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Tag: corinthians

From Palm Sunday to Pentecost
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No, your not looking at the wrong picture. 
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NEXT – Pentecost 2025 of the Common Era
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Doesn't Holy Week from Palm Sunday to EASTER look about the same every year? 
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I wrote a SERIES for Lent last year too — which of course culminated with Easter Sunday.

King for a Common Era Holy Week – 1
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Check it out (from Easter, 2024) if you'd like. 
SON-MAN RISEN! 
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And my LATEST POSTS in 2025 CE reflect an OLD TESTEMENT approach to LENT, also concluding with a look at Resurrection Sunday.

Our focus for EASTER 2025 CE has been from the Gospel of John (just before your familiar memorized verse).

Gospel of John 3:14 ESV

Lifted up + Earthly things you do not believe

But what did JESUS do next?

IF you have READ my 2025 CE EASTER post (above), then you may realize that the GOSPEL — in John’s case — has been preached for a number of years.

~ A.D. 85 – the Gospel of APOSTLE JOHN

Do the math and you will easily see that since Christ rose from death sometime around AD 30-33 according to most historical estimates, then EASTER had been celebrated by saints of The Way for OVER 50 YEARS by the time the Apostle recorded:
- his Gospel,
- three epistles to the Church and
- the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John!
  - – with specific mention of the witness of saints of seven churches as examples to us.
To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs,

appearing to them over a period of forty days

and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Acts of the Apostles 1:3 NASB95

φανερόω – JESUS Manifested

After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way:

.. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Gospel of John 21:1 ,14 CSB

The Apostle Peter writes:

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you.

1 Peter 1:20 CSB

And last of all — as to the untimely birth — he appeared also to me, writes the Apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 15:8 YLT
- JESUS’ historical crucifixion on a Roman cross is an undisputable fact.
- Christ’s resurrection after three days — in His recognizable resurrection body, with the wounds of the Cross –– and in the very Spirit of the same JESUS of Nazareth — the Son of Man known personally to hundreds of disciples and thousands of first century witnesses — is true and verifiable fact REJECTED by those who also deny the One Living God of all creation and all of its created.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

..but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Gospel of John 17a,18b CSB

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Gospel of John 3:14-15 CSB

Lifted up + Earthly things you do not believe

Father, Son and Pentecost

John closes his proclamation and witness of Apostolic Good News:

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his {Jesus’] testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the [scrolls] that would be written.

Gospel of John 21:24-25 CSB

JESUS also said,

“..The one who has seen me has seen the Father.

AND as you know from our 2025 Easter post, the Lord challenged Nicodemus:

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

Now through the testimony of both Peter and John recorded by Luke in Acts of the Apostles we will glance at the Trinity and introduction of the Spirit on Pentecost ~AD 33.

40 days, and then Pentecost

And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

.. they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

[Two angels instructed the Eleven]

..” This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

Excerpt from ACTS of the Apostles 1 BSB
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Are you who do not believe intimidated by that? 

Perhaps you should believe in the Lord Christ Jesus, who will return finally for the Judgment. 
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The Holy Spirit at Pentecost –
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The following from Bible Hub Book Summary of ACTS 2: 

Please consider its Gospel application in your own brief mortal life. - RH 
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Acts 2 is a powerful chapter that introduces the Holy Spirit’s dynamic presence in the lives of believers and demonstrates the transformation it brings. The followers of Jesus move from being a fearful, waiting group to a bold, active community witnessing for Christ. The chapter underscores the compelling power of the Gospel message and the magnetic draw of a loving, unified, and Spirit-led community. This chapter serves as a timeless model for the Church, inspiring us to be led by the Spirit, devoted to God’s Word, committed to fellowship, and actively involved in meeting the needs of those around us.

