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Friday, September 30, 2016

Elul - are we achor el achor or are we panim el panim (back to back or face to face) - as we go into the new year? Come and See...

…Lessons from the Wilderness Volume Tweleve… [1] [2] [3] [4]

Gleanings from Elul 5776

Song of Solomon 6:3 (Tanakh)

3I am my beloved’s
And my beloved is mine;
He browses among the lilies. [5]
Song of Solomon 7:11 (Tanakh)

11I am my beloved’s,
And his desire is for me. [6]


The Month of Elul is almost gone: the new year is beckoning. It has been, well, a hard month for me. That is why I am breaking up our study on the Prayer to our Father, to take a small bit of time and reflect on this past month, the new beginning, and the 10 days of introspection that leads us to Yom Kippur and beyond.

Let me quote here from an article written by Sara Esther Crispe if I may:

“…The month that we are now in, Elul, is the key to unlocking the inner and most potent meaning of the heart. As is well known, the Hebrew letters that make the word “Elul,” aleph, lamed, vav and lamed, are an acronym for the phrase (from the biblical Song of Songs) ani l’dodi v’dodi li, which means “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me.”
This beautiful and romantic phrase is that which represents our relationship with our Creator, which is often paralleled to that of a husband and wife, a bride and groom, in our individual lives.
The Zohar explains that at the beginning of Elul we are achor el achor, meaning “back to back,” and by the end of Elul we are panim el panim, “face to face.” But how can it be that we are back to back? Wouldn’t that imply that G‑d has His back turned to us as well? How can we say such a thing, when this is the month in which—as chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi teaches us—“the King is in the field”? Is it not the month when G‑d is more accessible than ever, when He is waiting for us to greet Him, when He is there for us in the “field” of our everyday lives?
The fact that we are described as “back to back” and then “face to face” is an incredible lesson…” [7]

Indeed, she goes on to say this incredible statement: “…when we feel angry, hurt, abandoned, whatever the root of our pain may be, we turn our back. When our back is turned, we have no idea of the state of the other…”[8]

That is me – that is my state this month. What should have been a joyous time, knowing my King is in the field, accessible, and willing to hear my needs and sooth my hurts, I feel as if we have been achor el achor this entire time and my whole being has been out of sorts, out of the reach of my King, for how can one reach out to another if they are back to back? To be truthful, I have been afraid to turn around, afraid that all I’d see is my beloved’s back and not His welcoming arms. Instead of joy, all I’ve felt is the weight, the longing, the pain of an internal loneliness that only comes when G-d is silent. Why is the only presence I seem to be able to feel is the presence of – well - sin, my transgressions that separate me from my beloved, that keeps both of our backs turned? How can He be accessible to me if the rags of my righteousness are filth? Why would He want to be accessible to me?

There are things in my personal life that I cannot disclose – they involve family and the matter is between us, and not the world. But I can discuss what is within me, and it is a place that Christian writer A.W. Pink described best:

“…There are two sides to a Christians’ life: a light and a dark, an elevating and a depressing one… His experience is neither all joy, nor is it all grief, but a mixture of both…”[9]

Let it be known here, I do not consider myself a Christian – I am a Messianic believer. I live for the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Israel by adhering to the Torah of Moshe and following the Messiah He has sent, Yeshua. That being said, I don’t have a problem with studying from Christian sources or Jewish ones either. There is something to learn from both – if you know how to connect the dots. Here is where it all comes together for me – Elul and the mixture of joy and grief, the searching of my soul, the cleansing of the trash that I have accumulated from just living in this broken, fallen world. I had hoped to see Him panim el panim at the end of Elul, but instead I’m afraid to turn around.

Why? Light and dark, joy and grief – these are what I struggle with, these two conflicting parts of my walk with Machiach. On one hand, I see how the sweet indwelling presence of the Ruach haKodesh, G-d’s Holy Spirit, helps to comfort me yet on the other, I have to come face to face with that which also indwells all of us – and that is sin. 

Let us see from this perspective:

Romans 7 (the Complete Jewish Bible)

7 Surely you know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who understand Torah—that the Torah has authority over a person only so long as he lives? For example, a married woman is bound by Torah to her husband while he is alive; but if the husband dies, she is released from the part of the Torah that deals with husbands. Therefore, while the husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress if she marries another man; but if the husband dies, she is free from that part of the Torah; so that if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress.
Thus, my brothers, you have been made dead with regard to the Torah through the Messiah’s body, so that you may belong to someone else, namely, the one who has been raised from the dead, in order for us to bear fruit for God. For when we were living according to our old nature, the passions connected with sins worked through the Torah in our various parts, with the result that we bore fruit for death. But now we have been released from this aspect of the Torah, because we have died to that which had us in its clutches, so that we are serving in the new way provided by the Spirit and not in the old way of outwardly following the letter of the law.
Therefore, what are we to say? That the Torah is sinful? Heaven forbid! Rather, the function of the Torah was that without it, I would not have known what sin is. For example, I would not have become conscious of what greed is if the Torah had not said, “Thou shalt not covet.”v But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, worked in me all kinds of evil desires—for apart from Torah, sin is dead. I was once alive outside the framework of Torah. But when the commandment really encountered me, sin sprang to life, 10 and I died. The commandment that was intended to bring me life was found to be bringing me death! 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me; and through the commandment, sin killed me. 12 So the Torah is holy; that is, the commandment is holy, just and good.
13 Then did something good become for me the source of death? Heaven forbid! Rather, it was sin working death in me through something good, so that sin might be clearly exposed as sin, so that sin through the commandment might come to be experienced as sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the Torah is of the Spirit; but as for me, I am bound to the old nature, sold to sin as a slave. 15 I don’t understand my own behavior—I don’t do what I want to do; instead, I do the very thing I hate! 16 Now if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am agreeing that the Torah is good. 17 But now it is no longer “the real me” doing it, but the sin housed inside me. 18 For I know that there is nothing good housed inside me—that is, inside my old nature. I can want what is good, but I can’t do it! 19 For I don’t do the good I want; instead, the evil that I don’t want is what I do! 20 But if I am doing what “the real me” doesn’t want, it is no longer “the real me” doing it but the sin housed inside me. 21 So I find it to be the rule, a kind of perverse “Torah,” that although I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me! 22 For in my inner self I completely agree with God’s Torah; 23 but in my various parts, I see a different “Torah,” one that battles with the Torah in my mind and makes me a prisoner of sin’s “Torah,” which is operating in my various parts. 24 What a miserable creature I am! Who will rescue me from this body bound for death? 25 Thanks be to God [, he will]!—through Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord!
To sum up: with my mind, I am a slave of God’s Torah; but with my old nature, I am a slave of sin’s “Torah.”[10]

I struggle with this body of death every day.  It is not just in the body that I live in but also is the body of death that is this world and the culture of it that you and I live in.  Every day we are surrounded by its evil; it calls out to us from every magazine, every movie, every television show and radio station we listen to or watch.  We get blasted by the pornography on the internet, on our cell phones, in music and books.  Everyday our souls are under attack and are beaten down by this never ending call to sin.  It is so easy to pass by a church or synagogue but a few of us can’t seem to be able to pass the bar or casino. We look up into the heavens and say “Oh I’m glad I’m not like this person, the homeless, the down-trodden!”  and we shake our head in disbelief at what they do yet we won’t even take a look at our own lives; we are back to back with the lost.

