[Greek] ἀλλάσσω (allassō), [Latin] mutare, [French] changer, [French] deplacer: to change, to exchange, to alter, to make different; Acts 6:14, Rom. 1:23, 1Cor.15:51-52, Gal.4:20, Heb.1:12
[Greek] μεταλλάσσω (metallassō), [Latin] commutare, [Latin] immutare, [French] alterer, [French] changer, [French] modifier, [French] varier: to change, to exchange, to replace; Rom.1:25-26
Let’s not forget that the devil was first one who went against God’s teachings in saying, “I will not serve and do not believe. I know better.”
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to make otherwise, to exchange, to repay, to alter, to take a new position, to turn, to be reconciled, and to change.
Euripides’ Alecestis 661: “For I have always shown you every respect. And now this is the repayment you and my mother have made to me.”
Antiphon’s On the Murder of Herocles 5.79: “They exchanged great prosperity for great misery, and saw their country pass into the possession of others.”
Euripides’ Medea 878: “Shall I not cease from my wrath, what has come over me?”
Euripides’ Medea 1168: “For her color changed, and with legs trembling she staggered back sidelong, and by falling on the chair, barely escaped collapsing on the floor.”
Euripides’ Electra 89: “I have come from the mystic shrine of the god for Argive, to repay my father’s murderers with murder.”
Euripides’ Phoenissae 7.4: “But as soon as Eteocles was seated on the bench of power, he drove Polyneices into exile from this land.”
Old Testament: This term means to turn, to overturn, to pass on, to change, to exchange, to renew, to dispose of, to ransom, to redeem, and to alter.
New Testament: This term means to change and to exchange.
Scripture:
Acts 6:14: “For we have heard him [Stephen] claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” (Stephen was martyred because he elevated Jesus’ status above Moses. Stephen makes reference to Jesus’ destroying the temple of God and rebuilding it. The Jews were troubled by Stephen claiming Jesus was changing the customs handed down by Moses.)
1Cor.15:51-52: “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (The resurrection even will change both the dead and living. Our bodies will be transformed with incorruptibility.)
Gal.4:20: “I would like to be with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed because of you.” (The Galatians had lost much by Paul’ absence. Paul is concerned about and doubts the sincerity and solidity of the Galatians’ Christian principles. Paul wants to restore his past confidence in the Galatians.)
Punishment of idolaters:
Rom.1:18: “The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” (Paul responds to impiety (neglect of honor (worship) due to God and unrighteousness (offenses against God and each other. The truth (of God) is suppressed to influence, to change, and to corrupt man, morality, and theology.)
Rom.1:21: “For although they knew God, they did not accord Him glory as God or give Him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning and their senseless minds were darkened.” (Paul warns that they did not honor God and but gave over to their wicked, conceitful, and wicked desires. In their darkness, they could not perceive and comprehend the truth.)
Rom.1:22-23: “While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of a mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.” (Relying upon their own “wisdom”, they were made fools. They became changed in forsaking God in honoring and worshiping themselves.)
Rom.1:24-25: “God handed them over to impurity through their lusts and mutual degradation of their bodies. They the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshipped the creature, rather than the creator.” (God abandoned them to their lusts, selfishness, and self-indulgence, thus removing any facade of conformity to God’s will.)
Rom.1:26-31: Unnatural relations of males and females, perversity, wickedness, evil, greed, malice, envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, gossip, scandal, hatred, insolence, boastfulness, rebellion, faithlessness, ruthlessness, and senselessness.
What the Vatican and Synod of Synodality seek to change:
- Existing Catholic teaching called same-sex attraction as “objectively disordered” is needlessly cruel. Updated Catholic social teachings must redefine these experiences of these persons.
- Liturgical worship must change. Traditiones Custodes states that the Traditional Latin Mass must make way for the Novus Order Mass.
- Decision authority between the clergy and laity must be redefined and shared. The distinctions between the clergy and laity must be minimized.
- The Church must respond to women’s concerns and rights. A process must be created to allow for deaconesses (woman deacons).
- The Church must redefine its relationship the LGBTQ community and same-sex unions. Fiducia Supplicans will now allow “non-liturgical” blessings for same-sex couples.
- The office of the papacy must be redefined in order to be acceptable to other faiths and religions.
What the German Catholic bishops seek to change:
- Homosexuality among the priesthood must be permitted. This will solve any problems within the priesthood.
- The laity must be able to choose the bishops.
- The laity must be able to preach the homily at Mass.
- There must be women deacons and women priests. The Church has repressed women’s right for too long.
- There Church must further adapt to the world in order to remain “relevant”.
Conclusion:
Mutation, change, changing, mutate, displace, displacement
By being distracted, confused, or deceived, one can even be potentially or unknowingly influenced by the devil.
In Greek Hellenism, it was interesting to discover the more nuanced senses of changing: exchanging, acting towards others, and taking a new position of authority.
In the Old Testament, this term is used extensively.
It is interesting to note that Stephen, through the Holy Sprit, perceives the fuller implications of Jesus’ teachings. This is where the differences between Judaism and Christianity began to appear. The major impetus of Christianity shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch. The term Christian first originated in Antioch.
These Christians become more foolish in relying more upon the ‘wisdom’ and ‘philosophies’ of man.
The Galatians at one time did know God and was known by God. Then they focused on more elemental and worldly powers. Paul says that he has now become hated for telling the truth to the Galatians. Paul is perplexed by their behavior.
Update: Changing criminal justice with racial (equity) justice has allowed for the release of prisoners with no bail or reduced bail for criminals. Now our society is being ‘changed with rampant crime. Cities, now with businesses closing, are changing into ghost towns.
Pope Francis continues to change and remake Jesus’ Church into a worldly synodal Church in the image of man.
Although perhaps well intentioned, Vatican II’s efforts to change and “revitalize” the Church has lead to a spiritual and pastoral disaster for the Church. And Pope Francis seeks to double down on this disastrous process..
Pope Francis continually seeks to change attitudes toward Tradition and traditional Catholics. Pope Francis has now called Catholics supporting traditional practices as those having “a disease of nostalgia”. (What a great way to marginalize Catholics!)
LGBTQ values, transgenderism, gender ideology can be considered as examples of current human philosophies.
Modernists (clergy and laity) are seeking to change perceptions about what is considered a vocation or a right. Pertaining to womens’ issues, vocations are now becoming perceived as rights. Modernist attitudes have diminished the traditional understanding of vocations coming from God.
Pope John Paul II had stated that recognizing homosexual relationships to be another form of family is a violation of God’s law and an ideology of evil. How times have changed when now Pope Francis and his inner circle are seeking to change church teachings to accommodate the LGBTQ community. (Let that sink in!)