Yes, we are jumping back into Matthew's gospel and we previously ended on Matthew 4:22. Next, Jesus preaches to great crowds.

 This next section of Matthew's gospel is entitled

“Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds.”

Yes, we are jumping back into Matthew's gospel, and we previously ended on Matthew 4:22, where four of the new disciples have left their jobs fishing and are now following Jesus.

I now throw in a bonus question.

Where was the Apostle Paul's first stop in virtually every city he entered?

If you said the synagogue, you would have been right. But that opens a line of sarcastic questioning; I thought the focus, here in the Gospels, was on Jesus? Well, it is, but guess what? We frequently found Jesus in the synagogues.

What was the logic of a move like that?

Some will say, what an odd question, seeing as the message Paul delivered almost got him killed on several occasions and was his final end.

One of the answers to such an obvious question is that Paul was a changed man and thoroughly committed to the message of Jesus and God's grace because of what he encountered on the road to Damascus. Paul was prepared to die for this message of grace.

Isn't that what we saw in Jesus?

Jesus did not change His ways, for He was sin-free (this state of being sin-free had everything to do with NOT being born with damaged human DNA. Yes, I believe that the fruit they ate, much like current vaccines that change your DNA, changed theirs, and every human being born of man was born with a propensity to sin. God bypassed all that by having the virgin Mary carry a fertilized ovum that He made.) In spite of valid temptations from Satan, Jesus stayed committed to the painful path that would bring those of us who accept God's love back into the arms of the Father.

How do I apply what Paul did to Christ?

Jesus, too, was painfully aware that His death would come, and it is not difficult to watch something like The Chosen, which portrayed Him frequently praying all night, and imagine Him speaking freely with the Father and asking, is there any other way? He knew what was coming for Him would be brutal and painful, and yet He continued to stay committed to the cross.

When you read the Gospels, you see Jesus frequently saying things like, tell no one, and my time has not yet come. No, He did not want to die prematurely – as though that could happen but was more than willing to take our place on the cross and pour out His blood on our behalf.

So, what did Paul preach to these Jews in their synagogues?

The message that Paul preached was based on the Torah – the Old Testament and there were always a few who listened, heard the truth, absorbed what he said, and believed.

So, too, was the message that Jesus preached. He preached from the Torah, just as Paul did. Now, picture the disciples. Did they understand, absorb, and believe? Strangely, many indicated that they did. The reality of that understanding was wrapped up in their longing for Jesus to be the warring Messiah that they longed for. Instead of war, his message was one of love and the hope of peace obtained by a relationship with the Father. 

In either case, these new Jewish “believers” were the beginnings of new churches, which we are familiar with because Paul wrote letters back to those communities.

So much for an introduction.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” Matthew 4:23 MKJV)

Let that sink in.

• Jesus went about all Galilee.

  This sounds like purposeful intent to me. The crowds were not in the Jewish synagogues but were the result of the times when they fed the thousands that came, and they came because of the miracles.

• Doing what?

  Teaching in their synagogues.

  That means, in Galilee, Jesus had a reputation as a respected Rabbi, and they gave Him, initially, an open door to teach.

  Preaching the gospel of the kingdom.

  The Jews had an understanding of what the kingdom represented, and it had everything to do with the time when God was back in full control of the earth, and Jesus ruled as the warring Messiah. While that imagery must have carried some weight in Jesus' mind, the kingdom was, at this point, love and gentleness.

  What did He tell James and John when they wanted to call fire down on the small crowd that disrespected them?

  Effectively, He said that is NOT why they were here and that they were to act as gentle as doves and wise as serpents.

And healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

Matthew 4:23 ESV  “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.”

If you are doing a more intense study, read from multiple translations because that one word that the translators used has multiple meanings.

“The news G189 about Him spread G565 R1 throughout G1519 all G3650 Syria G4947; and they brought G4374 to Him all G3956 who were ill G2192 G2560, those suffering G4912 with various G4164 diseases G3554 and pains G931, R2 demoniacs G1139, N1 R3 epileptics G4583, R4 paralytics G3885; and He healed G2323 them.”
Matthew 4:24 NASB+)

• who were ill

  G2192 echō - to be held in possession.

  G2560 kakōs - to be grievously ill, wrongly held by evil.

• suffering

  G4912 sunechō - suffering, perplexed, or afflicted.

• various

  G4164 poikilos - various, diverse, manifold.

• diseases

  G3554 nosos - Disease, sickness. Metaphorically, pain, sorrow, evil.

• pains

  G931 basanos - (by analogy) torture: - just generally tormented.

• Those who were thought to be demoniacs

  G1139 daimonizomai - to be used by a demon: - to be vexed with, or possessed by demons.

• Epileptics

  G4583 selēniazomai – these people often shake uncontrollably and fall: -many are thought to be lunatics.

• Paralytics

  G3885 paralutikos - “paralytic”: one who is deprived of the power of muscular motion; there are sometimes thought of as weak, trembling, and subject to  involuntary shaking;

After doing all this for the people, His fame spread throughout Syria and a few other places.

