημερον εαν της φωνης αυτου ακουσητε μη σκληρυνητε τας καρδιας υμων

Romans 3:30, 31 (NET)

Romans 3:30, 31 (KJV)
Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
εἴπερ εἷς ὁ θεὸς ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως καὶ ἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως επειπερ εις ο θεος ος δικαιωσει περιτομην εκ πιστεως και ακροβυστιαν δια της πιστεως επειπερ εις ο θεος ος δικαιωσει περιτομην εκ πιστεως και ακροβυστιαν δια της πιστεως
Do we then nullify the law through faith?  Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law. Do we then make void the law through faith?  God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως; μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ νόμον ἱστάνομεν νομον ουν καταργουμεν δια της πιστεως μη γενοιτο αλλα νομον ιστωμεν νομον ουν καταργουμεν δια της πιστεως μη γενοιτο αλλα νομον ιστωμεν

[1] Exodus 20:1 (Tanakh)

[2] Mark 2:27 (NET) Table

[3] John 3:7 (NET)

[4] Genesis 8:4 (Tanakh)

[5] Hebrews 4:9, 10 (NET)

[6] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had συγκεκερασμένους here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συγκεκραμενος (KJV: being mixed with).

[7] In the Stephanus Textus Receptus Moses was spelled μωσεως, and Μωϋσέως in the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text.  Despite this single difference in Greek, the KJV translation is quite different: For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

[8] The Greek of the NET, NA28, Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text, Septuagint BLB and Elpenor is identical, but the English translation of the KJV (Hebrews 4:3) and NETS (Psalm 94:11)—if they shall enter into my rest—is different.  My knowledge of Greek is insufficient to choose between them.

[9] In the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text David was spelled Δαυὶδ, and δαβιδ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

[10] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had προείρηται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειρηται (KJV: it is said).

[11] Hebrews 4:8 (KJV)

[12] Hebrews 4:9, 10 (NET)

[13] Matthew 11:28-30 (NET) Table

[14] Genesis 1:31 (NET)

[15] Romans 7:24 (NET)

[16] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἴπερ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επειπερ (KJV: Seeing).

[17] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἱστάνομεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιστωμεν  (KJV: establish).

[18] Hebrews 4:13 (NET)

[19] Hebrews 4:12 (NET) Table

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 3

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This very day, yehôvâh (יהוה) said to Moses, I will begin to fill all the people of the earth with dread and to terrify them when they hear about you.  They will shiver and shake in anticipation of your approach.[1]  This very day was past as Moses recounted Israel’s history, the not-so-distant past, after all the military men had been eliminated from the community.[2]  The Hebrew word translated and to terrify was yirʼâh (ויראתך), the word I had hoped would distinguish the fear of the Lord from ordinary fear.  It was off to a good start.

When Abimelech confronted Abraham for misleading him whether Sarah was his wife, Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely no one fears (yirʼâh, יראת) God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) in this place.’”[3]  Abraham assumed that those who did not fear God would kill him to take his beautiful wife and those who fear God would not.  But he had completely misjudged Abimelech, who feared God very much (Genesis 20:2-7 NET):

Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.”  So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.  But God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife [Table].”  Now Abimelech had not gone near her.  He said, “Lord (ʼădônây, אדני), would you really slaughter an innocent nation?  Did Abraham not say to me, ‘She is my sister’?  And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’  I have done this with a clear conscience and with innocent hands!”

Then in the dream God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, האלהים) replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience.  That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her.  But now give back the man’s wife.  Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live.  But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.”

The next morning when Abimelech told his servants about the dream they were terrified (yârêʼ, וייראו + meʼôd).[4]  Abimelech’s yirʼâh was no mere emotion but resulted in concrete acts (Genesis 20:14-18 NET):

So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham.  He also gave his wife Sarah back to him [Table].  Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please [Table].”

To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your ‘brother.’  This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you [Table].”

Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children.  For the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) had caused infertility to strike every woman in the household of Abimelech because he took Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

If this were the only mention of yirʼâh I would say that fearing God is the answer, no need for Jesus to die.  So long as people fear God and He intercedes with a threatening dream and yehôvâh inflicts limited reversible bodily harm the kingdom of God can last forever as a police state.  But I’m probably extrapolating too far.  Realistically, this fear and threatening dream and reversible bodily harm prevented one adultery.  That is a long way from universal righteousness.

God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) spoke all these words: “I, the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), am your God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיך), who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery [Table].[5]  After yehôvâh spoke the ten commandments, Moses said to the people, “Do not fear (yârêʼ, תיראו), for God has come to test you, that the fear (yirʼâh, יראתו) of him may be before you so that you do not sin.”[6]  The commandments begin (Exodus 20:3-6 NET):

“You shall have no other gods (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) before me [Table].

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below [Table].  You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), your God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיך), am a jealous God (ʼêl, אל), responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me [Table], and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love (ʼâhab, לאהבי) me and keep my commandments [Table].”

The first occurrence of ʼâhab in the Bible was Abraham’s love (אהבת; Genesis 22:2) for Sarah’s son Isaac.  Isaac loved (ויאהבה; Genesis 24:67) Rebekah and (ויאהב; Genesis 25:28) Esau his son while Rebekah loved (אהבת) his brother Jacob.  Isaac also had a love (אהבתי; Genesis 27:4 – אהב; Genesis 27:9 – אהב; Genesis 27:14) for tasty food.  Jacob had fallen in love (ויאהב; Genesis 29:18) with Rachel.  Working for her father for seven years to acquire her seemed like only a few days to him because his love (באהבתו; Genesis 29:20) for her was so great.  Jacob loved (ויאהב; Genesis 29:30) Rachel more than Leah.  After she gave birth to Reuben, Leah thought surely Jacob will love (יאהבני; Genesis 29:32) me now, but he loved (אהב; Genesis 37:3) Joseph, Rachel’s firstborn, more than all his sons.  When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved (ʼâhab, אהב) him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly.[7]  They got rid of Joseph but acknowledged to him years later (though they didn’t recognize him yet) their father’s love for his younger brother Benjamin (Genesis 44:20 NET):

We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old.  The boy’s brother is dead.  He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves (ʼâhab, אהבו) him.

Introduced here in the ten commandments just as the forty-day limit of the yirʼâh of God to restrain sin was about to be made evident, the partiality of Jacob’s ʼâhab, his love for a favorite wife and favorite sons, would have been a step in the right direction if his descendants had loved yehôvâh as their favorite God and kept his commandments.  If you love me, Jesus told his disciples, you will obey my commandments.[8]  I spent too much of my life trying to obey his commandments to prove that I loved Him.  But here I want to contrast this statement to his former statement in the ten commandments.

Exodus 20:6 (NET)

 Septuagint John 14:15 (NET)

Parallel Greek
…who love me and keep my commandments. ἀγαπῶσίν με καὶ τοῖς φυλάσσουσιν τὰ προστάγματά[9] μου If you love me, you will obey my commandments. Ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτε με, τὰς ἐντολὰς (a form of ἐντολή) τὰς ἐμὰς τηρήσετε

Under law love me and keep my commandments are joined by the conjunction and (Greek: καὶ), two different things on my to-do list.  Under grace you will obey my commandments is a promise predicated on if you love me.  The difference is the meaning of love, not the difference of the meaning of ʼâhab in Hebrew and ἀγαπάω in Greek.  Both ἀγαπῶσιν and ἀγαπᾶτε above are forms of ἀγαπάω.[10]    But ʼâhab (translated ἀγαπῶσιν) was used to describe the partial love[11] of human beings before it occurred in the ten commandments, while ἀγαπᾶτε was used to describe God’s love, the fruit of his Spirit[12] which is patient, kind, not envious, does not brag, is not puffed up or rude, not self-serving, easily angered or resentful, not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things and never ends.[13]  I didn’t appreciate this difference either the first time I read John’s Gospel narrative.

The word keep above is a translation of the Hebrew word shâmar (ולשמרי).  It was translated φυλάσσουσιν (a form of φυλάσσω) in Greek in the Septuagint.  And φυλάσσουσιν was translated do…obey in the NET: For those who are circumcised do not obey (φυλάσσουσιν, a form of φυλάσσω) the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh.[14]  This is not a particularly common translation, more often translated keep in English.  The NET translators chose obey for forms of φυλάσσω any time it made any sense at all.

