Category Archives: Ephesians

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 1:3-14 – Dearly Beloved we are gathered here today …

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in [Christ – “him”] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in [Christ – “him”], as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

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This is the Epistle reading for the seventh Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 10], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow either a Track 1 or Track 2 tandem of Old Testament and Psalm readings, relative to David bringing the ark in his city and Amos being sent by Yahweh to the false prophet of Jeroboam predicting ruin. The songs of praise support those themes, with everything accompanying the Gospel reading from Mark, where the story of John the Baptist’s beheading is told.

I have written deeply about this reading selection before. I posted my observations in 2018, with that commentary available on this website. It can be found by searching this site; and, I welcome all to read what I wrote then, as the same words have that meaning today. Today, I want to narrow my focus just a little.

The Second Samuel reading about David dancing before the ark has to be seen as a wedding celebration. The ark must be seen as the Holy Spirit, which is set in place by the directions of Yahweh. The site in the City of David, which had before been the fortress of the Jebusites, who were the watchers of the path to the tree of life [Eden on earth], that represents the symbolism of two joining together and must be realized as David demonstrating how each Israelite [and therefore all subsequent Christians] must likewise become a soul [a Jebusite] in a body of flesh [Jebus, the gate to Eden] that becomes the welcoming bride of Yahweh’s Holy Spirit within [the ark set in the Tabernacle on Mount Zion]. That story is told as metaphor, although David enacted it for all to see; and, those actions were recorded for all to read. It is a story that says, “From then on, every soul is responsible for being individually married to Yahweh, if one wants one’s soul to pass through the gate of death to the place of eternal life, Eden.”

Conversely, the optional reading from Amos tells the story of those who would break away from that recognition of commitment to Yahweh, following a king whose name means “The People Contend,” who is led by a false prophet that is only in that position for the money and benefits. A prophet was sent by Yahweh to tell them their future led to abject failure and ruin. The same reading holds merit in today’s world of rainbow religion calling itself Christianity. Amos is still read because Yahweh wants a prophet expressing the sword of judgment always being held over the necks of those who tell Yahweh’s prophets, “Leave this place and go be a prophet somewhere else, because we love worshiping the sterility of homosexuality and our god Penis and our goddess Vagina.”

In this selection from Paul’s greetings sent to the true Christians of Ephesus, the word “Christ” had been translated five times, although the NRSV translation liberally translates “him” twice more as “Christ,” which is wrong [as I will explain shortly]. In those five uses, Paul wrote “Christō” three times and “Christou” twice. Each time he wrote “Christou” is followed by his naming “Iēsou.” Each time he wrote “Christō” the word translating as “Christ” stood alone. By writing “Christō” without “Iēsou” says the two are separate, not one. Therefore, the word “Christ” cannot be seen as a ‘last name’ of “Jesus,” so it is wrong to call “him” [the man] by the name “Christ,” because “him” says “Jesus” … and “Jesus” was a body of flesh, just like Paul and just like all the Ephesians.

The word “Christ” comes from the root Greek word “Christos,” which means “Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ.” (Strong’s Usage) The capitalization reflects a divinely elevated meaning, such that the lower-case spelling (as “christos”) would yield the basic definition: “smear or rub with oil, typically as part of a religious ceremony.” (Oxford Languages, Google search) When Yahweh told Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons, Samuel poured oil from a horn on David’s head. Therefore, David was a “christō,” in the lower-case, even though Samuel was a divinely led priest; but when we also read, “the Spirit of Yahweh came upon David,” David became a capitalized “Christō,” when Greek is applied, replacing the Hebrew “Mashiach” or “Messiah.”

When one realizes it is Yahweh who becomes the meaning in the capitalization of “Christos,” one can see the Greek ending that creates “Christou” makes it possessive, in the Genitive case. It is then a statement that “Jesus” was “of the Christ,” which becomes a statement that “Jesus” was one “of” all who Yahweh anoints. This simple understanding of what is written [which English struggles to state simply] says Yahweh is so powerful a God that He can Anoint a limitless number of “Christs” or “Messiahs,” with the capitalization meaning all so anointed have become souls merged with Yahweh’s Spirit; and, I call that union a divine marriage between a soul and Yahweh’s Spirit.

When one realizes that the angel Gabriel told Mary what the name of her son would be, the instant she became divinely pregnant, says that name bears vital meaning that must always be understood whenever that name is read in Scripture. “Jesus” means “Yah[weh] Saves.” Gabriel took a message from Yahweh to Mary [and thus to all who read her story] that ‘“Yahweh Will Save” souls as My Son to be born from your womb. In that event, Mary’s soul was married to Yahweh’s Spirit, so “Jesus” was literally within her being [soul-flesh entity] as soon as Gabriel appeared before her. Mary was Anointed by Yahweh; thus she was a “Christ,” who would give birth to a son that also was a “Christ,” but not because of his mother.

In these twelve verses, other than the capitalized words “Jesus” and “Christ,” there are seven other capitalized words, each used only one time. The seven are: “Eulogētos” [“Blessed”], “Theos” [“God”], “Patēr” [“Father”], “Kyriou” [“Lord”], “Ēgapēmenō” [“Beloved”], “Pneumati” [“Spirit”], and “Hagiō” [“Holy”]. All of those must be seen as relative to a theme of divine marriage between a soul in the flesh and Yahweh’s Spirit. The lesson of this reading selection, as an accompaniment to the other possible reading selections, means each of these divinely elevated words must be seen in that light of union – Holy Matrimony in the truest sense.

In the first word of this reading, Paul wrote “Eulogētos” as a statement of “Blessing” that is beyond anything one human being can bestow upon another, as far as being “well spoken of.” The root word “eulogétos” is found in the English word “eulogy,” which is something “well spoken of” the dead. The same should be read here, because the marriage of a bride to a bridegroom means the death of the old and the birth of a new state of being. The old that passed away is the singular sense of being – one soul – which has died and been reborn in a union – one soul with one Spirit. That making this union “Blessed” is the Spirit – that of Yahweh – and that makes the togetherness become most Holy.

When that is seen, it becomes natural that Paul would then affirm that divine “Blessing” can only come from “Theos,” or “God.” Because that word is Greek and the Greeks were a polytheistic people, as were the Romans, the capitalization and the singular number identifies “One God,” above all others “gods.” Because there were so many gods to build temples to and assign priests to attend to those gods, the generality of “God” is akin to the capitalization of “Lord,” such that the generality lends to the confusion of ambiguity. Because the Greeks did not use the name of the Hebrew “Yahweh,” and because Paul was ministering to a Greek-speaking mixture of Jews and Gentiles, the writing of “Theos” as a capitalized word was the way Yahweh was identified. Because Christianity is deemed a monotheistic religion, there is only “One God,” which means His Son cannot be in any way a competitor, such as would be Zeus being in competition with Ares or Hermes.

As for the capitalization of the word “Patēr,” this divinely elevates the relationship one has with “God,” when one has been “Blessed” by marriage of one’s soul to Him. This highlights the mundane role a “father” has in a wedding. The father of the bride gives her away to her new husband and his family in marriage. While two families are joined in relationship, the daughter is given away, as the possession of her husband. The purpose of a divine marriage is not to have legal sex, as souls cannot generate any new souls, only flesh requires propagation. This means divine marriage is so one’s flesh can be filled with a soul in union with Yahweh. This is selective, as Yahweh cannot be seen as every human being’s “Father,” any more than anyone has the right to run outside and hug every older male on planet earth, while screaming, “father!” Those who are truly not one’s “father” will pull back and immediately say, “I do not know you!” Therefore, the capitalization of “Father” means a special relationship with Yahweh (“God”), through marriage that adjoins the resurrected soul of Jesus to the marrying soul – two souls possessing one body of flesh. This give one the right to call Yahweh the “Father,” due to marriage AND reproduction (a.k.a. resurrection).

When one’s soul has married Yahweh and received His Spirit, so two have been “Blessed” by having been united as One, as an extension of “God” in the flesh [His hand on earth], then that marriage is consummated spiritually – the sole purpose of marriage. The soul-flesh then becomes the womb in which the Spirit raises the soul of “Jesus,” so one’s soul is not only merged with the Spirit of Yahweh but one’s soul becomes possessed by the resurrected soul of Jesus. This birth of “Jesus” within makes a soul-flesh entity that went by some name given by one’s earthly father then become “in the name of Jesus,” which makes one also “in the name of the Father.” Again, the meaning of the name “Jesus” is “Yah[weh] Saves,” where the “name of the Father” is also “the name of the Son.” This is why Paul changed his name from Saul; and, it is why Jacob was told his name was changed to “Israel” – a name meaning “He Retains God.”

From this presentation of “Father,” Paul then made a divinely elevated statement that Yahweh was “the Father of our Lord,” where “Kyriou,” like “Christou,” is a Genitive form that states possession – “of.” This says Yahweh is “the Father” of “the Lord of us.” That says, without Yahweh’s presence [His Spirit married with one’s soul], there would be no consummation of that marriage, therefore no offspring. With that, the offspring of “the Father” is “the Lord of us.” This Greek word makes a clear statement that “Lord” is not the same as “God” and is not the same as “Father,” which is why the Hebrew texts that state “Yahweh” should not be translated as “Lord,” because Yahweh is not one’s “Lord” directly. Marriage means one’s soul has united with Yahweh, which means the reception of His Spirit; and, the Spirit speaks to a soul as the voice of God. Yahweh is the name of one’s Spiritual Husband and although He becomes one’s Master and Lord indirectly – through an Advocate and holy offspring that will be the actual “Lord” – the soul, as the wife of Yahweh, must be on a ‘first name’ basis. That means referring to “Yahweh” specifically, not referencing Him as anything else.

It must be realized that a soul is, in and of itself, the “lord” of one’s flesh. From first breath at birth, when Yahweh gives the breath of life [“ruach”] into a body of flesh, the body of flesh grows and becomes enamored with external stimuli. This leads the soul to find esoteric influences that are processed by the human brain and seen as married to one’s life direction. These influences become absorbed “lords.” Still, as the flesh matures and feels strong urges to explore the outer world, other people, places, or things can lead the flesh to influence the soul, through the brain, to worship those external entities. These then become “lords” to whom a soul becomes enslaved, unless the flesh can be led to rebel against those influences. In this way, worldly addictions [sins] become the most prevalent “lords” we humans know, even if we deny they exists and refuse to believe they control our souls.

This is where the separation of a soul from Yahweh does not make Yahweh ever be the “Lord” of one soul and its flesh. That is why Yahweh becomes the “Father” through marriage. The child born of that most Holy Matrimony is His Son Jesus, whose individual soul is resurrected in each and every one of Yahweh’s wives [the souls of males and females on earth], so that soul possesses the body of flesh and leads the body-soul it inhabits as its capitalized “Lord.” Without that divine leader, where Jesus becomes the king of one’s kingdom of flesh and bones, one’s soul alone is incapable of resisting the external influences of the world. Without Jesus as one’s “Lord,” reborn within one’s flesh, as a twin with one’s soul, one will not end life on earth sin-free. It is when one has become “Jesus” reborn that one has been Spiritually “Anointed” as “God’s Son,” with Yahweh the “Father.”

