Sanctus Real: Everything About You

An exceptional Christian Rock Worship song.

Mark 1:41 and the first 66 of the "P" classisfied (2nd - 4th century AD) Biblical manuscript fragments

Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. (KJV)

Was it really compassion, or was anger first used, and then changed to mean something else?

A similar remark or challenge (as stated in the above question) was made to me about Mark 1:41. And there is a vaguery in my recollection at this time as to whether the person attacking Mark 1:41, whether they had either stated or made the direct inference that Mark 1:41 was part of the P45 fragment, or simply used a generalization of THE earliest Mark (fragment or otherwise), which P45 is.

But for whatever reason, I decided to pursue the Mark 1:41 accusation, as it is now used by some trying to uncovert Christians to an apostasy without Jesus, and at least several people referenced (by an organization that shall remain nameless, with whose leader I had traded several e-mails with years ago) had chosen to deny Christ and damn their souls...and every soul who believes into Christ is so precious to G-D, that their names are written and announced in Heaven before the angels, and joyful shouts of approval sound forth for each and every name (Luke 12:8, 15:10; Revelation 3:5, 5:11, et al.). How many will there be whose names were read and blotted out later, and angels and loved ones who heard the names look for their arrival and find that they chose not to come to Heaven to be with the L-RD? Even one is "one too many", it seems to me.

P 45 is basically a surviving incomplete early portion of the New Testament Gospels, and has been displayed in Dublin and in Vienna, and may or may not still be at the Chester Beatty library. Various early 200's A.D. dates have been assigned to it, sometimes late 100's A.D. But leaving any argument for an even earlier dating aside, P45 does NOT have a portion of Mark 1:41 to it (as was emphasized by my counter-missionary anti-New Testament opponent in our discussion, as I recall).

Manuscript fragment P45 contains Mark 4:36-40; 5:15-26; 5:38-6:3,16-25,36-50; 7:3-15; 7:25-8:1,10-26; 8:34-9:9,18-31; 11:27-12:1,5-8,13-19,24-28; Luke 6:31-41; 6:45-7:7; 9:26-41; 9:45-10:1,6-22; 10:26-11:1,6-25,28-46; 11:50-12:12,18-37; 12:42-13:1,6-24; 13:29-14:10,17-33

There are currently P assignments to 126, and none of them contain Mark 1:41. I will list the first 66 of the P fragments so that the reader can get an idea of what bits and pieces of the New Testament made up the pre-collection wholesome copies or collections of the 4th Century in the Alexandrian Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, and Byzantine.

In regards to seeking Mark 1:41 in its oldest extant (still existing) form , we would next seek out the ca. 325 AD (Alexandrian) Vaticanus, which reads: και σπλαγχνισθεις εκτεινας την χειρα αυτου ηψατο και λεγει αυτω θελω καθαρισθητι


The mid-300s AD (Western) Sinaiticus reads: και σπλαγχνισθεις εκτινας την χειρα αυτου ηψατο και λεγει θελω καθαρισθητι

The late-300s AD (Byzantine) Alexandrinus reads: ο δε ις σπλαγχνισθεις εκτεινας την χειρα ηψατο αυτου· και λεγει αυτω θελω καθαρι̣σθητι·

After doing thus, we may best compare these to the Received 1881 Westcott-Hort Text reads: και σπλαγχνισθεις εκτεινας την χειρα αυτου ηψατο και λεγει αυτω θελω καθαρισθητι and see that Westcott and Hort follow the Vaticanus.

Stephanus in 1550 and 1551 followed the Byzantine Alexandrinus of the later 300s A.D., as did Scrivener in 1894.

What did the earliest souces look like? The Codex Sinaiticus, by example, has pages or leaves 15" x 14", listing Scripture in 4 columns by 48 lines to the column, ca. 12-16 letters to the line jammed together without spacings within the column. http://www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/tc_codexs.html

Previously I was able to refer others to be able to pull up the specific folio copies online, but now the link does not work. But I digress.


The (Western) Codex Bezae, dates to the 5th Century (ca. AD 450) and is the first to contain the entire Gospel of Mark as we now have it; however, this still precedes the entire Old Testament (including the 5 books of the Torah), in manuscript form, (which dates no earlier than AD 900) by some 450 years or more. So, even with a ritual worship and preservation of the Old Testament books in the last 2,000 years by observant Jews of the dispersion (diaspora) among the nations, we still have only an earliest manuscript extant that does not precede ca. 1110 years ago.

