Friday, March 19, 2010

Eternal Verities 6A

Continuing the study on Eternal Verities (Eternal Truths) -

I'm going to copy parts of a thought paper and we're going to delve into more about what I was talking about yesterday, the Godhead and eternal truths. I'll interject it with my own thoughts and probably end up breaking it up into digestable pieces, meaning give it bit by bit so it's not overwhelming and gives us time to think about what's being presented. If you're reading this you'll have access to the internet and as such it's easy to check various facts such as the meaning of Greek and Hebrew words. Don't hesitate to take time to check things for yourself. We are accountable for what we can do and that means seeking the knowledge where we can. In our time we live in something called the 'Information Age' and it is. Information is right at our fingertips and we have to avail ourselves of it.


May God bless us as we seek to understand more fully His will, His way, the truths that we need to know and believe as this world becomes more and more deceptive.

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Zechariah 6:12-13 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord: and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne: and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.


The literal Hebrew reads that "the counsel of peace shall be between the Two of Them." It was "through our Lord Jesus Christ" that man could be once more at peace with God. (Rom. 5:1) He, as the great High Priest, sits upon His "throne of grace" (Heb. 4:15-16), at "the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1:3) It is in this context that the Sonship motif is set. Observe closely Hebrews 5:5-6


**Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ**
**Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest; but He who said unto Him, Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee. As He saith also in another place, Thou art a priest forever after the Order of Melchisedec.**
**Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high**
**Heb 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. Heb 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.**


The "Sonship" came to Christ in the same way that the High Priesthood came to Him - by the calling and decree of God. This calling is emphasized in the context of Hebrews 1. The rhetorical question is asked - "For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?" (1:5) The first question is drawn from Psalms 2:7, and the second from II Samuel 7:14.


The Messianic second Psalm speaks of Christ by three titles or offices: the "Anointed" One (ver. 2); the "King" (ver. 6); and the "Son" (ver. 7). He who became the Anointed One (Messiah), and the Son, and who will come as King of kings, emanated from times eternal as the Logos. It is clearly stated in language that should not be misanderstood by anyone, that the "Sonship" was by "decree." Peter set forth to Cornelius that He who is "Lord of all" was "anointed ... with the Holy Spirit and with power" at His baptism. (Acts 10:36-38) While He is now a priest upon His throne, He anticipates His return as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev. 19:16) In this prophetic picture of Revelation, He is called "the Word (Gr. Logos) of God."

**Act 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) Act 10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.**
**Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.**


When one reviews the second quotation from II Samuel 7:14 in context, he can see, if he has eyes to see, that it is a literal promise made to David concerning Solomon. No stretch of the imagination can perceive of Solomon as having been "conceived" or "generated" by God. It was a commitment by God to David to make his son, Solomon, His son. Paul, recognizing this as an apt illustration of the relationship of the Logos to God in the redemptive process, lifted it from context and applied it to the "Sonship" of Jesus Christ.


In this same setting of Hebrews 1 there is another word, firstbegotten (prwtotokoV ), which has been misrepresented so that its true meaning is misunderstood. The same word is used of Christ in Colossians 1:15, 18 - "first born (prwtotokoV) of every creature" and "the firstborn (prwtotokoV ) from the dead." One has but to review the record of the Old Testament to know that Jesus was not the first to have been resurrected from the dead. (II Kings 4:34,36) The Gospels tell of the Widow of Nain whose son was restored to her, and the resurrection of Lazarus. What then is the force of this word? Paul states it clearly - "that in all things, He might have the pre-eminence." (Col. 1:18) This concept of "pre-eminence" is the force used in Heb. 1:6. The One coming into the world is so pre-eminent that God instructs the angels of Heaven - "Let all the angels of God worship Him." Even though a Babe in Bethlehem's manger, He is God manifest in the flesh, to be the pre-eminent One of humanity, to stand at the head of the fallen race, the Second Adam.


To this same Son by decree, pre-eminent in every way, God speaks - "Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." (Heb. 1:8) He "forever" will be as He "ever" has been, the I AM. He "laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of His hands." (v.10)


Romans 9:4-5 My kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites; ... and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God, blessed for ever. Amen.


