WARNING: Personal Opinion Ahead!

[JimT]

Dark Energy

Exploring the universe, scientists have discovered a force that is very mysterious to them. They do not know what it is or where it originates, but it is powerful. So powerful that it overcomes the forces of gravitational pull and and is causing the universe to expand faster than ever. By their calculations the expansion of the universe should be slowing down due to the gravitational forces in the cosmos, but instead it is speeding up. They do not know what this force is, but its effects can be seen and measured. They have named it "dark energy". "Dark" as they use it does not mean "sinister". It means "unknown".

It is unknown to them because they do not know where to look to find its source. However, the source can be found!

Hebrews 1:3 The Passion Translation:
The Son is the dazzling radiance of God’s splendor, the exact expression of God’s true nature—his mirror image! He holds the universe together and EXPANDS it by the mighty power of his spoken word. He accomplished for us the complete cleansing of sins, and then took his seat on the highest throne at the right hand of the majestic One.
(I added the emphasis)

The word "expand" is the Greek word "phero" which has as its primary meaning “to carry along” or “to move [something] forward.” Forward motion is implied. (See Strong’s Concordance, Gr. 5342)

He created it.
He holds it together.
He expands it.
If science ever gets to the foundation of the building blocks of the universe, they will find Jesus.

[41Redhawk]

Amen Jim!

[jeepnik]

Shhh Don't tell them that they can explain faith with science.

[Drawdown]

Amen, case closed! As far as I'm concerned anyways.Older I get, lots more time alone with him, by time in his word, faith grows? What better to do when you don't have anything to do? Give acknowledgement, praise, glory to God, our Saviour Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit confirming it over and over!
Colossians 1:9-17

[Lassiter]

Yessir!

[Farmerjohn]

Amen, John

[AJMD429]

Shhh Don't tell them that they can explain faith with science.

...well said ...!

[Grizz]

yeah, amen to Hebrews too. is it stretching irony that the light of the universe appears black to unbelievers?

[Bill in Oregon]

My motto: The language of God is science.

[JimT]

My motto: The language of God is science.

I like that Bill.
God has never been against science. Religion has though.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thanks Jim. I should amend that to say the language of God is science -- and love.

[KWK]

Unfortunately for your argument, other translations are no where near "expands." NIV uses "sustaining."

[JimT]

Unfortunately for your argument, other translations are no where near "expands." NIV uses "sustaining."

The Amplified translation reflects the Greek more fully: "..... and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]...."

[KWK]

I pull up the original Greek, and I see one word where Amplified uses three, two of which aren't related. I must believe that translation might be a stretch. The word in question is "character," from which the English word is descended. If "expand" is part of that meaning, I think it probably has to do with "extending the meaning of" instead of "increasing the volume of."

[JimT]

I pull up the original Greek, and I see one word where Amplified uses three, two of which aren't related. I must believe that translation is a stretch.

A good personal opinion.

And as I said at the start, I was stating my opinion. I base it on what little I know and read. I am not an expert. I read where the Greek word was used 66 times in the New Testament and has a variety of translations. The idea of "expansion" is easily enough drawn from how the word is used. No one else need believe it. It fits for me with what I know of Jesus.

[Scott Tschirhart]

1 John 1:5-10 NASBS
[5] This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; [7] but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

This pretty much sums up my personal opinion.

[Grizz]

it's all greek to me . . . the word in question is G5342 phero
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G5342 phero.jpg

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MARK_4-8 GR 5342 phero.jpg

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this is an example where phero is used to describe an increase in quantity.
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G5481 charakter -3.jpg

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G5482 is a different word with different application. it is part of an expression, "the express image of his person". It reveals that Messiah is the exact image of God. It refers to the tool that engravers use, and by implication the application to us is that God uses Christ as the tool to engrave His image in us. In the way that Jesus exactly reveals YHWH, God, this is the tool to conform us to Christ's character. [perhaps, though not indicated in the greek, it is possible to use the word clone to explain the process revealed] For us it is an aspiration, the goal post of the earthly journey, if that makes any sense.

for example > https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/heb ... nc_1134003
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The work of explaining scripture entails discovering what the original hearers heard. What did it mean to the Hebrews that Christ upholds His creation? What did it mean to the hearers that Christ is the express image of God's person? At that time, in that day, this is one of the most explosive declarations possible to make. It certainly expanded their concept of the relationship being established in them. They had to know and accept that Jesus is in fact God in order to have a relationship with Him.

We are admonished that we should all say the same thing, and this nails it:

1 John 1:5-10 NASBS
[5] This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; [7] but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

the Word of God is the same from creation through all eternity, and it does not change. We can take Him at His Word.

a word about using strongs . . .
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G5186 hath blinded.jpg

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the root is the lower word. strongs gives the greek roots. the upper word is the form of the word used in a particular text. note the suffix. as in english greek has prefixes and suffixes, and the highlighted form gains its exact meaning from the grammar, from the context of the sentence. this is one of the blessings of koine greek, which i confess i don't know in greek what i know in english. but the usage of a variation of a root might mean the opposite of what the root says....... a greek root word can have 60 forms in usage in the nt text, with more coming through the LXX . . . I revised the image in an attempt to clarify the info . . .
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https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/2co ... nc_1082004
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0
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even more agape, †

[Scott Tschirhart]

Thank you Grizz.

I don’t know the Greek either. But I know to keep short accounts. When I owe an apology to anyone I give it without any “but” and I don’t waste any time.

I learned from Col. RB Theme to try and keep short accounts with my Heavenly Father as well. He called it “rebound” and that’s probably as good a description as I know.

1 John 1:9 NASBS
[9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Some days, I need to rebound many times.