Results 101 - 120 of 294
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Just Read Mark Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
101 | Jewish understanding of "Salvation" ? | Deut 7:9 | Just Read Mark | 168311 | ||
I feel rather ignorant on this. This whole thread is talking about "salvation" as if Jews and Christians have the same idea of that the word means. I see a much clearer picture of "Heaven" in the New Testament than the Old. I know the resurrection of the faithful was a very controversial issue among Jews at the time of Jesus. What, then, is an orthodox Jew's understanding of Heaven, or salvation? |
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102 | Jewish understanding of "Salvation" ? | Deut 7:9 | Just Read Mark | 168324 | ||
Thanks for the link. A very interesting read. Would you say that the views Josephus put forward were largely shaped by scripture, or by developments in thought through the inter-testimental period? JRM |
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103 | Jewish understanding of "Salvation" ? | Deut 7:9 | Just Read Mark | 168374 | ||
Let me explain the relevance of my question. It was NOT to determine the truth about heaven or afterlife. Rather, in was in the context of this whole thread on whether Jews can be "saved." I was just thinking that the Old Testament picture of what "salvation" means is quite concealed, compared to what we find in the new.... So, I was interested to discover Josephus' statements, and how they echo NT scripture, even though Josephus would have held only the OT as scripture. Thank you for pointing out Hillel. I would like to learn more about these things. JRM |
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104 | Old Testament Meaning of "Salvation"? | Deut 7:9 | Just Read Mark | 168408 | ||
In no way am I looking for exotic. Rather, this thread (from Robin's original question) has been looking at the promises the Jewish people received from God as part of the covenant. God's Word doesn't fail, so those promises are still in effect... if only the human side of the covenant would hold up (which, of course, we can't do). But --- even if we could --- and here's the question I keep trying to phrase --- was heaven even promised to the Jews? My reading of the OT (help me here) is that there are hints and echoes of afterlife, but nothing like the picture we receive from Jesus, Paul, Peter, or Revelation. So, if left only with an OT definition of "Salvation" --- I think the picture would be very THIS WORLDLY. It would have a "get right with God" (forgiven) aspect, and a "kingdom of God" political aspect (liberation from Egypt and growth in the promised land). It would not, I think, have a Heaven aspect. Except in the typological sense picked up by the New Testament writers. I am trying to understand what the question, "Are faithful Jews Saved" would mean, based on the Old Testament. Your answer, about Josephus, was interesting because it shows the extent that Jewish thought about afterlife had shifted after the last canonical book. To look at Paul's answers, as you have suggested, would answer a different question. |
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105 | God's intent for man | Deut 30:20 | Just Read Mark | 83773 | ||
Blessings and Curses. Hello Wrightmor. I love this text, and it's good to look at it again. It strikes me that this is the culmination of the Pentateuch -- the climax in a way. And, in the books that follow, we see Israel be blessed when they pursue God, and we see calamity - even exile - when they pursue false roads to a full life. I like your parent image. That ties in with Hosea 11 as well. Peace to you. |
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106 | Lying justified? | Josh 2:5 | Just Read Mark | 208737 | ||
Was it morally acceptable for Rahab to lie, to save the lives of the Israelite spies? (I think of so many instances of people hiding others from those who intend violence... Nazi germany, Rwanda...) | ||||||
107 | Lying justified? | Josh 2:5 | Just Read Mark | 225017 | ||
Thanks, Steve. I understand the clarity of God's law-- but in the messiness of life, sometimes its not so clear. This story, for example, seems like performing a lesser evil in order to perform a significant good. Rahab is remembered as a hero for this act. She is listed in the list of Gentiles who have done great things for Israel. She enters Jesus' family tree (Matt 1:5) and is praised for this act (James 2:25). Is that not condoning her decision to lie? | ||||||
108 | Lying justified? | Josh 2:5 | Just Read Mark | 225021 | ||
Could you check that against James 2:25? | ||||||
109 | Claiming victory too soon? | Josh 21:43 | Just Read Mark | 208718 | ||
