69 million page views

Preincarnate messiahs (not), prophesies and the clueless West

Reader comment on item: The West Lacks a Plan
in response to reader comment: Proper Deciphering and Its Keys

Submitted by Michael S. (United States), Sep 20, 2014 at 04:23

Hi, Tovey

I think I have answered this, only dealing with some points.

You mentioned the "preincarnate Messiah". This is an extrapollation in meaning of the KJV mis-translation of

John 8:
[57] Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
[58] Jesus said unto them, Verily,verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

But note,

Yahshua then resumed the context of his initial conversation by saying, "Before Abraham was, I am the 'coming' one." "was" is from the Greek "ginomai" meaning, "to come into being, to be born,... to arise." In the Greek, the tense of the word is NOT pure "past" tense. It is 2 Aorist, middle voice, infinitive, meaning past tense action without any indication that the act was completed. What Yahshua actually said 'literally' was, "Before Abraham "comes" to be born, I am he. In other words, before Abraham comes to be born (at his resurrection into eternal life), I am he, (the "coming" one)."
-- http://assemblyoftrueisrael.com/Documents/I_AM.htm

What Jesus did here, was to emphasize that our important "birth" event is not when our parents give birth to us on earth, but when we enter into glory, into God's presence, with Jesus as our forerunner and OLDER brother. This is why it says,

1 Cor. 15:
[20] But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
[21] For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
[22] For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
[23] But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
[24] Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
[25] For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
[26] The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
[27] For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
[28] And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

The issue, after all, was not whether Jesus had existed as the "preincarnate Messiah" (which he didn't say), but whether he was GREATER than Abraham. He said that he was indeed greater -- but not by his temporary, mortal humanity (in which case, Abraham was clearly greater) -- but by his eternal station in the Kingdom.

I didn't deal with this in my previous post, because this sort of thing usually ends in pointless shouting matches. I cannot shout here (nor do I want to), and Daniel does not want me to shout. Perhaps I could even convince you concerning the scriptures; but even if not, let's try not to rehash these things. As Paul said,

Rom. 14:
[1] Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

You went on to say,

This was the dilemma of the rulers of the Judean province of Pilate's time; they could not recognize who Messiah was for they did not keep the heart of the law, only its legalistics.

The part, about hypocrisy in keeping the law, is a charge that is leveled even today, against ALL religious people, of all religions that have a code of conduct. I personally do not think this is why the religious leaders rejected Jesus. I believe those super-ego snobs rejected Jesus, for the same reason that Police Commissioner Ronald Burkitt did not like Police Superintendent Albert Tyburn, in "Heat of the Sun", namely,

"because you're not one of us and you never will be!!"

Jesus was low-born, and not the disciple of any well-known Torah scholar; yet he claimed to know things about God that they didn't. That's enough to lead most vain men to murder.

Mark 15:[9] But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?[10] For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

I know this all sounds rather base; but that's what we all are: rather base. The wonder is, that God even pays attention to us.

Meanwhile, the West still has no coherent strategy in Iraq and Syria. Obama is trying to get Americans, Frenchmen and Brits to put their sons and daughters at risk for a far-away, confusing cause; and they rightly are not buying into it. I expect Turkey to move into the vacuum, as prophesied in Ezekiel 38.

