..formal and temporal purification" and were "under the old law, which provided...for formal, or ritualistic pardon, and restored to human fellowship, sin and transgressions remained, burdening the conscience." (Luther 1483-1546) Therefore, the old law "did not benefit the soul at all, inasmuch as God did not institute it to purify and safeguard the conscience, nor to bestow the Spirit." (Luther 1483-1546) the old law's existence was "merely for the purpose of outward discipline, restraint and correction." (Luther 1483-1546)
Gottwald (1985) notes that use of a marriage metaphor by Hosea in chapter 1-3 and a metaphor relating to a father and son in 11:1-7 and states that these are only:
two of the prominent specimens of a rich stock of metaphors and similes drawn from agriculture, animal life, and family relations. Yahweh is also described as a physician, a fowler, a lion, a leopard, a bereaved she-bear, dew, a luxuriant tree, pus (or…...
mlaBibliography
Elwell, Walter a. "Entry for 'Light'." "Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. http://www.studylight.org/dic/bed/view.cgi?number=T438.1897 .
Elwell, Walter a. "Entry for 'Light'." "Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. http://www.studylight.org/dic/bed/view.cgi?number=T177.1897 .
Grounds, Vernon C. (1976) God's Perspective on Man. Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation 28.4 (Dec. 1976) 145-51. Online available at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/01-Genesis/Text/Articles-Books/AA-GenesisArticlesatGordonVol2.doc
Hamilton, Mark (2008)the Origins of the Hebrew Bible and Its Components. From Hebrew Bible to Christian Bible. The First Christians. PBS. Online available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/first/scriptures.html
In his sacrifice, Jesus Christ had the role of the priest and that of the victim. Not only was He disposed to suffer in order to save mankind, but He voluntarily gave up everything He had in the material life with this purpose (Nelson).
Jesus Christ improved the connection between the individual and God, influencing Christians to perfect themselves. Christ's sacrifice came as a contrast to the sacrifices performed by Levitical priests, as the latter did not perfect themselves through their actions, nor did they succeed in cleansing their souls from their inner sins (Nelson).
The blood priests shed in order to praise their Lord only managed to comfort themselves in a material way. hile Levitical priests believed that their sacrifice absolved them for some time, they were aware that their sins were not forgiven. Animal sacrifices induced material feelings of material forgiveness in people while the sacrifice of Jesus Christ…...
mlaWorks cited:
1. Long, Thomas G. "Bold in the Presence of God: Atonement in Hebrews," Interpretation 52.1 (1998)
2. Manson, William The Epistle to the Hebrews (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1966).
3. Nelson, Richard D. "He Offered Himself" Sacrifice in Hebrews," Interpretation 57.3 (2003).
4. Smith, Robert H. Hebrews (Minneapolis: Augsburg Pub. House, 1984)
Hebrew Bible is also known as Mikra or TaNaKh, which is an acronym that refers to the traditional Jewish division of the Bible into the Torah the teaching, Nevi'im the prophets and Ketuvim the writings. It is the founding document of the people of Israel that gives descriptions of its origins, history and visons of how a just society should be. This paper will give an explanation of how the Hebrew Bible literature forms religion in humanity. The main objective is to show how human life relates to the stories of the Hebrew Bible and how faith obtains eternity and God is the one who created all these.
Generally the Hebrew Bible gives an account of how God dealt with the Jews being his chosen people who referred to themselves as Israel. After an account of the creation of the world by God and the coming up of human civilization, the…...
mlaReferences
Routledge. (2014).Summary of the books of the Hebrew Bible. Retrieved September 29, 2014 from http://www.routledge.com/cw/kahn-9780415524803/s1/books/
This obscure, nameless darshan's interpretation of B. Yevamot 62b has been particularly enduring, yet, according to Satlow, "while such an interpretation of this sugya makes a good sermon, it makes poor history ... The sugya as a whole is in fact an attempt to answer the question, hy should a man marry" (Satlow pp). And the answer that it gives is much more complex than recognized by "our" darshan (Satlow pp).
