Super Good News

Hebrews 2:3b-4 Jesus: The Emboldened Messenger

2007-01-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

God Confirms Christ’s Announcement of the Good News of Salvation

Hebrews 2:3b-4: πως ημεις εκφευξομεθα τηλικαυτης αμελησαντες σωτηριας ητις αρχην λαβουσα λαλεισθαι δια του κυριου υπο των ακουσαντων εις ημας εβεβαιωθη συνεπιμαρτυρουντος του θεου σημειοις τε και τερασιν και ποικιλαις δυναμεσιν και πνευματος αγιου μερισμοις κατα την αυτου θελησιν

Hebrews 2:3b-4: “which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by those who heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with different kinds of miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”

The literal meaning of the phrase “which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord” is “which at the beginning the Lord seized proclaiming constantly”.

The idea the author conveys is that at the beginning of His ministry the Lord took a hold of the good news of salvation (the salvation that is not to be given the same or lesser value as the old revelation) and began to proclaim it without let up.

The picture one gets of the Lord Jesus in this verse is as if He said, “Here, give me the good news of salvation”, as He seizes it from the Father’s hand. He then begins to proclaim it boldly, without let up. This is the picture of Jesus that arises from this passage. He is an emboldened Christ, with a message of salvation of which He is thoroughly convinced, and He runs with it. He will not give it to another. He’ll make it His responsibility at that point for its preaching.

He is here more than a new Moses, a new law giver. He is the messenger of salvation, as well as the giver of salvation. He will not “outsource” His responsibility for the preaching of the good news of salvation. He will make it His own task, His mission, His very life.

The Lord’s announcement of the news of salvation is compared with God’s giving of the law at Sinai. In Sinai the giving of the law to Moses was confirmed by the voice of God heard as thunder and heard by the people.

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. And when the people saw, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said to Moses, You speak with us, and we will hear. But let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said to the people, Do not fear, for God has come to test you, and so that His fear may be before your faces, so that you may not sin. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. And Jehovah said to Moses, So you shall say to the sons of Israel, You have seen that I have talked with you from the heavens (Exo 20:18-22).

The testimony of the author of Hebrews is that when the Lord Jesus spoke, His voice spoke with such authority and conviction that for them it was unmistakably the voice of God. In the old revelation the giving of the law had been confirmed by thunderings, lightnings, noise of the trumpet, the mountain wrapped up in smoke. In this greater revelation God Himself, not angels or thunderings or lightnings, or trumpet noises, nor smoke had confirmed Christ’s announcement of the good news. In this revelation it was the voice of God Himself that was heard at the baptism of Christ clearly attesting: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Mat. 3:17). Then again at the mount of the transfiguration “a voice out of the cloud” was heard saying “This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him. Keep on listening to him!" (Mat. 17:5 ISV).

Once again the author of the epistle focuses the reader’s attention on Christ, His person, His mission, His unique identity as the Son of God, of the same substance of God, as the very YHWH God of the Old Testament!

The “different kinds of miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit” manifested during the ministry of Christ were unique events designed to confirm Christ’s proclamation of the good news of the gospel. Both the Father and the Spirit, according to their will which was to love the Son, were involved in the confirmation of Christ’s announcement of the good news of salvation. This is the reason why Christ’s gospel of salvation is not to be undervalued or given an equal standing with the old revelation. Christ’s announcement of the gospel, His bold act of taking a hold of the good news and making it His task, is a much greater event than the giving of the law at Sinai. His announcement is the new law, the good news of salvation is God’s new law for humankind, and Jesus the Son is both the giver and the substance of that good news!

End-time prophecies and the Cross - A Covert Conversation -

2006-12-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

Last night I had a most animated visit with a Christian gentleman whose sincerity, vigor, and integrity is certainly beyond question. He is indeed a most dedicated believer of current events as the exact fulfillment of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, and a host of other biblical texts understood and interpreted as pointing to these very days. It was a marvelous con-fusion of the past, the present, and the immediate future. In his from the heart and mind descriptions, all the current players in the current world crisis are to be found right there in Daniel and Revelation: George Bush, Sadam Hussein, Ahmadinejad, Tony Blair, the Asian economic markets, represented by de-feathered eagles (USA), lame lions (UK), bear (Russia's Putin), leopards (Asian block). In listening, it seemed to me I was hearing William Millier-Uriah Smith revised and updated version (2006-2007). However, this recounting of end time prophecies had some incredible addtions: the earth will stop spinning on its axis, monthly lunar cycles would return to 30 days, yearly solar cycles to 360 days, all due to incredible cataclysims that make Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth seem like the first level of a kids' video game. But there was more. Somewhere it is also prophecied that it will take Jesus three and a half days to come to earth, and that something incredibly suspicious is lurking in the land - all over the world's land - just waiting to surprise humankind: The Vengeful Sword of God. A Geo-Politico-Religious thriller that would have Tom Clancy, Mel Gibson give up their trades as novelists and Apocalypto thrillers. It all led up to one great climactic point which was somewhat unclear graphically, but with one great certainty: God's judgment of all nations would take place... Somehow it was implied that if you just knew this stuff (the prophecies and their fulfillment) you would somehow escape the conflagrations, it would help if you owned some land and bunkered in the backcountry of Idaho... Wow! In the meantime one would have to make furtive raids into the big cities with pamphlets, tracts, in covert operations into shopping mall magazine racks slipping these tracts in between the mags and thrusting them into strangers' hands who might be deemed responsive to the warnings. Were it not that the actual headlines for today are so bad, it would be difficult to imagine that the news could get worse, but indeed the salient message of these apocalyptic scenarios was indeed "Bad News".

Since these scenarios arise from an allegedly Christian background (SDAism) I kept waiting for the "Good News". This was certainly harder to find in these scenarios and it was unclear as to what that might be. It may have been good news for an elite group of 10 Commandment keepers apocalyptically referred to as "the 144,000". Elite because they had achieved a maximum level of character progress (no longer referred to as "perfection") that they were actually on display before the universe as God's proof that upright citizens of planet earth could indeed be found. In terms of today's hype status given to stars on display, these 144,000 character righteous people certainly had been nominated and won the Oscar Holiness Awards, and thus gained special status in proximity to God's throne - forever! There was no other good news left for non-144-thousanders. The only hope was in edging out someone else and make it to this prestigiously eternally blessed group. Wow!

When I was finally able to get a word edgewise and ask about the place of the cross and Jesus' finished and saving work on our behalf I was given the strangest answers: Christ is still tied in chains awaiting the judgment, he died not for our sins but for his sins (what???!!), salvation is still an ongoing process, the cross was important but... "But what?" "But there's so much still to come: the plagues, the judgments, the three and a half years, Lucifer bearing our sins in the desolate earth (What?? Lucifer the sin-bearer??), some obscure Ellen White prophecy from Early Writings about some special group of people translated without seeing death...

And the cross? I looked at the prophetic charts in vain for some sign of the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ... Where was the story of the cross in the middle of lions, bears, leopards, eagles, little horns, a tiara bearing man caricatured on the tip of some horn... (That caricature is still propagated?)... Wow!!! And the cross of Christ?

"The cross is important, but..."

"But what?"

I kept praying for some text, some Scripture that would cut through the fog of seas, beasts, peals, and thunders and would lead this gentleman to see the glory of the cross of Christ as the one great apocalyptic event of all human history and the history of the universe.

Somehwere in the back of my head it seemed appropriate to look at the preaching on the day of Pentecost. Certainly that was a key day in the preaching of the gospel. What had been the theme of the apostle's preaching on that day?

Was I in for a surprise. When I looked at Acts 2 the answer was right there and it was something I had never seen before, and yet so appropriate to this very moment. Here it is for you to look at, and see what I saw that day, and what I shared with my dear brother in Christ. Through the marvelous presence of the Spirit, as we read outloud together, the message of the cross did get through...

Peter's messge, I saw consisted of two basic parts. The first part was a defense of the apostles' speaking in foreign languages. It was not only a great defense, but a great use of the end-time prophecies to try to get people scared enough to cry out to God for salvation (as it seemed was the intent of my brother's apocalyptic discourse and pamphlet distribution covert operations):

14. But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.
15. "For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;
16. but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
17. `AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, `THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
18. EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy.
19. `AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.
20. `THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
21. `AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.'

Wow! What an apocalyptic vision! Complete with blood, fire, and smoke. The sun and moon even seem to go into reverse, akin to my brother's description of the earth coming to a non-spinning halt.

In v. 21 the apostle seems to close his argument by insinuating to the hearers what they should do: Cry out for mercy!

Yet, when he made his pause expecting for the souls to come forward repentant to the altar, there was nothing but complete silence!

No reaction, no response, no convicted sinners.

Always troubling for a preacher. To present his best argument, and have the congregation of unrepentant sinners yawn and look at their watches, or look at each other with the uplifted eyebrow signal: "Let's split".

And yet, the Holy Spirit was at work in the apostle Peter's mind whispering: Try the cross, go to the cross, mention His name and His work on the cross...

And then, as if He got a second wind, and finally got it, he proceeded:

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
23. this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
24. "But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
25. "For David says of Him, `I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE; FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.
26. `THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED; MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;
27. BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.
28. `YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.'
29. "Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30. "And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE,
31. he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.
32. "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
33. "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
34. "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: `THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
35. UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."'
36. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified."
37. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"
38. Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39. "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."

Amazing. It was not until the crowd heard the preaching of Christ, and Christ crucified that of their own, without an appeal, without an altar call, they themselves couldn't take it any more, and cried to God for repentance and salvation.

Amazing how the forgiveness of sins through the shed blood of another works upon the human heart to show the love of God which drives out fear from the mind and heart.

And so it was with my brother.

He looked at the text. I pointed to him that v. 37 (the verse of crying out to God) had not come after the prophetic preaching but after the preaching of the cross. He looked at it again to confirm that it was so. He thanked me for showing this to him... and after prayer he headed off into the night to warn another big city of the impending doom... with I do hope and pray, the message of the cross of Christ as measure of last resorts...

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all, Amen.

Hebrews 2:2-4 "How shall we escape if such a great salvation we deem as less?

2006-12-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

2. ει γαρ ο δι αγγελων λαληθεις λογος εγενετο βεβαιος και πασα παραβασις και παρακοη ελαβεν ενδικον μισθαποδοσιαν 3. πως ημεις εκφευξομεθα τηλικαυτης αμελησαντες σωτηριας ητις αρχην λαβουσα λαλεισθαι δια του κυριου υπο των ακουσαντων εις ημας εβεβαιωθη 4. συνεπιμαρτυρουντος του θεου σημειοις τε και τερασιν και ποικιλαις δυναμεσιν και πνευματος αγιου μερισμοις κατα την αυτου θελησιν2.

