The Gospel of Matthew - The Historical Introduction in the Alternative Word Pictures with Reiterations translation - translation mine (AWPR)
18) Now concerning Jesus Christ: His
coming into being was in this way; Mary, the mother of Him, being betrothed by
marriage contract to Joseph, formerly and before their coming together, she was
sought out and inquired, and found to be having in the womb, out by the Holy
Spirit.1
19) But Joseph, the man betrothed to her,
being righteous and just, and not having in mind -- nor the will
2 -- to bring her alongside, to make a
public show (of her), for the moment was willing to loose her away (by means of
a divorce) secretly, and hide (her) swiftly, without notice.
20) And as he was increasingly growing in
wrath and indignation while dwelling thoughtfully
3 on these things: Behold! By a
dream, the LORD’s Angel was seen by him, saying
‘ Joseph, a legitimate offspring and son of
David. Do not run away
come into being in her is out of the Spirit, and Holy.
21) And she will bring forth and
bear a Son and you shall call forth
His Name as Yeshua
[Jesus], for He will deliver and make
whole,
saving His people from the sickness and death of their sins.’
22) This also came into being in order that it might be supplied abundantly
and fulfilled, by that spoken with definite words -- the LORD coming forth
through the Prophet,5 saying,
23) ‘Behold! the virgin of
marriageable age who has never known a man,
in
the belly will hold and possess, and will bring forth and bear a Son,
and
they will call forth and summon the Name of Him, EMMANUEL:
the
which is, being after the interpretation,
24) And Joseph, being excited in mind and body, and being fully awoken
from the sloth and weariness 7 of his slumber, he set about and completed
those actions in what manner or way (that was) expressly set and ordered him
8 by the LORD’s angel, and took possession
of his wife;
25) and did not completely know her until she brought forth and bore
her Son, the Firstborn. And he called forth and summoned the
Name of Him: Yeshua [Jesus].”
Notes on Matthew 1:18-25
1
This
sentence as translated by the full Greek expression of word pictures, show that
Miriam (Mary) was about to be taken up by her husband when she was discovered
with child. In all likelihood, it was either the appointed priest or it
was the advance ambassador of the betrothed, Joseph’s best man, who would
have the one who sought and inquired (as this verse tells us). It
is not held against Eli, Miriam’s father, nor against Miriam herself, that she
is pregnant. In fact, the conclusion points to Miriam as being part of a
large household where she is never left alone. It also indicates that she
is the oldest of at least several daughters, and surrounded by overprotective
aunts, or like female relatives. If we read the passage correctly, there
may be a suggestion that Miriam was sold to Joseph while as a child, prior to
her reaching a state of maturity. This is supported by the tone of the
following verse, 19, in which Joseph is spoken in the manner of an old or
mature individual, and Miriam as but a young girl.
2
βουλομαι - is willingness, as found in the
moment. That “will” which has intent and purpose and longevity,
being a continuous and active expression, is “thelo” in the Greek.
Boulomai is a mindful will that can change with a mood swing. This is exactly
what was happening with Joseph.
3
ενθυμηθεντος : en
- meaning “in”, and thumos - the mind that is racing in
agitation, indignation, anger, wrath, etc. The scribes who are indignant,
and think within how that Jesus blasphemes (Matthew
9:4), or those Pharisees who
are hateful and indignant in their minds (Matthew 12:25) so as to call
Jesus in league with Beelzebub, are further examples are the correctness of my
translation of this verse.
4
φοβηθης - to terribly frighten.
In the Classical Greek, Phobeo was used to describe those so
terrified, that they ran away out of their minds with fear. The Hebrew
“charada” is closely associated with this type of fear, which also is what is
told the women at the Resurrection tomb in Matthew
28:5 - “Do not fear so as to run away!”
5
Isaiah
7:14
6
Actual
literal translation of Μεθ
ημων θεος. In this context, as in Matthew 26:58, Peter sits “in the midst of” the
under-officers of the high priest, but not necessarily “with”.
7
διεγερθεις - “egeiro” which means ‘to rise up, to awake from
sleep,’ -- intensified by “dia” -‘through’. Mark and Luke use this
descriptive word to tell of how deep a slumber Jesus was in during the raging
of the wind and sea of Galilee (Mark
4:38; Luke 8:24); while John
applies it to the intensity of the sea itself, as if awoken from the sleep of
calmness (John 8:18). This intensive of “egeiro”
is used again in 2 Peter, where Peter is trying to shake the sloth and
slumber from the weary minds of those who believe, that they might intensely
become awake to the message he is imparting before he dies (2 Peter 1:13, 3:1).
