One suggestion for reconciling these two ideas is that the future temple would be for the mortal population, rather than those who believed in Christ and have been raised immortal. For these people the new temple would serve as a learning experience, just as the old temple was a learning experience for the Israelites. The old temple is described as being symbolic of the true realities (see Heb 9:1-10). The sin offerings did not take away the sins of the people but were a reminder of sin (Heb 10:3). So, it is suggested, in the future temple there will be sacrifices to teach people about sin, until such time as they are ready to accept the truth in Christ.

This is being said, not everyone thinks that Ezekiel 40-48 predicts that there will be a future temple in the Kingdom age. One alternative view is that the temple described is actually symbolic of something else – it is not referring to a literal temple but is referring to something else in a symbolic way. However, it is not immediately clear what the symbols are intended to refer to. Another view is that Ezekiel 40-48 describes what the temple should have been like after the return from exile and that this prophecy went unfulfilled. Those who rebuilt the temple at the time of Haggai and Zechariah simply failed to live up to the intentions for the reconstructed temple that Ezekiel describes. If this is the case then we should not expect there to be a physical temple (with sacrifices) in the Kingdom age.

Perhaps you are thinking of Herod, who was an Idumean (also known as an Edomite). Because he was Idumean, he was not allowed in the temple he financed, whereas Annas and Caiaphas were the leading officials in the temple.

Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas. Annas’s five sons also all served terms as high priests. This is probably the background to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

Caiaphas was also known as Joseph son of Caiaphas, and his ossuary (bone box) was discovered in 1990.

Ossuary of Joseph son of Caiaphas

Young women are to love their husbands and children, be self-controlled, kind and pure. Once again no one imagines that it is ok for people other than young women to not love their spouse and children, and not to be self-controlled, and not be kind, and to be impure. Young women are also told that they were to work at home and to be submissive to their husbands. Then as now, it was common for young mothers to have responsibilities looking after young children. They were to do these duties conscientiously as should any modern woman who is at home. Often modern women not only work at home but also go out to paid employment; this may not always be because of choice but because of financial pressures. If a mother is motivated by concern for her family rather than selfishness then no more could be asked of her. The same principles apply to fathers of course. It is not ok for a father to be selfish but not a mother.

The only instruction for women from the apostle Paul in this chapter that might confront us is the instruction to be “submissive to their husbands”. This seems to go against 21^st century cultural values. Once again there is no corresponding command for husbands to be overbearing. I can see no alternative than that Paul actually means what he says; a wife should be submissive to her husband. However this cannot mean that she must follow him if he calls her to wickedness any more than the instruction to slaves to submit to their masters would require the slave (or in modern terms, the employee) to, for example, commit fraud if instructed to. But nor does the instruction mean nothing at all.

The detailed reasons for submission of the wife are not given in Titus 2 although in Ephesians 5 the same subject is addressed in more detail.

Ephesians 5:22-30  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  (23)  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  (24)  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.  (25)  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,  (26)  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  (27)  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.  (28)  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  (29)  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,  (30)  because we are members of his body.

The last we see of Joseph is in Luke 2 when Jesus was 12 years old.

Luke 2:41-42  Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.  (42)  And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.

Early in Jesus’s ministry Mary and Jesus’s brothers are referred to, but without any mention of Joseph, suggesting that Mary was a widow.

John 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

When Jesus was crucified he appointed the disciple John to take her to his home, suggesting that Joseph was not alive.

John 19:26-27  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”  (27)  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

So, although the Bible doesn’t tell us directly about what happened to Joseph, it seems likely that he died relatively early on in Jesus’ life.

The consensus seems to say that it is sin that continues in the knowledge of the sin.  Eventually God gives up.  I think I disagree.  The passage seems to be referring to something more specific.  I think it may be denial of God.  What do you think?

I think in many cases, the sin that leads to death, is denial of God. The explanation to a particular verse is often found in the same chapter or surrounding chapters. If you look at the next verse to the one you have quoted, we see that everyone born of God, does not make a practice of sinning.  So, although those born of God will sin through weakness, their desire is to not sin.

