Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 16

Posted on November 29, 2020 by admin

Moses recalled what the people of Israel had said to him as well as what יְהֹוָה֙ (Yehovah) said about what the people had said:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 5:24-27 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:27-29 (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:27-29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:27-29 (Elpenor English)
Go thou near, and hear all that HaShem our G-d may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that HaShem our G-d may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.’	You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”	You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”	Do thou draw near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and thou shalt speak to us all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak to thee, and we will hear, and do.
And HaShem heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and HaShem said unto me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken.	When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you—they have spoken well.	And the Lord heard the sound of your words when you were speaking to me: “I have heard the sound of the words of this people, what they have spoken to you; all that they have spoken they have spoken correctly.	And the Lord heard the voice of your words as ye spoke to me; and the Lord said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, even all things that they have said to thee. [They have] well [said] all that they have spoken.
Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!	If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.	Who shall grant that their heart be in them in such a way that they fear me and keep my commandments in all their days so that it might go well with them and their sons forever!	O that there were such a heart in them, that they should fear me and keep my commands always, that it might be well with them and with their sons for ever.

Here is a very accessible definition of the fear (yare’, לְיִרְאָ֥ה; Septugaint: φοβεῖσθαί, a form of φοβέω) of the Lord: a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NET)	Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (Elpenor English)
Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which HaShem your G-d commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it–	Now these are the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed	And these are the commandments and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord your God commanded to teach you to do so in the land which you are entering there to inherit	And these [are] the commands, and the ordinances, and the judgments, as many as the Lord our God gave commandment to teach you to do so in the land on which ye enter to inherit it.
that thou mightest fear HaShem thy G-d, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.	and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments that I am giving you—you, your children, and your grandchildren—all your lives, to prolong your days.	so that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments that I command you today, you and your sons and your sons’ sons, all the days of your life so that you may be long-lived.	That ye may fear the Lord your God, keep ye all his ordinances, and his commandments, which I command thee to-day, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, all the days of thy life, that ye may live many days.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as HaShem, the G-d of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee–a land flowing with milk and honey.	Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number—as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.	Now hear, O Israel, and be watchful to perform so that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.	Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do them, that it may be well with thee, and that ye may be greatly multiplied, as the Lord God of thy fathers said that he would give thee a land flowing with milk and honey: and these [are] the ordinances, and the judgments, which the Lord commanded the children of Israel in the wilderness, when they had gone forth from the land of Egypt.

Here, too, fear was תִּירָ֜א (yare’; Septuagint: φοβῆσθε, a form of φοβέω). It seems important to hold on to this definition of fear as it relates to the Lord: a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak. This is the first moment I think I have understood the psalmist: The fear^[1] of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever and ever.^[2]

Since I have read the Bible before and know that most in Israel did not have a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak, my religious mind can fall from this definition of fear of the Lord all too easily. It begins to substitute fear of the kind of things that happened to Israel in the power of darkness when they did not have the fear of the Lord: a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak. To make such a substitution is similar to the thinking of those who exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!^[3]

And as I consider Paul’s loving (Romans 9:1-5) diagnosis of Israel’s history, faith is clearly an aspect of the fear of the Lord (Romans 9:30-32a NET):

What shall we say then?—that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it [Table]. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works [Table].

Paul didn’t eliminate the concept of service from the Gospel of Jesus Christ: God, whom I serve (λατρεύω) in my spirit in the gospel of his Son,^[4] he wrote.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (NET)	Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (Elpenor English)
Thou shalt fear HaShem thy G-d; and Him shalt thou serve, and by His name shalt thou swear [Table].	You must revere the Lord your God, serve him, and take oaths using only his name.	The Lord your God you shall fear, and him you shall serve, and to him you shall cling, and by his name you shall swear.	Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; and thou shalt cleave to him, and by his name thou shalt swear.
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you;	You must not go after other gods, those of the surrounding peoples,	Do not go after other gods from the gods of the nations around you,	Go ye not after other gods of the gods of the nations round about you;
for a jealous G-d, even HaShem thy G-d, is in the midst of thee; lest the anger of HaShem thy G-d be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off the face of the earth.	for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a jealous God—his anger will erupt against you and remove you from the land.	because the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a jealous god. Lest the Lord your God, being angered with wrath against you, destroy you utterly from the face of the earth.	for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] a jealous God, lest the Lord thy God be very angry with thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Here fear was תִּירָ֖א (yare’; Septuagint: φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω). The fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak^[5]—is associated with and Him shalt thou serve (Tanakh), and him only shalt thou serve (English Elpenor).

The Hebrew word translated and Him shalt thou serve was תַֽעֲבֹ֑ד (`abad). It was translated καὶ αὐτῷ λατρεύσεις (NETS: and him you shall serve) or καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις (Elpenor; English: and him only shalt thou serve) in the Septuagint. Whether μόνῳ (only) was deleted from the Masoretic text or added to the Elpenor Septuagint, Jesus quoted μόνῳ to Satan. But now we have been released from the law, Paul described one result of the Gospel, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.^[6]

The fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—is also associated with καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ (NETS: and to him you shall cling) in the Septuagint. This is missing from the Masoretic text.

The fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—is also associated with וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ (shem; Tanakh: and by His name) תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ (shaba`, Tanakh: shalt thou swear). The Greek of the Septuagint was καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ (BLB) or καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ (Elpenor). The Greek word ὀμῇ is a form of ὄμνυμι. Other forms of ὄμνυμι occur in Jesus’ revision of oath taking (Matthew 5:33-37 NET):

“Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows (ὅρκους, a form of ὅρκος) to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not take oaths (ὀμόσαι, another form of ὄμνυμι) at all—not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, not by earth because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Do not take an oath (ὀμόσῃς, another form of ὄμνυμι) by your head because you are not able to make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one.

But even Jesus’ revision of oath taking and presumably its relationship to the fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—doesn’t justify incorporating God’s anger stirred up against going after other gods into the definition of the fear of the Lord, despite my religious mind’s struggle to revise the text: Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God…lest the Lord thy God be very angry with thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.^[7]

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:24 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (NET)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (Elpenor English)
And HaShem commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear HaShem our G-d, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.	The Lord commanded us to obey all these statutes and to revere him so that it may always go well for us and he may preserve us, as he has to this day.	And the Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, so that it may be well for us all our days so that we may live, as it is today.	And the Lord charged us to observe all these ordinances; to fear the Lord our God, that it may be well with us for ever, that we may live, as even today.

Here, too, fear was לְיִרְאָ֖ה (yare’) in Hebrew, and φοβεῖσθαι (a form of φοβέω) in Greek in the Septuagint. It was associated again with לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ (`asah), to do all these statutes (Tanakh), and ποιεῖν (a form of ποιέω) in Greek, to observe all these ordinances (English Elpenor). This fear of יְהֹוָ֗ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—is for our good always (Tanakh).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (NET)	Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (Elpenor English)
If thou shalt say in thy heart: ‘These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?’	If you think, “These nations are more numerous than I—how can I dispossess them?”	But if you say in your mind, “This nation is more numerous than I; how will I be able to destroy them utterly?”	But if thou shouldest say in thine heart, This nation [is] greater than I, how shall I be able to destroy them utterly?
thou shalt not be afraid of them; thou shalt well remember what HaShem thy G-d did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt:	you must not fear them. You must carefully recall what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt,	you shall not be afraid of them. With remembrance you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians,	thou shalt not fear them; thou shalt surely remember all that the Lord thy God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians:
the great trials which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, whereby HaShem thy G-d brought thee out; so shall HaShem thy G-d do unto all the peoples of whom thou art afraid.	the great judgments you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power by which he brought you out—thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear.	the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and those great wonders, the strong hand and the high arm as the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord our God will do thus to all the nations of whose faces you are afraid.	the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, those signs and great wonders, the strong hand, and the high arm; how the Lord thy God brought thee forth: so the Lord your God will do to all the nations, whom thou fearest in their presence.

