WFT- genius

18 July 2009

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for October 17th, 2008 was genius.  (Yes, I am a bit behind schedule in my writing. :) )

1 : a single strongly marked capacity or aptitude 2 : extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity 3 : a person endowed with transcendent mental superiority; especially : a person with a very high IQ

As usual they provided an insightful etymology:

The belief system of the ancient Romans included spirits that were somewhere in  between gods and humans and were thought to accompany each person through life  as a protector. The Latin name for this spirit was "genius," which came from the  verb "gignere," meaning "to beget." This sense of "attendant spirit" was first  borrowed into English in the early 16th century. Part of such a spirit's role  was to protect a person's moral character, and from that idea an extended sense  developed in the 16th century meaning "an identifying character." In time, that  meaning was extended to cover a special ability for doing something, and  eventually "genius" acquired senses referring particularly to "very great  intelligence" and "people of great intelligence."

There are a number of points from Scripture that comes to mind.  Here are two:

First, Messiah is a genius in the first sense noted above:  He had a single strongly marked capacity or aptitude.  In fact He had a unique aptitude as savior and redeemer.  Consider these verses:

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:17)

and

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (Romans 5:9)

Second, we do have ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14) in the form of angels (Matthew 18:10) who at a level between G-d and man (Hebrews 2:9).  These messengers (aggelos in Greek means "messengers") are also referred to as "spirits" in the NASB and G-d is referred to as the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9) so the sense of gignere meaning "to beget" (above) applies as well.  Scripture tells us that they are visible at times (Luke 1:12, John 20:12) but is generally silent about their explicit functions.

To our Father, the Father of all spirits, be the honor, glory, and power forever.  Amen.

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Yom Chamishi, 18 Adar II, 5784

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