8
προςεταζεν - to arrange by or through
commands, and to set in order. In Matthew
21:6, the disciples follow
the command and instruction of this word, set about to carry out the
dictum: “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass
tied up with a colt, untie them and bring them about and lead them to Me.” (Matthew 21:2)
The Gospel of Luke
[written circa 50 A.D. while Peter and Paul jointly preached in
Corinth of Achaia]
2:8-21 in KJV and AWPR Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Alternative Word Pictures with Reiterations translation -
translation mine (AWPR)
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (KJV)
(8) And Shepherds were in the fields
and grazing ranges of
the country-side,
the
same (also) abiding / lodging in the fields
(with the flocks [of sheep])
and
keeping a doubly protective guarded watch of the night
over the flock of them.
(AWPR)
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. (KJV)
(9) And behold, look and see,
an Angel (of the) LORD stood above and over them,
and
(the) LORD’s glory shone forth [great light] around them;
and
they were terrified with such a fright so as to run away,
[it being
such a mentally and spiritually overwhelming]
great fleeing
terror.
(AWPR)
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (KJV)
(10) But the Angel said to them,
(Although
you can)
‘Do not fear or be terrified with such a fright so as to run away.
Behold, look and
see,
for I am
giving forth a good proclamation of good tidings,
of good news to you,
which will
be to the people a great joyous exultation;
(AWPR)
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. (KJV)
(11) because
was born to you this day / today
a
Savior / Deliverer (from destruction) and benefactor
who
is Christ / (the Anointed (One),
LORD
/ YHVeH / JeHoVaH,
in
the city of David.
(AWPR)
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (KJV)
(12) And
this to you is a miraculous (and visible) Sign /
proof
of a Miracle Of Fulfillment:
you
will search out – inquire and find a (nourishing) baby
having
been enwrapped about as in a band
in a swathing / in swaddling
clothes,
laid down – placed – set in a
stall.
[alternatively: a feeding trough].
(AWPR)
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and
saying, (KJV)
(13) And of a sudden – suddenly
there
was together with the Angel
a
fullness – multitude – throng of a Heavenly / Celestial army
singing
praises of approval – benefits – commendations / praising
GOD,
and
laying down forth definite words, saying:
(AWPR)
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men. (KJV)
(14) ‘Praise
– honor – applause duly rendered / Glory
in
the highest to GOD;
and
upon Earth,
Peace
– Tranquility – Rest – and Every Kind Of Good;
in
men, benevolent pleasing favor – kindness and good will.’
(AWPR)
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto
us. (KJV)
(15) And it so happened in what manner or way,
the
angels withdrew and went away / departed
from
them into the Heaven.
And the men,
the Shepherds,
spoke up alongside and with
one another, (saying),
‘Let
us most definitely (now) pass through and go
as
far as / unto Bethlehem,
and
let us behold, see and know
this pronouncement / command,
that
having occurred and come into being,
the
which the LORD / JeHoVaH / YHVeH
made
known / revealed unto us.’
(AWPR)
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger. (KJV)
(16) And they came forth so as to make a public
appearance,
urging
themselves on hastily – quickly,
and
diligently sought and found out both Mariam / Mary and Joseph
and
the newborn child / baby lying down in a stall
[alternatively:
a feeding tough].
(AWPR)
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child. (KJV)
17) Then seeing and being made aware with
understanding,
they
went around making it known regarding the
Statement
/ Pronouncement / Command spoken to them
regarding
this child.
(AWPR)
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were
told them by the shepherds. (KJV)
(18) And all those hearing and listening intently
were
struck with astonishment and marveled / wondered
regarding
/ concerning the thing spoken about the Shepherds
(who
were) up alongside and with them.
(AWPR)
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her
heart. (KJV)
(19) Then Mariam / Mary
kept considering – pondering – mulling over – meditating
(upon) these spoken words / sayings, in the heart of her.
(AWPR)
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto
them. (KJV)
(20) And the Shepherds turned about and returned,
[alternatively: Gr. epistrephan also
means “having converted”]
(verbally and publicly [with loudness])
recognizing – honoring – glorifying and singing praises to GOD
for / upon / regarding all (the) things
which they attentively heard and beheld / saw,
even as (it) was spoken / proclaimed up to and alongside with
them.
(AWPR)
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of
the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he
was conceived in the womb. (KJV)
(21) And when were fulfilled – completed –
accomplished
(made
fully past) 8 days to circumcise the baby,
moreover
was called forth the name of Him, Jesus / Yeshua;
that
called forth / That called from through the Angel
before
He was conceived in the womb.
