Luke 6:31-36

Luke 6:31-36

Quote:

As you want other people to deal with you, you must also deal with them in the same manner: for, if you love those who love you, what grace do you receive in return: for, even sinners love those who love them.  If you only do good to those who do good to you, what grace do you receive in return: for, even sinners do this same thing.  If you only lend to those of whom you expect repayment, what grace do you receive in return: for, even sinners lend to sinners, hoping for repayment of the debt.

But you must love your enemies, do good, lend, hoping for no repayment[1]; then your reward shall be great, you shall also be the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

You must therefore be merciful, just as your Father is merciful as well.

Unquote.

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Today’s lesson from Luke sounds a great deal like Matthew.  Matthew prefers the word forgive; yet, that which must be forgiven is clearly debt.[2]  Trespasses is not the right idea either; rather side-falls: and which of us has not fallen aside into one ditch or the other?  Of course, debts can be more than money: but we must not forgive all else, while holding our brothers and sisters in slavery to money, as is the common modern practice.

We live in a society where the highest aim is justice.  We must make others accountable for their actions.  This, unless it leads to forgiveness and mercy, is pure, raw, evil.  Accountability and justice are worthless, wicked goals in their own right: for only God can wield loving accountability and justice.

We must become a completely different kind of people, a God-like people if we expect to get to heaven.

The Church must put away all her bitter divisions, to become again the bride she once was at the beginning: pure, forgiving, merciful.  The Church must do again her first works.

As it stands today, many are doing their utmost to turn this once beautiful bride into an ugly slut.  May God have mercy on our souls: for we don’t even realize what we are doing.[3]

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[1] Which is to say, make it a gift; don’t lend it at all.  The old adage still applies, “Neither borrower, nor lender be.”

https://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/neither-borrower-nor-lender

[2] Matthew 6:12, 14-15; 18:23-35

[3] Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60

[4] If you have been blessed or helped by any of these meditations, please repost, share, or use any of them as you wish.  No rights are reserved.  They are designed and intended for your free participation.  They were freely received, and are freely given.  No other permission is required for their use.

The Church, Introduction

Introduction

This introduction has already begun with the previous article, “Forgiveness”.  Our goal is to seek forgiveness, not further condemnation.  We must be extremely careful here, not to multiply the damage that has already been done in previous millennia.

Well over a decade ago, I was reciting in unison with the rest of the congregation these well-known words:

“Πιστεύομεν καὶ εἰς μίαν, ἁγίαν, καθολικὴν καὶ ἀποστολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν.”

“We also believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.”[1]

The words stuck in my craw; I had to take action: the obvious obfuscation of the heavenly reality would not let go of me.  I could never look back again.

In time, I had discovered the biblical definition of the Church:

“You have come to mount Sion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven; and to God the Judge of all; and to the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.

“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks: for if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more we shall not escape, if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet, once more, I shake not only the earth, but also heaven’.

“This word, ‘Yet, once more’, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.  Wherefore, [since] we [are] receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God well-pleasingly, with reverence and respect: for, our God is a consuming fire.”[2]

Hebrews 12 has much more to say about the Church.  Verses 1-11, discuss how Christ is head of the Church and what it means to be Son and sons or daughters.[3]  Verses 12-17, deal with the Christian obedience of the Church: especially, concerning bitterness.  Verses 18-21, draw a striking contrast to one of the major failures of the Old Testament Church, and the serious consequences of taking Pentecost, and the gift of the Spirit, lightly.  So, our idea of Church is informed by the obedience of Christ and the disobedience of man.  The danger for us is that we might allow the perverted thinking, that the Via Dolorosa is too difficult for us to walk; we might, perchance, let down our guard; we might cease to “look diligently”.

In any case, we see in verses 18-29 that the Church is one indivisible unity in heaven and earth; it cannot be divided: division of the Church is an absolute impossibility.  This is not some mere abstract, hypothetical possibility or potential.  This is the indicative statement of fact.  The Holy Spirit is the final arbiter of all such matters.  Yet, what God has joined together; it would seem that men have made every attempt to put asunder.