Jesus, for instance, didn’t pray that He had obeyed (ἐφύλαξα, another form of φυλάσσω) his disciples, but that He had watched over them.  A strong man, fully armed does not keep his possessions safe when he obeys (φυλάσσῃ, another form of φυλάσσω) his own palace, but when he guards it.  Apart from the obvious exceptions, however, I have no particular objection to translating φυλάσσω obey.  Translating forms of τηρέω obey is a bit more problematic: If you love me, you will obey (τηρήσετε, a form of τηρέω) my commandments.[15]

Again there are obvious counter examples: Jesus did not obey (ἐτήρουν, another form of τηρέω) his disciples, He kept them safe.  Mary did not obey (τηρήσῃ, another form of τηρέω) three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard,[16] She has kept it for the day of my burial,[17] Jesus said.  But there are a few other examples that were not translated obey for no apparent reason except to protect (or, obey) the sensibilities of late 20th century pre-tribulation rapture-believing Protestants, to keep them in the fold, so to speak.

Revelation 3:8 (NET)

Revelation 3:10 (NET)
I know that you have little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name. Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

Both you have obeyed and you have kept are translations of the same Greek word ἐτήρησας (another form of τηρέω).  I’ll ignore for the moment that both of these statements were addressed to the singular angel of the church in Philadelphia[18] and deal with them as I had commonly assumed.  (I’m also assuming that the NET translators wanted to translate τηρέω obey as often as possible.)  The clause you have obeyed my word is possible if I take Jesus’ word to be his answer to the question—What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?[19]—This is the deed God requires – to believe in the one whom he sent.[20]  Even when I believed that faith originated from me rather than an aspect of the fruit of his Spirit, I was more or less comfortable thinking of my faith as my obedience.

There is little more frightening to one who does not know the power and presence of the Holy Spirit than an admonition (λόγον, a form of λόγος; translated word above) to endure steadfastly.  “You have obeyed my word to endure steadfastly” (in my own strength and faithfulness) would have seemed a little too steep a price to escape the great tribulation.  Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly is not that different, really, but it would have felt a little less works oriented to me when I did not yet know the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

I may have balked at hearing Jesus say, if you want to enter into life, obey (τήρησον, another form of τηρέω) the commandments.  Or if John had written, by this we know that we have come to know God: if we obey (τηρῶμεν, another form of τηρέω) his commandments.  And, whatever we ask we receive from him, because we obey (τηροῦμεν, another form of τηρέω) his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.  Or, the person who obeys (τηρῶν, another form of τηρέω) his commandments resides in God, and God in him.  For this is the love of God: that we obey (τηρῶμεν, another form of τηρέω) his commandments.  Of course, the NET translators did translate τηροῦντες (another form of τηρέω) so as to define saints as those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.[21]

On the Christian & Missionary Alliance webpage entitled “Sanctification” [This link is no longer active. See Addendum] I read an amazing confession that “most Christians do not understand or experience…the fullness of the Holy Spirit in their lives.”  I don’t want to hit this too hard since I imagine[22] that other Christian religions experience a similar phenomenon whether they confess it or not.  In one sense I’m gratified that my problem is shared by over half of Christians.  Two causes were cited: 1) we “have been badly taught,” or 2) we “have chosen to disregard the clear teaching of the New Testament regarding sanctification.”  That diagnosis, however, lights a clear path to a prescription: better teaching on the passages of Scripture that explain that we “can’t make ourselves holy any more than we can make ourselves saved” and that “Christ is our Sanctifier in the same way that He is our Savior.”

While I’m not opposed generally to translating φυλάσσω or τηρέω obey, to also translate ὑπακούω obey causes me to wonder.  One of the reasons I enjoy the NET translation is that it feels like the translators and I grew up in the same socially constructed reality and the same religious milieu.  What was the impetus to translate all three words obey?  Were they pushed by that same impatient just do it attitude I encountered when I tried to discuss my early hesitant and tentative ideas about what the New Testament, Paul in particular, taught about righteousness?  Paul and the Holy Spirit were careful to distinguish Old Testament guarding and keeping from New Testament hearing with faith.