2. For if the word spoken by the angels was trustworthy, and each transgression and each time they did not heed had its due reward, 3. how shall we escape if such great salvation we deem as less? Which from the beginning the Lord took hold of it broadcasting it to those who heard it, being confirmed before us 4. God Himself testifying together with marvels and prodigious and diverse portentous signs and the Holy Spirit administering according to His will.

At the center of this passage is v. 3, which has been most often translated as “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”

It is a question that implies inescapable consequences. However, it presents a rather confused concept of the gospel’s announcement of salvation. In refering to salvation it describes it as “such a great salvation”. On the other hand, it implies that we can escape this salvation if we neglect it. If understood in this manner, this salvation is really not all that great or powerful if indeed mere neglect will bring upon us inescapable punishments as sure and as certain as the revelation given by angels to Moses. If we can escape this salvation by mere neglect, then the “greatness” of this salvation is certainly diminished. It may be great, but easy to elude. This interpretation of the text has certainly presented difficulties for believers in the gospel.

Another problem is that the question implies a motivation arising from fear rather than love for accepting Christ’s great salvation. “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” If salvation may be lost with a mere neglect (other modern language translations render “careless” [descuido (Spanish)]), we will not escape punishment, therefore Christ’s salvation must be accepted in order to escape punishment. However, this is not the gospel motivation for accepting Christ, and neither does it agree with the testimony of other Scriptures: “If I be lifted up [on the cross] I will draw all unto me” (John 12:32). “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:18,19).

Is there then a way of understanding this question in the light of the gospel? We must remember that Scripture is its own interpreter, and that all Scripture points to Christ and to the great love found in the gospel. That principle is also true here in Hebrews 2:2-4. This Scripture has its sense and meaning in the great revelation of the love of the Lord Jesus.

Verse 2 is the introduction to verse 3. The question found in v. 3, “How shall we escape...?” cannot be understood apart from its connection with v. 2. Verse 2 is a continuation of the author’s entire argument given in chapter 1: The revelation given in the Son is greater than the revelation given to the angels. However, the author does not demean the revelation given to the angels. This revelation was trustworthy as God’s will for Israel. It was trustworthy because it pointed to the coming of the Messiah. The revelation given to the angels was replete with symbols, figures, and types that announced the redemptive work of the Messiah, the work of the Son, the greater revelation. The revelation given to the angels showed God’s relationship with humanity without the redemptive work of the Messiah: “every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward” (Hebrews 2:2).

Therefore, the author’s question of v. 3 is directly connected to v. 2: “How shall we escape if such a great salvation we deem as less?” The question compares the revelation given in the Son with the previous revelation given to Moses through the angels. How shall we escape the consequences if the revelation given in the Son we deem of lesser value than the revelation given to the angels? The question presupposes a comparison between the two revelations. It is not that now we are going to “neglect” or be “careless” with the revelation given in the Son. That is not the target or thrust of the author’s question. His objective is to create a comparison between the two revelations through the incisive question: “If the greater and absolute revelation given in the Son we deem as less in value as that which was given to the angels, we have no other recourse than to await the same consequences of punishment received by those who disobeyed the first revelation. There was no escaping the consequences of not heeding that revelation. How then will there be any escape if the greater revelation we don’t even hold as being equal in value as the old revelation?” Such is the literal translation of the Greek which appears above, which then renders the question as “How shall we escape if such great salvation we deem as less?”

For many, understanding this penetrating question in this manner will be new, and perhaps difficult to accept. In general, modern versions have translated the Greek of this question like this: “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” The difference between the literal translation offered above and the most common translation lies in the translation of the Greek verb “amello”. This verb is most commonly translated “neglect” which is also found in the Latin translations (neglexerum). However the translations which render “neglect” render not the original or literal meaning of the word, but rather the consequential meaning of the word. Among the modern language translations the Spanish Sagradas Escrituras translations point to the earlier meaning of the word when it uses the phrase “tener en poco” (to deem as small). However, the original Greek’s intent is “to deem less than”, “to undervalue”, “to depreciate”. Something that is “undervalued” is certainly “neglected” because it is considered as of “less value” than something else which is given greater value.

However, the precise and original meaning, confirmed by the context of v. 3 is “to deem less than”, “to undervalue”, “to depreciate” (to value something as of less value in comparison to something given greater value).

This translation of “amello” here in Hebrews 2:3 is confirmed by the same use of “depreciating” or “under-valuing” which the same verb word, in the same tense carries in Matthew 22:5. In this text, this same verb is found to describe what those invited to the wedding feast of the king’s son did with the invitation: they “under-valued” it. They deemed the invitation of the king to his son’s wedding feast as below the value of their own interests: to take care of their fields and their own business interests.

(1) The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, (3) and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. (4) Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. (5) But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise (Matthew 22:1-5).

In v. 5 the word that is generally translated “did not pay attention” (CEV), or “did not care” (MKJV), is more correctly translated as “made light of it” in the King James Version. This translation points to the more precise translation of “undervalued” or “deemed less than”. In other words the invitees deemed the invitation of the king to his son’s wedding beneath their own businesses and interests. They compared the importance of two things as having value for their lives: the invitation of the king vs. their own interests. After weighing and comparing they underrated the king’s invitation in value when compared to their own interests. They thought that in the long run they would be better off with the works of their own doing than accepting the generous and free invitation of the king to his son’s wedding. They depreciated or undervalued the king’s invitation when compared to the value of the fruit of their own works. This is the sense of the Greek word “amello”, the same word that is used in Matthew 22:5 and in Hebrews 2:3.

Therefore, in Hebrews 2, the author compares the old revelation given to Moses through the angels with the perfect and complete revelation given “in these last days” in the Son. In 2:2, the author affirms that the old revelation was trustworthy, and to transgress it and not heed it brought its due just consequences. Although the author finds value in the old revelation he now proceeds to weigh the value of the new revelation given in the Son comparing it with the old: “How shall we escape if the new revelation given in the Son is deemed to be of lesser value than the old?

It is a rhetorical question since the answer is obvious. We will not escape because when we value the new revelation beneath the old revelation given to Moses we remain subject to the same punishments that were given for transgressing and not heeding that old revelation. When the new revelation is undervalued, there is nothing better. The old revelation remains in place with its same punishments dealt in due consequence for the transgressions. The theological question the author poses is, "How shall we escape if the old revelation did not provide salvation, how can we expect it to provide salvation now, when a new and greater salvation has been opened in the revelation of Jesus Christ?"

But it is not so with the new revelation. This new revelation in the Son is “so great a salvation”. Therefore, it is strong, powerful, sovereign. Rather, there is no escaping the reach of this salvation given through the grace of Christ bearing our sins on His body on the cross. The author’s argument implies another question: “How shall we escape such a great salvation?” In the old revelation there was no escaping the punishments. In the new revelation there is no escaping the Son’s great power to save.

"(37) All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. (38) For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. (39) And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. (40) For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day (John 6:37-40 ESV)."

Hebrews 2:1 "For this reason"

2006-11-12T10:52:00.003-08:00

Hebrews 2:1
δια τουτο δει περισσοτερως ημας προσεχειν τοις ακουσθεισιν μηποτε παραρρυωμεν

"For this we must pay increasingly great attention to what we have heard, lest it slips away from us".

For the author of Hebrews, the matter he refers to when he says "For this" is so clear, he doesn't identify it. Most modern English translations insert the clarifying word "reason": "For this reason".

What is that reason?

It is the reason given in Hebrews 1:5-14: That the Son is entirely and absolutely God, the Son receives the praise and acclamation of God, is called YHWH by YHWH Himself, and thus is infinitely greater than all the angels or beings who in the past have spoken on behalf of God.

"What we have heard"

The author of the epistle has just quoted several verses from the Old Testament where God spoke to the Son acclaiming Him as Son and God. That which "we have heard" is no other than the voice of God proclaiming before all creation the full divinity of His Son. For us as modern readers it is most astounding that the writer of this epistle considered the sacred writings from the Psalms as the voice of God. The written word in the psalms is now proclaimed as the voice of God which "we have heard". The written word is to be paid increasing heed as the voice of God which if disregarded, may not come back to the hearer. However, it is the message of that spoken voice which may slip away from the hearer. That message is that the voice of the Father establishes the infinite superiority and supremacy of the Son over all creation and recognized in full equality with God.

The author enjoins the readers not to let this sovereign truth slip away from their hearing. They must constantly tune in and keep on hearing it. That truth is that the Son is supreme as God's authority and revelation to humanity. Christ's supremacy is the center to which we must take firm hold and not let that truth slip away from us.

Is the Law Divided?

2006-10-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

A certain Christian brother has suggested that the 10 commandments were not nailed to the cross, but another "written code which was against us". Thus the perpetuity and binding nature of the 10 commandments is established forever. However, what is being upheld is really not so much the 10 commandments as the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath.

The following is my response:

There is a sense in which the law does not condemn, but the end result is still condemnatory.

Let me explain by using the analogy of US penal law as applied in any State.

Penal law is a corpus or body of law. It is comprised of various components or “codes”. I am describing penal law only from my familiarity with criminal law since I work every day in criminal court rooms (I am a California Certified Court Interpreter). However, I am not an attorney so please take the following only for the sake of argument and not for “the truth of the matter”.

Here are some of the component codes of penal or criminal law.

The Penal Code. This Code by itself does not condemn. It merely states the law. These are the many Do’s and Don’ts that define social behavior in keeping with the State’s legislature regarding acceptable behavior. It is behavior that is either punishable or not punishable “by law”. Yet the Penal Code by itself does not condemn.

The Evidentiary Code. This Code regulates all matters that define the legality of evidentiary proof. Some proof may be considered as evidence, other may not. This Code limits the scope of proof and evidence that may or may not be used against a defendant.

The Trial Code. These regulations define the rules that govern all criminal proceedings. These cover the judges and attorneys’ powers as well as the jury’s function, behavior and authority during an actual trial.

The Sentencing Code. These are the punishments corresponding the violations of the various Penal Codes. These cover from fines to jail, state prison, and even up to the death sentence. These are the condemnatory codes, perhaps akin to what you call the “written code” which are used to pass sentence or condemnation.

These and many other codes form the entire Corpus of Penal or Criminal Law.

Not one of these codes by itself is The Law. All of them, together, as a corpus is The Law.

Not one of them, by itself is condemnatory. All of them as a body of law have a condemnatory function.

The Penal Code which defines appropriate behavior as approved by the State’s legislature representing society, does not condemn. It is only in this limited manner in which I agree with the notion that the 10 commandments do not condemn. Yet the Penal Code for its intended purpose of regulating society cannot be extirpated from its place within the entire corpus of The Law.