“And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy, and he healed them.
Matthew 4:24 KJV)

In the book of Acts, we see a statement that seems to be a retelling of Matthew 4:24.

“But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
Acts 10:35-38 KJV)

This last statement, more than all the others, says that there is no disease among humans that does not have its origins in Satanic oppression. I also had a strong sense that this was Peter talking because Peter did not mention Syria, the land of Gentiles. It is.

Why wouldn't Peter, in Acts 10, bring the Syrians into the conversation?

Because he, more than Matthew (an apostate Jew when Jesus found him,) was a devout Jew and Syrians were unclean; to touch them would have made him unclean (according to Jewish - add-on laws – the Tenach), and Peter struggled to maintain his Jewish identity.

Some will try to come back at me on this last statement because Peter was the Apostle to the Gentiles. Yeah, that didn't last long; we know this because we eventually find Peter seated among the “Christian” Jewish council in Jerusalem.

Acts chapter ten seems to be the major marker that we assume makes him the Apostle to the Gentiles. The scriptures tell us.

“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" And when he observed him, he was afraid and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa and send for Simon, whose surname is Peter.” Acts 10:1-5 NKJV)

It is possible this is the same centurion who, upon seeing all that happened to Jesus, said, surely this is the Son of God. If not, it is a peculiar coincidence that the scriptures give us multiple instances that refer to “the centurion.”

“And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” Matthew 27:53-54 KJV)

We are not told what Cornelius' prayer was, but if I were to guess, he wanted as much of God as God was willing to give. With that in mind, the angel in the vision tells him that his prayers and acts of kindness have come up before God, so go get Peter.

I am always stunned at how well God coordinates these appointments. So, while Cornelius has sent men to ask if Peter would come to the house, in the meantime, God begins to show Peter a vision that, in a few minutes, breaks down Peter's barriers in a manner that would convince Peter to enter the house of a Gentile. (Note, at this point, for the most part, salvation - life in Christ, has only come to the Jews.)

“...Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." Acts 10:9-15 NKJV)

In case you are lost, we have been working on Matthew 4:24, where Jesus' fame went throughout all of Syria. By the time Peter has his interaction with Cornelius and his family, Jesus has been dead for several years now.

If Jesus went into Syria, we are not told about it in any other place.

It becomes obvious and quickly that Jesus has been to many places.

Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. Matthew 4:25 NKJV)

People were now following Jesus, not just from Galilee but from Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea.

So this travelog begins with John the baptizer baptizing Jesus somewhere around Bethany. Jesus traveled North to Nazareth and then to Capernaum and eventually moved South once again toward Jerusalem.

Those who are under the yoke of slavery – 1 Timothy 6: 1

 We have moved into 1 Timothy chapter six. I thought we would never get here.

I have got to tell you that this opening line leaves me with the feeling that we have lost the context, and I will show you why.

1 Timothy 6:1 CJB Those who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as worthy of full respect so that the name of God and the teaching will not be brought into disrepute.

I have seen East Indian children’s videos, who are sold into slavery, more than likely so that the family can eat for a short time. That child has the potential of being brought up in the worst of conditions. How you could ever ask that child to have respect for their “owner” is beyond me.

Perhaps we do not understand the word respect or what Paul is asking these new followers of Christ to do.

Yoke is the Greek word zugos and means joined, coupled, or in servitude to.

Slave(s) is the Greek word doulos and literally means a slave, whether involuntarily or voluntarily.

Regard is the Greek word hēgeomai. It means to consider, count, or esteem.

Esteem, according to the dictionary, is to set a value on.

So we learn that to regard is to set a value upon, in this case, a person. This does not mean that they are deserving of accolades; however, Paul is telling those of us who are subject to others to CONSIDER them as one who deserves esteem – value.

Masters is the word Greek word despotēs. This word covers a wide range, from a husband to an absolute ruler, (a) “despot.”

According to Webster’s dictionary, a DESPOT is an emperor, king, or price invested with absolute power, or ruling without any control from men, constitution, or laws. Hence in a general sense, a tyrant.

So you might say, I can't relate to being a slave; ah, but most of us can relate to working under a person who may be deemed a boss, a supervisor, or a manager; and, in some cases, they could be thought of as a despot.

My experience was with an assistant store manager, who knew full well that he was speaking to the store opening crew; and, that of the five departments that were represented at this store opening meeting, we were the ones who made things happen. On this particular morning, we were not only open, with customers on the floor, but under additional pressure to maintain the store as though we were getting ready for an inventory inspection. Having said what he felt he needed to say, this manager released the crew to go back to their departments, only to immediately call us back to himself twice, flexing his manager’s muscles and demanding that we “down-stock” our shelves. That might not seem like a big deal to you, but most of the product that this manager referred to existed on the top shelf, about nine feet above the sales floor. Accessing things from this shelf meant that you had to use hydraulic lift equipment, block off two sales aisles, and take another person from their department to help service yours. The employees standing there that morning perceived the threat that came out of his mouth, and the pained look on their faces proved it. So, I decided to say something. I told him that what he was asking for was impossible at this hour, but I will make it happen. While many of the crew that morning thanked me for standing up to the despot, I was still fired a few days later.

