John 20:19-31 – Came this Jesus and stood in their midst

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

[19] When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” [20] After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. [21] Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” [22] When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

[24] But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. [25] So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

[26] A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” [27] Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” [28] Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” [29] Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

[30] Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. [31] But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

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This is the Gospel selection that will be read aloud by a priest on the second Sunday of Easter, Year C [and all Years], according to the lectionary schedule of the Episcopal Church. This Sunday’s lessons will begin with a mandatory reading from Acts, where Peter spoke as one with the other apostles, speaking as Jesus reborn before Caiaphas the high priest, saying “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” That will be followed by a singing of either Psalm 118 (where new verses will be added to those sung on Easter Day) or Psalm 150 (only possible to be sung on the second Sunday of Easter). A new verse from Psalm 118 sings, “God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.” Psalm 150 sings, “Hallelujah! Praise el in his holy temple; praise him in the firmament of his power.” A reading from Revelation will then follow, where John wrote, “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”

In 2018, I wrote about this reading selection and posted my views on a website I had at that time. Those observations are available here by a search of the reading. In 2021, I made a couple of tweaks to that commentary; and I wrote a new commentary, which I published just last Easter season. That commentary can also be read by search of the title reading. What I offered before is still valid. Both commentary titles tell of the “Spirit Holy,” based on the written text. The Scripture has not changed. However, I will now deeply add some new observations to those before, some of which have comes to me just recently. All need to be restated as importance worth knowing fully.

In the above translation by the Episcopal Church, from the NRSV, I have added the verse numbers. I believe it is important to see the transitions of that written, as each verse holds its own set of important statements that must be firmly grasped. This truth can be seen in how the presentation above has gaps between the verses, as this is a story told in multiple parts. The first part is Jesus appearing while Thomas is away. The second part tells of Thomas returning and being told Jesus had appeared. The third part tells of Jesus re-appearing after Thomas has returned. The fourth part sums up the forty days Jesus would spend with his disciples, and the importance that period of teaching would have on the world. Each part must have deep meditation placed on it; and, each part must be seen as if John were writing these verses for you specifically to understand. If it is read only as a story, then one is far from realizing Salvation. It is imperative to see John trying to help you see the truth, so you will receive the Spirit and become Jesus reborn.

I want to place important focus on John writing, “ēlthen ho Iēsous kai estē eis to meson”. He wrote that segment of words as the fifth segment in a verse that has six segments. Those words separate from the rest (by comma marks) and say, “he came this Jesus kai made a stance into this midst”. In that, the use of the word “kai” indicates importance must be seen in this “stand into this midst”. One must realize that prior to this, where “he came” (“ēlthen”), John had said the disciples hid in fear of the Jews, in a room where all the doors were locked. There was no knock on the door [which could have been, had Thomas returned – a ‘secret code’ knock]. He just “came.” When John then said “this Jesus” (“ho Iēsous”), the name “Jesus” is capitalized, which makes it have divinely elevated meaning. While everyone knows Jesus was divine, the written name “Jesus” means it should be read as saying the meaning behind the name: “Yah Saves.” So, John said while the disciples shook with fear and hid away, “Yahweh came to Save them.”

This understanding then leads to the “kai,” so the importance of “taking a stance into this middle” is speaking of Yahweh, as His Son’s soul, not some physical entity that suddenly appeared as a separate man in the room. The soul of Jesus “came kai took an upright position in union with each soul” (“the center” of each) that sat, leaned, stood, or curled up in some fetal position on the floor. This is most important to grasp.

In the Greek written by John in this segment of words, the word “eis” translates as “into.” It leads to “meson,” meaning, “middle, in the midst of, between, in the middle.” While that can certainly be read as saying, “Jesus came and stood in the middle of the room,” the word “eis” needs deeper understanding. According to HELPS Word-studies, this preposition properly means, “into (unto) – literally, “motion into which” implying penetration (“unto,” “union”) to a particular purpose or result.” Now, it could be nice to see Jesus as “in union” with the room, having “penetrated” it; but the use of “kai” forces one to see a soul (that of “Jesus”) “penetrates” and “takes a stance” within the “center” of human beings, by importantly coming “in union” with other souls (one at a time, all at once).

Here, it becomes important to dovetail this reading from John in with the reading from Luke 24:13-35 (read during the third Sunday of Easter in Year A), which tells of Cleopas and his wife Mary walking home to Emmaus, on this same Sunday – the first day of the week – after the Passover festival was over. They encountered some man that they did not recognize; and, he filled their souls with marvel, quoting how Scripture had been fulfilled by Jesus. They invited him to “Abide” (a capitalized “Meinon”) and we read, “he entered in of this to abide with themselves” (where a “self” is a “soul”). The word Luke wrote that says this pilgrim traveler “entered in” is “eisēlthen,” which is similar to John writing “came this Jesus” (using “ēlthen”). Both mean “to come, go,” with Luke’s usage adding “in,” which is like John adding “eis.” In Luke’s story, he wrote that this man broke bread and blessed it and then “he vanished having become away from them.” Up until that time, the soul of Jesus had “come in union” with their souls (their midst), in the same way the soul of Jesus entered each of the disciples’ souls, as John recorded.

For this selection to be read aloud by a priest on a Sunday in the Easter season, the point is to see the resurrection of Jesus is pointless, if that resurrection is not within one’s own soul. One has to see the Easter season as that time when the body of Jesus has forever been taken away. What appears to be his body of flesh is an illusion that will suddenly “vanish having become away from” one’s peepers. In the Acts reading, where Peter spoke as one with “the apostles,” everyone of those apostles were shaking with fear in this reading from John. The difference between shaking with fear and standing before the High Priest Caiaphas and telling him things only Jesus would say speaks loudly that Peter and the apostles were reborn as Jesus. This is the truth of Christianity.

Now, in John’s account we find Thomas was not there. Because it was evening on the first day of the week, it was time for a bite to eat. While it is not stated where this room everyone was locked inside was, for it to be the upper room in the Essene Quarter of Jerusalem (real close to where Caiaphas’ house was), the owner would have extended his generosity to the group, so they had access for the entire eight days of the Passover festival [Essenes recognized the Passover as Mount Carmel, in Samaria]. Because that room would be a loaner, one that does not come with free meals or a well-stocked kitchen, it would be necessary to leave to secure food. Rather than send everyone out (and the disciples locked in the room included women and children), Thomas (and probable his sons or the sons of the others) would have gone to get food, in order to bring it back for the whole group. Meanwhile, after Cleopas and Mary sat down for their evening meal (when Jesus was realized, before disappearing), they jumped up and began a quick walk back to Jerusalem, to tell the ones in hiding what they had witnessed.

The first block of verses speaks of the typical fears human beings have. They think they are bodies of flesh with life. They think their brains are the most powerful gods on planet earth. Their thought surround them with an overwhelming knowledge that their little bodies of flesh, despite having such big brains, as powerless against the human authorities … if those human authorities decide to come for little people who think and squash them like bugs. Everybody is afraid of its own shadow; and, everyone’s soul trembles within that body of flesh, cowering down in submission to the world. This fear is the wilderness test that is miserably failed. That failure is because a soul alone is nothing. It must be joined in divine marriage to Yahweh; and, then it must become the soul that gives rebirth to the resurrected soul of Jesus. This first block paints a picture that says every lead disciple in that room would have never been arrested for preaching in the temple, using the name Jesus while they preached. They never would have been freed from lockup; and, they never would have gone before Caiaphas as brave men, without all that divine union transfiguring their souls. Without Yahweh and Jesus reborn, all human beings are afraid to ACT.

The second block says Thomas (a name that means “Twin”) is one who is less afraid than the typical human beings. The capitalization of this name gives it divine elevation as a “Twin,” where that word means “made up of two similar, related, or connected members or parts : DOUBLE.” (Merriam-Webster’s 2a) This brings out the duality of the number “two.” While the one was afraid, the two was brave. Thomas was the one who volunteered to go out into the world and get food. While there, he would see what was really going on. Rather than let his imaginations get the better of him, he wanted to see for himself if there was anything to be afraid of. On a deeper level, a “Twin” becomes a statement of one soul being where a second soul is resurrected. As such, the soul of Jesus becomes the ”Twin” that becomes the Lord over a soul and its body of flesh; so, bravery takes control, leaving the fear to hide deep within.

Taking this into account, Thomas was not yet a “Twin” reborn of Jesus. He was a “Twin” of fear, who was the opposite, to the point of being dangerous. When Thomas told the others, “I hear ya, but I remember watching all you trembling so bad, I volunteered to go get food, just to get away from all your fears. Now you say your wild imaginations saw the man we all saw dead on a crucifix and wrapped in burial cloths, put into a tomb is now up and walking around. Well, for me to believe in ghosts, I have to see one to believe in one.” This becomes the part of humanity that does not accept anything that cannot be measured by the five physical senses. Therefore, Thomas is the “Twin” for religion, which is “Science.”

Now, when Jesus appeared [a word that does not appear in any text written in John 20] the first time, we read of Jesus speaking to their souls (the words “legei autois” translates as, “he says to themselves,” where a “self” is a “soul”), saying, “Peace to your souls” (from “Eirēnēhymin” likewise places focus on “themselves” – “souls”), the capitalization of “Eirēnē” says a divine elevation must be applied to the word that translates as “one, peace, quietness, rest.” I have written in the past about this becoming a ‘catch phrase’ for the Episcopal Church, where everyone runs around saying, “Peace to you,” as if anyone not filled with Yahweh’s Spirit can give the ‘Lord’s Peace’ to anyone. Here, we need to look at the truth that is said, which is possible when one realizes this is not some separate entity standing amongst the fearful disciples, telling them to “Calm down fellas and fellettes.”

The translation as “one” needs to be grasped. According to HELPS Word-studies, the word “eiréné” is: “from eirō, “to join, tie together into a whole.” Therefore, they add, “properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God’s gift of wholeness).” So, “Peace” is a true translation; but it is one that leads one away from the whole truth. For Jesus to be raised in the dead of his disciples’ bodies, he has become “One to themselves,” as “One with their souls.” Jesus was not talking like a two-fingered hippie Episcopalian priest or bishop, his soul had raised their souls to a state of divine “Oneness.” They were spiritually told, “We are One now.”

This statement was made before all the disciples were shown “his hands” and “his side.” When one reads the Greek slowly, with prayer, one sees that written says, “he showed <kai> his hands kai his side to themselves”. As such, everyone in the room became like the man who walked with Cleopas and Mary to Emmaus. Each one “showed” their own bodies as that of Jesus. They had become “his hands” and more importantly (“kai” usage) they became “his side,” where each of “their souls” (“themselves”) had been pierced (“eis” as “penetrated”) by his soul. The angle brackets around the word “kai,” after “he showed,” says the following statements are not visible, but hidden within. Thus, seeing themselves as a resurrected Jesus, they “Rejoiced” (“Echarēsan”), where that capitalization states a divine elevation applied to “Gladness.” They saw with their souls, not with their eyes. Not only did they know Jesus was raised from the dead, Jesus was raised within them, saving their souls from death (eternal life makes one “Rejoice”). With this realization known to each and every living human in that room, Jesus then repeated what he had said before: “Oneness to your souls.”

When John wrote, “Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (verse 20, NRSV), the capitalization of “Kyrion” must be seen as another capitalized word, raised divinely to a higher meaning than “Teacher” or “Master,” as a title. Because the soul of Jesus had been raised within his disciples’ souls (him in each one) – and they knew it by “Rejoicing” – that soul resurrected within each became each soul’s “Lord,” over their souls and their bodies of flesh. This is vital to see, as it was this “Lord” that possessed all of the apostles, so they preached in the Temple “in the name of Jesus,” which led the Sadducees of the Sanhedrin to have them arrested [the Acts 5 reading for this day]. Peter spoke to Caiaphas as “the Lord” Jesus, not as scared of his own shadow Peter.

When Jesus divinely spoke within them all, saying they each were “One” with his soul, Jesus then explained, (I paraphrase now) “Just as the Father sent my soul in the flesh, now that that flesh has returned to Eden, I now send your flesh out as me reborn.” When John then wrote, “enephysēsen,” meaning “he breathed into,” this is a statement of a rebirth, where birth receives a soul – the breath of life by Yahweh – now a second “breath of eternal life” was “breathed into” each breath of life in a body of flesh.

When verse twenty-two has only three capitalized words in one segment – “Labete Pneuma Hagion” – that says each soul then “Received” that breath of eternal life, as a soul joined as “One” with the soul of Jesus. The capitalization of “Receive” is what a wife does to her husband on her honeymoon. The divine elevation says each soul there was then married to Yahweh, as having “Received” Him in the marriage chamber. That was fertilization of the seed of Jesus was compliments of the “Spirit” of Yahweh, who not only breathed life into dead matter when they were born, He now had poured out His “Spirit” in Baptism over their souls. From that “Spirit” infusing their whole being (soul and body) they were then deemed “Holy, Sacred, and Set Apart by God.” This means all of the followers of Jesus then became “Saints.”

When the NRSV translates verse twenty-three as saying, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained,” this is easy to misinterpret. Everything is written in the second-person and third-person plural. No one is given any powers to forgive anyone. Everything is relative to “if of a certain one,” which states a conditional for those new Saints, pertaining to their past sins. Some things they had been told were sins, when they were not (such as healing on a Sabbath). Some things they had done were sins they retained. The point of verse twenty-three is your past has been justified. It says, from now on you will act according to the voice of Jesus, who speaks for the Father; so, everything done in the future will be without judgment as a sin, regardless of what Sadducees on the Sanhedrin (and their minion scribes) might think. The problem that comes from not realizing this comes when some elevate mere human beings into pope-like positions, who then make believe he or she can forgive anything. Only Yahweh forgives. All others just say, “Yahweh, you know.”

When the second group of verses has Thomas returning, it is important to realize that Jesus did not leave. Jesus was still “One to their souls,” he was just “vanished” from someone doing the secret knock on the door and then being let in with some broiled fish and fixings (a super-sized to-go box). Therefore, when Thomas said, “Unless I do the physical proving that Jesus has indeed been raised from the dead, I will not believe,” there is merit to that statement.

The key word there is “pisteusō,” which either means, “I will believe” or “I will have faith.” The two are not the same thing. Thus, for Thomas to enter into a room that is filled with everyone else being Jesus reborn (just not looking like Jesus), Thomas reflects an outsider (a Jew, but without being reborn as Jesus that only meant he was a different style of Gentile) entering into a true assembly (ecclesia) of those Anointed by Yahweh’s “Spirit.” Everyone in that room was a true “Christian” because they had become “Received” by Yahweh, filled by the “Spirit” of Yahweh, and made “Sacred” by Yahweh’s forgiveness. Thomas was not so blessed. Thus, what Thomas said becomes the truth – the mantra – of ALL who are not filled with the “Spirit,” made “Holy” by Yahweh, and “Received” as Saints by the possession of Jesus’ soul. To be an outsider being told Jesus has risen will always have the same effect. Without proof of that divine presence within, nobody will do more than (“not”) say, “I will believe.” Christianity is not about belief. It is about faith; and faith comes by being Jesus resurrected within one’s soul – the proof needed.

