Ephesians 81-82_11a Ephesians 2:1-3
Ephesians 1981-82 Corps Teachings. Lesson 8 Part 1: Ephesians 2:1-3
Format: AUDIO
Publication Date: 1981-82
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
EPHESIANS 2:1-3
December 9, 1981
Tonight we’re into the great second chapter of Ephesians, please. There’s a record here
in Ephesians 2, verse 1 and verse 5, I just want to read to you the King James.
Ephesians 2:1
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Verse 5.
Ephesians 2:5
Even when we were dead in sins, hath [God—past] quickened us together
with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
I want to handle the phrases, “dead to sins” and “dead in sins.” Here in Ephesians 2:1
the King James Version has the phrases, “who were dead in trespasses and sins.” And in
2:5, “when we were dead in sins.”
Now in Aramaic, the word for “transgression” is spelled s-c-l-o-t-’. The word for “sin”
is k-t-h-’. Sclot’, kth’. In other words, these are the Aramaic words. In Greek the word for
“transgression” is paraptōma, p-a-r…p-t-o-m-a (long ō). Now put these words one right
under the other, your Aramaic and your Greek. While the word for “sin” is hamartia,
h-a-r…h-a-m-a-r-t-i-a.
In Ephesians chaper 1, in verse 7, we read in the King James:
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood,…
Then it’s the remission, “the remission of sins,” and this is the Aramaic word k-t-h’,
while in the Greek (Am I right on this Walter?) it’s the word paraptōma.
[Walter Cummins] That’s right.
[Dr. Wierwille] (Okay, you better come sit up here with me a minute. Because I really
want to be sure that I don’t miss any of this and you and I have…we’ve all talked this out.)
Working this so minutely and so beautifully, so accurate and so beautiful, and Aramaic is
more accurate than Greek here, which we’ll show you the reason for it. And this is why
here in 1:7 it…it’s the word sins. Now in chapter 2, verse 5:
Ephesians 2:5
Even when we were dead in sins,…
Is again this Aramaic word, spelled k-t-h’, but it is the Greek word for transgression,
paraptōma, is used there. We do not believe that the Greek is the accurate usage. We
believe it should be the Aramaic, which is translated “sins.”
Now, we check this all out (find me Romans here)…Romans 4, we got it [laughter]
right there: 25, there it is. Romans 4:25, we want to check now. Everybody have it?
Romans 4:25, it’s in The Book.
Romans 4:25
Who was delivered for our offences,…
And the word “offences” there in the Greek is the word paraptōma, but it shouldn’t be.
In the Aramaic it is the word k-t-h-’, sins. Who was delivered for our sins.
Now in 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 19. 2 Corinthians 5:19.
2 Corinthians 5:19
…God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto [what?] {himself}, not
imputing their trespasses…
It isn’t the word “trespasses”; it’s the word sins, k…in the Aramaic word k-t-h-’. Now
Colossians.
[Walter Cummins] In the Greek it’s still paraptōma.
[Dr. Wierwille] In the Greek it’s still…right. Thank you, Walter. Right.
Colossians, chapter 2. There are many places in the New Testament where the word
“transgression” and the word “sins” both from the Greek and from the Aramaic just agree.
[Walter: right.] But these are some of the difficult ones where the Aramaic is much more
accurate and must be right. Colossians 2, verse 13.
Colossians 2:13
And you, being dead in your sins…
There the word “sins” is the word, again, in…is the Aramaic word k-t-h-’, while the
Greek word is the word “transgression,” paraptōma. [Walter: …second one.] And the
second one also in 13.
Colossians 2:13
…having forgiven you all trespasses;
Again is the word “sins.” I want to get [inaudible] Walter, while I get most of this
covered, because this is just so simple and easy, and yet it’s detailed. And we just need to
take our time to go through it.
The Greek words for the phrase “who were dead in trespasses and sins”; Walter, here
is, you read it.
[Walter Cummins] ontas nekrous tois paraptōmasin kai tais hamartiais.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. And the word ontas (o-n-t-a-s), that Greek word is a participle,
and that is normally translated in the present as “being”—being; being dead, being dead.
[Inaudible talk between Dr. Wierwille and Walter.] However, this word ontas, o-n-t-a-s,
that Greek word translated “being” most of the time, does not by itself determine whether
the state of being is in the past or in the present. This can only be learned from the context,
whether it’s past or present. Most versions have translated it similar to the King James as
“were” (w-e-r-e) or “when ye were.”
And here are the follow…here are the translations of the 2:1, Ephesians 2:1. And
Walter you read these and tell them what version they are from.
[Walter Cummins] The first one…well, the King James you know. The Revised Version
has:
Ephesians 2:1 Revised Version
And you did he quicken when you were dead in trespasses and sins.
[Dr. Wierwille] See, when you were—being dead, were. Go on.
[Walter Cummins] And Murdock has:
Ephesians 2:1 Murdock
And also you he filleth who were dead in your sins and in your offences.
[Dr. Wierwille] Okay, now here’s what we want to hit. You were dead and you were
in—were dead and the word “in” in all these. Watch it. Now who’s the next one?
[Walter Cummins] Darby has:
Ephesians 2:1 Darby
And you being dead in your offences and sins.
[Dr. Wierwille] See, he used the word “being.”
[Walter Cummins] But you still have “in.”
[Dr. Wierwille] Right.
[Walter Cummins] Then Young’s has:
Ephesians 2:1 Young’s
Also you being dead in the trespasses and the sins.
Moffatt has:
Ephesians 2:1 Moffatt
And as with us so with you. You were dead in the trespasses and sins.
That’s King James. Concordant literal has:
Ephesians 2:1 Concordant Literal
And you being dead to your offences and sins.
[Dr. Wierwille] Now that’s the first one that has the preposition “to” instead of “in.”
Concordant Version.
[Walter Cummins] Lamsa has:
Ephesians 2:1 Lamsa
And he had quickened you also who were dead because of your sins and
trespasses.
And Rotherham has:
Ephesians 2:1 Rotherham
Unto you also being dead by your offences and sins.
[Dr. Wierwille] Quite a variation in the translations, and yet, there is a…the word
“being” translated were or being, and most of them “in,” using the preposition “in.” Dead
in rather than dead to. Only one, I think, used “dead to.” So you see, this is dative case.
Right? [Walter agrees.] Dead to [hits desk]. That’s dative case. Now the dative case,
Corps, could be translated dead to sins or dead in sins, either way. You can translated dead
to sins or dead in sins, from a dative case point of view. Or, you know, either translation is
acceptable. So before we consider what Ephesians 2:1, or how Ephesians 2:1 should be
102 EPHESIANS 1981—1982—Taught by Victor Paul Wierwille
translated, we’ve got to look at similar usages in the Book of Romans as well as in 1 Peter.
So we’ll take Romans 6:2 first. This verse will come up later again, so mark it good in
your minds.