Going back a few verses in the same chapter, we read that those who have life are those who have Jesus.  Those who don’t have Jesus don’t have life.   The reason we have life if we have Jesus, is because we live for and serve God and Jesus and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sin. We believe God, and therefore obey him, like Abraham (Romans 4:7).  Those who don’t believe what God says, effectively deny his existence.  As John 5:10 says:

Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.

When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Opinions diverge as how to interpret this passage. The key issue is whether “harm” refers to a wound to the woman or a wound to the child. One reading would imply that only harm to the woman was punishable. The other reading would imply that harm to the child was punishable like-for-like with harm to an adult (“life for life”).

However the fact that abortion is not explicitly referred to in the Bible does not mean that abortion was acceptable. The Bible explicitly forbids killing another human being because all human beings are created in the image of God (Gen 9:6). This commandment against murder is repeated throughouth the New Testament (cf. Luke 18:20; James 2:11). So the significant question is whether God considers an unborn child to be a human being created in the image of God. If so then the commands against killing would apply as much to the born as to the unborn child.

There are several passages in the Bible that speak of God’s view of the unborn child. To Jeremiah God says:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations (Jer 1:5)

Perhaps most explicit are the words of the psalmist:

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:13-16)

These passages seem to give a clear message that in the eyes of God the unborn child is a human person, and if that is God’s view of the unborn child then we should treat that child with the same moral values we apply to all other human beings.

The pro-life position is not a uniquely Christian position. It rests on two propositions: (1) that life begins at conception, and (2) that all human beings possess moral worth (and therefore should not be killed). The first of these propositions is a scientific fact and, we have seen, is also how God regards human life. The second of these propositions is widely held across almost all systems of morality, and is the clear teaching of scripture. Taken together these two propositions mean that abortion is wrong.

Now an Israelite woman’s son, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the people of Israel. And the Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel fought in the camp, and the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the Name, and cursed. Then they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. And they put him in custody, till the will of the Lord should be clear to them. (Lev 24:10-12)

Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death (1 Sam 2:22-25)

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. (Isa 53:10)

For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother. (Mark 3:35)

If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (John 7:17)

When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:12-14)

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. (Rom 1:9-10)

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Rom 8:27)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2)

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. (Rom 15:30-32)

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes (1 Cor 1:1)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia (2 Cor 1:1)

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (2 Cor 8:1-5)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:1)

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Eph 5:17)

not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart (Eph 6:6)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother (Col 1:1)

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. (Eph 4:12)

For this is the will of God, your sanctification (1 Thes 4:3)

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thes 5:18)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 1:1)

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (Heb 10:36)

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (1 Pet 2:15)

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (1 Pet 3:17)

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (1 Pet 4:1-2)

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Pet 4:19)

And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:17)

For one thing, the King James Version of the Bible has its own history of revision.¹ For example, changes were made to the text in 1769 (the changes were mostly based on Estienne’s 1550 Greek New Testament), as well as an updating to modern (for that time) spelling and correction of printers’ errors. Another example of change is that modern versions of the KJV generally don’t include the Apocrypha, whereas the old KJV did. So, it is not true to say that the KJV is unchanged. Over the years the KJV has changed. The KJV most use today is not the same as the one produced back in 1611.

That is a historic problem with the idea that the KJV is the ‘the only true, unchanged version of the Bible’ — it has changed. But there are also theological problems with the idea. For example, in Acts 2 God sanctions (to say the least) translation of his word. The disciples were delivering God’s word in many different languages of the world, so that all of the people present could understand them in their own languages (Acts 2:1-11). The people who are receiving the word exclaim:

…we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! [Acts 2:11]

The reason for this is that God loves the whole world (John 3:16) and his desire is for his message to go out into all the earth and for it to be understood by all people (Mat. 28:19; cf. Ps. 19:1-6). To say that the KJV is the only true, unchanged version of the Bible is to truncate, handcuff, cripple God’s love and his desire for all people to know him. Of course, some translations of the Bible are inaccurate in places (the KJV included [see below]), but the principle of translation, and translation so that people can understand God’s word better, is sanctioned by God.²

