Bible Archive: December 2014

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Matthew 3:9 For I tell you that God is able from these stones {“Stones” (אבן)} to raise children {“Sons” (בן)} for Abraham.

John the Baptist makes a pun between the Hebrew words for “Stones” and “Sons.” If you remove the first letter from the Hebrew word for “stone” (eben) the remaining two letters spell the Hebrew word for “Son” (ben). Puns for the words “Stones” and “Sons” appear throughout the Gospel of Matthew including The Temptation, The Sermon on the Mount, The Confession of Peter, The Olivet Discourse, and The Passion.

Based on the book - “The Passion: The Poetry of God”

Thursday, December 25, 2014

The Angel of the Lord’s Second Poem about Jesus: Herod’s Attempt to kill Jesus – Matthew 2:13

In Matthew 2:13, the Angel of the Lord created a poem about Herod’s attempt to kill Jesus. As we saw in the first poem that the Angel of the Lord made, Jesus’ name and the Hebrew word for “save” form a strong pun. Similarly, Herod’s name and the Hebrew word for “kill” also form a strong pun. Below are the Hebrew pun combinations in Matthew 2:13:

“Appeared” נראה

“Boy” הנער

“Herod” הורודוס

“Kill” להרוג

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared {“Appeared” (נראה)}

to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child {“Boy” (הנער)}

and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod {“Herod” (הורודוס)}

is about to search for the child {“Boy” (הנער)}, to destroy {“Kill” (להרוג)} him.”

Based on “The Passion: The Poetry of God”

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

The Angel of the Lord’s Poem about the Birth of Jesus – Matthew 01:20-22

In Matthew 1:20-22, the Angel of the Lord created a poem about the birth of Jesus. Below are the Hebrew pun combinations:

“Appeared” נראה

“Fear” תירא

“Conceiving” הרה

“Spirit” רוח

“Jesus” ישו״ע

“Save” יושיע

“People” עמי

“Sins” מעונותם

“Virgin” העלמה

“Emmanuel” עמנואל

“God With Us” אלקים עמנו

20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared {“Appeared” (נראה)}

to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid {“Fear” (תירא)}

to take Mary your wife. For that which is conceived {“Conceiving” (הרה)}

in her is from the Holy Spirit {“Spirit” (רוח)}.

21 And she will give birth to a son, and you shall call his name Jesus {“Jesus” (ישו״ע)}, for he will save {“Save” (יושיע)}

his people {“People” (עמי)} from their sins {“Sins” (מעונותם)}.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin {“Virgin” (העלמה)}

shall be with child {“Conceiving” (הרה)} and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel {“Emmanuel” (עמנואל)},”

which means, “God with us {“God With Us” (אלקים עמנו)}.”

Based on “The Passion: The Poetry of God”

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Foreshadowing of the Virgin Birth – God and Man - Matthew 01:19

In the foreshadowing of the virgin birth, Mary is foreshadowed by Rebekah. In today’s study, we will explore the meaning of the name “Rebekah” and how it applies to Mary. The Hebrew name Rebekah means “binder.” In Mary’s womb, the “binding” of God and man took place. The word “bind” also appears in the Hebrew text of Matthew 1:19, “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to disgrace {“Bind” (לאוסרה)} her, was resolved to divorce her quietly.” “Disgrace” included possibly “binding” Mary for a life and death trial. The meaning of the name Rebekah, “binder,” in the foreshadowing of the virgin birth seems extremely appropriate given that Mary would possibly face being “bound” for trial for participating in the “binding” of God and man. The word Rebekah, “binder,” symbolizes Mary’s role in the birth of Jesus Christ and also her courage in facing a possible death sentence. Many Christians have shown great faith after Jesus was born – Mary showed great faith before Jesus was conceived.

J. Clontz – Editor of the Comprehensive New Testament

Previously:

The accounts of Mary and Rebekah both start with an angel sent by God – Luke 1:26/Genesis 24:7,40

Mary and Rebekah were virgins who were betrothed to a man – Luke 1:27/Genesis 24:16,51

Mary and Rebekah were selected by God - Luke 1:30/Genesis 24:14,44

Mary and Rebekah consented to being selected by God - Luke 1:38/Genesis 24:57-58

Mary and Rebekah went with haste and told their relatives what had happened - Luke 1:36,39/Genesis 24:28

Mary and Rebekah were blessed by their relatives - Luke 1:42/Genesis 24:60

God provided information about the future of Mary and Rebekah’s unborn children and the nature of their pregnancies - Matthew 1:20/Genesis 25:23

Mary and Rebekah’s lives were potentially threatened by their pregnancies – Matthew 1:18-19/Genesis 25:22

Mary and Rebekah stayed in a shelter where animals also stayed – Luke 02:07/Genesis 24:25

Mary and Rebekah were visited by “wise” men bringing gifts who had travelled through Mesopotamia – Matthew 02:01,11/Genesis 24:10

Mary and Rebekah were visited by men who worshipped the Lord at the house where they were staying - Matthew 02:11/Genesis 24:26

Mary and Rebekah were visited by men who were bearing gifts including gold - Matthew 02:11/Genesis 24:10,53

Mary and Rebekah were visited by men who were led by something from heaven – Matthew 02:09, Luke 02:09/Genesis 24:07

Mary and Rebekah’s genealogies are listed in the Bible - Luke 03:23-38/Genesis 24:15

Herod the Great and Jesus Christ are descended from Rebekah’s sons, Esau and Jacob - Matthew 02:16/Genesis 25:26-27

Monday, December 22, 2014

The Foreshadowing of the Virgin Birth – Herod and Jesus

In the foreshadowing of the virgin birth, Mary is foreshadowed by Rebekah. Herod the Great was descended from Rebekah’s son, Esau (source: Josephus) and Jesus is descended from Rebekah’s son, Jacob. Herod the Great was a very adept battlefield commander and participated personally in combat with the javelin (source: Josephus). Thus like Esau – Herod was a “hunter” and a man of the “field.” Jesus until about the age of thirty lived in Nazareth which was a tent city. Thus like Jacob – Jesus dwelled in tents. After they were born, Jacob’s hand had taken hold of Esau’s heel. Another way to look at this birth scenario is that Esau was thwarted from trampling on Jacob by Jacob’s intervention. This is somewhat symbolic of Herod’s plot to “trample” Jesus after his birth being thwarted by the intervention of God.

Matthew 02:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage. And he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all its region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Genesis 25:26 Afterward his brother came forth, and his hand had taken hold of Esau's heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.