Given this analogy is taken from modern criminal law, but the function of law is always the same: to regulate human behavior, and thus “save” society from its destructive elements.

Yet, when applied to the 10 commandments, the analogy holds true.

These laws cannot be extirpated from the Torah. It all belongs together as one corpus of law which included condemnation. This is the reason why Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:7 when referring to the 10 commandments Paul called them “the ministry of death”: “But if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters in stone”. Then on v. 9 he calls them “the ministry of condemnation”, because they did belong to the entire law which dictated behavior and condemnation. There is no clearer evidence for the law’s condemnatory function than this passage from Paul.

The 10 commandments as such are not condemnatory by themselves, but they don’t exist by themselves. They exist as belonging to a larger corpus of law, with their corresponding sentencing codes. One can argue that the principles they express do exist by themselves, but the fact is that we are talking about commandments and the law, and not about the principles. The argument that the commandments actually express a transcendent principle actually works against the concept that the commandments exist apart from the law. If indeed the commandments express higher principles, why then are 7th day keepers unwilling to accept that it is not the 7th day that is important but it is the rest of trusting in Christ’s finished work towards which the command points? They cannot accept that the rest of faith in Christ through His shed blood and perfect life is the higher principle expressed by the commandment. They must have both. But alas, after the “substance” of the shed blood of Christ has become a reality, the “shadow” of the day has passed away. This is indeed the stumbling stone for Sabbath keepers. One day, the real Rock fell on me, crushed me, and I was made a new creation in Christ forever. I found my eternal Sabbath day in the Person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. His rest will not set with the sun every 7th day, for there will be no sun or moon there. We are not talking about Isaiah 66 when we talk about the Sabbath, we are talking about Revelation 20-22 where Jesus Himself is the Light, and the Temple, and our Sabbath.

When I share this with my Adventist friends (actually brothers and sisters) for I am of that lineage, they become more defensive, or defend more vigorously the Sabbath than the finished work of Christ, or Jesus, or the cross. They have not entered into His rest. For whoever has entered into His rest, “also has ceased from his own works” (Hebrews 4:10).

Well my brother, that’s about all the input I can give you on that. You do seem to be caught up and convinced about the distinctions you are making, and I certainly cannot take that away from you. However, I cannot find the distinctions you are making.

Your brother in Christ,

Haroldo

The Commandment in Romans 7:7,8

2006-10-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

I wrote the following in answer to an inquiry regarding the "commandment" of Romans 7:7,8.

On Romans 7:7,8

On these verses and Paul's use of "commandment" as a reference to the "written code" in v. 6, the Greek grammar is illuminating.

The "commandment" of Romans 7:8 is a reference to the "commandment" cited in 7:7 "Thou shall not covet". This 10th "commandment" is the commandment to which Paul refers through v. 10. The Greek leaves no other inference open. The way Paul quotes the 10th commandment in v. 7 gives an understanding why that particular commandment "killed" him.

Most other commandments are negative injunctions not to perform a certain act, Thou shall not kill, commit adultery, steal. When Paul in service to the law looked upon the law, the law did not condemn him because he was not committing these acts.

But then Paul quotes the 10th commandment. The 10th commandment does not enjoin him not to perform a certain act. The literal translation of the Greek tense is "Thou shalt not be covetous". Do you see the difference here? The 10th commandment asks him NOT TO BE, whereas the other commandments ask him NOT TO DO. When the 10th commandment placed him under the obligation NOT TO BE COVETOUS, OR LUSTFUL, all he could see was that he not only practiced covetousness, but that indeed by nature HE WAS covetous and lustful. He could not get away from condemnation from this commandment. This commandment ordered him to be counter to his human nature. When he realized that there was no way he could perform a deed to get away from lustfulness and covetousness but that the law in the last commandment had gotten to his root problem, that he was sinful, he felt that the commandment "killed" him. To put it more bluntly, the commandment "done did him in", to use bad but clear English.

The commandment promised him life "Do this and live" (v. 7:10), but when he saw that the very commandment that promised him life brought him death ("the wages of sin is death"; "the wages of BEING covetous or lustful is death"). He could not get away from the condemnation of the 10th commandment by doing a certain act, or abstaining from it. Even while abstaining from practicing lust, he was still lustful in his heart. Even though he did not give in to his covetous impulses, HE WAS STILL COVETOUS even though he controlled himself. This truth killed him. We talk little about the power of the 10th commandment, but it was the 10th commandment that led Paul to exclaim, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (7.15), and "Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?"

So this "commandment" is indeed a reference to the 10th commandment and not to some other type of written code. The written code is a synonym for the written covenant used in ancient times as a treaty between two parties, in this case the Torah agreement between the people of Israel and God: "Whatever you have said, this we will do".

I hope this is helpful in your study of this entire issue.

I have a further comment on the Adventists of Tomorrow forum as a whole.

The forum does a whole lot of dissecting, examining, analyzing of truth, but little confessing of Christ as Saviour.

We have the privilege of confessing Christ as Savior, and thus as the Lord of the love of our lives. He has conquered our service through the saving act of His life.

If someone has indeed saved my life I will not stop from talking about that person.

Jesus Christ has indeed saved my life from eternal death and condemnation, and I confess His name as my Savior. I literally owe Him my life, my eternal life and my life now. Without His sacrifice I would have no reason to live this life now. That is my truth, my reality, and the truth and reality for every sinner.

I could not do that in my many years as an Adventist seminarian, pastor, overseas missionary, evangelist, theology professor, and even less as one of the top conference officers in the largest conference in the US.

Adventism rather than encouraging, discourages confessing with conviction that one indeed has been saved from sin and death, and has passed into eternal life through Jesus Christ. This is seen as some kind of Protestant evangelical delusion. Thus the power of confessing in Jesus as the Gospel of God is taken away. Jesus is indeed my Savior. I have confessed him with my mouth, I have believed in him in my heart, and He has given me eternal salvation. This is a wonderful truth that rather than giving me some license to sin as is predicated by Adventists, is indeed the Spirit of life which transforms me from within. It is indeed a Blessed Assurance, a foretaste of glory divine.

In His marvelous grace,

Haroldo Camacho

Hebrews 1:8 "The Song of the Bridegroom"

2006-09-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

προς δε τον υιον ο θρονος σου ο θεος εις τον αιωνα του αιωνος ραβδος ευθυτητος η ραβδος της βασιλειας σου

ηγαπησας δικαιοσυνην και εμισησας ανομιαν δια τουτο εχρισεν σε ο θεος ο θεος σου ελαιον αγαλλιασεως παρα τους μετοχους σου

Heb 1:8,9 But of the son he says, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy companions.

In order to demonstrate the contrast between the angels and Jesus Christ, the author of Hebrews makes use of Psalm 45 quoting these two verses. As they appear here in Hebrews 1:8, these verses refer to the relationship between Father and Son, a relationship so intimate that in these verses, the author makes it understood that the Father calls the Son “God”. The Father assigns the throne of God to the Son. The Son is also confirmed as the anointed Messiah of God, since the Son has “loved righteousness and hated lawlessness”, referring to Christ’s redemptive work.

In these verses, the author of Hebrews makes use of Psalm 45 to testify of Christ’s divinity. Thus, he opens a window through which we see how he interprets scriptures in light of Christ as the divine Word of God.

Psalm 45 is a love song, and according to the rabbis, it was used as a wedding song. In this psalm the song writer exalts the virtues of the groom, the groom’s God, and the he praises the virtues of the bride.

In order to better understand the use of this psalm in Hebrews, let us study the psalm more carefully.

In verse 1, the psalmist expresses his profound feelings of emotion as he writes his verses:

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

In vs. 2-5 the psalmist exalts the beauty, courage, spirituality, and moral values of the bridegroom.

(2) You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. (3) Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty! (4) In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! (5) Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you.

In verse 6, the psalmist shifts to another person. This verse does not refer to the bridegroom, but to the God of the bridegroom. The psalmist praises the moral greatness of the bridegroom’s God. This God is eternal and just.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;

In verse 7, the psalmist returns to acclaim the bridegroom because just as his God, the bridegroom loves that which his God loves. Then the psalmist proceeds to describe the marvelous consequences to the bridegroom for loving that which his God loves.

You love righteousness, and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.

In verse 8 the psalmist describes the wedding apparel of the bridegroom, and the musical adoration he receives in the palatial surroundings of the wedding.

Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;

Verse 9 is a transition in which the psalmist turns to describe the beauty and virtues of the bride, the queen. However, this section also belongs to the bridegrooom’s praises. The psalmist praises the bridegroom for the beauty of the bride, the queen, decked in “gold of Ophir”, the finest gold.

Daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

The remaining verses, from 10-17, describe the bride’s beauty and render praises to her because as she reigns beside the righteous king, she will be eternally remembered by her people.

(10) Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house, (11) and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him. (12) The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people. (13) All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. (14) In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her. (15) With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king. (16) In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. (17) I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Therefore in this psalm there are three major characters: the bridegroom, the God of the bridegroom, and the bride.

However, the author of Hebrews, in Hebrews 1:8,9 unifies the characters of the bridegroom and the God of the bridegroom in One person, the person of Jesus Christ.

(8) But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. (9) You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."

Jesus taught that the psalms were about him (Luke 24:44). The author of Hebrews took that seriously. Therefore, when he reads Psalm 45, the author of Hebrews no longer reads a love song. In light of Christ, he can see a glorious reference to the person of Christ, that Jesus is at the same time the bridegroom and the God of the bridegroom to which the psalmist referred.

In unifying these two characters within the person of Jesus Christ, the author of Hebrews infuses Psalm 45 with another dynamic. It is no longer the psalmist’s expression of admiration for the bridegroom and the bridegroom’s God. After the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, for the author of Hebrews, the Psalm has now become a song of worship and praise between God the Father and God’s Son Jesus Christ.

The bridegroom is now Jesus Christ, whose God is not only the eternal God, but the God that also recognizes the bridegroom also as God, anointed by the same God to reign eternally because he loved righteousness and abhorred wickedness as a human being. And although it is not the expressed intent of the author of Hebrews, the bride of Psalm 45 by reference is the church, the wife of the bridegroom, the wife of God! What a great privilege for believers, to be spiritually married to the great eternal God Jesus Christ, who is Himself acclaimed as eternal God by God the Father.

No wonder the author of Hebrews exalts Jesus Christ above all other beings who serve God, since Jesus is God in Himself serving God and all creation.

Hebrews 1:7 "The Great Contrast"

2006-09-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

και προς μεν τους αγγελους λεγει ο ποιων τους αγγελους αυτου πνευματα και τους λειτουργους αυτου πυρος φλογα

But about the angels he says, “the one who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers flame of fire”.

