It is written in the Scriptures concerning Me

Luke 18: 31-33

Then He took unto Him the twelve, and said unto them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man, shall be accomplished. For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully treated, and spit upon. And they shall scourge (torture) Him, and put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again.”

Luke 22: 37
For I say unto you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in Me, “AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS (Cp. Isaiah 53: 12b).”

NOTE: Jesus specifically cited this reference from the Isaiah scroll referring to Him.

Luke 24: 25-27, 44, 46
And He said unto them, “O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses, and all the Prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning Him. And He said unto them, “These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you; all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses [Torah], & in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Me.” And He said unto them, “Thus it is written, & thus it behooved Christ to suffer & rise from the dead the third day.”

John 2: 49
Nathanael answered, and said unto Him, “Rabbi you are the Son of God and You are the King of Israel.”

John 7: 40, 42
After some in the crowd heard Jesus say these words, they said, “This man is certainly the prophet. Doesn’t Scripture say that the Messiah will come from the descendants of David and from the village of Bethlehem, where David lived?”

John 12: 32-34
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me [Cp. John 3: 14]. (This He said, signifying what death He should die). The people answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law [or is it the Prophets], that Christ abides forever (Cp. Micah 5: 2); and how do you say, the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

COMMENTARY: The gospel narratives portray Jesus telling the disciples at least three times about His death, burial and subsequent resurrection. He goes on to say that this event is written or in fulfillment of Scripture (Law of Moses, Prophets and Psalms) but there in only one place where He is using as a reference (Luke 22: 37 [Isaiah 53: 12b]). Of course there are study aids and references in the margins of modern bibles that translators and editors place in the page column or at the page bottom to help the reader, but outside of that, it is interesting that Jesus did not supply more direct quotations from the Old Testament to better substantiate His fate as preordained of God. Not only that, but did the Jewish mindset at the time consider that their long-awaited Messiah would suffer such cruelty and be killed, especially when the Coming One would be a person that lives forever-not be put to death?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 27, 2012
randle51@yahoo.com

The secret teachings of Jesus

Matthew 1: 16

And Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called the Christ.

Mark 1: 22
And they were astonished at His doctrine; for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 13: 10-12, 13, 16-17
And the disciples came, and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” he answered, and said to them, “Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because they seeing see not: and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand.” “And in them is fulfilled the prophesy of Isaiah, which says: ‘BY HEARING YOU SHALL HEAR, AND SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND: AND SEEING YOU SHALL SEE, AND SHALL NOT PERCEIVE (Cp. Isaiah 6: 9).’ ” But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your eyes, for they hear. “For verily I say to you, that many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seen them; and to hear the things which you have, and have not heard them.”

Matthew 13: 34-35
And these things spoke Jesus unto the multitude in parables, and without a parable spoke He not unto them; that it might be fulfilled by the Prophet, saying, “I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES, I WILL UTTER THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN KEPT SECRET FROM THE FOUNDATON OF THE WORLD (Cp. Psalms 78: 2).”

John 3: 3, 6-7, 9-10, 12
Jesus answered and said unto him, “Verily, verily I say unto you, except a man be born again [from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” That which is borne of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit, is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again. Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you a Master teacher [Rabboni] of Israel and don’t know these things?” If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not: how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?”

1 Kings 4: 29, 34
God gave Solomon wisdom-keen insight and a mind as limited as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the people of the East and all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was wiser than anyone, than Ethan the Ezrahite, or Herman, Calcol, or Darda, Mahol’s sons. His fame spread to all the nations surrounding him. People came from every nation to hear his wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who had heard about his wisdom.

NOTE: That Solomon was very wise is the stuff of legend-but how do other men compare, such as Daniel (Ezekiel 28: 3); Job (Job 2: 11: 42: 1-6) and Job’s friends, Eliphaz (Job 4: 1); Bildad (Job 8: 1); Zophar (Job 11: 1) and Elihu (Job 32: 1)? There is however, one person who possessed the greatest wisdom of all, as in the following:

Matthew 12: 42
The Queen of the south will stand up at the time of judgment with you. She will condemn you, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom. But look, someone greater than Solomon is here.

Luke 13: 23-24
Then said one unto Him, “LORD, are there few that be saved?” And He said unto him, “Strive to enter in at the straight gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

Matthew 23: 13
But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: For you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them who are entering to go in (Cp. Luke 11: 52).

Luke 6: 39
And He spoke a parable unto them, “Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?”

Luke 17: 20-21
And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation. Neither shall they say, Lo here, or lo there: for behold, the kingdom of heaven is within you.”

COMMENTARY: Outside of Christianity Jesus is accepted as a great teacher of wisdom like Confucius, Lao-Tzu, Pythagoras, Solomon, Buddha, Aristotle and others, but not as the Son of God or Jewish Messiah. The Church, on the other hand has contributed to an over-emphasis on the miraculous or supernatural (exorcisms, signs, wonders, healings, resurrection, etc) and not as much on what Jesus taught. This is not to suggest that these elements are unnecessary but to focus so much attention on the extraordinary causes us not to see what is before our eyes and hiding in plain sight. Jesus is called the “Christ” which means ‘anointed’ in the special sense of the word but I would like to offer another thought here. Jesus as the Son of God who came down to this earth from the highest Heavenly realm to teach us how to find our way back to God, offers this gift of esoteric knowledge wrapped up in the garment of mundane everyday sayings which obscure greater spiritual truth. The parables He delivered most likely have a double meaning which might be difficult to discern at first, and while it might not be the case for all of them all of them, doubtless, some of them probably do.

I remember reading a little bit about Zen Buddhism where the student or pupil is taught a simple Koan (riddle, parable or proverb) by the Master and not instructed as to what it means or how to interpret it. It is only after diligent reflection, contemplation or meditation without external distraction that the mental discipline and sometimes rigorous physical training and sacrifice pays off and the novice (disciple) understands. This person has just experienced an epiphany [Def. – A sudden rush of intuitive insight into the essential nature or meaning of a thing]. So, what does all of this have to do with Jesus and His teaching or Christianity, for that matter? Most of the time, whether in pulpits or Bible classes on Wednesday night or Sunday School, parables are rarely taught, and when they are it is usually interpreted in a very literal way because this how the meaning appears on the surface. It all seems so simple and perhaps that is just the point. Jesus said that the purpose is to obscure to truth and not make it plainly clear. If the audience to whom He spoke these words to didn’t grasp the hidden meaning, even within the context of their social and religious environment with terms that they would have been most familiar with, then what are our chances today that we could? Even some of Jesus’ followers found it difficult to fully comprehend or understand His message (Cp. John 6: 60).

It must be remembered that Jesus spoke many parables but He only gave answers to but just a few as recorded in the gospels, and even then there might have been a deeper meaning or layer underneath. Keep in mind that the times that Jesus disclosed the meaning of the parables to His disciples [The Twelve] was when they were in a private setting, away from the crowd. There were a couple of occasions when Jesus asked the disciples if they understood the parables and they said they did. I am not so sure they did, and certainly not all of them because Jesus rebuked “the twelve” several times for their unbelief and being dull if hearing; not to mention their embarrassing behavior from time to time. Outside the miracles and the few instances of social interaction, parables are the crown jewel of Jesus’ teaching and it would benefit us greatly to ask God to open up our understanding to these sacred words that have been hidden from the foundation of the world.

To wrap this up then, I am starting to think of Jesus in a slightly different way now. The Son of God, yes, that’s a given but when I read about Jesus who is called “Christ” to me it is like this: Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and as a result of the mystical experience that He had, the Holy Spirit descending upon Him and hearing God’s voice from heaven seems to me that He become a ‘Bodhisattva’ [attaining “Enlightenment”], which is also having an epiphany. As a divine being who took on the mantle of human flesh, Jesus set aside His divine prerogatives of godhood. The experience in the Jordan awakened Him to the higher spiritual realm [in its fullness??] at that moment in time and what had been forgotten was now restored to His memory and He knew what the end of His mission was- to teach us how to find our way back to the Source (God) through His teachings, and to ultimately, die for the sins of the world.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 19, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Let there be Light

Jeremiah 4: 23

I beheld the earth, and behold, it was chaos and disorder (tohu vavohu).

NOTE: Another possible translation of this verse is: “I beheld the earth, and behold, it was without Light.”

Genesis 1: 2
And the earth was without form and void (tohu vavohu), and “darkness” was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering (“vibrating”) upon the face of the waters (mayim).

NOTE: Is the deep referred to here “The Absolute” in Hindu and “Tao” in Daoism?

