Two Examples of Impiety in the New Testament
April 13, 2022
G.D.O'Bradovich III
Impiety-lacking in reverence or proper respect (as for God)
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster
introduction
Unless impiety is blatant, it is likely to be overlooked by the typical or unsuspecting reader. Inappropriate or “not suitable or proper in the circumstances”, while also subjective, is oftentimes easier to identify than impiety. An example of an inappropriate statement is found in Augustine’s “City of God”, where the reader learns that "harlots were called lupæ, she-wolves, from which their vile abodes are even yet called lupanaria" [Book 18, Chapter 21]. Let us be clear: learning the Roman nicknames of prostitutes is not applicable to either Christianity or Christian doctrine. The general reader does not expect to find inappropriate statements and immaterial segues in books that inculcate morals and morality, yet these utterances are found in both the Bible and the writings of the Church Fathers.
The writings assigned by tradition to the Church Fathers are irreverent, but not overtly irreligious, as obvious declarations of impiety and of atheism would be recognized upon the first reading and the work destroyed. In every book written under the name of a Church Father, statements abound that, when carefully considered, can be described either as inappropriate, for a supposed Christian book, or as blasphemous. These unbecoming statements guide the curious reader to seek, initially, additional examples of impiety to ensure that there is a pand, upon subsequent readings, lead the determined reader to the atheism that is the foundation of the writings of the Church Fathers.
The writings assigned by tradition to the Church Fathers are irreverent, but not overtly irreligious, as obvious declarations of impiety and of atheism would be recognized upon the first reading and the work destroyed. In every book written under the name of a Church Father, statements abound that, when carefully considered, can be described either as inappropriate, for a supposed Christian book, or as blasphemous. These unbecoming statements guide the curious reader to seek, initially, additional examples of impiety to ensure that there is a pand, upon subsequent readings, lead the determined reader to the atheism that is the foundation of the writings of the Church Fathers.
example the first
In the majority of occurrences of impiety found in either the Church Fathers or the Bible, no further description of the offensive comments is needed, other than “impious” or “inappropriate”. However, in examples of wordplay, sometimes “pun”, or “a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word”, can be applied and punning is the subject of the first example. Of course, puns are not communicated to all readers, but to the select few that have the necessary experiences to enjoy the wordplay.
And Jesus said unto him [the repentant thief], “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
Now in the place where he [Jesus] was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. John 19:41
There is nothing amiss in the quotes, either individually or taken together.
According to BlueLetterBible.com:
The KJV translates Strong's H1588 as: garden (42).
The KJV translates Strong's G3857 as: paradise (3).
From Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:
παράδεισος, παραδείσου, ὁ (thought by most to be of Persian origin, by others of Armenian…
1. among the Persians a grand enclosure or preserve, hunting-ground, park, shady and well-watered, in which wild animals were kept for the hunt; it was enclosed by walls and furnished with towers for the hunters.
2. universally, a garden, pleasure-ground; grove, park:
Both definitions of παράδεισος, agree that the meaning is a garden or grove. Therefore, when Jesus tells the repentant thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise”, it is not a theological teaching of the various merits of either Paradise or Heaven, but a statement of fact: Today, the thief is in a garden with Jesus.
And Jesus said unto him [the repentant thief], “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
Now in the place where he [Jesus] was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. John 19:41
There is nothing amiss in the quotes, either individually or taken together.
According to BlueLetterBible.com:
The KJV translates Strong's H1588 as: garden (42).
The KJV translates Strong's G3857 as: paradise (3).
From Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:
παράδεισος, παραδείσου, ὁ (thought by most to be of Persian origin, by others of Armenian…
1. among the Persians a grand enclosure or preserve, hunting-ground, park, shady and well-watered, in which wild animals were kept for the hunt; it was enclosed by walls and furnished with towers for the hunters.
2. universally, a garden, pleasure-ground; grove, park:
Both definitions of παράδεισος, agree that the meaning is a garden or grove. Therefore, when Jesus tells the repentant thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise”, it is not a theological teaching of the various merits of either Paradise or Heaven, but a statement of fact: Today, the thief is in a garden with Jesus.
example the Second
Our first example of Biblical impiety is admittedly convoluted, as it requires, firstly, philological experiences that may not be readily accessible to the general reader and, secondly, the fortunate circumstance of the Gospel of Luke being collated with the fourth Gospel.
Our second example will be shown to be clearly impious, since one held in esteem should not commit crude statements to paper that will circulate indefinitely. Saint Paul becomes so frustrated with those who insist upon circumcision for Gentile converts that he writes:
I would they were even cut off which trouble you. Galatians 5:12
Although the translation of the King James Version is not apparent to the modern reader, the following translations leave little doubt what, exactly, Saint Paul is communicating to the Galatians.
The following examples are from BibleHub.com:
Our second example will be shown to be clearly impious, since one held in esteem should not commit crude statements to paper that will circulate indefinitely. Saint Paul becomes so frustrated with those who insist upon circumcision for Gentile converts that he writes:
I would they were even cut off which trouble you. Galatians 5:12
Although the translation of the King James Version is not apparent to the modern reader, the following translations leave little doubt what, exactly, Saint Paul is communicating to the Galatians.
The following examples are from BibleHub.com:
As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! New International Version As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves! Berean Study Bible But I would also that those who trouble you would be cut off. Aramaic Bible in Plain English I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! New King James Version I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves. New Living Translation I wish everyone who is upsetting you would not only get circumcised, but would cut off much more! Contemporary English Version I wish that the people who are upsetting you would go all the way; let them go on and castrate themselves! Good News Translation I wish that those who are troubling you [by teaching that circumcision is necessary for salvation] would even [go all the way and] castrate themselves! Amplified Bible I wish that those who are troubling you would even emasculate themselves. New American Standard Bible I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. NASB 1995 I wish that those who are upsetting you would castrate themselves! International Standard Version I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off. New Heart English Bible I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off. World English Bible I wish those agitators would go so far as to castrate themselves! NET Bible I wish those upsetting you also will emasculate themselves! Berean Literal Bible I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated! Holman Christian Standard Bible I wish those who are disturbing you might also let themselves be mutilated! Christian Standard Bible I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves! New Revised Standard Version I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! English Standard Version I would that they that unsettle you would even go beyond circumcision. American Standard Version I would they were even cut off which trouble you. King James Bible I would they were even cut off, who trouble you. Douay-Rheims Bible O that even they would cut themselves off who are unsettling you! Literal Standard Version O that even they would cut themselves off who are unsettling you! Young's Literal Translation Would that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. NASB 1977 |
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But think twice, that's my only advice.
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley