Chapter 1

¹ Peter, an Apostle of Jesus the Anointed One, to the elected ones among the scattered who are currently living in Pontus, Galatia, CappaDocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² who God the Father has known, who were made holy by [God’s] Breath, and who are obedient and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus the Anointed One: May you grow in [God’s] peace and loving care.

³ Bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, who showed His great mercy by regenerating us from among the dead ones into the hope of life through the resurrection of Jesus the Anointed One, ⁴ as an incorruptible and clean inheritance, which can never grow old or fade away… because this is what’s awaiting you in the heavens.

⁵ The power of God is watching over you because of your faith in [this hope] of being saved, which is soon to be seen in the last days, ⁶ and in which you are rejoicing, although right now you’re undergoing many trials for a brief period. ⁷ This is happening so that the proof of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold that is refined and proven by fire, may be found to be a reason for praise, honor, and glory, during the revelation of Jesus the Anointed One.

⁸ For, although you’ve never seen him, you’ve love him. And although you can’t see him, you believe in him and are rejoicing with an unspeakable and glorified joy, ⁹ as you carry off for yourselves the reward of this faith… the saving of your souls.

¹⁰ When it comes to salvation, the Prophets looked and searched for this loving-care that’s being shown to you. ¹¹ They tried, through the spirit of anointing that was in them, to determine the exact time and circumstances of the sufferings of the Anointed One and of his being glorified, which they knew about even back then. ¹² And although it wasn’t revealed to them, [it was] to you. For they were just servants of things that those who preached the good news to you have shown you, through the Holy Breath that was sent from heaven, and which even the messengers [of God] want to learn more about.

¹³ As the result, prepare your minds to understand! Be perfectly sober about your hope of the loving care that will be conveyed to you at the revelation of Jesus the Anointed One. ¹⁴ As obedient children, don’t go back to being what you used to be by desiring ignorant things. ¹⁵ But, like the Holy One who called you, become holy in all your ways. ¹⁶ For it is written, ‘You must be holy, because I am holy!’

¹⁷ So, if you are calling on this Father (who doesn’t discriminate, but judges each one by what he does), it’s time for you to fearfully turn back from your isolation. ¹⁸ For, you must recognize that the ransom, which was paid to release you from the worthless way of life that you learned from your fathers, wasn’t paid for with things that corrode, like silver or gold. ¹⁹ It was [paid for] with the precious blood of the Anointed One, who is like a spotless and perfect lamb.

²⁰ Although he was known before the world was established, he is being recognized in you at the end of this period in time, ²¹ whenever you (through him) are being faithful to God (the One who raised him from the dead and glorified him), so that your faith and hope will be in God.

²² So, now that obedience to the truth has purified your lives; truly care about your brothers and reach out in sincere love for them with your whole hearts. ²³ For, you weren’t regenerated as seeds that rot, but by something that doesn’t decay… the promises of the living and enduring God. ²⁴ Because, ‘All flesh is like grass, and its glory is like flowers in a field. Grass dries up and flowers drop, ²⁵ but the words of Jehovah remain through the age.’ These are the words that we preached to you as good news.

Chapter 2

¹ As the result, get rid of all your badness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all the slandering. ² Then, like newborn babies, develop a taste for the pure milk of the Word, which will help you to grow to salvation, ³ once you’ve tasted the tender care of the Lord.

⁴ Approach him as though he’s a living block of stone (who for a fact was rejected by men but was chosen as precious by God) ⁵ [upon whom] you as living blocks are being built into a spiritual house – a Holy Priesthood – to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God, through Jesus the Anointed One. ⁶ For the Scripture says, ‘{Look!} I’m laying a block that I selected in Zion – a precious top cornerstone – and anyone who believes in it will never be shamed.’

⁷ So, while this is a precious opportunity for you who are believers, it isn’t for those who aren’t believers. For [the Scriptures say]: ‘The block that the builders rejected has become the head cornerstone,’ ⁸ and, ‘a stone of stumbling and a tripping block.’ So, they stumble because they aren’t obeying the word. And this is the lot they were given.

⁹ However, you are a chosen race, a royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a people who were specially selected to announce the virtues of the One who called you out of darkness and into His wonderful light. ¹⁰ And although you once weren’t a nation, now you’re a nation of God. And although you were once shown no mercy, you’re now the ones who are shown mercy.

¹¹ My loved ones; I want to encourage you (as foreigners and those who are living away from their homes) not to indulge in things that your bodies may crave and which fight a battle against your lives… ¹² while you’re [living] among the nations, behave yourselves! Then, when they condemn you and say bad things about you, let them see the good things you’re doing so they can glorify God in the Day when He comes for His inspection.

¹³ Obey every office that has been created by men (through the Lord), regardless of whether the one who is over you is a king, ¹⁴ or [just] a governor who has been sent [by the king] to punish criminals and to praise those who do good things. ¹⁵ It’s God’s Will for you to do good things, so you can put a muzzle on the ignorant accusations of unreasonable men. ¹⁶ Be free people; but as slaves of God, don’t use your freedom as a cover-up to do bad things. ¹⁷ Show honor to everyone; love your brothers; fear God; and show special honor to the king!

¹⁸ Those who work in homes should obey and fear their masters… and not just those who are good and reasonable, but those who are hard to please. ¹⁹ For, if someone (because of a Godly conscience) puts up with the grief of having to suffer for something he didn’t do, this shows a lot of inner strength. ²⁰ After all, what good is it if you endure being slapped for doing something wrong? But if you have to endure suffering when you’ve only done what’s good, this shows your inner strength to God. ²¹ And for a fact, you were called to this [course].

Why, the Anointed One also suffered for you so he could set an example for you to follow in his tracks. ²² Yet, he wasn’t guilty of sin, nor did his mouth tell lies. ²³ When they shouted bad things at him, he didn’t shout back; and when he was suffering, he didn’t threaten anyone. He just left himself [in the hands of] the One who judges righteously.

²⁴ He was carrying our sins when his body was put on the pole, so that once the sins were gone, we could live righteously. For, ‘by his wounds you were healed.’ ²⁵ You were like sheep that were wandering off, but now you’ve returned to the shepherd who watches over your lives.

Chapter 3

¹ Women should obey their husbands, so that those who aren’t obeying The Word can be won over without words by the woman’s conduct… ² when they see the fear that you’re showing in being pure. ³ Don’t let your beauty come from fancy hairstyles, gold jewelry, or the arrangement of your clothes. ⁴ Rather, let [your beauty] be that which is hidden in your hearts… a clean, quiet, and mild personality, which is valuable in the eyes of God.

⁵ Why, that’s how holy women who put their hope in God have been beautifying themselves for a long time… they obeyed their husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah used to obey Abraham, calling him ‘lord.’ So, become her children in doing good things, and then you’ll have nothing to fear.

⁷ Husbands; You too… be wise when it comes to living with [your wives]. Treat them as you would delicate china. Show them the type of honor that should be shown to women who are fellow heirs of the gift of life, so it doesn’t affect your prayers.

⁸ Finally, all of you should share that same attitude when it comes to being sympathetic, loving your brothers, caring, being humble, ⁹ and by not trying to get even or through trading insults. Rather, bestow blessings! For, you were called to this [way of life] so you could inherit blessings. ¹⁰ ‘May he who loves life and wants to see good days keep his tongue from [doing] what’s bad, and his lips from telling lies; ¹¹ let him turn away from what’s bad and do what is good; let him search for peace and chase after it. ¹² Because, Jehovah watches out for the righteous and He listens to them whenever they ask [for help]. But Jehovah opposes those who do bad things.’

¹³ Why, who will treat you badly if you’re zealous when it comes to doing what’s right? ¹⁴ And if you suffer for doing something righteous, you’ll be blest… so don’t be afraid or even be bothered by them! ¹⁵ Make the Anointed One the Holy Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to defend [the faith] before anyone who demands to know why you have this hope. However, do this calmly and with [Godly] fear.

¹⁶ Keep a clean conscience, so that whenever someone should accuse you, those who are speaking out against you will be shamed by your fine conduct. ¹⁷ Because, it’s better to suffer for doing something good (if that’s God’s will) than for doing something that’s bad.

¹⁸ Why, even the Anointed One died (once and for all time) over sins (someone who is righteous for those who are unrighteous) to lead you to God. And although his flesh was in fact killed, he was brought to life as a spirit; ¹⁹ then he preached to the spirits who had been imprisoned ²⁰ because they had disobeyed, as God was patiently waiting for the chest to be built during the time of Noah… in which a few people (eight lives) were saved through the water.

²¹ [And what that chest pictured] is now saving you too… it’s baptism! For, its purpose isn’t to get rid of fleshly filth; it’s to ask God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus the Anointed One.