The Church throughout the ages is characterized by discord, disruption, and division.  We will adduce the evidence as we follow the rough outline of historical progression.

From its outset, the Church was persecuted by Judaism, Romanism, Greek philosophies, and others.  It was soon made an illegal religion; then, it was made legal; finally, it became the official religion of the Empire.  In becoming legal, the Church learned how to persecute: soon, there were retaliations against Jews, pagans, and other Christians… then persecution by and of new religions developed: retaliation became popular.  Just war was defined.  Persecution and retaliation escalated into international war.

If the first millennium, which we once dreamed and hoped would be idyllic, turns into massive bloodshed; while, the second millennium proves to be even worse….  How is it that the instrument of humility and peace, happened to be made into an instrument of murder and pride.  Subduing error, came to mean by any means of violence available.  Perhaps this is what John is warning us about with his seven seals, trumpets, and bowls.

The father rushes to intercept his returning prodigal son.  Job received his children alive from the dead, in a type.  Is Adam hoping to receive Able from the dead?  Can Ishmael, Esau, and the children of Keturah ever be gathered again?  Novatianism seems to have originated the idea of creating the perfect Church: have we, as neo-Novatianists driven away our prodigal brothers and sisters from Christ?

How?  Why?  Will we be able to expose the lies, so easily glossed over by the standard milquetoast secular histories?  Or will we just be poking a hornet’s nest, causing even more sorrow and trouble for the wounded body of Christ?  We hope to do no harm.  We sincerely hope that this is a healing process.  That is what these studies are about.

We must approach this subject as chiefs of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).  Then we will be better enabled to see others as being better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3).  From this perspective, we will be able to look up to Novatian, as well as the neo-Novatianists, seeing them all as saints, worthy of Beatification & Canonization.  Then we can see their side-falls as worthy of our forgiveness: since we are so lowly ourselves.  Finally, in the process of forgiving the side-falls of great saints, not expecting them to be perfect, we hope that their being forgiven will help them to see the principle of forgiveness more clearly, and live it.  Thus, the whole Church on earth will become more forgiving as we forgive and love sacrificially.  We must hate the sin, while loving and uplifting the sinner.  We cannot be forgiving and loving, while condemning Novatian, and neo-Novatianists at the same time.

If this involves soldiering, as the following hymn suggests; then it is a battlefield hospital in full operation, serving patients whose aim in life is to destroy us: this, if necessary, we must permit them to do: we must not hold life so dear, we must not resist death, so that we can preach forgiveness for all people (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60).

https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/468

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[1] Of course, that denomination had altered the word catholic or universal; but, I knew it was there, and I knew very well what Hebrews 12 had to say about the subject: I could not escape.

[2] Hebrews 12:22-29

[3] Whether you believe that this indicates punishment or result makes little difference to me: it says what it says.  No one becomes either son or daughter without chastening.  If walking with Christ has any physical truth to it whatsoever; it means walking in the shadow of His Crucifixion.

[4] If you have been blessed or helped by any of these meditations, please repost, share, or use any of them as you wish.  No rights are reserved.  They are designed and intended for your free participation.  They were freely received, and are freely given.  No other permission is required for their use.

Florence

Florence

I'm tired of being a Protestant.  I'm tired of being classed as a Protestant.  I'm a member of The Church, which Paul so carefully defines in Hebrews 12.  I love The Church!  What is there left for me to protest.  I seek with all my heart to obey and follow every law, principle, rule, and statute of this Kingdom, by faith.  The Church fills my daily meditations and prayers.  There is nothing else in heaven or on earth that is quite like The Church.  It is the place where I find fellowship and friendship with God; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  It is the place where I am taught the Bible.  It is the place where I meet with angels and with the fathers and mothers who have gone before me.

