Bible and its Interpreters
2 (Second) Maccabees
2 (second) Maccabees is a deuterocanonical book originally written in Greek which is an abridgement of a longer work that was lost. 2 Maccabees focuses on the Maccabean revolt against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It is prefaced by letters from Jerusalem urging the jews of Egypt to celebrate the festival of Hanukkah, which commemorates Juda's purification and rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem. Troubles began when Antiochus wanted to force hellenization upon the jews, forcing them to accept new rituals. The title derives from the nickname given to Judas Maccabeus, the leader of the jewish revolt who defeated the Seleucid empire general Nicanor in 161 BC.
Babylonians
Babylonia was a state in ancient Mesopotamia, the people in Babylonia lived under the rules and codes of Hammurabi. The babylonians came against Jerusalem and took them captive. After the israelites came into the promised land, they were given a set of commandments in Deuteronomy which they failed to follow. In 2 kings 21, Manasseh reintroduces the worship of other deities and therefore Manasseh is presented as the main culprit responsible for the fall of Jerusalem and the exile in the year 586 BCE. The babylonians destroyed the city, burned down the Temple and ended the Davidic dynasty.
Herem
Herem means "devote" or "destroy" and also referred to as the ban. In Joshua 6-8, the israelites were told to stay away from the devoted things once Jericho was captured. All the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord which were to be placed in the treasury of the Lord. In Joshua 6-8 there was a theft of God's property, the devoted things which were stolen by Achan. Achan was then stoned to death and burned all of his things with fire for disobeying and bringing trouble upon the israelites.
Christ
Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ c. 4 BC - c. AD 30 / 33), is known as the son of God and Messiah. Christ is not his last name, but a title which translates to "the anointed one" from greek. He is a descendant of King david, not a god, but a political leader. Christ is the title for the saviour and redeemer who would bring salvation to the whole house of Israel. Christians believe Jesus is the Israelite Messiah foretold in both the Hebrew bible and the Christian old testament. Jesus was a Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is also known for healing people and various other miracles. His life is talked by many, especially in the four Gospels of the New Testament. Since he was a baby, King Herod wanted to kill him......
Apocrypha
The Apocrypha meaning "hidden" are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of Scripture. These works are usually of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. These "books" are not in the Hebrew bible or the protestant bible but in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox bible (meaning that they are Deuterocanonical/second canon). An example is Sirach (Ecclesiasticus/Ben Sira).
Nephilim
The Nephilim were the offsprings of "the sons of god" and "the daughters of men" before the deluge in Genesis 6. The breaching of divine-human reproduction who were to be heros that were old, warriors of renown (Gen 6:1-4) in the Hebrew bible.. The sons of god are traditionally known as fallen angels and the Nephilim are described as a race of giants.
Epistle
The word Epistle come from Greek, meaning "letter" or "message." An Epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter (intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive). The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as many of the NT books were originally written as letters to churches or individuals. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians are usually referred to as Epistles. Those traditionally attributed to Paul are known as Pauline Epistles and others as Catholic Epistles.
Whereupon a Heavenly Voice cried out: 'Why do ye dispute with R[abbi] Eliezer, seeing that in all matters the halachah agrees with him!' But R[abbi] Joshua arose and exclaimed: 'It is not in heaven.' What did he mean by this?—Said R[abbi] Jeremiah: That the Torah had already been given at Mount Sinai; we pay no attention to a Heavenly Voice, because Thou hast long since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai, After the majority must one incline.
This passage is from (CP#11) the Babylonian Talmud: Baba Mezi'a 59b. The Babylonian Talmud was completed c. 600 CE. Bava Meziah (Middle Gate) belongs to the fourth order, Nezikin (The Order of Damages) and discusses the civil matters, largely torts and property law. It has ten chapters. This passage references sections from Deuteronomy 30 and Exodus 23.