 I’m going to be blunt now brethren, hear me and hear me good – there is not one of us in this world today, myself included, that is not committing suicide, by turning our backs – we are just doing it slowly, so slowly we don’t even see it.

Every time we take a drink – we are killing ourselves.
Every cigarette we smoke – we are killing ourselves.
Every time we watch or read pornography – we are killing ourselves.
Everything that we put into our eyes that does not glorify G-d – we are killing ourselves.
Every time we engage in sex outside the bounds of marriage – we are killing ourselves.
Everything and anything in which we do if it does not exalt
the Living and True G-d is killing us.

We are killing ourselves even in the way we dress: how you ask?  Look at what you wear – does it edify G-d, or is it full of the symbols of death, skulls and flames?  Do we dress modestly, or do we dress to impress, to attract others to us, the allure of our bodies? 
·         If we are not reflecting the holiness of G-d in how we dress, we are killing ourselves! 
·         By our disobedience to the Word of G-d, by our failure to bow our knees to G-d and His Messiah, we are killing ourselves! 
·         If we are not daily picking up our cross and mortifying the deeds of the flesh by dying to ourselves – then truly, truly I say – we are killing not only our bodies, but also our souls.

Children: if you disrespect and disobey your parents – you are killing yourselves.
Parents: if you are not living a life of Godliness – you are killing yourselves and your children.

Fathers and husbands: if you are not submitting yourselves to the headship of Yeshua ha’Machiach and taking on the hard role of the spiritual leader in your house, if you are not protecting and cherishing the greatest gift G-d has given you –your wife-  you are killing yourself and your family.

Mothers and wives:  if you are not standing beside you husband as his help-mate – not behind him or in front of but by his side, and coming in agreement with him as he takes his role as leader of your family, and if you don’t back him up as he makes right decisions based upon the word of G-d (and these are the only ones you should support) – you are killing yourself, him, and your children.

I must add this here: no man has the right to abuse his wife or children. Submission to the G-dly role of a husband does not mean that a woman becomes chattel, or property. It means she allows him to be the man G-d intends him to be and helps him along the way. Truly then are both one flesh, one mind, working for the good of the whole. Anything else brings heartache and darkness.

Young men: if you are lending yourselves to unrighteousness, to partying, to swearing, to fighting, to drink, or smoke, or drugs (any drugs) or sex outside of marriage – you are killing yourselves.

Young ladies: if you are compromising your walk with Yeshua by going along with anything that I’ve already said – you are killing yourselves, and the future, 
for you will be the mothers of the future one day;
Do not sell yourselves short for a promise of love; if they really love you, they, the young men, will honor you and wait for you, and put a ring on your hand in marriage; 
don’t kill the future. Un-planned pregnancies hurt everyone; and abortion is sacrifice unto Moloch - young ladies - don't give yourselves to any, be strong.

Congregation:  if you are not interceding every day always praying before the Father for the souls and needs of those around you – you are killing yourselves and them.

Pastors and teachers: hear me
If you are not teaching Torah, the instructions of G-d;
If you are not preaching against sin;
If you yourself do not hate sin with all of your might and being;
If you are not preaching the whole counsel of the Living Word of Truth;
- You are killing yourselves and your flock -

Sin dwelleths within us…  O why I ask, O why O G-d do you leave this sin, this poison within me!  Why must all  struggle so?

There is an answer for the struggle; it's purpose is to keep me humble, to cast down my pride so that my soul will be preserved.  It is so that my eyes are not lifted up upon my haughtiness and my arrogance, but are lifted upon The Father, and the Son who bore all my sins.

Within me is no good thing – it is only by His will, by His grace and mercy do I even draw another breath!  I pick up His book, His Holy righteous Word and I have to know one thing:

It is one book.

The Torah, the Law of Moshe, has to guide my life, or I will do what I do not want to do for “…the law (Torah) is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good…” [11] If I go against what is holy, I will kill myself, for without the Torah of G-d, I can only draw from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil;

…and this tree has slayed me from the very beginning …

This tree bids me to choose what is good or what is evil:

·         I think I know what is right – but it kills me.
·         I do what I think is right – and it kills me.
·         I try to be holy in my own way – and I only kill myself.

All these things I do are because I try to decide for myself what is good and what is evil…

This tree is killing me
And it is killing you

There is only one thing that can save us – His Presence.

“…O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the bodyd of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…”  [12]

In Matthew 28:20, Christ tells the disciples:

“…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen…” [13]

These words are meant for all believers; let us take a closer look at this marvelous promise…

“Lo!” - (Behold He says!) Oh mark well, consider what I say carefully…

“I” -  Who am I? I am the lover of your soul, your Kinsman redeemer, the one who shed His blood for you – the Creator, Maker of all things, the Holy One of Israel – “I”…

“am with you” – Not away from you not as someone who just drops in now and then, but WITH you, besides you, in you – and I send My angels to watch over you and guard you, My Spirit I send to comfort and guide you, My Blood shall cover you…

“alway” – All the days, continually, completely, Forever…

“even unto the end” – The end of your earthly travels, to the end of your life and beyond…

“of the world” – If heaven and earth pass away will I leave you? Never.  Never.  No matter what you might do, if you are mine.

“Amen” – Sealed. Finished; I have spoken it as Truth, promised to you by the One who cannot lie…

‘…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen…” [14]

There is no greater promise, no greater gift for in this one statement, nothing more can be added or needs to be said.

He promised His presence – always.  It is in our own lack of understanding of this most cherished promise that we continue to struggle with the sin that dwells within.  The only way that this sin can have any power over us is in our failure to know Who it is that is with us…

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

10     nFear not, ofor I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ [15]

Two presences.  Light and dark, sin or righteousness through Messiah Yeshua.

A broken heart sometimes cannot see but only one - cannot feel the arms that hold as the back is turned – yet there is One who sits upon the throne that sees all broken hearts – and a broken and contrite heart He will not despise.

So do I have the courage to turn around, at the end of Elul? Does this searching of my heart, the weight I feel mean that He is not near to me? Is my brokenness a sign that he has left me alone?
How will I ever know if I won’t turn around?

REPENT, T’shuvah…

O turn ye sinner from the darkness that threatens to overwhelm you!

REPENT! T’SHUVAH -Return!

…For the unknown is killing me…

T’Shuvah!
Return!

O I cry to Him for Mercy!
O I cry to Him for Grace!
O I cry out for His Shed Blood to Redeem me from the horrors of sheol!
O I cry to Him to come and dwell within…

…T’Shuvah…

We all need to.
Put down that fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
And come with me to plant ourselves beside 
the Tree of Life from which flows rivers of Living Water…

Let us together turn around, and take the chance
To see His arms open wide.
His back was not to us,
But His face shines upon us.

