GOD's MAJESTY

I borrow once again from the talented photography and the beauty of God as found at http://www.mtprinceton.org/

Let these images of Mount Princeton cause you to rejoice in the majesty and wonder of God.

THE PARADIGM OF ENOCH

Enoch was the Great-Grandfather of Noah. Enoch begat Methuselah, the oldest man recorded in the geneologies of the bible. Methuselah begat Lamech the father of Noah.

What is interesting is what happened to Enoch.

We find the 365 Earthly years of Enoch's existence recorded for us in Genesis 5:18-24. In verse 18 he is born, in verse 21 he becomes the father of Methuselah, in verse 22 he has a bunch more kids. It is in verse 23 where Enochs years are summarized as 365 years then in verse 24 we have the statement that; "Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." How mysterious, how cryptic. What does it mean?

We also have the prophesy of Enoch quoted in the short book of Jude.

In verse 14 & 15 of Jude we have the following...

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

I believe that this passage in Jude is an allusion to Deuteronomy 33:2 but that is a different subject.

The only other reference to the man 'Enoch' is found in Hebrews chapter 11, the chapter of the faith of the believers down through the ages.

Anytime we have elaboration in the New Testament scripture of obscure Old Testament events or characters, we should pay close attention.

In Hebrews 11:5 we have another brief statement about the man Enoch;

"By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Here we find out about his character, he was a "God Pleaser". He was a man of "Faith". And we find out some more info about what happened to him. He was "translated". The reason for his translation was so that "He should not see death;".

I am not sure about you, but this does not really satisfy this mystery for me. What do these things mean? Most of my Christian life I have heard preachers and other Christians declare that this means that Enoch never died.

Is that true?

Did enoch escape death by this transaltion? This is what I used to beleive. But as I read my bible, I continue in the passage of Hebrews 11 and the passage goes on to tell of the faith of Noah (v 7), the Faith of Abraham (v 8-10), the Faith of Sarah (v 11). Then in verse 13 it summarizes the faith of all these in chapter 11 up to that point.

"THESE ALL DIED in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the Earth."

Notice that the scripture declares...(it does not hint, or allude to, or intimate, it DECLARES)..."THESE ALL DIED...". Now the language of Enochs demise, disappearance, departure seems to be cryptic and open for interpretation. Should we not allow the clear declaration of "THESE ALL DIED..." be the difinitive settling text as to the end of Enoch. I believe the bible teaches that Enoch died as all men die. This is a new paradigm for the way I used to look at this character.

Not sure if any of you are ready for this kind of re-thinking, but please let me know where I have made a mistake in the interpretation of this passage. If Enoch did not die, point me to the clear text that says he did not die.

I welcome your comments and explanations.

For many folks, a conclusion is simply
the place where they got tired of thinking.

THE PARADIGM OF THE BEMA

Here is one of those "Paradigm" issues. I have been taught that Christians will gain or lose reward at the "Bema" for years. But when I endeavored to do an independent study I could not validate what I have heard from the pulpit, so I have changed my position and I think the bible gets more and more clear the more we allow the New Covenant to determine our frame of reference for our interpretation. I invite your comments both pro and con...

I welcome the Berean and loving discussion of this and any of the issues that come up on this site. Enjoy.

The Bema = The Judgment Seat of Christ

There are two main ways in which erroneous teachings are introduced into Christianity:

A. Non-biblical evidence is used to support the novel concept.
B. The Biblical truth on the subject is suppressed or fragmented.

Dispensationalists have done both with this modern notion of the Bema seat award-judgment. The Biblical information on "Bema" (the Greek word) is suppressed. And appeal is made to non-biblical "evidence" to make the concept seem biblically valid. There is no such thing as the Bema award-judgment, as presented so often today in pulpits, books and web sites of today. There is a Bema judgment, but it is quite different from what is presented to us.

