The Masonic Scholar

ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν – ‘‘The Kingdom of God is Within You’’ What Does Luke 17:21 Mean?

ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν – ‘‘The Kingdom of God is Within You’’ What Does Luke 17:21 Mean?

 

Kerry A. Shirts MM, 32°, CM, RAM, KT

Eagle Rock Lodge #19

Idaho Falls, Idaho

January 2, 2011

 After healing the ten lepers, Luke then presents (17:20-21) the Pharisees as questioning Jesus about when the Kingdom of God would come. Jesus’ response is interesting because he tries to show them their expectations are inaccurate in how they perceive what is to happen. The discussion of the meaning of the Greek statement βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν – ‘‘The Kingdom of God is within you,’’ in biblical scholarship circles is fascinating. It is ambiguous and various interpretations give shades of meanings that teach us a very important lesson. Based on syntactical, linguistic, and grammatical considerations, there is simply no one single correct way to interpret this statement. Dogmatism has to be laid aside with the realization that the Bible itself is never clearly one sided and simple in its meaning. Nor is there always a single correct interpretation and meaning. It isn’t the fault of the scholars, it is the very nature of the way Greek is constructed (and recorded as well as written by the ancient authors styles and choices of expression!) and how it can legitimately be translated into various ways, perfectly logic and coherent, and yet sometimes arriving at contradictory readings and meanings. ‘‘Ernst Kasemann argues that such theological variety in the early church is ‘so wide even in the New Testament that we are compelled to admit the existence not merely of significant tensions, but, not infrequently, of irreconciliable theological contradictions.’ Krister Stendahl agrees that such differences cannot and should not be resolved through clever exegesis because ‘when they are overcome by harmonization, the very points intended by the writers are dulled and distorted.’’’[1]

ἐμβριμαομαι αυτω: Was Jesus Really “Snorting Angry,” With the Leper in Mark 1:43-44 After Healing Him?

ἐμβριμαομαι αυτω: Was Jesus Really “Snorting Angry,” With the Leper in Mark 1:43-44 After Healing Him?

 

Kerry A. Shirts, MM, 32°, CM, RAM, KT

Eagle Rock Lodge #19

Idaho Falls, Idaho

January 1, 2011

 

When we begin reading the Gospel of Mark, we soon run into the story of Jesus healing the leper (after he had healed many at Simon Peter’s Mother-in-law’s house – vss. 30-34), and Jesus says to him after he heals him -  Και εμβριμησαμενος αυτω ευθεως εξεβαλεν αυτον – “And having strictly charge him, immediately he sent him away. ”

 

The Greek brings up something that is not grasped at all in the English translations. Kenneth Wuest noted the verb in the phrase “He straightly charged him,” “is embrimaomai (ἐμβριμαομαι) from brimaomai (βριμαομαι) “to be moved with anger.” The word Mark uses means “to snort,” and was used of horses. In the classics it meant “to be very angry, to be moved with indignation.”[1] Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer described this scene, based on the Greek as “After he had been angry at him, wrathfully addressing him… we are to conceive of a vehement begone now! Away hence! With this is connected also the forcible εξεβαλεν (exebalen – [KAS notes – from the verb ἐκβάλλω (ekballō)

πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε – Prove All Things, Hold Fast That Which is Good

πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε – Prove All Things, Hold Fast That Which is Good: Refutation of a Popular Atheist Credo, Part 2

 

Kerry A. Shirts. MM, 32°, CM, RAM, KT

Ritualist/Education Officer

Eagle Rock Lodge # 19

Idaho Falls, Idaho

December 28, 2010

 

By doing a little browsing through the Bible, we can find all sorts of ideas which sometimes take us by complete surprise. A popularized Atheist Credo I have been told by atheists is that we Bible believers are taught not to think, but simply accept what we are told. I simply do not find that concept in the Bible. The exact opposite intellectual paradigm is actually presented to us to consider.

 

πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε – Prove All Things, Hold Fast That Which is Good is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:21. This entire discourse is given by Paul to keep the people in readiness and not get caught off guard. The exhortation to be sober in vss. 6 and 8 is the Greek word νήφω nēphō having the sense of sober watchfulness, while at  2 Timothy 4:5 we read: σὺ δὲ νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, “you, however, show sound judgment in all things.” Actually, the verb is always found with exhortations. Verse 11 reads, in part, the necessity of “edifying” one another. The Greek verb here is οἰκοδομέω (oikodomeō) which is used of building houses, with the idea of “building up” or “to make more able.” Paul, when talking to the Ephesians declared they were to be δοκιμάζοντες τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ κυρίῳ - “proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” The verb δοκιμάζω (dokimazō) is in the present active meaning there is no assessment of the action’s completion. It means to regard something as genuine or worthy on the basis of testing—to judge to be genuine, to judge as good, to approve. δοκιμάζοντες is the plural because it is spoken to the entire group of the Ephesians. Larkin notes that “the participle could indicate the process of critical examination to determine genuineness, (Philippians 1:10) but more likely points to a response to the result of the investigation” – ‘to draw a conclusion about worth on the basis of testing, prove, approve.’[1]

