The Holy Bible
David Stern in his introduction to The Compete Jewish Bible – NIV Bible says this, “The Basic Problem: God’s Name Is Never Spoken”, The Name (according to Stern) given Moses consisted of four Hebrew letters: Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh.”
The Hebrew word was elicited as YHVH. or translated to Greek/Latin and then English, Yahweh – vowels added since Hebrew language does not use vowels. From this came Jehovah. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Jewish-Bible-Side—Side/.
In addition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton
It was a sin punishable by instant death to “take the name of the Lord in vain” as per above Commandment, so rather than die quickly, all Hebrews including the hierarchy and religious hierarchy used the name Adonai. If YHVH was used in a “religious reading”, then Elohim was used with Adonai, resulting in Adonai/Elohim.
“Lord” or God was acceptable to Gentiles and has been used ever since. The English translation “God” is never used in a Hebrew synagogue or Messianic worship setting. Even in writing God would be spelled G-d.
Eventually, and even before the time of Jesus of Nazareth, (Yahshua ben Joseph), Jesus The Christ or The Son of G-d, the Name of G-d was never spoken. However, since this writer is a Gentile, God will be spelled simply as God, although Adonai and Elohim will also be used. (Note: Yah Shuah in Hebrew would equal God Saves in English. http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Shuah.html and “ben” Hebrew for “of”.
David Stern (a Messianic Jew) placed the writings of the First Covenant/Tanakh on the left side and the New International Version on the right of each page in a publication entitled “The Complete Jewish Bible – New International Version”. This was published by Hendrickson Publishing in 2011. It is available just about everywhere. This does not means David Stern is a “convert” to “Christianity”. He simply believes Jeshua is the Messiah, who came first as the perfect final sacrifice for the earth and all mankind, and will come again as Judge and Ruler of all.
David Stern said that in order to avoid any confusion, he labeled the Old Testament as Old Testament and the New Testament as B’rit Hadasha, which cannot be translated from Hebrew into anything but New Covenant. B’rit is Hebrew for Covenant and Hadasha is “New”. (Hebrew being read from right to left.)
It is understood in the Orthodox Jewish community, and those who follow the Three-in-One God communities, that Elohim via His Holy Spirit impels His people to write what He wishes. It is said He “inspires” the writings.
Gentiles (Hebrew: Goy-singular, Goyim=Plural) call what Jews call the First Covenant, (Tanakh), The Old Testament. It was, of course, originally written mostly in Hebrew. The combined Old Testament (Hebrew -First Covenant or Tanakh) and New Testament (Hebrew – Second Covenant), is thought by many to be the Creator’s primary book of instructions for everyone.
Currently Available Bibles
I prefer to use the New International Version of the Holy Bible found on the CD provided at an extremely low price from: Power Bibles . Copyright 2006 by Online Publishing, Inc. 128 E Chicago St, PO Box 21, Bronson, MI 49028. http://powerbible.com/. The Power Bible CD-ROM includes 22 Bible translations, over 10 Bible dictionaries, over 10 topical references, over 20 commentaries, and over 700,000 cross-references, all for only $7.00, including postage! The NIV was available to be “unlocked” for a few more dollars.
Free Bibles can also be downloaded online.
Most Bibles, however, are anti-Semitic and do not make the Jewishness of the First and Second Covenant prominent. An example would be of early “Christians” going to the “church”. There were no churches! There were only synagogues.
There is also considerable conflict regarding who wrote which Gospel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Luke, but Gentile awareness must be expanded to understand what is called “The Holy Bible” has no Gentile authors in it. Luke, however, is a Greek name and some historians call him a proselyte: http://bibleresources.americanbible.org/node/1504
Gentiles and Jews
Messianic Jewish Bibles are essential in order for Gentiles to understand the fullness of what is being described. Gentiles are “grafted on” to the Olive Tree (which represents Israel) as described in Romans 11 and seems intended to induce a “reverent fear” into Gentiles. The Jew Paul (formerly called Saul) is speaking, “inspired” by Holy Spirit God:
“Ro 11:13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry
14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.
15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you.
32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
The Holy Bible – Is it Real?