Romans 6:2
…How shall we, that are dead to [what?] sin, live any longer therein?
There again it’s the dative case and the same usage of the word as we have in
Ephesians 2:1.
Now we go to Romans 6:10.
Romans 6:10
For in that he died, he died unto [he died to] sin once…
He died to it, unto it. Same dative case.
Now Romans 6:11.
Romans 6:11
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed [to] unto [to] sin,…
“To be dead indeed unto sin.” Now let’s go to 1 Peter 2:24, Walter. Read that one,
2:24, Walter. [Walter reads the verse.]
1 Peter 2:24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:…
[Dr. Wierwille] Okay, there again it’s the dative case: we being dead to sins. Same type
of construction as in Ephesians 2:1. Now I told the men and our wonderful girl in the
Research Department this morning that from a translation point of view, it’s so much
easier translating it like uh, uh…King James does “…who were dead in trespasses and
sins;” but I think you’re doctrinally wrong. You see, these references that we have just
read, they make it very clear that when we are born again we are dead to the root of sin.
Sin—that word “sin” is always root. Sins (s-i-n-s) is the fruit of the root. You see, and
when people…when people hear this…I’ve seen it many, many times in The Way Ministry
when people hear this...when you’re born again you’re dead to sin and you’re dead to the
fruit, the sins. Then people say, well if I’m born again, now I can sin all I want to—I’m
still going to heaven. They use it as an excuse for their stupid living; that’s what they do. I
remind you of what we just read in Romans 6:2. “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound?” Verse 2, God, what? {forbid}. God forbid. Just because God did something so
magnanimous, so fantastic, so unbelievably great, in Christ Jesus, it has to be a real stupid
individual who says even mouths it or even thinks it, “Now since I’m saved, I can do as I
damn please because I’m still going to go to heaven.” You’re absolutely right, you’re
going to go to heaven, but you’re going to have one hell of a time in route [taps on desk
four times], because the wages of sin is still death in the present [taps on desk three times].
So God forbid; God forbid. Then verse 15, look at that. (We got to cool it off in here;
people are sleepy on me…you can sleep when you’re dead…put you in casket.)
Romans 6:15
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?
God forbid.
I’ve taught people all through the years that because God so loved, we ought to love.
Just because you have eternal life, that does not give you the freedom to sin. You’ve got
the freedom but you’re stupid. It just…why should it…that doesn’t give you license. Might
a been better, huh? You’ve got the freedom. Heck, you could all go out and get drunk right
now, you’d still have what? eternal life, but God forbid! How shall we who have been
saved with such a great salvation, neglect such a salvation. It says that in The Book some
place. See. So whenever you hear that kind of thing, you pretty well know they’re just
copped out.
Remember the record in 1 John 1:7 (we’ll go back to Ephesians, I guess…make much
difference.) 1 John 1:7—We are to walk in the light, as he is, what? {light}. Okay, why?
Because being dead to the root of sin and fruit, sins, is not of man’s work but of God’s
grace. We do not do good works to get saved or to stay saved. We do good works because
He saved us. God so loved us that we love Him by doing good works. You understand?
[inaudible side comment]. The Corps must understand in all depth what we’re teaching
here tonight. If you don’t, you’re going to be confused the rest of your life. You’ve got to
understand the difference between remission of sins and forgiveness of sins. No man goes
to hell because of sin. Men make the decision to continue down that road because they do
not confess the savior from sin, the Lord Jesus Christ. I taught you that so simply and so
beautifully in the Foundational Class. If salvation, Corps, is dependent upon confession of
sin, then if you forgot to confess one sin, you would always remain what? {unsaved}.
Unsaved, that’s right. That’s why confession of sin is not involved in salvation. Confession
of the savior from sin, the Lord Jesus Christ, is necessary. If thou will confess with thy
mouth Jesus as, what? {Lord} and believe God, thou shalt be, what? {saved}. It’s a
confession of the savior, people. And that confession of the savior gives you remission of
sin, everything in your life up to that moment is totally remitted. It is cast from you as far
as the east is from the west and sin is as deep…you know, as deep as the deepest sea, and
He’ll remember it no more. That’s remission people [taps on desk]. You confess sin,
confession of sin, or confess sin, for broken fellowship for forgiveness, not remission, for
forgiveness.
Your standing, once you’re born again, your standing in the family is one of a son.
Your fellowship in that family is determined by your walk. So there’s a confession of sin
for broken fellowship to get you back into fellowship, into alignment and harmony, not
into sonship, Corps. That’s why Romans 8:1—There is therefore now no condemnation to
them which are where? {in Christ Jesus}. Okay, when you’re born again, no
condemnation. If you sin like crazy, still no condemnation because that condemnation of
Romans 8:1 is the eternal life given. No condemnation. Then suppose you stay out of
fellowship, the thing is you lose the rewards. You’re still going to have eternal life. You’re
still going to be in the gathering together, but you will lose the rewards that you could have
accumulated here upon earth in your lifetime for which God would repay you, respect you,
give you in great abundance, throughout all eternity.
Most people who believe what I have just taught you again now still don’t fully believe
in the greatness of the rewards. We are still too much concerned about the 40, 50, 60 years
here upon earth, much more so than being concerned about eternity. You see, eternity just
doesn’t register with us, because none of us have been there. It’s just words. The only
eternity you understand is today, the day you’ve been here, yesterday, day before. Thought
of this today in regard to what Vince said about the poverty—where was it, Zaire? [Walter:
Zaire.] Right, Zaire. Hell, he said the other night he’d never heard this. He did hear it; I’ve
taught it to him ever since he’s been in the Corps. The reason he’d never heard it, he’d
never been there. Once he got there, then he saw the poverty. You understand? Now it
makes sense to him.
We stay in fellowship with God for the rewards throughout all eternity, and the reason
I know there is an eternity is because I know God raised him from the dead because I have
the proof in the senses world of the internal reality and presence of Christ in me, the hope
of glory, for I speak in tongues. Every time you hear yourself speak in a tongue or when
you speak in tongues in your private life or in public, it ought to remind you of eternity and
it ought to get you so you walk the walk and talk the walk. Too many Corps, people, enjoy
being out of fellowship because you do not believe in the reality of the rewards throughout
all eternity. Can’t lose eternal life for there is no condemnation left. All you can lose is the
rewards throughout all eternity. And it looks to me like that would be one “h” of a big loss.
Now I want to show you something else about this section in here. Where there is no
law, there can be no trespasses, no transgression. If The Way Ministry owns this room we
can put a sign on that door, “No Trespassing,” because we own it. But if we did not own it,
then we could not put the sign on it. Anybody could walk in anytime. They would not be
trespassing. So until, honey, the law was given to Moses, there could be no trespasses, for
there is no what? Law. Right. That’s why these words “trespasses” and “sins” become very
important as we get deeper into this.