1. DISPENSATIONALISTS DEFINE "BEMA" AS...

"Thus, associated with this word ["bema"] are the ideas of prominence, dignity, authority, honor, and reward rather than the idea of justice and judgment" - Dwight Pentecost

“It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the judgment is unrelated to the problem of sin, that it is more for the bestowing of rewards than the rejection of failure.” - Lewis Sperry Chafer

“Paul was picturing the believer as a competitor in a spiritual contest. As the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the Bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christ’s Bema to receive his imperishable award. The judge at the Bema bestowed rewards to the victors. He did not whip the losers.” - Hoyt

"[The "bema"] was a seat or raised platform where a judge sat as he made his decision regarding a case." ..."This word was also used in connection with the platform on which the umpire or referee sat during the Olympic Games or the Isthmian games at Corinth. This was the place where the winners of the various events received their rewards." ...."The apostle Paul seems to have this idea of reward in mind as he speaks of the 'judgment seat of Christ.'" - Paul Benware

The "bema seat judgment" is an "investigative probe into a believer's lifetime of works..." "[E]very Christian must meet God for an investigative judgment of his entire life. This moment will be a time of jubilant victory for some." ... and "a time of weeping for others." "' Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men."" - Jack Van Impe

"Judgment Seat of Christ. The place or occasion for the divine evaluation of the faithfulness of Christians' lives resulting in the giving or withholding of rewards (2 Cor. 5:10)." - Paul Enns

Charles Ryrie says of this time of the Bema that "individual believers will be judged for their works done as Christians (1 Co 3:11- 15). Salvation with its assurance of heaven is not in question, only whether heaven will be entered with or without rewards." - Charles Ryrie

Notice these recurring themes in the above definitions:
A. It is for Christians only.
B. It is for rewards (or loss of rewards) only. There is no punishment.
C. It can be illustrated by sporting contests award ceremonies (as opposed to Bible cross-references).
D. The terror or shame involved here is merely that of disobedient or unproductive Christians. Now let us turn to the Bible to see if what the experts above say matches with scripture.

2. THE "BEMA" ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE (WITH COMMENTS)

Occurrences: Matt.27:19, John 19:13, Acts 7:5; Acts 12:21; Acts 18:12, 16, 17; Acts 25:6, 10, 17; Ro.14:10; 2Cor.5:10.

"When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." (Matt. 27:19)

If the Bema was only a place for rewards, as the Dispensationalists insist, we would expect Pilate to answer back to his wife, "Silly woman, don't you know that I am seated at the Bema? Giving out punishment is the farthest thing from my mind."
But what did Pilate actually do at this Bema?

He released Barabbas - and gave over the Prince of Life to be crucified!
See also the next verse."When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha." (John 19:13)

Hoyt insists that "the judge at the Bema bestowed rewards to the victors. He did not whip the losers.” Tell that to Pilate, Mr. Hoyt. He not only whipped the "Loser", he had Him crucified! Why, oh why, do people blindly follow the experts in defining scriptural terms when the Bible is quite clear in defining many of it's own terms?

The Bema is clearly a place of awesome judgment, and not a mere award ceremony.

"And he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on : yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child." (Acts 7:5)

"Set his foot on" is the translation here for "bema", an idiomatic rendering. At any rate, there are no rewards here.

"And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne ["bema"], and made an oration unto them." (Acts 18:12)

"And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat" (Acts 18:12)

"And he drove them from the judgment seat." (Verse 16)

"Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things." (Verse 17)

"And when he had waited among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought." (Acts 25:6)

"Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as you very well know." (Verse 10)

"Therefore, when they came here, without any delay the next day I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth." (Verse 17)

Each one of these "Bema" passages from Acts involves a civil magistrate making a judicial decision, some involving matters of life or death. There are no rewards spoken of here. No Olympic games or any such thing.

Romans 14:10. "But why do you judge you brother? or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

At first glance this might be used to hold up the modern notion of Christians only being present at the Bema - only you read on to verse 11, and read the cross-references of Isaiah 45:23 and Phil. 2:9- 11. Clearly this is the time when ALL of creation will be present, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father."

Every knee will bow at this Bema. Everyone will be there, Christians as well as every unsaved person. The fact that Romans 14:15 connects the Bema with Phil. 2:9- 11 makes this absolutely certain. Who do we believe then, the inspired Apostle Paul or these modern writers and their imagined scenario of athletic awards? Shouldn't the biblical evidence be given first consideration?

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad." (2nd Cor. 5:10.) Once again, this is a convocation of everyone who exists or has existed, saved and unsaved. Don't take my word for it. Read the verse in context and you will see, if you are willing to let the Word explain itself, that the passage speaks of Christians as well as unsaved.

