The Sindon Letters
Marking the Perfect and Beholding the Upright
Chapter One
For many years I have been writing studies in the OT and NT concerning the Shroud of Turin. My thoughts concerning the miracle garment initially rested on the question, "Why wouldn't the Lord have placed the Shroud of Christ in our Canonical Scriptures?" After years of study, I believe in my heart that I am able to prove that the Shroud of Turin is definitely in Scripture based on the Hebrew and Greek words, etymology and other methods of study. I never knew why God was revealing this to me. I began my work based on a precept of "perfect history" and then followed with a Chiastic literary structure.
What I mean by perfect history is the order of perfect history of 1. Christ Jesus Crucified for our sins, 2. The Resurrected Christ on the third day, 3. the Resurrection and Remnant (His Miracle Shroud) He left behind, and the fact that the Holy Spirit lives in His Church (His faithful believers), those that follow Him and relate with Him. Similarly, 1. He, our Father (Abba), 2. His Son (Jesus), and 3. the Holy Spirit in His believers are alive and speak to all those who will allow Him to speak by faith. As a student of the Word of God, I can see these infallible proofs and truth patterns from the Law and the Prophets throughout the NT, including the Book of Revelation.
What I mean by Chiastic literary structure is a literary pattern using a technique in narrative motifs and other textual passages. An example of chiastic structure would be two ideas, A and B, together with variants of A and B, being presented as A, B, B, A.
The Structures can be in any form, even ABAB or ABABC, etc. Also, a Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such that two key concepts from the original phrase reappear in the second phrase in inverted order. It is sometimes called introverted parallelism. A simple example of ABBA is: Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”
The ABAB pattern is one that is especially important in these studies. As the division of perfect history unfolds in the passages, it is evident that many times the first A is the Sacrifice of Christ and the second A is the Resurrection of Christ, the B’s are matched with each respectively.
Briefly, I would like to share with you the first passage of scripture that revealed the Shroud of Turin to me through perfect history and chiastic structure.
(KJV) Isaiah 52:13-15 is a picture of the Suffering Servant. I would like to focus on verse 14 for now. It reads, “As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”
As we break down this verse, we can raise up a revelation, much like an artist takes a plain, massive rock and breaks it down to form a beautiful structure.
His visage was so marred 2. more than any man
His form more 2. than the sons of men
Visage (Hebrew, 4758, mareh) this word denotes the thing that was seen, a view, his marred appearance that was seen, also it carries with it an action of looking up or looking onto.
More than any man (Hebrew, 376, iysh), this word denotes an individual man or a male person.
Form (Hebrew, 8389, toar) his outline and comes from (Hebrew, 8388, taar) a primitive root denoting the action word delineate meaning to describe something precisely. Also, in Hebrew it means to be drawn or marked out; an outline.
Sons of Men (Hebrew, 120, adam) a human being or the species, mankind, etc.
This chiastic form is an ABAB, however, we can restate this verse using the Hebrew words as was intended by the author, Isaiah:
His physical appearance that is seen, in an action of looking up or looking onto, is so marred more than any individual male and his outline, drawing, or mark more than mankind. There is balance and order in the Word of God.
How would we have understood this fully without knowing perfect history and seeing the chiastic structure in motion? The outline of Christ that was left behind, the remnant, is an infallible truth proving the Salvation Story of 1. Sacrifice (the marred, visible Jesus on the Burial Shroud) and 2. the Resurrection (the outline, drawing, and mark of Jesus made by the unseen Holy Spirit’s power for mankind). We could extrapolate further with 1. Jesus, His individual sacrifice, the Groom and 2. His Church, His Bride, to infinity. Both are considered the fullness of the Promise of God.
Jesus said in (KJV) John 10:15-18 that He lays down His life for His sheep in verse 15, then He goes on to state that He has "other" (G243, different) sheep, which are not of this fold: them He shall also bring (into the fold) and they will hear His voice; and they will be one fold, with one shepherd, in verse 16. He was speaking of His Sacrifice for the two separate folds, the unity of these two folds (through the Cross of Christ), and then in verses 17 and 18, He speaks of His Resurrection and His Authority, which ultimately unifies the two folds. This is a perfect historical order and it is used throughout the whole Canon (this perfection in the Word of God is the Promise for all people).
