Abilene Christian University: Rubel Shelly A Stumbling Block For Jesus

WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to PLEASE ourselves. Rom 15:1

PLEASE IS: Aresko (g700) ar-es'-ko; prob. from 142 (through the idea of exciting emotions)

AIRO (g142) ah'ee-ro; a prim. verb; to LIFT; by impl. to take up or AWAY; fig. to RAISE THE VOICE, KEEP IN SUSPENSE the MIND

Music works ONLY because it produces spiritual excitement. Preachers RAISE THE VOICE only because they need to create spiritual anxiety to seem important.

Jesus came to give REST which is the opposite of what we too often see as worship but it rarely gives us real satisfaction.

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The laded burden which fits Paul's idea and which Jesus died to remove is the Greek:

Phortizo (g5412) for-tid'-zo; from 5414; to LOAD up.. figurative to OVERBURDEN with CEREMONIAL or SPIRITUAL ANXIETY.

And it is the TITHE to pay for something for which Jesus Christ DIED. You tithe and you repudiate the SACRIFICE of Christ and when you MUSICATE you repudiate the WORD of Christ by the GIFT of Lucifer or Satan "the harp-playing and singing prostitute."

Phoros (g5411) for'-os; from 5342; a load (as borne,) i.e. (fig.) a tax (prop. an individ. assessment on persons or property; whereas 5056 is usually a gen. toll on goods or travel): - tribute.

You cannot pressure or lay on a guilt trip about the LAW OF GIVING. People are now free to worship IN SPIRIT and not in budgets.

Jesus came to give REST which is the opposite of what we too often see as worship but it rarely gives us real satisfaction. The laded burden which fits Paul's idea and which Jesus died to remove is the Greek:

Anapauo (g373) an-up-ow'-o; from 303 and 3973; (reflex.) to REPOSE (lit. or fig. [be EXEMPT], remain); by imp. to REFRESH: - take EASE, refresh, (give, take) rest.

Pauo (g3973) pow'-o; a prim. verb ("pause"); to stop (trans. or intrans.), i.e. restrain, quit, desist, come to an end: - cease, leave, refrain.

FORASMUCH then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind (Holy Spirit, two-edged Sword): for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1 Peter 4:1

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the FLESH to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1 Peter 4:2

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, REVELLINGS, BANQUETINGS, and abominable idolatries: 1 Peter 4:3

This was the SPORT or PLAY at Mount Sinai which was MUSICAL IDOLATRY. For that crime God REMOVED the BOOK OF THE COVENANT and saddled them (and You) with THE BOOK OF THE LAW (tithing, priesthoods, musicians to mock).

Hesoid: The Shield of Heracles

The men were making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car (chariot), while the bridal-song swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens rolled in waves afar.

And these maidens went before, delighting in the festival;

and after them came frolicsome choirs,

the youths singing soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes,

while the echo was shivered around them,

and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of lyres.

Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling,

with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and

others were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing.

The whole town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

(ll. 285-304) Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soil, clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of the cars -- as if they were reaping Demeter's grain: others were binding the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor.

And some held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were taking from the reapers into baskets white and black clusters from the long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and tendrils of silver. Others again were gathering them into baskets.

Beside them was a row of vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus: it had shivering leaves and stakes of silver and was laden with grapes which turned black (5).

And there were men treading out the grapes and others drawing off liquor. Also there were men boxing and wrestling, and huntsmen chasing swift hares with a leash of sharp-toothed dogs before them, they eager to catch the hares, and the hares eager to escape.

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. (education or spirit house building) Rom 15:2

Edification is instruction for moral or spiritual instruction or improvement.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. Rom 15:3

Psalm 41 uses the word ALARM or TRIUMPH OVER. Judas and team would try to melt the heart of Jesus with "musical instruments and 'making a joyful noise before the Lore'." This was the common warrior's chant trying to destroy the enemy with cowardice. We will look at the musical reproaches and stumbling block the Jews put in front of Jesus. These REPROACHES still fall on anyone who will not bow to Baal when the clergy pipes.

