tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89639593315518397162024-03-19T01:30:58.345-07:00Running the RaceThe Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-7664077185412461832022-02-02T12:25:00.002-08:002022-02-02T12:25:49.113-08:00Resilience: What Part does an Organization Play?<p>I haven't posted in a while, but I did recently post on the SEND U blog. Instead of reproducing my thoughts here, please visit the article on the <a href="https://sendublog.com/2022/01/31/how-much-organizational-involvement-in-the-missionarys-life/" target="_blank">SEND U blog</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sendublog.com/2022/01/31/how-much-organizational-involvement-in-the-missionarys-life/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhugQZdukUcs-MBIL0dVj82kYwaWZ5zG8cK8zFVP2dbD264RFSGo6gp514RGoI1dfTZLqiS4t5OdvBZmIRt9oFr8smoo0CAAAwClNTbgukfwFP7XkiOEqQpDIumlpv6qUAjDieQDfbXXO7aqpd0vypQ4zz9WpEr1s5l2MV3--lN4sHgRqdE_QopErRO=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>See you next time!</p>The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-610592028992186212020-12-24T10:25:00.000-08:002020-12-24T10:25:08.903-08:00In His Realm of the Wolf and Lamb<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU0cWXk4GaSrYzLGtdkreM0rZu-fe6TKx0L2t16YczgaYl3nivzWTP98uaPkrpRzPHYo_kK22BZNyjPXYZjSXbHX738FI1C82vbmaL_LSBMrMbZ1rarZmVO-OjmQoIJqalJ7XiymynYQ/s700/wolf+and+lamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU0cWXk4GaSrYzLGtdkreM0rZu-fe6TKx0L2t16YczgaYl3nivzWTP98uaPkrpRzPHYo_kK22BZNyjPXYZjSXbHX738FI1C82vbmaL_LSBMrMbZ1rarZmVO-OjmQoIJqalJ7XiymynYQ/s320/wolf+and+lamb.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">A Christmas Reflection from Julie</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">The wolf will live with the lamb; <br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">the leopard will lie down with the young goat. <br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">The calf and the lion will graze together, <br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">and a little child will lead them.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;">When I think of Isaiah 11:6, I’m struck that the radical
images of reconciliation and peace are meant to astound us. This is not a
picture of a random, innocuous moment of contact between enemies. This is a
picture of sustained life together. Could reconciliation and consequent
vulnerability this radical be possible?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: times;">It’s a truth I ponder regularly because I have spent a lot
of my life building up a lot of personal protections. Protecting oneself from
questionable people, and scary places was a running theme for me growing up. I’ve
learned that this is a very human way of making shalom for oneself. But it is
like a rickety, tenuous little shalom shanty compared to what we could be
resting in. Still, in my life, I learned to protect myself. I have worn
protective layers and have often been concerned about many dangers both real
and imagined.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: times;">Then, Jesus arrived in my life like a fountain in the
desert. Meeting Him was like “waking up from the longest dream” for me (thank
you, Keith Green, for that image). And He began what has become a lifelong
process of gently peeling off layer after protective layer. I had so many
layers that I really couldn’t have described to you what I thought or felt
about many things, especially anything somehow threatening. This labor of His
in my life has been the most pivotal process of my life, a foundation that
grows deeper and more alive with each passing year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;">Yet this year has definitely challenged all of us, myself
included, around the globe in how we protect ourselves... from what, and from
whom. Fear of the unknown, and distrust and frustration with others have
dominated both news cycles and conversations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;">It begs the question again. Is it truly possible that I can
lay down my protective layers in order to embrace the much better shalom of
Jesus? Could I really be safer by </span><i style="font-family: times;">laying down</i><span style="font-family: times;"> my own shortsighted ways
of protecting myself, my barriers and my own masks, and live out the
extraordinary gift of redemption and reconciliation I have with Him?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;">Will I not be so much safer allowing Him to bring peace </span><i style="font-family: times;">His
way</i><span style="font-family: times;">?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;">Looking into the Gospel narratives, a reader can find that God’s
way was to put Himself into the most vulnerable place possible, entering into
human poverty and want, and entering this too in the most vulnerable position
possible, as a tiny, dependent infant. And </span><i style="font-family: times;">this? ...THIS...</i><span style="font-family: times;"> was the
beginning of the most unbelievable movement of Shalom reconciliation that ever
existed on earth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;">Am I safer in the Shalom of Jesus, open and vulnerable before
others? Yes, because I have been redeemed and so strongly embraced by Emmanuel,
God with Us. </span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;">The Gospel message
proclaims that it is possible to enter His Shalom, a Shalom that allows wolves
and lambs to be at peace, to live daily with one another, all because Jesus
came into a world that did not know Him, to pay for the sins of those who did
not esteem or even care a whit about Him, to bring many people into the deep Shalom
of intimate relationship with God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;">It’s a radical thought.</span></p>The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-2692810052143937732018-10-24T13:26:00.001-07:002018-10-24T13:31:12.495-07:00Problems with Participles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5rktBRsYJJDbO9JHWf0fwh1dgp9VnraZmNAxlAiq1oGVH0_0wRCABo0wG6wLQ9wAgGUiYYw-nBMpGnzcO1FMOUH2WFtNKDLFe40d2Xm3WA3tp7jAAsZTfP8iJ4DdTcJtUudleliYy7I/s1600/GreekJohn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5rktBRsYJJDbO9JHWf0fwh1dgp9VnraZmNAxlAiq1oGVH0_0wRCABo0wG6wLQ9wAgGUiYYw-nBMpGnzcO1FMOUH2WFtNKDLFe40d2Xm3WA3tp7jAAsZTfP8iJ4DdTcJtUudleliYy7I/s320/GreekJohn1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While living here in Indianapolis, I have been going to a Bible study on Hebrews. This week we will be discussing chapter six. In my reading, I was reminded again how decisions about grammar can impact meaning. Hebrews 6:4-6 is a single sentence with seven participles (eight if you count the implied one) that pose some interesting problems that significantly impact the meaning of the sentence. This highly debated New Testament sentence provides a good example of how sometimes, it is the decisions about grammar that impact translation and interpretation the most. My goal here is not to solve these problems, but to illustrate the need to make well thought out decisions in our study of New Testament grammar.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first issue is the issue of the main verb. The primary verb is implied. The actual sentence has verbal ideas only from participles and one infinitive. The infinitive is adverbial and completes the idea of the main verb. The main verb is implied and, in my view, the verb “to be” makes the most sense. So, the primary phrase is </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
[εστιν] αδυνατον ανακαινιζειν παλιν εις μετανοιαν </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The phase could be translated something like, “It is impossible to renew again to the point of repentance…”. What does εις μετανοιαν/to repentance mean? That is for a different discussion. What is important in this discussion is that we have our primary clause. In the passage it is interesting that five participles separate the “it is impossible” and “to renew again…”, but that is also a discussion for another time. There are five participial phrases that form the direct object of the infinitive ανακαινιζειν. The first participle is clearly a substantive – τους απαξ φωτισθεντας, “those who were once enlightened”. The article and the participle are both masculine, plural, accusative and the next four participles do not have articles. However, I see them as all substantives governed by the same article as the first. Each participle is also masculine, plural, accusative. Each participle is also aorist – matching the first, and each participial phrase is separated by a conjunction (τε or και). The single article governing a list of participles connected by conjunctions forms a tight block of text. Since each of these participles are aorist, they have an antecedent verbal idea. So, the author is saying something like this, </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“For, it is impossible to renew again to repentance the one who was once enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and became a participant in the Holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the power of the age to come and fallen away…”. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wallace suggests that this last participle (παραπεσοντας fallen away) could be a conditional and translated “…if they fall away.” That is possible, but since it is in the sequence of participles in aorist tense, separated by conjunctions, it is also probably also governed by the same article as the others and hence a substantive. In other words, the author uses six attributes (as opposed to five plus one conditional) to describe the person about whom it is impossible to restore to repentance.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the key questions is, “Who is the author talking about”. It is difficult to imagine a clearer description of a believer. It is harder still to imagine this list of attributes being used to describe one who only pretends to believe. But, I’ll leave that discussion for others.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next is the hard part. We have two adverbial present tense participles - ανασταυρουντας εαυτοι τον υιον του θεου και παραδειγματιζοντας. The present tense forms a strong contrast to the previous aorist tense participles and match the present tense of the infinitive. That means that they are connected with the meaning of the main verb. The contrast of tenses was probably not an accident and brings out the imperfective aspect of the participles. The question is, are they temporal or causal. The decision made here has a significant impact on the interpretation. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we understand them as temporal, we can translate them, “…while they are crucifying the Son of God to themselves and publicly putting him to shame.” The idea is that while they continue this action, they cannot be restored. Implied is the hope that if the offenders change their actions (stop crucifying Him to themselves and putting Him to open shame), then restoration is possible. The temporal option give hope and doesn’t demand the loss of salvation.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In contrast, if we understand them as causal, the picture is much bleaker. As causals they could be translated, “…because they are crucifying the Son of God to themselves and publicly putting Him to open shame.” The implication here is that their state is a done deal and they cannot be restored – there is no hope. It is even stronger if we take the present aorist as a gnomic – “…because they crucify the Son of God to themselves and publicly put Him to shame.” the causal option leaves no hope and demands either the loss of salvation or that the author is describing people who only gave the appearance of being saved.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, which is correct? or better said, which did the author have in mind? Good question and beyond the scope of this post. I just wanted to highlight the connection between decisions about grammar and interpretation. I will leave the hard decisions to others.</span></div>
</span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-83274300362066639262018-10-05T08:04:00.001-07:002018-10-05T08:04:41.107-07:00Childbearing: Reflections on I Timothy 2:15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5-EghC1Mckex-ROOtnt-tHKTW_LzVKv30dqV4NZ5h0EatlaNeqWW3pT_eCizTW7tAyKA2koBCS1QZXo2aPE-dNdbj7xZPHo4JFk4YoflMnWvA8cMGE9STlNAPqvpTEEMrdBiuJ8P3F8/s1600/midwife.800x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5-EghC1Mckex-ROOtnt-tHKTW_LzVKv30dqV4NZ5h0EatlaNeqWW3pT_eCizTW7tAyKA2koBCS1QZXo2aPE-dNdbj7xZPHo4JFk4YoflMnWvA8cMGE9STlNAPqvpTEEMrdBiuJ8P3F8/s320/midwife.800x450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
former student sent me a question. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">He
asked, “How do you understand “the childbearing” in I Timothy 2:15”?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Short answer: “With difficulty”.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Long answer:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is a complicated one, so I thought I’d share my thoughts with the
four or five of you who read this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In
order to address this question, I think that at a minimum we need to address the
immediate context, the range of word meanings, Paul’s understanding of
salvation, the OT reference and finally Paul’s audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
immediate context is not without difficulties but in general is clear. Paul is defining gender roles and proper
behavior when believers gather together.
He is writing to Timothy to assist him (Timothy) in his task of
correcting certain doctrinal problems in Ephesus. This tells us a few of things. First, this applies to gatherings of
believers. He is talking to and about
men and women who follow Christ as their savior. Second, the reference to women is in the
context of Christian gatherings, not specifically to roles of wives and mothers. Third, this is to correct some issue or
issues in the gatherings in Ephesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There
are a couple of difficult words here. The
first is the word for salvation. It can
mean spiritual salvation or deliverance from an immediate danger or
problem. If Paul means deliverance from danger,
then there should be some reference to the problem. This seems to be absent. Perhaps we can say that the problem is the
strife in the community meetings, but it is difficult to see how childbearing
would deliver women from that. Thus, by the
process of elimination, I will assume that Paul has spiritual salvation in
mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
second difficult word is the word for childbearing. This is the only New Testament usage in the
noun form, so we don’t have much help from New Testament authors. It is singular and part of a prepositional
phrase. The preposition phrase denotes “means”. It could be rendered something like “by means
of childbirth”. In this case the
singular takes on a collective meaning.
Or it could be rendered something like, “by means of the childbirth”. The definite article is present and this
would preserve the singular number of the noun, but it changes the meaning to
refer to a known specific birth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Whatever
the meaning, the grammar of the prepositional phrase (</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δια</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τεκνογονιας</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">) tells us that this is the
means of the salvation. The tense and
voice of the verb, </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">σωθησεται</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
- future passive, tell us that the subject, “woman”, is not the active agent in
her salvation. The active agent comes
from the prepositional phrase. So,
whatever we conclude, the woman must be passive in her salvation and the noun
of the preposition phrase must be the active agent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Even
though the noun in the prepositional phrase </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δια</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τεκνογονιας</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">means
something like “childbearing”, I think it is safe to say that Paul does not
mean that women are eternally saved through giving birth to children. That would present some significant
theological difficulties. First and
foremost, it would present a means of salvation other than by grace through
faith. It would also present a separate
means of salvation for men and women. Further,
it would seem to violate what Stott calls the “principle of harmony” - that the
Bible is word of God and thus does not contradict itself. It would seem to be inconsistent with the way
Paul interacts with women like Priscilla, Lydia, Euodia and Syntyche. There is
no mention in any of his interaction with these women about salvation through
having children. We also come up against
the problem of single women. If women
are saved through giving birth, what of those who are not married? Should they have sex outside of marriage, so
they can have children and be saved? In
Paul’s words, “May it never be!”. If he
doesn’t mean that women are saved by having children, then what does he mean?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
OT reference may provide some further insight.
In the context of I Timothy, verse 2:15 is a contrast to a historical
argument from Genesis 3. Paul makes the
point that in the garden of Eden the woman was deceived, and it is implied that
paradise was thus lost. Then, in 2:15 Paul
says that she will be saved </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δια</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τεκνογονιας</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">. The parallel to the Genesis story seems
pretty obvious to me. In Genesis 3,
after Adam and Eve sin, God pronounces the curse and then immediately, in
Genesis 3:15, pronounces the hope of future salvation through the descendent of
the woman who will crush the head of the snake.
As Paul writes, this flow of logic would be fresh in his mind. In I Timothy 2:15, he simply finishes the
thought of Genesis 3 in his modern terms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If
this is the case, then a translation something like, “but she will be saved by
means of the birth [of the child]…” fits very nicely. I admit that it is not the most natural
meaning at first glance, but when we consider Paul’s audience, it seems to me very
probable. This is late in Paul’s
ministry. Timothy has been his disciple
for some time and has grown to the point where Paul trusts him to correct false
doctrine in Ephesus. He and Paul have a
deep history together. With this in
mind, it is not difficult to see that in a personal letter, it would not be
unreasonable for Paul to expect Timothy to understand an indirect, yet poetic, reference
to salvation through Christ. This “</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δια</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τεκνογονιας</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">” could even be language
the that Paul and Timothy had used together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Next,
we must say a few words about the phrase, “if they continue in faith, love and
holiness”. As evangelicals, we are very
sensitive to anything that may indicate salvation by works. So how are we to understand this conditional
statement. Put more formally, this is a
third-class condition, which broadly means that the author is expressing uncertain
but likely fulfillment. It is like a
proverb. If you act this way, that will
most likely be the result. Paul presents
this kind of formula:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If
they (women) continue in faith, love and holiness, then they will be saved </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δια</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τεκνογονιας</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
think this is a reference to what Carson calls, “the persevering quality of
saving faith” or the like. In other
words, faith that saves is faith that perseveres. If we mix in the third-class condition, Paul
is saying that most likely their faith will persevere. It is an encouragement. It is probably an over-translation, but you
could almost say, “since they will continue…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Finally,
the phrase, “with a sound mind” is probably a reference to Paul’s argument in
2:9-12. There he describes behavior that
results for sound thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So,
what did Paul mean by </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">σωθησεται</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δια</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τεκνογονιας</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">? A possible over-translation to make the point
to our ears today could go something like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">"But,
she (the woman) will be saved by means of that specific birth of the child
referenced in Genesis (i.e. Jesus and implied: just like all mankind), since they
will continue in faith and love and holiness with sound minds (in line with
what I was talking about earlier).”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hope this is helpful,
my friend.</span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-19463163019298291422017-03-20T13:28:00.001-07:002017-03-20T13:28:25.547-07:00I Told You. I Exist. John 8:25
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazynX_Wqwm-n8Hc-awpOKnECUZ5X-k2TCTelClSnXjMIhYewCGD1HRG940869YMoXODzZejk6fXLwAIqxBYFMWOhuTQcKsshb1-nHYHiNFDUeUgOY_SZevO8HOfKdQpYwWXISbdNfFm0/s1600/jesus+with+the+pharisees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazynX_Wqwm-n8Hc-awpOKnECUZ5X-k2TCTelClSnXjMIhYewCGD1HRG940869YMoXODzZejk6fXLwAIqxBYFMWOhuTQcKsshb1-nHYHiNFDUeUgOY_SZevO8HOfKdQpYwWXISbdNfFm0/s320/jesus+with+the+pharisees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">To keep up in politics, I often
listen to NPR Politics Podcast.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">They
have a segment every Thursday at the end of the podcast called, “Can’t let it
go.”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is when they talk about
something they just can stop thinking about – politics or otherwise.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This blog is my current, “Can’t let it go”.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">A colleague and friend came into
my office the other day and asked a question about a New Testament text.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">He told me the text and I first looked at it
in English – the ISV.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was John 8:25.