Now, ask you another…challenge you with another little bit of thinking. Israel, the
Bible says was called in Jacob, and…but long before Jacob…long before Jacob was born
God formed, made and created Adam and Eve. Then they had children. Their children had
children’s children. Finally a wonderful man like Abraham came along and right before
Jacob was Isaac, the father of Jacob. Now, if there was no Israel until they got called in
Jacob, then what were Adam and Eve and everyone down through to Isaac? That’s all they
could be, for there are only two categories of people in the Bible, the Judeans or Israel
people and the Gentiles and then the new creation in Christ Jesus which are neither Judean
or Gentile. So the law came with Israel. Now Jacob or Israel had twelve sons. Only one of
those was called Judah, and when Palestine or the Bible land of Palestine, was divided
among the people, Judah received a portion because they were one of the twelve tribes. It
was only portioned out to eleven because the tribe of Levi never received. Am I right?
[Walter Cummins] Yep, and Joseph’s two sons were divided, Ephraim and Manasseh.
[Dr. Wierwille]…and Manasseh, they divided…yeah, they got…they were half tribes.
[Walter] God gave [inaudible]…Levi wasn’t counted.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. Levi wasn’t counted. Then Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and
Manasseh they were half tribes and the two halves put together still gave them the division
of the land into twelve parts.
Now Judah, according to Matthew 2:6, read it; Micah 5:2. I want you to find both of
them. Read that Matthew 2:6, Walter. [Walter reads the verse.]
Matthew 2:6
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes
of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people
Israel.
Alright. That was the significance of Judah that it is the city of Bethlehem where our
savior was born. Micah is the old prophecy of it, Old Testament prophecy of it, 5:2. Micah
5:2. Read it. [Walter reads the verse.]
Micah 5:2
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of
Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in
Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Right. That is referring to the coming of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. The
importance of Judah was the location of the city of Bethlehem in it where our messiah was
born, where the messiah was born. You see, I’ve taught you that Israel was called in Jacob
and that the Church of the Body to which you and I were…are in was called before the
foundation of the world, much earlier than even Adam or Eve. That’s why it was such a
great mystery. This stuff all fits together so simply and so beautifully. The law was given
to Israel [chuckles]. Moses received…Moses had a brother named Aaron and out of Aaron
came the priestly line, the high priests and those that served in priestly capacity. Zacharias
of the order of [Walter: Abijah.] Abijah, remember? John the Baptist’s father was a priest,
so he came out of the order of Aaron. All the people who served in the temple were
Levites, came out of the tribe of Levi. Keep it straight. The Levites were not “Aaronites”
[Dr. Wierwille chuckles] of the priestly line. They were servants to the priests. Also, a
priest had to marry a woman out of the Aaron bloodline. He could not marry, you know,
out of the Reubenites, or Amalekites or somebody else, even the Levites. He had to marry
someone of the order. That’s why Elisabeth, it says, was of the priestly line.
If Jesus Christ had been after the order of Aaron, then he could not have been after the
order of Melchizedek who had neither father or mother. Then he would have been in the
high priest position from an Aaron point of view. But the Scriptures say he did not come
that way [taps lightly on desk]. He didn’t come that way. He came out of a whole new set
up, like the order of Melchizedek. It is real simple but real beautiful. And that’s why he not
only was the savior for Israel but the savior for all Gentiles, Jesus Christ. For the law was
never given to the Gentiles. The law was given to Israel.
Now we’ve talked about trespassing. Right? Over here at the end of Wierwille Road
and Highway 29, is a stop sign. The stop sign is a law. The State Patrol sit out there and
you run it tomorrow morning; they’ll catch you, for you’ve broken a law. It’s a law. Now
Israel had the law. But the Gentiles never had a law. So if you don’t have a law can you
break it? No, you can’t break the law but you can kill yourself trying. You know how?
Because we don’t have to have a stop sign over there. But if there’s a big ol’ semi coming
down Highway 29 and they remove the law, the stop sign, and you’re coming along in
your car and you go right up on Route 29 from Wierwille Road and the semi hits you,
we’ll call Digger O’Dell. Even if the law is removed, you mess up like that, you still kill
yourself.
Show it to you in another sense. They had no law. Ten Commandments, thou shalt not
steal. They understood. That’s a law. Israel had it. Gentiles didn’t have one. Well, let’s say,
honey, you’re a Gentile. I’m a Gentile; I ain’t got any law. So I steal from her. When I
steal from her, take her jewelry, purse and everything, she knows there’s something what?
wrong. Now I’ve got it, somebody steals it from me. Now I know it’s wrong too. That’s
why the Gentiles without the law did the law. [Taps desk once.] They were a law unto
themselves. Romans has that. Isn’t it Romans?
[Walter Cummins] Romans 2.
[Dr. Wierwille] Romans 2. First of all read verse 14, Walter. Romans 2:14. [Walter
reads the verse].
Romans 2:14
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things
contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
There it is. I’ve just explained it to you. It’s so simple. The Gentiles which have not the
law they do naturally by nature the things, thou shalt not steal, that are contained in what?
[Walter: the law]. The law. I steal from her; she knows it’s stealing. Somebody steals from
me; I know it’s stealing. So we Gentiles do not what? Steal. Now read verse 12, chapter 2.
Romans 2:12
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and
as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
That’s right, that’s 2:12. See, for as many Gentiles who have sinned without law shall
also perish without law. You know, think you can go out here without the law at Highway
29, run in front of a big semi and they kill you; well, you’re just as dead as if there had
been a law there. Right? And those who have sinned having the law or sinned in the law,
they’re going to be judged by it.
Now, you got to keep your Gentiles and Israel straight. You’ve got to understand what
I’ve just taught you so far.
I want to take you a step further: that they were called the children of Judah or the
children of Judea. As the years went by, Israel was divided into two categories, the
southern tribes and the northern tribes. In the northern tribes there were ten; in the southern
tribes there were only two, the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. The city of
Jerusalem was in that area. Right?
[Walter Cummins] Southern area.
[Dr. Wierwille] Southern area. They…Judah, the children of Judah, were never called
“Jews” at any time in their lifetime or even many, many years after until about the 16th
century (or something) A.D. So those that called themselves Jews today and have a form of
religion called Judaism, in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ and subsequently, they
practiced at that time what is called the religion of the Pharisees. The religion of the
Pharisees through the years became called the religion of the Judeans. It became Judaism
and was referred to as being believed in by the Jews. That’s…those are the categories.
The religion of the Pharisees was the believing in and obedience to the Talmud. The
Talmud is made up of two divisions. The first part of the Talmud is called Mishna, spelled
m-i-s-h-n-a, Mishna. And that first part simply gives rules and regulations and traditions
that the Pharisees set down. The second part of the Talmud is called Gemara, spelled g-am-
a-r-a. 7 And the second part was simply the commentary or the interpretation of the first
part. This is what the Pharisees were practicing at the time our lord and savior Jesus Christ
lived here upon earth. It was basically not written down like you have it today in the
Talmud til about 200 A.D. It was orally known and committed and memorized until 200
7 Dr. Wierwille used an “a” instead of an “e” when spelling Gemara.
and A.D….200 A.D. This religion of the Pharisees later on called Judaism still called that
today. Jesus Christ had some tremendous things to say about those men. John 8, Walter.