On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples are together when a sound like a violent wind fills the house, and they see what seems to be tongues of fire that separate and rest on each of them. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they start to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enables them. A diverse crowd gathers, bewildered because each person hears their native language spoken. Some are amazed and wonder what it means, while others mock the disciples, suggesting they are drunk.

https://biblehub.com/bsb/acts/2.htm

πεντηκοστή – Pentecost = “the fiftieth day”

WE love festivals, don’t we? Pentecost was another festival that brought the Jews to Jerusalem a little over a month after the Passover feast.
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more... 
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- ~ AD 33
When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.

ACTS of the Apostles 2:1 CSB
- ~ AD 55
Paul writes to the Corinthians,

“But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,
- ~ AD 57
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.

Acts of the Apostles 20:16 CSB

Sailing Home on the Aegean

The CHURCHES and their saints in every place have become dear to the Apostles — including Paul.

But for those early years after the RESURRECTION of the Lord Jesus Christ +++ Pentecost continued to provide evidence and witness of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Twenty years after Christ’s ascension now — twenty years after the first signs of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem on Pentecost — and during the remaining years of the mortal lives of the Apostles PENTECOST provided the saints of The Way a gospel witness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ — who will come again in GLORY at the last Day.

What’s NEXT in our witness to the world in 2025 CE?
- Lord-willing, in MAY 2025 TalkofJESUS series from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians will continue.
  - (We will not continue in Paul’s second letter.)
Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians – Featured Series
- 2025 CE Summer TOPICAL SERIES to be announced
- August 2025 – some personal updates from Roger Harned, our author and moderator of TalkofJESUS.com
- AND, of course, more DOCTRINE for your discernment
  - & SCRIPTURE as written with secure links to our sources from better theologians than me.
Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

(You who believe)
April 30, 2025
agapē a fruit of Love from a Higher Branch
Charity (agape)

This is our chief aim, the unconditional love of the Father given to us through his Son. Affection, friendship and romantic love are each the training ground for charity to grow. It’s also a rival to the three.

C.S. Lewis – Four Types of Love

Even with a half-dozen mentions of the agape love including definitions last time, as you can see from Lewis’ quote this is a fruit of a higher UNCONDITIONAL LOVE – a gift of God the Father through Jesus Christ.

All you need is Love Love Love

ἀγάπη – agapē

– feminine noun

The KJV translates Strong’s G26 in the following manner: love (86x), charity (28x), dear (1x), charitably (with G2596) (1x), feasts of charity (1x).

From ἀγαπάω (G25)

We also followed a relational connection between some of ‘The 4 Loves’ last time, but let’s see some of the connecting branches of the love agape as well.

ἀγαπάω (G25) – agapaō

verb

The KJV translates Strong’s G25 in the following manner: love (135x), beloved (7x).

You may say, ‘God is love,’ a use of agape as a noun; but the relational verb for love — agapaō requires an action of personal relationship.

The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

First Letter of the Apostle John 4:8 LSB

a LOVE of persons OR of things
- of persons
  - to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
- of things
  - to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing
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Lewis also cautions that these could become idolatry as well, rather than the intended love of God the Father through His only Son Jesus Christ. 
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Root Word (Etymology)
Perhaps from agan (much) [or cf φιλέω (G5368) phileō, also a verb to love or to kiss ]

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

the Apostle Paul writing to the churches

or

Greet one another with a kiss of love.

the Apostle Peter writing to the churches
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We certainly cannot avoid the worldly love-connection to the idolatries of Eros attributed to the genuine signs of affection the Lord and Apostles modeled for the saints of our local churches. 
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The KJV translates Strong’s G5384 in the following manner: friend (29x).

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Gospel of John 15:13 KJV

How would you describe your LOVE for a friend?

Agape embraces another with affection like no other love.

ἀγαπητός – agapētos

the adjective from From ἀγαπάω (G25) agape
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Strong's Number G27 matches the Greek ἀγαπητός (agapētos), which occurs 61 times in 60 verses in the MGNT Greek.
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Outline of Biblical Usage

beloved, esteemed, dear, favourite, worthy of love
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God the Father, Jesus and all the Apostles use it. 

