Be wise (phrónimos) as serpents and pure (akéraios) as doves: Part II. Akéraios: The “unmixed” purity of the Holy Spirit overcoming the world and its passions of the flesh

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Introduction

From our initial post on the command of Jesus to be “wise as serpents” in which we focused on the Greek word, phrónimos (with its inherent relations to the very important concept of the nous and its operations in phroneó), we now move to the adjoined directive to be “pure as doves.” From the outset, we saw that the wisdom we are called to embody in our day-to-day interactions is the “wisdom”—not “from below—earthly, sensual, demonic”—but the “wisdom from above” which directly flows, not out of our own fallen minds, but rather our “life hidden with Christ in God.” This wisdom, then, only comes down to us as we become progressively purified from the passions that are operative in This Now Age so that we can become more deeply illumined by the inner working of the Holy Spirit in our mind/heart/soul/spirit/nous in such a way that we, in Peter’s words, become, fonally, “partakers of the divine nature.”

This is the basis of any “work” we are called to do in “ministry.”

If our minds and hearts are not being purified, then our labors in the work of ministry will make us look more like the Pharisee than those progressively being conformed to the image of Christ; and if we are not operating moment by moment in the power and the humility of the Holy Spirit, then the seed that is planted in our flurries of ministry activity will be like that which fell on

stony places, where they did not have much earth;

And they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away (Mt 13:5-6).

The seed, however, that is not scorched by the heat of the sun, nor choked by the thorns, but falls on “good ground” (13:7-8), will require our passageway down the “narrow and suffering path;” For this path is the only one “that leads unto life” (Mt 7:14). In the Creed, we hold that the Holy Spirit is the “Lord and Giver of life;” and the Psalmist makes this clear by affirming the opposite:

You hide Your face, they are troubled;

You take away Your Spirit (rûakh), they die and return to their dust (Ps 104:29).

From here, we now turn to the text of the second command that we should be “pure (akéraios) as doves.”

Akéraios (ἀκέραιος)

Etymology and Dictionary Definition

From a + kerannumi: Literally ‘not mixed’;

That is to say, untainted, uncorrupted-> pure

3 occurrences in the NT

Detailed Analysis

Mt 13: Purity vs Corruption

The first occurrence of akéraios comes in Christ’s two-fold command to his disciples in Matthew 10 while He is preparing to send them forth to do the work of ministry, comprised in the commands to:

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.

For, as Jesus makes clear,

Freely you have received, freely give (Mt 10:8).

And though this command has often been translated “gentle as doves,” the modifier is actually better expressed by the term, “pure,” or even more literally, “unmixed.” That is to say, we do not “mix” a little bit of the world and a little bit of human psychology, with a little bit of human religion and a little bit of the “things of God.”

The reason being,

All that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world (I Jn 2:16).

If we are trying to somehow mix any of these together, the outcome, then, will not be “of the Father” but “of the world.” That is to say, it will not be an equal-parts mix of the two, but simply one that has been corrupted.

The Spirit and the Flesh: Gal 5

The Apostle Paul is very clear on this point: We cannot mix the “spirit” of this fallen age with the “Spirit of God.”

We may even say that he is more than clear:

For the flesh lusts against (katá) the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh (Gal 5:17a).

We can translate this phrase with the verb “lust” (which we don’t really use much in modern speech beyond sexual connotations) as,

For the flesh has deep desires and longings (epithyméō: From epi + thymós with epi intensifying thymós, ‘passionate desire’) that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires (thymós) that are opposed to the flesh.”

Why is this the case?

These are contrary to one another (Gal 5:17b).

They cannot be mixed together for they are entirely opposed to one another.

Yet Paul goes on, detailing that we cannot “mix” the “works of the flesh” (5:19-21) with the “fruits of the Spirit” (5:22-23). Again, they are completely opposed to one another and are“at enmity.”

For we

who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (5:24).

The Spirt and the Flesh: Rom 8

In another well-known passage, the Apostle goes into even more detail. Knowing the chaos in the depths of our personalities that comes out of this warring of the flesh and the spirit (i.e. Romans 7), Paul begins chapter 8 with the declaration:

There is therefore now no condemnation (katákrima) to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1a).

Yet, there is a condition: There is “no condemnation” when we

walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (8:1b).

And he goes on,

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds (phronéō: Literally direct their mind/heart/soul/spirit/nous) on the things of the flesh (cf. Peter in Mt 16:23, who is the only apostle called by Jesus, “Satan”)

But those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (8:5).

And why?

For to be carnally minded (i.e. have a ‘phrónēma of the flesh’) is death,

But to be spiritually minded (i,e, have a phrónēma of the Spirit) is life and peace.

The next use of akéraios: Rom 16

The following occurrence serves to heighten this very clear distinction between the spirit of the age operating in the “children of darkness” who live by the phrónēma of the flesh, with the “Spirit of Christ” that operates in the “children of light” (Eph 2).

In the closing lines of his letter, Paul writes,

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses (dichostasía and skándala) contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them (Rom 16:17).

And Why? (I thought we were all supposed to be united…)

For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple (16:18).

Then Paul’s directive to the Church, who as Christ clearly warns, is living among both the Wheat and the Tares:

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and pure (akéraios) concerning evil (16:19).

And what will be the result if we in wisdom live with a purity of life?

The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly (16:20).

The Final use: Phil 2

The final use comes right after the incredibly well-known, apostolic command:

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure (Phil 2:12b-13).

His next command, however (which is not often quoted…), directs us to

Do all things without murmuring and disputing (2:14).

And why is this pathway of refusing to murmur so critical (especially as the Israelites did so in the wilderness to their own peril)?

That you may become blameless and pure (akéraios), children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life (2:15-2:16a).

And with this final word we close.

There are for us only two paths: The “broad and easy path” of darkness and deception where we are driven and controlled by the passions of our flesh.

And this “leads” only and finally “to destruction.”

Then there is “the narrow and suffering path” that so few follow. Yet, as Jesus makes absolutely explicit, this hard and difficult path is the only way into light; it is the pathway which God sets before His own children to finally “lead” us “unto life.”

With the words of John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.) prayed before the reading of the Gospel, we draw these two writings to a conclusion:

Shine in our hearts, O Master Who loves mankind, the pure light of Your divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind that we may comprehend the proclamations of Your Gospels.

Instill in us also reverence for Your blessed commandments so that, having trampled down all carnal desires, we may lead a spiritual life, both thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You.

For You, Christ our God, are the illumination of our souls and bodies, and to You we offer up glory, together with Your Father, Who is without beginning, and Your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

Amen.