Category: commentary
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No Historical Evidence for the Census Decree of Augustus (Luke 2:1)
Read More →TL;DR Evidence for such a “first census” under “governor” Quirinius in “those days” (notice the level of specificity given in the narrative) simply doesn’t exist. This fact was a problem since the time of Tertullian (3rd c. Christian writer). No one could figure it out. Moreover, “to the entire inhabited world” (which at that time meant […]
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Luke 24:19 “Was” vs. “Became”: When Translation Betrays Meaning
Read More →How would you feel if someone changed your wording in your own writing? Imagine expressing a thought with precise language, only to have someone replace a carefully chosen verb with another—one that subtly but profoundly alters the meaning. This is precisely what has happened to the Greek verb ἐγένετο (aorist middle of γίγνομαι) in virtually […]
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On the Etymological and Philosophical Semantics of αὐτός and את as “Self”
Read More →The Greek αὐτός and the Hebrew את (’et) are deceptively modest lexemes that, upon closer scrutiny, disclose an underlying metaphysics of selfhood. Both terms serve critical grammatical functions in their respective languages, yet their semantic range and frequency suggest a deeper ontological and phenomenological register. In what follows, we argue that both terms, though distinct […]
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The Dual in Hebrew and Comparative Linguistics
Read More →Gesenius and other scholars use comparative Semitic philology, including external inscriptions (such as the Mesha Stele, Akkadian texts, Ugaritic, Phoenician, and Arabic), to understand the dual form in Hebrew. The dual ending (ים-) is primarily used for things that naturally come in pairs, but its historical development and use in place names and abstract terms […]
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Non obsecrans sum, supplicans sum: I’m not Begging, I’m Supplicating!
Read More →The Greek word δέησις (Strong’s Greek #1162, deēsis) originally carried the meaning of “want,” “need,” or “lack,” particularly in philosophical and rhetorical contexts. Aristotle (Rhetoric 1385a21) explicitly connects δεήσεις with ὀρέξεις (desires), reinforcing its fundamental meaning as an expression of deficiency or longing. Plato (Eryxias 405e) uses it alongside ἐπιθυμίαι (desires), further highlighting its association with […]
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ἀφίημι – To Forgive vs. To Hurl
Read More →ἀφίημι – “send-away/hurl” The primary unanimous meaning as given by the lexicons of A Lexicon of the Greek Language by Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott, A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges by Henry Autenrieth, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament by George Abbott-Smith, A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect by Richard […]
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נאם – to whisper/pray
Read More →נאם To speak in a low voice, whisper, speak softly. This is akin to נא Strongs #4994 meaning “please” or “pray thee.” Throughout the Prophets, a reader will encounter the Hebrew נאם in a consistent form 375 times. Most Hebrew verbs are used in many forms and conjugations. A Hebrew verb can technically be conjugated […]
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δαιμόνιον – Divine Powers, Subject to Divinely Determined Fate
Read More →δαιμονίζομαι “Demonized” as “Fate Appointed” or “Haunted” For clarification: There is no phrase “possessed by a demon” in the NT. This infers extreme control or at least some sense of a loss of responsibility for actions (e.g. “the devil made me do it“). The Greek δαιμονάω “to be under the power of a demon” is […]
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βαπτίζω – That Baptism of Jonah, or “to dip/plunge.”
Read More →The term “βαπτίζω” (baptízō) primarily means “to dip” or “to plunge.” Here is an explanation and translation of its various uses: Literal Dipping or Plunging: To dip, plunge: “ξίφος εἰς σφαγήν” (a sword into slaughter) – Josephus, “Jewish War” 2.18.4. “σπάθιον εἰς τὸ ἔμβρυον” (a small sword into the embryo) – Soranus 2.63. Passively: Of […]
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ἀπεκρίθη – separated or answered?
Read More →In earlier and more refined Greek writings, such as those of Plato, ἀπεκρίθη (apekrithē) and ἀποκριθήσομαι (apokrithēsomai) in the passive sense aren’t typically used to convey the sense of “he answered.” Instead, ἀποκριθῆναι (apokrithēnai) and ἀποκρίνασθαι (apokrinasthai) are used interchangeably. In the New Testament, there is a peculiar use the passive form ἀπεκρίθη (apekrithē). The […]