Tag Archives: Last Sunday of Easter Year C

Acts 2:1-21- In the last days it will be, God declares

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs– in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the coming Yahweh great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name Yahweh shall be saved.’ “

——————–

This is the mandatory reading from the Acts of the Apostles that will be read on Pentecost Sunday, Year C (and every Year), according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will be read aloud as either as a First Lesson or as a New Testament selection. If as the First Lesson, it will precede a singing of verses from Psalm 104, where David wrote: “There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, which you have made for the sport of it.” If as the New Testament selection, its place will be filled by a reading from Genesis 11, which tells of the Tower of Babel. There is written: “Yahweh said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” In that scenario, if the Acts reading comes as the First Lesson, then the New Testament selection will be from Paul’s letter to the Christians of Rome, where he wrote: “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Everything will accompany the Gospel selection from John, where he wrote, “Jesus said to [Philip], “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

I have written about this standard Pentecost Sunday reading on several occasions. Here are links to commentaries I have published prior, which can be searched under these titles: A refresher about what Pentecost means (2021); Pentecost Sunday 2020 – Part I (Episcopal Lectionary & Acts 2:1-21); and, The Feast of Fifty Days (2018). There is not much I can add to the same verses; but, as this is the first time I have written about this during Year C, I will make references to this reading that align with the Year C reading selections [Genesis 11:1-9; Romans 8:14-17, and, John 14:8-17,(25-27)].

First, when we read the NRSV translation that says, “suddenly from heaven there came a sound,” the Greek needs closer inspection. Luke wrote, “aphnō ek tou ouranou ēchos,” which literally translates to mean, “suddenly from within out of this spirit roaring.” This says that nothing flew in the window and nothing came mysteriously through the wall, as if “heaven” is some mystical place that is somewhere not within. This becomes a statement that the soul of Jesus had entered his disciples and remained with their souls – within their beings – for forty days prior. Now, after his appearance of a physical body ascended – meaning Jesus would never again look physically like Jesus the man in a body of flesh [sorry Hollywood Jewish movie moguls] – the soul of Jesus (the seed implanted within the souls of his good fruit) came suddenly roaring out. That has to be seen and understood.

The Greek word that follows this “roaring” (“ēchos”) is “hósper,” which means “just as, even as.” The NRSV translates that as “like.” This key word says “not a violent wind,” but metaphorically “just as” that. Not too long ago, I heard a Baptist preacher bend over and look at his audience and say Jesus cried tears of blood in Gethsemane [only told in Luke’s Gospel]. He failed to understand the metaphor stated in that verse, which says “hōsei thromboi haimatos,” or “just as clots of blood” or “even as large drops of blood.” Jesus was not bleeding out from his eyes. He was sweating profusely, and the large drops of sweat were symbolic of a sacrificial lamb before the slaughter. Such errors of intellect lead the weak-minded to follow the lead of imbecilic preachers, all happily prancing together towards the great pit of ruin. Thus, Acts 2:2 speaks metaphorically of “violent wind,” not literally.

Following this revelation, when we read the NRSV translate: “it filled the entire house where they were sitting,” that makes it seem like a room in a house was filled with the ‘Holy Spirit.’ Rooms and houses are inanimate objects, all made of dead matter, possessing no soul. The Greek written says, “kai eplērōsen holon ton oikon hou ēsan kathēmenoi”. That literally translates to say, “importantly he made complete the whole this dwelling in what place they existed enthroned”. In that, two third-person verbs are found, one singular (“he”) and one plural (“they”). This references the soul of Jesus being in “the whole this dwelling,” as that soul dwelt within everyone in that room. This is important to grasp (from the use of “kai” leading this statement). The disciples were not “sitting.” The soul of Jesus and the throne of Yahweh was “enthroned” (viable translation of “kathēmenoi”) within everyone’s soul (men and women followers of Jesus). The Greek word “eplērōsen” is the third-person singular (“he”) attached to “pléroó,” meaning “to make full, to complete,” properly meaning “fill to individual capacity.” This is like how the soul of Jesus (an angel or elohim) told John’s soul about the symbol of omega (“Ὦ”), where the open allowing in sin needs to be “complete,” as the “closure” of Jesus, making the “Great O” be a “complete” circle (“Ō”).

In verse three, the Greek word “ōphthēsan” is translated by the NRSV as “appeared,” which is correct. Still, the truth of the word “horaó” says, “to see, perceive, attend to,” implying “I see, look upon, experience, perceive, discern, beware.” HELPS Word-studies says the metaphorical meaning of this word is: “to see with the mind” (i.e. spiritually see), i.e. perceive (with inward spiritual perception).” This must be understood, as there were no visible tongues of any physical type flying into the mouths of the disciples. The word should be read as the disciple each “perceived” within their bodies of flesh a “tongue” that was “divided” from their natural tongue (learned language), coming not from their brains (not subliminally taught and forgot), but from the “spirit of Yahweh within their souls.”

Now, the “dividing tongues” (from “diamerizomenai glōssai”) become a reference to the reading from Genesis 11, where the story tells of Yahweh seeing mankind building a tower and everyone being one, with the same language. When Yahweh saw this would lead mankind away from seeking a Spiritual return to Yahweh, seeing human greatness as a more pleasing god to worship, Yahweh ordered His elohim (angels) to “divine their tongues,” to confuse their brains. Now, in Acts, the “Spirit” within, which was not the soul, but the “Spirit” that elevated a soul in a body of flesh to “Sacredness,” as one “Set Apart by God” [made “Holy”], the “dividing tongues” was the ability to understand everyone in a telepathic way, where physical words were not necessary. In fact, physical words only make it harder to understand what someone is attempting to say. The “Spirit” within gave all within the upper room an ability to think as Jesus, so others of different languages could hear Jesus speaking in their “tongues.”

This multiplicity is seen in the long list of languages spoken by the pilgrim in Jerusalem for the Passover-Shavuot festivals. That multiplicity says everyone there heard “magnificence of this of God” communicated to them, which was mot likely whatever Scriptural questions each had within, which no one had ever fully addressed, to further enhance his or her faith in Yahweh. Before we read specific words spoken by Peter, coming from the prophet Joel, everyone’s attention was drawn by many different enlightening words heard by their souls (seeming as if only one voice was being shouted from an upstairs room), when thousands each heard a voice speaking his or her specific language, fluently, revealing the truth of Scripture. That amazing happening froze the faithful in their places, drawing all focus and attention of some rubes, obviously from the rural setting of Galilee.

In the Greek translations of Peter quoting John 2:28-32, it should be realized that Peter was a rube Galilean, so it was not him speaking Scripture in every different language mentioned prior. Peter spoke one language, which was Hebrew. In the Hebrew of Joel’s prophecy, he wrote “Yahweh” four times in the last two verses. That is where you will find I have restored that name, replacing the poor translation that says “of the Lord” (from the Greek “Kyriou”). Every pilgrim in that area of Jerusalem [the Essene Quarter] would have known “Yahweh” to be the name of their God. They would have all memorized those Hebrew words of Joel; and, they all would know the truth of those words spoken in prophecy was being fulfilled in their presence at that time … the truth of what Joel prophesied having come true in their souls.

Each of those pilgrims, whose hearts and souls were opened because of their faith, then received the Spirit, just as Joel said. This is how Paul wrote in Romans, “you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Paul was not one of those filled with the “Spirit” and made a “Saint” on that Pentecost Sunday. His completing the Great O would come later; but the way he explained it as he was close to his execution by the Romans who imprisoned him, he knew the soul within his soul – Jesus – made him able to call Yahweh his “Father” – “Abba” – in the same way each of those Pentecost Sunday pilgrims knew they were able to also replace “Yahweh” with “Father.” As their “Pater,” they had all (men and women alike) become Sons of Yahweh, brothers each, all because they became Jesus reborn.

