One of the hardest concepts for us of Western cultures to understand is how the Hebrews thought and wrote. Many just assume they thought as we do, but this is a mistake. The Hebrews think in concrete aligorical terms. Everything they think and write centers around function and relationship.
Here are comparisons between Western thought and Eastern thought.
Ask the two cultures about Gods love ---
Western = God is love
Eastern = God loves me
Names, such as King David
Western = King as a title and David as the personal name
Eastern = King = one who reules. David = one who is loved. Result = When Hebrews read King Davids name they saw one who rules and is loved.
Simpler yet? Describe a pencil ---
Western = It is yellow and 12 inches long
Eastern = I write with it.
Hebrews saw the function and not the simple attributes.
Western thinkers believe God as they reason Him out with proof texts and bullet lists. Eastern thinkers Assume God is real and know him as they experiance Him.
These principles have a great influince on the way we should understand scripture. Trying to understand scripture from a western thought process will always lead to missinterpretation and mistake. In the last few years much research has been done on the discovery of the ancient Hebrew pictographs. This research has opened up many new understandings of what these Hebrew writers meant by what they wrote.
It should also be noted that although (at least) most of the New Testament was written in Greek, it was still written by Hebrews who thought in line with their Hebrew culture. Bearing this in mind, Hebrew concepts can be translated for New Testament words.
Consider the word heart. Heart (lev, Heb.)
Allow me to post a wonderfull discription of the heart from a Hebrew perspective. This is from The Ancient Hebrew Research Center.
Here is an example of our modern western culture still using a concrete object to express an abstract idea. We often associate the heart with emotions such as love and kindness as in "He has a good heart". This is also true with the Hebrews who saw the heart as the seat of emotion. But unlike us they also saw the heart as the seat of thought whereas we see the brain as the seat of thought. To the ancient Hebrews the heart was the mind including all thoughts including emotions. When we are told to love God with all our heart (Deut 6:5) it is not speaking of an emotional love but to keep our emotions and all our thoughts working for him. The first picture in this Hebrew word is a shepherd staff and represents authority as the shepherd has authority over his flock. The second letter is the picture of the floor plan of the nomadic tent and represents the idea of being inside as the family resides within the tent. When combined they mean "the authority within".
http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/27_heart.html
Of course, this flies in the face of those that wish to push that man is a willy nilly milk toast with little or no controll over his own destiny. This also ties in very clearly with the concepts of function and action that God desires and indeed requires on our part. Certainly God provides the path for our salvation, but it is our authority within or free will that must chose that path. God wishes that none parish but all come to Him. With that in mind, He will use every persuasive situation possible to enchorage our authority within (heart) to turn to Him.
Consider this understanding in the following scriptures.
Deuteronomy 30:10
if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart (authority within) and soul.
Deuteronomy 32:46
he said to them, " Take to your heart (authority within) all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law.
1 Samuel 12:24
" Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your (authority within) heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
Deuteronomy 30:2
and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your (authority within) heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons,
Genesis 6:5
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his (authority within) heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 20:6
Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your (authority within) heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
Deuteronomy 4:39
"Know therefore today, and take it to your (authority within) heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.
Romans 10/ 9 and 10 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the (authority within) heart man believes, resulting in righteousness and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.
Romans 2/ 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the (authority within) heart, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men but from God.
Romans 6/ 17 - But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the (authority within)heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.
Mark 7:21
"For from within, out of the (authority within) heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
Acts 8:37
[ And Philip said, "If you believe with all your (authority within) heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]
Romans 10:10
for with the (authority within) heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Ephesians 1:18
I pray that the eyes of your (authority within) heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 6:6
not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the (authority within) heart.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your (authority within) hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the (authority within) heart.
Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the (authority within) heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
That was only one word. Here are a few more. Notice the richness and clearity derived by seeing these verses from a Hebrew perspective.
Worship = bow down and give espect
God = Ultimate authority and strength
Exodus 3:12
And He said, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall bow down and give respect to the one with the ultimate authority and strength, at this mountain."
Righteousness = remaining on the straight path
Sin = missing the mark
Romans 5:19
For as through the one man's disobedience the many missed the mark, even so through the obedience of the One the many will remain on the straight path..
Proverbs 11:8
The one who remains on a straight path
is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place.
Jesus = Master
Heart = the authority within
Righteousness = staying on the right path
Romans 10/ 9 and 10 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is master and believe with the authority you have within, that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with that authority within man believes, resulting in staying on the right path and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.
Righteous = remaining on the straight path
Genesis 6:9
These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a man who remained on a straight path, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
Commandment = directions toward Zion
Keeps = guards and protects
Matthew 5:19
"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these directions toward Zion, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever guards, protects and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Good = functional or work (in verb form)
Life = full stomach or complete satisfaction and fullfillment
Keep = guard and protect
Commandment = directions toward Zion
Matthew 19:17
And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what works? There is only One who properly functions; but if you wish to enter into complete satisfaction and fullfillment, guard and protect the directions toward Zion."
Keep = guard and protect
Commandment = directions toward Zion
1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the guarding and protecting for yourself and others the directions toward Zion given by God.
Commandment = directions toward Zion
Love = strong intimate feelings or provide and protect as a privledge.
1 John 4:21
And this direction toward Zion we have from Him, that the one who has strong intimate feelings toward God should have the same feelings for his brother and also provide for, and protect that privledged relationship.
Faith = Action and firmness towards Gods will.
Hebrews 4:2
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by action and firmness toward Gods will in those who heard.
It has been my experiance that those that can step asside from their western doctrinal thinking, find these interpretations self evident. They bear witness with the way we think in our hearts.