The ISV </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">says, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then they asked him, "Who are
you?" Jesus told them, "What have I been telling you all along?</span></i><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">My friend asked something like, “What is the
connection between this verse </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">and Exodos 3:14?</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Someone else had asked him and he didn’t know
the answer.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I read the verse again and
was confused by the question.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then I
read the Russian Synodal translation.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It
reads,</span><span style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Тогда</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">сказали</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ему</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">: </span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">кто</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">же</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ты</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">? </span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Иисус сказал им: от начала Сущий, как и
говорю вам.</span></span></i><span lang="RU" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="RU" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The
last part translates something like, “[I am the One] existing from the
beginning, as I have already told you.” or maybe, “…as I am telling you.”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, I thought to myself, that is a pretty
big difference.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">There must be a reason it
was translated this way in Russian.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
know that translations can sometimes be wrong, but, I don’t like to criticize
them because for the most part they are often very good.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Also, for most people, their translation is
the only Bible they have.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">If I undermine
people’s confidence in their Bible, I am doing damage to the Kingdom rather
than helping to build it.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, how do I
disagree with a translation and not undermine confidence?</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Good question.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">My answer is by trying to understand how the
translators came to their conclusions.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That way I can say that even if I disagree, it is still a good
translation.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Back to John 8:25…my first
thought was that there is probably a textual variant.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I looked at my UBS text and here is what I
found, “</span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ελεγον</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ουν</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αυτω</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Συ</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τις</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ει</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">? </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ειπεν</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αυτοις</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ιησους</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">,
</span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">και</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">λαλω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">υμιν</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">? There is a variant.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The relative and indefinite pronouns, </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> (that, which), in some
manuscripts are combined into the conjunction, </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">οτι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> (that or because).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That
is significant, but it doesn’t help me see where the translation “the One
existing” – </span><span lang="RU" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Сущий</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> came
from.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, I told my colleague that there
was probably a textual variant that is not listed in the UBS.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I will have to check my NA at home.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That is exactly what I did, but it wasn’t
much help at first.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The problem phrase is Jesus
answer, “</span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">και</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">λαλω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">υμιν</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">”.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The verb and indirect object are clear – “I
am saying to you”.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The problem is the
accusative, singular, feminine noun </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, the relative pronoun </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, the indefinite pronoun </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and what to do with the conjunction </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">και</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">How do those go together with the main phrase?</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We can add to the mix that instead of </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, some manuscripts have </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">οτι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> with is translated either as
“that” or “because”.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">At this point, as I
continued to not let this go, I reached out to several friends in the field for
help.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Their input was very instructive.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thanks especially to Dr. D.A. Black (Brother
Dave - </span><a href="http://www.daveblackonline.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.daveblackonline.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">).</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We can confidently translate </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">λαλω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">υμιν</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> as “I am telling you” or “I
have been saying”.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is a present
tense verb and communicates the idea of continuous action in the present.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“I am telling you now.”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> can be translated, the
beginning, </span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">severally, altogether, essentially, first
of all, in the beginning. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">If
we take </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> as “the beginning” and </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> as “that, which” and then </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">και</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> as “also” instead of “and”,
then, because “the beginning” implies something that started in the past, we
can imply an extra verb “I was telling you”.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then we can bring it all together as something like, “I am telling you
[now], that, which, [I have] also [been telling you from] the beginning.”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The UBS and NA have a question mark at the
end of verse 25 and the TR does not.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">If
we rephrase the translation as a question we have something like, “Am I not
telling you now, what I have been telling from the beginning?” or “How is it
that I even speak to you at all?” (cf. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Westcott,</span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Milligan and Moulton from Biblehub.com</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This second one requires </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> to be </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">οτι</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">and translated “that”.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"></span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Another option could be if we supply the verb “I
am (</span></span><span lang="EL" style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">εγω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ειμι</span></span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">)” and take </span></span><span lang="EL" style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> as “essentially”, then we could translate Jesus’
answer as, “I am essentially that which I even speak to you.”.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We can even drop the “I am”, smooth out the
English and have a dialogue something like this.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Scribes and Pharisees, “Who are you?”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Jesus, “[I am] essentially, that which I am
telling you!” or “essentially, that which I have been telling you! (implied:
all along!)” or the like.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">A further option would be to
supply the verb “I am” in between </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">and </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is not unreasonable, because John
attributed the same phrase to Jesus in the previous verse, “…unless you believe
that I AM (</span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">εγω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ειμι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">) then you will die in your
sins.” (John 8:24).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">If we supply </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">[</span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">εγω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ειμι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">] </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">και</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">λαλω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">υμιν</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, (cf. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on
the Greek New Testament, second Edition. p. 191) then we can translate the
phrase something like, “I AM the one from the beginning, as I am telling you.”
or “…as I have been telling you.”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This
seems to be the way the translators of the Synodal understood the verse and it
is reasonable.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Metzger also points out
that some of the Old Latin, Vulgate, and Gothic translations read “</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Principium, qui et loquor vobis</span></i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">”, which
is very close to the Russian translation.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is possible that the Latin translation had some influence on the
Russian translators. (cf. again Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New
Testament, second Edition. p. 191).</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Russian translation could
also find further support from some church fathers.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">If again we supply the verb “I am (</span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">εγω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ειμι</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">), the passage can be rendered
something like, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am the beginning, that which I am even saying
unto you [now].</span></span></i><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">(see Augustine, Bede, Lampe, and later by Wordsworth and some
older commentators from Biblehub.com).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Therefore, while I don’t agree with the Synodal translation,
I can still confidently say, that I understand why the translators made the
decisions they did and that they are reasonable decisions.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I personally prefer a translation something like I wrote
above, “I am telling you [now], that, </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">which, [I have] also [been telling
you from] the beginning.”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This option
translates </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> as “[from] the beginning”, </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">και</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> as “also”, supplies “now” and
the verb “telling you” a second time. There are at least two reasons I lean toward
this meaning.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">First, it seems too soon
for Jesus to repeat the “I AM” statement.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Although, I will admit it is possible.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">A frustrated, “I am not changing what I have been saying...” type of
answer seems to fit the context better.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Also, according to the NA27, Bodmer Papyrus II P66 adds </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ειπον</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">υμιν</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">to the clause in
a marginal note.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That produces a reading
like this, [</span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ειπον</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">υμιν</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">] </span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">την</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">αρχην</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ο</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">τι</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">και</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">λαλω</span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">υμιν</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That phrase would clearly translate something
like, “I told you in the beginning, that which I am also telling you now.”</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">(cf. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the
Greek New Testament, second Edition. p. 191).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">In other words, the scribe of P66 clarified a difficult sentence and
made it unambiguous.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">P66 is a late
second century/early third century manuscript found in Egypt that probably
preserves an early second century (or so) reading.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This scribal “correction” tells me that in
the late second century, in Egypt there was some confusion about the meaning of
this sentence and at least some understood the sentence as “I told you from the
beginning…”.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That is good evidence from Greek
speakers who were closer, chronologically, geographically, culturally and
linguistically, to the original document and context than we are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Finally, I want to answer my
friends original question.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">No, I would
not use John 8:25 as a reference to Exodus 3:14.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, this is not a big deal because I
think you can use either John 8:24 or 8:58 from the same dialogue as a
connection to Exodus 3:14.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">However,
there are some nuances to this and a detour needs to be taken through the LXX
and Isaiah.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">But that is a different
post.</span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-89463751507449111062016-01-26T03:26:00.001-08:002016-01-26T03:26:49.377-08:00Same God Debate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">My
son recently posted an article from Christianity Today (<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2016/january/do-muslims-christians-worship-same-god-wheaton-hawkins-ems.html">http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2016/january/do-muslims-christians-worship-same-god-wheaton-hawkins-ems.html</a>)
and some comments on Facebook about the recent “Same God Debate”. I began to respond to some of the comments. However, since my comments became a little
too long for a Facebook post, so I decided to write a blog post instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Good
article and glad that the debate is including missiologists. But it seems to me that this debate has
happened before. I agree that there is
much common ground between Islam, Christianity and Judaism – the “Abrahamic Faiths”. It is important to find common ground between
Christianity and any other worldview. That
point of connection may very well lead to the explanation and eventual acceptance
of the Gospel. However, just as
correlation does not necessarily mean causation, common ground does not necessarily
mean common nature or common object of worship.
It also seems to me that Paul addressed a very similar debate and had a
very clear answer in the first century. On
the surface and in some very basic truths, just as Islam and Christianity has
common ground, so does Judaism and Christianity. We both accept the Old Testament as revelation
from God. We both agree that God is
one. God is the creator. God is the sustainer. God is the ultimate judge. God is sovereign, all powerful, all knowing and
so forth. So what is the problem? The problem is not belief in or zeal for God,
the problem, in Paul’s words is zeal for God “in accordance with full knowledge”.
That full knowledge is embodied in
Christ. In writing about his “brethren
according to the flesh”, to the Roman church, Paul says, <i>“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God about the Jews is that
they would be saved. (2) For I can testify on their behalf that they
have a zeal for God, but it is not in keeping with full knowledge. (3)
For they are ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God while
they try to establish their own, and they have not submitted to God's means to
attain righteousness. (4) For the Messiah is the culmination of the Law
as far as righteousness is concerned for everyone who believes.”</i> (Romans
10:1-4). Paul continues to explain what
he means in chapter 10 and his argument culminates in phrases like, <i>“If you declare with your mouth that Jesus
is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will
be saved. (10:9)” </i>and <i>“Everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.</i> (10:13)”. It seems to me that just as Paul captured the
key difference between Christianity and Judaism in the first century, he may
have also nailed the key difference between Islam and Christianity in the 21<sup>st</sup>
century, <i>“For they are ignorant of the
righteousness that comes from God while they try to establish their own, and
they have not submitted to God's means to attain righteousness.</i> (10:3)”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Paul
makes it clear that as much as there is in common between Judaism and Christianity,
the key difference is “God’s means to attain righteousness”, which is “the end
of the Law with respect to righteousness” which is “Christ”. In other words, in Paul’s mind, there is only
one means of salvation and that is Christ.
This was also clearly stated by Jesus Himself, “I am the way, the truth
and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through Me. (John 14:6)”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So,
while we may agree that there is one God, that He has revealed Himself in the Old
Testament, He is the creator, etc., we do not agree on His “means to attain
righteousness” and to Jesus and Paul, this is the fundamental truth on which
salvation – reconciliation with God rests.</span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-47670124165447504052015-08-27T11:34:00.000-07:002015-08-27T21:23:26.495-07:00What does it mean to αυθεντειν a man?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Earlier this year I was confronted with one of those
questions that prompted a strong desire in me to change the subject. I was able to avoid the question for a while
but it kept coming up in different situation with different people. The question was something like this: “What
does Paul mean when he writes ‘I do not allow a woman to have authority over a
man”? In other words, “What does it mean
to <span lang="EL">αυθεντειν</span> a man?” I didn’t want to give a definite answer until
I, at a minimum, did a casual study of the passage. However, the more I looked at I Timothy
2:9-15 and specifically I Timothy 2:12, the more it seemed that almost every
word, structure and grammar point of I Timothy 2:12 is debated (<span lang="EL">διδασκειν</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">δε</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">γυναικι</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">ουκ</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">επιτρεπω</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">ουδε</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">αυθεντειν</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">ανδρος</span>, <span lang="EL">αλλ</span>’ <span lang="EL">ειναι</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">εν</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">ησυχια</span>.). We can add to this debate issues concerning
cultural scope, audience and OT background.
Following is a list of just some of the questions that came to my mind:</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Is Paul talking about women or wives?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">If what Paul says in 2:9ff is strictly cultural
and applies only to first century Ephesus, what textual clues tells the reader
that this is so?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Are the instructions for men in 2:1-8 also not
relevant for today or do they only apply to first century Ephesus?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Since we know that Paul had no problem with
women prophesying and praying at public Christian gatherings, what does he mean
by the term typically translated “remain quiet”?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Are the two infinitive two separate actions or
does one compliment the other? In other
words, is there one or two prohibitions here?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">What does he mean by the prohibition “to teach”?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">What does he mean by the verb typically
translated “to have authority over a man”?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">How is Paul using the Old Testament in 13-15?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">When Paul writes what is usually translated
something like, “a women shall be saved by the bearing of children…” what does
he mean?</span></li>
</ul>
Since my casual study turned into an overwhelming number of
questions, I decided to start with, what I though was, the easiest
question. Paul uses the word <span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span> only here in the New Testament
and since there was much debate about the meaning of the word, I planned on
doing a simple lexical study. I reasoned
that a study of this type would clarify things a little. I started in the usual way. I did a survey of the entry in BAGD. Since I Timothy 2:12 is the only place it is
used in the New Testament and it is not common in the Old, the entry was
short. Next, I surveyed various
commentators and soon realized that most of the lexical work was already
done.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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At this point, I was distracted for a couple of months
because we were moving back to Odessa, Ukraine.
However, now that we are here in Odessa and I am having trouble
sleeping, I think it is a good time to finish some of my thoughts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After reading several commentaries, the most common
translation of <span lang="EL">αυθεντειν</span><span lang="EL"> </span><span lang="EL">ανδρος</span> I read
was “have authority over a man” or the like.
Kostenberger and Schreiner are a good representation of this translation
and the rational behind it. They looked
at 85 different uses of the word in both the verbal and noun form from the New
Testament, Old Testament, secular material and early church fathers. Their research spanned a timeframe that
includes the OT usages up to the sixth century AD. Here is an example of their conclusions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Upon analyzing these eighty-five
currently known occurrences of the verb </i><i><span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span>, it becomes evident that
the only unifying concept is that of authority.
Four outworkings of authority are reflected in the distinct meanings of
the verb.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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If out of the 85 known uses of the word “the only unifying
concept is that of authority”, I was convinced that “have authority over a man”
was a good translation of what Paul meant.
Further, as I continued my research, Douglass Moo convinced me that I was
on the right track. He says, <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Translations of this
Biblical Greek hapax range from the simple “have authority” (NIV; NASB) to the
more nuanced “dictate” (Moffat) to the remarkable dissimilar “engage in
fertility practices.” …While the
evidence is not extensive, the information outlined above allows for the fairly
certain conclusion that </i><i><span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span> in I Tim. 2:12 must mean,
“have authority.” This is the meaning of
the verb in one of the two pre-Christian occurrences, in the second century,
and in the Church Fathers. Furthermore,
whatever the etymology of the noun be, it is clear that its meaning in the
Hellenistic period was most often “master, authority.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I have a lot of respect for both Kostenburger and Moo and
their arguments were ringing true. Moo
makes a very strong statement when he says “…that <span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span><span lang="EL"> </span>in I Tim.
2:12 must mean ‘have authority.” It is
both the only unifying concept and Moo added that “This is the meaning of the
verb in one of the two pre-Christain occurrences.” Case closed – the meaning must be “have
authority”. Then I decided to read one
more commentary. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I had never heard of Leland Wilshire, but I picked up his
book. He had a suggestion that messed
with my thinking. He suggested that
since the only significantly unclear use of the word <span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span><span lang="EL"> </span>was Paul’s
use, we should limit our lexical study of the word to citations during the four
centuries surrounding the New Testament period.
This made a lot of sense to me.
It seems more than reasonable that 200 years before and after Paul
should provide us with a good idea of the semantic range of the word during
Paul’s lifetime. Languages and the range
of word meanings are always in flux.
There are many examples of how words change their meaning over time or
how their range of meaning widens or narrows over time. Sometimes this can even happen during a
generation. I myself can think of
several examples of words that have changed meanings during my lifetime. I read Wilson’s analysis and followed his
advice. I made a timeline of the 85
occurrences, who used them and what the word meant. I was surprised at the results and found
myself persuaded by Wilshire’s arguments.
