ON LOVE; PART MCCCXXIX
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FIRST IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).
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WHAT THEN IS LOVE? In a general sense love is benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men. While this IS from an older definition of Charity, which IS rendered in the King James Bible from the same Greek word agape which IS generally rendered as Love, we should amend our own definition here to include the idea that in the reality of Love a man will accord to ALL men ALL things that he would accord to himself and to say that Love IS our thoughts and attitude of the equality of ALL men regardless of their outward nature or appearance…that ALL ARE equally children of Our One God.
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PLUS THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).
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We ended the last essay with some additional thought on the ideas presented by the Apostle Paul regarding his use of the Greek word mythos which IS rendered in the King James Bible as fables. Strong’s defines mythos as: a tale, i.e. fiction (“myth”):—fable 9a while Thayer’s tells us that mythos IS: from Homer down; a speech, word, saying; a narrative, story; a. a true narrative. b. a fiction, a fable; universally, an invention, falsehood 9. By the usage of the idea in Paul’s writing we should see ONLY the idea of fiction as the apostle would NOT rail against ideas of Truth in such a way; and, while the doctrinal church may believe that the reference here IS to the Jew’s fables or to Christian ideas embraced by ‘heretical’ groups such as the Gnostics, the reality IS that Paul IS writing against ALL teaching that IS NOT according to his doctrine which IS ever reflective of the teaching of the Master. That the church teaches that it IS the doctrines established by Paul that ARE the Truth of the Christian faith IS unfortunate as this approach ignores the words of the Lord who tells us the universality of His teachings saying that “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me” (John 7:16) and His words from our trifecta that tell us that “the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (John 14:24). The assumption that Paul’s teaching IS the establishment of doctrine IS a most basic error of the church from the beginning, an error that inserts the interpretations of Paul’s words in a place superior to the words of the Master and, as we have said before, with total disregard for the spiritual realities that we find in Jesus’ words. Yes the church DOES teach from the gospels but much of this IS dedicated to a denomination’s fixation on their pet ideas regarding the end times and the nature of heaven and hell. Paul tries to show us the fallacy of the machinations of men who wrongly interpret the ideas of the times as he tells the Galatians such things as:
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-10),
Paul’s reference here IS the True “gospel of Christ” which must be understood in terms of Jesus’ words. That the church has assigned this idea to variations of that gospel that seek to combine His words with Jewish traditions DOES NOT alter the idea that any gospel that IS NOT firmly rooted in Jesus teaching IS that “another gospel“. It IS the glamour of the church that has taken the formulated “commandments of men” and made them the doctrine by which the church should live. Whether Paul’s words here reflect the same Christian mentality of ‘salvation‘ by atonement that IS yet preached today or a variation of this that was perhaps prevalent 2000 years ago DOES NOT really matter; what matters IS that the church has continued on its path of establishing “commandments of men” as their doctrinal approach to the Lord. Paul’s words here on “another gospel” should be seen in the same Light as his words to Titus saying “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). We should try to see that the apostle IS teaching us that it IS the words of the Master that work salvation into the lives of men in this world and that the Truth of salvation IS NOT the result of or some ‘automatic’ response to the church’s rites and rituals or their use of confessions and affirmations. None of these things brings out the Love and the Truth that IS the reality of True Christianity; they are merely a facade by which one can believe himself to be hagios….to be the saint or to be holy. This concept of “another gospel” IS important because it shows us that in the hearts of men, their carnally focused hearts, the choice has ever been to seek out a way to Truth through the convenience of doctrines that seemingly offer that Truth without one’s painstaking effort to DO as the Master tells us IS the Way to that Truth, the Way to the Kingdom and the Way to have the Truth of His Presence in one’s Life. ALL of this IS available to men through our trifecta, through striving to keep His words, which must be understood in the more Universal idea that such ARE indeed the words of our God “with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Repeating our trifecta we read:
- “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
- “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
- “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, . He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (John 14:21-24).
