None of the translations are perfect. Think about this. Is a translator going to translate the bible in a way he thinks is wrong? Probably not. Therefore, what he believes influences how he translates. Consider that getting on a translation board if you're not a Trinitarian isn't likely to happen. What does that mean for all of the translations? They're all going to have a Trinitarian bent. If they all tend towards Trinitarianism what are the readers going to tend towards? Unless someone is willing to challenge the status quo everyone winds up being Trinitarian. I used to be one. I used many of the same arguments you're using. However, when I changed my presuppositions I began to see things differently. If one comes to the text believing in a third person of the Trinity they will see a third person. The problem is they have to ignore a lot of other Scripture. In order to prove a Triune God one must take the passages that go against their beliefs and show how they can be understood differently, if that is possible. Here's an example of translator bias,
Just trust Jesus Christ as your Good Shepherd & Friend to help you see the truth in His words. Because like it or not, others believe like you, whole churches even, for how you cannot say you have not been influenced to read scripture as they read it.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Lk. 23:43 KJV)
Whole concepts have been developed over this verse. There is nothing in the Bible that says there is a place in Hades called Paradise. That idea comes from this passage. It is argued that since Jesus and the thief would be in paradise that day, and the dead go to Hades, there must be a place in Hades called Paradise. That is an inference, again, nothing in Scripture says there is a place in Hades called Paradise. Many, if not most, Christians believe that all people have eternal life and that they will spend it either in Heaven or Hell. Since they believe that the wicked must be alive somewhere after death, they determine that the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is an example of this. Most translators believe that Christians go to Heaven when they die. That's the Bias. Now, look at the passage if we simply move the comma from the beginning of the word today, to after it.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee Today, shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Suddenly the verse takes on a whole new meaning. It simple says at some point in time in the future the thief would be with Jesus in Paradise. It could be later that day or 100 years in the future. The passage doesn't indicate when if we simply move the comma. Since there is no punctuation in the Greek text the placement of the comma is simple at the translators discretion. What he believes about the afterlife determines where he puts the comma. When we move the comma to the end of the word today we are no longer forced to place in Hades a place called Paradise. Which is good because Jesus said that Paradise (Garden) was the garden of God. We know what the Garden of God is, it's Eden. So, Jesus was actually addressing the thief's request that he enter the Kingdom, He wasn't telling the thief where he'd be later that afternoon. Jesus was telling the Thief that he'd be in the Kingdom.
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Reads to me that when the O.T. saints had died, they had not ascended to Heaven.
So that account of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus was a true story. Luke 16:20-31 as I apply Abraham's bosom to be the same as Paradise. It was after His resurrection and His ascension that Paradise is now in Heaven; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Rev. 2:7 KJV)
This being the City of God after the great tribulation when it has come down to earth for God to dwell among men. Revelation 21:1-4
Jesus was telling the thief that he would have eternal life. So many Christians miss this because the comma is in the wrong place in this verse.
Jesus said specifically that he would be with Him in Paradise. At that time, Abraham's bosom aka Paradise is Heaven even though located beneath the earth awaiting for Jesus to bring them to God in Heaven with Paradise too.
My point was that they weren't one being. God didn't make them one being after they were joined. They were unified.
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.... 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
1 Corinthians 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
How do you apply these above references to mean then?
In the sense that the son of royalty is royalty, yes. However, that's not what most mean when they say Jesus is God. Most give Him all of the attributes of the Father who is ultimately God. This is why they can't explain how three persons can all be fully God and there only be one God. It's simply not possible. It's a logical contradiction.
I believe the misconception is the Trinity citing each, all equal as God but I'd say the reason why Jesus said God the Father is greater than Him is because He is the Father as it is His will be done, not His own. Otherwise, what example would that set for families if the father or the husband is not head over the household?
But that does not negate Jesus as if He is not God Himself in being One of the 3 Witnesses within that One God even though it is the Father's will that shall be done.
But again, the passage says nothing about a spirit. The passage actually says that the woman saw elohim, or gods. Was Samuel a god? Kings and Chronicles are historic books, they are the records of the kings. Saul didn't see whatever it was that came up, the woman explained what she saw. The Scriptures say that Saul "perceived" that it was Samuel. Maybe Saul was wrong. However, since he thought he was talking with Samuel it's only logical that that's how it would be recorded. Who's going to record that it's a demon if they all think they're talking with Samuel? Paul said that the gods of the pagans were demons. The woman said she say gods. However, we're also told that it was a demon in Chronicles.
And Saul dieth because of his trespass that he trespassed against Jehovah, against the word of Jehovah that he kept not, and also for asking at a familiar spirit -- to inquire, -- (1 Chr. 10:13 YLT)
And here is the KJV.
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; (1 Chr. 10:13 KJV)
He was seeking information from a demon.
No. For seeking counsel of one as a medium. So when scripture is written that Samuel said those words and they came true for Saul as words from the Lord, I believe tha was the spirit of Samuel after all.
Is Saul in hell? Everyone that had died under the Old Covenant have died in sin for why they are not in Heaven where God dwells since Jesus had to die for their sins to pay for them in order to bring them Home, including the thief in Paradise.
So I would refrain from concluding that Saul is in hell because it just said that he died in his sin. It would be definite if the scripture said that Saul went to hell, but it did not.
