The Strait and Narrow

Posts Tagged ‘body’

Looking over these passages I noticed one thing that I would like to share. I’ve always heard that the temple that Jesus mentioned in John 2:19 was his body that which was to be destroyed, but exmaning the context of these verses it becomes clear that Jesus is refering to that physical temple and not of his body that will be destoryed, however it was his body as the Body of Christ the new temple that was raised after three days. This is what John makes clear also.

See what Jesus said about the physical temple and noticed that the Jews response with a question about a sign due to the reason he done those things.

Then Jesus responses by the statement ‘destory this temple’ ….I want to stop there to define what temple is to be destroyed, but first I notice the word ‘Destory’ Strong’s G5351 - phtheirō which in some places translated to ‘Defile’. In noticing this that word phtheirō means: in the opinion of the Jews, the temple was corrupted or “destroyed” when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties

In this sence of defilement would be in context of what those merchants had done and all Jesus was saying is that Defile is temple and I will rise up another in three days.

This would parallel in meaning in how Paul taught the Corinthians in if they ‘Defiled the temple of God’, that God shall ‘Destroy’ him.

The ’Defile this temple’ is about the physical temple and not the body of Jesus in the context of John 2. The sign that he had the authority to do these things (clean the temple) is shown in the rising of his body as the temple of God after three days.  So it would be my opinion that the translator’s interperted the meaning of  phtheirō  for us which given the error and fallacy which distort the meaning behind Jesus statement of defiling the temple.

 Addition 11-28-11

 Looking over this again the Greek word for destroy is G3089 - lyō which carries the meaning of ‘loose, break, melt, dissolve and destroy’. So given that it is mostly used as ‘loose or break’ Seeing that the context is one of a temple opposite of that heavenly temple. How has that Greek word ‘luo’ being employed? Here is one scripture I found that may help give a understanding of how ‘luo’ is employed with the temple.

Ephesians 2:13-14
13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down [luo]the middle wall of partition between us;

Broke down (3089) (luo) means to loose, release, dissolve. Christ loosened or dissolved the barrier of that earthly temple which is the Mosaic Law separating Jews and Gentiles. So in this sence ‘luo’ doesn’t give the image of the body of Christ as ‘this temple’.

Although it’s clear that they defiled the temple causing Jesus to run them out and cleaning of the house of God. I would add that Paul after Jesus on the cross spoke as if the temple was destroyed as that dividing wall was broken. Paul had been wrongfully accused of taking an Asian Gentile, Trophimus, past this checkpoint Acts 21:29.

• Body:

1 Cor.15:44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Romans 8:10 1And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Eph.2:14-16 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

• Dead:

1 Cor. 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

Romans 11:1515For if the casting away of them [natural branch] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

Ephesians 2:1,51And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)

 

• Awake:

1 Cor.15:34, 45 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. 45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [man] was made a quickening spirit.

Ephesians 2:1, 6 & 5:14 1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Romans 13:11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed

This is only a few parallel scriptures that Paul has related the transformation of the ‘natural’ branch of Israel becoming into the new man the gathering together of both Jews and Gentiles [Ephraim] so that all of Israel shall be saved.

Paul answering the questions of How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come? He addresses that by using the seed analogy which is the same one that Jesus spoke of as the parable of the soil. In conclusion Paul reveals a mystery that wasn’t known to them [Eph. 3:5)that not all shall sleep. As you can see from the passages above sleep has to do with the lack of knowledge or being blind, being in darkness as Paul also told the saints not to be of the night, but be sober.

1 Thess. 5:4-8
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

This is a way that God plan for the olive tree to be grafted in with wild branches [Gentiles/Ephraim] that which was onces cut off to also the grafted into the olive tree again, so that all those that sleep might be awaken to the truth in Christ. Both Romans and Ephesians reveal this mystery and I would conclude that 1 Corinthians is as well.