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Parables and secret codes used and explained by Jesus
1. Parables and secret codes used and explained by Jesus
Jesus often uses
code words so that sayings have more than one meaning.
All the meanings can be true. The encoded (literal) form makes (some) sense and the decoded form makes sense. In general:
Noun words can be code words. Pronouns can be ambiguous.
Verb words are carefully chosen to work in both contexts.
By definition, in the security field, a
code word is a word that needs to be substituted with another word (e.g., using a
code book) to determine the meaning. By definition, in the security field, a
secret code is a code whose meaning is to be obscured to anyone without the code book.
So Jesus, by definition, uses
secret codes. However, these codes appear to provide only authentication information (and warnings about certain heresies) but no special salvation knowledge - which is always is clear text.
2. Codes and ciphers
In the security field, the following are general terms.
A code substitutes words for other words.
A cipher changes letters to other letters.
There are known codes and ciphers in the Bible dating to 500-600 B.C.
3. Codes and ciphers
In World War I, the German military used code books for messages (which were changed on a periodic basis).
In World War II, the German military used the Enigma machine as a cipher machine, working on individual characters in a sequence, to encrypt messages.
4. Enigma machines
In World War II, when Alan Turing (and others) broke the German Enigma code (on a regular basis) it did not help with German Navy messages.
The German Navy used the Enigma machine but had retained their code book system from World War I. Thus, Turing needed code books to be "
pinched" (in this case, a privilege escalation attack) in order to complete the decryption of the German Navy messages.
5. Nouns
In the Kingdom Parables of Matthew 13, Jesus states 7 parables and explains 3 of them. In doing so, he consistently substitutes nouns with other nouns leaving the other words, particularly verbs, unchanged. Details are below.
By definition, this is a coded message. When asked by the disciples, Jesus then states that he is doing this so that others will not understand. This, by definition, is a secret code.
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Details are left as a future topic.
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6. Verbs
In the secret code, the verbs often have a special double meaning which needs to be carefully analyzed. Substituting what appears to be equals for equals may result in one of the meanings no longer being clear (given the code book).
The same is true in a lesser extent to the nouns.
7. Barnabas and parables
Barnabas appears to have understood that the parables of Jesus were, in part, to explain the "
kingdom of heaven" or "
kingdom of the air" (same words in Greek), both then and into the future. Barnabas tried to explain what was needed for salvation and what was not.
English: To the extent that it is possible clearly to explain those things to you, I hope, in accordance with my desire, that I have not omitted anything of the matters relating to salvation. (Holmes, 2007, p. 433)
Greek: Ἐφ’ ὅσον ἦν ἐν δυνατῷ καὶ ἁπλότητι δηλῶσαι ὑμῖν, ἐλπίζει μου ἡ ψυχὴ τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ μου μὴ παραλελοιπέναι τι τῶν ἀνηκόντων εἰς σωτηρίαν. Epistle of Barnabas [17:1]
English: For if I should write to you about things present or things to come, you would never understand, because they are found in parables. So much, then, for these things. (Holmes, 2007, p. 433)
Greek: ἐὰν γὰρ περὶ τῶν ἐνεστώτων ἢ μελλόντων γράφω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ νοήσητε διὰ τὸ ἐν παραβολαῖς κεῖσθαι. Epistle of Barnabas [17:2]
8. Authentic authentication
In the security field, the authentication problem is the following. "
How does one know that someone or something (e.g., a computer) is who they claim to be?". That is, are they "
authentic". Are they the "
real McCoy"?
The phrase "
real McCoy", from 1908, is a corruption of "
Scots the real MacKay" from 1856. There are many other explanations or folk etymologies of this phrase.
Three common ways to authenticate are the following.
What they have, such as an ID card.
What they know, such as a password.
What they are, such as a biometric (e.g., fingerprint).
9. Key phrase
After finishing the first parable, Jesus says the following
Matthew 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. [kjv]
ο εχων ωτα ακουετω [gnt]
… aures audiendi audiat [v]
This phrase (and variants thereof) appear to indicate that a higher level code is being presented. It appears to be used when one should listen carefully for play on words.
10. Matthew 13:9
KJV: Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Greek: ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω
Latin: qui habet aures audiendi audiat
11. John 16:29 Proverbs and parables
John 16:29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. [kjv]
λεγουσιν οι μαθηται αυτου ιδε νυν εν παρρησια λαλεις και παροιμιαν ουδεμιαν λεγεις [gnt]
… openlice… by-spell. [wes]
What is the difference between a "
parable" and a "
proverb"? It appears that the Hebrew/Aramaic has one word for this concept and that word can be translated into Greek as "
parable" or "
proverb".
"παραβολή" ≈ "saying, proverb"
"παροιμία" ≈ "saying, proverb"
It is possible that whoever did the Greek translation picked the Greek word that they thought best matched the original language, but the differences and implications are yet interesting (and left for another time and place).
12. Proverb
13. Parable
14. Comparison
Do John, Luke, etc., not know the difference between a proverb and a parable? Do the academic theologians throughout the centuries know the difference and know it better than John, Luke, etc. Was there perhaps not an important difference, if at all, in Bible times? Does it really make a difference? If so, how and in what way?
15. John 16:29 Speak clearly
John 16:29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. [kjv]
λεγουσιν οι μαθηται αυτου ιδε νυν εν παρρησια λαλεις και παροιμιαν ουδεμιαν λεγεις [gnt]
… openlice… by-spell. [wes]
John organizes John chapters 14, 15 and 16 in a top-down backward-chaining manner that can be confusing. The disciples appear to be confused and want Jesus to speak more plainly.