Reading Joshua more closely than I have before, I find it hard to interpret what is going on. Why does this verse claim a total victory? Verses like Joshua 15:63, 16:10, 17:12-18 all show the tribes failing to take their inheritance. Even after the current verse 21:43, where victory is declared, we have Joshua instructing the tribes to take their inheritance. (23:4, Judges 2:6) We often celebrate God's fulfilled promises... what are we to make of promises that are claimed to be fulfilled, when the text itself is clear that they are not? |
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110 | Claiming victory too soon? | Josh 21:43 | Just Read Mark | 208800 | ||
Hi Doc. I do not question the faithfulness of God to fulfill the promises, and I understand that tension is caused by the fickleness of the tribes. But here is the question: would it not have been more honest of Joshua to say something like "look how faithful God has been --- and see that the whole of the promised land is within our grasp if we continue! Take courage, be faithful, so that we may see God's promises fulfilled!" That would be much more in keeping with Calvin's interpretation, but is strikingly different from Joshua's actual speach: "Not one of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass." (22:45) What truth or merit did Joshua have in this statement? I am beginning to wonder if it is the hubris of an aging general... | ||||||
111 | The answer to the riddle by Samson was? | Judg 14:8 | Just Read Mark | 84691 | ||
Hi there. I am not sure of all the symbolic meanings etc -- but the basic riddle just refers to the lion and the honey. On his way to his in-laws, Samson saw that honey bees had made a hive inside the dead lion's jaws. He based the riddle on this sight. "Out of the eater [the lion] came something to eat [honey]. Out of the strong came something sweet." .... By the way: the whole story shows messed up family relationships, eh? Should all engaged couples be urged to read this? |
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112 | 2 people Dalila paid 2 know sampson st | Judg 16:5 | Just Read Mark | 225016 | ||
As I understand the tale, Delilah was PAID money by others. It was her intimate relationship with Samson that caused him to reveal the secret of his strength. I don't know how many people paid her; the text just says "the lords of the Philistines." |
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113 | did ezra build the first temple? | 1 Kin 8:27 | Just Read Mark | 151060 | ||
Solomon built the first temple. David really wanted to, but God said his warrior hands were too bloody. I love Solomon's prayer of dedication --- 1 Kings 8: 22-53. The first Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. ( 2 Kings 25:9) This resulted in Ezra and Nehemiah rebuilding it. |
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114 | Jeremiah in other books. | 2 Kin 24:2 | Just Read Mark | 87772 | ||
Here, in 2 Kings, we have a fleeting reference to "the prophets." I was wondering if Jeremiah is meant here -- considering Jeremiah 26 ff explicitly speaks of King Jehoiakim? My larger question is about the links with Jeremiah and the other books. Here are some connections that have made me curious: 1) The "historical appendix" at the end of Jeremiah is transcribed directly from 2 Kings. 2) Baruch leads me to the book of Baruch. 3) Lamentations traditionally attributed to Jeremiah. Are there other connections I should know about? Yours JRM |
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115 | Ezra and Family Values? | Ezra 10:3 | Just Read Mark | 118345 | ||
I am a little stunned by the end of Ezra -- it is so concerned with racial purity. I wonder what happened to all of the wives and children? ... and I think of the grief that divorce causes children: to turn to divorce as a societial solution would have such devistating effects for the next generation... Are we to see holiness in this covenant? JRM |
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116 | Ezra and Family Values? | Ezra 10:3 | Just Read Mark | 118449 | ||
Bloodlines. Hello Angel. Thanks for your post. I agree that is important to see each Bible passage in light of others. While the goal in Ezra is certainly purity, this is understood in racial terms. They were to keep the bloodline pure to prevent the split allegiances that come from marrying pagan partners. (Throughout Chronicles, we see Kings get wrapped up with idolatry through their family ties.... so this rule is not without reason.) As for the explicit concern with race, see how the officials report the situation to Ezra: “For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons. Thus the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and in this faithlessness the officials and leaders have lead the way.” (Ezra 9:2) The phrase “holy seed” would refer, I think, to Abrahams bloodline. So, this is difficult to hear. Some other questions I have: How are we to understand family, when priveleging ancestral family leads to breaking marriage bonds? Since Ezra takes action regarding Jewish men with gentile wives, what of the Jewish women with gentile husbands? |