Yet, when I come to put these thoughts into actions, I am met with hopeless confusion: 30,000 denominations claiming to be The Church; some even claiming to be the Only Church....  Yet, none of them are.

The Holy Ghost is given to all Christians without exception.  Thus, Pentecost, 33 AD, is the defining moment of history.  It is the birth of The Church.  It declares the seating of Jesus Christ on the throne of David.  It brings real power to powerless man.  It makes sense out of Paul’s words in Hebrews 12.

The Church is not The Church until it speaks as One Church, with One Voice.  Let's not take this principal and paste it on hymnals claiming false and Pyrrhic victories.  The Church always speaks with One Voice; so, until this becomes true again on earth, we are in serious trouble.  We cannot possibly be in submission to The Church.

How did such a root of bitterness spring up among us?  How can we bring such division to an end?  What must we do to find healing?  Was it the Counter-Reformation (1545-1648) that started this wrangling?  Not hardly.  The Counter-Reformation sought to bring about reconciliation, but failed.  Was it the Reformation (1517-onward) that began this debacle?  Not hardly.  The Reformation merely precipitated a fight that was already brewing.  The Reformation, however, has the distinct disadvantage of making reconciliation nearly impossible.  The critical defining moment, I believe, is the Council of Florence (1431–1449), which nailed the lid shut on the coffin for the Conciliar Movement.  Unless we return to the Conciliar Movement we cannot be reconciled.

The Conciliar Movement requires that we confess our sins against each other, wash each other's feet, forgive, and bury forever those old wounds, now festering for over 500 years.  The Conciliar Movement requires that we establish safeguards and rules, so that no individual or set of individuals can attempt to wrest the reins of The Church from Christ and the Holy Ghost; no, not ever again.  The Conciliar Movement requires that everyone who has received the Holy Ghost be given a voice, One United Voice.  This will always be a struggle until Jesus returns.  It was a struggle in 325, but the Council of Nicaea found a way to make progress: even though at least one fist fight broke out there.  Where is your voice?

This is not a tirade against the Roman Catholic Church or against the Papacy.  This is a tirade against Protestantism, in all its 30,000 forms, which has done more than anybody else to try to snatch the reins of The Church from Christ and the Holy Ghost.  I'm tired of being a Protestant.  I have nothing left to protest.  I surrender.  I lay down my life at the feet of Christ.  But where does this leave me?  Where does this leave us?

The Orthodox stormed out of Florence and have steadfastly refused to return to the table, insisting that they alone have fullness.  This is an interesting Orthodox code word that is difficult to understand.  It means that the Holy Ghost gives His fullness only to the Orthodox Church.  This is a roundabout way of declaring that the heterodox do not have any of the Holy Ghost’s fullness.  Since, the Holy Ghost defines The Church at Pentecost, 33 AD, it is difficult to see how the heterodox can be members of The Church, even as departed and estranged brothers and sisters.  In other words, the heterodox cannot possibly be Christians at all.  Fortunately, many Orthodox reject this extreme idea; even though that is exactly what having fullness means.  This is why many Orthodox require converts to renounce the west and be re-baptized.  Even where re-baptism is not required, this is still the meaning: because, the “economia” of Orthodoxy takes the empty, worthless rites of the west and overcomes them and their defects with fullness.  Well, we will never find reconciliation on this path, will we?  This too, is a grappling after the reins of The Church, to take them from Christ and the Holy Ghost.

Fortunately, God is omnipotent, so that no one is able to pluck either the reins or us from His hands.  Still, it would be nice to walk into the doors of any church, profess Christ, make confession as necessary, and receive communion as a brother or sister.  It would be nice if this root of bitterness simply dissolved into thin air and was soon forgotten.

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[1] If you have been blessed or helped by any of these meditations, please repost, share, or use any of them as you wish.  No rights are reserved.  They are designed and intended for your free participation.  They were freely received, and are freely given.  No other permission is required for their use.

