Manna from Heaven (1)
What say we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may increase? Romans 6:1 NASB
Sin – The Hebrew word manna literally means “What is it?” This food that fell from heaven completely bewildered the Israelites. Their language expresses this surprise. But today we don’t give a second thought to the actual meaning of the word. For us, it’s just manna.
Exactly the same ignorance concerning another important Hebrew concept has occurred in the translation history from Hebrew to English. That concept is sin. Yes, that’s right. We think we know what sin is. In our English translations, we use words like “guilt” or “offense” or “disobedience.” But consider Grundmann’s comment in TDNT.
“a. The LXX with its summary use of hamartía, adikía, anomía, etc. hardly does justice to the rich and flexible Hebrew original and often misses the point, e.g., when “guilt” is in view. The Hebrew terms translated by hamartía and the like (for a full list see TDNT, I, 268–69) do not have an exclusive religious use, so that it is easy in translation either to import this or to weaken it. No uniform or self-contained concept of sin is present in the OT authors, and detailed questions of linguistic history further complicate the matter.
b. The four main roots which carry the idea of sin have the varied senses of ‘sin or negligence,’ ‘rebelling,’ ‘guilt,’ and ‘error,’ enough to show the variety of thinking about sin quite apart from the many other roots.”[1]
Did you understand what Grundmann said? The English translation of the Hebrew idea of sin, even the Greek translation in the LXX and the New Testament, doesn’t come close to capturing the totality of the concept. And if our idea of sin is weak and barren, how do we expect to avoid it? It’s like manna. We don’t even know what it is.
Let’s start with just one element of this grand misunderstanding. The statistically most common Hebrew root is Chet-Tav (as in the word hatah). Occurring 580 times in the Tanakh, its basic meaning is “to miss the way.” But it doesn’t necessarily involve religious ideas. It can mean to transgress a custom, obligation, treaty or law. Grundmann points out that this legal sense implies a foundation based on order. What violates a prescribed, ordered pattern in God’s world is sin. So disobeying a father or mother is sin. Violating a cycle in nature is sin (e.g. disrupting the natural growth of vegetables). Neglecting a prescribed ritual is sin (e.g. dismissing God’s appointed times). Failing to honor a specific custom or obligation is sin (e.g. ignoring Shabbat). This word also includes negligence through ignorance. Yes, that’s right. Even if you don’t know, you can commit sin.
Are you starting to see just how big the Hebrew idea really is? Is the manna from heaven becoming clearer? And if it is, what will you do about it now? How many patterns in God’s ordered world have you neglected, disrupted, ignored or violated, even unknowingly? I guess it’s a lot more complicated than our simplified translations lead us to believe, isn’t it? I guess it demands becoming part of a different culture.
Topical Index: sin, hatah, hamartano, Romans 6:1
[1] W. Grundmann, hamartano, in Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament , p. 43.
SMALL LOGISTICS NOTE: There are at this moment 14,268 emails in my various mailboxes. I intend to do my best to answer, eliminate or save. If you didn’t hear from me recently, you know why.
hatah – to miss the way.
Torah – the showing of the way (Source: New Wilson’s Old Testament Dictionary)
Torah – to hit the mark/target (Source: Eugene Peterson, Answering God: The Psalms As Tools For Prayer)
hamartia – to miss the mark
The English sin is from the old English synn. “The word sin derives from the Middle English word sinne, which in turn was derived Old English word synn, meaning “wrong-doing, injury or hostility”. The word Synn was believed to be borrowed from the Latin word sontis meaning “criminal” and the French word sons meaning “guilty. ” It originally wasn’t a religious term.”
So one more time an English word does not adequately express the Hebrew original.
Forgive me for getting nostalgic, but my father was a patient and kind soul who always had time to spend with his children. He did not come to Christ until he was 77 years old, but his true-father’s heart made it easy for my brothers and me to recognize and respond to the heart of our True Father as very young men.
Maybe it’s the “Greek me” speaking, but I learned early on that sin can be compared to missing the mark in archery. (Sounds a little like “missing the way,” Skip.)
My dad taught me to shoot a bow when I was 12 years old. That was 45 years ago, and I still experience an almost indescribable thrill whenever I draw and release an arrow.
