Tag Archives: Epiphany 4 Year C

Jeremiah, Language, Teaching

Jeremiah 1:4-10 – Do not say, “I am only a boy”

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4] The word of Yahweh came to me saying,

[5] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

[6] Then I said, “Ah, adonay Yahweh! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”

[7] But Yahweh said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;

for you shall go to all to whom I send you,

and you shall speak whatever I command you,

[8] Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you,

says Yahweh.”

[9] Then Yahweh put out his hand and touched my mouth; and Yahweh said to me,

“Now I have put my words in your mouth.

[10] See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,

to pluck up and to pull down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.”

——————–

This is the Old Testament reading selection set aside for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will precede a singing from Psalm 71, which says, “In you, Yahweh, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed.” To follow that will be a reading from Paul’s first letter to the true Christians of Corinth, where he wrote: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from Luke, where the apostle wrote: “And [Jesus] said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

In the above presentation, one can see how I have added the verse numbers, placing them within brackets, in bold type. I have also changed six mistranslations of “Lord” to the truth written, which is “Yahweh” (this also placed in bold type). In verse six has been translated “the Lord God,” when the reality written is “adonay Yahweh.” If clean translations were to be made, based on the standard practice of changing “Yahweh” to “Lord, the translation would be “Lord Lord” [more accurately, “lords Lord”]. Because that is the NRSV now changing “Yahweh” from “Lord” to now “God,” that too is wrong; so, I have restored the truth that was written by Jeremiah.

This needs to be recognized as the first chapter of Jeremiah, when Jeremiah is introduced as a prophet. In this reading selection today, we find it beginning in verse four, where the translation above says, “The word of Yahweh came to me saying”. This should be known to follow verse two, which says, “[Jeremiah is the name of one] to whom the word of Yahweh came.” In that, the Hebrew word “dabar” means “speech, word,” and is used in both verses, two and four. It means Jeremiah was a soul married to Yahweh, so under the control of His Spirit Yahweh then spoke through His prophet Jeremiah. There, the name “Jeremiah” means “Yah[weh] Loosens” or “Yah[weh] Throws.” That which was “Loosened” or “Thrown” is then the “Word” of Yahweh.

Yahweh is then said to speak through Jeremiah, saying “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” This is believed to be Yahweh speaking of His Son Jesus prophetically, while that name was unknown to Jeremiah. While that can be deemed true, the greater meaning says that Jeremiah was like John the Baptist, where both souls had been sinners, but then married to Yahweh’s Spirit. That meant both births [in Jeremiah and John] were the resurrections of the soul of Yahweh’s Son: Adam, also known as Jesus [“Yah[weh] Will Save” or “Yah[weh] Saves”].

Because Adam-Jesus was formed from clay or dust and given a divine “elohim” as his soul, the ‘womb’ of Adam-Jesus would be Eden. There, the only ‘mother’ he had was the Earth [the clay or dust]. No human mother gave birth to Adam-Jesus, as would Jeremiah’s mother [unnamed] and Elizabeth [who gave birth to John [the baptizer] provide “wombs” for reborn Saints. Thus, Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah as a purposeful reincarnation of a saved soul – one saved quite some time before [past lives long] – known by Yahweh to be the soul of Jeremiah [new name of his flesh], along with the soul of His Son Adam [a.k.a. Jesus].

When Yahweh said, “before you were born I consecrated you,” this says Jeremiah was a Saint when born. That means his soul had previously been cleansed of sins, in a past life. When the remainder of verse five says, “I appointed you a prophet to the nations,” a better translation has Yahweh say: “an ability to speak to the people is why I gave you.” In this, the Hebrew transliteration “nə·ṯat·tî·ḵā” has been translated by the NRSV as “I consecrated you,” with BibleHub saying, “I ordained you.” Whichever is used, the root word is “nathan,” which says Jeremiah is a “gift” to the souls in the flesh that are lost sheep. It means the “appointment” is “given by Yahweh,” thereby making that be a divine “ordination” into the most holy of ministries.

When Yahweh then led Jeremiah to write, “wā·’ō·mar ’ă·hāh ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah-weh,” literally translating as, “and I said alas lords Yahweh”. This becomes the definition of “adonay” [the plural form of the Hebrew word “adon”]. Because a “lord” is the ruler of one or more, with each soul breathed into a body of flesh being that body of flesh’s “lord,” “lords” are now relative to being an ordained prophet [a “gifted speaker”], with the “people” [from “lag·gō·w·yim,” from “goy”] being to whom one “speaks with authority.” When this definition of “adonay” is connected to “Yahweh,” then the “adonay” of “Yahweh” are the Saints sent by Yahweh to lead other lost soul to Him. They are His “lords,” where “adonay” now brings up the imagery of a “shepherd.”

When we then read Jeremiah exclaiming to Yahweh, “Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy,” it is unlikely that Jeremiah would speak in such a way to such an amazing presence as Yahweh. That written does not say “truly,” but “behold!” [from “hin·nêh”]. That is a statement of sight, not speech. That is then followed by words that literally say, “not to know speech,” where this is Yahweh saying (in essence), “Do not worry about not knowing what to say, because I will speak for you.” When the following words say, “that a youth I am,” this is Yahweh saying His presence in a boy makes the boy the voice of Yahweh, as a “adonay Yahweh.”

Verse seven then confirms this, where the essence written says the “exception” [“but”] is that Yahweh speaks through Jeremiah. When the boy Jeremiah speaks, it is Yahweh speaking, not the boy. Everything Jeremiah does is based on Yahweh’s lead; so, Jeremiah will go where Yahweh sends him and Jeremiah will speak what Yahweh has him speak.

