“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11 NASB Parable – Peter complained that Paul’s writing was difficult to follow, but Paul’s letters are a piece of cake compared to the teachings of Yeshua in the Gospels. Why? Because I can at least follow Paul’s arguments and reasoning with…
What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Romans 3:3 NIV What if – “Sanity – what we get when we quit hoping for a better past.”[1] What if you and I had only been different? What if we had grown up in a Hebraic culture? What if those family patterns weren’t…
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 NASB Be joined – We can hardly overemphasize the minimization that occurs when the Hebrew verb dabak is translated in this seminal verse. NASB suggests, “be joined.” ESV “hold…
So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. Ruth 1:22 NASB Returned – How are you going? No, it’s not a typo. It’s not “where are you going?” that matters at this moment. It’s “how.” The verbs used to describe Naomi’s return are quite interesting….
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service. Nehemiah 13:14 ESV Remember me – And Naomi said, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me”…
She said to her, “All that you say I will do.” Ruth 3:5 NASB You say – We are concerned when a translated text either adds or eliminates words. After all, this is sacred Scripture. Don’t mess with the text. But there are some cases where “messing with the text” is precisely what has been…
Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. Genesis 13:12 NASB Moved – Lot didn’t start out corrupted. In fact, there are Jewish legends that he attempted to demonstrate a life of righteousness even while living in Sodom. Perhaps…
“Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.” Judges 21:20b-21…
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. 1 Timothy 3:16 NASB Godliness – A lot of trouble occurs when theological constructs get in the way…
“Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” Jonah 3:9 NASB Who knows – Does God change His mind? The king of Nineveh certainly hoped so. So should we. What hope can we have if the will of God is inflexibly fixed from eternity past?…