Notice the translated Greek word for "fold" here is not the same word used in both instances. Upon looking up the Greek words (G833, aule, same as G109, aer and G4167, poimne originated from G4165 pomaino), we find that first word for (fold, aule) is a place, like an open yard or a large mansion or palace, implication being a beautiful place for Him to reside (in that flock, implying Israel). We find that the second word used for (fold, poimne) is when the two are together under one shepherd. Following the origin of the second word (pomaino) in the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, it is a flock in the action of "tending as a shepherd." The implication here is when there is unity between both folds and their Shepherd, figuratively, they are in an authoritative position over the earth. The Lord is giving a prophecy in order of occurrence. He came through the bloodline of and for Israel, which is like an open field or a beautiful mansion. He proceeded with the other flock that He had, all other nations, or the Gentiles. We know the perfect history and by that we can see the revelation here; that both Israel and Gentiles (all nations except Israel) were and still are today the people for whom He laid down His life. There was always unity in His purpose.
He goes on to prophesy in verses 17 and 18. He basically says that His Father loves him because He lays His life down for others (Sacrifice) and that He will take it up again (Resurrection). This is predicting His Death and Resurrection. In verse 18, He says that He has the power to lay His life down, and to take it up again. His Father told Him to do this. So, as we will see in the next paragraph, He will and He did.
This was His future when He said this and this is our past when we read this. So, we look at time frames in order to understand context. When He said this, it immediately brought division among members of the first fold. Some thought He was "mad" and had a devil, and others said that a devil could not open the eyes of the blind (referring back to John 9 when the man that was born blind could see). However, when John was writing this later on, he most likely understood it because of the knowledge he had gained, making it "perfect history."
If we look at the KJV in John 10:15-18 we can easily see an ABAB structure.
Verse 15; As the Father knows me, even so I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. This one verse contains the two opposites in reciprocity and then the single thought or culmination, the fruit of the two (because of the relationship with my Father, in reciprocity, I will sacrifice myself for others). This is the A part of the ABAB structure.
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Verse 16; And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. This verse would be the B. This is a totally new idea: unity through division of people (two opposites), but an increase and an implication of the rising up of another fold.
Verse 17: Therefore doth my Father love me; because I lay down my life, that I might take it (up) again. This structure brings us a perfect reversal of verse 15.“My Father loves me” is the culmination first, then the two opposites: sacrifice and resurrection. In verse 15, the two opposites are first in order, then the culmination. This is an A because it goes right back in a circle to verse 15. This is how Chiastic structure works.
Verse 18: No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. This structure is similar to verse 16 in that there are 3 initial thoughts and 1 result that is bound to the 3 initial thoughts. This is a B.
Of course, we need to understand the Bible within the contexts of the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, but the question entreats, why is the order in the Word of God important? The answer is simply that it can reveal more when we study this method and meditate on the sentences. Also, it helps us retain the Word much like a great “hook” in a song that just will not get out of your head.
For instance, look at the word “again” in verses 17 and 18. This is the same word for both verses. Just reading it, we can understand that He is talking about a second time of rising or bringing Himself back to His original form, His body. That is easy to see. Although, when we look up the Greek word, (G3825, palin), we find an increase in the meaning: with the idea of oscillatory repetition, more explicitly, bringing Himself back once more. The word “oscillatory” is interesting in that it can mean a vibration, a back and forth movement, like the clock pendulum, the clouds, or the waves of the ocean. In any event, this is the manner of movement that is described in this Greek word and it is connected with the action of resurrection.
For instance, this infers that He resurrects and continues to resurrect in oscillatory repetition: down and up, up and down, much like the water cycle on earth. The heat forms water vapor into clouds and moves upward and the fullness of the rising water builds up, until a descent in the form of rain occurs from the clouds to water the earth. (Science Encyclopedia, pp. 155) It becomes a cyclical revolution.
If you have been a student of the Word of God for any length of time, you probably are extremely familiar with Acts 1:8-11, which we Christians call “the Ascension.” The Ascension, here in Acts, is the point that completely fulfilled the process spoken of in books of Daniel and Matthew. (KJV) Daniel 7:13-14. 13. “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14. And there was given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
In (KJV) Matthew 26:64, Jesus makes this statement after Caiaphas, the High Priest, adjures Him by the living God to tell everyone there if He is the Christ, the Son of God: “Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
This is a process of movement with the picture of Jesus culminating with the ascension to the Father, to the Ancient of days, after His battle on the earth was won. In other words, this is synonymous with the process of victory. As a warrior comes back home to the kingdom, the victor comes in glory and gives the spoils of war or the gifts back to the kingdom. Jesus spoke of this victorious process in Luke 11:21-22. It reads, 21. “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.”
