Ephesians 2, CJB: Is salvation by The God? Are there antinomians?

Ephesians 2, CJB: Is salvation by The God? Are there antinomians?

Guide: CJB New Testament emphasis in bold (CJB online) or Old Testament OJB text I emphasize in green; NIV in magenta; OJB in olive. footnotes to CJB in superscript sky blue and OJB; Nomads* discussion in yellow; and my comments in gray. I may use endnotes to cite outside literature or extensive comment.  

*Participative Sunday-school-class at UBC led by Kenny Tipton. Kenny appreciates opinion in a continuous search for the ineluctable truth. My evolving statement about Genesis 1:26-28,31, now from OJB, is at the end of this post. Also, this report is the first after I discovered Psalm 82, OJB, which in my view affirms that because I accept Genesis 1’s directive to constrain chaos in my way of living I am a god facing death. I will post this under a new label, Genesis-1’s Psalm 82.

Chief concerns and possible insights re Ephesians 2:

1.      Of all the New Testament writers, Paul is the one I most distrust, all the while, claiming that I do not know the ineluctable truth.

a.      Paul was not authentic enough to want to aid a woman for life.

b.     Paul never considered Genesis 1:26-28, 31 as appreciation to The God.

2.       Who can accept “a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do” as a personal intention? Being gods facing death (Psalm 82, OJB), we cannot choose passivity – must oppose “wickedness”.

3.      There are textual problems between CJB and NIV and between CJB and OJB.

4.      There are too many “Gods” invoked in the text.

What Paul’s text seems to say:

V1   Anyone who does not pursue and practice good behavior is dead but may reform.

V3 Sex is a major distraction.

V4 But the Messiah redeemed us by God’s mercy, love, and grace.

V8 Even your trust and commitment is God’s gift.

V10 Since we are Messiah Yeshua’s group, our life of good actions is not our intention. I do not accept this idea: I choose good behavior, because I oppose wickedness.

V12 The uncircumcised, before the Messiah, were without Israel’s God.

V13-V16 The Semitic-speaking people who left Ur to resist killing humans for blood for god worship nevertheless believed that blood was necessary for atonement, so killed animals and birds. Israel continued the belief until Rome destroyed the Second Temple in CE 70, after which Israel turned to obedience, continually discovered. Belief in a Messiah hung on a stake is not attractive to me, and that belief has increased the world’s division, these 2025 years later. Paul’s “single new humanity” is a dream, I think unattainable through blood sacrifice, whether by worship or by war.

V17 CJB slights its own footnote:  Isaiah 57:19, NIV slights both OJB and CJB, which claim to those nearby “I will heal him”.

V19 Messiah, one Spirit, and the Father may leap to “Trinity”.

V20-22 After “Messiah” why “the Lord” then “for God”?

 

The CJB text follows, with comments:

^2:1 You used to be dead because of your sins and acts of disobedience transgressions and sins. ² You walked in the ways of the ‘olam hazeh this world and obeyed the Ruler of the Powers of the Air, who is still at work among the disobedient. ³ Indeed, we all once lived this way — we followed the passions of our old nature flesh and obeyed the wishes of our old nature desires and our own thoughts. In our natural condition we were headed for deserving of God’s wrath, just like everyone else.

⁴ But God is so rich in mercy and loves us with such intense love ⁵ that, even when we were dead because of our acts of disobedience, he brought us to life along with the Messiah Christ — it is by grace that you have been delivered. ⁶ That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua Christ Jesus and seated us with him in heaven, ⁷ in order to exhibit in the ages to come how infinitely rich is his grace, how great is his kindness toward us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. ⁸ For you have been delivered by grace through trusting faith, and even this is not your accomplishment but God’s gift. ⁹ You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. [If a person cannot boast about choices in life, how can they imagine effecting a good afterdeath?] ¹⁰ For we are of God’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do. [Let’s all be passive and let Paul’s plan play out! Not me: I trust Yeshua’s influence to necessary goodness, not Paul the boastful “self-appointed apostle to the pagans”.]

¹¹ Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth — called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised (which is done in the body by human hands) — ¹² at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God in the world. [Paul via NIV suggests Israel was/could limit God’s access to humankind: not possible.]

