The gospels seem to attribute the conception of Jesus to holy breath (το γαρ εν αυτη γεννηθεν εκ πνευματος εστιν αγιου):
Yet Jesus’ father is not “the power of the most high” but rather the most high himself AND David:
Why isn’t the breath/spirit considered Jesus’ father? In these gospel passages is the breath/spirit a person? Or God’s “power” and creative “organ”?
This is the BDAG entry for the verb which appears in Matthew 1:20 as “conceived”:
γεννάω fut. γεννήσω; 1 aor. ἐγέννησα; pf. γεγέννηκα. Pass.: fut. pl.
γεννηθήσεσθε Sir 41:9; 1 aor. ἐγεννήθην; pf. γεγέννημαι (Pind.,
Hdt.+).—See ARahlfs, Genesis 1926, 39. Gener., to cause someth. to
come into existence, primarily through procreation or parturition. ①
become the parent of, beget ⓐ by procreation (oft. LXX, fr. Gen 4:18
on) Mt 1:2–20 (cp. Diod S 4, 67, 2–68, 6, the genealogy of the
Aeolians: 67, 4 Ἄρνη ἐγέννησεν Αἰόλον κ. Βοιωτόν; 67, 7 Ἱππάλκιμος
ἐγέννησε Πηνέλεων; 68:1 Σαλμωνεὺς ἐγέννησε θυγατέρα … Τυρώ; 68, 3
Ποσειδῶν ἐγέννησε Πελίαν κ. Νηλέα; 68, 6 Νηλεὺς παῖδας ἐγέννησε
δώδεκα. Interchanged with ἐγέννησε are ἐτέκνωσε, ἦν υἱός, παῖδες
ἐγένοντο, etc.; cp. PMich 155, 7. The continuity is not formalized to
the degree in Mt, but in Diod S 4, 69, 1–3 ἐγέννησε is repeated six
times in a short space, and 4, 75, 4f ἐγέννησε occurs four times with
the names of fathers and sons; Did., Gen. 144, 27); Ac 7:8, 29. ἐκ w.
gen. of the mother (Hdt. 1, 108, 2; Diod S 4, 2, 1; 4, 62, 1; Palaeph.
44; PLond V, 1730, 10 οἱ ἐξ αὐτῆς γεννηθέντες υἱοί; Tob 1:9; 2 Esdr
10:44; Demetr.: 722 Fgm. 2, 2 Jac.; TestJob 1:6; Jos, Ant. 12, 189) Mt
1:3, 5f.—Pass. be fathered (Orig., C. Cels. 8, 66, 23) ἐκ τῆς
παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα w. the slave-woman, according to the flesh (i.e.
in line with human devising; opp. διʼ ἐπαγγελίας) Gal 4:23. ὁ κατὰ
σάρκα γεννηθείς he that was fathered by human design, opp. ὁ κατὰ
πνεῦμα he that was fathered by the Spirit’s design, i.e. in keeping
with the divine promise, vs. 23) vs. 29. τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ
πνεύματός ἐστιν that which is conceived in her is of the Spirit Mt
1:20 (τὸ γεννηθέν of that which is yet unborn: Diod S 17, 77, 3). Here
the male principle is introduced by ἐκ (Lucian, Dial. Deor. 20, 14 ἐκ
κύκνου γεγεννημένη; Phlegon: 257 Fgm. 36, 2, 4 Jac.; Ps-Callisth. 1,
30, 3 ἐξ Ἄμμωνος ἐγεννήθη; TestSim 2:2) as J 1:13 (ἐγενήθ. P75et al.);
but in 3:6 the imagery is complex, involving a maternal aspect in vs.
4. W. ἀπό (En 15:8 οἱ γίγαντες οἱ γεννηθέντες ἀπὸ τ. πνευμάτων κ. σαρκός) ἀφʼ ἑνὸς ἐγεννήθησαν they were fathered by one man Hb 11:12
(numerous edd. ἐγενήθησαν). ἐκ πορνείας οὐ γεγεννήμεθα (v.l.
