Holy Hormones Bible Study: Teaching — If your book isn’t a buzz, it’s not the Bible.
AGAPĒ — THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
A study on the Greek words translated “love” shows this to be very much the case.
Introduction
This article is divided into two parts. A discussion on Grace (G5485 charis) which leads into a discussion on Agapē (G26) as the ultimate Spiritual Gift.
The first section of this article is a reissue of the post, GRACE: The Classy Cliché, published on August 12, 2022. This has been done because of the discoveries made in the project on the Greek words translated “love” — especially Agapē. The original had a very, very, very low readership so not too many people will feel cheated because of the re-issue.
PART 1
Elegantly Described in the Old Testament
“Grace” vies with “law,” “love,” and “sin” for top spot on the Christian cliché list. This is not to say that these words and concepts are not important — the very opposite is true! But the words, being bandied about in ignorance, are so hackneyed that they have become meaningless because, “Everyone knows what they mean.” Not so, the language is being caught — not taught. We think we know what they mean but we don’t. The Church is no different to the Secular World. I have recently had personal experience when making a submission to the Crown Law Department which did not give a crisp definition of the term, “hate speech,” even though it will be included in impending legislation. The problem is, there are many definitions, but no one has been able to give a definition of the banal definition being used.
Brace yourself! It is the detail which makes me a boring person that brings the Bible alive for me. There may be more here than the normal, well-adjusted person would care to know.
Hebrew view of Grace.
Surprisingly, Grace is not the possession of only Christianity. Judaism has been aware of it since Genesis 19 (Lot rescued from Sodom). Anyone who does not think that the OT is also the Age of Grace has not been paying attention.
Dr Baruch Korman (LoveIsrael.org) is a uniquely qualified Bible Teacher who is what is technically known as “a complete Jew.” That is, his culture is Jewish, and he’s an ordained Orthodox Rabbi who has come to know Jesus as His Personal Lord and Saviour. He is bilingual Hebrew/English and fluent in Koinonia Greek, in which he did a PhD. So, he brings with him the Hebrew Logic, as well as the Gentile. He teaches about a facet of Rabbinical Logic known as, “Hearing the words unspoken.” It is actually universal, but I had never paid attention to it. It is a memory-aid that will be laboured on a bit here because you will come across it often elsewhere in this blog sight.
When someone is reading a list of names and reads yours, there are things that instantly spring into their mind about you (your looks, what they had heard about you, their experiences with you, can you be trusted, your talents, and so on) in a flash — without conscious effort — it can’t be stopped. When the next name comes up, the same unspoken words are heard about her — in a flash.
When a practicing Jew encounters the name יהוה (Yehovah, but most Jews habitually pronounce this as Adonai, even though that is not the spelling), the words unspoken he hears are, “Covenant keeping God Who delights in making and keeping promises.” When say, Yehovah Shalom, is encountered, the unspoken words heard are, “Covenant keeping God Who delighted in promising to give us a full life and now delights in keeping that promise.” And so on…
Dr Baruch, as an ordained Rabbi, says, “When Torah literate Jews encounter the word grace, the word unspoken is, ‘provision.’” That is, provision from God for the Saint to live a life pleasing to Him. For Christians that means, “Christ is sufficient in everything.” This covers ALL things in spirit, soul and body — including everything necessary to expand the Kingdom from Heaven.
You could stop here because it is a definition with meat on it. When you read/hear the word “Grace,” hear the unspoken words, “Provision to live a life pleasing to God. That is, be obedient, do whatever the Lord wants me to do, and He will provide everything needed.”
But if you decide to go deeper, and you should, you will discover a few things.
- The definition, “unmerited” favour, is not scriptural. There is certainly favour, and we certainly do nothing to merit it. But if God decides to give it then, by definition, it is not up to us to decide if it is merited or not. To do so is to reject His hospitality which is an insult to Him in Middle Eastern culture. Which is the culture in which the Tanakh was written.
- The word heard by the Hebrew listener/reader is neither the Hebrew for grace nor provision. It is H2617 — Chesed, generally translated, lovingkindness.
This is because the Hebrew translated as grace is a compound of three words, חֶסֶדוחֵן
(Chen v’Chesed).
- Decoupling Chen v’Chesed
[It has the same construction as hit’n’run where the combination carries a more potent meaning than the sum of the individual parts.]
חֶסֶדוחֵן → H2580 — ḥēn חֵן + conjunction vav ן + H2617 — Chesed חֶסֶד
H2580 — ḥēn חֵן: grace, charm, elegance.
ן vav: conjunction with
H2617 — Chesed חֶסֶד: mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, kindly, merciful, favour, good, goodliness, pity.
An adequate English translation of this could be, “lovingkindness elegantly delivered with charm.”
Judaism contracts this to one word meaning mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, kindly, merciful, favour, good, godliness, pity.
So, you could choose your own unspoken words to hear for, grace, “Mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, mercy, favour, good, goodliness, pity which God chose to elegantly deliver with charm.