Genesis 1: 3a
And Elohim (God) said, “Let there be light (ohr).”

Genesis 1: 4b
And Elohim separated divided the light (Yang) from the darkness (Yin).

NOTE: On the “face of the deep” where darkness was, Elohim separated light (Yang) from darkness (Yin).

Genesis 1: 5
And Elohim called the light Day and the darkness is called Night.

NOTE: Now on the “face of the deep” where there was perpetual or eternal Night exists Day now, too.

Genesis 1: 6
And Elohim said, “Let there be a “rakia” (expanse, dome, firmament) in the midst of the waters, dividing the waters from the waters.

Genesis 1: 7
And Elohim made the rakia, and divided the waters under the rakia from the waters which were above the rakia; and it was so.

Genesis 1: 8a
And Elohim called the “rakia,” Heaven.

NOTE: “Heaven” is what separates the waters into regions; one above and another below. These ‘waters’ are probably heavier or lighter as far as mass from the other and their cosmic nothingness [visible/invisible??] and vibratory frequency probably differs, too.

Genesis 1: 9-10a
And Elohim said, “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And Elohim called the dry ground (yahabashah) Earth.

2 Peter 3: 5
They are deliberately ignoring one fact: Because of God’s word, heaven and earth existed a long time ago. The earth appeared out of water and was kept alive by water.

NOTE: Since earth appeared “out of” the Seas/Oceans (water) and all the biologic forms which later adapted and survived on land from the amphibian prototypes of marine life, doesn’t this support Darwin’s Theory of Evolution? How the material that makes up soil, rocks, hills and mountains can emerge from water (H2O) is quite a mystery. Life cannot exist without that precious element, of which precisely seven-tenths cover the planet and it is the same ratio of fluids [blood, lymph, fats, etc.] that exist in the human body.

Genesis 1: 11
And Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit, after its kind whose seed is in itself, upon the earth; and it was so.

Genesis 1: 12
And the earth brought forth vegetation, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit, after its kind whose seed is in itself.

NOTE: This is the Earth beginning to become a living, self-sustaining ecosystem; quite literally, bringing forth the ‘first-fruits’ of Creation and it takes place on The Third Day.

DIGRESSION:
Hosea 6: 2b
On the “third day” He will raise us so that we may live in His presence.

Luke 24: 7
He said, “The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people to be crucified, and come back to life on the third day.”

1 Corinthians 15: 20
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and has become the first-fruits of them that have died.

Genesis 1: 14
And Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the rakia (expanse, dome, firmament) of the heaven (outer space) to divide the day from the night (vs. 18b), and let them be for signs, seasons, days and years.

NOTE: This is different from Genesis 1: 3-5. The signs could be astrology or astronomy, and used in interpreting prophesy or some unfavorable omen. The rest could pertain to the later Jewish religious celebrations.

Genesis 1: 16-17
And Elohim made two great lights, the greater light (the Sun) to rule the day, and the lesser light (the Moon) to rule the night; Elohim made the stars (kokhavim) also. And Elohim set them in the ‘rakia’ of the heaven to give light upon the earth.

NOTE: This is very interesting because it contradicts Cosmology, Astrophysics and Astronomy because it means the Earth is older than the Sun, Moon or stars in this Solar System or even Milky Way Galaxy; which scientific research has ample evidence to the contrary. The only way this could be even remotely possible is if the picture being painted here is of a pre-physical Earth, and if so, then order doesn’t really matter.

Genesis 1: 20-21a
Elohim said, “Let the waters bring forth an abundance of living creatures, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open ‘rakia’ (expanse, dome, firmament) of heaven. Elohim created great sea creatures, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth in abundance, after their kind, and every winged fowl after its kind. . .

NOTE: Could this great sea creature be the legendary prehistoric Loch Ness dinosaur and also it seems that birds or fowl with wings came from the waters or an aquatic environment as opposed to from the land or ground (??).

Job 41: 1-2, 7
Can you draw Leviathan (Cp. Psalms 104: 25-26) with a hook or his tongue with a cord that you let down? Can you put a hook in his nose or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Can you fill his skin with barbed irons or his head with fishhooks?

Genesis 1: 24
Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind; and it was so.

Job 40: 15-16-17a,
Behold now Behemoth which I made with you, he eats grass as oxen. His strength is in his loins and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moves his tail like a cedar. His bones are as strong pieces of brass. His bones are like bars of iron. Surely the mountains bring him forth food; where all the beasts of the field play.

Genesis 1: 26
And God said, “Let Us make man [Adam] in Our image and after Our likeness, and let them [Adam] have dominion. . .

Genesis 1: 29-30
And God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the entire earth [nothing poisonous or inedible] and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creeps on the earth wherein there in life, I have given every “green” herb for food; and it was so.

NOTE: The “original” diet of humankind was vegetarian and as herbivores. Animals did not eat the flesh of its prey as such an instinct had not been activated to kill for survival. This state however, changed after the Flood, as in the following below:

Genesis 6: 11-13
The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt: for all flesh (including animals??) had corrupted His way upon the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh is come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth (Cp. 2 Peter 3: 5-6).”

Genesis 9: 2
And the fear of you and the dread of you will be upon every fowl of the air and all [the creatures] that move upon the face of the earth and upon all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; even as the green herb I have given you all things [including poisonous roots, too??].

COMMENTARY: Aside from all the rocket scientist stuff regarding Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Muons, Leptons, Quarks, particle string theory, the Atomic Table, multiple universes and dimensions, the Higgs boson “God particle” or exploding Super Novas and matter without form-how everything works is still a mystery. Don’t even let me get started on Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) because I would just confuse all of us. The thing is though, and I think appropriate in this instance is taken from the Koran where the ‘light’ mentioned in Genesis 1: 3 and translated from Arabic means “understanding.” Now the word could be more of a spiritual than literal translation but it is worth consideration because so often the Bible is usually interpreted in a fundamental or literal way.

Just as the cycle of violence started with Cain and then Lamech (Noah’s father), this set off a chain-of-events that affected even the animal kingdom and probably the plant kingdom as well [maybe not in this case] and the Creator had no choice but to purge the earth of this corruption/sin through the overwhelming deluge (“baptism”) of water which engulfed the entire planet [or Mesopotamian Basin at the very least]. Although animals were taken aboard the ark their natures changed after tasting blood and mankind was no longer in communion with them as before, and now part of the food chain includes the ones who are at the very top of it. Doubtless, becoming carnivores changed the structure of our teeth and maybe even our very appearance. It might not be such a stretch to link the new fleshy diet with disease, a shortened lifespan [the medical Messiahs would vigorously disagree] or other psychological problems, and in spite of technological advancements along with the Internet and smart phones we still don’t even know how to solve our solid waste problem.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 18, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Did the early Church understand Jesus’ divinity in the the same way?

When the Bible is read by modern believers in the Western Hemisphere and America there is a tendency to think that our concepts are the same as those of the early Christian Church in the Middle East, Asia Minor, Asia and Old Europe nearly two-thousand years ago; but is this necessarily true? The Bible is understood through translations from Hebrew, then Greek to Anglo-Saxon English based upon millennia-old Greco-Roman cultural experience and traditions.


Acts 2: 22
You men of Israel hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by [through] Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know.

NOTE: Why didn’t Peter simply tell the Jews assembled at the Pentecost celebration that Jesus was the Son of God? Perhaps it was because of John 5: 18; 10: 33, which reads: Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him [Jesus], because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. The Jews answered Him [Jesus] saying, “For a good work we don’t seek to stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself [equal with] God.” Also, what would Peter have meant by calling Jesus the Son of God, anyway?

Acts 3: 18
But those things, which God beforehand had shown by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ [Mashiyach] should suffer, He hath so fulfilled.

NOTE: Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53 are the most often quoted passages in the gospels pertaining to the sufferings of Jesus of all the prophetical writings. These particular Scriptures do not necessarily refer exclusively to the Messiah or Son of God, and Isaiah 53: 11 says: He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied; by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant [not Son, necessarily] justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.

Acts 3: 22-23
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, “A PROPHET SHALL THE LORD YOUR GOD RAISE UP UNTO YOU OF YOUR BRETHREN, LIKE UNTO ME; HIM SHALL YOU HEAR N ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER HE SHALL SAY UNTO YOU. AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT EVERY SOUL WHICH SHALL NOT HEAR [OBEY] THAT PROPHET SHALL BE DESTROYED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE.”