From all that stated in verse three alone, where seven capitalized words are found written [with both “Christou” and “Christō” used], verse six then includes the capitalized word “Ēgapēmenō,” meaning “Beloved.” In the NRSV translation that says, “to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved,” this must be read similarly as one sees David dancing and singing mightily before the parade of the ark. This is Paul saying the union of a soul with Yahweh’s Spirit is due to love: that of God and that to God in return. It is why a priest or pastor says before a wedding, “Dearly beloveds we are gathered here today ….” Still, the divine elevation from capitalization says the love of God has been placed on earth, in the form of one of His wives, led by the soul of His Son resurrected.

This then leads to verse thirteen, where the two remaining capitalized words are found, but they are written in a presentation that differs from the NRSV translation as “Holy Spirit.” What is actually written in the Greek is this: “esphragisthēte tō Pneumati tēs epangelias tō Hagiō.” That literally states, “you were sealed thereupon Spirit of this promise then Holy.” This clearly states “Spirit” to come first, such that the result is then a state of being unlike before. This needs to be seen as the pronouncement that the marriage has been completed – “You may kiss the bride.”

In the two words that lead to each “Spirit” and “Holy,” the first makes a statement about being “sealed.” This should be seen like the exchange of rings between bridegroom and bride. The ring symbolizes eternity, as its circular shape always has it following the same path forever. Rather than wedding bands of gold, it is the “Spirit” of Yahweh that seals two as one, forevermore. The capitalization of “Spirit” says it is what we refer to as the “Holy Spirit,” but because it is the Spirit of Yahweh it is known to be perfection, which is incapable of human beings alone. To say Yahweh is “Holy” is unnecessary, as it is the presence of Yahweh that makes the unholy “Holy.” It is the presence of Yahweh’s “Spirit” that brings about the “promise” that “then” leads one to be “Holy.”

The “promise” can also be stated as a “command,” which means all the questions that a priest or pastor asked each bridegroom and bride then become the marriage vows, from which “promises” are made to always and forever keep – till death do us part. While asking questions of fidelity, during both times of good and times of bad, means a promise of commitment, in response to each of the questions posed. Human beings often fail to live up to those promises made. That is because human beings are flawed, thus unholy. The promises that make one “Holy” are then the Commandments brought down from the mountain by Moses. The marriage vows a soul makes with Yahweh are those “Ten Commandments” (plus), primarily [as Jesus said] “to love Yahweh with all one’s heart, all one’s mind, and all one’s soul.” This is what it truly means for Yahweh to write His laws on each wife’s heart. It is this seal forever. It is the protection of Yahweh’s “Spirit” that makes it possible for the “promises” to be kept, as one will “then be Holy.”

Now, if must be realized that Paul was writing this to true Christians who understood all about their souls being married to Yahweh and being reborn in the name of Jesus Christ. What is easy to overlook is how Paul wrote all his epistles as an extension of his eternal commitment that made him “Holy, Sacred, Set apart by God” – a “Saint.” Being made “Holy” means one serves Yahweh till death do you part from your flesh. There is nothing “Holy” about sitting in the same pew, week after week, doing nothing to even think about anyone else [outside one’s family], much less send them a kind word. Thinking a sip of wine at the rail makes one feel the “spirit” sure does not seem to have the after effect of making those sippers “holy.”

Again, I took this selection in a more direct breakdown in 2018. I encourage everyone to read that commentary. I felt it was best to show how what Paul wrote fits a marriage theme very well. Therefore, I chose to only talk here about the capitalized words he wrote in this selection. Feel free to compare what I wrote here to what I wrote before.

As an Epistle selection to be read on the seventh Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry to Yahweh should be well underway, it is important to see how ministry cannot be done properly without one’s soul having married Yahweh and one becoming His Son resurrected within. Without that divine guidance, one does not have the truth to present to others, as the reason they too should marry their souls to Yahweh and also go into ministry. This is the problem facing all Christian churches today; and, this is the result of David having taken Jerusalem and moved the ark into marriage there, because never again could one rest on the laurels of someone other than oneself for redemption. No longer could the Israelites lean on a judge to save them. No longer can a Christian lean on Jesus, as an external, divine, unseen savior. One must be Jesus reborn in your flesh, or suffer the indignity of rejecting marriage to Yahweh.

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 2:11-22 – Giving your soul a circumcision

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Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” —a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

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This is the Epistle reading for the eighth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 11], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow one of two optional tracks that pair Old Testament readings with Psalms. The first tells of David telling Nathan his plan to build a house for the Ark, only to have Yahweh tell Nathan He wants no house of cedar. The second tells of Jeremiah being told by Yahweh that bad shepherds who destroy and scatter His flock will be punished. All will precede the Gospel reading from Mark, when Jesus told his disciples, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”

I posted about this reading in 2018. I went into great detail about each verse, based on the written Greek text. I welcome everyone to read that commentary by searching this site. I wrote that because Paul’s writings can be very difficult to follow; and, this is one that can be seen as confusing. For that reason, with a deep explanation of everything written already done [looking each word up becomes painstaking work that must be done], I will leave what I wrote before to speak for the whole meaning. Now, I will only address a few things in a different light.

On the broad view, verse eleven must be seen as Paul reminding the true Christians of Ephesus that before they married their souls to Yahweh they had been different in a physical sense. They were considered natural people of the world, as “races” and “nations” of people, or “ethnos,” where the males were uncircumcised. That differed from those who had been marked as Yahweh’s children, soon after birth, by “a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands.” This ritualistic act, which would be known through nakedness, but otherwise concealed by clothing, physically marked one as believing in Yahweh, while all others were free to follow the gods of the world. That remembrance must be seen stating the importance of physical change being required in order to serve Yahweh.

Verse twelve then transitions from the physical changes that mark one as a bride of Yahweh and places focus on the spiritual changes. The translation that says, “remember that you were at that time without Christ” must be seen as containing one capitalized word “Christ.” That word means “Anointed One,” but in the form written – “Christou” – that is the genitive case, which states possession, as “of the Anointed.” The word “Christ” is not a statement about Jesus, as if his last name was “Christ.” Jesus was the “Anointed One” of Yahweh. This must be grasped firmly, as Paul writing “you were at that time without Christ” says “you were at that time without an Anointment from Yahweh.”

In that statement in Greek is the little word “ēte,” which is a past tense form of “I am, I exist,” translated as “were.” That is a statement of being that is elevated from the physical body of flesh, as the soul. When that is seen as the intent, the past state of one’s soul [“you were”] was like the past state of the flesh when it was identified as “ethne,” or “of the world” – “Gentile.” In this way being “without Christ” is now compared to being “uncircumcised,” but on a soul level of being, beyond the physical.

When the NRSV translation then shows Paul writing, “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,” this gives the impression that being “without Christ” was because the Greeks of Ephesus did not live in the land of Jesus. That is not what Paul meant by this; and, this needs to be fully understood. First of all, the word “being” is transferred to this segment of words, as directly referencing the state of being that was – “ēte” – “you were.” That state of “being” is now said to be “alienated from” [“apēllotriōmenoi”] “of this” [“tēs” is the genitive form of “the”], where “commonwealth” is actually meant as “citizen body” [from “politeias”] that relates to a spiritual level, not being a “race” or nation” of people, as is the physical body of flesh.

A better way of translating “apēllotriōmenoi” would be as “estranged,” which is less inducive of making one think being “foreign” to “Christ,” as if living in another country made one such an “alien.” When “estranged” is read, the meaning implies “having lost former closeness and affection,” such that the realization that the “Christ” is a Spiritual Anointment from Yahweh, it says a soul in a body of flesh [symbolically “uncircumcised”] was once close to Yahweh, but after birth into a body of flesh lost that closeness. As “estranged,” there is a psychic sense of longing to return to that relationship, which is then viewed in the sense of “citizenship” of heaven, as having rights, through “franchise,” to be a “Christ” once more.

That sense of disenfranchisement is then relative to “tou Israēl” or “of Israel,” where the genitive case is once again stated. Those two Greek words become reflective of “Christou,” “of Israel” is a synonym of “of Christ.” This is where Paul’s writing “Israēl” is not a statement about a place, because the Northern Kingdom that was named “Israel” had been lost around eight hundred years before. When Jesus walked the face of the earth, he traveled in lands known as Galilee, Judea, Perea, Gaulanitis, Decapolis, and Phoenicia. Jesus traveled and ministered to Jews – the circumcised – and even though he said he came for Israelites; he was never about being in a land named “Israel.”

This is where one’s mind needs to see the truth of the use by Paul. The meaning behind the name, which was given divinely to Jacob, in his spiritual conversion to being a wife of Yahweh, says: “He Retains God” or “God Is Upright.” That name was never given to be applied to anything physical, as it can only be applied to souls. Therefore, the “alienation” or “disenfranchisement” or “estrangement” felt was by souls that have not returned to a “Christ” state of being, because they have not married Yahweh and in turn had their souls named “Israel.”

When this is understood, Paul then emphasized by his writing the word “kai” and followed that with: “strangers to the covenants of promise.” Here, again, is a reference to the “alienation” factor, where “strangers” [from “xenoi”] is relative to souls who are “foreign” to Yahweh. The “covenants” are those personal agreements made between two – in this case a soul and Yahweh – which are the Commandment Moses brought down from Mount Sinai as the marriage agreement that was demanded of the Israelites, which made their souls become His wives. Thus, the agreements become those “of promise” [the genitive “tēs” applied to “epangelias”], where both soul and Spirit are sworn to uphold their ends of the agreement. This becomes an important statement [led by “kai”] of marriage vows. This says all who are “estranged” souls [symbolically “uncircumcised”] are so because they have not agreed to submit to Yahweh and serve Him as His wives in marriage.

It is the failure to come to the altar of spiritual marriage that then led Paul to write, “having no hope and without God in the world.” The Greek word translated as saying “without God” [“atheoi”] is better stated as “godless.” This means one’s soul is “pagan,” in the sense that those people of the world that have not been brought to know Yahweh will invariably worship multiple “gods” of nature, which makes all those “gods” [the truth of the word “elohim,” which can be laws, angels, or those who have become Saints, like Paul and the Ephesians] the same as Yahweh – external to their state of being. To set Yahweh up as an idol of worship means to reduce Him to a “god,” such that the truth of the word “atheoi” is it says a soul stands separate from Yahweh, thereby being “without Yahweh” married to it.

