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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] DISCOURSE ON THE RANSOM PAID BY CHRIST ON OUR BEHALF. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [110B]
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. Hebrews 7:19, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we need to draw close to Almighty God (YHWH), but in order to do so, we need four things, which are as follows:
1 – Knowledge which can be gained from His book of guidance for mankind.
2 – We must fulfill His commandments found at Matthew 28:19 - 20, [AV] “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
3 – We must continue to learn as shown by 1 Corinthians 14:20, {Rotherham Bible; RB] “Brethren! do not become children, in your understandings; but, in baseness, become babes, while, in your understandings, ye become, full–grown.”
4 – We must strive to help others become strong in the faith just as the Apostle Paul did.
[2] DISCOURSE ON THE RANSOM PAID BY CHRIST ON OUR BEHALF:
INTRODUCTION:
This interesting article on the Ransom paid by Christ on our behalf will be in an unusual style, solely by scriptures from the Bible, God's (YHWH's) word for mankind to provide a guidance or standard for mankind to live by. The scriptures will be taken from two very different translational style Bibles so as to give the reader the flavor of both a standard Christian translation, The American Standard Version (ASV) and that of a Messianic Jewish Translation, The Complete Jewish Bible, published by the Jewish Net Testament Publications (TCJB). It uses scripture alone to tell the story of the Ransome paid by Christ on our behalf.
THE SCRIPTURAL STORY:
Ransome price corresponds to the perfect human life lost by Adam's disobedience:
1 Timothy 2:5-6, "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, [himself] man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony [to be borne] in its own times;" (American Standard Version; ASV)
Philippians 2:5-6, "but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross." (ASV).
1 Corinthians 15:22, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (ASV).
Christ died to provide a ransom to open the way to everlasting life for all who would believe:
Ephesians 1:3-7, "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace," (ASV).
John 3:16-18, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God." (ASV).
1 John 4:9-10, "Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins." (ASV)
John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. " (ASV).
1 Timothy 2:5-6, "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, [himself] man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony [to be borne] in its own times;" (ASV).
The Need of mankind for a ransom to free us from bondage to sin and death:
Romans 5:12, "Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:--" (ASV) as I previously told you.
Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;" (ASV)
Psalms 49:7-9, "None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him; 8 (For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever;) 9 That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption." (ASV).
Psalms 51:5, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me." (ASV).
The price paid for release from bondage to sin and death;
Matthew 20:28, "even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (ASV).
Romans 3:24, "By God's grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yeshua." (The Complete Jewish Bible, Jewish Net Testament Publications; TCJB).
Hebrews 2:14-15, "Therefore, since the children share a common physical nature as human beings, he became like them and shared that same human nature; so that by his death he might render ineffective the one who had power over death (that is, the Adversary) 15 and thus set free those who had been in bondage all their lives because of their fear of death." (TCJB).
The ransom was paid by Christ with his human life blood poured out in death:
John 10:11, ""I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (TCJB).
Ephesians 1:7, " In union with him, through the shedding of his blood, we are set free - our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace" (TCJB).
1 Peter 1:18-19, "You should be aware that the ransom paid to free you from the worthless way of life which your fathers passed on to you did not consist of anything perishable like silver or gold; 19 on the contrary, it was the costly bloody sacrificial death of the Messiah, as of a lamb without defect or spot." (TCJB).
Revelations 5:9, "and they sang a new song, "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals; because you were slaughtered; at the cost of blood you ransomed for God persons from every tribe, language, people and nation." (TCJB).
Christ died, not due to sin, but as a sacrifice on behalf of mankind;
Hebrews 7:26 & 9:25-26, "This is the kind of cohen gadol that meets our need - holy, without evil, without stain, set apart from sinners and raised higher than the heavens; " & "Further, he did not enter heaven to offer himself over and over again, like the cohen hagadol who enters the Holiest Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer death many times - from the founding of the universe on. But as it is, he has appeared once at the end of the ages in order to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself." (TCJB).
1 John 4:10, "Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the kapparah for our sins." (TCJB).
1 Peter 2:22, "who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" (ASV).
After Christ was resurrected, he presented the value of his sacrifice to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), in heaven:
Hebrews 9:11-12 & 24, " But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. " & " For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:" (ASV).
Ephesians 5:2, "and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell." (ASV).
Romans 8:34, "who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (ASV).
The Purpose and benefits of the ransom:
Isaiah 53:12, "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (ASV).
Hebrews 2:9, "But we do see Yeshua - who indeed was made for a little while lower than the angels - now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God's grace he might taste death for all humanity. " (TCJB).
Galatians 1:4, "who gave himself for our sins, so that he might deliver us from the present evil world-system, in obedience to the will of God, our Father." (TCJB).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [110B]
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. Hebrews 7:19, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we need to draw close to Almighty God (YHWH), but in order to do so, we need four things, which are as follows:
1 – Knowledge which can be gained from His book of guidance for mankind.
2 – We must fulfill His commandments found at Matthew 28:19 - 20, [AV] “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
3 – We must continue to learn as shown by 1 Corinthians 14:20, {Rotherham Bible; RB] “Brethren! do not become children, in your understandings; but, in baseness, become babes, while, in your understandings, ye become, full–grown.”
4 – We must strive to help others become strong in the faith just as the Apostle Paul did.
[2] DISCOURSE ON THE RANSOM PAID BY CHRIST ON OUR BEHALF:
INTRODUCTION:
This interesting article on the Ransom paid by Christ on our behalf will be in an unusual style, solely by scriptures from the Bible, God's (YHWH's) word for mankind to provide a guidance or standard for mankind to live by. The scriptures will be taken from two very different translational style Bibles so as to give the reader the flavor of both a standard Christian translation, The American Standard Version (ASV) and that of a Messianic Jewish Translation, The Complete Jewish Bible, published by the Jewish Net Testament Publications (TCJB). It uses scripture alone to tell the story of the Ransome paid by Christ on our behalf.
THE SCRIPTURAL STORY:
Ransome price corresponds to the perfect human life lost by Adam's disobedience:
1 Timothy 2:5-6, "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, [himself] man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony [to be borne] in its own times;" (American Standard Version; ASV)
Philippians 2:5-6, "but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross." (ASV).
1 Corinthians 15:22, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (ASV).
Christ died to provide a ransom to open the way to everlasting life for all who would believe:
Ephesians 1:3-7, "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace," (ASV).
John 3:16-18, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God." (ASV).
1 John 4:9-10, "Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins." (ASV)
John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. " (ASV).
1 Timothy 2:5-6, "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, [himself] man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony [to be borne] in its own times;" (ASV).
The Need of mankind for a ransom to free us from bondage to sin and death:
Romans 5:12, "Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:--" (ASV) as I previously told you.
Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;" (ASV)
Psalms 49:7-9, "None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him; 8 (For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever;) 9 That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption." (ASV).
Psalms 51:5, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me." (ASV).
The price paid for release from bondage to sin and death;
Matthew 20:28, "even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (ASV).
Romans 3:24, "By God's grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yeshua." (The Complete Jewish Bible, Jewish Net Testament Publications; TCJB).
Hebrews 2:14-15, "Therefore, since the children share a common physical nature as human beings, he became like them and shared that same human nature; so that by his death he might render ineffective the one who had power over death (that is, the Adversary) 15 and thus set free those who had been in bondage all their lives because of their fear of death." (TCJB).
The ransom was paid by Christ with his human life blood poured out in death:
John 10:11, ""I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (TCJB).
Ephesians 1:7, " In union with him, through the shedding of his blood, we are set free - our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace" (TCJB).
1 Peter 1:18-19, "You should be aware that the ransom paid to free you from the worthless way of life which your fathers passed on to you did not consist of anything perishable like silver or gold; 19 on the contrary, it was the costly bloody sacrificial death of the Messiah, as of a lamb without defect or spot." (TCJB).
Revelations 5:9, "and they sang a new song, "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals; because you were slaughtered; at the cost of blood you ransomed for God persons from every tribe, language, people and nation." (TCJB).
Christ died, not due to sin, but as a sacrifice on behalf of mankind;
Hebrews 7:26 & 9:25-26, "This is the kind of cohen gadol that meets our need - holy, without evil, without stain, set apart from sinners and raised higher than the heavens; " & "Further, he did not enter heaven to offer himself over and over again, like the cohen hagadol who enters the Holiest Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer death many times - from the founding of the universe on. But as it is, he has appeared once at the end of the ages in order to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself." (TCJB).
1 John 4:10, "Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the kapparah for our sins." (TCJB).
1 Peter 2:22, "who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" (ASV).
After Christ was resurrected, he presented the value of his sacrifice to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), in heaven:
Hebrews 9:11-12 & 24, " But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. " & " For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:" (ASV).
Ephesians 5:2, "and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell." (ASV).
Romans 8:34, "who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (ASV).
The Purpose and benefits of the ransom:
Isaiah 53:12, "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (ASV).
Hebrews 2:9, "But we do see Yeshua - who indeed was made for a little while lower than the angels - now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God's grace he might taste death for all humanity. " (TCJB).
Galatians 1:4, "who gave himself for our sins, so that he might deliver us from the present evil world-system, in obedience to the will of God, our Father." (TCJB).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - lycopersicon Hirsutum With the Scripture of the Day first.
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [111B]
Let brotherly love continue. Hebrews 13:1, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
In the year 61 C.E. the situation in Israel was relatively calm; however, Jesus (Yeshua) had foretold at Luke 21:20 – 24, [AV] “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” And the Apostle Paul knew that they were soon to be confronted with a very challenging test of their Faith per Hebrews 12:4, [AV] “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” And he wanted to strengthen their faith so they would endure, and wrote at Hebrews 10:36 – 39, [AV] “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” So all the faithful left Jerusalem before its destruction in 70 C.E. and each helped the other leave showing brotherly love.
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - lycopersicon Hirsutum
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the lycopersicon Hirsutum, Lycopersicon is a genus in the flowering plant family Solanaceae (the nightshades and relative). It contains 13 confirmed species in the tomato group of nightshades; a few others might also belong here. First removed from the genus Solanum by Philip Miller in 1754, its removal leaves the latter genus paraphyletic, so modern botanists generally accept the names in Solanum. The name Lycopersicon (from Greek ???????????? meaning "wolf peach") is still used by gardeners, farmers, and seed companies. Collectively, the species in this group apart from the common cultivated plant are called wild tomatoes.
Cladistic analysis of DNA sequence data confirms Lycopersicon as a clade that is part of a lineage of nightshades also including the potato (S. tuberosum). If it is desired to continue use of Lycopersicon, it can be held as a section inside the potato-tomato subgenus whose name has to be determined in accordance with the ICBN.[1] Selected species
Former specific names are cited if they have significantly changed when moving to kamatis, are:[1]
Arcanum group
* Solanum arcanum Peralta (= Lycopersicon peruvianum var. humifusum C.H.Mull.)
* Solanum chmielewskii (C.M.Rick, Kesicki, Fobes & M.Holle) D.M.Spooner, G.J.Anderson & R.K.Jansen
* Solanum neorickii D.M.Spooner, joseph rivero
(= Lycopersicon parviflorum C.M.Rick, Kesicki, Fobes & M.Holle)
Lycopersicon group
* Solanum cheesmaniae (L.Riley) Fosberg (= Lycopersicon peruvianum var. parviflorum Hook.f.)
* Solanum galapagense S.C.Darwin & Peralta (= Lycopersicon cheesmaniae f. minor (Hook.f.) C.H.Mull., L. cheesmaniae var. minor (Hook.f.) D.M.Porter, L. esculentum var. minor Hook.f.)
* Solanum lycopersicum L. – Tomato, Cherry tomato etc. (= Lycopersicon cerasiforme, L. lycopersicum and many others)
* Solanum pimpinellifolium L. – Currant Tomato (= Lycopersicon esculentum ssp. intermedium Luckwill, L. esculentum ssp. pimpinellifolium (L.) Brezhnev in Zhukovskii, L. esculentum var. racemigerum (Lange) Brezhnev in Zhukovskii, L. pissisi Phil., L. racemiforme Lange, L. racemigerum Lange)
Eriopersicon group
* Solanum chilense (Dunal) Reiche (= Lycopersicon atacamense Phil., L. bipinnatifidum Phil., L. peruvianum ssp. puberulum (Phil.) Luckwill, L. puberulum Phil.)
* Solanum corneliomulleri J.F.Macbr. (= Lycopersicon glandulosum C.H.Mull.)
* Solanum habrochaites S.Knapp & D.M.Spooner (= Lycopersicon agrimoniifolium Dunal in DC., L. hirsutum Dunal)
* Solanum huaylasense Peralta
* Solanum sisymbriifolium C.M. Rick Sticky Nightshade
* Solanum peruvianum L. – Peruvian Nightshade (= Lycopersicon commutatum (Spreng.) Roem. & Schult., L. dentatum Dunal, L. regulare Dunal) (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopersicon on 3/8/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To view pictures of this fruit, go to, http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=lycopersicon+hIRSUTUM&qpvt=lycopersicon+hIRSUTUM&FORM=IGRE
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [111B]
Let brotherly love continue. Hebrews 13:1, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
In the year 61 C.E. the situation in Israel was relatively calm; however, Jesus (Yeshua) had foretold at Luke 21:20 – 24, [AV] “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” And the Apostle Paul knew that they were soon to be confronted with a very challenging test of their Faith per Hebrews 12:4, [AV] “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” And he wanted to strengthen their faith so they would endure, and wrote at Hebrews 10:36 – 39, [AV] “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” So all the faithful left Jerusalem before its destruction in 70 C.E. and each helped the other leave showing brotherly love.
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - lycopersicon Hirsutum
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the lycopersicon Hirsutum, Lycopersicon is a genus in the flowering plant family Solanaceae (the nightshades and relative). It contains 13 confirmed species in the tomato group of nightshades; a few others might also belong here. First removed from the genus Solanum by Philip Miller in 1754, its removal leaves the latter genus paraphyletic, so modern botanists generally accept the names in Solanum. The name Lycopersicon (from Greek ???????????? meaning "wolf peach") is still used by gardeners, farmers, and seed companies. Collectively, the species in this group apart from the common cultivated plant are called wild tomatoes.
Cladistic analysis of DNA sequence data confirms Lycopersicon as a clade that is part of a lineage of nightshades also including the potato (S. tuberosum). If it is desired to continue use of Lycopersicon, it can be held as a section inside the potato-tomato subgenus whose name has to be determined in accordance with the ICBN.[1] Selected species
Former specific names are cited if they have significantly changed when moving to kamatis, are:[1]
Arcanum group
* Solanum arcanum Peralta (= Lycopersicon peruvianum var. humifusum C.H.Mull.)
* Solanum chmielewskii (C.M.Rick, Kesicki, Fobes & M.Holle) D.M.Spooner, G.J.Anderson & R.K.Jansen
* Solanum neorickii D.M.Spooner, joseph rivero
(= Lycopersicon parviflorum C.M.Rick, Kesicki, Fobes & M.Holle)
Lycopersicon group
* Solanum cheesmaniae (L.Riley) Fosberg (= Lycopersicon peruvianum var. parviflorum Hook.f.)
* Solanum galapagense S.C.Darwin & Peralta (= Lycopersicon cheesmaniae f. minor (Hook.f.) C.H.Mull., L. cheesmaniae var. minor (Hook.f.) D.M.Porter, L. esculentum var. minor Hook.f.)
* Solanum lycopersicum L. – Tomato, Cherry tomato etc. (= Lycopersicon cerasiforme, L. lycopersicum and many others)
* Solanum pimpinellifolium L. – Currant Tomato (= Lycopersicon esculentum ssp. intermedium Luckwill, L. esculentum ssp. pimpinellifolium (L.) Brezhnev in Zhukovskii, L. esculentum var. racemigerum (Lange) Brezhnev in Zhukovskii, L. pissisi Phil., L. racemiforme Lange, L. racemigerum Lange)
Eriopersicon group
* Solanum chilense (Dunal) Reiche (= Lycopersicon atacamense Phil., L. bipinnatifidum Phil., L. peruvianum ssp. puberulum (Phil.) Luckwill, L. puberulum Phil.)
* Solanum corneliomulleri J.F.Macbr. (= Lycopersicon glandulosum C.H.Mull.)
* Solanum habrochaites S.Knapp & D.M.Spooner (= Lycopersicon agrimoniifolium Dunal in DC., L. hirsutum Dunal)
* Solanum huaylasense Peralta
* Solanum sisymbriifolium C.M. Rick Sticky Nightshade
* Solanum peruvianum L. – Peruvian Nightshade (= Lycopersicon commutatum (Spreng.) Roem. & Schult., L. dentatum Dunal, L. regulare Dunal) (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopersicon on 3/8/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To view pictures of this fruit, go to, http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=lycopersicon+hIRSUTUM&qpvt=lycopersicon+hIRSUTUM&FORM=IGRE
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:27 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Article on Some Just Do Not Understand Chapter Seven of Daniel on the Kingdom. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [112B]
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. Matthew 23:8 – 10, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Here Jesus (Yeshua) was clearly showing what Hebrews 13:1, [AV], meant, “Let brotherly love continue.” The Greek term used here was ‘phi-del-phi’a’ which literally means ‘affection for a brother.” This type of love or affection involves a strong, warm, personal attachment, such as to a family member or a close friend. Or as Romans 12:10 summarizes it up, [AV] “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” In other words, there should be a close companionship among Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) people, and not merely a perfunctionary outward showing.
[2] Article on Some Just Do Not Understand Chapter Seven of Daniel on the Kingdom:
INTRODUCTION:
Many individuals find the Book of Daniel difficult to understand and especially Chapter 7 when it speaks of the kingdom of God (YHWH). One individual even went so far a field as to say, "In regards to Daniel 7, simply because we are reconciled to God due to Christ's human aspect does not discredit the fact that He inherits God's kingdom. NO ONE IS WORTHY OF GOD'S KINGDOM EXCEPT GOD HIMSELF." Yet of course it says no such thing, but let's learn the truth in keeping with John 8:32, "and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (ASV).
LET'S LOOK AT THE FACTS IN DANIEL THE 7 TH. CHAPTER ON THE KINGDOM:
First, nowhere is the statement, "NO ONE IS WORTHY OF GOD'S KINGDOM EXCEPT GOD HIMSELF" anywhere in the 7 chapter of Daniel in any translation I have checked so it appears to be one he himself contrived.
But, let's for argument sake deal with this by determining if it is fact or fancy by going to 1 Corinthians 15:22-28, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then [cometh] the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. 27 For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him. 28 And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all." (ASV).
Here we note in verse 28, "And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all" which clearly shows two important Bible truths;
(1) That when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son [Jesus (Yeshua)] also himself be subjected to him [his Father, Almighty God (YHWH)] that did subject all things unto him. Clearly showing that his Father, God (YHWH) had subjected his kingdom to is son, Jesus (Yeshua) for a limited time. In fact, as shown in verse 27 he subjected everything to his son, Jesus (Yeshua) except of course himself [God (YHWH)] as the Bible clearly states, ", it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him." So it is clear that the contrived item, , "NO ONE IS WORTHY OF GOD'S KINGDOM EXCEPT GOD HIMSELF" is NOT true or fact.
(2) That Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT co-equal with his Father, God (YHWH) as clearly shown by the fact that he "the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all." So if you comprehend the Bible this fact would be self evident, that the son, Jesus (Yeshua) is subordinate just from 1 Corinthians 15:28. But this fact is stated in many places. Let's look at a few:
John 14:28 shows Jesus (Yeshua) himself clearly says this truth or fact, "Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I" (ASV).
John 5:19 where Jesus (Yeshua) himself clearly says that he can not do anything of his own initiative, and we know he does not lie, "Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner." (ASV).
1 Corinthians 11:3 where Jesus (Yeshua) clearly shows the hierarchy, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (ASV)
Now let's look at Daniel the 7 th. chapter, Daniel 7:9-14, "I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, [and] the wheels thereof burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire. 12 And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (ASV).
Here in this scripture God (YHWH) is spoken of as the ancient of days and verse 14 says, "And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" now note it says that a kingdom was given to him, yet no one can give a kingdom to God (YHWH) so obviously this is speaking about his son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ..
This fact was highlighted by the great Bible scholar, Theodore Bezq, as follows:
So we can see in light of what was previously said, that God's (YHWH's) kingdom will take up rule over earth, and that his son, Jesus (Yeshua) will be running it for a period of time. Why? Simple, God (YHWH) has a lot of faith in his son and uses him as a master worker with respect to creation as shown at Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV).
Clearly we see here as in the other scriptures quoted, that the spirit being who was to become Jesus (Yeshua) was ordinate to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) before he came to earth also, hence NOT co-equal. Now I believe we all have a much better understanding of the hierarchy, God (YHWH) over all; next in command his son, Jesus (Yeshua) who sits at his right hand after his Father (YHWH) resurrected his as shown at Matthew 26:64, "Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." (ASV); and at Mark 14:62, "And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." (ASV); and at Mark 16:19, "So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."; and at Acts 5:31, "Him did God exalt with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins." (ASV); then all the other creation of God (YHWH) as shown by 1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (ASV).
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [112B]
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. Matthew 23:8 – 10, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Here Jesus (Yeshua) was clearly showing what Hebrews 13:1, [AV], meant, “Let brotherly love continue.” The Greek term used here was ‘phi-del-phi’a’ which literally means ‘affection for a brother.” This type of love or affection involves a strong, warm, personal attachment, such as to a family member or a close friend. Or as Romans 12:10 summarizes it up, [AV] “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” In other words, there should be a close companionship among Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) people, and not merely a perfunctionary outward showing.
[2] Article on Some Just Do Not Understand Chapter Seven of Daniel on the Kingdom:
INTRODUCTION:
Many individuals find the Book of Daniel difficult to understand and especially Chapter 7 when it speaks of the kingdom of God (YHWH). One individual even went so far a field as to say, "In regards to Daniel 7, simply because we are reconciled to God due to Christ's human aspect does not discredit the fact that He inherits God's kingdom. NO ONE IS WORTHY OF GOD'S KINGDOM EXCEPT GOD HIMSELF." Yet of course it says no such thing, but let's learn the truth in keeping with John 8:32, "and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (ASV).
LET'S LOOK AT THE FACTS IN DANIEL THE 7 TH. CHAPTER ON THE KINGDOM:
First, nowhere is the statement, "NO ONE IS WORTHY OF GOD'S KINGDOM EXCEPT GOD HIMSELF" anywhere in the 7 chapter of Daniel in any translation I have checked so it appears to be one he himself contrived.
But, let's for argument sake deal with this by determining if it is fact or fancy by going to 1 Corinthians 15:22-28, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then [cometh] the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. 27 For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him. 28 And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all." (ASV).
Here we note in verse 28, "And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all" which clearly shows two important Bible truths;
(1) That when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son [Jesus (Yeshua)] also himself be subjected to him [his Father, Almighty God (YHWH)] that did subject all things unto him. Clearly showing that his Father, God (YHWH) had subjected his kingdom to is son, Jesus (Yeshua) for a limited time. In fact, as shown in verse 27 he subjected everything to his son, Jesus (Yeshua) except of course himself [God (YHWH)] as the Bible clearly states, ", it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him." So it is clear that the contrived item, , "NO ONE IS WORTHY OF GOD'S KINGDOM EXCEPT GOD HIMSELF" is NOT true or fact.
(2) That Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT co-equal with his Father, God (YHWH) as clearly shown by the fact that he "the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all." So if you comprehend the Bible this fact would be self evident, that the son, Jesus (Yeshua) is subordinate just from 1 Corinthians 15:28. But this fact is stated in many places. Let's look at a few:
John 14:28 shows Jesus (Yeshua) himself clearly says this truth or fact, "Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I" (ASV).
John 5:19 where Jesus (Yeshua) himself clearly says that he can not do anything of his own initiative, and we know he does not lie, "Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner." (ASV).
1 Corinthians 11:3 where Jesus (Yeshua) clearly shows the hierarchy, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (ASV)
Now let's look at Daniel the 7 th. chapter, Daniel 7:9-14, "I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, [and] the wheels thereof burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire. 12 And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (ASV).
Here in this scripture God (YHWH) is spoken of as the ancient of days and verse 14 says, "And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" now note it says that a kingdom was given to him, yet no one can give a kingdom to God (YHWH) so obviously this is speaking about his son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ..
This fact was highlighted by the great Bible scholar, Theodore Bezq, as follows:
.7:14 And there was given him c dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.
(c) This is meant of the beginning of Christ's kingdom, when God the Father gave unto him all dominion, as the the Mediator, with the intent that he would continually govern his Church which is here on earth, until the time that he brought them to eternal life. [Beza, Theodore. "Commentary on Daniel 7". "The 1599 Geneva Study Bible". 1600-1645.]
So we can see in light of what was previously said, that God's (YHWH's) kingdom will take up rule over earth, and that his son, Jesus (Yeshua) will be running it for a period of time. Why? Simple, God (YHWH) has a lot of faith in his son and uses him as a master worker with respect to creation as shown at Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV).
Clearly we see here as in the other scriptures quoted, that the spirit being who was to become Jesus (Yeshua) was ordinate to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) before he came to earth also, hence NOT co-equal. Now I believe we all have a much better understanding of the hierarchy, God (YHWH) over all; next in command his son, Jesus (Yeshua) who sits at his right hand after his Father (YHWH) resurrected his as shown at Matthew 26:64, "Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." (ASV); and at Mark 14:62, "And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." (ASV); and at Mark 16:19, "So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."; and at Acts 5:31, "Him did God exalt with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins." (ASV); then all the other creation of God (YHWH) as shown by 1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (ASV).
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Wed Jan 01, 2020 5:39 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] PREDESTINATION AND FREE WILL - RECONCILABLE? . With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [113B]
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
The original Greek word translated ‘hospitality’ means ‘kindness to strangers.’ This hospitality was shown by both Abraham and lot. And in these cases the visitors indeed turned out to be angels as shown by Genesis 18:2 – 7, [AV] “And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.” And in Lot’s case recorded at Genesis 19:1 – 3, [AV] “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.”
Likewise, we should be hospitable to strangers per 3 John 1:5 – 8, [AV] “Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.”
[2] PREDESTINATION AND FREE WILL - RECONCILABLE?
INTRODUCTION:
Let's consider how God (YHWH) made us before going deeper into this subject. The Bible states at Genesis 1:27, "And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (American Standard Version; ASV). Does this mean that we can control our own destiny or does it mean that our destiny is predetermined, i.e., predestined?
To be better able to understand these questions, we must reflect on what it means to be made in God's (YHWH's) likeness. Clearly it does NOT mean we have been made an invisible spirit being such as is God (YHWH) who the Bible states at John 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him]." (ASV).
So clearly made in his likeness does not mean appearance and/or substance, but must refer to his attributes. In other words we have the ability to reflect his qualities, such as justice, love, wisdom, and power.
However God (YHWH) has given us the gift of free will, which is the freedom of choice to choice between right and wrong as clearly shown in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, " I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; 20 to love Jehovah thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (ASV).
GIFT OF FREEDOM OF CHOICE:
The gift of freedom of choice; however, does not mean one has absolute freedom. It in no way frees us from the physical and moral laws that God (YHWH) made for stability and peace on the earth and in the universe. For example, we all know that we are limited by the law of gravity. We all know that if we jump off a cliff we will either get hurt or killed due to the law of gravity.
In addition, freedom of choice also binds us with restraints that creatures of the wild who do not have this freedom of choice do not have. Creatures of the wild and domestic animals are governed by instinct and for the most part lack freedom of choice as we all know. Animals, of course, being instinct-driven are not held to any moral responsibilities; just as computers are not as they can only do that for which they are programmed.
GOD IS LOVE AND DID NOT PREDETERMINE OUR COURSE:
It would have been unloving and unjust for God (YHWH) to predetermine the course we would take and still hold us responsible for what we did, the actions we took. Not only would this be unloving, it would be 'prima facia' absurd like trying to hold a computer responsible for executing a program.
Of course, God (YHWH) does not do this, for as 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (ASV); and Deuteronomy says at Deuteronomy 32:4, "The Rock, his work is perfect; For all his ways are justice: A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, Just and right is he." (ASV). However, having given us freedom of choice, he did not at the same time also determine from the beginning whom he would save and whom he would damn as some who believe in predestination claim. Freedom of choice precludes and/or rules out predestination.
Likewise, the Bible shows that the choices we make will change and/or alter our destiny. This fact is clearly shown at Jeremiah 25:4-7, "And Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, (but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear,) 5 saying, Return ye now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that Jehovah hath given unto you and to your fathers, from of old and even for evermore; 6 and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the work of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. 7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith Jehovah; that ye may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt." (ASV).
This appeal of course would be pointless if God (YHWH) had already pre-fixed each individual's destiny. Also, if each individual's destiny had been pre-fixed Acts 3:19, "Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;" (ASV) would be both meaningless and pointless. To wit, it would be pointless to ask individuals to repent and change their life course if God (YHWH) pre-knew beforehand that they could do absolutely nothing to change their course of life, their destiny.
So we can see predestination and free will are incompatible, you can NOT have both being so as they are mutually exclusive; hence, are NOT reconcilable, one with the other as clearly shown by the Bible.
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Fri Jan 03, 2020 4:30 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [1] DISCOURSE ON FUNDAMENTALISM. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [114B]
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13:5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
The Apostle Paul was speaking here of brothers who had been imprisoned for their faith like himself. At Philippians 1:12 – 14, [AV] “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” The Apostle Paul made clear how we should show brotherly love to those unjustly being punished at Hebrews 10:34 – 39, [AV] “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” We should make fervent prayer for such ones as shown by Hebrews 13:18 – 19, [AV] “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON FUNDAMENTALISM:
Fundamentalism is not limited to misguided so called Christian groups that run about asking have you been born again and/or have you been saved. These groups clearly do not recognize the Bible as the Standard as the Bible clearly says at Matthew 10:22, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (American Standard Version; ASV); and this is affirmed at Matthew 24:13, "But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (ASV). And clearly these so called Christian fundamentalist overlook Mark 13:13, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (ASV).
They miss the mark in that they believe once saved always saved which is clearly not the case as was testified to at Luke 8:12, "And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved." (ASV); therefore, it is easy to see as Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, and Mark 13:13 all testify to the fact that only he who endures to the end will be saved as clearly shown in the ultimate standard, the Bible which is the word of God (YHWH).
the Bible, it is a unique standard set by the highest sovereign power in the universe. God (YHWH) as a rule or measure by which all things are to be judged. Since he created all things, it is his absolute right to set the standard as he is responsible for the existence of all things in the universe.
Now let's look at fundamentalist in a none-Christian setting. This by I Won, "--"I've even met Buddhists who were fundamentalists, which struck me as odd at first. But fundamentalism is an emotional disease, and that disease can affect anyone, even if their arguments are correct. The tendency in group schisms is to project all evil onto
the other group, and pagans or atheists who could easily spot the irrational component of a Christian fundamentalist's argument may have blind spots of their own. The Christian's fundamentalism transfers like a virus to the nonchristian, even as the beliefs themselves are regarded as fairy tales. If the same anger can be held by people with very different
beliefs, it's the anger itself that is the problem, not necessarily the beliefs. This is another reason why it's so hard to win religious debates. You have to win them nonverbally, rather than assuming logic alone will have an impact. Fundamentalists are so good at
bringing up frustration and anger in others that they can then use that anger as a sign that "atheists aren't happy" or "pagans are hostile people". Once you've fallen into that trap, the fundamentalist has won." [source - comments by I Won].
Likewise the Muslims also have their misguided fundamentalist, but there is no need to discuss those as all know of how misguided and unloving they are. The name Osama bin Ladin in fact tells the entire store of these evil misguided ones as all have read of what he was behind on 9/11 in New York.
Fundamentalism and radicalism is to be avoided as they are always in the wrong and hateful of others; whereas, the Bible clearly shows at 1 John 4:8, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (ASV). However, the fundamentalist do not preach love nor the true word of God (YHWH) clearly showing they are not of God (YHWH). This fact is amplified at 1 John 4:10, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins." (ASV); and at 1 John 4:12, "No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:" (ASV); and at 1 John 4:16, "And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him." (ASV); and at 1 John 4:20, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen." (ASV); and at 1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (ASV). Notice, the last quoted scripture emphasis the need to keep his commandments if we love him and we can only know an do this if we accept the Bible as the Standard as it is his written word for our guidance.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [114B]
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13:5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
The Apostle Paul was speaking here of brothers who had been imprisoned for their faith like himself. At Philippians 1:12 – 14, [AV] “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” The Apostle Paul made clear how we should show brotherly love to those unjustly being punished at Hebrews 10:34 – 39, [AV] “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” We should make fervent prayer for such ones as shown by Hebrews 13:18 – 19, [AV] “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON FUNDAMENTALISM:
Fundamentalism is not limited to misguided so called Christian groups that run about asking have you been born again and/or have you been saved. These groups clearly do not recognize the Bible as the Standard as the Bible clearly says at Matthew 10:22, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (American Standard Version; ASV); and this is affirmed at Matthew 24:13, "But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (ASV). And clearly these so called Christian fundamentalist overlook Mark 13:13, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (ASV).
They miss the mark in that they believe once saved always saved which is clearly not the case as was testified to at Luke 8:12, "And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved." (ASV); therefore, it is easy to see as Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, and Mark 13:13 all testify to the fact that only he who endures to the end will be saved as clearly shown in the ultimate standard, the Bible which is the word of God (YHWH).
the Bible, it is a unique standard set by the highest sovereign power in the universe. God (YHWH) as a rule or measure by which all things are to be judged. Since he created all things, it is his absolute right to set the standard as he is responsible for the existence of all things in the universe.
Now let's look at fundamentalist in a none-Christian setting. This by I Won, "--"I've even met Buddhists who were fundamentalists, which struck me as odd at first. But fundamentalism is an emotional disease, and that disease can affect anyone, even if their arguments are correct. The tendency in group schisms is to project all evil onto
the other group, and pagans or atheists who could easily spot the irrational component of a Christian fundamentalist's argument may have blind spots of their own. The Christian's fundamentalism transfers like a virus to the nonchristian, even as the beliefs themselves are regarded as fairy tales. If the same anger can be held by people with very different
beliefs, it's the anger itself that is the problem, not necessarily the beliefs. This is another reason why it's so hard to win religious debates. You have to win them nonverbally, rather than assuming logic alone will have an impact. Fundamentalists are so good at
bringing up frustration and anger in others that they can then use that anger as a sign that "atheists aren't happy" or "pagans are hostile people". Once you've fallen into that trap, the fundamentalist has won." [source - comments by I Won].
Likewise the Muslims also have their misguided fundamentalist, but there is no need to discuss those as all know of how misguided and unloving they are. The name Osama bin Ladin in fact tells the entire store of these evil misguided ones as all have read of what he was behind on 9/11 in New York.
Fundamentalism and radicalism is to be avoided as they are always in the wrong and hateful of others; whereas, the Bible clearly shows at 1 John 4:8, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (ASV). However, the fundamentalist do not preach love nor the true word of God (YHWH) clearly showing they are not of God (YHWH). This fact is amplified at 1 John 4:10, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins." (ASV); and at 1 John 4:12, "No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:" (ASV); and at 1 John 4:16, "And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him." (ASV); and at 1 John 4:20, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen." (ASV); and at 1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (ASV). Notice, the last quoted scripture emphasis the need to keep his commandments if we love him and we can only know an do this if we accept the Bible as the Standard as it is his written word for our guidance.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:29 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Lychee With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [115B]
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. Zechariah 8:23, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Almighty God (YHWH) communicates with us according to need and circumstances. He does not specify a particular language, but has made sure His word of guidance for us, the bible, gets translated into many languages. In fact near the end of the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth, John Chrysostom, a scholar, noted that the Bible had been translated into Syrian, Egyptian, Persian, Ethiopian, and many other languages.
FOR AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY WHERE YOU CAN LEARN FOR FREE:
Who Jehovah, Jesus, and the angles are,
How the Bible can help a person,
Why God created humans,
Why suffering and evil exist.
How Jehovah intends to end suffering and death,
About the coming resurection,
How failed human governments will be replaced by God’s Kingdom
GO TO https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/online-lessons/
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Lychee
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Lychee, Litchi chinensis.
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)
The lychee is native to southern China and southeastern Asia. The tree originated over 2000 years ago in the tropical forests of southern China, where it is a dominant tree species. There are still villages in southern China today with lychee trees that are over 1000 years old! In 1903 Reverend W.M. Brewster imported Royal Chen Purple lychee trees to south and central Florida from China. This lychee variety was renamed Brewster. There remains part of an original 'Brewster' grove in Davie, Florida. The flowers are small, greenish, and are borne on a large thyrse (a many-flowered inflorescence) which emerges at the ends of branches anytime from late December to February and March in Florida. The fruit is a drupe borne in loose clusters numbering from 3 to 50 fruits. The skin (pericarp) ranges from yellow to pinkish or red and is leathery, with small, short, conical or rounded protuberances. The edible portion of the fruit (pulp) is called an aril; is succulent, whitish, translucent, with excellent subacid flavor. The fruits contain one shiny, dark brown seed, usually relatively large, but it may be small and
shriveled (called chicken tongues) in some varieties. Lychee trees typically begin to flower in the early winter months and continue to bloom throughout the months of January, February and March. Lychee flowers appear as 12 to 30 inch clusters containing both male and female flowers on the terminal ends of hardened off new growth. If there has been sufficient chilling and dryness during the winter there will generally be a larger portion of bloom instead of simply new growth.
Male flowers are the first to emerge and open. The fruit forms from the female flower that opens later than the male. When the flower is pollinated the ovary begins to swell. This is what becomes the actual lychee fruit. As the small lychee fruit develop many of the fruits will drop off of the tree from wind and some simply from natural attrition. A variety of insect pests can damage the stem on the newly developing fruit leading to drop off. With the advent of the summer rainy season (around mid-May in Florida) the fruits will begin to swell with juice and produce lots of sugars. Unlike many other tropical fruits, much of the size of a lychee is determined in the very last stage of development, just prior to its peak ripeness. An excellent indicator of ripeness in lychees is the flattening of the bumps on the surface of the skin, caused by the fruit swelling with juice and fructose. The dark red color (almost purplish) is a good indicator of maturity along with fruit size.
Lychee flowers are pollinated by bees and various fly species. Isolated or single lychee trees will usually set acceptable amounts of fruit. However, recent research has demonstrated that under some conditions, cross-pollination among different cultivars may increase fruit set. Therefore, in some cases there may be an advantage to planting more than one variety.
The season of bearing is Mid-May to early July in Florida, depending upon variety. Mauritius is the major commercial cultivar and bears more regularly than Brewster, which is the second most commonly grown cultivar.
Young trees are damaged at temperatures of 28° to 32°F, while temperatures down to 24° to 25°F cause extensive damage or death to large trees if exposed for several hours. Lychee trees are moderately drought tolerant. However, newly planted lychee trees should be irrigated regularly during establishment. In the home landscape, trees will perform well without supplemental irrigation after trees are established. For more consistent cropping of mature trees, withholding irrigation after September until bloom to enhance the amount of flowering. This encourages dormancy (not a true dormancy) throughout the winter months. It is important to water during fruit set through harvest to enhance fruit quality and yields. In my case our lychee tree gets watered by the same sprinkler that waters the grass.
Young lychee trees are sometimes difficult to establish in windy sites, and exposure to constant winds may result in tattered leaves, stunted shoot growth, and stem dieback. If possible, trees should be planted in wind-protected sites or protected from wind by surrounding trees or with light shade cloth which has been attached to wire fencing. Lychee trees do not come true from seed, and seedling trees may take 10 or more years to bear fruit. Air layering is the most common method of propagation in Florida. In general, the larger the limb, the easier it is to air layer. Grafting (usually cleft or veneer) and budding onto lychee seedlings or air layers
is possible but is not as common as air layering alone. Air-layered or grafted trees begin to bear fruit in 3 to 5 years.
Unreliable bearing is the major constraint to lychee production. Cultivars vary greatly in their bearing habit. Most trees bear a good crop only about 1 year out of 3 or 4. In contrast, well-cared-for, mature Mauritius trees may bear every year, with good yields in alternating years. The trees grow best in well-drained soils. Of the soils of southern Florida, lychee trees grow best in acid sands with moderate-organic-matter content. Trees grow well in the muck soils, but usually do not
fruit well because of excessive vegetative (shoot and leaf) growth. Sandy soils with low-organic-matter content are suitable if sufficient fertilizers are supplied.
Many areas in Florida are within 7 ft or so of the water table and experience occasional flooding after heavy rainfall events. To improve plant survival consider planting fruit trees on a 2 to 3 ft high by 4 to 10 ft diameter mound of native soil.
The three most popular varieties grown in south Florida are the Brewster, Hak Ip and Mauritius, my own lychee tree is none of these, but is a Sweet Clift). The fruits are harvested by cutting the main stem bearing the fruit clusters several inches behind the fruit clusters. Fruit may or may not be detached from the fruit clusters before storage. Lychee fruit must be ripened on the tree for best flavor. Lychee are an excellent fresh fruit and are best consumed as soon after harvest as possible. Fresh fruit may be stored in polyethylene bags in the
refrigerator for 5 to 10 days and retain reasonable color and freshness. Fruit may be frozen whole (in the peel), canned (without the peel), and dried (in the peel) for later use. In the home landscape, the lychee makes a beautiful specimen tree which provides fruit, aesthetics, and shade.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [115B]
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. Zechariah 8:23, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Almighty God (YHWH) communicates with us according to need and circumstances. He does not specify a particular language, but has made sure His word of guidance for us, the bible, gets translated into many languages. In fact near the end of the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth, John Chrysostom, a scholar, noted that the Bible had been translated into Syrian, Egyptian, Persian, Ethiopian, and many other languages.
FOR AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY WHERE YOU CAN LEARN FOR FREE:
Who Jehovah, Jesus, and the angles are,
How the Bible can help a person,
Why God created humans,
Why suffering and evil exist.
How Jehovah intends to end suffering and death,
About the coming resurection,
How failed human governments will be replaced by God’s Kingdom
GO TO https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/online-lessons/
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Lychee
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Lychee, Litchi chinensis.