The “but” in the original Greek is intensive. This “but” is a very particular term which in the Greek is used to highlight the contrast between what has been said and that which follows.

The author documents his conviction on the scriptures, quoting Psalm 104:4. This psalm exalts the greatness of God. God’s greatness is partly revealed in his angels. These beings are God’s breath, they are described as scattering the winds which emerge from God. They spread about God’s breath, and propagate it like fire. If this description of angels is taken literally, that they are like “spirits, wind, breath, fire”, these metaphors point to their ability to materialize in various forms as a means of manifesting God’s involvement all over creation. However their own existence is outside any level of existence known to humanity. Notwithstanding their function as supernatural representatives of the Deity, as messengers from God, these beings cannot even be compared to Jesus Christ. This is the reason why the grammatical particle “men” (but) is used, to highlight the contrast.

These beings worship Jesus Christ. It is not Jesus Christ who renders service to these beings.

Hebrews 1:6 "The Song of the Bridegroom in Hebrews 1"

2006-09-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 1:6

οταν δε παλιν εισαγαγη τον πρωτοτοκον εις την οικουμενην λεγει και προσκυνησατωσαν αυτω παντες αγγελοι θεου

Consider anew that when he introduces the firstborn to the world’s inhabitants he says “Bow down before him all the angels of God”.

Some have thought that this and other references to Jesus as God’s “firstborn” is evidence that Jesus is not eternally divine but was created and designated a divine being by God. The argument is that Jesus was conceived and created as a human being through God’s power. Thus, Jesus is called the “firstborn” of God. However, the use of the term “firstborn” goes to sustain the contrary.

When God introduces or presents the Son to the world’s inhabitants, God emphasizes the Son’s divinity by introducing him not only as Son but as Firstborn. God does not want for there to be any question about Jesus’ lineage as nothing but divine. Not only is Jesus Son, but Firstborn. The emphasis is on the same substance and essence relationship between Father and Son.

The second emphasis is on the order that God gives to the angels when He presents Jesus, His Firstborn. “Bow down before him all the angels of God”. God would not order the worship of a created being by other created beings. God would only command the worship of God.[1] To do otherwise would go against God’s nature.[2] It is precisely because of Jesus’ divine nature that the angels are commanded to worship Him, even in His incarnate human form of an infant.

The author of Hebrews takes the prophetic words of Psalm 97:7, “Bow down before him all the angels of God”, and applies them to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. When an angel announced to the shepherds the birth of the Messiah, Luke records that “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13,14). These words of praise are not to be misunderstood. The praises and glory to God include both God in the highest and to the incarnate God on earth bringing peace and good will toward all.

Those angels were sent to worship Jesus of Nazareth, per command of God the Father. The command to worship the infant son is to render the most profound and reverent adoration. The verb “to worship” as used in that time described the oriental custom of kneeling and then bowing until the forehead touched the ground in profound worship and most sacred reverence. The command of the supreme Deity given to the angelic host and recorded in Psalm 97:7, was fulfilled when the infant Jesus, in the poverty of the manger, received the reverent, profound, and tender adoration of the entire angelic host in the heavens. They were worshipping God made flesh. Such was, is, and shall be the exalted greatness of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, and Son of man!
[1] “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:10 NKJV).
[2] Exodus 20:3-6.

Epistle to the Hebrews: "The Song of the Bridegroom", 1:5

2006-09-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

τινι γαρ ειπεν ποτε των αγγελων υιος μου ει συ εγω σημερον γεγεννηκα σε και παλιν εγω εσομαι αυτω εις πατερα και αυτος εσται μοι εις υιον

For, to which angel in particular, at any moment in the past, did he say “You are my son, I have begotten you?” Moreover, “I will be to him as father and he shall be to me as son”?

The angels, as a group of angelic beings, receive the name of “sons of the Almighty” (Psalm 29:1). It is a precious name that designates them within a very special group before God as God’s sons. But the argument that our author presents to the readers is that no one angel in particular, ever, has been designated by God as “His Son”. God’s relationship with Jesus of Nazareth is such that God acclaims Him as His Son. Moreover, the pronoun “I” which refers to God, is the pronoun used in the Greek when the importance of the person is emphasized. It is the divine “I”, the holy and infinite almighty God, eternal and divine in nature, who acclaims Jesus as His son.

In the Old Testament Hebrew culture, “sons” could be grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even more distant generations. The logic behind the designation of “sons” for any offspring removed by one or more generations is because those descendants retained the blood lineage, the same substance, of their progenitor. A son was a son if he was of the same blood line of his progenitor. A son’s first claim was by virtue of the blood line, what they called “the seed” of the progenitor. The blood line was the link to his ancestor.

Sonship was not merely determined because the ancestor was his actual biological father. As long as the offspring had his blood line, he was the son of the progenitor. For this reason the kings of Israel who were descendants of David were called “sons of David”.

This entire phrase, “You are my son, I have begotten you today” is a direct quote from Psalm 2:7. This is a psalm that announces the coming of the Messiah (a Messianic psalm). Therefore, the one who God is claiming as “my son” is the person of Jesus Christ. The meaning of the phrase is that God declares that even in his incarnation, Jesus of Nazareth is still “my son”, or of the same substance and nature of the Deity. That father-son relationship pointed to not only the spiritual union between Jesus and the Deity, but that Jesus was signaled as belonging to the divine nature, of the same essence and substance as the eternal Deity. As a true father, God the Father recognizes and acclaims his Son as his, because although Christ empties himself of his place within the Deity, he retains his divine essence and substance of pure and eternal love.[1]

[1] Philippians 2:7

Epistle to the Hebrews: "The Song of the Bridegroom", 1:4

2006-09-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

τοσουτω κρειττων γενομενος των αγγελων οσω διαφορωτερον παρ αυτους κεκληρονομηκεν ονομα

Much more abundantly he has become than the angels because he is the rightful heir of an even more excellent name in comparison [to the angels]

The first word of this sentence in the Greek is “much more in abundance”. It needs to be remembered that in the Greek the first word of the sentence is the one that has the emphasis in the meaning of the sentence. The author chooses his first word to underline the theme of the greatness of Christ.

The author emphasizes the divinity of Christ from two perspectives. One, is his divinity before his incarnation. This is the divinity of Christ described by the author in verses one and two. Now, in verses three and four the author explains the divinity of Christ after his incarnation. As a result of having purified our sins in his own body, his divinity is now magnified and exalted. Not only as God before his incarnation but now as a human being purifying our sins in his own body. Now, having become flesh he is re-established above any other created being to his supreme and exalted divinity. Not only is he a divine being, as the angels, but although he existed in human form he is now exalted greatly above any other created being. The author does not wish the believers to think that due to his incarnation, Christ suffered a loss in his divinity. Rather, due to his work of purifying our sins in his human body, Christ has been re-established and exalted to his full divinity because of his name. His exalted name of Son. When compared to the angels, although a human being, Christ is re-established to a full divinity because he is heir to a more excellent name, Son of God. There is no other being who carries that name, Son of God.
When compared to the name of angel, the name of Christ Son of God is more excellent. For the author it is important to make this comparison. For the ancient Hebrews, angelic beings were divine beings surrounding the throne of God. Angels represented the divinity before creation. They did not belong to the human creation. Our author does not wish for Christ to be confused even with that rank of heavenly beings who represent the presence of God on earth. Jesus Christ has a more excellent name. His name is more excellent than the outstanding name of angel, or divine representative or messenger. The author now goes on to point out, based on the scriptures, the meaning of that more excellent name of Jesus Christ.

Epistle to the Hebrews: "The Song of the Bridegroom", 1:3

2006-09-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

ος ων απαυγασμα της δοξης και χαρακτηρ της υποστασεως αυτου φερων τε τα παντα τω ρηματι της δυναμεως αυτου δι εαυτου καθαρισμον ποιησαμενος των αμαρτιων ημων εκαθισεν εν δεξια της μεγαλωσυνης εν υψηλοις

He is the radiant glory and the precise representation of his being, who sustains all that is by the word of his power; after he within himself purified our sins he sat at the right hand of the majesty in the exalted heights.

Jesus is the glory of God. All the glory, majesty, and splendor that we may ever be able to understand belongs to God, is owed to the person of Jesus. Jesus is the very splendor that gives God the glory ascribed to his divine being. Without Jesus, the Deity would not have any glory. Jesus is the inherent glory and majesty and eternity of God.

The author does not mince words to describe the divine nature of Jesus. Jesus is of the same essence, the same divine substance of God. Therefore he is the exact and faithful representation of God. Therefore, all the inherent power of Jesus emanates from his word with which he sustains all that exists. All that time and space encompass with their infinite galaxies, suns and worlds is sustained throughout the infiniteness of eternity by his word that springs from his divine power.

The power is not in his word. His word is powerful because Jesus is the glory of God and the power of God. His word springs from his infinite and majestic glory.

In that being of infinite majesty, glory and power, were purified all the sins of humanity. But that purification was not purged in his glorified body but in his human body. In his body crushed by our pain and shamefulness were purified all the sins of humanity. Infinite glory resolved to bring an end to the problem of human shame. Jesus in his own body took all the guilt, rebellion, pride, envy, malice and murderous bent of humanity. Mysteriously he integrated all evil into his own body of love. His love purified all the sin of humanity in his own body. This is great good news for all sinners. Our sins were purged, purified, forgiven, absolved, quashed, eradicated in a body other than our own, and before we even came into being. We were forgiven in his body. Everything was purified in his body, and not in our own. In our own body we suffer sin and all its consequences. But in the body of Jesus of Nazareth we were forgiven because in his body were purified our sins once and for all! May the name of our Lord be praised and glorified!

The radical certainty that our sins were purified in his body is repeated with other metaphors and symbols in Hebrews 3 and 4. There the author employs the theme of resting by faith in Christ to highlight the finished work of Christ on our behalf.

Due to his work of presenting his body for the purification of the sins of humanity, and the full consummation of that work on our behalf, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty of God in the exalted heavenly heights. The glory of God was overlaid with the work of Christ consummating the forgiveness of our sins through his shed blood on the cross. Our sins were purified with his blood and in his body. His great work of giving his life as a sacrifice for us adorns the glory of God and grants him the right to sit at the right hand of the majesty of God in the most exalted heavenly places.

