R
robinriley
Guest
do not let anyone judge you about Gods Holy convocations,
but the body of Christ, the Rock
(Robin)
Rah! Rah! Go Team Go! ... simple, but a bit boring
do not let anyone judge you about Gods Holy convocations,
but the body of Christ, the Rock
(Robin)
Sorry ... Prove-all ... I'd delete this testy post, if the system would allow me, but you just rubbed my fur (you apparently like cats, big cats) ... rubbed my fur the wrong way...if that was your intention, you did well, yougot the "response" you were looking for, but if you were just being "yourself," then I humbly apologise, you have every right to voice your opinion ... it just struck me as rather shallow. That is, you've every right to swim in the waters that suit you, they just dont suit me ... we're different, that's the way God makes us. Bottom line, dear "Prove it" ... I spoke out of frustration, was rude and mean spirited, and I'm sorry.
Now then, do you want to engage in a real converstation ... That is, what do ...YOU... not the peanut galllery... think abpit these specific verses?
For one thing, it's interesting to delve a little deeper ... I mean, afterall, this is God talking to us, thru Paul, these are "God breathed" words, so why just skip over things, to the end of the book, so to speak, to find out that the butler did it?
. . .
Because it's interesting, there's a wealth of little gems to be found in the details ... would you have preferred, then, that Paul should have just condensed the whold of chapter two into just a paragraph ... perhaps this whole letter, into just a sentence or two? That would certainly have saved ...you ... some time and effort, now, wouldn't it have!
Why does everyone want to rush through, so ... rush to get all those damn words out of the way, so they can talk about their obvioulsy more interesting conclusions and ... systematic theology ... why must every post just jump where someone starts blathering about Judaizers and/ or reality and shadows? That is, there's a place and time, elsewhere, for such discussions ... although for some of you, it seems it's all the time, every place ... but why not just slow down and enjoy, savor the words, the individual living words of God, after all, He did pick each and every one for some specific purpose, and then He breathed life into each and every one, just for us.
(Robin)
Yes, Psychomom, I have read the the book of Hebrews; I've even put enough effort into this to have compiled a "rough draft" translation of it, directly from the Byzantine Greek source texts ...
And yes, I am aware of systematic theology; where one rationally formulates their beliefs via a systematic method ... very logical, especially that of comparing all related scriptures in order to come to well thought out religious conclusions concerning particular issues.
So now, Psychomom, this supposely being a discussion forum... have you actually read my post(s) on this particular issue, because I've yet to see any return replies (discussion) about the particular issue I'm attempting to discuss ...
That is, Psychomom, the attemted subject at hand is simply, what exactly do these 27 Greek words of Paul's say?
Not the book of Hebrews, or which sect one should or shouldn't be a participant in ...
Not even what new moons are all about, and how they relate to certain yearly festivals and such...
That is, Psychomom, this discussion was just aimed at a simple reading of what Paul says in 27 words or less ...
This forum site has an interesting feature ... over to the side, on one of it's views, it lists other discussion threads that relate. I'd not noticed it at first, but did finally, and took the time to read over the many different postings, on a number of these discussion threads concerning Colossians 2:16-17 (some threads broaden the range of verses , a little). There's a lot of interesting stuff there, but the one thing that becomes blindingly clear is that not a single thread managed to put any effort into simply talking about the specific verses. That is, everyone posting had some related, but other agenda to advocate, and so any actual discussion of the verses, themselves, got lost in the shuffle ... or better said, scuffle.
So then, Psychomom, here's the challange ... have you "read" verses 2:16-17?
Wow!(Robin)
............................... Next, we all know that Paul talks funny, is just a bit wordy, and is forever providing additions details in
parenthetical aside statement ... .......................................
(p-rehbein)
My response:
Ok, but when I read the entire Chapter, I don't really have a problem understanding verses 16 and 17.
Does this help?
(Robin)
I'm not sure "how" you might think that this response is helpful ... it's not a discussion, is it?
That you've read the entire chapter ... perhaps the whole book ... and now haven't any problems understanding these two verses, tells me nothing at all about what it is, exactly, that you are understanding? I see that you are a "senior member" on
this forum, with over 13K posts ... were they all as short and uninformative as these?
You'd like to parse simple scripture to death.(Phil112)
.............................................
(Phil112)
...Which are a shadow of things to come ...
(Robin)
Just to clarify, it appears that we are both in agreement, Paul is, indeed, telling us that the following items are this shadow:
...in a consuming, or in a drinking, or in a part of festival or of new-moon, or of sabbaths...
Now then, Phil ... take your time, ponder on it ... these are "things" right? A plurality of things.(Phil112)
...Which are a shadow of things to come ...