(AWPR)
In Judaism, there is the theological
topic of Tikkun Olam, the “Restorative Repairing
(hence, “redemption”) of the World / Ages.”
The Hebrew word Tikkun, by a secondary definition, will incorporate the
idea of an ascending “spark” or flame, as if part of an burnt
offering that ascends up to GOD. Therefore, to be repaired or restored,
one must make oneself as if a light of the menorah, or as a living allegory of
the burnt offering (a living sacrifice) unto GOD.
Therefore, the basic concept of Tikkun
Olam can be immediately
recognized by many born-again Christians who read the priestly Gospel of John
(1:1-13) where Jesus, as the light and spark of eternal life, lights the dead
pilot --
(some may want to envision a gas burner or gas burning space
heater that remains unlit until sparked on to give heat and fulfill its
destined function in order to better grasp this concept)
-- that is within every man - woman - child of whosoever believes
into and receives Him.
If we apply this concept to Christ's Mass / Christmas, we can see
in the historical retelling of the event of the star that led the magi from the
East, that effectually the star itself, be it a preternatural Constellation or
a manifesting Angel, was signifying the same concept as pointing the way to He
who was the true spark and redemption of the World / Ages, Christ Jesus the
Messiah whom is clearly named Yeshua in various Salvation Scriptures in the
Hebrew Passages of the Bible for any willing to simply accept the Scriptures
instead of debating GOD on a "How dare you name the King Messiah the same
as the one whom the Gentile Christians follow."
Micah 5:2
“And you, Bethlehem Ephratah,
(though you) have grown into being least and insignificant
while being among the Commanders of the Thousands of Judah;
{read “alupe”, construct plural; not alepe}
(yet) out of you to Me, He shall come forth to become
Compared like unto Me in a Proverb,
{
Numbers 21:17-18b*}
ruling with dominion in Israel;
And his forth coming origin as one going out
is from the days of eternity, since before the world (came
into being).”
Matthew 2:6
“And you, Bethlehem, Land of Judah,
Not by any means least in rank, dignity, or importance are you
Among the leaders of Judah who rule as Commanders
Who exercise authority by means of both military and civil law;
Out of you for will come out and go forth from His place
A leader who will rule as a Commander
And who will exercise authority by means of both military and
civil law;
Who will Shepherd the people of Me, Israel.”
{and be their King, 2 Sam. 5:2}
----------------------------------------------------
*Numbers 21:17-18b
17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:
18 The Cistern Well which the princes dug,
Which dug the nobles of the people,
by the (direction of the ) Commander of the
statutes – laws –customs –decrees, with their staves.”
"Behold! GOD is my JESUS!
I will trust and not be afraid, for my strength and my song is YH
YHVeH,
and He became to me, JESUS.
And you shall draw water with joy
out of the flowing mountain spring of JESUS."
- Isaiah 12:2-3
In Micah 5:2, we read that the "comings
forth" as umootsata(y)v is as
the source going forth, as though referring to a well spring which origin is
unseen, and practically unknowable except in generality.
That origin is M'Qedem
memey olam...from before the days of eternity, from before the days of the
world.
In Isaiah 7:14, we have "The Virgin" or Ha Almah in
regard to the use of the word for "virgin". Almah speaks
of a "hiddenness", a chaste purity, lest perhaps someone would say as
in Deuteronomy 22:19, the virgin verse of Isaiah 7:14 could ever speak of
a Bethulah as one (a woman) having already had intercourse. This is why
we have Almah in Isaiah 7:14, a VIRGIN in the true sense of the word, whereas
also Bethulah might be argued against as not being a virgin if the female is
past age 12 (or something to this effect) as the Akkadian cognate (the
origin of the Hebrew word Bethulah) informs us in regard to what the
original origin of the word Bethulah concerned itself with.
Again, in the Akkadian, the related Bethulah cognate will only
translate to virginity when applied to the very youthful; while in the
Ugaritic, the possible root "btlt" is a oft a reference
to the wife of Baal, who indeed has an active sex life in the mythology
regarding Baal and Anat. That kind of idolatrous association would be avoided
by Scripture, even if human organizations later chose to merge pagan patterns
and holidays where the Bible utterly separates itself from such idolatry and
immoral practices as idol worshipers engage in.
In many ways, First Century Judaism and Christianity were
almost as close as some Protestant denominations are from one another in
our day.
