{"id":250,"date":"2022-11-14T01:06:09","date_gmt":"2022-11-13T17:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/?p=250"},"modified":"2022-11-14T01:06:09","modified_gmt":"2022-11-13T17:06:09","slug":"caesarea-philippi-and-the-gates-of-hades-part-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/ptr-art-calaguas\/caesarea-philippi-and-the-gates-of-hades-part-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Caesarea Philippi and the Gates of Hades \u2013 Part 4<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shalom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From last week, we saw in Matthew 16:13-20 that the Lord meant for the coming Kingdom of Heaven to destroy the gates of Hades:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>\u03ba\u1f00\u03b3\u1f7c \u03b4\u03ad \u03c3\u03bf\u03b9 \u03bb\u03ad\u03b3\u03c9 \u1f45\u03c4\u03b9 \u03c3\u1f7a \u03b5\u1f36 \u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03b1\u03cd\u03c4\u1fc3 \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03c0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u1fb3 \u03bf\u1f30\u03ba\u03bf\u03b4\u03bf\u03bc\u03ae\u03c3\u03c9 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f10\u03ba\u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03c3\u03af\u03b1\u03bd, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 <\/mark>\u03c0\u03cd\u03bb\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f85\u03b4\u03bf\u03c5<\/mark> \u03bf\u1f50 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03c3\u03c7\u03cd\u03c3\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2\u00b7<\/mark>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock<\/em> I will build my church, and (the) <\/em><\/mark>gates of Hades<\/mark><\/em> will not withstand it.<\/em><\/mark>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Greek\/Roman mythology, Hades was one of the chief male deities. Zeus\/Jupiter ruled over the earth and sky, Poseidon\/Neptune ruled over the seas, while Hades\/Pluto ruled the netherworld\/underworld of the dead. Hades then is a name of a Greek god; but it is also the name of a place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hades (Greek \u1f8d<\/em>\u03b4\u03b7\u03c2<\/em>) usually corresponds to or is equivalent to the Hebrew \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc \u201cSheol\u201d meaning the place\/realm of the dead; the underworld; the abode of departed spirits awaiting final judgment. Sheol and Hades point to the place where people descend to when they die. Note that there were some ancient beliefs that the big cave in Caesarea Philippi\/Banias was the actual entrance to Hades!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scripture uses other names for the netherworld: Abaddon\/Apollyon (Greek \u1f08<\/em>\u03b2\u03b1\u03b4\u03b4\u03ce\u03bd<\/em> transliterated from the Hebrew \u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05df meaning destruction; Greek \u1f08<\/em>\u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03bb\u03cd\u03c9\u03bd<\/em>), Gehenna (Greek \u03b3\u03ad\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u03b1<\/em>, derived from a transliteration of the Hebrew \u05d2\u05b5\u05bd\u05d9\u05be\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05b9\u05bc\u05dd\u0599 \u201cgeHinnom\u201d or Hinnom Valley) and Tartarus (Greek \u03c4\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03b1\u03c1\u03cc\u03c9<\/em>, a region of Hades where the Titans were imprisoned). Unfortunately, most translations just use the word \u201chell\u201d for Sheol, Hades, Tartarus and Gehenna. However, in the Gospels, our Lord Jesus uses \u03b3\u03ad\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u03b1<\/em> (Gehenna) for hell; the place of unceasing suffering for the unredeemed after the Final Judgment. Revelation likewise distinguishes hell and Hades and verse 20:14 clearly states that death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire (i.e., Gehenna).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gehenna was first called \u201cValley of the Sons of Hinnom.\u201d It was also called \u201cTopeth\u201d and \u201cValley of Slaughter.\u201d It is an existing valley south of Jerusalem. Scripture attests that this valley was used as a location of child sacrifice by fire to the god Molech when the Kingdom of Judah fell into idolatry\/apostasy. During the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in the 6th<\/sup> century BC, dead bodies were piled atop each other in this valley. Later on, garbage and refuse were thrown unto this valley and fires were kept burning to get rid of these things. From this image one can relate to the scriptural belief of final judgment in the abyss of eternal torment by fire (i.e., Revelation\u2019s lake of fire). Note also that the apocryphal book of 1 Enoch warns of a place of fiery punishment, an abyss south of Jerusalem where ungodly Israelites would be thrown into (i.e., Gehenna).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now we come to the other most discussed\/debated part of the passage (Matthew 16:19) as our Lord continued to say to Simon Peter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19<\/sup>\u03b4\u03ce\u03c3\u03c9 \u03c3\u03bf\u03b9 \u03c4\u1f70\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bb\u03b5\u1fd6\u03b4\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u1ff6\u03bd, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f43 \u1f10\u1f70\u03bd \u03b4\u03ae\u03c3\u1fc3\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b3\u1fc6\u03c2 <\/mark>\u1f14\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b4\u03b5\u03b4\u03b5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd<\/mark> \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f43 \u1f10\u1f70\u03bd \u03bb\u03cd\u03c3\u1fc3\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b3\u1fc6\u03c2 <\/mark>\u1f14\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03bb\u03b5\u03bb\u03c5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd<\/mark> \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2.