For whatsoever things were WRITTEN AFORETIME were written for our learning,

that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Rom 15:4

Psalm 22, 41 and all the rest were WRITTEN FOR OUR LEARNING. All of the Old Testament is consistent in associating music with the warriors, prostitutes and those holding festivals or revelery where you were PIPED DOWN with music and wine.

Learning means INSTRUCTION or informing, doctrine, learning or teaching. Paul made a rule: we can please our neighbor only by EDIFICATION which is teaching that which is written.

Hope is to "anticipate with pleasure." Can human songs do that?

The Spirit of Christ inspired ALL that was written (1 Peter 1:11; Rev 1910).

Comfort of the Scripture CANNOT occur when you frazzle nerves and claim that YOUR songs were inspired by Christ. Sure, some claim to "lead you into the presence of God" through their performance.

Paraklesis (g3874) par-ak'-lay-sis; from 3870; imploration, hortation, solace: - comfort, consolation, EXHORTATION, intreaty.

Patience means cheerfulness. Melody also means cheerfulness as "she has a MELODIOUS voice" or "she has a GRACEFUL walk."

Only Jesus Christ is the Paraklete and He said that God ONLY seeks those who can worship in the PLACE of their spirit as it gives heed to THE TRUTH: the Word of Christ or Spirit.

ONLY His Words can produce this patience and comfort.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Rom 15:5

Everyone can be likeminded and "speak the same things" if they speak the Scriptures which must be "taught as they have been taught." Then the SUBSTITUTE for pagan singing and music can be performed to glorify God rather than the rhetoricians, Sophists, hypocrites who are all parasites.

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify (praise) God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 15:6

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Rom 15:7

I believe that is the same thing as "Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" which were written aforetime by the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11).

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody IN your HEART to the Lord; Eph 5:19

Plato understood that MELODY had did not demand an INSTRUMENT.

"At any rate you can tell that a SONG or ODE has three parts --the words, the MELODY, and the rhythm; that degree of knowledge I may presuppose?"

Paul said that the SINGING is the ODE: Plato says that the ODE or song has MELODY. Therefore, Paul does not remotely speak of a MUSICAL effort but and EDIFICATION or EDUCATIONAL process. The TEXT BOOK is the Inspired WORDS of Christ which are SPIRIT and LIFE.

If we listen Paul explains that "that which is written" means "the Spirit" and the "Word of Christ." Singing with MELODY in the heart is not musical but is explained as singing with GRACE in the heart.

teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col.3:16

Charis (g5485) khar'-ece... Spiritual: the DIVINE INFLUENCE upon the HEART, and its REFLECTION in the life; including GRATITUDE

The same Plato who said that an ODE must have MELODY also wrote about musical training which with gymnastic was required of Warriors but quite despised in the performers who were normally the "lower classes."

"And therefore, I said, Glaucon, musical training is a more potent instrument than any other,

because rhythm and harmony find their way into the INWARD places of the SOUL, on which they mightily fasten, imparting GRACE, and making the soul of him who is rightly EDUCATED graceful,

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Eph 5:20

What kind of machinery could we propose to produce COMFORT in the heart?

15:1 WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

 

And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Romans 15:12

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Romans 15:5

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify (tell of His works) God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God. Romans 15:15

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will

(2) that the offering (bloodless sacrifice) up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:16

(1) confess to thee among the Gentiles, and

(1) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God,

(2) sing unto thy name. Romans 15:9

ministering the gospel of God,

In the first section Dr. Shelly just quoted part a of Romans 14:13.

In a sermon (linked above by the blue) Rubel proof-texted Romans 14 even going to the extreme of cutting verse 13 off in the middle of Christ's speech through Paul. Rubel wrote:

> Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another (Rom. 14:9-13a).

