Logos Word of God – BT12: Scripture was elementary abc’s for Jews as children, slaves, & prisoners UNTIL Christ

 

 

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In Galatians 4:1-5 the apostle Paul regarding the OT Law, as with ALL religious writings of “commandments, legal demands, precepts, regulations, ordinances, works” (a), refers to these gramma writings of the Old Testament (OT) Law as stoicheion “elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles” for the Jews as nepios ‘minors, not of age, or even as infant children, thus childish, untaught, and unskilled,’ [treated] absolutely-in-fact-NO different from a slave, even-though they-are the owner of everything . . . under-subjugation-to these stoicheion ‘elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles’ of/belonging-to the world, being CONTINUALLY (b) already-having-been [with ongoing effects] enslaved.”  That’s because the Jews were “born under-subjugation-to the Law . . . who are under-subjugation-to the Law” . . . “under-subjugation-to epitropos ‘household little-child-guardians’ (c) and/coupled oikonomos household-managers (d).”  Why do Gentile-Christians want to put themselves in the original slavery of the Jews?

 

<Notes> a) Colossians 2:14, 20, 22; Hebrews 9:1, 10; Ephesians 2:15, Romans 3:27, b) rare imperfect tense, c) epitropos:  household steward, manager, curator, guardian, or overseer for the care and tutelage of minors, d) oikonomos were freed slaves that functioned as stewards or household managers that put forth and enforced the nomos law of the home.

 

Was this intended forever?  No, Paul continues:  Only “achri ‘unto, as far as, to the extent of, or UNTIL the time/season that’ THE-specific beforehand-appointed-time by-their Father . . . When-at-which-time the pleroma ‘abundant, complete fullness’ of-the chronos ‘duration of time/seasons’ HAD come, [when] God sent-forth His Son . . . having-been ginomai ‘brought into existence’ under-subjugation-to [singular: The] Law (Jesus was Jew), in-order-that those under-subjugation-to [singular: The] Law He (the Son) might exagorazo ‘buy-back out-from the slavery of the auction-block in the marketplace.” Again, why do Gentile-Christians want to put themselves in the original “abc’s” mess of the Jews that was ONLY UNTIL Christ came?

 

Earlier Galatians 3:22-25, Paul made a similar point:  “The graphe scripture (a) sugkleio ‘closed/locked up [them] together in prison without a way of escape and thus subjugated under the power of the jailer’ ALL-things under-subjugation-to sin, in-order-that The Promise out-from trusting-relying-faith of/belonging-to Jesus Christ might-be didomi given-as-a-gift to-those routinely/habitually having trusting-relying-faith . . .

 

. . . Now-moreover pro ‘BEFORE in time or before others in public view’ THIS THE-Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith) had erchomai ‘come from one place to THIS place’, we-were CONTINUOUSLY (b) phroureo ‘held-under or watched-over like a military guard/sentinel’ routinely/habitually been sugkleio ‘closed/locked up together in prison without a way of escape and thus subjugated under the power of the jailer’ eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ THE mello about-to-happen Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith) to-be-revealed/unhidden hoste ‘inevitably resulting in that’ The Law, [singular: the] paidagogos little-child-guardian (c) of-us, has already [with ongoing effects] ginomai ‘come into existence as” eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ Christ, in-order-that out-from trusting-relying-faith we-might-become dikaioo ‘made or declared righteous/justified.’ . . .

 

. . . erchomai ‘having already COME from one place [The Law] to this place’ NOW of/belonging-to The-Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith) [we are] absolutely-in-fact-NO LONGER under-subjection-to [singular: the] paidagogos little-child-guardian (c) presently/ongoingly we (Jewish-Christians) eimi ‘are, exist-as, defined-as.’  For-the-reason-is presently/ongoingly you’all (Jewish-Christians) eimi ‘are, exist-as, defined as’ ALL huios ‘mature sons ready for their inheritance as NOW owner of the household’ of God dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ The-Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith) IN Christ (The Anointed One, Messiah) Jesus.”  Again, why do Gentile-Christians want to put themselves in the original childlike state of slavery of the Jews that had NOT yet received their inheritance to then be owners of the household?

