Tag Archives: Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Language, Proverbs, Teaching

Proverbs 1:20-33 – Wisdom is that snake in the grass

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Wisdom cries out in the street;

in the squares she raises her voice.

At the busiest corner she cries out;

at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools hate knowledge?

Give heed to my reproof;

I will pour out my thoughts to you;

I will make my words known to you.

Because I have called and you refused,

have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,

and because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when panic strikes you,

when panic strikes you like a storm,

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.

Because they hated knowledge

and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,

would have none of my counsel,

and despised all my reproof,

therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way

and be sated with their own devices.

For waywardness kills the simple,

and the complacency of fools destroys them;

but those who listen to me will be secure

and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”

——————–

This is the Track 1 Old Testament reading selection possible to be chosen and read aloud on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 19], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. If chosen, it will be paired with either a reading from Psalm 19 or a selection from the Wisdom of Solomon 7. If Psalm 19 is selected, it sings, “Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.” If the Wisdom of Solomon is chosen to be the partner, it says, “Although she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets; for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.” One of those pairings will precede an Epistle reading from James, where he wrote, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from Mark, where Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

Please take note that the above English translation has my correction, which is the one place where I have changed the NRSV translation of “Lord” back to the word written: “Yahweh.” Since the Episcopal Church fails to number the verses, I will let the reader know that the ONLY place where Solomon wrote “Yahweh,” in this range of fourteen verses, was in verse twenty-nine. This is important to realize, as a typical Psalm of David would have many more references to Yahweh, in an equal length of verses. This lack is not just in these verses, as in the whole of Proverbs 1 the name “Yahweh” is only found written twice (the other in verse seven). This speaks even louder when one sees the feminine pronouns “her” and “she” found in verses twenty and twenty-one; as Yahweh is not a goddess, as is “wisdom.”

In Proper fifteen, the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost this year, a reading option was from Proverbs 9:1-6, where the same references to “her” and “she” were found relative to “wisdom.” These references to the feminine are not mistakes, as they speak loudly that the wisdom given to Solomon did not come from Yahweh. Instead, it came from Satan, making a ‘big brain’ be a curse, not a blessing. In that realization, the first seven verses of Proverbs 1 is entitled [by BibleHub Interlinear], “The Beginning of Knowledge,” with verses eight through nineteen given the heading, “The Enticement of Sin.” Those titles are given because of the verbiage found in the texts. Therefore, “Knowledge” is closely associated with “Sin.” That is how one should read these fourteen verses, which are headed: “Wisdom Calls Aloud.”

Verse twenty actually translates literally into English as this: “wisdom outside calls aloud ; in the open squares , she raises her voice .” Here, it is essential to realize that “wisdom” is not a true tool of the soul, as it is external to one, which includes one’s physical body of flesh. The soul animates a body from within, such that a brain is flesh that is “outside” the soul. As such, all that is the physical world is the realm of the goddess of wisdom. “She raises her voice” by using those who receive her spirit – the elohim of knowledge – which becomes a tool of those who seek to become masters of universal laws and principles, such as are mathematics and sciences. It is the the wise who routinely attempt to control the masses.

Verse twenty-one can then be read as such: “the head roars , she cries out at the openings of the gates in the city , her words she speaks .” In this, the Hebrew word “bə·rōš” is written, from “rosh,” which means “head.” While this can be symbolic of a “leader,” such as Solomon, the truth is that the “head” is where the brain is housed. The “head” is not the heart or soul. Thus, wisdom is a goddess whose realm pierces one’s brain, through the openings of the eyes and ears. As such, the Hebrew word written – “bā·‘îr” – reads as “city,” but truly reflects the “excitement” [the truth of “iyr”] of knowledge. Feeding the brain new ideas becomes reflective of the hustle and bustle of a city, unlike the ordinary and routine of the country. Thus, from this source of activity comes exclamations. It is then from the mouth that “her words she speaks.”

Verse twenty-two then has wisdom ask two questions, which literally translate as: “how long will you simple ones love simplicity ?” and “for scorners scorning delight in them ; and fools , hate knowledge ?” This must be seen as Solomon belittling all who are “simple ones” [“pthiy”], when the real question is not “how long,” but “will you love simple ones,” where “pthiy” is repeated. A question about “simple love” is then belittled as something only the “foolish” [“pthiy” implied] depend on. That question is then answered by saying, “for scorners scorning,” which says that smart people who “interpret” simple-minded people as easy marks will “scorn” them and “take pleasure in” using them as their pawns. That sage wisdom then points out how those who are laughed at by others are “fools,” leading to the question, [How can anyone] hate knowledge?” The opposing principles of “love” and “hate” are then associated with how much “knowledge” one has in one’s brain. However, the truth is “love” always trumps “hate,” and “simple” gains eternal “love,” while “scorn” brings eternal “hatred.”

In verse twenty-three Solomon wrote of the “spirit” of wisdom, where it being “poured out” makes one receiving that “spirit” an elohim possessed by a worldly goddess. This verse literally translates as: “turn , at my rebuke I will surely pour out on you my spirit ; I will make known my words to you .” In this, the single word “turn” means to “turn away” or “turn back,” implying one should give up on the “love of simplicity.” That is a serpent-like suggestion to turn away from Yahweh and His command not to eat from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. If one does “turn,” then “surely” one will be possessed by a “spirit” less than Yahweh. To find praise in the promise that says, “I will make known my words to you,” one has to be led by a “Lord” that is not Yahweh. This is why the generic translation of “Yahweh” as “Lord” is wholly wrong and should be seen as unacceptable.

In verse twenty-four, the literal English translation is this: “because I have called and you refused ; I have stretched out my hand , no one gives heed .” This speaks of the simple minds that refuse to be influenced from external lures and attractions. David’s Israel was still a long way from ruin, due to the majority of the people still adhering to the Law, even when few since Solomon’s reign began were being told the truth of that meaning. When the arm of wisdom is found “reaching out,” it is rarely offering to help. It is more likely attempting to snatch a soul from Yahweh.

Verse twenty-five then literally states in English: “and because you have let go of my counsel ; and my rebuke , none would consent .” Here, again, is the natural rejection of wisdom, because it seems like a trick of the crafty serpent. Yahweh’s soul being breathed into all human beings has that insight built in, which makes one question external sources that say they are all-knowing and have the answers to everything.

Verse twenty-six then literally translates into English as saying, “also I at your distress will laugh ; I will mock , when comes your fear .” Here, Solomon was making fun at all who reject the temptations of evil masquerading as wisdom. Since all humans will find times when they face “distress,” it is inevitable there will come back the past temptations that foretold a reality that does not take a wizard to see coming. When those times do come, the “laugh” will become an “I told you so,” which belittles a normal phase of life on earth. It is times of “fear” that a soul needs to find the comfort of Yahweh’s power merging with one’s soul; but the serpent of craftiness will quickly try to take advantage of “fear” as an opening for it to enter and take possession.

Verse twenty-seven then says literally, “when comes [a storm] (within a raging storm) your great fear , and your calamity like a tornado comes ; when comes upon you , distress and anguish .” In this verse the NRSV translates the first part as “when panic strikes you like a storm;” but the truth has the Hebrew word “ḵə·ša·’ă·wāh” (from “shaavah”) repeated, the first time in brackets, followed by a presentation in parentheses: “[כשאוה] then (כְשׁוֹאָ֨ה ׀). The “׀” is a symbol of rest in the chant. Still, The brackets symbolize the silence of a storm coming, as weather of turbulence is normal. It is the question of how violent a storm might be. The parentheses then denote the quickness that violence erupts, making a normal weather expectation become a most devastating personal event. In the same way that storms always make one edgy and wary, the prayers are always to let it pass over without striking hard. That becomes the fear of the unknown, knowing only what potential a storm brings. Thus, the second and third segments place focus on it becoming most powerful and upsetting one’s life significantly. That devastation brings great anguish and pain.

Verse twenty-eight then says literally, “then they will call on me but I will not answer ; they will quickly seek me , but not will they find me .” This says that a swift and sudden loss brings out the questions that cannot be answered. There is no wisdom that can explain why something terrible suddenly befell one’s life. All the hindsight will do nothing to remove the suffering of the present, when the present seems unbearable and answers are sought. This says no answers will be found.

That then leads to the one verse in this series that contains the name “Yahweh.” The literal English translation of verse twenty-nine is this: “instead of that they hated knowledge ; and the fear Yahweh not did choose .” This says nobody wants to face the aftereffects of turmoil. No one wants to know that experience of deeply distressful feelings. There are none who can know one’s personal plight, even those who have the healed scars of a similar loss and troubles. It does not take much for even a child to be asked about frightening episodes in life to find “hate” of such times be normal. Nobody wants to live through distress and come to know the pains. Still, Yahweh does not cause natural disasters, either of weather or human existence. One can withstand such events when the only “fear” one knows is that of losing “Yahweh” from one’s soul. If that is “not” a marriage that one “did choose,” then the fear of life’s storms will always lead one to seek the best wisdom for prevention of future natural events. That leads a soul to find the goddess of Satan’s worldly spirits, rather than be led to seek marriage to Yahweh.

Verse thirty then literally states, “not they would consent to my counsel ; despised , all my argument .” This repeats the theme of verse twenty-five. It says now that a soul is ripe for Satan’s influence, after tragedy has stricken a soul. When the wounds are freshly opened, the serpents come to offer advice, supposedly so nothing tragic will ever happen again. It is the same lie previously rejected, but Satan preys on the weak and pitiful.

Verse thirty-one then literally says, “therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way ; and with their own devices be fully satisfied .” Here, the truth of the temptations of the evil serpent is seen, as the “fruit” [“mip·pə·rî,” from “peri”] that “satisfies” [“yiś·bā·‘ū,” from “saba”] can only come from one of two trees: the tree of life [marriage of a soul to Yahweh]; or, the tree of knowledge of good and evil [marriage of a soul to worldly spirits]. The choice is always left to the soul to make. One is free to eat one’s fill; but it can only be one or the other, not both.

Verse thirty-two then literally translates into English to say, “for the turning away of the simple will surely kill them ; and the quietness of fools will make them perish .” Here, key words from verses twenty-two and twenty-three are repeated, such that Solomon is once again belittling those who do not allow their souls to be possessed by the goddess of wisdom. His views of death speak metaphorically of their inabilities to achieve in the material realm. All chances at wealth and prosperity will be killed and those who are too stupid to speak up or speak out will be lost as nothing of physical value. However, the divine truth speaks of those who do follow the advice of Solomon (like his own soul), as they will face death and be judged for reincarnation. That means the repeating of a soul in the prison of flesh.

The last verse then literally says in English, “but whoever listens to me will settle down safely ; and be secure without fear of evil .” Here, living “safely” [“be·ṭaḥ,” from “betach”] means the pretense of life with material “security,” not the soul’s promise of eternal life. It is a young king speaking ‘his will be done’ to those under his reign. His promise is that his “evil” will not befall those who succumb to his reign, where forced ridicule will be placed upon the ignorant masses. It says wisdom is the evil that can only come upon one once … then last forever.

