Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Who are the family of Jesus mentioned in Mark’s gospel?


Genesis 7: 1a
The LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family.

Judges 24: 15
As for me and my household/family (Heb. u beythi), we will serve the LORD.

Mark 9: 33a
Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was at home.

Mark 3: 20-21a
Then Jesus went home (Heb. ha bay’tha). Another crowd gathered so that Jesus and His disciples could not even eat. When His own family (Heb. q’ro bayu) heard about this, they went to get Him.

Mark 3: 31a
Then His mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside and sent someone to ask Him to come out.

Mark 6: 1, 4
Jesus left that place and went to His hometown [“Nazareth”-Luke 4: 16]. Jesus said to them, “The only place a prophet is not honored is in his hometown, among his own relatives (Heb. q’ro bayu), and in his own household/family (Heb. q’ro beytho).

John 7: 5b
Even His brothers didn’t believe in Him.

DISCUSSION: Most, if not all Christians and people of faith throughout the world would consider it quite improbable that Jesus the Son of God and Jewish Messiah would have family responsibilities. Now, if He were a mortal, though an extraordinarily gifted one, it would not be too much of a stretch of the imagination that he would follow the social custom of His time and be married with children. At a first glance the third chapter of Mark’s gospel seems to strongly suggest what might at once though to be sacrilegious to many. However, upon close examination of the text and other references, one has to conclude that the family that is being described refers to Jesus’ relatives who arrive on the scene some ten verses later. As intriguing as it might be, one can only speculate how this would have worked out anyway. It all comes down to a translation of the word “family” and one of those words is ‘bayu’ which is the same Hebrew word for “relative.” So, another reading of Mark 3: 21a is: When His relatives heard bout it, they went to get Him. And His mother Mary and His brothers came to the rescue afterwards; or least they made the attempt to gain access to Him but could not.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 24, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com



Monday, July 23, 2012

Exactly what was the curse of Noah all about?

There is perhaps no greater misunderstanding of a text in the Bible than the one pertaining to Noah cursing his son Ham, or rather one of his sons by the name of Canaan. This is the first appearance of the word “slave” or bondservant in Scripture and consequently, the interpretation has lead to justification of a practice of servitude where a person and their family can be bought and sold or traded for, as a piece of property. Unfortunately, people of color and especially Black people whose ancestors were from the Continent of Africa, especially African- Americans in the United States, have been the most significantly affected. The thing is, though, upon closer examination of the passage in Genesis 9 as well as Genesis 10, this “curse” does not fall upon the shoulders of the so-called Negro or Black race, as such.

The sons of Ham usually associated with being Black or African are Cush and Mizraim. However, Cush the son of Ham is the father of Nimrod and Babylon [Iraq], not to mention, Assyria. Mizraim the son of Ham is another name for Egypt and an ancestor of the Philistines who probably lived in Crete (Caphtor) from antiquity. Put is another son of Ham who is the ancestor of the people from Libya and the city of Cyrene. Canaan the son of Ham is more about a territory as well as the people who occupied this area. The land stretched between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River reaching from the brook of Egypt to the area around Ugarit in Syria, or to the Euphrates River. HOLMAN Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Holman Publishers, 2003. Now, let’s reread the Biblical narrative as below:



Genesis 9: 20-27
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves is he to his brothers.” He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be his slave. May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.”

Genesis 10: 8
The sons of Ham: Cush, Mzraim, Put and Canaan.

Genesis 10: 15-19
Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amonites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

NOTE: The Canaanite descendants who lived in such places as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim the LORD completely wiped them out in His fierce wrath (Deuteronomy 29: 23).

Genesis 15: 18-21
At that time the LORD made a promise to Abram. He said, “I will give this land to your descendants. It is the land of Egypt from the river of Egypt [Nile] to the great river, the Euphrates. It is the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Deuteronomy 7: 1
The LORD your God will bring you to the land you’re about to enter and take possession of. He will force many nations out of your way: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites-seven nations larger and more powerful than you.

Joshua 3: 10
Joshua continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way.”

Judges 1: 21
The men of Benjamin did not force out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. The Jebusites still live with the tribe of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

Judges 1: 29
The tribe of Ephraim did not force out those who lived at Kitron or Nahalol. So the Canaanites continued to live with them in Gezer.


