2 Cor 4:4: Jehovah=Satan?

Sirona

I just can't see the answer to this question. It may be obvious, so please forgive me if you think I'm silly for asking.

2 Corinthians 4 verse 4 in the NWT:

"among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through"

In the NWT reference bible, it is stated in a footnote that "the god" first mentioned is a translation of the Greek "ho theos". The insight book claims that use of a definate article (like in John 1:1) means that the god spoken of is "of divine nature". Three are other instances of "ho theos" referring to Jesus' divine nature, aren't there? Is Satan of divine nature?

This came up because a book I am reading suggests that this verse is referring to Jehovah as being the god of this system of things. Before anyone goes mad at this suggestion, consider first of all that the society admits that the phrase "this system of things" can be translated "order of things" (NWT reference bible, footnote to the verse). Was Paul suggesting that the old order of things, the mosaic law as given by Jehovah, was putting a veil over the illumination of the good news about the Christ in the mind of Jews?

Verse 3 says "If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing". verse 4 "among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through "

verse 5 "For we are preaching, not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake".

Sirona

LittleToe

There are few silly question, Sirona - an excellent post.

Every commentary I have on the subject places this as Satan, which makes me suspect that the book you are reading may be of Christadelphian origin.
It appears that you are approaching this verse contextually, and that is good because we weren't taught to do that

Hopefully someone adept at Greek will comment - my Greek is too elementary to be sure - but the definite article also seems to be on the world:

εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος
En hos ho theos ton aionos
In who the god the world/age

Apparently this can be the god of the ages, since aion (literally eon) can also be age, or god of eternity or perpetuity. Hence your rendering may not be off mark if it is truly God who veils or enlightens. Maybe this is truly the point that Paul was making - but most commentaries contradict.

onacruse

Hi, Sirona! Hope everything is going well with you!

The debate over the meaning of this verse has been going on for many centuries. For example:

Barnes New Testament Notes: "There can be no doubt that Satan is here designated by this appellation; though some of the Fathers supposed that it means the true God and Clarke inclines to this opinion."

Calvin's Commentaries: "No one that judges rightly can have any doubt, that it is of Satan that the Apostle speaks. Hilary, as he had to do with Arians, who abused this passage, so as to make it a pretext for denying Christs true divinity, while they at the same time confessed him to be God, twists the text in this way"God hath blinded the understandings of this world." In this he was afterwards followed by Chrysostom, with the view of not conceding to the Manicheans their two first principles. What influenced Ambrose does not appear. Augustine had the same reason as Chrysostom, having to contend with the Manicheans. [Calvin proceeds to quote several Scriptures showing that the term "god" applied to many others than the true God]

Interesting that the focus of this debate had to do with the deity of Christ, rather than the simplest sense of this verse.

However, the great preponderance of commentary identifies the "god of this system of things" as being Satan.

Craig

edited for: Thwacking LittleToe for beating me to this post by the merest of seconds!!!

Edited by - onacruse on 13 August 2002 7:19:46

You Know

I don't know Greek, but it seems to me that the reason the definite article was used in reference to Satan being 'the god' instead of 'a god,' has to do with the sentence structure, in that Satan is only "ho theos" in relation to this system of things. That's because there is no other god that occupies that position, even Christ referred several times to the Devil as "the ruler of the world," not merely 'a ruler of the world.' Put another way, in relation to the great God Jehovah the Devil is merely a god, but as the sole ruler of this system of things he is the god---for the time being anyway. Hope that helps / You Know

Sirona

LT:

Apparently this can be the god of the ages, since aion (literally eon) can also be age, or god of eternity or perpetuity. Hence your rendering may not be off mark if it is truly God who veils or enlightens. Maybe this is truly the point that Paul was making - but most commentaries contradict.

Interesting point. Considering some of the research I've recently done regarding the deity of Christ in scripture, it would not surprise me that Paul intended to point to a veil being there through God's mosaic law. That veil would need to be lifted for them to see the fulfillment in Christ.

The book is "the Jesus Mysteries" - the much critisised book by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy. They claim that Paul was Gnostic.

Onacruse: thanks for the quotations. Yes, it is interesting that the debate was regarding the deity of Jesus. It seems that some (even if minority) consider that the verse should say "God hath blinded.." This reminds me of verses in which God is said to have kept a sacred secret about the Christ. Since I don't know greek, I will probably have to humbly submit to the experts on this one.

YouKnow: The fact that Satan is referred to as the ruler of the world is a good point. However, a ruler is not a "god" in my opinion so this verse could still be referring to someone else other than Satan. We don't even know that the phrase "the order of things" relates to this world. I realise we are in the realms of translation here and since none of us know Greek we may need to consult the experts more fully to get the meaning. As far as I can tell, the society have not answered this question in the Insight book.

Sirona

LittleToe

Craig:
You may have cut'n'pasted a couple of commentaries, but I did on the fly Greek translation and extrapolation - I couldn't find an interlinear

Be careful, I have a light saber, now, and I don't know how to use it!!!

Btw, where did you get your electronic Calvin Commentaries? I've only got his "Institutes".

BugParadise

Sirona: Onacruse: thanks for the quotations. Yes, it is interesting that the debate was regarding the deity of Jesus. It seems that some (even if minority) consider that the verse should say "God hath blinded.." This reminds me of verses in which God is said to have kept a sacred secret about the Christ

Interesting train of thought concerning this verse. I can think of a few verses that would lend support to your thoughts.

John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Romans 11:7,8 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

Later today I will look and see what Wallace and Wuest have to say on this verse if I have the right volumes that include this passage. Thanks for the interesting topic!

~Bugs

BugParadise

Little Toe: Btw, where did you get your electronic Calvin Commentaries? I've only got his "Institutes".

That Institutes is a BIG book .. lol I have read some of it and it's a good reference on the deity of Christ as well as other subjects. I think you can find some of Calvin's Commentaries on this site. They are free to download.

http://www.ccel.org/

~Bugs

BugParadise

Little Toe,

Here is the direct link to the Commentaries but Im not sure if they are set up to download.

http://www.ccel.org/c/calvin/comment3/comm_index.htm

Sentinel

Hi Sirona,

Nice thread. Isn't it great that we have the freedom to ask questions and discuss these types of issues?

My mother has also spoken of veiled truth and those in the world being "blinded to the truth". She has three daughters who are df'd and da'd for years. In recent conversations with one of my sisters, mom (a faithful dub since 1959) concluded that her daughters are forever lost now. We are the living dead, just existing, waiting to be destroyed. We are so bad that we aren't "allowed to see the "truth" now, because there is a veil over our "eyes of understanding". This veil has been placed there to "keep us away now", because we don't "deserve" to know any of the "truths" having turned our back on the organization. Isn't that a loving thing for a mother to tell her child? She knows better than to even attempt speak to me like that.

I don't believe it would be a loving thing for a "god" or "anyone" to blind/veil a person so they could not have understanding. There is a name for that........oh, yeah, mind control.

Love and Light,

Sentinel

2 Cor 4:4: Jehovah=Satan?

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