The Hebrew word translated art afraid (Tanakh) and fear (NET) in verse 19 was ירא (yare’). It was translated φοβῇ (a form of φοβέω), you are afraid (NETS) and thou fearest (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. I’m reasonably convinced that this is a more natural use of the word fear (though even here it may be respect). I’m much less sure of the usage in verse 18.

Did Moses caution Israel, thou shalt not be afraid of them (Tanakh), because he assumed that they were afraid (yare’, תִירָ֖א) to engage an enemy that was more numerous (NET), רַבִּ֛ים (rab)? Or did he command Israel, thou shalt not fear them (English Elpenor), φοβηθήσῃ (a form of φοβέω)—that is, not have a heart to hear and do whatsoever the enemy shall speak—because the people of Israel might think this enemy nation [was] greater than Israel (English Elpenor), πολὺ (a form of πολύς)?

It’s important here to consider the command the people of Israel were to have a heart to hear and do:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 7:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (NET)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (Elpenor English)
And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.	You must destroy all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.	And you shall eat all the spoils of the nations that the Lord your God is giving to you; your eye shall not be sparing to them, and you shall not serve their gods, for this is a stumbling block to you.	And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.

Holy genocide with extreme prejudice sounds strange to anyone being rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:14-21), but Yehovah/Jesus had not yet made peace through the blood of his cross. He had not yet revised the law (Matthew 5:38-45 NET):

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well [Table]. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you [Table].

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you [Table], so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous [Table].

As Paul wrote to Timothy, we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.^[8] I‘ll continue this in another essay.

A note (44) in the NET claimed that Jesus quoted Leviticus 19:12. Frankly, I don’t see it. A table comparing Jesus’ supposed quotation with the Septuagint follows.

Matthew 5:33b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐπιορκήσεις, ἀποδώσεις δὲ τῷ κυρίῳ τοὺς ὅρκους σου	καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῗσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾽ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῖσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾿ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν· ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Matthew 5:33b (NET)	Leviticus 19:12 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:12 (English Elpenor)
Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.	And you shall not swear by my name in an unjust matter, and you shall not profane the name of your God; it is J wha am the Lord your God.	And ye shall not swear unjustly by my name, and ye shall not profane the holy name of your God: I am the Lord your God.

A table comparing the occurrences of forms of שָׁמַע (shama`) above, translated with forms of ἀκούω in the Septuagint, follow.

Reference	Chabad.org	Tanakh	NET	BLB	Elpenor
Deuteronomy 5:27 (5:24)	וְשָׁמַ֥עְנוּ	and we will hear it	then we will pay attention	καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα	καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα
Deuteronomy 6:3	וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֤	Hear therefore	Pay attention	καὶ ἄκουσον	καὶ ἄκουσον

A table comparing the occurrences of forms of עָשָׂה (`asah) above, translated with forms of ποιέω in the Septuagint, follow.

Reference	Chabad.org	Tanakh	NET	BLB	Elpenor
Deuteronomy 5:27 (5:24)	וְעָשִֽׂינוּ	and do it	and do it	καὶ ποιήσομεν	καὶ ποιήσομεν
Deuteronomy 6:1	לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת	that ye might do them	so that you may carry them out	ποιεῗν οὕτως	ποιεῖν οὕτως
Deuteronomy 6:3	לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת	to do it	to do this	ποιεῗν	ποιεῖν
Deuteronomy 6:24	לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙	to do	to obey	ποιεῗν	ποιεῖν

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 5:27 (5:24); 5:28 (5:25); 5:29 (5:26); 6:1; 6:2; 6:3; Psalm 19:9; Deuteronomy 6:14; 6:15; 6:24; 7:17; 7:18; 7:19; 7:16 and Leviticus 19:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Deuteronomy 5:27; 5:28; 5:29; 6:1; 6:2; 6:3; Psalm 19:9 (18:10); Deuteronomy 6:14; 6:15; 6:24; 7:17; 7:18; 7:19; 7:16 and Leviticus 19:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Tables comparing Colossians 1:20 and 1 Timothy 4:10 in the NET and KJV follows those.

Deuteronomy 5:24 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (NET)
Go thou near, and hear all that HaShem our G-d may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that HaShem our G-d may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.’	Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.	You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”

Deuteronomy 5:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρόσελθε σὺ καὶ ἄκουσον ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ σὺ λαλήσεις πρὸς ἡμᾶς πάντα ὅσα ἂν λαλήσῃ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πρὸς σέ καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα καὶ ποιήσομεν	πρόσελθε σὺ καὶ ἄκουσον πάντα, ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ σὺ λαλήσεις πρὸς ἡμᾶς πάντα, ὅσα ἂν λαλήσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πρὸς σέ, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα καὶ ποιήσομεν
Deuteronomy 5:27 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (English Elpenor)
Go you near, and hear whatever the Lord our God may say. And you shall speak to us all things, whatever the Lord our God may speak to you, and we will hear it and do it.”	Do thou draw near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and thou shalt speak to us all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak to thee, and we will hear, and do.

Deuteronomy 5:25 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (NET)
And HaShem heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and HaShem said unto me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken.	And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.	When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you—they have spoken well.

Deuteronomy 5:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤκουσεν κύριος τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων ὑμῶν λαλούντων πρός με καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρός με ἤκουσα τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ὅσα ἐλάλησαν πρὸς σέ ὀρθῶς πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησαν	καὶ ἤκουσε Κύριος τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων ὑμῶν λαλούντων πρός με, καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρός με· ἤκουσα τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, ὅσα ἐλάλησαν πρός σε· ὀρθῶς πάντα, ὅσα ἐλάλησαν
Deuteronomy 5:28 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord heard the sound of your words when you were speaking to me: “I have heard the sound of the words of this people, what they have spoken to you; all that they have spoken they have spoken correctly.	And the Lord heard the voice of your words as ye spoke to me; and the Lord said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, even all things that they have said to thee. [They have] well [said] all that they have spoken.

Deuteronomy 5:26 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (NET)
Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!	O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!	If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.

Deuteronomy 5:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς δώσει οὕτως εἶναι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἐν αὐτοῗς ὥστε φοβεῗσθαί με καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι τὰς ἐντολάς μου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἵνα εὖ ᾖ αὐτοῗς καὶ τοῗς υἱοῗς αὐτῶν δι᾽ αἰῶνος	τίς δώσει εἶναι οὕτω τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὥστε φοβεῖσθαί με καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι τὰς ἐντολάς μου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἵνα εὖ ᾖ αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῶν δι᾿ αἰῶνος
Deuteronomy 5:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (English Elpenor)
Who shall grant that their heart be in them in such a way that they fear me and keep my commandments in all their days so that it might go well with them and their sons forever!	O that there were such a heart in them, that they should fear me and keep my commands always, that it might be well with them and with their sons for ever.

