The Nugget:
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
The Muslim Opening Post:
The word Christian was first mentioned by a pagan to describe those who followed Jesus. It is mentioned one of three times in the New Testament by a pagan and Jew in Antioch about 43 AD, (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:38 and 1 Peter 4:16) long after Jesus left this earth. To accept the words of pagans as having any value or association with divinity, Jesus or God is contrary to the teachings of all Prophets.
My Response to the OP:
You identify Paul as a pagan. That may be how you happen to understand the Bible but your understanding on that point is mistaken.
You make reference to three Bible verses which refer to Christians or Christian:
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (KJV)
Acts 26:28
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
King James Version
1 Peter 4:16
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
King James Version
I see no necessary problem with the term “Christian.”
G5546
χριστιανους
Christianos
khris-tee-an-os’
From G5547; a Christian, that is, follower of Christ: – Christian.
Total KJV occurrences: 3
Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries
I am sorry that you had and may still have a misunderstanding of 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Paul is not commanding the impossible.
Colossians 4:2
2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
King James Version
What Paul wrote in Colossians 4:2 may help you understand what is meant by what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Muslim response to my comment:
sir the salient points on his post are the following I believe
1) Praying without ceasing, what does this mean or entail?
2) The names Christian and Christianity, where did these emanate from?
If I can add this, no where Jesus was named CHRIST, even the angel that came to announce him didn’t call him Jesus CHRIST. From my research, I got to understand that CHRIST is just a title meaning ANOINTED, coined from the greek word CHRISTOS, so anyone annointed could be called CHRIST based on the meaning of the name.
So, I kinda wonder if the disciples ever called themselves Christians or even practiced Christianity as far as I know no such word for CHURCH in Hebrew, quote me wrong on this if you can.
My Answer to these very good questions:
Thank you for asking such good questions:
“1) Praying without ceasing, what does this mean or entail?”
The translation “without ceasing” does not mean uninterrupted prayer but constantly recurring prayer. The original Greek word, adialeptos, G89 in the Strong’s Lexicon, is defined in part in that lexicon as “without omission (on an appropriate occasion).”
“2) The names Christian and Christianity, where did these emanate from?
If I can add this, no where Jesus was named CHRIST, even the angel that came to announce him didn’t call him Jesus CHRIST. From my research, I got to understand that CHRIST is just a title meaning ANOINTED, coined from the greek word CHRISTOS, so anyone annointed could be called CHRIST based on the meaning of the name.”
I give the answer to this question in my note for Luke 4:18 in my digital Bible study resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, where I cite the scholarship of the Companion Bible (CB) and William De Burgh:
anointed me. Gr. chriō (S# G5548, Heb 1:9). Hence His name “Christ” (CB). Note.— εχρισεν με: This application of this Prophecy to Himself was a formal announcement that he was The Christ, or Messiah, i.e. The Anointed-One; where we have also the reason of the name, viz. his endowment with the Holy Spirit without measure (Joh 3:34) for the offices here stated. Compare Joh 1:41 mg and Act 10:38. In addition to this passage, the Redeemer is prophesied of expressly by this name in 1Sa 2:10; Psa 2:2 (with Act 4:26-27); Psa 45:7 (with Heb 1:8-9); Dan 9:24 : and typically in the anointing of—(1) Priests, Exo 28:41; Exo 29:7; Exo 29:29; Exo 30:23-33, Lev 8:6-12, (2) Prophets, 1Ki 19:16, (3) Kings, Jdg 9:8; Jdg 9:15, 1Sa 9:16 and 1Sa 10:1, 1Ki 1:33-34; 1Ki 19:15-16; and especially David, as the King chosen by God: 1Sa 16:1-13, 2Sa 22:51 with 2Sa 23:1, Psa 89:20 and Psa 92:10, and Psa 132:17 (William De Burgh, New Marginal Readings and References to the Gospels, p. 173). Psa 2:2; Psa 2:6 mg. +*Psa 45:7, Isa 10:27; >Isa 61:1, *Dan 9:24, Mat 12:18, +Joh 1:41 mg. Joh 6:27, Act 4:27; **Act 10:38, Heb 1:9.
Notice (to cite just one example from the above note) Psalm 2:2 with Acts 4:26-27,
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
King James Version
Acts 4:26-27
26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
King James Version
where “his Christ” and “his anointed” are equivalent expressions which refer to the same thing.
3) “as far as I know no such word for CHURCH in Hebrew, quote me wrong on this if you can.”