 

<Notes> a) context: The Law ‘portion’, b) the rare imperfect tense, c) paidagogos: servants/slave hired by the upper class to strictly oversee their little boys to/from school UNTIL the age of manhood. They also may be involved in discipline, correction, and instruction.  cf. ‘the 10,000 supervisor-guardians’ 1 Corinthians 4:15.

 

But now in in Galatians 4:9, Paul questions as “huios ‘mature sons,” having already “come to experientially, relationally ginosko know God, or rather to be experientially, relationally ginosko known under-subjugation-to God [through Christ] (no longer to the Law or to sin), [how can you] presently/ongoingly epistrepho ‘turn BACK or return to/upon’ palin ‘back AGAIN in action’ upon the asthenes ‘weak, infirm, without vigor or strength, depleted, lacking in necessary resources, insufficient, frail, and sick’ and/coupled ptochos ‘crouching/cowering like a beggar, deeply destitute/helpless, insufficient in resources, poor like a pauper’ stoicheion elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles of/belonging-to the world, to-which palin ‘back AGAIN in action’ anothen ‘over AGAIN in time’ to presently/ongoingly be-enslaved you presently/ongoingly strongly-desire?”   Now you can see why Paul was stoned and beaten by the Jews so many times!  Why are Gentile-Christians embracing what Paul warned Jewish-Christians NOT to go back to AGAIN to be once AGAIN enslaved?

 

Now in Colossians 2:8, Paul says: “[I strongly urge you to] see to it that in-possibility-NO one routinely/habitually sulagogeo ‘carries you off like a predator with its prey or as spoils of war’ dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ The-philosophy (a) and/coupled empty/vain deceptiveness, kata down-from/according-to human tradition, kata down-from/according-to The stoicheion elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles of/belonging-to the world kai and/thus absolutely-in-fact-NOT kata down-from/according-to Christ.”  At this point Paul is attacking the philosophical writings of the Greek and Romans and warning Gentile-Christians about this.  However, evidently Jewish Law-teachers had been trying to convince Gentile-Christians that they needed Moses by what comes next.

 

<Notes> a) this is a direct slap in the face of the Greek philosophers, Gnostics, and Roman Mystery Religions that loved and prided themselves in their human wisdom, but Paul has already said in Colossians 2:2-3 that “ALL the treasures of wisdom and/coupled gnosis information-knowledge are hidden IN Christ” and from v. 1:9 thus requires proseuche conversational-prayer thru full, genuine, intimate, relational, experiential epignosis knowledge of God and His will to acquire from Christ – see Least Among You – BT8 and New Covenant Ways – BT16.

 

In Galatians 2:11-13, Paul assures these doubting Gentile-Christians that “in Christ you also were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of/belonging-to Christ, having been buried with Him in water-baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through trusting-relying-faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  Kai and/subsequently you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh (not being Jews), God made alive together with Him (Christ), having forgiven us all our trespasses.”  How some Christians and churches can’t see the saving nature of water-baptism is beyond me!

 

Now Paul in Galatians 2:16-18 turns his attention to other Jewish practices that the Gentile-Christians were also likely being pressured to observe, and it’s very likely there were Jewish-Christians also being pressured to continue them.  “Therefore [I strongly urge you to] let no one pass judgment on you in questions of [Jewish] food and drink, or with regard to a [Jewish] festival or a [Jewish] new moon or [Jewish plural] Sabbaths. These [Jewish rules & rituals] are a skia ‘shadow, outline, sketch,’ (a) of the things to come (b), but the soma ‘body or reality’ [is of/belonging to] The Christ (Anointed One).  [I strongly urge you to] let in-possibility-NOT one katabrabeuo ‘call you down/out like an umpire’ (Jews judging that they are rejected by God), routinely/habitually strongly-desiring/willing in/by/with tapeinophrosune ‘self-humbling or depreciating practices like fasting’ (c) and/coupled worship of angels (d), which he-has-already [with ongoing effects] horao ‘seen/perceived with the mind, similar to eido and optanomai prophetic vision’ routinely/habitually embateuo ‘frequently come into possession of and deeply investigated or speculated about,’ eiki purposelessly being routinely/habitually phusioo ‘inflated, swelled up by arrogant, puffed-up thoughts’ under-subjugation-to the mind of their flesh.”

