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NASB | Matthew 5:17 ¶ "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 5:17 ¶ "Do not think that I came to do away with or undo the Law [of Moses] or the [writings of the] Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. |
Bible Question (short): Hebrew culture;a help or not? |
Question (full): You can understand the Bible on its face in any language. Obviously the Holy Spirit has been able to guide many in the Church for centuries. Your argument suggests that I (and apparently others) are saying you cannot understand God’s revelation in His revealed Word unless you have a complete and total grasp of Jewish History, culture and language. Nothing could be further from the truth. HOWEVER; learning such things and knowing such things adds greatly to ones understanding, grasp and ability to live out the truths found in the Bible. I have been amazed and blown away by many clearer understandings of both testaments simply by understanding the culture. Imagine with me if you will: How could we view Jesus and His teachings more fully if we knew what His contemporaries were teaching? What other Pharisees were saying? The fact that there are more than one type of Pharisee? Maybe if one understood the Maccabean revolt , they would better understand what Jesus said and did at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. I actually heard a pastor say that the only reason Jews picked up Palm branches was because that was what was available. He totally botched the sermon because he did not know what the Palm branch meant to the Jew in the 1st Century! Or why did Jesus say certain things during the festival of Hanukah (festival of lights in the NIV). Then there is the little know fact that the disciples were (almost undoubtedly) teenagers, not middle aged men. And why did they drop their nets and follow Jesus as if in a trance? (If you understand Rabbi’s and their disciples and how they typically came together, you’d realize that they probably ran to follow Jesus with great excitement. The fact that they were even fishing tells the reader something about them and their schooling, but you need to know the culture to know this.) Or what about the 10 virgins? Why are these women waiting for “the groom” and who is this guy (I mean in the Parable, not who he represented)? Did the original readers know something about this parable that we don’t? Yes, and it’s quite fun to know. Or how about the lady who bleed for 12 years and touched Jesus’ cloak? Any meaning in that? Actually this one you do not need to know Hebrew culture for, but you do need to know the Hebrew language (This one, should you learn it, is awesome….) Or what about Zacchaeus? Did you ever wonder why he didn’t just go to the front of the crowd instead of climbing a tree? Does knowing Hebrew culture get you more saved? Is it required? Of course not! BUT WHY, and I really need to know this, why do people resist so much the desire to know the culture, history, and language of Jesus? Why don’t people eagerly seek out to know what Jesus’ contemporaries thought? I hear this argument that God wouldn’t require people to know this and how does this help a Chinese man who has no hope of such in depth study? “You don’t need to know all this stuff!”, the say. Well you don’t need to know Greek either. And you don’t even need to know how to read (ever met a downs syndrome person who loves God and lives for him better than you could ever wish to? I have.) But just because you don’t need to do in depth hard study to have a richer understanding and better grasp of Jesus and His teachings, does NOT mean that you shouldn’t do it. In fact, and I will end here, if you DID know the schooling that Jesus went through to get to where He was, you would be ashamed of the “girlie men” students of the Bible we all are. And it wasn’t just Jesus; it was every Pharisee that He chastised as well. Want a hint? Have you memorized the first 5 books of the Bible? How about before you were 12? Or the whole Old Testament? Then there is the really hard learning – the Oral law. You can understand Matt 5:17 without agreeing with my interpretation and be a great Christian. In fact, there is a chance I am even wrong. But why not look into Jesus’ world some and see what you find before labeling someone else who has done it. |