The Aramaic Bible Web Log is a forum for discussing the origins of the Bible and the value of translating the Scriptures from the Ancient Aramaic Texts of the Ancient Church of the East directly into English. I believe that the Ancient Aramaic language is the true scribal language of Scriptures. My translations are posted at http://www.v-a.com/bible/. If you send me appropriate questions or comments, I will post them on this Web Log and attempt to answer or respond to them as best as I can. I will only post what I consider proper. I will not include e-mail addresses, but only your name as you wish it to appear on this blog. Click here to submit your questions or comments via e-mail. Or you may use the FORM MAIL at the bottom of this blog.
Unlocking Ephesians.
"You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free."
One of the most compelling things to touch my heart is to see others bound by their circumstances in denial and contradiction of the Truth. It also gives me pause to consider where I too lack in the manifestation of freedom and how that when we function in the vanity of our own minds, we are like a ram caught in a thicket, which is what the crown of thorns was all about, being the antithesis of the crown of glory which is the Mind of Christ. In trying to figure things out – in trying to work our own salvation instead of working it out – we become snared in the thorns of our own thinking which rise up and choke the manifestation and make it unfruitful. It is the fruit which feeds and sustains, but we have been so conditioned to works as opposed to grace that we often fail to see that the very thing which will bring us freedom is well within our grasp if we will but let go of that which constrains us – our own wrong thinking.
Such was or is the wrong thinking which contributed to the distortions which may be found in every translation of the Bible, as despite the best and most earnest efforts of Bible translators, the stain of subjectivity still marks their work to some degree – it is an inevitable consequence of the human condition. This is why I prefer above all others, the translation from the original language by Victor Alexander – in that as it is a literal translation directly into English from the oldest existing texts written in the original scribal language, and it conveys beautifully the Manifestation of God’s grace in Christ Jesus.
While the Kings James and New King James are anointed alternatives, there are some subtle and not so subtle errors to be found in them which contribute toward an imprisonment which is hard to break free from. Conversely, some of the more scholarly and accurate works have become as clinical as to exclude the anointing of righteousness in their striving for rightness.
One of the most glaring and damaging convolutions is found in Ephesians. God is supremely logical, so when we find something which seems contradictory, it is fitting for us to wait upon Him to provide the key to with which to unlock the scriptures. Only in our becoming conformed to His Mind and by relinquishing our own failing mind-sets and presuppositions may we receive clarity of insight. Pulling scriptures out of context creates a pretext and is the source of much misery as we inadvertently substantiate our own wrong thinking and create a works prison of our own imagination.
There is a theme running through Ephesians which becomes incongruous and contradictory in most translations, but which I find is clarified in the VA translation. The following information is so powerful that I can assure you that those who continue in the deceit and indeed the devil himself do not want you to get this. It is no mere coincidence that Luther was illuminated from the lines of Ephesians as to salvation being by grace and not by works, and that this brought him into a headlong confrontation with the darkened minds of men who preferred the unfruitful works of darkness. It is also a matter of record that Luther was a consummate scholar of the Ancient Aramaic language.
Ephesians is so rich in revelation that to exclude any is difficult, and I encourage you all to study it in depth by contacting Victor at www.v-a.com, but for now I will try and stick to giving you the keys to unlock this mystery.
3. Blessed is the God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us (past tense) with every heavenly benediction through Christ,
4. As He chose us through him before the foundations of the universe, so as to be sanctified through him and not by our own oaths.
5. And with love, He assigned us to him. And He consecrated us as children through Jesus Christ, according to his will,
6. So as He may exalt the glory of his mercy, He that poured it over us through His beloved.
7. Through whom we have salvation, and through his blood the forgiveness of sins, according to his abundant grace,
8. That which he magnified through us, in every act of wisdom and edification of spirit.
9. And He declared to us the sermon of His will, that which from the beginning He had consecrated through him,
Now catch this –THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD HIMSELF!
10. The supreme reign over the fulfillment of all the Ages, so that everything that is in heaven and on earth is renewed through Christ all over again (from the head). (Read that again and again and again…)
11. And we are chosen by him, according to how we were consecrated at the beginning, and according to how He wished everyone to be deployed by the intentions of his will.
12. That we may be the ones who proffered the hope of Christ in preparation for his imminent glory.
13. So as you may also hear through him the earnest manifestation, that which is the Hope of your eternal life, and through him you have Faith and have been sealed by the holy Spirit that was announced by the angels,
14. That which is the bounty of the inheritance, the salvation of those who shall live [everlasting lives] and the glory of his His honor.