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)
The lychee is native to southern China and southeastern Asia. The tree originated over 2000 years ago in the tropical forests of southern China, where it is a dominant tree species. There are still villages in southern China today with lychee trees that are over 1000 years old! In 1903 Reverend W.M. Brewster imported Royal Chen Purple lychee trees to south and central Florida from China. This lychee variety was renamed Brewster. There remains part of an original 'Brewster' grove in Davie, Florida. The flowers are small, greenish, and are borne on a large thyrse (a many-flowered inflorescence) which emerges at the ends of branches anytime from late December to February and March in Florida. The fruit is a drupe borne in loose clusters numbering from 3 to 50 fruits. The skin (pericarp) ranges from yellow to pinkish or red and is leathery, with small, short, conical or rounded protuberances. The edible portion of the fruit (pulp) is called an aril; is succulent, whitish, translucent, with excellent subacid flavor. The fruits contain one shiny, dark brown seed, usually relatively large, but it may be small and
shriveled (called chicken tongues) in some varieties. Lychee trees typically begin to flower in the early winter months and continue to bloom throughout the months of January, February and March. Lychee flowers appear as 12 to 30 inch clusters containing both male and female flowers on the terminal ends of hardened off new growth. If there has been sufficient chilling and dryness during the winter there will generally be a larger portion of bloom instead of simply new growth.
Male flowers are the first to emerge and open. The fruit forms from the female flower that opens later than the male. When the flower is pollinated the ovary begins to swell. This is what becomes the actual lychee fruit. As the small lychee fruit develop many of the fruits will drop off of the tree from wind and some simply from natural attrition. A variety of insect pests can damage the stem on the newly developing fruit leading to drop off. With the advent of the summer rainy season (around mid-May in Florida) the fruits will begin to swell with juice and produce lots of sugars. Unlike many other tropical fruits, much of the size of a lychee is determined in the very last stage of development, just prior to its peak ripeness. An excellent indicator of ripeness in lychees is the flattening of the bumps on the surface of the skin, caused by the fruit swelling with juice and fructose. The dark red color (almost purplish) is a good indicator of maturity along with fruit size.
Lychee flowers are pollinated by bees and various fly species. Isolated or single lychee trees will usually set acceptable amounts of fruit. However, recent research has demonstrated that under some conditions, cross-pollination among different cultivars may increase fruit set. Therefore, in some cases there may be an advantage to planting more than one variety.
The season of bearing is Mid-May to early July in Florida, depending upon variety. Mauritius is the major commercial cultivar and bears more regularly than Brewster, which is the second most commonly grown cultivar.
Young trees are damaged at temperatures of 28° to 32°F, while temperatures down to 24° to 25°F cause extensive damage or death to large trees if exposed for several hours. Lychee trees are moderately drought tolerant. However, newly planted lychee trees should be irrigated regularly during establishment. In the home landscape, trees will perform well without supplemental irrigation after trees are established. For more consistent cropping of mature trees, withholding irrigation after September until bloom to enhance the amount of flowering. This encourages dormancy (not a true dormancy) throughout the winter months. It is important to water during fruit set through harvest to enhance fruit quality and yields. In my case our lychee tree gets watered by the same sprinkler that waters the grass.
Young lychee trees are sometimes difficult to establish in windy sites, and exposure to constant winds may result in tattered leaves, stunted shoot growth, and stem dieback. If possible, trees should be planted in wind-protected sites or protected from wind by surrounding trees or with light shade cloth which has been attached to wire fencing. Lychee trees do not come true from seed, and seedling trees may take 10 or more years to bear fruit. Air layering is the most common method of propagation in Florida. In general, the larger the limb, the easier it is to air layer. Grafting (usually cleft or veneer) and budding onto lychee seedlings or air layers
is possible but is not as common as air layering alone. Air-layered or grafted trees begin to bear fruit in 3 to 5 years.
Unreliable bearing is the major constraint to lychee production. Cultivars vary greatly in their bearing habit. Most trees bear a good crop only about 1 year out of 3 or 4. In contrast, well-cared-for, mature Mauritius trees may bear every year, with good yields in alternating years. The trees grow best in well-drained soils. Of the soils of southern Florida, lychee trees grow best in acid sands with moderate-organic-matter content. Trees grow well in the muck soils, but usually do not
fruit well because of excessive vegetative (shoot and leaf) growth. Sandy soils with low-organic-matter content are suitable if sufficient fertilizers are supplied.
Many areas in Florida are within 7 ft or so of the water table and experience occasional flooding after heavy rainfall events. To improve plant survival consider planting fruit trees on a 2 to 3 ft high by 4 to 10 ft diameter mound of native soil.
The three most popular varieties grown in south Florida are the Brewster, Hak Ip and Mauritius, my own lychee tree is none of these, but is a Sweet Clift). The fruits are harvested by cutting the main stem bearing the fruit clusters several inches behind the fruit clusters. Fruit may or may not be detached from the fruit clusters before storage. Lychee fruit must be ripened on the tree for best flavor. Lychee are an excellent fresh fruit and are best consumed as soon after harvest as possible. Fresh fruit may be stored in polyethylene bags in the
refrigerator for 5 to 10 days and retain reasonable color and freshness. Fruit may be frozen whole (in the peel), canned (without the peel), and dried (in the peel) for later use. In the home landscape, the lychee makes a beautiful specimen tree which provides fruit, aesthetics, and shade.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:18 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] MATTHIAS AN ALLEGED REPLACEMENT FOR JUDAS:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [116B]
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4 – 7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, love for Almighty God (YHWH) motivates us to live and endure in our love for him per 1 Peter 4:10 – 12, [AV] “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
[2] MATTHIAS AN ALLEGED REPLACEMENT FOR JUDAS:
INTRODUCTION:
Some make wild claims for the maybe Apostle Matthias such as he was a successor to the Apostle Peter which is prima facia false as he was a contemporary of the Apostle Peter. In fact he is mentioned only two places in the entire Bible and both of these were in the Book of Acts written by the Apostle Paul. Let's look at these two in context.
Acts 1:20-26,
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein: and, His office let another take.
21 Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection.
23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen,
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (American Standard Version; ASV).
WHAT AN ENCYCLOPEDIA SAYS ON MATTHIAS:
<<<"In the New Testament Acts of the Apostles, the author of the Gospel of Luke records that Matthias was the Apostle chosen by the remaining eleven apostles to replace Judas Iscariot, following Judas's betrayal of Jesus and his suicide (Acts 1:21-26).
Though there is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of disciples in the three synoptic gospels. According to Acts 1, in the days following the Ascension of Jesus, Peter proposed to the assembled disciples, who numbered about one hundred and twenty, that they choose one to fill the place of the traitor Judas in the apostolate:
23.So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24.Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25.to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." 26.Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Eduard Zeller declared this narrative inconsistent with the history of the Apostles' movements, in that the Apostles were in Galilee after the Crucifixion. The Acts of the Apostles clearly states (i.12) that they returned to Jerusalem.
No further information about Matthias is to be found in the canonical New Testament. Even his name is variable: the Syriac version of Eusebius calls him throughout not Matthias but "Tolmai", i.e. Bartholomew, without confusing him with the Bartholomew who was originally one of the twelve Apostles; Clement of Alexandria says some identified him with Zacchaeus; the Clementine Recognitions identify him with Barnabas; Hilgenfeld thinks he is the same as Nathanael in the Gospel of John.
According to Nicephorus (Historia eccl., 2, 40), Matthias first preached the Gospel in Judea, then in Ethiopia (made out to be a synonym for the geographically quite separate Colchis, now Caucasian Georgia) and was crucified in Colchis. A marker placed in the ruins of the Roman fortress at Gonio (Apsaros) in the modern Georgian region of Adjara claims that Matthias is buried at that site.
The Synopsis of Dorotheus contains this tradition:
Matthias in interiore Æthiopia, ubi Hyssus maris portus et Phasis fluvius est, hominibus barbaris et carnivoris praedicavit Evangelium. Mortuus est autem in Sebastopoli, ibique prope templum Solis sepultus. ("Matthias preached the Gospel to barbarians and meat-eaters in the interior of Ethiopia, where the sea harbor of Hyssus is, at the mouth of the river Phasis. He died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun.")
An extant Coptic Acts of Andrew and Matthias, places his activity similarly in "the city of the cannibals" in Ethiopia.
Alternately, another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the Jews, and then beheaded (cf. Tillemont, Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire ecclesiastique des six premiers siècles, I, 406-7).
According to Hippolytus of Rome, Matthias died of old age in Jerusalem.
Clement of Alexandria observed (Stromateis vi.13.):
Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by Him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them, on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas. [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
So as we can see, he was simply just a chosen replacement for the traitor Judas and nothing more.
UNDERSTANDING FROM THE BIBLE ON MITTHIAS:
Let's look at the Bible and see what it says,
Acts 1:23-26,
And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen,
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (ASV).
As we can see, two canidates, Joseph called Barsabbas and Matthias were put forth as candidates per Acts 1:23; and lots were thrown and they fell to Matthias as the replacement for Judas per Acts 1:26.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [116B]
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4 – 7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, love for Almighty God (YHWH) motivates us to live and endure in our love for him per 1 Peter 4:10 – 12, [AV] “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
[2] MATTHIAS AN ALLEGED REPLACEMENT FOR JUDAS:
INTRODUCTION:
Some make wild claims for the maybe Apostle Matthias such as he was a successor to the Apostle Peter which is prima facia false as he was a contemporary of the Apostle Peter. In fact he is mentioned only two places in the entire Bible and both of these were in the Book of Acts written by the Apostle Paul. Let's look at these two in context.
Acts 1:20-26,
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein: and, His office let another take.
21 Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection.
23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen,
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (American Standard Version; ASV).
WHAT AN ENCYCLOPEDIA SAYS ON MATTHIAS:
<<<"In the New Testament Acts of the Apostles, the author of the Gospel of Luke records that Matthias was the Apostle chosen by the remaining eleven apostles to replace Judas Iscariot, following Judas's betrayal of Jesus and his suicide (Acts 1:21-26).
Though there is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of disciples in the three synoptic gospels. According to Acts 1, in the days following the Ascension of Jesus, Peter proposed to the assembled disciples, who numbered about one hundred and twenty, that they choose one to fill the place of the traitor Judas in the apostolate:
23.So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24.Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25.to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." 26.Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Eduard Zeller declared this narrative inconsistent with the history of the Apostles' movements, in that the Apostles were in Galilee after the Crucifixion. The Acts of the Apostles clearly states (i.12) that they returned to Jerusalem.
No further information about Matthias is to be found in the canonical New Testament. Even his name is variable: the Syriac version of Eusebius calls him throughout not Matthias but "Tolmai", i.e. Bartholomew, without confusing him with the Bartholomew who was originally one of the twelve Apostles; Clement of Alexandria says some identified him with Zacchaeus; the Clementine Recognitions identify him with Barnabas; Hilgenfeld thinks he is the same as Nathanael in the Gospel of John.
According to Nicephorus (Historia eccl., 2, 40), Matthias first preached the Gospel in Judea, then in Ethiopia (made out to be a synonym for the geographically quite separate Colchis, now Caucasian Georgia) and was crucified in Colchis. A marker placed in the ruins of the Roman fortress at Gonio (Apsaros) in the modern Georgian region of Adjara claims that Matthias is buried at that site.
The Synopsis of Dorotheus contains this tradition:
Matthias in interiore Æthiopia, ubi Hyssus maris portus et Phasis fluvius est, hominibus barbaris et carnivoris praedicavit Evangelium. Mortuus est autem in Sebastopoli, ibique prope templum Solis sepultus. ("Matthias preached the Gospel to barbarians and meat-eaters in the interior of Ethiopia, where the sea harbor of Hyssus is, at the mouth of the river Phasis. He died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun.")
An extant Coptic Acts of Andrew and Matthias, places his activity similarly in "the city of the cannibals" in Ethiopia.
Alternately, another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the Jews, and then beheaded (cf. Tillemont, Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire ecclesiastique des six premiers siècles, I, 406-7).
According to Hippolytus of Rome, Matthias died of old age in Jerusalem.
Clement of Alexandria observed (Stromateis vi.13.):
Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by Him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them, on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas. [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
So as we can see, he was simply just a chosen replacement for the traitor Judas and nothing more.
UNDERSTANDING FROM THE BIBLE ON MITTHIAS:
Let's look at the Bible and see what it says,
Acts 1:23-26,
And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen,
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (ASV).
As we can see, two canidates, Joseph called Barsabbas and Matthias were put forth as candidates per Acts 1:23; and lots were thrown and they fell to Matthias as the replacement for Judas per Acts 1:26.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Thu Jan 09, 2020 4:52 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES – Mabolo With the Scripture of the Day first.
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [117B]
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should prove our brotherly love mentioned at Hebrews 13:1, [AV] “Let brotherly love continue.” By remaining morally chaste per 1 Timothy 5:1 – 2, [AV] “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” We should strive to show brotherly love to all in the faith, and not seek to take advantage of them per 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – 8, [AV] “Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Mabolo
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Mabolo, Velvet Apple or (locally) Kamagong (Diospyros blancoi) 'Butter fruit' (Singapore) is a plant of the genus of ebony trees and persimmons, Diospyros. Its edible fruit has a skin covered in a fine, velvety fur which is usually reddish-brown, and soft, creamy, pink flesh, with a taste and aroma comparable to fruit cream cheese (the aroma of the fruit itself, however, is unpleasant, comparable to rotten cheese or cat feces; inspiring names like the French "Caca de Chat" in Reunion). It is native to the Philippines, where kamagong usually refers to the entire tree, and mabolo is applied to the fruit. Velvet apple trees rarely found in Sri Lanka too.
Cultivation
It is a dioecious tropical tree that grows well in in a diversity of soil, from the sea level to the 2,400 feet above sea level. Seed trees are normally planted 30 or 45 feet from each other; this one can be planted from 25 to 30 feet from each other. It needs a good distribution of rainfall through the year. Trees that were planted by seeds could take 6 or 7 years to give out fruit, but trees that were propagated by cuttings produce fruit in 3 or 4 years. It is a very productive tree. In Puerto Rico it produces through the months of August and October. In Cebu, Philippines there is a barangay named after the fruit itself. In Bangladesh it is known as 'bilati gab' (=foreign gab), to distinguish it from 'gab' (Diospyros peregrina).
The fact that fruits vary greatly - in shape, color, hairiness and taste - suggests that there is a great deal of genetic variation in the plant. Seedless cultivars exist, and are highly favored since in the normal varieties the large seeds occupy a considerable volume of the fruit. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_blancoi on 1/19/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To view pictures of this tree and its fruit, go to,
1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_980601-4322_Diospyros_discolor.jpg
2 - https://www.google.com/search?q=diospyros+discolor&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Vuz&tbo=u&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wvD6UJmHD5Lr0QHe1oCQCw&ved=0CDMQsAQ&biw=1152&bih=720
How this tree and other plants absorb water from the ground. Plants have developed an effective system to absorb, translocate, store, and utilize water. Plants contain a vast network of conduits, which consists of xylem and phloem tissues. These conducting tissues start in the roots and continue up through the trunks of trees, into the branches and then into every leaf. Phloem tissue is made of living elongated cells that are connected to one another and responsible for translocating nutrients and sugars (carbohydrates), which are produced by leaves for energy and growth. The xylem is also composed of elongated cells but once the cells are formed, they die. The walls of the xylem cells still remain intact and serve as an excellent peipline to transport water from the roots to the leaves.
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=follow-up-how-do-trees-ca ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [117B]
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should prove our brotherly love mentioned at Hebrews 13:1, [AV] “Let brotherly love continue.” By remaining morally chaste per 1 Timothy 5:1 – 2, [AV] “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” We should strive to show brotherly love to all in the faith, and not seek to take advantage of them per 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – 8, [AV] “Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Mabolo
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Mabolo, Velvet Apple or (locally) Kamagong (Diospyros blancoi) 'Butter fruit' (Singapore) is a plant of the genus of ebony trees and persimmons, Diospyros. Its edible fruit has a skin covered in a fine, velvety fur which is usually reddish-brown, and soft, creamy, pink flesh, with a taste and aroma comparable to fruit cream cheese (the aroma of the fruit itself, however, is unpleasant, comparable to rotten cheese or cat feces; inspiring names like the French "Caca de Chat" in Reunion). It is native to the Philippines, where kamagong usually refers to the entire tree, and mabolo is applied to the fruit. Velvet apple trees rarely found in Sri Lanka too.
Cultivation
It is a dioecious tropical tree that grows well in in a diversity of soil, from the sea level to the 2,400 feet above sea level. Seed trees are normally planted 30 or 45 feet from each other; this one can be planted from 25 to 30 feet from each other. It needs a good distribution of rainfall through the year. Trees that were planted by seeds could take 6 or 7 years to give out fruit, but trees that were propagated by cuttings produce fruit in 3 or 4 years. It is a very productive tree. In Puerto Rico it produces through the months of August and October. In Cebu, Philippines there is a barangay named after the fruit itself. In Bangladesh it is known as 'bilati gab' (=foreign gab), to distinguish it from 'gab' (Diospyros peregrina).
The fact that fruits vary greatly - in shape, color, hairiness and taste - suggests that there is a great deal of genetic variation in the plant. Seedless cultivars exist, and are highly favored since in the normal varieties the large seeds occupy a considerable volume of the fruit. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_blancoi on 1/19/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To view pictures of this tree and its fruit, go to,
1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_980601-4322_Diospyros_discolor.jpg
2 - https://www.google.com/search?q=diospyros+discolor&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Vuz&tbo=u&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wvD6UJmHD5Lr0QHe1oCQCw&ved=0CDMQsAQ&biw=1152&bih=720
How this tree and other plants absorb water from the ground. Plants have developed an effective system to absorb, translocate, store, and utilize water. Plants contain a vast network of conduits, which consists of xylem and phloem tissues. These conducting tissues start in the roots and continue up through the trunks of trees, into the branches and then into every leaf. Phloem tissue is made of living elongated cells that are connected to one another and responsible for translocating nutrients and sugars (carbohydrates), which are produced by leaves for energy and growth. The xylem is also composed of elongated cells but once the cells are formed, they die. The walls of the xylem cells still remain intact and serve as an excellent peipline to transport water from the roots to the leaves.
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=follow-up-how-do-trees-ca ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sat Jan 11, 2020 5:40 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2][ DISCOURSE ON SOUND DOCTRINE REALLY DOES MATTER. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [118B]
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should strive to develop a positive attitude, and to show brotherly love per 1 Thessalonians 5:14 – 15, [AV] “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” Doing so will help us survive the approaching conclusion of the end times per Luke 21:25 – 28, [AV] “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON SOUND DOCTRINE REALLY DOES MATTER:
INTRODUCTION;
Many feel to day that they can just believe anything they want and that God (YHWH) will consider this okay, and that sound doctrine does not matter. Obviously this was NOT the thinking of the Apostle Paul as shown by Titus 2:1, "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:" (Authorized King James Bible; AV). He clearly considered it of the utmost importance that we stick to what is sound doctrine as shown also at Titus 1:1-2, "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" (AV) clearly showing that we must acknowledge the truth if we are to obtain the hope of eternal life and hence not rest our hopes on lies, a point reaffirmed at Job 11:4, "For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes." (AV).
This fact is reaffirmed in the new testament at 1 Timothy 1:3, "As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine," (AV); and re-affirmed at 1 Timothy 1:10, "For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;" (AV); and at 1 Timothy 4:6, "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." (AV); and at 1 Timothy 6:1, "Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." (AV); and at 1 Timothy 6:3, "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;" (AV).
LET'S LOOK AT ONE EXAMPLE OF A FALSE DOCTRINE, THE TRINITY:
This false doctrine is defined in The Cyclopoedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York 1871, by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Vol. II, page 560-561, states, "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the
persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.....The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal...So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty...So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God...The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding...And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. So that in all things, as is afore said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity." [this is the Athanasian Creed quoted in the above mentioned Cyclopoedia].
This doctrine clearly states that the three persons are coeternal together, and coequal, but the scriptures clearly show otherwise. Take for example the two scriptures, John 5:26 and John 6:57:
John 5:26, "For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:" (American Standard Version; ASV)
John 6:57, "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me." (ASV).
Clearly show that no co-equality exist with respect Jesus (Yeshua) and his Father, Almighty God (YHWH). This is impossible as Jesus (Yeshua) himself testified that the "Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son" which would be of course would be impossible if they were as this false doctrine falsely claims that they are coeternal and coequal.
Likewise, Jesus (Yeshua) clearly states, "I live because of the Father" which would of course not be the case if they were as this false doctrine falsely claims that they are coeternal and coequal. To further emphasis the fact that that he was NOT coequal with his Father (YHWH), Jesus (Yeshua) testified at John 14:28, "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." (AV) to show his Father (YHWH) was greater than himself; hence, NOT coequal as the false doctrine of the Trinity claims.
However, the believers of this false doctrine are so adamant with respect to their belief in this false doctrine, they are deluded in believing certain scriptures in the old testament such as:
Deuteronomy 4:2, "You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB) and Deuteronomy 12:32, "What I command thee, that only do thou to the Lord: neither add any thing, nor diminish" (DRCB). However, these scriptures do NOT support their contended for false doctrine, but actually condemn those who believe in false doctrines and take away from the commandments of our God (YHWH). This fact is further testified to at 1 Timothy 1:10, "For fornicators, for them who defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and whatever other thing is contrary to sound doctrine:" (DRCB). They are in effect the ones the apostles warned against the coming of at 2 Timothy 4:3, "For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:" (DRCB).
And,
Psalms 89:27, [Psalms 88:28 in most Bibles], " And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth." (DRCB) and they link this with John 18:33-36, " Pilate therefore went into the hall again and called Jesus and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee up to me. What hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence." (DRCB). However, they fail to pay heed or comprehend to "And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth," which clearly shows a superior one, Almighty God (YHWH) putting his only begotten son in a superior place which would be unnecessary if they were coequal and coeternal. If these believers actually understood the scriptures they quote in support of their false doctrines, they would understand they did NOT support their false doctrine, but showed that it could NOT BE a true doctrine. Its like 2 Timothy 4:3 says, "For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:" (DRCB).
And,
Psalms 110:1, [In most Bibles this is 109-1], " <A psalm for David.> The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool." (DRCB). They mistakenly use this to lend support to their contention for their belief in false doctrine of the Trinity, but in reality, it shows their false doctrine has no basis in fact. How so? Well it clearly shows Almighty God (YHWH), the Lord, saying to his son Jesus (Yeshua), my Lord, to sit at his right hand which clearly shows just the opposite of coequality. Sitting at the right hand of power in ancient times signified the person second in command and not the supreme commander the Lord, Almighty God (YHWH). Clearly as can be seen, that Jesus (Yeshua) is sub servant to his Father, Almighty God, and this fact is reflected at 1 Timothy 6:1, "Whosoever are servants under the yoke, let them count their masters worthy of all honour; lest the name of the Lord and his doctrine be blasphemed." (DRCB). How so, Jesus (Yeshua) clearly testified to whose doctrines he preached at John 7:6, "Jesus answered them and said: My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." (DRCB); and Mark 6:2 shows the people were astonished when he taught them his Father's, Almighty God's (YHWH's) doctrines, "And when the Sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were in admiration at his doctrine, saying: How came this man by all these things? and what wisdom is this that is given to him, and such mighty works as are wrought by his hands?" (DRCB).
CONCLUSION:
As we have seen by using one false doctrine as an example, it is as Matthew 13:15, "For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." (DRCB); and as stated at 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them." (DRCB).
The believers in false doctrines are hearing but not believing or comprehending the truth. They are like when the apostles did not comprehend what Jesus (Yeshua) was saying about the leaven of the Pharisees as a parable at Matthew 16:11-12, " Why do you not understand that it was not concerning bread I said to you: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? 12 Then they understood that he said not that they should beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (DRCB); however, the apostles quickly comprehended, whereas, the present day believers in false doctrines do not.
So all true believers who have maintained solid doctrine in keeping with Titus 2:1, "But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:" (New King James Bible; NKJB), should now be per 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine" (DRCB). In other words, all true Christians must seek to teach the truth by rebuking in patience those with un-sound doctrine in keeping with the commission Christ put on all of his followers at Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (NKJB).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [118B]
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should strive to develop a positive attitude, and to show brotherly love per 1 Thessalonians 5:14 – 15, [AV] “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” Doing so will help us survive the approaching conclusion of the end times per Luke 21:25 – 28, [AV] “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON SOUND DOCTRINE REALLY DOES MATTER:
INTRODUCTION;
Many feel to day that they can just believe anything they want and that God (YHWH) will consider this okay, and that sound doctrine does not matter. Obviously this was NOT the thinking of the Apostle Paul as shown by Titus 2:1, "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:" (Authorized King James Bible; AV). He clearly considered it of the utmost importance that we stick to what is sound doctrine as shown also at Titus 1:1-2, "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" (AV) clearly showing that we must acknowledge the truth if we are to obtain the hope of eternal life and hence not rest our hopes on lies, a point reaffirmed at Job 11:4, "For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes." (AV).
This fact is reaffirmed in the new testament at 1 Timothy 1:3, "As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine," (AV); and re-affirmed at 1 Timothy 1:10, "For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;" (AV); and at 1 Timothy 4:6, "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." (AV); and at 1 Timothy 6:1, "Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." (AV); and at 1 Timothy 6:3, "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;" (AV).
LET'S LOOK AT ONE EXAMPLE OF A FALSE DOCTRINE, THE TRINITY:
This false doctrine is defined in The Cyclopoedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York 1871, by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Vol. II, page 560-561, states, "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the
persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.....The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal...So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty...So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God...The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding...And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. So that in all things, as is afore said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity." [this is the Athanasian Creed quoted in the above mentioned Cyclopoedia].
This doctrine clearly states that the three persons are coeternal together, and coequal, but the scriptures clearly show otherwise. Take for example the two scriptures, John 5:26 and John 6:57:
John 5:26, "For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:" (American Standard Version; ASV)
John 6:57, "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me." (ASV).
Clearly show that no co-equality exist with respect Jesus (Yeshua) and his Father, Almighty God (YHWH). This is impossible as Jesus (Yeshua) himself testified that the "Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son" which would be of course would be impossible if they were as this false doctrine falsely claims that they are coeternal and coequal.
Likewise, Jesus (Yeshua) clearly states, "I live because of the Father" which would of course not be the case if they were as this false doctrine falsely claims that they are coeternal and coequal. To further emphasis the fact that that he was NOT coequal with his Father (YHWH), Jesus (Yeshua) testified at John 14:28, "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." (AV) to show his Father (YHWH) was greater than himself; hence, NOT coequal as the false doctrine of the Trinity claims.
However, the believers of this false doctrine are so adamant with respect to their belief in this false doctrine, they are deluded in believing certain scriptures in the old testament such as:
Deuteronomy 4:2, "You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB) and Deuteronomy 12:32, "What I command thee, that only do thou to the Lord: neither add any thing, nor diminish" (DRCB). However, these scriptures do NOT support their contended for false doctrine, but actually condemn those who believe in false doctrines and take away from the commandments of our God (YHWH). This fact is further testified to at 1 Timothy 1:10, "For fornicators, for them who defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and whatever other thing is contrary to sound doctrine:" (DRCB). They are in effect the ones the apostles warned against the coming of at 2 Timothy 4:3, "For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:" (DRCB).
And,
Psalms 89:27, [Psalms 88:28 in most Bibles], " And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth." (DRCB) and they link this with John 18:33-36, " Pilate therefore went into the hall again and called Jesus and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee up to me. What hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence." (DRCB). However, they fail to pay heed or comprehend to "And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth," which clearly shows a superior one, Almighty God (YHWH) putting his only begotten son in a superior place which would be unnecessary if they were coequal and coeternal. If these believers actually understood the scriptures they quote in support of their false doctrines, they would understand they did NOT support their false doctrine, but showed that it could NOT BE a true doctrine. Its like 2 Timothy 4:3 says, "For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:" (DRCB).
And,
Psalms 110:1, [In most Bibles this is 109-1], " <A psalm for David.> The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool." (DRCB). They mistakenly use this to lend support to their contention for their belief in false doctrine of the Trinity, but in reality, it shows their false doctrine has no basis in fact. How so? Well it clearly shows Almighty God (YHWH), the Lord, saying to his son Jesus (Yeshua), my Lord, to sit at his right hand which clearly shows just the opposite of coequality. Sitting at the right hand of power in ancient times signified the person second in command and not the supreme commander the Lord, Almighty God (YHWH). Clearly as can be seen, that Jesus (Yeshua) is sub servant to his Father, Almighty God, and this fact is reflected at 1 Timothy 6:1, "Whosoever are servants under the yoke, let them count their masters worthy of all honour; lest the name of the Lord and his doctrine be blasphemed." (DRCB). How so, Jesus (Yeshua) clearly testified to whose doctrines he preached at John 7:6, "Jesus answered them and said: My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." (DRCB); and Mark 6:2 shows the people were astonished when he taught them his Father's, Almighty God's (YHWH's) doctrines, "And when the Sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were in admiration at his doctrine, saying: How came this man by all these things? and what wisdom is this that is given to him, and such mighty works as are wrought by his hands?" (DRCB).
CONCLUSION:
As we have seen by using one false doctrine as an example, it is as Matthew 13:15, "For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." (DRCB); and as stated at 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them." (DRCB).
The believers in false doctrines are hearing but not believing or comprehending the truth. They are like when the apostles did not comprehend what Jesus (Yeshua) was saying about the leaven of the Pharisees as a parable at Matthew 16:11-12, " Why do you not understand that it was not concerning bread I said to you: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? 12 Then they understood that he said not that they should beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (DRCB); however, the apostles quickly comprehended, whereas, the present day believers in false doctrines do not.
So all true believers who have maintained solid doctrine in keeping with Titus 2:1, "But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:" (New King James Bible; NKJB), should now be per 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine" (DRCB). In other words, all true Christians must seek to teach the truth by rebuking in patience those with un-sound doctrine in keeping with the commission Christ put on all of his followers at Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (NKJB).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND[2] LEARN ABOUT HOW TO COMFORT THE DEPRESSED. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [119B]
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should prove our brotherly love mentioned at Hebrews 13:1, [AV] “Let brotherly love continue.” By remaining morally chaste per 1 Timothy 5:1 – 2, [AV] “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” We should strive to show brotherly love to all in the faith, and not seek to take advantage of them per 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – 8, [AV] “Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”
[2] LEARN ABOUT HOW TO COMFORT THE DEPRESSED:
At the moment all experience depression from time to time as was brought out at Romans 8:22, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (American Standard Version; ASV). Many are depressed, and true Christians must per 1 Thessalonians 5:14, "And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all." (ASV).
Today, this distress is even greater, and more individuals are depressed than ever before. Of course this is no surprise to those who read the Bible and comprehend it. The Bible at 2 Timothy 3:1-5 shows this, "But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. From these also turn away." (ASV). Also, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ foretold this specifically at Matthew 24:3-14, " And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for [these things] must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of travail. 9 Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. 12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. 13 But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come" (ASV); and Luke 21:7-11, "And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign when these things are about to come to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am [he]; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them. 9 And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately. 10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven." (ASV).
Individuals who experience prolonged anxiety, fear, grief, or other negative emotions can become very depressed. In fact extreme depression or sadness can even lead to death. It can be caused by the death of a loved one, a divorce, the loss of a job, or an unrelenting sickness. Many become depressed when they develop a sense of worthlessness or consider themselves a failure. Anyone can develop a sense of hopelessness and be unable to see a way out of a bad situation, and this can result in severe depression.
Depression is not just a modern thing, but people in ancient times also experienced it as shown by Job as recorded at Job 10:1, "My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul." (ASV); and at Job 29:2-5, "Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me; 3 When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent; 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;" (ASV).
Today, many have become depressed because of. Overexerting themselves, trying to follow a daily routine that is.& beyond heir mental, emotional, and physical resources. Apparently, stress, coupled with negative thoughts and emotions, can affect the body and contribute to a chemical imbalance in the brain, thus producing depression. This is shown at Proverbs 14:30, "A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; But envy is the rottenness of the bones." (ASV).
GIVE HELP TO THE DEPRESSED ONES:
Epaphroditus, a first-century Christian from Philippi, be came "depressed because [his friends] heard he had fallen sick." Epaphroditus, When had become sick after being sent to Rome by his friends with provisions fp1" the apostle Paul, perhaps felt he had let his friends down and that they considered him a failure. This is shown at Philippians 2:25-27, " But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need; 26 since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick: 27 for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow." (ASV).
So what did the Apostle Paul do to help in this situation? He sent his friend Epaphroditius home, but with a letter to the Philippians congregation which said, as recorded at Philippians 2:28-30, "I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor: 30 because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me." (ASV). Thus by speaking highly of him, Paul assured that his congregation would welcome him with warmth and affection; thus assisting in relieving his depression.
This is in accord to the advice given in the Bible to at Philemon 1: 7, "For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother." (ASV). We need to show much love and comfort those who suffer from depression.
However the depressed individual often needs to take the initiative and seek out an empathetic person in whom to confide. This person should be a patient and good listener, and avoid lecturing the depressed individual or making judgmental statements.
This is especially so as the depressed one may feel worthless as Jonah did as shown at Jonah 4:3, "Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live." (ASV). The empathetic individual must assist the depressed one to realize how valuable he really is and how God (YHWH) values him/her. When Jesus (Yeshua) was on earth, many held him of no account, but his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) valued him dearly. As God (YHWH) loved his son as testified to at John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." (ASV); he loves you also.
Remember Jesus (Yeshua) pitied those in distress and tried to assist them to see their worth as shown at Matthew 9:36 and 11:28-30, "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd" (ASV) and "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (ASV)..
Of course, it may be hard for a person who is severly depressed and overwhelmed with his own weaknesses and shortcomings to really believe that God (YHWH) values hem, but no matter how unworthy he/she may feel, God (YHWH) does care as shown at 1 John 3:18-20, "[My] Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth. 19 Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: 20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." (ASV).
Indeed God (YHWH) our loving heavenly sees all our mistakes, but also, he knows of all the extenuating circumstances, our motives and intentions, and most of all our entire life course. Really, the fact that we experience grief and vexation is proof that we have not gone too far and can repent and be saved.
Romans 5:12 & 8:20 show, "Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:-- " (ASV) & "For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope" (ASV), clearly from these scriptures we can see that God (YHWH) sympathizes with our unfortunate plight, and he compassionately takes into consideration our weaknesses.
Psalm 103:8-14, "Jehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness. 9 He will not always chide; Neither will he keep [his anger] for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his lovingkindness toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." (ASV) clearly shown he is merciful and gracious. And as 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (ASV) he is there to comfort us.
The assistance and comfort that depressed ones need most comes from drawing close to their loving God (YHWH). We need to throw our burdens on his as revealed by Psalm 55:22, "Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved." (ASV) and Isaiah 57:15, "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite." (ASV). We can go to him in prayer with all of our burdens as testified to at 1 Peter 5:7, "casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. " (ASV); and as also assured at Philippians 4:6-7, " In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus." (ASV).
IN GOD'S (YHWH'S) NEW WORLD THERE WILL BE NO DEPRESSION:
Jesus (Yeshua) foretold and described the terrible things coming upon the earth in the culmination of the end times at Luke 21:23-28, but in a positive note, " Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh." (ASV). Here Jesus (Yeshua) spoke of the deliverance into God's (YHWH's) new world where righteousness would be enjoyed by all as affirmed at Romans 8:21, "
This will be a great relief for mankind, the being free of the burdens of the past and able to awaken each day in a righteous world with clear minds and eager to tackle the day's activity. There will no longer exist the former unrighteous things as they have passed away as testified to at Revelation 21:3-4, " And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God: 4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away." (ASV).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [119B]
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should prove our brotherly love mentioned at Hebrews 13:1, [AV] “Let brotherly love continue.” By remaining morally chaste per 1 Timothy 5:1 – 2, [AV] “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” We should strive to show brotherly love to all in the faith, and not seek to take advantage of them per 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – 8, [AV] “Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”
[2] LEARN ABOUT HOW TO COMFORT THE DEPRESSED:
At the moment all experience depression from time to time as was brought out at Romans 8:22, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (American Standard Version; ASV). Many are depressed, and true Christians must per 1 Thessalonians 5:14, "And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all." (ASV).
Today, this distress is even greater, and more individuals are depressed than ever before. Of course this is no surprise to those who read the Bible and comprehend it. The Bible at 2 Timothy 3:1-5 shows this, "But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. From these also turn away." (ASV). Also, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ foretold this specifically at Matthew 24:3-14, " And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for [these things] must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of travail. 9 Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. 12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. 13 But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come" (ASV); and Luke 21:7-11, "And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign when these things are about to come to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am [he]; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them. 9 And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately. 10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven." (ASV).
Individuals who experience prolonged anxiety, fear, grief, or other negative emotions can become very depressed. In fact extreme depression or sadness can even lead to death. It can be caused by the death of a loved one, a divorce, the loss of a job, or an unrelenting sickness. Many become depressed when they develop a sense of worthlessness or consider themselves a failure. Anyone can develop a sense of hopelessness and be unable to see a way out of a bad situation, and this can result in severe depression.
Depression is not just a modern thing, but people in ancient times also experienced it as shown by Job as recorded at Job 10:1, "My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul." (ASV); and at Job 29:2-5, "Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me; 3 When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent; 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;" (ASV).
Today, many have become depressed because of. Overexerting themselves, trying to follow a daily routine that is.& beyond heir mental, emotional, and physical resources. Apparently, stress, coupled with negative thoughts and emotions, can affect the body and contribute to a chemical imbalance in the brain, thus producing depression. This is shown at Proverbs 14:30, "A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; But envy is the rottenness of the bones." (ASV).
GIVE HELP TO THE DEPRESSED ONES:
Epaphroditus, a first-century Christian from Philippi, be came "depressed because [his friends] heard he had fallen sick." Epaphroditus, When had become sick after being sent to Rome by his friends with provisions fp1" the apostle Paul, perhaps felt he had let his friends down and that they considered him a failure. This is shown at Philippians 2:25-27, " But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need; 26 since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick: 27 for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow." (ASV).
So what did the Apostle Paul do to help in this situation? He sent his friend Epaphroditius home, but with a letter to the Philippians congregation which said, as recorded at Philippians 2:28-30, "I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor: 30 because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me." (ASV). Thus by speaking highly of him, Paul assured that his congregation would welcome him with warmth and affection; thus assisting in relieving his depression.
This is in accord to the advice given in the Bible to at Philemon 1: 7, "For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother." (ASV). We need to show much love and comfort those who suffer from depression.
However the depressed individual often needs to take the initiative and seek out an empathetic person in whom to confide. This person should be a patient and good listener, and avoid lecturing the depressed individual or making judgmental statements.
This is especially so as the depressed one may feel worthless as Jonah did as shown at Jonah 4:3, "Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live." (ASV). The empathetic individual must assist the depressed one to realize how valuable he really is and how God (YHWH) values him/her. When Jesus (Yeshua) was on earth, many held him of no account, but his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) valued him dearly. As God (YHWH) loved his son as testified to at John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." (ASV); he loves you also.
Remember Jesus (Yeshua) pitied those in distress and tried to assist them to see their worth as shown at Matthew 9:36 and 11:28-30, "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd" (ASV) and "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (ASV)..
Of course, it may be hard for a person who is severly depressed and overwhelmed with his own weaknesses and shortcomings to really believe that God (YHWH) values hem, but no matter how unworthy he/she may feel, God (YHWH) does care as shown at 1 John 3:18-20, "[My] Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth. 19 Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: 20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." (ASV).
Indeed God (YHWH) our loving heavenly sees all our mistakes, but also, he knows of all the extenuating circumstances, our motives and intentions, and most of all our entire life course. Really, the fact that we experience grief and vexation is proof that we have not gone too far and can repent and be saved.
Romans 5:12 & 8:20 show, "Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:-- " (ASV) & "For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope" (ASV), clearly from these scriptures we can see that God (YHWH) sympathizes with our unfortunate plight, and he compassionately takes into consideration our weaknesses.
Psalm 103:8-14, "Jehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness. 9 He will not always chide; Neither will he keep [his anger] for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his lovingkindness toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." (ASV) clearly shown he is merciful and gracious. And as 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (ASV) he is there to comfort us.
The assistance and comfort that depressed ones need most comes from drawing close to their loving God (YHWH). We need to throw our burdens on his as revealed by Psalm 55:22, "Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved." (ASV) and Isaiah 57:15, "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite." (ASV). We can go to him in prayer with all of our burdens as testified to at 1 Peter 5:7, "casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. " (ASV); and as also assured at Philippians 4:6-7, " In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus." (ASV).
IN GOD'S (YHWH'S) NEW WORLD THERE WILL BE NO DEPRESSION:
Jesus (Yeshua) foretold and described the terrible things coming upon the earth in the culmination of the end times at Luke 21:23-28, but in a positive note, " Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh." (ASV). Here Jesus (Yeshua) spoke of the deliverance into God's (YHWH's) new world where righteousness would be enjoyed by all as affirmed at Romans 8:21, "
This will be a great relief for mankind, the being free of the burdens of the past and able to awaken each day in a righteous world with clear minds and eager to tackle the day's activity. There will no longer exist the former unrighteous things as they have passed away as testified to at Revelation 21:3-4, " And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God: 4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away." (ASV).
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] DISCOURSE ON SOME CONTINUE TO RATIONALIZE SO AS TO AVOID REALITY. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [120B]
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13:5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
The Apostle Paul was speaking here of brothers who had been imprisoned for their faith like himself. At Philippians 1:12 – 14, [AV] “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” The Apostle Paul made clear how we should show brotherly love to those unjustly being punished at Hebrews 10:34 – 39, [AV] “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” We should make fervent prayer for such ones as shown by Hebrews 13:18 – 19, [AV] “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON SOME CONTINUE TO RATIONALIZE SO AS TO AVOID REALITY"
INTRODUCTION:
Some would rather rationalize so as to avoid reality with respect their pet belief when it has been shown to be a myth or legend that came from pagans rather than accept Bible facts and reality.
One good example of this is with respect the Trinity God (YHWH) dishonoring false doctrine which is defined as:
WHO THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS (YESHUA) IS VS. WHAT RATIONALIZERS SAY:
As we can see from the definition given above, for a Trinity to exist in reality the various members must be coequal and coeternal. Of course we all know a father must exist before a son. Yet this false doctrine even denies this elementary fact. But let's see what the Bible says with respect to whom Jesus (Yeshua) is and compare it with what one rationalizer said:
The rationalizer said,
However, the Bible clearly states, at numerous places the following:
Matthew 4:3 - [Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB]
And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the SonofGod, command that these stones be made bread.
Matthew 4:6 - [DRCB]
And said to him: If thou be the SonofGod, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Matthew 8:29 - [DRCB]
And behold they cried out, saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus SonofGod? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Matthew 14:33 - [DRCB]
And they that were in the boat came and adored him, saying: Indeed thou art the SonofGod.
