Chapter 1

¹ Peter, an Apostle of Jesus the Anointed One, to the elected ones among the scattered (Jews) 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 arrangement 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 (He who raised him from the dead and glorified him), so that your faith and hope will be in God.

²² 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 are age-long.' 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 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's 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 cry out. But He 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; should anyone ever accuse you, he who speaks out against you will be shamed by your fine conduct. ¹⁷ 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 system of things 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 6:1-4 speaks of them as 'sons of God' (or 'angels'), and it tells of their coming to earth and marrying 'the daughters of men' (see the above link and the linked Notes in the scripture). 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 as though 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 live in association with 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. 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' (Jesus). 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), 'Now it has come to pass; the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the empowerment of His Anointed One!'

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 empowerment for Jesus (the Lord) to begin his 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,' the Battle of Armageddon, tossing the Opposer and his messengers into the abyss, 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 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, and this is followed by the destruction of the worldly armies (see Joel Chapter Three). Then, in between these two events, we read of the marvelous outpouring of God's Breath upon His faithful servants (Joel 2:28-32).

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Ark or Chest?

What is an ark? Why, everyone has heard of Noah's ark, haven't they? But, just what is an ark? Ark is an ancient English word, the meaning of which has mostly been 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 usually 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 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.

We also find the word kiboton used to describe the sacred box known as 'the Ark of the Covenant' (gr. kiboton marturion – chest/of Testimony), but which we have more accurately translated as 'Chest of Proofs,' since that sacred Chest held such proofs of God's miracles as the manna, the flowering rod of Aaron, and the tablets of the Ten Commandments.

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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 Jesus' last 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 (anointing) 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 whom God chose to be kings or priests 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. For more information, see the linked document, False Anointed and False Prophets.

Another example of the poor use of the title Christ (implying Jesus) by Bible translators can be found at 1 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 the Christ (or the Anointed One) was in them.

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Minister or Servant?

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

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 in the congregations. However, elders were also just servants – that is, servants with a small 's.' For, following Jesus' instructions found at Matthew 23:8-11, all Christians were to be considered as equals; so the taking of titles and the assigning of leaders was contrary to the instructions of Jesus. For, notice what Jesus actually said there: 'But not you! Don't [have people] call you rabbi, for you have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. So, don't address anyone on earth as Father, because there's just One who is your Father, the Heavenly One. Nor should you be called leaders, for you have but one Leader, the Anointed One. However, the greatest among you must be your servant. For, whoever promotes himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be promoted.'

The Scriptures also show that these servants in the congregation were then responsible 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 who served in the Christian Congregation, since the first requirements to be considered as congregational servants (found at Acts 6:3) were: 'males (gr. andras) … 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

Chapter 22 of Revelation gives us a vision of a glorious Holy City that is built on a foundation of the 'twelve Apostles of the Lamb.' Notice the description as 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, and 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.'

So notice first, that New JeruSalem appears to be linked to the Lamb's bride or wife. And this is the reason why we suspect that this 'woman' pictures those humans who are chosen to be a part of God's arrangement to govern the earth from this 'New JeruSalem' that comes down from heaven (or out of the sky) at the end of the thousand years.

Also notice that those who seem to be the rulers within that sacred city have 'become one' with Jesus as 'the bride of the Lamb.' These could possibly be the same ones who were described at Revelation 14:3 as, 'the hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth.' And if so, Revelation 7:4, 5 tells us that these ones are chosen from among (gr. ek) the (symbolic) 'twelve tribes of IsraEl.' Therefore, they could be said to make up a 'city,' which is to be the seat of government for the earth.

Notice how Revelation 21:2, 3 describes that city: 'I also saw the Holy City,New JeruSalem, stepping down out of the sky 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.'

So, here we find a link between the Holy City and 'the Tent of God.' However, does this mean that the city itself is God's Tent? Well, first recognize that the original Tent of God itself wasn't located within JeruSalem's walls on Mount Zion, but on nearby Mount MoriAh… and it was there just during the later portion of David's reign and the beginning of Solomon's reign. However, after it had been replaced by the Temple (often referred to in Greek as the oikos – permanent dwelling or house), that Temple was thereafter located within the City walls. So, the city and the Tent are not the same thing.

Also recognize that the Greek word skene (translated here as Tent) refers to a temporary dwelling. So, as in ancient IsraEl, it doesn't appear as though God intends to come down and live among mankind. Rather, this seems to indicate that He will be present on occasions within His Tent, as He was in the first Tent of God.