NOTE: Did Peter have in mind someone like a later-day prophet of old, like Moses? None of the gospel narratives or Paul’s epistles uses this quote. Peter does however, refer to Jesus as God’s Son in verse 13, though.

Acts 8: 32-35, 37b
The place of the Scripture which he read was this: HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER; AND LIKE A LAMB DUMB BEFORE HIS SHEARER, SO OPENED HE NOT HIS MOUTH; IN HIS HUMLIATION HIS JUDGMMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; AND WHO SHALL DECLARE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH [Cp. Isaiah 53: 7b-8]. And the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom speaks the prophet this, of himself or some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And he [the eunuch] answered and said, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”

NOTE: This passage in Isaiah, which is one of the most striking and definitive as far as connecting Jesus as the Messiah, is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament [that I am aware of]; and this is quite surprising.

Acts 9: 20
And immediately he [Saul/Paul] preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

NOTE: After having the supernatural experience with the risen Jesus on the Damascus road earlier (Cp. Acts 9: 1-5) why doesn’t the narrative say that Saul proved from the Scriptures in the synagogue [Tanakh] that Jesus was the Son of God? There are some who make a distinction between the mortal Jesus and the spiritual being called the Christ. Not only that, but what Scriptural passages did he exegete [teach from]?

Acts 10: 38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit [Ha Ruach Kodesh] and power: Who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.

NOTE: In this verse is the real meaning of the word “Christ” [Gr. Christos/Heb. Mashiyach], which simply means, “anointed” or consecrated and set apart for a particular purpose [service to God]. Isaiah 45: 1a says: Thus says the LORD to His anointed [Heb. Mashiyach], to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held up, to subdue nations before him.

Acts 13: 23
Of this man’s seed [King David-verse 22] had God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus.

NOTE: The Hebrew word for Savior is “Moshia” or Messiah.

Acts 13: 32-37
And we declare unto you glad tidings [Gr. Evangelion-“Good News” or the gospel], how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God has fulfilled the same unto us their children in that He had raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm: “THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN YOU (Cp. Psalms 2: 7b).” And as concerning that He raised Him [Jesus] up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, He [God] said on this wise, “I WILL GIVE YOU THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID (Cp. Isaiah 55: 3b).” Wherefore he said in another psalm, “THOU SHALT NOT SUFFER THY HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION (Cp. Psalms 16: 10).” For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep (died), and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But He [Jesus], whom God raised up again, saw no corruption.

NOTE: There are a few things to comment on here. Did God the Father accept Jesus as His only-begotten Son on the “day” that He raised Him from the dead (Cp. Colossians 1: 18a), from birth out of Mary’s womb (Cp. Hebrews 1: 6) or at His baptism in the Jordan River? Also, Jesus as the “only begotten” Son of God in Acts 13: 33 is derived from the prophesy of Psalms 2: 7b, and this passage in the Psalms is not referred to in the gospels at all; in fact, the only time that the term “only begotten” Son of God is found almost exclusively in John 1: 14, 18; 3: 16, 18; 1 John 4: 9, and the author of the book of Hebrews uses the term “begotten” instead of only-begotten (Cp. 1: 5 and 5: 5). Acts 13: 35 and Paul’s use of Psalms 16: 10 is a shorter version of Peter’s longer message starting in Acts 2: 22-24. Acts 2: 25 is from Psalms 16: 8; Acts 2: 26 is from Psalms 16: 9; Acts 2: 27 is from Psalms 16: 10; and Acts 2: 28 is from Psalms 16: 11.

Acts 17: 2-3
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbaths reasoned with them out of the Scriptures [Tanakh], opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you is the Christ.

NOTE: Did Paul use more passages like those found in Psalms 16: 9b-11; Psalms 22: 1, 6-8, 13-18 or Isaiah 53: 1-12; and just what Scriptures did he use to prove his point?

Acts 17: 10-11
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were nobler than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

NOTE: Where in the Scriptures did they look to as reference material?

Acts 18: 24, 27-28
And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed by grace. For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly [not just in the synagogue], showing (proving) by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

NOTE: Again, like the Apostle Paul, what were his references in the Tanakh [Old Testament]?

Acts 26: 22-23a
Having therefore obtained help from God, I [the apostle Paul] continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. That Christ should suffer, and that He should [would] be the first that should [would] rise from the dead.

NOTE: Basically, the few Scriptures that mainly detail such things are again, Psalms 2: 7; Psalms 16: 9b-11; Psalms 22: 1, 6-8, 13-18; Isaiah 53: 1-12 and Zechariah 12: 10.

Colossians 1: 13, 15
God has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: Who is the firstborn of every creature.

Revelation 3: 14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things says the A-men, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

NOTE: These passages in Colossians and Revelation are quite controversial, in that on the surface it seems to say the Son did not co-exist eternally with God the Father but rather was the first emanation of divine will and from and through Him [the Son] all of creation was formed and brought into manifestation from beginning [afterward].

1Timothy 2: 5
For there is only one God, and one mediator between God and men; the man Jesus Christ.

NOTE: The book of Hebrews puts it a little differently, as in the following:

Hebrews 1: 1-3, 8-12
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He had by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. But unto the Son He [God the Father] says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND FOREVER: A SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SCEPTER OF YOUR KINGDOM. YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED INIQUIY; THEREFORE GOD, EVEN THY GOD HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR FELLOWS (Cp. Psalms 45: 6-7). AND, YOU LORD, IN THE BEGINNING HAS LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH; AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS: THEY SHALL PERISH; BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY SHALL WAX OLD AS A GARMENT. AND AS VESTURE SHALL YOU FOLD THEM UP, AND THEY SHALL BE CHANGED: BUT YOU ARE THE SAME AND THE YEARS SHALL NOT FAIL (Cp. Psalms 102: 25-27).” [The context of even these passages do not definitively pertain to the Messiah or the Son of God as derived from Psalms, but are woven together to prove the anonymous writer’s point of view].

1 John 1: 3
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 3: 23a
And this is His [God the Father] commandment. That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 4: 15
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God.

1 John 5: 5
Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

NOTE: See also verses 9b-13 and 20.

CONCLUSION: It can be observed from reading the many examples in the gospel narratives that there was varying opinions as to who Jesus was. He was called the son of David a few times and at others, the prophet from Nazareth. Some people thought He was one of the prophets of the old patriarchal days that God had resurrected, and Jesus mostly referred to Himself by the prophetical title “Son of Man,” mostly found in the books of Ezekiel and Isaiah. In fact, Jesus sternly warned people not to call Him the Christ [Mashiyach/Messiah]. The gospel of John is the only one where Jesus actually says that He is the Son of God (Cp. John 9: 35; 10: 36; and so on). Peter confesses Jesus as the Son of God (Cp. Matthew 16: 16; John 6: 40, 69). The disciples believe that Jesus is the Son of God after He rebukes the wind (Cp. Matthew 14: 33) but in the other Synoptic accounts the disciples wonder what kind of man is this that rebukes the winds and the waves (Cp. Mark 4: 41; Luke8: 24-25) and in John’s gospel the disciples are not recorded as saying anything at all about the event (Cp. John 6: 18-21).

Nathanael calls Jesus the Son of God and King of Israel (Cp. John 1: 18, 34 and 49) and Martha confesses that Jesus is the Son of God (Cp. John 11: 23-27). All the gospels mention about the high priest asking Jesus if He was the Son of God or the Blessed One just to gather incriminating evidence that might be used to condemn Him for blasphemy. The thing is though, what about the ‘Shema’ of Deuteronomy 6: 4- “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [HaShem] is one (echad) LORD?” According to numerous passages in Isaiah there is no other God (Cp. Isaiah 43: 11; 44: 6; 45: 5-6, 21; 47: 8, 10) as well as in Deuteronomy 4: 35, so it is interesting to speculate how a believing Jew in the first century could process mentally, emotionally and religiously belief in a Son of God along with God of the patriarchs as such, and yet accept or believe Jesus when He says in John 6: 38, 42-“For I came down from heaven, not to do My will but Him that sent Me.” And they said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, I came down from heaven?” Jesus also said, “I and the Father are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (Cp. John 10: 30-31). Lastly, for further study regarding the human and divine nature of Jesus, one should read about the Ecumenical councils: The First Ecumenical Council in Nicea, Asia Minor (325 CE); The Second Ecumenical Council, Constantinople (381 CE); The Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus (431 CE); The Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon (451 CE); The Fifth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople (553 CE) and The Sixth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople (680-681 CE).


