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Spot on Michael!
The astute Jewish leaders cottoned-on to Christ's veiled references to them in His various parables, and realized that they did not have too much in common with Him. They hated Him so much so that they planned on ways to get rid of Him. In turn "iEsou christou" (the name His Father gave Him when He was born (Matthew 1:1) told them point blank that they hated Him and because of this said that their "father" was not Abraham but the Devil, Satan, (Jo 8:44).
Let us contextualise this parable for us today. The religious leaders and the Great Temple system which controlled religious thought and life of the Jews in Christ's day is The Church system of today with its priests and pastors, elders who are trained in the Catholic system of "universities".
The Ekklesia which ALHYM (Ge 1:1 Hebrew interlinear - see end of my response) created, is the glorified Body of Christ created on SHAVUOT, ("Weeks"), Pentecost is identified by the name Ekklesia with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on this day 30-31 C.E. (Ac 2:47 Greek interlinear).
The word Ekklesia occurs 111 times in the New Covenant according to Strong's concordance. Ekklesia has been replaced by the Catholics with the word "Church" which by definition is poles apart from an Ekklesia.
We need to read afresh, Acts Chapter 2, and the rest of Acts, the Letters to the Ekklesias, and especially Titus which is devoted to discussion on how an Ekklesia should live, and be protected.
The Church of Rome switched the name Ekklesia with "Church" to justify its own illegal existence. This is a total "No, No" in the Bible (Rev 22:18-19; Dt 4:1-2, 12:32).
The effect on those who read the wrong translation of Ekklesia as CHURCH is to read and understand what is being read in the wrong way. This is the effect of brain-washing. Repetition of the word Church reinforces the lie until we believe the lie, and accept the lie as the truth.
I am alerting brethren to this monumental deception. There's nothing wrong with the original words in Hebrew and Greek. Error has been introduced by the deliberate substitution of words in various English translations which convey meaning different from the author's intentions.
The Church also trains its leaders in seminaries, Bible Colleges, popular books to accept that it is the institution approved by Christ, which it is not, so that they perpetuate the lie. The Church system has been around for some 1,616 years since 391 C.E. when the Catholic Church became the State Church of Rome and all other pagan faiths were banned by edict and enforced by the sword.
Thousands of magnificent Cathedrals, churches, and proliferation of churches and denominations of all "colours, sizes, and variety", church music, myriads of books and Holy Bibles combine to help perpetuate the myth that the Church represents the truth. Christ is the truth and the truth is found in the Holy Bible, ALHYM'S words.
All disciples of Christ are to be led by the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:1, 14 KJV, NKJV)
and to be taught by Him (Jo 14:26). Following the resurrected and glorified iEsou christou (Mt 1:1 Greek interlinear) makes us faithful disciples and He will make us into "fishers of Men", not by formal "university-like" training. (Mt 4:19).
Well this is what I believe the Holy Bible says. We would all do well to read it carefully, for in it we will find eternal life and the keys to life itself.
Incidentally, The name "iEsou" means "He will save His people from their sins" (Mt 1:21). The name "christou" means "The Anointed" by ALHYM and is the Messiah of the Old Covenant, who is Christ in English (Jo 1:43).
May I encourage us all to follow faithfully the living Word, iEsou our Saviour, and Redeemer.
Lawrence (New Zealand)
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm (For Hebrew go click into this website then go to top RHS and click). Free of charge web sit