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Jacob’s Ladder of Unveiling

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Jacob’s Ladder of Unveiling
By Jonathan Mitchell

And He is further saying to him, “It is certainly true (or: Amen, amen; = Most truly). I am presently saying to you folks (or: men), you will see the heaven being one that is opened back up again, and God’s agents repeatedly (progressively; continuously) ascending (stepping back up again) and habitually (progressively; continuously; repeatedly) descending (stepping down) upon the Son of the Man (or Mankind’s Son; the Son of man; the Human Son). John 1:51.

This is a startling statement. What was Jesus talking about? Did the disciples “see” this happen? Should we expect to see it happening? Was there a symbolic meaning to this statement? Why did Jesus say this?

This verse has often been connected to Gen. 28:12-13. “And [Jacob] dreamed, and lo! a stairway [or: ladder] planted earthwards, with its top reaching towards the heavens, — and lo! messengers of God ascending and descending thereon; and lo! Yahweh standing by him . . .” (Rotherham)

Commentators have suggested that just as Jacob was then given the promise of God, in the succession from Abraham and Isaac, that this symbolic reference to “the Son of man” was equating him with “God’s chosen One,” the One who was God’s representative on earth, just as Jacob, and later, Israel, had been. A.T. Robertson suggested that as “Son of man,” here, He was representing the race of mankind. Others tie this in with the heavenly, messianic figure of Dan. 7:13. The Geneva Study Bible commentary says, “Jacob saw in a dream the reunion of heaven and earth; Christ brought it about in reality.” The Jerome Biblical Commentary says that “the reference to the angels [agents] is to signify the meeting and communication of God with man.” Jamieson Fausset and Brown paraphrases Jesus thus: “By and by ye shall see this communication between heaven and earth thrown wide open, and the Son of man the real Ladder of this intercourse.” Dodd says that this refers to “keeping the heavenly and the earthly in perpetual unity.”

Vincent correlates heaven standing open, here, with the story of Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 7:56. Was this one example of what Jesus was talking about, and why He said it? Was He referring to the man caught up to the third heaven and shown things, as Paul relates? Or, to the Unveiling of Jesus Christ, which Jesus showed to John on Patmos? I suspect that all of these are correct, but I’d like to share another view, presented by C.H. Dodd in his The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel.

“This statement in John 1:51 was made right before John relates the story of the marriage in Cana, and “the beginning of signs,” which was the turning of water into wine. Other signs follow. “The whole series of ‘signs’ which follows, culminating in the supreme sign of the cross and resurrection, is the vision of the heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. And these ‘signs’ are history. ‘The Logos was made flesh — and we beheld His glory.’ Whatever else, therefore, the Gospel story is to be, it is to be a realized apocalypse [unveiling].” (Dodd, p. 294)

In John 2:11, following the sign of the water-to-wine, Jesus says that, doing this, “[He] set His glory in clear light.” Thus were they beholding His glory. Thus was the life, and performed signs, an open vision for the disciples, seeing Jesus in continuous union and communication with His Father (heaven, in the symbolic statement of 1:51). The agents, or messengers, were in this figure constantly bringing the directives to the Christ, and returning Christ’s communications to the Father. The signs manifested His glory. Now folks, keep in mind that this “vision” also applies to us, His body, His present Israel.

I will leave you with some additional thoughts from Dodd:

“The primitive eschatological Gospel of Christianity declared that that which was to come has come: ‘Old things have passed away: behold new things have come into being.’ The Prologue, on the other hand, is based upon the philosophical conception of two orders of being, distinguished not by succession in time, but by the greater or less measure of reality which they possess. There is the order of pure reality, transcendent and eternal, which is the very thought of God, and there is the empirical order, which is real only as it expresses the eternal order. The world at various levels — the lower creation, the human race, spiritually enlightened humanity — displays an increasing penetration of the lower order by the higher, an increasing dominance of light over darkness, of being over not-being, of truth over error. In terms of such a philosophy, the absoluteness of the Christian revelation is affirmed in a proposition which declares that in one single area of the universe of space and time phenomena have completely absorbed the reality of the eternal archetype, and that this area is co-extensive with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (p. 295) And now we, in Him, are in that same “area.” End of Quotation.

In a footnote, Dodd quotes Origen, in regard to the first sign: “And truly before Jesus the Scripture was water, but from the time of Jesus it has become wine for us.” Dodd, however, sees a broader application of that sign: the water pots, “habitually lying there, corresponding to the cleansing (purifying) practice (ritual, or ceremony, of washing) pertaining to the Jewish customs . . .” were a figure of the whole Jewish cultus of the Law (“the entire system of Jewish ceremonial observance, and by implication for religion upon that level, wherever it is found, as distinguished from religion upon the level of [truth]” Dodd, p. 299 End of quote. The changing of the water into wine was a sign of the change from the old order to the new.

Thus, Jesus spoke figuratively, in ch. 1:51, about His life and ministry which was to follow. In that He said that heaven “is opened back up again,” I suggest that He was referring to the restoration of the Edenic relationship with the Father, our participation in the Tree of Life, and our return into Him.

Jonathan Mitchell

CAST OUT THE SLAVE-GIRL

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CAST OUT THE SLAVE-GIRL
By Jonathan Mitchell

In Galatians Chapter Four, Paul has a few things to say about the Law. The context of this study is vs. 21-31, and the focus is “the slave-girl.” Paul begins this passage addressing those constantly wanting or intending to be under the Law, asking if they are listening to it or paying attention to it. Next he brings up the subject of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, from the book of Gen. He points out that Abraham had two sons: “one forth from out of the female slave (Hagar), and one from out of the freewoman (Sarah),” and that the first was born through normal means, but the second was a result of God’s promise to Abraham.