 

As you can see from the notes below, these ‘activities’ were Jewish commandments reinforced by the Oral Torah being pushed on Gentile & likely Jewish-Christians to continue!  Why are modern Christians trying to bring these back into the Church?  In verse 19, Paul says these people are “absolutely-in-fact-NOT habitually/routinely holding-fast to-the Head out-from WHOM ALL the Body [of Christ] . . . is routinely/habitually being-supplied and/coupled routinely/habitually being-knit-together, presently/ongoingly causing-to-increase/grow with-the increase/growth of/belonging-to God.”  The whole passage is saying Christ and our abiding-connection to Him by trusting-relying-faith IS ALL WE NEED – read John 15:4.

 

<Notes> a) skia: the shade cast backward from a standing body, Hebrews 8:5, 10:1, b) see ‘copies’ of Hebrews 9:23-24, ‘type’ of Romans 5:14, ‘symbol’ of Hebrews 9:9, ‘corresponds to’ of 1 Peter 3:21, c) the Essenes who followed John the Baptist disciplined the body harshly as the strictest of Jews.  See Mark 9:29 – “and fasting” was added in after “this kind of demon only comes out after prayer,” later by Catholic monks who practiced this OT “tradition of the elders” that is not even specified in OT Law – see Conversational-Prayer – BT4 on fasting but see also Net Bible note.  When Paul’s team appointed elders in every church in Acts 14:23 they did so with proseuchomai conversationally-praying.”  The addition of “and fasting” is not found even in textual variants nor is it warranted because in 3 of the 4 other uses of that form in Acts 1:24 choosing of the 12^th apostles, Acts 6:6 laying hands on the 7 chosen deacons, and Acts 21:5 departing of Paul fellows, there is no implication of fasting.  However, the common rabbinical phrase “fasting and prayer” is found in Acts 13:3 of the early Jewish-Christian church of Antioch prophets and teachers gathered together to OT leitourgeo liturgical-worship-serve the Lord and/coupled fasting.  While doing so the Holy Spirit told them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.  Then after again ‘fasting and praying’ they laid their hands on them [likely for anointing, blessing, and ordination] they sent the off.  Clearly the limited use of leitourgeo liturgical-worship-serving indicates that these Christians were Jewish still following many of the OT “traditions & rituals of the elders” like fasting.  As the church became more Gentile you see this fade away until the Catholic Church resurrected many of them after 200 AD, d) In intertestamental Judaism, developed angelology, hierarchies, and invocation is found.  The Jewish Midrash & Talmud laws were enacted to prohibit the worship of angels because it was clearly going on – see Wikipedia “Worship of Angels in Judaism,”.

 

 

 

