Thursday, May 28, 2015

The New, Old Meaning of 1 Peter 4:1



          Not too long ago I was searching through the scriptures using a very interesting computer program, the Interlinear Scripture Analyzer, which I had downloaded. There are lots of interesting things to be seen in the scriptures when you can better understand the original writings but I just want to draw your attention to one particular verse, I Peter 4:1, which says “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin” (AV). It took on a very different meaning for me when I looked at the most literal word for word translation of this verse which reads “Christ, then, emotioning for our sakes in flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same thought, for he who is emotioning in flesh has ceased his sins.”
The verse after this explains, in very simple language, what that thought is, but I won’t put it here for the sake of making you read your Bible more:) However, I’d like to point out that a single thought is a much simpler thing to wrap one’s comprehension around than an entire mind (multiple thoughts, feelings, perspectives, etc.).
The word “emotioning” is also noteworthy, not only because "emotion" carries a very different meaning than "suffer" but also because it is used here in a verb form – as something someone does rather than simply observing. Taking deliberate action concerning one’s emotions would inevitably involve some sort of sacrifice (i.e. pain) but also require oneself to be present and alive rather than having one’s thoughts stuck in the past or the future, full of fear and worry, or pure fantasy. This adds incredible poignant depth to what would otherwise be a somewhat morose phrase.
As you can imagine, I’ve had some fun searching through at least a few scriptures using the Interlinear Scripture Analyzer. Perhaps you who read this will be able to get something out of it as well. Until next time, God bless you all!

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