Exegesis of Matthew 23:10

Recently I was trolling a Facebook group called KJV1611, which is dedicated to the idea of King James Bible Only-ism (KJVO). For those not familiar with this ideology, it is the idea that the King James Version Bible (KJV) is the only inerrant Bible for English speaking people. Extremists hold to the idea that the translation can actually be used to correct the underlying Greek and Hebrew. I’m not joking, just google Ruckmanism. Mainline KJVO believers often believe that one cannot be saved by any other English translation as God’s complete word can only be found in the KJV.

There are many more believers who just prefer the KJV without the heretical KJVO beliefs, and that is fine, they should not be lumped in with KJVOers. I firmly believe that they as anyone should use the version that best speaks to them, and I always encourage anyone to study out how our Bible came to be and the difference in the many versions that are out there. Dr. James White has said we probably have too many and I think there is some truth to that, but we live in a unique time to be able to study God’s word with the plethora of resources we have on hand. We should take full advantage of the opportunity not afforded to our ancestors in the distant past.

Anyway, the KJV1611 group recently posted a graphic attempting to cause confusion over the translation issue. It compared a single verse between the KJV and the NKJV translations, Matthew 23:10, implying that the NKJV translation causes a contradiction in scripture with Romans 12:6-8. The top of the graphic said, “Says DO NOT be called a teacher, then it’s listed as a gift?”, with the following verses quoted:

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. KJV Matthew 23:10

And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. NKJV Matthew 23:10

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. NKJV Romans 12:6-8

A common tactic for KJVO is to pull scripture out of context and concentrate strictly on the translation differences in wording. I will further explain the context in a moment, but Matthew 23:10 has nothing to do with Romans 12:6-8. I was bored and decided to jump into this discussion with the following transpiring. It is how these discussions basically go with KJVOers:

Me: I don’t see the problem. Master means a leader or teacher or guide.

Responder 1: It is a problem to a Bible believer who knows that every word in the KJB has it's own meaning within the context of Scripture, that is why we don't mess with God's words, and accept them as they stand !

The first responder tried the usual tact of the KJV is magically perfect and one should not mess with or question it.

The KJV is a fine translation and I even use it much of the time myself. The old English does take some getting used to. But consider the facts that scholars have learned a great deal about the languages and customs since 1611, more manuscript evidence has surfaced since then, and over time parts of the English language have changed significantly in meaning. The KJV translators themselves stated in their “Translators to the reader” section that their work would likely need revision in the future. That is what Bible versions since 1611 represent, the advance of our understanding.

Responder 2: You have the consider the whole context of this scripture. Jesus was addressing the 3 major religious titles in the world; Rabbi for the Jews... We have one Teacher, God. Father, which becomes the western religions, mainly the RCC and its offshoots... We have one Father, God. Then the eastern religions who use Master... we have one master, God. We are not to be giving the religious title of Rabbi, Father or Master to any but God.

The second responder attempted an exegesis or an explanation of the text but, well, it is what it is. Look folks, scripture has plenty to say if we just let it speak to us. Don’t try to force it into saying something it doesn’t. In this case, responder 2 is trying to make the scripture support their own dogma about Catholicism and Eastern religions. Some believe that the Bible may have something to say about those in texts like Revelations, but certainly not in these verses when viewed in context, as I will show. Our faith is not helped by this kind of manipulation!
To look at verse 10 in context, consider the following:

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. -Matthew 23:1-12 NIV

Overall, Jesus is speaking against hypocrisy. To drive the point, he is using the Sadducees and Pharisees as an example (v. 1-2). The Jewish audience is told to follow their religious leaders’ instructions, but to not do as they do (v. 3a), for they say one thing but do another (v. 3b). They foist their burdens on others and when they do accomplish something, it is only done to be seen by others (v 4-5). They have an unhealthy pride in their position and want most of all to be seen by others in both religious and secular circles (v. 6). They want to be called Rabbi (v. 7) and Jesus warns us (v. 8-10) against seeking honorific titles for the sake of pride.