By the way, the word Judaism was…that religion of the Pharisees was called Judaism
first by um…Josephus. Josephus is the one who called it Judaism. That’s the first usage
that’s ever given. And I told you before that the word “Jew” was not known by
Shakespeare for in The Merchant of Venice he uses the fort…the shortened form of Judean:
j-e-w-e-s, Jewes. The word “Jew” is relatively much later yet. Read this in John 8:44. Jesus
is talking to the Pharisees someplace. Yep, John 8:44. Read it Walter. [Walter reads the
verse.]
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil,…
That’s what he said about the religion of Pharisaism.
Matthew 15:6, read that Walter. [Walter reads the verse.]
Matthew 15:6
And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye
made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
There they are—they went by tradition. These were the Pharisees. And they made the
commandments of God of non-effect by their traditions. Pharisaism, the religion of
Pharisaism, made the commandments of God of non-effect by their tradition. The Talmud
is the book of Judaism today. The first part of it are these rules and regs. The latter part is
the interpretation. And it’s all tradition.
In the Roman Catholic systems, at the top of the authority is the pope because he is the
vicar of Christ upon earth. He is Jesus Christ upon earth now according to Roman Catholic
tradition, doctrine.
The second great principle is the history of the church called tradition. When the pope
speaks, everything stops. When he doesn’t, the second great rule of authority is tradition.
What have we believed through the years, tradition secondly. Thirdly, scripture. That’s the
order. For those of us in The Way Ministry and in The Corps, we have no pope [hits desk],
and we have no tradition. We have only one thing, and that’s the Word. The Word is our
only rule of faith and practice for our action, our believing and our walk.
In this little ol’ book, Was Jesus A Jew?, (a massive piece of work there, Walter) on
page 8 is the following. (Why don’t you read it Walter and I can rest a while. Bring me a
cup of coffee. I can sip on coffee while Walter reads it.)
[Walter Cummins] I might say this one has clarity, brevity and simplicity [Dr.
Wierwille chuckles] compared to the other one, but it has the same impact:
That Jesus was a Jew in the sense that during his lifetime Jesus professed
and practiced the form of religious worship known and practiced under the
modern name of “Judaism” is false and blasphemous. Jesus abhorred and
denounced the form of religious worship practiced in Judea in his lifetime
and which is known and practiced today under its new name Judaism. That
religious belief was known as Pharisaism, in Jesus’ day.
The eminent Rabbi Louis Finkelstein, the head of The Jewish Theological
Seminary of America, often referred to as “The Vatican of Judaism,” in his
Foreword to his First Edition of “The Pharisees, the Sociological
Background of Their Faith,” on page XXI states: “. . .Judaism. . .Pharisaism
became Talmudism, Talmudism became Medieval Rabbinism, the Medieval
Rabbinism became Modern Rabbinism. But throughout these changes in
name, the spirit of the ancient Pharisees survives, unaltered. . .”
[Dr. Wierwille] (I forgot that, that’s right.)
Rabbi Louis Finkelstein in his classic quoted from above traces the origin of
the form of religious worship practiced today under the present name
Judaism, to its origin as Pharisaism in Judea in the time of Jesus. Rabbi
Finkelstein confirms what Rabbi Adolph Moses stated in “Yahvism, and
other Discourses,” in collaboration with Rabbi H.G. Enelow, published in
1903 by the Louisville Section of the council of Jewish Women, in which
Rabbi Adolph Moses, on page 1 states:
“Among the innumerable misfortunes which have befallen in its
consequences is the name of Judaism. . .Worse still, the Jews themselves
who have gradually come to call their religion Judaism. . .Yet, neither in
biblical nor post-biblical, neither in talmudic, nor in much later times, is the
term Judaism ever heard. . .It was Flavius Josephus, writing for the
instructions of Greeks and Romans, who coined the term Judaism, in order
to pit it against Hellenism. . .By Hellenism was understood the civilization,
comprising language, poetry, religion, art, science, manners, customs,
institutions, which had spread from Greece, its original home, over vast
regions of Europe, Asia and Africa. . . The Christians eagerly seized upon
the name. . .The Jews themselves, who intensely detested the traitor
Josephus, refrained from reading his works….Hence the term Judaism
coined by Josephus remained absolutely unknown to them. . . It was only in
comparatively recent times, after the Jews became familiar with modern
Christian literature, that they began to name their religion Judaism.”
The form of religious worship known as Pharisaism in Judea in the time of
Jesus was a religious practice based exclusively upon the Talmud. The
Talmud in the time of Jesus was the Magna Charta, the Declaration of
Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, all rolled into one,
for those who practiced Pharisaism.
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s in that little book. Thank you, Walter.
Now, in Ephesians 2:1. The Aramaic has the words for “trespasses and sins” inverted,
and the Aramaic is right. So it is dead to sins and trespasses; King James has dead in
trespasses and sins. Sins and trespasses, those two words, are a figure of speech. It’s a
Synonymia (s-y-n-o-n-y-m-i-a; s-y-n-o-n-y-m-i-a) from which we transliterate the English
word “synonym.” The figure, Synonymia, is the usage of words that are different where
the…but the sense is very similar. Different words but similar sense. Trespasses and sins.
That Romans 8:1 dead… therefore now no condemnation, Corps, is not only dead to
the root, sin, but dead to the fruit, sins. Dead to all condemnation. For if you were loaded
to the hilt with sins tonight and you died, you’d still go to heaven for there’s no
condemnation. It’s eternal life. All you’re going to lose, and that’s plenty, is what?
{rewards} rewards. That’s why the word “sins” comes first in Ephesians 2:1. The word
“trespasses” is the second word, and I taught you, you cannot trespass if there is no law.
Look at Galatians 5:1. Galatians 5:1, everybody’s eyes in the Word. Walter read it, please.
[Walter reads the verse.]
Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Okay. If they take the stop sign down at Wierwille Road and Highway 29, you could
still put yourself under the law by doing what? {stop}. Every time you get there you’d
stop. So, no trespasses, no law that you put yourself under. Do you remember the statement
you made today or something regarding this? Or John or…whoever else made it. I forgot.
It was sort of good. In essence what I just told you but I think someone else sort of said it
better. Well, I want to you write something down…what Walter?
[Walter Cummins] The a…the sins is overall, covers everybody and everything but the
trespasses, you know, would mean that you wouldn’t even go back under the law that
Israel had. [Dr. Wierwille: Okay that was it.] You start with the general overall covering
everybody, but then pick up on the more specific term, the trespasses.