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 6, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Jesus the prophet from Nazareth

Matthew 2: 22-23

But when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, Joseph was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he left for Galilee and made his home in a city called Nazareth. So what the prophets had said came true: “HE WILL BE CALLED A NAZARENE.”

NOTE: There is no writing by the prophets or anywhere else in the Old Testament that says this.

Matthew 21: 10-11
When Jesus came to Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar. People were asking, “Who is this?” The crowd answered, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

John 1: 45-46a
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the man whom Moses wrote about in his teachings and whom the prophets wrote about. He is Jesus, son of Joseph, from the city of Nazareth.” Nathanael said to Philip, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

NOTE: It would have been quite helpful to know what Old Testament Scripture or writings of the prophets which convinced Philip that Jesus was the Messiah.

John 7: 40-42, 48-49, 50a, 52
After some in the crowd heard Jesus say these words, they said, “This man s certainly the prophet.” Other people said, “This man is the Messiah.” Still other people asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?” Doesn’t Scripture say that the Messiah will come from the descendants of David and from the village of Bethlehem, where David lived?” Has any ruler or any Pharisee believed in Him? This crowd is cursed because it does not know Moses’ Teachings.” One of those Pharisees was Nicodemus, who had previously visited Jesus (Cp. John 3: 1-12). They asked Nicodemus, “Are you saying this because you are from Galilee. Study the Scriptures and you’ll see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”

Acts 24: 1-2, 4-5
Five days later the chief priest Ananias went to the city of Caesarea with some leaders of the people and an attorney named Tertullus. They reported to the governor their charges against Paul. When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him. He said to Felix, “Your Excellency, through your wise leadership we have lasting peace and political and social reforms that benefit the people. I don’t want to keep you too long. Please listen to us. We will be brief. We have found this man [Paul] to be a troublemaker. He starts quarrels among all Jews throughout the world [Empire??]. He’s a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.

COMMENTARY: It seems that Nazareth wasn’t thought of too highly and anyone from the village must not have been looked upon favorably. It is strange that all, if not almost all of the ancient cites of the Bible are mentioned in the Old Testament and for the most part survive unto contemporary modern times, but Nazareth doesn’t come existence until its association as the place where Jesus grew up and lived until His public ministry commenced. Even in the intervening years following Jesus’ ascension back into Heaven it seems that Nazareth had the reputation as a socially backwater town and seedbed of rebellion, religious zealotry and a bunch of troublemakers [in my opinion]. Although in the legal and technical sense Jesus was born in Judea, it is interesting how God chose, instead, to associate Jesus with such a place as Nazareth. The history of the world might have been experienced differently if people proclaimed, “Jesus, the prophet from Bethlehem of Judea,” instead of Nazareth.

Micah 5: 2
But thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He [Messiah/Moshiach] come forth unto Me that is the be the Ruler of Israel, whose goings forth have been from everlasting, from the days of eternity. OJB


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

Is the divine name of God really known (edit)?

The name LORD, usually represented by the ‘Tetragramatton’ [YHVH] is mentioned 6,000 times in the Old Testament and in other instances by the word Adonai. There are Jewish scholars who teach that there are 72 names of God and mystics believe that the entire Torah is one long name for God. Be that as it may, there are basically only two places in Scripture where the LORD reveals the divine name (Cp. Exodus 3: 14; Isaiah 42: 8).


Proverbs 30: 4
Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended [to earth]? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bounded the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name and what is His Son’s name, if you can tell?

Genesis 4: 26b
Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD [YHVH].

Genesis 13: 4
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD [YHVH].

Genesis 21: 33
And Abraham planted a [sacred] grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the everlasting God [El Olam].

NOTE: El is just a general name for God (deity), especially among the inhabitants of Canaan, including Abraham; or a supernatural being such as an angel, like with Jacob (Cp. Genesis 23: 30).

Genesis 26: 24-25a
And the LORD [YHVH] appeared unto him (Isaac) the same night and said, “I AM the God [Elohei] of Abraham your father: fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for My servant Abraham’s sake. And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD [YHVH].

NOTE: God [Elohei] is singular here.

Genesis 32: 29-30
And Jacob asked him, “Tell me, I pray you, your name. And he said, ‘Wherefore is it that you ask after my name?” ’ And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place PeniEl: for I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.

Judges 13: 17-18
And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD [YHVH], “What is your name, that when your sayings come to pass we may do you honour?” And the angel of the LORD [YHVH] said unto him, “Why do you ask thus after my name, seeing it is secret [phlai]?”

Exodus 3: 14
And God [Elohim] said unto Moses, “I AM THAT I AM [ehyeh-asher-ehyeh]: and He said, ‘Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM [ehyeh] has sent me to you.” ’

NOTE: Breaking down the mysterious name could look like this: (e)H-Y(e)-H; since there is no “e” sound in Hebrew, a better substitute is the silent letter “a” ( א). Now it leaves AH-YA-H (Ahyah); which reveals: AH (divine Father); YA (divine Mother/Holy Spirit); H (divine Son)-at least, in my opinion. Also, God [Elohim] is plural. Interestingly, it is unknown where the English letters (J) or (W) come from as in names such as Jehovah or Yahweh because neither are included in the Hebrew alphabet and are not even part of the name I AM [ehyeh/eH-Ye-H]. Consequently, the divine name is unpronouncable although there are approximations as to what translators think it might sound like by adding vowel soundings to the consonants.

Exodus 6: 2-3
And God [Elohim] spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD [YHVH]: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty [El Shaddai-Cp. Genesis 17: 1; 28: 3; 35: 11; 49: 25], but by My name Yehovah/Yahveh [YHVH] was I not known to them.

Psalms 83: 18
That men may know you, whose name alone is Yehovah/Yahveh [YHVH] are God Most High [Elyon] over all the earth.

Isaiah 42: 8a
I am the LORD [YHVH] that is My name.


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

The Bible and Immortality of the Soul

Genesis 2: 7
And YHVH Elohim (The LORD God) formed the man [Adam] out of the dust [aphar] of the ground [ha’adamah] and breathed into his nostrils [aph] the breath of life/living [nishmat chayyim] and the Adam became a living soul [nefesh chayyah].

NOTE: The term “nefesh chayyah” can also mean: a living person, soul, spirit, intellect or a live body. Also, “neshamah chayyim” could be used as: breath of life or breath of soul.

Genesis 3: 19
In the sweat of thy brow will thou eat “lechem” [bread, food or a crop], till thou return to the ground [ha’adamah]; for out of it was thou taken; for dust [aphar] thou art, and unto dust [aphar] shalt thou return.

NOTE: Astrophysicists confirm the fact that humans are made out of interstellar dust cloud from a previously exploding sun; perhaps billions of years ago.

Job 7: 9
As the cloud [anan] is consumed and vanishes away; so is he that goes down to the grave [Sheol] and shall come up no more.

Job 10: 21-22
Before I go to from whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness [Eretz Choshech] and the shadow of darkness [V’Tzalmavet]; a land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death [tzalmavet], without any order [sedarim] where the light is as darkness.

Job 14: 10, 12, 14
But man/male [gever] dies and wastes away; yea, man [adam] gives up the ghost [breathes his last], and where is he? So man [ish] lies down and rises not, till Heaven be no more, they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep. “If a man/male [gever] die shall he live again?” All the days of my appointed time [“tzava”-alt. reading, ‘hard army/military service’] will I wait until my “chalifah” [changing, renewal, or replacement??] come.

Job 17: 1, 13-16
My spirit/breath [ruach] is broken (corrupt), my days are extinct, and the graves [kevarim] are ready for me. If I wait, the grave [Sheol] is my house [bais]. I have made my bed in the darkness [choshech]. I have said to corruption [Shachat] you are my father [avi]; to the worm you are my mother [immi], and my sister [achoti]. And where now is my hope [tikveh]? As for my hope who regards it [alt. reading-who shall see it]? They shall go down to the bars of the pit [alt. reading-Will it go down to the gates of Sheol?], when our rest together is in the dust (aphar) [alt. reading-Shall we go down together in the dust?].

Psalms 104: 29b
Thou take away their breath, [ruach] they die (expire), and return to their dust [aphar].

Psalms 146: 4
His breath [ruach] goes forth (departs), he returns to his earth [adamah]; in that very day [yom] his very thoughts perish [alt. reading “his plans come to nothing.” OJB].

Ecclesiastes 3: 19a, 20-21
For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as one dies so does the other; yea, they all have one breath [ruach]. All go to one place [mekom]; all are of the dust [aphar], and all return to the dust [aphar] again. “Who has knowledge of the spirit [ruach] of man that goes upward, and the spirit [ruach] of the beast that goes downward into the earth?”