(Robin)
OK! We're makng progress together ... and Paul then goes on to say that these things are a shadow ... right?
(Phil112)
...Which are a shadow of things to come ...
(Robin)
Best conversation yet, on this forum ... well done Phil.
That is, these things, a plurality of things (said things being the aformentioned holy rituals) are a singular shadow ...
.......................................
Jesus made that truth become reality by fulfilling it. Accordingly, the apostle Paul wrote: “Let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ.”—Colossians 2:16, 17.
(Robin)
So many versions add a verb to the end of Col 2:17, apparently attempting to equate Christ with something said previously; these same translations always seem to be wrestling with the conjunction "de" or "yet" ... perhaps this is why they add the verb. However after spending some time and effort looking more closely at these two verses, I'm beginning to think that the problem isn't as difficult as some would make it; that is. First of all, it occured to me that we are not, necessarily, locked into having to seeing these as two different verses (which is something that has editorially been imposed). Next, we all know that Paul talks funny, is just a bit wordy, and is forever providing additions details in
parenthetical aside statement ... not that we don't need, or gain from such additional details, but they do, at times, make it a bit difficult to sort his sentences out. And then, there's that problematic conjunction "de," which causes some of us grammar headaches ...
I think I might have a couple ideas that could resolve the questions ... apparently doctrinal questions ...
but first let's look at simply the parsing and declinations of these two verses as a whole (sans the editorially added verse break):
Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ἐν βρώσει ἢ ἐν πόσει, ἢ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς ἢ νουμηνίας ἢ σαββάτων·
mE oun tis humas krinetO en brOsei E en posei E en merei heortEs E noumEnias E sabbatOn
no[t] {3361 PRT-N} therefore {3767 CONJ} any [one] {5100 X-NSM} to you {1473 P-2AP} be him judging {2919 V-PAM-3S} in {1722 PREP} unto a consuming {1035 N-DSF} or {2228 PRT} in {1722 PREP} unto a drinking {4213 N-DSF} or {2228 PRT} in {1722 PREP} unto a part {3313 N-DSN} of a festival {1859 N-GSF} or {2228 PRT} of a new-moon {3561 N-GSF} or {2228 PRT} of sabbaths/ of weeks {4521 N-GPN}
ἅ ἐστιν σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων, τὸ δὲ σῶμα χριστοῦ.
ha estin skia tOn mellontOn to de sOma tou christou
which [things] {3739 R-NPN} it be {1510 V-PAI-3S} a shadow {4639 N-NSF} of the [things] {3588 T-GPN} of about-being {3195 V-PAP-GPN} the [thing] {3588 T-NSN} yet {1161 CONJ} a body {4983 N-NSN} of Anointed/ of Christ {5547 N-GSM}
You don't have to agree, necessarily, with my actualtranslation of words (we could discuss this later),
but the parsing/declination is accurate ... also, the above reading is based on that found in the "Byzantine Textform 2005," by M. Robinson and W. Pierpont (and yes, there are two variations in verse 16, and another one in verse 17, but neither of these directly relate to the point I'm going to attempt to make about how these verses should be read).
Now then, about Paul's tendency to add the parenthetical aside statements ... we have one of those situations, here, in verse 17 ...
..."(which [things] a shadow it be of the [things] YET about-being)" ...
Notice that I've included the conjuction "de" or "yet" within this parenthetical aside, rather than attempting to use is in relationship with the last few words of the verse; that is,
instead making any awkward attempts to apply it to ..."the body of Christ" ...I've simply moved it's application forward in the syntax, so that it is now applicable to the preceading time reference ... "of the things YET about being" ... which is, you must surely admit, a rather logical reading, and place to apply the word.
Now this parenthetical aside, additional information provided us by Paul, is directly applicable to the preceading things mentioned ...
..."in a consuming, or in a drinking, or in a part of festival or of new-moon, or of sabbaths" ...
That is, these above mentioned ...things... are a shadow of yet coming ("about-being") ...things... and I put the emphasis upon this, these plural "things," because although they be also noted as being a singular "shadow," they are still a shadow of coming plural "things" ... that is,they are not, here, being talked to as a shadow of the singular Christ, but rather a shadow of future things or events or happenings (all plural things). Admittedly, they do, indeed, have to do with Christ future coming again, but THEy do not specifically
equate to the singular Christ.
Now, I'd like to add my own aside ... notice, here, that my compilation of these Greek words provide a reading of each and every word, something that a number of translations dont do ... specifically, the word "merei," the dative singular neuter noun "unto a part" {Strongs# 3313 N-DSN} ... "in a part of festival or new moon" ...
