It should be no surprise, in light of the last chapter, the subject of this chapter is on the foundation of study.  Dear reader, intellectual reader, the foundation of the study of eternal life, needs be as perfect as we humans are able to comprehend.  Thorough study of scripture, in our native languages, is a fair starting point.  This ordinarily for the studies of other subjects would be good enough.  For Eternity studies, it is not, the details matter, we only have 1 life to live, and within this lifetime emphatically have got to get the facts right and marry them together in the right order.

If we start at the very foundations, then it is easy to recognize we need to start with the inspired writings, or the next available accurate copy.  Thus Ancient writing study, lucky we have ancestors who know what cultures the ancient writings were part of, so we are able to learn those languages, and source data when definition study is needed.  Those languages being Greek, and Hebrew, and possibly Syriac.  It is a goal of mine as a writer, to eventually be able to collect enough ancient text references, sort out inaccuracies for proper foundation of faith.  This is a huge task, and as a writer and student I invite you the readers to help me with this, if this adds joy in your heart.  Some may ask why do this, when so many translations are already complete? The simple answer is this in review of something called “translation notes”, I have found phrases like “more closely match traditional translation” in references to verses phrased, and meaning something completely different in the ancient text.  Or in some cases an attempt to change the language of ancient greek new testament texts to match those of the Lxx.  This is more common than we would think, and after study, is near 10 or more verse translations per book, 20 something Lxx replacement most in quote of old testament writings, and other errors where the KJV is used as a standard, even though it is well known to have been translated from unsound texts with dubious backgrounds.  

It should not be one persons responsibility to do this.  It would mean a single person and this persons bias, would move an entire community.  It is to this end I suggest as much as a person is capable of gain fluency, teach you, your spouse, your children, and any body in want of knowledge.  This grows the ability of the body of Ihsous, and our church becomes a truth light.  Accepting status quo, how things are, is not acceptable, we become to some extent like the hard ground if we refuse to grow in faith or in the church.  We are the church, the ekklesia, of Ihsous, we have responsibility to grow our community and make sure the teachings we teach are true, just, righteous, and straight.

What does true, just, righteous, and straight mean?  True, means true, factual, of sound logic, unembellished, without personal philosophizing.  Just, means the perfect balance between discipline and mercy, lacking unnecessary cruelty, and performing the commands necessary for the church, family, or society to function in a righteous way.  An example of Justice is doing exactly the command the apostlwn gave against the adulterer, and thrusting them out of the ekklessia.  Doing righteousness is doing the commands and moral code without deviousness actions, or an attempt to cause problems by misapplying those in an unjust way.  Finally straightness is the act of teaching the right concept for the correct goal or reason.  An example of this is using a bible verse you know is translated in a flawed way, to teach truth.  The quotation below is a fine example of a true teaching having a biblically defined straightness problem.

KJV 2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Word of Yhvh 2 Timothy 2:15 You hurry to please, be a help to God, a worker with no cause for shame straightening the word of the truth

Returning to the subject, and as to why I bother to concern myself with deep study, and think it to be necessary, at least until trustable texts are available.  While reading through parts of some translation notes, and compilation notes, I found some concerning passages explaining certain modification to texts.  In a completely fleshly perspective, one might think ‘well it’s their text, they can do whatever they want with it!”,  no God respecting person thinks like this, it may be legal, and even mainstream christian accepted, but modification of scripture text for personal beliefs or to keep a traditional error is a sin with curses of Ahih Yhvh for the doer.  Phrases like “in order to preserve traditional interpretation”, or “to more closely match the Lxx.”, or “translated in parallel with hebrew nikkud,” are often repeated.  This is good cause for understanding, the results of their work if not intention, are flawed.  Often traditional interpretation does not match ancient language text, neither is the Lxx a first language text and nuance is lost or has gained some artificial meaning.  This is not to say we should hate those efforts, just reality is we need to be wary, and prefer purity over availability when able to.  The reassurance of a solid foundation, brings a peace to the conscience like no other.

Another, possibly more frightening, or concerning problem, is among those same notes, I found evidence of scripture text owners requiring some of their people to have a hand in the translation of text that found the basis and core of others religions, as a requirement for viewing the ancient texts in their possessions!  Both catholic churches, and a few other special interest groups, and on occasion sometimes Judaism groups.  It should be obvious the Jews have yet to have a change of heart, at this time of writing.  It should be obvious to the reader of Revelation seventeen verse eighteen by date and context of writing, and by old but more modern cannibalism evidence, Rome is not to be trusted, and by extension neither should anything derived from Rome, most importantly not concerning religion.  At this time at least in the last two thousand years Jerusalem, Irwshlm, has not ruled over the kings of the earth, and in the last 70 or so it has been impossible, because humanity has had more presidents than kings.

How does this connect for us?  It means, in order to answer the question asked by Ihsous (will I find faith in the last days?) we need to be wise as serpents.  By necessity intelligent and unwilling to concede our faith to error or to those who have been guardians of the downfall of Christianity.  If at all able we need to gather the information we can, and translate as able, while not failing as others have.  If this means no direct access to text, well this is not preferable, however the alternative is much much worse.  It is after this is complete we can have the peace of heart and understand the truth in all our capacity.

Once the foundation is complete, then we might need to keep in mind, reaffirming above all else, the need to translate with the understanding the testaments are meant to be part of a whole, intended to be combined during the Seventh Age by commands of the Kings, Our Emperors, Ahih Yhvh in heaven, and Ihsous on earth.  This means the rhetoric, and philosophy of other religions including the rapture or rejection of Ihsous as messiah, should be rejected, in combination of ancient texts.  This is necessary to be aware of the method of instruction, that we not fall to their same flaws no matter how seemingly logical.  This means not trusting the Masoratic nikkud of Judaism, or the Septuagint(the Lxx), or specific traditionally used passages occurring in texts only after the 4^th age of light.  A method must be created to refine our own biases, and define words as they were used at the time written.  There are plenty of texts, uninspired to help substantiate word use and definition study.  The only perfect way is to wait until the resurrection and depending on how old you are and who you are we may not have this much time.  Having said this we must first get a pure foundation as possible and build on it.

The next order of events after compilation, and then translation, is building on simple precepts.  Ahih Yhvh for the most part gives simple commands, to be remembered for the simple, and these are to be held onto, and built upon without modification.  Casting aside the simple in favor of the unstable intelligent is not wise, and deserves great rebuke.  Accept simple instruction, build and grow on this, and add to these more understanding.  Do not bend simple commands, or cast the simple aside for symbol for theory.

After this compilation, translation, and reassuring simple precepts built upon, we get to the last stage, self checking.  This part is hard because it necessitates  searching for internal flaws, controlling emotions, and deep personal self examination and change.  The simple words cannot express how complex this can be, and whole books on philosophy have been written and could prove useful, except not to everyone, as all minds have different perceptions.  I suggest asking those individuals who have fruits of the spirit and are not pompous or exhibit excessive pride.

Compilation, Translation, Simple Precepts Built On, Self Checking.  Those are the precepts of the Proactive Research.