It is this element of “Fatherhood” that is central in the reading from John, when a drunken Philip asked Jesus to tell them where his “Father” lived. He told them the “Father dwells in me.” He repeated, “the Father is in me.” When he then said, “I am going to the Father, I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” When the prophecy of Joel came true, the soul of Jesus entered into every soul of welcoming pilgrims, so all were able to ask the Father for anything, in the name of Jesus. Whatever they asked in that new name, it would be done.

As the mandatory reading for every Pentecost Sunday, it is important to realize this is the final day of the Easter season. It is the end of one’s internship bearing only a portion of Jesus’ soul, through extension. This prophecy of Joel says the time of preparation of the green fruit has taken place. The festival of Shavuot (the Fiftieth Day announcement that the first fruits are ready to be served to the faithful) is when those prepared to be good fruit (not rot and wasted) will be fed to those desiring the bread from heaven and thirsting for ever-living waters of eternal salvation. Those pilgrim who heard Peter and the eleven (and any others whose souls were ready to ‘speak in tongues’ in the upper room) were not listening with human ears. Their souls heard the Spirit of the Son speaking to them, pouring out the love of Yahweh, just as it had been poured out into the Son in Eden, when the seventh day began. Pentecost Sunday becomes a reflection when one is deemed good fruit to be served to the faithful. If one has not been prepared for this word to be heard, then one’s soul is not good fruit. One’s soul is turning to rot and spoiling everything surrounding that soul.

Genesis 11:1-9 – Towers falling from the heavens

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And Yahweh said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth; and from there Yahweh scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

——————–

This is the First Lesson alternate to be read aloud if chosen on Pentecost Sunday, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This selection will be read before a singing of certain verses from Psalm 104, where David wrote: “You hide your face, and they are terrified; you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust.” With this selection form Genesis chosen as the First Lesson, the New Testament choice becomes the mandatory Acts reading for every Pentecost Sunday, where Peter recited Joel’s prophecy as being fulfilled by their speaking in tongues. Peter said, “And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of Yahweh’s great and glorious day.” All readings on this day will accompany one from John, where the prophet wrote of Jesus saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”

In the first verse, where the NRSV translates: “Now the whole earth had one language and the same words,” this relates to the two prior chapters, which tell of the repopulation of the earth by Noah’s three sons. We learn of the curse placed on Ham and all the sons that came from Japheth, Shem, and Ham. In this repopulation, it must be understood much like the way Cain was banished and then was able to find a wife and have sons. This says others existed beyond the narrow scope of a story told of Adam and Eve and their children. The sole focus on Noah and his three sons cannot be seen from a lone perspective of inbreeding. Others obviously escaped the Great Flood, in various ways, just as there were other human beings on earth (created on the sixth day of Creation), which preexisted the fall of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were not the first human beings. They were the first priests sent by Yahweh to humanity. Likewise, all the descendants of Noah were not fit to be holy priests (as the curse on Ham shows), so they intermingled with others who escaped the Great Flood and joined together as survivors. To then find that collective with everyone speaking the same language becomes a statement that everyone was (as always, like Cain) suffering from the curse that is a natural tendency for human beings (souls within bodies of flesh) to fall away from Yahweh. This means “one language” means “one” is a self-directed form of “speech.” They do not talk to Yahweh for guidance anymore.

In the translation that says, “they migrated from the east,” the Hebrew says, “they set out from the formerly,” which means “the east” is a reflection (symbolically) on the ways of Noah; but the descendants had gone away from those ways. The Hebrew word translated as “plain” can equally mean “a valley,” where either “plain” or “valley” becomes a statement of stagnation (“plain”), if not some abysmal sinking to new lows (“valley)”. While the name “Shinar” is cloaked in mystery, one source says it means “Cast Out A Breach,” where “Breach” projects a “Gap” or “Rupture,” as well as a “Violation of Law.” When this is related to the “one language,” this place named “Shinar” speaks of self being a break from Yahweh, as a collection of peoples who no longer were the priestly descendants of Noah.

When verse three has these mutations come up with the idea that says, “Come, let us make bricks,” it is important to see a “brick” as a building block. More than a piece of mud baked into a physical “brick,” stuck together with tar or bitumen, the metaphor must be seen as a “brick” being an “idea.” In language, the building blocks are words that become joined together by rules of syntax. To take an “idea” and “burn” it means to purify it through testing the strength of “ideas” strung together; so, the result is a human brain has come up with a “truth.” When that is realized, the “one language” becomes mathematics, which is all based on tested truths – laws. Those became “truths” that were set in “stone.”

When we then come to verse four telling us those peoples then said, “let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves,” the Hebrew word translated as “city” means “excitement.” This means they were building themselves a ‘religion’ – something worldly to worship – which would “excite” their brains, making them think of themselves a gods. The “tower” is then not a physical structure, but everything up which the foundations of mathematics have been laid. This becomes everything constructed within a civilized society, where the physical is transformed into a model of the spiritual.

When this is built to the “heavens,” this literally means plans to travel into outer space, even colonize moons and planets, with televisions invented and Jews hired to creates fake projections of human beings conquering all universes known to human brains. When we are talking about post-Great Flood times, this could be the ancient tales of Atlantis (a civilization ten thousand years ago), where their “one language” was telepathy. In that sense,man had figured out a way to blow up a planet between Earth and Mars (the asteroid belt), while destroying all life that had previously existed on Mars. All of that kneels down and worships at the altar of almighty science, where the god “Maximus Cerebrum” is king [a.k.a. “Biggy Brain”].

When we begin reading that “Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower,” the Hebrew word translated as “came down” should be read as “descended.” It is foolishness to think Yahweh is not everywhere, at all times, All-Knowing and All-Seeing; so, to have “Yahweh descended” means the soul of Adam (the Son of Yahweh) is what was placed within human flesh on earth. This would lead to Abraham, in the lineage of souls that leapt over the multitudes of common humans, from Adam to Noah to Abraham (all in the ancestry of Jesus). “Yahweh descended” means the coming of the Yahweh elohim born into every Saint that has ever walked the earth. When mankind begins to think of itself as godlike, the Son of man needs to be around to show it the true path to everlasting life (away from reincarnation). Building nuclear bombs might make humans feel godlike; but it will condemn the souls of those who come up with those “bricks” of knowledge.

To confuse those big brains, Moses was sent to created a language of Yahweh, memorized (then written) in the “one language” of Yahweh – Hebrew. While all the peoples of the earth knew that “one language,” it told them no man is a god. Nothing created by mankind will ever redeem a soul from death. No soul in the flesh will invent a way to free itself from a return to the flesh of a little baby, having to start all over again … and again … and again. None of the big brains could figure out how to create a soul and give it immortality in the flesh. However, time and again they found they were masters at creating innovative ways for finding death, causing souls to start all over again.

When we find the Hebrew word “puwts” written twice (transliterated as “way·yā·p̄eṣ” and “hĕ·p̄î·ṣām”), translated by the NRSV as “scattered,” this should be seen as the flaw of human intelligence, which for all its strokes of genius is more often than not “scatter-brained.” For every “idea” laid, problems not planned on always jump up and cause the greatest minds to screech to a halt. “So, you figured out how to split an atom, did ya? Well, what do you do with the waste?” they are always asked. They scratch their heads, trying to motivate their brains to think harder. That is always the confusion that human brains create for themselves, when they try to play god. Thus, mankind ceased trying to make a name for itself. The presence of Saints led them to tremble and moan, “Yahweh please save us from ourselves!”

