While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.
——————————————————————————–
This is the Acts reading from the Episcopal Lectionary for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B 2018. It will next be read aloud in church by a reader on Sunday, May 6, 2018. It is important because it tells how the Holy Spirit is for all human beings who seek the truth and hear the word of God speaking to them, individually. As non-Jews hearing the word and receiving the Holy Spirit, this means bloodlines that share no DNA with the tribes of Israel, as those not direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and those not educated in Mosaic Law, Gentiles have the capacity to be reborn as Jesus, the Christ promised to the Jews.
Certainly, the key element in this reading that makes one worthy of being awarded the Holy Spirit is, “the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.”
It descended like a dove.
The limiting caveat is the Holy Spirit is not something everyone receives. It is not guaranteed to devoted Jews who profess to adhere to Mosaic laws; and it is not guaranteed to all Gentiles who gather around a true Christian who speaks.
As a reading presented on the Sixth Sunday of the Easter season, the key theme of the Epistle and Gospel reading is clearly “God’s love.” We see that here when we read, “The Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.” The Gentiles – Romans who worshiped pagan gods – who were filled with the Holy Spirit were highly praising [the One] God, which is a sign of the love that overcame them – a love from God.
When Peter asked, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” the focus was on how rules, dogma, laws, or edicts that state a right to symbolically wash a body clean of sin, plays no role in true baptism. When we learn that Peter “ordered [the Gentiles of Cornelius] to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ,” they had already been baptized by the Holy Spirit, filled with God’s love, and reborn as Jesus Christ. This states that baptism by water can ONLY truly be done after the presence of God has transformed [or Transfigured] one of faith, by His presence in one’s heart.
It is natural for Christians today to want to claim this presence; but after centuries of training by the various denominations of Christianity the majority opinion has been reduced to a belief that baptism by water (done first, as early as infancy) is the call for the Holy Spirit to come to one. We believe ministers, priests, pastors, preachers and educated church leaders are the “Jesus Christ tamers,” who command Jesus to surround a congregation, by invoking that name (“in the name of Jesus come!”). Unfortunately, this reading from Peter’s acts as an Apostle says the truth is quite different.
Prior to these verses from Acts chapter 10, Peter and fellow Apostles spoke to Cornelius and fellow Gentile soldiers. Peter said the following:
“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:39-43)
Significantly embedded in that text is the truth that states, “[Jesus, the risen Lord] was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen.” That says that after Jesus has resurrected from death, he appeared to the ones who had been prepared to see him. This is why he appeared in unrecognizable form to Mary Magdalene, to Cleopas and his wife Mary, and to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee (an event that was actually a dream). It was after Jesus spoke to those disciples that they knew who it was speaking “the word” to them. Because they had been prepared, as “witnesses whom God had already chosen” (during three years of Jesus’ ministry and lessons), they saw Jesus in the flesh and received the Spirit.
This same selectivity that is relative to who can know God’s presence is nearby and to know Jesus is the Messiah can be seen when John told of Jesus predicting his death as the Passover Festival neared. There John wrote, “[Jesus said,] “Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.” (John 12:28-29) The point of that is it says not everyone heard the voice of God speak. It was only heard by those who had opened their hearts to God, with faith in Jesus as His Son.
This inability of some to hear the voice of God is still in effect today. It is reminiscent of the event that was witnessed by an estimated crowd that ranges between 30,000 and 100,000 people. It occurred in Fatima, Portugal on October 13, 1917, as the sixth (and final) Marian apparition before three shepherd children (all on the 13th of the months from May and October). The children had prophesied that a miracle would take place on that final date, attracting a much larger crowd than prior. The “voice of God” can be read then as visual words (a picture is worth a thousand words), rather than spoken words. (source: Wikipedia)
The three shepherds of Fatima.
The voice of God for that event is called the “Miracle of the Sun.” According to the Wikipedia article about that event: “Newspapers published testimony from reporters and other people who claimed to have witnessed extraordinary solar activity, such as the sun appearing to “dance” or zig-zag in the sky, careen towards the earth, or emit multicolored light and radiant colors. According to these reports, the event lasted approximately ten minutes.”
This event was officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church in 1930. However, there are critics of this recognition, such as reported by Wikipedia:
“According to theologian Lisa J. Schwebel, claims of the miracle present a number of difficulties. Schwebel states, “not only did not all those present not see the phenomenon, but also there are considerable inconsistencies among witnesses as to what they did see“. Schwebel also observes that there is no authentic photo of the solar phenomena claimed, “despite the presence of hundreds of reporters and photographers at the field.”
That is basically restating what Peter said about people not being able to see the risen Lord, as he spent time teaching the disciples for forty days before his Ascension. In John’s Gospel, where his words say, “The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him,” become a precise parallel to the criticism of “inconsistencies” that occurred in witnesses to the Miracle of the Sun. It is what should be expected, because not everyone is prepared by God to hear His Word.
In addition to the prophesied miracle that some witnesses claimed took place, no one in the crowd of onlookers said he or she saw the Virgin Mary. The three children knelt at the same spot they had been told to kneel each month (by an angel), with the crowd gathered each time seeing their gazes fixed upward, as if there was something above and before them. No one in the crowds gathered ever witnessed anything other than three children kneeling and gazing upward. However, after each visitation of the Virgin Mary, the accounts given by the children was how all three children had vividly seen the Blessed Mother, but only two could hear her speaking to them.
This too fits what John and Peter said, as the voice of God is relative to how well prepared one is to hear that word. The boy shepherd was said by the Virgin to need to do more repentance, which was why he could not hear. Still, he was uplifted by the visions he was allowed.
The proof of someone hearing the divinity of apostolic words being spoken is then found in Peter’s statement that the Gentiles began “speaking in tongues and extolling God.” That statement in Acts is actually divided into two separate segments (denoted by a comma), such that the word “and” has caused translators to omit the comma.
The Greek states, “lalountōnglōssais , kai megalynontōn ton Theon,” with a literal alternate translation saying, “proclaiming with languages , and enlarging (or increasing, or magnifying) the God.” This translation then allows one to stop being mesmerized by a concept that is misinterpreted by man – “speaking in tongues” – so that “languages” is more appropriate when the “voice of God” and “speaking the word” is the motivation for this reaction. Rather than them “extolling God,” the separation allows one to see how it was “the God” within them that was “increasing” their ability to speak the word, which the Gentiles suddenly were doing.
This means that the miracle of hearing God’s voice, from listening to the voice of God through Peter (an Apostle-Saint of Jesus Christ), those Greco-Roman-Gentiles began speaking fluent Hebrew and Aramaic, rather than Greek or Latin. As they spoke in those “languages,” they not only quoted from the Torah, Psalms and Prophets (a task they had no training in), but they expanded on the word of Scripture. Peter saying they “magnified” the “languages” of Holy text says the Gentiles began divinely explaining how those words prophesied Jesus Christ. They “spoke the word” just as Peter had been speaking.
This means the proof of having the Holy Spirit “fall upon” one is the God-given ability to explain and defend the books of the Holy Bible, without prior explanation or defense being taught one.
Arthur being knighted by Merlin
That proof was clearly visible to Peter and his companion Apostles, as there was only one way such automatic utterances could come to be. God had sent His Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, transforming their souls to a purely righteous state (i.e.: Saints). That then moved Peter to mark the event with the element of water, where they were not so much “baptized” as we Christians understand that today, but “christened” with water.
The purpose of that naming (the definition now applied to the word “christening”) was to officially proclaim those Gentiles were in the name of Jesus Christ. That is the truest form of one’s right to profess Christianity; and it is the root of the word “christen,” such that one is given a Christian name: Jesus. Therefore, the ritualistic pouring of water (or a river dunking) was done after the soul had reached a state of righteousness, through a Spiritual rebirth.
When we then read, “Then they invited him to stay for several days,” this is vital to grasp. That statement is not a simple element thrown in at the end. It is actually what links this reading to two others that have crystal clear themes of love.
The whole of Acts 10 is about God preparing Peter to accept non-Jews in his ministry (through a vision). This reading’s event occurred soon after Cornelius sent men to request a visit from Peter, asking Peter to go to Caesarea Philippi. Because of a vision Peter had experienced prior, he traveled with Roman soldiers and entered a Gentile home, which was a forbidden act of Jews. Cornelius (a centurion) and his closest soldiers were good human beings and had treated Jews with kindness and fairness. He had heard some Jews speak if Peter, who was then in Joppa, so he sent for him.
Still, neither Peter nor Cornelius expected what happened in this part of Acts 10 to happen; however, when it did, Peter was moved to recognize Cornelius and his men as brothers in Christ. Because they were then of the same “church” (those who gathered “in the name of Jesus Christ”), staying together “for several days” was then an important act of acceptance, out of love for one another, their love of God, and the love of the Holy Spirit.
As a Easter lesson, it is this aspect of God’s love that instantly came over two groups of strangers that fits into a theme of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B 2018. The Easter lessons are all about a personal Resurrection of Jesus Christ needed in each of us. This Resurrection is only possible when one willingly surrenders oneself to God, dying of ego so one can be reborn as a soul cleansed by the presence of God and the Mind of Christ (which allows one to know everything about Scripture, so a Saint can “speak the word of God” fluently). Thus, from this reading we are to see ourselves as Gentiles who have been prepared for God’s presence, which “falls upon” us by our acts of goodness and fairness towards those who serve the One God faithfully.
Still, being prepared through acts of human love does not fully make one a true Christian. This reading says we need to strive for more. We need to know the love of God.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ in us can be seen reflected in this story from Acts. Cornelius did good, but he went beyond by sending for Peter. As a Gentile, he wanted to know more. He wanted someone to convince him to convert to Judaism, rather than remain a polytheistic Roman. He reached out to find the truth. God saw that, so He prepared Peter to be His servant who would offer the truth to Cornelius.
We must become opened to receive God. We must pray that the truth will open our eyes and minds. When the bearer of truth comes, we need to listen to the word and let the Holy Spirit fall upon us, so we see the meaning. We must seek to see the truth where others have not seen it. We must desire to know the truth where others have only heard its sound. We must surrender ourselves so our brain is freed to know the truth of the Mind of Christ. When one experiences that knowledge, it is because one has been truly baptized by the Holy Spirit, with one’s soul cleansed by the presence of God, with one then in the name of Jesus Christ.
When that state of existence has been reached, one knows love. One then can recognize all others who have the same state of love surrounding them. Once one knows that love, one enjoys spending a few days with others of the same Godly heart and the same Christian mind. It is like a newfound reunion, where joy abounds.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
——————————————————————————-
This is the Epistle selection from the Episcopal Lectionary for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B 2018. It will next be read aloud in a church by a reader on Sunday, May 6, 2018. It is important as it clearly sets a “love” theme for this day in the Easter season, accompanying the Gospel reading where Jesus instructed his disciples to love one another. Here, John wrote of the love of God, which allows one to obey such commandments.
In this relatively short passage, some form of the word “agapé” is found five times: agapōn, agapa, agapōmen (2), and agapē. All are found in the first three verses. This is John again addressing a state of love that goes well beyond the human emotions that create a range of temporary feelings, from passion, joy, and happiness, to sympathy, empathy, and sorrow for a loved one. John used “agapé” rather than “philos,” as reflecting a motivation to do as God prefers, not as self desires. (John went deep into this in 1 John 4:7-21 – the Epistle reading for the Fifth Sunday of Easter)
Surrounding these references to love (“loving”, “loves”, “we love” (2), and “love”) is the word “pisteuōn,” from the root “pisteuó,” which means, “I believe, have faith in, and trust in.” That Greek repeated word has been translated above as “believes,” but in reality it states “believing.” There is a difference and this difference needs to be understood, just as one needs to know the difference between human love and God’s love.
By adding an “–ing” ending, a verb becomes a present participle form. That states an action that is presently ongoing, versus an act past or one yet to come. Still, it can (in certain cases) change a verb into a noun (a gerund), which is something defined by its intended actions. By translating this verb as though the writer’s intent was to demonstrate a different verb usage, through the third-person plural form of “believe,” one misses the purpose of John’s letter being intended for one specifically (the reader) to be “believing.” By reading “Everyone who believes,” the implied intent is seen as having less to do with the reader presently “believing,” allowing one to imagine oneself among a generic group of individuals who “believe.”
When this individual aspect is realized in the present participle state, the first verse becomes more powerful. When one sees oneself as the measure by which “everyone” like one is “believing Jesus is the Christ,” that then urges each individual reader to ponder, “Do I truly believe?” and “Am I believing this very moment?” “Everyone believing Jesus” is then “believing” as “the Messiah.” That is much more than belief proposed or assumed.
The answer that truly matters comes when one can truly identify with Jesus, because one knows personally (a soul’s knowledge) that Jesus is my Savior. It forces one to realize how true belief can only come through direct experience that proves beyond a personal shadow of doubt or question of belief, due to a lack of personal knowledge. That is unlike a presumption of belief, due to being told something that one’s brain has deemed valid and reliable, because nothing has yet rejected the premise for belief.
