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Tag: God

Spiritualities – ‘I would not have you ignorant’
Spiritualities – πνευματικός

Spiritual:

“always connotes the ideas of invisibility and of power. ..it is in fact an after-Pentecost word.

the activities Godward of regenerate men are ‘spiritual sacrifices,’ 1Pe 2:5; their appointed activities in the churches are also called ‘spiritual gifts,’ lit., ‘spiritualities,’ 1Cr 12:1; 14:1;

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words Adjective Strong’s Number: g4152 Greek: pneumatikos

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians 12:1 King James Version

I want to begin HERE by proceeding with the Apostle’s letter to the church in Corinth because SPIRITUAL GIFTS seem not only mysterious, but frequently misused in preaching and therefore confusing to Christians growing in our faith.

So in addition to working our way through 1 Corinthians 12 we will also examine and hopefully clarify the context of these spiritualities of which the Apostle writes throughout his epistle.

The Corinthian connection of Spiritualities

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

You know that when you were pagans, to mute idols you were led, as being carried away.

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,”

and no one is able to say, “Jesus is Lord,” if not in the Holy Spirit.

Ignorant?
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21st century Common Era christians don't use such offensive self-evaluation of ANYONE in our church, do we? Yet the Apostle Paul did in asking church members to examine themselves.
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ἀγνοέω – agnoeō – verb
- to be ignorant, not to know
- not to understand, unknown
- to err or sin through mistake, to be wrong
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We may eventually acknowledge what we formerly did not know or did not understand. But how we avoid confession of current err and continuing sin.

Yet the Apostle consistently corrects the Corinthian church in these things pointing to Christ in a Spiritual sense: 
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For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Idolatry of Baptism – the Idolatry of Communion

In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul outlines the SIN and ERR of IDOLATRY
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Soon the Apostle warns the Corinthians that God may not recognize some worshippers gathering for their communions:
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But if anyone remains G50 ignorant G50 about this, he is ignored G50 by God.

1 Corinthians 14:38 LSB

Spiritual Gifts

Let’s clear this up FIRST through basic and ROOT definitions of this important adjective.

REMINDER that an adjective describes a person (you, me, a fellow saint).

pneumatikos

relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as the part of man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ
- opposed to ἡ ψυχή: hence, τό πνευματικόν, that which possesses the nature of the rational soul, opposed to τό ψυχικόν,
The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.

1 Corinthians 15:46
- The Apostle Paul uses pneumatikos 15 times in his first letter to the Corinthians.
Root Word (Etymology)
From πνεῦμα (G4151)

pneuma – spirit

neuter noun From πνέω (G4154)

The KJV translates Strong’s G4151 in the following manner: Spirit (111x), Holy Ghost (89x), Spirit (of God) (13x), [more]

“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit G4151 does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Gospel of Luke 24:39 LSB

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost G4151 which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV
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Paul uses the Greek πνεῦμα (pneuma) 41 times in 33 verses in 1 Corinthians, pointing to the spirit in the body and also referring to the Holy Ghost.
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Now there are diversities G1243

1 Cor 12:4a KJV

And there are differences G1243

1 Cor 12:5a KJV

And there are diversities G1243

1 Cor 6a KJV

What distinctions?
1. gifts
2. administrations
3. operations
1 Cor 12: 4b,5b,6b KJV
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OR perhaps less formally:
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- spiritual gifts
- ministries or service
- effects or workings
And the Paul’s connection of these three outlined?
1. but the same Spirit [G4151] pneuma
2. but the same Lord. [G2962] kyrios
  - Root Word (Etymology)
  - masculine noun
  - From kuros (supremacy)
3. but the same God [G2316] theos is working all things in everyone.
No matter which English translation or version of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians you prefer note the frequency of applying this

Higher Authority over the Church.:

πνευματικός

pneumatikos – pnyoo-mat-ik-os’
- relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ
- belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God
- belonging to the Divine Spirit
  - of God the Holy Spirit
  - one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God
- pertaining to the wind or breath; windy, exposed to the wind, blowing
πνεῦμα – pneuma – Spirit

occurs 40 times in 32 verses in ‘1Co’ in the MGNT Greek.

1 Corinthians 12:7- 11 BSB

Now to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit, for the common profiting.

For truly, to one is given a word of wisdom by the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, and to a different one faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another working of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another distinguishing of spirits, and to a different one various kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.