He says in part:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>An analysis of this
list shows that one can find very few citations during this four century period
surrounding the New Testament that have the meaning of “exercising authority,”
“holding sway or using power,“ or “being dominant” (the one citation from
papyrus #1208 is in a variant form authentekotos and the word in Ptolemy is the
variant authentesas). Although one faces
a frustrating mixture of contextual meanings at the time of the New Testament,
the preponderant number of citations from this compilation have to do with self
willed violence, criminal action, or murder or reference to the person who does
these actions.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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As I looked at my timeline, I couldn’t help but agree with
Wilshire’s analysis. I am not sure how he
defines “very few citations”. There are
some usages that fall into the semantic range of “have authority”, but even
most of those are second/third century. As
I further considered the data of that 400 year period, two things became very
clear. First, from the second century BC
to the second century AD, the word <span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span>
had a wide and somewhat bizarre semantic domain. The idea of “exercising
authority” is included in the range of meaning, but so are ideas like the
following (I will try to list them in semantically connected categories):<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
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<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">doer of a massacre, murderous, slayer, murderer</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">killer of self, being one’s own murderer,
suicide</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">criminal, author of crimes, perpetrator of a
crime, supporters of violent actions</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">perpetrator of sacrilege</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">builder of a tower</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">sole power, authority, to control, to dominate,
to exercise one’s one jurisdiction, master</span></li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Second, starting in about the fourth century AD, where most
of the 85 examples are from, the meaning is almost exclusively connected with
authority. This is not to say that the
data was somehow skewed in favor of the meaning “have authority”. It is simply that around the fourth century
the word became more common.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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That tells me a couple more things. First, before the fourth century, the word
was not a common word. Second, something
happened in the fourth century that both made <span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span> more common and narrowed the meaning of it to ranges
connected with authority. Third, during
Paul’s time, the range of meaning of the word was very broad indeed. Fourth, if we look at about 1000 years of
evidence, the majority of meanings is “have authority”. However, the majority of those usages occur
350 to 400 years after Paul. If we remove
the later usages, then we have no clear single meaning. So where does that leave us?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Paul chose to use this word in place of his usual word for
“authority”. If we assume that he did
this intentionally, it is reasonable to assume that the word <span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span> had a nuanced meaning that better
fit what he wanted to communicate than his usual word <span lang="EL">εξυσια</span>.
That fact alone throws doubt on the meaning of authority for <span lang="EL">αυθεντεω</span>. Second, we cannot come to a confident
conclusion that Paul meant, “have authority” simply based on the number of
uses. During his time, the meaning of
the word was not that clear or set.
Third, if Paul did indeed mean something like “have authority,” he
probably had a nuanced meaning that this word communicated. What is the nuanced meaning? Good question. I’m not sure, but it probably has something
to do with violence and authority. </div>
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So, what have I learned here? Maybe I should first say what I have not learned. I have not learned a clear meaning of what it means to αυθεντειν ανδρος in Paul. If I have contributed in any way to this discussion, I think, what I have done is ruled out that “to αυθεντειν a man” means simple to “have authority over a man.” Whatever Paul is saying is, at a minimum, more nuanced than that and possible quite different.</div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-16249182120267891612014-10-03T22:56:00.000-07:002014-10-03T22:56:01.207-07:00Attendant Circumstances (Great Commission Revisited)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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After my last blog about the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, a friend of mine read it (thank you very much for being one of three) and sent me a comment. He said that I failed to interact with Wallace’s argument that the participle should be translated “Go”. Oops, I thought, I did miss that. I didn’t realize that Wallace did have an argument in his grammar specifically stating that Matthew 28:19 should be translated “Go”. So, with a bit of wounded pride, embarrassment and some fear and trepidation, I read Wallace’s argument. Actually, I was excited to hear a good argument for the “Go” translation. Happily, I found one in Wallace that both affirmed my thinking and gives reasons for a “Go” translation. He calls this an “Attendant Circumstance” participle. I didn’t know what that meant either. Wallace defines it as a participle used “…to communicate an action that, in some sense, is coordinated with the finite verb. In this respect it is not dependent, for it is translated like a verb. It is translated like a finite verb connected with the main verb by “and”.” He later adds, “If a participle makes good sense when treated as an adverbial participle, we should not seek to treat it as an attendant circumstance.” </div>
<br />
Wallace is simply saying that the participle, πορευθεντες, can be translated as a verb, “Go”. I actually didn’t dispute that in my original post. I said that the translation “Go” is permissible but maybe not the most accurate expression of Matthew’s thought. I do think it can be translated as “Go” but my contention is that the verbal idea can be better expressed in English than using two imperatives.<br />
<br />
Since attendant circumstance participles are rare, Wallace also offers five criteria to determine if a giving participle might fall into this category and Mathew 28:19 meets all five. They are as follows:<br />
<ul>
<li>The tense of the participle is usually aorist. Check. </li>
<li>The tense of the main verb is usually aorist. Check. </li>
<li>The mood of the main verb is usually imperative or indicative. Imperative. Check. </li>
<li>The participle will precede the main verb. Check. </li>
<li>Attendant circumstance participles frequently occur in narrative. Check. </li>
</ul>
We are five for five, so Matthew 28:19 could be an attendant circumstance. That means that “…we must argue from <i>sense</i> rather than from translation.” and “… the relative semantic weight in such constructions is that a greater emphasis is placed on the action of the main verb than on the participle”.<br />
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Since Matthew chose to use a single imperative verb preceded by an aorist participle to convey Jesus command, the question is, "What is the <i>sense</i> of the command and how do we best express that in English? If we accept that this is an attendant circumstance, then according to Wallace, we agree to the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>We have a participle being used to communicate an action that, in some sense, is coordinated with the finite verb. </li>
<li>The semantic weight of the construction should emphasize the main verb. </li>
<li>We must argue from sense rather than from translation </li>
<li>and, I would add, that Matthew chose this construction over two commands. </li>
</ul>
The sense is that we have a primary command with a very closely tied verbal idea from the participle. Can we combine those in such a way in English so that the command “Make disciples” is prominent and “Go” is closely tied but still secondary to the command? Do we have a structure in the target language (English) to communicate such an idea? I see two options.<br />
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<b>The two command option:</b><br />
<br />
We can use two commands “Go and make disciples”. While this is permissible, in English both verbs “go and make” have the same semantic weight. One could even argue, and many sermons bear this out, that the command “go” receives the greater semantic weight because it is the first command. This does not seem to completely line up with what Matthew wrote. As I argued in the previous post, Matthew could have used two imperatives. That would have been common, acceptable Greek. In that case, the sense would have been “Go and make disciples”. We essentially have a functional almost exact equivalent in English. However, this is not the case. By translating the attendant circumstance as two imperatives we are removing the nuance of the Greek construction. In other words, by reading the translation, we cannot determine if the original was two commands or a participle command.<br />
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<b>The assumption – command option:</b><br />
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If we translate the participle as an assumption, I think we better capture the sense of what Matthew wrote. By way of illustration, I imagine that I’m sitting at the dinner table with my family enjoying a meal. Near the end of the meal, it comes to my mind that someone should clear the table and do the dishes. I might say to one of the children. “After you clear the table, wash the dishes.” The command is “wash the dishes”, but there is an assumption that before washing the dishes, they will clear the table. It is almost stronger than a command because there is no real opportunity to refuse. I could have said, “Clear the table and wash the dishes.” The semantic content is essentially the same but when I use a single verb, “wash”, the participial phrase, “after you clear the table”, is an action coordinated with the main verb and the semantic weight falls on “wash”. This structure seems to be in line with what Matthew wrote. The verbal idea of going is coordinated with the main verb but the semantic weight falls on “make disciples”. This can be done in English by what many have called the “Great Assumption”. In Jesus’ command to make disciples, the idea of going is assumed. “Since you are going [anyway], make disciples” or “After you have gone [aorist participle], make disciples.” Again, there is no opportunity to refuse to go. It is simply assumed that you will go.<br />
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In summary, I have no problem with calling Matthew 28:19 an attendant circumstance. I also have no problem with translating the participle as “go”. I simple think that translating Matthew 28:19 as the Great Assumption closely coordinated with the Great Commission, keeps the emphasis on the main verbal command and lines up very well with the sense of what Matthew wrote.The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-89535554675464384772014-09-12T13:22:00.005-07:002014-10-07T11:23:36.843-07:00The Grammar of the Great Commission<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Knowledge of ancient languages is just one tool (an important but not essential tool) in the toolbox of study. I am a firm believer that a person does not need to know Koine Greek in order to understand the New Testament. I am convinced that, with careful study, a person can determine the original intent of the original author to the original audience without knowing the original language. Culture, textual context, theological flow, historical background, purpose, theme, etc. can all serve to inform the student of the Bible. I also think that our English translations are pretty good. But, even better, we also have multiple translations. That means we can compare translations and where there is disagreement among translators, there is probably need for further study of grammar/textual/structure questions. For the person who does not know the language, this is where the commentary becomes very useful. In English we have a rich array of dictionaries, commentaries, surveys, journal articles and computer software to help us determine the nuance meanings of the language.
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That said, I do think that knowing New Testament Greek is a great blessing, privilege and responsibility. It can often give insight into a passage that would take much longer to figure out through commentaries, lexicons and Bible software. Further, the drawback of working through
secondary resources like these is that you are at the mercy of the author of the commentary. You can only see the language through his or her eyes. This can be a problem because, in my experience, some of those who do know some Greek often focus almost exclusively on lexical meanings. For example, we often hear statements like, “Paul used the word “fill in
the blank” and that word really means “fill in the blank”. Sometimes this is significant information, but often it is just filler. One good test of significance is to test the meaning the preacher/commentator gives against the meaning in the translated language. If the meanings are the same, the preacher/commentator has told you nothing. Here is an example from a
commentary. I have not cited the commentary on purpose.</div>
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<i>The word "better" is pleiona, which means "greater" or "more important" as suggested by its use in Luke 12:23: "Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes."</i>
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When I read this, I asked myself, “What does the word <i>better</i> mean in English?” The definition <i>“greater or more important”</i> is not very precise but is more than
sufficient. Better does typically mean something like <i>“greater or more important.”</i> So, at most, the author has told me that the word translates well into English. In that case, why explain it? In other words, knowing that the Greek word here is pleiona adds no meaning to the text.
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Often lexical meanings are significant because sometimes words do not translate well from one language to another. Or a particular word or phrase may have a cultural meaning tied to the time period of the document. In these cases lexical analysis can be very insightful. However, it has been my limited experience that the grammar more often gives insight into meaning than
lexical studies. The Great Commission is a Great example.
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The typical translation of Matthew 28:19 is “Go and make disciples”. Even though there are
two commands (Go and Make), most sermons I have heard, most commentaries I have read and most missionary literature I have read focus more on the Go command and the Make command is often in the shadows. I am not going to argue that this translation is wrong, I am going to argue that there is a better (Greek word pleiona) translation. My comments will focus on the two English commands “Go” and “Make”. I will deal with the latter first.
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There is no substantial disagreement about the meaning of the verb “Make” except to say that the verb used requires the addition of the word “Disciples” in English. The single verb in Greek needs two words in English to express the meaning. That is because in English there is no single
verb that clearly approximates the meaning of the Greek verb. However, the verbal phrase “make disciples” does express the meaning well. It is not a common verb in the New Testament (3 uses in Matthew and one in Acts). However it easily understood and well translated. It is also a command. We know this from the grammar. It is in the imperative mood. As the main verb in Matthew 28:18-20, it functions as the primary verb and Jesus’ primary command.</div>
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In contrast, there is a debate about the word for “Go”. This verb is a common word in the
New Testament (at least 154 uses in the New Testament including 27 uses in Matthew). The meaning is simple. The word means “go” or “depart”. In other words, the English word “go” has a
very similar range of mean as the Greek verb. The debate is connected with the grammar. Again, decision about grammar, rather than lexical meaning, will influence translation and interpretation. The word is a participle, yet in most English translations it is translated like an imperative verb. Why is this? It is because a Greek participle can sometimes function as an imperative verb. It is creatively called the “imperatival participle.” So that tells
us that the translation “Go and make disciples” is permissible. However, I want to argue that it is not the most accurate expression of what Matthew wrote. Matthew expressed Jesus’ words in a single complex command and I want to argue that we can express the functional equivalent in English by also using a single complex command. I will offer just two arguments for a great commission with just one command.
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In his large grammar, Daniel Wallace makes the following comment about the
imperatival participle, <i>“The participle may function just like an imperative. This use of the participle is not to be attached to any verb in the context, but is grammatically independent.
The imperatival participle is quite rare”</i> A little later Wallace quotes Robertson.<i>“In
general it may be said that no participle should be explained in this way that can properly be connected with a finite verb.”</i> Finally, Wallace concludes, <i>“This is an important point and one that more than one commentator has forgotten.”</i> If we accept this as good advice and apply it to Matthew 28:19, we see that the participle (go) can be (and very naturally is) connected to a finite verb (Make disciples). And if the participle can be connected to a finite verb then there is no need for the participle to function as a verb. Matthew 28:19 has an aorist participle and an aorist active imperative main verb. The verb is “Make disciples” – imperative. An aorist participle is usually used with a main verb to show antecedent action. So the idea is something like this: “After you have gone” or “Since you are going anyway” – main verb. So the first reason I think we should translate the Great Commission as just one command is because Matthew used a main verb to which the participle can be connected.
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I think the second reason forms an even stronger argument. Matthew was a good writer and I am sure he wanted to convey Jesus’ words as accurately as possible. The assumption is that he would use all the grammatical tools and skills at his disposal to record the words and actions of
Jesus. So, the question is this. “If Matthew wanted to clearly write the command “Go”, could he easily do that in Greek?” The answer grammatically is yes. That brings up a second question. Since the Greek language allows the imperative “Go”, did Matthew know the language well enough to use that structure? Again, the answer is yes. We know this because he often did exactly that. Here are just two examples.
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When it was time for Joseph to take Mary and Jesus back to Israel from Egypt, Matthew used the imperative of “Go” to express what the angel told them to do - “<i>go back to the land of Israel</i>. (Matthew 2:20)” The second example is a little more interesting and shows just how flexible Matthew was in the use of this particular word. When Jesus is sending out the 12 in Matthew 10, Matthew uses the imperative <i>“Go to the lost sheep of Israel”</i> in verse 6. Then in verse 7, he uses the present participle (same verb but different tense as he does in 28:19). <i>“As you go”</i> or <i>“while you are going, (command) preach…”.</i> Here we have a near parallel to Matthew 28:19 and it is clear in the second use (verse 7) that the participle is subordinate to the imperative. “Go and while you are going, preach”. More importantly, this example shows that Matthew clearly knows how to use this word as an imperative or participle.</div>
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So, here is the question. Why do so many English translations translate the Great Commission as two commands “Go and Make disciples”? Answer: “Attendant Circumstance”, but that is a different
blog entry. My main point is this. As seen above, the grammar, not the lexical meaning, shows us that Matthew expressed what Jesus said using one clear command– <i>Make disciples.</i>
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The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-55617645950526976752014-06-13T12:59:00.000-07:002014-06-15T10:21:23.086-07:00Some Thoughts on Ephesians 4 - Part V (The Targum)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
think this will be the last of my thoughts on Ephesians 4:7-9 for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we assume that <st1:personname w:st="on">Paul</st1:personname>
was not quoting the Psalm directly but rather was quoting the Targum or an
early version of the Targum, then Paul’s use of the quote is not so daunting a
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is true that the Targum we
have is of a late date, but it probably is a representation of an earlier
interpretation of the Psalm (Abbott, p. 112).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It also turns out that the Targum has a close parallel with the way Paul
uses the quote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lincoln points out that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"in the Targum on the Psalms the
concept of receiving has been changed to that of giving in the same way as in
Eph 4:8 - "You have ascended to heaven, that is, Moses the prophet; you
have taken captivity captive, you have learnt the words of the Torah; you have
given it as gifts to men."</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Lincoln,
WBC p. 242, 243). Barth further clarifies the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"There
is a Targum on Ps 68 in which Moses is identified as the one who ascended on
high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The words "you received
gifts" are paraphrased by 'You have learned the words of the Torah, you
gave them as gifts to the sons of men.'"</i> (Barth p. 475).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So now, according to the Targum, it is Moses
who ascends Sinai or heaven, Moses has taken captivity captive, Moses learned
the words of the Torah (probably a reference to the giving of the 10 commandments)
and Moses has given gifts to men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
seems to be more in line with what Paul is saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is especially true when we remember that
Jesus was often identified with Moses or the prophet Moses spoke of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, under this view it seems that Paul is
using something of a typological hermeneutic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He references the Targum commentary on Psalm 68:18 and replaces Moses
with Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, Paul considers
Jesus the better or perfect Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Moses ascent on Sinai becomes an imperfect
picture of Jesus ascent to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jesus ascent to heaven becomes the perfected
picture of Moses’ ascent on Sinai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The receiving of the 10 commandments by Moses corresponds
with Jesus receiving gifts.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Moses descent from Sinai corresponds with Jesus
descent to the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The giving of the law, by Moses, to the people corresponds
to the giving of gifts, by Jesus, to the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">If
this is indeed the parallel that Paul has in mind, it is very difficult to
interpret the “descent to the lower parts of the earth” as the incarnation,
burial or the descent into Hades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
difficult because in the Targum Moses ascended, learned the words of the Torah
and returned and gave them as gifts to men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The ascent happened and then the descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If “the lower parts of the earth” is the
incarnation, burial or descent to Hades then the order must be the
opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He must descend and then
ascend to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There
are two more points that I think point us to the interpretation of, “lower
parts of the earth” as the descent of the Spirit at Pentecost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first is that in 4:10, Paul makes it very
clear that the one who ascended and the one who descended are the same
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would not be necessary if
he were talking about the incarnation, burial or descent into Hades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a basic assumption in the early church
that the Jesus who was incarnate, died, was buried, rose and ascended to the
Father was all the same Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this
is true then why make sure that it is clear that the one who ascended and
descended is the same person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second
point that points to Pentecost is the context of the passage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one who descended and gave the gifts,
gave the gifts to the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gifts
were apostle, prophets, evangelists, pastor’s and teachers (or possible pastors
who can teach).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The purpose of the gifts
were to equip the saints to do the work of ministry and build up the body of
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the New Testament, the one
who gives these kinds of gifts to the church is, without question, the Holy
Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus clearly says that He will
send the Spirit after He (that is Jesus Himself) ascends (John 16:7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So by Jesus words, He must ascend to the
Father in order to send the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In Paul’s words Jesus did ascend to the highest heaven and descended in
the Holy Spirit to give gifts to men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Under this interpretation, it is easy to understand why 4:10 is
necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not everyone would understand
or assume that in a Trinitarian sense the one who ascended and the one who
descended are the same.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">G.B.