It’s easy to miss the mark. Poor form, mismatched equipment, infrequent practice, lack of concentration and a host of other factors can result in erratic arrow flight. But my dad was a good coach. He was patient, albeit persistent, as he pointed out what I was doing wrong. Then he’d show me how to fix it. Once I was able to consistently hit the bulls-eye from one spot, he’d move me a few steps back and continue the lessons. Before long, I had no excuse for missing. (That doesn’t mean I never missed; it means I had to accept responsibility for where the arrow went.)
When I got older, we used to play a game. Alternating shots, we took turns trying to shoot the plastic nocks (the notched part of the arrow that attaches to the string) off of the other guy’s arrow. We destroyed a lot of arrows, but the thing I remember most was the huge I’m-so-proud-of-my-son smile on my dad’s face whenever my arrow chipped a nock or stripped a feather from one of his.
My earthly father trained me to hit the bulls-eye on a target butt made of straw without realizing that he was teaching me to aim for a different kind of mark. After he passed away, I wrote a poem in honor of him and as a reminder that we are all meant to fly straight:
“The Master Archer”
The Master Archer, bow unslung
Placed a shaft on the string
I am that arrow, freed
Flying toward the mark
Of the high calling of Christ!
~Tim in Bend, Oregon
Tim,
That was an excellent illustration of our Heavenly Father’s love and patience in teaching us. I, too, learned that the definition of sin was “missing the mark” (and now thanks to Skip, much more!).
What you described was a beautiful illustration! Thanks for sharing that.
Charlene – New Jersey
Tim thank you for sharing that.
My agnostic earthly father actually taught me the meaning of worship through his dedication to nature. He also was a disciplined and orderly man whom I came to mimic.
When I came to Yeshua I able to transfer that whole hearted dedication (worship) of the creature to the Creator. The wonder of creation suddenly gave me a perspective and a very high view of our Heavenly Father. It was so sweet to see him take hold of Christ shortly before he passed. Your story just refreshed and warmed that memory.
“The Master Archer”
The Master Archer, bow unslung
Placed a shaft on the string
I am that arrow, freed
Flying toward the mark
Of the high calling of Christ!
~Tim in Bend, Oregon
Hi Tim,
I like the metaphor of bending your bow and hitting the mark
And don’t tend to think of sin as a “state of being”
But lately I have begun to feel a lot like I’ve missed the mark
Living in a state of sin and suffering the consequences
W.O.W. that is why we need to be “”BORN AGAIN FROM ABOVE OF THE SPIRIT”” for to understand with our own understanding and insight will not suffice, whether JEWISH OR GENTILE.
Only the “”NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST”” IS ENABLED TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPLICATION OF WHAT “”SIN TRULY IS””?????
L.O.L. ::::LOVE OF LIGHT:::for HE (JESHUA) ALONE IS THE LIGHT WE NEED .
Gerry
Does God love us because we are “worthy?”- or are we worthy because He loves us?
Listen again to these words from God’s Book. ~ For you (Mr. Yetzer Hara) are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God ~ (Colossians 3.3) When He died, “I” died with Him. Buried by baptism, (immersed with THE Messiah) unto death..- raised to walk in newness of life.. It is a sermon we see every Sunday. The “yetzer hara” is dead, EGO (edge God out) is “not I- but Christ”- He must increase, but the big “I” must decrease..- Decrease to the point of crucifixion- (you think “self” dies easily?)- Not a chance..- crucifixion is a long, slow, painful (there will be pain?) process.
We receive the Spirit of truth, the Ruach, immediately at the moment of our deliverance. We become as “newborn babes.” And are hungry for milk. One thing matters and one thing only.. “feed me.” A baby wants as in WANTS milk! The little critter doesn’t care who won the world series, or the election (ha!)- the litte dude or duderess wants to be fed and fed NOW. There is a strong desire (well hello!)- “strong desire” you say? As in “lust?” – Have my “desires” changed here? Things that make me say hmmm.
What do “I” desire? What is the desire of my (new and improved!) heart? Ahh.. Let me testify, please.. or I’ll pop.