Paul is telling me that I am to “regard my master as worthy of full respect.” I can tell you that even though I had seen how authoritarian this manager could be, I regarded this manager as worthy of full respect prior to that morning.

Webster's dictionary says that amends means to compensate for a loss or injury.

Having gone through recovery, I learned that an aspect of the healing process is making amends; that is what my sponsor asked of me. Try doing this to someone you have injured, or, in the case of this tyrannical manager, I humiliated him by pointing out the stupidity of his demand in front of the crew. Without the prodding of a sponsor, I did try to make amends to this despot (I wasn’t in recovery as yet). I found the process of making amends humiliating as you make yourself very vulnerable when you do it, and there is NOTHING that says they have to extend forgiveness and acceptance back to you. The fact that I can still speak in this manner about the man probably means that I still hold malice toward him.

One other example and this one only fits into this category marginally. I attended a men's bible study in which the majority of the men were over 75. The leader said things as though they were doctrine, and yet they were NOT in the bible. An elder who had been an elder since I was a teenager (I am now 68) claimed to have the job of keeping the teacher inline. He never once corrected the nonsense and was even a proponent of much of what the teacher said.

I chose to regard both of these men as worthy of full respect. To me, that means I was good-natured when spoken to and responded when addressed. I disagreed with most of what they said, and I would raise my hand when I felt the need to make a challenge. Sometimes they would ignore me. In case you don’t know this, and though I usually say it to women who have had abusive relationships, you need to forgive the person, no matter who it is. However, there is nothing about forgiveness that says you have to give this unsafe person space in your life again.

For me, the tyrannical manager became a despot, and this understanding was proven out by conversations I had with other former employees who experienced his wrath through termination.

But there is a reason for treating those who can tell us what to do as worthy of full respect, and it has everything to do with this statement.

“This will keep people from saying bad things about God and about our teaching.” CEV

If I use this first letter to Timothy as the “only” context, what then is the teaching that people will say bad things about?

If you fly through the letter to Timothy, you find:

• Warnings against false teachers. 1Timothy 1:3-11.
• An understanding that Christ came to save sinners. Well, that was all of us. 1 Timothy 1:12-20.
• A directive to pray for all people. 1Timothy 2:1-15.
• The qualifications for overseers/elders, and deacons. 1 Timothy 3:1-13.
• An understanding of the mystery of Godliness. 1Timothy 3:14-16.
• The words from Paul that some will depart from the faith. 1Timothy 4:1-5.
• What a Good Servant of Jesus Christ looks like. 1Timothy 4:6-16.
• The entirety of chapter five applies to the instructions to the church. 1 Timothy 5.
• False teachers and contentment. 1 Timothy 6:1-10.
• Fighting the good fight of faith. 1 Timothy 6:11-21.

So there is no one decisive passage in Paul’s letter to Timothy about which a person could say, this is the concept that would be harmed. Maybe Dr. J. Vernon McGee demonstrates what should be considered as a focus.

“The Christian should render a full day's work for whomever he is working. If he agrees to work until five o'clock, he should work until five o'clock. Then sometimes workers leave with their pickaxe hanging in the air—they don't finish up.”

A question.

How many people have you known who said they were Christian and were nothing more than worthless bums? Their work ethic stinks the place up if they show up to work, and their mouths are an embarrassment. These unfavorable assets that Paul spells out are the opposite of what we call the fruit of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22-24 NASB But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. (24) Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

One of those people who stink the place up is the father of several of my grandsons, and his fruit tends to rot on the tree. I frequently have to remind myself that God is the judge. The truth be known, I want God to kick him down the street, but I choose to believe that God is merciful beyond understanding and full of grace toward us, so my hopes will probably not be fulfilled, and that is a good thing.

If any of this paragraph held validity in God's kingdom, then I and these anonymous others would make people say bad things about God and about our teaching. I have done things and walked away shaking my head as I said, well, there is one more I will never be able to share Christ with.

God, who desires all men to be saved. 1Ti 2:1-15

 How did we end 1 Timothy chapter one? With a bang as Paul points out two false teachers within the church. Here is what he said.

“Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

Read what Paul said to Timothy as he described the details of what these two were doing.

• They were teaching contrary to the truth, teaching strange doctrines.
• As Eugene Peterson's message states, they were occupying themselves and others, with legends, fables, and myths;
• and, they were paying far too much attention to myths and endless genealogies, these genealogies merely give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

First off, genealogies seemed to be vitally important to the Jewish community, we can see an aspect of this in Matthew's gospel.

Matthew 1:1 THE BOOK of the ancestry (genealogy) of Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the son (descendant) of David, the son (descendant) of Abraham. [Ps. 132:11; Isa. 11:1.] (AMPLIFIED Bible)

The genealogy proved the heritage of Jesus Christ. For example:

Psalms 132:11 NASB The LORD has sworn to David A truth from which He will not turn back: "Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.

