[Greek] ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi), [Latin] resistere, [Latin] avertere, [French] detourner

[Greek] ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi), [Latin] resistere, [Latin] avertere, [French] detourner: to resist, to stand against, to withstand, to cope, to set against; Mt.5:39, Lk.21:15, Acts 6:10, Acts 13:8, Rom.9:19, Rom.13:2, Gal.2:11, Eph.6:13, 2Tim.3:8, 2Tim.4:15, Jas.4:7, 1Pet.5:9

GK Chesterton prophetically warns about the consequences of the Church adapting to the world. He has been been rightly called the “apostle of common sense.”

Background information:

Greek Hellenism: This term means to set against, to match with, to withstand, to hold out, and to hinder.

Plutarch’s Theseus 1: “With such a warrior who will dare to fight? When I shall I set against him?”

Homer’s Iliad 16.305: “They still sought to withstand him.”

Sophocles Ajax 1231: “So it is you, they tell me, who dared open your mouth wide to make fierce threats against us–and are you still unpunished?”

Sophocles’ Tracking Satyrs 256: “I won’t put up with your loud quarrelsome words.”

Old Testament: This term means to be alert, to be courageous, to cause strife, to take a stand, to resist, to rebel, to contend, to be strong, to be insolent, to deceive, and to be hardened.

New Testament: This term means to resist (oppose), to offer no resistance, and to be unable to resist. For purposes of brevity, Jesus’ teachings on turning the other check (Mt.5:39) is mentioned in another post.  https://resoundingthefaith.com/2020/11/16/greek-%e1%bc%80%ce%bd%ce%b8%ce%af%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b7%ce%bc%ce%b9-anthistemi-latin-contendere-latin-resistere/   (How can I resist not being able to promote another post! ☺☺☺

Lk.21:15:  “I shall give you a wisdom in speaking [from the Holy Spirit] that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.” (Some will be persecuted, imprisoned, and brought before authorities. You will be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. You will be hated because of Me but by your perseverance, you will secure your lives.) 

Acts 6:10: “But they could not withstand the wisdom and Spirit with which Stephen spoke.” (Stephen’s defense provides an indictment of the Jews opposing the prophets and the Holy Spirit. Stephen diminishes the temple of Mosaic law and elevates Jesus’ stature. The differences between Judaism and Christianity become more apparent. The major impetus of the Christian movement shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch.)

Acts 13:8: “Elymas the magician opposed them in an attempt to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” (Paul calls Elymas the son of the devil, an enemy of all that is right, full of every deceit and fraud.)

Rom.9:19: “You will say to me then, ‘Why then does He still find fault? For who can oppose His will?'”

1. This question addresses the issue of divine justice and human responsibility.
2. There is often a tension between God’s sovereignty and human accountability.
3. God grants us free will to do as we choose.
4. God will allow those to become hard-hearted [like Pharaoh] if it serves God’s divine Providence.
5. Those who are hard-hearted will still be held accountable for their actions. 

Rom.13:2: “Therefore, whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves.”

1. Paul instructs those who to defer to the authority of earthly and secular governing authorities.
2. God is still sovereign over all nations and rulers.
3. It is important to recognize that these rulers are sometimes imperfect.
4. God still uses imperfect leaders to accomplish His purposes.
5. These principles align with Jesus’ teaching to “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s.

Eph.6:13: “Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and to hold your ground.” (Paul alludes to the Christian who must be a battle-prepared soldier in fighting against evil. The evil day is the period of time of Satan’s evil works.)

Jas.4:7: “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (The devil is associated with disobedience, PRIDE, and rebellion.)

Pope Leo’s encyclical Magnifica humanitas (The grandeur of man): taking a stand against Tradition:

1. He warns against a technological Babel, yet a Synodal Church is made by those who arrogantly think that they can create a Church made in their own image and lived experiences ===> doctrinal (liturgical) confusion.
2. He celebrates man’s infinite dignity. Yet man can only be saved by being crucified with Christ, not with being magnified. Man does NOT have infinite dignity.
3. The theory of war is outdated. So now the Church can tell nations and country to manage their security and to conduct war? This contradicts Rom. 13:2!
4. The Church no longer claims to possess the fullness of truth. This allows more unity of faith outside the Church. This contradicts Pope Gregory XVI’s encyclical Mirari Vos!
5. He re-writes history in how the Church responded to slavery. Failure of the Church to teach on on slavery is a moral failure???

Pre-conciliar Church encyclicals on slavery:

1. In Supremo Apostolatus (1839): Pope Gregory XVI condemned the slave trade in “Negros and all other men.”
2. In Plurimis (1888): Pope Leo XIII taught that slavery was contrary to what God and nature originally ordained, presented the Church as the historic enemy of pagan cruelty and protector of the oppressed.
3. Catholicae Ecclesiae (1890): Pope Leo XIII promoted the anti-slavery movement and supporting missions in Africa
4. Creator Omnium (1434): Pope Eugene IV excommunicated anyone on the Canary Islands who enslaved newly converted Christians.

