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Checking the Margins

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 | Author:

in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  Galatians 3:14 NASB

Come to – In the margin of the NASB, you will find a note that gives an alternate translation.  The alternate is “occur” (“the blessing of Abraham might occur to the Gentiles”).  One of the reasons for suggesting an alternative is the fact that the Greek word ginomai in the New Testament really attempts to capture a Hebrew idiom.  It actually isn’t the word for “to come,” but rather the word for “to be born, to become, to be manifest.”  It is the same root that produces the word genesis – to come into being.

If you think about it, neither “come to” nor “occur to” really captures what Paul is attempting to communicate.  Paul certainly has the Hebraic construction in mind since there is no direct equivalent for this idiom in Greek.  If we think of the way the Hebrew is used, we realize that Paul’s expression is closer to the Hebraic phrase used in “the word of the Lord came to.”  As we know, the actual Hebrew verb in this introduction to prophetic utterance is hayah, not bo’ (to bring, to come).  In other words, the message from God was manifest in the prophet.  It did not arrive.  It arose.

Now let’s apply this Hebraic understanding to Paul’s statement about the Gentiles.  The blessing of Abraham (we have yet to determine what that is) is manifest (is brought into being) in the Gentiles.  When we see the Hebraic background, we recognize that the passive nuance of “comes to” is tempered by the Hebraic “is manifest in.”  To be brought into being, to be manifest requires participation by both parties, the one who initiates and the one who cooperates; while the phrase “comes to” does not require any responding action on the part of the recipient.  The blessing of Abraham is manifest in the Gentiles for the same reason Abraham experienced righteousness before YHWH.  Abraham trusted God’s promise and it was counted as rightouesness.  Wouldn’t we expect the same active trust on behalf of the Gentiles?

The context for this verse must include the prior verse.  Why has the blessing of Abraham (the imputation of righteousness) been birthed in the Gentiles?  Look at verse 13.  Because Yeshua has redeemed us (both Jew and Gentile) from “the curse of the Law.”  Set aside your previous interpretation that Paul is saying the Law itself is the curse.  That is the mistaken position of replacement theology.  If that were true, then it would be impossible to explain why Paul continued to be Torah-observant (as did the other disciples) or why he would often claim that the Law is holy and good.  What Paul means (in typical Hebraic parlance) is that the Law delineates the curse for all those who fail to observe it.  The Law contains both the way of life and the way of death.  Those who fall short of its standard will experience its curse.

But Yeshua’s sacrifice has set aside the curse that would have inevitably fallen on all of us as sinner under the Law.  Just as Abraham was accounted righteous because He trusted God to provide, so we are accounted righteous when we trust Yeshua to provide.

Notice how Paul closes this verse.  “that we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”  Did you see the pronoun “we?”  Both Jew and Gentile depend on Yeshua’s sacrifice in order that the Spirit becomes operative in the lives of believers.  We might even say that Paul implies the manifestation of the blessing in the Gentiles is the basis for all to receive the promise of the Spirit.  In other words, Jews need Gentiles as much as Gentiles need Jews.  Gentiles need Abraham and the Jews in order to participate in God’s redemptive plan and Jews need Gentiles in order to participate in God’s ultimate purpose.  The Jewish destiny cannot be fulfilled without the manifestation of Abraham’s blessing among the Gentiles.  The Gentiles cannot experience fellowship with YHWH, Israel’s God, without entering into the covenant relationship established with the Jews.  The promise of the Spirit doesn’t arrive until both conditions are fulfilled.

Topical Index:  come to, hayah, manifest in, blessing of Abraham, Galatians 3:14

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The Shema (6)

Thursday, July 01st, 2010 | Author:

And these words that I am commanding you today shall be on your heart. Deuteronomy 6:6

Shall Be – It looks like a command, doesn’t it?  When we read this verse, we think of the enormous task of putting these words, all of them, into our memory banks.  Seems impossible, doesn’t it?  In a culture that has universally substituted the written word for the spoken and memorized word, we rely on texts, not voice.  We see; we do not hear.  It is so much easier to Google the idea than it is to commit words to memory.  In the process, our ability to recall what we need to know in a moment is seriously diminished.  We are like travelers who rely on GPS systems but we’ve lost the signal.  Now what?