From this beginning point of “believing,” one can then understand how belief is “born of God.” It has not been an idea brought forth by some other human being. It is because of the love relationship that has been established, thus experienced, between the Father and the child … the one who is believing.
When the Son of God is known to be born of the Father, that duplication is then present in all the children of God, in the same way that “Everyone is believing” and “everyone is loving.” “Everyone” is not the whole world who believes that Jesus was the Christ, but “Everyone” who has been reborn as Jesus Christ – a very select group. It means one gains the same personal knowledge as Jesus Christ had. Therefore, believing and loving is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ in each individual, so that all who are born of the Father, become mirror images of the Son reborn.
I read the English translations and am often moved to examine the Greek parallel versions. That helps me see more. It helps me see what can easily be missed in one translation from the original text. Perhaps, reading a literal translation of the Greek will be helpful to you, especially as a way to see the actual segment break points.
Punctuation is a relatively modern invention, but one must give some credit to Apostles knowing where pauses should be read.
John (like most Apostolic writings) is purposefully written in a way that takes its meaning well beyond what the surface translation implies. In the translation of 1 John 5:1-6, one will note how often the Greek article “the” (in various forms) is often translated as “the [One]” or regularly omitted, in order to accommodate a translation in English. That implies the Greek language unnecessarily adds words. I prefer to see how “the [one]” adds to understanding. Still, the break points (marked by commas and semi-colons) are important signals to contemplate what has been said, as if John placed a mark to let one know to stop and contemplate what he said before adding that to the next segment.
Here is 1 John 5:1-6 literally translated:
[Note: Not stated in 2018, but most important to realize, is the Greek word “kai” should be read as a marker of importance to follow, rather than a simple conjunction “and.” I am changing all places where “and” was written to bold type, so the reader can contemplate where statements of importance are written. I have also underlined the capitalized presence of “Kai,” as the capitalization acts as greater importance added to one word.]
“Everyone [the one] believing[present participle verb – not a gerund] Jesus is the Messiah ,[comma] of the [one] God has been born ,and everyone loving the [one] having begotten [him] , loves also the [one] having been begotten from him.”
“By this we know we love the children the [one] of God , when the [one] God we love , and the commandments of him keep.”
“This indeed is the love the [one] of God , that the commandments of him we should keep ;[semi-colon] and the commandments of him burdensome are not.”
“For all the [one] having been born of the [one] God , overcomes the world ; and this is the victory the [one] having overcome the world —[double dash] the faith of us.”
“Who now is the one overcoming the world , if not the one believing that Jesus is the Son the [one] of God?”
“This is the [one] having come by water and blood , Jesus Christ ; not by the water only , but by the water and the blood.And the Spirit is the [one] testifying , because the Spirit is the truth.”
From that literal translation, added to the transition from believing and loving coming from God, we see how John explained how the love of God is what allows one to keep His commandments. This becomes much more than learning the laws on a mental level and using personal will-power to not venture beyond those rules. The reason Catholic-based religions have a “confession of sins” as part of their liturgy is because human will-power ultimately fails, due to the overwhelming influences of a world filled with temptations to break the rules of God.
This means the love of God is the presence of an all-controlling desire to live a life within the Law, because nothing of the world can then be a distraction from that goal. Personal will-power no longer comes into play, as the ego has surrendered to God, and the soul has become one with the Holy Spirit. When that happens within a human form, the result is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This is the ONLY WAY to overcome the world and find that obedience to God’s Law is not a burden. The Jews of Jesus’ day memorized Mosaic Law but found it difficult complying with it. Disease was seen as a failure of sin, and being a tax collector was seen as going beyond the boundaries of legal permits. When the translation above states, “And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith,” the definition of “faith” has to go beyond written laws. It must be read as relative to believing. True “faith” is relative to the personal proof that leads one to truly “believe.”
The Greek word for both “faith” and “believe” is “pistis,” meaning there is no difference in meaning between the two translations. The problem is when an English word, such as “faith,” is transformed into a noun, such that the translation then takes on the limitations of dogma that is applied to a particular “faith” (a regular occurrence in Scriptural interpretations). However, as a noun in New Testament usage, “faith” and “belief” are completely intended to be understood as oneness with God, as an ongoing experience where the proof is within.
The present participle of believing can be seen as a leap of faith, always being mid-leap.
In no way can “believing” be dependent on the human brain’s power to discern a multitude of external thoughts that ponders the issue of “faith”. It is the same relationship as that where “breathing” defines “life.” The two are synonymous, without any need to consciously ponder if “life” causes “breathing,” or vice versa. Faith is believing and that is naturally known. just as is love mutually known between the Father and His children.
Reading this passage in 1 John and pondering this relationship between God’s love and an individual’s believing as synonymous with faith, it led me to create these diagrams. They show how the same words can have two meanings: one externally driven and the other internally driven. Perhaps, these will help the reader to grasp the direction my thoughts have gone.
The Law of God externalized. The Law of God internalized.
To me, this demonstrates what John meant by, “when we love God and obey his commandments.” Love has gone beyond a human emotion for God, as generated by the self and the ego of one’s soul. It demonstrates how John said, “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments.” In the first diagram, moving outside of the Law would imply one ceases to “love” God, instead “loving” the world. However, the second diagram shows how the love of God makes one subservient to God’s Will, thus always obedient no matter what the world surrounds one with.
When John wrote, ” Whatever is born of God conquers the world,” the second diagram displays this as the submission of self-ego to God, where one becomes married to God through God’s love. This then expands the soul so that it becomes one with the boundaries of God’s Law. It is that soul change that is born of God. It is the transformation from mere human to the rebirth of Jesus Christ.
When John added, “And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith,” this is a statement that faith is identical with believing, where one is transformed from wandering human to Saint affixed to the Will of God. Whereas the Judaic “faith” produced many wanderers (free radicals), only true faith cleanses one’s soul of sin. One is then believing in the name of Jesus Christ, as that name has become one’s own.
In verse 6, where John posed the existence of a duality in “water and blood,” the diagrams above make it possible to see the difference between “water and blood.” Such words in the same sentence is reminiscent of the saying, “blood is thicker than water,” where “blood” bears the connotation of relationship. That makes “water” more casual in nature; but water is necessary for life on earth. This can then be easy to misunderstand, as a conundrum that asks, “Which is better: blood or water?”
Water is an esoteric element that symbolizes emotions, where one’s feelings flow like water, always changing states (like liquid, solid, gas), rates of speed (like rapids, falls, streams, and rivers) and exploring a range of depths (like ponds, lakes, seas, and oceans). Still, water is a physical element, one which is a basic solvent and cleaner. We bathe dirt from things with water. The human body is up to 60% water; thus life is dependent on water. The body must consume water regularly, because that which is stores is quickly used.
Blood, on the other hand is esoteric as an indication of relationship, where every race in the world has different genetic characteristics that can be examined in one’s blood. There are different blood types, inherent diseases, and types of blood cells found in human blood. Blood is a physical necessity for life, because it is internal to the body. Blood is the most vital element in a system controlled by the heart, where every cell in the human body is strengthened by its blood supply. Loss of blood is life threatening.
All of these esoteric and physical characteristics of water and blood can be seen reflective in the diagrams. The first diagram represents the physical aspects of water and blood, such that the boundaries of God’s Law act as a pool of water that is necessary for life. The world incorporates God’s Law into civil laws. Without that water, life would die of higher purpose. For individual human beings, religions become the blood that leads to the responsibilities of adherence to the Law of God and civil laws. Just as blood is oxygen enriched, by the lungs and the heart, sent out red in arteries, but exhausted of oxygen in the return to the heart in veins, human being act as individual blood cells.
This then allows the second diagram to reflect the internalization of the principles of water and blood. The two become Spiritual in nature. The joining of the self to God, at the death of the ego, becomes the water of God’s love that washes over one cleansing the soul of sins. The expansion of the soul to the boundaries of God’s Law is then the blood of Christ that fills one’s heart and mind.
Religion can then be seen as the water of baptism, which proposes remission of sins and absolution. Christianity is then the baptism by the Holy Spirit, done by the Messiah. Religion is the life blood that teaches acts of goodness and self-constraint to a higher cause. God’s marriage to one’s heart is then the true blood that relates all Christians as the Sons of God (regardless of human gender). Jesus came as water in the physical sense that he lived on earth as a man. However, that water was only available to those living around him. The living water of Jesus is then his being reborn as the blood of Christ.
In the first diagram (Religion – World), it does not matter what the religion is. It can be any that places emphasis on a god, which certainly includes the “big three” that claim the same God: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. All of those can then be subdivided into sects, branches, and denominations, still falling under the heading of “Religion.” Every different division has its own distinguishing dogma, ethics, and rites that followers of a system of faith or belief (the misnomer of “faith” and “belief”) are expected to follow. Those “laws” then govern the people within a religion, as the determining factors as to who is to be held in high standing within each respective segment of people.
The role of each individual is then denoted by the red circle (a soul) with a black “S” within (the ego of the self), which denotes how each human being is contained within the boundaries of one’s soul. Individuals learn the differences between righteousness and sin, in the schools of the world, which include religions. As such, God’s gift of “Free Will” allows the individual to migrate (become a “free radical”) between those two realms that exist in the world.
Human beings are then free do move away from religion, go back to religion, or straddle the boundaries of religion. To maintain interest (again, a diluted definition of “faith” and “belief”), the religions offer absolution and penitence on a regular basis. This does nothing to lessen the validity of “righteousness,” based on the parameters of “God’s Law,” as it also states it is ultimately the responsibility of the individual to strive for a lifestyle that pleases God.
This becomes reflective of the “water” element of which John wrote. The various churches act as the holy water that bathes the sin from the individuals that are members. It creates a body of emotions that are soothing and dissolving, in which members can soak. Still, such external water is not enough to bring about true faith and belief.
The right diagram replaces an institution (“Religion”) with God, such that the ego has surrendered to God’s Will, no longer able to pick and choose what influence he or she will follow at this instance. The close relationship between God and oneself is one of Father to Son (regardless of human gender), so the soul (the red circle) is cleansed (by the Holy Spirit) and expanded to the perimeter of God’s Law. Rather than an institution (a lifeless entity without individual human beings) acting as a place of refuge in the world, each one who is in a personal relationship with God can freely go anywhere in the world, remaining always within the boundary of God’s Law.
One is then only influenced by God’s Will and the world is only a place for one’s faith and beliefs to be shared. The individual is a temple unto the Lord, thus projecting to the world as the light of Christ. From that God-centered state of being (the present participle), the burden of the world (the guilt of sinning) is removed.
This becomes reflective of the “blood,” where it is the circulation of God’s Holy Spirit within one’s being that is the meaning of the blood of Christ. It is the baptism of the soul, which expands its heartfelt desires to fit God’s Will. Christ has become one with the soul, just as God has become one with the heart. Because the heart is the engine of the blood, there is a Spiritual uplifting that exceeds any human emotional capability. This Spiritual elation is brought on by God’s love.
This explanation (I hope) makes it possible to grasp the meaning of John writing, “The Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.” That says that the sacrifice of the ego has allowed the Holy Spirit to be the impetus for everything a human of faith and belief says. Nothing is kept private and secret, as the world needs to know the truth of God’s word (i.e.: Holy Scripture). The truth was spoken by Jesus of Nazareth; and, by his death, resurrection, and ascension – to be used by God (the Father) over and over again (as His right-hand “man”) – one who receives God’s love becomes as pure and clean as was Jesus, speaking the truth through the Christ Mind. The truth continues to be told, always present. The Holy Spirit is sent by God, the Father, to the Son, via the Holy Spirit, so all servants of God can only speak the truth of God (as Jesus of Nazareth always did).
As a lesson in this sixth Sunday in the Easter season of personal resurrection and rebirth as Jesus Christ, one needs to see the importance of personal responsibility. A true Christian is born of God, not anyone or anything that is less than the Father above. A Christian does not recite words written on pages as the source of one’s faith and as that in which one believes, when one cannot explain the meaning of those words with truth and conviction. One has to elevate to a state where the world can be conquered and self-driven will power cannot reach that height and remain in that state eternally in the present.
This lesson flows into the Gospel reading in John, where Jesus told his disciples to love one another. That lesson is easily heard and yet constantly found too difficult to do. This lesson shows how “whatever is born of God conquers the world,” with that only attainable through true faith.
That is the answer to the question, “Who is it that conquers the world but the one who [has faith] that Jesus is the Son of God?” The answer should be you.
———-
[Note: When I see someone has viewed something I have written, I re-read it to see if I made errors that need correcting (my normal grammar is bad). As I re-read this article, I added a note above. Still, I feel it necessary to add an explanation about the “free radicals” of the diagram above. For that soul-ego to be placed within the influence of a religion, this becomes primarily how a child is raised within a church and taught to believe in Bible Stories. As the child grows and is more influenced by the world, the natural movement is away from religion and towards the world. That experience is necessary for one to return to God (not a religion) later in life. The sad thing about this is modern parents are missing that childhood development within religion, so their children are mostly born of the world, without religion’s influence. This is the danger we presently face: few believing.
Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”
——————————————————————————-
This is the Gospel selection from the Episcopal Lectionary for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B 2018. It will next be read aloud in a church by a priest on Sunday, May 6, 2018. It is important because it tells of Jesus instructing his disciple to love one another, just as he has loved them. It is more important when one understands exactly what that commandment to love one another means.
———————————————————-
Preface Note: I believe this is a vital lesson that all Christians should be able to know and defend. For that reason, I have expanded the scope of this interpretation to include other Scripture in support of this lesson. As such, this writing is longer than usual, in order to make this reading fully understandable.
———————————————————–
It is worthwhile realizing that this reading from John is the second time where Jesus told his disciples to love one another. The first time is also found in the Gospel of John, two chapters earlier. There one reads:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Both times that John recalled this instruction being given were on the same day – the the evening of the Passover Seder meal (15 Nisan). The first time was soon after the ritual dinner, not long after Judas left to betray Jesus. Jesus knew Judas was going to do that as he said, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” (John 13:27)
That timing makes it worthwhile to know that Jesus did not say to Judas, “Before you leave to betray me, I have a new commandment you need to hear first. It is: Love one another as I have loved you. Okay Judas, what you are about to do, do it quickly.”
Leaving friends behind.
Because that conversation did not take place, nor get recorded as a lesson of love, the omission acts to show how Jesus gave this commandment to a select group of followers – his disciples. By waiting for a traitor to leave, Jesus did not say that commandment as a lesson for the whole world to follow. Although that would be the ideal, just as would Heaven being on Earth would be ideal, the whole world would have to be followers of Jesus Christ; but because that cannot be, one cannot read that ideal as the intended message in this lesson.
Recently, I encountered a man who had solved the whole world’s problems, based on misunderstanding this teaching of Jesus. He had written a short story that used this flawed logic: Because Jesus said his disciples must love one another, then all the world’s problems are rooted in the failure of Christians to follow that order.
This man was less concerned with helping anyone but himself (through sales of his short story), because his ultimate motivation was to throw blame on Christians for not living up to the lessons of Jesus Christ, through the sacrifice of their beliefs to the beliefs of others. He surmised that all the mental problems in the world were due to Christians not forgiving sinners, as though love means not judging anyone. He rationalized that Christians are to blame for pushing guilt onto the guilty, making sinners become psychotic due to a lack of love and acceptance of sins. This man concludes (I presume) that Jesus taught forgiveness as the only expression of love.
The sad thing is this man does not stand alone in using this passage from John 15 as a stick to beat Christians into submission to a world of sin. His view is how so many misunderstand this lesson (especially atheists). People misunderstand this command given for several reasons, but foremost is the difficulty that people have understanding God’s love. The theme for the Sixth Sunday of Easter is God’s love, but the mistake comes from thinking Jesus gave a command relative to human “love.”
Before discussing today’s Gospel lesson, it should be noted that Jesus gave other commandments about love. Unless those commands are understood as still in effect, making this reading’s order be additional, one cannot properly grasp the meaning here.
First, Jesus presented this lesson about loving your enemies:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48, but similarly in Luke 6:27-36)
It looks harmless.
That passage directly instructs one to love an enemy, but it refers to love of a neighbor also. Jesus directly addressed that love later in his ministry. Jesus was asked what the greatest of the Commandments was, to which he said:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, but similarly in Mark 12:30-31)
When we read in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give you,” the Greek word “kainēn” means “fresh, new, unused, and novel.” That indicates Jesus was not offering a replacement or superseding command. In the same way, the New Testament is an additional Covenant with God, through Jesus Christ. It does nothing to change or eliminate the importance of the Old Testament.
It is as Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) Therefore, Jesus did not make any changes to his previous statements about loving enemies and neighbors. He added another element to the love commands.
When the totality of these commandments to love is grasped, it is easy to see how Jesus recognized there were natural divisions in the world. For Jews, their “enemy” was any and all who sought to take their focus off Yahweh and their Covenant with Him (i.e.: Gentiles). For the disciples, collectively the family and followers of Jesus, they lived among Jews (by Law), many of whom not only broke the laws of Moses but also displayed anger and resentment towards the disciples and Jesus (i.e.: the Temple elite). This means the love that needed to be found between those closest to Jesus (one another) was different than the same love that needed to be found for enemies and neighbors.
When Jesus told those listening to his sermon on the mount, “You have heard it told, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’” he was addressing the rulers of Judaism teaching the law based on human principles, not divine guidance. They taught a misleading principle, because they understood the Law only on human levels, not Spiritual .
Because there are enemies, it is human nature to hate those who are opposed to you. Likewise, it is human nature to love those who agree with you. Because Mosaic Law speaks more about guarding from falling under the influence of people who worship other gods, demanding the Israelites submit to complete obedience to the Law of Yahweh, all who are of those distracting influences are deemed enemies.
Because Yahweh promised land to His Israelite people (those who agreed to His Commandments), the people who resided on that land prior (and subsequently) all worshipped other gods. Those indigenous peoples saw the Israelites as their enemies, because they took their land from them. The result was a mixture of races and beliefs, where all who resided on opposing sides were then both neighbors to one another (the Israelites), while also enemies because they opposed one another (all the other inhabitants of Canaan – Israel).
Enemies confront one another.
When this view is established, one can see that neighbors are those who profess belief in the One God (the Jews and scattered Israelites collectively). Enemies are then all Gentiles. The commands to love all who profess belief in the same God and also love all who believe in other gods becomes a love that is above and beyond human “love,” because human “love” must be defined by “hate.” Human emotions are like coins that must have two sides. For every emotion, there is an equal and opposite counter-emotion.
The wheel of human emotions.
The way that God’s love allows one the capacity for an uplifting ability, to rise above all human differences, is done by reaching a state of love that is heart-centered and within oneself. The world’s petty differences become inconsequential because one has found the truth of being chosen by God; and that means loving all others who have not reached that state of bliss. By allowing those who focus on differences to do as they choose, without interference, one is loving others of all kinds.
The love then shown to both neighbors and enemies is a willingness to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31) This is not a recommendation to surrender one’s beliefs to another, but an understanding that others are like oneself. Just as one does not want to be told to surrender one’s beliefs, one should not ask others to surrender their beliefs. That mutual respect requires a higher level of love to accomplish.
This love is not self-willed, as an attempt to gain neighbors or eliminate enemies. As a human being in the world, human beings will always be divided and at odds with one another. Wars and fights will always be waged. As such, God did not send Jesus into the world to bring about human peace and “love.”
Jesus said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) All Christians know that the presence of Jesus caused the ruling elite of Judaism to become the enemy of Jesus. They plotted to kill Jesus; and they recruited Judas from his followers, while convincing the Roman governor to sentence Jesus to death. Thus, Jesus did not teach love as the way to transform the earth into such a wonderful place that no one would ever strive to be good enough to go to Heaven.
From this understanding, one can then see how Jesus is speaking to a select subset of those who profess belief in the One God (Yahweh) – “his disciples.” It is also vital to always keep in mind how Jesus spoke from a human being perspective, having been born of a woman, so he knew his personality was separate from the Father’s. Still, everything Jesus said that is recorded in the Gospels of the Holy Bible was not his brain calculating, but the Mind of Christ that led him to speak.
We know this because Jesus said, “The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19) Further, Jesus also said, “I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.” (John 12:49)
Who said that?
This means that the commandments about love come from God, as requirements that will set one apart from normal human beings through the elevation to Christ status (sainthood). As such, “his disciples” were students on the path to righteousness. That distinction makes “his disciples” unlike those who simply believed in the same God (neighbors) and those who believed in other gods (enemies).
In today’s aftermath of the spread of Christianity, “his disciples” are those who believe in the One God and take steps towards understanding the words Jesus spoke as the means to reach the elevated state of being truly Christian. Now, those who are merely professed Christians and never go beyond learning children’s Bible stories are the neighbors. Now, those who formulate ways to destroy Christianity through belief in lesser gods (philosophies and other worldly idols), some who may even mimic the One God (as false shepherds), they are the enemies.
The command is then to love in three different ways, as love expressed toward three different groups of human beings. This means one must not be blind to the fact that there are indeed enemies, neighbors, and family in the world. This means that the love of God will be expressed differently, accordingly, through those who have received God’s love.
In the reading today from John, we begin by hearing Jesus tell his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.” That has to be seen as a love of family, where the disciples were the children of Jesus. All the others who followed his ministry and supported it were family members – as brothers, sisters, including his mother. The Gospel stories paint pictures of how Jesus acted differently, yet still from love, to his family, to his neighbors, and to his enemies.
First, his family sought to learn from Jesus. To receive that knowledge, they became subservient to his needs. They carried tents, fetched lunch, prepared meals, and anointed his head and feet with oil. That says a love of family is total commitment to one another.
In this regard, after the crowds would leave Jesus, having heard Jesus speak in profound, yet unclear and uncertain language (as in a parable or a question answered by words that required the listener to truly answer), the disciples were just as confounded as were neighbors and enemies. They would ask Jesus to explain his words; and, Jesus would explain to them. The difference, therefore, in family and friends from neighbors and enemies is the family of Jesus sought to know more.
The neighbors and enemies could sense that was where Jesus was going with his words and that was where they did not want to go. They did not ask questions for fear of being exposed as unknowing or ignorant. When they did ask questions, it was to trap Jesus and expose him as a false leader; but Jesus always turned the tables on them, so they fell into their own traps. Thus, Jesus loved his family and friends by guiding them closer to where they were ultimately intended to go.
Seeing an advisor on registration day is advisable.
As for the neighbors, this primarily meant the Jews. Jesus said he was only sent to the Jews (“the lost sheep of Israel”), which by extension included his disciples. In the great commission, Jesus ordered them, “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 10:5-6) This identifies the Jews as the neighbors who were to be loved. Still, Jesus encountered the outcast neighbors, who typical Jews saw as enemies and worthy of hatred.
In the story of Jesus encountering the Samaritan woman at a well, the woman said to Jesus, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (John 4:9) In the story of Jesus encountering a Canaanite woman, Jesus said to his disciples (who urged Jesus to send the woman away), “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15:26) A leper was essentially a Jew that was forced to be outcast because skin lesions were seen as signs of sin; and, contact with a sinner was forbidden by Jewish law. Jesus touched a leper, saying, “I am willing (to make you). Be clean.” (Matthew 8:3) Jesus then encountered a Centurion (a Roman officer who had Jewish slaves), who told Jesus one of his slaves was deathly ill. Again, Jesus would have been forbidden by Jewish law to visit the home of a Gentile, but he asked the Centurion, “Shall I come and heal him?” (Matthew 8:7) All of these examples (and the many more) show the love of Jesus to neighbors, as those who came to Jesus because they believed he was holy.
Because they sought him out, as those who lived in the neighborhood (so to speak) but were not approved Jews, those neighbors were given the same treatment as if they were family and friends. They were lost sheep that heard the voice of their shepherd and came to Jesus willingly, without him seeking them out (against Jewish law). Therefore, the unwritten message of neighbors is it represents all those who live together but in segregated into groups, because of cultural demands, kept from intermingling by protocols.
Jesus loved those neighbors by not rejecting them at face value.
Some neighbors do not believe in cutting grass.
As for the enemies that surrounded Jesus, one has to look at the examples where Jews were angered by something said by Jesus. In Nazareth, we read how all the Jews in the synagogue there, “were furious when they heard [Jesus speak]. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.” (Luke 4:28-29) While speaking to the Jews on the steps of the Temple, he told them the truth would set them free, which led to them denying they were enslaved. Jesus then spoke of the Father, to which the Jews claimed Abraham as their parentage. This inability to hear the truth in Jesus’ words angered them so, “At this, they picked up stones to stone him.” (John 8:59) During the Feast of the Dedication (now called Hanukkah), we read how the Jews gathered around Jesus and asked when he would clearly say he was the Messiah. He explained to them how they had heard that but did not believe, due to them not being his lost sheep. We then read, “Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him.”
Those were all the enemies of Jesus, yet Jesus loved them by telling them the truth, even though the truth hurt. Jesus did not capitulate to their demands to accept illegitimate reasoning, as if “love” meant not causing a stir.
It is also important to see some of the acts of Jesus that were also motivated by the love of God are often misunderstood as if an expression of pent up human emotions. For example, when we read, “In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money,” we then see the response Jesus had was, “So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.” (John 2:14-15) Later in his ministry, we see how, “When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling.” (Luke 19:45 and similar in Matthew and Mark)
As Jesus was commuting between Jerusalem and Bethany during the pre-Passover week, we read, “Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.” This is given a title “Jesus Curses a Fig Tree.” (Matthew 21:19)
It is very easy to miss how Jesus acted appropriately in each instance, because his actions were backed by Scripture, as God’s love being that of a Father (not a mother). His physical acts were vivid and shocking lessons, but they were all backed up by divine words. By those actions, Jesus taught lessons to his family and friends, and also to neighbors and enemies who witnessed them. Jesus demonstrated love as an act in defense of one’s beliefs.