We should note here that the Master affirms to us that His teaching, His words, ARE the words of the Father and while doctrines have created the idea of a new covenant that embraces the words of the Apostle Paul, the same reality still exists. A reality that IS missed by the doctrinal approach to the Lord who tells us that we should “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able“. These words show us that the many will NOT be able to “enter in” and here we should note that Jesus’ words ARE in answer to His disciples question that asks “are there few that be saved?” (Luke 13:24, 23). The Master’s previous discourse IS regarding the Kingdom of God and, of course, this should be understood in terms of His answer. While this view IS NOT held by some commentators, it IS nonetheless True. John Gill applies the idea of the “strait gate” to: Christ himself; who elsewhere calls himself “the door”, ( John 10:7-9 ) as he is into the church below, and into all the ordinances and privileges of it 8 . This IS likely based in the following words from Luke’s Gospel where we read Jesus’ parable saying “When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:25-27). When we conflate these words from Luke with the similar ideas that the Apostle Matthew offers us however, we should be able to understand that the objective IS the Kingdom of God; Matthew tells us the Master’s words as: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). In these words we have the same idea that “few there be that find it” while “many there be which go” on the “broad way“. The Master here pauses to give us some thoughts on “false prophets” according to Matthew’s narrative and He then continues saying that “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:15, 21-23). These words ARE NOT unlike Luke’s version which, while more parabolic, shows us the same idea of men who may believe that they ARE following the Lord when in reality they ARE but “workers of iniquity“. Matthew and Luke use two different words which ARE rendered as iniquity and both, anomia and adikia, ARE used in relation to the law which in Jesus’ time referred to the same laws that the Master rails at the Jews for NOT properly keeping and, without doubt, the Great Commandments. In the Christian era we should see these ideas of iniquity in terms of Jesus’ commandments, commandments of which the Apostle John tells us “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). The common understanding of these words that ARE rendered in the King James Bible as iniquity ARE rendered in more carnal terms in other translations where “workers of iniquity” IS shown as “wicked people” and “evil people” and it IS these ideas that ARE the more accepted view of Jesus’ words. It IS with these ideas that the Christian DOES NOT see himself in Jesus’ words as NONE want to see themselves in this Light.
However, when we look as the Master’s defining ideas regarding “workers of iniquity” we DO NOT see such ideas as wicked and evil. We rather see men who believe that they ARE being righteous; men that ARE prophesying, healing, and DOING such “wonderful works” that they believe set them upon the righteous Path. The idea from Jesus here IS simply that such belief IS of NO value for the man who DOES NOT “the will of my Father which is in heaven“. Luke puts this into simpler terms where men acknowledge that they ARE following the Master and hearing His words; these acknowledge that they “have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets” as though these things make them righteous. Jesus DOES NOT agree however as he tells them that they DO NOT follow the commandments, neither those given to the Jews nor those given by the Master. Can we see the illusion and the delusion here? Can we see how that the interpretation of this idea of iniquity has lent itself to the doctrinal Christians inability to see himself in Jesus’ Truth? Regarding the Kingdom of heaven the doctrinal Christian has erected an even greater barrier as IS shown us by John Gill’s words. The doctrinal view DOES NOT connect Jesus’ ideas on the “strait gate” and His seemingly separated ideas in the nature of men’s iniquity; nor DO they see that this “strait gate” IS one’s entrance into the Kingdom of God. Perhaps a deep rooted issue here IS connected to this same idea as it IS reflected in our trifecta where we read that the Way to the Kingdom IS NOT in rites and rituals, NOT in affirmations and confessions, but in “keeping His words” which ARE synonymous with the “the will of my Father which is in heaven“. What we should try to see here IS that these ideas from Jesus as reported by His apostles ARE the reality of the True Gospel which IS based in that agape which the apostles show us IS the Way to keep His words. The reality here should be deafening but it has lost its volume because the doctrines of men look past ALL sense of DOING in favor of their own model of ‘salvation‘ that IS fashioned after their formulated ideas and based on their interpretations of the words of the apostles. But it IS the apostles that also tell us of the Power of Love and in such clear language that it requires NO interpretations. While so much of the volume of the clear message of the gospels IS lost to doctrinal ideas, even more may be lost in the misunderstanding of the force of many Greek words as they ARE rendered and understood in largely carnal ways. Words like pistis and pisteuo ARE KEY among the misunderstood Greek ideas and here we should remember that the Master Himself defines these words for us in ways that should overwhelm the nebulous doctrinal understanding of the rendered ideas of faith and believing. True pistis and pisteuo can move mountains, True faith and believing can plant the “sycamine tree….in the sea” (Luke 17:6). When we can understand the depth of Truly “believing in” the Master, the whole of our understanding of the Christian experience will change. There IS a depth in this idea that Vincent shows us saying that to “believe in” and to “believe on” the Christ IS to accept and adopt His precepts and example as binding upon the life 4. It IS ONLY in such ideas that ARE synonymous with the reality of keeping His words, and therefore the reality of agape, that we can understand what He tells us saying “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14:12). Simple doctrinal ideas of faith and believing CAN NOT unlock the potential, the spiritual potential, of the man who Truly keeps His words; those nebulous doctrinal ideas of faith and believing will NOT move the mountain nor will they enable one to plant the “sycamine tree” in the sea….such ideas will NOT lead to those “greater works” that the Master promises.
