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The study of the Bible in its historical context - with a focus on the archaeology, history, geography, customs , culture, and even the languages of the ancient Middle East. WE ask what did they understand THEN - the original intent of the Lord - so that we can expand and enrich our understanding NOW and thus become true disciples of Adonai Yeshua as in John 8:31-32.
Episodes
Monday Jan 30, 2023
Monday Jan 30, 2023
(Note - it is highly recommended that you listen to lesson 1 of this series on the Lord's prayer. I provided the link below).
I remember a time when I had hurt someone in one of my classes. I reacted to their opinion on a specific issue very harshly. Later I did learn from others in the class that 1) they did not appreciate my intense reaction to this person and 2) they knew this person was hurt and angry with me and 3) they understood why I got so angry but it was not the proper way of handling the situation. Needless to say, I hurt someone with my words. It reminded me me of ...
"The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Mat 12:35-37)
Ouch! His Spirit was working in me telling me that I sinned. Something needed to happen.
On one hand, this person I hurt may have forgiven me "in his heart." He may have done this based upon what Jesus teaches that ...
"My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." (Mat 18:35)
Many of us do this as Christians today. Someone hurt us, abused us, sinned against us and we forgive that person "from our heart," but the one who hurt us doesn't know it. For us it is a way we think we are listening to Rabbi Yeshua and living as true disciples.
On the other hand, even though this person I hurt may have "forgiven me in his heart," and I didn't know it, I was dealing with the Father and through His Spirit I was being plagued with guilt that I have not gone to this person, confessed my sin, repented, and asked for this person's forgiveness. I had already done this with the Lord. I knew I was forgiven. But, the Lord would not let me off the hook! Why? Because He taught us this ...
"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering." (Mat 5:23-24)
He didn't mean to seek forgiveness from Him and let it all go. NO!! He is teaching clearly that I need to go to the person, confess, repent, and seek their forgiveness. I did go to that person. I did confess, repent, and I asked for this person to forgive me. I was forgiven by that person. I must say this was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. It was easy to go to the Father and confess and repent and seek forgiveness. But, doing that with the person who I sinned against, that is entirely a different matter.
So, we now return to the Lord's Prayer -
תפילת האדוי - HaTehfeelah Adonai
We will focus on the verse Matt. 6:12 where we pray that the Lord will forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Why use the word debt or debtors? Why didn't Jesus use the word sin and sinners? Besides that it seems as if Jesus is showing us that if we want to be forgiven by the Lord we first need to forgive. Is that what this all means? Once again, we are reading in English translated from the Greek which is translated from the Hebrew and it comes out of a totally Jewish culture of 2000 years ago. Is it possible then as we put this verse into its historical context that things will begin to make real sense? Answer! You better believe it. Moreover, we will see how it relates to the situation I described from my own life.
Links promised in this session ...
1) Brad Young's article at Jerusalem Perspective (Note - this is a pay site. Cost is $60 per year. It is a highly credible scholarly site that if you are serious about your Bible study this is one site that is a must) - https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2300/
2) Link to lesson 1 of this series - listen to this to understand how this prayer is related to being a true disciple of Rabbi Jesus - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nuggets-6-the-lords-prayer-part-1-pray-like-the-rabbi/
Link 3 - Ray Vander Laan's article on "Rabbi and Talmidim" - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Monday Jan 30, 2023
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Episode 9 in the video series, "Five Small Stones," is now ready. Again, we are studying the question of how does the Bible help us understand that Jesus is the FIRST and that Jesus is the LAST. In this lesson we probably have heard some say that Jesus did away with the law or the Torah. (Note: in many English translations one reads the word LAW. This refers to the TORAH, the 1st five books of the Bible. TORAH does not mean law but instruction.) That is interesting since Paul teaches us that Jesus "completed" the Torah and that the TORAH helps us to come to Jesus. This is found in his letters and the only Bible they had when he wrote his epistles was the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament where the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, the TORAH, was the foundational books of the Bible in Jesus' day and Paul's. But, more than what Paul wrote and taught us, Jesus said He came to fulfill the TORAH. In Greek this means that He would live out the TORAH as an example to all of us. So, Jesus did not come to do away with the law, the TORAH, He came to "finish it." This is so evident if you study the text of His word in its historical context. This is so awesome.