Deuteronomy 6:1 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (NET)
Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which HaShem your G-d commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it–	Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:	Now these are the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed

Deuteronomy 6:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὗται αἱ ἐντολαὶ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα ὅσα ἐνετείλατο κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν διδάξαι ὑμᾶς ποιεῗν οὕτως ἐν τῇ γῇ εἰς ἣν ὑμεῗς εἰσπορεύεσθε ἐκεῗ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν	ΚΑΙ αὗται αἱ ἐντολαὶ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα, ὅσα ἐνετείλατο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν διδάξαι ὑμᾶς ποιεῖν οὕτως ἐν τῇ γῇ, εἰς ἣν ὑμεῖς εἰσπορεύεσθε ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν
Deuteronomy 6:1 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (English Elpenor)
And these are the commandments and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord your God commanded to teach you to do so in the land which you are entering there to inherit	And these [are] the commands, and the ordinances, and the judgments, as many as the Lord our God gave commandment to teach you to do so in the land on which ye enter to inherit it.

Deuteronomy 6:2 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (NET)
that thou mightest fear HaShem thy G-d, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.	That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.	and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments that I am giving you—you, your children, and your grandchildren—all your lives, to prolong your days.

Deuteronomy 6:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα φοβῆσθε κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν φυλάσσεσθαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν υἱῶν σου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου ἵνα μακροημερεύσητε	ἵνα φοβῆσθε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ὑμῶν, φυλάσσεσθαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν υἱῶν σου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου, ἵνα μακροημερεύσητε
Deuteronomy 6:2 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (English Elpenor)
so that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments that I command you today, you and your sons and your sons’ sons, all the days of your life so that you may be long-lived.	That ye may fear the Lord your God, keep ye all his ordinances, and his commandments, which I command thee to-day, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, all the days of thy life, that ye may live many days.

Deuteronomy 6:3 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (NET)
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as HaShem, the G-d of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee–a land flowing with milk and honey.	Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.	Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number—as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 6:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἄκουσον Ισραηλ καὶ φύλαξαι ποιεῗν ὅπως εὖ σοι ᾖ καὶ ἵνα πληθυνθῆτε σφόδρα καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων σου δοῦναί σοι γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι	καὶ ἄκουσον, ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ φύλαξον ποιεῖν, ὅπως εὖ σοι ᾖ καὶ ἵνα πληθυνθῆτε σφόδρα, καθάπερ ἐλάλησε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων σου δοῦναί σοι γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι. καὶ ταῦτα τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα, ὅσα ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.
Deuteronomy 6:3 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (English Elpenor)
Now hear, O Israel, and be watchful to perform so that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.	Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do them, that it may be well with thee, and that ye may be greatly multiplied, as the Lord God of thy fathers said that he would give thee a land flowing with milk and honey: and these [are] the ordinances, and the judgments, which the Lord commanded the children of Israel in the wilderness, when they had gone forth from the land of Egypt.

Psalm 19:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 19:9 (KJV)	Psalm 19:9 (NET)
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.	The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.	The commands to fear the Lord are right and endure forever. The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy and absolutely just.

Psalm 19:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 18:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ φόβος κυρίου ἁγνός διαμένων εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος τὰ κρίματα κυρίου ἀληθινά δεδικαιωμένα ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό	ὁ φόβος Κυρίου ἁγνός, διαμένων εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος· τὰ κρίματα Κυρίου ἀληθινά, δεδικαιωμένα ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό
Psalm 18:10 (NETS)	Psalm 18:10 (English Elpenor)
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever and ever; the judgments of the Lord are valid, justified altogether,	The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, [and] justified altogether.

Deuteronomy 6:14 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (NET)
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you;	Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;	You must not go after other gods, those of the surrounding peoples,

Deuteronomy 6:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ πορεύσεσθε ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων ἀπὸ τῶν θεῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν περικύκλῳ ὑμῶν	οὐ πορεύεσθε ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων ἀπὸ τῶν θεῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν περικύκλῳ ὑμῶν,
Deuteronomy 6:14 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (English Elpenor)
Do not go after other gods from the gods of the nations around you,	Go ye not after other gods of the gods of the nations round about you;

Deuteronomy 6:15 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (NET)
for a jealous G-d, even HaShem thy G-d, is in the midst of thee; lest the anger of HaShem thy G-d be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off the face of the earth.	(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.	for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a jealous God—his anger will erupt against you and remove you from the land.

Deuteronomy 6:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι θεὸς ζηλωτὴς κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν σοί μὴ ὀργισθεὶς θυμωθῇ κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν σοὶ καὶ ἐξολεθρεύσῃ σε ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς	ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ζηλωτὴς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν σοί, μὴ ὀργισθεὶς θυμῷ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σού σοι ἐξολοθρεύσῃ σε ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς
Deuteronomy 6:15 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (English Elpenor)
because the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a jealous god. Lest the Lord your God, being angered with wrath against you, destroy you utterly from the face of the earth.	for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] a jealous God, lest the Lord thy God be very angry with thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:24 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (NET)
And HaShem commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear HaShem our G-d, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.	And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.	The Lord commanded us to obey all these statutes and to revere him so that it may always go well for us and he may preserve us, as he has to this day.

Deuteronomy 6:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνετείλατο ἡμῗν κύριος ποιεῗν πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα φοβεῗσθαι κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν ἵνα εὖ ᾖ ἡμῗν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἵνα ζῶμεν ὥσπερ καὶ σήμερον	καὶ ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν Κύριος ποιεῖν πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα φοβεῖσθαι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, ἵνα εὖ ᾖ ἡμῖν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἵνα ζῶμεν ὥσπερ καὶ σήμερον
Deuteronomy 6:24 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, so that it may be well for us all our days so that we may live, as it is today.	And the Lord charged us to observe all these ordinances; to fear the Lord our God, that it may be well with us for ever, that we may live, as even today.

Deuteronomy 7:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (NET)
If thou shalt say in thy heart: ‘These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?’	If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?	If you think, “These nations are more numerous than I—how can I dispossess them?”

Deuteronomy 7:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ λέγῃς ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου ὅτι πολὺ τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο ἢ ἐγώ πῶς δυνήσομαι ἐξολεθρεῦσαι αὐτούς	ἐὰν δὲ λέγῃς ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου, ὅτι πολὺ τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο ἢ ἐγώ, πῶς δυνήσομαι ἐξολοθρεῦσαι αὐτούς
Deuteronomy 7:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (English Elpenor)
But if you say in your mind, “This nation is more numerous than I; how will I be able to destroy them utterly?”	But if thou shouldest say in thine heart, This nation [is] greater than I, how shall I be able to destroy them utterly?

Deuteronomy 7:18 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (NET)
thou shalt not be afraid of them; thou shalt well remember what HaShem thy G-d did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt:	Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;	you must not fear them. You must carefully recall what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt,

Deuteronomy 7:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ φοβηθήσῃ αὐτούς μνείᾳ μνησθήσῃ ὅσα ἐποίησεν κύριος ὁ θεός σου τῷ Φαραω καὶ πᾶσι τοῗς Αἰγυπτίοις	οὐ φοβηθήσῃ αὐτούς· μνείᾳ μνησθήσῃ ὅσα ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τῷ Φαραὼ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις
Deuteronomy 7:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (English Elpenor)
you shall not be afraid of them. With remembrance you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians,	thou shalt not fear them; thou shalt surely remember all that the Lord thy God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians:

Deuteronomy 7:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (NET)
the great trials which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, whereby HaShem thy G-d brought thee out; so shall HaShem thy G-d do unto all the peoples of whom thou art afraid.	The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.	the great judgments you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power by which he brought you out—thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear.

