The tree of the knowledge of good and evil

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil

There are two trees in the midst of paradise. From one of them originate animals, from another — men. Adam ate of the tree which originates animals. And he became an animal and then brought forth animals.
Therefore at present, the animals like Adam are held in respect.
So, the tree of which Adam ate a fruit is the tree of animals. This is why his children became so numerous. And all of them also ate the fruits of the tree of animals. (The Gospel of Philip)

To understand what the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is we must first understand the symbolic understanding of trees in the Bible

Trees and leaves are sometimes used as symbols to describe the righteous (see Psa. 1:3; 92:12; Isa. 60:21; 65:22).

we know from the book of revelation that trees are symbolic of people

Rev 22:2 down the middle of its broad way. And on this side of the river and on that side [there were] trees of life producing twelve crops of fruit, yielding their fruits each month. And the leaves of the trees [were] for the curing of the nations. (NWT 1983)

Rev 22:2 Then it flowed down the middle of the city's main street. On each side of the riverare trees that grow a different kind of fruit each month of the year. The fruit gives life, and the leaves are used as medicine to heal the nations. (Contemporary English Version)

It would not be possible to have a single tree both inside the city, and on either side of a river that flows therefrom. The word xulon can relate to a wood, or a forest of trees; and that, obviously, is its meaning here twelve crops of fruit, yielding their fruits each month

This, again, shows that John saw a forest of trees, and not a single tree. Some of the "fruits" to be produced through the influence of the water of life are outlined in Prov. 3:16-18; Gal. 5:22. The number twelve identifies the fruit with the hope of Israel, and suggests the monthly pilgrimages and services that will form part of the ministry of saints in the age to come (see Isa. 66:23)

also the Lord's saying, "I am the vine: ye are the branches" (John 15). He is the tree of life, and the Paradise is the Kingdom of God in the Holy Land (Ezek. 36:35).

He is "the tree of life" symbolized from the beginning by the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. His body of "many members" is represented by the "very many trees" of the Ezekiel Paradise (Ezek. 47:7), which literally "beautify the place of God's sanctuary" (Is. 60:13). He and they are the substance of the symbol in this place

So the tree of life is symbolic of Jesus's gospel message or logos teachings it is logical to conclude that the tree of knowledge of good and evil is also symbolic

The tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil are a Figure of speech

also from the book of Provbers we lean that wisdom (wise thinking.) is a tree of life

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is everyone that retaineth her" (Prov 3:14,18).

Since wisdom is understood to be the tree of life it is logical to conclude that the tree of knowledge of good and evil is also symbolic.

the trees could be symbolic of the angels according to Justin the gnostic who's most important work, Baruch comes from Hyppolytus says

angels are the Trees of Paradise: the Tree of Life is Baruch, the third angel of the Father, and the Tree of Knowledge is the third angel of the Mother, Naas the Snake (Hebr. nafash).

In the garden of Eden, God employed two trees for symbolic purposes: “the tree of life” and “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.” Failure to respect God’s decree concerning the latter brought man’s fall.—Ge 2:9, 16, 17; 3:1-24.

By God’s pronouncement decreeing it to be out-of-bounds for the human pair, the tree became a symbol of God’s right to determine or set the standards for man as to what is “good” (approved by God) and what is “bad” (condemned by God). It thus constituted a test of man’s respect for his Creator’s position and his willingness to remain within the area of freedom decreed by God, an area that was by no means cramped and that allowed for the greatest enjoyment of human life. Therefore, to violate the boundaries of the prohibited area by eating of “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad” would be an invasion of or a revolt against God’s domain and authority

The Tree of Life occupied a place in the "midst of the garden" with the "tree of knowledge of good and evil" (cp. Gen. 3:3). Here were symbolically provided the two choices for mankind: obedience or sin; life or death.

"And the tree of knowledge of good and evil" — Good and evil represent the extremes of knowledge and thus serve as an idiom for completeness, comprehending all within the two opposites. In Deut. 1:39 and Isa. 7:14-17, lack of knowing good and evil indicates immaturity, whereas in 2 Sam. 14:17; 1 Kings 3:9 knowledge of such denotes maturity. In 2 Sam. 19:35 the expression is used with regard to the virility of the body to respond and enjoy such experiences. The ability to discern between good and evil is treated as a Divine attribute (2 Sam. 14:17; 1 Kings 3:9; Prov.15:3).

In Genesis 2:9 – 15 we read a description of the garden in Eden. It was a pleasant place with all kinds of trees and plants and the garden was watered naturally by a river. Within this pleasant garden Yahweh Elohim placed two trees which were symbolic of his relationship with mankind. The tree of life was symbolic of God’s promise of immortal life to those who chose to follow his ways rather than the way of human nature. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the garden as a test for mankind and to allow free will. They could follow God’s way or the way of human nature looking for instant pleasure.

We talked about the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as it was the only fruit that Adam was forbidden to eat. In Genesis 2:16 – 17 we see that this was God’s first commandment. Until this time the idea of death had not been part of human experience. There had been no need for the killing of animals as a sacrifice for sins.


The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is symbolic of our sinful desire

Yahweh says, "the cedars in the garden of God could not hide him; nor was any tree in the garden of God like unto him in his beauty. I made him fair by the multitude of his branches; so that all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied him" (Ezek 31:3,8-9). These trees (Dan 4:20-22) are symbolic of the negative thoughts of the mind which Syria (intellectual pride), and Assyria ( reasoning according to the outward senses) shall be abolished (Isa 37:12-13).

The "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" represents the discerning capacity of mind. Man first becomes aware of knowledge; then he must discern the relation of ideas before activity is set up within him.

God told Adam to avoid the tree whose fruit was a knowledge of good and evil, "for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." It is evident that this tree is closely related to individual free will, which is in direct touch with the "serpent" or selfhood. In that state of consciousness, or day, the individual shall surely die.

The branch that separates itself from the tree withers away and dies. So a belief by the ego that its life, substance, and intelligence are self-derived cuts off the source of supply, and the ego begins to revolve in a mental vortex whose dominant tones are good and evil, birth and death--duality.

It is through the affections, the feminine in us, that we partake of both good and evil. The soul, or woman, was given to man by Yahweh, and is the avenue through which the inspirations of Spirit come. When the I AM assumes mastery over the soul it brings forth only good.

"tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen. 2:9)--Indicates a dual state of consciousness, a belief in both good and error, which eventually drives man out of the garden (his body temple).

There are two trees in the midst of paradise. From one of them originate animals, from another — men. Adam ate of the tree which originates animals. And he became an animal and then brought forth animals.
Therefore at present, the animals like Adam are held in respect.
So, the tree of which Adam ate a fruit is the tree of animals. This is why his children became so numerous. And all of them also ate the fruits of the tree of animals. (The Gospel of Philip)


As a result, the fruits of the tree of animals begot numerous people-animals who now honor only man-animal.

There are two trees growing in Paradise. The one bears animals [the tree of knowledge of good and evil which leads to death], the other bears men [the tree of life]. Adam ate from the tree which bore animals. He became an animal [after going according to his own will] and he brought forth animals [all of his sons are brought forth in the same condition of separation from the Father and eat from this tree (this is the first death]. For this reason the children of Adam worship animals [who continue to “lord it over them” in their unreasoning minds]. The tree [...] fruit is [...] increased. [...] ate the [...] fruit of the [...] bears men, [...] man. [...] God created man. [...] men create God. That is the way it is in the world - men make gods [by choosing for themselves kings and/or governments or men to rule over them; also by setting up selfishness as ruler over their own temple] and worship their creation [bow down to their own man-made constitutions]. It would be fitting for the gods to worship men [all men are created in the image of God and are “sons of the Most High” with all power of creation that the Father has bestowed upon them if they would just turn to Him, but in ignorance they keep following those that are not gods – this is idolatry whether it be government, idealism, religion etc. for they all result in spiritual thievery]!

Seeing

Seeing

People cannot see anything that really is without becoming like it. It is not so with people in the world, who see the sun without becoming the sun and see the sky and earth and everything else without becoming them.

This is quite in keeping with the truth. But you saw something of that place, and you became those things.,

you have seen the spirit and have become spirit,

you have seen Christ and have become Christ,

you have seen the [father] and will become father.

[Here] in the world you see everything but do not [see] yourself, but there in that realm you see yourself, and you will [become] what you see.

Dear brothers and sisters for this reason no longer see yourselves as human or flesh that you may not be human, nothing human can enter the realm of spirit but will be dissolved by pure light.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

The Natural Seed and the Spiritual Seed 1 John 3 9

The Natural Seed and the Spiritual Seed 1 John 3 9

There are TWO TYPES OF NATURAL SEED mentioned in the scriptures: SPERM the engendering male element which begets like kind; the seed in or from the loins - and CHILDREN - the results of impregnation of the semen (sperm) bringing forth the seed of posterity; the offspring of a father after the flesh; the subsequent generations follow this NATURAL LAW and are considered the seed of the original progenitor after the FLESH.

There are also TWO FORMS OF THE SPIRITUAL SEED: THE WORD OF GOD (Luke 8:11) - which is spirit (John 6:63) - and CHILDREN OF GOD - those persons whose minds and hearts have been impregnated with the word of God and through obedience to the word and develop into God’s children; they are born of the SPIRIT - begotten by the word of God:
John 3:5 - “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
James 1:18 - “And of his own will begat he us with the WORD OF TRUTH, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.”
1 Peter 1:23 - “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, BY THE WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
1 John 3:9 - “Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” They are thus begotten by God.
John 1:13 - “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
We might term this seed “MYSTICAL”, since Jesus stated that: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou heareth the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is EVERY ONE THAT IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT” (John 3:8). Also, Paul speaks of the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS:
1 Timothy 3:16 - “And without controversy great is the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
... A MYSTERY is a concealed FACT that MAY be revealed. God reveals these things unto his children by his spirit. He conceals them from the wise (of the world) but reveals them unto babes:
Matthew 11:25 - “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”

When God created them, male and female, it was for the purpose of multiplying and filling the whole earth with like kind. The law of descent by birth was vested in the man, the male sperm. The man-to-the-woman is a type of God-to-his-people, or of Christ-to-his-church (bride). Now Jesus was born under this natural law, in order to inherit the natural attributes of his forefathers (Adam, Noah, Abraham, and David) after the flesh. He partook of flesh and blood and in all things was made like unto his brethren, that he might destroy those human attributes in himself, which attributes would result in death.
Hebrews 2:14-17 - “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15. “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16. “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17. “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
Therefore it was necessary for God to use a natural seed (sperm) or else Jesus would have been born spirit, according to Jesus’ own statement at John 3:6: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
The seed promised to Abraham was relative to his posterity. The promise to David was as literal as the promise to Abraham as witnessed by the following texts:
2 Samuel 7:12 - “And when thy [David’s] day be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and I will establish his kingdom.”
1 Chronicles 17:11 - “And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and I will establish his kingdom.”
Psalm 132:11 - “The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.”
2 Timothy 2:8 - “Remember that Jesus Christ of [Grk. ‘ex’ - out of] the seed of David was raised from [Grk. ‘ex’ - out of] the dead according to my gospel.”
Acts 2:30 - “Therefore [David] being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of [Grk. ‘ex’ - out of] the FRUIT OF HIS LOINS, according to the FLESH, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.”
Jeremiah 33:20-21 - “Thus saith the LORD: If ye can break my covenant of the day, and ... the night, and that there should not be day and night ...
21. “Then may my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a SON to reign upon his throne.”
John 7:42 - “Hath not the scriptures said, that Christ cometh of [Grk. ‘ex’ - from out of] the seed of David.”
Romans 1:3 (Diaglott) - “Concerning that son of his, who was born from a seed of David, according to the FLESH.”
These testimonies refer specifically to God’s covenant with David. God through Isaiah states that “a virgin shall conceive” [Hebrew ‘harah’ - to receive seed - sperm] (Isaiah 7:14). And the angel Gabriel said to the virgin Mary: “Thou shalt conceive” [Grk. ‘sullambano’ - to receive seed - sperm] (Luke 1:31).
Now, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6). Also, “that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is NATURAL; and afterward that which is SPIRITUAL” (1 Corinthians 15:46). Thus denoting the sequence by which God begets “sons” from among mankind. Since Jesus was born of flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14), then God must have used a NATURAL seed (sperm) to impregnate Mary by insemination.