All is not lost (but it is certainly more difficult).  The first word in this verse is the verb hayah – to be, to become, to be manifest.  This is the same construction that we find in “The Word of the Lord came to Hosea.”  God’s message was manifest in Hosea.  It became in Him.  Perhaps Moses is saying that these commandments given this day will become manifest in your heart; they will become part of your very being in the world.  Perhaps this is not a homework assignment followed by a memorization test.  Perhaps it is a statement that doing them will result in knowing them.  Repetition produces memory.  In this case, repetition produces a change in heart, an incorporation of God’s instructions into the very fabric of how we live.  The words given this day will initiate the process of becoming God-instructed people.  Just keep doing them.

Jeremiah hints that at some time in the future continual repetition as a means of remembering will no longer be necessary.  In the renewed covenant, we will follow God’s instructions because He will write them on our hearts instead of on tablets of stone.  It’s nice to have tablets of stone, but in order to convert words inscribed on stone into actual behavior, I have to practice over and over.  If those words are part of my very being, my character, my heart, then practice ends.

Yeshua also hints at a connection to the Helper.  He will come to bring to remembrance all the words.  With His help, these words will be manifest in us.  How will we know?  Because we will find ourselves doing what God commands.

Does this mean we can sit back and relax?  Does this mean that we wait for God to bring it to mind?  Hardly.  “Work out your rescue with fear and trembling,” says Sha’ul.  Moses would remind us to speak about these words in every transitioning action during the day.  If God’s Word is to be your guide, you will have to work it in.  The process of theological education is doing, then knowing.  A Boy Scout doesn’t need a map.  He can read the signs of the heavens.  But believe me, it takes practice.

Time to discard your spiritual GPS.  Learn the signs by practicing the instructions until you know them like the back of your hand.

Topical Index:  shall be, hayah, knowing, doing, practice, Deuteronomy 6:6

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Hayah in Action

Sunday, June 27th, 2010 | Author:

I thought we might all find something important here.

Hello Skip

I just read day 12 and I know just what you are talking about…If you don’t mind, I  would like to share a  “hayah” experience of mine with you.

One day a few years ago, I walked down the street to a neighbor’s house. After a short visit with my neighbor, I walked back home  stopping  at the mailbox and getting the days mail before going back into my house. I went inside, sat in a recliner and opened my mail. In the mail,  I had received “My daily bread” a daily devotional, you may have seen it, it comes in the form of a  little book. I received it a week or so in advance of the month for which the devotional was intended, so I could not yet read that days devotional. A little tired from my walk and sitting in a big relaxing recliner, I then opened the devotional book somewhere in the middle, intending to read a page at random.

Right at that second I knew, although I did not hear an audible voice, somehow it just happened,  I knew that God had just instructed me to do something.  I was instantly aware without a doubt that God had just told me to go show this page to my daughter. I had not yet read it, so I didn’t know what the page said, but I got up immediately from my chair and began to look for my daughter. I was not sure she was even in the house. I started looking for her, first going to her bedroom which is where I found her. Our 16 year old daughter Amanda was laying on her bed reading.  I walked straight over to her and handed her the little book which was still opened to the page I had opened at random. I said to her, “I don’t know why, but God just told me to show  you this.” She looked at the page and read for a brief couple of seconds. She then, at once quickly  looked up to the window next to her bed and said. “Are you watching me through the window?”   I said “no of course not” she then pointed her index finger to a spot on the page of her open bible and said. “This is the exact chapter and verse I was reading the second you walked in my room!” The verse she pointed to  in her bible was the exact same verse, about which,  the page of the devotional taught.