As an optional Old Testament reading from the brain of Solomon, to be possibly chosen for reading on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry to Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson here is to see the dangers of intellect. The goddess wisdom is not a friend to a soul. It is a distraction that turns a soul away from marriage to Yahweh. This Proverb is promoting one place all faith in oneself, which means stupid little you will then need somebody real smart to teach you all the ropes. Such influence leads those souls who truly want to serve Yahweh to walk a path of advisement.

That road takes them to church pastors and discernment committees, then to seminary applications and school interviews, before kneeling down before university professors and then swearing oaths to an organization that hires hands. That path of wisdom never teaches a soul: You only need to marry Yahweh and let His use you as His priest. The trick is found to be learning to follow Solomon’s advice and eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The lesson is to see how dangerous that is. It should be seen for what it is: the serpent telling Eve she too could be a god (or goddess), if only she turned away from Yahweh’s rule.

Isaiah, Language, Teaching

Isaiah 50:4-9a – Lords a leaping

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[4] adonay Yahweh has given me

the tongue of a teacher,

that I may know how to sustain

the weary with a word.

Morning by morning he wakens–

wakens my ear

to listen as those who are taught.

[5] adonay Yahweh has opened my ear,

and I was not rebellious,

I did not turn backward.

[6] I gave my back to those who struck me,

and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;

I did not hide my face

from insult and spitting.

[7] wadonay Yahweh helps me;

therefore I have not been disgraced;

therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know that I shall not be put to shame;

[8] he who vindicates me is near.

Who will contend with me?

Let us stand up together.

Who are my adversaries?

Let them confront me.

[9a] It is adonay Yahweh who helps me;

who will declare me guilty?

——————–

This is the Track 2 Old Testament reading that can be chosen for reading on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 19], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. If Track 2 is chosen for reading this year, it will be accompanied by a reading from Psalm 116, which sings, “The Lord watches over the innocent; I was brought very low, and he helped me.” That pair will precede the Epistle reading from James, where he wrote, “For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from Mark, where Jesus said, “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

In the above English translation, in four places the NRSV translated “adonay Yahweh” as “the Lord God.” Because this is not the truth of that written, I have restored the Hebrew text in those four places. First of all, the Hebrew word “adon” is the singular number word “lord.” It does not demand capitalization, as Yahweh has no lord, only human beings [i.e.: souls] have “lords.” Because “adonay” is the plural number, as “lords,” with there being only one God [i.e.: Yahweh], the intent is as a statement of that which “lords” over human souls; so, the capitalization need not be applied. As for “Yahweh” being translated as “God,” the Hebrew word for “god” is “el,” which was not written. The proper name “Yah-weh” from “יְהוִה֙,” is specifically for the “One God of Israel,” where “Israel” means “He Retains God.” When one retains God, then “Yahweh” is one’s “lord,” not some generic “lord” or “god.” The plural number word for “gods” is “elohim.”

Also, one will note that the Episcopal Church has made the decision to remove the verse numbering. I have applied the numbers, which appear in bold type, between brackets. In the subsequent analysis of this reading, I will refer to the verses by number. My applying those numbers will make it easier for the interested seekers to follow that analysis. Where I list “9a,” this means the full text of verse nine is not included in this reading. Only the first words will then be read. However, the full verse might need to be examined to make what is in the “a” part make more sense.

The BibleHub Interlinear website lists verses four through eleven [the last verse in this chapter of Isaiah] as being headed: “The Servant’s Obedience.” This is, of course, a matter of opinion that was not written by Isaiah, although the title should reflect verbiage that Isaiah did write. The NRSV [the Episcopal Church references that translator as the source of its text] shows these verses as headed: “The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication.” Again, this should be seen as reflected in the actual verbiage written by Isaiah.

Verse four literally translates into English as: “adonay Yahweh has given me the tongue of the learned , to know how to speak to the faint , speaks ; he awakens me the break of day coming of daylight , he awakens me my ear to hear as the learned .” While the NRSV translation makes this simple to discern, using words like “teacher” and “taught,” their translation of “The Lord God” doing that to Isaiah gives the impression that anyone can roll out of bed in the morning and begin to teach what God wants taught. Ask anyone how he or she says what Scripture means and he or she can say, “The Lord God” said so. The question is then, “What makes you so special that you have a clue what “The Lord God” means?” The only answer possible is, “Well, Yahweh is my lord, which makes me one of His elohim, or one of His whose “lord” is “Yahweh,” also known as His “adonay.” Only by being able to see that written does it make sense that one of Yahweh’s adonay have been “given the tongue of the learned.”

When this selected reading is seen as an option relative to Proverbs 1, where Solomon waxed intelligently about wisdom, one can expect he was one “of the learned,” if not the most “learned” of all history. Isaiah was most likely a ‘graduate’ of the school of prophets in Jerusalem, thus “learned,” so he had a brain and was able to use it. Still, Solomon was an elohim of worldly wisdom [called a goddess, as a “she”] and Isaiah was an “adonay” [one whose spiritual “lord” was] of “Yahweh.” This says “Yahweh has given me the tongue of the learned” is a higher frame of ‘knowledge’ than anything a fleshy brain can calculate. The “tongue” of Yahweh is what many refer to [without understanding] as “speaking in tongues.” No big brained people can do that, unless they have married Yahweh and become “adonay” of His.

When the second segment of words then says, “to know how to speak to the faint,” the words translated as “to the faint” are “’êṯ.yā·‘êp̄,” from “eth yaeph,” meaning “to the weary or faint.” At this time, Jerusalem had fallen and the Temple destroyed, with all the big brains that caused all that destruction tired of coming up with excuses for why they were not smart enough to see that coming. Yahweh spoke to Isaiah so his “tongue” would be that of a true prophet, who would be able to divinely encourage those who lost everything because of their fleshy brains’ limitations, giving them strength that allowed spiritual wisdom, unlike that possessed by Solomon. Solomon-like wisdom brought about the falls of two nations of peoples; and, such wisdom is the mother of all philosophies and doctrines that reject Yahweh and always lead to ruin.

When Isaiah wrote the same Hebrew word twice, such that it can be translated differently each time, as: “he awakens me the break of day coming,” this “speaks” of the light of insight that is the truth which comes from Yahweh. The truth is a dawning of knowledge that can never be predicted by science or mathematics, but always explained as valid in hindsight. That makes wisdom the fumbling around in darkness, which often leads to very bad conclusions. Thus, Isaiah said “he awakens me my ear to hear as the learned,” which means the whispers that come to those souls married to Yahweh allows them to follow divine leads of insight that take one to the truth, which is always the objective of wisdom.

In the fifth verse is repeated “adonay Yahweh,” where it states literally: “adonay Yahweh has opened my ear , and I not was rebellious ; away not did I turn .” Again, Isaiah is saying that his soul’s marriage to Yahweh allowed him to hear His voice guiding his actions. The word saying “rebellious” [“marah”] becomes a statement of obedience, which is customary for a wife to submit to the will of her husband, as well as a subject to submit his or her will to a king. That says that instead of turning away from Yahweh’s presence, Isaiah welcomed it into his soul. This is a further statement of divine marriage.

The sixth verse then can be shown to state, “my body I gave to those who stuck , and my cheeks to those who pluck the beard ; my face not did I hide , from insult and spitting .” From verse five being seen as a statement of submission to Yahweh, Isaiah next said, “my body I gave” [“gê·wî nā·ṯat·tî,” from “gev nathan”], where “gev” means “the back, midst.” When “midst” is used, such that it implies one’s whole “body,” this is the flesh Isaiah “gave” in submission to Yahweh’s will. While that can then be seen as a “back” that was whipped [not something Isaiah experienced], that mental direction leads away from the deeper truth of divine marriage of a soul to Yahweh, so the flesh became His to use. That then makes “those who struck” [“lə·mak·kîm”] relate to the Judaeans who had been “defeated” and “taken” into captivity.

The metaphor of allowing others to pull out the beard on Isaiah’s face, the truth of the word “marat” is “to make smooth, bare or bald, to scour, polish.” Because the beard was a sign of devotion to Yahweh, to be clean shaven was a sign of having lost that devotion. As such, the “cheeks” or the “jawbone” of Isaiah, as parts of his “body given” to Yahweh, to help those “stricken,” it was his beard of priesthood that was being offered to those whose beards had been “plucked out” by the Babylon dominators. Thus, when Isaiah said, “my face not did I hide” that speaks two ways. First, it says Isaiah did not hide his face as a priest of Yahweh. Second, it says it was not the face of Isaiah that was seen, because he hid his face when he put on the face of Yahweh, when he became an “adonay Yahweh.” That face was the strength that could not be phased by “insults and spitting.”

Verse seven again repeats “adonay Yahweh,” although “adonay” is adjusted in spelling, as “wadonay,” meaning “for adonay Yahweh.” Seeing that, verse seven then literally translates to say in English: “for adonay Yahweh will help me , upon thus not I will be humiliated ; upon thus I have set my face like a flint , and I know that not will I be ashamed .” Here, one should allow the insight of Solomon’s wisdom found in Proverbs 1 as ridicule placed upon those who are simple and love simplicity. Solomon’s soul served a worldly goddess as his “lord,” so he was like the leaders of Judah that had become the “faint” and “clean shaven.” They were unable to keep the face of Yahweh’s servants, with His face in like flint. This, again, leads one to need to see the power of divine presence that is an “adonay Yahweh.”

Because Isaiah was a simple mind that sacrificed his ‘big brain’ to obedience to Yahweh’s Will, there was nothing anyone could do to make his soul ever feel shame. As such, the words that literally translate as “I know that not will I be ashamed” also speaks two ways. First, Isaiah could not feel shame from being a true prophet of Yahweh, who served Him obediently. Second, however, it says Isaiah also knew those who did not serve Yahweh in the same way [Solomon and all his buddies of wisdom], once in captivity they would be filled with the humiliation and shame of having been overthrown by those who served other gods.

Verse eight then literally translates to say in English, “near who makes me righteous , who will contend with me let us stand together ; who my lord my judgment ? let him approach me .” In this, the Hebrew word “qā·rō·wḇ” (“qarob”) begins this verse, while “yig·gaš” (“nagash”) ends it, with both words capable of translating as “near.” The first usage is a statement of Yahweh being one with one’s soul [an adonay Yahweh], so the Spirit is what keep Him “near.” When the second use arises, this is for those who are external, therefore close enough to confront, such that those “come near” or “approach,” while not being within one’s body and soul.

The internal question, which basically asks, “Who is my lord and who casts judgment on me?” is a statement that Isaiah was one of Yahweh’s “lords,” His adonay. When that is seen from those repeated words, one can know this question says Isaiah will only be led by the One God he allows to lead him, no matter who owns his flesh and forces that flesh into service. It is the soul of Isaiah who decides who will truly be his “lord.”