When Gabriel informed Mary of God’s purpose, she said: “How can this be seeing I know not a man?” Gabriel answered: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee” (Luke 1:35). The Holy Spirit is not a person but is the power of God, by which he subjugates and sustains all things according to his will. Thus was the physical association of a man dispensed with, as God, through his power, performed the feat in accordance with his promise to David.
And Gabriel said to Mary: “God will give unto him [Jesus] the throne of David his father” (Luke 1:32). Jesus was the son of David after the flesh. He is the natural seed (posterity) in whom all the covenants are fulfilled.
This does not negate the fact that Jesus became the son of God after the spirit in God’s appointed way: First the natural, afterward the spiritual. Jesus expressly states that, “I am the way and no man cometh to the Father but by me [after the
same manner]” (John 14:6).

true citizenship Romans 13 1

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. 2 Therefore he who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will receive judgment to themselves

Temporal rulers represent the ruling principle of divine law, and in the degree that we become obedient to that law their authority to us is divine.

We reject that we are at liberty to serve in the armed forces, in the police force, take part in jury duty or politics, or recover debts by legal coercion. [These constitute elements of society and its law-enforcement requirements, of which the believer will have no part. — Jn . 17:16]

The NT teaches that our "true citizenship" is from heaven, I.e., when Jesus returns and establishes the Kingdom of his God on earth: Phil 3.20. Thus, for the time being, we're described as "foreigners, resident aliens": 1 Peter 2.11

So if you're a Christian think twice before pledging allegiance to ANY flag by killing for home or country!

We honor kings, but do not vote for them....we respect law and order but do not seek to be officiers of the law....we are polite and pay taxes, but our allegiance is to God, not man.

Do not follow the spirit of the moment

For true believers we are not part of this age therefore we should not worried about immigration we are not part of this world we have a better place to live an heavenly country the fullness of things to come

Sheol Hell in the book of Enoch

Sheol Hell in the book of Enoch

Sheol Hell in the 1st book of Enoch

Sheol

Translated from Ethiopic by Richard Laurence, London, 1883.
http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/enoch.html#Enoch_22
http://qbible.com/enoch/22.html

22:1 And from there, I went to another place, and he showed me in the west a large and high mountain, and a hard rock, and four beautiful places.

the hard rock could be a cave within the mountain were the four beautiful places would be

Hell is described as being in the earth, and in the foundation of the mountains - the foundations being under the earth (Deuteronomy 32:22). Hell is deep - underground (Job 11:8). The direction of hell is down (Psalms 55:15, Ezekiel 32:21,27). Hell is low (Psalms 86:13). Hell is beneath us (Proverbs 15:24, Isaiah 14:9). Hell is a pit (Isaiah 14:15, Ezekiel 31:16). We must dig into hell (Amos 9:2). Hell (the grave) follows death (Revelation 6:8).

22:2 And inside, it was deep, wide, and very smooth. How smooth is that which rolls, and deep and dark to look at!
22:3 Then Raphael, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered me, and said to me: "These beautiful places are there so that the spirits of the souls of the (righteous and the unrighteous,) dead, might be gathered into them. For them they were created; so that here they might gather the souls of the sons of men.
22:4 And these places they made, where they will keep them until the day of judgement, and until their appointed time, and that appointed time will be long, until the great judgement (seat of Christ) comes upon them (the righteous and unrighteous).

1peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18 “And if the righteous is being saved with difficulty, where will the ungodly [man] and the sinner make a showing?

2cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

22:5 And I saw the soul of a dead man making suit, and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit.

The slain soul, in a figure, cried for vengeance. the soul of a dead man was not, and is not an "immortal soul". Had this been so, it would have been symbolized as alive and not as a dead man slain.

22:6 Then I asked Raphael, the angel who was with me, and said to him: "Whose spirit is that, the voice of which reaches to heaven, and complains?"
22:7 And he answered me, and said to me, saying: "This spirit is the one that came out of Abel, whom Cain, his brother, killed. And he will complain about him until his offspring (the seed of Cain, the "Seed of the Serpent,") are destroyed from the face of the Earth, and from amongst the offspring of men, his offspring perish."

The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground" (Gen. 4:10). So God said to Cain concerning the slain soul of Abel his brother. This was a cry for vengeance upon Cain. So in this symbolic prophecy.

It is a principle in Scripture that "the life (soul, 'nephesh') of the flesh is in the blood". (Lev. 17:11). By personification, a slain person's blood is said to "cry" or "speak". (Gen. 4:10 cf. Heb. 12:24).

The word soul is an equivalent expression for life in many places. Leviticus 17:11 states: "For the soul of the flesh or the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." In this place, blood represents life or soul. Enoch, therefore, saw the blood of the slain man which was representative of the life, or soul, poured out in death.

The figure is obviously drawn from Leviticus 17.

22:8 At that time therefore I inquired respecting him, and respecting the general judgement, saying, Why is one separated from another?
22:9 And he answered me, and said to me: "These three places where made, in order that they might separate the spirits of the dead (the unredeemed) might be separated (from the Redeemed). And thus the spirits of the righteous have been separated; this is the spring of water, and on it the light.

LUKE 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
The passage states that there was a great chasm fixed between Abraham and the rich man, yet they could both see and converse with each other (vs. 26). Is the great chasm to be taken literally?

LUKE 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

If you were being tormented in flames of fire, as the rich man was, would you request only a "drop of water" to quench your agony? Would not a jug or jar, or even a handful of water be more logical?

That it cannot be concluded from this parable that Hades itself is a place of blazing fire is made clear at Revelation 20:14, where death and Hades are described as being hurled into “the lake of fire.” The death of the rich man and his being in Hades must therefore be figurative, figurative death being mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures. (Lu 9:60; Col 2:13; 1Ti 5:6) So the fiery torment was experienced while he was figuratively dead but actually alive as a human after a resurrection to judgement), being in torment


22:10 Likewise, a place has been created for sinners (the unrighteous), when they die, and are buried in the earth, and judgement has not come upon them during their life.
22:11 And (they have lived the good life, but) here their souls will be separated (in sheol) for (after a resurrection to judgement), being in torment) this great anguish (the General concept of judgement, with painful consequences.), at the Great Day of judgement and Punishment and Torment for those who curse, forever, so that there may be retribution for their souls. And there he (Jesus Christ) will bind them forever.
22:12 And this division has been made for the souls of (the righteous) those who complain, and give information about their destruction, about when they were killed, in the days of the sinners.
22:13 Thus a place has been created, for the souls of men who are not righteous, but sinners, accomplished in wrongdoing, and with the wrongdoers will be their lot. But their souls will not be killed on the day of judgement, nor will they rise from here (to be judged with the righteous and unrighteous."

