We of course, if we are followers of Yeshua Hamashiach, can never repay the LORD, and Yeshua, for what has been done for us!
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, in short, Paul concludes his addressing the problem of the Corinthians continuing to indulge themselves physically, as they had done as the pagans they were, before being led to Mashiach through the efforts of their Jewish brother Paul (and those who helped him).
Their physical body, in short, is no longer theirs to do with however they like. Why? In short, in 1 Corinthians 6:20 one’s body has been bought/purchased. Paul puts this first for emphasis. In short, Hamashiach Yeshua paid the price!
We would be remiss if we did not quickly point out an extremely “key” point, that while unfortunately is not evidenced in translation, is very striking in Paul’s KG (Koine “Common” Greek). This is why all our teaching is taken directly and only from the original languages!
Paul is no modern-day Greek-Latin-English-based Westerner, addressing his letters to followers individualistically. In short, in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we see an extremely “key” example of his Hebrew heart and his drawing from his trainings as a “P’rush”, “Separate One”, “Pharisee”. Despite what Christians are very incorrectly taught about Paul, Paul never became the “ex-Hebrew, ex-Jew, ex-Pharisee” he is portrayed as. Regarding Pharisee, please cf. Acts 23:6. In short, Luke’s KG rendering emphasizes “Pharisee”. Luke’s KG is literally “I (a) Pharisee am” (KG eimi, present tense).
To return, in short Paul speaks of the body singular of you-plural in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Paul does not say the body of you-singular, as though again, he addresses them individually. Rather he totally Hebraically and as the Pharisees did based on parts of the Hebrew Bible – speaks of the Corinthians’ wholeness-oneness.
They collectively are one body! Again, Paul’s KG is the body-singular of you-plural. This is the first – but not the last time (!) – Paul addresses his audience in KG this way. Very quickly, the whole notion of the Corinthians being many members – one body in Mashiach in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, is totally Hebrew Scripture – Hebrew P’rushim (“Pharisees”) based. Greek as we repeatedly repeat, is separation and compartmentalization oriented. No Greek-minded writer would have written of the Body!
Some scholars think Paul draws from pagan mystery cults as his basis for the Body. There is absolutely no evidence that Paul – God forbid (!) – would have done so. To have done so would be extremely problematic.
In short, both the LORD throughout the Torah and through the Prophets, and Yeshua to his fellow Jews (cf. Mt. 5:46-48, 6:7-8, 6:31-33, Lk 12:29-32, v. 30; cf. Mk. 10:42-43), makes it clear – do not draw from the pagans! You collectively cannot “be and do” as the Gentiles/Nations! Cf. Rev. 2-3 where Yeshua does an admonishing rebuke (!) to seven assemblies of Gentile followers, who have taken in or practice as followers of Yeshua, the understanding and practice of the pagans. (Rev. 2:9 and 3:9 in context are addressed to the first “wannabes”; Christians who “wannabe” Jews.)
As we say in About You And Us, we are not here to tell you “what you must think” but rather, to enable you to better think for yourself.
Many Christians unfortunately are racked with angst about “tithing and giving”. We hope we give you relief from any angst you may have, in our teaching on Tithing (please see under T in the General Topics A-Z window).
Many unfortunately who also feel the need or who feel they can no longer continue in the Religious System have difficulty leaving, because they feel they are somehow “obligated” to the “System.”
Others, who love the LORD and with the best intentions, simply believe they have or “must” have an obligation to the Religious System or a local Building. This “obligation” is very, very, very much drilled in and as one brother put, “baked in” to followers. This is through – either subtly or directly – in one form or another, instilling, infusing, and inculcating into one, that their financial and moral obligation is “to the System, to the “denomination” or “to this Building”.
Is that though, the actual Biblical model? The following is a list of all the uses in various forms of the KG words for obligation. In short, obligation includes both a financial obligation/debt or a moral-ethical obligation.
I (Jacob) have done the Scriptural legwork for you by listing all the uses of all forms of obligation–ought to–debt, from a KG concordance. This is the most accurate way to examine word use; from either a Hebrew or Greek concordance.
You are now encouraged – and in the position – to examine for yourself; to whom and where – are you obligated? You can now go through every use of obligation and determine for yourself if what you hear is in line with the actual Scriptural uses in the RCS (“Renewed Covenant Scriptures”; a much more accurate name than “New Testament”, as we explain in our teaching).