The Lord’s Prayer, More Meditations

... in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.  Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.  Amen.  Glory to You, our God, Glory to You.

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, You are everywhere and fill all things, Treasury of blessings, and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it is now, was in the beginning, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer, More Meditations

Our Father in the heavens,

It was sanctified, Your name.  She[1] came, Your kingdom.  He[2] was born, Your Will.  As in heaven, also on the earth.[3]  You gave us our manna bread today.  You forgave us our debts; as we [must] also forgive our debtors.  You did not lead us into calamity; even so, You delivered us from the evil.[4]

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[1] She, because kingdom is feminine.  The kingdom is the bride of Christ.  Everywhere, the kingdom is the bride of the king, indicating in Greek thought that the king is to love her, not dominate her.

[2] Properly, it, because will is neuter.  Even so it is impossible to escape the implication that these things are the gift and work of Jesus Christ in life and in death, while the very next phrase emphasizes His incarnation.

[3] The incarnation of the Son of God causes earth to function like heaven.  Life on earth may now be lived in the presence of God.  With the coming of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost, 33 AD, this becomes a powerful reality in the birth of The Church.  The Church is divinized.  We ought not to think of The Church as a scattered bunch of warring political enemies; but rather as an indivisible living organism, a bride in the process of preparation for her wedding.  Divinization is often attributed to individuals; however, in reality it applies to the body as a whole, The Church, not to any individual.  It is impossible to be sanctified and glorified as an individual.

[4] At Your Son’s cross, burial, victory over hell, resurrection, ascension, and future coming in glory.  Join us mortals here on earth to your Son’s work, so that we may participate in it with joy immortal.

O Christ, God-man, You have done all these things for us by your mighty works in life and in death.  Enable us to enter into the majesty of your prayer, by receiving Your most-pure Body and like precious Blood.  Empower us to be obedient to its beauty and goodness, that we might become a truly forgiving people.  Inspire us to behold its glory, so that we might be evermore like You in all that we think, say and do, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

[5] If you have been blessed or helped by any of these meditations, please repost, share, or use any of them as you wish.  No rights are reserved.  They are designed and intended for your free participation.  They were freely received, and are freely given.  No other permission is required for their use.

June 8, 2014 Sunday Sermon, Pentecost

... in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.  Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.  Amen.  Glory to You, our God, Glory to You.

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, You are everywhere and fill all things, Treasury of blessings, and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it is now, was in the beginning, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us.  Lord, cleanse us from our sins.  Master, pardon our iniquities.  Holy One, visit us and heal our infirmities for Your Name’s sake.  Lord have mercy (three times).

June 8, 2014 Sunday Sermon, Pentecost

The Scripture

Psalm 119:12, 18

Blessed are You, O Lord: teach me Your Statutes.

Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Law.

Acts 2:1-11

When the day of Pentecost had finally arrived, they were all with one accord in one place.  Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  There also appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat on each of them.  They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Devout men, Jews from every nation under heaven were dwelling at Jerusalem, as well.  So, when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because everyone heard them speak in their own language.  They were all amazed, marveling and saying to one another,

“Behold, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?  How does every one of us hear in our own native language?  People from Parthia, Medea, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome; Jews and proselytes; Cretans and Arabians?  We all hear them speak the wonderful works of God in our own language.”

The Gospels

Luke 11:9-13

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: for everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.  If a son shall ask for bread from any of you who is a father, will he give him a stone?  Or if he ask for a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?

John 7:37-52

On the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”  (But this He spoke about the Spirit, which they who believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Therefore when many of the people heard this statement, they said, “Truly, this is the Prophet.”  Others said, “This is the Christ.”  Some said, “Shall Christ come from Galilee?  Hasn’t the scripture said that Christ comes from the seed of David, from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”  So there was a division among the people because of Him.  Some of them would have taken him; but no one laid hands on him.

