Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them. Mt 18: 20
Book: Those with Ears to Hear..all that Jesus commanded them
Back Cover Contents:
Finally, a book that cites each command of Jesus in English and Greek!
A must-have resource for pastors and serious Bible students.
Opening primer chapters reveal the New Testament (NT) religious, political, cultural, and language backgrounds. Various theological terms are clarified for lay understanding. Popular English Bibles are described according to translation philosophies and English renderings.
Over 500 commands rendered from the Greek imperative mood usage of Jesus are catalogued in the English Standard Version, Westcott Hort Greek, plus commentary. Included are selected English and Greek word studies. Critical text location and compilation are explained. Excursuses on Jn 14: 15, Trinitarian work, the Holy Spirit’s power, and the Father’s will are provided.
“teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” Mt 28: 20a
Journey from our, here and now back to their, there and then. Discover the words of Jesus recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the language of their day. Contrast their beliefs then then through Jesus’ Greek imperatives, to what our beliefs now through English commands.
How did hearers of Jesus interpret his commands?
With reader insight into how translators have derived English from NT Koine Greek, Rick identified and examined the historical and critical texts with analysis of Jesus’ imperative mood commands. Learn what both followers and antagonists of Jesus heard and understood.
Book Content
Preface and Introduction
Two short starting chapters provide background for the motivation of this book. They highlight the sanctification process in the lives of believers and the author.
Section 1: Fear Not the Greek
This two chapter section begins with, "Koine Greek for English Speaking Christians" presents insight on the Greek language and culture at the time of Jesus. "Bible Translations" presents a history of Bible Translations with content on translation methodologies especially "Word for Word" and "Thought for Thought" Bibles.
Section 2: Meaning Then, Meaning Now
This section includes a wealth of information on exegesis, hermeneutics, exposition, and interpretation. These four terms are explained with lay understanding. Details regarding the Greek Imperative Mood Form are explained in lay terms. The importance of historical context and the grammatical-historical method is clarified.
Section 3. The Imperatives of Jesus
This section of the book is the meat of research. Every Greek Imperative Mood Form spoken by Jesus as recorded by Mathew, Mark, Luke and John is provided. The English command is underlined, followed by the Greek from the Westcott and Hort Critical Text. Commentary regarding particular nuances of Greek grammar and contextual understanding are included.
Section 4: Beyond His Commands
Section 4, lists every Greek imperative spoken to Jesus including commentary. Chapter 17 includes how the Father's will, the Spirit's power, and Trinity worked within the imperatives spoken by Jesus. An excursus on the English and Greek from John 14: 15 is provided
Bibliography
The Bibliography lists all quoted referenced sources.
Sample Content from Preface
Sample Content from Preface
Preface
Honor your father and your mother, that your days
may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. Ex 20: 12
Family and Faith Traditions
When our families and friends gathered, no one talked much about who went to what church, but we all went somewhere. Home family gatherings included laughter, food, and usually one of us kids knocked over a framed glass photo of a deceased relative from the old country as we tossed baseballs in the living room. Mom said, “Baseballs are for outdoors!” Lesson learned. Sunday school, church, prayer before all three meals and bedtime were never missed traditions.
Families and friends were a mix of Lutherans, Evangelicals, Catholics, Orthodox, Nazarenes, Baptists, Methodists, Reformed, Episcopalians, and too many Christian denominations to count. We also had friends who never attended church, but we went every Sunday. There was a synagogue in town, but in my youth, no one ever explained to me how a synagogue was different from a church. I never heard of a mosque or temple as a kid. Evangelists, Jehovah Witnesses, and Mormons regularly knocked on our door. Often Dad or Mom chatted with them while we siblings sat at the supper table, watching mashed potatoes grow cold.
Family and Faith Traditions Challenged
Beyond my teen years, non-denominational and megachurches developed. I was raised to respect Pastors. Every Pastor I knew wore robes, collars, and sashes. Watching someone without a robe talking about God from a lectern and not a pulpit from one of these new non-denominational megachurches was strange. Pastors went from robes to suits with ties, to sports coats, to jeans with open-collared shirts, to shorts with t-shirts and sandals. We used hymn books with words right underneath dots and lines to follow the melody. Sometimes mom or dad sang a little bit differently, but it sounded nice. As a kid, I did not know what harmony was but figured those dots and lines in those thick hymn books meant something. Big white screens that showed just the words were nice, but I didn’t hear quite the same sound I heard as a kid when everybody sang.
I used to think robes or suits meant something. New friends who called themselves Christians like me advocated that dirty jeans and t-shirts in the pulpit meant that the pastor was my friend. I was taught that with the new mega-church, pastors dressed like because they had my spiritual care in mind. I could trust them because they were just like me.