Because Paul was writing to souls who had been brought to the altar of marriage and all had come to now Yahweh as their Husband, he wrote: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” In that he wrote “Jesus” for the first time in this series of verses, while repeating the word “Christ” twice. All there words are capitalized, which means they are all raised to a divine level of meaning, higher than simply stating a name or catchphrase.

The first segment of this verse states, “But now in Christ Jesus,” which states a transformation has taken place, due to souls having married Yahweh. By “now in Christ,” the spiritual state of being “uncircumcised” has changed. Being “in Christ” [“en Christō”] states a singular state of being for each soul married to Yahweh. For as many Ephesians as Paul led to divine marriage, each individual soul reached a state where “in” means “with, among, at, and by,” where this is stating there is no longer an externalization that made a soul “godless” or “without God.” It says each has become an “Anointed One, individually, so each has become a “Christ.” This changed state of being is then the spiritual act of circumcision, where instead of paring away the foreskin of a male penis, all souls [in both bodies of males and females] are joined with the soul of Jesus, so his name is resurrected within all souls married to Yahweh. In this sense, the meaning of the name “Jesus” must be realized as a statement like “Israel,” which says “Yah[weh] Will Save” or “Yah[weh] Saves.” Being a soul reborn in the name of “Jesus” says that soul has been saved, through marriage to Yahweh.

By seeing this change as the spiritual reality that is opposite to the pretense of physical difference, the issue of “alienation, estrangement, and exclusion” has been removed. Paul writing “you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ,” says the externalization of Yahweh has been removed. In this case, “near” [“engys”] means “at hand.” [NAS Exhaustive Concordance] It is so “near” that Yahweh’s Spirit flows within one’s body of flesh, like does one’s physical “blood.” Here, again, the Greek word “en” is written, but the NRSV has chosen to translate it as “by,” giving the false impression that one’s physical “blood” has been changed, as if a transfusion took place. That is as impossible as would be a spiritual hand come out of the sky and snip off a foreskin. The “blood” musts be seen as a statement of sacrifice.

Christians go to great lengths to distance themselves [a “self” equals a “soul”] from Yahweh. They see that name as the God of the Jews, and Christians like to be different from Jews [they caused Jesus to be crucified, after all]. In that desire to “estrange” themselves [self again] from the Jews, they do nothing that has them recognize the rituals handed down from Moses to the Israelites, the foremost of which was the Passover. The Passover is a remembrance of the sacrifice of special lambs, whose blood was spread over the doorposts, which notified Yahweh [coming as the angel of death] He should pass over all houses painted in the “blood” of the sacrificial lamb. Christians love to pretend the coming of Jesus made belief in him as the Son of God [they do not dare say “Yahweh”], so they pretend the “blood of Jesus” is his spilled in crucifixion, changing everything the Jews ritually maintained so new rituals could be invented. The problem is the Jews who crucified Jesus then were as corrupt a dogmatic religion as has Christianity become today.

By Paul saying “in the blood of Christ,” this must be seen as the act of self-sacrifice that slaughters oneself on the altar, releasing one’s soul to Yahweh. That sacrifice means one has become an equal sacrificial lamb of purity, so the figurative “blood” that flows in one’s body of flesh has been spread over the doorposts of one’s soul, so that soul is spared death, through the receipt of eternal life. This makes the “blood of the Anointed One” make one a saved soul in a body of flesh, as a model of Jesus reborn.

Seeing the truth in what Paul wrote, the following four verses relate to this change. For the specifics of what Paul wrote in those verses, I return you to my offer of reading what I wrote in 2018. As a quick summary, those verses place a focus on two, as “both groups into one” [actually “both one,” from “amphotera hen”] and “one new humanity in place of the two” [actually “two he might create in his own towards one new man”] and “both groups to God in one body” [actually “both in one body”]. From that, I will jump forward in the text to verse eighteen, which the NRSV translates as saying, “for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.” In that, the literal Greek states: “because on account of his we possess this admission these both in one Spirit with this Father.” This translation requires closer inspection.

In that series of Greek words, the word “autou” has been translated by the NRSV as “him.” The word can actually be used as an adverb, as “here” or “there,” but “him” denies the genitive case and the possessive of “autós,” which would be more appropriately translated as “his.” The root word [“autós”] emphatically means “self.” While it would ordinarily refer to the third person singular as “he,” that would be in the physical sense; and, Paul has been writing in the spiritual since, beginning with verse thirteen. Thus, knowing a “self” means a “soul,” the duality that has become the focus is now stated as “because on account of his,” which means the marriage of a “self” [“soul”] to Yahweh, where one’s soul has submitted unto “him.”

This brings about a state of possession, where the Greek word “echomen” is the plural number of “echo,” which states “we” as a couple who each agree “to have and to hold,” where one becomes the possession of the other. As a collective of true Christian souls making the same commitment of a couple in wedlock, all are then “his” as a shared relationship that “we have.” It is that bond between two – a oul and Yahweh’s Spirit – that then allows a soul “access,” where the better word is “admission,” such that two are “brought together” in an intimate face-to-face relationship. [HELPS Word-studies] This is then strongly suggestive of marriage, on a spiritual level.

This then states “both in one Spirit,” where “both in one” [“amphoteroi en heni”] is a statement of union, as two together as one entity. This is where the past reference to Jesus becomes two souls merged as one being, which is a divine possession, It is this divine possession that occurs through the sacrifice of self-will and self-ego that the “Spirit” of Yahweh allows His wife to be reborn as His Son. The emergence of the Jesus soul as the dominant soul in one’s life allows the “Spirit” to be expressed through one’s flesh, as being reborn in the name of Jesus. It is this change – like going from uncircumcised to circumcised – that makes oneself [self equals soul] not only a wife of Yahweh, but also His Son reborn in one’s flesh; and, that becomes a dual relationship with Yahweh as the “Father.”

The remaining verse further state this marriage and rebirth, which I again refer one to my assessment written and published in 2018. The point I want to make here, which was not so much the focus in 2018, is the clear verbiage that says one must change spiritually in order to be saved and given eternal life. One’s soul must relinquish self-control and let Yahweh lead one through His Spirit. That Spirit will make one’s flesh become Sacred, as His new Saints in ministry, all being sent out anew as Jesus walking the earth in a body of flesh.

As the Epistle selection for the eighth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry to Yahweh should be well underway, the difficult to see, but vividly clear when the time is taken to look deeply as what Paul wrote, says a spiritual marriage to Yahweh is mandatory. The world is full of two types of souls – those unsaved and those saved. This cannot be determined by the shape of one’s penis, as there is nothing physical that marks one for salvation. The only marker is the presence of Yahweh’s Spirit within one’s soul. That makes one become Jesus reborn; and, the only reason Yahweh will return the soul of His Son to the worldly plane is for it to take a body of flesh out to the world, in order to save more lost souls.

When the them for this Sunday places focus on shepherding, especially the warnings given to false shepherds, marriage of one’s soul to Yahweh is how one knows oneself is truly a good shepherd. Anything less is false; and, being a false shepherd places one’s soul in greater danger of punishment, more than simply being one of the sea of lost souls, commonly called Gentiles. Rather than physical mutilation of the flesh being the determining factor of a servant to Yahweh, it is the mutation of the soul from self-absorbed to self-sacrificing for a higher goal.

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 3:14-21 – When a prayer becomes a statement of truth

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I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen

——————–

This is the Epistle selection for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 12], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This will be read following either a Track 1 or Track 2 pairing, which either David’s fall because lust, lies, and murder or Elisha receiving first fruits that fed a hundred men, with some left over. The songs sing of fools and of those who have faith. All will precede the Gospel reading from John, which tells of Jesus feeding the multitude and then walking on the sea.

Being there is different than praying to be there.

In this translation a segment of words that is enclosed in angle brackets or chevrons [< >] has been omitted. That act of omission has been done as if those separating marks were written by Paul to denote optional reading material. The marked segment follows “Father,” in verse fourteen. The words within the brackets add “<of whom lord of us of Jesus of Christ> ,” which is a statement that Paul’s [and all the true Christians of Ephesus] bowing before the “Father” was as the Son, in whose name his soul had been reborn. To ignore this statement, where the angle brackets show Paul’s “knees bowed” from the inner presence [the angle brackets indicating this] that was his Anointment as Jesus, is remiss.

According to the Wikipedia article entitled “Bracket,” under the heading “Angle Brackets,” this is written: “Chevrons are infrequently used to denote words that are thought instead of spoken.” To assume that meaning was the intent of Paul in this letter to the true Christians of Ephesus makes this become an indication that Paul was not alone in his thinking. By being led to write a letter, while divinely inspired through his soul married to Yahweh, such a ‘thought’ becomes a statement of the duality of his divine possession. By beginning the first segment with the first person word “kamptō,” as “I bend,” the following that is set within marks of ‘thought’ are adding that Paul, as well as all the true Christians of Ephesus [as “us”], all share the name Jesus [ the genitive form “of Jesus”], whose soul is joined with all theirs. As such, “I bend” is a statement of “we bend,” two together as one [the same in multiple bodies]. To remove this necessary segment of words removes all ‘thought’ of the reality that is true Christianity, as all must be reborn as Jesus; all must be Anointed ones of Yahweh, so as the Son they can truly call Yahweh the “Father.”

When the NRSV then translates the following [verse fifteen] as, “from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name,” the exclusion of the name “Jesus” makes a reader-listener think this is the “name” of “the Father.” When Episcopalians [and other readers of English translations] are too afraid to even say the name “Yahweh,” it makes one wonder what name that is [especially when they fail to realize the meaning of the name “Jesus”]. To compound this confusion more is the fact that the NRSV does not divide verse fifteen into the two segments of words it was written in. Seeing that makes what Paul wrote be more understandable.

The literal translation of what Paul wrote is this: “from out of which every ancestor in heaven kai upon earth is given a name.” In that, the presence of the word “kai” must be seen as a marker word noting importance that follows that marker. The use of “kai“ divides the verse into two focuses: one on heaven and the other on earth. When the used of “heaven” [“ouranois”] and “earth [“gēs”] are realized as the spiritual [soul-self] and the physical [body-self], this is then explaining that written within angle brackets [chevrons].

The last word in the statement of ‘thought’ is “of christ,” where “christou” is the genitive case, stating a condition of possession; and, it is not capitalized. It is then this “christ” state of being that comes “from out of heaven,” making all in this spiritual state of possession be related to Yahweh through marriage. The “christ from out of the spiritual” is a soul that has received the Spirit of Yahweh. That means a divine marriage, where the “name of the Father” means one’s soul has married into His “family.” That “family” or “lineage” or “ancestry” is not of human blood, but of “heavenly” marriage. The placement of “kai” then says it is important to see this familial relationship taking place within one’s flesh [that of the “earth”], being “given the name” stated prior: Jesus. The name “Jesus” means “Yah[weh] Will Save” or “Yah[weh] Saves.”