¹³ But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood. ¹⁴ For he himself is our shalom peace— he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah barrier which divided us ¹⁵ by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances regulations. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, ¹⁶ and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake the cross as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity hostility. [So far, Pauline Christianity increased division rather than aided “a single new humanity”.]

¹⁷ Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby I will heal him,^{[Isaiah 57:19, “ I create the [repentant] fruit of the lips; Shalom, shalom to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith Hashem; and I will heal him.”]}  [Notice the V17 disagreement with its own footnote. Both OJB and CJB at Isaiah 57:19 say about the circumcised “I will heal him”.  NIV lumps circumcised and uncircumcised together.]
 ¹⁸ news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. [The Trinity.]

¹⁹ So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s family household. ²⁰ You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. ²¹ In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. ²² Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God! [In light of the trinity in V 18, why “the Lord” in V 21 and “for God” in V 22?]

[Genesis 1:26-28, 31 OJB:

I read to consider and apply perhaps 5500 year old Sumerian political philosophy, religiously referenced by Semite (pre-Israel) scribes of 3900 years ago, in Genesis 1:26-28, 31, in my paraphrase and extension to law:  

Female-and-male-human-being may and can choose to practice the power, the authority, and the responsibility to pursue necessary goodness and constrain wickedness on earth. Civic citizens may and can use the rule of law to develop statutory justice. And that is good. 

Political and religious philosopher Yeshua affirmed Genesis 1:26-28, 31, contributing ideas in each Matthew 18:18 (no peace-power above humankind), Matthew 19:3-8 (mutual spousal-loyalty), Matthew 5:48 (in good behavior, pursue personal perfection, which also affirms Deuteronomy 18:13), Matthew 19:4-6 (don’t divide/lessen goodness), John 10:34 (non-wicked humans are gods -- facing death, as in Psalm 82:1-7), and in other direct dialogue, such as “go and sin no more”. Psalm 82 says nothing about resurrection.

Discussion

I think Genesis 1:26-28, 31 informs humankind to flourish in necessary goodness rather than accommodate badness and allow evil. Quoting OJB below,

And G-d said, Let Us make man in Our tzelem, after Our demut: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon ha’aretz (the earth).

So G-d created humankind in His own tzelem, in the tzelem Elohim (image of G-d) created He him; zachar (male) and nekevah (female) created He them.

And G-d blessed them, and G-d said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. See note, below.

Accepting the power, the authority, and the responsibility to rule on earth is human being (verb). Reliable human-beings choose necessary goodness to actual reality. The God judges the goodness in V 31:

And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was tov me’od (very good).

Note: OJB uses “Elohim” in Genesis 1 and 2, excepting “G-d” in 1:24-31. V 27 seems to equate the two entities. Septuagint uses “ὁ θεὸς”, or God throughout Genesis 1. I use “The God, or whatever constrains human choice”, hoping to express humility to whatever The God is.

Since monotheism is a human construct, I use the phrase, “The God, whatever it may be”, to express objection to any doctrinal God yet reserve humility to ineluctable evidence and remaining unknowns about what constrains the consequences of human choices.]

Mark 2, Luke 5 blood sacrifice? Choose good behavior to pursue the good

Mark 2, Luke 5 blood sacrifice? Choose good behavior to pursue the good

Guide: CJB New Testament emphasis in bold (CJB online) or Old Testament OJB, text I emphasize in green; NIV in magenta; footnotes to CJB in superscript sky blue and OJB; Nomads* discussion in yellow; and my comments in gray. I may use endnotes to cite outside literature or extensive comment.  

*Participative Sunday-school-class at UBC led by Kenny Tipton. Kenny appreciates opinion in a continuous search for the ineluctable truth. My evolving statement about Genesis 1:26-28,31, now from OJB, is at the end of this post.

During announcements, Phil commented that Louisiana is a non DEI state (in a non-DEI nation) and that UBC church has some non DEI members. DEI’s time may have passed.

Note: Rev. Eric Fulcher, on June 30, influenced us to read the Bible intending to understand the view of life on earth held during the writer’s era, beginning with Noah’s perception that more than his land had flooded. By accepting that past perceptions were in error, we, the living generation may and can act and collaborate for good behavior in our time for ourselves and for our children and grandchildren.