This was important to the Jewish community, and in scripture, we are given two different lines, both of which establish Jesus as the son of David, the son of Joseph and Mary, and therefore, the Son of God. (Yes, I took some liberties in saying it this way, and I was trying to make a point about how, for the most part, is that genealogies, for us, are pointless. Consider when Herod was told that an entourage of wise men was coming toward Jerusalem. Having learned that they were looking for a recently born king of the Jews, he called the chief priests and scribes, and asked them, is this true. Because of what Psalms 132:11, and what the other prophets had said, they affirmed that Yahshua, the Messiah, would have been born in Bethlehem, however, we will not accept this child nor worship him. Herod, on the basis of two sets of witnesses, had all the boys in the region, under the age of twelve, killed. What does this say to you about the genealogies?)

But what did Paul say?

He said that these two, Hymenaeus and Alexander, were blaspheming – God.

Based upon what we know (1 Timothy 1:3,4,) where do you see the act of blaspheming?

Let's ignore the genealogies for now, and focus on the other two points.

1. They were teaching contrary to the truth, and or, teaching strange doctrines.
2. The second thing that could be attributed to their blasphemy, would be what Eugene Peterson's message states, they were occupying themselves and others, with legends, fables, and myths.

Having said all this, through and to Timothy, how does pull the young man, and his audience, back on track?

He reiterates what truth is, and thus we start Timothy chapter two.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 NASB First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, (2) for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Alright, what is an entreaty?

It is the Greek word deēsis and means a petition: - prayer, request, supplication. The dictionary says it is to make an earnest petition or request.

Either I am missing something, or I just can't see the logic of using a fancy word, only to say a moment later, “and prayers, petitions.”

The New Living Translation puts it like this.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.

Ask God to help them;

intercede on their behalf,

and give thanks for them.

Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Eugene Peterson's Message conveys 1 Timothy 2:1-2 in this manner.

The first thing I want you to do is pray.

Pray every way you know how,

for everyone you know.

This last portion of Peterson's Message is especially critical today.

Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.

The next two verses continue the necessity and logic of prayer.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 NET. Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, (4) since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Why?

Because he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 NET. For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human, (6) who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God's purpose at his appointed time.

Absorb these statements for a moment.

• God wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
• There is one God.
• There is one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus.
• Jesus Christ is human.
• Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all.
• So that Jesus Christ could reveal God's purpose at His appointed time.

Keep in mind that Paul is writing to Timothy, I suspect to encourage him. In that encouragement he says, the things above, some of the most precise statements about who He is; these statements are a definition of His nature and His character.

When I was 23 I had a dream/vision of Jesus. He laid out my entire life before me. I thought I will never forget this and so I did not write anything down. All I could remember of His being there was that I was filled with joy. Years later, after a horrendous marriage and a loss of everything, including my hope and joy, I was reading in the book of Numbers chapter 12, where it speaks about the attempted mutiny by Aaron and Miriam against Moses. God spoke to Moses and said,

Numbers 12:6 NET. The LORD said, "Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.

Life continued with its twists and turns. The hope was restored one day, many years later, when I went to a prophecy conference. Sitting in the audience, the speaker that night pointed at me, and said, you have gone through three destructive phases in your life. God is saying to you, the destruction is done, and nothing will impact you in that manner again. There were other things said, but I do not remember them all. What I remember is that I felt like God loved and cared about me. This prophetic word did not speak to what I saw in Numbers 12:6, and I wondered what God had in store for me as time progressed. I never wanted to be a pastor, as I could not endure the responsibility of other people's lives. It has been years, and I post almost everything I write to the internet. But about two years ago the dream came true as I became the leader of a small Bible Study group.

The point is, that God has a plan and that will be fulfilled in His timeline.

Paul, when he was Saul, may not have seen teaching direction coming, because he had been aligning himself to be a Pharisee, not a teacher of God's grace and mercy, but here it is.

1 Timothy 2:7 NET. For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle -- I am telling the truth; I am not lying -- and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

When you read about Paul's life in the book of Acts what you see is a Jewish follower of Christ going to synagogues with every turn. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, as Paul did what he knew best, and he preached Jesus from the Tanakh. In the course of teaching and preaching, Gentiles began to join the ranks. However, it was not until the harassment from the Jews escalated that we see Paul saying,

“It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46b NLT)

To be honest, for me, most of the rest of this chapter has become nothing less than an entanglement. Maybe what Paul preaches here is a command from God, if so then rebellion on the part of some, has over time, made it impossible to enforce.

1 Timothy 2:8-15 NLT  In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.  (9)  And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.  (10)  For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.  (11)  Women should learn quietly and submissively.  (12)  I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.  (13)  For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve.  (14)  And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result.  (15)  But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.

• “In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.”

Starting with verse nine, Paul speaks to women. Now there might be a relational issue, but it is NOT often that you see women dressing so gaudy.

• “And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.  (10)  For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.  (11)  Women should learn quietly and submissively.

Verses twelve through fifteen are unusual, to say the least. Having been cast aside and practically made slaves, women have fought back, demanding respect. I agree a male and female lumberjack should get the same pay. But I do struggle with this idea of women teaching men. Perhaps someone like Joyce Meyers could shut me up.

• “I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.  (13)  For God made Adam first, and afterward, he made Eve.  (14)  And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result.  (15)  But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.