Where the NRSV shows verse eight saying, “Do not be afraid of them,” the reality written says, “not to fear their faces.” In that, the transliterated “mip·pə·nê·hem” pulls from the plural “panim,” meaning “faces.” Every time the word “panim” comes up in Scripture, it must be read as a reference to the First Commandment, where the truth of that written says, “You shall wear no other face than My face before Me.” [Being yourself before Yahweh is acting like a “god,” and no other “gods” can show their “face” before His face.] That is the first law of marriage, which say, “My face only, so if you agree to these terms, then you will only wear My face.”

The element of “fear” is another rule, where a soul will only “fear” losing Yahweh, and nothing else. To “fear” other “faces” means to be “afraid” of wearing any “face” other than Yahweh’s as yours. Doing so would keep one from knowing the divine union that marries one’s soul to Yahweh’s Spirit. Thus, where Jeremiah will be sent is where Jews fear everything but Yahweh, because all of their “faces” are their own … not Yahweh’s.

While it is visually touching to see the hand of God softly … like a cloud? … touching the lips of Jeremiah, that is not the reality of that written. The literal translation says, “and sent forth Yahweh his hand”. That means Jeremiah is the “hand of Yahweh.” Yahweh is not to be limited to human traits, even though it is easier for human to conceptualize Yahweh in human forms. Apostles, Prophets and Saints are all the “hands” of Yahweh. Thus, when it next says, “and touched on my mouth,” this says Jeremiah was indeed “touched” spiritually, with the “gift” of Yahweh being to use his “mouth” as a voice for the One God. Thus, with that known, Jeremiah said he heard the voice of Yahweh tell him, “I have put my words in your mouth.”

In verse ten, the NRSV translation shows Jeremiah writing, “See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms.” The same suggestion was made in verse five projecting “prophet to the nations.” Try to go speak to a building, a countryside, or a statue and see how well that works, as far as getting some soulless entity to respond. The words “hag·gō·w·yim” and “ham·mam·lā·ḵō·wṯ” must be understood to be the “people” and the “sovereignties” or “rulers,” where without their life [souls in bodies of flesh] “nations” and “kingdoms” are empty and void. Thus, Yahweh sent Jeremiah to “speak” divinely to souls in human flesh that were lost.

This aspect of Jeremiah going to speak to souls is then that which must be “plucked up and pulled down, destroyed and to overthrown.” Those are the faces of fear that do not know Yahweh in divine marriage. They have their own self-absorbed beliefs, which must be taken away from them first, before they can come to Yahweh and become His wives. When that happens, then they will be prepared “to build and to plant” the soul of Jesus into their souls. When Jesus springs forth, he will have all souls in bodies of flesh wear only the face of Yahweh: him.

As a reading assigned for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, the symbolism has to be the childlike state that Jeremiah knew. During the after Epiphany time, the gift of Yahweh’s Son is still new, as a Christmas gift that is still in good working order and fun to play with. We take delight like children … like the boy Jeremiah. The adult focus of ministry has not fully set in yet. One is still elated over having been given a gift. It is the gift of eternal life and the presence of Jesus, so we can go tell the world how to become Yahweh’s wife and repeat the gifts of Christmas. While there are many hurdles still ahead to bound over, none of that is bothersome in the glow of newness. We have no fear of the faces the world wears. The after the Epiphany period is when one is sent forth full of faith, full speed ahead … “go with throttle up.”

Language, Psalms, Teaching

Psalm 71:1-6 – Being in the possession of Yahweh, as yours and mine

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1 In you, Yahweh, have I taken refuge; *

let me never be ashamed.

2 In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; *

incline your ear to me and save me.

3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; *

you are my crag and my stronghold.

4 Deliver me, elohay, from the hand of the wicked, *

from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.

5 For you are my hope, adonay Yahweh, *

my confidence since I was young.

6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;

from my mother’s womb you have been my strength; *

my praise shall be always of you.

——————–

This is the Psalm selection that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow a reading from Jeremiah, where as a boy he was told, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the people.” This pair will be read before the selection from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, where he wrote: “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from Luke, where Jesus told the angry Jews of Nazareth, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”’

In the above six verses, you will note how I have restored the proper name “Yahweh” (in bold type), after the NRSV (et al) had translated these as “Lord.” This is wrong, as verse five states in the Hebrew text, “adonay Yahweh,” with the NRSV (et al) translating that as “O Lord God.” Because “adonay” is the plural word that translates into English as “lords” (not capitalized) and because the NRSV has shown it reads “Yahweh” and sees “Lord,” they have now pulled an alternate translation for “Yahweh” out of their unholy ass and made it “God,” so as not to redundantly translate “Lord Lord” (when a child reading Hebrew would know “adonay” is the plural of “adon” and correct anyone that stupid by saying, “lords Lord.” Because “adonay” is a human quality from being Spiritually married to Yahweh, the same association should be read into “elohim,” so I have restored the Hebrew word written by David in verse four: elohay.”

Verse one is shown beginning by David singing, “In you, Yahweh, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed.” The preposition used – “in” – needs to be understood as direction, rather than some symbolic way of a financial wizard having invested valuable dollars into a retirement fund, to be able to retire rich (at age forty?). The point David must be seen as making is David’s soul (which 1 Samuel says Yahweh poured out His Spirit upon David, for an eternal Anointment [a Christ-Messiah]) be known as married to Yahweh; so, David’s soul is in Yahweh, possessed divinely by His Spirit. The two – David’s soul and Yahweh – are one, inseparable. Just as one would crawl into a cave or cabin in the woods for “refuge,” the soul of David willingly and lovingly is thankful for Yahweh’s protection of his soul.