Deuteronomy 7:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοὺς πειρασμοὺς τοὺς μεγάλους οὓς εἴδοσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου τὰ σημεῗα καὶ τὰ τέρατα τὰ μεγάλα ἐκεῗνα τὴν χεῗρα τὴν κραταιὰν καὶ τὸν βραχίονα τὸν ὑψηλόν ὡς ἐξήγαγέν σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου οὕτως ποιήσει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πᾶσιν τοῗς ἔθνεσιν οὓς σὺ φοβῇ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν	τοὺς πειρασμοὺς τοὺς μεγάλους, οὓς εἴδοσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου, τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα τὰ μεγάλα ἐκεῖνα, τὴν χεῖρα τὴν κραταιὰν καὶ τὸν βραχίονα τὸν ὑψηλόν, ὡς ἐξήγαγέ σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, οὕτω ποιήσει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὓς σὺ φοβῇ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 7:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (English Elpenor)
the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and those great wonders, the strong hand and the high arm as the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord our God will do thus to all the nations of whose faces you are afraid.	the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, those signs and great wonders, the strong hand, and the high arm; how the Lord thy God brought thee forth: so the Lord your God will do to all the nations, whom thou fearest in their presence.

Deuteronomy 7:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (NET)
And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.	And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.	You must destroy all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Deuteronomy 7:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ φάγῃ πάντα τὰ σκῦλα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἃ κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῗς καὶ οὐ λατρεύσεις τοῗς θεοῗς αὐτῶν ὅτι σκῶλον τοῦτό ἐστίν σοι	καὶ φαγῇ πάντα τὰ σκῦλα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι· οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐ μὴ λατρεύσῃς^[9] τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν, ὅτι σκῶλον τοῦτό ἐστί σοι
Deuteronomy 7:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (English Elpenor)
And you shall eat all the spoils of the nations that the Lord your God is giving to you; your eye shall not be sparing to them, and you shall not serve their gods, for this is a stumbling block to you.	And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.

Leviticus 19:12 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 19:12 (KJV)	Leviticus 19:12 (NET)
And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, so that thou profane the name of thy G-d: I am HaShem.	And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.	You must not swear falsely in my name, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῗσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾽ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῖσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾿ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν· ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Leviticus 19:12 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:12 (English Elpenor)
And you shall not swear by my name in an unjust matter, and you shall not profane the name of your God; it is J wha am the Lord your God.	And ye shall not swear unjustly by my name, and ye shall not profane the holy name of your God: I am the Lord your God.

Colossians 1:20 (NET)	Colossians 1:20 (KJV)
and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.	And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, [δι᾿ αὐτοῦ] εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς	και δι αυτου αποκαταλλαξαι τα παντα εις αυτον ειρηνοποιησας δια του αιματος του σταυρου αυτου δι αυτου ειτε τα επι της γης ειτε τα εν τοις ουρανοις	και δι αυτου αποκαταλλαξαι τα παντα εις αυτον ειρηνοποιησας δια του αιματος του σταυρου αυτου δι αυτου ειτε τα επι της γης ειτε τα επι τοις ουρανοις

1 Timothy 4:10 (NET)	1 Timothy 4:10 (KJV)
In fact this is why we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.	For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ἀγωνιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων μάλιστα πιστῶν	εις τουτο γαρ και κοπιωμεν και ονειδιζομεθα οτι ηλπικαμεν επι θεω ζωντι ος εστιν σωτηρ παντων ανθρωπων μαλιστα πιστων	εις τουτο γαρ και κοπιωμεν και ονειδιζομεθα οτι ηλπικαμεν επι θεω ζωντι ος εστιν σωτηρ παντων ανθρωπων μαλιστα πιστων

Back to The Will of God – Jesus, Part 1

Back to Patterns of Evidence: Exodus

Back to Peter’s Second Gospel Proclamation, Part 3

^[1] The Hebrew word was יִרְאַ֚ת (yir’ah) rather than יָרֵא (yare’) but I think their relationship is that of a noun to its verb. It was translated with the Greek noun φόβος in the Septuagint.

^[2] Psalm 18:10a (19:9a) English Elpenor

^[3] Romans 1:25 (NET)

^[4] Romans 1:9a (NET)

^[5] Jesus was apparently willing to call fear (φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω) worship (προσκυνήσεις, a form of προσκυνέω) here.

^[6] Romans 7:6 (NET)

^[7] Deuteronomy 6:13a, 15b (English Elpenor)

^[8] 1 Timothy 4:10b (NET)

^[9] The double negative οὐ μὴ with a verb λατρεύσῃς in the subjunctive mood is a Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation. The people of Israel ultimately proved this statement—and thou shalt not serve their gods—false in the flesh. It reminds me however that it only becomes true of those led by Spirit.

My Deeds, Part 3

Posted on March 7, 2018 by admin

There is a table representing my unstudied view of the relationship of the clauses of Revelation 2:26-29. I’m considering the clause, who continues in my deeds until the end, because it tugs the hardest at me to return to my own works. I’ve begun to try to understand τὰ ἔργα μου, translated my deeds, with a study of τηρῶν (a form of τηρέω), translated who continues. The most basic understanding of τηρῶν is: Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose (τηρῶν, a form of τηρέω) his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked…^[1] It means to keep, not to lose or discard.

To review, the NET translation of John 14:21 confirms both my initial belief and practice, that obeying Jesus’ commands was the path to loving Him, knowing Him and being loved by Him and his Father. Refining the translation obeys to keeps lowers the standard a bit but doesn’t alter the order of events, that Jesus and his Father loved me because I first loved Jesus (by keeping his commandments, not losing or discarding them). But this argument was preceded by another, outlined below:

If you love Me…

John 14:15a (NASB)

…you will keep (τηρήσετε, another form of τηρέω) My commandments.

John 14:15b (NASB)

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides (μένει, a form of μένω; present tense) with you and will be (ἔσται, a form of εἰμί; future tense) in you.

John 14:16, 17 (NASB)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…

Galatians 5:22, 23a (NASB)

I have not come to abolish [the law or the prophets] but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:17b (NET)

…love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:10b (NET)

He who has My commandments and keeps (τηρῶν, a form of τηρέω) them…

John 14:21a (NASB)

…is the one who loves Me…

John 14:21b (NASB)

I will love Jesus and keep his commandments by the Holy Spirit who abides with me and will be in me. If I concede to the old man (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-11), fighting for its own survival by attempting to lose or discard Jesus’ commandments, though it may not alter God’s love for me, I have ceased to love Him with the love that is the fruit of his Spirit, the love that is the fulfillment of the law, no matter what I tell myself and no matter how much emotion I feel for Him.

In this essay I’ll consider John’s explanation, And the person who keeps (τηρῶν, a form of τηρέω) his commandments resides in God, and God in him,^[2] but I’ll back up first to take a run at it (1 John 2:28, 29 NET):

And now, little children, remain (μένετε, a form of μένω) in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back. If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) righteousness has been fathered by him.