In vs. 24 he tells us that these events “are normally being expressed in an allegory – for these women are (= represent) two covenants: one, on the one hand, from Mount Sinai, habitually giving birth into slavery (or: bondage) – which is Hagar.”

Vs. 25 continues his thought: “Now this Hagar is (= represents) Mount Sinai, within Arabia, and she continuously stands in the same line with the present Jerusalem, for she continues in slavery, with her children.”

Paul then speaks of “the Jerusalem above” in vs. 26-28, associating us with Sarah, Isaac, and the Promise – a different line than that which came through Mount Sinai (a figure of the Law) and the then present Jerusalem. In vs. 29 he compares the harassment which Ishmael gives to Isaac to that which the leaders of the Jewish religion give to the followers of Christ.

Now he comes to his point and conclusion in vs. 30, where he quotes Gen. 21:10, “Cast out (or: At once expel) the slave-girl, and her son.” So what is Paul meaning by this statement? Who or what are the people of faith (represented in this story by Abraham) supposed to cast out? Who or what does the slave-girl represent? He gave the answer, above, in vs. 24-25: Hagar is a figure of the Law (Mt. Sinai), and the covenant associated with the Law – both of which he affirms are “habitually giving birth into slavery.” So when he says “Cast out the slave-girl,” he is saying, “Cast out the Law and the covenant initiated at Sinai,” as well as what this Law and covenant produce (“her son”). That which the Law and the old covenant produce “will by no means be an heir” of the Promise – of the kingdom.

Ever since the days of Paul, Christianity has mixed the two covenants and has tried to have the son of the slave-girl be an heir of the Promise – and the entire organized system of the Christian religion has given birth to slavery, not freedom. It has embraced the Law and tried to fit it into grace. But Paul wisely told us to cast out the Law, as well as the things of the old covenant. They will not be an heir “with the Son of the freewoman.”

Jonathan, A son of the freewoman!

WHO or WHAT is ISRAEL?

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WHO or WHAT is ISRAEL?
By Jonathan Mitchell

PASTOR’S NOTE:  It is absolutely amazing that most current Pastors and Bible Teachers, even the ones that publish the Four Levels of Understanding on their websites still advocate for the first or literal level that Jesus Christ only addressed to the Pharisees and will not go Deeper nor bring their folk along.  Judgement does begin at the Lord’s House, and look at where that shallow traditional Pharisaical way of understanding has brought us to today.  Awake O Sleepers, and Christ will GIVE you Light.  Marion Williams

BY JONATHAN MITCHELL

I am approaching this study from the perspective of God’s economy in the new creation. The thoughts which follow will obviously demonstrate that this is not a racial, nor an anti-Semitic, article. Neither does it present what is commonly called “replacement theology.” Rather, this will look primarily at what the NT says about Israel and ethnic groups in light of the Christ event.

To begin, let us consider Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians Chapter Five:

16. so that we, from the present moment (from now) [on], have seen and thus know (or: perceive; or: are acquainted [with]) NO ONE on the level of (or: in the sphere of; in correspondence to) flesh, if even we have intimately, by experience, known Christ ([the] Anointed One) on the level of (or: in the sphere of; in correspondence to) flesh, nevertheless we now (in the present moment) no longer continue [thus] knowing [Him].  JONATHAN MITCHELL NEW TESTAMENT

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. (2 Corinthians 5:16 King Jimmie Version)

17. Consequently, since (or: if) someone [is] within Christ (or: is in union with [the] Anointed One), [there is] a new (of different kind, character and quality) creation (or: framing; founding; act of creation): the original things (the beginning [situations]; the archaic and primitive [arrangements]) passed by (went to the side). Consider! New things have come into existence (have been birthed; or: It has become new things; or: He has been birthed and now exists being ones of a different kind, character and quality).  JONATHAN MITCHELL NEW TESTAMENT

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

Let me stress two points here: first, we neither see (perceive) nor know ANYONE on the level or in the sphere of FLESH; second, there is now a new creation in Christ – the original, beginning, archaic and primitive arrangements passed on by, and new things (or: arrangements) have come into existence.

On the second point, we can conclude that the first covenant, the Law, and the arrangements under the first creation have all passed away. We now have a new economy in God. On the first point, in God’s economy there is no more division between Israel and the multitudes of ethnic groups (Gentiles; non-Jews; pagans; etc.)

Consider Ephesians Chapter Two:

14. For He Himself is (continuously exists being) our Peace (or: harmony; [= Shalom]) – the One making (forming; constructing) The Both [to be] one, and destroying (unbinding; unfastening; loosing; razing), within His flesh, the middle (or: partition) wall of the fenced enclosure (or: which is a barrier): the enmity (cause of hate; characteristics of an enemy; hostility),

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
(Ephesians 2:14 KJV)

15. rendering useless (nullifying; rendering down in accord with inactivity and unemployment) the Law ([= the Torah]; or: the custom) of the commandments consisting in decrees (or: prescribed ordinances), to the end that He may frame (create; found; reduce from a state of wildness and disorder) The Two into One New [p46 & others: common] Man (or: mankind; humanity) within the midst of, and in union with, Himself, continuously making (forming; constructing; creating) Peace (or: harmony; [= shalom]);

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;  (Ephesians 2:15 KJV)

Note: He, in His flesh, brought peace and harmony and made THE BOTH (i.e., Israel and the multitudes of ethnic groups, or Gentiles) to be ONE!

Let that sink in! He created (formed) THE TWO into One New humanity {or: Man – see 1 Cor. 15:45 and 47. “The first human (man), Adam, came for existence (was birthed) into a living soul;” [Gen. 2:7] the Last Adam into a continuously life-making (life-engendering; life-creating; life-giving) Spirit….

47: The first human (man) [was/is] forth from out of the earth, dusty (dirty; soulish), the Second Human (Man) [is] forth from out of the midst of heaven.}

In God’s economy there are only two men, two humanities: the first and the last; the first and the second. He deals with mankind as a whole.

