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	<title>Digging with Darren &#187; FFOZ</title>
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	<description>Messiah &#124; Torah &#124; Archaeology &#124; Truth</description>
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		<title>Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels Released</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/22/delitzsch-released/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/22/delitzsch-released/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:02:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judaism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vine of David]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bible]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delitzsch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DHE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gospels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hebrew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jewish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[order]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[release]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[translation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1581</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As many of you know, Vine of David (a division of FFOZ) has been working diligently on an English translation of Franz Delitzsch&#8217;s Hebrew translation of the Gospels for the past few years. It is officially called the Delitzsch Hebrew-English (DHE) translation. As of yesterday, it has been released and is available for pre-ordering. Another [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Delitzsch-site.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1583" title="Delitzsch release" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Delitzsch-site.jpg" alt="Delitzsch release" width="550" height="344" /></a></p>
<p>As many of you know, <a title="Visit their site" href="http://vineofdavid.org/" target="_blank">Vine of David</a> (a division of FFOZ) has been working diligently on an English translation of Franz Delitzsch&#8217;s Hebrew translation of the Gospels for the past few years. It is officially called the Delitzsch Hebrew-English (DHE) translation. As of yesterday, it has been released and is <a title="Go for it!" href="http://vineofdavid.org/resources/dhe/index.html" target="_blank">available for pre-ordering</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside5.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1584" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="dhe-inside5" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside5-300x189.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="189" /></a></p>
<h3>Another Translation?</h3>
<p>Why is such a work important? Because it attempts to place Jesus and his apostles back into their proper place among Jewish history and spirituality. It is an attempt to reconnect Jesus and his message with his people. It is an attempt to bring the reader into the Jewish world of Jesus. While David Stern&#8217;s <em>The Complete Jewish Bible</em> attempts the same, it only works to bring the non-Jewish reader into the Jewish text. The DHE takes it another step by trying to connect Jewish people with their Messiah. This has been done through presenting the full text of the Gospels in a parallel Hebrew translation, along with traditional blessings for the studying of the Holy Text, all in an elegant presentation as you would expect from publishers such as <a title="Not seen Artscroll??? Pity…" href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/06/whats-stopping-you/" target="_blank">Artscroll</a>. This text hopes to help Jewish readers see Jesus and his Jewish message as part of Judaism, rather than an outside voice from a separate religion.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1585 alignleft" style="margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="dhe-inside1" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside1-300x219.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="219" /></a></p>
<h3>Delitzsch &amp; His Translation</h3>
<p>Franz Delitzsch (1813–March 4, 1890) was a German Lutheran theologian born in Leipzig, Germany who grew into a unique man of God. Widely known and respected as a &#8220;Christian Hebraist,&#8221; he was a pioneer in the area of Jewish studies in the New Testament and in the development of the Hebrew language. Delitzsch was a prolific writer, translator, and biblical commentator. His greatest and most enduring work is his New Testament translation into Hebrew. At his eulogy, Delitzsch was memorialized with the following words: &#8220;Indeed, not only in the Christian, but also in the Jewish world the name of Delitzsch has shone. For he was at home in the literature of the Rabbis as none other among the living, and perhaps as none before him. We may say the truest friend of Israel is dead. A great man has fallen in Israel.&#8221;</p>
<p>Delitzsch&#8217;s work is important, because of his &#8220;extensive knowledge of mishnaic Hebrew and first century Judaism… [which created] a translation and reconstruction of the Greek text back into an original Hebrew voice.&#8221; It is reported that the famed Dr. David Flusser, a devout Orthodox Jew and renowned New Testament scholar of Hebrew University, said that the Delitzsch Hebrew New Testament was the best translation of the New Testament extant in any language.</p>
<h3>Needed Support</h3>
<p>Much support is needed for this project. It is going to take people like yourself to purchase the DHE and share it with others. You can do that on a personal level, or at a larger level. Vine of David is also publishing a Levy Hirsch Memorial Edition, which will is available solely for the purpose of distributing to Jewish people who do not yet know their Messiah. Vine of David will be taking donations to dedicate a specific number of these editions toward distribution among Jewish people.</p>
<p>If you would like to a part of this momentous event, then support Vine of David and order your copy now.</p>
<h3>Website Link</h3>
<p><a title="Visit the DHE page on the Vine of David website" href="http://vineofdavid.org/resources/dhe/index.html" target="_blank">http://vineofdavid.org/resources/dhe/index.html</a><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/21/yeshuas-use-of-good-eye/" rel="bookmark" title="October 21, 2010">Yeshua&#8217;s Use of &#8220;Good Eye&#8221;</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/11/new-ffoz-seminar-coming-to-central-arkansas/" rel="bookmark" title="May 11, 2010">New FFOZ Seminar Coming to Central Arkansas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/18/bart-ehrman-vs-craig-evans/" rel="bookmark" title="October 18, 2010">Bart Ehrman vs. Craig Evans</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/03/book-review-meet-the-rabbis/" rel="bookmark" title="June 3, 2009">Book Review: Meet the Rabbis</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/17/love-and-the-messianic-age-review/" rel="bookmark" title="March 17, 2010">Love and the Messianic Age Review</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>In Righteous Memory: Dwight A. Pryor</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/02/11/in-righteous-memory-dwight-a-pryor/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/02/11/in-righteous-memory-dwight-a-pryor/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:56:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Boaz Michael]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brad Young]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dwight Pryor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jcstudies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judaic-Christian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marvin Wilson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[memory]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ron Moseley]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1433</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This past Shabbat, February 5 (1 Adar, 5771), a beloved co-laborer and spiritual mentor, Dwight A. Pryor, of the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, passed from this world into the next. Following are some of my thoughts about Mr. Pryor and how he impacted my life. One of my earliest exposures to the Jewish roots of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/remembering-dwight-pryor.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1435" style="margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="remembering-dwight-pryor" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/remembering-dwight-pryor-300x202.png" alt="Remembering Dwight Pryor" width="300" height="202" /></a>This past Shabbat, February 5 (1 Adar, 5771), a beloved co-laborer and spiritual mentor, Dwight A. Pryor, of the <a title="Learn more about JCStudies &amp; support their ministry" href="http://www.jcstudies.com/" target="_blank">Center for Judaic-Christian Studies</a>, passed from this world into the next.</p>
<p>Following are some of my thoughts about Mr. Pryor and how he impacted my life.</p>
<p>One of my earliest exposures to the Jewish roots of my faith came from hearing four Christian scholars at one conference (the Jerusalem Conference, hosted by Dr. Moseley) back in 1998. This was an event I was to attend repeatedly in the subsequent years. The scholars who taught those first few years were:</p>
<ul>
<li>Dr. Ron Moseley, author of: <a title="purchase on Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1880226685?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=diggingwithda-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1880226685" target="_blank">Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church</a></li>
