As we noted previously, customs
and traditions can sometimes change the meaning or usage of words from Gods
original intent. The Bible does have some usages of the word superstition and the definition is very
specific, but today we use the word superstition
differently. In the Greek text the usage of words was very specific, thereby
eliminating the need for adjectives or adverbs as descriptions. This is why it
is important to look at each specific word in the Greek; because the definition
of these words can help us better understand the context. When the Apostle Paul
spoke on Mars Hill he told the people of Athens that they were too
superstitious. From a Greek person’s perspective, they were simply attempting
to appease various gods that their culture had embraced. Paul had a new message
for them as well as for the Jews living in Athens.
The Grecian Isles were an
important place for maritime trade. We know that prior to the exodus,
Israelites were traveling and trading in Greece. Because many people and
cultures influenced the area, many religious practices became part of Grecian
society. The word that Paul used to start the conversation meant that the
Greeks were engaging in religious service because they were fearful of the
demon gods of their culture. This is an example of a polytheist society, where
there are many gods, and some gods are at odds with other gods, and one must
appease as many as possible to be able to live well. The minds of the people
were put into bondage and torment over these ideas. There were no written rules
guiding humanity into serving these many gods so people made up practices and
procedures out of their own thinking.
After the first century, the Jews
thought they should separate themselves from polytheistic cultures and Christianity
so they declared themselves to be monotheists. The Jews decided they believed
in one God, thereby showing themselves different than pagan or Christian
religions. This however presented a problem as the Old Testament clearly states
there is a Father, a Son, and the Spirit of the Lord that come under the
heading of Elohim. The meaning of the word Elohim was altered so that the “im”
was said not to be plural in that one word, but plural in every other Hebrew
word. To reiterate, the Hebrew language has a singular (one), a dual (two), and
a plural (three or more). I have heard some people mistakenly think that plural
is two, as it is in English but that is not the case in Hebrew. Somewhere along
the way Elohim became a name rather than a title. That also led to the
confusion of this idea of the Jews being monotheists. If the Jews are truly
monotheists they would then be blasphemers of the Holy Spirit. That by itself
presents a huge problem for them. Whether the Jews believe Jesus is the Messiah
or not is a whole different issue, but suffice it to say, Yahweh/Jehovah is the
first and the last, the beginning and the end, according to the Old and New
Testament.
The difference between
Christianity and polytheistic religions is that Christianity believes that the
Father, the Son, and the Spirit of the Lord, work together and are one in
purpose, thought, nature, etc., thereby eliminating the need to worship each
separately, and appease each differently. I might add here that the word trinity is indeed found in the Bible; it
is in the Aramaic text which was the spoken language of the first century
church and was not (as some believe) an added idea from the counsel of Nicea
around 300 A.D. The Jews simply worship Yahweh/Jehovah because they do not
believe the Messiah has come, nor do they believe in the ministry of the Holy
Spirit on the earth today. Therefore, what Paul was bringing to Mars Hill was a
message that was different for both cultures, the Greeks (who were polytheists)
and the Jews (who declared they were monotheists). To the Jews Paul preached
the coming of the Messiah, to the rest of the people Paul preached being heirs
of the creator. Here is what is interesting, the Greeks did not have a word in
their culture to describe themselves as “people who were afraid of demons”
because to them these demons they worshipped were gods. This is why the word superstition is barely used. Let’s look
at a modern definition of the word superstition.
su·per·sti·tion
: a belief or practice
resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a
false conception of causation
: a notion maintained
despite evidence to the contrary
This word has evolved from the original meaning which is a more
religious fear of the demonic supernatural. Let’s read the Strong’s definition.
NT:1174 deisidaimonesteros (dice-ee-dahee-mon-es'-ter-os);
the compound of a derivative of the base of NT:1169 and NT:1142; more religious
than others: KJV - too superstitious.