For twenty-six generations the alef complained before the Holy One, blessed be He, pleading before Him: 'Sovereign of the Universe! I am the first of the letters, yet Thou didst not create Thy world with me!' God answered: 'The world and its fullness were created for the sake of the Torah alone. To-morrow, when I come to reveal My Torah at Sinai, I will commence with none but thee: I am the Lord your God
This passage is from (CP#12) Genesis (Bereshit) Rabbah, composed around 300-500 CE. It is a midrash comprising a collection of ancient rabbinical homiletical interpretations of the Book of Genesis. It contains many simple explanations of words and sentences, often in Aramaic, suitable for the instruction of youth. This passage takes a look at the letters, why create the world with a beth (ב) and not an aleph (א)? The creation begins with a beth instead on an aleph instead of following the order of the Hebrew letters since aleph comes first. It has to do with how the letters look like- The design of the beis, the second letter of the alef-beis, comprises three lines: two horizontal and one vertical. These three lines represent the directions east, south, and west. The horizontal line on top represents the east. The vertical line is the south, and the horizontal line below is the west. The design of the beis is similar to the path of the sun, which rises in the east and sets in the west. The Midrash states that the letter beth is similar to the construction of the world. The letter beth also provides more of a welcoming into the text and the aleph looks more like a closing. In the same manner that the letter bet is closed on all sides and only open in front, similarly you are not permitted to inquire into what is before or what was behind, but only from the actual time of Creation.
Moses received Torah at Sinai and handed it on to Joshua, Joshua to elders, and elders to prophets. And prophets handed it on to the men of the great assembly. They said three things: 'Be prudent in judgment. Raise up many disciples. Make a fence for the Torah.'
This passage is from (CP#8) Mishnah the dual Torah: m. Avot 1:1 completed c.220 CE. Avot (Fathers) belongs to the fourth order, Nezikin (The Order of Damages) and presents the laws of interactions between Jews and Gentiles and/or idolaters (from a Jewish perspective). It has five chapters. Avoth begins by tracing the transmission of Torah and contains three sayings by the Men of the Great Assembly. One of the most basic tenets of Judaism is related in this mishnah: that Moses received an oral as well as a written Torah and that there is an unbroken chain connecting the Rabbis with the revelation at Sinai. Therefore the oral Torah, observed and studied during the time of the Mishnah (and in subsequent generations as well) is not the creation of human beings, but is actually as divine in origin as is the written Torah.
Somewhat later he was going through the village, and a child ran up and banged into his shoulder. Jesus was aggravated and said to him, 'You will go no further on your way.' And right away the child fell down and died. Some of those who saw what happened said, 'Where was this child born? For everything he says is a deed accomplished?'
This passage is from (CP14) The Infancy Gospel of Thomas. This Gospel is not considered canonical in any form of Christianity. Early Christians regarded the Infancy Gospel of Thomas as inauthentic and heretical (Gnostic). It is believed to date latest to the 2nd century or earlier. Some scholars believe the initial author was a gentile, and whomever he was, seems to have known little of Jewish life besides what he could learn from the Gospel of Luke, which the text seems to refer to directly in ch. 19; Sabbath and Passover observances are mentioned. This Gospel tries to demonstrate Jesus from the Gap that we don't have much about- from ages 1-13. When Jesus was young he seemed kind of like a jerk which goes against all traditional images of Jesus.
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, 'There is peace and security', then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
This passage is from 1 Thessalonians 5:1 in the New Testament. Although Paul is the primary writer, Silvanus and Timothy were known to the Thessalonians and likely had a hand in the composition of the letter. The letter is addressed to the Christ-group comprised of people living in Thessalonica, the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia in northern Greece. The letter aims to maintain and build relationships in the wake if a hasty departure by Paul and his companions from Thessalonica. The point of all the imagery is to exhort the Thessalonians to vigilance in living out their commitments to God. The Thessalonians should encourage one another about Jesus's return rather than worry about identifying precise timelines or specific events.
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.'
This passage is from the canonical Gospel of Mark 1:12-15 in the New Testament. Mark was written anonymous. The designation "according to mark" was added in the second century CE, as Gospels began to circulate beyond the audiences for whom they were written. The Gospel appears to address a mixed audience of Jews and Gentiles who faced persecution because of their devotion to Jesus of Nazareth as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. This passage is when Jesus is taken into the wilderness after his baptism and tempted by the devil. He then spent forty days and forty nights, however Mark does not elaborate much on the nature of Jesus's testing.
According to the Bible, God's creation includes humans, vegetation, Wisdom, and animals— including Behemoth.
True- God's creation began in Genesis, saying that God created the heavens and the earth, as the earth was a formless void. Genesis 1:11 He begins creating fruits and vegetation on the third day. On the fifth day he creates sea creatures of every kind, and later cattle and all sorts of animals. Next he creates humankind in "his image" and he saw that it was good. So he has already created 3 of the 5 things in Genesis. Wisdom could have been brought up when God created the tree of knowledge a.k.a the forbidden fruit. After Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree their eyes were opened and they had new knowledge. Wisdom could have been formed with the passing of the knowledge through the generations but it is also mentioned in Sirach. In Sirach 1 it is said that "All wisdom is from the Lord" therefore it can be implied that without God, there would be no wisdom as he created everything from nothing. As for Behemoth, a very interesting beast it was also created by God in Job 40:15 when God himself says "Look at Behemoth which I made just as I made you." so yes, according to the bible I believe that God's creation includes humans, vegetation, Wisdom, and animals- including Behemoth.
The Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament are essentially one and the same collection of texts from ancient Israel
True- The Hebrew bible is also called the Old Testament. Many Christians refer to the Hebrew Bible as the Old Testament, the prophecy foretelling the advent of Jesus Christ as God's appointed Messiah. The name Old Testament was devised by a Christian, Melito of Sardis, about 170 CE to distinguish this part of the Bible from the writings that were eventually recognized as the New Testament, recounting the ministry and gospel of Jesus and presenting the history of the early Christian church. The Hebrew bible into four parts: Torah, Histories, Poetical and Wisdom books and Prophets. This order continues to be used by Christians in their organization of the Old Testament (The canons of the bible [the hebrew bible] pg. 2233). Referring to the first portion of the text as the Hebrew bible since it is a collection preserved by the Jewish community and that is how Jews regard it; citing all dates and notes as BCE or CE instead of BC and AD. Use of the title "Old testament" for those books here designated as "Hebrew bible" is confined to instances expressing the historical view of various christian interpreters (the editors preface pg. 14).
The Bible contains 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
True- Yes the bible is composed of 66 books, 39 which are in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament, they can be counted in the glossary. The bible is a book of books, makes it easier to read in sections. The books are all written by different authors and at different times. However, these 66 are most common canonical as different religious groups include different books in their biblical canons, in varying orders, and sometimes divide or combine books.
Oral Torah
According to Rabbinic Judaism the Oral Torah or the Oral law meaning "torah is on the mouth" represents those laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the five books of Moses ("the Written Torah"). These laws are nonetheless regarded by Orthodox Jews as prescriptive and co-given. The Oral Torah encompasses a wide variety of rituals, worship practices, God-man and interpersonal relationships, agricultural practices etc. According to Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down orally in an unbroken chain from generation to generation until its contents were committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple when Jewish civilization was faced with an existential threat. The Mishnah is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions/the Oral Torah and forming the first part of the Jewish Talmud.
Saul (king)
According to the Hebrew bible, Saul was the first king of the United kingdom of Israel and Judah. His reign, traditionally placed in the 11th century BCE, marked a transition from a tribal society to statehood. He was anointed by the prophet Samuel after the israelites asked for a king. God then commanded Saul to go up against the Amalekites and kill every person and animal, but Saul spared the king and took the best of the animals/spoils against god's command. Because Saul disobeyed god, god rejected Saul from being king and made David the next king of Israel In 1 Samuel.
Acrostic
Acrostic is a poem, word puzzle, or other composition in which certain letters in each line form a word or words. This is generally associated and most useful when reading the hymns, songs, praises and laments in the book of Psalms which are mainly poems. In Biblical Hebrew acrostic psalms, poems or passages normally refer to poetic passages that use the Hebrew alphabet as its structure.
Allegory
An allegory is a story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. A person can argue that the bible is composed of allegories depending on whether the person views the bible as literal or figurative. Allegorical interpretation of the bible is brought forth by Philo of Alexandria who used Abraham's migration as an example. He thinks that Abraham's migration wasn't a physical migration but more of a migration of the mind/soul. Philo is trying to use the text so that it makes sense to what he is trying to show that the Jewish culture is not a threat to the hellenistic culture by fusing them (so he doesn't use the literal sense of Abraham's migration).
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a Hellenistic Greek king of the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until death in 164 BC. During his reign he almost conquered Egypt and he is remembered as a major villain and persecutor in the Jewish traditions associated with Hanukkah in the books of Maccabees by forcing all people to accept the hellenistic culture as he declared that everyone in his kingdom is one people (1 Maccabees 1:41).
Aramaic
Aramaic is a Northwest Semitic language (like Hebrew). It subsequently became the official language of the Achaemenian Persian dynasty (559-330 BCE), though after the conquest of Alexander the Great, Greek displaced it as the official language throughout the former Persian Empire. Aramaic had replaced Hebrew as the language of the Jews as early as the 6th century BCE. Certain portions of the Bible—i.e., the books of Daniel and Ezra—are written in Aramaic, as are the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds. Among the Jews, Aramaic was used by the common people, while Hebrew remained the language of religion and government and of the upper class. Jesus and the Apostles are believed to have spoken Aramaic, and Aramaic-language translations (Targums) of the Old Testament circulated. Aramaic continued in wide use until about 650 CE, when it was supplanted by Arabic.