The Angel Raphael answers this question in Verse 9. above when he says
"Three of the four places have been reserved for the unrighteous, and only one place is reserved for the righteous."

This is a 3-to-1 ratio, which means that out of the over seven billion people who are alive on the earth today, only about 1.75 billion of the people on the earth today will enter into the kingdom of Heaven. To say noting of the billions who have lived on the earth for the past 6000 years of generations that have gone before us,

22:13 Thus a place has been created, for the souls of men who are not righteous, but sinners, accomplished in wrongdoing, and with the wrongdoers will be their lot. But their souls (life) will not be killed on the day of judgement, nor will they rise from here (to be judged with the righteous and unrighteous.") the sinners remain in sheol forever


Thus, the Scriptures speak of the DEATH-STATE into which all go when they depart from among the living. While "in death" they are said to sleep. From this sleep some never awake; which is equivalent to saying, that they are never the subject of resurrection. This is evident from JER 51:57 where, speaking of the princes, wise men, captains, rulers, and mighty ones of Babylon, the eternal spirit saith: "they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake": and Isaiah, speaking of the same class, says, "they are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise;

1st book of enoch 51:1 And in those days the Earth will return that which has been entrusted to it, and Sheol will return that which has been entrusted to it and that which it has received. And destruction will return what it owes.

1st book of enoch 56:8 And in those days Sheol will open its mouth and they will sink into it and their destruction; Sheol will swallow up the sinners in the presence of the elect ones."

1st book of enoch 99.11 Woe to you who extend evil to your neighbours; for you will be killed in Sheol.

22:14 Then I blessed the Lord of Glory, and said: "Blessed are you O Yahweh, Lord of Righteousness, who rules over everything forever."

Edom 2 Esdras 6:7

2 Esdras 6:7 Then answered I and said, What shall be the parting asunder of the times? or when shall be the end of the first, and the beginning of it that followeth? 8 And he said unto me, From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were borne of him, Jacob's hand held first the heel of Esau.9 For Esau is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning of it that followeth.

The above quotation from The Apocrypha teaches that the descendants of Esau will dominate the scene at the end of the age

Edom figures in several latter-day prophecies, such as Isaiah 34, Ezekiel 35, Obadiah and Psalm 83,

The end-time prophecies of Edom are often linked to the term ‘nations’,

Amos 9:11,12 which is quoted Acts 15:15-17

the latter-day Edom stands for those Arab nations surrounding Israel who are hostile to her and plot her annihilation. The latter-day revival of Edom in the recent emergence of several Arab nations concurrent with the return of the Jews to their land is one of the unmistakable signs of the times.

The fact that Israel has been outnumbered and ringed round by her enemies but never defeated is also taken as support for those Edom prophecies that speak, not of the defeat of Israel, but rather of the protection by God of His people

it seems certain that we are intended to read Obadiah's prophecy as a prophecy of the Last Days : Obad 1:15,17,21.

This Edomite enemy will be a member of an alliance: Obad 1:11. Edom is a member of the 10-nation Arab alliance described in Psa 83.

The controversy of the Last Days will concern God's holy mountain, mount Zion. There the enemies of Israel, including Edom, will rejoice over her: "Just as you drank on my holy hill...." (Obad 1:16).

And there also will God bring retribution upon these blasphemous enemies: Obad 1:15-17. This observation lends credibility to the idea that the last great conflict in and around Jerusalem -- a conflict which will bring on the literal Return of Christ -- will be a religious conflict, between two peoples desperately struggling to lay claim to the same "holy places".

At this point the prophecy dramatically changes tone. The people of Israel are saved from their adversity and are spiritually regenerated. They receive back the Land promised to their fathers, to its fullest extent, and the rescued and redeemed state of Israel becomes the nucleus of the Kingdom of God: "But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy... The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau... Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORD's" (Obad 1:17,18,21).

In short, is Obad 1:19,20 being fulfilled right now, or do they await a future fulfillment?

The order of Obad 1:17-21 suggests an answer: First, there must come a deliverance to mount Zion (v 17), and not just a military victory such as in 1948 or 1967: "But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy [or 'there shall be holiness': AV], and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance."

And so this "deliverance" will of require "holiness" -- and for this there must be true repentance and forgiveness of sins. Only then will Israel -- ie, a renewed and glorified remnant of Israel -- go forth to possess all the lands promised to the fathers (cp Gen 15:18-21; Exo 23:23; Deu 1:7; 11:24; Jos 1:4; Psa 72:8), as detailed in Obad 1:19,20.

This last territorial expansion will never be set back or thwarted in any way. Why? Because "Deliverers ['saviours': AV] will go up on Mount Zion... and the kingdom will be the LORD's" (Obad 1:21).

prophecy of the end times 2 Esdras 5:1

2 Esdras - prophecy of the end times

Before we begin this study I would ask that you read 2 Esdras 5:1 and 6

"Now concerning the signs (Signs of the END TIMES): behold, the days are coming when those who dwell on earth shall be seized with great terror (or fear see Rev. 18:10,15), and the way of truth (The Gospel message) shall be hidden (by governments; politicians and priests), and the land shall be barren of faith. (Luke 18:8)

[2] And unrighteousness shall be increased beyond what you yourself see, and beyond what you heard of formerly.

[3] And the land which you now see ruling shall be waste and untrodden, and men shall see it desolate. (The picture presented in this verse before us, therefore, is that of a desolated system, "the ten horns hated the whore, and made her desolate and naked" (Rev. 17:16).)

