(Our blog is taken from Jewish Brother Jacob’s A Little Leaning Together, which he often includes with prayer request emails he send out)
Please note: Jacob uses a couple of abbreviations. One is KG for Koine Greek, the type of Greek the Renewed Covenant Scriptures (RCS) are written in. KG is much more Hebraic & Jewish than Attic Greek, the Greek of the philosophers. Jacob uses RCS in short for Renewed Covenant Scriptures because it is a much more accurate term than “New Testament”.
Jacob explains this in his teaching. For more – and why Jacob uses the terms he does – after reading our blog, please scroll down to the window The Deeper Hebrew & Jewish Roots of the Bible from A-Z. Simply click the title, then click + or picture to open the window.
Our Glossary – And Wy It Helps You is available shortly below on the Home page under the heading What Does Scripture Actually Emphasize?
Greetings all in Yeshua’s name!
As we’ve mentioned we always want to pray first for others with the same need as we or our loved ones. Doing so demonstrates the Mashiach like trait of always putting others first. Mashiach is our ultimate model of no Self; he was concerned about our Father and his (Yeshua’s) fellow Jews, as well as the sheep of the Nations (cf. Yochanon 10 esp. v.16). Yeshua though, had absolutely no concern for Self! In fact, he has no Self.
Yeshua stresses no Self in Mk. 10:40-45 when the Taught Ones are disputing about which of them would be where. In Mk. 10:45 Yeshua draws on the Hebrew Scriptures and a Hebrew approach, when he draws from Yeshayahu (roughly (the) LORD He saves, delivers, grants victory) (Isaiah) 53 :12.
“…And – in connection- he sin of many bore”…. “Many” here is an Hebraic way of saying all.
In Yeshua’s time, to cite part of a verse implied/included the whole verse. The most cited verse of Torah in the RCS? What does Yochanon particularly emphasize of Yeshua’s teaching has absolutely nothing to do with the “Festivals” or utilizing “Judaica”.
It’s love. The most cited vs. of Torah is Lev. 19:18, in which the latter part is cited in the RCS “… love (more deeply in part) complete devotion to the other, a willingness to give in, (a) desire for the best for the other…. to breathe after someone, your neighbor, like, as (a) divine model yourself.” Cf. Mk. 12:28-30 etc. Lev. 19:18 is cited 10 times in the RCS.
In short for here, Yeshua expands the idea of exactly who is our neighbor in his P’rush (“Pharisee”) like parable of the Good Samaritan in the second half of Luke 10.
One of the great Torah teachers points out in Hebrew that the deeper meaning of “dwell” is from a verb “to dwell like a neighbor”. He goes on to explain that when the Israelites had the Presence of the LORD with them, the LORD “dwelt”, i.e., He was with the Israelites like a neighbor. The Torah teacher goes on to explain that while we hopefully have good relationships with our neighbors, there’s still a certain distance between us.
Yeshua coming in the flesh as a Jew made it possible for divinity to be very very closely and intimately in the midst of his fellow Jews, as well as occasionally others.
In Yochanon 1:14 what is typically translated as “dwelt” in KG is actually a very Hebraic use of a form of “skene” “tent”, as a verb. Meaning that what Yochanon communicates there is that the Divine wisdom will protection teaching, literally “tented” Among Us.
Regarding love, cf. the beginning of Lev 19:18; especially in the context of Lev. 19-20 being the two great chapters on holiness.
Paul, in the context of 2 Philippian women who apparently got into some argument, stresses to “plerosate” “fill full its imperative, an entreaty” the joy of me….love have “sumpsuxoi” “jointly/in association with (the) life person personal being (of all of you; an Hebraic idea) Phpns. 2:2.
In Phpns. 2:3 Paul begins for emphasis, with a prohibition against selfish ambition and thinking of our selves. Paul goes on to stress in the way he finishes the verse, that reciprocating back and forth to consider and see the other as of more value.
Paul then goes on to hold up Mashiach as the greatest example of humility, which in part means a holding back of power. We should note that in Phpns. 2:5 Paul’s ‘you’ here is plural.
Paul begins verse 7 with an emphasis on ” but – in strong contrast – himself (Yeshua) “ekenosen” ” out from within emptied (himself). (Note the prefix “ek” which includes the meaning “out from within”).
The “kenosis”, “Yeshua’s emptying out of himself, going from “morphe Theou” “form of God”, to “morphe doulou” form of (a) bond servant” taking, is a famous theological term and idea, the scope of which is beyond what we can get into here.
In short though, Paul follows this with an Hebraic type hymn thru Phpns. 2:11, God works through His Creation. While there’s some question or debate as to whether Paul’s intention here is to put forward something big picture theologically, there’s an historical cultural motivation that underlies Ruach Hakodesh inspiration. That apparently being this dispute between two spiritual sisters that got out of hand and apparently each one was focused on their Self, according to commentators.
Paul holds up Mashiach as the Ultimate model of no Self, and a well-known Jewish principle of humility. Humility in short meaning in part a holding back of power. This is exactly exactly what we see in the “kenosis” the out from within emptying” of Yeshua. Though not technically so, a Christian expositor explained it well in saying ” humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking less about yourself”.
To return briefly to Yochanon: Yeshua’s last extended recorded teaching is Yochanon 13-16. Does our wonderful Master tell his fellow beloved Jewish Taught Ones, that they have great love for one another but that they need to love God more? Not at all! Yeshua’s teaching – and indeed commandment, in part meaning ” fulfilling of which leads to fullness of life”, is that they need to have reciprocating back and forth complete devotion i.e., love, to the other. Cf. esp. Yochanon 13:34-35!
There’s a verse we traditionally say in the morning after first getting up from Proverbs, which says more deeply in Hebrew to safeguard protect distance from danger the ethics morals discipline commitment of your father.
My Dad who I was very blessed to have as a father, was one of the wisest men I ever knew. He used to say, “When all else fails follow directions”.
Imagine the tremendous positive potential possibilities by simply following the Directions, we’ve been given and empowered to be and do!
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All the very best to you and yours in His boundless love!
Jacob