David
David is the second king of the United kingdom of Israel and Judah after king Saul in the Hebrew bible. David was a shepherd who became Saul's armor bearer. When Saul was going against the Philistines, there was a champion named Goliath who was a giant. David said that he would go against Goliath because god was with him when he killed a lion and a bear while taking care of the sheep. David then went up against Goliath with a sling and a stone, killed him and took his head (1 Sam 17). He later becomes king of Israel, (2 Sam 5) a great conqueror and god makes a promise to david of an eternal dynasty. His fall comes when he commits adultery with Bathsheba and murders her husband Uriah in 2 Samuel.
If a single event is reported in two or more biblical books, and these reports contradict each other, then we must identify which biblical book contains the true report and separate it from the false reports.
False- If this is the case and it is in the bible, and the reader believes that the bible is divine and the word of God, then what's in the bible should be correct and unflawed. It can be very confusing if the person reading the bible want to follow the laws/word of God but there are different methods within the same bible. An example is the story of Jesus and the four Gospels. All talk about the same person (Jesus) but go a different way on explaining or focus on different things. But because its in the bible, its considered canonical. It is also important to consider the author, what the author had in mind or what the period and context demanded (Spinoza p. 153). Another example is Maimonides, who says that if the bible should be viewed as an authoritative work, then a person is to conclude that philosophers cannot err in interpreting scripture. He also says that we cannot know and be certain about the true meaning and sense of scripture for there is almost nothing in the bible that can be deduced from principles known by the natural light of reason.
No matter how many times it has been copied and published, the text of the Bible has remained constant from its beginning; no additions or subtractions have ever been made to any of the words, punctuation marks, verse numbers, and book names.
False- Most of the original works were written in Hebrew and over time the Jewish people have lost all their cultural and artistic accomplishments. Almost all the names of fruits, birds, fish and very many other words have perished over time. Thus the meaning of many nouns and verbs occurring in the bible is either completely unknown or disputed. Therefore we cannot always discover as we should, all the meanings of each and every phrase so the translation might be different from the original scripture and it is almost impossible to have the exact same meaning without changing a few things in order for the text to make sense in a different language. All languages have different customs, alphabet range and work differently so the text in the bible isn't completely constant from its beginning, but it is as similar as can be (Spinoza, theologico-political treatise).
(The number) 40
In the Hebrew bible the number forty is often used for time periods (forty days or forty years) which separate two distinct epochs (eras). In scripture, the number 40 generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation. The number forty is first mentioned in Gen 7:4 when rain fell for forty days and forty nights during the flood. Moses also spent three consecutive periods of forty days and forty nights on Mount Sinai. The number 40 is therefore taken to represent a large, or approximate number.
Apocalypse
Is from the Greek word of Apocalypsis ("to uncover" or "to reveal") which includes tales of humans being brought up to heaven, the revelation of divine secrets, and the end of the world.
Lex talionis
Lex talionis means "law of retaliation" in Latin. Lex talionis basically means "an eye for an eye," whereby a punishment resembles the offence committed in mind and degree. Examples of Lex talionis can be seen throughout Exodus 21 where Moses speaks about the covenant code. Lex talionis can also be seen in the code of Hammurabi which is an ancient code of law of ancient Mesopotamia that is quite similar to the covenant code.
Synoptic gospels
Matthew, Mark and Luke. Synoptic means "view together" and is applied to these writings because they, unlike John can be readily compared.
Mosaic authorship
Mosaic authorship is the traditional belief that God dictated the Torah (law; teaching; instruction) of (The Pentateuch= 5 books of the Hebrew/old testament= [Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy]) to Moses. Meaning that Moses is the author of the Torah even though the books do not name any author. Authorship wasn't important until jews came into contact with the author-centric hellenistic culture that the rabbis began to find authors. The tradition that Moses was the author probably began with the law-code of Deuteronomy until Moses as a central character came to be regarded not just as the mediator of the law but as author of both laws and narrative.
Satan
Satan, also known as the devil is often identified in the book of Genesis as the serpent in the Garden of Eden who tempted Eve into trying the forbidden fruit. Satan is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehood. In the Synoptic Gospels, Satan tempts Jesus in the desert and is identified as the cause of illness and temptation.