In these verses, Paul is contrasting the origin of the Messiah - from the "flesh" of Israel, yet God in that flesh. Some have attempted to make this merely a doxology to God - "Blessed be God" - instead of Christ as God "over all ... blessed forever." The word, euloghtoV (blessed) follows the word, qeoV (God). Alford in commenting on this verse writes - "Without one exception in Hebrew or Greek, whenever an ascription of blessing is found, the predicate euloghtoV precedes the name of God." (Vol.11, p.405) In Romans 9:5, it follows, therefore cannot be interpreted as a blessing on God.


**Rom 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.**


John 1:18 No man hath seen God at anytime; the only begotten Son; which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.


This verse is the final verse of the preface to John's gospel, which is recognized as one of the last, if not the last book written of the books in the New Testament. Textual evidence is divided as to whether this verse should read - "only begotten Son" or "only begotten God." It must be understood, which ever reading is chosen, that John is writing from his viewpoint in time. He is saying that He who had declared Him in the flesh (verse 14), was then, at the time of the writing, in the "bosom of the Father."


The Greek word, monogenhV , is translated by two words in the KJV, "only begotten." This is a faulty translation and thus a false interpretation is drawn by those promoting the neo-Gnosticism.


In analyzing this word, we will first give every reference in the New Testament where this word is used and how it is translated in each verse:


Luke 7:12- the only son of his mother,
8:42- For he had only one daughter,
9:35 - for he is my only child.
John 1:14 - as of the only begotten of the Father,
1:18 - the only begotten Son, which is
3:16 - his only begotten Son, that whosoever
3:18 - of the only begotten Son of God.
Heb. 11:17- offered up his only begotten (son),
I John 4:9 - God sent his only begotten Son


A careful comparison of the use of monogenhV in the New Testament indicates that only John uses the word in reference to Jesus. To translate it as "only begotten" places the Scriptures in error as seen by its use in Hebrews 11:17. Isaac was not the "only begotten" son of Abraham; but he was uniquely begotten, a son of promise by the intervention of God. The Greek word, monogenhV is from two words meaning "only" and "kind," thus could be translated "only (one) of a kind," or unique.


The translation "only begotten" in John's Gospel and First Epistle, originated with the Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church. It entered early English translations of the Bible through the influence of the Latin Vulgate, the official Bible of the Roman Church. Various Old Latin manuscripts which preceded the Vulgate read, "only" rather than "only begotten." The idea that Christ "was born of the Father before all creation" appears first in the writings of Origen, about A.D. 230. Arius, about one hundred years later, was the first to use gegennemenon, the correct Greek word for "begotten" if used in reference to Christ to affirm that He was "begotten of God before all ages." This Greek word is never used in the Bible in reference to the pre-incarnate Christ. "The idea that Christ was 'begotten' by the Father at some time in eternity past is altogether foreign to the Scriptures."


TO BE CONTINUED.


I keep saying it and I keep meaning it, this is a very deep study and bears reading and re-reading. Little nuances, subtle and yet meaning so much are things we need to pay attention to. When light can be shed on deception; when the Greek and Hebrew interpretations can be clarified we really need to obtain the knowledge and use the new understanding as God would have us. It's so interesting to note that words such as 'only begotten' have been misinterpreted. Part of me wants to deny it, because I've only known the verses as such. But in light of the true meaning... 'only (one) of a kind, or unique' we have to realize that we aren't limiting Christ as a God, existence. He was in the beginning with God, we know this. However we know too that He took on flesh and became, Immanuel, God with us.


Just because I want to do it, I'm going to use the real translation in that tiny list of verses above.


Luke 7:12- the only son of his mother, (No change)
8:42- For he had only one daughter,(No change)
9:35 - for he is my only child.(No change)
John 1:14 - as of the only ONE of the Father,(changed)
1:18 - the UNIQUE Son, which is (changed)
3:16 - his UNIQUE Son, that whosoever (changed)
3:18 - of the Unique Son of God.(changed)
Heb. 11:17- offered up his UNIQUE (son),(changed)
I John 4:9 - God sent his UNIQUE Son(changed)


Do the changed verses lose any of their power? No. Unique holds it's own as describing God's Son, unique.


Dictonary Def-

unique (y¡-nêk´) adjective
1. Being the only one of its kind
2. Without an equal or equivalent; unparalleled.

Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary


If anything it gives the context more power, more meaning.


May God bless and keep us in Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit, by the grace and mercy of His Unique Son, in their love.


Amen.

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