Epistle to the Hebrews: "The Son of the Bridegeroom", v.2

2006-09-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 1:2

επ εσχατου των ημερων τουτων ελαλησεν ημιν εν υιω ον εθηκεν κληρονομον παντων δι ου και τους αιωνας εποιησεν

Having come to these final days he has spoken to us in [the] Son, who has been designated the heir of all things, through whom he also made the aeons;

The idea expressed by the grammatical structure of this sentence is that “the end time has come upon us in these days”. The word the author uses is the “eschaton”. This adjective describes something at the extreme point of something, regardless if it is time or space. As far as time, it is the final point of human history. The “eschaton” is the very last, when all is about to end. It is at this specific time when God manifests himself in all his fullness, and in all clarity. The author wants to make it clear that we are no longer living in antiquity, nor in times past. We are now living at the extreme end of time. That which was useful for those in antiquity is no longer useful for those of us who are living at the extreme end of time. A full and special revelation is necessary.

This full revelation of God’s presence has been manifested “in Son”. Here the author does not use the definite article “the” to introduce the “Son”. The article was omitted in the Greek when one wanted to call attention to the subject’s singular or special identity. The author highlights the uniqueness of Christ as the One who in the flesh reveals God’s word to humanity. The word of God has now been poured out in its fullness upon the Son, so that he who has seen the Son, has seen the Father (John 1:18; John 14:9). In contrast to the “prophets” who in antiquity had received God’s revelation in bits and pieces, the Son is God made manifest.

The Son has been designated the owner, the title holder, of all things. The emphasis is not that he is the heir, but that all things are his, belong to him, and have been given to him by divine decree. Therefore, he receives all things since he is the heir by divine decree.

The Son was God’s instrument at the creation of the universe (John 1:1-3). Now he is no longer instrumental but owner of all creation. The word the author uses here for creation does not describe the creation of matter or space, but uniquely the creation of time. The word is “aeons”. He created the aeons of time and all which these contain, including all time and space, all matter that would ever occupy the space of time. He is not only the creator of the aeons. He also possesses by divine decree all time integrated therein for all aeons to come. All eternity is his. All time has also been consigned to him. To his nail pierced hands has been delivered all time past, present, and future. He now fills the past with his presence and therefore all human history acquires the meaning given to it by his presence. What in the past was fragmented, he now unifies and fills to its fullness. He is not one more link in the past’s fragmented revelation. He now becomes in Himself the past of all humanity. All that was given to humanity in the past is now to be understood in his fullness, and is invested with his fullness. On behalf of humanity, he now represents the entire past of humanity before the eternity of God. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God slain from before the creation of the world (Revelation 13:8).

Jesus Christ is not only the collective past of all humanity. He is also the past of every single individual before God. His past is now my past. All that he was before his incarnation is now also my past. All that he is now before God is also my ongoing present. All that he will be forever before God will be my future forever. Jesus is the Lord of time, and all that he is gives value and meaning to time. This aspect of Christ as the meaning of time in all its diverse forms and symbols will be developed more fully in Hebrews 3 and 4.

Ths Song of the Bridegroom in Hebrews - Chapter 1

2006-09-14T05:44:00.000-07:00

Introduction.

The first chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews is not only the introduction to the entire epistle. It is an exalted song of worship and praise to Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, Son of man. He is exalted as “Christ and Lord”. The great surprise of the first chapter in this epistle is that it contains a love song to Jesus Christ, as the bridegroom of humanity, and Son of God. These acclamations are given to emphatically affirm Christ’s divinity and thus superior in every way to any angel. What God says of Christ has never been said of any angel. Although clearly these affirmations are the author’s own declaration of faith, he bases his faith on Scriptures, particularly the psalms. The author however, quotes the psalms within the context of Christ’s exaltation by God the Father at his right hand.[1]

Heb 1:1 πολυμερως και πολυτροπως παλαι ο θεος λαλησας τοις πατρασιν εν τοις προφηταις

Heb. 1:1 Many times and in many ways since ancient times God has spoken to the fathers through the prophets

The author begins by affirming God’s revelation to the Jews as real and truthful. The history of Israel is the history of God’s revelation of his will and intent towards them.

In the New Testament Greek, the original language of this epistle, the first words of the sentence are the one that carry the emphasis. The words that the writer wishes the reader to consider most carefully are placed at the beginning of the sentence.

The author begins his Epistle to the Hebrews employing two powerful words. These are “Polumeros” and “Polutropos”. The author uses them as a pair, and the pair has a similar sound, helping the author with the emphasis he wishes to give.

“Polumeros” is a compound word. It comes from “polus” which means “many”, and from “meros” which means “parts”. The other word is “polutropos”, also a compound word. It comes from “polus” (many), and from “tropos” which means “ways, manners, forms”.

The emphasis the author wishes to create is on the fragmented nature of divine revelation before Christ. It is as if the author were saying “In many tiny pieces and in many different shapes and forms in ancient times God spoke to our fathers through the prophets”. These tiny pieces were fragments of time. Sometimes he would speak through a prophet, then there was a fragment of time with no divine revelation. Then God would communicate with another prophet for another fragment of time. With each prophet the revelation was given in a slightly different manner, since it took on the form and identity of each particular prophet.

Without minimizing the fact that God had spoken through the prophets, the author simply calls attention to the fragmented quality of the divine revelation. It was an interrupted communication with a variety of receptors.

The author also notes that this fragmented and multiform communication was in times past (ancient times), and to the fathers of Israel.

In contrast to the antiquity of this revelation, the author now proceeds to call attention to what God is doing now. This nothing more nor less than “the eschaton”, “the final days” of the present created order. For the author, he counted his days among the “last days”, “the time of the end”.

[1] In this study the Greek text is quoted first, then followed by the author’s own translation in italics, unless otherwise noted.

Bashar! Bashar! The Good News of the King's Victory!

2006-09-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

In the ancient Middle East, a king would occasionally travel away from his city.[1] His travels might be to strike an alliance or to secure the trade of some needed goods. He would leave his people in the relative safety of his city fortified by its massive walls.[2]

Inside his people would go on with their ordinary tasks: the preparation of food, the practice of their trades, the care of their children. They knew their king would return. Meanwhile their city was well fortified and supplied with all the necessary water and provisions to last throughout the absence of their king.

However, it was not unusual for an enemy, a king from a neighboring city, to take advantage of the king’s absence and lay siege to the city without its king and army.

There was no greater threat to the inhabitants within the wall. The invading king and his army would cut off all water supplies. No one could go out to bring in fresh produce from the surrounding lands. These were now in the hands of the invaders. No messengers would dare leave the city to inform the absent king. The population was doomed to the disgrace of surrender or invasion. In either case, the women would be raped, all survivors would be taken as slaves, the city looted, and set on fire. Upon his return the king would find his people gone, and his city in ruins.

During the first few weeks of the siege, the population survived on the rations of water and food stored within the city. The sentries and the few soldiers left behind would try to fend off attacks from the invaders attempting to scale the walls or breach the wall with their battering rams.[3] Their only hope was the return of the king. But if the king delayed, and no message of the city’s plight could be delivered, the inhabitants faced certain death through starvation or invasion. The survivors faced slavery and exile.[4]

As the weeks passed, rations would run out. The inhabitants would begin killing off their starving beasts of burden for food.[5] Then they would chew on the leather on their sandals. When these were gone, the survivors would turn against their own infants for food.[6] They were hopeless and helpless. In their weakened condition they could not fight against the invaders besieging their city. Neither could they attempt to escape. They faced certain doom. Their only hope for salvation was the return of their king.

Then abruptly the besieging army would leave. The sentries on the wall would give notice of their sudden departure. This could only mean one thing: the return of the king. The besieging army was going out to meet him in battle and prevent him from rescuing his city. As the sentries scanned the horizon they would indeed see the dust rising from the battle. Hours would pass, sometimes days as the two armies would maneuver for battle, attack and counterattack. Still, no one in the city would dare escape nor could they. Most were sickly and dying. On the walls the sentries strained their eyes for some sign that would tell them if their king was defeating the invaders or if the besiegers would soon return to take their city uncontested.

Then suddenly, the dust of the distant battle field would begin to settle, until no din of battle sound was heard nor dust from the clashing armies could be seen. A disquieting calm would settle over the desert.

The sentries on the wall looked for some sign, some news that would let them know what the future held for their suffering and dying people.

“Do you see what I see on the hill to the left?” Perhaps one sentry would ask another. “Yes, it seems like there’s something there...” another would answer. Straining their eyes in the falling twilight they could see what looked like little bursts of dust rising from the path on the distant hills. “Yes, yes, I see it, it is dust... could it be he?” The dust would reappear closer on the path... “Yes, yes, it is... he’s coming this way...”

Then the sentries thought they could hear a shout... “Could it be?” Now their concentration was fully fixed. Ears and eyes alert to the slightest sound and movement. There was that far off sound... indeed it sounded like a shout... but they needed to be sure before they could react... They must be sure... if it was... it was too good to be true... Yes, yes, it was. They looked at each other for confirmation... a smile beginning to break on their haggard faces... They could now understand the distant runner’s shout though faint and far... “Bashaaaar! Bashaaaaar! Bashaaaaar!”[7]

Although in disbelief, looking at each other they nodded. Yes, it was “Bashar!” The words echoed now from the surrounding hills. Edging toward the inside of the city wall the sentries gathered their strength to repeat the shout to those dying within: “Bashar!” “Bashar!” “Bashar!”

“Bashar” meant many things all at once. Foremost it was “Great Good News!” Thus it also meant, “The King is Victor”, “Salvation!”, “The King is Savior”. It could also stand for the name of the King. At times even the messenger was called “Bashar”. “Bashar” was unmistakably “Good News”. It did not require explanation. Upon hearing the cry from the sentinels on the wall the people inside found themselves as if reborn. The cry itself was like new life to their dying senses. Whereas one moment they were doomed, upon the hearing of “Bashar” they knew they were saved. One moment they were condemned to certain death. The cry of “Bashar” meant they would live. In the proclamation of one word there was an instant passing from death to life.[8] That new life came entirely from without. Their new life was entirely the gift of another. It was granted to them through no participation, struggle, or effort on their part. It was entirely the king’s doing that brought “Bashar” and its new life to those dying inside the city.[9]

At first it seemed unbelievable. Great good news is always like that. It seems too good to be true. But upon hearing the cry from the sentinels the people inside the city first looked at each other in disbelief. Then slowly one would begin repeating it to another. “Bashar”, “Bashar”,“Bashar”. And slowly the realization of salvation would penetrate through their dying senses. “Bashar?” One would ask for confirmation. “Bashar” another would answer. “Bashar”, the questioner would then repeat in acceptance. They would then hug in the joy of the good news. Then small groups would come together in joyful hugs. Their energies began to return as tears now of joy covered their faces. Slowly the cry from within the city began to be heard echoing the cry from the sentinels on the wall until one joyful chorus erupted from within: “BASHAR!”, “BASHAR!”, “BASHAR!”, “BASHAR!”.