Matthew 16:16 - [DRCB]
Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Sonof the living God.
Matthew 26:63 - [DRCB]
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the SonofGod.
Matthew 26:64 - [DRCB]
Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Sonof man sitting on the right hand of the power ofGod and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Matthew 27:40 - [DRCB]
And saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple ofGod and in three days dost rebuild it: save thy own self. If thou be the SonofGod, come down from the cross.
Matthew 27:43 - [DRCB]
He trusted in God: let him now deliver him if he will have him. For he said: I am the SonofGod.
Clearly, these verses show that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God (YHWH) and NOT God (YHWH) as the rationalizer wrongly claimed. Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) and as shown above, this is stated in many places. Some of which were previously given - all from the Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB::
THE RATIONALIZER THEN WRONGLY CLAIMED THAT IN EVEN THE FACTS CHANGED:
The rationalizer then wrongly claimed that this was only so on earth, but that they became one in heaven, but this is NOT in any way supported by the Bible. Let's look at what the rationalizer said and what the Bible, God's (YHWH's) word had to say, which is of course God's (YHWH's) standard for mankind:
The rationalizer said,
Your again are overlooking several facts as shown in the scriptures speaking of Jesus' (Yeshua's) place when he returned to heaven and they all show him sitting at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) and not that he was God (YHWH) who is his Father (YHWH), you are confused, see some of the scriptures which show this as follows:
Matthew 22:44 - [Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB]
The Lord said to my Lord: Sit on my righthand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool?
Matthew 26:64 - [DRCB]
Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the righthand of the power of God and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mark 14:62 - [DRCB]
And Jesus said to him: I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the righthand of the power of God and coming with the clouds of heaven.
Mark 16:19 - [DRCB]
And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the righthand of God.
Luke 22:69 - [DRCB]
But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the righthand of the power of God.
Acts 2:34 - [DRCB]
For David ascended not into heaven; but he himself said: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou on my righthand,
Acts 5:31 - [DRCB]
Him hath God exalted with his righthand, to be Prince and Saviour. to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins.
Acts 7:55 - [DRCB]
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the righthand of God.
Romans 8:34 - [DRCB]
Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died: yea that is risen also again, who is at the righthand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Ephesians 1:20 - [DRCB]
Which he wrought in Christ, raising him up from the dead and setting him on his righthand in the heavenly plActses.
Hebrews 12:2 - [DRCB]
Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who, having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the righthand of the throne of God.
CONCLUSION;
With regard to the Bible clearly stating that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God at the places shown previously and at many other places, we noted in all the above Scriptures it calls Jesus Christ (Yeshua) the Son of God; interesting since for if the Trinity was true, it would read God the Son instead of the Son of God. Since it reads the same in every translation I know of except one "feminists" biased Bible, where it reads Daughter of God which I am sure none of you would agree with. Therefore, it is self evident that Jesus is God's (YHWH) son and not God the Son as would be technically necessary for the trinity to be true. Also, for it to be true, they would have to be coeternal which they are not as shown at:
Colossians 1:15, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (DRCB).
And,
Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of God:" (DRCB).
Of course, all thinking individuals already know the fact that a father MUST pre-exist a son. God (YHWH) originally used faithful men as scribes to put his thoughts into the words of men; however, rationalizers have 1,000 of years tried to rationalize to suit their particular beliefs and myths that things are different. They do not want to accept the simple truth that God (YHWH) had his thoughts put into the words of men so we could understand/comprehend and not for them to twist per 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them." (DRCB).
Now with respect to their rationalizing that positions in heaven are different and that Jesus (Yeshua) becomes his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), this has previously been shown by the scriptures to be without any foundation in fact or reality. The scriptures clearly show he sits at the right hand of God (YHWH), and NOT that he is his Father, Almighty God (YHWH).
Of course, some rationalizers point to John 10:30, "I and the Father are one." (DRCB), and say, it says they are one. They fail to comprehend, that they are one in purpose just as we are with Jesus (Yeshua) if we are faithfully following his commandments contained in the Bible as revealed at John 17:11, "And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou hast given me: that they may be one, as we also are." (DRCB); and John 17:21, "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (DRCB); and John 17:22, "And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them: that, they may be one, as we also are one." (DRCB). Likewise they overlook John 14:28 where Jesus (Yeshua) clearly testifies his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) is greater than he is, "You have heard that I said to you: I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved me you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father: for the Father is greater than I." (DRCB). Nor do they comprehend 1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ: and the head of the woman is the man: and the head of Christ is God." (DRCB).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [120B]
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13:5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
The Apostle Paul was speaking here of brothers who had been imprisoned for their faith like himself. At Philippians 1:12 – 14, [AV] “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” The Apostle Paul made clear how we should show brotherly love to those unjustly being punished at Hebrews 10:34 – 39, [AV] “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” We should make fervent prayer for such ones as shown by Hebrews 13:18 – 19, [AV] “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON SOME CONTINUE TO RATIONALIZE SO AS TO AVOID REALITY"
INTRODUCTION:
Some would rather rationalize so as to avoid reality with respect their pet belief when it has been shown to be a myth or legend that came from pagans rather than accept Bible facts and reality.
One good example of this is with respect the Trinity God (YHWH) dishonoring false doctrine which is defined as:
This false doctrine is defined in The Cyclopoedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York 1871, by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Vol. II, page 560-561, states, "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.....The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal...So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty...So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God...The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding...And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. So that in all things, as is afore said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity." [this is the Athanasian Creed quoted in the above mentioned Cyclopoedia].[source - The Cyclopoedia of Biblical Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Volume II, Page 560-561]
WHO THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS (YESHUA) IS VS. WHAT RATIONALIZERS SAY:
As we can see from the definition given above, for a Trinity to exist in reality the various members must be coequal and coeternal. Of course we all know a father must exist before a son. Yet this false doctrine even denies this elementary fact. But let's see what the Bible says with respect to whom Jesus (Yeshua) is and compare it with what one rationalizer said:
The rationalizer said,
God is the ONLY one we are to worship-------------Jesus is to be worshipped--------therefore Jesus is God. The Bible is very clear in this regard if no other. The TRINITY expresses the BODY< SOUL< SPIRIT of the single essence we know as GOD. That is why we are said to be Created in the image of GOD. We ARE in fact a type of trinity.
We exist as body, soul, and spirit. The outward, the inward and our motivation. We are either children of GOD or children of the devil (motivation). We are either young, old, or decaying (our body). We are either alive, present with the Lord or in hell (our soul).
However, the Bible clearly states, at numerous places the following:
Matthew 4:3 - [Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB]
And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the SonofGod, command that these stones be made bread.
Matthew 4:6 - [DRCB]
And said to him: If thou be the SonofGod, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Matthew 8:29 - [DRCB]
And behold they cried out, saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus SonofGod? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Matthew 14:33 - [DRCB]
And they that were in the boat came and adored him, saying: Indeed thou art the SonofGod.
Matthew 16:16 - [DRCB]
Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Sonof the living God.
Matthew 26:63 - [DRCB]
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the SonofGod.
Matthew 26:64 - [DRCB]
Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Sonof man sitting on the right hand of the power ofGod and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Matthew 27:40 - [DRCB]
And saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple ofGod and in three days dost rebuild it: save thy own self. If thou be the SonofGod, come down from the cross.
Matthew 27:43 - [DRCB]
He trusted in God: let him now deliver him if he will have him. For he said: I am the SonofGod.
Clearly, these verses show that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God (YHWH) and NOT God (YHWH) as the rationalizer wrongly claimed. Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) and as shown above, this is stated in many places. Some of which were previously given - all from the Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB::
THE RATIONALIZER THEN WRONGLY CLAIMED THAT IN EVEN THE FACTS CHANGED:
The rationalizer then wrongly claimed that this was only so on earth, but that they became one in heaven, but this is NOT in any way supported by the Bible. Let's look at what the rationalizer said and what the Bible, God's (YHWH's) word had to say, which is of course God's (YHWH's) standard for mankind:
The rationalizer said,
The Bible says,Clearly, the verses that you provied (when you provide verses) are from and about Jesus while in HIS human incarnation. The body form of the GODHEAD became a person of flesh and blood and assumed the role of a servant. GOD can sympathize with man because through Jesus HE knows what it is to be a moral man. You keep telling us about pagan worship and their false beliefs. However, Satan is an IMITATOR of the truth. He twists it just enough to distort and confuse. Christ is GOD with us. Pagan religions have their own godheads and or trinities to mimic the truth and confuse the unbelieving-----keeping them lost.
God is the ONLY one we are to worship-------------Jesus is to be worshipped--------therefore Jesus is God. The Bible is very clear in this regard if no other. The TRINITY expresses the BODY< SOUL< SPIRIT of the single essence we know as GOD. That is why we are said to be Created in the image of GOD. We ARE in fact a type of trinity. We exist as body, soul, and spirit. The outward, the inward and our motivation. We are either children of GOD or children of the devil (motivation). We are either young, old, or decaying (our body). We are either alive, present with the Lord or in hell (our soul).
Your again are overlooking several facts as shown in the scriptures speaking of Jesus' (Yeshua's) place when he returned to heaven and they all show him sitting at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) and not that he was God (YHWH) who is his Father (YHWH), you are confused, see some of the scriptures which show this as follows:
Matthew 22:44 - [Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB]
The Lord said to my Lord: Sit on my righthand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool?
Matthew 26:64 - [DRCB]
Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the righthand of the power of God and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mark 14:62 - [DRCB]
And Jesus said to him: I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the righthand of the power of God and coming with the clouds of heaven.
Mark 16:19 - [DRCB]
And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the righthand of God.
Luke 22:69 - [DRCB]
But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the righthand of the power of God.
Acts 2:34 - [DRCB]
For David ascended not into heaven; but he himself said: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou on my righthand,
Acts 5:31 - [DRCB]
Him hath God exalted with his righthand, to be Prince and Saviour. to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins.
Acts 7:55 - [DRCB]
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the righthand of God.
Romans 8:34 - [DRCB]
Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died: yea that is risen also again, who is at the righthand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Ephesians 1:20 - [DRCB]
Which he wrought in Christ, raising him up from the dead and setting him on his righthand in the heavenly plActses.
Hebrews 12:2 - [DRCB]
Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who, having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the righthand of the throne of God.
CONCLUSION;
With regard to the Bible clearly stating that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God at the places shown previously and at many other places, we noted in all the above Scriptures it calls Jesus Christ (Yeshua) the Son of God; interesting since for if the Trinity was true, it would read God the Son instead of the Son of God. Since it reads the same in every translation I know of except one "feminists" biased Bible, where it reads Daughter of God which I am sure none of you would agree with. Therefore, it is self evident that Jesus is God's (YHWH) son and not God the Son as would be technically necessary for the trinity to be true. Also, for it to be true, they would have to be coeternal which they are not as shown at:
Colossians 1:15, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (DRCB).
And,
Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of God:" (DRCB).
Of course, all thinking individuals already know the fact that a father MUST pre-exist a son. God (YHWH) originally used faithful men as scribes to put his thoughts into the words of men; however, rationalizers have 1,000 of years tried to rationalize to suit their particular beliefs and myths that things are different. They do not want to accept the simple truth that God (YHWH) had his thoughts put into the words of men so we could understand/comprehend and not for them to twist per 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them." (DRCB).
Now with respect to their rationalizing that positions in heaven are different and that Jesus (Yeshua) becomes his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), this has previously been shown by the scriptures to be without any foundation in fact or reality. The scriptures clearly show he sits at the right hand of God (YHWH), and NOT that he is his Father, Almighty God (YHWH).
Of course, some rationalizers point to John 10:30, "I and the Father are one." (DRCB), and say, it says they are one. They fail to comprehend, that they are one in purpose just as we are with Jesus (Yeshua) if we are faithfully following his commandments contained in the Bible as revealed at John 17:11, "And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou hast given me: that they may be one, as we also are." (DRCB); and John 17:21, "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (DRCB); and John 17:22, "And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them: that, they may be one, as we also are one." (DRCB). Likewise they overlook John 14:28 where Jesus (Yeshua) clearly testifies his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) is greater than he is, "You have heard that I said to you: I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved me you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father: for the Father is greater than I." (DRCB). Nor do they comprehend 1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ: and the head of the woman is the man: and the head of Christ is God." (DRCB).
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Thu Jan 16, 2020 6:08 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - MACADAMIA INTEGRIFOLIA With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [121B]
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should strive to develop a positive attitude, and to show brotherly love per 1 Thessalonians 5:14 – 15, [AV] “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” Doing so will help us survive the approaching conclusion of the end times per Luke 21:25 – 28, [AV] “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
FOR AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY WHERE YOU CAN LEARN FOR FREE:
Who Jehovah, Jesus, and the angles are,
How the Bible can help a person,
Why God created humans,
Why suffering and evil exist.
How Jehovah intends to end suffering and death,
About the coming resurection,
How failed human governments will be replaced by God’s Kingdom
GO TO https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/online-lessons/
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Macadamia integrifolia
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Macadamia integrifolia, Maiden and Betche, is also known as the Queensland Nut, Australian Nut, and the smooth-shelled macadamia. It is an evergreen tree which, if grown in an isolated area, will reach a height of 60 feet and grow a canopy 50 feet wide. The petioled leaves grow in whorls of three and are coarsely dentate when young and when mature, they are stiff, obovate and vary from a few inches to 12 inches long, have a round apex and may have from 1 to 12 teeth on each side. The inflorescence is a 12-inch-long raceme which may contain from 100 to 300 flowers. The fruit is a very round drupe enclosed in a green pericarp (husk) up to 1¼" in diameter, which usually does not dehisce on the tree.
The family it belongs to, the Proteaceae family has about 55 genera and approximately 1200 species. It is one of the most consistent families in terms of consistent characteristics. Most of the species have a 4-parted perianth, showy racemes, 4 stamens and the fruit is usually a nut. The Macadamia genus all have whorled leaves, small bisexual flowers and a fruit which is a hard, round drupe or nut.
CULTIVARS
As the two main species, M. tetraphylla and M. integrifolia hybridize freely, a large number of cultivars have been developed, most of which have been given Hawaiian names such as Ikaika, Kakea, Mauka, Makai, Keaau, Keauhou, etc. Other cultivars are Elimbah, Sewell and Probert 2. Some of the many cultivars have such desirable qualities as being immune to anthracnose, wind-resistant, yielding a larger crop, etc., but for each positive feature, there are negative ones as well. Because of the ease with which these species can be hybridized and with the advances being made in genetic engineering, it is likely that a near-perfect cultivar will eventually be developed.
PROPAGATION
Seeds can be planted in order to obtain rootstock for grafting. To do this, the fruit should be collected within a few days of falling, put in a tray and dried in the shade where there is good air circulation. When the husk splits open, the nut can be removed and planted in a sterile medium, placing the nut so that the ventral suture, the slight 'crease' that runs from the hilum to the micropyle, is on its side. If you soak the seeds for a few days prior to planting, germination, which is normally 30 to 60 days, will be speeded up somewhat.
Grafting onto seedlings that are at least two years old is practiced. Such a grafted tree will take at least four more years before it bears fruit. The grafting is straightforward: the scions should be between ½ to ¾" in diameter and be taken from branches that had been girdled six to eight weeks previously. The graft itself can be either a side-wedge or a side veneer.
Air layering is much more feasible, as you can get fruit before three years. There is a physical advantage too in that the cutting obtained from the air layer can be planted deeper and additional roots will develop near the surface.
CULTIVATION
Except for two things, the macadamia is a most tolerant tree. It will continue to thrive whether there is too much or too little water, and in almost any kind of soil. What it can't stand is excessive winds or really long periods of hot, dry weather; neither condition is usual in most of our subtropical climates. Once it is established, it will tolerate temperatures down to 25°F (-3.5°C). In Hawaii there are commercial plantings as high as 2500 (800 M) and the trees are known to be productive up to 3600 feet (1200 m). In an article written for the CRFG, B.D. Spooner notes, what Mr. Arkin has observed here in South Florida, that climate is more important than soil in the growing of this tree. Whereas any type of soil seems to do, hot, dry conditions can severely limit growth and production.
The use of nutrients is something that needs to be determined by the grove owner, as the requirements will differ with the kind of soil. Generalized remarks on this subject are contradictory, though there is some agreement that nutrients during the first year can be harmful and any subsequent feeding that is necessary should be moderate.
Windbreaks are recommended, especially when the trees are young, and in the event of a very severe freeze, protective measures such as wrapping and insulating the trunks of very young trees should be taken.
In California, trees are planted 18' apart; in Hawaii from 30 to 36' apart. Harvesting, which can be done over a period of several months, is done from the ground. Various methods have been devised to simplify this process and 'catch' the nuts before they are mixed with fallen leaves and other debris, but none are very efficient. It is a job that simply must be done every day. The home grower should remove the husks and put the nuts in a tray with a screen bottom and let them dry out of the sun for two or three weeks. The nuts are dry when they are loose in their shell. The nuts can then be stored in plastic bags to prevent them from absorbing moisture, until they are ready to be used. For the commercial processing of the nuts, see the chapter on macadamias in Rosengarten's book listed below. (source - retrieved from http://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/Nuts/Macadamia7-91.htm on 1/20/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
The kernels of M. integrifolia contain 72% oil and 4% sugar; those of M. tetraphylla have a lower percentage of oil: 67.5 - 72% and a higher percentage of sugar: 6 to 8%. The nuts, which are still a gourmet item because of their price and scarcity, can be eaten raw, roasted or they are used as ingredients in cakes, confections and as part of such main dishes as Nutted Veal Steaks and Chicken Kiev Macadamia.
As the macadamias are self-pollinating, a backyard grower can put in a single tree to "...enjoy this rare delight, a very beautiful, delicate, white and lightly-aromatic bloom comes on early in spring. Six or seven months after bloom, one will harvest a fine cluster of fresh nuts." . (source - retrieved from http://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/Nuts/Macadamia7-91.htm on 1/20/2013)
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=follow-up-how-do-trees-ca ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [121B]
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should strive to develop a positive attitude, and to show brotherly love per 1 Thessalonians 5:14 – 15, [AV] “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” Doing so will help us survive the approaching conclusion of the end times per Luke 21:25 – 28, [AV] “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
FOR AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY WHERE YOU CAN LEARN FOR FREE:
Who Jehovah, Jesus, and the angles are,
How the Bible can help a person,
Why God created humans,
Why suffering and evil exist.
How Jehovah intends to end suffering and death,
About the coming resurection,
How failed human governments will be replaced by God’s Kingdom
GO TO https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/online-lessons/
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Macadamia integrifolia
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Macadamia integrifolia, Maiden and Betche, is also known as the Queensland Nut, Australian Nut, and the smooth-shelled macadamia. It is an evergreen tree which, if grown in an isolated area, will reach a height of 60 feet and grow a canopy 50 feet wide. The petioled leaves grow in whorls of three and are coarsely dentate when young and when mature, they are stiff, obovate and vary from a few inches to 12 inches long, have a round apex and may have from 1 to 12 teeth on each side. The inflorescence is a 12-inch-long raceme which may contain from 100 to 300 flowers. The fruit is a very round drupe enclosed in a green pericarp (husk) up to 1¼" in diameter, which usually does not dehisce on the tree.
The family it belongs to, the Proteaceae family has about 55 genera and approximately 1200 species. It is one of the most consistent families in terms of consistent characteristics. Most of the species have a 4-parted perianth, showy racemes, 4 stamens and the fruit is usually a nut. The Macadamia genus all have whorled leaves, small bisexual flowers and a fruit which is a hard, round drupe or nut.
CULTIVARS
As the two main species, M. tetraphylla and M. integrifolia hybridize freely, a large number of cultivars have been developed, most of which have been given Hawaiian names such as Ikaika, Kakea, Mauka, Makai, Keaau, Keauhou, etc. Other cultivars are Elimbah, Sewell and Probert 2. Some of the many cultivars have such desirable qualities as being immune to anthracnose, wind-resistant, yielding a larger crop, etc., but for each positive feature, there are negative ones as well. Because of the ease with which these species can be hybridized and with the advances being made in genetic engineering, it is likely that a near-perfect cultivar will eventually be developed.
PROPAGATION
Seeds can be planted in order to obtain rootstock for grafting. To do this, the fruit should be collected within a few days of falling, put in a tray and dried in the shade where there is good air circulation. When the husk splits open, the nut can be removed and planted in a sterile medium, placing the nut so that the ventral suture, the slight 'crease' that runs from the hilum to the micropyle, is on its side. If you soak the seeds for a few days prior to planting, germination, which is normally 30 to 60 days, will be speeded up somewhat.
Grafting onto seedlings that are at least two years old is practiced. Such a grafted tree will take at least four more years before it bears fruit. The grafting is straightforward: the scions should be between ½ to ¾" in diameter and be taken from branches that had been girdled six to eight weeks previously. The graft itself can be either a side-wedge or a side veneer.
Air layering is much more feasible, as you can get fruit before three years. There is a physical advantage too in that the cutting obtained from the air layer can be planted deeper and additional roots will develop near the surface.
CULTIVATION
Except for two things, the macadamia is a most tolerant tree. It will continue to thrive whether there is too much or too little water, and in almost any kind of soil. What it can't stand is excessive winds or really long periods of hot, dry weather; neither condition is usual in most of our subtropical climates. Once it is established, it will tolerate temperatures down to 25°F (-3.5°C). In Hawaii there are commercial plantings as high as 2500 (800 M) and the trees are known to be productive up to 3600 feet (1200 m). In an article written for the CRFG, B.D. Spooner notes, what Mr. Arkin has observed here in South Florida, that climate is more important than soil in the growing of this tree. Whereas any type of soil seems to do, hot, dry conditions can severely limit growth and production.
The use of nutrients is something that needs to be determined by the grove owner, as the requirements will differ with the kind of soil. Generalized remarks on this subject are contradictory, though there is some agreement that nutrients during the first year can be harmful and any subsequent feeding that is necessary should be moderate.
Windbreaks are recommended, especially when the trees are young, and in the event of a very severe freeze, protective measures such as wrapping and insulating the trunks of very young trees should be taken.
In California, trees are planted 18' apart; in Hawaii from 30 to 36' apart. Harvesting, which can be done over a period of several months, is done from the ground. Various methods have been devised to simplify this process and 'catch' the nuts before they are mixed with fallen leaves and other debris, but none are very efficient. It is a job that simply must be done every day. The home grower should remove the husks and put the nuts in a tray with a screen bottom and let them dry out of the sun for two or three weeks. The nuts are dry when they are loose in their shell. The nuts can then be stored in plastic bags to prevent them from absorbing moisture, until they are ready to be used. For the commercial processing of the nuts, see the chapter on macadamias in Rosengarten's book listed below. (source - retrieved from http://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/Nuts/Macadamia7-91.htm on 1/20/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
The kernels of M. integrifolia contain 72% oil and 4% sugar; those of M. tetraphylla have a lower percentage of oil: 67.5 - 72% and a higher percentage of sugar: 6 to 8%. The nuts, which are still a gourmet item because of their price and scarcity, can be eaten raw, roasted or they are used as ingredients in cakes, confections and as part of such main dishes as Nutted Veal Steaks and Chicken Kiev Macadamia.
As the macadamias are self-pollinating, a backyard grower can put in a single tree to "...enjoy this rare delight, a very beautiful, delicate, white and lightly-aromatic bloom comes on early in spring. Six or seven months after bloom, one will harvest a fine cluster of fresh nuts." . (source - retrieved from http://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/Nuts/Macadamia7-91.htm on 1/20/2013)
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=follow-up-how-do-trees-ca ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Join date : 2012-11-14 -
Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Wed Jan 22, 2020 7:00 am
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] DISCOURSE ON TRADITIONS THAT TRANSGRESS THE WORD OF GOD. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [123B]
And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: 13 And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die. Isaiah 22:12 – 13, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
And interesting scripture that many wrestle with as respect meaning. However, it is part of a series of scriptures pointing to the execution of Jesus (Yeshua), and his resurrection three days later. And 1 Corinthians 15:31 – 32, [AV] which says, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.” Where the Apostle Paul was emphasizing the fact that if the Son of God had not risen on the third day, his faith was in vain. He went on to say at 1 Corinthians 15:12 – 15, [AV] “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.” Clearly showing his faith was strong as Jesus (Yeshua) had indeed risen from the dead, and this is once more testified to at 1 Corinthians 15:3 – 4, [AV] “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
[2] DISCOURSE ON TRADITIONS THAT TRANSGRESS THE WORD OF GOD:
FIRST, There are two aspects with respect tradition and they are as follows:
(1) Tradition is not necessarily wrong, [b]It is only wrong if it contradicts what is written in God's (YHWH's) word the Bible.
(2) Tradition that contradicts the word of God (YHWH) is from the Devil and is part of what is spoken of at 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]." (American Standard Version; ASV)
SECOND, Let's look at the facts from God's (YHWH's) word the Bible instead of some eloquent but misleading writing by some organization which often try to rationalize error:
(1) First, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ clearly shows that when traditions transgress the word of God (YHWH) they are clearly wrong and the work of Satan the Devil per 2 Corinthians 4:4, as follows from Matthew 15:1-9, "Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given [to God]; 6 he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men." (ASV). Clearly, Jesus (Yeshua) unequivocally shows that traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH) are wrong.
(2) Second, at Matthew 7:6-13, "And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. 7 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men. 8 Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. 9 And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death: 11 but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given [to God]; 12 ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother; 13 making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do." (ASV). Clearly, once more Jesus (Yeshua) unequivocally shows that traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH) are just plain wrong and against the word of God (YHWH).
(3) Third, Colossians 2:4-8, "This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in him, 7 rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:" (ASV). Once more tradition that transgresses the word of God (YHWH) is clearly shown as just plain wrong.
So as can clearly be seen, all tradition that transgress the word of God (YHWH) regardless of its source is just plain wrong and against the word of God (YHWH). It does not matter from what source it eminates or how eloquent its rationalization sounds it is still just plain wrong and a work of Satan the Devil per 2 Corinthians 4:4 previously quoted. Tradition that transgress the word of God (YHWH) is nothing but seeds that fall on rocky ground warned against at Luke 8:4- "And when a great multitude came together, and they of every city resorted unto him, he spake by a parable: 5 The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. 6 And other fell on the rock; and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And other fell amidst the thorns; and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. 10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And those on the rock [are] they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. 16 And no man, when he hath lighted a lamp, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but putteth it on a stand, that they that enter in may see the light. 17 For nothing is hid, that shall not be made manifest; nor [anything] secret, that shall not be known and come to light. 18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinketh he hath." (ASV); and tradition that transgresses the word of God (YHWH) is like the tares of Matthew 13:24-43, "Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? 28 And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn. 31 Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof. 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened. 34 All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them: 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world. 36 Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil [one]; 39 and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, 42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear." (ASV), here Jesus (Yeshua) Christ clearly refers to the source of these tares, traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH) as the Devil.
So what should all true Christians do. They should reject ALL tradition that TRANSGRESSES THE WORD OF GOD (YHWH) regardless of its source or how eloquently it is rationalized and/or presented in keeping with Titus 2:1, "But speak thou the things which befit the sound doctrine:" (ASV).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [123B]
And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: 13 And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die. Isaiah 22:12 – 13, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
And interesting scripture that many wrestle with as respect meaning. However, it is part of a series of scriptures pointing to the execution of Jesus (Yeshua), and his resurrection three days later. And 1 Corinthians 15:31 – 32, [AV] which says, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.” Where the Apostle Paul was emphasizing the fact that if the Son of God had not risen on the third day, his faith was in vain. He went on to say at 1 Corinthians 15:12 – 15, [AV] “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.” Clearly showing his faith was strong as Jesus (Yeshua) had indeed risen from the dead, and this is once more testified to at 1 Corinthians 15:3 – 4, [AV] “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
[2] DISCOURSE ON TRADITIONS THAT TRANSGRESS THE WORD OF GOD:
FIRST, There are two aspects with respect tradition and they are as follows:
(1) Tradition is not necessarily wrong, [b]It is only wrong if it contradicts what is written in God's (YHWH's) word the Bible.
(2) Tradition that contradicts the word of God (YHWH) is from the Devil and is part of what is spoken of at 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]." (American Standard Version; ASV)
SECOND, Let's look at the facts from God's (YHWH's) word the Bible instead of some eloquent but misleading writing by some organization which often try to rationalize error:
(1) First, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ clearly shows that when traditions transgress the word of God (YHWH) they are clearly wrong and the work of Satan the Devil per 2 Corinthians 4:4, as follows from Matthew 15:1-9, "Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given [to God]; 6 he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men." (ASV). Clearly, Jesus (Yeshua) unequivocally shows that traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH) are wrong.
(2) Second, at Matthew 7:6-13, "And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. 7 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men. 8 Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. 9 And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death: 11 but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given [to God]; 12 ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother; 13 making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do." (ASV). Clearly, once more Jesus (Yeshua) unequivocally shows that traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH) are just plain wrong and against the word of God (YHWH).
(3) Third, Colossians 2:4-8, "This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in him, 7 rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:" (ASV). Once more tradition that transgresses the word of God (YHWH) is clearly shown as just plain wrong.
So as can clearly be seen, all tradition that transgress the word of God (YHWH) regardless of its source is just plain wrong and against the word of God (YHWH). It does not matter from what source it eminates or how eloquent its rationalization sounds it is still just plain wrong and a work of Satan the Devil per 2 Corinthians 4:4 previously quoted. Tradition that transgress the word of God (YHWH) is nothing but seeds that fall on rocky ground warned against at Luke 8:4- "And when a great multitude came together, and they of every city resorted unto him, he spake by a parable: 5 The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. 6 And other fell on the rock; and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And other fell amidst the thorns; and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. 10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And those on the rock [are] they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. 16 And no man, when he hath lighted a lamp, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but putteth it on a stand, that they that enter in may see the light. 17 For nothing is hid, that shall not be made manifest; nor [anything] secret, that shall not be known and come to light. 18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinketh he hath." (ASV); and tradition that transgresses the word of God (YHWH) is like the tares of Matthew 13:24-43, "Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? 28 And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn. 31 Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof. 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened. 34 All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them: 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world. 36 Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil [one]; 39 and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, 42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear." (ASV), here Jesus (Yeshua) Christ clearly refers to the source of these tares, traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH) as the Devil.
So what should all true Christians do. They should reject ALL tradition that TRANSGRESSES THE WORD OF GOD (YHWH) regardless of its source or how eloquently it is rationalized and/or presented in keeping with Titus 2:1, "But speak thou the things which befit the sound doctrine:" (ASV).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Thu Jan 23, 2020 7:31 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] FALSE RELIGION UNDER CONTROL OF THE GOD OF THIS SYSTEM, SATAN, IS RESPONSIBLE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FOR ALL THE VIOLENCE ON EARTH.. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [124B]
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, true faith is based on scriptural realities; to wit, all the promises that Almighty God (YHWH) had made to Abraham ALL came true. It is important that we know these scriptural realities are real unlike the so called realities of many that are nothing more than wishful thinking. AS Hebrews 6:19, [AV] shows, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” According to 1 Thessalonians 5:6, [AV] “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
[2] FALSE RELIGION UNDER CONTROL OF THE GOD OF THIS SYSTEM, SATAN, IS RESPONSIBLE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FOR ALL THE VIOLENCE ON EARTH.
AS Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) states at 1 John 5:19, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” [authorized King James Bible; AV]
LET’S LOOK AT THE FACTS:
FIRST, Almost all wars on earth have an underlying false religion cause. Some were so brazen caused by false religion as to be called Thirty Year War of Religion or War of Ethnic Cleansing. In fact the lust for violence that many members of Islam have that is responsible for 90 to 95% of the religiously inspired violence in the world today per the Weekender Australia. [source - The Weekend Australian, November 26-27, 2005 CE].
SECOND, Genuine true followers of the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua), love peace; whereas, those of false religions to a greater and/or lesser degree seek chaos. Proof of this reality are constantly in the news world wide with headlines such as Muslims kill Christians, Buddhist kill Muslims, etc., and in history such as the Inquisitions of the Catholic Church and the genocides of between 80 and 100 million Hindus and Buddhist by Muslims in greater India.
THIRD, Today in the world news, it is clear that where ever members of Islam go, violence quickly follows with the most recent cases being in Belgium, San Bernardino (California), and France. No one needs this violence often followed by gang rapes by the same group.
FOURTH, Members of false religion always want special privileges for themselves over others, just racism and bigotry, for themselves. In fact one of these actually said the following, “…every Muslim child should be in a state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. I would like to see Muslim children developing Cultural, linguistic and spiritual identities so that they could keep themselves away from western barbarity of anti-social behavior,” [source – Iftikhar of The London School of Islamics Trust].
FIFTH, Usually members of these violent false religious groups claim they pay taxes like everyone else, and this is usually true. HOWEVER, they fail to mention that they cost whatever country they are in more than they pay in taxes, plus many lives. How so, for security, repairing damage, chaos caused, etc.
SIXTH, Yes, many immigrants are good for a country in most cases, but NOT those who cause chaos and/or applaud it. True, most members of false religions are not violent, but only the radicalized ones. HOWEVER, those labeled moderates often applaud it. Witness, the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York and the murder of 3,000 individuals, only a small group actually committed the act, but many members of the false religion called moderates vigorously applauded it in many cities around the world where this false religion were the majority.
SEVEN, Many cry for this chaos and put forth various so called solutions such as more security. Of course this will NOT work since as long as the chaos creating religion is in an area there will be chaos just as when an apple starts to rot, the remainder can only be saved by complete removal of the rot. Politicians do NOT have the will to remove the chaos creating group from their country; so the only REAL solution is what is prayed for at Matthew 6:9 – 10, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” It behooves all right thinking ones to look forward to being part of the Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) Kingdom , and in order to do this they must become genuine followers of His son, the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua).
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
ADDENDUM – LATE ARRIVING DATA:
More truth from the world news on so called moderates, mentioned in item SIXTH, above, “…Muslim communities that have helped shield jihadis, and security services have had persistent problems conducting effective counterterrorism operations.” [source – New York Times article, ‘World leaders react with horror and issue calls or solidarity,’ written by Allsas j. Rubin, Auelien Breeden, and Anita Raghaven]
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [124B]
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, true faith is based on scriptural realities; to wit, all the promises that Almighty God (YHWH) had made to Abraham ALL came true. It is important that we know these scriptural realities are real unlike the so called realities of many that are nothing more than wishful thinking. AS Hebrews 6:19, [AV] shows, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” According to 1 Thessalonians 5:6, [AV] “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
[2] FALSE RELIGION UNDER CONTROL OF THE GOD OF THIS SYSTEM, SATAN, IS RESPONSIBLE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FOR ALL THE VIOLENCE ON EARTH.
AS Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) states at 1 John 5:19, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” [authorized King James Bible; AV]
LET’S LOOK AT THE FACTS:
FIRST, Almost all wars on earth have an underlying false religion cause. Some were so brazen caused by false religion as to be called Thirty Year War of Religion or War of Ethnic Cleansing. In fact the lust for violence that many members of Islam have that is responsible for 90 to 95% of the religiously inspired violence in the world today per the Weekender Australia. [source - The Weekend Australian, November 26-27, 2005 CE].
SECOND, Genuine true followers of the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua), love peace; whereas, those of false religions to a greater and/or lesser degree seek chaos. Proof of this reality are constantly in the news world wide with headlines such as Muslims kill Christians, Buddhist kill Muslims, etc., and in history such as the Inquisitions of the Catholic Church and the genocides of between 80 and 100 million Hindus and Buddhist by Muslims in greater India.
THIRD, Today in the world news, it is clear that where ever members of Islam go, violence quickly follows with the most recent cases being in Belgium, San Bernardino (California), and France. No one needs this violence often followed by gang rapes by the same group.
FOURTH, Members of false religion always want special privileges for themselves over others, just racism and bigotry, for themselves. In fact one of these actually said the following, “…every Muslim child should be in a state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. I would like to see Muslim children developing Cultural, linguistic and spiritual identities so that they could keep themselves away from western barbarity of anti-social behavior,” [source – Iftikhar of The London School of Islamics Trust].
FIFTH, Usually members of these violent false religious groups claim they pay taxes like everyone else, and this is usually true. HOWEVER, they fail to mention that they cost whatever country they are in more than they pay in taxes, plus many lives. How so, for security, repairing damage, chaos caused, etc.
SIXTH, Yes, many immigrants are good for a country in most cases, but NOT those who cause chaos and/or applaud it. True, most members of false religions are not violent, but only the radicalized ones. HOWEVER, those labeled moderates often applaud it. Witness, the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York and the murder of 3,000 individuals, only a small group actually committed the act, but many members of the false religion called moderates vigorously applauded it in many cities around the world where this false religion were the majority.
SEVEN, Many cry for this chaos and put forth various so called solutions such as more security. Of course this will NOT work since as long as the chaos creating religion is in an area there will be chaos just as when an apple starts to rot, the remainder can only be saved by complete removal of the rot. Politicians do NOT have the will to remove the chaos creating group from their country; so the only REAL solution is what is prayed for at Matthew 6:9 – 10, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” It behooves all right thinking ones to look forward to being part of the Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) Kingdom , and in order to do this they must become genuine followers of His son, the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua).
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
ADDENDUM – LATE ARRIVING DATA:
More truth from the world news on so called moderates, mentioned in item SIXTH, above, “…Muslim communities that have helped shield jihadis, and security services have had persistent problems conducting effective counterterrorism operations.” [source – New York Times article, ‘World leaders react with horror and issue calls or solidarity,’ written by Allsas j. Rubin, Auelien Breeden, and Anita Raghaven]
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
Admin- Admin
- Posts : 3722
Join date : 2012-11-14 -
Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sat Jan 25, 2020 1:17 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Madras Thorn With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [125B]
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Luke 8:10 – 11, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Jesus (Yeshua) went on to say at Luke 8:12 – 15, [AV] “Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Yes, we should according to Matthew 6:33, [AV] “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
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GO TO https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/online-lessons/
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Madras Thorn
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Madras Thorn Pithecellobium dulce
A small to medium-sized tree native to tropical America between southeastern Mexico and Peru, but widely cultivated elsewhere in tropical regions. It produces a spiny trunk, small leaves and small, white flowers, followed by curiously curled, red, edible and sweet seed pods with small, black seeds. Pithecellobium dulce makes a pretty ornamental for tropical regions. Zone 10 and higher outside. (source - retrieved from http://www.seedman.com/fruit.htm on //2013)
Pithecellobium dulce is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.[2] It is introduced and extensively naturalised in the Caribbean, Florida, Guam and Southeast Asia like Philippines. It is considered an invasive species in Hawaii.
It is known by the name "Madras thorn", but it is not native to Madras. The name "Manila tamarind" is misleading, since it is neither closely related to tamarind, nor native to Manila. It is called "seema chintakaya" in Telugu. The name "monkeypod" is more commonly used for the rain tree (Albizia saman). Other names include blackbead, sweet Inga,[2] cuauhmochitl (Nahuatl), guamúchil / cuamúchil / huamúchil (Mexico, Spanish), guamá americano (Puerto Rico) Makham thet Thai:
P. dulce is a tree that reaches a height of about 10 to 15 m (33 to 49 ft). Its trunk is spiny and its leaves are bipinnate. Each pinna has a single pair of ovate-oblong leaflets that are about 2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13 ft) long. The flowers are greenish-white, fragrant, sessile and reach about 12 cm (4.7 in) in length, though appear shorter due to coiling. The flowers produce a pod with an edible pulp. The seeds are black.
The seeds are dispersed via birds that feed on the sweet pod. It is drought resistant and can survive in dry lands from sea level to an elevation of 300 m (980 ft), making it suitable for cultivation as a street tree.
Uses
As food
The seed pods contain a sweet pulp that can be eaten raw or prepared as a smoothie.
Ecology
P. dulce is a host plant for the caterpillars of the red-bordered pixie (Melanis pixe), three-spot grass yellow (Eurema_blanda) and many other moths.[4]
Synonyms
This plant is known under numerous junior synonyms:[5]
* Acacia obliquifolia M.Martens & Galeotti
* Albizia dulcis (Roxb.) F.Muell.
* Feuilleea dulcis (Roxb.) Kuntze
* Inga camatchili Perr.
* Inga dulcis (Roxb.) Willd.
* Inga javana DC.
* Inga javanica DC.
* Inga lanceolata sensu Blanco
Inga lanceolata Willd. is Pithecellobium lanceolatum
* Inga leucantha C.Presl
* Inga pungens Willd.
* Mimosa dulcis Roxb.
* Mimosa edulis Gagnep.
* Mimosa pungens (Willd.) Poir.
* Mimosa unguis-cati Blanco
Mimosa unguis-cati L. is Pithecellobium unguis-cati
* Pithecellobium littorale Record
* Pithecollobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. (lapsus)
References
1. ^ "Pithecellobium dulce - (Roxb.) Benth. Guama Americano". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
2. ^ a b c "Taxon: Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1994-08-23. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
3. ^ Grandtner, Miroslav M. (2005). Elsevier's Dictionary of Trees: With Names in Latin, English, French, Spanish and Other Languages 1. Elsevier. pp. 670–671. ISBN 978-0-444-51784-5.
4. ^ "Red-bordered Pixie Melanis pixe (Boisduval, 1836)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
5. ^ INTERNATIONAL LEGUME DATABASE & INFORMATION SERVICE (ILDIS) (2005): Pithecellobium dulce. Version 10.01, November 2005. Retrieved 2008-MAR-30. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pithecellobium_dulce on //2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
View plant and fruit (bean) at, https://www.google.com/search?q=Madras+Thorn+Pithecellobium+dulce&hl=en&client=firefox&hs=Mop&rls=com.yahoo:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=bYhcUf_lA-aa0QGXk4CYBg&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=854
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [125B]
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Luke 8:10 – 11, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Jesus (Yeshua) went on to say at Luke 8:12 – 15, [AV] “Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Yes, we should according to Matthew 6:33, [AV] “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
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[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Madras Thorn
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Madras Thorn Pithecellobium dulce
A small to medium-sized tree native to tropical America between southeastern Mexico and Peru, but widely cultivated elsewhere in tropical regions. It produces a spiny trunk, small leaves and small, white flowers, followed by curiously curled, red, edible and sweet seed pods with small, black seeds. Pithecellobium dulce makes a pretty ornamental for tropical regions. Zone 10 and higher outside. (source - retrieved from http://www.seedman.com/fruit.htm on //2013)
Pithecellobium dulce is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.[2] It is introduced and extensively naturalised in the Caribbean, Florida, Guam and Southeast Asia like Philippines. It is considered an invasive species in Hawaii.
