{"id":14465,"date":"2018-01-17T17:54:40","date_gmt":"2018-01-18T00:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/?p=14465"},"modified":"2018-01-17T17:54:40","modified_gmt":"2018-01-18T00:54:40","slug":"in-the-words-of-jesus-part-1571","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/2018\/01\/17\/in-the-words-of-jesus-part-1571\/","title":{"rendered":"IN THE WORDS OF JESUS\u2013Part 1571"},"content":{"rendered":"

ON LOVE; PART MCCX<\/span><\/h2>\n
\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/span><\/h6>\n

GoodWill\u00a0IS Love in Action<\/span><\/h2>\n
\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/span><\/h6>\n

FIRST IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these<\/em>” (Mark 12:29-31).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT THEN IS LOVE? In a general sense love is benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men. While this IS from an older definition of Charity, which IS rendered in the King James Bible from the same Greek word agape<\/em> which IS generally rendered as Love,\u00a0we should amend our own definition here to include the idea that in the reality of Love a man will accord to ALL men ALL things that he would accord to himself and to say that Love IS our thoughts and attitude\u00a0of the equality of ALL men regardless of their outward nature or appearance…that ALL ARE equally children of Our\u00a0One God<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

PLUS THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them<\/em>” (Matthew 7:12).<\/span><\/p>\n

In the last essay we continued with our quest to show the deeper reality of the ideas behind the Greek words of the Apostle Paul’s phrase that “agape<\/em> makrothumeo\u00a0chresteuomai<\/em>” which IS rendered as\u00a0“Agape<\/em> suffereth long, and is kind<\/em>” and which IS commonly understood as “Love is patient, love is kind<\/em>“. If we can understand that these defining ideas of agape<\/em> ARE as well the defining ideas of God we can then understand Paul’s point as he IS telling us that to express<\/em><\/strong> agape<\/em>, to express<\/strong><\/em> Love, we must at the same time express<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0makrothumeo<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0chresteuomai.\u00a0<\/em>This IS the apostle’s point and our point IS that these ARE perforce so much more that being patient<\/em> and kind<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Breaking our thoughts down to the simplest idea we should try to see here that this expression<\/em><\/strong> of agape<\/em> IS its expression<\/em><\/strong> to ALL with\u00a0NO “respect to persons<\/em>” (James 2:9); this IS the approach to men by the Lord, it should be the approach of everyman to his brother and his neighbor in this world as well. This IS how we ended the last essay and it IS in this simplicity that we should see the understanding of our brother and, in that understanding, show him the good<\/em> which IS the reality of showing him Love. If we can break this idea of\u00a0makrothumeo<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0chresteuomai<\/em>\u00a0yet further we can then see that to express<\/em><\/strong> agape<\/em> IS to express<\/strong><\/em> GoodWill which IS, as our headline reads, Love in Action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again we must remember that the common ideas rendered from these Greek words ARE ONLY the slightest carnal effect of True agape<\/em> much as the common ideas of Love ARE ONLY pale shadows of the Truth of agape<\/em> which IS framed for us in the Life and the words of the Master. And as these ideas ARE misrepresented by doctrines so ARE the other words that follow in Paul’s detailed defining ideas on just what IS agape<\/em>. We will briefly repeat our points regarding these words as we continue to properly interpret his ideas in ways that the doctrines of men DO NOT. Repeating the apostle’s words we read:<\/span><\/p>\n

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not agape, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.\u00a0And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not agape, I am nothing.\u00a0And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not agape, it profiteth me nothing<\/em>” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).<\/span><\/p>\n

“Agape<\/em> suffereth long, and is kind; agape envieth not; agape vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,\u00a0Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;\u00a0Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;\u00a0Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Agape never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away<\/em>”\u00a0(1 Corinthians 13:4-8).<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to Paul’s words on the nature of agape<\/em>, the nature of God if you will, as\u00a0makrothumeo<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0chresteuomai\u00a0<\/em>which, after ALL our words on these, can be seen in the expression<\/em><\/strong> of GoodWill to ALL, there ARE next a list of those things which agape<\/em> IS NOT. While it IS difficult to separate the idea of Love as agape<\/em> from the carnal interpretations of that Love, the deeper ideas behind GoodWill can help us to understand just what it Truly means to express<\/em><\/strong> agape.<\/em> We should remember that makrothumeo<\/em>\u00a0comes from the\u00a0inner man <\/em>and while Vincent shows us that this comes with\u00a0strong passion, <\/em>this passion <\/em>IS NOT in a carnal sense but IS\u00a0a tumultuous welling up of the whole spirit\u00a0 <\/em>4<\/sup>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In GoodWill we have the outflow of this idea of\u00a0to be long-spirited<\/em>\u00a09a<\/sup> as Strong’s defines\u00a0makrothumeo<\/em> and if we can see this outflow in terms of one’s thoughts and attitudes toward his brother and his neighbor, we can then see the effective expression<\/strong> of agape<\/em> in GoodWill. And in this idea of GoodWill we have as well the apostle’s second word that describes for us just what agape<\/em> IS; in\u00a0chresteuomai<\/em>, which IS most often rendered in terms of kindness<\/em>, we should see as well the idea of good <\/em>which IS a better meaning as Vincent reminds us saying:\u00a0The word means originally, good, serviceable<\/em>\u00a04<\/sup>. <\/span><\/p>\n