Now one and the same the Spirit works all these things, apportioning individually to each as He wills.
1 Corinthians 12:11 BSB – Spirit,
Πνεῦμα (Pneuma)
Noun – Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong’s 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

spiritualities (or spiritual gifts)

The Apostle assures that these spiritualities (or spiritual gifts) are just that: GIFTS of the Holy Spirit of God.

Therefore the Lord chooses which saint may receive what gift,

θεός – theos – God

occurs 106 times in 86 verses in ‘1Co’ in the TR Greek.
```
And where in the Apostle's first letter to the Corinthians did Paul first point to the Highest Authority of God?
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Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God,^G2316 …

1 Corinthians 1:1a
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From his call by Jesus Christ after the Lord's resurrection and consequent authority 'through the will of God' the Apostle Paul will proceed to instruct Christ's body (the Church, as he will illustrate) in the humility and nature of the gifts of their spiritualities. 
```
And God G2316 hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28 KJV
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MORE on that NEXT time... 
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κύριος – kyrios – Lord, lord and master

From kuros (supremacy)

occurs 69 times in 59 verses in ‘1Co’ in the TR Greek.

— he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2962 – kyrios
```
And when does Paul first mention the Lord and at the same time extend the line of His authority and mission to Corinth?  
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To the church of God in Corinth,

to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy,

together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

Salutation of the Apostle Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians 1:2 BSB

Throughout his letter Paul reveals the unseen unfolding mysteries of Christ through the Spirit of the Triune God.

The Corinthian saints are no more like the communities in which they live who have spiritualities of their own.

Were the communities and spiritualities of Corinth so different from our own 21st century C.E. gatherings and communions which include all with great diversity, yet with considerable ignorance of the Spirit?

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:5 KJV
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NEXT: Members in Christ's body 
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February 20, 2025
All you need is Love Love Love
Or should I say, Love, love, love, love perhaps four times?

(As just a bit earlier than the Beatles another Englishman, Clive Staples, pointed out 4 loves — each at least somewhat different from the others?)

Christians throw around the LOVE jargon rather vaguely and with much overlap (as does the world).

For God so loved the world.. John 3:16
- The word, “Love” occurs over 500 times in the Bible
- translated more than 200 times from New Testament Greek into the English Standard Version
Let’s have some Biblical intercourse about the real definitions of the Biblical loves to which C.S. Lewis referred.

The Four Loves

Love, of course, is quite popular now (February), as it is every year.

C.S. Lewis, born just a couple of years before my grandfathers, capitalized on this in his popular RADIO program and published a book called THE FOUR LOVES in A..D. 1960 (when I was only ten and John Lennon was just twenty).

To outline Lewis’ approach briefly:

The Four Loves was Lewis’ look at some of the different loves described in Greek thought: familial or affectionate love (storge); friendship (philia); romantic love (eros); and spiritual love (agape) in the light of Christian commentary on ordinate loves.

Source: C.S. Lewis.org
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The New Testament was written in Greek, which is why we will apply some New Testament Scripture using these words based on Lewis' outline for the same 'four loves.' 
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Although in A.D. 1960 Lewis began elsewhere, today let’s start with the world’s contemporary favorite:

Eros – ἔρως

Eros is the Greek term for romantic or passionate love. While the word itself is not used in the New Testament, the concept is present in the biblical understanding of marriage and the intimate relationship between husband and wife. Eros is seen as a gift from God, intended to be expressed within the covenant of marriage.

The Song of Solomon [O.T.] is often cited as a biblical celebration of eros, highlighting the beauty and intensity of romantic love.

Source: Biblehub.com

Affection (storge)

Affection covers an array of loves. Like animals, the care of mother to babe is a picture of affection. It relies on the expected and the familiar. Lewis describes it as humble.

It’s the familiarity of, “the people with whom you are thrown together in the family, the college, the mess, the ship, the religious house,” says Lewis.

Source: Biblehub.com

My long search for affection in the Bible

I do not mean affection literally (in English), but a Greek word for affection, STORGE.

God blessed me with an additional embrace of His Personal and mysterious, complex love for us through searching aimlessly for love in the Bible. Only after researching further in other commentaries did I connect this word of affection with the Lord’s additional loves we experience so personally.

God’s affection in the Person of His only Son JESUS was there all along and I had missed it.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

..says Lewis. The affection for the people always around us, in the normal day-to-day of life, is the majority of the love we experience, even if we don’t label it.

‘Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.’
had jumped out to me in the NIV

But in addition to our affection meaning devoted, when Paul writes to the Romans, the word the Apostle uses here for love obviously applies to brotherly love – philadelphia.

I also liked his mention to ‘honor‘ each other above your SELF.

Seems familiar to JESUS’ second summary point from the Commandments. LOVE actually appears in BOTH of these commandments cited by our Lord:

Jesus said to him,

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it:
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV

What is the greatest love?

ἀγαπάω – agapaō

*Thou shalt love kyrios thy theos.

Do we not hold FEAR rather than embrace the LORD our theos as a pillar of fire?

But what about the Lord Jesus’ second commandment (which we often claim as our ‘GOLDEN RULE?’

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Gospel of Matthew 22:39 KJV

ἀγαπάω – agapaō

*Thou shalt love thy plēsion [neighbour]…
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The Lord seems to mention others as at least equal to our need for self-love, if not more honor as Paul suggests in writing to the Church in Rome. 
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This LOVE is the SAME Love, that is: agapaō !
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We'll get to what it is in a moment, but for now note that here in relation to PERSONS we seem have a better chance for AFFECTION as I noted in Paul's verse from Romans. 
```
Storge – Other Loves plus Devotion