Stephen in his sermon recorded in Acts 7:38 speaks of “the church in the wilderness” so there is a word for “church” in the Hebrew. In the New Testament the word “church” has reference to the “called out ones.” So in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament in Exodus 12:6 we have “the whole assembly of the congregation” where, as I cite (in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury) Newberry on the word “assembly,” the Hebrew word kahahl means to call together; an assembly, local and partial (see Strong’s Hebrew lexicon number H6951).
Muslim Reply to my answers:
Jerome Smith, based on your long Epistles
I could realise how hard you have tried to muddle things up so I might not be able to decipher this.
Below are your Epistle
“1) Praying without ceasing, what does this mean or entail?”
The translation “without ceasing” does not mean uninterrupted prayer but constantly recurring prayer.//
My Commentary:
I wonder how this can be verified in Christianity when the only times Christians pray and even creases to pray is either on Sundays or Saturdays unlike in his own reference, he said in everything a Muslim does in his entire life, he is constantly praying citing many instances to back up himself.
//The original Greek word, adialeptos, G89 in the Strong’s Lexicon, is defined in part in that lexicon as “without omission (on an appropriate occasion).”//
My Commentary
The above doesn’t portray any meaningful thing so I wont say much on it
//”2) The names Christian and Christianity, where did these emanate from?
If I can add this, no where Jesus was named CHRIST, even the angel that came to announce him didn’t call him Jesus CHRIST. From my research, I got to understand that CHRIST is just a title meaning ANOINTED, coined from the greek word CHRISTOS, so anyone annointed could be called CHRIST based on the meaning of the name.”
I give the answer to this question in my note for Luke 4:18 in my digital Bible study resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, where I cite the scholarship of the Companion Bible (CB) and William De Burgh:
anointed me. Gr. chriō (S# G5548, Heb 1:9). Hence His name “Christ” (CB). Note.— εχρισεν με: This application of this Prophecy to Himself was a formal announcement that he was The Christ, or Messiah, i.e. The Anointed-One; where we have also the reason of the name, viz. his endowment with the Holy Spirit without measure (Joh 3:34) for the offices here stated. Compare Joh 1:41 mg and Act 10:38, In addition to this passage, the Redeemer is prophesied of expressly by this name in 1Sa 2:10; Psa 2:2 (with Act 4:26-27); Psa 45:7 (with Heb 1:8-9); Dan 9:24 : and typically in the anointing of—(1) Priests, Exo 28:41; Exo 29:7; Exo 29:29; Exo 30:23-33, Lev 8:6-12, (2) Prophets, 1Ki 19:16, (3) Kings, Jdg 9:8; Jdg 9:15, 1Sa 9:16 and 1Sa 10:1, 1Ki 1:33-34; 1Ki 19:15-16; and especially David, as the King chosen by God: 1Sa 16:1-13, 2Sa 22:51 with 2Sa 23:1, Psa 89:20 and Psa 92:10, and Psa 132:17 (William De Burgh, New Marginal Readings and References to the Gospels, p. 173). Psa 2:2; Psa 2:6 mg. +*Psa 45:7, Isa 10:27; >Isa 61:1, *Dan 9:24, Mat 12:18, +Joh 1:41 mg. Joh 6:27, Act 4:27; **Act 10:38, Heb 1:9.//
My Commentary
Also the word Christ in Hebrew means Messiah, does it mean SAVIOUR OR ANNOINTED as both words are NOT THE SAME both in meaning and in literal sense?
//Notice (to cite just one example from the above note) Psalm 2:2 with Acts 4:26-27,
Psalms 2:2
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
King James Version//
My Commentary
Yet the Jews who read from where you took this from didnt acknowledge Jesus as some Christ or God’s Christ. Perhaps that verse didnt refer to Jesus according to them anyway as we know there were so many annointed of God in the OT, Samuel, David etc to mention but a few
//Acts 4:26-27
26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
King James Version//
My Commentary
The above is a testimony of Luke who was neither a disciple of Jesus during his time nor somewhere close enough to know what Jesus did say or didnt say. So, this, like the 13 letters of Paul, was his opinion as he felt.
//where “his Christ” and “his anointed” are equivalent expressions which refer to the same thing.//
My Commentary
Does it follow that anywhere I come across the word Annointed, it means the same thing as CHRIST?
//3) “as far as I know no such word for CHURCH in Hebrew, quote me wrong on this if you can.”
