In a place where there are no people, strive to be a man. Rabbi Hillel Pirke Avot 2:6B No People – Hillel’s saying is not an endorsement of the monastic life. He is not suggesting that we strive to become truly human in the wilderness. What Hillel means is this: there are plenty of communities…
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. Revelation 21:1 NASB Passed – Things aren’t always what they seem. If we’ve learned anything from the last decade of New Testament scholarship, we’ve learned that the previous…
And YHWH Elohim formed Man out of dry, loose earth dirt Genesis 2:7a (my translation) Formed – “To bring desire into existence.” That’s yatsar. God desired partnership in the regulation and enhancement of His creation. That desire was manifested in the formation of Man. Because the desire to bring into existence is the essence of…
And YHWH Elohim formed Man out of dry, loose earth dirt Genesis 2:7a (my translation) Formed – We’ve learned that this occurrence of yatsar contains a double Yod. The rabbis tell us that this indicates the two impulses of Man, the yetser ha-tov and the yester ha’ra. It’s pretty clear that tov (good) and ra…
And YHWH Elohim formed Man out of dry, loose earth dirt Genesis 2:7a (my translation) Formed – Something very odd occurs in this verse. In fact, there are two rather unusual linguistic events here. The first is about how we were made. Normally, the verb yatsar (to form, to fashion, to shape) is spelled Yod-Tsadde-Resh. …
But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” Mark 7:28 NASB Under the table – Have you thrown someone under the table? Isn’t that the point of this story? The woman is a true outsider. She isn’t a citizen anywhere. Mark says…
But I am poor and needy, yet the Lord takes thought for me; you are my help and my savior; delay not, O God. Psalm 40:18 (Hebrew World) I am poor – Back up one verse. “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You, let those who love Your salvation say…
Deep calls to deep at the noise of Your cataracts; all Your waves and Your billows have gone over me. Psalm 42:7 (Hebrew text – translation Hebrew World) Your – You’re waiting for the big one. Floating on the ocean, slipping over the little waves with relative ease, you wait for the one big thrill,…
My tears have been my bread day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” Psalm 42:4 Hebrew text (Hebrew World) Where – “Tragic is the embarrassment of the man of faith.”[1] Do you experience the embarrassment of faith? Have you had the accusations of Job’s wife thrown at you? “If…
Thank you all for the outpouring of birthday greetings. I really appreciated it. I leave for Africa tomorrow. So, comments will be a bit delayed. Patrick is handling the Today’s Word delivery. It is all scheduled, no interruptions. For those whom I have been able to reach by phone, it was great to have the…