We see that many of the ideas between First Century Judaism
and First Century Christianity easily cross over as virtually synonymous
but for the identification of a definitive Messiah. In our day, the
division or lack of tolerance to one another is often more popular than it was
in Christianity's first 35 - 40 years.
Matthew Chapter 2 in the King James Version (KJV) and Alternate
with Word Pictures and Reiterations Version (AWPR)
Matthew Chapter 2
King James Version (KJV)
Alternate Word Pictures with Reiterations (AWPR) - Translation
mine.
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of
Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, (KJV)
1) Then
Jesus / Yeshua, having been born in Bethlehem of Judea
in the days of Herod the king:
Behold, look and see;
Magi from (the) rising sun – from (the) dawn –
from (the) East
(publicly and noticeably) arrived into Jerusalem,
(AWPR)
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have
seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. (KJV)
2) Uttering definite words –
saying:
‘In what place
– Where is He (whom is) brought forth – born
King of the Jews?
For – Because we beheld – saw – observed –
watched
the
luminous body – the star of Him
in the East,
and came forth publicly so as to make an appearance
to kiss – to adore –
to show respect
and falling/ prostrating obeisance
- to worship him.
(AWPR)
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him. (KJV)
3) Then (paying heed and)
hearing intently – listening
(carefully),
Herod the king
was stirred up and agitated / troubled
with great fear and questions,
and all of Jerusalem with him.
(AWPR)
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of
the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
(KJV)
4) And gathering – assembling together
the first / chief priests and Scribes
[Scribes - includes scribes who copy the Torah, Accountants,
and Civil Servant / Officials that were Recorders, Librarians,
and other various forms of Book or Document Keepers
(including tax-collectors like
Matthew, author of this Gospel).]
of
the people,
he asked – inquired – examined from them
where – in what place the Christ was to be born.
(AWPR)
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is
written by the prophet, (KJV)
5) Then they said – spoke – replied
to him,
‘In
Bethlehem of Judea,
for
thus – in this manner or way
it
has been
engraved – inscribed – carved
– written
through the prophet,
(AWPR)
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least
among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall
rule my people Israel. (KJV)
6) ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of
Judah,
by
no means – not at all
are
you least in rank – dignity – importance
in –
amongst the leaders – rulers – governors of Judah;
for
– because out of you will proceed / come forth
a
leader – chief – commander – ruler,
someone
who will Shepherd the people – nation
of
Me, Israel.
(AWPR)
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired
of them diligently what time the star appeared. (KJV)
7) At that time then, Herod in a manner
or way
concealed from notice –
secretly – discreetly – privately
calling – summoning forth – authoritatively invited
the Magi – the wise men
(and) asked precisely - inquired accurately / inquired exactly
from them the Time – Period – Season
of the shining – illuminating – giving light
[and remaining in that state of excessive illumination]
star – luminous body.
(AWPR)
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search
diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word
again, that I may come and worship him also. (KJV)
8) And causing to go – sending them
[implies a military escort for part of the journey
to ensure they went on the correct road and were
certainly on their way. Herod was in Jerusalem
only 4.1 plus miles to the north, where sending word
back to him could be done by one servant sent back
on foot, even walking by lamp or torch by night,
in just inside one hour]
into Bethlehem, he said,
‘Having
walked and passed – having gone through,
accurately examine – exactly with diligence find out –
inquire thoroughly about
regarding
the little child.
Then,
as soon as – whenever you find and
search out / discover,
announce
it to – send word to – make known to
me,
so that I may also come up alongside with (you)
to
worship Him.’ (AWPR)
Comment on distance:
Justin, in his Apology, 1.34, says: "And
thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judah" etc. ‘Now there is a village in
the land of the Jews, 35 stadia [4.1 miles] from
Jerusalem, in which Jesus Christ was born, as you can [still] ascertain
also from the registers of the taxing made under Cyrenius, your first
procurator in Judea." It appears to me that the Inn or
House to where Jesus was to be located was in this general vicinity at least a
mile closer than the boundaries of modern Bethlehem and in the hills northeast
of the current modern city, as yet unexcavated. That makes sense that if
Bethlehem was so crowded that there was no room, they would be forced to make
the best they could in the outskirts of the city, at a in Bethlehem point
closest to Jerusalem, and yet above the primary dust and smog (that generally
settles upon the first 200 feet of a civilization and makes the air tan or
brownish as one looks down across a valley or plain of it), it seems to me.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the
star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over
where the young child was. (KJV)
9) Then they, having heard and listened
to
the king carefully – intently
(continued and) passed through – departed.
