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The one drop of blood salvation fallacy
by RS  admin@creationpie.org : 1024 x 640


1. The one drop of blood salvation fallacy
The one drop of blood salvation fallacy The "One drop of Jesus's blood was sufficient to cover the sins of all humanity for all of time" fallacy takes what Thomas Aquinas (1225-1284) writes could have potentially happened and is deceptively changed into an actuality and promoted as an established fact.

2. Good to the last drop
Maxwell House coffee: Good to the last drop Maxwell House coffee: Good to the last drop

Maxwell House coffee has a slogan that it is "good to the last drop". The song is from 1979. A folk legend has President Theodore Roosevelt visiting the Maxwell House in 1907 and saying the coffee was "good to the last drop".

My High School German teacher had a wry sense of humor and would sometimes tell jokes in German. Speaking about Maxwell House coffee, in reference to their slogan, "good to the last drop", he said something like this, with a wry smile on his face, "und was is Los mit dem letzten Tropf" ("and what is wrong with the last drop").

This idea is similar to the one cookie rule.

Information sign More: One cookie rule

3. The one drop of blood salvation fallacy
Blood drop Cross
Was one drop
of blood
sufficient?
Was the
cross
necessary?
The ancient Greek word "αἷμα""blood" and is the source of the English word "anemic". The "one drop of blood" fallacy goes as follows.

You may have heard: One drop of Jesus's blood was sufficient to cover the sins of all humanity for all of time. Let it cover us.
This idea appears to have come from a prayer written by Thomas Aquinas (1225-1284) called Adoro te devote and written as an adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. One should not repeat statements as Biblically true when evidence for that truth is not clear.

If "one drop of blood" was sufficient, then why did Jesus have to die on the cross and be resurrected? This fallacy or deception appears to be used by some pastors to avoid talking about sin, death, resurrection, etc. It appears to be a way to make people feel comfortable, fill the pews, fill the belly (using Paul's analogy of false teachers), etc. Let us investigate. Do we need to drink the blood? See John 6.

Information sign More: John 6:53-61 Misinterpretation and the disappearing blood
Information sign More: Romans 16 A belly-ache pun on useful Christ-like words

4. Aristotle: Propositions and prayers
The ancient Greek word "προσεύχομαι""pray, vow, request" as in putting forth a "request" or "wish". Aristotle uses the shorter form "εὐχή""prayer,wish".

The modern Greek word "ευχή" (ev-KHEE) ≈ "religious blessing, wish" and has been influenced by the GNT (Greek New Testament).

English: We call propositions those only that have truth or falsity in them. A prayer is, for instance, a sentence but neither has truth nor has falsity. Let us pass over on such as their study more properly belongs to the province of rhetoric or poetry. (Loeb#325, p. 121)
Greek: ἀποφαντικὸς δὲ οὐ πᾶς, ἀλλ' ἐν ᾧ τὸ ἀληθεύεινψεύδεσθαι ὑπάρχει· οὐκ ἐν ἅπασι δὲ ὑπάρχει, οἷον ἡ εὐχὴ λόγος μέν, ἀλλ' οὔτ' ἀληθὴς οὔτε ψευδής. οἱ μὲν οὖν ἄλλοι ἀφείσθωσαν, - ῥητορικῆς γὰρ ἢ ποιητικῆς οἰκειοτέρα ἡ σκέψις,… Aristotle: On Interpretation [17a]

Have you ever heard someone "pray" in a church setting and, in their "prayer", state "propositions" that are "true" or "false"? This happens when someone states a "proposition" in a prayer and implicitly assumes and/or implies that what is said is "true" or "false" (depending on context).

Discuss: Should a religious "prayer" state only "requests" or "wishes" (and the reality background of them) and avoid "propositions" that are "true" or "false"? Explain your reasoning.

Discuss: Should a pastor inject personal opinions on politics or social issues as claims or statements in a prayer? This is often done to convince those in the pews that God has approved of these views.

