The Carpenter's Son ...

Photo Courtesy of Roger Parrett

Is it really important to study the Jewish culture during the time of Jesus? 

Well....He is Jewish. 

Yet we wonder…What was His life really like? 

You may have seen traditional Sunday school material showing Joseph teaching 

Jesus basic carpentry skills. 

We don't know yet one thing is certain … the only wood and nails He worked with were the cross. 

Matthew 13:54-55 says

“He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, 

“Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?  

Is not this the carpenter’s son? 

Is not his mother called Mary?”

(Jewish Annotated New Testament)

The Greek word for carpenter (tekton) is builder. 

Study of the land and the culture show that Nazareth didn't have many trees. 

It did however have a lot of rocks. 

In those days stones were taken and chiseled to build homes. 

Golgotha we know as the "place of the skull" so named because the stones that were taken from Golgotha for the Temple left impressions in the hillside which resembled a skull. 

Photo Courtesy of Art Hodges

There was even a rock quarry not far from Nazareth on the way to Sepphoris, where according to Josephus, Herod Antipus had a construction project going on which would eventually be called "The Jewel of Galilee”.

There are more references to stones in the Bible than wood. 

Jesus even says later in Matthew 21:42 

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"

You could go on for hours studying rocks and stones and find that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone and we are lively stones. 

1 Peter 2:5

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Was Jesus the son of a carpenter? 

We don't know for sure, but what we do know is that He is a builder and has been creating from the very foundation of the world. 

Meaningful Purpose

Meaningful Purpose

Nobody thinks about breathing unless they are doing a breathing exercise. 

When we pray we must do it with intent or kavanah (כוונה). There has to be meaningful purpose when we follow God's commandments. 

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." (Ecc.9:10)

As a matter of fact it is customary for the tzit tzit (fringes) to be cut off a Jewish person's tallit (prayer shawl) that has passed away because he can no longer keep the commandments. 

When Abraham had three visitors he served them with haste. He intended to bring his best service to his guests. 

According to rabbinic literature, when the priests sang the Hallel (Ps.113-119), they did it with kavanah. They started on the steps leading up to the Temple and if they felt that they were just going through the motions they would go back down the steps and start over with more meaningful purpose. 

We live in a mundane world where the cares of life keep us distracted from our service (avodah) to God. We have to push ourselves to see the one who is in need, and see that person as the image of God and do whatever we can with kavanah. 

I the LORD search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jer.17:10). God is always looking, always testing. 

Psalm 51:6 tells us this... "Thou desires truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." 

We find meaningful purpose when we adhere to truth with intent.

(Photo by Art Hodges)

Have you ever noticed a Jewish man rocking back and forth in prayer? This is known as "davening". It is done this way to block out this mundane world so the prayer can be achieved with intent. 

Questions to ask...

What method do you use to block out the world when praying to God?

What would happen if we really did stop and think, "What would Jesus do?"

What are your thoughts? I would love for you to share. 

Shalom aleicha 

Understanding Our Journey

The Hebrew word for understanding is binah (בינה).  

Within the word binah is the word bayin (בֵּין)which means "between". 

Our journey through life is to gain understanding and in getting understanding. Understanding is our main portion as we travel from conception to judgement.

(Photo by Art Hodges)

Binah is found over 450 times in the Bible.                                           

We will never really come to a complete understanding yet the journey is worthwhile.  It is even more worthwhile if we can share this understanding with others along the way.

Many things happen to us on our journey both good and bad.
Those happenings also bring us understanding.
If you are not increasing your knowledge, you are decreasing it.

God gave us a soul and with that the ability to learn. 

On our journey we need a road map to guide us along the way.

That's the Bible.

It is all the in "between" in life that we struggle with.

As I mentioned before, understanding (binah) is in the Bible over 450 times...It's that important.

Phillipians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

From this weeks portion we read, "And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;" (Exodus 35:31)

"My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding." (Psalm 49:3)

You have to start with fear.... 
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." (Psalm 111:10)


Vayak'hel/Pekudei | ויקהל/פקודי | "He gathered/Countings "
Torah: Exodus 35:1-40:38
Prophets: Ezekiel 45:16-46:18
Gospel: Mark 6:14-29/John 6:1-71
Brit Chadashah: 2 Cor. 9:6-11; 1 Cor. 3:11-18, Hebrews 13:10“It

’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”
– Chuck Palahniuk“It’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”
– Chuck Palahniuk“It’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”
– Chuck Palahniuk
“It’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”
– Chuck Palahniuk

Religion & Politics

You know the expression that you can lose friends over religion and politics? Well, I have always said that I would rather lose a friend over talking about religion than politics. As a matter of fact, I hate politics. But sometimes politics invade our lives and we have to deal with it firsthand, mainly through voting. In Bible days God was, or so it seems, a lot more active in the lives of rulers and politics. Many well known Bible figures dealt with these leaders with the help of God, but one story stands out to me more than ever. It is the story of Esther.