Paul's reason may not seem logical to most, and, if you think about it, Adam was standing right there, listening to everything the serpent was saying to his woman. For this to make sense, you may have to go back to the creation of man.

In Genesis 1:26-30, it appears that God made man and woman, but there is more definition to come; and it is possible that this is nothing than a spiritual state, not so different from the angels. The biggest clue we have to understand this creation scenario comes from verse 27, which reads:

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27 NASB

John's gospel tells us this:

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 NASB

So the initial creation of both the male and female was a spirit, just as every aspect of the trinity.

Genesis 1:26-30 NASB Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (27) God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (29) Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; (30) and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.

Our second introduction to creation comes from Genesis chapter two.

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. (Genesis 2:7-8 NASB)

Here, we do not see the woman, so where is she?

Not formed yet.

And where does God put the man?

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17 NASB)

God placed the man in the garden, told the man about the tree, and gave him the only set of instructions necessary.

It quickly became obvious that something was missing, companionship, so God made animals. Well, that was not the answer, and so He makes a woman.

So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22 NASB)

So where was the woman when passed out instructions?

Not formed yet.

So who then told the woman not to eat from the tree in the center of the garden?

The one person, who had previously been given dominion and the command to subdue the earth and all in it, Adam.

“God blessed them: God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth."(Genesis 1:28 CJB)

To the legalistic, who read this and assume that the “them” would be the man and the woman. How quickly we forget that the earth is also filled with animals and flying things, all, like the serpent, had the ability to communicate and had no fear of man. (Oh, yes, this is a very scriptural thing.)

Subdue – Gk, kâbash meaning to tread down; to conquer, subjugate, subdue, and bring into subjection.

Whether you like the word subdue or not is irrelevant, for the man was to bring his woman into subjection, in this case, to the Word of God. The word dominion has comparable meanings.

We never see Adam dominating, in a negative manner, his woman; and, I suppose that is why Paul's directions toward women in the church are difficult to wrap the mind around.

So when we see the serpent, in chapter three, taunts the woman with “Indeed, has God said,” perhaps you can understand that the challenge/question comes more from the idea that Eve did not hear God speak the word, it came to her from Adam's mouth; and how can I truly know that he would not lie to me in order to control me.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1 NASB)

Do you see the subtlety and deceptiveness in this transaction?

These were NOT broken people as yet, and therefore Satan has to introduce possibility, probability, doubt; and for Adam, a treasonous motive – the potential that God has not given you all the power that He promised.

Because if, standing there, knowing full well that God did give those instructions, then what kind of evil went through Adam's mind?

Paul ends his letter to the church in Rome with a validation. Romans 16.

Paul ends this journey through his letter to the church in Rome with what the NASB calls:

Personal Greetings.

It is so much more than that.

Romans 16:1-2 [CEV]  I have good things to say about Phoebe, who is a leader in the church at Cenchreae.  (2)  Welcome her in a way that is proper for someone who has faith in the Lord and is one of God's own people. Help her in any way you can. After all, she has proved to be a respected leader for many others, including me.

Immediately this phrase, “I have good things to say about Phoebe,” draws my attention. The Contemporary English Version is often a good one, but this phrase is pathetically weak here. The NASB puts it this way, I commend to you our sister Phoebe.

Commend is the Greek word sunistáō meaning to cause to stand with.

What Paul was doing was directing this congregation to treat Phoebe with respect, and to stand by her in ministry.
To add to what I believe I am seeing here, check out Eugene Peterson's Message, which often leans to the more emotional side of the conversation.

“Be sure to welcome our friend Phoebe in the way of the Master, with all the generous hospitality we Christians are famous for. I heartily endorse both her and her work. She's a key representative of the church at Cenchrea.”

Now, ask yourself this question, why is an introduction like this necessary?

Have you ever heard someone speak on the fact, that we do not see women, treated as human beings until Jesus comes on the scene? While you might want to argue that point and say, there were, what some would call powerful women in the Biblical narratives, but on the whole, you get junk like King David merely taking Bathsheba, a married woman. After the circumcision of Moses' sons, we do not see much of his wife; and note how Sarah, after Abraham takes Issac to sacrifice disappears from the conversation. What Jesus did for that woman caught in the act of adultery is amazing and life-changing.

So, is Paul aware of attitudes? Absolutely, and he, being a Jew, knows full well what the Jewish attitude toward women is. Considering that I have heard that Pharisees, as Paul was, were to be married men, and we never see Paul speaking of a wife or in-laws (much.)

I have wanted to be able to hold bible studies at the church. One of my pastors told me that I was too edgy to teach. He offered no explanation of what that meant. I know that if the pastor had told the audience to welcome me as a teacher; I have good things to say about him; and, you need to know that he has a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and an understanding of the Bible, that many would come, all because I was validated, just as Paul did with Phoebe.

What else did Paul say about her?

• “I heartily endorse both her and her work.”
• “She's a key representative of the church at Cenchrea.”
• “Help her out in whatever she asks.”
• “She deserves anything you can do for her.”

And

• “She's helped many a person, including me.”

Paul does not define what that help looked like; it could have been financial or she gave him a place to stay. The point is, that Paul showed tremendous respect for her and endorsed her to this new audience.