But back to Verse Fourteen in Ephesians Chapter Two above: He destroyed (or: razed) the middle, or partition, wall of the fenced enclosure which brought enmity between Jews and Gentiles. This partition created the “court of the Gentiles” in the Temple. It no longer exists; these two groups are no more – they are all one new humanity.

Next look at Paul’s revelation in Colossians Chapter Three:

9. Do not keep on (or: Stop) lying unto one another! [Be] folks at once stripping off from yourselves (undressing yourselves from) the old humanity (the old man; = the old Adam), together with its practices,

10. and then [be] suddenly clothing yourselves with (or: entering within) the new one (the fresh one which existed only recently), the one being continuously (or: repeatedly; progressively) renewed (made back up new in kind and character again) into full, intimate and experiential knowledge and insight which is down from and corresponds to the image (an exactly formed visible likeness) of its Creator (of the One framing and founding it from a state of wildness and disorder),

11. wherein (or: in which place) there is no Greek [figure of the multitudes who are non-Jews, and of those who are cultured and civilized] and Jew [figure of a covenant people of God], circumcision and uncircumcision [figure for religious in-groups and out-groups; there is no longer a covenant people versus non-covenant people], barbarian [foreigner who speaks a different language], Scythian [figure or example of wild, uncivilized groups], slave, freeman, but to the contrary, Christ [is] all, and within all (or: Christ [is] all mankind, and within all mankind; or: Christ [is] everything or all things, and within everything and all things; [note: the Greek is plural, and is either masculine, signifying “mankind,” or neuter, signifying all creation, in these phrases]).

Here is the King James Version for comparison, especially if you are not used to more intense study and need a bit of familiarity-mdw:
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in [knowledge-Strong’s #1922=epignosis-full comprehensive insight-mdw] after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.  (NOT will be-Christ ALWAYS is NOW IS-mdw)  (Colossians 3:9-11 KJV)

Taking Verse Nine as speaking of the new economy in Christ, Paul tells folks to stop lying, speaking as though nothing has changed. Go on, strip off the old humanity and enter within the new humanity – wherein there is no Greek or Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, etc. Where then is the people called the Jews, or, Israel? Where, in God’s view, are the ethnic multitudes, or, Gentiles? In the new reality, they no longer exist as separate categories.

Ephesians 4:22-24 KJV

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Consider what Paul said in Romans Chapter Two:

28. For you see, the Jew is not the one in the visibly apparent or outwardly manifest (or: For not he in the outward appearance is a Jew), neither [is] circumcision that [which is] visibly apparent (outwardly manifest) in flesh,

29. but rather, a Jew [is] the one within the hidden [place] (or: [that which is] in the concealed [realm]), and circumcision [is] of [the] heart in union with Breath-effect (or: within [the] spirit), not in letter, whose praise (applause; full recommendation; [note play on words: Jew is a derivative of “Judah,” which means “praise”]) [is] not from out of mankind (humanity), but rather from out of God.

According to Paul’s revelation, a Jew is not that which is visibly apparent or outwardly manifest, nor is circumcision – which outwardly defined Israel, under the Law. But things have changed: the old has passed on by. Now a Jew (being a person of any natural, physical race) is such in the hidden realm; circumcision is of the heart, in union with spirit (or: Breath effect).

In Romans 11:17, we see him using the metaphor of an olive tree (a figure of that which produced the anointing), and we see the Gentiles (non-Jews; see Verse Thirteen) were grafted in, among them (i.e., the Jews). Note that it was only SOME of the Jews that were broken out of this tree – and their end is to be grafted back in again (Verse Twenty-three). So, in this metaphor, there is only one tree, and we have been joined to it in Christ, among the believing folks of Israel. He is not here speaking of an economy of two groups, but of one. In God’s economy, there is only one humanity, and all natural ethnic groups (including Israel) are a part of this One New Mankind.

The New Covenant now applies to all humanity, in the heart and spirit – only in the flesh are there different ethnic groups.

But in considering ethnic groups, I find something quite interesting concerning the people of Israel in the flesh (whom we no longer know in the realm of flesh). In the Scriptures they were clearly a patrilineal society – the descent and blood line, as well as transfer of property, was through the males of that society. Today we see that “Israel” in the flesh has become a matrilineal society. How could this happen and Israel still maintain their cultural integrity? “Israel” of today is a group by culture and religion, and via a blood line of the mothers.

So do we look to Old Testament Scriptures to be fulfilled in the culture, religion and statehood presently known as Israel? How can this be?

God’s economy has moved into the new creation where there is One Humanity. No more divisions by ethnic culture or natural race. He is calling all to be His many brothers (= fellow believers, and fellow members of this new society).

Paul, in Galatians Chapter Three tells us,

27. For you see, as many of you folks as were immersed into Christ, at once clothed yourselves with Christ (or: were plunged into so as to be enveloped by then saturated and permeated with Anointing – or, the Anointed One – instantly entered within and put on [the] Anointing)!

28. Within, there is not (there does not exist) Jew nor Greek (or: Hellenist); within, there is not (does not exist) slave nor freeman; within, there is not (does not exist) male and female; for you folks all exist being one (or: are all one person; or: are all united) within Christ Jesus.

29. Now since you folks belong to Christ (or: have [the] Anointing as your source and origin; or: So since you people have the qualities and character of Christ), you are straightway and consequently Abraham’s Seed: heirs (possessors and enjoyers of the distributed allotment), down from, corresponding to and in the sphere of Promise!

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  (Galatians 3:26-29 KJV)

Now I submit that in the economy of Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek… no “male and female.” But the Christ is the Second Adam, the last corporate Mankind, and these, “the many” will be placed into the Way pointed out, and rightwised (Romans 5:19), and thus, through the effects of one rightwised act [of Christ], all mankind [has been placed] into a rightwisedness which is life (Verse Eighteen).