Caird gives further insight by pointing out that in the inter-testamental
period, Psalm 68 was an appointed Psalm for Pentecost and the giving of the Law
at Sinai had also become an important part of the celebration at Pentecost (Caird
p. 540).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This strengthens the idea that
Paul has the idea of Pentecost in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is logical that he would use a Psalm that educated believers
understood as connected to Pentecost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Finally,
our study or at least my study has brought me to the conclusion that when Paul
says that the one who ascended also descended “to the lower parts of the earth”
he is speaking of the descent of the Spirit of Christ at Pentecost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In summary form the things that most
influenced this conclusion were the following:</span></div>
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</div>
<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The genitive “of the earth” could lead to four
possible conclusions.</span></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Incarnation</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Burial</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Descent into Hades</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Descent of the Spirit of Christ at Pentecost</span></li>
</ul>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The quotation of Psalm 68:18 significantly
differs from the LXX.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This led to
the possibility that he was not directly quoting the Psalm from the LXX.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The wording of the quotation in Ephesians does
follow very closely the wording in the Targum.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If we see Moses as a type of Christ then the
Targum interpretation of Psalm 68:18 seems to follows Paul’s.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The order of events Paul seems to be presenting
is an ascent then a descent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
does not make sense if he has in mind the incarnation, burial, or descent
into Hades.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In Verse 4:10 Paul makes it very clear that the
one who ascended and descended are the same person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems unnecessary if Paul has in
mind the incarnation, burial, or descent into Hades.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Finally, Paul chose a Psalm that was connected
with Pentecost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in Ephesus a
long and could easily have taught many about the Targum interpretation of
Psalm 68:18 and its connection with Pentecost.</span></li>
</ul>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-78611416873957737012014-05-09T06:39:00.001-07:002014-05-09T06:43:26.780-07:00Some Thoughts on Ephesians 4:7-9 (Part IV)<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Psalm 68:18
and the LXX in Ephesians 4:7-9</span></b></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In
addition to the difficult grammar, rhetorical devices and textual issues in the
passage, Paul also cites the OT. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or at a
minimum, he makes an illusion to the OT. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The citation/illusion is of Psalm 68:18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This citation/illusion poses some additional problems.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following is the text from Ephesians 4:8
and the text from Psalm 68:18 (LXX).</span><br />
<br /><br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">αναβας εις υψος ηχμαλωτευσεν αιχμαλωσιαν, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">εδωκεν
δοματα τοις ανθρωποις</i></b> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Eph</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">. 4:8</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">ανεβας εις υψος, ηχμαλωτευσας αιχμαλωσιαν, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ελαβες
δοματα εν ανθρωπω</i></b>…</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ps</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">. 68:18</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It
is clear that there is a significant difference in the two phrases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The major difference is the second half of
the statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The LXX renders the
second half of Ps. 68:18 as </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">ελαβες</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δοματα</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">εν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">ανθρωπω</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(you received gifts among men)</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul writes </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">εδωκεν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δοματα</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τοις</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">ανθρωποις</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(you gave
gifts to men)</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this is a citation then the change of the
verb from “received” to “gave” is not only significant but problematic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barth phrases the problem this way, "The
author of Ephesians is guilty of willful distortion of the Scriptures - unless
it can be shown that his interpretation makes sense in terms of the use and
understanding of the psalm contemporary with him." (</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Markus Barth P.
472</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">These
and other difficulties in Ephesians 4:8 have caused no little frustration among
commentators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walvoord and Zuck in their
two volume commentary, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bible
Knowledge Commentary</i>, provide a good example of the difficulty many have
reconciling Ephesians 4:8 and Psalm 68:18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the first volume on the Old Testament, speaking of Psalm 68:18, they
say, "Psalm 68:18 was referred to by <st1:personname w:st="on">Paul</st1:personname>
in Ephesians 4:8 (cf. comments there).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, rather than quoting the Hebrew, <st1:personname w:st="on">Paul</st1:personname>
apparently followed the Jewish interpretation of the day (the Targum),
..." (</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Walvoord and Zuck (Old Testament) P.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">843</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, according to the commentary on Psalm 68,
Ephesians 4:8 is not a quotation of the LXX but the Targum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in the second volume on the New Testament
they say, "Ephesians 4:8 includes a quotation from the Old
Testament,...Most think it quotes Psalm 68:18 with five minor and two major
changes. ... However, it is better to think that <st1:personname w:st="on">Paul</st1:personname>
was not quoting one particular verse of the psalm but rather that he was
summarizing all of Psalm 68, which has many words similar to those in Psalm
68:18" (</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Walvoord and Zuck (New Testament) P. 634</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to
the commentary on Ephesians, Paul is not quoting the LXX or the Targum but is
summarizing the Psalm itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This kind
of confusion demonstrates that there is not an easy answer to the apostle's
choice of wording.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another
complication is the context of the Psalm itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Psalm is a tribute to the triumph of
Yahweh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people flee before Yahweh, His
chariots are many thousands, He was with them at Sinai in holiness (v.17),
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After this reference to Sinai comes
verse 18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You ascended to the heights,
you took captives. You received gifts among mankind, even the rebellious, so
the LORD God may live there.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
context seems to be one of the LORD ascending, taking captives and receiving
gifts in order to establish something permanent<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- “so that LORD God may live there”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The triumph, ascending and taking captive also seems somehow connected
to Sinai but not to the Messiah.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In
contrast Paul uses Psalm 68:18 as proof that God has given each one of us in
the church gifts according to the measure of Christ (4:7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seems to change the intent of the Psalm
and connect it to Christ rather than to Yahweh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the Psalm it is the LORD receiving gifts, in Ephesians 4 the men are
receiving gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Psalm the men
are giving the gifts to the LORD, in Ephesians 4, Christ, the one who ascended
and descended, is giving the gifts to men.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
problem rests on the assumption that Paul is quoting the LXX.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an understandable assumption not only
because of the similar wording but also Paul introduces the quote with the
words, “That is why God says…”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
if Paul were quoting or paraphrasing some other authoritative work, the problem
would go away.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It
turns out that Walvoord and Zuck’s Old Testament commentary may have the most
viable solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lincoln and Abbott agree
with the first volume and point out that the major deviation from the LXX
agrees with the Targum. (</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lincoln, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">WBC</span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;">
P. 242, Abbott P. 112</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, it appears that what we have is a either
a quotation or an illusion to the Targum or an early form of the Targum rather
than a direct quotation of the LXX.</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, it may be that the Targum’s
interpretation of the Psalm is what Paul is making reference too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This needs to be explored further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I will have to write a Part V.</span></div>
</div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-55863773563527970242014-01-09T08:37:00.000-08:002014-01-09T08:37:44.404-08:00On Discovering the Illusory Nature of One’s Superiority<div style="text-align: center;">
by
Joseph Mosse’</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKFfqGJ1BZcrTylbH5KPLDP1Vgjth5Mq0FND-Mwf2feFmZiALD3OFJGjkoXvB5pZbMOEMg87M8MoYlfI-VKrd45BAzKpbtPdwgx18Ccl4CdB9s3qduuXDcl_v57cf2_LrX7qIprqybms/s1600/P1070952+doc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKFfqGJ1BZcrTylbH5KPLDP1Vgjth5Mq0FND-Mwf2feFmZiALD3OFJGjkoXvB5pZbMOEMg87M8MoYlfI-VKrd45BAzKpbtPdwgx18Ccl4CdB9s3qduuXDcl_v57cf2_LrX7qIprqybms/s1600/P1070952+doc.jpg" height="154" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
God blessed me with great times during the
summer of 2013. He led me through challenges, growing me through both lessons
and practical experience. One lesson surprised me. It turned a lot of the
assumptions I had made on their heads. This summer, God showed me how weakness
can be strength, and how that, which I considered my best advantage isn’t as
special as I thought. I learned a new way to be humble.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
During
the second half of June and the first part of July, I had a chance to take part
in the ministry of a short term team from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Every summer it’s usual
for me to work with one or two such teams, but this one was special. It was
made up of my peers from our church in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>.
They send a group of high school seniors overseas every year. This time, they
were coming to the Ukrainian city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">L’viv</st1:place></st1:city>,
just a train ride away from my home in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Odessa</st1:place></st1:city>.
We spent about a month together doing all kinds of ministries, from running
English camps to street evangelization. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As
I worked alongside my friends, I began to notice something crazy. See, whether
I consciously thought it or not, I had an assumption down in my brain. I believed
that being a missionary kid made me exceptional. In my opinion, anyone who had
grown up between two cultures has naturally lived a broader, richer life. While
I would never say so outright, I felt that people who had never left <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> before
couldn’t hold a candle to it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
But I watched in astonishment as these huge,
glaring cultural and language barriers that I had learned to abhor became a
strength I realized I could not tap. These guys from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> talked and played and
formed relationships despite the challenges of a language barrier. And because
of the difficulty and effort they put into it, their relationships were that
much dearer. I could effortlessly talk to anyone around me, but I could not
reach the people’s hearts as quickly and deeply as they could. Living in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> one’s
whole life is not actually something totally grey, boring and unenviable. In my
peers, I saw value and strength in something I had never considered worthwhile
before, while at the same time understanding that I am not as equipped and
experienced as I thought I was. At the end of the day there was nothing left to
do but accept the fact that we all have different gifts, and praise God that He
can change weaknesses into strengths. That must mean there’s hope for me, too.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This
humbling lesson is especially relevant for me as soon I will find myself back
in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
If I had gone back with some of my arrogant assumptions still in place, it
would make it much harder to forge good relationships with my new peers. Though
I still would never trade growing up as an MK for anything the world, I have a
new appreciation for those who have had a different experience. Many MKs and
TCKs pride themselves in their ability to see and evaluate the world from
multiple standpoints. We ought to apply this gift not only to other peoples but
to our own countrymen as well.</div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-27444148993407400152013-12-20T13:25:00.002-08:002013-12-20T13:25:19.462-08:00The Last Day of Byzantium<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Joseph Mosse</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">That night the moon glowed red and none who saw
it ever forgot. Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos had taken his position at the
St. Romanus Gate, the weakest point in the wall. He stood tense, determined. They
would last the night, they must last the night. Less than a quarter mile
outside the city, the Ottomans busied themselves in the dark with their final
preparations, under the direction of the young yet ruthless and charismatic
Sultan, Mehmet II. At his command, cannons roared deafeningly across the entire
front. Trumpets blared, drums beat and men chanted as his innumerable army
advanced. Battle weary and overstretched, the meager Byzantine garrison braced
itself for the final struggle. In the year of our Lord, 1453, the Siege of
Constantinople, one of the most titanic conflicts in human history, had reached
its climax.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuV_smUAhtW92Le4AgwOy5x1hAT6a-9ZgieHHO_lNRvF8oe9bvuom-Xs3p0VrZRDvWhXP_CuD_Gylsmlog6MDq4rFgIEfE6XaES2JmHY4MDJ22fdOS-GLl2au0e_rlJTYh0XRJPOWj-E/s1600/fallconstan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuV_smUAhtW92Le4AgwOy5x1hAT6a-9ZgieHHO_lNRvF8oe9bvuom-Xs3p0VrZRDvWhXP_CuD_Gylsmlog6MDq4rFgIEfE6XaES2JmHY4MDJ22fdOS-GLl2au0e_rlJTYh0XRJPOWj-E/s320/fallconstan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Eight thousand Byzantine and Italian warriors,
under the command of Constantine XI, had defended Constantinople against two
hundred thousand Ottoman Turks for two months. Artillery, a terrifying military
innovation, had pounded the once impregnable ramparts into dust, opening
several major breaches. In response, the defenders had blocked the gaps in the
wall with sturdy barricades build out of rubble, an innovation of the Italian
general, Giustiniani. Desperate, yet courageous, the Byzantines held strong
under repeated massive assaults by the invaders. Constantine led a reserve
contingent wherever the defender’s line grew thin, often turning the tide. Faced
with failure on land, Mehmet stunned everyone with a brilliant tactical move. He
had a large portion of his fleet dragged overland and into the city’s harbor,
bypassing the chain stretched across its mouth. This forced the defenders to
man the sea wall, dangerously overextending their meager forces. But with the
siege lingering and enthusiasm dwindling in camp, Mehmet knew that morale allowed
only for one last assault. Not bothering to keep his plans secret, he sent a
message. Whistling in the wind, an arrow zipped over the wall carrying it.
There would be one day of rest then the last battle would begin.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Exhausted, the beleaguered people of Constantinople
congregated in the ancient Haggia Sophia, praying urgently for deliverance.
Constantine gathered his troops and gave a rousing speech, reminding them of
their Greek and Roman heritage, their duty to the Orthodox faith, and their
honor as men. Going from man to man individually, he asked forgiveness from
each, in case he had ever offended them. Having then dismissed them to their
posts, he patrolled the wall overseeing final battle preparations. Night
engulfed the front as Constantine finally returned to the St. Romanus Gate. Hours
drifted by, but the men got little sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj0C3rtj1_e9GsjK7Nd0X6ZQRxm8y8d6jOApwkCQYUshivrlu2Bf6L7-lsU6lma9ErdWMRVLNLVodX14SlBsGK2WKj873rKFQuba69mUOUWckD0rSAdbke7Wa0n67ju_Z_Cw_gsIhqgc/s1600/constantine-xi-palaeologos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj0C3rtj1_e9GsjK7Nd0X6ZQRxm8y8d6jOApwkCQYUshivrlu2Bf6L7-lsU6lma9ErdWMRVLNLVodX14SlBsGK2WKj873rKFQuba69mUOUWckD0rSAdbke7Wa0n67ju_Z_Cw_gsIhqgc/s320/constantine-xi-palaeologos.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">At one o’clock in the morning the Ottoman
cannons suddenly opened fire and the army advanced against all sections of the
wall, from both land and sea. Tongues of flame and flashes of gunfire
illuminated the night as the defenders unleashed Greek Fire and men on both
sides fired muskets. First, light irregulars charged the walls against a storm
of arrows. Carrying little armor, they were no match to the Byzantines, clad in
scale mail and iron helms. But when units of heavy infantry advanced, they soon
pressed through several breaches. Fierce close combat ensued on and behind the
wall as Byzantines, Italians and Ottomans slashed at each other with curved sabers,
scimitars and large two-handed swords. Steel rang against steel, men cried in
rage and anguish, smoke obscured the battle field and for four hours chaos
enveloped the front. However, under the valiant leadership of Constantine XI
and Guistiniani, the defense just held.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Enraged, Mehmet sent in his crack troops, the
dreaded Janissary corps. Highly disciplined, expertly trained and well armed,
they smashed heavily into the defense. Taking advantage of an open postern
gate, they flooded behind the walls. Just then, a cross bow bolt thudded
through Giustinaini’s breastplate, grievously wounding him. When the Italians
saw their chief carried away, they too rushed for their ships in the harbor.
