Book Review: Hebrew Yeshua vs. Greek Jesus

I decided to read “Hebrew Yeshua vs. Greek Jesus” after I read another of Nehemia Gordon’s books, “A Prayer to Our Father” (read my book review here).  “Hebrew Yeshua” has a very similar format as “A Prayer” in that he draws out meanings to verses that are at times different when translated from Greek than from Hebrew.

The author is a Karaite Jew, a scriptualist, and an expert on reading the Dead Sea Scrolls.  He has numerous references on each page for you to verify his conclusions.

This book takes some time giving you a high-level crash course into the Pharisee way of thinking, which Gordon formerly was.  He also describes customs and traditions that some of those in the Jewish faith practice.

Gordon discusses the fact that the Pharisee’s believe in two torahs; the written Torah that Moses received from God (Yehovah) on Mt. Sinai and an “Oral Torah”, one that evolves over time based on Rabbinical interpretations.  In actuality, even though God wrote down the written Torah, the Rabbi’s authority and interpretation (the Oral Torah) supersedes what God has explicitly told us; their manners and customs.  If the Rabbi says that your left hand is actually your right hand, you must obey what he has to say even though Scripturally it may say the opposite. Jesus (Yeshua) had a bit of difficulty with Pharisee’s regarding this (Oral Torah) and in reality Jesus had to be killed for not obeying the Oral Torah.  It is a rabbinical law.

Gordon uses Matthew 23:2-3 as the basis of this book.  In this verse, Jesus said:

“²Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:  ³All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.”

This verse sounds likes Jesus is saying that you must observe everything that the Pharisee’s are saying because they sit in Moses’ seat.  He goes step by step, explains Moses’ seat, brings in Hebrew translation, and you’ll see that as the original meaning unfolds, Jesus it is pretty much saying the opposite.  It really is amazing.

Overall, I think this is a good book and I enjoyed it.  I was a little confused with the title, but maybe it was with my expectations.  I had expected more comparisons between what the Hebrew translation describes Yeshua to what  the Greek translation describes Jesus.

One option that you can do, is to watch the video on the book (see below).  It is 2 hours long, but covers the same material as in the book.

Book Review: A Prayer to Our Father, Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer

This book is absolutely amazing!  I loved it!

This was written by two men with different perceptions; a Jew and a Christian.  The Lord’s Prayer (The Avinu Prayer) is one which both, those of the Jewish faith and the Christian faith, can apply to their life.

The authors laid the ground work of the biblical text that they were going to use; Hebrew Matthew and the Hebrew Bible.  The King James Version (KJV), New International Version (NIV), and others are Greek translations.  There is a version of the Gospel of Matthew (Hebrew Matthew) that was written in Hebrew and text within Matthew is consistent with how Hebrew was written.

Six chapters describe the six possible locations of where Yeshua (Jesus) could have taught this prayer to his disciples.  They visited each site, described what they saw, and researched Scriptures and other Hebrew materials to draw their conclusion on each location.  As I was reading each chapter, it felt like I was in a treasure hunt.  In the end, with what they described, I too came to the same conclusion as to where the location was.

The authors then broke down each of the eight statements of the Lord’s Prayer by devoting a complete chapter to each statement.  Within each chapter they talked about Hebrew mannerisms and customs in a very understandable fashion.  It is truly amazing to see when a word is translated this way or that way (Hebrew vs. Greek), how different the statement means.

This book has caused me to thirst for more.  There are other books that the Jewish author has written that also intrigue me.   He is an expert in translating the Dead Sea Scrolls and as a researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts.  In addition, I want to dig into the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament and  of the Hebrew Matthew Version.

Below I have included the KJV version and the Hebrew Matthew Version of the Lord’s Prayer.  I invite you to read both versions and think about the differences.

King James Version
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
for ever.

Amen.

Hebrew Matthew Version
Our Father in heaven,
May your name be sanctified.

May your kingdom be blessed.

Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth.

Give us our bread continually.

Forgive us the debt of our sins
as we forgive the debt of those who sin against us.

Do not bring us into the hands of a test,
and protect us from all evil.

Amen.

Book: My Father, Maker of the Trees

In 1994, 16-year-old Eric Irivuzumugabe climbed a cypress tree and remained there for 15 days without food or water. He wasn’t trying to win a bet with his friends–he was attempting to save his life. Eric is a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide that claimed the lives of 1 million people in just 100 days. In the midst of indescribable loss, and without a job, a home, or an education, Eric was determined to start a new life for himself and his two surviving brothers.

My Father, Maker of the Trees is the story not only of his physical survival, it is the story of his spiritual rebirth and the role he is playing in the healing and redemption of his land and people. His incredible account will show readers the reality of evil in the world as well as the power of hope. Eric’s message of God’s relentless love through our darkest circumstances will encourage and inspire.

For more information or to order the book, please visit their website.

The Bet, Week 1 Packers vs Bears

This is D-Day.  The day the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears renew their rivalry.  In their very first meeting together, in 1921, a Bear punching a Packer in the nose and breaking it.  And so it began.

My next post will not be here on Monday, September 14th.  But rather on, the blog of @BradGross (Twitter name).  Reason being, I will win a bet today.  The bet with @BradGross is, if the Packers win I post something on his blog , if the Bears win (LOL), then he posts something on mine.

