[Greek] ἀπάτη (apatē), [Latin] deceptio, [Latin] seductio, [Latin] fallacia, [Latin] error

[Greek] ἀπάτη (apatē), [Latin] deceptio, [Latin] seductio, [Latin] fallacia, [Latin] error: deception, delusion, deceit, enticement, illusion; Mt. 13:22, Mk.4:19, Eph.4:22, Col.2:8, 2Thess.2:10, Heb.3:13, 2Pet.2:13

 

Background information:

Greek Hellenism: This term means delusion, fraud, deceit, treachery, and cheating.

Polybius’ Histories 2.56.12: “The power of carrying an audience is the chief excellence, because the object is to create illusion.”

Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus 230: “Deceit on the one part matches on the other, and gives pain instead of pleasure for reward.”

Sophocles’ Antigone 617: “The deception comes to one who is wholly unware until he burns his foot on a hot fire.”

Antiphon’s On The Choreutes 6.7: “They have in fact treated their speech for the prosecution as nothing but an opportunity for malicious falsehood.”

Sophocles’ Philoctetes 929: “What treachery you have done to me! How thoroughly you have deceived me!”

Greek mythology: Apate is the Greek goddess of deceit, fraud, trickery, deception, and guile. The corresponding Roman goddess is Fraus.

New Testament: This term means lure, deceit, and seduction. For the purposes of brevity, I will exclude the Parable of the Sower.

Eph.4:22: Put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires. (Paul was alluding to the Ephesians’ former self lifestyle which engaged in paganism, worldliness, and sin. This results in darkened understanding [in moral truths], alienation from God, ignorance, hardness of heart, callousness, and licentiousness.)

Col. 2:8: “See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy, according to human tradition, according to elemental powers of the world.”

Seductive philosophies (human traditions): human wisdom (deceit) and knowledge, lived experiences, “making a better world”, worldliness, and syncretism (mixture of faith and worldly values, paganism, and sin)

Christianity: Christianity is not a philosophy, but a life of a personal knowledge of faith and love of God in Christ

Heb. 3:13: “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today”, so that you may not grow hardened by the deceit of sin.”

Grow hardened (in mind, conscience, and heart):

1. Become less sensitive and receptive to understanding moral issues
2. Become blinded by sin (by Satan)
3. Become adverse to the gospel message
4. Become prideful (not humble)
5. Become rebellious with unbelief

2 Pet.2:13: “[False teachers] suffering wrong as payment for wrongdoing. Thinking daytime revelry a delight, they are stains and defilements as they revel in the deceits while carousing with you.”

False teachers denounced:

1. Impure seducers and their abandoned followers give themselves to their fleshy impulses.
2. They show contempt for obedience of Christ and righteous precepts.
3. They despise those in authority [sent by God] who seek to correct them.
4. They seduce unstable people.
5. They have abandoned the straight road, for they have gone astray.
6. They have followed the path of Balaam, who loved payment for wrongdoing.
7. In their destruction they will also be destroyed.

[Greek] ἐξαπατάω (exapataō): [Latin] seducere:

Jas.1:26: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.” (The tongue can defile with unkindness, untruth, wickedness, malice, slander, pride, rebellion, heresy, and blasphemy. If he does not restrain his tongue, his evidence of religion is in vain.) 

Rom.16:18: “For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.” (Paul warns others to avoid those who create dissensions and obstacles to the faith. These people seek their own agenda. Paul warns others to be aware of what is good and evil.)

1Cor.3:18: “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him becomes a fool so as to become wise.” (The wisdom of this world is foolish to the “eyes” of God. If the Corinthians were genuinely wise, they would reverse their perceptions.)

1Tim.2:14: “Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.” (The serpent used trickery to deceive Eve. Yet, Adam failing to protect or help Eve, is also culpable.)

Mt.16:22-23: “Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, ‘God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you. Jesus turned to Peter and said, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an obstacle to Me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Peter’ confession about Jesus:

1. Jesus tells the disciples that the Son of Man must suffer greatly, be rejected, be killed, and rise after three days.
2. Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him.
3. At first glance, this sounds like a reasonable reaction from Peter. Peter was concerned about Jesus’ welfare.
4. Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.
5. However, in Peter’s seemingly “reasonable response”, Peter was briefly Satanically inspired to UNDERMINE Jesus’ mission to redeem humanity.
6. Satan seeks to undermine God, God’s creation, God’s laws, and His Church.

What does Satan seek to accomplish?

1. Satan seeks to undermine Church teachings, social precepts (morals), social institutions, and people.
2. Satan is all in for creating and fostering divisions, heresies, schism, confusion, and affirming and encouraging sin in the Church.
3. [Paul]: Where there is evil in the Church, there is the devil.
4. One does not need to full-blown possessed to be influenced by the devil. Satan can subtly influence one through distractedness, weakness, busyness, and preying upon our weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
5. One must not forget that the world and worldly values are part of earthly domain of the devil.
6. Those who are most caught up in sin are the most potentially vulnerable to the devil’s influence.
7. At Vatican II, Pope Paul VI mention that the “smoke of Satan” (spirit of undermining, division, and undermining) has entered into the Church.