[4] But if the Most High grants that you live, you shall see it (after 1986) thrown into confusion after the third period (the Third Trumpet (Revelation/Apocalypse 8:10-11 - CHERNOBYL [1986] means Wormwood in Ukrainian ) and the sun shall suddenly shine forth at night, and the moon during the day. (The sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation. Habakkuk 3:11 It shall come to pass, [that] at evening time it shall be light. Zechariah 14:7) This will be fulfilled on 2/8/2027,

[5] Blood shall drip from wood, (the process by which fertile land becomes desert caused by deforestation and DROUGHT through CLIMATE CHANGE and WASTED by pollution from heavy-metals; toxins; agent-orange; radiation; anti-personnel LAND-MINES; forest-fires and the general effects of global warming and warfare; etc.; etc.). and the stone shall utter its voice; (Stones formed by man’s spirit (the ignorance of ego) are deceptive and can cause a person to be “stoned to death,” that is spiritual death and they build temples that will not stand the test of time. )

the peoples shall be troubled, and the stars shall fall. (In symbology, "stars" represent prominent rulers (cp. Dan. 12:3). The stars falling to the earth would represent the overthrow or a revolution of world leaders being ejected from their positions of authority. The heavenly bodies are commonly used as denoting governments and leaders (see Ezek. 32:6-8; Isa. 1:1,10; Luke 21:25, etc.).

[6] And one shall reign (The Antichrist) whom those who dwell on earth do not expect, and the birds shall fly away together;

[7] and the sea (of the people) of Sodom (Sodom stands for pride and abomination;) shall cast up fish; (the coming judgement on Babylon the great Rev 18:7,8 - Rev 17:5- just as the sea casts out dead fish*)  and one whom the many do not know shall make his voice heard by night, and all shall hear his voice. (the voice of the son of man)

(Luke **17:29* But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.)*

8] There shall be chaos also in many places (THE CONSTANT CONFUSION OF OUR TIME), and fire (a symbol of war) shall often break out, and the wild beasts shall roam beyond their haunts (world wide terrorism deportations mass relocations, refugees wandering from place to place), and child-bearing women shall bring forth monsters. (in God's Opinion, speaking metaphorically):


chapter 6

6:[20] and when the seal is placed upon the age which is about to pass away, then I will show these signs (the Sign of the son of man which will take place on 2/8/2027): the books shall be opened before Heaven (Revelation 5 and 6), and all shall see it together.

21] Infants a year old shall speak with their voices, and women with child shall give birth to premature children at three and four months, and these shall live and be raised up (in incubators).

[22] Sown places shall suddenly appear unsown, and full storehouses shall suddenly be found to be empty; (of food, including the seas from over-fishing):

[23] and the trumpet shall sound aloud (the Sixth - WW3 - Phase Two), and when all hear it, they shall suddenly be terrified. (The Twin Towers attack on Septmeber 11th is the Fifth Trumpet which was Phase One of WW3 - the Invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan ).

[24] At that time friends shall make war on friends like enemies ((for food, etc.)), and the earth and those who inhabit it shall be terrified, and the springs of the fountains shall stand still, so that for three hours they shall not flow.

[25] "And it shall be that whoever remains after all that I have foretold to you shall himself be saved and shall see my salvation and the end of your world.

What is the Great Image of Daniel Chapter 2

What is the great image of Daniel chapter 2. The great image is the same as Nebuchadnezzar’s golden Image of chapter 3 whose height was sixty cubits and its width was six cubits and 6 musical instruments are used in its worship this adds up to 666 the number of the beast which is a man’s number because man was made on the 6th day

So the great image represents the entire body a collective consciousness or a society It is society as an organism.  It is "a mortal god" - a gigantic human figure composed of a multitude of human figures  a society which is against the will of God  The different materials  represent different stages of human consciousness and development of world history  they are  called ages (Greek aeons) because they rule for a limited time.  The Golden Age is the time of high human consciousness. however every age that follows human society has gone from bad to worst. the Stone that struck the image, becomes a large mountain and fills the whole earth. That is the spiritual kingdom becomes established in the whole consciousness, and the Christ Mind is enthroned in the twelve centers of consciousness, 

The “image” represents the entire body. What are the other metals which make up the image they are kingdoms which for a time, rule over the consciousness.  They are states of consciousness that have established themselves in the human brain that forms a collective consciousness or a society. It is society as an organism.  It is "a mortal god" - a gigantic human figure composed of a multitude of human figures.  The different materials  represent different stages of human consciousness and development of world history  they are  called ages (Greek aeons) because they rule for a limited time.  The Golden Age is the time of high human consciousness. however every age that follows human society has gone from bad to worst. 

the different stages of world history are called ages theses are the lower aeons. The High aeons or ages are those of God the age of the law which lasted for around 2000 years ending in 70AD. Around 29 or 33 AD Jesus started the gospel age which is to be followed be the Kingdom age these ages are sometimes called Heavens the gospel age is itself made up of 12 aeons  1 faith, 2 hope, 3 love, 4 promises, 5 grace, 6 repentance, 7 forgiveness, 8 baptism, 9 anointing,, 10 wisdom, 11 Eucharist 12 logos 

Why do not these various minor kingdoms endure? They do not endure because of the lack of coalition or unification.

How shall all these kingdoms be unified? They shall be unified by the acknowledgement of the good news as stated by Jesus: John 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

When this acknowledgement is made by a believer, what is the result? the Stone that struck the image, becomes a large mountain and fills the whole earth. That is the spiritual kingdom becomes established in the whole consciousness, and the Christ Mind through its attributes of 1 light 2 fire 3 love 4 Beloved 5 Grace 6 Truth 7 Wisdom 8 understanding 9 perception 10 perfection 11 peace 12 logos these attributes are the 12 aeons which are enthroned at the twelve centers of consciousness, and there come to pass the words of Jesus : Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration: when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

So the great image represents the entire body a collective consciousness or a society It is society as an organism.  It is "a mortal god" - a gigantic human figure composed of a multitude of human figures  a society which is against the will of God  The different materials  represent different stages of human consciousness and development of world history  they are  called ages (Greek aeons) because they rule for a limited time.  The Golden Age is the time of high human consciousness. however every age that follows human society has gone from bad to worst. the Stone that struck the image, becomes a large mountain and fills the whole earth. That is the spiritual kingdom becomes established in the whole consciousness, and the Christ Mind is enthroned in the twelve centers of consciousness, 

Desposyni

There is therefore little doubt that these 'Bishops' of Jerusalem were in fact a dynastic bloodline, a dynasty claiming sacred legitimacy because of a blood relationship to Jesus, a relationship which an Apostle like Peter could not claim.