²² And now he has gone to heaven – to God’s right hand – where [God’s] messengers as well as all authorities and powers must obey him.

Chapter 4

¹ So, since the Anointed One suffered in the flesh, you’d best start thinking about fighting the same battle. For, someone who has suffered in the flesh has stopped sinning ² and doesn’t live for human desires anymore, but to do God’s will for the rest of his life in the flesh.

³ Why, enough time has elapsed for the desires of the nations to be resolved [within you]. For they have gone their own immoral ways, following their desires, drinking too much wine, partying, getting drunk, and breaking [God’s] laws by worshiping idols. ⁴ And because you don’t go along and follow them into the same deadly course down into the sewer, they slander you. ⁵ But they’ll have to answer to the One who is ready to judge both the living and the dead. ⁶ This is why we are preaching the good news to those who are the dead; so they can be judged as fleshly men and then come to life by the Breath of God!

⁷ However, the end of everything is getting closer. So, use good sense and be very serious about prayer. ⁸ And above all else, reach out to each other in love, because love covers a huge number of sins. ⁹ Be hospitable to each other without grumbling, ¹⁰ and each of you should use the various gifts that you were given for good purposes… as house servants to the kindness of God.

¹¹ So, whenever anyone speaks, may it be what God has commanded. And whenever anyone serves, may it be done by the strength of God, so that God can be glorified in everything through Jesus the Anointed One… may He have glory and power for ages of ages… may it be.

¹² Loved ones; Don’t fail to notice that there’s a fire blazing among you! Something strange is marching toward you, and it’s coming to test you. ¹³ But as you [find yourselves] sharing in the sufferings of the Anointed One, rejoice! Because, when his glory is revealed, you will once again be happy and cry out joyfully!

¹⁴ If you’re being slandered over the name of the Anointed One, you are blest… because God’s glory and Breath is resting upon you. ¹⁵ But none of you should ever have to suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or for not minding your own business. ¹⁶ However, if you suffer because of being a Christian, don’t ever be ashamed. Rather, keep on glorifying God in that name.

¹⁷ Why, the time of judgment has arrived… and it’s starting with the House of God. So if it’s starting with us first, how will those who don’t obey the good news of God end up? ¹⁸ For, ‘If the righteous are just barely being saved, where will those who are godless and the sinners make a showing?’ ¹⁹ So, let those who (by God’s will) are suffering, dedicate themselves to the faithful Creator by doing whatever is good.

Chapter 5

¹ I encourage the elders among you (my fellow elders and witnesses of the sufferings of the Anointed One who will share in the glory that’s soon to be revealed) ² to shepherd the flock of God that has been entrusted to your [care]. Don’t [do this] because you have to, but because you want to! Don’t do it to make a lot of money, but because you want to help! ³ Don’t [set yourselves up as] rulers over those who have been entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. ⁴ Then, when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will walk away with the enduring crown of glory!

⁵ And the same [is true] for you younger men; Obey the elders! All of you should be humble toward each other. In fact, tie humility to yourselves with knots, because God opposes those who think too much of themselves, but He’s kind to those who are humble.

⁶ Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so He can eventually raise you to a higher position. ⁷ Throw all your worries upon Him, because He cares about you!

⁸ Also, be serious and stay alert, because your accuser (the Slanderer) is roaming around like a roaring lion that is looking for someone to swallow down. ⁹ Oppose him by standing solidly in the faith, and realize that the things you’re suffering in this world are also going to happen to the entire brotherhood.

¹⁰ However, after you’ve suffered for a little while, the God of all loving care – the One who, through the Anointed One, called you into His glory during the age – will restore you and make you firm and strong… ¹¹ may He be mighty through the ages… may it be!

¹² I’m sending what I consider these few words that I wrote through Silvanus (a faithful brother), to be encouraging, and to testify to the fact that you’re standing in the true loving-care of God. ¹³ I send greetings from the woman who was also chosen along with you, and Mark (my son), from Babylon. ¹⁴ Greet each other with a kiss of love!

Peace to all of you in the Anointed One.

Notes

Spirits in Prison

At 1 Peter 3:19 we read about ‘spirits’ (literally, breaths) who were put into ‘prison’ for the bad acts they committed during the time of Noah. Genesis 6:3 speaks of them as ‘sons of God,’ or ‘[God’s] messengers,’ and it tells of their coming to earth and marrying ‘the daughters of men’ (see the linked scripture and Notes in Genesis). Then 2 Peter 2:4 says that they were put into ‘Tartarus.’

Peter’s use of the word Tartarus here, has long been a cause of concern to thoughtful Bible students. In other Bibles, this Greek word has wrongfully been translated as Hell and Hell Fire. However, the term refers specifically to the place where gods (not humans) were sent. And as the result of past misunderstandings of the meaning of this word, this is where the idea came from that the Slanderer and his demons are in Hell watching over its flames and the torture of human souls.

The question that has so concerned many Bible students is: Why did Peter use this pagan term that came from Greek Mythology to describe the condition of unfaithful messengers of God? The appearance here is that the Bible had its roots in Greek myths. However, the opposite is true.

Anyone who takes the time to carefully consider Greek Mythology will notice close (but sometimes opposite) parallels to Bible stories told in Genesis Chapters Two through Six. Stories such as Hercules and the Golden Apples, Medusa, immoral Gods who came to earth, etc., seem to closely resemble the stories of Adam and the forbidden fruit, the snake in the Paradise, and the sons of God who came to earth and lived as humans. So, it isn’t surprising that they also had a name for the place where these sons of God (the gods) were sent after the downpour. And since this correct idea was common at the time, Peter just used their word to convey what he was talking about to his readers.

Since these ‘sons of God’ who came to earth and assumed human bodies in Noah’s day couldn’t be destroyed by the Downpour (flood) and they had forsaken heaven, they were apparently put into a prison-like state here on the earth, where they are no longer able to roam. This group is specifically referred to as the demons in the Bible.

Demon is a Greek word that seems to be derived from diameno, which means fixed in one place. From other Bible accounts about demons, it appears that this ‘fixing in one place’ means that they must be associated with either living or non-living things, which is referred to as ‘possession.’ In other words, Tartarus appears not to be a fixed place, but rather to a dark condition of earthly imprisonment where they seem to be able to live among things both animate and inanimate.

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Hypocrite

Hypocrite is a Greek word that is just spelled a little differently than it is in English (hypocritai). However, we give the English word a nuance that isn’t implied in Greek. The first part of the Greek word, hypo, means under, and the second part, critai, means judge (it’s what we get critical and criticize from). So, in the Bible, a hypocrite is a ‘lesser judge,’ or one who is very judgmental of the actions or conduct and others. This differs from the meaning in English, which is: Someone who doesn’t follow his own advice.

The Scribes and Pharisees were referred to as Hypocrites in the Bible, because they condemned the actions of others. And like anyone who tends to be critical of others, they likely failed in the same ways in which they condemned others, and that would make them also fit the English definition. However, the Bible meaning is ‘judgmental.’

Being too judgmental is a very serious flaw, which is common to those who think they are very righteous. It is reported that the Pharisees especially thought of themselves as being more righteous than others, and it was their opinion that they would be the only ones to be found righteous and worthy of a resurrection by God. Notice what Jesus said would happen to those who are judgmental (Matthew 7:1): ‘Don’t judge [others], so you won’t be judged. For, the [rules] that you use to judge others, are the rules that will be used to judge you; and the standards you are setting for them, are the standards that they’ll set for you.’

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The Day of ‘the Lord’ and of Jehovah

Throughout the Bible, we find references to ‘the Day of Jehovah,’ and ‘the Day of the Lord.’ Are both of these references to the same time, and if so, how do we know?

There is no conflict between the two Days; in fact, they appear to be the same. Notice what we are told in the Revelation, when it is speaking of the beginning of that Day (at Revelation 12:10), ‘This is the moment when the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the authorization of his Anointed One began.’

As you can see, the purposes of that Day are tied together. For, the establishment of God’s Kingdom (with the battle in heaven and the ouster of the Opposer and his messengers) and the authorization for Jesus (the Lord) to rule appear to begin at the same time.

So, does the Lord’s Day begin when the things spoken of in the Revelation start to happen? It appears to be so, because it starts out with John’s words (at Revelation 1:10), ‘Through the Breath [of God] I found myself in the Lord’s Day.’

What are some of the features of that Day? Well, they appear to start with the ouster of the Opposer and his messengers from heaven (See Revelation 12), which is followed by the destruction of ‘The Great Babylon’ (See Revelation 17, 18). Then in rapid succession there comes the ‘marriage of the Lamb’ (acceptance of the rest of the Anointed ones to heaven?), the Battle of Armageddon, the abyssing of the Opposer and his messengers, and the resurrection (see Revelation 19, 20). And finally, the Opposer is released for a short time, which precipitates the battle against Gog of Magog , and which is thereafter followed by the descent of ‘New Jerusalem’ to the earth, and the making of the ‘new earth and sky’ (see Revelation 21).