3. THE BEMA IS THE GREAT WHITE THRONE.

Part of the method of faulty expositors of the Word of God is to assign non-cooperating puzzle pieces to another part of the puzzle. This is what is done with the Great White Throne Judgment. Does it make sense to you that something as awesome as this would only be mentioned once in scripture?

No. In fact it is mentioned several times in scripture. Many of these other occurrences were covered earlier in this article. We should allow the Bible to use different terms for the same concept. For instance, in Revelation there is no mention of "justification", "sanctification", etc.

Yet we do read of the ones whose "robes are washed in the blood of the lamb", of the "over comers" and of those who "follow the Lamb wherever He goes". It is the same with the Bema (Judgment Seat of Christ) and the Great White Throne. The latter is a poetical, symbolic description in a poetical, symbolic book.

4. EVERYONE GETS REWARDS AT THE BEMA, BUT....

Jesus promised (Rev. 22:12) "I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work." Everyone will get rewards. But look at the wider context (verses 11- 15 The unsaved will get their reward - judgment and eternal doom!).

Consider these verses:"

And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time." (2nd Peter 2:13)

"Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core." (Jude 11)

"Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she has filled fill to her double." (Rev. 18:6)

5. RETHINKING THE BEMA

It is certainly hard to unlearn something we have been taught. The idea of being rewarded for our righteous acts (works, actually) goes contrary to the Gospel itself.

If it is not right that any flesh glories before God, how is it possible that we should be rewarded over against other Christians for accomplishments that we have no right to claim credit for? Or do we not believe that it is Christ who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure? (Phil. 2) And why would He reward us for something that was really His doing?
How can we expect rewards for our obedience, seeing that even if we obey perfectly in everything we are still unprofitable servants? (Luke 17:10)

The modern notion of the Bema award-judgment is a concept that is foreign to Scripture. It is foreign to the Biblical use of the word. And it is foreign to the Biblical definition of the Gospel and to what we know of God.

For many folks, a conclusion is simply
the place where they got tired of thinking.

ANSWERS TO SABBATH QUESTIONS

ADDED TO ON 4-18-08

Friends and Fellow Bereans...

Questions And Answers on the Sabbath:

For many folks, a conclusion is simply
the place where they got tired of thinking.

--Was the Sabbath a creation ordinance?

ANSWER: Genesis 2:1-3 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 3, And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3, And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

Here in this passage we have the record of GOD resting on the seventh day. Not a word is said of Adam or Eve resting. Nothing is said of God commanding Adam and Eve to rest on this or any other day. This passage will help with the answers to several questions below.

--Did God give the Sabbath as a command in Genesis 1-3? If so, where is it stated?

ANSWER: No God gave no command in Genesis 1-3 regarding the Sabbath. If he did it is not stated or recorded anywhere in the text. An argument from silence will not suffice, we must be careful about reading what the word of God does not say.

--Is there any evidence of anyone from Adam to Noah keeping Sabbath?

ANSWER: No, there is no evidence of anyone in the book of Genesis from Adam to Noah ever keeping the seventh day Sabbath.

--Is there any indication that any of the patriarchs Abraham to Joseph in the book of Genesis ever kept Sabbath?

ANSWER: No, there is no indication that any of the patriarcsh in the book of Genesis ever kept the Sabbath.

--Is the Sabbath even mentioned in the book of Genesis?

ANSWER: No, the sabbath is not once mentioned in the book of Genesis.

--Where is the first mention of the giving of the Sabbath commandment? Is there a record of this?

ANSWER: The first mention of the Sabbath as a command is in Exodus 20 at Mount Sinai.

Nehemiah 9:13-14
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

--What did the Sabbath Commandment actually command?

ANSWER: In the only two accounts of the Sabbath command given in the law, we are told that the Sabbath commmanded to "do no work"> This is the only requirement of the Sabbath. It can be phrased in the positive "to Rest", or in the negative, "Do no work". But bottom line, the only requirement is to refrain from work on the Sabbath; the seventh day; Saturday.

Exodus 20:8-10
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Deuteronomy 5:14
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

--Was there ever a command to worship on the Sabbath? If so; where is that found in the scripture?