In verse twenty-six, I have written in the past about this, but it bears repeating. The NRSV translation that says “a week later” is complete ignorance of how John wrote. He wrote, “after days eight,” which has absolutely nothing to do with saying “eight days later.” The Passover festival began a counting of the days until the first fruits would be deemed ripe and ready (on Pentecost – the Fiftieth Day). That count begins after the first full day of the Passover (15 Nisan) has ended. At six in the evening (official night; and, official change of date) the numbering of the “days” began with “one.” Sunday – the first day of the week – was the seventh of the “days.” When it became officially night (after six), then that time on the same day becomes the meaning of “after days eight.” The counting of the omer just became the “eighth” of the “days.” Each of the “days” means the Jews recite a prayer for that day. So, it wasn’t a week later. It was after the official time of night began and the official numbering of the “days” went from seventh to “eighth.”

This says Thomas had been out getting food and returned in time for all the food to be spread out on a table. All the people there (disciples and family – all filled with the “Spirit” and reborn as “Jesus”) were eating, with Thomas, when Jesus again suddenly appeared like he had before. Now, he is within Thomas, in the same way he was inside the souls of the others. Everything Jesus commanded Thomas to do, Thomas did it with his own body of flesh, having become the reborn body of Jesus. Thomas is truly a “Twin” with Jesus’ soul. Here, one needs to realize the truth of those words that make it seem as if Jesus were scolding Thomas.

After Thomas also realizes the soul of Jesus is his “Lord,” whose presence within his soul-body brough the blessings of Yahweh, his “God,” the soul of Jesus then “Spoke” within Thomas (from the capitalization of “Legei”). That divine inner voice said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me , you have faith.” The capitalization of “Because” raises this “Cause of faith” to an awareness of the presence of Yahweh’s Spirit AND Jesus’ possessing soul within. That “Cause” is the truth of divine possession. It goes well beyond anything possible to be believed, based on hearsay. The meaning of “pepisteukas” is it states true “faith in,” not simple “belief in.” When Jesus then continued, saying, “blessed those not having seen , kai having faith,” that demands one realize what “blessed” means.

In the so-called ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ the first focus made was on those “blessed.” This is generalized (based on the Latin word for “bless”) to be “the Beatitudes.” Everything written in Matthew (and others) uses the same word written here by John (only capitalized), “makarioi.” The translation as “blessed” transfigures into a statement that says, “saints.” Therefore, what Jesus told Thomas says, “saints are those souls having not seen with physical eyes, who importantly have faith nevertheless.” This says nothing bad about Thomas, because Thomas was a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth (born in Bethlehem), whose eyes knew what the body of Jesus looked like. Thomas, like all the others in that room, saw the body of Jesus as their own bodies. In the future, being able to visualize that long ascended body, having never laid eyes on the flesh that the soul of Jesus was born into, will be impossible. Still, saints will come as Jesus resurrected without that ability to see him as proof that he is raised from the dead.

This means that today, nearly two thousand years after Thomas had his personal epiphany that Jesus was raised in his flesh, one can still become a saint by Receiving the Spirit and being made a Saint, by doing the Acts told of in Scripture. One’s soul must hear n inner voice lead one to find the proof one needs through works of faith. One must be told to believe. One must take belief to a serious level of commitment. One must prove Jesus lived through the divine words of Scripture. When one sudden finds “he came this Jesus,” within one’s soul and flesh, then one will be able to see the truth of his wounds in one’s own flesh. One needs to be able to see divinely, not physically. That divine insight comes from sincere efforts of belief.

When this is realized, one can then see how John wrote that the full scope of Jesus is beyond what can be written and captured on pages placed in a book. When John wrote, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples,” this must be read as meaning today, with one reading those words being a “disciple” of Jesus, who is “in the presence of his” soul. Those are the ACTS that Jesus commands one to do, once one has truly gained faith. When John then wrote, “these (words) are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,” this says these words are written in a way that leads to belief, but through deeper inspection (with meditation and prayer) leads deeper to the truth, which becomes the proof of faith. One cannot simply believe that Jesus is the Anointed one, without being oneself (a “self” is a “soul”) a “Christ,” with the “Spirit” of Yahweh poured out upon one’s soul. That brings the divine possession of “Jesus” resurrected, where all such “Christs” are “brothers,” all “Sons” of the Father, in His name (Israel and Jesus).

As the Gospel reading chosen for the second Sunday of Easter, the point must be seen as oneself being like all of the frightened disciples. Fear comes from being mortal, knowing death awaits out souls, for Judgment. That fear can become the pretense of bravery, when one rejects the tenets of religion, as things said without proof. That rejection snowballs when those teaching have no divine possessions within their souls, being hired hands that recite prayers from books and do nothing that explained the truth of Scripture. To be in a room alone and frightened means to be a believer of Jesus, when the Church is known to persecute any and all who threaten their livelihoods by knowing the truth of Jesus raised from the dead. That says it is up to oneself to read Scripture and pray for the truth to be shown one. Acts of this nature bring forth the Angel of Yahweh that frees one from one’s prison and sets one free to teach, so others will not be led by the blind any longer. The truth of this reading from John has to be found on one’s own, because few priests are explaining this Scripture as I just have.

Acts, Language, Teaching

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) – Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” [The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”]

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This is the mandatory “First Reading” that comes from the Book of Acts. It will be read aloud on the third Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will precede a singing of Psalm 30, where David wrote, “You brought me up, Yahweh, from the dead; you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.” That song will be followed by a reading from Revelation, where John wrote: “I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”’ All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where the prophet wrote, “Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.”

In this mandatory reading from Acts 9, which is only read on this third Sunday of Easter, in the Year C schedule, this must be understood as telling of the acts of surrender, the giving of oneself to Yahweh. this is the story of Paul’s conversion; but there is no mention of that name here. The name “Saul” is written six times (a NRSV presentation of a seventh is not written, so I have stricken it out). The name “Saul” means “Asked For.”

In verse one is written “mathētas tou Kyriou,” which is translated above as “disciples of the Lord.” The Genitive case in “tou Kyriou” makes this better understood as “of this of Lord.” The possessive statement – “of Lord” – makes it easier to realize the persecution that Saul took out on “disciples, pupils, learners,” was “breathing threats kai murder” (terrible sins) against those who were no longer who they had been, as they (having been raised from dead) were possessed divinely by the soul of Jesus. The presence of that soul then had the old “disciples” submit to Yahweh and the resurrection of His Son, so Jesus’ soul became the “Lord” of their souls. That is the truth “of this” relationship with Jesus, Jesus had gained possession, “of this of Lord.” The capitalization of “Kyriou” divinely elevates this from a physical student-teacher relationship (physical Jesus was forever gone), to a spiritual one, uniting two souls as one, with the soul of Jesus becoming the “Lord of” the two.

When we read that Saul went to the high priest (Caiaphas) and asked “for letters to the synagogues at Damascus,” the use of “synagogues” (from “synagōgas”) means a written introduction to all the Jewish “gathering places” or houses of “assembly,” saying Saul had Jerusalem’s authorization to take any Jew who said Jesus was his or her “Lord” prisoner, and take them “bound” back to Jerusalem to be tried for heresy and slander. The use of “synagogue,” instead of “churches” (“ecclesia”), says Jewish Christians did not gather separately. The meaning of “ekklesia” was less about a place where Christians gathered together, as that would be the epitome of “preaching to the choir.” An “ekklesia” is the true meaning of a “church,” which is wherever two or three (a traveling ministry group) were each in the “name of Jesus” – each Spiritually possessed – so Jesus was there in each. That is the truth behind the term “Christianity” – ALL are Christs in the name of Jesus.

To see that Saul planned to travel to Damascus, thus he sought a permission letter to round up those preaching in the name of Jesus there and arrest them, the name “Damascus” makes this trip more than coincidental. While the precise name is unsure, it is believed to be close to meaning “The Beginning Of Salvation.” This is based on the Hebrew word “dammasq” having that essence of “Salvation. This is opposed to the Greek meaning of “Damascus” means “tameness” of “synchronicity.” While those can still be read here, the capitalization makes these be a divinely elevated state that says “Saul” (“Asked For”) was heading to a Spiritual transformation (one he did not expect).

When the NRSV translates, “suddenly a light from heaven flashed around [Saul],” the Greek word “periēstrapsen” is the third-person past tense version of the word meaning “to tie around,” implying “flashing around like lightning.” This must be understood as a spiritual “shining” (from “light” – “phōs”) that only targeted Saul. Because it came “from heaven,” that metaphor must be read as “spiritual” in nature, not visible to human eyes. Thus, anyone traveling with Saul would not have witnessed this “sudden light.”

When we read that Saul “fell to the ground,” the Greek word “pesōn” means “having fallen” (Aorist participle), with the next words literally saying, “on the basis of this earth.” Here, “earth” (“gēn”) must be read as meaning “of this world” or “of the flesh;” so, the metaphor says the sudden light flashed around Saul because he had become like a “fallen” angel, serving Lucifer, not Yahweh. Whether Saul fell down off a mule or tripped on a stone while walking, the literal fall is minor, compared to this spiritual encounter. This is due to the soul of Saul having sunk to such a lowly state of existence.

When we then read that Saul heard a voice, this voice was like the light, as it was inaudible to anyone else nearby. The repeating of “Saul, Saul,” is saying, “You Asked For this by serving Satan.” Then, saying, “You Are Asked For elsewhere; and, this light and voice comes to you because Yahweh wants your soul not to go to Satan.”

When we then read that Saul was asked, “why me do you persecute?” it becomes imperative to know “Jesus” (jumping ahead to that identification) had been dead and gone (physically) for some time. The “disciples of this of Lord,” whom Saul did persecute, were each Jesus’ soul resurrected into their soul-flesh; so, Saul persecuted Jesus many times over. He was heading to a place to round up some more Jesuses to take back to Jerusalem and persecute.

When we read of Saul asking, “Who are you, Lord?” the reality of the Greek written (“Tis ei , Kyrie ?”) literally translates to ask, “Who you exist , Lord ?” That should be read as if Saul thought he had died. He was asking if he had gone to heaven, where Yahweh was the “Lord.”

Then, Saul was told, “I am Jesus , who you are persecuting .” In that, the capitalized “Egō” is a divinely elevated statement of “I,” which in the first-person becomes Yahweh – as “I AM.” Following that is the word “eimi,” which says in the lower-case, “I am.” To then use the capitalized “Jesus,” which is divinely elevated to be the meaning behind the name, saying “Yah Saves,” then what Saul was told by a voice said, “Yahweh speaks through His creation, who is His Salvation.” Keep in mind that Saul (“Asked For”) was headed to “The Beginning Of Salvation” (“Damascus”).

Because the voice of Jesus is heard by Saul, identified as the soul who speaks for the Father, the soul of Jesus had already penetrated the soul of Saul. The presence of Jesus had cast out the demons that had possessed Saul’s soul. In this regard, verse five includes the following statements within brackets (seen as asides, so the NRSV throws all asides out the window).

“{sklēron soi pros kentra laktizein} . {tremōn te kai thambōn eipi , Kyrie , ti me theleis poiēsai} .”

That literally translates to state: “{harsh to you towards stings to kick} . {him trembling both kai he astonishing said , Lord , what myself to you intend to do} .” This second aside, stated by Saul, is not ended with a question mark. As such, Saul knew instantly – in his soul (thus the aside brackets, indicating an unspoken awareness) – his actions had become cruel, placing others under his feet, as if he was of some superior race of mankind, with some god-given (not God-given) right to persecute whoever he deemed fit. The soul of Saul “both trembles” with fear, but importantly, he felt an overwhelming presence within him, which brought “astonishment” along with his fear. His fear was of Yahweh (which should be). His astonishment was from the Spirit bringing into Saul’s soul the soul of Jesus, which made him realize how wrong he had been and how little he knew. Therefore, he recognized the soul of Jesus as his “Lord;” so, Saul submitted to that “Lord,” saying, “do whatever you intend for me to do.”

It is here that verse six has the voice of Jesus tell Saul, “get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” Knowing what was said silently by Saul’s soul to the soul of Jesus, unheard by those with Saul, this command given is then said to be heard by Saul’s travel companions. However, there was no physical source for the voice seen. In the use of “anastēthi,” translated cheaply as “get up,” the image still has Saul “haven fallen on the ground,” so a command to “get up” makes sense to a common reader (and translator). However, the word means “raise up,” where Strong’s specifically says this word implies, “I rise from among (the) dead.” This (regardless if Saul was laying on the ground or not) speaks spiritually, as a command for Saul to stop sinning and sentencing his soul to eternal death.

When verse eight says, “Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing,” this indicates that the soul of Saul was indeed spiritually raised; so, he was no longer the bad hombre he thought he was before. His eyes were opened, but he no longer saw anything of the world as he had before. Saul found his soul alone was utterly blind to the spiritual reality that he said he revered. Saul could see nothing, because Saul’s physical eyes would no longer allow his brain to process external stimuli in the only way his brain knew. Thus, from being divinely “raised” and fully “awake” (from “ēgerthē” beginning verse eight), Saul could no longer see as Saul had before, his vision was then blocked from reaching his brain. Therefore, big bad Saul had to be led around by the hand, like a little child.

In the naming of “Ananias,” saying he was “a certain disciple in Damascus” (“tis mathētēs”) this says Ananias was another who was led as Jesus reborn. His name means “Yah Has Been Gracious” or “Graciously Given Of Yah.” This makes the name “Ananias” have a similar meaning to “John.” In the ‘optional’ (bracketed by the Episcopal Church) verses that tell the story of Ananias, it is important to see he has apprehensions, just as Peter had about going to meet with Gentiles, in a Gentile home. Both expressed the truth of their concerns; and, both were told not to worry, so both did as the soul of Jesus within led them to do. Therefore, I will not go deeply into interpreting these verses; just know all servants of Yahweh, reborn as his Son, retain their own soul identity. So, Christianity is not about being a mindless robot. It is about learning why the right way is the right way.

What is important to grasp in these verses is shown by the NRSV as saying, “laid his hands on.” This is where I have stricken the NRSV inserting the name Saul, which the Episcopal Church runs with, even when the NRSV footnote that naming as “him” was written. The Greek text written is this: “kai epitheis ep’ auton tas cheiras,” which literally translates to state (importantly – from “kai”), “having added upon himself these hands.” The use of “auton” (which the NRSV footnoted as not stating “Saul”) as “himself,” where a “self” equates to a “soul,” the plural number of “hands” must be seen as those of Ananias and Saul, who both were equally “hands” of Yahweh. The mistake is thinking any human being (a soul in a body of flesh) has some power to “lay hands on” someone and act like a god on earth. The touching of Ananias to the blind Saul acts as a transfer of Yahweh’s Spirit from one soul to another. The Spirit within Ananias was not his to use as he wished. Thus, he was sent there for that transfer purpose; and, this is called a baptism of Saul, which is was. However, the Baptism was from Yahweh, through His servant Ananias.

Finally (for this commentary), verse twenty is shown to state, “[Saul] began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”’ While that appears to be what is written, the truth of the Greek is this: “Kai eutheōs en tais synagōgais ekēryssen ton Iēsoun , hoti houtos estin ho Huios tou Theou .” This literally says, “[Most importantly] immediately within these assemblies he began proclaiming this Jesus , because this he exists Son of this of God .” That says that Saul became one of all the “assembles” that would become called “churches,” which is not a building, but gatherings of those who all were Jesus reborn. As such, Saul began “proclaiming” that he was “Jesus” reborn, a name that means “Yahweh Saves.” Saul could truthfully make that “proclamation because this he exists.” Saul became a “Son” in the name of “Jesus,” because he was divinely possessed “of this” soul of Jesus and “of God,” through the “Spirit Holy.”