Also, in the prophecy found at Joel 2:1-12, ‘the Day of the Lord’ appears to start with the destruction of Jerusalem by worldly armies (the destruction of The Great Babylon?), and this is followed by the destruction of the worldly armies (see Joel Chapter Three). And in between these two events, we read of the marvelous outpouring of God’s Breath upon His faithful servants (Joel 2:28-32).

Peter wrote in length about this period, and at 2 Peter 3:7 he wrote: ‘What’s [now] in store for the earth and skies is fire, which [will come] during the Judgment Day, when godless men will be destroyed.’ And although many misinterpret these words as describing just the destruction of the wicked at Armageddon, the context shows that he was looking at a much longer period of time, the total ‘Lord’s Day’ or ‘Judgment Day’… the ‘thousand-year’ period spoken of at Revelation Chapter Twenty. For, what he said about the burning of the earth and sky and of the ‘new earth and sky’ corresponds exactly with the end of the thousand years and the promises found at Revelation 21:1.

So, from the periods described in the Revelation; near the end of Jesus’ thousand-year reign, there will be a judgment of the wicked (those who join with Gog of Magog) and they will be destroyed. Then there will be a ‘new earth and a new sky.’ What does that really mean? Perhaps we’ll all have to live to see it to be sure.

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Ark or Chest?

What is an ark? Why, everyone knows of Noah’s ark, and of the Ark of the Covenant… don’t they? Yes, most people do. But, just what is an ark? Ark is an ancient English word, the meaning of which has mostly been long lost in history. However, it is often used to translate the Greek word kiboton (kee/boat/on). And, because most people don’t understand the meaning of the English word, they don't know what it’s talking about, and any concept that they might have of what it looked like may come from pictures in children’s storybooks that show a large boat or with all sorts of animals looking out the windows.

An ark is simply a box or chest. If you carefully examine the description of the measurements that God gave to Noah, you will see that He told Noah to build a three-story wooden box that was about ‘five-hundred feet long, eighty feet wide, and fifty feet tall.’ It was rectangular (not boat shaped); it had a roof, at least one window, and a door. It didn’t have to be a ‘boat’ that could navigate, because, all it had to do was float. Nor did the animals look out the window(s); they were kept in stalls.

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Who are God’s ‘Anointed?’

Notice that in this Bible translation, 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 (for example) says, ‘The One who guarantees that we all belong to the Anointed One, and He who anointed us, is God.’

So, why didn’t these translators just go ahead and render the word (Anointed) as Christ – as countless other translators have done? For two reasons:

· Because Christ has almost totally lost its meaning to most Bible readers today, and most have come to believe that ‘Christ’ was part of Jesus’ name. It wasn’t.

· Because Christ is a word that was made up by early Bible translators and is only used in that form when they think that the Bible was speaking of Jesus. In other places it is correctly translated as anointed.

If you look at the above verse in Greek, you’ll see that it reads, ‘Ho de bebaion hemas syn hymin eis Christon kai chrisas hemas Theos,’ or, ‘The of stabilizing us with you into Anointed and anointing us God.’

You will notice here that Christon (Christ or Anointed) and chrisas (anointed) are both derived from the same root word, which by the way, is Greek for olive oil. Why olive oil? Because, that substance was traditionally poured over the heads of those who God chose to be kings over Israel. For example, David and Solomon were both anointed (oil was poured over their heads) in proof of the fact that they had been chosen by God to be kings over Israel.

So, the word means anointed. But if you prefer the word Christ, then Saul, David, and Solomon were Christs, for you can’t have it both ways. As an example, look at the words that David spoke about Saul, as found at 1 Samuel 24:6 LXX): ‘Kai eipin David pros tous andras autou: Medamos moi para kiriou ei poieso to hrema touto to kyrio mou to christo kyriou epenegkai cheira mou ep auton hoti christos kyriou estin autos,’ or ‘Said David to the men of/his: By/no/means of/me from the/Lord if I/should/do this thing to my/Lord to/the Christ (Anointed) of/the/Lord to/raise my/hand against him, for the/Christ (Anointed) of/the/Lord this is.’ So as you can see; if Christos should be translated as Christ, then unrighteous King Saul was also Christ. However, almost all Bibles translate christos as anointed in this case (one of many instances).

Such a physical anointing with oil appeared to picture receiving God’s Holy Breath, which happened to Jesus at his baptism, to 120 of Jesus’ disciples at Pentecost of 33-C.E., and to other First-century Christians. So Jesus didn’t really become the Christon (Christ, Anointed, or Chosen One) until he was anointed with Holy Breath at his baptism (when the ‘dove’ came down on him).

If you understand this nuance, you get the true meaning of the word Christ (Anointed) as it applies to Jesus; it means that he was the one who God chose to be king over His people. Also, Paul was telling the Christians in Corinth that they too would be anointed… become ‘christs.’ For, when they were ‘anointed’ and sealed in their hearts by God’s Holy Breath, they were selected to be ‘kings on the earth’ (Revelation 5:10).

Notice what can be learned from a proper understanding of the Greek words by looking at Matthew 24:24. For there, many Bibles say that Jesus foretold the coming of false Christs and false prophets. But what he actually said was, ‘Because false anointed ones and false prophets (gr. pseudo christon kai pseudo prophetai) will arise and they will perform great signs and omens to mislead (if possible) even the elected.’

So, Jesus wasn't necessarily saying that people would come claiming to be him, but people would come falsely claiming to be the anointed and prophets.

Another example of the poor use of the title Christ (implying Jesus) by Bible translators can be found at First Peter 1:10, 11, which reads in this Bible: ‘When it comes to salvation, the Prophets looked and searched for this loving-care that’s being shown to you. They tried, through the spirit of anointing that was in them, to determine the exact time and circumstances of the sufferings of the Anointed One and of his being glorified, which they knew about even back then.’ Other Bible say that it was the Spirit of Christ that was in the ancient Prophets. However, as we pointed out above, Jesus didn't become the Christ or the Anointed until after his baptism.

So, what Peter was saying in those verses, is that those ancient Prophets tried through the power of God’s Breath which had anointed them to be Prophets, to determine the time and circumstances of the glorification of Jesus. For, if you check the wording of those verses in Greek, you’ll see that there is no definite article preceding the first christou (anointed), which would be required if it was saying that the Spirit of Jesus was in them.

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Minister or Servant?

For centuries, the proper translation of this word has bothered people who wish to create levels of authority within the Christian Congregation. So, to add weight to this office, the Greek word diakonos has been translated into many words in attempts to blur what it really means in English, servant. Words such as ‘deacon’ (from diakonos), minister, and even the redundancy ‘ministerial servant’ have been employed. However, what they were called in the First-Century Congregation was just servants. These qualified men handled the work and odd jobs that were necessary in running the day-to-day affairs of the congregation.

A later position of responsibility that was spoken of by Paul was the appointment of ‘elders’ or ‘overseers’ in the emerging Christian congregations. Elders likely had to be males, and their job was to shepherd and teach the congregations. However, elders were also just servants – that is, servants with a small ‘s.’

The Scriptures show that; In order to qualify as servants in the congregation, men (and possibly women) had to meet high standards of conduct and reputation. And although Paul didn’t mention it specifically, they were expected to be able to make wise decisions and to show signs of having God’s Breath. Notice that these were the qualifications for all servants in the Christian Congregation, for Acts 6:3 says: ‘So, brothers, find seven qualified men among you who are filled with wisdom and the Breath [of God].’

For more information, see the linked document, Arrangement of the First Christian Churches.

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New Jerusalem

At Ephesians 2:21, 22, Paul spoke of Jesus’ chosen ones as being assembled ‘into a Holy Temple for Jehovah’ as ‘a place for God to live in by [His] Breath.’ What is he talking about here?

Paul’s reference is later explained in the Revelation, where this Temple of God was spoken of as being assembled of ‘a hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth,’ (Revelation 14:3) and they are chosen from among the (symbolic earthly) ‘twelve tribes of Israel.’ (see Revelation 7:4, 5). And there, they are said to make up a ‘city’ or seat of government for the earth. Notice how Revelation 21:2, 3 describes it,
‘I also saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, stepping down out of heaven from God, and she had been prepared as a bride who is adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne say, Look! The Tent of The God is with mankind! He’s going to pitch His Tent among them, then they will be His people and He will be their God..’