(The number) 7
Scripture represents the number seven as the number of completeness and achievement. It obtains much of its meaning from relation to God's creation, it took god 7 days to create the world, and the sabbath is on the 7th day as mentioned in Genesis 2. The number 7 is then seen as a symbol of perfection and as the symbol of rest.
Selah
Selah in Hebrew translates to exclamation. Although it's not explicitly mentioned and its meaning is unknown, in the bible, it can be translated to meaning exclamations which occur frequently at the end of a verse usually in Psalms and Habakkuk. Since Psalms is mostly composed of poems, hymns and songs, exclamations were used as musical direction but it's traditionally interpreted as a blessing meaning "forever."
Canon
The English word "canon" comes from the Greek, meaning "a measuring stick," ; "rule." Canon is referred to a set of books which a particular religious community regards as authoritative Scripture. In order for something to be considered canonical, the text has to be firmly established or stated and maybe talk about god. Basically what is found in the bible is considered canonical, the person that decided what goes in the bible is god. For something to be canonical it must have been written by a prophet, an apostle or one who had a special relationship to such (Peter, Paul, Mark, Luke etc.)
1 (First) Thessalonians
The First Epistle to the Thessalonians is the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians and thirteenth book in the NT. The letter is addressed to the Christ-group comprised of people living in Thessalonica, the capital of Roman province of Macedonia in northern Greece. The letter aims to encourage and reassure the Christians there soon after he left around AD 51. Paul urges them to go on working quietly while waiting in hope for the return of Christ.
Due to sentences such as "Then the eyes of both were opened" (Gen 3:7), "written with the finger of God" (Exod 31:18), or "...they saw him walking on the sea" (Mark 7:49), we should not understand any of the words of the Bible literally, but rather only metaphorically or allegorically.
The Greek method was to view the Bible in allegories because it was difficult for them that the writings did not contain any evidence of the things that later Greek civilization had to come to believe essential. Allegorizing offered a way of making such things seem relevant and up-to date (Kugel, how to read the bible p.17-21). Such method of interpretation was pursued by Philo on Abraham. Philo writes about Abraham's migration as a migration of the soul rather than an actual physical migration. However, Philo is trying to use the text so that it makes sense in order to prove that cultures can co-exist and that the Jewish culture is not a threat to the other (Greek). The bible can be read allegorically to fit into the different time, it depends if the reader is trying to make sense of it to the real world or if the reader believes that what's in the bible actually happened. There is also a lot of history throughout the bible, the wars, the exile of the Jews, this did happen and things relating to history should be taken literal. I believe the Bible is a mixture of both.
Septuagint
The Septuagint (LXX) is the "translation of the seventy," also known as the Greek old testament. This is the earliest extant of the greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures from the original Hebrew. The translation of the seventy derives from the story recorded in the letter of Aristeas who was writing to his brother Philocrates. The story is that the Septuagint was translated at the request of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Pharaoh of Egypt) at around 285-247 BCE. The Septuagint was translated by seventy Jewish scholars independently all produced identical translations from Hebrew to Greek which is pretty miraculous.
Dead Sea Scrolls
The dead sea scrolls are ancient jewish religious manuscripts found in the Qumran caves in the Judaean desert Near Ein Feshkha on the northern shore of the Dead sea. Scholarly consensus dates these scrolls on the last three centuries BCE and the first century CE. The texts have great historical, religious and linguistic significance because they include the second-oldest known surviving manuscripts of works later included in the Hebrew bible canon along with deuterocanonical and extra-biblical manuscripts which preserve evidence of the diversity of religious thought in the late second Temple Judaism.
Indeed, We sent Noah unto his people, 'Truly I am unto you a clear warner, that you might worship none but God. Truly I fear for you the punishment of a painful day.' But the notables among his people who disbelieved said, 'We see you as naught but a human being like us, and we see none who follow you, save the lowliest among us, as is clear to see. Nor do we see that you have any merit over us; nay, we think that you are liars.' He said, 'O my people! What think you: if I stand upon a clear proof from my Lord, and He has granted me Mercy from himself, and you are blind to it. Shall we force it upon you, though you are unwilling?'
