Einstein’s letter ∙

Einstein’s letter ∙

The LORD answered me: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. – Habakkuk 2:2

Matthew 24:14-36

 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all nations will hear it, and then the end will come.

 15 The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about– the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.

 16 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.

 21 For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.

 22 In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

 36 However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

On August 2, 1939, Albert Einstein wrote The Letter to President Roosevelt. In it, he issued a dire warning that Nazi Germany intended to develop an incredible new weapon of mass destruction – the atomic bomb.

Einstein wrote, “The element uranium may be turned into a new and important source of energy in the immediate future. Certain aspects of the situation which has arisen seem to call for watchfulness and, if necessary, quick action on the part of the Administration. I believe therefore, that it is my duty to bring to your attention the following facts and recommendations.”

“It may be possible to set up a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium, by which vast amounts of power and large quantities of new radium-like elements would be generated. Now it appears almost certain that this could be achieved in the immediate future.”

“This new phenomenon would also lead to the construction of bombs, and it is conceivable – though much less certain – that extremely powerful bombs of this type may thus be constructed. A single bomb of this type, carried by boat and exploded in a port, might very well destroy the whole port together with some of the surrounding territory.”

Einstein recommended that a task force be initiated. They should prioritize securing a supply of uranium ore for the United States and speed up the experimental work.

For all practical purposes, Einstein’s Letter began the atomic age.

Throughout history, many timely warnings have been given. The Father often warns and prepares the children of the King regarding things to come. The Lord Jesus Christ, for example, warned the Jewish people in Jerusalem of the dark days of unparalleled anguish and told them to be ready and flee (Matthew 24:14-36).

REFLECT & PRAY

“When you behold the glory of God and believe the Word of God, it gives you faith to accept the will of God” (Wiersbe).

Father grant us wisdom to understand our times and perceive Your warning message. Embolden and strengthen us, not shrink back in fear, but rather do Your will. May we faithfully and clearly warn others of the wrath to come.

INSIGHT

Habakkuk was a worried watchman on the walls of Jerusalem. He fretted and anticipated the worst.

“In ancient days, the watchmen were responsible to warn the city of approaching danger, and if they weren’t faithful, their hands would be stained with the blood of the people who died Ezekiel 3:17-21; 33:1-3). It was a serious responsibility” (Wiersbe).

Habakkuk was grieved by the rebellion and disobedience of the people of Judah. He became preoccupied with it and complained to the Father, wondering what He would do about it. Habakkuk waited for an answer. The Father provided a vision and instructions on how to relay a message to the people.

The Father warned the people of Judah of the coming Babylonian invasion. The Father’s message to Habakkuk can be summarized in one phrase: read and run.

Habakkuk 2:2 The LORD answered me: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.

There are two aspects to the Father’s instruction to Habakkuk. He was told to write it plainly and legibly on tablets. The message’s meaning was to be clear, obvious, and easily understood. It was to be posted and accessible for all.

What did the tablets say? The answer is unknown. However, the message it conveyed was meant to prompt a sense of urgency and encourage people to flee. It was akin to the Father erecting a colossal billboard along a busy highway, cautioning individuals of the impending arrival of the Babylonians – “The Babylonians are coming, The Babylonians are coming!”

What should the people do? They should run! They should take their families and whatever possessions they could carry and quickly depart.

The Hebrew word translated as run is ruts. Ruts may be translated as run, dash to and fro, move quickly, dart about, hurry, or run away. The warning spoke of the judgment to fall; the Babylonians were coming, and it was time to flee for their lives hurriedly.

The Father’s specific answer to Habakkuk’s prayer of complaint turned Habakkuk’s worry into worship. The prophetic vision encompassed not only the invasion by the Babylonians but also the coming of the Father to the earth to mete out justice and make all things right (Habakkuk 2, 3:3-15).

For Habakkuk, this changed everything. His worries were gone. He readily surrendered to the Father’s plan.

When Einstein spoke, FDR listened, and Einstein’s warning was taken to heart. The Manhattan Project was launched.

When Habakkuk spoke, the wise move was to heed his warning and flee.

All children of the King are watchmen. The word of God tells us that danger is coming, and we are responsible to warn people to “flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7).

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© Dr. H 2023

Are you a dismal failure? ∙∙

Are you a dismal failure? ∙∙

No one does good, not a single one. – Romans 3:12

Romans 3:23-25

 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

Frequently, we ruminate about what others think of us and fear that we may not meet their real or imagined expectations.