This is a very important way to read this selection, it being a mandatory Acts reading during the Easter season. Following last Sunday’s commentary about Revelation 1, where the thought of waiting until the end of the world to see Jesus coming again on a cloud from heaven is simply bad translations and being lazy about one’s faith. Saul was acting like a Roman that wanted to round up Christians and throw them to the lions in Roman arenas, just because he saw anyone claiming to be Jesus reborn as a heretic. Such a claim would make the Sanhedrin seem like murderers (which they were). There is absolutely no way for anyone to do the Acts of the Apostles without being divinely married to Yahweh, having receive His Spirit and been made a Saint. That allows one’s soul to be the resurrection place for the soul of Jesus – Yahweh’s creation for Salvation of souls. It is not a hard thing to see. It is just the problem of so many calling themselves Christians (like Saul called himself an honored Jew) are blinded from spiritual matters. One has to stop seeing the lies as the truth and find a Saint to touch with his or her Spirit, so Yahweh can Baptize one to Holiness.

Language, Psalms, Teaching

Psalm 30 – David knew the resurrection of Jesus in his soul

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

1 I will exalt you, Yahweh, because you have lifted me up *

and have not let my enemies triumph over me.

2 Yahweh elohay, I cried out to you, *

and you restored me to health.

3 You brought me up, Yahweh, from the dead; *

you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.

4 Sing to Yahweh, you servants of his; *

give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.

5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *

his favor for a lifetime.

6 [5] Weeping may spend the night, *

but joy comes in the morning.

7 [6] While I felt secure, I said, “I shall never be disturbed. *

[7] You, Yahweh, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains.”

8 [7] Then you hid your face, *

and I was filled with fear.

9 [8] I cried to you, Yahweh; *

I pleaded with adonay, saying,

10 [9] “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *

will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?

11 [10] Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy upon me; *

Yahweh, be my helper.”

12 [11] You have turned my wailing into dancing; *

you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.

13 [12] Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *

Yahweh elohay, I will give you thanks for ever.

——————–

This is the Psalm that will read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the third Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow the mandatory reading from the Book of Acts, where we read of Ananias coming to Saul (to become Paul) and “immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” This pair will be followed by a reading from Revelation, where the Apostle John wrote, “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” All will accompany a reading from John’s Gospel, where Jesus appeared before his disciples at the Sea of Galilee, where we read: “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”’

In the above presentation, you will note several corrections that I have made. Most readily visible (from bold letters) is the proper name “Yahweh” replacing some variation of “the Lord” that has been presented, which is not what David wrote or meant. Of one of the presentations of a capitalized “Lord” (in verse eight), the reality is the word “adonay” was written, which is a plural number “lords” (not a singular, capitalized “Lord”). I have restored that in italics; and, in italic lettering, I have restored the Hebrew (transliteration) that David wrote, which has been glorified with capitalization and singularity, as “my God.” That is not the intent of those uses; so, I have restored the truth that is written. Finally, the Episcopal Church has modified this song of praise to be the odd number of thirteen verses, when in reality it is only twelve verses (as shown in the NRSV translation). I have amended the true verse numbers in bold, within brackets.

I wrote my observations about this Psalm when it appeared for singing during the Ordinary after Pentecost schedule last year (Year B). That commentary can be viewed at this link. Because my focus at that time was directed toward shining the light of this song of praise on the accompanying readings, which differ from those of this third Sunday of Easter, I will approach this Psalm 30 analysis from a perspective that makes it support the theme of Jesus being resurrected in those who have submitted their souls to Yahweh, serving Him as His wives. That service will thereby have the soul of Jesus reborn into new flesh.

Not read aloud today (or any other time a psalm has an introduction in verse one), is an introduction that literally states: “A psalm song to consecration of the house of David.” The NRSV places a header in bold, separate from and above the lyrics, stating: “A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the temple. Of David.” In this, the Hebrew (transliterations) that says “hab·ba·yiṯ lə·ḏā·wiḏ “ – “the house of David” – needs to be seen as having more lasting value than a song sung at the opening of the new tabernacle on the mount, where the Ark of the Covenant had been securely placed, with all the altars and other temple articles arranged within. David would not be divinely inspired to write a ‘one-time psalm.’ This means “the house of beloved” [the meaning of “David” is “Beloved”] needs to be the deeper meaning that guides one through the singing of this song – forever. All who sing it are to be the “Davids” who are married to Yahweh and members of the “house” called “Israel” – a name that means: “Who Retain Yahweh as one of His elohim.”

In verse one, where the NRSV translates, “I will exalt you, Yahweh,” the Hebrew word “rum” (transliterated as “’ă·rō·w·mim·ḵā” – as “I will exalt you”) means “to be high or exalted, rise.” The first-person should not be read as David thinking he was so high and mighty that he, himself (“I”), had any ability whatsoever to “exalt Yahweh.” It is a statement that is meant to be read the other way around, as David saying “I have been exalted by you Yahweh.” Because the “I” of David “will be high” and “raised” by “Yahweh,” all credit for that “exaltation” goes to the true High and Mighty. When David wrote this lyric in the first-person, it was Yahweh leading him to write so all of his “house” would also sing in the first-person, singing the same “exaltation of Yahweh,” because Yahweh “will have raised” them too.

This aspect that gives credit to Yahweh is then found sung in the following words of verse one: “because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me.” In that, the Hebrew “ḏil·lî·ṯā·nî” (from “dalal”) means “drawn out (as of water),” such that “lifted up” implies bringing from underground to the surface, as opposed to raising from the surface to the sky. This is David singing praise for the escape from death, where bodies are placed underground after their souls have separated from their flesh. The element of water always implies (as metaphor) the emotional state of being. Therefore, not having one’s “enemies triumph over me” means Yahweh has saved David from being killed (taken to death) by enemies. All honor and glory from victory is Yahweh’s and Yahweh’s alone.

When verses two and twelve sing of “Yahweh elohay,” the possessive pronoun must not be read as David having any control or ownership of “God.” To say “my God” makes it appear that David saw Yahweh as his to call upon, like Yahweh were his slave. The possessive goes to Yahweh. The “my” refers to David being one of Yahweh’s “elohim,” so David’s soul was possessed by that inner angel (call it the resurrection of Jesus’ soul) – filled with the Yahweh elohim of Adam. The possessive states a relationship that is Father to Son (the Yahweh to the elohim) and the relationship of “brothers,” where the soul of David was able to call his possessive soul (Jesus) in that way. Thus, the possessive pronoun “my” says David was “Anointed” as a Son of Yahweh, which was the possession of “elohay” (“my elohim”). The plural number is then the soul of David having received the Spirit of Yahweh, along with the possessing soul of Jesus.

In verse two, following David announcement he was an elohim and in the possession of Yahweh, he again used the first-person to sing, “I cried out and you healed me.” The NRSV shows this as “restored my health,” but the Hebrew root word is “rapah” (transliterated as “wat·tir·pā·’ê·nî”), meaning “to heal.” The construct then says, “you have healed me.” This “crying out” (implying “for help”) is relative to the “enemies.” When David then sang “you healed me” from “my enemies,” this says the “enemies” are always those demon spirits possessing oneself (one’s soul), which reflect the emotional addictions to the world that sinks a soul underground (metaphorical death, due to unsaved mortality). Therefore, the “healing” done by Yahweh was removing all demons, who were the true “enemies” leading one to death.

When verse three then says, “You brought me up, Yahweh, from the dead; you restored my life as I was going down to the grave,” this must be seen as the resurrection theme of the Easter season. While this translation makes that clear to see, the literal translation offers insights that the translation cannot capture. Here is the Hebrew text (transliterated) of verse three:

“Yah·weh he·‘ĕ·lî·ṯā min- šə·’ō·wl nap̄·šî , ḥî·yî·ṯa·nî , [mî·yō·wr·ḏê] (mî·yā·rə·ḏî- ḇō·wr) .”

Notice the brackets and parentheses that surround the last three words. Whenever brackets or parentheses appear in the written text, this denote an unsaid – therefore spiritual statement – that must be discerned. This literally translates to state this:

“Yahweh you ascended from the underworld my soul , you have kept me living , [that I should not go down] (that I should not descend as waters seep) .”

Here is verbiage that supports the view of being “drawn out (like water).” The use of “sheol” (meaning “underworld”) becomes like metaphor for a cistern, which is a natural hole in the rocky earth that collects rainwater runoff in the wilderness, before sinking further underground. To have a “soul” (“nephesh” as “nap̄·šî”) be kept from sinking lower and lower, to be “drawn out” is now “to ascend.” Here, the word “alah” (“to go up, ascend, climb”) must be realized as singing about the penetration of a “soul raising one from death.” That soul is Jesus’ (a Yahweh elohim). The unspoken words (in brackets and parentheses) mean this sinking is not physical, but spiritual; so, an eternal soul (which can never die) is not “kept living” or “kept alive” when it is always destined to reincarnate in a body of mortal (death bound) flesh.

Verse four then echoes the words of Psalm 150, which says “Hallelujah!,” which means “Praise YAH!” Here, David wrote, “sing praises Yahweh you pious of him.” Again, this is not David suggesting that the brains of people think up the words of songs to sing to Yahweh. It is Yahweh within one’s soul that elicits an immediate joy and elation that has such a high vibratory rate it is greater that music can define. As for “his pious,” that can only be a state of righteousness that is possible from being cleansed by an outpouring of Yahweh’s Spirit and the divine possession by His Son’s soul. This is the presence that brings one to “praise.”

The last half of verse four sings, “and give thanks , from remembrance from apartness .” Here, the Hebrew “godesh” (as “qā·ḏə·šōw”) means “apartness, sacredness,” where one’s soul has been set apart from those unsaved mortals. It is this “apartness” that makes one become a “saint” (or “pious one”); and, for that “sacredness” one owes Yahweh His “thanks” due. Still, one “gives thanks” because one “remembers” how close one’s soul was to death, when it was “separate” from Yahweh.

Verse five is shown by the NRSV as saying, “ For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, his favor for a lifetime.” That over-simplifies the truth of what is stated; but that simplicity is nice to know. It just has little depth of meaning, really making no sense. The Hebrew written literally translates to state the following:

“because a moment his face accompanies his acceptance to evening may pass the night weeping , and dawning shouts of joy .”

In this, the Hebrew word “aph” is constructed as “bə·’ap·pōw,” giving the impression of “his wrath” or “his anger.” The same word means “face,” which must always be read as the Covenant’s First rule, which is to wear no other “face” before Yahweh, other than His “face.” To wear that “face” shows the world the “wrath” one has possessing one’s soul, protecting one’s soul from predators. By reading this as “face,” the words “ḥay·yîm bir·ṣō·w·nōw” become the “alive” state of being, which is a “favor” placed upon one’s soul. The word “hayim” means “alive, living,” but also is acceptable as “accompany,” so in the plural it says two are ”alive” in one. That is the resurrection of the soul of Jesus; and, this presence makes it possible to enter into the “evening,” when light weakens and the darkness (death) of “night” comes. That death “may pass” as the time of Salvation for a soul; so, the soul not being condemned to reincarnation is then awakened to a new “morning” or “dawning” that brings forth exceeding “shouts of joy.”

This second half of verse five is where the Episcopal Church saw fit to make death and resurrection its own verse. That is impossible without wearing the “face” of Yahweh; and, that can only come from divine marriage of a soul to His Spirit. This makes verse five (the whole written by David) be an explanation of the “praise” that is due Yahweh.

Verse six is a short verse, which literally states: “and I said in my prosperity ; not shall I be shaken I eternal .” Here, the construct “wa·’ă·nî” states “and I.” This states a possessing identity that has been “added” to one’s ordinary first-person “I.” It is this possessing entity that “speaks” for one’s soul-flesh. It is this possessing soul (the resurrection of Jesus’ soul) that brings one’s soul “prosperity,” which is called “mine,” in the possession of a state of “ease.” It is then this possessing factor that makes it impossible for that possession to be “shaken” or “brought down.” By saying, “I eternal,” the first-person states the eternal soul has been freed to reach that “eternal” state of being. This verse this follows verse five singing about death and resurrection.

The true verse seven then literally says, “Yahweh by your acceptance you have taken a stance my mountain strong you concealed your face , I became terrified .” This is David singing about the presence of Yahweh giving him the strength that is insurmountable in the world. The second-person uses of “you” and “your” speak as a duality, where each are the other, so both are “you” in possession of one another. David’s soul had to make the commitment to “accept” Yahweh, just as Yahweh had to “accept” David’s soul. This “acceptance” (from “bir·ṣō·wn·ḵā” the construct saying, “with your favor” [NRSV]) also translates as “goodwill, favor, acceptance, will;” so, both David and Yahweh were joined out of mutual love. Once this union has allowed David to know the mountainous presence of Yahweh’s strength, the thought of losing that presence and protection becomes a fear of Yahweh,” in the sense the “fear” is in losing that union. This is the meaning of “fear only Yahweh” and nothing else.

Verse eight then has David singing, “to you Yahweh I called ; and to adonay I showed favor .” Here is where both “Yahweh” and “adonay” appear in the same verse, separated by a semi-colon. The word “adonay” (in the plural number) is like the use of “elohim,” and David’s use of “elohay” says “my gods,” not “my God.” The resurrection of the soul of Jesus within a wife of Yahweh means one’s soul has added a “Yahweh elohim,” which is the possession of “my elohim.” The plural of “adon,” meaning one “lord,” is the same as an “elohay,” but more than the “elohay” being only one’s “lord,” it is the minister overwhelming one’s soul, so the “adonay” are the “teachers” who will have disciples to teach. Thus, this verse says David “called out to Yahweh” for salvation; and, salvation came in the name “Jesus” (meaning “Yah Saves”). One then “shows favor” to others, expressing how Yahweh has “favored” oneself, by becoming an “adonay” for the benefit of others.

Verse nine then asks two questions, which are relative to this ministry for others. The first question asks, “what profit in my blood when I descend to the pit will praise you the dust ?” This says the physical presence of Yahweh and the soul’s possession by His Son does the world little good, when that presence is placed in matter without life, which will return to “dust.” The second question asks if “dust” is capable of “telling the truth.” Therefore, the focus of having Yahweh and His Son within one’s soul-flesh is to “tell the truth,” so others will know it and be led to the same divine unions.

Verse ten then sings the message of an “adonay.” It says, “hear Yahweh and have mercy on me Yahweh become my helper .” The Son of Yahweh (Yahweh elohim Jesus) speaks through a submissive soul, so the same cries for help oneself made – which found “favor from Yahweh” – are preached to others. In that way more than oneself will find “mercy” and “assistance.” Following verse nine ending with a focus put on the “truth” being “told,” only the “truth” of salvation will be “heard.” That means seekers of “truth” will be drawn to the message of a “teacher.”