But the question was: Was Jesus angry only and did Christians "change" the Biblical text to one of compassion to cover up Jesus' being "angry"? The answer is: No.

The essential act of pity, even if there are synonymous anger overtones, in the Koine Greek are not contradictory. We can compare -- splagchuistheis, the second word in all but the (Byzantine) Alexandrinus in the three 4th Century and the 1881 W-H examples above.

By example, we see that this same word is also used in Luke 10:33 where the good Samaritan binds up the Jew's wounds. The anger is at the sin of those who are so callous as to act inhumanely toward one of their own, and follow their own code of ethics; but the pity is upon the victim of the sin as well.

So again, we see that when anti-Christians "go off" and rant and rail on the Bible as being full of contradictions or errors, we most often find by careful examination, that the error and the hypocritical double-standards lies with the accusers...not with the Biblical Texts themselves.

P Fragments will commonly not have complete verses; nor is this uncommon with Greek and Roman fragments. The secular and other manuscript fragments of the ancient Greek and Romans are categorized much like the Biblical fragments of the New Testament.
http://www.uni-koeln.de/phil-fak/ifa/NRWakademie/papyrologie/Karte/band1.html

Manuscript Fragment Reference: P 1 - 66 below.


P 1 Matthew 1:1-9.12; 1:14-20.23

Matthew 1:1-9.12;
http://images.library.upenn.edu/mrsidsceti/bin/image_jpeg2.pl?coll=manuscripts;subcoll=e2746;image=e2746_wk1_body0001.sid;level=1;degree=0

Matthew 1:14-20.23
http://images.library.upenn.edu/mrsidsceti/bin/image_jpeg2.pl?coll=manuscripts;subcoll=e2746;image=e2746_wk1_body0002.sid;level=1;degree=0

P 2 Matthew 12:12-15

P 3 Luke 7:36-45; 10:38-42

P 4 Luke 1:58-59,62-2:1,6-7; 3:8-4:2,29-32,34-35; 5:3-8; 5:30-6:16


P 5 John 1:23-31; 16:22-30; 20:19-20, 22-25
John 1:33-40; 16:14-22; 20:11-17

P 6 John 10:1-2, 4-7, 9-10; 11:1-8, 45-52

P 7 Luke 4:1-3

P 8 Acts 4:31-37;6:8-15
Acts 5:2-9; 6:1-6

P 9 1 John 4:11-12;
1 John 4:14-17

P 10 Romans 1:1-7

P 11 1 Corinthians 1:17-22; 2:9-12,14; 3:1-3,5-6; 4:3-5:5,7-8; 6:5-9,11-18; 7:3-6,10-14

P 12 Hebrews 1:1

P 13 Hebrews 2:14-5:5; 10:8-22; 10:29-11:13; 11:28-12:17

P 15 1 Corinthians 7:18-32;
I Corinthians 7:33-8:4

P 16 Phillipians 3:10-17;
Phillipians 4:2-8

P 17 Hebrews 9:2-14;
9:15-19

P 18 Revelation 1:4-7

P 19 Matthew 10:32-40;
Matthew 10:41-11:5

P 20 James 2:26-3:9;
http://www.princeton.edu/~dcskemer/APISJames1.html

P 21 Matthew 12:24-26, 31-33.
http://faculty.bbc.edu/rdecker/classes/p21.htm

P 22 John 15:25-16:2;
John 16:21-32
http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/treasures/papyrus.html

P 23 James 1:10-12;
James 1:15-18

P 24 Revelation 5:5-8;
Revelation 6:5-8

P 25 Matthew 18:32-34
Matthew 19:5-7,9-10

P 26 Romans 1: 1-16
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?view=entry;subview=detail;cc=apis;entryid=X-3991;c=apis;start=1

P 27 Romans 8:12-22,24-27;
Romans 8:33-9:3,5-9

P 28 John 6:8-12;
John 6:17-22

P 29 Acts 26:7-8;
Acts 26:20

P 30 1 Thessalonians 4:12-13, 16-17; 5:3, 8-10, 12-18, 25-28; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2