The Greek word translated fathered was γεγέννηται (a form of γεννάω). John didn’t leave us wondering what he meant by it: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered (γεγέννηται, a form of γεννάω) by God…^[3] He had a unique understanding of the word μένετε as one of the twelve Jesus sent out with the following instruction (I’ve included Luke 10:7 though it was addressed to the seventy-two others Jesus appointed and sent on ahead of Him).

Mark 6:10 (NET)	Luke 9:4 (NET)	Luke 10:7 (NET)
[Jesus] said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay (μένετε, a form of μένω) there until you leave the area.”	Whatever house you enter, stay (μένετε, a form of μένω) there until you leave the area.	Stay (μένετε, a form of μένω) in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.

I understand what it means to stay in a house, to not move around from place to place. But what does it mean to stay in God? A few verses prior to this John wrote (1 John 2:24 NET):

As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain (μενέτω, another form of μένω) in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains (μείνῃ, another form of μένω) in you, you also will remain (μενεῖτε, another form of μένω) in the Son and in the Father.

So I remain in the Son and in the Father if Jesus’ teaching remains in me. Here is Jesus’ teaching on the subject (John 15:4, 5a NET):

Remain (μείνατε, another form of μένω) in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains (μένῃ, another form of μένω) in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain (μένητε, another form of μένω) in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains (μένων, another form of μένω) in me – and I in him – bears much fruit…

In other words, remaining in Jesus (and his Father) by remaining in the teaching I have heard from the beginning of my new life in Christ (assuming that teaching was the Gospel of Christ) brings forth the fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus continued, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.^[4] I don’t think He meant that I couldn’t become a hypocrite, an actor playing at righteousness more or less skillfully. Jesus warned, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^[5] But I can’t do the righteousness that fulfills the law apart from remaining in Jesus by remaining in his teaching.

Jesus continued teaching his disciples (John 15:6 NET):

If anyone does not remain (μένῃ, another form of μένω) in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.

He listed some impediments either to hearing in the beginning or to what was heard from the beginning remaining (Luke 8:11-15 NET):

Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God (ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ). Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away (ἀφίστανται, a form of ἀφίστημι). As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked (συμπνίγονται, a form of συμπνίγω) by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling (κατέχουσιν, a form of κατέχω) to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

If you remain (μείνητε, another form of μένω) in me and my words remain (μείνῃ, another form of μένω) in you, Jesus continued, ask whatever you want, and it will be done (γενήσεται, a form of γίνομαι) for you. My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are (γένησθε, another form of γίνομαι) my disciples.^[6] The words if and whatever are the same Greek word ἐὰν. I understand this request as related to, and bracketed by, bearing fruit. I’m unsure about translating ἐὰν whatever. In my case it led to unbelief while—ask [if] you want, and it will be done (or, become) for you—has led to some faith-confirming results. Jesus continued (John 15:9, 10 NET):

Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain (μείνατε, another form of μένω) in my love. If you obey (τηρήσητε, another form of τηρέω) my commandments, you will remain (μενεῖτε, another form of μένω) in my love, just as I have obeyed (τετήρηκα, another form of τηρέω) my Father’s commandments and remain (μένω) in his love.

This is how I understood this passage even when the Bible I read translated τηρήσητε keep and τετήρηκα kept. “Jesus promises to love the disciples if they obey his commandments,” reads the sermon notes for John 15:9-17 on Sermon Writer online. Here, and other places like it, I turned from being led by the Holy Spirit, especially if my behavior was too embarrassing too often to confess any longer, to take charge of my own righteousness in my own strength.

See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children,^[7] John continued. The note (1) in the NET reads:

The ἵνα (Jina) clause is best understood (1) as epexegetical (or explanatory), clarifying the love (ἀγάπην, agapen) that the Father has given to believers. Although it is possible (2) to regard the ἵνα as indicating result, the use of ποταπήν (potapen, “what sort of”) to modify ἀγάπην suggests that the idea of “love” will be qualified further in the following context, and this qualification is provided by the epexegetical ἵνα clause.

I think option (2) is the better understanding. The sort of love the Father has given to us is not the Father’s feeling for us, but a very practical gift: It is the love that is patient, the love that is kind, the love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.^[8] This love may be shared in. It is the fruit of his Spirit, the fulfillment of the law. This love may be remained in or may be left behind. If I leave God’s love behind to run ahead in my own strength God’s love has not and does not change. If I do not remain in his love I strive way too hard to become a highly-skilled hypocrite rather than receiving the love he has given us. He gave us this sort of love in order that we should be called God’s children. Paul concurred with John (Romans 5:5b; 7:6b; 8:3, 4, 14 NET):

…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us…

…so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.

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 sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.

“To remain in Jesus’ love,” the entry in SermonWriter reads, “suggests being immersed in Jesus’ love—surrounded by Jesus’ love—comforted by Jesus’ love—empowered by Jesus’ love. Imagine a swimming pool filled, not with water, but with Jesus’ love.” All analogies have their problems but this one isn’t too bad. Ordinarily one tries not to drown in a swimming pool. A pool of Jesus’ love is really only threatening to the old man (Ephesians 4:25-5:5; Colossians 3:12-17). The believer lives and breathes in its environs, in fact, only in its environs. This pool travels with the believer, but the believer can leave the pool. A believer leaving the pool of God’s love does not change God’s love at all. Leaving only changes the believer’s access to, and appreciation of, God’s love. Jesus’ and John’s point was, don’t get out of God’s love.

Here is John again (1 John 3:1-10 NET):

(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children – and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him. Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure).

Everyone who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) sin also practices (ποιεῖ, another form of ποιέω) lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away (ἄρῃ, a form of αἴρω) sins, and in him there is no sin. Everyone who resides (μένων, another form of μένω) in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. Everyone who has been fathered (γεγεννημένος, another form of γεννάω) by God does not practice (ποιεῖ, another form of ποιέω) sin, because God’s seed resides (μένει, another form of μένω) in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered (γεγέννηται, a form of γεννάω) by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) righteousness – the one who does not love his fellow Christian (ἀδελφὸν, a form of ἀδελφός) – is not of God.

Now if I do what I do (ποιῶ, another form of ποιέω) not want, Paul wrote believers in Rome, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.^[9] It is better to greet John’s and Paul’s explanations with faith than with fear or mockery. But the Spirit of God relentlessly dragged me back when my default position was to “chuck this whole religion thing.” He was kind and patient when my default position became do-it-myself sanctification, when I said in so many words, “I can’t trust You with something as important as MY righteousness.” Jaco Gericke had a very different testimony. I rationalize this difference with Paul’s conclusion: So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.^[10] Others rationalize it as individual free will.

When I was young righteousness was a matter of good habits developed through willpower because Jesus had saved me. Now I can see this as a childish misunderstanding of potentially good teaching. But at the time I saw Jesus’ salvation only as a reason, why I should do righteousness, never as a cause, how I could do righteousness. My willpower proved to be unequal to the task. I am weak-willed vis-à-vis righteousness. So I tend to minimize the effect of my will and magnify the effect of God’s mercy. Now that I understand that Jesus’ salvation causes righteousness I have replaced willpower with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Of course, I still don’t recognize any habit in me toward the good apart from that daily infusion of his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

On the other hand, I proved to be quite willful, stubborn, rebellious and stiff-necked regarding my sin. So I tend to see free will as more useful, or more conducive, to sinning. I don’t tend to argue the point because I can see how one who had more success than I did could regard willpower as helpful in the pursuit of righteousness. Still, I keep my mind open to the possibility that the preachers of free will may have taken more credit for that righteousness than they deserve.