<li>Dr. Marvin Wilson, author of: <a title="purchase on Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802804233?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=diggingwithda-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0802804233" target="_blank">Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith</a></li>
<li>Dr. Brad Young, author of: <a title="purchase on Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565630602?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=diggingwithda-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1565630602" target="_blank">Jesus the Jewish Theologian</a>, <a title="purchase on Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801048214?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=diggingwithda-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0801048214" target="_blank">Paul the Jewish Theologian: A Pharisee among Christians, Jews, and Gentiles</a>, <a title="purchase on Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801048206?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=diggingwithda-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0801048206" target="_blank">Parables, The: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation</a>, and <a title="purchase on Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801048184?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=diggingwithda-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0801048184" target="_blank">Meet the Rabbis: Rabbinic Thought and the Teachings of Jesus</a></li>
<li>Mr. Dwight Pryor</li>
</ul>
<p>Did you notice anything about that list? All of the men held a doctorate, but Mr. Pryor. All of the men were authors, except for Mr. Pryor. But these things didn&#8217;t make Mr. Pryor any less of a scholar, or of any less caliber than any of these other men. In fact, Mr. Pryor received great respect from all who knew him. In many ways, these other scholars owe their achievements in some part to Mr. Pryor. He was a mentor to Dr. Moseley, and helped Dr. Wilson with the publication of his book. He also helped with the publication of the joint effort of Dr. Blizzard and David Bivin, <a title="purchase on Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156043550X?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=diggingwithda-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=156043550X" target="_blank">Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus: New Insights From a Hebrew Perspective</a>.</p>
<p>I always thought of him as a gentle giant (in more ways than one). He was a tall man, but soft spoken and deeply respectful to everyone with whom he came in contact. And although I didn&#8217;t know him personally, he held a dear place in my heart since the moment I briefly met him. He was truly an inspiration. One of the things that inspired me most about Mr. Pryor was that he had so many challenges in life, yet he overcame them through the grace of Yeshua. He had many reasons to complain and loath in self-pity (the loss of his first wife nearly 20 years ago to cancer, losing the use of his hands due to severe arthritis, etc.), yet he was continually full of joy, so much so that it was contagious. One could not help but feel inspired after hearing him speak.</p>
<p>Yesterday, Boaz Michael of First Fruits of Zion, posted the following:</p>
<blockquote><p>In Chasidic thought, it is an auspicious sign when a person dies on a holy day. On Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Adar, 5771, (the new moon of Adar), my spiritual mentor and teacher, Dwight A. Pryor (זצ״ל), passed into the world of truth. He died on a Shabbat, and more than that, he died on the new moon of Adar. According to the Talmud, &#8220;Joy increases in Adar.&#8221; In this case, joy may have increased in heaven, but those of us still wrapped in this mortal coil lament the loss.</p></blockquote>
<p>How true of such a great man as Mr. Pryor.</p>
<p>When we first learned about his passing through yesterday&#8217;s <a title="you can read the post here" href="http://ffoz.org/blogs/2011/02/the_memory_of_the_righteous.html" target="_blank">FFOZ blog post</a>, my wife and I wept. I commented that you know a person has impacted you deeply when you weep at their passing, even though you do not have a personal relationship with them. Mr. Pryor was a luminary in our lifetime and will be greatly missed. The void of his presence will be felt.</p>
<p>May his memory be for a blessing.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/18/bart-ehrman-vs-craig-evans/" rel="bookmark" title="October 18, 2010">Bart Ehrman vs. Craig Evans</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/05/08/jerusalem-conference-05/" rel="bookmark" title="May 8, 2005">Jerusalem Conference 05</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2012/02/04/discipleship-is-the-problem-jesus-or-me/" rel="bookmark" title="February 4, 2012">Discipleship &#8211; Is the Problem Jesus or Me?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/01/22/yeshua-preserving-life-establishing-halacha/" rel="bookmark" title="January 22, 2008">Yeshua &#8211; Preserving Life, Establishing Halacha</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/03/02/520/" rel="bookmark" title="March 2, 2009">Yeshua &#038; The Rambam</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Pagan Influences in Christianity &amp; Judaism</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/31/pagan-influences-in-christianity-judaism/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/31/pagan-influences-in-christianity-judaism/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:11:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heresy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judaism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biblical archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jewish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pagan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paganism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[symbols]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toby Janicki]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[worship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[zodiac]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1346</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many people have disparaged Judaism as being filled with paganism, particularly orthodox Judaism&#8217;s rabbinic leadership. Some even claim that it is satanic at the root (G-d forbid). Many people have had similar remarks about Christianity, especially when they discover Messianic Judaism and discover all that Christianity has forgotten over the last two thousand years in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1347" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 239px"><a title="Read the full article from Biblical Archaeological Review" href="http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/synagogue-zodiacs.asp" target="_blank"><img class="size-full wp-image-1347 " title="synagogue-zodiacs-02-s" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/synagogue-zodiacs-02-s.jpg" alt="Beth Alpha synagogue mosaic" width="229" height="250" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Beth Alpha synagogue mosaic</p></div>
<p>Many people have disparaged Judaism as being filled with paganism, particularly orthodox Judaism&#8217;s rabbinic leadership. Some even claim that it is satanic at the root (G-d forbid). Many people have had similar remarks about Christianity, especially when they discover Messianic Judaism and discover all that Christianity has forgotten over the last two thousand years in relationship to it Jewish origins. Everything is then questioned, and its origins suspect. For instance: What is the origin of the Christmas tree? Was it originally an asheroth pole? What about the Easter bunny, and the name &#8220;Easter&#8221; itself? Are they connected to Ishtar, the pagan goddess of fertility? Was the star of David originally a magical symbol used by the pagans? Questions such as these continue to pound away at both Judaism and Christianity.</p>
<p>Biblical Archaeology Review recently published <a title="Read the full article from Biblical Archaeological Review" href="http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/synagogue-zodiacs.asp" target="_blank">an article</a> examining pagan symbols in Jewish worship, specifically looking at the various synagogues unearthed in Israel which portray zodiac symbolism in their floor mosaics. The most famous is the Beth Alpha synagogue, which sports a very large floor mosaic (28&#215;14 meters, roughly 90&#215;30 feet) whose central panel shows the complete zodiac. It is described as follows:</p>
<blockquote><p>Figures of four women were at the four corners, with inscriptions (in Hebrew) identifying each as a season of the year. Inside the square was a wheel, 3.12 meters in diameter, with a smaller circle (1.2 m) in its center. The wheel was divided into 12 panels, each with a figure and a name identifying it as a sign of the zodiac. And in the center, a man was pictured driving a quadriga (four-horse chariot) through the moon and stars. Rays of the sun were coming out of his head; it was clear that he was Helios, god of the sun.<sup class='footnote'><a href='#fn-1346-1' id='fnref-1346-1'>1</a></sup></p></blockquote>
<p>This article continues to describe in detail several such synagogues found in Israel with this type of imagery. Although there is still some mystery surrounding the use of these symbols (particularly in a house specifically designed for study &amp; worship), I feel the author&#8217;s explanation of them plausible.</p>
<p>This brings a lot of questions to mind (for which I do not have the answers). When and how were pagan symbols introduced into Judaism and Christianity? What do we &#8220;accept&#8221; and what do we &#8220;reject&#8221;? Where do we draw the line? How far is too far? Are there such things as coincidence? What are the &#8220;majors&#8221; and what are the &#8220;minors&#8221; in all of this? If others believers continue to unknowingly incorporate pagan symbolism in their sincere worship, what is our responsibility? These are a lot of difficult questions. Fortunately, someone has done a lot of homework on the subject.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/paganism.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1350 alignleft" style="margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="paganism" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/paganism.jpg" alt="What About Paganism?" width="180" height="300" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Visit their website" href="http://www.ffoz.org" target="_blank">First Fruits of Zion</a> has recently published a 4-disc audio teaching on this very subject. It&#8217;s called &#8220;<em><a title="Check out FFOZ's What About Paganism? audio teaching" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php?target=products&amp;mode=search&amp;subcats=Y&amp;type=extended&amp;avail=Y&amp;pshort=Y&amp;pfull=Y&amp;pname=Y&amp;pkeywords=Y&amp;q=paganism&amp;cid=0&amp;x=12&amp;y=7" target="_blank">What About Paganism?</a></em>&#8221; Toby Janicki tackles this subject and brings in a ton of information relating to both Christian and Jewish practice which may or may not be pagan in origin and gives suggestions as to our response. This is a good starting point to get some honest discussion on the table in regard to this topic, rather than living on our assumptions. It is based on historical evidences and the teachings of Yeshua. When we abide in the teachings of our Master, Yeshua, we will &#8220;know the truth, and the truth will set you free&#8221; (John 8:32).</p>
<div class='footnotes'>
<div class='footnotedivider'></div>
<ol>
<li id='fn-1346-1'>From the <a title="Read the full article from Biblical Archaeological Review" href="http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/synagogue-zodiacs.asp" target="_blank">BAR article</a>. <span class='footnotereverse'><a href='#fnref-1346-1'>&#8617;</a></span></li>
</ol>
</div>
<p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/08/15/book-review-jewish-worship/" rel="bookmark" title="August 15, 2006">Book Review &#8211; Jewish Worship</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/07/06/jewish-resurrected-messiah-text-causing-buzz/" rel="bookmark" title="July 6, 2008">Jewish Resurrected Messiah Text Causing Buzz</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/07/27/dear-levy/" rel="bookmark" title="July 27, 2006">Dear Levy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/07/16/combatting-jews-for-jesus/" rel="bookmark" title="July 16, 2006">Combatting Jews For Jesus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/03/book-review-meet-the-rabbis/" rel="bookmark" title="June 3, 2009">Book Review: Meet the Rabbis</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 2</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/30/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/30/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:46:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dead Sea Scrolls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[4Q521]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daniel Lancaster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DSS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immerser]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Isaiah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jesus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Luke]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Messiah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mishpatim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resurrection]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[In my previous post on the same topic, I related how the Melchizedek Scroll (11Q13) interpreted the passage of Isaiah 61 and it&#8217;s proclaiming &#8220;liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound&#8221; in the same manner that Jesus understood it when he proclaimed this passage&#8217;s fulfillment in Luke [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/4q521.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1344" style="margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="4q521" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/4q521-238x300.jpg" alt="" width="238" height="300" /></a>In my <a title="Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 1" href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/27/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-1/" target="_self">previous post</a> on the same topic, I related how the Melchizedek Scroll (11Q13) interpreted the passage of Isaiah 61 and it&#8217;s proclaiming &#8220;liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound&#8221; in the same manner that Jesus understood it when he proclaimed this passage&#8217;s fulfillment in Luke 4. Both the author of the Melchizedek Scroll and Jesus understand these actions to relate to releasing the children of Israel from their sin.</p>
<p>In this post, I would like to continue with another DSS fragment also related to the same passage of Isaiah. It is fragment 4Q521. It is know by a few titles, but I think Geza Vermes&#8217;s &#8220;<em>A Messianic Apocalypse</em>&#8221; is apt enough for our purposes. A correlation between this fragment and Luke 7 has already been made by Martin Abegg, Jr. (Wise, M. O., Abegg, J. M. G., &amp; Cook, E. M. (1996). <em>The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation</em>. HarperOne, p.420.). I would merely like to introduce my readers to this, and expound upon it briefly.</p>
<p>In this passage we find a glimpse into the author&#8217;s envisioning of the Messianic redemption of the future where the Messiah will rule, and the reign of God will be over all the earth. The author describes this time as follows:</p>
<blockquote><p>. . . [the hea]vens and the earth will listen to His Messiah, and none therein will stray from the commandments of the holy ones.</p>
<p>Vermas, Geza (1998). <em>The Dead Sea Scrolls in English</em>. Penguin Books, p. 391.</p></blockquote>
<p>A brief observation is in order here. During this time, not only will the earth &#8220;listen to His [the LORD's] Messiah, but the heavens as well. The reign of the Messiah during Messianic era is typically limited in scope to either a heavenly realm (as in much of Christian thought), or an earthly realm (as in much of Jewish thought). Here the author proclaims that both the spiritual and physical realms bend their will to the Messiah as they come under his leadership.</p>
<p>A second observation is that the subjects of the Kingdom will obviously have entered into the New Covenant spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah in which God &#8220;will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts&#8221; (Jeremiah 31:33, ESV). The problem of a unruly heart will have been cured, and we will submit ourselves to His lordship without any deficiency. However, in this text, the commandments of the Torah are said to come from &#8220;the holy ones,&#8221; rather than purely from God himself. I find this interesting, because it seems to attest to a tradition in the Apostolic Scriptures in which the New Testament authors declare that the Torah was administered by angels. This is too much information to insert here, so I will save this for a subsequent article.</p>
<p>Continuing on with our text, a few lines down we read:</p>
<blockquote><p>For He will heal the wounded, and revive the dead and bring good news to the poor (Isa. lxi, I).</p>
<p><em>Ibid</em>., p. 392.</p></blockquote>
<p>The author links these events (healing the sick, reviving the dead, and bringing good news to the poor) to the time of the Messiah (whether through the Messiah or God himself is unclear), just as we have seen by Jesus. Yet there is something deeper in this text. Let&#8217;s take a look at another instance in which Jesus uses the text of Isaiah in a similar manner.</p>
<p>In Luke 7, Jesus is questioned by the disciples of John the Immerser as to whether he is &#8220;the one who is to come&#8221; or if they should &#8220;look for another.&#8221; Here is the full context:</p>
<blockquote><p>And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, &#8220;Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?&#8221; And when the men had come to him, they said, &#8220;John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, &#8216;Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?&#8217;&#8221; In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, &#8220;Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me&#8221; (Luke 7:18b-23, ESV).</p></blockquote>
<p>Again, we see Jesus using this same passage of Isaiah 61 as a prooftext of his Messianic appointment. He speaks to John&#8217;s disciples in what Daniel Lancaster terms as a &#8220;cryptic answer&#8221; (see <a title="Learn more about FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.org/" target="_blank">FFOZ&#8217;s</a> <a title="Discover Torah Club from FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php?target=products&amp;product_id=360" target="_blank"><em>Torah Club Volume 4: Chronicles of the Messiah</em></a>, 2010, <em>Parashat Mishpatim</em>, p. 458.). Rather than coming out and answering the question in direct terms, Jesus, the master of <em>remez</em>, couches his answer in scriptural allusions in order to allow the hearer to make several conclusions at once. But his answer brings us back yet again to Isaiah 61.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s return to the line from the Messianic Apocalypse. The text states that during the time of Messiah, &#8220;He will heal the wounded, and revive the dead and bring good news to the poor.&#8221; The incredible thing about this is how the author associates the resurrection of the dead with the events of Isaiah 61. Although this concept is never explicitly found in the Hebrew Scriptures, the author of 4Q521 associates the resurrection of the dead with the arrival of the Messiah. This is a rare glimpse into Messianic Jewish expectation of the Second Temple period which offers us a perspective we rarely see in today&#8217;s Judaism and its scriptural interpretation, which has been shaped over the last two millennia in reaction to Christian exegesis.</p>
