When I think about Messiah Yeshua (Jesus to many), I think of the implication of the 'words' which apparently were spoken at his death. Luke and John both give a similar viewpoint on the 'words' that were spoken just prior to Yeshua's death. What did he say and what is my theological interpretation of these 'words'? The following is my viewpoint after much study and research!
Sometime around 3 p.m. on either 31 A.D. and/or 33 A.D. (all dates are uncertain), this Messiah person said the following: Father (meaning Yahweh in Hebrew or Elaha in Aramaic) "into thy hands I commit my spirit". He may of also said the following "it is finished". Then Yeshua bowed his head and gave up the ghost. Let's unpack these 'words' and think about their meaning.
1. Yeshua's words imply that he was more than a body of flesh. He had a 'spirit' within him which was released from his body at the point of death. Apparently, he bowed his head and gave up the ghost (giving up the ghost means giving up his 'spirit'). I call this his 'glorification' experience.
2. Why did Yeshua use the word Father (English)? Since Yeshua was Aramaic his 'word' for God was probably either Yahweh and/or Elaha. The word for God in Hebrew would have been Yahweh and the word in Aramaic would likely have been Elaha. I don't think he spoke English!
3. The theological implications seem clear to me. Yeshua was similar to you and I. He had a 'spirit' mind/consciousness. He was not totally a body of matter/flesh. His inner self was 'spirit' and this is what he spoke as he breathed his last. Who accepted his 'spirit'? My sense is that it was his God (Yahweh).
The Church theology which was concocted much later (after his death) produced a narrative where Yeshua died, was buried, and then rose bodily. This is called bodily resurrection. My sense is that the Jewish view of reality prevailed in the Gospels as these thinkers did not view that a 'spirit' was part of our real self. Today, many of us realize that there is a 'spirit' within each of us that gives us our 'consciousness' (life).
The Church narrative is obviously invalid if my viewpoint is valid. If Yeshua had a 'spirit' within himself then his 'words' "into thy hands I commit my spirit" make sense. Another way of saying this is "he gave up the ghost". Giving up the ghost means that he was immediately 'glorified' by the Father (Yahweh) at the point of death. The idea of a bodily resurrection would be totally INVALID (if my view is valid).
Reality (back in 31 A.D. and after) was not based upon Platonic philosophy (the idea of spiritual forms) but it was based upon Jewish thinking which advocated this idea called a bodily resurrection (some time in the future). This idea is totally INVALID in my view as I now know that I have a 'spirit' within myself which gives me LIFE (consciousness). I am more than a body of flesh and blood (so are you IMO). These ideas emerged with the understanding of Platonic Philosophy after the death of Socrates.
What really happened to Yeshua, in my opinion, is that he was spiritually 'glorified' (by his Father God) at the point of death. He was then a 'virtual' essence (with a glorified body) which ascended to his God (Yahweh) in the spiritual realm. He ascended to the 'right hand' side of his God (Yahweh) and acquired a position of authority subservient to his God. I call this a position of being a spiritual High Priest. You and I can also acquire this 'glorified' reality when we pass from our fleshly life.
When I read the writings of John in Revelation, Chapter 4 and 5, I discern this relationship (of Yeshua) with the Father (Yahweh). He is not sitting on the Throne (as God) in Revelation 4, but he is separate from the Throne (God) and standing with the 24 elders who occupy positions AROUND the outer Throne. This implies that the 'glorified' Yeshua is not God but likely High Priest/Mediator/Lion of Judah. The Church got it all wrong IMO. The theology of Nicaea is totally invalid if my theology is valid.
We are now in 2023 and all this prior history was way back in 31 - 33 A.D. The actual history was later concocted by mostly Greek thinkers much AFTER the death of the historical Yeshua. Confusion and division occurred for decades (after Yeshua's death) over what really happened at Golgotha. Differing SECTS of religion emerged with different points of view on all the details. The Essenes, the Ebionites, the Christians, the Pharisees, the Marionites, and the orthodox Jews all concocted viewpoints which differed on the theological issues. Today, all is in confusion and scholars differ on much of the details.
Theology (of the Church) emerged mostly hundreds of years AFTER the death of this Messiah person, called Yeshua (Jesus to many). Today, we have thousands of sects and denominations which espouse contrary viewpoints on many issues of theology. My viewpoint is based on my own research and study. I am convinced the Yeshua was a real historical person but NOT the person espoused by the Christian Church. He did not view himself as God (for example). He did not espouse a Salvation from sin (theology). He also did not fulfill his mission of bringing us the Kingdom of his God.
Today, we have a mindset that is mostly confused and illogical on most issues of theology. Biblical scholars differ on many of the theological issues. My sense is that we are living in the LAST DAYS of church history. Christianity is mostly invalid as a theology as the viewpoints are now illogical and confused. Scholars are starting to write about this history and I discern mostly confusion and illogic in most of the viewpoints. As a believer, I have developed my own logic and theology on what is VALID.
For me, the following items are core:
1. Yeshua was a Jew (from Nazareth) who received his mindset from his Jewish God (Yahweh).
2. Yeshua never claimed to be God (Yahweh). He claimed the precise opposite (a role as messenger of God).
3. Yeshua's Gospel (was not the Church Gospel) but it was a ministry of the Kingdom of his God (Yahweh).
4. The idea that Yeshua's fleshly blood was 'salvation from sin' (when believed) was not his mindset. Blood can not save a person (only the 'spirit' of the Father can save).
5. The Gospel of the Church was primarily derived from the writings of an evangelist who never KNEW the historical Yeshua (his name was Paul of Tarsus). The Gospel (of Paul) became the Church Gospel and was promulgated convincingly after the Council of Nicaea after 325 A.D.
6. Why is the Church folding today? My sense is that the Church Gospel is being exposed as mostly INVALID (theologically). Yeshua never advocated this Church Gospel for mankind. His real Gospel (ministry) was the Kingdom of his God. He preached this message for some three years (give or take).
7. Our end-time prophecy speakers are now in total confusion over the 'words' written by the Church (their various bibles/translations/interpretations). All is in confusion and much is theologically INVALID imo. We now need to reexamine all the theological ideas and discern what is valid and real (for today/NOW).
Think for yourself on all these ideas. I must do likewise. Have a great day! I am: Donald B. Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, donaldswenson.blogspot.com.
http://kingdomecon.wordpress.com
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