ANSWER: No there is not a single reference in the law to indicate that the Sabbath was a day of worship. The only references indicate that it is a day of rest and no work. You were not to leave your home on the Sabbath. You would be stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. No Jew was ever commanded to go to public worship on the Sabbath.

However, there were feast days which were set apart as worship, these days were to be treated as Sabbath days even if they did not fall on a Saturday, this is a different type of Sabbath, it is not the 7th day Sabbath commanded in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy.

--Was the Sabbath 4th commandment a moral or ceremonial commandment?

ANSWER: With any given covenant there are given covenental "Signs" and "Seals". The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant was the circumcision of every male child. To violate this covenental sign was to incur the wrath of God and bring on the death penalty. There is nothing moral about the signs of the covenants, they are signs that represent covenants but they are not moral, they are ceremonial. The sign of the New Covenant is the Lord's supper. Paul in Corinthians declares that some who ate of this covenental sign ceremony, unworthily were put to sleep...death. The sign of a covenant carries the death penalty. So too the seventh day Sabbath; this is a sign of the entire covenant that God made on Mount Sinai with Israel and it bore the death penalty for violation of that sign. It is much lile a wedding ring; if a man were to walk into his house and throw his wedding ring across the room at his wife and then walk out of the house, that man has violated the wedding covenant by treating the sign of that covenant with such disdain. This is why the man who merely picked up sticks on the Sabbath was put to death. Was it immoral to pick up sticks? Not at all. It was though, a criminal act that showed disdain for God's covenant, and it brought the death penalty. Since the Sabbath was a "Sign" of the MOsaic (Old) covenant it was set aside for all those under that covenant. When the old covenant was replace by the New Covenant, the sign was no longer a valid sign of an active covenant. Below you will find passages declaring the Sabbath to be a sign.

Exodus 31:13
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Exodus 31:16-17
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

It is interesting to note that the 4th command was placed directly in the middle of the covenant that God made with Israel. The ten commandments, written on stone are the covenant, and the Sabbath is directly in the middle of it.

Exodus 34:27-28
And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

--Was the Sabbath ever given to anyone outside of Israel? If so, where is this recorded in scripture?

ANSWER: No, the Sabbath was not given to anyone outside of the Mosaic covenant made with the nation of Israel. There is no verse anywhere in scripture that even hints of the command being given to anyone outside of the covenant. Even Nehemiah when he scolded the Jews for buying and selling on the Sabbath, he never said one word to the gentile traders who were also buying and selling outside of the walls of Jerusalem.

--Is there a difference between the seventh day Sabbath and the yearly Sabbath, and the Sabbath of Jubilee every 50th year?

ANSWER: I see the only difference is the duration of the cermony. It was for the neglect of the yearly Sabbaths that Israel went into captivity in Babylon. All three have the same theme, "Rest-No Work". The year of Jubilee is particualarly poignant in its typification of Christ and the setting at Liberty that he accomplished. We have been set free. We can now rest in Chrst. As pictures of Christ each of the Sabbaths pushed the Old Covenant saints toward the New Covenant of "Rest (In Christ), No Work". There is no work to be done in the New Covenant, Jesus himself said he came to work the works fo the Father, and he declared His work to be FINISHED on the cross. We in the New Covenant can add nothing to that finished work...we are to REST!

--If there is a difference, why are they both enforced with the death penalty?

ANSWER: I believe that they carried the death penalty because the were pictures of Gods rest in the New covenant salvation and to work or to violate any of the Sabbaths was to violate the type that was being shown forth.

--Is there a difference between the seventh day Sabbath and the ceremonial Sabbath days associated with the feasts of Leviticus 23?

ANSWER: No difference except that the feasts were linked to them and to do any servile work on those feast days would incur the death penalty because again, they were instituted to proclaim Christ in elemental form to the Nation of Israel. God seems to be very jealous of guarding the types of the New Covenant in the Old.

--Did Jesus actually break the 4th commandment of “rest, no work”?