Because there is no comma mark used to break this “heaven and earth” into two separate statements, the lack of such punctuation then states the reality that is human life. All humans are “heaven and earth,” as a soul within a body of flesh. The important marker – kai – is then making the important statement that Paul and the true Christians of Ephesus were not normal souls in bodies of flesh. They were all divinely transformed, as “of whom lord of us Jesus of Christ,” which made them all family under the same name.

The name they were known by was “Jesus,” as that was the name of “the Christ” sent by Yahweh to be “on earth.” By having married Yahweh Spiritually, their souls had all become related in “heavenly” terms, as the “christs” of Yahweh, all reborn as Jesus in their bodies of flesh. Thus, the “name” that has been created through that rebirth is “Jesus Christ,” which is the foundation “name” of the movement known as “Christianity.” All true Christians are then only those whose souls have married Yahweh, so all members are related as a “christ of Yahweh.”

I wrote about this reading in 2018; and, at that time I did not delve into this omitted segment of words. That commentary can be read by searching this site. I welcome all visitors to read that, as the same meaning I saw then still applies today. However, because of this newfound insight coming from omitted text, I will readdress this reading now.

In verse sixteen, the NRSV has translated, “I pray that.” In reality, there is nothing in all of this third chapter of Paul’s letter that says “I pray.” The words “prayer” and “pray” are totally nonexistent here. The BibleHub Interlinear places a header before these verses which says “Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians.” That is the only place the word “pray” comes up as a search term. This whole assumption comes from when Paul begins by writing, “kamptō ta gonata,” which says, “I bend these knees,” and it ends when he wrote “Amen.” While that leads one to see a prayer is here, it is not a prayer for the Ephesians, as it was a statement of truths about them.

Episcopalians [and others] have built-in kneelers on the backs of their pews, for routine kneeling. There the physical knees are bent, multiple times over an hour-long service. The true meaning of Paul “bending his knees to the Father” is he submitted his soul to Yahweh in marriage. The act of bowing is an act of submission to a higher power; so, one bends physical knees when one comes into the presence of a royal figure [Queen Elizabeth, for instance]. Paul was not speaking in physical terms; and, the angle brackets around the ‘thought’ that says “we all did,” when all made Jesus their lord, says all true Christians likewise “bend their knees” spiritually in submission to Yahweh. This submission is for the purpose of marrying their souls to His Spirit. Thus, to read Paul uttering a prayer on paper makes his words be less the truth of Yahweh being expressed and makes it come off like all the prayers Episcopalians offer on kneelers [much ado about little of value].

Because verse sixteen does not begin with the words “I pray that,” it becomes valuable to know what was actually written. The literal English translation according to the BibleHub Interlinear is this: “in order that he might give yourselves according to this wealth of this honor of soul , power , to be strengthened on account of this Spirit of soul into this within a human.” Instead of thinking Paul was asking for the moon, as the NRSV projects [through “I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit”], the reality is Paul was stating what being in the “name” of “Jesus Christ” entailed.

A “self” seen as a “soul” says Paul knew [as did the true Christians of Ephesus] that oneself had become divinely empowered by the addition of a “soul” [“autou” means “of self,” thus “of soul”]. This is where all is relative to the presence of the “Spirit” [capitalized, therefore that of Yahweh, only possible through divine marriage with one’s “soul”]. All of that presence is “within human” flesh, where the “soul” resides. For true Christians, Paul made a statement of fact, not a ‘wish upon a star prayer.’

When the NRSV then translates verse seventeen as saying, “and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love,” the better translation is stated differently. Literally, this says, “may dwell this Christ on account of this faith in those hearts of yourselves , in love being established , being firmly established.”

In this, the word translating as “hearts” [“kardiais”] must be known to figuratively mean “mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center.” (Strong’s Usage) This becomes a statement of the “soul center,” which is where true “love” is much more than touchy-feely physical emotions. Again, “yourselves” [from “hymōn”] becomes a statement of the “souls” of the Ephesians. The element of ‘wishful thinking’ – from “may dwell” being a wish – that wish is realized through “faith,” which is greater than “belief.” It is greater because of “love being established” within one’s soul, which is the acceptance of Yahweh’s proposal for marriage. Once joined in Holy Matrimony, that “love” bond is made ever stronger by “being firmly established,” where the presence of Yahweh [His “being”] has become one with one’s soul.

Because the NRSV has become the author of this letter, by creating another nonexistent use of “I pray,” their translation of verse eighteen says, “I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth.” Here, again, brings a need to look at the truth of what was written.

The literal English translates as this: “in order that you may have strength enough comprehend together with all those sacred who this breadth kai length kai height kai depth.” This is then adding to the ‘wish’ that comes from having “faith,” which leads to divine possession by Yahweh’s Spirit. This is such that the “power” and “strength” that overcomes one’s flesh is an ability to understand everything written by others who were likewise “sacred” and “holy.” When “sacred ones” [from “hagiois”] must be seen both as texts, as well as the authors of “sacred” books, but also to everyone who is truly a Christian [“Saints”]. This scope of understanding of who the “sacred ones” are is then paul stating who possessed an ability to discern the meaning of all Scripture. Sacred texts are written by sacred authors; so, sacred texts are not simply read two-dimensionally, but from a three-dimensional perspective, where the third diminsion demands a sacred reader. Paul then wrote this knowing there with the “sacred ones” who would read his words and understand their meaning. They survive as “sacred ones” for all readers thereafter to discern, because Yahweh was indeed with them all and expects the same marriages today, for understanding to still come. Again, this is not a prayer, but a statement of reality that should be expected by all Saints in the name of Jesus Christ.

That presence makes one’s soul be likewise a “Christ,” as marriage of one’s soul to Yahweh brings about His “Anointment” [the meaning of “Christ”]. This is in the same way that David had more than oil from Samuel’s horn poured onto his physical head. Having the “Spirit” of Yahweh poured into one’s soul makes one divinely “Anointed” [the meaning of the capitalization of the word]. As such, when verse nineteen then repeats this “Christ” state of being, it only implies one’s soul has been raised by the resurrection of Jesus’ soul along with one’s own soul.” It is that resurrection within one’s soul-flesh being that makes Jesus becomes one’s lord [“kyriou,” a statement of possession]. As such, the NRSV translation that says, “and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” needs closer inspection to understand.

The literal English translation of verse nineteen says, “to know both this transcending this wisdom benevolence this of Christ , in order that you may be complete towards all this fullness that of God.” Here, there is no “and” written that would indicate some new line of thought being added. The word “to know” [“gnōnai”] is directly explaining that which was written prior: “comprehending the sacred [texts] breadth and length and height and depth.” That full-scope of understanding means “both” [from “te”] means a statement of one’s soul being one with the soul of the writer of Scripture [“both” author and text]. In that way, understanding is on “both” ends of communication, where the common bond is Yahweh’s Spirit. That makes one’s ability for “transcending wisdom” be only through the “benevolence” of Yahweh, which is only bestowed upon His “Christs.” This completeness says one’s soul has been elevated to a Christ Mind state of full awareness, which is then the purpose of all saints and their sacred writings. Sacred texts are purposefully written to pass on divine “knowledge” for the “benefit” of others in the future, with the caveat being one needs sacred assistance discerning the truth. It is this way to ensure that lost souls can always find “God.”

Verse twenty is then translated by the NRSV as saying, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” This gives an impression of a power having been received; although, this is still glimpsed as a prayer, not a true state of being already in hand. When the NRSV capitalizes “Now,” this misses the truth of Paul capitalizing “Tō,” which must be read as the conjunction that says, “Thereupon.” Here, the capitalization reflects back on “you may be complete with the fullness of God,” such that the divine elevation of “Thereupon” is a statement that says “God” [Yahweh] is indeed with one’s soul, in one’s flesh. This is not a statement of wishful thinking, as it is a loud statement that this presence of God is with one.

This makes the following words express that the presence of God “now” makes one capable [“being able” or “having the power,” from “dynamenō”], from “above,” which is “beyond” anything possible by normal human beings. Here, Paul wrote this was “what we ask or think,” which is how Jesus told his disciples prayer was known by Yahweh before you can formulate the words. This is then explained as from a greater presence than a human brain can conceive, as it is not an individual soul or its fleshy parts making things happen. Instead, it is a “power working in” those who have married their souls to Yahweh.

When verse twenty-one is then shown to state, “to him be glory in the church,” the word “ekklēsia” [“church”] must be understood to only mean the souls who gather in the name of Jesus, as all are Christs [thus the truth of Christianity]. The Greek usage of “ekklēsia” never has anything whatsoever to do with a building of wood and stone, or even the organization that employs human beings to maintain such a building. There can only be “glory” [from “doxa” meaning, “an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, splendor”] placed on a soul, never on anything physical or material.

This is then why Paul wrote another “kai,” in order to mark the importance of knowing that a “church” is and can only be where one is “in Christ Jesus into all those generations of the age of ages.” That says those who are truly identifiable as “Jesus,” because their souls have been likewise “Anointed” by Yahweh, will always be the truth of Christianity: a human “church generated” as the one and only path to salvation. When Paul then ended with the word “amēn,” this is less a statement ending a prayer and more a statement that says, “this is the truth.”

As an Epistle reading for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh should be well underway, Paul is writing to all who want to become like him and the true Christians of Ephesus, because ministry can only be carried out by Saints. This part of Paul’s letter was read as the truth being told, understood by those who knew that truth from personal experience. Paul was not praying the Ephesians would become Saints, as much as he was stating what they knew as the steps that others must take to become like them all. Thus, this becomes a prayer for all who read it today. For that to be fully understood by seekers today, it demands one who has experienced this truth to show them all of this truth has been done, is being done, and can always be done in the future. The key element is “faith,” which takes belief to the level of personal experience.

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 4:1-16 – Capitalizing on the truth

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I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said,

“When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.”

(When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

——————–

This is the Epistle reading to be presented aloud on the tenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 13], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This will be preceded by one of the two pairing possibilities of Old Testament and Psalm readings. Track 1 places focus on Yahweh telling Nathan to tell David his fate for sinning. Track 2 places focus on the Israelites complaining about hunger, so Yahweh promised to send them manna from heaven. The two Psalms then support themes of lament and praise, in accompaniment. All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where the people followed Jesus to Capernaum and wanted more free bread.

I wrote about this selection and published it publicly on my website. I welcome all to read what I had to say about in 2018 and posted it on my website, which can be found by searching this site. Because the Epistles are designed to force a seeker to delve deeply into the meaning of what the Saints wrote, so much is possible to be seen that it requires more than a casual English translation to begin to unfold its truth. The Epistles are written in this way to prove a priests is indeed filled with the Spirit of truth; and, they are written in this manner to expose the truth to the true seekers, so seeing for oneself raises their souls to a state of faith. For that reason, I will simply analyze a portion of this Epistle selection, as an approach that differs from that taken in 2018. What I wrote then is still applicable, as what I add now only supports that meaning.