It took a while to convince her that I had not been spying on her. I told her “ I did not know even know you were reading your bible.” I had to explain that my vision is not near good enough to read her bible through the window from the back yard.  In addition, I could not run all the way around the house and come in door and run to her room fast enough to catch her at just the right second to show her the devotional.  I also explained that I had just retrieved the devotional out of the mailbox moments earlier.  I said,” it would not have been possible for me to orchestrate all of that.” She knew from experience that I don’t lie to her. She finally came to the realization that God had indeed told me to show her the page.

We both just sat on the bed in awe for a moment. I said “ well I guess God really wants you to understand this verse”  So I left the room and she read it.  After reading it, she  came to me and said “I wonder why God wanted me to understand that so bad”? It didn’t seem to be of any great revelation to her at the time. I myself don’t remember,  several years later now ,what verse it was.

It was the event itself that left a lasting impression. We are both still amazed when we remember this happening..  I think it may have been more about God taking an opportunity to solidify our faith than about the verse itself. Amanda now 23 and I are both  committed Christians and I  continue to have messages from  God  hayah to me from time to time. (this was not the first nor the last ) I am always amazed and thankful every time it happens.

Thank you for the lessons Skip, they are very enlightening.

Nancy

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Día 13 – Manifestado en la Carne

Monday, April 27th, 2009 | Author:

“fue el hombre un ser viviente.” Génesis 2:7

Fue – La Biblia es, sin lugar a dudas, el libro más fascinante en el mundo.  ¿Por qué? Porque es sencillamente mas allá de cualquier inferencia razonable imaginar que las complejidades entretejidas en su tapiz puedan haber sido inventadas por seres humanos.  Desde el inicio al final, el lenguaje de la Biblia está repleto de sorpresas, introspecciones profundas y de tratados lingüísticos sabrosísimos.  Ninguno más fascinante que las implicaciones provistas por el uso del verbo hayah (ser, convertirse).  Ayer descubrimos que existe una conexión maravillosa entre la idea de la palabra de Dios convirtiéndose en Miqueas, y en los demás profetas.  En el caso más sencillo, implica que las instrucciones verbales de Dios a Su pueblo se manifiestan en el profeta.  La manera en que ocurre es un misterio, pero no es más misterioso que otro uso de hayah, el cuál encontramos aquí en la historia de la creación del hombre.

El hombre se convirtió en nefesh (la palabra hebrea que comprende la voluntad, emociones, mente, cuerpo y espíritu – la persona total). La misma manifestación creativa demostrada en la palabra de Dios que se manifiesta (de alguna manera) en los profetas, también incluye lo que significa estar vivo. El hálito de Dios se manifiesta en la criatura formada del barro y ha.a.dam.le.ne.fesh ha.yah (literalmente, “la tierra-hecha-persona fue manifestada”). Es casi como si el texto dijese, “la vida personal sucedió en éste bulto de tierra formada.”  La forma en que la vida llegó al Hombre no es esencialmente diferente a la forma en que la palabra de Dios sucedió en Miqueas. ¡Piensa en eso por los próximos 100 años!

También aprendimos que el nombre personal de Dios, YHWH, también es, en su raíz, el verbo hayah.  Cuando Dios manifiesta Su palabra a Miqueas, y cuando manifiesta Su vida en el Hombre, meramente hace tangible lo que ya es.  Toma ese concepto y lee Juan 1:14 desde la perspectiva hebrea.  “La Palabra hayah carne.”  La esencia misma de Dios, el YO SOY (Hayah) se hace manifiesto como basar (cuerpo tangible).  Esto no sólo dice que Jesús nació como hombre.  Esto dice que el gran “SER,” ocurrió ahora en forma corpórea.  El YO SOY existió entonces en la misma clase de seres vivientes como todos, cuerpo animal y humano.  El misterioso hayah de Dios es demostrado en aun otra forma sin paralelo.