CONCLUSION: According to this narrative the tribes consisting of Manasseh, Zebulun, Naphtali, Asher and Dan were not able to drive the people out of their lands and territory. Those indigenous descendants of Ham through his son Canaan, namely the Canaanites and Amorites were forced to be slaves (Judges 1: 27-35) in this instance, fulfilling to an extent the words of Noah in Genesis 9. It is interesting to read in Acts 13: 19 that God destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave it to the Israelites as an inheritance, when it says in the following Old testament book of Joshua:

Judges 3: 1-3, 5
These are the nations the LORD left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan. The LORD left them to teach Israel’s descendants about war, at least those who had not known anything about it in the past. He left the five rulers of the Philistines (Joshua 13: 3-Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to the border of Hamath. So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. The Israelites allowed their sons and daughters to marry these people. Israel also served their gods.

1 Kings 9: 20-22
The Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites had been left in the land because the Israelites had not been able to claim them for God by destroying them. They were not Israelites, but they had descendants who were still in the land. Solomon drafted them for slave labor (they are still slaves until this day).


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 21, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com









Friday, July 20, 2012

Homosexuality in the Old and New Testament

Leviticus 18: 20a
You shall not lie (Heb. sh’k’bey) with a male as one lies with a female.

Leviticus 20: 13a
As for a man who lies (Heb. yishkbay) with a male as those who lie
(Heb. mishkbey) with a woman. Both of them have committed a detestable act (abomination).

NOTE: The words for lie/lay carnally are from the primitive root words, shakab (#7901) and shekobeth (#7903) in Strong’s Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary. The primary meaning in both instances relate to having sexual relations. And the Hebrew word “ish” translates as man.

Genesis 19: 5
And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may lay/lie (Heb. ned’ ‘ah) with them.”

Judges 19: 22b
And they spoke to the old man, the owner of the house, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may know (Heb. ned‘a) him.

Genesis 19: 8a
“Now behold, I have two daughters who [are virgins] have not had sexual/carnal relations (Heb. yad’ ‘u) with a man.

Judges 19: 25
But the men were not willing to listen to him. So the man took hold of his concubine and brought her out to them; and they knew (Heb. yed’ ‘u) her, and abused her all night until morning, then they sent her away when the dawn rose.

WORD VOCABULARY:
Leviticus 20: 7
Holy (Heb. Qdoshim)

Deuteronomy 23: 17
Sodomite (Heb. Qadesh)

1 Kings 14: 24
Sodomites (Heb. Qadesh)

1 Kings 15: 12
The Sodomites (Heb. ha Q’deshim)

1 Kings 22: 46
The Sodomites (Heb. ha Qadesh)

*2 Kings 23: 7a*
He tore down the houses of the male temple prostitutes (Heb. ha Q’deshim) who were in the LORD’S temple.

1 Corinthians 6: 9
Effeminate (Heb. haq’deshiym); abusers (Heb. shok’biym); mankind (Heb. zakar)

NOTE: The word used for “effeminate” is the same Old Testament word for temple prostitute (Heb. Qdeshiym) in 2 Kings 23: 7.

1Timothy 1: 10
Immoral [spec. “sexual sins”] (Heb. zoniym); homosexuals [males] (Heb. shok’biym zakar).


DISCUSSION: Reference- http://www.bayithamashiyach.com/scriptures.html
The Hebrew word “Qadesh” (pl. Q’deshim) translated as sodomite, also means male temple prostitute. Interestingly, this word is similar to “Qodesh/Qadash” (pl. ‘Qdoshim’) which means holy. It would seem from these references that the use of different Hebrew root words such as ishkbay, yad’ ‘u/yeh’ ‘u, ned’a, qadesh, shak’biym-shek’biym-shok’biym, or some derivative has the main connotation of a sexual encounter between males, mostly, and usually associated with pagan religious customs that is explicitly revealed in the respective narratives. In Genesis 4 and Judges 19, these accounts are about brutality, rape, degradation, sexual abuse, humiliation, and violence. To be sure, nowhere in the entire Bible is equivalent Hebrew roots for modern terms such as homosexual, faggot or the acronym GLBTQ (Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer). The Scriptures are not so much concerned about labels as it is regarding conduct and personal responsibility. However, it is interesting to note that in 1 Timothy 1: 9 are the folowing words and their roots: "unholy" (t'me'iym; "profane" (n'baliym); "lawless" ((hapsh'iym); and "rebellious" (hamor'diym)