The take away is, Jesus is not making any statement against Catholics or Eastern religions. The exercise of gifts, like teaching, is of course not evil. The self-development required in getting an education and being awarded an earned title is not evil either. Just don’t live a life of hypocrisy and don’t let titles become a source of pride.

Above all, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Like President Reagan said, “Trust but vierify.”

“… in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” -Acts 17:11

Somebody got a light?

And the people of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance. In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. -Judges 21:24-25 (ESV)

Just in the past week, the nation has experienced everything from shootings, protests over the shootings (supposedly driven by kids) for and against policies that will result in little more than the erosion of constitutional rights, the passing of abhorrent budget legislation, and tonight the nation is to be treated to an interview on 60 Minutes of a p0rn star that supposedly hooked the president. And the nation continues it's swirl down the proverbial toilet bowl. Anarchy is defined as a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority, basically doing what is right in their own eyes. Doesn't the past week give evidence of every increasing levels of disorder?

Surely the nation has seen seemingly perilous times in its past. But I'm not sure the case can be made that those times were in conjunction with what really amounts to an increasing level of anarchy we are seeing today. Authority, secular and religious, is being rejected all over. Often it is with good reason as these institutions have not been immune to those same forces of societal decay that have permeated the country. Greed and the lack of sound education knows no bounds. Past generations provided these institutions so that succeeding generations could receive and build upon those ethical and moral edifices that make for a great society. They were once the fire that spread light throughout the world but are now barely a glowing ember, unable to repel the darkness.

It has been said that the night is darkest just before the dawn. This being Palm Sunday, we need to keep in mind as we enter upon this season of rebirth, that even if it gets darker still before the light, everything is a part of God's divine plan. It is up to each individual to "...not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2 ESV) If we are going to straighten out the country, it starts with each individual. Become the ember that ignites again the fire that spreads light and pushes back the darkness. It starts with us.

It starts with me.

I'm back!

I stepped away from doing any significant studies for quite a while.  In that time I learned a lot about Freemasonry by joining a lodge and working my up through the officer line.  I have also learned about myself being a caregiver to my lovely and ever encouraging wife.  Now I am back in God's word and soon to be resuming various studies in that area.  woohoo! Links to my writings have been fixed as well!

Da Lifne Mi Atah Omed

I have been reading a book entitled "Sitting at the feet of Rabbi Jesus" and came across a portion discussing how Jews during the time of Jesus regarded God as ever present, intimately involved in the believer's daily life, even down to the most trivial of issue. I agree with the writer that we have somehow lost this aspect of belief in the modern world. The text in the subject of this post, as indicated by the author is often inscribed in a synagogue above where the Torah scrolls are stored. It is there to remind those that enter that God is an active participant in the world, not a passive God that wound the clock of creation and now just watches it run. The text translated is "Know Before Whom You Stand".

A Good Quote

"Correct theology, believed correctly, always leads to the sanctification of the believer, which, simply put, is the practice of love. We are never more like God than when we love."

I read the above jewel in the book, "The Five Points of Calvinism". This study has given me a fresh perspective not only on scripture, but also on some of the Dead Sea Scrolls writings. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, I'll be presenting some of those thoughts here.

Taking Up His Cross

I finally got around to finishing a paper I started a few years ago, at least for now. The idea came from a video I saw on youtube a few years ago of a discussion by a noted KJV Onlyist going off about the translation of Mark 10:21 and how she felt modern versions got it all wrong. I discuss that at length, or at least further than I originally intended. That aspect has spurred some further reading I am doing regarding Bible version reliabiltiy and the KJVO movement. IMHO it is beginning to die out somewhat in independent fundametal baptist circles, but it is still something to contend with.

Anyway, the paper then goes on to discuss the topic of taking up his cross following a brief exegesis of the passage in Mark. It has been an interesting study which I may continue a bit further at some point. It is one of those studies like Philemon, that when you think its been nailed pretty well, around the corner you find something new about it. Enjoy!!!

