Well, in the books of Matthew and Luke, the “unforgivable sin” that Jesus referred to was blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Because the Pharisees insulted and resisted the Holy Spirit to such a degree that they slandered the Holy Spirit and said that Jesus being able to perform miracles came from the power of Satan, not God. We can speculate why this particular sin is “unforgivable.” But, it isn’t hard to come to a reasonable conclusion. Somebody that KNOWS Jesus is of divine origin (The Pharisee Nicodemus bluntly admitted that his fellow Pharisees knew this to Jesus privately) and has the audacity to say He’s a servant of the Devil must be so repugnant to God. They basically spit in God’s face. So, I’m not sure whether this taking of the mark falls in the same category of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” or not, especially since the mark is taken out of ignorance (in the sense that people taking it don’t know it’s a mark ultimately demonstrating allegiance to Satan), whereas the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (at least in the manner the Pharisees did it) was done with full knowledge...
Found this BBC article, supports what you said. What to think about 1 Peter 2:17? 17 - Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. [ESV] 17 - Honour all [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. [KJV] 17 - Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. [NIV] Honor the emperor ≠ taking the mark?
I’m going out on a limb here, but I think the command to “honor the emperor” or “honor the king” merely means treating them with respect. Accepting that they rule over you. Not constantly rebelling against their authority. Doing what they require of you...as long as it doesn’t mean you have to sin against God in the process. Honoring the emperor, in of itself, is not sin. We are also commanded elsewhere in scripture to obey the governing authorities over us (Romans 13).
That's a good question. As I recall Judaism during the before and during the early church period was considered acceptable by the Romans because the Jews offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the emperor, or something like that. There was a roundabout justification for it. Because the early church was considered a sect of Judaism, it was not particularly persecuted. Not until later did the split become more apparent and the Christians were not afforded the same protections anymore. As for honoring the emperor, I guess I'd agree with Aaron. I'm not sure what emperor was on the throne at the time of Peter's letter or whether that matters. I do recall from the same source I got the other stuff from was that the Christians, though often misunderstood and persecuted, still paid their taxes to the emperor and rarely went out of their way to flout any of the rules.
In the narrative context of Mark 3.22-30, the sin that will never be forgiven is a very specific act: attributing an undeniable miracle from God to demons. It isn't a general, lifelong 'rejection' of God, as is commonly thought. I have an in-depth explanation here on the mark of the beast as Nero's name, if you are interested.
I concur with markedward His analysis is excellent. The 7!churches knew exactly who the bad guy was and what to do
I don’t live in North Korea. So, no, I’m not obligated to “honor” him. He does NOT have any authority over me.
Obeying a tyrant ≠ honoring a tyrant. It's odd word choice by Peter. His country was occupied by the Roman Empire, they crucified his Lord and in Acts 2:13 he speaks not so honorable about the Roman Empire. [ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ] When the Nazi's occupied my country, does 1 Peter 2:17 mean the Christian Dutch had to participate in the "Heil Hitler" honoring?
Checking out the infallible Wikipedia, Nero was emperor from 54-68. That certainly would cover the time Peter wrote.
I am discussing. I’m saying that since I’m not a citizen of North Korea, Kim Jong-un is NOT my “emperor” or “king.” Since he is NOT my “emperor” or “king,” I’m not obligated to “honor” or “obey” him.
Peter - Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. [ESV] You - I’m not a citizen of ancient Rome, Nero is NOT my “emperor” or “king.” Since he is NOT my “emperor” or “king,” I’m not obligated to “honor” or “obey” him. How is that discussing?
I was looking into the use of 'lawless men' and it may simply refer to the Gentiles, those without the Law of Moses. So it may not have been intended how we might read that. Bonhoeffer would probably be a good place to consider the question of the Nazi occupation.
Or maybe we could ask these guys, 4 of whom were pastors or full time ministers, a plethora of whom were elders, most of whom were regular attenders and communicants.... Traitors and treasonous, one and all... Religious Affiliation of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Religious Affiliation # of signers % of signers Episcopalian/Anglican 32 57.1% Congregationalist 13 23.2% Presbyterian 12 21.4% Quaker 2 3.6% Unitarian or Universalist 2 3.6% Catholic 1 1.8% TOTAL 56 100% Name of Signer State Religious Affiliation Charles Carroll Maryland Catholic Samuel Huntington Connecticut Congregationalist Roger Sherman Connecticut Congregationalist William Williams Connecticut Congregationalist Oliver Wolcott Connecticut Congregationalist Lyman Hall Georgia Congregationalist Samuel Adams Massachusetts Congregationalist John Hancock Massachusetts Congregationalist Josiah Bartlett New Hampshire Congregationalist William Whipple New Hampshire Congregationalist William Ellery Rhode Island Congregationalist John Adams Massachusetts Congregationalist; Unitarian Robert Treat Paine Massachusetts Congregationalist; Unitarian George Walton Georgia Episcopalian John Penn North Carolina Episcopalian George Ross Pennsylvania Episcopalian Thomas Heyward Jr. South Carolina Episcopalian Thomas Lynch Jr. South Carolina Episcopalian Arthur Middleton South Carolina Episcopalian Edward Rutledge South Carolina Episcopalian Francis Lightfoot Lee Virginia Episcopalian Richard Henry Lee Virginia Episcopalian George Read Delaware Episcopalian Caesar Rodney Delaware Episcopalian Samuel Chase Maryland Episcopalian William Paca Maryland Episcopalian Thomas Stone Maryland Episcopalian Elbridge Gerry Massachusetts Episcopalian Francis Hopkinson New Jersey Episcopalian Francis Lewis New York Episcopalian Lewis Morris New York Episcopalian William Hooper North Carolina Episcopalian Robert Morris Pennsylvania Episcopalian John Morton Pennsylvania Episcopalian Stephen Hopkins Rhode Island Episcopalian Carter Braxton Virginia Episcopalian Benjamin Harrison Virginia Episcopalian Thomas Nelson Jr. Virginia Episcopalian George Wythe Virginia Episcopalian Thomas Jefferson Virginia Episcopalian (Deist) Benjamin Franklin Pennsylvania Episcopalian (Deist) Button Gwinnett Georgia Episcopalian; Congregationalist James Wilson Pennsylvania Episcopalian; Presbyterian Joseph Hewes North Carolina Quaker, Episcopalian George Clymer Pennsylvania Quaker, Episcopalian Thomas McKean Delaware Presbyterian Matthew Thornton New Hampshire Presbyterian Abraham Clark New Jersey Presbyterian John Hart New Jersey Presbyterian Richard Stockton New Jersey Presbyterian John Witherspoon New Jersey Presbyterian William Floyd New York Presbyterian Philip Livingston New York Presbyterian James Smith Pennsylvania Presbyterian George Taylor Pennsylvania Presbyterian Benjamin Rush Pennsylvania Presbyterian
As an individual, yes, I can “honor” Kim Jong-un and treat him with respect (even though I personally dislike him), but, if he told me to do something, while in MY country, trying to use authority over me, then, no, I’m not obligated to obey him. The President of the United States is my “emperor.” The dictator of North Korea is NOT. Now, while in HIS country, I AM obligated to obey him. He “rules” over me there. Not here, though. Does that clear it up?
Honor =/= obedience. The early Christians prayed for Nero's blessing, but you can be sure they didn't give each other up when Nero asked where they were hiding.
Actually, the "emperor" of the United States is not the President. He is a servant. The "governing authority" in the United States is the people, not the elected officials.