You’ll thank me later, although that is beyond your grasp now.
With that in-depth interpretation of love being much more than human “love,” where one comes from God in one’s heart, with the other coming from self-will that is ever-changing, one can then fully grasp the true intent of Jesus having a heart-felt chat with his students, on the eve of their graduation to Sainthood. This is not a conversation that equally applies to anyone who has not proved a committed relationship with God, through a love bond with His Son. This means understanding these words requires the presence of the Holy Spirit, as the disciples who were told this command did not write about it. (John was not a disciple, as he was family.)
Thus, students of Jesus to this day will have these words fall upon drunken ears, only to forget them when the fear and panic – generated by a world that is filled with dangerous enemies – grabs hold of their hearts and fills them with doubt. (“Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:31; and, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” – Matthew 8:26)
When Jesus told his disciples, “abide in my love,” he had just said his love was that of the Father, so the disciples were commanded to be in the same state. The Greek word “menó” (root of “meinate”) not only translates as “abide,” but also as “await” or “wait for my love.” That must be taken as Jesus telling anyone who desires to be a Saint, like Jesus, how he or she must wait until he or she becomes Jesus reborn.
Because the Father spoke through Jesus, the Son, Jesus saying, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love,” is saying all who have God’s love in their hearts will always obey God’s Will. This means each disciple will never again disobey the Father out of selfish will. That is the sacrifice of self that is awaited, which brings forth the Mind of Christ, so one is a new Jesus.
When Jesus then said, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete,” the friends and family of Jesus had been seeking the “joy” and “gladness” that comes from “rejoicing” (all derivatives of the Greek word “chara”) that the promised Messiah had been delivered. In modern terms, Christians have the same desire in the promise of Jesus returning. The Jews all said they believed in the Prophets who promised the coming of a Savior, in the same way that Christians believe in the interpretations of Scripture that predict a Rapture and Second Coming. The Jews are still waiting for their Christ, while Christians who do not become Saints are still waiting for the End Times.
The “joy made in” a true disciples is “complete” when the return of Jesus Christ is now, in oneself. As such, the Greek word “plērōthē,” which means “may be complete,” also represents the conditional form of “might be filled.” This “fulfillment” depends on whether or not one opens oneself up to receive the Holy Spirit, which first requires one accept a marriage to God, becoming subservient to His love.
Understanding that self-sacrifice is the conditional demand makes it easier to see how Jesus saying, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” That says how the ability to possess God’s love demands one sacrifice one’s ego (the Greek word “egó” is the first-person pronoun “I,” emphatically stated as “I am.”). It means that the reward of that sacrifice is love, which is much greater than human “love.”
That sacrifice makes one capable of understanding the divine love that had been established between themselves and Jesus, as the Father being in touch with them through the Son. Thus, as Saints, they would have the love of family and friends between others of the same person (all begat from YHWH – “I Am That I Am” – as the Son reborn). They could then promote the same love in multiplicity to other seekers, so more would become the children of Jesus Christ.
While it is easy to hear Jesus speak of laying down his life for his friends, through the Big Brain Syndrome of knowing the end of the story from the beginning, we can jump to the conclusion that meant Jesus would soon die on a wooden cross. Unfortunately, such a conclusion is wrong. Jesus did not die on a cross so “philōn” (“friends”) could be saved, because that would deny all neighbors and enemies the same opportunity for Salvation.
If that were the case, then call back all the missionaries who travel the world trying to preach the Gospel to heathen enemies.
The meaning of what Jesus said has to be applied to Jesus’ life, not his death. His life began at his birth, which means Jesus willingly sacrificed his human life before his soul was breathed into the human body that was born of a woman. Jesus laid down his life as a mere mortal, so he could become the Son of God, the Messiah.
By his making that sacrifice – laying down his life prior to birth – Jesus could live to create family and friends who would be saved by God’s love through that living body of Christ. Therefore, the conditional demands one exude God’s love amid the lives of neighbors and enemies, so that one will attract the seekers who desire to be close to one of righteousness.
When Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you,” this is the conditional proposition. If one reads the New Testament of the Holy Bible – the Gospels and the Epistles – and hears Jesus speaking to oneself, then one is a friend of God and Christ. That friendship is then conditional on obedience, which is by definition, “submissive behavior.” (see Collins English Dictionary definition 2)
That then defines a disciple as a slave or servant, such that a student must follow the lead of the teacher in order to obtain a passing grade and the ultimate goal – graduation to teacher status. When one has progressed to teacher status, one has become part of the family of teachers, who then teach their own begotten student friends. When one becomes a teacher of the Word of God, then one has become reborn as Jesus Christ.
In this line of thought that projects a student-teacher relationship that is intended to make the students self-sufficient as teachers, one can see the purpose of Jesus saying, “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” The sacrifice of self that yields obedience, or servitude to the master’s orders, is itself a relationship that calls for love that does not accept failure as passing.
The students are the friends of the master because the master’s desire is for the students to learn the correct way. That level of love for friends means dressing the student down who has failed a test and praising the student who has successfully grasped a lesson. Jesus did this to Peter when Peter tried to rebuke Jesus, when Jesus told Peter, “Get behind me Satan.” (Matthew 16:23) Still, Jesus praised Peter when Peter answered Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15) The praise was because Peter’s answer, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16) was divinely inspired and not memorized (or hearsay). Therefore, Jesus the master told Peter the student, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17)
When Jesus said, “You did not choose me but I chose you,” this is a statement of family. It is the relationship a parent has with a child, such that the saying goes, “You can choose your friends, but not your family.” Jesus then became the father of his disciples, telling them, “Follow me” individually, as his children.
That was a selection process based on divine insight, which says (in a way) that the souls who fill the bodies of our children are divinely chosen, by God, with purpose. Nothing happens by chance.
Students do not choose a course of study because they idolize a certain teacher. They choose a course of study because they desire to know that discipline. The disciples of Jesus chose to know righteousness, through one identified as the Christ. They never expected to become Jesus. Therefore, Jesus said it is up to the student to choose to achieve a goal that is higher than the teacher; and, for that reason Jesus chose his disciples because of their hearts having already opened to learn to love God – the ultimate goal.
Realizing that, when Jesus said next, “I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name,” Jesus affirmed he had chosen the eleven because they too would become teachers. They were buds that would blossom and grow into fruit, filled with seeds that would continue as the spread of Christianity. As soon to be fruit from the true vine, the Apostles would become the offspring, true duplications of the Christ fruit.
By seeing this and by realizing that Jesus spoke these words to his disciples after Judas had left to betray him, Judas was like the fig tree that had born no fruit, which became cursed and died. This statement says a true Christian is appointed to also teach disciples, so they too become Jesus Christ reborn. Only by having been so resurrected can one ask God in the name of Jesus Christ for anything that will bear favorable results. Therefore, to be chosen is to be resurrected as Jesus Christ.
With the ending statement being, “I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another,” one must grasp that Jesus was not sitting in the dark of night on the Mount of Olives, speaking to a multitude of doubting Jews and enemies. Jesus, again speaking for the Father, spoke of God’s love being the DNA that joined them all together as brothers, who within fifty days would be reborn as Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit. This means the command “to love one another” is an order to form a church – a graduate school of brotherhood and sisterhood, where only true Christians can support one another on a human level, as family. In a Church family, every member has bonded to God as His Son reborn. (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” – Matthew 18:20)
See this view of Church as a teachers’ breakroom or a faculty lounge, as a place to go when there are no classes of students for the masters to teach. As a teacher of God’s love, one is still “on the clock,” but occasionally in need of re-energizing. The command to love one another is then a command to give support to those in the same “line of work.” The Church is how Christiansmaintain connection with all who are in the name of Jesus Christ. That is then a new command to amend the teachings of the synagogue.
A Church should be modeled after the rules set forth by Moses, where there are three “break times” a year – Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot – with a call for Christians to share their love with their neighbors and enemies on every Shabbat. The natural abuse that would then be inflicted on those Christians, by neighbors and enemies, would require them to help each other’s wounds in healing.
Lend a hand.
Jesus wept and felt human emotions, because he was human. He was unable to carry his instrument of destruction to his execution, because he was human. He was able to take all the abuse because of God’s love within him, overriding his human feelings. As Jesus hung dying on the cross, he looked down and saw the true members of his Church … his family and friends.
To all the subsequent graduates of Jesus’ teaching, it was knowing their sacrifices would be worthwhile, for a great reward to come. The addition of new student believers, those who sought to know more about the promised Messiah having been delivered, would add to the joy of completeness felt in all having been Jesus Christ reborn. Those new masters would always find support in the others just like them … their family and friends.
As a lesson in the Easter season, it should be easier to see how one fits into this command to love one another. One has to have served one’s time learning the foundations of one’s religion. One has to desire to know God and from that desire seek the teacher that is the Holy Bible and those who can explain its deeper meaning.
Then one has to die of self-will and be reborn of God’s Will, with His love in one’s heart and the Christ Mind exposing all the truth that divine Word holds. All the commandments become second nature and not forced. One lives a life or righteousness for the purpose of attracting more seekers to oneself.
One understands how loving enemies is done by allowing others to hate you, without adding fuel to that hatred. One understands how loving a neighbor is done by living at peace with others who share the same belief in the One God, although others may not share the same devotion to God’s Will. Finally, one understands how loving one another as Jesus loved friends and family means to support others who have also been reborn as Jesus Christ. One is devoted to that end so that the fruit produced will come from enemies and neighbors, led to seek God by the master’s light shining from within a servant of the Lord.
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.
——————–
This is the mandatory reading from the Acts of the Apostles for the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B, according to the lectionary of the Episcopal Church. It will be the first reading presented, to be followed by Psalm 98, where David sang, “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.” That will precede a reading from First John, where was written: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child.” All will bring the Gospel reading from John, where Jesus said, “You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.”
This reading ends the tenth chapter in Acts, where verse 34 – 43 were read on Easter Sunday. All of chapter ten deals with Peter being called by God to go to Caesarea and meet with a Roman centurion named Cornelius and his Gentile followers. Simply meeting in the same place as Gentiles was forbidden by Jewish laws and mores. Thus, that is the setting in this reading, where Yahweh has spoken through Peter to Gentiles.
The first word of this reading is translated as “While.” The Greek word written is “Eti,” which is capitalized, meaning a divine essence elevates this adverb to a greater importance. The word itself, in the lower case, means “(a) of time: still, yet, even now, (b) of degree: even, further, more, in addition.” The capitalization means the prior verses, which began with Yahweh speaking through Peter, these verse now speak of a time when Yahweh was “Still” speaking, being a “Further” state of that presentation of the Word.
The segment of verse 44 that shows above as “the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word” needs to be recognized as a syntactical paraphrase that combines two capitalized words, so “Holy Spirit” becomes read as one entity. It is indeed two, as the two capitalized words denote. The order of presentation in the Greek has been changed to suit the preconceptions of English speaking readers, so “Holy Spirit” was not written.
The “Holy Spirit” is read by Christians as one entity; and, it is used commonly as “Jesus Christ” being one name, to the point that “Christ” seems to be the last name of “Jesus.” It is not a last name.
The Greek written in Acts states: “epepesen to Pneuma to Hagion epi pantas tous akouontas ton logon.” That literally says, “lit upon that Spirit that Set apart by God on the basis of all comprehending those this divine utterance.”
Seeing that translation makes it possible to see the “Spirit” as that flowing through Peter from Yahweh, where the source makes the “Spirit” known to be divine, without any need to add that it is “Holy.” Thus, it was this flow of “Spirit” being received by “listeners” that made them become “Set apart by God” [“Hagion”], as “all comprehending those this divine utterance.”
Without seeing the two capitalized words as having separate divine meanings, seeing just the “Holy Spirit” becomes one falling short. It leaves weak imaginations to struggle to understand what that means. The truth written says: The listeners were made Holy.
Verse 45 is then shown to begin with these words: “The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded.” In reality, the verse begins with the word “kai” [lower case], followed by the Greek segment of words [ending with a comma mark]: “exestēsan hoi ek peritomēs pistoi,” which says that segment of words is important to understand, before adding any more words to that.
The Greek literally translates to say, “were amazed those out from circumcision believers.” That has absolutely nothing to say about Gentiles. The “kai” says it is important to see how the flow of the “Spirit” from Peter had an “amazing” effect on those who said they “believed” in Yahweh. Because they were born and circumcised as Jews, Yahweh was their exclusive God. The importance of this segment of words is this: even the Jews who came with Peter were transformed [“amazed, astounded”], which means they had not been transformed before going with Peter to meet with Gentiles.