Ecclesiastes 8: 12
Then shall the dust [aphar] return to the Earth [ha’Eretz] as it was; and the spirit [ruach] shall return unto God who gave it.

Luke 23: 46-47
And when Jesus [Yeshua] had cried out with a loud voice [gadol kol], He said, “Father into Thy hands do I commit My Spirit [Ruach].” And having said thus He gave up the ghost [He breathed His last breath].

Acts 7: 55, 59
But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into Heaven, and saw the glory (kavod) of God, and Jesus [Yeshua] standing on the right side of God, and they went on stoning Stephen, calling upon God, saying, LORD Jesus [Yeshua Adoneinu] receive my spirit [neshamah].

NOTE: According to Jewish Kabbalah, ‘neshamah’ is the highest level of the human soul or being; even greater than ‘ruach.’

Daniel 12: 2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the ground [admat aphar] shall awake; some to Everlasting Life [Chayyei Olam], and some to shame and Everlasting Abhorrence [Dera’on Olam] and Everlasting Gehinnon [Onesh Olam].

NOTE: “Dera’on Olam” means everlasting loathsome and abomination; “Onesh Olam” means eternal punishment and damnation.

1 Corinthians 5: 8
We are confident, I say, and are pleased rather to be absent from the body [basar], and to be at home with the LORD [Adoneinu].

COMMENTARY: It is not known exactly when humans started to believe in a life after the physical body decays in the ground after death. Whether it started with the Egyptians in North Africa, Mesopotamian Sumeria, the Australian aborigines, the Hindus of India, Zoroastrians of Persia [Iran], Judaism, or Taoists in China and Japan’s Shintoism; the one consistent theme, it is a universal belief among almost every major civilization on planet Earth. The thing though is whether the person who died would be raised in the same body or would it be a spiritual one. It seems that the Bible [Old and New Testaments] shows that this concept was an ever-evolving and apparently inconsistent one which gradually developed over time to where it is today, especially with the advent of Christianity and the teachings of Jesus [Yeshua]; and later with the Apostle Paul through his writings. It is interesting that some of the wisest men who ever lived, according to the TANAKH [Old Testament], namely Job and Solomon, seemed to have a rather pessimistic outlook, for the most part, about death and what comes after. They made quite a few statements that you live, then you die and return back to the earth (ground) and that is pretty much well it.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 12, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

The Bible and Reincarnation

There is doubtless no true Bible-believing Christian who could in all good conscience accept the doctrine of reincarnation or transmigration of souls. For the faithful the issue is clear as day because Hebrews 9: 27 states: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” And while this may seem to settle the matter, it does appear that there are some hints or inferences in Holy Writ which support a belief that in a special circumstance, some people who have a received a special divine calling are imbued with the spiritual power or soul essence [personality??] of a previously deceased saint. Consider the case of the prophet Elijah and his protégé Elisha, below:

2 Kings 2: 9, 15a
And it came to pass when they were gone over [the Jordan River], that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask, what shall I do for thee, before I be taken from thee.” And Elisha said, “I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” And he [Elijah] said, “Thou have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken away from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.” And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him [Elisha], they said, “The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha.”

NOTE: Why did Elijah say that what his pupil asked for was very difficult if it wasn’t something outside the natural human experience? I mean, Joshua took over leadership of the Israelites from Moses but the Scriptures do not say that he had the “spirit” of Moses, resulting in his great success and military victories.

2 Samuel 14: 14
For we must needs die, are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; yet God (Elohim) doth not take away the soul (nefesh) but devises means [‘Reincarnation’ or “Transmigration of souls”??], so that His banished be not expelled from Him. OJB

Ecclesiastes 1: 9-11
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time. There is no remembrance of former things, neither shall there be with those who come after any recollection (zikaron) of things that are to come.

Ecclesiastes 3: 15a
That which is hath been already; and that which is to be hath already been. . .

NOTE: Does this statement apply to inanimate objects “only” and not human souls as well? Even the apostle John referred to Jesus [Yeshua] with the designation ‘That’ as in the following, below:
1 John 1
“That” which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life.

Matthew 16: 13-14
When Jesus [Yeshua] came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am”? And they said, “Some say that thou art John the Baptizer; some Elias [Elijah]; and others, Jeremias [Jeremiah], or one of the prophets.”

NOTE: Did the Jews, including the disciples, believe that Jesus was one of the prophets from old times who God resurrected from the grave, or rather that the ‘spirit’ or power or personality of one of them resided in Him?

Matthew 17: 10-12
And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then say the scribes that Elias [Elijah] must first come?” And Jesus answered and said unto them, “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say to you, that Elias is come already; and they knew him not. . .”

Matthew 3: 1-3, 5
In those days came John the Baptizer, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken by the prophet Esaias [Elijah], saying, ‘THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’ ” Then went out to him all Jerusalem, and all Judea, and the entire region round about Jordan. And were baptized of him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

Luke 1: 13, 15a, 16-17a
For the angel said unto him, “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shall call his name John. For he shall be great in the sight of the LORD. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the LORD their God. And he shall go before Him in the “spirit and power” of Elias [Elijah].”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 5, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

The trouble in the Church at Corinth (Part 1)

Besides the usual salutatory greetings, the Apostle Paul gets right down to business. It seems that a church sister named Chloe reported to Paul that the congregation was splitting into several factions with members identifying with various preachers of the gospel. Some wanted to follow Paul, others Cephas, and another group Apollos; there were even some who rejected all of them or any human teacher and chose to follow only the voice of the LORD Jesus [Yeshua] Himself (Cp. 1 Corinthians 1: 10-13; 3: 3-6, 21-22; 4: 6). The record of Scripture is silent about Cephas [Peter] visiting the Corinthians but Apollos did, and on top of that, he was an excellent speaker (Cp. Acts 18: 24, 27-28; 19: 1). There were some in the assembly who were challenging Paul’s authority (Cp. 1 Corinthians 4: 18-21) as well as not disciplining a brother who was having sex with his father’s wife (1 Corinthians 5: 1-7).

In fact, the apostle wrote to them in an earlier letter [presumably lost], not to keep company with fornicators, especially those who are in the Church (Cp. 1 Corinthians 5: 9-13). The list of problems continues with Christians suing one another in Civil Court before unbelievers and the apostle remind them that believers are going to judge the angels and that it is a shame for them [us] not to be able to resolve matters of disagreement, or in some cases, to suffer injustice if such be the case (Cp. 1 Corinthians 6: 1-8). Believers are once again warned against committing the sin of “fornication” (1 Corinthians 6: 15-20). Some members had written to the apostle Paul for instructions regarding when one should marry, or give his virgin daughter in marriage, marriage to an unbeliever, as well as divorce/remarriage (1 Corinthians 7: 1-29, 32-40). Following that issue is using one’s liberty in Christ as a stumbling-block for others who are weak in the faith (1 Corinthians 8: 1-13). There were some in Corinth who questioned whether Paul was really an Apostle or that he was somehow inferior to the “original” ones (1 Corinthians 9: 1-2; 15: 7-10).

Eating a meal in which the meat was offered in a pagan ritual and sacrificed to an idol god is probably not such an issue for believers today, but there is still some disagreement in Christian circles around the points elaborated on by the Apostle Paul in this eleventh chapter of 1 Corinthians. Should a woman have to wear a veil, hijab, scarf, burka or hat when praying, prophesying, or even speaking in tongues in the local assembly? Also, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man has long hair, it is a shame unto him (1 Corinthians 11: 14)?” Maybe he forgot about the “Nazarite” vow where a man was forbidden to shave his hair during this time of consecration (Cp. Numbers 6: 1-2, 5), and what about Absalom, King David’s son, who cut his hair only once a year and when he weighed it, it was five pounds; according to the royal standard (2 Samuel 14: 25-26). There were abuses while partaking of the Passover Feast which became the LORD’S Supper (“Eucharist”) such that believers became physically sick, and a few of them died because they failed to discern that this meal was in solemn memory and sacrifice of the LORD’S body on Calvary’s Cross (1 Corinthians 11: 17-34). The apostle Paul continues to focus on the theme of “divisions” among them, which must have been quite serious to mention it several times, again (Cp. 1 Corinthians 11: 18; 12: 25).

