All In The Family
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. 1 Corinthians 1:3
Our Father – Paul has just declared Yeshua to be God (verse 2). But without taking a breath, he immediately offers a salutation from “God our Father and the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach.” He doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t backpedal. He calmly asserts that God is our Father and Yeshua is the Lord, the one we call upon. It is a great mystery indeed!
At one time Christian theologians espoused the position that Jews did not speak of God as Father. In an attempt to demonstrate Yeshua broke from Jewish tradition, even men as famous as Joachim Jeremias claimed that “our Father” was unique to Jesus. Of course, now we know better. Yeshua was Jewish and so was His language. Even this little phrase connects Him to His culture and ancestry.
But Paul’s point isn’t about the history of this concept. Paul has another concern in mind. The Corinthian synagogue is filled with Gentiles and Jews, but God is the Father of all. In the Body, there is no difference. Every man and every woman has exactly the same family relationship to God – and consequently to each other. This is an important lesson for the Corinthians. In an assembly where some claimed superiority, Paul drives home the real distinguishing characteristic. Everyone here is part of the same family. The only strangers are the ones who have not yet come into the congregation. If everyone here is brother or sister, why are you attempting to create a hierarchy of relationship importance? How can some of you claim to be super-family members? All of us here are brothers of sisters.
We might not live in the rough and tumble world of idolatrous Corinth (we have our own versions of idolatry and debauchery), but we often share the same superiority problem that faced the Corinthian congregation. Some of us seem to feel we are “called” to be important. We are the leaders. We are the elders. We are the bishops and the pastors. Ah, but Paul reminds us that we are not more than brothers and sisters. Any role we play is nothing but a temporary job assignment. It is not a measure of personal status. If God calls some to be taxi drivers, accountants, landscapers or foundation directors, each and every one is just brother or sister to the rest. Jobs do not make the man.
There is a lot of misunderstanding about the difference between roles and relationships. I am quite sure that you have been exposed to the hierarchical concept of “offices” in the church. Hmm? Where did that come from? Do you think Paul placed any superiority on such job assignments? The man who speaks about feet and hands, eyes and ears can hardly be the man who proposed that some “parts” of the Body are more important than others. Brothers and sisters, we have one Father and He speaks grace and peace to all of us.
Topical Index: our Father, 1 Corinthians 1:3, hierarchy
Speaking of jobs and relationships….
Whether a teacher by calling or a teacher by trade, today’s my first day at a new school…. and the kiddos are coming (I teach 9th & 10th grade – 14-15-year-olds)! Today I’m praying for grace and peace and to totally love these little ones (even the unlovable ones). Please be praying with me since I didn’t get to go to much of the pre-planning week and feel a little scattered and like I have too much to remember but am still missing information.
Thanks! 🙂
Our Father,
You are the One who brings about every good and perfect gift. Bless our dear sister with the peace that passes understanding and the heart to love like Yeshua. May she teach through the power of the Spirit and may the love of Christ shine through her and give these precious children hope for today.
“today’s my first day at a new school”
Hi Amanda,
Congratulations on the new job; I’m sure you will do fine, but I’ll pray for you anyway!
Coincidentally, I also started a new job today.
Although it is only a 40 hour contract, my daughter was very excited, so I am very happy too.
At an old school.
How was your first day at school? Is the job so far beyond you that all you can do is call out to the LORD for help? Then THAT is a good place to be. Bless you as you daily depend upon His strength as you rejoice in His provision!
http://youtu.be/watch?v=MXWdhRvNXME 4 minute video by Aaron Shust, “Stillness, Speak to Me”
Dear Amanda of course we’ll pray for it´s an honor to do it specially when someone asks, and also ask you to keep in mind isaiah 45:7 you’re asking for grace and peace, now YWHW is giving you the chance to exercise these with his peace and grace and for his glory
This from Skip Moen John 8.31 (“and”)
Kai is the Greek word for “and”. As you can imagine, it is used thousands of times. That does not make it irrelevant. Here it is a logical and a theological connector. It bridges one thought with another. So, what are the thoughts that kai brings together.
“If you continually practice what I am teaching, you are really my disciples and you will know the truth.” Suddenly there are conditions. If you continue in my word. If you are really my servants. If you have made me your Master. Then you will know the truth. Knowing the truth and being set free is contingent upon discipleship. Not everyone who hears the sound byte will find the truth. Not everyone who tunes in will be set free. The words don’t mean anything outside the context and the context is discipleship. Truth and freedom do not come easy. Do you want to know them? Then obey. Be a disciple.
When you pray, say- “our Father.” (Luke 11.2)
Elohim (a Hebrew word) is plural. This may very well be the “sticking point” or even the “dividing line” between Christians and Jews. I’m going to do what I do best and “wade in” far over my head.
The “trinity” (yes, nowhere mentioned in scripture) is a plurality in unity. (did that make any sense?). I am a plurality in unity. I am a father. I am a son. I am a brother and I am a friend. I am a plurality in unity. Body, soul, mind and spirit- all (together) make up who I am. Me.