Antihistamine: This is a substance (drug) that counteracts or blocks the effects of a histamine which causes the symptoms of hay fever and allergies.

The Church: another sign of contradiction:

1. When the Church opposes and contradicts the culture ===> the Church grows
2. When the Church faces persecution and opposition from the culture ===> the Church grows
3. When the Church moves with the world (Vatican II and Synodality) ==> the Church falters and stagnates
4. When parts of the Church oppose and respond back against Synodality ===> resurgence of Traditional Catholicism and TLM (not Synodality!) ===> the Church grows
5. A CHURCH THAT OPPOSES AND CONTRADICTS THE CULTURE ===> MOVES THE WORLD

Conclusion:

Antihistamine, histamine, resist, resistance, contend, contention, detour

Update: It is perhaps not surprising that a Synodal Church, would be made by men (and women) who deemed themselves magnificent. (That is not a good thing!)

What will be the next Church teaching that will be deemed outdated? homosexuality?, women priests, women deacons?, formal blessings on same-sex unions? because man (in his magnificence) “knows better”?  It’s just a matter of time.

Both clergy and laity, espousing traditional Catholic teachings, often get criticized and marginalized by the Vatican and Synodal Church.

Like the Tower of Babel, Synodality continues the path of doctrinal and liturgical confusion, ambiguity, tolerance, inclusion, lived experiences, and false compassion.

Through Pope Francis’ and Pope Leo’s papacies, the differences from traditional Catholic teachings and Synodality are becoming more evident.

It seems with Vatican and Synodality, the Church is being more influenced by Satan’s domain (the world) and is handing over more authority to Caesar ===> more Human traditions, worldliness, and “smoke of Satan” into the Church.

More and more faithful Catholics are having to put on more armor to fight off the influences of Satan influences and evil work, worldliness, and lack of faith.

The traditional SSPX Catholic order may be potentially excommunicated, while the Vatican continues to appoint scandalous bishops. Let that sink in!

The devil is associated with PRIDE, resistance, disobedience, and rebellion. Therefore, man must NOT think that he has infinite pride and dignity. We must recognize that we are mortal and fallen creatures.

Modernists’ (and Synodalists’) pride and hard-heartedness:

1. It has to be said that they are “true-believers” in their ideological cause to transform Jesus’ Church in a Synodal Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences.
2. Oftentimes, lived experiences TAKE PRECEDENCE over Church teachings, doctrine, and scripture. Synodality is becoming an IDOL!
3. They often utilize the “Holy Spirit of Surprises” to ratify and justify their novel Synodal ides. This is deceitful and evil in that the Holy Spirit can only stand for TRUTH.
4. They are employing HUMAN traditions to remake Jesus’ Church.
5. Modernists, Synodalists, and “pope-splainers” often intentionally use sophistry (word games) and verbal gymnastics in their statements and documents.
6. The Modernists and Synodalists often are blinded by their ideology. The German Synodal Church continues to “reform” and “renew” itself into decline and heresy. Yet, the German bishops continue to pursue their synodal agenda. Unfortunately, the Italian Synodal Church seems to be following this same path.
7. There continues to be resistance between Traditional (conservative) Catholics and the Synodalists ===> the TLM restrictions, LGBT, homosexuality, vocations/”rights”
8. Modernists and Synodalists: “Vatican II has not been fully implemented.” ===> more “reform” and “renewal” ===> more problems ==> “we need more “reform” and “renewal” ===> more problems ===> rinse and repeat, etc.

God’s Providence and the Modernists’ (and Synodalists’) hard-heartedness:

1. In response to this hard-heartedness, there is beginning an organic Holy Spirit led movement in the Church back to Tradition and traditional teachings.
2. Younger generations of priests and seminarians are more Traditional and conservative in response to liberal and progressive theology of Vatican II and Synodality.
3. Traditiones Custodes seems to be the only remaining “administrative tool in the Synodal toolbox” that can be used to hold back this inexorable [impossible to stop] movement toward Tradition.
4. More and more Protestants are becoming Catholic. More Protestants are discovering the early history of the Catholic Church.
5. The TLM is thriving (where allowed) and the NOM continues to have sparse attendance

“The religious habit, besides being a sign of consecration and poverty, is a profession of faith, as sermon in silence.” Pope Pius XII  (This is also a sign of contradiction of ones who have set themselves apart from the world.)

Those clergy who do NOT state and teach Church teachings against sin ===> causing others to knowingly or unknowingly sin ===> will bring judgment down upon themselves 

Satan can also inspire confusion, busyness, distraction, worldliness, spiritual dryness, vulnerability to sin, addiction, fame, notoriety, and FORGETTING ABOUT GOD.

Satan can also “inspire” the clergy to violate their celibacy and to encourage a homosexual lifestyle in their priesthood ===> undermine the priesthood.

Satan also seeks to undermine God, God’s laws for procreation and marriage, sin, and vocations.

“Adam and Eve, you have infinite dignity!” This is something that the serpent would say in the garden. Let that sink in!

“One must resist the pope who openly destroys the Church.” St. Cajetan

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” St. Augustine

“The truth suffers, but never dies.” St. Teresa of Avila