My blog post will be on “A Rivalry of Sorts”.  Discussing a little bit on the Bears and Packers rivalry, then shifting to a different rivalry.  One that is relevant today.

I’ll be at the game, twittering (@PerryHansen) and uploading pics as it happens.  You can follow me on Twitter and on Facebook.

Have a great time watching the Packers beat the Bears!

Casting Crowns in Concert, Green Bay

October 22, 2009, at 7:00pm, Casting Crowns will be performing at the Weidner Center on the UW-Green Bay campus as part of the “Until the Whole World Hears” tour.  They are the headliners and Matt Redman will be opening.This is a benefit concert for Acts 1:8 Ministries.  For tickets, call 920-494-2289.

A few days ago I had a post titled, “Who is Them?“.  At the bottom of that post was a video by Casting Crowns titled “Love Them Like Jesus”.  Below is another one of their songs titled, “Does Anybody Hear Her?”

Matt Redman in Concert, Green Bay

October 22, 2009, at 7:00pm, Matt Redman will be performing at the Weidner Center on the UW-Green Bay campus as part of the “Until the Whole World Hears” tour.  He will be opening Casting Crowns which is pretty amazing since Matt could be the headliner in his own right.  This is a benefit concert for Acts 1:8 Ministries.  For tickets, call 920-494-2289.

In March I had a post regarding one of songs, Heart of Worship.  This post talks about the history of his song as well as a video.  I highly encourage you to read it. Click here to read it.

Below  is one more of music video of Matt Redman’s work.

After viewing the two videos, I think you’ll get a sense of how awesome of a concert this is going to be!

It’s Your Kindness

A woman caught in the very act of adultery and was brought to Jesus (funny, wasn’t the guy caught too?); John 8:3-11.  Jewish custom is that she should be stoned to death.   However, what did Jesus do? He knelt down to the ground and with his finger started writing, which some believe He was writing their own sins, in the ground.  In any event, the people left and Jesus was left alone with the woman.  Instead of condemning her, he showed her kindness and a new way of life.

Like my post from yesterday, we should love them and show kindness.

Who is Them?

It was asked of Jesus of the 10 Commandments, which one is the greatest.  His answer in Matthew 22:37-40 was,

” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Below is a video titled, “Love Them Like Jesus” by Casting Crowns.  Who is them?  Your “them” is the one person or people group that you do not like the most.  In the United States, it may be Al-Qaeda.  In Biblical times it was the Jews and the Samaritans.  The Jews could not stand the Samaritans, they were a hybrid group.  Yet it was the Samaritans in Luke 10:25-37 who helped the man who was robbed and beaten.  They were the ones who loved them like Jesus.

That doesn’t mean we have to agree with what that person or people group is doing, Jesus said to just love them.

What is in a Name?

A lot of times when you read the genealogy in the Bible, you kind of gloss it over.  So and so became the father of so and so, etc.  Now genealogy is really important especially when you are looking at lineage.  The Messiah needs to come from a certain line; from King David as stated in Matthew 1 and Luke 3:23-38.

A friend of mine sent me a link regarding the genealogy of Genesis 5.  As you look at the definitions of the first 10 fathers names, from Adam to Noah, you discover there is somewhat of a hidden message.  Below is a list of those names and their definitions:

• Adam -  Man
• Seth – Appointed
• Enosh – Mortal
• Kenan – Sorrow
• Mahalalel – The Blessed God
• Jared – Shall Come Down
• Enoch – Teaching
• Methuselah – His Death Shall Bring
• Lamech – The Dispairing
• Noah – Rest or Comfort
  

Sounds like a summary of God’s plan of redemption, hidden here within a genealogy in Genesis!

Source of where I got this information, click here.

Oh My God (Director’s Statement)

Peter Rodger was frustrated with the childish schoolyard mentality that permeates this world – Peter called it the “My God Is Greater Than Your God” syndrome – where you have grown men flying airplanes into buildings shouting “God is Great” – where you have the leader of the free world telling the BBC in 2003 that he invaded Iraq because God told him to – where you have the constitution of a country (Iran) that dictates that its supreme leader is God’s representative on earth – where you have young men and women blowing themselves up (and innocent others) to buy a place into heaven. None of these concepts made any sense to me. Does it matter what I believe?  Does it matter what you believe? And what is this entity that goes by the name of God – that causes so much friction, hurt and pain? So I decided to go around the world and ask people what they think.

Over three years, Peter Rodger traveled across 23 countries asking this question – to children; to religious leaders; to celebrities; to fanatics and to the common Man. The film is a result of this journey. It is not about religion and the tribes in which people eke out their lives; the film is about what God means to people.

The answers are sometimes predictable, and sometimes surprising. From birth and throughout our education we are conditioned as human beings – influenced by our parents, schools and the religious beliefs of our home country. If we have a religion, perhaps we should spend a little longer studying our chosen belief instead of blindly following other human beings who claim to have the authority of God. It seems evident that Man has taken the power and concept of God and politicized it for agendas that are the antipathies to the dignity and tolerance that the prophets of all the major religions preached in their day.

Did Man create God, or did God create Man?

Visit the Oh My God website for more information.