To then add, “let me never be ashamed” can be misleading. The word for “refuge” [“chasah”] implies both “hope” and “trust.” This is then leading one to see that David being “in Yahweh” led his soul to known Yahweh personally, thus all beliefs were born of deep faith. From that perspective, David was not making a suggestion or recommendation to Yahweh that begged, “let me never be ashamed,” as that comes off like an investor telling some stock purchase program, “I better make a nice profit, or I will leave you in a heartbeat!” In reality, David wrote words that literally translate to say, “never let me never be put to shame let me never.” That becomes an affirmation of faith, where the first person masculine singular [“me”] is David saying to Yahweh, “I truth my self-will will never allow me to shame myself, thereby same the faith I swear to You.” Yahweh will never allow a soul married to His Spirit to do anything shameful.

In verse two, the first segment that sings, “In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free,” the directional preposition “in” returns. This means David was not seeing Yahweh – an entity that is All-Encompassing Spirit – has no need to be “righteous.” Yahweh IS. When a soul is “in Yahweh,” then that soul becomes led by Yahweh to a state of its own being, which is where “righteousness” can only be expressed – in the world. The second person masculine singular use of “your” means David’s soul was possessed by Yahweh, fully in the control of Yahweh, so David’s soul was “His,” means the relationship to Yahweh made the possessive say, “I am yours,” thus I act with “righteousness.”

In the final of words in verse two’s first segment, the Hebrew word “palat” [transliterated as “ū·ṯə·p̄al·lə·ṭê·nî”] means “to escape,” such that “set me free” is a paraphrase that implies David needs freedom from captivity. This must be read as David stating the prison that all souls are placed, in captivity where judgment always awaits at death, is the flesh. By David’s soul being “in Yahweh,” with his body of flesh being led to a state of being that is “righteousness,” then David know that state of being is what will release his soul from returning to the earthly realm (in another prison body of flesh). Thus, the “escape” is from reincarnation (or worse), so David’s soul can spend eternity with Yahweh – “in” a forever marriage.

David is then shown to sing, “incline your ear to me and save me.” In this the second person masculine singular of “your” means the same as before. David was not asking Yahweh to lean His “ear” over so He can hear what David has to say. David is saying he is listening to Yahweh, with the possessive of “your” meaning David was the “ear” of Yahweh, who heard what he was being told to know. It is then the benefit of this ability to hear the voice of Yahweh speaking that brings eternal salvation for a soul. One should also see the metaphor of “Yahweh saves” as the naming of Jesus, so by being the “ear” of Yahweh, David’s soul had been reborn as the Son, as Jesus.

The translation of verse three, shown as: “Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; you are my crag and my stronghold” is a paraphrase that has scrambled the order of words written. The order of words come from Yahweh, who wrote in divine ecstasy. David never saw himself as some young ‘rock star’ that needed to ‘get in the writing mood’ and feel the pulse of what the people wanted to sing and hear sung. Because David was “in Yahweh” and his “ear” listened to what Yahweh said, David would never have approved some translation service bastardizing the Word of Yahweh, which came through him. The true literal translation of verse three is as such: “become my rock dwelling to which I enter , always , you have given the orders to save me ; when my crag and my snare yourself .”

In this, the words translated as “rock” and “crag” [“tsur” and “sela”] can also equally translate as “cliff.” This becomes metaphor for a “cliff dwelling,” where it is not easy for anyone to enter, thereby being a safe place to live. Because there are many natural caves in the rock of Israel, the symbolism of “rock” has to be seen as Jesus being the cornerstone, which is rounded [not squared], and used as a tombstone that blocks the entrance of a “cliff dwelling.” Because it is rounded and can be rolled away after death, the soul can escape and be “saved.” Here, again, is Jesus metaphor in words. The “stronghold” aspect needs to be seen as the “stronghold” captured by David [Jebus], which he deemed to be the City of David. That “cliff dwelling” was where underground servants of Yahweh had protected the children of Israel, until David overthrew them and made each Israelites depend on each soul marrying Yahweh for their soul’s salvations. Thus, this verse sings for all who are like David, “in” a relationship with Yahweh.

Verse four is where David used the word “elohay,” which is the possessive form that adds “my” to “gods” [not “God”]. Just as “your” was seen as a statement of Yahweh claiming David’s soul as His, so David could equally say, I am yours,” the use of “my” has the same effect. Again, one must break free of the indoctrination of translation service that refer to the plural “gods” as some statement of Yahweh. It is a statement of Yahweh’s possession of a collection of souls [Spiritual wives], where all so possessed by Yahweh become His “angels in the flesh,” or “elohim.” Therefore, David use of “elohay” is his pronouncing himself as one of Yahweh’s “elohim,” as “my” indicates acceptance of that possession [willing marriage].

Verse four begins with that one word, separated by a comma mark afterwards. Thus, after this statement of himself being one of Yahweh’s “elohim,” David then sang (literally translated), “escape me out of the hands of the wicked ; out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man .” With this ending in the singular form of “cruel man,” rather than men, this speaks of David himself. His soul has escaped the desires of the flesh, because he has freely submitted his soul to Yahweh in divine marriage. The Hebrew word translated as “cruel man” is “wə·ḥō·w·mêṣ,” from “chamets,” ordinarily meaning “to be sour or leavened.” This ‘baking’ term says the basic addition of yeast to flour, causing bread to rise and become fresh and tasty, is symbolic of life in the world, where a soul becomes “wicked” and “sour” because of all the additions heaped in with the ‘flatbread’ that is a basic soul. By marrying Yahweh, David willingly and lovingly gave up the ‘spice of life,’ the “leavening” that gives rise to souls filled with a lot of ‘hot air.’