Piensa en lo que significa esto para la vida humana – para ti y para mí.  No, no significa que cada uno de nosotros tiene una chispa de deidad.  Esa es pura filosofía griega.  La Nueva Era no es nueva.  Lo que significa es que tú y yo somos de alguna forma vehículos por medio de los cuales Dios se manifiesta en Su creación.  Estamos plenamente equipados para revelar Su glorioso hayah.  De las tantas cosas que puede significar ser creado en Su imagen, al menos significa que Dios planifica usar mi nefesh hayah como demostración de Su gloria.

¿Cuán lejos está Dios de manifestarse en tu vida? Inhala. Así de lejos.

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Día 12 – Inspiración

Sunday, April 26th, 2009 | Author:

PALABRA de Jehová que fue a Miqueas de Morasti en días de Jotham, Acház, y Ezechías, reyes de Judá: lo que vio sobre Samaria y Jerusalén. Miqueas 1:1

Fue - ¿Cómo recibes comunicaciones hoy? Bien, primero está el correo electrónico.  Lees uno ahora mismo.  Pude haberte enviado una carta, o llamado por teléfono, o enviado un telegrama (que anticuado) o viajado a tu casa y decírtelo en persona.  ¿Acaso me ayuda esto a comprender la forma en que Dios comunica Su mensaje? Ese es el asunto que nos confronta con la doctrina de inspiración. ¿Cómo comunica Dios exactamente lo que desea decirle a los seres humanos?

El verbo hebreo nos da una pista, pero ciertamente no es lo que esperaba.  Veras, el verbo no es bo´ (llegar a un lugar, arribar).  Es hayah, y hayah significa “existir, ser, convertir, suceder.”La traducción, “PALABRA de Jehová que fue a Miqueas” no es del todo apropiada.  La palabra no arribó como arribó este mensaje que lees.  La palabra inició su existencia en Miqueas; le sucedió a él.  He aquí la mejor parte.  Este verbo, hayah, es el mismo verbo detrás del nombre de Dios, Yahweh.  YHWH (de Éxodo 3:14) es el gran YO SOY.  El nombre personal de Dios está vinculado al verbo “ser.” Su palabra se manifiesta a la existencia por el mismo proceso misterioso por el que toda la creación se convierte en lo que es. ¿Esperabas algo menor?

¿Te ayuda a comprender la inspiración divina? Si, y no. Si, la lógica es perfecta que el proceso creativo de Dios está detrás de la palabra con la que se manifiesta a sí mismo en Miqueas – y en mucha otras personas.  Como quiera que suceda, su origen es  Dios.  Por cuánto  nos dice Pablo que las escrituras son exhaladas por Dios. ¡Claro que lo son! Así fue que Dios nos creó.  Pero esto no nos ayuda mucho a responder la pregunta, “¿Cómo?” Eso es porque no tenemos explicación racional de cómo comenzó la vida así como no la tenemos sobre cómo ocurre la inspiración.  Lo errado es la pregunta, no la respuesta. La pregunta asume que existe un proceso racional, especifico y con definición clara que puede ser desarmada, analizada y replicada.

La pregunta es griega.  Es una solicitud de información técnica. Pero el concepto hebreo es orgánico.  Es una descripción sobre como aparece el suceso a Miqueas, no una descripción  del manual técnico de comunicaciones divinas.

¿Por qué es importante (excepto para teólogos)? Bien, ¿cuántas veces has escuchado a alguien decir, “Dios me habló,” o “Dios me dijo”?  ¿Querían decir que Dios les susurró algo en el oído? ¿O quisieron decir que de alguna manera, por algún medio misterioso, la palabra de Dios se hizo real en ellos?

¿Pensaste que Dios había dejado manifestarse  cuando murió el último de los apóstoles? Si ese fuese el caso, ¿Por qué habría Pablo (y otros) de proveernos instrucciones para confirmar lo que era revelado? Lo que está en la Escritura es el estándar completo y aceptable de la norma de práctica para creyentes, pero la inspiración continúa.  Dios no guarda silencio.  Sigue siendo Dios.

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