Codex Sinaiticus Now Online!

I had read this was a project in the works for quite sometime, but now is online for the general public. It can be accessed here. It offers the ability to view the original document, its transcription and its translation on the same web page view. Enjoy!

A Thought To Ponder

Moses and Pharaoh grew up under largely the same influences, yet their lives turned out differently. I was reading about this in a book recently and saw this quote:

The same light that melts the ice also hardens the clay.

That will make ya think! :)

Links Are Corrected

All the document links on the left should now be working. Please let me know if any problems are found.

A Great Quote!

Biblical scholar F.F. Bruce has written: “What councils did was not to impose something new upon the Christian communities but to codify what was already the general practice of these communities.” Biblical commentator William Barclay agrees: “The Bible and the books of the Bible came to be regarded as the inspired word of God, not because of any decision of any synod or council or committee or church, but because in them mankind found God. The supremely important thing is not what men did to these books, but what these books did to men.”

Changes Week of April 6

I'll be making major changes with the account I have with my ISP during the week of April 6, so even though the blog will be up, the links to the various documents may be broken for a few days. Sorry for the inconvenience, but my geek side really needs to have this done. :)

Adam's first wife????

A while back I was having a lively discussion with a friend about the accuracy of the Bible and she asked me something to the effect, have I ever heard about Adam's first wife and why did I think the story was left out of the biblical text. At that point I had never heard of this story.

This friend was insinuating that the early church discarded the story of the independent woman in favour of (in her words) the subservient Eve to help enforce the practices of the patriarchy. I had just about forgot about that discussion when I came upon an article in a recent edition of Biblical Archaeology Review regarding mystic practices of Babylonian Jews in the early centuries A.D.

The article dealt with writings found on skulls and bowls that mentions evil spirits or liliths, that were believed to be the cause of high infant and birthing-mother mortality rates of the time, as these spirits were believed to roam the Earth looking for women and infants to attack. The article contends that later on in the medieval period stories arose that Lilith was the first wife of Adam that refused to be subservient to him. The story is as follows as found on wikipedia:

Soon afterward the young son of the king took ill. Said Nebuchadnezzar, "Heal my son. If you don't, I will kill you." Ben Sira immediately sat down and wrote an amulet with the Holy Name, and he inscribed on it the angels in charge of medicine by their names, forms, and images, and by their wings, hands, and feet. Nebuchadnezzar looked at the amulet. "Who are these?"

"The angels who are in charge of medicine: Snvi, Snsvi, and Smnglof (In English: Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof). After God created Adam, who was alone, He said, 'It is not good for man to be alone' (Genesis 2:18). He then created a woman for Adam, from the earth, as He had created Adam himself, and called her Lilith. Adam and Lilith immediately began to fight. She said, 'I will not lie below,' and he said, 'I will not lie beneath you, but only on top. For you are fit only to be in the bottom position, while I am to be the superior one.' Lilith responded, 'We are equal to each other inasmuch as we were both created from the earth.' But they would not listen to one another. When Lilith saw this, she pronounced the Ineffable Name and flew away into the air. Adam stood in prayer before his Creator: 'Sovereign of the universe!' he said, 'the woman you gave me has run away.' At once, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent these three angels to bring her back.

"Said the Holy One to Adam, 'If she agrees to come back, what is made is good. If not, she must permit one hundred of her children to die every day.' The angels left God and pursued Lilith, whom they overtook in the midst of the sea, in the mighty waters wherein the Egyptians were destined to drown. They told her God's word, but she did not wish to return. The angels said, 'We shall drown you in the sea.'

"'Leave me!' she said. 'I was created only to cause sickness to infants. If the infant is male, I have dominion over him for eight days after his birth, and if female, for twenty days.'