ἐγεννήθημεν) J 8:41 (cp. StudPal XX, 4, 30 ἐξ ἀγράφων γάμων
γεγεννῆσθαι). ἐν ἁμαρτίαις σὺ ἐγεννήθης ὅλος you’re a born sinner,
totally! 9:34.—Lk 1:35 (where mng. 2 is also prob. [as in τὸ
γεννώμενον Philo, Plant. 15]. S. AFridrichsen, SymbOsl 6, 1928, 33–36;
HAlmqvist, Plut. u. d. NT ’46, 60f). ⓑ by exercising the role of a
parental figure, ext. of 1a (Philo, Leg. ad Gai. 58 μᾶλλον αὐτὸν τῶν
γονέων γεγέννηκα), of a teacher on pupils ἐν Χ. Ἰ. διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα I became your father as Christians through the gospel 1
Cor 4:15; Phlm 10 (s. Ltzm. and JWeiss on 1 Cor 4:15; ADieterich,
Mithraslit. 1903, 146ff).—Pass. ἐκ (τοῦ) θεοῦ γεννᾶσθαι J 1:13 (on the
rdg. of the Lat. ms. b, s. JPryor, NovT 27, ’85, 296–318); 1J 2:29;
3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18. On γεννᾶσθαι ἐξ ὕδατος κ. πνεύματος J 3:5 cp.
1QS 4:20–22 and s. YYadin, JBL 74, ’55, 40–43. Also ἄνωθεν γ. J 3:3,
7. πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα ἀγαπᾷ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ everyone who loves the father (=God) loves the child (=Christ or one’s
fellow Christian) 1J 5:1 (on γεννᾶσθαι ἐκ θεοῦ s. Hdb. on J 3:3 and 1J
3:9 and the sources and lit. listed there; s. also παλιγγενεσία). Cp.
σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε (Ps 2:7) 1 Cl 36:4; GEb 18, 37; Ac 13:33 (held by
some to have been the orig. rdg. Lk 3:22 v.l.; s. JHillmann, Die
Kindheitsgesch. Jesu nach Lucas: Jahrbücher f. Protestantische
Theologie 17/2, 1891, 192–261; HUsener, D. Weihnachtsfest2 1911,
38ff); Hb 1:5; 5:5. p 194 ② to give birth to, bear (Aeschyl.,
Suppl. 48; X., De Rep. Lac. 1, 3; Lucian, Sacrif. 6; Plut., Mor., 3c;
Ps.-Callisth. 1, 9, 2 ἐκ θεοῦ γεννήσασα παῖδα=a woman who has borne a
child to a god; BGU 132 II, 5; Judg 11:1 B; Is 66:9; 4 Macc 10:2) Lk
1:13, 57; 23:29; J 16:21 w. τίκτειν; AcPl Ha 8, 28 εἰς δουλείαν
γεννῶσα who bears children for slavery Gal 4:24. Pass. be born (ἐκ
παρθένου Did., Gen. 96, 13) ἐγεννήθη Μωϋσῆς Ac 7:20; cp. Hb 11:23.
γεγεννημένος ἐν Ταρσῷ Ac 22:3; μήπω … γεννηθέντων Ro 9:11; πρὶν ἡμᾶς
γεννηθῆναι before we were born 1 Cl 38:3. εἰς τὸν κόσμον come into the
world J 16:21; Mt 2:1, 4; 19:12; 26:24 (=1 Cl 46:8); Mk 14:21 (cp. En
38:2); Lk 1:35 (1a is also prob.; a v.l. adds ἐκ σοῦ, which can be
rendered ‘the child to whom you give birth’). ἐκ Μαρίας ἐγεννήθη
AcPlCor 1:14; 2:5 (cp. Mt 1:16); J 3:4; 9:2, 19f, 32; IEph 18:2; ITr
11:2; ἀληθῶς γ. be in fact born (in opp. to Docetism) 9:1. γεγεννημένα
(v.l. γεγενημένα) εἰς ἅλωσιν 2 Pt 2:12. εἰς τοῦτο for this purpose J
18:37. διάλεκτος ἐν ᾑ ἐγεννήθημεν the language in which we were born
i.e., which we have spoken fr. infancy Ac 2:8. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι
but I was actually born a Roman citizen 22:28. οὗτος ἐγεννήθη βασιλεύς
born a king GJs 20:4 codd. γεννῶνται και γεννῶσιν Lk 20:34 v.l. ③ to
cause someth. to happen, bring forth, produce, cause, fig. of various
kinds of production (Pla. et al.; Polyb. 1, 67, 2 στάσις ἐγεννᾶτο;
Philo, De Jos. 254; Jos., Ant. 6, 144) 2 Ti 2:23.—γ. καρπόν produce
fruit (Philo, Op. M. 113) ITr 11:1. Forged writing γεγεννημένον for
γεγενημένον GJs 24:3.—B. 280. DELG s.v. γίγνομαι p. 222. M-M. TW.
Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon
of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed.,
pp. 193–194). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Varnel Watson
Jeffry Woolston instead of praying for safety the church is playing it safe and not doing much Shouldnt the church make sure these migrants are allowed to proper asylum rules like anyone else? Whats your take on this Larry Dale Steele ? the church responded and is getting arrested https://www.telemundo.com/noticias/2018/12/10/arrestan-32-manifestantes-que-defendian-los-migrantes-de-la-caravana-en-la
Varnel Watson
Nelson Banuchi Larry Dale Steele lots of churchmen for their own peace of mind use the Samaritan example NEVER MIND such interpretation is NOT even Biblical
1. the Samaritan was a traveler – taking a man all the way home could have killed him with the journey
2. his land was seen by both the inn keeper and the injured man as UNCLEAN – so to take them there would have equate their status from citizens to strangers – exactly the opposite point to our migrant dilemma
3. the migrants dont want to go to Jan’s home just like they are currently NOT living in Gerardo’s home. They want asylum – healing from persecution which we can offer yet we dont do good when we know how to do it
Larry Dale Steele
Troy Day I agree with you I think we should help them and I see that some of the church is helping and getting arrested and I also see just as the story of the Good Samaritan the priest and the Levite totally walked in the other side to avoid this man.ive heard so many Christians say so many bad things about the caravan I just wonder if they even realize who Christ is
Varnel Watson
Many have been troubled by the Islam presence in the video and rightfully so Joe Absher I think Muslim invasion is attacked the USA from both North and South today
It is why WE NEED the asylum process to work and sort through migrants and extremist elements who maybe hiding among them
Joe Absher
Today I did something unseemly. A called the pastors out “I have a word for you for 2019” I grabbed them by the shoulders and shook them. “STRATEGIC, STRATEGIC, STRATEGIC” I was a little embarrassed I must admit. But it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.
I tell you the truth your arguments mean nothing to them. Your charity means nothing to them. The only thing that sets the christian apart is Jesus Christ and him crucified and for sinners slain. Raised again for the justification of them that believe. You must preach the gospel as though the souls of men are dead and doomed and under a curse apart from it.
Varnel Watson
to get to the goal one’s strategy often hurts others
Joe Absher
Unfortunately God’s army still hasn’t figured out who their friends are. Or their enemies
Varnel Watson
A very different Christmas…in the Streets of San Francisco
Church should be praying…
Varnel Watson
A very different Christmas…@ our Southern border
Varnel Watson
A very different poormens Christmas…
Varnel Watson
WHY border?
WHY poverty
why NOT the love of God ?
Varnel Watson
The One who cannot be contained in Solomon’s temple (much less the expanding universe) is contained in the womb of a Middle Eastern teenager {migrant} (resonating Kenneth Tanner).
Kenneth Tanner
No argument from me.
Varnel Watson
– middle eastern
– illegal by Herod’s executive order
– no border wall
– wanted by border patrol
– political asylums persecuted by the government
– dead sentence on the infant CHILD
The world we live in…
Larry Dale Steele
Troy Day absolute truth
Varnel Watson
IF the absolute truth run to America instead of Egypt he would have still be with the border caravan
Larry Dale Steele
I believe God is Raising a people in Egypt
Varnel Watson
Rev 3:20 Jesus speaks to the last days church
BEHOLD I stand at the {border} gate and knock
whosoever opens… I will dine
….
studying about this good ol way
and WHO shall wear a robe and a crown?
Varnel Watson
a different type of caravan held at the border http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/dAQC8C_touSe3bmL1urlhttp3A2F2Fwww.pentecostaltheology.com2Fwp-content2Fuploads2F20152F122FPentecostalTheology.com_.png
Larry Dale Steele
I’m convinced that John 5:39 is still going on as we speak
Varnel Watson
same goes for John 14:9 as well
Larry Dale Steele
yes sad but true
Varnel Watson
Economy > Poverty > Population under $1 a day: Countries Compared
# COUNTRY DATE
3 Central African RepublicCentral Africa 2000
4 Zambia 2000
5 Niger 2000
6 Burkina Faso 2000
Joe Absher still telling my story
Joe Absher
Tell it to the best of your ability.
Only Jesus Christ can reach into the heart and soul of a man and pull out that pain and roll off the burden of sin and guilt. And make him new and clean. Beyond borders and beyond measure. Grace.
Varnel Watson
JESUS placed ppl @ the borders of LIFE just for US