Finally, Revelation Chapter 22 gives us a vision of this glorious Holy City, which is built on a foundation of the ‘twelve Apostles of the Lamb.’ Notice the description found at Revelation 22:9-12, 14, ‘He said, Come here! I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. So, he carried me away by [God’s] Breath to an enormously high mountain. There he showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City, coming down out of heaven from God. It had all the glory of God. It had a shine like the most precious of gems. It gleamed like a crystal-clear jasper stone. It had thick high walls and twelve gates. And at the twelve gates, there were twelve messengers. [On the gates] were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. The city wall also had twelve foundation stones, and the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb were written on them.’

This appears to be the special hope of those who are chosen to be a part of God’s arrangement to govern the earth from this ‘New Jerusalem’ and to ‘become one’ with Jesus as ‘the bride of the Lamb.’

For more information, see the linked document, Jerusalem and the Israel of God.

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Are the Jews Still God’s Chosen People?

The idea that the Jews are still God’s chosen people and that they will eventually rule over the earth from the City of Jerusalem, is becoming popular among many fundamentalist religions today. However, this concept appears to disregard the promises and teachings of the Bible.

For instance, notice Jesus’ words to the people of that city as found at Matthew 23:37, 38, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… you killer of Prophets and stoner of those who were sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you didn’t want it. Look! Your house has been taken from you!’

So, their ‘house’ (the position of special favor with God) was removed from them due to their repeated rejection of God’s ways and His Prophets, and for murdering His Son.

Notice how Jesus pictures this rejection of the Jews as God’s chosen people in his parable of the king who hired laborers to work in his vineyard (at Matthew 21:33-41). The story ends when the cultivators killed the king’s son. And what was the result? Verse 41 says, ‘Then he will hire others to cultivate the vineyard who will give him the fruit when it’s due.’

In Chapter 22 (verses 1-10) Jesus repeats this theme with the parable of the king who invited guests to a grand meal, but none of those who were invited (the Jews) showed up. In fact, they killed his messengers, and then his son. The account says, ‘So, he sent his army to destroy the murderers and burned their city.’ Then he sent his attendants out to invite ‘others’ to this great feast.

Who are these ‘others?’ Well, out of respect for His Sacred Agreement with Abraham, God continued to offer the opportunity to be ‘kings and Priests’ in the Kingdom exclusively to the Jews (and the related Samaritans) for the next 3-1/2 years. Then the opportunity to become ‘Spiritual Jews’ was offered to the first ‘Gentile’ converts, Cornelius and his family. Thereafter, the Bible speaks of growing numbers of Gentile converts, as Paul was appointed the ‘Apostle to the Nations.’

Also, notice Jesus’ words as found at Matthew 8:12, where he foretold, ‘However, the Sons of the Kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. There they will cry and grind their teeth.’ Since the Jews were ‘the sons of the kingdom’ or the sons of the Abrahamic promise, the indication here is that they as a nation were being rejected.

Then in the letters of Paul, we read scripture after scripture that shows these Gentiles were thereafter included in the promise to Abraham, and that they comprised a ‘New Jerusalem.’ Notice what Paul wrote at Romans 2:28, ‘So, a Jew isn’t what you are on the outside, nor is circumcision something that’s outside on the flesh.’

In other words, the faithful Gentiles had become ‘spiritual Jews,’ or the symbolic ‘twelve tribes of Israel.’ So, it was to this ‘new nation’ that all the promises and Sacred Agreements apply, not to the earthly city of Jerusalem, for the earthly city of Jerusalem had been rejected. Why? Well notice what the people in that city replied to Pilate’s question when they were calling for the murder of God’s Son (at Matthew 27: 25), ‘At that, all the people said, ‘May we and our children be responsible for his blood.’ And (at John 19:15), ‘We have no king but Caesar.’
So, the Jews were not only rejected by God, but they verbally rejected God and asked for the blood of Jesus to be on them and their children (all future generations). This is why the prophecies regarding Jerusalem appear to have nothing to do with a literal city in Palestine today.

But, what of Paul’s statement, found at Romans 11:25, 26, ‘Israel was allowed to become calloused until the full number of people from the nations came in. This is how all Israel is going to be saved.’

Doesn’t this mean that the entire nation will eventually be saved? No, for notice what Paul said at Romans 9:6-8 ‘Now, the word of God didn’t fail, because, not all who came from Israel are really Israel, nor are all of Abraham’s seed his children. For [it’s written], That which will be called your seed will come through Isaac. However, [Isaac’s] fleshly children aren’t the children of God. The children of the promise are that seed.’

Then he added at Romans 9:27, ‘Isaiah shouted this, about Israel, Although the sons of Israel may become as many as the sands of the sea, only a few will be saved.’

So, it appears as though Israel will be saved mostly through those ‘ethnics’ who have become Israel by accepting Israel’s God as their God.

And the fact is; Those who believe that all of Israel will be saved also believe that this hope applies just to the Jews (people of Judea). However, ‘all of Israel’ covers all twelve of the tribes that are now scattered and intermarried throughout the nations of the world, whereas the Jews represent just two of the tribes (Judah and BenJamin), plus some of the Priestly tribe of Levi. So, for ‘all of Israel’ to be saved, countless millions – or even billions – who can trace their bloodlines to the other ten tribes of Israel would have to be included in this number, for such pure bloodlines no longer exist – even among the Jews.

But, couldn’t ‘all of Israel’ just refer to the Jews and/or to those who still practice Judaism? Notice what Paul wrote at Romans 9:30-33, ‘So, what can we say? That people of the nations (although they weren’t trying to become righteous) became righteous with the [type of] righteousness that comes from faith, while Israel (who was following a righteous Law) just didn’t make it. And why was that so? Because, [Israel] didn’t look for it in faith, but in the things that they were doing. They tripped over the ‘stumbling stone. As it is written, {Look!} I’m putting a stumbling stone and a rock to trip over in Zion. But he who has faith in Him will never be shamed.’

So, the Jews (those who practice Judaism) can never be considered righteous as long as they continue to trip over the ‘stumbling stone,’ their promised Messiah, Jesus.

For more information, see the linked document, Jerusalem and the Israel of God.

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Breath

The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing disease) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bible translations, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost, as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word spiritu, which just means breath in Latin. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.

The most common use of the word pneuma in the Bible is to imply an unseen force (such as breath or wind). And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost is that many people have started believing that the unseen force that is called [God’s] Holy Breath herein, is another God-like person and part of a Divine ‘Trinity.’ This can’t be true, because the only scripture that can be used to support this theory (that is, where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Breath’ are spoken of together) is found at Matthew 28:19, which appears to be spurious (See the Note in Matthew). All other scriptures that are used to prove the Trinity theory fail to mention the Holy Breath as part of that group. And the King James wording of 1 John 5:7 (which was used for years to attempt to prove the Trinity) is also spurious (something that was added to the Bible). So, there are no actual Bible references that mention God’s Holy Breath along with the Father and the Son.

Therefore, to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is frequently translated as breath herein. However, there are exceptions, as in instances where the Bible refers to demons as ‘spirits.’ Translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing. There are also places where we have left pneuma translated as spirit, when the word implies a person's tendency (or spirit). And, since the nuance implied by the word spirit in the English language (an unseen power) is correct, we recently changed back to translating pneuma as spirit in several places, when referring to God’s Holy Spirit. However, recognize that pneuma is often best defined by calling it [God’s] Holy Breath. For an example, see the Note Worshiping God In Spirit and Truth.

Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase, ‘Breath of Life.’ This phrase appears to mean more than just breathing, for it seems to refer to the entire mechanics of life itself. It’s the unseen force of life for all creatures… it’s what makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the ‘pneuma’ as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) ‘return to God’ at death,’ because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.

Note in particular how the term Breath is used at Job 27:3, where Job spoke of God’s Breath or Spirit. For there he asked, ‘Does the Breath of the Divine One remain in my nose?’ As you can see from his application of this word, pneuma obviously referred to God’s Breath, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and which caused him (Job) to breathe… the Breath of Life.

It is interesting that at Genesis 6:3 God says, ‘I won’t allow My Breath to stay with these men through the age, for they are fleshly.’ In Greek that reads, ‘Ou me katameine to pneuma mou en tois anthropois toutoiseis ton aiona, dia ai einai autous sarka,’ or, ‘Not not should stay the Breath Mine with these men the age through, their being flesh.’

While the words Breath Mine (pneuma mou) here can refer to God’s Holy Breath, it seems more likely that He is referring to the breath of life that He gave to Adam. So it appears as though; what God was saying here is that the breath of life (of the people of that age) would be removed prematurely. However, since God referred to it as ‘My Breath,’ there may be a link implied between God’s Holy Breath and the breath of life.
For more information, see the linked document, ‘The Powers of God’s Holy Spirit.’

