Judgment Day
And if any one hears My sayings, and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him, the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. John 12:47-48 NASB
My sayings – The reason that the NASB translates this Greek word with “sayings” rather than “words” is to help the reader distinguish between rhema and logos. John uses logos in his opening verse. “In the beginning was the logos,” implies a connection to the Hebraic idea of wisdom, the personification found in Proverbs. But the classical use of the Greek logos is usually associated with human rationality and explanation, argument or principle. Since Yeshua only wrote one word that we know of, and we don’t actually know what word He wrote (see John 8), the author does not want you to think that there is some secret collection of the writings of Yeshua somewhere. He avoids this gnostic idea by using rhema, the Greek word for verbal statement or speech. Logos and rhema are sometimes used interchangeably, but that should not lead us to conclude that there is no contextual difference, nor should we conclude that these Greek terms point in the direction of their use in Greek philosophy. John’s use of these terms is thoroughly Hebraic.
With this background, we must pay close attention to Yeshua’s verbal statement. Notice that He does not say there is no judgment. Judgment is coming. The only issue is when. All He says is that it is not now. What will determine the outcome on that final day? Accepting or rejecting tou rhemata mou (the sayings of me). This should give us some concern. Yeshua gives a clear warning. If we reject His sayings, we reject Him – and the result is judgment. That begs the question: What are the sayings of Yeshua? How about Matthew 5:18? “I say unto you, until . . .” Do you know the rest?
Or Matthew 5:20? “For I say to you, unless . . .”
Matthew 5:22? “But I say to you, everyone . . .”
Matthew 5:39? “But I say to you, do not . . .”
Matthew 5:44? “But I say to you, love . . .”
Matthew 11:22? “But I say to you, it will be . . .”
Matthew 25:45? “Amen, amen, I say to you, inasmuch . . .”
There are more than one hundred “I say unto you” rhema statements from Yeshua. Anyone who rejects even one of these is in peril. Do you know what they say? Are you doing them?
Topical Index: rhema, statement, saying, word, John 12:47-48
Love the easy to read new format although for the past few days it hasn’t worked. So appreciate teach vids pod casts and daily Hebrew word studies. Thank you Skip
Jesus was right.
He was not of this world. And He told us neither were we.
When we receive our new birth in His life, we are ushered into
His spiritual realm of conscious realization. “Behold, all things
have become new.” 2 Cor 5:17
So, our physical life in this world begins to see and understand
living in a new dimension: His kingdom here on earth.
We know that we’re new and changed, but we also know we
have to grow into it by faith and obedience. It takes time.
The transformation of our mind is in lock step with our “believing”
His Word and “following it” by the conviction of our faith. “For in Him
we live and move and have our being . . .” Acts 17:28
Our connection to our flesh and its desires deminish, but not
without struggle. Peter exhorts us in our on-going efforts:
“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct
honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against
you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they
observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Pet 2: 11-12
Peter was straight up. Our lusts “war” against us. it’s the war
between eternal life and death. And the battles in this war are
spiritual.
Thus Jesus’ series of “I say unto you”. He was speaking to us
spiritually.
Paul got it. “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not
fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” Gal 5:16
Jesus IS the Word. And it is Spirit. Stay in Him — walk in the Spirit.
And avoid judgement.
Shalom Skip. Your writings are awesome. Please, though, don’t call the Saviour by the name the Jews put on Him. Of course, not his parents. He was named after His Father, Yahuah. The closest Name we found, through the years, is Yahusha, and the long form being Yahushua. (Seeing it is spelled yod-hey-waw-sheen-ayin) Wouldn’t you think that was Yahusha?
Margaret
There is a significant reason for using Yeshua. It has nothing to do with the Jews. The name comes from a play on words found in Matthew and requires a masculine noun form of the verb “to save.” In my opinion (and others), the correct Hebrew name would be Yeshua.
Consider this from Bob Gorelik:
2 Yeshua—masculine form of the Hebrew word “salvation.” Yeshua ( [‘WvyE ) is the proper Hebrew name of Jesus. “Jesus” is derived from the Greek Iêsous ( !Ihsou'” ). Iêsous is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Y’ho-shua or Joshua ( [“vu/hyÒ ) and means “the Lord is salvation.”
According to Mathew 1:21, Yeshua was named Salvation (not “the Lord is salvation”), because he would “save his people from their sins.” The “word-play” employed, i.e., between the name Yeshua and the Hebrew word for “save” exists only in Hebrew—it does not exist in Greek—and, it does not exist in English:
!h,yte/n/[}me /M[‘Ata, [‘yvi/y aWh yKi [‘WvyE /mv]Ata, t;ar;q;wÒ
—v’ka-ra-tah et sh’mo yeshua ki hu yo-shi-ah et amo me-avono-tei-hem.
In my opinion, the name Yeshua also implies the deity of the Messiah, since the text in Matthew says that “Yeshua will save … from sins”—a statement that can only be true if Yeshua is the very “form of God” (Phil 2:6-7). See also Exo 15:2; Psa 27:1; 37:39; 74:12; Jn 10:28; Acts 4:12)
Ironically, even though the name Jesus is the name by which Yeshua is known in English—in the First-century, he was never called by that name.
I heard so many names for our Messiah like YAHUSHA YESHUAH YAHUSHUAH
AND THAT THE FATHER HAS HIS NAME IN HIS SON. YAHUAH. INSTEAD FOR YHWH
THERE’S SOM BLACK PEOPLE WHO SAY HIS NAME IS YAHAWASHA OR SOMETHING… PLS I’M CONFUSED WHAT IS THE TRUE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES FOR THE CREATOR FATHER AND OUR SAVIOUR CREATOR FATHER’S SON?
MUST WE GET BAPTISED NOW AGAIN IN THE TRUE NAME?
AND ON A Saturday Sabbath preaching church like 7th day adv…?
I think I got baptized wrongly on a Sunday in the name of father son holy spirit and in christ?
God bless thank you for any truth help
You can use the search box on my home page web site to look at some of these topics, like baptism. As for the name, many scholars believe it is Yeshua, although there is still some debate about the spelling. It is certainly NOT Jesus.
All This..- (and more!) Logos is word, thought or idea. A rhema is a “particular’ or singular word. Not just a leaf on a tree, but a particular leaf on a particular tree. A “chosen” leaf! – (this one). A rhema from the Logos. An apple (singular) from a group of apples (plural).
Meanwhile, (back at the ranch..) Yeshua is the Living Word, the Living Word of God. HIs Name is (also) the Word of God. How does “any man” know this? “it is written!”- The written word and the living Word are “one!”
~ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is the Word of God ~ (Revelation 19.13)
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!