Little children, John continued, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.^[11] As Jesus tried to teach me about the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe,^[12] I got tripped up here quite often. I thought, especially if my performance was less than perfect when I had attempted to trust Him, that his teaching was not his teaching but me playing word games, loving with word (λόγῳ, a form of λόγος) or with tongue (γλώσσῃ, a form of γλῶσσα). “No, you really have to do it,” I heard many times from my elders if I tried to share what I thought I had been learning. How I ever thought that obeying rules in my own strength might become loving in deed (ἔργῳ, a form of ἔργον) and truth (ἀληθείᾳ, a form of ἀλήθεια), I can’t explain apart from being willful, stubborn, rebellious and stiff-necked. Now I assume that loving with word or with tongue corresponds to my hypocrisy, while loving in deed and truth corresponds to being led by his Holy Spirit.

John continued (1 John 3:19-24 NET):

And by this we will know that we are of the truth (ἀληθείας, another form of ἀλήθεια) and will convince our conscience in his presence, that if (ἐὰν) our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things. Dear friends, if (ἐὰν) our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God, and whatever (ἐὰν; or if) we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him. Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. And the person who keeps his commandments resides (μένει, another form of μένω) in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides (μένει, another form of μένω) in us: by the Spirit he has given us.

I want to conclude this essay by addressing one of the statements in the entry in Sermon Writer directly:

The emphasis is love. Love begins with the Father and flows through the Son to the disciples (v. 9). It is contingent on obedience…Jesus promises to love the disciples if they obey his commandments.

The demonstrably false statement—“Jesus promises to love the disciples if they obey his commandments”—mischaracterizes God’s love and remaining in his love. First, consider Jesus’ teaching on the nature of the Father’s love (Matthew 5:43-48 NET):

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus’ love for me is not equivalent to, or contingent upon, my remaining in his love. Jesus loves me because God is love and Jesus remains in his Father’s love. If and only if I remain in his love I will bear the fruit of his Spirit, the love which is the fulfillment of the law, and obey him thereby. It is not that his love, or even remaining in his love, is contingent upon some open-ended obedience of mine but that my obedience is contingent upon his love and my remaining in his love.

Here the misdirection of translating forms of τηρέω with forms of obey becomes evident. To keep Jesus’ commandments, not to lose or discard them, has much more in common with his words remaining in us than it does with any form of obey. Even as I write this I hear the quibble in my head: “But you have obeyed: you have remained in his love by clinging to his teaching.” I write this quibble off to the religious mind.

I acknowledged the religious mind as nothing more than the carnal mind or the outlook of the flesh, but the term still serves a useful purpose for me. I expect the carnal mind or the outlook of the flesh to be focused directly on sin. The pretense of the religious mind is its focus on righteousness, albeit a righteousness of its own derived from the law with a keen desire to justify itself by law. Consider Jesus’ teaching on the subject (Luke 17:10 NET):

“So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”

As I’ve written before, we have this attitude not because we are in some wretched social condition but because our deeds have been done in (or, by) God^[13]…for the one bringing forth (ἐνεργῶν, a form of ἐνεργέω) in you both the desire (θέλειν, a form of θέλω) and the effort (ἐνεργεῖν, another form of ἐνεργέω) – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.^[14]

Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3

Back to To Make Holy, Part 5

Back to Atonement, Part 3

^[1] Revelation 16:15b (NET)

^[2] 1 John 3:24a (NET)

^[3] 1 John 5:1a (NET)

^[4] John 15:5b (NET)

^[5] Matthew 5:20 (NET)

^[6] John 15:7, 8 (NET) Table

^[7] 1 John 3:1a (NET)

^[8] 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NET)

^[9] Romans 7:20 (NET)

^[10] Romans 9:18 (NET)

^[11] 1 John 3:18 (NET)

^[12] Romans 3:22a (NET)

^[13] John 3:21b (NET)

^[14] Philippians 2:13 (NET)

Romans, Part 59

Posted on September 3, 2015 by admin

The most obvious translation of Do not lag in zeal^[1] (τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί) is something like “this haste not slothful.” Thus we urged Titus, Paul wrote the Corinthians, that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness (σπουδῇ) and in the love from us that is in you – make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too. I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness (σπουδῆς, a form of σπουδή) of others.^[2]

The translation of σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς as eagerness above is not wrong if I recognize that Paul’s concern was the timeliness of completing this act of kindness rather than an emotional affect. Certainly Paul was also interested in the Corinthians’ emotional affect, but he used a different word for that (2 Corinthians 8:10b-12 NET):

It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly (προθυμία), you can also complete it according to your means. For if the eagerness (προθυμία) is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.

The Greek words σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς seem to refer here to the fact that the Corinthians made a good start last year but had failed thus far to finish what [they] started. I know your eagerness (προθυμίαν, a form of προθυμία) to help,^[3] Paul assured them. The Corinthians’ προθυμία and προθυμίαν were not at issue. It was σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς they lacked or needed to address (2 Corinthians 9:2b-4 NET):

I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal (ζῆλος) to participate has stirred up most of them. But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them. For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

As a description of love “this haste not slothful” makes a good deal of sense. A feigned or hypocritical love, the love of an actor, wearing a false face, speaking another’s lines, will tend to be too fast or too slow in action. While the Love…without hypocrisy (ἀνυπόκριτος),^[4] the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is timely, at a measured pace, this haste not slothful, full of the recognition that love unfeigned lasts a lifetime and beyond.

“This haste not slothful,” however, makes a terrible rule. Here is a listing of various English translations.

Romans 12:11a	Bible Version
Never be lacking in zeal…	New International Version
Never be lazy…	New Living Translation
Do not be slothful in zeal…	English Standard Bible
Do not become apathetic…	Berean Study Bible
not lagging in diligence…	Berean Literal Bible
not lagging behind in diligence…	New American Standard Bible, NASB 1977
Not slothful in business…	King James Bible, KJV 2000, American KJV, Webster’s Bible Translation
Do not lack diligence…	Holman Christian Standard Bible
Never be lazy in showing such devotion.	International Standard Version
Be diligent and do not be lazy…	Aramaic Bible in Plain English, GOD’S WORD Translation
not slothful in earnest care…	Jubilee Bible 2000
in diligence not slothful…	American Standard Version, English Revised Version
In carefulness not slothful.	Douay-Rheims Bible
as to diligent zealousness, not slothful…	Darby Bible Translation
Do not be indolent when zeal is required.	Weymouth New Testament
not lagging in diligence…	World English Bible
in the diligence not slothful…	Young’s Literal Translation

I won’t take issue with translating σπουδῇ (a form of σπουδή) abstractly as diligent or diligence: if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence (ὁ προϊστάμενος ἐν σπουδῇ).^[5] I do question translating it zeal or zealousness. Paul did not write ζῆλος. Matthew, Mark and John recounted two different occasions when Jesus demonstrated a godly zeal.

Matthew

Mark

John

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.

Matthew 21:12 (NET)

Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

Mark 11:15, 16 (NET)

Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple courts those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at tables. 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.