Verse eleven follows, singing the praises of those led to salvation by an “adonay.” David literally wrote (in English translation), “you have turned my wailing into dancing for me you have opened my sackcloth ; and girded me with gladness .” In this, a “sackcloth” (from “saq”) is a garment of mourning, which means it is made of black animal hairs, symbolic of death. This means the “wailing” is self-pity, from knowing one will die and one fears the consequences of a sinful life. To “turn” that state of being into one of “dancing,” where the “sackcloth” has been “opened” and one is freed fro that ‘shroud,’ the elation comes from knowing salvation has been gained. To be “girded with gladness” means one’s soul has been made one with Yahweh and His Son, forevermore.

Verse twelve then begins with one construct that says, “to that purpose” or “to that intent” (as “lə·ma·‘an,” from “maan”). This is followed by a vertical bar, or a sign of rest and pause before continuing (“׀”). This says the final verse’s focus is on the “purpose” of David writing a song that would forever be to “consecrate his house,” where all who seek Yahweh in marriage will find this song as the “purpose” it is written. Following the vertical bar, David sang: “may sing praises glorious and not be silent ; Yahweh elohay , forever I will give thanks to you .” To “sing praises … forever” means to have one’s soul forever saved from the death of reincarnation. One who has received the Spirit of Yahweh and been reborn as His Son will never “be silent.” The intent is to make Apostles and Saints be the continuation of Jesus Christ walking the face of the earth – Saving souls!. All Saints are able to claim “Yahweh elohay,” as that means the soul of Jesus has been resurrected in their souls. The word “forever” is then a statement of eternal salvation; and, that is “intended” to be given to more than oneself.

As a chosen Psalm to be sung on the third Sunday of Easter, when the theme of Jesus’ resurrection is in full bloom, it is vital to realize Jesus’ soul existed long before Jesus of Nazareth was born from the womb of Mary. Yahweh created the soul of Jesus in Adam. It is the soul made for the purpose of saving lost souls. That salvation does not come from believing in stories about Jesus; it comes from having become Jesus reborn. That then extends well beyond selfish manipulation of Yahweh and His Son, to the point of one going into ministry as Jesus reborn. If David knew of this experience and wrote this song for all future members of his “house” to be led by, then it is time to become a family member in that holy “temple.” This song is meant to praise the resurrection of Jesus in all souls that will find salvation.

Language, Revelations, Teaching

Revelations 5:11-14 – Living creatures reborn as the Lamb

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

——————–

This is the Epistle selection that will be read aloud on the third Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow a “First Lesson” that is a mandatory reading from Acts. In Acts 9 we read, “Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;” That will be followed by a singing of Psalm 30, where David wrote, “Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.” All readings today will accompany the Gospel of John, which says: “Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.”

When Revelation is read, it is vital to understand it as a divine vision or dream. That which John wrote is not physical, but spiritual. It is the metaphor that must be understood. In the verses before these selected four verses, John wrote of the “seven seals” that kept the “scroll” from being read. The “Lamb” came to open the scroll and read it. This led all the “elders” (“twenty four”) to fall down before the Lamb and sing, “Worthy are you to take the scroll , kai to open the seals.” This means the ability of “completion” (metaphor for “seven”) is to understand Biblical Scripture (“scroll” is “biblion”) by breaking the “code” or “divine syntax” of Scripture, where “seals” (“sphragidas”) means “proofs.” The way one does that is by allowing the “throne” of Yahweh be in one’s heart (or soul), so the “Lamb” can be resurrected (His “right hand” extension into the world) in one’s soul-flesh. those are who fill the “golden bowls” with the “incense” of their “prayers” – “saints” in the name of the “Lamb.”

This becomes the Easter season theme of resurrection. John did not write some metaphor of the end of the world. He wrote explanations for Christianity that had taken place when he wrote; and, that past and present history would extend into the future, as long as the “Lamb” is to be reborn into “saints” (from “hagiōn”). This concept needs to be held when reading these four verses.

Verse eleven begins with a capitalized use of “Kai,” which is followed by a one-word statement: “eidon.” That is the first-person Aorist Indicative form of “horaó,” so the meaning says, “I saw, looked upon, experienced, perceived, discerned, or I was made aware.” HELPS Word-studies says of this word: “properly, see, often with metaphorical meaning: “to see with the mind” (i.e. spiritually see), i.e. perceive (with inward spiritual perception).” Because Revelation must be understood as a vison of metaphors, the best translation (made most important to grasp by a capitalized “Kai”) says, “I perceived” or “I discerned.”

That major importance of discernment or perception is then followed by five more uses of the word “kai” (in the lower case), where those denote important elements of this vision beheld by John. Those five are stated as this (with a semi-colon placed after the third segment, making the final two important elements be a separate but related part of this whole stated in verse eleven):

“kai I heard sound of messengers [angels] of many encircled of this of throne ,

kai of these of living beings ,

kai of these of maturity in seasoned judgment [elders] ;

kai it existed this number of themselves myriads [ten thousands] of myriads ,

kai thousands of thousands .”

From discerning “angels” as “messengers,” whose heart centers (their souls) are “encircled” (rather than “around”) “of this of throne,” the meaning is these “angels” are the “saints” of the earth. All of them have Yahweh within their souls; so, all of them are His “messengers” upon the earth. By not translating “zōōn” as “living creatures,” where that use of “creatures” takes away from the key meaning that is “alive” or “living” (as opposed to being “creatures” of death), the root meaning of “zoon” is “something alive.” This must be seen as a statement of those human beings that have earned eternal salvation, thus are made “alive” in the flesh (life animating matter that is dead). This gaining of “life” in the flesh means those “messengers” are “elders,” which means they have “matured in seasoned judgment,” which can be seen now as having “matured in Christ,” which is the “Anointment” of Yahweh, who sits on the “throne” that “surrounds” all of these “angel messengers.” Following the semi-colon, the two important statements say John “discerned” the number of these was (in essence) too many to put a fixed “number” on. This is a statement of the profound growth experienced by true Christianity, where all were “Anointed” by Yahweh. However, the second segment here is only one-tenth as much as the first segment, which shows a great decline in those “numbers.” That shows a rise, followed by a steep fall. That fall would be why Jesus spoke to John and had him have this divine vision.

Verse twelve then follows the “myriads” and “thousands” as creating a “sound” that “calls out” (“says”) “loudly”, “Worthy he exists this Lamb this having been slaughtered , to receive this power kai abundance kai insight kai strength kai honor kai renown kai blessing !” Within this are six uses of “kai,” with each one showing the importance of the soul of Jesus (the “Lamb”) having been placed (“he exists”) within the souls of those singing “loudly.” The capitalization of “Axion,” meaning “of Weight, of Worth, Worthy,” is a repeating of its use of “Axios”in verse nine (not read today), where the “Lamb” was deemed “Worthy” to take the “scroll” and “open the seven seals.” Now, this use says the “saints” have become “Worthy” from being the rebirth (“he exists”) of Jesus (“the Lamb”), making all “saints” have the traits importantly listed, which makes them sing loudly in praise.

Verse thirteen then also begins with a capitalized “Kai,” showing another major statement of importance to grasp. This that must be understood says, “every created thing which within this spiritual [heaven]”. Here, the word “ktisma” clearly states “creature,” furthering the use of “zōōn,” where focus was placed on “living creations.” The translation as “created things” removes the spectacle of a “creature” and makes it be stated as “created things,” which are all the creations of Yahweh. To then make it be most important to grasp this is relative to “heaven,” that should be read as the “spiritual” that is giving life to “creatures. This reference to “heaven” is then a major statement that all “things” with “life” “within” has a soul, given to it by Yahweh.

This powerful statement then follows with four internal uses of “kai” (in the lower-case), which makes important statements about all which possess souls. They are then stated as follows:

“kai on the basis of of this earth ,

kai underneath of this of earth ,

kai on the basis of of this of sea < exists > ,

kai these within of themselves all ,

In the first two important segments, the use of “earth” must be read as “flesh.” This is the “earth” that is most able to animate as “living,” as opposed to dirt and rock. This means the first important segment is placing focus on the presence of “heaven” or a “soul” in “flesh.” The second segment than makes one be aware that the “soul” is not visible, as is the “flesh,” because it is “underneath” it. This becomes metaphor for a “soul” being the “underlying” source of “life,” which is unseen and undetected or provable by science. In the third segment, the use of “of sea” becomes metaphor for the flow of life that engulfs the “earth.” The “sea” (as a reference to water) becomes symbolic for the emotional states that come from “being” alive. When the word “estin” is found placed within angle brackets it is a silent statement that life “exists” as a “sea” that ebbs and flows. In David’s psalms that tell of the Leviathan, it existed in the “sea,” as metaphor for the Spirit that possesses humanity, either as a good entity or bad (either way an elohim). The angle brackets show this hidden nature of “elohim” in the “sea.”

It is then from this “sea,” which is metaphor for the “myriads” and “thousands,” who then were “heard” by John’s soul “calling out” the next song of praise. Following a colon mark, the following is said:

“To this dwelling on the basis of this throne , to this Lamb , this blessing kai this honor kai this renown kai this strength unto these ages of this of ages .”

Here, the “saints” are singing praise for having Yahweh “seated” within their souls, where His “throne” makes Yahweh be the King of all. As such, the body of flesh becomes a temple, where the “throne” is the Ark of the Covenant, which represents the marriage vows sworn in divine union. With the body becoming a temple, Jesus (“this Lamb”) is given the role as High Priest, which makes him become “Lord” over one’s soul-body, who obeys his commands. This presence is the ”blessing,” which makes one created as “alive” by Yahweh be the “blessing” of sainthood. This is an “honor” given always to Yahweh, with the “renown” being in His name in marriage [“Israel”], while also in the name of Jesus Christ” [“Yahweh Save through Anointment”]. The “strength unto these ages of this of ages” is the promise of eternal life, through total submission of one’s soul to Yahweh.

Verse fourteen also begins with a capitalized “Kai,” making it be of major importance to grasp. Here, that great importance is placed on “the four living beings they kept saying”. Here, the number “four” (which was stated previously in verses six and eight [unread today]) must be seen as being symbolic of a solid foundation. This means Yahweh being seated within one’s soul, with His Son (“this Lamb”) the Lord of one’s flesh, that has made one be a “living creature” that is “alive in being,” so it is impossible for that union to ever be broken. Thus, those saved souls forever said, “Amen,” which means that spoke the “Truth.”

Following a period mark after “Amen,” John wrote another “kai” (in the lower-case), which shows importance needing to be read from “these matured men having seasoned judgment they fell prostrate kai worshiped .” The importance here says all who will become “alive” with eternal life, therefore being ministers of Yahweh, as His Son, they will project as “matured [in Christ] men [and women, all reborn as the Son] possessing seasoned judgment [Baptized by Yahweh’s Spirit].” This is so because they submitted their souls to Yahweh in totality, allowing themselves (a “self” is a “soul”) to be totally possessed by Him and resurrected as His Son’s soul in one’s soul. That is the meaning of them “falling prostrate,” because their self-will and self-egos all died – “fell down.” They “worshipped,” which means they gave all honor and praise to Yahweh for having saved their souls.

Unstated in the above text is an ‘aside,’ which is a final statement made in verse fourteen, which is enclosed in brackets. This segment of words translated into English as follows:

“[ to the living upon these ages of these of ages . ]”

This unstated aloud statement becomes insight that says these four verses will always state the truth about what frees a soul from the bondage to death that comes from being eternally recycled back into bodies of flesh [back to the “earth”] that will always die and start all over again. For as long as souls exist on the earth in “living creatures,” the “saints” will be sent to lead the lost to be found. One’s soul can only become a “living being” through sacrifice of self to Yahweh and totally submitting to Him in divine union. Only when “the Lamb” is resurrected within one’s soul, so the “scroll” can be taken and the “seals broken,” will the truth be exposed that gives one faith, along with the promise of eternal life.

As the Epistle reading during the third Sunday of Easter, when the theme of Jesus being raised from the dead has to be seen in each individual soul seeking eternal life [more than Jesus being saved alone], John’s Revelation must be seen as speaking of the truth of this meaning. Readings from Revelation are found in each of the six Sundays of Easter, in Year C. This says John did not write about some nebulous ‘End Times’ that can always be far away and never now. Everyone has an “end time” that is called death, which is known because a soul is placed in mortal flesh. These four verses, pulled from the fifth chapter of Revelation, says all must be married to Yahweh, with His “throne” within one’s heart and soul (love and marriage), which brings about “the Lamb,” who was “slaughtered” as a sacrificial Lamb, so his soul could be raised in the dead flesh of others. This will make one a “saint,” who will then be one of the “messengers” of Yahweh, spreading the Word known to be true by the Son. An inability to read these four verses as stating the truth above says one is not yet a “living creature.” One still needs to be raised from the dead.

John, Language, Teaching

John 21:1-19 – Prophesying future failures for Christianity

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

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This is the Gospel selection that will be read aloud by a priest on the third Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This will follow a mandatory reading from Acts, where we are told of Saul being touched by the soul of Jesus, where we read: “The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.” That will precede a singing of Psalm 30, where David wrote: “You have turned my wailing into dancing; you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.” That will be followed by a reading from John’s Revelation, where his prophetic dream saw this: “many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”’

The whole of John’s twenty-first chapter is only twenty-five verses; so, this reading selection is almost a whole chapter. A whole chapter of Scripture demands a full commitment to desire to understand that read. Anything less than that is pretending to be a Christian; and, that becomes the meaning of Jesus teaching his disciples the parable of the sheep and the goats. The sheep are those who serve Yahweh totally, becoming raised from the dead as Jesus reborn. The goats are the pretenders that find out pretending finds no reward. In verbiage that John is known for, his use of the “antichrist” needs to be realized to mean what that word says: Being against (anti-) receiving the Anointment of Yahweh (“Christ”) and being reborn as His Son. Those who reject Scripture knowledge – which can only come through the divine presence of the Lamb within (seals hiding the truth of the scroll broken) – will never be led to a full commitment to Yahweh, rejecting his proposal of marriage, so the truth will not be revealed.

To even begin to understand John’s twenty-first chapter, one must realize that the last two verses of his twentieth chapter summed up his book, while saying Jesus did many signs in the presence of his disciples souls [his enclosing “autou” in brackets, in verse thirty]. He ended that chapter by writing this: “kai so that having faith in , life you may possess within this name of himself .” That importantly says Yahweh and His Son are available to possess those who seek to be saved. This means salvation comes from the faith that has personal experience of Yahweh and Jesus. With that faith, one then has eternal life (raised from the dead) through the possession of “Jesus,” whose “name” means “Yah Saves.” A soul cannot be saved without marrying Yahweh, receiving His Spirit, and having His Son’s soul resurrected within one’s own soul. Without that divine possession, one’s own soul is only capable of finding sin and reincarnation (at best).

So, with that stated in John’s chapter twenty, the first word in chapter twenty-one says “After,” from the Greek word “Meta.” That word being capitalized means a divine level of understanding must be discerned from this usage. Strong’s says “meta” translates into English as this: “(a) genitive: with, in company with, (b) accusative: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.” Because the word following is in the Accusative, the usage here can be “After,” but I feel it would be better to see it as “Beyond.” This translation means this chapter of John’s becomes prophecy, as a dream or vision of the distant future, well after Christianity has begun. When the word (in the Accusative) is seen to be “these” (the plural word “tauta”), the names that follow (along with everything else) become metaphor that is everlasting … always capable of being applied “Beyond” the initial presence of Jesus’ soul within the souls of his followers.

