And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 NASB Shedding of blood – This will be difficult. To even suggest an alternative understanding of what we are about to investigate may cause apoplectic theological shock. Some…
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. Proverbs 16:32 NASB Anger – The Hebrew for “slow to anger” is erek apayim. Behind this is the word ap, a word that describes the nostrils in breathing. This part of the body is important in Hebrew thought. Remember that God breathed life into…
He that conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. Proverbs 28:13 NASB Confesses – “Yada, yada, yada,” is a common Hebrew phrase that has made its way into English. We are familiar with its idiomatic meaning – “and more like that” or something similar. You know…
See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. 1 John 3:1 NASB Bestowed – In the New Testament this Greek word (dedoken) belongs to the same cognate group as the word for gift. It could be translated as giving, granting,…
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us, Psalm 103:12 NASB Removed – The word rahaq appears more than 50 times in the Old Testament. Its primary meaning is to indicate a physical distance between someone or something. In its ethical connotation it can be…
Rise up, be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness. Psalm 44:26 NASB For the sake of – Let’s think about salvation. Some Hebraic ideas help us clarify the notion that salvation is about forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We should note that the Hebrew idea of salvation is associated…
And Naomi said to her two daughter-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.” Ruth 1:8 NASB Deal kindly – What is the heart of the gospel? What lies right at the core of the good…
“and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 NASB Have forgiven – Read this carefully. Most of us learned this verse, and the prayer, in some version of the King James. Unfortunately, the King James didn’t make the tense of the verb very clear. “As we forgive” (KJV) could…
“So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:35 NASB Not forgive – Does God forgive everything? Before you say, “Of course!” you may wish to read this parable one more time. It is the parable of the slave who owed…
But when the multitudes saw this, they were filled with awe, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. Matthew 9:8 Filled With Awe – Matthew is fond of expressions of amazement, but his fondness is not simply a literary device. Long before Abraham Heschel mentioned it, Matthew recognized that the first step…