A small door on the gate was opened to let the messenger in. Everyone flocked him to hear first hand the good news. A myriad questions all at once were put to him: How was the battle? How many soldiers died? When are they coming? Was the enemy totally defeated? But the messenger had only one answer: “The King is mighty!” “The King is mighty!” “The King is mighty!”.

Soon the victorious king and his army, with all their booty would come to the city. Psalm 24:7-10 records the entrance of the king into his city, and the adoration with which he was received. The triumphal entry described here is a processional in which an adoring crowd surrounds the king and acclaims him with choruses proclaiming him conqueror and mighty king.

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! [RSV].

As they approached, the king’s entourage would shout to the sentinels on the wall “Lift up the gates that the king of the bounty may come in!” The soldiers on the wall would respond, “Who is the king of the bounty?” The king’s entourage would respond “Our king mighty in battle, he is the king of the bounty!” The gates would open, the king would come in amidst the rapturous adoration of his people. The booty would be distributed to his starving people, and a long, long feast lasting for days would begin.[10] “Bashar” was most certainly “great news of glad tidings”.

However, these words of victory manifest a triumph of much greater magnitude. The battle won by the king celebrated by these shouts of victory is of transcendental and eternal consequences for all. Psalm 24 describes a victory parade in three stanzas. The words of victory quoted above form the last of the stanzas. The first is a description of the territory successfully defended by the king and the king’s original right to govern over all its inhabitants and territory.

The earth is for the Lord, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.[11]

Through God’s creative acts, the earth is God’s city. Therefore, everything in it, including all the planet’s inhabitants, exist for the sake of the King. Since they exist for his sake, he lives for their safety, protection, prosperity, and perpetuity. He will risk his life to protect and nurture his people, and to save them from all evil.

The second stanza shocks the listener with the true nature of the Hero’s battle and conquest. Apparently the right to dwell in God’s earth and before God’s presence has been lost. There was a moral defeat. No one can now live before the presence of God on the earth unless that person can provide an entire life cycle of moral purity and perfection, of relationships characterized by nothing else than love and justice.[12] All who have struggled in the battle to regain that moral perfection have fought and lost... that is until this heroic king went out to battle on behalf of the lost and condemned due to their moral failure. But now they surround their victorious hero with acclamations of victory. In this great victory parade part of the choristers pose the question:

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?

Other choristers respond as they surround their victorious hero and uphold him on their shoulders:

He who has clean hands a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of his salvation.

These words describe the moral qualities of the hero. They are not a reference to themselves or requirements they must meet. The entourage is a group of “fans” describing the mettle and character of their hero. The other fans in the choir then join them together in joyful acclamation:

Such is the generation [lifetime] of the one who seeks him,[13]

who seeks the face of the God of Jacob [NIV].[14]

Those who praise the king praise him for his amazing moral fortitude. Throughout his life span his life consistently expressed love, joy, honesty, integrity, both in deed and in thought. That moral hero was not only true to others, but also entirely true to himself... consistently, always loving towards self and others. Quite a victory. Worthy of the praise he now receives.

No wonder now the gates open before him... and those who enter with him enter not because of their own moral virtue but solely because they acclaim and adore him as their hero! His victory is bashar for them!

Due to his moral courage he can boldly ascend into the presence of the Eternal One and boldly stand before the Eternal’s presence. He brings before the Eternal one a life that passes the most searching scrutiny at the hands of the Eternal One. This hero has struggled with the fiercest temptations to live entirely for himself, climb all the ladders of power and control, yet always and decidedly chosen to walk the life of lifting others. This One has successfully fought off all the tempestuous waves of the darkness within and without, consistently throughout his life span. This One has consistently and creatively overcome evil with good. He can now approach the One who knows all and with clear conscience say, “Here am I with my perfect deeds, thoughts, and aspirations. Extend your welcome to me, for I meet the requirements to live eternally before Your presence.”

This One has passed the most carefully scrutiny and investigation to find at least one with “clean hands and a pure heart”, one who has never yearned for escapes and false methods of dealing with reality. One whose deeds from birth to death have only expressed acts of disinterested, unprejudiced love. One whose thoughts have always expressed the purest desires and passions towards self and others. A tall order indeed. But this One came forward with his life. This One has clean hands, a pure heart. He never lifted up his soul to what was false, and never swore deceitfully. This One has received blessing from the Lord. This One has been vindicated by God as just, righteous, entirely loving. He has indeed ascended the hill of the Lord, and now stands in God’s holy place. He has been declared victorious and triumphant over all the powers of darkness, falsehood, and evil. The gates have been indeed been lifted so that this triumphant One may come in.

Yet he does not come in alone. He is crowded by a multitude that acclaims his triumphs, his qualities, his love, his integrity, his truthfulness. On what basis do they enter? On the basis of their own victory and success? If it were so, their acclamations would include themselves: “those [we] who have cleans hand and those [we] who have a pure hearts.” Nothing like that here. It is all his worth, his victory, his triumph.

In fact, the psalmist cannot but express his total moral insufficiency when compared to this moral hero. Seeing his own destitute nature, the psalmist cries out to the God of Jacob.

Such is the lifetime of the one who seeks your face, O God of Jacob (Psalm 24:6).

Why Jacob? Why not cry out to the God of Israel? Jacob and Israel were two names given to the same man. However, Jacob was renamed Israel for his moral quality of fighting for God’s blessing until prevailing. Why does not the psalmist appeal to the God of Israel, the wrestler, the fighter? Why does the psalmist rather appeal to the God of Jacob?

Jacob was the younger of Isaac’s twins, Esau and Jacob. He was named Jacob because upon his birth his hand was grasping tightly Esau’s heel. This action of the infant was interpreted by his father as an attempt to supplant or overthrow his older brother. Thus the name Jacob which means “supplanter”. Throught his younger life Jacob was known for his duplicity and complictiy. He was an accomplice with his mother to deceive Isaac in granting him the oldest son’s blessing. Later, he was involved in deceitful dealings with Laban. Jacob was a deceiver. In contrast to the moral hero lauded in this psalm, Jacob was one who “did lift up his soul to what was false, and who did swear deceitfully.” The psalmist sensing his immense moral insufficiency when describing his moral hero, identifies with Jacob the deceiver rather than with Israel who struggled until he obtained the victory. In a prayer for mercy, and as if in contrition beating upon his breast, he appeals to “the God of Jacob” for mercy.[15]

But the King comes as the “King of glory”. In Hebrew the word “glory” is a synonym for the word “weighty possession”. The glory refers to the booty brought by the king as representative of his victory. The greater the loot, the greater the victory. The booty of this king is his moral worth, the value of his life. He freely and graciously invests his entourage with His victory and they enter in on the basis of his triumph... not theirs... all of them were as good as dead and dying before the cry of bashar was given due to his victory. Good news indeed... They bask in the bashar of his victory and triumph as they surround him with joyful acclamations of praise and adulation!

The earth is indeed for the Lord, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he has founded it upon the infinitely vast seas of the hero’s moral worth and established it upon the waters of his mercy. Bashar! Bashar! Bashar!

Good News: The King Suffers for His People

A direct reference to the announcement of bashar on the basis of the Hero’s struggle and victory is found in the writings of Isaiah, chapters 53 and 54.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news [basahr], who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God (Isaiah 52:7-10 NRSV).

The announcement of bashar is because there is a Hero who has “bared his holy arm” on behalf of his condemned people and given them salvation.

Whereas Psalm 24 describes the moral qualities of the Hero that gave him the victory, Isaiah 52 and 53 describes the price of suffering this Hero had to pay for his moral victory. It was no easy battle. It was not a conventional struggle, and he was not your typical Hero. Rather than the stereotypical fighter with superb physically attractive qualities, this Hero showed up to battle as a David before Goliath. He seemed to have nothing going for him.

Many were astonished at him - his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men (Isaiah 52:14 RSV)... he grew up before him like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him (53:2 NRSV). He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (53:3 RSV); and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account (53:3 RSV).

The meaning of this description which portrays him as a nobody with nothing going for him is to emphasize his aloneness in his struggle. In looking like an outcast, he had no social support, no group of peers to cheer him on, no fans on the sidelines. He trod the “wine press alone, and from the peoples no one was with me” (Isaiah 63:3 RSV). Rather than a king with the support of a mighty army, he fought this battle on his own. In fact not only alone, but jeered, booed, and rejected by those he was trying to save. A few fans are enough to encourage the underdog. But this one had none in the greatest struggle ever fought, with the most at risk of any struggle: the salvation of his people. “We held him of no account.”[16]

Yet the struggle he endured alone was not for his sake, it was for his people. It was a vicarious or substitutionary struggle. He endured the cruelest pain and punishment on behalf of his people. Those he was fighting for deserved nothing more than the death sentence for their repeated moral failures. Yet he took that punishment upon himself while those whose pain he was taking upon himself were booing him for his attempts.

Surely he has borne our griefs (RSV) and carried our diseases (NRSV); yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6 NRSV).

What a struggle! Such commitment! Such love! Innocence and virtue taking on the pain and punishment of guilt and perversion. Yet all along maintaining “clean hands and a pure heart” towards God, those who were inflicting his torment, and those whose pain he was taking upon himself.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth... they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth (53:7,9 RSV).

Notice the striking similarity between the descriptive phrase “although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” with the phrase “he who has clean hands and a pure heart... and does not swear deceitfully” of Psalm 24:4. Both passages (Isaiah 53 and Psalm 24) are describing the same person, the same heroic figure.

The moral victory and suffering of this figure is counted as a sacrifice or an offering for the moral failures of his people. Both his moral uprightness and his suffering are substitutional or in place of his people.

You [the Eternal One] make his life an offering for sin... The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities... he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors, yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (53:10-12 NRSV).

By providing this substitute for Israel, the Eternal One has become as a divine husband to Israel.

For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called (Isaiah 54:5 NRSV).

God’s provision of this Substitute is indeed Good News for the inhabitants of the earth, it is the great shout of Bashar for all. In fact, it is incredible news. No wonder Isaiah 53 begins with the words, “Who has believed what we have heard?” (53:1). The next phrase, although in question form, gives the answer for such unbelievable good news, “And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” The arm of the Lord has been revealed to this substitutionary heroic figure, whose physical attributes did not quite meet the hero’s standards. Yet, it was in the hero’s weakness and disadvantages that his victory was even more astounding and incredible.

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry gound; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account (Isaiah 53:2,3 NRSV).

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! [Psalm 24:7-10 RSV].