However, when Jesus died (as the words recorded at John 19:30 say), ‘he hung his head and gave up the breath’ (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath). In this case, the obvious reference is to ‘the breath of life,’ or that force which gave him life as a human.

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Who are ‘The Dead?’

Revelation 20:12 speaks of the ‘dead’ ‘standing before the throne’ and ‘being judged.’ Since they are able to stand for judgment, in what sense are they dead?

Note that at Matthew 9:60, Jesus said, ‘Let the dead bury their dead.’ And at Romans 8:10, Paul speaks of the body being ‘dead’ because of sin. Then at 1 Corinthians 15:22 he explains that, ‘Because of Adam, all men are dying.’

So the conclusion we must reach, is that all men are considered as dead and dying before God, due to inherited (and their own) sins. Thus, the scriptures in the Revelation Twenty appear to be speaking of living people (who will already have been resurrected) that will stand before God and be judged either to life for the ages, or to the permanent destruction of the ‘lake of fire.’

However, from the promises of Jesus, it does appear that people can be considered no longer dead even before the resurrection. For, notice what is recorded that he said at John 5:24, ‘I tell you the truth; He who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me, will have ages of life… he won’t come into the judgment, for he has crossed over out of the death and into the life!’

And John wrote again at 1 John 3:14 ‘Because we love our brothers, we know that we’ve crossed over from death to life. However, those who don’t love stay dead.’

So, it appears as though a person is considered no longer considered to be ‘dead’ when his/her name is written in ‘the book of life.’ This doesn’t mean that they won’t die, but that they are considered as ‘alive’ in God’s eyes, and they will not be counted among the dead who are raised in the resurrection (for more information, see the linked document, The Resurrection).

This appears to be the meaning of Jesus’ words at Matthew 22:32, which say, ‘Haven’t you read what God told you about the resurrection of the dead, [when he said], I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He isn’t the God of the dead, but of the living!’

Also, this appears to be the meaning of his words as found at John 6:54-56, where he said, ‘For, if you chew my flesh and drink my blood, you will have life within yourselves, and then I’ll resurrect you on the Last Day, because my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. Those who chew on my flesh and drink my blood will stay in me and I [will stay] in them.’

And then consider Jesus’ words to the unrighteous Judeans, as found at John 8:23, 24, where he told them, ‘You come from the things below and I come out of things from above. You are from this world, but I’m not from this world. So, as I told you before; You will die in your sins… if you don’t believe that I’m [the One], you will die in your sins.’

So from those words, we must assume that the unrighteous Judeans would be considered the dead, while those who accepted him were counted among the living.

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Age, Forever, or System of Things?

Two words imply infinite states in the Bible; one is the Greek word athanasia (undying), which is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians 15:53, where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality, and at 1 Timothy 6:16, where Paul speaks of Jesus as having received it. The other Greek word is aidios, which is used at Romans 1:20 to describe God’s Power and Might as eternal, and at Jude 6 when speaking of the perpetual state of gloomy darkness that rebellious angels have been confined to.

However, the Greek word aionos (pronounced ai-on-oss), which is used throughout the Bible and is often translated as forever and everlasting, is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period, and there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age(s) or era(s).

Where the plural form of the word (aionion) is used, it refers to a long time… at least multiple generations. However, where the singular form is used (aionos), this appears to mean a much shorter period, such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the term ages of the ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to The God, we would assume that this truly means forever.

It is noteworthy that aionos is the word that is used in the Greek Septuagint in place of the Hebrew word ohlam, which is also translated as forever and time indefinite in popular versions of the Ancient Scriptures of Israel. So, this one word (aionos) is translated as forever, everlasting, eternal, system of things, time indefinite, [end of] the world, long ago, from of old, etc. Obviously, something is very wrong here, because the word can’t mean a period having a definite end in one place and infinity in another.

Take for example, the unique way that aionos is used in the question that Jesus’ Apostles asked him, which is found at Matthew 24:3: ‘Tell us; When will these things happen… what will be the signs when you are to arrive and this age will come to its conclusion?’ You can see that the word aionos obviously doesn’t mean forever, everlasting, or eternal in this case, nor did it mean world or system of things. It simply meant the age or, the time before the end would come. And for them, that meant the age when God’s Temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed, because that’s what Jesus had just told them.

The word aionos (which we have translated as age here) is also translated as world (KJ) and as system of things (NW) in other Bibles. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those words, they would have used the Greek word cosmos (world or system of things), not aionos.

The ancient Hebrews viewed everything (and rightly so) as having a beginning and an end. For that reason, you will only find three places in the Bible where words are used that imply no end, and none that imply no beginning. An interesting possible insight on the reason for this can be found at Hebrews 1:10-12, which says: ‘Long ago, O Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and your hands made the heavens. They will destroy themselves, but you will remain. They will grow old just like clothes do. Then, as [you would do to] a robe, you will wrap them up and repair them like clothes. Yes, you are the one, and your years will never expire.’

So, notice; The Bible shows that even our universe will eventually end and need to be ‘wrapped up and repaired,’ which agrees with the conclusions of modern science.

The problem with most Bible translations is that; when they encounter the word aionos in all its different tenses, they interpret it according to accepted doctrine, not according to the way that Jesus and his disciples used it. So, the common renderings forever, eternal, and everlasting are used even when the word is in its singular forms (aioni, aiona, aionos, aionion, aionian, aionios, aioniou), and this totally distorts the meaning of the text.

Take for example, the scripture at John 5:24, where Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth; He who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me, will have life in this age… he won’t have to be judged, for he has crossed over from death to life!’

Most Bibles translate Jesus as saying that those who believe in the One who sent him will have everlasting life (or the equivalent). However, the words that Jesus used there were, zoe aionos (life age – singular), not zoe aionion (life ages – plural).

Notice how Jesus explained the meaning of these words with his next statement, ‘He won’t have to be judged, for has crossed over from death to life.’

So, what Jesus was saying here, wasn’t that they would have everlasting life, but that they in their current lifetime would be considered among the living, not among the dead (see Revelation 20:12).

This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t live forever… it’s just that Jesus wasn’t really saying that. What we find (from consideration of the evidence found in the bulk of Jesus’ words about life) is that he never taught the hope of ‘life eternal,’ ‘everlasting life,’ or ‘immortality,’ in those specific words. However, the concept is still there. What he taught was that righteous people will receive ‘life in the age,’ or be considered worthy of (possibly everlasting) life by God during their current lifetimes… that their names would be written in ‘the scroll of life,’ and that they would not have to be judged, but will have already ‘crossed over from death to life,’ as Jesus said at John 5:24.

Yes, we know that this is a difficult concept to understand, but it’s what Jesus actually said.

For more information, select the linked documents, The Hereafter and Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?

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Elders

The term overseer implies a misleading nuance in American English… but it’s still the best word to use. The Greek word that overseer is translated from is epi-scopos, which literally means on-looker (not as a person who is ‘over’ anyone). So, the term doesn’t imply a higher position, but that of a caretaker.

A synonym that is used in the Bible for ‘overseer’ is ‘elder’ (presbyterios – older man). Christian elders were always males, and their job was to shepherd and teach the congregation. Another common English word for overseer is bishop.

The early Christian congregations may have been governed by bodies of elders who were appointed by the Apostles and their representatives. For, this arrangement is similar to the way the cities of Israel were governed.

The Scriptures show that such men were to meet high standards of conduct and reputation. And although Paul doesn’t mention it specifically, such individuals were expected to be able to make wise decisions and to show signs of having God’s Breath. Notice that these were the first qualifications for all Servants in the Christian Congregation, for Acts 6:3 (where the first ‘servants’ were appointed) says; ‘So, brothers, find seven qualified men among you who are filled with wisdom and the Breath [of God].’

So, should such an appointment be given to a man who isn’t known for his wisdom? If you read the Proverb you’ll repeatedly see the need to appoint just those who have proven themselves wise as judges and councilors. As Solomon wrote (at Proverbs 22:29), ‘An observant man and one sharp in his ways, will also stand beside kings. Never stand beside the dull witted.’

Were the qualifications for elder appointments that are listed at 1 Timothy 3:2-7 also to be used as the standard for removing elders? Paul gave no such instructions and there are no examples of this happening in the Bible. It appears as though the position of elder (older man, mayor, alderman, bishop, etc.) was a permanent appointment that would only be lost when the man dies, if he is found guilty of scandalous behavior, or if he should leave the primary doctrines of the faith.

Notice the list of qualifications that Paul gave Timothy to look for. The candidate must be someone who is:

· Free from accusations

· A husband of one wife

· Moderate in his habits

· Sensible (wise)

· Friendly to strangers (hospitable)

· A (qualified) teacher

· Not addicted to alcohol

· Not headstrong

· Not quarrelsome

· Not a greedy person

· One who takes the lead in his family

· Has children who obey him seriously

· Not a newly converted man

· Someone who is spoken well of by those outside the congregation.