Then the officers came to the chief priests[1] and Pharisees; who said to them, “Why haven’t you arrested him?”  The officers[2] replied, “No man ever spoke like this man.”  Then the Pharisees responded, “Are you also deceived?  Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?  This people who do not know the Law are cursed.”

Nicodemus interrupted them, (he who had come to Jesus by night, was one of their members), “Does our Law judge any man, before it hears him, and knows what he has done?”  They retorted, “Are you also a Galilean?  Search, and see: for no prophet arises from Galilee.”[3]

John 8:12

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world.  He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

John 15:26-27

When the Comforter[4] has come, Whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, Who proceeds from the Father,[5] He shall testify of me: and you shall also bear witness,[6] because you have been with me from the beginning.

John 16:7-15

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  When He comes, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they don’t believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatever He hears[7], He shall speak: and He will show you things to come.  He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive My things, and reveal them to you.  Everything that the Father has is mine: therefore I said, that he shall receive My things, and reveal them to you.”

John 20:19-23

The same day at evening, the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.  Then the disciples were glad, when they saw the Lord.  Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you: as My Father has sent Me, even so, I send you.”  When He had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Ghost: whoever’s sins you remit, they are remitted to them; and whoever’s sins you retain, they are retained.”

The Homily

On the Day of Pentecost in 33 AD the coming of the Holy Ghost took place as recorded in Acts 2:1-11.  There is no more significant day in the life of The Church.  The Holy Ghost is the Father’s special gift to The Church, Jesus prayed and promised that this great gift would come, so the Holy Ghost proceeded from the Father exactly as John 15:26 declares.  In spite of the magnitude of this gift, it is either belittled by exaggeration, or by neglect.  This is a shame, for our lives depend on this gift, and we would do well to give it serious attention.

This coming of the Holy Ghost was attended by flames of fire resting on all of those present.  Later, when the Gospel spread, these flames were seen again as evidence of the presence of the Holy Ghost in the midst of The Church.  What can this possibly signify?  The flame, as with Moses, and in the temple for eight hundred sixty years is the visible Presence of God’s Glory, the Sh^ekinah, and now He is exclusively present in the midst of the assembled and united Church.  In 586 BC that Glory had departed from the temple, from Jerusalem, and from Israel.  In 4 BC a star of Glory appeared in the east.  It was the return of the Glory.  Later that Glory was unveiled on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Now that Glory is with The Church.  What could possibly be more important than that?

Along with these flames of fire resting on every believer present was the granting of Spiritual gifts: much more than fleshly human talents.  Man has two aspects: a physical material body and an immaterial spirit.  Talents relate to the human body, and all human beings have them.  Spiritual gifts relate to the human spirit in its communication with the Holy Ghost.  Every Christian has at least one Spiritual gift, which is to be used for the Glory of God.

Because of all these things, the Day of Pentecost in 33 AD is also the birthday of The Church: for without the coming of the Holy Ghost to organize, lead, and bless with His wonderful gifts, there would be no Church on earth.

Because of the promise of Luke 11:9-13 we may freely ask for the Holy Ghost to enter our lives.  When the Holy Ghost enters our lives He heals our blindness, so that we can see and understand the Gospel of Jesus in both heart and mind with all due humility.  People do not need expert knowledge of the Bible.  When they receive this gift of the Holy Ghost He will begin to patiently explain everything to them and lead them to reliable human teachers in due time.

Because the anniversary of the Day of Pentecost in 33 AD is so special, Kneeling Prayers are often said on this occasion.

The Kneeling Prayers

The beautiful kneeling prayers are especially devoted to Pentecost.  Here is one place you can find them.

http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/06/great-prayers-of-kneeling-service.html

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[1] The chief priests were members of the Sadducee party and direct enemies of the Pharisees.  Their malice toward Jesus is so all consuming that here they temporarily become colleagues.

[2] Probably Levites, who inherited such duties since Moses.

[3] This is dubious: for Nahum was probably from Galilee, and Jonah as well.  If both Nahum and Jonah are from Galilee, then the Pharisees and Sadducees are living in direct denial of their own history.  Such is the force of malice, that it blinds the mind to truth.

