Shaliach

When I find something online that seems to be worth sharing, I like to 'go for it', as it were. Bibles & Study Resources is for the serious student - or for the casual student who might like to become more serious. Enjoy!

Excellent call.

This is yet another area of confusion. You instruct others not to interpret scripture, yet you do. What is your justification for the apparent right for you to interpret scripture and it is not permissible for others to do so?

From this statement, I must make yet another assumption (I really don't like working from assumptions, too many things can go wrong), i.e., you are not familiar with the process (what is technically involved) in making a translation from one language to another, especially from Hebrew to English because of the two very different word views that are represented. Even so, from the tone and focus of your posts, I am not exactly sure what your view is on studying the word of God. Would you be willing to share some of your thoughts on this?

Assuming that you are a pastor who does not employ the use of any English language translations in teaching the congregation the word of God, I must make another assumption; you teach and preach from the original languages, and where necessary, teach these languages to your congregation. Or, the other alternative is that you do not use the written word at all, and simply go with what you have identified as God’s Spirit directing you and the assembly. Are any of these assumptions correct - or even close? One question, however. From what English translation did you take the scriptural quotes that you use in your posts? Or, are they your own translations?

Thanks folks. I really appreciate the contributions. I'll wait a while longer for possible additional input, then collect the posted thoughts.

An interesting thread concerning sin and repentance. Generally I hear of these kinds of discussions, but seldom find the terms defined - rather they are simply 'understood' in some sort of foggy fashion. Just for the fun of it, who would like to give us a biblical based definition of sin and list of what God has identified as 'sin', plus the role or function of repentance? It would seem that such a discussion would be right in line with the subject and tone of the thread to date. I am currently in the middle of a study on the subject and would be very interested in what the members of this forum think about it.

Very nicely done!

The short answer is: Unbelief.

The message in your dream is very 'right on'. The overwhelming references to glorify the name, honor the name, praise, worship the name, etc, is fact mood of the Hebrew world view in which the names and titles of an identifiable individual is the same as calling or referencing that person by their 'given name'. Then, aside from the term El (God, singular) each descriptive term added to El contains a spectrum of meanings - Hebrew being a verb based language - that might apply, depending on the context within it is found. See Isaiah 9:6 for the different interpretations of of the name by which the man Jesus would be identified. Or, look up in the Hebrew (using a good lexicon, not a dictionary) the 25 or so different names (titles, names, terms) used to identify the God of Israel. A good (quick) reference is Praying the Names of God, A Daily Guide by Ann Spangler, 2004 Zondervanm Grand Rapids, Michigan. Using this book provides a quick jump into the scriptures. However, I also recomend the BDB Gesenius Hebrew-English lexicon for understanding the different shades of meaning of each descriptive Hebrew terms. Take what you have already received and now search the scriptures for insight into who, what, and the nature of our God - and may your studies be fruitful.

First, inActs there are at least two references to non Jews meeting in synagogues to hear Paul 'reason' with the Jews and preach, then move on to the houses of believers after Shabbat. However, that does not address the question. We know from the New Covenant Writings that the believers met in homes - most likely for the first 400 years. How did they conduct themselves in such meetings? Well, again from the book Acts, we know they met to 'break bread'. How to conduct an assembly: 1 Corinthians 14:21-40

It is an excellent question. The Torah is God's instructions in righteousness. We have translated it into English as "Laws" and it refers to the first five books of the Bible, also called the books of Moses, or the Pentateuch. The rest of the Old Testament consists of Nevi'im (Prophets), including the Early Prophets, Nevi'im Rishonim, M'lakhim (Kings), Nevi'im Acharonim (Later Prophets), the K'tuvim (Writings) and the Megillot (The Five Scrolls). Collectively, all of the above is referred to as the Tanakh (Old Covenant/Old Testament). Under some conditions, the entire collection of Old Covenant books are also called the Torah.

If this is the truth, why are women allowed as pastors? You did pick out one of the verses that draws a lot of fire - from both sides of the veil, as it were. Even so, when taking a verse to task, one should first investigate its foundation, if it has one. In this case, Paul issues three instructions, including a fourth one, i.e., women are to silent in an assembly environment, are not permitted to speak (either at all or according to some prescribed manner/restriction), and they are to be submissive [by context, assumed to be their husbands or other appropriate male member of the family]. This is where it is becomes interesting: Paul states that one or more of these instructions are based on the Law [of Moses]. Please find and reference the Old Covenant commandment(s), ordinance(s), and/or statute(s) that Paul was using as his authority for issuing this congregational ruling.

The answer to you question: Peter, by questioning them concerning their statements, offered them the opportunity to repent - neither did. As to the judgment concerning your past lies: See the above posts.

Here is a truism that is very simple to grasp but difficult to consistently employ: There are no stand-alone verses in the Bible, they are all part of, and make up the integrated whole as they reveal the mind of God. Consequently, there are no stand-alone biblical doctrines, as they must all support (are dependent upon) one another (no conflicts, contradictions, etc.). Where a scripture appears to be in conflict with another scripture (paradox), then there is something concerning those scriptures that we do not understand. If doctrines are in conflict, we have a false doctrine (a teaching that contains one or more errors). Remember, there is "no shadow" in God. Also keep in mind that we are given to understand even the "deep things of God" - but we are not yet given to understand "everything" concerning God! We must learn, and be content with, knowing the difference.