Verse five is then where David wrote the combination of words: “adonay Yahweh,” which (as explained earlier) means David was one of the “lords” married to Yahweh, for the purpose of leading other souls to also marry Yahweh. While an “elohim” is such a married soul, all souls need to be led to that state of wedded bliss, which makes “lords” be symbolic of shepherds, with lost soul being a scattered flock.

The literal translation of verse five then is seen to be: “when you my cord ; lords Yahweh my confidence from my early years .” The Hebrew word that I have translated as “cord” is “ṯiq·wā·ṯî,” from “tiqvah,” means “cord,” but is acceptable as implying “hope,” like some ‘lifeline.’ When one studies people who have died and had near death experiences, where their soul leaves their body of lifeless flesh and floats around and goes to see things pertinent to the life lived, they speak of the ‘silver cord,’ which is the soul’s link back to the body of flesh. If that silver cord becomes severed, there can be no return to life, after such an experience of death. In that, a soul is linked to its body of flesh by a normal or ordinary “cord,” which is breathed into the flesh by Yahweh at birth. He then determines when this “cord” will be severed. What David is now singing about is the equivalent of a ‘golden cord,’ which is the second soul breathed into a soul-wife’s soul, which is Jesus [“Yahweh Saves]. It is that presence within one’s soul that makes one be like all who are souls reborn as Jesus, as all are the teachers of Salvation, as the ‘golden cord’ to be received by souls transforming from ordinary to extraordinary. David knew of this “cord’s” presence when Yahweh Anointed him when he was just a boy.

When David is then shown to sing, “I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother’s womb you have been my strength; my praise shall be always of you.” this relates well with the companion Old Testament reading from Jeremiah. While the implication is to hear David singing of having been a miracle birth, much like John the Baptist, the truth of David’s known history is he was born ordinarily from the wife of Jesse, with no angels of Yahweh sent to notify anyone of David’s soul being born. This means the truth is in line with Jesus telling Nicodemus that one must be born a second time [which flew well over Nick’s head]. Thus, David is singing of a resurrection, where the second birth is that of Jesus entering into his soul, after the baptism of Yahweh’s Spirit.

Here, the literal translation is vital to realize, in order to get to that conclusion. The literal translation is this: “on account of you I have been upheld since birth , out of the womb of my mother you cut me ; of you my praise eternally .” In this, the translation of “upheld” is based on the initial preposition implying “above,” with the Hebrew word “samak” meaning “support.” The two combine to state “upheld,” where this is a statement of righteousness making one capable of being a Son of Yahweh. When seeing this as the Son, this is the reborn state that has a divine soul come to make one’s soul be “upheld.” The “birth” is then when the soul of Jesus is born within one’s soul.

The focus on the “womb” needs to be seen as one’s own soul, not a female body of flesh. Since all souls in bodies of flesh are feminine essence, thereby being bridesmaids awaiting marriage to Yahweh’s Spirit, all souls [those in both men and women] are feminine, to Yahweh’s masculine Spirit. When the soul is seen to divinely marry with Yahweh’s Spirit, the only reason for any true marriage is propagation – making a baby. This turns the wife-soul of a human being into the “mother,” whose “womb” is its soul in human flesh. Thus, a wife-soul of Yahweh becomes the mother of the Son born into the mother’s soul, as two souls in one body of flesh. This is the second birth of which Jesus spoke to Nicodemus. Many people are exactly like Nicodemus in their inability to see this meaning.

In other Old Testament songs [of David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, et al], the metaphor of “strength” [from “koach,” found used in verse nine] is that which saves, thus being a reflection of Jesus. The word the NRSV used to translate “strength” is [I imagine, as it is not written] “gazah,” which means “to cut.” This needs not be seen as a Cesarian section form of birth, but the splicing of an ordinary soul with the soul of the divine Son of Yahweh [Adam-Jesus], whis is regularly called the “strength” that saves. This then becomes the soul David identified with [“of me, my, yours”]; and, it was that new identification that he would forever “praise.”

As the Psalm to be sung on the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, the point is for those who have been reborn as Jesus to be making our souls comfortable in our new relationship that has us not only dwelling with Yahweh’s Spirit, but also His Son. We have to let go of all the controls we once claimed over our body of flesh. That body has been transformed into a temple, with Jesus now the High Priest that resides within us. Our duty is as a Levite, which is to keep the temple clean and presentable for those who seek a place to worship Yahweh. We need to become like David, where our inner child leads us faithfully and righteously.

1 Corinthians, Language, Teaching

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – Learning the truth of love is optional

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If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

——————–

This is the Epistle selection to be read aloud on the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow a reading from Jeremiah, where the prophet wrote of Yahweh telling him: “Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over peoples and over sovereigns.” A singing of Psalm 71 will follow, which includes the verse saying, “In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; incline your ear to me and save me.” All will accompany a reading from Luke’s Gospel, where we read of Jesus being rejected in Nazareth: “All in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.”