It is known by the name "Madras thorn", but it is not native to Madras. The name "Manila tamarind" is misleading, since it is neither closely related to tamarind, nor native to Manila. It is called "seema chintakaya" in Telugu. The name "monkeypod" is more commonly used for the rain tree (Albizia saman). Other names include blackbead, sweet Inga,[2] cuauhmochitl (Nahuatl), guamúchil / cuamúchil / huamúchil (Mexico, Spanish), guamá americano (Puerto Rico) Makham thet Thai:
P. dulce is a tree that reaches a height of about 10 to 15 m (33 to 49 ft). Its trunk is spiny and its leaves are bipinnate. Each pinna has a single pair of ovate-oblong leaflets that are about 2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13 ft) long. The flowers are greenish-white, fragrant, sessile and reach about 12 cm (4.7 in) in length, though appear shorter due to coiling. The flowers produce a pod with an edible pulp. The seeds are black.
The seeds are dispersed via birds that feed on the sweet pod. It is drought resistant and can survive in dry lands from sea level to an elevation of 300 m (980 ft), making it suitable for cultivation as a street tree.
Uses
As food
The seed pods contain a sweet pulp that can be eaten raw or prepared as a smoothie.
Ecology
P. dulce is a host plant for the caterpillars of the red-bordered pixie (Melanis pixe), three-spot grass yellow (Eurema_blanda) and many other moths.[4]
Synonyms
This plant is known under numerous junior synonyms:[5]
* Acacia obliquifolia M.Martens & Galeotti
* Albizia dulcis (Roxb.) F.Muell.
* Feuilleea dulcis (Roxb.) Kuntze
* Inga camatchili Perr.
* Inga dulcis (Roxb.) Willd.
* Inga javana DC.
* Inga javanica DC.
* Inga lanceolata sensu Blanco
Inga lanceolata Willd. is Pithecellobium lanceolatum
* Inga leucantha C.Presl
* Inga pungens Willd.
* Mimosa dulcis Roxb.
* Mimosa edulis Gagnep.
* Mimosa pungens (Willd.) Poir.
* Mimosa unguis-cati Blanco
Mimosa unguis-cati L. is Pithecellobium unguis-cati
* Pithecellobium littorale Record
* Pithecollobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. (lapsus)
References
1. ^ "Pithecellobium dulce - (Roxb.) Benth. Guama Americano". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
2. ^ a b c "Taxon: Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1994-08-23. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
3. ^ Grandtner, Miroslav M. (2005). Elsevier's Dictionary of Trees: With Names in Latin, English, French, Spanish and Other Languages 1. Elsevier. pp. 670–671. ISBN 978-0-444-51784-5.
4. ^ "Red-bordered Pixie Melanis pixe (Boisduval, 1836)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
5. ^ INTERNATIONAL LEGUME DATABASE & INFORMATION SERVICE (ILDIS) (2005): Pithecellobium dulce. Version 10.01, November 2005. Retrieved 2008-MAR-30. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pithecellobium_dulce on //2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
View plant and fruit (bean) at, https://www.google.com/search?q=Madras+Thorn+Pithecellobium+dulce&hl=en&client=firefox&hs=Mop&rls=com.yahoo:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=bYhcUf_lA-aa0QGXk4CYBg&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=854
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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[size=18COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE COMPARED TO REAL ONES IN THE QURAN AND THE BOOK OF MORMAN. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [126B]
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Acts 2:6 – 12, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
What had occurred? Almighty God’S (YHWH’S) Holy Spirit was poured out on them as testified to at Acts 2:2 – 4, [AV] “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” His active force, the Holy Spirit, had caused all here gathered to speak in foreign tongues to enable people from all lands gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost to gain understanding of divine things. This was In fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, at Joel 2:28 – 32, [AV] “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” Yes, this prophecy had been fulfilled.
[2] APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE COMPARED TO REAL ONES IN THE QURAN AND THE BOOK OF MORMAN:
It is high time that some start to realize that there are only apparent contradictions in the Bible, but when examined closely we find that these are all due to failure to comprehend what is being said, failure to understand the writing styles of the time the item was written, failure to understand the sentence construction of the ancient language, errors in translation, and biases on the part of the translator.
LET'S LOOK AT ONE EXAMPLE, MATTHEW 12:37-40 FROM WELL KNOWN:
"Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and {yet} no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (New American Standard Bible; NASB)
"Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (New International Version; NIV)
"Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (New King James Bible; NKJB)
"Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (King James Version; KJV)
APPARENT CONTRADICTION AND ITS EXPLANATION WITH REGARD TO MATTHEW 12:37-40:
Some see an error or contradiction in these scriptures related to the amount of time Jesus (Yeshua) was in the grave, but there is NONE. The true facts are:
"Yes, it does seem that way. We must remember that the Bible was written in other languages by cultures far removed from ours. Most alleged contradictions stem from a misunderstanding of certain terms and phrases. For example, Jesus predicted that He would be in the grave for "three days and three nights"(Matt.12:40). When we read the passion narratives, we see that He was crucified late Friday afternoon and that He rose from the dead, early on Sunday morning. It is impossible to get three days and three nights out of this, and I have seen many atheists refer to Jesus' prophecy as a "blatant error which completely destroys the credibility of the Bible."[source - I'd Like To Believe In Jesus, But...By Bob Siegel , Published by Campus Ambassador Press, A ministry of Mission To the Americas Wheaton, Illinois]
COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 12:37-40 EXPLAINING THESE SCRIPTURES:
For those who want a more detailed explanation, here is an exert from a well known commentary, Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament:
Verse 37
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Speech is one of the greatest endowments of humanity; and the greater the gift, the greater the sin of perverting it to unworthy purposes. It would be impossible to sum up all the sins of mankind in the area of sinful speech. It must appear even to casual thought of it that words, as used by millions, constitute the bulk of human shame and wickedness. James said, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also" (James 3:2). Beyond everything else, man should watch what he says. One's words can justify when they confess Christ, or teach the truth, or serve to make peace, bestow a blessing, or give encouragement; but on the other hand, when words condemn, cast a reflection, subvert the truth, utter profanity, vulgarity, hatred, or malice, or any one of a million other evil things - then such words bring the condemnation of those who speak them.
Verse 38
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.
This arrogant request came from a group who had already accused Jesus of being in league with the devil and who had already seen signs aplenty; but in this case, they were demanding a sign of their own choosing. Luke stated that they sought a "sign from heaven" (Luke 11:16). By that, they no doubt meant some spectacular wonder without moral value but which would appeal sensationally to a man's curiosity. Christ always rejected that type of sign, as, for example, when he refused to jump from the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4:6). In fact, there is more than a suggestion that the Pharisees' request for a sign was but a renewal of Satan's temptation of the Lord in the wilderness. Christ always refused to perform wonders for his enemies like Herod or the Pharisees. He did work miracles for the benefit of John's disciples (Luke 7:18-22), and raised Lazarus that the people might believe (John 11:42). For more on "a sign from heaven," see under Matthew 16:1.
Verse 39
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
The "adulterous generation" refers not merely to the morals of the people but to the rejection of Israel's covenant with their God. Barnes wrote:
The relation of the Jews to God was represented as a marriage contract with God as the husband and the Jewish people as his wife (Isa. 57:3; Hosea 3:1; Ezek. 16:15). Hence, their apostasy and idolatry are often represented as adultery.
The "sign of the prophet Jonah" refers to the resurrection of Christ, the greatest and most wonderful miracle of all time. Jesus' announcement of this "sign" at that time was actually a prophecy of his death, burial and resurrection. The Old Testament had plainly indicated the Messiah would rise from the dead (Psalms 16:10); but, in keeping with his usual methods, Christ again laid claim to Messiahship, but in such terminology, and in such analogies, that his enemies would not see it, or if they did, would be unable to prove what he meant!
Verse 40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The use of "whale" in this verse is in error; the Greek word is "sea-monster," as a glance at the English Revised Version (1885) margin will show; not that there is any essential difference, for the Bible states that "God prepared" a great fish (Jonah 1:17). In the book of Jonah is related also how God "prepared" a gourd (Jonah 4:6), a worm (Jonah 4:7), and a sultry east wind (Jonah 4:8)! Why it should be considered for God a more difficult matter to prepare a great fish than any of those other "preparations" is surely a mystery!
Regarding the truth of the Jonah narrative, it appears absolutely incredible that Christ, one of the Godhead, would have made a mere folk tale the principal prophecy and sign of his resurrection from the dead. We here register a protest against those expositors who are so wise above their Saviour in casting a reflection of doubt upon this astounding incident from the Old Testament. From Jesus' reference to it here, it appears that the experience of Jonah was an authentic event which God "prepared" to be a prophecy of a still greater one, the resurrection of Christ.
The question of "three days and three nights," as signifying the time of our Lord's remaining in the tomb, is one of the most widely discussed issues in the New Testament. An overwhelming number of scholars hold the conviction that the expression is a Hebrew idiom referring to any part of three days and nights which included an entire day, the two nights on either side of it, and portions of the other two days. The present custom of accepting a month to be 28, 30, or 31 days is held to be similar to the Hebrew custom of so loosely determining "three days and three nights." The traditional view that Christ was crucified on Friday and raised on Sunday draws its principal support from Matthew's word that Christ should be raised "the third day" (Matthew 16:21). This view asserts that if he was crucified on Thursday, and raised on Sunday, then he would have been raised on the fourth day.
In spite of the fact that a good case can be made out for the above explanation, some very respected students of God's word take another view. Torrey said, "There is absolutely nothing in favor of Friday crucifixion, but everything in Scripture is perfectly harmonized by Wednesday crucifixion." F12 Torrey's argument is the following: (1) Christ was crucified the day before the sabbath (Mark 15:42). (2) This does not necessarily mean the day before the ordinary sabbath, because the Jews always honored the day before the Passover (15th of Nisan) as a special "high" sabbath, no matter what day of the week it fell upon (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:7; Numbers 28:16-18). (3) The truly important question is, therefore, whether "day before the sabbath" refers to an ordinary Saturday, or the special "high" sabbath related to the Passover, and occurring on any day of the week, depending where the 15th of Nisan fell. (4) John's gospel plainly says it was "the preparation of the Passover" (John 19:14), and that it was "an high day" (John 19:31). These Scriptures plainly show that the ordinary sabbath was not meant. (5) Thus, Christ was crucified on the day before the "high day," or first day of Passover. Since the Passover (15th of Nisan) in the year 30 A.D. fell on Thursday, the "day before" would make it Wednesday on which Christ was crucified. (6) Scriptures supporting this view are: Christ said he would rise "after three days" (Mark 8:31). "After three days" he would rise again (Mark 9:31; 10:34). "This is now the third day since these things were done" (Luke 24:31). Whatever one thinks of Torrey's argument, it must be admitted that it is supported by more Scriptures than the traditional view.
Warning: devout souls will not be troubled by this question; for, if it had been necessary to know the day of the week, the Lord would have revealed it. Furthermore, to resolve this question finally and dogmatically, it would be positively necessary to know the exact year of our Lord's passion; and THAT is not certainly known. Not even the exact year of his birth can be determined. It can never be known what day of the week was the 15th of Nisan until the overriding question of WHAT YEAR is fixed. This, of course, is the weakness of Torrey's position. He takes the year 30 A.D. as the base of his calculations.
The heart of the earth is a figurative expression for the grave which is also called "the lower parts of the earth" (Psalms 63:9; Ephesians 4:9).[source - Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament, by Coffman, James Burton, Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.]
OTHER, SO CALLED HOLLY BOOKS, HOWEVER HAVE REAL CONTRADICTIONS, NOT JUST APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS:
Let's look at other so called Holy Books and see some real contradictions.
The eastern "scriptures" have no interest in history, because this is the world of illusion from which we are to be delivered. Ancient polytheistic religions likewise had no interest in history. Their gods acted only in myths, removed as far as possible from real history.
The Koran is almost entirely assertions of Allah. It has very little historical interface, and what there is contains clear inaccuracies.
Sura 26:55-60 says that the Israelites under Pharaoh were but "a scanty band" (in contrast to the multitude mentioned in Ex. 1:9) and that in leaving Egypt they forsook "their gardens and fountains and splendid dwellings" (in contrast to their slavery and hardship mentioned Ex. 1:11-14). This renders the whole motive for Israel's deliverance obscure.
Sura 5:119 reflects Muhammad's gross misunderstanding of the Trinity-that it is composed of the Father, Jesus and Mary.
The Book of Mormon makes many historical references, but it too is full of historical anachronisms and geographical inaccuracies.
1 Nephi 2:5-8 states that the river Laman emptied into the Red Sea. But there has never been any river that emptied into the Red Sea, either in historic or prehistoric times.
Alma 46:15 states that believers were called "Christians" back in 73 BC-fully seven decades before Jesus was even born![source - Xenos Christian Fellowship Christian Principles Unit 3: Provisions for Spiritual Growth]
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG ][/size]
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [126B]
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Acts 2:6 – 12, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
What had occurred? Almighty God’S (YHWH’S) Holy Spirit was poured out on them as testified to at Acts 2:2 – 4, [AV] “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” His active force, the Holy Spirit, had caused all here gathered to speak in foreign tongues to enable people from all lands gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost to gain understanding of divine things. This was In fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, at Joel 2:28 – 32, [AV] “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” Yes, this prophecy had been fulfilled.
[2] APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE COMPARED TO REAL ONES IN THE QURAN AND THE BOOK OF MORMAN:
It is high time that some start to realize that there are only apparent contradictions in the Bible, but when examined closely we find that these are all due to failure to comprehend what is being said, failure to understand the writing styles of the time the item was written, failure to understand the sentence construction of the ancient language, errors in translation, and biases on the part of the translator.
LET'S LOOK AT ONE EXAMPLE, MATTHEW 12:37-40 FROM WELL KNOWN:
"Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and {yet} no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (New American Standard Bible; NASB)
"Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (New International Version; NIV)
"Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (New King James Bible; NKJB)
"Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (King James Version; KJV)
APPARENT CONTRADICTION AND ITS EXPLANATION WITH REGARD TO MATTHEW 12:37-40:
Some see an error or contradiction in these scriptures related to the amount of time Jesus (Yeshua) was in the grave, but there is NONE. The true facts are:
"Yes, it does seem that way. We must remember that the Bible was written in other languages by cultures far removed from ours. Most alleged contradictions stem from a misunderstanding of certain terms and phrases. For example, Jesus predicted that He would be in the grave for "three days and three nights"(Matt.12:40). When we read the passion narratives, we see that He was crucified late Friday afternoon and that He rose from the dead, early on Sunday morning. It is impossible to get three days and three nights out of this, and I have seen many atheists refer to Jesus' prophecy as a "blatant error which completely destroys the credibility of the Bible."[source - I'd Like To Believe In Jesus, But...By Bob Siegel , Published by Campus Ambassador Press, A ministry of Mission To the Americas Wheaton, Illinois]
COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 12:37-40 EXPLAINING THESE SCRIPTURES:
For those who want a more detailed explanation, here is an exert from a well known commentary, Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament:
Verse 37
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Speech is one of the greatest endowments of humanity; and the greater the gift, the greater the sin of perverting it to unworthy purposes. It would be impossible to sum up all the sins of mankind in the area of sinful speech. It must appear even to casual thought of it that words, as used by millions, constitute the bulk of human shame and wickedness. James said, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also" (James 3:2). Beyond everything else, man should watch what he says. One's words can justify when they confess Christ, or teach the truth, or serve to make peace, bestow a blessing, or give encouragement; but on the other hand, when words condemn, cast a reflection, subvert the truth, utter profanity, vulgarity, hatred, or malice, or any one of a million other evil things - then such words bring the condemnation of those who speak them.
Verse 38
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.
This arrogant request came from a group who had already accused Jesus of being in league with the devil and who had already seen signs aplenty; but in this case, they were demanding a sign of their own choosing. Luke stated that they sought a "sign from heaven" (Luke 11:16). By that, they no doubt meant some spectacular wonder without moral value but which would appeal sensationally to a man's curiosity. Christ always rejected that type of sign, as, for example, when he refused to jump from the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4:6). In fact, there is more than a suggestion that the Pharisees' request for a sign was but a renewal of Satan's temptation of the Lord in the wilderness. Christ always refused to perform wonders for his enemies like Herod or the Pharisees. He did work miracles for the benefit of John's disciples (Luke 7:18-22), and raised Lazarus that the people might believe (John 11:42). For more on "a sign from heaven," see under Matthew 16:1.
Verse 39
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
The "adulterous generation" refers not merely to the morals of the people but to the rejection of Israel's covenant with their God. Barnes wrote:
The relation of the Jews to God was represented as a marriage contract with God as the husband and the Jewish people as his wife (Isa. 57:3; Hosea 3:1; Ezek. 16:15). Hence, their apostasy and idolatry are often represented as adultery.
The "sign of the prophet Jonah" refers to the resurrection of Christ, the greatest and most wonderful miracle of all time. Jesus' announcement of this "sign" at that time was actually a prophecy of his death, burial and resurrection. The Old Testament had plainly indicated the Messiah would rise from the dead (Psalms 16:10); but, in keeping with his usual methods, Christ again laid claim to Messiahship, but in such terminology, and in such analogies, that his enemies would not see it, or if they did, would be unable to prove what he meant!
Verse 40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The use of "whale" in this verse is in error; the Greek word is "sea-monster," as a glance at the English Revised Version (1885) margin will show; not that there is any essential difference, for the Bible states that "God prepared" a great fish (Jonah 1:17). In the book of Jonah is related also how God "prepared" a gourd (Jonah 4:6), a worm (Jonah 4:7), and a sultry east wind (Jonah 4:8)! Why it should be considered for God a more difficult matter to prepare a great fish than any of those other "preparations" is surely a mystery!
Regarding the truth of the Jonah narrative, it appears absolutely incredible that Christ, one of the Godhead, would have made a mere folk tale the principal prophecy and sign of his resurrection from the dead. We here register a protest against those expositors who are so wise above their Saviour in casting a reflection of doubt upon this astounding incident from the Old Testament. From Jesus' reference to it here, it appears that the experience of Jonah was an authentic event which God "prepared" to be a prophecy of a still greater one, the resurrection of Christ.
The question of "three days and three nights," as signifying the time of our Lord's remaining in the tomb, is one of the most widely discussed issues in the New Testament. An overwhelming number of scholars hold the conviction that the expression is a Hebrew idiom referring to any part of three days and nights which included an entire day, the two nights on either side of it, and portions of the other two days. The present custom of accepting a month to be 28, 30, or 31 days is held to be similar to the Hebrew custom of so loosely determining "three days and three nights." The traditional view that Christ was crucified on Friday and raised on Sunday draws its principal support from Matthew's word that Christ should be raised "the third day" (Matthew 16:21). This view asserts that if he was crucified on Thursday, and raised on Sunday, then he would have been raised on the fourth day.
In spite of the fact that a good case can be made out for the above explanation, some very respected students of God's word take another view. Torrey said, "There is absolutely nothing in favor of Friday crucifixion, but everything in Scripture is perfectly harmonized by Wednesday crucifixion." F12 Torrey's argument is the following: (1) Christ was crucified the day before the sabbath (Mark 15:42). (2) This does not necessarily mean the day before the ordinary sabbath, because the Jews always honored the day before the Passover (15th of Nisan) as a special "high" sabbath, no matter what day of the week it fell upon (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:7; Numbers 28:16-18). (3) The truly important question is, therefore, whether "day before the sabbath" refers to an ordinary Saturday, or the special "high" sabbath related to the Passover, and occurring on any day of the week, depending where the 15th of Nisan fell. (4) John's gospel plainly says it was "the preparation of the Passover" (John 19:14), and that it was "an high day" (John 19:31). These Scriptures plainly show that the ordinary sabbath was not meant. (5) Thus, Christ was crucified on the day before the "high day," or first day of Passover. Since the Passover (15th of Nisan) in the year 30 A.D. fell on Thursday, the "day before" would make it Wednesday on which Christ was crucified. (6) Scriptures supporting this view are: Christ said he would rise "after three days" (Mark 8:31). "After three days" he would rise again (Mark 9:31; 10:34). "This is now the third day since these things were done" (Luke 24:31). Whatever one thinks of Torrey's argument, it must be admitted that it is supported by more Scriptures than the traditional view.
Warning: devout souls will not be troubled by this question; for, if it had been necessary to know the day of the week, the Lord would have revealed it. Furthermore, to resolve this question finally and dogmatically, it would be positively necessary to know the exact year of our Lord's passion; and THAT is not certainly known. Not even the exact year of his birth can be determined. It can never be known what day of the week was the 15th of Nisan until the overriding question of WHAT YEAR is fixed. This, of course, is the weakness of Torrey's position. He takes the year 30 A.D. as the base of his calculations.
The heart of the earth is a figurative expression for the grave which is also called "the lower parts of the earth" (Psalms 63:9; Ephesians 4:9).[source - Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament, by Coffman, James Burton, Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.]
OTHER, SO CALLED HOLLY BOOKS, HOWEVER HAVE REAL CONTRADICTIONS, NOT JUST APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS:
Let's look at other so called Holy Books and see some real contradictions.
The eastern "scriptures" have no interest in history, because this is the world of illusion from which we are to be delivered. Ancient polytheistic religions likewise had no interest in history. Their gods acted only in myths, removed as far as possible from real history.
The Koran is almost entirely assertions of Allah. It has very little historical interface, and what there is contains clear inaccuracies.
Sura 26:55-60 says that the Israelites under Pharaoh were but "a scanty band" (in contrast to the multitude mentioned in Ex. 1:9) and that in leaving Egypt they forsook "their gardens and fountains and splendid dwellings" (in contrast to their slavery and hardship mentioned Ex. 1:11-14). This renders the whole motive for Israel's deliverance obscure.
Sura 5:119 reflects Muhammad's gross misunderstanding of the Trinity-that it is composed of the Father, Jesus and Mary.
The Book of Mormon makes many historical references, but it too is full of historical anachronisms and geographical inaccuracies.
1 Nephi 2:5-8 states that the river Laman emptied into the Red Sea. But there has never been any river that emptied into the Red Sea, either in historic or prehistoric times.
Alma 46:15 states that believers were called "Christians" back in 73 BC-fully seven decades before Jesus was even born![source - Xenos Christian Fellowship Christian Principles Unit 3: Provisions for Spiritual Growth]
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG ][/size]
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sat Feb 01, 2020 12:51 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] MUSLIMS DON'T COMPREHEND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECULATION VS. FACT. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [127B]
For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:18 – 20, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Here we see Jesus (Yeshua) getting ready to become the ransom sacrifice that will give all obedient men the opportunity to gain eternal life. Also, telling us in Luke 22:19 – 20 to keep doing this in remembrance of him. Why then, was it necessary? Its necessity was explained at Romans 5:12 – 19, [AV] “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
[2] MUSLIMS DON'T COMPREHEND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECULATION VS. FACT"
Some Muslim individuals use off beat encyclopedias to try and prove their derogatory myths, it matters not that even these sources identify the information as speculative. In fact the authors/editors of this encyclopedia, LoveToKnow, clearly show they do NOT HAVE much faith in their work with the statement, " Since this information is from 1911 it is outdated and contains many OCR errors (typos). It is for research purposes only. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages. We are not liable for any consequential, incidental, indirect, or special damages." So if they do not vouch for its reliability we must conclude it is unreliable and just hear say speculation; whereas, I use all kinds of encyclopedias, i.e., the renown well recognized ones, not ones like, ""JOSEPH (HUSBAND OF MARY)." LoveToKnow 1911 Online Encyclopedia. (c) 2003, 2004 LoveToKnow." However, even that encyclopoedia clearly says that little is known about Joseph and only his geneology is given in the Bible, it no where gives his age; whereas, PapaMo claimed previously it was 90 years, now see the facts of what I say for yourself,
"JOSEPH, in the New Testament, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He is represented as a descendant of the house of David, and his genealogy appears in two divergent forms in Matt. i. 1-17 and Luke iii. 23-38. The latter is probably much more complete and accurate in details. The former, obviously artificial in structure (notice 3X14 generations), traces the Davidic descent through kings, and is governed by an apologetic purpose. Of Joseph's personal history practically nothing is recorded in the Bible. The facts concerning him common to the two birth-narratives (Matt, i.-ii.; Luke i.-ii.) are: (a) that he was a descendant of David, (b) that Mary was already betrothed to him when she was found with child of the Holy Ghost, and (c) that he lived at Nazareth after the birth of Christ; but these facts are handled differently in each case. It is noticeable that, in Matthew, Joseph is prominent (e.g. he receives an annunciation from an angel), while in Luke's narrative he is completely subordinated. Bp Gore (The Incarnation, Bampton lecture for 1891, p. 78) points out that Matthew narrates everything from Joseph's side, Luke from Mary's, and infers that the narrative of the former may ultimately be based on Joseph's account, that of the latter, on Mary's. The narratives seem to have been current (in a poetical form) among the early Jewish-Christian community of Palestine. At Nazareth Joseph followed the trade of a carpenter (Matt. xiii. 55). It is probable that he had died before the public ministry of Christ; for no mention is made of him in passages relating to this period where the mother and brethren of Jesus are introduced; and from John xix. 26 it is clear that he was not alive at the time of the Crucifixion.
Joseph was the father of several children (Matt. xiii. 55), but accolding to ecclesiastical tradition by a former marriage. The reading of Matt. ~. 16, in the Sinaitic Palimpsest (Joseph . . . begat Jesus, who is called the Christ) also makes him the natural father of Jesus, and this was the view of certain early heretical sects, but it seems never to have been held in orthodox Christian circles. According to various apocryphal gospels (conveniently collected in B. H. Cowpers The Apocryphal Gospels, 1881), when married to Mary he was a widower already 80 years of age, and the father of four sons and two daughters; his first wifes name was Salome and she was a connection of the family of John the Baptist.[source - LoveToKnow 1911 Online Encyclopedia. (c) 2003, 2004 LoveToKnow
]
However, the Bible the ultimate standard does NOT say anything about a former marriage so anything said on that is pure speculation. Let's look at what the ultimate standard, the Bible says:
Matthew 1:16, " and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." (American Standard Version; ASV), NOTICE no note of Joseph having been a widow.
Matthew 1:18, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." (ASV).
Matthew 1:20, "But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." (ASV).
Mark 6:3, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him." (ASV), NOTICE , it says his brothers and sisters, NOT, half-brothers and sisters.
Luke 1:27 , "to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary." (ASV).
This same individual said,
Now this same individual quoted the following in a futile attempt to justify Muhammad taking 9 year old Aisha as his wife,
The most ridicules part of the entire absurd scenario is the fact that Muhammad was a plagiarist who actually got his material for writing the Koran from the Bible and did not even do a good job of copying; hence, if the Bible had any errors, these would have been exponentially exacerbated in the Quran (Koran). Let's look at one example of a scripture copied from the Bible not too well and how confused Muslims who do not comprehend the Bible even thing the Bible original is saying something bad as they do not comprehend it is saying the same thing as the Quran (Koran) that Muhammad got his material from. In the writing, Muslims do Not Comprehend the Bible it shows this clearly, " Muslims clearly do not comprehend the Bible and see problems where there are none, and come to completely wrong conclusions. This is strange given the fact that their holy book is actually a plagiarized knockoff from the Bible. Let's look at a few instances where they utterly fail to comprehend, one of them in fact where their book is actually saying the same thing as the Bible in different words.
LUKE 1:35 VS. SURA 3:47:
Let's first look at what the Quran (Koran) says at Sura 3:47:
Sura 3:47, "She said, "My Lord, how can I have a son, when no man has touched me?" He said, "GOD thus creates whatever He wills. To have anything done, He simply says to it, `Be,' and it is."
And, Sura 3:48 says, ""He will teach him the scripture, wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel." Interestingly here the Quran (Koran) actually speaks of the first five (5) books of the Bible, the Torah; yet today many Muslims rail against the Bible from which their book the Quran (Koran) was plagiarized from.
Now the Bible says at Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God." (American Standard Version; ASV).
Interestingly although both the Quran's (Koran's) 'Be' and the Bible's (in some translations only) overshadow both refer to exactly the same thing, but use different words, some Muslims do not comprehend this and think overshadow has bad connotations. Both these passages refer to God's (YHWH) using his active force or power referred to in the Bible as Spirit or Holy Spirit to implant the life force of his only begotten Son, that we know as Jesus (Yeshua) into the womb of the virgin Mary as recorded in Matthew 1:18-25, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us. 24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; 25 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS." (ASV). Now some may not understand just what this force or power of God (YHWH) is so here is a brief explanation.
A brief consideration on and reasoning on Acts 10:19-20; Acts 16:6; Acts 13:2-4; Acts 15:28; Romans 8:14; Romans 8:26; Ephesians 4:30; and 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 will show that the Spirit or Holy Spirit is God's (YHWH's) active force or power and emanates from him and is a force completely controlled by him, and is capable of giving him feedback and gathering for him information.
But first let's see why the Spirit is indeed God's (YHWH's) active force or power from an understanding of the ancient word 'pneu'ma' translated Spirit or Holy Spirit in English. The neuter Koine Greek word for spirit (pneu'ma) is used with the neuter pronoun "it" since it is lacks gender. This fact is conveniently over looked or hidden by most Trinitarian translators of the Bible as admitted in the "New American Bible Catholic Bible," regarding John 14:17: "The Greek word for 'Spirit' is neuter, and while we use personal pronouns in English ('he,' 'his,' 'him'), most Greek MSS [manuscripts] employ 'it.'" So when the Bible uses masculine personal pronouns in connection with pa·ra'kle·tos at John 16:7, 8, it is conforming to rules of grammar, not expressing a doctrine. And in Ancient Hebrew the word here rendered Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, or Spirit which is translated from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In Latin, it is spiritus, and in Sanskrit, 'prana' which means both "breath" and "spirit." And the pertinent definition in the Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary (ISBN 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6) clearly states, (4) <Often Cap.> In the Bible, the creative, animating power or divine influence of God...[etymology-[<Old French, 'espirit' <Latin, 'spiritus' bredth, spirit <'spirare' to breathe]. So we can see it, the Holy Spirit or Spirit is truly God's (YHWH's) active force or power and not a spirit being as are Almighty God (YHWH) and his Son, Jesus (Yeshua). This point is very well made in the New International Version at Luke 1:35, "The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[1] the Son of God." (The New International Version; NIV). Sure shows that the Holy Spirit is nothing but God's (YHWH's) active force.
Now from the study of science and technology we know that with respect a force there can be four possibilities or possibly five applicable questions, which are as follows:
(1) Is it an uncontrolled force?
(2) Is it a controlled force?
(3) Is it controlled, but without feedback?
(4) Is it controlled, but with feedback?
Is it direct or indirect feedback?
However 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 shows it to be a controlled force with feedback that appears to be direct feedback, "But unto us God revealed [them] through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God." (American Standard Version; ASV), clearly showing that the "spirit which is from God," and God "revealed [them] through the Spirit," and uses it to search all things, thus showing it is a controlled spirit capable of feedback. God (YHWH) has complete control over his power or force and can choose its fields of operations as testified to at Romans 8:14, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (ASV) clearly showing he can use to lead individuals and that it belongs to him. And John 16:13 clearly shows it as a force, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come." Since it is quite clear that it is a controlled force, "shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak,"
Clearly it is a controlled force used by God (YHWH) to do many things as testified to at Acts 10:19-20, "While Peter was meditationg on the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'There are two men looking for you. 20 Get up and go down, and without hesitation go on with them, for I have sent them.'" (The New Testament by Charles B. Williams); And the fact that it is a closely controlled force is further affirmed at Acts 16:6, "And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me; and we entered into the man's house:" (ASV); And at Acts 13:2-4, "And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus." (ASV); And at Acts 15:28, "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:" (ASV) clearly indicating direct feedback to and response by God (YHWH); which is further shown by Ephesians 4:30, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption" (ASV) which once more indicates that is gives direct feedback and it reacts to the feelings of God (YHWH) from which it emanates thus a tightly controlled force or power.
Thus we can see and have an accurate understanding of what is being spoken of in both the Quran (Koran) and the Bible and see that it is exactly the same event and/or occurrence." [source - Muslims do Not Comprehend the Bible by Iris the Preacher 2004].
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [127B]
For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:18 – 20, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Here we see Jesus (Yeshua) getting ready to become the ransom sacrifice that will give all obedient men the opportunity to gain eternal life. Also, telling us in Luke 22:19 – 20 to keep doing this in remembrance of him. Why then, was it necessary? Its necessity was explained at Romans 5:12 – 19, [AV] “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
[2] MUSLIMS DON'T COMPREHEND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECULATION VS. FACT"
Some Muslim individuals use off beat encyclopedias to try and prove their derogatory myths, it matters not that even these sources identify the information as speculative. In fact the authors/editors of this encyclopedia, LoveToKnow, clearly show they do NOT HAVE much faith in their work with the statement, " Since this information is from 1911 it is outdated and contains many OCR errors (typos). It is for research purposes only. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages. We are not liable for any consequential, incidental, indirect, or special damages." So if they do not vouch for its reliability we must conclude it is unreliable and just hear say speculation; whereas, I use all kinds of encyclopedias, i.e., the renown well recognized ones, not ones like, ""JOSEPH (HUSBAND OF MARY)." LoveToKnow 1911 Online Encyclopedia. (c) 2003, 2004 LoveToKnow." However, even that encyclopoedia clearly says that little is known about Joseph and only his geneology is given in the Bible, it no where gives his age; whereas, PapaMo claimed previously it was 90 years, now see the facts of what I say for yourself,
"JOSEPH, in the New Testament, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He is represented as a descendant of the house of David, and his genealogy appears in two divergent forms in Matt. i. 1-17 and Luke iii. 23-38. The latter is probably much more complete and accurate in details. The former, obviously artificial in structure (notice 3X14 generations), traces the Davidic descent through kings, and is governed by an apologetic purpose. Of Joseph's personal history practically nothing is recorded in the Bible. The facts concerning him common to the two birth-narratives (Matt, i.-ii.; Luke i.-ii.) are: (a) that he was a descendant of David, (b) that Mary was already betrothed to him when she was found with child of the Holy Ghost, and (c) that he lived at Nazareth after the birth of Christ; but these facts are handled differently in each case. It is noticeable that, in Matthew, Joseph is prominent (e.g. he receives an annunciation from an angel), while in Luke's narrative he is completely subordinated. Bp Gore (The Incarnation, Bampton lecture for 1891, p. 78) points out that Matthew narrates everything from Joseph's side, Luke from Mary's, and infers that the narrative of the former may ultimately be based on Joseph's account, that of the latter, on Mary's. The narratives seem to have been current (in a poetical form) among the early Jewish-Christian community of Palestine. At Nazareth Joseph followed the trade of a carpenter (Matt. xiii. 55). It is probable that he had died before the public ministry of Christ; for no mention is made of him in passages relating to this period where the mother and brethren of Jesus are introduced; and from John xix. 26 it is clear that he was not alive at the time of the Crucifixion.
Joseph was the father of several children (Matt. xiii. 55), but accolding to ecclesiastical tradition by a former marriage. The reading of Matt. ~. 16, in the Sinaitic Palimpsest (Joseph . . . begat Jesus, who is called the Christ) also makes him the natural father of Jesus, and this was the view of certain early heretical sects, but it seems never to have been held in orthodox Christian circles. According to various apocryphal gospels (conveniently collected in B. H. Cowpers The Apocryphal Gospels, 1881), when married to Mary he was a widower already 80 years of age, and the father of four sons and two daughters; his first wifes name was Salome and she was a connection of the family of John the Baptist.[source - LoveToKnow 1911 Online Encyclopedia. (c) 2003, 2004 LoveToKnow
]
However, the Bible the ultimate standard does NOT say anything about a former marriage so anything said on that is pure speculation. Let's look at what the ultimate standard, the Bible says:
Matthew 1:16, " and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." (American Standard Version; ASV), NOTICE no note of Joseph having been a widow.
Matthew 1:18, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." (ASV).
Matthew 1:20, "But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." (ASV).
Mark 6:3, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him." (ASV), NOTICE , it says his brothers and sisters, NOT, half-brothers and sisters.
Luke 1:27 , "to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary." (ASV).
This same individual said,
Now is he trying to say that Muhammed stole her from another man? In those days, individuals did NOT just brake engagements on a lark as some do today. They were considered once engaged, actually betrothed, as belonging to the other family in those days, and even today to a degree in my own culture, so let's get real.- Aisha was engaged to another man before Muhammad (PPBUH) , that gives us an idea about her readiness for marriage as well as to traditions of a different era ...
Now this same individual quoted the following in a futile attempt to justify Muhammad taking 9 year old Aisha as his wife,
Obviously, thereby clearly showing that Muhammad had done something wrong. This was clearly an admission by a Muslim that Muhammed had skeletons in his proverbial closet, and incredibly he did this while throwing derogatory speculative charges at Joseph the husband of the virgin Mary. This clearly shows desperation on their part to throw derogatory comments at the Bible and true Christianity. In fact, other Muslims dredge up writings of so called Bible critics who are just individuals out to grandiose themselves and their own ego and get an audience and who care NOT about facts and realities. They insinuate that apparent contradictions, ones that without further investigation, are real contradictions and make other unfounded speculative charges.Pedophilia TODAY is defined as sexual interest toward children, either prepubescent or at the beginning of puberty ..with age difference greater than 5 years ..so by today's standards ..Joseph would incorrectly be considered a pedophile ..whether he had sex with Mary or not ..[source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paedophilia]
The most ridicules part of the entire absurd scenario is the fact that Muhammad was a plagiarist who actually got his material for writing the Koran from the Bible and did not even do a good job of copying; hence, if the Bible had any errors, these would have been exponentially exacerbated in the Quran (Koran). Let's look at one example of a scripture copied from the Bible not too well and how confused Muslims who do not comprehend the Bible even thing the Bible original is saying something bad as they do not comprehend it is saying the same thing as the Quran (Koran) that Muhammad got his material from. In the writing, Muslims do Not Comprehend the Bible it shows this clearly, " Muslims clearly do not comprehend the Bible and see problems where there are none, and come to completely wrong conclusions. This is strange given the fact that their holy book is actually a plagiarized knockoff from the Bible. Let's look at a few instances where they utterly fail to comprehend, one of them in fact where their book is actually saying the same thing as the Bible in different words.
LUKE 1:35 VS. SURA 3:47:
Let's first look at what the Quran (Koran) says at Sura 3:47:
Sura 3:47, "She said, "My Lord, how can I have a son, when no man has touched me?" He said, "GOD thus creates whatever He wills. To have anything done, He simply says to it, `Be,' and it is."
And, Sura 3:48 says, ""He will teach him the scripture, wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel." Interestingly here the Quran (Koran) actually speaks of the first five (5) books of the Bible, the Torah; yet today many Muslims rail against the Bible from which their book the Quran (Koran) was plagiarized from.
Now the Bible says at Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God." (American Standard Version; ASV).
Interestingly although both the Quran's (Koran's) 'Be' and the Bible's (in some translations only) overshadow both refer to exactly the same thing, but use different words, some Muslims do not comprehend this and think overshadow has bad connotations. Both these passages refer to God's (YHWH) using his active force or power referred to in the Bible as Spirit or Holy Spirit to implant the life force of his only begotten Son, that we know as Jesus (Yeshua) into the womb of the virgin Mary as recorded in Matthew 1:18-25, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us. 24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; 25 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS." (ASV). Now some may not understand just what this force or power of God (YHWH) is so here is a brief explanation.
A brief consideration on and reasoning on Acts 10:19-20; Acts 16:6; Acts 13:2-4; Acts 15:28; Romans 8:14; Romans 8:26; Ephesians 4:30; and 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 will show that the Spirit or Holy Spirit is God's (YHWH's) active force or power and emanates from him and is a force completely controlled by him, and is capable of giving him feedback and gathering for him information.
But first let's see why the Spirit is indeed God's (YHWH's) active force or power from an understanding of the ancient word 'pneu'ma' translated Spirit or Holy Spirit in English. The neuter Koine Greek word for spirit (pneu'ma) is used with the neuter pronoun "it" since it is lacks gender. This fact is conveniently over looked or hidden by most Trinitarian translators of the Bible as admitted in the "New American Bible Catholic Bible," regarding John 14:17: "The Greek word for 'Spirit' is neuter, and while we use personal pronouns in English ('he,' 'his,' 'him'), most Greek MSS [manuscripts] employ 'it.'" So when the Bible uses masculine personal pronouns in connection with pa·ra'kle·tos at John 16:7, 8, it is conforming to rules of grammar, not expressing a doctrine. And in Ancient Hebrew the word here rendered Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, or Spirit which is translated from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In Latin, it is spiritus, and in Sanskrit, 'prana' which means both "breath" and "spirit." And the pertinent definition in the Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary (ISBN 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6) clearly states, (4) <Often Cap.> In the Bible, the creative, animating power or divine influence of God...[etymology-[<Old French, 'espirit' <Latin, 'spiritus' bredth, spirit <'spirare' to breathe]. So we can see it, the Holy Spirit or Spirit is truly God's (YHWH's) active force or power and not a spirit being as are Almighty God (YHWH) and his Son, Jesus (Yeshua). This point is very well made in the New International Version at Luke 1:35, "The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[1] the Son of God." (The New International Version; NIV). Sure shows that the Holy Spirit is nothing but God's (YHWH's) active force.
Now from the study of science and technology we know that with respect a force there can be four possibilities or possibly five applicable questions, which are as follows:
(1) Is it an uncontrolled force?
(2) Is it a controlled force?
(3) Is it controlled, but without feedback?
(4) Is it controlled, but with feedback?
Is it direct or indirect feedback?
However 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 shows it to be a controlled force with feedback that appears to be direct feedback, "But unto us God revealed [them] through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God." (American Standard Version; ASV), clearly showing that the "spirit which is from God," and God "revealed [them] through the Spirit," and uses it to search all things, thus showing it is a controlled spirit capable of feedback. God (YHWH) has complete control over his power or force and can choose its fields of operations as testified to at Romans 8:14, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (ASV) clearly showing he can use to lead individuals and that it belongs to him. And John 16:13 clearly shows it as a force, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come." Since it is quite clear that it is a controlled force, "shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak,"
Clearly it is a controlled force used by God (YHWH) to do many things as testified to at Acts 10:19-20, "While Peter was meditationg on the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'There are two men looking for you. 20 Get up and go down, and without hesitation go on with them, for I have sent them.'" (The New Testament by Charles B. Williams); And the fact that it is a closely controlled force is further affirmed at Acts 16:6, "And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me; and we entered into the man's house:" (ASV); And at Acts 13:2-4, "And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus." (ASV); And at Acts 15:28, "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:" (ASV) clearly indicating direct feedback to and response by God (YHWH); which is further shown by Ephesians 4:30, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption" (ASV) which once more indicates that is gives direct feedback and it reacts to the feelings of God (YHWH) from which it emanates thus a tightly controlled force or power.