I heard a pastor recently (a Baptist not C&MA) say, “The Holy Spirit doesn’t stop me from sinning, just convicts me when I do.”  I gave him the benefit of the doubt at the time that he didn’t mean exactly what he had said.  His preaching style is so haphazard and stream-of-consciousness it might have meant anything:

From…

To…
Trusting Jesus as I do, believing what I believe, knowing what I know, why does sin ever erupt from this constitution of parts I call me?  Wretched man that I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?[23] The particular “sin” he had in mind but didn’t confess was man-made and of no concern to the Holy Spirit.

But what if I were still struggling with the concept of sanctification by faith?  What if I had taken his words at face value and believed them?  Would I have believed that—Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God[24]—was false?  Possibly, maybe even gratefully for a time.  But then the Holy Spirit would have kept after me, reminding me of Scriptures that contradicted the Pastor’s words (and my conclusions based on them), prodding me on with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and his control until I saw yehôvâh/Jesus again, Love Himself, leading me patiently, kindly, not hatefully, not bragging, not puffed up or rude, not self-serving, not easily angered or resentful, not glad about injustice, but rejoicing in the truth, bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things and never failing, until the very verse I thought condemned me became first a promise filled with hope, until that day it becomes a truth in actual fact.

In this particular case there was never a real issue for me.  And I can increase attendance at this Pastor’s church by as much as 25% when I show up.  So maybe any problem of this sort is self-correcting.  Still, I wonder whether the greater than half of Christians who “do not understand or experience…the fullness of the Holy Spirit in their lives” fill the pews only.  My children, Paul penned the church in Galatia over this very issue, I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you![25] 

I’ll pick this up again in another essay.  The tables I created to study φυλάσσω, τηρέω and ὑπακούω follow.

Forms of φυλάσσω Reference

NET Translation
ἐφύλαξα Matthew 19:20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws.”
Luke 18:21 The man replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”
John 17:12 When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name…
ἐφυλαξάμην Mark 10:20 The man said to him, “Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”
ἐφυλάξατε Acts 7:53 You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it.
ἐφύλαξεν 2 Peter 2:5 …and if he did not spare the ancient world, but did protect Noah, a herald of righteousness…
φυλάσσῃ Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe.
Romans 2:26 …if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law…
φυλάσσειν Acts 12:4 …he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him.
Acts 16:4 …they passed on the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers to obey.
φυλάσσεσθαι Acts 21:25 …we have written a letter, having decided that they should avoid meat that has been sacrificed to idols…
Acts 23:35 Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.
φυλάσσεσθε Luke 12:15 Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed…
2 Peter 3:17 …be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men…
φυλάσσων Acts 21:24 …but that you yourself live in conformity with the law.
Acts 22:20 …approving, and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.
φυλασσόμενος Luke 8:29 …bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard…
φυλάσσοντες Luke 2:8 …living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night.
Luke 11:28 Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!
φυλάσσοντι Acts 28:16 Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
φυλάσσου 2 Timothy 4:15 You be on guard against him too, because he vehemently opposed our words.
φυλάσσουσιν Galatians 6:13 For those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves…
φυλάξαι 2 Timothy 1:12 I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me…
Jude 1:24 Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence…
φυλάξατε 1 John 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
φυλάξῃ John 12:47 If anyone hears my words and does not obey them, I do not judge him.
φυλάξῃς 1 Timothy 5:21 Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind.
φυλάξει John 12:25 …the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.
φύλαξον 1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you.
2 Timothy 1:14 Protect that good thing entrusted to you, through the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
Forms of τηρέω Reference