Now, that is a Post-Modern approach. if the apostles were divided men in divided churches then why shouldn't we just take the first part of Paul's verse (which is correct) and cut off the second part which is "just Paul's opinion" I suppose.

But a half truth is a whole error. Now, listen to Paul:

> Let us not therefore judge one another any more: (a)

but judge this rather,

that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brothers way. Romans 14:13

Can you detect the difference? The difference is that we ARE to judge. And this judgment means that we choose not to do something which is a stumbling block.

A stumbling block as we saw in PART TWO was specificially attributed to trying to tempt or get some one to relax their principles about drinking wine. They put a stumbling block in front of Jesus when they piped hoping that they woudl dance the perverted song and dance. Tempting people and even browbeating non-instrumentalists is tempting them and making one guilt of deliberately trying to trip up or PIPE DOWN a believer who answers to God.

If we replace Christ's Words of song and sermon and add instruments we are judging and condemning those with Biblical maturity to be forced out our OUR fellowship.

The instrument of torture defined in Hebrews 11:35

Tumpanizo (g5178) toom-pan-id'-zo; from a der. of 5180 (mean, a drum, 'tympanum"); to stretch on an instrument of torture resembling a drum, and thus beat to death: - torture.

tympanum , i (collat. form typa(-num , Cat. 63, 8 sq.), n., = tumpanon, a drum, timbrel, tambour, tambourine.

I. Lit.

A. Esp., as beaten by the priests of Cybele, Lucr. 2, 618; Cat. 63, 8 sq.; Verg. A. 9, 619; Ov. M. 3, 537; 4, 29; 4, 391; id. F. 4, 213; Plaut. Poen. 5, 5, 38; Caes. B. C. 3, 105; Curt. 8, 11, 20; 8, 14, 10; Tac. H. 5, 5, --Also by the Bacchantine females, Ov. M. 11, 17.--

Beaten by the Parthians as a signal in battle in place of the tuba, Just. 41, 2, 8.--

B. Trop., a timbrel, etc., as a figure of something effeminate, enervating: tympana eloquentiae, Quint. 5, 12, 21 : in manu tympanum est, Sen. Vit. Beat. 13, 3 .--

II. Transf., of things of a like shape.

A. A drum or wheel, in machines for raising weights, in water-organs, etc., Lucr. 4, 905; Verg. G. 2, 444; Vitr. 10, 4; Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 332; Dig. 19, 2, 19.--

taratantara , an onomatopee, representing the sound of the tuba: at tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 842 P. (Ann. v. 452 Vahl.)

Again Sounding Brass and Tinkling Cymbals

Chorus Echo, the nymph of Cithaeron, returns thy words, which resound beneath the dark vaults of the thick foliage and in the midst of the rocks of the forest; the ivy enlaces thy brow with its tendrils charged with flowers.

In Fourth Maccabees, Eleazar and his sons are murdered because they refused to participate in the Hellenistic worship at the Temple. This worship never totally ceased and Dionysus was clearly the new wine god the clergy tried to get Jesus to sing and dance to as they played pipes. Because He refused to disqualify Himself, they tortured Him just like Antiochus would have. Being "stretched out of joint" gave its name to the drum frame referred to in Hebrews 11:35:

"cymbalum': cymbala were hollow hemispheres of metal a few inches in diameter, held one in each hand by the aid of small rings or thongs attached to the center of their convex surfaces. Struck together, they gave a sharp, clanging sound that fitted well with that of the tympana and tibiæ; cf. Catul. 64.262 "tereti tenuis tinnitus ære ciebant''; Ov. Fast. 4.184 "æra tinnitus ære epulsa dabunt''; Ov. Fast. 4.189 "sonus æris acuti''; Aus. Epist. 24.23 "tinnitus atinnitus aëni.eumlautni.''

Paul outlawed this in 1 Cor. 13:

Echeo (g2278) ay-kheh'-o; from 2279; to make a loud noise, i.e. reverberate: - roar, sound.

