John Chapter 20 (Continued) {For 50 Days Disciples Represent Jesus} 23~~ If the sins of any {an tinon} -maybe it is, maybe it is not - you dismiss/cancel/pardon/forgive {aphiemi}, they are forgiven. If that {sins} of any you keep on retaining/holding-fast {krateo}, they {the sins} are retained   {rejection of Christ and their status quo of perpetual sinners   remains}." {Note: The disciples are now Jesus' representatives (per RBT for the next 50 days). As they witness they will bring new believers to Christ. At that point they have the authority to make dogmatic statements to new believers - your sins are forgiven at the point of salvation - period! You are saved forever! You can NOT lose it! Dogmatism goes with bible doctrine and objectivity.} {Note: This is still the Jewish age. In the Jewish Age, the Levitical Priests are still God's representatives on Earth and declare whose sins have been forgiven. Jesus is now giving the disciples this authority also. In the Church Age, all believers are believer-priests and now represent ourselves before God - and therefore use I John 1:9 to rebound our sins and they are forgiven.} {The Response of 'But Thomas'} 24~~But Thomas, one of the twelve - called Didymus {Didumos - 'twin'}, kept on being {eimi} absolutely not {ouk} associated with them - with the result that he kept on being not with them - when Jesus came {erchomai}. {Note: Didumos was the Aramaic word for a twin. Nothing is known of Thomas' twin brother. RBT says the syntax of the Greek (using 'eimi' here for absolute status quo) indicted Thomas was not with the other disciples because he did NOT want to be with them. Thomas is negative toward doctrine at this point - he just did not believe it.} {Human Viewpoint of Cynical Thomas} 25~~The others of the same kind of {allos} disciples/'doctrinally oriented student' {mathetes} kept on saying to him {rubbing in the fact he missed it!}, "We have seen {had a panoramic view of - horao} the Lord!" But he {Thomas} said to them, "If/unless {3rd class condition - 'perchance' here} I see/'have a panoramic view of' {relying on empiricism not faith} - maybe I will, maybe I will not - the scars/marks from the nails in His hands, and thrust {ballo} my finger into the wounds from the nails and thrust {ballo} my hand into His side, I absolutely will not . . . never {ouk me} . . . believe it!   {double negative strongest negative}" {Note: The sight of 10 bubbling disciples backed Thomas into a corner, so he reacted with a strong statement that tells us a lot about cynical Thomas (more of a cynic than a doubter - he believed but was cynical about doctrine). He has listened to the teaching of the Lord, but has rejected the teaching as preposterous.} {Still in Age of Israel, but Transition of Worship Day to Sunday} 26~~And after eight days again   {per RBT was the following Sunday counting beginning   and ending days was 8 days so disciples were holding a   Sunday service again}, the disciples kept on being within {the house}, and Thomas was with them. The door having been shut, came Jesus {through the locked door again} and He stood in the midst and said, "Tranquility/'inner happiness' {eirene} . . . {be} with you!" 27~~ Then He {Jesus} said to Thomas, "Keep on bringing forward {phero} your fingers {to feel the scars}, and examine my hands. Keep on bringing forward {phero} your hand and thrust it into my side. Stop becoming faithless/'without faith'/disbelieving! But become believing." 28~~Thomas 'had an answer'/'gave a discerning answer from the ultimate source of himself' {apokrinomai} and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" {Dynamics of GAP in Phase II - Lesson Learned, Then Rebuke} 29~~Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen {panoramic view - horao} Me you have believed {based on empiricism}. Happinesses {makarios - plural} . . . {to those} not seeing and {yet} believing {based on faith}." {Note: Human viewpoint says 'seeing is believing'. The Lord says 'believing when NOT seeing' is where happinesses reside. It is what the Word says, not what your eyes see that is important (from Hebrews series - Hebrews 11:1 Doctrine IS reality.)} {Verses 30-31: Editorial Policy of John - Emphasize Faith!} 30-31~~Now many others of the same kind of {allos} 'remarkable events'/signs/miracles {semeion} Jesus accomplished in the presence of His disciples that are not recorded/written in this book/bible {biblion} - in the past with results that will last forever. 31~~ But these are written in the past with results that last forever - for the purpose that you might believe that Jesus keeps on being the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have and hold {echo} life {zoe} in His Name. {Note: Both 'believe' and 'have life' are in the subjunctive mood. In Greek syntax, this ties the two verbs together. 'If you believe' recognizes your free will decision to choose to believe or not to believe. This means 'if you do believe' then you absolutely WILL have eternal life. If you do not believe, you absolutely will NOT have eternal life.} ************************************************** Joshua_Sozo™ and Syndein ™ are the Trademarks of Syndein a California DBA of Kenneth Sidley & Associates, Inc., a California Corporation. All rights reserved. Copyright© Syndein 1982-2010. All rights reserved. This page is sponsored by Kenneth Sidley, CPA, an Orange County California CPA (949) 706-3133. Please call Ken for high quality, low cost CPA services in Orange County California. This includes audit, review, compilation, tax returns, Quickbooks, and business consulting services. This page is sponsored by Moxxor For Pain Free Living. Moxxor is a highly concentrated Omega 3 product that has reduced inflammation in this writer. Please go to this website to read more about Moxxor.