[Greek] ἀλλάσσω (allassō), [Latin] mutare, [French] changer, [French] deplacer: to change, to make different, to alter, to transform; Acts 6:14, Rom.1:23, 1Cor.15:51-52, Gal.4:20, Heb.1:12
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to change, to alter, to exchange, to repay, to alternate, to leave, and to quit.
Euripides’ Alcestis 660: “For I have always shown you respect. And now this is the repayment you have made to me.”
Euripides’ Electra 103: “And now, dawn is lifting up her bright eye, let us step aside from this path.”
Antiphon’s On the Murder of Herodes 5.79: “They exchanged great prosperity for great misery.”
Euripides’ Phoennisae 74: “They made an agreement that Polyneices should first leave the land, while Eteodes should stay, and then change places yearly.”
Euripides’ Medea 878: “What has come over me?”
Old Testament: This term means to turn, to change, to overthrow, to reckon, to weigh out, to ransom, to redeem, and to deliver.
New Testament: This term means to change and to exchange. The Jews claim that Stephen stated that Jesus will destroy the temple and change the customs of Moses. While claiming to be wise, the Roman Christians exchanged the glory of the immortal God to the glory of men. They focused their attention to the likeness of mortal man, birds, and creatures. In God’s plan, the dead will be raised incorruptible and changed. Paul changed his tone as he was perplexed as to why the Galatians resorted back to their pagan ways. The heavens and earth will be changed like a garment into the new heavens and new earth.
Scripture:
“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.” Acts 6:14
The inspired Stephen points out the differences between Judaism and Christianity. Stephen diminishes the importance of the temple and Mosaic law.
“While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of four-legged animals or of snakes.” Rom.1:22-23
The Romans focused their attention on glorifying their own perceived ‘wisdom’. As a result, they elevate themselves and celebrate their choices and rights.
“I would like to be with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed because of you.” Gal.4:20
Paul is perplexed that the Galatians have resorted back to their pagan ways. The Galatians are now antagonistic towards Paul, who was trying to correct their ways. Paul was not available to them because of an illness.
Conclusion:
Mutation, mutate, change, displace, displacement
In Greek Hellenism, it was interesting to discover the more nuanced meanings: repaying for something, personification (dawn lifting her eye), and attitude changes.
It is perhaps not surprising that Stephen was stoned to death. The inspired Stephen receives a fuller insight into Jesus’ teachings.
Luke illustrates the movement of Christians to Antioch. It is there that the disciples were first called Christians in Acts 11:26.
Men (and women) have now taken upon themselves to redefine marriage, sex, and gender. (It has historically been understood that this was under the domain of God.) There are also now stronger protections and penalties against harming animals than with the unborn.
Paul, in his attempts to correct the Galatians’ behavior, now was perceived as being hateful for advocating traditional teaching. (Does this sound familiar today?)
Update: In our current culture, we have now redefined marriage, gender, and sex.
In our current culture, women’s rights often trump the unborn’s rights.
Catholics and Christians who espouse traditional teachings (and values) are now called extreme and hateful.
A culture of death has overcome our society today.
Many of us have been praying that others will change their hearts and minds about supporting abortion.
Under the Biden administration, we have exchanged great posterity for great misery.
The Dept. of Justice’s and the FBI’s actions have now been repayed with distrust and disrespect from the American people.
Competency has been replaced with incompetency in the White House.
President Biden, claiming to be a unifier, has changed into someone attacking MAGA supporters.
The American people will certainly seek a change in leadership in the legislative branch.
Unfortunately, not much has changed as we continue to live in a world filled with hate and terrorism as we remember 9/11. (Yet our earthly momentary afflictions greatly pale in comparison to the eternal weight of glory to come.) 2Cor.4:17
We are now living in a bizarro post-Christian culture where many of us have exchanged the glory of God for the glory of our own rights and choices. This culture is filled with the seductive human traditions of the lure of riches, power, and deceit. We often have had to change our tone in this cancel culture so that we will not offend others. Values have been greatly altered where traditional Christian values are now considered extreme or hateful. Living in a world of fallacy, they are deluding themselves if they cannot see the error of their ways.
Next post: Deception and deceit