This passage is from (CP#17) the Qur'an chapter 11:25. In the Qur'an the 11th chapter is named Hud after the prophet of ancient Arabia although only a small section is narrated by him. In the Qur'an the general function of the prophets is to act as both warners and bearers of glad tidings. Noah describes himself to his people as a clear warner, which is to say that he was warning them of the impending punishment that would befall them as well as the way in which they could avoid it. Noah was calling his people to cast aside their idols and to obey only God. Noah's people didn't believe him because only the lowliest of the people (poor workers) followed him (they were considered unworthy). This passage reflects Genesis 6-9 in the HB/OT.
Asael taught men to make swords of iron and weapons and shields and breastplates and every instrument of war. He showed them metals of the earth and how they should work gold to fashion it suitably, and concerning silver, to fashion it for bracelets and ornaments for women. And he showed them concerning antimony and eye paint and all manner of precious stones and dyes. And the sons of men made them for themselves and for their daughters, and they transgressed and led the holy ones astray. And there was much godlessness on the earth, and they made their ways desolate.
This passage is from (CP#2) 1 Enoch 8 book of the watchers. 1 Enoch was composed 300 BCE-100 CE. Some problems with Enoch is that it doesn't seem to be very biblical and not firmly established. Enoch is an example of pseudepigrapha (are falsely attributed works, texts whose claimed author is not the true author, or a work whose real author attributed it to a figure of the past. Pseudepigraphy covers the false ascription of names of authors to works, even to authentic works that make no such claim within their text). In the bible the angels do not teach humans things, they only create the Nephilim (Gen 6). In Enoch however, the secrets of the watchers reveal, when the angles/watchers teach the humans things.
Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now, in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.
This passage is from (CP#24) the life and morals of Jesus of Nazareth written by Thomas Jefferson. This passage was written in around 1819-1820. Jefferson has a unique way of looking at the life of Jesus, he leaves/cuts out the miracles, resurrection and leaves Jesus's life in a way that makes sense by only keeping the wise teachings of having good morals. Jefferson uses parts of the four gospels of the New Testament and combines them to for, his own Bible. Jefferson's version is an example of a gospel harmony and an insight on his views over Jesus and Christianity. Scholars believe that Jefferson only created his version of the Bible for his own satisfaction.
And on the fourth day he made the sun and the moon and the stars. And he set them in the firmament of heaven so that they might give light upon the whole earth and rule over the day and the night and separate light and darkness. And the LORD set the sun as a great sign upon the earth for days, sabbaths, months, feast (days), years, sabbaths of years, jubilees, and for all of the (appointed) times of the years—and it separates the light from the darkness—and so that everything which sprouts and grows upon the earth might surely prosper. These three kinds he made on the fourth day.
This passage is from (CP#3) the book of Jubilees. Charles a biblical scholar suggested that the author of Jubilees may have been a Pharisee and that Jubilees was the product of the Midrash which had already been worked on in the Old Testament book of chronicles. However with the discovery of the dead sea scrolls at Qumran the idea has been abandoned. Jubilees is also known as the lesser Genesis, they are similar in the story of creation but Jubilees is not considered canonical. he Book of Jubilees claims to present "the history of the division of the days of the Law, of the events of the years, the year-weeks, and the jubilees of the world" as revealed to Moses (in addition to the Torah or "Instruction") by angels while he was on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights. The chronology given in Jubilees is based on multiples of seven; the jubilees are periods of 49 years (seven "year-weeks"), into which all of time has been divided.
The word of the Lord came to Samuel: 'I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not carried out my commands.' Samuel was angry; and he cried out to the Lord all night. Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, and Samuel was told, 'Saul went to Carmel, where he set up a monument for himself, and on returning he passed on down to Gilgal.' When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, 'May you be blessed by the Lord; I have carried out the command of the Lord.' But Samuel said, 'What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?'
This passage is from 1 Samuel 15:10 in the HB/OT. In the Babylonian Talmud the prophet Samuel is identified as the author of those parts of the book that treat events before his death, the rest being attributed to prophets Nathan and Gad. However modern scholars consider 1 and 2 Samuel to have been written by several anonymous authors. In some form the original audience would have been the Israelites who lived during the reigns of David and Solomon, as well as their successive generations. This passage happened after God had given Saul the orders to kill and destroy everything from the Amalekites but Saul disobeyed him by keeping the King alive and keeping the best sheep and cattle for a burnt offering that God didn't ask for. First Samuel introduces the monarchy of Israel.