Why Paul gets this detailed, I'm not exactly sure, but here's my best guess ... that is, these "things" represent or shadow futher aspects of Christ's coming kingdom; however, it's also clear that what some of these past festivals (holy days) represent, have already come to be ... Passover being the most obvious ... the Lamb of God has already been sacrificed. Hence, I'm thinking, that Paul just wanted to be most accurate in his reference to these things; that is, they shadow or are types, but not all of them are coming, becasue the reality of some have already happened.
Now then, the opening statement of verse 16 ..."Therefore, to you no[t] any [one] be him judging"
is, I'm thinking, just about as clear as Paul can make it ...DONT ALLOW FOR ANYONE TO BE JUDGING YOU ...
And then, he goes on to specifically talk to some rituals, the observance of, or non-observance of
that we are being warned against our allowing anyone to be judging us by ...
..."Therefore, to you no[t] any [one] be him judging ....in a consuming, or in a drinking, or in a part of festival or of new-moon, or of sabbaths" ...
If this were all that Paul had said; had he have kept it short, and not added verse 2:17, there surely wouldn't be any subsequent doctrinal arguements ...
(silly Robin, there will always be doctrinal arguments), but you surely must agree that just the above verse 2:17, alone, is a rather plain and clear statement ... right?
So then, back to verse 2:17, most of which is that parenthetical aside ... the problem arises with the last few words, and how they relate back to what's previosly said.
Again, if we deal with the conjunction "de" and simply apply it to where is easy fits, and makes good sense, a good part of the difficulty with these last few words goes away ...
Also, if we dont take it upon ourselves to add verbs to these, God's words ...
for instance ...."the body [IS] Christ" ... or the very worst. most criminally misleading ..."the reality belongs to Chrst" (NWT 2013) ...
That is, if we SIMPLY read the words that Paul and God give to us ... "the body of Christ" ... then you have a unique phrase of Paul's, that he uses throughout his epistles;
a phrase of term that has a very definite meaning, established by a mutitude of differnt context applications; that is, WE believers, are The Body of Christ ... Notice, if you will,
that the following two verses (2:18-19) most clearly are talking to the Body of Christ, and Christ the Head of this Body, and further warns us to avoide being judged or ruled agains by those who would have us being subjected to rituals ... That is, verses 2:16-19 very clearly have the Body of Christ in mind, whereas, such readings as that found in the NWT, which it has NO other scriptural precident; has mistraslated one word and added two others; and only make some modicum of sense if you're already in agreement with their doctrines. Sorry, I digress, but sometimes such blatantly doctrinally driven mistranslations make me itch!
Anyway, moving right along, I'd originally mentioned that the editorially imposed verse division between 2:16 and 2:17 shouldn't really dictate how we read what Paul originally says ...And the reason I'm suggesting this, is that that seemingly random phrase at the end of verse 17, wouldn't be such a "tag-on" statement, if these two verses weren't separated. Again, a good many translation wrestle with this last phrase by adding verbs, and grammatically struggling with the conjunction "de" ("yet"), because they are hesitant to play with the syntax (word order) becasue of this artificial separation. That is, to make some sense of this "tag-on" phrase, they resort ot equating it with the "shadow" ...
they add a verb and end up say something to the effect ... "the body or reality of the shadow is Christ" ...
So then, let's ignore this verse division ... let's also mentally summarize those specific things that we're not be be judged by ... those things he, himself summarily call "rituals" in the following verse 2:19 ... let's also, mentally put aside, just for the moment Paul's aside, which further explains that these rituals are a shadow of things to come ...
And so, what would that leave us ...
"Therefore, to you no[t] any [one] be him judging ...in rituals ... the Body of Christ"
or even more succinct
...DON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO JUDGE YOU, THE BODY OF CHRIST ....
but your translation is not a translation at all it is a manipulation. "to de soma means" ... 'but the body'. It is a recognised Greek construction showing a new clause. you really can't move de backwards when it is clearly implanted between the definite article and the noun the definite article is in conjunction with. you are using incorrect amateur 'greek'.
incidentally the verb to be is regularly omitted and assumes in such constructions. it is common in koine Greek
τὸ δὲ σῶμα χριστοῦ.
to de sOma tou christou
yet {1161 CONJ} a body {4983 N-NSN} of Anointed/ of Christ {5547 N-GSM}
(Robin)
I'm unaware of such a rule ... got a source reference that I check up on this with?
I'll adjust my reading ...concerning the placement of the conjunction ... when I confirm your point.
'one of the most commonly used Greek particles used to connect one clause with another when it is felt that there is some contrast between them, though the contrast is often scarcely discernible. Most common translations: BUT when a contrast is clearly implied, AND when a simple connective is required, without contrast; frequently it cannot be translated at all (Bauer Arndt and Gingrich - Greek English Lexicon)
it is almost always placed second in the clause, thus in this case coming between the definite article and its noun.