By seeing that there was nothing of value by having been circumcised, as no true faith can be generated by the physical trimming of a male baby’s foreskin, the importance is realizing that the Jews Peter took with him to Caesarea had yet to be filled by Yahweh’s “Spirit,” even though they were of the same religion. That importance is then followed by Luke writing, “as many as [circumcised believers] had come them with Peter , seeing that kai upon them Gentiles this gift of that Set apart by God of this Spirit having been bestowed liberally.” In that, the presence of “kai” is ignored as a marker of importance, which needs these words be closely inspected.
The comma mark that separates a segment of words that focuses on Jews being Spiritually filled, due to the words Yahweh spoke through Peter, that was witnessed by Cornelius and his Gentile companions [“seeing that,” from “hoti” defined as “introducing a causal clause expressing a reason: because, seeing that”]. While the Jews were becoming elated, the “kai” says importantly “upon them Gentiles this gift of that Set apart by God [“Hagion”] of this Spirit [from “tou Pneumatos”].” The Greek word “ekcheo,” the root of “ekkechytai,” says Yahweh “poured out (liquid or solid); shed, or bestowed liberally” His “Spirit.” There was plenty for all who sought to serve Yahweh.
Verse 45 ends in a period mark, meaning verse 46 is no longer limited to focus on Gentiles. It becomes a fresh new statement about all who were present, Jews and Gentiles. From that perspective, Luke wrote [NRSV], “for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.” This is another segment of words that needs straightening, so the translation becomes more powerful.
The Greek text states: “ēkouon gar autōn lalountōn glōssais kai megalynontōn ton Theon.” Literally this says, “they were listening indeed themselves of speaking languages kai magnifying that of God.”
The NRSV translation gives one the impression that one group [the Jews] were amazed by watching the other group [the Gentile], “listening” to them “speaking in tongues.” This becomes one of those nebulous concepts that people say they believe, but no one knows what it is they believe. What does “speaking in tongues” mean?”
The reality of what is stated in all [both groups – Jews and Gentiles] were “listening,” where the Greek word “ēkouon” [from “akouó”] says all “were hearing, were listening, were comprehending from hearing,” such that the meaning one must realize is this: Yahweh spoke through Peter and the words that came forth “were understood.”
When this then leads to Luke writing, “indeed themselves,” the Greek word “autōn” needs to be read as a statement of plural “selves,” where “selves” are “souls.” Thus, what Peter was saying, coming from Yahweh, was connecting “indeed” with the “souls of all” there.
Because it was Peter doing the “speaking,” it was the “Spirit” of Yahweh that was “speaking” to the souls of all. It was not anyone other than Peter making vocal noises, but rather the abilities of all to understand what was said, so all were “speaking” the same language.
The Greek word “glōssais” is translated as “tongues,” but such a translation should only be applied anatomically – relative to physical “tongues.” This means the accusative plural is only relative to “languages,” which means whatever “languages” the people present were fluent in “speaking,” they all heard the truth spoken in that “language.” What each heard was then relative to the truth that has the translation indicating the people present spoke multiple “languages” [Aramaic, Latin, Hebrew, whatever]. As it was Yahweh “speaking” His divine “language,” His Word was known by all.
Peter’s dialogue is not recorded, but it could be he was reciting [without a scroll to read] divine Scripture. What would have amazed the Jews present is they understood Hebrew, but the looks on the faces of the Gentiles said they too were understanding what Peter said. Still, the more amazing thing to the Jews [that would have also affected the Gentiles] is Peter was explaining the text he recited, in ways that they had never heard explained before.
That became spiritually uplifting; and, that is the truth about “speaking in tongues.”
To make this point, Luke wrote the word “kai” in the middle of that statement, which placed importance that is directly relative to “speaking in tongues,” where the NRSV translation says “extolling God.” That, again, makes the reader be led to hearing a room full of people all talking at once, when nothing has changed since Luke told us Peter was “Still” speaking from Yahweh. Thus, the truth of what Luke wrote is “magnifying that of God,” where what Peter spoke had greater impact on those listening. They were hearing within their souls that which was “that of God.”
The NRSV then has Peter change from speaking the Word of Yahweh, to saying, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” In reality, verse 46 includes a period mark that ends the prior statement, but then adds, “Tote apekrithē Petros,” before beginning verse 47.
The capitalization of “Tote,” means divine essence must be read into the word that means “Then, At that time.” This is a divine statement that until “Then” everything spoken was Yahweh, through Peter’s mouth. Thus, from realizing “apekrithē” is an indication of someone else “taking up the conversation,” we see that “Peter” becomes identified as the one “Then” speaking.
Verse 47 then shows Peter asking, “Can anyone withhold the water,” where the actual Greek states, “If not this water is able to withhold.” In that, physical “water” can only be read in terms of a comparison, such that the statement is about rain falling, which cannot be expected to be selective as to who or what it falls upon. When the rains come, everything and everyone exposed to the rain will get wet. That becomes metaphor and not a literal statement about water being poured out.
Water must always be seen as an element that symbolizes the emotional state of being; so, Peter was moved to realize spiritually that everyone [Jews and Gentiles alike] had been affected by the outpouring of Yahweh’s Word.
The translation by the NRSV that indicates “just as we have” is not actually stated. A comma mark ends the statement about the affect of Yahweh’s “language” on all souls present, as being akin to a heavy downpour of rain [“water”]. From that, everyone who had not previously been filled with Yahweh’s “Spirit” had then become “submerged,” like being dunked [“baptized”].
With that observation made by “Peter Then joining the conversation,” the Greek following a comma says, “hōs kaihēmeis,” which translates as “just as kai we.” This says all who were newly filled [Jews and Gentiles] were “baptized” in the same “Spirit,” “just as” Peter and those who came with him that had been so filled. The word “kai” then becomes a marker of importance saying all [Jews and Gentiles filled “just as”] had become “we,” as a one word statement of unity. All were to be seen as one group, alike as resurrections of Jesus. All were alike as those “Anointed ones” [“Christ”] of Yahweh. Therefore, all were true Christians.
Verse 48, which is translated by the NRSV as stating: “So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ,” is misleading. As the third person makes one assume “he” is Peter, implying that Peter had some special power that could baptize anyone “in the name of Jesus Christ.” The third person becomes best understood as being Yahweh, whose Word flowed through Peter and baptized like rain falling upon everyone there. The only source of baptism “in the name of Jesus Christ” is and can only be Yahweh. Thus, verse 48 needs to be closely inspected.
Luke wrote: “prosetaxen de autous en tō onomati Iēsou Christou baptisthēnai.” This literally translates to say, “he ordered now them in then name Jesus of Christ to be baptized.” Because of the first word’s lack of capitalization, one can comfortably say that Peter is the one speaking, even making a directive that all should recognize the truth of that experience. His “command, order, or instruction” is not that anyone “should be baptized,” but a statement that all were indeed “baptized” by Yahweh. All had become reborn as His Son, “in the name Jesus.” All had become possessed by Yahweh, thereby “of Anointment,” which was their “baptism.” Nothing needed to be done further, as God’s work through His Apostle Peter had been done.
Verse 48 then ends with the “we” Gentiles offering the Jews to stay with them for a few days. In this statement, the aspect of “days” becomes metaphor for being “in the light of Christ,” where the presence of the “Spirit” gave them all the promise of eternal life [“days”], removing them from the darkness of mortal existences. Therefore them “asking to remain” becomes a prayer of thanks that offered their souls to be led by Yahweh in ways to serve Him forever.
As the mandatory reading from the Acts of the Apostles during the sixth Sunday of Easter, it needs to be seen that the acts of Yahweh’s servant are to make Yahweh’s “Spirit” available to others who are seekers. Cornelius was a seeker, who had family and soldiers who also sought the Lord. Peter had been raised as one circumcised [a Jew] to live separate from Gentiles. Yahweh had come to him in dream [a vision] and told Peter to go wherever He sent him. Peter complied with that divine instruction and became a “Messenger” of Yahweh. All Peter had to do was meet with seekers and then let God speak through him. Yahweh did the baptizing.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
——————–
This is the Epistle selection to be read aloud on the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B, according to the lectionary of the Episcopal Church. It will follow the mandatory reading from the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 10 today), which states, “While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.” That will be followed by the singing of Psalm 98, with the lyric that praises, “With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy before the King, the Lord.” Then, a reading from John’s Gospel will tell of Jesus saying, “I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.”
The problem with reading all Epistles in the New Testament is they all are written in divine language, as the Word of Yahweh. Divine language is not how mere mortals read words on paper [or parchment]. In whatever languages human beings read [and this Epistle was not written in English], they always read in human syntax, missing the divinity that stares them in the face, but their brains simply will not allow them to see it. A perfect example of this is in verse 1, where reading “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ” makes all Christians run out the doors of the church proclaiming, “I believe Jesus is the Christ!” That is not the intent of what John wrote.
The Greek text written says, “Pas ho pisteuōn hoti Iēsous estin ho Christos”. In that segment of eight words [ended with a comma mark] there are three capitalized words. ALL capitalized words bear divine essence, which raises them well above the human plane of understanding.
For example, a human plane of understanding “Iēsous” thinks, “Wow! That is the name of “Jesus”!” That does not take into consideration that “Iēsous” is the name Yahweh sent Gabriel to tell Mary, “This will be his name,” with the reason being the name is purposefully chosen by God, intended on leading one to understand, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:32) The name “Jesus” means “Yah[weh] Will Save” or “Yah[weh] Saves.” It is rooted in the Hebrew word “yeshuah,” meaning “salvation.” Human brains simply cannot [and will not] read “Jesus” and interpret that as a statement saying, “Yahweh Saves.”
With that said, the first word is a capitalized “Pas,” which elevates the meaning of the lower case “pas,” which simply means “all, every, the whole, every kind of.” In a segment of words that are seen to include “Iēsous “and “Christos,” the elevation to a divine level of meaning must equate “All” or “Every” to those who are reborn as “Jesus,” thereby “Saved by Yahweh,” having become the “Christ,” meaning another “Anointed one” of God. By seeing that divine link between capitalized words set together in one group of words, one is seeing a divine principle being stated, as a Holy Law that effects “All” equally.
Now, the operative word that links to “Every” and “All” is “pisteuōn,” which Strong’s defines as the participle of “pisteuó,” meaning “believing, having faith in, or trusting in.” Because “Pas” is divinely elevated, one should choose the higher meaning of the choices available, such that faith is greater than belief or trust [although all are valued]. When “ho” is translated as “that,” then “Pas ho pisteuōn” says, “All that having faith in.”
That initial assessment then places focus on the word “hoti,” which means “that” or “because.” That word then connects to the word “Iēsous,” which is clearly seen as the name of Yahweh’s Son, whose name means “Yahweh Saves,” meaning “that” is a weak translation connecting “having faith in” and “Jesus.” The better choice would be to give reason to “having faith in” Yahweh, such that “because” is an elevation of meaning that connects the divine “All” to the divine “Yah[weh] Saves.” Realizing that makes the segment now say, “All that having faith in because Jesus.” That means Jesus is the cause of faith, not the direction of where one’s belief is placed.
It is most important to realize that prophecy given to Mary about her pregnancy, where Jesus was foretold to be “the Son of the Most High.” In that, Luke wrote the two capitalized words “Huios Hypsistou,” which translates as “Son of the Highest” or “Most High.” He who is “Highest” is Yahweh, meaning “Jesus” would be called the “Son” of God. To put one’s faith in anything lower than the “Highest” is a travesty, as a rejection of the name that means “Yah[weh] Will Save.” If one claims to put one’s belief in Jesus, then one has wiped clean all faith in Yahweh. Thus, the meaning of what is written by John here states, “All that having faith in [YAHWEH] because Jesus” is a profession of true faith, where faith in Yahweh is based on the Son who saves.
This is where the most important connector word comes in – “estin” – as that word is the “third-person singular present active indicative unstressed enclitic of εἰμί (eimí)” [Wiktionary], which is a clear statement of “existence” or “being.” It is at the root of the weasel Bill Clinton making famous the answer to a legal question, “It depends on what the definition of “is” is.” By being a snake in the grass, one reads this word as linking “Iēsous” only to “Christos.” That ignores the fact that faith can only be a statement about one’s own being, such that “estin” connects to “Pas“ and “Iēsous,” meaning “All that having faith in because Jesus is.” One’s elevation of belief to faith means one IS Jesus; and, that is how one knows “Yahweh Saves,” “because” one has been reborn as His Son.
When one “Jesus is,” “that” [from “ho”] state of “being” is what also designates one as the “Christ,” as an “Anointed one” of Yahweh. While it is also true that “Jesus is the Christ,” it is impossible to do more than profess belief in something that is impossible to know for oneself. Belief is thinking something happens to others as one has personally experienced something to happen to oneself. Faith, however, is knowing oneself; so when one knows oneself is Jesus reborn, then one also knows being reborn as Jesus makes one equally an “Anointed one” by Yahweh. Being that one [“Jesus”] brings about that other [“Christ”].
