Interesting Book Review of Robert J. Wilkinson's "Tetragrammaton"

 https://brill.com/view/journals/jjs/2/4/article-p732_25.xml?language=en

Daniel 7:13-14, 22, 25-25 and Trinitarian Belief

The other day, I was reading With the Clouds of Heaven: The Book of Daniel in Biblical Theology by James M. Hamilton Jr. and came across his suggestion that Daniel 7 identifies the Son of Man as the Most High. Hamilton seems to base this idea on the similar language found in Daniel 7:13-14, 27, but see Daniel 2:44-45; Revelation 11:15-17.

One question that crossed my mind when reading this claim is whether any ancient or medieval Jew ever read Daniel this way and does any Jewish scholar today? It seems like another Trinitarian leap of logic to me.

Excessive Guilt (Modified Talk)

Imagine walking around with a heavy load on your shoulders. Unless you were exceptionally strong, would you not become weighed down after awhile?

There is nothing necessarily wrong with feelings of guilt, but excessive guilt can be destructive: it could be just like carrying a heavy load around with us that ultimately weighs us down.

Please notice how King David described the excessive guilt he felt in Psalm 38:3-8.

(after reading)

Before Jehovah extended forgiveness to him, David felt sick and his guilt was like a heavy burden that he could not bear. Similarly, some today feel guilty because of sins they committed before becoming Witnesses or others feel discouraged because of sins committed after learning the truth. While not all guilt is bad and a healthy sense of guilt might help us to abandon a sinful course, the danger is excessive guilt. But just what do we mean by excessive guilt?

It means that the guilt one feels continues even after he/she has repented and Jehovah has extended forgiveness (compare Proverbs 28:13). This kind of guilt can be harmful and unbearably burdensome. Therefore, how can we avoid it?

Notice David's words in Psalm 39:4-5.

(after reading)

David emphasizes that life is short; it is like a quick breath or short exhalation. Consequently, instead of living in the past or reflecting on old mistakes, we need to look forward and make our future days count (Philippians 3:13). It is possible to concentrate on the future by putting spiritual goals first and obeying God's commands. Furthermore, it is imperative to use our time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-17).

However, despite our best efforts, feelings of excessive guilt might well up from time to time. One way to combat these feelings is found in Psalm 39:12.

(after reading)

Jehovah invites us to approach him in prayer and we should pray even if feelings of guilt make it difficult to pray. After all, Jehovah knows there are times when it's difficult for us to suppplicaste him. However, the holy spirit can plead in our behalf and we can use prayers recorded in the Bible like Psalm 51 or Psalm 65 when it''s difficult for us to articulate our thoughts. In the final analysis, Jehovah appreciates our sincere efforts and takes our whole life course into consideration.

May we take comfort in the words of Isaiah 55:7.

Philip Comfort on the Nomina Sacra

Anyone who reads the ancient manuscripts of the Greek New Testament is struck by the phenomenon: the names kurios (Lord), Iesous (Jesus), Christos (Christ), and theos (God) are written in this unique fashion. These four titles are the primary and most primitive divine names to be written in a special way; they can be seen in all the earliest Greek manuscripts.1 Another early divine name written in a special way is pneuma (Spirit); it may be as early as the other four or it could have been developed slightly later. These specially written names are called nomina sacra, meaning “sacred names” (the singular is nomen sacrum). The inventor of the term nomina sacra was L. Traube. After his study on the nomina sacra, the most thorough study was done by A. H. R. E. Paap.

Comfort, Phillip. Encountering the Manuscripts: An Introduction to New Testament Paleography and Textual Criticism (Kindle Locations 4989-4995). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

The Triune God and the Scriptures

According to the Trinity:

1) God the Son has a "head" or someone who is over him (1 Corinthians 11:3), which means that a person of God has someone over him.

2) God the Son had all things submitted to him, but he will one day submit himself to the one who submitted all things to him in order that "God" may be all things to everyone (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). What does it mean for one divine person to submit himself to another, yet be the same God as that person?

3) God the Son has a God (Revelation 3:12).

4) There is more than one person who is the God over all, through all, and in all in contrast to what Ephesians 4:6 states.

Of course, Trinitarians will offer responses for each of these points, but their explanations fail to convince and sound forced and based on numerous presuppositions like the Incarnation.

Words of the Month (December 2024)

1) "Megillot" signifies the five scrolls read at various Jewish festivals (the Song of Solomon, Ruth, the Book of Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther).

2) Zetetic-Oxford Languages says:

adjective

rare

proceeding by inquiry.

John 1:1c (Subject and Predicate Nouns)

Greek: Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος.

While reading a paper on John 1:1 today, I came across the claim that Θεὸς is the subject in John 1:1c and ὁ Λόγος is the predicate since the former noun comes before the latter. I'm here to say the writer is wrong, and he should read some Daniel Wallace or William Mounce.

Similarly, Alexander Smarius writes:

"There is little doubt that ὁ λόγος is the subject in all of its three occurrences in 1:1a–c, so that θεός in the phrase 'and the Word was theos' (1:1c) is a predicate noun.5 From a strictly grammatical viewpoint, this predicate noun can be interpreted in three different ways."

https://brill.com/view/journals/hbth/44/2/article-p141_2.xml#ref_FN000005

2 Timothy 4:13 ("especially the parchments")-Screenshot

Greek: τὸν φελόνην, ὃν ἀπέλειπον ἐν Τρῳάδι παρὰ Κάρπῳ, ἐρχόμενος φέρε, καὶ τὰ βιβλία, μάλιστα τὰς μεμβράνας

BDAG Entry for μεμβράνα: 

Everlasting Arms (Modified Talk)

[This was given some time ago-EF]

There is no time better than the present to seek Jehovah’s everlasting arms: we remain in a pandemic, we’re living in critical times, and Satan keeps challenging our faith. There is no better place than the loving arms of our heavenly Father. Please notice what Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 33:26 (Read).

Did you notice what Jehovah wants to do for his people? He wants to help us. Jehovah wills for us to be morally upright and he willingly imparts the strength that helps us to endure.

The Bible emphasizes this point in the next verse, Deuteronomy 33:27 (Read):

What a comforting thought to consider Jehovah as our refuge; he is like a place where we can hide when trouble arises. He is our strong tower. We also have Jehovah’s everlasting arms beneath us in order to support us and make sure that we never fall or totter. He sustains and empowers us to do his will: God lovingly uses his power in our behalf.

But what if we experience a spiritual slip? Maybe it’s temporary and requires discipline from Jehovah. Nevertheless, we can be confident that if we rely on God in times of distress or when we err, Jehovah will put his caring and everlasting arms beneath us. He will gently raise us up until we regain our spiritual balance and once again, stand firm.

In view of the spiritual resources that Jehovah has provided, we have reason to affirm the words of Deuteronomy 33:29 (read)

Who is there like Jehovah’s people today? We are spiritually fed, we enjoy God’s support and his salvation. Yes, we have good reason to trust in divine salvation just as Moses did.

[Picture and concluding words]

In the picture, the brother has likely lost his wife and he’s gotten older in Jehovah’s service, but he continues to study the Bible and meditate on it. The result is that our brother feels empowered to attend meetings and to give Jehovah his best, even during hard times. The picture also may depict the flood of Noah’s day.

Ezekiel 43:2-"I saw the glory of the God of Israel"

HCSB: "and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice sounded like the roar of mighty waters, and the earth shone with His glory."

Lisa Ward ("A Pentecostal Hearing of Ezekiel: Ezekiel’s Visions by the hwhy-dy and the xwr." Ph.D. Diss. Page 194):

"Ezekiel describes how YHWH’s glory caused the land to shine with radiance (43.2). The overpowering nature of the vision of YHWH’s glory affected Ezekiel’s physical and emotional
senses. Ezekiel’s eyes saw in color, his ears heard majestic sounds, and his emotions were
overwhelmed to the point of falling prostrate before the glory in worship. There is a sense that
YHWH’s previous commands to Ezekiel to see and hear prepared him to know and understand
the awesomeness of what he was now shown. The use of anthropomorphic and anthropopathic
terms with the language of analogy assisted and invited the hearers to participate through their
imaginations. Ezekiel repeatedly described the glory of YHWH as likened to sights and sounds
that his hearers would recognize in their environment. For example, the glory was likened to fire,
bright colors of gemstones, and a figure that looked like a human being. He also likened the
voice of the Almighty like the sound of rushing waters."