Here's the link to video #9 in the series, "Five Small Stones," - https://youtu.be/-FSJ0GytjSo
Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? What's his background? Why should we take time to listen to him? Here's a link to check out his background - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
In lesson 7 we focus on the phrase of Matt 6:11, "Give us this day our daily bread." Was Jesus teaching His disciples, His talmideem תלמידים in Hebrew, something new? As Dr. Brad Young states in his amazing article, "The Lord's Prayer," (see the link below to Jerusalem Perspective, a scholarly website of Christian and Jewish Bible scholars presenting the Jewish background of the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke) ...
"Too often, the importance of the Jewish background of the prayer and of the language that Jesus used has been overlooked or minimized. Jesus was a Jew, speaking Hebrew to his Jewish followers during the difficult days of the Roman occupation of Israel in the Second Temple Period. A modern Christian has a quite different understanding of prayer, Scripture, and faith than a Jewish teacher like Jesus, not to mention the great differences of language, culture, and history. One easily can miss the great depth of Jesus’ message, even while believing in him. Here we will try to rediscover something of the original Jewish atmosphere in which Jesus taught his followers how to approach God in prayer."
So we will reconnect again to the historical context of this prayer that Jesus taught to His disciples, His talmideem תלמידים and we will see that awesome meaning behind the simple phrase of Matt. 6:11. It will help us again pray this prayer with a new expanded understanding of this central prayer for any disciple of our Lord Jesus. Our walk as disciples of Yeshua HaMasheeiachk, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Christ will be enriched and strengthened.
The Lord’s Prayer 1: Introduction. Brad Young. (Note: this is part 1 of 10)
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2229/
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Saturday Jan 28, 2023
Saturday Jan 28, 2023
In part 1 we learned that the Kingdom of God was a concept in Second Temple Judaism, the religion of Jesus' day, that was understood by the Jewish people. We saw that Moses states that God will reign forever and ever (Exod. 15:18). Thus, if God reigns, He is king. If God is King then He has a Kingdom. But, His Kingdom does not have a territory or borders or a palace or castle. In Jesus' day the Kingdom of God meant only that God rules and reigns over His creation, the heavens and the earth, the universe. It is like what the Jewish people say in their daily blessings that Adonai is King of the Universe. Here's the blessing over bread ...
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, KING of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth.
So, in the first century A.D. in Israel, God's Kingdom was and is and will always be. So, as we continue to study the phrase in Matt. 6:10, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," we ask then if His Kingdom was and is and will always be why are we praying that His Kingdom should come? Are we missing something? Again, we are. We are disconnected from how the disciples of Jesus understood the Kingdom of God 2000 years ago when Jesus taught this prayer. We need again to reconnect to those days to expand our understanding of the Lord's Prayer and what it all means to them and to us today.
I mentioned I would link several articles that are examples of my resources that I have accessed to develop these podcasts on the Lord's Prayer and on the Kingdom of the Lord. These links are shown below. The links that have a "*" before them will take you to the website www.JerusalemPerspective.com
which has an annual fee to access the entire article and the remaining 100's of articles available from highly credible Christian and Jewish scholars. I highly recommend this website for any of you who are serious students of the Bible. This is one resource that is worth paying the annual fee for real scholarship and study.
* The Kingdom of God: God’s Power Among Believers. Robert L. Lindsey
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2445/
* Literary Languages in the Time of Jesus. Shmuel Safrai
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2563/
* Jesus and the Oral Torah: The Unutterable Name of God. David Biven.
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2087/
* The Lord's Prayer. David Biven.
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/769/
* The Lord’s Prayer 1: Introduction. Brad Young. (Note: this is part 1 of 10)
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2229/
The following articles are accessed for free at the amazing website www.EnGediResourceCenter.org
including articles by Lois Tverberg on the Lord's Prayer and the Kingdom of God.
