Saints (edited)

Saints or "Saints"?

Some old Bibles have numerous mention of "saints"; that word has its special significance.

Image courtesy Pixabay.com

"Stickies" (R)

Parts of the Bible are sticking points for some (many?) folks. Consider a small extract from Paul containing descriptions of Christ's work (alternative translations below).

Be Alert!

Some parts of the NT message are awkward, or difficult, or really challenging, or all three!

A bit Here; a bit There? v0.7ed

A personal disclaimer:
In spite of all the evidence I am giving to the contrary in this blog, I am not really fond of taking a thought, or line, from one place, and putting it with a sentence from another, and then making a case of it. Care and caution are needed!

Trustworthy Documents v0.3

What evidence is there for the reliability of the NT documents I am discussing (and encouraging you to read)?

Crucified under Pontius Pilate! (3)

The accounts are unambiguous: Jesus of Nazareth was executed by crucifixion under the authority of Pontius Pilate.

Rome, the imperial power, routinely used crucifixion as an exemplary punishment for the condemned. That empire did not invent crucifixion, nor was it normally used for their citizens. Many were crucified, with little or no note made of the victims. An example: In 72 BCE (or, BC) the Roman Marcus Licinius Crassus had 6,000 survivors of a slave revolt crucified along the Italian roadside. No procedure would be recorded, nor the names of those summarily punished - they had offended Rome by deserting from their slavery and taking up arms against their masters. They had only the one entitlement. (britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/141893/Marcus-Licinius-Crassus)

The Jerusalem Jewish establishment had found Jesus guilty of 'blasphemy' and thus worthy of death under the Law of the LORD (as interpreted by them). However, they wanted sentence carried out by their Roman authority. It is frequently written that at the time the 'Jews' could not impose capital punishment, even given Roman respect for indigenous law. However, in contrast to the assertion of limited power, I note that in Jerusalem, not long after the death of Jesus, a man named Stephen was stoned to death for blasphemy! That was during the same Roman domination. Moreover, not all that much later there were attempts to execute Paul, in the presence of Romans, by assassination.

An inconsistency? Why then might the Jewish powers use Pilate to eliminate Jesus via a political charge? I conjecture that the establishment figures had their purpose clear. Jesus had followers and had enjoyed a measure of public acclaim (especially amongst the poorer sort). The leaders would have an eye on the 'mob' and possibly they had the desire to 'keep their hands clean' anyway, as they observed a time great religious solemnity for the LORD. Watching Jesus' execution by heathen Romans would be preferred, and safer.

An introduction from much earlier

Introduction to an account of Jesus 

In the beginning the Word already existed.
  The Word was with God,
  and the Word was God.
 He existed in the beginning with God.
 
God created everything through him,
  and nothing was created except through him.
 
The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
 and his life brought light to everyone.
 The light shines in the darkness,
  and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]

God sent a man, John the Baptist,[c] to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

So the Word became human[d] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[e] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.[f] For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[g] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.


Gospel of John, Chapter 1, verses 1-18. [New Living Translation – NLT]
Notice the 7 footnotes given in NLT re specifics:
a. Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.
b. Or and the darkness has not understood it.
c. Greek a man named John.
d. Greek became flesh.
e. Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.
f. Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace.
g. Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Note re footnotes
By their footnotes the publishers of the NLT version above honour the other possible translations and the literal meanings, as well as a textual variant. (For myself, regarding note [f], I prefer the Greek. That choice leads inevitably to interpretation – a topic for another day maybe.)

This is a brief post to set the scene and indicate something of the approach I will take.

HOWEVER, although I will post many pages of Bible translations, despite their value and importance I will not include footnotes. The inclusion of them would be very difficult and disruptive.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.