Virtually every society supports marriage as a social institution, and so must answer the question of "why marry," therefore the answers serve the concrete function of convincing people to marry, "thus physically reproducing the institution ... thus societies, like those of Jews and non-Jews in antiquity, that offer quite distinct social roles to men and women," often use different means of persuasion to convince men and women to marry (Satlow pp). However, on the other hand, marriage can also…...
mlaWork Cited
Dearman, J. Andrew. "The family in the Old Testament."
Interpretation. April 01, 1998. Retrieved September 24, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library Web site .
The Holy Bible. World Bible Publishers. 1986; Song of Solomon 1:2; pp. 966.
Jewish View of Marriage. Retrieved September 20, 2005 from:
Hebrew Bible (Genesis-1-22) and Bhagavad-Gita
Similarities between Christianity and Hinduism are often acknowledged. Part of what is similar to Christian teachings is found in the Bhagavad Gita and revealed by Krishna, the supreme god of Hinduism. God is, in Christian belief, the creator of the world and the Supreme Being. Likewise, in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna is recognized as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna addresses Krishna as the one "that knoweth no deterioration" (Brishma Parva 55) thus, acknowledging Krishna as supreme power that cannot be altered. Moreover, such as God sent his only son into the world to serve humanity, Krishna is at Arjuna's service, although he never ceases to exercise his divine character. Krishna responds to his devotee's requests and Arjuna, unable to find the answer to his struggles, turns to the Lord for guidance. In the Bible, God guides Noah and saves him from the flood and…...
mlaWorks Cited
A Hebrew -- English Bible. Mechon Mamre (The Mamre Institute) JPS ed., 1917. Web. 5 August 2013.
The Bhagavad Gita (2nd ed.). Trans. Pratap Chandra Roy. Calcutta: Oriental Publishing Co., n.y. Web. 5 August 2013.
Barclay goes on to identify the Christian inspiration (Christ Himself), the handicap (the effects of Original Sin), and the means for perseverance (Barclay references the word "hupomone," which is another way of saying "the patience which masters" things) (173).
In the same manner, Donald Guthrie speaks of the text as showing a "need for discipline" (248). Guthrie observes that the discipline must be Christ-centered and Christ-focused: "Looking to Jesus (aphorontes eis)…implies a definite looking away from others and directing one's gaze towards Jesus. It suggests the impossibility of looking in two directions at once" (250).
John Brown, on the other hand, states that the text is "highly rhetorical; and its meaning will be but imperfectly understood -- its force and beauty will be utterly lost to us -- if we do not distinctly apprehend…those historical facts or ancient customs from which the inspired writer borrows his imagery" (599-600). The statement is…...
mlaWorks Cited
Barclay, William. The Letter to the Hebrews. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press,
1977.
Boa, Kenneth. Meeting the Challenges to Christian Faith and Values. Bible.org. 2011.
Web. 17 June 2011.
Hebrew is the language of Scripture and forever reminds Jews of their covenant with God and holds Judaism together. He points out that they have already eliminated many traditional elements of Judaism in their reform and should not let go of anymore. He fears the whole of Judaism will be lost if any more separate elements are removed.
A second argument Frankel makes is that God gave the Bible to the Jews in trust for safeguarding. God called upon the Jews to carry forth and spread the Word of God as found therein throughout the world. The Bible was written in Hebrew. This is why all Jews have been instructed in Hebrew and why the Jews teach Hebrew to their children -- so they can understand God's word in the Bible, of which they are the caretakers. He concedes it would be acceptable to conduct some of the service in…...