There are two main considerations in this matter that cannot be understated, namely, the theological and physiological. Either the standard translation is in error, the interpretation, or both; hence, any hermeneutical techniques will be of little value. On the other side of this issue is the assumption that people engaged in same-sex relations have a “choice” and it is something that can be ‘cured’ if one accepts some form of radically invasive psychotherapy, including exorcism, or merely just come to Jesus and He will deliver you from this way of life. The Christian Church has to take a firm and definitive stand on this matter and send a clear message of its position which allows it to be inclusive, compassionate, loving, supportive and welcoming to any and all who come among us instead of being hostile, judgmental, uncomfortable and condemning. At the same time we should not be apologizing for God nor compromising His word for the sake of political correctness. A closing thought has to do with the friendship between David and Jonathan, son of King Saul, as in the following:

1 Samuel 1: 26
I am heartbroken over you, my brother Jonathan. You were my great delight. Your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women.

‘Continued-
No one in their right mind would even think for a moment that David and Jonathan had some kind of same-sex encounter, although they shared a very strong bond of affection that was probably quite remarkable.

Leviticus 18: 1-3, 24; 20: 23
Then the LORD (YHVH) spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘I am YHVH your God (El). You shall not do according to the doings of the land of Egypt in which you lived; and you shall not do according to the doings of the land of Canaan where I am bringing you there; and you shall not walk in their statutes.’ ” “Do not defile yourself with any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled.” “Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I shall drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them.”

CLOSING THOUGHT:
No one really knows for sure why someone is attracted to someone of the same sex or chooses to be a drag queen, bisexual, etc. Despite all the theology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, sexology, anatomy and biology, people are what they are. Perhaps more of us should listen to the words in Lady Gaga’s hit song, “Born This Way” because quite frankly, none of us have a clue to what the real deal is, anyway. Besides, according to Sex and Gender Sociology, roughly 1-2% of all births in the United States are sexually indeterminate. What this means in layman’s terms is that three to six million people are born with gender misidentification-they are in the wrong body. All we do is look at them and frown up our faces; we say or think something offensive, or avoid any sort of physical contact or go out of our way not to be in too close proximity as though contagious, without ever trying to imagine what it must be like to be hated or shunned in that way.

In far too many instances believers preach one thing but practice the opposite and forget that our LORD Jesus was routinely criticized by the traditional established church of His time of being in the company of and a friend to those marginalized persons whom society has rejected and called ‘sinners.’ Sometimes we forget the spirit of the Law, which is all about love and forgiveness and since there really isn’t one Scripture in the entire Bible that directly forbids or condemns as inherently sinful a loving, monogamous relationship between two same-sex life partners as far as translation is concerned, although some words may be interpreted this way. Now, as a final thought, consider the following:

Romans 4: 15a
For where there is no law there is no transgression.

1 John 3: 4
Whoever commits sin transgresses the law. For sin is a transgression of the law.

ADDENDUM:
Jesus said, “For some are eunuchs because they were born that way (Cp. Matthew 19: 12a).” Doesn’t that statement sound somewhat familiar? A “eunuch” is a man who is born without his external male genitalia and usually served in a sultan’s harem or in some royal service (Cp. 2 Kings 20: 18; Jeremiah 38: 7; Daniel 1: 3; Acts 8: 27). The critically important point here is not the occupation but the orientation. This is probably the only passage in the entire Bible which can perhaps be used to explain that a person can have their sexual orientation or gender identity determined at birth. If someone were missing the sexual organs appropriate to their biological appearance or had them surgically altered or removed at birth, this would affect their psycho-social development. Even the underproduction or overproduction of sex hormones can affect the physical features as well as behavior of a person.

