Gregory L. Jackson's Blog, page 12

Parable of the Tares

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KJV Matthew 13:24

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

[a grain of mustard seed...leaven...teaching in parables]

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

1. Creation - weeds are guardians of the soil.

2. Weeds prove the soil is good and they also improve the soil. Dandelion is an herb.

3. Wooden shoes were used to trample down growing fields. Sabotage. 

4. The tares are spread in the field to take advantage of believers. Evil ones are acting with their Father Below.

5. Tearing up the weeds can wreck the crop, so they wait for the harvest.

6. The greatest bishops, popes, and theologians can be tares and increase evil over time.

7. The Son of Man will send angels to gather and burn the tares - evil doers.

8. The righteous will shine forth in the Kingdom of their Father.

Reformation Seminary - Faith versus Fear

 

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KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

The piggies run off the cliff.

KJV Mark 4:37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

The piggies run off the cliff.

1. We have plenty of reason to be fearful - the so-called Federal Reserve, wild spending sprees, the Baby Boomers are suddenly changing into Silver Sneakers, politics, ignoring and betraying the Bill of Rights, etc.

2. Luther said, "The opposite of fear is not courage, but faith."

3. We know but forget the divine nature of Christ, who can accomplish anything and is always helping us in all our needs.

4. Dwelling on fear only makes us more fearful, because we are very limited by our perspectives, some unnaturally bad predictions, others being good but not great, in the future but not yet soon enough.

5. The disciples in the storm knew too well that they faced drowning and that Jesus did not seem to care, which made them more fearful.

6. The answers are found in the Beatitudes, assurances of how blessed we are, not only in many kinds of abundance, but also in bearing the cross.

Reformation Seminary - John 15:1-10 in Greek.

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Stephanus Greek - John 15

15:1 εγω ειμι η αμπελος η αληθινη και ο πατηρ μου ο γεωργος εστιν

George

2 παν κλημα εν εμοι μη φερον καρπον αιρει αυτο, και παν το καρπον φερον καθαιρει αυτο ινα πλειονα καρπον φερη 

Polykarp Catherine

3 ηδη υμεις καθαροι εστε δια τον λογον ον λελαληκα υμιν

4 μεινατε εν εμοι καγω εν υμιν, καθως το κλημα ου δυναται καρπον φερειν αφ εαυτου εαν μη μεινη εν τη αμπελω ουτως ουδε υμεις εαν μη εν εμοι μεινητε

5 εγω ειμι η αμπελος υμεις τα κληματα; ο μενων εν εμοι καγω εν αυτω ουτος φερει καρπον πολυν οτι χωρις εμου ου δυνασθε ποιειν ουδεν 

poem/do or make

6 εαν μη τις μεινη εν εμοι, εβληθη εξω ως το κλημα, και εξηρανθη, και συναγουσιν αυτα, και εις πυρ βαλλουσιν και καιεται 

ball, ballo xerography, synagogue

7 εαν μεινητε εν εμοι, και τα ρηματα μου εν υμιν μεινη, ο εαν θελητε αιτησεσθε, και γενησεται υμιν

8 εν τουτω εδοξασθη ο πατηρ μου ινα καρπον πολυν φερητε και γενησεσθε εμοι μαθηται

In a verb, the theta θ suggests a passive verb

9 καθως ηγαπησεν με, ο πατηρ καγω ηγαπησα υμας μεινατε εν τη αγαπη τη εμη

agape love, father

10 εαν τας εντολας μου τηρησητε, μενειτε εν τη αγαπη μου, καθως εγω τας εντολας του πατρος μου τετηρηκα, και μενω αυτου εν τη αγαπη

15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (george) .

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Theories about Four Gosples - All False

 

1. The Two-Source Theory. This has Mark as the most primitive and earliest of the Four Gospels. The "other source" was made up of sayings parallel to Matthew and Luke.

2. No one can really say all the things that the modern liberals claim to be true. Authority piles up on authority and theological faculties claim this or that perspective - all speculation. The foundation was their unbelief, or rationalism, or bias.

3. Left alone is the text itself. That is what we need to study thoroughly. A Yale PhD was given to someone who translated a German work by Rudolph Bultmann, doubtless to make many more people gush over Bultmann's personal statements. On the resurrection of Christ - "Any schoolboy knows that a dead body cannot raise himself from the dead." So that was not even research, just a fan eager to translate. I saw the book at the Yale Divinity library.

4. We have relatively little knowledge about the individual writers because the New Testament and the Old Testament are about Jesus Christ the Savior, not the Biblical Theory Fanclub.