Equipped with this, you can now determine for yourself, what is your actual Biblically-based obligation?
A couple of “key” notes:
This list is only the KG of the RCS; nothing of the Gentile’s blessing or obligation to the Jew in the Hebrew Bible is listed here. For that, please see our essay A Missing Key – Not Just “Israel” – But The Jews. It is available in the General Topics A-Z under I – Israel.
The following KG verses regarding obligation call for particular attention!
One is Rom. 15:27; Paul in KG uses two different forms of obligation; one material, one moral and ethical, when it comes to what Gentiles are obligated to the Jewish brothers (in context, in Israel) for. In short, cf. Rom. 15:25-28 and its larger context, of Paul’s five-year effort in raising a collection from the Gentile Brothers to their Jewish Brothers. Chronologically cf. Gal. 2:10, 1 Cor. 16:1-10, 2 Cor. 8-9, Rom. 15:25-28; cf. Acts 24:17-18.
One should ask themself, “Do I see somewhere the same financial and moral-ethical obligation, when it comes to the Gentile Religious System?” “Do I find this used with any Gentile-to-Gentile enterprise?” “Do I find obligation when it comes to the Jewish brothers, also having an equal obligation materially to my Gentile brothers?”
“Is the KG word ekklesia, assembly (unfortunately dishonestly translated by “Church” or “church”) found or used with forms of obligation? In other words, if I actually have an “obligation” to the Religion System “denomination” or local building, where – exactly – do I see it?”
“Is my obligation to the Religious System Organization; or, to the members of the Body – both Jewish and Gentile brethren?”
In short: “What do I learn by examining all the uses of obligation”?
One other use of obligation should be pointed out; 3 Yochanon (“God is gracious”, John’s original Hebrew name) v.8, in the context of vss. 6-8.
In short it should be noted: that in verse 8 Yochanon’s KG is that of “ought to” to be “gathered together in fellowship workers be to the truth.” It is an obligation; Yochanon does not present it as “I hope you would do this” or “it would be nice”, but rather, as an obligation/ought to. This is in the context of the primarily Jewish brothers who have gone out for the sake of the name i.e., Yeshua – and in KG, have taken absolutely nothing whatsoever from the pagans. (KG ethvikos, “ethnikos”; pagans, heathens. Gentiles/Nations in KG is “ethnos”.) Cf. 3 Yochanon v. 7.
We should note – Yochanon writes that these (primarily Jewish) brothers should be sent out in a “manner worthy of God.” In other words, not hat in hand, begging for the crumbs that fall off the end of the table!
In short, the historical/timeframe context of 3 Yochanon should be noted. It is late 80’s or 93/94 1st century and is the last letter of Scripture. It is written 5 1/2 – 6 decades after Yeshua. As the last Letter, do we see the post-Biblical model of obligation here? Does Yochanon speak of it in short, organizationally or organically? Meaning, does Yochanon speak of the obligation in terms of one to an organization of some sort? Or is it organic, i.e., to the brothers who have gone out? Further, we should note Yochanon’s use of “emeis” a form of we at the beginning of 3 Yochanon 8; which he puts first for emphasis.
Not “you” – whether plural or singular – but we. Not ‘’they” are obligated, but we. Yochanon sees this Hebraically as “organic”, the brothers; not organizationally. “We therefore (are) obligated/ought to take up, support, show hospitality specifically referring to these (cf. vss. 6-7) in order that gathered together in fellowship workers (KG suvepgoi “sunergoi”) (we) be, specifically (referring) to the Truth.”
Again, 3 Yochanon is the last letter. In v.8 we find the last use of obligation. The Body has been expanding – praise God(!) for the last 5 ½ – 6 decades after Yeshua makes this possible.
What do you see? Do you see a post-Biblical model of obligation? Do you see an organic model i.e., one based on brothers? Which one do you see?
Where do you find the post-Biblical model in the RCS?
One other verse also calls for a quick note – Romans 13:8. In short, Romans very much has to do with the issue of Jew-Gentile in the Body, cf. most notably James Dunn in his highly regarded 2-volume commentary in the Word series. The historical-cultural motivation underlying Ruach Hakodesh (original Hebrew name of the Holy Spirit) inspiration, according to commentators. There always seems to be historical-cultural motivation underlying Ruach Hakodesh inspiration.