ANSWER: If the commandment was to rest and not work, then yes he broke the commandment. Many people say that he only broke the stipulations found in the expanded and legalistic pharisaic code. If this was the case, then why did Jesus not take the Pharisee's to task on their adding to God's command. No he did not do this. Also if he was not actually breaking this commandment, then why did he not defend himself and his disciples from this false charge. No if you read the answer Jesus gives, he does not defend, nor does he tell the pharisees that their interpretation was wrong. What he does is amazing. He claims that HE is Lord of the Sabbath. And just as David allowed his men to eat of the shewbread reserved ONLY for the high priests, so too Jesus a GREATER than David has come and his disciples can do anything he allows. He also references the High Priests of the old covenant and makes the application that these priests VIOLATED (profaned) the Sabbath by lifting the bulls onto the altar. This was truly work, and they did it on the Sabbath. Again, a greater than the High Priest has come. I believe that what Jesus is telling the Pharisees is this. You know that David and the High Priest of old violated ceremonial law and they were not held accountable because David was the King, the Priests were in a position of authority and those positions of authority made it necessary that they not be held to account for this for the greater good. Jesus is the Messiah, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lord's and he is LORD of the Sabbath. He cannot be held to answer for this. If he were guilty he would have defended himself...THe bottom line is that a Greater than David, aGreater than the old Covenant High Priest, a Greater than the Sabbath has come. Jesus is greater than the Sabbath, he fulfilled the Sabbath, he reigns as the New Covenant High Priest and King and cannot be called to account for the old shadow that was the Old Covenant Sabbath.

--Did his disciples break that command by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?

ANSWER: See the answer above. As disciples of the Lord of the New Covenant, they would not be held to account for this Old Covenant sign.

--If Jesus and his disciples did not break the 4th commandment, then why did Jesus never defend himself or his disciples from that accusation?

ANSWER: See previous two answers.

--What is the significance of Jesus referring to the High Priest and to King David in his defense of the accusation of Sabbath breaking?

ANSWER: See previous.

--Why did Jesus; instead of defending himself and his disciples, seem to justify the breaking of the Sabbath by himself and his disciples?

ANSWER: See Previous.

--Was the Sabbath ever given to anyone outside of Israel?

ANSWER: NO, There is no text of scripture that shows God giving to any gentile nation or group the Sabbath command. There is no instance in any text of Scripture where God condemns any gentile nation or group for violation of the Sabbath. There is no mention of Sabbath breaking in ANY of the New Testament lists of sins.

--Where in the New Testament can we find apostolic authority for changing the day of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?

ANSWER: No where. There is no evidence in the New Testament of any apostolic word that gave the authority to change the old Covenant Seventh Day Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

--Why is the only reference to Sabbath in the New Testament only speak of Sabbaths plural; as in seventh day Sabbaths, seventh year Sabbaths and jubilee Sabbaths?

ANSWER: Because all old covenant Sabbaths were the same.

--Why is it that this solitary reference to the Sabbath in all the epistles is not supportive of perpetuating the Sabbath in the New Covenant, but is discouraging its perpetuation and seems to be telling us not to condemn people in respect to those practices?

ANSWER: Because in the writing of the New Testament scriptures the old covenant was in the process of passing away, and the New Covenant was coming to light. As the New was ever more evident, so too the Old Covenant with its sacrifice, its priesthood, its temple its nationhood, its law,and its Sabbath were all in the process of passing way once forall forever. The shadows of the old were passing as the reality of the new was being made manifest.

--Why is it that we hear much in the epistles by way of argument and dispute over the circumcision from the judiazers, but not one word of protest over a supposed change in the Holy Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?

ANSWER: Because the Apostles never tried to change the Old Covenant Sabbath as they proclaimed that it was passing away, not being changed.

Please feel free to post your own answers and/or comments.

Any comments, corrections, critiques, condemnations and criticism are welcome.

Happy studying!

MT PRINCETON

One of my favorite sites is http://www.mtprinceton.org/ It is a site that chronicles the God given beauty of Mt Princeton here in Colorado near Buena Vista. I do not know the gentleman who operates this site, but he has some wonderful photos of Mount Princeton. Another connection is that I am from New Jersey and the mountain is named after the former college of New Jersey, now called Princeton University.

Enjoy the photos.

For many folks, a conclusion is simply
the place where they got tired of thinking.