Διὸ ἀναζωσάμενοι τὰς ὀσφύας τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν : “Gird Up the Loins of Your Mind” - A Refutation of a Popularized Atheist Credo Against Christians

Διὸ ἀναζωσάμενοι τὰς ὀσφύας τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν : “Gird Up the Loins of Your Mind” - A Refutation of a Popularized Atheist Credo Against Christians

 

Kerry A. Shirts, MM, 32°, CM, RAM, KT

Ritualist/Education Officer

Eagle Rock Lodge # 19

Idaho Falls, Idaho

December 23, 2010

 

The texts which I will exercise rigorous hermeneutical, exegetical, historical, and theological analysis are, for the most part, going to be 1 Peter 1:13 (hence the title of my paper) and Philippians 1:9-11. Investigating the Greek grammar, semantic range of meanings for words, exegetical and hermeneutic interpretations shed a great amount of light on the meaning of many biblical verses that are either misunderstood, mistranslated, or simply ignored.

 

The popularized atheist credo which the title of my paper alludes to is the general idea that we Christians are basically too stupid to critically think. Our belief in the Bible is misguided because it teaches us, in a nutshell, to simply sit down, shut up and accept our beliefs with “blind faith”which have no evidence. Never think critically for ourselves, but simply accept what our pastors, bishops or other church leaders teach from the pulpit. We don’t have the intellectual capacity to be “objective,” “scientific,” or even “realistic,” because the Bible proclaims that we are to accept things using “blind faith.” We can’t prove anything we believe in because we are taught not to think, but only believe and be naïve, both intellectually and realistically. The Bible programs us for dumb belief and to live in blind faith, hence we are brain washed stupid.

 

Granted the charges against us are emotionally laden, however, a close look at what the Bible actually does teach demonstrates that the atheist paradigm concerning our Christian intellect is itself terribly naïve and subjective, and worse still, completely wrong. Lets take a more careful look at what the Bible actually does say and teach, not relying merely on English translations, which miss the force of the Greek, but exploring the Greek meaning itself. The question is, just what does the Bible teach us about how to use our brains? Are we truly to simply shut up, sit down, and accept everything that is told without ever thinking for ourselves? Are we taught in the Bible to ignore the intellect and simply believe? This is what I will investigate in this paper.

The Zietgiest: Film Destroying Christianity?

My good friend and fellow LDS researcher/scholar Ben McGuire has yet again written a profound response to a very good question which we Christians run across from time to time. McGuire's response is seriously thoughtful, and powerfully discussed. Well worth the reading! Thanks Ben for allowing me to post this!

The Question is:

I recently came across a video presentation courtesy of my ex  wife 

called zietgiest (one and two) which talks// shows parallels of  saviour figures 

thru mythology and biblical parallels...quite convincing  figures that predate 

christ and the hidden symbology meanings..has  anyone come across this..quite 

sophisicated anti christian thing before  and is there any information that 

dicusses this on a scholarly level..i  understand this is meant to destroy faith 

and the position of christ as  the saviour<<

Ben McGuires' Response:

There are several things that go on with this kind of claim. I know one of the professors at BYU who teaches statistics. One of the things he introduces to his students is the notion that apparently weird stuff happens. His example that he likes to use is of the guy who wins a million dollar lottery twice in

The Throne of God

The Throne of Glory at the Creation

By Kerry A. Shirts, 32

Eagle Rock Lodge #19

Idaho Falls, Idaho

Rashi, (R Schlomoh ben Yizchak - b1040 C. E.) the medieval Jewish commentator and scholar, commented on the creation account in Genesis that what was hovering (merachephet) over the waters during the initial stages of creation was not the Spirit of God, but rather the throne of God.(1) He said Kiseh’ hakavod ‘omed ba’avir umerachef al peni hamayim beruach piv shel haqadosh baruch hu’ - “The Throne of Glory was standing in the air and hovering over the surface of the water by the breath of the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He.“2) This is quite a remarkable insight which I believe is elaborated on in the Zohar in interesting ways. This is one of those esoteric interpretations which is not in the scripture, but is assumed knowledge of those who are, so to speak, “in the know.” One of those underlying fun little ditties which is generally not known, yet is believed by the mystical Jews. How it changes or helps our understanding of creation is very interesting to note.

I find it interesting that he lived before the great flowering of the Zohar, yet understood this idea of the Throne of God, even from before the

beginning of the Creation. The Zohar also has much about the Throne of Glory, or Throne of God, and in fact, portrays it as the Tree of Life. In the Kabbalah, this tree has three columns (some commentators say they are the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), and it is this tree which helps unite the male and female into eternal union, such as Adam and Eve were before the Fall. The interesting