"When the angels heard Lilith's words, they insisted she go back. But she swore to them by the name of the living and eternal God: 'Whenever I see you or your names or your forms in an amulet, I will have no power over that infant.' She also agreed to have one hundred of her children die every day. Accordingly, every day one hundred demons perish, and for the same reason, we write the angels names on the amulets of young children. When Lilith sees their names, she remembers her oath, and the child recovers."

The stories of liliths date back even earlier to Mesopotamian traditional demon myths and were probably incorporated into Jewish writings during the Jewish diaspora in the first centuries after the fall of Jerusalem. It has been preserved for the reader in an anonymous text known as "The Alphabet of Ben Sira".

No matter what one may think of the quality of our preserved text today, and I would agree there are a few cases where the text provides for women being regarded higher than later scribes and translators would have them to be, but this is not one of them.

Eve was created from that taken from Adam, not from the head to make Eve superior, nor from the foot to make her subservient, but from the side as they would stand together with a single purpose before God.

Thoughts About The Savior...

The following is from a devotional entitled "Moments With The Savior", by Ken Gire.

"The Messiah has arrived.

Elongated head from the constricting journey through the birth canal. Light skin, as the pigment would take days or even weeks to surface. Mucus in his ears and nostrils. Wet and slippery from the amniotic fluid. The son of the Most High god umbilically tied to a lowly Jewish girl.

The baby chokes and coughs. Joseph instinctively turns him over and clears his throat.

Then he cries.

Mary bares her breast and reaches for the shivering baby. She lays him on her chest, and his helpless cries subside. His tiny head bobs around on the unfamiliar terrain. this will be the first thing the infant-king learns. Mary can feel his racing heartbeat as he gropes to nurse.

Deity nursing from a young maiden's breast. Could anything be more puzzling---or more profound?

Joseph sits exhausted, silent, full of wonder.

The baby finishes and sighs, the divine Word reduced to a few unintelligible sounds. Then, for the first time, his eyes fix on his mother's. Deity straining to focus. The Light of the World, squinting.

Tears pool in her eyes. She touches his tiny hand. And hands that once sculpted mountain ranges cling to her finger.

She looks up at Joseph, and through a watery veil, their souls touch. He crowds closer, cheek to cheek with his betrothed. Together they stare in awe at the baby Jesus, whose heavy eyelids begin to close. It has been a long journey. The King is tired.

And so, with barely a ripple of notice, God stepped into the warm lake of humanity. Without protocol and without pretension. Where you would have expected angels, there were only flies. Where you would have expected heads of state, there were only donkeys, a few haltered cows, a nervous ball of sheep, a tethered camel, and a furtive scurry of curious barn mice.

Except for Joseph, there was no one to share Mary's pain, or her joy. Yes, there were angels announcing the Savior's arrival---but only to a band of blue-collar shepherds. And yes, a magnificent star shone in the sky t mark his birthplace---but only three foreigners bothered to look up and follow it.

Thus, in the little town of Bethlehem ... that one silent night ... the royal birth of God's Son tiptoed quietly by ... as the world slept." pg 31-32a

My good friend Rolland turned me onto this devotional a few years back and during a quiet moment in this most hectic time of year, in addition to Luke chapter 2, I take the time to read the entire chapter about the birth of Jesus that the above quote comes from. Sometimes we forget the humanity of Jesus, that he came into the world and was fully human in what he experienced, from a most humble beginning through the completion of his passion. I hope you too take a moment to reflect on what God has done for us!

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled....

It is no doubt too easy to get caught up in the issues of life, especially of late in this furry of an election season. We should all pause to consider that whatever happens in this world, it is all under God's control.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

I have even found myself getting too caught up in the daily grind, thus my lack of posting the last few months. I found some spare time yesterday and started looking over some projects I have started and not yet finished (I can be bad about that), one of which is a paper about taking up his cross (which should be completed soon, I promise). So I began reading through my notes and typing on it again, and before I new it the afternoon was history. It was some good study time and I had nearly forgotten how much I enjoy really digging into a text. Time for some priority adjustments I think!

Have a great day and let not your heart be troubled with the things of this world!