[Dr. Wierwille] The law. [Walter: right.] That’s good.
[Walter Cummins] So there’s no condemnation as well as there’s no law that we need
to go back under.
[Dr. Wierwille] Whether it’s tradition law or any other law. [Walter: right.]
Now I want you to write down something, because I put this whole section together for
you from Ephesians 1:19 through 2:10 in a very logical and beautiful and systematic way
of truth, and I’m going to give that to you. Ephesian…put down, just write Ephesians 1:19
and the following words: And what is this…is the superabundant greatness of God’s
potential power to you the believers.
Ephesians 1:19
And what is the superabundant greatness of God’s potential power to you
the believers;
(Get me Ephesians 1:19 here.) Exceeding greatness is King James. It’s the same word
that we are super conquerors, more abundant, super abundant, super abundant conquerors,
exceeding greatness, superabundant greatness of God’s power. The word “power” is
dunamis, inherent. It’s potential power to you, the believers. When you’re born again of
God’s spirit you have the super abundant greatness of God’s potential power in you.
Now put a semi-colon and a parenthesis. Chapter 2, verse 1.
Ephesians 2:1
(Even you who are dead to sins and trespasses…
Maybe you better put another semi-colon.
Ephesians 2:1
(Even you who are dead to sins and trespasses; [semicolon; parenthesis]
(2:5) whom God quickened together with Christ; [semicolon; parenthesis]
(2:10) for we are his workmanship.
[Inaudible sentence to Walter]…oh yes, I should. In…in King James, exceeding
greatness of God’s power to usward. The “us” is the word “you.” To you. And its…if
you’re careful, loo—well, just look at verse 12 of chapter 1, the word “we.” Now we go to
13, “ye,” 13, ye heard your salvation, you believed, ye were sealed. 14, earnest of our
inheritance. Now we go back in 15, also after I heard of your faith, you making
ment…thanks for you, making mention of you in 16, father of glory may give you, 17, the
eyes of your understanding, 18, that ye may know, 18, and what is the exceeding greatness
of God’s power to us? No, to you. It…it makes sense. It fits in context.
Do you want to speak any further on that, Walter? We discussed that at length this
morning. [Walter: We found a number of manuscripts that have that.] Oh yes. We’ve got
manuscript documentation. We just didn’t pull it out of the air because we liked it. It fits
[taps lightly]. But common sense could put it there. Thank you.
Now let me read you this great truth that’s put together between Ephesians 1:19 and
2:10 what you’re supposed to have written and look at it and just jell it in your soul: And
what is the super abundant greatness of God’s potential power to you the believers even
you who are dead to sins and trespasses whom God quickened together with Christ for we
are his workmanship.
Boy, oh boy [slams fist down], oh boy! And the…the record of God’s grace and mercy
will be coming up in verse 4, saved by grace, all of those. And always remember that grace
is God’s unmerited favor. Mercy is God’s merited judgment withheld.
Now, the literal and expanded translation, after all of that, of Ephesians chapter 2,
verse1 is:
Ephesians 2:1 Literal translation according to usage
Even you who are dead to sins and trespasses [period].
Now verse 2 of King James reads. Read it Walter [Walter reads the verse].
Ephesians 2:2
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience:
I want to now share with the Corps the figure of speech de…that’s called an Idiom.
Every language, Corps, has many expressions which are not literally possible for you to
subject to analysis. Yet, they are characteristically inherent within that language. Soup and
apple butter, whoever heard of that? Nincompoops, you know…hand in a glove, see? Well,
these peculiar expressions in a vocabulary or in a language of a people are called Idioms,
and the word comes, of course, from the Greek, idioma (i-d-i-o-m-a), which means…that
word means it has a peculiar property all of its own, all of its own. And this word comes
from the Greek word idios (i-d-i-o-s) which means one’s own, his own, your own. An
Idiom has a literal meaning which is never grammatically or logically derived from the
literal meaning of the words that make up the expression. See?
And the term “idiom” may be applied to:
[1.] Number one, to language peculiar to the common, as opposed to what is classical.
[2.] Number two. Language peculiar to one nation or tribe, as opposed to other
languages and dialects.
[3.] And number three. Language peculiar to a particular author or speaker: boloney,
hand in a glove.
You’ll find them in usage in the Word. The Apostle Paul had some neat things. Moses
had some. All these men had them.
Now any literal translation made of God’s Word that does not recognize the figure of
speech known as Idioms or other figures of speech, they are definitely going to produce a
translation that is fantastically erroneous. See, and the accurate translation gives the
thought and the meaning of the phrase, not the exact meaning of each word in this figure of
speech called Idiom.
The word “walked” in Ephesians 2:2 is an Idiom. The expression, “child of ” or
“children of ” is an Idiom. Used to show some…it is used to show some relation between
the person to whom it is applied and certain qualities existing in that person or certain
circumstances connected with him. These qualities or circumstances being the result of that
relation. Thus, people brought together on the occasion of a marriage feast are called “the
children of the bridechamber” in the Word. When a person of influence, good or bad, gets
control or influences men, they are said to be the children of passion or children of
influence. So in 2 Samuel 7:10 we have children of wickedness. In Job 41:34 children of
pride. Matthew 13:38 children of the kingdom and children of the wicked one. In Luke
16:8 children of the world and children of the light. And here in Ephesians 2:2 we have
children of disobedience and in Ephesians 2:3, 2:3 we have children of wrath.
And now, the word “walked” in verse 2 means to conduct oneself, to order one’s
behavior. Before they were born again or saved, their lives were regulated or ordered
within the sphere of sins and trespasses; their acts never got out of that circle of sins and
trespasses. They walked, the figure of speech, Idiom. They didn’t literally walk in
those…all of those sins, but it is applied to them all the way through. That’s why it’s the
figure.
The words “according to” in verse 2 set the first of two standards for our walk, for our
former walk.
Number one, “the course of this world” meaning the age of this world. “Course of this
world” is the figure of speech known as habala…Hypallage (h-y-p-a-l-l-a-g-e). We’ve had
that one so frequently this year it ought to be running out of our minds. It’s an interchange
of two nouns who are related to each other. In the Greek, the word for “course” is the word
aiōn, which is “age,” so that a literal translation is “the age of this world.” And it’s
interesting that this is the only occurrence where this word order is reversed, or
interchanged, in the Scriptures. Real neat.
And then the words “according to” set the second standard, and the second standard is
prince of the power of the air.
“…prince of the power of the air” is a unique Dual Genitive: of the power, of the air.
That puts the emphasis not on the prince or the chief or the head and it’s not on the
location, air. The emphasis there, the double emphasis, is on the power, the word “power.”
The power that chief has, the power that prince has, the power that that head has.