Repent, for the Kingdom of G-d is at hand,
And the Almighty G-d is calling.

Will He be a sweet presence in your heart, healing and comforting, at this, 
the end of Elul, and the beginning of the new year?

As Yom Kippur approaches is He our comfort
Or will He be a consuming fire?

On this Yom Teruah, turn around and see, crown Him as King of kings and Lord of lords.
I have, and I am my beloved’s and He is mine.

Beloved, may the Lord richly bless you, and keep you and give you His Shalom this day…

…Amein…




[1] Authors note: Use of information from Jewish-themed websites should not be construed as these sites endorsing or confirming any thesis introduced by the author of this epistle. I present the information from their respective sites for instructional purposes only and/or to aid in the readers understanding of the subjects discussed. The inverse is also true – by using these sites in no way confirms or denies that this author holds to all things found on these sites – but brethren, we all can learn from one another, Jew and Gentile; may it be so in shalom and love and respect.
[2]  Author’s note:  Throughout this study I’ll be using the Net® Bible and the Net® Notes: within the notes you’ll see symbols like this: ( א B Ψ 892* 2427 sys). These are abbreviations used by the NetBible© for identifying the principal manuscript evidence that they (authors and translators of the NetBible©) used in translating the New Testament. Please go to  https://bible.org/netbible/ and see their section labeled “NET Bible Principals of Translation” for a more complete explanation on these symbols and other items pertinent to the way the NET Bible uses them.
[3] Author’s Note: In these studies, I have used the notes that come along with the passages I cite from the sources that I cite: these need a bit of a disclaimer though. As in all things, not everything that is footnoted is something that I necessarily agree with, especially if it contradicts what I believe pertains to any matters of the Torah or the commandments of G-d. I give you the notes as they are written by the authors of the material I cite from, so that you can see the information contained within them. It truly is not my place to edit or correct them; if they state anything that is in opposition to what I teach, then so be it. I will address these issues if requested, but for the sake of brevity (as if any of these posts of mine are brief ) I insert them and let them stand as they are. If I don’t agree with them, why do I include them you might ask? I don’t believe in censuring anyone’s opinions or scholarship; as I would not want mine censured, so I will not do to that to another. As Rabbi Hillel once stated, “What is hateful to you, do not do to another. That is the whole Torah. Go and learn it.” Torah leads me to respect others, even if I disagree; it leads me to present both sides of the coin, even if it could mean I’d lose part of the argument. That is not to say I should not challenge something I believe contradicts the truth of G-d’s word; that I will do in the main body of my epistles; that is where my gentle dissent belongs. Most (but not all) of the differences will come when I quote from the NET® Bible (but not exclusively); it has a decidedly Western/Greek mindset to it, but as a wise man once said “How do you eat chicken? Swallow the meat and spit out the bones…” I do though want to present the NET® notes because there is a wealth of information and research contained within them that I hope you find helpful.
[4] One may wonder why I omit the “o” when I write the title “G-d”. While there are many who say that to leave out the “o” is a sign of being under the influence of the Rabbis who forbid saying the name of Yahveh, I say, one must come to a conclusion on their own, and do as their heart convicts them (within the bounds of G-d’s word of course). I believe in the power of the name of the Most High – the name of Yahveh – and in uttering it in awe and reverence, yet find no contradiction in my soul for the hyphenated title “G-d”. I have written it both ways – stopped doing it, and now I have returned to the practice – as I said, one must follow the conviction of their heart. I do not disrespect anyone else’s opinion on this matter, and regardless if you think it wrong or right, I ask for the same respect. Let each be fully persuaded in their own mind and heart – and let G-d sort it out with each believer. For now, this is right for me, till the Father corrects - or confirms; I am after all, a work in progress. Shalom. 
[5]  Jewish Publication Society. (1997, c1985). Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures : A new translation of the Holy Scriptures according to the traditional Hebrew text. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.
[6]  Jewish Publication Society. (1997, c1985). Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures : A new translation of the Holy Scriptures according to the traditional Hebrew text. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.

[8] …Ibid…
[9] From Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. XXVII, February 1948 by Arthur W. Pink, reprinted by Chapel Library, Pensacola FL
v Exodus 20:14(17), Deuteronomy 5:18(21)
[10] Stern, D. H. (1998). Complete Jewish Bible: an English version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) (1st ed., Ro 7). Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications.
[11]The Holy Bible : King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Ro 7:12 (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995).
d the body...: or, this body of death
[12]The Holy Bible : King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Ro 7:24-25 (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995).
[13]The Holy Bible : King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Mt 28:20 (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995).
[14]The Holy Bible : King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Mt 28:20 (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995).
n  Is. 41:13, 14; 43:5
o  [Deut. 31:6]
[15]  The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Part Four of our Journey through The Lord's Prayer, Avinu shebashamayim: may He be exalted, and may we be blessed - Shalom.

…Lessons from the Wilderness Volume Eleven… [1] [2] [3] [4]
Avinu shebashamayim …
Part Four
Tavo malkhutekha ye’aseh r’tsonekha …[5]

Avinu shebashamayim, yitkadash shemekha.
Tavo malkhutekha ye’aseh r’tsonekha
ba’arets ka’asher na’asah vashamayim.
Ten-lanu haiyom lechem chukeinu.
u’selach-lanu et-ashmateinu
ka’asher solechim anachnu la’asher ashmulanu.
Ve’al-tevieinu lidei massah,
ki im-hatsileinu min-hara.
Ke lakha, hamamlakha, vehageverah, veha tiferet l’olemei ‘olamim.
Amein.

Matthew 6:9–13 (NASB95)
aPray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘aYour kingdom come.
bYour will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘aGive us this day 1our daily bread.
12 ‘And aforgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but adeliver us from 1bevil. 2[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’[6]


I have been posting messages to my readers around the world, and I’ll confess – for most of them I have to use a translator, as I am not fluent in all the languages. That being said, I will continue to do so – for I want on a higher level to connect with all of you, you whom I call my beloved. And let there be no mistake – you are all my beloved. I know that my posts here sometimes there is a long time lag between them. This is due to several things – the first being it takes a great deal of study and research as I write, because my goal is to be as accurate as possible about what I write. Another is that I also have to work to support myself and this little ministry – and I work the night shift, so I gotta sleep sometime! And another is this, and this is the most important reason: no matter what I want to write about, the Ruach HaKodesh makes sure that I have experienced it (it being the subject that I am writing about). I have to believe, with all of my heart, in the subject I am writing about. So I have to ponder, I have to michtam – contemplate – that which I am trying to expound upon so that I understand it. And to do this – I have to shed myself of negativity, of un-forgiveness, of bitterness, of offense, of all those things that hinder and block truth from my soul. In other words – I have to cleanse myself, and this is at times a challenge. We live in a dark world – and we also live in a world of glorious light, represented by the dual natures within us, Yetzer ha’Ra or Yetzet ha’Tov, “evil inclination or the inclination for good. To truly be cleansed – we have to be careful which nature we feed. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto wrote in Derech Hashem ("The Way of God") that:

"Man is the creature created for the purpose of being drawn close to God. He is placed between perfection and deficiency, with the power to earn perfection. Man must earn this perfection, however, through his own free will... Man's inclinations are therefore balanced between good (Yetzer HaTov) and evil (Yetzer HaRa), and he is not compelled toward either of them. He has the power of choice and is able to choose either side knowingly and willingly..." [7]

It is then our responsibility to carefully feed the right nature – in this world of upheaval and strife it is very easy to feed the wrong nature and thus block the pure truth that HaShem has for us. And just one note here: I was recently taken to task on a (gasp!) Facebook post because I publicly wrote out what I believe is the name of our Father in heaven. I was “reminded” that “Jews find that offensive”. I suppose the writer “correcting” me meant that orthodox Jews, i.e. “religious” Jews were the ones that would be offended by my naming Abba. So – please – allow me to address this topic, for just a moment, because it is an important topic.