Thus we can see and have an accurate understanding of what is being spoken of in both the Quran (Koran) and the Bible and see that it is exactly the same event and/or occurrence." [source - Muslims do Not Comprehend the Bible by Iris the Preacher 2004].
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] TRINITY IS SHOWN IN BOTH THE BIBLE AND THE QURAN (KORAN) TO BE FALSE DOCTRINE. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [128B]
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Almighty God’s (YHWH’s)great gift to mankind was providing His only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua), as a ransom as the means of lifting inherited sin, from Adam’s disobedience, off of all mankind. As Romans 5:10 – 11, [AV] says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
[2] TRINITY IS SHOWN IN BOTH THE BIBLE AND THE QURAN (KORAN) TO BE FALSE DOCTRINE:
INTRODUCTION:
Many so called Christians believe the pagan God (YHWH) dishonoring false doctrine of the Trinity. Now just what is this false doctrine that is condemned by the Bible and all knockoffs of the Bible? The Cyclopoedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York 1871, by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Vol. II, page 560-561, states, "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.....The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal...So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty...So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God...The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding...And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. So that in all things, as is afore said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity." [this is the Athanasian Creed quoted in the above mentioned Cyclopoedia].
THE FACTS SHOW IT IS A FALSE PAGAN DOCTRINE:
The bible clearly identifies God (YHWH) in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (American Standard Version; ASV), and this in the singular, monotheistic, and not the plural, polytheistic. And 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 drives this point home, "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; 6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." (ASV); which is a restatement of Psalms 83:18, "That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth" (ASV)..
Of course Trinitarians say that his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH), but we all know that a son is not also his father as that is pure nonsense. Also, God (YHWH) has always existed, but the Son, Jesus (Yeshua) is the first of creation as stated at Colossians 1:12-15, "giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;" (ASV). This is clearly shown by two other scriptures, John 5:26 clearly shows that the Father (YHWH) gave life to his Son, Jesus (Yeshua), "For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:" (ASV), and obviously he, Jesus (Yeshua) is here shown as a distinct spirit being separate from his Father (YHWH) and clearly being given life by his Father (YHWH). And John 6:57 shows that he clearly lives because of the Father (YHWH), "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me" (ASV)..
Even the Bible knockoff, the Quran (Koran) recognizes the fact that the Trinity is false doctrine and that Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT the same being as his Father (YHWH). At Sura 5:72 it states, "Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah himself said, "O Children of Israel, you shall worship GOD; my Lord and your Lord." Anyone who sets up any idol beside GOD, GOD has forbidden Paradise for him, and his destiny is Hell. The wicked have no helpers." (Dr. Khalifa's authorized translation of the Quran in English; KATQ). And this same Bible knockoff at Sura 5:73 states with respect the Trinity, "Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is a third of a trinity. There is no god except the one god. Unless they refrain from saying this, those who disbelieve among them will incur a painful retribution." (KATQ).
NO TRINITY OF ANY KIND UNLESS YOU HAVE THREE OF A KIND:
Now many so called Christians point to John 1:1 to try and prove a Trinity as many biased translations say Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH)such as the Authorized King James Bible (AV), "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." But even the translational constructs clearly show the bias and the error in translating John 1:1 this way. How so? Well as a starter, one can NOT be with someone and also be that someone, that is an impossibility. But getting past that, even if one is to accept this error there is yet another impossibility. What is it? To have a Trinity, one must have three of a kind, and no matter how you translate John 1:1 there is NO three of a kind, nor for that matter three of anything.
NOW THREE QUESTIONS FOR MYTH BELIEVING TRINITARIANS:
Now for those believing in the Trinity, here are three questions.
(1-question) Matthew says of the temptation of Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves), "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (Matthew 4:1-11, Authorized King James Bible, AV).
This was clearly a test of loyalty, would Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH) keep his loyalty to Almighty God (YHWH) or not. However, if he were God as per the Trinity doctrine, how could God rebel against himself and be disloyal to himself? [Please explain]
2-question) Let's assume for a moment that Jesus were part of a Godhead, i.e., a Trinity, the ransom price would have been infinitely higher than what God's (YHWH's) own Law required per "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." (Exodus 21:23-25 AV) and "And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death." (Leviticus 24:19-21, AV).
Remember it was only a perfect human, Adam, who sinned in Eden, not God. Thus the ransom, to be equivalent or in line with God's (YHWH's) justice, had to be strictly an equivalent, i.e., a perfect human, "the last Adam." Therefore, when God sent Jesus to earth as the ransom, he made Jesus to be what would equate or satisfy justice, not an incarnation, nor a god-man, but a perfect man, " But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9 AV). How could any part of an almighty Godhead (Trinity) of Father (YHWH) , Son (Jesus), or holy spirit ever be lower than angels? [Please explain]
3-question) Supporters of the Trinity claim that in the case of Jesus, "only-begotten" is different from the dictionary definition of "begetting," that is "to procreate as the father," [Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary]. They claim that in Jesus case it means "a sort of only son relationship without the begetting; however, "Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words." Now does that sound logical to you? Can a man father a son without begetting him? [Please explain]
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [128B]
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Almighty God’s (YHWH’s)great gift to mankind was providing His only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua), as a ransom as the means of lifting inherited sin, from Adam’s disobedience, off of all mankind. As Romans 5:10 – 11, [AV] says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
[2] TRINITY IS SHOWN IN BOTH THE BIBLE AND THE QURAN (KORAN) TO BE FALSE DOCTRINE:
INTRODUCTION:
Many so called Christians believe the pagan God (YHWH) dishonoring false doctrine of the Trinity. Now just what is this false doctrine that is condemned by the Bible and all knockoffs of the Bible? The Cyclopoedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York 1871, by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Vol. II, page 560-561, states, "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.....The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal...So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty...So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God...The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding...And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. So that in all things, as is afore said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity." [this is the Athanasian Creed quoted in the above mentioned Cyclopoedia].
THE FACTS SHOW IT IS A FALSE PAGAN DOCTRINE:
The bible clearly identifies God (YHWH) in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (American Standard Version; ASV), and this in the singular, monotheistic, and not the plural, polytheistic. And 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 drives this point home, "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; 6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." (ASV); which is a restatement of Psalms 83:18, "That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth" (ASV)..
Of course Trinitarians say that his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH), but we all know that a son is not also his father as that is pure nonsense. Also, God (YHWH) has always existed, but the Son, Jesus (Yeshua) is the first of creation as stated at Colossians 1:12-15, "giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;" (ASV). This is clearly shown by two other scriptures, John 5:26 clearly shows that the Father (YHWH) gave life to his Son, Jesus (Yeshua), "For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:" (ASV), and obviously he, Jesus (Yeshua) is here shown as a distinct spirit being separate from his Father (YHWH) and clearly being given life by his Father (YHWH). And John 6:57 shows that he clearly lives because of the Father (YHWH), "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me" (ASV)..
Even the Bible knockoff, the Quran (Koran) recognizes the fact that the Trinity is false doctrine and that Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT the same being as his Father (YHWH). At Sura 5:72 it states, "Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah himself said, "O Children of Israel, you shall worship GOD; my Lord and your Lord." Anyone who sets up any idol beside GOD, GOD has forbidden Paradise for him, and his destiny is Hell. The wicked have no helpers." (Dr. Khalifa's authorized translation of the Quran in English; KATQ). And this same Bible knockoff at Sura 5:73 states with respect the Trinity, "Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is a third of a trinity. There is no god except the one god. Unless they refrain from saying this, those who disbelieve among them will incur a painful retribution." (KATQ).
NO TRINITY OF ANY KIND UNLESS YOU HAVE THREE OF A KIND:
Now many so called Christians point to John 1:1 to try and prove a Trinity as many biased translations say Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH)such as the Authorized King James Bible (AV), "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." But even the translational constructs clearly show the bias and the error in translating John 1:1 this way. How so? Well as a starter, one can NOT be with someone and also be that someone, that is an impossibility. But getting past that, even if one is to accept this error there is yet another impossibility. What is it? To have a Trinity, one must have three of a kind, and no matter how you translate John 1:1 there is NO three of a kind, nor for that matter three of anything.
NOW THREE QUESTIONS FOR MYTH BELIEVING TRINITARIANS:
Now for those believing in the Trinity, here are three questions.
(1-question) Matthew says of the temptation of Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves), "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (Matthew 4:1-11, Authorized King James Bible, AV).
This was clearly a test of loyalty, would Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH) keep his loyalty to Almighty God (YHWH) or not. However, if he were God as per the Trinity doctrine, how could God rebel against himself and be disloyal to himself? [Please explain]
2-question) Let's assume for a moment that Jesus were part of a Godhead, i.e., a Trinity, the ransom price would have been infinitely higher than what God's (YHWH's) own Law required per "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." (Exodus 21:23-25 AV) and "And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death." (Leviticus 24:19-21, AV).
Remember it was only a perfect human, Adam, who sinned in Eden, not God. Thus the ransom, to be equivalent or in line with God's (YHWH's) justice, had to be strictly an equivalent, i.e., a perfect human, "the last Adam." Therefore, when God sent Jesus to earth as the ransom, he made Jesus to be what would equate or satisfy justice, not an incarnation, nor a god-man, but a perfect man, " But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9 AV). How could any part of an almighty Godhead (Trinity) of Father (YHWH) , Son (Jesus), or holy spirit ever be lower than angels? [Please explain]
3-question) Supporters of the Trinity claim that in the case of Jesus, "only-begotten" is different from the dictionary definition of "begetting," that is "to procreate as the father," [Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary]. They claim that in Jesus case it means "a sort of only son relationship without the begetting; however, "Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words." Now does that sound logical to you? Can a man father a son without begetting him? [Please explain]
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Wed Feb 05, 2020 3:38 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES – Menteng With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [129B]
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Here we see that Jesus (Yeshua) was to “taste death” for every man as his sacrifice, his perfect human life would serve as a ransom to lift inherited sin off of all obedient mankind – those striving to live their life in accordance with his Father’s Book of Guidance, the Bible. This was necessary as shown by Romans 5:12, [AV] “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans continues at 5:14 – 15, [AV] “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”
FOR AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY WHERE YOU CAN LEARN FOR FREE:
Who Jehovah, Jesus, and the angles are,
How the Bible can help a person,
Why God created humans,
Why suffering and evil exist.
How Jehovah intends to end suffering and death,
About the coming resurection,
How failed human governments will be replaced by God’s Kingdom
GO TO https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/online-lessons/
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Menteng
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Mafi or Menteng (Baccaurea racemosa). This Indonesian fruit is almost extinct.
It seems that amino-acid sweet meat is very, a little because ore than. The fruits of this banyakterdapat in Bogor and surrounding areas In Central Java,. menteng called mundung.Menteng, kepundung, or (to) mundung is like a tree fruit producer by Almighty God (YHWH) unto period that can be eaten in brief. fruit menteng similar to buahduku but feature stories trees in different taste is usually. [source - retrieved from http://bloggerizq.blogspot.com/2010/01/buah-buahan-asli-indonesia-yang-hampir.html and translated from Indonesian into English on 5/24/2013]
Baccaurea racemosa (Reinw. ex Bl.) Mull.Arg., in DC. Prodr. 15, 2 (1866)
Latin for 'raceme'.
Synonyms
Baccaurea bhaswatii Chakrab. & M.Gangop.
Baccaurea wallichii Hook.f.
Coccomelia racemosa Reinw. ex Bl.
Pierandia racemosa (Reinw. ex Bl.) Bl.
Pierardia racemosa (Reinw. ex Bl.) Miq.
Description
Understorey tree up to 20 m tall and 34 cm dbh. Stipules ca. 5 mm long. Leaves crowded at twig tips, alternate, simple, penni-veined, glabrous. Flowers ca. 3 mm diameter, white-yellow, placed in racemes. Fruits ca. 16 mm long, red, ramiflorous, dehiscent capsules, seeds with blue aril.
Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp to sub-montane forests up to 1100 m altitude. Common on alluvial and dry (hillsides and ridges) sites. On sandy to clay soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant tree.
Uses
Fruits are edible.
Distribution
Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, Borneo (Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, West-, Central- and East-Kalimantan), Celebes, Moluccas.
Local names
Borneo Engkumi, Kayu masam, Kokonau, Kunau, Kunyi, Longkumo, Moho liox, Tunding undang, Umbarian.
Java Menteng.
Peninsular Malaysia Asam tambun, rambi, tamut, tampoi.
Sumatra Roesip, kisip. [source - retrieved from http://www.asianplant.net/Phyllanthaceae/Baccaurea_racemosa.htm on / /2013]
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To see picture of this fruit and other tropical fruits found in Indonesia, go to, http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=id&u=http://masyants.blogspot.com/2011/01/buah-asli-indonesia-yang-sudah-langka.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmafi,%2Bbaccaurea%2Bracemosa%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3Desa%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [129B]
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Here we see that Jesus (Yeshua) was to “taste death” for every man as his sacrifice, his perfect human life would serve as a ransom to lift inherited sin off of all obedient mankind – those striving to live their life in accordance with his Father’s Book of Guidance, the Bible. This was necessary as shown by Romans 5:12, [AV] “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans continues at 5:14 – 15, [AV] “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”
FOR AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY WHERE YOU CAN LEARN FOR FREE:
Who Jehovah, Jesus, and the angles are,
How the Bible can help a person,
Why God created humans,
Why suffering and evil exist.
How Jehovah intends to end suffering and death,
About the coming resurection,
How failed human governments will be replaced by God’s Kingdom
GO TO https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/online-lessons/
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Menteng
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Mafi or Menteng (Baccaurea racemosa). This Indonesian fruit is almost extinct.
It seems that amino-acid sweet meat is very, a little because ore than. The fruits of this banyakterdapat in Bogor and surrounding areas In Central Java,. menteng called mundung.Menteng, kepundung, or (to) mundung is like a tree fruit producer by Almighty God (YHWH) unto period that can be eaten in brief. fruit menteng similar to buahduku but feature stories trees in different taste is usually. [source - retrieved from http://bloggerizq.blogspot.com/2010/01/buah-buahan-asli-indonesia-yang-hampir.html and translated from Indonesian into English on 5/24/2013]
Baccaurea racemosa (Reinw. ex Bl.) Mull.Arg., in DC. Prodr. 15, 2 (1866)
Latin for 'raceme'.
Synonyms
Baccaurea bhaswatii Chakrab. & M.Gangop.
Baccaurea wallichii Hook.f.
Coccomelia racemosa Reinw. ex Bl.
Pierandia racemosa (Reinw. ex Bl.) Bl.
Pierardia racemosa (Reinw. ex Bl.) Miq.
Description
Understorey tree up to 20 m tall and 34 cm dbh. Stipules ca. 5 mm long. Leaves crowded at twig tips, alternate, simple, penni-veined, glabrous. Flowers ca. 3 mm diameter, white-yellow, placed in racemes. Fruits ca. 16 mm long, red, ramiflorous, dehiscent capsules, seeds with blue aril.
Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp to sub-montane forests up to 1100 m altitude. Common on alluvial and dry (hillsides and ridges) sites. On sandy to clay soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant tree.
Uses
Fruits are edible.
Distribution
Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, Borneo (Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, West-, Central- and East-Kalimantan), Celebes, Moluccas.
Local names
Borneo Engkumi, Kayu masam, Kokonau, Kunau, Kunyi, Longkumo, Moho liox, Tunding undang, Umbarian.
Java Menteng.
Peninsular Malaysia Asam tambun, rambi, tamut, tampoi.
Sumatra Roesip, kisip. [source - retrieved from http://www.asianplant.net/Phyllanthaceae/Baccaurea_racemosa.htm on / /2013]
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To see picture of this fruit and other tropical fruits found in Indonesia, go to, http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=id&u=http://masyants.blogspot.com/2011/01/buah-asli-indonesia-yang-sudah-langka.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmafi,%2Bbaccaurea%2Bracemosa%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3Desa%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:28 am
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO KNOW THE TECHNICAL FACTS BEHIND THE TRANSLATION, CORRECT, OF JOHN 1:1, HERE THEY ARE. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 130B]
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6 – 9, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, this describes some of the conditions that will exist under the Kingdom of God that the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua) will rule over and that we pray for at Matthew 6:9 – 10, [AV] “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Yes, and Isaiah 35:5 – 6, [AV] says, “ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. Indeed, the so called ‘golden rule’ will be the standard interpersonal operating way of life as it is given at Matthew 7:12, [AV] “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
[2] FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO KNOW THE TECHNICAL FACTS BEHIND THE TRANSLATION, CORRECT, OF JOHN 1:1, HERE THEY ARE:
But, first a definition, Jesus (Yeshua)-A Godlike One; Divine
Some salient Bible editions on the subject,
1808 ; "and the word was a god" , --- TheNew Testament, in An ImprQved Version, Upon , the Basis of Archbishop Newcome's New Translation:
With a Corrected Text; London,
1829, , "and the I,.ogos was a,gqd" -- The Monotessaron; or,The Gospel History, ,According to the Four Evangelists, , by John S. Thompson,
Baltimore. ,
1864 -- "and a god wasth~,Word" -- TheEmphaticDiagiott (.)'2\ lrlteriinear r.eading), by Benjamin V{ilsorl, New York an<;lLondon.
'
1935 "q,nd the ,Word was divine" -- 'l'he Bible-An American .Translation" by " J. M. P. Smith andE. J. Goodspeed, Chicago.
1950 "and the Word was a god" -- New World Translation of the Christian Greek , Scriptures, Brooklyn.
1975 "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word"* -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Siegfried Schulz, GOttingen, Germany.*
1978 "and godlike sort was 'the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes
Schneider, Berlin.*
1979 . "and a god was the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, Jurgen Becker,
Wirzburg, Germany.*
* Translated from German.
These translations use such words 'as "a god," "divine," or "godlike" because the Greek word eEO<; (the-os') is a singular predicate noun occurring before the verb and is 'riot preceded by the definite article. This is an anarthrous "the-os'". The God with whom the Word, or Logos, .was originally is designated here by the Greek expression Qedz, that is, "the-os'". ,proceded by the definite article ho. .This'is an articular, "the-os'". . The articular construction of the noun 'points' to an identity, a personality,; whereas a singular ,anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb points to,a quality about someone., Therefore, John's statement that the Word, or Logos,--was "a god" or "divine" or "godlike" does not mean that he was the God with whom he was. It merely expresses a certain quality about the Word, or Logos, but it does not identify his as one and the same as God himself..
In the Greek text there, are many cases of a singular antarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb, such as those listed in the accompanying chart. In these places translators insert the indefinite article "a" before the predicate noun in order to bring out the quality or characteristic of the subject. Since the indefinite article is inserted before the predicate noun in such texts, with equal justification the indefinite article "a" is inserted before the anarthrous "the-os'", in the predicate of John 1:1 to make it read "a" god. The Sacred Scriptures Confirm the correctness of this rendering.
In his article "Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15: 39 and John 1:1," published in Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 92, Philadelphia, 1973, on p. 85 Philip B. Harner said that such clauses as the one in John l:1, "with an arthrous predicate preceding the verb, are primarily qualitative in meaning. They indicate that the logos has the nature of "the-os'". There is no basis for regarding the predicate "the-os'" as definite." On p. 87 of his article, Dr. Harner concluded: "In John 1:1 I think that the qualitative force of the predicate is so prominent that the noun cannot be regarded as definite."
Following is a list of instances in the gospels of Mark and John where various translators have rendered singular anarthrous predicate nouns occurring. before the verb with an indefinite article to denote the indefinite and qualitative status of the subject nouns, check the following Bibles for the following scriptures:
Scriptures, Mark 6:49, Mark 11:32, John 4:19, John 6:70, John 8:44, John 9:17,John 10:1, John 10:13, John 10:33, John 12:6, John 18:37 in the following translations, New World Translation (NWT), Authorized King James Bible (AV), New International Version (NIV), Revised Standard Version (RSV), and Today's English Version (TEV).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 130B]
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6 – 9, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, this describes some of the conditions that will exist under the Kingdom of God that the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua) will rule over and that we pray for at Matthew 6:9 – 10, [AV] “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Yes, and Isaiah 35:5 – 6, [AV] says, “ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. Indeed, the so called ‘golden rule’ will be the standard interpersonal operating way of life as it is given at Matthew 7:12, [AV] “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
[2] FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO KNOW THE TECHNICAL FACTS BEHIND THE TRANSLATION, CORRECT, OF JOHN 1:1, HERE THEY ARE:
But, first a definition, Jesus (Yeshua)-A Godlike One; Divine
Some salient Bible editions on the subject,
1808 ; "and the word was a god" , --- TheNew Testament, in An ImprQved Version, Upon , the Basis of Archbishop Newcome's New Translation:
With a Corrected Text; London,
1829, , "and the I,.ogos was a,gqd" -- The Monotessaron; or,The Gospel History, ,According to the Four Evangelists, , by John S. Thompson,
Baltimore. ,
1864 -- "and a god wasth~,Word" -- TheEmphaticDiagiott (.)'2\ lrlteriinear r.eading), by Benjamin V{ilsorl, New York an<;lLondon.
'
1935 "q,nd the ,Word was divine" -- 'l'he Bible-An American .Translation" by " J. M. P. Smith andE. J. Goodspeed, Chicago.
1950 "and the Word was a god" -- New World Translation of the Christian Greek , Scriptures, Brooklyn.
1975 "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word"* -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Siegfried Schulz, GOttingen, Germany.*
1978 "and godlike sort was 'the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes
Schneider, Berlin.*
1979 . "and a god was the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, Jurgen Becker,
Wirzburg, Germany.*
* Translated from German.
These translations use such words 'as "a god," "divine," or "godlike" because the Greek word eEO<; (the-os') is a singular predicate noun occurring before the verb and is 'riot preceded by the definite article. This is an anarthrous "the-os'". The God with whom the Word, or Logos, .was originally is designated here by the Greek expression Qedz, that is, "the-os'". ,proceded by the definite article ho. .This'is an articular, "the-os'". . The articular construction of the noun 'points' to an identity, a personality,; whereas a singular ,anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb points to,a quality about someone., Therefore, John's statement that the Word, or Logos,--was "a god" or "divine" or "godlike" does not mean that he was the God with whom he was. It merely expresses a certain quality about the Word, or Logos, but it does not identify his as one and the same as God himself..
In the Greek text there, are many cases of a singular antarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb, such as those listed in the accompanying chart. In these places translators insert the indefinite article "a" before the predicate noun in order to bring out the quality or characteristic of the subject. Since the indefinite article is inserted before the predicate noun in such texts, with equal justification the indefinite article "a" is inserted before the anarthrous "the-os'", in the predicate of John 1:1 to make it read "a" god. The Sacred Scriptures Confirm the correctness of this rendering.
In his article "Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15: 39 and John 1:1," published in Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 92, Philadelphia, 1973, on p. 85 Philip B. Harner said that such clauses as the one in John l:1, "with an arthrous predicate preceding the verb, are primarily qualitative in meaning. They indicate that the logos has the nature of "the-os'". There is no basis for regarding the predicate "the-os'" as definite." On p. 87 of his article, Dr. Harner concluded: "In John 1:1 I think that the qualitative force of the predicate is so prominent that the noun cannot be regarded as definite."
Following is a list of instances in the gospels of Mark and John where various translators have rendered singular anarthrous predicate nouns occurring. before the verb with an indefinite article to denote the indefinite and qualitative status of the subject nouns, check the following Bibles for the following scriptures:
Scriptures, Mark 6:49, Mark 11:32, John 4:19, John 6:70, John 8:44, John 9:17,John 10:1, John 10:13, John 10:33, John 12:6, John 18:37 in the following translations, New World Translation (NWT), Authorized King James Bible (AV), New International Version (NIV), Revised Standard Version (RSV), and Today's English Version (TEV).
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sun Feb 09, 2020 6:39 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] LET'S HAVE REALITY IN TRANSLATION. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 131B]
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. Isaiah 65:21 – 23, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
And in the New Testament this promise is once more stated at Revelation 21: 3 – 5, [AV] “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
"What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] LET'S HAVE REALITY IN TRANSLATION:
INTRODUCTION:
The understanding with respect some scriptures in the Bible is badly clouded by translational errors caused either by the translator's bias, lack of understanding of idiomatic expressions, or lack of understanding of ancient writing styles. Many of these can readily be seen by careful readers as they do NOT jive with the remainder of the Bible and/or do not make any sense upon close examination. Some of these scriptures are those whose meaning is the most questioned and argued by Bible translators and/or scholars. Yet most show flawed meaning when they are closely examined in lack of agreement within themselves and/or with near by scriptures. To better grasp the subject we will examine the case of John 1:1 whose meaning is perhaps the most disputed of any in the entire Bible due to biased translational renderings in most Bibles in common usage.
THE CONSTRUCTS:
Let's first examine the most common constructs used for translating this scripture and then consider the facts and last some advanced translational items dealing with this scripture.
The 10 possible constructs of John 1:1 that do NOT violate any rule of Koine Greek grammar with the exception of the fact is that THE-OS' (=God) is a count noun, not a mass noun or an adjective. As a count noun it MUST BE countable, i.e. either definite or indefinite (i.e. either "a god" or "the God") for two of the constructs:
<1> "and a god was the Logos." [example of Bible using, Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Jurgen Becker Harwood, 1979]
<2> "the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God" [example of Bible using, Schonfield, 1976]
<3> "The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the word was." [example of Bible using, The New English Bible, NEB, 1961-present standard Bible agreed to by most denominations in the United Kingdom]
<4> "And the word was a god" [example of Bible using, The New Testament in An Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Achbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text.]
<5> "and the Word was divine" [example of Bible using, The Bible: An American Translation, by J.M.P. Smith and E.J. Goodspeed. }
<6> "and the Word was God" [example of Bible using, American Standard Version, ASV] [note, this construct violates the count noun rule of Koine Greek]
<7> "He was the same as God" example of Bible using, Today's English Version.]
<8> "the Logos was divine" [example of Bible using, The New Testament: A New Translation, by James Moffat]
<9> "r war bei Gott und in allem Gott gleich"[He was with God and in all like God] [example of Bible using, Haenchen (tr. By R. Funk), 1982]
<10> "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] [example of Bible using, Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch, 198
As we can see, here are ten different constructs possible without violating any rule of Koine Greek grammar except the count Noun rule. So, now, let's look at what follows in context in general format at John 1:2:
"The Word, then, was with God at the beginning," (The New English Bible, NEB)
"The same was in the beginning with God." (American Standard Version, ASB)
"The same was in the beginning with God." (Authorized King James Bible; AV)
"He was in the beginning with God." (Revised Standard Version; RSV)
"He was in the beginning with God." (The Confraternity Edition of the New Testament - Catholic)
As is easily seen, John 1:2 is substantially the same in all translations. However, in context it does not harmonize with some of the constructs used which do not violate any rule of Koine Greek grammar with the exception of the count Noun rule to be explained later.
However clearly some of the ten (10) or more basic constructs agree in context with John 1:2 and some do NOT. Let's look at the point where some do not agree or harmonize with the context of John 1:2:
John 1:2 plainly says that the Word, or Logos, who is Jesus (Yeshua) was with God in the beginning which would be impossible if Jesus (Yeshua) was Almighty God (YHWH) himself. This rules out constructs 6, 7, and 10, represented below, as impossible as they do NOT harmonize with context.
<6> "and the Word was God" [example of Bible using, American Standard Version, ASV] [note, this construct violates the count noun rule of Koine Greek]
<7> "He was the same as God" example of Bible using, Today's English Version.]
<10> "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] [example of Bible using, Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch, 198
And two of these constructs do violate the count Noun rule of Koine Greek; to wit, constructs 6 and 7.
Now exactly what is the count Noun rule of Koine Greek? It is as follows:
The fact is that THE-OS' (=God) is a count noun, not a mass noun or an adjective. As a count noun it MUST BE countable, i.e. either definite or indefinite (i.e. either "a god" or "the God"). The trinitarian argument hinges on stripping THE-OS' of its count-ability, so that it is purely qualitative. However, if a noun is PURELY qualitative, it is not a count noun. An adjective or a mass noun may fit their requirement for emphasizing qualitativness only, but a count noun MUST BE countable, for that is what *count* means when describing a count noun. If he accepts this rather elementary rule of English grammar, you can demonstrate that, as a count noun, THE-OS' may be translated either "the Word was God" (="the Word was The God", which is Sabellianism), or "the Word was a god". Since orthodox trinitarians reject "the Word was The God" (=Sabellianism), they are left with "the Word was a god" -- that is, if they remain true to English syntax (and English syntax is what ENGLISH translations are supposed to follow!). If one argues the point, let them provide an example of a non-countable *count noun* that is not used in a contrary-to-fact situation, such as a metaphor. I have yet to find anyone, trinitarian or otherwise, who is able to meet this challenge. Rolf Furuli, one of the two best living Koine Greek scholars, discusses this in his book, THE ROLE OF THEOLOGY AND BIAS IN BIBLE TRANSLATION, as does Greg Stafford, in his, JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES DEFENDED: AN ANSWER TO SCHOLARS AND CRITICS. There are also some very good posts by Wes Williams on greektheology that discuss this issue. I suppose if you search the greektheology archives using the word "count" or the name "Wes" you will find much helpful information. [source - Kats]
"To preserve in English the different nuance of the-os' [god] with and without the article, some (Moffat) would translate 'The Word was divine.'"
Notice a literal translation of John 1:1,2:
"In the beginning was the world and the word was toward the god and god was the word. This (one) was in beginning toward the god."
In these two verses we see six nouns, three referring to the Greek word logos (word, which most recognize to be Jesus) and three referring to the Greek word the-os' (god). We notice each reference to logos (word) is preceded by the definite article "the", while two of the three times the word the-os' (god) occurs, it too is preceded by the definite article "the". For some reason, John does not provide the definite article with the-os' when it is associated with "The Word". We thus see two definite individuals mentioned in this verse. "The Word", Jesus Christ, and "The God", who is Almighty God Jehovah. John does not say "The Word" is "The God". In fact, most Trinitarian scholars would argue that if John had said the word was "ho the-os'" (The God), it would amount to sabellianism (the belief that Jesus is both the Father and the Son). As such, it is commonly agreed upon that John was not identifying Jesus as God but rather, was describing him as deity. But if John did not say "The Word" is "The God", then what did he mean by saying, "the word was god"?
In Greek, it is possible for a noun to act as an adjective when it is not accompanied by the definite article. Consider a Biblical example of this in John 6:70. "Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" (NIV)
Here the noun (devil) is not proceeded by the finite article (the). To reflect this most Bibles place the indefinite article (a) in front of it. Thus, Jesus was not identifying Judas as "THE Devil", he was saying Judas had the qualities of the devil. He was acting like the devil so he was A devil though not THE devil. This example helps us to see how the lack of the definite article can cause a noun to act as a predication rather than an identification.
Regarding this point, noted Bible scholar William Barclay writes:
"When in Greek two nouns are joined by the verb to be and when both have the definite article, then the one is fully identified with the other; but when one of them is without the article, it become more an adjective than a noun, and describes rather the class of the sphere to which the other belongs...
"John has no definte article before theos, God. The Logos, therefore, is not identified as God or with God; the word theos has become adjectival and describes the sphere to which the logos belongs...
"This passage then [John 1:1] does not identify the Logos and God; it does not say that Jesus was God, nor doesit call him God; but it does say that in his nature and being he belongs to the same class as God."
Mr. Barclay's observations are duly noted in the example we considered with Judas Iscariot being "a devil".
Now let's consider what the Greek Scholar Jason BeDuhn from the Northern Arizona University has to say: "The Greek phrase is theos en ho logos, which translated word for word is "a god was the word." Greek has only a definite article, like our the, it does not have an indefinite article, like our a or an. If a noun is definite, it has the definite article ho. If a noun is indefinite, no article is used. In the phrase from John 1:1, ho logos is "the word." If it was written simply logos, without the definite article ho, we would have to translate it as "a word". So we are not really "inserting" an indefinite article when we translate Greek nouns without the definite article into English, we are simply obeying rules of English grammar that tell us that we cannot say "Snoopy is dog," but must say "Snoopy is a dog."
Now in English we simply say "God"; we do not say "The God." But in Greek, when you mean to refer to the one supreme God, instead of one of the many other beings that were called "gods," you would have to say "The God": ho theos. Even a monotheistic Christian, who believes there is only one God and no others, would be forced to say in Greek "The God," as John and Paul and the other writers of the New Testament normally do. If you leave off the article in a phrase like John 1:1, then you are saying "a god." (There are some exceptions to this rule: Greek has what are called noun cases, which means the nouns change form depending on how they are used in a sentence. So, if you want to say "of God," which is theou, you don't need the article. But in the nominative case, which is the one in John 1:1, you have to have the article. So what does John mean by saying "the word was a god"? He is classifying Jesus in a specific category of beings. There are plants and animals and humans and gods, and so on. By calling the Word "a god," John wants to tell his readers that the Word (which becomes Jesus when it takes flesh) belongs to the divine class of things. Notice the word order: "a god was the word." We can't say it like this in English, but you can in Greek. The subject can be after the verb and the object before the verb, the opposite of how we do it in English (subject-verb-object). Research has shown that when ancient Greek writers put a object-noun first in a sentence like John 1:1 (a be-verb sentence: x is y), without the definite article, they are telling us that the subject belongs to the class represented by the object-noun: :"The car is a Volkswagen." In English we would accomplish the same thing by using what we call predicate adjectives. "John is a smart person" = "John is smart." So we would tend to say "The word was divine," rather than "The word was a god." That is how I would translate this phrase. "The word was a god" is more literal, and an improvement over "The word was God," but it raises more problems, since to a modern reader it implies polytheism. No one in John's day would have understood the phrase to mean "The word was God" - the language does not convey that sense, and conceptually it is difficult to grasp such an idea, especially since that author has just said that the word was with God. Someone is not with himself, he is with some other. John clearly differentiates between God from the Word. The latter becomes flesh and is seen; the former cannot be seen. What is the Word? John says it was the agent through whom God made the world. He starts his gospel "In the beginning..." to remind us of Genesis 1. How does God create in Genesis? He speaks words that make things come into existence. So the Word is God's creative power and plan and activity. It is not God himself, but it is not really totally separate from God either. It occupies a kind of ambiguous status. That is why a monotheist like John can get away with calling it "a god" or "divine" without becoming a polytheist. This divine thing does not act on its own, however, does take on a kind of distinct identity, and in becoming flesh brings God's will and plan right down face to face with humans.
DEEPER TECHNICAL FACTS ON JOHN 1:1:
For those who like to know the technical facts behind the translation, correct, of John 1:1, here they are:
But, first a definition, Jesus (Yeshua)-A Godlike One; Divine
Some salient Bible editions on the subject,
1808 ; "and the word was a god" , --- TheNew Testament, in An ImprQved Version, Upon , the Basis of Archbishop Newcome's New Translation:
With a Corrected Text; London,
1829, , "and the I,.ogos was a,gqd" -- The Monotessaron; or,The Gospel History, ,According to the Four Evangelists, , by John S. Thompson,
Baltimore. ,
1864 -- "and a god wasth~,Word" -- TheEmphaticDiagiott (.)'2\ lrlteriinear r.eading), by Benjamin V{ilsorl, New York an<;lLondon.
'
1935 "q,nd the ,Word was divine" -- 'l'he Bible-An American .Translation" by " J. M. P. Smith andE. J. Goodspeed, Chicago.
1950 "and the Word was a god" -- New World Translation of the Christian Greek , Scriptures, Brooklyn.
1975 "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word"* -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Siegfried Schulz, GOttingen, Germany.*
1978 "and godlike sort was 'the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes
Schneider, Berlin.*
1979 . "and a god was the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, Jurgen Becker,
Wirzburg, Germany.*
* Translated from German.
These translations use such words 'as "a god," "divine," or "godlike" because the Greek word eEO<; (the-os') is a singular predicate noun occurring before the verb and is 'riot preceded by the definite article. This is an anarthrous "the-os'". The God with whom the Word, or Logos, .was originally is designated here by the Greek expression Qedz, that is, "the-os'". ,proceded by the definite article ho. .This'is an articular, "the-os'". . The articular construction of the noun 'points' to an identity, a personality,; whereas a singular ,anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb points to,a quality about someone., Therefore, John's statement that the Word, or Logos,--was "a god" or "divine" or "godlike" does not mean that he was the God with whom he was. It merely expresses a certain quality about the Word, or Logos, but it does not identify his as one and the same as God himself..
In the Greek text there, are many cases of a singular antarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb, such as those listed in the accompanying chart. In these places translators insert the indefinite article "a" before the predicate noun in order to bring out the quality or characteristic of the subject. Since the indefinite article is inserted before the predicate noun in such texts, with equal justification the indefinite article "a" is inserted before the anarthrous "the-os'", in the predicate of John 1:1 to make it read "a" god. The Sacred Scriptures Confirm the correctness of this rendering.
In his article "Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15: 39 and John 1:1," published in Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 92, Philadelphia, 1973, on p. 85 Philip B. Harner said that such clauses as the one in John l:1, "with an arthrous predicate preceding the verb, are primarily qualitative in meaning. They indicate that the logos has the nature of "the-os'". There is no basis for regarding the predicate "the-os'" as definite." On p. 87 of his article, Dr. Harner concluded: "In John 1:1 I think that the qualitative force of the predicate is so prominent that the noun cannot be regarded as definite."
Following is a list of instances in the gospels of Mark and John where various translators have rendered singular anarthrous predicate nouns occurring. before the verb with an indefinite article to denote the indefinite and qualitative status of the subject nouns, check the following Bibles for the following scriptures:
Scriptures, Mark 6:49, Mark 11:32, John 4:19, John 6:70, John 8:44, John 9:17,John 10:1, John 10:13, John 10:33, John 12:6, John 18:37 in the following translations, New World Translation (NWT), Authorized King James Bible (AV), New International Version (NIV), Revised Standard Version (RSV), and Today's English Version (TEV).
CONCLUSION:
Now many so called Christians point to John 1:1 to try and prove that Jesus (Yeshua) and his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) are one spirit being, an impossibility as one can NOT both be the son and the father at the same time as we all know. They use things to cloud the issue such as things are different in heaven or those are the words of men. In doing so they clearly forget that God (YHWH) used over 40 faithful man through divine inspiration to write the Bible as scribes that took the thoughts of men under divine inspiration and put them in the words of men so we could understand. Yet many biased translations say Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH)such as the Authorized King James Bible (AV), "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." But even the translational constructs clearly show the bias and the error in translating John 1:1 this way. How so? Well as a starter, one can NOT be with someone and also be that someone, that is an impossibility. But getting past that, even if one is to accept this error there is yet another impossibility. What is it? To have a Trinity, one must have three of a kind, and no matter how you translate John 1:1 there is NO three of a kind, nor for that matter three of anything.
APPENDIX:
(1) How some Bible translators who did not have bias translated, i.e., were striving for translation fidelity and NOT to support this or that perception:
1928: "and the Word was a divine being." La Bible du Centenaire, L'Evangile selon Jean, by Maurice Goguel.
1935: "and the Word was divine." The Bible-An American Translation, by J. M. P. Smith and E. J. Goodspeed.
1946: "and of a divine kind was the Word." Das Neue Testament, by Ludwig Thimme. 1958: "and the Word was a God." The New Testament, by James L. Tomanek.
1975: "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Siegfried Schulz.
1978: "and godlike kind was the Logos." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes Schneider.
1979: "and a god was the Logos." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Jurgen Becker Harwood,
1768, "and was himself a divine person" Thompson,
1829, "the Logos was a god Torrey,
1961, "what God was,the Word was" Moffatt,
1972, "the Logos was divine Translator's NT,
1973, "The Word was with God and shared his nature Barclay,
1976, "the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God" Schonfield,
1985, "the Word was divine Revised English,
1989, "what God was, the Word was Scholar's Version,
1993, "The Divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was" Madsen,
1994, "the Word was <EM>a divine Being" Becker,
1979, "ein Gott war das Logos" [a God/god was the Logos/logos] Stage,
1907, "Das Wort war selbst gttlichen Wesens" [The Word/word was itself a divine Being/being]. Bhmer,
1910, "Es war fest mit Gott verbunden, ja selbst gttlichen Wesens" [It was strongly linked to God, yes itself divine Being/being] Thimme,
1919, "Gott von Art war das Wort" [God of Kind/kind was the Word/word] Baumgarten et al,
1920, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Holzmann,
1926, "ein Gott war der Gedanke" [a God/god was the Thought/thought] Rittenlmeyer, 1938, "selbst ein Gott war das Wort" [itself a God/god was the Word/word] Lyder Brun (Norw. professor of NT theology),
1945, "Ordet var av guddomsart" [the Word was of divine kind] Pffflin,
1949, "war von gttlicher Wucht [was of divine Kind/kind] Albrecht,
1957, "gttlichen Wesen hatte das Wort" [godlike Being/being had the Word/word] Smit, 1960, "verdensordet var et guddommelig vesen" [the word of the world was a divine being] Menge,
1961, "Gott (= gttlichen Wesens) war das Wort"[God(=godlike Being/being) was the Word/word) Haenchen,
1980, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch,
1982, "r war bei Gott und in allem Gott gleich"[He was with God and in all like God] Haenchen (tr. By R. Funk),
1984, "divine (of the category divinity)was the Logos" Schultz,
1987, "ein Gott (oder: Gott von Art) war das Wort" [a God/god (or: God/god of Kind/kind) was the Word/word]
(2) Amplification on How Some Bible Translators Translated John 1:1 And Why:
"And the word was a god" - The New Testament in An Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Achbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text.
"and a god was the Word" - The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson.
"and the Word was divine" - The Bible: An American Translation, by J.M.P. Smith and E.J. Goodspeed.
"the Logos was divine" - The New Testament: A New Translation, by James Moffat.
"what God was, the Word was" - The New English Bible.
"He was the same as God" - Today's English Version.
"And the Word was a god" - New World Translation
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 131B]
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. Isaiah 65:21 – 23, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
And in the New Testament this promise is once more stated at Revelation 21: 3 – 5, [AV] “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
"What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] LET'S HAVE REALITY IN TRANSLATION:
INTRODUCTION:
The understanding with respect some scriptures in the Bible is badly clouded by translational errors caused either by the translator's bias, lack of understanding of idiomatic expressions, or lack of understanding of ancient writing styles. Many of these can readily be seen by careful readers as they do NOT jive with the remainder of the Bible and/or do not make any sense upon close examination. Some of these scriptures are those whose meaning is the most questioned and argued by Bible translators and/or scholars. Yet most show flawed meaning when they are closely examined in lack of agreement within themselves and/or with near by scriptures. To better grasp the subject we will examine the case of John 1:1 whose meaning is perhaps the most disputed of any in the entire Bible due to biased translational renderings in most Bibles in common usage.