Now Paul really drives it home in Galatians 2:20-23:   “If you-already-have apothnesko ‘died away-from [something]’ together-with Christ away-from the stoicheion elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles of/belonging-to-the world, [then] why, as if you routinely/habitually were-genuinely-living in [singular: this] world, presently/ongoingly dogmatizo ‘do-you submit to dogma:  authoritative, universally-binding entole commandments of doctrines, precepts, decrees, laws, and ordinances’ (a):  in-possibility-NOT you-should-handle, in-possibility-NOT you-should-taste, in-possibility-NOT you-should touch – which presently/ongoingly are-defined-as/exist ALL eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ phthora ‘deterioration, decay, or rot’ by-the-means-of their use – kata down-from/according-to the entalma ‘result of following the OT entole universally-binding commandments to the end’ and/coupled teachings of/belonging-to men, which presently/ongoingly are-defined-as/exist-as a logos message (b) men is-affirmed-as routinely/habitually holding-to-have of/belonging-to-wisdom by-the-means-of 1) ethelothreskeia ‘self-desired/willed religion via liturgical services & rituals and religious disciplines for righteous holiness & godliness’ kai and/subsequently (c) 2) tapeinophrosune ‘self-humbling or depreciating practices like fasting’ kai and/coupled (c) 3) apheidia ‘unsparing severity of the body to create self-control‘ for righteous holiness & godliness’  – [they are] ouk absolutely-in-fact-NOT with time perceived-value/worth tini THIS (d) pros ‘toward and reaching/accomplishing’ [singular: the] [create self-control over the] indulgence/satisfaction of the flesh.”

 

<Notes> a) dogma: used negatively in Luke 2:1; Acts 17:7; Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:15, and positively only in Acts 16:4, b) a logos message need not be true as in Matthew 28:13 vs. 15, and so many believe here this “reputation/affirmation of excellence is unmerited” as scholars Lightfoot and Liddell & Scott note.  That seems the case because Paul’s argument is that it actually is of “absolutely-in-fact-NO certain honor/value,” c) kai often couples 2 things together as likely the case with #2 and #3 as obviously being related, but #1 is the broader category that contains the #2 & #3 elements, which is the emphasis due to the repetition of similar words, d) tini THIS is an indefinite pronoun moved quite a bit out of position in the phrase to instead place the emphasis on ouk “absolutely-in-fact-NOT.”  It’s in the dative feminine singular, which matches up to the nouns of #1, #2, and #3 so THIS is referring to a “self-desired/willed religion of 2 coupled bodily disciplines of righteousness . . . that despite their “affirmed message of wisdom” and thus “perceived value” actually are “ouk absolutely-in-fact-NOT with perceived-value-worth . . . toward accomplishing self-control over the indulgence of the flesh.

 

That’s right!  The OT logos message that the Law of commandments and follow-up Oral Law “Traditions of the Elders” “indeed have been affirmed” by Jews for a long time to be “of/belonging-to wisdom” and in this particular case, in applying the “might and power” external resources and internal abilities of man of Zechariah 4:6 under the old covenant to developing self-control over the indulgence of the flesh through many disciplines of the body as with various types of fasting, but Paul says it’s ALL ultimately non-productive.  Zechariah 4:6’s solution is the “By-the-means-of My Spirit” of the completely-different-in-kind chadash/kainos NEW Covenant.

 

That’s Paul’s solution also in Colossians 1:9 “Spirit-kind-of wisdom and/coupled ‘connect-the-dots’ understanding that is the means/instrument-of being filled-to-the-full by-the-means-of epignosis genuine, full, experiential, relational knowledge of God’s will.”  It’s NOT the “self-desired/willed religion” of the OT, Oral Law, or any other Gentile philosophy or world religion that will work.  Everything come from the dunamis dynamite-like enabling-power of the Holy Spirit of Christ who is the only HEAD, per Colossians 1:11, 29, 2:12!  That’s why Jesus and His disciples didn’t fast even though the disciples of John the Baptist and every other rabbi there has ever been did.  We saw the reasons why in note ‘c’ above for Galatians 2:16-18.

 

That’s why the Book of Hebrews similarly says “For-the-reason-that The Law routinely/habitually is-holding-to-have a skia ‘shadow/outline/sketch’ of-the routinely/habitually mello ‘about-to-happen’ agathos ‘God-like good, upright/honorable, excellent, beneficial/useful, or praiseworthy’ things, absolutely-in-fact-NOT themselves the eikon ‘prototype image, statue, bust’ of-the pragma ‘regularly/habitually practiced deeds . . . sacrifices each year . . . absolutely-in-fact-NOT ever they-are presently/ongoingly dunamis dynamite-like powerfully-able teleioo to make mature/complete/perfect them-who are-routinely/habitually proserchomai ‘coming from one place to close beside’ [God]” (a), for “The Law absolutely-in-fact-NO thing teleioo was made mature/complete/perfect” (b). <Notes> a) Hebrews 10:1 regarding prayerful worship in approaching God, b) Hebrews 7:19.