What the apostle Paul writes about in Romans 1: 18-27, at least the parts that make sense are found in verses 26b-27, where he affirms the “natural” state of attraction between a man and a woman; this much is true. However, because of the particular circumstances in which some of us are born into as an act of ‘nature’ and beyond our control, some people are destined to be attracted to others of the same biology or act in other ways that are outside the way that one would if their births had been different. If a pregnant female was a drug user and gave birth to a crack baby or one addicted to heroin from the womb, should that person be blamed or condemned if they grew up with substance abuse issues? The problem with the whole conversation about this subject is placing a label on someone and leaving it up to others to attach meaning to it. To reiterate: “unnatural” in this context does not mean something disgusting, deplorable, and profane or that God hates and rejects, but rather, that which is “different” but in no way is it less in terms quality or value than that which is its other side.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 16, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com







Monday, July 9, 2012

Tracing the genealogy of Abraham and Israelites Part 2

SHEM
(Ancestor of all the sons of Eber)

Elam-Asshur-ARPACHSHAD-Lud-Aram

ARAM- Uz-Hul-Gether-Mash (Genesis 10: 23)

ARPACHSHAD- Shelah

SHELAH-*Eber*

EBER- PELEG-Joktan

JOKTAN- Almodad-Sheleph-Hazarmaveth-Jerah Hadoram-Uzal-Diklah-Obal-Abimael-

Sheba-Ophir-Havilah-Jobab (Genesis 10: 26-28)

PELEG- Reu

REU- Serug

SERUG- Nahor

NAHOR- Terah

TERAH- Abram-Nahor-Haran (died in Haran)

HARAN- Lot, Milcah-Iscah

LOT- Moabites, Ammonites

ABRAM- Ishmael (Sarai’s Egyptian slave Hagar- Genesis 16: 1-4).

ABRAM- Isaac (Sarai)

ISHMAEL- Nebaioth-Kedar-Adbeel-Mibsam-Mishma-Dumah-Massa-Hadad-Tema-Jetur-

Naphish-Kedemah (Genesis 25: 12-16)

ABRAHAM- Zimran-Jokshan-Meda-Midian-Ishbak-Shuah (Abraham’s second wife,

Keturah-Genesis 25: 1-6).

JOKSHAN- SHEBA-Dedan (Genesis 25: 3)

DEDAN- Assyrians-Letushites-Leummites

MIDIAN- Ephah-Epher-Hanoch-Abida-Eldaah

ISAAC- Jacob-Esau

ESAU- Eliphaz-Reuel-Jeush-Jalam-Korah

NOTE: Esau married Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite. No listing of their offspring is recorded in Genesis. 1 Chronicles mentions Esau’s sons but not who their mothers were (1 Chronicles 1: 35). Esau is called the father of the Edomites (Genesis 36: 43b).

ELIPHAZ- Teman and Omar-Zephi and Gatam, Kenaz and Amalek (son of “Timna”)

NOTE: Timna was a female tribal leader of the Edomites (1 Chronicles 1: 52). She is also identified as Lotan’s sister and from the Horites who were the people living in Edom at that time (Genesis 36: 20-21). Interestingly, the tribal leaders in Edom are listed differently (Cp. Genesis 36: 20 and 1 Chronicles 1: 51b-54).

REUEL- Nahath-Zerah-Shammah-Mizzah

NAHOR- Uz-Buz-Kemuel (father of Aram)- Kesed- Hazo-Pildash-Jidlaph-Bethuel

NAHOR- Tebah-Gaham-Tahash-Maacah (through concubine Reumah-Genesis 22: 24)

BETHUEL- Laban-Rebekah (Genesis 24: 29; 29: 5)

HARAN- Lot-Milcah-Iscah (Genesis 11: 27-29)

ABRAHAM- Zimran-Jokshan-Medan-MIDIAN-Ishbak-Shuah (sons from Abraham’s second wife Keturah-Genesis 25: 1-4).

NOTE: According to 1 Chronicles 1: 32, Keturah was Abraham’s concubine. However, in Genesis 25: 1-6, she was his wife but Abraham had concubines, and unnamed sons from them, whom he gave gifts to all and sent them away from his son Isaac.

Genesis 10: 30
The region where they lived extended from Mesha toward Sephar in the eastern mountains.

NOTE: Mesha is taken from “Mash” youngest son of Aram, original ancestor of the Syrian tribal group, possibly from Mount Masius (Tur Abdin) in Northern Mesopotamia or the Mashu mountains of the Gilgamesh epic; also possibly the Lebanon or Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Mesha or ‘Masha’ is thought to be located between the Gulf of Aqaba and the Persian Gulf. Sephar is most likely in Saudi Arabia, perhaps the coastal town of Tsaphar in Oman or Itsphar, south of Hadramaut. This territory is associated with the Joktanites. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 2003, Holman Bible Publishers.