Stephen in his sermon recorded in Acts 7:38 speaks of “the church in the wilderness” so there is a word for “church” in the Hebrew. In the New Testament the word “church” has reference to the “called out ones.” So in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament in Exodus 12:6 we have “the whole assembly of the congregation” where, as I cite (in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury) Newberry on the word “assembly,” the Hebrew word kahahl means to call together; an assembly, local and partial (see Strong’s Hebrew lexicon number H6951).//
My Commentary
If there is such a word for church in Hebrew as you have claimed, please can you quote the exact words of Stephen you referenced here in HEBREW showing the word CHURCH in it?
My Response with further answers:
You reply in part to my answers to your good questions:
“I wonder how this can be verified in Christianity when the only times Christians pray and even creases to pray is either on Sundays or Saturdays unlike in his own reference, he said in everything a Muslim does in his entire life, he is constantly praying citing many instances to back up himself.”
You may be innocently be harboring a great misunderstanding about prayer. Prayer is not restricted to official occasions of group meetings for worship on Saturdays and Sundays. Bible-believing Christians pray every day. This prayer does not require any specific postures or times or prescribed words but can take place at any time and under any circumstances and may be in regard to anything that may concern the person who is praying.
Your good question is directly answered in the Bible text I referenced, Luke 4:18,
“Perhaps the angel didnt even know this, hence would have added the Christ along with his name. If CHRIST means the ANNOINTED ONE according to your Epistles, ANNOINTED FOR WHAT?”
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to
(1) preach the gospel to the poor;
(2) he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
(3) to preach deliverance to the captives,
(4) and recovering of sight to the blind,
(5) to set at liberty them that are bruised,
(6) Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
You state:
“Also the word Christ in Hebrew means Messiah, does it mean SAVIOUR OR ANNOINTED as both words are NOT THE SAME both in meaning and in literal sense?”
Of course the word “Christ” itself is Greek, and therefore will not be found in Hebrew. All these titles you mention (Christ, Messiah, Saviour, Annointed) are properly used of our Lord Jesus Christ and apply to Him.
You ask:
“Does it follow that anywhere I come across the word Annointed, it means the same thing as CHRIST?”
The simple answer is “No.” I cited many other examples of how the word “anointed” is used in the Bible typically in reference to the anointing of
“(1) Priests, Exo 28:41; Exo 29:7; Exo 29:29; Exo 30:23-33, Lev 8:6-12,
(2) Prophets, 1Ki 19:16,
(3) Kings, Jdg 9:8; Jdg 9:15, 1Sa 9:16 and 1Sa 10:1, 1Ki 1:33-34; 1Ki 19:15-16; and especially David, as the King chosen by God: 1Sa 16:1-13, 2Sa 22:51 with 2Sa 23:1, Psa 89:20 and Psa 92:10, and Psa 132:17 (William De Burgh, New Marginal Readings and References to the Gospels, p. 173).”
In the New Testament record we see Jesus as our High Priest. We see Jesus as a Prophet. We see Jesus as the King of Israel. Jesus fulfilled all these types mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures.
You ask or request:
“If there is such a word for church in Hebrew as you have claimed, please can you quote the exact words of Stephen you referenced here in HEBREW showing the word CHURCH in it?”
Since Stephen was not speaking in Hebrew, and his sermon summary as recorded faithfully by Luke is in Greek, it of course is impossible to “quote the exact words of Stephen … in HEBREW showing the word CHURCH in it.”
I will do in my answer what is possible to do: I have shown that when Stephen spoke of the “church in the wilderness” in Acts 7:38 the word underlying our English translation “church” is the Greek word “ekklesia,” εκκλησια, which is equivalent to the English word “assembly” used in Exodus 12:6, the English translation of the Hebrew word “kahahl” (H6951 in Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon), as verified by my citation of Thomas Newberry on Exodus 12:6.
I must kindly disagree with your comment when you unfortunately and mistakenly state:
“The above is a testimony of Luke who was neither a disciple of Jesus during his time nor somewhere close enough to know what Jesus did say or didnt say. So, this, like the 13 letters of Paul, was his opinion as he felt.”
No reputable Bible scholars who have specialized in the study of these issues will agree with you.
My Comment:
This discussion continued beyond this point. At nearly 3000 words, this post is nearly “to long to read.” This discussion has been polite on both sides. It should be informative for all who carefully read here that while I did not purposely design The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge or The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury with a view to answering Muslim questions about the Bible, it turns out that I am often able to use it for that purpose. Every Bible reader who actually takes time to study the Bible can do likewise.