The urban or cosmopolitan Corinthian Christians were blessed with an abundance of spiritual gifts it seems but there was disorder and confusion as how, the purpose and when to manifest them (Cp. 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11, 25-30; 13: 1-8; esp. 14: 1-40). There were some believers in the Corinthian assembly who questioned the resurrection from the dead and what kind of body will it have, and Paul goes at length to explain and refute this growing heresy (Cp. 1 Corinthians 15: 12-55). Lastly, in this first letter the Apostle Paul is ordering the congregants to receive and submit to those fellow-laborers in the gospel of Jesus Christ [Yeshua Mashiach] that Paul sends to minister to their needs (Cp. 1 Corinthians 16: 10-12, 15-16).


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 4, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

What does the appearance of God look like?

It has been said that God made man in His own image and then subsequently, man turns around and makes God in his image. No matter how much some pious and devoted believers have been presumably "inspired" to create and fashion great works of Christian iconographic art as well as architectural wonders throughout the world, still does such human effort not violate the basic preamble to the Jewish Torah in Exodus [Shemot] chapter 20? Even so, almost all depictions of God the Father, the LORD Jesus Christ and the holy angels have European features; as illustrated by the European Anglo-Saxon Renaissance masters. Initially, though, Europeans worshipped "The Black Madonna and holy Babe," as was commonly placed in some of the oldest Cathedrals in Europe. Be that as it may, and it is not a point of argument and debate in this article but it seems that the Muslims have it right when they forbid any outward physical representations of God.

Exodus 24: 9-10; Ezekiel 1: 26-27
Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. And they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, as it were the body of heaven in its clearness. And above the firmament ("rakia") that was over their [cherubim] heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. OJB

Revelation 1: 13-15a
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps
[Gr. mastos-"breasts"] with a golden girdle. His head and hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were a flame of fire. And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they [the feet] were burned in a furnace.

NOTE: Breasts, or “paps” are associated with the female, as in the following:
Luke 11: 27
And it came to pass, as He [Jesus] spake these things, a certain woman lifted up her voice, and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps [Gr. mastos-"breasts"] which thou hast sucked.

Matthew 17: 1-2a
After six days Jesus [Yeshua] took Peter, James and John (the brother of James) and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. Jesus' appearance changed in front of them. His face became as bright as the sun and His clothes as white as light.

Exodus 33: 20
And the LORD said, "Thou canst see My face; for there shall be no man who can see Me and live.

John 1: 18a; 5: 37b
No man hath seen God at any time. You have neither heard His voice (kol) at any time, nor seen His shape (mareh-"appearance"). OJB

Genesis 1: 26a
Then YHVH Elohim said, "Let Us make man (humankind) in Our image ("tzelem"), after Our likeness (demut)." OJB

NOTE: The word ("demut") translated as 'likeness' could also be used as appearance but that would be incorrect because Adam and Eve, subsequently all humans, do not have the physical 'appearance' of deity.

Exodus 20: 4a
Thou shalt not make unto thee any "pesel" (idol or image), or any temunah (form, resemblance, likeness or representation) of any thing that is in Heaven. . . OJB

NOTE: God did not use the word 'tzelem' as in Genesis 1: 26a for image, but the word 'pesel,' because no human has seen the invisible God.

Philippians 2: 6a
Who [Christ Jesus], though existing in the likeness (demut) of the mode of 'being' ("etzem"-substance, body or bone) of JHVH Elohim (God). . . OJB

NOTE: Besides the Hebrew word "eztem" there is the Greek "morphe" which means shape, nature or form.

Colossians 1: 15a
Who [Christ Jesus] is the likeness (demut) of the invisible God. . . OJB

NOTE: Only Jesus Christ [Yeshua Mashiach] bears the "demut" (likeness, image and appearance of God the Father. The Greek words "Eiko" means copy or resemblance; and "Eikon" means likeness, profle, representaton, resemblance or image.


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

Trying to understand God's Promise to Abraham

Genesis 12: 3, 7a
I will bless those who bless you [Abram] and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants [seed] I will give this land.

Genesis 13: 14-15
And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift up your eyes now and look from the place where you are-northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants [seed] forever.

*Genesis 28: 13-14*
And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: “I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I give to you and your descendants. “Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you [Jacob] shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Genesis 15: 5-6
Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, so shall your descendants [seed] be. And he believed in the LORD and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.

Genesis 22: 15-16
The Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son-“blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.”

Galatians 3: 8-9, 17
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed [Cp. Genesis 12: 3].” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ [Moshiach].

COMMENTARY: This study will incorporate a slightly different approach and format than in the past and hopefully the reader will gain a new insight into the mysterious ways in which God works. In Genesis 12, God makes the first promise to Abram without him doing anything special except that he followed God’s voice in leaving his family’s home in Mesopotamia [specifically Haran in Syria] into a foreign land [Canaan] that God would show him. Of course, Abram showed his worshipful reverence by erecting an altar to the LORD.

Abram was not necessarily a man of great integrity or faith because on his first trial based upon a famine which caused he and his household to enter Egypt, he failed miserably. He lied to Pharaoh about Sarai being his sister instead of his wife, to save his life and let Sarai be taken into the royal court or household of Pharaoh to become one of his many wives. Of course, for this exchange Abram was lavished with many gifts and became quite wealthy [Cp. Genesis 12: 16; 13: 1-2] as a result of the bargain. The Scripture is silent on what Sarai really felt about the transaction, though. In Genesis chapter 13 God reaffirms the promise made to Abram in the preceding chapter without any rebuke for his action against the Egyptian Pharaoh and his house. Even more, God says that Abram’s descendants will inherit the land forever.

The next major event in Abram’s life [Genesis chapter 15] was a more personal one because he was eighty-six years old and didn’t have an heir because Sarai was barren, and at this point in her life was well past the point where a woman could naturally conceive and give birth to a child. Abram shared his anguish with the LORD and surmised that he would get an heir through a servant of his house, Eliezer of Damascus. The LORD assured him that he would have an heir from his own body and not only that, his descendants would be numberless as the stars.

On hearing this assurance from God, the Scriptures reveal for the first time that Abram “believed” God and that He [The LORD] credited to him [Abram] as righteousness. So, what was so ‘special’ in this particular instance that its ramifications reach into the future and beyond? This non-act by Abram encapsulates the essence of this “faith-system” which permeates the Christian life because it is a shift of consciousness from the natural to the spiritual realm; from the seen to the unseen where one can touch the very power of God. It is experiencing a thing, in a manner of speaking, as though it has already been accomplished and not just wishing or wanting it to be so.

Interestingly, after “believing” in God he somehow starts thinking in the natural realm and chooses to help bring about God’s plan for an heir by listening to his wife Sarai and producing the child through Sarai’s handmaid Hagar. A son was produced but this was not the one which God promised. Although the Scriptures disagree with me on this point but it seems that what Abraham did in Genesis chapter 22 in offering his son, the son promised to him by God, as a burnt offering on one of the mountains in Moriah is, at least as far as I can understand it, the ultimate test of whether or not he really believed in God and had unwavering “faith” [Cp. Hebrews 11: 17-19]. ith this great promise of God in Genesis chapter 28 is a two-fold application, a physical one which pertains to the children of Israel [Jacob], Abram’s grandson’s descendants.

Perhaps the Israelites would be quite populous today, as an ethnic group or religion but their history is tainted by rebellion against their God and as a result they are a remnant of what their total numbers could possibly have been. They have been refugees and scattered across many nations on earth and in ancient times have been sent into Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, in addition to being broken up as a nation when all the twelve tribes were united as an independent and powerful monarchy under King David. As of yet, into modern times, Israel has yet to possess the gate of her enemies because in numerous instances have been a vassal-state of sorts to foreign powers, especially those in the Western Hemisphere.

The spiritual side which is picked up in Galatians 3 from Genesis 28: 14 has to do with the “Seed” [not descendants in this case because they were already mentioned] of Jacob, specifically [through Abraham as a descendant], who would bless “all” the families of the earth; but how would this be accomplished? It is “only” through the shedding of His blood on Calvary’s Cross for our sins and making it possible for us [especially Gentiles] to have access to God and receive forgiveness from the penalty [eternal separation and torment in the Lake of Fire] of our transgressions against God and to obtain the free gift of everlasting life through belief in the name of Jesus [Yeshua].


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
January 8, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Was it Sarah who really attracted the attention of King Abimelech?

INTRODUCTION:
Many readers of the Bible are familiar with the story of a Pharaoh in Egypt as well as the Philistine king in Gerar [between Gaza and Beersheba on the border of the territory of Canaan], who was attracted to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, but is this story plausible? Could it be instead a confusion of the narrative account of Isaac and Rebekah attributed to being Abraham and Sarah; as in the following?