“…of the air” shows Satan’s…Adversary kingdom of devil spirits as inhabiting the
atmosphere not only around us but everywhere in order to prey…not only above us but
everywhere around us to prey on and to dominate mankind. Wouldn’t it be neat if someone
could dominate air? {Student chuckles}. We could sure make some money if somebody
could figure that out. I’d sell…sell you a breath of air. Whoa…frightening, isn’t it?
In Eastern culture, and this is singularly significant, air had an interesting connotation
representing that of gloom and darkness, gloom and darkness.
The word “worketh” is energized.
“…children of disobedience” are sons of disobedience, and that’s not the same as
children of wrath that appears at the tail end of verse 3. Sons of disobedience are those in
verse 2 born of the seed of the Adversary. The children of wrath of verse 3 are just natural
men of body and soul. Well, here’s the literal according to usage of verse 2. (Grab that
over here once, Walter. We got this stuff spread all over here.) Literal of verse 2.
Ephesians 2:2 Literal translation according to usage
In which [parenthesis] (sins and trespasses) [end of parenthesis] you
previously walked according to the worldliness of this world according to
the will of the chief power who dominates with gloom and darkness even
this spirit who works everything now in the sons of the disobedient one.
Walter, you want to speak on that a little bit?
[Walter Cummins] Right. We were talking about this after this morning when Dr.
Wierwille finished making the literal according to usage. And the a…first of all, a word
like “will” that you see in there, again is not something that is just thrown in as a
paraphrase because it’s in the Aramaic. See? A lot of these things he doesn’t go through
and give you all the details of it, but there’s a reason for it. But another great thing is how
he translated the word “air.” It’s “who dominates with gloom and darkness.” And he gave
you the Eastern culture behind it, explained that. And I think it’s a great example of a
literal according to usage because a literal translation you would just translate it “air.” But
here a literal according to usage is a reproduction of the thoughts and meanings of the
original. In other words, you’re not just after a word by word translation, but something
that communicates the heart. And the word “air” would not communicate the heart of the
original, but the “gloom and darkness” that the term “air” means to the Eastern mind
communicates real good here when you say “dominates with gloom and darkness.” So I
thought it was a great example of a literal according to usage and where you could see the
difference between that and simply a literal translation.
[Dr. Wierwille] All right, thank you Walter. Read them the translations of verse 2 from
the Revised Version and everything else—and listen and watch the one I just gave you. I
see some of you fellows have last year’s stuff. I’m always sorry to see that. When you
come to the class and I’m teaching, what I did last year, just put the page away. You can
always look at it tomorrow morning. See? Isn’t that right, Walter?
[Walter Cummins]…and compare it.
[Dr. Wierwille] Sure. Tomorrow morning you can go to work on it, but not tonight.
That’s why…I see some of you didn’t write it down at all, because you’re looking at last
year’s one. That ain’t honest. If I had wanted you to look at it I’d tell you.
Now, one thine you’re going to have to learn sooner or later if you’ve got any brains in
your head, there are always different ways you can go in translation. Like maybe what I
did tonight on this literal according to usage, Walter and I and our Research Department
could go back tomorrow and we’d come up with maybe a few different words in it than we
have tonight and still be accurate. (You think they understand this? Read ‘em it…the
different ones.)
[Walter Cummins]. Okay. The Revised Version has:
Ephesians 2:2 Revised Version
Wherein aforetime ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now worketh
in the sons of disobedience.
Murdock. In the wal…
Ephesians 2:2 Murdock
In the which ye before walked according to the worldliness of this world…
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s good.
[Walter Cummins] Right.
[Dr. Wierwille] He’s got that, hasn’t he—worldliness of this world. Great. [Walter
continues to read.]
Ephesians 2:2b Murdock
… worldliness of this world, and according to the pleasure of the prince
potentate…
[Dr. Wierwille helps pronunciation: potentate…right. Walter continues to read.]
Ephesians 2:2c Murdock
… potentate of the air, that spirit which is active in the children of
disobedience.
[Dr. Wierwille] Boy, if you would have put there “that spirit which is activating the
children of disobedience” that would have been a dandy. Go on.
[Walter Cummins] Panin’s translation.
Ephesians 2:2 Panin
Wherein ye once walked according to the age of this world according to the
prince of the power of the air of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of
disobedience.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. So far, none…no one has said “sons of the disobedient one.”
Sons of disobedience—when you work that accurately, we all were, even though we
weren’t born of the seed of the serpent. We were by nature children of what? {wrath}. That
makes us disobedient. That’s how I knew that this had to have something more solid in it.
And in the one I gave you the last word is the word “one,” remember? Disobedient one.
There’s a reason for that. We have the right to do it. Walter knows the reason. Go on, read
the next one.
Goodspeed.
Ephesians 2:2 Goodspeed
You also were dead because of the offences and sins in the midst of which
you once lived under the control of the present age of the world, and the
master-spirit of the air, who is still at work among the disobedient.
Rotherham.
Ephesians 2:2 Rotherham
In which at one time ye walked, according to the age of the world,
according to the prince of the authority of the air, of the spirit that now
energiseth in the sons of disobedience.
[Dr. Wierwille] See, he used the word “energize” there…okay, go on. [Walter
continues to read.]
Jerusalem Bible.
Ephesians 2:2 Jerusalem Bible
In which you used to live when you were following the way of this world
obeying the ruler who governs the air the spirit who is at work in the
rebellious.
[Dr. Wierwille] Who was that?
[Walter Cummins] That was the Jerusalem Bible.
[Dr. Wierwille] Okay.
[Walter Cummins] Anchor Bible.
Ephesians 2:2 Anchor Bible
In the past your steps were bound by them you were following the
inspiration of this world age the ruler of the atmosphere that spirit which is
now at work among the rebellious men.
[Dr. Wierwille] Okay, you see the variation in the top men in translation? Now go back
to the one I gave you.
Ephesians 2:2 Literal translation according to usage
In which (sins and trespasses) you previously walked according to the
worldliness of this world according to the will of the chief power who
dominates with gloom and darkness even this spirit who works everything
now [in the sons of the disobedient ones…] in the sons of the disobedient
one.
Now, here’s the expanded: In which you who are dead to sins now (shouldn’t I have
had trespasses in here?). Verse 2…I should have; it’s the explanation, isn’t it?
[Walter Cummins] Sins and trespasses.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. Now, I should have had that.
Ephesians 2:2 Expanded translation
In which you who are dead to sins and trespasses now [comma], previously
conducted yourself and behaved according to the worldly standards even
according to the will of the chief power of this world [comma], who
dominated and energized all the gloom and darkness around you [comma],
even the will of the Adversary [comma], the disobedient one [comma], who
continues working now in his sons.
Want to say anything further about that, Walter?
[Walter Cummins] That’s a great one.
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s a great one [chuckles]. Yeah, that’s sure something.