G-d is a mystery. (I’m shooting for the Understatement of the Year award..). This, my Jewish brother and friend we can agree on. Your G-d and my G-d are one and the same. The LORD, (our G-d and Father) is ONE and His name is wonderful! Your reverance for the Name (Hashem) is worthy of my imitation. He (who am I referring to?) is holy. He is Love. His name is Salvation. His name is Life.
Dr. Skip Moen. If I were to say hello Skip, I believe Skip would know I would be addressing him. Even though his “full” name (and titles) would be much longer. I would not refer to him by the same name listed on his birth certificate. His wife knows him much more intimately than I do and I’m sure has her own “special” names she would use.
Whether we know the Savior as Jesus or Yeshua depends on our cultural background. There is however only ONE who was was crucified to pay our sin debt on Calvary’s tree. Let us (all) consider 2 Corinthians 5.19: “For God indeed was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing to them their sins; and He hath placed in us the word of reconciliation.”
Whether Jew or Gentile, we are “one” in Christ. Whether “rich or poor”, male or female, black or white, educated or not, we are all united in Christ (the Annointed one). Our focus ever needs to be on Him, and on his voluntary sacrifice (the Divine demonstration of love) at Calvary.
The ground is level at the foot of the cross. Because of the access given to us (all) by His cross, we may (all) join hands and hearts together in prayer and say.. “our Father.”
“How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.” We are one- “in Christ.” Please, oh please,.. “lay hold of” 2 Corinthians 5.17.
We heard an aged rabbi say, “It always amazes me when Christians have the audacity to say that I don’t know how to read my Bible – especially when it is written in my language and they usually don’t know how to speak it!”
Carl, I agree that the word ‘Elohim’ is plural (meaning angels, nobles, judges, etc.) but it is never compound. It describes an intensity of singularlity, not a combination defined by unity. The Jews, despite all their years of biblical study and debate have never seen a hint of pluralism in the word ‘Elohim’ when it is applied to God. Possibly the greatest Hebrew scholar was a guy called Gesenius. He said, “That the language has entirely rejected the idea of numerical plurality in Elohim (whenever it denotes one God) is proved especially by its being almost invariably joined with a singular attribute.”
Perhaps we should listen to those who were given the language of heaven and the oracles of God.
A good point and well taken, but in at least one sense the argument is backwards. The fact that this plural word is routinely used with a singular verb when applied to God does not necessarily mean that the noun is to be interpreted by the verb. It could also be argued that the verb is to be interpreted by the noun. Either way, it is a conundrum – which all admit. Once again the theology determines the interpretation, not the reverse. Christians emphasize the primacy of the noun, Hebrews emphasize the primacy of the verb (but of course they do).
“Christians emphasize the primacy of the noun, Hebrews emphasize the primacy of the verb”
…and as it is Hebrew, written for Hebrews and for those who will be grafted in to the Hebrews, by the inspiration of the God of the Hebrews…(?) Will we opt for unity or duality?
Skip, (with reference to ‘All in the Family’ response) we don’t intend to stop posting – just to back off a little! Thanks.
May I have the chance to disagree with this comment (with this l don’t mean l have true ,maybe l wrong) with the name YHWH there’s a command in exodus, something we didn’t find about INMANUEL that is latin , l was searching where was the first transliteration , remember it’s a hebrew name and the first helenestic name was He Zeus( and this it make sense for them cause is a god’s name) because they write as it sounds and this till the bible was let’s say published in other language, latin or greek the KJV and became Yesus because in old english the ‘y’ and ‘j’ sounds the same, til nowadays and something like that happened in the 50’s with the korean names they were wrote as it sound in english and you will find last names like Park, Lee, or Kim, let me use your example if you come to my country(Paraguay) you’re my beloved friend but none of my friends here don’t know you and l always call you Carlitos and of course my friends will call you Carlitos not Carl even knowing your legal name and for the Republica de Paraguay you always will be Carl Roberts but remember we’re talking about a holy name and at least we must have reverence about it(and as l said may be l wrong).
Antonio
Shalom,
The idea that ELOHIM is Abba to all (Jew and Gentile) and still further that Mashiach is the Glorious Redemption for all is clearly a revealed Hebraic convention.
In Daniel 7:13-14 we see the declaration of Yeshua’s Divine nature! But we also can see in verse 14 how all nations and peoples will serve HIM within this indestructible and everlasting kingdom.
Worth looking at is the rather odd convention of of service in verse 14. The term used for service פְּלַח p@lach from the root word פָּלַח palach is not the typical HOLY SERVICE terminology and for the most part is used only by Daniel!
My point? These verses in Daniel seem to be really pertinent to YESHUA’s dominion … and Kingdom which is clearly for “all peoples and nations” … and … Daniel’s utilization of a term for service/ministry that seems to be distinct from the “Avodat Ohel Mo’ed” … i.e. Temple Service begs questioning does it not?
It would seem that Daniel is declaring this state of “equality among servants” … which Paul is teaching those at Corinth … and if need be we can always just quote YESHUA … Matthew 25-28!