THE CONSTRUCTS:
Let's first examine the most common constructs used for translating this scripture and then consider the facts and last some advanced translational items dealing with this scripture.
The 10 possible constructs of John 1:1 that do NOT violate any rule of Koine Greek grammar with the exception of the fact is that THE-OS' (=God) is a count noun, not a mass noun or an adjective. As a count noun it MUST BE countable, i.e. either definite or indefinite (i.e. either "a god" or "the God") for two of the constructs:
<1> "and a god was the Logos." [example of Bible using, Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Jurgen Becker Harwood, 1979]
<2> "the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God" [example of Bible using, Schonfield, 1976]
<3> "The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the word was." [example of Bible using, The New English Bible, NEB, 1961-present standard Bible agreed to by most denominations in the United Kingdom]
<4> "And the word was a god" [example of Bible using, The New Testament in An Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Achbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text.]
<5> "and the Word was divine" [example of Bible using, The Bible: An American Translation, by J.M.P. Smith and E.J. Goodspeed. }
<6> "and the Word was God" [example of Bible using, American Standard Version, ASV] [note, this construct violates the count noun rule of Koine Greek]
<7> "He was the same as God" example of Bible using, Today's English Version.]
<8> "the Logos was divine" [example of Bible using, The New Testament: A New Translation, by James Moffat]
<9> "r war bei Gott und in allem Gott gleich"[He was with God and in all like God] [example of Bible using, Haenchen (tr. By R. Funk), 1982]
<10> "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] [example of Bible using, Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch, 198
As we can see, here are ten different constructs possible without violating any rule of Koine Greek grammar except the count Noun rule. So, now, let's look at what follows in context in general format at John 1:2:
"The Word, then, was with God at the beginning," (The New English Bible, NEB)
"The same was in the beginning with God." (American Standard Version, ASB)
"The same was in the beginning with God." (Authorized King James Bible; AV)
"He was in the beginning with God." (Revised Standard Version; RSV)
"He was in the beginning with God." (The Confraternity Edition of the New Testament - Catholic)
As is easily seen, John 1:2 is substantially the same in all translations. However, in context it does not harmonize with some of the constructs used which do not violate any rule of Koine Greek grammar with the exception of the count Noun rule to be explained later.
However clearly some of the ten (10) or more basic constructs agree in context with John 1:2 and some do NOT. Let's look at the point where some do not agree or harmonize with the context of John 1:2:
John 1:2 plainly says that the Word, or Logos, who is Jesus (Yeshua) was with God in the beginning which would be impossible if Jesus (Yeshua) was Almighty God (YHWH) himself. This rules out constructs 6, 7, and 10, represented below, as impossible as they do NOT harmonize with context.
<6> "and the Word was God" [example of Bible using, American Standard Version, ASV] [note, this construct violates the count noun rule of Koine Greek]
<7> "He was the same as God" example of Bible using, Today's English Version.]
<10> "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] [example of Bible using, Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch, 198
And two of these constructs do violate the count Noun rule of Koine Greek; to wit, constructs 6 and 7.
Now exactly what is the count Noun rule of Koine Greek? It is as follows:
The fact is that THE-OS' (=God) is a count noun, not a mass noun or an adjective. As a count noun it MUST BE countable, i.e. either definite or indefinite (i.e. either "a god" or "the God"). The trinitarian argument hinges on stripping THE-OS' of its count-ability, so that it is purely qualitative. However, if a noun is PURELY qualitative, it is not a count noun. An adjective or a mass noun may fit their requirement for emphasizing qualitativness only, but a count noun MUST BE countable, for that is what *count* means when describing a count noun. If he accepts this rather elementary rule of English grammar, you can demonstrate that, as a count noun, THE-OS' may be translated either "the Word was God" (="the Word was The God", which is Sabellianism), or "the Word was a god". Since orthodox trinitarians reject "the Word was The God" (=Sabellianism), they are left with "the Word was a god" -- that is, if they remain true to English syntax (and English syntax is what ENGLISH translations are supposed to follow!). If one argues the point, let them provide an example of a non-countable *count noun* that is not used in a contrary-to-fact situation, such as a metaphor. I have yet to find anyone, trinitarian or otherwise, who is able to meet this challenge. Rolf Furuli, one of the two best living Koine Greek scholars, discusses this in his book, THE ROLE OF THEOLOGY AND BIAS IN BIBLE TRANSLATION, as does Greg Stafford, in his, JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES DEFENDED: AN ANSWER TO SCHOLARS AND CRITICS. There are also some very good posts by Wes Williams on greektheology that discuss this issue. I suppose if you search the greektheology archives using the word "count" or the name "Wes" you will find much helpful information. [source - Kats]
"To preserve in English the different nuance of the-os' [god] with and without the article, some (Moffat) would translate 'The Word was divine.'"
Notice a literal translation of John 1:1,2:
"In the beginning was the world and the word was toward the god and god was the word. This (one) was in beginning toward the god."
In these two verses we see six nouns, three referring to the Greek word logos (word, which most recognize to be Jesus) and three referring to the Greek word the-os' (god). We notice each reference to logos (word) is preceded by the definite article "the", while two of the three times the word the-os' (god) occurs, it too is preceded by the definite article "the". For some reason, John does not provide the definite article with the-os' when it is associated with "The Word". We thus see two definite individuals mentioned in this verse. "The Word", Jesus Christ, and "The God", who is Almighty God Jehovah. John does not say "The Word" is "The God". In fact, most Trinitarian scholars would argue that if John had said the word was "ho the-os'" (The God), it would amount to sabellianism (the belief that Jesus is both the Father and the Son). As such, it is commonly agreed upon that John was not identifying Jesus as God but rather, was describing him as deity. But if John did not say "The Word" is "The God", then what did he mean by saying, "the word was god"?
In Greek, it is possible for a noun to act as an adjective when it is not accompanied by the definite article. Consider a Biblical example of this in John 6:70. "Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" (NIV)
Here the noun (devil) is not proceeded by the finite article (the). To reflect this most Bibles place the indefinite article (a) in front of it. Thus, Jesus was not identifying Judas as "THE Devil", he was saying Judas had the qualities of the devil. He was acting like the devil so he was A devil though not THE devil. This example helps us to see how the lack of the definite article can cause a noun to act as a predication rather than an identification.
Regarding this point, noted Bible scholar William Barclay writes:
"When in Greek two nouns are joined by the verb to be and when both have the definite article, then the one is fully identified with the other; but when one of them is without the article, it become more an adjective than a noun, and describes rather the class of the sphere to which the other belongs...
"John has no definte article before theos, God. The Logos, therefore, is not identified as God or with God; the word theos has become adjectival and describes the sphere to which the logos belongs...
"This passage then [John 1:1] does not identify the Logos and God; it does not say that Jesus was God, nor doesit call him God; but it does say that in his nature and being he belongs to the same class as God."
Mr. Barclay's observations are duly noted in the example we considered with Judas Iscariot being "a devil".
Now let's consider what the Greek Scholar Jason BeDuhn from the Northern Arizona University has to say: "The Greek phrase is theos en ho logos, which translated word for word is "a god was the word." Greek has only a definite article, like our the, it does not have an indefinite article, like our a or an. If a noun is definite, it has the definite article ho. If a noun is indefinite, no article is used. In the phrase from John 1:1, ho logos is "the word." If it was written simply logos, without the definite article ho, we would have to translate it as "a word". So we are not really "inserting" an indefinite article when we translate Greek nouns without the definite article into English, we are simply obeying rules of English grammar that tell us that we cannot say "Snoopy is dog," but must say "Snoopy is a dog."
Now in English we simply say "God"; we do not say "The God." But in Greek, when you mean to refer to the one supreme God, instead of one of the many other beings that were called "gods," you would have to say "The God": ho theos. Even a monotheistic Christian, who believes there is only one God and no others, would be forced to say in Greek "The God," as John and Paul and the other writers of the New Testament normally do. If you leave off the article in a phrase like John 1:1, then you are saying "a god." (There are some exceptions to this rule: Greek has what are called noun cases, which means the nouns change form depending on how they are used in a sentence. So, if you want to say "of God," which is theou, you don't need the article. But in the nominative case, which is the one in John 1:1, you have to have the article. So what does John mean by saying "the word was a god"? He is classifying Jesus in a specific category of beings. There are plants and animals and humans and gods, and so on. By calling the Word "a god," John wants to tell his readers that the Word (which becomes Jesus when it takes flesh) belongs to the divine class of things. Notice the word order: "a god was the word." We can't say it like this in English, but you can in Greek. The subject can be after the verb and the object before the verb, the opposite of how we do it in English (subject-verb-object). Research has shown that when ancient Greek writers put a object-noun first in a sentence like John 1:1 (a be-verb sentence: x is y), without the definite article, they are telling us that the subject belongs to the class represented by the object-noun: :"The car is a Volkswagen." In English we would accomplish the same thing by using what we call predicate adjectives. "John is a smart person" = "John is smart." So we would tend to say "The word was divine," rather than "The word was a god." That is how I would translate this phrase. "The word was a god" is more literal, and an improvement over "The word was God," but it raises more problems, since to a modern reader it implies polytheism. No one in John's day would have understood the phrase to mean "The word was God" - the language does not convey that sense, and conceptually it is difficult to grasp such an idea, especially since that author has just said that the word was with God. Someone is not with himself, he is with some other. John clearly differentiates between God from the Word. The latter becomes flesh and is seen; the former cannot be seen. What is the Word? John says it was the agent through whom God made the world. He starts his gospel "In the beginning..." to remind us of Genesis 1. How does God create in Genesis? He speaks words that make things come into existence. So the Word is God's creative power and plan and activity. It is not God himself, but it is not really totally separate from God either. It occupies a kind of ambiguous status. That is why a monotheist like John can get away with calling it "a god" or "divine" without becoming a polytheist. This divine thing does not act on its own, however, does take on a kind of distinct identity, and in becoming flesh brings God's will and plan right down face to face with humans.
DEEPER TECHNICAL FACTS ON JOHN 1:1:
For those who like to know the technical facts behind the translation, correct, of John 1:1, here they are:
But, first a definition, Jesus (Yeshua)-A Godlike One; Divine
Some salient Bible editions on the subject,
1808 ; "and the word was a god" , --- TheNew Testament, in An ImprQved Version, Upon , the Basis of Archbishop Newcome's New Translation:
With a Corrected Text; London,
1829, , "and the I,.ogos was a,gqd" -- The Monotessaron; or,The Gospel History, ,According to the Four Evangelists, , by John S. Thompson,
Baltimore. ,
1864 -- "and a god wasth~,Word" -- TheEmphaticDiagiott (.)'2\ lrlteriinear r.eading), by Benjamin V{ilsorl, New York an<;lLondon.
'
1935 "q,nd the ,Word was divine" -- 'l'he Bible-An American .Translation" by " J. M. P. Smith andE. J. Goodspeed, Chicago.
1950 "and the Word was a god" -- New World Translation of the Christian Greek , Scriptures, Brooklyn.
1975 "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word"* -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Siegfried Schulz, GOttingen, Germany.*
1978 "and godlike sort was 'the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes
Schneider, Berlin.*
1979 . "and a god was the Logos"" -- Das Evangelium nach Johannes, Jurgen Becker,
Wirzburg, Germany.*
* Translated from German.
These translations use such words 'as "a god," "divine," or "godlike" because the Greek word eEO<; (the-os') is a singular predicate noun occurring before the verb and is 'riot preceded by the definite article. This is an anarthrous "the-os'". The God with whom the Word, or Logos, .was originally is designated here by the Greek expression Qedz, that is, "the-os'". ,proceded by the definite article ho. .This'is an articular, "the-os'". . The articular construction of the noun 'points' to an identity, a personality,; whereas a singular ,anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb points to,a quality about someone., Therefore, John's statement that the Word, or Logos,--was "a god" or "divine" or "godlike" does not mean that he was the God with whom he was. It merely expresses a certain quality about the Word, or Logos, but it does not identify his as one and the same as God himself..
In the Greek text there, are many cases of a singular antarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb, such as those listed in the accompanying chart. In these places translators insert the indefinite article "a" before the predicate noun in order to bring out the quality or characteristic of the subject. Since the indefinite article is inserted before the predicate noun in such texts, with equal justification the indefinite article "a" is inserted before the anarthrous "the-os'", in the predicate of John 1:1 to make it read "a" god. The Sacred Scriptures Confirm the correctness of this rendering.
In his article "Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15: 39 and John 1:1," published in Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 92, Philadelphia, 1973, on p. 85 Philip B. Harner said that such clauses as the one in John l:1, "with an arthrous predicate preceding the verb, are primarily qualitative in meaning. They indicate that the logos has the nature of "the-os'". There is no basis for regarding the predicate "the-os'" as definite." On p. 87 of his article, Dr. Harner concluded: "In John 1:1 I think that the qualitative force of the predicate is so prominent that the noun cannot be regarded as definite."
Following is a list of instances in the gospels of Mark and John where various translators have rendered singular anarthrous predicate nouns occurring. before the verb with an indefinite article to denote the indefinite and qualitative status of the subject nouns, check the following Bibles for the following scriptures:
Scriptures, Mark 6:49, Mark 11:32, John 4:19, John 6:70, John 8:44, John 9:17,John 10:1, John 10:13, John 10:33, John 12:6, John 18:37 in the following translations, New World Translation (NWT), Authorized King James Bible (AV), New International Version (NIV), Revised Standard Version (RSV), and Today's English Version (TEV).
CONCLUSION:
Now many so called Christians point to John 1:1 to try and prove that Jesus (Yeshua) and his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) are one spirit being, an impossibility as one can NOT both be the son and the father at the same time as we all know. They use things to cloud the issue such as things are different in heaven or those are the words of men. In doing so they clearly forget that God (YHWH) used over 40 faithful man through divine inspiration to write the Bible as scribes that took the thoughts of men under divine inspiration and put them in the words of men so we could understand. Yet many biased translations say Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH)such as the Authorized King James Bible (AV), "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." But even the translational constructs clearly show the bias and the error in translating John 1:1 this way. How so? Well as a starter, one can NOT be with someone and also be that someone, that is an impossibility. But getting past that, even if one is to accept this error there is yet another impossibility. What is it? To have a Trinity, one must have three of a kind, and no matter how you translate John 1:1 there is NO three of a kind, nor for that matter three of anything.
APPENDIX:
(1) How some Bible translators who did not have bias translated, i.e., were striving for translation fidelity and NOT to support this or that perception:
1928: "and the Word was a divine being." La Bible du Centenaire, L'Evangile selon Jean, by Maurice Goguel.
1935: "and the Word was divine." The Bible-An American Translation, by J. M. P. Smith and E. J. Goodspeed.
1946: "and of a divine kind was the Word." Das Neue Testament, by Ludwig Thimme. 1958: "and the Word was a God." The New Testament, by James L. Tomanek.
1975: "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Siegfried Schulz.
1978: "and godlike kind was the Logos." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes Schneider.
1979: "and a god was the Logos." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Jurgen Becker Harwood,
1768, "and was himself a divine person" Thompson,
1829, "the Logos was a god Torrey,
1961, "what God was,the Word was" Moffatt,
1972, "the Logos was divine Translator's NT,
1973, "The Word was with God and shared his nature Barclay,
1976, "the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God" Schonfield,
1985, "the Word was divine Revised English,
1989, "what God was, the Word was Scholar's Version,
1993, "The Divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was" Madsen,
1994, "the Word was <EM>a divine Being" Becker,
1979, "ein Gott war das Logos" [a God/god was the Logos/logos] Stage,
1907, "Das Wort war selbst gttlichen Wesens" [The Word/word was itself a divine Being/being]. Bhmer,
1910, "Es war fest mit Gott verbunden, ja selbst gttlichen Wesens" [It was strongly linked to God, yes itself divine Being/being] Thimme,
1919, "Gott von Art war das Wort" [God of Kind/kind was the Word/word] Baumgarten et al,
1920, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Holzmann,
1926, "ein Gott war der Gedanke" [a God/god was the Thought/thought] Rittenlmeyer, 1938, "selbst ein Gott war das Wort" [itself a God/god was the Word/word] Lyder Brun (Norw. professor of NT theology),
1945, "Ordet var av guddomsart" [the Word was of divine kind] Pffflin,
1949, "war von gttlicher Wucht [was of divine Kind/kind] Albrecht,
1957, "gttlichen Wesen hatte das Wort" [godlike Being/being had the Word/word] Smit, 1960, "verdensordet var et guddommelig vesen" [the word of the world was a divine being] Menge,
1961, "Gott (= gttlichen Wesens) war das Wort"[God(=godlike Being/being) was the Word/word) Haenchen,
1980, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch,
1982, "r war bei Gott und in allem Gott gleich"[He was with God and in all like God] Haenchen (tr. By R. Funk),
1984, "divine (of the category divinity)was the Logos" Schultz,
1987, "ein Gott (oder: Gott von Art) war das Wort" [a God/god (or: God/god of Kind/kind) was the Word/word]
(2) Amplification on How Some Bible Translators Translated John 1:1 And Why:
"And the word was a god" - The New Testament in An Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Achbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text.
"and a god was the Word" - The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson.
"and the Word was divine" - The Bible: An American Translation, by J.M.P. Smith and E.J. Goodspeed.
"the Logos was divine" - The New Testament: A New Translation, by James Moffat.
"what God was, the Word was" - The New English Bible.
"He was the same as God" - Today's English Version.
"And the Word was a god" - New World Translation
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Tue Feb 11, 2020 10:50 am
[size=18COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] DISCOURSE ON THE 'GREAT CROWD'. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [132B]
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. John 4:8 – 9, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, Almighty God’S (YHWH’S) principle attribute is love, and all expecting to win His approval must display this attribute. He has shown His love for mankind in that He created them, and when the first man, Adam, proved disobedient, He layed plans for his only begotten son to serve as a sacrificial ransom to relieve the inherited sin that came upon all mankind due to Adam’s wrong course. This reality is explained at Romans 5:6 – 11, [AV] “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON THE 'GREAT CROWD':
The term 'great crowd' or large crowd or multitude depending on translation which, in itself, is quite common in the New Testament and is used in a variety of ways. Sometimes it is used with regard to large groups of persons who heard Jesus (Yeshua) Christ's public teaching such as at Matthew 14:14, " Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd, his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick."(The Good News Translation; GNT); and Matthew 20:29, " And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him."(Revised Standard Version; RSV).
Also, another use is how it is used at Revelation 19:1 after the vision of the destruction of the symbolic Babylon the Great, where the Apostle John heard, "After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,"(RSV). Which of course referred to a 'great crowd' or multitude in heaven, i.e., referring to all the spiritual sons of God (YHWH), the angels, etc.
However, in Revelations 7:9-12, " After this, I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne and the ancients and the four living creatures. And they fell down before the throne upon their faces and adored God, 12 Saying: Amen. Benediction and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honour and power and strength, to our God, for ever and ever. Amen."(Douay Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB). The identification of this 'great crowd' is quite different than the one in Matthew or the one in Revelation 19:1. With regard to this great crowd, the Apostle John saw in his vision were out of every nation, peoples, and tongues thus identifying this great crows as earthly as there are no tribes, nations, peoples, etc. in heaven. Further the scripture shows, these ascribe their salvation to God (YHWH), and to the Lamb, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, his son as they stand before God's (YHWH's) throne. They are the ones that have come out of the great tribulation as revealed in Revelation. They serve God (YHWH), and he spreads his symbolic tent over them. All their hunger and thirst are to be ended and every tear is to be widped from their eyes as Jesus (Yeshua)(the Lamb of God (YHWH) per John 1:29, " The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him; and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who taketh away the sin of the world."(DRCB), guides them to the waters of life per Revelation 7:9-12, previously quoted.
The dey to the identification of this great crowd is actually found within the description of them in Revelation 1:9-12, previously quoted, and in an obvious parallel passage at Revelation 7:15-17, " Therefore, they are before the throne of God: and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell over them. 16 They shall no more hunger nor thirst: neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall rule them and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."(DRCB). Which as previously mentioned speaks of them being guided to fountains of water of life, and of God's (YHWH's) wiping every tear from their eyes. There is a parallel passage at Revelation 21:2-4, " And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying: Behold the tabernacle of God with men: and he will dwell with them. And they shall be his people: and God himself with them shall be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more. Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away."(DRCB), in which we find, God's (YHWH's) tent being with mankind, his wiping every tear from their eyes, and death being no more.
The vision there presented is concerning persons NOT in heaven, from where the "New Jerusalem" comes down from as revealed in Revelation 21:1-2, " I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth was gone: and the sea is now no more. 2 And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."(DRCB).
This poses the question: If the 'great crowd' are individuals who gain salvation and remain on the earth, how could they be said to be 'standing before God's (YHWh) throne' as stated in Revelation 7:9 previously quoted? Now, the position of 'standing' is sometimes used in the Bible to indicate the holding of a favored or approved position in the eyes of the one in whose presence the individual or group stands, see Psalms 5:5, Proverbs 22:29, Luke 1:19, etc. In fact, in Revelations 6:15-17, " And the kings of the earth and the princes and tribunes and the rich and the strong and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of mountains: 16 And they say to the mountains and the rocks: Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath is come. And who shall be able to stand?" (DRCB) the kings of the earth and all other ones are depicted as seeking to hide themselves from God (YHWH) who is seated on his throne as they could NOT stand before him, compare this with Luke 21:36, " Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Son of man."(DRCB).
It is thus indicated that this 'great crowd' is formed of individuals who have been preserved during that time of wrath and who are able to 'stand' as approved by God (YHWH) and the Lamb.
In fact, the Lamb's guiding them to fountains of water of life finds a parallel at Revelation 22:17, " And the spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that heareth, let him say: Come. And he that thirsteth, let him come. And he that will, let him take the water of life, freely."(DRCB), see also Ephesians 5:25-27, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 19:7-9, and 21:9-11. This invitation to take life's water free presented by the heavenly 'bride' class is obviously open to an unlimited number of persons, anyone that wishes. Unnumbered as the 'great crowd' in the vision of Revelation 7:9; thereby harmonizing with Revelation 22:17. Thus, the sum of the evidence represent all who stand approved at the time of the 'great tribulation' and are preserved alive on earth in keeping with Zechariah 3:10, " In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree."(Authorized King James; AV).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG ][/size]
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [132B]
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. John 4:8 – 9, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, Almighty God’S (YHWH’S) principle attribute is love, and all expecting to win His approval must display this attribute. He has shown His love for mankind in that He created them, and when the first man, Adam, proved disobedient, He layed plans for his only begotten son to serve as a sacrificial ransom to relieve the inherited sin that came upon all mankind due to Adam’s wrong course. This reality is explained at Romans 5:6 – 11, [AV] “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
[2] DISCOURSE ON THE 'GREAT CROWD':
The term 'great crowd' or large crowd or multitude depending on translation which, in itself, is quite common in the New Testament and is used in a variety of ways. Sometimes it is used with regard to large groups of persons who heard Jesus (Yeshua) Christ's public teaching such as at Matthew 14:14, " Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd, his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick."(The Good News Translation; GNT); and Matthew 20:29, " And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him."(Revised Standard Version; RSV).
Also, another use is how it is used at Revelation 19:1 after the vision of the destruction of the symbolic Babylon the Great, where the Apostle John heard, "After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,"(RSV). Which of course referred to a 'great crowd' or multitude in heaven, i.e., referring to all the spiritual sons of God (YHWH), the angels, etc.
However, in Revelations 7:9-12, " After this, I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne and the ancients and the four living creatures. And they fell down before the throne upon their faces and adored God, 12 Saying: Amen. Benediction and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honour and power and strength, to our God, for ever and ever. Amen."(Douay Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB). The identification of this 'great crowd' is quite different than the one in Matthew or the one in Revelation 19:1. With regard to this great crowd, the Apostle John saw in his vision were out of every nation, peoples, and tongues thus identifying this great crows as earthly as there are no tribes, nations, peoples, etc. in heaven. Further the scripture shows, these ascribe their salvation to God (YHWH), and to the Lamb, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, his son as they stand before God's (YHWH's) throne. They are the ones that have come out of the great tribulation as revealed in Revelation. They serve God (YHWH), and he spreads his symbolic tent over them. All their hunger and thirst are to be ended and every tear is to be widped from their eyes as Jesus (Yeshua)(the Lamb of God (YHWH) per John 1:29, " The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him; and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who taketh away the sin of the world."(DRCB), guides them to the waters of life per Revelation 7:9-12, previously quoted.
The dey to the identification of this great crowd is actually found within the description of them in Revelation 1:9-12, previously quoted, and in an obvious parallel passage at Revelation 7:15-17, " Therefore, they are before the throne of God: and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell over them. 16 They shall no more hunger nor thirst: neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall rule them and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."(DRCB). Which as previously mentioned speaks of them being guided to fountains of water of life, and of God's (YHWH's) wiping every tear from their eyes. There is a parallel passage at Revelation 21:2-4, " And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying: Behold the tabernacle of God with men: and he will dwell with them. And they shall be his people: and God himself with them shall be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more. Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away."(DRCB), in which we find, God's (YHWH's) tent being with mankind, his wiping every tear from their eyes, and death being no more.
The vision there presented is concerning persons NOT in heaven, from where the "New Jerusalem" comes down from as revealed in Revelation 21:1-2, " I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth was gone: and the sea is now no more. 2 And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."(DRCB).
This poses the question: If the 'great crowd' are individuals who gain salvation and remain on the earth, how could they be said to be 'standing before God's (YHWh) throne' as stated in Revelation 7:9 previously quoted? Now, the position of 'standing' is sometimes used in the Bible to indicate the holding of a favored or approved position in the eyes of the one in whose presence the individual or group stands, see Psalms 5:5, Proverbs 22:29, Luke 1:19, etc. In fact, in Revelations 6:15-17, " And the kings of the earth and the princes and tribunes and the rich and the strong and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of mountains: 16 And they say to the mountains and the rocks: Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath is come. And who shall be able to stand?" (DRCB) the kings of the earth and all other ones are depicted as seeking to hide themselves from God (YHWH) who is seated on his throne as they could NOT stand before him, compare this with Luke 21:36, " Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Son of man."(DRCB).
It is thus indicated that this 'great crowd' is formed of individuals who have been preserved during that time of wrath and who are able to 'stand' as approved by God (YHWH) and the Lamb.
In fact, the Lamb's guiding them to fountains of water of life finds a parallel at Revelation 22:17, " And the spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that heareth, let him say: Come. And he that thirsteth, let him come. And he that will, let him take the water of life, freely."(DRCB), see also Ephesians 5:25-27, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 19:7-9, and 21:9-11. This invitation to take life's water free presented by the heavenly 'bride' class is obviously open to an unlimited number of persons, anyone that wishes. Unnumbered as the 'great crowd' in the vision of Revelation 7:9; thereby harmonizing with Revelation 22:17. Thus, the sum of the evidence represent all who stand approved at the time of the 'great tribulation' and are preserved alive on earth in keeping with Zechariah 3:10, " In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree."(Authorized King James; AV).
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Pimpernel With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [133B]
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Romans 8:16, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
There was great excitement in Jerusalem on Pentecost 33 C.E. as this time marked the start of the wheat harvest. And while much activity was taking place in the temple area, and even more important event was taking place in an upper roam in the city, Acts 1:13 – 15, [AV] “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)” And Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) Holy Spirit came down on the gathering as prophesied by the Prophet Joel at Joel 2:28 – 32, [AV] “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” Yes, His Holy Spirit was poured out on them as testified to at Acts 2:2 – 4, [AV] “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” In fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. And all started as shown by Acts 1:8, [AV] “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
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[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Pimpernel
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Anagallis arvensis , Pimpernel
Abundance: common
What: flowers, leaves, stem
How: dried and powdered, tea
Where: sunny fields, yards,
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: medicinal
WARNING - DANGERS: CONTAINS SMALL AMOUNT OF SAPONINS WHICH CAN CAUSE STOMACH UPSET. SOME PEOPLE DEVELOP SKIN RASHES FROM CONTACT. IT ALSO CONTAINS SOME ESTROGEN MIMICS.
The scarlet pimpernel has a tradition of medicinal use going back to the ancient Greeks. They considered it to be a "cure-all", capable of treating any sort of injury, illness, or infection of bone, muscle, eye or other organ. The plant was dried and powdered, this powder then consumed in a drink. The raw plant has a rather unpleasant taste, probably due to the small amount of bitter saponin compounds it contains. It was also used as a wash for bad skin. Perhaps more importantly the pimpernel was thought to raise spirits and dispel melancholy, for which tea made from the fresh plant was recommended.
The pimpernel flowers close up when rain approaches, allowing them to be used as a crude method of predicting bad weather. The flowers also close up in the evening and won't reopen until stuck by sunlight.
The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, but generally they are too bitter. Also note that they can be fatal to small animals such as rabbits and rodents so don't feed them to pets. ALSO, DON'T MISTAKE IT FOR CHICKWEED (STELLARIA MEDIA)
WARNING - PIMPERNEL CONTAINS AN ESTROGEN MIMIC AND SO IF THAT SORT OF THING CONCERNS YOU THEN AVOID THIS PLANT. THE ESTROGEN MIMIC CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS DURING PREGNANCY AS WELL WITH CERTAIN HORMONE-SENSITIVE ISSUES. THESE INCLUDE CANCERS OF THE BREAST, UTERUS, AND OVARIES ALONG WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS. [SOURC - RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.FORAGINGTEXAS.COM/2012/01/PIMPERNEL.HTML ON 3/30/2016]
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To view this plant, go to, http://www.foragingtexas.com/2012/01/pimpernel.html
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] DISCOURSE ON MODERN BIBLE TRANSLATIONS. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [134B]
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Romans 7:14 – 15, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we have all inherited sin from Adam who disobeyed Almighty God (YHWH), and this is testified to at Romans 5:12, [AV]`” Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Therefore, we need a perfect man to give his human life as a ransom to remove this inherited from mankind. This removal of inherited sin from all of obedient mankind was accomplished by Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua) as shown at Romans 5:14 – 17, [AV] “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
[2] DISCOURSE ON MODERN BIBLE TRANSLATIONS:
Most translators of today carefully compare the base text they are using for their translation carefully against many different manuscripts, codex's, papyruses, etc. to to cross check and weed out textural errors. Of course they do NOT put their hands on the original manuscripts as these are under cover of an inert gas to preserve them in most cases. However, photocopies of the original manuscripts are available to modern translators to check and weed out textural errors. Some of the readily available photocopies are the Codex Alexandrinus in the same British Museum as the Codex Sinaiticus, the Codex Ephraemi rescriptus in Paris, the Bezae Codices at Cambridge England, the Papyrus Chester Beatty collections at Dublin, Papyrus Bodmen at Geneva, various copies/versions of the Septuagint, etc. For example, the translational team that translated T"he New English Bible" consulted about 2,000 of these, and the same is true of the New World Translation, An American Translation, American Standard Version, La Biblica (Spanish), etc.
Here is a statement on The New English Bible (NEB):
"A presbytery in the Church of Scotland in 1946 recommended to the General Assembly that a translation of the Bible be made in the language of the present day because the language in the Authorized Version [Authorized King James Bible] was archaic and less generally understood. The General Assembly approached other churches. There was a desire that a completely new translation rather than a revision and for a contemporary idiom rather than a traditional Biblical English be used.
It was planned and directed by representatives of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Congregational Church in England and Wales, the Council of Churches for Wales, the Irish Council of Churches, the London Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends, the Methodist Church of Great Britain, the Presbyterian Church of England, the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the National Bible Society of Scotland. The Roman Catholic Church in England and Scotland sent representatives as observers.
The translating was done by three panels drawn from scholars of British universities to deal, respectively, with the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament. A fourth panel of trusted literary advisers was to scrutinize the translation for English style" [source - Oxford and Cambridge Universities Presses (1970]).
Let's look at a comparison between Bible translations of one scripture, "Genesis 1:1-2 in several Bibles and brief comments on these Bibles so all can gain a better understanding of what sources are used and how translating is done
Genesis 1:1-2 in An American Translation, by Beck: (ATT)
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was desolate and uninhabitable, and it was dark on the deep sea, but God's Spirit hovered over the waters."
Comments on this translation, "This is the work of Dr. William F. Beck, whose cause was to simplify the English Bible for people of all ages. There are almost 5,000 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament all over the earth, plus many thousands of the Latin, Syraic, and other translations. Dr. Beck felt that God wants us to have a passion for the truth; to use all the best evidences from the manuscripts, dictionaries, and grammars as light on the text; and to search with burning hearts for its exact meaning.
The translator did his utmost to make both the Old Testament and the New Testament the most accurate on the market, in regard to the best text, the most thorough lexiographical, grammatical, and archaeological evidence. His goal was to have God talk to the hearts of people in their language of today and tomorrow.
The main purpose of the Bible is its saving doctrine. The translator felt that the Revised Standard Version undermines the Heilsplan (plan of salvation) by cutting down the prophecies of the coming Savior in the Old Testament and the important truths about Christ in the New Testament. The section "What Does the Text Say?" at the back of this Bible gives examples of these changes in the Revised Standard Version and the New English Bible and how they differ from the renderings in An American Translation.
This translation has been acclaimed as the most significant Lutheran contribution in the span of some 450 years since Martin Luther translated the Bible into German. However, it is a Bible not only for Lutherans but also for every English-speaking person. It is a faithful translation, not a paraphrase.
As no translation is perfect, this third edition took into consideration helpful suggestions, which were evaluated. These created further demand for expertise in the original languages. Numerous changes have been made as a result.
The New Testament in the Language of Today was first published in 1963 by Concordia Publishing House.
Leader Publishing Company (1976)
Genesis 1:1-2, in Darby Holy Bible. (DHB)
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was waste and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."
Comments on this translation. "This translation of the Old Testament has been derived from a study of the common Hebrew text, and represents at the same time a collation of the late J. N. Darby's German and French Versions, he having himself revised the first few books within a short time of his decease. Those who use this English translation may accordingly expect to find incorporated with it whatever is of special value in the above-mentioned Versions, particularly the French, where the common English Bible is defective.
The purpose of this translation is not to offer to the man of letters a learned work, but rather to provide the simple and unlearned reader with as exact a translation as possible. To this end, all available helps have been used. The work is not a revision of the Bible in common use. The style of the Authorised Version [KJV] has been retained as far as possible within the purpose of the translation.
Poetical parts are distinguished from the rest by a metrical arrangement to which those are accustomed who use Paragraph Bibles. However, this has been abandoned in the Prophets where the poetical form is often complicated.
Elohim will in the text appear only in the name Jehovah Elohim; moreover, when Elohim following immediately on Jehovah has a grammatical adjunct, its place will be taken by the English word "God." For the meaning of Jehovah, Yahweh or Yehveh, see Exodus 3:14,15; Isaiah 40:28; for Jah, see Exodus 25:2. Ordinary spelling of proper names has been adhered to, subject to numerous and necessary corrections. Italics indicate emphasis.
In the first edition of the New Testament, the translator used the Textus Receptus. But the Textus Receptus was itself often changed in the text of the work. He decided to adopt its reading, not attempt to make a text of his own. His object was a more correct translation: only there was no use in translating what all intelligent critics held to be a mistake in the copy.
Since the first edition, various new helps became available. However, there has been little change in the actual translating. There have been changes involving clarity, inaccuracies, and uniformity. [source - G. Morrish (1923), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
Genesis 1:1-2, in An American Translation by Dr. Edgar J. Goodspeed and a committee. (SGAT)
"When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was a desolate waste, with darkness covering the abyss and a temptuous wind raging over the surface of the waters."
Comments on this translation. "The Old Testament was translated by Alexander R. Gordon (McGill University), Theopile J. Meek (University of Toronto), Leroy Waterman (University of Michigan), and J. M. Powis Smith (University of Chicago). The last person named was also the editor. The New Testament was translated by Edgar J. Goodspeed (University of Chicago)
.
There were basic reasons for the need of this translation of the Old Testament. The control of the Hebrew vocabulary and syntax available to the scholar at this time was vastly greater than that at the command of the translators of the Authorized Version or of its revisers. The science of textual criticism had made great progress in recent years, and no translation of the Old Testament could afford to ignore its results. There had developed a great interest in the stylistic qualities of Hebrew poetry. The English of King James's day was not wholly natural or clear to the average person at this time.
The official Massoretic text was used as a guide. When it was necessary to check elsewhere, a substitute along generally approved lines was used.
Hebrew poetry was presented in poetic lines. Archaic pronouns (except when used in addressing God), verb forms, and adjectives were made more modern. The Tetragammatron was rendered as LORD or GOD in small capital letters.
The New Testament was written in everyday Greek. It, thus, was translated into everyday English.
The translator used helps made available in recent years, including Greek papyri, grammatical works, lexicons, and lexical studies. He followed the Greek texts of Westcott and Hort, except in a very few verses. In one of these, he followed the suggestion of Rendel Harris that by an error of the eye the name of Enoch has dropped out of the text of 1 Peter 3: 19. [source - University of Chicago Press (1931)]
Genesis 1:1-2, in the Lamsa Bible (LBP)
"God created the heavens and the earth in the very beginning.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water."
Comments on this translation. "This translation of the Old and New Testaments is based on Peshitta manuscripts which have comprised the accepted Bible of all those Christians who have used Syriac as their language of prayer and worship for many centuries. The Church of the East and some noted Western scholars dispute the belief of modern scholarship that the originals of the Four Gospels and other parts of the New Testament were written in Greek. In any case, Aramaic speech is an underlying factor and New Testament writers drew on documents written in Aramaic. Syriac is the literary dialect of Aramaic. From the Mediterranean east into India, the Peshitta is still the Bible of preference among Christians.
George M. Lamsa, the translator, devoted the major part of his life to this work. He was an Assyrian and a native of ancient Bible lands. He and his people retained Biblical customs and Semitic culture, which had perished elsewhere. With this background and his knowledge of the Aramaic (Syriac) language, he has recovered much of the meaning that has been lost in other translations of the Scriptures. There is a section on the problems of translating from the Aramaic to the Greek.
Manuscripts used were the Codex Ambrosianus for the Old Testament and the Mortimer-McCawley manuscript for the New Testament. Comparisons have been made with other Peshitta manuscripts, including the oldest dated manuscript in existence. The term Peshitta means straight, simple, sincere and true, that is, the original. Even the Moslems in the Middle East accept and revere the Peshitta text.
Although the Peshitta Old Testament contains the Books of the Apocrypha, this edition has omitted them. [source - A. J. Holman Company (1957), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
Genesis 1:1-2, the New World Translation (NWT)
"In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of [the] watery deep; and God's active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters."
Comments on this translation. "It was translated from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages by a committee.
It was originally released in six volumes from 1950 to 1960. The originals contained marginal references and footnotes. The revised 1961 edition had neither. This 1984 edition has been expanded to include complete updating and revision of the marginal (cross) references of the original edition.
It was released by the committee to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania for printing, translation into other languages, and distribution. The translators felt responsible to God to transmit His thoughts and declarations as accurately as possible. [source - Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York (1984) ), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
Genesis 1:1-2, in the New Century Version (NCV).
"In the beginning God created the sky and the earth. The earth was empty and had no form. Darkness covered the ocean, and God's Spirit was moving over the water."
Comments on this translation. "This translation of God's Word was made from the original Hebrew and Greek languages. The translation team was composed of the World Bible Translation Center and fifty additional, highly qualified and experienced Bible scholars and translators. Some had translation experience on the New International, the New American Standard, and the New King James Versions. The third edition of the United Bible Societies' Greek text, the latest edition of Biblia Hebraica and the Septuagint were among texts used.
Several guidelines were used to make the language clear for any reader. The Living Word Vocabulary, the standard used by World Book Encyclopedia, was the basis for vocabulary. Concepts were put into natural terms -- modern measurements and geographical locations. Ancient customs were clarified in the text or footnotes. Rhetorical questions were stated according to the implied answers. Figures of speech and idiomatic expressions were translated according to their meanings. Obscure terms were clarified. An attempt was made to choose gender language that would convey the intent of the writers. The Tetragrammaton was indicated by putting LORD and GOD in capital letters. Hebrew parallelism in poetry and word plays were retained. Images of ancient languages were translated into equivalent English images, where possible. [source - Word Publishing (1987), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [134B]
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Romans 7:14 – 15, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we have all inherited sin from Adam who disobeyed Almighty God (YHWH), and this is testified to at Romans 5:12, [AV]`” Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Therefore, we need a perfect man to give his human life as a ransom to remove this inherited from mankind. This removal of inherited sin from all of obedient mankind was accomplished by Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua) as shown at Romans 5:14 – 17, [AV] “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
[2] DISCOURSE ON MODERN BIBLE TRANSLATIONS:
Most translators of today carefully compare the base text they are using for their translation carefully against many different manuscripts, codex's, papyruses, etc. to to cross check and weed out textural errors. Of course they do NOT put their hands on the original manuscripts as these are under cover of an inert gas to preserve them in most cases. However, photocopies of the original manuscripts are available to modern translators to check and weed out textural errors. Some of the readily available photocopies are the Codex Alexandrinus in the same British Museum as the Codex Sinaiticus, the Codex Ephraemi rescriptus in Paris, the Bezae Codices at Cambridge England, the Papyrus Chester Beatty collections at Dublin, Papyrus Bodmen at Geneva, various copies/versions of the Septuagint, etc. For example, the translational team that translated T"he New English Bible" consulted about 2,000 of these, and the same is true of the New World Translation, An American Translation, American Standard Version, La Biblica (Spanish), etc.
Here is a statement on The New English Bible (NEB):
"A presbytery in the Church of Scotland in 1946 recommended to the General Assembly that a translation of the Bible be made in the language of the present day because the language in the Authorized Version [Authorized King James Bible] was archaic and less generally understood. The General Assembly approached other churches. There was a desire that a completely new translation rather than a revision and for a contemporary idiom rather than a traditional Biblical English be used.
It was planned and directed by representatives of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Congregational Church in England and Wales, the Council of Churches for Wales, the Irish Council of Churches, the London Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends, the Methodist Church of Great Britain, the Presbyterian Church of England, the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the National Bible Society of Scotland. The Roman Catholic Church in England and Scotland sent representatives as observers.