NT:1169 deilos (di-los'); from
deos (dread); timid, i.e. (by implication) faithless: KJV -
fearful.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:1142 daimon (dah'-ee-mown);
from daio (to distribute fortunes); a daemon or supernatural spirit (of a bad
nature):KJV - devil.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
The usage of this Greek word “deisidaimonesterous” only
occurs once in the Bible. A root word, Daemon,
is a mythological demi-god, a being with the nature of a deity and man. This is very precise, as we know where demons
originated from. This worship of gods started
in Babylon because Nimrod didn’t want people to worship Yahweh the Creator, but
various demonic spirits. In doing so some people were tapping into the power of
the demonic and became overlords of the people. The reality is that the Holy
Spirit has more power on the earth and still does miracles today, but many
people have been blinded to this truth. Once this odd behavior of idolatry
evolved, people were enslaved and in bondage to serve these many gods, but Paul
is saying they are serving demons out of fear. He is exactly right.
Acts 17:15-17 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto
Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him
with all speed, they departed.16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his
spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.17
Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout
persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
While Paul waited for Silas and Timothy he started
witnessing. Paul saw the whole city given to idolatry, so he went into the
synagogue and met with Jews who hadn’t known about Jesus. Then Paul went into
the marketplace and talked to the people there. Let’s look at Victor
Alexander’s Aramaic translation.
Acts 17:16. Paul, however, while he remained in Athens,
groaned in his soul, as he saw the town full of idols.17. And he spoke in the
synagogue with the Judeans and those who feared Allaha, and in the market
place* with everyday* shoppers. http://www.v-a.com/bible/acts-17.html
Remember that the Jews of the synagogue did not know Jesus,
and Paul was not only going there to instruct them, but he also started telling
the whole city about Jesus. The marketplace became abuzz with the news of a
Messiah and his resurrection.
Acts 17:18-23 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans,
and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say?
other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he
preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.19 And they took him, and
brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof
thou speakest, is?20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we
would know therefore what these things mean.21 (For all the Athenians and
strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell,
or to hear some new thing.)22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and
said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious
[1174].23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with
this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him
declare I unto you.
Paul says they are too superstitious, meaning they are
timid or afraid of the supernatural unknown, or afraid of demonic spirits. Again
this is the only usage of this word. This is a clue to superstitions, they are
not based on the knowledge of Yahweh/Jehovah, but instead they are based on the
unknown spiritual world. It would be understandable for people who come from a
culture with thousands of gods to be superstitious because they would be in
fear of not pleasing these gods properly. Yet the gods they were afraid of were
demons. Let’s look at Victor Alexander’s Aramaic translation.
Acts 17:22. And as Paul stood up, in the Areopagus, he
said, "Athenian men, I see that [of all peoples] you are the most fearful
of demons. http://www.v-a.com/bible/acts-17.html
Now we can clearly see why the definition of superstition is “one being fearful of
demons”, this is what Paul was saying. Today, people have all kinds of
superstitions; we see sporting events, religions, and business practices that
involve the belief that if things are performed in a certain way, “good things”
will happen. Our churches and synagogues are big offenders of superstitious
practices as well. We try to invoke a reaction from Elohim in many ways not
described in the Bible, or we take certain practices out of context in the
Bible and use them to summon the power of Yahweh. Shame on us, we should know
better. Imagine for a moment, a church service with the characteristics of a
baseball game; touch your hat brim, touch your nose, pat your hip, point your
finger upward, and spit. Silly, but the same as blow a trumpet, wave a flag,
raise your hands, jump up and down, and shout. Rituals are based in
superstition, Yahweh can show up with or without a trumpet, a worship service,
and a collective “Amen”. Don’t be led to believe that there is a specific process
to get to Yahweh/Jehovah other than confessing Jesus as Lord and believing God
raised him from the dead. This is a snare of the devil and is the same trap the
polytheists are in. The people of Athens were afraid of the unknown
supernatural, but Paul tells them that we are offspring of Theos.