In verse one, the words “thalassēs tēs Tiberiados” are written, which translates as “sea of this of Tiberius”. In that, the capitalization of “Tiberiados” must be read as divinely elevated in meaning. In John’s first verse in his sixth chapter, he wrote of “Jesus being on the other side of the sea of Galilee,” which he then added “tēs Tiberiados,” to denote the Sea of Galilee also had a Roman emperor’s name. By his exclusion of “Galilee” here, the divine elevation forces one to see a time and place “Beyond” where “these” reborn as Jesus have moved over a “sea” (the Mediterranean) to the city of “Tiberius,” who was emperor until his death in 37 A.D. (“After” the resurrection of Jesus in his disciples – 30 A.D.). The name “Tiberius” is rooted in the name of the river that flows through Rome – the Tiber River. Thus, a river god was named “Tiberis.” This should point focus on the expansion of Christianity to Rome, where Saint Peter would be given great attention (three hundred years “Beyond”).

In the naming of “Simon Peter,” these are two, separate capitalized words, both of which needs to be read as divinely elevated in meaning. More than stating a name of a man who died long before (from the perspective of a future prophecy), which limits how anyone today could gain from reading that name, the meaning behind the name has to be seen as the main purpose of this prophecy. That meaning says, “He Who Hears” and has become a “Rock.” When this is then seen as relative to “Tiberius,” this become the veneration of Saint Peter in the Vatican, where his name is the cornerstone (the “Rock”) of that Church.

Following those two capitalized names, John wrote of “Thomas,” who was also called “Didymos.” Both names mean the same: “Twin.” The first is based on the Hebrew word “to’am,” with the other being Greek, as a reduplication of the word “duo,” meaning “double” or “two-fold.” According to Abarim Publications: “The name Didymus means Twin, but it should be noted that it wasn’t commonly used as a name. The name Thomas, though later very popular, was also quite uncommon.” This means, just as “Simon” was called “Rock,” the same said about “Thomas” says that was not his real name, but a nickname. This would be because he acted like Jesus, or looked similar to Jesus, or both. The use of the Greek and Hebrew becomes a divinely elevated statement that Jews in the regions of former Greek control were where the “Duality” of Christianity spread.

In the segment that names “Nathanael,” this becomes divinely elevated as a statement that says “God Has Given.” When this is added to the name of the place “Cana,” that word means “Reeds,” with the name “Galilee” meaning “Rolling” or “Encircling.” When Christianity is seen as the focus of this “Beyond,” the use of “Reeds” for making baskets (like that baby Moses was found in, among the reeds), they become the spread of Saints that provide help to those grasping at ‘straws,’ in need of God’s help.

When the name “of Zebedee” is written, this means similar as “Nathanael,” as “Yah Has Given” or “Gift Of Yah.” This acts to confirm the “Reeds” that are “Surrounding” as the “Gift of Yahweh” that is His Son, to be resurrected within the souls of those seeking salvation.

Following all this naming of Saints, when only Thomas was named of all the disciples within the locked room, to have “He Who Hears” “Rock” tell the others he is going fishing, the capitalization of the Greek word “Hypagō” is divinely elevated to say “I” is the “Ego” or “Self-will” of the one claimed to be the first Bishop (or pope) of Rome. That Greek word is the first-person Present Indicative Active form of “I,” meaning “to lead or bring under, to lead on slowly, to depart.” This becomes an important declaration of a leader of a Church declaring, “I lead” a religion that plans on “fishing” for the souls of the lost. This personifies all good intentions from self-egos going to naught. The result of this expedition was “they caught nothing.”

When the timing of good fishing is seen as being at “night,” this symbolizes the darkness of death, when sleep symbolizes that state of being that surrounds a soul. To go fishing for souls at “night” then says oneself is dead, having not been raided to the light of truth. When one is mired in darkness, it is impossible to catch lost souls. Oneself is just as lost, because one is void of the soul of Jesus within. One has denied true Sainthood by rejecting divine union with Yahweh.

To realize that Matthew wrote in his final chapter (verse 16), “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go,” the number “eleven” says prior to Pentecost. Not knowing where the “mountain” is makes it difficult to connect a “mountain” to fishing on the “sea.” However, after having Jesus enter into each of their souls when it was still the Sunday of his discovery to be out of his tomb, it seems highly unlikely that those specific souls in human flesh would return to their former profession, as fishermen. Thus, the “boat” needs to be seen as the shape of Christian churches, where the “nave” (from the Latin “navis,” meaning “ship”) is shaped to resemble a fishing boat. The “Barque of Saint Peter” is metaphor for the Church of Rome, where the Roman Catholic Church is the “barque” (small boat).

When verse four begins with the capitalized word “Prōias,” divinely elevating “(early) Morning” to a statement of the dawning of the “Light” of truth, the darkness of “night” has brought about a vision of Jesus. For eleven disciples having each experienced epiphanies of Yahweh sending the soul of Jesus to guide them, that inner presence means none of them would see Jesus external to themselves, other than knowing Jesus also possessed other saints, just as his soul possessed theirs. To have gone fishing and caught nothing says those on that boat are “Beyond” reflections of true Christian saints, as those trying to be what they are not; and, they cannot be without Yahweh and Jesus, when in darkness.

When Jesus called to those on the boat at morning, he called them “Children,” from John writing a capitalized “Paidia.” That form is the Vocative plural for “paidion” means “a young child,” implying “a little child, an infant, or a little one.” To call grown fishermen that name says they were not yet matured as fishers of men’s souls. They were ministers or priests in a barque, whose only training for such an occupation was from being read Bible stories in “Children’s” church. This ‘pet name’ says their intent was sincere – they wanted to save soul – but none of them had a clue how to really do that. They were “infants,” versus the depths of the sea of souls.

When Jesus knew they had caught nothing, his telling them to “Cast your nets on the right side of the boat” says they were “Casting” wrongly. The capitalized “Balete,” divinely elevates “you have Cast” (in the second person plural past tense) so it says they have not done now as they had done in the past. The root word “bállō” says it can be translated to say, “you Tumbled” or “you Fell.” This divinely elevates this statement by Jesus as saying they caught nothing because they sought to catch soul in the wrong way (where the implication of having “Cast” left says the Church used sinister means, which will never catch souls properly). This says the “Children” needed to find the “right side,” in order to be successful.

John is “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John was the “Beloved” because he was the son of Jesus, born of Mary Magdalene. John was just a boy, therefore the true “Child” on the boat; and, John was “beloved” because he never lost faith or stopped being possessed by God and Jesus. Because he was a saint, he identified who was telling them where to “Cast” their “nets, as “This Lord.” Those two capitalized words say John placed tremendous guilt within the one professing to be the “Rock” of Rome. That guilt was because he had claimed to be a saint; but he did not recognize “This” most holy soul that justified the title saint, who was not the “Lord” of Simon’s soul. Thus, “He Who Heard” John speak the truth forced Simon to rip off his holy garments that identified him as a pope or bishop, jumping into the sea of sinner souls. He did that naked, to expose the truth for all to see. Simon wanted all to know he had served as a false shepherd.

When Simon bailed out of the barque, he left the other disciples to run the Vatican. Their leader had jumped ship. Having caught “a multitude of this fish,” they could not get them out of the water. By being “not far from land,” the “land” symbolizes the solid ground of salvation. It is where Jesus can be found. The Greek word “diakosiōn” means “two hundred,” where the number “two” always means the duality of soul and body, as well as soul with Spirit. By being “two hundred cubits” away from heaven, “dragging the net of fish,” none of those on the boat were “one hundred percent” submissive to Yahweh, reborn as His Son. While they could catch fish in a net, they did not know how to save their souls. They needed to replace their bodies (which includes a brain) with the Spirit of Yahweh.

When the disciples on the boat reached land, so they were truly possessed by the Spirit of Yahweh and they became Baptized souls, they saw the same food being prepared that was served the multitude in the plain by the sea (fish and bread). When Jesus said to bring the fish in, “He Who Heard” “the Rock” personally pulled the fish and the net onto land, bringing them to the Spirit of Yahweh. The number being “one hundred fifty three” (three separate words), those fish all had their souls Baptized (“one hundred percent Baptized by Spirit). They were halfway to being saints, reborn as Jesus (fifty percent). When the soul of Jesus would be resurrected within their cleansed souls, each would be a trinity (three) – Father, Son, Spirit.

The net not being broken says the presence of Jesus’ soul marks a soul for salvation. Once marked, the soul needs to be ‘processed’ by saints. Once saved, there can be no breaking that bond.

When John then wrote of the disciples being afraid to ask this strange man on the shore who he was, knowing it was their “Lord,” this speaks loudly that the same disciples that were filled with Jesus’ soul in the locked upper room would never be so unknowing once so possessed. This then speaks of those future saints, who are like those the soul of Jesus told the soul of Thomas, “Blessed are those who will come to faith without having seen Jesus of Nazareth.” The man offering them spiritual food was not someone they had ever seen before.

When John wrote, “this is the third time Jesus was revealed before his disciples,” this speaks loudly against the foolishness that preaches a “second coming.” Jesus appeared first as Jesus of Nazareth (born in Bethlehem). Jesus was revealed in those first saint-apostles on Easter, remaining with them until the eve of Pentecost. Jesus returned the second time on Pentecost Sunday; and, that rapidly spread to become the advent of Christianity. This “third time” is then Jesus being revealed to an entirely new generation of saints, none of whom had lived when Jesus lived. Thus, John wrote of this “having been raised from the dead,” which is how all saints are made. One’s soul must seek Yahweh in marriage, do the works that commit to the Covenant; and, then one’s soul must become where the soul of Jesus is resurrected. The “second coming” is at all times when a new saint is made.

In the verses that have Jesus asking “Simon of John” (barJonah) three times, Do you love me?” or literally “love you me?” The first two times, Jesus used the word “agapas,” with each time Simon answering “Yes,” but using the word “philō.” The third time Jesus asked, he used “phileis,” repeating that question with a capitalized “Phileis.” Simon answered again with “philō.” The difference is “agapas” asked Simon if his soul was in love with Yahweh, so his soul loved Jesus as a Son born to him. All times Simon answered that he loved Jesus like a brother, not like a mother to her son. That question asked if Simon was more in love with himself than with Yahweh. If he only saw Jesus as a brother, then he saw both of their souls as equals. That was explaining why someone would attempt to sail a boat to catch the souls of men and catch nothing, fishing in darkness. A fool makes the decisions necessary to be made by Yahweh, bringing failure upon himself or herself. Had that version of “He Who Hears” been in love with Yahweh and loved Jesus as a mother to her son, he would have not gone fishing for souls until he was prepared to make a catch every time.

Each time Simon failed to give the right answer to Jesus, Jesus told him a command. That says Jesus was the Lord of Simon. As his Lord, they were not equals. Jesus told Simon to “Feed these lambs of me,” where the capitalization of “Boske” means to “pasture the flock” by leading it to good pastures. Good pastures means feeding the lambs spiritual food. The second time, Jesus told Simon, “Shepherd these sheep of me.” There, the capitalization of “Poimaine” means to “Govern” the disciples, which is the meaning of an “adonay” – a “Lord, Master” or “Teacher.” The third time Jesus said, “Feed these sheep of me.” All of those “lambs” and “sheep” needed to be prepared to be sacrificed to Yahweh in marriage, which is the metaphor of being slaughtered and burnt on the altar as an offering. They would all be placed in the hands of Jesus, the High Priest. The role of Simon (and all saints) is to teach the truth, so the flock will desire to make the necessary sacrifice of self. The responses made by Simon indicated he was not prepared for such self-sacrifice. If not, then how could he properly shepherd sheep?

That led to Jesus saying (NRSV), “Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” That lesson says it was told because Simon needed to know it. Simon thought he could make decisions and have those decisions backed by God and Jesus; but that was making God and Jesus be commanded by Simon. It does not work that way. When Jesus said, “take you where you do not wish to go,” that says the his ego has not yet fully submitted unto Yahweh. It still wanted to do as it wanted, not what God commands. Thus, Jesus followed with the command, “Follow me.” That says, get rid of the ego-trip and do what I say from now on; and, “Follow” is a capitalized “Akolouthei,” which means it is divinely elevated to mean, “Be me reborn.”

This reading has to be seen as a prophecy that projects the failure of Christianity to be the same as the failure of Judaism, where the common people find it much easier to let a charismatic lead them. This reading from John has to be seen as the failures that would come from the Church of Rome, by letting men run that religion as a business, rather than fish for souls and show them how to get to heaven. It says there would come a time when the leaders would not recognize the voice of Jesus calling to them. Only someone who is still a saint can Baptize seekers and pass on Yahweh’s Spirit. Then, they can become the mothers of Jesus, as Christs. In a world that no longer listens to saints, because they are few and far between, the world now listens to pretenders wearing fancy clothes in a nave. The symbolism of feeding the priests spiritual food – bread and fish, Spirit and elohim – is the only way to find the souls needing to be saved and lead them to salvation properly. The only second coming is when one’s soul surrenders completely to Yahweh and gives rebirth to His Son in one’s soul.

Acts, Language, Teaching

Acts 9:36-43 – Raised from the dead to raise other souls from death

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.

——————–

This is the mandatory reading selection from Acts to be read aloud on the fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will precede a singing of Psalm 23, which famously begins by saying, “Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.” That will be followed by a reading from Revelation, where John wrote: “I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”’ All will accompany the Gospel selection from John, where he told of Jesus telling the leaders of Jerusalem, “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

When one realizes the Easter season is about oneself being raised from the dead, as Jesus’ soul resurrected within one’s soul, it makes perfect sense that a reading from Acts would involve someone being raised from the dead, as is seen here in the story of Peter raising Dorcas. This must be seen, however, not as Peter raising Dorcas but Jesus. Because Jesus was raised within the soul of Peter, then Jesus was able to use the flesh of his Saints to continue his ministry that was the spread of salvation to the lost souls of the world.

It should be seen that this story is similar to that of Elijah, who raised the widow’s son in Zarephath of Sidon. In First Kings 17:21 we read, “Then [Elijah] stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to Yahweh, “Yahweh elohay, let this child’s soul come into him again.” That must now be compared to this story, where Peter “knelt down and prayed.”

It is also very similar to the story told in Mark’s Gospel, when Jesus went to the home of Jarius (a leader of a synagogue), because his daughter was sick. By the time Jesus and Jarius arrived at the house, the girl had died. Similarly, where we read here: “Peter put all of them outside,” Mark wrote, “After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.” (NIV)

In all cases, it must be understood that only Yahweh can return a soul to its body of flesh. When Jesus raised Lazarus from death in his tomb, Jesus had said prior, “He is only sleeping.” When Jesus arrived at the home of Jarius, after told the girl was dead, Jesus told them, “The child is not dead but asleep;” at which point those whom Jesus told laughed at him. They laughed because they knew the difference between sleep and death; and, the girl was indeed dead.

In the stories of Elijah’s miracle and Jesus healing a little girl from death, no names were listed. Here, we are told the name of “a disciple,” which is Tabitha. That name means either “Gazelle” or “Beauty.” Her name in Greek (Dorcas) means either “Deer” of “Seer.” Interestingly, when Jesus spoke to the dead body that was Jarius’ daughter, he spoke Aramaic, calling her “Talitha.” That word means “Little girl,” which Mark then said in Greek Jesus called her “Korasion.” The comparison that should be taken from that and placed upon this similar healing done by Peter (raised as Jesus) is a “Little girl” is as close to purity as a soul in a body of human flesh can be, when not in possession of the soul of Jesus, granted eternal life.

