{"id":4489,"date":"2012-09-11T21:50:48","date_gmt":"2012-09-12T01:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/?p=4489"},"modified":"2012-09-11T21:50:48","modified_gmt":"2012-09-12T01:50:48","slug":"in-the-words-of-jesus-part-439","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/2012\/09\/11\/in-the-words-of-jesus-part-439\/","title":{"rendered":"IN THE WORDS OF JESUS\u2013Part 439"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love is the Fulfilling of the Law<\/h2>\n

ON LOVE; PART XXXI<\/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\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391<\/h6>\n

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

While we intended to continue our discussion on service in the last post we spent much of our time in the reality of focus<\/em> in the lives of men today. We commented on how this word is not used in scripture but this was a reflection on our versions and translations that are traditionally used. In a number of the newer translations which are of the paraphrase sort and what is called thought for thought, this word is found an in a number of different uses. Our traditional bible is generally considered a word for word translation but this is not\u00a0technically\u00a0correct and the idea of literal translation makes more sense. There has been an explosion of different translations over the last 50 or so years and bible translating and publishing have become a big business; the impetus seemed to be to create a text that could be understandable at a lower reading level and this is both good and bad. Good as it allows for the less literate to read scripture and bad because the majority of these paraphrase and thought for thought translations are rife with doctrine and pre interpreted ideas which can vary from translation to translation.<\/p>\n

It has always been our premise that the words of the New Testament are\u00a0intentionally\u00a0vague and the gospels are filled with parables and parabolic sayings and this for the express purpose of their understanding by the reader according to his sense of spirituality. This being said, there is also much of the gospels and the epistles that are written in a way that is clear as day and which are rather ignored by much of the world. Let us look here at a few sayings and the way that they are treated in various translations.<\/p>\n

1 John 4:20\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Good News Translation<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“If we say we love God, but hate others<\/strong>, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen<\/em>“.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
GOD’S WORD Translation<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“Whoever says, “I love God,” but hates another believer<\/strong> is a liar. People who don’t love other believers, whom they have seen, can’t love God, whom they have not seen<\/em>“.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
New Living Translation<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister<\/strong>, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen?<\/em>“<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
New Revised Standard<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters<\/strong>, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen<\/em>“.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
King James Version<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother<\/strong>, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?<\/em>“<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Matthew 6:24<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
GOD’S WORD Translation<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“No one can serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth<\/strong><\/em><\/strong>“.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
King James Version<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon<\/strong><\/em>“.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
New Century Version<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
“No one can serve two masters. The person will hate one master and love the other, or will follow one master and refuse to follow the other. You cannot serve both God and worldly riches<\/strong><\/em>“.<\/span><\/div>\n
The Message<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
“You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money<\/strong> both<\/em>“.<\/span><\/div>\n
Bible in Basic English<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
“No man is able to be a servant to two masters: for he will have hate for the one and love for the other, or he will keep to one and have no respect for the other. You may not be servants of God and of wealth<\/strong><\/em>“.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In our first comparison from the First Epistle of John we find the result of individual doctrines and the likely source of the sometimes staunch belief of many today that the Love the the Master speaks of and that John repeats is intended for Christian’s only. In one version it is translated as “<\/span>hates a Christian brother or sister<\/strong><\/em>” and in another as “<\/span>hates another believer<\/strong><\/em>” and these are likely the True sentiments of those who translated these words and at the same time these are the doctrinal interpretations of the translators. How one can take these words out of the entirety of the Master’s words on Love is for us a mystery and the key to this mystery is found in the glamour<\/strong> and the illusion<\/strong> in which men live. Here is a good example of our idea of glamour<\/strong> as a means by which one’s own ways are promoted above the ways of another. The Christian, believing himself to be above others by his OWN interpretation of the Master’s words and the words of His apostles, continues to promote this belief to others. This\u00a0phenomenon\u00a0is not limited to Christians alone but we can find it in nearly ALL religion; it exists as Christians verses other religions and within Christianity as denomination or sect verses other denominations or sects; it exists in similar fashion in the religions and the religious sects of the Jews and in similar fashion with the Muslims. Each group uses this glamour<\/strong> or this group vanity<\/em> to place itself above others often taking this to a place of making\u00a0derogatory\u00a0remarks about others and at times leading to actual armed conflict. We can see here the idea of the Christian who believes in his own superiority not only teaching it but recreating the ideas of Universal Love as expressed by the Master so as they should effect only those like himself and thereby giving the man and the group a safe haven in which they can dislike and even hate others and at the same time feel like they are doing Gods work. This is much like our point from yesterday where we say that:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

This can be seen happening across today’s societies and cultures where the RIGHT thing is substituted by that which is convenient or easy and just looking about at the habits and the thoughts of men as they regard the commandments of the Lord, we shall find that we are most ALL guilty to some degree and here we find the words of the Apostle James\u00a0poignant\u00a0as he says:<\/span> “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law<\/em>” (James 2:8-11).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We should note that the subject that the Apostle James is speaking on is Love as well and it is a saying that keeps the thoughts of the Master calling this law of Love the\u00a0\u00a0royal law<\/em>. Vincent relates this to the sayings regarding this same verse from Paul’s writings and he tells us of this phrase by James this:\u00a0Fulfill the royal law<\/strong> (nomon teleite basilikon<\/strong>). The phrase occurs only here and Rom. ii. 27. Telein<\/strong>, fulfill, is stronger than the more common word threin<\/strong>, observe or keep, which appears in ver. 10.\u00a0<\/em>He goes on to say that\u00a0James here speaks of a single commandment\"\", the proper word for which is ejntolh<\/strong>, while nomov<\/strong> is the body of commandments\"\". It is appropriate here, however, since this special commandment\"\" sums up the entire law……\u00a0It is the royal law; the king of all laws<\/em>4<\/sup>. Our point here is that this idea of Love is of paramount importance in the Master’s teachings and in the mind of His apostles where we read this from Paul that should cement our case: “For 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. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law<\/em>” (Romas 13:10). KNOWING the original writing of the law in Deuteronomy and the Master’s repeating of it and elevating it to be among the Greatest Commandments plus this testimony of Paul and James, we should have enough to understand the intent but unfortunately this IS NOT the case and men have, and continue to find ways to change the meaning to what we see in the translations above and they would likely argue the point with us. Speaking of this same verse from John’s Epistle we wrote in In the Words of Jesus part 247 these words which we repeat with ever more force today:<\/span><\/p>\n

When we have the choice of how to view a verse such as these in chapter four, why is it that so many choose not the broadest and most inclusive but rather the narrow and separatist? Ponder on this.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We answer this with the reality of glamour<\/strong> and of illusion<\/strong> as it infects the minds of generation after generation and is reinforced by the teachings of those who prefer the separatist attitude because of the influence of these very same forces. It only stops as more people are informed with the Truth of the Master’s teachings which is the quick\u00a0remedy\u00a0to the infections of vanity<\/em> and of self.<\/span><\/p>\n

The next verse that we compare in the translations above is another of our much used parts of the Master’s teaching. Here we are ever trying to frame mammon<\/em> as more than riches and more than money so that it can be seen in the True Light as those things of the world that take our time an our attention, our focus<\/em>. While the technical meaning of the word is riches, some translators thought is important to leave it as mammon<\/em>. We should note the following:<\/span><\/p>\n