And behold, look and see;
the luminous body – the star
which they saw – beheld – observed – watched
in the rising sun – in the dawn – in the East
preceded before and led them forth until, coming,
it stood up above / over and upon
where the little child was.
(AWPR)
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great
joy. (KJV)
10) Then seeing – beholding – observing
the luminous body / star,
they
rejoiced with great – abundant
joy
– delight – gladness,
with very
much eagerness.
(AWPR)
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young
child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they
had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and
frankincense and myrrh. (KJV)
11) And coming into the house /
building, 1
They saw –
beheld – observed the little child
with Miriam /
Mary the mother of Him.
And falling
down prostrate they
adored – showed obeisance to –
worshiped Him.
And opening the
treasures put – set – stored of them,
they brought up
alongside with / next to – near to Him
gratuitous –
generous gifts of
gold and
frankincense and myrrh.
(AWPR)
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not
return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. (KJV)
12) And having been
addressed
in a very
straight-forward business-like warning – oracle
by a dream that
they should not go back again – return
up alongside
with Herod,
through another
of the same kind of way – highway – route
they departed
back again into
the country –
land – region – territory of them.2 (AWPR)
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his
mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for
Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. (KJV)
13) Then they, having left –
having departed back again:
behold,
look and see;
an angel
/ messenger of (the) LORD
shone –
gave light / illumination – appeared
down
in a dream to Joseph,
uttering definite words – saying,
‘Rise (from sleep and
sluggishness) – Rise up!
take up and seize the little child and the mother of Him,
and hurriedly flee – escape quickly into Egypt;
and be you in that place there
until I shall speak to you:
for Herod is at the point of – is about to
look for
and strive to find
the little child, to kill – put to death – destroy Him.’
(AWPR)
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by
night, and departed into Egypt: (KJV)
14) Then he rising up (from sleep
and sluggishness)
Took up
and seized – snatched up
The
little child and the mother of Him by night,
And
departed back again into Egypt.3
(AWPR)
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt
have I called my son. (KJV)
15) And he was in that place there until
the end –
completion (death) of Herod,
in order that
would be fulfilled that spoken
under the LORD
through the prophets,
laying down
definite words saying – speaking,
‘Out of Egypt I have called
/ summoned forth
The Son of Me.’
(AWPR)
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men,
was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in
Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. (KJV)
16) At that time then, Herod (upon)
seeing –beholding that
he was
deluded – deceived – played the fool
under –
by the Magi,
(he) was
provoked into a great wrath – indignation – rage.
And
sending forth [soldiers on his resulting orders],
he took away in death – he
murdered
All the
male children in Bethlehem,
And in all the boundaries –
frontiers – limits – region of it,
from 2 years and downwards,
according to the Time he
diligently and accurately
inquired from the proximity of
[i.e., that Herod posed to a group presented before him
who were also far enough away to converse in
whispers secretly
among themselves]
the Magi.
(AWPR)
17) Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by
Jeremiah the prophet,
saying,
(KJV)
17) Then at that
time was fulfilled – accomplished – completed
that
definitely uttered / said
under – by – through Jeremiah the
prophet
saying,
(AWPR)
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping,
and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be
comforted, because they are not. (KJV)
18) ‘A voice – A sound
Shone
forth –toned forth
[and would echo in the recurring recollections of the minds
of those who heard it]
in Rama was
attentively heard – listened carefully to:
loud
wailing and grievous weeping with tears,
and
much (tormented – sorrowful) bewailing;
Rachel
grievously weeping with tears
for the children of her,
And
certainly not willing / certainly not having the
will
– desire – purpose
to
have called to the side of – to be aided or comforted
because
they certainly were not.’
(AWPR)
Comment: The tomb of Rachel, wife of Jacob, who died in
giving birth to Benjamin (cf. Genesis 35:16-19), was and is located in the
region that is now the city of modern Bethlehem. Benjamin was called
Ben-Oni “son of I / son of me”,
which some have mistranslated as “son of my sorrow”. However, Jacob
affirms it was “son of I / son
of me” when he renamed the child as Ben-Yamin “Son at my Right
Hand”. Indeed, Jesus /
Yeshua would eventually be known to humanity as “the son at the Right Hand” of
GOD the Father Almighty.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, (KJV)
19) Then Herod
having
come to his end – having expired / completed / died;
behold,
look and see: an Angel of (the) LORD
down in a
dream gives light – shines – appears
to Joseph
in Egypt,
(AWPR)
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and
go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's
life. (KJV)
20) Speaking with
definite words – saying,
‘Rising up (from sleep and sluggishness).