In that, the “nearness” of Yahweh in Isaiah’s soul was how he could be made to be “righteous.” In captivity, when one’s failure to serve Yahweh was why many Jews felt faint, the pretense of family lineage, as birthrights no longer served captive slaves, there was no reason to contend with one another, as if one’s past rank meant anything anymore. As those who had professed service to Yahweh [whether true or not], then was the time to “stand together.” As Jews, all should be making the decision who would be his or her true “lord,” as all should marry their souls to Yahweh and become His adonay. Therefore, “let him approach me” should be the willingness to marry Yahweh and let His Spirit come near, which will mean nobody else could ever bring harm to that soul. So, bring em on!

In verse nine, the last verse of this reading, the whole verse translated literally into English as: “behold! adonay Yahweh will help me , who he will condemn me ; indeed they all like a garment will grow old , the moth will eat them up .” In this, the part “a” is that leading up to the semi-colon. One more time, Isaiah made it clear that the “help” that comes only comes to a soul. That is the surety that a soul “beholds.” The condemnation [from the Hebrew “yar·šî·‘ê·nî”] becomes anyone who leads one’s soul to “wickedness,” which is all external influences [living or dead]. This is then seen to be a statement of oppression, such that being a slave to an owner is nothing more than a fact of life on earth. Oppressors are like matter, as it is always in a state of change. Today’s new is tomorrow’s old. Nothing lasts forever [with “thing” the focus of truth]. A soul last forever; so, to avoid its condemnation, the only “lord” that matters is Yahweh. Therefore, a soul is called by Isaiah to become an “adonay Yahweh.”

As the Track 2 Old Testament reading selection for the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry to Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson here is to do as Isaiah said and become an adonay Yahweh. That means letting Yahweh be one’s lord, by becoming married to His Spirit, as an elohim. One must become the extension of God’s hand on earth. One is called to be a true prophet, one who is sent into the world in ministry. It is not a job or vocation. It does not come with papers and titles. It is guaranteed no respect and no privilege. It only comes with the promise of eternal life; but to redeem that promissory note, one has to do the deeds of service. That is what an adonay Yahweh does, without question.

James, Language, Teaching

James 3:1-12 – Being a teacher of faith

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Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue– a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

——————–

This is the Epistle reading selection to be read aloud on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 19], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This will be preceded by a variety of readings, based on Track 1 and Track 2 pairings of Old Testament and Psalms, based on the track preselected by a church for Year B. If track 1 is to be read, it will place focus on Proverbs 7, where Solomon wrote, “I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you.” If Track 2 is the path for that church year, then the focus will be placed on Isaiah, who wrote, “I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.” All will accompany the Gospel selection from Mark, where Jesus asked his disciples, “But who do you say that I am?”

I wrote about this reading the last time it came up in the lectionary cycle, in 2018. It can be read by searching this site. I offered some opinions then that are still valid today; so, I welcome all to read those views and compare them to the additional views I now offer. Because Scripture can mean many things, all true, I want to focus on some truths that I did not shine light on three years ago.

In 2018, I placed focus on the need to look deeper into the translations that have become English paraphrases that mislead. That is always a problem that needs to be addressed, as Scripture is divine language that is freer to express than the English language allows. Still, with my observations of 2018 addressing that need, I want to focus solely now on the content of James’ words. In that, “Not many of you should become teachers” is the theme throughout this selection. His adding, “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing,” which “ought not to be so,” is then relative to Jewish “teachers,” not everyone in the world. I will now speak about what that means (in my humble opinion).

The Greek word written by James that has been translated as “teachers” is “didaskaloi.” In the singular, “didaskalos” means, “an instructor” (Strong’s Definition), implying “a teacher, or master” (Strong’s Usage). According to HELPS Word-studies, this is written:

“didáskalos (a masculine noun derived from 1321 /didáskō, “to teach”) – a teacher, an instructor acknowledged for their mastery in their field of learning; in Scripture, a Bible teacher, competent in theology.”

From this, James – a devout Jew, whose ministry was directed wholly on Jews rather than Gentiles – wrote the Greek equivalent to what Jews today (and to some degree then) call some “rabbi.” Therefore, the point of his adding what “ought not to be so” is not focused on normal speech, from normal teaching, but that of being a “master” of the meaning of Scripture.

In the Wikipedia article entitled “Rabbi,” which is worth reading, they say the term “rabbi” was not used prior to the first century CE. The original intent was rooted in “raising” the children to be “great” in mastery of the tenets of servitude to Yahweh. This meant the teaching of the children was relative to the role of the “father.” This should be seen as why priests of Catholicism take on the name “Father,” as it is not a statement of equality to Yahweh [THE FATHER], but a statement of “teacher of children.” * [ see footnote] Thus, the title “rabbi” took on that same meaning; and, because the title was still new when James wrote his Epistle, he used the word “teacher” to refer to those who were entrusted to teach Mosaic Law to the children of Israel.

This understanding then allows one to see that James wrote, “we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” as a statement about the judgment of Yahweh. Thus, when James wrote, “all of us make many mistakes,” those “mistakes” [the Greek “ptaiomen” was written, meaning “stumbles”] are references to the sins and transgressions of the “teachers,” who were saying one thing, but doing another. James was not referring to simply “mistakes” that come from reading a law of Moses and teaching it meant one thing, when it would later be found out popular opinion changed and said it meant another. The mistakes of “teachers,” as “fathers” setting the examples of the Law for their children to follow, were relative to being an adulterer or murderer (for examples), while teaching, “Do not do that.” Teaching demands practicing what one preaches – leading by example.

This means that control of how one acts, more than the control of what one says, is the purpose behind James using the parallels of a bridle on a horse-mule and a rudder on a boat. In both cases, the animal and boat become metaphor for the way one proceeds in life. One is either aimless or aimed. As far as all the talk goes, a farmer will perfectly plan how to plough a field or make a quick long-distant journey, just as a sea captain will set a course from one port to another, planning to take the shortest route possible. Those plans are parallel to “teaching” the Word of Yahweh, as rote memorization of Mosaic Laws; but the problem is always the reality of what happens once one sets out to do that which has been planned. Life becomes the horse-mule and the boat, which is completely ignorant of any planning. Life goes where it wants, unless it is controlled. Those controls are then why a bridle and a rudder become absolutely necessary – not optional attachments.

By understanding this, James was saying the controls that must be added to a human being – in particular a Jew who claims to have belief in Yahweh, the One God of Israel – is divine possession by Yahweh. That can only come from one’s love of Yahweh leading a soul to do the works that attract a divine proposal for marriage, until one has proved its soul worthy to be a bride and be called into the most holy of all matrimony. In that word – “matrimony” – the root means a bride is called to become a mother, which makes all bridesmaids of Yahweh be feminine [Yahweh is the Father, thus masculine], who receive His Spirit and give birth to the Son, which means the resurrection of Jesus’ soul within one’s being [i.e.: soul]. James was the brother of Jesus, sharing the same mother; but James was not a strong supporter of Jesus during his ministry. It was after Jesus died and resurrected and stayed with his disciples for forty days that James fell in love with Yahweh, married Him, and then became Jesus reborn into his flesh. James added Jesus to his ‘vehicle,’ meaning James ceased being aimless, as Jesus then directed him according to God’s plans.

When James had his divine bridle-rudder installed within his soul, he knew the truth behind his words: “the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.” The Greek word “glossa” not only translates as “tongue,” but also as “a language, a nation (usually distinguished by their speech).” (Strong’s Usage) Because all Jews allowed into the synagogues could speak [the mutes were outcast as sinners], they all had bridles-rudders self-installed that led their course of action. James ceased letting his “tongue” be about what James was led by the world to do. Instead, James became led by the Spirit of Jesus to be righteous AND to speak magnificently about all the Spirit of Jesus had led him to understand and do. Others, unfortunately, bragged about how much money they made from teaching, while having nothing to show for their words other than material things.

When James was then led to write, “the tongue is a fire,” that spoke of how great the effects of what one says [about one’s beliefs, or religion] can have on others [of the same beliefs, or religion]. A few good words can enflame the heart of another and make he or she burn with desire to please Yahweh. On the other hand, a few bad words can act as the go-ahead to sin and have no worry about the consequences. For those who cannot teach the truth that leads others to marry their souls to Yahweh, James wrote: “For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue– a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” That says no human being can lead others to Yahweh, if that one’s soul has never been in love with Him and brought forth His Son in their own flesh. The Law being written on scrolls cannot make man nor beast do anything that isn’t natural; and, man is naturally inclined to sin. Thus, to have the tongue of a teacher [a “father”], one needs to have been taught to teach first; and, a teacher [“father’] sets a fire that can often be more destructive than beneficial.

It was about the failures demonstrated by those who were the elite of Jerusalem – the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and high priests – that caused James to write: “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.” They were the epitome of the axiom: “Do what I say, not what I do.” Those who forgave those of stature [for a sizable donation to the cause], but condemned those who did the same sins, but could not afford to buy the judges, they were the ones who spoke out of two sides of the same mouth. The native Americans called that “speaking with a forked tongue.”

When James used the metaphor of “fresh and brackish water,” fig trees yielding olives and grapevines bearing figs, he was saying a human being is a soul alone in a body of flesh that can only do what the world leads the body of flesh to do. The only way to stop doing wrong and do right is to submit one’s soul to Yahweh in marriage, which means the sacrifice of self-will and self-ego, so one’s soul-flesh is no longer influenced by worldly things. The well of only fresh water is the eternal water of Jesus in one’s soul. The presence of Jesus forbids any brackish water from ever entering the well, which springs from the mouth. The rebirth of Jesus means one can only bear the fruit of the truth of Yahweh, the Father.

As a reading selected to be read aloud on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own ministry to Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson is clearly to stop being rudderless or stop being led by natural, knee-jerk reactions. It is impossible to be righteous without Yahweh’s Spirit within one’s being. It is impossible to do the acts of faith without having been reborn in the name of Jesus, as the Christ resurrected. It is impossible to pretend to “teach the children” how to marry their souls to Yahweh, when one’s soul has never known that love.

James had been a believer of Yahweh, as a devout Jew; but he was one who saw Jesus with disdain. One needs to see oneself as James, before he became Jesus reborn. James was speaking in this selection about knowing himself, before his soul married Yahweh and Jesus became resurrected with his soul. He had been a teacher with a poor education. That means all the brackish water and all the condemnation that had flown from his mouth hole before James became Jesus, is no different that the ‘garbage in, garbage out’ teachings of all Christian readers of his Epistle. The lesson is to set the hearts of others on fire for Yahweh, not to burn in hell for spreading the fire of lies. To do that, one has to have one’s own heart be set on fire by Yahweh.