But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'
This passage is from 2 Samuel 7:4 in the HB/OT. Since the prophet Samuel couldn't have been alive during the reign of David it so it might have been the additions by prophets Nathan and Gad. the books of Samuel are considered part of the Deuteronomistic history which is a series of books that constitute a theological history of the Israelites and aim to explain God's law of Israel under the guidance of the prophets. Second Samuel chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God's chosen leader (David). In this chapter David proposes to build a temple, the lord says instead that he will build David a house that is, a dynasty. God makes a promise to David, choosing the Davidic line as the dynasty in Judah.
They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, with the following letter: 'The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.'
This passage is from Acts 15:22 in the New Testament. Acts is the fifth book of the New Testament, immediately following the four Gospels. Although Acts nowhere identifies the author, the end of the second century it was argued, as Irenaeus does, that Luke was the obvious candidate, and that attribution remains conventional today- Acts was written after Luke's Gospel. In Acts chapter 15 Jerusalem affirms the admission of Gentiles but unless they are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, they cannot be saved. However, the gentiles are not circumcised and therefore they look for another way for gentiles to partake. So now they are not required to be circumcised but it is asked of them that they do not follow Idols, from blood and from fornification, then they will be able to join the Israelites. They discussed about this with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. 'This must be one of the Hebrews' children,' she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?'
This passage is from Exodus 2 in the HB/OT. Exodus is the second book of the Bible in all canonical traditions, Exodus is not an independent work but rather is an integral part of the Torah/Pentateuch. The authorship is traditionally ascribed to Moses but there were a bit of problems later on with repetitions, discrepancies and inconsistencies that led scholars to abandon this idea. The intended audience was for the children of Israel who would later become the nation of Israel. Exodus was written to provide guidance for living a healthy life and to show God's faithfulness to his covenant and his people. In Exodus we see the foundations to the Jewish faith. This Passage is very important given that it is the emergence of Moses- the believed author of the Torah. This also shows how Moses received the name of Moses and how we came to be who he was.
The woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die."' But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened...
This passage is from Genesis 3:2 in the HB/OT. Traditionally Moses wrote the Pentateuch consisting of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Although most compositions like Genesis were anonymous, during the Greco-Roman period they started to see statements in Jewish texts that Moses wrote Genesis as the rest of the Pentateuch. The audience is intended for the Jewish people after their escape from Egypt. It was written for a nation of slaves that had lost their unique relationship to God and hence needed to be reminded that God had called them. It also shows how the serpent/satan is evil in temptation. The temptation of Eve let her generations to live with the forbidden knowledge and mortality. This also shows that disobedience leads to punishment as they were later kicked out of Eden. Today, this part of Genesis is relevant to every person who reads the bible to show them how we came to be the way we are today, to explain our knowledge and mortality, how we should stay away from temptations in order to not make the same mistake that Eve made.
I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.' The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: 'Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!' Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: 'Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.'
This passage is from Isaiah 6:1 in the HB/OT. Traditional interpreters in both Judaism and Christianity attribute the book of Isaiah to the eighteenth-century BCE prophet Isaiah. Although the book of Isaiah was composed in stages, the final form of Isaiah is designated to be read as a single work ascribed to the prophet Isaiah ben Amos. The audience are the Israelites and the book serves as a theological reflection upon Jerusalem's experience of threat, exile and restoration. This passage is about Isaiah's commission as a prophet. His vision portrays the Lord enthroned in the holy of holies of the Jerusalem Temple. The seraphs are heavenly beings who serve as attendants to the divine king. It also records the calling of Isaiah to be the messenger of God to the people of Israel. Isaiah also prophesied the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ.
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith without works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness', and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
This passage is from James 2:19-24 in the New Testament. From the earliest discussions of the letter in the third century, Christian tradition has held that the name "James" in the opening refers to a brother of Jesus who was an early leader of the Jerusalem church and according to Acts played a decisive role in an apostolic directive stipulating what aspects of Torah observance should be required of Gentile believers. The author presumes knowledge of not only the Jewish scriptures but also teachings by Jesus and Paul. Many scholars have described the letter as a loosely organized collection of teachings similar to the book of proverbs. Chapter 2 focuses on the faith and works; James rejects separating faith and works, insisting on both/and relationship between them. Abraham's works in offering Isaac may bring his faith... to completion by showing absolute trust in God's promise Isaac was the heir. (the audience were the Israelites?).
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, 'Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.'