NET Translation
ἐτήρησα 2 Corinthians 11:9 I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way…
ἐτήρησαν John 15:20 If they obeyed my word…
ἐτήρησας Revelation 3:8 …but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name.
Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly…
ἐτηρεῖτο Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison…
ἐτήρουν Matthew 27:36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there.
John 17:12 When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name…
Acts 12:6 …while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.
τηρῇ 1 John 2:5 But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected.
τηρῆσαι 1 Timothy 6:14 …to obey this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ…
τηρήσαντας Jude 1:6 …the angels who did not keep within their proper domain…
τηρήσατε Jude 1:21 …maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.
τηρήσῃ John 8:51 …if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.
John 8:52 …you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.’
John 12:7 Leave her alone.  She has kept it for the day of my burial.
James 2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
τηρήσῃς John 17:15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one.
τηρήσητε John 15:10 If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love…
τηρήσει John 14:23 If anyone loves me, he will obey my word…
τηρήσετε John 14:15 If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
τηρήσω 2 Corinthians 11:9 …a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
Revelation 3:10 …I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world…
τήρησον Matthew 19:17 But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
John 17:11 Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that you have given me…
τηρήσουσιν John 15:20 …they will obey yours too.
τηρηθῆναι Acts 25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty…
τηρηθείη 1 Thessalonians 5:23 …may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
τηρεῖ John 9:16 This man is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath.
John 14:24 The person who does not love me does not obey my words.
1 Timothy 5:22 Keep yourself pure.
1 John 5:18 God protects the one he has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him.
Revelation 3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent.
τηρεῖν Matthew 28:20 …teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
Acts 15:5 It is necessary to circumcise the Gentiles and to order them to observe the law…
Acts 16:23 …they threw them into prison and commanded the jailer to guard them securely.
1 Corinthians 7:37 …and has decided in his own mind to keep his own virgin, does well.
Ephesians 4:3 …making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
James 1:27 …to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
2 Peter 2:9 …and to reserve the unrighteous for punishment at the day of judgment…
τηρεῖσθαι Acts 24:23 He ordered the centurion to guard Paul…
Acts 25:4 Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea…
Acts 25:21 I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.
τηρεῖτε Matthew 23:3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it.
τηρῶ John 8:55 But I do know him, and I obey his teaching.
τηρῶμεν 1 John 2:3 …we have come to know [him]: if we keep his commandments.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments.
τηρῶν John 14:21 The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me.
1 John 2:4 The one who says “I have come to know [him]” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar…
1 John 3:24 And the person who keeps his commandments resides in [him]…
Revelation 2:26 And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end…
Revelation 16:15 Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes…
Revelation 22:7 Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book.
τηροῦμεν 1 John 3:22 …whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.
τηρούμενοι 2 Peter 3:7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
τηρουμένους 2 Peter 2:4 …but threw them into hell and locked them up in chains in utter darkness, to be kept until the judgment…
τηροῦντες Matthew 27:54 Now when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus…
Matthew 28:4 The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him.
Revelation 1:3 …blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near!
Revelation 14:12 This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.
τηρούντων Revelation 12:17 …the rest of her children, those who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus.
Revelation 22:9 I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who obey the words of this book.
τετήρηκα John 15:10 …just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!
τετήρηκαν John 17:6 They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word.
τετήρηκας John 2:10 You have kept the good wine until now!
τετήρηκεν Jude 1:6 …he has kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up for the judgment of the great Day.
τετηρημένην 1 Peter 1:4 …an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.  It is reserved in heaven for you…
τετηρημένοις Jude 1:1 …those who are called, wrapped in the love of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.
τετήρηται 2 Peter 2:17 …for whom the utter depths of darkness have been reserved.
Jude 1:13 …wayward stars for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness have been reserved.
Forms of ὑπακούω Reference

NET Translation
ὑπακούει Mark 4:41 Who then is this?  Even the wind and sea obey him!
2 Thessalonians 3:14 But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter…
ὑπακούειν Romans 6:12 …do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires…
ὑπακούετε Romans 6:16 …you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or…
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.
Ephesians 6:5 Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ…
Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord.
Colossians 3:22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching…
ὑπακούουσιν Matthew 8:27 What sort of person is this?  Even the winds and the sea obey him!
Mark 1:27 A new teaching with authority!  He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.
Luke 8:25 Who then is this?  He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!
2 Thessalonians 1:8 …those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Hebrews 5:9 …he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…
ὑπακοῦσαι Acts 12:13 When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered.
ὑπήκουον Acts 6:7 …and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
ὑπήκουσαν Romans 10:16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says…
ὑπηκούσατε Romans 6:17 …you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to…
Philippians 2:12 …just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence…
ὑπήκουσεν Luke 17:6 …‘Be pulled out by the roots and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance…
1 Peter 3:6 …like Sarah who obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children…

Addendum (June 3, 2023): The current “Statement on Sanctification” seems to contain much better teaching on the subject.