The New Testament is made up of writings produced by people after Jesus’ life on earth had ended. It becomes important to see the entire “new bible” as being the writings of men [and women too in apocrypha], who all had become the spiritual resurrections of Jesus. There is no need to canonize any book written by anyone less possessed spiritually. This means the New Testament is the fulfillment of the promise that was presented in the Old Testament, after Yahweh sent Moses to collect human being possessing souls and teach them to become possessed by Yahweh’s Spirit, which became the writings of those individuals who divinely knew that history, wrote divinely inspired songs and became the prophets who were the prototypes of Jesus resurrected [before his birth].

For anyone to believe anything in the Holy Bible is just a book of opinions, written by men who wanted to make a name for themselves, with that opinion possibly flawed [as seen when apparent contradictions seem to make human flaws stand out], there is no benefit to be found from reading Scripture. Holding that opinion means one cannot explain Scripture so others can be led to their souls marrying Yahweh, allowing Jesus to be resurrected within them, saving their souls from another wasted life in the flesh. Only those who see the divinity of every word written, as coming from the voice of Yahweh speaking through a divine author, can one be a continuation of the New Testament.

The Epistles are the test of one’s learning to see the truth of each word. The amazing power of that truth speaks loudly in many ways, which takes their discernment far above and beyond the limitations of normal syntax. It is now with that declaration of the Epistles being Yahweh speaking through Paul that I want to focus here on the capitalized words written in these sixteen selected verses from his letter to the true Christians of Ephesus. The extraction of only those words becomes a letter within a letter.

In these sixteen verses there are seventeen capitalized words.

“Parakalō” – “Invite” [“Advocate”]

“Kyriō” – “Lord”

“Pneumatos” – “of Spirit”

“Pneuma” – “Spirit”

“Kyrios” – “Lord”

“Theos” – “God”

“Patēr” – “Father”

“Heni” – “One”

“Christou” – “of Anointed one”

“Anabas” – “having Ascended”

“Anebē” – “he Ascended”

“Kai” – A marker word denoting importance to follow. [It begins verse 11.]

“Christou” – “of Anointed one”

“Huiou” – “of Son”

“Theou” – “of God”

“Christou” – “of Anointed one”

“Christos” – “the Anointed one”

Every capitalized word must be viewed as a divinely elevated statement, above and beyond the ordinary or normal meaning. For example, a “lord” or a “master” can be anything to which one is enslaved or in submission to, which can range from a job that pays the bills and an addiction that one cannot kick. The capitalization, however, makes the word take on the meaning of Yahweh’s presence within one’s soul-flesh, where “Lord” becomes a Spiritual “Master” that one’s soul has bowed down before. All of the capitalized words take on this heavenly association; and, this is the only reason the Apostles [Saints] ministered and then wrote to continue that ministry.

Without any of the other words written by Paul seen, simply take these capitalized words and read them as them making a most divinely elevated command. They form as: “Invite Lord of Spirit – Spirit Lord – God Father – One of Anointed one having Ascended – he Ascended * – of Anointed one of Son of God – of Anointed one the Anointed one.” If one struggles with hearing what Yahweh is saying through these words alone, then one is far away from salvation; and, more personal work must be done to open one’s soul to Receive the Spirit of understanding.

At the place where I placed an asterisk [*], this is where a capitalized “Kai” is written. The word “kai” should not be read as a word, but instead as a marker of importance to follow. In Ephesians 4 are found 26 uses of “kai,” with two capitalized. In these sixteen verses, there are fourteen of the twenty-six, with only the one capitalized. The capitalization comes at the beginning of verse eleven, which makes the first segment of words in that verse most important to grasp in a heavenly sense, with the whole of the verse maintaining that elevated sense of meaning. That means understanding verse eleven is most important to realize, as necessary information that goes along with this capitalized meaning found in these verses.

Verse 11 then states: “autos edōken tous men apostolous , tous de prophētas , tous de euangelistas , tous de poimenas kai didaskalous .” Translating to: “soul placed them truly messengers , them indeed prophets , them indeed missionary preachers , them indeed shepherds and teachers .” This becomes an important statement about all of the capitalized words stated prior. The primary elevated statement says the “selves” [“autos” means “self,” with a “self” elevated spiritually as a “soul”] are those “souls” that have listened to the “Urgency” for Spiritual marriage and allowed Yahweh’s “Spirit” to become their “Lord.” In those “souls” a divine union has made “God” their “Father,” as His “Son,” each “having Ascended” Spiritually to a state of “One.” Here, those “souls” are called “messengers” [“apostles” and also “elohim” in Hebrew], such that God’s creations become “prophets, evangelists, shepherds,” with this importantly noted to be “teachers” or “rabbis” [in Hebrew].

It is vital to realize these capitalized words can only be found in the Greek text [Hebrew has no capital letters in its alphabet] and not the English translations. Many English versions will take the liberty of taking a word like “autos” and capitalizing that as “He,” if they want the reader to follow their line of though [an agenda] that says the pronoun refers to Jesus. That misses the truth that a “soul” or a “self” is not elevated until it has married Yahweh and become His wife [a “Christ”].

In the quote stated by Paul: “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people,” it is important to realize this is parsed from Psalm 68:18. The NRSV states that verse fully as: “You ascended the high mount, leading captives in your train and receiving gifts from people, even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.” In that, the truth is David did not write “the Lord God’s.” He wrote, “Yah elohim,” which must be understood to say, “Yahweh gods,” where “elohim” or “gods” are what these sixteen verses of Paul’s epistle are speaking of, in capitalized letters.

As an Epistle reading selected to be read aloud on the tenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s personal ministry to Yahweh should already be well underway, Paul is teaching what a true “messenger” of Yahweh is. It is a soul who has fully submitted itself to Him, to be the soul that will resurrect as His “Son” Jesus, as two souls that have become “Anointed one” in the same body of flesh, all “One” with “God.” If one’s “Lord” is not Jesus, through his divine rebirth within one’s being, then one is only pretending to be religious; and, that leads the flock away from Yahweh, which harms one’s soul as a false shepherd.

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 4:25-5:2 – Transitioning from good person to Saint

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Putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

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This is the Epistle reading selection that will be read aloud on the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 14], Year B, according to the lectionary of the Episcopal Church. It will be preceded by one of the two sets of optional readings, which are a Track 1 or a Track 2 Old Testament and Psalm pairing. Track one places focus on the death of David’s son Absalom, while Track two places focus on the prophet Elijah going to sleep under a broom tree. The two songs offer supporting prayers of lament and praise. All will accompany a reading from John’s Gospel, where Jesus said, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.”

I wrote about this reading selection and published my thoughts in 2018, the last time it came up in the reading cycle. That commentary can be viewed by searching this site. Because the Epistles are all so much deeper than the surface translations make appear, I broke this reading down minutely, by segments of words, where I delved into the Greek text. This is how all the Epistles should be read; and, it is why they appear so confusing when they are read aloud (without pause for reflection). The confusion is why so little is preached correctly about the Epistles; but the truth contained in the Epistles explains the true meaning of Christianity, which is meaning that has been lost from modern grasps. I welcome all to read what I offered in 2018, as it is still valid today. However, at this time I will veer away from such depth of analysis and offer new insights that have come to me.

Transformation

When this reading is taken alone, without any context, it speaks the truth as Paul saying becoming a Christian means a transformation occurs within oneself. Paul tells that these changes will make one cease lying to others, to cease uncontrollable anger that acts against others, to cease stealing, and to cease gossip and slander towards others. The confusion of this reading comes from pulling in the first verse of the following chapter, which implies all this transformation can come from pretending to be Christian. It makes a lovey-dovey ‘kumbaya’ touchy-feely magic be seen as the way to make oneself change. That is wrong.

When the context of this Epistle is seen as a thread that connects this insight to the insight coming from Absalom being caught in the branch of an oak tree, his death soon to come, with Elijah also found dying under a tree of a different kind, while Jesus confronts Jewish pilgrims who struggle with how a man can be the bread of heaven, the two chapters combined into one reading need to be seen as together in support of one another. This aspect is hard to see, when there is no line that marks the woulda-coulda of chapter four and the peace that comes in chapter five. The transition from one chapter to the next must be seen as the transformation from life to death and from death to resurrection. One cannot pretend – cannot imitate – death and resurrection.

When one sees the death of Absalom as reflecting the death all human beings are bound to face, Absalom reflects a human’s natural drive to lie, cheat, steal, and use violent force against others, in order to get one’s way. That lifestyle always gets one’s soul hung up in the tangle of the evil that human lives weave. When one is caught hanging by the head “between heaven and earth,” then the time to confess one’s sins and beg God for forgiveness is long past. One can expect Yahweh to send someone like Joab to pierce one’s heart with an altar spear, leaving the carcass to be destroyed by children taught the same disrespect for human life one’s soul promoted by one’s actions in the flesh.

When one sees how Elisha did not go to sleep, but in fact did die, sacrificing his life to Yahweh – ala Jesus – he shows how self-sacrifice is the way to resurrection. The first touch by the angel of Yahweh removed his soul from his flesh, which was the death of self-sacrifice that was as peaceful as sleep. The second touch by the angel of Yahweh returned the soul to the flesh as the resurrection of Christ. This is the transition from Paul’s fourth chapter to his fifth. Elijah was not an “imitator of God,” but an elohim of Yahweh that was His Son reborn, from a death symbolizing the marriage of his soul to Yahweh’s Spirit – a union of love.

When the Gospel reading from John shows a confrontation between Jesus and the pilgrims, who include those who knew Jesus as the son of Joseph in Nazareth, this parallels the approach of Absalom by Joab and his armor bearers. The children were raised to attack foes, so as adults they have learned all the ‘tricks of the trade,’ which is lying, stealing, and violent force. When Jesus said he was the “bread of heaven,” that was the bread cooked on hot coals that was beside Elijah’s head, which fed him in the transition from death to resurrection. The first loaf was to become the changed person Paul wrote of. The second loaf was to transition to eternal being risen without the limits of a body of flesh.

As a reading selection set aside for the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson Paul sent is to sacrifice self-ego for the Will of the Father. One must not try to deal with the world alone, or one will find oneself all tangled up in the messes one has made, unable to wrestle one’s soul free to repent in time to change. A soul must submit to Yahweh so it’s body of flesh can make the necessary changes WITH GOD’S HELP. If it were a simple matter of changing from liar to truth-teller, from thief to honest person, from angry striker to loving embracer, then there would be no real need for religion on earth. The problem is (of course) this is an unobtainable goal by human beings. The world is like the forest of Ephraim, a thicket awaiting one’s ego to find.