While the Truth of pistis and pisteuo ARE become alien to the church, these ARE at the same time a True foundation for the reality of salvation. NOT the sense of ‘salvation‘ that the doctrines of men have created, a sense where one’s main concern IS in regard to the equally nebulous doctrinal ideas of heaven and hell; True salvation IS for the here and the now and IS emblematic of the reality that Jesus shows us saying “by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). The Truly saved have such an expression of fruit and one that IS representative of the Apostle Paul’s list of just what IS the “fruit of the Spirit“; the expression of the Truly saved IS “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance“. It IS those who’s expression IS most constantly agape, rightly understood, that ARE Truly Christ’s and we should try to see here how that such ARE able to “through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body” as Paul tells us in our selection from Romans. This IS NO different that the intent of so many of the apostle’s sayings which include his continuing idea from Galatians where we read that “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22, 23, 24-25). Such sayings include also Paul’s closing ideas from Romans where we read that the Truly saved must “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:14). There ARE many other such sayings from the apostles but ALL of these, from the perspective of being a DOER, ARE taken for granted by the doctrinal thinker who believes that he IS ‘saved‘ and that he IS Christ’s while yet making such provisions and yet walking as a man in this world. It IS in this idea of accepting the doctrinal ideas into which they ARE indoctrinated that so many Christians DO NOT ever try to live according to the Master’s own Truths which clearly tell us that we should keep His words. Much of the doctrinal view IS founded in the mistaken ideas that such provisions and lusts, such a crucifixion of the flesh and mortification of “the deeds of the body” ARE ONLY concerned with those gross human behaviors regarding sex as understood by the church and the accepted moral wrongs that ARE highlighted in the Ten Commandments. Here then ARE more words that are become alien to the church, namely sin and evil, and this despite the many places where the Master and His apostles define such ideas for us. Sin IS the easier word to understand; two related Greek words ARE rendered in terms of sin, hamartia and hamartano. Strong’s tells us that the primary defining idea for these words IS: properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize) 9a and this IS a far cry from the ideas generally attributed to sin which ARE most often in regard to gross human behaviors. However the idea of hamartia, while including these gross human behaviors reaches much further into spiritual Truth than most ALL doctrines ARE willing to accept. To miss the mark spiritually IS to NOT focus upon the things of God and in this reality most ALL self centered thoughts, attitudes and actions ARE sin. James shows us this as he tells us of the deeper Truth of agape, that in one’s expression of True Love there IS NO “respect to persons“; James tells us that “if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:9-10). Here we have the most basic scriptural idea encapsulated into a most simple phrase; in this we should understand that since agape IS the way to fulfill ALL the law according to Paul who says that “all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:14), our failure to express agape IS humanities most basic sin. Can we see the point here? This idea IS covered by the doctrinal view in such ideas as “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and in this we should see that ALL who fail at the Great Commandments ARE continually guilty of sin. The doctrinal cure for this IS their view of ‘salvation‘ by rites and rituals or by affirmations and confessions but the reality here IS that sin remains and continues to block out the flow of the spiritual Power that IS resides in everyman, Power that ONLY becomes available as one changes his focus off of the self and onto the things of God….as one Truly Repents. It is this idea of focus that IS Paul’s underlying message in our selection from Romans which we repeat saying:
“they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in
hope, Becauseexpectation that the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:5:23).
While there IS much more in these words than the reference to sin, this reference IS NOT clearly seen by the doctrinal thinker. To “mortify the deeds of the body” IS to eliminate sin from one’s Life and while the doctrinal approach IS to eliminate the gross carnal behaviors of men that ARE doctrinally centered in matters of sex, the reality IS that such mortification applies to the thoughts and the attitudes of a man and specifically those that inhibit his ‘ability’ to Love. Such inhibitions can be psychic, cultural or learned behaviors from the nurturing and indoctrination that ALL men must endure; these involve most every thought and attitude that IS contrary to that reality of agape where there IS NO “respect to persons“. It IS ONLY in this reality that there IS NO attitude of prejudice and no factious and divisive view of the world according to any standard; there IS ONLY a Universal sense of agape expressed toward ALL men. In this sense of agape there IS the full reality of Paul’s words saying that “all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself“; in this sense of agape there IS NO longer that desire to DO anything that IS contrary to the law as one’s emphasis and focus IS taken off of the self and our little lives here in this Earth. Paul tells us also that “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10) and here we should note that the Greek word kakos that IS rendered as ill IS most always rendered in terms of evil which IS our second doctrinally misunderstood word. To see sin as the failure to express agape IS an easy vision in the absence of the indoctrination that most ALL men DO receive and this both secular and religious. The Master shows us this as He tells us to Love through such ideas as His saying that “I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust“. Here we see that the nature of agape IS to be offered to ALL and in His comparison to the expression of agape by the Father we should see the idea that “there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11). Jesus goes on to show us then the need to have the same sense in our expression of agape as He tells us the Way to True grace saying “if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” (Matthew 5:44-45, 46). We should understand here that such grace IS the reward for DOING, for keeping His words, and while the doctrinal approach to the Lord DOES NOT see the idea of reward in spiritual terms against their mantra that a man’s salvation IS NOT possible in what he does, the Master’s statement here IS very clear. And what of grace? Luke’s version of these same words tells us “if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them” (Luke 6:32) and here we should remember that the word rendered as thank IS the Greek word charis which IS most always rendered as grace in other places. Charis IS yet another word that IS grossly misunderstood and nebulous in its doctrinal usage. We must understand here as well that agape itself IS perhaps the most misunderstood and misapplied Greek word from the New Testament as it IS simply rendered as Love without Truly defining what this idea of Love should be. We cover this idea and its alternate rendering of charity in our prologue to each blog post but this too fails to convey the deepest realities of the word which IS best defined in the Great Commandments and Jesus’ words that we call the Golden Rule. Our best way to show the reality of agape IS to say what it IS NOT according to the way that the word Love IS used in today’s society, again both religious and secular. Love IS NOT that mental and emotional attraction and attachment to others and to things; this IS but the carnal idea of Love and has naught to DO with the True meaning of agape.