This reading needs to be realized to be a whole chapter of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. To put that in perspective, this reading is way too long to properly read aloud in a church. If read properly … very slowly … the priest would be tapping his watch and making several loud “ahems” be heard. To read a whole chapter of any Epistle quickly is like listening to Muzak in an elevator. The importance is more on “When will my floor come, so I can get off,” rather than, “Oh, that Paul so had a way with divine language.” Because the Epistles are all that way, seldom do they edge out the Gospel as something a priest will serve up to an audience, like a nice, thick slab of freshly carved roast beef. “Mmmmmmmm,” says the congregation, “We love the sacrificial meat hot off the altar grill.” The Epistle is more like a side of roasted ears of corn, in the husk.

Bon appétit!

The theme of this reading has to be seen as “love.” There are nine references to “love,” written as “agapēn” (3 times, found in verses 1-3) and “agapē” (6 times, found in verses 4-13). The root word is “agapē,” which is defined as “love, goodwill,” while implying in usage “love, benevolence, good will, esteem.” [Strong’s] HELPS Word-studies says about it use: “properly, love which centers in moral preference,” adding “In the NT, (agápē) typically refers to divine love.”

Since Paul’s letters do appear in the New Testament [as does everything originating in the Greek language], this tidbit about “divine love” needs to be grasped. Therefore, I will pontificate about how one should read these references to “love,” made here in the letter written by Paul.

The religions of Christianity love to preach love, especially now days when every filthy sinner is said to be loved by God and Christ [the last name of Jesus]. While they spew that false concept of “love,” they spew hatred for all who do not accept their view of “love” as the unconditional acceptance of sinners into the religions of Christianity that should have ALL been founded on a true “love” of Yahweh. In today’s total mis-conceptualization of “love,” to speak of who Jesus would “love” today, based an intellectual misunderstanding of Scripture, says those spewing the lies of “love” have never married their souls to Yahweh, never given birth to the “Doubly fruitful” [“Ephraim”] soul of Jesus in their souls, so they have never experienced “divine love.”

This reading only coming up in the after the Epiphany time period says Paul’s view of “love” is relative to that: divine marriage to Yahweh [not some nebulous “Lord”], so one has taken on the name “Israel” [like Saul changing his name to Paul], which means one has become Spiritually one “Who Retains Yahweh as one of His elohim” [where an “el” is one of Yahweh’s “angels in the flesh,” which says the “Yahweh elohim” that was Adam, known as “Jesus” – meaning “Yahweh Saves” – resurrected within a soul-body]. Everything springs from a “love” of Yahweh; and that is the “love” from which divine unions are made. It is “divine love,” which means Spiritual “love.”

The problem modern Christians have [“modern” meaning after the Romans began turning their Empire into the business of religion, so beginning around 350 A.D.] is they read or heard spoken the word “love” and they can only think that means the feelings associated with “love.” To think of “love” as something originating from impulses emitted from the nervous system, activating the five senses [sound, sight, touch, taste, and smell], so the body of flesh begins physically changing to fit emotional needs, that is wrong. Physical “love” is not the same as “divine love.” When one understands that, one can understand what Paul wrote in the first three verses.

Relative to this reading is the conditional being established, where the word “if” [“Ean” or “ean” – five times] is written in the first three verses. Another form of “if” [“eite” – three times ] is written in verse eight alone. Simply because every human being has physical senses and emotional needs, all know “love” on a human level of understanding. This is how some priest, pastor, minister or preacher can stand up and yell, “Love!” and everyone stands to clap and cheer. Everyone knows emotional “love” … which is possible, at times, to be seen as a root of evil … like the “love” of money, sex, power, and [fill in the blank lust]. The “ifs” of Paul [especially the ‘Big If’ that leads verse one] speak about “divine love” not being known by everyone. It is a Spiritual “love” that is possible for all souls to seek and find; but it is a “love” unknown by the vast majority of souls inhabiting bodies of flesh in earth [add in any orbiting astronauts these days].

When Paul put forth the conditions of “speaking Scripture, explaining Scripture, professing belief in Scripture, and finding Scripture to be the motivation of that charitable,” where all are cornerstones of Judaism and Christianity, but one does so out of false, human “love,” not “divine Spiritual love,” then the condition of “if” asks: 1.) Are you in love with your brain and self-abilities?; or, 2.) Are you in “love” with Yahweh, married lovingly as His wife [regardless of human gender], the loving mother of His Son Jesus, who leads one lovingly into ministry, ordained by the Father?

Most people cannot truthfully check off number two as, “Yes! That’s me!” However, as Paul wrote his verses knowing the truth, he saw plenty of Jewish folk who thought for sure they were in “love” with God … all while they persecuted Christians to death. They all talked well of “love,” but none of them lived up to the truth of “divine love.”

In verses four through seven, Paul took a trip down the “This is what divine love is” lane. It is “patient, kind, not envious or puffed up with pride.” Love is “not rude, pretentious or easily angered.” Love does “not hold grudges or delight in the wicked being punished.” Instead, love takes great “delight in the truth.” True “divine love” makes “all things” possible, because Yahweh gives one access to “all things” through His “divine love” being returned.

In verse eight, the capitalized article “He” is completely overlooked, when it leads to a use of “agape,” which then connects to the three uses of “eite,” meaning “if, whether, or,” implying “if both.” The capitalized “He” is a divinely elevated statement of “This,” which connects to “love,” stating “This love” of Yahweh, which is unlike that love of the physical realm. To then see Paul write “eite,” where the “if” is now relative to a human being then having access to “both” “divine love” AND “physical love,” the conditional says one has become divinely transformed. When this “if” is the condition, then “divine love never ceases, it truly prophesies, no longer speaking poorly translated Scripture verses.” The self-will, self-ego, and intellectual self will die, never to return.

