Yada’ Yah
Book 6: God Damn Religion
…The Church Age
1
Krima – Damnation
Three Destinations…
Mattanyah / Matthew 23 provides interesting insights into Yahowsha’s disdain for people who claim to speak for Him. So in His commentary on religion, God unveils the fate of those who deceive in this way.
Yahowah’s animosity for religion peppers His Torah, Prophets, and Psalms, and dominates books like Yirmayah / Jeremiah. But since the Christian “Jesus” is errantly portrayed as taking a softer, more accepting and tolerant approach, this discussion proves that Father and Son were of like mind.
Yahowsha’ begins: “Then Yahowsha’ spoke to the large crowds and to His followers and students, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in a position of authority (kathizo - appointed themselves in charge, put themselves in a high position, conferred a kingdom upon themselves) regarding the important teachings and judgmental seat (kathedra) of Moseh.
So then (oun - therefore, however, on the contrary, now and but) all that they convey accordingly (epo - say in regard to the previous subject (in this case the teachings and judgments of Moseh)), should follow that authored path (hodopoieo - bring forth the author’s cause) and observe it.
But they do not do according to their (poieo me kata - do not be like them, don't conform the their accord, motives, viewpoints, and terms, do not follow or emulate their individual) ideas (ergon – business, undertakings, enterprise, acts, mindset, and thoughts). For they say things and do not do them.
They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. They do all their deeds to be noticed by men. For example, they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.” (Mattanyah / Matthew 23:1-7)
Now that Yahowsha’ has made it clear that we are to follow and observe those things scribed in the Towrah by Moseh, and not those conceived by clerics, God goes on to say…
“Be not called Rabbi for only One is your Rabbi—the Ma’aseyah, and you are all brethren. And do not call men Father on earth, for only One is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called exalted leader, teacher or judge (kathegetes), for only One is your leader, teacher and judge—the Ma’aseyah.” Since a Jewish cleric is called Rabbi, and Catholic clerics are called Father, according to God, they are as misguided as those who accept grandiose political and academic titles.
“For he that is the loudest and most powerful (megas) among you shall be the one who executes the commands of another (diakonos). And whoever exalts himself (hupsoo – uplifts himself in opulence, prosperity, and power) shall be abased (tapeinoo – reduced, made small or low, assigned to a diminished or depressed state), and he who shall humble himself shall be exalted and lifted up on high.” (Mattanyah / Matthew 23:9-12)
Regarding life and death, the final line is the most illuminating. The self-reliant shall be diminished, reduced, abased, and depressed. That means be made smaller—say from three dimensions to one or two. And the currently diminished and reliant three dimensional constructs known as anointed humans shall be lifted up to heaven and its requisite four dimensions, being that eternal life is infinite in time.
“Woe to (ouai – how horrible and dreadful are) the Scribes (Grammateus – writers, clerks, public servants, government or religious officials, judges, teachers) and Pharisees (Pharisaios – Rabbi/Masters who created the oral tradition and esteemed its works-based religion over the relationship prescribed in the Scriptures, politically oriented, orthodox religious clerics), you hypocrites (hypokrites – duplicitous and insincere pretender, false, fraudulent and counterfeit person).
For you shut up (kleio – withhold, close and shut, obstruct the entrance to) the kingdom of heaven from men. You neither arise or enter (eiserchomai) yourselves nor permit them to rise and enter.
Woe, how horrible and dreadful are the Scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence (prophasis – show, cover, alleged reason, pretend cause, false vindication or excuse) make long prayers.
Therefore, because of this (dia houtos) you shall receive (lambano – claim, procure for one’s self, and acquire, experience) the greater (perissos – beyond measure and abundant; exceedingly supreme and uncommon; emphasized and special; vehement, persistent; forceful, impassioned, intense, and bitterly antagonistic) damnation (krima – condemnation, penal judgment, legal verdict, judicial penalty, punishment, criminal sentence).” (Mattanyah / Matthew 23:13-14)
God despises hypocritical clerics, politicians, journalists, and teachers, not because their deceptions keep them out of heaven, but because they create obstacles that preclude countless others from entering heaven. Therefore, in fairness, Yahowah has provided a condemnation for them that is both bitter and beyond measure—eternal torment. The souls of their victims will be extinguished while theirs will persist, condemned and damned.