The translating was done by three panels drawn from scholars of British universities to deal, respectively, with the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament. A fourth panel of trusted literary advisers was to scrutinize the translation for English style" [source - Oxford and Cambridge Universities Presses (1970]).
Let's look at a comparison between Bible translations of one scripture, "Genesis 1:1-2 in several Bibles and brief comments on these Bibles so all can gain a better understanding of what sources are used and how translating is done
Genesis 1:1-2 in An American Translation, by Beck: (ATT)
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was desolate and uninhabitable, and it was dark on the deep sea, but God's Spirit hovered over the waters."
Comments on this translation, "This is the work of Dr. William F. Beck, whose cause was to simplify the English Bible for people of all ages. There are almost 5,000 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament all over the earth, plus many thousands of the Latin, Syraic, and other translations. Dr. Beck felt that God wants us to have a passion for the truth; to use all the best evidences from the manuscripts, dictionaries, and grammars as light on the text; and to search with burning hearts for its exact meaning.
The translator did his utmost to make both the Old Testament and the New Testament the most accurate on the market, in regard to the best text, the most thorough lexiographical, grammatical, and archaeological evidence. His goal was to have God talk to the hearts of people in their language of today and tomorrow.
The main purpose of the Bible is its saving doctrine. The translator felt that the Revised Standard Version undermines the Heilsplan (plan of salvation) by cutting down the prophecies of the coming Savior in the Old Testament and the important truths about Christ in the New Testament. The section "What Does the Text Say?" at the back of this Bible gives examples of these changes in the Revised Standard Version and the New English Bible and how they differ from the renderings in An American Translation.
This translation has been acclaimed as the most significant Lutheran contribution in the span of some 450 years since Martin Luther translated the Bible into German. However, it is a Bible not only for Lutherans but also for every English-speaking person. It is a faithful translation, not a paraphrase.
As no translation is perfect, this third edition took into consideration helpful suggestions, which were evaluated. These created further demand for expertise in the original languages. Numerous changes have been made as a result.
The New Testament in the Language of Today was first published in 1963 by Concordia Publishing House.
Leader Publishing Company (1976)
Genesis 1:1-2, in Darby Holy Bible. (DHB)
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was waste and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."
Comments on this translation. "This translation of the Old Testament has been derived from a study of the common Hebrew text, and represents at the same time a collation of the late J. N. Darby's German and French Versions, he having himself revised the first few books within a short time of his decease. Those who use this English translation may accordingly expect to find incorporated with it whatever is of special value in the above-mentioned Versions, particularly the French, where the common English Bible is defective.
The purpose of this translation is not to offer to the man of letters a learned work, but rather to provide the simple and unlearned reader with as exact a translation as possible. To this end, all available helps have been used. The work is not a revision of the Bible in common use. The style of the Authorised Version [KJV] has been retained as far as possible within the purpose of the translation.
Poetical parts are distinguished from the rest by a metrical arrangement to which those are accustomed who use Paragraph Bibles. However, this has been abandoned in the Prophets where the poetical form is often complicated.
Elohim will in the text appear only in the name Jehovah Elohim; moreover, when Elohim following immediately on Jehovah has a grammatical adjunct, its place will be taken by the English word "God." For the meaning of Jehovah, Yahweh or Yehveh, see Exodus 3:14,15; Isaiah 40:28; for Jah, see Exodus 25:2. Ordinary spelling of proper names has been adhered to, subject to numerous and necessary corrections. Italics indicate emphasis.
In the first edition of the New Testament, the translator used the Textus Receptus. But the Textus Receptus was itself often changed in the text of the work. He decided to adopt its reading, not attempt to make a text of his own. His object was a more correct translation: only there was no use in translating what all intelligent critics held to be a mistake in the copy.
Since the first edition, various new helps became available. However, there has been little change in the actual translating. There have been changes involving clarity, inaccuracies, and uniformity. [source - G. Morrish (1923), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
Genesis 1:1-2, in An American Translation by Dr. Edgar J. Goodspeed and a committee. (SGAT)
"When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was a desolate waste, with darkness covering the abyss and a temptuous wind raging over the surface of the waters."
Comments on this translation. "The Old Testament was translated by Alexander R. Gordon (McGill University), Theopile J. Meek (University of Toronto), Leroy Waterman (University of Michigan), and J. M. Powis Smith (University of Chicago). The last person named was also the editor. The New Testament was translated by Edgar J. Goodspeed (University of Chicago)
.
There were basic reasons for the need of this translation of the Old Testament. The control of the Hebrew vocabulary and syntax available to the scholar at this time was vastly greater than that at the command of the translators of the Authorized Version or of its revisers. The science of textual criticism had made great progress in recent years, and no translation of the Old Testament could afford to ignore its results. There had developed a great interest in the stylistic qualities of Hebrew poetry. The English of King James's day was not wholly natural or clear to the average person at this time.
The official Massoretic text was used as a guide. When it was necessary to check elsewhere, a substitute along generally approved lines was used.
Hebrew poetry was presented in poetic lines. Archaic pronouns (except when used in addressing God), verb forms, and adjectives were made more modern. The Tetragammatron was rendered as LORD or GOD in small capital letters.
The New Testament was written in everyday Greek. It, thus, was translated into everyday English.
The translator used helps made available in recent years, including Greek papyri, grammatical works, lexicons, and lexical studies. He followed the Greek texts of Westcott and Hort, except in a very few verses. In one of these, he followed the suggestion of Rendel Harris that by an error of the eye the name of Enoch has dropped out of the text of 1 Peter 3: 19. [source - University of Chicago Press (1931)]
Genesis 1:1-2, in the Lamsa Bible (LBP)
"God created the heavens and the earth in the very beginning.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water."
Comments on this translation. "This translation of the Old and New Testaments is based on Peshitta manuscripts which have comprised the accepted Bible of all those Christians who have used Syriac as their language of prayer and worship for many centuries. The Church of the East and some noted Western scholars dispute the belief of modern scholarship that the originals of the Four Gospels and other parts of the New Testament were written in Greek. In any case, Aramaic speech is an underlying factor and New Testament writers drew on documents written in Aramaic. Syriac is the literary dialect of Aramaic. From the Mediterranean east into India, the Peshitta is still the Bible of preference among Christians.
George M. Lamsa, the translator, devoted the major part of his life to this work. He was an Assyrian and a native of ancient Bible lands. He and his people retained Biblical customs and Semitic culture, which had perished elsewhere. With this background and his knowledge of the Aramaic (Syriac) language, he has recovered much of the meaning that has been lost in other translations of the Scriptures. There is a section on the problems of translating from the Aramaic to the Greek.
Manuscripts used were the Codex Ambrosianus for the Old Testament and the Mortimer-McCawley manuscript for the New Testament. Comparisons have been made with other Peshitta manuscripts, including the oldest dated manuscript in existence. The term Peshitta means straight, simple, sincere and true, that is, the original. Even the Moslems in the Middle East accept and revere the Peshitta text.
Although the Peshitta Old Testament contains the Books of the Apocrypha, this edition has omitted them. [source - A. J. Holman Company (1957), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
Genesis 1:1-2, the New World Translation (NWT)
"In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of [the] watery deep; and God's active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters."
Comments on this translation. "It was translated from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages by a committee.
It was originally released in six volumes from 1950 to 1960. The originals contained marginal references and footnotes. The revised 1961 edition had neither. This 1984 edition has been expanded to include complete updating and revision of the marginal (cross) references of the original edition.
It was released by the committee to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania for printing, translation into other languages, and distribution. The translators felt responsible to God to transmit His thoughts and declarations as accurately as possible. [source - Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York (1984) ), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
Genesis 1:1-2, in the New Century Version (NCV).
"In the beginning God created the sky and the earth. The earth was empty and had no form. Darkness covered the ocean, and God's Spirit was moving over the water."
Comments on this translation. "This translation of God's Word was made from the original Hebrew and Greek languages. The translation team was composed of the World Bible Translation Center and fifty additional, highly qualified and experienced Bible scholars and translators. Some had translation experience on the New International, the New American Standard, and the New King James Versions. The third edition of the United Bible Societies' Greek text, the latest edition of Biblia Hebraica and the Septuagint were among texts used.
Several guidelines were used to make the language clear for any reader. The Living Word Vocabulary, the standard used by World Book Encyclopedia, was the basis for vocabulary. Concepts were put into natural terms -- modern measurements and geographical locations. Ancient customs were clarified in the text or footnotes. Rhetorical questions were stated according to the implied answers. Figures of speech and idiomatic expressions were translated according to their meanings. Obscure terms were clarified. An attempt was made to choose gender language that would convey the intent of the writers. The Tetragrammaton was indicated by putting LORD and GOD in capital letters. Hebrew parallelism in poetry and word plays were retained. Images of ancient languages were translated into equivalent English images, where possible. [source - Word Publishing (1987), (Tyndale House, Cambridge, United Kingdom]
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] WHEN GOD'S (YHWH'S) KINGDOM STARTS RULING. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [135B]
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Almighty God’s (YHWH’s)great gift to mankind was providing His only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua), as a ransom as the means of lifting inherited sin, from Adam’s disobedience, off of all mankind. As Romans 5:10 – 11, [AV] says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
[2[ WHEN GOD'S (YHWH'S) KINGDOM STARTS RULING: [PRESENTED AS A SERIES]
[gracious thanks to Bible Scholar Nat for sending me much of the data for this article]
INTRODUCTION:
This is a matter over which many have different opinions, so let's let the Bible, the Word of God (YHWH) clear up the matter for all.
First, there are two distinct phases to when God's (YHWH's) Kingdom starts to rule. The first phase is when it starts ruling in heaven and the second phase is when it starts ruling over the earth.
Second, the first phase has already occurred, and this is spoken of in Revelation 12:1-11, " And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels [going forth] to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death." (American Standard Version; ASV). This article shall show when this occurred.
Third, there is the second phase which is yet to occur that all pray for in the Lord's Prayer as recorded at Matthew 6:9-15, "After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one.] 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (ASV).
UNDERSTANDING MATTHEW 16:28:
Let's look at this scripture and its significance, Matthew 16:28, "Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (ASV).
Now here is the understanding on this scripture:
"The Transfiguration Builds Faith
The transfiguration was a prophetic event. Said Jesus: "The Son of man is destined to come in the glory of his Father with his angels . . . Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:27, 28) Did some of the apostles actually see Jesus coming in his Kingdom? Matthew 17:1-7 states: "Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them." What a dramatic event! "His face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light. And, look! there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, conversing with him." Also, "a bright cloud overshadowed them," and they heard God's own voice saying: "'This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him.' At hearing this the disciples fell upon their faces and became very much afraid. Then Jesus came near and, touching them, said: 'Get up and have no fear.'"
This awesome event likely took place on one of the ridges of Mount Hermon, where Jesus and the three apostles spent the night. The transfiguration evidently occurred at night, making it especially vivid. One reason Jesus called it a vision was that long-dead Moses and Elijah were not literally present. Only Christ was actually there. (Matthew 17:8, 9) Such a dazzling display."
This gave Peter, James, and John a spectacular foregleam of Jesus' glorious presence in Kingdom power. Moses and Elijah find parallels in Jesus' anointed joint heirs, and the vision powerfully reinforced his testimony about the Kingdom and his future kingship.
The transfiguration helped to strengthen the faith of the three apostles who were to play a leading role in the Christian congregation. Christ's shining face, his glistening garments, and God's own voice declaring that Jesus was His beloved Son to whom they should listen-all of this served its purpose most effectively. But the apostles were to relate the vision to no one until Jesus was resurrected. Some 32 years later, this vision was still vivid in Peter's mind. Pointing to it and its significance, he wrote: "No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when words such as these were borne to him by the magnificent glory: 'This is my son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.' Yes, these words we heard borne from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain."-2 Peter 1:16-18.
Of utmost importance was God's proclamation: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him." This statement focuses attention on Jesus as God's enthroned King, to whom all creation must render obedience. The overshadowing cloud indicated that the fulfillment of this vision would be invisible. It would be discernible only with the eyes of understanding on the part of those who recognize "the sign" of Jesus' invisible presence in Kingdom power. (Matthew 24:3) In fact, Jesus' instruction not to tell the vision to anyone until he had risen from the dead shows that his exaltation and glorification would come after his resurrection.
After referring to the transfiguration, Peter stated: "Consequently we have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts. For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit." (2 Peter 1:19-21) The transfiguration underscores the reliability of God's prophetic word. We must pay attention to that word and not to "artfully contrived false stories" that do not have divine backing or approval. Our faith in the prophetic word should be strengthened by the transfiguration because that visionary foreview of Jesus' glory and Kingdom power has become a reality. Yes, we have undeniable evidence that Christ is present today as a powerful heavenly King.[source - WT of 4/1/2000, page 12-14.]
And another source said:
"When Jesus Comes in Kingdom Glory
"Some of those standing here . . . will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."-MATTHEW 16:28.
SHORTLY after Pentecost 32 C.E., three of Jesus Christ's apostles saw a memorable vision. According to the inspired record, "Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them."-Matthew 17:1, 2.
The transfiguration vision came at a critical time. Jesus had started to tell his followers that he was going to suffer and die in Jerusalem, but they found his words difficult to grasp. (Matthew 16:21-23) The vision strengthened the faith of Jesus' three apostles in preparation for his coming death and also for the years of hard work and testing that would follow for the Christian congregation. Can we today learn something from the vision? Yes, because what it foreshadowed actually takes place in our time.
Six days before the transfiguration, Jesus told his followers: "The Son of man is destined to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will recompense each one according to his behavior." These words would be fulfilled at "the conclusion of the system of things." Jesus further stated: "Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:27, 28; 24:3; 25:31-34, 41; Daniel 12:4) The transfiguration took place in fulfillment of these latter words.
Exactly what did the three apostles see? The following is Luke's description of the event: "As [Jesus] was praying the appearance of his face became different and his apparel became glitteringly white. Also, look! two men were conversing with him, who were Moses and Elijah. These appeared with glory and began talking about his departure that he was destined to fulfill at Jerusalem." Then, "a cloud formed and began to overshadow [the apostles]. As they entered into the cloud, they became fearful. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: 'This is my Son, the one that has been chosen. Listen to him.'"-Luke 9:29-31, 34, 35.
Faith Strengthened
The apostle Peter had already identified Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16) Jehovah's words from heaven confirmed that identification, and the vision of Jesus transfigured was a foretaste of Christ's coming in Kingdom power and glory, eventually to judge mankind. More than 30 years after the transfiguration, Peter wrote: "It was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when words such as these were borne to him by the magnificent glory: 'This is my son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.' Yes, these words we heard borne from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain."-2 Peter 1:16-18; 1 Peter 4:17.
Today, our faith too is strengthened by what the three apostles saw. Of course, events have moved on since 32 C.E. The following year, Jesus died and was resurrected, ascending to the right hand of his Father. (Acts 2:29-36) At Pentecost of that year, the new "Israel of God" was brought forth, and a preaching campaign began, starting in Jerusalem and later spreading to the ends of the earth. (Galatians 6:16; Acts 1:8) Almost immediately the faith of Jesus' followers was tested. The apostles were arrested and severely beaten because they refused to stop preaching. Soon Stephen was murdered. Then James, an eyewitness of the transfiguration, was killed. (Acts 5:17-40; 6:8-7:60; 12:1, 2) Peter and John, however, survived to serve Jehovah faithfully for many more years. In fact, toward the close of the first century C.E., John recorded further visionary glimpses of Jesus in heavenly glory.-Revelation 1:12-20; 14:14; 19:11-16.
Since the beginning of "the Lord's day" in 1914, many of the visions seen by John have been fulfilled. (Revelation 1:10) What of Jesus' 'coming in the glory of his Father,' as foreshadowed by the transfiguration? This vision began to be fulfilled at the birth of God's heavenly Kingdom in 1914. When Jesus, like a daystar, rose on the universal scene as a newly enthroned King, that was, as it were, the dawn of a new day. (2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 11:15; 22:16) Did Jesus at that time recompense some according to their behavior? Yes. There is strong evidence that shortly thereafter, the heavenly resurrection of anointed Christians began.-2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 14:13.
Soon, though, Jesus will arrive "in his glory, and all the angels with him" in order to judge mankind as a whole. (Matthew 25:31) At that time, he will reveal himself in all his magnificent glory and give to "each one" just recompense for his or her behavior. Sheeplike ones will inherit everlasting life in the Kingdom prepared for them, and goatlike ones will depart into "everlasting cutting-off." What a splendid conclusion that will be to the fulfillment of the transfiguration vision!-Matthew 25:34, 41, 46; Mark 8:38; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10.
Jesus' Glorified Companions
Jesus was not alone in the transfiguration. Moses and Elijah were seen with him. (Matthew 17:2, 3) Were they literally present? No, for both men had long since died and were asleep in the dust awaiting a resurrection. (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Hebrews 11:35) Will they appear with Jesus when he comes in heavenly glory? No, because Moses and Elijah lived before the heavenly hope opened up to humans. They will be part of the earthly "resurrection of . . . the righteous." (Acts 24:15) So their appearance in the transfiguration vision is symbolic. Of what?
In other contexts, Moses and Elijah are prophetic figures. As mediator of the Law covenant, Moses foreshadowed Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. (Deuteronomy 18:18; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 8:6) Elijah foreshadowed John the Baptist, a forerunner of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:11-13) Further, in the context of Revelation chapter 11, Moses and Elijah foreshadow the anointed remnant in the time of the end. How do we know that?
Well, turn to Revelation 11:1-6. In verse 3 we read: "I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days dressed in sackcloth." This prophecy was fulfilled upon the remnant of anointed Christians during World War I. Why two witnesses? Because the anointed remnant perform works that, in a spiritual way, are like those of Moses and Elijah. Verses 5 and 6 go on to say: "If anyone wants to harm [the two witnesses], fire issues forth from their mouths and devours their enemies; and if anyone should want to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. These have the authority to shut up heaven that no rain should fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every sort of plague as often as they wish." Thus, we are reminded of miracles performed by Elijah and Moses.-Numbers 16:31-34; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 1:9-12.
Who, then, do Moses and Elijah foreshadow in the context of the transfiguration? Luke says that they appeared along with Jesus "with glory." (Luke 9:31) Clearly, they foreshadow Christians who have been anointed with holy spirit as "joint heirs" with Jesus and who thereby received the wonderful hope of being "glorified together" with him. (Romans 8:17) Resurrected anointed ones will be with Jesus when he comes in the glory of his Father to "recompense each one according to his behavior."-Matthew 16:27.
Witnesses Like Moses and Elijah
There are notable features that mark Moses and Elijah as fitting prophetic pictures of Jesus' anointed joint heirs. Both Moses and Elijah served as Jehovah's spokesmen for many years. Both faced the wrath of a ruler. In a time of need, each was supported by a foreign family. Both boldly prophesied to kings and stood firm against false prophets. Moses and Elijah both saw demonstrations of Jehovah's power on Mount Sinai (also called Horeb). Both commissioned successors on the east side of the Jordan. And the times of both Moses (with Joshua) and Elijah (with Elisha) saw the greatest number of miracles, apart from those that occurred during the lifetime of Jesus.
Does not all of that remind us of the Israel of God? Yes, indeed. Jesus told his faithful followers: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 28:19, 20) In obedience to these words, anointed Christians have served as Jehovah's spokesman from Pentecost 33 C.E. until now. Like Moses and Elijah, they have faced the wrath of rulers and have witnessed to them. Jesus told his 12 apostles: "You will be haled before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations." (Matthew 10:18) His words have been fulfilled repeatedly during the history of the Christian congregation.-Acts 25:6, 11, 12, 24-27; 26:3.
Further, anointed Christians have been as fearless as Moses and Elijah in standing for truth against religious falsehood. Remember how Paul denounced the Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus and tactfully but firmly exposed the falseness of the gods of the Athenians. (Acts 13:6-12; 17:16, 22-31) Remember, too, that in modern times the anointed remnant has boldly exposed Christendom and such witnessing has plagued her.-Revelation 8:7-12.
When Moses fled the wrath of Pharaoh, he found refuge in the home of a non-Israelite, Reuel, also called Jethro. At a later time, Moses received valuable organizational counsel from Reuel, whose son Hobab guided Israel through the wilderness. (Exodus 2:15-22; 18:5-27; Numbers 10:29) Have members of the Israel of God been helped similarly by individuals who are not anointed members of the Israel of God? Yes, they have been supported by the "great crowd" of "other sheep," who have appeared on the scene during these last days. (Revelation 7:9; John 10:16; Isaiah 61:5) Foretelling the warm, loving support that these "sheep" would offer his anointed brothers, Jesus said to them prophetically: "I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; naked, and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to me. . . . Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."-Matthew 25:35-40.
Further, the Israel of God had an experience comparable to that of Elijah on Mount Horeb. Like Elijah at the time he was running from Queen Jezebel, the fearful anointed remnant thought that their work was done at the end of World War I. Then, also like Elijah, they had an encounter with Jehovah, who had come to judge those organizations claiming to be "the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17; Malachi 3:1-3) While Christendom was found wanting, the anointed remnant was recognized as "the faithful and discreet slave" and was appointed over all Jesus' earthly belongings. (Matthew 24:45-47) In Horeb, Elijah heard "a calm, low voice" that proved to be that of Jehovah, giving him more work to do. In the quiet period of the postwar years, faithful anointed servants of Jehovah heard his voice from the pages of the Bible. They too perceived that they had a commission to fulfill.-1 Kings 19:4, 9-18; Revelation 11:7-13.
Finally, have outstanding manifestations of Jehovah's power been channeled through the Israel of God? After Jesus' death, the apostles performed many miracles, but these gradually ceased. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13) Nowadays, we do not see miracles in a physical sense. On the other hand, Jesus said to his followers: "Most truly I say to you, He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these." (John 14:12) This had an initial fulfillment as Jesus' disciples preached the good news throughout the Roman Empire in the first century. (Romans 10:18) Even greater works have been done today as the anointed remnant has spearheaded the preaching of the good news "in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations." (Matthew 24:14) The result? The 20th century has witnessed the ingathering of the greatest number of dedicated, faithful servants of Jehovah in history. (Revelation 5:9, 10; 7:9, 10) What magnificent evidence of Jehovah's power!-Isaiah 60:22.
Jesus' Brothers Come in Glory
As the remnant of Jesus' anointed brothers finish their earthly course, they are glorified with him. (Romans 2:6, 7; 1 Corinthians 15:53; 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 17) Thus they become immortal kings and priests in the heavenly Kingdom. With Jesus, they will then "shepherd the people with an iron rod so that they will be broken to pieces like clay vessels." (Revelation 2:27; 20:4-6; Psalm 110:2, 5, 6) With Jesus, they will sit on thrones judging "the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28) Groaning creation has eagerly awaited these events, which are part of "the revealing of the sons of God."-Romans 8:19-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8.
Paul spoke of the revelation of Jesus during the "great tribulation" when he wrote: "He comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder in connection with all those who exercised faith." (Matthew 24:21; 2 Thessalonians 1:10) What a magnificent prospect that is for Peter, James, John, and all spirit-anointed Christians! The transfiguration strengthened Peter's faith. Surely, reading about it strengthens our faith too and fortifies our confidence that Jesus will soon "recompense each one according to his behavior." Faithful anointed Christians who have survived to this day see their confidence confirmed that they will be glorified with Jesus. Other sheep have their faith strengthened in the knowledge that he will save them through the end of this wicked system of things into the glorious new world. (Revelation 7:14) What an encouragement to stand firm to the end! And this vision can teach us much more, as we will see in the following article.[source - WT 5/15/1997, pp. 9-14].
And another source said:
"It was to the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometime after Passover of 32 C.E., the Son of God told his disciples: "Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:28) In a matter of days, those words of Jesus were fulfilled. Taking with him the apostles Peter, James and John, God's Son climbed a high mountain, presumably Hermon. On a spur of this mountain, the following took place: "[Jesus] was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light." Thus the three apostles had confirmed to them that Jesus' coming in Kingdom power would indeed be glorious. Then a "bright cloud" formed and a voice came out of it, saying: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him."-Matthew 17:1-5." [source - A Hope With A Sure Guarantee, page 36-37].
IMPORTANCE TO US OF TODAY:
Fulfillment of Bible prophecy in our day indicates that Jesus' presence in Kingdom power began in 1914 C.E. (Matt. 24:3-14; 25:31-33) Obviously, Matthew 16:28 could not refer to this event, for Jesus there spoke of something that would take place before the apostles all died. Then what could that have been?
The Hebrew Scriptures had foretold that the Messiah was to be an everlasting king. (Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 9:6, 7) Daniel's vision in particular gave Jews reason to expect the Messiah's reign to be glorious, powerful, magnificent. (Dan. 2:44; 7:13, 14) But just who was to be this Messianic king, and would he rule from an earthly throne? Even Jesus' disciples who accepted him as the Messiah could benefit from assurance that he would reign from heaven with power and glory.-Matt. 16:16-22; Acts 1:6.
Accordingly, less than a year before he died Jesus explained that some of the apostles would "see the Son of man coming in his kingdom," or, as Mark phrased it, "see the kingdom of God already come in power." (Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1) After Jesus was no longer among them, the disciples would be able to draw strength from their having been eyewitnesses of his future heavenly presence in Kingdom power.
But how were Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25 fulfilled? Often the meaning of a verse is suggested by its context. In this case, all three Gospel accounts of Jesus' promise about seeing him in his kingdom lead immediately into the record of the transfiguration.
Now this opens the important question of when this will take place. Of course we do NOT know the hour or the day as even God's (YHWH's) Son, Jesus (Yeshua) stated that he did not know that at Mark 13:30-32, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (ASV). But world conditions clearly show we are in the end times and the culmination of the end times can not be very far in the future.
Let's consider Matthew 24:33-35, "even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, [even] at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (ASV).
Comments by others on this scripture:
"These Things Must Take Place"
Do you know and understand Jesus' answer? It is found in three of the Gospels. Professor D. A. Carson states: "Few chapters of the Bible have called forth more disagreement among interpreters than Matthew 24 and its parallels in Mark 13 and Luke 21." He then gives his own opinion-just another of the conflicting human views. In the last century or so, many such views reflected a lack of faith. Those offering them held that Jesus never said what we read in the Gospels, that his sayings were later corrupted, or that his prediction failed-views shaped by higher criticism. One commentator even approached Mark's Gospel 'through the lens of Mahayana-Buddhist philosophy'!..
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A Tragic Fulfillment in the Offing
The apostles knew that Jesus was the Messiah. So when they heard him mention his death, resurrection, and return, they must have wondered, 'If Jesus dies and goes away, how can he carry out the wonderful things that the Messiah is expected to do?' Further, Jesus spoke of an end for Jerusalem and its temple. The apostles might have wondered, 'When and how will that occur?' In trying to understand these things, the apostles asked: "When will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are destined to come to a conclusion?"-Mark 13:4; Matthew 16:21, 27, 28; 23:37-24:2
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Jesus foretold that there would be wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, hatred and persecution of Christians, false messiahs, and a widespread preaching of the good news of the Kingdom. Then the end was to come. (Matthew 24:4-14; Mark 13:5-13; Luke 21:8-19) Jesus said this early in the year 33 C.E. During the following decades, his alert disciples could recognize that the foretold things were in fact occurring in a significant way. Yes, history proves that the sign had a fulfillment at that time, leading to a conclusion of the Jewish system of things at the hands of the Romans in 66-70 C.E. How did that come about?
During the hot Judean summer of 66 C.E., Jewish Zealots led an assault on Roman guards in a fort near the temple in Jerusalem, sparking violence elsewhere in the land. In History of the Jews, Professor Heinrich Graetz relates: "Cestius Gallus, whose duty it was as Governor of Syria to uphold the honor of Roman arms, . . . could no longer witness the rebellion spreading around him without an effort to stem its progress. He called his legions together, and the neighboring princes voluntarily sent their troops." This army of 30,000 surrounded Jerusalem. After some fighting, the Jews withdrew behind walls near the temple. "During five successive days the Romans stormed the walls, but were always obliged to fall back before the missiles of the Judæans. It was only on the sixth day that they succeeded in undermining a part of the northern wall in front of the Temple."
Just think how confused the Jews would have been, since they had long felt that God would protect them and their holy city! Jesus' disciples, though, had been forewarned that calamity awaited Jerusalem. Jesus had foretold: "The days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification with pointed stakes and will encircle you and distress you from every side, and they will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you." (Luke 19:43, 44) But would that spell death for Christians inside Jerusalem in 66 C.E.?
When replying to the apostles on the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicted: "Those days will be days of a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen he has cut short the days." (Mark 13:19, 20; Matthew 24:21, 22) So the days would be cut short and "the chosen ones" saved. Who were they? Certainly not rebellious Jews who claimed to worship Jehovah but who had rejected his Son. (John 19:1-7; Acts 2:22, 23, 36) The true chosen ones back then were those Jews and non-Jews who exercised faith in Jesus as Messiah and Savior. God had chosen such ones, and on Pentecost 33 C.E., he had formed them into a new spiritual nation, "the Israel of God."-Galatians 6:16; Luke 18:7; Acts 10:34-45; 1 Peter 2:9.
Were the days "cut short" and the anointed chosen ones in Jerusalem saved? Professor Graetz suggests: "[Cestius Gallus] did not deem it advisable to continue the combat against heroic enthusiasts and embark on a lengthy campaign at that season, when the autumn rains would soon commence . . . and might prevent the army from receiving provisions. On that account probably he thought it more prudent to retrace his steps." Whatever Cestius Gallus was thinking, the Roman army retreated from the city, with grave losses inflicted by the pursuing Jews.
That surprising Roman retreat allowed "flesh"-Jesus' disciples who were at risk inside Jerusalem-to be saved. History records that when this window of opportunity opened, Christians fled the region. What a display of God's ability to foreknow the future and to ensure the survival of his worshipers! Yet, what of unbelieving Jews who remained in Jerusalem and Judea?
Contemporaries Would See It
Many Jews felt that their system of worship, centered on the temple, would long continue. But Jesus said: "Learn from the fig tree . . . this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away."-Matthew 24:32-35.
In the years leading up to 66 C.E., Christians would have seen many of the preliminary elements of the composite sign being fulfilled-wars, famines, even an extensive preaching of the good news of the Kingdom. (Acts 11:28; Colossians 1:23) When, though, would the end come? What did Jesus mean when he said: 'This generation [Greek, ge·ne·a´] will not pass away'? Jesus had often called the contemporaneous mass of opposing Jews, including religious leaders, 'a wicked, adulterous generation.' (Matthew 11:16; 12:39, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36) So when, on the Mount of Olives, he again spoke of "this generation," he evidently did not mean the entire race of Jews throughout history; nor did he mean his followers, even though they were "a chosen race." (1 Peter 2:9) Neither was Jesus saying that "this generation" is a period of time.
Rather, Jesus had in mind the opposing Jews back then who would experience the fulfillment of the sign he gave. Regarding the reference to "this generation" at Luke 21:32, Professor Joel B. Green notes: "In the Third Gospel, 'this generation' (and related phrases) has regularly signified a category of people who are resistant to the purpose of God. . . . [It refers] to people who stubbornly turn their backs on the divine purpose."
The wicked generation of Jewish opposers who could observe the sign being fulfilled would also experience the end. (Matthew 24:6, 13, 14) And that they did! In 70 C.E., the Roman army returned, led by Titus, son of Emperor Vespasian. The suffering of the Jews who were again bottled up in the city is almost beyond belief. Eyewitness Flavius Josephus reports that by the time the Romans demolished the city, about 1,100,000 Jews had died and some 100,000 were taken captive, most of those soon to perish horribly from starvation or in Roman theaters. Truly, the tribulation of 66-70 C.E. was the greatest that Jerusalem and the Jewish system had ever experienced or would ever experience. How different the outcome was for Christians who had heeded Jesus' prophetic warning and had left Jerusalem after the departure of the Roman armies in 66 C.E.! The anointed Christian "chosen ones" were "saved," or kept safe, in 70 C.E.-Matthew 24:16, 22.
Another Fulfillment to Come
However, that was not the finale. Earlier, Jesus had indicated that after the city was devastated, he would come in Jehovah's name. (Matthew 23:38, 39; 24:2) He then made this clearer in his prophecy uttered on the Mount of Olives. Having mentioned the coming "great tribulation," he said that afterward false Christs would appear, and Jerusalem would be trampled on by the nations for an extended period. (Matthew 24:21, 23-28; Luke 21:24) Could it be that another, a greater, fulfillment was to come? The facts answer yes. When we compare Revelation 6:2-8 (written after the tribulation on Jerusalem in 70 C.E.) with Matthew 24:6-8 and Luke 21:10, 11, we see that warfare, food shortages, and plague on a greater scale lay ahead. This greater fulfillment of Jesus' words has been occurring since World War I erupted in 1914...
Referring to the tribulation just ahead of us, Jesus said: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days [the destruction of false religion] the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."-Matthew 24:29, 30.
Hence, Jesus himself says that "after the tribulation of those days," celestial phenomena of some sort will occur. (Compare Joel 2:28-32; 3:15.) This will so startle and shock disobedient humans that they will "beat themselves in lamentation." Many will "become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth." But this will not be the case with true Christians! These 'will lift their heads up, because their deliverance is getting near.'-Luke 21:25, 26, 28.
Judgment Ahead!
Note that Matthew 24:29-31 foretells that (1) the Son of man comes, (2) this coming will be with great glory, (3) the angels will be with him, and (4) all the tribes of the earth will see him. Jesus repeats these elements in the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46) Hence, we can conclude that this parable deals with the time, after the opening outbreak of tribulation, when Jesus will come with his angels and sit down on his throne to judge. (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; compare 1 Kings 7:7; Daniel 7:10, 13, 14, 22, 26; Matthew 19:28.) Who will be judged, and with what result? The parable shows that Jesus will give attention to all nations, as if they were assembled right before his celestial throne.
Sheeplike men and women will be separated to Jesus' right side of favor. Why? Because they used their opportunities to do good to his brothers-anointed Christians, who will share in Christ's heavenly Kingdom. (Daniel 7:27; Hebrews 2:9-3:1) In line with the parable, millions of sheeplike Christians have recognized Jesus' spiritual brothers and have been working in support of them. As a result, the "great crowd" have the Bible-based hope of surviving "the great tribulation" and then living forever in Paradise, the earthly realm of God's Kingdom.-Revelation 7:9, 14; 21:3, 4; John 10:16.
What a different outcome there will be for the goats! They are described at Matthew 24:30 as 'beating themselves in lamentation' when Jesus comes. And well they should, for they will have built up a record of rejecting the Kingdom good news, of opposing Jesus' disciples, and of preferring the world that is passing away. (Matthew 10:16-18; 1 John 2:15-17) Jesus-not any of his disciples on earth-determines who the goats are. Of them he says: "These will depart into everlasting cutting-off."-Matthew 25:46.
Our progress in understanding the prophecy in Matthew chapters 24 and 25 has been thrilling. However, there is a part of Jesus' prophecy that merits our further attention-'the disgusting thing that causes desolation standing in a holy place.' Jesus urged his followers to use discernment regarding this and to be ready to take action. (Matthew 24:15, 16) What is this "disgusting thing"? When does it stand in a holy place? And how are our present and future life prospects involved? The following article will discuss this.[source - WT 5/99/1999, page 8-13].
USE OF 'GENERATION' BY JESUS (YESHUA):
Many scriptures confirm that Jesus did not use "generation" with regard to some small or distinct group, meaning only the Jewish leaders or only his loyal disciples. Rather, he used "generation" in condemning the masses of Jews who rejected him. Happily, though, individuals could do what the apostle Peter urged on the day of Pentecost, repent and "get saved from this crooked generation."-Acts 2:40.
In that statement, Peter was clearly not being precise as to any fixed age or length of time, nor was he tying the "generation" to any certain date. He did not say that people should get saved from the generation that was born in the same year Jesus was or the generation that was born in 29 C.E. Peter was speaking about the unbelieving Jews of that period-some perhaps being rather young, others being older-who had been exposed to Jesus' teaching, had seen or heard of his miracles, and had not accepted him as Messiah.
That evidently is how Peter understood Jesus' use of "generation" when he and three other apostles were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. According to Jesus' prophetic statement, Jews of that period-basically, Jesus' contemporaries-were going to experience or hear of wars, earthquakes, famines, and other evidences that the end of the Jewish system was near. In fact, that generation did not pass before the end came in 70 C.E.-Matthew 24:3-14, 34.
It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus' words in that sense. There is a tendency for imperfect humans to want to be specific about the date when the end will come. Recall that even the apostles sought more specifics, asking: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?"-Acts 1:6.
In fact,
"Saved From a "Wicked Generation"
"O faithless and twisted generation, how long must I continue with you and put up with you?"-LUKE 9:41.
WE LIVE in calamitous times. Earthquakes, floods, famines, disease, lawlessness, bombings, horrendous warfare-these and more have engulfed mankind during our 20th century. However, the greatest calamity of all threatens in the near future. What is that? It is "great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again." (Matthew 24:21) Yet, many of us may look forward to a joyful future! Why? Because God's own Word describes "a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues . . . 'These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation . . . They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore . . . And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.'"-Revelation 7:1, 9, 14-17.
The inspired record at Matthew 24:3-22, Mark 13:3-20, and Luke 21:7-24 introduces Jesus' prophetic description of "the conclusion of the system of things." This prophecy had an initial fulfillment on the corrupt Jewish system of things of the first century of our Common Era, culminating in an unprecedented "great tribulation" on the Jews. The entire religious and political structure of the Jewish system, centered at Jerusalem's temple, was thrown down, never to be restored.
Let us now consider the circumstances that surrounded the first fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy. This will help us better to understand the parallel fulfillment today. It will show us how urgent it is to take positive action now in order to survive the greatest of tribulations that threatens all mankind.-Romans 10:9-13; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 15:58.
"The End"-When?
About the year 539 B.C.E., God's prophet Daniel was given a vision of events that would occur during the final "week" of a period of "seventy weeks" of years. (Daniel 9:24-27) These "weeks" began in 455 B.C.E. when King Artaxerxes of Persia ordered the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. The final "week" started with the appearance of Messiah, Jesus Christ, at his baptism and anointing in 29 C.E. God-fearing Jews of the first century C.E. were well aware of this time feature of Daniel's prophecy. For example, concerning the crowds that flocked to hear the preaching of John the Baptizer in 29 C.E., Luke 3:15 states: "The people were in expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John: 'May he perhaps be the Christ?'"
The 70th "week" was to be seven years of special favor extended to the Jews. Starting in 29 C.E., it included Jesus' baptism and ministry, his sacrificial death "at the half of the week" in 33 C.E., and another 'half week' until 36 C.E. During this "week," the opportunity to become Jesus' anointed disciples was extended exclusively to God-fearing Jews and Jewish proselytes. Then in 70 C.E., a date not known in advance, the Roman legions under Titus exterminated the apostate Jewish system.-Daniel 9:26, 27.
Thus the Jewish priesthood, which had defiled Jerusalem's temple and conspired in the murder of God's own Son, was wiped out. Gone, too, were the national and tribal records. Thereafter, no Jew could legally claim a priestly or a kingly inheritance. Happily, though, anointed spiritual Jews had been separated as a royal priesthood to "declare abroad the excellencies" of Jehovah God. (1 Peter 2:9) When Rome's army first besieged Jerusalem and even undermined the temple area in 66 C.E., Christians recognized that military force as "the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place." In obedience to Jesus' prophetic command, the Christians in Jerusalem and Judea fled to the mountainous regions for protection.-Matthew 24:15, 16; Luke 21:20, 21.
Those faithful Jewish Christians observed the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy and were eyewitnesses of the tragic wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and lawlessness that Jesus had foretold as part of the "sign . . . of the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 24:3) But had Jesus told them when Jehovah would actually execute judgment on that corrupt system? No. What he prophesied about the climax of his future royal presence surely applied also to the first-century "great tribulation": "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father."-Matthew 24:36.
From Daniel's prophecy, the Jews could have calculated the timing of Jesus' appearing as the Messiah. (Daniel 9:25) Yet they were given no date for the "great tribulation" that finally desolated the apostate Jewish system of things. It was only after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple that they realized that the date was 70 C.E. However, they had been aware of Jesus' prophetic words: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matthew 24:34) Apparently, the application of "generation" here is different from that at Ecclesiastes 1:4, which speaks of successive generations coming and going over a period of time.
"This Generation"-What Is It?
When four apostles seated with Jesus on the Mount of Olives heard his prophecy about "the conclusion of the system of things," how would they understand the expression "this generation"? In the Gospels the word "generation" is translated from the Greek word ge·ne·a´, which current lexicons define in these terms: "Lit[erally] those descended fr[om] a common ancestor." (Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament) "That which has been begotten, a family; . . . successive members of a genealogy . . . or of a race of people . . . or of the whole multitude of men living at the same time, Matt. 24:34; Mark 13:30; Luke 1:48; 21:32; Phil. 2:15, and especially of those of the Jewish race living at the same period." (W. E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) "That which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family; . . . the whole multitude of men living at the same time: Mt. xxiv. 34; Mk. xiii. 30; Lk. i. 48 . . . used esp[ecially] of the Jewish race living at one and the same period."-J. H. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Vine and Thayer both cite Matthew 24:34 in defining "this generation" (he ge·ne·a´ hau´te) as "the whole multitude of men living at the same time." The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1964) gives support to this definition, stating: "The use of 'generation' by Jesus expresses his comprehensive purpose: he aims at the whole people and is conscious of their solidarity in sin." Truly a "solidarity in sin" was apparent in the Jewish nation when Jesus was on earth, just as it marks the world system today.
Of course, Christians studying this matter guide their thinking primarily by how Jesus used the Greek expression he ge·ne·a´ hau´te, or "this generation." He used it consistently in a negative way. Thus, he called the Jewish religious leaders "serpents, offspring of vipers" and went on to say that the judgment of Gehenna would be executed on "this generation." (Matthew 23:33, 36) However, was this judgment limited to the hypocritical clergy? Not at all. On a number of occasions, Jesus' disciples heard him speak of "this generation," applying the term uniformly in a far wider sense. What was that?
"This Wicked Generation"
In 31 C.E., during Jesus' great Galilean ministry and shortly after the Passover, his disciples heard him say to "the crowds": "With whom shall I compare this generation? It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces who cry out to their playmates, saying, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we wailed, but you did not beat yourselves in grief.' Correspondingly, John [the Baptizer] came neither eating nor drinking, yet people say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of man [Jesus] did come eating and drinking, still people say, 'Look! A man gluttonous and given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'" There was no pleasing those unprincipled "crowds"!-Matthew 11:7, 16-19.