But not all have yet been birthed into this, for this happens each person in his own order (1 Corinthians 15:23). Only in the eternal now of God does this now exist, being a finished work of Christ. In this realm of flesh, many still sleep.

What is Israel? Israel is the one of promise. Israel is the one of spirit. Israel is God’s olive tree, God’s tree of life.

In Exodus 4:22, God tells Moses to say to Pharaoh: “Thus says Yahweh, My son, My firstborn, [is] Israel.” In the new economy we see that Christ is now “the Firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). And, in Romans 8:29, He is “to be (to continually exist being) the Firstborn among and within many brothers!” Then James says (1:18), “Being purposed (intended; willed), from pregnancy He brought us forth by a Word (collected thought; message) of Truth and Reality – [placed] into us – to be (or: to continuously exist being) a specific firstfruit of His created beings (or: of the effects of His act of creating; or: of the results of the creation which is Himself).”

We see this same figurative language used of Israel in Hosea 9:10, “Like grapes in a wilderness I found Israel; like the firstfruit on the fig tree, in its first [season], I saw your fathers.”

In Isaiah 5:7 He says, “For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel, and each person of Judah His plant delectable.” But in John 15:5 Jesus says, “I, Myself, am the Grapevine; you folks [are] the tender branches (shoots or twigs that can be easily broken).” Christ is here identifying Himself, along with His disciples, as Israel – God’s Son, God’s vineyard – and those being joined to Him are also Israel, just as those who are of faith are Abraham’s seed. Paul points out the principle that is here represented when in 1 Corinthians 15:46 he says, “the spiritual [is] not first, but rather the one having the qualities and characteristics of a soul (the soulish), then afterwards, the spiritual.” As Adam was a type of the new humanity in Christ (Who is called the “last Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:45), so Israel, [not Jacob, that is why we move on from drinking from Jacob’s Well to the Fountain of Spirit and Truth, John 4:23, 24-mdw] , as a natural people, was a type of the “heavenly” (Verse Forty-eight), or, the spiritual.

The old covenant presented pictures, or shadows, of the new: “For the Law (= Torah), having and holding a shadow of the impending good things – not the very image or same likeness of those things (of the matters; of the practices or deeds done)…” – Hebrews 10:1. And again, in Hebrews 8:5, they were “an example and by (or: in) a shadow of the folks upon the heavens (of the super-heavenly ones; or: of the things pertaining to completely heavenly places and things)…”

Consider the words of Jesus to the Jews of His day, in John 8:

37. “I have seen and know that you people are Abraham’s seed (offspring; descendants), but now you men continue seeking to kill Me, because My word (message; thought; idea; discourse) is not continuing to have room and make progress within you guys.

38. “I am habitually speaking things which I, Myself, have seen, [being] at the side of the [others: My] Father, and you folks are yourselves habitually doing [p75: speaking] things which you hear (or: heard) at the side of your father.”

39. In calculated reply, they said to Him, “OUR father is Abraham!” Jesus then says to them, “If you folks are Abraham’s children, be continually doing Abraham’s deeds (actions; works) [other MSS: If you folks were Abrahams’ children, were you ever doing Abraham’s works (deeds; acts)?].

40. “So now, proceed in seeking to kill Me! (or: Yet now you are continually seeking to kill Me; [note: the verb “seeking” is either present imperative or present indicative]) – a Man (person; human) Who has spoken to you the truth which I hear (or: heard) from (or: at) God’s side. Abraham does not do this (or: did not do this).

41. “You folks habitually do your father’s works (deeds; actions).”

They said to Him, “We ourselves were not born out of prostitution (or: fornication). We have one Father: God!”

42. Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you folks would have been, and continued, loving Me, for I Myself came forth and am arrived here from out of the midst of God. For neither have I come from Myself (= on My own initiative), but rather that One sent Me away with a mission (commissions and sends Me forth as an Emissary, [His] Representative).

43. “How (Through what [situation]) is it that you folks consistently do not understand (have personal, experiential knowledge of) the matter of My discourse (= Why don’t you understand what I’m saying)? Because you have no power (are unable) to continue hearing (or: to habitually or repeatedly hear [implies to obey]) My word (My message; My thought and idea).

44. “You folks, in particular, are (exist and have your being) from out of the father, the devil (or: the devil father; the father – the one thrusting-through), and you are habitually wanting (willing; intending; purposing) to be constantly doing your father’s passionate cravings (full-rushing over-desires). That one was existing being a murderer (a man-killer) from [the] beginning (or: from the start), and he has not stood (has not made a stand) within the Truth (or: Reality), because truth (reality) is not (does not exist) within him. Whenever he may be speaking the lie, he is continuing speaking from out of his own things – because he is (or: continues existing being) a liar, and its father.

In Verse Thirty-Seven Jesus affirms that they are Abraham’s seed. Then in Verse Thirty-Nine He calls this into question. Then in Verse Forty-Four He affirms that they are of their father, the devil. Was He contradicting Himself, or was He speaking of them literally being natural descendants of Abraham, but not spiritual or ethical children of Abraham because they were doing the works of an adversary – thus displaying the characteristics of a “devil”? To be a “son” or “child” of something was a cultural idiom (a Hebraism) that meant to be like such a thing or such a person.