The most interesting thing about the Book of Esther is that God is not mentioned. An amazing story that involves leaders, good and bad. Decrees, good and bad. We know the story, the wicked Haman is upset that Mordechai will not bow to him, so he plots to have all the Jews killed. He gets the king to sign a decree making it possible to have the Jews slaughtered. The only thing is that the king does not know his wife Queen Esther is Jewish. Through a series of events the truth comes out and the Jews are able to not only defend themselves, but they are able to turn the tide and slaughter their enemies.

The Jewish people celebrate festivals that are appointed times. They are holy convocations or mikra kodesh (holy rehearsals), Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles just to name a few. As a matter of fact the three I have mentioned here, all males in Temple times were required to attend. They were all family affairs that celebrated redemption and promise of a heavenly future. 

There are a couple of celebrations that are not appointed times, but they do shed some spiritual significance to our lives. Chanukah and Purim. You may know more about Chanukah than you do Purim. Purim is the celebration for the deliverance of the Jews from the wicked Haman and those that wanted to see them perish. It involves telling the story, and everyone can play a part. While the story is read, we are prompted to "tsk tsk" whenever Queen Vashti is mentioned. When queen Esther is mentioned, everyone "aaaaahhhs". When Mordechai is mentioned everyone cheers, and when the wicked Haman is mentioned everyone boos and shakes noise makers to drown out the very mention of his name. Children often dress up for this celebration. They may dress like Queen Esther or be in sack cloth and ashes like Mordechai. Of course as with any celebration there is always food.

One of the most famous lines in the Bible is found in the Book of Esther. "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" The response was to pray and fast. Why? Because there was not going to be any way to just vote this away. It was going to take a concerted effort on the part of all those affected.

Politics today is a little different. There still are the elite that care not what happens to the common man and his family. We still have to do more than vote. We need to pray that God involves Himself in leaders lives like He did in Bible days. There were many celebrations after our most recent election and many that were on the other side feel as if they are heading to the gallows. You may not agree but it seems that God truly has involved Himself more into politics lately...

You Might Not Like This Blog "HEALING"

The question is always the same...why doesn't God heal everyone? 

Before we get to that question we need to have an understanding. 

I used to think that all sickness came from the devil, but just in the last few years I have changed my mind on this subject.

"And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee." 

(Exodus 23:25)

So, what has happened since this verse of the Bible was written? Somewhere along the line of history we started to poison ourselves. 

When biblical laws concerning letting the land have a Sabbath (shmita) started to lack, the world began to die. 

Studies show that most of our farm land no longer has the nutrients we need, so the food grown in it does not either. 

The things we eat today are mostly artificial (plastic) and have no nutritional value. 

As a matter of fact many of us eat things that are harmful. 

Food today has fillers to make food stretch and save money. 

Funny how everything seems to come down to $$$.

What happens when cancer patients change their diet to more natural organic foods grown in nutrient rich soil? 

Studies show they are the few that receive healing. 

Cancer pharmaceutical healing is 3% according to a recent article.

It is our God given obligation to take care of the body He has given us, this fragile shell our soul dwells in. 

We learned a long time ago that we are not bodies with a soul, but a soul with a body.

DR: You have this disease

ME: oh no

DR: but you can cure it with a healthy diet and exercise

ME: OH NO

Why do we go to a doctor?

Does a doctor give life?

We go to the doctor because we need to repair not just our souls, not just our bodies, but our world as well. 

We have made a world that brings sickness. 

That same world must now bring life.

Really, according to the noted Holy Scripture above, the sickness should never come. 

It is up to us to refine ourselves. 

Part of your divine service to God is in refinement. 

What do you think happens if you do not refine yourself? 

A person that discovers that they have a disease that will kill them not only changes the way they eat, the way they think, and they change the way they talk....to God. 

Some talk more, and in turn many others are brought into a closer relationship with God through speech. 

God wants us to talk with Him.

I said you may not like this blog and you may even have many questions, and questions are good. 

I was talking to my wife, Melissa, who is a well known unpublished author and she told me that, "When the body stops fighting the body quits hurting." This was in response to what seemed to be a trend we have considered that someone a day or so before they die seem to feel great.  Some get out of bed and eat.

 Sometimes they even feel healed. 

This is when my wife said, "Makes one thankful for pain." 

I am not an expert on this subject and I didn't earn a degree studying about it, but I don't need one to reflect on what I have seen and read. 

Loss of friends and loved ones are never easy, yet many draw closer to God because of pain and death. 

Questions like.... "how much faith should I have?" or "how much trust?", or "how much Holy Ghost should I have?" only seem to confuse the matter.

We have the same Holy Ghost the Apostles had and we should have that same HEALING culture. 