Peter, for example:
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Therefore, beloved G27, since you are looking for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our beloved G27 brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, \

2 Peter:3:14-15 LSB
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And the Apostle Paul in several epistles: 
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I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved G27 children.

Therefore, my beloved G27, flee from idolatry.

Therefore, my beloved G27 brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 4:14, 10:14, 15:58 LSB

For the Love of God [O.T.]
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And recalling love from the Scriptural roots of Jesus and the Apostles in the Hebrew Bible: 
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A song. A psalm of David.

(WLC 108:5)כִּי־גָדוֹל מֵעַל־שָׁמַיִם חַסְדֶּךָ וְעַד־שְׁחָקִים אֲמִתֶּךָ׃

For your faithful love is higher than the heavens,

and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Psalm 108:6 CSB

Yet from the root word חֶסֶד
ḥeseḏ:

For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens,
And Your truth reaches to the skies.

Ps 108:6 NASB95

For Your mercy is great above the heavens,
And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

Ps 108:6 NKJV

Do you see the high relational LOVE between God the Father, Jesus the Son and those who in and by the Spirit love the Lord?

Mercy, Lovingkindness and agape love cannot be simply jargon among those saints saved in Christ Jesus.

agapētos agapaō .. agapē
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Finally, your search for LOVE in New Testament Greek will draw you to one holy Scripture penned in a letter of the one Jesus loved. 
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ἀγαπητοί ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται καὶ γινώσκει τὸν θεόν

Α΄ Ιωάννη (1 John) 4 :: Morphological Greek New Testament (MGNT)
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It's all Greek to me too, so let me help you out. 
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Beloved

Strong’s G27 – agapētos From ἀγαπάω agapaō (G25)

let us love

g25 agapaō

one another,

allēlōn

for love

hoti agapē (G26)

is from God;

eimi ek θεός theos

and everyone who loves

kai pas ho agapaō (G25)

has been [begotten] born of God

gennaō ek θεός theos

and knows God.

kai ginōskō θεός theos

1 John 4:7 LSB

INTERLINEAR MORPHOLOGICAL Greek New Testament

Questions of Agape Love

source: BibleHub.com STUDY Questions

Beloved,

In what ways can you demonstrate “agape” love to those in your church community this week?
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And, dear friend, here's one to make it yet more personal
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How does the command to love one another serve as evidence of being “born of God” in your personal spiritual journey?

more from 1 John 4:7 study

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
February 22, 2025
Consecration, Ceremonies and Rites
Two weeks ago in my Saturday Post SERIES addressing the jargon of the church I asked, “Can you picture a process of ‘consecration?’“
- You probably picture consecration as a rite of sorts, most specifically a public religious rite.
That’s right and an important view of occasions of consecration.

Anoint, Consecrate and Sanctify – more Biblical jargon
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We also defined anointing, but today I'm not quite ready for  'sanctification' without first briefly examining what some view as consecration in this Common Era.

Even though some rites seem Biblical, some Common Era christians claim their rights in place of observing a religious consecration to God.
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And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

Exodus 28:41 KJV

Consecration a Public Picture

What do you see here?

Short answer:
- Two religious ceremonies,
  - one Jewish and
  - one (perhaps) christian.
Consecration, whether Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist — Orthodox, Reformed, unaffiliated — Roman Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian or evangelical — atheist or naturist — – consecration is part of a public proclamation of faith — a religious rite.

Who is consecrated?

The answer here seems simple enough. In this instance, the priests who are exclusive Aaron and his sons.

And by extension into an Old Testament context, the Levites are the ONLY Priests anointed and consecrated to serve the LORD on behalf of the church (that is, the Hebrew chosen) as a separate and holy people to God our Father of all creation.

The LORD will judge some Priest and strike them down to death in some instances. The Priest of God and especially the one High Priest bear a weight of accountability for the entire congregation of the Hebrew people.

What is consecrated?

The garments of the priests – the linen cloths and holy garments.

On certain occasions the priest must consecrate all the people and everything in the place of worship.