What’s in a name? Well, in a nutshell (so to speak), it depends upon your point of view. For us, let us confine our points of view to just two: Western and Jewish. How a name is viewed really does depend upon the culture and history of those that “name the name”.

And what is a name? Noah Webster defines it as:

“…NAME, n.
 1. That by which a thing is called; the sound or combination of sounds used to express an idea, or any material substance, quality or act; an appellation attached to a thing by customary use, by which it may be vocally distinguished from other things. A name may be attached to an individual only, and is then proper or appropriate, as John, Thomas, London, Paris; or it may be attached to a species, genus, or class of things, as sheep, goat, horse, tree, animal, which are called common names, specific or generic.
 2. The letters or characters written or engraved, expressing the sounds by which a person or thing is known and distinguished.
 3. A person.
They list with women each degenerate name.
 4. Reputation; character; that which is commonly said of a person; as a good name; a bad name.
 5. Renown; fame; honor; celebrity; eminence; praise; distinction.
What men of name resort to him?
 6. Remembrance; memory.
The Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven. Deu 29.
 7. Appearance only; sound only; not reality; as a friend in name.
Rev 3. (author’s note: The importance of a name or The Name can be seen in verses 3:1, :5, :8 and verse 12)
 8. Authority; behalf; part; as in the name of the people.
When a man speaks or acts in the name of another, he does it by their authority or in their behalf, as their representative.
 9. Assumed character of another.
Had forged a treason in my patrons name.
 10. In Scripture, the name of God signifies his titles, his attributes, his will or purpose,, his honor and glory, his word, his grace, his wisdom, power and goodness, his worship or service, or God himself.
 11. Issue; posterity that preserves the name.
Deut. 25.
 12. In grammar, a noun.
To call names, to apply opprobrious names; to call by reproachful appellations.
To take the name of God in vain, to swear falsely or profanely,, or to use the name of God with levity or contempt. Exo 20.
To know by name, to honor by a particular friendship or familiarity. Exo 33.
Christian name, the name a person receives by baptism, as distinguished from surname.
 NAME, v.t. to call, to name, to invoke.
 1. To set or give to any person or thing a sound or combination of sounds by which it may be known and distinguished ; to call; to give an appellation to.
She named the child Ichabod. 1 Sam 4.
Thus was the building left Ridiculous, and the work confusion named.
 2. To mention by name; to utter or pronounce the sound or sounds by which a person or thing is known and distinguished.
Neither use thyself to the naming of the Holy One.
 3. To nominate; to designate for any purpose by name.
Thou shalt anoint to me him whom I name to thee. I Samuel 16.
 4. To entitle.
To the name of Christ, to make profession of faith in him. 2 Tim 4…[8]

As we can see a name in Western thought covers a lot of ground. How about Jewish thought?

“…In Jewish thought, a name is not merely an arbitrary designation, a random combination of sounds. 

 The name conveys the nature and essence of the thing named.  It represents the history and reputation of the being named.
This is not as strange or unfamiliar a concept as it may seem at first glance.  In English, we often refer to a person's reputation as his "good name".  When a company is sold, one thing that may be sold is the company's "good will", that is, the right to use the company's name.  The Hebrew concept of a name is very similar to these ideas.

An example of this usage occurs in Exodux 3,13-22:  Moses asks God what His "name" is.  Moses is not asking "what should I call you"; rather, he is asking "who are you; what are you like; what have you done".  That is clear from God's response.  God replies that He is eternal, that He is the God of our ancestors, that He has seen our affliction and will redeem us from bondage.

Another example of this usage is the concepts of chillul Ha-Shem and kiddush Ha-Shem.  An act that causes God or Judaism to come into disrespect or a commandment to be disobeyed is often referred to as "chillul Ha-Shem", profanation of The Name.  Clearly, we are not talking about a harm done to a word; we are talking about harm to a reputation.  Likewise, any deed that increases the respect accorded to God or Judaism is referred to as "kiddush Ha-Shem", sanctification of The Name.

Because a name represents the reputation of the thing named, a name should be treated with the same respect as the thing's reputation.  For this reason, God's Names, in all of their forms, are treated with enormous respect and reverence in Judaism…” [9]

Now, this respect and reverence stem from not only a deep awe of the G-d of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya’akov (Yisra’el), but also from the Ten D’varim, the Ten commandments or what I call the Ten Realities [10]:

“…Reality Number Three
Exo 20:7[the Hebrew letter “gam or gimel” ג]
                “You are not to use lightly the name of Adonai your God, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.” [11]

In the Paleo-Hebraic language the “gam or gimel” was represented in this manner.


  "The earliest known pictograph for this letter is shaped like an L and is a picture of a foot. The Modern Hebrew name for this letter is “gimel”, an adopted root. The original name to this letter is most likely “gam”, the parent root of “gimel”. This letter is the origin of the Arabic letter “Geem” and the Greek “gamma” supporting the theory that the original name for the letter did not include the “L”.
The word “gam” means to gather together as a group of animals gathering at the water hole to drink. The pictographic script for the word “gam” is
'mem-lamed'. The 'lamed' is the foot representing “walk” and the 'mem' is “water” (See Mah below). Combined these mean “walk to the water”.
The letter c has the meanings of walk, carry or gather. The sound associated with this letter is a “g” as in “go”.

    Benner describes it as:
“…Mah
The Early Semitic pictograph for this letter is ; 

a picture of waves of water. This pictograph has the meanings of liquid, water and sea, mighty and massive from the size of the sea and chaos from the storms of the sea. To the Hebrews the sea was a feared and unknown place, for this reason this letter is used as a question word, who, what, when, where, why and how, in the sense of searching for an unknown…” [13]

So one way of looking at the “gam or gimelis to rise above the chaos. Isn’t that what calling upon the Name of the Lord is to do in our lives?
Psalms 66:13-20
13 I shall acome into Your house with burnt offerings; I shall bpay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered And my mouth spoke when I was ain distress.
15 I shall aoffer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts, With the smoke of brams;
I shall make an offering of 1bulls with male goats.          Selah.
16 aCome and hear, all who 1fear God, And I will btell of what He has done for my soul.