Continuing on.

Romans 16:3-5 NET. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, (4) who risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. (5) Also, greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

So many translations call her Priscilla, it is unimportant. What is important, is that Paul is also throwing his support to this couple. The husband, Aquilla, is a Jew, and that alone may play a role in Paul's support of them. (I suppose it is best to think in terms of those who have served in the United States Marine Corps. They may now be 80 years old but they will insist that once you are a Marine, you are always a Marine.) We learn more about Priscilla and Aquilla in Acts 18.

After this, Paul left Athens and went on to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, for Emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and stayed and worked with them, because he earned his living by making tents, just as they did. (Acts 18:1-3 GNB)

When Paul meets them in Corinth, they were effectively exiled from Italy. Since we know that the book of Acts was written around A.D. 33-29, then we know that Paul is writing this letter to the church that meets in Rome, some twenty years later. This would be plenty of time for Prisca and Aquilla to get the news of Claudius death and the rescinding of the Emperor's order for expulsion.
Paul tells us, they risked their own necks for my life. What do we have that explains what they did?

Paul went to see them, “and stayed and worked with them, because he earned his living by making tents, just as they did. He held discussions in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul gave his whole time to preaching the message, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. When they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust from his clothes and saying to them, "If you are lost, you yourselves must take the blame for it! I am not responsible. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." So he left them and went to live in the house of a Gentile named Titius Justus, who worshiped God; his house was next to the synagogue.” (Acts 18:3-7 GNB)

The problem we have with scripture is that we seldom get a clear timeline, and therefore assume that it was merely five minutes between events. So when Paul is not teaching or studying, he is making tents to support himself.

• “Every Sabbath Paul held his discussions in the Synagogue,”
• and we are told that he is trying to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus as the Messiah.
• Now that Silas and Timothy have arrived, Priscilla and Aquila have somehow removed Paul's financial burden and Paul is now able to commit his entire time to preaching the message, and testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah (this is huge.)

Suddenly, we learn that Paul is receiving not only opposition, but evil things are now being said about him. Is it possible that the opposition was strong enough, and ugly enough, to jeopardize the lives of Priscilla and Aquila? That is possible, but we don't know. Without casting any dispersion upon the couple, Paul shakes the dust off his clothing/shoes and moves into another house, the house of a Gentile, who happened to live right next to the synagogue.

We do know, based upon the accolades Paul is bestowing upon the couple in his letter to the church at Rome,

• that they risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but
• all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

And, that Priscilla and Aquila, now back in Rome, have a house church; and that, this church Paul is writing to should also greet the church that gathers in Priscilla and Aquila's house.

More Greetings

Romans 16:6-12 GNB  Greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for you.  (7)  Greetings also to Andronicus and Junia, fellow Jews who were in prison with me; they are well known among the apostles, and they became Christians before I did.  (8)  My greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the fellowship of the Lord.  (9)  Greetings also to Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ's service, and to Stachys, my dear friend.  (10)  Greetings to Apelles, whose loyalty to Christ has been proved. Greetings to those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.  (11)  Greetings to Herodion, a fellow Jew, and to the Christians in the family of Narcissus.  (12)  My greetings to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who work in the Lord's service, and to my dear friend Persis, who has done so much work for the Lord.

It feels like this Church is a typical small-town church, where everybody knows each other.

Romans 16:13 GNB  I send greetings to Rufus, that outstanding worker in the Lord's service, and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son.

" and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son." Where and how did this interaction take place? Aside from the information in this letter, we are not aware. It could be that Priscilla and Aquila made some introductions, as the Jews who dispelled from Rome may have followed each other.

Romans 16:14-16 GNB  My greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and all the other Christians with them.  (15)  Greetings to Philologus and Julia, to Nereus and his sister, to Olympas and to all of God's people who are with them.  (16)  Greet one another with the kiss of peace. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.

• “Greet one another with the kiss of peace.”

Final Instructions and Greetings

Romans 16:17 NET. Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!

• “watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!”

These people you are trying to avoid, are espousing self-willed opinion, and mean to split the church
.
Me and my stories. A brother invites me to his home church. He had only recently started coming to the church I go to. Our introduction to each other, was nothing short of rough as I had judged the man over a tee-shirt he was wearing one Sunday morning. Having apologized to him for my negativity, he said, I rarely meet people like you, who are willing to accept responsibility for their actions, would you like to come to my home church? I must have felt like I owed him, and so I said sure. After several meetings I found myself thoroughly disgusted. He wasn't holding to the doctrines of the church - things like mercy and grace, but hammered the small crowd of believers over SIN and hell. One night he said, does anyone have anything to say? And I now had plenty to say. I read him a scripture that rebutted his preaching, and made a comment about the seven layers of hell he was espousing. A dear lady also said something, in contrast, that night. We were squelched that evening, and ridiculed, publicly, the following meeting. I no longer attend there, and they fed you well. And to think, I was deemed too edgy to teach.

Paul goes on to explain,

Romans 16:18 NET. For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.