With clothing change, came message change. In my youth, the pastor wore a robe, and my parents dressed me in a suit. Hard to find pastors in robes and pew sitters in suits today in most churches. The music also changed. Hymnals were replaced by screens with words and lots of pictures. The sermons seemed to be shorter too. I had never seen a drama play in church before attending one of those new mega-churches. The closet my parents and siblings came to any tope of drama was at Christmas when some of the teens dressed up around a manger scene.
Through these new spiritual and secular experiences, I kept my Bible close. Didn’t read it much, but it was there. No one told me the message would change. As long as I went to church, I figured no matter what Pastors wore or what hymns or worship songs were played the Pastors were right. Pastors would never knowingly or even mistakenly teach me something wrong. Would they?
Missing Something
Most churches I have attended these past numerous decades have been worship-focused with emotive power point leadership and pastoral based sermons. Parents taught us to respect pastors and teachers. Although posing questions to our Sunday-school teachers was not a problem, understanding their answers was a challenge. I sometimes struggled with, "Am I too stupid to understand"? Or "Are they unable because they do not know the answer?" Or "Are they not able to make me understand?" Maybe you have had similar experiences.
Perhaps like me, you went to church with your parents, didn't ask much, and enjoyed those church picnics. Of course in my younger days, I had no idea that Theology, Hebrew, Greek, Culture, Context, Exegesis, Hermeneutics, and so many strange words had anything to do with sermons or Sunday school until much later in life.
After all those church years I began to wonder if I had missed something. After thousands of sermons, classes, catechisms, and church socials and plenty of fried chicken and chocolate cake, perhaps not until our adult years do we realize so many biblical truths. There are only two options. Either I missed something by not paying attention or perhaps I had never been taught those deeper things.
Perhaps maturity is now a higher priority for you. Sermons, worship, prayer meetings, small groups, and Sunday-school classes often are not able to answer our more profound questions. I found that only more highly focused intentional study could provide the solid food for which I hungered. In my adult years, I just knew I was hungry. You are not alone starving in the pews. Perhaps you too hunger for solid food.
But solid food is for the mature. Hb 5: 14.
You Are Not Alone
My relationships expanded with new friends of faith ravenous for solid food beyond either emotionally charged or staid solemn services. Visiting numerous churches— sometimes three or four on any Sunday — I found people hungry, wanting, and willing to put time, effort, and finances toward loving the Lord with their minds. They too sat in their pews with little meat in their nearly empty plates. I wondered how "How can I get beyond my church”?
As hypocritical as I felt, it seemed the church (or churches, no matter which one I attended) was holding me back. I was afraid to ask if the church was intentionally keeping me away from deeper things. With college came classes, grades, freedom, and other temptations which I thought had higher priorities than faith. Rightly interpreting the Word was not crucial to me at that time. I did not know my own ignorance. However, I attended required college chapel and church.
After decades of church attendance, lay volunteerism, Sunday school, mission trips, and small groups, I found that I was deeply involved in ministry but knew very little. Evangelizing, worshiping, reciting parables, and talking about the birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and a return of Jesus, came easy. Church told me what to do and did it. However, I knew little about God. Not a week went by that I did not do something for or through the church. But those big words that sometimes my Pastor said, but never explained, remained remote. Church mattered. God, however, was distant. Maybe that was my fault. Maybe not.
What Would Jesus Do (WWJD)? Challenged
In the 1990s most of my friends who said they were Christian wore “What would Jesus do?” bracelets. Some stuck a bumper sticker with the acronym “WWJD” on their used car. From so many Sunday school classes, catechisms, mid-week meetings, baptisms, weddings, funerals and church attendances I knew a lot about what Jesus had done and probably what he would want me to do. However, I did not know a lot about what he literally said to do. From pulpits I repeatedly heard parables, Old Testament stories and of course the 10 Commandments. I had heard about Revelation. But most of my Sunday school teachers conveyed that the book of Revelation was too scary or something like that. It was too far beyond my teachers to talk about it. So I looked at Revelation the same way. I don’t recall hearing the pastor talk about it.
I eventually took the WWJD bracelet off. I wondered if what Jesus had said was equally as important as to what he had done. Years of the church, Sunday school, and catechism classes pounded the Gospel message into me. However, I never had much clarity on what he had said to his disciples in their language let alone what he’s saying to me in my language. I wanted to know why Jesus said what he said to those in his day. Having been taught that salvation and church were the main Christian priorities I began to fear anything that was beyond salvation and church. I wanted the Kingdom but the Kingdom was never discussed. Only salvation and church. Jesus’ words in Mt 6: 33a to seek Kingdom and his righteousness took on a new meaning.
Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ. Mt 6: 33a
How could I have a relationship with God without knowing what Jesus had commanded? I wondered what Jesus had told his disciples? What exactly had they heard? How had they interpreted his commands after they heard him? I had to get beyond Bible stories. To go ahead I had to go back to their time.