[4] The Holy Ghost

[5] From the Father only

[6] The essential quality of good witnesses is that they report what they have observed accurately.

[7] From the Father, not from any random source

[8] If you have been blessed or helped by any of these meditations, please repost, share, or use any of them as you wish.

These meditations are not controlled by Creative Commons or other licenses, such as: copyright, CC, BY, SA, NC, or ND.  They are designed and intended for your free participation.  They were freely received, and are freely given.  No other permission is required for their use.

Hebrew Torah Scroll Discovered

Before we get too excited over this “find,” a few sobering thoughts come to mind.
·        That’s 1155-1225 AD, not BC: it is a “modern” document.
·        Carbon dating is a tricky and notoriously unreliable method.
·        Maimonides (1135-1204), the great eagle would not have approved this scroll.  How did it get past him?  Because it is older?  Unlikely.
·        Maimonides is not the first and only guardian of Hebrew text transmission.  If Maimonides were the first and only guardian of Hebrew text transmission, the entire Hebrew Scripture would be cast in doubt.
·        The Masoretes published as early as the seventh century, six hundred years after the Crucifixion of Christ, to create and maintain the standardized Hebrew text, which Maimonides later protects.
·        Both Latin and Greek translations preserve an older, better Hebrew prototype.
·        The Dead Sea Scrolls, which contain both Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, also provide better data.
·        This “find” needs to be confirmed by the firsthand examination of equally competent Hebrew text experts.
·        Even if confirmed, we have found nothing more than a beautiful relic, a piece of Bible art; nothing is changed concerning Old Testament textual criticism.  Not a single letter of the Hebrew text is improved.

This discussion confuses the issue.  The question is and ought to be, “What Bible was in the hands of Jesus and His Apostles when they preached?”  The emphatic answer to that question is, a Greek Bible: there is little evidence for anything else.  Paul was a learned Jew: why didn’t he write in Hebrew?  Peter was a Jew: why didn’t he write in Hebrew, especially in his letters to primarily Jewish congregations?

We add to this information the fact that during this period Christians and Jews were bitter adversaries.  No less than four hundred men vowed to abstain from food until they had killed Paul.  I guess they all starved to death.

Another question arises.  Why should we give more credibility to that which is handed down within Judaism, than to that which is handed down within The Church?  The Church is the guardian of God’s truth, not Judaism.

http://news.yahoo.com/old-torah-scroll-found-italy-university-library-152438195.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masoretic_Text

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maimonides

The Church 3

The Child

The little child lay pitifully on the cold hard floor crying ceaselessly, and would not be comforted.

Father and mother were fighting bitterly.  She pushed him; he pushed back.  It had come to blows.  All the aunts and uncles had chimed in, thousands of them: it was an old and very large family.  Even some of the other children had joined in the fight.  Now some of the aunts and uncles were so disgusted that they disowned the rest of the family.  Others saw it as a means to further their personal interests and betrayed the family for profit.

The little child lay pitifully on the cold hard floor crying ceaselessly, and would not be comforted.  Most of the big people concluded that it was a temper tantrum, which was only partially true: obviously, they concluded, the child was out of control and needed to be punished.

It did not occur to any of the big people that they were out of control.  None of them realized that when father, mother, aunts, and uncles stopped fighting and made peace that the little child would stop crying.

The Roman Catholics and the Orthodox are fighting bitterly.  Arguments have come to wars.  All the Protestants have chimed in.  Even their descendents have joined the fight.  Century-old battles are refought every day.  Truth is trampled underfoot.  Now some of the Protestants are so disgusted that they disown the rest of Christianity.  Some parties have gone into the business of approving sin, and have betrayed Jesus, Who bought them with His precious blood.

The little child lay pitifully on the cold hard floor crying ceaselessly, and would not be comforted.  Father and mother were fighting bitterly.