Yahowsha’ would go on to say that the hypocritical clerics, politicians, journalists, and teachers make “their proselytes (proselutos – religious converts)…much greater children of Gehenna (geenna – a valley or gorge of separation, filth and dead animals where trash is burned) then they are themselves.”
Religious priests and rabbis go to the dark side of She’owl – furthest from Yahowah. Gehenna is that unsavory section. The non-demonic sector of She’owl receives ungodly souls for the intervening period between the first death and the second, whereas Gehenna accommodates “hypocritical religious clerics, politicians, journalists, and teachers” between the first death and the start of their eternal torment in the Abyss following the Great White Throne Judgment.
Gehenna’s name is borrowed from the Valley of Hinnom, just south of Yaruwshalaim, a place where infant sacrifices to the Canaanite sun god Molech were once made. Specifically, the southeast end of the valley, where the horrific rites were performed, was called Topheth—the place of fire. It was also the trash pile of Yaruwshalaim.
Prior to the celebration of FirstFruits, there is the possibility that She’owl/Hades had a third compartment—Abraham’s Side, also called his Lap, Midst, or Bosom. It was the place Covenant souls anointed by Yahowah’s Spirit awaited the FirstFruits harvest and their journey to Heaven. We’ll cover this Tanakh aspect of She’owl in a moment.
There is another aspect of Gehenna that is worth considering, and that is genenna’s remarkable similarity to the Greek word for “born,” gennema. Since Yahowsha’ said that the souls who inhabit Gehenna—the gorge of death and rubbish—are born of Satan’s demons, and thus born from below—this aspect is essential to our understanding. It would suggest that being “born of the Spirit from above” is the means to eternal life while being “born of the spirit from below” is the means to eternal torment. The middle ground, not being born of either, the Spirit of Yahowah or the spirit of Satan, would be to no longer exist—to be stillborn.
The next “woe” identified the hypocritical clerics, politicians, journalists, and teachers as “blind guides (typhlos hodegos)” motivated by “gold.” Typhlos was equally descriptive of the “deprived of sight” as it was the “mentally blind”—“one devoid of understanding.” It was perfect in a way. Typhloo means “to darken the mind and cause blindness.” And typhloomia defines an “extremely arrogant and foolish” person. Hodegos means “inexperienced leader and ignorant teacher” so it is equally at home describing the self-serving and self-absorbed in religion, politics, the media and academia. This is the Greek version of show’.
God called the deceived deceivers “morons” next. The Greek word “moros” means “impious and godless” in addition to meaning “stupid.”
Defining “hypocrisy,” Yahowsha’ parallels His “whitewashed and plastered over stones” metaphor used so effectively in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms with His next woe…
“Woe to (ouai – how horrible and dreadful are) the Scribes (Grammateus – writers, government officials, judges and teachers) and Pharisees (Pharisaios –politically oriented orthodox religious clerics), you hypocrites (hypokrites – duplicitous and insincere pretenders, false, fraudulent and counterfeit people), for you clean (katharizo – cleanse of physical stains and dirt on) the outside of the drinking vessel and the dish, but within (esothen – under the surface, inside) they are filled with extortion (harpage – plundering and robbery, ravaging and looting, confiscation through pillaging, seizing by fraud and force, violent greed) and self-indulgence (akrasia – lack of self-control and self-restraint, incontinence (failure to restrain one’s sexual appetite) and intemperance (habitual or excessive drinking of intoxicants)).”
Yahowsha’ wanted us to understand the means to political and religious madness, as well as the consequence, so as to mitigate the damage. “You hypocritical writers, judges, teachers, politicians, and religious clerics are very similar to plastered over and whitewashed (koniao – covered over with plaster and painted with white lime, a term applied to a hypocrite who conceals his malice under an outward presumption of piety, profundity, principle, or patriotism; an imposter) sepulchers (taphos – tombs and graves, burial places), which appear beautiful on the outside but are full of dead (nekros) bones and all uncleanness (akatharsia – moral impurity, lustfulness, lacking legal or moral restraints, wild extravagance, profligate living (completely given up to disintegration due to wasteful expenditures and licentiousness).