See, when you’re born of the seed of the Adversary, you still have freedom to operate,
but being his son, any time the Adversary wants to use you, he can put into you a spirit of
possession, control, because you are already his child. Now the true God never possesses,
never controls. The true God gives you as a gift eternal life, the Christ in you, the hope of
glory, and whenever He wants you to have information, He can never possess you or
control because He never takes over the will of a man. He is not just born in the mind of a
man; lives in the mind of a man. He is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He’s the inner man,
eyes behind your eyes, ears behind your ears, toes behind your toes, the inner man. So
when God wants His children whom He cannot possess because He has given all of us
freedom of will, the only way then God can reach us is first of all through His Word. Hear
ye the Word. Secondly, revelation: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of
spirits, which we by the freedom of our will have to reach up into Daddy’s cookie jar to
get. That’s [taps desk] the great difference here. That’s why, sir, men who are born again
of the seed of the Adversary are sometimes the finest guys and gals you’ve ever seen, as
sweet as honey, never cross you, do wonderful things, smart as all get out, but they’re still
born of the wrong seed, because they have never confessed Jesus Christ as their lord and
savior, believed God raised him from the dead, and that’s the only way you can get born
again. They have confessed the Adversary, the Devil, as their god, and so they walk
around; they look just like all other human beings, beautiful. But whenever the Adversary
wants to, because he always works by control or by other devil spirits who are mediums,
(what else do you call them?)…familiar spirits, other words that are in the Word. So he can
take you anytime if you’re born again of the wrong seed, he can take that individual
anytime and put anything into him, use him any which way he likes. That’s why many,
many times some of the greatest things you see happen by men are done by those who are
born of the wrong seed, because Satan will not control them, possess them, to the end that
they cannot make a favorable impression, look beautiful, make everything rosy and
gorgeous looking to the other people who observe. That’s why he does his best many
times, well, all the time, for his children to make them profitable, give them a lot of
wonderful things in this world, but turns right around and tries to keep the Christian which
he’s done such an admirable job of, away [taps desk] from the integrity and accuracy of
God’s Word that the Christian always looks like a second rate human being. Sickness [taps
desk], defeat [taps], misery [taps], fear [taps], poverty [taps], yet our God said He wished
above all that we might prosper and be in what? {health}. Ladies and gentlemen, this
record in Ephesians is mind blowing, mind staggering, but it’s the truth of God’s Word and
it’s so simple. (I want to handle verse 3 before midnight.)
On each one of your locations here tonight at International before you came in…(I’ll
have to have that after bit for three. You’re right.) I placed at those locations a copy of the
background study of works of the flesh—works of the flesh because in Ephesians 2:3, read
it in King James, Walter. [Walter reads the verse.]
Ephesians 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of
our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by
nature the children of wrath, even as others.
See, lusts of the flesh, works of the flesh, all of this put together from Galatians and
rest, we gave you all these works of the flesh that, I think Walter, we know are listed in the
Epistles.
[Walter Cummins] Right. These are all taken right from Galatians 5.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. Now the rest of you campuses, you Corps campuses will have
this copy sent to you. (I don’t know how but I guess on the slow boat to Asia, or
something.)
[Walter Cummins] A.J. will take care of it.
[Dr. Wierwille] A.J. will take care of it. He’s in charge of shipping it out. These will be
going to all of you, a total of 17 of them.
Now, this verse 3 of Ephesians 2. These words “among whom” in King James—let’s
contrast this with the “in which” of verse 2. We walked in sin. We “had our conversation”;
“conversation”—that word is also translated (and you noticed maybe, Walter, I got it
written here in English) citizenship. (You ever checked that?) It is.
[Walter Cummins] This one?
[Dr. Wierwille] (Yeah, right there citizen, conversation, citizenship. I don’t know what
that one…can’t read my writing.)
[Walter Cummins] A lot of times it’s behavioral….
[Dr. Wierwille] Yep. Okay. And the reason, I think…you see, by nature we are citizens
of this whole darkness and gloom, born into it as body and soul. See it? That’s why the
word “citizenship” could, but behavior is a lot better than citizenship. But I understand
citizen…and I noticed here there are no translations that use that that I know of, unless I
missed it. Citizens—check that one…if I remember correctly. But do you understand how?
If I’m just a man of body and soul like I was until I got born again, I’m really a citizen at
that time of his, the Adversary’s, kingdom. Understand? My behavior is according to the
standards of the world. That’s why…but behavior is a much better word. That’s the one
we’re going to use as we get involved here.
The “also we all” is fine.
That “conversation”—the Aramaic is “were behaving like they do”; “were occupied
with them.” If you’re occupied with something, that’s why you behave like it. That’s why
the Aramaic should have had “were behaving.” They were behaving like they did or like
they do, were made to behave. See, they were circumstance conditioned and not Word
conditioned. And this word “conversation” comes from a Latin word, conversātiō 8 (is that
the way it’s pronounced in Latin?), which relates to conduct—to conduct, not just the
exchange of speech. Conversation is not just the exchange of speech, you and I conversing
together. It relates to conduct; had our conversation, our conduct, in those deeds. We were
corrupted.
Well, “lusts” is a combination of two words, one is the word epi and the other is the
word thumos, meaning intensified passion (how’s that?)—an intensified passion, a craving
or a…for lust or a lustful craving. So it can be used in both a negative and a positive sense.
You could have a passion for the Word of God or you could have a passion which the
Word of God forbids. It’s used in a good sense in the words “earnestly desiring,”
passionately desiring. I gave a phrase once about something along the line of…forget what
it was. Remember? Positive. Have a passion for something.
Well the “mind” is your nous, your head, the mental organ of perception. And the total
8 From the Latin “conversationem” (nominative conversātiō)
content of the mind may…can only be fed by the five senses. That’s why it’s called the
word “flesh.”
“…were by nature the children”—I don’t know. I suppose…you know…by nature, by
natural birth, we were children, body and soul, of wrath, which is different than sons of the
disobedient one of verse 2 which is to be born of the wrong seed. We were children by
natural birth desined…destined for wrath. In other words, to not…wouldn’t have eternal
life until we got born again. That’s the difference.
Now here’s the literal accord…here let’s read the ver…no, let me do the literal first.
The literal according to usage of verse 3.
(We got to quite pretty soon; we got this whole desk filled up here. Throwing pens
off…pencils. That coffee sure is cold Walter. And they don’t treat you very nice, do they?
They don’t bring him coffee. That’s segregation on coffee. We gotta do something about
this. Oh Lord, please send two cups of coffee [Dr. Wierwille, Walter and audience
laughter].) Now verse 3 literal.
Ephesians 2:3 Literal translation according to usage
[Parenthesis] (Among) [end of parenthesis] the Adversary’s children we all
were conditioned and behaved according to the passionate lusts of our flesh
fulfilling the strong desire of our flesh and of our mind and we were
children destined for wrath altogether as the rest.