Echos (g2279) ay'-khos; of uncert. affin.; a loud or confused noise ("echo"), i.e. roar: fig. a rumor: - fame, sound.

As the panic music of the priests "standing in the gap" with all of the clamor of the Levites, the enemy was supposed to be frightened to death or cowardice. Gideon showed how it was done. Furthermore, in the worship common in places like Corinth and Ephesus one could literally emasculate himself or give his body to be burned when the goddess or or effeminate priests (called dogs) attacked you with musical instruments.

Defining the worship of Cybele or ZOE it is noted that:

The worship was orgiastic in the extreme, and was accompanied by the sound of such frenzy-producing instruments as the tympana, cymbala, tibiæ, and cornu,

and culminated in scourging, self-mutilation, syncope from excitement. and even death from hemorrhage or heart-failure (cf. Lucr. 2.598ff.; Varr. Sat. Men. 131 Büch.ff.; Ov. Fast. 4.179ff.).

Syncope: Webster. 1) the dropping of the sounds or letters from the middle of a word. 2) fainting, or loss of consciousness, caused by a temporary deficiency of blood supply to the brain.

"The early connection of Attis with the Mother of the Gods seems to point to the association of an original male element with an original female element as the parents of all things.

But in the age of tradition Attis appears as a servant instead of an equal,

and the subordination of the male to the female element is further emphasized by the representation of Attis,

like the Galli of historic times, as an emasculated priest.

See The Eve-Sophia-Zoe connection.

Therefore, it was easy for the effeminate priesthood tp hope that Jesus was Dionysus. After all, He had created about 160 gallons of wine as a key sign to them. Like his lectures, this was a parable to hide the truth from the clergy (Matthew 13)

But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: Jn.12:37

The prophets of wine, after all, were then and would be in the end-times the dominant marketers of religious religions. God will press them out in His winepress.

Sir James George Frazer (1854&endash;1941). The Golden Bough. 1922. On human Sacrifice.

Among the Lhota Naga, one of the many savage tribes who inhabit the deep rugged labyrinthine glens which wind into the mountains from the rich valley of , it used to be a common custom to chop off the heads, hands, and feet of people they met with, and then to stick up the severed extremities in their fields to ensure a good crop of grain.

They bore no ill-will whatever to the persons upon whom they operated in this unceremonious fashion.

Once they flayed a boy alive, carved him in pieces, and distributed the flesh among all the villagers, who put it into their corn-bins to avert bad luck and ensure plentiful crops of grain.

The Gonds of India, a Dravidian race, kidnapped Brahman boys, and kept them as victims to be sacrificed on various occasions.

At sowing and reaping, after a triumphal procession, one of the lads was slain by being punctured with a poisoned arrow.

His blood was then sprinkled over the ploughed field or the ripe crop,

and his flesh was devoured.

Among the Meriah: "Human sacrifices were offered to the Earth Goddess by tribes, branches of tribes, or villages, both at periodical festivals and on extraordinary occasions. The periodical sacrifices were generally so arranged by tribes and divisions of tribes that each head of a family was enabled, at least once a year, to procure a shred of flesh for his fields, generally about the time when his chief crop was laid down.

All of the Babylonian, Cannanite, or Egyptian worship of the Hebrews came out of this area. All ritual with music and sacrifice was a fertility ritual. The Feast of Tabernacles to which Jesus at first refused to attend was a giant fertility ritual much like the modern Jubilee where the "sacraficial victims" are the enemies of the musical team playing around the "trees" or Asherah poles or free-standing, non-functional columns.

The mode of performing these tribal sacrifices was as follows. Ten or twelve days before the sacrifice, the victim was devoted by cutting off his hair, which, until then, had been kept unshorn.

Crowds of men and women assembled to witness the sacrifice; none might be excluded, since the sacrifice was declared to be for all mankind. It was preceded by several days of wild revelry and gross debauchery.

On the day before the sacrifice the victim, dressed in a new garment, was led forth from the village in solemn procession, with music and dancing, to the Meriah grove, a clump of high forest trees standing a little way from the village and untouched by the axe.