That segment of words is separated from the rest of verse 1 by a comma mark, which is not shown in the NRSV translation. They make it a run-on that says, “has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child.” That gives the impression that “Jesus Christ” [not a proper name] “has been born of God.” While it is true that Jesus was the creation of Yahweh in the human woman Mary, that further misleads “All” who would likewise be “born of God,” making mere human beings be incapable of anything more than believing “Jesus Christ has been born of God.”
In reality, the second, third, and fourth segments of words in verse 1 say, “ek tou Theou gegennētai,kaipas ho agapōn ton gennēsanta,agapa <kai>ton gegennēmenon ex autou” . These translate to state: “from out of who of God has been born ,kai all that loving this having been born , loves <kai> having been born from out of oneself”. By seeing this literal translation, there is nothing that directly states “parent” and there is nothing that directly states “child.” That is paraphrase for the repetition that states, “has been born [of God],” “having been born [indirectly implying of God]”, and “[oneself] having been born [again indirectly implying of God].”
The only ‘parent’ can then only be “God,” and the only “child” is “all” “from out of who of God has been born” … “kai loving this” birth.” This means verse 1 states first “All” who have been reborn as “Jesus,” as a duplication as the “Christ,” they “all” have been also “born of God.” This birth brings a state of “love” that encompasses them “all,” which is relative to “having been born” as Sons of God [all human genders the same].
When verse 2 is then translated to say, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments,” here the word “tekna” does state “children,” which is now a statement of those “born of God,” as “Jesus,” as the Christ,” from which true faith comes. The words “en toutō ginōskomen” [“in this we know”] says that “all” who are “in” Yahweh and Yahweh “in” them – “from birth of God” – they receive the knowledge “of God,” from which “love” flows [from “agapōmen” meaning “we love”]. Therefore, “love of God” is what relates “all” as His “children.”
The aspect of “when we love God” actually means, “when this of God we love,” which says “love” is not a touchy-feeling emotion built from physical limits, but “God’s love.” That was explained by John in the fourth chapter of his first epistle. Thus, after a comma mark and the presence of the word “kai,” the importance that comes from God’s love is “the commandments of him are kept.”
There is nothing stating obedience, as if an external projection of a human being displays love of God by complying with an external written Law [Mosaic “Commandments”]. Instead, this says when one [or “All”] are born of God and filled with His love, then one loves to do whatever Yahweh suggests. So, whatever He orders [from “entolas”] one gladly does.
In verse 3, the NRSV translates: “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” This gives a false impression of that which is written. The verse simply repeats that one’s “love of God,” which is the presence of God’s love” within, is so overwhelmingly powerful that one will do nothing to love that state of being. Doing what Yahweh says to do is then easily done, out of “love” and fear of loving “God’s love.”
When the verse then adds [following a semi-colon and a “kia”] importance is noted as this: doing what Yahweh asks one to do is not a burden. There, the Greek word “barus” means “heavy, weighty, burdensome,” implying “oppressive.” John says none of that is present when Yahweh is married to one’s soul and Jesus is living within, as a new body of flesh that has been Anointed by God.
Verse 4 is then where John stated, “for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.” Again, the separating of that into one and a half sentences makes what John wrote more difficult to fully grasp.
The translation that says “whatever” is completely wrong, as it demonstrates a laziness to express the truth told. The Greek text says, “hoti pan to gegennēmenon ek to Theou nika ton kosmon”. That literally states: “because all this having been born from out of that them of God overcomes this world”. To reduce “all this [stated prior in verses 1-3] having been born from out of that them” as “whatever” is an abject failure to serve Scripture well.
To say those “born of God conquers the world,” this must be recognized as a statement that the sins of “the world” will be “overcome.” That sense of victory is then relative to one’s having let Yahweh lead their lives, as Jesus reborn, also Anointed ones. The lures and entrapments of “the world” cease having an effect on the lives of saved souls.
After a semi-colon and another “kai” is importantly stated, “hautē estin hē nikē hē nikēsasa ton kosmon:hē pistis hēmōn”. In that, the word “estin” should again be read as a state of “being” or “existence,” which is relative to “here,” where human beings live – in “the world” that is the material plane. It is then that spiritual “being that victory” is found, as “this [state of “is”]” is that “having overcome this world.”
That then makes the whole of this segment of words be leading to exemplify that “existence,” by the presence of a colon then found. The clarification of “here is” is then stated to be “that faith of us.” That state of being is what elevates a soul from simple belief to knowing Yahweh directly, as His children, which brings on true faith.
Verse 5 then follows that direct statement of “faith” [NRSV translating “our faith”] by then reverting back to the watered down translation of “pisteuōn” as “believing.” They have verse 5 translated as asking the question, “Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” This becomes a flashback to verse 1, where the mistranslation proclaimed “believing Jesus Christ has been born of God” will do anything towards one being capable of “overcoming the world.” That weak translation is yet another that demands one look at the Greek text written.
First of all, the word beginning verse 5 is capitalized, showing it must be read with a divine elevation. The word capitalized is “Tis,” which has been translated as “Who.” This refers one back to the capitalized first word in verse 1, which was “Pas.” The divine essence of “All” being relative to the capitalization of “Jesus” and to “Christ” means “All” is only relative to those married to Yahweh. Likewise, the word “Tis” must be seen in the same light, as any and all “Who” are also married Spiritually to God’s Spirit. With that understood, the Greek text of verse 5 is as follows:
“Tis de estin ho nikōn ton kosmon,ei mē ho pisteuōn hoti Iēsous estin ho Huios tou Theou?” In those two segments of words are two uses of “estin,” which once more must be read as a statement of “being” or “existence,” not simply as a Bill Clinton “is.” The question raised is “Who now exists that overcoming the world , forasmuch as not that having faith in because Jesus exists that Son who of God ?”
The same statement as in verse 1 is repeated by John as a question asking “Who without faith born as one new Jesus existing as a new Son of God?” John is not asking if belief that Jesus was the Son of God can overcome the lures of Satan in the world. If it were that simple, Satan would have left the building and presidents like Bill Clinton would never rise in power in the world.
The NRSV then translates verse 6 as saying, “This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.” Because they make it fairly simple-minded to follow their train of thought, that belief that Jesus was the Son of God, it is now quite easy to see Jesus as being “the one who came by water and blood,” presumably with the first and last names “Jesus Christ.”
Well, by golly, guess what? That is yet another terrible translation that forces one to yet again review the Greek text.
In verse 6, John wrote the Greek that states: “houtos estin ho elthōn di’ hydatos kai haimatos,Iēsous Christos;ouk en tō hydati monon ¸ all’ en tō hydatikaien tō haimati.kaito Pneuma estin to martyroun , hoti to Pneuma estin hē alētheia.” That is six segments of words, not the five shown by the NRSV translation. Included are three more uses of the word “estin,” where again all must be read as a personal statement of “being” [if one is one of those with faith “having been born of God”]. Additionally, there are three uses of “kai,” with two between the words translating as “water” and “blood” and the last introducing the next to last segment where it and the one to follow speak of “Pneuma” or “Spirit.” Those two capitalized spellings of “Pneuma” are half of the capitalized words in this complex verse, with the other two found together in one two-word segment, as “Iēsous Christos.”
Each of the six segments needs to be discussed individually:
“houtos estin ho elthōn di’ hydatos kaihaimatos” translate literally to say, “this existence that having come through then water kai blood”.
Because verse 5 asked “Who has the faith to overcome the world?” verse six beginning with words that say “this existence” or “this state of being Who” is “that having come” of the world. It is that which is “through then water.” Here, “water” can be seen as metaphor for childbirth, where a mother is ready to deliver her baby after her “water” breaks. That makes “water” become one of the four element of “the world” [along with fire, air, and earth], which reflects the flow of changing states of being. That becomes symbolic of the emotions of one’s “being.” Therefore, the metaphor of John says one of faith is born of the ups and downs of “the world,” its highs and lows, which are usually unpredictable and uncontrollable. Therefore, belief is led by the waters that change, according to what “the world” dictates.
These words must be seen as John stating the truth of mortal existence, where even Jesus was born of a woman and had physical emotions that made it difficult for him to control. When John then inserted the word “kai” after “water,” before “blood,” this brings out the importance of understanding the metaphor of “blood” separately.
Here, “blood” must be seen as that within a human body that flows “life” throughout, as the internal fluids [like and made up of “water”] that replenishes all branches of one’s flesh. Water is necessary for life, but without blood one’s life cannot continue. Symbolically, “blood” becomes a statement of relationship, such that all Jews were deemed to be of the same “blood.” The two together, as “water and blood,” then speak of what humans must have to remain alive on the earthly plane.
When this first segment is read as what cannot possibly make a mortal being have true “faith,” because being born a human makes one born to die. The “water” dries up and the “blood” becomes weak. That realization then leads to the two capitalized words together in one segment, “Iēsous Christos.”
While this appears to make “water and blood” be some statement about baptism and sipping wine at a church rail, the first capitalized word must be read separately. It says “Jesus,” where as a word alone means the man of Nazareth, who was born of a woman, sent to “the world” by Yahweh as a mortal. Then, after that word is understood, the fact that “Christos” is capitalized says Yahweh sent “Salvation” to the world through His Son whose name means “Yah[weh] Saves,” such that Jesus was an “Anointed one” of Yahweh. While he was born mortal and known to die, that soul would become the “water and blood” that would forever “Anoint” others in his name.
The third segment of words literally states, “not in that water only,” where this says emotions are not the whole way to faith. While there are Christians denominations that place great value on “trusting” God [snake handlers immediately come to mind], where “emotions” are artificially raised out of fear of death, such belief systems are fueled by the fluidity of human emotions. Faith is greater than that, although emotions in a physical body cannot help but be affected by the presence of Yahweh, after having been born as His Son. Being able to call Yahweh Father, as His Son, means there is a “blood” link to God. The soul of Jesus merged with one’s soul puts his “blood” throughout one’s body of flesh, just like human “blood” does physically. Therefore, the “Christ state of being” [“Christos”] is not obtainable simply from emotions “alone.”
The fourth segment of words say, “on the other hand in that water kai in that blood” . This then states that both “water and blood” must be spiritually part of one’s “being,” where “in that water” means one must be baptized by the Spirit of Yahweh AND that puts “in” one’s soul the “blood” of relationship with Yahweh, which makes one a Son of God. Having both “the water and the blood in one’s being” makes one become “Jesus” reborn. Having both within means one is an “Anointed one,” just as was “Jesus.”
The fifth segment of words then importantly says [introduced by the word “kai”], “that Spirit state of existence that witnessing.” Here, the root Greek word “martureó” becomes a statement of one personally experiencing Yahweh, which can only come from marrying one’s soul with His “Spirit.”
The simple meaning of the word is “I witness, bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report,” such that the NRSV translates it as “one that testifies.” The only way one can “testify” as to the “Spirit” and to “faith” is from knowing it firsthand. While belief can come from hearsay evidence and not personally experienced, the Greek word “matureo” is at the root of the English word “martyr,” where sacrifice is implied for a higher good. That sacrifice comes from marriage to Yahweh and submission of one’s soul to His “Spirit,” so one will gladly do what He commands, out of true faith.
Finally, the sixth segment of words say, “because that Spirit state of being this truth.” Here, the last word is “alētheia,” which means “truth, but not merely truth as spoken; truth of idea, reality, sincerity, truth in the moral sphere, divine truth revealed to man, straightforwardness.” (Strong’s Usage) Rather than being a nebulous statement that leads people, like Pontius Pilate who asked Jesus, “What is truth?” [like someone like Bill Clinton would ask], the word stated by John means being a “witness” to the “Spirit” is the “truth,” not some made up lie. The whole basis of faith is summed up as knowing Yahweh’s “Spirit” personally, deeply, and totally, so everything that comes out of one’s mouth [just like Jesus] is the “truth,” because it all comes from God “being” one with one’s soul.
As an Epistle reading selection for the sixth Sunday of Easter, a season when one should be preparing for ministry by practicing being Jesus reborn, it is clear that John says an Apostle must be “born of God.” An Apostle must be “Jesus having been born of God” within one’s flesh. Everything about the Easter season is about Jesus rising within Saints, who Yahweh then sends out into ministry. The NRSV did not do anyone any favors in translating these six verses; but the reason an Epistle reading is selected each week is it is the voice of God speaking through a Saint, which is what “All” true believers are made from. Being able to understand divine text is one of the important talents one must be practicing during this time.
Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”
——————–
This is the Gospel selection to be read aloud on the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will culminate a set of readings, beginning with a mandatory reading from the Acts of the Apostles (this Sunday from chapter 10), which states, “The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” That will be followed by a reading from Psalm 98, which sings, “In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.” Immediately before this reading, John’s first Epistle will be read, which states, “And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.”