P 31 Romans 12:3-8

P 32 Titus 1:11-15;
Titus 2:3-8

P 33 Acts 7:6-10; 15:21-24
Acts 7:13-18; 15:26-32

P 34 1 Corinthians 16,4-7,10;
2 Corinthians 5:18-19, 19-21; 10:13-14; 11:2;
2 Corintians 11:4, 6-7


P 35 Matthew 25:12-15;
Matthew 25:20-23

P 36 John 3:14-17,34-35
John 3:17-18,31-32

P 37 Matthew 26:19-37;
Matthew 26:37-52
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?g=archaeol-ic;med=1;c=apis;q1=P.Mich.inv.%201570;rgn1=apis_inv;size=50;start=1;type=boolean;view=thumbfull


P 38 Acts 18:27-19:6
Acts 19:12-16


P 39 John 8:14-18;
John 8:18-22

P 40 Matthew 18:32-34; 19:1-3;
Matthew 19:5-7; 19:9-10

P 41 Acts 17:28-18:2, 18:17-18,22-25,27; 19:1-4,6-8,13-16,18-19; 20:9-13,15-16, 22-24,26-38; 21:1-4,26-27; 22:11-14,16-17

P 42 Luke 1:54-55;
Luke 2:29-32

P 43 Revelation 2:12-13,15

P 44 Matthew 17:1-3, 6-7; 18:15-17, 19; 25:8-10; John 9:3-4; 10:8-14; 12:16-18

P 45 Matthew 20:24-32; 21:13-19; 25:41-26:39; Mark 4:36-40; 5:15-26; 5:38-6:3,16-25,36-50; 7:3-15; 7:25-8:1,10-26; 8:34-9:9,18-31; 11:27-12:1,5-8,13-19,24-28; Luke 6:31-41; 6:45-7:7; 9:26-41; 9:45-10:1,6-22; 10:26-11:1,6-25,28-46; 11:50-12:12,18-37; 12:42-13:1,6-24; 13:29-14:10,17-33; John 4:51,54; 5:21,24; 10:7-25; 10:30-11:10,18-36,42-57; Acts 4:27-36; 5:10-21,30-39; 6:7-7:2,10-21,32-41; 7:52-8:1,14-25; 8:34-9:6,16-27; 9:35-10:2,10-23,31-41; 11:2-14; 11:24-12:5,13-22; 13:6-16,25-36; 13:46-14:3,15-23; 15:2-7,19-27; 15:38-16:4,15-21,32-40; 17:9-17

P 46 Romans 5:17-6:3; 6:5-14; 8:15-25,27-35; 8:37-9:32; 10:1-11:22,24-33; 11:35-15:9; 15:11-33; 16:25-27; 16:1-23; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9:2; 9:4-14:14; 14:16-15:15; 15:17-16:22; 2 Cor 1:1-11:10,12-21; 11:23-13:13; Galatians 1:1-8; 1:10-2:9,12-21; 3:2-29; 4:2-18; 4:20-5:17; 5:20-6:8,10-18; Ephesians 1:1-2:7; 2:10-5:6; 5:8-6:6,8-18,20-24; Phillipians 1:1,5-15,17-28; 1:30-2:12,14-27; 2:29-3:8,10-21; 4:2-12,14-23; Colossians 1:1-2,5-13,16-24; 1:27-2:19; 2:23-3:11,13-24; 4:3-12,16-18; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1:9-2:3; 5:5-9,23-28; Hebrews 1:1-9:16; 9:18-10:20,22-30; 10:32-13:25;

P 47 Revelation 9:10-11:3; 11,5-16:15; 16:17-17:2

P 48 Acts 23:11-17; 23:23-29

P 49 Ephesians 4:16-29; 4:31-5:13

P 50 Acts 8:26-30 (col. 1), 10:30-31 (col. 4) and
8:30-32 (col. 2); 10:26-27 (col. 2,); 10:27-30 (col. 3)

P 51 Galatians 1:2-10; 1:13,16-20

http://163.1.169.40/cgi-bin/library?a=q&r=1&hs=1&e=p-000-00---0POxy--00-0-0--0prompt-10---4------0-1l--1-en-50---20-about---00031-001-1-0utfZz-8-00&h=ded&t=1&q=POxy+2157&ifl=l