Even certain times carry an obligation of consecration to the Lord our God:

The LORD instructed Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow, to consecrate himself to the LORD..

“He is holy to the LORD during the time of consecration.

Numbers 6:1-2 ,6 CSB

Many Christians speak the priestly blessing of Numbers

More than simply a benediction

The LORD said to Moses,
“Say to Aaron and his sons, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
Numbers 6:22-23 RSV

“SAY to Aaron and his sons (the Priests)” — “SAY to them (the people of Israel)” receiving the blessing of the LORD through HIS command!
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DO NOT MISS the weight what the LORD says here. 
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דָבַר dâbar, daw-bar’; a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue:—answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter
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Now you may have recited this COVENANTAL BLESSING in your earlier days; perhaps in English, Latin, some other language, or even in its original Hebrew of the Torah: 
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יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ׃ ס

יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ׃ ס

יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם׃ ס

Yᵊhōvâ bāraḵ šāmar

Yᵊhōvâ ‘ôr pānîm ‘ôr ‘ēl ḥānan

Yᵊhōvâ nāśā’ pānîm ‘ēl śûm šālôm
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Source: BlueLetterBible.org 
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a New Covenantal Relationship between God and His Church

And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Gospel of Luke 22:20 RSV
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren.

And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

Gospel of Matthew 23:8-9 RSV

– Instructions of the One Son of God, our only Lord and Savior Christ Jesus
- Do WE casual communicants of our Common Era church worship our ceremony and rites as personal idols?
a Catholic conversation

Excerpt from a Catholic C.E. podcast:

“I think a lot of people have a problem with consecration to Mary.

Fr. H. She’s not Jesus. Gender neutral language, okay, she’s not Jesus-

we don’t want to be gender neutral with the mother of God.

Fr. H. No we don’t.

It’s not directed apparently at least when we say consecration to Mary, maybe you’re going to straighten that out. But the other thing is we have no idea what the word consecration means. What does that mean concentration to?

Fr. H. Well, this is an important topic. And of course, but that’s not the most important aspect of the topic… The term consecration comes in mostly in the 17th century… All right. So that means giving everything over to someone else.

But the word consecration in Catholic theology, and I really don’t like to question what has become a term in popular devotion. And I’m perfectly happy to say consecrate yourself to Mary, it’s a perfectly good expression, but probably the word entrustment is more precise.

“Consecration has an expression that is meant for such things which are given over to God, in the service of God, liturgically especially in him only…

‘Father‘ H. – Roman Catholic theologian

Is every consecration ‘Holy?’

CONSECRATION of Priests according to Scripture, consecration to holiness in ceremonial rites of the Church, leadership of Christ’s flock — like with the Levites, NONE to be taken lightly.

Convocations of Bishops

Error by many Bishops of Rome.

Many Priests and Pastors of all Common Era christian churches have worn the shepherd’s robes of heresy with cunning common rebellion against Jesus Christ, Who IS and WAS and WILL be.
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Do we not commonly witness these in everyday culture? 
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Who so quickly dismisses Scripture and twists the Lord’s instruction?

ἐπίσκοπος – episkopos – masculine noun

A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet.

1 Timothy 2:11-12 BSB

Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher.. He must manage his own household well.. He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil…

excerpt from the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy 3: RSV
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Pronouns: this, these, etc.
Yet Christ's Apostle is clear in his instruction concerning consecration of leadership of the Church. 

God's word is clear as to the humble roles of Christ's servants, both husbands (of a woman) and wives (of a man). NO adultery. NO divorce. NO fornication. NO sinful flesh usurping God-given roles. 

NO idolatry of Rite (or of no rite). NO worship of Saint (capital 'S') or Angel. NO idolatry of self or knowledge or earth or sea or tree. NO following of prophet, for the false proclaim false gods.
 
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! 
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OUR CONSECRATION to GOD is to HOLINESS! And in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit we worship ONLY HIM.

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
February 1, 2025