Notice that we are told at Revelation 21:22, 'I didn't see a Divine Habitation (naos) within [the city], because Jehovah God the Almighty and the Lamb are its Holy Place.' So, it appears as though God (Jehovah) and Jesus will continue to live in the naos (heavenly dwelling of the Gods), but their glory will be the light of the earth.

This conclusion seems to be in line with the words of the Old Law concerning the High Priest (typical of Jesus), for we are told at Leviticus 21:10-12: 'And the Priest who is the chief one among his brothers … may not leave the Holy Place and he must not make the Holy Place of his God unclean, because he wears God's holy anointing oil. I am Jehovah.'

However, as in ancient JeruSalem, the under-Priests will apparently be allowed to come and go, after they leave their Priestly garments inside the Holy Place, for we read at EzekiEl 44:19, 'And when they enter the People's outer courtyard, they must remove the clothes that they served in, and leave them inside the Holy's inner chambers… for then they must wear other clothes. There's no way that they can make people holy while they're wearing their own clothes.'

Yet, it doesn't appear as though these Holy Ones will become humans once again, because we are told at EzekiEl 42:14, 'No one can enter (the Holy Place) except for the Priests, and they cannot leave the Holy Place, to go to the outer courtyard, so these who are leading will always be holy. Nor may anyone touch the garments they wear, for they are also most holy. So, when touching the people they must wear other clothes.'

But, this same prophecy does also tell us at EzekiEl 45:7, 'And a portion of [the sacred land] must be set aside as a [home for the Chief Priest]. [It runs] to the Holy Place of first-fruits, and it'll be his possession in the city, there before the Holy Place of first-fruits, and in front of the portions of the city, that run from the east to the west.' So, this does seem to indicate that there will be some sort of permanent presence of Jesus within that city.

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 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 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.

Also, notice how Paul addressed the non-Jews in the Congregation at Corinth, Greece (1 Corinthians 12:2): 'You know that when you were people of the nations, you were led to be followers of dumb idols.' As you can see, he clearly viewed 'gentile' Christians as Spiritual Jews.

Paul also wrote (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.'

And again, Paul wrote (at Romans 9:30-33): 'So, we can 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 (which 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.

In the Bible, the most common use of the word pneuma is to convey the idea of a force that can't be seen, such as breath or wind. And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost, is that those words have been given religious meanings that aren't implied by the Greek texts.

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 said concerning the wicked people on earth before the Downpour: '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 Revelation Twenty appear to be speaking of people who are no longer physically dead (for they will have already been resurrected), that will stand before God and be judged either to age-long life, or to the permanent destruction of the 'lake of fire.'

However, from the promises of Jesus, it does appear as though 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 age-long 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 no longer considered to be 'dead' by God, 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.'

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Age, Eternal, Perpetual, Everlasting, Immortal, or Forever?

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 alone as having 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, which is used throughout the Bible in various conjugated forms and is often translated as eternal and forever, 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 or era.

Where the singular form (aionos) is used, this appears to mean a period such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the plural form of the word (aiōnōn) is used, it refers to a longer time… at least multiple generations. Also, 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?' Notice that aionos is also translated as world here in many Bibles, such as the KJ, and as system of things in other Bibles, such as the NWT. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those things, they would have used the Greek word cosmos (world or arrangement), not aionos.

You can see that 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 in JeruSalem would be destroyed, because that's what Jesus was explaining to them.

Yet, there are instances when some forms of the word could imply forever, such as when we find it in the form aiōniŏn. This is an adjective in the singular case, which, when combined with the Greek word zoe (in its various forms) is usually translated in other Bibles as everlasting life. However, that isn't a totally-accurate description.

In the past, we had tried to reconcile the words zoe aiōniŏn as meaning, life in the age. However, the word age in this instance would not be an adjective, so we have recently chosen, in most cases where we find this word combination, to translate them more accurately as age-long life, which we will agree could mean everlasting life.

For more information, see the linked Scriptural Commentary, 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). Therefore, Christian elders appear to have always been males, and their job was to shepherd and teach the congregation. Another common English word for overseer is bishop, a corruption of the Greek episcopos.

The early Christian congregations may have had many older men who took the lead, taught, and watched over the flock. And the Scriptures show that to be considered as such, such men were to meet high standards of conduct and reputation. And although Paul doesn'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 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].'