If you are experiencing low self-esteem, the Father offers a straightforward resolution. Instead of comparing ourselves to the standards of others, or our own, we should use His standards as our benchmark. When we compare ourselves to His absolute standard, we realize how drastically far short we fall.

We may feel even worse about ourselves. Such an awareness becomes the death toll of self-pride and self-promotion. Instead, we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God so that he might exalt us at the proper time.

There is a significant difference between feeling relatively bad about yourself and feeling absolutely bad about yourself. When you feel relatively bad about yourself, there is room for personal growth and progress. You can attempt to improve yourself and improve your condition. But when you feel absolutely bad about yourself, it can be paralyzing, leaving you with a sense of hopelessness. There is absolutely nothing you can do about it. However, hitting the bottom provides the foundation for a triumphal resolution.

Paul pushes the boundary and logically takes us to a dreadful conclusion. Paul does not say that we were merely sinful, depraved, or sick before we became children of the King. Instead, he says that we were dead.

Ephesians 2:1 You were dead in your trespasses and sins.

When we evaluate ourselves in light of the Father’s standards, it becomes clear that we are inadequate and fall short. Our shortcomings become glaringly apparent. There is no longer any question about where we stand. We see things as they really are. We recognize and acknowledge that we are dismal failures. We stand condemned. There is nothing we can do to improve our condition.

As individuals condemned and hopeless, we find ourselves in dire need of the Father’s love, mercy, and grace. The apostle Paul reminds us that we were not doing well and improving when the Father intervened. Instead, we were once His enemies and thoroughly alienated from Him. In response to our sorry state, the Father sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for us to resolve the worst part of our darkened human condition. Through the death of Jesus Christ, reconciliation was made possible, and the barriers separating us from the Father were removed.

Romans 5:10 While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.

The Father brought about a significant paradigm shift for all the children of the King. We were utterly helpless, entirely in the wrong, and condemned. However, The Father unilaterally declared us righteous, and so we are! We are now clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 for God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Romans 3:24 God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

REFLECT & PRAY

You don’t drown by falling into water. You only drown if you stay there (Zig Ziglar).

Father thank You for lifting me out of the miry pit and placing me on solid ground.

INSIGHT

Imagine walking through swampy woods and suddenly finding yourself sinking in quicksand up to your neck. First, you must find a way out of your terrifying and deadly situation. Second, you need to get cleaned up, removing all the muck and dirt covering you from head to toe.

This is precisely what the Father has done for us! He has rescued us from the miry pit, the ugly mess we made of our lives. Then He made us thoroughly clean as if it never happened. We are no longer sullied; all the spots and blemishes are removed.

In a sense, we have been put on trial and found guilty, standing condemned. However, the Father did something miraculous and astonishing. Through faith in Christ, we have been justified and declared righteous by the Father, once and for all. We have a whole new legal standing. The result is that as children of the King, we no longer live in fear of judgment or the wrath of God but have peace with Him. This peace is not just a subjective feeling but an objective reality (ESV notes).

The enemy may focus on our past messes and try to remind us of them, but the Father focuses on our redemption and cleansed lives, encouraging each child of the King.

This gives us an unexpected and delightful opportunity. We can choose to keep recalling the dark failures of our past or focus on the clean, pure, and righteous redemption that the Father has wrought.

Darkness or light, death or life, condemnation or acceptance, the choice is ours.

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark (Michelangelo).

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© Dr. H 2023

Conspiracy theories ∙

Conspiracy theories ∙

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” –

John 20:1-2

Matthew 28:11-15

 11 Now, while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.

 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’”

 14 “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.”

 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed, and this story was widely spread among the Jews and is to this day.

“Around the world, and against all scientific evidence, a segment of the population believes that Earth’s round shape is either an unproven theory or an elaborate hoax. Polls by YouGov America in 2018 and FDU in 2022 found that as many as 11% of Americans believe the Earth might be flat” (theconversation.com).

How can this be?

While dismissing “Flat Earthers” as mildly amusing is tempting, we ignore their arguments at our peril. Polling shows an overlap between conspiracy theories, some of which can act as gateways for radicalization. Discovering how flat Earthers communicate their beliefs and make their arguments reveals how their beliefs become resistant to debunking (Carlos Diaz Ruiz, The Conversation).

Conspiracy theories possess a certain allure that attracts us in various ways. Their proponents often portray them as arcane or covert knowledge known only to a select few.  