When Paul wrote, “be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God,” that change of chapters says one has to serve Yahweh as a priest or prophet and do all Yahweh demands of His bridesmaids – His fiancées awaiting marriage. The transition from one chapter to another is the transition of death, when one ceases being a self of importance and one begins acting as Jesus reborn in the flesh. Pretending to be a good person can only work for so long. For that reason, one must die of self and be reborn as Jesus, also a Christ, also a Son of man [human gender irrelevant].

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 5:15-20 – Elevated into the name of God

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Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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This is the Epistle reading selection for the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 15], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow one of two possible Old Testament and Psalm pairings, where the Track 1 option places focus on Solomon’s rise to power after David’s death, asking for the gift of wisdom. The Track 2 option is a Proverb of Solomon, which sings about the love of wisdom gained. The Psalms are songs of praise, with warnings for the necessity of repentance. All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where Jesus said, “I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.”

I wrote deeply about this reading selection when it last came up in the lectionary cycle, in 2018. I published it on my website then, which can be accessed by searching this site. While I today use the same techniques for analyzing the words of Paul, new insights have come to me over the past three years, which I now add to another deep commentary of the meaning of Paul’s words. I stand behind my analysis of 2018, as those opinions are still valid today; and, I welcome all readers to read that and this and see where my new insights are stated. I welcome feedback on everything I write and post, as everything is for the benefit of other souls.

The first word of verse fifteen is capitalized, meaning “Blepete” takes on a divine level of meaning. The lower case spelling means the word ordinarily would be the second person plural form of “blepó,” meaning “you look, see, perceive, discern” (Strong’s Usage), while also being an important statement to “beware of.” The capitalization takes this to a heavenly [spiritual] meaning, such that HELPS Word-studies explains, “blepó suggests ‘to see something physical, with spiritual results (perception).’ That is, it carries what is seen into the non-physical (immaterial) realm so a person can take the needed action (respond, beware, be alert).” Thus, the meaning Paul intended is to remind the Ephesians [true Christians] to rely on their divine insight, more than what the accepted ways of the world allow, as far as how to live righteous lives.

Rather than being “careful” for their own safety and wellbeing, Paul meant for them to live according to conducting their loves so others are cared for. Such care cannot be based on foolishness, which is either fear-related reluctance to act or fear-driven rushes of action. When Paul wrote the word “sophoi,” the intent was to be one governed by piety and integrity. This cannot be determined through intellectual decision making, as that is too slow. It becomes a statement about one’s soul being married to Yahweh’s Spirit, so one’s actions are immediately taken through divine guidance.

Where the translation says, “making the most of the time, because the days are evil,” the operative word mistranslated is “exagorazomenoi,” which better translates as “ransoming” or “redeeming.” This says a life led before a soul is led to marry Yahweh is filled with plenty of sins that were brought on by both intellect and stupidity. Being led by a big brain leaves one with a life of past sins to repay. Marriage to Yahweh’s Spirit makes up for wasted time, where the continued presence of evil needs good shepherds placed into ministry to protect the flocks and lead more to also marry their souls to Yahweh. The element of “days” reflects how one must represent the light of truth, which lights the path that others must take, to cleanse their souls of past sins.

When Paul then wrote, “So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is,” this series of words [in three segments, not two] says being “foolish” is not having married one’s soul to Yahweh, because it is impossible to fully have “understanding” [“syniete”] when one’s “will” [“thelēma”] is self-motivated. A self-motivated will makes one’s soul be the “lord” of one’s flesh [or worse, if demonically possessed by an evil spirit], where “kyriou” would need to be written in the lower case. Because of the capitalization taking this word to a divine level of meaning, where it is the “Lord” that controls one’s body of flesh, because “of the Lord” [“Kyriou”] means the resurrection of Jesus’ soul within one’s own soul [divinely possessed]. The only way to have that “perception” is to know Jesus personally and think what he is thinking [both using the same fleshy brain], which comes from the Father.

When Paul is then shown to write, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,” it must be understood that the ritual of the Passover Seder meal is to finish the evening getting drunk on wine, staying up as long as one cane, before passing out drunk. Paul was not saying that; and, to imply that in a letter means he wrote to both Jews and Gentiles.

The meaning must be seen as metaphor for using physical aids for artificially accessing what seems to be a higher realm of thought. Artists and musical talents in modern time [since Christianity became mainstream] have seen drugs and alcohol as a way to get in touch with the ‘gods of creativity.’ On the famous Pentecost, when the Spirit of Yahweh poured out upon the Apostles, their divine insight [things they said that impressed, as new and fresh takes on Scripture] was seen as the effects of drunkenness. While wine was a common drink that could lead to this seemingly elevated state of being, it was known to be temporary and leave a trail of forgotten sins in one’s wake. Thus, the advice given by Paul was to stay away from artificial means for attaining creative goals.

This is why Paul then followed that warning with the alternative, which said “be filled with the Spirit,” where the word “Pneumati” is capitalized. That capitalization elevates the meaning [which Christians readily recognize] to a divine state of meaning, which is beyond the lower case meanings of “life, breath, or wind.” Because the alcohol of fermented wine enters the bloodstream and yields the effects of drunkenness [such that hard liquors are called ‘spirits’], the capitalized “Spirit” is divinely entered into the soul, which thereby affects the body of flesh in ways that were how Peter and the eleven spoke divinely. In the same way that wine can allow one’s brain to access knowledge from a relaxed brain when under the influence of alcohol, the Spirit of Yahweh makes such access automatic and not temporary. The result of the “Spirit” is righteousness, never “debauchery.”

When Paul then wrote [NRSV], “as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves,” this is a further example of the excessive wine drinking after a Seder meal. The fourth ritual cup of wine is poured at the table, but then taken into a family gathering room, when the singing of songs and the reciting of psalms goes along with the drinking until one passes out drunk. For many people, especially those who do not have beautiful voices and singing is not a strong suit for them, drinking alcoholic beverages [beer or wine] will have the effect of loosening them up to singing, without worry. When attending a Seder meal, most attendees are usually family, with some close friends invited; so, the “among yourselves” element says those singing are all Jewish. All Gentiles would have then been taught what the Jews memorized, with all being elevated by the Spirit to understanding what the words of the songs meant.

To then be “singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” [which literally states, “singing kai making melody in the inner self of you to the Lord”] says “singing” is a way of praising Yahweh. More than reciting memorized words or reading lyrics from a hymnal, the “making melody” becomes a statement of a vibratory elevation within one’s soul, which singing enhances. Singing becomes the ‘wine’ of music, which opens one’s soul to being led willingly [and happily] by the divine possession that is the presence of Jesus’ soul with one’s own soul [submissive to that of Jesus], so the vibrations of music open one up to speaking without forethought. One then channels the Will of Yahweh, coming through the Son’s presence.

It is then in this way of celebration of marriage – the true symbolism of the Passover Seder, as a wedding feast – that Paul wrote, “giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In this verse, the capitalized words “Kyriou,” “Iēsou,” “Christou,” “Theō,” and “Patri” are written [in that order of presentation], such that all have divinely elevated meanings that must be fully grasped.

The literal translation of the Greek says: “giving thanks always on behalf of all with name of this our Lord ourselves of Jesus of the Christ to God kai Father .” In this, the genitive case states possession, which is found in “our Lord” [not simply “Lord”], “of Jesus” [not simply “Jesus”], and “of the Christ” or “of the Anointed one” [not using “Christ” like a last name]. The presence of the word “kai” between “God” and “Father” makes a profound statement that one’s soul has married Yahweh, thereby “to God” betrothed, with the “kai” making an important additional statement that the Holy Husband is also the “Father,” which means holy matrimony has brought the Son of God into one’s soul-flesh being. The marriage is what makes one “in the name of Yahweh,” with His name [“Jesus” means “Yahweh Saves”] being one’s “Lord,” so one is possessed by the same Lord,” as “our Lord” commonly. Each is then the Son reborn, such that with that possession comes each the identification of being “of the Christ,” which means the presence of Jesus’ soul is what makes one “Anointed” by Yahweh. Jesus’ soul is the pouring out of Yahweh’s name into one’s soul.

As an Epistle reading for the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry to Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson here is to run away from physical and material means to artificially ‘get high.’ So many times I have heard Episcopalians pretend to be moved by eating a wafer and sipping wine at a church rail. That is pretense and a temporary elevation of spirit, no different than drinking a shot of whisky. Paul is saying one must get the permanent “Spirit” and become Jesus reborn, so Yahweh is not only one’s God, he is also the Father of one’s ministry in His Son’s name.

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 6:10-20 – Wearing the robes of the High Priest

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Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

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This is the Epistle reading selection for the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 16], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. Its reading will follow either a Track 1 or a Track 2 pairing of Old Testament and Psalm readings. The first places focus on Solomon dedicating his new temple and the second places focus on Joshua telling the Israelites it was up to each individual to choose what gods they would serve, from that point onward. Both Psalms are songs of praise, with Psalm 84 singing about the happiness of Yahweh’s dwelling and Psalm 34 sings about the abilities of the righteous. All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where Jesus told his disciples, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”

The last time this reading came up in the lectionary cycle (2018), I wrote my opinions and published them on my website. That commentary can be read by searching this site. I welcome all to read those views and compare them to the views I will now add. I also welcome comments and suggestions, questions and correction via the website’s contact format.

In 2018 I was focused on interpreting this reading as the intent behind Paul’s words to true Christians of Ephesus. Certainly, that meaning still fully applies to all Christians today. Therefore, the views I expressed in 2018 are still quite applicable today; but I now want to address this reading in the context of the Old Testament readings, which both took place well before the advent of Christianity.

This reading begins with the appearance that Paul just blurted out, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.” As this reading begins at verse ten, it should be realized that there is context written before, which led to this statement. In actuality, the first word in verse ten is a capitalized “Tou,” which takes on a divine level of importance that has been erased in the presentation of this reading. That capitalized word means “of This,” which is the genitive case [possessive form “of”], meaning “That” previously said. The segment of words that finished verse nine said [I summarize] there was “no partiality” given by Yahweh to those “masters” that have become His “Anointed ones” [i.e.: “Christs”] and allowed His Son Jesus to become the “Lord” [“Kyriō”] of their flesh. It is then “of This” that prompted Paul to add, “be empowered by the Lord , kai in this strength of this power oneself”.

That becomes the theme statement for this set of verses. The focus taken by Paul, in a letter written to people who had done just as he had done and understood what he meant, is the empowerment [from “endynamousthe”] that comes within one’s body of flesh after a soul has divinely wed Yahweh’s Spirit and given birth within one’s soul to the merger with the soul of Jesus, as a most divine possession that becomes the “Lord” over one’s flesh. The placement of the word “kai” [following a comma mark] says it is most important to grasp that it is one’s “soul” [from “autou” meaning “of self,” with “self” equating to a “soul”] that has become “in this strength of this power.” It is vital to understand that everything Paul followed this theme statement with – the armor of God – is metaphor for the power and strength that comes from the Spirit and the Christ being one with one’s soul.