Now, the greatest symbol of modern Christianity has become the crucifix. Many crosses made of precious metals [like gold or silver] hang from chains around necks, some even depicting the dead body of Jesus still nailed to that cross. The clear symbolism made by that icon is “death.” The “tongues” of modern Christians, based on that taught to them by priests, pastors, ministers and preachers is this: “Jesus died so you are saved.” Of course, the unspoken message in such a meaningless catchphrase – a paraphrased misinterpretation from mistranslation – whispers in the minds of Christians, “Go out and sin, because Jesus died so you can.”

The point missed is the death of self, just as Paul wrote, “when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end” [NRSV]. The death of self means the end of partial fulfillment of Scripture; so, true fulfillment of Scripture begins anew. One is reborn! One is the resurrection of the soul of Jesus within one’s own soul – Doubly fruitful – because Yahweh made His Son to be reborn in us!

To make a point of this death taking place without one’s physical being really dying, Paul wrote of his once being a child, but then he transformed into an adult. The child in Paul died. There would be no returning to that childlike state of being. Just as Nicodemus knew how impossible it was to be an adult sized man and go back into his mommy’s womb [even if ancient Jewish males only grew to be about five foot, eight inches], in order to be “born again,” that was not a physical reality that Jesus said. The analogy of becoming an adult is like the child being born again through natural growth and development. The old body died, never to return again as it was before.

When Paul then used the analogy of a “mirror” [“esoptrou,” or “looking-glass”], saying “face to face” [“prosopon pros prosōpon”], the transformation of Paul [changed from Saul] was when he saw two in one, as himself and his reflection. The reflection is that “Doubly fruitful” presence of Jesus’ soul within Paul. The funny thing is it looked just like Paul, even though the only way Paul could understand what he looked like would be to become someone else. The “looking-glass” was adult Saul looking at Jesus reborn as Paul, with Saul becoming the reflection of the way he was when he was a child. Saul died, never to return. Thus, Saul became “dimly” visible [NRSV translation], with the Greek word written – “ainigmati” – meaning “a riddle, an enigma.” Thus, Saul became an “obscurity” that those who knew his past vaguely recalled, when Paul no longer acted like he did when Saul. The child had died, the boy had grown; never to return again.

All of this was possible only because of “divine love” entering into Saul, forever changing him. The “love” Saul knew was as he stated in the first three verses. He “loved” being a Jew. He “loved” being designated as the one who could seek out the followers of that zealot Jesus and destroy them. Saul “loved” hearing them cry as he tortured them to death, if they would not curse Jesus and condemn his influence. That “love” was physical pleasures of sin, not “divine love.”

The sad thing about what Paul wrote here is Christianity has become a reflection of the way ancient Judaism was. Christianity is now the face in the looking-glass that is a reflection of Saul, not Paul. The same human flaws that destroyed Judaism are now destroying Christianity. Too many are singing the lyrics of the atheist Beatles, when they sang, “Love, love, love, love, love, love, All you need is love,” when their concept of “love” was as human and physical as John Lennon singing suggestions to “imagine there is no religion. It is easy if you try.”

There is that word “if” again.

As a reading selection to be read aloud on the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, the focus here is on “divine love” and how it is obtainable by all. Divine love is not to be mistaken as physical, emotionally driven or human “love.” Divine love can only come from a transformation from the old to the new. The new always includes a Spiritual marriage between one’s soul and Yahweh, with the subsequent rebirth of His Son Jesus. This is the focus of Christmas and the Epiphany, when it becomes time to realize that rebirth within one’s being. The after the Epiphany time is when one knows there is no turning back to the old ways of sin. In fact, one knows the path ahead leads to ministry, where Jesus will be the one doing all the talking. One’s soul has become obscured, as just the maintenance man in the temple, where Jesus is the High Priest. One has come from a past that knew and still remembers the physical loves generated by a body of flesh; but to know divine love is that unexplainable love of devotion that only wants to please Yahweh, day in and day out, for eternity.

Language, Luke, Teaching

Luke 4:21-30 – Souls in human flesh, reject yourselves!

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Jesus began to speak in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

——————–

This is the Gospel selection to be read aloud by a priest on the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. The first reading of this day will come from Jeremiah, where Yahweh told him, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says Yahweh.” That will be followed by a singing of Psalm 71, where David wrote, “Deliver me, elohay, from the hand of the wicked, from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.” That pair will precede a reading from Paul’s first letter to the true Christians of Corinth, when he told them, “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

It should be noted that this reading picks up where last Sunday’s Gospel reading left off, repeating verse twenty-one. The cut-off in last Sunday’s message said Jesus presented the Word of Yahweh and then made a truthful conclusion, leaving that lesson without any presentation of the rejection Jesus then faced in Nazareth. This makes today’s lesson be about those who reject Jesus; not only then, but at all times.

In verse twenty-two, where there seems to be somewhat of opposing opinions presented, with the first favorable, but the second unfavorable, the whole of the Greek text needs close inspection. Verse twenty-two states: “Kai pantes emartyroun autō kai ethaumazon epi tois logois tēs charitos tois ekporeuomenois ek tou stomatos autou ; kai elegon , Ouchi huios estin Iōsēph houtos ?”

Before any translation is applied, one should note the presence of a semi-colon, which makes this be two separate statements that are of a central theme. When that break is noticed, it is then important to see how each separate statement is begun by the word “kai.” The first statement is begun by a capitalized “Kai,” which makes it be divinely elevated importance that should be noted. The second statement is begun by “kai” (written in the lower-case), which says it is important to make note of a change in the common theme. Additionally, the first statement has divinely elevated importance until the presence of another (internal) “kai” (written in the lower-case), which says the remainder of the first statement is worldly important to grasp. With that seen before an English translation is applied, one can then ponder the meaning of that stated more deeply.