From Pella the Jewish Christians remnant is thought to have moved north-eastward, eventually making their way to the Tigris-Euphrates basin. In this relatively safe area they preserved their traditions for centuries. Eusebius and Epiphanius bear witness to the fact that the Jewish Christians survived and that numbers of Jews joined them. And from the historian Julius Africanus (160-240 CE) we learn that the Jewish Christians heirs took pride in their Davidic descent and circulated the genealogy which now stands at the head of Matthew's gospel.

According to this gospel, and to the Apostle Paul, Jesus was the first born of many brothers, and had at least two sisters. In his Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius of Caesaria (340 CE) speaks of grandchildren of Jesus' brother Jude who were living in Galilee during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian (81-96 CE). (Eusebius, History, 1:7.)


According to Eusebius, the descendants of Jesus' family (termed Desposyni) became dynastic leaders of various Christian Churches, and continued so up until the time of the Emperor Trajan (98-117 CE).

Jewish Christians communities were apparently still active in north and east Palestine right up until the fifth century, the name of Jesus being used by both Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in the interest of policy.

Further and further magnified by the Roman Christians, however, Jesus became progressively more symbolic and representative of ecclesiastical concerns. In Nazoraean eyes Jesus continued to be a naturally generated man.

According to the Jesuit historian Malachi Martin, a meeting took place in Rome between Pope Sylvester 1 and what is termed in Greek desposyni - the blood relatives of Jesus - in 318 CE. (Martin, Malachi, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church, G P Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1981, p. 43). Eight in number, these Desposyni leaders (otherwise known as ‘Nazoraeans’ or 'Nazarenes') made the following demands: (1) that the confirmation of the Christian bishops of Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus and Alexandria be revoked; (2) that these bishoprics be conferred on members of the Desposyni; and (3) that Christian Churches resume sending money to the Desposyni Church in Jerusalem, which was to be regarded as the Mother Church. Having provided sea travel for these Nazoraean leaders as far as the Roman port of Ostia, Sylvester must surely have recognised them as important, but such a barefaced claim to superiority over the Roman Church by these relatives of Jesus must have come as something of a surprise.

What is important here is the fact that Sylvester felt it necessary to consult with these Nazoraean heirs of Jesus. Everything suggests that it was he who initiated the meeting, and that what he thought of as a straightforward exercise in pontifical authority sorely backfired. This suggests, in turn, a certain naivety on Sylvester's part, for from the nature of the demands made it can be deduced that his estimation of the Nazoraean Community was sadly inadequate. Facing up to Sylvester, these church leaders from the East bluntly refused to recognise the Roman Church as the central authority for the whole Christian world. Due to Constantine’s largesse, the Roman Church was certainly in a priviledged position, but as far as these Nazoraeans were concerned, that in no way changed the underlying fact that the Nazoraean Church was the Mother Church. (Ode 38:9-13)

The Apostolic Church of the Nazoraeans was virtually ignored by the early Greek-oriented Church at Rome. Dismissed in 318 with regal curtness, the representatives of this Church were informed that the centre of influence had long since shifted to Rome, that St Peter's bones were not in Jerusalem, but in Rome, and that the admittedly once powerful family dynasty of Jesus was no longer considered apostolically important.

Quite a slap in the face to those of Jesus' own family who, since the time of James the Righteous, had faithfully carried their message of Jesus as God's chosen Messiah to anyone who would listen. And this was the point, their Jesus was not Pope Sylvester's Jesus, or the Jesus of the Nicean Council which would meet with such dire consequences seven years later. Their Jesus was not divine in his own right, he was divine by way of being anointed by God’s Spirit to be the Christ, a quite different proposition from that developed by the Roman Christians.

Jewish Bishops of Jerusalem

Hebrew Bishops of Jerusalem

In first century Jerusalem, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified as a heretic.

He had no wife and no children, but he did leave behind a family – one that can be traced for more than a century after his death.

It is very well known that the very first Bishop (Episkopos, Greek for ‘overseer’) of the Church in Jerusalem, in charge of the ‘administration’ of the believers in that city was James the Just or James the righteous , the brother of the Lord Jesus, of course.


“James, of course, did not believe his brother during his lifetime, but believed -- after the resurrection, Jesus appears to him, that’s the end of any doubts, he becomes a leader in the church, and writes one of the books in the New Testament.”

James was a devout man who was well known in the Jewish temple.

“James was the head of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, and so he was the first Christian bishop.

“According to a Christian chronicler of the early Church, James was cast from the pinnacle of the Temple in c.A.D. 66, and when the fall did not kill him, he was stoned to death”


This is confirmed in The (Second) Apocalypse of James form the from The Nag Hammadi Library


On that day all the people and the crowd were disturbed, and they showed that they had not been persuaded. And he arose and went forth speaking in this manner. And he entered (again) on that same day and spoke a few hours. And I was with the priests and revealed nothing of the relationship, since all of them were saying with one voice, 'Come, let us stone the Just One.' And they arose, saying, 'Yes, let us kill this man, that he may be taken from our midst. For he will be of no use to us.'

And they were there and found him standing beside the columns of the temple beside the mighty corner stone. And they decided to throw him down from the height, and they cast him down.

They seized him and struck him as they dragged him upon the ground. They stretched him out and placed a stone on his abdomen. They all placed their feet on him, saying 'You have erred!'

Again they raised him up, since he was alive, and made him dig a hole. They made him stand in it. After having covered him up to his abdomen, they stoned him in this manner.

When James died, he left the church in Jerusalem without a leader. The local believers got together to elect a new bishop and once again, they decided to keep it in the family.

“The second bishop of the church was Simeon of Jerusalem,, who also was Jesus' brother. In Matthew 13:55, people ask concerning Jesus, "Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?" while in Mark 6:3 they ask, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, Judas and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?"

