How much can you get done before sunset on the sixth day each week?
Is it possible to clear the desk by then?
How would it feel to put off the rest of the cleaning for 24 hours – and have a valid excuse for doing so?
Can we finish the cooking by sunset, and then relax and just eat leftovers for a day?
Seems pretty easy, actually. Why fight it?
Matthew Chapter 1
1. The book of the genealogy of Y’shua the Mashiyach,the son of Dawid, the son of Awraham.
2. Awraham fathered Yitz’chak, Yitz’chak fathered Ya’akov. Ya’akov fathered Yehuda and his brothers. 3. Yehuda fathered Peretz and Zarakh by Thamar. Peretz fathered Khetzron. 4. Khetzron fathered Aram. Aram fathered Amminadav, Amminadav fathered, Nekhshon. Nekhshon fathered Salmon. 5. Salmon fathered Bo’az by Rachav, Bo’az fathered Awbed by Rawth, Awbed fathered Ishai. 6. Ishai fathered Dawid the king. Dawid fathered Shlemon by the wife of Awrea. 7. Shlemon fathered Rechav’am, Rechav’am fathered Aviyah, Aviyah fathered Asa. 8. Asa fathered Yahoshapat, Yahoshapat fathered Yoram, Yoram fathered Uziyahu. 9. Uziyahu fathered Yotham, Yotham fathered Akhaz, Akhaz fathered Hizkiyahu. 10. Hizkiyahu fathered M’nasheh, M’nasheh fathered Amon, Amon fathered Yoshiyahu. 11. Yoshiyahu fathered Yochanyahu and his brothers in the captivity of Bavel. 12. And after the captivity now of Bavel, Yochanyahu fathered Sh’altiel, Sh’altiel fathered Zerubavel. 13. Zerubavel fathered Awiud, Awiud fathered Elyakim, Elyakim fathered Azor. 14. Azor fathered Tzadoq. Tzadoq fathered Achin, Achin fathered El’ichud. 15. El’ichud fathered El’azar, El’azar fathered Matan, Matan fathered Ya’akov. 16. Ya’akov fathered Yosip, the guardian* of Maryam, from whom was born Y’shua, who is called the Mashiyach. 17. Therefore, all the generations from Awraham until Dawid were fourteen generations, from Dawid to the captivity were fourteen generations and from the captivity of Bavel until the Mashiyach were fourteen generations. 18. Now the birth of Y’shua, the Mashiyach, was like this: While Maryam his mother was betrothed to Yosip, without them being united, she was found pregnant by the Ruach haKodesh. 19. But Yosip, her husband was just and did not desire to expose her, yet he was thinking in secret that he would dismiss her. (Matt. 1:1-19 AENT).
Greek NT comes under accusation with blatant mistakes as found in Matthew 1. Verse 17 asserts that the generation count must be 14, 14, & 14, and yet in Greek verses 12-16, one can only find 13 generations, including Y’shua. In the Aramaic Peshitta NT, the v.16 Yosip is Maryam’s father, not husband: Problem resolved. Secondly, if she is attached to the Davidic line only by marriage as written in Greek, then her offspring cannot be the Messiah. The Peshitta (Eastern Aramaic) text of the New Testament fixes all this.
Third, the Peshitta distinguishes the first Yosip (v.16) from the second (v.19), so the contradiction with Luke 3:23 disappears. Fourth, see Matt. 8:9 for another usage of “gowra” as “father” rather than “husband.” Lastly, note that it is inappropriate to double any name in an attempt to balance the Greek lists.
* The word gowra designates a protector-male or guardian; the context of this verse determines its specific meaning. Y’shua elsewhere says “which one of gowra, if he has a son…(Mt.7:9),” obviously “father” is intended.
Complete text, with over 1700 footnotes and extensive commentary available in the Aramaic English New Testament:
Because Elohim, who commanded the light to arise from darkness, has Himself shined in our hearts, that we might be illuminated with the knowledge of the glory of Elohim on the face of Y’shua the Mashiyach.* 7. But we have this treasure in an earthen vessel that the excellence of the power might be from Elohim, and not from us. (2 Cor. 4:6-7 AENT pg. 542)
* A.G. Roth: This verse strengthens the idea that the glory of Elohim is “reflected” in Y’shua’s face.