5. Matthew 6:9-13 Lord's Prayer
Verse routeMatthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. [kjv]
Verse route6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. [kjv]
Verse route6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. [kjv]
Verse route6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [kjv]
Verse route6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. [kjv]

The only part of the Lord's Prayer that is not a "wish" or "request" (except the address part at the beginning) is the part that is not in some Greek manuscripts. The TR (Textus Receptus) appears to have added this part.

Information sign More: Matthew 4:1-11 Examining evil temptations
Information sign More: 1 Timothy 4:1-16 Conversational interactions by prayer

6. Thomas Aquinas: Adoro te devote
Here is a fragment of the poem Adoro te devote by Thomas Aquinas (1225-1284).

Latin:

Pie Pelicane, Jesu Domine,
Me immundum munda tuo Sanguine:
Cujus una stilla salvum facere
Totum mundum quit ab omni scelere.
English:

Lord Jesus, Good Pelican,
clean me, the unclean, with Your Blood,
one drop of which can heal
the entire world of all its sins.
Aquinas worked, in part, on adapting some Christian beliefs to the writings of Aristotle. The poem uses Aristotle's idea of "potentiality" of what could possible and not "actuality" of what has happened.

7. Potentiality and actuality
Some pastors (and others) take this "potentiality" and make it an "actuality" for which there appears to be no scriptural support. This could be for many reasons.

8. Prayer comments
The following is noted: The first part of the prayer fragment is a request. The second part is a statement.

Discuss: Should the specific opinion of a theologian or otherwise respected Biblical authority be accepted when that specific opinion is not supported by some authoritative Biblical references?

Information sign More: Profitable and expedient counterfactual logic
Information sign More: Thomas Aquinas

9. Chaos theory
Book: The butterfly effect
Chaos theory: sensitive dependency on initial conditions of modeling of dynamical systems.

Analogy: It is as if a butterfly flapping it's wings resulted in a tornado (1972). His original analogy used a seagull and a storm.

Some pastors will confuse "potentiality" or "as if" or "analogy" with an "actuality" or "fact" and preach how a butterfly can create this effect and then preach that you should be like that butterfly, etc. The "liken" or "as if" word of analogy is used 16 times in Matthew (more times in other Gospels and by Paul, etc.).
Other chaos meanings: (KAOS is from the 1960's comedy Get Smart) An exact mathematical model is only an approximation of reality. Some pastors will preach Greek mythology chaos as if it were the statements made in Genesis.

Information sign More: Chaos theory and snowflakes
Information sign More: Genesis 1: A gaping gap between chasm and chaos
Information sign More: Exact math only approximates reality

10. Potential power
Aristotle often used the Greek word "in working" with an idea of "actuality" together with the word "δύναμις""power, might, strength, potentiality". Aristotle used this ordinary Greek work with a meaning of "potency" or "potential" in two specific ways. This Greek word appears many times in the GNT and LXX (Septuagint). Might that word when used by Paul when writing to Greek audiences have a meaning (or double meaning) of "potency" or "potential"?

Information sign More: Philippians 4:12-23 Potentially doing all things
Information sign More: The actual potency and inner workings of energy

11. The actual potency and inner workings of energy
Verse routeGalatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [kjv]
Verse routeο ουν επιχορηγων υμιν το πνευμα και ενεργων δυναμεις εν υμιν εξ εργων νομου η εξ ακοης πιστεως [gnt]

Energy is a word and concept that has ancient roots but had a different meaning in ancient times. Aristotle first used the ancient Greek word "ενέργεια""actuality" for "actuality", literally, "in working".

The ancient Greek word "δύναμις""power, might, strength, potentiality" and is used by Aristotle for something that has "potential". The root word is "work" and is used many times in the LXX and GNT.

Information sign More: The actual potency and inner workings of energy

12. Matthew 5:14 Hill climbing potential
Verse routeMatthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. [kjv]
Verse routeυμεις εστε το φως του κοσμου ου δυναται πολις κρυβηναι επανω ορους κειμενη [gnt]

The "can" in "cannot" is from the Greek word for "possible" or, in Aristotle terms, "potentially possible". The ancient Greek word "δυνατός""strong, mighty, possible, practical". The Greek word "hid" appears to be used only in a negative sense. The Greek word for "mountain" is the some word for "definition". Both are related to the Greek word for "horizon". Which is the more difficult task? Apparently some "sheep" separate themselves from the love of Christ? Otherwise, why would it be such a big deal to get that "sheep" off of the "mountains" or "definitions".