P 52 John 18:31-33; http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/collections/stjohnfragment/recto/

John 18:37-38
http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/collections/stjohnfragment/verso/

P 53 Matthew 26:29-35v; Acts 9:33-38
Matthew 26:36-40; Acts 9:40-10:1

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?g=archaeol-ic;med=1;c=apis;q1=P.Mich.inv.%206652;rgn1=apis_inv;size=50;start=1;type=boolean;view=thumbfull

P 54 James 2:16-18,22-23; and 2:24-26; 3:2-4.
http://www.princeton.edu/~dcskemer/APISJames2.html


P 55 John 1:31-33; 1:35-38

P 56 Acts 1:1-5; 1:7-11

P 57 Acts 4:36-5:2; 5:8-10

P 59 (14 fragments)
John 1:26,28,48,51; 2:15-16; 11:40-52; 12:25,29,31,35; 17:24-26; 18:1-2,16-17, 22; 21:7,12-13,15,17-20,23.

P 60 (20 fragments) John 16:29-30; 16:32-17:6,8-9,11-15,18-25; 18:1-2,4-5,7-16,18-20,23-29,31-37,39-40; 19:2-3,5-8,10-18,20,23-26

P 61 Romans 16:23-27; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2,4-6; 5:1-3,5-6,9-13; Phillipians 3:5-9,12-16; Colossians 1:3-7,9-13; 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; Titus 3:1-5,8-11,14-15; Philemon 4-7

P 62 Matthew 11:25-30

P 63 John 3:14-15,16-18; 4:9,10

P 64 / P 67 (5 Fragments) Matthew 3:9,15; 5:20-22,25-28; 26:7-8,10,14-15,22-23,31-33

P 65 1 Thessalonians 1:3-10; 2:1,6-13

P 66 John 1:1-6:11; 6:35-14:26,29-30; 15:2-26; 16:2-4,6-7; 16:10-20:20,22-23; 20:25-21:9

P 66 Dates to style in use by the end of Trajan's reign (Roman Emperor Trajan died ca. 8 August 117 A.D.), to as early as 115-116 A.D.

Some early epigraphers had dated P66 to Hadrian in the 130s A.D. The question of P66 among Conservative Scholarship is whether it was within 20 years of John's death, or within 40 years.

The question of P66 for the Liberal apostates who wish to date P66 as late as 200 A.D. and then pooh-pooh the gap of a single century (by their own pretentions) is "what better examples have they got of ancient works, even fragments that virtually coincide with their ancient Roman or Greek authors in anywhere near the closeness as P66 with John"? Knowing that they cannot even bridge the gap of 300, or 500 years, they have no room to criticize the New Testament where a manuscript fragment may be within 20 years of the author to whom it was attributed or as far along as 102 years from the author to whom it was attributed.

The New Testament had some 24,000 plus whole and fragmentary manuscripts (inclusive of lectionaries) still in existence, which have now increased beyond 25,000 with the Albanian National Archives find of 2007. Some of the Middle Ages Albanian copies may be viewed via links at:
http://www.csntm.org/manuscript

My Conversion Testimony, by Brianroy

Many people write and confess their sins to the world, and the world knit-picks at those confessions. And perhaps some of the things and experiences I survived wouldn't be believed anyway. Those are external factors, outside the body (after a sense) or of the body (physical) happenings.

But faith and trust are matters that cannot be expressed by external elements often used in testimonials. Faith is an internal engine, and everyone of us has a G-D shaped spiritual dwelling place within us that needs G-D to come in and dwell (John 14:23,17), in order for us to be made complete, and to light the pilot of eternal life (that lays ever extinguished in those who reject Jesus Christ, the Creator who in His preincarnate state, breathed into the nostrils of Adam, and gave Adam his eternal soul) -- cf. Lamentations 4:20, Genesis 2:7, John 1:3-4.


