Hidden Love

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God; and such we are.  For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  1 John 3:1  NASB For this reason – Did you notice that John claims the world…

The Denial of Revelation

And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  1 Corinthians 13:2  ESV Have not – How we agonize over this verse!  Paraded before the cringing audience in the pews, preachers hammer believers for…

I See You

for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  1 Samuel 16:7  NASB Heart – This is only a part of verse 7, but a very important part.  Even more interestingly, the translation from the New American Standard (above) is not exactly what…

Love Test

the one who does not love does not know God for God is love  1 John 4:8 NASB Not – This is a harsh verse.  It may not seem harsh because we are likely to modify its meaning.  We want to feel better about our efforts to meet its demands, so we lessen the impact…

Filling in the Gaps

And He said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  Matthew 22:37 Love – Does this commandment apply to you today?  Of course it does!  I don’t know anyone in the believing community who would argue that this commandment…

The Shema in Action

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”  Matthew 22:36  (R. T. France) Which – The question wasn’t a simple inquiry.  The lawyer who asked it intended to set a trap.  Perhaps you’ve encountered questions like this one.  They seem to be about true spiritual concerns, but under the surface they are really designed…

Getting the Greek Out

“A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34  NASB Love – It won’t be surprising to discover that the Greek word here is agapao.  We would be shocked if it were anything else.  Agape is the kind…

Dis-counting

[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…

What’s the Score?

[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.” …

Something Old, Something New

“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…