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Matthew Chapter 17

Matthew Chapter 17

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
The Transfiguration
  1. And after six days, Jesus takes Peter, and James, and John his brother with Him, and He leads them up to a high mountain on their own.
  2. And He was transfigured in front of them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light.
  3. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, discussing with Him.
  4. Then answering, Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, it’s good for us to be here. If you want, I’ll make three tabernaclesfnA tabernacle is a moveable structure like a tent. However, they are typically much more rigid, expensive, and much nicer.  In the Old Testament, God didn’t have a temple until Solomon’s day.  Before that, He “dwelled” in a tabernacle built to exacting standards. here: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
  5. While he’s still speaking, behold, a shining cloud overshadowed them.  And behold, a voice came from the cloud saying: “This is My beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased; listen to Him.”
  6. And having heard this, the disciples fell on their face and were extremely terrified.
  7. And Jesus approached, and having touched them, He said: “Stand up and don’t fear.”
  8. And having lifted their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
  9. And while coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying: “Tell no one of the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”
  10. And the disciples questioned Him, saying: “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
  11. And answering, He said: “Indeed, Elijah comes first and will restore all things.
  12. “But I tell you that Elijah already came.  And they didn’t recognize him, but did whatever they wished to him.  In the same way also, the Son of Man is about to suffer under them.”
  13. Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptizer.
Healing a Demon Possessed Boy
  1. And having come to the crowd, a man approached Him, falling on his knees before Him
  2. and saying: “Lord, have mercy on my son because he is epileptic and suffers terribly.  For he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.
  3. “And I brought him to your disciples, and they couldn’t heal him.”
  4. Then answering, Jesus said: “O, you unbelieving and *perverted generation.  How long will I be with you?  How long will I put up with you?  Bring him here to Me.”
  5. And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon went out from him, and the boy was healed from that hour on.
  6. Then having approached Jesus in private, the disciples said: “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”
  7. And He tells them: “Because of your weak faith. For amen I tell you: if you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: “Move from here to there” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.
  8. [“But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.]fnThis textual variant is essentially identical to Mark 9:29 – so it changes nothing doctrinally – but the authenticity of this verse to Matthew’s gospel is disputed.  There are strong arguments on both sides, but the argument doesn’t center on theology.  It is merely about if this verse was copied over from Mark’s gospel by scribes, or original to Matthew.
  9. And while they’re assembled in Galilee, Jesus told them: “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.
  10. “And they will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”  And they were deeply grieved.
The Temple Tax
  1. And when they came to Capernaum, the men collecting the two-drachmafnA “drachma” is an ancient Greek silver coin that weighed 4.3 grams, or 0.15 ounces. tax approached Peter and said: “Doesn’t your teacher pay the two-drachma tax?”
  2. He says: “Yes.”  And having gone into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying: “What do you think Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take taxes or tribute?  From their sons or from strangers?”
  3. And Peter said: “From the strangers.” Jesus was saying to him: “Then the sons are free.”
  4. “But, so that we don’t offend them, having gone to the sea, cast a fishhook and pick up the fish that comes up first.  And having opened its mouth, you’ll find a statérfn“statér”, an Greek coin worth four drachma. worth four drachma.  Having taken that coin, give it to them for Me and you. “

 

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