GOD GIVES THE SAINTS EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO LIVE A LIFE PLEASING TO HIM
PART 2: HOW DOES HE DO IT?
NATURAL THINGS: He has promised to give you all you shall need to live a Life Pleasing to Him.
Don’t sweat. He’s got it. He gives His Children only good gifts.
PROTECTION: He promises eight “I will’s” when only one will suffice.
It is written in Psalm 91:14–16 || “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will exalt him, because he has known My name. She shall call upon Me, and I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble; I will deliver her, and I will honor her. With long life I will satisfy him, And I will show him My salvation.”
[Pronouns are my choice. Not woke, just inclusive to show God gives both women and men equal value.]
THE MOST IMPORTANT GIFT IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD HIMSELF
Apostle Paul is speaking to the Saints (all Saints = us) in Ephesians 1 . Where it is written that we have been given every Spiritual Gift; i.e. His Chen v’Chesed.
Ephesians 1:3 || Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
The Saints have been blessed with EVERY SPIRITUAL GIFT.
How was that Gift (using the collective noun) delivered?
Ephesians 1:13 || In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
But what form does this Gift take? The topic is expanded on in the article, GOD & ABRAHAM & ISAAC: HONEST QUESTIONS — 3rd OF 4 Proposition 3: Killing your child because God told you to, violates common sense, but an extract is presented now.
An inconspicuous little verse
It is written in 1 Corinthians 2:16 || For “who has known the mind (G3563) of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind (G3563) of Christ.
G3563 — nous; νοῦς, (Inflexion νοῦν): noun = The mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving and understanding and those of feeling, judging, determining.
So? What is the Mind of Christ? Is it for doing hard sums?
No. It is much deeper than that. The Word of God tells us what it is.
Following the Greek word, nous, back through the Septuagint, it is written in Isaiah 40:13 || Who has directed the Spirit (G3563 — nous) of the Lord, Or as His counsellor has taught Him?
The LXX shows that G3563 — nous is translated, “Spirit.”
So, this is yet another confirmation that each of the NT Saints have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
What is the Spirit of God?
It is written in Isaiah 11:1–2 ||
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
Proverbs 2, particularly verses 1–5, mirrors the same list. It would be surprising if you were unaware that the Menorah, filled with the Oil of the Spirit and casting Light that dissipates the Darkness is the Word of God. . . But, just in case. . .
A little bit more about the Spirit of God
Read this tract very, very slowly. 1 Corinthians 2:10–11 || … For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the Spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
Just in case you just skimmed over it…
THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST YOU HAVE DWELLING IN YOU KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT GOD IS THINKING!!!!
Which Spirit is that?
THE SAME SPIRIT THAT RAISED THE CHRIST FROM THE DEAD!!!
Now that’s a Gift!
The Trinity
“If you deny the Trinity, you shall lose your soul; if you try to explain the Trinity you shall lose your mind.” Augustine
Many Naysayers dispute that there is any mention of the Trinity in the Bible, and claim it is a construct of men several centuries after the Time of Christ. It is surprising that, having no Theological Qualifications, it is a simple task for me, using Blue Letter Bible, to regularly find the Three Persons laced all the way through the OT and NT. For instance: -
It is written in Ephesians 1:2 || Grace to you and peace from God (G2316 — theos = H430 — ‘ĕlōhîm) our Father and the Lord (G2962 — kyrios = H3068 — Yᵊhōvâ) Jesus Christ.
And in John 14:16 || And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another (G243 — allos) Helper (Holy Spirit), that He may abide with you forever (G165 — aiōn)
G243 — allos = another of the same kind (as me, Jesus).
G165 — aiōn = forever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity
This is confirmed in Hebrews 13:5–6 || Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself (Christ) has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So, we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
[I would be pleased if someone could explain to me where I’m getting it wrong.]
Just in case I haven’t explained it well enough: -
It is written in 1John 4:8 (b) || God is Love = Theos esti Agapē → Theos = Elohim, so: -
- Elohim is Agapē. Both are nouns about which nothing negative is written.
Phileō and agapaō are verbs about which are written both positive and negative things. - You must ask yourself, “Can I do what God is?”
- Agapē, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13, is the Gift of God’s Logic (the Mind of Christ, the Seven Spirits of God/Theos/Elohim), in order to live the life pleasing to God that the Torah Literate Jews hear, unspoken, when they encounter the word Grace.
- God is His Logic and He has promised never to leave or forsake His Saints.
I love learning about love so there is a post or two yet to come.
The forgoing evidence has not been presented to convince any reader but to allow a personal decision to be made. There is much more to know about this subject. Perhaps you’ll pay another visit, sometime. If you have seen something you like, I encourage plagiarism. So, always check everything I say first, then please re-cycle, re-brand, re-structure, re-issue, re-label, or re-gurgitate in any manner you please. No need to acknowledge me because the Holy Spirit Who holds the Intellectual Rights.
All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
(We all have a plank in our eye. It’s bigger than we think.)