In 1986, I began to be truly drawn toward the L-RD Jesus after a long absence based on many circumstances, experiences, and so forth. I had thought at one point over the several years past, that the height of "intellectualism" and "advanced thought" was to be found in an agnostic view of the world. Agnostic is simply the placing of an alpha-privitive (or prefix letter "a" as a negative in the Koine Greek) before the Greek word for "knowledge" or "knowing". Thus, to be an agnostic, is to profess ignorance and say, "Gee, I just don't know".

I did what I perceived as somewhat intense research and thought on the matter, and found that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was and is woven into the very Fabric of the Creation, and is inescapable to those truly looking. It is not just that "there is a G-D", but there is a G-D and His Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit.

The Churches I sought out were ill equipped, and a few television ministries I sought help from in understanding how to bridge the gap from being unsaved to being "born again" was never fully realized via the D. James Kennedy (Presbyterian) or the Jack Van Impe (prophetical combination of Baptist and Pentecostal) ministries. Other ministries over the years were used like the evangelist of John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" helping to point the way. There were probably many of them, from people I met to those whom I read or heard or saw or knew about (either up close or at a distance).

But, for whatever reason, G-D used Jimmy Swaggart's Television Ministries to both properly walk me through a believing Romans 10:9-10,(13) prayer of confession on Easter Sunday 1987 (April 17, 1987, the Leviticus 23 holiday for the same is the Spring Festival of Firstfruits, and is the day used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 to explain the Resurrection, as Christ rose from the dead on "Firstfruits" in A.D. 30).

For me, personally, the first two intense New Testament works I was drawn to were Galatians and Ephesians, followed by a reading of Ezekiel and Isaiah in the Old Testament (as I recall). Even though I would read other works, it seemed that (at my new born again state), I personally was drawn back to these 4 works in my own personal study and Christian growth.

One of the songs that struck a resonance in my soul at the time, and still does today, is "We shall see Jesus", taken from the inspiration of 1 John 3:2.



For the believer, our job while on Earth is to make a difference for the better, while preparing ourselves for any moment to depart this life as if peacefully going on a journey, to join Jesus in Heaven. We have our reservation, and our spiritual bags are packed. Instead of looking for a Tahiti or Cayman, or other tropical island "paradise", we find ourselves looking for that city, the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 - 22, which Christ is preparing for us (John 14:2-3, 12:26, et al.).



We tire of the sin in this world, even when we are flawed with its traps as well. Choosing to avoid the practicings of sins to what degree as according to each one's ability, we are judged not by our transgressions, but are forgiven of our sins constantly by confession, prayer, and dedication to the minimizing of such things that are either consciously or unconsciously said or done. But our victory is not by our "works", it is by G-D's gift of the ransom paid by Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:8,9). That is why we can joy daily, hourly, and even through the moments, that though Jesus and what he did in being our scapegoat and our Paschal Lamb upon the Cross...and sing "Hallelujah, my sins, they're gone at last."



I am glad, and blessed to be born again. Therefore part of my character and nature is to extend the invitation and teachings of and about Christ Jesus, and to extend freely (without money, without price -- Isaiah 55:1) that which uplifts and confirm why we should believe into Him and His Bible (etc.). In order that by the call of of Isaiah 55:6, the seeking of the L-RD while He is near, as Zephaniah 2:3 completes the verse, that "it may be ye shall be hid in the Day of the L-RD's anger."

Regardless of your skin color, or wealth status, but based on your humanity, I would wish the best both physically,, and spiritually for you in the most equitable and righteous manner possible. The greatest gift is one that Christ paid for, your eternal soul. By faith, if you seek to be transformed and made born again (John 3:5,7), and confess and believe into the L-Rd Jesus, what he did at the Cross, and that He was raised again from the dead, and call upon Him (read and do Romans 10:9-10,13)...you shall be saved. All the spiritual leprosy of sins shall be washed away, like Na'aman in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:1-14)...and you too, can sing about the joy of being "freed from sin, and born again".



The Bible says that we are as pilgrims and strangers passing through this life (e.g., Hebrews 11:13), and as a child gets homesick for his parents, so too do we Christians sometimes get homesick for G-D the Father and Jesus Christ the Son of G-D. And we can even sing about such as part of our expression of faith and trust into the L-RD, as well.