The
"plainly" or
"openly" can be translated
"bluntly".
The Old English word
"spell" ≈ "speak, say" as in to cast a "
spell". To "
spell" a word one would often say aloud the letters of that word. To "
sit for a spell" is to sit and talk (for a while).
16. John 16:29
KJV: His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
Greek: λεγουσιν αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου ιδε νυν εν παρρησια λαλεις και παροιμιαν ουδεμιαν λεγεις
Latin: dicunt ei discipuli eius ecce nunc palam loqueris et proverbium nullum dicis
Wessex: Hys leorningcnihtas cwaeðen to hym. Nu þu sprecst openlice. & ne segst nan by-spell.
Wycliffe: Hise disciplis seiden to hym, Lo! now thou spekist opynli, and thou seist no prouerbe.
17. Parables
The very next verse the disciples ask Jesus a question.
Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? [kjv]
και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται ειπαν αυτω δια τι εν παραβολαις λαλεις αυτοις [gnt]
18. Matthew 13:10
KJV: And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Greek: και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται ειπον ειπαν αυτω δια τι εν παραβολαις λαλεις αυτοις
19. Matthew 13:11 Mysteries
It appears to the disciples that some form of code is being used. Jesus continues.
Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. [kjv]
ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν οτι υμιν δεδοται γνωναι τα μυστηρια της βασιλειας των ουρανων εκεινοις δε ου δεδοται [gnt]
Jesus explains three of the seven parables - some of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
20. Matthew 13:11
KJV: He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Greek: ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι υμιν δεδοται γνωναι τα μυστηρια της βασιλειας των ουρανων εκεινοις δε ου δεδοται
21. Matthew 13:12-13
Matthew 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. [kjv]
13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. [kjv]
δια τουτο εν παραβολαις αυτοις λαλω οτι βλεποντες ου βλεπουσιν και ακουοντες ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε συνιουσιν [gnt]
22. Matthew 13:12
KJV: For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Greek: οστις γαρ εχει δοθησεται αυτω και περισσευθησεται οστις δε ουκ εχει και ο εχει αρθησεται απ αυτου
23. Matthew 13:13
KJV: Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Greek: δια τουτο εν παραβολαις αυτοις λαλω οτι βλεποντες ου βλεπουσιν και ακουοντες ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε συνιουσιν
24. Matthew 13:14
Matthew 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: [kjv]
και αναπληρουται αυτοις η προφητεια ησαιου η λεγουσα ακοη ακουσετε και ου μη συνητε και βλεποντες βλεψετε και ου μη ιδητε [gnt]
25. Matthew 13:14
KJV: And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Greek: και αναπληρουται επ αυτοις η προφητεια ησαιου η λεγουσα ακοη ακουσετε και ου μη συνητε και βλεποντες βλεψετε και ου μη ιδητε
26. Matthew 13:15-16
Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. [kjv]
13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. [kjv]
27. Matthew 13:15
KJV: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Greek: επαχυνθη γαρ η καρδια του λαου τουτου και τοις ωσιν βαρεως ηκουσαν και τους οφθαλμους αυτων εκαμμυσαν μηποτε ιδωσιν τοις οφθαλμοις και τοις ωσιν ακουσωσιν και τη καρδια συνωσιν και επιστρεψωσιν και ιασωμαι ιασομαι αυτους
28. Matthew 13:16
KJV: But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Greek: υμων δε μακαριοι οι οφθαλμοι οτι βλεπουσιν και τα ωτα υμων οτι ακουει ακουουσιν
29. Matthew 13:17
Matthew 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. [kjv]
30. Matthew 13:17
KJV: For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Greek: αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν οτι πολλοι προφηται και δικαιοι επεθυμησαν ιδειν α βλεπετε και ουκ ειδον ειδαν και ακουσαι α ακουετε και ουκ ηκουσαν
31. Matthew 13:18 Parable of the sower
Jesus continues with the explanation of the first parable whereby he substitutes nouns (with one meaning) with other nouns (with another meaning) and does this consistently for all the parables that he explains - three of the seven.
Matthew 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. [kjv]
υμεις ουν ακουσατε την παραβολην του σπειραντος [gnt]
32. Matthew 13:18
KJV: Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
Greek: υμεις ουν ακουσατε την παραβολην του σπειροντος σπειραντος
33. Double meaning
Keep in mind that "
double meaning" (and more) is often in many places in the Bible.
Jesus says "destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in 3 days".
Many terms in the Bible have other meanings that are consistent throughout the Bible.
Leaven represents being puffed up with pride - false doctrine.
Mountains represent empires.
Trees represent the ruler of an empire.
The phrase "
expositional constancy" means that the same code words are used in multiple places. However, there may be more than one code word that represents the same thing.
34. Puzzle pieces and models
Each insight at one place to what Jesus appears to mean from what he says, in context, acts as a puzzle piece to determine what a similar phrase means in another discourse.
Presented by Jesus and recorded by Matthew: Declarative, sometimes top-down backward-chaining, and distributed fault-tolerant and redundant spread-spectrum constraint logic (code) word (and meaning) puzzle.
Inference method: Bottom-up nondeterministic model parse.
Each underlined word has a deep and technical meaning in the field of programming language theory and in computation theory as part of the general field of computer science.
Discuss:
How does a model approach contrast with an opinion-based approach to inferring what is meant in the Bible?
Provide historical examples of both model-based approaches and opinion-based approaches to inferring what is meant in the Bible.
35. End of page