David Stern (noted above) in his introduction to The Complete Jewish Bible has four paragraphs devoted to whether the Holy Bible is the Word of God or not. The headings are as follows: “The Bible Claims to be God’s Word, The Bible Seems to be God’s Word, The Bible proves to be God’s Word–(historical and archeological evidence is mentioned) and Why it makes a difference that God “wrote the Bible”.
Initially David Stern hoped to scan in various texts. but found difficulty in doing so due to mistakes occurring from a mixture of Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic and English. Eventually, it appears, he ended up completely typing in each word, and searching many sources, before completion.
The Holy Bible has been taken apart word for word, banned, burned, forbidden, and generally discouraged by society including the “Church”. Space precludes a rehashing of thousands of book, articles, and other writings concerning its validity. The book referred to as the Old Testament by Gentiles was divided by the Jews into: The Law (Torah), History, Poetry or Writings, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets.
We as humans tend to look only at humanity in regard to Redemption. The Word states Jesus died for the entire Earth. That means He died for animals too (and we know Elohim loved animals) since He created them and then told Adam to name each one. This also means He died for trees, grass, water, and you name it – whatever He created. Does that mean Jesus the Christ was present during the Creation of the world? This is reiteration, but the answer is Yes. (See John 1:1) and Col 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Col 1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Re 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”
The Irrelevance of Skin Pigmentation
Jesus, the Christ, born of a Virgin Jew, died to “Redeem the Earth”. Irrespective of the fact that He took part in the creation of mankind, He could not do that unless He was a “kinsman-redeemer” -See Ruth 4.
“Ru 4:1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. When the kinsman-redeemer he had mentioned came along, Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.”
Being a “Kinsman-Redeemer” is a portion of the Law given in the Torah. Now it is absolutely true that Jesus’ earthly mother was of the tribe of Judah, (which is possibly where the word “Jew” comes from but we must also keep in mind the Roman control at the time and the fact the area involved was called Judea, best explained on page 67 of “Killing Jesus” (http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Jesus-Bill-OReilly/.) Also of the tribe of Judah were Boaz, Jesse, David and so on – see Matthew, Chap 1 for a complete genealogy. It is irrelevant that Ruth was a Moabitess and therefore had increased pigmentation, now called black. It is however amazing how many black prejudiced Southern U.S. brides use the words of Ruth to her mother-in-law to put on their bridal publications–”I will go where you go, etc.—–”. Increased pigmentation, as in more dark than white, was not considered relevant at that time. It would appear this distinction came about in America with the advent of slavery.
Randy Alcorn goes into greater detail in his book called Dominion, (1996 – by Eternal Perspective Ministries, http://www.amazon.com/Dominion-Ollie-Chandler-Book-2 published by Multnomah Books) in stating the following:
“Ephraim and Manasseh are two of the twelve tribes of Israel. According to Genesis 41, they were the sons of Joseph and an Ethiopian woman. They were 50% black. The fathers of two tribes of Israel were black.
Jethro was a Midianite from Southern Arabia, which was occupied by Ethiopians. He was the father of Zipporah, wife of Moses, who was a Cushite, an Ethiopian – as stated in Numbers 12. Jethro’s family were believers, proselytes to the Jewish faith. Moses married this black woman, and when his sister Marian grumbles about this interracial marriage, God give her leprosy apparently to teach her a lesson.
King David: His great-grandmother was Rahab, A Canaanite, from the line of Ham, thought to be the father of the black race. David’s grandmother was Ruth, a Moabite, another Canaanite tribe. By American standards, anyone, with black blood is considered black. So David easily had enough black blood that if he lived in America today, he’d be called black.
Solomon was David’s son by a Hamitic woman named Bathsheba, whose name means “daughter of Sheba”, an African.
Zephaniah the prophet was a descendant of ‘Cush’, a black man.”
“In the messianic line of Jesus in the legal genealogy through Joseph – four women are mentioned, – Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. All four of these were descendants of Ham, the historically called black line of humanity. Jesus’ mother Mary was also a descendant of Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. There may have been other Hamitic blood in Jesus too, but as far as we know, there was no Japhetic blood – no white blood.”