Genesis 12: 10-14
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass , when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarah his wife, “Indeed I know you are a woman of beautiful countenance. “Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife;’ and they will kill me, but they will let you live. “Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” And so it was, when Abram came to Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended (recommended) her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house.

NOTE: Abram was at least seventy-five years old and Sarah sixty-five (Cp. Genesis 17: 17).

Genesis 12: 17-20; 13: 1
But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? “Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that they had. Then Abraham went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South [Negev].

Genesis 20: 1-2
And Abraham journeyed from there to the South [Negev??], and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

NOTE: Sarah was at least ninety years old (Cp. Genesis 17: 17) in this second account and it is highly unlikely that she would have attracted the amorous affection or attraction of a ruler or even the average younger male.

Genesis 20: 3-5, 8-12
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife [married to a husband]. But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “LORD, will you slay a righteous nation also? “Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ “In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.” So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called his servants, and he told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.” And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?” And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. “But indeed, she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.

NOTE: In this account, the king gives Abraham sheep, oxen, female and male servants, a thousand pieces of silver in vindication of abducting Sarah and invites him to dwell anywhere in the land that pleases him.

Genesis 26: 1, 7
There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham [Cp. Genesis 12: 12: 10]. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister;” for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “Lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.

NOTE: This king Abimelech is seventy-five years older than in Abraham’s day.

Genesis 26: 8-11
Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac caressing [showing affection to] Rebekah. Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ” So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall be surely put to death.”

CONCLUSION: In Genesis 21: 22-32, king Abimelech and Phichol the commander of his army meet with Abraham later over the matter of a well he dug that the king’s servants had stopped up. Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs as a sign or witness to his honesty of digging the well and he and king Abimelech swore an oath and called the place Beersheba [meaning either well of “oath” or “seven”]. This is almost verbatim regarding Isaac in Genesis 26: 15-33, with the addition of a friend of king Abimelech’s, Ahuzzath, along with the commander of his army, Phichol. In this last account Isaac or his servants redug the wells that his father Abraham initially dug earlier. So it would seem that the author or redactor used versions from several sources and interwoven them into separate, repeating narratives involving Abraham/Sarah and Isaac/Rebekah. It is certainly a better story when one sees a young Rebekah as attracting the desires of the average male, an unnamed Pharaoh of Egypt or Philistine King as opposed to a sixty-five or ninety-year old Sarah.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
January 7, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Jesus Christ celebrated December 25th

It may come as surprise to some but instead of celebrating the birth of Jesus [Yeshua] on December 25th, He most likely celebrated a notable Jewish festival on this very date; as recorded in the gospel of John.

John 10: 22
Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus [Yeshua] walked in the Temple, in Solomon’s porch.

1 Maccabees 4: 36-38, 47-51
Then Judas and his brothers said, “Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up and purify the sanctuary [Temple] and rededicate it.” So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion. They found the sanctuary desolate, the altar desecrated, the gate burned, weeds growing in the courts as in a forest or some mountain, and the priests chambers demolished. And they took uncut stones, according to the law [Torah], and built a new altar like the former one. They also repaired the sanctuary and the interior of the temple and purified the courts. They made new sacred vessels and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table [of shewbread] into the temple. Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the lampstand, and these illuminated the temple. They also put loaves [of shewbread] on the table and hung the curtains. Thus they finished the work they had undertaken.

1 Maccabees 4: 52-56, 58-59
Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, that is the month of Chislev [“December”], in the year one hundred and forty eight [164 B.C.], they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law [Torah] on the new altar of holocausts [burnt offerings] that they had made. On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it, on that very day it was reconsecrated with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals. All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven [HaShem] who had given them success. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered holocausts and sacrifices of deliverance and praise. There was great joy among the people now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed. Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar [Temple and all its vessels] should be observed with joy and gladness on the anniversary every year for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev [“December’].

1 Maccabees 1: 21-23, 54-57, 61-62
He [Antiochus Epiphanes IV] insolently invaded the sanctuary [Temple] and took away the golden altar, the lampstand for the light with all its fixtures, the offering table, the cups and bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, the golden ornament on the façade of the temple. He stripped off everything, and took away the gold and solver and precious [holy] vessels. On the fifteenth day [twenty-fifth??] day of the month Chislev [“December”], in the year one hundred and forty-five [167 B.C.], king Antiochus Epiphanes IV erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. They also burnt incense [to pagan gods] at the doors of the houses in the streets. Any scroll of the law [Torah] which they found they tore up and burnt. Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant and whoever observed the law [Torah] was condemned to death by royal decree. But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.

COMMENTARY: The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus mentions that this celebration known as Feast of the Dedication which our LORD and Savior observed is the ‘Festival of Lights’ or Hanukkah [“Dedication”], which is derived from the revolt of Judas Maccabees and his brothers over the pagan armies of Antiochus Epiphanies IV and cleansing the Jewish sanctuary of ritual defilement. The lighting of the Menorah symbolizes the miracle that God performed because there was only enough oil to light the lampstand for one day but it lasted for eight. Instead of the entire festive atmosphere which usually surrounds the typical Yuletide and holiday Season, December 25th should be a solemn reflection and reminder about a people willing to sacrifice their very lives for their religious faith in order to please God and keep His covenant. On a spiritual level, just as the sanctuary was purified of defilement the believer must do the same with the temple of his body and rededicate it again in holy service to God (Cp. Romans 12: 1-2; 1 Corinthians 3: 17b).


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
December 25, 2011
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

A brief overview on 1 Peter 1 thru 5

1 Peter 1: 1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ [Yeshua Moshiach]. To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithnia. . .

John 7: 35
Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that wee shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks [Gentiles] and teach them?”

1 Peter 1: 6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ [Yeshua Moshiach].

Job 23: 10
But He [God] knows the way I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

Psalms 66: 10, 12b
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. We went through fire and water, but You have brought us out to rich (abundant) fulfillment.

1 Peter 1: 10-11
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He [God] testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ [Moshiach] and the glories that would follow.

Luke 24: 44, 46
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” Then he said to them, “Thus it was written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ [Moshiach] to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.”

1 Peter 1: 14; 2: 1, 11; 3: 8-9; 4: 3
As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

Romans 12: 2a
And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

1 Peter 1: 15-16
But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy (Cp. Leviticus 1: 44a, 45b).”

1 Peter 2: 5, 9a
You also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ [Yeshua Moshiach]. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.

1 Peter 2: 10
Who were once not a people but now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Hosea 1: 9-10
Then God said; “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not be your God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, there it shall be said to them, you are the sons of the Living God.

1 Peter 2: 12, 15; 3: 16
Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers [when they falsely accuse you of wrongdoing], they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation [His advent]. For this is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your conduct in Christ [Moshiach] may be ashamed.

1 Peter 2: 13a, 18a; 3: 1a; 5: 5a
Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the LORD’S sake. Servants be submissive to your masters with all fear. Wives, likewise be submissive to your own husbands. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another.

1 Peter 2: 20b-21-24
But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this were you called, because Christ [Moshiach] also suffered for you [not for Himself], leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps [Cp. Mark 8: 34b; Luke 12: 50; Matthew 20: 22b]: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth;” who, when He was reviled [mocked], did not revile in return; when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose [His] stripes you were [are] healed.

1 Peter 3: 13-14a, 17
And who is he who will harm you if you become followers [doers] of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

1 Peter 3: 18; 4: 1a, 13, 14a, 16, 19; 5: 9-11
For Christ [Yeshua] also suffered once for sins, the just and the unjust, that He might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit. Therefore, since Christ [Yeshua] suffered for you in the flesh. . . But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ [Moshiach], blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but glorify God in this manner [on this behalf]. Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. Resist him [the devil], steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world., But may the God of all grace, Who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus [Moshiach Yeshua], after you have suffered awhile, will perfect, strengthen, and settle [establish] you.

COMENTARY: It seems that a major theme in this letter (epistle) of the apostle Peter to the Israelites living in Asia and Europe is that of experiencing some form of persecution or suffering for their faith. Since Peter was one of the few disciples who was nearby when the LORD Jesus was cruelly mistreated by undergoing being tortured [reviled, beaten and spit upon], and finally crucified, this made such a deep impression upon him that he never forgot. In fact, the way Peter looks at it, it is an honor to suffer unjustly for the sake of righteousness as one is following the very example of the Savior Jesus [Yeshua]. This is our calling or vocation and as we receive such treatment from others, God is glorified and we should praise Him for being counted worthy to suffer in His name. This is a process of spiritual refining, like heating rare and precious metals like gold and silver to high temperatures for removing the impurities and so when a Christian undergoes fiery trials this should remind us that Jesus chose to take our place on the Cross of Calvary and received in His body the physical and spiritual consequence for our sin.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
December 21, 2011
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Which is the real Jesus?