Later in 31 C.E., as Jesus and his disciples set out on their second preaching tour of Galilee, "some of the scribes and Pharisees" asked Jesus for a sign. He told them and "the crowds" who were present: "A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking for a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. . . . That is how it will be also with this wicked generation." (Matthew 12:38-46) Obviously, "this wicked generation" included both the religious leaders and "the crowds" who never came to appreciate the sign that was fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection.
After the Passover of 32 C.E., as Jesus and his disciples came into the Galilean region of Magadan, the Sadducees and the Pharisees again asked Jesus for a sign. He repeated to them: "A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking for a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah." (Matthew 16:1-4) Those religious hypocrites were indeed most reprehensible as leaders among the unfaithful "crowds" whom Jesus condemned as "this wicked generation."
Toward the end of his Galilean ministry, Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him and said: "Whoever becomes ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him." (Mark 8:34, 38) So the masses of unrepentant Jews of that time obviously made up "this adulterous and sinful generation." Some days later, after Jesus' transfiguration, Jesus and his disciples "came toward the crowd," and a man asked him to heal his son. Jesus commented: "O faithless and twisted generation, how long must I continue with you? How long must I put up with you?"-Matthew 17:14-17; Luke 9:37-41.
It was likely in Judea, after the Festival of Booths in 32 C.E., "when the crowds were massing together" around Jesus, that he repeated his condemnation of them, saying: "This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign. But no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah." (Luke 11:29) Finally, when the religious leaders brought Jesus to trial, Pilate offered to release him. The record says: "The chief priests and the older men persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas, but to have Jesus destroyed. . . . Pilate said to them: 'What, then, shall I do with Jesus the so-called Christ?' They all said: 'Let him be impaled!' He said: 'Why, what bad thing did he do?' Still they kept crying out all the more: 'Let him be impaled!'" That "wicked generation" was demanding Jesus' blood!-Matthew 27:20-25.
A "faithless and twisted generation," egged on by its religious leaders, thus played a key part in bringing about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fifty days later, at Pentecost in 33 C.E., the disciples received holy spirit and started to speak in different tongues. Upon hearing the sound, "the multitude came together," and the apostle Peter addressed them as "men of Judea and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," saying: "This man [Jesus] . . . you fastened to a stake by the hand of lawless men and did away with." How did some of those listeners react? "They were stabbed to the heart." Peter then called on them to repent. He "bore thorough witness and kept exhorting them, saying: 'Get saved from this crooked generation.'" In response, about three thousand "embraced his word heartily [and] were baptized."-Acts 2:6, 14, 23, 37, 40, 41.
"This Generation" Identified.
What, then, is the "generation" so frequently referred to by Jesus in the presence of his disciples? What did they understand by his words: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur"? Surely, Jesus was not departing from his established use of the term "this generation," which he consistently applied to the contemporary masses with their "blind guides" who together made up the Jewish nation. (Matthew 15:14) "This generation" experienced all the distress foretold by Jesus and then passed away in an unequaled "great tribulation" on Jerusalem.-Matthew 24:21, 34.
In the first century, Jehovah was judging the Jewish people. Repentant ones, who came to exercise faith in Jehovah's merciful provision through Christ, were saved out of that "great tribulation." True to Jesus' words, all things prophesied occurred, and then the "heaven and earth" of the Jewish system of things-the entire nation, with its religious leaders and wicked society of people-passed away. Jehovah had executed judgment!-Matthew 24:35; compare 2 Peter 3:7.
Those Jews who had paid attention to Jesus' prophetic words realized that their salvation depended, not on trying to calculate the length of a "generation" or of some dated "times or seasons," but on keeping separate from the evil contemporary generation and zealously doing God's will. Though the final words of Jesus' prophecy apply to the major fulfillment in our day, first-century Jewish Christians also had to heed the admonition: "Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing before the Son of man."-Luke 21:32-36; Acts 1:6-8.
Today, "the great day of Jehovah . . . is near, and there is a hurrying of it very much." (Zephaniah 1:14-18; Isaiah 13:9, 13) Suddenly, at Jehovah's own predetermined "day and hour," his fury will be unleashed upon the world's religious, political, and commercial elements, together with the wayward people who make up this contemporary "wicked and adulterous generation." (Matthew 12:39; 24:36; Revelation 7:1-3, 9, 14) How may you get saved out of "the great tribulation"? [source - WT 11/1/95, pages 10-15]
THE FACTS ON MATTHEW 10:23: THE FACTS ON MATTHEW 10:23: READ AT http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-post-4448.html#4448
TO BE CONTINUED IN VOL 136B
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION - BOTH TRUE AND FALSE - AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [135B]
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Almighty God’s (YHWH’s)great gift to mankind was providing His only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua), as a ransom as the means of lifting inherited sin, from Adam’s disobedience, off of all mankind. As Romans 5:10 – 11, [AV] says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
[2[ WHEN GOD'S (YHWH'S) KINGDOM STARTS RULING: [PRESENTED AS A SERIES]
[gracious thanks to Bible Scholar Nat for sending me much of the data for this article]
INTRODUCTION:
This is a matter over which many have different opinions, so let's let the Bible, the Word of God (YHWH) clear up the matter for all.
First, there are two distinct phases to when God's (YHWH's) Kingdom starts to rule. The first phase is when it starts ruling in heaven and the second phase is when it starts ruling over the earth.
Second, the first phase has already occurred, and this is spoken of in Revelation 12:1-11, " And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels [going forth] to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death." (American Standard Version; ASV). This article shall show when this occurred.
Third, there is the second phase which is yet to occur that all pray for in the Lord's Prayer as recorded at Matthew 6:9-15, "After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one.] 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (ASV).
UNDERSTANDING MATTHEW 16:28:
Let's look at this scripture and its significance, Matthew 16:28, "Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (ASV).
Now here is the understanding on this scripture:
"The Transfiguration Builds Faith
The transfiguration was a prophetic event. Said Jesus: "The Son of man is destined to come in the glory of his Father with his angels . . . Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:27, 28) Did some of the apostles actually see Jesus coming in his Kingdom? Matthew 17:1-7 states: "Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them." What a dramatic event! "His face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light. And, look! there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, conversing with him." Also, "a bright cloud overshadowed them," and they heard God's own voice saying: "'This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him.' At hearing this the disciples fell upon their faces and became very much afraid. Then Jesus came near and, touching them, said: 'Get up and have no fear.'"
This awesome event likely took place on one of the ridges of Mount Hermon, where Jesus and the three apostles spent the night. The transfiguration evidently occurred at night, making it especially vivid. One reason Jesus called it a vision was that long-dead Moses and Elijah were not literally present. Only Christ was actually there. (Matthew 17:8, 9) Such a dazzling display."
This gave Peter, James, and John a spectacular foregleam of Jesus' glorious presence in Kingdom power. Moses and Elijah find parallels in Jesus' anointed joint heirs, and the vision powerfully reinforced his testimony about the Kingdom and his future kingship.
The transfiguration helped to strengthen the faith of the three apostles who were to play a leading role in the Christian congregation. Christ's shining face, his glistening garments, and God's own voice declaring that Jesus was His beloved Son to whom they should listen-all of this served its purpose most effectively. But the apostles were to relate the vision to no one until Jesus was resurrected. Some 32 years later, this vision was still vivid in Peter's mind. Pointing to it and its significance, he wrote: "No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when words such as these were borne to him by the magnificent glory: 'This is my son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.' Yes, these words we heard borne from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain."-2 Peter 1:16-18.
Of utmost importance was God's proclamation: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him." This statement focuses attention on Jesus as God's enthroned King, to whom all creation must render obedience. The overshadowing cloud indicated that the fulfillment of this vision would be invisible. It would be discernible only with the eyes of understanding on the part of those who recognize "the sign" of Jesus' invisible presence in Kingdom power. (Matthew 24:3) In fact, Jesus' instruction not to tell the vision to anyone until he had risen from the dead shows that his exaltation and glorification would come after his resurrection.
After referring to the transfiguration, Peter stated: "Consequently we have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts. For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit." (2 Peter 1:19-21) The transfiguration underscores the reliability of God's prophetic word. We must pay attention to that word and not to "artfully contrived false stories" that do not have divine backing or approval. Our faith in the prophetic word should be strengthened by the transfiguration because that visionary foreview of Jesus' glory and Kingdom power has become a reality. Yes, we have undeniable evidence that Christ is present today as a powerful heavenly King.[source - WT of 4/1/2000, page 12-14.]
And another source said:
"When Jesus Comes in Kingdom Glory
"Some of those standing here . . . will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."-MATTHEW 16:28.
SHORTLY after Pentecost 32 C.E., three of Jesus Christ's apostles saw a memorable vision. According to the inspired record, "Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them."-Matthew 17:1, 2.
The transfiguration vision came at a critical time. Jesus had started to tell his followers that he was going to suffer and die in Jerusalem, but they found his words difficult to grasp. (Matthew 16:21-23) The vision strengthened the faith of Jesus' three apostles in preparation for his coming death and also for the years of hard work and testing that would follow for the Christian congregation. Can we today learn something from the vision? Yes, because what it foreshadowed actually takes place in our time.
Six days before the transfiguration, Jesus told his followers: "The Son of man is destined to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will recompense each one according to his behavior." These words would be fulfilled at "the conclusion of the system of things." Jesus further stated: "Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:27, 28; 24:3; 25:31-34, 41; Daniel 12:4) The transfiguration took place in fulfillment of these latter words.
Exactly what did the three apostles see? The following is Luke's description of the event: "As [Jesus] was praying the appearance of his face became different and his apparel became glitteringly white. Also, look! two men were conversing with him, who were Moses and Elijah. These appeared with glory and began talking about his departure that he was destined to fulfill at Jerusalem." Then, "a cloud formed and began to overshadow [the apostles]. As they entered into the cloud, they became fearful. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: 'This is my Son, the one that has been chosen. Listen to him.'"-Luke 9:29-31, 34, 35.
Faith Strengthened
The apostle Peter had already identified Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16) Jehovah's words from heaven confirmed that identification, and the vision of Jesus transfigured was a foretaste of Christ's coming in Kingdom power and glory, eventually to judge mankind. More than 30 years after the transfiguration, Peter wrote: "It was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when words such as these were borne to him by the magnificent glory: 'This is my son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.' Yes, these words we heard borne from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain."-2 Peter 1:16-18; 1 Peter 4:17.
Today, our faith too is strengthened by what the three apostles saw. Of course, events have moved on since 32 C.E. The following year, Jesus died and was resurrected, ascending to the right hand of his Father. (Acts 2:29-36) At Pentecost of that year, the new "Israel of God" was brought forth, and a preaching campaign began, starting in Jerusalem and later spreading to the ends of the earth. (Galatians 6:16; Acts 1:8) Almost immediately the faith of Jesus' followers was tested. The apostles were arrested and severely beaten because they refused to stop preaching. Soon Stephen was murdered. Then James, an eyewitness of the transfiguration, was killed. (Acts 5:17-40; 6:8-7:60; 12:1, 2) Peter and John, however, survived to serve Jehovah faithfully for many more years. In fact, toward the close of the first century C.E., John recorded further visionary glimpses of Jesus in heavenly glory.-Revelation 1:12-20; 14:14; 19:11-16.
Since the beginning of "the Lord's day" in 1914, many of the visions seen by John have been fulfilled. (Revelation 1:10) What of Jesus' 'coming in the glory of his Father,' as foreshadowed by the transfiguration? This vision began to be fulfilled at the birth of God's heavenly Kingdom in 1914. When Jesus, like a daystar, rose on the universal scene as a newly enthroned King, that was, as it were, the dawn of a new day. (2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 11:15; 22:16) Did Jesus at that time recompense some according to their behavior? Yes. There is strong evidence that shortly thereafter, the heavenly resurrection of anointed Christians began.-2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 14:13.
Soon, though, Jesus will arrive "in his glory, and all the angels with him" in order to judge mankind as a whole. (Matthew 25:31) At that time, he will reveal himself in all his magnificent glory and give to "each one" just recompense for his or her behavior. Sheeplike ones will inherit everlasting life in the Kingdom prepared for them, and goatlike ones will depart into "everlasting cutting-off." What a splendid conclusion that will be to the fulfillment of the transfiguration vision!-Matthew 25:34, 41, 46; Mark 8:38; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10.
Jesus' Glorified Companions
Jesus was not alone in the transfiguration. Moses and Elijah were seen with him. (Matthew 17:2, 3) Were they literally present? No, for both men had long since died and were asleep in the dust awaiting a resurrection. (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Hebrews 11:35) Will they appear with Jesus when he comes in heavenly glory? No, because Moses and Elijah lived before the heavenly hope opened up to humans. They will be part of the earthly "resurrection of . . . the righteous." (Acts 24:15) So their appearance in the transfiguration vision is symbolic. Of what?
In other contexts, Moses and Elijah are prophetic figures. As mediator of the Law covenant, Moses foreshadowed Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. (Deuteronomy 18:18; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 8:6) Elijah foreshadowed John the Baptist, a forerunner of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:11-13) Further, in the context of Revelation chapter 11, Moses and Elijah foreshadow the anointed remnant in the time of the end. How do we know that?
Well, turn to Revelation 11:1-6. In verse 3 we read: "I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days dressed in sackcloth." This prophecy was fulfilled upon the remnant of anointed Christians during World War I. Why two witnesses? Because the anointed remnant perform works that, in a spiritual way, are like those of Moses and Elijah. Verses 5 and 6 go on to say: "If anyone wants to harm [the two witnesses], fire issues forth from their mouths and devours their enemies; and if anyone should want to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. These have the authority to shut up heaven that no rain should fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every sort of plague as often as they wish." Thus, we are reminded of miracles performed by Elijah and Moses.-Numbers 16:31-34; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 1:9-12.
Who, then, do Moses and Elijah foreshadow in the context of the transfiguration? Luke says that they appeared along with Jesus "with glory." (Luke 9:31) Clearly, they foreshadow Christians who have been anointed with holy spirit as "joint heirs" with Jesus and who thereby received the wonderful hope of being "glorified together" with him. (Romans 8:17) Resurrected anointed ones will be with Jesus when he comes in the glory of his Father to "recompense each one according to his behavior."-Matthew 16:27.
Witnesses Like Moses and Elijah
There are notable features that mark Moses and Elijah as fitting prophetic pictures of Jesus' anointed joint heirs. Both Moses and Elijah served as Jehovah's spokesmen for many years. Both faced the wrath of a ruler. In a time of need, each was supported by a foreign family. Both boldly prophesied to kings and stood firm against false prophets. Moses and Elijah both saw demonstrations of Jehovah's power on Mount Sinai (also called Horeb). Both commissioned successors on the east side of the Jordan. And the times of both Moses (with Joshua) and Elijah (with Elisha) saw the greatest number of miracles, apart from those that occurred during the lifetime of Jesus.
Does not all of that remind us of the Israel of God? Yes, indeed. Jesus told his faithful followers: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 28:19, 20) In obedience to these words, anointed Christians have served as Jehovah's spokesman from Pentecost 33 C.E. until now. Like Moses and Elijah, they have faced the wrath of rulers and have witnessed to them. Jesus told his 12 apostles: "You will be haled before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations." (Matthew 10:18) His words have been fulfilled repeatedly during the history of the Christian congregation.-Acts 25:6, 11, 12, 24-27; 26:3.
Further, anointed Christians have been as fearless as Moses and Elijah in standing for truth against religious falsehood. Remember how Paul denounced the Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus and tactfully but firmly exposed the falseness of the gods of the Athenians. (Acts 13:6-12; 17:16, 22-31) Remember, too, that in modern times the anointed remnant has boldly exposed Christendom and such witnessing has plagued her.-Revelation 8:7-12.
When Moses fled the wrath of Pharaoh, he found refuge in the home of a non-Israelite, Reuel, also called Jethro. At a later time, Moses received valuable organizational counsel from Reuel, whose son Hobab guided Israel through the wilderness. (Exodus 2:15-22; 18:5-27; Numbers 10:29) Have members of the Israel of God been helped similarly by individuals who are not anointed members of the Israel of God? Yes, they have been supported by the "great crowd" of "other sheep," who have appeared on the scene during these last days. (Revelation 7:9; John 10:16; Isaiah 61:5) Foretelling the warm, loving support that these "sheep" would offer his anointed brothers, Jesus said to them prophetically: "I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; naked, and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to me. . . . Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."-Matthew 25:35-40.
Further, the Israel of God had an experience comparable to that of Elijah on Mount Horeb. Like Elijah at the time he was running from Queen Jezebel, the fearful anointed remnant thought that their work was done at the end of World War I. Then, also like Elijah, they had an encounter with Jehovah, who had come to judge those organizations claiming to be "the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17; Malachi 3:1-3) While Christendom was found wanting, the anointed remnant was recognized as "the faithful and discreet slave" and was appointed over all Jesus' earthly belongings. (Matthew 24:45-47) In Horeb, Elijah heard "a calm, low voice" that proved to be that of Jehovah, giving him more work to do. In the quiet period of the postwar years, faithful anointed servants of Jehovah heard his voice from the pages of the Bible. They too perceived that they had a commission to fulfill.-1 Kings 19:4, 9-18; Revelation 11:7-13.
Finally, have outstanding manifestations of Jehovah's power been channeled through the Israel of God? After Jesus' death, the apostles performed many miracles, but these gradually ceased. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13) Nowadays, we do not see miracles in a physical sense. On the other hand, Jesus said to his followers: "Most truly I say to you, He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these." (John 14:12) This had an initial fulfillment as Jesus' disciples preached the good news throughout the Roman Empire in the first century. (Romans 10:18) Even greater works have been done today as the anointed remnant has spearheaded the preaching of the good news "in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations." (Matthew 24:14) The result? The 20th century has witnessed the ingathering of the greatest number of dedicated, faithful servants of Jehovah in history. (Revelation 5:9, 10; 7:9, 10) What magnificent evidence of Jehovah's power!-Isaiah 60:22.
Jesus' Brothers Come in Glory
As the remnant of Jesus' anointed brothers finish their earthly course, they are glorified with him. (Romans 2:6, 7; 1 Corinthians 15:53; 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 17) Thus they become immortal kings and priests in the heavenly Kingdom. With Jesus, they will then "shepherd the people with an iron rod so that they will be broken to pieces like clay vessels." (Revelation 2:27; 20:4-6; Psalm 110:2, 5, 6) With Jesus, they will sit on thrones judging "the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28) Groaning creation has eagerly awaited these events, which are part of "the revealing of the sons of God."-Romans 8:19-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8.
Paul spoke of the revelation of Jesus during the "great tribulation" when he wrote: "He comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder in connection with all those who exercised faith." (Matthew 24:21; 2 Thessalonians 1:10) What a magnificent prospect that is for Peter, James, John, and all spirit-anointed Christians! The transfiguration strengthened Peter's faith. Surely, reading about it strengthens our faith too and fortifies our confidence that Jesus will soon "recompense each one according to his behavior." Faithful anointed Christians who have survived to this day see their confidence confirmed that they will be glorified with Jesus. Other sheep have their faith strengthened in the knowledge that he will save them through the end of this wicked system of things into the glorious new world. (Revelation 7:14) What an encouragement to stand firm to the end! And this vision can teach us much more, as we will see in the following article.[source - WT 5/15/1997, pp. 9-14].
And another source said:
"It was to the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometime after Passover of 32 C.E., the Son of God told his disciples: "Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:28) In a matter of days, those words of Jesus were fulfilled. Taking with him the apostles Peter, James and John, God's Son climbed a high mountain, presumably Hermon. On a spur of this mountain, the following took place: "[Jesus] was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light." Thus the three apostles had confirmed to them that Jesus' coming in Kingdom power would indeed be glorious. Then a "bright cloud" formed and a voice came out of it, saying: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him."-Matthew 17:1-5." [source - A Hope With A Sure Guarantee, page 36-37].
IMPORTANCE TO US OF TODAY:
Fulfillment of Bible prophecy in our day indicates that Jesus' presence in Kingdom power began in 1914 C.E. (Matt. 24:3-14; 25:31-33) Obviously, Matthew 16:28 could not refer to this event, for Jesus there spoke of something that would take place before the apostles all died. Then what could that have been?
The Hebrew Scriptures had foretold that the Messiah was to be an everlasting king. (Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 9:6, 7) Daniel's vision in particular gave Jews reason to expect the Messiah's reign to be glorious, powerful, magnificent. (Dan. 2:44; 7:13, 14) But just who was to be this Messianic king, and would he rule from an earthly throne? Even Jesus' disciples who accepted him as the Messiah could benefit from assurance that he would reign from heaven with power and glory.-Matt. 16:16-22; Acts 1:6.
Accordingly, less than a year before he died Jesus explained that some of the apostles would "see the Son of man coming in his kingdom," or, as Mark phrased it, "see the kingdom of God already come in power." (Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1) After Jesus was no longer among them, the disciples would be able to draw strength from their having been eyewitnesses of his future heavenly presence in Kingdom power.
But how were Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25 fulfilled? Often the meaning of a verse is suggested by its context. In this case, all three Gospel accounts of Jesus' promise about seeing him in his kingdom lead immediately into the record of the transfiguration.
Now this opens the important question of when this will take place. Of course we do NOT know the hour or the day as even God's (YHWH's) Son, Jesus (Yeshua) stated that he did not know that at Mark 13:30-32, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (ASV). But world conditions clearly show we are in the end times and the culmination of the end times can not be very far in the future.
Let's consider Matthew 24:33-35, "even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, [even] at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (ASV).
Comments by others on this scripture:
"These Things Must Take Place"
Do you know and understand Jesus' answer? It is found in three of the Gospels. Professor D. A. Carson states: "Few chapters of the Bible have called forth more disagreement among interpreters than Matthew 24 and its parallels in Mark 13 and Luke 21." He then gives his own opinion-just another of the conflicting human views. In the last century or so, many such views reflected a lack of faith. Those offering them held that Jesus never said what we read in the Gospels, that his sayings were later corrupted, or that his prediction failed-views shaped by higher criticism. One commentator even approached Mark's Gospel 'through the lens of Mahayana-Buddhist philosophy'!..
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A Tragic Fulfillment in the Offing
The apostles knew that Jesus was the Messiah. So when they heard him mention his death, resurrection, and return, they must have wondered, 'If Jesus dies and goes away, how can he carry out the wonderful things that the Messiah is expected to do?' Further, Jesus spoke of an end for Jerusalem and its temple. The apostles might have wondered, 'When and how will that occur?' In trying to understand these things, the apostles asked: "When will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are destined to come to a conclusion?"-Mark 13:4; Matthew 16:21, 27, 28; 23:37-24:2
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Jesus foretold that there would be wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, hatred and persecution of Christians, false messiahs, and a widespread preaching of the good news of the Kingdom. Then the end was to come. (Matthew 24:4-14; Mark 13:5-13; Luke 21:8-19) Jesus said this early in the year 33 C.E. During the following decades, his alert disciples could recognize that the foretold things were in fact occurring in a significant way. Yes, history proves that the sign had a fulfillment at that time, leading to a conclusion of the Jewish system of things at the hands of the Romans in 66-70 C.E. How did that come about?
During the hot Judean summer of 66 C.E., Jewish Zealots led an assault on Roman guards in a fort near the temple in Jerusalem, sparking violence elsewhere in the land. In History of the Jews, Professor Heinrich Graetz relates: "Cestius Gallus, whose duty it was as Governor of Syria to uphold the honor of Roman arms, . . . could no longer witness the rebellion spreading around him without an effort to stem its progress. He called his legions together, and the neighboring princes voluntarily sent their troops." This army of 30,000 surrounded Jerusalem. After some fighting, the Jews withdrew behind walls near the temple. "During five successive days the Romans stormed the walls, but were always obliged to fall back before the missiles of the Judæans. It was only on the sixth day that they succeeded in undermining a part of the northern wall in front of the Temple."
Just think how confused the Jews would have been, since they had long felt that God would protect them and their holy city! Jesus' disciples, though, had been forewarned that calamity awaited Jerusalem. Jesus had foretold: "The days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification with pointed stakes and will encircle you and distress you from every side, and they will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you." (Luke 19:43, 44) But would that spell death for Christians inside Jerusalem in 66 C.E.?
When replying to the apostles on the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicted: "Those days will be days of a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen he has cut short the days." (Mark 13:19, 20; Matthew 24:21, 22) So the days would be cut short and "the chosen ones" saved. Who were they? Certainly not rebellious Jews who claimed to worship Jehovah but who had rejected his Son. (John 19:1-7; Acts 2:22, 23, 36) The true chosen ones back then were those Jews and non-Jews who exercised faith in Jesus as Messiah and Savior. God had chosen such ones, and on Pentecost 33 C.E., he had formed them into a new spiritual nation, "the Israel of God."-Galatians 6:16; Luke 18:7; Acts 10:34-45; 1 Peter 2:9.
Were the days "cut short" and the anointed chosen ones in Jerusalem saved? Professor Graetz suggests: "[Cestius Gallus] did not deem it advisable to continue the combat against heroic enthusiasts and embark on a lengthy campaign at that season, when the autumn rains would soon commence . . . and might prevent the army from receiving provisions. On that account probably he thought it more prudent to retrace his steps." Whatever Cestius Gallus was thinking, the Roman army retreated from the city, with grave losses inflicted by the pursuing Jews.
That surprising Roman retreat allowed "flesh"-Jesus' disciples who were at risk inside Jerusalem-to be saved. History records that when this window of opportunity opened, Christians fled the region. What a display of God's ability to foreknow the future and to ensure the survival of his worshipers! Yet, what of unbelieving Jews who remained in Jerusalem and Judea?
Contemporaries Would See It
Many Jews felt that their system of worship, centered on the temple, would long continue. But Jesus said: "Learn from the fig tree . . . this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away."-Matthew 24:32-35.
In the years leading up to 66 C.E., Christians would have seen many of the preliminary elements of the composite sign being fulfilled-wars, famines, even an extensive preaching of the good news of the Kingdom. (Acts 11:28; Colossians 1:23) When, though, would the end come? What did Jesus mean when he said: 'This generation [Greek, ge·ne·a´] will not pass away'? Jesus had often called the contemporaneous mass of opposing Jews, including religious leaders, 'a wicked, adulterous generation.' (Matthew 11:16; 12:39, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36) So when, on the Mount of Olives, he again spoke of "this generation," he evidently did not mean the entire race of Jews throughout history; nor did he mean his followers, even though they were "a chosen race." (1 Peter 2:9) Neither was Jesus saying that "this generation" is a period of time.
Rather, Jesus had in mind the opposing Jews back then who would experience the fulfillment of the sign he gave. Regarding the reference to "this generation" at Luke 21:32, Professor Joel B. Green notes: "In the Third Gospel, 'this generation' (and related phrases) has regularly signified a category of people who are resistant to the purpose of God. . . . [It refers] to people who stubbornly turn their backs on the divine purpose."
The wicked generation of Jewish opposers who could observe the sign being fulfilled would also experience the end. (Matthew 24:6, 13, 14) And that they did! In 70 C.E., the Roman army returned, led by Titus, son of Emperor Vespasian. The suffering of the Jews who were again bottled up in the city is almost beyond belief. Eyewitness Flavius Josephus reports that by the time the Romans demolished the city, about 1,100,000 Jews had died and some 100,000 were taken captive, most of those soon to perish horribly from starvation or in Roman theaters. Truly, the tribulation of 66-70 C.E. was the greatest that Jerusalem and the Jewish system had ever experienced or would ever experience. How different the outcome was for Christians who had heeded Jesus' prophetic warning and had left Jerusalem after the departure of the Roman armies in 66 C.E.! The anointed Christian "chosen ones" were "saved," or kept safe, in 70 C.E.-Matthew 24:16, 22.
Another Fulfillment to Come
However, that was not the finale. Earlier, Jesus had indicated that after the city was devastated, he would come in Jehovah's name. (Matthew 23:38, 39; 24:2) He then made this clearer in his prophecy uttered on the Mount of Olives. Having mentioned the coming "great tribulation," he said that afterward false Christs would appear, and Jerusalem would be trampled on by the nations for an extended period. (Matthew 24:21, 23-28; Luke 21:24) Could it be that another, a greater, fulfillment was to come? The facts answer yes. When we compare Revelation 6:2-8 (written after the tribulation on Jerusalem in 70 C.E.) with Matthew 24:6-8 and Luke 21:10, 11, we see that warfare, food shortages, and plague on a greater scale lay ahead. This greater fulfillment of Jesus' words has been occurring since World War I erupted in 1914...
Referring to the tribulation just ahead of us, Jesus said: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days [the destruction of false religion] the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."-Matthew 24:29, 30.
Hence, Jesus himself says that "after the tribulation of those days," celestial phenomena of some sort will occur. (Compare Joel 2:28-32; 3:15.) This will so startle and shock disobedient humans that they will "beat themselves in lamentation." Many will "become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth." But this will not be the case with true Christians! These 'will lift their heads up, because their deliverance is getting near.'-Luke 21:25, 26, 28.
Judgment Ahead!
Note that Matthew 24:29-31 foretells that (1) the Son of man comes, (2) this coming will be with great glory, (3) the angels will be with him, and (4) all the tribes of the earth will see him. Jesus repeats these elements in the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46) Hence, we can conclude that this parable deals with the time, after the opening outbreak of tribulation, when Jesus will come with his angels and sit down on his throne to judge. (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; compare 1 Kings 7:7; Daniel 7:10, 13, 14, 22, 26; Matthew 19:28.) Who will be judged, and with what result? The parable shows that Jesus will give attention to all nations, as if they were assembled right before his celestial throne.
Sheeplike men and women will be separated to Jesus' right side of favor. Why? Because they used their opportunities to do good to his brothers-anointed Christians, who will share in Christ's heavenly Kingdom. (Daniel 7:27; Hebrews 2:9-3:1) In line with the parable, millions of sheeplike Christians have recognized Jesus' spiritual brothers and have been working in support of them. As a result, the "great crowd" have the Bible-based hope of surviving "the great tribulation" and then living forever in Paradise, the earthly realm of God's Kingdom.-Revelation 7:9, 14; 21:3, 4; John 10:16.
What a different outcome there will be for the goats! They are described at Matthew 24:30 as 'beating themselves in lamentation' when Jesus comes. And well they should, for they will have built up a record of rejecting the Kingdom good news, of opposing Jesus' disciples, and of preferring the world that is passing away. (Matthew 10:16-18; 1 John 2:15-17) Jesus-not any of his disciples on earth-determines who the goats are. Of them he says: "These will depart into everlasting cutting-off."-Matthew 25:46.
Our progress in understanding the prophecy in Matthew chapters 24 and 25 has been thrilling. However, there is a part of Jesus' prophecy that merits our further attention-'the disgusting thing that causes desolation standing in a holy place.' Jesus urged his followers to use discernment regarding this and to be ready to take action. (Matthew 24:15, 16) What is this "disgusting thing"? When does it stand in a holy place? And how are our present and future life prospects involved? The following article will discuss this.[source - WT 5/99/1999, page 8-13].
USE OF 'GENERATION' BY JESUS (YESHUA):
Many scriptures confirm that Jesus did not use "generation" with regard to some small or distinct group, meaning only the Jewish leaders or only his loyal disciples. Rather, he used "generation" in condemning the masses of Jews who rejected him. Happily, though, individuals could do what the apostle Peter urged on the day of Pentecost, repent and "get saved from this crooked generation."-Acts 2:40.
In that statement, Peter was clearly not being precise as to any fixed age or length of time, nor was he tying the "generation" to any certain date. He did not say that people should get saved from the generation that was born in the same year Jesus was or the generation that was born in 29 C.E. Peter was speaking about the unbelieving Jews of that period-some perhaps being rather young, others being older-who had been exposed to Jesus' teaching, had seen or heard of his miracles, and had not accepted him as Messiah.
That evidently is how Peter understood Jesus' use of "generation" when he and three other apostles were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. According to Jesus' prophetic statement, Jews of that period-basically, Jesus' contemporaries-were going to experience or hear of wars, earthquakes, famines, and other evidences that the end of the Jewish system was near. In fact, that generation did not pass before the end came in 70 C.E.-Matthew 24:3-14, 34.
It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus' words in that sense. There is a tendency for imperfect humans to want to be specific about the date when the end will come. Recall that even the apostles sought more specifics, asking: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?"-Acts 1:6.
In fact,
"Saved From a "Wicked Generation"
"O faithless and twisted generation, how long must I continue with you and put up with you?"-LUKE 9:41.
WE LIVE in calamitous times. Earthquakes, floods, famines, disease, lawlessness, bombings, horrendous warfare-these and more have engulfed mankind during our 20th century. However, the greatest calamity of all threatens in the near future. What is that? It is "great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again." (Matthew 24:21) Yet, many of us may look forward to a joyful future! Why? Because God's own Word describes "a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues . . . 'These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation . . . They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore . . . And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.'"-Revelation 7:1, 9, 14-17.
The inspired record at Matthew 24:3-22, Mark 13:3-20, and Luke 21:7-24 introduces Jesus' prophetic description of "the conclusion of the system of things." This prophecy had an initial fulfillment on the corrupt Jewish system of things of the first century of our Common Era, culminating in an unprecedented "great tribulation" on the Jews. The entire religious and political structure of the Jewish system, centered at Jerusalem's temple, was thrown down, never to be restored.
Let us now consider the circumstances that surrounded the first fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy. This will help us better to understand the parallel fulfillment today. It will show us how urgent it is to take positive action now in order to survive the greatest of tribulations that threatens all mankind.-Romans 10:9-13; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 15:58.
"The End"-When?
About the year 539 B.C.E., God's prophet Daniel was given a vision of events that would occur during the final "week" of a period of "seventy weeks" of years. (Daniel 9:24-27) These "weeks" began in 455 B.C.E. when King Artaxerxes of Persia ordered the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. The final "week" started with the appearance of Messiah, Jesus Christ, at his baptism and anointing in 29 C.E. God-fearing Jews of the first century C.E. were well aware of this time feature of Daniel's prophecy. For example, concerning the crowds that flocked to hear the preaching of John the Baptizer in 29 C.E., Luke 3:15 states: "The people were in expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John: 'May he perhaps be the Christ?'"
The 70th "week" was to be seven years of special favor extended to the Jews. Starting in 29 C.E., it included Jesus' baptism and ministry, his sacrificial death "at the half of the week" in 33 C.E., and another 'half week' until 36 C.E. During this "week," the opportunity to become Jesus' anointed disciples was extended exclusively to God-fearing Jews and Jewish proselytes. Then in 70 C.E., a date not known in advance, the Roman legions under Titus exterminated the apostate Jewish system.-Daniel 9:26, 27.
Thus the Jewish priesthood, which had defiled Jerusalem's temple and conspired in the murder of God's own Son, was wiped out. Gone, too, were the national and tribal records. Thereafter, no Jew could legally claim a priestly or a kingly inheritance. Happily, though, anointed spiritual Jews had been separated as a royal priesthood to "declare abroad the excellencies" of Jehovah God. (1 Peter 2:9) When Rome's army first besieged Jerusalem and even undermined the temple area in 66 C.E., Christians recognized that military force as "the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place." In obedience to Jesus' prophetic command, the Christians in Jerusalem and Judea fled to the mountainous regions for protection.-Matthew 24:15, 16; Luke 21:20, 21.
Those faithful Jewish Christians observed the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy and were eyewitnesses of the tragic wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and lawlessness that Jesus had foretold as part of the "sign . . . of the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 24:3) But had Jesus told them when Jehovah would actually execute judgment on that corrupt system? No. What he prophesied about the climax of his future royal presence surely applied also to the first-century "great tribulation": "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father."-Matthew 24:36.
From Daniel's prophecy, the Jews could have calculated the timing of Jesus' appearing as the Messiah. (Daniel 9:25) Yet they were given no date for the "great tribulation" that finally desolated the apostate Jewish system of things. It was only after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple that they realized that the date was 70 C.E. However, they had been aware of Jesus' prophetic words: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matthew 24:34) Apparently, the application of "generation" here is different from that at Ecclesiastes 1:4, which speaks of successive generations coming and going over a period of time.
"This Generation"-What Is It?
When four apostles seated with Jesus on the Mount of Olives heard his prophecy about "the conclusion of the system of things," how would they understand the expression "this generation"? In the Gospels the word "generation" is translated from the Greek word ge·ne·a´, which current lexicons define in these terms: "Lit[erally] those descended fr[om] a common ancestor." (Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament) "That which has been begotten, a family; . . . successive members of a genealogy . . . or of a race of people . . . or of the whole multitude of men living at the same time, Matt. 24:34; Mark 13:30; Luke 1:48; 21:32; Phil. 2:15, and especially of those of the Jewish race living at the same period." (W. E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) "That which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family; . . . the whole multitude of men living at the same time: Mt. xxiv. 34; Mk. xiii. 30; Lk. i. 48 . . . used esp[ecially] of the Jewish race living at one and the same period."-J. H. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Vine and Thayer both cite Matthew 24:34 in defining "this generation" (he ge·ne·a´ hau´te) as "the whole multitude of men living at the same time." The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1964) gives support to this definition, stating: "The use of 'generation' by Jesus expresses his comprehensive purpose: he aims at the whole people and is conscious of their solidarity in sin." Truly a "solidarity in sin" was apparent in the Jewish nation when Jesus was on earth, just as it marks the world system today.
Of course, Christians studying this matter guide their thinking primarily by how Jesus used the Greek expression he ge·ne·a´ hau´te, or "this generation." He used it consistently in a negative way. Thus, he called the Jewish religious leaders "serpents, offspring of vipers" and went on to say that the judgment of Gehenna would be executed on "this generation." (Matthew 23:33, 36) However, was this judgment limited to the hypocritical clergy? Not at all. On a number of occasions, Jesus' disciples heard him speak of "this generation," applying the term uniformly in a far wider sense. What was that?
"This Wicked Generation"
In 31 C.E., during Jesus' great Galilean ministry and shortly after the Passover, his disciples heard him say to "the crowds": "With whom shall I compare this generation? It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces who cry out to their playmates, saying, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we wailed, but you did not beat yourselves in grief.' Correspondingly, John [the Baptizer] came neither eating nor drinking, yet people say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of man [Jesus] did come eating and drinking, still people say, 'Look! A man gluttonous and given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'" There was no pleasing those unprincipled "crowds"!-Matthew 11:7, 16-19.
Later in 31 C.E., as Jesus and his disciples set out on their second preaching tour of Galilee, "some of the scribes and Pharisees" asked Jesus for a sign. He told them and "the crowds" who were present: "A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking for a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. . . . That is how it will be also with this wicked generation." (Matthew 12:38-46) Obviously, "this wicked generation" included both the religious leaders and "the crowds" who never came to appreciate the sign that was fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection.
After the Passover of 32 C.E., as Jesus and his disciples came into the Galilean region of Magadan, the Sadducees and the Pharisees again asked Jesus for a sign. He repeated to them: "A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking for a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah." (Matthew 16:1-4) Those religious hypocrites were indeed most reprehensible as leaders among the unfaithful "crowds" whom Jesus condemned as "this wicked generation."
Toward the end of his Galilean ministry, Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him and said: "Whoever becomes ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him." (Mark 8:34, 38) So the masses of unrepentant Jews of that time obviously made up "this adulterous and sinful generation." Some days later, after Jesus' transfiguration, Jesus and his disciples "came toward the crowd," and a man asked him to heal his son. Jesus commented: "O faithless and twisted generation, how long must I continue with you? How long must I put up with you?"-Matthew 17:14-17; Luke 9:37-41.
It was likely in Judea, after the Festival of Booths in 32 C.E., "when the crowds were massing together" around Jesus, that he repeated his condemnation of them, saying: "This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign. But no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah." (Luke 11:29) Finally, when the religious leaders brought Jesus to trial, Pilate offered to release him. The record says: "The chief priests and the older men persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas, but to have Jesus destroyed. . . . Pilate said to them: 'What, then, shall I do with Jesus the so-called Christ?' They all said: 'Let him be impaled!' He said: 'Why, what bad thing did he do?' Still they kept crying out all the more: 'Let him be impaled!'" That "wicked generation" was demanding Jesus' blood!-Matthew 27:20-25.
A "faithless and twisted generation," egged on by its religious leaders, thus played a key part in bringing about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fifty days later, at Pentecost in 33 C.E., the disciples received holy spirit and started to speak in different tongues. Upon hearing the sound, "the multitude came together," and the apostle Peter addressed them as "men of Judea and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," saying: "This man [Jesus] . . . you fastened to a stake by the hand of lawless men and did away with." How did some of those listeners react? "They were stabbed to the heart." Peter then called on them to repent. He "bore thorough witness and kept exhorting them, saying: 'Get saved from this crooked generation.'" In response, about three thousand "embraced his word heartily [and] were baptized."-Acts 2:6, 14, 23, 37, 40, 41.
"This Generation" Identified.
What, then, is the "generation" so frequently referred to by Jesus in the presence of his disciples? What did they understand by his words: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur"? Surely, Jesus was not departing from his established use of the term "this generation," which he consistently applied to the contemporary masses with their "blind guides" who together made up the Jewish nation. (Matthew 15:14) "This generation" experienced all the distress foretold by Jesus and then passed away in an unequaled "great tribulation" on Jerusalem.-Matthew 24:21, 34.
In the first century, Jehovah was judging the Jewish people. Repentant ones, who came to exercise faith in Jehovah's merciful provision through Christ, were saved out of that "great tribulation." True to Jesus' words, all things prophesied occurred, and then the "heaven and earth" of the Jewish system of things-the entire nation, with its religious leaders and wicked society of people-passed away. Jehovah had executed judgment!-Matthew 24:35; compare 2 Peter 3:7.
Those Jews who had paid attention to Jesus' prophetic words realized that their salvation depended, not on trying to calculate the length of a "generation" or of some dated "times or seasons," but on keeping separate from the evil contemporary generation and zealously doing God's will. Though the final words of Jesus' prophecy apply to the major fulfillment in our day, first-century Jewish Christians also had to heed the admonition: "Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing before the Son of man."-Luke 21:32-36; Acts 1:6-8.
Today, "the great day of Jehovah . . . is near, and there is a hurrying of it very much." (Zephaniah 1:14-18; Isaiah 13:9, 13) Suddenly, at Jehovah's own predetermined "day and hour," his fury will be unleashed upon the world's religious, political, and commercial elements, together with the wayward people who make up this contemporary "wicked and adulterous generation." (Matthew 12:39; 24:36; Revelation 7:1-3, 9, 14) How may you get saved out of "the great tribulation"? [source - WT 11/1/95, pages 10-15]
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