To even begin to fully understand this reading selection, one must realize the setting and timeframe. As I have stated prior, the adult disciples had left the upper room with Jesus, drunk on Seder wine, with some perhaps bringing a jug with them [because the ritual says drink until you pass out drunk on wine]. Because John was an underage child, he and Jesus were the only ones not drunk on wine. John wrote chapters fourteen, fifteen, sixteen and seventeen, all telling of things Jesus did and said after leaving the upper room, none of which are told by either Matthew or Mark. Thus, the setting is somewhere in the streets of the Essene Quarter, or outside the walls of Jerusalem, as the group slowly walked the trail from the Essene Gate to Gethsemane; and, those who went with Jesus did not include Judas Iscariot, who had left earlier to betray Jesus.
Here, again, is the Episcopal Church adds words that are not written. They do so in order to place the setting as Jesus speaking to his disciples. While that is true, the words “Jesus said to his disciples” is not written in verse 9. Last week’s Gospel reading also came from John 15, which were verses 1 – 8. In those, the Episcopal Church also added the same words, none of which were written by John. The assumption is made because Jesus refers to his “disciples” in the last word of verse 8, which bridges both readings and is who Jesus was talking to. In all of John’s fifteenth chapter, that is the only direct reference to “disciples.”
This reading ends with Jesus telling those present, “I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” If one does a search on the Internet looking for where Jesus said “love one another” the answer will be John 13:34, no John 15:17. John 13:34 takes place in the upper room, where the instructions given are found in John 13:31-35, as these:
“When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify the Son in Himself—and will glorify Him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little while 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.’ A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”’
The liberals that wear the sheep clothing, while hiding wolves underneath who seek to destroy the flock for their benefit, point to this as a global commandment, where the haters of the world will always be able to control the sheep by throwing in their faces, “Jesus said you must love me.” That can only be true if one is an Apostle, Anointed by Yahweh to be reborn as His Son, as Yahweh was speaking [always] through His Son. So, the commandment to “love one another” only applies to those who serve Yahweh, by supporting the ministry of His Son. It is imperative to realize that Jesus did not say this order to Judas Iscariot, who was a traitor, just like all who pretend to be Christians when they serve no gods other than their own selves. Because Judas had left, Jesus said this only to those who were true servants of Yahweh. Thus, this is not intended to be a global message for the whole world to follow – only true Christians.
Last Sunday [the fifth Sunday of Easter], the Epistle reading came from First John, chapter 4, where the repeated word of note was “love.” In these selected verses from John 15 are nine references stating “love” or “loved.” Based on what John wrote in his Epistle, and knowing John was the one sober and recording what Jesus said here to his disciples [and himself], the meaning of “love” must be understood as being exactly the same.
The word “love” cannot be defined in human physical emotional sensations, because the “love” Jesus spoke of [as Yahweh speaking through the mouth of His Son] was the presence of Yahweh’s Spirit and the “love” of eternal salvation given to a soul. Such “love” is given because a soul reciprocates “love” through marriage to Yahweh and submission into His service. That concept of “love” must be maintained when analyzing these words spoken by Jesus to his disciples [and all readers today should feel Jesus speaking to them equally].
Verse 9 can be seen as affirming that concept, as the NRSV translates Jesus as saying, “ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” This must be seen as Yahweh speaking through the Son, such that Jesus has received the “love of God,” but the “love of God” is only God’s to give. Jesus is not asking anyone to marry him physically, out of “love.”
When the last segment says, “abide in my love,” the “love” of Jesus IS the “love of Yahweh.” So, Jesus said to marry God out of “love” and receive “eternal love” by “abiding in God’s love.” The meaning of “meinate,” or “abide,” says “remain, stay, wait,” which is the essence of “union,” where two have become one. Thus, to “abide in my love” is a command to “wait” until the “love” of Jesus has resurrected within a wife [human gender non-specific] of Yahweh.
Verse 10 then goes on to translate Jesus saying, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” The Greek word “entolas” is translated as “commandments,” which must be seen as relative to the laws of Yahweh, from which the true boundaries of righteousness are set.
Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) That makes Jesus be the example of one who keeps the commandments of Yahweh and thereby lives [abides] “in His love.” Jesus then told his disciples to become him reborn, in an indirect manner.
The NRSV then has verse 11 stating, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” This translation ignores the capitalized word that has been translated as “these things.”
The Greek text shows verse 11 beginning with “Tauta,” which is the nominative plural form of “hoûtos,” meaning “These.” While “things” might be an applicable generality for “commandments,” the divine essence given reflects back on “Those” who abide in Yahweh, through their soul’s marriage to His Spirit. Thus, the literal Greek needs to be further inspected to identify “These.”
The Greek text of verse 11 is this: “Tauta lelalēka hymin,hina hē chara hē emē en hymin ē,kaihē chara hymōn plērōthē.” That literally translates to state: “These I have talked about to you , so that this source of joy this mine in you may exist ,kai this source of joy yours may be fulfilled .” There are three segments of words in this verse, the first of which addresses “These,” which are Yahweh’s “commandments” that have been written in the Torah, the Psalms, and the Prophets. “These” are what the Jews read some of each Sabbath. “These” are divinely elevated to the sermons Jesus preached [publicly and privately], which taught the disciples – rabbi to pupils.
When one understands the first segment of words as being relative to Jesus’ ability to know Scripture and its meaning, through his marriage to Yahweh’s Spirit, that marriage is “the source of joy” [“chara”] that Jesus wants to share with his students. The third segment of words is then separated by comma and introduced by the word “kai,” which states importance to follow. That importance is stating the sole purpose of Jesus teaching the meaning of Scripture to his students is so they too can become married to Yahweh’s Spirit and become the fulfillment of Jesus reborn into them. They will then know personally the presence of Yahweh, the greatest “joy” imaginable.
Verse 12 then has Jesus telling his disciples, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” While this becomes the mantra of those who hate Christianity and is an impossible command to make upon people whose souls only know self, not Yahweh through marriage with their souls, the reality is the written text ignores more capitalization, meaning this verse also needs inspection of the Greek.
The Greek text written by John is this: “Hautē estin hē entolē hē emē,hina agapate allēlous kathōs ēgapēsa hymas.” In this, the word “Hautē” is the feminine singular form of “hoûtos,” being similar to the nominative plural for “Tauta.” Now the focus is divinely elevated to become a statement of “This,” which relates back directly to the importance of Yahweh’s “source of joy may be fulfilled” in the disciples of Jesus. “This” then becomes a “state of being” or an “existence,” which is how the word “estin” must be read. It is “This being” that is “this commandment” given, which is both “this mine” of Jesus and Yahweh.
With the first segment of words understood as Jesus-Yahweh setting forth the expectation, as a “command” or “order” or “instruction” to the disciples, the following segment of words says, “in order that you love each other according to the manner in which I have loved you.” This translation paints a clearer picture that without “being This” fulfillment of marriage with Yahweh’s Spirit, one cannot possibly “love as has Jesus loved.”
“This” fulfillment of a “command” to marry Yahweh makes it possible, “in order that” [“hina”] “you love” as one being with Yahweh, so all of “you love” as each married to Yahweh, so the “love of God” reverberates throughout “each other” or “one another,” as Jesus times eleven [plus John]. At no time during the three years prior, during the ministry of Jesus, did he display any other form of “love” than that “of Yahweh,” meaning all definitions of human “love” can never be applied to this verse [or any other in the New Testament]. The definition of this “love” can only be known by a soul married to Yahweh, at which point definitions cannot be constructed that equate to personal experience of Yahweh, other than “the love of God.”
This assessment is then stated in verse 13, as: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The way this translation appears, it makes one think Jesus suggested “love” is measured by how much one is willing to die for his “friends.” That is not the truth of what John wrote, which is what Yahweh said through Jesus.
The wording that says, “no one has greater love than this,” seems to be a phrase setting up the next phrase; but what was actually said is this: “in the widest sense of this love nothing has.” That says there can be no defining the “love” of which Jesus spoke, because it has “nothing” to do with being based in human emotions. A human understanding of “love” is not equivalent to “God’s love.”
The people who insert headings to the verses of Scripture, which guides the readers to get an idea about what the following verses will tell, have inserted one between verse 12 and verse 13. The BibleHub Interlinear site shows verse 13 beginning a section that explains “Greater Love has No One than This.” Other versions do not add such headings, but they place space between certain verses, as if to silently say, “These verses should be looked at separately.” That is misleading, as it gives the impression that Jesus paused while speaking about the commandment that the disciples marry their souls to Yahweh and love each other as brothers born of the same “love” – “God’s love.”
With that having been stated in verse 12, it makes verse 13 a perfect continuation of that line of thought, by saying, “The love I am talking about cannot be known by human beings, as it is not a physical love. It is greater than that and words cannot aptly describe it.”
When that natural flow of dialogue is seen, verse 13 then separates that segment of words from the next, which then adds, “so that certain this the soul of self should establish on behalf of this of friends of self.”
Here, the Greek word “psychēn” is translated properly as “the soul,” where the NRSV has abbreviated “the breath of life” to simply say “life.” Certainly, “life” being “laid down” becomes a statement of “dying” for a friend, but when “the soul” is seen instead, a “soul” being eternal cannot “lay down” in death for anyone. A “soul” is already “laid down” in a body of flesh that is certain to die, whether or not that “soul” has any “friends.”
As I have pointed out in other postings, the word translated as “lay down” [“tithémi”] actually means, “to place, lay, set,” with usage implying “I put, place, lay, set, fix, establish.” The “soul” of Jesus was “established” by Yahweh to be the soul reborn in others, whose souls married with Yahweh’s Spirit. Jesus died on a cross; but Jesus would have died at some time, being born into a mortal body of flesh. The death of Jesus’ flesh released the “soul” that Yahweh had “established” as “God’s love” to be resurrected in others who would be reborn – like Jesus [Christs].
This is where what I wrote [last week] about Jesus asking Peter three times, “Do you love me?” is important to restate. Twice Jesus used a form of “agape,” with Peter [Simon son of John] answering both times with “philos.” Both words can translate as “love,” but they are not equal statements of that word. When Jesus asked a third time, using “philos,” Peter replied once again using “philos.” This is where the difference needs to be seen as Jesus asking, “Do you have God’s love as me?” [“agape”] and Peter responding, “I have a human love for you.” [“philos”] This needs to be closely observed in the Greek text here.
All the “friends” had this glow about their heads; but then there was that one without a glow.
In verse 12 Jesus said, “that you love one another as I have loved you,” where “agape” was used twice: “agapate” and “ēgapēsa.” To link those uses to verse 13, Jesus said, “in the widest sense this love nothing has,” using “agapēn.” When Jesus then said “the soul of self should establish,” that says only “the soul” can know “this love,” because those who say “I love God” and are not married to Yahweh’s Spirit are “nothing” more than “friends” of Yahweh: “philōn.” The reason one is a “friend” of God and not the “love of God” is all related to “the self,” where one married to Yahweh “establishes” his or her “soul” as Yahweh’s, when one not married stays “of self” centered, thus just on “friendly” terms with God and Jesus.
Seeing that in verse 13, verse 14 then says [NRSV]: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Because these standard translation version do not recognize the divinity of Scripture and the rules of language it incorporates, the capitalization of “You” [from “Hymeis”] does nothing to tell the reader to assess that word for divine meaning.
The divine elevation of the second person plural personal pronoun becomes a statement that recognizes those disciples Jesus was speaking to as those chosen by God to have their souls marry Yahweh’s Spirit. Thus, “You” means all would know the “agape” of God. That is then how “este” [translated as “are”] is a statement of “being” that has been divinely elevated, as “souls established” for Yahweh.
When Jesus said, “friends of me” [from “philoi mou”], this then becomes a statement that Jesus would be resurrected in the flesh of each disciple, having been merged with each of their souls. This “love of God” [“agape”] would make each disciple’s name become in the name of Jesus, so all would be “brothers” in that way. Jesus saying “of me” means they would be “in the name of Jesus,” so all would be sharing the “friendship” of brotherhood.
When verse 14 then adds the conditional term “if” [“ean”], that existence as brothers in “friendship” would be “if you do as I command you.” In that, the word “egō” must be heard as Yahweh speaking, such that all commands made to a “soul” married to Yahweh come from Him. Thus, the “if” condition is marriage to Yahweh, so Jesus can be reborn in a “friendly” way in each disciple, so Jesus will lead them to do as the Father commands.
Verse 15 then says, “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” Here, the aspect of “servants” [from “doulous”] is a statement of slavery.
All Jews who did not know what Scripture meant were “slaves” to Judaism, just as all Christians who do not know what Scripture means are “slaves” to words written in a holy book. They were “slaves” to the “masters” that were their rabbis, the lawyers and scribes, just like today those titles include priests, ministers, pastors, bishops and popes. For a master to tell the “slaves,” “Love one another because Jesus was love,” without letting the “slaves” know how and why to do that, the “servants” never progress to the state of being who is Jesus reborn.
