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NASB | Matthew 7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 7:23 "And then I will declare to them publicly, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME [you are banished from My presence], YOU WHO ACT WICKEDLY [disregarding My commands].' [Ps 6:8] |
Subject: What is iniquity in Matthew 7:23? |
Bible Note: Hi Ed, Let me preface by paraphrasing 2 Peter 3:15-16, "As in all of Paul's letters, he states concepts that are hard to grasp if one is new to the faith and not familiar with the Old Testament, many misinterpret to there own ruin." There are 2 concepts that get confused when reading Paul's writings. There was the "law", the revealed instruction of YHWH and there was the oral "law" that the rabbis had determined. The burden was the "oral law". For instance, the rabbis were so zealous about keeping the Sabbath that they developed over 1,500 "fences". Fences are ways of ensuring that one did not come close to breaking a commandment. Example, rabbis teach that the Sabbath candles should be lit 18 minutes before sundown in order to avoid kindling a fire on the Sabbath. ***THESE MAN-MADE FENCES ARE THE BURDEN PAUL SPOKE OF***. Yes, Gentiles are given the basic instructions in Acts 15:20 ”abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.” However, in the next verse Paul states, “For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” In other words, we are not going to over-burden these “babes” but they will mature as they are exposed to more and more Torah instruction each week. No one expects a baby to be potty-trained at birth but after 10 years if he is still in diapers we have a problem. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) Paul taught Torah to the Gentile believers. I Corinthians 5:7-8 7 “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us KEEP THE FEAST, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Why is Paul telling Gentile converts to keep the Passover Feast? Are not the feasts done away with for Christians? I Corinthians 10:16 “The CUP OF BLESSING which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?” The cup of blessing is a toast in the Passover Seder meal. Corinth was a prosperous, immoral and pagan city whose Christian church was dominated by Gentile converts. How and why do these Gentile converts know about the Passover celebration if they are not to keep the feasts? The obvious answer is that as Paul stated in Acts 15:21; the Gentiles will adopt the rest of “the faith” as Moses is preached in all the synagogues every Sabbath (Saturday). Is not it strange that over the past 2,000 years this contradiction has not been address by the church? “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) Pretend for a moment that Torah was a requirement. What other word would connote "willfull disregard for Torah" other than "anomia" since its root is "nomos"? I pray you have ears that hear. Greg Boone |