 

Therefore, Paul declares: “The Law (nomos: principle rule) of/belonging-to the Spirit of zoe genuine-life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the [Mosaic] Law of/belonging-to sin and/coupled of/belonging-to death.  For-the-reason-that the powerlessness of/belonging-to the Law in that it was asthenes ‘weak, infirm, without vigor or strength, depleted, lacking in necessary resources, insufficient, frail, and sick’ dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ the flesh, God sent His Son to condemn sin in the flesh (a).  The gospel logos message of the Spirit’s dynamite-like enabling-power is NOT the logos message of the Law – the first is God acting FOR the sake of man and the second is man acting FOR the sake of God!  The first is Christ’s obedient work on the cross giving us Christ’s righteousness by unearned and undeserved unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ our trusting-relying-faith, and the second is our works of righteousness to earn or deserve God’s favor. <Notes> a) Romans 8:3-4.

 

Hebrews 5:11-14 really blasts Jewish-Christian thinking about going back to obeying the OT scriptures:  “You have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be [Christian] teachers (a), you need someone to teach you again the stoicheion elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles of/belonging-to the arche ‘FIRST in time or importance‘ (b) of/belonging-to-the logion prophetic-oracles/utterances of God (b).  You need ‘milk’ [c], not ‘solid food’ [d], for everyone who lives on ‘milk’ is un-skilled in the [gospel] logos message of righteousness [e], since he is an infant-child.  But ‘solid food’ is for the teleios ‘mature, complete, perfect,’ for those who have their enabling-powers of discernment gymnastically-trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”  Paul says that discernment is a progressive grace-gift of the renewing, light-giving Holy Spirit received during genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of Christ (f) that Hebrews 4:12 says comes from hearing the directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words of God, these “being sharper than any two-edged sword, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  This is NOW the WAY little children of God are to learn directly from Him – see Least Among You – BT8 and New Covenant Ways – BT16.

 

<Notes> a) in context, this is certainly not of the Law but instead the ‘solid food’ of Christ’s gospel logos message of The Truth of saving trusting-relying-faith, b) context:  concerning the Messianic and New Covenant promises, used in early Church writings to convert Jews to Christ, used to encourage struggling Jewish-Christians to resist the Law-teachers, used by evangelist-preachers to elegcho/s rebuke-convict Law-teachers per 2 Timothy 3:16, 4:2; 1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 1:13, 2:15; Ephesians 5:11; cf. Jude 1:15, that only make up 2.6% of the OT – see Logos Word of God – BT6.  Hebrews 5:12 “arche ‘first in time or importance’ of-the logion oracles/utterances” make up the “arche ‘first in time or importance’ logos message of the Christ (Anointed One, Messiah) in Hebrews 6:1, and the things mentioned in vv. 6:1-2 ALL have to do with OT Jewish doctrines or practices that are preparatory to the NT gospel logos message to Jews, though many Christians and churches mistake these for Church doctrines and practice because they don’t know Greek and read verses out of context and the intended audience, c) as new-born Jewish-Christians, that’s what the OT prophetic-oracles/utterances about Christ as Messiah were, d) context:  of the gospel logos message and the Holy Spirit’s means of revelation NOW through discernment, not through rote-learning of the Law as with ‘abc’ writings and rules to strictly control the Jews as little-children, e) context: our source of righteousness is Christ, no longer from obedience to the OT Law, f) 1 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:8-10, Philippians 1:9-10.