With gaps opening in the defender’s line, the Janissaries redoubled their
attack. Soon the Byzantine front splintered and the trapped groups were surrounded.
Seeing doom at hand, Constantine tore off his royal regalia and roared, “The
city has fallen, but I still live!” Drawing his saber, he charged into the fray
and was never seen alive again. No one ever recognized him among the slain, and
he rests now in a mass grave with his men.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNeLjOV_8Om8KYeOz0ry9a9gFjm_svDAfRHoF2Yl7zKSX6tl4jr9tv7sDjZ4KmqQEelfBKaW53mG6SEnv4yJbBM0eA9lyZDdDp2Wt9NCqnmEumy8vYEiqrk3L6WdV_1-pmuDav1UCZh8/s1600/mehmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNeLjOV_8Om8KYeOz0ry9a9gFjm_svDAfRHoF2Yl7zKSX6tl4jr9tv7sDjZ4KmqQEelfBKaW53mG6SEnv4yJbBM0eA9lyZDdDp2Wt9NCqnmEumy8vYEiqrk3L6WdV_1-pmuDav1UCZh8/s1600/mehmet.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Victorious, the Ottomans pillaged the city,
enslaving or killing its inhabitants. Few managed to escape, whether by hiding
or sailing away. Mehmet put a stop to the carnage as soon as possible. He
intended to rebuild the city into his new and glorious capitol. As the sun
dawned on May 29<sup>th</sup>, 1453, the last living vestige of Roman
civilization died and a new age in history began.</span></span></span></span><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span>The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-59148544300148362192013-12-08T11:45:00.000-08:002013-12-08T11:55:18.616-08:00Reflections of Isaiah and on Teaching<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">One
of the most enjoyable things I do in Odessa is teach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoy teaching at the seminary, at various
Bible studies and English clubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
year I have had the unique privilege to teach Old Testament Survey and New
Testament Survey to high school aged kids at the school for missionary
kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the OT class I have just two
students - my 14 year old daughter and one of her best friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the assignments I often give to write
a short reflection on a key passage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
recently covered Isaiah and I asked the girls to write a reflection on Isaiah’s
call in chapter six.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed their
thoughts so much I thought I would share them with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Yes, I did ask their permission).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8on3N6YU_U3-0XGPgV8kWNWcgA47VkrTlI0Fpe1-Ci-waXibE3RfomNBfGjk7Rs3v2ZgziTyp-Sn04sA3GMywp-qJq4LYUAocOEq4mSaXYaVC25MXss9KifMrNAW1OmfcZwo97NImOo/s1600/IMG00395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8on3N6YU_U3-0XGPgV8kWNWcgA47VkrTlI0Fpe1-Ci-waXibE3RfomNBfGjk7Rs3v2ZgziTyp-Sn04sA3GMywp-qJq4LYUAocOEq4mSaXYaVC25MXss9KifMrNAW1OmfcZwo97NImOo/s320/IMG00395.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Reflection on Isaiah’s Call<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Isaiah’s
call is very interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can
understand why it inspires many people to the mission field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaiah did answer God’s question, “Whom shall
I send? And who will go for us?” with, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8,
9).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after Isaiah agrees to go, God
says that the people will “Be ever hearing, but never understanding, be ever
seeing, but never perceiving … Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear
with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed (6:9,
10).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, Isaiah’s ministry will
be completely and totally fruitless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
will preach and preach and preach, but no one’s going to listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not exactly too inspiring when one
thinks about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it’s no wonder that
Isaiah asked, “For how long, O Lord?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the answer: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant …
and the land is utterly forsaken.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
Isaiah will preach and preach and preach with no one listening until everything
is destroyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looks a little like God
is calling Isaiah to an absolutely pointless ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, fortunately, God gives hope in verse 13:
“But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy
seed will the stump in the land.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
Isaiah is called to plant a seed in the land, which will eventually lead to
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, unfortunately, Isaiah will
not live to see his seed grow.</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">If
we go back in the chapter a little, there’s another pretty impressive
part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaiah was in the temple when he
was called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to his account,
“the train of [God’s] robe filled the entire temple. (6:1)” Trains on clothes
didn’t exist back then, so Isaiah probably just saw the hem of God’s robe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just the hem, because it filled the
temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet he cries out, “I am
ruined!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For I am a man of unclean lips …
and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaiah had a sense of the angels and
everything above God’s hem, but all he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">saw</i>
was God’s hem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that was enough for
Isaiah to see how unworthy a sinful man like him is to see God.</span></span></span><br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Batang;">Reflection on Isaiah’s
Call<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Batang;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Isaiah’s
call to prophesying was, well, depressing. As a missionary, or at least a
missionary kid, his future is probably to be my future as well. I’ll tell
people about God, and some will listen, but others won’t. Isaiah had this same
future, except in his situation, no one would listen. His words would fall on
deaf ears, and he would continue to prophecy until the destruction of Israel. I
feel very sorry for poor Isaiah, finding out that he will have to prophesy for
the rest of his life to blind, deaf, and mute people who won’t even listen to
him in the first place He would never get to see the fruit that would come from
his labors, and his prophesying would, in a way, cause the destruction of
Israel, because of the effect it had on the people. When most people say they
will go for God and tell the world about him, they are not thinking about all
the hardships that will come from their decision, but instead are thinking
about how they will be important, and looked up to by the people for doing such
a wonderful job. They don’t remember that missionaries are often persecuted,
frowned upon, cheated, and made to pay unfair bribes and high prices. Isaiah
didn’t complain, he just listened to God and asked for more information. We
read that Isaiah was struck with awe at the sight of God, and he only saw the
hem of God’s robe! Yet this was enough to strike him with awe and fear. This,
along with the fact that the hem of God’s robe filled the temple, is very
humbling and at the same time baffling to me. I have a lot of questions about
the part where the seraph flies down to Isaiah and touches his mouth with a
burning piece of coal. Why doesn’t Isaiah cry out; is it because it’s a holy
piece of coal that it doesn’t hurt or something? And how does the coal make him
clean when the rest of us had to have Jesus die for us? Why couldn’t God have
just tapped all our mouths with holy coal and made us clean? Or does the
picture of the burning coal making him clean have some other meaning? Isaiah
certainly confuses me, but his call to prophesy is awesome. (The awe inspiring
kind) Still, disappointing. Very disappointing.</span></o:p></span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-58235461029234858582013-11-27T13:37:00.000-08:002013-11-27T13:37:09.277-08:00Some thoughts on Ephesians 4:9 (Part III) How Textual Criticism can sometimes help us understand meaning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYr2BsJYDwdaueZIC5wv48GDAr5sJcaHH8Nc9fqBMHEyLCsfltnbzFPHWWIybfXi_PadVC-AXfGn9Uc2rhi_KnX-IOdAlrHepR3Irt24-yXhsUP74w2v0yUwg3nIGS6N5zh0KiKjI800/s1600/Ephesians+4+9+Siniaticus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYr2BsJYDwdaueZIC5wv48GDAr5sJcaHH8Nc9fqBMHEyLCsfltnbzFPHWWIybfXi_PadVC-AXfGn9Uc2rhi_KnX-IOdAlrHepR3Irt24-yXhsUP74w2v0yUwg3nIGS6N5zh0KiKjI800/s320/Ephesians+4+9+Siniaticus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There
are several textual variants in Ephesians 4:7-9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In verse 8, some manuscripts have “He gave (</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">εδωκεν</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)” and some have “He also gave (</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">και</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">εδωκεν</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In verse nine some manuscripts read “except
the one who descended (</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">ει</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">μη</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">οτι</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">και</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">κατεβη</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)” and some
read, “except the one who first descended (</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">ει</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">μη</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">οτι</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">και</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">κατεβη</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">πρωτον</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also in verse nine some manuscripts omit the
word “parts (</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">μερη</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While none of these variants have a huge
impact on the meaning of the text, the second variant gives us some insight
into the understanding of some second century scribes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second reading is probably not original
but it is attested by the Old Latin, Vaticanus (B) and the second hand of
Siniaticus (Aleph).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Old Latin
preserves readings as early as the second century and even though Aleph and B
are fourth century documents, most agree that their reading reaches back to the
second century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assuming these facts we
can make at least three conclusions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This reading (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">except the one who first descended</i>) was
present in the second century.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This reading was fairly
widespread, at least in the Western Roman Empire, in the second century.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By the fourth
century, this reading was known and accepted by academics and scholars in
Northern Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Assuming that </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">προτον</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (first) was added, it still tells us that at least to
some translators and scribes the order of events was important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some wanted to make it very clear in this
passage that the ascension that Paul is talking about happened after the
descent (first descended).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whoever added
the "first”(</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">προτον</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">) wanted the order of events to
be clear rather than implied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may
have even been intended as a marginal note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(The variant in Sinaticus is probably meant to be a correction, but
looking at the actual manuscript (see below), it could be concluded that a
scribe was just adding a marginal note.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVteKsQQ5fJ8rjwKw6dGaq3ZsWcxYu9W_cwmSo4MeUg08ttsae5rxh4fD0rGrbmx54ca_pSXO5fW1ebByzDLAzNNn0wutwTcJPXJZM_b5PWAmm-_ZBsi_kNBcLkPMI69hOE3-rAmUxaLA/s1600/Ephesians+4+9+Siniaticus+with+comments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVteKsQQ5fJ8rjwKw6dGaq3ZsWcxYu9W_cwmSo4MeUg08ttsae5rxh4fD0rGrbmx54ca_pSXO5fW1ebByzDLAzNNn0wutwTcJPXJZM_b5PWAmm-_ZBsi_kNBcLkPMI69hOE3-rAmUxaLA/s320/Ephesians+4+9+Siniaticus+with+comments.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
is a good example of how textual criticism can give us some insight into the
thinking of early scribes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
important because they are much closer to the writing of the documents and
linguistically and culturally closer to the language of the documents than we
are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Why
would a scribe or translator add the word “first” to the text?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone understood the “descent” as referring
to either the incarnation, burial or descent into Hades and the ascent
referring to Jesus’ ascension to heaven, then the descent must come before the
ascent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the word “first”, the
text is ambiguous but seems to point to an order of ascent – descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Paul means that the ascent came before the
descent, then this cannot be a reference to the incarnation, burial or descent
to Hades of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A scribe could easily
clear this up by the addition of the word, “first” either in the text itself or
in the margin as a note of clarification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In contrast, it doesn’t seem logical to remove the word if it was
original.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By removing the word, “first”,
a scribe or translator would make a clear text more ambiguous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If scribes did edit texts, they tended to do
it with the goal of clarifying meaning rather than confusing meaning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">What
does this tell us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It tells us that
very early there was probably some debate about the meaning of this passage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even to the native Greek speakers there was
some ambiguity here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It tells us that,
at least to some, the order of events was very important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wanted it clear that the descent came
before the ascent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They made this clear
by either editing the text or adding a marginal note that eventually was
included in the text.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If Paul means that
Jesus first ascended and then descended, then he cannot be talking about Jesus’
incarnation, burial or descent into Hades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These three events require the descent to take place before the ascent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Does this solve our problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not really, but it does give us some good
information as we go back to our exegetical toolbox.</span>The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-3681233355199267512013-11-12T12:48:00.000-08:002014-04-17T23:11:56.024-07:00Some thoughts on Ephesians 4:9 (Part II): Some Comments on the Rhetorical Structure of Ephesians 4:9 and 10<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyp7o-iONBYMZg99xq2xrnq70JsRZ7pCyFQcvG65MGccjiXtez6fQbSu8_rk-vC-VoE_ZOcEDhpevyjdIlkZTbQs1OEu8AtfglVrzP_Xb2A_8mAIa6BlWNnujG4T-LGNOvt2damlTXKY/s1600/chiasmus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyp7o-iONBYMZg99xq2xrnq70JsRZ7pCyFQcvG65MGccjiXtez6fQbSu8_rk-vC-VoE_ZOcEDhpevyjdIlkZTbQs1OEu8AtfglVrzP_Xb2A_8mAIa6BlWNnujG4T-LGNOvt2damlTXKY/s1600/chiasmus.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Since
grammar alone gives us only options for understanding Paul’s intent, perhaps
the structure may help us narrow those options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is chiasmus (an A-B-B-A construction), centered around the verbs
ascended and descended in verses 9 and 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If we look at the two phrases, the apostle first speaks of the one who
ascended then equates him with the one who also descended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once this is established, he speaks again of
the one who descended and then again equates him again with the one who
ascended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words we have the
following order of ideas:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one who
ascended – the one who descended – the one who descended and the one who
ascended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The actual language of the
structure is presented below.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">το</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">δε</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">Ανεβη</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">τι</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">εστιν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">ει</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">μη</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">οτι</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">B</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>και
καταβη </span></b><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">εις
τα κατωτερα μερη της γης?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">B</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">’<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>ο καταβας </span></b><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">αυτος εστιν <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">’<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>και ο αναβας </span></b><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">υπερανω παντων των ουρανων, ινα πληρωση
τα παντα<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
bold type indicates the main rhetorical features.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if you don’t know Greek, you can see the
repetition of words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In English it could
be rendered something like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">A </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But
the one who already ascended</b>, what does this mean except that, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>B<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">he also descended </b>to the lower parts of
the earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>B’<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The one who descended </b>is He <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A’
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">who also ascended </b>high above the
highest heaven, so that he might fill all things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In
a more simple form the structure can be presented like this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>το δε αναβη<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">B</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>και κατεβη<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">B</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">'<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>ο καταβας</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">'<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>και ο αναβας</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The one who ascended<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>B<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>also
descended<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>B’<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>the
one who descended<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A’<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Also ascended<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
rhetorical structure helps us in at least three ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">First, it puts the emphasis on the descent rather
than the ascent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is true that a
chiastic structure can throw emphasis on its outer limits as easily as its
inner context.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But since the
context of Ephesians assumes that Jesus ascended, there is no reason to
emphasize the ascent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence, it is
the descent that is emphasized here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Second, the apostle seems to focus on an order of
events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul seems to be trying to
clarify that there was a descent after an ascent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems important to his argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is subtle, but the order of
presentation of events may be important here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will be especially true if Paul is
talking about something other than the incarnation, because the
incarnation requires a descent (incarnation) and then an ascent (ascension/exaltation).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here Paul seems to be emphasizing the
opposite, that there was an ascent and then a descent.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Third, the one who ascended is also the one who
descended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul makes a special
effort in verse 10 to show that the identity of the one who descended is
the same as the one who ascended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">That
is about as much help as we can find from the structure of Ephesians 4:7-9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t clear much up but it gives us a
little more insight and some more to think about.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">To make further progress we
have to return to our exegetical toolbox.</span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-9336866882764429852013-10-21T07:15:00.003-07:002013-10-21T07:15:58.919-07:00Tithing after the Cross<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Yaoc5crOceZYArJQBjFMzDKH9MHV-1ZyvuZjnY0mI__IEMQW7sFjIzb0fsQeSeO7w4Gd6j3FsUHkSY2HiJyCP_fJehJZ0fordXmDsl59yklw1677rntZrGmTaq2ooZLMfrqE23Z7GQ/s1600/tithing+after+the+cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Yaoc5crOceZYArJQBjFMzDKH9MHV-1ZyvuZjnY0mI__IEMQW7sFjIzb0fsQeSeO7w4Gd6j3FsUHkSY2HiJyCP_fJehJZ0fordXmDsl59yklw1677rntZrGmTaq2ooZLMfrqE23Z7GQ/s320/tithing+after+the+cross.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Tithing and Giving have long been an area of
interest for me so when I saw this book and the low Kindle price, I decided to
read it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book is <em>Tithing After
the Cross</em> by David A. Croteau (Energion Publications).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Croteau is a professor of New Testament
and Greek at Columbia International University and Seminary (<a href="http://www.ciu.edu/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ciu.edu</span></a>) and hosts one of several
blogs at <a href="http://slaveoftheword.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">salveoftheword.blogspot.com</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
I want to tell you about a small book I recently read. <br />
<br />
First, I have two criticisms of the book and I want to get
them out of the way because they are minor and I don’t want to end this entry
with criticism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Criticism number one:
When Dr. Croteau transitions to his final chapter, “Tithing after the Cross” it
was not completely clear to me if he was saying, “Tithing is not part of the
New Covenant practice so here are some guidelines for giving.” or “Under the
new covenant tithing really means giving so here are some guidelines.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, he develops a lot of his theology for
giving from II Corinthians 8 and 9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think this is fine but in the historical context Paul was gathering a special
relief gift for the poor saints in Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bridge from that context to modern lifestyle principles of giving
was not clear to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I missed
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both these criticisms are minor so
now let me get back to my recommendation.<br />
<br />
This book is the third book Dr. Croteau has written on the
subject of giving and tithing and is a summary of the other two more in-depth
publications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his introduction he
states his purpose and goal very clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“…I hope to accomplish a simple objective: that people would seek God
Himself in the intimate relationship He desires for wisdom regarding the amount
they should offer as opposed to being burdened with a legalistic number.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later he adds, “Therefore, I hope to present
the arguments for tithing and explicitly respond to them in a brief and
easy-to-access layout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want this book
to be a most useful resource, one a minister or Bible study teacher could use
to locate certain arguments and corresponding responses.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(These are from the Kindle edition so I don’t
have page numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are both in his
introduction.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my opinion, Dr.