Jesus loves you. Peace. Shalom. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:4

In the Westcott-Hort Greek NT:
εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος τουτου ετυφλωσεν τα νοηματα των απιστων εις το μη αυγασαι τον φωτισμον του ευαγγελιου της δοξης του χριστου ος εστιν εικων του θεου


2 Corinthians 4:4 in the KJV reads:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of G-D, should shine unto them.





When examining the Greek, the Latin, and the Context of Paul's teachings, and especially those of Jesus, a red flag goes up on all 4 flag-poles. To read a little "god" here in the above...something's wrong, it is an anomaly that doesn't fit, nor should it.

Many are mistaken in regard to Paul's teaching in regard to Satan in 2 Corinthians 4:4.

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, ho Theos is "G-D", and not "god". It is to be taken in the same vein as "G-D who blinds sinners" in Romans Chapter 1.

Irenaeus clearly makes this exposition in Against Hereies, Book 3, Chapter 7, Section 1; declaring Paul to use a transposition of words and pointing it off, making a slight interval. That is, the first half of 2 Corinthians 4:4 reading...

εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος

en ois ho Theos tou aionos -- Wherein has G-D eternal {break},


τουτου ετυφλωσεν τα νοηματα των απιστων

toutou etufelose ta noemata ton apiston -- after this manner has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving....

Cf. discourse of Romans 1:18-32.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
(King James Version)


The Greek phrase which Irenaeus speaks of, in which Paul is pointing off in 2 Corinthians 4:4, so as to express G-D as the one who brings about blindness upon those who willingly reject His Son, is:

En ois ho Theos tou aionos toutou etufelose ta noemata ton apiston
Translated as:

"In whichever ones has G-D Eternal, at this time, blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving"



En ois
in whichever ones Also translated as "in whom"

Ho Theos
(the one and only) G-D


[In John 1:1, the Logos is pros ton Theon, "up alongside and with G-D", as well as being G-D. The definite article is missing
on Theos in John 1:1c, because in kai Theos een ho Logos, the highlight or
line of thought is on Logos being G-D alongside G-D, and NOT the
subsumation of G-D. Cf. Psalm 45:6,7; Hebrews chapter 1].


Tou aionos
"He who possesses the ages"

["The Eternal master / Master of eternity"...cf. "YHVeH" which subsumes all three tenses of the verb "to be" in Hebrew. Tou aionos is respective of such a similar statement of He who was, and is, and ever shall be. In other words, G-D...and NOT a created being.
Aionos is the synonym of the Hebraic "olam" in the LXX. The contrast is that while "olam" speaks of eternity being hidden and concealed; aionos speaks of a future where eternity is revealed (as it were).]

Toutou
"a manner or attitude of permissiveness, of allowing something to occur"

Etufelose
"Blindness"

[Note the active aorist tense of tuphloo: not just Blindness, or obscurity; but a Blindness that is actively and willing accepted. It is as if with pleasure in an outward expression of rebellion: i.e., an inward determination to disagree even before any conversation is exchanged is seen as a form of "blindness".]



Ta noemata
"Those being without a sure faith, double-minded ones, ever swaying and
changing values and precepts."


Ton apiston
"those who exercise and practice a willful choice to not believe."

[Pistos preceded by the alpha-privitive, negating belief into �unbelief�. (Cf.
Romans 1:21a, 24a)].




Irenaeus was the disciple of Polycarp, who was the disciple of the Apostle John, who was the disciple of Jesus. John knew Paul, and assumed the ministry of Asia and was possessor of numerous original transcripts by Paul's hand and first manuscript copies of Paul.

Irenaeus tells us in Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 7 (regarding 2 Corinthins 4:4)...in circa 178-181 A.D.:

1. "As to their affirming that Paul said plainly in the Second [Epistle] to the Corinthians, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not,” and maintaining that there is indeed one god of this world, but another who is beyond all principality, and beginning, and power, we are not to blame if they, who give out that they do themselves know mysteries beyond God, know not how to read Paul.

For if any one read the passage thus—according to Paul’s custom, as I show elsewhere, and by many examples, that he uses transposition of words —“In whom God,” then pointing it off, and making a slight interval, and at the same time read also the rest [of the sentence] in one [clause], “hath blinded the minds of them of this world that believe not,” he shall find out the true [sense]; that it is contained in the expression, “God hath blinded the minds of the unbelievers of this world.” And this is shown by means of the little interval [between the clause].

