But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 NASB The desire of the flesh – “We are defined by the way in which we orient ourselves to desire.”[1] Paul wasn’t a Platonist. At times he certainly sounds like he believes in two separate worlds: the…
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a person who listens to advice is wise. Proverbs 12:15 NASB Advice – “Let me give you some advice.” How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said it? It even looks as if the Bible endorses such actions. After…
“And it shall be, if you truly heed the voice of the LORD your God to keep to do all His commands that I charge you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” Deuteronomy 28:1 Robert Alter All His commands – Keep them all! That’s the…
Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am wretched. Heal me, for my limbs are stricken. Psalm 6:3 Robert Alter My limbs – Now you will read a reflection that I wrote more than a month ago. My left knee still hurts, every day, all the time. But it isn’t excruciating. No wheelchair. Nevertheless, it’s…
I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34 NASB New – But this isn’t new at all, is it? Leviticus 19:18—“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Yeshua even cites this passage as the equivalent of loving God. So, how can…
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 NASB Good works – Let’s employ some words from the famous poet: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place;” I am grateful, so grateful…
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 desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6 N ASB Desirable – “It is…
Then God said, “Let Us make man in in Our image, according to Our likeness;” Genesis 1:26a NASB Make – The striking difference between Christian and Jewish thought begins right here, with the creation of human beings. You might think that the two great religions share a common view of what it means to be human, but…
Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; Romans 8:26 NASB Groanings too deep for words – What happens when words fail us? Does that mean we can’t communicate? Not at…
In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch of David sprout; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. Jeremiah 33:15 NASB In those days – We’ll take a break from Luzzatto and Mesillat Yesharim for a moment. This message came to me by email. I want to comment on…