5. To this day, even at a LCMS church (remember Seminex? I do) - a pastor can say "The Gospel of John was written 300 years after Christ." Some facts:

He was denying the truth of the Fourth GospelHe removed the Apostle John from the Gospel. He was making John a Gnostic - that is - false Gospel.He was against the divinity Christ.He mocked faith in Jesus in the Fourth Gospel.He was mocking the faith of the believers in that group. Someone did oppose him and he backtracked.6. The Greek New Testament has also been a means to make people question the Gospel.

John 15 - The True Vine

 

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15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (george) .

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Stephanus Greek - John 15

15 εγω ειμι η αμπελος η αληθινη και ο πατηρ μου ο γεωργος εστιν

2 παν κλημα εν εμοι μη φερον καρπον αιρει αυτο και παν το καρπον φερον καθαιρει αυτο ινα πλειονα καρπον φερη

3 ηδη υμεις καθαροι εστε δια τον λογον ον λελαληκα υμιν

4 μεινατε εν εμοι καγω εν υμιν, καθως το κλημα ου δυναται καρπον φερειν αφ εαυτου εαν μη μεινη εν τη αμπελω ουτως ουδε υμεις εαν μη εν εμοι μεινητε

5 εγω ειμι η αμπελος υμεις τα κληματα ο μενων εν εμοι καγω εν αυτω ουτος φερει καρπον πολυν οτι χωρις εμου ου δυνασθε ποιειν ουδεν

6 εαν μη τις μεινη εν εμοι εβληθη εξω ως το κλημα και εξηρανθη και συναγουσιν αυτα και εις πυρ βαλλουσιν και καιεται

7 εαν μεινητε εν εμοι και τα ρηματα μου εν υμιν μεινη ο εαν θελητε αιτησεσθε και γενησεται υμιν

8 εν τουτω εδοξασθη ο πατηρ μου ινα καρπον πολυν φερητε και γενησεσθε εμοι μαθηται

9 καθως ηγαπησεν με ο πατηρ καγω ηγαπησα υμας μεινατε εν τη αγαπη τη εμη

10 εαν τας εντολας μου τηρησητε μενειτε εν τη αγαπη μου καθως εγω τας εντολας του πατρος μου τετηρηκα και μενω αυτου εν τη αγαπη

Objective Justification

 

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The favorite term is Objective Justification, but they also like General Justification, Universal Justification, and Universal Objective Justification. The terms are not exactly limited to the Four Waltherian Sects  - LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic). Other cults use the term Objective Justification.

The Scriptures do not teach Objective Justification except Romans 3:24 on "all are justified," which includes two NIV versions and four others. The list is here. The previous NIV Bible did not include the "all," perhaps because that is absent in all of the manuscripts.

NIV Romans 3:24  and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

The earlier NIV had - "and are justified..."

Walther followed his syphilitic Bishop's advice and even claimed OJ saved CFW's life. The LCMS, WELS, and ELS eventually forced out Justification by Faith and began exotic Biblical interpretations of Objective Justification - dynamic equivalence - Eugene Nida.

OJ False Claims

Everyone has already been forgiven, often "since the crucifixion," though others take the universalism concept back to Adam.

One variation is "guilt-free saints in Hell."

The ELCA simply states that everyone is forgiven. Their dogmatics double-volume also mocks the Trinity.

OJ Confusion

The OJ fanatics confuse themselves about the Atonement, which is clearly Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of the world. They seem blinded to the difference between the Atonement for all and Justification by faith for all who believe.

Sources - Calvinism and Pietism 

Lutherans have moved into unionism ever since Calvinism united with the state church.

New Testament Greek - John 3:16-18 and Mark 16:8

 

John 3 Stephanus

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16 ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

17 ου γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον αυτου εις τον κοσμον ινα κρινη τον κοσμον αλλ ινα σωθη ο κοσμος δι αυτου

18 ο πιστευων εις αυτον ου κρινεται ο δε μη πιστευων ηδη κεκριται οτι μη πεπιστευκεν εις το ονομα του μονογενους υιου του θεου

Mark 16:8

8 και εξελθουσαι ταχυ, εφυγον απο του μνημειου; ειχεν δε αυτας τρομος και εκστασις και ουδενι ουδεν ειπον, εφοβουντο γαρ

8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

Mark 16:16
16 ο πιστευσας και βαπτισθεις σωθησεται ο δε απιστησας κατακριθησεται

Enthusiasm - The Book of Concord

 

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The Smalcald Articles are in the Book of Concord.

Luther hoped for a genuine Christian conference with a fair debate. That did not happen.

The Smalcald Articles were approved by all the important Evangelical (Lutheran) leaders.

Enthusiasm means replacing the truth of the Word of God with man's factions.