Articles on the Lord's Prayer - https://engediresourcecenter.com/tag/lords-prayer/
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Saturday Jan 28, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
In lesson 6 of this podcast series we now focus on the phrase ...
Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. (Mat 6:9-10 NASB)
Once again we will reconnect to the Jewish culture of Jesus' day so as to learn how His disciples (talmideem in Hebrew) understood the words of the prayer Jesus taught them; the prayer He also taught us since we too have been "grafted in" to the olive tree of Israel and we too must strive daily to live and serve as true disciples of the Lord.
So what did they hear when when they prayed, "Your Kingdom come?" Certainly in those days all Jews were longing for the Messiah to come. They were longing for Him to restore Israel as a Jewish nation free from Rome. So, did the disciples "hear" these words and think of the Messiah's coming kingdom under the reign of Adonai? Or when they prayed these words did it mean something else, something more, something more profound?
We may be like other Christians who pray these words in English and think it has to do with the return of Jesus, the return of the Messiah, to bring His Kingdom to earth. But, if we are supposedly to dwell with the Lord in heaven forever and ever why bring His Kingdom to earth, right? We are all going to heaven right? So, Jesus would have a Kingdom with no one to be king for since we are all gone!
So, today for many in the church we have so many diverse ideas of the Kingdom of God. We may even think there are three Kingdoms - the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven and Jesus' Kingdom when He precisely teaches about His Kingdom. This concept in English with no connection to the Jewish culture of Jesus' day causes confusion and disagreement and does not satisfy us with a precise understanding. But, if we return to Jesus' day and hear as His disciples did, and see as His disciples did, and understand like them, then we too will grasp the meaning of the Kingdom of the Most High, the Kingdom will make sense and it will eliminate all the diverse opinions, the Kingdom of God will be something part of our lives so we are be able to walk with Jesus in a deeper and more passionate way.
In this session I mentioned an article about Peter. Remember he asked Jesus if he could leave the boat and join Jesus walking on the water. This is so critical to understand the meaning of a disciple in Jesus' day. Here's the link to the article - https://www.dropbox.com/s/wtgmaph65t3inl8/Walk%20LIke%20the%20Rabbi%20%26%20Pray%20Like%20the%20Rabbi.pdf?dl=0
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
This is part 2 of the Lord's Prayer series as we focus on the phrase, "hallowed be Your name." In this episode we turn to the Ten Commandments and to commandment #3 (commandment 2 if you are a Catholic) or "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." How is this related to us today? If we reconnect to the Hebrew and the Jewish culture of the 2nd Temple Period, the days of Jesus, it is connected to being a true disciple of Yeshua, but how? How is this related to the Lord's Prayer and "hallowing?"
There are many links I mention in this podcast. They are all listed below. At this time I want to recognize these scholars and for their amazing credible Bible resources to help us reconnect to the Jewish culture of Jesus' day so we can have our understanding expanded and enhanced. These amazing scholars are Lois Tverberg, Dennis Prager, Joseph Shulam, Dr. Brad Young, and David Biven. This is just a few of the many scholars and teachers I have learned from. I just needed to make sure I gave them the credit and recognition for most of what I present. I don't teach my own opinion and try to teach with the backup of such great scholars as these.
Link - Lois Tverberg' article, "What Does It Mean to Hallow God's Name? - https://engediresourcecenter.com/2019/06/06/what-does-it-mean-to-hallow-gods-name/
Link - Lois Tverberg's website - https://ourrabbijesus.com/
Link - Dennis Prager's video "Misusing God's Name" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=nI8OtOfzUDE&app=desktop
Link to Dennis' website and in the "store" you will find his 25 years of Torah lessons on a flash drive - https://www.dennisprager.com/
Link to Joseph Shulam's ministry website - this is a great learning resource - https://netivyah.org/
Check out the free "journals" you can access at Netivyah - https://netivyah.org/library/
Link to David Biven's awesome article on the Lord's prayer found at Jerusalem Perspective - https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/769/
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