“We are called to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29, 1 John 3:3). Rather than commanding us to imitate Him, the New Testament reveals a truth more profound and dynamic. The New Testament teaches that the life of Christ can be lived in and through us (Galatians 2:20). Jesus, Himself indwells us by His Holy Spirit and lives out His life in and through us. Christ is the life-transforming power of sanctification. In the words of Dr. Simpson, He [Christ] actually comes into our being and becomes the source and strength of our very life, reliving His own life in us.7 He further said,

This is the end to which the Spirit is always working, not to develop in us a character, a set of human virtues and high qualities that we call our own, but to form Christ in us and teach us to live in constant dependence upon Him.”8

[1] Deuteronomy 2:25 (NET)

[2] Deuteronomy 2:16 (NET)

[3] Genesis 20:11a (NET) [Table]

[4] Genesis 20:8 (NET)

[5] Exodus 20:1, 2 (NET)

[6] Exodus 20:20 (NET)

[7] Genesis 37:4 (NET)

[8] John 14:15 (NET)

[9] http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=prosta%2Fgmata&la=greek&can=prosta%2Fgmata0&prior=leit

[10] If you love (ἀγαπᾶτε, a form of ἀγαπάω) those who love you, what credit (χάρις; literally graciousness, grace) is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love (ἀγαπῶσιν, another form of ἀγαπάω) them. (Luke 6:32 NET)

[11] Here I’ll add back the occurrence I removed from my survey of ʼâhab: Shechem fell in love (ויאהב; Genesis 34:3 NET) with Jacob’s daughter Dinah after he grabbed her, forced himself on her, and sexually assaulted her (Genesis 34:2 NET)

[12] Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

[13] 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (NET)

[14] Galatians 6:13 (NET)

[15] John 14:15 (NET)

[16] John 12:3 (NET)

[17] John 12:7b (NET)

[18] Revelation 3:7 (NET)

[19] John 6:28 (NET)

[20] John 6:29 (NET)

[21] Revelation 14:12 (NET)

[22] I offer “Five Views on Sanctification” by Mike Sullivan as evidence for my imagining.  It’s an interesting survey of others’ struggles with sanctification.  Xenos has its critics and defenders.

[23] Romans 7:24 (NET)

[24] 1 John 3:9 (NET)

[25] Galatians 4:19 (NET)

Romans, Part 29

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There is therefore now no condemnation (κατάκριμα)[1] for those who are in Christ Jesus (ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ),[2] Paul continued.  I want to list some of the things that are true for those in Christ Jesus:

In Christ Jesus…
1) …born of water and spirit…What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:5, 6 (NET)
2) …the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.

Galatians 5:17 (NET)
3) I delight in the law of God in my inner being.

Romans 7:22 (NET)
4) I know that nothing good lives…in my flesh.

Romans 7:18a (NET)
5) I want to do the good, but I cannot do it.

Romans 7:18b (NET)
6) I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want!

Romans 7:19 (NET)
7) Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.

Romans 7:20 (NET)
8) So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:25b (NKJV)
9) There is therefore now no condemnation…

Romans 8:1a (NET)

For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.[3]  All of this was achieved by God.  For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned (κατέκρινεν, a form of κατακρίνω)[4] sin in the flesh…[5]

Only God knows how much sin is condemned in my flesh.  I have a general sense that while I’m preoccupied (and frustrated) with the opposition of the flesh that keeps me from the perfection I want (and think I should demonstrate by the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ)[6] less and less of the sin (that is the desire of the flesh) sees the light of day.  It is not expressed in the world.  It is confined, trapped, condemned in dead and dying flesh.