Take up – possess – seize – take along
the little child and the mother of Him,
and pass through into (the) Land of Israel:
for – because those seeking – striving to find
the soul of / the life of the little child
have died (by natural means).’ (AWPR)
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and
came into the land of Israel. (KJV)
21) Then he [Joseph] rising up,
took up –
seized and took along – snatched up
the
little child and the mother of Him,
and came
forth publicly into (the) Land of Israel.
(AWPR)
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the
room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being
warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: (KJV)
22) Then, hearing attentively and
hearkening that Archelaus
reigns
upon Judea against / in place of – in lieu of /
in
substitution as a successor of
Herod the
father of him,
he [Joseph] feared and
trembled with fright and terror
(so as to
run away) [rather than] to go there in that place:
Then, down in a dream,
being addressed
in
a very straight-forward business-like
order - response - warning – oracle,
he [Joseph]
departed back again into the [sea – waters
of
the] sides – parts – coasts.4
And
behold, look and see;
The
heavens to him were opened,
And
he saw – beheld – observed (it was) the Galilee.
(AWPR)
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a
Nazarene. (KJV)
23) And having come forth publicly,
He dwelt
in a permanent dwelling / he resided
Into a
city – protected settlement called Nazareth;
So as to
accomplish – make full – complete – fulfill
That
spoken – foretold through the prophet:
‘He shall be summoned forth / called Nazarene.”
(AWPR)
Disclaimer: The Alternate Word Pictures with Reiterations
(AWPR) translation should be used as a Bible Study Aid only, and it is
recommended that a direct literal translation or the King James Bible be used
for regular and ecclesiastical purposes, and that the AWPR be used in
association only as a Bible study aid so as to help the reader / user in their
Bible Studying to clarify context and Scriptural Intent.
Thanks. -- Brianroy
End-notes:
1. The events of the Magi
arriving is AFTER the events listed in Luke Chapter 2. Finding Mary and
Jesus the angelically announced Messiah in a manure filled stall, it is not a
stretch in any way that the Shepherds (who possibly were raising their flocks
primarily in the valley of Achor, south of Jericho – Isaiah 65:9-10,
before proceeding round about to Jerusalem through the south via Bethlehem)
could easily have used sheep as payment for someone or the Inn itself to take
Miriam and her baby in out of doors. Judaism often places an emphasis of
the relationship of child and mother, and of common decency. A trade (for
example) of 7 fat sheep for eating, and perhaps a lamb without spot or blemish
for trade or sacrifice for the Temple would have been more than sufficient
payment. There is absolutely no justification for any relocation of the
event to Nazareth or anywhere else. In fact, the events of both the
Shepherds and the visit by the Magi would have preceded the actual day of
circumcision of the little child Jesus, meaning the visits by the Shepherds in
Luke 2 (written in A.D. 50) and that of the Magi in Matthew 2 (written between
June of A.D. 55 and the early fall of A.D. 56 at the latest), both were
completed within the first 8 days of Jesus birth.
2. The Highway to Israel from
Babylonia would have been via: Accad, Mari, Tadmor, Damascus, Capernaum,
Jericho, Jerusalem, and points along that route.
The exit taken by the Magi away from Herod, would likely have been
south from Bethlehem to the road that passed from Kadesh Barnea (around the
southern part of the Dead Sea traveling East then North through Edom on the
King's Highway) to Rabboth-Bene-Ammon, then due east to Dumah, and from Dumah
to Babylonia.
3. “Departed back again”
is the most accurate translation possible for the Koine Greek Word of this
verse, which is “anechoresen” – the aorist indicative
active of anachoreo. This means that Joseph, although
of the House of David, was a Jew who was previously living in Egypt and for
some time had made his home and livelihood there. Most likely that home
was in Alexandria, and the use of the aorist indicative active of anachoreo in
the way it is presented in this verse suggests that is where Mary also had
spent some time as the wife of Joseph upon her marriage to him. It also
gives cause for a working hypothesis as to part of the reason why Mark took his
Gospel to Alexandria after the death of the Apostle Peter on June 29, 57 A.D.,
and founded what would be the Coptic Church before his own death in the 8th
year of Nero in A.D. 62 (just 5 years after that of Peter’s death in
Rome). There must have been some sort of familiarity and testimony that
joined Joseph by family and (Mary and the LORD Jesus to that city later, albeit
briefly) as a city of refuge away from and out of Herod’s jurisdiction and
influence.