John 2:13-15 (NET)

And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”

Matthew 21:13 (NET)

Then he began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

Mark 11:17 (NET)

To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”

John 2:16 (NET)

The chief priests and the experts in the law heard it and they considered how they could assassinate him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

Mark 11:18 (NET)

His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal (ζῆλος) for your house will devour me.”

John 2:17 (NET)

Paul actually distinguished between this kind of zeal and love: Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love (ἀγάπῃ, a form of ἀγάπη) and a spirit of gentleness?^[6] And though I have no doubt that Jesus consciously fulfilled Scripture, the incidents were also remarkable because they were uncharacteristic and atypical of Him. The religious mind is all too eager to consider hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, and envying^[7] righteous indignation or zeal for God. Paul gave no law encouraging the religious mind not to lag in this kind of zeal.

The description continues, be enthusiastic in spirit (τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες [a form of ζέω]), literally “this spirit boils” or “this boiling spirit.” If I put it back together I have, this haste not slothful, this boiling spirit. These words make sense if applied to a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria.^[8] He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm (ζέων, another form of ζέω) he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus (KJV: the Lord), although he knew only the baptism of John.^[9]

The danger of this kind of enthusiasm wasn’t actually revealed until the next chapter of Acts: Paul found some disciples in Ephesus and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”^[10] It gives me a different impression when Apollos began to speak out fearlessly (παρρησιάζεσθαι, a form of παῤῥησιάζομαι) in the synagogue.^[11] I contrast it to Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ (literally, “speaking freely upon the Lord”). Here, I think, Paul and Barnabas relied on the Lord rather than their own “fearlessness” and He testified to the message of his grace, granting miraculous signs and wonders to be performed through their hands.^[12]

Priscilla and Aquila, who had spent time with Paul,^[13] slowed Apollos’ haste (without dampening his enthusiasm): when Priscilla and Aquila heard him [speak out fearlessly in the synagogue], they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.^[14] Apollos traveled from Ephesus to Achaia. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,^[15] the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers^[16] who had responded to Paul’s presentation of the Gospel.^[17] (No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, Jesus said, and I will raise him up at the last day.^[18]) Apollos greatly assisted them, not by browbeating them to live better lives, but by preoccupying those who might have done so: for he refuted the Jews (Ἰουδαίοις, a form of Ἰουδαῖος) vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.^[19]

This haste not slothful, this boiling spirit, serve (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord,^[20] or serving the Lord,^[21] or “this Lord enslaved,” or “enslaved to this Lord.” Ordinarily I might think of being enslaved as a negative thing. But Paul compared the slavery of righteousness to the slavery of sin (admittedly, speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh), just as you once presented your members as slaves (δοῦλα, a form of δοῦλος) to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves (δοῦλα, a form of δοῦλος) to righteousness leading to sanctification.^[22]

For we too were once foolish, Paul wrote to Titus, disobedient, misled, enslaved (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another.^[23] If I think of serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord or being enslaved to the Lord as something like the work I do to please my employer, I will think that I am obeying a rule: serve the Lord. If on the other hand I think of serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord or being enslaved to the Lord as something more like being enslaved (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) to various passions and desires, well, that’s more like what I did on the weekends after work.

And I think that is more like the δουλεύοντες Paul described here, the natural (super-natural) outpouring of this boiling spirit. In fact, I should work for my employer in this same way and not like I used to work before I was enslaved to the Lord. Slaves, obey (ὑπακούετε, a form of ὑπακούω) your human masters with fear and trembling, Paul wrote the Ephesians, in the sincerity (ἁπλότητι, a form of ἁπλότης) of your heart (καρδίας, a form of καρδία) as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) of Christ doing the will of God from the heart (ψυχῆς, a form of ψυχή). Obey with enthusiasm (εὐνοίας, a form of εὔνοια), as though serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord and not people…^[24]

Part of the definition of ἁπλότητι in the NET is “free from pretence and hypocrisy,” “not self seeking.” This ἁπλότητι comes from the love that is not self-serving.^[25] All of this is accomplished as slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) of Christ, not as someone in some wretched social condition but as one whose attitudes and actions are produced by the fruit of the Holy Spirit: For the love of Christ controls (συνέχει, a form of συνέχω) us…^[26] Doing the will of God from the heart^[27]…with enthusiasm (or, good will), as^[28]… serving (or, enslaved to) the Lord and not people. We have died to what controlled (κατειχόμεθα, a form of κατέχω) us, so that we may serve (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.^[29]

And so I have, “this haste not slothful, this boiling spirit, enslaved to the Lord.” Transforming a description of Love…without hypocrisy into three rules—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—may be equivalent to the παρρησιάζεσθαι of Apollos in the synagogue, but it will never rival the παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ of Paul and Barnabas in Iconium. For it lacks all the power of God.

Romans, Part 60

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 11

Back to Romans, Part 87

Back to My Deeds, Part 3

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

^[2] 2 Corinthians 8:6-8 (NET)

^[3] 2 Corinthians 9:2a (NET)

^[4] Romans 12:9a (NET)

^[5] Romans 12:8 (NET)

^[6] 1 Corinthians 4:21b (NET)

^[7] Galatians 5:19, 20 (NET)

^[8] Acts 18:24a (NET)

^[9] Acts 18:24b, 25 (NET) Table

^[10] Acts 19:2 (NET)

^[11] Acts 18:26a (NET)

^[12] Acts 14:3 (NET)

^[13] Acts 18:2, 3 (NET)

^[14] Acts 18:26b (NET)

^[15] Acts 18:27b (NET)

^[16] 1 Corinthians 6:9b, 10a (NET) Table

^[17] 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NET)

^[18] John 6:44 (NET)

^[19] Acts 18:28 (NET)

^[20] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

^[21] Romans 12:11 (NAS)

^[22] Romans 6:19 (NET)

^[23] Titus 3:3 (NET)

^[24] Ephesians 6:5-7 (NET)

^[25] 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)

^[26] 2 Corinthians 5:14a (NET)

^[27] The NET note on obey in verse 7: “Though the verb does not appear again at this point in the passage, it is nonetheless implied and supplied in the English translation for the sake of clarity.”

^[28] I don’t see anything to translate though in the Greek. This is not something to be faked as though, but is the real righteousness of God, the love that is the fulfillment of the law..

^[29] Romans 7:6b (NET)

Romans, Part 31

Posted on November 6, 2012 by admin

So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation (ὀφειλέται, a form of ὀφειλέτης),^[1] not to the flesh (σαρκὶ, a form of σάρξ),^[2] to live according to the flesh (σάρκα, another form of σάρξ), Paul continued, (for if you live according to the flesh [σάρκα, another form of σάρξ], you will die [ἀποθνῄσκειν, a form of ἀποθνήσκω]^[3])…^[4] If I consider myself the old man, the sin condemned in the flesh,^[5] I will die along with the flesh. This truism is equivalent to Jesus’ saying to Martha, The one who believes in me will live even if he dies (ἀποθάνῃ, another form of ἀποθνήσκω),^[6] or to his disciples, The one who loves his life [i.e., in this world] destroys [or, loses] it.^[7] But no, I didn’t see that for a long time.

I thought Paul was threatening me with eternal damnation if I lived according to the flesh, even though the text said die. I wasn’t happy about it, especially after everything else he had said, but I couldn’t make any other sense of it at the time. And yes, it is embarrassing to keep admitting how stubbornly dull-witted I am.