So here Jesus is addressing issues of the heart and spirit. He was saying the same thing as Paul said in Romans 2:28, 29 “For you see, the Jew is not the one in the visibly apparent or outwardly manifest (or: For not he in the outward appearance is a Jew), neither [is] circumcision that [which is] visibly apparent (outwardly manifest) in flesh, but rather, a Jew [is] the one within the hidden [place] (or: [that which is] in the concealed [realm]), and circumcision [is] of [the] heart in union with Breath-effect (or: within [the] spirit)…”

Evangelist John L. Bray, in his booklet Israel in Bible Prophecy, points out Hebrews 11:10, where Abraham “continued taking (or: receiving) with the hand from out of the city continuously having the foundations – whose Craftsman (or: Technician; Artisan) and skilled Worker for the people (or: Producer; Architect) [is] God.” He then asks what city Abraham was receiving from (KJV, “looked for”), and I agree when he points us to Revelation 21:14, a city that has foundations which are the twelve apostles of the Lamb [NOT the Law and the Prophets-mdw]. Then he leads us to Verses 9-10, pointing out that this city which is descending out of heaven is actually the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

In Galatians Chapter Four, where Paul is comparing the bondage of the old covenant to the freedom in the new, he says,

25. Now this Hagar is (= represents) Mount Sinai, within Arabia, and she continuously stands in the same line (row; rank; = corresponds to; or: is habitually rudimentary together) with the present Jerusalem, for she continues in slavery (or: bondage) with her children.

26. Yet, on the other hand, the Jerusalem above is (continues being) free, who is (continues being) our mother.

So once again, Paul shows us that there are two categories: that which is below and in bondage – figuring the natural, and that which is above and free –[Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a person be born again from above (#509 anothen=ABOVE-mdw), he cannot see the kingdom of God, John 3:3] figuring that which is spiritual and comes through promise. God’s present economy is concerned with this latter. The former He destroyed, having said of the natural temple complex, “Truly (or: Make it so; or: Assuredly), I am now saying to you folks, there can under no circumstances be a stone left or allowed to be upon [another] stone which will not be loosed down to bring utter destruction” (Matthew 24:2). Jesus says no more about this temple, or, about it being rebuilt.

God’s economy moved from the natural to the spiritual. The new creation has only one people, all members of the corporate Christ, the last Adam. For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also the Christ.
(1 Corinthians 12:12).  This new, reborn humanity Paul addresses in Galatians Chapter Six:

16. So as many as are habitually advancing [other MSS: will advance; can advance] in line by ranks, corresponding to this measuring rod (or: continue belonging to the rank living in conformity to this rule; or: shall in this standard progressively observe the rudimentary elements or elementary principles and walk in line with them), Peace [= shalom] and Mercy [are continually] upon them – even (or: that is) upon the Israel whose origin and source is God (or: God’s Israel).

And all who shall regulate their lives by this principle–may peace and mercy be given to them–and to the true Israel of God.
(Galatians 6:16 Weymouth New Testament)

But as for me, God forbid that I should glory in anything except the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon which the world is crucified to me, and I am crucified to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any importance; but only a renewed nature.   (Galatians 6:14-15 Weymouth NT)

Jonathan Mitchell

What are the Evil and the “devil” in the New Testament?

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What are the Evil and the “devil” in the New Testament?
By Jonathan Mitchell

Other of my writings have gone into more depth on the topics addressed by this question, so the following will be a short look at just a few NT verses to propose a different reading from how they are traditionally understood.

In the prayer that Jesus modeled for His disciples, He said,

“rescue us (drag us out of danger) away from the bad situation (the wicked person; the miserable condition; the painful labor; the unprofitable endeavor; the malicious man)” (Mat. 6:13b, JMNT).

Now the ESV renders this, “deliver us from evil.” That is a more traditional rendering, but note that the term “evil” is rather generalized. The NRSV renders the final phrase, “rescue us from the evil one.” As seen in my rendering, above, this could refer to “the wicked person,” or, “the malicious man.” But the doctrinal understanding of “the evil one” has traditionally been personified to being understood as referring to “the Devil,” to the point that The Message paraphrase renders this phrase,

“keep us safe [note: the idea of a “rescue away from” is lost in this rendering] from ourselves and the Devil.”

The term “Devil” is not in the Greek text! This is a theological interpretation. But consider the semantic range on offer in my translation: bad situation; miserable condition; painful labor; unprofitable endeavor; malicious man; wicked person. There is nothing that is necessarily pointing to some sort of “spirit being” that is inherent in the Greek word “poneros,” which is the Greek word in question here.

Now consider the context just before this proposed request, in vss. 11-12, and vs. 14 which follows it: they are all about things in this life – normal, everyday things that can affect each one of us. The “devil” (and I purposely do not capitalize the word) need not be imported into Jesus’ words. The “evil” in the NT is the result of human thoughts and actions. Jesus used this same word in Jn. 17:15,

“I am not now making a request to the end that You should pick them up and carry (or: remove; take) them out of the System (world system; ordered arrangement of culture, religion and government; secular society), but rather that You should observe, guard, protect, maintain, care for and keep them out of the worthless or bad situation, the sorry plight, the effect of the knavish and good-for-nothing person, the oppressive toil and the base or evil influence.”

Note the context: “the System,” or, “the world.” Here I gave a more expanded offering of the semantic range of poneros.

We find the word diabolos (commonly rendered “Devil”) in Eph. 4:27, but let us consider a rendering of the word that does not necessarily personify it:

“neither be folks constantly supplying nor repeatedly giving a place or position (or: so don’t go on allowing opportunity, a chance, or a room in which to expand) for (or: to; in) the person who thrusts things through [folks or situations] (or: the slanderer; the adversary; the accuser; the devil; or: that which casts [harm or division] through the midst of folks).”

Diabolos is a contraction of the preposition dia (through; through the midst of) and bolos (which is from the verb that means “to cast; to throw or to thrust”). The verb “diaballo” has the basic meaning of “to cast, thrust or throw [something] through [something else].” So the noun does not need to be personified as some “spirit being” in these texts. This verse in Eph. would easily be read in applications to normal life experiences. We have all been exposed to “back-stabbers.” Consider Jer. 9:8,

“Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully…”

Slander can pierce a heart of another, or cause division when it is thrust through the midst of a group.

