The Bible

 

Genesis 21

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1 και-C κυριος-N2--NSM επισκεπτω-VAI-AMI3S ο- A--ASF *σαρρα-N---ASF καθα-D ειπον-VBI-AAI3S και-C ποιεω-VAI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--DSF *σαρρα-N---GSF καθα-D λαλεω-VAI-AAI3S

2 και-C συνλαμβανω-VB--AAPNSF τικτω-VBI-AAI3S *σαρρα-N---NSF ο- A--DSM *αβρααμ-N---DSM υιος-N2--ASM εις-P ο- A--ASN γηρας-N3--ASN εις-P ο- A--ASM καιρος-N2--ASM καθα-D λαλεω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM κυριος-N2--NSM

3 και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN ο- A--GSM υιος-N2--GSM αυτος- D--GSM ο- A--GSM γιγνομαι-VB--AMPGSM αυτος- D--DSM ος- --ASM τικτω-VBI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM *σαρρα-N---NSF *ισαακ-N---ASM

4 περιτεμνω-VBI-AAI3S δε-X *αβρααμ-N---NSM ο- A--ASM *ισαακ-N---ASM ο- A--DSF ογδοος-A1--DSF ημερα-N1A-DSF καθα-D εντελλομαι-VAI-AMI3S αυτος- D--DSM ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM

5 *αβρααμ-N---NSM δε-X ειμι-V9--IAI3S εκατον-M ετος-N3E-GPN ηνικα-D γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S αυτος- D--DSM *ισαακ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM υιος-N2--NSM αυτος- D--GSM

6 ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X *σαρρα-N---NSF γελως-N3T-ASM εγω- P--DS ποιεω-VAI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ος- --NSM γαρ-X αν-X ακουω-VA--AAS3S συνχαιρω-VF--FMI3S εγω- P--DS

7 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S τις- I--NSM ανααγγελλω-VF2-FAI3S ο- A--DSM *αβρααμ-N---DSM οτι-C θηλαζω-V1--PAI3S παιδιον-N2N-ASN *σαρρα-N---NSF οτι-C τικτω-VBI-AAI3P υιος-N2--ASM εν-P ο- A--DSN γηρας-N3--DSN εγω- P--GS

8 και-C αυξανω-VCI-API3S ο- A--NSN παιδιον-N2N-NSN και-C απογαλακτιζω-VSI-API3S και-C ποιεω-VAI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM δοχη-N1--ASF μεγας-A1--ASF ος- --DSF ημερα-N1A-DSF απογαλακτιζω-VSI-API3S *ισαακ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM υιος-N2--NSM αυτος- D--GSM

9 οραω-VB--AAPNSF δε-X *σαρρα-N---NSF ο- A--ASM υιος-N2--ASM *αγαρ-N---GSF ο- A--GSF *αιγυπτια-A1--GSF ος- --NSM γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S ο- A--DSM *αβρααμ-N---DSM παιζω-V1--PAPASM μετα-P *ισαακ-N---GSM ο- A--GSM υιος-N2--GSM αυτος- D--GSF

10 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S ο- A--DSM *αβρααμ-N---DSM εκβαλλω-VB--AAD2S ο- A--ASF παιδισκη-N1--ASF ουτος- D--ASF και-C ο- A--ASM υιος-N2--ASM αυτος- D--GSF ου-D γαρ-X κληρονομεω-VF--FAI3S ο- A--NSM υιος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSF παιδισκη-N1--GSF ουτος- D--GSF μετα-P ο- A--GSM υιος-N2--GSM εγω- P--GS *ισαακ-N---GSM

11 σκληρος-A1A-NSN δε-X φαινω-VDI-API3S ο- A--NSN ρημα-N3M-NSN σφοδρα-D εναντιον-P *αβρααμ-N---GSM περι-P ο- A--GSM υιος-N2--GSM αυτος- D--GSM

12 ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM ο- A--DSM *αβρααμ-N---DSM μη-D σκληρος-A1A-NSN ειμι-V9--PAD3S ο- A--NSN ρημα-N3M-NSN εναντιον-P συ- P--GS περι-P ο- A--GSN παιδιον-N2N-GSN και-C περι-P ο- A--GSF παιδισκη-N1--GSF πας-A3--APN οσος-A1--APN εαν-C ειπον-VBI-AAS3S συ- P--DS *σαρρα-N---NSF ακουω-V1--PAD2S ο- A--GSF φωνη-N1--GSF αυτος- D--GSF οτι-C εν-P *ισαακ-N---DSM καλεω-VC--FPI3S συ- P--DS σπερμα-N3M-NSN