As we discussed in the last essay, this idea of good<\/em> IS yet another quality of God; as “God is love<\/em>” (1 John 4:8, 16), so also IS God good<\/em> as we read in Jesus’ words saying: “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God<\/em>” (Matthew 19:17). In this combination of ideas we should be able to see that in Paul’s words saying\u00a0“that agape<\/em> makrothumeo\u00a0chresteuomai<\/em>” there IS the reality of GoodWill and, in the view that GoodWill IS Love in Action, we have a viable idea to replace the way that rendering agape<\/em> as Love brings forth the common and carnal understanding of the word.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul goes on then to tell us what agape<\/em> IS NOT and in these ideas we should be able to see that he IS NOT referring to the effects of one’s carnal understanding of agape<\/em>; he IS referring to the expression<\/em><\/strong> of GoodWill as such an expression<\/em><\/strong> lacks these things. First IS the idea that “agape envieth not<\/em>” which comes from the Greek word zeloo<\/em>; here we should remember Vincent’s interpretation which tells us that:\u00a0Emulation is the better general rendering, which does not necessarily include envy, but may be full of the spirit of self-devotion <\/em>4<\/sup>. In emulation<\/em>, rightly understood, we have the more certain offense against agape<\/em>….more certain than the more common renderings of envy<\/em> and jealousy<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One translation, the Darby, DOES use the idea of emulation<\/em> but in the same context of envy<\/em> and jealousy<\/em> as they parenthetically add the idea saying “love is not emulous [of others]<\/em>“. The True perspective of this idea of emulation<\/em> lies in its definitions; today’s dictionary defines emulation<\/em> simply as:\u00a0effort<\/span>\u00a0or<\/span>\u00a0desire<\/span>\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0equal<\/span>\u00a0or<\/span>\u00a0excel<\/span>\u00a0<\/em>others\u00a0<\/em>4<\/sup>.\u00a0and while this IS the meaning, this DOES NOT capture the ideas of the past. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines emulation<\/em> as:\u00a0The act of attempting to equal or excel in qualities or actions; rivalry; desire of superiority, attended with effort to attain to it; generally in a good sense, or an attempt to equal or excel others in that which is praise-worthy, without the desire of depressing others. Rom.11. In a bad sense, a striving to equal or do more than others to obtain carnal favors or honors<\/em>\u00a0. Can we see the depth here?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It IS in this idea that we should view the way that the Apostles James and John seek the greater position; they ARE rebuffed by the Master as they display their\u00a0desire of superiority\u00a0<\/em>and in their asking their desire<\/em> IS\u00a0attended with effort to attain to it.\u00a0<\/em>Jesus’ answer to them IS given in a pure attitude of agape<\/em>; He says to them “<\/span>whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:\u00a0And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all<\/em>” (Mark 10:43-44). The idea of emulation<\/em> rightly understood IS a KEY idea to understanding what IS NOT an expression<\/em><\/strong> of Love while the ideas of envy<\/em> and jealousy<\/em> ARE but emotionally motivated carnal ideas.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The next words ARE, as we previously discussed, to be understood together as a single idea of carnal action which IS contrary to the Truth of agape.<\/em> While the rendering as “agape vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up<\/em>” by the King James Translators DOES catch some of the intent, it DOES NOT clarify the ideas as Vincent DOES telling us that the latter word phusioo<\/em> IS in regard to one’s inward disposition<\/em>, as the previous word<\/em>,\u00a0perpereuomai<\/em>, denotes outward display <\/em>4<\/sup>.\u00a0<\/em>These words frame for us the view of a man to himself as well as his portrayal of that self to the world; here one can be a braggart outwardly, perhaps maintaining an aura of superiority, while being inwardly convinced of that superiority.<\/span><\/p>\n

