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NASB | Proverbs 8:22 ¶ "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Proverbs 8:22 ¶ "The LORD created and possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old [were accomplished]. |
Subject: Proverbs 8 Wisdom Equals Jesus |
Bible Note: Hi, Ray! Part 1 of 2 When I write about God (inclusive of the Holy Trinity) all adjective pronouns have a Divine significance for me. Wisdom, as the Holy Spirit, is capitalized in this manner. In my mind, the wisdom that comes from God is far superior than worldly wisdom; yet, Wisdom, in reference to God or as a Divine attribute or pronoun will be capitalized by me to denote honor and to render veneration. The various translations of the Holy Scriptures have been disseminating a generous amount of variety (enhancement of grammar, meanings, transliterations, various formats for emphasizing Divinity through capitalization or color coding, retrospection to include our Lord’s name in Messianic passages (no I am not referring to Paul’s revelation that the rock that followed the Israelites was Jesus), or even the effort to homogenize the Scriptures so that all religious cultures can read one text without being offended by “other people’s” terminologies and names for God), most of which is due to our diligence in being “better than the rest” or sidestepping the original translations of the Holy Scriptures. Jesus announced that there would come a time when true worshippers would worship in spirit and in truth. That time was when He introduced the Kingdom of Heaven onto the world! Our worship is not of things nor buildings, nor books. Our worship is in the Spirit of Christ: the Spirit of God: the Holy Spirit! When we thus serve God, we please Him. Some of us, as I do, will see a connection with God and all the words that define Him (the Holy Trinity) and will seek to emphasize this feeling, this belief, in capitalizing either the first letter or the whole word (God is GOD). Others may find significance in capitalizing only certain words, and at that only the first letter of those particular words--they too are offering God tribute and honor! But I caution, that there are those who seek to limit the Holy Spirit as a spirit (function) of God; they liken it to an executable order given by the CEO of an enterprise. Their main concern is to divest God of His existence as the Holy Trinity. Yet, when we read the fullness of the Scriptures we find Jesus and the Apostles referring to the Holy Spirit as God or as equal, in terms of Divinity, with the Father. And though we may also find Jesus speaking about God being a spirit--could Jesus have meant that God was one of many spirits? There is only one Spirit: the Spirit of Christ: the Spirit of God: the Holy Spirit. Since it is He, the Holy Spirit, who makes all things happen in Christ Jesus, I choose to emphasize all words/adjectives that represent Him! Now, I am not disputing the fact that there are Biblical passages that call Jesus the Wisdom of God… just as those, there are others that talk about being or working in the power of the Holy Spirit--does that mean that there are two “Powers” of God? Absolutely not! When I say that the Holy Spirit is the Wisdom of God I take my cue from Christ Himself: but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. (John 14:26) When the Paraclete comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. (John 15:26) Still, I am telling you the truth: it is for your own good that I am going, because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. …However, when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking of his own accord, but will say only what he has been told; and he will reveal to you the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine. (John 16:7-15) Jesus established the Church, spiritually, when He renamed Simon Cephas (Matthew 16:17-18; John 1:42), but the Church did not gain corporeal existence until after His Ascension (Acts 1:2). The promise of the Holy Spirit would be revealed in signs and power. It will be He who will teach and guide the Church (Acts: 1:8; 2:4, 38-39; 4:31-33; 7:55; 9:17-23; 10:44-46; 13:9-10; 19:6; 20:28) It was the Holy Spirit who instructed the saints (prophets) to reveal God’s Plan. Not only that, but it was He who guided the minds of those who would transmit the word of God to the world : 1 Peter 1:10-12 This salvation was the subject of the search and investigation of the prophets who spoke of the grace you were to receive, searching out the time and circumstances for which the Spirit of Christ, bearing witness in them, was revealing the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that it was for your sake and not their own that |