For more information, see the linked document Arrangement of the First Christian Churches.

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Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub

It is appropriate that the heavenly name of the great Opposer and Slanderer of God is never given in the Bible. However, several terms (and one mistakenly) have been used to describe him. Here is a list of those descriptions:

· Satan: This is a Hebrew word meaning, opposer, resistor, and a smart person who does things to serve his own interests. It was applied to the Evil One, because of his opposition to God. And so, to keep from misleading people into thinking of it as a name, it is translated as ‘the Opposer’ (not Satan), herein.

· Devil: This is the only Greek word (Diabolos) used in the Bible to describe the evil one. The first part of the word, dia, means through, and bolos means throw (it’s where we get the English words ball and bowl). So, Devil means one who throws through, which amounts to slanderer in Greek, so that’s the way it’s translated herein.

· Lucifer: The name Lucifer is commonly tied to the Biblical Opposer; however, the name doesn’t appear in most versions of the Bible. It does appear once in the King James Version, at Isaiah 14:12, in which the King of Babylon is referred to as Lucifer, Son of the Morning. However, the original Hebrew words were: Helel ben Shahar – Day Star, Son of the Dawn. So, there is no direct link in the Bible between the entity known in Hebrew as Satan and the person who was referred to as Lucifer. This mistranslation was created by Augustine, when he was translating the text in Isaiah from the original Hebrew into Latin.

· BeelZebub: There are eight references in the Bible to this Hebrew noun, and it does refer to the Slanderer. However, once again, this is not a proper name. It appears to be a title. Beel (like Baal) means Lord, and Zebub appears to refer to flies (the insects). So, BeelZebub likely means Lord of Flies.

Is the Opposer (Slanderer or BeelZebub) a real person? All one has to do is look at the titles he was given above to realize that he is. To deny his existence negates the rest of the Bible. For example, when dealing with Adam’s sin, why did God adhere so closely to a law, when other options were available to Him? Why didn’t he just destroy rebellious Adam and create another man?

The fact is, He created men and His messengers with the ability to choose whether to serve Him or not, so none are automatons. And as a man failed in the Paradise of Pleasure, we can assume (and as the Scriptures support) that there were failures (and rebels) in the heavens also. This is the reason why it became necessary to have a law that clearly outlined what rebellion against God constituted, and what the consequences for violating that law would be. It was obviously for the sake of the millions of millions of heavenly spirit (breath) creatures that the issue of rebellion here on the earth had to be resolved by legal means, and in a way that demonstrated the love and loyalty of God’s first-born son, which resulted in the painful need for a ‘ransom’ (Jesus’ death).

And the idea, which some have promoted, that the Slanderer isn’t real, raises other questions. For example; While Jesus was being tempted in the desert, was he simply struggling with the bad within himself rather than against a real, evil personality? If so, we would have to conclude that there was bad in Jesus.

Also, was the battle in heaven (as spoken of at Revelation the Twelfth Chapter) just figurative and not a real war against the Opposer and his messengers? And if so, then there must be ‘evil thoughts’ in heaven, prior to that battle. And, in what sense would ‘the Opposer’ and his ‘messengers’ lose the battle and be confined to the earth? Also, why would internal evil be ‘angry’ in knowing that he just has ‘a short period of time left?’

And lastly, when the Opposer entered God’s presence and spoke to Him (Job the First Chapter), could we assume that this inherent evil was found in God? That isn’t likely.

However, there is some question as to the use of the Greek word Diabolos found at 1 Chronicles 21:1 (in the Greek Septuagint). First, since Diabolos is a Greek word and First Chronicles was written in Hebrew, we would assume that Diabolos (Slanderer) was substituted for the Hebrew word Satan (Opposer). But the text seems to imply that a slanderer (or resistor), not the Slanderer, had come to David. So, we don’t really know if the text implies that the Evil One came to him personally; if it was just an evil spirit that came over him; or if someone bad had urged David to defy God and take a census of Israel.

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Rome or Babylon?

The teaching that Peter was the first ‘Pope’ or ‘Father’ of the Christian Church, and that he ruled from (and died in) Rome, is a common but unsubstantiated religious supposition.

Notice, for example, what Paul wrote at Galatians 2:9, ‘When they came to know the care that was shown to me, James, Cephas (Peter), and John (the ones who seemed to be pillars) gave BarNabas and I their approval to go to the nations, while they would go to the circumcised.’

So, it is clear from Paul’s words that there was no earthly ‘head of the Christian congregation’ at that time. There were three ‘pillars’ – or those who seemed to be taking the lead – and they were living in Jerusalem (not Rome) at the time.

Also, notice that Peter’s responsibility was not that of being the head of the congregation, but he was spoken of by Paul as being an ‘Apostle (sent one) to the circumcised’ (the Jews), as were James and John. Then, if you read the next few verses in Galatians 2, you will see how Paul thereafter reprimanded Peter for separating himself from Gentile converts, which isn’t something that anyone would do to the ‘infallible’ head of the Christian Church.

However, Peter did travel to visit far away Christian congregations, as both Paul and the book of Acts tell us. But, as ‘the Apostle to the circumcised,’ his home was in Jerusalem and his travel was limited primarily to large Jewish settlements, such as was true of the ancient city of Babylon, which is where he wrote a letter (the book of First Peter). Notice how he ended this letter (at 1 Peter 5:13), ‘I send greetings from the woman who was also chosen along with you, and Mark (my son), from Babylon.’

Now, while the City of Babylon may not have been inhabited by the time of Peter, the city that replaced it (Seleucia) was, and the area was know to be heavily populated by Jews (those to whom Peter was an Apostle).

Also notice that this greeting comes from Peter’s wife, ‘the woman who was also chosen along with you’ (see Matthew 8:14) and from Peter’s close associate, the Gospel writer Mark.

Jesus’ words to Peter, found at Matthew 16:18, 19, don’t indicate that Peter would be the head of his ‘Church.’ For, notice exactly what he said there, ‘I also tell you this: You are Peter, but I will build my congregation on this bedrock so the gates to the grave won’t overpower it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you make binding on earth will be bound in the heavens. And whatever you set free on earth will be set free in the heavens.’

In Greek, verse 18 reads, ‘su ei Petros kai epi taute te petra oikodomeso mou ten ecclesian,’ or, ‘you are Bedrock, but on this and bedrock (I will) build my the congregation.’

Notice that Jesus didn’t say, ‘I will build my Church on you,’ he said ‘I will build my congregation on this bedrock.’ What was ‘this bedrock’ that Jesus was referring to? Was it Peter? We find a description of this congregation and its construction at Revelation 21:14, which says, ‘The city wall also had twelve foundation stones, and the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb were written on them.’ (This includes Peter.)

So, we can see that Peter was just one of the twelve foundation stones, not the primary foundation or bedrock. Rather, what Jesus appears to be saying (at Matthew 16:18) is that; as Peter’s name meant Bedrock, Jesus’ body (by his death) would serve as the bedrock or foundation of the Christian Congregation (or Church). In other words, the ‘bedrock’ that the Congregation would be built on, was the body of Jesus, not on Peter.

For, notice what Peter himself said at 1 Peter 2:4-6, ‘Approach him (Jesus) as though he were a living block of stone (who for a fact was rejected by men but was chosen as precious by God), [upon whom] you as living blocks are being built into a spiritual house, into a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God, through Jesus the Anointed. For the Scripture says, {Look!} I am laying a block that I selected in Zion, a precious primary cornerstone. Anyone who believes in it will never be ashamed.’

The sentence structure at Matthew 16:18 shows our conclusion to be true; that Jesus was simply using a play on Peter’s name when he spoke of the bedrock that he would build his congregation on. Notice the structure, ‘su ei Petros kai epi taute te petra.’

Use of the word te before petra indicates that petra was used as a parallel to Petros, or that this was a play on words. Te is not a common Bible word. It is what is referred to as an ‘enclitic particle,’ which is often translated as and, but is used to couple parallel thoughts. The Greek word that is normally translated as and, is kai. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament, ‘te is employed generally when something is subjoined which does not thus directly and necessarily follow.’ So, ‘te’ might be better translated as ‘but.’

There is certainly no indication in any other part of the Bible that Peter ever took the principal lead in governing the Congregation. In fact, when the matter of Gentile circumcision was raised before the governing body in Jerusalem, the decision was given by (Jesus’ half-brother) James, not Peter.