Even so, you also outwardly appear innocent and virtuous (dikaios) to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy (hupokrisis – duplicity, deception, treachery, insincerity, mendaciousness, false appearances, fraud, counterfeiting, and condemnation) and towrahlessness (anomia – ignorance and hostility toward the Towrah).” (Mattanyah / Matthew 23:25-27)
Yahowsha’ nailed it. Hypocritical clerics, politicians, journalists, and teachers pontificate their duplicitous guile for sex, power and money. Their victims are fleeced unmercifully, pillaged ruthlessly, plundered and robbed to indulge the perpetrators’ morose appetites. Religion and politics, journalism and academia, are dens of thieves. Together they weave errant and self-serving perceptions into a hideous and chaotic quilt, all aimed at distorting reality sufficiently so as to enrich and empower themselves.
Religious and political fraud isn’t a victimless crime. Wars are fought and people die as a result. Even the tombs of the victims are plastered over and whitewashed to make it appear that they sacrificed their lives for something more noble then the unrestrained libido and greed of the self-indulgent. Truth is the first casualty. Deception is the only victor. Satan wins; we lose. It is our history; it is our destiny. It is our nature apart from God.
Yahowsha’ wasn’t done describing these people and their behavior. He said the writers, politicians, teachers and religious clerics “had adorned monuments” to perpetrate their fraud. They had “the blood of the prophets” on their hands. And “they were witnesses unto themselves.” And that was because: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who trust in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to Gehenna, into the fire that shall never be quenched.’” (Mark 9:42-44) Choose not to love God and your life will end. Cause someone else not to love God and you will want it to end.
Yahowsha’ explained why the pontificators and perpetrators of deception, destruction, death, and damnation would “receive (lambano –procure for themselves and experience) the greater (perissos – beyond measure and abundant; exceedingly supreme and uncommon; vehement and persistent; forceful, impassioned, intense, and bitterly antagonistic) damnation (krima – condemnation, penal judgment, judicial penalty, punishment, criminal sentence).” They were born of the spirit from below…
“You serpents (ophis – snakes displaying deception and cunning), you are born (gennema) of vipers (echidna – poisonous and venomous snakes, malignant serpents). By what means (pos) will you escape (pheugo –be saved from, elude or avoid), the damnation (krisis – separation, trial, judgment and justice; condemnation and punishment) of Gehenna (gorge of dead animals, refuse and filth)?” (Mattanyah / Matthew 23:33)
The NIV and NASB errantly translate gennema “brood.” The KJV and NKJV deceive with “generation.” The Darby Bible and the American Standard are close with “offspring,” although by using it instead of “born” the connection to “born from above” in Yahowchanan 3 is lost (even if they had translated it correctly, which they didn’t). Likewise, the Good News and International Version use of “children,” which while more accurate, misses the point. Similarly, the New Living uses “sons.” The worst is The Message. Its translation is laughable: “Snakes! Reptilian sneaks! Do you think you can worm your way out of this? Never have to pay the piper?”
The essential distinction being made here is the writers, teachers, politicians, and religious leaders were hypocrites because they were satanic snakes. They were satanic snakes because they were “born of vipers and demons.” And because they were born of poisonous snakes they were destined to suffer a condemnation that was beyond measure, exceedingly supreme and uncommon, vehement and persistent.
Gennema, the word for “born” according to Strong’s, means “that which has been born or begotten.” The Dictionary of Biblical Languages says gennema is: “the product, harvest or fruit of something. In this case that “something” is Satan. Zodhiates’ Word Study Dictionary says gennema means “to give birth, to beget, that which is born of or produced by.” The Theological Dictionary’s definition is also accurate: “what is born.” Furthermore, each Greek dictionary correctly reveals that gennema is based on gennemao, meaning “to be born or begotten.” So why, since all of the definitions are right, are all of the translations wrong?
They are wrong because Yahowsha’ is right. The Scribes and Pharisees of our day, particularly the subset known as writers, scholars, translators, and religious clerics are hypocrites and extortionists engaged in deception for money and prestige. And this is important because the distinction is eternal life, death, or continual condemnation, everlasting joy, annihilation, or perpetual punishment. This trichotomy even defines the very nature of God.