<p>One can only assume that both Jesus and the author of 4Q521 view death as a time of captivity awaiting the final redemption, and interpret Isaiah&#8217;s use of &#8220;the opening of the prison to those who are bound&#8221; as glimpse into the time of this time in which all things will be restored, including life. In the presence of Messiah, not even death can hold his captive securely.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/27/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-1/" rel="bookmark" title="January 27, 2011">Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/02/10/in-heaven-as-it-is-on-earth/" rel="bookmark" title="February 10, 2011">In Heaven As It Is On Earth?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/09/26/google-iaa-launch-digital-dead-sea-scrolls-online/" rel="bookmark" title="September 26, 2011">Google / IAA Launch Digital Dead Sea Scrolls Online</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/06/29/eating-the-messiah/" rel="bookmark" title="June 29, 2008">Eating the Messiah</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/04/24/angelic-midrash/" rel="bookmark" title="April 24, 2008">Angelic Midrash</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>1 Clement Online</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/17/1-clement-online/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/17/1-clement-online/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:28:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[1 Clement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Fathers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[epistle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[original]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[text]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[translation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1307</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For anyone interested, I recently posted the full text to the First Epistle of Clement on my (s-l-o-w-l-y progressing) eTexts site. It is an original translation from the Greek by Kevin P. Edgecomb which I have been given permission to post. It includes all 67 chapters and is searchable. If you&#8217;re not familiar with 1 Clement, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For anyone interested, I recently posted the full text to the <a title="Read 1 Clement Online now" href="http://etexts.diggingwithdarren.com/1clement" target="_blank">First Epistle of Clement</a> on my (s-l-o-w-l-y progressing) <a title="Visit the site" href="http://etexts.diggingwithdarren.com" target="_blank">eTexts site</a>. It is an original translation from the Greek by <a title="Visit his website" href="http://www.bombaxo.com/" target="_blank">Kevin P. Edgecomb</a> which I have been given permission to post. It includes all 67 chapters and is searchable. If you&#8217;re not familiar with 1 Clement, it would behoove you to familiarize yourself with it. It&#8217;s a worthy study and contains some very valuable information. D. Thomas Lancaster frequently refers to it in FFOZ&#8217;s Torah Club commentary on the Apostolic Scriptures.</p>
<p>As a brief introduction, Eerdman&#8217;s Bible Dictionary says this about it:</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Clement, Epistles of. </strong>Two writings, a letter and a homily, included among the works of the Apostolic Fathers and traditionally attributed to Clement of Rome, the third bishop of Rome and mistakenly identified by some early writers as a disciple of Peter. Both works were appended to the New Testament in Codex Alexandrinus, and 1 Clement was regarded by some Church Fathers as canonical.</p>
<p>1 Clement, written <em>ca.</em> A.D. 96, was sent by the bishop of Rome to the church at Corinth, where a bitter dispute had resulted from the removal of certain presbyters. An important document regarding the development of ecclesiastical hierarchy, the letter exhibits great familiarity with the LXX text of the Old Testament and with various sayings of Jesus as well as the Pauline Epistles and the Letter to the Hebrews.</p></blockquote>
<p><a title="Read 1 Clement Online now" href="http://etexts.diggingwithdarren.com/1clement" target="_blank">Be sure to check it out here.</a><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/04/volunteer-needed/" rel="bookmark" title="June 4, 2009">Volunteer Needed</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/28/the-book-of-acts-and-moral-relativism/" rel="bookmark" title="March 28, 2010">The Book of Acts and Moral Relativism</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/06/12/avot-derabbi-natan/" rel="bookmark" title="June 12, 2006">Avot de&#8217;Rabbi Natan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/25/new-galatians-commentary/" rel="bookmark" title="April 25, 2005">New Galatians Commentary</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/07/15/didache-text/" rel="bookmark" title="July 15, 2007">Didache text</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Celebrate Tu Bishvat!</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/06/celebrate-tu-bishvat/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/06/celebrate-tu-bishvat/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:50:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Haggadah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tu Bishvat]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1285</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What do wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, honey and/or dates and this month have in common? Two weeks from today is a minor holiday called Tu Bishvat. Tu Bishvat means the 15th (ו + ט) of the Hebrew month of Shevat. A few years ago our family started celebrating Tu Bishvat, and it has been [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone" title="PLANT and BLOOM from FFOZ" src="https://img.skitch.com/20110106-fkibsbe4xhe471txiyt89saah9.jpg" alt="PLANT and BLOOM from FFOZ" width="432" height="361" /></p>
<p>What do wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, honey and/or dates and this month have in common? Two weeks from today is a minor holiday called <em>Tu Bishvat</em>. <em>Tu Bishvat</em> means the 15th (ו + ט) of the Hebrew month of Shevat. A few years ago our family started celebrating Tu Bishvat, and it has been a unique and fun time for the family to remember the provision of Hashem in our lives, as well as to do something for Him in a practical way.</p>
<p>So, you don&#8217;t understand Tu Bishvat and are not sure why you should celebrate it? First Fruits of Zion has just released two new resources to help believers both understand and celebrate this yearly event in a meaningful way, fully centered on Messiah Yeshua.</p>
<p>Since the second Temple, <em>Tu Bishvat</em> is a day that has been designated to demarcate time in regard to how the tithe from the produce of trees was given (I won&#8217;t go into the details now, but it is an interesting study). Since the destruction of the Holy Temple, this date has lost much of its significance. However, during the Middle Ages there was a resurgence which made the celebration of <em>Tu Bishvat</em> once again significant and meaningful. Once again, this date is being restored, but to believers.</p>
<p><strong><a title="Purchase PLANT directly from FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php?target=products&amp;product_id=373" target="_blank">PLANT</a></strong>, FFOZ&#8217;s first booklet, is designed to help you learn:</p>
<ul>
<li>that the fifteenth of Shevat (<em>Tu Bishvat</em>) was recognized in Temple times as an important day in Temple worship</li>
<li>that Yeshua was aware of this day, and perhaps even taught about it</li>
<li>the evolving history of its observance post-Temple</li>
<li>activities and ideas about how to celebrate <em>Tu Bishvat</em></li>
<li>stories and encouraging testimonies from believers in the land of Israel about modern observances</li>
</ul>
<p><a title="Purchas BLOOM directly from FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php?target=products&amp;product_id=374" target="_blank">BLOOM</a> is a <em>Tu Bishvat</em> Haggadah, similar to a Passover Haggadah, which will walk you through enjoying a <em>Tu Bishvat</em> seder in your home with family and friends. It is the most recent addition to the Vine of David &#8220;branch&#8221; of FFOZ.</p>
<p>BLOOM is inspired by the story of the early pioneers of the modern State of Israel. This seder reflects upon the dreams of a Jewish national homeland in the Promised Land throughout the centuries and its culmination with Zionism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Bloom is simple and not deeply mystical. It focuses the modern return of the Jewish people to their land as a part of the broader plan of world redemption.</p>
<p>Contemplate our Master Yeshua’s heart of thankfulness for the land and his lament as he perceived its destruction. Share in the vision of the Messianic Jewish luminaries who longed to see that hope restored in the State of Israel, the “beginning of the sprouting of our redemption.”</p>