Do I (he asked) do I desire to remain “in sin?” Sin is stupid! I should hurt myself right? Sin IS insane! Sin is damaging. Did you know that? Sin is destructive. Did you know that? Sin is debilitating. Did you know that? Sin is a disease. Did you know that? And Sin is dumb. So “I” should continue in sin, -right ? Wrong answer Mr. Wrong answer M’am. I have learned, (you want to see my scars?), Sin leads to death. Oh yes, may I sin that I may die. If there is one thing that pleases God (our Father btw) it is sin- right? And what (tell me) was it that held Christ to the cross?
It was MY sins that held Him there,-until it was accomplished. If there is one thing “I” can’t stand- it is sin. I (he announced to the world and to whoever would listen) “HATE” sin. In any form or fashion, I loathe sin and love my Savior. Well- who’s got a new “attitude?” It would be me- who once leapt into sin and loved it (yeah sin!!- there is after “pleasure in sin for a season..” Sin is pleasurable- until you get to the center of the tootsie roll and find out the poison inside!. But now, “post-Christ?” A.D. After “Carl” died- (you didn’t know “I” am dead- did you?” Ha!, a conversation by a “dead man” If only one would return from the dead- we would listen to him!- No you wouldn’t.. ONE did return from the dead and we still don’t listen. His Name is Wonderful.
Today? I lapse into sin and loathe it. I hate what God hates and God hates sin. Did you know that? Or do you even care what God hates? – Your just going to keep on “doing your thing”- whatever that thing may be.. but give it time friend- and see where sin leads. Just keep on keepin’ on- follow the trail on ahead- it is a downward spiral – out of the garden- and will lead to death/separation. Sin causes separation, (death)- did you know that? Sin causes sickness- mental, physical, financial, emotional.. Oh yes, give me heaping helping of this stuff,-please! NOT.
How (in retrospect, of course!) I would have loved to have been in the garden, to hear the serpent say “Hath God said?” to “me.” Friends, “agree with your Adversary (did you know we have an Adversary?) while you are with him in the way with him”. So He says “hath God said?” and we agree with him by saying, (the right answer Adam- didn’t you remember?) “YES!!- God did say that.. and thank you for reminding me!!”
~ Of David. A maskil. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered ~
(Psalm 32.1)
Has God provided a “covering” for my sins? What did He use to “cover’ our (not so great) Great grandparents, Adam and Eve? Was (atoning) blood shed in order to “cover” them?
~ In fact, the Torah requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness ~ (Hebrews 9.22) Oh? Then Whose blood was shed for the remission of sins?
~ This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins ~ (Matthew 26.28)
Who said this, – and when did this happen?
Good morning to all. While reading todays Today Word I have become much more aware of what Jesus did for us.
Yes, Tim that was lovely! I did hear a few years ago that the word “sin” is an archery term meaning “to miss the mark.” YHWH commands us to ” be ye perfect for I Am perfect.” Perfect meaning, fully grown, mature, ripe as in ripe for the plucking. Our fruit from our tree needs to be ready for the eating. It’s all about the harvest!
I wonder if “missing the mark” provides an adequate picture of the meaning of sin. Missing the mark implies, perhaps, that it was the intention of the shooter to hit the mark. Does this mean that anything less than a perfect bulls-eye is “missing the mark” and therefore sin?
1 John 3:4 indicates sin is more than missing the mark. It is lawlessness – anomia. This means it is a deliberate attempt, not at missing the mark, but at re-creating a new mark and attempting to hit that. In other words, sin is not just “missing the mark” – it is deliberately aiming for the wrongmark.
And now you have introduced the OTHER Hebrew words for sin. There is individual error, communal error, violation of norm, corporate disobedience and rebellion. As we shall see.
Thank you all for helping me start my day off right – with a renewed
determination to please God not only in all I do today but
in my thoughts and attitudes toward others as well.
Part of my journey from traditional Judaism to finding Yeshua
Hamashiach was through the New Age movement. Nothing “new”
in that – just the same old lies. The word “sin” was a big no-no;
we just made “mistakes” that could be rectified best by seeking
“at-onement” with the Universal Being or at least by
reincarnation. Essentially a mish-mash of beliefs lifted from
Eastern philosophies, this sloppy, feel-good spirituality
pervades our present culture and is as dangerous to a true understanding
of God, in my view, as Western (Greek) thought.