———-

* With the advent of women’s lib in Christian ministry, there should be not change in this aspect of “fathering,” relative to Scripture. The traditional role of “father” is as disciplinarian, such that strict adherence to that taught must be maintained. “Mothering” is not the equal to that, as a mother kisses booboos and makes them well, forgiving lots of crap until pushed to the limits, saying, “Wait until your father gets home.” A “mother” is the opposite of a “father,” as the generality of women is to be emotional, such that being strict is not their forte.
Female priests are proving to be too emotionally weak to make principles be strongly enforced. They act as if hugging the world will make all sins go away. It will not. Men and women should teach the same principles, thus human gender should not be a “teacher of children religious studies.”

I am not in favor of female priests being called “Mother,” as sexual gender is not a value that should receive attention. From what I have heard about the nuns in parochial schools, they used rulers under the axiom: spare the rod, spoil the child. That is a teacher that is “fatherly.” Since Roman Catholic male priests have been found (too many times) not acting “fatherly,” as far as being a “teacher of children,” they should be stripped of the title of “father.” All who cannot teach (the point of what James is writing in this selection) need to go by Mr., Ms., or Hired Hand, like any other regular school teacher.

Language, Mark, Teaching

Mark 8:27-38 – Die of self and let Jesus be your front man

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Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

——————–

This is the Gospel selection to be read aloud by a priest on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 19], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This will be preceded by one of two sets of Old Testament readings, paired with a Psalm or other choice. If the church is on the path of Track 1 during Year B, the reading will focus on Proverbs 7, where Solomon wrote, “For waywardness kills the simple, and the complacency of fools destroys them.” If Track 2 is the path, the reading will focus on Isaiah, where he wrote, “Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.” Those will accompany the Epistle reading from James, where the Apostle wrote, “For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue– a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

I wrote about much of this reading last February, when Mark 8:31-38 was a Lenten Gospel reading. That can be read by searching this site. In regard to those verses set aside for the second Sunday in Lent, I posted another article that can be searched here. Still, in 2018, the last time this full reading came up in the lectionary cycle, I wrote once again, with that explanation posted on this site. With so much written prior on this reading, I will only address a few elements of this reading now. Please, feel free to read all and compare them to one another, to see the depth that surfaces. I welcome all comments, suggestions, and corrections [I am notorious overlooking typos].

Today I want to focus on the verses that are not part of the Lenten reading, which are twenty-seven through thirty. In particular, I want to make sure verse thirty is grasped, which says [NRSV], “And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.” In 2018, I made a point of giving my opinion about what that order means; but I did not dwell on it, nor did I relate that to anything else. Now, I want to expand on why Jesus gave that order.

First of all, last Sunday’s Gospel reading came from Mark 7, the chapter before today’s reading selection. Then we read about Jesus healing a deaf man with difficulty speaking; and, I pointed out that Jesus also healed the family of that man from the stigma of them having been seen as less that normal, because they still loved and cared for their relative who was deemed by Judaism as a sinner. All were healed by the deaf man becoming free of physical maladies. In Mark 7:36 we read, “Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.” That order must be part of understanding this order in Mark 8:30.

In Matthew’s eighth chapter, he told of Jesus healing a man with leprosy. In Matthew 8:4 [NRSV] we read, “Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” This event is retold by Mark, found in Mark 1:14.

In Matthew’s ninth chapter, we read about two blind men that ask Jesus to heal them, He does; and then we read, “Then Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows of this.” But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.” (Matthew 9:30-31)

In Mark’s fifth chapter, after Jarius came to Jesus about his sick daughter, Jesus went to Jarius’ home and raised the girl from death. In verse forty-three we read, “ He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.” This story is retold In Luke’s eighth chapter (Luke 8:56).

In today’s reading, Matthew 16:20 retells what is written in Mark 8:30. Matthew recalled this: “Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.” Luke also wrote of this event, writing, “He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone.” (Luke 9:21)

In Matthew 17:9 and Mark 9:9, after the event known as the Transfiguration, as Jesus was descending from the high mountain, he ordered, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” [NRSV]

All of this needs to be seen in the light of the reading from James, where he wrote of “teachers” and the power of the “tongue” to be one’s direction in life. It has to do with Solomon waxing philosophically about wisdom (a goddess), while belittling those who do not seek knowledge as their god; and, this reading fits the theme of Isaiah, who sang about those having been given the “tongue of a teacher” by Yahweh. Jesus gave orders not to promote a human being as another idol of worship, because Jesus is not to be that. Yahweh did not send His Son to become such an icon. Thus, Jesus did not casually brush off all the praise that was directed towards him, saying, “Aw shucks, you’re embarrassing me.” Instead, he sternly ordered such an external “Savior” is not why the Father sent the Son in human form.

In the vast number of healing that Jesus is associated with performing, he did little more than tell one seeing good health, “Go, your faith has healed you.” While there were times when Jesus made physical contact with someone and he or she was healed, the truth of all healings was not because Jesus, the man, was walking around the earth as some special freak show. The truth of all healings was Yahweh. Because Yahweh merged His Spirit with the soul of a seeker, who came to Jesus as a culmination of one’s faith, the presence of Jesus must be seen as symbolic of a transfer of his soul-spirit into each of the seekers, so the seekers all went away as the wives of Yahweh, spiritually possessed by the soul of Jesus. All became an extension of Yahweh, as His Son reborn, all Anointed by Yahweh to be in the name of Jesus – a name that means “Yah[weh] Saves.”

The importance of understanding this transfer of soul, before Jesus physically died and his soul was fully released to be used by the Father in the rapid creation of the movement now called “Christianity,” is why Jesus followed up his questions to his disciples about the scuttlebutt around the towns, as to who the people said Jesus was. When Yahweh’s Spirit entered Peter and caused his flesh to blurt out, “You are the Christ” [“Sy ei ho Christos.”], the truth of that says Jesus’ soul was the one Anointed by Yahweh. That is why Jesus then told (three times) about his coming death, resurrection and ascension. To truly be the “Christos,” Jesus had to release his Anointed soul so all seekers could become souls married to Yahweh’s Spirit and then be divinely possessed by His Son’s soul. Jesus did not want people thinking Jesus of Nazareth was the only one who could ever be the “Christos.” Jesus thought what Yahweh led him to think.

When Peter, James and John (of Zebedee) were with Jesus on the high mountain and saw the soul-spirit of Jesus appearing not only as his present incarnation, but also as his prior incarnations as Moses and Elijah, he ordered the three not to tell about what they did not understand. Before Jesus was “raised from the dead,” meaning before those three witnesses were reborn as Jesus, having had his soul become one with theirs, anything they could have said would sound like they “saw ghosts,” which was a sign of a crazy person, not a sane one. Once they were divinely in spiritual possession, led by the soul of Jesus, they would know that exact same soul was Yahweh’s extension into the earth plane, which results in most righteous incarnations. Then, Peter, James and John would know the truth of what they had seen; but then, that realization would be more reason why not to tell anyone.

When James, the brother of Jesus and the Apostle who wrote the Epistle connected to this Gospel reading, wrote, “we who teach will be judged with greater strictness,” that means the “greater strictness” of the Spirit of Yahweh, which brings about the soul of Jesus. So, that presence means teaching souls to marry Yahweh and be reborn as His Son, without spewing nonsense. Nonsense is running around telling people what some man has the powers to do, because the “greater strictness” is to go out in ministry, so seekers can find you. Then, do not tell anyone what Jesus did for you, because you do for others as Jesus reborn.

This is why Peter became the vehicle of Yahweh again, when he took Jesus aside and “rebuked” him for talking about his pending death. Peter was the leader of a group of ‘round table’ disciples, each of which had been given the soul-spirit of Jesus [while he was alive and well], so they could be examples of human beings walking around as Jesus reborn [before he was dead and his soul fully released]. Jesus had sent his soul-spirit into his apostles, who were commissioned to go out like Jesus, without looking like Jesus [Jesus reborn interns]. When they returned from their mini-ministries, they then acted the same in the miracle feeding of five thousand Jewish pilgrims [plus wives and children]. Therefore, Peter knew what the others were thinking.

Peter was the spokesman then, speaking for those who today call themselves “Christians” too, simply because they believe a man was born and walked the earth with magical powers, named Jesus [of Nazareth]. When Peter “rebuked” Jesus, he was saying, “Let me tell you what is going to happen! We will protect you, because the world cannot be without Jesus! Jesus cannot die and be reborn in anyone else!” Jesus called out that mindset, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

In the classic command, the Greek written by Mark is this: “Hypage opisō mou , Satana”. In that, “Hypage” is a capitalized word, meaning it takes on a divine level of meaning, beyond the ordinary meaning of “get.” The root Greek form is “hupagó,” which means, “to lead or bring under, to lead on slowly, to depart.” (Strong’s Definition) The use of that word implies “I go away, depart, begone, die,” such that “get” should be seen (ordinarily) as a command to an animal, as “Get along little doggie.” Still, HELPS Word-studies adds, “hypágō (from 5259 /hypó, “under” and 71 /ágō, “lead away”) – properly, to lead away under someone’s authority (mission, objective). 5217 /hypágō (literally, “going under”) indicates a change of relation which is only defined by the context.” Seeing that the context is Peter telling the Son of man what to do, rather than listen to Yahweh speaking through the Son of man, “Hypage” becomes Yahweh telling Peter’s soul, “Die of self, mortal!” If you want to use “Get,” it means “Git rid of the self-ego, mortal!”

When that can be seen, the Greek word “opisō” needs to be grasped, as it means “after, backward, behind.” When the capitalization of “Hypage” is understood to be Yahweh speaking to “Die of self,” then for that self is then told to move “backwards,” meaning the submission of self-will and self-ego unto God, who must then be seen as “me” (mou) – Jesus. In that, “mou” is the possessive (genitive) form of the Greek word for “I,” which is “ἐγώ (egṓ).” This means “me” says, “of I,” which means taking on the name of Yahweh in human form, which is “Jesus” [“Yah[weh] Saves]. Thus, this command by Yahweh, through the mouth of the Son, says “Die of self and let my Son be your possessor.” The command was then spoken to “Satan,” who was the spirit that possessed Peter and made him speak for the group as if Jesus must not ever speak of dying. [Notice the paradox of Peter in one moment being possessed by Yahweh to give Jesus the truth in answer to his question, while the next moment his soul was controlled by Satan, and made to rebuke the Son of man.]

After having a direct confrontation of Peter, which was witnessed by all the followers of Jesus, who like Peter did not want to think about life without their “Savior” in human form, it becomes important to realize the truth of Jesus telling them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Now, I have written much about this meaning. It speaks clearly of then, when Jesus was still alive and well on earth, but it speaks equally loud and clear about all the people who have paraded through life under the umbrella of “Christianity.” A “follower” is both someone who has a tongue that spews forth brackish water – like Solomon preaching all the wonders of ‘Lady Wisdom’ – while a “follower” is also everyone since who has been a soul possessed by the soul of Jesus, after divine marriage to Yahweh, so the lineage of a true Christ, in the name of Jesus, has followed his death, resurrection and ascension ever since [the true meaning of “Christianity”].