When Paul then wrote “put on the whole armor of God,” the Greek word “endysasthe” is better translated as saying “be clothed” [rather than “put on”]. This means the clothing that can be called “the full armor of God” is the priestly garb of the High Priest of the Tabernacle. According to Exodus 28, these garments were the ephod, a breastpiece, tassels with bells, a turban with a seal, and linen undergarments worn from the waist to the thighs. All of this was to be worn “whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.” (Exodus 28:43)

All of this elaborate priestly clothing is only physically required for Aaron and his Levite descendants, which were those who physically attended to the tabernacle and the Ark and altar, et al, that was moved with the children of Israel. In the Old Testament readings that accompany this reading from Ephesians, the Tabernacle had been set in a central place (Shechem) and that place was given over to the Levites as their property to possess. In Solomon’s dedication of his Temple in Jerusalem, the Ark and alter, et al, was moved into that fixed place. However, the point of Paul’s words say the presence of the resurrected soul of Jesus, within one’s soul-body, his soul comes garbed with everything necessary for a High Priest. His presence within means one’s body of flesh has become the Tabernacle, where Yahweh resides between the Cherubim atop the Ark, which has been placed in one’s heart [where the word for “heart” means “soul” or “inner man”].

This means the “full armor of God” is His Son reborn within one’s being. This must then be seen as a divine possession of one’s soul-body, such that one’s soul has lowered its ‘head’ in submission to a higher power. The metaphor of “armor” then means oneself [self always means soul] has knelt before the King and been ‘knighted’ as a fully devoted servant that will fight all enemies to the throne. Paul then stated that enemy when he said, “so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

In 2018, I had not come to the realization of possession, although I was aware of the need for divine marriage, so a soul became one with Yahweh’s Spirit. The aspect of Jesus’ soul becoming a twin soul merged with one’s physical life soul was still beyond my mental conceptions. Since then, I have come to realize that possession of a soul is least common as divine, where the soul of Jesus comes in to control one’s bodily actions. What is most common is demonic possession, which are less the extremes of Hollywood movies and horror books and more the commonality of drug addiction, sex addictions, and any other worldly lust that can and will overtake a soul-body entity. It is this demonic possession that becomes the reason a soul needs to “be clothed in the whole armor of God.” One needs divine possession to fight [“take a stand”] against the schemes [“methodeias” means “crafts, deceits”] of Satan [“diabolou,” “slanderer, false accuser”].

The point that I have been making for quite some time now is the mistranslation of the Hebrew word “elohim” as “God.” The Hebrew word “el” is the singular form of “god,” but there is no reason to capitalize that into English. The plural form, “elohim,” means “gods,” again with no need to capitalize that into English. The mistranslation, such that Genesis 1 has been mistranslated to say “God created this” and “God created that” is truly a series of statements about Creation, from which the first creation was Yahweh creating “elohim,” who were the “gods” He assigned to make everything. Yahweh is the architect of the Creation, who drew up the plans, but never got his hands dirty building his designs. That was left up to the lower “g” gods. In Genesis 2 we find Yahweh busy creating His Son and then Adam’s mate. In that there is no mention of “elohim” alone, after verse four. Still, because Yahweh created Adam [not the males and females of Genesis 1], Adam must be seen as the first divine “elohim” (a “Yahweh elohim“) who would be sent [along with wifey] to be the first High Priests on earth [outside Eden].

From that story in Genesis 2, by the time we reach Genesis 4, we find that the “elohim” are not limited to being only divine possessions, where the descendants of Adam and Eve were not always possessed by Yahweh’s Spirit. Cain becomes the first example of a demonic possession. Cain would become a reflection of the powers of the earth, which will quickly take possession of a soul, if the soul is not careful and seeking Yahweh in marriage. The books of the Old Testament tell of the lineage of divinely possessed souls, who become opposed by the demonically possessed souls of king, queens, and false prophets and priests. This is a common problem that Paul warned the true Christians of Ephesus about.

Paul said the stance that must be taken by those ‘knights’ wearing the armor of Christ Jesus is “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This says Satan has less need for possessing the minions of the world, because he knows possessing the leaders of the minions will force them to do their will. This then states the purpose of Yahweh marrying souls and having His Son resurrected into divine elohim is ministry. Those knights do not hide at home, only venturing out to a church pew for others to marvel at their piety [like the hired hands and false shepherds do]. Knights of Yahweh challenge the liars and cheats of the world with the truth. The true Christians Paul was writing to were the front lines in a war of exposure, where the point was to transform the many who sought redemption into divine elohim, who served Yahweh as Jesus reborn. Paul was at the forefront of a major movement back then; a movement that has since been reduced to a slow drip.

The paradox of the First Kings reading, with all the pomp and circumstance of Solomon’s self-aggrandizement, must be seen as his soul having become a demonic elohim, promised the world by the serpent offering him more wisdom than anyone ever, before or after. Solomon was then an agent of Satan, who had a mausoleum built, in which to entomb Yahweh and His Ark. The servants of that temple would slowly cease to attend to the needs of the people; and, with the king no longer an agent of Yahweh [as was David], they would stop being divinely possessed and fall prey to the “schemes of the devil.”

When that reading is set up with Joshua 24 being the counter-reading, it must be realized how often Joshua spoke the word “elohim” to the Israelites he summoned to gather at Shechem, where the Tabernacle and Ark were to be set permanently [although still mobile, when needed]. Because the presence of Yahweh was no longer going to be visible [as a cloud outside the tent of meeting], Joshua told all those who were committed as “Yahweh elohim” to make the decision what “gods” their souls would merge with next. Joshua mentioned the options of the “elohim” of Egypt and the “elohim” of the Amorites, who were those “gods” from which Abraham came, himself believing in Yahweh alone. The lesson of Joshua, verses the lesson of Solomon, says it is up to the individual to become the “god” of their choice. That means there will never be a demand by Yahweh to follow any of His Commandments. Those are the marriage vows that can only be taken by a soul in love with Yahweh, who is willing to submit fully to His Will. All who choose to retain some of himself or herself as a “god” [the demonic elohim], they will be made promises by the devil, all of which will end when the soul is separated from its body of flesh at death.

This choice must be realized from this reading from Ephesians. To make this choice – to become a ‘knight’ in service of the King and fight for truth and justice against the leaders who corrupt souls – Paul said what all true Christians must also say and know. Paul wrote, “Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.” In that, the Greek word translated as “must” is better translated as “it is necessary.” This is “necessary” because the soul of Paul seeks redemption for his own past sins, and speaking the truth will bring his soul what it seeks. Still, it is “necessary” because the truth has to be heard, so other souls can be freed of their slavery to demonic spirits.

In the Gospels and in Acts are stories of those souls who have been divinely possessed [Jesus and his Apostles] going and touching the souls of others, healing them from deformities, illness, and even death; but many others were found to be possessed by demonic spirits, which were cast out by the words spoken by the Apostles. Only those who had become the elohim of Yahweh, with Jesus resurrected within their soul-flesh, could cast out the Satanic spirits possessing very evil people. It must be realized that “elohim” can be both good and bad. It must be understood that it is much easier to be possessed by a demonic spirit than it is to be married to Yahweh and give birth to His Son once more.

For more on this concept, called Eudaimonia, I recommend reading the Wikipedia article under that name. This is a concept that has been recognized for many centuries. It is not something I have made up. Modern psychology addresses people with “Multiple Personality Disorder,” as some scientific way or renaming an age-old phenomena. The Roman Catholic Church still employs exorcists, because they firmly believe in demonic possession. It is a topic worth becoming familiar with, because it is the root meaning of “elohim,” which scholars will quickly mislead one away from understanding [including the Jews who assist the translators of Hebrew, also seeing the plural as the singular, pronounced].

As the Epistle selection for the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson here is to realize the need to become one with Yahweh and be truly reborn as His Son. No ministry will have any lasting positive effects that promote self-worth and act as a minister only to bring one the riches of the world. The organizations of religions must be seen today in the same light they were seen by Paul, as corrupted by evil influences. The Jews of Jerusalem – those of Herod’s Temple – were the ruined remnants of the Israelites of Solomon – those of his temple – all of whom were “the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers of an ever-present darkness, as the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” The “heavenly places” are souls possessed by Satanic promises. The ministry of a true Christian is necessary, so the truth is spoken by Yahweh, as Jesus resurrected in new flesh.

Ephesians, Language, Teaching

Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a – The Christmas edition

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe.

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This is the Epistle selection to be read aloud on the second Sunday after Christmas, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow an Old Testament reading from Jeremiah, where the prophet wrote: “I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says Yahweh.” That will lead to a singing of Psalm 84, where one verse says: “Happy are they who dwell in your house! they will always be praising you.” All will accompany the Gospel read, which will be one of three options, two from Matthew 2 and one from Luke 2. Samples of those readings include the following:

  • · When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”
  • · When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
  • · Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

I wrote about Ephesians 1:15-23, when that selection was the reading choice for Christ the King Sunday in 2017 (Year A, Proper 29). I wrote about Ephesians 1:3-14, when it was the selection for the eighth Sunday after Pentecost in 2018 (Year B, Proper 10); and, I again wrote about the same verse selection this past year, when it came up as the seventh Sunday after Pentecost. This last time I entitled the commentary “Dearly Beloved we are gathered here today …” and it has be read several times since. Therefore, I have posted my comments about all of the verses selected for today; but I have not yet addressed them as ‘cherry picked’ verses that were chosen for the purpose of presenting them together on this second Sunday after Christmas.

I will now make my views clear on this reading being relative to one’s soul having been reborn as Jesus Christ, which the Church recognizes on December 25th each year. We are not called to remember a baby Jesus in a manger for any other reason than seeing one’s soul-body as a trough for feeding livestock, unworthy of being anywhere special, other than in a cave shelter for stabling beasts of burden. To have the Son of Yahweh placed in that lowly place must be seen as how little oneself matters, if Jesus has not been born, so his soul can be laid upon your soul to bring forth righteousness in an otherwise sinful form.

To begin with, verse three’s first segment of words contains six capitalized words. Every capitalized word of the New Testament texts must be read with a divine elevation in meaning. Clearly, Christians immediately recognize this in “God, Father, Lord, Jesus and Christ.” There is less clarity that comes from a capitalized “Eulogētos,” which comes from the root Greek word from which the English “eulogy” comes. To translate this as “Blessed” is even more confusing, because few can answer the question correctly, which asks, “What does “Blessed” mean?”

Beyond that, the translation services (such as the NRSV) do nothing to recognize the word “kai” as something important to see; and, not some ‘stuttering John’ word of no significant meaning, as if Yahweh were pausing to clear His Mind, before continuing to dictate His Word to a prophet. The word “kai” must always be read as a symbol that lets the reader know: Importance to follow! Finally, there are five words written in a row, which includes the last three capitalized words in this segment, all of which are written in the Genitive case, which denotes the possessive. Almost none of that is indicated in the above translation. I will make this segment vividly clear in a moment.

