“You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” Leviticus 19:2b JPS Be holy – Levine’s excursus in the JPS commentary on Leviticus provides an important qualification about the term qādôš (holy): The biblical term for holiness is kodesh. Though the noun is abstract, it is likely that the perception of holiness was not thoroughly abstract. In fact, kodesh had several meanings,…
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 NIV perfect peace – I want a life of peace. Most people do. I want all the conflict to end, all the bitterness, betrayal, agony, angst. Oh, not just for “world peace.” What I really want is it…
Call now, is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn? Job 5:1 NASB The holy ones – “Silent Night.” A great Christmas carol . . . but what if it’s not just a song about tranquility in December? What if “silent night” is the kind of response…
Also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. Ezekiel 20:12 NASB My sabbaths – What is the purpose of the Sabbath? Is it simply to cease working for a day, to rest up, to renew yourself? Or maybe its purpose…
“Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.’” Leviticus 19:2 NASB You shall be holy – How we have abused this verse! It is cited in Matthew (5:48 in the Greek version, not exactly what it says in Hebrew). …