Consider the question raised by Jacob (aka James):

“From what situation (place; source) [arise] battles (or: wars; situations of combat) and fights (quarrels; strife; controversies) among you folks? Are they not from this source (or: place): from out of your sensual pleasures (enjoyments and gratifications) [which are] themselves continually performing as soldiers within (centered in and in union with) your members?” (Jas. 4:1)

And then, what he said in Jas. 4:5,

“The breath-effect (or: spirit; attitude) which housed-down in us normally sets its desire (longing; affection; yearning) upon [something], [with a view] toward ill-will, malice, envy and jealousy!”

But we want to blame something else, like some “fallen spirit-being,” when it is really just something negative within us.

In 1 Tim. 3:11, we read the admonition:

“Women (or: Wives) [of the community], similarly, [should be] serious (dignified with majestic gravity, inspiring awe), not devils (or: adversaries; women who thrust things through folks), sober (unintoxicated; clear-headed; moderate in habits), full of faith and trust (or: faithful; trustworthy; loyal) in all things.”

For instructional purposes, regarding the erroneous doctrine about “the devil,” I offered the plural of the noun diabolos as “devils,” here, hoping that the reader would see that this word is applied to humans, and it applies to everyday situations. We see it used, again, in Tit. 2:3,

“Old (or: Aged; Older) women, similarly (or: likewise), [are to be] women in a state and resultant condition proper and fitting for being engaged in the sacred (suitable in demeanor for serving the temple; or: = living a life appropriate [for] a person [being] a temple), not folks who thrust-through or hurl [a weapon, or something hurtful] through [someone] (or: not DEVILS nor slanderous adversaries which bring division and hurt), nor women having been enslaved by (or: to) much wine.”

Criticism, judging others, and gossip are probably in view, in this letter to Titus.

So what about 1 Jn. 3:8?

“Yet the person habitually practicing (repeatedly doing; progressively producing) the error (the failure to hit the target or accomplish his purpose; or: the sin; the mistake; the deviation) is existing from out of the adversary who thrusts something through the midst, [with a weapon, or with ill-intent], creating a wound or division (or: = is [operating] from [the influence of] the “devil”), because this adversary is habitually sinning (or: repeatedly missing the target; continuously falling short of the goal; constantly deviating from his purpose) from [the] beginning (or: from [its] origin). Into this [situation] was (or: is) God’s Son manifested and made visible, to the end that He would unbind (loose; untie; destroy; disintegrate) the works and actions of the adversary who casts things through the midst of folks.”

“John continues his theme, now associating this negative activity with someone – or a spirit, or an attitude – that thrusts something through the midst of the group (or, an individual) and causes wounding and division…. To understand this, let us look at the end of Israel’s history: the eschatological time of Jesus and the first century called-out which led up to the end in AD 70. This was when ‘God’s Son’ was ‘manifested and made visible.’ It was the work of the cross that unbound the heavy burdens of religion that had been put on the people by the scribes and Pharisees (Mat. 23:4). It was the power of the resurrected life of Christ that set humanity free from the yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1) from the strength of sin (the Law) – 1 Cor. 15:56. It was the Jewish leadership whose conduct made them to be described by Jesus as characterized as those ‘who cast things through the midst of folks’ in John 8:44,

‘You folks, in particular, are (exist and have your being) from out of, and have your source in, the ancestor who cast [an object] through [someone] (or: the father, the devil; or: the devil father; or: the father – the one thrusting [words or issues] through [folks/groups] and dividing them), and you are habitually wanting (willing; intending; purposing) to be constantly doing your father’s passionate cravings (full-rushing over-desires).’

It was their religious works that Jesus loosed away and destroyed via His cross, and His coming in judgment on Jerusalem – as he predicted. But He also disintegrated the work of deception that is described in the Eden story of Adam and Eve and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (foreshadow of the Law) which brought death to humanity (Rom. 5:12). So John is accessing the stories of both Israel and humanity in making his points regarding the false teachers.” (Comments on 1 John, in “John, Judah, Paul and ?”)

Another verse that should be considered within the context of everyday life is 1 Pet. 5:8:

“Be sober (or: clear headed)! Be awake, alert and watch! Your barrier in the Way pointed out (your road hazard; your opponent at court; the one “in your face” opposing your fairness and equity), one who casts or thrusts something through the midst of folks (e.g., like a soldier casting a javelin or thrusting a sword through someone, or a person throwing an issue through the midst of a group, causing division; or: a slanderer), as a constantly roaring lion, is continuously walking about, incessantly seeking to drink something or someone down (or: searching to gulp and swallow [someone] down),

[comment: this path-hazard and road barrier may have been local religions, cultural or political opposition, or a spirit of contrariness, within people]

“This verse should not be taken out of it context and made to be a description of the works of ‘the devil,’ as has been the tradition. It flows out of vs. 6-7, describing the situation in which ‘God’s strong hand’ will humble us. Jacob/James 4:10 tell us,

‘You must be made low (humbled; demoted) in the Lord’s sight (= in [Yahweh’s, or Christ’s] presence), and then He will lift you up (elevate you).’

We see God’s strong hand in Ex. 3:20 where Yahweh ‘put forth [His] hand’ to smite Egypt. The ‘rod of God’ (Moses’ staff) brought victory to Israel in Ex. 17:9-12, but it had become a snake in Ex. 7:10-12, and brought plagues on Egypt in vs. 19-20. In ch. 10:3, Yahweh says to Pharaoh through Moses,

‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me?’

“Recall the story of Job, and how in ch. 40 and 42 he responded humbly to Yahweh. In ch. 2:10 he said,

‘Indeed, should we receive good from the One, Elohim, and should we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin (err, miss the target) with his lips’ (Concordant Version; my expansion).