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117 | Ezra and Family Values? | Ezra 10:3 | Just Read Mark | 118450 | ||
Love and War Thanks, Rowdy, for setting Ezra in a larger context. The passage about Solomon is particularly clear about the dangers they faced. To destroy an opponent in war seems like a different thing than splitting your own family. I agree that they are related: there is a concern for purity and total devotion to God --- and also that following God is costly. Part of my concern is about vows. To be married is to be committed for life --- and I assume they understood marriage in that way? To have children initiates a huge commitment to caring for them. These are relational covenants --- and, in Ezra, these covenants of love are broken by the deeper covenant with God. What are we to learn from this? In my worldliness, I would prefer the Bible to be different ---- to show families converting to the faith; to show a great covenanting ceremony where the people "Beyond the River" would turn to God in unity. Instead, the Bible is gritty and harsh... and unity is not happening, so the Jews salvage their battered identity as the "people of God" through separation. JRM. |
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118 | Ezra and Family Values? | Ezra 10:3 | Just Read Mark | 118636 | ||
Thanks, Kalos. The discussion of OT inclusion of foreigners has been interesting in this thread. It still is not reflected in Ezra, however. For this scene of rededication, there is no talk of converting family members --- only of divorcing "foreign wives." This is very different than what we see in Paul's writing. For Paul, if someone becomes a Christian, he or she shouldn't end the marriage bond with the unbeliever -- but instead, remain faithful to God and faithful to the spouse, praying that God would work in their lives. 1 Cor 7:12 ff. "But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?" This is pretty different from the mass divorce in Ezra, don't you think? And about the children: Paul says that one Christian parent is enough to produce "holy" children. In Ezra, the children of foreign parentage are "sent away". Again, in an effort to understand this, I look at the context. The Jews have been scattered, and taken into captivity. Now, after their identity as God's people has been so challenged, they are trying to rebuild Jerusalem, the Temple, and their relationship with God. They are countering the dilution of their covenant identity by expelling foreign influences --- including marriages and children. No distractions. But also, by tightening their identity as God's people in this way, certain elements of their people are cast aside. This is why I asked about daughters that married foreign men --- they are not called upon to divorce their husbands (which they would have been powerless to do, no?). It seems like they are just abandoned to the pagan culture of their spouses. And think of all the children that are "sent away." I guess it is saying there are times when a small focused group is more benefitial than a larger group with mixed alegiances. JRM. |
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119 | Ezra and Family Values? | Ezra 10:3 | Just Read Mark | 118698 | ||
Thanks, Kalos, for the excellent note. I feel like it addresse the brutality of the situation, and the hard position the people were in. How to move forward from the brink of destruction? How to solidify the remnant as a faithful community? Interesting comment about stoning. Thanks. JRM |
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120 | Can Nehemiah help in rebuilding of our y | Nehemiah | Just Read Mark | 119269 | ||
I love your list of lessons, Searcher. Here are a few more, from the latter part of the book: - Don't just read the Word, act on it (chapter 8) - Remember your community's spiritual history, including highs and lows, and learn from it (chapter 9) - Draw your community into renewed covenant with God (chapter 10) The list of names shows the people's commitment to the covenant (not just a leaders), epitomized by "we lay on ourselves the obligation...." (10:32) - The importance of tithing (compare 10:32ff to 13:10 ff) A question, however... please see my question at Nehemiah 13:25. JRM. |
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