As to Peter’s being given ‘the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven;’ this refers to the leading role that Peter would play in identifying and explaining the outpouring of God’s Holy Breath, first on the Jews at Pentecost (see Acts 2:14-39) and then the acceptance and conversion of the first Gentiles (see Acts Chapter 10). All of this had to do with opening the opportunity to rule (first to Jews, then to Gentiles) in the ‘Kingdom of heaven.’

Where did Peter die? Well, we do know that he died violently for his faith, since that is what Jesus foretold at John 21:18, 19. But, since Peter apparently died before the Roman attack on Jerusalem (66-70 C.E.), he was likely murdered by the Jews in Jerusalem, or possibly in Babylon. There is no Bible (or authenticated historical) record of his ever traveling to or being killed in Rome.

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Amen

Amen is a Hebrew word that was never really translated into English; it was just Anglicized. In Greek it is pronounced, ah-main. The reason why it was never translated is that ancient scholars were afraid to change this supposed ‘magical’ word that ensures God will listen to the prayer. However, there is no record in the Bible of anyone ending prayers with amen, although it was likely said. And the fact that others who were present said amen at the end of prayers to show that they agree, is indicated by Paul’s words at 1 Corinthians 14:6.

In addition, amen isn’t said in the Bible just at the end of a prayer. Paul used the word frequently in his writings to affirm that what he was writing was, or would be, true. And that’s the literal meaning of amen as it is rendered here, ‘may it be.’

So, should Christians end their prayers with the word amen, or with the phrase, may it be? It really makes no difference. In fact, neither really has to be said for God to hear the prayer, or for Him to understand that it is concluded.

The problem with saying amen is that most people really don’t know what it means today. They think of it as just a word that you end prayers with. However, saying amen (or may it be) at the conclusion of a prayer indicates that the one praying assumes the things that were asked are as good as done… and he or she should also believe that.

In several places, we have left the word amen unchanged, for example, at Revelation 3:14, where Jesus was referred to symbolically as ‘the Amen,’ or, the ‘he who causes things to be.’

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Undeserved Kindness or Caring?

The Greek word caris is where we derive the English words care and caring. Old English Bible translations have rendered caris as grace. But the nuance that grace implies (smooth and flowing) totally distorts the meaning of this term in contemporary American English.

Most Bible dictionaries prefer to see caris translated as undeserved kindness. However, this phrase, which may or may not make some minor technical difference in the meaning, adds wordiness, which distracts from the ease of reading. So you will find it translated as care, loving care, caring, or kindness herein, depending on the setting.

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Called and Chosen

There seems to be quite a bit of difference between the Bible’s use of the words, called, and chosen, and their implications for the people involved. For, notice what Jesus said (as recorded at Matthew 22:14): ‘Many are the called but few are the chosen (gr. polloi eisin gar cletoi, oligoi de eclectoi).’ And this verse could be possibly even be translated as ‘Many are the nominated but few are the elected.’

These words of Jesus seem to put an end to the notion that everyone who is called by God was foreordained to a favored position before his/her specific birth. Rather, what is implied in this parable, is that there would be people in general (not specific individuals) who would be chosen from among a larger number of those who are ‘called.’ Because, as Jesus makes clear here, not all who are among the called (or the nominated) to this hope are thereafter counted among the chosen (elected). For, why would God call people if He already knew that there was no chance of their being chosen?

Notice how this was stated at Revelation 17:14; for there we are told: ‘Then they will go and fight against the Lamb. But, because he’s the Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb and those who are with him (the called, elected, and faithful) will conquer them.’

So, ‘the called’ also have prove faithful in order to become ‘the elected’ who will serve with Jesus.

Yes, that was the point of Jesus’ parable at Matthew 22:1-14, which (as Jesus said) was an illustration concerning ‘the Kingdom of Heaven.’ In that parable, many were initially ‘called’ to the banquet of the King, but they didn’t want to come. The obvious reference here is to the Jews who were invited first to become kings in that Kingdom, but who, for the most part, rejected the invitation.

The king then ordered his slaves to go out into the streets and ‘call’ anyone who wishes to come to the banquet. These words obviously refer to the calling of people of the nations, or the gentiles (gr. tas ethne – the ethnics).

So, is this parable talking about being called to heaven to rule there with Jesus… for isn’t the wedding banquet for God’s son to be held in heaven, and aren’t those who are invited to God’s banquet the bride who will be with Jesus in heaven? We have always thought so, but notice that the guests in this parable aren’t referred to as virgins (as was the case of those mentioned in Revelation 14:1-4). Rather, they are called ‘both the wicked and the good,’ which is a strange way to refer to the ‘Saints.’

Next, as the parable continues, the king noticed a guest who wasn’t properly dressed for a wedding feast (he didn’t have the required qualities). This guest was then bound and thrown back outside (but not killed). So, as you can see, he was called but not chosen. Now, if we were to assume that this banquet is held in heaven… since the man was already there at the feast, we must ask: Was he then kicked out of heaven… and if so, we would also have to ask, Then, why was he taken there to begin with?

Now, we do suspect that there are those who are taken to heaven to rule with Jesus, but if so, they are likely the bride at the wedding feast, not the guests (see Revelation 17:7-9). For, notice what Paul said of himself at Philippians 3:11, ‘… so I can somehow be found worthy of an out-resurrection from the dead’

What was Paul talking about here? It appears as though; when speaking of ‘the out resurrection,’ he was saying that although he had been ‘called,’ he may not have been ‘chosen’ yet for heavenly life. That this is what he was likely talking about, can be seen from what he said at Philippians 3:12, ‘[I’m not saying] that I’ve made it yet, or that I’m already perfect.’ Then he continued with the words (at Philippians 3:14), ‘I’m running toward the goal, the prize of the higher (gr. ano – upward or higher) calling from God, through the Anointed Jesus.’

So, notice that the Bible speaks both of a ‘calling’ and of an ‘upward calling,’ which we assume refers to being called to heaven. And how would Paul know that he had been ‘chosen’ for this lofty reward? It appears as though such a person must first endure incredible suffering for his/her beliefs (as did Jesus), for notice what Paul wrote at Romans 8:17, ‘We have to suffer together so we can also be glorified together.’

Such suffering must be much more than what is typical of the suffering and death of mankind. Does this ‘suffering’ require a dying a martyr’s death? That seems to be the gist of the prophecy at Revelation 6:9-11, which says, ‘When he opened the fifth seal, I saw the lives of those who had been slaughtered because of the Word of God and because of the testimony that they gave, underneath the altar… Then they were each given a white robe and they were told to take it easy just a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow slaves and brothers was filled (who were going to be killed, as they were).’

But, in the case of Jesus’ words found Matthew 22:14 (‘Many are called but few are chosen’), we would have to conclude that God calls many people from among mankind to become His faithful slaves and to thereafter attend the wedding banquet of the Lamb (whether in heaven or earth is not stated), but not all who are called are found worthy.

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Soul or?

The Greek word psyche (as in psychology) has been translated many ways, including soul, life, etc. However, psyche actually means something that breathes. It is used in the Bible to describe both breathing animals and breathing humans. So by definition, a soul cannot leave the body, because a soul is what the living body (whether human or animal) is (see Genesis 2:7).

In ancient Greece, philosophers eventually added another meaning to psyche: The inner person (as opposed to the person that others see and come to know). And with time, the pagan religion of Greece started to teach that this inner person is its own entity and can never die (is immortal). Over the centuries, this pagan Greek doctrine thereafter crept into the Christian religions. Please see the link Soul for more history of the word.

However, such Greek philosophical thought never influenced Jesus and his Apostles. So, they consistently used psyche to indicate a living person or animal. Therefore, the later teaching that the soul is immortal stands in direct conflict with Jesus’ promise of a resurrection, because, if a person is immortal (can never die) he/she can never be resurrected (brought back to life).

In addition, the teaching of the immortality of the human soul is totally without support from the Bible. For the word immortal(ity) (Gr: athanasia or undying) is only mentioned in the Bible in two places, and it isn’t used with or applied to the word soul in either case. Both of these scriptures show that immortality is only given by God as a reward for righteousness. And as Ezekiel 18:4 says, ‘The person (gr. psyche or ‘soul’) that is sinning will die (gr. apothaneitai).’

Of course, there are places in the Bible where the word soul means more than just a living, fleshly body. For example, God is recorded to have spoken of ‘My Soul’ in several places. Obviously, God is much more than just a ‘soul’ as most people think of that term, and He surely wasn’t talking about His having a human body. So we must conclude that what He was referring to is His life.

Then there are Jesus’ words found at Matthew 10:28, which read, ‘Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the person (psyche or soul). Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both the person (soul) and the body in the garbage dump.’ Here, Jesus is using the word psyche (soul) to refer to the value of life that remains with God until the resurrection. And he obviously isn’t referring the soul as immortal in this instance, because he says God will destroy (gr. apolesai) the [unrighteous] soul or person.

