Who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD raises up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous; Psalm 146:7-8 NASB The oppressed – When we read “the oppressed” we are likely to…
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me. Psalm 51:5 NASB Sin – We all know that Hebrew and Greek have many words for “love.” Both languages make distinctions that can’t be captured in a single English word. In order to understand what the Scripture says, we have to…
[Love] does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 1 Corinthians 13:5 NASB A wrong suffered – The Greek word is kakon (evil). There is a significant difference between the way this word is used in the New Testament and its usual…
[Love] does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 1 Corinthians 13:5 NASB Does not take into account – Ou logizetai to kakon [Love] does not take into account a wrong suffered. The literal translation is “does not count (to itself) evil.” …
“But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” Acts 28:22 Sect – Paul arrives in Rome. He is under house arrest. He calls the Jewish elders to meet with him. They come, anticipating dialogue. They want to…
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22 Will reward – Does this translation make sense to you? Is God promising to give you a reward…
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22 NASB Burning coals – The Hebrew word gahelet literally describes the burning coals used to ignite wood for…
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22 NASB Your enemy – “Fight fire with fire.” That’s the common point of view. What someone dishes out…
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34 NASB New – How important it is to remember that Yeshua didn’t speak these words in Greek! In Hebrew, the word he used is hadash, the same word used…
“And a second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:39 NASB Love – We all know that this Greek word is agapao. Agape love is the standard of Christian concern. We also recognize that it is self-sacrificing love, based not on what I might receive from another but solely on…