13. Matthew 5:14 Hill climbing potential
Verse routeMatthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. [kjv]
Verse routeυμεις εστε το φως του κοσμου ου δυναται πολις κρυβηναι επανω ορους κειμενη [gnt]

In Greek philosophy (e.g., Aristotle), the word in the GNT often translated as "energy" or "work" is that of "actuality". In the same manner, the word often translated as "power" is that of "potentiality". In modern OOP (Object Oriented Programming) programming terms: This is especially true for the writings of Paul since he was writing to a Greek audience who would have understood those parts of Greek philosophy.

Information sign More: The actual potency and inner workings of energy
Information sign More: Classes and objects
Information sign More: Matthew 5:14: Light of the world

14. Progression
Notice the progression in the poem fragment by Aquinas.

Aquinas: ... Your Blood, one drop of which can heal the entire world of all its sins.

Aquinas states a "potentiality" and does not take it to an "actuality". That is, it "could" do so is all that is stated.

You may have heard: One drop of Jesus's blood was sufficient to cover the sins of all humanity for all of time. Let it cover us.

Blood drop Cross
Was one drop
of blood
sufficient?
Was the
cross
necessary?
Some pastors (and others) take the "potentiality" (by Aquinas) and change it to an "actuality" to be a given fact that has already happened.

The same logical errors are made when Jesus provides an analogy as that something is "like" something else. Soon, sermons are given as if the analogy has actually happened in reality.
Discuss: Is making such logical leaps without any apparent logical validity deceptive?

15. Usage - blood
*G129 *97 αἷμα (hah'-ee-mah) : of uncertain derivation; blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred:--blood.
Word usage per chapter Words: αιμα=42 αιματα αιματι=20 αιματος=33 αιματων

The ancient Greek word "αἷμα""blood" and is the source of the English word "anemic".

16. Luke 22:44 Prayer in Luke
Verse routeLuke 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι γενομενος εν αγωνια εκτενεστερον προσηυχετο και εγενετο ο ιδρως αυτου ωσει θρομβοι αιματος καταβαινοντες επι την [gnt]

The ancient Greek word "αγονία""contest, competition" and is the source of the English word "agony". An active striving, as in a sports competition, is a very strenuous and tiring experience. The KJV word of "agony" is somewhat misleading in this respect.

The KJV translates as "as it were" (as a given fact) what in the Greek is "as if" as an analogy or comparison. That is, a "potentiality" (in Greek) and not an "actuality" (in English).

The ancient Greek word "θρόμβος""piece, lump, clot" and is the source of the English word "thrombosis" as a "blood clot". The "great" is added in the KJV as an assumption. The "drops" could be small, medium, large, etc.

The ancient Greek word "αἷμα""blood" and is the source of the English word "anemic".

Note the common linguistic connection between "blood dropping" to "drop of blood" to "droplet".

17. Luke 22:44
   Luke 22:44 
 All 
KJV: And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Greek: και γενομενος εν αγωνια εκτενεστερον προσηυχετο και εγενετο δε ο ιδρως αυτου ωσει θρομβοι αιματος καταβαινοντες επι την γην γην

18. Strongs - like

19. Usage - like
*G5616 *20 ὡσεί (ho-si') : from G5613 and G1487; as if:--about, as (it had been, it were), like (as).
Word usage per chapter Words: ωσει=20

the ancient Greek word "ὡσεὶ""as if, like" that expresses an analogy or comparison and comes from two Greek words. Comparison: How is the meaning changed?

20. Luke 22:44 Sweating like drops of blood
Verse routeLuke 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι γενομενος εν αγωνια εκτενεστερον προσηυχετο και εγενετο ο ιδρως αυτου ωσει θρομβοι αιματος καταβαινοντες επι την [gnt]

Sweat drop Blood drop
Actual
(observed)
Potential
(analogy)
This analogy or comparison in Greek of "as if" or "like" was expressed in English as a given fact.