As an alternate reading for Pentecost Sunday, it is important to remember that the season of Easter is still in place. The Easter season is when the lessons are telling human beings their souls must be saved, which means raising them up from the death of a mortal existence. In this lesson, it is easy for big brains to begin to think they understand what Easter is all about; and, then they run off pretending to be graduates from Jesus’ school of Saints, when they are still unripe fruit, more apt to turn to rot than serve Yahweh as His Son again placed in ministry. The lesson of Genesis 11 is to stop trying to be a god and start submitting your whole being – body and soul – to Yahweh. When you kill the god within you – your big brain – you can be raised from the dead by the soul of Jesus taking the place of your sacrificial lamb soul. Only Jesus is allowed to go beyond Pentecost Sunday, even though Jesus will walk in many different bodies of flesh when that time comes.

Psalm 104:24-35 – The song of the Leviathan again sung

25 [24] Yahweh, how manifold are your works! *

in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

26 [25] Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number, *

creatures both small and great.

27 [26] There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, *

which you have made for the sport of it.

28 [27] All of them look to you *

to give them their food in due season.

29 [28] You give it to them; they gather it; *

you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

30 [29] You hide your face, and they are terrified; *

you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust.

31 [30] You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *

and so you renew the face of the earth.

32 [31] May the glory of Yahweh endure forever; *

may Yahweh rejoice in all his works.

33 [32] He looks at the earth and it trembles; *

he touches the mountains and they smoke.

34 [33] I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live; *

I will praise lelohay while I have my being.

35 [34] May these words of mine please him; *

I will rejoice in Yahweh.

37 [35] Bless Yahweh, O my soul. *

Hallu-YAH!

——————–

This is the Psalm that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on Pentecost Sunday, all Years, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow the First Lesson choice, which can be the mandatory Acts selection, where the Spirit filled the Apostles with the ability to speak in foreign languages, attracting the attention of the pilgrims in Jerusalem for the Shavuot festival. We read: “All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”’ If the First Lesson comes from Genesis, we will then read, They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”’ Following the first two readings, the New Testament selection will either be the Acts mandatory reading, or one from Paul’s letter to the Romans. In that he wrote, “When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ”. All will accompany the Gospel selection from John, where we are told Jesus told his disciples, “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

I have written my views on these selected verses from Psalm 104 twice before, when they were sung in Years A and B. Those commentaries can be viewed by searching these titles: “Pentecost Sunday 2020 – Part III (Psalm 104)” and “Harpooning the Leviathan” (2021). Both do well in explaining the words of David. Rather than restate what has been written before, I will only focus now on how this song of praise relates to the Year C readings that accompany it, as the grand finale to the Easter season.

The three unique reading selections for Pentecost Year C are those from: Genesis 11; Romans 8; and, John 14. Two of those three will be read aloud, along with the standards from Acts 2 and this Psalm 104. The Genesis reading places focus on the tendency of mankind to fall away from Yahweh, no matter how closely related they are by physical blood (lineage) to most holy men. The ones of Genesis 11 are all descendants of Noah; but they are headstrong for a self-identity that rejects a life devoted to serving Yahweh. That is until they realize the errors of their ways of self. The key words to understand in that reading are when we read “Yahweh descended.” This is relative to the Spirit made by Yahweh to possess souls (His Son – Adam-Jesus), who would confuse the brains of those who thought they knew it all, in a similar manner that Jesus confused the thinking of the Temple elite in Jerusalem.

In the Romans reading, Paul made it clear that those “led by the Spirit are the children of God.” That says, without being written, the vast majority that reject God and do not receive His Spirit are not His children. This is the error of thinking that makes so many Christians today think they are saved, simply because Jesus died on a cross thousands of years ago, knowing mankind was too weak to make such a sacrifice. That rubbish is like trying to build a tower to heaven, which cannot be done physically. When we read Paul say, “it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” “our spirit” is each individual’s soul. Paul said to be a child of Yahweh, able to truthfully call Him “Father,” then one’s soul must be filled with “the very Spirit” that allows one to know that relationship. Paul wrote of a divine possession that must take place; and, people reject that Spirit by believing in false ideas that say, “Jesus did all the work, so you don’t have to do any work at all.” That denies the reason we always read on Pentecost from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

In the John reading, a drunken Philip has been moved by his possessing spirit (a taste of Jesus’ soul before the real deal would come on Pentecost) to ask Jesus, “Where does your father live?” When Jesus said, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” that question confirms what Paul wrote, as Jesus’ soul was divinely possessed by Yahweh’s Spirit. Jesus then repeated, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,” then adding: “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” That is an explanation that the sacrifice Jesus is about to make (being killed) will release his soul to fully fill the souls of his disciples. That foretold that their coming divine possession (on Pentecost Sunday) would make them all become Jesus reborn, each sent out into ministry, just as Jesus had been out in ministry.

When those clear themes of spiritual possession are seen, David’s Psalm 104 is the one that has him dwell on the Leviathan. Where David wrote, “Yahweh, how manifold are your works!” that says “many are the Acts of Yahweh,” with the NRSV saying “creatures,” when the word written in Hebrew means “possessions.” The Hebrew root word “qinyan” means, “something gotten or acquired, acquisition,” where the implication is “goods, possessions, or property.”
Because Yahweh is wholly Spiritual, His “acquisitions” in the material realm are souls animating bodies of matter. It is this element of “possession” that led David to speak of the “sea dragon” or “sea serpent” that swam among the “sea” of “living things,” which are souls.

When David sang [NRSV translation], “There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, which you have made for the sport of it,” the “ships” refers more to the “sailors,” rather than the lifeless crafts they man. This becomes a statement that parallels who Jesus said to Simon (Peter), James and John (of Zebedee), who were “sailors” as fishermen, told by Jesus, “I will make you fishers of men (meaning “men’s souls”). This becomes Jesus says his divine possessing soul within the souls of his apostles would be like the Leviathan David sang of, where the soul of Jesus was created by Yahweh “for the sport” of saving men’s souls from other equally possessing ‘Leviathans’ that swam among a sea of souls.

When David sang [NRSV], “All of them look to you to give them their food in due season,” this is like the bait on a fishhook. It says a fish can only be caught when it is ready to receive the spiritual food dangled in the water before it. When an apostle is filled with the Spirit of Yahweh and has the soul of Jesus resurrected within its soul, this becomes the bait, while the apostle is merely the hook. A hook alone will catch nothing; but when the hook holds the truth of the Word, a soul ready to sacrifice itself for salvation will ‘take the bait’ … ‘hook, line, and sinker.’

This receipt of the Spirit is then the larger fish eating the smaller ones whole. That physical reality is reversed in the spiritual truth. Rather than being swallowed whole, it is the soul that swallows whole the ‘Leviathan’ of Jesus’ soul. The soul dies in that transaction (given salvation and eternal life beyond the flesh), while it remains to animate its flesh as Jesus reborn. This is the meaning behind David then singing, “You give it to them; they gather it; you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.” “You give” and “they gather,” as “filled with good things” is a verse singing of divine oneness, where two are merged together as one, with the giver the new Lord and Master, leading the “gatherer” to “good” Acts.

For a soul alone in a sea of soul, which are all lost, given their freedom to find a home in the material world, to have David sing, “You hide your face, and they are terrified; you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust,” the “face” of Yahweh is His Son. In the First Commandment [the first vow of divine marriage], a bride soul agrees, “I will not wear any other face before my Yahweh than His face” [where “panim” is the key Hebrew word to discern). A bride wears a veil to hide her face, only lifting it up after married, so her face is then that as a wife possessed by her husband. To “hide your face” speaks of a soul afraid to take the bait of truth and sacrifice self for a new face. Yahweh does not ever hide His face. The “terror” is brought on by one’s fear of submission of self, to a higher cause. To “hide one’s face” from marriage to Yahweh, so one will not wear the face of His Son (the possessing soul within one’s soul), then death takes away one’s “breath” that is a soul in a body of flesh, making the flesh return to dust, while the soul is judged as a failure (thrown back into the sea).