13 και-C ο- A--ASM υιος-N2--ASM δε-X ο- A--GSF παιδισκη-N1--GSF ουτος- D--GSF εις-P εθνος-N3E-ASN μεγας-A1P-ASN ποιεω-VA--AAS1S αυτος- D--ASM οτι-C σπερμα-N3M-NSN σος-A1--NSN ειμι-V9--PAI3S

14 αναιστημι-VHI-AAI3S δε-X *αβρααμ-N---NSM ο- A--ASN πρωι-D και-C λαμβανω-VBI-AAI3S αρτος-N2--APM και-C ασκος-N2--ASM υδωρ-N3T-GSN και-C διδωμι-VAI-AAI3S *αγαρ-N---DSF και-C επιτιθημι-VAI-AAI3S επι-P ο- A--ASM ωμος-N2--ASM και-C ο- A--ASN παιδιον-N2N-ASN και-C αποστελλω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--ASF αποερχομαι-VB--AAPNSF δε-X πλαναω-V3I-IMI3S ο- A--ASF ερημος-N2--ASF κατα-P ο- A--ASN φρεαρ-N3T-ASN ο- A--GSM ορκος-N2--GSM

15 εκλειπω-VBI-AAI3S δε-X ο- A--NSN υδωρ-N3--NSN εκ-P ο- A--GSM ασκος-N2--GSM και-C ριπτω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN παιδιον-N2N-ASN υποκατω-P εις-A1A-GSF ελατη-N1--GSF

16 αποερχομαι-VB--AAPNSF δε-X καθημαι-V1I-IMI3S απεναντι-P αυτος- D--GSM μακροθεν-D ωσει-D τοξον-N2N-GSN βολη-N1--ASF ειπον-VBI-AAI3S γαρ-X ου-D μη-D οραω-VB--AAS1S ο- A--ASM θανατος-N2--ASM ο- A--GSN παιδιον-N2N-GSN εγω- P--GS και-C καταιζω-VAI-AAI3S απεναντι-P αυτος- D--GSM αναβοαω-VA--AAPNSN δε-X ο- A--NSN παιδιον-N2N-NSN κλαιω-VAI-AAI3S

17 ειςακουω-VAI-AAI3S δε-X ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSF φωνη-N1--GSF ο- A--GSN παιδιον-N2N-GSN εκ-P ο- A--GSM τοπος-N2--GSM ου-D ειμι-V9--IAI3S και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S αγγελος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSM θεος-N2--GSM ο- A--ASF *αγαρ-N---ASF εκ-P ο- A--GSM ουρανος-N2--GSM και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSF τις- I--NSN ειμι-V9--PAI3S *αγαρ-N---VSF μη-D φοβεω-V2--PMD2S επιακουω-VX--XAI3S γαρ-X ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSF φωνη-N1--GSF ο- A--GSN παιδιον-N2N-GSN συ- P--GS εκ-P ο- A--GSM τοπος-N2--GSM ου-D ειμι-V9--PAI3S

18 αναιστημι-VH--AAD2S λαμβανω-VB--AAD2S ο- A--ASN παιδιον-N2N-ASN και-C κρατεω-VA--AAD2S ο- A--DSF χειρ-N3--DSF συ- P--GS αυτος- D--ASN εις-P γαρ-X εθνος-N3E-ASN μεγας-A1P-ASN ποιεω-VF--FAI1S αυτος- D--ASM

19 και-C αναοιγω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM ο- A--APM οφθαλμος-N2--APM αυτος- D--GSF και-C οραω-VBI-AAI3S φρεαρ-N3T-ASN υδωρ-N3T-GSN ζαω-V3--PAPGSN και-C πορευομαι-VCI-API3S και-C πιμπλημι-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASM ασκος-N2--ASM υδωρ-N3T-GSN και-C ποτιζω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN παιδιον-N2N-ASN

20 και-C ειμι-V9--IAI3S ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM μετα-P ο- A--GSN παιδιον-N2N-GSN και-C αυξανω-VCI-API3S και-C καταοικεω-VAI-AAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSF ερημος-N2--DSF γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δε-X τοξοτης-N1M-NSM

21 και-C καταοικεω-VAI-AAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSF ερημος-N2--DSF ο- A--DSF *φαραν-N---ASF και-C λαμβανω-VBI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM ο- A--NSF μητηρ-N3--NSF γυνη-N3K-ASF εκ-P γη-N1--GSF *αιγυπτος-N2--GSF

22 γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δε-X εν-P ο- A--DSM καιρος-N2--DSM εκεινος- D--DSM και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM και-C *οχοζαθ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM νυμφαγωγος-N2--NSM αυτος- D--GSM και-C *φικολ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM αρχιστρατηγος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSF δυναμις-N3I-GSF αυτος- D--GSM προς-P *αβρααμ-N---ASM λεγω-V1--PAPNSM ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM μετα-P συ- P--GS εν-P πας-A3--DPN ος- --DPN εαν-C ποιεω-V2--PAS2S