17 I cried to Him with my mouth, and 1He was aextolled with my tongue.
18 If I 1aregard wickedness in my heart, The bLord 2will not 3hear;

19 But certainly aGod has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20 aBlessed be God, who bhas not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me. [14]

Yet how many of us cry unto God today with the thankfulness of heart? How many of us make demands upon Him with no regard for the wickedness of our hearts? When we take His name in vain, surely it only means misusing it right? O no my brethren; it is the act of us treating God’s name as if it carries no weight in this world.  It is the act of us showing Him contempt, of treating His Holy and Righteous Name as if it was a common thing. We Call Him God, we call Him Lord, yet these are titles; we use the Name of His Only Begotten Son as a pejorative, we use it almost as a swear word, derogatory to the point of blasphemy.  To His title that designates Him as the Supreme  Monarch of the Universe we tack on the “D” word and string His name with many other invectives.  We denigrate this Most High God in our words and deeds – and wonder why only trouble comes our way.

Psalm 37:7-15 (NKJV)
7     Rest in the Lord, gand wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who hprospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.  8 iCease from anger, and forsake wrath; j Do not fret—it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be 2cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall kinherit the earth.
10     For lyet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, myou will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11     nBut the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12     The wicked plots against the just, oAnd gnashes at him with his teeth.
13     pThe Lord laughs at him, For He sees that qhis day is coming.
14     The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15     Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. [15]

O how we have despised this King of ours, yet we want Him to rescue us, to rescue our children, we want Him to bow and scrape before us as if we were the rulers over all things instead of Him…
Our weeping for the dead and dying never ends because we have esteemed Him lightly,
Allowing the chaos to reign, instead of it being reigned in.

If only we had been taught and then taught our children also, the first three realities…” [16]

You see – I hold the name of our G-d in the same regard as my Jewish brethren – and yet I cannot ignore that His name is expressed in the Hebrew Bible as the tetragrammaton YHVH some 6828 times.[17] In fact, I agree with the following sentiment:

“…Nothing in the Torah prohibits a person from pronouncing the Name of God.  Indeed, it is evident from scripture that God's Name was pronounced routinely.  Many common Hebrew names contain "Yah" or "Yahu", part of God's four-letter Name.  The Name was pronounced as part of daily services in the Temple.
The Mishnah confirms that there was no prohibition against pronouncing The Name in ancient times.  In fact, the Mishnah recommends using God's Name as a routine greeting to a fellow Jew.  Berakhot 9,5.  However, by the time of the Talmud, it was the custom to use substitute Names for God.  Some rabbis asserted that a person who pronounces YHVH according to its letters (instead of using a substitute) has no place in the World to Come, and should be put to death.  Instead of pronouncing the four-letter Name, we usually substitute the Name "Adonai"; but sometimes we substitute "Elohim" when YHVH comes either immediately before or after the name "Adonai" itself.
Although the prohibition on pronunciation applies only to the four-letter Name, Jews customarily do not pronounce any of God's many Names except in prayer or study.  The usual Orthodox practice is to substitute letters or syllables, so that Adonai becomes Ha-Shem or Adoshem and Eloheynu and Elohim become Elokeynu and Elokim, etc.  This practice is quite unnecessary in the context of learning Torah, and it is especially offensive when whole verses are read from the Bible with these ugly substitutes for God's names…” [18]

While I mean no offense to my Jewish brethren – I am equally unashamed to speak the name of Yahveh; in writing, I can see a part of their argument – that according to the Torah, Deuteronomy 12:3, Father commands us not to erase or deface the name of G-d. Again, here is the rational: 


“…Jews do not casually write any Name of God.  This practice does not come from the commandment not to take the LORD's Name in vain, as many suppose.  In Torah thought, that commandment refers solely to oath-taking and vain blessings, and is a prohibition against using God's Name falsely or frivolously (the word normally translated as "in vain" literally means for falsehood).


The Torah does not prohibit writing the Name of God per se; it only prohibits erasing or defacing a Name of God.  However, observant Jews avoid writing any Name of God casually because of the risk that the written Name might later be defaced, obliterated, or destroyed accidentally or by one who does not know better.
The commandment not to erase or deface the name of God comes from Deuteronomy 12,3.  In that passage, the people are commanded that when they take over the promised land, they should destroy all things related to the idolatrous religions of that region, and should utterly destroy the names of the local deities.  Immediately afterwards, we are commanded not to do the same to our God.  From this, the rabbis inferred that we are commanded not to destroy any holy thing, and not to erase or deface a Name of God.
It is worth noting that this prohibition against erasing or defacing Names of God applies only to Names that are written in some kind of permanent form, and recent rabbinical decisions have held that writing on a computer is not a permanent form, thus it is not a violation to type God's Name into a computer and then backspace over it or cut and paste it, or copy and delete files with God's Name in them.  However, once you print the document out, it becomes a permanent form.  That is why many observant Jews avoid writing a Name of God on web sites like this one or in newsgroup messages:  because there is a risk that someone else will print it out and deface it.

Normally, Orthodox Jews avoid writing the Name by substituting letters or syllables, for example, writing "G-d" instead of "God".  In addition, the number 15, which would ordinarily be written in Hebrew as Yod-Heh (10-5), is normally written as Tet-Vav (9-6), because Yod-Heh is a Name.  See Hebrew Alphabet for more information about using letters as numerals.  In English letters, there is no need for these stringencies.  On the other hand, especially for those who think that tricky spelling solves their problems, we remind you here of what we say on our introduction page:

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you print from these pages for reading away from your computer, please remember that even where no names of God appear, whatever discusses matters of Torah is forbidden for a Jew to treat with disrespect or to throw away.  So either save what you print, or turn it over for burial as required for all holy writings that are no longer needed (or even better, pass it on to a friend to read) …”[19]

So then: I’ll do my best not to offend, but if seeing the name of Yehovah offends anyone, I apologize, but I believe in what He says in Genesis 4:26, 12:8; Joshua 6:25; 2 Chronicles 14:11; Psalms 18:3; Jeremiah 33:3; Zechariah 13:9; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13 and others where He says to call upon Him, or His name.


…Okay, got that off my chest…

Let us continue in our study of the Prayer to our Father.