When David sang of the alternate taking place: “You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth,” this sings of a soul submitting to Yahweh, receiving the Spirit of Yahweh in divine union, so a new self is “created.” The “earth” is one’s body of flesh, which takes on a new “face,” which is that of one possessed by Jesus. This leads one to become a “sailor” who helps Yahweh in ministry, fishing for men’s souls to marry Yahweh.

This ministry is the meaning found in David singing [NRSV], “May the glory of Yahweh endure forever; may Yahweh rejoice in all his works.” The “glory of Yahweh” is the soul He created in Adam-Jesus. That “honor, renown, glory” endures “forever” as the soul that allows souls eternal life, while never dying, as long as more men’s souls are caught and the continuation of Jesus reborn lasts. The ”sport” of the “Leviathan” created by Yahweh never ceases through the dead continuously being raised to salvation. The “rejoicing” is then done by those souls possessed by Jesus’ soul, who sing songs of praise by doing the Acts of the Apostles.

All of these verses sing of divine possession and the saving of soul by Yahweh. The name “Jesus” means “Yahweh Will Save.” This was found occurring after Noah’s death, after the sea of soul began to think they were gods, as nothing more than fish with tiny brains in a sea of lostness. Yahweh sent His Son to descend upon that school of fish and string them on a line as Yahweh’s catch. When Paul sat constrained in a Roman prison, he wrote that he had long before been caught by Yahweh, when His Son came and asked him why he persecuted Jesus. Jesus told his disciples that just as his soul was possessed by Yahweh, so too would their souls be possessed by Him, likewise being Jesus in the Father and the Father in Jesus reborn. That ability to call Yahweh “Father” made all souls [in the flesh of male and female bodies] brothers, all in the name of “Jesus.” Thus, this song of praise sys David also knew this possessing Spirit and the divine Son whose face David wore. All of Israel would become the fish caught and transformed into ministers for Yahweh.

As the Psalm to be sung aloud on Pentecost Sunday, when the lessons of being raised from the dead [the Easter message] must still be heeded, the “sport of the Leviathan” becomes the challenge placed before all Apostles, before they enter ministry. It is one thing to be caught and saved; but it is another thing to become the bait dangled on a hook, for the sport of saving souls. To enter ministry one must become the Leviathan of Yahweh, in the name of His Son, because that is the only way one is capable of feeding lost souls the truth, so they will take that bait and be saved.

Romans 8:14-17 – So clear, yet so misunderstood

All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ– if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

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This is the optional New Testament reading choice, if Acts 2 is read as the First Lesson on Pentecost Sunday, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow the Acts reading, where it is written that Peter told the crowd of pilgrims, “This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: `In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”. That will be followed by a singing of Psalm 104, where David wrote: “You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth. May the glory of Yahweh endure forever; may Yahweh rejoice in all his works.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where at the final Seder meal for Jesus he told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”’

These verses are included within the whole selected for public reading on Trinity Sunday, in Year B. I wrote about Romans 8:12-17 and published that commentary in 2021. That posting is named “Being a child of God demands self-sacrifice” and can be accessed by clicking on the link. Today, I will address just these verses set aside for reading on Pentecost Sunday, Year C.

Yahweh is within. His radiance is his face on a Saint, as Jesus resurrected.

Because the NRSV translation above is a paraphrase that takes a preconceived idea and supports that agenda, making it difficult for a casual reader to discern the truth by oneself, I will do literal translations of these four verses. You will notice how verse fourteen follows a period mark that ended verse thirteen, making verse fourteen become a new statement of thought. However, the first word of verse fourteen is not capitalized. This shows that the rules of syntax (from which preconceived paraphrases come) are to be discarded, so a divine syntax shows importance to be found in every capitalized word (in the Greek text).

Verse fourteen states in the Greek:

hosoi gar Pneumati Theou agontai , houtoi huioi eisin Theou .

Please take note of the presence of a left-right arrow (⇔), which is a mathematical symbol that states, “if true to the left, then true to the right.” Thus, this symbol of truth being written in words says, “eisin” is equal to “Theou,” when all tests of truth are made. This becomes an unstated statement, which the NRSV cannot tell (or prefers not to).

The translation of verse fourteen is this:

“how many indeed to Spirit of God (they) are guided , these sons (they) exist of God .

This rather simple statement says the test of truth is relative to “how man indeed” are those souls that “exist truly of God”. This does not include everyone, simply because all souls are the “breath” (a lower-case “pneumati”) “of God,” placed within their bodies of flesh at birth. Those are then “sons” (lower-case) and daughters of man, born of human parents. This makes the test of the truth of the left-right arrow be a soul (lower-case “breath”) having been raised by the “Spirit” (capitalized, thus having a divinely elevated meaning, relative to Yahweh). The soul must “indeed” go “to Spirit” and have receive the “Spirit of God,” so that inner presence (not something told them by some external source) makes each “be guided, led, carried, or brought” by that “Spirit of God.” Not everyone is so “guided,” therefore the first word poses this to be the variable, as “how many” is “indeed” to be determined by a test of truth.

The Greek word written by Paul that has been poorly translated as “children” is “huioi,” which is the plural form of “huois,” meaning “a son.” It is possible to expand the scope of this word’s usage to “a descendant,” which is relative to a bloodline of human beings; but “children” is nothing more than some male-dominated theological philosophers getting together and coming up with the agenda that says, “Hey guys. You know most men have stopped following Christian religions because we are so obviously fakes; but we still have the women in the fold, thanks to letting women become priests. So, what say we change all the text that we do not understand about the masculine spiritual plane to “sons and daughters,” “brothers and sisters,” and generically “children”? Sound good to you guys?”

The reason Paul wrote “sons of God” is because the “how many indeed” that survive the test of truth are those who are ALL Jesus resurrections in new bodies of flesh (be them male or female). So, since ALL are tested to be true as Jesus reborn, then ALL are “sons of God,” ALL are Jesuses reborn (a male Spiritual entity). But, then, it takes a soul who passes the test of truth to know that and teach that to other souls.

Now, there is reason for the NRSV to be influenced to see “huioi … Theou” and pull “children” out. This is because verse sixteen says, “tekna Theou,” which does translate as “children of God.” Still, “tekna” does not “children” make out of “huioi.” The word “tekna” will be written in verse seventeen, but not directly connected to “Theou.” All of that is putting the cart before the horse; and, it does not speak as passing a test of truth, when one makes up bad translations for divine text.

Verse fifteen is then written as this:

Ou gar elabete pneuma douleias palin eis phobon , alla elabete pneuma huiothesias , en hō krazomen , Abba ! ho Patēr !

In that, the words “elabete pneuma” are repeated, where “pneuma” is written in the lower-case, so it is not a reference to the capitalized “Pnumati”. Those two words say, “you have received a spirit,” where the lower-case can be understood as a soul, which is the “breath” or “spirit” of life, in an otherwise scoop of dead matter (clay, dust, cells, etcetera). By realizing that, the whole of verse fifteen translates literally to state:

“Not indeed you have received a spirit of slavery once more into something to fear , but you have received a spirit of adoption [of sons into a divine family] , within which we scream out , this Abba ! this Father !

The first word in this verse is capitalized (following the period mark that ended verse fourteen), but the capitalization of “Not” is divinely elevated to be a statement of what “Not” a spiritual presence is (one making one truthfully “exist” as a “son of God”). Here, the “Not” leads to “a spirit received” again being placed in possession (from the Genitive case stating first “of slavery” and second “of adoption”). The “Not” is then a divinely elevated statement that says “sons of God” (when truth be told) are “Not” possessed by lesser “spirits,” such as we read last Sunday about the “spirit Python,” and we read today in David’s Psalm 104 of the “spirit of the Leviathan.” A demonic “spirit” would most certainly “enslave” a soul to sinful acts; but the girl told of in Acts was a “slave” to a lesser “spirit” than Yahweh’s “Spirit.” Those lesser (lower-case) ‘spirits” cause the souls they possess great “fears.”