Indulging in conspiracy theories can be exhilarating and invigorating, often transforming into a celebrated movement or campaign. “Unfortunately, many conspiracy theory believers are thrilled by the opportunity to feel like they have access to forbidden or secret knowledge – a chance to seem smarter than others. It certainly adds to the appeal and immediately undermines the efforts of loved ones trying to pull them out” (News Literacy Project).

“One strategy they use is to take sides in existing debates. People who are deeply attached to one side of a culture war are likely to wield any and all arguments (including truths, half-truths, and opinions) if it helps them win. People invest their identity into the group and are more willing to believe fellow allies rather than perceived opponents – a phenomenon that sociologists call neo-tribalism.”

“The problem arises when people internalize disinformation as part of their identity. While news articles can be fact-checked, personal beliefs cannot. When conspiracy theories are part of someone’s value system or worldview, it is difficult to challenge them” (Tomas Nilsson).

Growing up, my “tribe” was convinced that the Lord Jesus Christ was not the Messiah or the Savior of the world. The whole idea was nothing more than a silly myth concocted by “them.” Only when I studied the facts myself that I discovered His true identity and chose to believe in Him. When did this conspiracy theory begin?

On Sunday, the third day after the crucifixion, the tomb was empty, and the body of the Lord Jesus Christ was gone.

Luke 24:1-3

 1 But very early on Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.

 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.

 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus.

How can this possibly be explained?

The disappearance of the dead body can only be accounted for in two ways. The first possibility is that the body was stolen. The second possibility is that the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, as He had predicted.

Mark 16:6 The angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.

The religious leaders would have none of this. It didn’t fit their agenda. So they concocted a story, and a conspiracy theory was hatched. Remains in place down through the centuries.

Matthew 28:11-15

 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

 13 and said, “You are to say, “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.”

 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed, and this story was widely spread among the Jews and is to this day.

REFLECT & PRAY

“One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them” (Thomas Sowell).

Father thank You that the tomb was empty and He is risen. Enable me to spot and reject conspiracy theories that are baseless and without merit.

INSIGHT

The spin masters spun their web of deceit. The soldiers were bribed to fabricate a false account of what happened. The story told was dubious. In Roman times, it was a punishable crime for guards to fall asleep while on duty, and the penalty was execution. Yet, they claimed to have been sleeping. Additionally, if one were to assume that they were asleep, wouldn’t the noise of the large stone being rolled away have been sufficient to awaken them?

“The elders gave the soldiers instructions about the lie they were to tell the public. It is ironic that the thing the elders feared (theft of Jesus’ body by the disciples, the reason they posted soldiers at the tomb) became the story they concocted to explain the empty tomb” (Richison).

As with many conspiracy theories, there were glaring holes in this one. “It is almost comical that the soldiers are told to spread the rumor abroad that Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole his body while they were asleep. If they were asleep, how could they know what had happened to the body of Jesus? . . .  Matthew appears to have recorded this narrative with some degree of humor, emphasizing how foolish it is to believe the rumor current in his day that Jesus’ disciples had stolen his body” (UBS).

“Anyone who stole the body would have taken the body in the graveclothes. Yet the empty graveclothes were left in the tomb in an orderly manner. This was hardly the scene of a grave robbery” (Wiersbe).

BTW, no one ever produced the dead body. If the goal was to disprove the resurrection and repudiate the nascent church, that is all it would take. So what happened?

HE IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

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© Dr. H 2023

Do you turn things upside down?

Do you turn things upside down?

You turn things upside down as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! – Isaiah 29:16

Isaiah 29:13-16

 13 And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.

 14 Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”

 15 What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their evil deeds in the dark! “The LORD can’t see us,” they say. “He doesn’t know what’s going on!”

 16 How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”?

Potters are skilled artisans who specialize in creating pottery by using clay and other materials to form functional or decorative objects, such as bowls, plates, vases, and other types of vessels. As artists, they make various decisions throughout their creative process, including selecting the type of clay, tools, shape, color, and finish of the final product.

For instance, potters must carefully consider the type of clay they use as it impacts the final product’s properties, including color, texture, and plasticity. They also have to decide on the shape of the object they want to create and employ different techniques, such as a pottery wheel or hand-building techniques like coiling, slabbing, or pinching to shape the clay.

Ultimately, every decision potters make plays a vital role in their creation. They have the final say in the ultimate design and function of each object they produce. Of course, this reality is well known in the old and New Testament cultures, where pottery was an everyday part of life.