When we are told Tabitha-Dorcas “was devoted to good works and acts of charity,” as well as being a disciple of Jesus through his ministry in Apostles, Tabitha-Dorcas was in essence like a “Little girl.” Her death placed her soul before the judgment of Yahweh; and, that becomes why Peter (as Jesus reborn) was sent to say Tabitha-Dorcas would be raised from the dead.

It should be understood that death is a known event in a mortal existence. When we read that Tabitha-Dorcas “became ill and died,” this shows how anyone can die, basically at any time. There are no guarantees that one will die of old age. Accidents and illnesses are a part of life. Thus, “the disciples, who heard that Peter was” in nearby Joppa were not calling him to come raise Tabitha-Dorcas from death. They would want Peter to come pray for her soul to ascend to Yahweh. When Peter arrived, it was Jesus within his soul that knew the time for Tabitha-Dorcas’ ascension had not yet come. She still had more good works (the point of the Book of Acts) to achieve, now for Yahweh.

The lesson of this story is being raised from the dead is not to be seen as some parlor trick or magic act that atheists and those who bow down and worship at the temple of science, where many declare Tabitha-Dorcas was not actually dead, but in a catatonic state. Her return to life had nothing to do with Peter praying for her. While all those naysayers will loudly deny a miracle, none of them will demonstrate how such ‘natural’ acts are done, by having someone place them artificially in such a state of ‘fake death,’ so they can show how this is always a possibility. Their beliefs in science and logic betray them when it becomes time to ‘put up or shut up.’

Still, as with the lesson of Lazarus, who was known to have shown signs of physical decay (stinking badly), the purpose of being raised from the dead was not so Lazarus could go on tour with Jesus and show a living body to paying customers, expecting them to actually believe that living body was once a decomposing corpse. Being raised from the dead is not about self. It is about one’s soul having proved a love of Yahweh, so divine marriage can allow one to be raised as Jesus – a Christ. That makes the lesson be the unwritten story of Tabitha-Dorcas the Saint, who went forth into ministry (as had Peter). The spread of Christianity is about every soul touched by Jesus (those healed, like the story of Aeneas, told just before this story) becoming raised from the dead and sent into ministry as Jesus reborn. The lesson says, “You do not receive the touch of Jesus and not become forever indebted to Yahweh for His sending one’s soul Salvation.”

Language, Psalms, Teaching

Psalm 23 – Yahweh is my shepherd

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

1 Yahweh is my shepherd; *

I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *

and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *

and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; *

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *

you have anointed my head with oil,

and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *

and I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.

——————–

This is the Psalm that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on every fourth Sunday of Easter, all Years, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This psalm is part of the “Good Shepherd Sunday” theme. It will follow a mandatory reading from the Book of Acts, which told of Peter healing Tabitha (or Dorcas), saying, “All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.” This pair of readings will be followed by a selection from John’s Revelation, where the prophet wrote, “Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where it is written: “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.”

I wrote a commentary about this Psalm 23 in 2021 and published elsewhere. It can be accessed here by searching for that reading in Psalms. At that time, I did not change the two places where “the Lord” has been the translation so many have memorized to quote, as children. Now, I have restored the proper name written by David, which is “Yahweh.” My prior commentary is still valid and worth reading. However, now I will add some thoughts that make it clearer why there is a “Good Shepherd Sunday” every Easter season.

The symbolism for the Easter season must be realized to be one’s own self – one’s own soul – having been raised from the dead, because the soul of Jesus has been the possessing spirit that causes that rise to eternal life. The Easter season is all about attaining Salvation, so one is no longer worried about death. Death is conquered by having Jesus resurrect within one’s soul. So, all of the lesson read during the seven Sundays of Easter deal with reflections upon that personal change within. This must now be equated with the concept of shepherding.

In last Sunday’s Gospel reading from John, a divine vision of the future was shown him, with the names of saints used to show failures in the future to be truly raised from the dead. At the end of that lesson, Jesus told Simon, “Follow me.” That was not a suggestion. It was a command. Prior to that, Jesus had told Simon (after three failure of him to state his love of Jesus being because he had given birth to him, in his soul (he felt he only loved Jesus as a brother), Jesus gave commands to Simon that said, “Feed my lambs, Shepherd my sheep, and Feed my sheep.” All of those commands can only be done by following the command that says, “Follow me.” Jesus is the Good Shepherd, so the only way Simon (or anyone else) can tend the flocks of Jesus is to be raised from the dead, as Jesus reborn. That lesson must be securely grasped to understand David’s Psalm 23.

In John’s tenth chapter, Jesus spoke of being the “good shepherd.” Prior to saying he was that, he said, “I am the gate for the sheep.” He said the sheep knew the voice of their owner. When David begins his Psalm 23 by stating “Yahweh is my shepherd,” that says Yahweh is the owner. Jesus is then the doorway to Yahweh, where the sheepfold becomes synonymous with salvation, as heaven and eternal life. In order to reach that place of safety, one must enter through Jesus. One must be raised from the dead by having the soul of Jesus resurrected within one’s soul. When that is known to only be a result of having married one’s soul to Yahweh, receiving His Spirit, made sacred as a Christ (Hebrew “Messiah”), then the soul of Jesus can be reborn within that Virgin womb made sin free. Jesus is then the voice of the Father that leads the sheep to green pastures and beside still waters. That is the meaning of “feeding my sheep” with spiritual food and giving my sheep living waters to drink.

When David sang in verse three, “He restores my soul,” the Hebrew word for “restore” is “shub,” which means “to turn back, return.” One cannot sing those words and get some fantasy vision of Jesus making one’s soul feel rejuvenated and young again. The “restoration” is all about Yahweh cleaning all one’s past sins, so a soul headed for ruin and damnation does not get lost out in the pasture and eaten by a wolf. Jesus cannot enter into a filthy dirty soul. All souls must be possessed by the owner Yahweh; and put into his sheepfold of cleaned wife-souls. This cleaning comes by the Spirit of divine marriage to Yahweh.

Here is where Christianity is not a request or volunteer work, where only partial submission to Yahweh is done. This is where Jesus telling Simon, “Follow me,” where “Follow” was a capitalized “Akolouthei,” making it have divinely elevated significance as a command, not a friendly request. Your soul “Follows” through complete and total submission to Yahweh. This is seen in verse two saying, “he makes me lie down” (“yar·bî·ṣê·nî”) and “he leads me” (“yə·na·hă·lê·nî”). The repeating of “he leads me” in verse three (“yan·ḥê·nî”) says Yahweh (the owner) has sent His Son to shepherd His flock. The mindless sheep do not know how to stay out of danger. Therefore, they must have a soul in firm control of their safety, so he watches and the sheep does as he says. He leads and he makes the sheep go to “paths of righteousness.”

I have stated this prior, but it bears repeating that whenever we read in Scripture “for sake of his name” (or “in his name’s sake”), the meaning of “name” says a soul is married and no longer in the name one was before. A wife of Yahweh takes on the name “Israel,” which means one has taken on an elohim within one’s soul. That “el” is Jesus. Therefore, one in the name of Yahweh can equally be called “Jesus,” because that name means “Yahweh Saves.” David sang that having the same “el” that is the soul of Adam (aka Jesus) within his soul is what “led him in the paths of righteousness.” Like Jesus told Simon, no one choses a path of righteousness because they are brotherly friends of Jesus. To “Follow me” means to be “in my name,” so I will lead you to become righteous.

When verse four sings, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” that sings about every soul in a body of flesh being mortal … born to die. The “shadow of death” (Hebrew “tsalmaveth”) can be read as the evil influences that are prevalent in the world, tempting one’s soul to sin and please the flesh, where those sins place a “shadow” on one’s soul (dirty filth) that will keep it from gaining eternal life in heaven upon Judgment. When one is like the failed souls of the future, who will be cions of saints, not true Saints, the “shadow of death” is always “feared.” One always “fears” being trapped by “evil,” even when one calls oneself a brother of Jesus. Only when one has become married to Yahweh, so His Son is always with one as it grazes, does it never think, so it never thinks to “fear evil.” The presence of Jesus within one’s soul always keeps “fear” and “evil” away from one’s tiny (sacrificed) brain.

When the tools of a shepherd are seen in “your rod and your staff,” that says a whack from a “rod” will get one’s attention to go in another direction. These ‘love taps’ are the necessary lessons one learns as one goes long in life. If one gets into some place where rescue is necessary, then the “staff” becomes the crook that can reach into tight places and pull one to safety. Still, the shepherd will primarily use those tools against any dangers, before they threaten one’s soul. Therefor, they become part of the imagery of one’s shepherd; so seeing them “comforts” one’s soul to know one is being diligently watched over. When Jesus told Simon to “Follow me,” that said to be the shepherd in whom Jesus held the “rod and the staff” that made him able to feed and care for flocks.

In verse five, the aspect of a “table” being “prepared” is meant to mean the Seder meal. When the Egyptians refused to allow Moses to use his staff and lead the flock (Yahweh’s children) out to pasture, the yearling lamb became the central focus of a prepared meal. Each soul is raised to be that lamb without blemish, who will willingly sacrifice itself in the “presence of one’s enemies.” The symbolic foods eaten at the Seder meal symbolize the self-sacrifices a soul must make to gain the Promised Land (metaphor for Heaven, not real estate in the Middle East). To sing “My cup runneth over” reflects the drinking until one passes out drunk, drinking cups of wine after the four of the Seder meal. One’s “head is anointed with oil” means self-sacrifice in marriage to Yahweh (becoming an Israel) means His Spirit has made one a Messiah (Greek a Christ). This verse then sings of the total commitment to serve Yahweh, through the commands of His Son. In this preparation to become served on the plate of self-sacrifice, one’s worst “enemies” are the sins one’s flesh has become addicted to (and the friends who like you filled with sins). One must sacrifice one’s soul to Yahweh so those “enemies” can be defeated.

The final verse then sing of the “goodness” that can only come from uniting with Yahweh. Jesus said, “Only God is good.” One cannot pretend to be “good,” as only the presence of Yahweh allows “goodness” to shine forth. When Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd,” his use of “good” says Jesus does only what Yahweh tells him to do. Therefore, he is a shepherd sent by Yahweh to do “goodness.” This presence can only come after a total cleansing of sins, which is the “mercy” shown by Yahweh to His wife-souls. When David sang, “shall follow me” (“yir·də·p̄ū·nî”), this sings of David doing as Jesus commanded Simon. He did not refer to “mercy following David,” he said “mercy” will come by David “following” as commanded. Those orders will be followed as long as David’s body of flesh held his soul. When released from that flesh, David’s soul would experience eternal life in heaven – “the house of Yahweh.” The experience would last for eternity.

As a standard Psalm to be sung on every fourth Sunday of Easter, it is vital to see the depth of meaning that comes from David’s divinely inspired words. While David did not know Jesus of Nazareth, his soul knew the same soul within his. It is the Yahweh elohim told in Genesis 2, when Yahweh created His Son Adam. Yahweh created Adam to become the eternal soul to be resurrected in the souls of Yahweh’s lambs. The Good Shepherd is Jesus reborn. Jesus told his disciples, prior to his final Passover week, the parable of the sheep and the goats. The goats are those like Simon, who thought being a brother of Jesus (his equal in the flesh) was enough. In Jesus’ parable, the goats were as worthless as branches that bore no fruit – they were thrown into the outer darkness. The Church elders knew the meaning of Easter; and, it is not to worship Jesus as some hero that did things nobody else can do. Easter is all about the sacrifice of self, so one can be raised from the shadow of death, as Jesus reborn. Oneself must rise from slaughtered lamb to be a new good shepherd.

Language, Revelations, Teaching

Revelation 7:9-17 – Standing before the face of the throne, wearing the face of the Lamb

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

For this reason they are before the throne of God,

and worship him day and night within his temple,

and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

the sun will not strike them,

nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

——————–

I wrote about this reading when it was a selection for All-Saints Day, in 2020. I went deeply into the meaning offered by this selection, pointing out how Revelation is a standard fare during the Easter season and All-Saints Day. I recommend readers view that commentary at this link here. I will take a different view of this reading from the Easter perspective at this time.

This reading from John’s Revelation needs to sound similar to the vision Isaiah wrote of, in Isaiah 6:1-8. In that vison, Isaiah saw “adonay” – “lords” – “above a throne” that was the vacated seat of Uzziah. Isaiah saw seraphim, who had covered their faces with two of their wings. While this angelic presence included all spirits who claimed allegiance to Yahweh, the question raised was who would take the throne of Judah and which angels would support that reign. Isaiah saw himself as a sinner; but one seraph touched his lips with a coal from the altar fire, purifying his soul. When the question was raised, “Who shall we send? “ Isaiah say, “Here I am. Send me.” He was then commissioned to advise the throne of Judah as a prophet.

While the two visions differ in details, they both must be seen as having immediate impact on the world, where John was not shown a vision that would hold off until the end of the world. There can be no ‘End Times’ nonsense applied to this reading. John saw souls that were totally committed to Yahweh, and thereby were one with the Lamb, who is the soul of Jesus. In verse nine, where the NRSV shows it saying, “with palm branches in their hands,” the reality of the Greek shows this is not a good translation.

The Greek written says: “kai phoinikes en tais chersin autōn .” The word “phoinikes” (“φοίνικες” and pronounced “phoenix”) says “palm trees,” which are fully living plants. The same word in Greek can be found to indicate Phoenicians, where the root of that name implies something to do with date palms (not dead branches cut from them). The name is also said to have a relationship with the color purple – a sign of royalty, thus valuable.

When this segment of words is seen to begin with the word “kai,” indicating it is important to firmly grasp the meaning and intent, to translate it as “palm trees within these hands themselves,” one can see within their souls (“themselves”) was a growing plant (like a vine), one that denoted a royal hue. This was “within” their beings. As such, each was a “hand” of Yahweh and the Lamb. To see imagery that has people holding palm branches must be seen as the danger this vision warned against. When a living growth becomes a severed (dead) branch, then no one has bowed down in submission to Yahweh, nor the Lamb.

When these living souls all cry out, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” that says “Salvation” is the promise. However, the Greek text does not present the word “salvation” as a capitalized word (“sōtēria”). Instead, a capitalized “Hē” preceded that word, which shows divinely elevated “This” as being that which delivers souls to this state of being saved. “This” is then Yahweh and His sending the Lamb to them.

When the translation above shows, “they fell on their faces before the throne,” the Greek text shows, “epesan enōpion tou thronou epi ta prosōpa autōn,” which literally translates to state: “they fell prostrate before the face of this of throne upon these faces of themselves”. It is vital to see this segment of words as stating absolute submission to Yahweh, where the first commandment (the marriage vows a soul must agree to) says, “You shall not wear the face of any lesser gods before my face.” That says the face of self is a face that must bow down and “fall prostrate before the face of of this of throne.” The Genitive (possessive) case then says, the bowing down of one’s own “face” then allows one to stand around the throne, wearing the face of Yahweh. This is the symbolism of marriage, when one’s own name and identity is forever given away. The face one wears to the world (as a wife) is that of one’s husband. When Yahweh is that Holy Husband, then one wears His face to the world. This is then the “face” of righteousness. When the face of Jesus (the Lamb) is part of that submission, that face leads one to wear the face of Yahweh. Again, “autōn” is a statement of “their souls” (“themselves”), where it is souls wearing this face, not physical bodies.

