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Question - The Holy Spirit is referred to as "Lord" in 2 Thessalonians 3:5. There are only two other choices who the Lord can refer to. That is either the Father or the Son. It can't refer to the Father for that would mean that Paul wrote "May the Father direct your hearts to the love of the Father." That seems odd. If that was his intention he would have written "May the Father direct your hearts to His love." It can't refer to the Son for that would be saying "May Christ direct your hearts to the steadfastness of Christ." Again that is odd and not Paul's literary style. If some other name was in the sentence besides Lord would anyone deny that a third party was in view? For example what if the text read "May Tom direct your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ." Who would deny that Tom is distinct from God and Christ? Therefore the Lord refers to the Holy Spirit.Answer - Your conclusions are not correct, because you do not follow correct exegesis, or proper etymology to develop accurate definitions. This leads to the need to use conjecture as you have done, by making the statement, "Therefore the 'Lord' refers to the Holy Spirit." This assumption would violate the entire first and second chapters of Thessalonians, where the word 'Lord' refers to Yahshua. It is easy to see how this can lead you to a wrong conclusion. All the evidence must be presented correctly first, before a correct understanding can be established.
First, The Greek is translated into correct English: (Strong's reference number added)
5. Moreover,<1161> the Master (Lord)<2962> guide<2720> your <5216>hearts <2588>into<1519> the love
<26>of Yahweh (G-d)<2316>, and<2532> into<1519> the endurance<5281> of the anointed <5547>.
Explaination - In this passage, the word "Master" refers to Yahshua, the word "Theos" (refers to Elohim, Yahweh), and the word "anointed" refers to the subject of Pauls letter, "the Thessalonians." "To this end we always pray for you that our Elohim would count you worthy of this calling [an anointing], and complete all the good pleasure of goodness, and the work of belief with power,......" 2 Thess 1:11.The "anointed" here is not Yahshua, or the holy spirit, nor does the word "Master" refer to the spirit, for the entire passage refers to "Master" (Lord) as Yahshua. The AV is a very poor translation here as I have tried to show. The word "christo" is a Latin word for anointed, and does not always refer to Yahshua, this is one of the times it does not.
For another example: "For as many promises as are of Elohim, in Him they are, yes, and in Him Amen, to the esteem of Elohim through us. But He who establishes us with you in Messiah and has anointed us is Elohim." 2 Cor. 1:21.
In the Greek, "cristou" is genitive, from the root "crio," with the meaning: to anoint, by way of instituting to a dignity, a function, or a privilege. A "calling as this is," of the Thessalonians, is also an anointing. It is our opinion, that this word anointed in the Greek, as used in this passage, does NOT refer to Yahshua, but to the Thessalonians.
The phrase "for christ," is absolute error. The Greek does not lie. The word "cristou" is genitive, and follows the article "tou" (of the), (also genitive). It cannot read "for" as the AV has it.
For aletheia (truth)
John William,
Assembly of Yahweh, Cascade
Presented for aletheia, by the Assembly of YAHWEH, Cascade
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