In 70 CE, Jewish scholars assembled in a town west of Jerusalem to decide which holy books of writings should form the core of the Hebrew Scriptures. They decided on 5 books (Pentateuch) to form the core. Then they added 34 other books, rejecting most books written after 150 BCE. The Masoretic Text (MT) is the Hebrew text of the Tanakh approved for general use in Judaism.The history of the Masorah may be divided into three periods: (1) the creative period, from the beginning to the introduction of vowel-signs; (2) the reproductive period, from the introduction of vowel-signs to the printing of the Masorah (1525 CE); (3) critical period, from 1525 to the present time. The Apocrypha consisted of many books used for spiritual guidance by the Jewish people throughout the ages. They were included in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of Hebrew Scriptures in general use during the…...
mlaReferences
Johnson, Paul (1987). A History of the Jews, First, hardback, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
The theme of starting a new and fresh life in the Mystical Body is emphasized as well. The major characters of Ephesians are the receivers of the letter themselves: the husbands, wives, slaves, and masters, children, and parent: all are called to put on the armor of God, which will serve them will in the battle that will be fought for their souls. No major events are recorded in Ephesians, but the epistle touches on the adoption of Christian morality.
Galatians
St. Paul's letter to the Galatians, written some time after their conversion in 52 AD was threatened by the arrival and influence of some Jewish teachers, is composed in the epistolary genre: its major theme is the defense of Paul's person and his doctrine against the false instruction of the Jews. The key events that Paul speaks of are the divine origin of his mission and authority, the fulfillment of…...
He uses rhetorical questions in order to cause His people to think the consequences of their actions.
Proverbs 21:21 explores this, "He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour." When God shows his love or mercy, he manifests this by a certain action. Other verses to consider are Proverbs 3:3; 11:17 as well as 20:28.
Chesed occurs the first time in the Old Testament in Genesis 19:19. In context, the passage is one of God's decision to end Sodom and Gomorrah. But he spares Lot and his family in response to Abraham's pleading as an act of mercy. Genesis 32:10 represents Jacob as realizing God's unmerited mercy This is also the issue in Chronicles 16:34; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 103:8).
Numbers 14:18 portrays Gdd as longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression..." Moses begs for God's mercy and reminds Him of the surrounding peoples who will say…...
mlaReferences
"Blue Letter Bible." Blue Letter Bible.org. (accessed September 13,
The Epistle to the Hebrews, situated within the Christian New Testament, is traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle, though the true authorship remains contested among scholars. Hebrews 12:1-4 offers a powerful exhortation to the faithful, calling them to perseverance and steadfastness in their spiritual journey. As we explore this passage, we find an intricate tapestry of imagery, theology, and practical advice that has inspired and challenged believers throughout the centuries.
Hebrews 12:1 begins with an evocative metaphor, likening the Christian life to a race that is to be run with endurance. The phrase "since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses" alludes to the preceding chapter, which provides a roll call of the faithful who have gone before, including Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and others (Hebrews 11). The 'cloud of witnesses' does not merely serve as spectators in this metaphorical race but as those whose own faithfulness bears…...
mlaReferences
Attridge, Harold W. \"Suffering in the Epistle to the Hebrews.\" (1989).
Bruce, F.F. \"The Epistle to the Hebrews.\" (1990).
Ellingworth, Paul. \"The Epistle to the Hebrews: A Commentary on the Greek Text.\" (1993).
Guthrie, George H. \"The Structure of Hebrews.\" (1998).
..hat in these last days spoken unto us by his Son...by whom also he made the worlds," thus arguing that Jesus' message is an expansion of the Old Covenant. (Ellingworth, 1993).
The Catholic interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews is that it is a firm announcement of the superiority of the New Testament revelations made by Jesus over the Old Testament revelations made by the lesser prophets. Further, the Epistle to the Hebrews successfully proves this point by comparing Jesus to the angels as mediators of the Old Covenant, Moses and Josue as founders of the Old Covenant, and by opposing the high priesthood of Christ. (Lane, 1985).
At its core, this passage is an extension of Pauline Christianity, or the version of Christianity advocated by the Apostle Paul and which survived as the dominant version of Christianity. First and foremost, as a part of the Pauline Christianity, this passage is…...
mlaBibliography
Ellingworth, Paul. "Commentary on Hebrews." NIGTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993.
Hughes, P.E. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977.
Lane, William L. Hebrews: Call to Commitment. Hendrickson, 1985.
Unless the author's typological approach is appreciated, the interpreter may wrongly assume that the author is making literal statements about the salvation-historical significance of Christ.