In the OT, the idea of a victorious warrior is in the phrase, “carried away captive or captives” because only the victors carry the captives away and divide the spoils. In the NT, the idea of victory in a battle is “leading captivity captive.”
Paul explains this nicely about leading captivity captive in victory with gift giving to the kingdom in Ephesians 4:8-13.
“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11. And he gave some, apostles; evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;.12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Basically, the perfect order is this: verse 8.He, Jesus, won the battle in victory, the ascension is when He led captivity captive, so, He defeated the enemy.
In verses 9-10, Paul digressed a bit to explain the ascension and the descension. In verse 9, Jesus ascended, but He had to descend first to the earth (this was where He battled). In verse 10, Jesus’ downward and upward movement had to happen so He could fulfill all things in the Law and the Prophets, the Promise. The clouds tended then and still tend today to be the chosen traveling mode of God, whether it be literal or figurative. These clouds are a place of understanding movement in the Word of God.
In verse 11, Jesus gave the spoils of war or the gifts at Pentecost.
In verse 12, the purpose of the gifts is revealed: perfecting the saints, ministry, and edifying the body of Christ.
In verse 13, we have a duplicate in describing Christ Jesus, as in what we believers are to attain in our journey here on earth (to be like Christ, an image of who He was and still is today).
A Perfect man
The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
If we analyze verse 13 and what is previous to it, we find the Salvation Story: Jesus came down to earth, fought a battle for us, ascended upward to the Father in victory, gave gifts to men at Pentecost, the reason for the gifts at Pentecost and forward, and then the idea of unity and knowledge of God’s Son (Jesus), a perfect man and the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (the Anointed One), the image in which we are to aspire.
We can see here that we are to aspire to His character, however the description of the Son of God is also a definition of who He is, was, and still is today.
In verse 13, let’s look at some Greek words. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
“Unity of Faith” can be explained by earlier study when Israel and the Gentiles came together in two different folds (all people who believe in Christ). “Knowledge” is the Greek word, epignosis (Gr. 1922) meaning recognition or full discernment. It is from (Gr. 1921) epiginosko, meaning to know upon some mark, i.e. recognize, by implication to become fully acquainted with or to know well.
The two parts: 1. A perfect man: Perfect (Gr 5046 teleios, or complete)
Man (Gr 435 aner, or an individual man)
So, the Son of God is a complete individual man in this first part. The conjunction “and” indicates there is another part, separate and in addition to the first.
2. The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
Measure (Gr 3358, metron, implies a limited portion or degree)
Stature (Gr 2244, helikia, maturity in years, size, age, or stature)
This Greek word for “stature” comes from (Gr 2245 helikos, a comrade, i.e. one of the same age); as big as. The implication here is that this is a different form of the perfect man described in the first part, a comrade is a companion or a mate.
The original Greek words, helikia (maturity), originating from helikos (comrade), were translated to the English word “stature” in the KJV by a linguist, a person skilled in foreign languages, namely Greek and English in this instance. “Stature” comes from an ancient Latin word (stare or statura) and denotes an “upright, standing position.” In other words, from the ancient Greek words used here, the translator in the 17th Century (KJV was completed and published in 1611) chose the English word “stature.”
What is even more interesting is the fact that the Hebrew primitive root for the word “stature” is quwm, a verb used in various literal and figurative means. Quwm means “to rise” ( an action verb) and can carry with it the definitions of to be clearer, confirm, lift up again, arise again, to establish, or to make to stand up. We can see the word, “stature,” in any method or language as a movement upward, increasing in height or at a measured pinnacle of their height.
In summary of Paul’s writing here, we first see the knowledge (epignosis or epignosko) he is referring to is a fullness of discernment: a specific mark that helps us to know something or someone fully. The first portion of the description of the Son of God is a perfect or complete individual man. The second portion of the description of the Son of God with this dual inference is something that can be measured in years, size, age, or stature which is a comrade, a companion to the complete man.