This last statement says that Job was right, that we should receive evil from God. But we see in the first two chapters that God used an adversary (the Sabeans; the Chaldeans), or adversarial situations (lightning; a great wind) and personal affliction (boils) – and Job was humbled. But later, Yahweh raised him up, as we see in ch. 42.

“In Hos. 5:14-15 (LXX) we see Yahweh describing Himself:

‘Because of this, I Myself am like (or: exist being as) a panther to (or: for; in) Ephraim, and like a lion to (or: for; in) the house of Judah: thus I Myself will tear, and then journey on; I will take (grasp in [My] hand; seize), and there will be no one to be rescuing and dragging [folks] out of [My grasp]. I will journey on and return into My place until they will be caused to disappear, and then they will search for My face, and seek My presence.’

“Now in vs. 9, below, he tells us that ‘these same experiences and suffering,’ which they had observed as having come upon others in the brotherhood, were

‘to repeatedly and progressively bring the goal’

that God had in mind, and in vs. 10-11 he says that it is God and His strength that will do this. These experiences are the same things that he spoke of in chapters. 1:6 and 4:12-14. Paul, in 2 Thes. 1:4-5 speaks of,

‘… all your pursuits (or: chasings; or: persecutions; harassments) and the pressures (squeezings; constrictions; contractions; tribulations; oppressions; ordeals) which you habitually have again (or: sustain hold up). [This is] a display-effect (result of pointing-out; demonstration) of God’s fair and equitable (just; righteous; in accord with the Way pointed out) decision (separation for making a distinction and an evaluation or a judging), unto your being accounted worthy (of equal value) of God’s kingdom (or: the sovereign reign which is God), over (or: on behalf of) which you are also constantly having sensible experiences (or: normally feeling emotions; or: repeatedly suffering).’

“This being the case, they were nonetheless admonished to

‘Be sober (or: clear headed)! Be awake, alert and watch!’

As the Messiah was delivered to the Romans

‘by the specific, determined, bounded (limited) plan (intended purpose, design and counsel) and foreknowledge (intimate knowledge which was experienced beforehand) of God’ (Acts 2:23),

so were they delivered into these tests and trials. As Jesus told His disciples to ‘watch’ and ‘pray’ in Gethsemane, so Peter advises these folks, and us. Paul in Eph. 6:10-18 told them to put on God’s armor and to take a stand.

“Dr. Ann Nyland (The Source NT, Smith and Stirling Publishing, 2004) points out that the Greek diabolos means “slanderer,” and thus translates in a similar way the idea expressed by my expansion ‘opponent at court,’ seeing this as a legal metaphor. What I rendered ‘Your barrier in the Way pointed out (your road hazard; your opponent at court; the one “in your face” opposing your fairness and equity)’ she sees as a figure of a lawyer in a court of law, and a legal suit. The entire clause refers to opposition against the called-out community. There are folks or forces that are trying to thrust slander, legal suits, or whatever, to defame and discredit the community of faith, and as Saul did against the early church, these folks are operating as a roaring lion, wanting to devour this move of God. We face similar oppositions in our day, and history is replete with examples. Also see 2 Tim. 4:17c” (from the commentary: Peter, Paul & Jacob).

Next, let us consider Heb. 2:14-15 where the diabolos is described as being “the one having/holding the strength of, or from, death”:

“14. Since, then, the young children have participated in and commonly shared existence of blood and flesh (= humanity), He also, nearly alongside [them], shared theirs in common (partook of the [ingredients] which comprise them), in order that through means of death He might render useless (or: deactivate; idle-down; discard) the one normally having the strength (or: the person presently holding the force) of death (or: which is death; or: whose source is death), that is, the adversary (or: that which throws folks into dualism with divided thinking and perceptions; or: the one that throws something through the midst and casts division; the one who thrusts things through folks; the slanderer who accuses and deceives; or, commonly called: the “devil”), 

15. and would set them free (or: could fully change and transform these; or: should move them away to another [situation; existence]): as many as were through all of life held within slavery by fear of death (or: in fear, from death: or: with fear, which is death)!”

Let us unpack these verses. The reason and purpose for this is stated in the last half of vs. 14, and in vs. 15. The Son became human so that He could die. His death as, and in union with, the first Adam (1 Cor. 15:45) and His burial of the first Adam/humanity (Rom. 6:3-8) accomplished two things:

“1) ‘the one normally having the strength (or: the person presently holding the force) of death (or: which is death; or: whose source is death), that is, the adversary’ was ‘rendered useless.’ It was not destroyed, but it just went out of service because of having become useless. The parenthetical expansion indicates that this verb could also be rendered ‘deactivate; idle-down; discard.’ What was it that was deactivated, discarded and rendered useless through the coming of the Messiah? What was it that had ‘the strength’ of death? Again we get insight into this enigmatic statement from Paul, in 1 Cor. 15:

56. Now the sharp point and stinger of (or: the sting, thus, the injection from) the Death [is] the Sin (the mistake; the error; the failure), and the power and ability of the Sin [is] the Law.

“So we see here that ‘the person presently holding the force whose source is death’ is Moses, or the person that uses the Law. These who represented and used the Law were now ‘rendered useless, deactivated, idled-down and discarded.’ This meant that the old covenant, the sacrificial system, the priesthood, the purity codes, etc., were all rendered useless. Again, recall Paul in Rom. 7:

5. For when we [= Adam/Israel] were existing within the flesh (or: = in the old alienated Adamic existence, with the flesh sacrifices and markers of the Law), the effects, impressions, emotions and impulses from the experiences, passions and suffering of the failures (the sins; the deviations which caused misses of the target) – the things through means of the Law [the Torah] – were continually operating (working within; energizing and effecting) within our members into the condition to produce fruit by Death (in death; to death; for Death). 