Then, should such an appointment be given to any 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. For, Solomon wrote (at Proverbs 22:29), 'An observant man who is sharp in his ways, will also stand beside kings… he won't 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:

· Has not been charged [with misconduct] (gr. anepilepton)

· Is a one-woman man (gr. mias one gynaikos woman aner man)

· Is moderate in his habits

· Is sensible (wise)

· Is friendly to strangers (hospitable)

· Is a (qualified) teacher

· Is not a drunk

· Isn't headstrong

· Isn't quarrelsome

· Isn't a greedy person

· Is someone who takes the lead in his family

· Has children who obey him seriously

· Isn't a newly converted man

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

And most of all, they should follow the course set out by Peter, who wrote at 1 Peter 5:1-4, '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) 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! Don't [set yourselves up as] rulers over those who have been entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. Then, when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will walk away with the enduring crown of glory!'

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 wily person who does things just 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 Satan as a name, it is translated as 'the Opposer' 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 being a slanderer (using the Greek colloquialism), so that's the way it's translated herein.

· Lucifer: Lucifer is commonly thought of as another name for the Biblical Opposer. However, this word doesn't appear as a name in most translations 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 or, Day/star, son/of the/dawn. So, there is no direct link in the Bible between the entity known in Hebrew as Satan to Lucifer. Changing the description day star son of the dawn into a name (Lucifer) was done 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 spirit sons (messengers or angels 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).

The idea (which some religions have promoted) that the Slanderer isn't real, but only a state of mind, creates some conundrums. For example:

· When 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.

· Is the battle in heaven that is spoken of at Revelation the Twelfth Chapter to be just figurative, and not a real war against the Opposer and his messengers? If so, then in what sense would 'the Opposer' and his 'messengers' lose the battle and be confined to the earth? Also, why would this entity, if just 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 (as spoken of in 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), where 'a slanderer' had urged King David to take a census of Israel. 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) when the Bible was first translated into Greek. But the text seems to imply that a slanderer, 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 or to him, or if some bad human 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 – 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 shamed.'

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 on which he would build his congregation). 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. Notice that the Greek word which is normally translated as and, is kai; but according to The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament, 'te is employed generally when something is subjoined, and 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 by 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 upon 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 14:16.

In addition, amen isn't said in the Bible just at the end of prayers. 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.'

Then, 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 called but few are chosen (gr. polloi eisin gar cletoi, oligoi de eclectoi).' And this verse could be possibly even be translated as 'Many are nominated but few are 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.'

Also, notice that in the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 65:23, the elected are spoken of as fathering children, for there it says: 'My elected won't labor for nothing, nor will they produce children for a curse; for their seed and all their descendants, will then be a blessing from God.'

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, then we would also have to ask, 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 19:7-9). 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 common 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 for 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 Wikipedia definition 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 or His person.

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, 30, which tells of a Greek jailer (someone who was unfamiliar with Christianity and its terms) who asked Paul and Silas, 'Lords, what must I to do to get saved?' And they replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your household will be saved.'

The question that naturally come to mind here is, what the jailer thought that he and his family were going to be saved from. For, going back to the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (O.T.), the only mention of salvation appears to have been in connection with being saved through the destruction of IsraEl or Jerusalem. However, this man and his family didn't live anywhere near Jerusalem, so they weren't in danger of being destroyed when that city was conquered by the Romans in 70-C.E. Therefore, it doesn't seem likely that he was talking about a physical salvation from a coming destruction.

Among modern Christians, however, the term 'salvation' has come to mean 'being saved from damnation.' And something like that must have been what the man was referring to, since there was no indication that he and his family were in immanent danger from another source. Yet, the question and the answer he was given are still a bit philosophical, since we really don't know what was going through the man's mind when he asked it.

However, is simple 'belief in Jesus' all that is required for 'salvation from damnation?' In this case, there was a lot more that the jailer needed to understand, because, as a virtual pagan, 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 would actually have been required for them to be saved. 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 who call themselves Christians today are actually in the the same condition as that jailer, before Paul and Silas 'told him and all those in his house about the Word of God.' For, many still 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!'

Therefore, it appears as though 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 in everything that he taught, including understanding 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, in order for that jailer and his family to continue in a 'saved' condition, they had to follow a faithful course to the end of their lives.

Thus, 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 meant.