Just as the soul of Isaiah was taken into conversation with the divine, so too was John in his vision. When we read, “Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” This must be seen as the spiritual entity who questions each and every soul sent forth by Yahweh, asking, “Do you know how to sing praises about salvation?” When this spirit is identified as one of the “elders” (“presbyterōn”), which means that soul was “matured with seasoned judgment” – meaning “experienced” with the Spirit, wearing the face of Yahweh and the Lamb – this projects the need in the physical realm to have Apostles and Saints. While being filled with the Spirit makes one’s soul be guided by a Yahweh elohim, the question posed by the “elder” came from an “adonay” or “teacher.” This is the soul of Jesus speaking to the soul of John. Therefore, John responded by saying, “Kyrie mou,” or “Lord of me.” When he said that, the question came from within John’s soul, from Jesus’ soul being his “Lord.” All “elders” have been reborn as Jesus.

When this “elder” is then shown to tell John’s soul, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal,” the Greek text written here says this: “Houtoi eisin hoi erchomenoi ek tēs thlipseōs tēs megalēs”. That literally translates to say, “These they exist those coming from out of of this of persecution of this of great”. In this, the Genitive (possessive) case must be applied to the last four words, where the possession has to be understood as divine. To see “of this” repeated (“tēs”), “this” is the possession by Yahweh that refers back to the capitalized “These” (“Houtoi”). “These” are all the souls surrounding the throne and the Lamb, who sing praises of salvation. Because the number of “These” is too many to count (from early in verse nine), that confirms a divine possession that is “of great” or “of exceedingly high” numbers. This leaves the words “erchomenoi ek” and “thlipseōs” – “coming from out of” “of persecution” – to be understood.

The word “coming” has to be seen as souls arriving before the throne for the first time. This word should be read as these souls having been raised from the dead, where death is the trap of a soul in a physical body of flesh, existing in the material realm. Just as Isaiah and John had visions of the spiritual realm, while still alive in their bodies of flesh, the word “coming” means “arrival” before the throne, after having sacrificed their self-will and self-ego to serve Yahweh and be reborn as the Lamb. By understanding that, the “persecution” has to be seen as the temptations to sin that bombard a soul while in the flesh. The same word (“thlipseōs”) can be translated as “tribulation,” which takes on some ‘End Times’ air that is difficult to grasp. The meaning of “tribulation” is (simply stated) “a trying experience.” This says a soul sent into a body of flesh has been placed into a realm where pain and suffering is commonplace. To escape from that worldly condition, a soul must marry Yahweh and be resurrected as His Son.

When the “elder” then said, “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” the “robes” (“stolas”) becomes metaphor for their souls having led lives in sinful bodies of flesh. The use of “white” implies “purity,” which makes a body of flesh become virginal, becoming synonymous with a “chaste” state of being (a virgin). It is then into that washed clean (the Baptism of the Spirit) state of being that the “blood” relationship makes one both the mother and the brother of Jesus resurrected. To be the ”blood of the Lamb” is to be Jesus reborn in the flesh, his soul one with one’s own soul. That presence in one’s soul then allows that soul to be “coming” before the throne and the Lamb, saved and freed from the “tribulations” of worldly existence.

When we read, “For this reason they are before the throne of God,” here again is the word “enōpion” mean “before the face of,” where one’s soul can only come before the throne of Yahweh wearing His face.

When we read, “worship him day and night within his temple,” there is only the light of truth in the spiritual realm of Yahweh. Thus, “day and night” designates a worldly presence, with day being the light of truth that guides one during the darkness of a world that produces tribulations. The “temple” is one’s body of flesh, so one’s “worship” is obedience to the guidance of the soul of Jesus within.

When we read, “the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them,” the spiritual ‘place’ of the “throne” is within one’s heart center, which aligns with one’s soul. This is the meaning of the Arthurian saying, “the king and the kingdom are one.” Heaven is not some distant place to find outside of one’s being, because it is always within. To seek Yahweh is to seek within one’s soul. Thus, the “throne” is at a place within that needs total spiritual submission from everything physical, in order to be able to find. Once found, the “shelter” is the Spirit that surrounds one, making one be Anointed (a Christ) by Yahweh.

When we read, “They will hunger no more, and thirst no more,” this is an unending supply of spiritual food (manna from heaven) and ever-living waters that replenish one’s soul. The element of “thirst” is a desire for cleansing of past sins.

When we read, “the sun will not strike them,” this needs further examination. The Greek text written here is this: “oude mē pesē ep’ autous ho hēlios,” which literally states: “not lest they shall fall on the basis of their souls (“themselves”) this sunlight”. From having just said one’s soul will no longer find “hunger” for spiritual food or “thirst” for redemption, the continuation then says, “neither not they shall fall.” Here, “to fall” means to fail Yahweh or go against (alternate translation of “ep’”) the Lord of “their souls” – Jesus. Thus, this is a promise that “sunlight” will never be denied them. While the physical realm has night and day, the “sun” of Jesus’ truth will always be shining within.

To then have this followed by John writing, “nor any scorching heat,” this actually says, “nor any burning” (from “oude pan kauma”). This is then saying none will be dead limbs or unproductive vines that get trimmed away and cast into the fire. Salvation keeps all souls producing as the good fruit of the vine that is Jesus the Lamb and Yahweh on the throne.

When we then read, “for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,” this places the focus of this reading (on Good Shepherd Sunday) on David having sung, “Yahweh is my shepherd.” From marrying Yahweh one will become His possession, as one of His flock. Yahweh will then send His Son (just as Jesse sent David) to shepherd that flock. The Lamb does not sit on the throne. Yahweh does. Jesus is at the right hand, where souls become the living vines that become his hands. This is how the sheep know the voice of Jesus.

When John wrote, “he will guide them to springs of the water of life,” this is as David wrote, “he leads me beside still waters.” This is the ever-living waters of purity, which replenishes one’s soul forever.

When this reading ends with John writing, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes,” it is important to realize “God” or Yahweh is the source of all goodness. There can be no “good” shepherd without Yahweh. Jesus is the Lamb, so the sheep will identify with him as the one sacrificed to save their souls from death. All tears come from realizing the mortality of life in a body of flesh. Those tears are wiped away when salvation has been gained. That promise of eternal life comes from the complete submission of one’s soul to Yahweh. Once saved, then the Lamb will be sent to protect Yahweh’s possession.

As a reading on Good Shepherd Sunday, it is vital to know Yahweh is one’s shepherd. Jesus is the Lamb sent by Yahweh to watch over His flock. Modern Christians read David’s Psalm 23 and see artist renderings of Jesus watching over a flock. Their minds soon think David claimed Jesus was his shepherd, when David never knew the inner soul of the Christ by that name. There can be nothing “good” without the presence of God within. A “Good Shepherd” comes from Yahweh’s love for His flock. As the Lamb, Jesus is possessed by Yahweh. Jesus is the soul of Adam, made by the hand of Yahweh – a Yahweh elohim – a creation to be the “Good Shepherd.” It is vital to know that the way it works is not being allowed to be a black sheep that always comes baaahing, “Forgive me,” so one can then resume being a sinful soul. One must fully submit one’s soul to Yahweh, before one can ever begin to expect Jesus to come watch over your soul. The reason John’s Revelation is feared is people know how much fun it is being a dirty little sheep, afraid to be found and then scrubbed clean spiritually. To be that means forevermore commitment. One must agree to the terms of marriage; and, the first rule is to always bow down before Yahweh, only standing before the throne when one wears His face. Selfish sheep refuse to do that. Thus, the ‘End Times’ are not pleasant to think about.

John, Language, Teaching

John 10:22-30 – Plain talk about being a sheep in Yahweh’s flock

December 28, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

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This is the Gospel selection that will be read aloud by a priest on the fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow a mandatory Easter reading from the Book of Acts, where Peter raised Tabitha (Dorcas) from death. We read there, “Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive.” That is followed by a singing of Psalm 23, which says, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” That will be followed by a reading from John’s Revelation, where in a vision he heard an elder say, “for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life.”

It is good to know that each of the three liturgical years the fourth Sunday of Easter is called “Good Shepherd Sunday,” according to the Episcopal Church (tradition has it be the third Sunday). The Gospel selection for each year comes from John 10, with Year A focusing on verses one through ten, Year B on verses eleven through eighteen, and Year C the verses listed above: twenty-two through thirty. In this, three verses are omitted: nineteen through twenty-one. It is worthwhile to know those verses are important to realize, in order to see these verses as being separate timing from these of the Year C lectionary.

John 10:19-21 state this:

“Again the Jews were divided because of these words. Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?” Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

(NRSV)

The ones who Jesus told he was the gate to the sheepfold and the good shepherd are not identified in the verses read in Years A and B. It is these omitted verses that we see it was generically stated to be “the Jews,” who were “divided” because Jesus used the shepherd-sheep analogy. The two questions posed state that Jesus spoke words that nobody understood; so, the use of shepherding and sheepfolds flew over everyone’s heads. The two question pose that people saw Jesus either as a threat or as a miraculous prophet, who spoke in ways people could not understand. The point made by these three is the shepherd-sheep theme was spoken regularly while Jesus was in Galilee. This division among the Jews was more prominently against Jesus in Jerusalem; and, this is where these nine verses selected to be read during Year C take place.

In the Greek of these three verses, verse nineteen begins by saying, “Schisma palin engeneto,” which translates as “Division again it came.” The capitalization of “Schisma” divinely elevates that word to be read as more than a common “split.” This “Division” must be read as the significance of “Two,” where that number always denotes a duality. When a divine elevation is applied to “Two,” this becomes a soul in a body of flesh. When the verb “engeneto” can be read as “it born,” the two question posed can be seen as metaphor for fertilization, where an egg is naturally resistant to outside influences and a sperm becomes those external influences. The two do not join naturally, as pregnancy is always guided by the hand of God. Thus, the egg symbolizes Judaism, made up of all the Jews that defended the Law, while not being complete with knowledge of what the Law meant; and, Jesus was the sperm that was sent to impregnate the egg with that knowledge, with the egg knowing it needs to receive and “Split” to grow, while rejecting all comers as a natural sense of protectivity.

Verse twenty-two begins with a capitalized “Egeneto,” which is a third-person singular Aorist Indicative form of “ginomai,” which means, “to come into being, to happen, to become.” The capitalization raises this word’s meaning to a divine level, where it means more than “it happened.” The word must be read as shining the implication of “it was Born,” where after three years of ministry this “division among the Jews” “Became” more than a fear of Jesus, but a sincere concept that Jesus must die. This “Birth” took place “at the time these” came to Jerusalem for the “Feast of Dedication.”

According to the Wikipedia article (“Dedication”), this is written: “The Feast of Dedication, today Hanukkah, once also called “Feast of the Maccabees,” is a Jewish festival observed for eight days from the 25th of Kislev (usually in December, but occasionally late November, due to the lunisolar calendar).” From this, John writing a non-capitalized “enkainia” says this festival was not divinely elevated, therefore not recognized by Yahweh. A “dedication” or “renewal (of religious values)” was not a “dedication” to Yahweh, but to a piece of property held dear to the returning exiles from Babylon. Their Second Temple gave them some sense of importance in the world, after having cheated on their Holy Husband until officially divorced. The “dedication” of the Jews in “Jerusalem” was to themselves being property owners again, having nothing to do with giving honor and praise to Yahweh (and Yahweh had never Commanded, “If I allow you to divorce me and take away your promised land, then if you ever get part of it back you must recognize that date every year for eternity.”)

The capitalization of “Hierosolymois,” the Greek form of the name “Jerusalem,” needs to be read as the meaning behind the name: “Teaching Peace.” This says that a “dedication” to a second temple (and not to Yahweh) taking place in the place where “Teaching Peace” (that of Yahweh’s presence within) should be projecting knowledge that taught how to find the inner “Peace” of Yahweh was not a ”rededication” to anything other than proclaiming self-worth. This is most important to realize, as this segment naming “Jerusalem” is followed by a complete sentence that says, “winter it existed” (from “cheimōn ēn”). Not only is “winter” when the days are shortest and the nights are longest, in the Middle East “winter” was synonymous with “storms” or “the rainy season.” Thus, the Jews chose a time to “dedicate” themselves to serving a second temple (rather than Yahweh), when sunlight was less and clouds routinely blocked what sunlight there was.

When John then wrote that Jesus was on the “porch of this of Solomon” (“stoa tou Solomōnos”), where “stoa” also means “portico” or “colonnade,” the capitalization of “Solomon” makes it become a divinely elevated statement about the temple the Jews “dedicated” their soul to. The name of “Solomon,” who first decided to build a fixed place in which to transfer the Ark of the Covenant, says the “Wisdom” his name stands for is what the Jews worshiped, more than the divine insight of Yahweh’s possession. When the Easter season is known to be a time when the souls of Yahweh’s flock are raised from the dead that is a lost sheep, the name “Solomon” becomes synonymous with the “Big Brain.” Big Brains are the great impetuous that keeps a soul from receiving the soul of Jesus (remember the egg and the sperm analogy). So, it was not coincidence that had Jesus “encircled” by those divided against him in a place named for a “Big Brain.”

When the NRSV shows those Jews asking Jesus, “How long will you keep us in suspense?” this is an over-simplification of the truth written by John. His Greek says: “Heōs pote tēn psychēn hēmōn aireis?” That literally translates to ask, “Until when this human soul of ourselves you raise us up?” Here, the capitalization of “Heōs” becomes a divinely elevated statement of “As far as” or “How long,” which states an inner soul demanding of Yahweh to answer their question of “when” the Jews will ever be “raised up” from their deaths as servants to their Roman overlords. It states a demand of Yahweh to speak to them, at their command, which is some self-perceived authority as keepers of a temple. The question is based on their “human souls” (“psychēn”), which were believe to be from “the breath of identity” given to them by Moses, as the ‘children of God.’

When John next wrote that the Jews said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly,” they questioned (the “Division” of “Schisma”) within their “human souls,” where the conditional of “if” (written “ei,” not a capitalized word) said they did not know for sure. Before they killed Jesus, they wanted him to state in “plain” words, “I am the Messiah” (written “Christos”). Again, using the pregnancy metaphor of the egg and the sperm (where “Division” is the Yahweh-directed cell growth that leads to a body of flesh being born), this question would be like the egg asking the one sperm (out of who knows how many) to produce authorization papers from God, saying “Let this one into you.” That must be seen as a demand that lacked total and complete faith in Yahweh. It is like telling Yahweh, “I will believe in you after you do a trick for me … like make me rich.”

In verse twenty-five, Jesus basically spelled out what a total and complete lack of faith was. It was everything done prior, which led to that moment in time. Everything Jesus had said to them completely shut them up, letting them know that none of them had a clue about what the words of the Law they so diligently memorized meant. On top of all those “plainly” stated conversations held every time Jesus was in Jerusalem, and all the times they conversed in Galilee, Jesus had performed miracles that none of them could ever do. Jesus “plainly” stated everything he had done pointed to the answer they wanted; but they were to Big Brained to see the forest from the trees.