23 νυν-D ουν-X ομνυμι-VA--AAD2S εγω- P--DS ο- A--ASM θεος-N2--ASM μη-D αδικεω-VF--FAN εγω- P--AS μηδε-C ο- A--ASN σπερμα-N3M-ASN εγω- P--GS μηδε-C ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN εγω- P--GS αλλα-C κατα-P ο- A--ASF δικαιοσυνη-N1--ASF ος- --ASF ποιεω-VAI-AAI1S μετα-P συ- P--GS ποιεω-VF--FAI2S μετα-P εγω- P--GS και-C ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF ος- --DSF συ- P--NS παραοικεω-VAI-AAI2S εν-P αυτος- D--DSF

24 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM εγω- P--NS ομνυμι-VF--FMI1S

25 και-C ελεγχω-VAI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM ο- A--ASM *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM περι-P ο- A--GPN φρεαρ-N3T-GPN ο- A--GSN υδωρ-N3T-GSN ος- --GPN αποαιρεω-VBI-AMI3P ο- A--NPM παις-N3D-NPM ο- A--GSM *αβιμελεχ-N---GSM

26 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM ου-D γιγνωσκω-VZI-AAI1S τις- I--NSM ποιεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN πραγμα-N3M-ASN ουτος- D--ASN ουδε-C συ- P--NS εγω- P--DS αποαγγελλω-VAI-AAI2S ουδε-C εγω- P--NS ακουω-VAI-AAI1S αλλα-C η-C σημερον-D

27 και-C λαμβανω-VBI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM προβατον-N2N-APN και-C μοσχος-N2--APM και-C διδωμι-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--DSM *αβιμελεχ-N---DSM και-C διατιθημι-VEI-AMI3P αμφοτεροι-A1A-NPM διαθηκη-N1--ASF

28 και-C ιστημι-VAI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM επτα-M αμνας-N3D-APF προβατον-N2N-GPN μονος-A1--APF

29 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM ο- A--DSM *αβρααμ-N---DSM τις- I--NSN ειμι-V9--PAI3P ο- A--NPF επτα-M αμνας-N3D-NPF ο- A--GPN προβατον-N2N-GPN ουτος- D--GPN ος- --APF ιστημι-VAI-AAI2S μονος-A1--APF

30 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM οτι-C ο- A--APF επτα-M αμνας-N3D-APF ουτος- D--APF λαμβανω-VF--FMI2S παρα-P εγω- P--GS ινα-C ειμι-V9--PAS3P εγω- P--DS εις-P μαρτυριον-N2N-ASN οτι-C εγω- P--NS ορυσσω-VAI-AAI1S ο- A--ASN φρεαρ-N3T-ASN ουτος- D--ASN

31 δια-P ουτος- D--ASN επιονομαζω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN ο- A--GSM τοπος-N2--GSM εκεινος- D--GSM *φρεαρ-N3T-NSN ορκισμος-N2--GSM οτι-C εκει-D ομνυμι-VAI-AAI3P αμφοτεροι-A1A-NPM

32 και-C διατιθημι-VEI-AMI3P διαθηκη-N1--ASF εν-P ο- A--DSN φρεαρ-N3T-DSN ο- A--GSM ορκος-N2--GSM αναιστημι-VHI-AAI3S δε-X *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM και-C *οχοζαθ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM νυμφαγωγος-N2--NSM αυτος- D--GSM και-C *φικολ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM αρχιστρατηγος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSF δυναμις-N3I-GSF αυτος- D--GSM και-C επιστρεφω-VAI-AAI3P εις-P ο- A--ASF γη-N1--ASF ο- A--GPM *φυλιστιιμ-N---GPM

33 και-C φυτευω-VAI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM αρουρα-N1A-ASF επι-P ο- A--DSN φρεαρ-N3T-DSN ο- A--GSM ορκος-N2--GSM και-C επικαλεω-VAI-AMI3S εκει-D ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN κυριος-N2--GSM θεος-N2--NSM αιωνιος-A1B-NSM

34 παραοικεω-VAI-AAI3S δε-X *αβρααμ-N---NSM εν-P ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF ο- A--GPM *φυλιστιιμ-N---GPM ημερα-N1A-APF πολυς-A1--APF

   

Commentary

 

Prophecies About Jesus

By New Christian Bible Study Staff

By Meister des Ludwig-Psalters [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Currently at Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

For Christians, Christmas time is one of the most sacred, most joyous celebrations of the year. What about for people who are thinking about it, but who aren't sure about the whole "reason for the season"? What do we really know about what happened in Judea, 2000 years ago?