<\/mark>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and what if you might bind on the earth <\/em><\/mark>will have (already) been bound<\/mark><\/em> in the heavens, and what if you might loose on the earth <\/em><\/mark>will have (already) been loosed<\/mark><\/em> in the heavens.\u201d<\/em><\/mark>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord is saying to Peter that the keys of heaven are given to him; and tells him that what \u03b4\u03ae\u03c3<\/em>\u1fc3<\/em>\u03c2 on earth <\/em>\u1f14<\/em>\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b4\u03b5\u03b4\u03b5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd in heaven and what \u03bb\u03cd\u03c3<\/em>\u1fc3<\/em>\u03c2 on earth<\/em> \u1f14<\/em>\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03bb\u03b5\u03bb\u03c5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd in heaven.<\/em> Both \u03b4\u03ae\u03c3<\/em>\u1fc3<\/em>\u03c2 <\/em>(verb in the subjunctive mood) <\/em>and \u03b4\u03b5\u03b4\u03b5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd <\/em>(perfect middle\/passive participle) are inflected forms of \u03b4\u03ad\u03c9 <\/em>(verb meaning \u201cI bind\u201d). On the other hand, both \u03bb\u03cd\u03c3<\/em>\u1fc3<\/em>\u03c2<\/em> (verb in the subjunctive mood) and \u03bb\u03b5\u03bb\u03c5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd<\/em> (perfect middle\/passive participle) are inflected forms of \u03bb\u03cd\u03c9<\/em> (verb meaning \u201cI loose\u201d). Binding and loosing are legal technical terms (as in a court room) used in the 1st<\/sup> century setting of our Lord Jesus and his disciples. To bind means to prohibit or not allow. To loose means to permit or allow. The prohibition (binding) or permission (loosing) is based on the Torah and what the rest of Old Testament (OT) scriptures teach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a good exercise in Greek. Without an appreciation of the grammatical form, function and its correct meaning, the translation may mislead readers to think of different meaning(s) inconsistent with its original context and intent. The grammar does not mean that whatever Simon Peter prohibits on earth is automatically prohibited in heaven. Neither does his permission for anything on earth automatically mean that heaven simply backs him up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my 2013-2014 ATS Biblical Greek classes, our textbook contained this explanation: \u201c\u2026the heavenly decree confirming the earthly one is based on a prior verdict.\u201d [Craig S. Keener, \u201cExegetical Insight\u201d in Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar<\/em>: Third Edition by William D. Mounce (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009); 122.] This is brought out by the Greek grammar that uses future perfect passives for heaven\u2019s actions. Furthermore, in another section of our textbook, it is pointed out that these perfect passives are in the form of participles combined with the future active of \u03b5<\/em>\u1f30<\/em>\u03bc\u03af <\/em>(verb meaning \u201cto be\u201d; inflected as \u1f14<\/em>\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9<\/em>, meaning \u201cit will be\u201d) in what is called a \u201cperiphrastic verb\u201d construction. [Paul Jackson, \u201cExegetical Insight\u201d in Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar<\/em>: Third Edition by William D. Mounce (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009); 275.] Hence, what Matthew 16:19 means is that what is bound\/prohibited or loosed\/permitted on earth already had the prior mandate of heaven. [We shall see another example (in a different context), of this periphrastic verb construction when we get to Matthew 18.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, a few Bible translations do get this right (e.g., Berean Literal Bible, NASB, Amplified Bible, Christian Standard Bible, Aramaic Bible in Plain English, International Standard Version, Literal Standard Version, NET Bible, World English Bible, and Young\u2019s Literal Translation). It is always helpful to check different English translations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the last verse of our passage (Matthew 16:20), the Lord charged his disciples not to tell anyone that he is indeed the Messiah. His time was approaching, but not yet. He now openly talks to his disciples about his coming suffering. And there were other things to accomplish before heading for Jerusalem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will continue next week on a new but related topic from Matthew\u2019s Gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God bless us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom.  From last week, we saw in Matthew 16:13-20 that the Lord meant for the coming Kingdom of Heaven to destroy the gates of Hades: 18\u03ba\u1f00\u03b3\u1f7c \u03b4\u03ad \u03c3\u03bf\u03b9 \u03bb\u03ad\u03b3\u03c9 \u1f45\u03c4\u03b9 \u03c3\u1f7a \u03b5\u1f36 \u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03b1\u03cd\u03c4\u1fc3 \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03c0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u1fb3 \u03bf\u1f30\u03ba\u03bf\u03b4\u03bf\u03bc\u03ae\u03c3\u03c9 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f10\u03ba\u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03c3\u03af\u03b1\u03bd, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c0\u03cd\u03bb\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f85\u03b4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03bf\u1f50 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03c3\u03c7\u03cd\u03c3\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2\u00b7\u00a0 And I say…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[6,7,9,8,5],"class_list":["post-250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ptr-art-calaguas","tag-church-of-the-risen-lord","tag-crl","tag-spiritual-refreshment-of-the-day","tag-upcemi","tag-upcrl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250\/revisions\/251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}