But first, to my brethren in China:

在中國的教會。
上帝的兒子,他誰擁有他的眼睛像火焰,腳像光明金屬,說這些東西:我知道你的作品,愛和服務的信念和你的耐心,你們的工作;而最後比第一多。這裡面你有,堅守,直到我回來。他克服了誰,並保持我的作品到最後,給他我會給權力的國家。他誰是聖潔的,他誰是真的,他誰擁有大衛的鑰匙,他誰打開,沒有人關;並關上了,沒有人打開,說這些東西:我知道你的行為。看哪,我在你面前給一個敞開的門,沒有人能關的。對於你有一點點的力量,並遵守我的道,並沒有否認我的名字。因為你已經保持我的耐心的話,我也會讓你的誘惑,將臨到所有可居住的世界,去嘗試那些誰住在地上的時刻。看哪,我必快來。緊緊抓住了,你有,所以沒有人可以奪去你的冠冕。他誰克服我會讓他在我神殿中作柱子,他也不再出門。我會寫在他上面我以上帝的名義,與城市我的上帝,新耶路撒冷,從我的上帝從天上降下來的,和我的新名字的名字。他誰有耳,讓他聽到靈說給教會。 Amein 啟示錄21581218-1925-26;37-8; 10-13
Zài zhōngguó de jiàohuì.
Shàngdì de érzi, tā shuí yǒngyǒu tā de yǎnjīng xiàng huǒyàn, jiǎo xiàng guāngmíng jīnshǔ, shuō zhèxiē dōngxī: Wǒ zhīdào nǐ de zuòpǐn, ài hé fúwù de xìnniàn hé nǐ de nàixīn, nǐmen de gōngzuò; ér zuìhòu bǐ dì yī duō. Zhè lǐmiàn nǐ yǒu, jiānshǒu, zhídào wǒ huílái. Tā kèfúle shuí, bìng bǎochí wǒ de zuòpǐn dào zuìhòu, gěi tā wǒ huì gěi quánlì de guójiā. Tā shuí shì shèngjié de, tā shuí shì zhēn de, tā shuí yǒngyǒu dà wèi de yàoshi, tā shuí dǎkāi, méiyǒu rén guān; bìng guānshàngle, méiyǒu rén dǎkāi, shuō zhèxiē dōngxī: Wǒ zhīdào nǐ de xíngwéi. Kàn nǎ, wǒ zài nǐ miànqián gěi yīgè chǎngkāi de mén, méiyǒu rén néng guān de. Duìyú nǐ yǒu yīdiǎn diǎn de lìliàng, bìng zūnshǒu wǒ de dào, bìng méiyǒu fǒurèn wǒ de míngzì. Yīnwèi nǐ yǐjīng bǎochí wǒ de nàixīn dehuà, wǒ yě huì ràng nǐ de yòuhuò, jiāng líndào suǒyǒu kě jūzhù de shìjiè, qù chángshì nàxiē shuí zhù zài dìshàng de shíkè. Kàn nǎ, wǒ bì kuài lái. Jǐn jǐn zhuā zhùle, nǐ yǒu, suǒyǐ méiyǒu rén kěyǐ duó qù nǐ de guānmiǎn. Tā shuí kèfú wǒ huì ràng tā zài wǒ shéndiàn zhōng zuò zhùzi, tā yě bù zài chūmén. Wǒ huì xiě zài tā shàngmiàn wǒ yǐ shàngdì de míngyì, yǔ chéngshì wǒ de shàngdì, xīn yēlùsālěng, cóng wǒ de shàngdì cóng tiānshàng jiàng xiàlái de, hé wǒ de xīn míngzì de míngzì. Tā shuí yǒu ěr, ràng tā tīngdào líng shuō gěi jiàohuì. Amein. (Qǐshì lù 2:1,5,8,12,18-19,25-26; Qǐ 3:7-8; 10-13) [20]

(Any errors are due to my lack of ability – please forgive me.)
Tavo malkhutekha ye’aseh r’tsonekha
ba’arets ka’asher na’asah vashamayim.

Traditional Interpretation:
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth, as it is in heaven

Hebrew Matthew Transliteration:
Av-ee-noo she-ba-sha-mai-yeem
Yeet-ka-desh sheem-kha
Ve-yeet-ba-rekh mal-khoot-kha
Re-tson-kha yee-he-ye a-sui ba-sha-mai-yeem u-va-a-rets

Hebrew Matthew Interpretation: [21] [22]
May Your kingdom be blessed,
Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth

                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I I said earlier that one reason for the timing between posts was that I had to learn – had to know – the lesson being taught. “Hebrew Matthew” is one example. This figure shows a reproduction of the Hebrew Gospel according to Matthew preserved in the British Library.  This manuscript was preserved by Jewish scribes from the 1st century and discovered by a 14th-century Spanish rabbi named Shem Tov Ibn Shaprut.  While this may not be conclusive evidence for the purist, it raises the interesting possibility that Hebrew Language Gospels were used before the Greek and that without an understanding of the Hebrew mindset we will not be able to discern Scripture as Yahveh intended. Of the authenticity of the Gospel of Matthew being written in Hebrew one scholar said this:

 Johann David Michaelis: 

“…Now there are many books besides St. Matthew's Gospel, which are no longer extant in the language in which they were written, and yet we do not doubt, that those books once existed. It is surely not incredible that a Gospel written in Hebrew might dwindle into oblivion, and become gradually extinct, after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Hebrew Jews. Palestine ceased at the end of the first century to be a seminary for Jewish converts, who understood Hebrew: and to the Greek Christians, a Hebrew Gospel was of no value.


But suppose the Hebrew Gospel continued several centuries in existence, yet, if we except Origen and Jerome, perhaps none of the fathers, who have spoken of this Gospel, were able to read it. The objection therefore applies chiefly, if not entirely to Origen and Jerome. But Jerome not only declares that he had seen the Hebrew Gospel, which was believed to be St. Matthew's original, but even that he made a translation of it. Origen indeed rejects the Hebrew Gospel used by the Nazarenes, which is the Gospel that Jerome translated, whence it is inferred that in Origen's opinion the author of it was not an Apostle. But this inference is liable to many objections: for the Gospel used by the Nazarenes, which Jerome translated, may have been originally the work of St. Matthew, and afterwards so corrupted by alterations and additions, as deservedly to lose all canonical authority…But whether it is admitted that the Hebrew Gospel used by the Nazarenes was originally the work of St. Matthew or not, yet, if we may credit the accounts of Eusebius and Jerome, Pantaenus at least saw it in the hands of the Christians in Arabia Felix, a country where we may not unreasonably suppose that a Hebrew Gospel must have been longer preserved than in Palestine itself...” [23]

Only G-d and time can tell if the manuscript in the Oxford Bodeleian Library is real or not. But copies of it are found in it and in the following libraries as well:
Library Add. No. 26964
Ms. Heb. 28, Rijksuniveriteit Library, Leiden
Ms. Mich. 119. Bodeleian Library, Oxford
Ms. Opp. Add. 4 '72. Bodeleian Library, Oxford
Ms. 2426 (Marx 16) Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York.
Ms. 2279 (Marx 18) Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York.
Ms. 2209 (Marx 19) Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York.
Ms. 2234 (Marx 15) Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York. [24]

[Author’s Disclaimer]
[No endorsement of the sites below or the doctrines they hold should be implied or inferred here – they are presented as possible avenues for your own research.
I will say this though: I fully believe and teach that the Mosaic Covenant is still in force today – the Covenant of Law AND Grace. The Torah is valid for all believers of the Son, Yeshua the Messiah, and all followers of the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The same standard that I hold to in Footnote # 3 applies here also.]