6. But now (at the present time), we [= Israel] are (or: were instantly) rendered inactive (brought down to living without labor, released from employment, made unproductive; discharged) away from the Law (= the Torah; [some MSS add: of Death]), dying within that in which we were constantly being held down (held in possession and detained), so that it is [for] us to be habitually performing as slaves within newness of spirit (a newness pertaining to spirit and has its source in the Breath-effect; freshness and new quality of attitude) and not in oldness (obsoleteness; outdatedness) of letter (or: not in outwornness of what is written).

“Notice what God was going to do to this ‘one’ through the death of Christ: ‘might render useless (or: deactivate; idle-down; discard).’ It had been of use, in its time, age and arrangement, but now no longer. The Law has been rendered useless and is deactivated and discarded. It had brought ‘fear of death’ (15) and ‘held [them] within slavery’ (cf Galatians, on the topic of slavery) and thus was an adversary to folks who were powerless to keep it….

“2) ‘and would set them free (or: could fully change and transform these; or: should move them away to another [situation; existence]): as many as were through all of life held within slavery by fear of death (or: in fear, from death: or: with fear, which is death)!’ By means of His death we can now shout with the prophet, ‘Where, O Death, [is] your victory (or: overcoming)? Where, O Death, [is] your stinger (sharp point; sting; goad; spur)?’ [Hos. 13:14; 1 Cor. 15:55]

Or, as Paul said in Gal. 5:1,

‘For this freedom, Christ immediately set us free (or: [The] Anointed One at once frees us in, to, for and with freedom)!'” (Comments on Hebrews, in John, Judah, Paul & ?).

It was not “the devil” of common theology that had “the strength of death,” it was the Law. Paul instructed us, in Rom. 7:8b-9,

“for apart from Law (or: a custom; or: [Torah]) sin (error; failure; missing the target; deviation) [is] dead (or: [was] lifeless). Now I was at one time (or: formerly) habitually living apart from Law (or: I was once alive, independent from custom and [Torah]); yet, in connection with the coming of the implanted goal (of the inward commandment and directive), the Sin becomes alive again (or: deviation, failure, error and the missing of the target revived and comes back to life), but I die (or: and I died; yet I die).”

The word “rescue, drag out of danger” that Jesus used in Mat. 6:13 is used by Paul referring to the work of Christ in Col. 1:12,

“He who drags us out of danger (or: rescued us) forth from out of the midst of the authority of the Darkness (from Darkness’s jurisdiction and right; from existing out of gloomy shadows and obscure dimness; = the privilege of ignorance), and changes [our] position (or: transported [us], thus, giving [us] a change of standing, and transferred [us]) into the midst of the kingdom and reign of the Son of His love.”

Now “authority of the Darkness” has traditionally been assumed to be speaking about “satan” or “the devil.” However, I suggest that it was simply the authority of the Law, along with Judaism (the shadows into which the Light shone, in Jn. 1:5) – for the Jews, or, the ignorance of paganism, for the Gentiles. Furthermore, the “the governments and the authorities (or: the ruling folks or people of primacy, and the privileged folks)” spoken of in Col. 2:15a were simply the Jewish leadership, Herod’s kingdom and the Roman Empire.

To keep this study short, let me end with Jas. 4:7, where we again find the word that describes folks who thrust things through another person or group:

“Consequently, you must be subjected by (or: be at once placed and arranged under in; be humbly aligned with and to) God. So stand in opposition to the [or: your] adversary (or: take a stand [as in battle] against the person trying to thrust you through [with a weapon, or a word] or cause division), and he or she will progressively flee (take flight) away from you.”

Thus, when you read the words “evil,” or, “the evil one,” or, “Devil,” in the common translations, consider the semantic range of those words, and the contexts of their uses, before assuming that they refer to a mythical being, or to “fallen angel” of Zoroastrian-influenced, non-biblical theology. Recall again the prologue of the book of Job, and “satan’s” subservient role there, as well as the human and environmental agents that came to be Job’s adversaries in those first two chapters, and that Job never attributed to satan (the adversary; or: the adversity) anything that happened: He saw the source of his woes as being God. Also keep in mind that the opening chapters of Genesis, and the book of Revelation, are often understood symbolically – by many of both the past and the present. It is all about life here on earth, and the negativity that we encounter. We, as humans, are the source of the evil and we often become devils – folks who thrust pain and injury through people and communities.

Jonathan Mitchell

Make me an instrument of Thy Peace

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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  (Matthew 5:9 NASB)

Make me an instrument of Thy Peace.

Where there is hate, let me bring love.

Where there is offense, let me bring forgiveness.

Where there is discord, let me bring union.

Where there is error, let me bring truth.

Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.

Where there is despair, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, let me bring light.

Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.

O Lord, I do not seek so much to be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in forgetting ourselves that we find ourselves,

It is in forgiving that we are forgiven,

It is in dying that we are reborn to eternal life.

Matthew 10:38-39 NASB  “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  (39)  “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Forever realize that you are a source of God’s light and love.

Contribution to Peace

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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called (sons-#5207-Huios) of God.  (Matthew 5:9 NASB)

I contribute to Peace when I strive to express the best of myself in my contacts with others.

I contribute to Peace when I use my intelligence and my abilities to serve the Good.

I contribute to Peace when I feel compassion toward all those who suffer.

I contribute to Peace when I look upon all men and women as my brothers and sisters, regardless of race, culture, or religion.

I contribute to Peace when I rejoice over the happiness of others and pray for their well-being.

I contribute to Peace when I listen with tolerance to opinions that differ from mine or even oppose them.

I contribute to Peace when I resort to dialogue rather than to force to settle any conflict.

I contribute to Peace when I respect Nature and preserve it for generations to come.

I contribute to Peace when I do not seek to impose my conception of God upon others.

I contribute to Peace when I make Peace the foundation of my ideals and philosophy. 

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