Ironically, the people who produced the KJV would agree with this against people who think the KJV is the only proper version of the Bible; the people who produced the KJV would agree with the need for continued translation and revision so that the Bible is understandable for people in their usual language. In their preface to their KJV they wrote that the Bible should be translated into the language common to the people who read it, and they castigated people who wouldn’t do such. They also saw the need for a ‘variety of Translations’ when the meaning of the original Greek or Hebrew was unclear.³

In addition to this, the idea that the KJV is the only true, unchanged version of the Bible is a very Anglocentric idea and, in that, a very tribal idea, which, in turn, turns God into a small, limited, tribal god. In reality, though, God is God of the whole world (Gen. 1). He is the God of old English as much as he is the God of modern English; he is the God of American English, Australian English, Indian English, etc., as much as he is the God of KJV English; he is the God of any English as much as he is the God of Hindi, Ao, Indonesian, etc.

There is also the problem that the KJV is often not very accurate in its translation. At the admission of the people who produced the KJV themselves, they used a variety of words to render the same Hebrew and Greek words,³ which sometimes could minimize accuracy and original intertextuality. A few examples of inaccuracies of translation in the KJV are:

• Acts 19:37: ‘robbers of churches’ (anachronistic: churches didn’t exist at the time; inaccurate: ‘temple’ would be far better)
• Acts 12:4: ‘Easter’ (inaccurate: ‘Passover’ is the accurate translation)
• Rom. 3:4,6,31; 6:2,15; 7:7,13; 9:14; 11:1,11; 1 Cor. 6:15; Gal. 2:17; 3:21; 6:14: ‘God forbid’ (inaccurate: the word ‘God’ is not in the Greek. A better translation is ‘May it never be!”)
• Gen. 12:6: ‘plain of Moreh’ (inaccurate: ‘plain’ should be ‘oak’)

In conclusion, the KJV is simply not the ‘only true, unchanged version of the Bible’. That idea goes against the intentions of the people who originally produced the KJV and, worse than that, against the intentions of the God of the whole world who wants all people to come to know him and is happy to communicate to them in their own language.

See also

‘Which Bible version should I use?‘

Further reading

J. Burke, Examine your Bible (a comparison of the KJV and the NET Bible)

Notes

1. See Michael D. Marlowe’s brief overview: Changes in the King James Version (accessed 09/04/13)

2. Also see the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 14:1-25.

3. See the preface here.

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

As unbeautiful as it might sound, though, the context the verse is in is about processes of discipline within the church:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. {16} But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. {17} If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. {18} Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. {19} Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. {20} For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

The ‘two or three’ mentioned in v20 are the same two or three mentioned in v16: if someone who has sinned against you does not listen to you when you meet up with them to try to sort the issue out, then take one or two others with you, ‘that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses’. The process being described is one which, if someone is unrepentant, leads to them being treated by the church as ‘a Gentile and a tax collector’ (v17) — i.e., someone outside of the church. This might sound harsh to our ears today, but in Matthew 18 Jesus is giving his approval to the process: he is with this process (‘there I am among them’), if it’s done in the right way.

It’s worth noting, though, that when a member of the church becomes ‘as a Gentile and a tax collector’, then the appropriate response to them is to try to reach out to them again, to try to bring them back into the church, just as Jesus reached out to the tax collectors and sinners (Mat. 9:9-13). The goal of the process described in Matthew 18:15-20 is restoration of the person who becomes as a Gentile or tax collector.

Paul has some very similar words to say on this in his letters to the Corinthians. In the first letter, he writes:

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife….{4} When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, {5} you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. [1 Cor. 5:1,4-5]

Notice the similarities with Matthew 18:

• ‘When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus’ = ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name’
• ‘with the power of our Lord Jesus’ = ‘there am I among them’
• ‘you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord’ = ’let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector’

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes:

Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure — not to put it too severely — to all of you. {6} For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, {7} so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. {8} So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. {9} For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. {10} Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ [2 Cor. 2:5-10]