 

 

 

Reflections:

 

The OT scripture served its purpose to “bear-witness or testify about Christ” per John 5:39 and lead-by-the-hand ‘the immature, infant-like, little children‘ Jews to Christ.  However, NOW that we have Christ, His gospel logos message of The Truth WHO is Jesus and the enabling-power of the “One Teacher” of Christ’s Holy Spirit WHO is the actual “Promise” of the New Covenant.   Therefore we have NO LONGER any need for the OT scripture, especially 97.4% that is conditional, Law-based favor God – see Logos Word of God – BT5a!  Especially if you are a Gentile!  The remaining 2.6% that consists of the Messianic prophecies can still convert Jews to Christ and encourage new Jewish-Christians to resist the Law-teachers!

 

NOW let us put our trusting-relying-faith in The Promised Holy Spirit to “guide us into ALL The Truth” (a), and that “His anointing teaches us about EVERY single thing so we have absolutely NO need of any other teacher” (b), and that the ‘solid food’ of the Holy Spirit’s prophecy and revelation to us TODAY is enough with His enabling-power for a life of righteous holiness and godliness.  Let’s grow up and get off bottle feeding from the “milk” of biblical gramma writings.  <Notes> a) John 16:13, b) 1 John 2:27.

 

And for sure let us NOT ever embrace the Jew’s or any other world philosophy or religious slavery to the “asthenes ‘weak, infirm, without vigor or strength, depleted, lacking in necessary resources, insufficient, frail, and sick’ and/coupled ptochos ‘crouching/cowering like a beggar, deeply destitute/helpless, insufficient in resources, poor like a pauper’ stoicheion elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles of/belonging-to the world” of gramma writings of self-determined religious disciplines of obeying dogma as ‘authoritative, universally-binding commandments of doctrines, precepts, decrees, laws, and ordinances” and self-humbling bodily-severity of dietary laws & fasting.  You see this in every world religion and cult, even in Christianity!  Borrowing from the OT and the world creates The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit in the Church.

 

Prayer:

 

 

Lord, praise Your name for freeing us from the “guardian-manager imprisonment” of the OT scriptures that were only meant to get the “little children” Jews ready to come to Christ so they could be mature sons of God to receive their inheritance, of which the Holy Spirit was the first-fruits “deposit, guaranteeing what was to come.”  Thank You for getting us past the weak & destitute “rote ‘abc’ learning” of biblical writings and their slavery, but NOW teaching us through the discernment of the Holy Spirit, the actual promise of the New Covenant, so we have absolutely-in-fact-NO need of any other form of teaching – no more indirect learning through biblical writings or their teachers, but NOW directly by You.

 

Thank You for helping us see what the NT writers said about this and why they fought so hard to set us free from writings ABOUT God.  We will grab a hold of “the clear bodily reality and substance of Christ” NOW as His Holy Spirit, instead of the “fuzzy-shadows and copies” projected backward into biblical writings.  Thank You for showing us that “disciplines of the body,” especially Jewish rabbinical practices like fasting, don’t make us righteously holy or godly, but ONLY intimate koinonia fellowship with the Spirit of holiness can!  Dogma expressed in gramma ‘abc’ writings is the ‘bad news’ of every religion, even the OT one, and that which “enslaves and imprisons” so many legalistic Christians.

 

Every religion has a book of dogma, but even the ritual “form/appearance of godliness” of institutional Christianity does NOT have the bodily-reality of genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of Christ thru the Spirit of discernment.  This is the “Great News” of the gospel:  that we shall “all be taught by God” and “All my men and women servants shall prophecy!”  Show us more about this Lord!

 

 

 

 

 

Spiritual Education, Scripture was the elementary abc’s to prepare Jews for Christ, Scripture treated the Jews as little children & slaves & prisoners, Scripture imprisoned Jews under sin, Law of sin and death, Scripture purpose was to testify about Christ so Jews would come to Him when He arrived, Scripture no longer needed ONCE Christ came, Writings about God and rules to live by are for kids, Holy Spirit discernment is for mature sons of God, Old Testament has been replaced with New Covenant, Jesus replaced Moses Prophets and all Jewish Writings