• “For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.”
• “By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.” I have seen and heard it all; they try to come across as concerned for the health of the Church, but in truth they are merely trying to advance their own egos.

A slight shift in the greeting.

Romans 16:19 NET. Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.

Obedience to what?
The gospel that Paul preaches. Some could immediately see this as Paul dispensing his own law, but if you have read through the entirety of Romans, as a few of us have, then you would see that Paul preaches freedom, and does not evade the law.

Romans 16:20 ASV And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Let's take this letter, where Paul talks of God bruising Satan under our feet, as a relative thing, especially since the letter was written about two-thousand years ago and we are still battling with Satan and those who choose to be used by him. I get it, God has things in control, but it is difficult, at times, to remember that, especially when you are in anguish. However, the day will come, and there will be peace.

The greetings continue.

This next verse is in italics.

Romans 16:24 ASV The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

In almost every translation, italicized words are there merely for clarity. It then is presumed that Paul would have said this.

Doxology

Romans 16:25-27 ASV Now to him, that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, (26) but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: (27) to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

• “Now to him, that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,”

The obvious question is, WHO is establishing you?
The answer is the Holy Spirit/Jesus/God.

But by what standard?
The message that Paul preached.

• “according to my gospel”
• “and the preaching of Jesus Christ,”
• “according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested,”
• “and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God,”
• “is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith.”

All in all, this sort of demands that we understand the message that Paul preached. Simple, and yet, not so much. We think it was all mercy and grace, but it included the law, the prophets, the revelation of “the mystery, and things that Jesus taught.”

Now wait a minute, did Saul/Paul learn from the things that Jesus taught while He walked the earth? Not a chance, but then there was that day that Saul, the pharisee, got knocked to the ground, and Jesus spoke to him.
We seem to forget that Saul/Paul, went away by himself to seek God's voice. I can only believe that he heard that voice.
And, since the only documented “word” they had were the precious scrolls, kept in the synagogues, then Saul/Paul learned from this grace from the law and the prophets.
In there he found the mystery that many in Israel still seek.

What a joy it is to know that the mystery is made known unto all the nations, who express obedience of faith.


Know this, He is the only wise God, through Jesus Christ; and, to whom be the glory forever.
So Be it.

Gifts of Grace, Romans 12:3-8.

Paul opened the twelfth chapter of Romans with a stern warning that we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices. 

Here is how the NASB puts it:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. NASB

I can just hear some old, Jewish, man, emphasizing loudly, the phrase, “I exhort you, by the mercies of God,” as though your life depended upon it. 

There is, no doubt, a saucy flavor to Paul's writing, but it is more noticeable when you realize that Paul was a Jew first; that understanding then permeates everything he says and should pervade your entire discernment of the Bible.

Perhaps the best way to understand Romans 12:1 comes through Eugene Peterson's Message, when he says, 

“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”

There is a reason for a comment like this, and we see it in Romans 12:2, where Paul says,

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. NLT

He might as well have said, the world will suck you in and turn you into something other than what God designed you to be if you play with the fire, and that is why you are going to need a tremendous amount of grace if you plan on pulling yourselves out of the fire because it is there every day, working against you. If you are not a follower of Christ but do not spend time in God's, then you are going to have nothing but problems, especially with a statement like this because you think you are in control; you are not!

All of God's goodness, the righteousness He bestows, His power, and the life that is in Him – that will be manifest is the age to come, is the Grace of God. A very inadequate descriptive I know, but the idea is much like holding a carrot before a horse, if you want it, you will pursue it – that life, which is the great mystery.

On that note, Paul begins expounding upon Romans 12:3.

Romans 12:3 NASB For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Without a broader understanding of God’s word, I might think Paul was the only one who received this grace, but that is not the case. Pay attention to the next few passages.

(Romans 1:3-6 NASB) “concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;”

If you are in Christ, then you are one of the “whom” of which Paul speaks. Romans 10:12 tells us that His grace abounds to all.

Romans 10:12 NASB For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;

Let's assume, for a moment, that God has poured great spiritual understanding upon you; to top it off, He even tells you when to take out the trash just minutes before the collection truck shows up. How are you supposed to act? The answer to this is also a part of Romans 12:3.

“I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think so as to have sound judgment,” Romans 12:3b NASB

There you have it, don't think more highly of yourselves than you ought to. What does that mean, or perhaps, what then is the limitation?

Romans 12:3c NASB, “as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

The limitation is, God has given this same measure to everyone who believes; therefore, you are no one special, merely, as Paul put it, an obedient slave, doing what a slave to Christ is supposed to do.

Okay, wait a minute here, I thought we were talking about grace – you know, God's Riches At Christ's Expense, and now we are talking about slavery and obedience.

Paul introduced us to his letter to the church in Rome by addressing himself as a slave to Christ.

Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated to the gospel of God,
(Romans 1:1 LITV)

For those who want to dance around the words, yes, many use the phrase “bond-servant,” because it is easier on the ears.

Get real! What do you think a “bond-servant is”?

It is someone who, in most cases, has given themselves over to another, typically because they have become indebted and can't pay. This type of slavery often happens to children, to this day. It is not uncommon in India for a lower caste family to sell one of their children so that the family survives.