In appreciation, Kenny created a one-time discussion of related NT debate about humankind using old perceptions to consider new choices. In usual depth, Nomads, happily joined by some from David’s class, explored Mark (Chapter 2: 18-22) and Luke (Chapter 5: 33-39).

Chief concerns and possible insights:

1.     I think the use of metaphors to cryptically express abstract thoughts informs us that the writer is unknowing, so cannot speak ineluctably.

a.      Much as Noah thought the entire globe had flooded, first century writers assumed 25th century readers would comprehend the use of wineskins.

b.     I trust neither Paul nor Mark nor Luke as witnesses and commit to Yeshua’s influence to good behavior

2.     5500 years ago, in Genesis 1:26-28, 31, humankind was informed that we have the power, authority, and responsibility to develop good behavior on earth.

a.      3900 years ago, a Semite tribe fled Ur to escape human sacrifice but continued blood sacrifice as a covenant with their tribal God

b.     3700 years ago, a faction, Israel codified blood sacrifice to redeem sins.

c.      2600 years ago, prophets thought a king would emerge to unite the 12 tribes of Israel.

d.     2000 years ago, Yeshua the Aramaic Nazarene was born a Jew

                                                             i.      He wrote no literature; writers could construct without dispute.

                                                           ii.      Jews say Yeshua chose 11 disciples and a betrayer

                                                        iii.      In 33 CE, religious and political enemies executed Yeshua

                                                         iv.      15 years later, Paul wrote letters that created Christ, whose blood redeems not Jews, but afterdeath beings, souls, chosen by the Father to believe Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

                                                           v.      Peter created a similar Christ but with the flexibility to improve the blood doctrine beyond the Bible – develop Church tradition.

                                                         vi.      Apostles Yeshua had chosen attempted to further his Church, but Yeshua himself said they miss-understood “heaven is here”.

1.     I know of no recent resurrection of the dead.

3.     Has group or institution chosen to accept all the opinion-development listed above, in order to go back to 5500 year old good behavior using Yeshua’s 2000 year old reliable suggestions reported in the Bible?

a.      I discovered Yeshua through Nomads class and think participants may and can easily develop Yeshua’s Church.

b.     I think UBC has always pursued good behavior and applying an old friend’s ideas is easy, the old friend being Yeshua, the person born in Nazareth 2000 years ago.

4.     Without Eric’s sermon, Kenneth’s lesson, and the Nomads discussion, including Russell’s legacy, I could not have written this Biblical review.

What the Bible seems to say:

V 18. Fasting, whether spontaneous of ceremonial, expresses humility to The God – whatever constrains the consequences of human choice.

·        It seems John’s disciples did not accept Yeshua as the Messiah. Jews expected a king to unite the 12 tribes. The 12 apostles Yeshua chose never understood the recorded cryptic lessons. Paul, self-appointed champion of non-Jews projected Yeshua’s life onto Jewish literature, grounded in blood sacrifice to atone for sins. The consequence is Paul’s churches, which repress Yeshua’s church. Peter’s churches compete with Paul’s churches and there are other competitors among Christianity’s 45,000 sects in 2025. Yeshua did not write. But his message: pursue perfectly good behavior is available to every newborn person.

·        Luke wrote in Acts 19:1-7, about conversion of John-disciples 10 years after Yeshua was executed: “. . . at Ephesus, where he found a few talmidim. He asked them, “Did you receive the Ruach HaKodesh when you came to trust?” “No,” they said . . . “into what were you immersed?” “The immersion of Yochanan,” they answered. Sha’ul said, “Yochanan practiced an immersion in connection with turning from sin to God; but [Yochanan] told the people to put their trust in the one who would come after him, that is, in Yeshua.” On hearing this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Yeshua;  and when Sha’ul placed his hands on them, the Ruach HaKodesh came upon them; so that they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. In all, there were about twelve of these men.” [I do not believe the spirit of The God requires Paul’s hands and limits Yeshua’s influence: not then, and not now.]

V 19. According to the writer, Yeshua implied that he is the Messiah the Jews await.