The sons, Corps, of the disobedient ones are destined for what? wrath. You and I as the
natural were destined for wrath altogether as the rest. Had we not been born again getting
eternal life we would have ended up just like those who are born of the seed of the serpent
or who are possessed by the Adversary and no longer natural men but men born of the
seed. We were children destined for wrath altogether as the rest, the rest of what? those
born of the disobedient one [taps desk]. (Here they come with coffee. I told you the Lord
would hear. They’re nice to you. They even bring you a saucer. I got a saucer. I just poured
it out. Thank you. You are wonderful. [Dr. Wierwille makes an exhaling sound.])
I think, Walter, this “according to” rather than “by” communicates better to my head.
Can I do it text wise? [Walter: Yes.] Good. Now you read them those from…
[Walter Cummins] Okay, from the Revised Version.
Ephesians 2:3 Revised Version
Among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh doing the
desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath
even as the rest.
[Dr. Wierwille] Now that’s a pretty good translation. There are two in there that I
thought…two or three…I went and read all that and…but I think one is down a little bit.
Maybe I will hear it.
[Walter continues to read.] Murdock.
Ephesians 2:3 Murdock
In which deeds we also, formerly, were conversant, in the cravings of our
flesh; and we did the pleasure of our flesh, and of our mind, and were
altogether the children of wrath, like the rest.
[Dr. Wierwille] That word “craving” is real good in there.
[Walter continues to read.] Yeah. Goodspeed. We also...or…
Ephesians 2:3 Goodspeed
We all lived among them one once, indulging in our physical cravings and
obeying the impulses of our lower nature and its thoughts, and by nature we
were doomed to God’s wrath like other men.
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s good. That’s another one. Who did that?
[Walter Cummins] Goodspeed.
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s pretty good.
[Walter continues to read.] Weymouth.
Ephesians 2:3 Weymouth
Among them we too once all passed our lives, governed by the inclinations
of our lower natures, indulging the cravings of [that nature] and of
our…thoughts, and were in our original state deserving of anger like all
others.
Knox.
Ephesians 2:3 Knox
We too, all of us, were once of their company; our life was bounded by
natural appetites, and we did what corrupt nature or our own calculation
would have us do, with God’s displeasure for our birthright, like other men.
[Dr. Wierwille chuckles] Ahhh…Got it.
[Walter Cummins] The Amplified.
Ephesians 2:3 Amplified
Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the
passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sinful
nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our
cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]….
[Dr. Wierwille] Yeah, Amplified is what we basically call our Expanded, isn’t it?
[Walter Cummins] Right.
[Dr. Wierwille] Amplified Bible—Expanded. Terrible…go on. [Walter continues to
read.]
Ephesians 2:3 (continued) Amplified
…We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His]
indignation, like the rest of mankind.
[Walter Cummins] Then The New English.
[Dr. Wierwille] I think that’s the other one I thought was pretty good. Read it.
Ephesians 2:3 The New English
We too were once of their number: we all lived our lives in sensuality, and
obeyed the promptings of our own instincts and notions. In our natural
condition we, like the rest, lay under the dreadful judgment of God.
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s pretty good.
[Walter Cummins] And then The Living Bible. [Audience laughter. Dr. Wierwille
makes inaudible comment.]
Ephesians 2:3 The Living Bible (TLB)
All of us used to be just as they are, our lives expressing the evil within us,
doing every wicked thing that our passions or our evil thoughts might lead
us into. We started out bad, being born with evil natures, and were under
God’s anger just like everyone else.
[Dr. Wierwille] Okay, now go back to the one I gave you. [Dr. Wierwille reads and
continues.]
Ephesians 2:3 Literal translation according to usage
(Among) the Adversary’s children we all were conditioned and behaved
according to the passionate lusts of our flesh fulfilling the strong desire of
our flesh and of our mind and we were children destined for wrath
altogether as the rest.
Now here is the Expanded. And I got two of them, just for fun.
Ephesians 2:3 Expanded according to usage
Among the adversary’s children also, we all were influenced and behaved
corrupted like they did, fulfilling our lustful cravings of our flesh because of
the five senses; and by natural birth we were children destined for wrath
even as all others also).
Now here’s the second one.
Ephesians 2:3 Expanded according to usage
With whom also we all were occupied with our passions on fire physically,
doing the strong desires of the flesh due to our thinking, and were naturally
children of body and soul as all are).
Walter, what you think?
[Walter Cummins] They are great. [Dr. Wierwille and Walter chuckle.]
[Dr. Wierwille] Anything further you want to share along this line?
[Walter Cummins] No sir. Three great verses again.
[Dr. Wierwille] We have set before you the great pivotal truths of the Word of God
again. And I think we talked about it today…just why have nobody taught us these
things. I don’t know what all came up in that discussion any more, Walter, but can you
recall any of that? John Schoenheit was there or Thompary gal.
[Walter Cummins] Stephanie.
[Dr. Wierwille] Stephanie. See these things have been here in the Word and the
truth of this has been ours for two thousand years, almost. But we were never taught
that we were dead to sin, the root; as well as to sins, the fruit, as far as eternal life is
concerned. It’s all covered. But walking today, when we do not walk in the light as he
is the light, we break fellowship. That’s why every individual, like I taught you, I think
in the first Foundational Class…every night you clear the slate. Then you will always
be in fellowship. There is no reason for any son of God staying out of fellowship on
anything longer than the time he goes to sleep at night—it’s that big. And people I even
taught you this: that there are many sins that I do not commit, you do not commit, yet
we’re involved in as far as God is concerned—it’s still sin.
I pay taxes. They use that taxes, for instance, in a certain wrong way to hurt people
then my taxes help to hurt those people, right? That is sin [taps desk]. So I clear the
slate at night—every night. That’s why it’s a walk of power. That’s why the new birth,
what we are, the body of the Church, that’s why we’re a habitation, comes up
someplace in here, in the last…end of chapter 2. See? We are His habitation. Man, they
have never seen God’s people—they have never seen men and women who have a
knowledge of the Word and walk it. They have seen so called Christians, born again,
epitomizing failure, living in condemnation all their life, making statements like,
“Well, I think I’m a Christian but I’m not sure if I’m going to make it.” Now ladies and
gentlemen, that’s living far below the par of the revelation given in Ephesians. And
again, it’s so simple to me. If this isn’t the Word of God then pray til…where can we
find God’s Word? This, people, is the will of God for this is the Word of God [taps
desk]. So that’s Corps. If you don’t make it live, it will never live until the Return. It’s
going to take you, the Corps, to do it, as far as I understand the Ministry today, because
I’ve taught you what I know it says, Walter knows it says this, everybody in the
research department knows it, tonight you know it. So let’s see you put it in practice,
make it live. Okay.
[Prayer] Thank you, Father, for the joy and the privilege, allowing me to teach the
greatness of your wonderful Word, Father, and I truly thank you with all my heart,
soul, mind and strength for allowing me to love you and serve you and to be able to
serve your people, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.