For Paul does NOT say, “the God of this world,” as if recognising any other beyond Him; but he confessed God as indeed God. And he says, “the unbelievers of this world,” because they shall not inherit the future age of incorruption. I shall show from Paul himself, how it is that God has blinded the minds of them that believe not, [cf. Romans 1:18 ff. ] in the course of this work, that we may not just at present distract our mind from the matter in hand, [by wandering] at large.

2. ...So therefore, in such passages, the hyperbaton must be exhibited by the reading, and the apostle’s meaning following on, preserved; and thus we do NOT read in that passage, “the god of this world,” but, “God,” whom we do truly call God; and we hear [it declared of] the unbelieving and the blinded of this world, that they shall not inherit the world of life which is to come."


In 2 Corinthians 4:4, ho Theos is "G-D", and not "god". It is "G-D who blinds sinners" in Romans 1:18-32. In Romans 1:21 "when they knew G-D, they glorified Him not as G-D" is responded to blindness in verse 24 where "G-D also gave them up to uncleaness" or sorts and variations of Spiritual Blindness. Cf. John 3:19-21.

Irenaeus clearly relates Paul's intent and one of the ways Paul taught (before that nuance was lost on later generations) in Against Hereies, Book 3, Chapter 7, Section 1; declaring Paul sometimes would use a transposition of words and pointing it off, making a slight interval. That is,

en ois ho Theos tou aionos -- Wherein has G-D eternal
{break},
toutou etufelose ta noemata ton apiston -- after this manner has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving....

In fact, tou aionos as used in the Greek by Paul, means having in his possession an age or ages AND the outpourings (giving) of life.

Since Satan can only, steal, kill, destroy and accuse (John 10:10, Revelation 12:10), he cannot fit the designation of being a life giver, only a life destroyer or life taker.

But after the aid of Irenaeus also, we now can read this verse now to the expanded effect as something like:

"But, indeed, if our Gospel is being hidden, it is hidden to those [who are] being lost;
In whom G-D -- He who possesses the ages at this time -- has blinded the (willing) minds of the unbelieving (and without a sure faith who were eagerly willing to be made blind);
that the brightness of the Gospel of Christ's glory, who is the exact Image (and representation) of G-D, should dawn not on them." (2 Corinthians 4:4).

But after the amplified Greek word study, we would perhaps read 2 Cor. 4:4 more as:

"In whichever ones or whom G-D, who possesses the ages, permissively allowed Blindness to occur upon those being without a sure faith, double-minded ones, ever swaying and changing values and precepts, who exercise and practice a willful choice to not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the exact imprint image / reflection and representation of G-D, should shine unto them."

Compare this with Paul's theology in 2 Thessalonians 2:

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the L-RD shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause G-D shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.



In either case, clearly Satan is NOT implied by Paul as the "god of this world" in 2 Cor. 4:4. The one blinding the sinners is G-D, because the sinners took pleasure in being deceived and in acts of unrighteousness to NOT believe Christ Jesus.

In fact, we can even look at where Paul cites Christ as being the "prototokos" of Creation in Colossians 1:15, the first-born who is "before the birth" of Creation.

Can't make the connection? Think in context of the time period the letter was writen. The First Citizen of Rome was Caesar in Paul's day. It was easy for the connection to be made that if Christ is the "prototokos", then HE is essentially the "G-D of this world" with the Father, being the exact imprint and representation of the Father in His person.


Where did modern Christianity get sidetracked?
The 1599 Geneva Bible, for example, was wrong to translate and comment that Satan was a god that blinded etc. in 2 Cor. 4:4 following the Latin Vulgate's example. Others have followed this reasoning.

Probably the translation to "a god" happened because of a single scribal choice to a master copy that headed a family of manuscripts, for whatever reason, did not capitalize a crucial letter D (as we would understand it), writing "deus" instead of "Deus", centuries before.

The Latin Vulgate when updated to both large and small lettering usage read: in quibus deus huius saeculi excaecavit mentes infidelium ut non fulgeat inluminatio evangelii gloriae Christi qui est imago Dei, and at that time, the scribe should have used a capitalized D to declare the Divine as Deus so as to avert later confusion.

