Refuting the Blasphemies of Jonathan Blake, an Archbishop so called. Part I
Some wolves teach from pulpits, others use Tiktok.
The Gnostic folly of the old serpents that taught Nicolaism, Valentinianism and Marcionism is once again infecting the world. These demonic inspirations are ones that heretics without love of God are drawn to, so that they will gladly attempt to subvert scripture and even tamper with the sacred texts to make the message they themselves have imagined equal to divinely inspired texts. The vile fusion of Neoplatonic philosophy with the ditheistic nature of Zoroastrianism and other heathen blasphemies are empty husks without spiritual light that may if given the chance, lead the inexperienced astray. Empty words from men with empty minds. We have the Apostles who warned of such oppressive wolves and further have the writings of Irenaeus, so that we are not in the dark as to the machinations of these evil men.
Such a Gnostic spirit is shown in the teachings and corruptions of Jonathan Blake, who calls himself the Archbishop of the Open Episcopal Church. I will fully expound to you the reader, why one must treat the teachings of this man as profane and senseless babbling just as Paul likewise treated the teachings of Hymenaeus and Philetus when he said “But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; men who concerning the truth have erred” (2 Tim 2;16-17).
The task of being a teacher is not to be taken lightly, James 3:1 clearly tells us “Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.” Yes, teachers receive a heavier judgement so the one who teaches must according to the accurate knowledge of truth. In 1 Tim 6:4,5 Paul likewise exhorts Timothy “If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed until now: but refuse profane and old wives’ fables. And exercise thyself unto godliness:” Indeed, there are many false stories but we remain on guard against these. Now, let us consider the many blasphemies of this man and how they are erroneous when compared to scripture so that his reasoning may be thoroughly refuted with the spirit of truth in scripture where it says “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:12, 13)
For you the reader, I shall lay out the fatuity of this false teacher’s logic and the absurdity of his Gnostic claims, for what is today called Progressive Christianity is neither progressive, for it is indeed morally regressive and contrary to the word of God, nor is it Christian, for it goes as far as to deny both God, and Christ.
View of the Bible
This man who by name is Archbishop but who by teaching disqualifies himself as one having oversight, rejects the inerrancy of the Bible, claiming that no one can know for a fact that the Bible is trustworthy. He becomes sorely vexed when faithful Christians refute his teachings with the Bible saying “Quoting scriptures at me changes zilch”. Such is the disrespect that this one has for God’s word. He vehemently claims that he too is a follower of Christ while rejecting the Ransom Sacrifice and the entirety of the Bible, thereby denying the Christ, for Christ himself said “Consecrate them (that is the disciples) by the truth; your word is truth. ἁγίασον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ· ὁ λόγος ὁ σὸς ἀλήθειά ἐστιν.” (John 17:17)
This Blake further claims that God’s laws are too restrictive and that they are too unreasonable, that we must live according to our modern times and yet the Bible states “For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5: 3). So, we have the distinction between one who loves God and one who does not.
This man however does not understand the Law of God, which is pure and endures for times everlasting, he assumes that God requires we serve Him due to some need on His part when the scripture makes clear this is not the case at all, “The God who made the world and all the things in it, being, as he is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples; nor is he served by human hands as if he needed anything, because he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.” (Acts 17: 24-25)
Indeed, the Prophet Isaiah has told us that while Yehovah Elohim (in English Yahweh/Jehovah God, that is God Almighty and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ) has no need of anything from us, that he kindly helps us for our own benefit “This is what Jehovah says, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel: “I, Jehovah, am your God, The One teaching you to benefit yourself, The One guiding you in the way you should walk “
כָּךְ אוֹמֵר יְהֹוָה, גּוֹאַלְךָ, קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל: ”אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, מְלַמֶּדְךָ לְתוֹעַלְתְּךָ, מַדְרִיכְךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁבָּהּ עָלֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת (Isa 48:17).
Shall we put our faith in a physicist who does not believe in gravity? Or in a pharmacist who does not believe in chemistry? How much less so should we reject the words of a self-proclaimed man of God but who renounces the word of God?
Bible Translation
The translation of the Bible from its original languages—Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek—into other languages is a meticulous process that involves a deep understanding of ancient texts, cultures, and languages. The Bible itself shows how serious the responsibility of preserving its contents is in Revelation 22:18 where it says “I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book”. Serious translators keep this scripture in mind constantly as we work. This process while being a somewhat solemn one is also rewarding because it is crucial for making the Scriptures accessible to people worldwide in their native tongues. Furthermore, the practices of exegesis and eisegesis play pivotal roles in how the Bible is understood and applied, influencing both personal faith and the broader interpretation within religious communities. Let us consider the proper methods for Biblical translation and compare this to the “translation” by “Archbishop” Jonathan Blake.
Rev 22:18- I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book
Introduction to proper Translation Process
Textual Criticism: Scholars begin with textual criticism to establish the most accurate text possible by comparing different manuscript traditions. Ancient manuscripts of the Bible, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls for the Old Testament and various papyri and codices for the New Testament, contain slight variations. Textual critics work to determine the original wording as closely as possible.
Linguistic Expertise: Translators must be proficient in the original languages of the Bible. Hebrew is the primary language of the Old Testament, with small portions in Aramaic (e.g., Daniel 2:4b-7:28, Ezra 4:8-6:18, 7:12-26), while Koine Greek is the language of the New Testament. Understanding these languages' grammar, syntax, idioms, and cultural nuances is essential for accurate translation.
Cultural and Historical Context: The Bible's text is deeply embedded in the ancient Near Eastern (Old Testament) and first-century Greco-Roman (New Testament) worlds. Translators must consider historical, religious, and cultural contexts to convey the text's meaning accurately in the target language.
Translation Philosophy: Translators must decide on a translation philosophy, ranging from formal equivalence ("word-for-word") to dynamic equivalence ("thought-for-thought") approaches. Formal equivalence seeks to stay as close to the original wording and structure as possible, while dynamic equivalence aims to convey the original meanings and thoughts in a way that is idiomatic and understandable to modern readers.
Exegesis vs. Eisegesis
Exegesis and eisegesis represent two fundamentally different approaches to interpreting the Bible:
Exegesis involves drawing out the text's meaning according to its historical context, authorial intent, and literary genre. It requires a careful analysis of the original languages, cultural background, and the broader scriptural narrative. Exegesis is crucial for understanding the Bible accurately and applying its teachings appropriately.
Eisegesis, in contrast, occurs when an interpreter imposes their own ideas, beliefs, or biases onto the text, rather than letting the text speak for itself. This approach can lead to misinterpretations and misunderstandings of the Bible's message.
Then what about the so-called Bible produced by “Archbishop” Jonathan Blake? As a linguist with many years translation experience I can tell the reader that the book produced by Blake is not a Bible, rather it is a linguistic and spiritual abomination that in no way, shape or form reflects the original Greek. The “Gospel” contained therein is an empty echo that reflects his own imagination rather than the Good News preached by our Saviour and Messiah, Jesus Christ. In fact, it appears after considering several passages to be not based or constructed with any knowledge of Greek at all, but just a reinterpretation for Blake using an English text as its basis and then forced to agree with his particular godless ideology in eisegesis of the most unabashed and brazen kind. When attempting to compare it to the original Greek, the whole exercise became untenable as it had been so badly mangled that there simply wasn’t any Greek in the original that said anything remotely similar to the contents of his “Bible”.
In further articles we shall dissect his blasphemous claims and compare them not only to their Scriptural validity but also their linguistic and historical accuracy. If fear though that your attention span is short, so I shall write more to you my fine reader, in the near future. Until then good health to you and your loved ones.