It would be totally absurd for people to think that the inert clay had a choice in any decision-making process. This fact is the basis for the teaching of Isaiah and Jeremiah and Paul’s writing, which alludes to them.

People are likened to the clay from which vessels are produced. The vessels themselves have different purposes and destinies according to the Father’s design.

Isaiah 64:8 O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.

Putting it in other terms, some guidelines and methods regarding potters and clay have been in place for thousands of years .regarding potters and clay.

Jeremiah 18:2-6

 2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.”

 3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel.

 4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.

 5 Then the LORD gave me this message:

 6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.

This word picture is worth a thousand words. But the apostle Paul only requires a few to get his point across. Paul describes the Father as a potter Who has the right to do what He wishes with His creation. Paul does not go into depth regarding the tension that exists between human free will and divine sovereignty. He asserts that the conflict between free will and divine sovereignty is resolved upon recognizing that the Father has the right to make choices, but people do not (ESV notes). The Father made such choices before the foundation of the world before any people were created.

Romans 9:21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for honorable use and another for common use?

In this context, the honorable and dishonorable vessels represent those who are saved and unsaved (ESV notes).

REFLECT & PRAY

Isaiah 29:16 How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”?

Father what serenity, peace, and confidence overflow my spirit and soul when I recognize that You are the Potter and I am not. You are loving and all-knowing. You never make mistakes. I put my complete confidence and trust in You because I am limited and make many mistakes.

INSIGHT

The relationship between the potter and the clay is part of the natural order of the world or SOP in which we live. Potters make pots. Pots do nothing because they are inert.

Paul warns that in the last days, the natural order of things will be turned upside down.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

 1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days, there will be very difficult times.

 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.

 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.

 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.

 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 “is one of the most terrible pictures in the New Testament of what a godless world would be like, with the terrible qualities of godlessness set out in a ghastly list” (Barclay).

The Greek word translated as difficult is chalepos. In the New Testament, chalepos is used only twice. Matthew 8:28 indicates the vicious ferocity of the two demoniacs from the country of the Gadarenes. 2 Timothy 3:1 describes the Zeitgeist, the character and essence of the age which marks the last days. The days will be so horrendous; they are difficult to endure, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, and savage.

2 Timothy 3:2 For people will love only themselves

The Greek term phílautos , which translates as love only themselves, comes from phílos – loving and autos – self. It signifies Self-centered love, self-importance, or self-love. In other words, people who are phílautos are utterly self-centered and prioritize their own interests above everything else. This self-love could lead to narcissistic egotism, which is prevalent in modern society and may be predictive of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD).

In contrast, the children of the King have an entirely different focus. Their priorities are opposed. They put the Father first. They are lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4). The Greek word translated as lovers of God is philotheos. Philotheos is derived from Philos – loving and theos – God. This term could be rendered God-lovers.

Thus, while “phílautos” represents self-love and self-centeredness, philotheos represents a love for the Father. Those who love the Father change their priorities. Accomplishing the will of the Father becomes numero uno. Living to accomplish His will is their highest priority. The difference in orientation between these two groups of people (the phílautos and the philotheos) is stark and has significant implications for their attitudes, perspectives, choices, and actions.

As children of the King, we are to rest in the reality of a loving Father, Who, as a potter, has intelligently designed us to be and do whatever He desires.

Do you turn things upside down?

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© Dr. H 2023

The midwife of the New Testament

The midwife of the New Testament

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 3:14-15

2 Timothy 3:16-17

 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people for every good work.

Midwifery is an ancient profession that has been practiced for thousands of years, and today midwives continue to play a vital role in providing the health and well-being of women and their babies.

Midwives offer various services to ensure women receive the best care throughout pregnancy and childbirth.

The Father selected Irenaeus as His midwife to guarantee the safe delivery and transmission of the New Testament. He provided the early church with a clear vision of the scriptural framework of its faith. Through his efforts, the Old and New Testaments were recognized as one continuous, consistent book, the Word of God.

At the heart of his vision was Irenaeus’s teaching of the appropriate use of the New and Old Testaments. He was the first Christian author to regard nearly all the books that comprise our New Testament today as a part of the Word of God. Before Irenaeus, the final New Testament as one complete and whole book did not exist.