I am the resurrection and the life, Jesus said.  The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die.[7]  This was a difficult saying for Martha to believe, many years before Paul wrote to the Romans.  Jesus asked her, Do you believe this?[8]  Martha’s answer was a model of tactful diplomacy, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who comes into the world.[9]

Jesus knew Martha’s brother was sick, but deliberately waited two more days until he died.[10]  Our friend, He told his disciples, has fallen asleep.  But I am going there to awaken him.[11]  His disciples were not eager to return to Judea.  Rabbi, they said, the Jewish leaders were just now trying to stone you to death!  [Jesus had claimed to be Yahweh, John 8:58, 59 NET]  Are you going there again?[12]  Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.[13]  So Jesus told them plainly that he was dead, and said, I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe.[14]

Jesus had deliberately contrived this situation as an object lesson for his disciples, but then Mary, Martha’s sister, came and fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died:”[15]

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the people who had come with her weeping, he was intensely moved in spirit and greatly distressed.  He asked, “Where have you laid him?”  They replied, “Lord, come and see.”  Jesus wept.[16]

It was a profound moment.  Only He knows how many people He killed as Yahweh, sinners, yes, but people.  He planned the death of Martha’s and Mary’s brother.  He knew what He intended to do in the next few moments.  And yet He wept.  To say that Yahweh was not empathetic with human death would be false.  I’m particularly affected by the implications of Genesis 18, that before the omniscient, omnipresent Yahweh decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah he took physical form and walked its streets.  But there is something even more affecting about Yahweh, born of the flesh of Adam as Jesus, standing before the tomb of a friend weeping human tears from human eyes.

Take away the stone,[17] Jesus said.  Martha, ever the proper hostess, protested, Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell, because he has been buried four days.[18]  Jesus responded (John 11:40-44 NET):

“Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?”  So they took away the stone.  Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you that you have listened to me.  I knew that you always listen to me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that you sent me.”  When he had said this, he shouted in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, and a cloth wrapped around his face.  Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord[19]…who will rescue me from this body of death.[20]  The ultimate condemnation of sin in the flesh is the death of the body.  The one who believes in me will live even if he dies,[21] Jesus promised everyone born of the flesh and of the Spirit.  To those who already consider themselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus,[22] who accept their new identities, with the mind [they themselves] serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin,[23] Jesus promised, the one who lives and believes in me will never die.[24]  To them the well-deserved demise of the body of death is a welcome relief, not a cause of apprehension.

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death,[25] is the way the writer of Hebrews put it.  Paul concluded, so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled (πληρωθῇ, a form of πληρόω)[26] in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.[27]  The righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled by the righteousness of God [apart from the law[28]] through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe,[29] the love that is the fulfillment (πλήρωμα)[30] of the law,[31] the fruit of the Spirit[32] of God, in other words, to walk according…to the Spirit.  As Jesus said, Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.  I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill (πληρῶσαι, another form of πληρόω) them.[33]

Paul continued (Romans 8:5-11 NET):

For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit.  For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.  Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.  But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness.  Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.

Peter’s Way?

Romans, Part 30

Back to Romans, Part 31

Back to Romans, Part 32

Back to Romans, Part 35

Back to Son of God – John, Part 5

Back to Saving Demons, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 45

[2] Romans 8:1 (NET)

[3] Romans 8:2 (NET)

[5] Romans 8:3 (NET)

[7] John 11:25, 26a (NET)

[8] John 11:26b (NET)

[9] John 11:27 (NET)

[10] John 11:6 (NET)

[11] John 11:11 (NET)

[12] John 11:8 (NET)

[13] John 11:12 (NET)

[14] John 11:15 (NET)

[15] John 11:32 (NET)

[16] John 11:33-35 (NET)

[17] John 11:39a (NET)

[18] John 11:39b (NET)

[19] Romans 7:25a (NET)

[20] Romans 7:24b (NET)

[21] John 11:25b (NET)

[23] Romans 7:25b (NET)

[24] John 11:26a (NET)

[25] Hebrews 2:14, 15 (NET)

[27] Romans 8:4 (NET)

[33] Matthew 5:17 (NET)