And hereby is his love perfected with us; that we may have open countenances in the day of judgment; because as he was, so also are we in this world. 18. In love there is no fear; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear exists in peril, and he that fears* is not perfected in love.
(1 John 4:17-18 AENT pg. 658)
* A.G. Roth: This refers to the fear of man, the fear of loss and every other form of fear, except the Fear of YHWH. The Fear of YHWH helps to perfect the love of YHWH. A young child is taught about boundaries to protect and sustain the child’s welfare. The more understanding a child has of their boundaries and environment, the more likely they will not fall into danger. A child does not have the knowledge of their parent; neither does mankind have all the knowledge that YHWH has. When YHWH establishes righteous boundaries for mankind, it is only a fool who oversteps them.
And everyone that practices sin, perpetrates iniquity; for all sin is iniquity. (1 John 3:4 AENT pg. 654).
“…all sin is iniquity.” Sin and iniquity are equivalent according to the “New Testament,” more aptly called the Renewed Covenant. But what is iniquity?
The dictionary defines iniquity as “lack of justice or righteousness; wickedness; injustice.” The page at Dictionary.com includes a usage example from the Torah (Exodus 34:6-7). Iniquity (lack of righteousness) can therefore be described as “Lawlessness,” which is “Torah-lessness” for those who consider the Bible to be Divinely inspired by the Creator.
You therefore, my beloved, as you know (these things) beforehand, guard yourselves or else, by going after the error of the Torahless, you fall from your steadfastness. (2 Peter 3:17 AENT pg.458).
While sin is sin, meaning that sin is Torahlessness, without compromise, keep in mind that there is a difference between the occasional lapse vs. a lifestyle of practicing sin:
Everyone that is born of Elohim does not practice sin because his seed is in him and he cannot sin because he is born of Elohim. (1 John 3:9 AENT pg.654)
Secondly, our Father in Heaven has always been merciful towards those who repent:
YHWH, YHWH El, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:6-7).
Does your Sword need sharpening? Pick up your copy of the Aramaic NT today:
And if one of the pagans invite you, and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you, without an inquiry on account of conscience. 1 Cor. 10:27 AENT pg. 518
The AV puts it this way:
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 1 Cor 10:27 KJV
Points:
1: One that “does not believe” equals “pagan.”
2: The feast that an “unbeliever/pagan” invites you to is at the very least, a potential pagan feast.
3: “And you are disposed to go…” The choice is YOURS. You are FREE to choose whether or not you wish to attend a pagan feast (such as Christmas). You are not Biblically constrained to shun unbelievers’ dinner tables at all costs.
4: “Eat whatever is set before you…” Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it! Thanks MJ & Weird Al for that one! Well, with one caveat, found in the very next verse:
But if any one will say to you, “This meat is derived from a sacrifice;” DON’T EAT IT… 1 Cor 10:28 AENT pg. 518
This relates to the larger discussion about “meat sacrificed to idols” which occupies most of 1 Corinthians 10. Actually, there is one other caveat, expressed elsewhere in the Full Counsel of the Bible, for example:
…for it is sanctified by the Word of Elohim and by prayer. 1 Timothy 4:5 AENT pg. 628
When meat is sanctified (Set Apart), it is FIRST made “Kadosh” by the WORD of ELOHIM (Leviticus 11) and SECONDLY by prayer.
To a first century reader/hearer of the Letter to the Corinthians, it GOES WITHOUT SAYING that the meat offered is from a CLEAN animal.
To those of us in the 20th/21st century, it takes a bit of searching to grasp the principle of eating clean meat from the NT, but it’s unmistakably in there!
“An idol is nothing.” (1 Cor 8:4) That’s the reason that meat from a CLEAN animal (Lev. 11) can be consumed, once it is cleansed through prayer from any idolatrous spiritual “goo.”
Further, see “Eighteen New Testament Misconceptions” beginning on pg.794 of the AENT.
In conclusion, even if you realize that Christmas or Easter, being pagan, has nothing to do with you, it’s Biblically ok to attend such a feast IF you know what you’re doing and IF you are inclined to go. Who knows? You might make some friends.