Although the specific term storge is not used in the New Testament, the concept is evident in passages that emphasize family relationships and responsibilities. Romans 1 2:10

φιλόστοργος – philostorgos – adjective
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a Greek conjunction PHILO plus STORGOS - Do you see both LOVES?
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And look at its definition:
1. the mutual love of parents and children and wives and husbands
2. loving affection, prone to love, loving tenderly
  - chiefly of the reciprocal tenderness of parents and children
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Which brings us to a third love C.S. Lewis highlights:
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Philia (φιλία)

Friendship is the love dismissed.

“To the Ancients, Friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves,”

says Lewis,

“the crown of life and the school of virtue.
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And at this writing in ~ A.D. 1958 or 1960 Lewis laments of such philos friendships: 
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The modern world, in comparison, ignores it.” Why?

Perhaps we know it’s the most time consuming, the least celebrated, the one we could live without.

Can we?

Even in 2025 Common Era time-crunching christian church gatherings pressed to entertain all sinners in these last days?

Discovering Phila-Delphia

philadelphos – Strong’s G5361
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'I've got this one, brother,' you're probably thinking. Okay, let's break it down.
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a Christian loving Christians

YES, it’s a great adjective describing the relational fruit of Biblical Christians.

From φίλος (G5384) and ἀδελφός (G80)

φίλος – Strong’s G5384 – philos

Adjective
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Here's HALF of the Phila Delphia ANSWER. Read on and I'll get to the other HALF later. 
```
†φίλος phílos, fee’-los; properly, dear, i.e. a friend; actively, fond, i.e. friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.):—friend.
“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends ^G5384.

“You are My friends ^G5384 if you do what I command you.

Jesus Christ, from the Good News of John 15:13-14 LSB

JESUS, the Son of Man and Son of God EMBRACES His disciples as close friends.
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And you may have guessed it: 
The relational word the beloved Apostle John uses here for LOVE is agapē.
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φιλέω – Strong’s G5368 – phileō

a verb with similar meaning that we won’t want to miss
1. to love
  - to approve of
  - to like
  - sanction
  - to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend
2. to show signs of love
  - to kiss
3. to be fond of doing
  - be wont [an accustomed familiarity], use to do
Perhaps the most convicting encounter with JESUS using this word phileō for LOVE occurs in His most personal encounter with the Apostle Peter after our Lord’s resurrection.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love G5368 You.”

“Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love G5368 You.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love G5368 Me?”
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IF you don't already know what word JESUS used for LOVE in His first two questions I'll bet you can guess 
- Jesus asks Simon Peter if he agapaos Him; 
yet this third time the Lord uses Peter's word for friendship - φιλέω phileō, which Peter again confirms.
```
Now returning to our compound Greek word for Philadelphia we must consider one additional connection of LOVE:
- philadelphos – Strong’s G5361
  - From φίλος (G5384) and ἀδελφός (G80)
ἀδελφός – Strong’s G80 – adelphos

masculine noun — From ἄλφα (G1) (as a connective particle) and delphus (the womb)
```
We'll close with this. But first our full definition of adelphos:
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1. a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother
2. having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman
3. any fellow or man
4. a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection
5. an associate in employment or office
6. brethren in Christ
  - his brothers by blood
  - all men
  - apostles
  - Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place
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And what connection makes this Christian philia LOVE so unique?
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ἄλφα – Strong’s G1 – alpha
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You've probably already guessed it and why this Greek word was designated as 'G1' in the Strong's concordance. 
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indeclinable noun – Of Hebrew origin

“I am the Alpha G1 and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 1:8

“I am the Alpha G1 and the Omega, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, the beginning and the end.”

The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 22:13 LSB
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We haven't quite reached the Omega of Lewis' FOUR LOVES. 

God-willing we'll look at agape in our NEXT Saturday Post. 
```
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February 14, 2025
Hail Mary, humble wife of GOD
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Gospel of Luke 2:16 King James Version

Mary an Introduction
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Christians, Jews and unbelievers know parts of the iconic scene unfolding in Bethlehem through a virgin Jewish mother. 