Romans is actually specifically about the problem that developed after the Jewish brothers, who had first brought the Good News to Rome, were booted out of Rome for the second time in two decades. (Cf. Acts 18:1-3, v.2).
In short, all Jews were booted out of Rome because according to Roman historical sources “they have set the city on fire over this man Christus.” The Jewish brothers – seen by the Romans as Jews not “Xristianos” “Christians” – return to Rome after 6 years. In short, the Gentile brothers, operating without the Jewish brothers who led them to Mashiach Yeshua, now think “we don’t need them; they now need us.”
Relations between the Jewish and Gentile brothers were strained. In short, Rom. 13 is a P’rush type excursus (“Separate Ones” “Pharisees”) by Paul in the midst of dealing with the concrete specifics of Jew-Gentile in Rom. 12, 14, 15. The universal – Big Picture Paul handles in Rom. 9-11. Paul demonstrates – again – an Hebraic approach. That is the universal – Rom. 9-11 – followed by concrete specifics – Rom. 12, 14, 15, regarding Jew-Gentile. Hebrew begins with the universal and moves to concrete specifics.
Rom. 13 is an excursus – something very common in P’rush – rabbinic writing – to answer the Roman Gentile brothers’ question, “Do we owe taxes to these pagan authorities?” Paul’s KG is stronger than English, in emphatically pointing out that everything is of God! The authorities – pagan as they are – are in place because of God – not somehow apart from God. Cf. especially Rom. 13:1!
Yes, you have to pay them, as authorities are in place because it is “upo Theou” “absolutely of God” Rom. 13:1. Paul very much emphasizes this because he speaks of this twice in two slightly different forms in Rom. 13:1. In Romans 13:8 Paul emphatically states by using not one but two forms of “not one (thing)” (“mndevi” “medeni” “mndev” “meden”) owe if not specifically referring to “back and forth love”. In other words: pay taxes but owe nothing except to love one another back and forth!
Paul’s KG opheilete “owe” is (according to an analytical lexicon) a form which means it is not a “hope”. Rather, “it’s imperative – do it right now in the present – and keep doing it“! (Present active imperative; something to be done now, actively do it – it is imperative.) We believe based on a KG grammar that it is present tense and when in the imperative form, repeatedly or continuously actively now (present tense) do it.
Paul very significantly in light of what is generally mistaught about the Torah, says that love – not “law” – is what fills full the Torah, at the end of Rom.13:8 for emphasis.
One might ask, “Wait a minute; doesn’t Rom. 13:8 mean we Gentiles then don’t owe the Jewish brothers, in Rom.15:27?” The key for understanding and applying Scripture properly – properly – is context, context, context! Rom.13:8 in the context of Rom. 13 deals with one thing. Paul does not want the Roman Gentiles owing taxes; if you are going to owe anything, let it be back and forth love. This is an obligation to keep repeatedly doing – it is imperative (!) says Paul.
Rom.15:27 needs to be seen in the context of Rom. 15:25-28. Paul sees himself as though he is on his way to Jerusalem – “right now” (KG vuvi “nuni” “right now”; rather than vuv “nun” “noon”; i.e. “now”).
Rom. 15:27 as part of 25-28 is part of the larger context of the five-year Collection from the Gentile Brothers to the Jewish Brothers especially in need in Jerusalem. In short Rom. 15:27 speaks of the Gentile brothers having received spiritually from the Jewish brother. Therefore, the Gentile is obligated morally, ethically and literally “fleshly”; materially. As we pointed out – significantly – Paul uses two different words for obligation in Rom. 15:27, in order to make the points clear to the Roman Gentile brothers!
In short Paul says this obligation is done not like saying “pay your taxes” but rather, that the obligation of the Gentile brothers is done as ministry. (KG leitoupgnsai “leitourgesai” a form of the word that is actually used to refer to the service done by the Levites at the Temple). Paul sees his ministry to the Gentiles like this; cf. Rom. 15:16!
In short also Paul saw the Collection as a way of reconciling Jew-Gentile. 2 Cor. 9:7 is – unfortunately – a very “key” example of taking Scripture out of or with no context. In short 2 Cor. 8-9 is about Paul trying to get the Corinthians to complete their voluntary contribution for the Jewish brothers. “Voluntary” means as 1 Cor. 16:1-4, that they could contribute whatever amount they wanted. Also, that Paul was not going to “lean” on the Corinthians to contribute.
