Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. Genesis 33:18 NASB Safely– Jonathan Sacks translates this passage as, “And Jacob emerged complete.” He points out that Jacob no longer wanted or needed the blessing that Isaac intended for…
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 NASB Blessed are – Perhaps you’ve read my book, The Lucky Life. If you haven’t, I forgive you. But you should. Because you will discover that Yeshua didn’t teach these lessons in Greek. Yes, of course, they have been transmitted to us in Greek, but…
Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. Genesis 3:20 NASB Mother of all the living– Previous investigation of the crucial story (see Guardian Angel) helped us see that the name given to the woman by Adam was certainly not uplifting. In fact, there are reasons to believe that…
Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, Psalm 25:4-5a NASB Know/teach – “The whole of Torah, writes Sefat Emet, is a complex of hints, allusions to the unattainable.”[1] The rabbi’s statement shocks us. Don’t we need to know the truth in unambiguous ways so that we can properly follow God and…
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. Psalm 88:1 (Hebrew text – NASB) Sons of Korah – Our story begins with the rebellion of Korah against Moses’ authority. The event is recorded in Numbers 16 and again in Numbers 26. But there…
Remember, do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness; from the day that you left the land of Egypt until you arrived at this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord. Deuteronomy 9:7 NASB Remember – “To us, recollection is a holy act; we sanctify the present by remembering the past. To us…
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Hebrews 12:2 NASB Joy set before him– Our final example of joy connects the ideas we found in the Pauline writings to…
For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Philemon 1:7 NASB Joy and comfort – We return to the Greek term chará in Paul’s letter to Philemon. Now we are equipped with a broader appreciation for the Hebraic background of Paul’s Greek. Paul attaches joy to comfort. …
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.Romans 15:13 NASB Joy and peace– Paul connects joy and peace. There is a link between chará and eirḗnē. In fact, this link also includes elpís (hope) for it is the “God of hope”…
and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.1 Peter 1:8-9 NASB Joy inexpressible– What is “joy inexpressible”? Are we to understand this expression in the same…
