Why?

You shall also teach them to your sons, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.  Deuteronomy 11:19  NASB Speaking – It should be obvious that Moses expects the people to instruct their children audibly.  He doesn’t direct them…

A Little Change Here, a Little Change There (3)

You favor man with perception and teach mankind understanding. Grant us knowledge, understanding and intellect from You. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Grantor of perception.  Amidah  (Ashkenazi version) Teach understanding – da’at is gifted.  bina is taught.  What’s the difference? First, the verb.  You’ll remember that the verb for da’at is nātan.  The first sequence is…

Prayers for Non-Professionals

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”  Luke 11:1 NIV Teach us – The disciples were Jewish, through and through.  They had been praying in the synagogue and in their homes since they were…

Take a Guess?

Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me,  Psalm 25:4-5a  NASB Know/teach – “The whole of Torah, writes Sefat Emet, is a complex of hints, allusions to the unattainable.”[1]  The rabbi’s statement shocks us.  Don’t we need to know the truth in unambiguous ways so that we can properly follow God and…

The Debt

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,Titus 2:3  NASB Teaching– In the ancient world, older people were treasured for their insight and wisdom.  After all, they had lived through more than the young.  We’ve turned that notion upside down.  In modern civilization, social evolution…

Marching Orders

As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.1 Timothy 1:3-4  NASB Instruct– Let’s suppose that you are designated a teacher of others…

The Sublime Wilderness

It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 NASB Teach us to pray – Why would the disciples ask such a foolish question? Are we to assume…

Idolatry by Osmosis (Rewind)

but they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, Psalm 106:35 NASB Learned – In this verse, David described Israel in the 10th Century BC. He might as well have penned this line 3000 years later. Haven’t we mingled with the nations and learned their practices? Aren’t we in the same place as Israel…

Prayer By the Numbers

It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 NASB Teach us – Do you want to pray? Did you ever learn how to pray? Most of us…