The reality of agape IS the reality of a Universal acceptance of everyman regardless of his physical attributes or his mental and emotional makeup or personality. Agape IS a Universal view of others that replicates one’s view of himself and this idea should ONLY be understood in a positive way that IS based in the spiritual impulses from one’s own Soul. In example we can look at the idea that ‘I am a son of God’ and from this positive spiritual view of Life I see ALL men equally as sons of God. This view IS NOT afforded to others in the church where prejudices of ALL kinds reign and we should understand here that this IS likely as True in ALL religions. While this may seem like a deeply spiritual view, it IS but the foundation for the idea that “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 12:31). We should remember that this idea goes back more than 3500 years; we read it in the words of the Lord through Moses as “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD“. While some may interpret this into Love for those of one’s own religious group as some Christians also view this sense of agape, this view IS shattered by Moses continuing words saying “the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18, 34). ALL thoughts, attitudes and actions of men that ARE contrary to this sense of agape have always been the unseen sin of men, a sin that IS the most fundamental error of mankind and one that IS centered in that vanity, that illusion and glamour, into which ALL men ARE born; and this according to Paul’s words in our selection above. In ALL of this we should be able to understand the True nature of sin and how that it afflicts ALL men regardless of their own self proclaimed righteousness. In ALL of this we should also be able to see that sin and the idea that “all have sinned” IS rooted solely in the way that men DO NOT keep the words of the Master and of the more carnal view of the law before Him. Here we should understand that the Apostle John’s words saying that “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8) ARE keenly related to the Apostle James’ words saying that men should be “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22) through the singular idea of deception which rooted in that same vanity by which ALL men ARE bound. Can we see the point here?
Jesus tells the man He healed at the pool and the woman caught in adultery that they should “sin no more” and in these and other occurrences of a similar nature we should NOT presume that these were sinners of any great magnitude. Regarding the man we KNOW ONLY that he was infirm for “thirty and eight years” and that Jesus “knew that he had been now a long time in that case” (John 5:14, 8:11, 5:5, 6) and here we should likely presume that his infirmity came to him at an early age. So what IS his sin other that that his focus may NOT have been on the Lord and this even considering that he could have been a doctrinally religious Jew. The woman, while many presume her to be a harlot, was accused of adultery and here we should presume that this IS under the classic idea of what that word means. What “sin no more” DOES mean in Jesus’ response to these people CAN NOT be easily determined from the stories and if we were to fit His words into the broadest understanding of sin, that sin IS ALL that keeps one’s focus off of the things of God, we can then more clearly understand His intent. The doctrinal view however DOES NOT see sin in this way and this IS largely because most ALL doctrinal thinkers DO NOT want to see themselves as sinners and this despite the clarity that James and John show us regarding the nature of sin. This same Truth stretches out into the idea of evil. Whether we understand evil as kakos or as poneros, the idea IS the same. Strong’s tells us that poneros IS: from a derivative of G4192 [ponos]; hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556 [kakos], which refers rather to essential character. In defining kakos Strong’s tells us that this IS: apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas G4190 [poneros] properly refers to effects), i.e. (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious:—bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked 9a. In regard to the idea of character: we should understand this loosely and in regard to vanity and this according to Jesus’ words saying “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders” (Mark 7:21). Here we should see evil in the very nature of men….as their vanity. In regard to effects, we should understand this as it IS presented by the Master who says “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11) where surely He IS NOT accusing ALL fathers of being evil as that word IS doctrinally understood.
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
- 9 Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on blueletterbible.org
- 9a The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible on blueletterbible.org
Those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road.
Voltaire, Writer and Philosopher