This passage is from John 20:24 in the New Testament. The Gospel of John relates to the story of Jesus as one in which the Word made flesh is sent into the world "from above" to bring life to those who believe in him. Like the other Gospels, this one never names the author. Since at least the second century CE, tradition has attributed to the authorship of the Gospel to Jesus's disciple John. John was probably intended for everyone, the Israelites, and believers of God. This passage takes place after Jesus is crucified and it is when he resurrects and appears to the other disciples. Thomas was one who appeared to have been more doubtful and so he needs to see it for himself in order to believe. This episode is unique to John's Gospel> therefore showing that the purpose of the Gospel is to strengthen the faith of existing believers.
'Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. 'But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 'Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. 'Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. 'Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.'
This passage is from Luke 6:22-26 in the New Testament. The author of the Gospel and its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles was identified as Luke, a physician who was a traveling companion and co-worker with Paul. Like the other Gospels, there are problems with identifying the author and with Luke it's the obscurity of his figure in the New Testament. Luke's account has a narrative logic and content that distinguish it from other Gospels. Luke is written more for the Gentile audience, hi Gospel is also the most detailed orderly written one and is chronological order. This passage focuses on economic and social conditions, not spiritual states as well as the woes (misery). This is Jesus speaking to his disciples after selecting them.
Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem's fall, how they said, 'Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!' O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!
This passage is from Psalms 137:7 in the HB/OL. The book of Psalms is an anthology, or more properly an anthology of anthologies, comprising several collections of poetic prayers composed at various times and places in ancient Israel, mostly in the first half of the first millennium BCE. Although many were attributed to King David, and some to other individuals, scholars agree that few if any were actually written by them. Rather, their authors, like those of many of the books of the Hebrew Bible, are anonymous. As prayers and schools of prayer, the psalms guide modern believers in their relationship to God. Psalms 137 is a lament over destroyed Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. Babylon by poetic justice, it will suffer what it forced other to suffer.
And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have received a deathblow, but it's mortal wound had been healed. In amazement the whole earth followed the beast. They worshipped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?'
This passage is from Revelation 13:1 in the New Testament. The author of the book of Revelation identifies himself as John. The book is addressed to the seven churches that are in Asia Minor and all believers everywhere. Revelation often called the apocalypse will become when the lamb breaks the seven seals and then hell will basically be unleashed.The tribulation will be a time of judgement, a time when those left on earth after the rupture will suffer deeply for their non belief.
Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, 'King of kings and Lord of lords'.
This passage is from Revelation 19:11 in the New Testament. The author of the book of Revelation identifies himself as John. The book is addressed to the seven churches that are in Asia Minor and all believers everywhere. This passage from Revelation talks about the victory of Jesus Christ and the heavenly armies over the beast and its cohorts. This is probably after rupture, after the seals have been broken and this is considered the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus comes down from heaven when it opened, the armies of heaven are also known as the angels of heaven. This entails that there will be a final war between Jesus, his armies and the beast and his armies.
How beautiful you are, my love, how very beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, moving down the slopes of Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which bear twins, and not one among them is bereaved. Your lips are like a crimson thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. Your neck is like the tower of David, built in courses; on it hang a thousand bucklers, all of them shields of warriors.
This passage is from Song of Solomon 4:1 in the HB/OT. The Song of Solomon, the bible's only love poem, offers no clues about when, where or under what circumstances it was composed. It's author is unknown. The song is about how glorious it is to be in love. The intended audience is probably the nation of Israel as a reminder of what God has done for them. Song of Songs is an illustration of the love God intended for marriage between a husband and wife, living in faithfulness to God. It looks at love from both a woman's and a man's point of view, and it consists entirely of dialogue, so that we learn about love through what lovers say about it. The dialogue format creates the impression that we are overhearing the lovers as they speak, and observing their love unfold. Chapter four is the man's first long speech of describing how she looks like (unusual). He describes her using metaphors and similes.
In the second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the Great, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream. He was a Jew living in the city of Susa, a great man, serving in the court of the king. He was one of the captives whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had brought from Jerusalem with King Jeconiah of Judea. And this was his dream: Noises and confusion, thunders and earthquake, tumult on the earth! Then two great dragons came forward, both ready to fight, and they roared terribly.
This passage is from the Greek version of Esther Addition A chapter 11:1. The greek version of Esther is a second or first century BCE translation of the canonical Hebrew book of Esther for Greek speaking Jews. it is impossible to say who authored the additions and the additions were composed at different times. While the additions sometimes make the characters and events even more vivid or dramatic, their main purpose is to transform the comparatively subtle and enigmatic Hebrew story of Esther into a more conventional tale of divine intervention and exemplary Jewish piety. This addition talks about Mordecai's prophetic dream of impending danger to the jews and his discovery of a plot against the king.