“Looking at Eden. The biblical text mentions Eden in the east, with a river that broke into four other rivers. First, the Gihon and the Pishon. These were African rivers. The Pishon is said to wind through the land of Havilah, which the historian Pliny said was in East Africa. The Gihon is said to wind through the entire land of Cush, or Ethiopia. Then the Tigris and the Euphrates in Mesopotamia. So, we have four rivers in relation to Eden – to African, and to Mesopotamia. That’s southern Mesopotamia or northern Africa.” Historically, the one was inhabited primarily by dark brown-skinned people, the other blacks.
Hispanics are considered Caucasian! A national newspaper, (the New York Times) in the year 2012 reported that a Hispanic who killed a black was a “white Hispanic”. How odd.
Bible Translations
Jesus of Nazareth never said the words: Thee, Thou, Verily”
And He didn’t lisp either. So he never said “ith”.
These words are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, which was one of the first English translations. Jesus spoke a language called Aramaic, which is referred to by some as ancient Hebrew and others as an “older” form of Hebrew but was a language much in use during the time Jesus literally lived here on earth, and seems to have come in during the Babylonian and Medo-Persian captivity of the Jews. People of that historical period were multi-lingual and spoke several languages. Jesus also spoke Hebrew and Greek.
The Aramaic language has now nearly died out – fairly recently as noted in the secular newspapers.
The individual who translated the Bible to English, (the King James Bible) was tortured and then burnt alive at the stake for his efforts. His name was Tyndale. He was considered a Reformer, had helpers, and actually didn’t quite finish the translation. Tyndale used the “Polyglot Bible” which had the Old Testament in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin, and the New Testament in Latin and Greek. There is now a publishing group called Tyndale Publishing, which puts out the Living Bible or now the New Living Bible, as well as many other publications, such the “Left Behind” series.
Most of the Old Testament was written first in Hebrew as noted above, and most of the New Testament was written in Greek/Aramaic/Hebrew. The Jewish and Greek people translated the Old Testament to Greek in about 250 B.C. They named it The Septuagint.
The Old Testament Hebrew/Aramaic came to the point of transcription by many ways. It must be understood by all that some of the writings currently in print, were at some time passed down orally. The words were memorized. People were trained simply to memorize. Those who could memorize well went on to memorize more. Others, who had difficulty, were no longer used. This was taken very seriously.
The Bible was translated into Latin which is called “Old Latin”. St. Jerome translated the Old Testament from the Hebrew and the New Testament from Greek and it was called “the Latin Vulgate”. This was the Bible for the “Church” until the Reformation time. John Wycliffe translated the first English version of the Bible, from the Latin Vulgate – so this was a translation “from a translation” and not from Hebrew or Greek because John Wycliffe did not know Hebrew or Greek.
Following the invention of the printing press, many versions were put out. Americans need to understand that all languages were included, – not just English. The version Martin Luther used was, of course, German, since Martin Luther was German.
As a child, this writer had one choice, the King James Version. This was followed by the Revised Standard, the Amplified, the Good News and many others, including the NIV, representing the New International Version, which is supposedly “Nearly Infallible”.
Although non-inclusive of the Jewishness of Scripture, there is a “Read through the Bible in One Year, NLT edition”, which is a good one for morning reading, especially if you are not a morning person, because you really don’t have to think, since it is in the language of today. However, in regard to the Gifts of Healings in 1st Cor. 12, it misses the plurality of this Gift of the Holy Spirit and lists it in the singular – Gift of Healing. When there is a double plural in the original Greek, we can assume the plurality is very important. What this means is that Holy Spirit God has gifted some people to act in the Gifts of Healings in certain areas easier than in others. Not that all healings are not Miracles, but some people are better praying for certain healings than others. The prayer always, of course, is that Jesus as the Great Physician will do the healing. This brings up the question of Cessationalism or Dispensationalism which will be covered later on along with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
It should be noted there were several kings, all in a row, who called themselves King James and no, I have not researched which one accepted the English version of the Bible as being correct. This information is easily accessible on the Web, but seems irrelevant at this time. It is questionable, from my perspective, that King James lisped too. Maybe his courtiers did and that is where Tyndale picked it up.