Featured power to tread on serpents...

You are grasping at straws. Did Christ consider his own disciples to be Pharisees, or did his disciples consider themselves to be Pharisees?
Scripture totally out of context.

There were physical enemies and spiritual enemies.

You also like it whenever you get a chance to add to the Word.

The above is from Strong's. In the usage of Greek Lexicons it is compared to the child's dictionary on the desk in elementary school. It indeed is very elementary.
Thayer is considered a more standard Lexicon for the NT Greek.

The first definition is the most common and well used definition. The second is (as it is), secondary, of secondary importance. The context demands the primary definition be used if there is nothing to prevent it from not being used. And there is no reason to go astray from the primary meaning.

Since the word used here is "ophis" and is a Greek word, we should study its usage only in the NT, as the OT was written in Hebrew. Ophis is used 14 times in the NT, and each and every time it is translated "serpent." There is no need to give any other meaning but serpent to it.

 

Let's apply your hermeneutic; your method of translating the Bible:

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
--Aaaaah; Now you have called Christ a Pharisee, since Pharisee = serpent in your interpretation. This is blasphemous, but this type of interpretation leads to, well, fairly stupid conclusions, to put it bluntly.

Again then, Christ was a Pharisee???
As the serpent was lifted up; so Christ must be lifted up. Serpent = Christ.

Yes, and the context demands a literal translation here. I have demonstrated that to you. In Luke 10 they were to go without shoes, barefoot. He told them that scorpions and serpents would not harm them therefore. He promised them physical protection. Why is that so difficult to understand?

Serpent or snake. There is no myth in this account, nor would the disciples be thinking of a myth. You have a wild imagination. The Bible was written to be taken literally.

 

It is you who has a "religious spirit". I'm just not sure what religion.

Man-made theology? Many of us have given you the meaning of scripture in context which you continually deny and/or ignore. You have absolutely nothing to base your views on other than doctrines that were invented 113 years ago. They were unknown before then. Yours is the man-made theology: no scriptural support, and conjured up just a little over a century ago.

 

I respond to you the way I respond to everyone, with facts.

I wish you had been at my home a couple of days ago when I saw a cottonmouth moccasin crawling across my yard. You could either have laid hands on it and instructed it not to pas this way again, or you could have dismissed it as a non-literal serpent, you know, the way you dismiss scripture.

 

Now that's calling the kettle black!!

Yes. We can know what they were thinking by:
1. What they were not thinking,
Example:
Revelation 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Revelation 9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Your allegorical method of interpretation would leave no excuse not to interpret the passage this way. OTOH, we know the disciples would not be thinking of these things for the book was not even written yet.
They would take the passage literally, and not apply other metaphorical passages.

2. The context of the passage--what is the most evident answer.

It is evident that he was speaking to the eleven, and that signs and wonders were given to the eleven as authentication of their apostolic office. This has been verified in other Scripture (2Cor.12:12; Heb.2:3,4). But you reject the Word of God. Typical.

 

I have determined that it's probably best if I don't respond to Awaken any more, that is if I want to remain a member here.

 

Your right, you don't usually read of them messing with moccasins but I did read of one case and the person was badly hurt. Even still, there are over 100 documented deaths from poisnonous snake bites in snake handling services. There are many people bitten and maimed by them. Apparently, they know the reality of it because so many families have had people hurt and killed. I have read that these people warn that if the Holy Spirit has not directed a person to do this, then you shouldn't do this. I would like to know how the Holy Spirit directs these people. Do they hear voices? I'm not being facetious, I really would like to know what people mean when they say something like this.

 

That is a lie.

When you are given scripture, your response shows that you disrespect scripture. You are the worst abuser of God's word that I have ever seen.

 

No, I know you are not advocating this kind of nonsense. But scorpions and serpents. Literal or figurative? You see what misinterpretation of scripture leads to?

I really don't understand pentecostals. I'm not riduculing you, I have been around a lot of them over the years and I often wonder what they mean by 'the Lord told me' or 'the Holy Spirit directed me'. Seriously, do pentecostals hear an inner voice?

For me, I'm guided by the Holy Spirit inspired word of God and the teachings of my Church. I know this isn't the subject of the OP and I'm not trying to de-rail your thread. I'm just curious, if you would like to answer in a private message or a single post maybe?

 

Most of them who believe the verse, will take it literally, and practice. But awaken is in quite a predicament. She exhibits a fear of snakes (from her posts) and would not try such a thing, but at the same time takes the first part of the verse, claims it as her own, and claims to speak in tongues. It is a very hypocritical stand.

I have never been in a "snake-handling" church (or whatever they may be called), but before I met my spouse, she had been in one, that is, visited one in eastern Indiana. She told me what it was like.

They would, never, never allegorize the Scripture. What it says, they take literally.