For more on the kebod elohe yisrael, see Ezekiel 8:4; 9:3; 10:19; 11:22. Cf. Petter, Donna Lee (2011). The Book of Ezekiel and Mesopotamian City Laments. Fribourg / Göttingen: Academic Press / Vandenhoeck Ruprecht.

Did God the Father Cause God the Son?

1) God is the uncaused cause of all things.
2) (According to numerous Trinitarians) God the Father is causally prior to God the Son.
3) However, nothing has caused or causes God.
4) Therefore, the Son is not God.

Judas Left His Place (Screenshot)-L. Scott Kellum

 

Recommended Book about the LXX by Natalio Marcos

 

Credo Ut Intelligam Versus Crede Ut Intelligas

 Feel free to fact check me here--this was written back in 2013:

I teach a course on human nature and once used a work by Leslie Stevenson and David Haberman entitled Ten Theories of Human Nature. It's now up to twelve theories, but here is one thing I've noted about the book (among others) which I hope the editors/authors change one day.

I have found a small technical error in Stevenson and Haberman's book. On page 130, Augustine of Hippo is quoted as saying, "I believe in order to understand" (The Latin is credo ut intelligam); yet that evidently is not what the bishop wrote. The expression credo ut intelligam was uttered or written by Anselm of Canterbury (the so-called father of Medieval theology). Augustine actually said or wrote the words "Crede, ut intelligas" (Believe, in order to understand). One form is indicative whereas the other is imperatival.
See Augustine's Sermon 43.7, 9 and the Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology, pages 85-86.
Maybe one day this change will be made in Stevenson/Haberman.

It may sound like I'm picking nits, but Augustine died in 430 CE; conversely, Anselm is a 11-12th century figure. While he certainly derived his saying from Augustine, technically, one speech act is indicative while the other is a command. Nevertheless, I would concede that the point remains the same.

Is It Possible to be Happy Now?

Is it possible to be happy prior to death? The ancient Greeks debated this question intensely. Some concluded that happiness in this life is not possible: that's why there's the famous saw, "Call no man [person] happy until he [she] dies," which we find discussed in some ancient writers. So is it possible to be happy in this life or should we postpone calling someone happy until death?

Consider two scriptures:

"O the happiness of the people that is thus, O the happiness of the people whose God is Jehovah!" (Psalm 144:15 Young's Literal Translation)

"After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years" (Job 42:16-17 NIV).

The ISV states that Job lived a "full life."  The point is that he was satisfied or fulfilled because he faithfully worshiped God even through adversity. One only has to read the book of Ecclesiates (Qoheleth) to realize that life apart from our Creator is vain. We can be happy--even now--if we keep integrity (Hebrew, tam) to God. We might suffer times of depression, loneliness, hardship or feelings of worthlessness, but those serving God can have a sense of deep fulfillment like the Savior did when he suffered and gave his life in order that we might live into perpetuity (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Can A Thing Be the Efficient Cause of Itself?

Efficient Cause Definition: "the immediate agent in the production of an effect"

An efficient cause brings something into being or sets it in motion (e.g., a sculptor is the efficient cause of a bronze statue). With this in mind, one might ask whether it's possible for the universe to be its own efficient cause. Thomas Aquinas' answer is below:

"There is no case known (neither is it, indeed, possible) in which a thing is found to be the efficient cause of itself; for then it would be prior to itself, which is impossible" (Aquinas).

Hence, it seems highly unlikely, to say the least, that the cosmos could be its own efficient cause. Just as a house needs a builder, so the universe needs an efficient cause outside itself. See Hebrews 3:4.

In this regard, Origen of Alexandria uses autotheos which means something like "Godself" or God Himself, a term that distinguishes the Father from other "gods" (theoi) and that includes the Logos. I guess Origen wants to say that while the Logos and other ontic deities are gods by participation in the Father's divinity, the Father is God by his very nature (John 17:3) and he is the source or fount of divinity. The Father also does not need an efficient cause.

Words of the Month (November 2024)-Terms from Logic

I could have put "soundness" instead or used "valid" and sound, but the point remains the same. Also, the argument in the example is neither valid nor sound since it commits the logical fallacy of affirming the consequent rather than affirming the antecedent.

This Blog's Future

Greetings all,

I've thought long and hard about whether I should keep blogging or not. Responsibilities in other areas of life have increased and I've now been blogging for almost twenty years. But as much as I love research, writing, and interacting with others about theology, the Bible, and biblical languages, I've made the decision to stop blogging after December 31, 2024.

For the near future, the contents of the blog will remain visible and there are some projects I want to finish here before stopping. Thanks to everyone who has been supportive and supplied links and research: thank you also for interacting with my thoughts or those of other authors.

Since I'm ceasing blog activity, I see no need to block Nincsnevem, but neither will Nincs have carte blanche to posting here either. Yet, the main reason that I will no longer blog is because other duties are calling me, duties that seem more important. Take care and I look forward to posting further thoughts later. All the best, Edgar.

The Ancient Rise of Koine Greek (Jellicoe)

"Already in the Anabasis of Xenophon the intrusion of elements foreign to Attic is discernible, and as time went on the Koine rather than its parent was adopted by such writers as Polybius, Strabo, Philo, Josephus, and Plutarch" (Sidney Jellicoe, The Septuagint and Modern Study, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1968, p. 330).

Some Secondary Literature on the Kenosis Account (Philippians 2:5-11)-In Process

Some Secondary Literature on the Kenosis Account

Bloomquist, L. Gregory. The Function of Suffering in Philippians. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993.

Hellerman, Joseph H. Reconstructing Honor in Roman Philippi: Carmen Christi as Cursus Pudorum. Society for New Testament Studies Monograph 132. New York: Cambridge University, 2005.

Hoover, Roy W. "The hARPAGMOS Enigma: A Philological Solution." HTR 64 (1971): 95-119.

Hurst, L.D. "Re-enter the Pre-existent Christ in Philippians 2.5-11?" NTS 32 (1986): 449-457.

Martin, Ralph P. and Brain J. Dodd. Where Christology Began: Essays on
Philippians 2. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1998.

O'Neill, J.C. "Hoover on hARPAGMOS Reviewed, with a Modest Proposal
Concerning Philippians 2:6." HTR 81:4 (1988): 445-449.

Osiek, Carolyn. Philippians, Philemon. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.

Reumann, John. Philippians : A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008.

Wannamaker, C.A. "Philippians 2.6-11: Son of God or Adamic Christology." NTS 33 (1987): 179-193.

NA28 and Colossians 1:17-24 (Page 614, Including the Apparatus Criticus)

 

Philemon 14-ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἑκούσιον

Greek (SBLGNT): χωρὶς δὲ τῆς σῆς γνώμης οὐδὲν ἠθέλησα ποιῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγαθόν σου ᾖ ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἑκούσιον·

"but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord" (Philemon 14 ESV).

κατὰ ἑκούσιον only appears in the NT here. 

Stephen H. Levinsohn explains that in Philemon 14b, "the focal constituent ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην is preposed in order to set off κατὰ ἑκούσιον to advantage by contrast" since the slave's ceding assent to the apostle Paul is made salient earlier in the verse. 

See Levinsohn, "Analysis of Non-Narrative Texts with particular reference to Paul’s Letter to Philemon in Koine Greek" (SIL International), 2008. Page 33.

For more about κατὰ + the accusative, see Daniel B. Wallace, GGBB, page 377.

Linear B

The oldest form of Greek writing known to historians: Linear B.

This image is in the public domain. See https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Linear_B_Phaistos_archmus_Heraklion.jpg

Revelation 1:1 and Jesus Christ (Edmondo Lupieri)--Divine Omniscience?