Croteau delivers on both fronts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
The book is easy to read and follows a logical liner
progression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He starts by defining the
Tithe in the context of the Old Testament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This alone is worth reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understanding
what “Tithe” meant to Old Testament Israelites makes it very clear that the
typical understanding of the tithe today is not based on a Biblical
understanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, (this is not
in the book), if you asked an Israelite living during the first temple period,
“Have you given your tithe?” you might expect a simple yes or no answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, what you would probably get is
another question, “Which tithe do you mean?” or if the person was a builder or
fishermen he might respond, “Why should I?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Further, the typical modern definition of tithe is 10% of income.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are really spiritual then it is 10% of
your gross income.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Croteau shows
clearly that depending how you calculate it the Old Testament tithe was either 20%
or 23.3%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you calculate the tithe
over a 3 or 6 year period you come up with 23.3%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you calculate the tithe over a seven year
period you end up back at 20%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does
it work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read your Old Testament and
figure it out yourself or read his book or, I recommend, read both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After this introduction Dr. Croteau walks
through and responds to popular arguments for tithing from Old Testament
texts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next he does the same for New
Testament texts, theological arguments, historical arguments and experiential
arguments for tithing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He concludes by
outlining a theology of giving mostly from II Corinthians 8-9.<br />
<br />
In the end you may not agree with Dr. Croteau, but he will
challenge your ideas and cause you to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The book is only 94 pages and can be read in an afternoon and the Kindle
version cost about $5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There you have
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For what it is worth, I recommend
this book for a thoughtful Saturday afternoon with a cup of coffee and cookies.The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-60685056258318947642013-10-08T09:43:00.000-07:002013-10-08T09:44:27.954-07:00Some thoughts on Ephesians 4:9 (Part I): The Usefulness of Greek Grammar?<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">One of the things I like to teach
seminary students is that knowing Greek doesn’t answer all your questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, sometimes it brings up more
questions than it answers and you find yourself wondering why you didn’t just
stick with your favorite translation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyway, a good passage to illustrate the point is Ephesians 4:9.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><st1:personname w:st="on">Paul</st1:personname>'s
language in Ephesians 4:9 has been the object of much debate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, no matter where you land in the debate,
this verse is an excellent example of how Greek grammar often gives you only
options and not clarity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words,
Greek is not the ultimate key to understanding a text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it gives you insight that you
cannot get from a translation but other times it only brings up more
questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ephesians 4:9 is one of the
latter cases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on this verse,
really based on one genitive noun, many argue that Jesus descended into
hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if one doesn’t know the
technical terms, if one attempts to study, translate or teach this passage, the
decision one makes about the grammar (specifically the genitive), determines
the interpretation of this phrase. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Genitive of Ephesians 4:9</span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In
Ephesians 4:9 Paul uses the phrase, “</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">κατωτερα</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">μερη</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">γης</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (the lower parts of the earth).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The phrase itself is not hard to translate
but the meaning is ambiguous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our main
concern is the meaning of the genitive, «</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">της</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EL;">γης</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">» (of the earth).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are two primary grammatical options for this noun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The noun may be a genitive of material
content (also called a partative genitive) or a genitive of simple apposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To further complicate matters, each option
can be understood in two ways.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The genitive may be a Partative Genitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to Dana and Mantey, the
partative genitive "may be defined by indicating in the genitive the
whole of which it is part".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
other words, a partative genitive is connected to a primary noun and indicates
the whole that the primary noun is part of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this is a partative genitive then “of
the earth” is connected to the primary noun "the lower parts"
and “of the earth” indicates the whole that “the lower parts” are part of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under this understanding, “of the earth”
may refer to Hades (the place where departed spirits live)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or the grave where Jesus was buried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both were considered part of the earth.<o:p></o:p></span>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The genitive may also be a genitive of simple Apposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The genitive of apposition is connected
to a primary noun but this time it renames the noun or makes it more
specific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It works as an
"i.e." construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Ephesians
4:9 is a genitive of simple apposition then the "the lower parts” are
still the primary noun but “of the earth” is understood as a renaming of
“the lower parts”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Paul means
is that Jesus descended to “the lower parts” that is “the earth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under this understanding the genitive
has two more possible interpretations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Of the earth” may be referring to Jesus descent in the incarnation
or the descent of the Spirit of Christ at Pentecost.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Greek grammar of Ephesians 4:9 has given us at least four options of possible
meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“he descended to the lower
parts of the earth” may mean either:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Christ descended into Hades.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Christ descended from the cross to the tomb (the tomb
is the lower part of the earth).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jesus descended to the earth in the incarnation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Finally, the Spirit of Christ descended to the earth on
the day of Pentecost.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Unfortunately,
this is as much help as the Greek grammar can give us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we decide which option Paul had in
mind?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must turn to other tools in our
exegetical toolbox.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It
should also be noted that the understanding Ephesians 4:9 does not fully answer
the theological question about Jesus descent into hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To fully answer the theological question, one
must exegete at least four other passages.</span>The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-87208470351781478072013-09-10T10:14:00.003-07:002013-09-10T10:15:54.914-07:00Insomnia, The Synoptic Problem and Textual Criticism<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rethinking Dr. Scott
McKnight’s Rethinking</span><br />
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Pt4U7mGCc_8wFwfQ7gNIUv6iA17GfkPQTs06R66-6POkYaO0Twn6H8gIR8U89nUPYBKF9sPvkcjYQ0fpWyYzcVBoeyVQw3_JSjm-y0A9RUkaAPDI2URcs890fF4Sicv3e_JfRPFZRYQ/s1600/Sydney_Hardman_Gospel_writers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Pt4U7mGCc_8wFwfQ7gNIUv6iA17GfkPQTs06R66-6POkYaO0Twn6H8gIR8U89nUPYBKF9sPvkcjYQ0fpWyYzcVBoeyVQw3_JSjm-y0A9RUkaAPDI2URcs890fF4Sicv3e_JfRPFZRYQ/s320/Sydney_Hardman_Gospel_writers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I couldn’t
sleep one night so I decided to reread <u>Rethinking the Synoptic Problem</u>
(Baker Academic, David Alan Black and David R. Beck, ed.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At around 3:00am, as I was reading Scott
McKnight’s chapter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Generation Who Knew
Not Streeter: The Case for Markan Priority,</i> I had an epiphany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, maybe not an epiphany – just a clear
thought at 3:00am and that is plenty reason to celebrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had read Dr. McKnight’s chapter many times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His arguments are clear and convincing, but
there has always been something about his methodology that didn’t sit right
with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I openly admit that I am not a
scholar and that I am partial to the priority of Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the fact that Dr. McKnight’s arguments
didn’t sit right with me should be no surprise and could even be a case of
personal bias.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I think there is
something more here and I offer my thoughts and musings for what they are
worth.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">In his chapter,
Dr. McKnight makes a strong argument for the use of text-critical procedures to
support the priority of Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says
this, “The most telling argument against the Griesbach hypothesis and for the
Oxford hypothesis is the accumulated answers to this question: Which reading
most likely gave rise to the other readings?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Put differently, given Matthew’s (or Luke’s) rendering of a saying or
event, is it likely that Mark is the later rendition of Matthew or Luke (or
both), or is it more likely that Mark is the source for the others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answers so consistently move in the
direction of Markan priority that one is compelled either to adopt the Oxford
hypothesis or jettison text-critical procedures in use by all scholars today.”
(page 81).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">He gives
three compelling examples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is true
that the watershed question in textual criticism is, “Which reading most likely
gave rise to the other readings?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
applied to the synoptic problem, I must admit that my commitment to the
priority of Matthew was shaken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
as I was reading that morning, I begin to think about assumptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought about the assumptions connected
with textual criticism and the assumptions connected with the synoptic
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I compared the assumptions
they seemed farther and farther removed from each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, text critical procedures are
used on text critical problems and at least the following conditions are
assumed:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">A
single author stands behind the original phrase.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
original phrase/word was written in a single historical context.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
original phrase/word was written in a single literary context.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
original phrase/word was written to a single intended audience.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
original phrase/word was written in a single document that had at least one
primary purpose.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume that the original phrase/word was written by one person.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume that the original phrase/word gave rise to the other variants. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume that the variant comes from an accidental or intentional change of a
single document.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">This partial list shows that in textual criticism we assume
that many factors are static or linear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
assume one original phrase gave rise to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We assume a single author, historical situation, genre, medium of
communication, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore the
question, “Which variant is most likely to give rise to the others?” is very
appropriate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when I thought about
the synoptic problem I saw a very different set of assumptions that were far
removed (almost the opposite) of those connected with text critical
problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, when thinking
about the synoptic problem…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume at least two authors behind one phrase.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume at least two historical situations.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume at least two very different intended audiences.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume at least two purposes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We
assume at least two sources (each gospel).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Not
even the assumption that there was an original wording that was, either
intentionally or accidentally, changed and resulted in a variant reading remains
firm.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">So, when we move
from text critical problems to the synoptic problem, it occurred to me that the
simple and static becomes complicated and dynamic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this is true then it may be inappropriate
to apply the procedures from textual criticism to the synoptic problem.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Let’s take
Dr. McKnight’s second example because I was reading this one when my mind
wondered to assumptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Example is from Mark 14:3 and Matthew
26:6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark 14:3 has two genitive
absolutes in the same sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
an unusual construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew’s
parallel has one genitive absolute and a finite verb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a much more common construction. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. McKnight introduces the example and says,
“It is more likely that Matthew “corrected”…Mark than Mark took a perfectly
normal expression and made it irregular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mark’s style is not impossible:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>people can have two genitive absolutes together if they want; in a
flurry, they might add yet a third.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
when we compare the two, it is more likely that someone would change two
genitive absolutes…to one with a finite verb than take one genitive absolute
and a finite verb and make two genitive absolutes…” (page 85).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I read this
example a couple of times and did some late night/early morning pondering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it more likely that Matthew simplified
Marks complicated grammar or Mark complicated Matthew’s already polished
grammar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the face of the question the
answer is “of course, Matthew corrected Mark.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But then, maybe I was just tired, after thinking about assumptions, I
started to imagine how the scene of Matthew writing his gospel may have
developed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would I have seen if I
was there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under the Oxford hypothesis, I
imagined the year 85 AD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aging
apostle Matthew is in his study in Caesarea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before him is a copy of Mark’s gospel, perhaps Q or a set of other
sayings documents that make up Q, possibly an M document and a partially
completed scroll that someday will be the gospel according the Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">his</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">copy</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">of</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Mark</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">he</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">reads</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">the</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">phrase</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> <span lang="EL">και οντος αυτου εν Βηθανια εν τη οικια
Σιμωνος του λεπρου κατακειμενου αυτου ελθεν γυνη εχουσα αλαβαστρον μθρου ναρδου
πιστικης πολυτελους... </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">He thinks, “I remember when that happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were all at Simon’s house, Jesus was at
the table and then she came in with the bottle of perfume.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sees Mark’s attempt to introduce the scene
and corrects his grammar to make it more readable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">writes</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EL;">, του δε Ιησου γενομενου εν Βηθανια εν
οικια Σιμωνος του λεπρου προσηλθεν αυτω γυνη εχουσα αλαβαστρον μυρου βαρυτιμου....<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Could it
have happened that way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose it
could have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though all the church
fathers who comment on the order the gospels were written in put Matthew or the
“the gospels with genealogies” first, they could be wrong and, based on this
linguistic/text critical argument, Mark could have been first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Then I
thought, “What if the church fathers were right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if Matthew was first and Mark was the
result of Peter’s sermons in Rome to Roman believers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to try thinking from the standpoint
of the Griesbach hypothesis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I begin
to imagine how Mark may have been written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would be around the year 60 in the city of Rome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gospels of Matthew and Luke would already
exist and I can’t imagine that Peter would not know about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure that when Matthew wrote his gospel
one of the first people he showed must have been Peter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, I imagine Peter in Rome teaching the
Roman Christians about the life of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe he had the gospel of Matthew and/or Luke with him or maybe he taught
from memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark sits close by and is
maybe taking some notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During one of
his sermons Peter comes the scene described in Matthew 26 and he tells the
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he change Matthew’s
polished grammar into Mark’s two genitive absolutes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is hard to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew was
writing a literary document and Peter was giving sermons or maybe just speaking
extemporaneously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is two different
mediums of communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">As I was
imagining this, one of Dr. McKnight’s statements jumped out at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wrote, “Mark’s style is not
impossible:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>people can have two genitive
absolutes together if they want; in a flurry, they might add yet a third.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That phrase, “…in a flurry, they might add
yet a third” kept my attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
Peter orally told the same story that Matthew wrote, could he have complicated
the grammar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course he could
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two genitive absolutes could
easily be the result of Peter trying to express in speech, what Matthew may
have taken five minutes to express in writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(It is also easy to believe that Mark would want to preserve the actual
words of Peter as much as he could.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
would be Peter’s “flurry” that Dr. McKnight talked about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the “flurry” of the moment, Peter used
some awkward grammar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t
researched this but two genitive absolutes does sound to me more like something
you may hear spoken then something that may intentionally write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the written medium, the author has time to
think through and polish what he wants to communicate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the spoken medium, the author doesn’t have
the luxury of the redactor and it is easy to believe that sentence structure
could come out more awkward. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The possibly
mistaken assumption here is that Mark, like Matthew, is the result of an
attempt to communicate through a written, literary medium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that is the case, then we are comparing
apples with apples when we ask the question, “Which reading gives rise to the
others?”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there is good
evidence that Mark was not the result of an attempt to produce a polished,
written document.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that is the case,
then we may be using text critical methods to compare apples with oranges and,
as far as I can tell, that tells us nothing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">These
thought were swirling around in my head as I finally made my way to bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My conclusion is that the synoptic problem may
be much too complicated to make use of text critical methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The static and linear assumption that text
critical methods rely upon, become dynamic and multifaceted when we move to the
synoptic problem. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, If Mark
14:3 and Matthew 26:6 were two variants in one book, then the static
assumptions of textual criticism would apply and we could examine the external and
intern evidence and ask the question, “Which reading is most likely to give
rise to the others?”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the
answer to this important text critical question, when applied to the synoptic
problem, is so complicated that it doesn’t seem to make sense to even ask the
question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can agree that there is literary
dependence, but to answer the question we have to assume we know what form the dependence
took.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Matthew is in his study then of
course he “corrected” Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, if
Peter is giving sermons, then of course he could have complicated Matthew’s
polished grammar with an extra genitive absolute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By assuming the form of literary dependence (the
situation in history), we almost have to assume our answer before we can ask
the question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it is no surprise that
people who lean toward Markan priority imagine Matthew in his study and those
who lean toward Matthean priority picture Peter, in a flurry, using two
genitive absolutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this is the case,
then the application of the methodology seems to be flawed and we need to look
else ware to solve our synoptic problem.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">In closing, I am not saying that we should <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“ jettison text-critical procedures in use by all scholars today”</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am suggesting that maybe we should use them
for textual criticism and not the synoptic problem.</span></span><br />The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-49362011970482217962013-06-27T14:40:00.000-07:002013-06-27T14:40:43.577-07:00The Bureaucracy Softens<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The bureaucracy has
redeemed itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a possible
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed two documents from
our “passportist” office to get our stamps from the immigration office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem was that the passportists only
worked on Thursday but the immigration office didn’t provide services on Thursday
and we had tickets to leave on Friday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I figured we had a chance to leave Friday night if we got our documents
on Thursday, we had a chance to get our stamps on Friday morning and we could
leave Friday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just to make sure
that there were no surprises on Friday, on Wednesday, I went to the immigration