Today, one can find medical professional testimony that if one is in (English) "agony" or (Greek) "competition" one may be stressed so much that one "sweats" "blood" "drops". Is that relevant to what the verse says?
Have you ever heard a pastor preach at length about the "drops" of "blood" coming from Jesus as he prayed? How about extensive medical testimony about it?

21. Aristotle: Meteorologica
English: So embroiderers say they often make mistakes in their colours when they work by lamplight, picking out one colour in mistake for another. (Loeb#397, p. 265)
Greek: διὸ καὶ οἱ ποικιλταί φασι διαμαρτάνειν ἐργαζόμενοι πρὸς τὸν λύχνον πολλάκις τῶν ἀνθῶν, λαμβάνοντες ἕτερα ἀνθ' ἑτέρων. Aristotle: Meteorologica [375a]
Moon phasesWithout proper light, distinguishing colors can be difficult. Here, the word for fabric and color become intermixed which is one source of the many-colored coat of Joseph.

At the Passover during the crucifixion week, the new moon would have made seeing an exact color or shade at night difficult.


Information sign More: A coat of paint for porch pictures
Information sign More: Exodus 12: Passover

22. Luke 22:44 Sweating like drops of blood
Verse routeLuke 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι γενομενος εν αγωνια εκτενεστερον προσηυχετο και εγενετο ο ιδρως αυτου ωσει θρομβοι αιματος καταβαινοντες επι την [gnt]

Sweat drop Blood drop
Sweat drop - dark light Blood drop - dark light
Actual
(observed)
Potential
(analogy)
How much color detail can one see in poor lighting at night?

23. Strongs - drops

24. Usage - drops
*G2361 *1 θρόμβος (throm'-bos) : perhaps from G5142 (in the sense of thickening); a clot:--great drop.
Word usage per chapter Words: θρομβοι

The ancient Greek word "θρόμβος""piece, lump, clot" and is the source of the English word "thrombosis" as a "blood clot".

25. Strongs - earnestly

26. Usage - earnestly
*G1617 *1 ἐκτενέστερον (ek-ten-es'-ter-on) : neuter of the comparative of G1618; more intently:--more earnestly.
Word usage per chapter Words: εκτενεστερον=1

This word appears to come from the ancient Greek word "εκτείνω""tighten up, brace for action" and has military meanings having to do with preparing for imminent action.

The word is related to the English words "tendon" and "tenuous" in the sense of "stretching" or "tightening up"

27. Luke 22:44 Prayer in Luke
Verse routeLuke 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι γενομενος εν αγωνια εκτενεστερον προσηυχετο και εγενετο ο ιδρως αυτου ωσει θρομβοι αιματος καταβαινοντες επι την [gnt]

Paraphrase: And coming into being in a competition, he prayed tenuously, and his sweat was as if it were clots of blood falling down on the ground.

Almost all modern translations use "like" or "as". This does not keep pastors (and others) from turning the "potentiality" into an "actuality". Some modern translations keep to the KJV phrasing as "as it were".

This fallacy of going from "potentiality" to "actuality" is common among those (e.g., many pastors, etc.) who do not have a firm grounding in logic and, sometimes, even in practical linguistics (sometimes English but often Greek).

28. 1 John 5 Water and blood and truth
Verse route1 John 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. [kjv]
Verse routeουτος εστιν ο ελθων δι υδατος και αιματος ιησους χριστος ουκ εν τω υδατι μονον αλλ εν τω υδατι και εν τω αιματι και το πνευμα εστιν το μαρτυρουν οτι το πνευμα εστιν η αληθεια [gnt]

Jesus came not by just water, but by water and blood.

29. Paul
Verse route1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: [kjv]
Verse routeει δε αναστασις νεκρων ουκ εστιν ουδε χριστος εγηγερται [gnt]
Verse route15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. [kjv]
Verse routeει δε χριστος ουκ εγηγερται κενον αρα και το κηρυγμα ημων κενη και η πιστις ημων [gnt]

Serpent on the pole Empty tomb



Information sign More: Truth types and 1 John

30. Debt
Claim: One drop of Jesus's blood was sufficient to cover the sins of all humanity for all of time. Let it cover us.

