Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them. Hosea 14:9 NASB Are right – Hosea reveals that YHWH’s darke (paths) are yesharim (straight, upright). We should notice…
“It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’” Deuteronomy 30:12 NASB Not in heaven – Have you considered the implications of Moses’ observation about God’s revelation? Moses is delivering Torah to…
For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NASB Nothing – The Greek word translated “nothing” is oudeis, from ou (meaning “not”) and heis (meaning “one”). Literally it means “not one thing.” Yeshua is speaking to His disciples. He tells them that He is the vital energy of their lives (the vine). They…
And the Lord raised up an adversary to Solomon 1 Kings 11:14 NASB Adversary – You may find this word surprising. It is the Hebrew word satan. That’s right. Our word Satan in English is really a transliterated Hebrew word that means “adversary.” The reason we connect it to the person we call Satan is…
She answered, “You are most kind, my lord, to comfort me and to speak gently to your maidservant – though I am not so much as one of your maidservants.” Ruth 2:13 JPS Comfort/ speak gently – Ruth acknowledges Boaz’ favor with a reply that says more than the translation. She uses two constructions, naham…
But Ruth replied, “Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16 I will go – “From a cultural perspective, Ruth has chosen death…
Ruth the Moabite said, “He even told me, ‘Stay close to my workers until all my harvest is finished.’” Ruth 2:21 JPS Workers – Phyllis Trible observes that Ruth must work within the culture and against the culture in order to transform the culture. This verse captures Ruth’s daring enterprise with typical Hebraic clues. Nothing…
to sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted and humble in spirit. 1 Peter 3:8 NASB Humble – In Greek this word is philophrones. Now you get to do a little Greek investigation yourself. You already know both parts of this word. Can you put the two parts together here and create a…
to sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted and humble in spirit” 1 Peter 3:8 NASB Kind-hearted – eusplanchnoi in Greek. Wow! Don’t even try to say this word. The prefix eu means “well” or “good” (you remember eulogize?). But “good” what? The second part of the word (splanchnon) means “intestine” or in…
to sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted and humble in spirit. 1 Peter 3:8 NASB Brotherly – This is a word you are not likely to forget, once you know what it is. The word is philadelphio. We have a city in Pennsylvania by that name. It literally means “brotherly love.” There…