Deceptions about Vatican II:

 

In contrast to what Vatican II actually stated, the Modernists deceptively now claim that the Traditional Latin Mass is not compatible with Church ecclesiology. These Modernists claim that having both the TLM and Novus Order Mass is “divisive”.

More deception about the Church:

1. Cardinal Roche: “The Church’s ecclesiology has changed. The Traditional Latin must go way. (The cardinal, illustrating his animosity toward the TLM, makes this statement as the TLM, where allowed, continues to thrive.)
2. Cardinal Cupich: “The Traditional Latin Mass impoverishes the Church.” (The NO Mass continues to be sparsely attended. The younger generations of priests and laity continue to be attracted to Tradition.)
3. Cardinal Cupich: “Again, as in keeping with his predecessor St. Pope Pius V, there must be only one rite as as a means of preserving the unity of the Church.” (The cardinals makes this statement as the Traditiones Custodes continues to marginalize the faithful, causing more division in the Church.)
4. Creating a new more appealing Novus Order Mass at Vatican II: Pope Paul VI worked with a commission of Protestants theologians to make a Mass more appealing to Protestants, creating at Novus Order mass which is more focused on a community meal. This is contrast to the TLM which is more focused on the sacrifice.)

Cardinal Woelki, Archbishop of Cologne calls it quits with the diabolical German Synodal Way

Why is the German Synodal Way diabolical?

1. The German Synodal Conference provides a process for permanent decision making.
2. Cardinal Woelki fears this process seeks to undermine the safeguarding of the faith and communion with the universal Church.
3. This process raises serious doctrinal and ecclesiological doubts.
4. Cardinal Woelki insisted that synodality must not be defined as a voting process on doctrinal issues.
5. The German Synodal Way seeks to change or redefine the Church’s position on sexual morality, priesthood, celibacy, local authority, and the role of women.
6. The “smoke of Satan” is the spirit of undermining, division, and rebellion.

Conclusion:

Deceive, deception, seduction, seductive, fallacy, error

Update: Rather than upholding and celebrating Mary as “Co-Redemptrix” and “Mediatrix of All Graces”, the Vatican seeking to curry favor with the Protestants’ belief that this “improperly elevates” Mary’s status. (The Vatican is now say that it is improper to use these titles for Mary.)

Pope Leo, continuing to promote Synodality, deceptively states that Vatican II is the guiding star of the Church. In actuality, Vatican II has become a spiritual and pastoral disaster for the Church. “Jesus Christ is the guiding star of the Church.” Archbishop Athanasius Schneider

Abortion rights and contraception continue to be viewed as rights. The reality is that these practices kill the baby and prevent conception.

Like the Ephesians, many of us have become like little pagans bowing down to our gods. Such gods include smartphones, fame, fortune, celebrity, wealth, and likes. Many of us are literally bowing down to our electronic devices.

Many young people, tired of the shallowness, emptiness, and counterfeits that the world offers, are seeking God and entering into the Catholic Church.

Synodality, continuing what Vatican II started, seeks to become a worldly and “listening” Church which seeks to MAKE A BETTER WORLD/SEEK FAVOR WITH THE WORLD, undermining and ignoring Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations.

Synodality to create a listening Church where clergy and laity share decision making authority in Church doctrine and Church teachings. This is dangerous in undermining or changing establish Church doctrine and objective moral truths.

The Vatican’ efforts to seek tolerance, inclusion, false compassion, and pay lip service to Church teachings for the LGBTQ community undermines Church teachings against homosexuality.

We have too many bishops who feel emboldened in their efforts to continually remove the popular TLM. Their Modernist and Synodality ideology continue to take precedence over the laity’s needs and desires.

Pro-LGBT bishops: “You do not need to follow the Church’s teachings against homosexuality” or [fill in the blank for some questionable practice]. This sounds like Satan speaking to Adam and Eve in the garden.

Renewal and reform ===>growth. In contrast, the German Synodal Church continues to “renew” and “reform” itself into decline and heresy. This is the great warning signs of Synodality!

TRADITION IS TRUE REFORM AND RENEWAL. This is how the Church will grow and restore itself.

“The underlying principle of all of Satan’s tactics is deception. He is a crafty and clever camouflager.” Billy Graham

“The devil is capable of confusing the most brilliant mind.” St. Padre Pio

“Hell can’t be made attractive, so the devil makes attractive the road that leads there.” St. Basil

“The devil tempts that he may ruin, God tests that He may crown.” St. Ambrose

https://infovaticana.com/en/2026/01/27/woelki-for-me-the-synodal-way-is-closed/