We should try to see this idea in the same New Testament example that we have above; James and John, according to the Apostle Mark’s Gospel, desire that the Master would put them into a position of superiority over the others saying “Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory<\/em>” (Mark 10:37). Our two points ARE here and they ARE compounded by Paul’s first word zeloo<\/em> which when seen in terms of emulation<\/em> show us the 1828 definition of:\u00a0desire of superiority, attended with effort to attain to it<\/em> 1<\/sup>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This IS clearly contrary to Love, to agape<\/em>, as Paul presents this and to this we must add the inward disposition<\/em> of phusioo<\/em> through their believing that they deserve such honor; in this they ARE clearly “puffed up<\/em>“. We should note here that the ideas of zeloo<\/em> and\u00a0perpereuomai, <\/em>as\u00a0one’s outward<\/em> display<\/em>, overlap; zeloo<\/em> IS clear and\u00a0perpereuomai\u00a0<\/em>IS evident in the way that the others ARE aware of the brother’s thoughts and attitudes which cause them to “be much displeased with James and John<\/em>” (Mark 10:41). In their going to the Master they ARE acting contrary to the idea that “agape vaunteth not itself<\/em>” and we should see that overall they ARE NOT expressing<\/em><\/strong> agape<\/em> but their own separate desires<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Apostle Matthew’s version of this the brother’s mother IS the one who entreats Jesus and here we should try to see that this DOES NOT matter; it IS still the apostles who ARE either acting in this way of zeloo,<\/em> perpereuomai and\u00a0phusioo <\/em>or who ARE accepting this role at the behest of their mother who IS displaying the same. In the end Jesus makes the wrongness of these ideas KNOWN by His saying and it IS the ideas of such emulation<\/em> and braggadry<\/em> that Paul IS speaking against as well. Jesus DOES NOT say that these thoughts and attitudes ARE contrary to agape<\/em>, He shows them that they ARE contrary to their status as disciples of the Lord and here we should try to see the drive of discipleship….that such a one strives<\/em> ONLY toward the idea that “the disciple….be as his master, and the servant as his lord<\/em>” (Matthew 10:25).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

These defining ideas of agape<\/em> ARE difficult to learn and to understand as IS evidenced by the timing of this request by James and John which comes at the time of the Master’s final journey to Jerusalem. We should try to understand that the apostles had been with Jesus, hearing His Truths and His commandments, for nearly two years. We should try to see here that a True expression<\/em><\/strong> of agape<\/em> entails much that IS NOT thought of in men’s common understanding of Love and in these first three words that describe what this agape<\/em> IS NOT we should be able to glimpse why one’s expression<\/strong><\/em> of agape<\/em> IS tantamount to keeping His words<\/em> as Paul tells us saying:<\/span><\/p>\n

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.\u00a0For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.\u00a0Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.\u00a0And\u00a0that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” <\/em>\u00a0(Romans 13:8-11).<\/span><\/p>\n

We viewed the next selection of words to describe what agape<\/em> IS NOT as a single idea; as an idea that begins with agape<\/em> “Doth not behave itself unseemly<\/em>” and then continues to describe what this idea, which IS better understood as unbecomingly<\/em>, means in the Life of a man whose expression<\/em><\/strong> IS Love. The Greek word\u00a0aschemoneo<\/em> IS defined literally as:\u00a0to be (i.e. act) unbecoming<\/em>\u00a09a<\/sup>\u00a0by Strong’s and as\u00a0to act unbecoming<\/em> 9<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>by Thayer’s\u00a0and if we can see that the idea here IS that such things as follows ARE NOT becoming<\/em> for the man whose expression<\/em> IS Love, we can better understand the apostle’s point. He continues to say that agape<\/em> “seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil<\/em>” and even if we should consider ALL these ideas separately his point IS NOT lost.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