The Shroud of Turin is a picture of the Son of God: 1. The Perfect, Complete, Individual Man, and the Image of the marred, crucified Christ that can be seen, and 2. The Resurrected Christ that cannot be seen on the Shroud, (implication is a mystery of Christ). Note that the works or action of the power of God can be seen.
I think this is what Paul meant, in 2nd Timothy 2:15, when he said we have a responsibility to “rightly divide” the word of truth. KJV 2 Tim. 2:15 reads “Study (Gr 4704, spoudazo, speedily, diligently, earnestly make an effort) to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Breaking down the Hebrew and Greek words and dividing the Word of God according to perfect history tells the Story of Salvation. The Hebrew and Greek words give us more insight into ancient thinking within the culture of their day. It’s like going back in time and experiencing His word on a deeper level and continuing the oscillating movement of back and forth diligence in His Word, a method that gives us an increasingly infinite life.
It seems appropriate to now look briefly at the Ascension in Acts 1:9-11.
The words in bold are the words I would like to translate back into Greek for you.
This passage reads,
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
The trained reading eye, now, can see the duality, two different, but the same.
The first part is the picture of Jesus being taken up and a cloud received him, while the disciples are continuing to look upward, even after He was taken up. This action of continuing to look up brought the second part, the two men that delivered the message of this same Jesus which is taken up will come in like manner, like you have seen him go into heaven.
Again, there are two descriptions of Jesus. Also, there are two separate words for “taken up.” And, here is my own ABAB method of discovery based on the literal words.
Taken Up (Gr 1869, epairo, from 1909, epi and 142 airo) Epi is a superimposition of time, place, or order. Airo a primitive verb, to lift, up or away, figuratively, to lift your voice or to keep your mind in suspense. In combination, these words could say that there is something that is above your mind with a mystery attached. He did just tell the disciples that they had no need to know when He was going to “restore again the kingdom to Israel.”
Epairo, is the action of raising up, literally or figuratively, exalt self, lift up or take up. However, it also means in Greek to poise, the action of being poised. “Poise” definition is a state or a position of balance. From this word used, it appears He was poised in mid-air before rising, like a snapshot or a picture.
Taken Up (Gr 353, analambano from 303 ana and 2983 lambano) Ana when used as a prefix it often means by implication repetition, intensity, reversal, etc. lambano is a form of a primitive verb with different applications, but in this context it can mean be amazed, attain, receive, or take away, or up.
Analambano, is simply an action of receiving or taking up. These two words, when separated, have much more to say about the second part of Jesus, as we have been discussing. This seems to describe a repetitive, amazing reversal when dividing the words. When the context works together and fits like a hand in a glove, it’s like creating a fine woven garment that is just the right size. It becomes an infallible proof. There are times when the method cannot be balanced with Greek or Hebrew thought, but this is not one of them. Let’s continue in diligence with the perfect history, etymology, and chiastic structure as it relates to Jesus and His Shroud.
Staying in context, “this same Jesus” coming in “like manner” was a future happening at that time. Many scholars believe the reference was to the then future Pentecost. To us, it may very well be the prophecy of the past at Pentecost. At any rate, this is implying that Jesus was coming back as He left. In Jewish thought, we would understand it would be reversed. Remember, His coming was at that time to the Father in victory of His purpose and accomplishment. He came at Pentecost in power and great glory, which was also both a descension and an ascension.
The downward and upward movements are continual. He comes down for healings, salvations, communication, etc. He goes up as well. Even though, as believers, we always have the Holy Spirit in and with us, there are times of increase. These “increases” can be temporal or abstract, literal or figurative, physical or spiritual. One infallible truth on this topic is the fact that it is always His decision!
“How” He is coming in this particular context is described in the (Greek word 5158, tropos, from 5157 trope) that is translated “like manner” in English.
Tropos is a literal turn, the verb to turn. It implies a mode or style of turning. Figuratively, it connotes His deportment or character, even as in conversation or by any means.
However:
Trope, the primitive word denotes a turning as in a revolution and figuratively a variation. In this contextual writing, this original word goes back to “oscillatory repetition” as spoken of earlier in John. When Jesus spoke of His authority to take His life up (Gr 3825, palin) “again” in resurrection, the action revealed was like a vibration, a moving back and forth, a revolution.
So, His coming is a coming that has been, presently is, or will be in the same repetitious character as His initial Sacrifice and His continuing, repetitious, and revolving Resurrection Power.
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