A literal translation (maintaining the order of the words written) can be read in English as this: “[Divinely Important] all [they] who bore witness of himself [or same] [importantly] [they were] amazed [or astonished] on the basis of these words of this kindness these coming forth from out of the speech of himself ; [importantly] they were reckoning , Surely not son he exists of Joseph here ?”

This translation shows that “all” were divinely inspired while listening to Jesus read the scroll of Isaiah, so their souls “bore witness” to not only Isaiah [as if he were standing before them reading his own words] but of Jesus being the soul within that of Isaiah, who was leading the prophet to prophesy. This first statement then should take one back to verses fourteen and fifteen [read last Sunday], to see that it was this affect that came from Jesus reading scrolls in every synagogue on the Sabbath, so “all” had been “guided by him,” such that a good “report” was sent out throughout the “region.” This means the divinely elevated importance to take note of is this: Jesus’ speaking projected the Spirit of Yahweh upon all who heard his voice; so, all who heard that eloquence and divine “grace” [“kindness”] felt the presence of Yahweh in their souls. However, in Nazareth that feeling – which was exactly the same as it had been every other place – was tempered by the thought, “Wait a minute! Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

This says the importance of the second statement, which begins by saying how much they were amazed with the reading, in Nazareth they rejected the presence of Yahweh upon them. As amazing as were the words of Isaiah, suddenly projecting deeper meaning into their souls, they still could not resist doubts arising, simply because they recognized Jesus as a ‘local boy.’ From Jesus knowing the hearts and minds of the Jews in that synagogue in Nazareth [where his family members were present], two things are important to grasp from Jesus knowing they had received the lesson of Isaiah, but then questioned the one who stood before them, reading those words. The first thing is they named “Joseph” as the father of Jesus, with the name “Joseph” meaning “Increaser” or “He May Add.” This means that written by Luke can now be seen as the question being, “Surely not son he exists of Addition here?” This asks how the reading from Isaiah can be “Increased” in meaning, simply because a son from Nazareth spoke. They could not fathom that Jesus’ soul was the “Increaser” [the “Joseph” within Isaiah] that led Isaiah to write that prophecy.

The second thing to grasp here comes from a comparison of this account from Luke [Mary’s story], with those of Matthew and Mark [disciples in attendance]. In neither Matthew nor Mark is the name of Joseph mentioned. Both Matthew and Mark say Jesus was called the “carpenter’s son,” whose wife was named as “Mary.” [This could be because everyone knew Joseph was dead; but Matthew and Mark knew Jesus’ true father was not Joseph.] Both Matthew and Mark then named four of Jesus’ brothers, all of whom were born of Joseph and Mary [none divinely conceived]. That belittled Jesus as not being recognized as ‘barJoseph,’ instead spoken of as a son of a woman, an equal to his four brothers.

This was known by Jesus [in possession of a Christ Mind], so he told them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”’ These comments are Jesus knowing the hearts and minds of the Jews in Nazareth, not some hypotheses coming from self-doubts. Jesus spoke to them spiritually, saying none of them – as Jews – were capable of speaking the truth of Scripture. Never before had any of them listened to a teacher-reader who knew any more than the Jews who sat silently as they listened. All were equally incapable of knowing squat about the Word, as all they did was routine and procedural, not divinely led by a saved soul. Thus, the reference to Capernaum [where Jesus had moved, saying this event took place long after his wilderness testing before beginning his ministry] is Jesus telling the Nazarenes that he knew his invitation to read and speak there was based on the reports of his amazing gift, coming from the surrounding region.

This is where it is good to realize the Jewish model of an “assembly” is not like the Christian models of churches [depending on each’s particular tenets and by-laws]. Whereas a priest speaks and the people listen, as if a pope had spoken and the crowd then needs to line up and go kiss the pope’s ring [quite an ornate and expensive ring you have popie!], the Jews see all Jews as ignorant stumps, with some better able to memorize [they make the time] than others. Whenever one stands and speaks his [women not so much] opinion, then it becomes ‘discussion time.’

I wish there had been allowed [even expected] a period when throwing over-ripe fruit or shoes or stones would be permitted by dogmatic ritual, especially allowed after a bad sermon in the Episcopal churches I have attended as a ‘lay-worshiper.’ I would have come each Sunday with a fresh load of ‘ammo.’ The priests I heard speak [my wife excluded] deserved to be thrown off a nearby cliff, like the Nazarenes attempted to do to Jesus. Outside the churches I attended [if that were allowed] there would be a pile of rotting priest bodies, as Yahweh would certainly not have protected any of them, so they could escape my deadly shove.

This is a complete reflection of the death in which Judaism had fallen – lost their land to invaders and allowed to go back as slaves to some new power running and owning everything – to that of modern Christianity today. When Jesus then used the example of Elijah, one should recall how Christmas was really the time when John the Baptist was born, with his soul being one saved prior; such that John was the purposefully reincarnated soul of Elijah, who was the proclaimer that all must be saved from sins or eternally be damned [shoved off a cliff]. Yahweh sent John before Jesus, for the purpose of all the Jews to hear that Elijah-like message. When Jesus came afterwards, in Nazareth he stated how many Israelites were saved by Elijah; so, the same comparison needs to be seen in how many Jews John had saved [not many, although he dunked a lot in water].

