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Darkness to Light - Vol. XIX, No. 4
Darkness to Light
Volume XIX, Number 4
2021
In This Issue
The Real Reason for the Season
This is a “special” issue of this Darkness to Light newsletter, to make up for missed issues earlier this year. I will get back to my regular publication schedule with the first issue of 2022, to be published the first week of the new year.
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The Real Reason for the Season
Merry Christmas Everyone!
In the midst of
all of the hustle and bustle of this day,
don’t forget to take a few minutes to meditate on
The Real Reason for the Season:
18Now the generation [or, birth] of Jesus Christ was in this manner: For His mother Mary, having been promised in marriage to Joseph, before they came together [fig., had sexual relations], was found having in [the] womb [fig., to have become pregnant] by [the] Holy Spirit. 19But Joseph her husband being righteous and not wanting to publicly disgrace her, intended to privately send her away [or, to secretly divorce her].
20But while he was thinking about these [things], look!, an angel [or, a messenger] of [the] Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, you should not be afraid to take Mary [as] your wife, for the [Baby] in her was conceived by [the] Holy Spirit. 21And she will give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus [“Yahweh saves”], for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:18-21).
4But when the fullness [or, completion] of the time came, God sent forth His Son, having been born of a woman, having been born under [the] Law, 5so that He should redeem [or, set free] the [people] under [the] Law, so that we shall receive the adoption [or, the formal and legal declaration that we are His children] (Galatians 4:4-5).
5Indeed, be letting the frame of mind [or, attitude] be in you* which [was] also in Christ Jesus, 6who existing in the nature of God, did not consider being equal to God something to be held onto, 7but He emptied Himself, having taken the nature of a bondservant, having come to be in the likeness of people, 8and having been found in appearance as a person, He humbled Himself, having become obedient to the point of death—even of death of a cross. 9And so God highly exalted Him [or, put Him in the most important position] and gave to Him a Name, the [Name] above every name, 10so that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of heavenly [ones] and of earthly [ones] and of [ones] under the earth, 11and every tongue [fig., person] shall confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord to [the] glory of God [the] Father! [cp. Isaiah 45:23; Rom 10:9] (Philippians 2:3-11).
15Trustworthy [is] the word and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinful [people], of whom I am first [fig., the foremost of all]. 16But because of this, I was shown mercy, so that in me first [fig., as the foremost of all] Jesus Christ should demonstrate all His patience, as a pattern for the ones about to be believing on [or, trusting in] Him to life eternal. 17Now to the King of the ages [fig., the King eternal], incorruptible, invisible, [the] only wise God, [be] honor and glory into the ages of the ages! [fig., forever and ever!] So be it! (1Timothy 1:15-17; ALT3).
November 17, 2021
I was interviewed by Mike Filip on Americanuck Radio. The station is based in Texas, but Mike is in Alberta, Canada. Hence the name of the station.
The program is on from 1-3 pm, CST (2-4 pm EST). I was on during the entire second hour. Mike introduced me and made a point of mentioning my personal website Zeolla.org, even spelling out the letters. He said I was an “expert” on Bible related issues. He also mentioned about me being a powerlifter.
Mike got it started by asking me how it is I came to translate the Bible. I mentioned that I started my Darkness to Light ministry 30 years ago and a bit of its history, as I do in my anniversary articles listed at About DTL and Its Director.
Then we got into the issues I address in my book Differences Between Bible Versions. I explained, as I do in my book, that the reason for those differences is mainly two-fold: differing translation principles and Greek test types. I explained what is meant by those terms, mentioning examples I use in my book to illustrate these differences.
That then led to my translation of the Bible, the Analytical-Literal Translation (ALT). I explained the background to the ALT, its purpose and philosophy. I overviewed each of the seven volumes in the ALT. I mentioned the four volumes in the Old Testament. Then I explained Volume Five, which contain the Apocryphal/ Deuterocanonical Books, and what those books are. We of course discussed the New Testament and its background. Lastly, I mentioned Volume Seven, The Apostolic Fathers, and what is meant by that term.
Then we talked about the issues I address in my three-volume set Why Are These Books in the Bible and Not Others? Mike received several listener emails asking about various books, such as the Book of Enoch, wondering why those books are not in the Bible. I explained, as I do in that set, the criteria used to decide if a book should be included in the Bible or not and why those books did not fit those criteria.
I also mentioned my book Scripture Workbook: Second Edition, by way of referring to the chapter on fulfilled prophecies and other evidence for the reliability of the Scriptures. I also referred to my Companion Volume to the ALT, its purpose, and the charts it contains with textual variants, explaining what that means.
Mike then asked me about my political views. I told him the name of my politics website is Biblical and Constitutional Politics. He quoted from the blub on the home page that says, “Political news and commentary from a conservative Christian and politically conservative perspective.”
We mostly talked about the US government having grown far beyond its constitutionally prescribed limits, hence why we are $30 trillion in debt. I then quickly overviewed my current politics books and mentioned that I am working on book about Joe Biden’s failing presidency.
I also referred to my two-volume set God’s Sex Plan in several contexts, even here in the politics section. I referred to Biden’s Build Back Better plan and said it should be called the Make Fathers Obsolete plan and explained why that is so. I then referred to my Sex Plan books, where I document the importance of fathers.
Along the way, Mike also mentioned about my fitness website. I mentioned that I have two books about nutrition and the Bible and one about my sport powerlifting. But that is about all that was said about my fitness writings.
Right at the end, Mike asked if I was vaccinated. I really did not want to get into a debate about the Coronavirus, as I figured that might be the only area on which Mike and I would disagree. And sure enough, when I told him I was vaccinated, he seemed disappointed and said he was not. But that was all the time we had for that topic, as the show was over.
Overall, I was very pleased with how the interview went. You can hear it on Americanuck Radio’s website at Americanuck Radio - Guest: Gary Zeolla (Hr 2). My interview begins about halfway into the podcast. You can also find it on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, and many other podcast apps that are listed on the Americanuck website. Do a search on “Americanuck” on the app, and you should find it. But note, initially, the station misspelled my name as Ziola, I told Mike about it, and it was corrected on their website, but that misspelling still occurs on the podcast on iHeart and probably on other podcast apps.
Also by Gary F. Zeolla:
Zeolla.org
is the personal website for Gary F. Zeolla.
Author of Christian and of fitness books, Web sites, and
newsletters,
and a top ranked and multi-record holding powerlifter.
Fitness
for One and All website and
FitTips
for One and All newsletter.
“Helping people to attain their health, fitness, and performance goals,
with an emphasis on powerlifting.”
Biblical and Constitutional Politics
“Political articles and commentary from a conservative Christian and politically
conservative perspective”
All material in this newsletter is copyrighted © 2021 by Gary F. Zeolla or as indicated otherwise.
12/25/21