<p>Since all of the observances related to Temple worship are not currently in effect, modern <em>Tu Bishvat</em> has observances similar to Arbor Day in which trees are planted in Israel, often in memory of a loved one. This year, we have a special goal. We want to send the funds to Israel to plant a sapling in the name of our unborn child we recently lost. Maybe you have a similar situation and would like to remember a loved one. The <a title="Plant a tree in Israel for a loved one" href="https://secure2.convio.net/jnf/site/Ecommerce?store_id=3181&amp;VIEW_DEFAULT=true&amp;FOLDER=&amp;TYPE=Tree%20Certificates&amp;NAME=&amp;JServSessionIdr004=avb48rz803.app224a" target="_blank">Jewish National Fund</a> is a great place to accomplish this.</p>
<h2>Tu Bishvat for 2011 is Thursday, January 20th</h2>
<p>If you&#8217;ve never experienced Tu Bishvat, this year can be your first. Don&#8217;t delay. <a title="Order from FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php" target="_blank">Order these resources today</a> so that you will have them in time for your seder. Experience something unique and special with your family while making a difference in the world.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/04/14/moshiachs-seudah/" rel="bookmark" title="April 14, 2009">Moshiach&#8217;s Seudah</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/brief-note-on-session-1/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Brief note on Session 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/25/j-bom-jps-commentary-on-the-haggadah-pt-1/" rel="bookmark" title="March 25, 2010">J-BOM: JPS Commentary on the Haggadah, Pt. 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/18/new-archaeological-finds-in-temple-rubble/" rel="bookmark" title="April 18, 2005">New Archaeological Finds in Temple Rubble</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/shavuot-09-with-ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Shavuot &#8217;09 with FFOZ</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Yeshua&#8217;s Use of &#8220;Good Eye&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/21/yeshuas-use-of-good-eye/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/21/yeshuas-use-of-good-eye/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:08:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bad eye]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[body]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delitsch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Derek Leman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DHE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eye]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Franz Delitzsch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[good eye]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heaven]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hebraic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hebrew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[idiom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lamp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mammon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[treasures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vine of David]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua in Context]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1265</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Fellow blogger Derek Leman has a short post on his Yeshua in Context blog site about Yeshua&#8217;s teaching on the eye as the &#8220;lamp of the body&#8221; in Matthew 6:22-23. Although I commented on his post &#38; gave some of this information, I thought it would be good to post a more complete version of my [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Fellow blogger <a title="Visit his website" href="http://derek4messiah.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Derek Leman</a> has a <a title="View this post" href="http://yeshuaincontext.com/2010/10/the-eye-as-a-lamp/" target="_blank">short post</a> on his <a title="Check out his Yeshua In Context blog" href="http://yeshuaincontext.com/" target="_blank">Yeshua in Context blog</a> site about Yeshua&#8217;s teaching on the eye as the &#8220;lamp of the body&#8221; in Matthew 6:22-23. Although I commented on his post &amp; gave some of this information, I thought it would be good to post a more complete version of my thoughts here.</p>
<h3>Good Eye, Bad Eye, Lamp of the Body</h3>
<p>Matthew 6:19-24 is one of the first passages I point out to people who want to know why it&#8217;s important to understand Yeshua&#8217;s teachings from its original context, particularly the Hebrew idioms &amp; terminology behind his words. Let&#8217;s look at this entire passage. I&#8217;ve used the NKJV, and left the headers from the translators to show the misunderstanding even at the level of scholarly translation.</p>
<blockquote>
<div id="_mcePaste"><strong>Lay Up Treasures in Heaven</strong></div>
<div id="_mcePaste">19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste"><strong>The Lamp of the Body</strong></div>
<div id="_mcePaste">22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!</div>
<div id="_mcePaste"><strong>You Cannot Serve God and Riches</strong></div>
<div id="_mcePaste">24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.</div>
</blockquote>
<p>I begin by having the person read verses 19-21 and then interpret Yeshua&#8217;s message. Then I do the same with verses 22-23, which often results in a confession of not knowing what he is talking about. Then I have them read verse 24, and they are able to interpret this just as easily as verses 19-21. Then I point out the theme of the three sections of this passage as such:</p>
<ul>
<li>Verses 19-21: Money, things &amp; stuff</li>
<li>Verses 22-23: Unclear</li>
<li>Verse 24: Money, things &amp; stuff</li>
</ul>
<p>From there, they usually see a pattern, and that verses 22-23 &#8220;should&#8221; fit back into the context.</p>
<p>They are then able to realize why it is so important is that we know the intended meaning of his teachings. It is easy for them to see how we will totally miss the point of what he is trying to convey if we don&#8217;t understand the original sense of the message, which hinges upon a Hebraic . And without this information, we will invariably make up a meaning that has absolutely nothing to do with his original teaching. For generations, Yeshua&#8217;s teaching in Matthew 6:22-23 has been interpreted in ways that are completely unrelated to the context of his subject, and stripped of its context (even at the <em>pashat</em> level).</p>
<p>Often this text is used as a prooftext for moral purity and guarding the eyes. Although this is indeed a principle that Yeshua advocates (cf. Matthew 5:28), it is not at all what he is talking about here. However, this passage, if understood as being Hebraic in nature, fits completely within the context of the surrounding verses (19-24). And, unlike many instances of passages found within the Apostolic Scriptures, we do not have to turn to an outside source (such as non-canonical or rabbinic works), Scripture actually illuminates this passage itself.</p>
<h3>Put it back in Hebrew</h3>
<p>First, we need to put this passage back into Hebrew. From there we can begin comparing it to other Scriptures in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanach (or the &#8220;Old Testament&#8221;). The Bible Society in Israel translates the phrase “your eye is good” in Matthew 6:22 as “עֵינְךָ טוֹבָה”, (<em>ein&#8217;ka tovah</em>) literally corresponding to our English (some texts translated the eye as being “single” or &#8220;clear&#8221; verses “good”). When we focus on the phrase &#8220;your eye is good&#8221; and we come across a passage in Proverbs.</p>
<p>In Proverbs 22:9, we have almost this exact phrase in the form of, “טֹֽוב־עַיִן” (<em>tov eiyn</em>) or “good eye.” Since this passage is being translated by Hebrew linguists, all dynamic English translations understand the meaning of this quite easily. Why? Because it is obvious in the Hebrew. However, when we are presented with a Greek text, such as the Apostolic Scriptures (the &#8220;New Testament&#8221;), translators try to impose a Greek understanding of the text, since it has been delivered to us in the Greek language. But this approach fails, as we will clearly see in this passage. But back to our correlation in Proverbs. The NASB translates this verse as follows:</p>
<blockquote><p>“<strong>He who is generous</strong> will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)</p></blockquote>
<p>From here we can see it is obvious that the one with a “good eye” is a generous person. Now, let&#8217;s put this new terminology &amp; understanding back into Yeshua&#8217;s teaching in Matthew and remove the last two inserted headers (modifications in <strong><em>bold italics</em></strong>):</p>
<blockquote>
<div id="_mcePaste"><strong>Lay Up Treasures in Heaven</strong></div>
<div id="_mcePaste">19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">22 “The lamp of the body is <strong><em>generosity</em></strong>. If therefore <strong><em>you are generous</em></strong>, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if <strong><em>you are miserly</em></strong>, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.</div>
</blockquote>
<p>With our new understanding in place, it completely changes our understanding of the words of our Master. Rather than three separate teachings, we see a cohesive unit of teaching by which he warns against being attached to wealth and the &#8220;things&#8221; of this world and encourages us to create spiritual &#8220;wealth&#8221; in its place. This reading completely fits the context of verses Matthew 6:19-24, telling us this is indeed the intended meaning of Yeshua’s words.</p>