The point I want to make clear now is that aspect of “Satan.” It is Satan that does not want souls to step backwards in submission to Yahweh. It is Satan that does not want souls to be reborn as Yahweh’s Son, becoming “of me” through the Spirit that transforms brackish water into fresh water. It is Satan who promotes wisdom as the power of self, in the mastery of life, so others will happily follow in one’s own footsteps, never once thinking he or she should be a new Jesus walking the face of the earth, helping others do the same. That makes the form of Christianity that exists today be a church headed by Satan, because those churches cannot “Die of self-will and get behind Yahweh,” because that would cause their extinction [as they are now]. There are no churches led by Jesus reborn. All the true Saints venerated by the Roman Catholic Church were not advocates of a religious organization that refused to let Jesus die, so he could be reborn as Saints. Because there are no more Saints leading churches, Satan has worked his evil way into their heads; and, none are making followers in the name of Jesus Christ. They only promote the one “Christ,” who they keep nailed to a cross on the walls of their church buildings [although they think they can call him down to bless wafers and wine, before sending him back into his box].

When Mark wrote of Jesus saying, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?” this refers one back to the capitalized “Hypage,” where the divine meaning says, “Die of self, mortal.” The command from Yahweh is self-sacrifice, so one can be reborn in the name of Jesus, the Son again in man [flesh of either gender]. If one does not want to give up the worship of self, then the foregone conclusion that every self is going to lose its body of flesh (eventually, at death), then the thing worshipped will “Get.” However, for those souls who do submit to marriage to Yahweh and become His Son reborn [again, regardless of human gender], then “for the sake of me and the news that tells others to do the same (the Gospel)” will be eternally saved.

This is the repeated message of the New Testament. The corruption of true Christianity – where all members of that true Church are all Anointed ones of Yahweh, as His Son resurrected within bodies of flesh – means the idolization of “Jesus Christ” and the “Holy Spirit,” both as external and separate entities that love everyone and require nothing of anyone, preach simple belief in Jesus as the Son of God means eternal salvation, regardless of how much one sins … and Jesus died so everyone can sin … forever and a day … thanks be to the god of wisdom! That is the purpose of this lesson.

As the Gospel reading selection to be read aloud on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson is to let Jesus die, so he can be reborn as oneself. Do not go about telling others who Jesus was or how Jesus can save everybody and perform miracles. The lesson is to be a follower, one whose personal cross of righteousness is to be an erect stake on the earth, upon which the true vine of Jesus grows, so oneself (as Jesus reborn) produces the good fruit of that vine. To be a true follower of Jesus means to do as Jesus did, after total submission of one’s soul to the Will of the Father. Anything less is letting one’s soul be led to ruin by Satan.

Language, Psalms, Teaching

Psalm 19 – A heart that is acceptable in the eyes of Yahweh

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1 The heavens declare the glory of el, *

and the firmament shows his handiwork.

2 One day tells its tale to another, *

and one night imparts knowledge to another.

3 Although they have no words or language, *

and their voices are not heard,

4 Their sound has gone out into all lands, *

and their message to the ends of the world.

5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *

it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;

it rejoices like a champion to run its course.

6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens

and runs about to the end of it again; *

nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

7 The law of Yahweh is perfect

and revives the soul; *

the testimony of Yahweh is sure

and gives wisdom to the innocent.

8 The statutes of Yahweh are just

and rejoice the heart; *

the commandment of Yahweh is clear

and gives light to the eyes.

9 The fear of Yahweh is clean

and endures forever; *

the judgments of Yahweh are true

and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold,

more than much fine gold, *

sweeter far than honey,

than honey in the comb.

11 By them also is your servant enlightened, *

and in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how often he offends? *

cleanse me from my secret faults.

13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;

let them not get dominion over me; *

then shall I be whole and sound,

and innocent of a great offense.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my

heart be acceptable in your sight, *

Yahweh, my strength and my redeemer.

——————–

This is one of two possible Track 1 accompanying songs that can be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 19], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. If chose, it will follow the Old Testament selection from Proverbs 7, where Solomon proposed wisdom said: “I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you, when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.” That pair will then precede the Epistle reading from James, where the Apostle wrote, “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.” All will connect to the Gospel reading from Mark, where it is written: “Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”’

In the above translation provided by the NRSV, one will note that I have amended the text in several places. First, in verse one, the Hebrew written is “el,” which has been translated as a capitalized “God.” I have restored the lower-case, not so much to diminish the status of Yahweh [“the One God of Israel”] but to display how David knew the difference between “el” [“god” in the singular] and “elohim” [“gods” in the plural]. This usage, rather than “Yahweh” can indicate an individual whose soul has married Yahweh, such that one of the “elohim” is then an “el.” In seven other places, twice each in verses 7, 8, and 9, I have restored “Yahweh” [in bold type], where the NRSV has translated “the Lord.” Yahweh is not a generic “Lord.” Many addictions can generalize as a “Lord” over a soul and its flesh. David did not write of a generic god, but his God, specifically by name: Yahweh.

In verse one, David immediately sang about “the heavens.” This immediately brings up images of outer space and distant stars and nebulae. This is a mistake in human thinking. The “heavens” [the Hebrew word “shamayim” in the plural number] are multiple because they are the “elohim,” which are everywhere there is life in the universe. Without “the heavens” the universe is absolutely dead. Thus, “the heavens” should be read at all times in the Old Testament as meaning “the spiritual,” as where “life” abounds in the physical. When the plural number is applied to that, the equivalent is the “elohim,” who are all spiritual lives enhanced by Yahweh’s hand.

By seeing that simple clarity of meaning, the verse then confirms this by singing, “[they] declare the glory of el,” where the singular number means both Yahweh, as the One God, but also the singular powerful creation that is given the power of Spiritual life by Yahweh. Because angels are eternal Spiritual creations made by the hand of Yahweh they equate to “gods.” One angel is an “el.” Again, the plural number applied to “el” is “elohim.” When they “declare the handiwork of his “firmament,” that sings of the multiplicity of these divine creations. Yahweh cannot be limited in how many Spiritual creations His hand can give “life” to. In that, the Hebrew word “raqia” means “an extended surface, expanse,” which should be read as the definition of the Spiritual within the expanse of the universe, meaning all Spiritual creations – with form and without form – that inhabit the material and physical are these “heavens.”

Verses two then sings literally in English, “day by day flows promise ; and night by night declares knowledge .” Here, the opposites stated in “day” and “night” need to be read as metaphor for the life that “flows” from “the heavens” that “declare” Yahweh. The light of “day” is the presence of Yahweh’s Spirit that “flows” or “pours out” unto souls. Because the souls are animating bodies of dead matter, they exist in the “night” of death. A soul alone in a body of matter has no Spirit of life, thus it is limited to the time matter can support the presence of a soul. However, the touch of Yahweh’s Spirit brings the “promise” [“omer” means “promise, speech, thing, word”] of the return to “day.” That “promise” becomes the source of true “knowledge” that creates an “el” that is a Saint, a Prophet, a Son of man. It is a soul no longer alone in a body of dead matter.

In verse three is literally said, “no promise and no word ; not is heard their voice .” This is David stating the absence of “knowledge” comes from that of “night” [death]. He sang about there being nothing that can be created by death that is Spiritual. Thus, all souls animating dead matter can say nothing of importance that will lead another soul to return to the light of “day.” In that regard, those souls not filled with the “flow of the heavens” cannot speak for Yahweh, nor heed His Word.

Verse four then literally sings, “through all the earth has gone out their line , to the end of the world their words ; for the sun , he has set a tabernacle for them .” When the Hebrew form of “qav” [“line”] is written as “qaw·wām,” the plural number is reflected as “their line.” This is not a statement of lineage, but more a reflection on sound, as “line” becomes the “string” used on stringed instruments, such as the harp. Sound is waves of vibrations that are unseen, yet detectable by ears, although the range of audible sounds are greater than those detected by human receptors. It is then like this that David said the elohim of Yahweh are everywhere in the material universe, with “eretz” meaning the “earth” and “tebel” meaning the “inhabited world.” Thus, like sound, light is radiated in “lines” from the “sun,” giving life to the material “earth,” our “world.” The “sun” is then metaphor for Yahweh’s truth, so the “tabernacles” of “the world” are the wives of Yahweh, as those souls who receive His Spirit.

Verse five then literally translates into English as saying, “it like a bridegroom coming out of his canopy ; rejoices like a strong man , to run its course .” Here, the use of “bridegroom” [“chathan”] is a clear statement of marriage, with the metaphor being the Spiritual creation of elohim. The “canopy” [“chuppah” also as “chamber”] is symbolic of the covering that keeps Yahweh unseen, until He appears within His brides. The ones “rejoicing” are then both those united as one, as the celebration of nuptials. Still, it is the wife who “exults” the divine presence within, which brings forth the “strength” of a holy union. The Hebrew word “orach” is a “path” or “way,” which is then led by the Husband’s presence. To “run that course” is to enter into ministry and live a life of righteousness, having taken on the name of the Husband.

Verse six then sings out [literally]: “one end of heaven is rising , and coming around to the other end ; and nothing hidden , from the sun .” Once more we are shown opposites, as “one end coming around to the other end.” When the “end of heaven” is remembered to be the “end of Spirit,” this says receipt of Yahweh in marriage elevates one’s soul – it “is rising” [“mō·w·ṣā·’ōw,” from “motsa“]. There, the Hebrew word “motsa” means, “a place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring.” That means the “rising” is more like a welling up within, like a “spring” or “fountain” that is the “flow” from Yahweh, as eternal waters. Again, from being cloaked under a “canopy” until the entrance into a holy wife means “nothing is hidden,” as the Spirit knows all. That is the truth of light that comes from the “sun” [“chammah”], which brings the “heat” and “warmth” of faith and trust.

In the next three verses David wrote the name “Yahweh,” twice in each verse. That identifies the Husband that has been discretely mentioned in the previous six verses. Verse seven then literally sings in English, “the direction Yahweh complete returning the soul ; testimony Yahweh confirm , making wise simple .” After having sung about one coming full circle, the warmth of marriage with Yahweh is now praised. By taking on the name of God [“Jesus” means “Yahweh Will Save”] a soul is promised eternal life, which comes from “returning the soul” to Yahweh’s “heavenly” realm. To reap this promise of reward, a soul then must speak the Word of Yahweh that comes from His Spirit. One “confirms” that salvation is possible. In one’s “testimony” the truth comes forth, which is greater than any brain-led wisdom. This verse makes this Psalm be the response to the Proverbs 7 message of goddess worship, where he claimed wisdom was reason to belittle the simple. Here, David sang that Solomon was nothing, even with his Satanic gifts of wisdom and wealth, because he lacked the truth of Yahweh.