In John 8:44, we see that Satan is a liar and has no truth in him. Hence, in Matthew 4:8-9 and Luke 4:5-7, Satan lied as to even possessing ownership over ALL the kingdoms of this world. Thus, he is not any sort of a "theos" but a "theoi", a disposer or one who runs back and forth, pretending to be as if a g-d, though of a flawed and created substance; and retaining a nature of a flawed and limited in power creature (even though at times an evil and hidden emperor over limited parts of the earth) who pretends deity upon himself.


In Paul's theology, if we were to apply any smallness of deity of him who blinds, then we should look first to Adam, as it regards Paul's teachings. For in Romans 5:12 he tells us to the effect - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: That man was clearly Adam.

Hence, there was a reasoning and debate that infiltrated the Church since at least the Second Century that reasoned a misinterpretation on 2 Cor 4:4.


Again, I reiterate, that Irenaeus gives the true meaning of Paul's intent in regards to 2 Cor. 4:4, especially when G-D blinds man by removing His light from their hearts in Romans 1:18ff.

Paul wrote both these letters to members of the Corinth Churches (e.g. Romans 16:3,5, etc.). Paul also states in Ephesians 1:21, that Christ is Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

In I Corinthians 15:27 - Paul precedes 2 Cor. 4:4 with the first epistle to Corinth in which he says in regard to Christ: For He hath put all things under His feet. but clarifies that He has not yet taken possession or exercised His full authority to rule and reign what belongs to Him, as yet.

The Gospels state of Christ:
Mat. 11:27 - All things, including principalities, are delivered unto Him
Mat. 28:18 - All power on Earth is given to Christ
Luke 10:22, John 3:35 - The Father entrusts all power and dominion as part of the "all things" into Christ.
John 17:2 - Jesus has power over all flesh, hence He is THE G-D of this world.

It makes all the more sense in 2 Corinthians 4:4 then, that we follow the theology of the Bible left us in the greater context of the texts of the Bible, and of the teachings of the Bible from the Bible itself. What does Paul really teach in context? What does the L-RD Jesus really teach us in context? How does that relate to the passage? The answers are there, and sometimes it is dependant upon whether we have ears to hear, are willing to ask the L-RD for the answer, and truly be willing to listen, examine, and understand the answer. And the joy in discovering and finding is a privilege some of us just don't want to ever give up. But the joy in discovering passages, in G-D's Kingdom, is also in the sharing (as it were) of that which you have found in the L-RD. As a believer, it helps you enable and lift up others, while helping you to grow in a healthy and spiritual way. At least it seems so to me. Peace.

Poetry by Brianroy: A Field of view, in a winter season looking out to sea from the side of a hill.

I look across the ocean,
as it the cold winter waves rise and fall;
and the breeze blows stingingly upon my face and about my head,
and the melancholy of the moment yet brings tranquility.

The white and grey clouds blow across the deep blue skies,
as if great cotton balls and pilings of mist.
Sometimes looking like mountain ranges of the heavens,
sometimes, well...you get the jist.

What are these seasons for,
of life and dormancy?
Do they teach us something about ourselves,
and how we ought to live?

I behold the barren beaches and shorelines,
the jetties and the rocks.

I behold the once green and bending marshes,
now brown like dead grass and broken stocks.

What is the lesson here,
but that G-D is never to far or long away?

Though through times of sadness and suffering we must go,
there is always the hope of a better day.

And when that time comes, seize the moment and the hour;
apply the best that you can fairly and equitably,
or as much as you are granted in your power.

And know also, that your works too, shall zenith and fall;
and in another season, again you shall look back and recall.

Let there be no regrets, that honorably and faithfully you have done;
that looking back you might have blessed by your efforts to hold to a higher calling,
and in the remembrance, with fondness, be considered as having victories won.

Won not by violence or blood, but of the heart and the minds;
that to G-D mankind all may freely call through Jesus Christ the Son,
and to one another be thoughtful and kind.

But as I stand here, and now look at my watch,
I realize my feet are almost frozen and I am so cold;
and as I make for shelter and warmmth,
I can only hope that the best points are not forgotten in the heat of trying to do the right,
and that the best from me is always as new, and never as forgotten and old.