Simeon became the bishop of Jerusalem at a dangerous time. In A.D. 66, the Jewish War with Rome had just begun, and the city was under siege, just as Jesus had prophesied three decades earlier:

"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Let those in Jerusalem escape." (Luke 21:20-21)

Simeon remembered the words of his brother and waited for the right moment to leave the city.

In November, the Roman army unexpectedly retreated from Jerusalem for a few weeks, a military blunder.” But to Simeon, this so-called “blunder” was a miracle. He persuaded his congregation to flee Jerusalem, and they escaped with just the clothes on their backs. Simeon led them to safety in a gentile city called Pella in the hills of modern-day Jordan.


Simeon and his congregation spent the next four years safely in Pella, while back in Jerusalem, the Romans murdered more than a million Jews and took another 97 thousand as slaves.

When the war was over, many of the believers returned to Jerusalem and settled on Mount Zion, near the upper room where they had first received the Holy Spirit and where Jesus had celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples. They built a new Judeo-Christian synagogue on the site where the upper room had once stood.

Simeon served as the bishop of Jerusalem until A.D. 106, when he was arrested and tortured by the Romans. Then, like his brother, Simeon was crucified. He was 120 years old.

According to the early Church historian, Eusebius, himself a Gentile Bishop of a Church in the Holy Land, from 314 to c..338, he provides a surprisingly long list of 13 successive Bishops of Jerusalem between the death of Simeon in 107 A.D. and the second Roman destruction of the Holy City at the end of the Bar Kokhba revolt in 135 A.D. and, interestingly, remarks that “they were all Jewish-Christians. But from Mark of Caesarea (135-136) on, all the Bishops of the rebuilt city (Aelia Capitolina) were of non-Jewish origin.”

It is certainly less well known, or better still, hardly known at all that the next thirteen Bishops of Jerusalem, right up to 135 A.D. were also Jews, or as we may prefer to call them in Jewish Christians.

For the next few decades, members of Jesus' family continued to lead the church in Jerusalem.

Nothing is known of them, except their names, which were preserved in early church records.The last known relative of Jesus was Judah Kyriakos, a Greek name that means "Judah of the Christ."

He was the great grandson of Jesus' brother Jude, and the last Jewish bishop of Jerusalem.In A.D. 135, the Roman emperor Hadrian leveled the city of Jerusalem. On its ruins, he built a new city dedicated to the Roman god Jupiter. The records of Jesus' family disappeared, along with the old city of Jerusalem.


The legacy of Jesus' family lives on today.


Two of his brothers wrote books of the Bible, and at least five of his relatives were martyred. They served as the first Christian bishops in history and kept the early church alive in Jerusalem. From there, the message of Jesus- their brother spread to the ends of the earth.

Priscilla and Lydia the Book of Acts

Those who've carefully read the Book of Acts must admit it refers in a number of places to women teaching, leading, and speaking in early ecclesias.

The case of Priscilla (the distaff side of a preaching couple) and Aquilla (her husband) was covered in an earlier post. Also covered was Acts 2:17–18, in which Peter identifies the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost as a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (2:28-29) that Yahweh would pour out His Spirit on all flesh, but what - just guy flesh, not girl? Wouldn't “all flesh” include women (specifically mentioned are “daughters” in Verse 28 and “handmaids” in Verse 29) some of whom would then have the gift prophesy along with others?

In Acts 16:14–15, we're told after Lydia responded to the Gospel and she and her whole household were baptized, she urged Paul and Barnabas to stay at her house. One would think her “household” must have contained men who benefited from her teaching – unless, of course, she was running a shelter for abused wives and wayward girls. One would also think she'd have to have spoken to teach the gospel to her household. If she wasn't allowed to speak when teaching, how did she convey knowledge of the Gospel? Sit them all down and play 'Charades' until they got it?

Acts 21:9 tells us a certain Phillip the Evangelist who lived in Caesarea “had four unmarried daughters who also proclaimed God's Word.” Imagine how amazed Paul and those with him must have been to observe these young ladies pull this off without speaking!

Reflections On 1 Corinthians 14:34-40

Let Your Women Be Silent In Church 

Reflections On 1 Corinthians 14:34-40 

From the King James Version: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law (nomos). And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? … Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.” 

It's always profitable to examine verses more closely than we may have previously. To gain a proper understanding in this case it's vital. Following are thoughts on various phrases from the passage above. The Greek word 'ecclesia' (a body of called out ones) will replace "church" in this file. “What? Came The Word Of God Out From You?” Paul is asking if the Corinthians thought their ecclesia was the "mother” ecclesia. Was it established first? Was it the only ecclesia sending forth the Word of God? He may have said, “You've adopted some very unusual customs. You allow women to speak in a manner unknown in other ecclesias. 

You also allow irregularity and confusion unknown in all the others. You allow many to speak at the same time, and you tolerate confusion and disorder. Do you have a right to be different from others? Do you have authority to dictate to them and teach them to allow these disorders that are strictly opposed to their standard practice? Shouldn't you conform instead and observe rules that are older than yours?” Paul's main point here is that the ecclesia at Corinth wasn't established first. Really, it was one of the last ecclesias. Therefore, it had no right to differ from others or dictate to them. “Came (The Word Of God) Unto You Only?” Paul is reminding them they weren't the first to believe, nor were they the only ones to receive the Word. He likely added, “God has sent the same Gospel to others and it's traveling all over the world. 

Therefore, others have the same right as you to originate customs and special practices, but since this would create confusion and disorder you should all follow the same rules. Customs that aren't allowed in other ecclesias shouldn't be allowed in yours.” “Let Your Women Keep Silence In The Churches.” This was a Jewish ordinance. Women weren't allowed to teach in their assemblies, or even ask questions. Rabbis taught that “a woman should know nothing but the use of her spindle.” And the following saying of Rabbi Eliezer is worthy of nothing but disgust: “Let the words of the law be burned rather than be given to women.” This was the standard until the time of the Gospel when, according to the prediction of Joel, the Spirit of God would be poured out on women as well as men so they could both prophesy and teach.