V 20. After blood and body sacrifice (“time come”) Yeshua’s disciples will fast.

V 21-22. The cloth and wineskin metaphors imply that it is nearly impossible to enlighten erroneous disciples: only open listeners can easily comprehend the light. Acts 19 affirms that there are listeners.

Luke 5:39 invites interpretation of “wine: as ideas and “wineskins” as persons (V 38). The analogy does not apply to me at age 79, thanks to personal curiosity created by Nomads-class discussions, perceiving that I have been in the reliable influence of Yeshua since childhood deliberations to make choices. Yeshua is a 2000 year old entity, I think discoverable by looking for the necessary good represented as his in the Bible, and essential to us on applying his influence in our time to us and our posterity. I think miracle works and blood sacrifice are 1600 year old debates against 3700 year old prophecy, in order to ignore challenging 5500 year-old political philosophy:  Humankind is empowered, authorized, and responsible to pursue necessary goodness on earth. Each person may and can personally pursue good behavior.

That completes my study of another wonderful Nomads discussion created and led by Kenny in appreciation of Eric’s sermon.

Mark 2 CJB Text follows:

^2:1 After a while, Yeshua returned to K’far-Nachum. The word spread that he was back, ² and so many people gathered around the house that there was no longer any room, not even in front of the door. While he was preaching the message to them, ³ four men came to him carrying a paralyzed man. ⁴ They could not get near Yeshua because of the crowd, so they stripped the roof over the place where he was, made an opening, and lowered the stretcher with the paralytic lying on it. ⁵ Seeing their trust, Yeshua said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Some Torah-teachers sitting there thought to themselves, ⁷ “How can this fellow say such a thing? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?” ⁸ But immediately Yeshua, perceiving in his spirit what they were thinking, said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Which is easier to say to the paralyzed man? ‘Your sins are forgiven’? or ‘Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk’? ¹⁰ But look! I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” He then said to the paralytic, ¹¹ “I say to you: get up, pick up your stretcher and go home!” ¹² In front of everyone the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and left. They were all utterly amazed and praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

¹³ Yeshua went out again by the lake. All the crowd came to him, and he began teaching them. ¹⁴ As he passed on from there, he saw Levi Ben-Halfai sitting in his tax-collection booth and said to him, “Follow me!” And he got up and followed him.

¹⁵ As Yeshua was in Levi’s house eating, many tax-collectors and sinners were sitting with Yeshua and his talmidim, for there were many of them among his followers. ¹⁶ When the Torah-teachers and the P’rushim saw that he was eating with sinners and tax-collectors, they said to his talmidim, “Why does he eat with tax-collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ But, hearing the question, Yeshua answered them, “The ones who need a doctor aren’t the healthy but the sick. I didn’t come to call the ‘righteous’ but sinners!”

¹⁸ Also Yochanan’s talmidim and the P’rushim were fasting; and they came and asked Yeshua, “Why is it that Yochanan’s talmidim and the talmidim of the P’rushim fast, but your talmidim don’t fast?” ¹⁹ Yeshua answered them, “Can wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is out of the question. ²⁰ But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them; and when that day comes, they will fast. ²¹ No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old coat; if he does, the new patch tears away from the old cloth and leaves a worse hole. ²² And no one puts new wine in old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is for freshly prepared wineskins.” Note: Luke 5 has about the same story and adds, V39  Besides that, after drinking old wine, people don’t want new; because they say, ‘The old is good enough.’”

²³ One Shabbat Yeshua was passing through some wheat fields; and as they went along, his talmidim began picking heads of grain. ²⁴ The P’rushim said to him, “Look! Why are they violating Shabbat?” ²⁵ He said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and those with him were hungry and needed food? ²⁶ He entered the House of God when Evyatar was cohen gadol and ate the Bread of the Presence,” — which is forbidden for anyone to eat but the cohanim — “and even gave some to his companions.” ²⁷ Then he said to them, “Shabbat was made for mankind, not mankind for Shabbat; ²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.”