When one’s soul has married Yahweh and one’s soul has become “brothers” with Jesus, then every command coming from Yahweh is fully explained by Jesus, through the Christ Mind – given to each of Yahweh’s ‘wives.’ This means when Jesus has become one’s “friend” through marriage, then all will be Sons of God, able to call Yahweh the Father.
This realization leads one to then read verse 16 as: “You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” This connects all of these verses read today, from John 15, to those verses read last Sunday, which were directly relative to the vine made of truth and the branches that would bear fruit. Where this says, “You did not choose me but I chose you,” that is actually two separate segments of words that literally state, “not you me chose , however I chose you .”
While this can appear to be Jesus telling the disciples that he was their master and they were his students, but he chose them from a larger pool of registrants, the truth says it is impossible for one to chose to be Jesus’ brother or friend within. Instead, that decision relative to who becomes resurrections of Jesus is up to Yahweh. Here, again, the use of “egō” must be heard as Yahweh speaking. This means that Yahweh chooses who He proposes marriage to and those so joined Spiritually will then become His Son reborn.
The NRSV that translates “And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” is missing the marks necessary to denote the importance of what is said. The Greek text is actually this: “kaiethēkahymas hina hymeis hypagēte kaikarpon pherēte,kaiho karpos hymōnmenē;”. In that are three important statements that are all relative to having been chosen by Yahweh.
established you in order that you should bring under
fruit you should bring forth
that fruit of you should remain
Following the first “kai” is the root word that was previously translated as “lay down” – “tithémi” as “ethēka.” Thus, the first important step is a statement that to be reborn as Jesus means one has likewise become one with the Spirit of Yahweh. When the soul of Jesus has been “established [in] you,” then “you” – as self-ego, self-will, or self-importance – “should be brought under” the control of Jesus. This becomes the importance of understanding what “lay down one’s life” truly means.
The second important statement that is relative to that submission of self and the elevation as Jesus reborn says that has nothing to do with what your soul wants in this incarnation on earth. Because it is “not you” choosing to be Jesus, but Yahweh choosing you to serve Him as His Son, the important reason is to do what Jesus did, which was find disciples to be reborn as Jesus.
Here, the Greek word “karpon” means “fruit,” but that is metaphor for human beings; not a command to have physical children. To be reborn as Jesus means to “bring forth” “deeds, actions, results, profits, gains,” which are all valid ways to read “fruit.” This makes the parable of the talents [or minas] have greater impact, as Yahweh does not marry the prettiest girl in the high school to flaunt her and set her up on a pedestal, expecting her to do nothing but look marvelous. Remember this reading is when the Acts of the Apostles is mandatory reading. Yahweh expects works to be the measure of “fruit.”
Finally, the third important element of this choosing by Yahweh is longevity. Once chosen there is no divorce. To “remain” means to enjoy eternal life, so a soul is freed from the imprisonment of temporal ‘life’ in a mortal body of flesh.
The last segment of verse 16 has been translated as stating, “so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” This translation is fairly close to accurate, enough to see the intent clearly. However, the aspect of “in my name” must be seen as being relative to having married one’s soul to Yahweh’s Spirit and having become reborn as Jesus, which is the truth of “in my name.”
This means Yahweh is warning fools to stay away from running around throwing the name of Jesus around freely, when one’s soul is still a swinging single and has no knowledge of Jesus being resurrected within one’s soul. Those fakers will not have Yahweh hear their requests, demands, or suggestions; so, let’s hope He does not condemn those as slanderers.
The last verse in this reading then says, “I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” Here, the word “agapate” is used, which returns one to the aspect that this “love” is “of God.” Everything written prior [including the “vine made of truth” and the “branches that bear fruit”] is relative to this aspect of receiving “God’s love” in marriage. The statement that says “love one another” is less about some Beatles’ fairy tale, as such a concept is impossible through human emotions.
This sharing of “God’s love” is the truth of Christianity, where all the original members were Saints, each filled with “God’s love” and each reborn in the name of Jesus. That “church” was given the name it received because all were “Christs,” or Yahweh’s “Anointed ones.” The whole purpose of Christianity is to bear fruit, which is not to find paying members, but to transform souls so they will gladly merge themselves with Yahweh’s Spirit and be resurrected as Jesus, another Christ. Anything short of that is just a social club, or worst: a socialist evil with an agenda to destroy Christianity by letting the wolves have control over the sheep.
As a Gospel selection for the sixth Sunday of Easter, it is important to see how these words of Jesus [through John] are telling us how to prepare for ministry. One’s soul has to be married to Yahweh. One’s soul has to know the “love of God.” One’s soul must become brothers of Jesus, each as another Anointed one of God. One has to submit oneself [“lay down one’s soul of self”] to the Will of Yahweh, so one does as commanded. One has to realize compliance to law is a sign of being single Spiritually. One must be married so one can practice understanding Scripture, so others can be told what Scripture means. That truth must be what leads others to offer Yahweh their souls.
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; *
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
6 Sing to the Lord with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.
10 In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity.
——————–
This is the Psalm that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow the mandatory reading from the Acts of the Apostles (this Sunday from chapter 10), which says, “they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.” Following will come a reading from First John, which states, “his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world.” Lastly, the Gospel reading from John will have Jesus saying, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”
The BibleHub Interlinear version of Psalm 98 lists only nine verses [using all the words that appear in the Episcopal Church’s ten verse version]. The NRSV displays Psalm 98 as only having nine verses also; but the Episcopal Church references its translations as from that source. In that listing of the Hebrew text, verse 1 includes the first segment shown by the Episcopal Church as in verse 2. I tend to have more faith in the BibleHub Interlinear presentations; and, seeing how nine verses makes three sets of three-verse stanzas, that makes more sense to me as divine. So, I will adhere to the BibleHub Interlinear version, while making references to where in the Episcopal Church text that takes me.
Some of the translators of the psalms like to give them titles. The BibleHub title of Psalm 98 is “Sing the Lord a new song!” The NRSV title is “Praise the Judge of the World.” The NIV and the NASB list it simply as “A psalm.”
Again, as is the case always, the word translated as “Lord” is actually written as “Yah-weh.” According to Strong’s, “Yahweh” is defined as “the proper name of the God of Israel.” To run around saying “Lord” is like some school children mocking someone who has a proper name for God, like fools singing, “Your Daddy.” If it were “their daddy,” they would show more respect. For David to state “Yahweh” then says he had a personal relationship with Yahweh, as would all who knew Him well enough to call Him by name. To translate that relationship in some extended – “We do not know Him” – form is to weaken the meaning in the Psalms. The name of “the Lord” is “Yahweh” and (like David) Yahweh is my only God.
Verse 1 states: “Sing a new song to the Lord, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.” [NRSV] To sing a song to Yahweh reflects this being a song of praise. Singing is how one praises all that a soul has been delivered by the grace of Yahweh. One is capable of singing a song because the lyrics become the words that tell what Yahweh did through one of His servants, who act as both His “right hand” and His “holy arm.” If one is not the “right hand” of Yahweh, then one is lessened to the disgrace of referring to Yahweh as someone else’s “Lord.”
Verse 2 states: “The Lord has made His salvation known; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.” Here “Yahweh” is the only God that is judge of souls. The world is full of “lords” that control who has what, how many, and how often, after making sure they have most; but salvation only applies to souls. For “salvation by Yahweh to be known” [from “hō·w·ḏî·a‘ Yah-weh yə·šū·‘ā·ṯōw”] one has “to know Yahweh” in the Biblical sense. That equates “knowledge” coming from personal experience. That comes through marriage – the union of a soul to Yahweh’s Spirit [“ruach”].
When this is seen by a reader, that makes “nations” [“hag·gō·w·yim,” from “goy”] be relative to “people,” such that each soul controls a “nation” unto itself. That says all who become “peoples” led by “righteousness” are those married to Yahweh; and, all have had their souls promised eternal life. That is what makes one able to write a song of praise to Yahweh.
Verse 3 then sings: “He has remembered His graciousness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” This sings about the longevity that comes from eternal salvation of a soul. One’s “memory” is extended to all times, so one is able to know the depth of meaning written in the past and which projects that constant into the future. Everything written comes from those who wrote to preserve the goodness that comes from sacrifice to Yahweh.
The promise of marriage is one that brings such awareness that belief is transformed into faith that cannot be shaken. Faith is what weakens all challengers, by using truth as its only weapon The aspect of “faithfulness” raises “Israel” to a house that only worships Yahweh and no other lords. This steadfast love of God is recognized as undefeatable all around the world, and other people will submit to Yahweh in turn.
Verse 4 then sings, “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises.” Take note how verse 4 restates that stated in verse 1, meaning three-verse stanzas set the metrics of a nine verse song [not 10]. This says that one’s soul cannot be silent about having married with Yahweh. As His wife [regardless of one’s human gender], one is deployed to the world to sing the truth so others will be led to that light. The truth breaking forth shatters all blocks of doubt, leading to great rejoicing, cheer and joy from having finally found the truth one sought for so long.
The words of verse 5 then say, “Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, With the lyre and the sound of melody.” Here, the metaphor of a lyre [or a harp] is the musical instrument of life, which follows notes, octaves and keys, all the elements that make a stringed instrument mimic the ways of the world – from sour notes to beautiful melody. This makes one’s body of flesh become the strings that are tuned by the hand of Yahweh, so when His holy fingers strum and pluck on one’s strings, one then responds as a song of praise.
Verse 6 then sings: “With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the Lord.” Here, the metaphor of brass instruments or the horns of rams hollowed into instruments that make loud noises says the attention of others must be obtained. David knew Yahweh was the true “King,” even after Saul died and David was made king. One man can only lead himself and hope others will fall in line behind his lead; but David led the Israelites to reject him as a god, recognizing that he was only a figurehead of state. Yahweh becoming the “King” of many “peoples” is what made Israel great under David. The “trumpet” call of that history is still heard today, while there are no sounds of greatness coming from human nations that make ownership of the same land be their lord.
Verse 7 begins the third stanza in this nine-verse song of praise. It sings, “May the sea roar and all it contains, The world and those who dwell in it.” In this, the first word is separated from the rest, where “yir·‘am” [from “raam”] places emphasis on “let roar.”
This needs to not be seen as the sound of the “sea,” because that soft sound is attractive and draws vacationers to sandy beaches all around the globe. They do little more than laze about, scantily clad, soaking up the sun and falling asleep to the sound of the waves. The point of “roar” is this: It is the loud sound made by a lion, also known as the “king of the jungle.” Following the middle stanza’s focus on musical symbolism, this verse begins with each who has Yahweh as his or her “King” “roaring” or “letting roar” that inner guide that makes them sing praises to Yahweh. That “roar” must then encircle the globe, from sea to shining sea, with all the land in between. More than a noise heard by animals, it is a roar that all peoples must hear and fear: the “roar” of Yahweh, the “King.”
Following that awareness, verse 8 then sings: “May the rivers clap their hands, May the mountains sing together for joy.” Since it is easy to realize that “rivers” do not possess “hands,” the “rivers” must be seen as metaphor for those who are filled with Yahweh’s flow of Spirit. Those are the “right hands” and “right arms” of Yahweh and “clapping” is a methodical beat that sets the rhythm of a song of praise. The element of “mountains” [which can be equally translated as “hills”] speaks of those so filled with Spirit that they stand tall above the rest. Not only do they elevate themselves to a higher state of being, they make a joyful noise unto Yahweh that attracts others to raise themselves as well.
The final verse in this nine-verse song of praise then sings, “Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness And the peoples with fairness.” Here, the first word that has been translated as “before” is “lip̄·nê,” which is an abbreviated form of “paneh,” meaning “face.” This says the first address of this verse deals with those who wear the “face of Yahweh” to the world. They meet the first commandment, which says one cannot wear any other “face” to Yahweh, or one has broken the covenant of marriage to Him.
By wearing that “face of Yahweh,” one can go tell the world that all souls will be judged as to whether or not they too wear that “face of Yahweh.” That “face” is that which brings on righteous living, thus eternal salvation. Judgment will depend on whose “face” a soul wears. This judgment will be “fairly” administered, such that each soul will know whose “face” they decided to wear; so, each soul will know their judgment has not been based on opinions, gossip, or personal dislikes.
As a song of praise to be sung aloud on the sixth Sunday of Easter, this once again supports the concept that a soul must be married to Yahweh. The purpose of the Easter season is to prove one is married to Yahweh, so one’s soul has become joined with that of Jesus, so one is also an Anointed one of Yahweh. With Jesus’ presence becoming one’s persona [after sacrificing one’s own ego-driven lusts], one needs to become comfortable with that guide of righteousness within. One must practice being Jesus, and that immediately means shouting out the meaning of divine Scripture, which was unknown before. This song of praise states that practice metaphorically, while perfectly capturing how one needs to know what Yahweh wants one to do by trying to do just that.
Explaining the Readings 