Acts 17:24-29 God that made the world and all things
therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples
made with hands;25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any
thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;26 And hath
made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth,
and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their
habitation;27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:28 For in him we
live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have
said, For we are also his offspring.29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring
of God [2316], we ought not to think that the Godhead [2304] is like unto gold,
or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. KJV
We are the offspring of God, Theos, not a gold or silver
statue. The word Godhead is interesting here. It is better understood as the divine. Man cannot make the divine or
the Godhead with earthly materials. Paul used the understanding of the Creator
and His creation to show the Greeks that what they were worshipping was
inferior, as the Creator has no need of anything. Paul says that everyone is of
one blood and are made equal in the earth. At this time, the Greeks used to
rule a large portion of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, but were succeeded
by the Romans. Just because a society was dominant did not make that group
better in God’s eyes. Paul mentions the Godhead here, what does this mean?
First, we should note that Theos is plural, in the Greek plural means more than
one, or many. Unlike the Hebrews, the Greeks only have a singular and a plural
usage; not a singular, dual, and plural. Theos
is plural just like Elohim, this
tells us that the attempted monotheistic change to try and make Elohim singular
occurred well after the Greek written language recorded the New Testament.
NT:2304 theios (thi'-os); from NT:2316; godlike
(neuter as noun, divinity): KJV - divine, godhead.
NT:2316 theos (theh'-os); of
uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with NT:3588) the supreme Divinity;
figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very: KJV - exceeding, God, god [-ly, -ward]. (Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Let’s look at this in the Apostolic Bible Polyglot English.
Acts 17:29G1085[2a
familyG37673thenG52241Being]G3588 G2316of
God,G3756ought
weG3784 G3543to
thinkG5557gold,G2228orG696silver,G2228orG3037stone,G5480an
imprintG5078of a
craft,G2532andG1761thinkingG444of manG3588[3theG23044divineG1510.11to beG36642like]?
http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Acts%2017
We are part of Yahewh’s family, so why make a stone imprint
of Him? This teaching probably set many people free, because instead of being
afraid to try and appease gods that they didn’t know how to appease, they were
sons and daughters of the Creator, and they didn’t need to be ignorant any
longer. Understanding that we are of the family of the divine, the Godhead, we should
then recognize that we have authority over demons, and the demonic spiritual
realm. We are not under subjection to please any demonic beings, instead we have
the power to rule over them. But people were led astray by rulers and leaders
and were ignorant of the ways of God. Let’s remember, Hebrew was nearly a lost
language in 300 B.C., which is why the 70 books (including what we have today
as the Old Testament), were scribed as the Septuagint. The common people read
scrolls in the synagogues that were written in Greek. Paul goes on to explain
the mercy of Theos because people didn’t know they had been led astray, and tells
them to repent.
Acts 17:30-34 And the times of this ignorance God winked
at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:31 Because he hath
appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that
man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in
that he hath raised him from the dead.32 And when they heard of the
resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again
of this matter.33 So Paul departed from among them.34 Howbeit certain men clave
unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a
woman named Damaris, and others with them. KJV
Some people believed Paul and held onto him wanting to know
more. Being free from trying to serve many gods and learning about being a
child of the Creator is wonderful. It
changes the whole dynamic of one’s life, even today. Repentance set people
right with God. It is not that idolatry was somehow a “new” thing; it came out
of Babylon from Nimrod, who told people not to look to God but to make
themselves happy. Solomon writes about idolatry and the first century
synagogues all had access to the Book of Wisdom.