CJB Luke 5 follows:

^5:1 One day, as Yeshua was standing on the shore of Lake Kinneret, with the people pressing in around him in order to hear the word of God, ² he noticed two boats pulled up on the beach, left there by the fishermen, who were cleaning their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Shim‘on, and asked him to put out a little way from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Shim‘on, “Put out into deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ Shim‘on answered, “We’ve worked hard all night long, Rabbi, and haven’t caught a thing! But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” ⁶ They did this and took in so many fish that their nets began to tear. ⁷ So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both boats to the point of sinking. ⁸ When he saw this, Shim‘on Kefa fell at Yeshua’s knees and said, “Get away from me, sir, because I’m a sinner!” ⁹ For astonishment had seized him and everyone with him at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and likewise both Ya‘akov and Yochanan, Shim‘on’s partners. “Don’t be frightened,” Yeshua said to Shim‘on, “from now on you will be catching men — alive!” ¹¹ And as soon as they had beached their boats, they left everything behind and followed him.

¹² Once, when Yeshua was in one of the towns, there came a man completely covered with tzara‘at. On seeing Yeshua, he fell on his face and begged him, “Sir, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” ¹³ Yeshua reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing! Be cleansed!” Immediately the tzara‘at left him. ¹⁴ Then Yeshua warned him not to tell anyone. “Instead, as a testimony to the people, go straight to the cohen and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moshe commanded.” ¹⁵ But the news about Yeshua kept spreading all the more, so that huge crowds would gather to listen and be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶ However, he made a practice of withdrawing to remote places in order to pray.

¹⁷ One day when Yeshua was teaching, there were P’rushim and Torah-teachers present who had come from various villages in the Galil and Y’hudah, also from Yerushalayim; and the power of Adonai the Lord was with him to heal the sick. ¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. They wanted to bring him inside and lay him in front of Yeshua, ¹⁹ but they couldn’t find a way to get him in because of the crowd. So they went up onto the roof and lowered him on his mattress through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, right in front of Yeshua. ²⁰ When Yeshua saw their trust, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” ²¹ The Torah-teachers and the P’rushim began thinking, “Who is this fellow that speaks such blasphemies? Who can forgive sin except God?” ²² But Yeshua, knowing what they were thinking, answered, “Why are you turning over such thoughts in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier to say? ‘Your sins are forgiven you’? or ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ But look! I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” He then said to the paralytic, “I say to you: get up, pick up your mattress and go home!” ²⁵ Immediately, in front of everyone, he stood up, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home praising God. ²⁶ Amazement seized them all, and they made a b’rakhah to God; they were awestruck, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

²⁷ Later Yeshua went out and saw a tax-collector named Levi sitting in his tax-collection booth; and he said to him, “Follow me!” ²⁸ He got up, left everything and followed him.

²⁹ Levi gave a banquet at his house in Yeshua’s honor, and there was a large group of tax-collectors and others at the table with them. ³⁰ The P’rushim and their Torah-teachers protested indignantly against his talmidim, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax-collectors and sinners?” ³¹ It was Yeshua who answered them: “The ones who need a doctor aren’t the healthy but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the ‘righteous,’ but rather to call sinners to turn to God from their sins.”

³³ Next they said to him, “Yochanan’s talmidim are always fasting and davvening, and likewise the talmidim of the P’rushim; but yours go on eating and drinking.” ³⁴ Yeshua said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is still with them? ³⁵ The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; and when that time comes, they will fast.” ³⁶ Then he gave them an illustration: “No one tears a piece from a new coat and puts it on an old one; if he does, not only will the new one continue to rip, but the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ Also, no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins too will be ruined. ³⁸ On the contrary, new wine must be put into freshly prepared wineskins. ³⁹ Besides that, after drinking old wine, people don’t want new; because they say, ‘The old is good enough.’”

[Genesis 1:26-28, 31 OJB:

I read to consider and apply perhaps 5500 year old Sumerian political philosophy, religiously referenced by Semite (pre-Israel) scribes of 3900 years ago, in Genesis 1:26-28, in my paraphrase and extension to law:  

Female-and-male-human-being may and can choose to practice the power, authority, and responsibility to pursue necessary goodness and constrain wickedness on earth. Civic citizens may and can use the rule of law to develop statutory justice. 