May God bless you in your search for the richness and sweetness of God.
Here are comparisons between Western thought and Eastern thought.
Ask the two cultures about Gods love ---
Western = God is love
Eastern = God loves me
Names, such as King David
Western = King as a title and David as the personal name
Eastern = King = one who reules. David = one who is loved. Result = When Hebrews read King Davids name they saw one who rules and is loved.
Simpler yet? Describe a pencil ---
Western = It is yellow and 12 inches long
Eastern = I write with it.
Hebrews saw the function and not the simple attributes.
Western thinkers believe God as they reason Him out with proof texts and bullet lists. Eastern thinkers Assume God is real and know him as they experiance Him.
These principles have a great influince on the way we should understand scripture. Trying to understand scripture from a western thought process will always lead to missinterpretation and mistake. In the last few years much research has been done on the discovery of the ancient Hebrew pictographs. This research has opened up many new understandings of what these Hebrew writers meant by what they wrote.
It should also be noted that although (at least) most of the New Testament was written in Greek, it was still written by Hebrews who thought in line with their Hebrew culture. Bearing this in mind, Hebrew concepts can be translated for New Testament words.
Consider the word heart. Heart (lev, Heb.)
Allow me to post a wonderfull discription of the heart from a Hebrew perspective. This is from The Ancient Hebrew Research Center.
Here is an example of our modern western culture still using a concrete object to express an abstract idea. We often associate the heart with emotions such as love and kindness as in "He has a good heart". This is also true with the Hebrews who saw the heart as the seat of emotion. But unlike us they also saw the heart as the seat of thought whereas we see the brain as the seat of thought. To the ancient Hebrews the heart was the mind including all thoughts including emotions. When we are told to love God with all our heart (Deut 6:5) it is not speaking of an emotional love but to keep our emotions and all our thoughts working for him. The first picture in this Hebrew word is a shepherd staff and represents authority as the shepherd has authority over his flock. The second letter is the picture of the floor plan of the nomadic tent and represents the idea of being inside as the family resides within the tent. When combined they mean "the authority within".
http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/27_heart.html
Of course, this flies in the face of those that wish to push that man is a willy nilly milk toast with little or no controll over his own destiny. This also ties in very clearly with the concepts of function and action that God desires and indeed requires on our part. Certainly God provides the path for our salvation, but it is our authority within or free will that must chose that path. God wishes that none parish but all come to Him. With that in mind, He will use every persuasive situation possible to enchorage our authority within (heart) to turn to Him.
Consider this understanding in the following scriptures.
Deuteronomy 30:10
if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart (authority within) and soul.
Deuteronomy 32:46
he said to them, " Take to your heart (authority within) all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law.
1 Samuel 12:24
" Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your (authority within) heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
Deuteronomy 30:2
and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your (authority within) heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons,
Genesis 6:5
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his (authority within) heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 20:6
Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your (authority within) heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
Deuteronomy 4:39
"Know therefore today, and take it to your (authority within) heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.
Romans 10/ 9 and 10 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the (authority within) heart man believes, resulting in righteousness and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.
Romans 2/ 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the (authority within) heart, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men but from God.
Romans 6/ 17 - But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the (authority within)heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.
Mark 7:21
"For from within, out of the (authority within) heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
Acts 8:37
[ And Philip said, "If you believe with all your (authority within) heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]
Romans 10:10
for with the (authority within) heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Ephesians 1:18
I pray that the eyes of your (authority within) heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 6:6
not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the (authority within) heart.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your (authority within) hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the (authority within) heart.
Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the (authority within) heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
That was only one word. Here are a few more. Notice the richness and clearity derived by seeing these verses from a Hebrew perspective.
Worship = bow down and give espect
God = Ultimate authority and strength
Exodus 3:12
And He said, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall bow down and give respect to the one with the ultimate authority and strength, at this mountain."
Righteousness = remaining on the straight path
Sin = missing the mark
Romans 5:19
For as through the one man's disobedience the many missed the mark, even so through the obedience of the One the many will remain on the straight path..
Proverbs 11:8
The one who remains on a straight path
is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place.
Jesus = Master
Heart = the authority within
Righteousness = staying on the right path
Romans 10/ 9 and 10 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is master and believe with the authority you have within, that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with that authority within man believes, resulting in staying on the right path and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.
Righteous = remaining on the straight path
Genesis 6:9
These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a man who remained on a straight path, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
Commandment = directions toward Zion
Keeps = guards and protects
Matthew 5:19
"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these directions toward Zion, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever guards, protects and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Good = functional or work (in verb form)
Life = full stomach or complete satisfaction and fullfillment
Keep = guard and protect
Commandment = directions toward Zion
Matthew 19:17
And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what works? There is only One who properly functions; but if you wish to enter into complete satisfaction and fullfillment, guard and protect the directions toward Zion."
Keep = guard and protect
Commandment = directions toward Zion
1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the guarding and protecting for yourself and others the directions toward Zion given by God.
Commandment = directions toward Zion
Love = strong intimate feelings or provide and protect as a privledge.
1 John 4:21
And this direction toward Zion we have from Him, that the one who has strong intimate feelings toward God should have the same feelings for his brother and also provide for, and protect that privledged relationship.
Faith = Action and firmness towards Gods will.
Hebrews 4:2
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by action and firmness toward Gods will in those who heard.
It has been my experiance that those that can step asside from their western doctrinal thinking, find these interpretations self evident. They bear witness with the way we think in our hearts.
May God bless you in your search for the richness and sweetness of God.