Such is the story of the Old Testament record. God looks for a morally upright human creation and cannot find it.[17] They have all been besieged by an enemy who has broken them down morally and find themselves morally destitute. In their desperation they are at war with each other and cannot find a way out of their condemnation. But the Eternal One and their Creator provides a substitutionary figure who against all odds is able to provide such moral fortitude. And with his triumph, all the inhabitants of the earth are also victorious over death and eternal condemnation. Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the mansions prepared for you before the foundation of the world.
Bashar! Bashar! Bashar!

[1].The following is a study in preparation of the meaning of the word “bashar” in the Old Testament as a foundation for understanding the New Testament term “gospel” or “good news”. Copyright Haroldo S. Camacho, January 10, 2001, Los Angeles, California.
[2].The following description is based on various Old Testament references.
[3].2 Samuel 20:15 describes a siege of a city attempting its invasion with a mound rampart and battering ram.
[4].1 Kings 20:1-6 records the threats of rape and captivity made by the invading king.
[5].2 Kings 6:25 records the high prices that were paid for the body parts of the beasts of burden during a siege.
[6].Deuteronomy 28:52-57 describes all too vividly the atrocities committed and suffered during a siege of a city.
[7].For a descriptive account of the sending of the messenger, the watchmen looking for signs of the runners, and the receiving of the news of “bashar”, see 2 Samuel 18:19-33. This account however, is most moving since what the runner thinks is good news for the king in fact breaks the heart of the king.
[8].See the story of the four lepers during the siege of Samaria who could not keep the good news of “Bashar” for themselves seeing it meant life for their city (2 Kings 7:9).
[9].Isaiah 52:7-10 records the joy of the watchmen on the wall as they hear the messenger’s shout of “Bashar”. Moreover, in these texts, the prophet sees Israel’s God as the King who returns to his city. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news [bashar], who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings [bashar], who proclaim salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’ Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem [NIV]. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God [RSV].”
[10].2 Kings 7:1,16 records the distribution of the bounty taken from an invading army.
[11].Notwithstanding the many translations to the contrary, the Hebrew denotes the dative and not the genitive (“The earth is for the Lord” rather than “of the Lord”). The sense of the dative for concurs with the overall style of the psalm which is liturgical, to be used for praise, in praises for the One who has conquered, and thus redeemed the earth for the Lord.
[12].As will be seen later, the Hebrew term dor denotes primarily a life time, or life cycle of an individual.
[13].The Hebrew is in the singular “the one who seeks him”. The translation from the Hebrew of this first part of the verse is the author’s; the latter part is from the NIV.
[14].The Hebrew term dor which is generally translated “generation” does not refer to the progeny, descendants, or followers of the hero. This Hebrew term refers primarily to the life time, or life cycle of the hero. Specifically it was used to describe the span of time between the birth of a male child and the firstborn of that individual.
[15].Genesis 25:26; Genesis 32:27,28.
[16].See also the Messianic prayer of Psalm 22:11: “Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is none to help”. Psalm 22 is the first of three Messianic psalms, of which Psalm 24 is the last. Psalm 23, at the center of these three is the faith expression of the human Messiah.
[17].Psalm 14:2,3.

Bible Study is like good detective work

2006-08-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

Yes - you have to look at a text, and put a perimeter around it, yet connect it to the whole. Who has investigated this text before, and why? What were the results? What methods were used? Did the previous investigation yield any new clues, a firm clear and convincing interpretation? What method is available for study now that was not available before? You have to look at each tiny piece of the text and ask why is it there? What is so obvious that you are missing it? You need to carry a respectful yet suspicious attitude about previous approaches and understandings of the text. Do not necessarily take for granted that those findings are correct. No matter how good the version. Usually the answer is in the text itself, and in its context. If you think you need to look something up in the Greek, before you do, ask yourself why? Why is not the English clear? What is it that doesn't make sense in the English or in whatever modern language translation. What is it exactly you need to clear up by going to the Greek? If you are not sure about your question, you won't be clear about the answeres you get. Why are you interested in this text? What is it about you and your own understanding of God, the Scriptures, that may be biasing or prejudicing you to accept a text as it reads or to question it? Some cases take years to figure out. Some are straight forward. The difficult ones require more patience and accumulation of evidence, and sorting out small clues that may come in even if they come from other investigations.

Eventually, all of a sudden, it may be minutes, hours, days, or even years, the meaning of the text comes clear to you. It is a special finding. Discovery. Gratitute. Worship. You know what you found is so clear, so good, so much for you, it had to be given to you. Regardless of your search, what you found was given to you. "Seek and you shall find."

Matthew 16:27 "Rewarded according to works"... WORKS???!!!!

2006-08-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

Matthew 16:24-27: Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. (25) For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever desires to lose his life for My sake shall find it. (26) For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (27) For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works.

Both those who promote the gospel of grace and those who defend the law are guilty of closing their eyes to texts that do not support their point of view.

Those who advocate grace don't have very good explanations for the texts that seem to support the observance of the law. Those of the law try to say that grace is given precisely so that they can obtain the victory over sin and keep the law, thus producing the works necessary to pass the judgment test.

Thus those of us who proclaim the gospel of grace have to take very much into consideration those texts and biblical passages that would seem to teach that in the final analysis, salvation is based on works. We have to pay attention to texts such as the one above, that when the Lord Jesus returns, he will "reward each one according to his works".

Christian traditions have traditionally interpreted this phrase according to their own particular spins, without taking into account the original meaning of all the words in the passage, and their relationship to their context (the texts immediately before and after). In particular, Christianity in one way or another has interpreted this text as meaning the performance of good deeds, as the fruit of faith.

This interpretation has been given as if v. 27 had nothing to do at all with the entire context (the words spoken by Jesus previous to the phrase "reward each one according to his works"). This phrase is interpreted as if Matthew had somehow forgotten to include it and decided to insert it here in v. 27 as an afterthought.

Those who advocate the gospel of grace try to build an entire doctrine of "rewards" on the basis of this text. They teach that these words do not really teach salvation by works, but refer to the reward of the righteous. The righteous will be rewarded according to their works. They believed in Christ through faith for salvation. But after being saved, their works were so wonderful and good, and much better than those of others saved, that upon His coming Jesus would reward them in a special way, "according to their works". Although this doctrine begins with grace, it ends in works, teaching that in the end there will be a special category of saved people, those who had better and bigger works than their brothers and sisters in the faith. This doctrine does nothing but pits fellow believers in competition with each other under their leaders who somehow control the rules of the competition - all with the goal of presenting themselves with their good works before Jesus at His coming, and receiving their just reward.

Another teaching of evangelical Christians is that this text is not talking about the believers' works but the works of Jesus. The believing Christian will receive the reward of the works of Jesus, because they have been covered with the righteousness and the obedience of Christ. Although this doctrine has biblical foundation elsewhere, it is not the primary teaching of Matthew 16:27.

Those who defend the law and the necessity of good works for salvation of course see in this text powerful ammunition against the gospel of grace alone. They declare that in the end, these words of Jesus support the words of James. Show me your faith through your works. Therefore believers must dedicate themselves to the keeping of the law and to the doing of good deeds because without them there will be no reward.

It's amazing that for Christians who in their good deeds are not even to let their left hand know what their right hand is doing (Matthew 6:3), the motivation and interest according to these notions is the reward - and according to their works!

What then does Jesus teach in Matthew 16:27? What was our Lord talking about when He declared that at His coming, He would repay each one according to His works?

The Meaning of "works" in New Testament Greek, and in Matthew 16:27

It is incredible how the translators of the New Testament overlooked the most common meaning of the Greek word that is translated here as "works".

The word "works" in Matthew 16:27 is the Greek word "praxis" (due to its grammatical place in the sentence it is literally "praxin"). The translators consistently and incorrectly translated this word as "works".

However in New Testament Greek and generally in the Greek culture of Jesus' day, the word "praxis" did not principally mean "works".

"Works" is an interpretation of the meaning according to the translators of the word "praxis", but it is not the literal and precise meaning of the word "praxis" as it was commonly used in the Greek world of those days.

The word "praxis" (πραξις) came from the common people. In particular, it was a word that was commonly used in the market place.

This word came from the bartering, from the give and take between seller and buyer. The seller exacting a higher price for his own gain, and the buyer offering a lower price for his advantage. Finally, when buyer and seller had come to an agreement, they had struck a "praxis".

Yes! That is the primary meaning of "praxis", which in Matthew 16:27 is translated as "works".

Surprised? The truth is always surprising.

The Greeks concluded that a favorable deal for the buyer had been a "good or successful praxis". If it had been to the seller's disadvantage he had been involved in a "bad praxis" - a bad deal in our words today. To this entire transaction the more general meaning of "work" was given. A good deal had been a "good work", a bad deal had been a "bad work". In English we would say the transaction "worked out to be a good deal" or it "worked out to be a bad deal".

Surprised again? The truth always surprises.

The word "praxis" then, came from the transaction, the interchange resulting from an agreement between two parties. The result came from a negotiated agreement, a favorable transaction both for the seller and the buyer.

Human behavior was also understood in terms of an exchange of expected results. A person exchanged the results of a good deed for the results of a bad deed. Good behavior exchanged the results of bad behavior in order to receive the results of good behavior.

Praxis: A deal between two parties exchanging goods or services favorable to either seller, buyer, or both. The result was the "work" of a transaction, adjudged good or bad according to each one's perception. The meaning of the "work" referred primarily to the deal, the agreement, the transaction and its results. Such is the meaning of the word "praxis" in the New Testament which in general the translators have rendered simply "works".

Since we are persuaded that the New Testament was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we must also assume that this meaning of "praxis" must fit perfectly with the context or the verses preceding Matthew 16:27.

Let us try and see how this verse fits into the entire passage of Matthew 16:21-17.

The theme of Matthew 16:13-20 is that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one of God, "the Son of the living God".

Verses 21-23 declare that Jesus the Christ must suffer and die in Jerusalem and rise from the dead at the third day.

The Exchange of Lives: The Theme of Matthew 16:24-26

In these verses Jesus declares that in order to follow Him, and being at peace with God, it is necessary, indeed a must to transact a series of exchanges.

In order to follow Him, it is necessary to deny following one's own life path (v. 24). One has to exchange one's life for a cross and follow His path instead of one's own.

Verse 25 clearly announces the need for another exchange. This exchange seems paradoxical, or contrary to common logic: "If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it" (CEV). One has to exchange one own's life, lose it, in order to receive His. According to the Greek text, the phrase "for my sake" does not mean a commitment to a certain cause, but simply the commitment to lose one's life in exchange for His life.