Now, the possessive case of the Greek word “huiothesias” (from “huiothesia”) says one is “of adoption” spiritually. The root word is defined as “adoption,” implying “adoption as a son into the divine family.” (Strong’s Usage) HELPS Word-studies adds, “properly, sonship (legally made a son); adoption.” When the word “sons” is then seen as gender specific for this “adoption,” the reason is girls would not be “adopted.” They would be married, as a state of possession that is ownership. Girls would become the wives of the men possessing them; but boys would be adopted, becoming “sons” of the men possessing them. While that is a physical world definition, when Paul was writing about “spirits,” his second segment in verse fifteen is then pointing out a soul (“a spirit of adoption”) would be possessed as “a son,” which is then a statement of the resurrection within that soul by the Son of Yahweh – Adam-Jesus. When that “adoption into the family” is made, then the “sons existing truthfully of God” are reborn as the Son of Yahweh, who we Christians call Jesus.

Now, this “spirit of adoption” is one’s soul. A soul is “a spirit.” The soul in a body of flesh is feminine, thus not adoptable. A soul in a body of flesh becomes a girl (feminine essence, brought on by the body of flesh, where the earth is feminine essence), which must marry Yahweh. That divine union brings forth His “Spirit” (capitalized “Pneumati”) and that “Spirit” then possesses the soul and the flesh, cleaning them so all sins are removed. Once the cleansing has taken place, then the soul becomes opened to receive the soul of the Son of Yahweh. Since souls are masculine essence (everlasting), the presence of Jesus’ soul in a married soul makes that soul be “adopted as a son,” to match the spiritual gender of Jesus. This means one’s soul is first a wife (a girlie girl), before it becomes a “son of God” (a manly man). All gender in the spiritual realm is masculine, therefore it penetrates into the femininity of the material realm, which received in order to reproduce life.

It is then this sudden change within one’s soul, where one personally knows Yahweh as Jesus reborn; and, that immediately leads the soul of Jesus to “cry out, Abba!” This identification as Jesus reborn, where one’s soul is one with the Son of Yahweh, makes one’s soul also “scream out,” from first awareness of this divine relationship – a brother of Jesus (regardless of what physical sex organ the body of flesh possesses) and a “son of Yahweh.” One’s own soul cries out with Jesus, saying, “Father!”

In verse sixteen, Paul then tied these two concepts together. His Greek states this:

auto to Pneuma symmartyreitō pneumati hēmōn hoti semen tekna Theou .

In this, the Greek words “auto” and “hēmōn” are similar, in the fact that each becomes a statement of a soul or souls, such that “self” or “oneself” (in the singular) and “a multitude of “I”s or “us” is relative to the life “breath” that comes from a “spirit” animating dead matter. Thus, it is important to see the live souls involved as the true focus of this verse. It can literally be translated in that regard to say this:

“one’s soul this Spirit [divinely capitalized, as of Yahweh] (itself) testifies together with this spirit (lower-case, ordinary soul) of our souls [ourselves] because we exist children of God .

In this, the capitalized “Spirit” can only be known by a lower-case “spirit” (a “soul”), in order for it to “testify” or be a “witness” of that presence “together with” it, so two are one. The Greek word “summartureó” means “to testify or bear witness with,” implying “I bear witness together with.” (Strong’s) This must be seen as personal experience, so it is in no way hearsay evidence presented. This relates back to the left-right arrow, where the test of truth is personal experience, where knowledge makes one verifiable as a “witness.” It is not being told to believe something, when the only personal experience one has is with the one telling one to believe. To be able to “bear witness with” the “Spirit,” one must be a soul married to Yahweh, having received His “Spirit” in divine Baptism, so one has FAITH enough to “testify together with” that “Spirit.” This is what it means to be an Apostle (a word meaning “messenger,” where the message brought forth is the truth of Yahweh, from the Son).

This is then the proof that two joined as one are the “children of God,” “because we exist” two as one. Following the oneness of one’s soul with Yahweh’s “Spirit,” one’s soul then gives birth to the Son (the purpose of marriage is to make a child). Because this is a Spiritual marriage, the child born is the soul of Jesus resurrected in one’s soul. This rebirth in one’s soul is what makes one be a “son of God.” So, many souls all reborn as the same Jesus makes them all able to “testify together with our souls, because we exists as the children of God” … all named Jesus. All are the “sons of God.”

This then led Paul to write verse seventeen, where the Greek he wrote is this:

ei de tekna , kai klēronomoi ,klēronomoi men Theou , synklēronomoi de Christou , eiper sympaschomen , hina kai syndoxasthōmen .

This literally translates to state:

“for as much as now children , heirs , heirs truly of God , co-inheritors now of Christ , if so we suffer together with , so that kai we may be joined approvingly .

Having ended verse sixteen telling that the union of the “Spirit” with the “spirit” (that is one’s soul) is what establishes the relationship that allows a soul to call Yahweh “Father.” As such, being “children of God” means one inherits eternal life. This can only come through this divine union and oneness. This becomes the truth of the left-right arrow being confirmed, when Paul wrote “heirs truly of God.” Only when one’s soul is possessed by Yahweh (the Genitive case “Theou”) can one inherit salvation.

When Paul wrote of being “co-inheritors now of Christ,” the Genitive case applied to “Christou” says one is possessed by Yahweh, which is evidenced by His “Spirit,” which is only given to His wife-souls. The word “Christ” is NOT the last name of Jesus. The word “Christ” is NOT singular because Yahweh is limited to one “Christ” (by some idiot human being that thinks that nonsense). David was a “Christ,” although the Hebrew word written in First Samuel says he was a “Messiah” (English translation of the Hebrew “mashiach,” with capitalization implied in English). The whole world could be “Christs,” if Yahweh so chose, Him having found all souls willing to marry Him and submit fully to His Will. What Paul is saying here is all who are truly resurrections of the Jesus soul in theirs, becoming “children of God” as Jesus reborn in all, those individually are granted salvation (the name “Jesus” means “Yahweh Saves”). Thus, as “co-inheritors of salvation, through Jesus,” each will have been “Anointed” (the meaning of “Christ”) by Yahweh, as His Son reborn.

In the Greek word “eiper,” which means “if perhaps,” implying “if indeed, if so,” while properly meaning “if it be so,” “if really,” “if indeed,” “if after all (since)” [Strong’s and HELPS Word-studies], the truth is confirmed when “we suffer together with” Jesus. Just as Jesus died on the cross to release his soul to resurrect in the souls of others [the Easter theme of being raised from the dead], so too does a soul have to equally “suffer death” and get “buried” in the past. There is no one who knows the truth written by Paul that says, “Jesus died on the cross so your sins can be redeemed.” Jesus died, so too do every other soul in flesh have to die of self-ego, so the death allows the soul of Jesus to resurrect within it. Dying of self-ego is necessary to submit one’s soul to Yahweh and be washed clean of all past sins by His “Spirit.” When Jesus comes into a cleansed soul, it will be as the new Lord over that dead soul and flesh, leading it to righteousness, so there will be no returning to sinful ways.