Today I honor Mary most appropriately by retelling her story of Christmas mostly from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
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Mary, Eve of the Virgin Birth

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem..

.. with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Gospel of Luke 2:4-5 KJV excerpt

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

Mary, wife of Joseph?

Not quite, according to custom and Jewish law.
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Do YOU know any young woman who has been pregnant (even near full term) yet not married to the man she knew?
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μνηστεύω – Strong’s G3423 – mnēsteuō – from a derivative of G3415; to give a souvenir (engagement present), i.e. betroth:—espouse.
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Recall that GREEK is the common language not only of Luke the Physician but also of all of the Roman Empire ruled by Caesar Augustus. 
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Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused G3423 to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Gospel of Matthew 1:18 KJV

SCANDELOUS !

(as least in the A.D. First Century)

Mary, ENGAGED to Joseph

AND they both know that the Virgin Mary had NEVER come together with Joseph her fiancé!

Joseph, an honorable man
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(like his namesake and ancestor, Joseph, son of Jacob, who the LORD used to rule Egypt under Pharaoh.) 
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Gospel of Matthew 1:19- KJV

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,

Joseph, thou son of David,
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 1:20b KJV

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins.

Gospel of Matthew 1:21 KJV

An angel of the Lord speaks to you!

What to do?

The adoptive father of JESUS believes God (of course). And Joseph is a righteous and honorable man.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Gospel of Matthew 1:24-25 KJV

Signs and Witnesses

Prophesy of Isaiah and others centuries Before Christ.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14 KJV

a Failure of Kings Advent 4 of Christ

Witness by a heavenly host of Angels – Luke 2:8 KJV

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Gospel of Luke 2:8-14 King James Version

Witnesses and worship

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. .. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

A light to lighten the Gentiles,

and the glory of thy people Israel.

Gospel of Luke 2:25-32 KJV excerpt [context]

Signs before Jesus’ birth

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

Gospel of Luke 1:5-11 King James Version
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An Angel of the Lord standing beside the Priest of God right inside the Holy of Holies! A pretty big deal.

Briefly, what happens next is a foretelling prophetic birth of JOHN the BAPTIST, preparing the way for the Lord Jesus, the consolation of Israel and Messiah sent of God the Father. 
```
Elisabeth, John and the Holy Spirit
- Zacharias the Priest of God continued to serve his term in the Temple unable to speak.
  - Daily worshipers in Jerusalem must have know that something was up.
- He returns home.
- Elisabeth conceived.
- An angel of the Lord then appears in Nazareth prior to their trip to register for the census of Caesar and also tells Mary:
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Gospel of Luke 1:36-37 KJV
- And Mary went into the hill country of *Juda
- And entered into the house of Zacharias
- and (knowing the the angel had revealed) saluted Elisabeth.
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary,

the babe leaped in her womb;

and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

Gospel of Luke 1:41 KJV signs confirming the Messiah when Mary greeted the mother of John the Baptist

In the Year of the most controversial birth in history

Jesus Christ born in a manger

Church fathers, theologians who study such things, took a few centuries to articulate the trinitarian Christology from the Apostles recorded in Scripture from the A.D. first century.

Creeds, Catechisms, Confessions & Christ – What do you believe?

The clarity of their CREEDS and CONFESSIONS of FAITH define our hope of eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,
and was made man…
Nicene Creed excerpt
AD 325 & AD381

Born of the Virgin Mary

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her,

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,

and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:

therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Gospel of Luke 1:34-35 King James Version

εὐλογέω – eulogeō

.. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Luke 1:42b KJV

κύριος – kyrios

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:

for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Gospel of Luke 1:46-48 KJV [familiar beginning of the Magnificat of Mary]

As were Joseph and others to whom the Lord sent His angels:

The soul of Mary is humble, as is JESUS from her womb to the Cross.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;
and holy is his name.
And his mercy
is on them that fear him
from generation to generation.
Gospel of Luke 1:49-50 King James Version – from the Magnificat of the Virgin Mary declaring that the Lord is mighty and holy is His Name.

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December 24, 2024