If one needs to further research whether to gain an understanding behind this Gospel and the scholarship behind trying to prove its authenticity, then by all means go to a website put up by Reverend Ron Jones and the Titus Institute at http://hebrewgospel.com/Matthew%20Two%20Gospels%20Main%20Evidence.php ; the Titus Institute can be found at http://www.titusinstitute.com/ .


Ve-yeet-ba-rekh mal-khoot-kha
Re-tson-kha yee-he-ye a-sui ba-sha-mai-yeem u-va-a-rets

Hebrew Matthew Interpretation: [25]
May Your kingdom be blessed,
Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth

Now, as I stated earlier, some lessons are delayed as The Ruach drives home to me the lesson to be expounded upon.

Notice the difference in the two interpretations: Traditional Interpretation: “…Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth, as it is in heaven…” and the Hebrew Matthew Interpretation: “…May Your kingdom be blessed,
Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth…”.

What is the difference between Thy kingdom come and May Your kingdom be blessed?
Well, let us look at the word in the Greek:

“…Original: ἔρχομαι Transliteration: Erchomai  Phonetic: er'-khom-ahee
- Definition:
1. to come
a. of persons
1. to come from one place to another, and used both of persons arriving
2. to appear, make one's appearance, come before the public
2. metaph.
a. to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence
b. be established, become known, to come (fall) into or unto
3. to go, to follow one
- Origin: middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred [middle voice] eleuthomai el-yoo'-thom-ahee, or [active] eltho el'-tho, which do not otherwise occur)
- TDNT entry: 13:06,3  Part(s) of speech: Verb. Strong's: G2064: Middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses the others being supplied by a kindred [middle voice] word ἐλεύθομαι eleuthomai or ἔλθω elthō; which do not otherwise occur); to come or go (in a great variety of applications literally and figuratively): - accompany appear bring come enter fall out go grow X light X next pass resort be set…[26]

We will continue to look at this word as it applies in the Septuagint, the Greek version on the Tanach; though many Jews hold this to be inferior, it helps us to understand better how this word is used, and in what context:

“… 3. In the Septuagint it is used for 35 Heb. words (mostly for בּוֹא). Its meaning is predominantly local, but it also occurs in cultic statements, either generally for coming to divine service or with προσκυνεῖν (to worship), λατρεύειν (To serve), θύειν (to offer sacrifice) for coming to the house of God, to the sanctuary or to Jerusalem. It is used of prayer which comes to God in 2 Ch. 30:27; cf. ψ 101:1; 118:41, 77, prayer for the coming of the divine mercy. The word is also used with reference to the coming of God, of His Word, of His angels and prophets to men. It is used esp. of the coming of the Messiah (Da. 7:13: καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἤρχετο [Θ ἐρχόμενος]).7 The Messiah is ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου ψ [Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord] 117:26. It is also used of the coming of Satan (Job 2:1). Another use is for the coming and going of ages (2 Ch. 21:19) or generations (Qoh. 1:4); γενεὰ ἡ ἐρχομένη is the coming generation in ψ 21:31 etc. A very common use in the Psalms and prophets is for the coming of eschatologically decisive days (the days of salvation and judgment). A universalistic eschatological statement occurs in ψ 78:1: Nations will come to the inheritance of God. In Is. 32:15 there is a promise of salvation which is related to the coming of the Spirit. In the Psalms, Job and elsewhere it is strongly emphasized that evil, misfortune, suffering, tribulation and death come over men. But so, too, does good (cf. Bar. 4:36: ἡ εὐφροσύνη [joy] ἡ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ). Yet the statements that evil and bad things come on men predominate.
In Jos.: ἔρχεσθαι εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν, Bell., 1, 73; 6, 300 (cf. Jn. 4:45); στρατιᾶς, μεθʼ ὅσης ἐπὶ πόλεμόν τις, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐπʼ εἰρήνην ἔρχεται; Ant., 12, 395 (cf. Lk. 12:49); ἐλθοῦσαν τὴν βασιλείαν, Ant., 17, 66 (cf. Mt. 6:10; Lk. 11:2); μηνῶν ὁδὸν τεσσάρων ἑλθόντες, Ant., 3, 318 (cf. Lk. 2:44).
Test. XII: “to come,” “to come with hostile intent,” “to appear” (Jud. 22:2); A. 7:3, of the eschatological coming of God…” [27]

So a quick look for the word “come” as it is used in the traditional translation has an eschatological [28] meaning to it, as in a kingdom yet to come or appear. But is this true? Did G-d relinquish His control over mankind, over the affairs of men and so to speak, take his bat and ball and go home?  

Hate to say it, but we’ll have to answer this question in the next post;

Till then, May G-d richly bless you all, my beloved, Amein.