The usual impression that people generally have regarding Jesus is someone who is friendly, nice and non-threatening in appearance religious teacher like the Dalai Lama of Tibet. He went around like a faith-healer and performed miraculous healings and supernatural signs, teaching people mostly through parables about the impending Kingdom of God, and who was later betrayed for crucifixion to the Roman officials in Palestine by instigation of the Jewish religious leaders and tribal elders. This Jesus is the one who blesses the little children and says they have guardian angels but is He all sugar and spice with only pleasant things to say or do, so is there a serious or harsher side of our LORD and Savior that is often overlooked in reading the gospel narratives?

Matthew 8: 21-22
Then another of His disciples said to Him, “LORD, let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to Him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Matthew 10: 34
Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

Luke 12: 49
I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

Luke 2: 10-14 [CONTRAST]
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ [Moshiach] the LORD. “And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manager.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Matthew 13: 49-50
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing (grinding) of teeth.

Matthew 15: 22, 24-27
And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O LORD, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed. But He answered her not a word. But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, “LORD, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, LORD, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Matthew 22-23
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, LORD; this shall not happen to you!” But He turned to Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense (stumbling-block) to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Matthew 18: 8-9
If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into the hell fire (Gehenna).

Matthew 22: 13-15, 24-25, 27-28, 33
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive the greater condemnation [judgment/damnation??]. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much the son of hell (Gehenna) as yourselves. Blind guides, who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they [you] are full of extortion and self-indulgence (unrighteousness). Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly; but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

Matthew 25: 40-41, 46a
And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Then He will say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And these will go away into everlasting punishment.”

Luke 4: 16, 28-29
So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with rage, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city, and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.

Luke 13: 1-3
There were some at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Luke 13: 23-24
Then one said to Him, “LORD, are there few who are [will be] saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

John 2: 13-16
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the Temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the Temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

John 5: 14
Afterward Jesus found him in the Temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well [whole]. Sin no more, less a worse thing come upon you.

John 8: 21
Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

John 9: 40-41
Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now [since] you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

COMMENTARY: The Jesus that is preached from quite a few liberal or progressive pulpits in the Christian churches is a message mostly about Love and not as great an emphasis concerning Judgment, Sin or Eternal damnation. Is His teaching more about living according to The Golden Rule and treating others with dignity, respect and tolerance. While this is certainly true, however, one cannot escape the legacy of “sin” inherited from Adam and Eve as well as the presence of evil and demonic forces in this world. This brief study will not answer all the issues but it should cause one to pause and reflect on which Jesus is “real” and what He wants from us as generally taught in the community of faith, or do we diligently search for ourselves as He is revealed in the Holy Bible; even in His Old Testament ‘theophany’ [pre-human manifestation/appearance]. There are even some who want to see Jesus [Yeshua] as somehow more approachable than the awesome God [El Shaddai, Yehovah or HaShem] of the Jewish Patriarchs, Judges, Prophets, Kings and the children of Israel but He and the Father are ONE [Heb. “echad”].


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
December 19, 2011
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

The qualification for Elder in the Christian Church

There are Christian churches where a female has the title of “elder” in the sense of an official officeholder in the local congregation/assembly as opposed to someone who is an old woman. And while some modern worshippers may find the Apostle Paul a little out-of-step when he wrote in 1 Timothy 2: 12, “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise [usurp] authority over a man, but to be in silence,” so how is that a female believer can be ordained an ‘elder’ in the church? What does the Bible reveal about how an elder is chosen to pastor or shepherd the flock of God’s people?

NOTE: ‘Usurp’ means to seize control of that for which one is not lawfully entitled.

Titus 1: 5-6
For this reason I left you in Crete that you should set according to acceptable order what remains and appoint/ordain them elders [Heb. Zekenim] from city to city [in every city]. If anyone is without reproach, a one woman man [husband of one wife], his children [Heb. banim] being believers in the LORD [faithful children] and not under accusation of debauchery [extreme indulgence in sensuality], stubbornness or rebellion. OJB

NOTE: The word for children is in the plural and not the singular as in a child/son or daughter.

1Timothy 3: 1-2
Trustworthy is the word of truth [faithful saying] if anyone aspires to the congregational office of Spiritual Overseer/Bishop [Heb. Mashgiach Ruchani] over the congregation/assembly [Church] of God [Heb. Adat HaShem], it is necessary for the Spiritual Overseer/Bishop [Heb. Mashgiach Ruchani] to be without reproach (blameless) and a one woman man [husband of one wife] . . . OJB

NOTE: Some churches use the office of Elder and Bishop/Overseer interchangeably but in the Orthodox Jewish Bible Hebrew-English translation, two separate words are used in Titus and Timothy by the apostle Paul but the apostle Peter uses both words in 1 Peter 5: 1-2a. The idea in the latter is the exercise of authority when it pertains to matters involving the worship service ministry [Heb. avodas hakodesh] or the holy service/ministry. Interestingly, in Acts 20: 17, 28 the apostle Paul employs both terms for elders when he uses the term “elders of the congregation” [Heb. Ziknei HaKehillah] and not elders of the “congregations” [Heb. HaKehillot]. Then he uses the term ‘spiritual overseers’ [Heb. mashgichim ruachaniyim] over the congregation/assembly [Heb. HaKehillah not HaKehillot] of God . . . OJB

So, based on the apostle Paul summoning the Elders or Bishops from Ephesus and with the lack of any plural form of the word congregation (flock) [Acts 20: 28-Heb. “adat” for flock instead of “adarim” for flocks], it could either mean that these church officials were from one local assembly/congregation or the gathering consisted of an Elder or Elders representing their own particular congregation and would thus be consistent with the narrative. Without more specifics it is difficult to be absolutely certain and in most cases people just accept what is prudent or reasonable and the traditional practice. The one thing, though, is what I alluded to in my earlier email, that in reading Titus 1: 5, it does “NOT” say, appoint Elders in every congregation but every “city/town.” Now, additionally, there really is not a lot to go on in pinpointing say, in what aspect “children” are under consideration.

Since the Christian Church came out of a Jewish cultural and religious worldview and social experience, it might be helpful to determine at what point is someone no longer a child. Accordingly, a Jewish parent is accountable to God for the behavior of a child until age thirteen, and then they are accountable to God for their own sins. Also, there are the Bar mitzvah and the Bat mitzvah celebrations for Jewish boys and girls when they reach sixteen years old as they are now considered no longer a child but not an adult [as of yet], either. And a point I forgot to include earlier as well, is, what if a prospective candidate for Eldership met all the criteria and then at some point before ordination all his children died, or let’s say having only two and one died or was killed; or what about his wife dying a week before he is approved or what if these deaths occur afterwards, shall he resign because he no longer qualifies? I have even heard that a man could not be an Elder [especially if he had remarried] as long as he still had another “living” wife [former wife] so I guess if one wanted to serve in that capacity you had to pray or hope that God would take her away so you could fulfill that position [yuck or yikes!!].

And if you qualify initially can you still remain that way because you certainly cannot control all the circumstances in your life: such as if your wife files for a divorce or dies, or if your adult children engage in behavior that is not a good reflection on their earlier life in the “Faith” or if another elder or yourself relocate to another congregation or dies when there were only two of you, etc. I think that when it comes to such matters, sometimes one has to measure “the spirit of the law” versus “the letter of the law” wherein a couple who has only one child should be no less qualified than a couple who have six children because being a parent is equal in responsibility and honor, and how can God be seen as just if the Holy Spirit places it in the heart of a person and his wife to serve as Overseer/Bishop/Elder and yet at the same time disqualify them solely on the basis of their having a single child?

I have this question about what it means regarding having “believing” children and raising them up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD? Does this mean that the child/children must be “saved” or that they just have knowledge or have been instructed in the things of God by attending church services and Bible class, but have not committed themselves to the gospel call for salvation, although they are living a life that positively reflects their religious upbringing? As I perused the qualifications for a Deacon, it seems to me that he could also be an Elder/Overseer if he chose to take on that added responsibility.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
November 22, 2011
robertrandle51@yahoo.com