The fact that Hebrews was originally written in Greek does not provide any substantial or definitive help in the search for author or audience. During the time period in which Hebrews had to be composed, Christians in Rome spoke Greece. In fact, Hellenism had much of Western Europe and the modern-day Middle East familiar with Greek. This familiarity would have been even more likely among educated groups, and is highly unlikely that uneducated people would have had the ability to read or write. While there was some early suggestion that Hebrews was originally written in a language other than Greek, it seems highly unlikely that that was the case:
That the Letter to the Hebrews was originally written in Greek is suggested by the fact that…...
The Epistle to the Hebrews reflects the contentious nature of the debate within the Christian community of how to define the role and nature of Jesus in the evolving tradition. Regardless of the nature of its authorship, the epistle establishes Christ as the Son of God and part of the Godhead but also a kind of high priest within the Jewish tradition. Its Christology is uniquely Jewish in its orientation and metaphors, which is one reason why it might be commonly attributed to Paul. But it suggests a new, sacrificial role for Jesus as the Son of God and a new kind of high priest.
The Epistle to the Hebrews first calls Jesus a paradoxical figure, made lower than the angels so he could ultimately elevate humanity. “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he…...
Deborah is believed to have played a key role in public arena.
Even in the male dominant society of Israel, Deborah's orders were followed and people looked up to her for advice. In the position of a prophetess, she could give orders which were readily followed: "She sent for Barak...and said to him, 'The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: "Go, take with you ten thousand men..."" Barak was not willing to go alone and wanted Deborah to accompany him. Deborah is an important figure in ancient Hebrew culture and it is through her that we can see how this culture allowed women to have some freedom in their restricted sphere.
The daughter of Jephthah was another prominent figure. She was also a judge who ruled Israel as she was a woman of strong faith. After her father promised Lord that if he won, he would offer "whatever comes out…...
mlaReferences
The Odyssey, the Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, 6th ed. Vol 1, Ws. Norton & Co. Inc. New York
Book of Joshua" accessed online 16th april 2005:
Many people are familiar with the word “canon” as it is used when discussing fictional works. It refers to those books or other works that are an official part of the created world, as opposed to those created by others, like fan fiction. It also distinguishes the written word from speculation or theories built on that word, but not directly supported by it. Canon has a similar meaning in Biblical studies of the New Testament. It refers specifically to those books believed to have been divinely inspired and incorporated into the New Testament. This makes Christianity somewhat different from many....
Apocrypha: Unveiling the Controversial and Enigmatic Texts
The term "apocrypha" originates from the Greek word "apokryphos," meaning "hidden" or "not publicly known." It refers to a collection of biblical texts that are not included in the Hebrew Bible or Christian canon, but are considered non-canonical by some religious traditions. The apocryphal texts have been the subject of theological debate and controversy throughout history, as their authenticity and divine inspiration have been questioned.
Historical Context and Origin
The apocryphal texts emerged during the intertestamental period, between the composition of the Old and New Testaments. During this time, Jewish literature flourished, producing a wide range....
Deuteronomy 6:4 states, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." This verse emphasizes the importance of monotheism in the Hebrew Bible by declaring that there is only one true God, Yahweh, whom the Israelites are to worship. It instructs the people of Israel to recognize and acknowledge the oneness and supremacy of God, and to worship only Him, rejecting all other gods or idols. This declaration served to set the Israelites apart from the surrounding polytheistic cultures and firmly establish their belief in monotheism.
One way in which Deuteronomy 6:4 emphasizes the importance of monotheism is by....
Understanding Monotheism in the Hebrew Bible
Monotheism, the belief in and worship of a single god, is a fundamental principle of the Hebrew Bible. This belief distinguishes the ancient Israelites from the surrounding polytheistic cultures and serves as a cornerstone of their religious identity. Deuteronomy 6:4 encapsulates this crucial doctrine, proclaiming the centrality of Yahweh, the one and only God, in the lives of the Israelites.
Deuteronomy 6:4: A Cornerstone of Monotheistic Faith
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4)
This verse is known as the Shema, a foundational declaration of faith that is central to Jewish religious....
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