<p><strong>Look for my upcoming post</strong>, &#8220;<em>Yeshua&#8217;s Use of &#8216;Righteousness&#8217;</em>&#8221; which will give another example of insights gained from looking at the Hebrew beneath the Greek skin of the NT. It will elucidate more of Yeshua&#8217;s teachings, and expound upon many of the things discussed in this post.</p>
<h3>Upcoming Resource</h3>
<p><strong>Do you want a resource to help you see these things in the Apostolic Scriptures?</strong></p>
<p>One is on its way. Have you heard of the new, DHE (Delitzsch Hebrew English) translation of the Apostolic Scriptures from <a title="Visit the Vine of David website" href="http://vineofdavid.org/" target="_blank">Vine of David</a> (<a title="Visit the FFOZ website" href="http://www.ffoz.org" target="_blank">First Fruits of Zion</a>)? Vine of David is in the process of taking Delitzsch&#8217;s Hebrew text of the Apostolic Scriptures and putting them into English for the first time. Here is some brief info on the project. I will be posting more thoroughly on this project soon:</p>
<blockquote><p>Franz Delitzsch (1813 &#8211; 1890) was known as a “Christian Hebraist” he was a pioneer in the area of Jewish studies of the New Testament. Delizsch was a prolific writer, translator, and biblical commentator. His greatest and most noted work was is his New Testament translation into Hebrew. Deliztzsch re-contextualized the Gospels back into their Hebraic foundations. He understood and revealed the Hebrew / Jewish underpinnings of the Gospels. He devoted his entire life to restoring Yeshua back his people. The primary goal of this translation was to create &#8220;an edition of the Gospels that is sensitive to and reveals the Jewish essence of the teachings of the New Testament is vital to helping God&#8217;s people connect with the Jewish foundations of the Christian faith.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/11/new-ffoz-seminar-coming-to-central-arkansas/" rel="bookmark" title="May 11, 2010">New FFOZ Seminar Coming to Central Arkansas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/02/12/5-minute-torah-mishpatim/" rel="bookmark" title="February 12, 2007">5 Minute Torah &#8211; Mishpatim</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/25/binding-loosing-from-torah-to-yeshua/" rel="bookmark" title="July 25, 2011">Binding &#038; Loosing: From Torah to Yeshua</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/03/22/the-divine-disconnect/" rel="bookmark" title="March 22, 2009">The Divine Disconnect</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/08/01/colossians-commentary/" rel="bookmark" title="August 1, 2006">Colossians Commentary</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Gemara Thoughts by Jeremiah Michael</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/09/01/gemara-thoughts-by-jeremiah-michael/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/09/01/gemara-thoughts-by-jeremiah-michael/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:24:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gemara]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gemara Thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jeremiah Michael]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Talmud]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1245</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I just wanted to officially welcome Jeremiah Michael (FFOZ staff &#38; son of Boaz Michael) to the Messianic blogosphere. He&#8217;s got his own blog now, called Gemara Thoughts. He&#8217;s got some great thoughts going, especially by way of defending traditional Jewish understanding of the Scriptures and comparing that the teachings of Yeshua and the Apostles. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I just wanted to officially welcome Jeremiah Michael (<a title="What? You don't know about FFOZ??? Where have you been?" href="http://www.ffoz.org" target="_blank">FFOZ</a> staff &amp; son of Boaz Michael) to the Messianic blogosphere. He&#8217;s got his own blog now, called <a title="visit Gemara Thoughts now" href="http://www.gemarathoughts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gemara Thoughts</a>. He&#8217;s got some great thoughts going, especially by way of defending traditional Jewish understanding of the Scriptures and comparing that the teachings of Yeshua and the Apostles. Be sure to stop in and say hi when you can.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/05/15/welcome-boaz-michael/" rel="bookmark" title="May 15, 2006">Welcome Boaz Michael</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/13/ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="April 13, 2005">FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/03/book-review-meet-the-rabbis/" rel="bookmark" title="June 3, 2009">Book Review: Meet the Rabbis</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/02/26/messianic-remnants/" rel="bookmark" title="February 26, 2009">Messianic Remnants</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/06/30/ffoz-boaz-michael-speaking-locally/" rel="bookmark" title="June 30, 2005">FFOZ-Boaz Michael Speaking Locally</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Know Jesus Better</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/08/05/know-jesus-better/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/08/05/know-jesus-better/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:21:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discipleship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jesus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Torah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Torah Club]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1234</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Similar Posts: Re-discovering Jesus Combatting Jews For Jesus Taking the Jewish Jesus to Church Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 1 Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 2]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="480" height="385" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/piiM9r75z1A&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1?rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/piiM9r75z1A&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1?rel=0" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/04/06/re-discovering-jesus/" rel="bookmark" title="April 6, 2009">Re-discovering Jesus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/07/16/combatting-jews-for-jesus/" rel="bookmark" title="July 16, 2006">Combatting Jews For Jesus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/04/taking-the-jewish-jesus-to-church/" rel="bookmark" title="October 4, 2010">Taking the Jewish Jesus to Church</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/27/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-1/" rel="bookmark" title="January 27, 2011">Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/30/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-2/" rel="bookmark" title="January 30, 2011">Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 2</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>New FFOZ Seminar Coming to Central Arkansas</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/11/new-ffoz-seminar-coming-to-central-arkansas/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/11/new-ffoz-seminar-coming-to-central-arkansas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 15:52:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gospel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hebraic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jewish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seminar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sermon on the Mount]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1159</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[May 23 • 2:30pm • Conway, AR Learn the words of Jesus from a Messianic Jewish perspective. “A Jewish Sermon on the Mount: Exploring the Core Teachings of Jesus from a Hebraic Perspective” introduces the Hebrew idioms, Jewish contexts, and rabbinic methods at work in Jesus’ most famous sermon. Jewish Sermon on the Mount provides [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone" title="FFOZ Seminar - A Jewish Sermon on the Mount" src="http://img.skitch.com/20100511-kpga8m365h1uqspnmifqwa6df1.jpg" alt="Seminar Pic" width="610" height="251" /></p>
<h2>May 23 • 2:30pm • Conway, AR</h2>
<p>Learn the words of Jesus from a Messianic Jewish perspective. “A Jewish Sermon on the Mount: Exploring the Core Teachings of Jesus from a Hebraic Perspective” introduces the Hebrew idioms, Jewish contexts, and rabbinic methods at work in Jesus’ most famous sermon. Jewish Sermon on the Mount provides a brief introduction to Matthew 5–7 using a new, Hebrew-based translation of the New Testament that allows English readers to see the Hebraisms of the Master’s teaching and the richness of the Hebrew words.</p>
<p>Enjoy a challenging and inspiring look at Jesus’ teachings and the transformative message of the Sermon on the Mount.</p>
<ul>
<li>See Jewish parallels to Gospel texts and find out why Bible scholars believe the parallels are important for greater understanding.</li>
<li>Discover Hebrew words that are impossible to translate into English and how translators deal with these difficult words. See the words—understand the concepts they represent and expand your understanding of the Bible.</li>
<li>Hear the compelling story and see the New Testament translation of Franz Delitzsch, a nineteenth century Christian Bible-translator considered one the greatest lights of Messiah to the Jewish people.</li>
</ul>
<p>Learn and see what was so distinctive to Jesus’ teaching in this passage that produced such a response, “the crowd was amazed at his teaching, for he was teaching them as a man of authority, and not like the soferim” (Matthew 7:28–29).</p>