1. The first example is Adam and Eve, who listened to Satan and abandoned the Word.

2. The Enthusiasts do not teach the Scriptures.

3. The Papacy and Islam are Enthusiasts.

4. The Spirit without the Word of God is Enthusiasm.

5. The prophets spoke through the Holy Spirit.

6. The apostles also spoke through the Spirit in teaching the Word.

The Divinity of Christ, Reformation Seminary

 

The Son of God executed the commands of God the Father in Genesis 1, as explained in John 1:3.

Jesus' crucifixion was predicted in KJV Genesis 3:15

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The angel of the Lord spoke from the Burning Bush (Two Natures of Christ) and said -

KJV Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 

KJV Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. 

 I AM is Jesus' declaration in Mark and used frequently as God's Name in John's Gospel.

KJV Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I AM: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

 The High Priest tore his clothes, not because "It's me," but from God's Name, I AM.

Divinity of Christ Undermined

Strangely, Halle University was started as a Bible college, to counter the dry and verbose late Orthodoxy of the Calvinists attacking Lutherans, back and forth. [Objective Faithless Justification came from the dregs of Lutheran Orthodoxy.] However Halle's Biblical scholars were rationalistic after one generation. 

Irony - the Biblical stars of Halle University are hailed today as the rock-ribbed heroes behind the Historical Critical Method which denies the divinity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, the miracles of Christ, the Holy Trinity, His resurrection and His ascension.

Pietism degenerated into Rationalism and the Biblical scholars sought to be scientific. If a miracle could not be proven in a lab, it was not evidence. My sainted friend, Christian Bruce Wenger, top of his medical school class at Yale, and also a PhD in  physiology, said or rather shouted, "That is the very nature of a miracle!"

The following double question is the best way to find out if a pastor or professor is a Christian believer or just another doubter -

Was Jesus actually born of a Virgin?Did Jesus actually rise from death and leave His tomb?No LCA seminary professor could answer yes about the Empty Tomb, although one said "maybe." The Virgin Birth was ignored by everyone. This is why the LCA-ALC leadership welcomed the outcome of Seminex - the short-lived AELC, becoming united as ELCA in 1987. Catastrophic losses followed and accelerated after the 2009 vote.
Some of the intellectual tricks of the current age include -Scholars are divided.That is a hapax - a phrase that only occurs once, so it is difficult to say.Mark is the first Gospel written, so there are problems.We have not found the actual Q so far, but it is there in Matthew and Luke.John's Gospel was written 300 years after Jesus, and it is Gnostic, so it cannot be used in harmony with the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke."Contradictions" are used to dismiss a text as wrong or hazy.This famous scholar, my professor, said this, and you disagree?Priest and Christian Brother together - "There is no use talking to you, Jackson!" And they stormed away. The priest got married to a woman and the Christian Brother became president of a famous university for teaching.The modern Bibles are much better than the KJV, three of them licensed by the National Council of Left-Wing Churches: RSV, NRSV, ESV. Other disasters are the NIV, Beck Bible, Good News for Modern Man, "Living" and "Amplified" Bibles.

The Humanity of Jesus

 

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The Son of God existed from eternity and manifested Himself in many ways in the Old Testament. In Exodus 3 His voice came from the Burning Bush, using the Name - I AM.

As predicted in Isaiah 7:14, He was the great Incarnation, God in man, Immanuel, God with us. His suffering as a man is clearly described in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, with Psalm 23 predicting the Good Shepherd.

The Incarnation - God in the flesh - took place according to the calendar established by God. Mary was with child, and the angels rejoiced, proclaiming this miracle to the shepherds. There are many false gods, but only Jesus Christ can be called God and man, the Two Natures united in one person and forever One. 

The rationalist era, which grew from Calvinism and Pietism, created The Life of Jesus books, which catered to believers but emphasized their lack of faith in Him. Reaction to this has led to emphasizing His divine nature without much about His human nature.

Below are some examples of His humanity (remembering that His divine nature is never subordinate to His human nature).

1. Jesus was conceived and born, having all the qualities of a baby boy, nursed by His mother Mary, and growing up in a household that included Joseph as his father.

2. He was baptized by John in the Jordan River, even though John did not feel equal to this person.

3. He went to the desert wilderness where Satan confronted Him. He had water but no bread to eat. He listened to the twisted logic of Satan but did not fall prey to the Evil One.

4. He gathered disciples and trained them. We often see this in light of His divinity, but they did not know the full extent of His divinity until after the Resurrection.

5. He grew weary and prayed.

KJV Matthew 26:36f. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

KJV Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

 Luke has many more examples on this link.

KJV John 4:6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 

A man said, "I don't go to church."

An older lady said, "So you are better than Jesus?
He said, "No, why do you say that."

She answered, "Jesus was always praying in the synagogue, so you are better than Jesus."