4. Joseph, it seems to me,
most clearly took the little child / baby Jesus and the mother of Him out of
Egypt by ship back to Israel. They probably first embarked to Joppa,
heard the news of Archelaus, and then took the journey to the next stop of
Caesarea (Song of Solomon 2:1) on the coast of Samaria and entered through the
plain of Sharon. Prophecy related to Sharon in the Old Testament informs
us that Joseph then would have proceeded by land up to Mount Carmel (Isaiah
35:1-2) before turning aside to Galilee, so as to appear to enter it from an
origin in the north and avert suspicion as having actually come from the south.
Other Comments I would add to consider:
Justin, in his Apology, 1.34, says:
"And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judah" etc.
"Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, 35
stadia from Jerusalem, in which Jesus Christ was born, as you can [still]
ascertain also from the registers of the taxing made under Cyrenius, your first
procurator in Judea."
From this, we gather:
1) There were still existing meticulously detailed Roman
records about a century and a half after their entry.
2) The taxing Bureaucracy were thorough and exacting record
keeping pack-rat Administrators; junkies for detailed information and
administration.
3) Cyrenius was called the 1st procurator of Judea.
4) Bethlehem was still existing in the second century A.D., as
was known to have existed in Cyrenius' and Jesus' day.
5) The location of this Bethlehem rules out all other
nominations for Jesus' birthplace, being 35 stadia from Jerusalem. But pay attention to Justin, here.
1 stadia was roughly 606 - 630 feet to the Greco Roman. 35 stadia was roughly 4.0 to 4.1 miles from
Jerusalem's Old City.
Hence, that Bethelehem of Jesus' is in the open fields and
winding roads northeast of the current Bethlehem occupied by the
Palestinians. And it is these open
fields that archaeologists should excavate. Here is the most likely area they
will dig up a stone relic engraved with Bethlehem or some such information in
it.
In Luke, we read that EVERY descendant of the House of David
converged on Bethlehem!
While by a modern understanding we might speculate that the number of Davidians at Bethlehem could possibly have been as high as 60,000 to 70,000 after 500 years of repopulating, because of political intrigue and murder of royal lineages, the more likely answer of the population in Bethlehem at the first census might be one preserved hundreds of years later in the Byzantine period, at which time there was a listing placed on a column that claimed that a number of 20,000 were present at Bethlehem at the time of Christ's birth. While some have claimed this was the number of those 2 and under who were killed at Bethlehem, the historical evidence of the smallness of this lineage, especially of those who were a threat to Herod the Great whose agents were everywhere to arrest even if two men were to stop and talk to one another on a road, one asking another for directions to somewhere and the other daring to answer. This number of 20,000 listed on a Bethlehem Byzantine Era column would clearly then be the entire number of those of the House of David, and likely we might expect (at best) only as many as a 1,000 to 2,000 babies from birth to the age of two to be present, as the Census number includes only men, and not any women and children that were brought along to be taxed by the Romans. All these people pressed into the small village of less than a perhaps several hundred, many involved in High Holiday sheep examining (to separate those with blemishes), sheep watching - sheep shearing with wool collection and processing. What is NOT told you in the Bethlehem narrative is the fact that outside Bethlehem when Jesus was born were fields and fields of many tens of thousands of bleating sheep that were to be used for the daily ritual Temple Sacrifice less than 5 miles away.
There are those who contend it was Spring when Jesus was born, but they fail to consider that this would have been so overwhelming at the time of Census that it would have been noted in some way, as over 257,000 sheep at a minimum would be needed to be present for sacrifice at Jerusalem at Passover. According to Josephus, there were Paschal lamb counts of 256,500 lambs for some 2.7 million who went up to Jerusalem in A.D. 70 in the midst of the war with Rome. (Wars of the Jews, 6.9.3.). Both the sight and smell as well as the thought of the logistics involved for over a quarter of a million sheep moving in or around Passover up to Jerusalem passing by or coming from Bethlehem annually is just an amazing activity that is easily forgotten by a modern world self-absorbed in a full detachment from an agrarian based society. These 257,000 plus (allowing for a select number to be rejected by the priests before sacrifice) would be driven up to Jerusalem in regular intervals of flock directing shepherds using a flag / banner waving system and done via the southern passage from Bethlehem.
I find it interesting, that since Jesus was born in and among the herds perhaps in an roofed but open shelter without walls...that this out-of-the-way location at Bethlehem's outskirts, is precisely what allowed Joseph the means to escape Herod's mercenaries. Visual and audio cover of an animal herd, and a distance of stealth from the actual town during late night hours.