For example, consider the words at Acts 12:15, where Peter had just been released from prison and came to the door of some faithful Christians. Here the housemaid told the people inside that Peter was outside. And according to many other Bibles, they thought that it was 'his angel' at the door. However, 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, the same word (with only conjugated variations) is used there to speak of two different types of messengers… those who were human and the one who was sent from heaven by God. And in this case, most Bibles translate the first instance as messengers, but the second as angel. We have not chosen to make this distinction, however, for the readers should be able to discern from the context which ones are human and which ones are spirit by themselves. And when there is some question, each person should keep an open mind.

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. So, there may be other cases in the Bible where some translations have presumptuously written angel, when the one that God sent was a human messenger!

Also consider that; Translating aggelos as messenger when it is truly speaking of a spirit from God, helps to provide readers a better, deeper understanding of the actual role that such sons of God play in His dealings with mankind… and that the term angel isn't a type of creature or a heavenly rank (as most think), but an assignment that may even be temporary. It also helps us to understand why the Bible never speaks of female or baby angels (because dead men, dead women, and dead babies don't become angels, since heavenly spirits are direct creations by God).

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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.'

Therefore, from the above, we must conclude that Adam lost the hope of 'life' for himself and for all his descendants through 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 'age-long life' 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 arrangement.'

In Greek, the words we have translated as founding of the arrangement are katabole kosmou. You may recognize that the English word cosmos is a derivative of kosmou. And cosmos is the word that modern peoples usually use when referring to the universe today. So, why have we translated it as arrangement, and what is meant by the term, founding of the arrangement?

Actually, the closest English meaning of Greek word kosmos is arrangement. For example, when Paul urged Christian women to dress modestly, he used the word kosmos to describe well-arranged clothing. However, in other Bibles kosmos is usually translated as world.

Although it has been said that the word world doesn't appear at all in the Hebrew texts of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT), the word kosmos does appear there several times in the Greek Septuagint. The reason why some say that world (or kosmos) doesn't appear there, is because the equivalent Hebrew word (te·vel) is often 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 kosmos appears several times, it is usually translated as world… as in the world of Noah, the light of the world, the field is the world, etc. However, there are some fifteen definitions given to the word world in English dictionaries, and most don't carry the same meaning as the Greek word. So, world is a poor choice when translating kosmos. For example: kosmos never seems to apply to the earth (which is how we often think of it). Rather, it often applies to the arrangement or situation of human society… system of things might be a better word choice.

Actually, two different Greek words are often translated as world in the Septuagint, kosmos and oichonomeo; and oichonomeo does appear to refer to the earth, because it means the habitation, or, the place where [man] dwells. So the Greek text clearly delineates the two meanings, which are both commonly translated as world in other Bibles.

Notice how the word kosmos was used by Paul at Romans 5:12, 'Sin entered the arrangement (kosmos) 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 for 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 (or kosmos) in a negative context, and that it (the current set of negative circumstances) will soon be done away with.

Yet, the Scriptures also indicate that the present worldly arrangement or system of things began after the Downpour of Noah's day, and that Noah had inherited the arrangement 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 arrangement (or 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 arrangement. Yet, He guarded Noah (who was a preacher of righteousness) along with seven others, when He brought a downpour on a system (kosmos or world) of godless people.'

So, apparently there have been at least two different worlds or arrangements; the one that Noah inherited and which started before the Downpour, followed by the second arrangement or system of things that we are now living in, which will also be destroyed. For, we read at 1 John 2:17, 'The system (kosmos) with all its desires is passing away, but he who does God's Will lives for the age.' And Romans 4:13 says, 'AbraHam and his seed weren't given the promise of inheriting the arrangement because of the Law, but because of his righteousness, which came from his faith!'

Thus (from the above), we may conclude that: What Jesus said about the Kingdom having been prepared for the sheep since the founding of the arrangement could 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.

However, the words of Revelation 13:8 could indicated that a third world began with the death of Jesus. For, there it says concerning him: 'he who had been slaughtered from the founding of the arrangement' (gr. esphagmenou apo kataboles kosmou or, who/was/slaughtered from foundation – or down-throw – cosmos). Therefore, we could be living in an entirely new world, arrangement, or system of things since the time of Jesus' death. And if so, then what Jesus may have been foretelling at Matthew 25:34, is that people would start being selected as 'Kingdom inheritors' after his death, or after the latest 'founding (or down-throwing) of the world.'

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