 1 Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου. Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. The Greek term must be translated in two different ways (“Apocalypse of John,” “Revelation of Jesus Christ”), even in two occurrences so close to each other in the text. The book’s title almost certainly does not originate with John, but dates from a period at which this text was already considered an “apocalypse” (as far as we know, the earliest to be referred to by its author as an “apocalypse” might be 2 Baruch; cf. Bogaert 1969, 1:96; ET by A. F. J. Klijn, in Charlesworth I 1983; IT by P. Bettiolo in Sacchi II 1989). For John, the term means “revelation”and describes the content of the book, which is disclosed by Jesus Christ. Jesus is both the subject and the object of the revelation; he manifests himself in this book, whose form indeed is that of a manual of Christology cast in the form of images. I believe, however, that in this passage John means to emphasize the role of Jesus Christ as the subject of the revelation.There is a kind of hierarchy of authority at work: the revelation originates first with God, who “gives” it to Jesus Christ. He in turn “makes it known by sending his angel” to John, who, finally, “testifies.”

EGF: A question that's been asked before is, if Jesus is omniscient or fully God, then why was the revelation given to him. This statement implies that Christ did not have the contents of the Revelation until "God" gave the contents to him, which indicates there was something "God" knew that Jesus did not know. Lupieri says that the revelation "originates first with God," who subsequently vouchsafes the revelation to his Son.

Book for Sale on Ebay: "The Reliability of the Gospel Tradition" by Birger Gerhardsson

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/387443764240

Occurrences of John 2:19 in the Ante-Nicene Fathers (Pre-Nicenes)

 John 2:19 Research

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf04.iii.xi.v.iv.html#iii.xi.v.iv-p132.1 http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf04.vi.ix.iii.xxxii.html#vi.ix.iii.xxxii-p5.1 http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf04.vi.ix.viii.xix.html#vi.ix.viii.xix-p3.1 http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf05.iii.iv.ii.i.html#iii.iv.ii.i-p36.1 http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf05.iii.iv.ii.i.html#iii.iv.ii.i-p36.1 http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf05.vi.iii.xxii.html#vi.iii.xxii-p4.1 Nota bene: This is not the opportunity for a Trinity doctrine thread. I should add that the occurrences include allusions and not just quotations.

Isaiah 11:6-9 (Minor and Major Fulfillment of Prophecy)-Modified Talk

Numerous Bible prophecies have a minor and major fulfilment; they are fulfilled in spiritual and physical senses. Isaiah 11 illustrates this principle since the prophecy applies to ancient Israelites, to our modern spiritual paradise as Jehovah's Witnesses, and to the coming earthly paradise. Tonight, we learn how the knowledge of Jehovah fills the earth today, but also how divine knowledge will pervade the earth during Jesus’ millennial reign.

Read Isaiah 11:3-5:

"And he will find delight in the fear of Jehovah. He will not judge by what appears to his eyes, Nor reprove simply according to what his ears hear. He will judge the lowly with fairness, And with uprightness he will give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth And put the wicked to death with the breath of his lips. Righteousness will be the belt around his waist, And faithfulness the belt of his hips."

Isaiah chapter 11 is a messianic prophecy: it speaks about the glorious reign of Jesus Christ.

Notice what kind of judge that Christ will be in the earthly paradise. Unlike human judges today, Jesus will be impartial and he will not judge based on outward appearances or external factors. Rather, Christ will judge the “secret person of the heart” (1 Peter 3:4). In this way, he sets an example for Christian elders, who must judge all sortsd of matters in the congregation today.

Christ gives reproof (correction) “with uprightness,” which serves as a model for how elders should offer counsel to erring sheep.

Counsel should be given with mildness, and for the benefit of Jehovah’s people. However, Jehovah’s knowledge fills the earth in other ways. Please turn to Isaiah 11:6-8 and let’s read those verses together:

"The wolf will reside for a while with the lamb, And with the young goat the leopard will lie down, And the calf and the lion and the fattened animal will all be together; And a little boy will lead them. The cow and the bear will feed together, And their young will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the bull. The nursing child will play over the lair of a cobra, And a weaned child will put his hand over the den of a poisonous snake."

How will this prophecy be fulfilled?

It might seem difficult to believe that wild animals will be at peace with humans (including young children), but scientists who have carefully studied wild animals report that they do have a "tremendous capacity for warm affection.” Therefore, it’s not totally surprising when Isaiah prophesies that a little boy will lead wild animals, and “a weaned child” will place his hand “over the den of a poisonous snake.” Our Grand Creator Jehovah can remove some of the fear that animals began to experience after the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 9:2-3). Hosea 2:18 prophesies that humans and beasts will one day “lie down in security” when knowledge of Jehovah fills the earth.

Finally, Isaiah speaks of how divine knowledge will affect humans in Isaiah 11:9, if you’ll turn there with me:

"They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea."

[Use picture here]

We see a threefold fulfilment with this verse. When the Israelites were released from Babylon by Cyrus the Great in late 538 or early 537 BCE, they did not have to fear wild animals or beastly men. In today’s spiritual paradise where divine knowledge has become abundant, we already witness violent humans becoming peaceful. Beastly men have forsaken their violent ways because they’re taught by Jehovah; however, the prophecy also will be fulfilled in the paradise earth where humans will practice no harm or ruin in Jehovah’s holy mountain:

“In the new world, we will experience to the full the blessings of the spiritual paradise. Then, our spiritual paradise will have its perfect counterpart—a literal paradise under the rulership of God’s Kingdom. During that time of global restoration, Jehovah will continue to mold earth’s inhabitants, educating them to a degree that we might now find hard to imagine" (Watchtower, June 16, pages 8-9).

Matthew 13:47-ἐκ παντὸς γένους

Greek (WH): Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν σαγήνῃ βληθείσῃ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ ἐκ παντὸς γένους συναγαγούσῃ·

NIV: “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish."

ESV: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind."

Jacob J. Scholtz writes:

In contrast with the previous two parables, the parable of the dragnet "is concerned with securing many items (fish) rather than just one item of value" (Bailey 1999b:282). Using a dragnet results in an indiscriminate and mixed catch of all kinds (ἐκ παντὸς γένους) and sizes, edible and inedible,
saleable and useless (Kistemaker 1980:62). The catching of "every kind" (γένος) is more commonly used for a "race" or "tribe" of people: "An allegorical meaning for these details is thereby confirmed; the different kinds of fish stand for different nationalities of human beings" (Blomberg 1990:202).
By God’s might the nations will be gathered before him (cf. Hab 1:14−16; Snodgrass 2008:488).

See Scholtz, J.J., 2015, "Reading Matthew 13 as a prophetic discourse: The four parables
presented in private," In die Skriflig 49(1), Art. #1887, 7 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ids.v49i1.1887

Blomberg adds:

“All kinds” (v. 47) is, more literally, all races, a strange way of speaking of fish but a natural way of emphasizing the universality of God's judgment of people.31

Blomberg, Craig L. Matthew: 22 (The New American Commentary) (p. 224). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Revelation 21:21-"like transparent glass"

καὶ οἱ δώδεκα πυλῶνες δώδεκα μαργαρῖται· ἀνὰ εἷς ἕκαστος τῶν πυλώνων ἦν ἐξ ἑνὸς μαργαρίτου. καὶ ἡ πλατεῖα τῆς πόλεως χρυσίον καθαρὸν ὡς ὕαλος διαυγής. (Revelation 21:21, Nestle GNT)

"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass." (ESV)

Compare Revelation 21:18-καὶ ἡ ἐνδώμησις τοῦ τείχους αὐτῆς ἴασπις, καὶ ἡ πόλις χρυσίον καθαρὸν ὅμοιον ὑάλῳ καθαρῷ·(WH).

John uses ὅμοιον ὑάλῳ καθαρῷ in Rev. 21:18; ὡς ὕαλος διαυγής occurs in Rev. 21:21.

E.W. Bullinger on Revelation 21:21: "as it were. Not that it is glass, but gold of a kind unknown to us."

Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament: "Transparent (διαυγής — diaugēs). Old word (from δια — dia through, αυγη — augē ray, shining through), here alone in N.T."

Stephen Smalley, Revelation, page 556: 

Ephesians 6:4-παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου

Καὶ οἱ πατέρες, μὴ παροργίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ ἐκτρέφετε αὐτὰ ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου (Ephesians 6:4 WH)

Observations from Charles Hodge's Commentary on Ephesians:

"Παιδείᾳ is a comprehensive word; it means the training or education of a child, including the whole process of instruction and discipline. Νουθεσίᾳ, from νουθετέω (νοῦς, τίθημι) to put in mind, is included under the more general term, and is correctly rendered admonition. It is the act of reminding one of his faults or duties. Children are not to be allowed to grow up without care or control. They are to be instructed, disciplined, and admonished, so that they be brought to knowledge, self-control, and obedience."