The issue of the exchange of lives is clarified even more in v. 26 when Jesus poses two questions, leaving the answers to His hearers' reflection. "For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" This last question in fact contains the Greek word "antallagma", which is the object that is being traded in an exchange. It referred to the object exchanged in the trading places of the market. Without an "antallagma" the parties could not arrive at a "praxis". Without an object of value in exchange, a transaction could not take place.

The question posed by Jesus presupposes a response to the negative: "No, a human being cannot give anything from himself that can in any way save his life." He cannot do enough, be enough, nor obtain enough of the necessary value to save his own life. He needs an "antallagma" of greater value than his own life. This "antallagma", this object of supreme value is the life of Jesus, which a human being may present in exchange for his own life. Only the perfect, pure, and totally loving life of Jesus is that which he may bring in exchange (antallagma) for his or her own life. All else is insufficient, it lacks sufficient value. Everything else that is not the person of Jesus Christ, devalues the individual for eternal salvation.

With this meaning of the exchange of lives, Christ pronounces His categorical statement in v. 27: "For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his praxis (praxin). In fact "praxis" is here in the singular, not the plural, that is why it is incorrect to translate this word as "works" (in the plural).

What Jesus intended to teach is that when the Son of man comes in the glory of His Father and of His angels, He will pay to each according to the exchange, or the transaction that each person has agreed with God.

If the person asked God to exchange His life for the life of Jesus, such will be repayed with the eternal life of Jesus.

Each one has before him or her this transaction, this exchange, this "praxis" to transact.

Will he waive the right to present his own life, exchanging the life of Jesus for his or her own? In such a case, the same will be awarded the award given to Jesus.

Did he hang on to his own merits, his own obedience, his own good deeds (actions not praxis), or did such a person hold on to the merits and obedience of Jesus in exchange for his own merits and obedience? Such person will be repayed according to his transaction, his exchange, the agreement that he made with himself and with God.

Thus the meaning of Matthew 16:27 is: The only life of eternal value before God is the life of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world. He lays down His life so that all persons may take up His life in exchange for their own. All are responsible for making this transaction with God, presenting the perfect life of Jesus instead of their own. When the Son of Man returns with the glory of the Father and the angels He will reward all according to what they have transacted with God.

Further on, in Matthew 20:27, 28, the Lord repeats the lesson of the exchange of lives, and with greater clarity: "And whoever desires to be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many".

Matthew 16:27 more than any other text that refers to the second coming teaches this marvelous truth: the certainty of the second coming of Jesus cannot be taught apart from the gospel. The preaching of the second coming with its corresponding signs and warnings must be taught together with the gospel of salvation: that the only way a sinner may be ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ is by exchanging one's life for the life of Jesus Christ. The same Savior that died at the cross taking on our sin and death is the one who will come for the second time, in the glory of the Father and the angels, and will give to each one according to what happened on the cross. The only reward to be given is the reward of His life, which is already ours by faith as we believe in Jesus unto salvation.

Praised be the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Note: For further study on "praxis" as a Greek noun and its related verb form please see Henry George Lidell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, in the following links: "praxis" (noun): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0058%3Aentry%3D%2327252; "prasso" (verb) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2386185.

A basic rule of interpretation is that when a word has more than one possible meaning, the context must determine the meaning of the word in question. In the case of "praxis" here in Matthew 16:27, the context which deals with the exchange "antallagma" of lives, must rule in favor of "transaction" rather than simply "works".

The 2300 days of Daniel 8:14

2006-06-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

Some friends in South America have asked me recently why I no longer believe in the 2300 day prophecy as traditionally interpreted by the Seventh-day Adventist church. As you can imagine, that's a long story.

My friend, Dr. Raymond Cottrell, who recently passed away at the ripe old age of 92, in 2002 gave a lecture at the Adventist Forum in San Diego in which he explained my position much better than I could. A word of caution. Dr. Cotrell delves into in-depth Bible study. This presentation is not for the feint of heart. His entire presentation is found here:

http://www.ellenwhite.org/1844rc.htm

In my other blog El Evangelio Eterno, www.evangelioeterno.blogspot.com I am currently translating into Spanish significant parts of that lecture. I am including the original of those translated sections here:

8. "Rightly Explaining" Daniel 8:14

The first imperative for comprehending the prophecies of Daniel in the sense Inspiration intended is an objective frame of mind divested of every personal, subjective, modern presupposition with respect to their import.
The second imperative is to identify the circumstances set forth in Daniel 1 to 6 and 9:1-23, which provide the historical background within which Inspiration set its five prophetic passages and from which it intended Daniel and his intended readers to understand them. Accordingly, in order to understand those passages as Inspiration intended them to be understood we must do so with that historical perspective in our minds, and from the same perspective of salvation history as Daniel and his intended readers did. Any interpretation that ignores or controverts that historical perspective and / or the salvation history perspective of their time is automatically suspect and imposes an alien, uninspired interpretation on those prophecies.
The first six chapters of the Book of Daniel recount the exile of Daniel and his compatriots to Babylon "in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim of Judah," which is dated to 606/5 B.C., and their experiences during the seventy years of exile foretold by Jeremiah in chapter 29:1-14. According to Daniel 9:1, in "the first year of Darius" (which is dated to 537/6 B.C. by Jewish inclusive reckoning), Daniel had been in exile for exactly seventy years. But as yet there was no visible evidence that release from exile was imminent. Accordingly, Daniel prayed the importunate prayer for release from exile and for restoration recorded in chapter 9:4-19.
While Daniel was still praying the angel Gabriel reappeared75 and said, "I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding. At the beginning of your supplications a word went out [obviously in heaven], and I have come to declare it, for you are greatly beloved. So consider the word and understand the vision." Gabriel thereupon repeats that "word" verbatim (verse 24), as he had promised, and proceeds to explain it in verses 25 to 27.
It is of crucial importance to note that Gabriel explicitly identifies the "word" that "went out to restore and build Jerusalem" at the commencement of the seventy weeks of years as "the word" that "went out"---in heaven---while Daniel was praying.76 That "word"77 was obviously one that only God Himself (and not an earthly monarch) could possibly have issued! On the authority of no less a person than the angel Gabriel, the "seventy weeks" of years thus began in 537 B.C., not eighty years later in 457 B.C.!
Gabriel's explanation of that "word" in verses 25-27 very briefly sketched the future of God's covenant people during the seventy weeks of years, and its climax in the ruthless oppression of "the prince who is to come" during the seventieth of the seventy "weeks," which he had already foretold in chapter 8:9-13 and explained in verses 19 to 25.78
As already noted, Daniel 9:23-25 begins the seventy weeks of years at the time the "word" was issued in heaven, in 537 B.C. In the same way, contextual identification of the "he" of verse 27 identifies events of history that mark their close in the seventieth of the seventy "weeks." It is universally accepted that the immediate antecedent of a personal pronoun identifies the person to whom it refers unless the context unambiguously specifies otherwise. Accordingly, verse 26 identifies the immediate antecedent of the pronoun "he" in verse 27, who "make[s] a strong covenant with many" for the seventieth of the seventy "weeks" and "make[s] sacrifice and offering cease" during the last half of the "week," as the evil "prince who is to come"---not the "anointed prince" of verses 25-26!
Chapter 11:23 confirms the fact that his alias, the last king of the north, does, indeed make such a covenant with people in "alliance" with him. Also, his fate set forth in verse 27, "the decreed end is poured out on the desolator," is equivalent to the horn-king of chapter 8:25 being "broken, and not by human hands," and to the last king of the north in chapter 11 who "come[s] to his end, with no one to help him."79
Chapter 9:24-27 thus provides an exact but much more complete explanation of chapter 8:13-14's question and answer about events between Daniel's time and "the appointed time of the end" "many days from now" when "the vision of the evenings and the mornings" was to meet its fulfillment.80 Isn't that exactly what Gabriel said the audition of 9:24-27 was supposed to do?81
Such is Daniel's perspective of salvation history. In order to understand chapters 8 and 9 as heaven intended them to be understood, we must imagine ourselves in Daniel's historical circumstances and view them from his perspective of salvation history in order to form an accurate understanding of what was revealed to him.

Daniel's Perspective of Salvation History

Daniel's perspective of salvation history was a composite of the visions of chapters 2 and 7, each with its explanation, and chapter 8 with its three-fold explanation in chapters 8, 9, and 11-12. It consisted of a series of universal kingdoms82 followed by a period of disintegration and fragmentation,83 which Gabriel told Daniel would be a "troubled time" (9:25)84.
At the "appointed time of the end ... many days from now"---after sixty-nine of the "seventy weeks of years"85---there would be an unprecedented "time of anguish" for God's people in which they would be "trampled," their power shattered,86 their land and city devastated,87 their loyalty and faithfulness to God tested,88 their covenant with Him and its prescribed system of worship abolished,89 and an idolatrous system of worship enforced.90 As a result of this attempt to obliterate the knowledge and worship of the true God, many Jews would apostatize and enter into a "covenant" with their oppressor.91
The duration of this time of anguish for God's people is given variously as (1) "a time, two times, and half a time" = three and a half years,92 as (2) the last half of the seventieth of the seventy "weeks" = also three and a half years,93 and as (3) the time during which 2300 evening and morning sacrifices would normally have been offered = 1150 literal days = three years, two months, and 10 days94 within the three and a half years of "anguish."95
At the close of this time of anguish the Ancient of days would sit in judgment and "the decreed end" would be "poured out upon the desolator," who would thus "come to his end with no one to help him" and be "broken" but "not by human hands."96 Simultaneously, the sanctuary would "be restored to its rightful state," the Ancient of Days would vindicate His faithful people and award them an "everlasting kingdom," Michael would arise to deliver them, the righteous dead would be raised to life eternal, the "wise," including Daniel, would enter upon their eternal reward and shine like the brightness of the firmament for ever and ever.97
The prophecies of Daniel locate this time of anguish (1) during the "time, two times, and half a time" of Daniel 7:25, (2) at or near "the end" of the "rule" of the four horn Greek era of chapter 8:8, 21-23, (3) during the last half of the seventieth of the seventy weeks of chapter 9:24-27, and (4) during the reign of the last king of the north of chapter 11:20-45.
Obviously Daniel's perspective of salvation history was vastly different from ours---by more than two thousand years! But by the sure word of his angel mentor that was the perspective from which he and the angel Gabriel then viewed the future. It is the identical format set forth in the Old Testament.35 To ignore or deny it is a major violation of the sola Scriptura principle, and to say that neither Daniel nor Gabriel knew what they were talking about! It is an important part of in-depth study of the Bible to read it from its own historical and salvation history perspectives, in order to understand and appreciate its message for us in our time!
Daniel's perspective of salvation history thus explicitly invalidates the historicist concept of predictive prophecy. Furthermore, his perspective was identical with that of the Old Testament as a whole.98