2 Cor. 9:7 found on most giving envelopes in Traditional Buildings, in context has nothing whatsoever to do with giving to the local Building! In short: 2 Cor. 8:1-9:15 clearly shows that Paul speaks of the Collection – to the Jewish brother, not the local Gentile Building!
To conclude, it is said “good preaching comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.” The hope is to encourage and strengthen those torn about where their obligation is and to whom. Also, to “challenge” in the sense of helping the thinking follower to think about their understanding of where one’s obligation truly lies.
As I wrote in “About You And Us”, it is on me, Jacob 3:1 (not “James”; which hides his Jewish identity. KG “Iakobus” for the Hebrew “Ya’akov” “Jacob”) to be as accurate as possible in what is taught. What one does – or does not do – is up to them. The goal is to provide what hopefully honors God, honors Yeshua (Yochanon 5:22-23), and helps make more Mashiach-like followers, who are equipped by the Ruach Hakodesh to fill full the potential God gives us!
The goal is to help us all better think for ourselves and through that, live out a more Mashiach-like life together.
The definitions are basic not exhaustive and taken from various KG lexicons and surveys notably Frederick Danker’s The Concise Greek – English Lexicon of the New Testament, University of Chicago Press, 2009. Danker was one the foremost KG scholars of his time.
Concordance Used:
The Exhaustive Concordance to the Greek New Testament, Kohlenbergen III, Goodrick and Swanson, Zondervan 1995. United Bible Societies 4th Revised Edition (UBS 4), Greek text.
(There is currently now a UBS 5th Edition, but the differences overall are very relatively minor and do not materially affect the Concordance. There is no KJV Greek Text Concordance that we know of; if there were, for technical reason I would not have used it.)
Greek Text Used For Commentary/Explanation:
The Greek New Testament, 5th Revised Edition 2014 (i.e., UBS 5, United Bible Society 5th Edition), edited by B. Aland, K. Aland, J. Karavidopoulos, Martini, Metzger; 5th Revised Edition prepared by the Institute for New Testament Textual Research, 2014 Deutsche Bibelgeselschaft, Stuttgart.
(The United Bible Society 5th Edition is the most current Greek text and includes recent discoveries of ancient sources pertaining to the Greek RCS. The UBS (as it’s known for short) Text is geared for translators and underlies many scholarly works such as lexicons, analytical lexicons, and technical commentaries, i.e., those based directly on the Greek text, rather than English.)
Notes:
Obligation in The RCS – Financial and Moral/Ethical
Opheiletns (opheiletes) – debtor, under obligation interpersonally either to God or man
Mt. 6:12
Mt. 18:24
Lk. 13:4
Rom. 1:14
Rom. 8:12
Rom 15:27
Gal. 5:3
Opheiln (opheile) – debt/financial obligation
Mt. 18:32
Rom. 13:7
1 Cor. 7:3
Opheilnma (opheilema) – debt/financial obligation, moral failure in relationship to another
Mt. 6:12
Rom. 4:4
Opheilw (opheilo) – be under prescribed obligation, do one’s duty, under interpersonal obligation, i.e. “ought”
Mt. 18:28
Mt. 18:30
Mt. 18:34
Mt. 23:16
Mt. 23:18
Lk. 7:41
Lk. 11:4
Lk. 16:5
Lk. 16:7
Lk. 17:10
Yochanon 13:14
Yochanon 19:7
Acts 17:29
Rom. 13:8
Rom. 15:1
Rom. 15:27
1 Cor. 5:10
1 Cor. 7:36
1 Cor. 9:10
1 Cor. 11:7
1 Cor. 11:10
2 Cor. 12:11
2 Cor. 12:14
Eph. 5:28
2 Thess. 1:3
2 Thess. 2:13
Philemon v.18
Heb. 2:17
Heb. 5:3
Heb. 5:12
1 Yochanon 2:6
1 Yochanon 3:16
1 Yochanon 4:11
3 Yochanon v.8 – cf. in the context of vss. 6-7
We all have to give an account for our actions – or lack thereof; cf. 2 Cor. 5:10 etc.
I urge you as your Jewish brother – and who will particularly be held to stricter judgement for teaching – Jacob 3:1 – to please carefully consider what you have just read.
Please do your own “due diligence” and look up the verses above on obligation. See for yourself – where – and to whom – your obligation Biblically actually is…