An additional insight from Vincent's Word Studies:

"Νουθεσία admonition occurs only here, 1 Corinthians 10:11, and Titus 3:10. The kindred verb νουθετέω to warn or admonish, is found only in Paul's letters, with the single exception of Acts 20:31 (see note). Its distinctive feature is training by word of mouth, as is shown by its classical usage in connection with words meaning to exhort or teach. Xenophon uses the phrase νουθετικοὶ λόγοι admonitory words. Yet it may include monition by deed."

Compare Deuteronomy 6:6-9.

See https://fosterheologicalreflections.blogspot.com/2023/07/words-of-month-july-2023.html

"Bosom position"? (Screenshot for John 1:18--Keener)

 Some have criticized the NWT translating John 1:18 with "bosom position"

HCSB: "No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son-- the One who is at the Father's side-- He has revealed Him."

Quote From William Most Dealing With Grammatical Gender

"In passing, sophia, wisdom, is grammatically feminine in Greek, as is also Hebrew hochmah. But to anyone with even a slight knowledge of the languages, these are purely artificial grammatical genders, and have nothing whatever to do with sex or gender. Further, Christ is the wisdom of the Father, and He is not feminine" (William Most).

While I do not advocate all or the majority of his beliefs and ideas, here is a site that contains writings by Most: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/most/browse.cfm

Words of the Month

1. Nous/νοῦς (Greek)-mind, intellect,  intelligence, reason, intelligent faculty. See https://biblehub.com/greek/nous_3563.htm

https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/nous

2. Corpus (Latin)-"body, entity, group of people, collection, compendium." See https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corpus

3. Amad (Hebrew)-to take one's stand, stand, stand forth. See https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/amad.html

Hurricane Helene

 Dear readers,

We experienced Hurricane Helene this week. My family and I are fine, but Internet is spotty here at best. 

Philippians 2:22-Like Father and Son

Please note that the focus of this post is not the kenosis of Christ or the Trinity doctrine, but how to understand the Greek of Philippians 2:22.

Greek: τὴν δὲ δοκιμὴν αὐτοῦ γινώσκετε, ὅτι ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐδούλευσεν εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον.
 
ESV: "But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel."

The words in Philippians 2:22 hearken back to Phil. 1:1; 2:6-7. There in the later verses, Paul delineates how Jesus (who existed in God's form) assumed the form of a slave. Now in Phil. 2:22, as is customary, Paul begins with the postpositive δὲ that here functions adversatively. 

γινώσκετε is the present active indicative 2nd person plural of γινώσκω and it's the "main verb of the independent clause" (Thomas Moore, Philippians, page 158). The object of γινώσκετε is τὴν δοκιμὴν (accusative singular feminine) and the verb could either be a progressive present that denotes continuous action at the present time or it could be a customary present, which describes an action that occurs on a regular basis.

Moore points out that ὅτι functions syntactically to identify the dependent conjunctive clause that modifies δοκιμὴν: on the other hand, he points out that the ὅτι clause functions semantically in such a way that it amplifies the import of δοκιμὴν (i.e., it functions substantivally and epexegetically). The ESV renders δοκιμὴν αὐτοῦ, "Timothy's proven worth"; compare BDAG.

While studying this passage, I found ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον to be quite interesting due to what comes next. In this part of the verse, Paul alludes to the spiritual relationship that he and Timothy shared: the former was like a father to the latter (1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 11; 1 Timothy 1:2, 18; 5:1-2; 2 Timothy 1:2; 2:1 and compare Titus 1:4; Philemon 10). The language here is supposed to connote more tenderness than if Paul had used υἱός.

Joseph Hellerman explains that πατρὶ τέκνον portrays Timothy as a subordinate to Paul, but σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐδούλευσεν depicts Timothy as a fellow-worker with the apostle for the sake of the good news (Hellerman, Philippians, page 150). The language employed here is supposed to be reflective of how Elijah and Elisha related to one another: Hellerman likewise suggests that the ancient rabbis enjoyed this kind of camaraderie with their disciples.

One thing that struck me while reading this account is that Paul seems to juxtapose two different images or metaphors: a slave and a dear child. The apostle writes that Timothy was both a slave and child as he imitated the example of Jesus Christ. Hellerman mentions the "social stigma" that was attached to slavery, but conversely, calling Timothy a "child" would connote tenderness. In his NIGT Commentary on Philippians, Peter O'Brien writes:

"In speaking of Timothy being like (ὡς) a τέxνoν and himself as a πατὴρ, Paul is using the imagery of spiritual parenthood1630 that he employed elsewhere and that had its counterpart in Judaism, ultimately deriving from the OT. So he calls himself the father of an entire Christian community, the Corinthians whom he had begotten ‘in Christ Jesus through the gospel’ (1 Cor. 4:15; cf. Gal. 4:19), while he describes Timothy (1 Cor. 4:17; 2 Tim. 1:2) and Titus (Tit. 1:4) as his children."

Lastly, Hellerman makes the observation that εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον discloses the action in which Timothy was engaged, not the content of the message (page 151). In this connection, ἐδούλευσεν could be a gnomic aorist.

What Does It Mean to Say That the Logos/Word Shares the Father's "Essence"? (Wallace and John 1:1c)

Trinitarians do not propose that the Logos/God the Son is the same person as the Father or the holy spirit (Holy Spirit): the doctrine of the Trinity is often interpreted in this way by friend and foe alike. But the church creeds make it clear that the divine "persons" should not be confounded, nor should the divine substance be divided.

So when Daniel B. Wallace (Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics) asserts that the Logos "shared the essence [nature] of the Father," (based on John 1:1c) he means that the Son is fully God as the Father is fully God, but they're not the same person. Augustine of Hippo discusses this very point in his work De Trinitate.

To word matters another way, Wallace is claiming that the Logos has all of the properties that pertain to Deity; the Word is supposedly Omnipotent, Omniscient, Impassible, Infinite, in short, he is reputedly everything that systematic theologians believe God the Father is. Thus, they claim that the Logos is fully God in this sense, according to John 1:1c. Wallace therefore does not mean what the "person on the street" possibly means when he/she wields the term "essence." Please consult Dana and Mantey for similar language regarding Jn 1:1c.

On the other hand, it appears highly problematic to aver that the Son has every property (P) that the Father does. If the Son and Father share/are the same nature and have every divine property in common, then how could we tell them apart?

Trinitarians obviously appeal to concepts like eternal filiation, eternal spiration or to unbegottenness in the case of the Father, to obviate modalism. However, we must ask whether eternal filiation or spiration are satisfactory approaches and are they scriptural? Moreover, these views evidently presuppose a Platonic schema when it comes to time and divine begettal. However, does not Plato's schema have some logical difficulties?

Charles Ryrie once wrote about the eternal generation doctrine:

“I agree with Buswell (A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, pp. 105-12) that generation is not an exegetically based doctrine. The concept it tries to convey, however, is not unscriptural, and certainly the doctrine of sonship is scriptural. The phrase 'eternal generation' is simply an attempt to describe the Father-Son relationship in the Trinity
and, by using the word 'eternal,' protect it from any idea of inequality or temporality. But whether or not one chooses to use the idea of eternal generation, the personal and eternal and coequal relation of the Father and Son must be affirmed.”

Trinitarian Spiros Zodhiates criticizes the eternal generation doctrine because he thinks it is not taught in the Bible. There's also the question of whether eternal generation or spiration strictly conform to the principles of logic: John Feinberg thoroughly examines the (potential) logical merits or demerits of these notions in No One Like Him.

A Quote From Duns Scotus About the Will (Nothing Too Heavy Per Theology)

"Nihil aliud a voluntate est causa totalis volitionis in voluntate" (Duns Scotus).

I don't totally agree with this Latin saying, but it just sounds so cool when pronounced. :-)

In Defense of the Resurrection: Verses That Speak About Being Raised from the Dead

Verses about the resurrection from the dead:

Mark 16:6; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; Hebrews 6:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:1-58; Acts 17:31 Hebrews 11:19

Daniel 12:2, 13
Isaiah 26:19
Hosea 13:14
Ezekiel 37:1-14

Compare Romans 6:9; Revelation 1:18

Aion in Micah 5:2 (5:1 LXX) Does Not Refer to Eternity (Glenny)

 

Source: Glenny, W. Edward. Micah: A Commentary based on Micah in Codex Vaticanus, 2015.