Unfortunately, no single word can be used to translate psyche in every possible Bible application, so various terms are used herein, depending on the circumstances, but always in an attempt to harmonize with the meaning.

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How Are We Saved?

Although the term ‘getting saved’ is used throughout the Bible, we gain a real sense of the meaning of this term from Acts 16:29, which tells of a jailer who was unfamiliar with Christianity and its terms, when he asked Paul and Silas, ‘Lords, what must I to do to get saved?’ That’s when Paul and Silas told him, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your household will be saved.’

However, was simple ‘belief in Jesus’ all that was required for salvation? In this case, there was a lot more that he needed to understand, because, as a virtual pagan (Roman or Greek), there was a world of things for him to learn about monotheism, Christian conduct, the resurrection, and of God’s Kingdom. So, much more than just belief in Jesus was required for salvation. This is why the account continues with the words, ‘Then they told him and all those in his house about the Word of God.’

Unfortunately, many people profess to believe in Jesus today, but they don’t understand Christian living – Jesus’ instructions on morality and love, for example – so, notice what Jesus himself said at Matthew 7:22, 23, ‘In that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and perform many great works in your name? Then I’ll admit to them: I never knew you! Get away from me you lawbreakers.’

So, more than simple belief is required. For, to keep from being a ‘lawbreaker’ and in order to be ‘known’ by Jesus, a person must believe in him and everything that he taught, including his instructions on how to live a life as one of his followers.

And who will actually be saved? Jesus answered this question himself when he said what was recorded at Matthew 24:13, ‘But he who endures to the end will be saved.’

So from the above, we must conclude that; while belief in Jesus is required for salvation, knowledge of how to live a Christian life is also required. And to continue in this saved condition, one must maintain a clean relationship with God until ‘the end.’ That is, until the end of their lives, or until the coming of Jesus.

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Messengers of God

Most Bible translations render the Greek word aggelos (pronounced ahn-gel-ose – with a hard g) as angel wherever it is found. However, aggelos is just the Greek word for messenger. True, in most cases where the Bible speaks of angels, it is referring to spirit messengers from God. However, this may not be the meaning in every instance, and always translating it as angel may distort what was said in certain instances.

For example, consider the words at Acts 12:15, where Peter had just been released from prison and had appeared at the door of some faithful Christians. In Greek, the latter part of this verse reads, ‘oi de elegon Ho aggelos estin autou’ and is often translated as, ‘They began to say, It is his angel.’

This rendering doesn’t sound reasonable, for it would have been unusual for Christians to assume that an angel from God (who looked like Peter) was standing and knocking at their door. Rather, the rendering we have used herein makes more sense, ‘So they said, It’s his messenger.’

Another good example of why aggelos shouldn’t always be translated as angel can be found at Genesis 32:3, which reads in Greek, ‘Apasteile de Iakob aggelous emprosthen autou pros Hesau ton adelphon autou’ or, ‘Sent of Jacob angels ahead of him toward Esau the brother of him.’ Here Jacob was obviously sending human messengers to his brother, not heavenly ones (angels).

And consider the words at Numbers 20:14, where we read that Moses sent messengers (gr. aggelous – messengers, plural) from Cades to the king of Edom.’ Then in verse 16, it says that ‘Jehovah … heard our voice and sent His messenger (gr. aggelon – messenger, singular) who brought us out of Egypt.’

Obviously, although the same word (with only conjugated variations) is used to speak of two different types of messengers here… those who are human and those who were sent from heaven by God. As the result, most Bibles translate the first instance as messengers, but the second as angel. We have not chosen to make this distinction, and we have rendered the word as messenger or messengers in each instance, because this proper translation of the word provides readers a better look at what position these heavenly sons of God held. For, angel isn’t a heavenly rank, it’s a duty.

Also, consider the words of Haggai 1:13, where we read: ‘Then the Messenger (or angel) of Jehovah, Haggai, one of the messengers (or angels) of Jehovah, said to the people: Jehovah says, I am with you!’

Yet, Haggai was just a man, not a spirit.

Translating aggelos as messenger (when it truly means an ‘angel’) helps to provide readers a better, deeper understanding of the actual role that such spiritual sons of God play in His dealings with mankind. And it helps us to understand why the Bible never speaks of female or baby angels.

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The Ransom

Throughout the Bible, we read of ‘the ransom’ (gr. lytron) that Jesus paid. Exactly what does this term refer to?

At Matthew 20:28, Jesus said, ‘This is how the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve and to give his living body as a ransom for many.’

Romans 5:12, 14 says, ‘Sin entered this world through one man and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men because everyone has sinned. However, death reigned from [the time of] Adam down to Moses, even over those who didn’t sin in the same way that Adam did. And [Adam] was a prototype of the one who would come.

1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 says, ‘Since death came through a man, resurrection from the dead also comes through a man. And as all are dying because of Adam, all will be made alive in the Anointed One.’

So from the above, we must conclude that Adam lost the hope of ‘life’ for himself and all his descendants, because of his sin in Eden. However, Jesus came and paid the ‘ransom price’ to God, to redeem us from the sin of Adam, so that we could once again have the hope of ‘life in the age’ and a resurrection of the living.

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Cosmos or World?

In Jesus’ discussion about the sheep and goats found at Matthew 25:34, he said, ‘Then the king will tell those on his right, Come, you who’ve been praised by my Father, inherit the Kingdom that’s been prepared for you from the founding of the world.’

In Greek, the words we have translated as founding of the world are katabole cosmou, or down-throw arrangement. You may recognize that the English word cosmos is a derivative of cosmou. And cosmos (which we pronounce as cas-mose, but the Greeks pronounces as caus-moss) is the word that modern peoples usually use when referring to the universe today (thank you Mr. Sagan). So, why have we translated it as world, and what is meant by the term, founding of the world?

Actually, cosmos is used many times in the Bible and in many different ways. For example, when Paul urged Christian women to dress modestly, he used the word cosmos to describe well-arranged clothing; and arrangement is probably the closest English equivalent of the word. So, it isn’t always translated as world in any Bible.

And although it has been said that the word world doesn’t appear at all in the Hebrew texts of the Ancient Scriptures of Israel (Old Testament), it really does appear there several times in the Greek Septuagint. And the reason why they say that world doesn’t appear there, is because the equivalent Hebrew word is translated (in different Bibles and in different places) as arrangement, ornamentation, honor, delight, universe, earth, army, etc.

Yet, in the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), where cosmos appears several times, it is usually translated as world… such as the world of Noah, the light of the world, the field is the world, etc. So, the term doesn’t seem to apply to the earth, but rather to the arrangement of human society on the earth.

Actually, two different Greek words are often translated as world in the Septuagint, cosmos and oichonomeo; and oichonomeo does appear to refer to the earth, because it means the habitation, or, the place where [man] dwells. So the Septuagint (OT) clearly delineates these two words (that are both commonly translated as world).

But notice how the word cosmos was used by Paul at Romans 5:12, ‘Sin entered the world (cosmos) through one man, and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men and everyone has sinned.’

Thus, it seems likely that the arrangement we call ‘the world’ started around the time of Adam’s sin in Paradise, when man created for himself and all life on earth a new arrangement or set of circumstances (which was something other than what God had planned). We have come to this conclusion based on the many scriptures that refer to the world in a negative context, and the fact that it (the current set of negative circumstances) will soon be done away with.

Yet, the Scriptures also indicate that the present world (arrangement) began after the Downpour of Noah’s day, and Noah inherited the world prior to that time. For, notice what we are told at Hebrews 11:7 ‘Because of his faith, Noah (after being given a divine warning of things he hadn’t seen yet) trusted in God and built a large chest to save his family. And due to this righteous faith, he condemned the world and became its heir.’

Also notice what was said at 2 Peter 2:4, 5, ‘Why, God didn’t spare the messengers who sinned, but by threw them into the dark pits of Tartarus, where they are awaiting His justice. And He didn’t spare the first world. Yet, He guarded Noah (who was a preacher of righteousness) along with seven others, when He brought a downpour on a world of godless people.’

So, apparently there have been two different worlds or arrangements; the one that Noah inherited that started before the Downpour, and the second one that we are now living in, and which the righteous will inherit at its destruction. For, we read at 1 John 2:17, ‘And the world with all its desires is passing away, but the one who does what God wants remains through the age.’ And Romans 4:13 says, ‘Abraham and his seed weren’t given the promise of inheriting the world because of the Law, but because of his righteousness, which came from his faith!’

Thus (from the above), we have concluded that: What Jesus said about the Kingdom having been prepared for the sheep since the founding of the world, must mean that the Kingdom was God’s plan for the righteous since at least the time of the Downpour, and possibly since the time of Adam’s sin in Paradise.

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