[1] Authors note: Use of information from Jewish-themed websites should not be construed as these sites endorsing or confirming any thesis introduced by the author of this epistle. I present the information from their respective sites for instructional purposes only and/or to aid in the readers understanding of the subjects discussed. The inverse is also true – by using these sites in no way confirms or denies that this author holds to all things found on these sites – but brethren, we all can learn from one another, Jew and Gentile; may it be so in shalom and love and respect.
[2]  Author’s note:  Throughout this study I’ll be using the Net® Bible and the Net® Notes: within the notes you’ll see symbols like this: ( א B Ψ 892* 2427 sys). These are abbreviations used by the NetBible© for identifying the principal manuscript evidence that they (authors and translators of the NetBible©) used in translating the New Testament. Please go to  https://bible.org/netbible/ and see their section labeled “NET Bible Principals of Translation” for a more complete explanation on these symbols and other items pertinent to the way the NET Bible uses them.
[3] Author’s Note: In these studies, I have used the notes that come along with the passages I cite from the sources that I cite: these need a bit of a disclaimer though. As in all things, not everything that is footnoted is something that I necessarily agree with, especially if it contradicts what I believe pertains to any matters of the Torah or the commandments of G-d. I give you the notes as they are written by the authors of the material I cite from, so that you can see the information contained within them. It truly is not my place to edit or correct them; if they state anything that is in opposition to what I teach, then so be it. I will address these issues if requested, but for the sake of brevity (as if any of these posts of mine are brief ) I insert them and let them stand as they are. If I don’t agree with them, why do I include them you might ask? I don’t believe in censuring anyone’s opinions or scholarship; as I would not want mine censured, so I will not do to that to another. As Rabbi Hillel once stated, “What is hateful to you, do not do to another. That is the whole Torah. Go and learn it.” Torah leads me to respect others, even if I disagree; it leads me to present both sides of the coin, even if it could mean I’d lose part of the argument. That is not to say I should not challenge something I believe contradicts the truth of G-d’s word; that I will do in the main body of my epistles; that is where my gentle dissent belongs. Most (but not all) of the differences will come when I quote from the NET® Bible (but not exclusively); it has a decidedly Western/Greek mindset to it, but as a wise man once said “How do you eat chicken? Swallow the meat and spit out the bones…” I do though want to present the NET® notes because there is a wealth of information and research contained within them that I hope you find helpful.
[4] One may wonder why I omit the “o” when I write the title “G-d”. While there are many who say that to leave out the “o” is a sign of being under the influence of the Rabbis who forbid saying the name of Yahveh, I say, one must come to a conclusion on their own, and do as their heart convicts them (within the bounds of G-d’s word of course). I believe in the power of the name of the Most High – the name of Yahveh – and in uttering it in awe and reverence, yet find no contradiction in my soul for the hyphenated title “G-d”. I have written it both ways – stopped doing it, and now I have returned to the practice – as I said, one must follow the conviction of their heart. I do not disrespect anyone else’s opinion on this matter, and regardless if you think it wrong or right, I ask for the same respect. Let each be fully persuaded in their own mind and heart – and let G-d sort it out with each believer. For now, this is right for me, till the Father corrects - or confirms; I am after all, a work in progress. Shalom. 
[5] Inspiration for this series of teaching comes with thanks and in part from the work of John J. Parsons, Hebrew for Christians and his article at http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Prayers/The_Lord_s_Prayer_1/the_lord_s_prayer_1.html  (© by John J. Parsons, all rights reserved; used with permission), and the work of Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson and their book A Prayer to Our Father. One plants, another waters…
a  Matt 6:9–13: Luke 11:2–4
a  Matt 3:2; 4:17
b  Matt 26:42; Luke 22:42; Acts 21:14
a  Prov 30:8; Is 33:16; Luke 11:3
1  Or our bread for tomorrow
a  Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1; 130:4; Matt 9:2; 26:28; Eph 1:7; 1 John 1:7–9
a  John 17:15; 1 Cor 10:13; 2 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 4:18; 2 Pet 2:9; 1 John 5:18
1  Or the evil one
b  Matt 5:37
2  This clause not found in early mss
[6]  New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Mt 6:9–13). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7] Way of God Moshe Ḥayyim Luzzatto - 1998 "He has the power of choice, and is able to choose either side, knowingly and willingly, and possess whichever one he wishes. Man was therefore created with both a Good Urge (Yetzer HaTov) and an Evil Urge (Yetzer HaRa). " see the article “Yetzer hara” @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yetzer_hara 
[8] Webster, Noah, 1828 and 1890 Edition edited by Noah Porter, D.D. LL. D. WEBSTER’S REVISED UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. G. & C. Merriam Company, 1913, Digital Edition, theWord ver. 5.0.0.1450, ©2003-2015 by Costas Stergiou (edits and emphasis mine – DER)
[10] With thanks to Dr. Frank T. Seekins.
[11] Stern, D. H. (1998). Complete Jewish Bible: an English version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) (1st ed., Ex 20:6–7). Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications.
[12] Jeff A Benner, Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible, Hebrew Letters, Words and Roots Defined Within Their Ancient Cultural Context, ©2005 Jeff A. Benner, electronic edition, theWord, © 2003-2012 - Costas Stergiou Version 4.0.0.1342
[13]Ibid…
a Ps 96:8; Jer 17:26
b Ps 22:25; 116:14; Eccl 5:4
a Ps 18:6
a Ps 51:19
b Num 6:14
1 Or cattle
a Ps 34:11
1 Or revere
b Ps 71:15, 24
1 Or praise was under my tongue
a Ps 30:1
1 Or had regarded
a Job 36:21; John 9:31
b Job 27:9; Ps 18:41; Prov 1:28; 28:9; Is 1:15; James 4:3
2 Or would
3 Or have heard
a Ps 18:6; 116:1, 2
a Ps 68:35
b Ps 22:24
[14] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ps 66:13–20). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
g  Ps. 40:1; 62:5; [Lam. 3:26]
h  [Ps. 73:3–12]
i  [Eph. 4:26]
2  destroyed
k  Ps. 25:13; Prov. 2:21; [Is. 57:13; 60:21; Matt. 5:5]
l  [Heb. 10:37]
m  Job 7:10; Ps. 37:35, 36
n  [Matt. 5:5]
o  Ps. 35:16
p  Ps. 2:4; 59:8
q  1 Sam. 26:10; Job 18:20
[15]  The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
[17] Knight, Douglas A.; Levine, Amy-Jill (2011). The Meaning of the Bible: What the Jewish Scriptures and Christian Old Testament Can Teach Us(1st ed.). New York: HarperOne. ISBN 0062098594.
[20] To the church in China: The Son of God, He who has His eyes like a flame of fire and His feet like burnished metal, says these things: I know your works and love and service and faith and your patience, and your works; and the last to be more than the first. That which you have, hold fast until I come. And he who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations. He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts; and shuts and no one opens, says these things: I know your works. Behold, I have given before you an open door, and no one can shut it. For you have a little strength and have kept My Word and have not denied My name. Because you have kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which will come upon all the habitable world, to try those who dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast to that which you have, so that no one may take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will go out no more. And I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My God, and My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Amein. (Rev. 2:1, 5, 8, 12; 18-19, 25-26; Rev. 3:7-8; 10-13)
[21] Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson. A Prayer To Our Father, pg.175. 2nd Revised Edition. www.HilkiahPress.com, 2010. ©2009 Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson, all rights reserved.
[22]Figure 1. A photographic reproduction of the manuscript at the Library in Oxford (Matthew 1:18-25).
[23] Michaelis, Johann David, Introduction to the New Testament, tr. and augmented with notes by H. Marsh Vol. 3, 1823, 146
[25] Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson. A Prayer To Our Father, pg.175. 2nd Revised Edition. www.HilkiahPress.com, 2010. ©2009 Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson, all rights reserved.
[26] F. Brown, S. Driver, C. Briggs; J. Strong; J.H. Thayer. Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, and the Strong’s King James Concordance with TVM, Electronic Edition, © 2000–2014 e-Sword, version 10.4.0, by Rick Meyers, n.d.
7 Cf. Asc. Is. 11:1, where the reference is to the coming of the heavenly Son of Man to earth. Cf. also Eus. Hist. Eccl., IV, 6, 2: ὡς δὴ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ φωστὴρ αὐτοῖς κατεληλυθώς. On this whole question, v. Bousset-Gressm., 264 ff. [
Jos. Flavius Josephus, Jewish author (c. 37–97 a.d.) in Palestine and later Rome, author in Greek of the Jewish War and Jewish Archaeology, which treat of the period from creation to Nero, ed. B. Niese, 1887 ff.
Bell. Bellum Judaicum.
Ant. Antiquitates.
Ant. Antiquitates.
Ant. Antiquitates.
Test. XII Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Jewish work, slightly revised in a Christian sense, dating from the 2nd or 1st century a.d. and consisting of addresses of the twelve sons of Jacob to their descendants, ed. R. H. Charles, 1908.
A. Testament of Asher.
[27] Kittel, G., Bromiley, G. W., & Friedrich, G. (Eds.). (1964–). Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed., Vol. 2, p. 667). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
[28] Eschatological: adj. (Theology) pertaining to eschatology; pertaining to any doctrine pertaining to the end of the world. Babylon Translation Software, ©Babylon Software Ltd.