James Barr's Remarks Pertaining to Olam in the Hebrew Bible (Screenshot)

 

Translating Mark 15:39

It is interesting how many different ways that Mark 15:39 is translated:

"Surely this man was the Son of God!" (NIV)

"Truly this man was a son of God" (BBE).

"Truly this man was Son of God" (Darby).

"This man positively was the son of God" (Byington).

"Truly, this man, was God's son!" (Rotherham EB)

“Certainly this man was God’s Son.” (NWT 2013)

Compare NET Bible.

Darrell D. Hannah and Angels As Mediators in Ancient Judaism

From the book, Michael and Christ: Michael Traditions and Angel Christology in Early Christianity. Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999 (Wissenschaftlicbe Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament: Reihe 2; 109), ISBN 3-16-147054-0.

Page 18: While it is not a common motif in OT angelology we do on occasion encounter angelic intercessors and mediators on behalf of humanity (Job 5.1, 16.19, 33.23-28; Zech. 1.12-13). This also seems to fit the royal court pattern; angels intercede for men and women just as members of the
royal court could intercede with the Monarch for those outside the court (cf. Esther 4). This theme will find a great deal of development in later, especially apocalyptic, literature.20 On the other hand, just as an ancient court might contain those who would intercede and defend commoners, so
they could also include those who would serve as public accusers. We find this reflected in the folk tale which frames the book Job (1-2 and 42.7-17). The "Accuser" or "Adversary" here will later develop into the embodiment of evil known as Satan or the Devil, a process already under way in Zech. 3 and 1 Chron. 21.1.21

Page 44: In a related passage, the patriarch Dan instructs his children concerning, apparently, the same angel: "Draw near to God and to the angel who intercedes for you, because he is the mediator between God and men for the peace of Israel. He shall stand in opposition to the kingdom of the enemy" (TDan. 6.2). Three verses later this angel is further identified as ό αγγβλος της ειρήνης. Some have thought this passage suspect. It certainly is very similar to I Tim. 2.5: Έΐς yáp θεός, εις και μεσίτης θεού και ανθρώτων, άνθρωτος Χριστός ' Ιησούς. Hollander and de Jonge‚ who believe the Testaments is essentially a Christian work, view this passage as evidence of a primitive angel Christology.88 Hurtado would rather describe the phrase which parallels 1 Tim. 2.5 as a Christian interpolation. While this is certainly possible, there is nothing specifically Christian about the passage. As we have seen, an angelic mediator between God and humanity could appear in Jewish as well as Christian works.89 If the phrase "mediator between God and men" is not rejected as an interpolation, then it may reflect the tradition that Michael was a heavenly mediator for humanity in general.90

Morphe in the Septuagint (LXX)

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Ζεβεε καὶ Σαλμανα ποῦ οἱ ἄνδρες οὓς ἀπεκτείνατε ἐν Θαβωρ καὶ εἶπαν ὡσεὶ σύ ὅμοιος σοί ὅμοιος αὐτῶν ὡς εἶδος μορφὴ υἱῶν βασιλέων. (Judges 8:18)

ἀνέστην καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνων εἶδον καὶ οὐκ ἦν μορφὴ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου ἀλλ᾽ ἢ αὔραν καὶ φωνὴν ἤκουον (Job 4:16)

τέκτων ξύλον ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν μέτρῳ καὶ ἐν κόλλῃ ἐρρύθμισεν αὐτό ἐποίησεν αὐτὸ ὡς μορφὴν ἀνδρὸς καὶ ὡς ὡραιότητα ἀνθρώπου στῆσαι αὐτὸ ἐν οἴκῳ (Isaiah 44:13)

τότε Ναβουχοδονοσορ ἐπλήσθη θυµοῦ, καὶ ἡ µορφὴ τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἠãοιώθη, καὶ ἐπέταξε καῆναι

τὴν κάµινον ἑπταπλασίως παρ’ ὃ ἔδει αὐτὴν καῆναι·  (Daniel 3:19 Rahlfs)

Aquila includes morphe in Isaiah 52:14. Compare Tobit 1:13.

C.H. Talbert writes: "It is perhaps significant that Aquila reads μορφή in Isa 52 14 (Hatch and Redpath, 11, p. 934)."

See Talbert, "The Problem of Pre-Existence in Philippians 2:6-11." Journal of Biblical Literature (1967) 86 (2): 141–153. 

2 Corinthians 11:14-15-μετασχηματίζεται (BDAG Screenshot)

Greek: καὶ οὐ θαῦμα, αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ Σατανᾶς μετασχηματίζεται εἰς ἄγγελον φωτός·

There are five GNT occurrences of μετασχηματίζω. The form that appears in 2 Corinthians 11:14 (μετασχηματίζεται) is present middle indicative 3rd person singular.

Psalm 69 and the Messiah of God (Modified Talk)

One way to identify a person is by obtaining his or her fingerprint--we even see this technology with phones. In a similar manner, we can identify God's Anointed One or Messiah by the unique way in which he fulfilled Bible prophecies: that Messiah is Jesus Christ.

While various texts in the Pentateuch, the prophets, and the Psalms bear witness about Christ, we're going to consider a few verses from Psalm 69 in order to see what they tell us about Jehovah's chosen Messiah (Luke 24:44).

1) Psalm 69:4-this verse initially applied to King David. His enemies wanted to kill him without cause. 

John 15:24-25-Christ was hated without cause, yet he showed courage to the point of putting his life on the line. Jesus riled up the religious leaders of his day by doing God's will. What an example that he set for us as Witnesses of Jehovah since we're often hated without cause too.

2) A second event foretold can be found in Psalm 69:9. 

"For jealousy for your house has eaten me up" (Byington)

Notice how Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in John 2:13-17-(show picture)

Godly jealously or zeal consumed Jesus; it was like fire in his bones. Jesus could not tolerate people making a mockery of God's house. In his day, things had devolved to such a point that Israelites who offered sacrifices were being charged excessive prices by the religious leaders and exploitation took place with the money changers. Again, Jesus sets an example for us. Are we similarly jealous for Jehovah's interests?

3) The prophecies about Jesus were not vague but offered numerous specifics. We find one example of this point in Psalm 69:20-21. Jesus felt deep emotional agony/heartbreak and was offered wine mixed with gall. As we know, Jesus refused the poisonous drink because he evidently wanted to be alert while accomplishing Jehovah's will.

Insight Book: "In recording the fulfillment of this prophecy, Matthew (27:34) employed the Greek word kho·leʹ (gall), the same term found in the Greek Septuagint at Psalm 69:21. However, Mark’s Gospel account mentions myrrh (Mark 15:23), and this has given rise to the view that in this case the 'poisonous plant' or 'gall' was 'myrrh.' Another possibility is that the drugged drink contained both gall and myrrh."

These three points from Psalm 69 are a mere snapshot of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. However, they contain abundant meaning for us and strengthen our conviction that Jesus is the true Messiah by means of whom Jehovah's promises become yes (2 Corinthians 1:20).

God, Jesus, Sleep, and the Trinity

 I know what the Trinitarian "response" will be, but here it goes:

Jehovah God doesn't need sleep: "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4 KJV).

Jesus, however, apparently did need sleep: "And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" (Mark 4:38 KJV)

God doesn't need food or drink: "Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?" (Psalm 50:13 KJV)

But Jesus evidently did need food to live: "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children" (Matthew 11:19 KJV).

It's hard to understand how one person can both need sleep/food qua human, but not need sleep/food or drink qua divinity. I would also argue that some things we do as humans do not befit the dignity of God and I'm not talking about sinful acts but simply things associated with being biological entities like expelling waste products.

Words of the Month (September 2024)

1) Paradoxical:

Main Entry: par·a·dox·i·cal Pronunciation: \ˌper-ə-ˈdäk-si-kəl, ˌpa-rə-\Function:  adjective
Date: 1598
1 a : of the nature of a paradox b : inclined to paradoxes
2 : not being the normal or usual kind <a paradoxical pulse> <paradoxical drug reactions>

[From Merriam-Webster online]

2) The German term "Welterfahrendesleben" which can be translated "life-experiencing-the-world."

