Commentary and Notes

3:7† ^{^}See Isa. 22:22.

3:9† ^{^}congregation: or, synagogue; meaning: gathering place ● who say that they are Jews: “Jews” means “praisers of Yah”. Yĕshūa̒ does not deny they are physical descendents, but he is denying their spiritual status as worshipers of Yahweh. He refers to Rabbinical Judaism, and calls them what they really are.

3:12† ^{^}ἔξω οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ ἔτι = outside no not he must go out henceforth. The subjunctive ἐξέλθῃ, expresses the idea, “he should go out,” or “ought to go out.” The faithful have a permanent right of access. They may voluntarily go out to see the world, but here is no prohibition or restriction on returning to the house of the Almĭghty, and remaining within.

3:14† ^{^}the Amæn: or, the supporter, confirmer. The one who confirms the truth ● the head: or, beginning, first. The word designates a rank and not a beginning in time.

13:8ᵅ ^{^}Or “foundation.” The idea of foundation is equivalent to saying “beginning,” which may mean the beginning period of time, and not the absolute very first beginning point. The word καταβολη I am not certain means “foundation” in these contexts. By etymology it means “down cast,” and meanings such as casting down seed or sowing the ground show a flexibility of meaning. The words may mean “sowing of the world,” and the seed being referred to would be the seed of evil.

17:8ᵅ ^{^}See Rev. 2:17 on the “new name.” The name, by way of Hebrew idiom, is a character profile, or set of personality traits written in the book of life, a kind of genetic code for the mature soul. These names, existing from the dawn of Creation as personality templates for the soul, are assigned to the faithful. An assignment is made for every person entering into covenant with Yăhwēh when they are created, or when they repent. Those who have never been in covenant with Yăhwēh (because their forefathers sinned) were never assigned one of the names in the book of life, but anyone of them who repents and affirms faithfulness to Yĕshūa̒ is assigned a name in the book of life. Once the assignment is made, the name is used and cannot be assigned to another person. If the person should should prove unfaithful in the end, then the name will have to be erased (Rev. 3:5) and the person will not receive it (Rev. 2:17). The divine act of erasing a name shows Yăhwēh’s deep anger at the person who rebells (Exodus 32:33). This explanation, or something like it, absolves the Almĭghty from the doctrine of the Gnostic Calvinists, who accuse Him of being responsible for the outcomes.