We're going to try to approach this topic from a neutral standpoint, and see where that leads us.

It's well-established that Jesus existed. He was physically, historically real. There is voluminous evidence from Christian sources, of course. Jesus Christ was also mentioned in non-Christian historical documents that have survived from that period. He's referred to twice by Josephus, the Jewish historian, in his work "Antiquities of the Jews" published in 93-94 AD. Tacitus, the Roman historian, writing in around 116 AD, also refers to "Christus" being put to death by the Romans under Pontius Pilate.

Was Jesus special? Even skeptics would need to wonder why and how this man from a small village in Galilee could launch a religion which would become the biggest, most influential one for at least the next two millennia of human history.

One of the intriguing things about Jesus is that his birth and life seem to have fulfilled prophecies from the Old Testament, which date back to the time of Moses - at least 1500 years BC, and to far older stories in an oral tradition. Those prophecies existed in texts written long before the Christian Era started.

What were some of those prophecies? There are many of them! Swedenborg lists some in Doctrine of the Lord 6. In this article, we're just going to focus on a few of them.

In this very early prophecy, it's indicated that the Messiah would be born as the son of a woman:

"And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life, and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:14-15. This is confirmed in the story in Matthew 1:20.

In Micah, much later in the Bible, we read that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, in Judea:

"But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2.

This is confirmed in the story in Matthew 2:1, and Luke 2:4-6.

In Isaiah, we read that the Messiah would be born to a virgin:

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14. This is confirmed in the story in Matthew 1:22-23, and in Luke 1:26-31.

Lineage was an important factor, too. At least 5 forefathers of the promised Savior are named. First, he was prophesied to come from the line of Abraham, the progenitor of many of the peoples of the modern Middle East, including the Jews, the Arabs, the Lebanese, the Druze, and others. See Genesis 12:3, and Genesis 22:18. This prophecy is confirmed in Matthew 1:1, and Romans 9:5.

In the next generation, prophecy stated that the Savior would be descended from the line of Isaac, one of Abraham's two sons. See Genesis 17:19, and Genesis 21:12. This is confirmed in Luke 3:34.

For the third generation, the Word states that the Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob. It's prophesied in Numbers 24:17, and confirmed in Matthew 1:2.

For the fourth generation, attention focuses on the tribe of Judah, who was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel). See Genesis 49:10, and then Luke 3:33, and Hebrews 7:14.

Many generations later, in the second book of Samuel, and again in Isaiah, there are prophecies that the Messiah would be heir to King David's throne. Read 2 Samuel 7:12-13, and Isaiah 9:7. Then see Luke 1:32-33, and Romans 1:3.

There are many more prophecies, and we will look at more of them in a future article. But, to summarize these ones that we've just listed, what would Old Testament readers in the time of Caesar Augustus be expecting?

In Bethlehem, a virgin would bear a son. He would be descended from Abraham, through the line of Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David. That's the way the story runs, in the Gospels.

It's clear that the Old Testament wasn't altered to suit the "facts on the ground". The prophecies are already there in pre-Christian scrolls. That leaves two possibilities:

1) Scenario A: The New Testament could have been written to twist the facts to match the old prophecies. Faithful Jews were awaiting the Messiah; they would have wanted to find matching stories. In this scenario, Jesus could have been just a regular man, but a standout leader and teacher and healer. He was so inspiring that his apostles endured hardship and death to spread what became a global religion. The stories about him were exaggerated or modified to help match the prophecies.

2) Scenario B: The Old Testament text contains deep inner meaning, and its prophecies were actually prophetic and true. The facts of Jesus' birth and life and ministry actually did match and fulfull the prophecies. In this scenario, Jesus was truly a miracle baby.

Which scenario is right? In both, there's a recognition that the teachings of Jesus contained wisdom, and that there is great value in them. In New Christian thought, the choice is for Scenario B -- that Jesus really was the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, or Savior.

This of course requires some level of belief in miracles - prophecy, fulfillment, the virgin birth, angels bearing tidings, healings, feeding the multitudes. Can miracles really happen? Is it scientifically possible? Maybe they can... maybe as science advances, we will begin to understand those boundaries better.

At some level, don't most of us believe in miracles -- in the miracle of the very existence of the universe, and of living organisms that can reproduce, and of human life, and of love?

How to end this article? The whole subject of miracles needs more thought. And, here it is, December 22, and... instead of getting more analytical, I find that right now I just want to "be" in the holy days of Christmas.

If you're feeling skeptical, have a look at Arcana Coelestia 2568, and Arcana Coelestia 2588. They offer an interesting perspective!

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One source for this article was "100 Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus: Messianic Prophecies Made Before the Birth of Christ", by Rose Publishing.

(References: Teachings about the Lord 6)