The world’s ongoing reform from competitive monotheism is new to me. His mom and dad called him Yeshua (English Joshua), which I prefer much as I prefer people to use my children’s names. For example, when someone calls Rebekah “Rebecca” it bothers me. When someone-who-knows-her spells Rebekah “Rebecca”, it offends me. I always report the “Rebecca” mistake when it comes to my attention, then forget the incident. In other words, I do not recall repetition in half a century.
This happy reflection reminds me of
forgiveness, a demanding process
Matthew attributed to Yeshua in Chapter 18:15-20. I paraphrase:
In private, report perceived offense; if resolved (maybe
you needed reform and made amends), all is well; if not, convince a fellow
citizen to join your presentation then either admit your stubbornness or
approach the accused to debate again; if not – no sympathizer, no second
presentation, or no resolution, present your case to society. Society may treat
the offending party (maybe you) as irresponsible, arrogant, or evil. The
motivation to practice Yeshua’s process is that whatever harm you tolerate
continues to lessen living, while harms you resolve bring peace. Yeshua’s
greatest strength is that he neither initiates nor accommodates harm to or from
any person or association.
The importance to Yeshua of this process is evident in the
parting commission to his apostles, reported in John 20:23, “If you forgive
someone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you hold them, they are held.”
Both of
the above references exemplify Yeshua’s use of metaphors[1]
that run deep to reliable responsibility to the good on earth. By accepting
responsibility to address offenses when they arise, a person, aware or not,
effects Yeshua’s resistance to the bad on earth. After the metaphors “I am”,
light, the word, fulfill the law, and peace, Yeshua’s commission to forgive
seems ineluctable. It is humankind’s responsibility to mutually interpret the
metaphors to the good rather than to compete to the bad.
Interestingly, once again, when
a discovery appears in my life, a little research shows I am late yet not
unhappy. I found a 4 minute introduction[2]
to the name, Yeshua. The etymology is explained[3]
as Yehoshua–Yeshua–Iēsous–IESVS–Iesu–Jesus through transliteration rather than translation.
“By the time the New Testament was written, the Septuagint had already transliterated ישוע (Yeshuaʿ)
into Koine Greek as closely as
possible in the 3rd-century BCE, the
result being Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous).” That is, 250 years before Yeshua
was born. A blunt, modern, heartfelt notice exists.[4]
His family history[5]
seems connected to everyone alive. By all means, I feel connected to Yosef and Miryam when I speak the name
they used: Yeshua. I perceive humility to the God, admitting I could be wrong.
The “Christ”[6]
debate need not dominate humankind. In the Septuagint , “Christ comes
from the Greek word χριστός (chrīstós), meaning ‘anointed one’.” Some rabbis
predicted an anointed one would unite the 12 tribes of Israel and grant their
kingdom. A faction thought Yeshua was the anointed one. A smaller faction
thought Yeshua negated the Torah. The majority of Hebrews disagreed.
Many non-Jews developed Yeshua as the God, usually as the Trinity. That’s
when competitive monotheism dominated and “Christ” obscured Yeshua. Competitive-mystery’s
gotta stop, shocking as it may seem after 5500 years’ practice. Of course, I don’t
know the ineluctable truth and can only observe what the world presents.
Copyright©2024 by Phillip R. Beaver. All rights reserved.
Permission is hereby granted for the publication of all or portions of this
paper as long as this complete copyright notice is included.
[1]
Online at https://www.dbu.edu/mitchell/christ-and-composition/jesus-and-metaphors.html
[2]
Online at https://lpb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/what-was-jesus-real-name-video/origin-of-everything/
[3]
Online at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_(name)
[4]
Online at http://www.cccla.org/about/the-name-yeshua/
[5]
Online at https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-teachings/messianic-perspective-bible-teachings/how-yeshua-became-jesus-the-journey-of-language/
[6]
Online at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_(title)
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