<h4>The Hebrew/English Sermon on the Mount</h4>
<p>There will be three teachings in a course of 2.5 hours. There will be breaks and time for questions. Everyone attending will receive an extract of Matthew 5–7 from the new Hebrew/English Gospel edition scheduled for release in the fall of 2010. Attendance is free—there will be a donation box on a table for all those that desire to help with the related expense.</p>
<p><strong>CONTACT:</strong><br />
Jeff Croswell or Darren Huckey</p>
<p><strong>HOST:</strong><br />
Simchat Torah</p>
<p><strong>LOCATION:</strong><br />
Faulkner County Library</p>
<p><strong>ADDRESS:</strong><br />
1900 Tyler Street<br />
Conway, AR 72032</p>
<p><strong>PHONE:</strong><br />
501-242-3687 (Jeff)<br />
501-339-8151 (Darren)</p>
<p><strong>E-MAIL:</strong><br />
<a href="mailto:info@simchattorahar.com">info@simchattorahar.com</a></p>
<p><a class="pdf" title="Download the PDF" href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/JewishSermonOnTheMount-Flyer_AR_Conway_Final.pdf" target="_blank">Download the PDF to distribute or post on your site.</a><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/22/delitzsch-released/" rel="bookmark" title="July 22, 2011">Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels Released</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/21/yeshuas-use-of-good-eye/" rel="bookmark" title="October 21, 2010">Yeshua&#8217;s Use of &#8220;Good Eye&#8221;</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/04/27/gospel-of-judas/" rel="bookmark" title="April 27, 2006">Gospel of Judas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/02/10/in-heaven-as-it-is-on-earth/" rel="bookmark" title="February 10, 2011">In Heaven As It Is On Earth?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/02/21/you-have-heard-that-it-was-said%e2%80%a6-but-i-say-to-you-part-1/" rel="bookmark" title="February 21, 2011">You have heard that it was said… But I say to you &#8211; Part 1</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>FFOZ Holocaust Webinar</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/04/08/ffoz-holocaust-webinar/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/04/08/ffoz-holocaust-webinar/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:32:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[event]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holocaust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seminar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1083</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you haven&#8217;t heard already, FFOZ is hosting a FREE, two and a half hour webinar presentation on the Holocaust this week entitled &#8220;An Overview of the Holocaust From a Critical Perspective.&#8221; The first session will be tonight from 8:00-10:00pm (CST) and the second will be Sunday from 6:30-9:00pm (CST). From the FFOZ blog, they [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://ffoz.org/blogs/2010/03/holocaust_webinar_registration.html"><img class="alignleft" style="margin-right: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;" src="http://ffoz.org/blogs/Badge%202x2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></a>If you haven&#8217;t heard already, <a title="First Fruits of Zion" href="http://ffoz.org/" target="_blank">FFOZ</a> is hosting a FREE, two and a half hour webinar presentation on the Holocaust this week entitled &#8220;<em>An Overview of the Holocaust From a Critical Perspective.</em>&#8221; The first session will be tonight from 8:00-10:00pm (CST) and the second will be Sunday from 6:30-9:00pm (CST).</p>
<p>From the FFOZ blog, they state:</p>
<blockquote><p>This presentation is sub-titled &#8220;&#8230;from a critical perspective&#8221; as the introductory content places heavy emphasis on the role of Christian theology in the formation of the cultural climate that allowed for the Holocaust to happen.</p></blockquote>
<p>I encourage anyone who can to join this event and promote it on your blog, Facebook, etc. Let&#8217;s get to word out and &#8220;stand in the gap&#8221; for the people of God. Here is some brief info regarding the seminar invitation and speakers, directly from the FFOZ announcement:</p>
<blockquote>
<h4>Webinar Invitation</h4>
<div id="_mcePaste">Join us for this informative free webinar. Invite your friends, pastors, and/or host an evening for people to view this powerful presentation together. Professionally presented information with over 250 PowerPoint slides containing images (some graphic), stats, charts, maps, etc. You will be greatly informed and educated in this critical historical event. Once registered an e-mail notice will be sent giving you the login and call in information.</div>
<h4>Webinar Presenters</h4>
<div id="_mcePaste">Instructor: Daniel Hennessy</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Special Guest: Dr. Michael Schiffman of Chevra</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Host: First Fruits of Zion</div>
<h4>Daniel Hennessy</h4>
<div id="_mcePaste">Hennessy is a Holocaust educator trained at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and was awarded the Meyer A. Nathan Scholarship for teaching the Holocaust by the national office of the Anti-Defamation League. He&#8217;s also been trained by visiting staff from the Yad Vashem Int&#8217;l School of Holocaust Studies located in Jerusalem, Israel.</div>
<h4>Chevra (Dr. Michael Schiffman)</h4>
<div id="_mcePaste">Chevra has been operating since the fall of the USSR. Elderly Jews, mostly holocaust survivors, are living below the poverty level and do not know if they will have food for the next day. Chevra provides food parcels, and soup kitchens, and funds for medicine to them. Chevra also operates throughout Israel providing for the hurting and needy. With the aging population of holocaust survivors, this may be the last opportunity we have to help them. People who endured such horrible things should not finish their lives in starvation and poverty. (There will be an opportunity for you to give into this important work).</div>
<h4>Webinar Invitation</h4>
<p>Join us for this informative free webinar. Invite your friends, pastors, and/or host an evening for people to view this powerful presentation together. Professionally presented information with over 250 PowerPoint slides containing images (some graphic), stats, charts, maps, etc. You will be greatly informed and educated in this critical historical event. Once registered an e-mail notice will be sent giving you the login and call in information.Webinar PresentersInstructor: Daniel HennessySpecial Guest: Dr. Michael Schiffman of ChevraHost: First Fruits of ZionDaniel HennessyHennessy is a Holocaust educator trained at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and was awarded the Meyer A. Nathan Scholarship for teaching the Holocaust by the national office of the Anti-Defamation League. He&#8217;s also been trained by visiting staff from the Yad Vashem Int&#8217;l School of Holocaust Studies located in Jerusalem, Israel.Chevra (Dr. Michael Schiffman)Chevra has been operating since the fall of the USSR. Elderly Jews, mostly holocaust survivors, are living below the poverty level and do not know if they will have food for the next day. Chevra provides food parcels, and soup kitchens, and funds for medicine to them. Chevra also operates throughout Israel providing for the hurting and needy. With the aging population of holocaust survivors, this may be the last opportunity we have to help them. People who endured such horrible things should not finish their lives in starvation and poverty. (There will be an opportunity for you to give into this important work).</p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Sorry &#8211; I forgot to include a link to the registration for the event! Here it is:</strong></p>
<p><a title="Register now!" href="http://ffoz.org/blogs/2010/03/holocaust_webinar_registration.html" target="_self">http://ffoz.org/blogs/2010/03/holocaust_webinar_registration.html</a><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/06/30/ffoz-boaz-michael-speaking-locally/" rel="bookmark" title="June 30, 2005">FFOZ-Boaz Michael Speaking Locally</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/08/14/ffoz-seminar-the-commandment-to-bless/" rel="bookmark" title="August 14, 2008">FFOZ Seminar &#8211; The Commandment to Bless</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/13/ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="April 13, 2005">FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/06/12/teaching-opportunity/" rel="bookmark" title="June 12, 2010">Teaching Opportunity</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/08/01/monkey-see%e2%80%a6monkey-do/" rel="bookmark" title="August 1, 2010">Monkey see…Monkey Do.</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Your Favs &#8211; Shavuot 09</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/08/your-favs-shavuot-09/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/08/your-favs-shavuot-09/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:31:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conference]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[highlights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shavuot]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/08/your-favs-shavuot-09/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I would like to hear about your highlights for this year&#8217;s Shavuot, especially from you who attended the FFOZ Conference in Hudson. Leave me a comment with a special memory to share with others!Similar Posts: FFOZ Shavuot 09 Conference Shavuot Conference at Beth Immanuel Goodbye Hudson Shavuot &#8217;09 with FFOZ Second Temple Stone Quarry Discovered]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I would like to hear about your highlights for this year&#8217;s Shavuot, especially from you who attended the FFOZ Conference in Hudson. Leave me a comment with a special memory to share with others!