Wisdom 14:8-20 But that which is made with hands is cursed,
as well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible,
it was called god.9 For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful
unto God.10 For that which is made shall be punished together with him that
made it.11 Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a
visitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and
stumblingblocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.12
For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the
invention of them the corruption of life.13 For neither were they from the
beginning, neither shall they be for ever.14 For by the vain glory of men they
entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end.15 For
a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his
child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man,
and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices.16 Thus in
process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven
images were worshipped by the commandments of kings.17 Whom men could not
honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of
his visage from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to
the end that by this their forwardness they might flatter him that was absent,
as if he were present.18 Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help
to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.19 For he, peradventure
willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance
of the best fashion.20 And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work,
took him now for a god, which a little before was but honoured. KJV
This explains a lot. Sometimes people made images of
someone who died, then started worshipping the image as if it were a god. Do
people pray to their departed loved one’s today as if their dead relatives can
do something for them on earth? Sometimes people wanted to show their loyalty
to their king and made an image of the king, which they later worshipped as a
god. That is another superstition that went awry. The people were allured by
doing works, and this is what the overlords of the people used to ensnare the
common people. Solomon goes further.
Wisdom 14:21-27 And this was an occasion to deceive the
world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and
stocks the incommunicable name.22 Moreover this was not enough for them, that
they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of
ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace.23 For whilst they slew
their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of
strange rites;24 They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled:
but either one slew another traiterously, or grieved him by adultery.25 So that
there reigned in all men without exception blood, manslaughter, theft, and
dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury,26 Disquieting of
good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind,
disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness. 27 For the
worshipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end,
of all evil. KJV
That is interesting, people made a superstitious rite of
putting the incommunicable name (the name Yahweh/Jehovah) on various objects of
punishment to put people under their rule. Look at how much calamity Solomon
ascribes to idolatry. He saw the kingdoms around Israel in idolatry and how
much evil the people were all under. Solomon married wives from all the royal
households of the surrounding kingdoms so that Israel could abide in peace,
however the influence of those women eventually corrupted Israel. The nations
those women came from had rulers that were taking the personal name of Elohim
and using it against their entire nation to keep the people in subjection,
which in turn caused people to sacrifice children, have secret ceremonies and
strange rites, leading to bloodshed and manslaughter. Idolatry is the cause and
end of all evil.
Was Paul promoting polytheism or idolatry? Looking back now
we can say that he wasn’t, but at that time the Jews who attacked Paul in
Jerusalem refused to hear that Jesus was the Messiah. Paul was not making a new
ritual or rite for people to worship, but understand that the temple was
eventually destroyed in 70 A.D. and there has not been an atonement for sin
other than that of Jesus’s shed blood since then. God knows all of the future
and Paul was announcing Jesus and repentance so that people would not be lost.
Festus points out that the Jews who were accusing Paul were doing so because of
their own superstitions.
Acts 25:14-19 And when they had been there many days,
Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left
in bonds by Felix:15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and
the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.16 To
whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die,
before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have
licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.17
Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on
the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.18 Against whom
when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I
supposed:19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition
[1175], and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. KJV
NT:1175 deisidaimonia (dice-ee-dahee-mon-ee'-ah); from the
same as NT:1174; religion: KJV - superstition.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
It is interesting that the Jews who were accusing Paul
accused him regarding questions of their own superstition, as Festus said. This
is the only usage of this word and Festus uses a variation of the word #1174, meaning
“timidity towards the supernatural, or fear of demons”. Specifically, the Jew’s
superstition that Festus was commenting about was due to their religion which
had been prophesied to change when the Messiah would come. They were rejecting
the change, and those who spoke of the change. The Jew’s religion had turned
into a superstition. It still is a superstition because they cannot appease
Yahweh by keeping the law. There is no temple and therefore no atonement for
sin apart from Jesus. It is also a superstition because they did not believe
Jesus came as Messiah and they did not believe the time of Jesus’ visitation
that was prophesied in the book of Daniel, Luke 19:44, Daniel 9:24-ff.