Beyond Bible Stories to Historical Realities
This reference chapters of this book first identifies and then provides commentary on each command of Jesus. More clearly, this book is primarily a reference commentary on the Koine Greek mood imperatives spoken by Jesus as recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and translated into English from through Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament.
Now do not get frightened over some new words about Greek. Don't shut the book because you think you cannot handle Greek or theology or new words not often heard from pulpits. You can. This book is written at about an early high school level, so if you can read, you can understand what is in this book.
Studying the Greek imperatives of Jesus that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John recorded provided to me a profound understanding of Jesus and those who wrote his words. Fed in youth by the King James Version (KJV) later by paraphrases such as the New International Version (NIV) and New Living Translation (NLT), I realized something I thought impossible. Bibles were different. Not wanting to doubt my Pastors or their Bibles, I started comparing various English Bibles with cautious skepticism. In my youth I had no idea that there were so many different Bible translations. I thought there was just one Bible, the KJV. I never knew about Bibles, but I could tell you about Christmas, Easter, and salvation. I kept my KJV Bible red-letter edition that my parents gave me after confirmation nearby. It had my name embossed on the front in gold letters and pictures on the inside. Years went by.
Intentional Intellectual Faith Development
Through intentionally conscience study at Wheaton I realized that the imperative commands of Jesus, that I had always read in English commands, must be considered in their original context. In other words, meaning then and meaning now can be different. Big difference between reading in English in the quiet of my study under a single 75-watt bulb and hearing Jesus speak to John in Greek and then trying to understand what John heard and interpreted. English is adequate. But how did culture and the Greek language effect what John, Peter, and others had heard and understood in Jesus' day? How much might have been lost in translation from Greek to English. Was I missing something? Were others missing something?
Trusting pastors, Sunday school, and catechism teachers, I eventually realized they, like me, were limited to English translations. I came to hunger for the written and oral language of the Gospel writers, their context, their time, and their culture. Not mine. I knew what I was reading in English. Someone told me to pretend that I was living in Jesus' day. I could not do that without knowing the language and culture of Jesus’ day. I had a strong feelings based faith with worship and eventually realized that an intentional intellectual faith is also worshipful. Big difference.
This book has been written for non-Greek laypersons. The commentary insights are intentioned for the laity. Readers need not be a Greek enthusiast. Your goal is to comprehend what the disciples of Jesus, the Scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the sinners in his day had heard. Deeper still, seek to comprehend what they came to believe after having heard Jesus' Greek imperatives or also our English commands. Be intentional in pursuing their, there and then compared to our, here and now.
Gratitude
Thank you to New Testament Greek Professors, tutors, and classmates, Wheaton professors Dr. J. Julius Scott, Jr., Dr. Mark Noll, Dr. Philip Comfort, Dr. Walter E. Elwell, Dr. Scott J. Hafemann, Dr. Doug Penny, the family of the late Dr. Tim Phillips, and the family of the late Dr. Robert Webber.
Thank you to fellow language and biblical theologically focused friends. Much appreciation for rich conversations and critiques from friends of the Evangelical Theological Society over the years. I am indebted to those in the academy and pastorates who have intentionally labored in mind and time to research and writing.
Gratitude to sisters Karma Orwig and Judy Carico for hours of telephone conversations. Appreciation to Jim Haider, Dan Keating, Susan Wilson, Matthew Pukala, William Grall, Catherine Rategan, Eric Twietmeyer, John Noe, David Jobb and all who have persevered through our many conversations.
Love and gratitude to Donna Ligthart of whom I am blessed to be her husband. Without her the research, writing, editing and production of this book would not have been possible.
Eternal thanks and glory be to the LORD Messiah, Immanuel Jesus.
Selected Excepts
Five Excerpts
Below are five excerpts from over 500 imperatives in this book spoken by Jesus (underlined), followed by the imperative word or phrase in Greek, and commentary insight.
Text:
Matthew 18: 10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones Ὁρᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Comment / Insight:
Jesus commanded his disciples to beware of looking down on “little ones.” “Little ones” may mean young in age or immature in faith. His word was not cautionary, but a command. Jesus commanded his disciples to have no contempt nor create stumbling blocks for those growing in faith or those whose faith is immature by age or lack of understanding. He referenced intercessory angels on their behalf which emphasized consequences for disobeying his imperative command not to despise the little ones. More edified believers are not to despise those who are less edified.
Text:
Mark 6: 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them ἐκτινάξατε τὸν χοῦν τὸν ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν ὑμῶν εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς."