office again to ask if I needed anything else besides two documents from our passportist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I talked to the lady at the immigration
office, I asked if I needed anything besides the two documents to get our
stamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said something like, “So, I can get the documents
on Thursday, because the passportist only works on Thursday this week and I can
come here Friday and get our stamp – right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She said, “No, Friday is a holiday and we are closed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to panic a little but had enough
composure to ask if someone would be in the immigration office on Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said that she would not but someone else
may be willing to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The office wasn’t
closed, it just was a day when services were not offered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Thursday, we went to the passportist
office early and waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were second
in line and our passportist (actually our passportists – there are two of them)
were very nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She quickly prepared our
documents and then went above and beyond the call of duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew that we were trying to get our
stamps because we wanted to leave Odessa on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She called the lady at the immigration office
– they knew each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They talked a
little, she hung up and said that Sveta (the immigration office woman) would
meet us at her office at 3:00pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left,
went home and later went to the immigration office at 3:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sveta was there working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She greeted us, checked our paperwork and
stamped our permits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thanked her for
helping us on a non services day and she said that it was her pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We parted as friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are thankful for the help from our
passportist (Tatyana) andour new friend from immigration (Svetlana).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxG-Tn8_oumvNC1coe4Au1voTrFx8ZAc7Wvds_uDmYdA4EzNyPnl16CTSnKHrEGOmcBWp4yUm1cmFKVucZLAX2j7ZwJRNJoSp95ZYLUA_WSHxotNn6I7am6JxeX1D1kUffUyK5OshVbs/s1600/IMG00315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxG-Tn8_oumvNC1coe4Au1voTrFx8ZAc7Wvds_uDmYdA4EzNyPnl16CTSnKHrEGOmcBWp4yUm1cmFKVucZLAX2j7ZwJRNJoSp95ZYLUA_WSHxotNn6I7am6JxeX1D1kUffUyK5OshVbs/s320/IMG00315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-48689537640907845802013-06-24T05:59:00.000-07:002013-06-24T05:59:59.975-07:00A Taste of Bureaucracy
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Here is an
example of the kind of bureaucracy we sometimes have to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of it I understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no reason why the government should
not do a background check on us, have translations of our passports or know
where we live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are just trying to
protect their country and economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But,
as an American, I instinctively value “efficiency” and when I don’t get
efficiency – I sometimes complain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<v:shape alt="trp map 1.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_0" o:spid="_x0000_s1028" style="height: 151.5pt; margin-left: 60.1pt; margin-top: 259.85pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 159.2pt; z-index: -3;" type="#_x0000_t75" wrapcoords="-204 0 -204 21386 21573 21386 21573 0 -204 0"><span style="font-size: large;">
<v:imagedata o:title="trp map 1" src="file:///C:\Users\Mosse\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg">
<w:wrap type="tight">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Friday, June 21, 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had our actually Temporary Residence
Permits in hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got those on
Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman at the OVIR was very
nice and rushed the process so we could have a chance to leave for L’vov on
Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just needed to get a stamp
from the immigration office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Background:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one has every
explained the entire process and I cannot find any kind of law or written
document that describes how to apply for and receive temporary residency permits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
approach is to start the process and do what we are told by the various offices.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The immigration office that we needed to go
to was not open on Thursday, so we needed to wait until Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to be first in line so we arrived
at the office at 8:00am (they opened at 9:00).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were third in line – no problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here is our bus route.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR8awnkaLuNyMBM-DD05l0OcS6tScxGbkDvZx8PC6WlpQyIreUJ4itol_R53Oz8w3abMsIB3F8gUf8pEFk1vaEDoCDYDbOMsV2hMatiL-7l5y55YM20vT5T4fJ3BMiOi__hZGFKALEX0/s1600/trp+map+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR8awnkaLuNyMBM-DD05l0OcS6tScxGbkDvZx8PC6WlpQyIreUJ4itol_R53Oz8w3abMsIB3F8gUf8pEFk1vaEDoCDYDbOMsV2hMatiL-7l5y55YM20vT5T4fJ3BMiOi__hZGFKALEX0/s320/trp+map+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We waited an
hour. While waiting we recieved a call from the OVIR. They needed one more document from the seminary. I called the seminary and they said the document could be ready in the afternoon. The door opened, we walked up a flight of stairs into a hallway of eight
doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed office number one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After waiting a few more minutes, we went in
and she was very nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We explained
where we were in the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked
at our documents and then said that this is not the last step but close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She made a copy of our permits, wrote our
information in her registry book and then had us write a “statement” requesting
that the stamps be put in our permits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We wrote the statements, she put a note, a stamp and a signature on them
and sent us to office number 7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
thanked her and went to office number seven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There we waited in a line for about a half hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman in this office, at first didn’t
understand why we were sent to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
also didn’t fully understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took
our document and went back to office number one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she returned, we explained again that
all we needed were the stamps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said
she understood, but that wasn’t her job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, we did need more documents from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took our statements, made another note on
them and said that we need to take these to the boss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said that if we waited in line we would be
there all day so she would help us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
said, “Follow me and say nothing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
followed her passed a line of people into the bosses office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in a large room, at a desk helping
another women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also had a TV on
across the room with a Mexican soap opera playing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She showed the boss our statements and he said, “Where are the
signatures and the dates?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We quickly
signed and dated them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he made
another note on them and signed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
left the room and the woman said that her part was done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we need to take our statements to another
immigration office in the north part of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There we can get our stamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thanked her and left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were cautiously optimistic – it was only
10:00am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got on a bus and went north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is our route.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdaLb9SRQLELS2MIyZzGqgkjX2sFrANqP6i2CCfhg5AFEerYMfbU7e2Vl4LFwGgangLRSG4VwhsKS-kwkJ2eet9bdjEIpWoBhsy1plHxTf_YLyJsKaTjVwBLH84_SVaSf8t4s9wGxjoY/s1600/trp+map+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdaLb9SRQLELS2MIyZzGqgkjX2sFrANqP6i2CCfhg5AFEerYMfbU7e2Vl4LFwGgangLRSG4VwhsKS-kwkJ2eet9bdjEIpWoBhsy1plHxTf_YLyJsKaTjVwBLH84_SVaSf8t4s9wGxjoY/s320/trp+map+2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">It took us a
little while, but we found the office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were four doors in the hall and none of them were labeled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We asked around and found the lady we were
looking for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explained that we needed
the stamp in our permits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took one
look at the documents in our hands and said that copies meant nothing to
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She needed a card from another
office (called the passportist).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
explained that the pasportist doesn’t work on Fridays and she said that we need
to go there when they work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
getting nowhere, so we decided to see if the passportist was in her
office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time we walked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbN4c7vtKGdDOZCcjZTax7OUGZn-huztnWIynQxla3Iwq1u1EWfv1IO6_W6wUc4b4fPmIyUgEO59JK7iKM8KjyKuGJaA3pJVG0r9OaWmfoZYRMZKIcxxnq9xCVv5dZfYzqjJBuYKzJpA/s1600/trp+map+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbN4c7vtKGdDOZCcjZTax7OUGZn-huztnWIynQxla3Iwq1u1EWfv1IO6_W6wUc4b4fPmIyUgEO59JK7iKM8KjyKuGJaA3pJVG0r9OaWmfoZYRMZKIcxxnq9xCVv5dZfYzqjJBuYKzJpA/s320/trp+map+3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">We got there
to find out that the office was not only closed – Monday, of course, is a
holiday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soonest we can see the
passportist is maybe Tuesday afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well this was a difficult pill to swallow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hit a dead end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest of the day was spent getting another document from the seminary, exchanging our
Saturday train tickets (except Joseph’s), purchasing new tickets (by faith) for
Wednesday and taking our new document to the OVIR. This required a long trip downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made it back to our region
just in time to take part in our last English Café. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNiH89_v_b4oxK85Ht9TRIgWNvA8IXYE9yIgJm9K5Xz3EHTAfdHgce0_sg787m_cSZgeTA7XH8SpFpV9bL091QFZ8kTVoEgBEUnmvAFH5uGqd5n7_B2cqtz9jf_vPRq9OGb5RMEONv2o/s1600/trp+map+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNiH89_v_b4oxK85Ht9TRIgWNvA8IXYE9yIgJm9K5Xz3EHTAfdHgce0_sg787m_cSZgeTA7XH8SpFpV9bL091QFZ8kTVoEgBEUnmvAFH5uGqd5n7_B2cqtz9jf_vPRq9OGb5RMEONv2o/s320/trp+map+4.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Our initial
reaction was sadness and disappointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, after some time we came to our senses and knew that this was no
surprise to God and it is really a very small setback in the grand narrative of
the Kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said goodbye to
Joseph on Saturday and now we hope that Tuesday we can get our stamps and be
off to join him and the team on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-33963158413373245092013-05-08T06:25:00.002-07:002013-05-08T06:25:49.984-07:00My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTMi_PTSnUr5L3sl8hg4Fvpi8pa3lYx4mJmVhRf2fIj1OqnRhJ8e9DQGrb_bGRGmfJjrsJ36pUHLDHgQtK1n1Ilno4SpjHbcUF-FJZT6SY8CuRSP8ZvYMz0CRJ3ilfIhs8IEiGEpgN_E/s1600/crucifixion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTMi_PTSnUr5L3sl8hg4Fvpi8pa3lYx4mJmVhRf2fIj1OqnRhJ8e9DQGrb_bGRGmfJjrsJ36pUHLDHgQtK1n1Ilno4SpjHbcUF-FJZT6SY8CuRSP8ZvYMz0CRJ3ilfIhs8IEiGEpgN_E/s320/crucifixion.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
Ukraine this year, we celebrated Easter much later than in the West.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out that this year’s Easter
celebration landed on Mexico’s Independence Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have been especially busy this April and
May, so I only preached one Easter message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, it is one that has been forming for years and I want to share
part of it here.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
Matthew 27:46 Jesus yells out, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN
ME?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a young believer this
statement bothered me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years, I
have been offered various answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
first I was told that Jesus expected the Father to save Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rejected this view right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quick read of any one of the Gospels makes
it clear that Jesus expected to suffer and die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later, I was told that in His agony, He lost perspective for a moment
and in called out to God for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
accepted this explanation for some time but it never completely satisfied
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It troubled me that, even in
anguish, Jesus lost perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew
what was coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He Himself said that He
did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for
many people (Matthew 20:28).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tells
the disciples repeatedly that he is going to suffer, die and rise again on the
third day (cf. Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see Jesus’ struggle in the garden of
Gethsemane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew tells us that Jesus
said he was deeply grieved and troubled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He prayed that if it is possible to let this cup pass from Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then He says to the Father, “Not my will but
Your will be done” (Matthew 26:38-39).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is clear that Jesus knows that he will suffer and die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crucifixion was no surprise to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sometime
later I was told a different explanation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was told that at the moment Jesus cried out, God the Father laid all
the sins of mankind on Jesus and then turned His back on His only Son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was based largely on II Corinthians
5:21.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This experience of separation from
the Father was so painful to Jesus that, even though He knew it was going to
happen, He expressed His anguish in the phrase, “My God, My God, why have You
forsaken Me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Father did turn His
back on Jesus, then Jesus’ statement did make more sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I was still bothered by the fact that if
Jesus knew this was going to happen, why cry out when it does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sounds surprised to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was told another variation on this
view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was told that Jesus did expect
to suffer and die, but He didn’t realize that the Father would turn His back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When this happened it was a surprise to Him
and He cried out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, that made some
sense, but then I tried to wrestle with the idea of a division in the
Trinity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Father turned His back
on the Son, then Jesus must have experienced some separation from the
Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the three are one, how can
this be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was the nature of God the
Trinity changed for a short time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
that case God is no longer immutable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This really bothered me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
(I should have figured this out myself) I heard a sermon that introduced me to
a new fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was quoting the Old
Testament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was quoting Psalm 22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read the Psalm and realized that David was
describing something very close to what Jesus experienced on the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that Perhaps Jesus was using
Scripture to express His pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This also
satisfied me for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I decided
to do some more reading and carefully read the passage in Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From this I realized five things:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">By the first century Psalm
22 was considered a Messianic/Prophetic Psalm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Pharisees and Priests
also quoted from Psalm 22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They quoted
from Psalm 22:8.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If a Rabbi wanted to make a
quick reference to an entire Psalm and the theology connected with that Psalm,
he often just quoted the first verse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In my general study, I was
realizing more and more that Jesus often spoke to the Jewish a kind of loaded
educated language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, he knew
the theology of the day and how to speak in ways that communicate more than the
words he was using.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, after Jesus’ cry,
Matthew records that the people reacted (probably more according to their
superstition) but the Jewish leaders were silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we assume that the leaders were still
there, this is very strange and their silence is very loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What
did the Pharisees and priests do when they heard this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did they think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why were they silent?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not long before this they were mocking Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a perfect chance for them to mock
Him some more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where is Elijah?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Help me Elijah?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elijah only saves the innocent!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He won’t help you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they are silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
leaders are silent because they are probably in shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been mocking Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been feeling prideful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They won.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They struggled with Jesus and won…He is being crucified!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They mock Jesus with Psalm 22:8, </span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Commit yourself to the LORD; perhaps
the LORD will deliver him, perhaps he will cause him to escape, since he
delights in him."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>see Matthew
27:43.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(In the Psalm, the enemies that
surround David say this.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they don’t
mock Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus yells and they are
silent.</span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Pharisees are also theologians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine
what could have happened in their minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They see Jesus suffering on the cross and think, “Good, let Him
suffer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He called Himself God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He called Himself Messiah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a blasphemer and they do not deserve
mercy!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They mock him with a quote from
a Messianic Psalm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, Jesus cries out
the first verse of that same Psalm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
they hear the words, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” they can’t
help but hear the entire Psalm in their head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Psalm about the Messiah<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Messiah suffers but trusts in God.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Messiah is mocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(We are mocking Jesus).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">His hands are pierced (they see Jesus’ hands).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They cast lots for His clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(They see the soldiers.)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He trusts in God (they see Jesus’ face).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Messiah will be delivered and praise God.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Messiah will proclaim God’s righteousness to the
generations.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">These
and many more things probably came to their mind all at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I think at least some of them
understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Messiah is supposed to
conquer and deliver Israel but He is also supposed to suffer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could Jesus really be the Messiah?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could this be the meaning of the Psalm?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could we be the ones in the Psalm who mock
the Messiah?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we the enemies who
surround Him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then feelings of panic
appear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we looking at the
fulfillment of the Psalm?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What have we
done?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I remembered that many of
the Pharisees and Priests became believers, I wandered if (at least for some of
them) this could have been the moment that shocked them into belief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">By
shouting out, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus has, in a sense, shouted Psalm 22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least that is what would have gone through
the minds of the Rabbis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By this one
statement Jesus has said, “I am suffering terrible, yet I will trust the Lord
my God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not a cry of confusion
but a cry of confidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
proclaiming again that He is the Messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is doing it in a way that leaders will understand and they are
speechless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cries out, “I am the
Messiah, I am suffering yet I will trust in God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will praise Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ends of the earth shall turn to the
Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what was prophesied
through the Psalm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are looking at
the fulfillment of the Psalm!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">It makes much more sense to me intellectually that
Jesus would communicate from the cross in a way that uses few words but
communicates much – especially to the Jewish leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also brings megreat comfort that Jesus
did not lose perspective in His suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, if this understanding is correct, He remained profoundly
clearheaded to the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After hearing
the leaders quote from Psalm 22, He was able to respond to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In His response He communicated his pain, His
reliance on the Father, that He is fulfilling his role as the Messiah and that
they are looking at the fulfillment of the Psalm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did this all in one short statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus remained absolutely resolute in His
mission to the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Paul says in
Hebrews, “…in view of the joy set before him, (He – Jesus) endured the cross, </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">disregarding
its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">.”</span>The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-30864573552627700972012-12-20T12:56:00.000-08:002012-12-20T13:01:40.315-08:00Taste of Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TdaA8MVMPQmoZxQMD9B2cM7e0yMB9_uQW3R7O_H6p1mgZOlkkLKAUyfbtbldq2Ks8W6_V5u9MwrAS1aD6Qh2N-r6jqZuEiK_FMFZ0GE9nqjBPgTj-qwI4yuHlrSEbeYJ_rFpRUw3ZVU/s1600/P1060792+doc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TdaA8MVMPQmoZxQMD9B2cM7e0yMB9_uQW3R7O_H6p1mgZOlkkLKAUyfbtbldq2Ks8W6_V5u9MwrAS1aD6Qh2N-r6jqZuEiK_FMFZ0GE9nqjBPgTj-qwI4yuHlrSEbeYJ_rFpRUw3ZVU/s320/P1060792+doc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Coming back to California is always a unique experience. Among other things it is something of a shock to see the availability of goods, to hear English all the time and to drive a car. This often requires some period of adjustment.