3) ignoratio elenchi-"an ignorance of proof"

See https://www.thefreedictionary.com/ignoratio+elenchi?fbclid=IwY2xjawE3a2RleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYnfpp993oFMjFN0RvPCrVJdvy6ZGO7wPoC6N2NyzP7zzleIuPMDLh4PBQ_aem_D-2QRQMq-R2u91ZJjHmbpA

Ecclesiastes 4:1 (Oppression in Qoheleth)-Is the Book Pessimistic?

"Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 NASB).

For the record, I don't believe that Ecclesiastes is pessimistic, but here are some sources to consider:

https://academic.oup.com/jss/article-abstract/3/4/336/1655791?redirectedFrom=PDF

https://www.galaxie.com/article/bsac175-700-01

https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA10109919_827

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/ecclesiastes-in-context-reclaiming-qoheleths-canonical-authority/

https://scholar.csl.edu/ctm/vol22/iss1/2/

Kavod and Doxa

The Hebrew "kavod" undoubtedly signifies weightiness, authority, and importance. But is the idea of brightness totally absent from that Hebrew word and from the Greek "doxa"? What about Exod. 16:10 (LXX); 33:18, 22; Ezek. 1:28, 43:2 and other verses?

The idea of brightness is clear in these occurrences. Compare 2 Cor. 3:7-11, 18; 4:4-6; 2 Peter 1:17; also see LSJ regarding doxa.

BDAG and other lexicons indicate that doxa is applied to women based on the rabbinic predilection for describing women as the imago dei. Paul actually writes that woman is the doxa of man, not that she "has" doxa per se (1 Cor. 11:7). Then later, the Apostle writes: γυνὴ δὲ ἐὰν κομᾷ, δόξα αὐτῇ ἐστίν; ὅτι ἡ κόμη ἀντὶ περιβολαίου δέδοται αὐτῇ (11:15).

The overall point is that doxa can have the meaning "glory" among other significations, and this post is by no means intended to suggest that women lack glory. Nor am I contending that Paul held such a belief.

Nescio Quis: A Little Latin for the Day

The Latin expression "nescio quis" has the potential meaning "somebody or other." It's often used in a contemptuous manner.

"Nescio quo pacto" denotes "in some way or other." Bennett's New Latin Grammar gives these examples:

Nescio quis forms a compound indefinite pronoun with the force of some one or other; as,—

    causidicus nescio quis, some pettifogger or other;

    mīsit nescio quem, he sent some one or other;

    nescio quō pactō, somehow or other.

See https://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html

Non nullus can be translated "not none," "some" or "several" (plural use).

Matthew 26:70 (Vulgate): at ille negavit coram omnibus dicens nescio quid dicis

Of course, in this passage, we have nescio, which is a 1st person verb.

The New American Commentary on Isaiah 45:18 (Gary V. Smith)

Michael Bird on Theopneustos (Screenshot)

 

Does Jehovah Always Determine The "Lot's" Outcome?

I've heard some argue that God always controls the outcome of the "lot" based on Proverbs 16:33. But comparing Proverbs with Joel 3:3 makes me think the verse is being taken out of context:

"and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink" (Joel 3:3 WEB).

"The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of Jehovah" (Proverbs 16:33 ASV).

Myers-Briggs and Our Creator

I love studying personalities and finding out what makes people (including myself) tick. I'm consequently interested in personality inventory assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. In looking over an old MBTI that I took back in the late 90s, which assessed me as INTJ-INTPish, I notice that INTPs (introverted, intuitive, thinking and perceiving) tend to have the following learning style:

Intensely curious, global and abstract learners, understand theories and underlying principles quickly, get so absorbed in reading and research that they wind up forgetting time and people. Finally, INTPs report 3-9 hours per week of non-required serious reading.

The description fits me to a large extent although INTJ likewise says things that match my learning style. By the way, INTJ stands for introverted, intuitive, thinking, and judging. These type of people are inclined to study up to 30 hours per week according to the MBTI. Wow! Our Creator sure made humans to be fascinating and complex creatures. (Psalm 139:14-16)

Online Sources for Origen's Angelology

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/opth-2020-0158/html?lang=en

https://philarchive.org/archive/HAEOSA

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/04165.htm

Origen writes in Contra Celsum:

For we indeed acknowledge that angels are ministering spirits, and we say that they are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation; and that they ascend, bearing the supplications of men, to the purest of the heavenly places in the universe, or even to supercelestial regions purer still; and that they come down from these, conveying to each one, according to his deserts, something enjoined by God to be conferred by them upon those who are to be the recipients of His benefits. Having thus learned to call these beings angels from their employments, we find that because they are divine they are sometimes termed god in the sacred Scriptures, but not so that we are commanded to honour and worship in place of God those who minister to us, and bear to us His blessings. For every prayer, and supplication, and intercession, and thanksgiving, is to be sent up to the Supreme God through the High Priest, who is above all the angels, the living Word and God. And to the Word Himself shall we also pray and make intercessions, and offer thanksgivings and supplications to Him, if we have the capacity of distinguishing between the proper use and abuse of prayer.

Was Origen a polytheist? Moreover, to counterbalance Origen's thoughts on prayer, see his work by the same name that deals with the subject. 

Greek Info of the Day: Genitives and Apposition (Blackwelder)

A noun in the genitive may stand in apposition to another noun in order to further define it. For example, Paul places his own name in apposition with “a servant of Christ Jesus” (Rom. 1:1). In II Corinthians 1:22 and 5:5, “the earnest [arrabon, seal, pledge, foretaste] of the Spirit” means the Holy Spirit is the pledge or down payment of salvation (cf. Eph. 1:14). Note the appositional use of the genitive in II Corinthians 5:1, where Paul calls our earthly house a tent-home. He uses this figure to contrast our present state with our future existence. According to the Apostle’s metaphor, our earthly life is temporary, like living in a tent which may be taken down at any hour. But when the terrestrial abode is no more, we have the celestial existence awaiting us, and it is everlasting. Note other genitives of apposition or definition such as “crown of life” (Rev. 2:10), “crown of righteousness” (II Tim. 4:8), and “crown of glory” (I Pet. 5:4).

Blackwelder, Boyce W. Light from the Greek New Testament (Kindle Locations 2907-2915). Reformation Publishers Prestonsburg, KY. Kindle Edition. 

Did Justin Martyr Read Ancient Platonic Texts in Latin?

An interlocutor of mine once claimed that Justin Martyr possibly wrote in Latin and used Latin translations of Plato. In this regard, some of you might recall that Justin was a Neoplatonist who was born in Flavia Neapolis (Nablus). While I agree that Plato was eventually translated into Latin, do we have evidence that his writings were already rendered into Latin by the first-second century CE? Do we have evidence for pre-Christian Latin MSS of Plato's writings or artifacts that would have been around for Justin to use and is there any indication that he used them?

Jerome (Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians), who was born in Stridon (located in the Roman province of Dalmatia) and died in 420 CE declares that only "a handful of idle old men" knew either the works or name of Plato in his day. While the scholar's account is undoubtedly rhetorical flourish to some degree, Raymond Klibansky observes: "As far as we know, surprisingly few translations of complete [Platonic] dialogues existed in late antiquity. Cicero's version of the Protagoras was known only to a few erudite men like Sidonius and to learned grammarians like Priscian; that of the Timaeus comprised no more than a small part of the work; Apuleius' translation of the Phaedo seems to have been a rarity, and disappeared, like Cicero's Protagoras, after the sixth century" (The Continuity of the Platonic Tradition, pp. 21-22). So, there is evidence for a few Platonic Latin translations existing in the first-second century BCE/CE, but these works were not that accessible and further research discloses there is only so much information about Plato that a scholar like Justin Martyr could have extracted from these Latin translations anyway. Additionally, he had to know Latin in order to read them. Admittedly, some sources argue that he did.

To illustrate what I mean, consider Gerard Boter's (The Textual Tradition of Plato's Republic. Leiden and New York: Brill, 1989) comments about ancient Latin MSS of Plato's Republic:

(1) The only direct Greek quotations of the Republic in the Platonic Latin MS tradition appear in Cicero's speeches. Verbatim translations of the same work occur in Cicero, Ammianus Marcellinus, Hieronymus, Calcidus, Valerius Maximus and Arnobius (Boter, page 287).