Logic (invalid): Suppose one had a debt of $1000. If there is a limited supply of dollars, then any one dollar not supplied would case the debt not to be paid. Thus, one dollar pays the entire debt. That is, if that one dollar had not been paid, the debt would not have been paid.

In general, this is the converse fallacy with some of the equivocation fallacy and selective evidence fallacy (framing fallacy, cherry picking).

So, if Jesus had been put on the cross, and one drop of blood shed, and he had been then taken down, would that one drop of blood be sufficient.

Information sign More: Converse fallacy: If A then B does not mean If B then A
Information sign More: Equivocation deception between names and meanings
Information sign More: Selective evidence fallacy: Cherry picking
Information sign More: Selective evidence fallacy: Verse context matters

31. John 6:53-61 Misinterpretation and the disappearing blood
Verse routeHebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι σχεδον εν αιματι παντα καθαριζεται κατα τον νομον και χωρις αιματεκχυσιας ου γινεται αφεσις [gnt]

Blood dropIt has been noticed that, in recent years, the "blood" has been disappearing from Christian churches, sermons, hymnals, etc.
What might be the reason the "blood" was there in the first place, and what might be some reasons why it is now disappearing?

Information sign More: John 6:53-61 Misinterpretation and the disappearing blood

32. John 6 48,53
Verse routeJohn 6:48 I am that bread of life. [kjv]
Verse routeεγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης [gnt]

Later in the same chapter, Jesus explains what he is all about.

Verse route6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. [kjv]
Verse routeειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν εαν μη φαγητε την σαρκα του υιου του ανθρωπου και πιητε αυτου το αιμα ουκ εχετε ζωην εν εαυτοις [gnt]

Today, many churches do not like the idea or metaphor of eating the flesh and drinking his blood. Might what Jesus says be a code word approach?

Many have noted that the modern music in many churches has been used to get Jesus and the blood out of the church service and, in some cases, the church itself.

Information sign More: Parables and secret codes used and explained by Jesus
Information sign More: Luke 10:1-4 Follow the leader

33. John 6
Verse routeJohn 6:59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. [kjv]
Verse route6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? [kjv]
Verse route6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. [kjv]
Verse route6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? [kjv]

When Jesus explained what he was really about, and the need to drink his "blood" and eat his "flesh", he lost disciples.

In modern times, might taking the "blood" and "flesh" out of the church and sermons help attendance?

Information sign More: Luke 10:1-4 Follow the leader

34. Song: Are you washed in the blood?
Verse routeRevelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, [kjv]
Verse routeκαι απο ιησου χριστου ο μαρτυς ο πιστος ο πρωτοτοκος των νεκρων και ο αρχων των βασιλεων της γης τω αγαπωντι ημας και λυσαντι ημας εκ των αμαρτιων ημων εν τω αιματι αυτου [gnt]



In Ohio in 1878, Elsha Hoffman, a Presbyterian minister from Union Seminary Pennsylvania, wrote "Are you washed in the blood of the lamb". The song became a marching song for the Salvation Army. Music: Are you washed in the blood?


Information sign More: Song: Are you washed in the blood?

35. Matthew 26:28 Blood of the New Testament
Verse routeMatthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [kjv]
Verse routeτουτο γαρ εστιν το αιμα μου της διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυννομενον εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων [gnt]

Who are the "many"? Are there some included who are not among the "many".

The word "new" is not in some Greek manuscripts.

Information sign More: A recent new beginning
The Greek for "remission" is the same word as for "forgiveness" or "letting go".

Note that one must "redeem" the "offer" of the "Redeemer" before it is valid or takes effect. This point is often (deceptively) omitted by some pastors.

Information sign More: Matthew 6:7-15 Lord's Prayer in Matthew
Information sign More: John 6:53-61 Misinterpretation and the disappearing blood

36. End of page

by RS  admin@creationpie.org : 1024 x 640