And the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate.” Genesis 3:12 You Gave – Sometimes the smallest details carry substantial implications. The story of Adam and Havvah is filled with very small details. Most are ignored by our all-too-familiar readings. What a…
And your desire is for your husband, and he does rule over you. Genesis 3:16 Desire – This verse has created an incredible amount of grief within the Body. For centuries the Church interpreted the verse as a prescriptive curse, claiming that God intentionally turned the tables on the equality of creation as punishment for…
“And he shall be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age.” Ruth 4:15 Restorer – Let’s do a little rabbinic exegesis. The women in Naomi’s circle told her, “Blessed be YHWH. He has not left you without a redeemer (go’el) that his name may be famous in Israel. And…
And Bo’az took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and YHWH granted her conception, and she bore a son. Ruth 4:13 Granted – Why is the book of Ruth even in the Tanakh? It’s about a Gentile woman. It’s filled with extraordinary, and perhaps scandalous, behavior. It seems like…
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them. Colossians 3:19 Be Embittered – OK, so husbands are supposed to love their wives. We know this is not just “feel good” love. Of course, love between a husband and a wife should feel good, but what Sha’ul has in mind is love that…
Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; . . 2 Corinthians 5:16 According To The Flesh – How do you look at life? How do you evaluate the actions of others? Forget that nonsense about “not judging.” We know judgment concerning the final outcome of every human being belongs to God….
Teach me Your way, O YHWH, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Psalm 27:11 Smooth Path – The idea of a smooth path doesn’t seem to present any problems, does it? We know what smooth paths ought to be. Even if I translate the Hebrew beorach mishor as “straight path”…
Teach me Your way, O YHWH, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Psalm 27:11 Lead – When God leads, it’s all about fences. That doesn’t sound much like leading, does it? We think of leading as moving away from fences. “Don’t fence me in” and “Think outside the box” are…
Teach me Your way, O YHWH, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Psalm 27:11 Teach – Did you ever take a class in archery at summer camp? It isn’t as easy as it looks, is it? You have to learn about holding the bow and the arrow correctly. If you…
In the day of my distress I sought YHWH; my hand was stretched out in the night and it did not cease, my being refused to be comforted. Psalm 77:2 (ISR) Refused To Be Comforted – It’s all connected. Of course, it’s not so easy to see the connections in translation, so let’s look for…
