Simplicity

by Brad Scott

In 2Corinthians we are told to beware lest our minds be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Messiah.

2Corinthians 11:3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Chavah [Eve] through his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Messiah.

Perhaps a good scriptural definition of simplicity would be helpful in understanding what Sha’ul (Paul) was trying to teach us. The word simplicity is from the Greek word haplotetos (άπλóτης). This word more accurately means singleness or straightforward. (See Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 13:22 or Mattityahu 6:22.) This Greek word was chosen by the King James translators to best represent the Hebrew word yashar (ישר). This root comprehension means to be straight or to be right. It would be where we get the expression to be on the "straight and narrow". What is straight and right is only defined by Torah, or the words of YHVH. This is why we have the context of hasatan in the garden with Adam and Chavah. The first children of God had instructions from their Creator, and they set aside those instructions to do things their own way, while all along acknowledging that God was still God. This is what Sha’ul warns the bride about. Sha’ul is concerned about the bride of Messiah being led from what is right by those who preach and teach a Torahless Messiah, or as Sha’ul says in the next verse, "another Messiah".

Shalom Alecheim! ◊