When Jesus said that only one widow woman was saved from starvation during a severe drought and famine; and, she lived in a place known as a “Blast Furnace” [“Zarephath”], near a “Fishery” [“Sidon”], that said nobody else in Israel [the Northern Kingdom] was doing anything to take the heat of Yahweh’s wrath and become fishers of men’s souls. When leprosy ravaged Israelites, Elisha only helped cure the Syrian Naaman [meaning “Elevated” and “Pleasantness”]. That symbolically says none of the Israelites saw Yahweh with divinely elevated faith, who took the time to send Elijah a nice letter: “My Hebrew slave said you can do something about my leprosy.” In the same way that “no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown,” the reason is the “hometown” [be it as large as the Northern Kingdom or as small as tiny Nazareth] does not like anyone telling anyone else what God means in His Word. Rather than be cured, saved, or rescued, it always seems better to find misery loves company. Anyone saying, “Hey everyone, I just found the way out!” is persecuted.

Now, this is where the cut-off in last Sunday’s lesson made it easier last Sunday to see people wanting to hear the truth be told. Before Jesus was rejected in Nazareth, everything was wonderful and bliss. This continuation of the story is now explaining how last Sunday was a tale of Jesus being in the right places at the right times; but if being Jesus in the flesh was as simple as showing up, reading some verses, then sitting down, saying, “I’m here!” the whole world would all be Jews now, with none of the horrid history we know having ever come to be. This story of rejection in Nazareth then paints the bigger picture that shows Yahweh sent His Son into a world of shit, knowing the world would rip Jesus apart, just like a mad pit bull with a unsuspecting neighborhood toddler. Nazareth then becomes the poster child for the world today, with the Jews of Nazareth being the members-equivalent to all Christians today [all denominations]. It is oh so much more fun to rip a person speaking like Jesus apart, as a heretic, than it is to say, “Wow! This guy must be channeling the real Jesus!”

Simply because evil can only exist in the material realm – the realm of Satan and his supporting cast of elohim [demonic possessors] – there will always be more souls ready to reject anyone sent by Yahweh to save them, rather than say, “Thanks for coming!” The prophecy of Jesus, which told his disciples to expect both greater achievements than his personal body of flesh would produce in just three years of ministry, alongside greater punishments from having been reborn as him, their souls being where Jesus’ soul would resurrect [after divine union with the Spirit of Yahweh], just like Isaiah. Just as Elijah faced the rejection of Ahab and Jezebel and four hundred fifty priests of Baal, all welcomed into the land of the Israelites by their corrupt leaders, Jesus faced the same worship of lesser gods [in the leaders of the Temple], The Apostles faced rejection from the same worship of lesser gods [the Caesars claiming that status], just like modern Christians are persecutors of those reborn as Jesus, by those likewise worshiping lesser gods [popes, archbishops, bishops and people with fancy suits and crocodile tears for Jesus]. To achieve eternal salvation of a soul, the soul has to find itself beat to a pulp first, with nowhere else to look by up. Otherwise, a soul-body will never be allowed off its proverbial knees as it worships men whose souls have been sold to Satan. In a world of ‘beat or be beaten,’ there is a line of applicants to be beaters.

The success of early Christianity, which began when Jesus was the one and only Christian on planet Earth, spread like wildfire because souls in bodies of flesh [of the Judaic-Israelite variety] were open to receiving faith. The one thing the Jews had going for themselves then was schooling in the Torah, Psalms, and Prophets. They regularly attended the synagogues and temples on the Sabbath, while religiously pilgrimaging to Jerusalem [or Mount Carmel] for the commanded festivals. They were immersed in Scripture, which made it clear how to be in theory, but impossible to be in practice. Jesus began a movement that touched the souls of seekers, which increased exponentially through Jesus being reborn in Apostles-Saints. However, those times have slowly diminished, aided by the horrors of the Roman Catholic Church, when they began executing anyone who held to faith that differed from the theology of Rome. That means there are few Saints walking as Jesus reborn today; so, hardly any souls have been educated to seek a Saint for help finding God. In America, they could do away with prisons and simply begin condemning criminals to years of Bible studies, because people hate religious education more than ‘doing hard time in the joint.’

As a Gospel selection to be read aloud on the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, it is now important to look within to all the automatic human mechanisms that are trained to reject first and ask questions later. The problem so many Christians have is self-blindness to their own faults. Those fault rise to the top when Christians hear Scripture being read to them, as it seems like watching some movie on some media format. As a disassociated viewer, one always sides with good, so one always sees poor Jesus – the hero – as being persecuted; but the flaw comes from never once seeing how all those ‘watching’ are themselves the evil Nazarenes.

This reading is split up during the after the Epiphany timeframe, for the purpose of reminding one how the true test of having married Yahweh, becoming pregnant with and giving birth to His Son Jesus, so one can then be led into ministry as Jesus reborn reflects a ‘before and after’ scenario. In that process, one has to have already died of self, so there can be no more punishment possible; so, there is nothing left for anyone to throw off a cliff. This means when Jesus “passed through the midst of them and went on his way,” they had their chance at redemption for their souls, but said, “No!” Jesus touched their souls, to the point that they realized their flesh wanted to keep their souls away from his. Once Jesus left them spiritually, he had kicked the souls of the Nazarenes off his sandals like excess dust, which was the earth they owned, so woe be it to Jesus to take any with him. This lesson prepares those who do not reject Jesus to be prepared for the fun and games of that come from being rejected, knowing those doing the rejecting are only harming their own souls. If you are not afraid of dying [having been there and already done that spiritually, through divine marriage], then there is nothing anyone can grab hold of and throw off a cliff.