Verse eight then literally sings, “the precepts Yahweh straight rejoicing the heart ; the covenant Yahweh is pure , enlightening the eyes .” The first words of verses seven and eight can be read as “laws” and “statutes,” such that “the direction” is the “law” within one’s heart and the “precepts” are the marriage vows of the Covenant. Seeing those as statements confirming a marriage agreement and the commitment that comes, David sang that following the lead of Yahweh makes one walk a “straight” path [righteousness]. This ability makes the soul [“heart”] “rejoice,” as such perfection is impossible alone. When David sang, “the covenant Yahweh is pure,” this means marriage erases all past sins and debts, so one’s soul has been made “pure” by marriage. That divine union of the utmost holy matrimony means Yahweh’s presence will bring forth the “enlightenment” of truth.

Verse nine then becomes the final in a trilogy that repeats Yahweh’s presence with a soul. This verse then states in English, “fear Yahweh pure to take one’s stand perpetually the judgments of Yahweh truth ; righteous unitedness .” This says it is only natural to experience Yahweh with one’s soul and then “fear” losing that presence. It is that “pure fear” that motivates a soul to submit fully to Him and meet all agreements of His Covenant. This becomes a commitment for eternity and adherence to His demands are done lovingly, always accepting His Will as best, without question. The Hebrew word “yaḥ·dāw,” meaning “unitedness,” makes it clear that “righteousness” can only come through divine marriage of a soul to Yahweh’s Spirit.

Verse ten then sings, “more to take pleasure in , than gold and yea pure gold much ; and sweeter than honey , flowing honey from the comb .” Here, David is singing that the presence of Yahweh with one’s soul is beyond comparison to anything worldly. The “unitedness” of divine marriage brings a sense of elation that is unlimited “desire,” coming from true love (given and received). It is a presence that is of greater value than anything on earth can match. It is greater than the sweetest taste, where “sweetness” becomes a statement of the five senses, such that human feelings cannot describe how amazing this presence is. In the last segment, David is saying that the greatness is beyond one’s ability to control it; so, it flows outward from a wife of Yahweh, just as honey flows from a honeycomb.

Verse eleven then literally translates into English as, “moreover your servant is enlightened by them ; in keeping them reward great .” The initial focus is on being “your servant,” which is one’s subjection of self through marriage. By receiving the “light” of Yahweh, one is not entrapped by the dangers the world naturally sets for souls in bodies of flesh. When one is doing the works of Yahweh, one becomes a light that shines upon others. By being obedient and subservient – a dutiful wife – the promise of salvation is earned.

Verse twelve then sings out, “errors ? who can discern , from concealment empty mine .” In this verse, the one word “errors” is presented as itself being a question. The answer is then saying no human soul alone “can discern” what the right path should be. This means that all human beings will make the wrong choices and sin. It is inevitable. However, from divine marriage, where the Spirit of Yahweh is “secretly” within one’s flesh, merged with one’s soul, then all past sins and “errors” will be erased and remembrance of things done wrong become lessons to share with others. Knowing sin and redemption allows a soul to speak with authority, thus demonstrating true faith.

Verse thirteen then literally translates into English, saying “moreover from insolence refrain your servant , not let them have rule over me then I shall be blameless ; and then I shall be empty of transgression much .” Here, the element of redemption is put in focus, as the ability to “refrain” from the “insolence” that is the “arrogance” of human brains, such as Solomon’s worship of his big brain (gifted him by Lady Wisdom), makes their egos become their “gods.” It becomes external sources of power that become the lords who “rule” over their souls, making them be possessed by unclean spirits [demonic possession]. They all bring the blame of sin upon their souls, which David sang not to have that happen to his soul. The prayer is to be cleansed of all past wrongs, which one makes in a plea to have Yahweh come into one’s soul and lead all one’s future actions.

The final verse in this companion Psalm to Proverbs 7 then literally sings in English, “become present goodwill speaking from my mouth and be the meditation of my heart in your eyes ; Yahweh my strength and my redeemer .” Here is another prayer to Yahweh, such that David wanted Yahweh to see his actions that spoke of his obedience and displayed the true meditation of his soul, discerning what pleases his Holy Husband. By listening and acting David became strong as a leader of Israel and not only was his soul redeemed, but those also of the Israelites who followed David’s lead.

As a potential Psalm to be sung on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson is to turn away from the lures of Solomon – to bow down before intelligence – and find the love of Yahweh that has been sewn into the fabric of every soul. The theme here is of divine marriage, when one’s soul ceases self-idolatry and submits to the highest power possible. Once Yahweh’s Spirit has merged with one’s soul, one fears ever losing that inner presence. The Law is inscribed on the walls of one’s soul and one exudes faith and the light of truth. Ministry cannot be true if one’s soul turns away from Yahweh and only references Him through worship of His Son. The lesson here is to become that Son, regardless of what genitalia one’s body possesses.

Language, Teaching, Wisdom of Solomon

Wisdom of Solomon 7:26–8:1 – The nature of wisdom

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[7:26] For wisdom is a reflection of eternal light,

a spotless mirror of the working of el,

and an image of his goodness.

[7:27] Although she is but one, she can do all things,

and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;

in every generation she passes into holy souls

and makes them friends of יְיָ and prophets;

[7:28] for יְיָ loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.

[7:29] She is more beautiful than the sun,

and excels every constellation of the stars.

[7:30] Compared with the light she is found to be superior,

for it is succeeded by the night,

but against wisdom evil does not prevail.

[8:1] She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,

and she orders all things well.

——————–

This is the second of two possible songs that are designated as companions with the Track 1 Old Testament from Proverbs 7 that can be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 19], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. If chosen, it will follow the words of Solomon that say, “Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice.” The pair will be presented before the Epistle reading from James, where the Apostle wrote, “For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from Mark, where Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was, so we read, “Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And [Jesus] sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.”

This optional reading is Apocryphal, meaning is is not accepted as Canon, although widely accepted as true. Because it is not Canon, my reference site [BibleHub Interlinear] does not offer the Hebrew of the Wisdom of Solomon. As such, I do not have access to the literal translations or have an easy reference to the definitions of Hebrew words that they provide. There are, however, Hebrew sites that offer semblances of that, although they are much harder for me to navigate and ascertain the deeper meaning. As such, I offer a most rudimentary interpretation of this song-poem of Solomon.

There are thirty-one verses in the seventh chapter. This reading is then the last six verses of that chapter and the first verse of chapter eight, making a total of seven verses. I have applied the verse numbers in bold type, within brackets, to assist in my analysis when referring to verses. Those numbers come from the NRSV translation, which the Episcopal Church claims to be their source. However, the Episcopal Church has modified that translation. In verses twenty-seven and twenty-eight there are two times that a Hebrew word has been translated as “God.” I have removed that translation and replaced it with the Hebrew written [“יְיָ”], sometimes called “HaShem.”

When this reading is seen as an optional selection to Psalm 19, Psalm 19 has one use of “el” that is translated as “God.” In many other Psalms, David wrote “elohim,” which commonly are erroneously translated as “God.” This is erroneous because the word is “el” is singular, so to be translated here are “God” means it is ludacris to pretend a word written in the plural number (“elohim“) is anything other than “gods” [not worthy of capitalization]. This means Solomon wrote something that amounts to an abbreviation [or something less], which makes it worthwhile to understand what “יְיָ” [“HaShem“] means.

According to the definition supplied by the Klein Dictionary, directed from the Sefaria.org website (where the Hebrew text of the Wisdom is found), this is the explanation:

יְיָ masculine noun: the proper name of God in the Bible, Tetragrammaton. [It prob. derives from הוה (= to be). The usual transliteration ‘Jehovah’ is based on the supposition that the Tetragrammaton is the imperfect Qal Hiph. of הוה and lit. means ‘the one who is, the existing’, respectively ‘who calls into existence’. In reality, however, the pronunciation and literal meaning of the Tetragrammaton is unknown. cp. יָהּ ᴵ.] (Klein Dictionary)

In verse twenty-six, the above translation that had Solomon writing, “For wisdom is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of el, and an image of his goodness,” one very important word is left out. According to all Hebrew sites I could find that offered the Hebrew text, verse twenty-six begins with the word “הִיא” or “hiy,” which means “she.” The Roman Catholic translation of this verse states, “for she is a reflection,” not “wisdom.” The NRSV translation also includes that feminine third-person pronoun, which says the Episcopal Church wants to make it clear to the lambs in the pews that “she” means “wisdom,” without any questions asked. This should bring up the question, “Why is wisdom referred to as a “she”?”

In my writings posted here, I have regularly commented that the call of divine Scripture is for a soul to marry Yahweh; and, in that scenario of marriage, I have regularly stated that human souls are the brides or wives of Yahweh [both males and females], who is the bridegroom and Husband. This is because Yahweh is “the Father,” thus masculine. Anything of the physical universe (including flesh, bones, and blood) is of feminine essence. As such, those who believe in gods and goddesses see “Mother Earth” as a “she,” which makes all souls in human flesh be feminine in essence because their flesh is part of Mother Earth. This same analogy is stated by Solomon when he routinely referenced wisdom as feminine.

In a past Old Testament reading, when David died and Solomon encountered Yahweh in a dream, I wrote how Yahweh stepped aside and let Solomon converse with Satan, the elohim who had been cast into the depths of the earth. Satan’s reign is thus worldly, but as a demon of the earth his spirit manifests as feminine. When young Solomon asked for the knowledge of good and evil, he sought the forbidden fruit that keeps a soul from achieving heaven. This means it was Satan who granted a young boy king the greatest wisdom – a gift known well by the serpent of Eden – in addition to worldly riches. Yahweh does not tempt human souls with material things. Therefore, wisdom is a she because it is the external world connecting to the human brain, in metaphysical ways that are the gifts of intuition and psychic abilities that are deductions of mind, not the all-knowing instant wisdom of Yahweh.

For anyone who has studied metaphysical topics, such as astrology, one can readily see how a translation saying, “she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of el, and an image of his goodness” becomes a statement of the sun (the eternal source of light) and the moon (a reflective mirror of light). The goodness of the sun’s light gives life to earth, whereas that goodness of the moon is weak, beyond an effect on waters of the earth, so it can only provide dim light to the darkness. The moon’s reflection of goodness during daylight is nil. That means the sun reflects the light of life, while the moon reflects the light of death. Everything is metaphoric and symbolic; but just as the sun and the moon reflect heavenly lights, day and night, so too does goddess wisdom confirm that there is a stronger wisdom – that of Yahweh – which the goddess wisdom can only mimic in reflection. The pronoun “she” says the wisdom of Solomon is not and inner light of truth, but an ability to discern external variables through enhanced intelligence.