As for Christmas, I gradually arrived at the point a couple years ago where I no longer celebrate it. In short, it is futile to try to sanctify a pagan feast. Sanctify = “Holy-ize” = “Kadosh-ize” = “make Set Apart” and we already have the Set Apart Feasts as determined by YHWH in Leviticus 23. Who else but YHWH has the authority to declare Set Apart Feasts?
INSERT: This isn’t as upsetting to life as it seems at first. Biblically, we can still attend feasts if we feel it is beneficial. See “What about Feasts” for comments on 1 Cor. 10:27.
13. Wherefore, gird up the loins of your minds and be awake perfectly and wait for the joy which will come to you at the revelation of our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach 14. as obedient children: and be you not conversant again with those former lusts with which you lusted when without knowledge. 15. But be you set apart in all your conduct, as he is set apart who has called you. 16. Because it is written: Be you Kadosh even as I am Kadosh. 17. And if so be, you call on the Father with whom is no respect of persons and who judges everyone according to his deeds, pass the time of your stay with fear…
In Hebrew and in Aramaic, “Kadosh” (root: קדש) means “Set Apart.” Therefore, “Be not conversant with those former lusts…” (v14) refers to setting oneself apart from those former things. To be “Set Apart” (vs 15,16) is to be separated from something, and to be set apart unto something else. Here the calling is exactly the same as it was given to the Children of Israel: “Be set apart from the world and its ways, and be set apart unto Me.”
V.16 “Because it is written…” Where is is written? Well, any concordance or Bible search program will tell you: Lost of places, including Leviticus 11 and Leviticus 20, for example. Let’s examine a few of them:
Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am YHWH your God… And ye shall be holy unto me: for I YHWH am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. (Lev 20:7 & 26 AV)
…For I am YHWH your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am YHWH that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. (Lev 11:44-45 AV)
See also: Numbers 15:40, Deuteronomy 23:14.
So what is Peter saying? He said “Be awake perfectly” (v.13) like “obedient children” (v.14). Pay attention! Why? So that we will “not be conversant with those former lusts with which you lusted when without knowledge.”
The Word is saying that we must separate ourselves from the things that pertain to sinful life. This is because we are called by YHWH (v.15) to “Be Set Apart as YHWH is Set Apart.”
Why this calling? Because YHWH “judges everyone according to his deeds” (v.17). This is consistent with Y’shua’s final words:
“Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me to recompense everyone according to his work.” (Rev. 22:13 AENT)
Which just so happens to be consistent with the rest of Scripture:
Also unto thee, O Adonai, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. (Ps 62:12)
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work. (Pr 24:29 AV)
The context of Peter’s first letter is that it is written to believers in Y’shua haMashiach, who are the “elect and sojourners” (v.1), who are “chosen… to the obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Y’shua the Mashiyach ” (v.2).
As anyone can see here, disciples of Y’shua haMashiach have been chosen for “obedience” as well as for “the sprinkling.”
Still ready to press on? We mentioned several specific verses in the Tanakh earlier, but to get the greater context, check out the full chapters: Leviticus 11 and 20; Numbers 15; Deuteronomy 23.
Wherefore, Torah is Set Apart; and the commandment is set apart, and righteous, and good. (Romans 7:12 AENT)
But our concern is with heaven and from thence we expect our Life Giver, our Master, Y’shua the Mashiyach who will change the body of our abasement, that it may have the likeness of the body of his glory according to his great power, whereby all things are made subject to him. (Phil. 3:20-21 AENT)
Be like me, my Brothers; and contemplate them who walk after the pattern you have seen in us. For there are many who walk otherwise; of whom I have often told you, and I now tell you with weeping that they are adversaries of the stake of the Mashiyach; whose end is destruction; whose Elohim is their belly and their glory their shame; whose thoughts are on things of the earth. (Phil. 3:17-19 AENT)
Is your Elohim your belly? Or rather, is your Elohim the King of kings and the Master of masters?
Your Elohim, personally speaking, is whom you serve; it is whom you strive to please.
Aramaic English New Testament:
“…the NT Time Bomb!” – Rev. Frederick Brown Harris, Chaplain to the US Senate.
A new translation from qualified Eastern manuscripts
With amazing insights!