In the Gospels telling of Jesus suddenly appearing in the upper room, in their midst when the door was locked, that tells of the soul of Jesus suddenly appearing within each soul present in that room. Because Jesus had just died on a cross and had wounds that proved who he was, his soul amid each of the other souls caused them to likewise suffer as he had, so their bodies of flesh projected the same wounds Jesus’ body had. When they saw the nail holes in his hands, they saw them in their own hands. Likewise, the pierced side wound was present in each body of flesh in whom the soul of Jesus suddenly appeared. We are told by an angel, “Do not look for Jesus in an empty tomb, as he is risen.” Similarly, Jesus told the Sadducees that Yahweh “is a God of the living, not of the dead.” So, to suffer with Jesus is to known his wounds in one’s own flesh.

When Paul then wrote “so that,” that says one willingly submits oneself to the suffering of death … as one used to be … so the soul of Jesus can then be “joined approvingly” for eternity. The Greek word “syndoxasthōmen” matches the conditional of “for as much as” or “if,” by saying “one may join in approving” or “be glorified together.” In the use of the word “glorify,” this means to take on the “love” of Yahweh that was built into the Son. This says only a soul filled with the “glory” of Jesus will be judged by Yahweh as worthy of His heavenly realm. Thus, Yahweh approves a soul and the soul approves the presence of Jesus’ soul; and all live together happily forever and ever.

As an alternate reading selection, which will also be read in another season (so, not a one shot deal), the Easter purpose for this selection is to show Paul writing clearly what is required for salvation. One’s soul must be raised from the dead and possessed by Yahweh and His Son Jesus. There is no getting into heaven alone, through will-power. While the NRSV has translated these four verses so generically that no one will be led to self-sacrifice because of what they say was written, it is up to each individual soul to care about salvation, enough to take more than the three minutes the modern attention span is for religious studies and see for yourself what these verses say TO YOU! You are the one who will pay the price for doing nothing, based on others telling you, “It’s okay. I do nothing too. Jesus died for my sins. I believe that.” What’s another eighty year’s worth of repeating life in a new body of flesh to find out the truth?

John 14:8-17 (25-27) – Jesus having a ‘heart to heart’ with your soul

Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”

[“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”]

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This is the Gospel selection that will be read aloud by a priest on Pentecost Sunday, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow a Frist Lesson, which will either be the mandatory Easter reading from Acts, or a selection from Genesis. If the Acts choice is first, then we will read, “[When pilgrims from all around the world heard Galileans speaking] in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”’ The Genesis selection (if chosen) will state, “Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.” That will precede a singing of Psalm 104, where David wrote: “All of them look to you to give them their food in due season. You give it to them; they gather it; you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.” That will be followed by the New Testament reading, which will either be the Acts choice or one from Paul’s letter to the Romans. If the Acts selection is the First Lesson, then we will hear Paul saying, “if children [of God], then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ– if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”

In this last Sunday of the Easter season, where all Gospel readings have come from John’s Gospel, it is worthwhile to point out that John was not old enough to get drunk on Seder wine. Neither he nor Jesus (his father) had become drunk on wine; so, John wrote much more detail of the words Jesus spoke to his disciples at the second Seder meal and the time for singing songs and getting drunk afterwards. In the other three Gospels that tell of the ‘Last Supper,’ Matthew wrote nineteen verses about that dinner, before entering Gethsemane. Mark wrote twenty; and, Luke wrote thirty-two. Those three Gospels amass seventy-one total verses about this evening, before Jesus’ arrest at the place of the wine press. John, on the other hand, wrote five whole chapters, totaling one hundred fifty-five verses. His mind was lucid, while all the brains of the other adults involved (who wrote of their witness) were so dulled by alcohol that they wrote less than half as much as did John, with much of that written by the three being repetitive, adding little that is new. This says that John was sober; and, this reading selection begins with Philip being drunk on Seder wine, which prompted his tongue to wag freely, letting how little he knew prior be known then.

Verse eight begins this reading, omitting that which Jesus said prior, which motivated Philip to say, “Lord , show us the Father ¸ kai it satisfies us .” Here, the use of the word “kai” says John made it important to know that Philip spoke for all of the disciples (“us”), saying their being able to see Jesus’ “Father” was then necessary for them to truly know what Jesus meant, when he spoke of the “Father.” When Jesus spoke that word, the disciples heard it in the lower-case, as “father,” meaning their brains computed that relationship title with their own biological “fathers.” They also knew Joseph (the husband of Mary, and the “father” of James, Jesus’ half-brother) was dead; so, Philip was loosened by Seder wine (and the presence of Yahweh’s Spirit) to speak the truth: that all disciples questioned much of what Jesus said. They (when not drunk) were used to biting their tongues, when they heard Jesus say confusing things to them.

What Jesus said, stated in the unread verse seven, is this: “if you had perceived me , kai this Father of me could you have perceived ; away from at this moment you perceive him kai you have perceived him .” In this, the Greek pronoun “auton” is repeated twice. That word generally means “him.” It is the third-person singular possessive pronoun that also says “himself” or “him same,” with the element of “self” referring to a living spirit, as a “soul.” This means the depth of what Jesus had said is this: “if your soul [“you” or “yourself”] had perceived my soul [“me” or “myself”] , kai this Father of my soul [“me” or “myself”] could your souls [“yours” or “yourselves”] have perceived ; away from at this moment your souls [“you” or “yourselves”] perceive him [His Spirit] kai your souls [“you” or “yourselves”] have perceived him [His Spirit] .

In that, when Jesus say “away from at this moment,” this is the drunken state that all the adults were in, which prompted Philip to speak freely. This is says the drunken state allowed the souls of the disciples and followers to cease seeing only in the physical, so they could glimpse the spiritual. When not drunk on Seder wine, Jesus said his disciples were ‘drunk’ on the Spirit of Yahweh that Jesus afforded them to be possessed by. That divine possession elevated their souls (much like alcohol does artificially), so through their mind’s eye they could see Yahweh on the face of Jesus. This is depicted in art as a halo that radiates out from the head. The disciples “perceived” there was something about Jesus that was godly, even though their normal eyes kept them from seeing the spiritual truth.

On a physical level that stated the truth, “away from at this moment you perceive him” says at that time in the disciples’ lives, they saw Jesus as separate from (and above) them. When they looked at Jesus, he was “away from” them. In the same externalizing of ‘holy men,’ the disciples ‘saw’ Yahweh (God) as “away from” them too. As such, they externalized Yahweh as the God of heaven, seeing heaven as some distant, unknown spot … like above the clouds, in outer space. What Jesus was telling them was, “When you see me, you see Yahweh, because I wear His face over my face. This is because ‘heaven’ is the divine Spirit of Yahweh within. Yahweh cannot be external, at any time.”

When Jesus then responded to Philip, saying “So much to time in company with your soul [“you” or “yourself”] I exist , kai not your soul [“you” or “yourself”] has perceived my soul [“mine” or myself”] ?” This says (when words like “hymōn,” “eimi” and “me,” along with the second-person attachment of “you”) that Jesus explained to Philip that their two souls had been joined since the beginning, when Jesus welcomed Philip as a disciple of his. That spiritual connection (an inward presence known) should have made it understandable to Philip who Jesus was.

That then moved Jesus to say, “this having perceived me has seen this Father ; by what means you say , Show me this Father ?” In this, John capitalized the Greek word “Deixon,” which divinely elevates the meaning intended by Jesus speaking that word, which means “to show,” while implying “I point out, show, exhibit; met: I teach, demonstrate, make known.” The divine elevation asked Philip “How does one make known the Father?” when the Father is clearly known to be Yahweh. This is Jesus asking all the disciples, “Do you not think I am the Son of Yahweh?” In that regard, it implies, “Don’t I resemble the Father, as His Son?”