(2) References or allusions from Plato's monumental book (the Republic) are again found in Cicero, Apuleius, Calcidus, Macrobius, Augustine, Boethius, Lactantius, and Tertullian. I think this data should demonstrate that there were not a large number of Platonic Latin translations floating about Rome's territory in Justin's day. One either read it in Greek as did Cicero and no doubt Justin and Tatian or one relied on what those who could read Greek had to say about the Platonic text. It thus seems highly unlikely that Justin was privy to a Latin translation of Plato's Republic or Timaeus. Moreover, when he taught pupils like Tatian, he probably communicated in the Greek tongue to them.

Book for Sale on Ebay (VG Condition)-Rogers and Rogers for the GNT

 Please see https://www.ebay.com/itm/387284547801

A Comparison of Leviticus 13:28 (LXX) with Hebrews 1:3 (Greek)

ἐὰν δὲ κατὰ χώραν μείνῃ τὸ αὐγάζον καὶ μὴ διαχυθῇ ἐν τῷ δέρματι, αὐτὴ δὲ ᾖ ἀμαυρά, ἡ οὐλὴ τοῦ κατακαύματός ἐστιν, καὶ καθαριεῖ αὐτὸν ὁ ἱερεύς· ὁ γὰρ χαρακτὴρ τοῦ κατακαύματός ἐστιν (Leviticus 13:28 LXX).

ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς (Hebrews 1:3 UBS5)

Scholar Mark Edwards on Christological Subordinationism (John 1:1, Etc.)

"There is little in the New Testament to suggest that the Son is equal to the Father, and not even an explicit assertion of their coeternity. The Word (not yet called the Son) was with the Father in the beginning (John 1.1)—an expression which takes us no further back than the origin of the world, perhaps no more than four thousand years before the incarnation on a strict construal of biblical chronology. He (or should we say 'it'?2) is said to be theos, but the absence of the definite article—used in the previous clause when the subject is God the Father–permits, or may even embolden, us to take this usage of theos as predicative rather than denominative. The New English Bible captures this well in its rendering 'what God was the word was', and the closest parallel in the Bible itself is Exodus 7.1, 'I shall make thee theos to Pharaoh', where the implication is evidently that Moses will be all that Pharaoh knows of God, not that he will be God in substance. There is no other passage in which the word theos is incontrovertibly applied to the Son: even Thomas’s exclamation 'My Lord and my God' (John 20.28) is understood by a minority of readers as a prayer of thanksgiving rather than an apostrophe to the resurrected Jesus."

Source: Edwards, Mark Thomas. “Is Subordinationism a Heresy?” TheoLogica: An International Journal for Philosophy of Religion and Philosophical Theology (2020): pages 2-3.

Codex Sinaiticus: A Testament to Ancient Christianity

"The fourth century Codex Sinaiticus is the oldest and most complete copy of the New Testament in Greek known to exist.1 All twenty seven books of the Bible are represented including the epistle of Barnabas and part of the Shepherd of Hermas, the concluding sections are lost with the final pages of the manuscript."

Mitchell, Timothy N. (2014) "Codex Sinaiticus as a Window into Early Christian Worship," Eleutheria: Vol. 3: Iss. 1 , Article 2. 

Available at: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/eleu/vol3/iss1/2

But compare the article by Brent Nongbri here: https://academic.oup.com/jts/article/73/2/516/6652265

The Codex Sinaiticus Project: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/ptr/departments/theologyandreligion/research/projects/codex-sinaiticus

Codex Sinaiticus-Matthew 6:4-32 (Public Domain Image). Kudos to Wikimedia Commons.

1 Corinthians 4:2-Paul's Use of the Word "Pistos" in Corinthians

According to Louw-Nida, the adjective πιστὸς has the potential meaning: "pertaining to being trusted - ‘faithful, trustworthy, dependable, reliable.’"

Compare 1 Peter 4:19.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (Greek): ὧδε λοιπὸν ζητεῖται ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις ἵνα πιστός τις εὑρεθῇ.

Paul's use of πιστός in 1 and 2 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 1:9-πιστὸς ὁ θεὸς δι' οὗ ἐκλήθητε εἰς κοινωνίαν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν.

1 Corinthians 4:17-Διὰ τοῦτο ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν Τιμόθεον, ὅς ἐστίν μου τέκνον ἀγαπητὸν καὶ πιστὸν ἐν κυρίῳ, ὃς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τὰς ὁδούς μου τὰς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, καθὼς πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ διδάσκω.

1 Corinthians 7:25-Περὶ δὲ τῶν παρθένων ἐπιταγὴν κυρίου οὐκ ἔχω, γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι.

1 Corinthians 10:13-πειρασμὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ εἴληφεν εἰ μὴ ἀνθρώπινος· πιστὸς δὲ ὁ θεός, ὃς οὐκ ἐάσει ὑμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δύνασθε, ἀλλὰ ποιήσει σὺν τῷ πειρασμῷ καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν.

2 Corinthians 1:18-πιστὸς δὲ ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν ὁ πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἔστιν Ναί καὶ Οὔ·

2 Corinthians 6:15-τίς δὲ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρὸς Βελίαρ, ἢ τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ ἀπίστου;

Job and the Creation of Jehovah (Modified Talk)

The name Job apparently means "object of hostility." From the Bible book of Job, we know that Satan poured out much hostility on a man of integrity who was blameless and upright (Job 1:1). Satan took away his wealth, his beloved children, he attacked Job's health and three companions of Job told him that he was suffering because of some sin that he had committed. Furthermore, Job's wife told him to curse God and die.

[use the picture here]

How do you think Job felt after this vicious attack? Quite frankly, he became consumed with his own problems and the unfair criticism he received from his "comforters." However, notice what Jehovah said in Job 37:14

" Listen to this, Job; Stop and consider carefully the wonderful works of God."

What did Job need to do to regain his spiritual balance?

Allow the audience to comment.

Afterwards:

When we feel overwhelmed by our trials, observing creation can help us to remember Jehovah’s greatness; it can strengthen our desire cleave to him and build our confidence in God's ability to care for us. See Matthew 6:26.

Show the video

Then ask the audience:

How did this video strengthen your trust in Jehovah?

Conclude

Words of the Month (August 2024)

1. Haecceitas (Latin)-"Thisness" or specificity: it's a neologism evidently coined by the medieval philosopher-theologian Duns Scotus (died 1308 CE).

2. Postlapsarian (Latin)-When used theologically, the word can be defined this way:  "occurring after or due to the fall of humankind as expounded in the Bible"

See https://www.thefreedictionary.com/postlapsarian

3. Infralapsarian (Latin)-"any of a group of Calvinists who held that God's plan of salvation for some people followed and was a consequence of the fall of humankind from grace"

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/infralapsarian

4. Hypostatic union (Greek derivation)- "union in one hypostasis

especially : the union of the divine and human natures of Christ in one hypostasis"

See https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypostatic%20union

Once Threads Close (Mod Note)

Greetings all,

I'm going to post some comments from Nincsnevem to a thread that just closed this morning. However, in the future, I will be less amenable to adding comments once threads close. I try to keep these discussions focused on the OP, but they inevitably glide into other subjects. 
However, that is not what I desire. 

Best regards, 
Edgar

James 2:1-Admonition Contra Partiality (Greek Semantics and Syntax)

Greek: Ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ἐν προσωπολημψίαις ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς δόξης;

The opening part of this verse reflects James' favorite way to address his readers; it suggests the close relationship he shared with them (Ἀδελφοί μου).

μὴ ἐν προσωπολημψίαις ἔχετε-James 2:1 might either be expressing a rhetorical query or a prohibition. See Dan G. McCartney, James, pages 134-135 (BECNT Series).

μὴ occurs here with the indicative mood (ἔχετε) and a nominal that is dative plural feminine (προσωπολημψίαις); furthermore, the nominal word appears as part of a prepositional phrase.

BDAG: προσωπολημψία, ας, ἡ ⟦prosōpolēmpsía⟧ (edd. also -ληψία; s. προσωπο-λημπτέω) partiality named as a sin, w. other sins Pol 6:1. Not found in God (TestJob 43:13) Ro 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25. Pl. τὴν πίστιν ἔχειν ἐν προσωπολημψί-αις hold the faith while showing partiality Js 2:1 (Goodsp, Probs. 142f).—EDNT. TW.