THE BODY 2 CORINTHIANS 5:10

In a discussion on 2 Corinthians 5:10 with a friend, I suggest to him a paradigm shift that I thought would give him additional insight. The passage speaks about “be(ing) recompensed for his deeds in the BODY…” May I suggest that here, Paul is using figurative language in his use of the term “BODY”. We read in Jude of the angel Gabriel disputing with the Devil over the “BODY” of Moses. I believe what is being referred to; is the BODY of Mosaic Law, the Old Covenant (OC). This OC was in its last throes of death and was at the time of the writing of the New Testament, “passing away”. This OC BODY of law was a trap to those trying to live in the New Covenant (NC). I believe Paul was trying to teach that if we continue to labor in the BODY of law that is the OC, we will fall into judgment since the “BODY” of Christ is the only place to be to avoid judgment. There are many places in the New Testament where the context of Paul’s teaching on the BODY fits this paradigm.

We have been translated from the BODY of Moses into the BODY of Christ. Other references you may like to check out are Romans 7. Here Paul is struggling with those things he does in the BODY (OC) and those done outside the BODY (NC). He concludes by saying “Who shall deliver me from this BODY of death (the BODY of OC law which was death to all who did not keep it perfectly). If you look at the context of 2 Corinthians 5, you will see going back to chapter 3 that Paul is arguing for the replacement of the OC with the NC. When he begins chapter 5 he speaks of the tent folding. I believe that this tent is a reference to the temple worship of the OC that was finally and completely terminated in 70 A.D when the Roman General Titus destroyed it and all vestiges of the Hebrew religion. Paul’s whole approach throughout the epistles is to help people struggling with the life in the OC to forsake that old way and come fully into the NC. He argues this almost the entire letter of Galatians, and concludes by saying (allegorically) “cast out the bondwomen and her son”, (the OC law). As well, I believe that the contrast in Gal chapter 5 between Spirit and Flesh is a contrast between living in the BODY of OC law and living in the BODY of Christ in the NC by way of the Spirit. In Acts we see that even Paul was not immune to this struggle of coming out from under the BODY of Moses and coming completely into the BODY of Christ: we read of him making a Nazarite vow, shaving his head and offering his hair at the temple in Jerusalem. Paul is never praised for this and he never makes reference to it again (as if he were shamed by his lack of faith in offering an OC sacrifice).

Perhaps you do not see things as I have outlined them, but let my comments be to you…an encouragement to study even deeper for yourself. Do a study on the BODY of Moses and the BODY of Christ. Look at how the BODY is used figuratively in the New Testament.

Luke 17:37 “and they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, where ever the BODY is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” The context of Luke 17 is the judgment of Israel and the OC.

I believe the context of most passages will give the hints as to how to see the word BODY. I do not believe it is to be taken figuratively every time it is used. but I do believe that the context will guide us.

I believe that the BODY of OC law is what is in danger of judgment and is the BODY of Mosaic Law that has been judged. It is not a universal judgment that is being spoken of. It is a limited judgment; limited to that which is refusing to come out of the BODY of the OC, and that which refuses to be united with the BODY of Christ.

Just a few thoughts to chew on…let me know what you think, and or what you discover in your own study.

Here are a few New Testament passages where I feel the term “BODY” is being used figuratively. If you don’t agree, that’s fine. But take a look at the context of these and see if it may not fit. There are many more, but I feel I have given enough to make the point.

Any comments, corrections, critiques, condemnations and criticism are welcome.

Happy studying, and keep in touch.

Grace in abundance to you.

For many folks, a conclusion is simply the place where they got tired of thinking.

John 2:21

But he spake of the temple of his body.

Romans 6:6

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 7:4

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Romans 7:24

O’ wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Romans 8:10

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Romans 8:13

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Romans 12:4 & 5, 4

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one member’s one of another.

1 Cor 5:3

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed

1 Cor 10:16

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1 Cor 10:17

For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

1 Cor 12:13

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

1 Cor 15:44

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

2 Cor 5:6

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord

2 Cor 5:8

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2 Cor 12:2

I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

2 Cor 12:3

And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth).

Ephesians 2:16

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Ephesians 3:6

That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel

Ephesians 4:4

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling

Col 1:24

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church

Jude 9

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.