In verse ten, Jesus asks the question that projected beyond Philip and beyond the human beings sitting in that room with Jesus, reaching the souls of everyone calling himself or herself a Christian today. His asking, “Not you have faith because I [your self-identity] within this Father , kai this Father within my soul exists ?” That asks the basic question of faith, which can only come from personal experience (the “I”) that knows the Father, because one’s soul has Yahweh within oneself. It is then the presence of Yahweh within Jesus (he is THE Yahweh elohim), so one’s soul knows Yahweh because one’s soul has the resurrection of the soul of Jesus within one, so one’s soul knows Yahweh through the Son. This question then asks us today, “What do you think the meaning of Christianity is? Some club you join and pay dues to be a member, without ever having to do anything more?”

Jesus then added, “these words that I [again, one’s self-identity] speak to your soul , away from my soul not I speak , this now this Father within my soul dwelling he causes these words of His Spirit .” This says that Jesus does not manufacture anything he says, as he only speaks what the Father leads him to say. This is then a clear statement of divine possession, where the soul of Jesus [a creation of Yahweh in Eden – as Adam] is totally possessed by Yahweh. For Jesus to have even one disciple, it would be for the same purpose of divine possession. So, by understanding that simple principle [and true believers have faith that souls possessed by demonic spirits were cleaned by the soul of Jesus speaking as Yahweh commanded to remove those spirit possessions], all true Christians will speak what the Father has Jesus say through their bodies of flesh, after having committed their souls to Him in divine union (possession willingly, as a marriage of two as one).

In this, it is important to realize that the Greek word “pisteuó” means “belief” and is translated as that. The word also means “have faith,” where there must be seen a difference between “belief” and “faith,” such that “belief” relates to physical functions of a brain [reason and rationale], whereas “faith” relates to a sense of feeling that goes beyond a need for a brain to justify it. This is the question Jesus asked to Philip being clarified, because it is an impossibility to prove Yahweh to a brain. However, when one has experienced the presence of Yahweh within, then one develops “faith,” which cannot be defined in physical terms.

As such, verse twelve has Jesus saying, “Truly , truly , I say to your souls , this having faith into my soul , these works that I [again, self-identity] do , kai he likewise he will do , kai greater than these he will do , because I [self-identity] advantageous for this Father am journeying .” In this, Jesus is making mention of the disciples having been given special talents in intern ministry, where they all performed deeds in the name of Jesus. They did them as “I,” which was the soul of Jesus within them. Jesus was next speaking about the future, when the apostles would do “greater works” than those of interns. This would then be when the apostles identify as Jesus reborn, so the soul of Jesus “goes” or “travels” in their bodies of flesh, which is “advantageous for” both “the Father” and the souls of the apostles. In short, when Jesus said “I for the Father am journeying,” that spoke not of his pending death [him going away to the Father, because the Father was already in him], but of the apostles’ pending ministry.

In verse thirteen, Jesus then continued, by saying “kai whatever you might ask within this name of my soul , this I will do , in order that he may be honored this Father within this Son .” This is led by the word “kai,” which says importance must be found in this greater ministry that will come “in the name of Jesus.” When the word “mou,” is stating the Genitive case (the possessive) that says one’s soul is ”of mine” or “of my soul,” says being “in the name” means two identify as one, with Jesus the dominant Lord and the host soul the submissive subject (a possession). When a soul “asks” for something to be done for another, then it will be Jesus (“I will do”) that Acts, in the body of the apostle-messenger-servant. It is then those Acts in the name of Jesus that will prove one has been “glorified” by the inward presence of the Love of Yahweh, which is the renown of His Son.

Here, the word “glorified” must be seen as more than some indefinable glow (the aura) that overcomes one. No one will ever come up to an apostle and ask, “What is the glow around your head?” prompting an apostle to respond, “Oh, that’s just my glory.” The Greek word “doxazó” means “to render or esteem glorious (in a wide application)” (Strong’s Definition), where that “wide application means it is near impossible to clearly define what “glory” or “glorified” means. I have written about this before; but to repeat now, “glory” is the love of Yahweh placed into His Son Adam (who is the Yahweh elohim that was created so “Yahweh Saves” souls, therefore his name is also “Jesus.” Thus, the simple and clear meaning of “glorified” is a soul having become one with the soul of Jesus, so “glory” means knowing the love of Yahweh [which is far beyond any human definitions of “love.”

In verse fourteen, Jesus then added by saying, “if a certain thing you petition my soul within this name of my soul , I [self-identity] will act .” In this, the NRSV translates the Greek word “ti” as if Jesus offered his apostles a blank check – “anything.” The word (wholly as “tis”) means “a certain one, someone, anyone,” while implying “any one, someone, a certain one or thing.” Just to be clear, Jesus did not promise any televangelists that they could cry crocodile tears, pleading before television cameras, “Jesus … PLEASE … in your holy name … JEEESUS … give me the money to buy a ninth personal private jet, to go along with my fifth mansion … that I need to do your work on earth.” Satan will grant that wish; but Jesus told his apostles, “if you ask for certain things or certain people, as a soul Jesus has been resurrected within … the truth of “in his name” … then Jesus will Act, while it appears a normal human being did those acts.

In verse fifteen, John recorded Jesus proposing another conditional scenario, this time writing a capitalized “Ean,” which becomes divinely elevated as a ‘Big IF.’ This should be read as establishing how Jesus said “if a certain thing you petition” is met. The “Big IF’ that all televangelists do not possess is the “love” that should [a conditional word, in the subjunctive mood] come into one’s soul as Jesus resurrected – “in my soul” [“me”]. “If” that “love” is within one’s soul, then “these commandments these mine you will keep.” This says the “love” of Yahweh that brings about a divine union between His Spirit and one’s soul will then bring the ”love” of Yahweh into one’s soul as the soul of Jesus resurrected. Because this is all relative to a divine marriage, the marriage vows are the Law, which will then be written upon the walls of a soul (one’s heart-center). The bond of “love” with Yahweh means always abiding by the Covenant agreement. Jesus comes within one’s soul to ensure those Laws are forevermore maintained. So, “If you love mine,” then you obey all commands. That is the obedience of a subservient wife to a most Holy Husband.

When the capitalized “If” of verse fifteen is assured and one keeps the commandments of Yahweh from “love,” then Jesus began verse sixteen (as John wrote) with the capitalized “Kagō,” which is a contracted word that combines “Kai” and “egó,” as an important statement of “I” (Jesus’ soul) being joined with another soul (the great importance of two in one). This verse then says literally, “Kai I will ask this Father , kai another Helper he will give your soul , in order that he may exist ⇔ « in company with your souls into this age » ,” Within this is a mathematical symbol, called a left-right arrow, where a statement of truth must be found. That truth is “he may exist,” which is the “Helper” sent by the Father, where that coming will last forever (“into this age”). In this, the “Helper” is the soul of Jesus resurrected within a soul possessing a body of flesh, made possible by the “Spirit” of Yahweh (divine marriage). The double angle brackets enclosing “in company with your souls into this age” makes that a statement of spiritual presence, not physical. Thus, Jesus will exist reborn into flesh, while the soul Jesus has been resurrected within will be forever joined with the Spirit of salvation to that soul.

Following the double angle bracket that ended verse sixteen, verse seventeen then has Jesus clarifying, “this Spirit of this of truth , which this world not it is able to take hold of , because not it perceives itself , nor knows it . your souls you know it same , because beside your souls it remains , kai within your souls it will exist .” This is Jesus answering Philip, telling him why he cannot “show him the Father.” The “Father” is as visible as is “the truth,” which can only be known when “this truth” takes possession of one’s soul, via the ”Spirit,” so the “truth” is known. The “world” becomes the generality of other human beings, whose souls are married to their physical bodies of flesh. Because the “Spirit” is not physical, it is impossible for the world to perceive it, Yahweh, or even their own souls, demons or ghosts.