Paul continued, but if by the Spirit you put to death (θανατοῦτε, a form of θανατόω)^[8] the deeds (πράξεις, a form of πρᾶξις)^[9] of the body you will live.^[10] If I identify with the new man created in the image of God, I will live. But no, I didn’t see how well this fit with Jesus saying to Martha, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die (ἀποθάνῃ, another form of ἀποθνήσκω).^[11] And I didn’t relate it to Jesus saying to his disciples, and the one who hates his life in this world guards [or, keeps] it for eternal life.^[12]

I thought it was best, if I wanted to go to heaven, to keep trying to put the deeds of my body to death by striving to keep the law, or at least by striving to love by keeping the definition of the love that fulfills the law as if it were laws. The idea that I could put to death the deeds of the body by faith, by believing that my old man was crucified with [Christ] so that the body of sin would no longer dominate [me], so that [I] would no longer be enslaved to sin,^[13] because God achieved what the law could not do…By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit,^[14] was a slow train coming.

For all who are led (ἄγονται, a form of ἄγω)^[15] by the Spirit of God are the sons of God,^[16] Paul continued. Surely I am a byword in heaven. Over and over I was led back to these verses, and over and over I refused to drink them in. But let me recount the word ἄγω as used in the Gospels as a contrast to my Do-It-Yourself religion.

And you will be brought (ἀχθήσεσθε, another form of ἄγω) before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles,^[17] Jesus told his disciples. When they arrest (ἄγωσιν, another form of ἄγω) you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.^[18] Go to the village ahead of you, Jesus said. Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring (ἀγάγετε, another form of ἄγω) them to me.^[19] They brought (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.^[20] Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led (ἤγετο, another form of ἄγω) by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil.^[21]

So here I have Jesus ἤγετο (another form of ἄγω) by the Holy Spirit, and handed over to the devil: Then the devil brought (῎Ηγαγεν, another form of ἄγω) him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the highest point of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here…”^[22] An angry mob got up, forced [Jesus] out of the town, and brought (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.^[23] A mob of duly authorized law enforcement types arrested Jesus, led (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house.^[24] Then the whole group of them rose up and brought (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) Jesus before Pilate.^[25] Two other criminals were also led away (῎Ηγοντο, another form of ἄγω) to be executed with him.^[26]

Now I look back at the meaning and usage of ἄγω and ask myself incredulously, “Just exactly what part of being led (ἄγονται, a form of ἄγω) by the Spirit did you think was your doing, Dan?” But I’m not alone, though I might wish that I were. I want to take the movie “Courageous” as my point of departure here.

Actually, a big part of me doesn’t want to do that at all. As an independent filmmaker wannabe I have nothing but admiration for what the Kendrick brothers and Sherwood Baptist Church have done. I can watch their movies without being embarrassed by the quality of the filmmaking, and each film gets better on that score than the one before. I didn’t feel anything I’m about to say while watching the film (and I watched “Courageous” again last night). What I feel is comfort, familiarity and a warm nostalgia for the religion of my childhood, my youth and beyond. I like stirring music. I want to be courageous, too. That’s part of my problem, that I only see a problem in retrospect when I analyze the story in the light of the Gospel and the religious mind.

The storyline of “Courageous,” for those who haven’t seen it, is about a father Adam after his daughter Emily dies in a car crash. She was his favorite, though he was almost as detached from her as from his son, concerned about his work and his appearance to others. After her death he is concerned that he should have been a better father. His wife reminds him that he is still a father. He talks to his Pastor. He studies the Bible. He begins to make a rapprochement with his son. So far so good.

Then he drafts a resolution, a list of rules derived from his Bible study about fatherhood. He passes it out to his friends. Most of them, interestingly enough, are other policemen. He asks these policemen to hold him accountable to his list of rules. They want to sign it, too. Eventually, all the men join in a ceremony, effectively swearing an oath to abide by Adam’s rules. It is all very moving, and courageous. But Adam, a churchgoing man, was ashamed of the Gospel for exactly the same reason that Paul was not.

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes,^[27] because the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”^[28] Anyone might become dissatisfied with the righteousness of God that is showing through him and out into the world at any given moment. It is an excellent time to return to Christ, to be joined to the one who was raised from the dead, like a wife seeking to enlarge her family comes to her husband, to bear fruit to God.^[29] It is not a time to attempt to have one’s own righteousness derived from the law.^[30] You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!^[31]

Instead of rebuking and correcting them privately, Adam’s Pastor praises the men publicly for their resolution and their oath to keep it. Then Adam is allowed to speak to the entire congregation. Adam persuades other men to follow him in his defection from Christ. I feel this defection deeply when I get away from the movie and its rousing music, Adam’s tear-filled eyes, his upraised arm and his hand grasping for something elusive. But my anger is restrained for two reasons.

First, I find it extremely interesting that the character’s name is Adam. For all I know there is a “Courageous 2” in the works where Adam (or Shane, but that’s another story) learns to be led by the Spirit rather than by the flesh. And secondly, I know how much remedial help I’ve needed in the sense that the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ.^[32] The NET has it, the law had become our guardian until Christ.^[33] Neither word alone is quite right, governess, nanny, just don’t say it. I think of Creasy, Denzel Washington’s character in “Man on Fire,” taking Pita, Dakota Fanning’s character, to school, guarding her, protecting her, and preparing her to learn. He became much more than a bodyguard, but not her teacher. Jesus is the teacher not the law, or living by laws.

Even those born only of the flesh of Adam bind themselves to laws, rules and ethical principles to keep from becoming complete sociopaths. It doesn’t take a prophet to see that if the Kendrick brothers’ resolution fails to bring those born of the flesh and of the Spirit to Christ, Shariah is waiting in the wings. But it must be equally clear that the Kendrick brothers’ resolution derived from the Bible is no more the Gospel than Shariah law is. Both are of the old way, the old written code, and neither is the new life of the Spirit.^[34]

Romans, Part 32

The Life

Back to The Soul

Back to Romans, Part 34

Back to Romans, Part 35

Back to Romans, Part 48

Back to Romans, Part 82

Back to Romans, Part 83

^[4] Romans 8:12, 13a (NET)

^[5] Romans 8:3 (NET)

^[6] John 11:25b (NET)

^[7] John 12:25a (NET)

^[10] Romans 8:13b (NET)

^[11] John 11:26a (NET)

^[12] John 12:25b (NET)

^[13] Romans 6:6 (NET)

^[14] Romans 8:3, 4 (NET)

^[16] Romans 8:14 (NET)

^[17] Matthew 10:18 (NET)

^[18] Mark 13:11 (NET)

^[19] Matthew 21:2 (NET)

^[20] Matthew 21:7 (NET)

^[21] Luke 4:1 (NET)

^[22] Luke 4:9 (NET)

^[23] Luke 4:29 (NET)

^[24] Luke 22:54 (NET)

^[25] Luke 23:1 (NET)

^[26] Luke 23:32 (NET)

^[27] Romans 1:16 (NET)

^[28] Romans 1:17 (NET)

^[29] Romans 7:4 (NET)

^[30] Philippians 3:9 (NET)

^[31] Galatians 5:4 (NET) Table

^[32] Galatians 3:24 (NKJV)

^[33] Galatians 3:24 (NET)

^[34] Romans 7:6 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Romans 7:6

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 16

My Deeds, Part 3

Romans, Part 59

Romans, Part 31