Chapter LI. Origen,
Against Celsus, 1.51 By the time of
Origen, the location was celebrated as a
cave at that site, and not the middle of a field...my son is the smell of a
fruitful field (says prophecy).
"Now the Scripture speaks, respecting the place of the
Saviour's birth-that the Ruler was to come forth from Bethlehem-in the
following manner: "And thou Bethlehem, house of Ephrata, art not the least
among the thousands of Judah: for out of thee shall He come forth unto Me who
is to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth have been of old, from
everlasting." Now this prophecy could not suit any one of those who, as
Celsus' Jew says, were fanatics and mob-leaders, and who gave out that they had
come from heaven, unless it were clearly shown that He had been born in
Bethlehem, or, as another might say, had come forth from Bethlehem to be the
leader of the people. With respect to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, if any
one desires, after the prophecy of Micah and after the history recorded in the
Gospels by the disciples of Jesus, to have additional evidence from other
sources, let him know that, in conformity with the narrative in the Gospel
regarding His birth, there is shown at Bethlehem the cave where He was born,
and the manger in the cave where He was wrapped in swaddling-clothes. And this
sight is greatly talked of in surrounding places, even among the enemies of the
faith, it being said that in this cave was born that Jesus who is worshipped
and reverenced by the Christians. Moreover, I am of opinion that, before the
advent of Christ, the chief priests and scribes of the people, on account of
the distinctness and clearness of this prophecy, taught that in Bethlehem the
Christ was to be born. And this opinion had prevailed also extensively among
the Jews; for which reason it is related that Herod, on inquiring at the chief
priests and scribes of the people, heard from them that the Christ was to be born
in Bethlehem of Judea, "whence David was." "
In Against Marcion 3.13, Tertullian points us to Psalm
72:15,10 in regard to the Magi:
"And there shall be given to him the gold of Arabia"
and again: "The kings of Arabia and Saba shall offer to Him
gifts." For the East generally
regarded the Magi as Kings; and Damascus was anciently deemed to belong to
Arabia, before it was transferred to SyroPhoenicia on the division of the
Syrias (by Rome).
...Let those eastern magi wait on the new-born Christ,
presenting to Him...the riches of Damascus without a battle, and unarmed.
...Jewish cavillers, in order to disconcert us, boldly PRETEND
that Scripture does not hold that a VIRGIN, but only a young woman, is to
conceive and bring forth. They are, however, refuted by this consideration,
that nothing in the nature of [an OTH /
a Sign] can possibly come out of what is a daily occurence...."
What is being told us?
That at least from the road out of Damascus, the Magi came bearing gold,
the spoil of the Jews living in Damascus, to offer gifts from that city to
Yeshua. Herod would have seen this
gold, and the other gifts, because it is a spoil enough for a king to start a
kingdom.
So now, we have a greater understanding of the political
intrigue of Herod...who slaughtered Bethlehem not just because of a prophecy,
but for the amount of gold that was being given to a new rival born within it.
The origin of the Magi was probably from Babylonia, in the
area or region Hillel, he who brought a fresh Hebrew Copy of the 5 books of Moses that Israel's scribes had (in the Herodian era, at least) heavily abandoned for the Greek translations of the Scriptures would come from. Hillel revitalized Israel in remembering its Hebrew roots, and the love of the Hebrew Torah. They were NOT to be like the Gentiles, but a Light to the nations and represent their Hebrew forefathers in their own language passed down to them, not forsaking their inheritance nor their birthright and responsibilities to it.
In relation to Herod I in 5 B.C., it appears that Herod, under cloak of law, must have took the
position of sharing some of the wealth he accumulated from the massacre at
Bethlehem, with some of the Romans overseeing the Census for purposes of
taxation, as well as those "anathema" Jewish tax-collectors
themselves (who well preceded Matthew).
That is the inference given us in the Mishna's approach to these kinds
of Jewish State officials.
But what about all that gold?
Didn't Joseph get any of it?
Maybe, but not that
much. We know that Joseph took up Mary
and Jesus right quick, and when he came back, he only had pennies enough to buy
a poor man's offering after Mary's 33 days had passed (Leviticus 12:4,6-8; Luke 2:22-24).
From October 27 plus 33
days is the end of November. Yet Joseph
did not go up right away to Jerusalem, he hesitated. In all likelihood, Joseph arrived in
Jerusalem when Hannukah overlapped with what day we now call Christmas, in 5
B.C. It appears to be a Hannukahn style
blessing upon Jesus by Simeon and Anna at the Temple (cf. Luke 2:25-39).
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