In the last segments of this verse, Jesus used the third-person regularly to make it easier to call the “Spirit of this of truth” an “it,” rather than a separate entity, like a soul. Still, “it” can only be “perceived” when “it” is the “same” with one’s soul [“you” or “yourself”]. The Greek word “para” means “from beside, by the side of, by, beside,” where that is another statement that says two are joined as one. This presence “close beside” says “it” “remains” with “your souls” [“you” or “yourselves”]; and, John placed a “kai” to make it importantly be known that the intent of Jesus was to say “within your souls [“you” or “yourselves”] it will exist.”

At this point, the Episcopal Church skips forward eight verses, making verses twenty-five through twenty-seven optional for a priest to read. Part of the reason for the skip over and optional reading verses is verses twenty-three through twenty-nine are read on the sixth Sunday of Easter (just two weeks prior); so, they will not have been ignored. The reason for repeating these three verses (optionally) is Jesus refers for a second time to a capitalized “Paraklētos,” or “Helper” – the only two times that word is written in chapter fourteen [John is the only writer to use that word, writing it five times: four in his Gospel and once in his first letter]. This means the Church has made it possible for a priest (thus the congregation) to teach about this “Helper,” further clarifying it is the “Spirit” of Yahweh.

In verse twenty-five, John wrote of Jesus saying, “These words I have said to your souls , beside to your souls abiding .” This becomes a repeat of that said at the end of verse seventeen, where the same use of “para” says more than Jesus being in the same room with his disciples. When the word “hymin” (written twice) as the possessive pronoun plural, meaning “yourselves,” the element of “selves” should be seen as “souls.” Thus, Jesus is saying to his drunken disciples (who will not clearly remember these words to write them in their Gospels) spiritually the truth. The soul of Jesus is speaking with the souls of his disciples, with those souls being able to recall this conversation once they are fully resurrected as Jesus. That will be when their souls submit fully to Yahweh (not themselves, sacrificing their souls to His Spirit), so when Jesus’ soul is later resurrected within theirs, it will no longer be “beside” their souls (as a taste of Jesus within), but the Lord over their soul-body entities. At that time, Jesus will lead his apostles to do his Acts on earth, as their Spiritual Lord.

It is in verse twenty-six that Jesus repeated the word “Paraklētos,” with that full verse translating literally as this: “this now Helper , this Spirit this Sacred , this he will send this Father within this name of myself , that one your souls will direct all kai he will cause to remind your souls all that have said to your souls I [the self-identity that has Jesus within] .” Here, Jesus clearly said that his presence (partially) within the souls of his disciples – as a spirit presence “beside” theirs – was “this Helper.” It was the soul of Jesus extending from his place in his physical body into them and theirs, which was limited in how much Jesus could be divided and present partially in many others. Still, his presence as “this now Helper” was how the disciples could do miracles ‘in the name of Jesus,’ while in internship.

From that, Jesus further clarified this was only possible through “this Spirit,” which is the marriage of a soul to Yahweh. It is His “Spirit” that makes all things possible Spiritually. Souls are breathed into bodies of flesh by Yahweh; but His “Spirit” is what makes one become “Sacred, Holy, or Set apart by God.” Only when one’s soul has been cleansed of all past sins can one be deemed “Holy.” Here, it is vital to understand that the “Spirit” is not that to be deemed “Sacred” or “Holy,” as such a judgment becomes a lowly soul in just cleaned flesh casting judgment on the “Spirit” of Yahweh, which becomes judgment on Him. No human being has the authority to judge Yahweh, in any way; and, Yahweh will not tell Jesus: “Oh, I need some love today, so tell the apostle to deem me Holy.” The only thing that can be deemed “Sacred, Holy, or Set apart by Godis the soul in a body of flesh. It is the presence of Yahweh’s “Spirit” that makes that spiritual transformation take place, transfiguring a formerly lost and lowly soul on the earth plane into a Saint (as Jesus reborn). Thus, the repetition of the Greek article “ho” makes a soul in the flesh become “this.” It is “this Spirit” within a soul in the flesh that makes “this Sacred” on the earth.

In the third segment, Jesus is explaining that his soul can be sent into other souls partially by the power of Yahweh, “this Father.” The soul that is “named” “Yahweh Will Save” (the meaning of “Jesus”) can then be extended into countless other souls, because Yahweh is omnipotent. He has the ability to do anything Spiritually.

Jesus then said that his soul extended into theirs (“beside” their souls) was to “direct” them to act righteously, in “everything” they do. Here, Jesus importantly (from John writing the word “kai”) said his soul (extended into theirs by the hand of Yahweh) will “cause to remind” them spiritually of “everything” Jesus taught them Spiritually. Jesus has been their teacher – their Rabbi – so his lessons have been meant to be remembered. Rather than them needing to carry a book of notes (Things Jesus Taught), as reminders, Jesus told them the extension of his soul “beside” theirs was the “reminder” to act as Jesus, while interns in ministry.

In verse twenty-seven, Jesus then added, “Wholeness I permit to your souls ; joined together mine I [self-identity of Jesus] place to your souls ; not according as this world places , I offer to your souls . not he let be troubled of your souls this inner soul , nor he let it fear .” Here, twice Jesus spoke the word “Eirēnēn,” the first time capitalized and the second time in the lower-case. This is first a divinely elevated statement, where the routine translation is as “Peace” (when nobody can define that so all understand it … like “glorified”). The reality is the word means “Wholeness,” which relates back to John’s Revelation, where twice Jesus’ soul said he was “this Alpha,” which brings “Completeness” to the incomplete “Ὦ” (John wrote the letter symbol – capitalized). As such, the meaning of “omega” can be realized by the presence of Jesus within one’s soul – bringing about the “Great O” [“O mega”]. Thus, the second use is better stated as the intent of “joining together” two souls: that of Jesus and that of the host being saved by Yahweh.

The first-person presentation of “egō didōmi” (where forms of “didómi” are written twice) can translate as “I give,” but the word implies also “I offer; I put, place.” In that regard, it is not so much a gift (as “give”) but an opportunity for “Wholeness” to be gained. Thus, the presence of Jesus’ soul in one’s soul is an “offer” for salvation. That means it is then up to that soul to take that “offer” and produce the Acts that justify salvation. This is then why the soul of Jesus is “put” or “placed” within one’s soul. That can only come after one’s soul has been Baptized by the “Spirit” of Yahweh and made sin free, as one “Sacred” to receive the soul of Jesus.

When the Greek word “kardia” is written, this is routinely translated as “heart.” That is wrong, when one understands that Jesus is speaking to his disciples about spiritual matters. Since a “heart” is a physical organ – one that affords a body of flesh continued life (for as long as the “heart” pumps blood) – the metaphor of a “heart” is viable as “mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center.” (Strong’s Usage) This means the “heart” is the “inner self,” where (again) a “self” equals a “soul.” The “world” only has “hearts” of flesh, which give out over time; so, the promise of receiving the soul of Jesus means the “fear” of death has been removed. While the flesh will certainly give out and die, the soul has been offered eternal salvation. Therefore, Jesus will afford one’s soul the everlasting life of a spiritual “heart.”

As a Gospel selection to be read aloud on Pentecost Sunday, by a priest standing in an aisle (when fear of airborne diseases do not close the churches), this reading from John strongly states the raised from the dead theme. We read Jesus speaking to his drunken disciples, who reflect the drunken souls of those calling themselves ‘Christians,’ when they have never been taught the whole truth. The syntax limitation used to turn Greek into English makes it most difficult to hear the truth being told in these words written by John. It is clear, when one stops letting “you” be some generic and meaningless pronoun, so one refuses to hear “your souls” being repeatedly stated. Jesus was not talking to drunks. He was talking to souls, as the soul created by Yahweh to Save other souls. One must sober up and hear the truth of this divine message, so one can marry one’s soul to Yahweh and give birth to His Son within one’s own soul.