Political and religious philosopher Yeshua affirmed Genesis 1:26-28, 31, contributing ideas in each Matthew 18:18 (no peace-power above humankind), Matthew 19:3-8 (mutual spousal-loyalty), Matthew 5:48 (in good behavior, pursue personal perfection, which also affirms Deuteronomy 18:13), 19:4-6 (don’t divide/lessen goodness), John 10:34 (non-wicked humans are gods -- facing death, as in Psalm 82:1-7), and in other direct dialogue, such as “go and sin no more”. Psalm 82 says nothing about resurrection.

Discussion

I think Genesis 1:26-28, 31 informs humankind to flourish in necessary goodness rather than accommodate badness and allow evil. Quoting OJB below,

And G-d said, Let Us make man in Our tzelem, after Our demut: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon ha’aretz (the earth).

So G-d created humankind in His own tzelem, in the tzelem Elohim (image of G-d) created He him; zachar (male) and nekevah (female) created He them.

And G-d blessed them, and G-d said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. See note, below.

Accepting the power, authority, and responsibility to rule on earth is human being (verb). Reliable human-beings choose necessary goodness to actual reality. The God affirms the goodness in V 31:

And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was tov me’od (very good).

Note: OJB uses “Elohim” in Genesis 1 and 2, excepting “G-d” in 1:24-31. V 27 seems to equate the two entities. Septuagint uses “ὁ θεὸς”, or God throughout Genesis 1. I use “The God, or whatever constrains human choice”, hoping to express humility.

Since monotheism is a human construct, I use the phrase, “The God, whatever it may be”, to express objection to any doctrinal God yet reserve humility to ineluctable evidence and remaining unknowns about what constrains the consequences of human choices.]

 

Psalm 82 humans may and can be gods facing death, by constraining the wicked

Guide: Old Testament OJB (Orthodox Jewish Bible), text I emphasize in green; NIV in magenta; footnotes to OJB in superscript sky blue; discussion in yellow; and my comments in gray. 

 Chief concerns and possible insights, updated on 8/10/2025:

1.     This OJB chapter of Psalm seems problematic to both CJB and NIV regarding gods facing death (my interpretation). See comments at V1.

What the text seems to say:

1.     V 1 Addresses Elohim vs elohim with note to V6.

2.     Classifies humans as wicked (V2) then (V3) poor and orphans; afflicted and needy. NIV interprets “needy” as “oppressed”

a.      V 4 blames the wicked

b.     I perceive plea, yet no relief from the wicked – no urge to civic citizens

3.     V5 the elohim (humankind) neither know nor understand and the earth is shaken.

a.      V6 elohim are of The God.

b.     V7 but elohim will die like any man and one of the rulers.

c.      It follows that if elohim will provide relief, they must constrain the wicked.

4.     V8 may be the musician’s plea for reform to every nation on earth.

a.      The change back to “E” may admit that the musician is addressing the Doctrinal God of Israel and urging Elohim to control other peoples.

b.     NIV uses “God” in V1 but then in “O God” expresses doubt in The God’s awareness. I think it is arrogant for a writer to doubt The God’s opinion, whatever it is.

My interpretation:

1.     I think Psalm 82 suggests that Homo sapiens are gods facing death.

2.     Everyone who allows poverty, orphans, affliction such as ignorance, and oppression is wicked.

3.     However, humankind does not accept these responsibilities.

4.     The musician begs The God to take charge.

5.     The text suggests neither resurrection nor reincarnation.

6.     I do not think the slights by each NIV and CJB are innocent.

a.      They are the products of divinity school competition.

b.     Divinity schools may and can reform, in order to promote

                                                             i.      Homo sapiens’s responsibility to necessary goodness rather than to “what we believe”.

                                                           ii.      Embracing duty rather than freedom and liberty.

7.     I think Psalm 82 laments humankind’s failure to develop Genesis 1’s commission: pursue necessary goodness on earth.

a.      Justice applies to every person and every nation.

b.     Only when humankind accepts individual and collaborative responsibility for justice can the wicked on earth by constrained.

c.      The United States Constitution proffers a society that pursues good behavior.

                                                             i.      When most US citizens are civic, civil, and intend good behavior, other nations may and can develop similar controls of the wicked.