In the statement that includes “el” – “a spotless mirror of the working of el” – the use of “el” should not be seen as Yahweh per se, because Yahweh does not Himself shine in the material realm. As such, He is unable to be reflected, like is the sun. That makes the sun be metaphor for Jesus – the Son of man – who shines as an elohim [an el] of Yahweh. This makes Saints, as those who are reborn as Jesus, each be like a sun, as a Christ resurrected [the light of Christ]. Therefore, Solomon was saying the powers of brain (called the goddess wisdom) is the mirror image of a true Saint. A true Saint has all the knowledge of Yahweh readily available (as needed), whereas a false prophet has lots of tricks up his or her sleeves. [Remember how Moses was enabled divinely by Yahweh, when he did battle with the priests of Pharaoh, who performed reflective deeds of wisdom.]

When verse twenty-seven begins by stating, “ Although she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things,” the focus needs to be on the number stated – “one.” To know that Yahweh is the only true “one,” who is the Creator of all that is, including every elohim, including all the spiritual powers of the universe, wisdom can be nothing more than one of many, meaning wisdom was insignificant in the grand scheme of Creation. This means it can only be Solomon stating he was the “one” in whom wisdom reigned. As far as Solomon was concerned, he was the only “one” in whom such great powers of wisdom mattered. For as many as Solomon reigned over as king, he could never become outside of Solomon, so he could never experience more than the “one” that was himself, his own soul-flesh being.

This should be seen as a flaw, which can also be projected on the flaw of thinking Yahweh [like Solomon’s wisdom] can only be in “one.” This is the flaw found in the failing religion that is Christianity, as it is a parallel to Solomon initiating the failure of the concept of Israel as being all individuals who retained Yahweh, the One God. Solomon led the Israelites to worship lesser gods, marrying women who imported pagan religious ideas into the mindset of the people of Israel [the name of a nation]. The same worship of wisdom [intelligence] makes every man and woman a god, like Solomon saw himself as, such that Christians worship themselves [like gods], while seeing only “one Christ,” specifically named the “one Jesus Christ,” to whom they pray to be given great wisdom. All eyes are taken away from the inner soul’s need for Yahweh – the Creator of all souls – instead placing focus on icons of the world, turning all away from a proposal for all souls to marry Yahweh and become His Son resurrected within their souls.

The second half of verse twenty-seven then says, “in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of יְיָ and prophets.” Here, the first presentation of the unknown Hebrew ‘word’ is found. When Solomon said, “she passes into holy souls,” this should be read as a spiritual possession, where a “soul” has become overcome with a worship of intellectual being. A “holy soul” is one that is “generated” by Yahweh, and only Yahweh; but a soul in a body of flesh is set free, allowed to find its way back to Yahweh. In that process, all souls become possessed by this goddess that expands the brain. It is a necessary growth of the flesh that needs to learn discernment, as normal education. To then see how that “makes them friends,” this is coming to realize there are many deities to be recognized, many other than Yahweh. This means the writing of “יְיָ” becomes a reflection of polytheism, not simply Yahweh. Thus the addition of “prophets” says all “gods” [elohim] have those who worship them exclusively and benefit from such selling of their souls. Solomon’s wives brought in many ‘priests’ of foreign gods, beginning the downfall of Israel. [Remember how Elijah challenged the priests of Baal (450 in number), where those who failed were the “friends” of Ahab and Jezebel, as the “prophets” of a dead god, with “יְיָ” symbolizing Baal.]

For verse twenty-eight to then repeat the use of “יְיָ,” stating “for יְיָ loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom,” this again takes one away from the concept of Yahweh, the Father [masculine essence], where “יְיָ” is “she” who “loves nothing so much.” The “nothing” is the reward of being such a servant or subject of wisdom. This then says the “nothing loved” is given to souls who “live with wisdom,” where “life” is the false appearance of the world [the realm of death] seeming full of “life.” That is only the illusion of an eternal soul animating dead matter. This says wisdom is only possible through material means; so, when the body dies and the soul is released, wisdom cannot be taken with a soul. Wisdom is therefore like material wealth, which gets left behind at death bringing about separation of a soul from all in that realm.

Verse twenty-nine then states “She is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation of the stars.” In this, “beauty” must be seen as in the eyes of the beholder, such that what Solomon meant is this: You can look at the full moon and see imaginations possible; but if one stares at the full sun, one will go blind. By speaking about “every constellation of the stars,” the imaginary lines that connect the tiny dots of light that the stars are, turning separate points of light into a figure within one’s brain, this becomes a statement that says external facts [stars] can be read through reason, deduction, inference, and induction, such that wisdom is that ability to ‘connect the dots.’ That can sometimes lead to the truth, if the mathematics of true logic is applied; but often reason is flawed and the conclusions are (more often than not) invalid and false.

In verse thirty the translation says, “Compared with the light she is found to be superior, for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail.” Here, the meaning of “superior” is akin to the heuristic that says, “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” [Gestalt theory] There is nothing greater or superior to Yahweh; and, the light of the Son [an Anointed soul in flesh] is the truth, at all times. Because nothing of mind can be superior to the truth, wisdom (“she”) can only shine in darkness, where ignorance is always inferior to knowledge. When Solomon said, “against wisdom evil does not prevail,” “evil” has no need to use ploys against a soul already committed in marriage to a demonic possession. The aspect of being “succeeded by the night” says wisdom is given to those who choose death [“night”] over life [“light”]. Overall, this verse speaks of the values of having knowledge of good and evil, which is the fruit that prevents a soul from attaining a return to be one with Yahweh.

Whenever the Episcopal Church chooses to combine the end of one song with the beginning of the next (as is done here, with the first verse of the eighth chapter next to be read), the impression given is all being on the same page. The reason for a separate chapter is not running out of parchment. The eighth chapter begins a new line of though, from a new set of core ideas. That needs to be understood when reading, “She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well.” This is less about specific comparisons of wisdom to natural phenomena and turning to address the way wisdom can direct one’s life.

In the titles given to sections of Scripture, to guide the thought processes of readers, the Catholic Bishops page says verses 23 to 30 of Chapter 7 can be expected to be about “Nature and Incomparable Dignity of Wisdom.” That, of course, is based on the meaning of the words found written in those verses by Solomon. In this regard, the NRSV also applies a header, one that says, “The Nature of Wisdom.” Relative to Chapter 8, the Bishops place a header before verse two, saying, “Wisdom, the Source of Blessings,” while the NRSV puts one in the same place, which states, “Solomon’s Love for Wisdom.” Both do not reflect upon verse 1 of the eighth chapter, as if it were some lost verse, stuck at the top of a random chapter. It should not be read as the leftover thoughts of “The Nature of Wisdom,” but the precursor of “Solomon’s Love of Wisdom.” In that regard, Solomon soon after [verse two] wrote of marrying wisdom, taking it as another of his many wives.

This means Solomon saw the appeal of wisdom, as an asset to behold, or a conquest to be obtained. This is nothing like a comparison of the light, as a reflection, which has to do with the enhancement of mental capacities. This is about the worldly lusts that wisdom can bring within one’s grasp. Thus, “from one end of the earth to the other” praises the vast array of “material things” that wisdom can reveal the secrets for obtaining them. When Solomon said, “she orders all things well,” this should be seen as a value ranking, such as that in which metal objects fall in line with. The rarest are the most valuable, while the most plentiful are the least valuable. The prettier are more valuable than the uglier. This has nothing to do with the truth, as it has only to do with the opinions of an individual. As a king, Solomon could lust for the rarest and the prettiest, so wisdom was his way to achieve all of his lustful desires.

I want to add that the Safaria.org website offers the Hebrew text, with some words searchable as to meaning and definition on their site, linking to the Klein Dictionary. Many Hebrew words are not found on that site, but can be found on other translation websites. In my rudimentary attempts to verify the translations of the NRSV, the Hebrew text presented by Safaria does not translate anywhere close to what the NRSV shows. While I could see how verse twenty-six is most likely correctly translated, verse twenty-seven went far off the rails. Here is what is listed above, compared to what I found:

“Although she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things” [from verse 26 above]

“by herself she could all turn work and reason all affairs. Appointed time fit in the minds worthy industry my love towards getting.” [My literal translation gleaned.]

In this, there is a very broad scope of leeway given to the translators, which makes everything become a paraphrase that fits snugly into whatever agenda the translator had to begin with. It says this “Wisdom of Solomon” can become more Satanic than it already appears, if one was to seriously dig deeply into what was written. I feel dirty from what I have done to this point; so, I do not care to go further.

As a potential accompaniment to the reading from Proverbs 7 on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson here is to be wary of wisdom. For Solomon to flaunt wisdom as a “she” or “her” is to pronounce his lust for worldly matters, not having any spiritual concerns of value. The focus of this translation says to be a light in the darkness for those who love the night, fearing their exposure in daylight. This makes the lesson to be wary of the dangers of evil that come dressed up in packages of intelligence. So many priests and pastors line the walls of their offices with sheets of paper that profess them to be full of wisdom. However, to have never married one’s soul to Yahweh, being reborn as His Son Jesus, none of the people who sit in the churches of those so-called religious leaders [the children of wisdom] will ever be able to ‘graduate’ and receive grandiose diplomas of wisdom from their church leaders. No souls will be made better, much less have themselves be able to go find a job in a church and have their own office, where they too can line the walls with trinkets of wisdom.

The lesson is then be Jesus, so one can touch the souls of others and have them too become Jesus reborn. That is far better than playing ‘Father Brainy, Mother Superior, or Lady Wisdom” in the eyes of Yahweh.

Language, Psalms, Teaching

Psalm 116:1-8 – Finding paradise before reaching Sheol

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1 [1] I love Yahweh, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *

[2] because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.

2 [3] The cords of death entangled me;

the grip of the grave took hold of me; *

I came to grief and sorrow.

3 [4] Then I called upon the Name of Yahweh: *

“Yahweh, I pray you, save my life.”

4 [5] Gracious is Yahweh and righteous; *

welohenu is full of compassion.

5 [6] Yahweh watches over the innocent; *

I was brought very low, and he helped me.

6 [7] Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *

for Yahweh has treated you well.

7 [8] For you have rescued my life from death, *

my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.

8 [9] I will walk in the presence of Yahweh *

in the land of the living.

——————–

This is the companion Psalm that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 19], Year B, if the Track 2 Old Testament option is chosen, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. In that track, a reading from Isaiah will state, “Yahweh helps me … therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near.” That pair will precede the Epistle reading from James, where the Apostle wrote, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” All will accompany the Gospel selection from Mark, where Jesus said, “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

In the above English translation of Psalm 116, you will note that I have made some amendments. First, in one place the text had been incorrectly translated to say, “our God, when the Hebrew written is “welohenu,” which is in the plural number, as “our gods.” I have restored the Hebrew text. Next, there are seven places where “Yahweh” has incorrectly been translated as “the Lord.” Yahweh is a proper name, while “Lord” is a generic that David did not praise. He named “Yahweh” specifically, for a purpose; so, I have restored those proper names. Finally, the Episcopal Church has made the executive decision to change the numbering of this Psalm, as the numbers they show do not reflect what the truth is AND what the NRSV shows [supposedly the source for what the Episcopal Church presents]. I have adjusted the verses to show the correct numbering [there are nine, not eight], shown in bold type, between brackets. This is odd (in my mind), as half the time the Episcopal Church simply does not number anything. Perhaps that is because when they do number the verses, they do it wrong?