Comment / Insight:
Jesus had commanded that they shake off the dust. The dust that remained behind was intended to remain with those who refused to listen. His disciples likely were curious why it was necessary to Jesus that they shake off the dust. Jesus referred to Ex 9: 9 the fine dust of Egypt that caused boils and sores and the consequences that befell those who refused to listen.[1]
He made clear to his disciples the power his word. They were not to carry any plague of unbelief with them from house to house, but shake off the dust and leave as testimony and confirmation of those who had not listened.
[1] It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt." Ex 9: 9
Text:
John 2: 18-22 So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Comment / Insight:
The Greek morphology affirms that the imperative “destroy this temple” was a command to the Jews to put Jesus to death. The imperative “destroy” is second person plural. A clarifying meaning is, “You as a group destroy this singular temple of my body.” Jesus affirmed that after they would destroy him at his command, he would raise in three days.
Jesus did not say, “If you destroy this temple.” He did not say, “When you destroy this temple.” He was not speaking about the Jerusalem Temple. Jesus commanded the Jews as a group to destroy his temple, his body. That is what they heard although denied. The English pronoun “this” is derived from a Greek accusative masculine singular demonstrative pronoun. The demonstrative pronoun here functioned as an adjective. There was no audible (heard) or textual (written) confusion that Jesus was talking about his own body.
Both the definite article and noun “this Temple” τὸν ναὸν are masculine singular. In v20 John recorded that the Jews used a definite article and a demonstrative pronoun that identified “the Temple.” In v20 the ESV has translated ὁ ναὸς as “this Temple” but a more accurate translation agreeing with the Greek nominative masculine singular article and the nominative masculine singular noun should be “the Temple.” While in English the difference between “this” and “the” sound and seem insignificant. The distinction in both audible and written Greek is more profound than in English.
John further affirmed in v21 that Jesus was speaking of his own body. Intentional contemporary and historical eisegesis (compared to literal, contextual exegesis) has caused confusion regarding the Jewish Temple’s structure or Jesus’ bodily temple.
The Jews had heard him correctly yet referenced “the Temple.” As a result, the physical temple structure or Jesus bodily temple became a hermeneutical or interpretive point of contention for them.
As each gospel records, Jesus’ bodily temple was destroyed on the cross and raised in three days. Jesus' imperative that he gave to the Jews was completed. They precisely did as he commanded. He had given them a command to destroy his bodily temple, and they did. Wallace agrees:
The sense of the imperative here is, minimally, “If you destroy…..”But if λύσατε[destroy] follows the normal semantic pattern of conditional imperative, the force is even stronger: “If you destroy this temple – and I command you to – in three days I will raise it up.” Though this may seem far fetched at first glance, it is in fact likely.[1]
[1] Wallace, Daniel, B., Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament, 490.
Text:
To Ananias
Acts 9:10-12 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise ἀνὰστα and go to the street called Straight πορεύθητι ἐπὶ τὴν ῥύμην τὴν καλουμένην Εὐθεῖαν, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul καὶ ζήτησον ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰούδα Σαῦλον ὀνόματι Ταρσέα, for behold, he is praying ἰδοὺ γὰρ προσεύχεται and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."
Comment / Insight:
Ananias received four imperatives from Jesus: rise, go, look, and behold. The greeting imperative, “behold” affirmed to Ananias that he would enter and lay hands on Saul and Saul’s sight would be restored. This imperative demanded Ananias’ reverence for the Lord and Saul’s prayer and preceded Ananias to lay hands on Saul. The behold imperatives serves as a ground or reason for why Ananias should go. It is the preparation done by the Lord for accomplishing his work.
Text:
To Ananias
Ac 9:13-16 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, Πορεύου for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
Comment / Insight:
Jesus’ gave a singular imperative, “go” which may sound simple. The English wording is not sufficient to convey the power of the Greek imperative. Ananias attempted to dissuade the Lord from the imperatives he had initially heard in v 10 – 12. Ananias explained that he knew Saul's (Paul's) reputation that Saul had persecuted followers of "the way," later to be called Christians. Jesus spoke a command that clarified Saul as a chosen instrument of God. Despite Ananias' fear, Jesus' one imperative, "go" left Ananias without an option. Ananias went. His challenge or more factually his desire and effort to disobey Jesus’ imperatives were ineffective.
xxxxxxx
About the Author
Additional Information
Richard Ligthart, MBA, MA in Biblical and Theological Studies from Wheaton College Graduate School inclusive of Koine Greek.
Richard is an ordained pastor, teacher, and edifier, specializing in personal, ministerial, and ecclesiastical church renewal through applied Biblical Theology.
As a former Senior pastor of churches and having worked at two crisis pregnancy centers on Chicago's southwest and south side suburbs and lead as Executive Director a Crisis Pregnancy Center Richard's experience in leadership and turnaround ministry is well established.
His insights on applied Biblical Theology and his dedication to research and grasping the importance of context within the Greek text that Jesus' hearers heard is insightful for those seeking a deeper faith.