                                                           ii.      The necessary good is not always known, so the US Constitution, through amendment pursues statutory justice “to ourselves and our Posterity”, where “Posterity” includes legal immigrants.

 

Pslam 82, Orthodox Jewish Bible 

^1:1(Mizmor of Asaph. [master musician]) Elohim standeth in the Adat El; He judgeth among the elohim [See Ps 82:6 and Yn 10:34 [CJB: Yeshua answered them, “Isn’t it written in your Torah, ‘I have said, “You people are Elohim’ ”? NIV: Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’ CJB (1998) uses capital “E” and NIV (1973 omits death.)]].

² Ad mosai (How long) will ye judge unjustly, and show partiality to the resha’im wicked? Selah.

³ Defend the poor weak and yatom (fatherless); do justice to the oni (afflicted) and needy oppressed.

⁴ Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the yad resha’im hand of the wicked.

⁵ “The ‘gods’They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in choshech darkness; all the foundations of ha’aretz the earth are shaken.

⁶ I have said, elohim ye are; and all of you are Bnei HaElyon sons of the Most High.

⁷ But ye shall die like adam mere mortals, and fall like one of the sarim (princes) ruler.

⁸ Arise, Elohim O God, judge ha’aretz the earth; for Thou shalt inherit kol HaGoyim.

CJB V 8: Rise up, Elohim, and judge the earth; for all the nations are yours.

 

Psalm 82, NIV

A psalm of Asaph.

¹ God presides in the great assembly;
    he renders judgment among the “gods”:

² “How long will you^[a] defend the unjust
    and show partiality to the wicked?^[b]
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;
    uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
⁴ Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

⁵ “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.
    They walk about in darkness;
    all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

⁶ “I said, ‘You are “gods”;
    you are all sons of the Most High.’
⁷ But you will die like mere mortals;
    you will fall like every other ruler.”

⁸ Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
    for all the nations are your inheritance.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
2. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

[Genesis 1:26-28, 31 OJB:

I read to consider and apply perhaps 5500 year old Sumerian political philosophy, religiously referenced by Semite (pre-Israel) scribes of 3900 years ago, in Genesis 1:26-28, in my paraphrase:  

Female-and-male-human-being may and can choose to practice the power, authority, and responsibility to pursue necessary goodness and constrain evil on earth. Civic citizens may and can use the rule of law to develop statutory justice. 

Political and religious philosopher Yeshua the Nazarene affirmed Genesis 1:26-28, 31, contributing ideas in each Matthew 18:18 (no peace-power above humankind), Matthew 19:3-8 (mutual spousal loyalty), Matthew 5:48 (pursue your personal perfection, which also affirms Deuteronomy 18:13), 19:4-6 (don’t divide/lessen goodness), John 10:34 (non-evil humans are gods -- facing death, as in Psalm 82:1,6-7), and in other direct dialogue, such as “go and sin no more”. Psalm 82 says nothing about resurrection.

Discussion

I think Genesis 1:26-28 informs humankind to flourish in necessary goodness rather than accommodate badness and allow evil. Quoting OJB below,

And G-d said, Let Us make man in Our tzelem, after Our demut: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon ha’aretz (the earth).

So G-d created humankind in His own tzelem, in the tzelem Elohim (image of G-d) created He him; zachar (male) and nekevah (female) created He them.

And G-d blessed them, and G-d said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. See note, below.

Accepting the power, authority, and responsibility to rule on earth is human being (verb). Reliable human-beings choose necessary goodness to actual reality. The God affirms the goodness in V 31:

And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was tov me’od (very good).

Note: OJB uses “Elohim” in Genesis 1 and 2, excepting “G-d” in 1:24-31. V 27 seems to equate the two entities. Septuagint uses “ὁ θεὸς”, or God throughout Genesis 1. I use “The God, or whatever constrains human choice”, hoping to express humility; maybe I should change to “the god” to avoid the claim that worship and praise much less sacrifice are required.

Since monotheism is a human construct, I suggest the phrase, “the god, whatever it may be”, to express objection to any doctrinal God yet reserve humility to ineluctable evidence and remaining unknowns about what constrains human choices.]