Keep in mind that God is still in control and sometimes seems to have a purpose we do not understand. 

I was talking to a rabbi about this subject and he said this, "There's a Hebrew statement "ilu yedaytiv hayisiv" - "If I knew I would be Him". For better or worse we are not privy to G-d's decision making process. G-d certainly causes sickness, just like He causes healing. 

But unfortunately I can't really offer more information as to why G-d chooses to cause certain people to get sick.

I'm in marketing, not management."

We all have heard of people receiving their healing and you may have even been a part of praying for someone that did receive it. 

Mallorie with Scoliosis

Mallorie healed of Scoliosis

The pictures you see here are of a 12 year old girl who had terrible scoliosis. Many came together and prayed for her to receive her healing. 

When she went for surgery the next morning they x-rayed her again only to find her spine straight. 

Prayer does work, HEALING does happen. 

I know by now you are saying, "well you really haven't answered the question.”

I will admit I don't have the answer, but there sure seems to be a lot of things we can do….

Take care of ourselves.  Maimonides' advice is to work first, wash in hot water, and once the body has settled, eat.

Talk to God more, don't stop praying.

Trust in God that He has it all under control.

Why do we assume that the body is any further from God than the soul?

Does God then lie in some spiritual space outside the corporeal world?

God is everywhere. 

When Queen Esther needed to save her people, first she fasted, then she went to see the king.

When something is broken here on earth, we need to repair it above… 

knowing that the broken is never truly repaired above until it is in order below as well.

There are two approaches to healing:

One is to find whatever has been weakened and damaged by illness, then repair and strengthen it.

Another is to find whatever remains viable and healthy, then to continue to support and strengthen it. 

Since it is one body, fortifying one aspect brings healing to all the rest. Rabbi Freeman

God is within.

“When a body stops fighting against the inner conflict of disease 

the body no longer feels pain.

It is not the sickness that cause pain but the turmoil from within fighting for life.

Makes one thankful for the pain.”         ~ Melissa Johnson

Share your thoughts on Healing in the comments section...

Find weekly readings as well as insights as we study these readings at…

https://www.facebook.com/HebrewPerspectives/

So You Say You're Apostolic

We hear it often..."we need to get back to our apostolic roots."   This is not as easy as it sounds because there are so many aspects and nuances of that culture that we do not know.
We have a lot of written information such as the book of Acts and the epistles. The Apostles, however, lived within this time period and knew of which they spoke.

There is one thing I am committed to focusing on in this blog, and that is the fact that these apostolics did not have New Testament writings. 

Most of the Apostles studies were from the Hebrew Bible itself which consists of the Torah, the Writings, and the Prophets ... what we know today as the Tanach. 

The Apostles also had commentaries from teachers like Hallel (Pharisees), Shammai (Sadducees) and Gamliel who Paul sat under.  These teachings and traditions found their way into many NT writings. The Apostles commentaries were known in the Greek as paradosis or 'a giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing.' 
(2 Thessalonians 3:6)


These teachings ... oral traditions ... started with Adam and were passed down orally from generation to generation. I have a friend that can trace his lineage back 3500 years in the line of the Levitical priesthood. To this day a Levitical priest cannot touch a dead body.  And where do you think washing hands before saying a blessing comes from?

Here is a challenge for you...try going back to the Torah (Torah, meaning 'instruction'), the first five books of the Bible, and look for Messiah.  Not in the places you have already been taught about, but in other places.  
Learn some of the Hebrew language and open up your mind to more understanding of the deep teachings within the Bible. When you do this, you will find Him and a renewed hunger for the Word.

Traditions

Paradoseis (παραδόσεις) is the Greek word we find in 2 Thes. 2:15 where Paul says, "hold onto those traditions which you have been taught..." What traditions? According to Thayers Greek lexicon Paul is speaking of the Jewish oral traditions and laws passed down from generation to generation. Not having grown up Jewish like Jesus and His Apostles we can learn much from many of these "traditions". You can find things about baptism (known as ritual immersion in a mikvah) or even the Holy Spirit, which is rarely mentioned in the OT, and that is why you can still find today people like those in Acts 19. "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." 

Here is an example from the Mishnah.... regarding Proverbs 15:33 "Heedfulness leads to cleanliness, cleanliness leads to purity, purity leads to holiness, holiness leads to fear of sin, fear of sin leads to [the gift of] the holy spirit, the holy spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead, resurrection of the dead leads to the world to come, and the world to come leads to the Shekinah."

Why does all this occur? Out of reverence, wisdom, honor, and humility; therefore it is said, "The fear of the Lord is the discipline of wisdom; humility precedes honor."

(The Mishnah or Mishna (/ˈmɪʃnə/; Hebrew: מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition"), from the verb shanah שנה, or "to study and review", also "secondary," is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions known as the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic literature.)