15. Because of this I too, behold, since I heard of your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and your love for all the saints,
16. I never cease from confessing on your behalf and in remembering you in my prayers,
17. That the Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of Glory, should give you the spirit of wisdom and the revelation of his knowledge,
18. And that he may brighten the eye of your hearts, that you may know what is the Hope of his calling and the wealth of the glory that is the inheritance of saints,
19. And so that great power is magnified through us by our faith in him, according to His all consuming power.
20. That He performed through Christ and raised him from the dead and placed him from His right in heaven,
21. Higher than all the thrones, authorities, powers and lordships, and higher than all the names that are ever praised, not only in this universe alone, except also in the future.
22. And everything under his feet shall be worshipped and to him, as he is above everything, He has given the leadership of the Church.
23. Which is his body and the embodiment of the One who embodies all.
Chapter one sets the scene and the theme – the all encompassing supremacy and primacy of Christ Jesus, of our election in Him and of the will of the Father. This is scuppered in most people’s imaginations by the next two lines as they are translated by most, but compare this translation with your favorite and see the difference. If we get diverted at this point into exalting the prince of the power of the air, we will miss the whole point and continue to live in defeat.
1. Also to you who were dead in your sins and foolishness,
2. As you walked in the ways of old, according to the worldliness of this universe, and according to the leaders of the earth's governments, in the spirit that compels Children to be heedless, (Lit. Ar. idiomatic figure of speech retained: Secular leaderships that do not accept Jesus Christ as Lord and God.)
3. According to the same practices that we also followed in the past through the lust of our flesh, and according to the flesh we did what we considered justifiable (according to conscience) and ended up being children of wrath like everybody else.
4. God, however, who is rich in mercy, loved us because of His great love,
5. Whereas we were dead in our sins, He gave us life with Christ and saved us by his grace,
6. And He raised us with him and placed us in heaven through Jesus Christ,
7. That He may show the universes that are coming the great riches of his grace and His fulfillment through Jesus Christ that descended upon us.
8. For it was by Grace that he saved us through faith, and this was not of your doing, except the gift of God.
9. Not through the performance [of deeds,] so that no human should be proud.
10. For we are his creation, whereas we are born through Jesus Christ as works of grace, those by which from olden times God favored us.
Paul goes on to say how that the Law and grace were reconciled in Christ, in that He took it out of the way on the cross. The law and grace cannot be reconciled in us – this was done in Christ as a finished work on Calvary. It is received as grace, not conceived as works. The reconciliation is in Him, if we cannot comprehend this, it will cause a continuing double-minded works based attempt to reconcile the Law and grace within us – in effect we deny so great a salvation and try to crucify Christ anew to ourselves – we deny or contradict the finished work of grace. Paul wrote compellingly of this in 2 Timothy, but again, sin consciousness causes many to misconstrue this text also.
1. Because of that I, Paul, am bound on behalf of the nations through Jesus Christ,
2. If you heed God's plan of grace that is given to me through you,
3. That the revelation has been made known to me in the sermon, as I have written to you in detail,
4. According to what you can read in learning my knowledge of Christ's sermon,
5. He that was not known to humanity in other centuries, as He is now revealed for the Apostleship of the saints and the inspiration for the spirit.
6. So as the nations may become partakers of the inheritance, and a part of his body and the Kingdom that is proffered by him through the revelation of God,
7. He whom I serve, according to the gift of God's grace, that was given to me as an expression of his awesome Power.
8. To me, the smallest of all the saints, was given the grace of preaching [the Kingdom,] Christ's riches among the nations, the Infallible [Christ,]
9. And that I may enlighten all people as to who is the administrator of that sermon, He who was hidden from the universe by the God of all creation,
10. So that the church would come to know the wisdom of God, full of diversity with respect to the thrones and powers of heaven,
11. That which was destined from the foundation of the universe and its fulfillment through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
12. Through Whom we have the opportunity and kingship in the advocacy of Faith,
13. Because of that I ask that my tribulations shall not cease on your behalf, that through this you may be praised.
14. And that I may kneel down on my knees to my Father, our Lord Jesus Christ,
15. From Whom is celebrated every parenthood in heaven and on earth,
16. That He may grant you according to the richness of his glory, so as you may be confirmed through His Spirit with power,
17. So as Christ may develop your inner person with Faith, and in your hearts with love, as your root and foundation is made true,
18. So as you may learn with all the saints, what are the heights, depths, lengths and breaths,
19. And that you may know the supremacy of the knowledge and love of Christ, and that you may be filled with all of God's abundance.
20. To Him who is able with greater power than anyone to do for us, more than we can ever ask for or imagine, according to His power that is pledged through us,
21. To Him [we offer] glory in His church through Jesus Christ, throughout the centuries of the universe to the end of all the universes, amen.
