This poem was written 2 1/2 millennia past - Eleatics
Moreover, it is immovable in the bonds of mighty chains, without beginning and without end;
since coming into being and passing away have been driven afar, and true belief has cast them
away. It is the same, and it rests in the self-same place, abiding in itself. And thus it remained
constant in its place; for hard necessity keeps it in the bonds of the limit that holds it fast on
every side. Wherefore it is not permitted to what is to be infinite; for it is in need of nothing;
while, if it were infinite, it would stand in need of everything. R. P. 118.
The thing that can be thought and that for the sake of which the thought exists is the same; for
you cannot find thought without something that is, as to which it is uttered. And there is not,
and never shall be, anything besides what is, since fate has chained it so as to be whole and
immovable. Wherefore all these things are but names which mortals have given, believing
them to be true -- coming into being and passing away, being and not being, change of place
and alteration of bright color. R. P. 119.
Since, then, it has a furthest limit, it is complete on every side, like the mass of a rounded sphere,
equally poised from the center in every direction; for it cannot be greater or smaller in one place than in another. For there is no nothing that could keep it from reaching out equally, nor can aught
that is be more here and less there than what is, since it is all inviolable. For the point from which
it is equal in every direction tends equally to the limits. R. P. 120.
The Way of Belief
Here shall I close my trustworthy speech and thought about the truth. Henceforward learn
the beliefs of mortals, giving ear to the deceptive ordering of my words.
Mortals have made up their minds to name two forms, one of which they should not name,
and that is where they go astray from the truth. They have distinguished them as opposite
in form, and have assigned to them marks distinct from one another. To the one they allot
the fire of heaven, gentle, very light, in every direction the same as itself, but not the same
as the other. The other is just the opposite to it, dark night, a compact and heavy body. Of
these I tell thee the whole arrangement as it seems likely; for so no thought of mortals will
ever outstrip thee. R. P. 121.
(9) Now that all things have been named light and night, and the names which belong to
the power of each have been assigned to these things and to those, everything is full at
once of light and dark night, both equal, since neither has aught to do with the other.
(10, 11) And thou shalt know the substance of the sky, and all the signs in the sky, and the
resplendent works of the glowing sun's pure torch, and whence they arose. And thou shall
learn likewise of the wandering deeds of the round-faced moon, and of her substance.
Thou shall know, too, the heavens that surround us, whence they arose, and how Necessity
took them and bound them to keep the limits of the stars ... how the earth, and the sun, and
the moon, and the sky that is common to all, and the Milky Way, and the outermost Olympus,
and the burning might of the stars arose. R. P. 123, 124.
(12) The narrower bands were filled with unmixed fire, and those next them with night, and
in the midst of these rushes their portion of fire. In the midst of these is the divinity that
directs the course of all things; for she is the beginner of all painful birth and all begetting,
driving the female to the embrace of the male, and the male to that of the female. R. P. 125.
___________________________________________________________________________
The problem of the eleatics of which Parmenides and his didactic poem - On Nature are
a perfect example is one of authority - a divine presence is what distinguishes the poem;
dividing soul and spirit - AGAPE is divine love [to the Jews first and also to the Greeks].
The book of HEBREWS gives a direct insight into the "vision" which Parmenides shared
with "posterity".
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir
of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,
so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
-Eph 6:17
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The
same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not
any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the
light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent
from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the
Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear
witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lights every man that cometh into the
world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, But of God.
(John 1:1-13)
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to
desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his
glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the
Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom
of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were
all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him,
and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head
of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things
he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:9-18)
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up
in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with
thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him
dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:6-9)
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering
together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor
by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive
you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and
that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all
that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God,
showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you
these things? And now ye know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time. For
the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now lets will let, until he be taken
out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with
the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose
coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with
all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks always to
God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he
called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore,
brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word,
or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath
loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort
your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-17)
Announcements
Partnership Program progressing slowly