There they tied him to a post, which was sometimes placed between two plants of the sankissar shrub.

And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. Mark 15:27

He was then anointed with oil, ghee, and turmeric, and adorned with flowers;

and a species of reverence, which it is not easy to distinguish from adoration, was paid to him throughout the day.

A great struggle now arose to obtain the smallest relic from his person; a particle of the turmeric paste with which he was smeared, or a drop of his spittle, was esteemed of sovereign virtue, especially by the women.

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. Matthew 27:35

The crowd danced round the post to music, and addressing the earth, said, "O God, we offer this sacrifice to you; give us good crops, seasons, and health";

And they that passed by reviled (blasphemed) him, wagging (poetic to stir or shake) their heads, Matthew 27:39

The mocked Him with a taunting question and this was probably a taunt song.

then speaking to the victim they said,

"We bought you with a price, and did not seize you; now we sacrifice you according to custom, and no sin rests with us."

On the last morning the orgies, which had been scarcely interrupted during the night, were resumed, and continued till noon, when they ceased,

and the assembly proceeded to consummate the sacrifice.

The victim was again anointed with oil, and each person touched the anointed part, and wiped the oil on his own head.

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. John 12:3

Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. John 12:7

In some places they took the victim in procession round the village, from door to door, where some plucked hair from his head, and others begged for a drop of his spittle, with which they anointed their heads.

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. Jn.9:6

As the victim might not be bound nor make any show of resistance, the bones of his arms and, if necessary, his legs were broken; but often this precaution was rendered unnecessary by stupefying him with opium.

There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall (opium); but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. Matt 27:34

The mode of putting him to death varied in different places. One of the commonest modes seems to have been strangulation, or squeezing to death.

The branch of a green tree was cleft several feet down the middle; the victim's neck (in other places, his chest) was inserted in the cleft, which the priest, aided by his assistants, strove with all his force to close.

Then he wounded the victim slightly with his axe, whereupon the crowd rushed at the wretch and hewed the flesh from the bones, leaving the head and bowels untouched.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isa 53:5

Naga (h5060) naw-gah'; a prim. root; prop. to touch, i. e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphem., to lie with a woman); by impl. to reach (fig. to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.): - beat, (* be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near (nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite, strike, touch.

Nagan (h5059) naw-gan'; a prim. root; prop. to thrum, i. e. beat a tune with the fingers; espec. to play on a stringed instrument; hence (gen.) to make music: - player on instruments, sing to the stringed instruments, melody, ministrel, play (-er, -ing..

Negiynah (h5058) neg-ee-naw'; from 5059; prop. instrumental music; by impl. a stringed instrument; by extens. a poem set to music; spec. an epigram: - stringed instrument, musick, Neginoth [plur.], song

The Naga was the serpent or Satan. Jesus identified Judas as filled with Satan and of the clergy He said:

Ye serpents (Satans), ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Matthew 23:33

Because these self-appoinnted clergy loved to change the Law Jesus refused to speak to them. Therefore, He spoke in parables (Matthew 13) to keep them from hearing and obeying.

In some way, people continue to be the agents of Satan because they have damaged their souls.

See the Serpent Connection:

In the Western traditions we find the same ubiquity for the Naga, or Serpent. One simple example is the Ancient Greek Goddess, Athena. She is known as a warrior Goddess as well as the Goddess of Wisdom; her symbol being the Serpent as displayed on her personal shield.

Of course, in Genesis the Serpent is a Naga who instructs the new infant (humanity) in what is called the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Nachash (h5175) naw-khawsh'; from 5172; a snake (from its hiss): - serpent

Nachuwsh (h5153) naw-khoosh'; appar. pass. part. of 5172 (perh. in the sense of ringing, i. e. bell-metal; or from the red color of the throat of a serpent [5175, as denom.] when hissing); coppery, i. e. (fig.) hard: - of brass.