What if you like the way this owner treats you and you have become comfortable with the lifestyle – one in which you typically have no right to an opinion?

Then you submit yourself to them and have a hole punched in one of your ears that signifies your permanent submission. Paul knew what this meant, not only to the Jews, who frequently were the slave owners but on several occasions, as a nation, found themselves in bondage. Although the Jews will fight with you, saying we were never in bondage, Egypt is one of those times, and, for Paul to say it, it was like throwing cold water in the face of someone on a cold day. It was meant to wake them up and shock them at the same time.

In addition to slave terminology, Paul talked about a level playing field.

As students of the Bible, we know that Paul, speaking to the Jewish believers within this Christian community equated this playing field to a perceived advantage the Jewish believers thought they had over, what they deemed the inferior Gentiles, who somehow had become followers of Christ, as the Jews had.

To some, this idea of a level playing field is completely devoid of God and involves a government in which bullies and terrorists control the power; take from those who have, and allegedly give it to the poor. Sadly, this idea includes those who don't care to work. Lamentably, the bullies who want to run this Socialist style of government still get to keep what they acquire.

God's kingdom, which is currently in the spirit and unseen to us, will come in the physical realm when Christ returns to clean house. We see this in Revelation 19:11-21. There, everyone covered under the blood of Jesus, and by right of that blood, is the same. In other words, NO ONE, who is a citizen of that kingdom has any advantage, or, more access to God, and His love, than anyone else. Paul understood all this, and if there were a person who could have a problem, it would have been him. You see, Paul, when we first learn of him, was named Saul, and at the top of his class in the school of Pharisees. By Paul's own admission, he could have taught the teachers.

Did Paul know about the laws of God?

Without a doubt, but he did not know the love of God, and that is only found through an understanding of Jesus Christ. Fortunately, Paul gained that understanding one day, as he traveled on the road to Damascus, while on a mission to persecute these new Christ-followers - Jewish converts, which many devout Jews claimed were trying to corrupt the practices of the Synagogues.

Let's get back to this idea that God has allotted to each, a measure of faith.

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Romans 12:4-5 NASB)

The fact that the members do not have the same function should be a good indicator that our faith is not exactly for the same service, either. Note also this idea that we are ONE body in Christ; however, we are individual members one of another. Perhaps the BBE translation might help.

So we, though we are a number of persons, are one body in Christ and are dependent on one another; (Romans 12:5 BBE)

We are dependent on each other, each of us with our allotted, measure of faith. WHY? Because, as we share our weaknesses and strengths, we grow. We grow through the act of praying for each, not mindless candy prayers, but prayers in which we pour out our hearts to God on behalf of the other.

The next verse seems as though it is a shift from an intense and power-filled lifestyle, to simply giving out information. Pay attention, and I will sort it out. Since we are one body, and those allotments of faith for a particular thing can be varied, then we need to look at the definitions that follow in that light.

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8 NASB)

We saw, in Romans 12:3 that we all (those us in Christ) have an allotment of faith, but here, in Romans 12:6-8 we can see that this faith He speaks of is diversified and shows up in what we come to learn in Paul's letter to the church in Corinth, that this diversity is the gifts of the spirit.

Can I logically explain this assertion?

Perhaps I don't need to, but, as we saw in Romans 12:3, Paul, in speaking of faith, uses the Greek word pistis; this is the same word translated believe in 2Thessalonians 2:13. So, faith and belief are the same. (Although, faith often seems like a choice motivated by evidence, while belief is merely an action based on faith.)

I am thinking of Abraham and the offering of Isaac as a sacrifice when I write this. Abraham demonstrated a corresponding trust/belief in what God had said to him; and, if you will remember, most of what we know about God's interactions with Abraham was in the form of some extraordinary and vivid dreams. It truly is a simple process when you think about it; what makes faith difficult is the demonic voices in your head that tell you it can't be done. Recently, my wife had to undergo quadruple bypass surgery. It took faith on my part to say, do it! I knew the risks, and so did Abraham.

(The next time you read about Abraham, and his demonstration of willingness, take note of Sarah. We see nothing of her after this event. Did Abraham comprehend that this possible break in their relationship would be a part of the price he had to pay, I entirely off? Perhaps Sarah was just old, as Abraham was, and no longer a contributor to the story? If age was the factor that made her go away, then how do you explain that moment in time when Jesus, at eight days old, was brought to the temple, and Anna, an aged prophetess, and Simeon, an aged priest, just happened to be there at that moment. Both exclaimed, upon seeing the baby Yahshua, that they had seen the coming of the Messiah they had longed for?)

Luke 2:27-32 NASB And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, (28) then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, (29) "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; (30) For my eyes have seen Your salvation, (31) Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, (32) A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel."

1 Corinthians 12:9 makes it clear that pistis is one of the gifts of the spirit, alongside prophecy, teaching, and so many others.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NASB)

When you look at the endowments, there is a common theme. “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” The Amplified Bible puts it like this.

Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit), and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same. 1 Corinthians 12:4 AMP

So why then do we idolize some people and treat others as mundane because they are not as flashy as some with their giftings as some people?