Dislike
Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

Reader comments (45) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
IRAQ IS THE NEW VIETNAM [1983 words]Ameer Labeeb HassanNov 5, 2014 03:47219175
Seems Iran and Turkey Have Been Helping Putin Behind The Scenes Establish Economic Order [103 words]Lujack SkylarkSep 25, 2014 23:22218236
Possible Scenario [70 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Barry BlackSep 14, 2014 16:45217878
1A challenge for Dr. Pipes [462 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Winston C.Sep 13, 2014 23:22217855
Islam vs Islamism? [69 words]Winston C.Sep 15, 2014 12:04217855
How about Islamoidalismishitousness? [75 words]Michael S.Sep 22, 2014 21:29217855
The camel's nose [111 words]Robert OdeanSep 8, 2014 10:17217656
DANIEL, YOU ARE WRONG! [147 words]BBSep 8, 2014 08:42217654
the Great Controller [329 words]Michael S.Sep 8, 2014 20:46217654
Is a passage missing? [3 words]Michael GreenspanSep 8, 2014 05:13217650
I Don't Put It Across Hammas to Kill their own Babies for Propaganda [62 words]Rex CrouchSep 8, 2014 00:28217645
Did Hamas kill Palestinian children by using them to build tunnels? [4 words]Neville BarnesSep 11, 2014 06:16217645
ARAB CULTURE and let's not forget the U.S. involvement [145 words]Susan KSep 7, 2014 20:27217644
Very good indeed !! [215 words]Tenton Nelson HortonSep 7, 2014 19:51217643
The true face of Recep Tayyip Erdogan [40 words]Andreas MertensSep 7, 2014 11:54217640
Looting [40 words]Ron KSep 7, 2014 09:26217638
The West Lacks a Plan..... [7 words]Koose E MackSep 5, 2014 18:53217618
5I beg to differ on one statement [222 words]There is NO Santa ClausAug 29, 2014 08:37217489
1Obama's Foreign Non-policy: a siren call to regional actors [326 words]Michael S.Sep 1, 2014 04:44217489
The West and Its Sleeping Giant [427 words]M. ToveyAug 26, 2014 14:20217436
Israel can't defeat Ai. Not won't -- CAN'T [497 words]Michael SAug 26, 2014 11:01217431
Zephaniah 2:4-5 [55 words]Tom SkylarkSep 1, 2014 01:45217431
1That prophecy was fulfilled 2700 years ago [429 words]Michael S.Sep 3, 2014 21:24217431
You are wrong, Israel chose a strategic victory than a demagogic one. [90 words]bbSep 8, 2014 08:51217431
BIG WORRIES in ISRAEL - not self-confident. [83 words]Susan KSep 8, 2014 13:19217431
Israel is extremely weak. [220 words]Michael S.Sep 8, 2014 18:14217431
Israel and Egypt together could not beat tiny HAMAS [226 words]Michael S.Sep 8, 2014 18:26217431
Day of the LORD Typically End Time Reference - Gaza's Not Done Yet. [383 words]M. ToveySep 10, 2014 17:02217431
How to decipher end-times prophecies. [334 words]Michael S.Sep 15, 2014 02:34217431
Proper Deciphering and Its Keys [606 words]M. ToveySep 17, 2014 16:12217431
Clueless Western leaders and Ezek 38 [1456 words]Michael S.Sep 19, 2014 05:19217431
Preincarnate messiahs (not), prophesies and the clueless West [807 words]Michael S.Sep 20, 2014 04:23217431
No evacuation is called for [181 words]Michael sAug 12, 2015 14:12217431
2Why on earth would Egypt take on that hot potato? [39 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PezDispenserAug 26, 2014 05:25217423
Until Turkey attacks Israel, Egypt will probably continue to be helpless -- no help in Gaza [261 words]Michael S.Sep 4, 2014 14:13217423
Completely disagree with your article [116 words]WiserJul 15, 2015 21:56217423
It's a matter of scale [190 words]Michael SJul 16, 2015 13:39217423
Talking with deep knowledge [210 words]MarkJul 21, 2015 09:34217423
Betting on Egypt [414 words]Michael SAug 1, 2015 21:34217423
Read through the future [387 words]MarkAug 15, 2015 10:41217423
A sure way for Egypt to turn around [893 words]Michael SAug 18, 2015 17:21217423
your comment [891 words]MarkSep 4, 2015 23:41217423
Isaiah 19, and a sick Egypt [1543 words]Michael SSep 7, 2015 17:46217423
More fuel for the fire [76 words]David W. LincolnAug 25, 2014 17:57217412
Iran must still be stopped; the treaty makes the military option inevitable. Daesh is a strategic ally of Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia. [315 words]MIchael SAug 8, 2015 16:16217412

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)