Psalm 116 is nineteen verses in length, in total. It is a little odd, in that it does not begin with an announcement of any kind, such as: A psalm of David. It simply begins. Half of it will be read today and on a day during Easter week. The other half will be read on two other dates in the lectionary cycle; with one other reading being some of these verses, combined with the verses from the second half. So, a total of five times some part of Psalm 116 will be read aloud. Because of the misnumbering by the Episcopal Church, I can only assume [without deeper investigation] verses eighteen and nineteen are read on those dates when the second half is read aloud. Otherwise, verses eighteen and nineteen will never be read.

The literal English translation of verse one is this: “I love that he has heard ׀ Yahweh ; my voice , my supplications .” In this, there is a bar [“׀”] placed after “he has heard” and before “Yahweh,” which acts as [I assume] a musical direction that can relate to a pause. That pause makes “I love that he has heard” be a statement, with “Yahweh” being the explanation of who “he” is, after the mark of pause. In the BibleHub Interlinear heading of verses, this whole song is headed: “He Listens to My Voice.” The NRSV heads it as “Thanksgiving for Recovery from Illness.” Neither headers were part of the actual song. However, the assumption made by the BibleHub Interlinear translator is that the Yahweh listens to what prayers ask for. I think this is limited and a one-way view of what is written by David.

Because “Yahweh” is followed by a semi-colon, the second half of this verse is a separate thought, although related to that before. The relationship is Yahweh hearing the one praying to Him. The separation must then also be read as relative to both Yahweh and the soul praying. As such, “my voice” is more than one praying for help. It says Yahweh has answered the prayer and become one’s “voice.” That “voice” is then the actions of “Yahweh” within a wife of His, who has not just listened to one’s “supplications,” but acted on them. It says Yahweh has asked the one praying [His wife] to do what needs to be done, as Yahweh pleading with His wife to follow His directions. Those then become the wife’s to comply with, as “my supplications.” The key to this assumption of a Husband listening to and then helping His wife reverts back to the first word of this verse – “’ā·haḇ·tî” – which says “I love.” That is a statement of the “love” that reciprocates in marriage.

The literal English translation of verse two then sings,

“that he has extended his ear to me ; as long as I live I will proclaim .”

When this verse is read as if David sang, “Oh boy! Yahweh listens to me! Now I can ask for everything in the Sears Wish Book!” it is wrong. By seeing how the “ear” of Yahweh has been “extended,” it is then David’s “ear” that can divinely hear the Spiritual insights of his Holy Husband. Therefore, after the semi-colon, David stated he could hear what Yahweh spoke to him, so he would “proclaim” that heard. That becomes a reflection of ministry, so others can also hear the Word of God. The aspect of “as long as I live” means marriage is forever; but ministry in divine marriage does not stop while one is a soul in the flesh, once ministry begins.

Verse three then literally translates into English as singing: “surrounded me the bands of death , the distress of Sheol found me ; distress and sorrow I discovered .” Here, when David wrote “ḥeḇ·lê-mā·weṯ,” as [NRSV] “the cords of death,” where “chebel” can mean “cord, territory, band” (Strong’s), the “territory” of death is one’s body of flesh. It is the “rope” that ties a soul to the material realm, keeping it captive, unable to freely return to the spiritual realm. The “distress of Sheol” means the threat of death AND Judgement, as a place in between, where a soul is still kept from returning to the spiritual realm, pending Yahweh’s review of the life past in the flesh.

The Hebrew word “sheol” refers to “underworld (place to which people descend at death).” (Strong’s) This means a soul descends into a non-physical realm, where it is in holding before Judgment. This means “Sheol” is where a soul is either deemed clean spiritually and able to ascend into the divine plane with Yahweh; or, when its sins committed in the flesh condemn that soul, causing it to return into new flesh [start over again], or worse [be cast into the eternal darkness due to unredeemable sins]. For David to then moan, “distress and sorrow I discovered,” this means his soul has been made aware of all its past sins, through having an “ear extended” to and from Yahweh.

Verse four is then literally translated into English as: “and in the name of Yahweh I proclaimed ; I beseech you Yahweh save my soul .” In this, it must be realized that “in the name of” [from “ū·ḇə·šêm”] is a statement of marriage, such that a wife takes on the “name” [“shem”] of the husband. When David sang about being “in the name of Yahweh,” he declared he was such a wife; therefore, he proclaimed as Yahweh’s extension on earth. His declarations “implored” outwardly to others to also marry their souls to Yahweh, because salvation is only possible through such a divine marriage of love.

The literal English translation of verse five then sings, “gracious Yahweh and just ; of us elohim of love .” In this verse is found the Hebrew “welohenu,” where the plural number [“elohim” as “gods”] is amended to be more than simply David, but others like him. As such, that says Yahweh has many “elohim” [therefore the plural]. The multiplicity is then “of us” or “our,” in the possessive or genitive case. By beginning this verse singing, “gracious Yahweh,” this speaks of the presence of Yahweh upon a soul, which is the truth of His “grace.” That, again, sings of divine marriage; and, it says that this union of Holy Matrimony is what makes all past sins “justified,” as the soul-flesh then becomes totally submissive to the Will of God, out of reciprocal love. Therefore, following the semi-colon, David sang out that this state of being is the same in all of Yahweh’s wives, with all being divinely possessed “elohim.”

Verse six then literally translates into English as singing, “keeps watch the simple Yahweh ; I was brought low , and me he delivered .” In the segment of words in this verse that says, “keeps watch the simple Yahweh,” the mind wants to only see them as saying “Yahweh watches over His wives.” While that is true, the same words also say that the wives of Yahweh [His elohim] also “keep watch” or “care” [from “shamar”] the “simple” [“pthiy”]. In that, the wives of Yahweh have sacrificed self-ego, so their brains are not an altar of self-worship, making them “open-minded” or “simple” in knowledge. This makes them like children who need to be taught; and, in that way the wives of Yahweh will “care” for the “simple” who know nothing about how to marry their souls to Yahweh.

Following the semi-colon mark, the segment that says, “I was brought low” stems from the Hebrew word “dalal,” which means, “bring low, dry up, be emptied, be not equal, fail, be impoverished, be made thin.” This should be seen in terms of the word “pthiy,” or the state of being “simple.” The biggest hurdle to clear, when a soul is being led to accept a marriage proposal from Yahweh, is its own brain making a soul think it is self-sufficient and all-knowing. It is that obstacle within that must be “emptied, made thin, and impoverished,” relative to one’s dependence on intellect. This is so one stops thinking how to be saved and one accepts the brain cannot supply that state of being. This reflects on receiving Yahweh’s Spirit and from personal experience [unknown prior] one being able to have true spiritual faith. It says one must die of self-ego and self-will, from having reached the depths of self-reliance, so one can become simply led by Yahweh. Then salvation can be gained.

The seventh verse then translates literally into English as, “return my soul to your permanence ; for Yahweh has dealt adequately with you .” When one is searching for the assured state of salvation, the singing of David that says [NRSV], “Turn again to your rest, O my soul,” the “return” of a “soul” to the presence of Yahweh is divine marriage. This takes place when a soul is still animating its flesh. When the death of the flesh comes and a soul has not married Yahweh prior then, instead of finding the “permanence” that is “rest,” such peace will not be found after descending into Sheol for Judgment. Without receiving Yahweh’s Spirit prior to physical death, no soul is capable to die with all sins washed clean. This means a soul must find its way to sacrifice its self-will [symbolic death], so Yahweh’s Spirit can return the soul into that presence of eternal life while the soul is still residing in a body of flesh. Thus, when David then sang, “for Yahweh has dealt adequately with you,” this sings of the path of righteousness that a soul-flesh will lead, which must be walked in order to find a favorable Judgment for a soul in Sheol.

Verse eight then literally translates into English as singing, “for you have withdrawn my soul , from death my eyes from tears ; my feet from falling .” In this, the Hebrew word “chalats” means “to draw off or out, withdraw,” with an intent of use being “to rescue” or “to ready, arm, make fat.” This scope of meaning says one’s “soul” has been increased, by the addition of a divine Spirit, which “withdraws” the soul from control over its body of flesh, so it backs away in submission to a higher power. This is the only way a human being can truly live righteously. That transfer then eliminates all fear of “death,” so the soul no longer sees that transition as a point of Judgment, foreseeing sorrow to come. When David sang of his “feet” kept “from falling,” this sings of his body of flesh being led by the Spirit of Yahweh to walk in His ways. This sings of a joyful ministry for Yahweh.

The final verse in this selection [verse nine] then translates literally into English as singing, “I will walk before Yahweh ; in the land , of the living .” Here, the Hebrew word written that translates as “before” is “lip̄·nê,” which is rooted in “panim,” meaning “face.” This then says David will “walk” while wearing the “face” of Yahweh “before” his own “face.” This is the truth of the First Commandment, which literally says, “not you shall have other elohim upon face.” The last two Hebrew words there are “‘al- pā·nā·ya,” which says “upon face.” The meaning says to wear one’s own face [self-ego] is to deny Yahweh and not wear His face before one’s own face. Such a refusal says one’s self-ego will not have been “withdrawn” and moved back in submission. Refusing to agree to the first vow of divine marriage means one’s soul rejects Yahweh and turns away from Him, seeing self as more important. Therefore, David sang about his soul’s marriage to Yahweh, by singing that he wore the “face of Yahweh” when he “walked” [righteously].

Following the semi-colon mark, David then made it clear that his “walking” was “in the land,” or “on the earth,” which means “of the flesh” and “in the physical.” This says salvation is only assured when one marries Yahweh while a soul in the flesh, so all past sins are cleansed and a new self [one’s soul led by the Spirit] then proceeds through life, wearing the “face” of righteousness, in the name of Yahweh. Because the “earth” or “land” [“eretz”] is a soul giving animation to the death of matter, the following statement – “of the living” – is then the truth of salvation. That sings of when the soul can truly be freed to eternal life, no longer trapped in the death that is a body of flesh, in the physical realm.

As the accompany Psalm to Isaiah 50, to be sung aloud on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, when one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh should already be well underway, the lesson of David’s song is to marry one’s soul to Yahweh and wear His face to the world. Ministry for Yahweh can only come from His presence, so His voice is personally heard and His message proclaimed for all to know. Wanting to be good and trying to read lots of good researched opinions and then go out armed with those opinions as one’s own will invariably lead one to be positioned between a rock and a hard place. There, one will be forced to admit, “It wasn’t my idea, so I can’t explain it.” True ministry for Yahweh makes one’s mouth appear before others, unprepared, as one who is “simple.” Then, welcomed by others as non-threatening, one lets Yahweh do the talking. No one will be led to marry their souls to Yahweh by preaching a sermon only one person can understand.