“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, . . .” Luke 6:27 NASB Do good – If you read this passage only in its Greek translation, you might conclude that doing good is essentially about benefiting the other. The Greek kalos is about what is…
and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:12 ESV (and others) That it was – Familiarity is the enemy of investigation. How many times have you read this phrase? How many times have you recalled the Genesis story and considered the goodness of God’s actions? And how many of those times have you noticed…
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. 1 Chronicles 16:34 NASB Good – Let’s read this verse in its literal Hebrew order. Hodu laYHVH ki tov ki leolam hasdo. Literally, “Thanks to YHVH for good for forever hesed his” (the pronoun is attached to the word). You…
Good and upright is the LORD. Therefore He guides offenders on the way. Psalm 25:8 Robert Alter translation Therefore – When you think of God as good, what comes to mind? Do you think of His moral character—blameless, holy, perfect? Do you think of His blessings—prosperity, happiness, health? How is God’s goodness connected to the…
Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right and true before the LORD his God. 2 Chronicles 31:20 NASB Good/ right/ true – Hezekiah was one of Israel’s faithful kings. The narrative tells us that he did everything he could to seek God with all his heart. Hezekiah had but…
Only this, I have found, as a real good: that one should eat and drink and get pleasure with all the gains he makes under the sun, during the numbered days of life that God has given him; for that is his portion. Ecclesiastes 5:17 NJPS Real good – There are two views of what…
Samuel said, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 NASB…
Woe to those who say to evil, good; and to good, evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20 (KJV) Evil/Good – What characterizes the ethics of the world more than this? “Evil is good, good is evil.” At some level, most…
I YHWH and none else, forming light and creating darkness; making peace and creating evil – I YHWH do all these things. Isaiah 45:6-7 Peace – What is an antonym? Answer: the opposite. The antonym of black is white. The antonym of fast is slow. The antonym of leader is follower. But when it comes…
He satisfies the thirsty soul and He fills the hungry soul with good. Psalm 107:9 With Good – Did you expect that? Wouldn’t we expect the psalmist to say, “He fills the hungry soul with food?” After all, isn’t this verse about what we need to survive? The Hebrew mi le-tov is literally “He satisfies…