<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/01/ffoz-shavuot-09-conference/" rel="bookmark" title="June 1, 2009">FFOZ Shavuot 09 Conference</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/16/shavuot-conference-at-beth-immanuel/" rel="bookmark" title="May 16, 2010">Shavuot Conference at Beth Immanuel</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/21/goodbye-hudson/" rel="bookmark" title="May 21, 2010">Goodbye Hudson</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/shavuot-09-with-ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Shavuot &#8217;09 with FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/07/08/second-temple-stone-quarry-discovered/" rel="bookmark" title="July 8, 2009">Second Temple Stone Quarry Discovered</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Love and the Messianic Age Release</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/love-and-the-messianic-age-release/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/love-and-the-messianic-age-release/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:04:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daniel Lancaster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paul Phillip Levertoff]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=906</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One exciting thing about the conference was the re-release of Paul Philip Levertoff&#8217;s Love and the Messianic Age, a chasidic-orthodox insight into the message of the Gospel in relation to a chasidic frame of reference, drawing from some of the deepest of mystical texts within Judaism. It was released in hardback (a first for FFOZ) under [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/latma_fblock.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-907" style="margin-right: 10px;" title="latma_fblock" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/latma_fblock.jpg" alt="latma_fblock" width="315" height="260" /></a>One exciting thing about the conference was the re-release of Paul Philip Levertoff&#8217;s <em>Love and the Messianic Age</em>, a chasidic-orthodox insight into the message of the Gospel in relation to a chasidic frame of reference, drawing from some of the deepest of mystical texts within Judaism. It was released in hardback (a first for FFOZ) under a new publishing arm of FFOZ called Vine of David (which I will have to discuss at a later date). It is a small book, but packed with a lot of punch. Therefore, they simultaneously released a study guide (which is actually larger than the book) in which Daniel Lancaster and others break down concepts that appear within the text and try to guide the uninitiated reader into a working knowledge of the principles Levertoff uses to explain his discourse. Unless you are extremely familiar with rabbinic works (especially chasidic ones), I suggest you acquire the book and study guide as a set. Lord willing, I hope to publish a full review of the text in the days ahead.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/17/love-and-the-messianic-age-review/" rel="bookmark" title="March 17, 2010">Love and the Messianic Age Review</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/05/06/new-writings/" rel="bookmark" title="May 6, 2005">New Writings</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/13/random-thoughts/" rel="bookmark" title="April 13, 2005">Random Thoughts</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/08/16/torah-for-the-masses/" rel="bookmark" title="August 16, 2006">Torah for the Masses</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/final-session-shavuot-09/" rel="bookmark" title="June 2, 2009">Final Session, Shavuot &#8217;09</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Final Session, Shavuot &#8217;09</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/final-session-shavuot-09/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/final-session-shavuot-09/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:53:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[covenant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daniel Lancaster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hebrews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shavuot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Temple]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/final-session-shavuot-09/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I failed to mention the final session of the FFOZ Shavuot &#8217;09 conference, which was taught by Daniel Lancaster. This was probably the biggest &#8220;aha!&#8221; moment at the conference for most attendees and ended with a long, standing, round of applause. Daniel took a long, 2-part session to go into great detail and offer up [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I failed to mention the final session of the FFOZ Shavuot &#8217;09 conference, which was taught by Daniel Lancaster. This was probably the biggest &#8220;aha!&#8221; moment at the conference for most attendees and ended with a long, standing, round of applause.</p>
<p>Daniel took a long, 2-part session to go into great detail and offer up an almost air-tight case for the proper interpretation of the terminology and analogy of the book of Hebrews (particularly chapters 7-10).</p>
<p>He first set his teaching up with three arguments typical of Christian theology &#038; interpretation based on the book of Hebrews. With each of these, he presented the problems associated with such a perspective with an expression with Talmudic sentiments, &#8220;This is a difficulty.&#8221; Of course, he stated that the goal was to be able to reach the actual Talmudic statement, &#8220;There is no difficulty here&#8221; (for which he did—at least in my estimation). </p>
<p>He specifically addressed issues such as how to resolve phrases that seem to negate the Mosaic covenant, overthrow the Aaronic priesthood and the belittle the function of the Temple service.</p>
<p>His second part systematically worked through each of these &#8220;difficulties&#8221; and resolved them to what appears to be great satisfaction. Lord willing, I&#8217;ll be cleaning up my notes over the next few days and posting them. However, I believe Daniel is planning on posting a full, 30-page article (I am pretty sure I heard) on this teaching in the next Messiah Journal (which we all eagerly await!).</p>
<p>Thank you FFOZ for all of your hard work and diligent study, and for sharing it with us.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/shavuot-09-with-ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Shavuot &#8217;09 with FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/live-blogging-shavuot-09/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Live Blogging? Shavuot 09</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/brief-note-on-session-1/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Brief note on Session 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/01/ffoz-shavuot-09-conference/" rel="bookmark" title="June 1, 2009">FFOZ Shavuot 09 Conference</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/love-and-the-messianic-age-release/" rel="bookmark" title="June 2, 2009">Love and the Messianic Age Release</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>FFOZ Shavuot 09 Conference</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/01/ffoz-shavuot-09-conference/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/01/ffoz-shavuot-09-conference/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:25:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conference]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shavuot]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/01/ffoz-shavuot-09-conference/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The FFOZ Shavuot 09 Conference in Hudson, Wisconsin ended yesterday afternoon, and it was sad. We left Wisconsin this morning and are on our way back to Arkansas. The conference was really great and everyone involved did such a great job. It was difficult to leave. We made so many great new friends. I want [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The FFOZ Shavuot 09 Conference in Hudson, Wisconsin ended yesterday afternoon, and it was sad. We left Wisconsin this morning and are on our way back to Arkansas. The conference was really great and everyone involved did such a great job. It was difficult to leave. We made so many great new friends. I want to thank everyone who took the time to say hi and let me know that you knew me from diggingwithdarren and we were finally able to meet face to face. I look forward to getting to know you all better, soon.</p>
<p>Also, Lord willing, I will be posting notes and overall thoughts from the conference over the next few days. Many blessings!<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/21/goodbye-hudson/" rel="bookmark" title="May 21, 2010">Goodbye Hudson</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/06/11/shabbat-shalom-conference-08/" rel="bookmark" title="June 11, 2008">Shabbat Shalom Conference &#8217;08</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/shavuot-09-with-ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Shavuot &#8217;09 with FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/16/shavuot-conference-at-beth-immanuel/" rel="bookmark" title="May 16, 2010">Shavuot Conference at Beth Immanuel</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2012/01/18/atlanta-georgia-2012/" rel="bookmark" title="January 18, 2012">Atlanta, Georgia 2012</a></li>
</ul>
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