He also asserted that only those who acknowledged four authorities could properly use these books:

  1. The foundation of the later creeds was the “rule [canon] of truth,” which emphasized the belief in one God, one Son, and one Holy Spirit.
  2. The canonical body Scripture included both the Old and New Testaments.
  3. The apostolic tradition, handed down once and for all by the apostles, was preserved throughout the centuries until today. The Lord Jesus Christ is the central character of the Scriptures.
  4. The early bishops were the direct successors of the apostles and served as living witnesses. They provided the church with tangible evidence that the authentic teaching about Christ was still being preserved and preached.

Irenaeus’ book, The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching, was discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century. It offered the most comprehensive insight into Irenaeus’ perspective. He connects the preaching of the New Testament apostles to its origin in the Law, Psalms, and Prophets.

The four canonical Gospels culminate their accounts of the Lord Jesus Christ with the Passion. They always narrate the stories with allusions to Hebrew. Irenaeus emphasizes how the apostles utilized Old Testament references aligning with Paul’s declaration that Christ died and was resurrected in accordance with the Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.

 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

For Irenaeus, Christ is the primary focus of Scripture. The apostles announced Him by making connections to Old Testament Scripture. Moreover, the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is not only the subject of Scripture from start to finish, He was also its ultimate author.

According to Irenaeus, Christ is the treasure concealed in Scripture. He is lurking in the types and stories and the words and deeds of the patriarchs and prophets. Their writings readied the world for the coming of Christ, making the field ripe for harvest.

Before the first coming of Christ, the significance of these types and prophecies was not comprehended. However, the Gospels and the rest of the books of the New Testament illuminated and expanded the Old Testament writings, revealing their true meaning. As such, they are recognized as an integral part of the Word of God. For individuals who read Scripture without knowledge of the exegesis or interpretation of the Christ-related elements, the Scriptures merely serve as myths. But those who read Scripture with comprehension receive enlightenment and radiate like the stars in the sky (Behr).

REFLECT & PRAY

The Bible, “written over a period of 1,500 years by about 40 different authors, and yet it is one book without contradictions in what it says. And what it says is remarkable, for it speaks with equal ease and authority of the known and unknowable, of the pleasant and unpleasant, of man’s accomplishments and failures, of the past and the future. Few books ever attempt such scope; none is completely accurate except the Bible” (Ryrie).

Father thank You for providing and preserving Your complete and inerrant Book of Truth, the Word of God.

INSIGHT

The Scriptures were written via divine inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Their preservation and transmission were entrusted to faithful men.

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself.

Throughout history, evildoers Have tried to destroy and eradicate the word of God. To thwart their attempts, God raised up faithful men and women who at risk for their lives protected and passed it down to this very day. The verbs passed on and received are technical terms from Paul’s Jewish heritage for the transmission of religious instruction (his rabbinical training) (Fee).

The Greek term translated as pass on is paradidomi. Paradidomi connotes entrusting, committing, handing over, or passing on something of great importance to the safekeeping of others. Paul carefully passed on the precious truth of the word of God. This was done so that it might be studied and internalized as a source of truth, knowledge, and guidance.

The Greek term translated as received is paralambano. Paralambano in this context, has the sense of formally imparting authoritative teaching. The Jewish authors of Old Testament Scriptures are well aware that they were handling the sacred texts of the word of God. They copied them accurately without error, passing them down to future generations extremely seriously.

The fundamental principles of Christianity, such as the concept of atonement through the death and resurrection of Christ as the foundation for everlasting redemption, were already established before the arrival of Paul. Despite undergoing significant refinement through his theological contributions, the core components remained present prior to and after his involvement. Paul received and transmitted these essentials (Fee).

The phrase “from the Lord” (apo tou kyriou) used by Paul differentiates the Lord as the originator of the tradition from those who passed it down. This affirms the authoritative nature of the tradition, with Christ as the originator and guarantor. “The phrase ‘received from the Lord’ is divine revelation. Paul does not teach his own opinion about the Lord’s Supper but received this information by direct revelation” (Richison).

Mark’s Gospel frequently employs the verb paradidomi. They can be translated in many ways, including “betrayed.” However, translating it as “handed over” or “delivered up” maintains a degree of ambiguity. Thus it alludes to God’s plan to hand over Jesus for our salvation, and Jesus’ willing submission underpins Christ’s being delivered up. The focus is on God’s purposes (Garland).

Delivering up and handing over the New Testament as a continuation of the Old Testament into one book is the culmination of the work of Irenaeus as the midwife of the New Testament.

Thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of the Old Testament prophets, the New Testament apostles (Ephesians 2:20), and those faithful men and women who protected and passed on the sacred Word of God, we have become the children of the King.

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© Dr. H 2023