Genesis 25: 20
Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Padan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

Genesis 28: 1-2, 10
Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You are not to marry any of the Canaanite women. Quick! Go to Padan Aram. Go to the home of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and get yourself a wife from there from the daughters of your uncle Laban.” Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran.

Genesis 29: 1, 4
Jacob continued on his trip and came to the land of the east. Jacob asked some people, “My friends, where are you from?” “We’re from Haran,” they replied.

Deuteronomy 26: 5a
You will make this formal statement in the presence of the LORD your God: “My ancestors were wandering Arameans.”

NOTE: Padan Aram has the possible meaning of “Place, way or plow of Syria” and one of the principal cities of this region or territory was Haran. Although originally, Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldeans, an ancient city in lower Mesopotamia. The site of this place has been located in present-day Iraq, in the lower eastern portion of the Fertile Crescent (350km/220 miles east of Baghdad). Haran was Abraham’s hometown where he lived until God told him to leave there at age 75 (Genesis 11: 31-32; 12: 4). Chaldea was situated in central and southeastern Mesopotamia, the land between the lower stretches of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Today, Chaldea is located in the country of Iraq, very close to its border with Iran, touching upon the head of the Persian Gulf. In OT times different peoples occupied southeastern Mesopotamia at various times, an one such group was the Chaldeans. The term “Chaldeans” is derived from the root ‘Kaldai’ which refers to several Aramean tribes who moved into the region between 1000 and 900 BC. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 2003, Holman Bible Publishers

COMMENTARY: The history of Abraham and other Semitic tribes is a lot more complicated than it might appear at a first glance. Considering all the tensions and religious as well as political unrest in the Middle East, it is strange that most, if not all the countries bordering Israel on either side are distant cousins through the descendants of Shem; and most importantly, through the patriarch Abraham. Abram marries his half-sister Sarai (Genesis11: 29-30; 21: 1-2) and his brother Nahor marries his and Abram’s brother Haran’s daughter, Milcah (Genesis11: 29). When Terah (Abram’s father) leaves Haran he takes his grandson Lot, Abram and Sarai, but none of the other family, such as, Nahor and his wife Milcah, or Haran’sother daughter, Iscah. In the entire genealogy from Shem onward, after the main patriarchal father begets certain ancestors it says that he beget “other sons and daughters” but when it arrives to Terah, the trend stops there. When a statement is included in parenthesis, this is additional information that the editor, narrator or redactor chose to insert that is not part of the original oral history; like: Shem (ancestor of all the sons of Eber). What was so special about Eber? If anything, Peleg (Eber’s son) should have been mentioned because Abraham’s descendants come directly through his lineage.

The Queen of Sheba who came to hear the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 10: 1) could be a descendant from Joktan, a son of Eber and brother of Peleg (Genesis 10: 26-28), or from Jokshan (Genesis 25: 3), a son of Abraham through his second wife [concubine??] Keturah. Aram, a son of Shem is the progenitor of the Arameans (Genesis 10: 23), but Kemuel (father of Aram), who is a son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother might also be the ancestor of the Arameans (Genesis 22: 20-21); at least this is what the editor/redactor implies. The Amalekites are descended from Amalek (son of Timna) and Elphaz, son of Esau (1 Chronicles 1: 35). Timna was also an Edomite tribal chief as well as a Horite living in Edom (1 Chronicles 1: 52; Genesis 36: 20-21). The Midianites are descendants of Abraham through Keturah, as well as the Assyrians, the genetic stock of Dedan, Abraham’s grandson through Keturah, also (Genesis 25: 1-6). One more thing about the Assyrians which is quite ironic: These same people who are related to the Israelites are the very ones who took them into captivity in resettled them in Halah, along the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes [Iraq]. In the capitol of Samaria were relocated the people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim who settled there since that time (2 Kings 15: 29; 17: 24; 18: 9-12). This explains the animosity between Jews and Samaritans during Jesus’ earthly ministry (Matthew 10: 5; John 4: 7-9; 8: 48). Lastly, the Arabs trace their lineage through Ishmael, who was the son of Sarah’s Egyptian handmaiden Hagar, but Hagar also found a wife for her son from Egypt (Genesis 21: 8-9, 17-21). This means that the Arabs are part African or Hamitic [Black] ancestry.






Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 1, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com