Second, verse four ends with the word that says “love” (“agapē”). This cannot be seen as some The Beatles crap, where “All you need is love, love, love, love” is like singing, “All you need is to be blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed.” The meaning Paul wrote, using “love,” is he was making note of the Spiritual bond that leads to divine marriage between a soul and Yahweh. As far as the modern Episcopal Church can define “love,” its carnal definition bantered carelessly among same sexes, who would likely lead that satanic church to be like the Temple of Jerusalem once did and have naked blood sacrifices on the altars of their churches, with all in attendance required to join in an orgy. For selected verses on the second Sunday after Christmas, when the soul of Jesus can only be born after a divine marriage between Yahweh and wife-soul, “love” must be recognized as significant.

The first segment of words of verse three states this: “Blessed this God [meaning Yahweh] kai Father of this of Lord of us of Jesus of Christ”. This segment is then broken into two sections, based on the use of the word “kai.” This means the primary focus of this segment is that which is God’s Blessing. This is the same divine elevation (capitalization of “Eulogētos”) that was found when Elizabeth was divinely inspired to tell Mary, “Blessed are you among women.” It is the same divine elevation that was found when Zechariah broke into divinely inspired song about his son John: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.” This means verse three’s primary intent is to state what a divine “Blessing by God” means to the ordinary Joe or Sally in Ephesus. From that, the same can be said of the ordinary Joe and Sally everywhere, at all times.

That “Blessing” is then when Yahweh becomes one’s “Father.” It is the word “Patēr” that follows the word “kai” and is not written in the possessive case (Genitive). This makes “Father” become a statement of the one who possesses, with possession based on a familial relationship, where that possessed came because of the “Father.”

In this regard, look at the two examples of Zechariah and Elizabeth, both of whom saw a divine “Blessing” being due to Yahweh generating sons in two (basically) virgins (one old and barren). This means the “Blessed this God” says “this” (use of “ho”) refers backwards in the text, to the greetings of Paul to the true Christians of Ephesus, all of whom had become related to Yahweh, knowing Him as “Father.” Therefore, Paul acknowledged those many transformations were not self-made or self-caused or in any way due to things people did that happened to be right and well-figured out, because a true “Blessing” like “this” known is only possible through “God.”

That brought about by “God,” as the “Father,” is then possession of a soul that Yahweh [“God”] has divinely married, such that Yahweh has become possessor “of this” soul, as its “Lord,” which means the relationship to the “Father” is relative to being “of Yahweh the Lord” over that soul.

From a soul being “of Lord” Yahweh, such that the soul has completely subjected itself (a “self” is a “soul”) to Him in divine marriage, it then becomes a family relationship that is not singular. Yahweh has many wives, all for the purpose of Him becoming fully possessive of those wife-souls, to also become the “Father” of all. This is why the Genitive possessive plural pronoun says “of us.” Paul was writing to the many in Ephesus, which prophesies to the many forevermore. The use of “hēmōn” says the same must be applied to all wife-souls of Yahweh, as they will all call Him “Father,” as their “Lord.”

This is then furthered by the capitalized name “Jesus,” written in the Genitive case. This says that “of us,” who are all whose souls have married Yahweh, becoming His possessions as subjects, “of His Lordship,” where that direct control of Yahweh is now said to be “of Jesus.” This is the name Gabriel told Mary to give to the divine child she was “Blessed” to hold in her womb. The name given means “Yah[weh] Will Save.” Thus, when Yahweh becomes the “Father” of a soul He possesses, each and every one (“of us”) takes on Yahweh’s control through the soul He created for the purpose of saving souls, making “of us” be “of Jesus.”

This is not a collection of souls (the many – “of us”) that only has one Jesus to see as his or her “Lord,” as the only singularity is Yahweh, as the “Father.” He is the “Father” of all, the “Lord” of all, with all being individually reborn “of Jesus,” as a possessing soul added by Yahweh (the “Father”) to a submissive soul-wife.

With this understood, where all souls married to Yahweh become His wife-souls, all submitting themselves (self-soul) to Him as their “Lord,” He will then “Father” His Son into each and every wife-soul His Son, as the soul of Jesus resurrected many times over, forever and ever, everyone of them becoming Jesus reborn. Because they have all become “of Jesus,” each possessing his soul with theirs, all wife-souls are then “Anointed ones” of Yahweh, where His Spirit has poured out upon their souls in the name of His Son Jesus reborn, so all are then equally a “Christ” – a word in Greek that means “anointed with oil or water,” but when capitalized it becomes divinely elevated as an act of “God-Yahweh.

This must be seen as key information to discern as a reading chosen for the second Sunday after Christmas, when Christmas is recognized as being the birth of Jesus within a soul, more than being the actual birthdate of Jesus (John the Baptists would be the one to be born at this time of year). The wealth of information that then follows in the rest of verse three and then in verses four, five and six all supports this basic information.

Verse three continues to says the “blessing of us is spiritual,” which means non-physical, so there will be no follow-up rebirths of a baby Jesus, or a full-bodies return of a man in flesh, as “spiritual blessing” has no material claim. The “spiritual” is “heavenly realms in Christ,” where (again) “Christ” is not some physical entity, but a “spirituality” that is an outpouring upon a soul by Yahweh. Nothing short of Yahweh can (capitalized) “Anoint” a soul, which is far greater than someone physically smearing oil on a forehead.

Verse four adds that such souls have to be “chosen,” which (again) is the doings of Yahweh. Yahweh chooses which souls He will marry and He chooses which souls He will Anoint from those marriages. The use of the Greek word “autō” needs to be read as meaning “same,” rather than simply “him,” because to become a “Christ” a soul must become “the same” as Jesus, which is pure and without sin. That is the meaning of “before foundation of world.” That says the “foundation” that is “the same” is when one shows the face of Yahweh “before” oneself, through submission in marriage and taking on His name [Israel]. To be in “the world” and return to Yahweh afterwards, one must be cleansed of all the worldly impurities. Those are removed through marriage and the outpouring of Yahweh’s Spirit, which comes (again) from “love.

Verse five then adds that this then “predestines” all souls to be “adopted sons.” In this, “sons” is an assumption of the reality of ancient Greece, as no females were ever “adopted.” That was called marriage. Still, “adopted sons” is another spiritual designation, as the soul-flesh entity that marries Yahweh is feminine essence, thus a soul-wife. The “adopted sons” become the infusion of a male son into one’s soul. That makes Yahweh become the Father, with the “adopted sons” all being Jesus resurrected in each soul-wife. The result is all are both (again) “of Jesus” and “of Christ,” where the two are separate, but come together. Once a soul has become an “adopted Jesus,” then that soul is also adopted as a “Christ,” with Yahweh the new “Father.”

Verse six then ends with the capitalized Greek word “Ēgapēmenō,” which translates as a divinely elevated “Beloved.” This is (again) repeating the “love” theme that goes beyond marriage, to the purpose of marriage – being to make a baby. Here, the capitalization makes the soul-wife become the “Beloved,” as the wife and mother, while also being the “Beloved” as Jesus reborn. This designation is ”of the same” (from “autou”), such that one and the other become one, as the “same.” This is a “gift” from Yahweh to the soul. Thus, when Gabriel visited Mary, she was told she was, “favored with grace” and “blessed among women.” Such “favor” and “blessing” must be seen as that “being freely given [by Yahweh] us in this Beloved.”

These selected verses must be seen as everything that came true on Christmas morning. Everything was expected. Everything was a gift from Yahweh to His brides. Everything is the truth of Christianity, where the soul of Jesus returned the day after it ascended, on Pentecost Sunday morning; and, it is what all saints are made of – the rebirth of the soul of Jesus in those who are likewise Anointed as Christs.

The reading then leaps forward to verse fifteen, which the NRSV calls “Paul’s Prayer.” In these verses can be found two uses of “saints” [“hagious” in verses 15 and 18] and two references to “faith” [“pistin” in verse 15 and “pisteuontas” in verse 19a]. It must be understood that Paul was a “saint,” and the plural number he wrote refers to all who were like Paul; and, that means a soul in the flesh married to Yahweh and reborn as His Son Jesus is each a Christ as designated by Yahweh. This personal infusing of Spirit then creates knowledge of divine matters, not intelligence of such things never personally experienced, but said to have been by others. This is the difference between true “faith” and simple “belief.” Paul’s prayer was “giving thanks” [“eucharistōn”] to Yahweh for his having been led in divine ministry (as Jesus reborn) to pass on the Spirit to other souls-in-flesh, so they too would submit themselves (self-soul) in the same way.

It should be realized that Paul was not “praying” that Yahweh would hear his “prayers” and grant Paul his wish to do something to make Paul seem like some stand-up dude. Prayers should be made to Yahweh for personal strength as His servant. Paul mentioning his “prayers” in a letter should have no purpose other than Yahweh passing on to true Christians in Ephesus that Paul hopes they are doing the same for each other, “giving thanks” to Yahweh for all He has done for them. One does not “pray” to become a saint or have faith. One does whatever Yahweh leads one to do, with Him as one’s “Lord,” sent to one as the soul of “Jesus” resurrected, as one who is an “adopted son” as a “Christ.” Then, with all that “having been given” to oneself (self-soul), then it is only natural that all “prayers” are “giving thanks” to Yahweh for that having been done.

This means prayer has to be as Jesus explained, as a direct communication between one’s soul and Yahweh. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he told them to address Yahweh as “Father.” To truthfully call Yahweh “Father” means to be truly reborn as His Son Jesus, the only Son of Yahweh [Adam’s soul reborn]. A prayer that calls out to the “Father,” when one selfishly worships self and not Yahweh, having no concept whatsoever of ever being the resurrection of Jesus’ soul within one’s own soul, means one slanders Yahweh and Jesus. Prayer is for giving thanks or begging for forgiveness for all the sins one’s soul is mired in. Until one has reached the depths of despair that one finally cuts loose of self-worship and fully submits to the Will of Yahweh, one has no one to thank but oneself. Your prayers then are your acts and deeds that do as one pleases.

As a reading hand-picked to be read aloud on the second Sunday after Christmas, one needs to see the message here is to have one’s soul be married to Yahweh and receive His Spirit as a Blessing, an Anointment. Then one needs to prepare for a new you to arrive, as promised. That new you will be the gift of Yahweh, which is adoption as His Son, so one’s soul is now led by the soul of Jesus. That brings about tremendous feelings that make one praise Yahweh. In that praise, one thanks Yahweh for his gift of Christmas. That then leads to the ministry of faith, where one becomes like Jesus (and like Paul), leading others to also become saints. One does not forget those whose souls touched in brotherhood (all as adopted sons of Yahweh), as one writes them notes that say, “I have not forgotten you.” That is the act of a “Beloved.”