The rulers of this age.

[Ben C. Smith]

Thanks, Don.

[Blood]

Ben, I hope some of these may prove useful:

Justin Martyr, Chapter 63, First Apology:

• But so much is written for the sake of proving that Jesus the Christ is the Son of God and His Apostle, being of old the Word, and appearing sometimes in the form of fire, and sometimes in the likeness of angels; but now, by the will of God, having become man for the human race, He endured all the sufferings which the devils instigated the senseless Jews to inflict upon Him

Justin Martyr, Chapter 1, Second Apology: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/t ... ology.html

• ... the evil demons, who hate us, and who keep such men as these subject to themselves, and serving them in the capacity of judges, incite them, as rulers actuated by evil spirits, to put us to death.

Justin Martyr, Chapter 12, Second Apology:

• This also the wicked demons have now caused to be done by evil men. For having put some to death on account of the accusations falsely brought against us, they also dragged to the torture our domestics, either children or weak women...

All of these assertions support my thesis that for Paul and the Christians, the "rulers of this age" who "crucified the Lord" are the Jews, who supposedly operate under the supernatural influence of "devils" or "demons." According to Justin, the Lord "endured all the sufferings which the devils instigated the senseless Jews to inflict upon Him." The Jews are the "judges" who are "actuated by evil spirits" that "put us to death" -- as detailed further in Acts.

[GakuseiDon]

All of these assertions support my thesis that for Paul and the Christians, the "rulers of this age" who "crucified the Lord" are the Jews, who supposedly operate under the supernatural influence of "devils" or "demons." According to Justin, the Lord "endured all the sufferings which the devils instigated the senseless Jews to inflict upon Him." The Jews are the "judges" who are "actuated by evil spirits" that "put us to death" -- as detailed further in Acts.

That's certainly Justin's view and the view of other early Christians, but I'm not sure we can say it was Paul's view. Paul is clear that the "rulers of this age crucified the Lord of Glory". It sounds more direct than "rulers of this age inspired others to kill Jesus". But I think some of Ben's collection in the OP like "Satan hindered me" shows that Paul might well have worded things that way.

Ben, some further ones from Ascension of Isaiah. The ones from Chap 2 are really just variations on the Manasseh quote you have already in the OP so may not add anything, but the one in Chap 9 might be pertinent: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/t ... nsion.html

• Chap 2.2. And Manasseh forsook the service of the God of his father, and he served Satan and his angels and his powers...
  
  Chap 2.4 And Manasseh turned aside his heart to serve Beliar; for the angel of lawlessness, who is the ruler of this world, is Beliar...
  
  Chap 9.13. Nevertheless they see and know whose will be thrones, and whose the crowns when He has descended and been made in your form, and they will think that He is flesh and is a man. 14. And the god of that world will stretch forth his hand against the Son, and they will crucify Him on a tree, and will slay Him not knowing who He is.

[Giuseppe]

Someone did refer me to the picture of Albrecht Durer, The Crucifixion, where the expression of the little angels that take the blood of Jesus in their cups - if you observe with attention - seems to be malevolent!
Evrn if this is only the Durer's suggestion, what NT passage was the source of his inspiration?

[Clive]

Ben C. Smith wrote:
Just to be clear regarding this thread, I am not committing to any one interpretation of 1 Corinthians 2.6-8. I am assuming, at least for the sake of argument, that it refers to demonic rulers in order to show that, even with that, human agency is not ruled out, since early Christians were apparently able (as modern charismatic or Pentecostal Christians are, as well) to ascribe natural and human opposition directly to Satan or to his minions, without qualification.

I like to figure out the shape of the pieces before trying to fit them into the overall puzzle.

For a clear exposition of the Pentecostal view, I recommend Dake. He is amazingly literal - demons are real.

The film 300 portrays Xerxes as believing himself to be a god, and also shows the complete intermingling of the worlds of humans and the gods and the rituals and altered states of consciousness used. The Illiad also assumes this is one universe, populated by gods, heroes and men.

Isn't the prince of tyre being a god a classic euhemeristic trope?

Maybe the problem is a more modern one - we divide the universe into spiritual and "real" bits?

It isn't either or - rulers of the age in spiritual or earthly realms. The new heaven and earth is bringing both together.

[Clive]

I hadn't thought of it like this, but I have had the privilege, like a ceolocanth, of being brought up in ancient ways of thinking, and think I can claim to "get" these confused ways of thinking where the gods and humans meet regularly.

I used to meet the gods most Sundays in Pentecostal services.

[Clive]

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope…
Cross References
Hosea 1:10
"Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'children of the living God.'

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

John 1:12
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--

Romans 8:14
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Romans 8:18
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 8:23
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 9:26
and, "In the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'children of the living God.'"

1 Corinthians 1:7
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

1 Corinthians 1:8
He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 6:18
And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Galatians 3:26
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,

Philippians 1:20
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Colossians 3:4
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Hebrews 12:27
The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

1 Peter 1:7
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 John 3:2
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Revelation 21:7
Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

[Ben C. Smith]

Ben, some further ones from Ascension of Isaiah. The ones from Chap 2 are really just variations on the Manasseh quote you have already in the OP so may not add anything, but the one in Chap 9 might be pertinent: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/t ... nsion.html

• Chap 2.2. And Manasseh forsook the service of the God of his father, and he served Satan and his angels and his powers...
  
  Chap 2.4 And Manasseh turned aside his heart to serve Beliar; for the angel of lawlessness, who is the ruler of this world, is Beliar...
  
  Chap 9.13. Nevertheless they see and know whose will be thrones, and whose the crowns when He has descended and been made in your form, and they will think that He is flesh and is a man. 14. And the god of that world will stretch forth his hand against the Son, and they will crucify Him on a tree, and will slay Him not knowing who He is.

Thanks, Don.

[Ben C. Smith]

I hadn't thought of it like this, but I have had the privilege, like a ceolocanth, of being brought up in ancient ways of thinking, and think I can claim to "get" these confused ways of thinking where the gods and humans meet regularly.

I used to meet the gods most Sundays in Pentecostal services.

I grew up under similar circumstances, it would seem.