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There are a few things that I regularly notice when we return. One is that I have a heightened awareness of the faults in my home culture. I tend to be judgmental and critical of the things I consider deficiencies in the culture. Another is that I usually overindulge in foods I have not eaten in a while. Another thing I notice is that in some ways I feel very much at home and in other ways I feel very much out of place. Living almost 10 years outside the US has changed my worldview, my habits, my values and even on some levels my language. Also, while we are away, many things connected with California change. We don’t always have regular contact with friends so we are sometimes not up to date with their lives, fears and struggles. This gives rise to feeling like an outsider in your own culture. I accepted this long ago and it has actually served as a reminder of where my true home is. When I feel like a foreigner in Odessa, I am reminded that my true citizenship is in heaven. When I feel out of place in California, I am reminded that I am ultimately an alien and exile on earth. Someday I will see my true home and be welcomed home by my true Master. This gives me great peace and hope.
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This time, I am experiencing many of the same feelings. As usual, I feel at home and out of place at the same time. However, there has been something unique. This time, we have returned on medical leave. That means that we have probably received more attention than usual. Because we are missionaries, there is an unwritten requirement to live out things like this in public. Our friends and supporters (those that read our newsletters) know that I have cancer. They know that we have returned to have it treated. They are concerned for us, they pray for us, offer advice and help. This is great and provides us with a lot of prayer and emotional support. We have experienced a profound sense of love, grace and support that can come through the body of Christ. It also means that at times I find myself getting medical advice from or discussing personal medical issues with people I really don’t know very well. That can be awkward. Sometimes we call this the fishbowl effect.
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The unique thing I have found this time is that I have experienced short times of a profound sense of home. As I listen to a song or sit in a service listening to a sermon in English, I know what to do; I easily and clearly understand the humor, nuanced cultural references and idioms. I don’t have to intellectually put them in a cultural or historic context. I just get it. What I am realizing is that there is perhaps a “flavor” to your home culture and this flavor produces a sense of connection.
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One special connection was when some of the elders, deacons and deaconesses prayed for us. They took our whole family to a side room in the church. I kneeled down, they anointed me with oil, they laid their hands on me and prayed. Many of these men and women we have known for years. They have been our teachers, friends, encouragers, pastors, leaders and supporters. Some of them we only really know about. But we respect them all. Through their actions, the Spirit brought us great peace and a sense of belonging and acceptance. It was the body of Christ in action. It was a taste of home – our true home.
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In these moments, when I get the joke – when the idiom makes perfect sense, when the saints sincerely pray for us, I get a feeling of belonging in a way that feels like home. It feels like acceptance. It only comes in glimpses, but I like it that way. It is the same lesson as before, but from the other side. When I feel out of place, I am reminded that I am not home and someday I will be home. When I get that glimpse of acceptance and belonging that feels like home, I am reminded of a future home where the feeling will not fade. God is granting me a taste – a glimpse of what is yet to come. For that I am thankful.
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-21993809517837608622012-11-26T17:04:00.001-08:002012-11-29T11:30:04.793-08:00About - From - With<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvElPJdDrSDIL0UB_ODmI7SfqG2oCtVnSNrLLy2dMSM1YHGXebgSAgMG7xjZ5CGj3YJaQZn_kj2anOkBKxf4CVtswdulvYIvXRqPll1PLF9hGEhFmQqhyphenhyphennTE6tCx2zFqZmmGqS4ZJIQgU/s1600/P1060761+doc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvElPJdDrSDIL0UB_ODmI7SfqG2oCtVnSNrLLy2dMSM1YHGXebgSAgMG7xjZ5CGj3YJaQZn_kj2anOkBKxf4CVtswdulvYIvXRqPll1PLF9hGEhFmQqhyphenhyphennTE6tCx2zFqZmmGqS4ZJIQgU/s320/P1060761+doc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">In his book,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cross-Cultural Servant hood</i>, Duane
Elmer, gives practical advice on preparing to minister in a cross-cultural
setting. He explains in clear and simple terms that when moving to a new culture, there are three important types of learning. The first is “learning about”
the new culture. When moving, almost everyone does this. We read books, look
at statistics on the internet and maybe pay attention to news stories about the
culture we are moving to. This is necessary and good. It helps us adjust
our expectations and gives us valuable information to help us adapt
culturally. However, information about a culture is often presented in broad strokes and with little nuance. Cultures do have characteristics, defined behavioral patterns and values, but people in the culture tend to live and act inside a range of the limits set by these cultural norms. So when we learn about, we learn the broad
strokes. Sadly many stop here and consider themselves to be experts. Elmer says that this is just the beginning or even the preparation for the deeper learning. The deeper learning is “learning from” the new culture. Learning “from” happens when you are living in the culture. We take what we know about the culture and observe, ask and adjust. We learn from the people we meet and interact with. This gives us a deeper understanding and appreciation of the culture. The third is “learning with”
the culture. This is when we develop friendships that are reciprocal. With
these friends we explore each other’s cultures, share our lives and in a
Christian context learn from God’s word and minister together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">As we recently
prepared to leave for the States for cancer treatment, one of the things we had
to do was tell people why we were unexpectedly leaving. This is difficult for me because my pride makes it difficult for me to appear weak. Our friends had various reactions. Some were shocked, some were sad, some were encouraging and most said
they would pray. This was very encouraging. One of my best friends is Igor (pronounced like the English word “eager”). He and his family live close to us. He is a fellow professor at the seminary and a pastor at the church we attend. He is
one I often learn with and from. As we prepared to leave, I got a lesson from Igor in pastoral ministry that was also a great personal blessing. We had some friends over and Igor stopped by for a visit. We enjoyed some tea and fellowship. After a while, Igor said, “Alfie, I wanted to come say good-bye by encouraging you and praying with you.” He opened his Bible, read me a short passage and simply pondered out loud for a few minutes how Paul’s struggles might give us insight into our own struggles. He invited me to share my thoughts with him and we thought sublime thoughts together for a few minutes. Then he said, “Let’s pray in the Slavic style”. So we got on our knees and prayed together. After the prayer we stood, hugged and Julie took a picture.
My dear friend’s actions were a lesson in simple sincerely friendship
and pastoral care. It is truly a privilege to learn from friends like this.</span></div>
The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963959331551839716.post-88861648077898166002012-11-12T00:22:00.000-08:002012-11-12T00:22:28.007-08:00The Gospel of Jesus' Wife.....Fragment?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vLK-AJICkgXFa1XhpnnXF5mfB7VtezUByDiTaQ5q4VWWgmRiWYdMM8ZwXgEMxojTnoCZ5RjmCUSetCbkjhGROMjY1cBiNPyCk5P6Rj3tdFk4SEzb6SYyXBH-a5ukP72_k0wV4oBUCSA/s1600/Gospel+of+Jesus+wife+fragment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vLK-AJICkgXFa1XhpnnXF5mfB7VtezUByDiTaQ5q4VWWgmRiWYdMM8ZwXgEMxojTnoCZ5RjmCUSetCbkjhGROMjY1cBiNPyCk5P6Rj3tdFk4SEzb6SYyXBH-a5ukP72_k0wV4oBUCSA/s320/Gospel+of+Jesus+wife+fragment.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An approximately 4cm by 8cm fragment, which reads “Jesus
said to them, my wife” in line four of eight was unveiled by Harvard Professor
Karen King at a congress of Coptic Studies in Rome on September 18, 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The language of the fragment is Sahidic and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the text is thought to be from the 4th century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr. King’s actual research paper <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is scheduled to be published in the Harvard Theological
Review in January 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the congress,
King only made an official announcement, gave a brief overview of the document
and explained that the official research will be published in January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the rhetoric and, in some cases,
panic has already started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the basis
of this fragment, some are already claiming that Jesus did indeed have a
wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others are claiming that this is more
evidence that the early church Father’s suppressed other early legitimate
Christian beliefs in favor of what we today call “orthodox belief”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others are claiming the fragment is a
forgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My purpose here is to add my
thoughts in an attempt to minimize the propagation of extreme claims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact is that all the evidence is not
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Professor King has clearly stated
that she thinks the fragment is authentic but even she says that more testing
is necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if it is authentic,
she also clearly states that “this new discovery does not prove that the
historical Jesus was married...But the fragment does suggest that 150 years or
so after Jesus’ birth, Christians were already taking positions on such
questions.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my view, this is a fair analysis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nobody has made the claim yet, but I have a suspicion that as
time goes on, this fragment, in the eyes of some, will be given the same
authority as the four canonical evangelists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I base this suspicion on two things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First on the scholarly perspective of Dr. King and second on the name she
gave the fragment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She calls it “The Gospel
of Jesus’ Wife”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In an interview, King emphasized that this new discovery
does <em><span style="border: currentColor;"><span style="border: currentColor;"><strong>not</strong></span></span></em>
prove that the historical Jesus was married and at the same time gives her
opinion about the canonical Gospels. She says, “This gospel, like others dated
to the second century which make opposing claims—that Jesus was celibate, for
example—are too late, historically speaking, to provide <em><span style="border: currentColor;"><span style="border: currentColor;"><strong>any</strong></span></span></em> evidence
as to whether the historical Jesus was married or not...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This quote tells us at least two things about King’s
presuppositions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, she does not
think the canonical gospels have much historical value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says that they (both the canonical
gospels and the fragment) are too late to provide, “historically speaking, any
evidence as to whether the historical Jesus was married or not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, she seems to give this fragment the
same authority or even historical value as the canonical gospels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She calls the fragment “this gospel” and,
historically speaking, puts it on the level of the four New Testament gospels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This suggests that in her eyes, they have the
same historical and documentary value. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even though I don’t agree with King’s first presupposition
that the gospels have no real historical value, I can concede that she probably
has some well thought through reasons for her position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, calling this new fragment a gospel
on the level of the other Gospel’s seems like a bit of an overstatement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We have many full copies of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John that
date back to the fourth century and fragments that arguably date back to the
late first or at least the early second century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is a significant amount of manuscript
evidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By calling this credit card
size fragment of a document a “Gospel”, on the level of Gospels that are
preserved in whole or in part over a widespread geographical area and even in
several different translations, King is making “category” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have many ancient full copies of the New Testament Gospels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can read a passage of these documents in
the context of the author’s intent by also reading the entire document.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot do that with “The Gospel of Jesus’
Wife” fragment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a fragment of a
document we know nothing about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must
admit that without knowing the context of the document from which this fragment
comes, it is nearly impossible to assign any real meaning to the content of
this short passage.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To illustrate this point, I have decided to try an
experiment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to the Sinaiticus
Project we have access to the ancient Greek manuscript – Sinaiticus through the
internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Manuscript is just as old
as the “Jesus Wife fragment” but in much better shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It includes the entire Bible and additional
material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to use the Gospel of
John in my experiment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John himself clearly
tells us the reason he wrote his Gospel, “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">But
these have been recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the
Son of God, and so that through believing you may have life in his name.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 20:31 (ISV).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to pretend that the world knows nothing
about the Gospel of John and one day a fragment of an unknown Gospel (The Gospel
of John) was found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fragment
happened to be from a manuscript like Sinaiticus – good text in four
columns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose a page of Sinaiticus
that included Mary and Martha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I measured
an approximately 8cm by 4cm rectangle (same size as the Jesus’ wife fragment),
imposed the rectangle on the page in Sinaiticus and pretended that the fragment
inside the square was all we had of John (see illustration below).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fragment included part of column 3 and a
section of column 4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This preserves part
of John 11:52 and 53 and almost all of John 12:2. Like the “Jesus’ wife
fragment” it includes about 8 lines of text as follows:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQb2A1K-uRZ9oB5POM7FJMwwcrfiJFfpZDFjFFqANM0dpTypSva35KjX93qr_NYhcic2Ax5nIPp-SfyRl1mFg3isWzoftItLZ5Wer04YhaBuYJSBNRas8JRO-nMXu0oLaO29knPfOvzU/s1600/Sinaiticus+John+12+and+fragment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQb2A1K-uRZ9oB5POM7FJMwwcrfiJFfpZDFjFFqANM0dpTypSva35KjX93qr_NYhcic2Ax5nIPp-SfyRl1mFg3isWzoftItLZ5Wer04YhaBuYJSBNRas8JRO-nMXu0oLaO29knPfOvzU/s320/Sinaiticus+John+12+and+fragment.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">υπερ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Ι</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">C </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">εκ</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">νεκρων</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ε</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1. n for<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>Jesus from
the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ους</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">και</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ου</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ποιησαν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ουν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">αυ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2. ous
and<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Therefore [they]
made him<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ου</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">εθνου</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">τω</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">δπενον</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">εκει</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>3.
ou nation<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>dinner there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">αλλ</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ινα</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">και</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">η</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">μαρθα</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">διη</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>4. but so that<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>and Martha<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">κνα</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">του</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">κονι</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ο</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">δε</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">λαζαρος</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>5. kna the<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>served but Lazarus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">σκοπις<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>εις ην<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>εκ τωνα<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>6. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">scattered</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">(?)<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">was one of the people<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">αγαγη</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">νακειμενων</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">συ</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>7. gathered<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>reclining with <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">εκεινης</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ν</span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span><span lang="EL" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">αυτω</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">:<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>8. of that woman/one<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Now if this fragment was all we knew
about the Gospel of John, what could we concluded?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Line one seems to have something to do with
Jesus raising from the dead or being raised from the dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So perhaps this is an event that took place
after Jesus’ resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the
right column I might conclude that after Jesus had just risen from the dead and
Mary and Martha prepared him dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the dinner Martha served while Lazarus reclined with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the left column I might guess that they
were possibly discussing something about the role of women in gathering the
scattered nation of Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could call
this fragment, “The Gospel of Jesus’ dinner party”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, when we compare these conclusions
with the actual Gospel of John, I would be completely wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a far cry from, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">But these have been recorded so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and so that through believing you
may have life in his name.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would also
be wrong to call this “The Gospel…..”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is a fragment and nothing more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">We must employ the Joe Friday
principle…Just the facts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The facts are
that we might have a fragment of a larger document that includes the name Jesus
(a very common name by the way), some disciples, a woman named Mary and probably
a reference to the afore mentioned Jesus’ wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We don’t know with reasonable certainty if the text is even talking
about the Jesus of Nazareth or some other Jesus who had disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know which Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know who wrote the document, to whom
he or she wrote or for what reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
primary point is this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my opinion,
Dr. King is jumping the gun a little and possible stacking the deck by calling
this fragment “The Gospel of Jesus’ wife”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my view, the most optimistic statement that can be made, while being
faithful to the facts, is that we <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">possibly
</b>(all the testing is not complete) have a fragment (not a Gospel) of an
ancient document that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">may</b> have a
reference to Jesus of Nazareth and a woman named Mary who <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">could possibly</b> be his wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is about as much certainty and clarity as we can expect from a
credit card fragment of an unknown document.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My suggestion is to be patient and to wait for all the
evidence to be in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When more evidence is
uncovered, if the fragment is authentic, it should be given proper weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suggest that the proper weight now is not
the weight of the canonical evangelists but the weight of a fragment of an
unknown document.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Source of “Jesus wife fragment” photo:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://harvardmagazine.com/2012/09/new-gospel"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue;">http://harvardmagazine.com/2012/09/new-gospel</span></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Source of Sinaiticus
illustration:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://codexsinaiticus.org/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue;">http://codexsinaiticus.org</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span>The Mosse' Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09434132182962270254noreply@blogger.com0