The direct object of ἔχετε is τὴν πίστιν, which is modified by the genitival construct, τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς δόξης. 

Link for Open Access Book About Justin Martyr and His Dialogue With Trypho

See https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mono/10.4324/9781351243490/jews-heretics-matthijs-den-dulk

Many thanks to a reader and friend (Roman) for alerting me and others to this book.

Revelation 1:3 (Rogers and Rogers Comments)

Greek: μακάριος ὁ ἀναγινώσκων καὶ οἱ ἀκούοντες τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας καὶ τηροῦντες τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ γεγραμμένα, ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς ἐγγύς.

"Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand" (Revelation 1:3 KJV)

anadiplosis in James 1:3-4

Greek: γινώσκοντες ὅτι τὸ δοκίμιον ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως κατεργάζεται ὑπομονήν·ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ ἔργον τέλειον ἐχέτω, ἵνα ἦτε τέλειοι καὶ ὁλόκληροι, ἐν μηδενὶ λειπόμενοι.

Definition for anadiplosis: "repetition in the first part of a clause or sentence of a prominent word from the latter part of the preceding clause or sentence, usually with a change or extension of meaning."

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/anadiplosis

See also James 1:19-20; 26-27. 

In James 1:3-4, the prominent word is "endurance" (ὑπομονήν and ἡ ὑπομονὴ)

Sources:

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/bitstreams/f7fa7aa5-b1ca-4d2f-904d-724a89651357/download

https://diu.edu/documents/jlcr/jlcr-3.1-2022.pdf

Richard A. Lanham. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms. Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, 1991. Second Edition, Page 10.

Two Books I Love (Recommended Works About Aquinas and The Universe)-Images

Articles About Psalm 2:7 (Eternal Generation?)

Some Trinitarians attempt to invoke Psalm 2:7 as proof for their eternal generation doctrine. However, when the verse is read in context, this application of scripture to a doctrine seems like one big stretch. 

For some informative discussions, see the following:

https://www.thetorah.com/article/psalm-2-is-the-messiah-the-son-of-god

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/scottish-journal-of-theology/article/abs/psalm-27-and-the-concept-of/38E35D8CE5AF5718E0C3645047F93D8B

https://dbts.edu/2019/03/11/is-christs-receipt-of-life-in-himself-john-526-proof-of-eternal-generation/

https://www.atsjats.org/tornalejo-reexamining-the-eternal-generation-of-the-son-ats-2016.pdf

Ephesians 3:11-"Eternal Purpose"?

Two definitions given for the word "purpose" are:

A) "the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc."

Synonyms: target, objective, object, rationale, point

B) "an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal."

See https://www.dictionary.com/browse/purpose

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jehovah God has an eternal purpose: he initially made the earth to be inhabited by righteous people. That was his original telos. But although Adam and Eve sinned and that purpose has not been realized yet, we believe it will be fulfilled since God's word cannot return to him "void" and God cannot lie (Isaiah 55:10-11; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). However, some have criticized this way of framing, articulating, and thinking about what God does, is doing, and will do. Hence, do Witnesses have a sound basis for believing that God has an eternal purpose?

Ephesians 3:11 in Greek: κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων ἣν ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν,

C.H. Talbert writes (Ephesians and Colossians, pp. 99-100):

"This divine purpose—the reunification of the cosmos—now made known to the unruly powers is an eternal purpose, which he accomplished by means of the Christ, Jesus our Lord (en tō Christō, understood instrumentally, that is, by his death; Hoehner 2002, 464), by means of whom (en hō, understood instrumentally) we continually have boldness and access with confidence (cf. Heb 4:16; 10:19) through his faithfulness (3:11–12; pisteōs autou understood as a subjective genitive, thus Christ’s faithfulness; Foster 2002)."

Other commentaries and sources likewise point out that Ephesians 3:11 is talking about an eternal purpose formed in Christ or a purpose of the ages. Compare Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:16. We have good reason for believing that God long ago formed an eternal purpose that will be fulfilled. 

Open Access Book: From Erasmus to Maius (The History of Codex Vaticanus in New Testament Textual Scholarship)

 https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111453651/html

Making Righteous Judgments (Modified Talk)

The Insight book makes this illuminating observation about Jehovah’s righteousness:

“Jehovah himself is called ‘the abiding place of righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 50:7) He is therefore the Righteous One, and all righteousness on the part of his creatures comes from their relationship with him.”

While tonight’s material specifically applies to congregation elders, we all have the ability to learn about Bible principles that can help us to make righteous judgments in imitation of Jehovah.

The inspired writer Moses outlines the first Bible principle we're concentrating on tonight in Deuteronomy 16:18-19. (Read)

Firstly, elders must be impartial when making judgments (Acts 10:34-35). Bribes/favors should not be allowed to pervert justice or make us blind to wrongdoing and corruption. Nor should special treatment be shown to someone because of his/her race, ethnicity, familial relationship or socioeconomic status: we should be impartial like our God.

Secondly, elders must establish the facts when judging within the congregation. Notice Deuteronomy 17:4-6. (Read)

God adhered to this principle by presenting his Son to the world as mankind’s Savior. Jesus said: “In your own Law it is written, ‘The witness of two men is true.’ I am one that bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”​—John 8:17, 18.

Thirdly, elders should get help for difficult cases of judgment. Deuteronomy 17:8-9 applied to ancient priests and judges. Similarly, elders may consult other elders, the circuit overseer or the branch. There is wisdom in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 15:22).

Conditional and Counterfactual Statements (Logic)

Truth-functional logic is one of those funny things wherein two components of a conditional statement (P & Q) might be false, but yet the entire conditional statement would still be true. The Philonian interpretation of conditional statements teaches us that a conditional utterance is only false when the antecedent (P) is true, but the consequent (Q) is false.

For instance, "If all bachelors are married, then Immanuel [a bachelor] is married" is only false when the antecedent is true, but the consequent is false. Hence, although both parts of the statement could be false, the statement as a whole would still be true according to the Philonian interpretation of conditional statements. 

On the other hand, the truth value of counterfactual statements is ascertained on a case-by-case basis. The truth value of "If it were the case that P, then it would be the case that Q," can be sorted out by looking at substitution instances of contrary to fact P and Q utterances; in other words, we're now differentiating between material implication and strict implication.

David Lewis distinguishes counterfactual operators from modal operators. What I believe Lewis wants to say is that there's a difference between "If horses were wishes, then beggars would ride" and "If horses were wishes, then beggars might ride." I should say that he's making a distinction between "would" and "might" counterfactuals since both verbs are modal.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dialectical-school/

Appreciating the Longest Psalm and Biblical Genealogies

Written back in 2014:

I recently had a gentleman tell me that the 119th psalm is "awful" (or something to that effect) since it's long (176 verses) and it keeps mentioning laws, statutes, reminders (etc.). He just could not make sense of this psalm. I tried to reason with him on the purpose(s) of this biblical song; it elevates God's Torah and teaches us the value of divine guidance, but admittedly, trying to read this psalm or any other without some background can be tough.

At one Witness school I attended, we were given the assignment (some years ago) of reading a chunk of 1 Chronicles along with other scriptures. Now keep in mind that this chapter is nothing but genealogy, and it would have been the first time I had read that section of the Bible. I remember looking at the assignment, closing my book, and reading something else. No way was I going to read an ongoing list of men who begat other men who begat . . .

I now appreciate those parts that were once considered boring. Having some background information for "dry" parts of Scripture immeasurably enriches one's reading, so be patient and keep at it, if you can sympathize with the man mentioned at the outset.

Christ Qua ἱλάσμος For "Our Sins" (1 John 2:1-2)

In 1 John 2:1-2, the apostle professes that Christ is ἱλάσμος for "our sins," but not for "ours" alone. To demonstrate the referent of the pronoun "our," I believe some good verses to adduce would be the following:

"But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge" (1 John 2:20 ESV).

"As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him" (1 John 2:27 WEB).

"beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2 YLT)

1 John 3:2 is a complex scripture, but it seems that the most likely explanation of the passage is that it references the Father, whom anointed Christians will one day "beatifically" see.