It was here that Jesus returned to the shepherd-sheep theme, which he had preached prior, which most probably they had heard (in some way or another). When Jesus said, “you do not have faith in what you have heard and witnessed external to your bodies of flesh (where Big Brains sit enthroned in a skull), because your souls do not exist from out of of sheep of this of myself” (from “este ek tōn probatōn tōn emōn”). There, the Genitive case in “of sheep, of this, of myself” shows possession. This is “plainly” telling each and every Jew standing around Jesus (“encircling”), “To have faith that I am the Messiah, your souls [“hymeis” as “yourselves,” where “selves” are “souls”] have to be possessed by my soul [from “emōn” as “mine”]. As my possessions [my “sheep”], you would have lost your Big Brains and realized your soul’s safety is in my hands. Big Brains lead you to find the wolves, which does not end well.” Again, using the egg-sperm analogy, the Jews thought they were better off sloughing out as wasted opportunity [death born], rather than receive the seed of Yahweh and be raised from the dead as “little sheep” for His Son to shepherd.

In verse twenty-seven, Jesus repeated what are the expectations of “these sheep,” which are “these of myself” or “of mine,” stating clear possession. This possession is spiritual, not physical ownership. This possession says the soul of Jesus has been raised with the souls of his sheep. Once that soul possesses his sheep’s souls, they hear his voice speaking to them spiritually. Because the soul of Jesus is one with the souls of his sheep, Jesus knows everything about those sheep. When the verse ends with Jesus saying importantly (use of “kai”) “they follow” (“akolouthousin”), this is what Jesus meant when he said, “Follow me” to his disciples. That does not mean walking behind a physical Jesus on a trail somewhere in the Middle East. It means the soul of Jesus has become the Lord soul over a soul and its body of flesh, so each individual sheep does as Jesus commands. When “they follow,” they are Jesus reborn; and, this is the Easter theme of being raised from the dead.

To confirm this is a spiritual possession, verse twenty-eight does that by Jesus saying, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” (NRSV) That is the permanence of “eternal life” (“zōēn aiōnion”), which last just a little bit longer than a mortal life in human flesh lasts. In order for a soul to be possessed by Jesus’ soul, it has to first submit totally and completely to Yahweh, being made pure by His Spirit. That allows for the soul of Jesus to resurrect within another soul (countless times – one of the abilities Yahweh has), which is permanent and forever and ever. Only souls last that long; but they get recycled into mortal bodies of flesh, if they do as the Jews decided to do.

This marriage to Yahweh coming first is confirmed in verse twenty-nine, where Jesus said, “What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand.” (NRSV) What is actually written in the Greek text is this: “ho Patēr mou ho dedōken moi”, which literally states, “this Father of myself this he has given to myself”. In that, the Genitive case says Yahweh (“Father”) is the owner of Jesus, so Jesus is His possession (as His Son). The meaning of “this he has given” is the flock’s souls (his sheep). Wherever “self” is possible to be translated (“of myself” and “to myself”), a “self” is a “soul,” as there is no human life on earth without a “soul.” A “soul” makes a “self” out of a corpse. When Jesus takes possession of one’s “soul-self,” then that ‘sheep’ has gained “eternal life,” compliments of marriage to the “Father.”

In verse thirty, Jesus said, “The Father and I are one.” (NRSV) This says “the Father” and the Son are one. When a sheep’s soul gets added to that combination, one is talking about a Trinity, where the possession of a soul by Yahweh comes by His Spirit in divine marriage. When the soul of Jesus is then resurrected within that wife-soul of Yahweh, one has the “Father,” Son and Spirit. When the Spirit is present in a human being, that is Baptism by the Spirit, which makes a soul in a body of flesh become Holy” (“Hagion”). Only such sheep can be “Holy,” because holiness, sainthood, and living righteously is only done by divine possession on planet earth.

As a Gospel reading for the Sunday deemed “Good Shepherd Sunday,” it is imperative to see that one identifying as a Christian, while not being a Saint, is really no different than the Jews of Galilee and Jerusalem, where half of them thought Jesus was possessed by demons, while the other half thought there was something special about anyone who can work miracles. If one does not hear the voice of Jesus tell one what to do, then Jesus is not one’s shepherd. The whole point of the Easter season is to die of self, because one realizes self will only lead a soul to ruin. One must submit to marriage to Yahweh (learning His name is a good ‘ice-breaker’), in order to be possessed as His flock. Once one is a sheep of Yahweh, then He will send His Son to be your Good Shepherd; and, Jesus said “only God is good.”

Acts, Language, Teaching

Acts 11:1-18 – What God has made clean, you must not call profane

December 27, 2025 R. T. Tippett Leave a comment

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, `Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I replied, `By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a second time the voice answered from heaven, `What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, `Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

——————–

This is the mandatory selection from the Book of Acts that will be read aloud on the fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will precede a singing of Psalm 148, where David wrote, “Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world; Young men and maidens, old and young together. Let them praise the Name of Yahweh.” That pair will be followed by a reading from Revelation, where John’s vision saw, “a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where it is written: “Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’”

In verse one of this NRSV translation, the Greek word translated as “believers” is “adelphoi,” which clearly says “brothers.” In this case, rather than state the truth, because an illegitimate form of social justice has taken control over Scripture and changed “brothers” to a gender non-specific “believers., the truth of “brothers” is denied. Instead of using the modern standard replacement of “brothers” with the wordy “brothers and sisters,” the sneaky snakes of translation have taken the route of least resistance. If they cannot explain why “brothers” is written, then they equally cannot explain what a “believer” is.

The first verse in Greek is this: “Ēkousan de hoi apostoloi kai hoi adelphoi hoi ontes kata tēn Ioudaian hoti kai ta ethnē edexanto ton logon tou Theou .” This literally translates to state: “(they) Heard now those apostles kai those brothers those existing according to Jewish because kai these heathens they had welcomed this word of this of God .” In that, the capitalized first word (“Ēkousan”) must be seen as divinely elevated to a meaning that is higher than the worldly plane of existence. The spelling is the third-person past tense form of “akouó,” which means “to hear, listen.” According to HELPS Word-studies, this word figuratively means, “to hear God’s voice which prompts Him to birth faith within.” Thus, we are not talking about a bunch of ordinary people with ears that hear. We are talking about souls that are able to “Hear” a divinely elevated voice within their souls; and, that ability to “Hear” is the resurrection of Jesus within them, who speaks to them for the Father (as their good shepherd).

It is this presence of Jesus within that transforms “disciples” (or “students”) into “apostles” (or “messengers”). For a divine “messenger” to be sent on a mission for Yahweh, it is imperative that they have “Heard … this word of this of God.” Because each and every “apostle” (which is more than menfolk) is resurrected as Jesus, all Anointed by Yahweh (each a Christ) and all Baptized by His Spirit, each is a rebirth of the Son of God within their bodies of flesh. This makes each and every “apostle” (including women like all the Marys) be sons of the Father, all spiritual “brothers.” Because one must understand divine Scripture is meant to talk to one’s soul, not one’s physical brain, all souls are made of divinely masculine essence (“of this of God”), so all souls of “apostles” are, therefore, “brothers.” That is the explanation of this usage; and, it fits perfectly every time it is written in Scripture.

The message “Heard” divinely by all these “brothers” (including men and women human beings, those with saved souls) said, “these heathens (“Gentiles,” without the capitalization written) they had welcomed (or “received”) this word of this of God.” Because all of the “apostles” were still souls animating dead bodies of flesh, with part of that dead flesh being a brain that still functioned atop their necks, they would revert to a normal state of stupidity, akin to being pets allowed to play in the yard, within the fenced-in area of Jesus the good shepherd. They were allowed to act like sheep, as long as they did not stray into dangerous ground.

Now, the argument these “brothers” had was based on Jews being the ‘chosen people of Yahweh.’ In that selectivity, they were not allowed to mix and mingle with those who were not of that divinely chosen group. As Jews, they had been given a list of Laws and Commandments, along with songs of praise and a set of divine Prophets who spoke of the failures of the past, projecting to time of the future. These lesson were only given to Jews; so, all non-Jews were without that teaching. To refuse to intermingle with those who did not know the restrictions of a ’set of marriage vows to Yahweh’ (the Covenant) meant to expose oneself to the influences of sin, where establishing friendships with ‘heathens’ would force one to allow the acceptance of sin into one’s selected life, as a child of Yahweh.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that concept. It is the reality that is addressed in Peter’s explanation to the Jewish Christians that must be gained here. In Acts 10, verses one through seven tell of Cornelius (a Roman centurion, thus a Gentile) had his own vision (like a vision Peter had subsequently), where “He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him.” We are told that Cornelius “and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” Thus, by knowing this, the selectivity of Yahweh allows Him to choose anyone he pleases to be His “apostles.”

On the other hand, this story in Acts 11, the “apostles” that were “brothers” were different from those Jews (the “circumcised”) that were not ‘raised from the dead’ and resurrected as Jesus. Thus, the realization of this story must be seen not merely as the acceptance of Gentiles, as that pretends the Jews know what is best. It should equally be seen that the Jews who were not “messengers of this word of this of God” had become themselves “heathens,” not chosen by Yahweh as His sheep.

It is my opinion (and other might agree) that Cornelius is now named, with him being the centurion who came to Jesus telling him he had heard Jesus performed miracles for the Jewish God. His Jewish slave-servant-employee had become ill and most likely told Cornelius about Jesus. Cornelius did not ask Jesus (a Jew) to come to his Gentile home to heal his slave. He simply said, “Give the order and it will be done.” Jesus remarked that he had not seen such faith in all of Israel; so, the centurion’s slave was immediately healed. However, what is not said (but can be intuited from this story in Acts) is that Jesus’ soul did accompany Cornelius to his home and helped guide him to the state of faith he is now said to have. This makes Cornelius and his household be like Tabitha and her community-family, where all were the first true Christians.

In the NRSV translation that tells of Peter explaining his vision – “There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.” – the Greek words written (“skeuos” and “othonēn”), which are translated by the NRSV as “something like a sheet” can actually state, “descending a ship certain so that a sail great.” When that imagery is placed into this vision by Peter, “a ship certain” becomes the ark of Noah. When a “great sail” is the ark’s forty days on the sea, rather than a “sheet with four corners,” this “great sailing ship” is metaphor for Christianity. To then find “quadrupeds: wild beasts, creepy things and birds of the air,” this is every living creature on earth placed on the ark by Noah, by Yahweh’s orders. The “four corners” say the “great sailing ship” covers the entire known world; and, to be told “kill and eat,” that metaphor says lead those creatures to die of self-ego [ministry] and consume spiritual food that nourishes one’s soul [hunger for salvation].

When verse seventeen is shown by the NRSV to state: “If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” this needs to be shown for what it really says. The Greek text here says: “ei oun tēn isēn edōken autois ho Theos hōs kai hēmin pisteusasin epi ton Kyrion Iēsoun Christon , egōtisēmēn dynatos kōlysai ton Theon ?” This literally says, “if therefore this identical gift it has been given to themselves this God like as kai to ourselves to having faith in on the basis of this Lord Jesus Christ , oneself who existed able to have hindered this God ?”

In that, the uses of “themselves” and “ourselves” and “oneself” all need to be read on a soul level, where this is not referencing the dead flesh animated by a soul. It equates “this identical gift” to “their souls” (“themselves”), identical with “our souls” (“ourselves”), which means all had equally been gifted by “God” (Yahweh). The word “pisteusasin” must be elevated beyond the level of “belief” that applies to the Jews who had no faith, “on the basis of this Lord Jesus,” and only being equally applied to those who “existed” in a “certain” state as “apostles” (from “tis ēmēn”), of “faith.” This says all were “identical” as those souls where Jesus’ soul had resurrected, as the ”Lord” of each. That resurrection could only come from the Baptism by the Spirit, which is the divine marriage between a soul and Yahweh, where the officiant (the High Priest Jesus, present in Peter and six others who went to the home of Cornelius) made the marriage official, making all each be a Christ. With that cleansing, the soul of “Jesus” could be raised in the dead again, granting eternal salvation to those divinely wed.

Verse eighteen begins with the capitalized Greek word “Akousantes,” which is a different form of the same root stated to begin verse one- “akouó.” Whereas this reading began with “(they) Heard,” we now read of “(them) Having Heard.” While Peter was speaking, Jesus within each “Listener Heard” the truth spoken to their souls. In response to the truth, “they were silent” or “they were still (within)” (from “hēsychasan”). There is no arguing the truth, so “silence” is obedience. This is the sheep finding the fence surrounding the yard as the known limits, where nothing can be done to go beyond the sheepfold. They were then importantly (from “kai”) moved to express “glory” for this truth known. They then said, (paraphrasing) “Yahweh has allowed repentance to non-Jews by also giving them eternal life.”

Returning to where Yahweh spoke to Peter, when he protested the possibility of eating something that was “common” (or “unwashed, dirty”) or “unclean” (and the Jews have a list of what is their ideas about such matters, based on the Law), because “nothing of that sort had ever entered his mouth,” this argument was what Peter would later write made him realize everything he thought made him special – as a Jew from birth – meant nothing, as a “loss.” When the “voice out of heaven” [meaning the voice within his soul, which was the voice of Jesus, his good shepherd) said, “What this God has cleansed , yourself not does call unholy .” that says the Big Brain of Peter (which without Jesus leading his thoughts was not very big) gave Jesus his opinions, he was resisting complete subjection to Yahweh. Once the soul of Jesus had raised Peter from that dead state he was in before – to eternal life, like those Romans of Cornelius’ house – Peter was led by the “Spirit to go with the messengers sent to him” by Cornelius. This is the story of Isaiah who heard the question, “Who shall we send,” so he automatically said, “Here I am. Send me.”

As a mandatory reading from Acts, during the Easter season when the resurrection of Jesus is the theme, that lesson is taught in the ‘Gentiles’ receiving the “same gift from God as that received by all who have faith through Jesus being his or her Lord.” This states the Easter theme; but it is so easy to think Jesus can only be Jesus, as there can only be one Jesus. This becomes the problem the Jews had, thinking they were special by ‘believing’ in God (Yahweh), when none of them (before Jesus was sent in a body of flesh) had ever considered marrying Him and being one with His Spirit (being “Israel,” rather than trying to rename some land that). The same idea – “There is only one God, so no one can ever be as good as God” – was what caused the Jews to take up stones to kill Jesus, because he claimed to be the “Son of God.” Christianity thinks it is special, in the same way the Jews thought they were special. However, the lesson of this reading selection says one must Act from faith, which can only come through divine marriage and the resurrection of the “Son of God” in other souls in human flesh – Jews or Gentile (Christian) is not the end all. What Yahweh has cleaned cannot be called unholy. Likewise, that which is unholy cannot be called cleansed by the Spirit of Yahweh, when Jesus has not been resurrected within.

Explaining the Readings

John 20:19-31 – Came this Jesus and stood in their midst

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) – Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

Psalm 30 – David knew the resurrection of Jesus in his soul

Revelations 5:11-14 – Living creatures reborn as the Lamb

John 21:1-19 – Prophesying future failures for Christianity

Acts 9:36-43 – Raised from the dead to raise other souls from death

Psalm 23 – Yahweh is my shepherd

Revelation 7:9-17 – Standing before the face of the throne, wearing the face of the Lamb

John 10:22-30 – Plain talk about being a sheep in Yahweh’s flock

Acts 11:1-18 – What God has made clean, you must not call profane

The Episcopal Lectionary Discerned