The problem is that many believers spend too much time talking up the devil and seeing him as the prince of the power of the air instead of realising that Ephesians is about the real Prince – the Prince of Peace. Do we dare to believe what Paul is saying here, or will we continue to believe what our circumstances, senses and traditions tell us? By now you should be seeing that it is in fact Jesus Christ who is the supreme ruler of the ages, not satan.
1. I beg you thus, I who am bound to our Lord, that you proceed according to the calling by which you were called,
2. In complete sympathy, peacefulness and generosity of spirit, and preach [the Kingdom] to each other in love,
3. And you should endeavor to guard the Triune essence of the Spirit, dovetailed in peace,
4. So you may be with one body and one spirit, as you are called by the one Hope of your Calling.
5. For One is the Lord and one is the Faith and one is the Baptism,
6. And One is God, Father of everyone and Supreme over all, and Omnipotent in everything and Omniscient in all of us.
7. To each one of us, however, He gave us grace according to their measure in appreciating Christ.
There is only One Body which is Christ and the only reason why we see division is because we ourselves are internally divided and unreconciled.
Paul goes on with a series of admonitions as to the conduct that befits a true believer, predicated upon a revelation of God’s for and in us. In chapter six he tells us how to overcome the devil, but this for many has been successfully twisted into how to be overcome by the devil.
10. Therefore, brethren, be strengthened in our Lord and in the instrument (the weapon) of His power.
11. And take on all the armaments of God, so as you may be able to stand against the craftiness of the devil.
12. Because you wrestle not with flesh and blood, except with the thrones and powers and the subjugation of this world of darkness, and with evil spirits (which are) under the sky.
13. That is why you should take on all the armaments (weaponry) of God, so that you can fight against evil, and as you are destined for everything, you shall rise again.
Now verse 12 has to be seen in context with the rest of the letter, or we will miss it entirely.
We wrestle not WITH flesh and blood – the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh – we do not wrestle WITH flesh and blood. That is “WITH”, not against, but WITH. We wrestle WITH THE THRONES AND POWERS AND THE SUBJUGATION OF THIS WORLD OF DARKNESS. The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh BUT THEY ARE MIGHTY THOUGH GOD! Good God, can we get this? Do we even dare to believe and to perceive that the very weapon we have been given we have seen as pertaining to our enemy?
The basic principle of martial arts is to turn an opponent’s strength against him. If you choose the arm of the flesh, then the flesh will be your defeat.
We were granted a mandate in Christ to rule and reign in righteousness through Him who has all the thrones and powers of heaven at His command – therefore He told us “YOU GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS”.
Whatsoever we bind on earth is bound, having already been bound in heaven! The enemy and the system that sucks your soul do not want you to know this! As long as you see yourself struggling you empower your own struggle! It is for us to realise, to release, to submit to the already ordained Power of God in Christ Jesus and being reconciled to God in Christ, sit together with Him in the heavenlies, far above every name that is named.
This world of darkness is in subjugation to Christ! It is not the other way around! Christ is the King of Kings. God’s will is done in Earth as it is in heaven. The evil spirits are under the sky, they are under the authority of Christ with whom we have dominion.
9. Because of that, from the day that we heard, we did not cease praying over you, and to ask that you be filled with the knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom and all edification of the Spirit,
10. So that you may proceed according to His blessings and that you may praise God for all the good deeds, and bear fruit, and be nurtured in the knowledge of God.
11. And by all the power that you are endowed according to the magnificence of His glory, through all Hope and endowment of the Spirit, with joy,
12. Confess God the Father, who considered us worthy enough of the inheritance of the saints by enlightening us,
13. And He saved us from the powers of darkness and brought us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son,
14. Through Whom we have salvation and the forgiveness of sins,
15. He Who was in the likeness of the invisible God and the heir of all creation,
16. And by Him are nurtured all there is in heaven and on earth, all that can be seen and all that cannot be seen, whether domains or lordships, whether thrones or authorities, everything was created by His hand and by Him.
17. And He was before all and everything is supported by Him,
18. And He is the head of the Church, Who became the head and first born from the house of the dead, so as He may be before all of them.
19. So that all rule is willed by Him.
20. And by His hand He shepherds everything, and He marked us with the blood of His hands, whether on earth or in heaven.
Colossians 1
To you it was shown; that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; that there is none other besides Him. Deut 4:35.
Although Christianity is under attack in the world, we need to stay objective in discussing the origins of the Scriptures. The Internet provides an opportunity for free discussions. Thank you for participating and expressing your opinions, as I have.