The simple idea of these next words deal with seeking<\/em> for the self and while this includes the idea of selfishness<\/em>, it can be expanded to most ALL views that put an undue emphasis on oneself. We can see this in the desires of James and John above and in ALL things that can add to one’s own sense of ego as a man in this world. Here we should see as well Jesus’ criteria for the disciple as He tells us “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple<\/em>” (Luke 14:33); we should understand that this forsaking<\/em> DOES include ALL thoughts and attitudes which ARE contrary to the Truth as well as things of substance. Can we see how that this sense of self IS unbecoming<\/em> the man whose expression<\/em><\/strong> IS Love in the reality of the Great Commandment and the Golden Rule which both see ALL as one sees himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next is the idea that IS rendered as that agape<\/em> “is not easily provoked<\/em>” which IS a better rendering than most others that see anger<\/em> and irritability<\/em> in the Greek word paroxuno<\/em>. We should try to see the apostle’s point here as that the man whose expression<\/em><\/strong> IS Love IS NOT stirred<\/em> by carnal passions of any kind. This word IS used ONLY twice in the New Testament; here and in Luke’s description of Paul at Athens where “his spirit was stirred\u00a0in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry<\/em>” (Acts 17:16). This idea of stirred<\/em> offers us a better view of the idea on both the positive and the negative side. In Acts the stirring<\/em> IS spiritual, from within, and it causes Paul to react in a spiritual way as he explains to the Epicureans and the Stoics a Truer view of the Godhead.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the carnal side however there IS always the negative which can pull a man hither and thither if he allows his sense of agape<\/em> to be directed by such carnal ideas which most always concern the self and the desires of the self in this world. We should try to see this as being contrary to ALL that having\u00a0NO “respect to persons<\/em>” Truly means. The last idea here in this sequence IS that the man whose expression<\/em><\/strong> IS Love “thinketh no evil<\/em>” and here we should try to see this as Vincent shows us saying that literally this phrase IS: reckoneth not the evil<\/em> 4<\/sup>. If we can see this idea of evil<\/em> from the Greek word kakos<\/em> in the same way as we should see sin<\/em>–both as a focus<\/em> upon the things of this world over the things of God–we can then understand much that IS hidden in the doctrines of men.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here we should understand that this IS more than merely thinking evil<\/em> and, in the case of agape<\/em>, and that the man whose expression<\/em><\/strong> IS agape<\/em> CAN NOT think evil<\/em>….he IS NO longer his able to DO so. In the idea of reckoning<\/em> however there IS more; there IS the idea that one DOES NOT see evil, that agape<\/em> DOES NOT see or reckon evil; True Love sees ONLY the inner man caught in the vanity<\/em> of Life in this world.\u00a0To reckon<\/em> the evil<\/em> IS to see the nature of men as men in this world rather than to see them as Souls struggling to overcome the vanity<\/em>, the same illusion<\/strong> and glamour<\/strong>, that had to be overcome by oneself. <\/span><\/p>\n

So what then IS unbecoming<\/em> the man whose expression<\/em><\/strong> IS Love? Seeing oneself as important above others whom one should Love as thyself; to Love another as oneself creates an instant equality and since there IS NO sense of equality in the physical world, this must be understood spiritually. Unbecoming<\/em> IS also one’s allowing any and ALL carnal passions<\/em> to be stirred<\/em>; a stirring<\/em> that can ONLY result in thoughts and attitudes that ARE in opposition to the idea that one should have\u00a0NO “respect to persons<\/em>“. And finally the idea of reckoning evil<\/em>, seeing the carnal ways of men in the world, when ONLY their spiritual struggle should be seen. Here NO matter what a man may DO or think as a man DOES NOT detract from who he IS as a Soul who IS yet lost in that same place that we were once lost. And while he may DO or think things that we ourselves CAN NOT see ourselves DOING, this IS but a matter of circumstance, of nurturing and of indoctrination compounded by the proclivities of men.<\/span><\/p>\n

The next idea is that the man whose expression<\/em><\/strong> IS agape<\/em> “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth<\/em>“. The idea of\u00a0rejoiceth<\/em>\u00a0IS rendered from the Greek word chairo<\/em> which IS the root word for charis<\/em> which IS grace<\/em>. Chairo<\/em> IS rendered in this verse in terms of happiness<\/em> and gladness<\/em> by most other translators while the word chairo<\/em> IS more generally rendered as these and in terms of salutation<\/em> as in the various uses of hail<\/em>. For us this IS a difficult word because of the relationship to charis<\/em>\u00a0and while most ALL reference happiness<\/em> and rejoicing<\/em>, to be sure this IS so much more.\u00a0If we can take away the idea of being happy<\/em> as this idea IS commonly understood, we can then see how that this IS the effect of the Truth on the man who expresses<\/em> <\/strong>agape<\/em>; for him there IS naught but Truth and there IS NO Truth in the vanity<\/em>, in the illusion<\/strong> and the glamour<\/strong>\u00a0of Life in this world.<\/span><\/p>\n

We should try to see that this idea IS more than happiness<\/em>. It IS the attitude of the man who sees Truth at work in the world and here, for lack of a better idea, this attitude IS rejoicing<\/em> but, as Strong’s tells us, this rejoicing<\/em> IS:\u00a0calmly happy or well-off<\/em> 9a<\/sup>. Remembering that as we speak about agape<\/em> we ARE at the same time speaking about God should give us some added insight. In a spiritual view, this rejoicing<\/em> IS NOT so much a personal attitude as it IS the attitude of the Soul towards ALL that he may see around him; be it injustice<\/em> or iniquity<\/em> there IS perhaps a degree of sadness and be it Truth some degree of joy<\/em>. If we can relate this idea to charis<\/em> which IS grace<\/em>, we can perhaps see that in the sadness there IS NO grace<\/em>….NO thing from God, while in the joy<\/em> there IS grace<\/em> and it IS found in the joy<\/em> and in the Truth that brings such joy<\/em>. While this IS a difficult idea to put forth in words, the understanding of it IS easy for the man whose focus<\/em> IS on the Lord and His Truths which we repeat again in our trifecta<\/em><\/strong> saying:<\/span><\/p>\n