 This is obvious from what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:5 when laying down rules to regulate this part of their conduct while ministering in the church. Some might wonder if this doesn't contradict what he said in Chapter 14. Or should one of these passages be understood differently? It's clearly stated in Chapter 14 that women should remain silent while in the ecclesia since there was a rule against them speaking. Yet there's no contradiction if both places are carefully examined. It's clear from the context that Paul is referring to asking questions and what might be called attempting to exercise dominion during meetings. Men were allowed to ask questions, object, argue, and attempt to rebut in the synagogues, but women weren't afforded the privilege. Paul confirms the same regarding Christian ecclesias when he orders sisters to remain silent, stating if they wanted to learn something they should ask their husbands at home because it was improper for them to contend with men on points of doctrine and matters of conscience in public. However, this certainly couldn't mean when a woman received an influence from God enabling her to teach she shouldn't obey it. On the contrary, she was encouraged to obey it, and (as stated above) Paul gave instructions in Chapter 11 regulating her personal appearance while doing it. The only thing he opposes here is questioning, fault-finding, and arguing during ecclesial meetings. He felt this would appear as an attempt to usurp authority over men by pitting their judgment against them. He also claimed allowing it would lead to acts of disobedience and arrogance, something no woman under the influence of God's Spirit would be guilty of. “Your Women Are Commanded To Be Under Obedience, As Also Saith The Law (nomos).” This could be a reference to Genesis 3:16. “I will increase your trouble during pregnancy and your pain while giving birth. In spite of this, you will still desire your husband but will be subject to him." If so, Paul must have been comparing the disorderly and disobedient women of his day with Eve. He sure wasn't talking about sisters on whom God had poured his Spirit. As for the Greek word 'nomos,' a reliable Dictionary will define it as: “That which is assigned, a practice, or a law.” It's used of law: in the NT of law in general; of a force or influence impelling one to action; of the Mosaic law or the Old Testament Scriptures in general; a custom or practice. There's no place in the Law of Moses commanding wives to be subject to their husbands. Yes, there are several examples of wives throughout the Bible doing just that, but the Law itself doesn't say it. However, as seen above, Jewish customs and practices did say it. Thus, it's best to translate the phrase in 1 Corinthians 14:34 as “Your wives are commanded to be obedient (in submission) according to Jewish custom.” Below are two verses often used to support barring sisters from public preaching and teaching, but see how they read when translated closer to the Greek and further from the thinking prevalent in the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth centuries … 1 Tim 2:12 - “I won't allow a wife ('gune' - “a woman, specifically a wife”_Strong) to teach or assume authority over her husband ('aner' – a man, husband). Instead, she must remain quiet.” 1 Cor 13:34-40 - “Wives ('gune') should remain silent in the ecclesias. They aren't allowed to speak, but must be submissive as custom says. If they want to ask about something, they should ask their husbands at home, for it's disgraceful for a woman to speak in the ecclesia. Did God's Word originate with you? Are you the only ones it's reached? … If anyone ignores what I've said, they'll be ignored. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy and don't forbid speaking in tongues, just make sure everything is done in a fitting and orderly way.” No comment is required when it's seen how little the verses support the view of barring sisters from prophesying or teaching when rendered this way. The verse below deals with a couple seemingly involved in a joint preaching and teaching effort. It's been translated to reflect two different mindsets. Which do you suppose correctly represents what happened? Acts 18:26 Enlightened Version: “Apollos began speaking boldly in the synagogue. When Aquilla and Priscilla heard, they invited him to their home and explained God's Way more accurately.” Traditional Version: “Apollos began speaking boldly in the synagogue. When Aquilla heard, he invited him to his home and explained God's Way more accurately, while Priscilla served the cocoa and cookies she'd picked up shopping while Aquilla attended worship service.” There's no indication in the Greek that Priscilla wasn't involved in teaching Apollos the Truth. Nor does it seem likely she spent her time in the kitchen or fluttering about the house dusting shelves and straightening nick-knacks. Actually, it's unlikely Luke would even include her in the manuscript if she hadn't taken an equal part in the effort. Paul appears to feel the same way judging by the fact he calls Priscilla and Aquila “my co-workers in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 16:3) Before mentioning the pair, he spoke of a sister named Phoebe from Cenchrea, said to have been the port city serving the Corinth area. After praising Phoebe, he informs the Romans she's a deaconess ('diakonos') in her ecclesia. She must have been high on Paul's trust list since the context of the passage clearly states he trusted her enough to deliver the letter to the Romans. As you surely know, Paul's letter to believers in Rome was quite lengthy and must have made a fairly large parcel. If Phoebe traveled from the Corinth area to Rome, she'd have logged 617 miles overland (or 536 nautical miles) before reaching her destination. Of course, one can always accept the interpretation that Phoebe was a mere servant girl like Rhoda over in Jerusalem. (Acts 12:13) In that case, one wonders what kind of help Paul urged the Romans to render to Phobe when he said “Assist her in whatever business she needs your help.” Could it be carrying trays of food to and from tables? Cleaning up after Ecclesial functions? Probably neither. It's more likely he's urging them to help her complete her mission and return home safely after she has. As for the word 'diakonos,' Mr Strong claims it signifies: “An attendant, that is, (generally) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); or specifically a Christian teacher and pastor, technically a deacon or deaconess.” A decent Lexicon will provide information on 'diakonos' similar to the following: “One who executes the commands of another, especially of a master; a servant, attendant, or minister; the servant of a king; a deacon, one who by virtue of the office assigned to him or her by the church, cares for the poor and is charged with collecting and distributing money for their use; a waiter, one who serves food and drink.” It's obvious translators choose English words that fit their view of the status and role of sisters in the early ecclesias. Many versions translate 'diakonos' with “servant.

” Only a few dare render Romans 16:1 thus: “With this letter I'm introducing Phoebe to you. She's our sister in the Christian faith and a deacon of the church in the city of Cenchrea.” In Verse 2 Paul urges the Romans to “Receive her in the Lord's name, as God's people should, and provide any help she may need, for she herself has been a good friend to many, including me.” It seems from the evidence examined here that the ban on sisters taking part in public preaching and teaching is based on a misinterpretation of verses commonly thought to support it. Of course, there may be other verses that do support it. I'd be pleased if anyone knowing of such verses would reveal them in the Comments section below. If there are no other verses, it would be to the advantage of ecclesias in general and sisters specifically to reexamine the issue, for until we do we're all missing out on the unique viewpoint of half the body of Christ.