The problem for the Jews was that Jesus was stirring up the
people but was not restoring the political kingdom to Israel. They did not
recognize that there was a period of time between the announcement when the
Messiah rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the start of the Messianic kingdom,
or the 1000 year reign of Christ. They couldn’t imagine that Yahweh and Jesus
were the same. Not because they thought Yahweh was the one and only God, they
understood Elohim, but because Jesus
did not have anything that looked special about him. In other words he didn’t
glow or have a halo. I’ve heard the silliest things, like, “if Jesus was God
then he must have been talking to himself on the tree”, or “if Jesus was God
then no one was in heaven when Jesus went into the grave”, which again is a
distortion due to Jews trying to become monotheists. The Jews of the first
century knew quite well that there was a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit, yet
later people erased or distorted the prophecies to make it seem Jesus was not
Messiah. But the honest Jews understood the Godhead. Jesus did miracles, healed on the Sabbath,
and testified that Abraham knew him, David knew him, and Moses knew him. The
common people believed because he was fulfilling Isaiah 61 as he announced in Nazareth.
This is what Paul tells us in Romans.
Rom 1:20-21 For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even his eternal power and Godhead [2305]; so that they are without
excuse:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened. KJV
NT:2305 theiotes
(thi-ot'-ace); from NT:2304; divinity (abstractly):KJV - godhead. (Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
People didn’t acknowledge the Creator nor the divinity of
Jesus. The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus Christ. That is why you and
I have authority over demons and superstitions.
Col 2:8-12 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy
and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
[2320] bodily.10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision
made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen
with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from
the dead. KJV
NT:2320 theotes (theh-ot'-ace); from NT:2316; divinity
(abstractly): KJV - godhead. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Notice that Strong’s #2305 and #2320 are the same
definition, but the Greek word is one letter different. The Godhead is
divinity. A culture with many gods is not considered divinity because the gods
usually are not unified, they purportedly fight among themselves. There are
hierarchies but each god is vying for dominion. Look at what Hebrews says
regarding Jesus and the Godhead.
Heb 1:9 You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in
integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You
have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God
(Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and
beyond Your companions. [Ps 45:6,7.] AMP
In the spiritual world of Yahweh/Jehovah there is no
infighting among the Creators. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit all had a
hand in our creation, and they are all in agreement together. Let’s understand,
the devil knows he cannot create anything, he knows he is a created being and
lacks power. He wanted to be like Elohim because he wanted to judge the sons of
God, and put his throne in the place of judgment so that he could execute
judgment on the angels who meet at the mount of the congregation at regularly
scheduled times. But could the satan
possibly be part of the Elohim when
he is an adversary to the Elohim? Of course not. Since the
satan (the adversary) could not stop Jesus, he instead attempted to distort
his time on earth with controversy.
Col 1:18-20 And he is the head of the body, the assembly;
who is [the] beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that he might have the
first place in all things:19 for in him all the fulness [of the Godhead] was
pleased to dwell,20 and by him to reconcile all things to itself, having made
peace by the blood of his cross — by him, whether the things on the earth or
the things in the heavens. Darby
There is the crux of the entire deception. Jesus is the
head of the assembly, and he not only came to show himself as Messiah, he
rescued the dead as well, taking back the keys to hell and death. If satan and
the other princes of the world would have known, they never would have
crucified him. Jesus fixed death for the righteous redeemed and took back what
the devil stole. So on Mars Hill, the Apostle Paul was not simply addressing
the polytheists, but the Jews as well. And as we can see, later in time the
Jews declared themselves monotheists, which is a misnomer to their own original
text. Christianity is not polytheistic because the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit work together, and together they are divinity or the Godhead. The
superstitions of serving demons was exposed by Paul’s speech on Mars Hill. The
superstitions of the Jews not recognizing the Messiah was also exposed when
Paul was being accused. These two types of superstitions should be done away
with in our day and time. One would think in our modern age that people would
not hold to silly rites and procedures in religious ceremony to attempt to
please a god or gods that cannot be pleased. One would also think that
superstitions would not enter the assembly of the called out either. But unless
we understand superstitions and the Godhead, we will be circling the
polytheist/monotheist argument and building our own sacred rites for worship.
